N317'S SITE

Christmas

2010-12-12T22:42:00.002+08:00

Asia Conference Schedule

2010-04-17T19:45:00.002+08:00

do click on the picture and zoom in to see the schedule clearly.
plus, thanks for the earphones (:

hansheng (:

Fighting to pray, praying to fight.

2010-01-09T02:57:00.003+08:00

Attention comrades of N317!!

Our fellow soldier Clara is collecting her Olevel results next Monday 11th January!
Let us fight this battle alongside with her by praying for her and with her!!!

Clara, we're believing with you that you are gonna do so well! Indeed, knowing you have done your best, let God do the rest okay! Your future is in His hands :) We await your good news!!!

*Salute*

2010-01-03T18:32:00.008+08:00

to everybody of N317

first of all, happy new year!
it has been an honour to have known each and every single one of you guys and girls.

for all your time, effort and understanding.
for every obstacle i have met, with you; for every occasion i have rejoiced with you.
i appreciate it all.

to all the brothers and sisters i have in N317, i sincerely thank you for your friendship.

and to all whom i might not have been very close to, may twenty-ten be a even better year of us.

have a great week ahead (:

from hansheng

TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY!

2009-12-24T03:27:00.002+08:00

IT'S CHRISTMAS!!! :)

Tis the season to be jolly! Because if not for christmas, we wouldn't be where we are today :) I'm eternally grateful to God for what He has given to us on Christmas day 2000 over years back!

This Christmas, let us spend it more meaningfully by being partaking in God's plan since the first Christmas - His plan of salvation for all of us; for our friends out there. Let's really pull in the harvest, and give our friends a chance to know Jesus our saviour :)

Remember our cell group is targetting 60 friends this Christmas. 60 souls we want to reach out to during this season; 60 lives we want to touch!

Let's all not grow weary in well-doing cause in due season we will reap if we do not lose heart!! (Gala 6:9)

See ya at the christmas services!!! :)
JIAYOU!

With love,
Gwen.

2009-12-11T01:08:00.004+08:00

everybody say:
"CAMP BELIEVE IS AWESOME!"

i hope camp has been great for everyone so far. =))
& i believe God has spoke to many of us during the sessions in various ways.

for me, tonight, God showed me a vision and told me a story.

it was a girl pulling a whole stack of brick-like items of various sizes and weightage behind her as she walked along a path.
as she walked, she slowly put down the bricks one by one by the road side.
she came to this point where she was left with the last brick.
the last brick was also the biggest in size & heaviest in weight.

she tried to lift the brick,
she pulllllleeeddddddddd,
she pushhhhheddddd...

but she was kind of like, labouring in vain.
the brick refused to move an inch.

the road that she was walking on was the road that will eventually lead her to God.

"'Not by might nor by power, but by (God's) Spirit'"
Zechariah 4:6

the girl then flipped the brick over to the side of the road.

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28

with every single brick left behind, she walked a few steps forward and came face to face with God.
in place of all the bricks that she laid down during her journey towards God,
God gave her new bricks.
He walked by her side & pulled the bricks with her.
when she felt tired and needed rest, God sat down with her and stayed close to her throughout the journey.

the bricks that the girl was laying down represents the things in our lives that we're holding on so dearly,
things that are precious to us.
the last piece of brick is like that one thing that hinders God from causing what He has planned to come to pass - in full.
it is very often the thing in our life that we always struggle to surrender.

then, God said,
"only when you can lay down every single brick that you're carrying with you when you're on your way to meet Me, then can I give to you ALL the bricks that I have prepared for you."

i surrender all
i will follow You
i surrender all
live my life for You.

p.s.: it's friday, 01 38, tonight's the last night of our camp. we're gonna have ALOT of fun!
& KNIGHT'S GONNA WINNNNNNNN =DDD

with love, vera. ^^

Lets pray!

2009-12-04T12:15:00.000+08:00

Dear all,

Our dearest Minghui has a very bad sore throat.
Do keep her in your prayers, so that she gets well real soon k!

We all love our favourite leader :)

2009-11-23T22:03:00.004+08:00

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO OUR DEAREST GWENDOLYN CARROT TAN! =DDD

hello gwen. =))

you have been a great blessing to N317 all these years.
nothing beats the many sacrifices, love and effort that you've put in to help Ming Hui bring the cell group to where it is today.
we're all believing that as you grow a year older, you're going to grow more deeply in love with God and more of God's favour and annoiting will be upon you and all that you lay hands on will be greatly blessed because if God is for you, nothing can be against you.
and please do remember, that N317 will be always for you as well!

keep shining in school and at home as a good testimony for Christ, keep on keeping on and keep on rising up!
we love you & we believe that your 17th year will be one that is of even greater works and greater miracles! =D

TO OUR DEAREST KARWEN,

2009-11-17T02:46:00.005+08:00

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much for being such an awesome sister and friend to all of us here in N317. You are really such a blessing and a joy to be with!!! :)

We just know God's gonna bring you to greater heights in this new age, and we're believing with you that you'll draw so much closer to your dreams. We look forward to see you in SOT soon!! :D

Loving you,
Your family N317.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STANFORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-11-13T13:49:00.005+08:00

N317 loves you so much, our dear bro!! :)
We wish you countless of breakthroughs in this new age of yours. May you excel so much in your studies!

And really have such an AWESOME BIRTHDAY!!
Have plenty of fun, and enjoy your special day :D

The word of God

2009-11-10T15:38:00.004+08:00

As a cell group, we will be reading 1 Samuel together in the month of November, and aim to complete it within this month! Lets make it a point to read at least 1 chapter a day! Finishing this book of 1 Samuel in a month is definitely achievable!!!

Lets not compromise the word of God and keep growing in Him!! :)

Jiayou!

2009-11-08T20:29:00.003+08:00

I would again like to extend belated thanks to everybody for today. I was unduly stumped and my tongue/brain started to cramp when MH began "Today we are going to celebrate two birthdays this week". Heartfelt appreciation on behalf of Karwen too, for super pretty gifts, yummified cheese cakes, benign well wishes, melodious singing, mellowed smiles and handshakes. I ruve you all =DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Happy Har low weee.

2009-10-30T02:27:00.004+08:00

Hi everybardy. Let me share my love through pictures. I really love N317 and the time spent fellowshipping with you guy so much so I have taken to snapping NICE photos. Be it face cramps or bitter grimaces, they are memories captured in brillant resolution and NOT to be deleted because I took great pains and numerous face slams on the my keyboard waiting for them to be uploaded. =D

Pls take note!

2009-10-20T00:12:00.001+08:00

Hey guys!

Just so you guys know, I uploaded Minghui's birthday video at the right column of the blog! :)

Love ya all, and have a blessed week ahead!

- Gwen

Fellowship @ Daily Scoop! & OPM!

2009-10-13T03:06:00.009+08:00

Last Saturday, after an awesome cg meeting, we went to Daily Scoop for ice-cream! Yummy!

Here's some of the pictures -

Hahah, Ayton!

WE LOVE ICECREAM!

-

Oh yeah, the previous day before cg was OPM!!
Many of us went, and indeed were very blessed! I was, for one.
God really moved during the OPM and His presence was very tangible..

I really enjoyed worshipping God overnight.
Did the rest of you enjoy? Do post up how OPM impacted you!! :)

For me, one of the things God reminded me was to always return to that place of worship -
where it's about noone/nothing else, but Jesus.
He reminded me about the story of Mary and Martha.
If you guys know the story, Martha was too caught up serving and in ministry; too caught up working..
Whereas Mary just sat at the feet of Jesus and worshipped Him; loved Him..

I really want to be a Mary.
What about you? :)

It's definitely very important to serve God and work hard. But more than that, our relationship with God matters most. Never neglect God at the expense of our work!

Lets, as a CG, come back to a place of TOTAL ABANDONMENT and worship towards God... Yes?

-

Lovin' you guys,
Gwen

FUN ON M.A.N.

2009-10-13T02:11:00.011+08:00

Hello everyone! :D
Here's an update on our awesomely fun Mid Autumn Night!!
(sorry I'm a bit late :/)

-

Group 1's Chang E (a.k.a Goldilocks!)
Group 1's Hou Yi. (So sad, Moses only wanted to attend a make-up cg... Little did he know he will be transformed into a legendary character! Haha..)
Group 2's very awesome Japanese version of Chang E!
And Group 2's muscular Hou Yi! (Notice the enlarged biceps? :D)
Proudly presenting to you our 4 warriors!!

Our biggest warrior carrying the MOON - Minghui! :D

Take a look at the videos taken, and laughhhhhhhh! Funny!!!

Group 1's portrayal of the story. Haha, Weiteck's so funny!

Group 2's turn to act out the story, mwahahahaha! :D :D :D

Competing whose costume is "stronger"..

Mid Autumn Night was really fun + funny! Our cg sure has hilarious people! I love us - fun-loving N317 :)

We celebrate different cultures, and enjoy our time together!

-

With love,
Gwen.

AWESOME STUFF!

2009-09-30T16:25:00.004+08:00

Dear all fashionable women of N317:

Our very own T.Huiwen just set up a new blogshop. Clothes there are awesome @ a reasonable price!!
You guys can web-shop here! :)

To all good-looking guys of N317:

You can recommend your lady friends :D

2-Oct-2009

2009-09-28T02:18:00.002+08:00

Upcoming is our very exciting Mid-Autumn Night on 2nd Oct!!! :D
It's gonna be a very fun time of celebration as we come together to PLAY MID-AUTUMN RELATED GAMES, EXPERIENCE OUR GOD OF CULTURAL TRADITIONS, AND FELLOWSHIP AS A FAMILY!
Don't miss out on the MAN fun this friday!!! (1, 2, 3...?)

ALL ARE WELCOMED TO JOIN US FOR THIS AWESOME TIME TOGETHER!

2009-09-25T07:08:00.005+08:00

it's an early friday morning quiet time revelation post! =)
it was an image. then came diction.
pardon the use of literary technique for i'm sitting for my literature paper at 14 30 later.

many times in our walk with God, we tend to try too hard with our own strength,
it's like hanging off a high cliff, fearing that we will fall to our deaths should we ever loosen our grip.
very often, the devil will stand on the cliff and urge us to try to climb up, for should we ever choose to loosen our grip, or should we ever lose the physical strength that we now possess, we are going to die.
he'd come and step hardddddd on our drained and weary fingers and yet, entreat us to pull ourselves up.
to the logical human or even animalistic mind, the devil appears ... encouraging.
for our minds know that falling off/loosing grip = the end.
it's like the stockholm syndrome where the devil attempts to make us loyal to him by the constant manipulation of our minds.

but guess that. the Bible says "not by might nor by power but by My Spirit".
as we start to take that step of faith to renounce the devil and to trust in the power of the Lord, as we choose to let go of that cliff,
as we fall, we will feel all powerless, in fact we know that we will be all powerless...
but it is during a time as such,
when we are all powerless, when we choose to do it by faith and not according to mere heard knowledge or teachings of the world,
that we will experience the perfect power of God.

God will send His angels to hold us,
He will send the Holy spirit to help us,
He will send people to encourage us,
and of course, God will also do it Himself.
He'll stretch out His hand to us in times of trouble and woe, when we feel like that situation cannot be resurrected...
He will be there, just on time.

we will not fall to our deaths when we let go of the cliff and choose to trust God. for the Bible says "a righteous man may fall seven times" but each time, he will "rise again" & we have all been made righteous in the eyes of God through the blood of Jesus Christ.

p.s.: please do not attempt to jump down a cliff now alright. the "cliff" illustration is merely a metaphor, not literal.
& please pardon my ugly drawings, i tried my best. >.<>

<3 vera =")

Must Read!

2009-09-23T11:25:00.004+08:00
Do read Pst Kong's new blog post on "Wholesome Shallowness"!
It will bless you!!
(His link is up on this blog already, with the rest of the links)

Equipped for the race

2009-09-20T21:26:00.007+08:00
Greetings to all ye people :)
These couple of weeks at church with Pst Kong have been mind-blowing, don't y'all agree?

-------

- How he preached about being a Cleaver, and not a kisser. And the sure significance of loyalty.
I was mightily convicted by the word, and committed myself to stay loyal to God, CHC, N317 (YOU GUYS), and definitely Minghui! :)

Ruth said to Naomi:
"For wherever you go, I will go
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
Your people shall be my people,
And your God, my God.
Where you die, I will die,
And there will I be buried.
The Lord do so to me, and more also,
If anything but death parts you and me."

Lets have the same kind of loyalty towards our leader! Which ever direction Minghui travels, we travel. Whatever vision she focuses on, let us focus on. The new friends she love, we love. The fellow cgmembers she care for, we care for too. Her God, our God. And lets be loyal to her to the very end. Yes?

- How Pastor also preached about the fact that God goes through extraordinary lengths to set up and prepare things for us, just so he can save us from destruction and bring us closer to our calling; a dream greater than ourselves. And also so He can build our characters.
God is really so patient, compassionate and loving towards us.

Remember, everything is set up so intricately by God.. Beautifully in its own time. :)

-------

The past few weekends have indeed really been so great! Lets carry the revelations that we have caught to finish running the last lap of our year!! Lets never opt to give up, but believe God will carry us through and always make a way for us even when there seems to be no way, ya?

"but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have." - 2 Corin 8:11

Gwen

operation bpp

2009-09-15T15:09:00.001+08:00
this friday,
4.00 pm,
at bukit panjang plaza,

get ready for a mind-blowing, or tickling for vera.

study group, make operation bpp a success with your prescence. (:

Friday Night Outing

2009-09-08T18:08:00.004+08:00
dearest N317.

stanford is opening up his cosy home for us this FRIDAY NIGHT. we can doing things like WATCH MOVIES, SING KARAOKE, HANG OUT and stuff. he lives at EUNOS and its big. please text HANSHENG if you want to come.

the people who are going as of now are:

1. Stanford
2. Vera
3. Han Sheng
4. Dawn
5. Huiwen
6. Gwen
7. Karwen

do reply me asap. if you're lazy, just take note of the stuff in blue.

p.s. N-levelers not welcome (:

Amazing Race @ Sentosa

2009-09-07T21:31:00.003+08:00

anyway one out of our two teams won first place! (:

hooray, N317! (:

2009-08-16T21:33:00.003+08:00
hi friends. =)

i'm sorry if i'm spamming this blog with my posts. >.<
God has been way too nice to me.

just wanted to say,
during praise & worship today, i felt a tugging in my little heart
"if you were to choose - results or God, which of the two will you choose?"
i felt it during praise you know, & i was so stunned.
then i imagined myself getting Us and Ss for every subject for some exam.
I TELL YOU, I ALMOST FAINTED AT MY SEAT.
LIKE, NO WAY. SERIOUSLY.

but i knew what was the right thing to do.
the song was totally in conjunction with the tugging.
"here i am surrender to You
let my life sing Your praise
bring honor to Your name"
then i felt God's assurance that "all things work out for the good of those who love Him" & "seek 1st the kingdom of God & all these things will be added onto you".

after service,
klinsen: do you feel lucky today? [he meant it in the "i hope i didn't fill your drink wrongly" context]
me: erm, i feel that God's telling me that i'm gonna do very well for this MSA.

i'm putting this conversation here BY FAITH, really.

anyway, i was really inspired by SOT grad today =D

not 100% yet,
but i wanna get there step by step,
steadily.

2009-08-13T02:35:00.003+08:00
yeah, vera.

i am in awe of how God works.

it's 2.35a.m. and i just did my quiet time.
i really was supposed to study,
but i thank God that i sought Him instead.

recently i kept meeting(like at random times) this primary school friend of mine that i haven seen for donkey years.
i remember very clearly that the 2nd time when i happened to see him when i had my ultra sexy voice (because of excessive coughing O.o), he said
"i think God wants me to meet you."
& then we laughed it off.

& i guess, it was really a devine meeting for a time as such.

we were just catching up a little on MSN and our conversation somehow evolved into one about God then into our relationships with God.
we know that we haven been the most faithful, not the most disciplined, not exactly putting God 1st in our lives.
we know that we sometimes allow our faith to be shakened by the world.
we know we haven been the most on fire Christians recently & we know we need to go back to the basics.
we know we can be better Children of God, we know God has not used us to our fullest potential yet.
we typed and thought and shared and the presence of God grew so strong.
i thought it was just me so i didn't comment on it.
but my friend suddenly said
"i feel like doing a power QT now. heck the studies & trust that God will handle it."
haha, not the most civilised manner of putting it, but yes, i agreed.
we were both supposed to be studying for papers later in the day. >.<

lo & behold, we really let go of our studies & went t seek God after sharing prayer requests.

i tell you, my quiet time was AWESOME.
& God totally dropped the right verses for me that addressed the issues that i had been struggling with recently.

i'm guilty of being obsessed over results.
i really, really, really, REALLY wanna do well in school. i REALLY wanna be the head and not the tail. i REALLY feel the stress as i see the whole world mugging so hard for MSA2 that is just, apparently, 2.5% of the JC1 overall. =.=
[i still don't understand the mugging part. o.o]

as i was worshipping, something nudged me to turn the Bible to 2 Timothy 6:9.
T WAS AMAZING.
he verse was one that i haven really noticed before.
but, it's really just what i need now.

"But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition"

"rich" is not limited to wealth. it can refer to studies, career, laziness etc. it may even be applied to ministry or relationship context.
it is the desire of our hearts that turn into an obsession that will cause destruction to what is eternal and truly worth seeking.
we should never love the "thing" more than we love God.

solution?
1 Timothy 6:11-12

"flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life."

& at the end of my quiet time, God said this to me

"the bigger picture of God's plan is ALWAYS the most beautiful."

really, we mustn't disect God's plan and admire it part by part.
it is really the whole overall picture that causes us to see how amazing each portion works together to form the overall.

& today, i saw the parts working together. =D
Ms K, my literature teacher, said yesterday that the approach we need to take when we tackle a poem is to see the big picture 1st, then we examine the various parts that work together to convey the main idea of the poem.

God is just, awesomely awesome.
how should i explain it?

Abraham faith

2009-08-13T01:43:00.002+08:00
"Whenever we go through a crisis and we cannot see His hand, we must learn to trust His heart. That the end intended by the Lord is always for our good—materially and financially—but more than that, to transform us from inside out. And even if the rewards of faith in God may not come to us in this life, they will surely come when we step into eternity" -P.K.

Trust God, in times of your toughest moments.
Just as what Pastor've preached; though we dont understand why God has put us in a certain situation, learn to trust in Him. For his ways and thoughts are higher than ours as. And when we trust Him, He will come true for us. God is always praying for us, looking out for us. Our Abba Father is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever.

-t.huiwen

Bridge

2009-08-10T14:24:00.006+08:00
Proverbs 11:25
The generous soul will be made rich,
And he who waters will also be watered himself.

If it takes 2 hands to clap and so it takes you to pray, and him to pray and her to pray to form bridges in the realm of the spirit!

When one person pray for the other, you're actually interceding.
And SO! You formed this spiritual bridge that you pray for healing for this person, when you get sick, you yourself will be healed!

Its just like a bridge is bi-directional, its 2 way.

You Him
Prayer

Prayer creates the platform for him to reach you and you to him!

Let us never stop praying for people, prayer changes nation, prayer changes the world.

Let us be Prayerfulness!

Law Signed out!

"Let there be light"

2009-08-08T22:00:00.004+08:00
I was on my way home one night when I suddenly received a text from my friend, telling me to look out for the moon! I started looking out for traces of light in the sky. As I was looking out for traces of light again and again to find the moon, it suddenly hit me that people are always looking for light.

No one really looks out and tries to find darkness. No one really appreciates darkness. We look out for the stars in the dark night. We enjoy fireworks during festive seasons. We like seeing glow-in-the-dark stickers in our dark rooms. We love the thrill of having lightsticks. People love light!

Now, back to my story... Haha, I found the moon! And the thing is, it was really pretty :) lights are beautiful and lovely.

Just check these out! ---

People are drawn to light. People love light. Lights are beautiful. Lights are magnificent. People NEED light.

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden."
Matt 5:14

N317, all of us are important people whom God placed in the world for a greater purpose than ourselves :) Lets not shortchange ourselves, but maximize our talents by relying on the Holy Spirit and while loving God. Let our light so shine before men :)

All for Jesus! :D

Much love,
Gwen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS!

2009-07-26T20:12:00.002+08:00
#1: Let us remember to, as a cell group, commit ourselves to praying 10 mins continuously in the spirit daily for this week!
After that, can continue with our own QT.. :D
Lets once again grow to a new and deeper level of communion with the Holy Spirit, amen? :)

#2: FOP THIS COMING WEEKEND, 31st July to 2nd August. 730pm at SIS!
FOP is a must not miss big nationwide event! Where 100 over churches in Singapore gather together, for one purpose - to praise and worship God as a country.
It's gonna be good and we who attend shall be very blessed!
Ask those who have attended the previous few years ;)
always recharging and refreshing!

#3: CHC 20TH ANNIVERSARY SERVICES
(a) Thanksgiving Service @ 9am SIS. [we are all going for this!]
(b) Celebration Service @ 1130am SIS :D

It's gonna be so exciting!! Let's all come expectant for a new dream and vision this Sunday! God's gonna do a great work for us, individually and corporately!!! EXCITING.

#4: WHO LOST A NIKE WATERBOTTLE?
Someone left his/her nike waterbottle at Minghui's house since A WEEK BACK. Do text Minghui and claim it from her before it ends up in her rubbish chute! It's transparent with a black tick. I think.

Okay that's all for now.
Have an amazing week ahead!!

Sustained Capacity

2009-07-20T00:11:00.003+08:00
Psalm 73:26 "My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Hey all! Cgm on Saturday was wonderful eh! I enjoyed it a lot and was very blessed by it. The word was so revelational and convicting!! How easy it is for us to pick up our beds at the word of Jesus when we are sick, but yet after a while, put them down again and continue lying on them, and forsake our breakthroughs. It's really sad when we do that :(

Lets not be like that kay?

Even as we have received encouragements from God during cgm etc, lets hold on to these encouragements, pick ourselves up, and never slip back into our comfort zones; never go back to our old ways. Lets really move from the old into the new!!

And more than that, lets develop the capacity to sustain these breakthroughs we've gotten from God. It may be hard many a time, but lets not rely on our own strength k! Cause when we try to make things happen by our own strength, it will always fail! But God is the strength our our hearts and our portion forever ya?? Lets really trust in Him for all we need to sustain our breakthroughs; to pick up our beds and keep walking, never turning back!!!

I pray today God will give us the strength to keep fighting this good fight of faith! Through this week, and through our time :)

We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!

XOXO,
Gwen.

ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

2009-07-19T23:42:00.002+08:00
PLEASE TAKE NOTE:

WHAT THING? OVERNIGHT PRAYER MEETING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHERE? Riverwalk
WHEN? 20th July 2009, Monday

Lets do our best to make time to go down for the overnight prayer meeting k guys! It's gonna be breakthrough time! Just like morning prayer meeting, overnight prayer meeting has an amazing spiritual atmosphere; one where the hand of God will be evidently moving!!

It's so exciting!!!! Can't wait!

2009-07-19T20:27:00.003+08:00
hey guys.
VERA HERE! =D

i was talking to klinsen just now on our way home.
then we realised that from the last time klinsen joined us for cell/service til now, practically every single member has changed [i mean transferred or backslidden].
like, he only knows gwen, hui wen, myself and of course, ming ming jie. =))

i went home and felt kinda burdened by this.
and i was left wondering - why? what happened?

we all see N317 growing and growing; especially recently.
but i think, more than just numbers is really the heart of each and every one of us. [but of course numbers is still important! =D]
we need to have a relationship with God that is not solely based on fellowship/fun/etc.
but i guess we all must really come to a point where we really experience God and know for sure that
even if the whole world should wither away, Jesus will be the eternal rocks that we're going to be holding on to and not the foliage in the forest that will fade away as winter comes by.

i recently found this hunger and thirst for God and His word and the fellowship with His saints and everything of His kingdom.
and i figured that the only reason why i found this hunger deep within me, stronger than ever before, is that i really cried out to God.
i did not feel that hunger at that point when i was crying out to God but i still asked and begged Him for it.
then, lo & behold!
GodIS ever faithful and true and indeed, He filled my heart and mind and soul with a kind of thirst and hunger that i have never experienced before.
one that is more sustainable than before.

i love God
& i love N317. =)

Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
Luke 6:21

p.s.: LET'S HAVE CELL GROUP OUTING TO EAST COAST!

STRONGER ATMOSPHERE (:

2009-07-19T19:50:00.009+08:00

i was super blown away by lawrence's $10 note revelation!

LAWRENCE, WHEN YOU FREE, MUST POST IT ON! (:

our cellgroup is growing both in numbers and also in unity!
keep it up! 30 closely knitted members!

[and gwen/minghui will treat us pizza]

Prayer Requests
Clara and Jasmine are sick, so pray for their recovery!
Gwen and Dawn are having tests, so pray for them too!
Ayton and Selena need to study for tests, so pray they will be disciplined!

and of course what minghui said today,
STRONGER ATMOSPHERE (:

revelation.

2009-07-12T21:12:00.005+08:00
haha just wanted to share what i felt God was telling me yesterday. [but i didnt dare to share during cell group haha]
that's what blogs are for anyway, right?

[start]

would you feel happy if you received an edhardy shirt as a present?
definitely!

would you feel happy if you received a second edhardy shirt?
yes, of course!

but would you still feel happy if you received your twentieth edhardy shirt?
[think of it eating McDonalds the first time in your life, compared to eating it tomorrow]

no of course you wont feel that happy anymore! yes, you will be glad and happy, but not as much as when you received the very first edhardy shirt right?

so we can see that the satisfaction derived decreases when you have more and more of it. [huh.. edhardy again?!?!]

[crux of the revelation]

there are very few things which actually give you more and more satisfaction.
even if you have a lot of it, you will not grow tired of it, but instead cherish every single one more and more.

"What is this thing?", you may ask.

in conjunction with minghui's birthday, i was asking myself that question.

indeed, minghui will feel delighted if we give her presents and clothes.

but why not give something special, something that will make her truly joyful and happy?

materialistic objects will only make us satisfied for the time being.
it is the joy of seeing more and more friends saved which will grant us real satisfaction.

i think and firmly believe, that the best presents minghui, or anyone else, in that matter, can receive, is seeing our cell group grow and multiply.

every single new friend that is saved amongst our midst really gives us joy and satisfaction, knowing that we have been a good servant. what more joy, would it bring to God?

what brings real satisfaction, is seeing our cell group brothers and sisters living for God and loving the people around us wholeheartedly.

not 365 edhardy shirts.

brothers and sisters, let's work togethers the vision minghui and N317 has.
to grow to 30 members by the end of this year.

not for the number's sake, but because we know it is God's vision for our cell group.
and at the end of all these, God will not remember the number of woolen Edhardy shirts you have, but rather the number of lost sheep you have brought to Christ.

[end]

2009-07-12T20:31:00.002+08:00
hello everybody.

during service today [12 July 2009], i kinda like, felt God's prompting to blog here.

this whole week wasn't a week of uncountable impacting encounters with God but i feel that i've found back my 1st love.
i haven't been exactly the most faithful person when it comes to my relationship with God and all but really, throughout my entire Christian life, i've seen God bringing me through the most difficult times and revealing various things about not just Himself but also about myself.
and i won't try to deny how horrible a "Christian" i am at times.
but yet, i really cannot comprehend God's understanding and consistant love and grace that is poured upon me.

if God was a human, He'd have already deemed me a failed Christian.

during service today, i saw in the spirit a vision.
it looked something like that:

PICTURE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE BUT APPARENTLY, BLOGGER HATES ME.

not the most beautiful picture but nevermind, you get the idea. =))

so yupp, i saw that in the spirit so i was asking God, "what's with that image? what are You trying to tell me?"
and guess what.
i received a revelation.

the cross was huge, i was so small, there was no one else except Jesus on the cross and myself. [yes, Jesus was on the cross just that i don't want to insult our Handsome and fit Jesus]
as cliche as it may sound,
God was telling me that i may be so small, so insignificant but Jesus/God is so huge, so much larger than all the things that i may be struggling with. and "God's grace is more than sufficient for (me)"
and i guess God knew that i really hungered today. i just really wanted the relationship to be so strong, even stronger than what it was before, i want to build a foundation that is so strong that nothing can ever topple the throne that i'll build for Jesus in my life. i really want to go back to the very basics and find God all over again.

& i think God is really extremely timely.
for the past few weeks, be it in cell group or service, there would always be messages about going back to our 1st love.
i guess it is God's way of preparing me for a time as such.

i felt Jesus smiling at me even though He was nailed to the cross, like He's more than willing to hang there just for me. like even if the rest of the world did not exist, He'll still choose to do it, just for me.
& the fact that there was only me at the foot of the cross made me realise Jesus will devote all His attention, all His sacrifices, all His pain etc to me/you.
when there's no one else around, even if only one person [you/me] existed on this earth, Jesus would still have done it. even if He needs to die on the cross all over again, He would still choose to do it.
right from the bottom of the hill of Calvery all the way to the moment when He dies, He would take pride in every single second just for this one person.

& i believe God wants us to work in a manner that even when there's no one else around, when no one's watching us, our faithfulness to God will still prevail, like how God's does.
that we'd still be on our knees worshiping Him like when we 1st received Christ. =))

God's good. always.

and here's a song that has always been very dear to me ever since SAJC LifeConcert 2009.
go youtube it, it's about God's love for us. =))

Love Song by Third Day.
I've heard it said that a man would climb a mountain
Just to be with the one he loves
How many times has he broken that promise
It has never been done.
I've never climbed the highest mountain
But I walked the hill of calvary

Just to be with you, I'd do anything
There's no price I would not pay
Just to be with you, I'd give anything
I would give my life away.

I've heard it said that a man would swim the ocean
Just to be with the one he loves
How may times has he broken that promise
It can never be done
I've never swam the deepest ocean
But I walked upon the raging sea

I know that you don't understand
the fullness of My love
How I died upon the cross for your sins
And I know that you don't realize
how much that I gave you
But I promise, I would do it all again.

Just to be with you, I've done everything
There's no price I did not pay
Just to be with you, I gave everything
Yes, I gave my life away.

Vera Loves Jesus & N317 & ET Zone. =)
perhaps N318 would spring up some day [please don't tell me about the current existing N318 LOL.]

Cell Group Forfeits

2009-07-07T00:51:00.000+08:00

ahhah cell group forfeit by gwen. blame it on her!

CASTAWAY - The Camp Edition

2009-06-30T02:19:00.001+08:00
I'm sure those of you who attended the ET Zone youth camp 2009 enjoyed yourself plenty!! At least in one way or another!

Here's a video help those of you who attended to relive those moments. And to make those of you who didn't attend jealous!

ET Camp Castaway - The Camp Edition from Jayme Shing on Vimeo.
For those who missed the camp, be sure to NOT miss the next one man!!! Or you'll definitely regret big time!

2009-06-28T20:28:00.001+08:00
Website in construction!
Please come back again soon to visit!

2009-06-16T02:43:00.002+08:00
DON'T MISS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE JUNE HOLIDAYS!!!
THE EVER EXCITING, EXHILARATING, EMPOWERING YOUTH CAMP!

ET CASTAWAY - THE CAMP EDITION

Come, and be mightily blessed this June!

Touching God’s Anointed

2009-05-03T21:45:00.000+08:00
And he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.” 1 Samuel 24:6

In 1 Samuel 24, something very interesting happened. Saul had gone into a cave to ease himself. Sensing a great opportunity, David’s men "prophesied" to him, saying, "This is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you’" (24:4a). Every prophecy needs to be judged, and in this case, David’s men-with all their good intentions-were way off the mark.

In the natural, David was given a golden opportunity to ambush Saul. After all, God had promised him the necks of his enemies and Saul was right there, ripe for the picking. Every natural indicator pointed toward the killing of Saul. But God didn’t instruct David to do that. We must always walk by the leading of the Holy Spirit and not by our own clever human reasoning. Unfortunately, there is always the temptation to "help God out" when our vision is not forthcoming.

Although Saul was a terrible man, he was nonetheless David’s anointed king, father-inlaw, and mentor-albeit a bad one! The Bible says, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves" (Rom. 13:1-2). We must not come against those God has ordained.

David had the good sense not to listen to his men. But in his heart, he wanted to teach Saul a lesson. He wanted to shame Saul openly. So, "David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe" (1 Sam. 24:4b). That was an arrogant act designed to let Saul know that he could have killed him if he wanted to. In the natural, to David’s own men, his cutting off a corner of Saul’s robe was an act of mercy. But to God, it was an attitude of gross dishonor. God was so upset that He smote David’s heart (24:5). David had touched His anointed.

Our attitude determines our altitude. Very often, it is not just what we do or don’t do, it is the attitude we project; the signals we give. And to God, those signals are more important than our words and deeds. If David could not honor the authority God had ordained in the nation, he had no right to exercise authority over others. Therefore, David said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD" (24:6). May we never touch the anointed servants of God in His kingdom.

The Wandering Years

2009-05-02T21:54:00.000+08:00
So David fled and escaped, and went to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. 1 Samuel 19:18

David suffered great injustice under Saul. Saul became so jealous of David that he tried to kill him five times while David was serving in the palace. Eventually, David had to flee for his life. 1 Samuel 19-27 records the wandering years of David. David first fled from Gibeah to Ramah, looking for Samuel the prophet (19:18-19).

At that time, Samuel was still very much alive. He understood the situation between Saul and David very well. To the rest of Israel, Saul was the man appointed by God to be the king. In his own right, Saul was a warrior worthy of respect. The people had no idea just how treacherous a king he could be. Who else could David have turned to except Samuel? The aging prophet was the only one who understood. When we experience trials in our lives, we need someone who can see beyond the veil and comfort us. Every Christian should have a spiritual leader-a discipler or mentor-whom we can run to in our moments of crisis.

After Ramah, David fled to the Philistine city of Gath (21:10-12). Having no other place to run to and ending up in the territory of Israel’s harshest enemy was the worst nightmare possible. And it was during this harrowing time that David composed two beautiful songs, Psalms 34 and 56. When we read these psalms, we often assume that David was writing them in the comfort of his home or temple. Quite on the contrary, they were written when he was fi ghting for his very survival!

The worst part of going through a trial is not understanding why the trial is occurring, or what the purpose of the trial is. You can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. You don’t even know where you are going. There will always be periods when you feel like you are wandering through life aimlessly. You are unable to grasp any sense of the direction you are heading. In those moments when you can’t fully comprehend everything that is going on in your life, just cling tightly to Jesus.

He is working out something wonderful for you. Matthew 3:11-12 says, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Hiswinnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fi re.” The process of winnowing takes place when the wheat is tossed up and down to separate the chaff from the wheat. God uses times of shaking to separate the bad from the good in you. Although it may be a heartbreaking time of weeping, God will use those seasons ultimately for your good.

The Power Of Your Testimony

2009-05-01T21:57:00.000+08:00
"Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.” Acts 22:1

The word of our testimony is a very powerful spiritual weapon when we engage in soul-winning (Rev. 12:10-11). A faith-filled, positive, well-organized testimony is a very effective destroyer of fear, doubt and apathy. A testimony is especially powerful when it is inspired by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). Jesus encourages us that the most dire situation may “turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist” (Luke 21:13-15).

Principle #1 in sharing your testimony: Identify and endear yourself to your listener. In Acts 21-22, Paul was brought before a hostile crowd. He didn’t try to act religious or be superspiritual. He simply used wisdom to gain a chance to witness for the Lord. He appealed to the fact that he was a citizen of the Roman Empire and as such, he had a constitutional right to speak freely as a citizen (21:37-39). To win their attention, Paul spoke to the predominantly Jewish crowd in the Hebrew language instead of Greek. By doing that, he identifi ed himself as a fellow Jew and endeared himself to the people (21:40-22:2).

Principle #2: Don’t preach down at others; be persuasive by talking politely to them. Paul didn’t preach hard at the people in a condescending tone. Instead, he chose to simply share his personal life testimony (22:3).

Principle #3: Briefl y tell how you were like before you accepted Christ. Paul shared about his past as an ultra-zealous Pharisee, preoccupied with jailing Christians and persecuting many believers to death (22:4-5).

Principle #4: Briefly tell how you received Christ. Paul then shared how he met Jesus on the way to Damascus (22:6-16). All throughout his testimony, he didn’t use highsounding theological jargons. He spoke so simply that even the most hardened sinner could understand him.

Principle #5: Briefl y tell how you are like after you accepted Christ (22:17-21). Notice that all throughout the sharing, Paul kept his testimony very short and brief. A good testimony should not last more than five minutes. Paul used this simple testimony format very effectively to reach out to many sinners-to government offi cials and even King Agrippa. Agrippa was so moved by his sharing that he told Paul: “You almost persuade me to become a Christian” (26:28). Learn to be a good witness for Christ by always being ready to share your testimony.

A Divided Heart

2009-04-30T21:58:00.000+08:00
So Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifi ces, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22

Jesus says, “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away …” (John 15:2). Saul was an unfruitful branch. Although he was joined to the vine, there was no life of God flowing through its veins. Eventually, God had to remove him from power. What were Saul’s problems?

First of all, Saul had a divided heart. His behavior was very inconsistent. On some days, he would be passionate for the Lord. On other days, he would live like a pagan without the knowledge of God. On some days, he would prophesy under the anointing of the Spirit. On other days, he would come under the influence of evil spirits. His was indeed a life of terrible mixture. A person who is double-minded is unstable in all his ways (James 1:8). May we pray the prayer of David: “Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name” (Ps. 86:11).

Secondly, Saul was a man of partial obedience. The first rule of having authority over others is to be under authority yourself. Saul usurped Samuel’s priestly authority by offering unlawful sacrifi ces on the altar (1 Sam. 13:8-13). He disobeyed God’s Word and overstepped his boundaries in the temple worship. When God instructed Saul to kill all the Amalekites and all their cattle, he disobeyed and spared King Agag and his cattle (15:9, 19-20). Saul’s fatal problem was that he always obeyed partially, never completely. Partial obedience is rebellion. Partial obedience will lead to self-deception. Eventually, Saul’s self-deception led him into witchcraft and the occult.

Thirdly, Saul was childish emotionally. He had no control over his own feelings, moods and anger. He would inordinately lose his temper over his soldiers and even Jonathan his son. He would become uncontrollably jealous of David. For us, Saul is a picture of the fleshly believer who refuses to submit to the lordship of Christ.God is looking for complete obedience in your life. God doesn’t want you to only offer lip service in half-hearted agreement to His Word and yet not fully obey what He is saying to you. God wants you to walk uprightly and wholeheartedly with Him. He doesn’t want you to deceive yourself into thinking that just because you invited Him once into your life, you can now live a fl eshly lifestyle and still inherit the kingdom of God. God wants to take out the nature of Saul in you, and replace it with the nature of David. Would you let Him?

The Source Of Strength

2009-04-29T08:27:00.001+08:00
That he told her all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.” Judges 16:17

Samson the mighty judge did great exploits against the Philistines, the enemy of Israel. The name “Samson” means “sunshine” or “glory of the sun.” He had a supernatural birth because his mother was actually barren and could not conceive (Judg. 13:3). An angel of the Lord announced his birth to her. So right from his mother’s womb, Samson was already consecrated unto the Lord. He was called to be a holy Nazirite from the day he was born.

Apart from the Levitical priests, the Nazirites were the only other group in Israel who were considered holy. By establishing the Nazirite order, God gave every Israelite an equal chance to be holy. All a person needed to do was to take the Nazirite vow and choose to separate himself wholly unto the Lord. The terms of the vow were as follows: (1) He was not to drink any strong drink, (2) He was not to cut his hair, and (3) He was not to touch anything unclean. The Nazirites had voluntarily chosen to set themselves apart for God’s holy service (Num. 6:1-8).

Samson was the mightiest and strongest man who ever lived. With his bare hands, he was able to tear a lion apart (Judg. 14:6). On one occasion, Samson slew 30 Philistines by himself (14:19). On another occasion, he killed 1,000 men with the jawbone of a donkey (15:15).

One night, while the people were all sleeping, Samson went to the gate of the city of Gaza and he lifted the whole city gate on his shoulders and carried it to the top of Mount Hebron (16:3). Imagine carrying a city gate that weighed several tons on your shoulders for over 60 km and then climbing up a mountain with it! Where did Samson get his supernatural strength from? The secret was in his hair: “If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man” (16:17). The length of Samson’s hair was the measure of his consecration and faithfulness to the vow he had made to the Lord.

God’s supernatural power increases proportionately to the level of holiness in your life. Consecration is always the source of authority, power and strength. The more you separate yourself unto Him, the more God can pour out His anointing upon you.

Wanting Something Out Of God’s Will

2009-04-28T08:39:00.001+08:00
And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.“ 1 Samuel 8:7

Although Samuel was the undisputed spiritual leader of Israel, the people rejected his leadership. One reason was because Samuel committed the same mistake as Eli, the former high priest. Just like the latter, Samuel appointed his sons to top leadership although they were ungodly and dishonest. And he failed to discipline and remove them from office when they took bribes and perverted justice in the temple.

If change doesn’t come top down by revelation, it will eventually come bottom up by revolution. In the end, the people of Israel used the failure of Samuel’s two sons as an excuse to force him out of leadership. They could have gone the spiritual way and prayed for a God-given solution for their nation. Instead, they wanted a charismatic king just like the heathens around them. But God wanted Israel to be led by spiritual leaders-His prophets and priests-not by a king mandated by popular demand. So when the people rejected Samuel, they were in effect rejecting God Himself!

You must be very careful when you want something very badly from the Lord. Because when you want it badly enough, God may give it to you. However, you must be ready to face the consequences of your request. That is why prayer requests must always be according to the will of the Lord. And sometimes when your prayers don’t come to pass immediately, it may be because it is not God’s best for your life. But if you stubbornly insist on it, God may grant you your wish, even when He knows it is bad for you. Psalm 106:15 says, “And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.”

You must make sure that the desires of your heart are in alignment with the will of God, that your heart is in tune with God. And what you are seeking is also what He desires for your life. Otherwise, you may live with regrets later on. Despite the repeated warnings Samuel gave about the danger of having a king, Israel refused to listen. Eventually, God granted them their wish. Saul became their king … and what a terrible leader he was for the nation.

The scariest thing that can happen to a believer is for him to have an external form of religiosity, but no presence and power of God in his daily walk. Or for that Christian to invoke the name of Jesus in His prayer, and find no power in his invocation. May the glory of God never depart from your life!

A Form Of Godliness

2009-04-27T08:26:00.001+08:00
Then she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 1 Samuel 4:21

In 1 Samuel 4, Israel needed the power to fight against the Philistines, but she was found wanting. She lost. The Philistines won. The Philistines represent a type of the lawless self or the fleshly nature in man. The first time the Philistines are mentioned in the Bible, they were a people without the fear of God (Gen. 20:11). The second time the Philistines are mentioned, they were a people filled with jealousy and envy (Gen. 26:14).

They pleased themselves with immorality (Is. 2:6). God ultimately judgedthem for their pride (Zech. 9:6). Therefore, the Philistines speak of the self-life, self-love, selfpleasure and self-exaltation in the soulish man. God never lets His people face a battle unprepared. Yet, when the Israelites fought against the Philistines, they were resoundingly defeated. You can never defeat an enemy you have embraced as a friend. Israel was behaving exactly like the Philistines themselves. The leaders were self-centered, and indulging themselves with the food and offerings that were given to the temple. They were perverting the house of God into a prostitution den with their gross immorality. Israel may have had the priesthood and the temple, but she had become undisciplined, lawless and carnal.

The worst thing that can happen to a church is to have a form of godliness but not the power thereof (2 Tim. 3:1-5). Having the outward religious motions but not the inward spiritual reality. Maintaining the external form of ecclesiastical structure but devoid of the Holy Spirit’s
fire and power.

Israel went into battle against the Philistines with a very impressive number of troops. They were very loud and excited because the ark of covenant was with them. Unfortunately, God was not. Israel had the form but no longer the power. Eventually, the two sons of Eli the high priest died and the ark was captured (1 Sam. 4:11). The glory of the Lord had departed from the people.

Fasting

2009-04-26T08:27:00.000+08:00
As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. Acts 13:2-3

The leaders in the Antioch church were ministering to the Lord with prayer and fasting. Fasting is often a neglected spiritual activity among believers. Yet it is referred to all throughout the pages of the Bible. Fasting is defined as the voluntary abstaining from food for spiritual purposes. It is often done with prayer because fasting intensifies your praying.

The most natural thing for us to do every day is to eat. When we give up eating, we deliberately turn away from the natural by turning to God and to the supernatural. By fasting, we are really renouncing the natural to invoke the spiritual. All throughout the Scriptures, we see how God attached tremendous importance to fasting as the appointed way for His people to humble themselves before Him.

When Ezra and Israel fasted and humbled their souls before God, the Lord protected them from their enemies (Ezra 8:21-23). When Jehoshaphat humbled himself before the Lord by fasting, God delivered the kingdom of Judah from destruction (2 Chr. 20:2-4). Before Jesus entered His public ministry, He had to pass through two critical experiences: (1) He had to be filled with the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, and (2) He had to fast for 40 days in the desert (Luke 4:1-2). Even Jesus had to humble Himself and focus on the spiritual! The result of His fasting was the great personal victory He had over Satan’s temptations. Besidesthat, His fasting released the power of the Spirit to fl ow without any hindrances through His life
and ministry. If we want to follow in the other great works that Jesus did, then it seems logical that we must also begin where He began-by fasting!

In the Early Church, prayer and fasting were the standard ways by which the New Testament leadership operated. In the Antioch church, the sending of Barnabas and Saul for missions was entirely a miraculous work of the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:4). But it was only through fasting that the leaders were able to move from the realm of the natural into the supernatural.

Finally, fasting is God’s appointed way to bring your carnal nature into subjection.Your body makes a wonderful servant but a terrible master. If you really want to succeed in the Christian life, you must ensure that your body does not dictate you or control you (1 Cor. 9:27).

Rather, you are controlled by God’s destiny and purpose for your life. By regular fasting, you serve notice to your body and your carnal nature: “Body, you don’t control me. I’m not subject to you. You’re my servant. You’ll obey what the Holy Spirit in me declares I have to do!”

Travail Of The Soul

2009-04-25T08:56:00.000+08:00
And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish. 1 Samuel 1:10

Hannah was despised because she had no children. In her barrenness, she cried out to the Lord. The name “Samuel” means “asked of God.” That was exactly what Hannah did when she was childless-she asked God for a son. The key to fruitfulness is the travail of the soul. Hannah didn’t come to God with a lackadaisical attitude. She came before the Lord with a heavy burden and a holy dissatisfaction, crying desperately and wailing with anguish. Her soul was going through pain and agony. Just like a mother travails as she goes through childbirth, Hannah went through a “birthing” in her spirit.

Every revival is born out of very intense prayer. Today, six of the 10 largest churches in the world are found in one country-South Korea. Yet, South Korea went through much devastation during the Japanese occupation and the Korean War. At the turn of the 20th century, Korean Christians were greatly persecuted. Many were incarcerated and martyred. In the midst of their tribulation, the Korean believers cried out to the Lord for revival. There was travailing prayer 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The result of that was a mighty revival that swept through the land after the Korean War. Christians pooled whatever little resources they had to build schools, hospitals and churches. Correspondingly, God blessed the country. Today, South Korea is one of the most advanced nations and powerful economies in the world. It has become a fruitful nation.

Referring to Jesus, Isaiah says that “He shall see the fruit of the travail of His soul, and be satisfi ed” (Is. 53:11, Amp). In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was in such agony as He prayed that His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground (Luke 22:44). Out of Christ’s travail came forth a glorious Church! May we grieve over the unfruitfulness in our lives and churches. May we come before the Lord in pain and brokenness, crying: “Lord, please remove the reproach of barrenness from my life. Make me a productive person for the kingdom.” Let’s become “Hannahs” before the Lord, desperate to see fruitfulness in our lives.

The Sacrifice Of Praise

2009-04-24T08:35:00.000+08:00
But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25

Paul had just cast out a spirit of divination from a slave girl in the city of Philippi. When her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they had Paul and Silas arrested, severely beaten and imprisoned. There in the Philippian jail, instead of despairing for their lives, Paul and Silas started praying and praising God by singing hymns at the midnight hour. There are five facts about praise:

(1) Praise is always vocal. Since it is an expression of your faith-which itself is not silent-praise is never silent too. Two Hebrew words for “praise” are shabach and halal, both implying to shout aloud noisily until it seems like you are clamorously foolish! Paul and Silas were singing hymns so loudly in the Philippian jail that all the prisoners could hear them clearly.

(2) Praise is a sacrifice. Hebrews 13:15 says, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” It is easy to praise God when life is going well. But for praise to be meaningful, it must cost you something. The most important time to praise the Lord is when everything seems to be going wrong, and you least feel like praising Him. Those are the moments when your praise is most precious to the Lord. Even though they were unfairly tormented, Paul and Silas decided to praise God by their sheer willpower and faith in Him.

(3) Praise is the cure for depression. It is the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Is. 61:3). Praise will lift up your spirit every time you feel down.

(4) Praise is a powerful spiritual weapon against Satan. Psalm 8:2 says that praise is the means by which we can silence Satan, the accuser of the brethren. Literally, that means that each time you praise the Lord, God will tell the devil to “shut up” on your behalf.

(5) Praise prepares the way for divine supernatural intervention. The literal Hebrew text of Psalm 50:23 says, “To him who offers praise, he prepares a way for God to show His salvation.” In the Bible, we read that both Jehoshaphat and Jonah had found this to be true. They had their deliverances when they started praising God. Deep in the dungeon of Philippi, the praise Paul and Silas offered to the Lord brought about a great earthquake that shook open the prison doors. The next time you are serving God and things don’t quite go the way you planned, remember to offer God your sacrifice of praise. Praise always triumphs gloriously!

Get Planted In God’s House

2009-04-23T08:34:00.001+08:00
But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.” Ruth 1:16-17

The book of Ruth introduces Elimelech, a man who lived in Bethlehem-Judah. The name of that town literally means “the house of bread and praise,” an unmistakable picture of the church. Then a famine hit the land and Elimelech uprooted his family, left the house of God, and emigrated to Moab (1:1) The Moabites were the descendants of Lot’s incestuous relationship with his eldest daughter. In that sense, Moab was spiritually a cursed land.

Actually, the name “Elimelech” means “my God is King.” But his lifestyle didn’t quite measure up to his name. That is really a lack of integrity-he stood for one thing and yet practiced another. Elimelech is like many Christians today who readily claim that God is number one in their lives. But the moment they see a better opportunity somewhere else, they would leave their house of bread and praise. God, in reality, is not really their King. When you say, “Jesus is Lord of my life,” you are saying that He rules over you 100 percent in everything. In good times, in bad times, you will always place Him first. His house automatically becomes the first order of consideration in the way you arrange your life.

Elimelech had a wife by the name of Naomi (1:2). In the passage of time, Elimelech and his two sons, Mahlon (”sick”) and Chilion (”wasting away”) all died (1:4-5). Finally, Naomi came to her senses. She told her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth: “Girls, I want to go back home to the house of the Lord. I know there is a famine there but I want to start putting God first again. If you girls want to stay behind, that’s fine with me. But I am going back to the house of bread and praise.”

Orpah said, “Err, thanks but no thanks. I think I’ll stick around in Moab for a while.” But Ruth said to Naomi, “I will never forsake you” (1:16-17). Naomi’s newfound passion for God’s house so inspired Ruth that the latter now wanted to go back with her. When they got back, Ruth found her kinsman-redeemer in a man by the name of Boaz. They fell in love and got married. Out of their lineage came forth Jesus Christ. By being planted in the house of the Lord, Ruth found her destiny. When you are planted in God’s house, you too become part of an amazing process that will manifest Jesus Christ to the whole world.

Tribulation

2009-04-22T08:47:00.001+08:00
Strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22

We are a generation of Christians who are so fearful of the word “tribulation.” But trials and tribulations are part and parcel of the Christian life. In fact, Jesus promises: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Tribulation is a promise from God. And when we are spiritually and psychologically prepared to tackle them, we won’t be shocked or caught unawares when they do show up. Why does God allow trials and tribulations? Because as terrible as they may be, they are good for our spiritual development. Romans 5:3-4 says, “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Basically, Paul is saying that you should rejoice in tribulation because it builds a backbone of steel and character in you. And you need those two things if you want to see your visions and dreams coming to pass.

Today, there are many Christians who believe that God will never allow His children to suffer. Unfortunately, the escaping of tribulation is never supported in the Scriptures. God is more interested in your character than in your comfort. Just look at the disciple whom Jesus loved the most—John. He was imprisoned on the island of Patmos for his faith in Christ. How did John address himself? He said, “I am your brother and companion in tribulation” (Rev. 1:9).

Tradition has it that John was eventually killed by being boiled in a pot of oil. But wait a minute! Wasn’t he the favorite disciple of Jesus? Then shouldn’t Jesus have done something for His most beloved follower? If Jesus didn’t exempt John from tribulation, what makes you think you are
any more special?

In these end-times, God is not raising up a congregation of softies. He is raising up an army that can endure hardship for Him. Don’t be afraid of the many tribulations you may have to go through. Paul says, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). When you face sufferings (or persecution!) for your faith in Jesus, you will receive special grace to go through them in that hour. Remember: “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you … If you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name” (1 Pet. 4:14,16 NIV).

The Antioch Church

2009-04-21T09:03:00.001+08:00
And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Acts 11:26

The city of Antioch is 480 km north of Jerusalem. In the days of the Roman Empire, it was the third largest and third most important city after Rome and Alexandria. It had one of the most important ports in the world, and it was the communication center for the entire empire. As a very modern city during its time, Antioch had magnificent buildings, theaters and forums. The people were highly educated and spoke Greek fluently. However, the Antioch church was a relatively young congregation. The concept of missions was a very new and novel idea. Yet, in one generation, the Antioch church practically changed the entire Gentile world. How could one church do so much for world missions?

There are five reasons:

(1) The Antioch church had a deep spiritual hunger for God. They were strong in prayer and the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:1-4). There was a strong passion for spiritual revival.

(2) The Antioch church excelled in discipleship. A disciple is a thoroughly trained worker with a great attitude. Discipleship takes time. It took Paul and Barnabas one whole year of teaching and imparting to train the believers in the church. The result of all that discipleship
is that the members of the church started talking like Jesus, thinking like Jesus, acting like Jesus, working like Jesus, and living like Jesus. They were so identified with Christ that, for the first time in history, the public started calling them “Christians” (11:26).

(3) The Antioch church was a very giving church. They were generous with both their financial and human resources. They gave sacrificially for the relief work in Judea (11:29) They were quick to send out workers into the mission field whenever the Holy Spirit directed them (13:2-3).

(4) The Antioch church worked as a team. They sent out missionaries in teams that often comprised of both church workers and volunteers.

(5) The Antioch church really supported and cared for their missionaries. Whenever Paul and his team returned from a missionary journey, the entire congregation would shower love and care upon them (cf. 14:27-28). Those five ingredients will turn any local congregation into a strong missions church.

Memorial Prayer

2009-04-20T08:32:00.000+08:00
And said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God.’ Acts 10:31

Acts 10 is a very significant chapter because it is in this chapter that the Gentile Church was born. With the preaching of the gospel to Cornelius’ household, world evangelism and world missions were launched. While there had been many Gentiles who were kind to the gospel, Cornelius did something that drew God’s attention directly to him. There is no doubt he was a man who loved God. And in his love for God, he caught hold of the principle that Jehovah is a giver, not a taker.

As he prayed and prayed, and gave more and more, all of a sudden the Lord gathered up all his prayers and giving, blended them together, and turned them into a powerful memorial prayer that activated His hand into quick action. A memorial is a reminder-a tool to preserve remembrance. While God never forgets, He asks to be reminded. Isaiah 43:26 says, "Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together; state your case, that you may be acquitted." When you mix your prayer with giving, you "promote" that prayer into a special memorial that will move God to act on your behalf.

When barren Hannah mixed her intercession with a vow to give, the Lord immediately remembered her and she conceived that same night (1 Sam. 1:19). When Jephthah mixed his prayer with a vow to give, immediately God moved mightily and delivered Israel from the Ammonites (Judg. 11:32). When the widow of Zarephath decided to mix her prayer with giving, she "promoted" her prayer into a special memorial before God. Almost instantly, God took her out of abject poverty into His financial abundance (1 Kin. 17:9-16). What kind of giving memorializes a prayer? In Mark 14:8, a woman "did what she could" in her sacrifi cial giving to Jesus. She offered her best and most precious to the Lord. Jesus took notice of her and her deeds were memorialized for all time (14:9). What was the key? She gave her best to God!

Be a prayer warrior. But know that it is the prayer of faith that moves mountains. So start mixing your intercession with your faithful tithing and generous giving. Your giving will turn your faith loose and intensify the supplications you are bringing before the Lord.

The Mission Mandate

2009-04-19T08:35:00.000+08:00
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” Acts 9:15-16

Paul constantly exhorts us to pattern our lives after his (Phil. 3:17). His is the life of a missionary. So must ours be. Missions can be defined as God sending the whole church with the whole gospel to the whole world to meet the spiritual and social needs of humanity.

Why is missions so important?
(1) The purpose of Jesus dying on the cross is for world missions. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”(John 3:16). God sent His Son as a Missionary to our fallen world. His heart is in missions. Jesus died so that every nation, tribe, people and tongue could enter the kingdom of God (Rev. 7:9-10).

(2) The purpose of being a child of God is for world missions. God charged man to subdue and have dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:28). That means to change the spiritual environment by saving the lost in every town, city and country.

(3) The purpose of your calling is for world missions. “I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles”(Is. 42:6). God didn’t call you just to be an entrepreneur or a marketplace professional, or even a fivefold minister per se. His primary calling for you is to be a light to the unreached in the mission field.

(4) The purpose of Pentecost is for world missions. The anointing of the Holy Spirit was given so that you can do missions (Acts 1:8). Only when the 11 disciples obeyed the Great Commission and went out into the mission fi eld did the Holy Spirit confi rm their preaching through signs and wonders following (Mark 16:15-20).

(5) The purpose of prosperity is for world missions. The reason why God pours out His abundant blessings to you is so that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed”(Gen. 12:3). God gives you the power to get wealth so that the Abrahamic mission covenant can be established (Deut. 8:18). How many mission trips are you planning to go on this year? Don’t procrastinate anymore. Prayerfully sign up for one as soon as you can!

Gideon’s 300 Men

2009-04-18T08:38:00.000+08:00
Then the LORD said to Gideon, “By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place.” Judges 7:7

Gideon was given the task of delivering the Israelites from the Midianites, desert nomads who repeatedly raided Israel. Gideon the judge portrayed our Lord Jesus Christ in two interesting ways. First of all, when Gideon was choosing men to fight against the enemies, he had 32,000 volunteers who joined his army. God instructed him to reduce the number of men lest Israel should claim glory for herself when He grants them victory. The fearful and afraid were sent home and Gideon was left with 10,000 men (Judg. 7:2-3). However, God was still not satisfied with the number of people and He put them through another test. This time, He tested their alertness and readiness. Those who knelt down to drink with their mouths in the stream were sent home. Only 300 passed (7:6-7)! In a similar way, Jesus chooses only those worthy to be in His army. He never appealed to the crowd, He went after serious disciples. The Bible says many are called but few are chosen (Matt. 22:14). Among the called and chosen, you find another category of people: those that are found faithful (Rev. 17:14).

Secondly, both Gideon and Jesus shared the same strategy in their missions. Gideon and his men all had pitchers in their left hand and trumpets in their right. When they launched their attack, they blew the trumpet, broke the pitchers, each concealing a torch within, to allow the light
of the torches to shine forth as they charged forward (Judg. 7:19-21). On the cross of Calvary, Jesus died in His mortal human body-an earthen vessel of clay. His body was broken so that the light of God can shine forth and dispel the darkness of sin in our lives.

Your trumpet is the gospel you need to proclaim to the whole world. As you crucify your old man with Christ, you are breaking your pitcher. And the glory of the new man, which bears the life of Christ, can then shine forth. Jesus says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

Nursing The Wounded

2009-04-17T09:45:00.000+08:00
Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel. Judges 5:7

In the book of Judges, the wife of Lapidoth was special because she was the only female judge of the Bible. She was the first female head of state in the history of Israel. “Deborah” was not her original name. She received her name from another Hebrew girl who lived generations before-Deborah, the nurse of Rebekah (Gen. 35:8). As such, when God raised up the wife of Lapidoth to be the judge of Israel, she borrowed the name of Rebekah’s aide since she herself functioned very much as a “nurse” to the entire nation.

A nurse is someone who takes care of another person who is sick or wounded. As a nurse, Deborah was a spiritual mother to Israel. The name “Deborah” literally means a “bee.” In entomology, there is a very special bee that is called a “nurse bee.” Its function in the bee colony is to care for the young. The ministry of Deborah was just like that. God used her to nurse a spiritually sick and backslidden nation back to a healthy relationship with Him.

As a deliverer, Deborah delivered the children of Israel from the oppression of the Canaanites. As an encourager, she inspired the demoralized Barak and gave him the confidence to lead the army of Israel against the enemy (Judg. 4:8-9). As a restorer, Deborah restored the faith of the people back to the living God. As a woman, she allowed herself to be physically and emotionally vulnerable in the face of great adversity.

With so many who are bruised and wounded today, God needs spiritual mothers and shepherds in His Church. He needs leaders who will bind the wounds of those who are hurt and strengthen those who are weak. God is looking for leaders who can be vulnerable and meek before the people they serve. A good leader would be like Jesus, who would “feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young” (Is. 40:11).

The Canaanites speak of the curse of sin (Gen. 9:24-27). Every soul is precious. We must not lose them to the Canaanites. May you rise up as a Deborah-a spiritual nurse-to the spiritually wounded and discouraged people God brings across your path.

Dealing With Your Past

2009-04-16T09:27:00.000+08:00
When the children of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the children of Israel, who delivered them: Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. Judges 3:9

After coming into the Promised Land, the children of Israel backslided spiritually. In Judges 3, God allowed Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Mesopotamia, to oppress the people for eight years (Judg. 3:8). Mesopotamia symbolizes the land of our past. It was the world of sin and idolatry that Abraham forsook for Canaan (Acts 7:2-3).

King Cushan-Rishathaim is a type of Satan, the devil, the power who once ruled your life (Eph. 2:1-3). And this wicked king, from the land of the past, came with his forces to oppress God’s people once again. Satan knows that you are now born again. But like Cushan-Rishathaim, he doesn’t want you to enjoy the new life in God. He wants to make a comeback into your life. Are you oppressed with an old habit or a former lust? Or could it be a past hurt, guilt or failure? You need to have the victory over your personal Cushan-Rishathaim who has returned to haunt you.

When God’s people cried out to Him, He sent Othniel to save them (Judg. 3:9). Othniel is a type of Jesus Christ. His name means the “lion of God.” He was from the tribe of Judah. Like Jesus, the Lion of Judah, Othniel was anointed by the Spirit to set the people free from their
oppression (3:10).

Deliverance must begin with a cry. God will only respond when there is a genuine desire within us to see our past dealt with by Him. Many Christians today are aware that they are oppressed by their old hurts, old lusts and old habits. But they don’t really have a desire to rid themselves of them. God will only deliver you when you really want Him and allow Him to. The Bible declares, “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Joel 2:32). Whatever your Cushan-Rishathaim may be, Jesus is your present-day Othniel. As you cry out to Him for deliverance, you will find Him to be a very present help in your time of need.

Divine Healing

2009-04-15T08:26:00.000+08:00
So that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed. Acts 5:15-16

It shouldn’t surprise you that when the sick and demonized were brought to the apostles in the Jerusalem church, all were healed. Healing and good health have always been God’s will for your body. When God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt, He told them: “I am the LORD who heals you” (Ex. 15:26). The original Hebrew text says, “I am Jehovah Rapha” or “God your Doctor.” And it is given in the present tense-He is still your Healer today!

God is so consistent in this that He repeats Himself again and again all throughout the Scriptures. “And the LORD will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known” (Deut. 7:15). He is the Lord who not only forgives all your iniquities, He “heals all your diseases” (Ps. 103:3). When the children of Israel left Egypt to embark on their wilderness journey, “there was none feeble among His tribes” (105:37). The Israelites left Egypt in good health. More than just healing you whenever you are sick, God wants you to enjoy a strong, healthy life. And if the people of God under the old covenant could have both healing and good health, how much more someone like you who is in the new covenant. You should enjoy supernatural healing and good health even more than the Old Testament saints!

In the Gospels, Jesus often healed all who came to Him. Matthew 8:17 makes it very clear that healing is in the atonement: “He Himself took our infi rmities and bore our sicknesses.” If the word “our” means that all of us can receive salvation from our Savior, then “our” must surely also mean that all of us can have healing in a divine Healer. But just as salvation is not automatic, healing is not automatic. Just as you can receive salvation only by faith, likewise healing can only come to you by faith. Seize the blessing He has provided for you through the cross. Turn your faith loose and claim your healing today!

Watch the Lamb.

2009-04-15T03:44:00.004+08:00

Please spare me 7 minutes and 51 seconds of your time.

Thank you very much.

Do you really know the goal of God's mighty love?

2009-04-15T03:42:00.000+08:00
Do people go to the Grand Canyon to increase their self-esteem? Probably not. This is, at least, a hint that the deepest joys in life come not from savoring the self, but from seeing splendor. And in the end even the Grand Canyon will not do. We were made to enjoy God.
We are all bent to believe that we are central in the universe. How shall we be cured of this joy-destroying disease? Perhaps by hearing afresh how radically God-centered reality is according to the Bible.

Both the Old and New Testament tell us that God's loving us is a means to our glorifying him. "Christ became a servant ... in order that the nations might glorify God for his mercy" (Romans 15:8-9). God has been merciful to us so that we would magnify him. We see it again in the words, "In love [God] destined us to adoption ... to the praise of the glory of His grace" (Ephesians 1:4-6). In other words, the goal of God's loving us is that we might praise him. One more illustration from Psalm 86:12-13: "I will glorify your name forever. For your lovingkindness toward me is great." God's love is the ground. His glory is the goal.

This is shocking. The love of God is not God's making much of us, but God's saving us from self-centeredness so that we can enjoy making much of him forever. And our love to others is not our making much of them, but helping them to find satisfaction in making much of God. True love aims at satisfying people in the glory of God. Any love that terminates on man is eventually destructive. It does not lead people to the only lasting joy, namely, God. Love must be God-centered, or it is not true love; it leaves people without their final hope of joy.

Take the cross of Christ, for example. The death of Jesus Christ is the ultimate expression of divine love: "God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Yet the Bible also says that the aim of the death of Christ was "to demonstrate [God's] righteousness, because in the forbearance of God he passed over the sins previously committed" (Romans 3:25). Passing over sins creates a huge problem for the righteousness of God. It makes him look like a judge who lets criminals go free without punishment. In other words, the mercy of God puts the justice of God in jeopardy.

So to vindicate his justice he does the unthinkable - he puts his Son to death as the substitute penalty for our sins. The cross makes it plain to everyone that God does not sweep evil under the rug of the universe. He punishes it in Jesus for those who believe.

But notice that this ultimately loving act has at the center of it the vindication of the righteousness of God. Good Friday love is God-glorifying love. God exalts God at the cross. If he didn't, he could not be just and rescue us from sin. But it is a mistake to say, "Well, if the aim was to rescue us, then we were the ultimate goal of the cross." No, we were rescued from sin in order that we might see and savor the glory of God. This is the ultimately loving aim of Christ's death. He did not die to make much of us, but to free us to enjoy making much of God forever.

It is profoundly wrong to turn the cross into a proof that self-esteem is the root of mental health. If I stand before the love of God and do not feel a healthy, satisfying, freeing joy unless I turn that love into an echo of my self-esteem, then I am like a man who stands before the Grand Canyon and feels no satisfying wonder until he translates the canyon into a case for his own significance. That is not the presence of mental health, but bondage to self.

The cure for this bondage is to see that God is the one being in the universe for whom self-exaltation is the most loving act. In exalting himself - Grand Canyon-like - he gets the glory and we get the joy. The greatest news in all the world is that there is no final conflict between my passion for joy and God's passion for his glory. The knot that ties these together is the truth that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. Jesus Christ died and rose again to forgive the treason of our souls, which have turned from savoring God to savoring self. In the cross of Christ, God rescues us from the house of mirrors and leads us out to the mountains and canyons of his majesty. Nothing satisfies us - or magnifies him - more.

What About Tattoos?

2009-04-14T08:28:00.002+08:00
Tattoos have become a mark of the 21st century. According to the August 4, 2008, issue of U.S. News & World Report, more than one quarter of those under the age of 30 adorn their skin with at least one. No longer is tattoo something reserved only for gang members, convicts, delinquents or social outcasts. In fact, many of the preachers’ kids of the largest churches in Australia, America and Europe have them on their bodies. And these PKs are by no means rebellious or unspiritual. Most of them are doing excellent jobs leading youth, music and creative ministries. Some are even deliberately using their tattoos as a bridge to connect with the unchurched in outreach efforts. However, for most people, a tattoo is simply a means of stylistic expression. Many middle-aged women may not tattoo patterns and designs, but they go to their aestheticians to tattoo their eyebrows, eyeliners and lip colors.

So, is tattooing a sin? Are Christians allowed to have them?

Those who argue against it often quote Leviticus 19:28, “You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord.” The word for “tattoo” in its original Hebrew is qa-aqa, which appears only this one time in the entire Scripture. Proper hermeneutic requires us to read any Bible passage with the actual context in mind. Practically all Bible commentaries agree that the context of Leviticus 19 is God prohibiting the Israelites from adopting the religious practices of the pagan nations surrounding them. Adam Clarke’s Commentary of the Old Testament says that the pagans were carrying “marks on the body in honor of the object of their worship … for superstitious purposes … in honor of different idols.” Nelson’s NKJV Study Bible says that the practice “had religious significance among Israel’s pagan neighbors.” But what if there is no religious, superstitious or idolatrous implication? Is a believer allowed to tattoo then?

Technically, if one takes the view that Leviticus 19 prohibits tattooing for all people in all circumstances, then for consistency’s sake, one must also abide by all the letters of the law here. That includes no shaving around the sides of the head, and the mandatory keeping of beards for all men (v27), which is a near impossibility for any serving in the military today. That also includes not wearing clothes made of different fabrics (v19). Should we then also continue with slavery and the keeping of mistresses, both accepted practices during the ancient days of Leviticus (v20)? Should we continue the Old Testament dietary restrictions like no eating of pork, shrimp, crab or shellfish? What about headscarves for women? Do we need to enforce that on all Christian women today? Most of us will agree that the answers to all the above are an emphatic no.

Next, is God Himself abhorrent to tattoos? God says in Isaiah 49:16, “See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands. Your walls are continually before Me.” The word “inscribe” in Hebrew means “to engrave.” The scholars of The Living Bible simply translate that as “I have tattooed your name upon my palm.” When John saw a vision of God’s chosen 144,000, they were “sealed” and “written” with the Father’s name on their foreheads (Rev. 7:3; 14:1). Those words in the original Greek mean to “mark,” “stamp” and “engrave.” The book of Revelation also talks about false worshipers receiving the mark of the beast, which were called stigmata among the Greeks. To this Paul refers when he says, “I bear in my body the marks (stigmata) of the Lord Jesus” (Gal. 6:17). Whether the prophet Isaiah and the apostles John and Paul are speaking metaphorically or otherwise, one thing is for sure, body markings are not always repugnant to God. As such, we must be careful not to paint them as evil or sinful in a broad, general stroke.

Theologians, like Tom Beaudoin, have done studies on youths who pierce or tattoo their bodies. They discovered that youths do that when they have had profound experiential encounters. Things that impact them deeply, like when they fall in love, get their hearts broken, graduate, start a new job, achieve something they are proud of, or lose a loved one through death. To the youths and young adults of the 21st century, tattooing (and body piercing) are often not something vain or rebellious, but more like a rite of passage. It is their way of expressing the spiritual in the physical, even at the expense of experiencing some bodily pain.

For most people, tattooing today is simply a means of personal and stylistic expression, much like clothing, makeup, hairstyle, body-toning and fashion accessorizing. There is nothing religious, superstitious and rebellious to the wearer; it is simply for aesthetic value.

Because tattooing is designed to last forever, and removal is painful and expensive, you should enter into it only after much consideration. Ask yourself the following:

Am I at a legally acceptable age to get a tattoo?
If I live with my parents, would they support my decision?
Would I still want this tattoo when I get older?
Am I really comfortable having it even if people may “unfairly judge” me?
If my tattoo is visible to others, is it appropriate for my line of work?
Ultimately, tattooing is a personal choice that, more often than not, reflects neither a rebellious nature nor a religious inclination. It is clearly written in the Bible that God looks beyond the surface and sees the heart of a person. We must be careful not to judge a believer with tattoos as loving God less than the one without.

The Place Of Agreement

2009-04-14T08:28:00.001+08:00
Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. Acts 4:32

The Jerusalem church in Acts was very powerful because those in the church were of one heart and one soul in their vision for the kingdom. Jesus says, “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven” (Matt. 18:19). The place of agreement is the place of power. Conversely, the place of disagreement is the place of powerlessness.

Every principle in the Word flows out of the character and nature of God. Although God is a triune God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit-He is always in total agreement with Himself. All three members of the Godhead are forever in unity. God wants the same in His relationship with you. If you delight yourself in Him, which means to be in agreement with His will for your life, He will give you the desires of your heart (Ps. 37:4).

In a church, God wants unity in your relationships with others. When there is one vision, there will never be division. There will be no confusion or weakness in the camp. Psalm 133:1-2 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments.” The anointing of God can flow mightily in a church where members dwell in unity. So great was the unity in the Jerusalem church that awesome power for miracles and financial provision was released (Acts 4:33-34).

In the days of Babel, “the whole earth had one language and one speech” (Gen. 11:1). Even God marvelled at the effort of the people in wanting to build a tower that reaches to the heavens. God says, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them” (11:6). As incredulous as the building of that tower may sound, God was fully convinced that the people would succeed. Make certain that you eliminate those things in your life that cause disunity-unforgiveness, anger, gossip, a critical spirit, being easily offended, unrealistic expectations, and hidden agendas. Remember that when there is unity, nothing is impossible!

You Are A Conversionist

2009-04-13T08:26:00.001+08:00
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” Acts 3:19-21

In the Scriptures, God reveals Himself by His name. More than just revealing His ability, the names of God reveal His character. God introduces Himself for the first time in Genesis 1:1 as Elohim, the Creator. As the Creator, He is full of creativity, ability and productivity.

When God created man, He put that same nature into man. Adam was created with God’s creativity, ability and productivity inside of him. When Adam sinned against God, his fall didn’t nullify those gifts. He still had them except that they were now corrupted. For example, consider his son, Cain. In Genesis 4, Cain was able to build a whole city (4:16-17), provide employment (4:20), music and entertainment (4:21), manufacturing, and the building of weapons (4:22). He was able to singlehandedly accomplish great feats out of the same creative potential God had deposited into the entire human race, albeit that they were now perverted and self-serving.

Herein lies a very important concept: When man fell, God didn’t plan for the elimination of men, society, culture, or the whole world. Instead, God sought to bring about the restoration of fallen humanity. Elohim God started to reveal Himself by another name-Yahweh, or God the Redeemer (Ex. 3:13-14). The essence of redemption is taking that which is broken, fixing it, and restoring it back to its original purpose and intention.

Jesus came to be our Redeemer-to bring about the conversion of fallen man from darkness to light, and from death to life. But He also seeks to convert the creativity, ability and productivity that God has put inside man back to its original purpose. Acts 3:19-21 says that this conversion is not just the restoration of man from the sin problem, it is the restoration of all things in life. People, families, marriages, businesses, education systems, culture and arts must all be born again.

You are not called to hide from the world. As a follower of Christ the Redeemer, you are now a conversionist. You are to use your creativity, ability and productivity to redeem everything you see in your world back to God’s original purpose and intention. So that they could be used for
the cause and glory of His kingdom. Start being a conversionist in your world today!

Unusual Miracle

2009-04-12T08:29:00.000+08:00
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know.” Acts 2:22

How do we know that Jesus was approved of God? Not by His philosophical prowess or oral eloquence, but by three things: miracles, signs and wonders. Jesus healed the sick, cast out demons, cleansed the lepers, raised the dead, fed great multitudes, turned water into wine, etc. How do you know if someone is a real servant of God? We measure his ministry according to the same standard outlined here in Acts 2:22.

Take for example, Paul’s apostleship. “Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds” (2 Cor. 12:12). The workings of miracles are the signs of true apostleship, not just the presiding over of a huge megachurch or a denomination. If a preacher claims to be an apostle, miracles must be constant occurrences in his ministry. They must be there in “all perseverance”-in other words, happening in great consistency.

Hebrews 2:4 says: “God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” Again the testimony of God was proven by miracles, signs and wonders. Miracles were so normal in the Ephesian church that God started working unusual ones among them (Acts 19:12). All throughout the New Testament, we see that the reality of God was proven time and again by supernatural miracles. To say that we have passed the days of signs and wonders is effectively denying the Holy Scriptures!

The word “miracle” in Greek is dunamis, which means “power.” As a Spirit-filled believer, you have received the dunamis of the Holy Spirit to work miracles in Jesus’ name (Acts 1:8). But why is it that we don’t see miracles or healings take place regularly in our churches today? The overwhelming reason is the presence of doubt and unbelief for them to happen in our midst (Mark 6:5-6). Remember, without faith, it is impossible to please God . . . or see the miraculous.

Receiving Kingdom Power

2009-04-11T08:59:00.003+08:00

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8

The kingdom of God is the divine rule in human hearts, lives and situations. While the disciples were still thinking of the messianic kingdom in terms of political power, Jesus corrected their misconception (Acts 1:7). He declared that the kingdom of God is currently spiritual in character, international in its membership, and gradual in its expansion.

The kingdom of God was a prominent theme in all of Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels. Jesus taught about the kingdom of God through the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:18-19). Here in Acts 1, He was about to transfer that power and responsibility to His disciples by baptizing them in the same Holy Spirit that had anointed His ministry. The disciples were not to attempt ministry without the empowering of the Spirit. Jesus then makes three points about the Holy Spirit:

(1) The Holy Spirit is a Person and He brings with Him a power that will enable you to be a witness.

(2) The Holy Spirit’s power has to be “received”; it is not an automatic experience. As surely as the Holy Spirit dwells within each believer, so surely will He fill and overflow each who receives Him in childlike faith.

(3) When the Holy Spirit fills you, you will know it. Jesus said this and His disciples found it to be true on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 2:1-4). You don’t have to claim the Spirit by faith alone. When He comes, you will experience Him in a tangible way. You will know that He has “come upon you.”

Jesus makes it clear that the ultimate purpose of the empowering of the Holy Spirit is so that you can fulfill the Great Commission-by being an effective witness for Christ. You need God’s supernatural power to minister effectively, to heal the sick, cast out demons and work miracles and wonders. But more than that, the Holy Spirit has also come to convince you to go.

As you obey that call to go, He will give you:

(1) the power to find the lost;

(2) the authority to boldly declare Jesus as the Son of God;

(3) the endurance to be strong in times of weakness and suffering; and

(4) the power to establish His Church-locally and worldwide. The intended borders of expansions are clear: Jerusalem (local), Judea (national), Samaria (crosscultural), and “the end of the earth” (global).

Possessing The Heart

2009-04-10T09:02:00.003+08:00

And it came to pass when all the kings who were on this side of the Jordan, in the hills and in the lowland and in all the coasts of the Great Sea toward Lebanon-the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite-heard about it, that they gathered together to fight with Joshua and Israel with one accord. Joshua 9:1

As the children of Israel entered the Promised Land, there were seven whole nations to defeat. They were the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites (Josh 3:10). These seven nations could well represent seven things that are an abomination to the Lord. “These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren” (Prov. 6:16-19). Israel was commanded to utterly destroy these seven nations and their kings.

These kings and domains represent enthroned areas of the “self life” where ego still reigns instead of the Lord. They are the pockets of resistance, preventing us from fully experiencing the kingdom of God. These kings are proud, rebellious, and self-willed. Each king guards and protects his own interests and furiously opposes anyone or anything that dares to tamper with even an inch of his territory.

God wants to ultimately settle His presence and glory on Mount Zion. But even that location was guarded by the Jebusites. Mount Zion is a picture of the believer’s heart in which God wants to reside. But the heart has many enemies of the kingdom that we need to subdue. Jesus says, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matt. 15:19).

The Lord appeared to Joshua with a sword drawn in His hand as they were about to go against the enemies of the land (Josh. 5:13-15). We must seek God earnestly and allow Him to confront us with the directness of His Word concerning those rebellious areas of our heart. Until the enemies of righteousness within us are dealt with, we can never enter into full rest. While they are still alive and active, they cause unrest, frustration and defeat.

Unfortunately, Israel was complacent and settled for compromise. They allowed many little enemies to stay in the land of their inheritance. The Scriptures make it clear that Joshua did not bring them into full rest (Heb. 4:8). Full rest is ours when we subdue all our enemies and secure our hearts-the spiritual Mount Zion-for God to build His habitation.

From the secret diary of Jasmine K.

2009-04-09T22:36:00.001+08:00
From the secret diary of Jasmine K.

Don't for a moment, discount His blessings. Don't for a moment think you've dug yourself a hole that's too deep, you can't climb out of. Don't for a moment doubt. Don't for a moment think. Look at this, and stay quiet, stay still, stay, in the serenity by His wonder.

Bad time to be torn, but great time, anytime, to see the love, the greatest of all. Do you see Him? He's really there. Can it get any better? "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." ~ John 10:28. This will last.

And Dear all, how's your walk with God today?

From the secret diary of Jasmine K.

2009-04-09T22:34:00.002+08:00
From the secret diary of Jasmine K.

This is Jesus. He died for me.

& Jesus, where would I be without You here in my life?
-

Dear Diary,

The dong went to study so I whipped out my treasured Bible and started meditating on the scriptures over a cup of green tea at the balcony. My finger went into a circular motion and traced the word "faith" lightly on the brown page as I continued reading. Then I started shivering because the beating cold air has caused my heart to palpitate spasmodically.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ~ Hebrews 11:1

By faith, many things were done. And now before me stands an enormous faith of mountain, where the cougars and pumas crouch ready to pounce on me and the deep, dark holes ready dug by no one more powerful than the evil one in this starless world, are there to catch the many falls from faith.
Hope is prevailing. And the same things that are the objects of my hope, are the objects of my faith. This is a firm persuasion and expectation, that God will perform all He has promised to me in Christ (ultimately eternal life and salvation). This persuasion thereafter, gives my soul enjoyment and delight.

The intangibility of unending grace and hope and faith epitomizes the omnipotence of God.

For me.

Signed off,
Jas.

Thomas Faith

2009-04-09T09:52:00.001+08:00

Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:29

Thomas, one of the apostles, is most remembered because he was slow to accept anything as truth without sufficient evidence. In addition to his inclusion in the list of disciples’ names, Thomas is mentioned four other times in the biblical record. The first two of these incidents give us some insight on the passage in John 20. In John 11, Thomas makes a pessimistic and perhaps sarcastic statement about following Jesus to Lazarus’ tomb, "Let us also go, that we may die with him" (11:16). On another occasion, when Jesus was explaining to the disciples that He was about to go to his Father’s house, Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?" (14:5).

But Thomas is best known for what occurred after Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus appeared to the disciples, but Thomas was not with them at that time. When they told Thomas they had seen Jesus, he refused to believe them. Thomas believed only when he had sufficient evidence to convince him that this astounding miracle had actually occurred. His physical senses told him that Jesus was already dead. Without evidence, he wouldn’t believe.

Many people claim to have faith in Jesus and the Bible, but their faith is only in the realm of the mind—that is head-faith or "Thomas faith." This is a very natural, human faith which says, "I am not going to believe anything unless I can see it and feel it!"

What we need is "Abraham faith" or heart-faith. Abraham did not consider physical knowledge or the glaring fact that he was 100 years old and Sarah was 90. He only considered the spiritual truth of God’s Word; that God was going to give him a promised son. And out of that son would come descendants as numerous as the sands on the seashore and stars in the night sky.

Real faith is built on the spiritual truths of God’s promises. While we don’t deny the problems, pain and other negative symptoms of life (for they may be very real), we look beyond them to God’s Word. Real faith says, "If God says it is so, it is so!" Period. Head-faith is just an intellectual acceptance, or mental assent, of certain facts and doctrines. That is not true Bible faith. It won’t produce results or changes in the lives of people. But heart-faith will always produce a definite change in people. Romans 10:10 says, "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness."

Crossing The Jordan

2009-04-08T08:50:00.001+08:00

And as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water… that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. Joshua 3:15-16
The crossing of Jordan was a major turning point in Israel’s journey. It was a new day for them in almost every respect. The old generation and leadership had died off. A new generation and leadership had arisen. The wilderness testings were over and a new land awaited them.

After they crossed Jordan, their attitude was completely changed too. They never wanted to return to Egypt anymore. Something had happened in their hearts and in their nature. Even their diet changed. The manna ceased and they began to partake of the fruit of the land. What exactly does the crossing of Jordan signify? The very fact that the city of Adam is connected with their passage across Jordan is significant. Adam speaks of our old sinful nature. That they immediately came to Gilgal after crossing Jordan is remarkable too (Josh 4:19). Gilgal is the place of circumcision, the cutting away of the flesh.

The crossing of Jordan, therefore, represents the “dead to sin” experience of Romans 6:6. God’s people experienced salvation by the blood of the lamb when they were in Egypt. They marched out of Egypt, passed through the Red Sea (water baptism) and entered the wilderness. Then they came to Sinai at Pentecost. But although they were out of Egypt, Egypt had never gotten out of them. Whenever the going got tough, they murmured that they wanted to return to Egypt.

After Jordan, something changed. The Jordan experience removed Egypt from their hearts once and for all. They no longer desired to go back to the world. The Adamic nature was dealt with and they were circumcised from the flesh. God broke the power of sin and the love for the world at Jordan.

Jordan is equivalent to Romans 6:6, “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” Romans 6:6 renders your old man-or sin nature in operative. Romans 6:6 is a real experience. “Knowing this” in the Greek means “knowledge that comes by an experience.” It is neither something you grow into, nor something you claim by faith. It is a sovereign appointment and meeting with God. It is a definite revelation from God of what He did on Calvary’s cross. When you have such an experience, your life will never be the same again.

Be Strong & Courageous

2009-04-07T08:53:00.001+08:00

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

God, Moses and the Israelites all encouraged Joshua to excel in His leadership. What exactly is needed in leadership? Four things apply:

(1) Courage. Seventeen times, the Bible says, “Be of good courage!” Therefore, having courage is a very good thing. The primary ploy of the devil is to bring discouragement to a leader, that is to take courage out of your heart. If he succeeds, then he has trapped you in a place of weakness, despair and hopelessness. Your vision would soon disappear. What is courage? Courage is the capacity to do what is right even when it is unpopular. As such, courage relates to the integrity of character. A courageous person will do what is right in the midst of opposition and mockery, even when there are no perceived benefits to him at all. When you do what is right—simply because it is the right thing to do—that is courage.

(2) Boldness. Someone once counted that 365 times, the Bible says, “Fear not!” In other words, in every single day of the year, a leader must never be afraid. To be bold is to have confidence. David says, “Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I will be confident” (Ps. 27:3). Even under house arrest in Rome, Paul preached “with all confidence” (Acts 28:31). The Bible says, “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward” (Heb. 10:35). Courage relates to character; boldness relates to your personality. Have a confident personality and be secure in who you are.

(3) Strength. Again and again, Joshua was exhorted to be strong. Strength is the ability to stand up on your feet whenever you are knocked down. There are many confident and charismatic people who are not strong. Whenever they are hit by a crisis, they wilt away without having the ability to bounce back in life.

(4) Wisdom. Proverbs constantly speaks of knowledge, understanding and wisdom. Knowledge is the getting of information. Understanding is the analyzing of information. Wisdom is solving the problem. Proverbs says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom” (Prov. 1:7). A leader must be wise.

Jesus’ Prayer Life

2009-04-06T08:26:00.001+08:00

Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You.” John 17:1

The chapter of John 17 might more appropriately be called “The Lord’s Prayer” rather than Matthew 6:9-13. The prayer contains a threefold petition from Jesus:

Petition #1: That He may be glorified (John 17:1-5). Jesus says, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You.” The prayer of Jesus for Himself is not for a selfish motive. His desire was to glorify the Father. To glorify God is to make Him known. Jesus knew that He would soon be manifested as the Savior of the world through His atoning death on Calvary’s cross. Believers in Him would know God and thus possess eternal life.In everything that you do, you should have this same mind—to pray that God may be glorified through your daily life.

Petition #2: That His disciples may be sanctified (17:6-19). Although Jesus does not pray that His immediate disciples be removed from the world, He does pray that they would be kept from the world’s evil through the Father’s name. He also prays that they might be sanctified, that is, set apart for the ministry of truth. Billy Graham once said, “God loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you the same.” God desires an ongoing transformation of your heart, mind and attitude. Pray that you will be changed daily from glory to glory into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).

Petition #3: That the church may be unified (John 17:20-26). In the final portion of His prayer, Jesus prays for the unity of all believers in subsequent generations. The oneness He requests is not an organizational unity, but a spiritual one. He prays that this unity will be visibly manifested in the life of the Church and will bear witness to the divine mission of Christ. Knowing Jesus’ heart in this matter, you must commit yourself to bring about the unity of the Church. Pray for the unity of your local congregation and the interchurch relationships in your nation.

Ready For Leadership

2009-04-05T08:28:00.001+08:00

Then He inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you.” Deuteronomy 31:23

Joshua became Israel’s leader during one of the most difficult times in its history. Within days of his appointment, he led the nation across the Jordan River into hostile territory and set out to conquer, divide and settle in the land. It was a daunting task and Joshua’s success in this enormous assignment lied in these very important reasons:

First of all, Joshua’s hunger for God’s presence. Joshua often accompanied Moses to the tabernacle of meeting where God talked with him face to face. Moses, after hearing from God, would leave and address the people. But when Joshua came into God’s presence in the tabernacle of meeting, he “did not depart from the tabernacle” (Ex. 33:11). Joshua demonstrated a deep passion to be in God’s presence. This intimate relationship with God would serve him well in his demanding leadership challenges to come.

Secondly, Joshua’s commitment to obey God. Of the 12 spies who checked the land in preparation for Israel’s invasion, only Joshua and Caleb encouraged the people to follow God’s command to move forward. Although all 12 spies saw the same obstacles, 10 of the 12 concluded that the people should turn back. Joshua’s and Caleb’s response (Num. 14:5-9) helps explain why Joshua succeeded as Israel’s leader when he was appointed 40 years later.

Thirdly, Joshua’s integrity and character. God (and Moses) established and legitimized Joshua’s positional leadership for the nation. God left no question about who was in charge when Moses departed (Josh. 1:1-9). Both Joshua’s positional and personal power were based on an impeccable life. Joshua’s integrity and character were essential to his effectiveness as a leader.

Fourthly, Joshua’s discipleship by Moses. There are four passages that call Joshua “Moses’ assistant.” That reveals an important fact about Joshua’s success as a leader. Moses had spent years training his successor. Israel had a great leader in Joshua because Moses had the foresight to cultivate and equip him as the next leader.

Finally, Joshua’s godliness. Joshua 4:14 says, “On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life.” Joshua was a powerful leader because he was a godly leader. Joshua was a godly leader because he was a godly man.

Circumcise Your Heart

2009-04-04T08:28:00.001+08:00

And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. Deuteronomy 30:6

Circumcision has a marvelous spiritual significance. For one thing, a believer cannot receive his inheritance until he is circumcised. This was true outwardly for an Israelite, and it is true inwardly for a Christian. There is no inheritance until we are circumcised in our hearts. God told Abraham that before he and his descendants could inherit the land of Canaan, they had to be circumcised (Gen. 17:1-14).

Circumcision is to cut away the flesh. Spiritually, it is a cutting away of the natural, sinful, Adamic nature we are born with. Uncircumcision represents uncleanness. It means that what we are born with has not yet been dealt with. It signifies that the old nature, with its wrong desires, ways, thought patterns, and responses, still remain. “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word” (Ps. 119:9). How does God circumcise our hearts? By the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God applied to our lives by the working of the Holy Spirit. There are a few evidences of a circumcised heart:

(1) A circumcised heart is compliant. “Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer” (Deut. 10:16). To be “stiff-necked” is to be rebellious, inflexible and stubborn.

(2) A circumcised heart does not resist the Holy Spirit. “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you” (Acts 7:51).

(3) A circumcised heart does not resist the preachers sent by God (7:52).

(4) A circumcised heart is humble, broken and repentant. “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me … if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt—then I will remember My covenant …” (Lev. 26:40-42).

(5) A circumcised heart is quick to forgive and release people for the offenses they have committed. A hardened heart cannot easily forgive but remembers and cherishes grudges (Matt. l9:7-8; Mark l0:4-6).

Greater Works

2009-04-03T08:33:00.002+08:00

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. John 14:12

The promise that Jesus made regarding prayer in John 14:12-14 is almost breathtaking. Preparing to place His ministry in the hands of His disciples, He said to them in the upper room (and to all of us today), “He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do.” When Jesus was on the earth, everything He did, He did it through His earthly body. Now Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. Everything He does now, He does through His spiritual body—the Church of the living God. And Jesus says that we, His Church, will do greater works!

The works of Jesus refer to His miracles, healings, signs and mighty acts of power. His works included healing every kind of disease, casting out demons and raising the dead. He controlled the wind and the waves, walked on water, multiplied food, and turned water into wine. The promise here is that every believer can receive the Holy Spirit and be endued with power from on high so that he potentially can do all the works of Christ. But more than that, we are supposed to exceed Him. How?

The “greater works” are works greater in quantity and further in global reach. Jesus had scores of converts; the apostles numbered in the thousands. Jesus ministered only to the Jews in Palestine. Peter opened the door for Gentiles to be saved at Cornelius’ house. Paul and the early Christians soon took the gospel to reach the known world.

When Jesus preached, His biggest crowd at any one time may have been 5,000 to 20,000 people. But at his Millennium Crusade in Lagos, Nigeria, German evangelist Reinhard Bonnke had 1,600,000 people attending a single gospel service. That night, 1,093,000 lost souls responded to the altar call. At the end of the six-day event, a total of 3,450,000 people had registered decisions for Jesus! In his 30 years of faithful ministry, Evangelist Bonnke has given out 68 million copies of follow-up booklets to help new converts who got saved in his meetings.

Today, with television, radio, satellite broadcasting, the Internet, and printed media, hundreds of millions of people can hear the gospel all at the same time. We must harness all the power of God and the technology available in the world to win the masses for Christ. We must put our faith in Jesus’ words. Our Savior would never lie to us. This is truly the day of the harvest! We are the people of the greater works!

Holiness In The Camp

2009-04-02T08:27:00.002+08:00

For the LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and give your enemies over to you; therefore your camp shall be holy, that He may see no unclean thing among you, and turn away from you. Deuteronomy 23:14

Many Christians get very intimidated by the word “holiness.” Its very connotation seems old-fashioned and abstract. What exactly is holiness? How do I become holy? For most nonbelievers, their concept of holiness is one that is very solemn and somber. To live a holy life is to live a life that is dark and gloomy; a life devoid of color, fun and excitement.

Unfortunately, that is also the idea many Christians have whenever they think about being holy. But nothing can be further from the truth. We worship God in the beauty of His holiness (1 Chron. 16:29). That means holiness is something attractive and beautiful. No wonder people followed Jesus everywhere He went. Even little children wanted to come near to hug Him. Holiness makes a believer a very attractive witness for Christ. The Bible says that God is glorious in holiness (Ex. 15:11). Holiness carries with it the glory of the Lord. “Glory” means two things:

(1) Light. A holy person is never dull or gloomy. On the contrary, he stands out head and shoulders over everyone else. The Christian who is holy is a bright and radiant person, shining powerfully for Jesus.

(2) Weight. In the Hebrew language, the word “glory” is kabod, which means weight or substance. The Christian who is holy is a person who carries the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes with a very substantial presence. When a holy person walks into a room, the anointing of God goes into that room with him. When a holy person speaks, his words carry weight and authority. When Jesus spoke, everybody listened: “Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him’” (Mark 1:27).
Deuteronomy 23:14 says we have to make a decision to keep our camp—the house of God—spiritually clean. God only walks on holy ground. Our words, actions and thoughts have to be sanctified because we can build an environment where God enjoys coming into. And when God walks among us, there will always be blessing, provision and protection. Make a decision today not to entertain any more unclean ideas, conversations or deeds that would grieve the Holy Spirit. God says, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:16).

Seven “I Am” Sayings

2009-04-01T08:43:00.002+08:00

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. John 10:11

Unique to the Gospel of John, there are seven “I am” pronouncements Jesus made to describe who He really is as our Savior. Here is the list:

(1) I am the bread of life (John 6:35). This is the first of the seven “I am” sayings of Jesus. There is an unmistakable parallel to God’s covenant name-Yahweh-by which He revealed Himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14, “I AM WHO I AM.” Jesus made the pronouncement “I am the bread of life” three times (6:35, 48, 51). He is the real heavenly bread, the true life sustaining power. Anything else is an inadequate substitute.

(2) I am the light of the world (8:12). The world is in darkness apart from Christ. And as a follower of Jesus reflecting the light that comes from Him, you too are “the light to the world.”

(3) I am the gate for the sheep (10:7-9). The imagery contrasts Jesus’ protection of the sheep in the fold with all other false prophets past and present. Entering the sheepfold through Jesus is a saving action and provides the sheep with abundant life and provision.

(4) I am the good shepherd (10:11-14). The good shepherd is genuinely concerned for his sheep. He gives His life for His sheep. But to a hireling, his only interest is self-preservation.

(5) I am the resurrection and the life (11:25). More than giving resurrection and life, Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Final death is impossible with Him. Death will never triumph over those who believe in Him.

(6) I am the way and the truth and the life (14:6). Jesus is not one way among many, He is the only way to the Father. He is the truth about God and the very life of God. As such, He reveals truth to you and gives life to you.

(7) I am the true vine (15:1, 5). This seventh “I am” is the last self-designation in John’s Gospel. It describes the relationship between Jesus and His disciples. When you abide in Christ—the true vine—your prayers will be effective (15:7); you will glorify God in your fruit bearing (15:8); you will demonstrate your discipleship (15:8-10); and your joy becomes full through experiencing Christ’s own joy within you (15:11). Invite Jesus to become the “I am” of your life, your every moment, as He fills you with His presence.

2009-03-31T08:27:00.001+08:00

Jesus Wept
31 Mar 2009

Jesus wept. John 11:35

“Feelings aren’t important.” “Emotions get in the way.” “Don’t trust your feelings.” “Don’t feel sad.” “Real men don’t cry.” “Just trust God.” Have you ever heard such advice before? I suspect you have because many believers have a serious misunderstanding about the Christian life. They think Christians should live stoic lives and never express strong emotions. Yet, the Bible describes more than 20 different emotions that Jesus felt. If Christ is our model of perfect spiritual and emotional maturity, then we should take a look at a few of Jesus’ emotions:

(1) Compassion: Jesus fed the multitude because they hadn’t eaten for three days and He had “compassion on these people” (Matt. 15:32). He also healed the two blind men by the roadside out of compassion (20:34). As a compassionate person, Jesus was profoundly moved by the sufferings and troubles of those He encountered.

(2) Love: If compassion characterizes Jesus’ feelings toward the multitudes, then love epitomizes His relationships with those closest to Him. When Lazarus laid dying, Martha and Mary sent this word to Jesus: “Lord, he whom you love is sick.” Then John records, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” (John 11:3-5). Jesus didn’t try to be less than human by shielding Himself from love and affection.

(3) Joy: One time, following Jesus’ prediction of His betrayal, He said, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (15:11).

(4) Grief and sorrow: John 11:35 is the shortest verse in the Bible. It reveals a Savior who could feel pain for those He loved. Jesus didn’t try, as we sometimes do in times of sorrow, to be outwardly “strong” and hide or deny His feelings. Through His tears, Jesus showed He had the strength to care enough to weep.

(5) Anger: Perhaps the best-known expression of His anger was when He drove the moneychangers out of the temple. To those who sold doves, Jesus rebuked, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” (2:16). Like Christ, mature Christians will experience angry feelings. But those feelings must be stimulated by a love and concern for others and for righteousness, rather than by the frustration of our own desires.

(6) Peace: As Jesus prepared to leave His disciples in death, He told them, “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (16:32-33). Jesus displayed Spirit-controlled emotions freely. Take responsibility for your feelings. no one makes you feel any particular emotion—positive or negative. you choose to feel the way you feel. So, express those feelings constructively so that in every emotion, God is glorified.

2009-03-30T08:26:00.001+08:00

Seven Feasts Of Israel
30 Mar 2009

Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed. Deuteronomy 16:16

There are seven feasts of the Lord in Israel. Seven is the number of perfection. In order to come to perfection, you must experience those feasts prophetically in your life.

(1) Passover—this speaks of salvation. Israel was saved by the blood of the lamb in Egypt. They were also redeemed from Egypt by that blood. Through the blood of Jesus, you have salvation from sin and deliverance from the bondage of the world.

(2) Unleavened Bread—this speaks of the feeding on the pure Word of God. Israel made haste to eat unleavened bread as soon as they were redeemed by the blood of the lamb. You too must quickly and continually feed upon the Scriptures as soon as you meet Christ, the Lamb of God.

(3) Firstfruits—this speaks of water baptism. When Israel crossed the Red Sea, it severed them from the past and destroyed the powers that were trying to pull them back into Egypt. Every believer must get himself water baptized. When you do that, you are severing yourself from the powers that would try to lure you back into the lifestyle and values of the world.

(4) Pentecost—this speaks of the baptism in the Spirit. The Pentecostal experience was to strengthen the Israelites to get through the wilderness into the promises of God. At Sinai, they had all the signs that accompany the Spirit baptism. They saw the fire of God. They heard His voice. They had miracles, healings and were conscious of God’s tangible presence.

(5) Trumpets—this speaks of a new call to move on in God. Whenever the trumpets were sounded, it was an indication that God wanted His people to move another step closer into the Promised Land. God wants you never to stagnate, but to “go on to perfection” (Heb. 6:1).

(6) Atonement—this speaks of holiness. The Day of Atonement is associated with cleansing and removal of sin from God’s people in order for them to come into His presence. God wants you to live a pure and holy life.

(7) Tabernacles—this speaks of the glory and power of God. This is known as the feast of the latter rain. Prophetically, it refers to the great outpouring of the Spirit in the last days. It is also known as the feast of the ingathering. You are living in the time of the greatest harvesting

2009-03-29T22:28:00.001+08:00

Power, Sex And Money
29 Mar 2009

But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, “You shall not return that way again.” Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. Deuteronomy 17:16-17

Hundreds of years before Samuel anointed Saul as the first king of Israel, these provisions were made concerning the king’s character.

First of all, a king should not be given to the lust of power. Leaders who are inwardly insecure are always clamoring for power, prominence and position. Jesus says that leadership is not lordship, but servanthood: “And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Matt. 23:12). Decide to be a servant-leader today.

Secondly, a king must not have a weakness for the opposite sex. Biblical leaders like Samson, David and Solomon all fell in this area. Next to the Lord, the most important relationship you would ever have is the one with your spouse. Communication is the key to life. Put aside quality time each day to share your thoughts, feelings, desires and visions with each other. Have consistent, healthy sexual relations in your marriage. “Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control” (1 Cor. 7:5). In other words, sex is effective spiritual warfare against the temptation for adultery. What do you do when you have lost the “first love” for your spouse? Jesus says, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works” (Rev. 2:5). That means that you need to go back to the beginning activities of your relationship. Start courting each other again. Keep the romance in your marriage strong.

Finally, a king must never have a soft spot for money. Paul says, “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:12-13). While you are to desire the multiplication of your fi nances, learn to live within your means. Work out a plan to get out of debt as soon as you can. Be a tither and a generous giver in the church. Giving is always effective in dealing with the lust for money. A king should be a person of the Word, and a person of humility and accountability. These same character qualities are needed for all godly leaders in our time.

2009-03-28T08:58:00.000+08:00

Receiving The Holy Spirit
28 Mar 2009

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:37-39

How do we receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit?

Step #1: Repentance. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter said, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Repentance is an inward change of heart and attitude toward God that opens the way for the sinner to be reconciled with God. Thereafter, baptism is an outward act by which the believer testifies to the inward change wrought by God’s grace in his heart.

Step #2: Thirsting. The one essential condition for receiving the fullness of the Holy Spirit is to be hungry and thirsty (John 7:37). God does not squander His blessings on those who see no need for them. Many professing Christians who lead good, respectable lives never receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit simply because they see no need for it. Since they are satisfied without this blessing, God leaves them that way.

Step #3: Asking. Jesus places upon God’s children an obligation to ask their heavenly Father for the gift of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). Sometimes, Christians make foolish remarks like: “If God wants me to have the Holy Spirit, He will give it to me. I don’t need to ask Him for
it.” This attitude is totally unscriptural! If you want the Spirit, ask God persistently for it.

Step #4: Drinking (John 7:37). Drinking is an active process of receiving. This infilling of the Holy Spirit cannot be received by a negative or passive attitude. No one can drink except of his own active choice, and no one can drink with a closed mouth. God cannot fill a closed mouth. Simple though it may seem, there are those who fail to receive the fullness of the Spirit simply because they fail to open their mouths and trust the Holy Spirit to give them a new heavenly language called “tongues.”

Step #5: Yielding. Paul speaks of a twofold surrender to God in Romans 6:13:

(1) The surrender of yourselves—will and personality,
(2) the surrender of your physical body—namely, to open your mouth by faith and start speaking out in tongues.

Begin your walk in the Spirit now. Take each of these steps and share them with other believers who may not yet know the fullness of the Spirit’s baptism.

2009-03-27T08:25:00.001+08:00

Thanksgiving
27 Mar 2009

And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. John 6:11

Thanksgiving is an extremely powerful key to spiritual breakthrough. There are four reasons why we give thanks: Firstly, thanksgiving is a command from God. It is neither a suggestion nor an option, it is a command. The Bible says, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3:17).

Secondly, thanksgiving is a sure indication that the Holy Spirit is in you. We are told to “be filled with the Spirit … giving thanks always for all things to God” (Eph. 5:18-20). The measure of the Holy Spirit within you can partly be gauged by seeing how often and sincerely you give thanks to God each day. When you cease to give Him thanks, it is an indication that you are probably “leaking” the presence of the Spirit.

Thirdly, thanksgiving is the will of God for you. Paul says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:18).

Finally, thanksgiving is part of bringing your prayer requests before the Lord. The Bible says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6). God does everything by prayer and nothing without it. Remember, never bring a prayer request to Him without first giving Him thanks. When we do that, two wonderful miracles begin to happen:

(1) Thanksgiving opens the pathway for you to come into God’s presence. Without thanksgiving, there can be no access to God. We enter the gates of His presence through thanksgiving (Ps. 100:4). Many people pray for a long time and still feel so distant from Him. The reason is because they are not praying His way. You can stand outside and shout loudly to God. But you are still not going to have access to His presence unless you come through the gate of thanksgiving.

(2) Thanksgiving is a key that unlocks God’s supernatural power. In John 6, Jesus wanted to feed 5,000 men. He didn’t pray a verbose prayer. All He did was to give thanks for the five loaves and two fish. Immediately, the power of God came to multiply the food for the multitude. Many times, we miss out on the power of God simply because we do not release it through thanksgiving!

2009-03-26T09:04:00.001+08:00

The Ten Trials
26 Mar 2009

Remember! Do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day that you departed from the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD. Deuteronomy 9:7

There were 10 trials in the wilderness, and the Israelites failed them all. After they failed the 10th test at Kadesh Barnea, the Lord said, “They have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice” (Num. 14:22). Here are the 10 tests:

(1) Murmuring against God. The Israelites accused God of deceiving them into a trap so that the Egyptians could kill them. There is always a tendency to blame God in the midst of crises.

(2) Bitter water at Marah. The Israelites murmured at the bitter water. Every believer will be tried by bitter experiences and disappointments.

(3) Hunger. This represents economic times of testing. We will all experience times of shortages and lack during which our faith in God will be tested. Our faith in God will then be tested.

(4) Gluttony. By taking more manna than they needed for the day, the Israelites willfully disobeyed the Lord.

(5) Thirst at Rephidim. Thirst speaks of dry and boring experiences. The Israelites murmured again.

(6) Idolatry of the gold calf. Inordinate desires and lusts must be conquered. Anything that replaces our reliance upon God is idolatry.

(7) Complaining about misfortunes at Taberah. Complaining about adverse circumstances doesn’t help us to find favor with God.

(8) Unthankfulness. The appetites of the Israelites were not consecrated to God. They detested God’s provision of manna and gorged themselves with quail.

(9) Criticism of leadership. Aaron and Miriam criticized Moses, the man who saw the face of God.
(10) Unbelief at Kadesh Barnea. The Israelites were right at the border of the Promised Land. The 10 spies all agreed that it was a good land, but that the enemies were too great. They infected the whole congregation with fear and unbelief. They had failed the 10th and most important test. Finally, God said, “You will not enter in.” No teacher ever creates a test for the purpose of trying to fail the student. Every test should be a stepping stone for greater glory. Instead, Israel made each of their tests a stumbling block into defeat. The Holy Spirit was always around to show God strong on their behalf whenever they were met by diffi culties. But they didn’t lean on Him. Let’s remember the Scriptural exhortation: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” (Heb. 3:15).

2009-03-25T08:56:00.000+08:00

Power To Get Wealth
25 Mar 2009

And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:18

We all know that money can’t buy us happiness, a good name, a happy marriage or lasting friendships. Money certainly can’t buy us eternal salvation or the anointing of the Holy Spirit. But nevertheless, God still wants us to have money—the more the better!

There is a reason why Jesus, for your sakes, became poor that you, through His poverty, might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9). Deuteronomy 8:18 says that He gives you the power to get wealth for the purpose that His covenant with all mankind can be established. So, the reason why God wants you to have money is so that you can use it to bring the gospel to the whole world. No wonder the psalmist says, “Let the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant” (Ps. 35:27).

Because the more we prosper financially, the more we can preach the good news and magnify our Lord. There are two contrasting covenants in the Old Testament. One is God’s covenant with Abraham which is eternal, and the other is God’s covenant with Moses which is temporal. Under the Abrahamic covenant, God blesses you to be a blessing to others. God told Abraham, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3).

But under the Mosaic covenant, there is another set of promises found in Deuteronomy 28. It is about God’s favor and blessing for our individual lives. Now, you have to be very careful which covenant you lock your mind onto. If you focus exclusively on the temporal Mosaic covenant, you could become self-serving and greedy, and end up destroying your life. But if you mature to focus on the eternal Abrahamic covenant, then the more prosperous you are, the more you can be effective for the cause of the kingdom.

The truth is this: you can’t be a blessing if you haven’t been blessed. If you can’t even feed yourself, how are you going to feed the hungry? If you can’t even clothe yourself, how are you going to clothe the naked? If you have no money for your church projects and world missions, how are you going to take the good news to the world? Meditate on this thought right now: “God has given me the power to get wealth, that I can use it to bring the gospel to the world!”

2009-03-24T09:18:00.001+08:00

The Wind Of The Spirit
24 Mar 2009

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit. John 3:8

The Holy Spirit is often symbolized by the wind. The Hebrew and Greek words used in reference to the Spirit are ruach and pneuma respectively, which means either “breath” or “wind.” Like the wind, the Holy Spirit may be invisible, yet He is nonetheless very real. Many agnostics find it hard to believe in the Holy Spirit because they have not seen Him, tasted Him or smelled Him. Now, no one has seen pain, tasted pain, or smelled pain. But nonetheless, we have all felt pain one time or another. In a similar way, when the Holy Spirit moves, we can feel His presence around us and in us. Four truths about the wind of the Spirit:

(1) Like the wind that encircles the earth, the Holy Spirit encompasses the believer. The Bible says, “The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north; the wind whirls about continually, and comes again on its circuit” (Eccl. 1:6). The Holy Spirit encloses you in His love, encircles you by His presence and encompasses you with His power. With such a circle of protection, who or what can touch you?

(2) Like the wind, the Holy Spirit is mysterious in action. He alone decides what are the best spiritual gifts to bestow on you. While the Spirit is sovereign, He does not act arbitrarily without any personal consideration for you. He works in a way that will always bring the greatest good and blessing to your life.

(3) Like the wind, the Holy Spirit moves in power. The movement of any wind can quickly escalate into a powerful cyclone, hurricane, monsoon or tornado, bringing devastation and death. On the other hand, the moving of the Spirit always brings great deliverance and life. On the Day of Pentecost, He came as a “rushing mighty wind” and instantly transformed the disciples into bold witnesses for Christ.

(4) Like the wind, the Holy Spirit cleanses everything in its path. Elihu said to Job, “And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them” (Job 37:21 KJV). There is a golden glory which is obscured by the clouds, but when the wind dispels them, the glory is seen. The glory of God in you becomes evident once the uncleanness of the fl esh is cleared away. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of holiness. He has come to cleanse your heart and keep your life pure. Ask and allow Him to do that for you.

2009-03-23T08:50:00.000+08:00

Attracting The Holy Spirit
23 Mar 2009

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” … And John bore witness, saying,“I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.” John 1:29, 32

When John the Baptist first introduced Jesus to the masses at the Jordan River, he made two analogies from the animal kingdom: Jesus was represented as the Lamb, and the Holy Spirit was represented as the dove. What can we learn from the relationship between them? A lamb suggests to us of three things: purity, meekness and sacrifice. And that is what the dove, the Holy Spirit, is attracted to. He is looking for the lamb nature to settle and remain in. The Holy Spirit does not approve of arrogance, self-seeking, boastfulness or aggressiveness. He is looking for purity, meekness and a life sacrificially laid down for God.

Jesus so attracted the Holy Spirit that the dove didn’t just descend on Him, the dove remained upon Him! In the natural, the dove is somewhat a shy bird that can be easily scared away. That is very true of the Spirit in a spiritual sense. The Holy Spirit, like a dove, is so gentle He is almost “shy.” If you say or do anything that He cannot accept, His presence will leave you immediately. Like a dove, He will fly away. The marvelous thing about Jesus is that He never scared off the dove. In His entire ministry, Jesus never said or did one thing that drove the Holy Spirit away.

Not only did Jesus attract the Holy Spirit, He depended on the anointing of the Holy Spirit. This relationship with the Holy Spirit is the key to the entire ministry of Jesus. There was not a single sermon that Jesus preached in the Gospels, or a single miracle that He performed, without Him fi rst feeling the Holy Spirit coming upon Him. He was totally dependant on the Holy Spirit. The whole public ministry of Jesus came out of the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon Him (Acts 10:38).

How did Jesus maintain such closeness to the Spirit? Paul says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30). What are the things that grieve the Holy Spirit? They are bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking (4:31). What are some attitudes that attract the Spirit? When we are “kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another” (4:32). When the Holy Spirit doesn’t find the lamb nature, He cannot abide. As such, cultivate the lamb nature of Christ in your life today.

2009-03-22T10:55:00.000+08:00

Spirit Of Excellence
22 Mar 2009

For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us? … And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day? Deuteronomy 4:7-8

In Deuteronomy 4, Moses was explaining to the children of Israel why they needed to live out the Word of God when they come into the Promised Land. Moses exhorted them, “Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess” (Deut. 4:5). The Law (Torah) in the Scriptures was given not only to bless the Israelites, they were given to help them stand out powerfully among the heathens in the land.

Sinners are not going to be impressed by the religious activities of the saints. Our praying in tongues, praise and worship, water baptisms, holy communions, liturgies and prayer books are not going to move the lost very much toward the gospel. The world already has its fair share of yoga, new age meditation, eating, drinking, merrymaking, discos and karaoke to be awestricken by our faith practices and sacraments. So, how can we move them closer to the Lord? Moses says that when the unbelievers see how the Word of God has changed our lives for the better—how it has given us wisdom for our marriage, career, finances and daily dealings, how we have become sharp as a people, then they can’t help but to admit, “Wow, surely this great church is a wise and understanding people. For what other group is there that has a God so near to it?” By having a spirit of excellence in everything we do, we are actually witnessing powerfully for Jesus Christ.

Every Sunday night, American football teams play their games before millions of sports fans and television viewers. But it is a known fact that every Monday morning, every single football team would review their Sunday match videos religiously without fail. No matter how tired they are, they never take their Mondays off. Why not? Because that is the time they evaluate for greater excellence. Could they have played better? Could they have performed better? In a sense, a professional football player is not really competing against others, he is competing against himself; to outdo himself each week. How much more should we constantly evaluate our walk with God as followers of Christ? God deserves our best. Superior quality should mark everything a Christian does. It is good testimony to the world when a Christian produces superior quality in his work. It is bad testimony when the quality he or she churns out is inferior. From today onward, decide to be first class, for Jesus’ sake, in everything you do!

2009-03-21T21:53:00.000+08:00

Bitterness
21 Mar 2009

They departed from before Hahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, went three days’ journey in the Wilderness of Etham, and camped at Marah. They moved from Marah and came to Elim. At Elim were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there. Numbers 33:8-9

In Numbers 33, Moses retraced the 40 encampments of the Israelites in the wilderness. One of the major stopovers was Marah, which literally means “bitter.” Exodus 15:23 says, “Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.”

Every Christian must be prepared for disappointments in life. You might be disappointed with a person, with a situation or with what a person has done to you. Without knowing how to deal with disappointments, a believer can easily become bitter. Bitterness reproduces quickly and can be very, very dangerous to your mental and emotional well-being. The Bible warns us, “Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defi led” (Heb. 12:15). Bitterness comes in when one fails to appropriate the grace of God to overcome a disappointment or a hurtful experience.

Hurts inevitably come; but taking up offenses is a choice. You can choose not to be offended and bitter. What then is the key to overcoming bitterness? Exodus 15:25 says that Moses “cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.” The key was in the tree—which is a type of the cross. To gain victory over bitterness, we need to go to the cross. The cross speaks of three things:

(1) Self-denial. You need to realize that you have no rights of your own. You must be willing to forfeit the right to condemn or exact vengeance on those who disappointed you.

(2) Forgiveness. This is an act of your will. Forgiveness involves both attitude and action. If you find it difficult to feel forgiving toward someone who has hurt you, try responding with kind actions. If appropriate, tell this person that you would like to heal your relationship. Give him a helping hand. Send him a gift. Smile at him. Many times you will discover that right actions lead to right feelings.

(3) Forgetting. We often cannot truly forgive unless we can forget. We need to ask God for the grace to forget the bitterness of disappointments. “Holy forgetfulness” is tremendous. It keeps our spirit free! When someone says something against you, go quickly to God for your holy forgetfulness. Then we can look at that brother and not shudder at what was said earlier. Start practicing these steps right away so that you can triumph over the waters of Marah.

2009-03-21T08:52:00.000+08:00

Power Unlimited
21 Mar 2009

Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high. Luke 24:49

Shortly before His ascension into heaven, Jesus commanded His disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. The promise of the Father refers to God’s promised gift of the Holy Spirit. Here are four important reasons why we all need the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives:

(1) Power to become. Without God’s power in us, we can never become sons of God. The Holy Spirit’s job is to bring us back to God. John says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12). The word “right” is translated from the Greek word exousia which means “power” or “authority.” With the power of God’s Holy Spirit working in you, you can do what you could never do by yourself. With His authority, you can establish what God desires. You can now live and act like a child of His family.

(2) Power to be. The Holy Spirit’s indwelling means that you have the power for daily living. Even Christians of many years know how diffi cult it is to keep up with the standards that God wants us to have in our lives. We all have the weakness of our fl esh. But the power of the Spirit helps us, “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man” (Eph. 3:16).

(3) Power to overcome. Every believer lives in a war zone. Satan attacks us with every weapon at his disposal in his attempt to prevent us from following Jesus. God makes His power available within us so that we have the strength and the knowledge to defeat the devil. The Bible says, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

(4) Power to witness. In Acts 1:8, the Holy Spirit came with great power on Pentecost. The word for “power” here is dunamis, from which we get the English word “dynamite.” Dunamis refers to the miracle-working, sign-producing power of God. God wants your life to be so filled with the power of the Spirit that you will be dynamite.

God wants you to be a witness (Acts 1:8) to the life of Jesus. In the Greek, the word for witness is martus from which we derive the word, “martyr.” A witness has died to self so that Christ might live in and through him or her (Gal. 2:20-21). Become a witness so that you not only speak about Jesus but that you become Jesus to the world.

2009-03-20T10:28:00.000+08:00

Great In The Kingdom
20 Mar 2009

And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as theOne who serves.”

God is not against us desiring greatness. Because our God Himself is a great God, every true believer has the seed of greatness implanted in his spirit. We dream dreams and see visions of ourselves achieving signifi cance and purpose in life.

In Luke 22, there was again a dispute among Jesus’ disciples as to which of them should be considered the greatest in the kingdom. Jesus didn’t rebuke them for their aspirations. What He wanted to prevent was their succumbing to pride and selfish ambition. Realizing their striving, Jesus once sat a little child down in the midst of the disciples, saying that in the kingdom, the great are like children—humble, trusting, and teachable (Matt. 18:4). Now that their concern for status surfaced again, Jesus elaborated the principle that the greatest in the kingdom is the servant of all (Luke 22:25-27).

This standard still works today! The greatest in our society are people who serve the sick, the needy and the wounded. These are great because they have given themselves to serve others. Jesus Christ tops the list. He is the greatest of all because He gave Himself for the sins of the world (Phil. 2:1-11).

There is a very practical outworking of this principle of greatness in our everyday world. Those who do serve the most may often become the most famous and prosperous people. But when you do a study on many of them, glory and riches are usually not their motives. Rather, the recognition and esteem of others seem to be the inevitable fruit of their self-giving, childlike service to mankind.

One pastor once said that every Christian is shaped for service, using the word “SHAPE” as an acronym. “S” stands for spiritual gifts. “H” stands for heart’s desire. “A” stands for ability. “P” stands for personality. And “E” stands for experience. When you put them all together and get into “SHAPE,” you should have a good idea
of the ministry that God has set you in so that you may become salt and light to the world.

2009-03-19T09:18:00.000+08:00

Promise Keeper
19 Mar 2009

If a man makes a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. Numbers 30:2

We are living in a world that thrives on falsehood and deception. This worldly culture that surrounds us despises and rejects truth. In the last few years, global multinational corporations were exposed for deception and corruption. Even world-famous accounting firms were caught falsifying reports. In many countries, surveys show that broadcast and print media are consistently ranked the least trusted institutions in society.

No wonder Isaiah the prophet cries out, “Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street” (Is. 59:14). And because truth is fallen in the street, we constantly assume that ungodly people are predisposed to lie and cheat us. The loss of truth causes people everywhere to become skeptical, cynical and untrusting. The difference between David and Saul was in their love for the truth. When Saul was confronted by the truth of his disobedience, he rejected it and blamed it on the people (1 Sam.15:19-21). When David was confronted by the truth of his adulterous affair with Bathsheba, he accepted it and repented from his sin. Because Saul was not a lover of truth, he lost his kingdom and died a tragic death before his time. Because David was a lover of truth, his kingdom became even greater. A Christian must learn to love truth and communicate truth when he or she makes a promise. This is the very character of God—He is Truth and He communicates truth to us. Five principles about

God’s Word:
(1) God’s Word is the expression of His nature (John 1:1).
(2) God’s Word is the measure of His character (Rev. 1:8).
(3) God’s Word is magnified above His name (Ps. 138:2).
(4) God’s Word is the sole source of faith and the absolute rule of conduct (Rom. 10:17).
(5) God’s Word is His bond (Heb. 6:13). Because God’s Word is His bond, our word must be our bond! The Bible says, “It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, and afterward to reconsider his vows” (Prov. 20:25). Jesus says, “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one” (Matt. 5:37).

Many Christians conveniently excuse themselves from the commitments they verbally make. Keep your promises to your spouse, your children, your pastor and your God! Remember, your word is your bond. Keeping your promises witnesses to the nature and character of God alive in you.

2009-03-18T08:27:00.000+08:00

Good Shepherd
18 Mar 2009

Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may go out beforethem and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep which have no shepherd. Numbers 27:16-17

A ministry is never a success without a successor. A good leader needs to provide a successor who will give continuity of the vision and bring the people of God fully into their promised inheritance. Moses was 120 years old. He knew that God was going to take him home to heaven. In fact, God Himself would bury Moses because his body will be required years later for the Mount of Transfiguration appearance (Jude 1:9). Previously, Korah and his company had sought to take the leadership out of the will of God and suffered awesome judgment. Now under the direction of God, Moses prayed that God would give the congregation a new leader.

The qualifications for God-ordained leadership are in Numbers 27:17:

(1) “Who may go out before them.” The Christian life is always ongoing and never stagnant. The path of the righteous is like the shining sun that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day (Prov. 4:18). A shepherd must always lead his sheep into new pastures—new experiences, fresh anointing and greater revelations of God’s truth. Sheep cannot feed forever upon old pastures. They will lose the vitality of their faith and passion for the Lord if they live on stale manna.

(2) “Go in before them.” A leader must lead from the front and be a trailblazer for his people. As he does that, he must also carefully inspect that the new pastures are free from “poisonous weeds”—erroneous doctrines that could harm his flock. The important truth here is that, as leaders, we do not lead our people into doctrine that we have not carefully inspected ourselves. A leader must test the fruit first. As a leader, be certain to take counsel with other godly men concerning every new thing that comes along.

(3) “May not be like sheep which have no shepherd.” A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He feeds them with the integrity of his heart and guides them with the skillfulness of his hands (Ps. 78:72). He inspects them. He heals and anoints them with fresh oil from the throne of God. The best model of a great leader is our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He is the good shepherd of our soul.

2009-03-17T08:28:00.000+08:00

The Sycamore Tree
17 Mar 2009

So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. Luke 19:4

Zacchaeus was a corrupt tax collector in first-century Jericho. Out of curiosity, he went to hear Jesus. Because of his short stature, he had to climb a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of the Lord. A sycamore tree is a sturdy tree with wide-spreading branches. It has a short trunk with low limbs that allow for ease in climbing. The name “sycamore” is Greek for false fig.

A normal fig has soft skin. It is juicy, tasty and sold rather expensively. On the other hand, the fruit of the sycamore tree looks like a fig but its skin is hard. The fruit is inferior to the fig tree and has to be punctured to become edible. The moment a sycamore fruit is pierced, a breath of fresh air enters it and it will ripen into a soft, sweet, juicy fruit—just like a real fig. So while normal figs ripen on their own, a sycamore fruit will not. They require external intervention.

When Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming to town, he wanted to get a glimpse of this wonderful Savior. Being a very short man, he climbed up a sycamore tree and hid himself among the sycamore fruits. The whole scene couldn’t be more picture perfect—the hardened sinner among hardened fruits.

People become hard inwardly because of a few reasons: sin (Heb. 3:13), pride (Dan. 5:20), rebellion (Ps. 95:8), and religiosity (John 12:40). Zacchaeus had become hard because of his greed and love for money. The good news is that Jesus came to him like a skilled farmer of sycamore trees. He came underneath the branches that Zacchaeus was perched on and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house” (Luke 19:5).

Those words flowed out of Jesus’ mouth like a double-edged sword and pierced right into the heart of this hardened sinner. The breath of the Holy Spirit entered Zacchaeus and immediately, his heart began to melt and soften. In that moment, he received the unconditional love and acceptance of Christ. The Lord says, “Today salvation has come to this house” (19:9).

Are you cold and hard on the inside? Invite Jesus Christ to come into your life. Let Him pierce your heart with His Word. Give entrance to the fresh breath of the Holy Spirit. With Jesus Christ, the Word and the Spirit, you will be transformed into a beautiful person.

2009-03-16T08:24:00.001+08:00

Persistent Prayer
16 Mar 2009

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.
Luke 18:1

Some say that when you make your first request to God it is faith; the second time you pray, it is unbelief. In other words, don’t pray more than once for something lest you are exhibiting doubt. Nothing can be further from the truth. In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus exhorts us to pray again and again, and until we get our prayer answers, we should never lose heart.

Jesus talks about a godless, city judge who had great contempt for everyone. A widow of that city came to appeal for justice, “Your Honor, there is this man who has harmed me and cheated me!” The first time the judge heard her case, he threw it out of the courtroom. Not to be deterred, this little widow came back again and again. “Oh, Judge, Judge, please mediate between me and the man who has harmed me,” she pleaded persistently.

Having the same scenario repeated all week long, the widow was really irritating the judge. Finally, at the end of the week, that persistent widow, again came screaming, “Your Honor, please, please, avenge the wrong that is done to me!” Unable to take her whining and complaints any longer, the judge gave in, “Okay, okay, this woman is bothering me so much. I’m going to see that she gets justice, for she is wearing me out with her constant coming!” (18:5 TLB).

Jesus then asked the question: “And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (18:7-8).

Faith is persistent praying—crying out day and night to God for answers. The attitude of faith understands that a vision takes time to fulfill. In Jesus’ words recorded in Matthew 7:7, the literal rendering of the Greek text is, “ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, knock and keep on knocking.” Only by relentless persistence will you receive the answers to your prayers. No wonder blind Bartimaeus could not be silent. He was a man of faith.

When the people around warned him to be quiet, Bartimaeus cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:48). To Jesus, Bartimaeus’ persistence in petitioning prayer demonstrated the genuineness of his faith in God for healing (10:52). Faith is never a dry technique or formula. Faith is a heartfelt attitude that persists in trusting and praying no matter how tough a situation may be.

2009-03-15T20:27:00.000+08:00

Insisting On Your Own Will
15 Mar 2009

Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” Numbers 22:28

A person of integrity is on the inside what he appears on the outside. Balaam was a prophet without integrity. On the surface, Balaam sounded like a man devoted to God. When Balak, king of Moab, tried to hire Balaam to pronounce a curse against Israel, the wayward prophet avowed, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more” (Num. 22:18). But those words didn’t reveal Balaams heart.

He was a man of mixture. There must have been a period of tremendous consecration to God earlier in Balaams life because he had powerful gifts from God. God Himself had even appeared to him. Although he was very gifted, his life was characterized by greed, idolatry and sexual immorality. Although he knew what the will of God was concerning Israel, he kept tempting God to see if God would allow him to put a curse on His people. So, when Balak offered him even more money and honor, Balaam tried to persuade God to change His mind. Eventually, God said, “Alright, you go with them.” This is only because God grants a person the desires of his heart. But as Balaam went, God’s anger was aroused against him (22:22).

The Angel of the Lord was sent as an adversary against him. As Balaam rode his donkey, the donkey saw the Angel with his drawn sword in his hand. Immediately the animal turned aside to avoid him. Balaam became so upset that he started arguing with the donkey. This backslidden prophet was so bent in his own ways that even when an ass started talking to him, he failed to realize that something supernatural was occurring. Eventually, Balaam seduced God’s people into idolatry and gross immorality.

Balaam’s story teaches us that there are so many Christians who know that something in their lives does not conform to the will of God. Yet they continue to ask God until He says “Yes!” Then the Christian deceives himself into thinking, “God said I could do it, and I have the prophecies to confirm it.” But what’s in store from God is a lesson, not a blessing. If you want your own will instead of His, God may say “Yes.” He may even allow you to have “confirmations.” But He will also send leanness into your soul (Ps. 106:14-15).

There are many Balaams in the Church today who lower God’s standards, endorse immorality, encourage divorce and promote lawlessness. They may be ministers who had once received great power and gifts from God, but have now drifted far away from God. Balaam showed up at the end of the wilderness journey when Gods people were ready to go into the Promised Land. Unfortunately, he was not part of that congregation and never entered into God’s blessings.

2009-03-14T09:14:00.001+08:00

Emotional Outburst
14 Mar 2009

Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”Numbers 20:12

Numbers 20 marked the end of 38 years of wandering since Kadesh Barnea. For the second time, there was no water for the children of Israel. This time, not only did they blame Moses, they started blaming God, “If only we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!” (20:3). What a perverse lot! Actually, they should have already been in the Promised Land a long time ago, if only they themselves had not chosen to stay in the wilderness.

God then instructed Moses to “speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water” (20:8). The rock represented Christ (1 Cor. 10:4). The first time, God told Moses to “strike” the rock (Ex. 17:6). In striking the rock, it signified that Jesus had to be crucified. Christ was stricken, smitten and afflicted so that the waters of life could flow out to a thirsty and dying humanity. But the second time when the Israelites needed water, Moses was to speak to the rock. Now for us, living after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, all that is necessary is for us to speak and life flows. But Moses lost his temper and shouted at the people, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” (Num. 20:10). Likewise, we have no right to taunt, mock or rail at other people because the only thing that makes us different is the grace of God.

However, it can be challenging to control our temper when we are leading such perverse groups. So, we still need to monitor our emotions during times of stress and beware of the dangers of making decisions when we have low emotional reserves. Moses destroyed the prophetic type. By striking the rock twice, it would mean, in effect, that Christ would have to be crucified twice. Yet, notice the greatness of God in the next verse, “Water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank” (20:11). Even though God’s type had been destroyed and God’s servant had failed, God still caused the water to flow out. That was the grace of God despite human failure!

For Moses’ indiscretion and emotional outburst, he was disqualified from entering the Promised Land. Can you see the tremendous tests and standards God has for a leader? With privilege comes great responsibility. Just think of how Moses had served so tirelessly for 40 years. And then he was denied what was most precious to him—entrance into the Promised Land. In the Lord’s eyes, the measure of success is not the outcome of the effort, but the obedience of His servant.

2009-03-13T08:39:00.001+08:00

Welcoming The Lost
13 Mar 2009

It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is
alive again, and was lost and is found. Luke 15:32

Jesus was often accused by the Pharisees for being too welcoming with sinners like parable of the lost sheep, (2) the parable of the lost coin, and (3) the parable of the lost son. Jesus doesn’t believe in a “token hunt” for the lost. He doesn’t believe in just walking through the harvest field proclaiming that harvest time has come. Jesus believes in the actual ingathering of the lost.

As the Good Shepherd, Jesus counts the sheep in His flock every day. In church, we count people because people count! Every number represents a life that Christ died for on the cross. Without counting, how would a shepherd know if any of his sheep is missing? A good shepherd would “go after the one which is lost until he finds it”(Luke 15:4). A conscientious woman who has lost a silver coin would “light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it” (Luke 15:8). Soul-winning is too important a task to be left to half-hearted, token efforts.

In the parable of the prodigal son, after feeding swine in the pigsty, the son finally came to his senses. He would go home to his father and confess his sins to him. He would then make amends by working as a hired servant. There was true repentance and a desire to make restitution. When the lost son was still a distance from his home, his father saw him. For many months now, dad has been standing by the gate every day, waiting for his son to come home. And when the father met him, he hugged the son, gave him the best robe, put a ring on his fi nger and new sandals on his feet, killed the best calf, and threw him the best party in town. Unfortunately, the elder son didn’t share in the celebration. He was unhappy about the fuss made over the return of his lost brother.

Have you ever wondered what might have happened if the elder brother greeted the prodigal son first at the gate? His holier-than-thou attitude would have forever driven him back to the pigsty! It would have confirmed the negative bias that sinners like him could never start life afresh. Thank God it was the merciful father and not the harsh elder brother who greeted him at the door.

The three parables of Luke 15 tell us this: (1) soul-winning is serious work, (2) soulwinning is dedicated work, and (3) soul-winning is compassionate work. Watch your attitude the next time you meet people who are really “messed up” in life. Your attitude can give them the faith they need to start life afresh, or drive them further away from God. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

2009-03-12T08:41:00.000+08:00

Making The Difference
12 Mar 2009

And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped. Numbers 16:48

In Numbers 16, 250 Israelite leaders joined Korah, Dathan and Abiram in a rebellion against Moses. They were jealous of Moses’ authority and leadership. They wanted equal rights for all the leaders. Personally, Korah wanted a position and ministry that God had not given him.

There is always a tendency to downgrade the pastor in a church. But while the pastor is an elder, not all elders are pastors. You can’t put Moses on the same level as Korah, and you can’t put Korah on the same level as Moses.

This rebellion was a serious attack, not only against Moses, but against God Himself. The earth then opened up and fire came from heaven to consume the 250 leaders. The next day, the sympathizers of the rebels started murmuring against Moses. They felt that Moses and God were too harsh to Korah and the 250 men. By criticizing them, they were in effect saying that they had more compassion than God.

The Lord immediately spoke to Moses, “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” A plague swept through the people and 14,700 men began falling down dead. Aaron quickly took a censer, and with some fire from the altar, ran into the midst of the people and started making atonement for their wrongdoing. He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped (Num. 16:48-49).

Who was Aaron? He was just one man in the midst of a terrible plague that was killing the multitude. He was an elderly man who was too old to exert himself. He was a man who bore the scars of failure in both ministry and life. Yet, he ran to the altar, caught some fi re and stood between the living and the dead. And where he stood, the plague stopped.

This simple story was the rhema that launched our “Church Without Walls” ministry to the poor and needy in 1995. The essence of Christianity is simply loving God and loving people (Matt. 22:36-40). If you are willing to go to God’s altar, catch the fire of compassion, and stand between the living and the dead in your community, you can stop the ravages of sin and death.

Can one man make a difference? Aaron was a man of limited abilities. He was a man marked with many public failures. But when he caught the fire of compassion, he stood between the living and the dead and made the difference. With God’s compassion in your heart, you too can make a difference in your world.

2009-03-11T08:44:00.000+08:00

Don’t Limit Yourself
11 Mar 2009

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” Numbers 13:30

In Numbers 13, the children of Israel had come to Kadesh Barnea, the border of the with a bad report, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants; and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight” (Num. 13:32-33).

There are always “giants” in life. The greater the level you soar, the bigger the devil. Paul says that the life of faith is a good fi ght (1 Tim. 6:12). It is “good” because when we put our trust in the Lord, we will win at the end of every bout. But still, to win in life, you must be willing to fight.

There is no greater fear than fear itself. There is a difference between the fear of the Lord and phobia. Godly fear is reverence toward God, the desire to please Him and cautiousness not to displease Him in any way. This is a good fear that leads to wisdom and faith.

On the other hand, a phobia is a crippling and horrifying dread. Phobias lead to worry, anxiety and paranoia. Fear of men, circumstances and evil spirits paralyze you from possessing your dream. God says, “Fear not, for I am with you” (Is. 43:5).

Without faith, the children of Israel spiraled downward into widespread panic and hysteria when they heard about the giants in the Promised Land. The fi rst thought that came to their mind was, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt” (Num. 14:4). Whenever there was trouble, they wanted to go back. They may have gotten out of Egypt, but Egypt had not gotten out of them.

The word “Egypt” in Hebrew means to be hemmed in, or to be limited. The Israelites came out of the harsh bondage of Egypt where their lives, dreams, future and opportunities were severely limited. God broke those shackles of limitations and gave them freedom. But mentally, their thought pattern was still one of doubt and fear. The result? They “limited the Holy One of Israel” (Ps. 78:41). Apart from Joshua and Caleb, that entire generation of doubters didn’t enter the Promised Land.

Faith puts no limit on God, and God puts no limit on faith. Remember, God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Eph. 3:20). The moment you succeed in breaking a limitation in your mind, there is no question whatsoever that God can follow through and make that thought a reality in your life.