It's been almost two years since it happened, so I guess it's high time I sat down to write my testimony about how God has healed me of my diabetes.

I have had been diabetic for about ten years. It took me some time to accept it, and at least another five years before I started taking medication for it. You know how it is with doctors - we all suffer from the delusion known as "the myth of personal invulnerability".

I must have been about four years old when I was introduced to the concept of hell. I had no problem being convinced of its reality, and was apparently immediately convicted of the fact that I was personally headed there. I don't remember any of this, of course, but here is a recording of a conversation I had with my father in 1969* (2.8MB mp3 file) which proves it. In fact, I think this little soundbite represents the gospel in a nutshell - conviction of sin and a sense of condemnation, the good news of heaven and salvation through Jesus, repentance, a prayer for forgiveness, peace and assurance of salvation, and finally urging others to call on the name of the Lord as well. It's all there, and - trust me - this was an unscripted conversation!

* London held very fond memories for my father as he had studied there for a couple of years. They travelelled by ship in those days, taking a few weeks to cross the ocean, hence the lasting impression of a wonderful place far away.

Lessons from preaching the "gospel" of Linux. 

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." - Rom 1:16,17

They have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I did not command them, nor did it come into My heart. - Jer 7:31

Tophet was a place where the Canaanites offered human child sacrifices to their god Moloch by burning them alive. A bronze idol was heated up so that the arms of the idol, forming a crucible, became red hot. Children were placed there to die in agony. Tophet means "drum" in Hebrew, and drums were pounded to drown out the cries of the children (and most likely their grieving parents). Tophet is also a synonym for hell, because of the hellish things that took place there, a place of fire and brimstone, "where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched". These images must have been burned into the memory of those who had witnessed such abominations. 

I have been wanting to write something like this for some time. Looks like Thomas Watson (1620-1686) beat me to it by about 400 years! 

"Repenting tears are precious. God puts them in his bottle (Psalm 56:8). Repenting tears are beautifying. To God—a tear in the eye, adorns more than a ring on the finger. Oil makes the face shine (Psalm 104:15). Tears make the heart shine. Repenting tears are comforting. A sinner's mirth turns to melancholy. A saint's mourning turns to music! Repentance may be compared to myrrh, which though it is bitter to the taste—is comforting to the spirits. Repentance may be bitter to the flesh, but it is most refreshing to the soul. Wax which melts is fit for the seal. A melting soul is fit to take the stamp of all heavenly blessing. Let us give Christ the water of our tears—and he will give us the wine of his blood!"

Once upon a time my family went on a cruise. We chose one of the better rooms, with a sea view, and paid a premium for it. While we enjoyed the cruise tremendously, we ate only at the crowded buffet hall, which was free, although we would have liked to have tried out some of the restaurants, particularly the Japanese one with the scrumptious-looking sushi and sashimi. We also skimped on some of the other paid activities on board.

It was only on the last day, as I was checking out, that the checkout staff expressed surprise that we had not spent our coupons. Coupons? What coupons? You have three hundred dollars worth of credit, sir. It's part of your cruise entitlement.

I slapped my hand to my forehead, and quickly ran off to buy some teddy bears and other gifts.

You'd think I'd have learned my lesson, but no. When we visited Tokyo a few years later, we woke up very early every morning to take an hour-and-a-half-long train ride to Disneyland, and endured the same train ride back every night, arriving back at the hotel completely pooped at about 11.30 pm. It was only at the end of three such long days that I noticed the hotel had this little plaque declaring it was a "Friends of Disney Resort", which basically means they offered FREE BUS RIDES TO AND FROM DISNEYLAND DAILY!

Our Christian life is sometimes like that. We have been given many promises by God, and much spiritual power accessible through prayer, but we live like misers on earth, not realising and enjoying our spiritual entitlements and privileges as Christians. We have the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in us, yet ignore Him. We have access to the throne of grace, yet remain wallowing in guilt and self-condemnation. We have the promise that if we ask anything in His name, we will have it – yet we hesitate to ask. We have been given a free ride to heaven, yet we shun it or ignore it, and try so hard on our own to earn it by our works.

Friends – spend your coupons before you reach heaven!

When I first read the following passage in Jonathan Edwards' "A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God.", I immediately thought of the old man in SGH whom I had watched slowly die over a period of a few months while I was a houseman there. He suffered from cancer of the oesophagus. While not in very much pain, he seemed sad all the time, because he could not eat. I can't forget that statement of his which he made every day: "Can't eat." Then he would give that wry smile and shake his head.

When I face my own death one day, I would very much like to have the faith of this woman described below, and be able to glorify God in a similar way.

"She had great longings to die, that she might be with Christ: which increased until she thought she did not know how to be patient to wait till God's time. But once, when she felt those longings, she thought with herself, If I long to die, why do I go to physicians? Whence she concluded that her longings for death were not well regulated. After this she often put it to herself, which she should choose, whether to live or to die, to be sick or to be well; and she found she could not tell, till at last she found herself disposed to say these words: I am quite willing to live, and quite willing to die; quite willing to be sick, and quite willing to be well; and quite willing for any thing that God will bring upon me! And then, said she, I felt myself perfectly easy, in a full submission to the will of God. She then lamented much, that she had been so eager in her longings for death, as it argued want of such a resignation to God as ought to be. She seemed henceforward to continue in this resigned frame till death.

Oh yeah, this blog really freaks me out. But it serves as a good reminder, no doubt.

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by strength they are fourscore years, yet their pride is labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. So teach us to number our days, so that we may bring a heart of wisdom. - Psalm 90:10,12

A chance encounter leads to some serious thinking about catching fish.

Has it ever occurred to you that if He wanted to, God could wipe out all poverty in an instant?

by Archibald Alexander

When there is no growth, there is no life. We have taken it for granted that among the regenerate, at the moment of their conversion, there is a difference in the vigor of the principle of spiritual life, analogous to what we observe in the natural world; and no doubt the analogy holds as it relates to growth. As some children who were weak and sickly in the first days of their existence become healthy and strong, and greatly outgrow others who commenced life with far greater advantages, so it is with the 'new man'. Some who enter on the spiritual life with a weak and wavering faith, by the blessing of God on a diligent use of means, far outstrip others who in the beginning were greatly before them.

by John MacDuff, 1849

"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises." 2 Peter 1:4
"He who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23
"Remember your promise to me, for it is my only hope." Psalm 119:49

by J. C. Ryle

"Men ought always to pray." Luke 18:1
"I will that men pray everywhere." 1 Timothy 2:1

Happiness is to know the Saviour
Living a life within His favour
Having a change in my behaviour
Happiness is the Lord

Learning about God's all-sufficient grace and true spiritual rest.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do. – Prov 4:23

One of the first requirements in becoming a disciple of Christ is self-denial – forsaking our sins, our pride, our ambitions, our selves – all that we have in the world.

Thoreau wrote that "the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." As a physician, I can attest to the truth of this statement. Every day, I meet people with emotional problems - anxiety and depression. They come to see me complaining of insomnia, poor appetite, chest pains, headaches, and a host of other symptoms. Some break down in tears when I ask if they are stressed or having problems at work or in the family. And although we may not like to admit it, it happens to Christians as well as non-Christians.

About a month ago, I was attempting to make a film holder so that I could scan some film negatives into the computer. As I tried to cut out a stubborn piece of plastic with a paper cutter, I took off my glasses and moved my head until it was only a few centimetres away from the piece of plastic, to get a closer look at what I was doing. Suddenly, there was a loud snap and I felt a sharp pain in my right eye.