January 2021 – Candy's Blog

Prayers change things

2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:2-6, NIV)

One of the spiritual disciplines a Christian should cultivate is prayers. Prayer enables us to build a relationship with our Father in Heaven who loves us.

When Apostle Paul wrote this letter, it was meant for the church at Colossae. It seemed that the Christians at Colossae were on the verge of losing their understanding of the power by which the Christian life is lived. Paul wrote this letter to encourage them as well as to remind them that there is power and joy as Christians.

Paul’s prayer for the Christians is that they might be strengthened according to God’s glorious might. Paul was in the prison when he was writing this. Being in the prison did not discourage him. He was still joyful because he himself had been strengthened by God.

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (verse 2)

Devote ourselves to prayer means we priority prayers regardless of the circumstances. The situation around us does not dictate our joy. Regardless of whatever the circumstances, there is something that we can be thankful for. Make a commitment to pray because prayer connects us to God, our the source of joy and strength.

(1) Prayers Change Things

One of the comments we often hear is this: why do we pray when God is in control? Why do we still need to pray if God already knows everything?

God is not a robot that will do what He is programmed. God is a compassionate God, Who is slow to anger and abounding in love (Exodus 34:6; Psalm 103:8, Psalm 145:8). In various accounts in the Bible, we see that God will change His mind when His people prayed.

For example, Exodus 32 tells us Moses was up in the mountain to be with the Lord. That was when he received the tablet of the 10 Commandments from the Lord. The Israelites saw that Moses had not return to them so they gathered around Aaron and demanded Aaron to make a golden calf from the gold jewellery they had so they could worship it and said this golden calf brought them out of Egypt. They worshipped it and offered sacrifices to it. God was so angry with them that He wanted to destroy these rebellious people. But Moses found favour with God and so, Moses talked to God and asked for His mercy upon the Israelites. Then, God changed His mind and not destroy the people. Verse 14 of Exodus 32 tells us, “Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.”

Another example is found in Jonah. God sent Jonah to the great city of Nineveh. It was a very large city and the people were wicked. God wanted to destroy the city and so He sent Jonah to warn the people there. The king and the people of Nineveh heard God’s warning and they repented. The people fasted and prayed and repented. “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.” (Jonah 3:10)

Prayers will change the course of events. God will change His mind when His people come to Him in prayers. Apostle Paul reminds us that we are partners with God.

“For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Cor 3:9) We partner with God. He is not a task master that orders us to do His assignments but He is merciful and compassionate.

As God’s co-workers, it is our responsibility to pray. May God have mercy and hear our prayers for our nation.

(2) Prayer transforms us

When we pray, we move closer to the heart of God. We will see clearly what God loves and know what God hates. We will then begin to care about the things He care about, to love the things He loves and to hate the things He hates. It is not about me anymore but we will think about our action and consequences whether they are they pleasing to God.

Prayer is life changing. It changes our lives. Prayer allows God to transform us. James 4:3, we ask but we do not received because we ask with the wrong motives. Prayer is also a way God is shaping us and molding our character to be more like His Son, Jesus and to live a life that is pleasing to Him.

Apostle Paul urged the Christians that there should be transformation in our lives as followers of Christ.

5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:5-6, NIV)

Prayers change our behaviour. We also pray so that we will be wise when we live our lives in the society so that we can give glory to God. Prayer helps us to seize opportunity to be good witnesses for the Lord. Prayer changes the language we use towards others and towards ourselves. We don’t use language or words that accused and condemn others but our conversation will be full of grace, edifying, uplifting and encouraging wherever we are: at home, in school, at the workplace or in the society.

Prayers let us know the heart of God so that we can answer people about the God Whom we love and serve.

(3) Prayer is a journey

My dad loves to watch boxing matches. The boxers did not jump into the ring to fight without training. They did not just train for a day and then compete in the championship. They trained for a long time. Singers do not record music without musical training. They too had been undergoing training for a long time before recording music in the studio.

Same goes with prayer. It is a journey. It is a learning process. We will not be able to pray immediately. We need time to learn to pray. The more we pray, the more we will know how to pray. The more we pray, the more we will know the character of God. Don’t be discouraged if you think you don’t know how to pray yet. Think about your own children. When they first learn how to speak, you don’t get upset because they can not talk to you well yet. You will be overjoyed if they speak the first vowel because they are learning to communicate with you. Because they can’t talk very well yet, that does not mean you love them less. You know it will take time for them to learn words. You know it will take time for them to have a conversation with you which you can understand.

God is our Father in Heaven. He is delighted that you, His beloved child, come to Him in prayer. Prayer is heart to heart conversation with God.

Let us devote ourselves to prayer. Prayer is communion with God. Prayer is to know the heartbeat of God. Prayer changes things. Prayer transforms us. Prayer is a journey. Let us go deeper into prayer and experience more of His grace, love, provision and strength.

Where There Is No Vision, The People Perish

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. (Proverbs 29:18)

I was in the choir during my seminary days. When I was in Year 2, the choir presented a song for the graduating class during the graduation service, and the song was entitled, “Give us a vision, Lord”.

The lyric of the song was, “Where there is no vision, the people perish. Give us your vision, Lord.” The lyrics were inspired by Proverbs 29:18.

During our choir practice, the conductor told us that she had chosen this song for the choir to sing for the graduating class as they would be moving from the seminary into the world. They needed to be reminded that they were being sent out on God’s mission. They would need vision from the Lord for the tasks in front of them. They would need vision from God for the church they would be going to, they would need vision from God for those who were going back to the marketplaces, or serving in the para-church.

If they moved forward without vision, it would not be good. This verse says, people will perish without vision from God.

Today is the 20^th day into the new year. Usually, at the beginning of each year, we make new year resolutions. New Year resolutions help us to improve ourselves, to achieve our ambitions, what I want to achieve for myself: I want to keep fit, I want to go for missions trip, I want to be more effective at work.

As disciples of Jesus, we want God to be in our new year resolutions. We want to use the gifts He has blessed us with to serve Him and to help others so that God will be glorified and we will live fulfilling lives.

No one on earth has your backgrounds, or the same life experiences as you do. You are uniquely you in the entire history of mankind. You are unique and only you can fulfil the things God wants to do through you. No one else can fulfil what God wants to do through you: not your children, not your grandchildren, not your friends but you.

We are here on this earth, at this time, for such a time as this. God wants to do something through us: through you and me. Let us catch God’s vision for us.

Vision is: able to see in our minds God’s plan and purpose for our lives—both now and the future, partial (may be only a bit) and whole (a more complete picture), individual and corporate and take actions to do what God has told us to.

Our society talks about KPI: what I can do, what I can achieve. As disciples of Christ, our vision always go back to what the Lord has in mind for us. What He can do, what can God do through me, how I can let God use me.

The King James Version says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (Proverbs 29:18)

For people with vision and they obey God, they are happy people. Some translations say, we are blessed. We are blessed and happy. Other meanings of the word “happy” are: “blessed, joyful, successful, peaceful”. We will be happy and blessed when we submit to God’s plans for us.

This verse also tells us, “where there is no vision, people perish”. Without purpose in life, time will pass by aimlessly. Life will go by aimlessly too. Without vision, we will lost the purpose and the joy of life. Every day is just another day to get through, and not a gift. When we have the attitude of living an average life, we will miss the opportunity to experience God’s presence, power and provision (material provision, or provision in terms of giving us strength, wisdom and so on). When we see God’s plan for us, every day has a purpose.

How do we see God’s plan for us?

S. O. A. R (soar on eagle’s wings)

(1) Seek

The Lord says in Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” The Lord was speaking to His people, the Israelites when they were in captivity in Babylon. God planned a new beginning and a new purpose for them to reassure them that He was with them.

This promise is for us too. When we seek Him, we will find Him.

Intentionally quiet down ourselves to seek God and His direction for us. Make time to hear from God. I go for silent retreats to hear from God every year to listen to what He is saying to me personally, and also to the church. Cultivate the disciplines of solitude to hear clearly from God.

(2) Obedience

“To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22)

This is only the first of many places in the Bible that talks about “obedience is better than sacrifice” (Ps 40:6-8, 51:16, 17; Proverbs 21:3; Isaiah 1:11-17; Jeremiah 7:21-23; Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8; Matthew 12:7; Mark 12:33; Hebrews 10: 8,9).

Sacrifices in the Old Testament were a ritual that physically demonstrated a relationship between God and a person. Today, if we do “everything” right (we go to church, we are serving in ministries, we are giving to charity), but if our heart is not right with God, everything we do outwardly is meaningless.

We need to obey if we want to embrace God’s vision. We can’t have it my way and God’s way. It is my way, or it is God’s way. We need obedience to respond to God’s vision. In obedience, we will find life.

(3) Adjust

We want God to speak to us and use us to do something. But we don’t want to make adjustments in our life. If we look at the Bible, when God spoke to His men and women to carry out something, they had to adjust to Him. Some had to leave their families and countries behind. Some had to remove their prejudices. Other had to leave behind life goals, dreams and wishes.

For example, Abraham could not stay at home and go where God asked him to (Gen 12:1-8).

Moses could not be a shepherd and yet lead the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 3).

David left his life as a shepherd boy behind to become king (1 Sam 16:1-13).

Jonah left his home and work on his prejudice before he could preach at Nineveh (Jonah 1:1-2, 3:1-2; 4:1-11).

Peter, Andrew, James and John left their fishing business to follow Jesus (Matthew 4:18-22).

Once they had adjusted to God, only then God could use them to carry out His plan and purposes.

Even Jesus Christ has to adjust His life to God’s plan: He forsook His glorious life in Heaven, come down to Earth to save us by dying on the Cross for us. 2 Cor. 8:9 says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he become poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” (2 Cor. 8:9).

As believers, we have to adjust ourselves to God. We need to adjust our lifestyle accordingly in the ways that pleases the Lord, because He is the Lord, He wants to be your Lord. His purpose for you will always be the best although we may not understand it at that moment.

What are the things you have to adjust to respond to God? How can God use me at home? In the workplace? In the society? How can I use my intellect and gifts to be a blessing to the people around me?

(4)Review

God is a living God. His directions, and plans for us is different from season to season. Think of a plant and its stages of growth: sprout, seedling, vegetative, budding, flowering and ripening. Different amount of water is needed, different amount of fertilizer is used and even different pots, depending on the size of the plant.

Just like us too. As we go through different seasons and different stages in life, we will have different needs. Our needs as a young adult are different from when we were children. It will also be different in our golden years.

Make each day count. Don’t waste our time away. Make every day count for the glory of God. Spend time to seek the vision God has for you.

Our lives here on earth are like a vapour—we don’t know how long we will be on earth. Let us catch the vision God has for us. Remember, you are special. You were wonderfully and fearfully made. Make every day count. May God be glorified in our daily lives.

Contentment is Great Gain

I was driving home one day when I saw a group of people walking home. In the group were 2 female adults with 2 children walking in front of them. They had the biggest smile on their faces. Apparently, they were walking home too. I noticed that their home was just a very simple place and yet, they were filled with joy.

The ladies reminded me the simple joys in life do not cost a lot: spending time with loved ones, a leisure stroll and a simple meal. There were times when I sulked because I do not have what I wanted (not what I needed). Apostle Paul reminded his mentee Timothy that, “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6, NIV).

Godliness is a life with God in the centre. Contentment is finding joy and satisfaction in what God has given to you. The opposite of contentment is greed and greed is like a bottomless pit, we will never be satisfied when greed is lurking in our hearts.

Contentment is something that we will learn as we walk with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is not in our human nature, it does not come naturally to us. Apostle Paul also said, “for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11, NIV). Paul learnt contentment through his own life experiences when God put him in situations where he would be in need, starved and also in situations when he had plenty and was well-fed (Philippians 4:12).

We can not keep what we have forever. Verse 7 and 8 tell us, “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”

Greed will lead us to do things that will bring terrible consequences. Apostle Paul continues, “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction”(verse 9). People fell into destructions because of greed. Think about the news you have read this morning. Crimes were committed: robbing, stealing, cheating, murder, all because of wanting to get money quick. We grieve with the victims on the loss of their money, although some may also, out of greed, fell into these traps.

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (verse 10). We can never have enough. We see something, and we want it. If we set money as our main objective in life, we will lose all that matter. “Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (verse 10b). When the love of money is untamed, it brings us sorrow and griefs—not just status and power in the society.

Money does not bring joy as the social media claims. The celebrities may be living the lifestyles of the “rich and famous” but true joy does not come from money or fame.

May God help us, to live a life of joy and contentment. The next time when I catch myself grumbling because of what I do not have, I shall count the bountiful blessings which I have received from my God who loves me. The simple pleasures and joy in life do not come from money, but they come from God who “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17).

Teaching our family to love God

The pandemic changes the way we view things. It teaches us what is most important to us. Most of the time, the most important things are not the material things. The most important things are things which money can not buy: like relationships with our family and friends, health and the nature which God created. And of course, there are the basic needs that we must have: food, shelter and clothing.

Deuteronomy means “second law” or “repetition of the law”. The book of Deuteronomy is a farewell speech by Moses to the 2 million Israelites. Farewell speeches are very important. They are the last words of a person. Before the Israelites enter into the Promised Land, he wanted to equip this generation of the Israelites for a new life in the Promised Land. It would not be easy. They would be living among nations who did not know God and they had their own cultures and beliefs. The Israelites had to be mindful that they were the people of God, they were not to assimilate into the culture around them but to shine for God and live lives that glorify God. They were not to forget God for all the blessings He had showered upon them.

4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

“Hear” or in Hebrew “shema” means to listen with the purpose of obedience. This is so important that the Jewish boys are to memorise it as soon as they can speak. The nations around them worshipped many gods and idols, but for the Israelites, they affirm that there is only one true and living God.

The “one” (ehad) also means “a unity” in Hebrew. It is the same word used to describe the oneness of Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:24). The Israelites are to remember that God is one. God was the One who delivered them from enemies and rescued them.

5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

We love God because He first loves us. We can only love Him if we know Him. Loving God means knowing Him and obeying Him. We know God through His Word: read, meditate, talk about it and share it with others.

To love God, to worship Him and to serve Him is the greatest privilege we can have. Our love for God involves our whole person “with all your heart, all of your soul and all your strength”, that means, all of us (Ps 103:1). Love the Lord with all that is within us.

Timothy Keller, a US pastor, “Love is never primarily defined in the Bible as a feeling. At its foundation love is at least a commitment and a promise”.

Loving God is not basing on feeling. Today I feel God, I will love God more and be kinder to people. Yesterday I didn’t feel like loving God so I did not read the Bible or pray. Loving God is a commitment. It is not based on our feelings.

If we love God, we will love others in response to God’s love for us. if we love God, we want our family to love Him and enjoy Him too. We will want to talk about God to our family and what He has done because He is so great. There are so many things we can talk about Him to our family.

6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

When we love God, we listen to His Word and we keep them in our hearts and we live them out. Someone said Christians are like a walking Bible. Others will know about God through our conduct, speech and behaviours.

Moses urged the parents to discuss God’s Word in the home and to allow God’s Word to guide them in their daily lives. God’s word also control who could come into the gate of their home and the door of their house.

The lsraelites took this literally. They wore a part of the Scriptures in little containers called phylacteries on their foreheads and left arms. They also had a small container of Scripture—a mezuzah, to the front door and on every door in the house. Every time the occupant passed through the door, he or she would touch the mezuzah reverently. By placing the Scriptures on the forehead, on the left arm and on every door, the Israelites were mindful that they themselves and the house was for the glory of the Lord. The home should be the place where the Word of God was taught, loved and obeyed. The home should be the place where loving God and loving one another is practiced.

May our home welcome God in their house. May each family reading this walk in love and unity in the Lord.

As Moses spoke to the Israelites, warning them of the challenges ahead, living in a pagan culture, the same challenge is for us today. We are to remember we are children of God. We do not assimilate into the cultures around us but to be salt and light in the society. One of the most important things we can do is to teach the younger generation about God and His Word. The world we are living in is a tough world, all the more we need to teach our children God’s Word and be grounded in faith, or else, the cultures of the world will push them to and fro. We need to teach the next generation the importance of being a follower of Jesus Christ. Teaching them God’s Word will save them from danger and harm. Not only that, their children after them will also benefit from the teachings we teach them, “These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.” (Deut 6:1-2). In God’s Word, there is life. We want our children to live well. Something we have to strive to do is to teach them about God, and to pray for them.

It is a life journey. Some days are better than others. You will have good days and you will have better days and some days which are not so good. It is a journey.

Our God is not interested in looking at the results only. What interests Him and what He wants to see is the moulding of our character in the process, and deepening of our relationship with Him. He cares about the transformation of our lives too.

May our homes be filled with God’s love and be blessings to the community.