20141015- WDIC#2 : Boston/ Malborough - "Boston Freedom Trail" ? Spore Freedom Trail?

Beautiful flowers at Old Sturbridge Village, near Boston
Gal 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage"

This is a living museum about life in rural New England in 1790-1840 - costumed historians with live demo of the 19th century activities

Above: The "washing machine"

Above : All the tin making stuff

Below: Cotton weaving and dyes and looms

My favourite school bus! Remember Forrest Gump movie in the 80s? Seemed that the form of this school bus never changes from yesteryears and todate! They are the same - yesterday, today and tomorow? LOL

 

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Boston is about 40 min away from the town of Marlborough where we stayed at Hampton Inn.

The Golden dome is their State House.  Looks so much like the dome at Jerusalem.

 

The city of Boston is a walking city. It is about north 350km from NYC. First historic walking tours called the Freedom Trail. One can walk around this city using the painted line on the pavement or red brick which would take about 2-3 hours walk.

 

Famous universities such as Harvard, MIT , Boston University are located here in Boston.

 

Ever seen brussels sprouts on its branch??My first time!

 

 

Following the red line on the ground...

 

Above: A Freemason lodge

Boston: The city where the American Revolution started...back in 1600s

Outside Faneuil Hall - rap dancers performance

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 Rainy day.  Drove to Cape Cod- Barnstable for lunch. About 16 degrees temp.

 

 

 

Reflections

 

Freedom comes with a price.  Like many cities that fought against slavery and injustice, lives will be lost for sure.  Freedom fighters sacrifice their lives. Such is the history of this Boston Freedom Trail of the American Revolution.

 

 

As in the earlier blog on the subject of 'liberty' in NYC , Boston has her own Freedom Trail. History has shown us the value of 'freedom or liberty".  Something that is so close to the heart of man.  Something that is of great worth and treasure that it has to be fought for.

 

 

The secular world of politics and governments relate to the rule of people's way of life. Democratic , socialist, communist or military governments - whatever, such is still under the government of God. Back in Moses' days, it was theocracy.  Then man wanted a man ruler. Judges came about and now we have the various constitutions in a country to set down the rules and laws in civil administration.  But that can still be corrupted. Because of man's inherent sinful nature of greed, power and lust .

 

 

Gal 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage"

We are in the world.  Pilgrims here on this earth.  How can we be truly free? Yes, we can- and that route is only when we choose not to be of this world.  That freedom is found in this person called Jesus Christ.  He has made us free if we turn to Him and invite Him to be the ruler of our lives. He said that his yoke is easy and His burden is light when He beckons us to come to Him, those who are weary and needed that rest.

The Orchard Christmas lights were up yesterday on 15 Nov 2014.  Yes it is yet another time of the year where we celebrate the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ.  This is that kind of government we yearn for.  One that liberates our very soul and spirit.  No worldly governments will be perfect. That worldly governments might be able to achieve perhaps 90% of the citizens' needs at best scenario. But there will still be unmet needs and wants of the people.  Because all are made differently with different social or economic status in this life.

But as we approach Christmas, we thank Isaiah the prophet for his prophecy in Is 9:2 "The  people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined."
 
Is 9:6" For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it an to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever"
 
As Singapore enters her Jubilee year, we pray that we will have a uniquely Singapore Freedom Trail for all living here in this little red dot. May YHWH reigns on High, that all will be drawn to pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race , language (not so sure about this religion thing), to build a democratic society based on justice and equality (not so sure about this as there is actually no such thing as 'equality' per se?) , so as to achieve happiness (not so sure about this too...but joy irrespective of what we may own or have perhaps if we know the One who is able to meet our needs)  , prosperity  ( perhaps not nec in material but in the immaterial richness?) and progress for our nation. (all tribes and nations will gather one day ...before the Great White Throne...)



20141014: WDIC #1: NYC - GRACE -David Wilkerson Quote

Introduction from the book , David Wilkerson - THE MAN WHO BELIEVED "WHAT DO YOU SEE? my father asked.

This book (just released in Aug 2014) is written by his son Gary after his father's death in 2011.He was in his 80s then.  The late David Wilkerson ministered for more than 65 years ! Founded Teen Challenge, Times Square church.  His monumental book - The Cross and the Switchblade , has sold more than 16 million copies worldwide.

Yet reading this book on the way back from Washington DC after a miracle purchase of this book in Columbia, in a christian bookshop in a suburb off DC , was revelationary. Shocking too.  

Because of the uniqueness of how this book which I wanted so much landed in my hands in such an unusual manner (my previous blog), I am treasuring the experiences of such a man of so much faith in our God.

Thot that the actual quote taken from a leaf from the Introduction would make great food for thots for many - especially those serving in "full-time" ministry. We are all full time ambassadors for our YHWH in various capacities that He had placed us in.  Unfortunately, much spotlight and responsibilities are often thrown at hired "full-timers" nowadays. But this is a book for all of us.  Those who believe in YHWH or those who thot they believe and yet not experiencing the fullness and abundance of what the Father had done for His child.

Page 29-30 Extract:
" The revelation of my fathers's lifelong struggle was stunning to many.  'I preach a lot about the love of God nowadays, and it was David who had the greatest influence in my life fro that 'says Bob Phillips, who copastored with my father at Times Square Church.  'It's based on what I learned from him in his years as a pastor, not just from his preaching but from how he believed and lived.'  Like so many others who worked closely with my dad, Bob never would have guessed this struggle to be my father's deepest.

From the outside, those who understood my dad's early life would say he never stood a fighting chance.  Yet , characteristic of my father, a few decades ago he set himself on a journey to correct things within himself.  At that time, in the 80s, he was still busy traveling the world as an evangelist.  Yet his own soul was dry; he had become weary of preaching the same messages to crusade audiences.  Between those events, he began reading a stack of books given to him by a discerning friend, author and preacher Leonard Ravenhill.  These were classic works that had endured the centuries, most of them written by Puritans, names many of us have never heard of.  As my father dug into those treasures, his heart opened to a new revelation of Christ.  Grace awakened him, coming alive in a way he had never known.  The old books stirred him once again to study the Scriptures cover to cover, this time with a new understanding of the gospel.  As he explored the full extent of the finished work of Christ, he experienced joy.

Toward the end of his life, my father confided to me that he still struggled to know whether he was loved.  He couldn't escape completely the emotional cobwebs, but he was seeing more and more clearly the work that Jesus had done for him.  In my last conversation with him, he told me of how deeply he had probed, how he had scoured every page of every writing he could find on the glorious subject of God's covenant grace.  And yet I could see in his eyes there was a yearning for more.  There things he still wanted to know about the depth and breadth of Chris's finished work.  That's when he urged me to dig deeper in my own search on the subject, not to be satisfied but to go farther.  It was as if he were saying ' I got a late start.  I want you to have it better.  I want my grandchildren to have it better.  Don't ignore the truth.  If you catch it now, it can save you years .  Son - do you see?

A few weeks after my father's funeral, my brother-in-law sent me the last book that Dad had left open on his study table.  It was a classic work by Thomas Brooks.  Almost every page was underlined and highlighted with comments filling every open margin.  There was my father, nearly 80 years old - after 65 years of serving in ministry - still yearning, still reveling in the gospel of Christ, its glories never ceasing to unfold new beauties of assurance. 

In this way, my father was like Paul,  With every achievement, his estimation of himself had grown smaller.  Earlier on, Paul went from strength to strength in is accomplishments for the gospel.  In AD55 he wrote to the church inCorinth that he was no less than any of the other apostles.  Two years later, he wrote something very different to the Ephesians, stating, ' I am the least of all saints' Finally in his last known letter, Paul wrote ' Ia am the chief of sinners'

That was my father.  In the beginning of his ministry, David Wilkerson was a crusading young zealot, making a massive imprint on the world for Christ.  Later , as he gazed hard into his own brokenness, he realized " I am dependent on God for everything" and he offered genuine encouragement to others in their sufferings.  By the end of his life, amid his anguished battle to know love, he claimed "I can do nothing.  He did it all 'It is finished'"

Here is where God's work in my father began.  Let me tell you what I see"

Quoted : From Gary Wilkerson

Reflections
This is part of the book's introduction.  Kind of shocking right?

Ministry . Zeal. 

At the end of the day....what do you see?

Love.  Grace.  Joy.

Remembering Rainbows. 

His covenant of love , grace and joy

Do you experience His Love?

Do you experience His Grace?

Do you experience His Joy?

A simple checklist for today.

If any of them is checked with a "NO" then gostan balek kampong...back to the Cross and remember what Jesus said it first "It is finished"

20141013_WDIC#1_New York City

2 Cor 3:17 "Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty"

If you were asked what are the 5 things that come to your mind when New York City is mentioned, what would that be?

For me arriving on 13/10/14, my first trip to this east coast of America, they would be - Statue of Liberty, Central Park, WTC, Times Square-Broadway , Wall Street! And having read the David Wilkerson book on the last day back to red dot had made me appreciated more of NYC even more as back in 1950s, late David was led from Pennsylvania to this very city where his ministry started.

This is Central Park where we took a subway to mid of this park and strolled back to Rockefeller Plaza on Day 1. Central Park is huge - about 5 times bigger than our Botanic Gardens!

Here in Rockefellar Plaza- Top of the Rock looking ahead at the once tallest building in NYC- EMPIRE STATE Building. (But now with 1 WTC'Freedom Tower, ES is now second tallest)

This is Rockefellar Plaza.

So much 'liberty' in NYC that nude ladies came parading in Times Square!

And this is famous Times Square! "liberated with bright glitzy billboards lights at night!

So many theatres in Broadway and spoilt for choice of musicals! But we choose "Jersey Boys" About Frankie Vauli and the Four Seasons.  Awesome voices.

Selfie with Lady Liberty! She was a gift from France to America in 1886.

She represents the roman goddess of freedom, Libertas. 3 cheers to her torch with our tigers flasks. Her right hand held the tablet of law which inscribed that date of the American Declaration of Independence.

See the new tallest building in NYC? Before called Freedom Tower, now  One World Trade Centre or 1 WTC. Started construction in 2006 after twin towers fell. View from Liberty Island.

See the famous Wall Street bull? Hey! This reminded me of the golden calf that the people built while Moses went up to the mountain to meet God! Wall Street =$$$$$$$. Stock Exchange  Where is the bear??? 

This is one of the twin WTC. Horrible design with waters flowing into the centre black hole! 

Wished we had more time to visit the 9/11 Museum but lack of time and chatted with policeman instead.

Kind of depressing feeling walking around these 2 block of black holes.  The sight of water flowing into the other black hole simply add on to the sinking feeling.  Arrhhhh. So here was John trying to capture that rainbow in the hole!

Hooray! Thanks to God for that UPLIFTING rainbow first sighting! Brought some hope and better spirit in the soul!

See that half constructed Dove behind us?It is the new train station -called the Dove which will only be completed in 2015. Main train station with shopping malls.

See this building with charred exterior? Still bore the memories of the plane crash back on 11/9/2001

The newly constructed 1WTC, due to open officially around first week of Nov 2014

Up close and personal to this highest skyscrapper in NYC, 104 floors (ranking I think #4 tallest in the world) All these buildings are just a stone throw from THAT BULL!

Reflections

So here ended Day 2 of the NYC stay before we headed to Boston the next day.

The NYC subways are pretty old and the streets of NYC is rather smelly as all the rubbish are always placed on the roadsides. Our subway ride from airport -Jamaica station - Penn station cost about USD15 /each.  Hotels in Mahattan are pretty expensive. Most metro subways and bus fares cost USD2-50  per ride on average.

Liberty and Freedom?

What is that definition?

NYC is indeed a very 'free' place. A place where there is no fear of freedom of expression.

Man - we are made with a free will to choose.  We are not made with robotic inplants controlled by a little chip.  We have a choice.

Just as this Lady Liberty photo was taken - the sun is right above her.

NYC is famous for the FINANCE hub! But Matt 6:24 reminds us that we cannot serve 2 masters. Either hate or love.. Else hold the one and despise the other. History showed us that the people sinned when they built the silly golden calf when Moses took a little break up to the mountain to meet God.  The people grew impatient and did what they thought was right. Made for themselves a golden calf to worship.  Their hearts were turned to something else.  That was a wrong choice.  

Lady Liberty had turned green.  Ever wonder why? Well, this trip I learnt that her copper had oxidized giving rise to the colour green! LOL.  Now we also know why the idiom came about "Green with envy?" Green - an association of envy, jelaousy and possessiveness.  This lady Liberty is the icon of NYC.  But may we never fall into her enticement to the material world .  Go for the immaterial world. The spiritual truth. 

2 Cor 3:17 "Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty"

God sent His Son. He died and He rose again. His body is no longer here in this world. But He had promised to give us His Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth.  He is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through the Son. And if the Son has set us free, we will be free indeed.  This is LIBERTY.  True liberty!  Simply believe. Choose wisely. Choose quickly because time does not wait for man.