Today is part 1 of our last lesson on the end of times. When is the Lord coming? Do we all know? At the bottom of it all, so what if we know that the Lord is coming back for those of us who are called by His name. As our facilitator Timothy guided us to reflect what we have done thus far, he wanted us to share about our experiences since we started learning about Daniel. To some, they learned a lot about the signs of the end times. We are all surprised by how accurate God is in telling us what will happen. It was predicted that Alexander the Great would come and attack Israel and that this young king will die and out of a very strange disease and quickly too. This happened before Alexander was even born.
But so what if we knew all these. Daniel wrote these predictions in Hebrew and the Jews had all of these writings but did they believe that the Messiah was here? They crucified him and they did not believe. But Jesus will come for them again. Such is the love of Christ for His own. Today I learned that God's wrath will be upon Israel. He will raise up Babylon, Syria and Egypt to teach Israell about obeying Him. God's wrath will be upon those who deliberately blurr the line between what is right and what is wrong. He will let us learn it the hard way if we choose to do so.
Interestingly, God will also give us up to our own ways. Christians are not spared. If we disobey God repeatedly, He will surrender us to our ways. I got this theory that if the students want to be ignorant and they want their heads bashed up against the wall, I just have to let them. May be that will do some good. The banging may do some clearing over time.
But God loves us too much to torment us forever. He will come and gently show us the way. Satan is given permission to test our faith. But God will never allow Satan to take away our lives.
I have been, over the past three months, witnessed with my own eyes how HE gave me up to my ways for years and then gently took me back to the right track. The track is not as rough because He is alongside to guide and when I allow Him to guide and allow Him to control, I have no problem staying on track. Temptations still abound, fears may not fully subside but I know God is near.
I have been since September praying for a church to go to. I pray specifically for one that my godsons and I can serve God instead of just warming the pews. I know the Lord has given me a voice to sing. But I am not ready to commit to a choir. I rather like singing at the karaoke and may be I will entertain the seniors one day. I want to do something I am not doing because I teach or I sing.
Anyway, tonight, dad called up two people. One is uncle Freddy. He is about 70 plus years of age. His family is going through some very tough times. His daughter in law has been in a coma for the past one year. She is a pediatrian. Uncle Freddy's son is also a doctor. He is a liver specialist. One fine morning, when his wife got out of the car after some grocery, she couldn't walk. And they had to rush her to the hospital. Upon examination, they found she has a big tumor right in her brain that blocks her central nervous system. She was operated on and then never woke up. She is still breathing. She has two children. One is about 4 and the other is only 2. Auntie Margaret, once a matron and wife of uncle Freddy, has been busy looking after the 4 boys (2 little ones, one young and one old man). I asked uncle Freddy how he wants my family to pray. He told me that I should pray like I always pray and that if we remember to pray for them, then we pray that God's will be done. He told me that we should wrangle God's arm and want our ways. Obedience to Him is of utmost importance. And I shall do just that.
The next phone call was to auntie Kee Moi. She is my mum's youngest cousin. She is bubbly and fun to talk to and she is so young although she is many years my senior. I know now that my young looking genes ( if there are any) are inherited. It runs in my family. My mother looked so young when she was 69. Looks are deceiving indeed!
Auntie Kee Moi left IBC and is now going to Gospel Light Christian Church along Adam road. I was shocked to hear that. Why? Because I have been thinking about this church for the past 3 months and wondered if my aunts are there and if I should go.
Then at the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition, I met a person from my past and he is there now. This person is Bee Hin. He cannot remember me although he taught me bible doctrines when I was a teenager. I was rather aloof when I met him because I don't really know much about him after he left my church long time ago.
I prayed specifically that this church my godsons and I will go to will be one that will feed us. Christians have to be equipped with the word of GOD and teachings that can help us identify the voice of false teachers and the voice of Jesus. There are many christians today. They can wear a cross and go to church, even sings in a choir and still they are not going to heaven.
Many christians today want to hear convenient truths. Truths about how rich they can become, how good they will be made to feel. I am not saying we cannot feel good. But we also need to come face to face with Sins and some reality check is necessarily to get us right back on track!
So I thank God that my prayer is answered.
But let me get back so what if we know Christ is coming again. I raised my voice today and said what I felt burdened to say. If we know what are the signs and that Jesus is coming, what are we doing about the truth? Are we sharing the truth with our friends? Are they aware that this is no secret?
I am so thankful that GOD heard Joshua's prayer to come and take me from my very suicidal nature. I thank God that He made me see I needed to get away to a place where He can heal me and to let me know that I need healing. I know Jesus is true. I know He saves. And I want you to know that He exists and He is not a myth. In about three months time we are all celebrating this fact. That on this day, in the city of David, a saviour is born, wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.
One of my favourite Christmas carol is Away in a manger!
So Lord, thank you for everything. For the pain, for the joy and for the things to come. We know you hold the future. Thank you for being GOD.
