1 Nov 2013 by Adeline Lum CM-
Cheras EFC takes a special approach for their weekly sermon. Instead of having a pastor, speakers were invited every week to speak to a congregation of about 100 people. And on 27 Oct, lawyer Saw Lip Hean was invited as a speaker.
Lip Hean shared about the prophetic judgment that Isaiah was proclaiming on Israel and Judah because they had forgotten God during their times of prosperity (Is 1). Although they worshipped God in the temple, they would return home to worship Asherah and Baal. And like the world today, some of us worship God on Sundays and return to worship other ‘Gods’ on other days.
The Israelites forgot God because they did not know God. As for us, what would we say if we are asked, “Do you know God?” We may say we know Him because we read the Bible, go to church, and pay our tithes. But do we personally know Him to confidently rely on Him? ‘Knowing’ God and ‘knowing about’ God are two different things.
For example, let say we were told by speaker that he has a family with four children and a few idiosyncrasies, would you believe his innocence if he was charged with murder? Most likely, we would hold our judgment because we do not personally know the speaker. Likewise, if that speaker was Lip Hean, only his family could confidently trust his innocence because they personally know him.
If we do not personally know God, how do we trust in Him? And if we do not trust in Him, how do we live and walk in His will and way? Thus, it is easy for us to slip into the world’s system of corruption and violence.
But if we were to know God personally—his character, his will, and his way—we will be able to walk with Him in boldness. For example, Daniel was brave to openly pray to God facing he window although he knew the consequences. Even then, God protected him from the lion’s mouth. Daniel was bold because he knew what was right and wrong from his daily obedience to God. Knowing God therefore involves not only reading the Word, but also practicing His Word.
God created us, Lip Hean shared, to have a relationship with Him. John 17:3 says, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” As God is light and we are darkness, if we continued to dwell in darkness, we cannot go into light.
Let us reflect today, whether there is soundness in our lives from our head to toe (Isaiah 1:5-6)?
Isaiah 1:5-6
5 Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted.
6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness— only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with olive oil.
Some of our health is breaking down with age. We worked hard, and yet we ‘put them in a purse with holes in it’ (Haggai 1:6b). Nothing we worked for appear to stay, shared Lip Hean, so there is no soundness, confidence, and security. On the surface, we may feel victorious in church but we despair at home.
Nevertheless, we have hope because like how God preserved a remnant of the Israelites, there is a remnant in the hearts of those who seek for the Lord. Nevertheless, let us confessed our sins to the Lord in prayer, so that they won’t be a hindrance to God responding to our prayer (Is 1:15-16).
Isaiah 1:15-16
15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!
16 Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong.
“I know very well (that) there are pastors and wonderful Christian teachers; ‘God always hear you’ and (they) stressed on the positive. Our human spirit needs encouragement. Even more so, greater is our need for truth. Truth always trumps encouragement because truth sets you free. And you need to have an intimate relationship with God so that you know He will answer you,” said Lip Hean in balancing truth and encouragement.
Because we trust in God’s goodness, we personally know Him in our lives and obey Him. For example, Lip Hean shared how he know that God as a God who provides, as in Matthew 6.
Graduating from Form six in 1977, he was worried of whether he could graduate from university, find a job, buy a car, and marry his girlfriend. Although he knew Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek first his Kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well,” he asked God to give him five years to focus on his career before returning to serve Him. A week after the prayer, he had a car accident. On the hospital bed, he decided to truly trust that the Lord would provide according to Matthew 6.
“Trust that He will provide for you. If He has given you his son, why would He not provide you everything you need? If the host gives you a roast chicken, will he withhold the onions from you? You don’t need to worry, make your priority in life to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness,” said Lip Yean who testified God’s abundant blessing over his 40 years of life as a lawyer.
“If He teaches you, put into practice. You become very confident in Him and you know your prayers will be answered. As you know God intimately, you will find that the perspective in this world changes. You know where you stand in the midst of corruption in this world. So long we live in the sin of Adam, you’re subjected to the laws of old age and gravity. But you know these things will not overcome you, but you will overcome all these things. You can avoid much of the pain of the Israelites,” he added.
Although we live in God’s grace and received his forgiveness from our sins, we do not escape the consequences of sins, which is pain. The prophetic judgment of the Israelites is conditional and can be withdrawn. For example, the Ninevites repented when Jonah preached to them and God’s hand was withdrawn.
Lip Hean concluded that for us to have intimacy with God, we need to know Him personally first. And surely, when we seek His Kingdom and righteousness first, everything else will be added to us.
Cheras Evangelical Free Church (EFC)
Address: 77 Jalan 1/154, Taman Bukit Anggerik, Cheras, 56000, KL
Tel: 03-9100 1875
Email: cerasefc@gmail.com
Worship time: 10:30 AM on Sunday
Come join their Children Camp 2013 on 5-7 December 2013 for 9-12 years old only.
Come join their pottery party on 16 Nov from 9:30 AM-12:30 PM for RM35 per pax (inclusive of lesson, materials, and firing) at the Moon Gallery (25 Jalan 1/154, Taman Bukit Anggerik, 56000 Cheras KL).
Please register with the church at 03-9100 1875.
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