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(Monday, September 8, 2008-)
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# Lesson from a reading
This would be my weirdest QT ever!
Almost overnight, Singapore's future was put to question." Would Singapore survive? Lee's answer to Harold Wilson was illuminating. "Do not worry about Singapore," Lee wrote to the
British premier a fortnight after separation, "My colleagues and I are sane, rational people even in our moments of anguish. We weigh all possible consequences before we make any move on the political chessboard". He added, "Our people have the will to fight and the stuff that makes for survival".
An extract from my Singapore Studies, SSA 2204 Nation Building In Singapore.
Putting the "scripture" into context, let's go to O
Observation : Do not worry, as said in Luke 12:22
Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear."
Just as what LKY could tell the British after the separation, so did Jesus say the same thing, though before His "separation" from us.
Application : When faced in sudden trials (hehe), like how Singapore was suddenly thrust into independence (hehe, the links are so obvious... God is really quite humourous), God calmly tells me "do not worry", that God is still sane, He hasn't gone berserk and let the world run loose. When the future is suddenly uncertain once again, God says that He's still there "in our moments of anguish" as said in Psalm 118:5
"In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and He answered by setting me free"
Observation : We weigh all possible consequences before we make any move. This is a way to be aware of temptation. Many times, the devil doesn't succeed in luring us into sin by making evil look so good or glorified, but by removing the consequences of it.
Application : Like the wise LKY (haha, this is so funny!!), even in moments of anguish, in "depression" and "emo-ness", i must still remember to consider the consequences of my actions. How it could let the devil put God to shame, how it hurts the heart of my Saviour who "freely gave it all for us" and how it destroys my destiny. Ps Martin Steel also preached on this in The Way of Escape, that the window of escape becomes harder to find, the nearer I get to sinning. Further, from The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, Screwtape is reminded of his job that it is not primarily to put thoughts INTO the Christian head, but rather to stop his train of thoughts from that which would think of the consequences of his actions. To live for the temporal, the now. The only thing that the Bible calls (that I know of) to live in "the now", is the NOW FAITH (Hebrews 11)
Observation : Our people have the will to fight and the stuff that makes for survival. This shows me two parts for "survival". Too bad LKY was always constrained in his "survival mentality", though admittedly crucial for the post 65, pre 80 Singapore. Firstly, there is a will involved in overcoming. And secondly, there's is a substance of character required to carry it through.
Application : For the will part, it's really quite simple. Like Rach said, most of the time, it's not the casting out of demons, but of crucifying the flesh. The Bible clearly states our current state,
Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." And the best way to not let the body win is by the power of the baptism of Christ. From my new favourite book, Colossians 2:9-12
9For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. 11In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
Christ is the head over EVERY power, which definitely includes the "body" which is weak.This sinful-natured body can be put to death, and not jz killed and left like a dead murder corpse, but given a proper burial (so that everyone (that includes me) knows this proclamation of death) in the baptism. And coupled with FAITH in the power of God, I am alive in Christ. A new creation. A G/god-man race!
And the stuff that makes for survival will come, as I continue to exercise this new baby in the spiritual. It will start with the transforming of the mind (reference Cultural Mandate 1 SHUJING, YOU ONLY GAVE ME THE FIRST SERMON!! ROARR!!) and then move on to other aspects as I begin to put on the ind of Christ, move in the supernatural, let the light shine in my life (Life and Light sermon) and with the fruit of the Spirit, along with perseverance that builds character, and hope, that does not disappoint, in the soon coming King (=
Final observation : God sees me as one who has the will and the "stuff" to overcome, that I can be sure He's not only "sane and rational" but has my best interest at heart, with all the challenges I face. If God is confident I can handle it, I should be too!
Prayer : Lord, thank You for Your revelation of Your word through a seemingly gnosis-only lecture reading. I pray that I will put this continued new revelation into practice! Lord help me by transforming my mind to comprehend the aweness of ME as a new creation in YOU. Bless my studies, expecially my upcoming tests, that I can testify that with You, I can have both the will and the "stuff" to not only "survive" hard times, but in the deepest valley, to still have the light of life shining brightly in NUS for You. Bless my upcoming cells too, in Jesus' name i pray, AMEN!
the story ends like this;
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