Good Friday Musings

For the Good Friday weekend, I went to relook Isaiah 53. For my night-time Scripture reading with my boys, I took the time to read Isaiah 53 to them, even though they are old enough to read it themselves. I usually will pay extra attention to these verses.

Isaiah 53:4-6 (NIV 84) - Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

All through the rest of the year I will prize divine healing (at my age being sick sucketh, verily), but this season I wanted to really meditate on the price paid for it, and for forgiveness and reconciliation with God. Then this part of the chapter grabbed my attention.

Isaiah 53:10-12 (NIV 84) - Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

“… the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand” – Sometimes (OK, almost all the time) I think the will of God is frustrated or even defeated. Let’s not look at all that is going wrong in the world, I just need to look at my own struggles with following God. It seems to be getting harder and harder, and I seem to fail more and more.

And yet in the midst of all that, the Word of God still proclaims, “… the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand”. Just as it was true in predicting the suffering, crucifying and resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is true in declaring that the will of the LORD will prosper in the hands of Christ. I, on my part, need to continually place every area of my life in his hands, and it comes from specific, directed prayer. Which means listing out everything that bugs me.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV 84) - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

And that, by the way, explains why I always make time to pray by myself, out of earshot of EVERYBODY in my family. My sons don’t need to know that Daddy seems to be bugged by just about everything!

“… by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.”

He will justify many. Even those who mock him and ridicule his name now. Even those who persecute his church. Just as he did for Saul on the road to Damascus, he can do for the evil people of this day. I have been praying for them to be judged, Jesus wants them to be saved, that his blood for them not be shed in vain. I need some major repenting here!

“For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

I can’t bear the sin of others, but can I at least join my Lord in making intercession for the transgressors? Knowing that I myself was counted among them too?

So this was what I was meditating on during the weekend. Be blessed!

Strong and Courageous?

Joshua 1:9 (ESV) - Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

I now know for sure I am NOT courageous.

Over the past 8 years or so I have faced all kinds of trials. Some have been distressing, like the time loan sharks threatened my family in order to get neighbours to pay up the money they owe. And though the trials have bothered me (I am not Superman, for crying out loud!) none have been able to make me feel THAT scared.

Until now.

Ironic, isn’t it? Actual physical danger to my sons and I didn’t disturb my sleep, but the thought of traveling to Japan for my own personal upgrading gave me sleepless nights. And on the actual day of departure, the fear was so acute that it even upset my stomach.

Embarrassing!

Why does this trip trouble me so much? It’s like an onion, I’m sure I can find many layers of reasons should I be honest enough to look. But at a basic level, I have the full responsibility of making all the arrangements (flight and hotel), travelling to a country where I know very few people, and where I do not speak the native language. My usual support group isn’t there and I am totally unfamiliar to the place. Good enough reasons to feel uptight?

2 Timothy 1:6-7 (ESV) - For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

 

Paul tells us that God has not given us a spirit of fear, which tells me God does not want me to get uptight or anxious over the situations or matters that arise. But on our part we have to fan into flame, to awaken, to stir up, the spirit of power, love and self-control that God has already given us.

 

In other words, don’t sit back and expect it to work out without any deliberate effort on your part!

 

What are some of the ways we can stir up that spirit within us?

 

1)      Speak Directly

 

Open up your mouth and speak to your spirit. You can say, “Spirit of power, love and self-control, arise within me!” And do that a few more times, until it feels good!

 

There will be people who will criticise that as being merely mindless chanting, positive affirmations and all that. But the fact is, we already have clear Scriptural precedent of speaking to ourselves:

“Bless the LORD, O my soul” (Psalm 103:1, 103:22, 104:1)

And calling upon the LORD to arise:

2 Chronicles 6:41 (ESV) - "And now arise, O LORD God, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.  

And

Numbers 10:35 (ESV) - "Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you."

2)      Speak the Scriptures

 

John 6:63 (ESV) - It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

If the words of Jesus are spirit and life, won’t they resonate with the spirit of power, love and self-control within us? 

John 16:33 (ESV) – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

To be totally frank, I don’t see any reason Jesus’ words in John 16, especially that last verse, would help me overcome fear. Jesus didn’t promise anything concrete and tangible here, so I don’t have a logical reason to find his words comforting. They are too vague for me.

 

But when I made the effort to speak the whole of John 16 to myself, reading it aloud 3-4 times in a row, I did receive courage and comfort in the midst of my trials and fears. And it was be a comfort that does not make logical sense to the un-spiritual. I don’t care. I’ll take anything God wants to give me!

 

3)      Pray it out

Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV) - do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

God has given this promise, that if we will commit our problems to him, via prayer, supplication AND thanksgiving, we will have a peace that surpasses all understanding. In other words, a peace that makes no logical sense. To our hearts and minds this peace is like a strong and gentle father consoling a frightened child. “Rest assured, child, Daddy is here and Daddy will take care of everything!”

 

Just take this Scripture at face value, and pray about everything!

 

Bonus Tip – ignore pride

 

In my most recent struggles with fear, it wasn’t the fear that caused me so much emotional pain. It was my pride. I was supposed to be the one who had it all figured out. I was the one who had fought with and overcome fear so many times. I was the one who had successfully taught others how to deal with fear. How could I be so scared now? My pride did not want to accept that I had to deal with fear again.

 

The reason why the Bible has so much to say about dealing with fear is because it is a universal problem. You can be a church leader, extremely wealthy businessman, battle-hardened soldier or internationally acclaimed musician. Whatever your earthly reasons for confidence, no matter how many times you have overcome fear before, you will still have to face fear again, and deal with it using the same spiritual tools as the rest of us.

 

Since we all have to deal with fear some time or other, do share this with other  believers if what I wrote is helpful to you. In the meantime, be blessed!

 

This Christmas 2012

Singapore, where I come from, is a pretty Westernized place.

You can tell from how people in general are fine with celebrating Christmas, even when they are not believers. Many offices have Christmas parties, not worrying about whether they would offend staff who hold different religions. After all, everyone over in Singapore seems to agree that a year-end holiday, presents and parties, are a good thing regardless of what religious beliefs you hold.

In the midst of the happy vibes all over, I just want to remind you that there are people who are not in the festive mood. In fact, the festivities everywhere only alienates them and makes them feel even more left out and alone.

I’m talking about the poor.

Matthew 26:11 (NIV) - The poor you will always have with you…

And when they see people around them celebrating, buying loads of expensive stuff (maybe on credit cards? Not a smart idea!) and partying, and they go home (if they have a home) and pain hits…

Galatians 2:10 (NKJV) - They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.

So as you enjoy the season, celebrate the birth of Jesus (yeah, I know all the stuff about it not being on 25th December and all that), take a while to remember the poor, both those in your church and outside of it. Take a while to remember that they will always need a bit of practical kindness, a little more love shown, especially during a season when they can feel unwanted and left out. Or they may grieve more deeply for loved ones that have left them, like widows and orphans.

1 Timothy 5:5 (NIV) - The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help.

Put yourself in this widow’s shoes for a moment, in such a bad situation that she has to pray for help night and day. This verse, by the way, puts paid to a common Word-of-Faith idea that if you trust God for what you pray for, you should ask for it once and after that just thank God in faith. I do practice that, but I see from 1 Timothy 5:5 that we cannot say that anyone who keeps asking does not have faith. The words “to pray” in the above passage is translated as “supplications” in the New King James Version, and the Bible says such a widow trusts in God. So God has no problems with us supplicating him for our needs day and night!

The point of what I am saying, however, is that the poor are amongst us. What are we going to do about it?

And if you are the one who is poor, struggling to pay your rent, put food on the table and still trying to keep your children’s spirits up, let me just tell you that God has not forgotten you. He wants to help, to provide for your needs…

Philippians 4:19 (NIV) - And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

… but he wants you to do your part and trust him. Go out and bless someone else, just as the Philippian churches did with Paul.

Philippians 4:15-16 (NIV) - Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need.

So look out for people who need your help. Even if you are poor, there will ALWAYS be something you can do, even if it is just simply turn up for a Christmas service and join in the worship. Sit near the front and encourage the worship leaders by letting them see that you, for one, are appreciating their efforts to lead people into praising God this Christmas. A smile, a phone call to a lonely relative or friend or a random act of kindness will go a long way in reminding your soul that God has made you to be a blessing, regardless of how much or how little you have in your bank account or wallet.
And of course, you can bless your pastor by helping him or her with the Christmas activities around church, or even an encouraging word. Don’t forget your church leaders!
I know this is not the usual email you get from me, about worship ministry matters or spiritual stuff. I guess sometimes we need to remember that we are always in a position to give, and to keep our hearts poised to do so.

2 Corinthians 8:12 (NIV) - For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.

May our Lord find the gifts we give this season acceptable and pleasing in his eyes. Be blessed!

 

Lessons from Last Friday

I led worship for the Lunchtime Fellowship of Living Faith Church last Friday, and the worship went much better than usual. So here's a breakdown of what was different and what stayed the same last Friday, so you can see what probably caused the people to keep on praising God and not want to stop.

1) Songs: they were

1. Show Your Glory by John Greene (F major)
   
2. Be Exalted by Brent Chambers (G major for the chorus, then A major)
   
3. Glory to The Lamb by Larry Dempsey (C major)

One thing all the songs had in common was the glory of the Lord. That was deliberate, as I felt in my heart that was what God wanted me to pay attention to for that worship session. Despite my cynical and skeptical exterior, there are times when I believe I hear from the Lord and do what I think he wants me to do.

Judging from how well the people responded to the songs, I think I heard God correctly that day!

But what if I was wrong? Or if I do not have any specific theme or leading from the Lord for the songs? I am not too concerned with that, because there are only two possibilities when it comes to choosing the theme for the worship set: either I am right or I am wrong. If I am right, that's great! But if I chose wrongly or failed to hear God correctly, then another Scriptural truth kicks in and starts taking effect.

Phil 4:8 (NIV) – Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

In other words, as long as we effectively use our songs to help the people take their minds off the things of this world and set their minds on heavenly things (Col 3:2), we will fulfill command given us in Phi 4:8. And Paul says that the God of peace will be with us. We will experience the peace of God in a powerful way (Phi 4:9).

Many worship leaders I know worry about choosing the right songs for a worship set. I hope this helps to take away the pressure!

2) The People

Another huge difference – the people were early that day. Usually we have only a handful of people when the service starts and the rest trickle in near the end of the worship set. (Yes, I must admit sometimes I am less thick-skinned than usual and start wondering if my singing is really THAT bad?) But last Friday most of the people arrived during the first song. And it also included a few people I know to be hardcore worshippers, people who take God with serious reverence. When these people are present, the spirit of the fear of the LORD that is upon them can spread to the rest of the congregation, especially if you have enough of them around so that they feed off and strengthen each other.

And that is what happened last Friday. The congregation kept on singing and the momentum kept growing. I felt bad to be watching the clock for the right time to hand the service over to the pastor. Anyway, the pastor had the option to tell me to extend the worship session (as he has done on a few occasions) but he did not tell me to do so this time, so I handed the service over to the pastor.

Important Points:

Firstly, I evaluated my success at leading worship not by some hazy, intangible concepts but by 2 Chronicles 5:13, whether the praises were unified. If you ask me to evaluate and critique a worship session, I'd also look at the worship leader and the musicians, but for that Friday there was no need to do that, since the worship leader and the only musician was me. That part didn't change.

Secondly, it is very humbling for me to admit that my success at leading worship last Friday was not largely due to how well I sing or play music, or how anointed I am. It was because of a few people in the congregation who happened to be there earlier than usual, and these people helped spur the rest of the people on (Heb 10:24).

I say that because I am convinced that New Testament worship ministry based more on participation rather than performance. So as long as I keep up to certain standards in my song selection, my singing and my music, I have done my part as a worship minister. And the rest is in the hands of the congregation, whether they will join me in declaring the goodness and glory of the LORD. So if things do not go that well I don't bear much of the blame. But that means that when things do go well I cannot claim much of the credit either!

This is my question for you: when you are NOT serving in the worship team, are you sitting near the front and supporting the worship team as much as you can? Or are you hiding near the back or even worse, skipping the church services? If you are not just trying to show off or gain acclaim for yourself, but have a genuine heart for worship ministry, then support the worship team for the glory of God. Sing louder, flow with the worship leader, sit (or stand) nearer to the front. Smile at the worship leader (yes, trust me, that makes a huge difference!).

In other words, be one of those people whom worship leaders and musicians greet with the words "Thank God you're here!"

Be blessed!