Am I a blessing or a curse to others?

S: Genesis 12

O: God told Abram, “All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” However, because of Abram’s lie, he ended up being a curse for Pharaoh.

A: God has called us to be a blessing to the world. Let not our actions cause us to be a curse to others instead.

P: Father, help me to be conscious of my own actions, that I may be a blessing to others. In Jesus' name, amen.

A Puzzling Parable

Luke 16:1-11 is probably one of the more puzzling parables because we focus on "Why is the master commending the crooked manager?"

However, the master in this story isn't really God, and Jesus tells us that the application is "Make friends for yourselves using ungodly Mammon, so that when it runs out you will be welcomed into the eternal homes."

Then he goes on to say "The one who is faithful in little is also faithful in much", etc. and points out we can't serve both God and Mammon.

So the focus here is, don't idolize wealth. Instead, serve God, and use our wealth to draw people to God.

The Parable of the Good insert hated group here

Luke 10:25-37

When we hear the word "Samaritan" these days, we think of a good person.
But it was totally different to Jesus' audience. Go back and read Ezra and Nehemiah to see the beginning of the enmity between the Jews and the Samaritans.

So think of the group you hate most, and put them in the place of this Samaritan in Jesus' parable. That is Jesus' point.
For example, to the conservative American Christian, out on the web you can find several renditions of "The Parable of the Good Muslim", for example http://www.patheos.com/blogs/jonathanstorment/2018/01/parable-good-muslim/ https://michaelpahl.com/2016/03/18/the-parable-of-the-good-muslim/ https://www.brianniece.com/good-muslim-parable/

Who is your Samaritan? A Muslim? A foreign worker? The African who comes by trying to sell you stuff while you're eating?

That is who Jesus is taking about when he said "Samaritan".

The Resurrection of Israel - the Israel of God

14/7/2018

Ezekiel 37

This is the passage telling about the Valley of Dry Bones. It is about the restoration of Israel after the exile. Israel was dead and dismembered, conquered, taken to exile. Yet God promised to do an amazing thing - to resurrect the nation. Like dry bones forming flesh and coming back to life, that was what Israel was going to experience.

From verse 1 till verse 23, it looks as if the prophecy has almost 100% come true -- and Israel would not return to idolatry as a nation -- even to the point of extremism in this respect.

But verse 24 onward seem to not have come true. They were never ruled by David's line again -- except in the sense that Zerubbabel ben Shealtiel was made governor by the Persians, but that was just for a short while, not "forever".

So actually, this was not fulfilled in its entirety until and unless you consider Galatians 6:12-16. "Israel" is no longer the circumcision of the flesh, but rather, the circumcision of the heart. And the Son of David rules over this "Israel of God" forever.

Momentary Light Affliction

A prayer for Malaysia

In light of the upcoming election, the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship has issued this  21.21.21 call for prayer.

Around the same time, the Watoto Children's Choir came to Malaysia and I heard them sing this song. It touched me so much, especially since it was so in line with the sentiments of the call for prayer.

Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored, may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

- Matthew 6:10

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

- 2 Chronicles 7:14

For the full lyrics & chords, see this page.

Piercing a Pair of Puzzling Parables

25/2/2018

Luke 11:5-13 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[b] a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

This morning's sermon by Elder Tan Beng Teong included this passage, as well as Luke 18:1-8, the Parable of the Unjust Judge and the Persistent Widow.

Elder Beng had a very enlightening take on these two parables. See How Jesus pointed out that God is a loving Father and surely wants to give good gifts to us?

So he's actually contrasting God with the bad judge and the casual friend. The bad judge and the casual friend only helped when they were pestered into it. God, on the other hand, is a loving Father, so He would help when it is appropriate. He wouldn't withhold help from us when needed.