"God, what you give me is not enough! You better meet my expectations."

I remember the children of Israel under Moses’ God-called shepherding. They miraculously escaped bondage and slavery in Egypt. And God miraculously fed and provided for their needs during their wandering in the desert wilderness.

But not long after, Israel started to complain and grumble. In Numbers 11:4, 5, we get a picture of their heart condition: “Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel … said, ‘Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons.’ “

Last night, during my bedtime Bible and prayer time with my three kids, we got to reflect a bit on the current world financial crisis and God’s faithfulness. In the natural, kids usually dwell on “intense cravings.” They crave for candies, cakes, and other sweet “cravings” even without discipline. It’s father’s time to help the children get settled in the Lord as we wait upon Him!

Over the years the Lord called me to serve Him, my children never lacked anything they need. God is always faithful. He never fails to provide for us. But there is the constant temptation to “covet beyond God’s provision” as we wait upon the Lord. The challenge of our faith has always been to make God our central passion and peace in whatever times (good or bad) we’re in.

The truth is, in the case of many of us today, we’re like the multitudes of undisciplined children of Israel. A great number of us “yield to intense craving” that compromises God’s righteousness in the process. Specific sins are rationalized as a way to cover up or make them feel acceptable and attractive. “God is not enough” and we look for something else to make us happy. “Oh the fish! And the cucumbers!”

James McDonald says the root of this covetousness is rejection of God’s sufficiency. He calls it “slapping God’s hand” by saying: “What you’ve given me is not enough, God. Nice try. You promised to be all I need, but You’re just not meeting my expectations.”

Romans 8: 5 lets us in to what it is, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of Spirit.”

Jesus came to give us something better than anything on planet earth. When by faith we embrace Him and all His promises, we have a hope that is secure. Relax, you’re in good hands!

Is the present world's financial crisis a shade of Bible prophecy?

Today, we're experiencing the world's worst financial crisis in 100 years. America, dubbed as the world's richest, is in financial dire straits right now. Asia has also already succumbed to the financial crisis, affecting economies such as that of Korea, Taiwan, and China. I keep praying and updating myself about these latest news at the same time. The Scriptures prophesy the world facing problematic financial situation in the end times. There will be insurmountable debts to foreign nations (Habakkuk 2:6-7, Deuteronomy 28:43-44, et al.). They also point to a disasterous lack of leadership in the end times, as well (Isaiah 3:1-3, Ezekiel 22:30), et al.). Are you looking? Do you see shades of these prophecies in today’s headlines?

A Big Flashing Light

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” (John 3: 19-21).

These words of Jesus is and should be a big flashing light to all of us. There’s something in us that hides and runs away from light. Something that constantly pulls us toward things that are evil. Thus, left to our own devices, we will self-destruct and bring dishonor to the name of Christ.

I’m reminded of a famous evangelist several years ago. He’d “hide” himself by wearing a disguise to avoid recognition when going into indecent, evil places. He was ashamed of what he was doing. Yet he continued on compromising his faith and feeding this appetite that eventually destroyed him.

Light brings exposure. It shows weaknesses, imperfections, sins. But, it also provides us security. Light shows things that will harm us and we need to avoid. By seeing the reality of our inner shortcomings, we may then be led to safe accountability to keep us living in the light.

Jesus – the big flashing Light – has come into the world. He encourages us to turn away from darkness and choose Him if we are to truly live.

The Secret Behind The Scenes

Last week, a deeply wounded Christian woman cried profusely during a Saturday group meeting that I was leading. During sharing time, she related about her unfaithful husband’s affairs and betrayal of their marriage and family. According to her, her husband married and had children with her while having an existing legal marriage (“bigamy”) and involved with other women. Such unbearable pain led her to thoughts of murder and hiring a killer.

Moreover, based on her account, her husband and the OW (“other woman”) were even going to church and into a line of pastors in their family! Incredible, isn’t it? But it’s not incredible from the Scripture’s standpoint. The Bible tells us that such typifies the world we live in – a world of people broken by sin, self-deception, and rebellion against God. Without Christ’s salvation and recovery, we are all under the power of darkness and Satan’s strongholds.

How can this woman heal and overcome the trial? Definitely, not by committing a murder or hiring a killer, because the enemy would very much want that for her total destruction. But, by grace and praying that her husband and the OW, will be saved and touched by the Holy Spirit. Even if her husband and the OW may be in the church every Sunday or read the Bible, it makes no difference. Because the relationship is adulterous, they are living in darkness, under enemy’s control, or else they would be pointing themselves towards God and home.

Always, the “secret behind the scenes” is the presence of an invisible enemy in our life as believers in Christ. In the case of that crying Christian woman in our Saturday meeting, the OW or person is not the enemy. Satan, the evil one, is her enemy. Regardless of what happened, that other woman is a victim of darkness, just like her husband. They’ve been taken captive by the enemy and operating under Satan’s control.

The key to victory for that crying woman and us is not “flesh and blood” weapons, but the armor of God in fighting this invisible war. As Ephesians 6: 12, 13 states, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

Safe People, Safe Groups

Recently, I've been conducting a lecture/workshop on Celebrate Recovery in a local church. I was blessed because the members of the group feel safe with one another! I'm blessed. Safe places, safe times, and safe people. Everybody needs this. Without a relationally safe place where people are both challenged and loved, growth and change cannot occur.

In Henry Cloud and John Townsend’s “Safe People Workbook,” they list a number of personal traits of “unsafe people.” Here are 14 of them:

1.) Unsafe people think they “have it all together” instead of admitting their weaknesses.
2.) Unsafe people are religious instead of spiritual.
3.) Unsafe people are defensive instead of open to feedback.
4.) Unsafe people are self-righteous instead of humble.
5.) Unsafe people only apologize instead of changing their behavior.
6.) Unsafe people avoid working on their problems instead of dealing with them.
7.) Unsafe people demand trust instead of earning it.
8.) Unsafe people believe they are perfect instead of admitting their faults.
9.) Unsafe people blame others instead of taking responsibility themselves.
10.) Unsafe people lie instead of telling the truth.
11.) Unsafe people are stagnant instead of growing.
12.) Unsafe people avoid closeness instead of connecting.
13.) Unsafe people flatter us instead of confronting us.
14.) Unsafe people gossip instead of keeping secrets.

These 14 traits can be used to help us describe safe people and safe groups as well.

1.) Safe people do not think they “have it all together” and willingly admit their weaknesses. Safe groups are places where people can confess their shortcomings.
2.) Safe people are spiritual, not religious. Safe groups foster spiritual formation, not religious artificiality.
3.) Safe people are open to feedback and are not defensive. Safe groups offer feedback that is received by the members.
4.) Safe people are humble and resist being self-righteous. Safe groups embrace weakness, and members seek the needed grace to change.
5.) Safe people apologize for wrongdoing and change their behavior. Safe groups focus on change and accountability.
6.) Safe people work on their problems. In safe groups, members admit to problems and work on them.
7.) Safe people earn trust and don’t demand it. Safe groups grow in trust.
8.) Safe people admit their faults and believe they are not perfect. Safe groups are transparent and authentic; members share their shortcomings.
9.) Safe people take responsibility for their own actions and do not blame others. Safe groups have a high level of personal responsibility and accountability.
10.) Safe people tell the truth; they don’t lie. Safe groups risk speaking the truth in love.
11.) Safe people are always growing, never stagnant. In safe groups, members continue to show positive change over time.
12.) Safe people connect with other safe people. In safe groups, members bond to each others and become friends.
13.) Safe people challenge and affirm one another and are not patronizing. Believing that “iron sharpens iron,” safe people are graciously confrontational.
14.) Safe people don’t gossip. Safe groups are places where confidentiality is a high value.