Reviving America

On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David (mobile, can be put up ) which has fallen down, and repair its damages ; I will raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old; that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the Gentiles who are called by My Name,” says the Lord who does this thing.

Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,

“When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treaded of grapes 🍇 him who sows seed; the mountains shall drop with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. Amos 9:11-13

I know this Scriptures might be an end-time application for the nation of Israel to be restored, it also speaks of all the Gentiles who are called by My name .

USA 🇺🇸 is also a Gentile nation who is called by His name. So may good overcomes and evil be vanquished.

21 February 2023/ Rosh Chodesh Adar 2023 / רֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ אַדָר 5783

FINISHER

Just a thought on the running scene here in Singapore and Malaysia, aplenty!

All of us will receive a Finisher tee.

The question is where? Heaven or Hell?

Shining with glory?

Or burning with shame and isolation?

That Finisher tee is our robe of righteousness

And the medal our crown(s)

We may not all started off well in life.

You may have fallen, you may had suffered injuries, ran over, pushed, plodded, ran the wrong course.

Finish well.

To the tune of well done, good and faithful servant.

 

Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

Hebrews 11:1 AMPC

 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV

 

 

Of Wars and Earthquakes

24 Jesus departed from the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to Him to call His attention to the buildings of the temple and point them out to Him.

² But He answered them, Do you see all these? Truly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.

³ While He was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately and said, Tell us, when will this take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end (the completion, the consummation) of the age?

⁴ Jesus answered them, Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error].

⁵ For many will come in (on the strength of) My name [appropriating the name which belongs to Me], saying, I am the Christ (the Messiah), and they will lead many astray.

⁶ And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened or troubled, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.

⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in place after place;

⁸ All this is but the beginning [the early pains] of the birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish].

⁹ Then they will hand you over to suffer affliction and tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.

¹⁰ And then many will be offended and repelled and will begin to distrust and desert [Him Whom they ought to trust and obey] and will stumble and fall away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred.

¹¹ And many false prophets will rise up and deceive and lead many into error.

¹² And the love of the great body of people will grow cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity,

¹³ But he who endures to the end will be saved.

¹⁴ And this good news of the kingdom (the Gospel) will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end. 

Matthew 24:1-14 AMPC

Just do a quick comparison on the world events and you would sense that wars, rumours of wars, earthquakes are increasing.

If there is any urgency at all, it should be now.

Because world events seem to point that we are living towards the end of the age of grace already.

Everything seems to be pointing towards the end times.

Matthew 24 was written for the Jewish audience, but it is also applicable for us.

https://www.rt.com/usa/425890-hawaii-earthquake-volcano-eruption/?utm_source=browser&utm_medium=push_notifications&utm_campaign=push_notifications

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-hopes-trump-exiting-nuclear-deal-may-lead-to-iran-regime-change-1.6054152

We need to be aware of the times, watch and pray, not withdraw from the world but engage it, so that we may be part of the end times harvest of souls.

1 life to live, let’s make it count for Jesus.

 

Prepare your oil (Episode 1)

25 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

² Five of them were foolish (thoughtless, without forethought) and five were wise (sensible, intelligent, and prudent).

³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them;

⁴ But the wise took flasks of oil along with them [also] with their lamps.

⁵ While the bridegroom lingered and was slow in coming, they all began nodding their heads, and they fell asleep.

⁶ But at midnight there was a shout, Behold, the bridegroom! Go out to meet him!

⁷ Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order.

⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.

⁹ But the wise replied, There will not be enough for us and for you; go instead to the dealers and buy for yourselves.

¹⁰ But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were prepared went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut.

¹¹ Later the other virgins also came and said, Lord, Lord, open [the door] to us!

¹² But He replied, I solemnly declare to you, I do not know you [I am not acquainted with you].

¹³ Watch therefore [give strict attention and be cautious and active], for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come. Matthew 25:1-13 

This is a parable for the End Times and it is applicable for Christians and Believers.

I use the terms for Christians and Believers because in a cultural context in Singapore, we called a Believer a “Christian by name only” if he/she does not exhibit the qualities and fruits of the Holy Spirit.

In a Jewish wedding, a Covenant is made a year before the actual wedding, the Bridegroom will go and prepare a place in his father’s house for a place to stay after their marriage.

The bride price is paid

And the bride is set apart.

The bride would not know the time of the bridegroom return, usually after midnight.

The bridesmaid, signifying us, would be awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom, to receive his bride and go to the 7 days wedding feast, since this takes place at or after midnight, the bridesmaid need to prepare their oil lamps.

Each one would carry one oil lamp and extra supply of oil.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105 AMPC

There was no street lamps or city lights back then in Israel.

20 My son, keep your father’s [God-given] commandment and forsake not the law of [God] your mother [taught you].

²¹ Bind them continually upon your heart and tie them about your neck.

²² When you go, they [the words of your parents’ God] shall lead you; when you sleep, they shall keep you; and when you waken, they shall talk with you.

²³ For the commandment is a lamp, and the whole teaching [of the law] is light, and reproofs of discipline are the way of life,

²⁴ To keep you from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a loose woman.

²⁵ Lust not after her beauty in your heart, neither let her capture you with her eyelids.

²⁶ For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a piece of bread, and the adulteress stalks and snares [as with a hook] the precious life [of a man].

²⁷ Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned?

²⁸ Can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be burned?

²⁹ So he who cohabits with his neighbor’s wife [will be tortured with evil consequences and just retribution]; he who touches her shall not be innocent or go unpunished. Proverbs 6:20-29 AMPC 

The context in the wise and foolish virgins is that they are not defiled. They have not commit adultery, naturally and spiritually.

It speaks of the Christians in-name-only and the true believers.

It is a sobering thought and statistics, it is a 50-50 equation.

Five are wise, walking circumspectly, knowing the times, living a life of sanctification and consecration.

Five are foolish or double-minded. They did not pay the price to get extra oil for their lamp.

The spirit of man [that factor in human personality which proceeds immediately from God] is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts. Proverbs 20:27 AMPC

Isaiah 55:1-2 speaks of buying wine and milk without money and price.

So how do we pay for the olive oil?

May I suggest, only at Gethsemane.

Not my will, but Yours be done.

When we bend our will.

To obey God, often described as painful.

Olives become olive oil.

For Jesus, it was so hard pressing, that the whole weight of our Salvation was upon Him, drops of sweat like blood appeared on his forehead. (Luke 22:44)

For 50% of us, it would properly be some agony and many tears.

This is the part that separates the oil out of the many olives.

The price of oil is more expensive than olives.

Why? Because of the process of pain that it went through.

Because of the crushing that it went through

Because of the weight it went through

And the filtration process before it becomes olive oil

Gethsemane.

Jesus was set like a flint on his mission. (Isaiah 50:7)

TO BE CONTINUE

Prepare your oil(Episode 2)

³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them;

⁴ But the wise took flasks of oil along with them [also] with their lamps. Matthew 25:3-4 AMPC 

The foolish Christians live their lives as if the Bridegroom is not coming back

1 But as to the suitable times and the precise seasons and dates, brethren, you have no necessity for anything being written to you.

² For you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the [return of the] Lord will come [as unexpectedly and suddenly] as a thief in the night.

³ When people are saying, All is well and secure, and, There is peace and safety, then in a moment unforeseen destruction (ruin and death) will come upon them as suddenly as labor pains come upon a woman with child; and they shall by no means escape, for there will be no escape.

⁴ But you are not in [given up to the power of] darkness, brethren, for that day to overtake you by surprise like a thief.

⁵ For you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we do not belong either to the night or to darkness.  1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 AMPC 

 

The Scriptures are clear. We are to live our lives with a imminency of Jesus’s Return, working out our Salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12)

 

Behold, I am going to come like a thief! Blessed (happy, to be envied) is he who stays awake (alert) and who guards his clothes, so that he may not be naked and [have the shame of being] seen exposed! Revelation 16:15 AMPC

Jesus told us to watch and pray.

To be expectant to be aware of the signs of the times of the end. (Matthew 24:33, Luke 12:54-56, Matthew 16:2-4)

Let us keep watch and pray

 

TO BE CONTINUE

 

 

 

3 Days and 3 Nights

But He replied to them, An evil and adulterous generation (a generation morally unfaithful to God) seeks and demands a sign; but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

For even as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, Someone more and greater than Jonah is here!

Matthew 12:39-41 AMPC

 

I just want to briefly examine the possible counting of the 3 days (Yom) and 3 nights of Jesus’s death and Resurrection

Working backwards and then forward,

 

And when the Sabbath was past [that is, after the sun had set], Mary Magdalene, and Mary [the mother] of James, and Salome purchased sweet-smelling spices, so that they might go and anoint [Jesus’ body].

And very early on the first day of the week they came to the tomb; [by then] the sun had risen.

Mark 16:1-2

 

Jewish Sabbath occurs from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown

The first day of the week is Sunday on the Georgian Calendar , for explanation purposes.

That year that week that day when Jesus was crucified also coincided with the feast of the unleavened bread in that year , 32 AD .

That would meant that Jesus had the passover meal with the disciples on Tuesday night

The Passover , Peschah meal would consist of a lamb bone, unbroken , bitter herbs and unleavened bread. (Exodus 12:5-10 , Exodus 12:39 , Exodus 13:3 )

Up till the time of Ezra , after the Babylonian Captivity , the Jews were still celebrating Passover , ( Ezra 6:22 )

On Tuesday night , He was arrested , and on Wednesday early morning ,there was an illegal trial.

Jesus was hastily chained , abused , horrendously whipped , that His appearance was no beauty . (Isaiah 53)

 

Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been removed from (lifted out of the groove across the entrance of) the tomb.

So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus [tenderly] loved, and said to them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him!

John 20:1-2 AMPC

 

First day of the week is Yom Rishon , (Sunday)

Very early in the morning, Mary Magdalene came, and found an empty tomb.

Jesus was already resurrected , may I add on Sabbath (By Saturday sunset)

 

31 Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from hanging on the cross on the Sabbath—for that Sabbath(First day of the feast of the unleavened bread)  was a very solemn and important one—the Jews requested Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken away.

36 For these things took place, that the Scripture might be fulfilled (verified, carried out), Not one of His bones shall be broken;

³⁷ And again another Scripture says, They shall look on Him Whom they have pierced.

³⁸ And after this, Joseph of Arimathea—a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews—asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate granted him permission. So he came and took away His body.

³⁹ And Nicodemus also, who first had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, [weighing] about a hundred pounds.

⁴⁰ So they took Jesus’ body and bound it in linen cloths with the spices (aromatics), as is the Jews’ customary way to prepare for burial.

⁴¹ Now there was a garden in the place where He was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever [yet] been laid.

⁴² So there, because of the Jewish day of Preparation [and] since the tomb was near by, they laid Jesus. 

John 19:31, 36-42

 

The above events described would be Wednesday night, when Jesus was placed inside the tomb

 

45 Now from the sixth hour (noon) there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour (three o’clock).

⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour (three o’clock) Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?—that is, My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me [leaving Me ^[l]helpless, forsaking and failing Me in My need]? 

Matthew 27:45-46

 

Jesus’s death occurs around 3 pm , with none of His bones broken , on a Wednesday ,  ( Yom Revi ) , in order to fulfil the sign of three days and three nights

 

57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus.

⁵⁸ He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him.

⁵⁹ And Joseph took the body and rolled it up in a clean linen cloth used for swathing dead bodies

⁶⁰ And laid it in his own fresh (undefiled) tomb, which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a big boulder over the door of the tomb and went away. 

Matthew 27:57-60 AMPC

 

Wednesday was the first night , inside the tomb , it was done quickly in less than 3 hours

Thursday day , dead for the first day

Thursday night , dead for the second night

Friday day , dead for the second day

Friday night , dead for the third night ,

Sabbath day , dead for the third day , and resurrected!!!

Sunday , early dawn , could not find Jesus inside the tomb.

The mathematics would work out to be 3 full days and 3 full nights.

Exactly as written.

 

3 For I passed on to you first of all what I also had received, that Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for our sins in accordance with [what] the Scriptures [foretold],

⁴ That He was buried, that He arose on the third day as the Scriptures foretold,

⁵ And [also] that He appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the Twelve. 

1 Corinthians 15:3-5 AMPC

 

He is Risen.

For your considerations and Bible studies.

Tan Kok Siang , Adrian.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For we swim by faith and not by sight.

Nope, this is not a biological post on the abilities of whales to transcend oceans.

From 2000-2004 , as part of my job in the army , I do need to dive , from time to time, if I am not writing accident reports or shooting at a piece of paper.

I was blessed that I had paid vacation diving trips to France and United States. Okay , for clarifications, they were working trips , It happened to be cold in L’orient and the currents at Key West was fast !

I was just an average guy , I did not always manage to secure a ladder onto a ship nor do I always remain submerged and hidden.

But there was a piece of equipment , that you must hold on to and if you followed it , it will get you to your destination.

It was a compass board .

 

You hold on to it as level as you can , align the compass direction, compensate for tides , currents , and swim towards your destination.

The same is true for clear or murky waters , day or night .

I had since learnt that The Bible is our compass in life , hold on to it for dear life , and keep going in the direction that God may have prompted you , there will be drifts and there will be current pushing against us , we just have to keep trusting the Word of God .

Follow the compass.

Follow what God had spoken to you.

I think it is sure and clear in a world of conflicting logic , viewpoints , good advices and  humanism

 

We are hedged in (pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but not cramped or crushed; we suffer embarrassments andare perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair;

We are pursued (persecuted and hard driven), but not deserted [to stand alone]; we are struck down to the ground, but never struck out and destroyed;

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 AMPC

 

 For we walk by faith [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance.

2 Corinthians 5:7 AMPC

I hope you are encouraged.

Tan Kok Siang,

1st August 2017

The Lord is.

The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.

Psalm 23:1 AMPC

One fine morning in 2014, in an arrogant self righteous mode, I told God, “this verse is so common ! ”

And I heard the voice of The Lord replied “Just because it is common, does not mean that (My Word) have no power . ”

I repented immediately.

The Lord is , not used to be, nor was .

He is .

He is a very present source of help.

God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1 AMPC

 

I hope you are bless.

12th February 2017 GMT +8

Vines

I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that continues to bear fruit, He [repeatedly] prunes, so that it will bear more fruit [even richer and finer fruit]. You are already clean because of the word which I have given you [the teachings which I have discussed with you]. Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. 

John 15:1-5

Usually , this Scriptures comes with pictures of grapes and vines,

We don,t have grapes in Singapore, so this is a visual aide to learning, sort of photo.

On 21st Wednesday , , September 2016 , a Teacher friend reminded me on a few things, which spoke right into my heart ;

“In the past, I had made my status , my god,

I had made money , my god,

in fact, for people from Special Forces, they had made themselves to be gods.

High , mighty and lofty , and in severe need of pruning for the soul, spirit , ego .

We are works in progress.

Our identity need to come from God.

I am a child of God.

Love by The Father.

My Source and my strength.

In whom I live and I breathe.

We go thru a process of pruning,

To get rid of things that holds us down.

To prune away things that we put our security in,

Because, only God, is the real security.

He is ever-present and our source of help.

 

You need to let go of what once hold you down, and lean on, trust in Jesus.

Only Jesus, and nothing else.

Tan Kok Siang

22nd September 2016

 

 

 

 

 

Song of Solomon 5:2

There are many ways to read the Songs of Solomon, literally, figuratively or allegorically.

There are some instances in my life, my sleep actually, when I was suddenly awoken at 4 or 5 am, yawn zzzz yes.

And somehow, this verse relates to what I am feeling ;

I slept but my heart was awake.
    Listen! My beloved is knocking: 

Songs of Solomon 5:2

And I just felt like The Voice of The Lord said, “Come and Worship Me.”

And a string of alphabets followed in front of me , just to confirm that it is indeed an unnatural  or supernatural alarm clock that had went off.

Let’s come and worship and draw nearer to Jesus , more.

Tan Kok Siang

Sunday 21st June 2015.