God's Sovereign Hand in Reforming England

Pictures from Left: Henry VIII (with six wives); Queen Ezliabeth 1; Boy King Edward VI. Cardinal Thomas Cranmer last.

The story of the Reformation of England is one where we can see the hidden hand of God's sovereignty at work in the lives of people. King Henry VIII in the 16th century was a thorough Roman Catholic and married the Catherine of Aragon of Spain, a Catholic princess. She produced no male heir for him, and he was forced to contrive marrying a second wife: here's where God's sovereign hand moved - working on the DNA of Henry and Catherine so that they could have no male son. This isn't the first time that the Lord God sovereignly works in the marriage lives of people. Think of Abraham and Sarah and the conception of children leading to the producing of Ishmael and then Isaac, making for the unending conflict down to our day and generation in the Middle East between the Arabs and the Jews.

Henry VIII defied the Pope in order to divorce Catherine and marry a succession of wives in the search for a male heir. He made himself the head of the Church of England, but remained at heart and in doctrine Roman Catholic to his death. He persecuted non-Catholics all his life even though he made England independent of the Papal control. But his act of separating from Rome was the trigger of the English Reformation.

Edward VI was the son of Henry VIII succeeding to the English throne at the tender ago of 10 and ruling for only 6 years. In God's overruling sovereignty, Edward had been under the tutellage of Protestant nobles; hence on his accession to the throne he allowed the progress of the Protestant faith. The Protestant Thomas Cranmer became the Cardinal of the Church of England.

Queen Elizabeth I succeeded Edward VI and had to ward off the designs of Mary Queen of Scots as the Catholic contender for the English crown. The Spanish King also wanted to put a Catholic ruler on the throne of England and sent the Spanish Armada, a gigantic fleet, against England. The defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 was another landmark of God's sovereign control of the wind and the waves to the detriment of the Spanish galleons. Actually Elizabeth I had been brought up a Catholic by her father and she remained at heart very much Catholic all her life, but the Protestant faith grew in strength under her long reign.

Andrew Loh

The Legacy of Dr. Francis Schaeffer

One of the most well-known Christian leaders of the twentieth century was Francis Schaeffer (1912-84). He communicated the truth of historic Biblical Christianity in a way that combined intellectual integrity, artistic sensitivity and a practical loving care.

He was often thought of as a Christian guru with his goatee beard and Swiss clothes. Some would think that he was a deep thinker and a theologian, but he was none of these, despite the number of articles and books he wrote. He had studied philosophy and had a good grasp of a wide spectrum of subjects, while his seminary studies provided him with a sufficient handle on the Scriptures. He had the good fortune of marrying a refined and excellent Christian wife who was also well-educated and from a good missionary family.

Dr. Schaeffer must be best known for demonstrating the art of "truthing the truth in love". He had known what it was to be biblically educated and yet lacking in Christian practical love to be able to adorn the truth. He had seen the worst of the Presbyterian church splits and quarrels in USA, from which he learned that the knowledge of biblical truth alone and the preaching of it were not enough. Truth had to be dressed and given in doses of practical agape love, and this was what he and his wife tried their best to do in L'Abri community living.

His refuge in L'Abri attracted a generation of young student seekers who were confused by the philosophies imbibed in colleges, and he welcome them to live with his family. He was the instrument of healing of their minds and hearts.

Several of the great leaders of Christian ministries today are the fruit of his L'Abri coaching. People like Dr. Os Guinness, Jerram Barr and even politicians like Jerry Falwell and Jesus Revolution's Larry Norman and Dr. Everett Coop, the Surgeon-General of USA.

It is Well with my Soul

The Hymn "When Peace like a River Attendeth my way" was written in tears of sorrowful loss of 4 daughters at sea by their father, Horatio Spafford. He was a wealthy lawyer in Chicago and a keen Christian who was a friend of evangelist DL Moody and other well-known Christians of the day. He had booked tickets to travel by ship for his family when the a business matter kept him on land while his family travelled on a fateful sea trip.

Later on another sea trip passing the spot where his daughters perished, he was so stricken with sorrow that he could not sleep. He prayed and the Lord gave him grace to pen the words of a poem which became "It is Well with my Soul", which Philip Bliss & Sankey set to music in 1876 to become the well-known hymn sung by many since then. We appreciate the hymn much better when we know the story behind it.

Andrew Loh

Short Song Video: From Mourning to Dancing

Short Easter Mass Dance Video USA

Short Video: Joke about England being Indian

Queen Victoria was Empress of India, so England was Indian.

A joke-full video of how Indian the English are.

Louis Giglio and the Passion Conferences

Louie Giglio has been an evangelist to college studies in America and has been hosting Passion conferences to preach to these students in huge numbers. Together with professional musicians like Chris Tomlin (who authored "How Great is our God" song), Louie has been preaching using images of the universe to showcase the greatness of our Creator God. Another dvd produced by him is "Indescribable" also displaying the marvellous and majestic creation of God in the heavens.

One of the images displayed is that of Melanin, the Cross-like cellular component of our skin: it is like that God has placed billions of witnesses of the Cross in our bodies to remind us of the death of His Son. A similar Cross-like image is in the heaven in one of the galaxies beyond our own Milky Way galaxy.

The dvds are available in Christian bookshops. If you need further info, please contact me at andlfloh@gmail.com or 019-6677090.

Andrew Loh.

The Cross: Jesus in China

This is a Dvd in Mandarin and English with Chinese subtitles, showing the explosive growth of Christianity in China. When Mao Tse Tung and his Red Guards thought they had wiped out the Christian faith by removing the Western missionaries and imprisoning / persecuting the local Chinese pastors and leaders in the 1950's, they did not realise that the Christian faith could not be erased from China. Like the trees shedding their leaves in winter only to bloom again in Spring, the underground faith of the Christians grew from strength to strength.

The Communists imprisoned Christian Chinese leaders like Wang Ming Dao and Watchman Nee for many many years, hoping that would surrender and renounce their faith. But they preferred to die for their faith in Christ. Watchman Nee died in prison but Wang Ming Dao was released in due time.

The video shows the tremendous spurt of growth of Christianity in Red China from a mere few hundred thousand to a good 70 million by the end of the twentieth century. Individual stories are told in the video of a host of witnesses for Christ, converts from atheists and agnostics, from Red Guards to gangsters and drug addicts. Couples estranged and dysfunctional families found the Lord and were healed in their relationships. You will see also a lady dance instructor leading her students in prayer and reciting Scripture. A bankrupt ex-gangster on the verge of suicide was encouraged by his mother to go to an underground church, was converted and then became a leader of a church.

The dvd is too large to be uploaded to this blog. If you need a copy, you can email me at andlfloh@gmail.com or sms me @ 019-6677090.

Short Song video: How Great is our God

Short video: Red Sea Crossing

Short Inspirational Video: The Race

Watch the female athlete who fell while in a competition and had the guts to get up and finish the race. Much like Eric Liddell in one his running competitions.

Dr David Jeremiah predicts looming USA Economic Crisis

Short Video: Expert Infant Skaters

Short Video: The Fingerprint of God

Obama seeks second term

Obama has the nerve and the bold face to seek a second term in the White House. This is the height of idiocy. He should realise that even one term as President of USA has been too good for him. He and his wife in their talks overseas have disgraced USA. His opportunistic ascendancy to the White House is a preview of how the world will in time welcome a world dictator whom the Scriptures call the "Man of Sin" - a smooth talker with a quick turn of phrase.

Whether he has claimed to be a Muslim or not, he has shown his true colours in his attitude and treatment of Israel. For one thing, Obama has no idea of Biblical history nor of God's dealings with the nation of Israel. Genesis 12:3 states that the Lord will bless those who bless Abraham (and his heir nation of Israel, implied), and will curse those who curse him (and Israel). There is evidence to show that Obama has harmed the cause of Israel, has slighted the Israeli Prime Minister, has been prejudiced against Israel (whatever he may say otherwise).

Concerned Christians should pray that such a person should be removed from leadership of a professedly Christian nation hated by the Arab world.

I await the day to see Obama ousted from office.

Short video with music: Thanksgiving to the Lord

Short video with music: Garden Scenery

A musical video displaying nature's beauties - the original name : Al Simfonia Prima.

Short video: Fantastic trip from Macros to Micros

Watch the journey from Earth via the power of 10's to the Universe beyond us; then another trip descending by the power of minus 10's to the miniscule minute.

Short video with bird sounds: Song of the Birds

Short video with music: art of Octavia Ocampo

Short Video with music: Creative art of Salvador Dali

Short video: Why Mysian Christians Politically Indifferent (with music)

Jane Russell lives on as a Christian actress

Jane Russell was known for her sexy roles in some films, but that was before she became a born-again Christian. She had experienced a botched abortion at 18 but she rose to champion the cause of Pro-Life, founding in 1955 the World Adoption International Fund.

I believe she was a leader in a church in Hollywood witnessing to the stars and workers of the celluloid world.

Paul Washer - Missionary Preacher, USA

Paul Washer is a Southern Baptist missionary to South America where he has served for many years. He is a no-nonsence hard-hitting preacher who is now well-known for his one sermon which shocked the American so-called Christian world. It is said that he was not invited back to preach in that church, but he now has so many other churches and congregations to preach to.

In one sermon he told a congregation of young Baptists that 80% or more of them were heading for Hell, given the carnal and worldly sort of life they were living, no different from that of the unsaved world.

Thank God for raising up prophetic preachers who do not softsell the Gospel unlike Billy Graham who has gone soft in the head and in his theology.

Andrew Loh.