13/1/2016 Stunning photo of a cross captured by a Michigan lady during sunrise
When you see a cross - what is the first thing you think of?
The religion ? Jesus Christ? Cruxifixion?
Think of it seriously. Some might discount the sunrise cross as photoshopped. But the lady who took it knew nothing of photoshop! Today we celebrate His resurrection. Three days back we celebrated Good Friday - where He was crucified. But today we celebrate the finding of an empty tomb. Where did Jesus go? And some might say that his body was taken away by someone. There was no such thing as resurrection! Yet the bible so tells us in 1 Cor 15:17 " If Christ has not been raised , your faith is futile, you are still in your sins"
Jesus had to go so that He could send His Holy Spirit who dwells within our bodies as a guide in our life. God is Omnipresent. Omniscient and Omnipotent.
That cross which stood up in the midst of a sunrise in Michigan...
It reminds me of what He has done on the cross for my sins.
Without the shedding of his blood, there can be no remission of sins
There will be days where the sun darkens and sets. But it reminds me of an eternal Hope.
Hope because the Son has risen and overcome death.
And as promised, He is coming back again.
Perhaps in my lifetime? Who knows?
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“At times God puts us through the discipline of darkness to teach us to heed Him. Song birds are taught to sing in the dark, and we are put into the shadow of God's hand until we learn to hear Him...Watch where God puts you into darkness, and when you are there keep your mouth shut. Are you in the dark just now in your circumstances, or in your life with God? Then remain quiet...When you are in the dark, listen, and God will give you a very precious message for someone else when you get into the light.” Oswald Chambers
A moment of reflection - a leaf out of 1 Corinthians 1& 2........
Today we remember how Jesus was hung on the cross For many of us here who are seemingly lost Where is the wise man, the scholar and philosopher of this age?
Yet the foolishness of God is wiser than all such sage. Why so many run after miraculous signs, supplements & new age teachings Yet forgetting that all on earth are merely earthly pilgrims ? Think of what you were when you were called, Were we wise or influential, elite or aristocrats brought? But God chose the lowly and despised things of the world and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are so that no one may boast before Him, is it not? So we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to some but to those whom God has called Christ is the power and wisdom of God! May we be resolute as in Jer 9:23 "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches But let him who BOASTS BOAST about this; that he understands and knows me that He is the LORD, who exercises Kindness, Justice and Righteousness on earth For in this He delights" We are the reason that He gave His life We are the reason that He suffered and died It is because of him that we are in Christ Jesus. who has become for us wisdom from God- our righteousness, holiness and redemption. May this be the reason that It is always Him we always sought. Amen!
Gen 3:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed" Happened to stumble across this chinese word "Hui" 惠 in the newspaperson15/3/2016. It was an advert placed by a Chinese bank in little red dot. In the same page where the Kangxi's seal of Heaven was written for auction in coming april 2016 Auction Brief: The sale is a testament to the vision of the Kangxi emperor. It includes two extremely rare and important Imperial seals from the period: a massive tanxiangmu seal carved with the characters jingtian qinmin (‘To respect Heaven and diligently serve the people’), one of a select number of seals that was carved under the reigns of Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong; and a superbly carved soapstone seal carved with the characters yuanjian zhai, the name of the Emperor’s private library. It is one of an extremely rare group of seals carved with a dragon and tiger. Both seals are recorded in the Kangxi Baosou, a complete record of the Kangxi Emperor’s seals. Commissioned in 1781 by his grandson, the Qianlong Emperor, only two copies are known, of which one is preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing. Offered here is the only example in private hands, recording a total of one hundred and nineteen seals, providing deep insights into the principles and vision of the Kangxi Emperor. It is extremely rare to find any Kangxi Imperial seal in private hands, and an extraordinarily fortuitous event to assemble these three legacies of Kangxi Imperial rule in one sale.http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/2016/kangxi-history-and-power-hk0642.html Upon reading the auction (starting price at S$2.7mio) of the Seal of the Mandate of Heaven - could not help by reflecting on this seal which read "Revere Heaven Serve thy People" - the mandate to rule. Emperor Kangxi ruled Qing Dynasty from 1661 to 1722 - one of the longest and successful emperors then. And right below this article was the 惠 - means "Benefit" : Why did the advertiser highlight the 田 in 'green'? Because it represent a green garden? And suddenly my eyes saw something which I never realised before!My heart lept in joy! It was as if the Lord was speaking to me right in the face! Our Benevolent Lord - He wanted us to "benefit' in the original intent of his awesome creation! Right in the beginning of Gen3:8, our Lord 主， has already centred in his heart 心, to place us in this garden 田! The Garden of Eden is the Heavenly Paradise on earth! Reflections
The Bible begins His Story right in the Garden. If only man had not sinned and disobeyed YWHW in the garden, mankind would not have had been chased out of that Garden. Unfortunately, man always wanted a human king to rule over their heads. And history records of Kings and queens, Emperors and Empresses of the past. The glories of the different dynasties Not contented withYHWH who is enough. So came the monarchies and authorities (democrats, republicans, socialists...) in governments of the nations. Even the Chinese understood the higher authority in theire reverence of a Heavenly King -above their own human emperors - shangdi 上帝。
Kingdom living is one where the rule of the King reigns in our hearts. Emperor Kangxi had the seal which is now going to be auction. But our Heavenly King has given to us a better seal! The seal in which is the Holy Spirit ! 2 Cor 1:22 " He annointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come"
Man need not fear man except the fear of the Lord.
We are citizens of a heavenly Kingdom which cannot be shaken. It is forever eternal.
I just renewed my passport 2 days back for another 5 years as the little book ran out of pages due to the many travels.
Have you gotten that passport into the Heavenly Kingdom?
Have you go that precious seal which $ money cannot buy?
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For me, this word Hui was revelationary to me that morning! It popped out and spoke to my heart . I felt so blessed to know that His heart began in the Garden where all the beautiful animals and vegetation began. There will come a time where we shall return to the Garden again - when The Lord comes a second time on earth.
So, I am ready to go. My passport is with me.
Heb 3:15 Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion
“We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life - those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration. We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength.”
― Oswald Chambers
Ever since I saw the snow during the first winter trip- I simply just fell in love with "Snow White" ! The symmetrical snow flake structure. The majesty of snow-peaked mountains. The power of the powder snow in Hokkaido . The onsen natural steam in the valleys. All these beautiful moments of inspiration never fail to make me gasp in awe.
The blessedness of being able to make such travel trips away from the mundane sunny days of little red dot is something I am always grateful for. Sometimes, we need to get away to experience a breath of freshness. To inhale the moment of inspiration. And so I love to be frozen. I love Olaf. I miss having the 4 seasons of life in little red dot. We only have one type : Summer! - Hot. Less Hot. Very Hot. Else, wet or dry days. LOL. And silly little Olaf did not know what he was asking for when he ask for summer?! Oh gosh! And what did know about the thing that was worth melting for in matters of the heart - Love?
Did you watch the partial solar eclipse in red dot on 9/3/2016 Wed at about 8:23am? 90% covered and a rare one that occurred perhaps every 3 years. Next year around 2019 shall be a total solar eclipse. ( a rare one as there have only been 4 total solar eclipses from 1700 to 2100) The last total one was reported here on 4/3/1821.
Would you be further inspired to know that come 20/3/2016, there will a another astronomical event that only takes place every once 100,000 years? ! On this coming week, the eclipse will darken the sun for the sunrise in the North Pole
where it will be visible for 2 minutes. Spore time 18:18 on 20/3 Fri. Many intend to pray for 2 min on this day. It shall happen on the first day of spring and on the first day of the Jewish religious calendar - the beginning of Nissan. And North Pole is not a nation. It does not belong to any country of the world. So just like the star that led the wise men to little Jesus, what would this sign of the sun mean to us all? We wonder. Happens in once in many many many years. And I get to live to witness this awe!
Reflection Matt 24:42... the Lord exhorts us to watch the signs regarding the end of the age. Time and hour unknown. But we must already be ready. We must be like the faithful and wise servant whom the master has put in charge. It is not in moments of inspiration of work. But rather it is during the mundane humdrum of our life. May our Lord finds us remaining faithful so when He returns any time in our life while we are breathing unless we are called home before He comes.
In the earlier verse in 29, the sun will be darkened. It is like such a solar eclipse happening. Not often to take place. Not normal event for the coming North Pole 2 min eclipse - how many generations it would take for one to witness this at such a up north place in no man's land on a spring and also the first day of Nissan?
May that be a moment of great inspiration . Draw Near to Him.
Olaf will never melt in North Pole. Even in Summer! He will love to be there!
On this trip, I read this book "Oswald Chambers Abandoned to God - the Life story of the Author of My Utmost for His Highest". (1874-1917) Born in Scotland. And to my utmost surprise- he preached in Japan years back! Died at the age of 43 due to complications of appendicitis surgery while serving as Chaplain in Egypt. His writings were compiled by his wife Biddy from her own verbatim shorthand notes of his talks.
So this is Japan. 100 years back was evangelised by one such great man of faith like Oswald Chambers. Today, Japan is still a spiritually hard ground.
Recalling back, I have been to Japan for ski trips more than 6 times since with several different groups of family and friends. But this trip was rather different as we managed to secure a lodge where 10 of us snuggled in for the 4 nites in Hirafu Village, Near Niseko. Observed the changes that had taken place in the recent years. It is "Australianised" more than Nihonjins now. Simply perhaps many flocked over to experience their everlasting powder snow!
(Can still ski despite the fracture on 26/12/15! Thanks to the Lord for the quick healing! Ortho doc thought no problem to ski so .....there goes.....)
OC Reflections
1. His take on Wars
OC was right in the start of WW1. The perplexities felt by many in his time :"Is war of the devil of of God? It is neither.It is of man, though God and the devil are both behind it. War is a conflict of wills either in individuals or in nations"
"Our Lord insists on the inevitability of peril. Right through His talks with His disciples, without panic and without passion and without fear He says ' You must lay your account with this sort of thing,with war, with spite, with hatred, with jealousy, with despisings, with banishment and with death.Now remember that i have told you with this things that when they happen to you, you may not be scared'
"Jesus Christ did not say : You will understand why the war has come - but :Do not be scared, do not be put in a panic.
"There is one thing worse than war, and that is sin. We get tremendously scared when our social order is broken up, and well we may. We get terrorized by hundreds of men being killed. But we forget there is something worse - sinful dastardly lives being lived day by day, year on year of our villages and towns...these are the things that produced pain in the heart of God, not the wars and the devastation that so upset us"
How true, isn't it? Back 100 years of more back, a man lived through WW1. My late parents lived through WW2. And now many are expecting the WW3 in our generation.
Yes, but it is more than the ME crisis of Syria, Iran , Iraq that we are seeing the atrocities of ISIS terrors. We are seeing the erosion of the very fabric of our family values, the marriage institution, the humanistic human rights of the LGBTs etc. Won't such things break the heart of God more than anything?
2. His Wars & End times and Intercession
Back during OC time, WW1 had caused many christians to focus on bible prophecy and a preoccupation with end times, Many back then felt that God's judgement had come upon the godless nation of the world.
We are now in the year 2016. Many here too are fascinated with end times! Are we here yet?? Well, OC in his diary of April 1915 , he wrote " To the saints who know the end of things, it is not a time of separate aloneness,but of sanctified abandonment to God for intercession. Let us beware then of excessive brooding on our own personal whiteness, or as special coteries [cliques] regarding the Second Coming . Let us fling ourselves into abandonment on Him and intercession on behalf of the country we belong to that she may prove God's servant as well as God's instrument. Let us pray lest men look merely for peace instead of to and for God"
Is this not what is happening around us today? The Pope and his world tour of promoting "peace" and interfaith of all religions to keep the "peace".
Conclusion
We are at war indeed. Not just physical wars in war torn nations. But also the relational wars among men. Broken men and women. Well said by OC. Can we fling ourselves into abandonment on Him and intercession now ? This movie "War Room" was released only in August 2015. A friend bought the DVD for me and I watched it before this Japan trip. And reading the life story of Oswald, the above reflections struck an accord with me/ More than 100 years had passed on since his death. But one thing has not changed. Prayer. Intercession. The heart beat of God. The victories of what we may experience today - all fought in a little war room. Unknown by many, but reaches to the throne of His Utmost Highest. He is the Victorious King who reigns on High. I believe Oswald was that kind of man of prayer. Like many others like late Wigglesworth and David Wilkerson etc. PRAYER IS A POWERFUL WEAPON! Battleplan? You know what it is now.
