11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Pet 3:11-13 ESV)   The Day of the Lord will be the most terrible, yet awesome and unforgettable day that the world has ever seen. The Lord God himself will descend from the heavens, surrounded by legions of shining angelic warriors, ready to make war against those who defy their Master. His arrival will be sounded by a deafening trumpet blast in the vault of the heavens that will echo in every corner of the earth—from the deepest jungles of the Amazonian rainforest to the skyscrapers of the densest metropolises of the world. The clarion call will seize the attention of every single human being, from the mighty president of a country who sits in his official residence to the common worker in the field (Matt 24:29-31). The very earth itself will not be unaware of his coming and will tremble violently in the presence of the matchless, unbridled power of our immortal Lord. His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives and at his slight touch, the entire mountain will be torn in two as the creation itself bows in humble deference to its Creator. In that day, the nations of the world will find themselves in a battle that they have absolutely no hope of winning and will wail at the coming of the Son of Man.  But at the same time, that very day of abject horror for many, will be a joyous day for all who have longed for the appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For the Lord himself will gather his elect, his precious bride, the church, to be with him in the heavenly mansions that he has gone to prepare for us in his Father’s land. The swords of the angels will bathe themselves in the blood of God’s enemies, but they will not harm a hair on the heads of the people of God. The dead in Christ will rise at the sound of our Master’s voice and those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness will have their mourning turned into joy as their Savior comes to relieve their sufferings.   But that day which is known to God and has been fixed by him (Acts 17:31) is not a day that we are to passively wait for. Though God’s sovereignty has decreed the very day on which he shall return, his sovereignty does not exclude our responsibility to live holy lives that model the Gospel of Jesus Christ and “hasten” the day of the Lord. How remarkable this is! To think that God has determined that the holiness and godliness of his people would seize the very hands of the divine, heavenly clock and push them towards that final day—the day on which our Lord Jesus returns! Is this not what the Bible teaches? Did not Christ command us to pray, “Your kingdom come?” Did not Christ teach us that the “gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matt 24:14)? Did our resurrected Lord not command us to go into the world and make disciples of all nations?   Brothers and sisters, we must never think that our daily actions are insignificant. For every soul that is saved for Christ, brings us one soul closer to the grand total of the redeemed who will one day stand before the throne of God dressed in white robes and waving palm branches in their hands shouting, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb" (Rev 7:10)! Our actions matter! For God has ordained that the godly actions of his people would accelerate the heavenly timetable and hasten the coming of that day when our precious Saviour will stand at our side. So, if Christ is our treasure and ultimate joy, let us expend ourselves fully as ambassadors for Christ and hasten the day of our Saviour’s return. Let us be diligent about our Master’s work and declare the Gospel to this world and complete the unfinished task! And when our work is done, we will receive our life’s greatest reward—the ultimate joy of seeing Him whom our soul loves.  Come Lord Jesus, come!  Article by: Samuel Chua

“Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:18 ESV)   Despair and loneliness are merciless fraternal twins who have chased God’s faithful—great and small—for thousands of years. Even the great prophets and mighty kings of old were not spared from their relentless onslaughts and assaults. Elijah was used by God to bring about a great victory against the prophets of Baal as the Lord God answered his pleas and sent fire from heaven on his offering on Mount Carmel. Subsequently, four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal were executed by the people of Israel and rain miraculously fell from the heavens after three and a half years of drought. But despite these powerful victories and the very visible manifestations of the unmatched power of God, the mighty prophet trembled at Jezebel’s threats against his life and ran away into the desert. Though he was a firsthand witness to the awesome hand of God at work through him, he found himself despairing of life itself. Brother and sisters, is this not our human condition? Too often we think to ourselves when we are pursuing the things of God with zeal, “Lord, the godly have perished from the face of the earth (Micah 7:2)! God, I am the only one left!” We look around us and can see only those who seek to lay snares for our lives while our closest friends stand far off (Ps 38:11-12). And even though God has worked for us such a great salvation by delivering us from slavery in the Egypt of our sin, we are prone to grumble when we are walking through wildernesses of life. We forget the power that parted the Red Sea and we long to return to slavery. But how grateful we are that our God is a gracious and powerful God! For when the prophet was at his lowest, the still small voice spoke the truth with the gentleness of a father speaking to his young child. There on the mountain, God dealt kindly with his discouraged heart and reminded him he was not alone. For God had preserved for himself a remnant, chosen by grace, of 7,000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal (Rom 11:5). Christian, do you feel alone? Do you feel despair in your home, or at your workplace, or even in your church, because you think that you are alone in your struggle to be a faithful follower of God? Do you find yourself so overwhelmed by the trials of your daily life that when you look to the horizon, you see only unending days of lonely work and despair? Take heart, Christian! Though we might feel alone in our sufferings, let us remember that the Lord God sees us in our afflictions. Though it may seem like his church is on the defensive or disappearing where we live, he has promised us that the gates of hell would not prevail against his church. When we are unable to lift our heads and perceive ourselves to be alone in the midst of our enemies, let us remember that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself. Though the Philistine giants of despair and loneliness might beat you with their brutal clubs, they are no match for the keen edge of the sword of the Spirit—that is the Word of God. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us, and he has purchased for us a family of co-labourers and co-sufferers. We are not alone. God always has his 7,000. And nothing in all creation can ever rob us of the immeasurable joy that we have in Christ Jesus who died on the cross for our sins so that we might live in relationship and joy with him—forever, and together. Article by: Samuel Chua

And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." (John 12:23-25 ESV) An immeasurable blessing of the Christian faith is that were not just given words to follow, but an example to follow in our precious Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. The Christian’s desire to sacrifice one’s own life does not come from any power within ourselves, but from our Lord and his example that defies the logic and values of this world. In his kingdom, the last shall be first. In his kingdom, the humble will be exalted. In his kingdom, losing your life is the means by which you gain it. Here, Jesus speaks about the counterintuitive nature of his own upcoming death and resurrection. It is only through dying that much fruit will come. If the Son of Man chooses to take up the sword and destroy his enemies, he would destroy the very ones he came to save because they would still be lost in their sins. However, if the Son of Man allows the sword of God’s wrath to fall on his own neck, his own people will be saved. This is the secret of the Christian church. We win souls for Christ not through making others suffer but rather by allowing ourselves to suffer for the sake of others. It is marvelous to watch a great leader exercise his authority and enact justice in his land. But it is awe-inspiring beyond words to see a mighty, eternal king give up his power and sacrifice himself for the good of those whom he loves. And because of his humility, God has exalted him to the highest place and our Lord Jesus Christ now rules from his throne forever and ever. Oh, the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! Who has known his mind or who can offer him counsel? Brothers and sisters, as we approach this Easter season, let us celebrate the king who came in humility rather than power. On Palm Sunday, he rode a donkey not a warhorse so that we might become his children and not his defeated foes. As we think of the death and resurrection of Jesus at Easter, let us be attentive to how the Lord would have us lay down our lives in humility, so that by our dying to self, others might find true life. Article by: Samuel Chua

And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. (1 Pet 1:17-19 ESV)   For some in this world, the thought of their own father brings back memories of joy and profound admiration. They remember strong but tender men who loved their spouses and children and laboured diligently to provide for them, all the while steering them towards godliness amidst the storms of life. Such fathers are an immense blessing and when the Lord calls them from this earth we do not grieve as those who have no hope—but oh! How we still grieve! For others, however, the thought of their father evokes only bitter resentment, anger, or unbearable pain. They have little to celebrate of their father who was perhaps absent, neglectful, or in the most horrific cases, an abuser of those whom he was charged to defend and protect. And though these dishonorable men might leave this earth when death calls for them, their legacy of pain continues to echo in the lives of those who suffered the most at their hands.    But, despite all of this, there is soul-satisfying hope for those who have been touched by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The beauty of the Gospel is that though we may be physically orphaned by fathers we loved and wished were still with us, or emotionally scarred by fathers who should never have fathered children—God will NEVER fail us as a merciful, all-powerful, loving Father. To those who us who have saved by the blood of Christ, we are freed from the mortal limitations and prisons created by our earthly fathers, and free to revel in the unparalleled majesty and intimacy of our heavenly Father! See here how the apostle Peter speaks about our great Father!  Our heavenly Father is perfectly just in his treatment of all mankind because he plays no favorites, but judges all on the face of the earth impartially according to their deeds. Never does he treat one sibling better than an another or misjudge harshly because of his inadequate perception of the situation. In every and every circumstance, his children may rest assured that they will always receive that which is perfect and ultimately just—if not now, then in eternity.  Our heavenly Father is supremely merciful in that when we were utterly, spiritually bankrupt and unable to pay for the price of our own sins, he himself stepped in and covered our infinite debt. Though the wages of our sin was eternal death, our Father did not hesitate to pay our blood-debt in full without a penny drawn from the account of our own works. The Son of God hung on the cross until every last drop of liquid redemption fell to the ground before he shouted, “It is finished!”   Our heavenly Father is magnificently redemptive in that though we were slaves to repeat the worst mistakes of our parents and ancestors, he seized us from walking the broad way that leads to destruction and placed us on the narrow Way that leads to life. Furthermore, he does not just save condemned convicts from the spiritual gallows but educates them in the school of Christ and sanctifies them so that they might bear the royal image of the Prince of heaven and not the disgraceful criminal lineage of their rebel parents.   Our heavenly Father is incomparably loving in that he lavishes upon poor, wretched sinners like us matchless grace by sending his one and only beloved Son, Jesus Christ to die in our place! The ledger of our crimes was so black that no amount of blood could ever have blotted it out. Yet, our God, in his overflowing love, did not spare his very own Son, but chose to punish the guiltless in place of the guilty to make us his own beloved children. This, brothers and sisters is true love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his very own Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins!   Believer, whether you weep because you have lost a father that you held dear or you grieve in pain because you never had a father that you could hold dear, never forget that you always have a heavenly Father whose perfect justice, love, mercy and redemption is enough to satisfy any sorrowing heart. Honor your father whose DNA gave you your life, but honor and worship the heavenly Father whose imperishable Word gave you your eternal life. And one day, when your time of exile here on earth is done, you will see the face of the One your soul loves. In your Father’s presence there is fullness of joy, and at your Father’s right hand, are pleasures forevermore.  Article by: Samuel Chua

“For by grace given me I say to everyone of you; do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” Romans 12:3 Humility is often discussed among Christians but many struggle to be of a humble disposition. C.S. Lewis said ‘’True humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less’’. Dwelling too much on one’s self is directly opposed to the goals of humility. The greatest example of humility is seen in the life or our Lord Jesus. In Mark10:45 it is written ‘’For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many’’. He humbled Himself to serve us. According to the world’s view it is better to be masters than to be servants. But as followers of the Lord Jesus we are to be humble. We recall the story of James and John in Mark 10:32-45 how they approached Jesus with a request. They wanted to know if the Lord would allow them to sit either side of Him in His Kingdom. What did this request reveal? It revealed a selfish and personal ambition to be rulers with Jesus in His Kingdom. The Lord was gracious to them and did not rebuke them but explained their lack of understanding in their request. Their request was wrong because they wanted the Lord to fit into their plans instead of how they could fit into His. The Lord had just finished telling them of His final and detailed prediction of His trial, suffering, death and resurrection. This was the third time that He predicted His death. The second time He predicted His death an argument ensued as to who was the greatest. The Lord replied ‘’Whoever wants to be first shall be last of all and servant of all.” James and John had selective hearing. His words did not fit with their dreams and what they would realize when they reached Jerusalem. They expected to be given positions of power, prestige and authority. So their request was inappropriate and insensitive. But were the other disciples any different? No. They also wanted places of honour so they felt cheated. Humility is one important virtue we should all have. We should possess it in a way that glorifies God. We should do nothing out of pride or to get the praise of men. Neither should we look to our own interests but to the interests of others first. It is good for us to put on the mind of Christ. In light of these truths how can we best serve one another for God’s glory? Article by: Mike Parsons

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” -- Mark 1:35 In Mark 1:21 Jesus gives himself away to others all day long. He teaches, casts out a demon, and heals people until after the sun has set. It must have been a physically exhausting day. We might expect Jesus to sleep in the next day, but the Bible tells us that, “very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. Luke 5:16 tells us that Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Jesus found solitude in gardens and on mountaintops and in the wilderness and by the sea. Jesus prepared for the start of his ministry in the wilderness. He prepared to finish it by praying alone in a garden. Jesus sought out solitude and silence; this was His custom. Could it be true that we too need to seek out times of solitude and silence? If we are to hear from God, if we are come to know his still small voice speaking into our lives, would it not help us to follow in his steps and devote some time to the practice of getting alone with God and being still before him? Jesus challenges His disciples to pray in a closet. That may be the only place in your life where you can find some peace and solitude and be silent before God. But it is not just Jesus who practiced these disciplines. Some of the most significant events in Jacob’s life, defining moments, take place when he is alone before God. Moses was not called to lead God’s people out of Egypt until he had been trained by 40 years of living life in the wilderness. God uses a wilderness experience to renew Elijah’s life. Paul after encountering God on the road to Damascus is placed in solitude for 3 days and then after an initial introduction to the Christians there spends a number of years in the desert with God. God used that desert to transform Paul’s life. God will use the desert or the closet or whatever defines your times of silence and solitude to speak to you. The noise of this world will deafen you to God’s voice unless you act to create corridors of solitude and silence to hear from him. So, take the initiative and do not allow fear, or weariness, or busyness crowd out those times of silence and solitude before the Lord. Do not worry if silence and solitude seem unproductive. Leave that to God. The point of the wilderness is not for you to be productive but rather to be still enough to hear from God. Our spiritual training this month will help you find ways to get before God in stillness and silence. Check out the spiritual practices part of our newsletter for ideas that will help you embrace this essential practice. Article by: Hamish Buntain

“Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” (Gen 5:24 ESV) The scriptures do not tell us much about Enoch. He performed no miracles, led no armies to victory, and wrote no books of the Bible. Yet, the writer of Hebrews wrote that by faith he was taken up into the presence of God and that he had pleased God. What an incredible statement this is! Of all those early men who lived over 900 years, Enoch made it to only 365 (Gen 5:23). His earthly days ended early—not because he was killed or struck down for wickedness, but because God was delighted in him. And God’s pleasure with him was such that he was ushered straight into his presence. What immense satisfaction God must have had in this man for him to have done such a remarkable thing! In the genealogy of Genesis 5, every other individual has the years of their life listed and then a note that “he died.” But Enoch alone has the unique privilege of being the only individual in that list to have be “taken” by God. We must never think that righteous living by faith in this world goes unnoticed by the Lord. As the world around him descended into greater and greater sin, Enoch lived by faith in the God who had made all things. Enoch’s life was not characterized by scattered acts of righteousness here and there, but rather of one living so well before the Lord that it is written of him, “he walked with God.” How comforting to our hearts to know that God looks at his children with pleasure when they live according to his rules! And when our days are complete, it will be the Father’s good pleasure to welcome his good and faithful servants into the joy—the JOY, not indifference—of their Master. No one longs to run into the arms of one who is indifferent towards them. But there is no joy that is comparable to running into our great Father’s loving arms. The ultimate joy of the Christian is to be able to walk with God in the cool of his garden, to see his face, to speak with him, and to enjoy the richness of fellowship and his presence for all eternity. Nothing else in this world is as sweet. If Jesus Christ should delay his coming, we will not walk the road of Enoch, but the road of Adam and pass through death’s waters. But because of Jesus Christ, we have no need to fear death. Death has lost its sting and we are victors because of our Lord’s work on the cross! So then, let us take our eyes off what is temporal and lift our gaze to heaven, knowing that our Father watches us with keen interest even as we run now. And when our lives are complete and the Lord calls us home, may our lives too be summarized just like Enoch’s. “He walked with God and was not, for God took him.” And let us say as the Psalmist said, “As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.” (Ps 17:15). Article by: Samuel Chua

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” Ephesians 4:32-5:1 Perhaps you have heard this adage before: It is not the offense that destroys relationships, but instead, it is the inability to forgive that destroys relationships. Because offenses will come no matter what; we live in a fallen world. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8) So at some points in our lives, we’re bound to have either offended someone or have been offended by someone. But since we’ve been forgiven of all of our offenses by our Heavenly father, who sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:9-10) We are in turn called to be imitators of Him and to forgive others just like He’s done for us. And one crucial aspect I’d like to highlight regarding genuine forgiveness, which isn’t popular in the world, is how God forgives us to the point where He promises to never bring up our past against us. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1) For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:12) “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. (Isaiah 43:25) It is tempting to “forgive” yet at the same time hold on to the past, by remembering, or worse, reminding everyone what so and so has done. What incredible joy in knowing how God completely forgives us to the point of wiping our slate clean. “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. (Isaiah 1:18) And what a great example to imitate. It can be hard at times, but since we are called to be imitators of God, it assumes that it is possible for us to forgive like God has done for each of us. Ultimately, we’ve all offended our God, and yet he’s offered us unmerited Grace through his Son. How could we withhold forgiveness to others when we ourselves are just as much of a sinner? We are all wretched. We can be just as sinful as someone who is in jail for murder. Why? because Jesus said that anyone who has been angry with his brother deserves the same judgement as someone who committed murder (Matthew 5:21-22). Something to think about right? Article by: Mario Richard

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (Jam 4:7 ESV)   The world we inhabit lies in the power of the evil one (1 John 5:19). Satan is a master deceiver who has been tempting humans to sin against God since the very first man and woman walked with God in the garden of Eden. The devil is thousands of years old, yet age has done nothing to weaken the strength of this fallen angel. He has so much experience with hunting his human prey that his fiery darts rarely miss their targets, striking the weakest points in our armor with pinpoint precision. He has one singular purpose—to kill and to destroy, which makes him more deadly of an adversary than all the half-hearted people of this world. Furthermore, Satan does not act alone, for he is the ruler of a united kingdom of demons (Matt 12:26). How sad to think that Satan is sometimes more united than brothers and sisters in the Christian church!   But the most devious and deadly schemes of the great Tempter of human souls are not found in his frontal assaults against humanity, but rather in his subtle, and eternally devastating suggestions that fly beneath our radar. The great skill of this enemy of our souls lies in suggesting to us ideas that agree with the sin-corrupted reasoning in our wicked and deceitful hearts. To the atheistic professor who is admired for his massive intellect and stellar contributions to research, Satan whispers, “God is a crutch for the weak. You, however are not weak. You are great.” To the religious and proud, the devil says, “Certainly Christ died to save you from your sins, but also need some of your own efforts and other works of the law to be truly saved. Look how well you are doing! You are certainly going to heaven!” To the half-hearted, lukewarm Christian who has put his hand to the plow but constantly looks back, the father of lies says, “As long as you believe Jesus died for you, that’s enough. Don’t let anyone judge you for the sin that you are living in.”   All throughout the Scriptures, this is his pattern. Satan used Peter’s own heart motives to get him to speak against Jesus’ desire to suffer on the cross. Satan filled the greedy heart of Judas with a plan to betray the perfect Son of God by selling him out for mere pieces of silver. Satan tempted Ananias to guard his own financial and social interests by lying to the apostles who were tasked with laying the foundation for the church of God (Acts 5:3). No human being alive is safe from his wicked words! Yet, we are not hopeless, for the Scriptures command us to RESIST him! And RESIST him we must—in the way that our Lord and Saviour did. In the wilderness, Christ set us an example of spiritual combat as he fought Satan with the living and active Word of God that is sharper than any two-edged sword. Jesus countered every fiery dart, not with his own cleverness and intellect, but with the sword of the Spirit.  Believer, are there lies that you are believing right now? Are the minions of the kingdom of darkness so feeding your pride that you worship yourself and not Christ? Or are they so crushing you with waves of guilt and despair that you find that you have lost sight of Christ? Resist the devil and he will flee from you! Tell them as you despair over how you will pay your bills that “Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Deut 8:3). Tell them as you grieve over your past sins, “Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies (Rom 8:33 ESV).” Tell them when they butter you up and feed your pride that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Pet 5:5). Strike with God’s divine weapons and the terrible dragon will flee!  Christian, the venomous snake whose poison sends people into eternal death is no match for the One who lives inside of you. Put on the armor of God and not the armor of Saul which is your own righteousness and works. Sharpen the Sword of the Spirit by filling your soul with the divine Word so that you might not sin against God. Then, resist your devilish opponent with God’s weapons and live in the peace and joy of God. And though the righteous may fall seven times, by the power of God, we will rise again to the glory of God (Prov 24:16).  Article by: Samuel Chua

11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:11-13) Years ago, when my son was about four, I made delicious fruit shakes to be had with dinner. While my back was turned, he climbed onto the table and started slurping his drink. When I told him, “No, that’s for dinner,” he replied, “I’m just testing it.” I asked, “For what?” He answered, “Poison!” Then he laughed hysterically and quickly went back to chugging his shake. His answer was so hilarious that I couldn’t stop laughing. Then I realized—he had sneakily gotten away with doing something he wasn’t supposed to: drinking his shake and distracting me with humour! Later, I wondered, why did we both laugh? Then it hit me—we both understood, deep down, what Jesus said here. My son never believed for a moment that there was poison in that cup because he knew I was a good dad who loved him. That’s why his joke was so funny. And if he knows that DEEP down about me —a human, sinful father—how much more should we know about God? Father, help me remember in times of desperation and despair that You are a good Father who sent Your Son to die on the cross for our sins. Help me trust you in your goodness as I call on your Name. Help me believe that whether I receive what is pleasurable or painful, it all comes from the hand of my good Father. Written by: Samuel Chua

And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! (Luke 12:22-23 ESV) There are many birds in our city, but we do not often pause to consider how spectacular their lives are. A bird does not seem to be a very intelligent creature, but rather one that simply wanders around with no other purpose than to search for food and a mate. Yet, on the fifth day when the Lord said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens” he looked at his creation, the birds he had made, and said it was good. We see them as nuisances that inconveniently poop on our cars, but Christ does not see them this way. For in the eyes of our Saviour, that common bird is a megaphone that declares to us the faithfulness of our Father’s daily provision! Yet, few of us stop to give God praise for these creatures. Very few, upon examining bird droppings on their windshield, would say, “Amazing! For a bird to defecate like this, the Lord must have provided for it a hearty meal!” If we heard someone speak this way, we would most likely laugh! Not because what they have said is false, but rather, because their perspective is highly unusual. “What? You see a bird defecating on your car, and you praise God for his hand of provision?” Remarkable. And yet it is true! The fact that the bird who has no storehouse nor ability to cultivate crops can survive is incredible! How can this be? A bird has no bank account nor even a college degree, and yet it not only lives, but also raises little birdies to do the same! And this is the Lord’s point! You need not fear that you have little in your storehouses or retirement fund, for it is not those things that ultimately feed you, but the God who feeds the sparrow! He will also feed you! Do you want proof that the Lord will clothe you? Then all you need to do is look out at the wild flowers that grow. You may call them weeds and think them to be as annoying as the bird that decorates your car with unwanted droppings, yet our heavenly Father says that he has clothed them with such splendid petals and colors that not even the royal robes of the great Solomon could rival them! And if the Lord so delicately clothes that which is alive today and then thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not also care for you? But in reality, the food and the clothing are but small things that all men seek after and the Lord has given us something far greater to seek. Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things—food and clothing included—will be added to you. If it is true that it is our Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom, then why would we not throw ourselves wholeheartedly into the great task at hand? He has told us to go and make disciples of all nations, to baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. He has commanded us to heal the sick and preach the Good News of Christ’s death and resurrection. He has adopted us as his very own sons and daughters and to us he has entrusted the glorious ministry of reconciliation! So then my brothers and sisters, if it is true that Christ has removed death’s sting and the anger of God burns no more against us, and if it is true that his dying breath has breathed out to us the gift of life, then let us throw ourselves at the foot of the throne of grace and take up our crosses and proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth! We who are ambassadors for Christ, let us then remember, that as we fulfill his Great Commission, he who feeds the sparrow and he who clothes the lilies of the field, will also feed and clothe us.   Article by: Samuel Chua

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:40, ESV)   The preciousness of Jesus Christ to us who believe cannot be underestimated. In this small section in John’s Gospel, Jesus says that for those who believe in him, he will raise them up on the last day and repeats himself four times. Remarkable! Here Jesus is not speaking about raising us from sick beds so that we might recover, but raising us from the great sleep of death—the resurrection of the dead.  The Old Testament is filled with glimmers of the afterlife, however, the images were shadowy until the dawning of the light of Christ. But what was certain was that the wicked would ultimately fall under God’s eternal displeasure and wrath (Ps 37:38, 68:2, 75:10, etc.), whereas the righteous would enjoy the blessings of God’s presence (Job 19:26; Ps 16:9-11; etc.). That is why the Psalmist can say “As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.” (Ps 17:15). The OT saints knew that God alone had the ability to raise them from the dead (1 Sam 2:6). But no one imagined that the God who would raise their fleshly remains from the grave, would be the same God to offer his own flesh for their sins. And this he did in the person of Jesus Christ on the cross. What is outrageous about Jesus' statements is not that God can raise the dead, but that people would have to look to him, Jesus, for eternal life, and that he, Jesus, would raise them from the dead. And if Jesus Christ were not God, this would be sheer madness and utter blasphemy!   Believer, do you think much of the fact that God in Jesus Christ gave his life so that you could have eternal life? Do you think about how he purchased every moment of the life that you are privileged to have under the sun? Do you stand in awe of him as your Master who made you and has employed you in His service? Do you think of his great compassion as he answers your daily prayers? Do you long to see his face when your eyes open from the sleep of death? Do you know that at his command, your body which may be but bones and dust will reassemble itself and new, undying flesh and muscles will be knit to your frame?   Be encouraged, brothers and sisters, that the great Physician of our souls hears you even now when you call to him and he is the God who heals you. He who promised is faithful and will never fail us! And the Jesus who died for you, is the same Jesus who will never leave you as an orphan and will raise your body from the grave on that last day.  Though Easter Sunday has come and gone, the hope of our resurrection has not. It remains, and daily we rejoice and live in unshakeable hope. There are no such thing as ordinary human beings in the kingdom of God—only blood-bought, immortal sons and daughters.   Written by: Samuel Chua