God is Omnipotent..but God is NOT Omnipotent

God is all-powerful and all-knowing.

But there are some things that God cannot do.  For example,

1) He cannot change the PAST.
2) He cannot make everyone HAPPY.
3) He cannot do bad things, because God is good.

So don't pray that God do these things.  These are beyond God.

The definition of omnipotent does not include these things.

How did LKY come back for SG50 Parade?

a)  3 years ago, when my eldest sister passed away, I asked the undertaker "What happen now?" His reply was "Buddhism rite, so Buddha will come and guide her soul to heaven."

b)  15 months ago, when my father passed away, I asked the Taoist priest "Now what happen?" His reply was "His soul now travels through the various gates of hell, and you should do various rites to ease his journey as his soul embarks on the long and difficult journey."

c)  In time to come, when I pass away, Jesus had assured me that he had prepared a place in heaven for me to be forever.

Now what about LKY, a great man, who had passed away a few months ago?  He declared that he was a nominal Buddhist.  He was not a Christian or a Taoist.  He had done good, extremely good deeds during his lifetime, although he did hurt a few people while doing good to the rest of Singapore.

So during the SG50 Parade at the Padang, a seat was still reserved for him.  On the chair he was supposed to be seated, a sprig of yellow orchid said it all.

Did he managed to come back to enjoy the SG50 celebration on 9 August, with all the people he served during his lifetime?

A friend of mine commented that LKY was there at the celebration on 9 August. "He would surely make his way back to witness the Jubilee anniversary of the nation.  He was the father of the nation."

I think he was a great man during his lifetime.  Christian or non-Christian, God would have bestowed special reward to him who had done so much for Singapore.  Not biblical; just sensible thinking.

I think he was around during the SG50 celebration too.  Such a saintly guy, although not religious, could not be travelling in the gates of hell.

What Religion is this ?

I wonder what religion is this.  Perhaps it is the religion that is deep in our hearts... Just joking !

Catholics and Other Christians cannot partake Holy Communion Together

Catholics believe in "TRANSSUBSTANTIATION".  It's a puzzling new word to me.  Never seen the use of this word outside the Catholic Church.

Because of this belief, only baptized Catholics can partake the Holy Communion in Roman Catholic Churches.  Other Christians, who are baptized in other churches, even though baptized also in the same name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but do NOT share the same belief of Holy Communion, are advised not to partake.

FR Don Kirchner, CSsR explained:

Catholics believe in transubstantiation.  In short, this means that the bread and wine change at a substantial level, but the accidents remain.  The bread becomes the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ.  The wine becomes the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ.  Christ is not divided.  So if someone receives just the host, he has received the fullness of Jesus Christ.  And if someone only drinks from the chalice, he also receives the fullness of Jesus Christ. (Note: The 'bread' has became the 'Host'.)

However, the accidents remain.  Accidents are anything that your physical senses could perceive.  This is in contrast to the substance that is what something really is.  So it looks like wine, and all the physical properties of wine -- including the alcohol content -- remain.  But it really is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus.

This is a profound mystery.  The Eucharist can only be understood by trusting in the words of our Savior.

Can Eat, but Cannot Kill

This is an article from my Buddhist friend. After reading, I am still confused.  However, I did learn something.

Why did the Buddha allow monks to eat meat?

The first and most important reason is that eating meat is not, in itself, considered blameworthy. The Buddha allowe...d monks to eat meat if they had not seen, heard or suspected that any living beings had been killed specifically to make the dish for them. In such a case, having made no direct contribution to the death of the creature, monks made no kamma by consuming its flesh. The Buddha neither forbade monks to practice vegetarianism, nor did he praise it. His teachings on food focused on the importance of eating easily digestible foods in moderation, rather than on advocating any particular diet.

A second consideration underlying the Buddha’s attitude to vegetarianism in the Sangha is the long-term welfare of the order itself. Monks are mendicants, dependent for all of their food needs on the generosity of householders: they are not allowed to grow, store or cook food; they may not pick fruit from trees. If the Sangha was to became restricted to areas in which it could rely on vegetarian donors, its influence for good in society would be unnecessarily limited. The spirit of mendicancy would also be betrayed if monks were to request particular foods from donors, rather than being grateful for whatever is offered to them in good faith.

There have always been monks who choose to be vegetarians. In the case where they are offered meat on almsround, these monks do not refuse to accept it. They express appreciation for the act of generosity, but pass the meat on to others.
- from Without and Within by Ajahn Jayasaro

"Karma adheres to acts of sovereign choice. It is true that a butcher will only kill animals for the sale of their meat only if there are consumers who will want to buy the meat. But in so doing the butcher is making a sovereign choice. There is no compulsion for the butcher to have become a butcher rather than say a baker or a candle-stick maker. If there were no persons willing to supply the meat trade, meat eaters would be compelled to do their own killing if they want to persist in their meat eating, thus incurring karmic responsibility." -Dr V. A. Gunasekara

Wrong livelihood according to the Buddha:
"Monks, these five trades ought not to be plied by a lay-disciple... Trade in weapons, trade in human beings, trade in flesh, trade in spirits [intoxicants] and trade in poison." — Gradual Sayings III, p. 153. (AN 5.177)

In the Amagandha Sutta, the Buddha recalled an incident in his previous life during the Buddha Kassapa's time. Buddha Kassapa was his teacher then. It was an occasion when an external sect ascetic met the Buddha Kassapa and reviled him for meat, which he said is a stench compared to eating vegetarian food.
Buddha Kassapa replied: "Killing ... wounding... stealing, lyng, deceivng... adultery; this is stench. Not the eating of meat.
... Those who are rude arrogant, backbiting, treacherous, unknd... miserly... this is stench. Not the eating of meat.
...Anger, pride, obstinancy, antagonism, deceit, envy, boasting... this is stench. Not the eating of meat.
... Those who are of bad morals, ... slanderous... pretentious... beng the vilest of men, commit such wrong things; this is stench. Not the eatng of meat..." - Sutta Nipata 2.2

 

Self-drive Holiday Trip to Melbourne/Tasmania (9)

Many of us know that Australia was the place the Great British Empire sent their convicts. Betwee1788 and 1868, approximately 162,000 convicts were transported to the various Australian 'jails' by the British government.

 Sunday was my final full day in Tasmania. Everybody said must visit Port Arthur. So I drove there. Along the way, I stopped to admire the fame coastal attractions too - the blowhole, the tessallated beach, the Tasman Arch, and the Devils Kitchen. All the...se were interesting to me ! In the photos, I explained a little of these.

 Port Arthur was an 'open jail'. There were no barbed wire fences. However the inmates were shackled with welded iron, so they cannot run away too. The convict site was 100 acres, but I could only see about 10 acres before me. The prison area was closed in 1877 and the prisoners were transferred to other prisons in Hobart and elsewhere.

 Hey! why was I walking around an 18th century prison area ?? A bit eerie, a bit rundown and unreal, a bit sad. I should flew back to S'pore tomorrow, Monday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Self-drive Holiday Trip to Melbourne/Tasmania (8)

It was Saturday. We drove to Hobart's Salamanca Market to see what it was. On the way, I snapped some photos of Hobart City. The Market had many stalls. It was crowded as expected since it was opened only on Saturdays.

 After visiting the Market, I drove South along the 'Huon Trail'. I intended to drive to the southern-most town of Southport. The maps said there was a place called Glen Hon where we can see Alpacas Farm. We first reached the town of Huonville and then detoured to Glen Hon. These are the pictures of the day.

 

Self-drive Holiday Trip to Melbourne/Tasmania (7)

The next day, we planned to drive down from Bicheno to Hobart. 180Km, towards south and west direction. Our first stop was Kates Berry Farm http://katesberryfarm.com. My wife bought many bottles of berry jams to give out to friends and ahjumahs back in Spore, so I was not 'paiseh' to scoop big spoons for free tasting. We drove to a Fruit Farm too, but no fruits in winter. We stopped for lunch and replenished our supply, passed more rolling hills and beaches before reaching an Airbnb house in Hobart suburb.

 

 

Self-drive Holiday Trip to Melbourne/Tasmania 28June to 6 July (6)

Since we saw penguin tracks in the morning, we went back from Freycinet to the beach house before dark to watch penguin parade. We sat on the beach sand quietly. It was 5 pm and the moon was already there. As it got darker, the silvery reflection from the moon got broader on the ocean floor. Our eyes got accustomed to the darkness. An hour passed. We could see penguins, silhouette only, playing on the water edge about 60 meters away. Then, some wagered quickly to the gr...ass patches a few feet away from where we sat. Once safely in their burrows, they chipped and called out loudly. What an experience!! We groped back to our house at 6.30 pm.

 When I looked out of the window at 8.30 pm, the clouds were gone. It was full moon. The fat band of silvery moonlight was reflected on the ocean floor. I looked out again at 10.30 pm. The full moon was high overhead, and whole ocean was basked in silvery moonlight. It was a calm and placid moon-lighted ocean. Nature's most beautiful moment. God's gift to human beings. An unforgettable night.

 

Self-drive Holiday Trip to Melbourne/Tasmania (5)

I was bored at Bicheno Wildlife Park since those animals could not be converted to food for lunch. We then drove 100 km south to Freycinet, another 'must-visit' site.

 We paid $24 per car entrance fee at the National Park. There were many mountain trails to lookouts, beaches and summits, but since we were rushing to go back before dark for an adventurous night, we chose to climb a short 2-hour trail.

 The weather was good. We trekked and trekked and were mesmerized by the beauty of Coles Bay and Wineglass Bay from the lookout points. Wineglass Bay was superlative in the afternoon sun. The Best is Yet to Come...
 

 

Self-drive Holiday Trip to Melbourne/Tasmania (4)

It was dark (5 pm) when I came down from Bay of Fires and reached the beach house. The next day was exploration time. The house was on a sheep padlock and 120 metres from the beach. Cozy and charming. Sure enough, we saw penguin tracks on the beach sand. We then took a short drive to the Bicheno Wildlife Park to feed Tasmania Devils, Kangaroos and carried wombats. The best is yet to come...

 

 

Self-drive Holiday Trip to Melbourne/Tasmania (3)

Leaving Launceston's Cataract Gorge, it was time for a long drive to Tasmania's East Coast. The map says there are lots of wonderful attractions there. The route was littered with small towns, but it was mostly through rolling hills with sheep and cattle (haha, I love both mutton and beef).

I reached St Helens town on the coast after 170 Km. Then I headed north 35 km to Binalong Bay and Bay of Fires. Bay of Fires is a famous pristine beach - no washed-up seaweeds on the powdery sand. I took the video below. Then drove south to stay for the night.

 The Best is Yet to Come...

 

 

Self-drive Holiday Trip to Melbourne/Tasmania (2)

From Melbourne, I flew to Tasmania Launceston Airport. It was foggy, and the plane had to circle the airport for an hour before it landed. I immediately collected my rental car, got a map and started driving. Brrrr it was mild winter and it was cold. After checked-in, I walked around the city streets, city park, shopped at Coles Supermart. Next day drove to the famed Cataract Gorge to enjoy nature. See my car and the Cataract Gorge.

 

 

 

Self-drive Holiday Trip to Melbourne/Tasmania (1)

While wandering along Melbourne's grid streets over 2 days, I chanced upon the largest Church in Australia -- St Patrick's Cathedral. Built between 1858 and 1939, it was enormous and majestic. Larger than St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney.

I managed to step inside to admire the atmosphere. I was blessed.
 

 

The Glory of Being Dead

I was at Port Arthur, the UNESCO Heritage site in Tasmania.  That was where the Mighty British Empire housed their vilest convicts in the 1800s. I read this poem on its walls.

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am now a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.

Mary Elizabeth Frye

 

Death is something that we all need to confront one day.  There are many views on death.  There are views from wise men, views from different religions, views from those who claimed to have Near Death Experiences and had glimpsed the other side.

 

Mary Elizabeth Frye's view is glorious.  She almost implied that its good to be dead.  It is not a learnt view.  It's like wishful thinking.

 

But it is beautifully written.  It is eloquent and joyous.  It is something to look forward to face without fear.

 

I do not have as great expectations.  I simply wish that I could 'rest in peace' when the time comes.

The Earthquake at Mt Kinabalu and Karma

Mt Kinabalu is there.  When I was in secondary school 45 years ago, the scouts group loved to climb there.  Last week, an unexpected earthquake took placed.  10 people from a primary school in Singapore perished there.

When my children were in primary school, I felt very uncomfortable when they came home and asked for permission to go for overseas trips. 
"But you are still so little... it's too young for you to go... you can always go when you are older in secondary school..."  I would advise. 
"But this trip is organized by the school.   So it is very safe.  So and so is also going."  the child would retort.

Not to spoilt the parent-child relationship, I would usually reluctantly relent and let them go.  But I am never convinced that Singapore is SO SMALL that a 10-year old needs to take a plane and go overseas for learning experiences to fulfill learning objectives.

I have no problem with 15 years old going overseas.  10 to 12 years old is just too young.

I was an army instructor.  I taught new recruits 'Immediate Action'.  For example, when you hear the first shot from the enemy, you 'take cover', drop flat on the ground and crawl to something that can protect you.  When your rifle misfires, you do 'immediately action' to check the rifle and clear the blockage.  After a month or so of training, new recruits instinctive do 'Immediate Action'.

Young children do not have the instinct to do 'Immediate Action' when danger looms.  They are likely to be stunned and petrified for minutes, do not know how to react.  The instinct is not there yet.  As they grow older, their instinct to survival improves.

An earthquake or a tornado is an act of nature.  Many times in my blog, I have mentioned that God generally does not meddle with the acts of nature. 

But isn't God all-knowing, all-powerful, all-loving?  Yes. Isn't God the creator of all things, including nature?  Yes. Then why does God not do anything to stop nature from releasing its fury and take hundreds of innocent lives??

I like the answer to THIS question, as given by Pope Francis: "One can only raise one's eyes up to heaven and look for answers that can't be found."  This is still a Christian mystery.

However if you subscribe to the Karmaric teachings, then there is an answer.  In fact, Karma can explain almost everything.  Innocent lives are lost because of Karma.

Regardless, God is always there to offer love and comfort, to the dead, the living, the sick, the hurt and the anguish.  God have mercy.

Lessons from Illegal Immigrants - it doubles in 25 years

This week, the newspapers were full of news about illegal immigrants.  Boatloads from countries torn by fighting were heading across the Mediterranean Sea to EU.  Boatloads from Myanmar were heading for Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.  It's called human trafficking or human smuggling.  Many immigrants died at sea.

Lets say 4 immigrants settled in an island of Malaysia. 
Assume a couple produces 4 children in the next generation. 
The average age of reproduction is 25 years, hence 1 generation is 25 years. 
The average lifespan is 75 years.

generation 1  now     4 immigrants  = 4
gen 2        25 yrs    4+4+4 = (4 x 3)  = 12
gen 3      50 yrs    4+4+4+4+4+4+4  = (4 x 7) = 28
gen 4      75 yrs    4+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+4 = (4 x 15) = 60
gen 5     100yrs    4+4 +4+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+.. = (4 x 31) - (4x1) for demise of gen1=120
gen 6     125 yrs ....4+4+..... = (4x63) - (4x3) for demise of gen1 and gen2 = 240

So from 4, the number increases to 120 and then 239 after 125 years.  Roughly, the number doubles every generation.  So if there are 500,000, the next 25 years will be 1 million !!!

(My mathematics is no good.  Could a better person derive a mathematical formula?)

Now what would happen if Malaysia takes in 10 boatloads of 3000 immigrants from Myanmar ?

DESIDERATA - 'Placid' but don't sit back...

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be critical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy.
© Max Ehrmann 1927
 
When I was in secondary school, my friends and I loved this song, especially the chorus.

But as time went by, and we all grew up, and entered the competitive working world, we could not even follow the first 2 words -- 'Go Placidly'.  Perhaps the writer lived very long ago when life was less materialistic and a slower pace was the norm.  In modern Singapore, life is a rush from the moment we wake up in the morning; and worrying about bills bills bills, plus how to please the boss and demanding customers.

So in today's context, the content of Desiderata is only partially correct.

What is Correct:

Therefore be at peace with God.
Whatever your religious persuasion, be at peace with your God or gods.  He (or they) nourishes your soul.  He is there for you and listens to you when you talk to Him.  While you labour to meet you physical needs, He is there to meet your spiritual needs.  Meeting both physical needs and spiritual needs makes you whole.

What is Not Correct:

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
We are children of God, placed in the Universe. (So sad if you do not believe in God the Creator - you missed the experience of spiritual love.)  God is the potter, we are the clay.  God is the creator, we are the created.  Being created, we have no rights.  Who we are, and whatever we have, is a privilege not a right.

Neither be critical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.
Today, there are many places on earth where love is not 'perennial as the grass'.  You see it in the news almost everyday.  Many are living in hellish circumstances.  People are dying in Yemen because of  senseless terrorist attacks. Gunmen simply went to a school and shot dead 150 students. Women died in childbirth because there was no aid or medical aid, or selfless medical workers were brutally killed.  To many who were unfortunate, it's more than aridity and disenchantment.  The reality is that 'love' never reached them. To many, it was not 'a beautiful world'..

Today, the world needs to resolutely fight for peace.  Can there be 'placidity' when brutal killings and massacres are facing humankind everyday?

The truth is, the world is no longer placid.  At the individual level, you can be placid for only a brief moment, but not for long.  Do not languish in placidity.  Do our part. Do something real to make a better world.

If you hear His voice, Do not harden your heart.

As thinking persons, we do not always believe what other people tell us. After Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, Thomas declared that "Unless I see Jesus with my own eyes, and feel his side, I will not believe (John 20:25 paraphrased)."  8 days later, Jesus appeared physically before Thomas, and Thomas believed.

Then Jesus appeared physically before hundreds on several occasions.  And many believed.

But there were still some who saw the risen Christ and still did not believe.  These unbelievers even stoned Stephen to death, and persecuted other believers.

No matter what, even if Jesus were to appear to us physically today, some among us will not believe.

If we refuse to believe because of doubts about God, God will in His own time, resolve our doubts. 

But if we refuse to believe not because of doubts, but because of our stubbornness, then God has only one advice...

"IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS." Heb 4:7

King Nebuchadnezzar also believed in God

After Daniel interpreted a dream for King Nebu, this was what he said... (Dan 2:47)

"The King answered Daniel and said 'Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of Kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.'"

However, after some time, King Nebu made an image of gold, 60 cubits tall and 6 cubits wide, and ordered everyone to fall down and worship it. Whoever failed to do so would be thrown into a furnace and burnt alive.

After some more time, King Nebu again praised the God of Daniel.  Dan 4:2, he said "It seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me. 'How great are His signs.  And how mighty are His wonders!  His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. And His dominion is from generation to generation.'"

You see, King Nebu was a 'typical' believer of God.  Sometime he believed, sometimes he turned to other gods, and sometimes he came back to believe God again.

Are we not the same as King Nebu?? We believe in God, we also believe in other gods like fame, fortune, wealth and honor.  In one season, our allegiance is to God.  In other seasons, our allegiance to other gods.  And then we turn to God again.

Law of Conscience, Law of Moses and the Saving Grace of Christ

Since my background is Chinese religion, I have many Buddhist friends.  Buddhists focus on doing good.

One day, all of us, Christians and non-Christians will stand before God, and God will judge us through Jesus Christ.  Why 'through Jesus Christ'?? Why can't non-Christians attend the judgment parade without Jesus Christ around?

Answer:- During the judgment parade, Jesus Christ will be in the picture because He is the Son of God.  He is seated at the right hand of God the Creator.  His duty is to present each of us to God for judgment. He is going to say "Father God, creator divine, I present Patrick Choe to you for judgment."

God judges us on 3 criteria.  For the Jews, the criterion (a) is the Law of  Moses.  For all non-Jews, the criterion is the (b) Law of Conscience - also-known-as "Law written in their hearts".  For all who believe in Christ, the criterion is the (c) saving grace of Christ.

A good Buddhist does good.  They serve the weak, the destitute.   They are generous with the poor and the hungry.  They are kind, avoid harming others, and do no evil.  They do their part to make the world a better place...They obey the Law of Conscience.

Would God judge them favorably on judgment day?  READ ROMANS CHAPTER 2 AND 3 to find out.  I personal believe God would.  But the chances is slim, very slim.  That is why God provided us with criterion (c).

By the way, today is Lunar New Year eve.  I wish you and your family a Blessed Lunar New Year.

 

3 reasons why people refused to believe Christ: Part 2 - An Unconvinced Mind

Many many years ago, I was enrolled in Primary 1 in an Anglican mission school.  Most of my classmates then did not come from Christian homes.  By the time we left school after 12 years, some of us were converted to Christianity.  After another 30 years, more than half of those non-believers were converted.

The seeds that were sowed in school took time to germinate.  Some took longer, some were faster.  Some remind doubtful and unconvinced in their mind, and that cause hesitation in their heart.

Christianity is a religion that does not provide answers to all questions, particularly difficult questions.  Christianity is based on faith in Jesus Christ.  If all faith's questions have logical answers, then only logic is needed, faith is not necessary. ('Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.')

By the way, I have been reading about other oriental religions.  I found that they are able to provide much more enlightenment to human doubts.  For example, the concept of Karma could explain the cause-and-effect of human sufferings very logically.

The Bible asserts the sovereignty of God.  It does not offer answers to many things, particularly why some prayers were answered, and some were not.  God's simple reply to all perplexing issues confronting humankind is: "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." (Is 55:8,9)

If we want to wait till all our questions are answered before we believe in God, the time will never come.  Only the Holy Spirit can open our hearts to God.  Intellectual conviction will never bring us to Christ - because we will never fully understand the higher thoughts of God.

In life, many things require faith, including bungee jumping and travelling on a jet plane.  May the Holy Spirit grant us His grace to accept God's infinite love by faith.

3 reasons why people refused to believe Christ: Part 1 - A Hardened Heart

3 reasons.  Here I give the first reason.

For those of us who had the opportunity to hear the gospel before, we may still refuse to accept Christ because of some difficult and painful experiences.

I once worked with a very intelligent lady.  She had been shared the story of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  She did some reading on her own.  As usual she was a little doubtful, but was not against Christianity.

Just after she gave birth to a son, her husband died unexpected.  She was devastated.  She doubted the lovingkindness of God.  She told me "I will never become a Christian".

In Christianity, we cannot give a logical explanation to everything and every question.  We only accept that God is sovereign.  That does not mean that when someone dies, God is the one who 'cause his death'.   Death could be caused by humans, or by nature.  But in all cases, God allowed it to happen.

Recently an AirAsia plane crashed into the Java Sea and 162 people perished.  It was not an act of God.  It was an act of humans or an act of nature, although God allowed it to happen.

When some people suffered painful and difficult experiences, they asked God 'Why you allow this to happen to me?  I do not want to have anything to do with you."The bible says:
"Today if you hear His voice,
Do not harden your Heart."  (Ps 95:7, Hebs 4:7)

God is God.  God does not open the Red Sea or the River Nile for people to cross EVERYDAY.  It was under very special circumstances that God opened the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross under the leadership of Moses.

Similarly, God will not save EVERY crashing plane from crashing.  He may only do so under very special circumstances, which only He knows.

If you refuse to believe because you have suffered an ordeal, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEART.

   

Where is God Now? - The Right Answer

There was this guy who went round asking Christians "Since you believe in God, where is God now?"

In the Book of Acts of the Apostles, Jesus ascended into Heaven, but before that, He promised to send the Holy Spirit to us as our comforter.

So the right answer should be "God the Father is in Heaven.  God the Son is also in Heaven.  God the Holy Spirit is here with us, in our heart, in our life, around us, everywhere, omnipresent."

Even though Jesus is in Heaven, He is all-knowing, all-powerful.  He can hear our prayers, understand our feelings, know our thoughts, doubts and aspirations.

This is the marvel of our Triune God.  One God in 3 persons.

Christmas Reflection

Today is 28 Dec 2014.  Christmas has come and gone.  The year has come to a close.

This year has not been a great year to me.  Just before Christmas, on 17 Dec, I received news that my friend Terrence Thomas passed away.  He was younger than me.  Together with the demise of my eldest sister, my mother, my father and my father-in-law, the past 3 years was a painful time of breaking bond and some regrets.  I still dream of my parents almost every week.

Perhaps it is part of the life cycle that we all have to go through.  At my age, it may be natural to see more and more people leaving.

I too understand that to live, we should not think too much about death, and after every incidence of death around us, we need to close the subject and move on quickly.

But it is easier say than done.

Christmas is a time when I remind myself of Christ’s incarnate and His purpose to come die on the cross for me.  'Silent Night' was the most beautiful carol ever, and it romanticize the love of God.  As I knelt before the cross this Christmas, I thank God for life, for His blessings, the love of people around me, and the love of people departed from me.  I seek forgiven for my failures to live up to God asked of me, just as I had failed to live up to my departed parents' expectation from me.

It has been an emotional time for me.  Thank you for reading this blog entry.

No Human, Not Even Jesus, Knows When -- Christ's Second Coming

Since God is the creator, God is outside the time dimension.  God's perspective of time is totally different from human's perspective of time.

In Isaiah 7:14, God told His people, "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you (yes you, the people who were listening) a sign: Behold a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel...".  However, the timing was not what the people expected.  Immanuel did not come in that generation, but over 500 years, or over 20 generations later.

When reading the New Testament, we must not put a time to future events such as the Second Coming of Christ.  Regarding this, Jesus said "But of that day and how, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." Matt 24:36.

When Jesus was on earth as a human, He was no longer omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent.  He was limited in time and space and knowledge, as all humans are.

So when Jesus told people of His generation that 'This generation will not pass away till all these things take place." Matt 24:34, this did not take place.  By being wrong, He actually proved Matt 24:36 correct !!!

It is reassuring that Jesus, while He was human, made mistakes in timing like all humans.

So the lesson is clear.  We should not predict Christ's second coming.  It may be close, it may be very far away.

Merry Christmas 2014

Joe failed to understand Dad's love

I hope this is not a true story.  It happened before the mobile phone era.

Joe completed his tour of duty in the war in Middle East.  He was flown back to San Francisco.  He called his parents in New York. 
"I'm really glad you are coming home son." said Dad.
"Just a few more days, Dad.  By the way, I would like to bring a friend with me." Joe said.
"Sure, and who is he?"
"Dad, his name is Peter.  He stepped on a landmine and lost an arm and a foot.  He has nowhere to go. Can I bring him home and live with us permanently?  Joe replied.
"Son, you don't understand what you are asking.  It will be too much for us to look after Peter.  We have our lives to go on. Surely Peter has somewhere else to go and someone to look after him? Dad replied.
The phone call ended shortly.

3 days after, Dad received a call from the police that his son Joe had apparently committed suicide.  When Dad went to identify the body, he was stunned that Joe was without an arm and a foot.

Lesson:  Joe should not do what he did.  He should not test his Dad.   Joe did not grasp the immense greatness of parental love.  He did not did not really appreciate the different types of love.

A parent's love to his own child is not the same as his love to another person's child.  There are many parents who have severely handicapped children who require life-long care.  Yet these parents are prepared to forsake everything, glory, freedom, wealth, worldly enjoyment, and even their own lives, to look after their own handicap children for 20 years, 50 years, 80 years. But ask them, the same parents, to adopt someone else's handicap children and accord them the same sacrifice, the answer is no.

Love is like that.  Joe's Dad can sacrifice much, or readily sacrifice everything, for Joe's sake.  But do not expect him to do the same for Peter, who was just another person in the world of 7 billion.  Parental love could be sacrificial.  Other human love could come and go, wax and wane, or turn hot and cold.

There was no need for Joe to use Peter to test his Dad's love.  Joe was the begotten son.  Peter was not.

"So then, you are no longer a slave but a son.  And since you are a son, God will give you all that he has for his sons." Gal 4:7.

Christ has freely invited us to be sons of God.  You decide.

Some have more crowns, some have less, and all have none.

Some of us love God and serve God almost all our working lives.  Christ will reward you with 'crowns' (or trophies) when the time comes.  There are different types of crowns.  There is the crown of righteousness, crown of glory, crown of honor, crown of life, etc. (2 Tim 4:8, 1 Pet 5:4, Heb 2:9, James 1:12, etc)

Some of us believe and accept Christ's gift of salvation at the end of our lives.  Hence you do not have time to serve Christ.  You will go to Heaven, but without any crown.

Now, all living things need to live with a sense of purpose.  Being rewarded for one's effort is important.  When we are in Heaven,  some of use will be wearing many crowns, and some, probably, without any crown.  This is inequality.  Whenever there is inequality, there is dissatisfaction and unhappiness. (Because all living things have a natural tendency to compare with one another!)

But fret not.  Revelations 4:10 says that we will all lay our crowns before the throne of God.  So, yes, perhaps for a short while, some may be walking around with several pretty crowns, and some with no crown.  But in a while, those with crowns will offer them back to God.  Then, everybody will have no crown to show off again.  All are equal.  The source of unhappiness has been removed.  And now everyone is happy.

What a clever solution to make everyone happy.

Remember, serving God is a privilege.  It is hard work, but the satisfaction is intrinsic.  Physical rewards are there, but we will happily place these trophies at Jesus' feet.

Note:   Why is there a 'crown'  in the slogan below?
Answer: Keep Calm and Carry On was a motivational poster produced by the British government in 1939 in preparation for the Second World War. (Below is the original poster. Source: Wikipedia)

Being Sovereign

God is not only the creator of  all things in Heaven and Earth, He is also sovereign over all things.  (Mind you, all creation were good when created.  Only after they were created that some turned bad.)

Now being sovereign means having control and authority over all things - good or bad things.

Being sovereign, God is in a risky position.  He would be praised and glorified for the good things.  But He would also be 'blamed' for allowing bad things to happen.  After all, He is in a position to stop all the sufferings and all the bad things, but He did not.

So Lord,  why did You allow the Ebola epidemic?  Why did you allow natural disasters?  Why did you allow genocides in so many countries?

But God is God.  We will never understand Him fully.  We are mere creatures.  We understand Him based on what He has revealed to us.  And compassion is one of His attributes.