Hello friends. This week I went to a funeral of a good friend’s mother-in-law who died suddenly at age 78. There were many people for a Monday funeral. I also noted that there were many young adults there. She lived an honorable and godly life once she was saved at an evangelical tent meeting as a teenager in the Philippines. She never veered off like so many young Christians do to live life their own way. She served the Lord Jesus Christ faithfully all her life and in the same local Baptist church for over 40 years! Her husband, her family members and friends will miss her very much until they meet again in heaven. One more thing that I really appreciated about her service was that her pastor used the platform to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and gave a very clear message on how to receive salvation. Praise God!

In the last few years I attended many funerals because I am at the age where many friends’ parents and in-laws are passing away. I understand why King Solomon said that going to a funeral is better than a party – more wisdom enters into my heart.

Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies— so the living should take this to heart. –  Ecclesiastes 7:2 (NLT)

No one, except God knows when we will breathe our last breath. After attending so many funerals, I now know exactly what I want in my funeral. I want my pastor to clearly tell everyone on how to get saved and receive their own ticket to heaven. If you’re not familiar on how this process works, please listen to Anne Lotz Graham’s message delivered last Sunday at TSC. She did a remarkable job.

http://sermons.tsc.nyc/hope-in-a-troubled-world/

I pray that you also will use your funeral to share with people how to get saved. Even if you are embarrassed to evangelize yourself, at least now you are dead and it’ll be on your pastor to share. I am reminded of a story that I read many years ago where a godly father was dying without witnessing the salvation of his three sons who were very successful in their careers as a judge, banker, and lawyer. On his deathbed, he was pleading with his boys to get saved. On the day of his funeral, his sons all decided to get saved together seeing how much their father was so tormented about them not meeting him in heaven. I’d be doing the same if my children were not saved in my deathbed. I’d imagine that the father’s pastor knew the father’s burden and delivered a clear message about salvation from the pulpit on the funeral day.

You might ask yourself like I did, what is life like once you say “yes” and then give over your life over to the lordship of Jesus Christ. I’ve been living my life in the last 14 years under the lordship of Jesus Christ. One thing that I saw is that there are too many Christians who don’t read and study their bibles daily and diligently, and so they don’t obey what God says about living life wisely and well. I’m not saying that I’m a perfect student but I know that I am trying my hardest. It is far from easy since I’m fighting my flesh or sin-nature daily. But like any disciplined path and lifestyle, it gets much easier after the first couple of years. 

I remember around my third year of living life under the lordship of Jesus Christ; I just assumed that I will live my life in the spiritual desert or wilderness like the first Jewish generation who escaped Egypt under Moses’ leadership. I didn’t share my private thoughts with anyone or even prayed about it. I accepted that I was okay with that. I remember comforting myself with a thought that I have maybe 30-40 years left on earth and then comes heaven. It was doable. Then suddenly one quiet afternoon, I heard a loud voice of the Holy Spirit saying to me:

“God is not only the God of the desert, but also the God of the ocean, the God of the sky and the heavens. He will let you experience all these in time.” (😨 WOW God knows my private thoughts too.)

I wondered what you do in the ocean. I think I have a good idea now – you go fishing for people. I currently fish more in a pond or lake. I’m not very adventurous and so it’ll be interesting when I go out to fish in the ocean. 🌊 Lord knows I am okay staying in a pond or a lake. 

Today in my Bible commuter plan, we heard Psalm 49. It was very timely as I am writing this for you. Please read this wise and good Psalm: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2049&version=NIV;VOICE

Here is today’s commuter Bible reading if you want to join us. Year is still young. It’s only 30 minutes per day. Download the podcast and join us now. Israel is just about to enter the promised land under the new leadership of Joshua. In here, Moses is recapping the past and saying some firm words to the new generation. 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/commuter-bible/id1447035790?i=1000701996434

This week I heard a very powerful testimony from a former Hezbollah member in Iran. Wow what a story! I knew hardly anything about the Hamas, Hezbollahs or Houthis etc before the attack by the Hamas on 10/7/2023 against Israel. I’ve been learning and listening. Please listen to his story and how he became a believer of Jesus Christ through a supernatural encounter with Jesus! His story reminds me of the encounter that Saul had with Jesus on his route to Damascus to persecute the Jews who were following Jesus. Saul eventually became the great apostle Paul. Apostle Paul wrote about 2/3 of the New Testament books. 

Here is part 1 of the former Hezbollah:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-story-partners-podcast/id1654557511?i=1000699016588

Here is part 2:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-story-partners-podcast/id1654557511?i=1000700091071

For anyone who is interested in advocating for a social injustice that you are deeply bothered by, please study the life and work of William Wilberforce. He abolished slave trading in Britain. It took all his lifetime to get it done but he did it by the grace and power of Christ guiding him. Slave trading was a respectable and big business in Britain. You could only imagine the hard battles that he and his team faced to abolish slave trading. Here’s a short article about him:

https://www.christianunion.org/the-magazine/8113-inspiration-from-william-wilberforce

I love this quote by him:

“It makes no sense to take the name of Christian and not cling to Christ. Jesus is not some magic charm to wear like a piece of jewelry we think will give us good luck. He is the Lord. His name is to be written on our hearts in such a powerful way that it creates within us a profound experience of His peace and a heart that is filled with His praise.” – William Wilberforce

Before you go into any social injustice advocacy work, please do receive your own ticket to heaven. It is a very dangerous work when you really think about it. Also please reach out to prayer groups like ours to pray for your work too.