God Is More Interested in My Character and Relationship with Him

 Date: 06/04/2026

Looking back over the 10 years after my second infilling of the Holy Spirit, I now see clearly that God was deliberately holding me back from operating for His specific reason. He wanted to work on my character, to strengthen my relationship with Him, as well as reinforce my actual identity in Him as a child of God. It was not so much about operating in His giftings, but more of being in communion with Him and being His child.

I have observed that many people who operate in such gifting over time, if this foundation was not properly hammered in, the ministry or gifting becomes the identity instead. And as such, their relationship with God was literally pegged to their ministry activities. So during their ministry high, they associated it that they are close to God. And during the ministry low time, which will happen, they may even question if God is with them.

I remembered a friend who operated in one of the spiritual giftings. He was running a ministry along with his spiritual gifting. Many years ago he shared with me that there was a season where the number of miracles he encountered through his ministry was very low, and he was very discouraged. To the extent that one day when he was showering, he was even questioning if God really loved him.

This made me realize how dangerous it can be when identity is tied to ministry. Ministry will always have its ups and downs, and if our sense of closeness with God rides on those highs and lows, our spiritual life can become like a roller coaster.

During this ten-year period, God literally kept constantly reminding me that it is my relationship with Him that matters. My identity in Christ — who I am in Christ — is secure. Nothing, even if I operate or don’t operate in such giftings, will ever make Him love me more or less. His love for me is constant, and my identity is secured in Christ Jesus, regardless of anything. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8, NKJV).

I’ve got to be honest to admit that during this period of refining, I really wanted to operate in this spiritual gifting. I longed to be an agent of the power of God. There was a childish part of me that thought it would feel really cool to lay hands on someone and sense the power of God flowing through. Somehow a sense of feeling powerful was what I wanted. Some of us may also share such thoughts and desires.

In the book of Acts, Simon the Sorcerer saw the apostles laying hands on people so that they received the Holy Spirit. He wanted the same power and even offered money to buy it. But Peter told him that his heart was not right before God and that he should repent (Acts 8:18-24).

I’m really thankful that God didn’t have to send Peter to tell me to repent like Simon. Instead, He took His time with me. Over that season, He slowly shaped my character and helped me shift my paradigm — from chasing after the giftings to simply looking at Him and resting in my relationship with Him as His child.

This reminds me of what Jesus warned in Matthew 7. Many will say to Him on that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?” Yet He will reply, “I never knew you.” God made sure my foundation was the right one so I would not fall under the very warning this passage gives. (Matthew 7:21-23)

This truth has been deeply burned into my heart. In the end, nothing else matters except this. The rest is secondary.

Then came the breakthrough on that fateful Saturday when my skeptical friend came to my house after the prayer meeting. With my limited knowledge, I simply tried guiding him in a very amateur way to open up and receive the Holy Spirit. For the first time in about 20 years, he experienced the presence of God so powerfully — he was filled with the Holy Spirit right there in my house! For three full hours!

About a week later, while I was showering in a hotel in Malaysia, I felt the presence of God so strongly right there in the toilet! My first thought was to ask Him, “Why of all places in the toilet?” Then I thought I heard this reply: “I’m giving you strength to face the day.” At that moment, a thought suddenly dawned on me that it was exactly the tenth year since my second infilling of the Holy Spirit!

Then, somewhat within me, I felt that it is time that I'm ready to operate.

In the next few months, I witnessed many people around me being filled with the Holy Spirit as I prayed for them. One specific incident stood out to me. One Sunday after the service, a sister from church came to say hi to me while we were still in the service hall. I felt the urge to shake her hand. The moment I did, the power of God just fell on her. She was instantly charged up and filled with the Holy Spirit right there!

Looking back over these ten years, I realise that God indeed knows best. What looked like holding me back was actually refining. Even after operating for close to a year now, this truth has become second nature to me. It has become instinctive to constantly remind myself that my identity in Him is what matters most. Even on days when I don’t operate in any gifting, I feel completely fine with it, because being found in His presence matters more than anything else.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV)

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28, NKJV)

 

The Real Presence – My Journey with the Holy Spirit

 Date: 04/04/2026

I received Christ in 1996. In those early years in Singapore, there were many Ministry Nights where the church strongly encouraged believers to be filled with the Holy Spirit. However, over time this emphasis gradually subsided. We were taught that we should not focus so much on experience, and that is why the emphasis subsided.

Later I was in a different church where such spiritual experiences became almost non-existent. That church was also Pentecostal, which means it was supposed to advocate the same.

Even in those days, we still had altar calls. When I went to the front, I sometimes felt the presence of God, but I would wrestle with Him, asking, “Is it really You?” I learned to blend with the crowd and to behave properly.

I learned how to keep a nice facade and to behave well in church. I did not want to create a scene or behave differently from other people. I learned that after the last song, I should go back to my seat. In this way, I learned what it meant to be proper at the altar. I totally learned how to respect the orderliness of the church in a very extreme manner, and I even referenced 1 Corinthians 14 in my heart. Sometimes at the altar I actually thought that I experienced the Holy Spirit, but instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to take control or allowing the fullness of the experience, I would start asking “Is it really You?” and all this.

By the end of the altar call, it would just be a very simple touch of His presence. We would just go back without experiencing the fullest because of all the brain concern.

Then in 2015, during a church retreat, I was recharged in the Holy Spirit again after many years of hiatus.

Before that, I was just a regular church-goer. Every Saturday night I would even bring the young adults from the church to alcohol drinking sessions. The intercessors of the church knew about it and they prayed against it because they were very concerned about it.

At the retreat, the presence of God became so real to me. It propelled me. Instead of just going to church, I started going to all the prayer meetings and attended church faithfully because I was hungry for His presence. God’s work was no longer just a concept or idea — there was a reality to it. I even spent more time in prayer and I craved for the time with Him. I found myself spending a lot of time seeking Him. Eventually I also joined the intercessor ministry. Living a life for Him became so naturally spiritual.

The moment I was filled, I started laughing. For many people the expression may be different — some cry, some are silent, some feel something hot, some even fall down. But the basis of it is a peace and a joy that surpasses understanding. Throughout the retreat, on top of laughing, I also experienced falling under the power of God as well, and I even cried in one of the sessions. It was a very peaceful wailing inspired by the presence of God. It was really a spiritual-packed experience throughout the retreat.

It was after the first experience on the first service where I was filled in the Holy Spirit. A church staff who is also my friend came and approached me to help me out. He knew about the drinking sessions. I remember vividly that my first comment was, “Wow, this experience was much better than alcohol.” This gave me a lot of fresh perspective of the Holy Spirit. After the retreat, my perspective changed even more. I understood that with the power of God and with His presence, I was motivated to live my life wholly for Him, in a different manner, with a fresh passion to live for Him.

Because I had the privilege of two eras of experience rather than only one, the second refilling in 2015 helped me understand the real shift. I literally moved from being a mere church-goer to a spirit-filled believer. My zeal and passion for God shot up miraculously all of a sudden. That was when I started operating in spiritual giftings without even being aware that they were spiritual giftings. The action became so natural — it was not something I tried to force out or strive for.

Because of that, I understood the importance of the Holy Spirit and the reality of the Holy Spirit and the constant need to be recharged in the Holy Spirit. That is the dunamis and the propelling force that will give us the strength to live our life for Him. Apart from this supernatural empowerment, there is a lot of limitation that we may not understand, including the real risk of getting burnt out. I began to give much more attention to the Holy Spirit than ever before. Having the knowledge and trying to apply such a lifestyle without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit is very different.

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8 NKJV)

And when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. … Then Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them… Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. (Acts 2:1-4, 14, 41 NKJV)

These verses came to life for me. I understood now that Jesus also intended us to function with the power of the Holy Spirit. The disciples were so enthusiastic to do what Jesus asked them to do after the resurrection, but instead of asking them to go ahead and do it, He asked them to wait. And indeed, on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came with empowerment, the action became so natural.

Because of the second experience, I also understood that being filled in the Spirit is not so much about God choosing whether to fill us or not. Scripturally speaking, He wants to fill us up to the fullest and to overflow. The equation now rests with us — how open we are for Him to fill us, how willing we are for Him to fill us up, and learning how to tune to the frequency of the Holy Spirit so that we can be alive to Him and let Him fill us. I understood that being filled up is no longer by chance or only by some anointed people praying for us. Instead, we can actually come to Him boldly and confidently at any time to be filled by Him. We just need to learn how to be tuned to Him.

At the beginning, I did mention about being refilled in the Holy Spirit. When I was first saved, during the Ministry Nights, I did experience the presence of God. But the difference was that I did not laugh. Instead, I expressed what people called the “helicopter hand”. I felt magnetic forces and I was stuck on the floor for a few hours experiencing the peace of God, but I had never laughed before.

I thank God that I can share a personal testimony in this area. I come from a pagan religion where my family was into spiritual mediums. Spiritual manifestations were part of my everyday life. We saw a lot of supernatural things — spirits possessing bodies and many other things. So when I came into the faith, if there was no such thing as the Holy Spirit, what would appear real would be things of the heathen, of the darkness, rather than the light that is of God. I was very thankful that when I entered into this faith, I was introduced to the right and proper Spirit — the Holy Spirit.

Looking back over the ten years after the 2015 retreat, the journey was not always on a spiritual high. There were still spiritual lows. Yet through it all, one thing remained constant — my hunger for the presence of God had become much stronger after the infilling. The desire for God to move, not just in my life but in the congregation and beyond, grew deeper. At the same time, I began to understand more clearly that when God fills us, there can be an overflow that spills over to others.

In this season, I sometimes felt alone in what I was experiencing. There weren’t many people around me advocating or moving strongly in the same reality of the Holy Spirit. At times, I felt like a freak show or like I was the only one “moving in the Spirit” at the altar. This made the journey feel isolating at moments.

Even in the lows, there were times when I neglected the presence of the Holy Spirit. Yet because of the craving that had been awakened in me, I would find myself running back to His presence again and again. Sustaining the fire alone can be trying, but I thank God that somehow He preserved this fire throughout the journey.

Instead of receiving encouragement for what God was doing in my life, I often received discouragement from apparently well-meaning people. There were also times of small talk and undercurrent criticism. These comments usually came without people knowing my full personal story or the background of my encounter with the Holy Spirit.

Let me share one example. Three years after the 2015 retreat, a church leader went to my then intercessor leader and shared that I was being “hyper-spiritual” because of what had happened at that retreat. He did not know it was my first fresh infilling after so many years, yet they were still bringing it up three years later. I was thankful that my leader at that time knew the full background and chided him quite firmly. She even warned him that such actions could chase people out of church by passing judgment without knowing the context.

After I returned to the first church in 2020, which was still supposed to be Pentecostal and charismatic, similar things happened on a few occasions. When I manifested at the altar, some people approached my good friend in an apparently concerned manner and expressed worry. They commented that such manifestations or movements were things of the past and no longer existing now, so why was I still manifesting like that? My close friend had to painstakingly explain to a few people that it was okay and that it was really the Holy Spirit.

Yet in the midst of all this, God was faithful. He sustained me and brought the right people to encourage me at the right times. I am especially thankful for three people: my spiritual mentor (who has since passed away), my buddy who is now an itinerant minister, and the leader of the intercessors of the church I was attending then. They not only encouraged me but also protected me and shielded me from a lot of apparently well-meaning people.

During these ten years, God did not allow me to run fast outwardly. Instead, He held me back and worked deeply on my character. Yes, I had wanted to operate in this anointing — to encourage others, pray for people, and spread this fire. I really desired that. But opportunities seemed to be taken away or simply did not exist. Even when there was a chance, I often made a fool of myself. It can be quite discouraging.

I remember one Saturday I attended a small ministry that advocated the move of the Holy Spirit. There was a special guest minister. Before he even prayed for me, the moment he saw me he shouted “Wow!” and I immediately fell under the power of the Holy Spirit. After the session, I asked him why he reacted that way. He told me he saw the fire of the Holy Spirit upon me, so he exclaimed, and the rest was the work of the Holy Spirit — he never even needed to pray. The next day at my own church, I was serving in the altar ministry and I was excited, thinking now that I carried this fire, it was time to practise praying for others. But that Sunday the pastor decided not to have an altar call and simply ended the service. I was so disappointed. God really works in interesting ways.

For these ten years I made a lot of foolish mistakes whenever I tried to pray for people and help them experience the same thing. Many times nothing happened and I felt so stupid and embarrassed. Gradually I realised that God is more interested in my character building and my relationship with Him than in what I could do for Him or any ministry for Him.

One struggle that surfaced repeatedly, especially after I returned to the first church in 2020, was the dilemma at the altar. In my heart the question that kept ringing was, “Do I really mean business with Him? Am I serious for Him to move in the congregation?” This desire for revival was much stronger in me than the need to stay proper. So I often allowed myself to manifest, with the hope that somehow God would create an overflow and catalyse a revival. Yet inwardly I also struggled — as a person I would rather protect my reputation. But the spiritual zeal for revival superseded my personal need for a good name. At the same time, there were so many apparent well-meaning comments and undercurrent talks spreading around, not understanding the real struggle inside me.

 

Through all these experiences over the years, I have observed a clear trend in this current season. On one extreme, there are those who rely solely on the experience of the Holy Spirit and end up neglecting other important aspects of our walk with God. On the other hand, there is now a very prevalent advocacy that we should not focus too much on the experience of the Holy Spirit, for fear that we might neglect those same important aspects. I also agree with this concern. However, we also cannot deny that the experience is part of the holistic experience of the Holy Spirit that we cannot neglect.

I am not trying to say that the experience must surely be there in a dramatic way. What I am trying to say is that the experience is part of the whole package. If we minus away the experience of the Holy Spirit entirely, what happens is that the draw factor of the world — be it in our daily temptation or other forms of spiritual experiences — can appear more real than just the theory and the application knowledge of the Holy Spirit. As such, it actually removes the essence of the reality of the Holy Spirit. When that happens, the world and all the other spiritual experiences may draw people away because they appear more real to them than the Holy Spirit.

I have also noticed that for some people, the experience may not involve any outward manifestation. For some, they will just feel very hot over their body, or sometimes they will feel a very everlasting peace within themselves. Yet somehow they will know that it is from God.

Rather, we should advocate for the balance between both extremes. Trying to achieve this balance in our own human effort is almost impossible. But as we are continually being filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, He will somehow bring about this equilibrium. Because God Himself is the giver of the Holy Spirit, and we believe that God can bring about the balance. Our God is indeed a balanced God. He is not a God who says we just need to experience Him and that is all. God is actually a pragmatic God. We need to be spiritually pragmatic in this area rather than living in an ideal perspective of having only a theoretical Holy Spirit.

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25 NKJV)

 

I have also observed that over time, such experiences will gradually fade. But that does not mean we experience God less. It is just that we have become so conditioned to the presence of the Holy Spirit that we become more used to His presence. That is why the apparent manifestations fade.

As we get more conditioned to being in His presence, we may not necessarily need these outward experiences anymore because we come to learn to recognize His presence as part of our life. By then, it is a sign of spiritual maturity — we no longer need the initial markers because we have learned to sense and walk in His presence naturally.

If we try to advocate the idea that we do not necessarily need the experience prematurely to younger believers or those who have not yet been conditioned to God’s presence, we may have actually effectively shut the Holy Spirit out of the person unintentionally.

Another observation I have made is that there is also a lot of advocacy saying that we can control the Holy Spirit or we can control the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. I agree that we can control it. In fact, I have experienced this myself. We do have the ability to stop or limit the manifestation if we choose to.

However, I have observed that for those of us who have truly tasted the presence of God, the issue is no longer whether we can control it. The deeper reality is that we do not want to control it. The experience is so good — full of peace and joy that surpasses understanding — that we simply do not want to put a cap on it. We want the fullness and wholeness of His presence. It is not that we cannot control the manifestation, but in the end we choose not to, because we want more of Him.

 

After those ten long years, something began to shift in 2025. For so long I had tried to pray for people and help them experience the same filling I had received, but many times nothing happened. I felt foolish and embarrassed more often than I care to remember. Yet suddenly, without any grand plan on my part, the fire started to spread.

I remember one Saturday after a prayer meeting, a brother from the first church I attended came back to my house with me. He had always been very skeptical. He kept saying that such manifestations and moves of the Holy Spirit no longer exist today. That evening, I simply showed him some YouTube clips of the Holy Spirit still moving powerfully around the world. Then I asked him a simple question: “Do you want it?”

He confessed that he did. That very day he was filled with the Holy Spirit right there in my house. He stayed in the presence of God for three hours. He was laughing, crying, and deeply charged up. For me, that was the first major breakthrough. It was the first time I saw the fire beginning to touch someone else.

What I discovered that day was that it was not about me praying powerfully or continuously babbling until something happened. It was about guiding the person to open up to the presence of God. I realised that God really wants to touch us. When a person is open, He can move freely. That was where I saw clearly that what often prevents people from being filled is actually on our side — the equation rests with us. I even consolidated some of these discoveries into a separate manual and shared it with various people. After realising what had been preventing them from being filled, many were able to open up and be filled by the power of God.

After that, I was still a bit hesitant, but a friend helped me organize a few small gatherings. Even before the first session, I found myself anxious. I remember thinking, “God, what if You don’t move?” But someone gently reminded me, “What if God does move?” On the day itself, I was nervous, yet when the session started, God really did move. In the session, people were touched by the presence of God. Some laughed, some cried, and they were simply enjoying the presence of the Holy Spirit. I was literally humbled by this experience. It was not about me praying powerfully for them. It was about guiding them to be open to the presence of God. I simply shared and helped them tune their hearts. When we laid hands, the power of God moved mightily and His presence filled the room.

Through these moments, I came to understand more deeply that God actually wants to fill His people. He desires to touch us to the fullest and to overflow. The equation is not mainly on God’s side — whether He chooses to move or not. The equation is on our side — how open we are, how willing we are, and how ready we are to tune ourselves to Him. When people become willing and open, He is more than ready to fill them.

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive… (John 7:38-39 NKJV)

Even in my workplace, we have a weekly prayer meeting. What shocked me was that the dynamics of the prayer meeting changed when we ushered in the Holy Spirit. People were filled during the prayer meeting itself. One of them was so filled that he simply froze in the presence of God without any external manifestation for a good one and a half hours.

When I shared this experience with a friend from overseas, he invited me to introduce it to his organisation. Without much confidence for such a huge group, I tried to brush it off and suggested doing it with a smaller group instead. But he took my words literally and organised a retreat for up to thirty people. Somehow I ended up at that retreat. I was marvelled by God’s hand. Most people in the retreat were filled with the Holy Spirit after many years. That particular weekend I was also asked to introduce it to the main body. I was very concerned whether God would really move. Yet God did move. The session that was supposed to last one and a half hours stretched to three hours, and nobody wanted to leave. The whole hall was literally filled with the presence of God. Many people were on the floor, some were crying, some were laughing — they were simply enjoying God’s presence. The driver who brought me around shared that they had been waiting for the Holy Spirit movement for the last 14 years.

Such stories aside, even in day-to-day life I realised that sometimes when I shake hands with someone, they get filled with the Holy Spirit in a spontaneous way. Or sometimes after a short prayer, the other person is filled as well. I was marvelled.

What surprised me most was God’s timing. I was really surprised at how He worked through me and used me as a catalyst in guiding people to experience His presence. It was not me — it was Him who touched the people.

I also noticed that after people were filled with the Holy Spirit, their passion for God rose and their desire for God increased. I even heard a story of a husband and wife whose relationship was restored after many years of quarrelling. The main observation was that after they were filled in the Holy Spirit, their desire for God rose up exponentially. The desire to live a life for Him became so natural for them. Life was literally changed — not by might, nor by power of man, but by the Spirit of the living God.

 

As I look back on this entire journey, I am reminded how much I had to brave through various well-meaning opinions that sometimes lacked the full context of what God was doing. Some of those words, though given with good intentions, could feel damaging. Yet through it all, I thank God that He has literally carried me through these ten years and has preserved the fire in me for a good ten years. I trust that He will continue to carry me through. And I thank God that He faithfully brought the right people to encourage and shield me at the right times.

To those who are newly filled with the Holy Spirit, or who have just recently tasted His presence, I want to gently encourage you: it takes time to stabilise this experience. Do not be discouraged if well-meaning people rush in with suggestions or try to press it down. Keep pressing into the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. While doing so, continue to love and forgive, even if there may be hurts that come unintentionally in the process. It is also helpful to look out for like-minded, mature believers in this area, to encourage one another and be open to their experiences and teaching, so that we do not risk going into hyper-spiritual or out of tangent.

Taste and see that the Lord is good. (Psalm 34:8 NKJV)

To those who have not yet experienced the filling of the Holy Spirit, I want to encourage you as well: the experience of the Holy Spirit is real. The reason we may not have experienced it yet could simply be that we have not been properly guided or have not yet understood what has been preventing us from being filled. Scripturally speaking, God really wants to fill us up — it is already His desire, a done deal on His side. Let us first be hungry and long for Him. As we stay open and continue to allow Him to fill us, we will eventually be filled.

To those who have experienced the Holy Spirit but have contained or limited the manifestation because of the mindset that we can control it or need to maintain a certain orderliness, I want to gently encourage you as well. Yes, we know we can control the manifestation if we choose to. However, I have come to see that when we use our own human rationalism to contain God or control the situation, we may unintentionally put a cap on what He wants to do in and through us.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30 NKJV)

God desires to fill us to the overflowing, not just to a measured portion. Let us open up more and allow Him to fill us to the fullness of His overflowing, so that we can truly know what God can do in and through us.

You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV)

The Holy Spirit is real. His filling is real. My prayer is that this testimony will inspire more believers to hunger for His presence, to come boldly and be filled, and to learn how to gently guide others into the same reality — so that the fire of God can spread, not by might nor by power, but by His Spirit. Then we will truly understand the full extent of the biblical dunamis and what the power of the Holy Spirit really means.

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts. - Zechariah 4:6

 

 

 

The Real Safest place

 2026_03_14

Proverbs 18:10 (NKJV) The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.

Psalm 46:1 (NKJV) God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

Psalm 91:1-2 (NKJV) He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

Galatians 5:1 (NKJV) Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

 

Last week, while sending my daughter to gymnastics class, a thought suddenly dawned on me: the safest place is actually if we have a set of rules to follow. Sometimes, it really is our safest place. Humans like to find themselves in a very safe place. Sometimes when we follow the crowd, we feel very safe. Or sometimes when we have a set of rules to follow and we follow them, we find security in that. Or sometimes when we conform to certain practices, certain traditions, we feel very safe—because it gives us a certain identity, or it feels like a security blanket.

There is something deeper we often overlook: humans are drawn to conformity, much like ships staying close together through a storm. Psychological research—most notably Solomon Asch's experiments in the 1950s—demonstrates this clearly. Participants, faced with an obvious correct answer, still chose the wrong one when the group around them did. Roughly three-quarters conformed at least once, not out of conviction, but to avoid isolation or disapproval. In cultures that value harmony, such as Japan, this tendency grows even stronger. So we follow crowds, rules, traditions—not always from desire, but because it offers protection, a quiet sense of safety in numbers.

This instinct shows up even in some organizations—where, out of a deep desire to belong, we sometimes adopt practices or traditions passed down from those before us, often without fully understanding why they began in the first place. This is normal because we may not have the first-hand experience to start off with. However, some of us may continue with these practices, but may not have experienced the pioneering drive that led to this tradition in the beginning.

And when someone newly joins the organization, there is a natural, almost instinctive pull—just to fit in, to do what everyone else is doing. It is the easiest way to become part of the group. The person will feel safe when they do that.

Sometimes these practices and traditions can become so familiar, so much a part of our daily life, that they start to feel like a second Bible to us. We may even begin to think they are the very heart of our faith—because the apparent action looks more real than what we read at times. And everyone around us seems to be practicing one way or another, in a very similar way. So it can somehow—sometimes without us even realising—become a form of religious practice.

Take, for example, how the Spirit once moved people—think of those early believers in Acts, filled and fired up, ready to leave everything behind for the Kingdom. That passion drove whole generations in many places: careers paused, lives reshaped, all because the Holy Spirit was alive in them.

But over time, in some organisations, the focus shifts. The Spirit isn't spoken of as much—not because anyone meant to push Him aside, but because habits settle in. People keep doing the same things—serving, gathering, giving—because it's what they've always done. Human nature loves routine. And it feels very safe doing it... to the extent that we may have accidentally forgotten about the Holy Spirit.

Yet without the constant going back to God to be refreshed in His presence, without that ongoing advocacy of the Holy Spirit in our lives, the drive becomes ours alone. We push on with effort, with good intentions—maybe even with loud enthusiasm—because leaders rally us, because we've learned to be "on fire" as part of the culture. But it can turn mechanical. The same zeal starts to feel forced, rigid. Burnout may creep in. And sometimes, when we reach out—sharing faith, inviting others—we do it more out of habit than heart. It may look good on the surface, however, it may not even be driven by the Spirit to start off with at this point.

So here's what strikes me: the actions themselves can look exactly the same as when the Spirit first started them. Back then, it was all from the fire of God. But however, it may look the same on the outside—yet underneath, the basis may have changed. What used to be His Spirit that moves us may have become our own push, our routine, our effort. The outward manifestation is the same, however the basis behind it may differ.

And honestly, nobody can really look inside and say for sure: "This is the Spirit," or "This isn't." Even I can't—I'm not in a place to judge. But there are signs. When it's just us pushing, people start burning out. They get tired, rigid, maybe even quiet about it—like the joy leaks out. But when it's the Spirit? There's always renewal—fresh wind, even in the same work. People stay soft, stay open. They rest, they laugh, they keep going without forcing it. That's how we know. Not by pointing fingers—just by watching what happens over time.

And honestly, nobody can really look inside another's heart and say for sure: "This is the Spirit," or "This isn't." Even I can't—I'm not the one to judge, neither am I worthy enough to do it. But here's what I want to share: sometimes, without us noticing, the Spirit isn't the driving force anymore. It's more the comfort of doing the same thing over and over—because we're creatures of habit, because it feels right. And to some extent, unbeknownst to us, we have accidentally slipped into something religious. Not because we're want to—just because the familiar took over.

And honestly, this isn't new—even in biblical times, it happened. The Pharisees started with good intentions. They wanted to follow God and to keep His Law perfectly. They studied it, lived it, taught it—because it gave them a real sense of safety, a security they tied closely to pleasing God. With all that knowledge, they felt protected, because they were apparently doing the right thing. But knowledge became their security blanket—more than understanding God's intention, more than really knowing Him. They held the words tight, but missed the essence behind them.

And when Jesus came, showing mercy to the adulteress, healing on the Sabbath, eating with tax collectors and sinners, touching the unclean—things that looked like breaking the rules upfront—the Pharisees saw a threat. To them, He ended up looking more like a heretic, someone who didn't respect the Law they cherished. From their safe place, His actions seemed to topple all the “safe practices” they had been holding to all those years.

Jesus said He did not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets; He came to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). On the surface, it feels like a contradiction—His actions appeared to set aside the very rules the Pharisees guarded so carefully. How could someone who seemed to disregard the Law so openly claim He was here to complete it? The tension was real for them. His ways shook the safe place they had built.

Jesus understood the heart of the Father perfectly. He knew how much the Father loves people—the adulteress, the sick, the outcasts, the sinners. He knew the Father wants them healed, restored, brought close again. So when Jesus showed mercy, healed on the Sabbath, ate with sinners, it wasn't breaking the Law. It was living the deepest reason the Law was given in the first place: to protect and draw people back to God's love and presence. The rules were never meant to keep people away from God! Jesus wasn't contradicting the Law; He was showing what it truly points to—the Father's heart for every person.

Paul later explained this. He said the law is good—holy and righteous and good (Romans 7:12)—but it served as our guardian until Christ came (Galatians 3:24). It kept us in place, showed us our need, and led us toward faith. The law was always pointing toward Him and to the heart of the Father.

And honestly, when I look at this, I see a parallel in us today. We—even I—may be guilty as the Pharisees sometimes, not because we want to be, but because it's so easy to fall back into that.

When we first received salvation, we experienced the joy and the freedom. We rested in His grace, in His love. But over time, we started to shift. Instead of staying focused on our salvation and relying on Him, we start leaning on our works, our routines, our good practices, because they may feel safer and easier, like a security blanket we can control.

This is not God's desire for us. He wants us to step out of this apparent safety net, this fake comfort zone, and take a bold step of faith into His true comfort—His embrace.

Romans 7:6 (NKJV) But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

2 Corinthians 3:6 (NKJV) who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

 

To share an image: a person standing on a high concrete platform, solid and far above the ground. That concrete is like the security we cling to—the traditions, the routines, the culture, anything religious that makes us feel safe. It's cold, hard. On the outside it looks secure, but in fact there's no railing, no fence—just one center pole holding it up. It's subject to a lot of elements: when the wind blows, the person may feel cold; when rain comes, there's no shelter. Yet sometimes he feels very secure in it—the floor seems hard, firm. He may even think as if this is the best he can get, as if there's no better place. But he hasn't known what real security feels like yet—that's just his version of safety at that point of time.

Then the person realized: this isn't where he should be. He came to understand he needed to jump out of this religious comfort and into the hands of God.

But there was a lot of reservation. And honestly, that's normal. Even I tend to have it. Thought like "What if He doesn't catch me? What if I land somewhere worse?" or simply we lack the faith. We tend to hesitate, because letting go means giving up on our existing comfort zone. But God isn't impatient. He's loving. He will still gently wait for us to leap into His embrace.

Finally, he took the step of faith—and stepped out of the concrete platform.

Instead of crashing to the ground, he fell right into the loving hands of the Father. Those hands caught him—not hard like the concrete, but soft, warm, cushioning. The embrace felt better than anything the platform could ever offer. It was comfortable, safe, and real—free from the wind, the rain, the cold that used to reach him up there. In that moment, he realized: the true safest place is in the arms of the Father.

So likewise, in relation to the image, sometimes—including me—we fall victim to religiosity too. We have the illusion that our current practices and traditions are the safest place to be, but we do not realize that in fact they are not. The true safest place is in the presence of God. Wanting to jump out of religious practice isn't as easy as we say. But God urges us gently—because He doesn't want us to suffer under religiosity or lose out on the freedom of our salvation.

Galatians 5:18 (NKJV) But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

And it's not about God pulling us out. He's already there, His hands waiting. All we need is to take the step of faith and step out. Yes, it's easy to talk about—but mentally, it's difficult. It's our choice. We need to make the conscious effort. But God didn't destine us to do it alone. He promised the Holy Spirit to empower us. So in partnership with Him, we surrender ourselves—let Him work in and through us. The question is: are we willing to let the Holy Spirit take control, or do we still want full control? Because only through His power can we find the supernatural strength to take this leap of faith He compels us toward. Let us embrace the power of the Holy Spirit in our life!

John 7:38-39 (NKJV) He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive...

 

 

John 14:16-17 (NKJV) And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

John 16:13 (NKJV) However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rebuidling the Structure

 

2026_03_09

I saw an image, a structure made of red bricks and black bricks. When we build the structure, although we want to use red bricks, sometimes we unknowingly use the black ones and keep building and building.

In this image, the red bricks represent all that God has furnished us with—His Word, our times of prayer, the giftings He has placed within us, and every grace He pours out as we walk with Him. But the black bricks stand for the impurities we pick up along the way: the subtle influences of this world, the pull of our sinful nature, the habits and thoughts that creep in unnoticed, and everything else that taints what was meant to be pure.

This is how I realize that God wants to periodically break us—so that He can rebuild us into cleaner, purer versions of Himself. When He chooses to break us, it is never because He is angry with us. Rather, it is because He loves us so deeply that He desires us to become a better version of ourselves each time—more conformed to His image.

Jeremiah 18:1-6 (NKJV) The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!”

Despite how close we are with Him or how closely we are walking with Him, we cannot deny the influence of the world we receive from everywhere, exposure, all of it. These impurities may not by choice; we just accumulate them because of the influence around us. And subtly, without us knowing, we actually got influenced by it.

The purpose of this is not to say that it is okay to have impurities, nor are we saying that having them means we should hide ourselves or hide away in a cave. However, this is part and parcel of our life, whether we like it or not. As long as we are in this world, we will have all these impurities influencing us. For example, hurt even by our loved ones, hurt even through our quarrels, hurt through misunderstanding. It is normal—but we are not trying to say that it is okay. We are just assuring that it is normal. Ultimately, we surrender to Him and adopt the humility to allow Him to break us—rather than thinking it is a waste that we have built a structure so well, and why would He want to break it.

Romans 8:28 (NKJV) And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

 

Psalm 51:17 (NKJV) The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.

Some people may say, "I want to hear the voice of God," "I want to walk closer with God," "I want to walk in the power and the authority of God." And God will speak. But sometimes He speaks about things that are very pleasant—maybe today He affirms you of who you are in your identity in Christ. But there are many times also where He will say things that will tug  your heart, probe you, make you uncomfortable—not because He is trying to offend you, but because He wants to correct you, and it is done out of love.

Sometimes, in our human nature, we may resist and say, “God, I have put in so much effort to build this structure; I am not prepared to break it down.” In the end, instead of allowing Him to break it, we tend to run away. God is a gentleman; He respects our decisions. However, the problem is that by doing so, we actually deprive ourselves of His rebuilding process. Yet the beauty of His love is this: He will keep waiting for us—patiently, quietly—until we are ready for Him to break and rebuild. Not because He takes any thrill in it, but because He loves us deeply.

Isaiah 30:18 (NKJV) Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NKJV) Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

Hosea 11:8-9 (NKJV) How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? ...My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred. I will not execute the fierceness of My anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim. For I am God, and not man, The Holy One in your midst; And I will not come with terror.

One thing we need to understand is this: when He breaks us, it may look like a waste to us, but we cannot view it merely as upfront loss. Why? Because He is an economical God. He will not let any of our past experiences go to waste.

Let us return to the analogy and the image of the structure. When He has broken down this structure, He does not simply leave it in ruins and declare everything lost. When we are rebuilding, He reconsolidates all the red bricks and rebuilds them again—piece by piece, with love, constructing it once more with affection because He is our mighty Father. As He continues rebuilding, this time He ensures that the black bricks are thrown away. In this way, He does not allow the structure to go to waste; rather, He reuses the positive experiences we have had with Him—the lessons, the graces, the encounters—to form this new structure.

 

However, in our feeble minds, we sometimes think it is a waste because we see only the immediate loss. But no—we can be sure that God is far greater than us. His perspective is higher, and His ways are higher!

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV) “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Joel 2:25 (NKJV) "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you."

 

So from this, when we move beyond our human understanding—when we surrender totally, trust Him completely, and allow Him to break us—that is when He can truly do the work in us. When He does break us, and rebuild us, this is where we begin to see a new glory rise within us. We inherit a new structure, better than before.

Haggai 2:9 (NKJV) The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV) But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

 

In conclusion, let us continue to allow Him—the Author and Finisher of our faith—to work in us and trust Him beyond our human understanding. Let us allow Him to do His will in us, despite how painful or humbling it may be, because He has a greater plan for us: plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future. However, the only part of the equation that is missing is: ARE WE WILLING!

Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV) For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Written by Justin Sng, with the help of Lau Guan Jim

 

Flavor-Soaked Potato- Be Thoroughly Soaked in His Presence

01/03/2026 

This morning I was talking to somebody and happened to talk about how I love to eat potato in steamboat. And when I eat potato in steamboat, I soak it in the steamboat for a long time so it inherits the taste of the soup that it is boiled in. And when that happens, the potato tastes of the soup it is soaked in!

That was when I suddenly realised this is also the same in our spiritual walk with God. Whenever we pray, praise, worship, or any acts that are associated with what we call ‘Time with God’, we enter His presence, and when we enter His presence, we are soaked in His presence. Over time, we inherit His presence, just like the potato tasting like the soup it was soaked in.

However, most of us tend to enter His presence in a sweeping manner and leave in a very swift manner because of our other seemingly important things in life, or just that we do it as a routine. However, this is not what God desires of us! He wants us to be thoroughly soaked in His presence so that we can be refreshed, restored, and empowered for the day. He does not want us to struggle. He does not want us to use our own feeble strength to walk the day without His help. He wants to partner with us, He wants to yoke with us. He wants to walk with us such that whenever we encounter potholes in our life, He subtly covers the potholes as we walk. He wants to walk with us such that whenever we face difficulties, the strength comes from Him to deal with it, wisdom comes from Him, so naturally that it is like our second nature.

However, this can only happen when we are thoroughly soaked in His presence.

We know that He promised He will never leave us nor forsake us. His presence is already with us the moment we acknowledged Christ’s redemptive work on the cross—our relationship with God is bridged. Our body is even mentioned as the temple of the Holy Spirit. So, does that mean because of that, we do not need to spend time with Him? And simply ignore His presence? Or is there something more to it? So, where is the missing part of this equation?

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV)

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19 (NKJV)

We must remember that we are restored to the relationship with Him—not that it is automatic having a relationship with Him. As such, if we do not spend time with Him, or rather be soaked in His presence, we may be saved, but not necessarily having the relationship with Him. And without any living relationship with Him, it is highly likely we still remain as before we were saved—nothing much has changed. You will see that we will have huge struggles with our old ways and our sins. And for that, we may get discouraged at times. We may get very disappointed with ourselves.

I am not trying to imply that after we have the presence of God or have the relationship with God, we will not fall into sin, but I am trying to say that now with the presence of God, our probability of falling into our old ways or falling into sin is greatly reduced.

And even if we did fall, because of the relationship with God, we understand His love and heartbeat for us—that when we fail, His grace increases all the more. And with the conviction and understanding, we will be more confident and more ready to repent and run back to Him to restore us once again. This is because we would have the first-hand understanding of His love!

“Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” Romans 5:20 (NKJV)

God desires our attention! I remembered a few weeks ago, I was quite preoccupied with matters of the world that I somehow ‘neglected’ Him. I heard what apparently was the voice of God telling me, “Won’t you just give me some attention? I just only need some of your attention.” Then I realised, this is exactly the heartbeat of our Father. He is not asking for much! He just wants us to be aware of Him. He is not the distant or angry God!

And here is the tricky part! When we have given Him the attention—I mean quality attention—it is as if we are connected to Him once again. And when the presence of God overwhelms us! It is not a chore or drag, it is joy in His presence. Or what Singaporeans call: Shiok! Trust me, that is when we want to linger in His presence! Because it is a joy being in His presence!

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”- Psalm 16:11 (NKJV)

 

This creates a self-catalyzing reaction: enjoying His presence, leading to remaining in His presence, leading to being soaked in His presence, continuing with enjoying His presence, remaining in His presence, and soaking in His presence… It is a natural upward spiral. We just need to be conscious to ride on to it.

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”- John 15:4-5 (NKJV)

 

It is actually true that there are cases whereby sometimes after entering and enjoying His presence, we stop going back to his presence. I called this like applying brake to the cycle. That is the reason why I actually mention that it is a conscious effort and that is probably the major part we need to be aware of to catch on to this equation. In fact, being human, we tend to be quite susceptible to applying brake. And when that happen, it is not a reason to condemn. But rather, it is more of being aware of it and be conscious to get back into this relationship building cycle.

And as we eventually get seasoned to spending more QUALITY time with Him, over time, like the potato being soaked in the essence of the soup. We will inherit His nature naturally- the fruit of the Spirit, His ability, His wisdom and all good things that is from Him!!!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

 

 

 

 

MAN’s STRUGGLE

Our struggle with our sinful desires can be very real. More so for man and our sexuality. It is definitely not true that when we receive Christ or the Holy Spirit, we will no longer sin. In fact, we may still sin.

I am sure there had been times, the temptation to commit sin can be very strong, even sometimes after we thought we prayed to God, we are still having the struggle. We may even at times reasoned with God that: God, you must have allowed us to commit this sin right? Verse such as 'when sin increase, grace increase may be the backdrop of our argument with God.

Worst, sometimes, we will attempt to resist the any temptation to sin, even citing resist the devil (temptation) and it will flee from you. And the more we try to resist, the worst the temptation may become. It sometimes behaves like a spell that keep drawing us to sin.

But somehow, we may end up succumbing to our weakness. Feeling guilty or at times shameful.

And if ever we succumb to our weakness a few more times, we may even be so numb to the shame as guilt as well.

And with that, we may end up attending church like nothing has happened. We may have even devised a camouflage image doing all the 'Christian behaviour' in church.

I am not writing this merely from observation, but also personal experience in my own Christian walk.

Have I fallen before? Countless times! Will I dare to say, now that I have the Spirit of God, that I will not fall anymore? Certainly not!

I am also a human! Paul wrote in his epistle to the Romans:

“For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will do, I do not do; but the evil I will not do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.” - Romans 7:15-20

Even apostle Paul struggled with sin amid his active ministry days.

So does that mean that I am writing this as a passport for me to sin? Certainly not! Paul also in his writings did not give us this clearance. He continued into a lengthy explanation of paradigm living in the Spirit, which may confuse many new believers.

However, this writing is not a theology discussion of living in the Spirit or being resurrected in the Spirit etc. But a down to earth sharing on what happens if we even really committed any sin.

To clarify, I am not suggesting that we can wilfully sin, the consequence is not worth it!

“Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”- 1 Corinthians 6:18-20

So please don't ever defile our temple wilfully!

Sharing one time while I was worshipping at the altar. Right in front of me, I saw a flaming fire. Immediately, I recognised it as the fire of God. The fire was like asking me to draw near to be burnt. My first instinct was fear! Somehow, I felt that I am such a wretched person, confirm will get burnt by it! But at that moment, I heard a gentle and clear voice: This is My Holy fire, it is meant to burn away your impurity, it will not hurt you. I love you and want to sanctify you....

This really gave me a real revelation! I can still approach Him despite my sinful nature! And through the blood of Christ, I can approach Him boldly, so that He can sanctify me! Somehow, the equation seems quite complete.

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

So how is that relevant to us falling to sin? We that I had a new understanding: That the rule number 1 when the moment we realised we have sin or fallen into sin, is to TURN AND RUN BACK TO GOD! SO THAT HE CAN SANTIFY AND RESTORE US.

“Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.” - Joshua 20:2-3

During the Old Testament, God has already instituted His commandment where the Jews were running distance from any place in the country when they committed a major crime. This concept of city of refuge was designed so that the murderer could run there and find protection, likewise, when we sinned, God wants us to run to Him

The mistake most of us may made is avoid God! On the contrary, God is always calling us with His love to come back to His embrace, the blood of Jesus is that for a reason, so that the separation of hostility is removed! Do not be tricked, His grace is never too little to forgive us!

And now the benefit of running back to Him is this: to be RECONNECTED BACK to His Spirit- “the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses” -Rom 8:26

Now, with this equation, the bible did not guarantee that we will not fall to sin, but if we constantly run back to our Abba Father, and like David asked: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.”- Psalm 51:10-12

Each time, we will gradually align and “live accordingly to the Spirit and inherit the spiritual mindset.” - Romans 8:4, eventually bearing the fruit of the Spirit as we walk in the Spirit and we can eventually relate us finally conqueror over sin. Not by our human strength, but by His Spirit that is at work in us!

“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” - Gal 5:16

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” - Rom 8:39

 

In the news today, I read that a prominent Christian politician resigned from politics after being found to be having an affair. He was featured in a number of Christian articles, including salt and light etc. There is no doubt that this will impact a lot of us as believers. As such, I am inspired to share my thought as a fellow believer of Christ

Written by Bro Justin Sng on the 17th of July 2023 at 11:15pm. Editied by BDR.. 

What matters is eternal

This evening, while I was struggling though the second half of my 8.6km run, this phrase suddenly dawned on me:

Whatever that may happen in this liefetime is temporal, because we have an assured eternity. With that, why not give thanks to God whatever circumstances we may be in because it is no longer significant compared to our eternal future.

Leading on, my mind was flooded with thoughts of his goodness, wonders and grace, despite the fact that I am a mere being in the whole universe (Psalm 8). Overwhelmed my his wonders, I instinctively batantly lifted up my hands to praise Him. Surprising, amid the fatigue of the run, I found myself running faster as if there was a fresh burst of energy. All the tiring feelings seems to dissappeared. The remaining of the run was completed with ease.

Yes, it is indeed a praiseworthy incident, thanking Him for the strength and inspiration.

However, what inspired me further was awestrucked. I suddenly saw the parallel to the incident which apostle Paul literated in this second letter to the Corithians when he was tormented by the thorn in flesh. In response to his 3 plead to the Lord for removal of the thorns, Paul was 'merely' told that God's grace is sufficient for him. Apparently, the pain was not removed. With that, Paul's focus was directed to a more important perspective, of seeing God's wonders. With that, the pain was no longer significant to him, giving him the ability to move forward.

The above is not a passage for us to endure pain or sufferings, instead it is a passage for the shift of paradigm; for us to direct our focus on what seems more significant than what we have to go through this lifetime.

Instead of simply just thanking God for the strength to complete the run, afterall it is good to thank him, I would like to thank Him for the realigning of focus. As a rational person, the muscles would have been definitely tired from the run. Hence, I believe that it was the re-alignment of focus which infused a fresh wave of motivation filled with joy, thus randering all fatigues insignificant. God really does work and answer prayers in inexpected ways.

Before the start of the run, I 'foolishly' prayed for God's protection and strength that I could finish the run well and safely. Convinently, I added the following: let this also be an opportunity for a realignment of focus to Him. Intially, my intention of the 2nd part was meant as a 'retorical prayer' because 'turning my eyes to Jesus' is more of an action to execute than a prayer. Thus, it was really an unexpected prayer answered.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8
Recently, someone I know was lamenting about the apparent poverty he has to endure because his parents 'sacrificed financially' for the cause of Christ, resulting in the children having to suffer monetarily. What was relavent was the remark which he made: When things goes well, they thanked God, and when situation was unfavourable, they still thanked God believing that situation will get better. It seems like a conspiracy theology for Christians to feel better in bad situations while still blindly trust in God. Instead, if he happens to read this, how about seeing it this way:

Whatever that may happen in this liefetime is temporal, because we have an assured eternity. With that, why not give thanks to God whatever circumstances we may be in because it is no longer significant compared to our eternal future.

Pain & Suffering

Some say it is ILLUSION
Some say it is FATE
Instead, we can face it with the GRACE AND POWER OF GOD!!!