Today we were studying Haggai and looking at the 'temple' talked about there,
Haggai 2:9 The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory
To those hearing this prophecy they were certain that the physical temple would be rebuilt and would be even more glorious than the temple that Solomon built, however the temple was rebuilt and they were all disappointed that the temple was nothing compared to the original, their hopes were shattered, the opposite of this prophecy came to pass. This is because it was a Messainic that would be fulfilled with Christ's coming.
We all know that the body is the temple ... but this morning God really gave me a paradigm shift, that too often we refer to ourselves as the temple of God, but we forget that we as the body of Christ - TOGETHER - are the temple of God
EPHESIANS 2:21 says
"We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord"
Just as bricks are overlaid and joined togethor to make a building that is strong and will stand, so we as the believers are to be like these bricks, not standing alone claiming to be the glorious temple of God. We will be strengthened as we join together, and the FULL GLORY of God's temple will evident.
Think about how good is a brick all by itself? What does a lone brick do?
One single brick can do cause alot of pain and damage. You're walking along and you stub your toe on one brick, this little brick can cause alot of pain! A single brick can even kill someone if used for what it wasn't originally intended for. It was never supposed to be used as a weapon. Don't be like the lone brick, causing other people harm.
When you look at a house, you don't look at one brick and say oh this brick is so beautiful and great I'd like ONE of those ... no! As the bricks are intertwined in a glorious masterpiece, you see a greater picture, a site that brings you to stand in awe and wonder. And not at the house itself, the house didn't build itself, why should it receive the glory. Instead all the glory and honor goes to the architect!
As a part of the temple of God, it isn't our job to bring attention to ourselves, but to help and support those around us, and to point to the greatness of our architect who places us together.
Don't be a stubborn brick standing alone
Don't be a proud brick proud of where you are
God is the builder of this house.
And as we work in the unity he has placed us in, all GLORY goes to HIM =)
June 15, 2005
June 05, 2005
Teh Terik
Thought I'd introduce everyone to great tea that is called Teh Tarik, for those that have been to Thailand and tried chaa yen, its not a whole lot different except its served hot (for the cold version 'teh ice')
Ask any Malaysian worth his or her salt to name their favourite tea, and most likely it is the teh-tarik. Literally meaning "pull tea", the drink is prepared using out-stretched hands to pour piping hot tea from a mug into a waiting glass. The higher the pull the thicker the froth. Often found in Indian hawker stalls or restaurants, preparing the teh-tarik is both an art and science.
In expert hands, the action of streaming tea back and forth the containers is a feast for the eyes. This visual treat involves vigourous almost acrobatic like-movements of the hands and arms, as the tea steadily spills into receiving ends. Poetry in motion.
There is a reason behind this unusual method of serving tea. It is believed that the technique of stretching the tea helps it to mix well with another essential ingredient, the condense milk. Thus, bringing out the strong aroma and the subtle taste of tea. Also, the beverage cools faster this way. Style with substance.
From here
for a pic see here
and for a recipe see here
and now I'm off to get one :)
Ask any Malaysian worth his or her salt to name their favourite tea, and most likely it is the teh-tarik. Literally meaning "pull tea", the drink is prepared using out-stretched hands to pour piping hot tea from a mug into a waiting glass. The higher the pull the thicker the froth. Often found in Indian hawker stalls or restaurants, preparing the teh-tarik is both an art and science.
In expert hands, the action of streaming tea back and forth the containers is a feast for the eyes. This visual treat involves vigourous almost acrobatic like-movements of the hands and arms, as the tea steadily spills into receiving ends. Poetry in motion.
There is a reason behind this unusual method of serving tea. It is believed that the technique of stretching the tea helps it to mix well with another essential ingredient, the condense milk. Thus, bringing out the strong aroma and the subtle taste of tea. Also, the beverage cools faster this way. Style with substance.
From here
for a pic see here
and for a recipe see here
and now I'm off to get one :)
June 04, 2005
Entering the promised land
This week in SBS we are studying the book of Deuteronomy, for all of us the fact that Moses didn't get to enter the promised land after so long of being faithful to God seems hard to swallow ... and quite hard to really understand when we think we know God's grace.
23 "At that time I pleaded with the LORD and said, 24 'O Sovereign LORD, I am your servant. You have only begun to show me your greatness and power. Is there any god in heaven or on earth who can perform such great deeds as yours? 25 Please let me cross the Jordan to see the wonderful land on the other side, the beautiful hill country and the Lebanon mountains.' 26 "But the LORD was angry with me because of you, and he would not listen to me. 'That's enough!' he ordered. 'Speak of it no more. 27 You can go to Pisgah Peak and view the land in every direction, but you may not cross the Jordan River. 28 But commission Joshua and encourage him, for he will lead the people across the Jordan. He will give them the land you now see before you.'
I knew that God wanted to show some truth through this story and after reading the passage above God really spoke to me about two things.
The first wasn't necessarily from the text but I still felt challenged all the same and I felt God asking "If you couldn't go to heaven (your promised land) would you still serve me?" Now this seems like a pretty still question because we know that all those that love the Lord will have and inheritance in the eternal promised land. But it really challenged me ... do I serve God because I get to go to the promised land, or do I serve God because he is God ... and he is worthy to be served whether or not I get to go to heaven. God told Moses he wouldn't get to go the promised land (though he will be in the eternal promised land) yet Moses continued to serve God and lead the people as God wanted him too. So for myself that question still rings in my ears ... would I keep serving God even if I didn't get to go to heaven ... it really points out my selfishness and my motives... am I in this for me or for God ... do I do everything unto the Lord (BIG FULLSTOP) or do I do everything unto the Lord so I can get something in return. God is worthy to be served FULLSTOP ... and praise God is he is overwhelmingly gracious, abundanct in love, never-ending in mercy and has given me passage into the promised land.
The second thing God challenged me about was how Moses was told to encourage and commission Joshua to lead the people into the promised land. Moses had been leading these stinking complainging Israelites day in day out for 40 years, working his butt off, and now Joshua will be the one that gets the pat on the back as he leads them into the promised.
In my work for God whether it be in Thailand, at home, or wherever God has me
"am I prepared to invest my whole life, my whole energy into something even if I don't get to see the fruits of it?" and "will I challenge and commission others after me to keep the work going even if it means they might end up looking like heroes (Even though God is the true hero!!!)"
The missionaries in the South of Thailand have invested 10 years with maybe 1 person a year getting saved, but now after the Tsunami there are people that have only just started working there that are seeing people saved every single day ... but unless these pioneers they prepared the soil there would be no harvest ... there would be no fruits today.
Moses prepared these people for 40 years ... without his life commitment to his God and God's people, the people wouldn't have been able to enter the promised land. God
God I'm not in this for rewards or glory, I am in this for the glory of your name! You deserve to be praised!
23 "At that time I pleaded with the LORD and said, 24 'O Sovereign LORD, I am your servant. You have only begun to show me your greatness and power. Is there any god in heaven or on earth who can perform such great deeds as yours? 25 Please let me cross the Jordan to see the wonderful land on the other side, the beautiful hill country and the Lebanon mountains.' 26 "But the LORD was angry with me because of you, and he would not listen to me. 'That's enough!' he ordered. 'Speak of it no more. 27 You can go to Pisgah Peak and view the land in every direction, but you may not cross the Jordan River. 28 But commission Joshua and encourage him, for he will lead the people across the Jordan. He will give them the land you now see before you.'
I knew that God wanted to show some truth through this story and after reading the passage above God really spoke to me about two things.
The first wasn't necessarily from the text but I still felt challenged all the same and I felt God asking "If you couldn't go to heaven (your promised land) would you still serve me?" Now this seems like a pretty still question because we know that all those that love the Lord will have and inheritance in the eternal promised land. But it really challenged me ... do I serve God because I get to go to the promised land, or do I serve God because he is God ... and he is worthy to be served whether or not I get to go to heaven. God told Moses he wouldn't get to go the promised land (though he will be in the eternal promised land) yet Moses continued to serve God and lead the people as God wanted him too. So for myself that question still rings in my ears ... would I keep serving God even if I didn't get to go to heaven ... it really points out my selfishness and my motives... am I in this for me or for God ... do I do everything unto the Lord (BIG FULLSTOP) or do I do everything unto the Lord so I can get something in return. God is worthy to be served FULLSTOP ... and praise God is he is overwhelmingly gracious, abundanct in love, never-ending in mercy and has given me passage into the promised land.
The second thing God challenged me about was how Moses was told to encourage and commission Joshua to lead the people into the promised land. Moses had been leading these stinking complainging Israelites day in day out for 40 years, working his butt off, and now Joshua will be the one that gets the pat on the back as he leads them into the promised.
In my work for God whether it be in Thailand, at home, or wherever God has me
"am I prepared to invest my whole life, my whole energy into something even if I don't get to see the fruits of it?" and "will I challenge and commission others after me to keep the work going even if it means they might end up looking like heroes (Even though God is the true hero!!!)"
The missionaries in the South of Thailand have invested 10 years with maybe 1 person a year getting saved, but now after the Tsunami there are people that have only just started working there that are seeing people saved every single day ... but unless these pioneers they prepared the soil there would be no harvest ... there would be no fruits today.
Moses prepared these people for 40 years ... without his life commitment to his God and God's people, the people wouldn't have been able to enter the promised land. God
God I'm not in this for rewards or glory, I am in this for the glory of your name! You deserve to be praised!
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