FOREVER or for ETERNITY

 

This morning I read from Ecclesiastes 1 and a word from verse 4 caught my attention. “Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever."  That word is “forever”. Checking the dictionary forever mean for all future time; for always. Is the earth going to last forever? I don’t think that’s what Ecclesiastes meant.

Forever has to do with time. Time has to do with our planet’s rotation and orbit around the sun in sync with other planets in our solar system. Should we get out of earth, away and beyond our milky way, time is no more. Out in deep space, there is timelessness. If you perhaps land on some other solar system with a planet that sustains life, then time begins again. But time then would be different than that which we experience here. My point is, there is a huge difference between forever and eternity. In a realm where time is not, eternity is. God is timeless. God is not bound by the laws of physics nor time. Our time on earth is determined. One can live averagely eighty years after which comes eternity when we will no longer be here on planet earth where time is but forever.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

Forever is temporary. Eternity is infinite. Our eternal God reminds us the stark contrast between forever and eternity. An eternity on earth is a nightmare. Our milky way is not the one and only creation of God. That would not justify God's existence. God created the entire universe. It starts with a big bang but it is God who caused that fateful explosion that brought about life and time. Four billion years it took for earth’s creation may seem like forever, but considering eternity, forever is but just a moment. Science is simply knowledge. There is so much more yet to uncover, to learn and even if we live to be a thousand years old, we will still gain but a teeny-weeny knowledge of the universe God had created. That’s why I look forward to eternity. As long as we are alive, we have the ability to gain knowledge. And the good news is, life does not end on earth. God has set eternity for us. Earth is but a gateway to the universe God had created for His pleasure and for us. I really wish scientists can know this. There is yet so much to hope for, to look forward to if only we look beyond forever into eternity.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:1-4).

I like to paraphrase the above invitation of Jesus. To me, this is what I understand.

“Do not let your heart be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s universe has many milky ways; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place to where I am going”.

How do we know the way? Jesus Himself proclaimed: “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Look at the universe. Eternity is for real. Sad thing is, people choose to live forever instead of for eternity. The apostle Paul made mention: “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18). There is a stark contrast between forever and eternity. 

My take for today? 

1. Church, never lose your way with God. If you feel you have strayed too far and you feel lost, it is time you pray to find your way back to God. Who knows what tomorrow holds? Like flowers in the fields, we are here today and gone the next. 

2. For those who are in a quest for knowledge, good news is you can have all eternity for your quest, to learn and to unravel the wonders of creation. God created us for His pleasure. And one of His greatest pleasure is that we gain knowledge of His creation. The universe is God's playground for us. I hope you live a blessed life. Find your way to God, or find your way back to God. Either way, life doesn't make sense without acknowledging God and His creation. Have a good day.

Zoom in ....Zoom out

In photograph, zooming in brings a distant object closer to view while zooming out provides a broader perspective. Looking through the lens of a camera provides a whole new perspective in looking at things. I guess that’s why someone once said “a picture paints a thousand words”. Although it referred to paintings, it is so much truer with photography. I have been photographing birds for two years now. For all my adult life, I had never paid any attention to birds, not until one day when I decided I'd try photographing birds. The moment I started, I got hooked. I am amazed at the details, the portraits! I never knew (apart from sparrows, crows, and pigeons) there are so many different kinds of birds not only in our backyards and gardens but also our very own forests. Looking through a different lens, I discovered a different world! Or shall I say, I discovered one of many of God’s playgrounds?

My interest in bird photography had caused me to upgrade my camera and equipment (a necessary evil). Having a good zoom lens is paramount. It still amazes me how I can see in details what I could not until I see it through my zoom lens. You will never appreciate the beauty of birds until you can see them up close, and I mean really close. And this brings me to my point today. I am seeing church in a different perspective now that I have learned to ZOOM in.

When MCO started, churches went ONLINE. A new word immediately emerged … ZOOM. We Zoom in for our church services. We zoom in for our prayer meetings. We zoom in for cell meetings and workshops. After more than three months of Zooming IN, I wonder if members are prepared to Zoom OUT and get back into regular church. We took a survey just this week. Out of 76 pollsters, 45% said they are ready to rejoin church while 21% are not and the rest of the 34% are unsure. In our previous poll, 36% of pollsters said they will return to church when a vaccine is found. This is a whole new paradigm shift! I mean, church has evolved! This Covid may have been a temporary disruption but it has permanently redefined church. So I am now looking at a new normal. This (as I foresaw in my Acts 29 program years ago) will be a combination of church being a “home base church” + “regular church”. Churches will have to maintain an ONLINE PRESENCE even after Covid. We are living in a digital world. Instead of just asking people to come into our church building; we have to bring church to them! Staying analog in a digital world will not work well with the church. People may not come into our church building for the gospel, but we can bring gospel to them. This is the new normal. This is a whole new paradigm shift! Once there were cassettes and CDs, now we have VOD (Video on Demand). In this digital world people are too preoccupied to tune in at a fix time for a fixed program. They rather have Netflix (VOD). If we don’t change our methods, people will not listen to our message. The true COMMUNITY is a digital community. We have evolved.

Change in inevitable. I am excited for what is ahead, for what church will be like in the near future. What is to be in years from now has been hastened to TODAY because of this pandemic. Most of us were not prepared but we now know we have to adapt and evolve. Unless we look at church now through different lenses, we will be limping behind. This pandemic has quantum leaped us years into the future. What is supposed to be five, ten years from now is happening today. Zooming has helped me to see more in details. Even as church is preparing to reopen soonest, I hope you see what I am seeing through my “zoom lens”. Many of us will be “zooming out” soon but always keep the zoom lens at hand. There are moments you will have need to Zoom in so you can bring into view that which you cannot “see”. I will be doing a Acts 29 in mid July where members can zoom in for a time of Bible study. I will be teaching on the subject on "Why Israel". If you are willing to take out your "zoom lens", why not zoom in and take a look? You'll be surprised at what you may see. God bless.

Twinkle, twinkle little stars.

"Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what  you are. Up above the world so high. Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle littler star. How I wonder what you are".  Everyone knows this nursery rhyme.  

I am writing today with a dear friend in mind who is going through a tough patch at this present time, health wise. Her husband made mention of a period of darkness and that got me thinking. I pray this little write up will bring some light in this time of "darkness".

Stars don't appear during day time. The only time you can visibly see stars with the naked eyes is when the skies turn into night. The darker the night, the brighter the stars. I was amazed at the sight of the clusters of stars while photographing the milky way at about 3 -5 am in the morning at a remote site with no artificial light pollution. I had never seen so many stars in my lifetime! Let me draw lessons from this.

1. Don't be afraid of the dark. Stars won't come out unless it is dark. Once your eyes are accustomed to the darkness, you will begin to see even into the darkness. In the night skies, the twinkling stars are a sight to behold. Some stars are bigger and brighter than others and they are there to shed some light in the midst of darkness. 

2.  In the olden days, skippers had to look out for the North Star to navigate their boats. Stars don't just brighten up the night skies but also shed light in terms of direction. In times of darkness, we have to train ourselves to look out for these stars. They are always there and I am talking about people who are willing to stand with you in times of darkness. While some stars (friends) are there just to cheer you on, there too are some that can do more than just shine. They are like symbols in a map. Like the North Star, they are there to help you find your way and figure your direction. So don't be afraid of the dark. Close your eyes but a while. Then gaze into the darkness and gaze into the stars. God had prepared them for you.

3. No matter how dark the night, you're just a little way from daybreak. Nights don't last forever. Darkness can never overcome light. So to my dear friend, hang in there by all means. Look up. Draw your strength from the maker of stars. God had prepared the stars for you for such a time as this. Like the Corona, IT WILL PASS. Thank you today  for allowing me to be a "star", to be able to shine just for you. You will remain in my thoughts and my prayers until you see the sun again. God bless you my dear friend. Jesus loves you too. 😊

When kids asked the hard question

How do you explain to a kid why bad things happen to good people?

Kid:          Pastor, why don’t God heal my mom? Why did God allow my mom to suffer this sickness?”

Pastor:    What is your favorite subject in school?

Kid:        Mathematics

Pastor:    So you got 100 marks every time you sit for the math tests!

Kid:        No pastor. I wish but I get very good grades for Math every test.

Pastor:   Why can’t you get 100 marks since this is your favorite subject?

Kid:        I try but not every time can. I guess I am not perfect.

Pastor:   You are correct. Not just you, but all of us humans are not perfect. Only God alone is perfect. That’s why some people fall sick. It has nothing to do with God why people get sick. Our environment is not perfect. The foods we consume are not perfect. The water we drink is not perfect. Nothing in this world is perfect. That includes our bodies. That’s why sometimes we get sick. Some get it worse than others, but most usually recover while some may not. Our bodies have the ability to heal itself. Your mom’s body is working hard to get well. Doctors are helping her body to get well. You too must do your best to help your mom get well. If your mom could have more rest, she will recover faster. And what will help too is to pray and continue to hope in God. Just like Math, you may not always get 100 marks but you can still top it every time. Let’s pray that your mom will pass this “test” too. What do you think you can do for your mom at this time to help her get better?

When God made man in Eden (and He only made two), He made them very good but not perfect. Sin has infiltrated this world at the very beginning of time. This earth is travailing and groaning in pains. As we await the day of our complete redemption, let’s just continue to hope in God and live our very best. Life is and can still be beautiful in the midst of imperfections. God wants us to live our best. And when things don't work out the way we want, we can still smile in the midst of storms knowing God is still in control of that which we have no control of. Life is not fair, but that doesn't change the character of God. God is still good.

Psalms 42:5

Why are you ^[d]cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
^[e]For the help of His countenance

Verse 5 was repeated in verse 11 and 43:5 with a slight change in bold preface.

Why are you ^[d]cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
^[e]For the help of my countenance

God’s countenance can become our countenance when we HOPE IN GOD. Amen!

Imagine...

Matthew 5:23-26 NIV
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, [24] leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. 

Jesus did not come to earth a politician. He came as a Teacher, proclaiming the kingdom of God. Listen to this teaching of Jesus. In a nutshell, peace before worship! 

Imagine if Vineyard decides not to open its doors for services until all members resolve their conflicts with their neighbour, colleague, family and friends! Take this on a wider scale to include  ALL places of worship in the whole world irregardless of race and religion! I can now hear the tune "What a wonderful world" by Louis Armstrong. 

Who could have imagined today the doors are actually closed. The ball is in our court. What a wonderful friend we have in Jesus. 

Living at home or living in a home

What if God behaves the way we behave? I’m thinking us doing what we want to do, when and if we want to for whatever reasons/variables. No one expected a pandemic. No one expected normal routines will be so affected. No one anticipated the woes and troubles that befall. But as a child of God, if we have been prudent and have exercised stewardship and brought “extra oil”, then we will be more prepared for the unexpected and we won’t succumb where others fall. Not only had God prepared us to face trying and unexpected times, He had also equipped us for such a time. But alas, not all take heed.  Like seeds sowed, some felled on shallow ground, some on thorny ground and yet others by the wayside with no fighting chance. For those on fertile ground, there will be a harvest.

"Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you blessing without measure.” (Mal. 3:10b). Although God was addressing the Israelite at a particular time for a particular situation, nevertheless the Principle of First is God’s universal law for opening up the windows of heaven. Somehow in this universe God made, He had wired things to work in certain universal ways. Like gravity for example; what goes up must come down. In the law of cause and effect let's remember as a church, it is more blessed to give than to receive. Giving is our expression and of our gratitude and devotion towards God.

Since MCO  we have not been able to gather in church but we must not cease to be church. Let me encourage us today in time like this: "Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops". You need to do this now more than ever. What if God behaves the way we behave? We may end up living in a home rather living at home. But God is faithful, even if we are faithless.

Only in trying times can faith work.

Only in deep waters can we swim.

Now is the time ...

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. (Psalm 98:4).

Even as earth is groaning in pain today, God’s desire is for the earth to make a joyful noise, to rejoice and sing praise. Who, but the children of God can make this joyful noise unto the Lord? There is a time to pray and a time to praise. Now is the time to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Praise heals. Praise restores. Praise moves us forward.

As I watched news today, I see quite a number of artistes all over the world broadcasting their songs from their homes to cheer the world in this time of pandemic. Quite a number of these singers are the oldies, artistes I have not heard of for quite a long while. While they are making their music, the call from heaven is to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. These artistes sing to the world but the “living stones” sing to God from whence our help comes.

I lived through the days when you cannot find a drum set in church. Somehow, the only holy instrument is the organ or the piano. Things then evolved and churches started worshiping with guitars. Soon the bass, drums, and tambourines made its debut. Today we have all kinds of instruments on stage and worship leading now is rather complex as compared to those days of simplicity where with just one guitar, we literally rocked the “house of God”. Worship back then wasn’t concert like, neither professional. It was just a time when the can-sing, the cannot-sing, the tone deaf come together and shout unto God with a voice of praise. Our throats were strained by the time we’re done with worship. Like I said, we rocked. We were happy and elated because in our minds and hearts, we were making a joyful noise unto the King of kings and the Lord of lords!

Watching how preachers pray over this pandemic breaks my heart. Being televised globally adds salt to wound. Stand up comedians took this cue and made it into punch lines poking fun at Christianity. Instead of making joyful noise unto the Lord, these preachers are becoming “noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” uttering “gibberish words”. You would have heard. I believe in praying (not prayer). In the Bible we were told to pray always. Many are praying over this pandemic pleading God’s mercy as if God is the one responsible for this virus. What we should be pleading instead is for God’s divine intervention. Repent if we have to. Humble ourselves if we need to. Where man’s efforts fail, God will help when we pray. It happened in pandemics past and it will happen again this time. This virus will eventually pass. Prayerfully, very soon.

My point today? We need to praise, to make a joyful sound unto the Lord. Another translation says to “shout for joy”. Instead of waiting for joy to come, we shout instead for joy. Remember what Jesus said to Apostle Thomas when he wouldn’t believe? Jesus said: "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (Jn. 20:29). That’s how God’s kingdom works. You shout for joy. You make a joyful noise unto the Lord. You see hope where there is hopelessness. You believe even when the odds are against you. I know many of us have been praying and are still praying even though we don’t know how to pray as we ought to (Rom. 8:26). If you read the Bible, prayer doesn’t quite win the battles. Praise does. Last week, Rev. Wendy Ching preached from Exodus 17. I have a question. Why did Moses went up the hill to do while Joshua went into the valley to fight the Amalekites? To pray? No, it wasn’t to pray. He went up the hill to lift up the hands that held the rod of God, the same rod that parted the Red Sea. When his arms were lifted up, Israel prevailed. When his arms were lowered, the Amalekites prevailed. Lifting up of hands is an act of praise. There is a time to pray and there is a time to praise. At the Red Sea, Moses cried out to God in prayer. God responded; “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground”. (Ex. 14:15). It wasn’t a time for prayer. It was a time to lift up those hands that held the rod of God. Prayers are on our lips. The power of God is in our hands. Will you make a joyful noise unto the Lord and lift up those hands in praise in this time pandemic time? When we don’t quite really know how to pray as we ought to, it’s best to praise, to make a joyful noise unto the Lord from whence our help comes. I suspect God gave Moses the rod so he would praise more than he would pray.

Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; (Heb 12:12).