Tales of Two Deaths

2 Weeks Ago

Its Wednesday...He was cleared to be off the life support machine, doctors said there was no longer any hope, families could just watch and hope he go in peace.. Here lies this 70+ year old man who was in coma for a little more than a week. He was my father's boss's father. He was lying there brain dead. His brain cells no longer function, organs were switched off, blood is circulating on because there's a machine. No wonder the doctors gave up. He was due to be off the machine on Friday..BUT.......here comes a man (my dad), going in to pay his last respect, just like any other people walking in.... Just another dude? or otherwise....

My dad went in, saw the dead body there. He did what all Christian will do. Simply just PRAY.... 'Lord, I pray that this man here will rise up in Jesus name, Amen' AND THEN THE UNTHINKABLE, UNEXPECTED, UNEXPLAINABLE, UNJUSTIFY-ABLE, UNHEARD OF,.......SURPRISE OF A SURPRISE Happened..HE INSTANTLY WOKE UP FROM DEAD.
Immediately after 'Amen', he opened his eyes, and grab my dad's hand tightly. Now here's the three things that is not suppose to happen, 1st is waking up, 2nd is ability to move the hand, and 3rd is ability to grab tightly. Now there's no argument here that it is a miracle. Let me say that when you see a miracle folks, you are no longer standing on neutral ground, decide on yourself whether its coincidence/luck/or even devil or God's work...What happened in the days of Jesus is HAPPENING!

A Week Later
Here's Larry Cheong. A 60+ old man, playing golf on Sunday afternoon and suddenly, he was stucked by heart attack and died. We received the message and decided to rise in faith, to do what no other man would do, to pray for resurrection for the dead. The body was preserved in Sg Buloh Hospital. On the night of death around 11.30pm, prayer team wanted to pray for him in the mortuary but the man in charge there would not let us in because it was too dark. He was scared. So they had to go next morning.

Next morning as the team arrived in the mortuary, his body was still red. Here's the strange part, a body after death for more that half a day will normally turn black/purple because there is no longer blood circulation, but not for Larry Cheong. His body was still pink from head to toes. Even the mortuary dude said 'its strange, I'd never seen such body after so many years of working experience here. It looks as if he was just sleeping'.. A neuro surgeon in the prayer team confirmed that there was still blood in the body. They prayed, but nothing happened. However one prayer was answered, they prayed that no post mortem will be conducted (if it is done, the organ all will be detached, i guess like what we see in CSI. The blood will flow out then then lagi susah la for resurrection) As mentioned in previous post, we take all work of God, minor or major, gratefully and praised Him!!

Now the 3rd day, the body was sent to his house in Jalan Ipoh. He was lying in the coffin. I joined the team that morning. We went there with great expectancy.. As we arrived there, his body was still red. Can you believe that? Those of you that went to funeral before, ever seen such corpse? Red pinkish coloured? Blood was still there after 3 days!!! the body seem to be ready to rise! I take that as a sign of God at work. After we prayed in faith and really believed he'll rise..

However The body DID NOT rise.. Well if the body did not rise, why should I share this right? Won't it make my God vulnerable for inconsistency?? God ditched us??? I stand firm and say NO. God was there! As we prayed, one girl in the team (Grace) had gold dust appeared all over her hand as we prayed!! (No she did not use any gold dust makeups nor any gold gust related stuff) That particular incident is God assurance to us that his presence is there.. But why didn't the body rose?? Here's why 1st of all, the family members had decided that we were there just to pray a prayer of blessing, the can't believe that he will rise! (If no faith then how laa) Aih,, if only they believed.... 2nd I sense God want us to persevere and continue grow faith so that one day we'll have a Lazarus in our midst..3rd, we have to realised that all this are given by God's grace. We can't force it. 4th, our God is Sovereign and we may not know all why He do the things He do. His way are higher than our way.

Now I'm sure some of you might be put off by the second testimony but let me tell you that is a blessing to have both different incident.

Both family was non-Christians, strong Buddhist background. I was a Buddhist years ago. Let me tell you what we do when there's death. We burn money as an offering for the dead, so tat he would use the money to bribe the guards in hell and have a peaceful life there as well as blessing us in our life. Besides, the age of the deceased is normally added by a few digits (i.e.: real age 50, the one age written down is 53). Why? to lie to the angel of death with regards to his real age. If the angel of death cant find the right person with the right age in his notebook (consisting all the names of people who died), he wont be able to torture/kill the deceased in hell then.

You see the irony? People burning gold papers for relatives so that they live abundantly in ....Hell..?(Abundantly is ok, but there in Hell??)Another words sending them to hell gladly. And even in hell, they need to live a life of lies and bribery. Sad?

But Jesus works in the total opposite. He gives hope to people. And in a midst of death, both of the family got to know the gospel. The monks were there to send the soul to hell, BUT JESUS WANTS TO GIVE LIFE, AN ETERNAL ONE. It is when they see death, hopeless, and realised that the idols that they pray to is useless.. (the idols have eyes but they don't see, ears but cant hear and mouth but unable to speak!) It is then when they're totally humbled by the fact that even materials, wealth and things on earth wont do any difference, THEY SEE JESUS AT WORK.
It is when the world does not offer you any hope, you see God at work. Here's how the gospel view death.
John 12:24: I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
In Larry Cheong's case, his whole family got to know who Jesus is when he passed away. My dad's boss now got to know who's Jesus as he saw God did the miracle. Lets pray for their salvation.

To all Christian, challenge ourselves, lets rise in faith and pray for the unthinkable, do thinks that before this you never there. Get out of the comfort zone you'll feel God's power. When we do that, we'll be able to attract people out there. One day rising of death will be a routine for all churches! To the non-believers, this is a glimpse of what an exciting life is..:> God is real...Have faith in Jesus.. Have faith..

Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

ps: I didnt know it'll be so loooong!!oops! i get very excited when talking bout God :>