ThailandsMomentofTruth

ByJohnLambert ThaiTranslationAvailable ManyhavebeencallingThailandsupcomingelectionsitsMomentofTruth. Iwokeupthismorningwiththenationonmyheartandsomethoughtsbeganto cometomebeforeIwasoutofbed.Ibegantothinkingofastormandhowtobest prepareforit. ManyBiblicalscripturesbegantocometomymind,soIbegantowriteforThailand. IhavequotedextensivelyfromtheHolyScriptures,theBible.Ifyoulookupeach reference,youwillseeanevendeepermeaningthanwhatIhavewritten. ThisistheperspectiveandthoughtsofoneindividualChristianleader concerningThailandsfuture.However,itisamessageforeverygoodperson whoiswillingtotaketimetolistenwithanopenheartandmind. ThefirstthoughIhadwhenthinkingofthisgreatnationofThailandanditspeople wasaquotefromtheLordJesusChristthatPresidentAbrahamLincolnusedinone ofhismostfamousspeechestotheAmericanpublic. Thephrasewas,Ahousedividedagainstitselfcannotstand. ThefullquoteisfoundinthebookofMatthewchapter12,verse25oftheBible: Jesusknewtheirthoughtsandsaidtothem, "Everykingdomdividedagainstitselfwillberuined,andeverycityor householddividedagainstitselfwillnotstand. Americanshaveemphasizedthehouse,butitisinterestingthatJesusfirst mentionsakingdom,ofwhichThailandisone.Americansarenotusedtolivingin aKingdom,sotheyusethewordhousebutthemeaningisthesame. Itisthecoveringandprotectorofthepeoplewholivethere.Itshouldbeaplaceof safetyandrest.Iwillmentionthehouseorkingdomagaininamoment. AbrahamLincoln,oneofthegreatestleadersofAmerica,usedtheBiblicalquotation inthiswaysaying, Ahousedividedagainstitselfcannotstand.Ibelievethisgovernmentcannot endure,permanently,halfslaveandhalffree.IdonotexpecttheUniontobe

 Lincolnknewthetimeandseasoninwhichhewasliving.Itwasakeyturningpoint momentforthenationofAmerica.Heunderstoodthatunityandnational reconciliationwasthekeytoAmericamovingforwardfromthishorriblechapterin itshistory,thechapterofslavery. Thailandtoohadcometothiskindofplaceinitsownhistorybefore.Changeswere enactedbythegreatKingChulangkorntoendslaveryforeverinThailand.Theold wayshadtomakewayforthenewreformsandThailanddidgothroughthis successfullyandhadmovedon,withthehelpofitsfriendsandallieswhichincluded Christianleaders,toenterintothemodernworldwithgreatsuccess. YetthereisanotherissuemodernThailandisfacingandthatistheissueoftrue freedom.Lincolnsaidthatthegovernmentcannotprogresspermanentlywhenitis both,halffreeandhalfslave. Todaywecansayitthisway,thegovernmentcannotprogresswhentherearestill somepeoplewhodonothaveavoiceintheirfuture,andthereforearenotyetfree. TheThaipeople,wholiveinacountrythatiscalledTheLandoftheFree,cannot reallybefreeuntiltheyareallowedtohaveafreeandfairelections,therightto voicetheiropinionsonanysubject,freedomofthemediaandpress,andfreedomto choosetheirownreligiousfaithwithoutthestigmaofbeingconsideredThaiornot Thai. Whenitcomestomovingforward,theremustbereconciliationandunitybasedon trueforgivenessandlovingkindness. JesusChrist,inateachingthatcomesfromanotherworld,says; "Youhaveheardthatitwassaid,'Loveyourneighborandhateyourenemy.ButI tellyou:Loveyourenemiesandprayforthosewhopersecuteyou.(Matthew5:43 44) And,"ButItellyouwhohearme:Loveyourenemies,dogoodtothosewhohateyou, blessthosewhocurseyou,prayforthosewhomistreatyou.(Luke6:2728) Reconciliationandunitythroughcanonlyprogressthroughforgiveness.But forgivenessdoesnotmeanthereshouldnotbeconsequencesforpeoplesactions. Thereshouldbejusticeformurderersandperpetratorsofviolence.Peopleshould beheldaccountablefortheiractions,especiallywhentheiractionshaveresultedin thelossoflives.Thisistheroleofgoodgovernments.(SeeRomans13)

dissolvedIdonotexpectthehousetofallbutIdoexpectitwillceaseto bedivided.Itwillbecomeallonethingoralltheother.

Allsinscanpossiblybeforgiven,buttherearegreaterconsequencesforsomesins morethanothers. WhenitcomestootherteachingsthatcouldhelpThailandmoveforward,wesee thatJesusteachesustoLoveourneighborsasourselves.(seeMatthew22:3640). ThisincludesALLpeopleregardlessofthetheirshirtcolors,religions,or nationalities. AsfollowersofJesus,wearetaughttoshowrespecttoeveryone,tofearGod Almighty,andhonortheKingoftheLand.(seeIPeter2:17)Thisshouldbenormal lifeforeverydiscipleofJesus.Wealsoprayforourleadersandthosewhohave authorityoverus.In1Timothy2:12wearetaught, ThereforeIexhortfirstofallthatsupplications,prayers,intercessions,and givingofthanksbemadeforallmen,forkingsandallwhoareinauthority, thatwemayleadaquietandpeaceablelifeinallgodlinessandreverence. WearealsotaughttoRememberthepoorandnotshowfavoritismbecauseof wealthandstatus.(Galatians2:10andJames2:29)Torememberthemmeansto helpthem.ThebestwaytohelpthepoorandruralpeoplesofThailandtosucceed istoteachthemhowtoprosperratherthangivingthemanotherhandout. Manytimespracticalhelpandprogramsareneededrightaway,buttheymustbe taughtthattheLOVEofmoneyistherootofallevil(ITimothy6:10)andthat moneyisnoteverything.(SeeMark8:3637)Itissimplyatool,thatwhenmanaged correctly,canenhanceapersonsliferatherthancorruptit. Movingforward,IbelieveThailandneedstobecomeanationwhereitisokto acknowledgewrongdoing,repent,andaskforforgivenesswhenitisneeded.Atthis time,itseemstobemoreculturallyacceptabletomaintainegoandfaceratherthan showhumility. IntheBookofLuke,Jesustellsastoryoftwomenwhowentuptothetempleto pray.ItisfoundinLukechapter18,verses1014.Oneman,whilepraying, emphasizeswhathethinkshedoesrighteverydayandtheothermanseeshis realitywhencomparedtoGod,HisgreatCreatorKing. ThepersonwhohumbleshimorherselfistheonewhoisjustifiedGodssight.It alsoshowsusthatattheendoftheday,Godwillhumblethepersonwholifts himselfupanddoesntchoosetoacknowledgehiswrongactions. Beforetheircanbeforgivenessinanation,theremustfirstbeanacknowledgement ofwrongdoingandadesireonthepartofpeopletoforgive.Butonceforgivenessis granted,itdoesnotmeanthattrusthasbeenrebuilt.Trustisrebuiltslowlyover timeeventhoughitonlytookamomentforittobebroken.

Fortheretobeunity,itmustcomethroughrecognitionofeachotherandour individualvaluewhetherthepersonbeIsaan,Northern,Central,Southern,Hilltribe, Burmese,Cambodian,orforeigner.Eachpersonhasgreatvalueandworthinthe siteofGod,theirCreator.TheyareprecioustoGodandshouldbeprecioustoustoo. Jesustaughtthatgreatstormswouldcomeinthislife.Surely,Thailandisfacinga bigstormitselfasapeopleandanation.ThestormwilltestthefabricofThai society.ItwilltestwhatThailandismadeofandthestrengthofitsfoundation. IwanttoencourageThaipeopletoconsiderthewordsofJesusChristonhowto prepareforthestorm. InthebookofMatthewChapter7verse2428,Jesusteaches, Thereforeeveryonewhohearsthesewordsofmineandputstheminto practiceislikeawisemanwhobuilthishouseontherock.Theraincame down,thestreamsrose,andthewindsblewandbeatagainstthathouse;yet itdidnotfall,becauseithaditsfoundationontherock.Buteveryonewho hearsthesewordsofmineanddoesnotputthemintopracticeislikea foolishmanwhobuilthishouseonsand.Theraincamedown,thestreams rose,andthewindsblewandbeatagainstthathouse,anditfellwitha greatcrash.WhenJesushadfinishedsayingthesethings,thecrowdswere amazedathisteaching,becausehetaughtasonewhohadauthority,andnot astheirteachersofthelaw. HeretheLordJesusChristissayingthatthosewhohearhisteachingandpracticeit willbethemoststableandsecureinthecomingstorm.Theirfoundationisrock solid.Thosewhochosenottolistenarecalledfoolish.Theirfoundationisasstrong assand. TherearemanygreatteachingsfromJesusthateveryoneshouldhearandpractice, butforthenationofThailand,Iwanttojustemphasizethemostimportantonesfor now. 1. LoveGodandLoveYourNeighborAreTheGreatestCommandments See(Matthew22:3640 2. TheWorkofGodisToBelieveontheOneHeHasSent See(John6:2829) Ashumanbeings,weareallcreatedintheimageofGod,ourCreator.Thereforewe arecalledtoloveGodwithallofourheart,mind,soul,andstrength.Jesussaidthat thisisthegreatestteachingandcommand. Secondly,wearecalledtoloveourneighbors(everyonearoundus)aswelove ourselves.Thisevenincludesthoseweconsiderourenemies.

TheBibleteachesusthatGodispurelove.Itthenteachesusspecificallywhatlove lookslike. ICorinthianschapter13: Loveispatient,loveiskind.Itdoesnotenvy,itdoesnotboast,itisnot proud.Itdoesnotdishonorothers,itisnotselfseeking,itisnoteasily angered,itkeepsnorecordofwrongs.Lovedoesnotdelightinevilbut rejoiceswiththetruth.Italwaysprotects,alwaystrusts,alwayshopes, alwaysperseveres.Loveneverfails. InJesusandhisfollowers,thereissupposedtolivethreethingsthatThaipeople desperatelyneed:Faith,Hope,andLoveandthegreatestoftheseisLove. Thailandneedsthiskindoflove.Itisalovethatneverfails. IfThaipeopleknowGod,thentheycanknowandexperiencetruelove. ThenthrougharealexperienceofGodsloveinourownlives,wereallyloveour neighbors,nomatterwhatshirttheywear,orpersonalbeliefstheymayhave. Lastly,theworkofGodistobelieveintheOnewhoHehassent.ThatOneisthe LordJesusChrist,theSavioroftheworld. ThreepillarsofThaisocietyarecountry,religion,andKing.Butasanygoodhome builderwouldknow,ahousealsoneedsastrongfoundation,achief cornerstone,andacovering. *Jesusistherock,thestrongfoundationinthestorm.(seeICorinthians3:11) *Jesusisthechiefcornerstonethatholdsthehousetogether.(seeActs4:11) *Jesusisthecoveringthatprotectsusfromthesufferingbroughtonbythe stormsoflife.(seePsalm91:4) JesusChrist,ourGodAlmighty,givesusafreechoicewhetherwewillchooseHimor not.Thaipeopleshouldalsobefreetochoosetheirreligionandnothaveittiedto nationalidentityorpatriotism.Thailandwillthenreallybethelandofthefree. IfThailandhasanychancetoliveindemocracy,ifitwantstorootoutcorruption, bringjusticetothepoorandoppressed,andtrustbacktoleadershipitwillneed recognizeitsCreatorGodandrebuildthenationonHisteachings. AlmightyGod,ourCreator,hasmadethedeclarationthat, HeavenandEarthmaypassaway,butmyWordwillneverpassaway. (seeMatthew24:35,Luke21:33,andMark13:31)

 AlsoHehassaid,HewhodoesthewillofGodabidesforever.(IJohn2:1617) andBlessedisthenationwhoseGodisTHELord.(Psalm33:12) Butaswithanygooddemocracy,thechoicebelongstoyou,thepeople. MayGodAlmightyblessandguideThailandinthecomingdays. Thailand,weloveyouandareprayingforyou.