More than enough

Many of us think that our God is one who gives us only what we need. To depend on God means scrapping by, having it just enough... barely. (ngam ngam ho, in cantonese)

I used to believed that too, and I think it has robbed me of many wonderful years of enjoying his abundance. You see the bible says, the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want, not in any lack, not in decrease. In other words, you have everything you want and not just the thing you need. 

This got ne thinking. Are they examples in the bible that showed this character of God? Plently!!! As I ponder on it, one example after another started to show. For example, did Peter had to walk on water? Was it necessary? He simply wanted it and Jesus said ok. Peter walked on water as long as his eyes was on Jesus. Then there was the feeding of 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fishes. At the end there was 12 basketful left over AFTER the people had as much as they WANTED. Then there was the casting out of "Legion". The guy didn't even ask for it. But Jesus did it for him anyway. And the cured man went to decapolis (the 10 big cities) to tell people of Jesus. And my wife's favourite - Jesus gave the wedding about 800 bottles of wine (750ml x 800 = 600 litres) AFTER they were too drunk to tell good wine from bad wine. And He gave them the best wine. 

There's more, and here's one closer to our timeline. A close friend of mine, having been experiencing the amazing grace of Jesus, went back to Ipoh and started telling his sister about Jesus and all that He has done for him. She was moved and asked him to pray for her husband's car workshop. The workshop has been experiencing slow business and she is hoping that God can help.

After prayers, the next day, cars started to line up outside the workshop at 9am. They had to work until 2am the following day to finish servicing all the cars! She was so happy that she told her husband, who is not a believer, that Jesus had done that for them! 

He's a God of more than enough. Jesus is your shepherd today and you will increase.

Of power, of love and of a sound mind = no fear

2Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

What's the opposite of fear? Power, love and a sound mind.

Power

When we are in fear, we lack the power to do anything. I remember a time when I was very fearful, I just hide in bed paralysed. But that is not who we are. In Christ, God has given us power or dunamis where we get the word dynamite. Because the name of God, Yahmeh, means 'I am'. HE IS what you want Him to be: your provider, your healer, your comforter - HE IS. HE is the POWER that enables us. 

Love

As 1 John 4:18 says- There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We quote this often, partially. Perfect love drives out fear BECAUSE fear has to do with punishment. Today God is no longer punishing you for your sins because once you were the slave to sin, now you are the slave of rightesouness. All your punishedment fell on Jesus. Today, God call us His beloved, of whom He is well pleased. 

Sound Mind

In Mark 5:1-18, when the man who was demonised by legion was set free, the bible described him as having a sound mind. He who was bound as no one could control him and yet he broke his chains to cut himself with a stone was restored with a sound mind. The amplified writes: of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. So don't panic, He gives you that sound mind. 

All of us have fears, and some fears are crippling. I remember not long ago I used to be afraid of water. Whenever I put my head underwater, I panic. Worst of all, I learned about this phobia while on a discovery dive where I'm completely underwater!!! For 30mins, I thought I was going to drown. Then when I surfaced, I told my wife that I'm drowning. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I was choking on fear.

But friends we dont have to succumb to fear. I took my time leaning on God's love. I basked in it. Wifey was also very supportive. Until one day, I discovered that I actually had the power to learn how to swim. I kept to the shallow sides at first and took it slow. I also observed how my wife could glide in the water and mimicked her movements. Before I know it, I could swim for 1 hour non-stop.

Whatever your fears are today, look to Him. He has given you a sound mind. Receive His love for you. And tap on His POWER. He that trust in the Lord... whatever he does shall prosper.

Rest: in your fights

If you have been following the series so far, you will notice that because of unbelief, the Israelites got into trouble with STRIVE ( aka amalekites). I've wrote about that first battle some time ago at http://eric_chin.blogspot.com/2011/03/first-battle.html, go check it out. 

During that battle at REST, the Israelites were finally winning the battle against STRIVE when Jesus were lifted up. (see article for explanation). Now, if you have been in any fights before, be in physical or mental, you will quickly know that any fight is physically very demanding. How can fighting be REST then? 'Fighting' is REST when we know the ONE who is fighting for us is able, is willing and has won the war for us.

For a long time, I have always thought that REST is laying on my bed doing nothing, or on a beach watching the days roll by... but REST, I believe from a biblical stand point is a position (or a state) where Jesus is lifted up in our lives.

Therefore in all our fights, labour to enter that REST. Labour to believe. Just as Jesus has answered the disciples when they asked Him what is the work of God. Jesus replied, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." (John 6:29)

Rest: if you don't, guess who's coming next?

Perhaps you are in a situation where you feel God is testing you. You ask, 'Is God with me?'. You question the certainty if God is going to come through for you. "Maybe, not this time?" You thought.

Well, this was what happened to the Israelites when they were camped at Rest (Rephidim). So instead of resting, they called that place Massah and Meribah meaning testing and quarreling instead.

What happened next really showed me what happens to us when we are not rested. While at Rest (Rephidim) the Amalekites came to attack the Israelites. Amalek means 'becoming dispirited through loss of spirit as a result of hard labour and continuous toil'.

Isn't this sometimes the cycle of our spiritual life?

I start the week on Sunday feeling all charged up and rested. On Monday, when I get back to work I discovered all this trouble surrounding me. On Wednesday when I go to my care group or cell group I ask for prayers. On Thursday, no miracles yet. Damn! Better I take the bulls by the horn and deal with the matter head on. And by lunch time, I feel strife. (Why is the weekend so far away???!) By Friday I start worshiping the god of weekends and PS3.

Does this sound familiar to you?

I also see many people who go through this cycle on the mid to long term. A person get a promotion or a new job, they praise God because it was a miracle they got it. Then the new work load piles up, new challenges emerge. Oh! It must be a test from God they say. They panic. They get stressed. Then they strife and age 10 years in 1 month.

In writing this, I'm reminded to calm down. We are camped at Rest. So let's all enter God's rest, for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.