2 Samuel 22:28 - You save a humbled people, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, if you are witnessing to the most stubborn person you have met your entire life, know that God's eyes are on them, pray that God humbles them by bringing them down, for God saves those who are humble of heart - better to be humbled in the Day of Mercy, than to be brought to the lowest in the Day of Judgement.
I testify to this because I was once that haughty person during my atheist days - I thought I held the universe in the palm of my hand, only to realize much later on, it is God who holds the universe in the palm of His Hand.
In Christ Love,
Shu Guan
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
About a roaring lion
1 Peter 5:8 - Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Do you hear the lion roaring against you? This counterfeit lion called the devil? You hear his roars all the time, giving you despair, giving you unrest, giving you distractions. Sometimes he roars "You are condemned!" Sometimes he roars "You are weak! You are useless!" Sometimes he roars "Nobody loves you!"
How is the child of God to respond?
"Resist him, standing firm in the faith..." (1 Peter 5:9). Do not give in to fear. Do not give in to his accusations. Do not give in to discouragement. Stand FIRM in your faith. Have faith that God is who He says He is.
And who is our God? Who is our Jesus? Is He not the Lion of the tribe of Judah?
My friend, when you are besieged by the roar of the lion from all sides, the Lion of the tribe of Judah roars out from within you and from the heavens. The Holy Spirit in you is the very same Spirit of God; and the Lord Jesus is interceding for us in the heavenly realms from the right hand of the throne of God.
"You are condemned!" And The Lion roars back, "No you are not condemned! Because I tasted the full wrath of God when I hung on the cross! There is no more condemnation for you, because you are in Christ Jesus! No accusation and no condemnation will touch you, because you are covered and shielded in my righteousness!"
"You are weak! You are worthless!" And you roar back, empowered by God on high. "Yes, I am weak, yes, I am useless, that is in my flesh. But in Christ Jesus I am made strong! In Christ Jesus I find the strength and the power and the grace to overcome sin! In Christ Jesus, I am not worthless, I am not useless! For I know that my worth, my credit, is not based on a righteousness of my own, but is solely dependent on the fact that I am a child of the living God! Devil, don't you dare accuse the Spirit of God in me as worthless! And useless you say? My God has so many things to say in response - I have been made a royal priest, I have been made a holy priest, I have been made an ambassador, I have been made a soldier, all for the glory of God and for loving service to my fellow man."
"Nobody loves you." The lion attempts a final blow. And by the Spirit of God, we cry, "Abba, Father!" And the Father roars from heaven with the sound of seven thunders. "This is my child, and my Spirit leads him, and I love him. I so loved him, that I gave my one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. This child has believed in Jesus."
I close with Psalm 91:13 - You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
Do you hear the lion roaring against you? This counterfeit lion called the devil? You hear his roars all the time, giving you despair, giving you unrest, giving you distractions. Sometimes he roars "You are condemned!" Sometimes he roars "You are weak! You are useless!" Sometimes he roars "Nobody loves you!"
How is the child of God to respond?
"Resist him, standing firm in the faith..." (1 Peter 5:9). Do not give in to fear. Do not give in to his accusations. Do not give in to discouragement. Stand FIRM in your faith. Have faith that God is who He says He is.
And who is our God? Who is our Jesus? Is He not the Lion of the tribe of Judah?
My friend, when you are besieged by the roar of the lion from all sides, the Lion of the tribe of Judah roars out from within you and from the heavens. The Holy Spirit in you is the very same Spirit of God; and the Lord Jesus is interceding for us in the heavenly realms from the right hand of the throne of God.
"You are condemned!" And The Lion roars back, "No you are not condemned! Because I tasted the full wrath of God when I hung on the cross! There is no more condemnation for you, because you are in Christ Jesus! No accusation and no condemnation will touch you, because you are covered and shielded in my righteousness!"
"You are weak! You are worthless!" And you roar back, empowered by God on high. "Yes, I am weak, yes, I am useless, that is in my flesh. But in Christ Jesus I am made strong! In Christ Jesus I find the strength and the power and the grace to overcome sin! In Christ Jesus, I am not worthless, I am not useless! For I know that my worth, my credit, is not based on a righteousness of my own, but is solely dependent on the fact that I am a child of the living God! Devil, don't you dare accuse the Spirit of God in me as worthless! And useless you say? My God has so many things to say in response - I have been made a royal priest, I have been made a holy priest, I have been made an ambassador, I have been made a soldier, all for the glory of God and for loving service to my fellow man."
"Nobody loves you." The lion attempts a final blow. And by the Spirit of God, we cry, "Abba, Father!" And the Father roars from heaven with the sound of seven thunders. "This is my child, and my Spirit leads him, and I love him. I so loved him, that I gave my one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. This child has believed in Jesus."
I close with Psalm 91:13 - You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
About the end times (brief thoughts)
Mark 13:1-37
And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" And Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down."
And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked privately, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?" And Jesus began to say to them, "See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.
"But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hours, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But they one who endures to the end will be saved.
"But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that it may not happen in winter. For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of creation that God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. And then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'Look, there he is!' do not believe it. False christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on guard, I have told you all things beforehand.
"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I saw to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
"But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake - for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or in the morning - lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.
I find it amazing how our Lord Jesus responded to the question posed by Peter, James, John and Andrew - you notice they were interested in "when" and "what are the signs"; but the Lord Jesus had more important things to teach them. Sure, it is coming, but the "when" is not the most important. There are other more important things the Lord Jesus wanted to warn them about. I suppose we as a people of God are a type of Peter/James/John/Andrew, interested in the signs and the time, but losing sight of the more important things:
- false christs and false prophets are coming, selling you a gospel of health/wealth/prosperity, don't be deceived by them!
- Yes, there will be earthquakes, famines, wars and rumors of wars, but these are just the beginning of birth pains... (Birth of what you may ask, I believe the birth or the ushering in of a New Heaven and a New Earth)
- in these last days, you will be tortured and flogged and mocked, but endure! For he who endures to the end will be saved! Be on your guard, don't be surprised when these things happen to you.
- "when" will this happen? Even I don't know. Only the Father knows. So, keep awake, stay awake. Do not let yourself be found asleep by the master when he returns.
- Stay awake in what? I believe to stay awake in the work that God has commanded us to do, stay awake with the responsibility that God has given us charge of. And ultimately, this work/responsibility is the debt to love one another. (Romans 13)
And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" And Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down."
And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked privately, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?" And Jesus began to say to them, "See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.
"But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hours, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But they one who endures to the end will be saved.
"But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that it may not happen in winter. For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of creation that God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. And then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'Look, there he is!' do not believe it. False christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on guard, I have told you all things beforehand.
"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I saw to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
"But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake - for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or in the morning - lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.
I find it amazing how our Lord Jesus responded to the question posed by Peter, James, John and Andrew - you notice they were interested in "when" and "what are the signs"; but the Lord Jesus had more important things to teach them. Sure, it is coming, but the "when" is not the most important. There are other more important things the Lord Jesus wanted to warn them about. I suppose we as a people of God are a type of Peter/James/John/Andrew, interested in the signs and the time, but losing sight of the more important things:
- false christs and false prophets are coming, selling you a gospel of health/wealth/prosperity, don't be deceived by them!
- Yes, there will be earthquakes, famines, wars and rumors of wars, but these are just the beginning of birth pains... (Birth of what you may ask, I believe the birth or the ushering in of a New Heaven and a New Earth)
- in these last days, you will be tortured and flogged and mocked, but endure! For he who endures to the end will be saved! Be on your guard, don't be surprised when these things happen to you.
- "when" will this happen? Even I don't know. Only the Father knows. So, keep awake, stay awake. Do not let yourself be found asleep by the master when he returns.
- Stay awake in what? I believe to stay awake in the work that God has commanded us to do, stay awake with the responsibility that God has given us charge of. And ultimately, this work/responsibility is the debt to love one another. (Romans 13)
Monday, February 21, 2011
A glimpse into times past
Excerpt of diary entry from February 18, 2008:
[This was after reading When God Writes Your Love Story by Eric & Leslie Ludy, and True Stories of Passion & Purity by Elisabeth Eliot]
Lord, several nights ago I made a commitment to hand over the pen to you. To let YOU, the author of love, write my love story. Lord, those true stories of passion and purity have changed my perspective on biblical relationships and marriage...
[Not an excerpt. But a recollection of the night] March 17, 2008:
Setting: Salina, KS. The MISSION Spring Break Retreat
I stood alone by the lake. Reflecting on what it meant to hand over the pen to God. Oh God you are the perfect author! Write my life oh Lord! I surrender all to you.
I was young in the faith, and perhaps a little rash and foolish, making bold statements, and frequently falling short of my proclamations, not too different from the apostle Peter, when he was young in the faith as well. Before I left the lakeside, at Salina KS, during The MISSION spring break retreat, I told God: I will wait one year. I will wait one year.
[One year later] March 17, 2009
Setting: Stroud, OK. The MISSION Spring Break Retreat
I stood alone by the lake. A different lake. I remembered what I said one year ago in Salina, Kansas. Did I wait for one year? On the surface I did, but deep down in my heart, I had struggles. Of course I was not perfect. But I refused to give up. I came to the Lord with all honesty: Lord, I am weak. Lord, I have failed. Give me strength O Lord. One more year? Yes Lord, I will wait one more year.
[Another year later] March 18, 2010
Reading this diary entry, I guess I must have been somewhat occupied with “Prayer at the Plaza”*. I suppose when you set your eyes on God, and stop looking around for a potential future mate (the wife that I continue to wait for), He takes you on a different field trip. The marriage and the relationship and the dating/courting can wait. It’s a slight break from the previous years’ entries of surrendering my love life to God, nevertheless, enjoy the excerpt:
The date is March 18, 2010. The time is 1:34am.
I am not able to sleep. I believe the Lord kept me awake for good reason: To write down in an organized fashion what He has been speaking to me in days past.
I sought the Lord regarding the theme of the prayer meeting.
He answered – James 4:7 and 2 Chronicles 7:14. “Submit yourselves...”
I sought the Lord regarding the motivation of the prayer meeting.
He answered – Matthew 6 – the Lord’s Prayer. “Hallowed by Thy Name...”
I sought the Lord regarding the ammunition for the prayer meeting.
He answered – Ephesians 6:10-18 – The Armor of God.
The writing ended at 3:30am. It was a very long entry.
* Prayer at the Plaza was a open air prayer meeting where Christians from different organizations came together to pray and intercede for the expansion of God’s Kingdom in Wichita State. I take this time to remember the valiant and heartfelt efforts of the following ministries/churches: Chi Alpha, Christian Challenge, Campus Crusade, Campus Ministries at Wichita State, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Ekklesia (from Eastminster Presbyterian Church), Students of the Cross (from the University Lutheran Center), International Students, Inc. (www.isionline.org), and The MISSION.
March 17/18/19, 2011 [A date in the future]
Diary entry: BLANK
Obviously, March is not yet come. I have not forgotten about the beauty of a marriage where God is the matchmaker. I have not forgotten about the sovereignty of God; I have not forgotten about my responsibility as a child of God, as a soldier for Christ, as a follower of Jesus. Until now, I still do not know what God has in store for my love life or who my future partner is (for those of you who know me well enough and are chuckling, please refrain). But I do know these things: God will sovereignly reveal at the divinely appointed time; and I will continue with my heated pursuit of God with renewed fervor and passion. I will allow nothing to stand between me and my God. Nothing.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
A correct view of works
Often times, we do "works" of righteousness in order to earn the favor of God. My upbringing has been such that I do works (earn good grades) in order to earn the favor of parents. This is in stark contrast to the biblical view that we do not earn the favor/love of God by works, but it is by grace, through faith in Christ, that we have been justified and set right before God.
But that doesn't mean we throw works of righteousness out of the window. The problem is not works in itself; the problem is our misguided theology on works. And so I asked God, teach me the proper role of works in the life of a believer. That was yesterday. God is good. The Holy Spirit told me the answer today through the Word of God.
Follow me through the Word of God. Proverbs 7:1-5
1 My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you;
2 keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
3 bind them on your fingers; write them on the table of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call insight your intimate friend,
5 to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.
Keeping the commandments of God is essentially doing works of righteousness. What is the consequence of keeping His commandments? You will live. When you commit yourself to works of righteousness, you will live. Have you ever noticed, dear brothers and sisters, a sense of lifelessness and death and drudgery when we get ourselves entangled in sin? (hatred, sexual immorality, coveting, idolatry, gluttony, drunkenness, orgies, etc.) Observe His commandments, and thou shalt live!
God does not stop at general statements. God goes on to provide a few more details, teaching us to put his words to practice.
Keep my teaching as the apple of your eye - Let the precious lessons of the bible be the utmost craving of our eyes; not food, not clothes, not precious stones, not jewelery, not cars, not fashion accessories, not gadgets, not musical instruments. Instead, His Word.
Bind them on your fingers - we keep His commandments by the way we do things. How do we drive? How do we teach? How do we sell products? How do we manufacture goods? How do we balance the accounts? How do we forecast company profits? How do you chat online? What do you chat about? Bind the commandments on our fingers, observe righteousness through our daily chores and activities.
Write them on the table of your heart - When our fingers are moving, what are the underlying motivations in our hearts? Is it for self praise? Self glory? To polish the boots of the boss and in the process ignore principles of righteousness? Or is it to honor God by observing His commandments?
So, God has covered it all. Keep His commandments through our eyes, fingers, and hearts.
How are we to learn about His commandments? I'm not talking about memorizing the ten commandments, though it does start with that. I'm talking about having wisdom to apply good works, and having insight as to what situations to properly apply them. Answer is here - say to wisdom, "you are my sister," and call insight your intimate friend. I believe God is teaching us that wisdom and insight comes from close and constant fellowship with the Holy Spirit. We are to treat the Holy Spirit, not as some source of power to be utilized, but as our sister, our intimate friend. How do we interact with our sisters, or our friends? We talk to them, we confide our secrets to them, we open ourselves to them, we are honest with them, we listen to them, we learn from them, etc. What more the Holy Spirit of God then?
Keep my commandments and live. I believe the opposite is implied - failure to keep the commandments result in death. Who or what causes death? The forbidden woman, the adulteress, the smooth words. I recall the smooth words spoken by the serpent to Eve in the Garden of Eden, I recall the smooth words spoken by Satan to our Lord Jesus in the wilderness. Sin was knocking on the door. Friend, DO NOT open that door, DO NOT let death step in through the gates of your heart. Eve (and Adam) opened the door, and death was the result. The Lord Jesus kept the door firmly shut, and He gave us life.
Keep the commandments of God, do righteous works, that you may live, and not suffer death.
But that doesn't mean we throw works of righteousness out of the window. The problem is not works in itself; the problem is our misguided theology on works. And so I asked God, teach me the proper role of works in the life of a believer. That was yesterday. God is good. The Holy Spirit told me the answer today through the Word of God.
Follow me through the Word of God. Proverbs 7:1-5
1 My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you;
2 keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
3 bind them on your fingers; write them on the table of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call insight your intimate friend,
5 to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.
Keeping the commandments of God is essentially doing works of righteousness. What is the consequence of keeping His commandments? You will live. When you commit yourself to works of righteousness, you will live. Have you ever noticed, dear brothers and sisters, a sense of lifelessness and death and drudgery when we get ourselves entangled in sin? (hatred, sexual immorality, coveting, idolatry, gluttony, drunkenness, orgies, etc.) Observe His commandments, and thou shalt live!
God does not stop at general statements. God goes on to provide a few more details, teaching us to put his words to practice.
Keep my teaching as the apple of your eye - Let the precious lessons of the bible be the utmost craving of our eyes; not food, not clothes, not precious stones, not jewelery, not cars, not fashion accessories, not gadgets, not musical instruments. Instead, His Word.
Bind them on your fingers - we keep His commandments by the way we do things. How do we drive? How do we teach? How do we sell products? How do we manufacture goods? How do we balance the accounts? How do we forecast company profits? How do you chat online? What do you chat about? Bind the commandments on our fingers, observe righteousness through our daily chores and activities.
Write them on the table of your heart - When our fingers are moving, what are the underlying motivations in our hearts? Is it for self praise? Self glory? To polish the boots of the boss and in the process ignore principles of righteousness? Or is it to honor God by observing His commandments?
So, God has covered it all. Keep His commandments through our eyes, fingers, and hearts.
How are we to learn about His commandments? I'm not talking about memorizing the ten commandments, though it does start with that. I'm talking about having wisdom to apply good works, and having insight as to what situations to properly apply them. Answer is here - say to wisdom, "you are my sister," and call insight your intimate friend. I believe God is teaching us that wisdom and insight comes from close and constant fellowship with the Holy Spirit. We are to treat the Holy Spirit, not as some source of power to be utilized, but as our sister, our intimate friend. How do we interact with our sisters, or our friends? We talk to them, we confide our secrets to them, we open ourselves to them, we are honest with them, we listen to them, we learn from them, etc. What more the Holy Spirit of God then?
Keep my commandments and live. I believe the opposite is implied - failure to keep the commandments result in death. Who or what causes death? The forbidden woman, the adulteress, the smooth words. I recall the smooth words spoken by the serpent to Eve in the Garden of Eden, I recall the smooth words spoken by Satan to our Lord Jesus in the wilderness. Sin was knocking on the door. Friend, DO NOT open that door, DO NOT let death step in through the gates of your heart. Eve (and Adam) opened the door, and death was the result. The Lord Jesus kept the door firmly shut, and He gave us life.
Keep the commandments of God, do righteous works, that you may live, and not suffer death.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Jehovah Jireh
It will soon be almost six years of walking with the LORD; almost four years after I received my Baptism in the Holy Spirit (I will never forget the frigid hour or so spent outdoors in Minnesota in January). I am moved to write a brief account as to how God will provide.
In 2006 February, I was blessed with a job – student assistant at the World Trade Council of Wichita.
In 2007 May, I was blessed with a job – Customer Service Representative at Dean & Deluca
In 2008 August, I was blessed with a job – Graduate Assistant to Dr. Dharma deSilva
In 2010 September, I was blessed with a job – Lecturer at Taylor’s ADP.
People have been asking me
- Why did you go to Wichita State? Why not somewhere better with the results you have?
- Why didn’t you find a job somewhere else besides Wichita? Why not go to big cities?
- Why don’t you try better universities for your Master’s? Why stay stuck in Wichita State?
- Why did you come back to Malaysia? Why not work in the US?
I look back in the context of how He has provided, and one thing I can say is this: where the LORD commanded me to go, there He provided for me as well. I have to admit, I’ve been a little shy about sharing the primary reason for my going to Wichita, staying put in Wichita, and leaving Wichita – it is this: God said it was timely to stay put, and later on, it was timely to go. I am reminded of Pastor Mark Chen’s sermon (@ Livingwater Missions Baptist Church), about heeding and obeying the will of God. This was one of the passages in Scripture he used. Numbers 9:17-18 Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. At the LORD’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped.
Perhaps in the decision to go to Wichita State, I did not consult the Lord, for it was not until Dec 25, 2005 that I was awakened to the presence of the living God, and it wasn’t until Easter Day 2006 that I accepted Jesus as Lord AND Savior. But thank God, by His mercy and His sovereignty, I wanted to go ONLY to Wichita State (for no particular reason that I can recall).
And so, lo and behold, I wasn’t actively looking for a job, and great Dr. Dharma deSilva cracked the question at me (perhaps after scrutinizing my behaviour in class). “Do you want a job?!?!” I replied, “Uh... yeah.” Quickly and curtly Dr. deSilva commanded, “Come see me in my office tomorrow!” And thank God for the kind (and stern) professor, I was given the job. I don’t really recall any lengthy interview process – perhaps I submitted a resume, but for formality’s sake. And so I was blessed with my first job – no active job hunting, no running all over the place, no interview.
2007 May. Graduation time. I still hadn’t learnt too well about what it meant to pray to God about my daily decisions. I did have a yearning in me to live the surrendered life, but being a young Christian, I grasped only the general principles and didn’t know operational specifics. Thank God for His grace and goodness, for Someone (He felt like a nice-natured person) was telling me: apply for the OPT, work for a year, find a job in Wichita. I recall some dear friends who sojourned to Kansas City and even to Chicago to find jobs under their OPT; and I decided to stay in quiet ol’ Wichita. I tried applying in places like Cessna Aircraft, Hawker Beechcraft and Spirit AeroSystems, not sure in what capacity I could be of service to them. And Dr. deSilva suggested something I never thought of. “You like fine foods don’t you? Why don’t you try Dean & Deluca?” In a sense, it was amusing – shifting gears from the aircraft industry to the fine foods market. And so, I got booked for an interview with the IT Department at Dean & Deluca. Needless to say, from a technical know-how standpoint, I flunked (Excerpts – Interviewer: What do you think about integrating Web 2.0 into the company website? Me: ... *blank stare* ... Could you tell me what’s Web 2.0? I’m not familiar with the term...; Interviewer: Do you have any experience with programming? Me: Erm, unfortunately, no.)
Thankfully, from a personality standpoint, they liked my enthusiasm and my knowledge of the company – and so I was sent over to Customer Service for another interview, this one much easier to handle.
So this time around, I didn’t hunt too far, wasn’t sending resumes all over the place, went for two interviews [technically speaking flunked one; and honestly I think it was the Dr. deSilva connection that sealed the deal (thank God for this good man)]. I was blessed with a job in Wichita. Praise God! I mean, think about it, what are the odds of an international student working at an American Fine Foods Company? Note of humour: You have to bear in mind that Customer Service Representative means that you are verbally interacting with mostly American customers over the phone. Then, I still had a tendency to pronounce “three” as “tree” and “the” as “duh”. But taking orders from customers who had an American Express Card soon fixed the “three” problem.
2008 August. As the months came closer to the end of my one year job at Dean & Deluca, it was decision time again. God was already, slowly but surely, transforming me from the inside out. Long gone were my own dreams of going to George Mason University, doing a PhD at one of the Ivy Leagues, and become an intellectual giant of great stature. My life was not for me to live out my own dreams, but to seek the will of the Father. I learnt to hear His voice, to think in light of God-given wisdom, to pray without ceasing, and God said, stay put in Wichita, and return to Wichita State for your Master’s. You see, I was offered an extension for my job at Dean & Deluca. In the end, I kindly rejected the offer. There was work to be done in Wichita State. And I think, for the first time, I experienced a peace that surpasses all understanding, having done the will of the Father (after praying to Him first and foremost).
So, how was God going to provide? I thought of going back to Dr. deSilva as a graduate assistant; I felt the Lord leading me back there. Looking back with hindsight, I see better the Lord’s miraculous work in providing for me. You see, university budgets are such that one professor is usually assigned one Graduate Assistant (GA), sometimes several professors share one GA. So there was already a GA in Dr. deSilva’s office, and the GA wasn’t graduating anytime soon. So how could I possibly get the position? Well, turns out that he was offered another work position elsewhere, and he wanted to leave his GA position. However, being the responsible person that he was, he did not want to vacate the position without finding a proper replacement. And we talked, and made arrangements. And the job of GA was handed to me. No interviews, no job hunting, no running all over the place. Updated my resume a little, for the sake of office record keeping.
The Lord was true and faithful to His word. Hallelujah! And of course, He still is true and faithful.
The time came for me to make another key decision. Where to go after the Master’s degree? In short, the LORD said, “Shu Guan, it’s time for you to go home.” Almost five years of life in Wichita was about to come to and end. Good and dear Dr. deSilva persuaded me to stay, to do a PhD, but I kindly refused; the LORD had spoken, I was adamant in my decision. As I went back to Malaysia, I knew the LORD was going to provide again. How? Where? When? Well, it was high time once again to have faith in God.
I landed on September 2, 2010. Two weeks later I think, I decided to pay a visit to the lecturers at Taylor’s ADP. That was the primary motive. I also, however, wanted to find out if there were job openings in the upcoming semester. You see, in my rational mind, the soonest I could start teaching would be January 2011, because Fall 2010 had already been progressing for one month. And so, when I saw my good ol’ lecturer, I asked him. “Sir, got any job openings in the near future ah?” I think he paused or froze for a while. “Why, you want to teach ar?” And I said, “Yep!” Then he looked at me, as if he was sizing me up or something, “You really seriously want to teach ar? Not an easy life you know... So, you sure?” I said very firmly and enthusiastically, “Yes!”. So my lecturer took me to go see the big man, only to discover that big man was off for a meeting somewhere else. You see, it was also conveyed to me that another lecturer had JUST submitted his letter of resignation. He was teaching the subject that I was doing my Master’s in. Coincidence? No. Divine Providence? YES. Did get to see the big man the next day. Went through a quick interview, submitted a slightly updated resume, definitely did not search high and low for a job. God provided, once again. I got the job within one week.
“Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped.”
I’ll probably be in Malaysia for at least 5 years, seeing how I was n in Wichita for almost 5 years too. Of course, I could be totally wrong. They key is to remain all ears to the voice of God, so that at His command, we set out, and at His command we encamp. I know not when or where He will send, but this I do know: that He will bless and provide beyond human measure wherever He sends us.
Jehovah Jireh – the LORD our Provider. Bless His Holy Name.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
January 12, 2011 (afterthoughts on All Nations XA promo video)
Diary entry: (originally intended to be afterthoughts, but as I wrote, the diary entry took on quite a different turn)
January 12, 2011 (afterthoughts on All Nations XA promo video)
God, I come to you expressing my heartfelt thoughts. I really miss the wonderful experiences and encounters I had with warriors and contenders of the faith - but more than that, I miss those intimate encounters with You. Perhaps it's the conference setting, perhaps it's the ceaseless prayers of the faithful, but there was something so much richer about You at those places. There was an intensified manifestation of the presence of the Holy Spirit.
It was not hypnosis. It was not hype. It was not the lighting.
It was the heart of a people united in believing God for the impossible and supernatural. It was the stiffened resolve and concrete faith of a people refusing to surrender to the voice of doubt. It was the open heart of the children of God inviting the LORD of hosts to Glorify His Name in their midst. The people gathered, and God came down.
And hands were raised in adoration and worship unto the LORD.
Knees were bended in humility and meekness before the LORD.
Heads were bowed in deep sorrow for sins committed against the LORD.
Tears were shed in realization of the great mercy of the LORD.
And so we lifted our faces,
looking at the Father on high,
looking at the Lord Jesus seated on the right Hand,
listening and giving ear to Truth spoken through the Holy Spirit
It was a divine moment. It was a supernatural moment.
It was not mere chance. It was not coincidence.
"COME! Come to the altar! And offer up your lives as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God on high! Come and be my ambassador! Come and be my high priest! You will be in chains, you will be despised, you will taste the spit of society, but I have overcome it all! One day, very soon, the judge of all the earth will do right. The LORD hears the desire of the afflicted; the LORD WILL strengthen their heart, the LORD will incline His ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more."
"Surely I am coming soon."
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
Blessings in Christ,
Shu Guan
January 12, 2011 (afterthoughts on All Nations XA promo video)
God, I come to you expressing my heartfelt thoughts. I really miss the wonderful experiences and encounters I had with warriors and contenders of the faith - but more than that, I miss those intimate encounters with You. Perhaps it's the conference setting, perhaps it's the ceaseless prayers of the faithful, but there was something so much richer about You at those places. There was an intensified manifestation of the presence of the Holy Spirit.
It was not hypnosis. It was not hype. It was not the lighting.
It was the heart of a people united in believing God for the impossible and supernatural. It was the stiffened resolve and concrete faith of a people refusing to surrender to the voice of doubt. It was the open heart of the children of God inviting the LORD of hosts to Glorify His Name in their midst. The people gathered, and God came down.
And hands were raised in adoration and worship unto the LORD.
Knees were bended in humility and meekness before the LORD.
Heads were bowed in deep sorrow for sins committed against the LORD.
Tears were shed in realization of the great mercy of the LORD.
And so we lifted our faces,
looking at the Father on high,
looking at the Lord Jesus seated on the right Hand,
listening and giving ear to Truth spoken through the Holy Spirit
It was a divine moment. It was a supernatural moment.
It was not mere chance. It was not coincidence.
"COME! Come to the altar! And offer up your lives as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God on high! Come and be my ambassador! Come and be my high priest! You will be in chains, you will be despised, you will taste the spit of society, but I have overcome it all! One day, very soon, the judge of all the earth will do right. The LORD hears the desire of the afflicted; the LORD WILL strengthen their heart, the LORD will incline His ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more."
"Surely I am coming soon."
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
Blessings in Christ,
Shu Guan
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