Thank you, Daddy.

As a parent, I love it when my daughters say, "Thank you, daddy". The feeling of pride, love and appreciation is a tremendous rush that puts you in a great mood. You parents know how that feels right? But there is something that I am learning to appreciate so much that I feel like saying, "thank You, daughter, for thanking me". Imagine if they didn't come back to thank you. Would we know that they are happy? I think there is some joy in knowing that they are happy. There is joy in interaction with my children, them giving me feedback that they are blessed by my contribution.

Its not about politeness or courtesy. Most parents enforce politeness, respect, good manners and so on. That is just the form, not the substance. I would rather my children thank me because they want to and not because they have to out of respect or some rule that I have set.

I think that's what our Father God is looking for. More chances to interact with us. Jesus said in Luke 17:17, "Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?" Not many people thank God for their blessings. Why is that?
Maybe its because they don't know that when you do thank God, Luke 17:19 happens, we receive additional blessings. "Arise, go thy way, thy faith(pistis in greek) has made thee whole." The samaritan leper with missing body parts was made whole. He got his fingers and toes back, just like new.

I give to my children before they thank me just like everyone else so even if they don't thank me, they have received what they asked for. But when they do, man, I tell you, I hug them and kiss them and praise them and spent more time playing with them all because of two words, "thank you".

Thank you, my Father God, because my girls are mine, I know that you were thinking of me when you made them. Thank you that you love me so much and you gave your Son for me. Thank you that in Jesus all my needs are met. Hallelujah!

Healed of asthma after thirty years

This testimony has been a long time coming. Let me encourage everyone to "overcome by the blood and the word of testimony".

I was diagnosed with asthmatic bronchitis when I was about two years old. Most doctors said that I would outgrow it by fifteen to eighteen years of age. In the meantime, I would have to be careful of certain foods, smells and dust. I was very sickly as a child, I could not run as even just a short sprint would trigger an asthmatic attack.

Eighteen years of age came and went and I did not outgrow the asthma. I remember many days of struggling to force air in and out of my lungs. Sometimes I could get air in but not out. Sometimes, I could get air out but not in depending on how tired my muscles were. A bit like being crucified minus the blood and gore. Most victims of crucifixion die because of asphyxiation. One or two times, I experienced a total block of my airway for many seconds where I had to really use all my upper body strength to dislodge a plug of mucous or just give up and suffocate. I was familiar with the A&E departments of Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Alexandra Hospital, Toa Payoh Hospital, Singapore General Hospital, National Uni. Hospital even Mt. Alvernia Hospital.

I was 29 in early 2003 when I visited New Creation Church. I visited the Rock Books and Gifts Centre during one of my visits and found a CD by Kenneth E. Hagin called "Healing Scriptures". Pastor Joseph Prince had mentioned him before. What I heard was a revelation of the word! The CD was nothing but the Word of God being read. All sorts of healing related verses were read. There was a short explanation regarding redemption from the curse of the law at the end. Kenneth Hagin showed that according to Deut 28:61, every sickness is a curse of the law but according to Gal 3:13, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. Therefore I could say I was redeemed from asthma. I confessed that regularly but more than that, I listened to the CD over and over again, sometimes letting it play through the night and into the morning.

I am happy to testify that the Lord bore my asthma on the cross. Today, I am completely well, my last serious attack was in August 2004. I breathe easy at night and never wake up anymore because of asthma. I don't need any inhaler any more where previously I never left home without one. I still listen to the CD, the verses contain so much more than just healing. Hallelujah! That is the power of the Word! It is Jesus and His work at the cross that made it possible.

The Love of God

As I begin this blog, this familiar verse comes to mind in support of my story. "casting all your cares on Him, for He cares for you." (1 Pet 5:7). Its not really the verse I imagined to start with but I believe God is unfolding something in my heart as I blog.

Two days ago, I woke up with a clear sense of God's presence. I felt so free and just shared my thoughts with God, not really praying but talking to Him as a friend. I was lamenting on the state of my clothes. I had a pair of trousers that were frayed at the hem even though it was quite new and my favourite shirt by Daniel Hechter had buttons that were coming off. Now, I love Daniel Hechter stuff. I used to keep the labels and stick them on my door. I love the logo and the name but mainly, I love the materials, the cut and the style. I saw one that was in pretty good condition and I thanked God for it. Telling Him how much I love the shirt. I put it on and went to work wearing trousers that were from my dinner suit.

My wife and I arranged to meet that night at Compass Point to run some errands. She finished earlier and was at Metro where she discovered a pair of trousers by Daniel Hechter at half price! It was the only one in my size! I had not told her about wanting trousers, especially not one by Daniel Hechter! How much the Lord loves me! How much the Lord loves me!

Back to the bible. Two verses before that, Peter quotes from Proverbs saying, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting..." Humbling oneself is not difficult when compared to the mighty hand of God. Who can claim to be stronger than the mighty hand of God? True humbling is being smart! You're proud (and stupid) if you think you can do a better job than God. Here is the nugget. How do I humble myself? By casting my cares upon Him. After all, He loves me. Hallelujah!

Beholding what?!?

Now, we all, with an unblocked view are looking as if in a mirror, and seeing the "glory of the Lord", are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Cor 3:18 paraphrased...).

I don't know about you but all I see in a mirror is myself. Big nose, less than perfect teeth and sleepy eyes. My wife thinks differently. Perhaps she'll care to comment?

I see me, myself and I. Yet, the bible mentions that one can see the "glory of the Lord". Glory there is the greek word "doxa" where we get the word doxology. Thayer, a greek scholar translates the word when it appears in the New Testament as "always a good opinion concerning one, resulting in praise, honour, and glory". If we see a good opinion of the Lord in a mirror, then we see God's good opinion of ourselves.

Beholding God's good opinion of ourselves results in being transformed into the same image (result) from glory to glory (incrementally) by the Spirit of the Lord (the cause).

My only conclusion is this. If I believe God's good opinion of me, I'll be transformed into that same good opinion incrementally. Hallelujah!