26 Sep 2013; Isa 45

26 Sep 2013; Isa 45

As I read and listen to Isa 45-46, the repetition "that you may know that I am God" can be heard again.

Yesterday, I write about biblical identity, that is knowing who I am. 

“I will go before you

and level the exalted places,

I will break in pieces the doors of bronze

and cut through the bars of iron,

I will give you the treasures of darkness

and the hoards in secret places,

that you may know that it is I, the Lord,

the God of Israel, who call you by your name.

This was one passage that I use to memorize from Isa 45:2-3

I have a lot of work to do, so much to complete that is not complete - but the Lord will go before me, break bronze doors and cut bars of iron. The reward - treasures. It is the Lord who call you by name, your name.

This is the God that I serve, and who am I is having a God that goes before me, break through the defenses of the enemies and get me the reward. A God who calls me by my name.

Biblical identity should lead to biblical faith. Knowing who you are, have I put my trust in my God who can and who will do?

I stop here, faith - cannot be seen. As a child trust his father, why have I not put faith in the God who call and does all for me?

Lord, let me learn and re learn about putting faith in you, not doing things in my own strength. I don't call this difficult times, but I remember that last year this time, it is Josef PSLE. And as a father, I teach him, coach him, pray for him...

As a father, I know what to do for my child, make me a child again in God's sight.

25 Sep 2013; Isa 43-45

25 Sep 2013; Isa 43-45

After you know who is God, who is the master of your life, who am I?

If the Lord is your God, that you are a child of God.

Isa 44: 21-22

Remember these things, O Jacob,

and Israel, for you are my servant;

I formed you; you are my servant;

O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.

I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud

and your sins like mist;

return to me, for I have redeemed you.

I have been busy, I have not been seriously seeking God, leaving each other alone.

But the Lord remembers, He remembers me. Because He is faithful, and because He is righteous, He will blot out my sins. So now is all about how am I going to react.

My work helps other people to achieve their goals, in return for a chunk of rewards. But my portion of work should be for God. I am here, but gone tomorrow, the unfinished work here will still be unfinished, but my portion of health, strength and time is best to work on the finish work God has began.

I pray for my work, God grant me strength, that I will not take too much time and recognize that it is you who help me. the portion of reward is therefore yours - what to do with it?

I want to set the rewards aside, but God show me what you want me to do with it.

24 Sep 2013; Isa 43-44

The first thing about theology is about "Who God is".

Isa 44:6: I am the first and I am the last, besides me there is no god

1. He is I am - there is no other ways you can describe God using all the created things and creature
2. He is the first and the last - from the time we as human beings began and to the end, He was there, is there and will be there
3. There is no other who is God - the only true God

This is only theology, but it is for us to understand the god that we Christian profess God.

Understand theology leads us to the next application question - "Who is our alliance?"

Yes, we know God - but is it just a textbook understanding - a fact that we remember? The action is is this God who we preach and act on our alliance - the one God that we call Lord and master. Alliance is also about who is our master.

I must admit that I know who God is - hope not just head knowledge, but God is my Lord - knowing who God is in my heart. I pray that the later part is an integrate part of my life.

I am not young - what is there in God's kingdom that is for me, what does m Master want out of me? Am I just a create being - over in excess in production and failed some quality test and have to be put aside.

Yes, for the moment, but I pray that I can be useful - recycle and reuse.

I end with the following verse to encourage:
 Isa 42:6-9

“I am the Lord; oI have called you2 in righteousness;

I will take you by the hand and keep you;

I will give you pas a covenant for the people,

qa light for the nations,

7 rto open the eyes that are blind,

to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,

sfrom the prison those who sit in darkness.

8 I am the Lord; that is my name;

tmy glory I give to no other,

nor my praise to carved idols.

9 Behold, the former things have come to pass,

uand new things I now declare;

before they spring forth

I tell you of them.”

23 Sep 2013; Isa 43

23 Sep 2013; Isa 43

I just finished reading LKY's book - One man view.

3 points in his personal take away: 
a. Discipline
b. Relationship
c. Speaking one language

Isa 43: 10

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,

“and amy servant whom I have chosen,

that you may know and believe me

and understand that I am he.

bBefore me no god was formed,

nor shall there be any after me.

LKY has no god, he is his wisdom. I am a witness of God and for God. Why then should I be lacking in a discipline for my God. LKY has a determination to get Singapore afloat, what's mine?

As a witness for God, it is about building relationship, how can then I reached out and if I am to be an effective witness, it is they who know me first and not my God. 

The language we have to speak is God's language. How often the word was use? in the family and at work. LKY spoke about countries who succeed like China and Indonesia who uses a common language, what is then my language?

It begins therefore with a discipline - a discipline to read, journal, pray and share for God. What do I want from being discipline? Be a witness for God, a God who called us a servant, a chosen one.

I have been reading the one year bible plan, but not journal, I pray but not much (pray shows our dependency on God and not based on man's wisdom) and have not share (witness).

Witness is also about building relationship with people. They know you so that you have share and they see the God in you.

I am glad that my job permits me the time to reflect and read- now is the time for the disciplines to be consistent. Amen.

I h

10 Sep 2013: Isaiah 6

10 Sep 2013: Isaiah 6

Isaiah 6:8
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for cus?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

What is the response when we see God?

No response; Yea! or "Oh I am going to die"

People with no fear for God will have no response.

As a Christian - Yea!

But the response from Isaiah is that "he is going to die". He knew who God is, a sinner, unworthy, but someone who fear God.

In the picture given to Isaiah is the majesty of God, the layout of his glory. Isaiah knew that holy, that glory of God. What is man? 

If we knew that people who has no God will die, what is our response. In chapter 6, God told Isaiah that He is going to destroy the people who has no God.

Isaiah response is "send me". God request is not for these people to be destroyed but send a messenger to these people.

If we knew God, fear him, if we know God recognize his heartbeat.

3 Sep 2013

3 Sep 2013

Col 3:17
Andswhatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, tgiving thanks to God the Father through him.

This is the antidote to greed, to anger, to covetousness, to fear ...

Yes, there is a lot of things to do, but do it in the name of the, the Lord is with us, give thanks and be joyful about it.

On the other hand, how to give thanks, unless you are grateful - it comes from the heart. A simple way is to do the things that brings that thanks, that gratefulness.

I have been reserved, very isolated and task, put that joy in the face when doing the things, that others may see that you are enjoying the things that you. That when they see you and give glory to God.