20151231:Is35:6 The lame leap like a deer!

 Is35:6 Then will the lame leap like a deer!

The crippling event at the end of 2015!

I eat fast. I talk fast. And perhaps walk fast too.  

But this interesting most unfortunate event that took place on boxing day set me thinking  a lot. Thanks to many well wishes, I was reminded that I was no longer a young lady but an older dame going past the 50 Golden Jubilee this year and it is time to slow down.

I still eat and talk fast. But over the past 7 days, I no longer walk that fast! In fact doing some daily chores indeed had become a real chore! For eg, I am unable to hang up the washed curtains in the home!

Interestingly this evening, we were invited to an MLM dinner by a company which sells a single product called PURTIER (what a name!). The main ingredient is deer placenta.  So this evening some very dear deer thots came as I reflected on : Who came , Why I was framed and the aim of life once again.  Inspired by the PUR..IER thots through this name with the Cross in between, this poem was framed as a reminder for myself .

2015 saw the tetra blood moons, the economic gloom, the terrorist zoom and the shaking of the church bloom.  All the not so nice world news and ugly and unedifying church sagas.  So what next, Lord for 2016?

Despite the lame

We shall always proclaim

jEsus is the greatest name

In Him we shall never be ashamed

iN the garden of Eden fame

God took Adam's bone so that Eve was framed

Osteoporosis is now a common name

In Adam we shall now know who to blame

So despite an unfortunate lame

At the end of 2015 as it came

Let not the crutches make one tame

But come 2016 let the flame of Jesus set to be your only holy aim!

Reading Isaiah 35 this wee hours of the morning on the 31/12/2015.  The last day of 2015.

A very comforting Word about the Joy of the Redeemed.

The desert and the parched land will be glad;
    the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, ² it will burst into bloom;
    it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
    the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the Lord,
    the splendor of our God.

³ Strengthen the feeble hands,
    steady the knees that give way;
⁴ say to those with fearful hearts,
    “Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
    he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
    he will come to save you.”

⁵ Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
    and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
⁶ Then will the lame leap like a deer,
    and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
    and streams in the desert.
⁷ The burning sand will become a pool,
    the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay,
    grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.

⁸ And a highway will be there;
    it will be called the Way of Holiness;
    it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean will not journey on it;
    wicked fools will go about on it.
⁹ No lion will be there,
    nor any ravenous beast;
    they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,
¹⁰     and those the Lord has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
    everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
    and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Some Deer Leaping Year End Reflections :
1. Cripple Love

Do you know how many times the Lord mentioned about the weak, the crippled and the lame? In fact , most of the gospels- healings are targetted at this group of people. And in Luke 14:21, when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind. Such is the crippling agape love of our dear Lord Jesus to those who are seemingly the weakest and most vulnerable or marginalised.

2. Cripple Condition
Do you know that Jesus had some very strong words for the those wanting to enter life? In fact in Matt18:8 & Mark 9:45 " If you foot causes you to stumble, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell" Eternal Fire.

With my recent fall experience, I so badly wanted my foot to be back to normal  asap! I wanted both my feet - to be in balance and allow me to run and play my tennis again!  But now I see that the Lord exhorts us to walk steadfastly in Him.  Even If the ISIS were to torture one into denouncing Christ, be maimed, would we be able to pass this crippling test?


3. Cripple Experiences of Man in the Bible

• Gen 32 : Jacob's hip was wrenched/ crippled by the man he wrestled with till day break.  Because the man could not overpower Jacob so he broke his hip! Oh my. He pleaded with Jacob to let him go as it was daybreak, What did Jacob reply? "I WILL NOT let you go unless you bless me" What audacity. Well, Jacob got his wish granted. His name was changed by God to Israel; (which means he struggled with God).  And with such boldness, Jacob asked the man's name. But of course it was not revealed. But Jacob later called the place PENIEL (which means the face of God) ."It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared" So Jacob limped away thereafter.

Oh what awesome experience ! So crutches experiences or limping events are not necessary bad in life. Once you understand the kairos moments.  No one has seen God face to face.  Even Moses could not as he crouched in between the rocks and only saw the back of God. But Jacob did wrestle with God face to face!

• Gen49:21: Jacob's blessing over his son Napthali "Napthali is a doe set free that bears the fawn"

Interestingly, Napthali means wrestle/struggle . The 6th son.  The symbol used is that of a gazelle - swift - beautiful in the wild in gentleness and grace.  The very first reference to deer in the bible is in Gen. 49:21 in Jacob’s prophecy to his sons. About Naphtali he says, “He is a deer let loose, he gives goodly words.”  

So if you have ever watched National Geographic on how deers leap, perhaps we will find that indeed the bible is alive! In Psalm 18:33 it says “He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places.” Isaiah 35:6 declares "the lame shall leap like a deer" in a time when God’s kingdom rules.  When crippling situations come at us, we must remember these people in the bible - be steady steady poon pi pi. Ai Zai.  Steady surefooted.  Slowed down, watch and leap over like the deer over the fence! Keep on wrestling with God, never let Him go under you are released with His full blessing!

The Dearest Dear?

The romantics love the book of the Song of Solomon.  2:8 "My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag.  Look! He stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, perring throught the lattice."

A deer is loving. And we called our spouses "dear" at times.  But no matter how dear our spouses can be, words can hurt and we are humans after all.  We cannot fully satisfy the desires of our spouses' heart and neither can they.

At times when marriages seem to dry up or our spiritual walk loses steam, in a summary we can only look to the Dear One who came and love us for who we are.  He the truly the Lover of our Soul.  

The rest I am getting for the next 4 -6 weeks and hopefully not 3 months as suggested by the Orthopaedic is a good change.  Remembering David and an old song Ps 42:1" As the deer pants for the water brook, so pants my soul for you O God"

• Will we walk in the Highway of Holiness in 2016?
• Will we keep thirsting for Him?
• Will we rejoice come what may and let the sighing and sorrow flee away?

Goodbye 2015!

20151226: About Bones & Fractures, Legs and Crutches! Flamigoes and Man -Ez37

Eze 37: Son of man, can these bones live?....Prophesy to these bones and say to them "Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones ; I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you and you will come to life.  Then you will know that I am the LORD"

Something about Bones and Fractures....

• A little special surprise awaited me on Boxing Day, 26/12/2015, at about 1pm, i missed a step, just a step and fell unto the floor! It was such a loud crackling sound like the thunder! Perhaps now I fully understood what Ezekiel heard in Eze37:7 that rattling noise when the bones came together  but for me, it came apart :(.  Too stunned for words that I grabbed and held tightly to my left foot and prayed in non-intelligible words as the brain was literally blocked up in that instant.  The only intelligible words ? "IN Jesus name ! In Jesus Name In Jesus Name!" Oh my! Summoning my hubby John to pray over it too within the minutes that followed!



Pain Release at the TCM!

• Moments later, we went TCM hunting - but most shops were closed except for one where I bought the Zheng GU Shui (Bone Ointment) and used it to rub over that left foot. The intense excruciating pain was felt at about 4pm when we arrived at the Jurong West TCM.  Could not even put on left foot down, I literally hopped into the  clinic!  Thank God the practitioner did not massage my foot except that he cupped and needled some points.  He was of the view that no bones seemed to be broken despite my repeated questioning when he was feeling it.  For me that earlier crack sound just haunted me:(  Half an hour later, the pain was much relieved and I could walked slowly back to the car! 



At A&E Gleneagles - getting the cast on !

• Thanks to the nag and concerns of my siblings, it was about 8pm when we decided to go the A&E Gleneagles to get the x-ray done.  My worst fears came true and it was confirmed that my 5th Metatarsal bone was fractured! As advised, never go to the TCM first if we hear the crack and felt pain in future - always get the x-ray done first:)  A&E Doc told me the estimated recovery was 4-6 weeks !



Cast removed and substituted with a boot instead!

• On 28/12/2015 - was referred to the Orthopaedic Doctor. He was of the view that it might take 3 months for full recovery in the light of the not so clean cut fracture as seen on the x-ray! Oh my! Was so glad that the cast was removed and I could use my wet tissues to clean my foot at the clinic! The foot was bruised and had swelled a little. The boot was a replacement for the cast which was highly recommended as I could remove it when at home and allows me to wash my foot .  It also allowed me to stand instead of lifting my cast leg up all the time! It made a real difference for the price to pay for this expensive "Ski Boot" One sided yet cost S$338!

Reflections

About legs and crutches, Flamingoes and man!

• I realised that God had created man wonderfully with 2 legs and thank God not one! It was such a tiring process to walk in crutches, the strength to balance on one leg all the time!
• It is one of the most simplest but most engimatic mysteries of nature; Just why do flamigoes stand on one leg? LOL.  But scientist believed that they stand on one leg to regulate their temperature.  To conserve their body heat- if they put two legs in the water they would lose more heat .  Thermoregulation is a principal function of unipedal resting in flamingoes!

But then my recent experience had proven. I am a woman not a bird. It took me lots of perspiration just to keep standing on my right foot.  Using the crutches caused me to sweat like crazy.  That usual steps that I take became such a challenge.  It was so energy zapping! I am definitely not belonging to the feather creatures.  Thank God for 2 legs!!! Thermoregulation? Not for man - just for that aesthetically beautiful flamingoes!

• Dry bones? Bone Mass density on the decline as one age? Perhaps particularly for woman once they pass that age of menopause according to the orthopaedic but not so much for man. Why? Is it because we are Eve - made out of the bone of the Adam - man's rib? So the quality of the bone is not as good as the original man? LOL! So come 4/1/2016 - I would need to have my BMD scanned - to find out the real cause of the fracture. I pray that the Lord will breathe into my cracked bone asap and strenghten it and made it whole.  And interestingly, my comfort from the doc was that a bone which had been broken tend to be stronger after its healing! Much to the contrary of what I was told that the bone will be more brittle and prone to future breaks once ever fractured before!
• A lesson in slowing down....as advised, time to keow kah for the next 3 weeks....literally! 

Crutching over to the new 2016!

Despite of this fall, still many things to thank the Lord for!

The prophesy of Ezekiel over the dry bones in the valley- that we will know that He is the LORD and there is no other.  We are wonderfully and fearfully made in the image of Him and so we praise Him! (Ps 139:14)  We are the body of Christ and each one of us is part of it. (1 Corinthians 12)

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts, and though all its parts are many, they form one body. God had arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.  The eye cannot say to the hand that it does not need the hand. Nor the head to the feet.  On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts we we think less honourable we treat with special favour.  And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it, and if one part is honoured, every part rejoices in it.

And I just came to realise -the importance of my 2 feet or 2 legs.  If one is hurt, the whole body went into an imbalance mode! My arms and good foot has to rise up to counter the fracture of the left foot. What a lesson! But I thank the body of Christ, my family and loved ones for the prayers during this time. So Watch your steps Folks! Walk with care especially down the stairs!

Wishing all a very blessed 2016 - may you be healthy, prosperous in the Body, Soul and Spirit! Be loved by the Lord and love Him in return with all your strength, mind and spirit as long as He gives you breath! YHWH is faithful and good all the time!

Enjoy this educational funny bones video!

20151225 : Mark 5: About Legion Strongman & thanksgiving

Mark 5:12 "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them"....

I was reading about strongman in the earlier chapter of Mark 3:20-30 - the possession of the prince of demons Beelzebub.  And then came to this Chapter 5.  

Reason was that owing to the recent ICU admission of my father in law just days before Christmas, his tightly held Buddha Pendant which he wore during his dialysis ,had been bothering the family for a while.  We had always prayed for the opportunity to have it removed. But knowing what a partriach type of man he is, none of us would ever dare to.

Reading Mark 5:

• It was interesting in v1 that the evil spirit came out to meet Jesus! (He asked for it!)
• Have you ever wondered why Legion pleaded Jesus not to send them out of the sea?
• Instead, the demons begged Jesus to send them among the PIGS?? Why pigs?!!
• Of course the permission was granted by Jesus - so into the pigs they went!
• But the best joke was that the pigs , about 2000 , RUSHED down the steep bank into the lake and were DROWNED!
• so the demons got drowned - still went into the sea! LOL

Strange Reaction from the people who became afraid of the man who was once off minded become of sound mind. Mad people - afraid. Mad made sound also afraid.  Worst still, they pleaded with Jesus to leave their region?! WHY ? Crazy or not? Shouldn't they be rejoicing??That a mad man got healed?? Alamak!

Reflection

Well, the demon-possesed man who was no more wanted to follow Jesus. But Jesus did not let him so.  Instead, he was asked to be a WITNESS of what the Lord has done for him and how much the Lord has mercy upon him.  This is the Christian's testimony of witness.

I had never expected the removal of my FIL buddha pendant last week due to the ICU protocol procedures.  To cut the story short, my FIL agreed not to pursue on having it back anymore.  This is yet another of the Lord's goodness and faithfulness in answering the family prayers.  We definitely could not have done it due to such a strongman stubborness.  But the Lord has His own mysterious ways of making that impossible so possible! PTL! Amen.

Bye to the pendant.  Forever! Go to the PIGS! Be drowned!

The site of this pig story is recently found.  So the Bible is always true!

And Jesus is real!

Ho Ho HO!

Have a blessed Christmas! (MY FIL was discharged on 25/12/2015 - what a mercy from the Lord!)

This is a recent archaelogical finding in Dec 2015:- Extracted from CHRISTIANTODAY.COM

Site where Jesus Christ drove demons into the sea uncovered, confirming biblical event

Hazel Torres 18 December 2015    

 

(Israeli Antiquities Authority)

The 1,500-year-old slab of marble with Hebrew inscriptions unearthed by University of Haifa researchers in Kursi on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. The discovery is the first piece of evidence confirming the existence of a Jewish or early Christian community in Kursi, mentioned in the New Testament as the place where Jesus performed the Miracle of the Swine.

In the Holy Bible, Jesus Christ was described to have confronted Satan directly in the land of the Gadarenes or Gerasenes where the Miracle of Swine took place. This dramatic confrontation when Jesus cast out demons was recounted by no less than three apostles—Matthew, Mark and Luke with varying nuances.

Archaeologists from Israel now believe they have found evidence of the biblical event in Kursi, the historically Gentile district of the Decapolis on the eastern shores of the Sea of Galilee, Breitbart reported.

Kursi is the spot traditionally associated with the miracle of Jesus' banishment of demons into a herd of swine.

This is the place where they recently unearthed a 1,500-year-old marble slab with Hebrew inscriptions.

(Wikipedia)

Medieval book illustration of Christ exorcising the Gerasenes demonic.

The archaeologists believe the slab to be a commemoration tablet dating from around 500 AD. The inscription in Hebrew begins with the words "Remembered for good."

On the slab, scientists also identified the words "amen" and "marmaria," which could refer to marble or to Mary, Jesus' mother.

As described by the apostle Mark, the Miracle of the Swine took place after residents in Kursi tried to restrain a man possessed by the devil by shackling and chaining him.

The man had lived among the dead in the tombs, howling night and day and gashing himself with stones, terrifying the locals who dared not go near him.

They finally managed to put shackles on him while he was asleep. But the crazed man had super-human strength and easily broke free from the chains.

But before he could terrify the locals again, Jesus approached.

Surprisingly, to the locals' utter amazement, the man ran and bowed down before Jesus. The demons inside him howled and begged Jesus not to torment them.

Then Jesus commanded, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!"

The demons inside the man then replied, "My name is Legion; for we are many."

Jesus then cast the demons into a herd of about 2,000 swine grazing on a nearby hillside. The pigs rushed headlong down the steep bank into the sea, where they drowned.

The man now released from demonic possession then pleaded for Jesus to take him, but Jesus told him to stay and proclaim the mercy of God to his family and friends.

In the fifth and sixth centuries, a Christian church was built to mark the spot of the biblical location of the Miracle of the Swine, but this was destroyed by the invading Persian army in 614 AD, Breitbart said.

The church was rebuilt, but was again destroyed, this time by a fire that struck it. The site remained abandoned for most of the following 1,300 years.

The church was forgotten until it was uncovered by accident during the building of a new road in 1970.

Near the vicinity of the church ruins, caves are still visible, and there is a mountain that drops down into the sea, exactly as the Bible describes it.

Christian apologist Steve Ray told Breitbart News that since Kursi had the largest monastery in Israel, it was obviously held in high esteem by the first Christians.

"The early Judeo-Christians remembered the places and events surrounding the life of Christ, and as soon as Christianity was legalised, churches were built on these different sites," he said.

"The more archaeology uncovers," Ray said, "the more the Bible is confirmed."

20151213: LIFI vs WIFI? Gen 1 & Rev 21

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wqH9KX9o0vg&feature=youtu.be

Technology is bringing much revelation to what we understand from the Bible indeed.
WIFI is commercially known only around 1999.  Though its invention was much way earlier .It is still much a local area network technology.  But now -LIFI is going to be the next in thing wave!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li-Fi

Li-Fi (Light Fidelity) is a bidirectional, high speed and fully networked wireless communication technology similar to Wi-Fi. Coined by Prof. Harald Haas, 

This latest LIFI thing (100x faster than WIFI, recorded in 2011 TED) - brings the bible alive and allows us to appreciate the mind of our creator God.
Remember it was first in Gen 1 - Let there be light declaration by God
Then in the last book Rev 21 : 22-26 John wrote" I did not see a temple in the city because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple and the Lamb are its temple.  The city does not need the sun of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.  The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.  On no day will its gates be ever shut, for there will be no night there.

WIFI is now used 60% in the world. 

Light is perfect. Has frequency waves much higher than radio waves.  It thus can transfer data much faster.
So now we have LED lights instead of the flourescent light.
The experiment in the above video is awesome.  See how the light pulsated and transmitted via a software to produce the HD video. When the hand was placed in between, the video froze. We cannot see the light stream. But it was doing its job! Free illumination of transfer of data.  The receiver was merely interested in receiving the pulse.

The future - wow.  We can walk into any room with light and get internet access soon! This will be the next tech innovation. Still underdevelopment as the Line of Sight is still important in this technology.

Jesus 8:12 Jesus said I am the light of the world. Whoever who follows me will never walk in darkness but have the light of life.

He is the source of the spiritual light that many are desperately looking for in this world that is full of turmoil , wars, fear of Isis, pollution of food from both earth and sea. 
And we know that many physical plants here on this planet needed that light for its growth.
And a simple little candle works miracle light to dispel the darkness in a room.
Light exposes the little particles that no naked eye can see through its beam.
It is no wonder that in Rev 21:27" Nothing impure will enter it (New Jerusalem, New city), nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life"
The Lamb is its lamp.

So how then can our name be found in that particular book of life?
If there is light , there will be darkness.
If there is Heaven, then there must be a hell.
If there is truth, there will be lies.
In life, there are certain stuff where there is never a grey area - for sure.
There can be different shades of black and white - but take no doubt about it, black is black and white is white 
Answer: Simply make that wise choice to choose the Light and not darkness. Heaven and not hell. The Lamb has shed the blood as a sacrifice for our sins on the cross.  Jesus is that sacrificial lamb. Without the shedding of blood there can be no remission of sins. Our Chinese culture and traditions know the importance of the killing of an animal for the altar.  So does the Muslims in their korban ritual annually.  But this Lamb has done that once and for all for us more than 2000 years as He came to this earth born in a manger. This is the reason why we celebrate Christmas.   Yet when he died on that horrible cross, He rose again from death on the third day.  Because He conquered death for us all.  Simply we believe that we cannot do all the good stuff in this worldly world to redeem our own iniquities.  It is futile.  It is only simply when we acknowledge our imperfection and allow the only perfect Light of the world and Lamb of God to do that on our behalf.  We simply humble ourselves and choose to believe in Him.  Confessing with our own mouth and make that crossover from death to life, heaven from hell....Only believe. Take that leap of decision of faith to crossover the new 2016 year, knowing that our name will be written in the Book of Life.

Reflections
Light is fascinating.  Dont' you think so?

As I read more about this LIFI thing, I realised what John meant when he wrote in JOhn 1 "IN the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God...In him was life and that life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness but the darkness has not understood it....." John was sent by God to be a witness to testify concerning that light.  He came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world"

Engineering Science of today is making waves of our further understanding of how the world is shaped and connected.  Could it be that this founder of LIFI  Harald is like the forerunner like JOhn (who came to share about His birth and His death and His second return to this corrupted world once again) but now bringing us revelation on the light connectivity of the future?)

I used to imagine what it would be like in the new Jerusalem or new heavenly city where there was no night? It is a place of brightness all the time! The glorious light.  It is only after watching this LIFI video that I began to appreciate Rev 21 in better perspective.!Jesus is the light of the world! He is the very source of our life. He is the Alpha and the Omega.  What we understand HIm to be as the omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent one is soon to be revealed as LIFI brings us even a step closer into the real world of connectivity.  FUTURE!!!!LIFI here we come! Bye to WIFI! The best is yet to be. Amen.

20101020_Is 49:23 About Kings and Queens in the UK

Iconic Big Ben, London, taken during first trip to UK - 6/10/2015 - 18/10/2015 Is 49:23 'Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed." Don't know much about the England and Scotland history until I made an effort to read about this during this trip. Notwithstanding that I had a brother in law who is a Brit for more than 20 years! Oh dear. And so much of the children's songs that I used to sing about the London Bridge that was supposed to be falling down and her fair lady.  It was like a picture that came to live now after more than 45 years after kindergarten! London Big Ben is a very nice clock tower indeed. Passing by it as it hovered above my head in the rich golden sight was really something to behold. So here was I in London in Oct 2015.  The year where QE reigned her longest serving time of 66 years? God saves the Queen is their national anthem. Not the king but the queen. Kind of intriguing that queens rule instead.  But England has her fair share of Kings starting from King Albert the first to the several King Georges I,II,II,IV,V! Such is the time of the 18th Century of the English history. Much later than I thought as compared with the monarchy of King Saul, David and Solomon back in 1100BC.  The English history beginnings would be similar to the time of Ming and Qing Dynasties 1300- 1911 AD.  It has to be as we saw Chinese vases in Leeds Castle when we visited. Reflection This verse in Is49.  Reminded me of our earthly kings and queens.  They will come and go anyway through history and time. Not many countries have these kings and queens today. There is ONLY One Great King & Father who rules over all the earth.  He is none other than YHWH. Only Him and Him alone. Those who hope in Him will never be disappointed. What a glorious hope! Chris Tomlin just released his new 2015 Christmas album ADORE this month. Indeed timely, as we remember the reason of this coming season again.

20151002-Ezra : Moving Hearts and Crossing over

[Oct 2014: Bridge connecting to NY Island - towards JF Airport]

Ezra 1:5" Everyone whose heart God had moved - prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord"

Just finished reading the book of Ezra - 10 Chapters only.

What struck me was the verse in chapter 1:5. For anything to happen, God is the initiator - He is the one who moves the hearts of men.  Just as in John, we loved because he first loved us. Only which, are we prepared to take that step of faith to cross over.

One year back in the month of October, I recalled crossing over this bridge that was heading towards the JF New York Airport where we were supposed to head home after 2 weeks in the USA.  Witnessed the glorious sunset as we drove on this bridge as passover.

Ezra 6 recorded the completion of the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. Despite the frustration of Tattenai but thanks to King Darius' decree for the restoration of the temple to be rebuilt.
3 main highlights:-
1. Ezra 3 - for the foundation of the temple, they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles. There was joy.
2. Ezra 4 - Enemies who came to oppose this rebuilding. But it is the resolve of the people to press in towards the rebuilding.
3. Ezra 6- the completion of the rebuilding, celebrating it with the Passover, yet another celebration of joy.

Ezra came into the scene in Chapter 7, 7 years that passed by since the rebuilding started.  He continued to shared about the sin of unfaithfulness and the  separation of the peoples around and their foreign wives.

Reflection

1.When was the time where we once took the step to cross over to follow Christ?
(The bridge of cross that separate us from the great gulf of divide between heaven and earth)
2. Once having separated or set apart, have we continued to desire to seek the face of the Lord?

Perhaps it is time for us to rebuild the house of the Lord. Time to seek His face wholeheartedly had we been half-hearted. We may be in the world but we are not of the world!

(Oct 2014, Washington DC, Smithsonian Museum : Airspace)

And definitely not out of this world yet!

20150924: A Miracle Haze Testimony : Power of prayer!

Psalm 20: 1-2 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.  May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion"

Indeed this verse from Ps 20 came alive to me on 23rd Fri and 24th Sat Sep 2015!

Little red dot had been smoked badly by the haze from our neighbor Indonesia for the past weeks. The PSI hit above 300 this week and forced our school to close on 24/9 Fri! My nose was runny and the throat was badly sored since Wednesday.

So on 23/9 Fri early morning on the way sending my father in law to his routine dialysis, the buildings at about 6:40am indeed looked so blurred due to the bad haze.  It was along Rochor Road that my hubby and I decided to pray for the haze to go away!

Little did I realised that by 9am through a group chat that my friend G commented that "it doesn't feel like 300psi out in the sky...more like 100psi" And so indeed I replied that we should thank God as it was still bad earlier and prayed in the car at about 6:40!

And the best part was the next day on 24/9 Sat morning as I opened up the papers. The chart above showed the sharp decline in the haze indicator just about the same time as we prayed! Oh my! The Lord heard our distress call!
Looked like v 4 had been answered! He gave us the desire of our heart! Haze gone! LOL

So now Ps 20:5 "We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of the Lord" Yes Yes Yes! Thanks be to God for the answered prayer! YEAH!

And guess what? The schools 'closed' for nothing! Should have been opened. The exams too should not have been postponed! MOE expected the worst! LOL









God is Good! He is Faithful! He hears our Prayers! PTL! Amen!
Reminded me of this song "My God Reigns". A special dedication to my nephew/ Godson - If the Lord can answer our prayer of a horrible haze that seemed so impossible to be swept that day, He is able to answer any of our desires of our heart indeed. Nothing is difficult for Him , O man! So V7 , "some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God" You will rise up and stand firm! Let your hope in Jesus be anchored in your soul.  Even in the worst of times - fears and heartaches, let the peace of Jesus reigns. Knowing that HIS Love will never never never fail you. He is Faithful. He reigns! Amen! And yes - you will surely rise up and stand firm!

I have a hope so sure
An anchor for my soul
My peace in the worst of times
I trust in God alone

Let every voice declare it now

My God reigns
His love will never fail me
My God reigns He's ruling over all
In all my life
In every situation I know
My God is greater my God is over all

By faith I have believed
And on this truth I stand
No power in life or death
Can take me from His hand

Above all sickness above all fear
Above every heartache here
In earth & heaven My God reigns

Above all power above all thrones
The greatest love I've ever known
Today forever my God reigns

Read more: ALM: UK - My God Reigns Lyrics | MetroLyrics