Psalm 127

Today's headline news: "Oil rises to US$122 on fresh supply fears" (The Straits Times, 7 May 08). The past weeks' sombre reports -- rising food and housing prices, sky-high inflation rate, staple food shortages, tight job market due to the impact of the United States going through a recession cycle, among others -- drive home a compendium of complaints from friends and colleagues. Just last week, one of my church friends was lamenting the unaffordability of raising a family, especially having children.

I read Psalm 127 with comfort and conviction that God's intention for us is that children are "a heritage from the Lord" and that they are "a reward from Him". As Christians, we should not think of raising children as a liability. We are guardians of our children and our duty is to raise godly children in accordance to His will and purposes. It is myopic to avoid such a God-given responsibility by choosing to remain childless after marriage. After all, when we have God's blessings, we will lack nothing. Parenting comes with many responsibilities and challenges along the way. We just need to have faith that God will strengthen us along the way in dealing with those unforeseen challenges ahead of us.

Let us lay claim to Psalm 127:1: "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.". And in verse 3: "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him.".

Thank God for the relevation and assurance at such times of uncertainty.

Psalm 125

Psalm 125 was alleged to be written during a time where the people of God were under the oppression of wicked leadership.

Taking reference to verses 1 and 2 ("Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures for ever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and for evermore."), I searched the Internet for the ancient map of Jerusalem and discovered that the City of David was built on Mount Zion. The whole ancient city was also surrounded by mountains, which acted as natural line of defence for the city. It conjures a sense of security (spiritual protection) for the people of God, that God's protection is like the surrounding mountains for Jerusalem, shielding us from our enemies. Those who trust in the Lord can also stand secured on the grounds of Mount Zion where it symbolises the spiritual stronghold of the Almighty God.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for being my protector. I can stand tall in bad times by putting my trust in You and knowing that You will do good to those who are righteous. Search my heart daily so that I will do what is righteous in Your eyes. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Psalm 118

Psalm 118 has a sentimental meaning to me as Psalm 118:24 was chosen by both my wife and I as our wedding verse for our church wedding almost 10 years ago: "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. ".

A general search on this psalm reveals some very interesting facts:

- Psalm 118 is at the centre of the Bible
- There are 594 chapters in the Bible before Psalm 118
- There are 594 chapters in the Bible after Psalm 118
- There are therefore 1188 chapters altogether (... "118-8", "Psalm 118:8")

If there is a central theme for the Bible, Psalm 118:8 fits in nicely with God as the centrepiece: "It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. "!

Verses 6 and 7 that prelude it assure us that God is in control and that with Him, we will lack no fear for any adverse circumstances that come before us: "The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies. ".

Thank you, Lord for the revelation of Your Word. Let Psalm 118:8 be our steadfast prayer for those who seek You. May You manifest Your presence to them and bless them and their loved ones with Your gift of salvation. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Psalm 110

This psalm segues from being a great testimony of Jesus Christ as the Messiah to Christ's mighty authority over the rulers of the earth.

What a powerful manifestation of God's truth that Christ is indeed the Messiah when nothing can be more blatant than verse 1 in revealing Christ's lordship:

"The LORD says to my Lord:
'Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.'" (Psalm 110:1)

And in verse 5-7:

"The Lord is at your right hand;
he will crush kings on the day of his wrath.
He will judge nations, heaping up the dead
and crushing the rulers of the whole earth.
He will drink from a brook beside the way;
therefore he will lift up his head." (Psalm 110:5-7)

Psalm 95

"... Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,

as you did that day at Messah in the desert,

where your fathers tested and tried me,

though they had seen what I did.

For forty years I was angry with that generation;

I said, 'they are a people whose hearts go astray,

and they have not known my ways.'

So I declared on oath in my anger,

'They shall never enter my rest.'" -- Psalm 95:7-11

Psalm 95 is an open invitation to unbelievers and even Christians who "harden" their hearts toward God when they experience hardships in life.

Perhaps it is straight-forward as we talk about the "hardening" of hearts when we do not heed God's guidance and commandments. What about incidents where we have sinned against the Lord but refuse to acknowledge it by finding excuses to justify our actions? What about our self-righteousness and pride that cause us to accuse others of their wrongs in our hearts, even though we do not act it out?

Those are outright evidence of what God terms as the "hardening" of our heart. We may not be conscious of it, but gradually we may not be able to hear from God one day and slip into the danger of complacency with God. The latter may lead to the condition of our hearts turning lukewarm towards God and ultimately rejecting His blessings totally! It can happen to the most faithful of God's people at some stage of their walk with God (eg. King David, who was described as "a man after God's heart", committed adultery and murder during his reign).

Let's make an effort to thank God despite our difficult circumstances before us lest we become complacent in our relationship with Christ. God will surely rest His favour upon us when we remain thankful and faithful to Him.

Psalm 84

George Orwell wrote in one of his satirical novels "Animal Farm", "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others". This reflected men's value system in treating one another, especially in today's self-centred society.

Psalm 84 gives relief from our struggles in being mistreated by others among us, especially by our colleagues and superiors at work. We are guilty of pleasing men in order to stay in favour with others. At times, in the guise of our work and family, we even strayed from God's presence and His ultimate blessings by not having a close fellowship with Him!

Let's us be like the sons of Korah (the author of Psalm 84), that we may seek after God's dwelling place, even to the extent of being contented to be a "doorkeeper in the house of the Lord" rather than staying comfortably in the "tents of the wicked" (verse 10). Only when our soul yearns for God's presence may we experience God's peace and protection, favour and honour ("For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favour and honour; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless" -- Psalm 84:11).

Resurrection Sunday

Maurice Sklar ministering to the Lord and the church.

Today is Resurrection Sunday! FCBC celebrated this day with pomps and having Maurice Sklar to minister to the Lord and the church with his rendition of "Holy Holy Holy, the Lord God Almighty" on his voilin.

Senior Pastor's message on "Death is So Ugly It Has to Go" carried dollops of God's grace and personality when he talked of Jesus crying for the living (not the dead) in John 11:32-36 ("Jesus wept" in John 11:35), Jesus' dying on the cross for mankind, and Jesus' victory and authority over death. Many came forward to give their lives to Jesus that day. Hallelujah!

The kids had a great time at Sunday School too. Besides having chocolate easter eggs to bring home with, Nathan did a Easter Sunday craft which I thought was very meaningful, especially this day where we seek to remember our Saviour.

Nathan's Sunday School craft work

What's God's Phone Number?

I was browsing through a magazine which I bought last week at "Trumpet Praise" (Parkway Parade) when I stumbled upon this awesome quote from a kid:

"I told my pre-school class that God is always with us and we can call upon him any time. One boy quickly raised his hand and asked, 'What's God's phone number?'" -- Kate Wicker (Children's Ministry, January/February 2008 Issue, Group Publishing, Inc., p. 141)

Isn't it wonderful for us adults to sometimes behave like a child when it comes to fully believing in Jesus Christ without caving in to our self-imposed doubts? As parents, we are accountable to God for our children's salvation, and teaching them the ways of the Lord. It is thus my prayer that my children will truly rely on God's "phone number" whenever they face difficult circumstances in life --- for God is never too busy to answer our calls!

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them,

for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." -- Matthew 19:14

Psalm 82

Psalm 82 (A psalm of Asaph)

"God presides in the great assembly;

he gives judgement among the "gods";

How long will you defend the unjust

and show partiality to the wicked?

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;

maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

Rescue the weak and needy;

deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

They know nothing, they understand nothing.

They walk about in darkness;

all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

"I said, 'You are "gods";

you are all sons of the Most High.'

But you will die like mere men;

you will fall like every other ruler."

Rise up, O God, judge the earth,

for all the nations are your inheritance.

This psalm reminds us of God's sovereignty and that even though He has ordained selected kings and judges to represent Him in executing judgement on the people, He has the ultimate judgement over us and the earth.

The psalmist termed the earthly rulers and judges "gods" where at that time, they showed partiality to the unjust and wicked, and oppressed the poor.

Throughout history, many unjust kings and rulers were overthrown by the people as the latter revolt against them through violence. Let us be still before God and like the psalmist, present any injustice and wrongdoings unto Him and not take things unto our own hands. For the "gods" are mere mortals and surely God will deliver His people out of darkness.