DG@Shiloh...Connecting to Market Place

Attitudes towards Work

2011-04-28T06:17:00.000+08:00

In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for He grants sleep to those He loves." - Psalm 127:2

Coming into the Promised Land in business will change the way you and I view our work. No longer will we see getting up early and staying up late as God's way. Living in the Promised Land in work means we know that God is the source of our provision and that our work is an act of worship to Him. Provision is a by-product, not an end in itself. Work is no longer something that must be sweated and toiled upon to make ends meet. "Could this really be true?" you might be saying. God has made it clear that obedience is the assurance of provision. Whenever we go beyond the normal workday due to fear of non-provision, we are operating in unbelief. We are saying that it is up to us to make things happen. Sure, there are times when we work longer hours due to a deadline, but we must be sure the motive is not out of fear of loss or fear of non-provision. If we are obedient to what God has called us to, He will provide our every need. This can be a hard lesson for goal-oriented workplace believers.

I recall coming into this understanding. I had been a workaholic. Long hours were common. Then God shook up my world and I was challenged by a friend to examine my motives for working long hours. I realized the source of those long hours was fear. Once I came into this understanding, I refused to work long hours even though the natural man would tell me I'd never make things happen if I worked a normal work week. Again, this reasoning is based on a lack of faith. If we are obedient to what God has called each of us to, we will not lack. At times it may be less than what we might like; at other times it may be more than we deserve. These are God's ways.

The Bible tells us to come out of Babylon. Babylon is a system of work and philosophy that is contrary to God's ways. Are you operating in any aspect of work from a Babylonian value system? Ask the Lord to reveal this to you. Begin to walk in the freedom He has given us in our work life.

Work With God

2011-04-27T14:45:00.000+08:00

"Noah did everything just as God commanded him" (Gen 6:22).

When God chooses to do something on the earth He uses a man or woman to accomplish it. It is a partnership that is very one sided. God got the worst part of the deal.

God got to a very bad place with the human race. He decided to start over. He was going to wipe out the entire population and begin afresh. He chose one man to place His entire strategy around. Can you imagine that? God placed His entire plan around one man. Why? Because He could trust him. The Bible says Noah did everything just as God commanded him. He didn't argue with God. He didn't take short cuts. He listened and he obeyed.

Who was this man Noah? "Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God" (Gen 6:9-10). When it came time to execute God's plan, He chose Noah to build a big boat. However, Noah had no idea what a boat was or how to build one. So, God told him how to build it. He gave him the dimensions; the height, width, space requirements - everything he needed to complete the task.

God will instruct us in performing our work too. God is in partnership with us in our working life. He has given us the tools, the creativity, and the drive to accomplish what He placed us on earth to do. That partnership requires us to listen to our senior partner though because He knows the exact way our project is to be done. And when you follow His direction that project will be excellent in every way.

"Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: 'I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go'" (Isaiah 48:17).

Do you need God to show you how to succeed in your call? Ask for His wisdom and understanding. God says he will give it generously (James 1:5).

Going through Challenges

2011-04-24T05:27:00.001+08:00

… And they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and has seen their misery, they bowed down and worshipped. (Ex 4:31)

By believing and trusting God in our lives and when God has delivered us and assisted us all the way through, through thick and thin, we must always keep our hearts in appreciation of what He has done. Worshipping God for all the good and even the challenging times. This is because we do not know what is in store or what His plans are but we know He will not let us down. We have to continuously celebrate His great comfort He has for us and note that He is always in control and there for us.

I have to say, I have not worshipped and give praise and thanks even though I have to go through challenges. Bearing in mind that God is in control I have to acknowledge that I am still worried and wants things to be in control in using human strength and not relying in God’s strength. More importantly is to continuously worship and adore God in whatever times in both good and bad and then leaving all things in His hands and trusting and having faith that He will bring us through and out of the challending situation like how Paul worshipped God even when he was detained and then saw how God delivered him from prison.

O’ God, forgive me for worrying and for not worshipping and thanking You in whatever challenging situations I am going through. God help me so that I can continuously worship and thank You in all situations. In Jesus’ most magnificent name I pray. AMEN!

God Answers Prayers

2011-03-10T06:59:00.000+08:00

If you will remember, in verse 6 of Psalm 18, David cried out to God.

In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God.

Does God hear His children when they cry out to Him? Anyone who has any doubt should read Psalm 18, verses 7-15! Spurgeon in his book, Treasuries of David stated, There was no great space between the cry and its answer. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, but is swift to rescue his afflicted.

Who is this God we serve? God is not mere man as we are. It is nothing for God to rock the earth and bow the heavens, which are held in the palms of His hands. Who can hide before His eyes? Is there a darkness so dark, or a secret place so secret that God cannot find us? Who can stand before the day of the Lord, when His brightness discharges all of the artillery of heaven?

12At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
13The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
14Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
15Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

Does God hear our prayers? Did he hear the prayer of David? Oh, yes! God answers. Dear Christian, this is our God. Is He a God of love? Yes! Is He a God who comes to the aid of His children? Yes! Is His power and greatness enough to protect and keep us in our darkest hour? Yes!

Let us pray for grace and strength to live the Christian life in the power and strength of the Lord. He is not slack concerning His promises; let us not be slack in our faith and trust in Him no matter what our circumstances may be.

Go to God today--cry out to Him in the middle of your troubles knowing that, indeed, God answers!

Filled with the Holy Spirit

2011-02-27T21:46:00.000+08:00

"Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord-Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here-has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit'"(Acts 9:1).

Billy Graham, the great evangelist, shared a personal story about the role of the Holy Spirit in his life-long ministry and how he came to see the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

In my own life there have been times when I have also had the sense of being filled with the Spirit, knowing that some special strength was added for some task I was being called to perform. We sailed for England in 1954 for a crusade that was to last for three months. While on the ship, I experienced a definite sense of oppression. Satan seemed to have assembled a formidable array of his artillery against me. Not only was I oppressed, I was overtaken by a sense of depression, accomplished by a frightening feeling of inadequacy for the task that lay ahead. Almost night and day I prayed. I knew in a new way what Paul was telling us when he spoke about 'praying without ceasing.' Then one day in a prayer meeting with my wife and colleagues, a break came. As I wept before the Lord, I was filled with deep assurance that power belonged to God and He was faithful. I had been baptized by the Spirit into the Body of Christ when I was saved, but I believe God gave me a special anointing on the way to England. From that moment on I was confident that God the Holy Sprit was in control for the tasks that lay ahead. That proved true.*
As a believer, God has provided the Holy Spirit for you and I so that we can experience the power of the gospel that allows us to live the Christian life.

Today, if you have not done so, invite the Holy Spirit to fill your life to overflowing so that you can be a witness in your workplace, city and nation.

God Listens

2011-02-23T21:31:00.002+08:00

' What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way The Lord Our God is near us whenever we pray to Him' Deut 4:7

Have you wondered whether God really listen to our prayers? Or perhaps thought that He listens to others and not yours? After all, you have not been worthy and faithful to Him in the past?

If we have such thoughts, we really do not understand prayers and about God Himself. There are two main reasons why God listen to us and none of these points have anything to do with us.

Firstly, God hears us because He is near to us. While God is beyond everything in creation, He is nevertheless near us. - we are His people whether we have done well or we have not done well. ' for In Him we live and move and have our being' Acts 17:27-28
God is really near us and so He really listens.

Secondly, God hear Su because He loves us..no matter what we have done. Like any good parent, He has His heart towards us. His very first response to us is love and not judgement. We really do not have to be perfect for Him to hear us.

Trust Him today..He is near you to hear your cries and He loves you!

When the world around us is falling apart

2011-02-20T20:51:00.005+08:00

21 Feb 2011

' In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the temple' Isaiah 6:1

The world must have seemed to have falling apart when King Uzziah after 52 years of glorious reign where Judah's national pride had flourished and its borders grown.

All sorts of questions were now running through people's mind : what would happen now? Who would take over? How would things go? What about God's promises in the past? What about the enemy, Assyria to the east with its territorial ambitions?

The earthly king must have died; but the King of Glory is still on the throne! This was the revelation given to Isaiah...a King that is high and lifted up...Holy and Majestic!..worshipped by host of heaven..a King that will not die...He is eternal.

Seeing this through his spiritual eyes, Isaiah can once again take hold of God's promises to the people once again.

His initial reaction was to run! He felt so unworthy..so unclean. But God had a plan. He,himself, would deal with Isaiah's overwhelming sense of sin; just one touch from a coal from the heavenly altar..was sufficient to deal with his unworthiness and sin.

Now that Isaiah knew who he was and who God was and how very much loved and forgiven, now he was ready to look at the world and its problems with fresh eyes.

Let us have an encounter with God...with eyes of faith to deal with our sins and we too can stand firm when all things around us seem to be falling apart and take hold of His promises anew!

Worship as a Lifestyle

2011-02-20T18:18:00.003+08:00

Matthew 5:1-16, Jesus describes the character and behavior displayed in children of the King; character and behavior that reflect a lifestyle of worship.

Once you have entered the King's inner chamber and enjoyed the intimacy of His presence you will never be the same again. The world looks different from the King's perspective. It will change the way you behave, and may cause you to be “ruined for the ordinary.”

Esther prepared for an entire year for her one night with the king. She had no guarantee that she would see him again after that one encounter. Yet no matter the outcome, she would never be ‘just a peasant girl from a conquered nation' again. From that day forward she walked, talked and carried herself like the queen she had become. Esther prepared carefully and diligently for one night with the king. But her queenly demeanor became a lifestyle .

For the King's favorites worship is not something that happens just in church on Sunday, or when we spend time alone in God's presence. Once we learn the protocol of the palace—the protocol of intimate worship—it becomes (or should become) our way of life. Everywhere we go we will carry ourselves like the King's intimates. This does not mean we will act arrogantly or boast of our position. It does mean that we will live in such a way as to reflect the heart and character of the King . We will act like His children no matter where we are or what our circumstances.

Because the King abides in us through His Holy Spirit, we carry His presence with us wherever we go. Therefore, every moment of every day becomes an opportunity and a reason for worship. Worship is how we handle ourselves in the presence of the King. Worship is not what we do; it is who we are! We are worshipers by nature. As the King's intimates and favorites, our entire lives should be a continuing act of worship!

In Matthew 5 Jesus described the character of the King's children. He said that they are poor in spirit, mournful (over the sin of the world), meek (gentle), hungry and thirsty for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart and peacemakers. He also said they are persecuted for the sake of righteousness. In short, they exhibit the character of their father, the King. Summing it all up, Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” That's what a lifestyle of worship is all about.

As children of the King, everything we do or say reflects on His name and character, either for good or bad. Ask yourself: Is my daily life a continuing act of worship? Do my words and behavior draw people to the King or drive them away?

Let your life become an ongoing offering of worship to your King. Let Him spill over onto the lives of others. Let your light shine!

Our Spiritual Weapon

2011-02-19T21:59:00.003+08:00

Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears." - Joel 3:10a

In this third chapter of Joel, we hear the prophet describe a time yet to come. It will be a time of great harvest on the earth.

A plowshare is an agricultural instrument used to till the soil. At this point in history, it was a tool that spoke of one's vocation. However, the prophet was speaking of a time yet to come. The prophet described the plowshare as an instrument that will be turned into a sword.

The sword is often used in the Bible to describe God's Word. The only way a plowshare can be turned into a sword is for it to go through extreme heat, and then the blacksmith must beat that plowshare into shape. Heat and punishment of the metal turns that plowshare into an instrument of battle.

God must do this in each of our lives in order for us to be useable as a worthy sword. We are all in a battle - a spiritual battle. Paul describes our battle as one against the principalities of the unseen world. I believe God is going to raise up many to use their plowshare as a weapon of righteousness in these last days. That weapon won't be used for destruction, but as a weapon of love. That weapon of love will yield a great harvest in our lifetime. this is only part of the story.

God is also going to turn our pruning hooks into spears. A pruning hook is used in two ways. First, it is used to prune a tree for greater growth and productivity. It is also used to cut the fruit from taller trees in which one cannot reach the fruit. This fruit from our vocation is going to be cast forth like a spear, but even more as seed planted to bring the harvest of which Joel speaks.

How are you using your plowshare and your pruning hook for God's glory today? Ask God to show you how He wants to use your skills, resources, and relationships to prepare for the great harvest He has planned.

Released !

2010-10-31T20:14:00.001+08:00

1 November 2010

RELEASED

Luke 13:10-13 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. (NIV)

Jesus came to release people from the grip of Satan's power, and from the curse of sin. But how could people know that He had power over the devil and all his bad works? Today's passage is a living parable. By calling the bent-over woman to the front of the synagogue, He not only tested her faith but also challenged the assumption that women and the sick should be kept out of sight because they were less worthy before God than the religiously self-important men.

For eighteen years, this woman had been unable to walk tall: an evil spirit had bound her. Perhaps it was thought to be a punishment for earlier sins. But however much others may have maligned her character, she was still in the synagogue worshipping God and looking to Him for mercy. That day she had faith in Jesus; enough faith to shuffle forward through the men, publically admitting her weakness; and enough faith to risk whatever Jesus would say about her or do to her. Perhaps Jesus would publically rebuke her, condemning her past sins; however, she responded to His call, trusting Him to say and do the right thing. Seeing her faith, Jesus publically declared her to be free from what had held her down: when He laid His hands on the woman, her bent back became straight and she was full of joy praising the Lord.

It was to be a big lesson for the religious people and their leader in that synagogue; and is significant for us too. Who has the power to put right something that has been irreversibly wrong for many years? Only Jesus! Put it the other way around: why did the Son of God come into the world? To destroy the work of the devil (1 John 3:8)! Jesus is not just a good man, a wise teacher or a sympathetic healer - He came in the flesh in order to deal with the corruption that spoils our souls and bodies now; and qualifies us for hell later. To trust Him is to be released from Satan's grasp and enter the kingdom of heaven. Even if others reject you, Christ who calls you will accept you, relieve you and restore you to be a person of praise. As Isaiah 61:3 said about Jesus, He would, "provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." Prove that today by responding to His call, and encourage others to do the same.

Prayer: Ever loving God. Thank You for sending Jesus to this sin-sick world in order to destroy the works of the Evil One. Thank You that His call is one of liberation leading to joy and praise. Please help me to respond to that call today, and to let my friends and colleagues know that Your love is for them too. May I set a right example by trusting in Jesus Christ to release me from all that seeks to hold me back from praising You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Stop and Reflect on God

2010-10-25T05:54:00.001+08:00

25 October 2010

Luke 12:16-21 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' (NIV)

The devil loves to ferment a conspiracy between the values of the godless world around us and our fleshly nature. Most people would like to have more money and possessions, thinking that they will be more secure and therefore stress-free. That is also the dream of thieves, gamblers and high risk investors along with those who are banking on a future legacy.

This agricultural story is full of reality. The entrepreneurial business-man was investing his income into real-estate and capitalising his assets, so that he would never need to work again. Jesus describes God's reaction to that mentality. He calls such people 'fools'. They are foolish because they have forgotten that they will die and cannot take any of it with them. They are fools because they will have to endure the pain of the investment without any of its rewards; and they are foolish because, instead of sharing their assets as a kind person, somebody else will distribute them.

True riches will always retain their value; they can never be taken away, spoil or change (1 Peter 1:4). They are not measured by any banking currency, but are the sum of everything we treasure in our relationship with God. In the same way that a poor family may be greatly fulfilled by loving interactions between parents and children, to the point at which poverty has little meaning for they have great treasure in each other, so those who love the Lord their God with all their heart, mind and strength, have an eternal investment which will only increase in value in God's presence for ever.

So instead of being far-sighted, this farmer was very short-sighted. He had not counted on God's right to change his lifestyle and end his life. Like him, everybody who fails to invest in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ will lose everything because that is the only key to heaven.

Prayer: Almighty God. Thank You for reminding me that my possessions are a small and quickly passing part of my life. Forgive me when I put my trust in what I have, instead of in You who has promised to hold me securely for ever. Help me to make godly decisions about my money, investments and savings so that I will always have enough to give to those in need, to feed my family and to serve You. Help me to invest in my relationship with You so that I can trust You without any fear when the money runs low or the crops fail. May my lifestyle and mind-set display my faith in Your grace rather than the greed which forgets my mortality and Your Sovereignty. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Basic Prayer

2010-08-25T20:36:00.002+08:00

Luke 11:3 Give us each day our daily bread (NIV)

Some people are reluctant to pray for their own needs; they somehow think that it is selfish and God would not be pleased. But this verse tells us that it is not wrong to pray for the basic necessities of life: indeed, we should do so every day. Of course, God knows that we need them but we should never take them for granted. Each day needs a fresh supply and it is a part of Father God's kindness to provide them for us. So, why do we need to pray for them, especially as God knows our needs before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8)? The best answer is that Jesus tells us to do so! Father God wants us to ask, so that when He gives we might respond in a loving relationship of enjoying His provision with thankfulness (Matthew 7:11).

But surely we have a responsibility to provide for our own needs and those of our family. Yes! 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 is quite clear that we should work hard and not be lazy. But even when we have done our work, got our money and bought our food, it is God who has enabled the food to grow, He has given us work, the strength to do it and the money as a reward for our labour. We therefore have no right to presume that we don't need Father God's kindness and help. Those who think like that are fools, according to Jesus in Luke 12:16-21.

Today's verse is a fresh call to recognise our dependency on God for everything. It warns us away from the complacency of presuming we have all we need, and the arrogance of self-sufficiency. It also teaches us to think simply about life: if all the 'extras' of life should be stripped away, we have enough because we can ask the Lord to give us all we need. It should help us to be grateful for the 'little things' without despising them. Praying like this will also help us to live one day at a time, instead of alternating our concentration between the regrets/achievements of yesterday and the hopes/fears of tomorrow. As Jesus said in Matthew 6:34 "... do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." So pray each day that God will supply your needs that day, and be confident, satisfied and thankful!

Trusting God in the Face of Enemies

2010-08-10T07:38:00.001+08:00

Scripture Reading
Esther 7:4-6 : Esther finally reveals to the King that she and her people have been marked for “killing, slaughter, and annihilation”, by Haman. Verse six says, “Haman grew pale with fright before the king and queen..”

Haman was trapped, with no place to run and no place to hide. He probably went to the banquet still trembling from his incredibly “bad luck” at having to honor Mordecai, his hated enemy, at the command of the king. But he had no idea what awaited him.

When this descendant of an Amalekite king dared to plot against the children of God, he instantly made himself an enemy of God. Scripture indicates: “A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.” Haman was building one big snare with his mouth and scheming ways.

In just one day and with one divine stroke, God delivered Mordecai, Queen Esther, and the Jews under Persia 's shadow from the jaws of Haman's trap. Then He arranged for the plotter to be trapped in his own plot, for the hunter to be snared in his own net of destruction. Dear one, remember that God is able and willing to turn a plot that is against you into a victory that is for you!

King David echoed this truth when he penned this powerful prayer:

“For my eyes are toward Thee, O GOD, the Lord; In Thee I take refuge; do not leave me defenseless.

“Keep me from the jaws of the trap which they have set for me, And from the snares of those who do iniquity.

“ Let the wicked fall into their own nets, While I pass by safely .”

Take courage. You do not have to sink to the level of those who plot or scheme against you—you have an Advocate, a Protector, a Champion who constantly looks out for you. Your enemies have become His enemies. All you have to do is follow hard after God and put your trust in Him!

Being an Answer to Prayer

2010-08-09T07:21:00.001+08:00

BEING AN ANSWER TO PRAYER

Luke 10:2-3 He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves." (NIV)

Jesus often used the harvest analogy. It was His way of explaining that He wants people to belong to His Kingdom, as they actively respond to the proclamation of the gospel. As He sends out 72 in addition to the Twelve, He points out that another 72 are not enough to do the job. More need to be commissioned. Although that is Father God's job, Jesus gives the 72 a command to pray that God will send out other workers too.

It may seem strange that God is waiting to be asked to do what He wants to do. It is simple: His plan is to get us to work with Him; not just to do prescribed tasks, but to desire God's objectives with Him, and to pray that He will bring them to completion. The prayer is quite dramatic because "send out" used the same Greek word as 'to cast out' demons. If believers are to serve in this way, it would be well outside their comfort zone and required God's authoritative command to get them (and us) moving! At the same time as His followers were praying that God will send out more workers, Jesus gave the "Go!" command to them. And He made it clear that this was no 'walk in the park' - the journey was potentially frightening.

The greatest two weaknesses in today's church may well be in these two areas, prayer and action. In both we are expected to work with God who is working with us. The initiative comes from Him: Philippians 2:13 says ... "for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." But the response needs to be ours. If God provokes our hearts to agree it is good, then pray for it: if God gives the instruction, then do it! And if you pray for God to send people, don't be surprised if He sends you too! Your 'mission station' may be in your home or office, factory or construction site, transport industry or classroom. So pray with another believer at work and then let the Lord guide you to be part of the answer to those prayers.

Prayer: Dear Lord and Master. Thank You for the privilege You have given to me, to work with You. Please forgive me when I have thought it was not my responsibility, but a calling which only applied to 'professional' Christians. Help me to learn to pray according to what is in Your heart, and to grow in my faith as I see you answering my prayers. May I also be willing to be the answer to my own prayers according to Your will. May I not be discouraged by the apparently frightening task ahead of me, but trust You to keep me safe and enable me to be productive in announcing Your Kingdom every day. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Less is More

2010-07-28T07:39:00.000+08:00

Luke 9:46-48 An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and made him stand beside him. Then he said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all--he is the greatest." (NIV)

Self-interest always produces arguments (or unexpressed resentment, bitterness and frustration). Perhaps Jesus' selection of Peter, James and John to join Him at the recent transfiguration might have triggered this ego-surge; and Jesus' predictions about His suffering (Luke 9:44-45) made them worried. Although Jesus was not present when the argument broke out, He knew all about it. So at a convenient moment, He used a child to demonstrate the principles by which His Kingdom operated. Those values would turn worldly standards upside down: or more correctly - the way of the world has so corrupted God's way, that we need God's truth to turn us the right way up!

In putting the child next to Him, Jesus was not saying that we should worship children, or that children are angels who are able to usher us into God's presence! He was simply making the point that as He welcomed children and honoured them, the disciples should do the same. And if they honoured a little child, then they should honour each other by providing whatever kindness was required. Greatness, according to Jesus, is not marked by power but by service, particularly to those who do not appear to deserve it.

Jesus provided the greatest example. He served and honoured us, unworthy sinners, by obeying Father God in suffering for us on the cross. If that is true (and it certainly is!), all ideas of power struggles amongst believers are quite out of order. Nobody has any right to claim superiority over others when our Master humbled Himself to the point of death (Philippians 2:5-8). It may be more complicated when church organisations have to comply with secular regulations, but the principle still stands - greatness is measured in sacrificial service. So, one of the best ways of showing friends and colleagues what following Christ means, is to be humble enough to serve them and even to serve those people whom they despise.

Sometimes we Do Not Understand

2010-07-24T11:19:00.004+08:00

Luke 9:43b-45 While everyone was marvelling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, "Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men." But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it. (NIV)

After the glory of the transfiguration, the remarkable healing of a child and the awed amazement of the crowd and disciples, Jesus gathered the Twelve for a briefing. Mark's account gives more detail: "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise." (Mark 9:31-32). However, they did not understand. They could not reconcile those words with the roller-coaster 'success' of Jesus' ministry and popularity; it did not match their idea of the Messiah. But it was also a message they did not want to receive - Luke said they were frightened about what it might mean, so they did not even ask. But there was another factor. In writing, "... it was hidden from them", Luke implies that the Lord did not intend them to grasp it at that time.

So what was the point in Jesus telling them to listen carefully? Firstly, it was the truth. Secondly, they would need to know that the crucifixion was not a dreadful mistake but all part of God's plan, and accepted by Jesus. Thirdly, they needed their minds moved from success to suffering, as the mark of ministry (Jesus' and theirs in the future). But why was all this obscured from them? Until the events between the cross and ascension had taken place, they would not be able to put the jigsaw of information together to see what God was doing; and even then, they could not see the picture until the Holy Spirit filled their minds and hearts. Until then, they needed to hold on to every word of truth; but when God revealed His wonderful plan of salvation, it could be preached throughout the world.

There are many things we do not understand, and God knows we cannot grasp their significance until all the pieces have been set in place. The Lord may give us enough information to alert and prepare us for the future, and we need to listen carefully so that when the right moment comes, we are ready to obey. But the gospel message is not a mystery any longer (Colossians 1:25-29). We, who know the way of salvation, can confidently explain it to others. So, whatever is unclear, treasure and ponder, like Mary did (Luke 2:51), until the Lord shows you what it means. But whatever is clear, rejoice in, obey and share with others!

Prayer: Dear Father God. Thank You that You reveal Your truth to people at just the right time. Help me also to be willing to wait until the uncertainties in my life are made clear, step by step. So help me today to trust You for the things I cannot yet understand, and for the way I cannot yet see. However, thank You that the gospel message is now fully explained in the Bible, and freely available to all who will receive it. So please help me to be confident to share that message with my friends and colleagues. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

2010-07-20T07:47:00.002+08:00

GLORY ASSURED Luke 9:28-32 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendour, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfilment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. Jesus had just promised the disciples that their faithfulness would be rewarded when He returned in glory. But was that an empty promise? Until then, everything He said had been fulfilled ... but they were effectively staking their whole lives on this one promise ... how could they be sure? The Lord, who knows everything, knew that they needed assurance in a way they could understand; and so He took Peter, James and John to pray with Him up a mountain. Although the disciples did not really know how to engage in prayer, and almost fell asleep, the changed appearance of Jesus made them fully alert. This event was so memorable that Peter used it to comfort and strengthen churches under persecution. 2 Peter 1:16-18 says, "We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eye-witnesses of his majesty. For he received honour and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain." Many religions encourage faithfulness in their followers, by promising good in the future. But how does anyone know that those promises can be fulfilled? Jesus showed that He could keep all His promises. He spoke of glory, and then showed himself in glory. Moses and Elijah, who had already prophesied about Jesus, now prophesied Him leaving the world as Saviour (in the same way that God led the Israelites out of Egypt to a new life). Jesus not only spoke of new life, but raised three people from the dead before He was also raised. The suffering of Jesus was vindicated by the resurrection - a great encouragement for the suffering church in the years to come. In short, Jesus' words are fully trustworthy. We, who believe in Jesus, have every reason to be completely confident that everything He said will be seen. And we have every reason to recommend Jesus to our friends and family, who have no such certainty.

Taking Relationship with God for granted

2010-07-12T07:39:00.002+08:00

Scripture Reading
Matthew 7:22-23, Jesus warns us that many who call Him “Lord, Lord” won't enter the kingdom of Heaven.

Visit any country with a monarchy and you will find two primary groups of people clustered around the king or queen. The first group is proud of their hard-earned achievements. They've stood the test of scrutiny and passed the examinations common in any environment ruled by protocol. The second group didn't necessarily “earn” their position in the royal court—they were born to it. They enjoy a relationshipwith their national sovereign that no amount of protocol or proper political positioning can produce—they are family.

For this reason, they can do things that would get even the most highly placed protocol-driven diplomat or dignitary into deep trouble. This is true even in the White House.

No diplomat, cabinet head, or congressional leader could enter the Oval Office and begin playing under the President's desk; or lead the President to a toy store display window to point out a desired birthday present. Yet a child, teenager, or spouse can have direct and intimate contact with the leader of the most powerful nation on the planet as long as they have the privileged access available only to close family members.

The greatest danger for Christians who focus on protocol while neglecting relationship is that they may cross the fine boundary between intimate familiarity and casual presumption. This is what Jesus described in Matthew 7:22-23—people who “worked miracles” in Jesus name, but wanted to “live life their way” (a simple definition of “lawlessness”) instead of loving and following Christ in The Way. Presumption seeks the benefits of His presence. True intimacy seeks Him, not merely the benefits, perks, or power associated with His name and title.

Casual presumption offends God, even if we shout out the loudest in public meetings, “Lord, Lord!”

The battle is the Lord's

2010-07-11T08:24:00.001+08:00

Scripture Reading
2 Chronicles 20:1-20, Jehoshaphat brings the threat of an enemy before the Lord. The Lord assures Jehoshaphat that He will fight the battle for them.

The King has already fought and won your battles.

Do you get tired of daily battling fresh problems and new enemies? Spiritual warfare is an unavoidable part of the Christian life. Fortunately for us, our King is also a mighty warrior! We don't have to face our battles alone. In fact, He has already won them for us – we just have to claim them.

The King may be a warrior, but there is peace in His inner chambers.

Every soldier needs periodic times of “R and R”; a safe harbor where he or she can find peace and rest for a while. For believers, this means drawing near to the heart of God; retreating into His inner chambers. It is here, in the place of worship and intimacy, where our battles are won.When we worship our way into the King's presence He takes up our battles and wins them for us.

The King of Judah had a problem. A formidable army was on its way to attack the kingdom of Judah . Jehoshaphat went before the people, humbled himself and worshiped the Lord. He laid out the situation then appealed for God's help. He worshiped himself into the inner chambers of intimacy with the Lord. In response, God told the king to take his army and go out to meet the enemy. He added, “ You will not need to fight in this battle . Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you…” The king sent singers ahead of his army. As soon as they began singing praises to the Lord, God set the enemy armies against each other and they destroyed themselves. This battle was won in the place of worship.

The same God who fought for Jehoshaphat will also fight for you. Don't fear the conflict because you are not alone. Worship your way into His inner chambers and wait on Him. The battle is the Lord's!

How much are you willing to risk to fulfill your destiny?

2010-07-06T07:50:00.000+08:00

Scripture Reading
Daniel 3:1-30 tells how Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego risked everything, even the possibility of death, to remain faithful to the Lord.

How much are you willing to risk to fulfill your destiny?

Every worthwhile achievement in life involves risk. The business axiom “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” is true for all of life. You cannot move ahead into your destiny by staying where you are. Many people never realize their destiny because they are afraid to risk anything. How serious are you about fulfilling your destiny? What are you willing to risk?

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego risked everything to remain faithful to God. They refused to worship the golden idol that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon , had set up. Even on pain of death they would not prostitute their faith to follow a false god. Love and loyalty to the God of their fathers was more precious than life itself.

They chose death over disloyalty when they said to king, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand O king. But if not, then it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” The enraged king had them thrown into the fiery furnace.

Where was God during all of this? He was in the furnace with them. Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace and saw not three men but four, unbound and unhurt in the midst of the flames. Nebuchadnezzar described the fourth man he saw as “like the Son of God.” Once you dare to risk everything for your destiny in God, you will discover that He is right there with you.

Risk is scary because there is always the possibility of failure. Such is the nature of risk. Are you willing to risk everything to fulfill your destiny? Are you willing to trust that the God who walked in the furnace with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego will also walk with you as you pursue your destiny? How far will you go to follow God? How far will you go to see your destiny fulfilled? Will you risk it all ?

Tests of faith

2010-07-04T09:36:00.000+08:00

Luke 8:49-53 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," he said. "Don't bother the teacher any more." Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed." When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. "Stop wailing," Jesus said. "She is not dead but asleep." They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. (NIV)

The synagogue ruler had come begging Jesus to save his daughter's life. The circumstances of the day, a dense crowd of people blocking the way and a woman who wanted healing, had delayed the journey back to Jairus' house. Then the news came that his daughter had died. "Don't bother the Teacher any more", they said. It was too late, nothing could be done, and the child's life had gone. But Jesus knew differently and continued the walk to Jairus house. On arrival, the sound of wailing filled the air and the mourners added to the crowd around Jesus.

"Stop all that noise!" Jesus said, "She is not dead but asleep". Instantly, the mood changed from grief to ridicule. From being the wise teacher, Jesus was now considered as foolish and ignorant. The crowd knew better than Him. They had the evidence, and He was just speaking words. However, as we shall see, the words of Jesus would be much more powerful than the evidence of a lifeless corpse. But the Saviour was not seeking crowd-approval; just their silence, for their faithlessness could add nothing. It was Jairus who had been challenged to believe - not even the disciples believed; only three of them were called into the house to act as witnesses.

'Knowing better than God' is at the core of our sinful nature. We can always find evidence to prove that we are right, even when we are wrong! Because we cannot know the future, we usually predict the future on the basis of our past experience. We do not allow the possibility that God will change the course of our present circumstances. But we are called to better things! He has the power to change anything that is outside of His will. So He asks us to put our faith in Him, to believe His promises and to live in the confidence that He is in control of the future: because His Word is all-mighty. Many will discourage us from doing so, but it is only the Lord's voice we need to hear above the din of worldly hopelessness.

Prayer: Dear Lord of power and might. Thank You for being God! Thank You that I am not doomed to live without hope and die without Christ, for He has called me to trust in Him. Please forgive me when I assume the worst because I have not believed Your Word, committed my circumstances into Your hands or believed that You have abandoned me. Thank You for the many promises in Your Word which assure me that You do not leave me, and that You will hear and answer my prayers. Help me to trust You; even when the world, the flesh and the devil are screaming at me to give up: because I know You will always keep Your Word. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

The Day I Died

2010-07-01T07:02:00.000+08:00

God takes sin seriously. Sin is a terrible thing in the Christian’s life. That is why God did not overlook sin, but dealt with it in one complete stroke of judgment by sending Christ to die for us on the cross.

Now that we have been saved by grace can we live any way we so please? Can we sin it up now that our fire insurance has been paid in full?

The apostle Paul responded to that arrogant attitude saying, “How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:2).

We died to sin. “Died” is in aorist past tense, indicating a once for all death in a judicial sense. We legally died (vv. 2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13, 18). It refers to a single action that has taken place and has been completed in the past.

The idea of our death to sin is basic in this great chapter, and is essential to the sanctification of all believers.

“We died to sin.” When did you die?

The apostle Paul does not say we are going to die to sin, or we are presently dying to sin. He does not say we are continually to die to sin. The apostle has in mind a completed past action.

We “have died” to sin is already true of us if we have entered into a vital union with Christ. Charles Hodge notes, “it refers to a specific act in our past history.”

The apostle Paul tells us there is a watershed, a before Christ and after he came into our lives. Before Christ describes the old man, the old self, what I was like before my conversion. The after Christ came in describes the new man, the new self, what my life has been like after I was made a new creation in Christ. The before Christ ended with the judicial death of the old self. I was a sinner. I deserved to die. I did die. I received my righteousness in my Substitute with whom I have become one. It describes my resurrection. My old life is finished, and a new life to God has begun.

Our continuing in sin is unthinkable says Paul because God by His grace took us from the position of being in Adam and transferred us into the kingdom of Christ. It is something God has already done. It is not something we do, or have done, but something God has done to us. We have been joined to Jesus Christ. The old life ended in that transaction, and a new life has begun at the same time.

In Romans 6:1-11 the apostle Paul compares our dying to sin to how Christ died to sin. Although He had never experienced personal sin, He died to sin by suffering its penalty on the cross. “The wages of sin is death.” He died as our substitute. He was punished for our sin in our place once for all on the cross. Jesus died to sin once for all. His relationship to sin is finished forever. By dying in our place on the cross He put an end to its claim upon us once for all. Jesus died. That will never happen again. It will never be repeated. It is a completed action in the past. Paul makes this emphatically clear in verses 9-10, “knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.”

Moreover, Paul tells us that our old life of sin in Adam is over. We died. Just as Christ can never go back and die again, we can never go back to the old life in Adam. That part of our lives died. The result of our vital union with Christ in His death and resurrection is that our old life in Adam is past, over with, and we now have a new life in Christ.

Our life is divided into two parts at the point in which we believed on Christ and were born again. At a specific act in past history we accepted Christ as our Savior and we became new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).

Can you point to a time in your life and see the change before and after Christ separated by the new birth? When we put our faith in Christ as our Savior and were born again the old self died through union with Christ and was buried. The penalty of our sins was paid in full by Christ's atoning death. At the same time the believer rose again from death, a new person, to live a new life in Christ. We were crucified with Christ and rose with Him to new life.

We died to the life of sin. God counts the utterly perfect righteousness of the risen Christ as ours. He sees us risen in Him. We live a new life in Christ. The old one died, and it was buried.

Does your life have a dividing line marked Christ?

“O for a thousand tongues to sing. . ." the triumph of His grace in a thousand different languages!

Selah!

God's favour on your life is not for you..it is for Him

2010-06-28T05:35:00.001+08:00

Scripture Reading
John 12:23-33, Jesus says that a seed must die before it can produce a harvest. He likens this to His own approaching death, which is His purpose in coming to earth.

Why do you want the favor of the Lord on your life? Is it for His mission or yours?

Jesus was on His Father's mission. He made that clear with every word and every action. The Father's favor rested on Jesus not just so Jesus could do good deeds and heal people, but so that He could fulfill His Father's purpose. And the Father's purpose was for Jesus to die. Jesus said: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain .” Jesus' death was necessary for life to flow. He had to die in order to reap a harvest of redeemed souls for His Father's kingdom.

Like Jesus, we are called to die . God's favor is for dying. He gives us His favor so that we can offer ourselves as living sacrifices. Favor is not the highest accomplishment in life. Fulfilling God's purpose is . And God's purpose is that we die—to sin, fear and personal agendas—so that we may live in Christ. When we live in Christ we become partners with Him in helping reconcile a lost world to Father God.

Paul said that we should consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. This is the only way we can fulfill our life purpose in God. And it is the ultimate reason why God places His favor on us. When Esther approached the king unsummoned, to appeal for her people, she was already as good as dead. By law she could have been executed. But Esther had already died to self-will and personal ambition because she was alive to a higher purpose—saving her people from annihilation. This was also God's purpose. And when Esther aligned herself with God's purpose, His purpose was fulfilled and life flowed.

Do you want to walk in the purposes of God? Do you want His favor to rest on you? Then be prepared to die. Favor is for dying!

Power Struggle

2010-06-27T08:24:00.000+08:00

Luke 8:29-31 For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places. Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "Legion," he replied, because many demons had gone into him. And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. (NIV)

Some people think that God and the devil are equal and opposite forces like opposing teams in a football match, where human beings are the ball. Not so! God has the supreme right to rule and Satan can only operate by permission. People are not the passive victims of a heavenly struggle, for they can and do choose who will be their master. Legion had made his choice, and yet was taken prisoner by his own demonic house-guests, and was manipulated by them into unpredictable violence.

When Jesus confronted the demonised man, Satan's agents knew that they could not win. They knew that Jesus was about to terminate their 'residence permit'. The only question was where would they be sent? The fact that they repeatedly begged Jesus not to deport them to the place of the dead showed that they were struggling for the power to continue to demonise the living; but they knew that they were ultimately subject to the authority of Jesus.

The good news is that those who want to be released from Satan's bondage can have complete confidence that Jesus has the power to deal with the problem. There is no power that Jesus cannot break. So why don't more people come to Him? Perhaps they have never heard, or if they have, they still believe the lie that they are the helpless victims of an eternal struggle, and there is no certainty as to who will win! Of course Jesus will win (Revelation 20:7-15 is quite clear about that). What they need is to be told the truth; and who better to do that than you! But many would say that lots of other Christians could say it better, explain it more clearly and answer questions with greater confidence. Maybe: but are they near your troubled friend, are they in your workplace, do they have refreshment breaks at the same time, do they travel on the same train? No! But you are there, on hand to minister in the Name of Jesus! So, wherever you find troubled souls, tell them that Jesus has the power to set them free.

Demonic Confrontation

2010-06-18T17:38:00.001+08:00

Luke 8:26-28 They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torture me!" (NIV)

A stormy boat trip had just taught the disciples that Jesus had authority over the forces of nature. Arriving at the shore the Twelve were with Jesus for His next appointment - taking authority over demons. As they landed, the naked demonised man met them. He was unable to live near people; demonically robbed of his dignity, community and sanity, he lived in isolation and slept among the graves of the dead.

The arrival of Jesus challenged the authority of the evil spirits. The Son of the Most High God had invaded their space and they knew that He had the power to cast them out into a prolonged and painful destruction. The manipulated man screamed out in his tortured state, recognising who Jesus was and fearful of what He might do. The evil spirits knew they were at Jesus' mercy but also wanted to bargain with Him to remain in control of the man. And so the intrinsic confusion which exists within everything that is evil was pouring out of the man's mouth.

Evil has no integrity. Those who allow evil to rule in their hearts end up believing their own lies and think that they can bargain with God. Generally speaking, it is not that the wicked refuse to believe in God, but that they deny His right to rule. As this narrative unfolds we shall see that Jesus Christ is totally in command and that Satan cannot defy Him. Like the disciples, it is important for us to know that their Master was not just a teacher and healer, but that He would go into Satan's territory to rescue those whose lives had been wrecked by evil. That is why the gospel is such good news: Jesus came to save sinners who are incapable of releasing themselves from Satan's grip. And Christ still has that power today.

Raging Lack of Faith

2010-06-18T07:46:00.001+08:00

Luke 8:24-25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him." (NIV)

Personal danger exposes our true belief-systems. The disciples were scared that they might die, and in their panic they woke up the Son of God as though He did not know what was happening! Of course He knew what the weather would be like for their lake crossing - it was to be an early test of their faith. Jesus already knew that the disciples were ruled by natural fear and had not yet learned to trust Him, but the test was necessary so that they could see the state of their own hearts, which was confirmed by Jesus' rebuke.

Jesus simply stood up in the half submerged boat and told the wind and waves to calm down, just like commanding a dog to sit still. Immediately, the inanimate water and wind obeyed and the boat was quiet! A moment before, the disciples were screaming with fear, now they were asking the question that really mattered, "Who is Jesus that He can speak into the storm and produce peace"?

The answer to that question is critical if anybody is to develop true faith. If Jesus is the Son of God, the CEO of creation, the Saviour of the World, the Judge of all people and the Hope of the Nations, then to trust Him is the greatest wisdom. And that is why the Gospel accounts were written (John 20:30-31), so that people may know the identity of Jesus and that their faith will be based securely on the facts in the Bible. Those who believe in Him find that they receive His Holy Spirit of power, love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7). So when the problems come, they can rest assured that Christ is in command and they do not need to suffer the inner raging of unbelief.

Unpredictable Lifestyle

2010-06-17T06:19:00.001+08:00

Luke 8:22-23 One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. (NIV)

Live with Jesus and anything might happen! The disciples had experienced amazing teaching and miracles from Jesus but, until now, they had not been in any personal peril. So Jesus intentionally led them into a crisis of personal survival in order to train them how to face danger. He knew just what would happen, so He slept as they sailed across the lake. He was not at all worried because He always has the power to deal with whatever will happen. His slumber did not indicate weakness, indifference, inattention or apathy. He could sleep because His heart was at rest; knowing all would be well.

Then the wind increased, threatening to overpower the sail - which would have been shortened. The waves also increased and the boat was in real danger of sinking. The disciples, some of whom were experienced fishermen, could see no way out of the problem. And Jesus was still asleep. It was a real test to see what they would do, for certainly the presence of the Son of God has not prevented the problem. In years to come they would encounter many different sorts of life-threatening circumstances; then they would remember their helplessness and the unnecessary terror they felt before Jesus intervened, so that when it happened again, they would put their faith in Jesus.

The Christian life is not easy. God never said it would be and Jesus often warned of hardship and persecution. Some people wrongly think that conversion will remove every difficulty; but as with the disciples, Jesus will not always stop the problems coming. However He will always be there. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." How often we forget this, and become fearful! We fail to see that each difficulty is a training exercise teaching us to trust Him more next time! Don't forget, if you belong to Jesus, He is committed to enabling you to handle every problem well; so that you will get the blessing which comes through trusting, and He will get the glory.

Spiritual Indifference

2010-06-16T06:42:00.002+08:00

Luke 8:12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. (NIV)

A path is only a path because the ground is trodden down by many feet. Whatever it's original purpose, the strip of hard soil is defined by the people (or animals) that walk over it. The result is an impervious surface which will not allow anything to grow. Jesus used that analogy to describe people who hear God's Word but are unchanged by it. The seed of Truth has no chance to germinate because a resistant shell is around the person's heart.

The devil has a special interest in encouraging people to become hard-hearted; because he can then snatch away the seeds of Truth. But how do hearts become hard? The picture of the path gives us a clue. Over many years, probably from childhood, others have walked over their hearts until they actively choose to resist whatever comes to disturb their attempts to be in control of their own lives. Unwelcome circumstances dry out their capacity to respond appropriately to others, especially those in authority. Such life stories suit Satan's purpose well in depriving these people of the only way to a new life. Those who cooperate with the devil find that God allows them to have their own way, and He then finally hardens their hearts - as He did with Pharaoh.

What is the answer? This parable simply diagnoses the problem without prescribing a remedy. It taught the disciples to expect that some ministry will be apparently barren: but they must not be deflected by discouragement. However, following the analogy, sometimes the cracks in the dried-out soil can provide lodging places where the Word can hide until the rain comes. However hard the soil has become, God's Holy Spirit can soften the ground; so it is no waste to 'sow' God's Word on the 'path' because if even a little gets hidden in the cracks, it will germinate when the rain comes. We do not know the outcome but God always has the last word: to confirm the hardness or to show mercy (Romans 9:18). Our task is to keep 'sowing' the Word; irrespective of what we think the outcome will be (2 Timothy 4:2-5).

The Light Searches Inside and Out

2010-06-15T05:35:00.001+08:00

Luke 8:16-18 "No-one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed; and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him." (NIV)

Why light a lamp or switch on a light bulb? Obviously, in order to see well. But some people prefer to live in the darkness, so that their actions cannot be seen: their choice speaks volumes about their character. Truth is like light. If we hide it from others, they cannot know what is good, and if we hide away from it ourselves or fail to put it into action, it reveals our own moral make-up.

The disciples had wanted to know the meaning of the parable of the sower. When Jesus told them, He 'turned the light on' so that they could understand their commission to distribute God's Word, but also be prepared for different people responding according to what was in their hearts. Their reaction to the gospel would display their true inner desires because it both illuminates God's plan and searches people's hearts at the same time. So, God's truth is both a picture and a mirror.

Therefore, what we do with the truth we receive is more significant than we may have thought. If we ignore it, why should God reveal more? If we hide from it, our action says more about us than about the quality of God's Word. If we share it, we are living a life of purpose, but if we hide it from others we have forgotten what our purpose in life is. On the other hand, if we receive it with joy and allow it to work in our lives to produce Christ-likeness, then we will be greatly productive in the 'family business' of God's Kingdom.

God's House

2010-06-14T06:40:00.002+08:00

' You also, like living stones built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ' 1Pet 2:5

Notre Dame in Paris is a famous cathedral where many tourists will visit and in it there is a sign ' This is God's house, please keep quiet' in French as well as in English.

It is a sign that strikes us as odd, for it suggests that perhaps God is somehow offended by conversation as people walk around. But not only is it odd, it is inaccurate! For actually, the house of God is not a building, but 'people'. We are His house.

In the Old Testament, King David wanted to build a house for God - a temple that he felt would be worthy of such great God. But God said to him, ' I don't want you to build a house for me- I'm going to build a house for you instead! This house eventually become a vast family through King David's descendant, the Lord Jesus. God always had it in His heart to have a house not of stones but of people.

But this house of God is not completed yet. Paul told the Ephesians that ' you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his spirit' Eph 2:22

The work is still in progress, and the building is still under construction! This means that we need to exercise patience and tolerance with one another at times (just like workers at the building site). : and we need to take care on how we build together, co-operating with one another rather than working against one another.

God's promise is that he is building a house for himself - and we are a part of that. He has not saved you in order to leave you as some lonely brick on the building site, put you to one side while more important parts are set in place; there is a place for you too. Believe His promise, take your place- and be gracious with the other bricks!

How Serious are you with God?

2010-06-13T17:17:00.001+08:00

Scripture Reading
Philippians 3:7-14, Paul counts all things as loss compared to knowing Christ and that he is pressing toward “the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Do you desire Him more than anything in this world? Does the longing for an intimate walk with Him burn like a fire in your soul? Are you ready to do whatever it takes to be close to Him? To give up whatever may be required in order to gain Him?

I am not talking about salvation here. If you have trusted Christ as your Savior you are already saved. You already possess eternal life. I am talking about moving up to the next level, the level of discipleship where you make the Lord your all in all. Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Notice the sequence: self-denial, cross-bearing and obedience to Christ. In self-denial we lay aside our own will and plans in favor of His. By cross bearing we identify with Christ daily in His life, death, resurrection and ministry. Obedience means we go where He leads and do what He directs.

The King of Kings was serious enough about you to die for you. How serious are you about Him? He wants to lift you higher. But are you willing to go? The path to the next level goes down before it goes up. Humility comes before exaltation. James wrote, “Submit therefore to God...Draw near to God and He will draw near to you... Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

Paul was committed, more than anything else he wanted to know Christ. This is why he testified: “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord...that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Paul went down in order to be lifted up. But he always kept the end in sight. He let nothing distract him from his goal: “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Are you pursuing the upward call of God? That is where the greatest intimacy is found. Going to the next level means greater sacrifice and greater suffering. But it also means greater blessings and greater glories. When Jesus took Peter, James and John up the mountain with Him, they saw Him transfigured . They saw Jesus as He really was. And afterwards, they never saw the world in quite the same way again. Jesus took them to a higher level.

What about you? Do you want the Lord to take you to the next level? Go down in order to be lifted up! Get serious!

The Need for Character

2010-06-11T07:46:00.002+08:00

Scripture Reading
Galatians 5:16-26, Paul counsels us to walk in the Spirit and contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit.

Talk is cheap. True character comes from the heart.

The Broadway musical My Fair Lady tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a coarse, low-class girl who is taught to walk and talk like a lady. Her first test comes when she attends a horse race and mingles with the “upper crust” of British society. In both her demeanor and her speech Eliza appears to be a prim and proper lady of refinement and culture. No one is the wiser regarding her true origins - until the race begins. Caught up in the excitement of the race, Eliza's shallow veneer of refinement falls away and she reverts to her old manner of speech and behavior. Her newly learned refinement is only skin deep.

In the King's court it is not enough to have merely a superficial façade of “proper” language and behavior. The protocols and culture of the King must soak and permeate every pore of our bodies. Esther spent an entire year immersed in learning both the body language and the verbal language of the king's court. Unlike Eliza Doolittle, Esther's refinement was not skin deep. It filled her through and through until shebecame the queenly person she was trained to be. Her physical beauty was enhanced by a beauty of character. Esther's “walk” backed up her “talk.”

Paul mirrored this idea when he wrote, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Not even a whiff of corrupt human flesh is acceptable in the King's presence. That is why we can never approach God on our own. The stench of our sinful flesh will bar our entrance. Only the cleansing blood of Jesus and the anointing of His Spirit open the way for us.

Those most welcome in the intimate circles of the King live by the protocols and speak fluently the language of the palace. In other words, they both “walk the walk” and “talk the talk.” Through worship and daily obedience they continually soak in the anointing oil of the Spirit. As a result, their lives give off the fragrant aroma of the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness” and “self-control.” This is both the character and the language —the walk and the talk—of those who frequent the innermost recesses of the King's house.

God is no respecter of persons but He does play favorites. And His favorites are those who humbly and out of love for Him surrender their own will to take on His character and speak His language.

Do you want to be welcome in the King's palace? Do you want to be one of His favorites? Then cultivate His character. Learn to speak His language. Make them more than skin deep. Let them soak into every fiber of your being!

Shallow Soil

2010-06-10T05:36:00.002+08:00

Luke 8:13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. (NIV)

Scatter seed on rocky ground, allow the rain and sun to do their work and just watch the little plants burst into life. But for how long? Without a depth of soil, water will not be retained; the roots will not find enough resources to support the plant against the heat of the day, the cold nights or the storms. The climatic testing will be too much for the little thing; and the promising start will be shamed as the plant withers away.

Jesus said that some of His hearers would be like that: quick to respond, but unprepared for the gospel which will demand more than their initial enthusiasm. Without removing the obstacles to Christ's life developing within them, their faith would dry up. Jesus chose twelve disciples to be His apostles (although Judas Iscariot fell away, demonstrating the shallowness of those who love to hold onto their old way of life). They needed a three year apprenticeship to learn how to minister effectively. Part of that training was not to presume the spiritual depth of new converts in the Early Church: because every new believer needs to be discipled.

Shallow faith may look deep when copying others in church. The real test comes when believers are isolated in the workplace or persecuted in the community. The spiritually-healthy will thrive in such circumstances because they have removed the obstacles to spiritual growth (the 'rocks' of the old sinful life). Their spiritual roots are firmly anchored in Jesus and God's Word. But those who thought they could stand firm because of their enthusiasm, fall away. Stay shallow and your spiritual life will shrivel! Retain the rocks and your roots will rot! Pray that we will read the Word, deepen our faith and grow strong to keep standing for Jesus when life gets tough.

Life in a small package

2010-06-08T07:50:00.001+08:00

LIFE IN A SMALL PACKAGE

Luke 8:11 "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God." (NIV)

Seeds may be eaten as food, but their primary purpose is to reproduce the life of the organism, in another place at another time. The Word of God is seed: it contains truth which is the spiritual genetic material of God's kingdom. Wherever, and whenever, it takes root in a human heart, the characteristics of God's heart are formed in that person. Without it, nobody can enter His kingdom.

Horticulturalists get the best qualities for a crop by selective breeding programmes; and animals are bred for a high meat or milk yield. The secret is in the seed. The genes are the truth of the species and, if uncorrupted, will reproduce its distinctive features. In the same way, those who allow God's Word to penetrate their heart, will find that it starts to redefine their desires and passions. Although it may be well presented by a fine preacher or author, the essence of truth is God's alone, and His purpose is to bring it to life in whoever is willing to hear and believe what He says.

God uses His Word to recreate broken lives: indeed there is no other way to be reformed into the image of God. His Word has the extraordinary power to dissect through the mixed motives of our tangled minds (Hebrews 4:12). It may be transmitted on paper, by word, on TV and through the internet. It may be on a shelf, contained in a tract, in a memorable conversation. It never goes stale and will still have the same impact many years after it is written, translated or printed. Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, the Word read or heard may ricochet around someone's mind until they choose to submit to God. If we really believe that, surely we will spread the Word like a farmer scatters seed. Aim to have Gospel conversations, give away tracts of Scripture, invite friends to hear a Biblical preacher, write an appropriate verse in greetings cards and letters ... and above all, keep on being transformed by it (Romans 12:2).

You have the potential for Greatness

2010-06-07T04:33:00.000+08:00

Scripture Reading
Matthew 4:18-22; 9:9, Jesus calls four fishermen to follow Him and become “fishers of men.” He also calls a tax collector to follow Him and become His disciple.

You have the potential for greatness.

Do you see yourself as a prince or princess in the making? How about your family and friends? Your next-door neighbor? The homeless person down the street? The annoying colleague at work that you just can't seem to get along with? Do you think of these people as potential “royalty” in God's kingdom? God created the human race to exercise dominion over the created order - to rule with Him as co-regents of the physical realm. We are all potential princes and princesses.

In the world, we tend to judge by appearances. We are too easily impressed by human credentials and too quick to write off those who fail to measure up to our standards. God operates by a different standard. He judges not by appearance or by present condition but by potential .

Consider the apostles of Jesus. Judging from human standards, it would be hard to imagine a less likely group of people to be entrusted with God's work. Jesus called Andrew, Simon, James and John to be His disciples. These four fishermen were simple, earthy laborers - not the type most of us would think of as messengers of God's good news. Yet Jesus saw them as more than just fishermen. He saw them as “fishers of men.” And that is just what they became.

Matthew was a tax collector. As a “collaborator” with the hated Roman occupation government, he was considered a traitor by his own people. Jesus looked beyond who Matthew was and saw who he could become. As a disciple, Matthew went from writing tax accounts to writing a gospel account of Jesus.

When King Xerxes' emissaries went searching for a new queen they were not looking for perfection. No woman in the kingdom would be “ready-made” for the king's presence. They were looking for potential. They sought young maidens who could grow beyond their present circumstances and be made “fit for a king.”

In the same way, none of us are “fit” for the King. But He can make us “fit.” No matter who you are, where you have been or what you have done, you can still become the person God created you to be. He knows the potential that He has placed inside you. He stands ready to mold and shape you into that person—if you will let Him.

Don't settle for less than God's best for you. Let Him raise you to the level of the potential He has placed in you. Let Him prepare you for life in His Palace

Worship is the doorway to God's heart

2010-06-06T08:10:00.001+08:00

Scripture Reading
John 4:19-26, Jesus reveals to the Samaritan woman the true nature of worship and declares that God seeks worshipers who will worship Him in spirit and truth.

Worship is the doorway to God's heart.

Humans are worshipers by nature. God made us that way. In the beginning worship was simple and intuitive. Adam and Eve walked in unbroken fellowship with God. Those created acknowledged and honored their Creator, just as the Creator intended.

Sin complicated this simple picture. Separated from God because of sin, mankind lost the knowledge of both the object and the “how-to” of our worship. We know intuitively that worship brings us into the heart of God. But we no longer know what constitutestrue worship. This is why so many people around the world “worship” so many different gods in so many different ways.

When the Samaritan woman raised the issue of worship with Jesus at the well, she asked ‘what is the “right” way to worship God?' She thought worship involved a specific physical place such as a temple or a mountain. Jesus told her that true worship involves not the physical position of the body but the spiritual position of the heart . He said, “...the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem , worship the Father... But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

To worship God in spirit and truth is to worship God in accordance with His nature, His heart and His will. This means approaching God with humbleness of spirit and purity of heart. Humility and purity are the protocols of true worship. They are also therefore characteristic of those who have attained intimacy with the Father.

If you want to reach the heart of God you must worship your way to intimacy. The Pharisees of Jesus' day thought they could work their way to God. They believed that their good deeds and careful attention to the law gave them an inside track to God's favor. In truth, however, they did not know God at all. This is why Jesus, quoting Hosea 6:6, said to them: “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

That day at Jacob's well the Samaritan woman discovered who Jesus was and learned the meaning of true worship. Her new understanding led to a new intimacy with God that changed her life forever. You can do the same. Worship the Lord in spirit and truth. Worship your way to intimacy! It will change your life.

There is great power in a simple whisper

2010-06-04T07:26:00.000+08:00

Scripture Reading
Matthew 6:5-13, Jesus counsels us to pray privately to our Father in the secret place, not loudly for show on the street corners. Jesus then gives us the Lord's Prayer as a model.

There is great power in a simple whisper.

Experienced classroom teachers have long known that a whisper is the most effective way to regain the attention of an unruly class. Why? When someone whispers we listen closely because we think that otherwise we may miss hearing something important.

The whisper is powerful also because it is the voice of intimacy. Spouses in an intimate setting do not need to shout or even to speak in normal tones. A whisper is sufficient for sharing thoughts and feelings intended for no one's ears but their own.

God loves the soft hush of a whispered voice. In fact, it is His preferred method of speaking, particularly to His children; all who share an intimate relationship with Him. That is why it is important for us to develop the discipline of silence as part of our worship. Sometimes God speaks to us in a whisper and we must be quiet if we are to hear Him. Once, when God spoke to Elijah, His coming was preceded by a strong wind, an earthquake and a fire, but He was not found in any of these. Afterward, He spoke to Elijah in a “still small voice.” In Psalm 46:10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” The prophet Habakkuk declares: “The Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him.”

God likes to speak to us in soft tones. It stands to reason then that He prefers us to speak to Him in the same way. When we are on intimate terms with the Lord, there is no need for us to shout. All we have to do is whisper. This is what Jesus had in mind in Matthew chapter 6 when He taught His disciples about prayer. James said, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” And most of that effective prayer rises to the Father through the whispered words of His children spoken from the secret place. Whispered words of intimacy always carry more weight with God then do shouted petitions.

The power behind prayer is the power of intimacy. It is the power of a whisper!

Be All That You Can Be

2010-06-03T07:39:00.001+08:00

Jeremiah 31:31-34, God announces the new covenant that He will write on the hearts of His people. All of them, from the greatest to the least, will know Him.

You cannot access what you do not possess.

There are many pretenders; spiritual “wannabes” who try to scheme their way into the King's throne room. Rather than learn the protocols of the court, they try to sneak in by hook or by crook. Outwardly, they may appear quite “spiritual”, but inside there is nothing there. They are like the Pharisees that Jesus described as whitewashed tombs: outwardly beautiful and righteous, but inwardly full of dead men's bones and hypocrisy.

Paul described this kind of person as “having a form of godliness but denying its power.” After all, you can't exercise the power of the King unless you know the King. In Acts 19 the seven sons of Sceva tried to exorcise a demon using secondhand faith, appealing to the demon in the name of “Jesus whom Paul preaches.” The demon answered, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?” Then the demon attacked them, wounded them, and chased them away. These men did not really know Jesus. All they wanted to do was enhance their reputation as professional exorcists.

Access to the full resources of God's kingdom is available to all who walk with Him in an ongoing love relationship. Jesus told his disciples they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them. The Holy Spirit is God's “down payment”; His stamp of ownership on us. The Spirit's presence in our lives proves that we are in relationship with him and guarantees that all of God's promises to us will be fulfilled.

In Jeremiah chapter 31 God promises a new covenant by which His people will be identified: “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel ... I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people... They all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them...” Covenant gives formal expression to an existing relationship and imbues it with legal authority. We can speak in His name, exercise His authority and appropriate His power and His gifts in carrying out His will.

As a child of the King you are already in covenant with Him. Your relationship with Him gives you access to all that is His. There is one stipulation, however: everything you do must be for His glory and not your own. Take advantage of your royal rights. Use the King's resources to help you become all that the King desires for you. Be all that you can be!

Who Can Forgive Sins?

2010-06-02T07:40:00.000+08:00

Luke 7:48-50 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." (NIV)

If somebody owes you money but cannot pay, you might choose to cancel (forgive) the debt. But it would be wrong to think you can cancel a debt owed to somebody else; because the money belongs to the creditor and not you. Every sin has to be paid for, but what is the price and who has the right to extract the price or to forgive? The penalty for sin is death and eternal separation from God: therefore only God has the right to demand payment. In the same way, only God can forgive (cancel the debt). The amazing thing is that God's forgiveness is not without cost to Himself: Jesus came to earth to be punished for every sin, thus ensuring that justice was done.

When Jesus declared that all the prostitute's sins were forgiven, the natural response of the other guests was to ask, "Who is Jesus, that He claims the right to forgive her sins?" The answer should have been obvious: if Jesus forgives sins, He must be God! Jesus knew that when He died on the cross, He would personally be paying for that woman's sins ... so He had every right to forgive. Her peace came because He paid the price.

The woman may not have understood all that, but she did believe that Jesus was her only hope. She put her faith in Jesus to do something to help her, even if she did not know how. It is the same today: all those who call on the Name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13). So if you are despairing about yourself, go to Jesus trusting Him to do whatever is right for you. If others do not know what to do - tell them to go to Jesus and trust that He knows what to do. When it comes to sin and failure, He certainly knows how to forgive and has already paid the price to discharge the debt - so go to Him in faith and believe that His forgiveness is real, and for you personally.

Welcoming Jesus

2010-06-01T07:21:00.000+08:00

Luke 7:44-47 Then he turned towards the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." (NIV)

Eastern hospitality demanded the courtesy of making guests feel welcome and comfortable. After a hot and dusty walk, cool water would have refreshed the feet and, after washing face and hands, a little oil would have refreshed the visitor's head. However, although Simon the Pharisee invited Jesus to his home, he did not go out of his way to welcome the Saviour. Good manners vanished as the religious expert tried to find out what made Jesus 'tick'.

By contrast, the weeping woman loved Jesus because she believed that He could turn her life around, and deal with her sinful past. The difference between her behaviour and Simon's demonstrated that the religious man had no desire to honour Jesus, but the prostitute did. Her loving actions were a spontaneous expression of her faith in Jesus, and the Saviour responded by forgiving her sins. On the other hand Simon was not aware that he needed any forgiveness: his self-righteousness not only blinded him to the reality of his sin, but also to the true identity of his guest.

The same reactions occur today. Those who refuse to recognise and confess their sin have no time for Jesus. But those who know the burden of guilt and want to be released from its grip will find hope in Him. Paradoxically it is the really weak people who can more easily honour Jesus once they realise that He has the power to forgive. On the other hand, religious self-righteousness resents the Saviour; because to welcome Him is to admit that one's religion has not made them perfect. Although it may be tempting to think that good people will make the best disciples, experience shows that the failure, cheat and wilful sinner may give Jesus a real welcome. So, if you know people who are not trying to be good, don't dismiss them - Jesus could be preparing a special future for them after He pours His forgiveness over their guilty past. So take courage and tell them that Jesus lives with you and encourage them to meet Him too.

Questions ...or trust

2010-05-30T20:44:00.003+08:00

'But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God' My times are in your hands Ps 31:14-15

None of us go through life without meeting trouble or sorrow at sometime. As Job's friends put in ' Man is born to trouble as surely as the sparks fly upwards' Job 5:7

At such time, we ask where is God and why? The psalmist actually asked God ' Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble' Ps 10:1. Even prophet Jeremiah inquired ' why is my pain unending? Jer 15:18

The question 'why' remains a mystery. The problem, at its basic level, is that we live in a fallen world, one originally made good but spoilt by sin and as a result, things go dreadfully wrong at times. So, while suffering may sometimes be the consequence of our own sins or bad choices, more often than not, it is simply 'one of those things' in life in a fallen world.

In fact those mentioned in the scripture who asked why and they could not find the answer until they had a personal encounter with the living God who brings His strength and encouragement in the midst of our troubles so that we can walk through them and come out on the other side.

Turn to God today and say ' I don't understand what I'm going through, I don't like what I am going through but I choose to trust you, despite everything.

When we do this, we begin to see indeed that ' in all things God works for good of those who love Him' Rom 8:28

Trust God again today!

Praying in the Spirit

2010-05-30T08:31:00.002+08:00

' Pray in the Spirit at all times with all kinds of prayers, asking for everything you need' Eph 6:18

Probably, all of us have times when we find it hard to pray. Jesus knows that prayer is difficult at times and He send us the Holy Spirit to be our helper John 14:26. In fact, without the Spirit, we could never pray.

Earlier, Paul urged the Ephesians to be 'filled with the Spirit' Eph 5:18 and now he encouraged the Ephesians to pray in the Spirit.

Why?

The Holy Spirit reminds us of our relationship with the Father and this is our basis of our prayer. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin in our lives and hence nothing can hinder us in our prayers. The Holy Spirit shows us God's heart and truth and so we know what to pray about and the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness (Rom8:26). The Holy Spirit really support us in our praying, if only we ask.

We thank the Lord that we are not alone in our prayers. The Spirit of Jesus is truly with us, so ask Himn for His help and direction today!

Worship

2010-05-29T06:35:00.001+08:00

Matthew 22:1-14, Jesus tells the parable of a king's wedding for his son. The invited guests prove they are unworthy by refusing to come and are replaced by those brought in from the “highways.” One wedding guest, found without a wedding garment, is expelled into “outer darkness."

“Formal attire required: evening gown; black tie. RSVP.”

Have you ever received an invitation like that? There is a protocol to attending. You've been invited, but to get inside you must be properly dressed.

In Jesus' parable of the wedding, one guest is thrown out because he was not wearing a wedding garment. The implication, of course is that everyone else was properly dressed for the occasion. This man stood out because he was out of place.

The proper “attire” for admittance to the presence of the King is worship . True worship is possible only for those who are in relationship with the King. A king relates to the subjects and citizens of his realm differently than he does to visitors from outside. Worship, then, is based on relationship. Relationship provides access, but foreigners are stopped at the door.

Also, worship is the protocol that protects the King. How do you protect the King of kings? Certainly it does not mean providing physical security as with an earthly king. But there are other ways…

First, we can protect His reputation. We are ambassadors for Christ. As His ambassadors we are charged to speak His Word openly, honestly and accurately, “rightly dividing the word of truth.” Just as with an ambassador of any earthly realm, we represent our King and our word should be His Word. If we say we represent the King and then speak contrary to His Word, we impugn His reputation.

Second, we can protect His name. As children of God we carry the family name. WE protect that name by living according to His standards rather than the standards of the world. This means living honestly, with the highest standard of character and moral and ethical integrity. If we live contrary to the standards of our Father and His house, we bring dishonor on His name.

Third, we can protect His glory. We do this by giving Him praise at all times. Also by publicly and privately acknowledging Him in all our ways, trusting Him to direct our paths. God has said that He will not give His glory to another. Whenever we take for ourselves credit that is due Him, we steal His glory.

As children of the King we must be careful how we speak and how we act. The reputation, name and glory of our Father the King, in the eyes of men, is at stake. By living this way we fulfill the protocol of worship that protects the King.

Come to the Fountain of Life

2010-05-28T07:39:00.003+08:00

'Come, all of you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost' Isaiah 55:1

Whenever we are lost, the first step to find our way to the right destination is to find out where we are now and locate key spots and plot our way to the right destination.

The same is true in our lives. The bible pictures our need, or where we are now, in many ways and it sees us as hungry, weary, blind, lost, poor and tired, to name a few.

In our verse today, God sees his people being thirsty- thirsty for reality and thirsty for Him. The solution is not to strive and keep on pressing on regardless, 'hoping something might turn up' but turn back to God himself.

Perhaps, you are feeling spiritually thirsty or dry today. Don't keep busily pressing on with life regardless, filling your life with all kinds of busy-ness in the hope it will 'do the trick'

It is time to stop and to hear the invitation of God to come and drink from His well; for His promise is that all who do will truly find their thirst quenched. He will never fail us.

The King is in Residence

2010-05-27T06:32:00.002+08:00

Scripture Reading
In Mark 13:1-2 one of Jesus' disciples remarks on the magnificence of the temple and Jesus foretells its complete destruction.

Imagine the shock and fear prompted in the disciples at Jesus' announcement that the Temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed. They thought nothing could be more cataclysmic to their world than the destruction of the Temple . Looks can be deceiving, and sometimes we are too easily impressed by the wrong things. God looks at things differently than we do.

The Temple that Jesus and His disciples knew, was a grand enlargement and renovation of the second temple built. Four years later, this grand Temple was destroyed by the Romans along with the entire city of Jerusalem —just as Jesus had foretold.

This temple, like the second temple it was based on had no ark of the covenant in the Most Holy Place . For centuries the ark had represented to the Jews the literal presence of God in the temple. Great and impressive rituals and formal observances took place at the Temple every day. But few of those involved were aware that the Master of the house was not in residence. We gain some sense of the spirit of the place in the Gospel accounts of Jesus driving out the moneychangers for turning the “house of prayer” into a “den of thieves.”

We must come to realize the same truth that the disciples had to learn: the presence of the King is not found in buildings of stone and mortar but in the hearts of His children! Paul said, “ God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.” The important thing is not the building or its trappings, luxury or elegance. The important thing is the presence of the King. It is the presence of the King that makes the house a palace. Apart from His presence, the house might as well be a shack. In fact, even the simplest, shabbiest, drabbest shack becomes a beautiful palace if the presence of the King is there.

The true palace of the King is wherever the King is in residence. As Christians, each of us is the King's palace because He resides in us through the Holy Spirit. Paul says that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. In this sense at least, we take the King with us wherever we go. This is the difference between being the King's concubine and being His bride.

As Christians, we do not simply experience the King. We have the King as a living daily presence within us! We are His holy Bride! And no matter where we are, we are in a palace because we are with Him!

What a glorious privilege to have the King living in us!

Playing religious games

2010-05-26T06:25:00.000+08:00

Luke 7:31-35 "To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the market-place and calling out to each other: " 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.' For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners". ' But wisdom is proved right by all her children." (NIV)

Jesus did not play games, unlike many of the religious people who crowded around Him. Asking the question, "What do I think that this generation is like?" Jesus got their attention. The answer was not flattering! He said that they were just like children playing games. It looked to Him as if they were playing 'weddings and funerals' and trying to get others to join in. However, neither John nor Jesus would be sucked into their world of make-believe. John was too serious for them and Jesus was too joyful. Their criticism was like the childish habit of excluding those who are different, from their game.

John and Jesus were very different. The herald and the King had no need to play games or make themselves popular. Their value did not lie in what people thought of them, but in God's approval ... and they knew it. The only people to lose out were those who refused to accept the messages of repentance and salvation - freely given by God's grace. It was not the popular vote which would determine the legacy of John and of Jesus; that would be clearly seen in the changed lives of those who believed John's message of repentance and trusted Jesus for salvation.

It is the same today. The wonderful news is that there is no game to play, when it comes to Jesus. He is not looking for people who can keep an elaborate set of rules (because nobody can!), but for sinners to confess their guilty secrets and receive forgiveness and love. This message is not tied to any culture or point in history; it is timeless and world-wide. Those who know it is for real are the people who have accepted the message and received the Saviour. They are the proof of the truth (Psalm 34:8). So do not be distracted from Jesus by the criticism of others who think it is all a game; when you know Jesus, you know it is love for life.

Everybody Has Potential

2010-05-25T18:24:00.002+08:00

Scripture Reading
1 Peter 2:9-10, which tells how God chose us out of the darkness of sin to be His special people: a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and a holy nation.

Within each of us lies the potential for success or failure, good or evil. That is how God created us. Fortunately failure does not disqualify us from enjoying the love and favor of God.

Often we fail to realize our full potential because we don't understand the full range of what God has placed within us. As a race we have been falling short of our potential ever since Adam and Eve came up short in the Garden of Eden. The story of the entire Bible is the record of God's plan and efforts to reverse that failure. God could have written us off and started over. But He didn't. He loved us. He created us in His image. That's a lot of potential and He is determined to see us fulfill it.

God's grace and favor bases our fellowship with Him on relationship and not on anything we do or fail to do. We all have failed to fulfill our God-given potential, but God never gives up on us! He keeps right on working patiently with us, picking us up when we fall, lovingly helping us to try again.

Our relationship with God does not stand or fall based on how well we succeed . There is no minimum standard of “performance” we must meet to gain His approval and acceptance. God already accepts us beyond any doubt, on the basis of what His Son Jesus did on the cross. Paul stated it this way: “ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

What dreams and desires has God planted in your heart? He wants to see you achieve them or He wouldn't have placed them there. As He did with Esther, God has a unique and special destiny for you; He has something in mind that only you can do. It doesn't matter how many times you have failed. God's plan and destiny for you never change. No matter where you are in your life, He can help you become what He has always wanted you to be.

Sound scary? Take heart from this promise: “You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away: Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

God chose you for the potential He placed in you. But He keeps you because of His passionate love for you. He loves us so much that He can't stand to have us out of His sight! This means He will never abandon you. He will never give up on you. He will never rest until He elevates you into the fullness of the person He created you to be. Don't settle for less than the best. Be all that you can be!

Divine Appointment

2010-05-22T20:25:00.003+08:00

Scripture Reading
Acts 8:26-39, where an Ethiopian official, returning from Jerusalem and reading the Book of Isaiah, encounters Philip in a divine appointment that changes his destiny and, possibly, that of his people.

This Ethiopian's encounter with Philip lasted a matter of hours; perhaps only a matter of minutes. Yet that one encounter changed his destiny because in that encounter he met Jesus Christ. It is possible that that single divine appointment profoundly influenced the spiritual destiny of his people. Ethiopia has a Christian tradition that stretches back almost 2000 years, and many scholars believe it all began with this one encounter with Philip the Evangelist.

First impressions are lasting impressions . You only have one chance to make a good first impression, so prepare yourself.

No one in their right mind tries to “wing it” without preparation when going to a job interview, a first date, or when making presentations at work or in school. No, we try toprepare in advance. We do our best to put every detail and element in place for maximum impact.

Nobody likes to be embarrassed or humiliated, so we try to be at our best for significant events in our lives. If you were invited to meet the King or Queen of another nation, would you just walk in to meet royalty totally unprepared?

The Bible tells us Esther prepared herself intensively for an entire year for her one encounter with the king. She faced certain disaster otherwise. Even one slip-up or accidental error in protocol could have cost Esther her life. She would have missed her destiny and her people would have perished.

Esther had no idea about the divine appointment that lay ahead for her. Nevertheless, she diligently prepared herself; because she had heard the rumors. Never underestimate the potential of one encounter with the king.

The protocols of royalty seem totally foreign to those who live in democratic societies. Yet the protocols for meeting modern heads of state are similar in many ways. In the summer of 2005, a national champion women's lacrosse team was offered the honor to meet President Bush in the White House and have their picture taken with him. A minor controversy arose when four of college women wore “flip-flops” to the meeting. A number of observers suggested to the national media that flip-flops were inappropriate footwear when meeting formally with the President of the United States .

Regardless of your opinion about the “flip-flop flap,” we know that certain protocols do apply when meeting people in authority—particularly heads of state.

Why are preparation and protocol so important? You should n ever underestimate the potential of one encounter.

The Ethiopian official on his way home from Jerusalem had no idea that one encounterwould soon change his life. Even so, he was still prepared for it. First, he hadworshiped God in Jerusalem . Second, he had faithfully read and studied the Scriptures—in this case, he was trying to understand Isaiah's prophetic portrait of the Messiah who would come. God was attracted by his worship and honest hunger for truth, and He sent Philip to explain the gospel to him.

Life is full of strategic encounters and divine appointments . Too many of us miss our moment because we aren't looking for Him in every opportunity, or we fail to prepare.

Don't miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by being too lazy or too shortsighted to prepare? Even one encounter with the right person may change your life! On the other hand, you never know when you will become the “Philip” God sends to change the life of another in one divine encounter!

Never underestimate the potential of one encounter! Don't take the events and “coincidences” of life for granted. Prepare for your tomorrow by immersing yourself today in the fragrant perfume of worship, in prayer and careful attention to God's Word. Be prepared for every strategic encounter and divine appointment that God brings into your life. Be prepared!

Run to Daddy

2010-05-22T07:27:00.000+08:00

Scripture Reading
Acts 16:25-34, where Paul and Silas, beaten and locked up in the Philippian jail, offer prayer and praise to God. He delivers them with an earthquake, and the jailer and his household become believers.

It is taught by some in the modern church that believers can expect an easy road in life if they will only have faith. It is good—even absolutely necessary—for true believers to believe and have faith in God. But the Christ of the Bible has never said “Life should be a breeze!”

Christians— good Christians —sometimes go bankrupt. Christians get cancer. Christians lose their jobs. Trials and adversity are real, even for believers—perhapsespecially for believers. They touch every one of us and they hurt (and they usually have nothing to do with our faith level).

So how do you handle adversity in your life? Do you gripe and complain, saying, “Oh, woe is me!” Do you challenge or question God? “Why are You letting this happen to me?” Or have you learned to view trials as an opportunity to grow and to draw closer to your heavenly Father?

Children who get a cut or a scrape run to Mommy or Daddy for comfort—somehow their comforting and reassuring kisses make life better. The pain offers yet another opportunity to exchange love and deepen the bonds of unconditional love between children and parents.

In the same way, trials and hard times should propel us into our Father's arms. Rather than run from Him, we must run to Him and find comfort, strength and direction in His presence. Our faith is in Him, in His abiding love, and in His Word; not in the false expectation that all trouble and adversity will leave our lives.

Jesus said, “A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you…” He also gave us this great promise: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” You are on assignment in enemy territory, and trials and adversity are part of living in a fallen world. As God walks through the hard times with you, the problems serve as purifying fires burning away your impurities and strengthening you for service— if you embrace the processof growth. Your trials tend to either make you or break you—it all depends on your response.

Paul and Silas were thrown into the Philippian prison, with their feet in stocks and their backs bruised and bleeding from wrongful beatings. They could have moaned and groaned, but at the midnight hour they were too busy “praying and singing hymns to God”! They transformed their pain into praise and their stripes into songs of joy. The jubilant worship birthed in the midst of fierce tribulation became a sweet fragrance in the nostrils of God. The presence of the Father arrived with such force that it shook the earth and brought deliverance to His worshipers. The sweet fragrance of their worship even affected the lives of the jailer and his family and changed their lives forever.

Athletes know that in order to grow stronger their muscles must be stressed and stretched in exercise so even stronger tissue will generate. This principle of “no pain, no gain” even applies to the Christian life. We cannot grow without pain and resistance.

God uses the trials and hardships of life to draw us closer to Him and to develop greater maturity in us so we can go on to greater things. Willing worship in times of tribulation becomes the sweet fragrance that brings God near.

It's easy to praise God when things go well. Have you learned to worship Him in hard times as well? Your trials and adversity are fresh opportunities to praise and worship God—and to experience new growth. When life hurts, don't run away— run to Daddy!

Heart of Serving

2010-05-21T07:44:00.000+08:00

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the LORD. See to it that no on misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. —Hebrews 12:14

If you've ever witnessed a group of toddlers at play, then you have experienced the "Toddler's Rules of Toys." If this isn't familiar to you, allow me to explain. In a toddler's world, it goes something like this:

If I have a toy, it's mine.

If you have a toy I want, it's mine.

If I have a toy and put it down, and you pick it up, it's mine.

If you have a toy I want and you put it down, it's mine.

If you head toward a toy I might want to play with, it's mine.

In fact, it's all mine!

While there are many amusing versions of this poem, it is doused in truth. And, while it might be a bit humorous to watch in a toddler, it's absolutely appalling to see in adults. In the book of Hebrews, the author exhorts the reader to make every effort to live in peace with everyone. But, in order to follow that instruction, all ideas regarding "me" and "mine" must be put aside, because the truth is, living at peace with all people requires a tremendous amount of energy, humility and maturity. And, if you think this was an isolated event, consider Paul's words to the church in Philippi, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

As Christ's followers, we should find that serving others is becoming more and more second nature. Look today for ways to follow Christ's example.

GOING DEEPER:

Selfishness just comes naturally. Sometimes, it comes so naturally that we cannot recognize it in ourselves. If you really want to change, consider asking someone close to you to help you identify one specific way to become a better servant today.

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 119:36; Colossians 3:3

Dealing with Doubt

2010-05-20T07:44:00.000+08:00

Luke 7:18-20 John's disciples told him [John the Baptist] about all these things. Calling two of them, he sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?'" (NIV)

John the Baptist was in prison because he told the truth about King Herod's affair with his brother's wife (Matthew 14:3-4). Although many people were glad when John announced that God's Saviour was coming, Herod was not willing to repent of his sin. John's courageous truth-telling cost him his liberty and later his life. But at the time of this account, he was wondering if his suffering was worth it. His key question was, "Is Jesus the promised Messiah"?

That sounds as though John doubted Jesus' identity - but surely he was a man of faith! Yes he was, but nobody is immune to the doubts which challenge our faith in Jesus. Such thoughts may stem from the devil's lies, people's comments, difficult circumstances or our own inner uncertainties. For John, the distress of prison and the fear of death would be intolerable if Jesus was not Messiah after all. So that is why John sent two of his followers to Jesus with the question, "Who are you?"

That is still the key question of faith. If Jesus really is the 'Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace' of Isaiah 9:6, then whatever happens, we can be confident that our trust in Him will never be disappointed. But, as in any relationship, we cannot trust Jesus unless we get to know who He is. God has provided all the information we need in the Bible: and as people read with an open heart, God's Holy Spirit convinces them that Jesus is fully trustworthy as Saviour, King, Comforter and Friend

Living Compassion

2010-05-19T07:06:00.000+08:00

Luke 7:14-17 Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country. (NIV)

Jesus is amazingly kind and personally compassionate. His encounter with the funeral procession showed how much God loved a grieving mother, who was already a widow; and taught the disciples that He had the answer to the biggest problem of all, death. By touching the coffin, He stopped the burial; and by commanding the young man to get up, He raised the dead to life!

You can imagine the mother's joy of embracing her son who was now alive and talking. Of course, the paid mourners ceased their wailing, and start to praise God; so did Jesus' followers. Clearly God had been at work. But all that raised the question, "Who was Jesus"? The Old Testament prophets, Elijah and Elisha, had raised the dead: so the crowds at least understood that Jesus' power came from God. And they realised that God had come to help His people, although they still had to learn that His best help was far greater than raising a young man from the dead - Jesus would give eternal life to all who believed in Him.

We all need help. None of us can fight the great enemies of life and win by ourselves; and the greatest enemy is death. That is why Jesus came to earth, so that by His death He might destroy death's power-holder, the devil (Hebrews 2:14). But do you think He is only interested in our welfare in heaven? No! Romans 8:32 says, "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" So, the Jesus who died for our eternal salvation is the same Jesus who helps us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16). That being so, we should also rejoice; knowing that He is ready to provide just the right sort of powerful assistance as we cry out to Him.

Never Too late

2010-05-17T21:48:00.002+08:00

Luke 7:11-13 Soon afterwards, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out-the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." (NIV)

Jesus was on time for His next Divine appointment: the first of three occasions when He raised the dead. After a day's walk south-west from Capernaum, He approached Nain in a joyful procession with His disciples and many others. Just then, another large procession was coming out of the town. The unmistakable sound of wailing announced the funeral. Was this a rather embarrassing accident of timing - what would Jesus do? Surely He was too late to help.

The sense of tragedy unfolded as it became clear that the woman next to the coffin was a widow, accompanying the body of her only son to the burial site. She had lost everything, and now had nobody to support her or provide for her old age. But Jesus was full of compassion; He felt her hurt and was visibly grieved by the woman's hopelessness, even though He had arrived specifically to meet her need. By saying, "Don't cry", the Master was not offering a meaningless platitude to crush the cultural habit of loud weeping: He wanted her eyes to be dry so that she could see what He was about to do - bringing her son back to life.

We are often so consumed with our own lives, that we cannot see how the Lord wants to work in our circumstances. Hopelessness easily overtakes us as our little worlds implode. But that is because we are not expecting the Lord to be there, be concerned, be powerful or be on time. We may know comforting Scriptures but fail to believe that God is in control. We allow Satan to hook us onto misery as he pulls us into despair. But the truth is that Jesus is here, He does care, He is powerful and He knows just the right time to express His authority. His comfort is real because it announces the release of His power and joy in the future. Those who trust in Him have no need to be limited by the little horizons of failure and disaster. Family crises, workplace nightmares, relationship disasters, financial impossibilities and even death all find their answer in Christ. The Jesus who said, "Don't cry", has the power to bring His answer in His time.

Floodlight Ministry

2010-05-16T22:02:00.003+08:00

'He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you' John 16:14

Floodlights have transformed the world of sports and F1 racing. Being in Singapore for F1 is an exciting event where the floodlights have enabled a successful event to be held at night. In golf, floodlights have made it possible for night golfing etc.

But while floodlights are important, they aren't the focus of our attention. Floodlights are there, not to draw our attention to themselves but to the race and pitch they are directed to.

This is true to the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the floodlight shining unto Jesus, directing our attention, not to himself, but to Jesus.

The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins Why? to point us to Jesus who alone can forgive sins. The Holy Spirit brings new spiritual birth as we trust in Christ Why? So he can bring us to the Father. He lives within us Why? So that we can lead a life that pleases the Father. The Holy Spirit inspires and interprets the scriptures Why? So we can know what the Father is like and what he wants for us in our daily lives....

Today, God still wants each one of us to be filled with his promised Holy Spirit. But he comes and fills us...it is not to draw attention to himself or to have us caught up with him..it is so that we can see Jesus and become more like Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to work this promised floodlight ministry for you today!

' the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets' Eph 3:4-5

Stepping Out in Faith with God

2010-05-16T05:58:00.004+08:00

(Abraham) did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. Rom 4:20-21

'Trust' is a rare commodity these days. Can we trust politicians, newspapers, our employers, our business partners, our friends? It can be sometimes be hard to know. But often, their track record is a good indicator, for if they haven't been trustworthy in the past, it is unlikely that they will be in the future.

God is certainly not afraid of our looking for 'track records' of how he has acted and how He has kept His promises. Indeed, as we begin to grasp what the bible says about Him, we see that it is the most natural thing in the world to step out and trust Him for our own lives and future.

But when Abraham first stepped out with God, he had absolutely nothing to go on. For Abraham, God had no track record! But he steadily learned from experience that you can really can trust God and His promises. Like many of us, Abraham started out by not believing in God. Coming from the city of Ur, a centre of Moon worship, he was certainly a 'pagan'.

But God broke into his life and told him to 'go to the land I will show you' Gen 12:1- though he did not know where! Only when he arrived at Shechem did God eventually say ' that is it'

Abraham had to move from his comfortable zone to the unknown, leave his family, his friends, his old ways of life, and step out in faith into an unknown world. BUT if Abraham did not step out in faith and trusted God's promise, he would never have known whether it was true or not. Faith does not drop from the 'sky', it grows as we risk stepping out with God.

Today, we can look at God's track records in the bible in a way that Abraham never could. As you consider that track record, let it strengthen your resolve to step out with God today whatever he brings before you as you take hold of his promise.

Trusting Jesus

2010-05-15T06:49:00.001+08:00

Luke 7:8-10 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go', and he goes; and that one, 'Come', and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this', and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well. (NIV)

The Roman centurion, whose servant was dying, understood the link between authority and power. Emperor Caesar's authority cascaded through the military structure so that every officer would command in a way that was legitimate, powerful and effective; even though potentially ruthlessly. Orders were always obeyed because the punishments for disobedience were severe. The soldier was frightened of Jesus. Perhaps he thought that the Lord would find fault with him instead of healing his servant. But despite his fear, he also knew that Jesus was the only hope to save the servant. He believed that if Jesus commanded healing, the servant would get well; and so his friends conveyed the message, "Say the word and my servant will be healed!" And the servant recovered immediately!

True faith must start with the confidence that God has legitimate authority to act powerfully and effectively. Faith must follow facts (good feelings may follow after we obey the facts). And the principal fact is that God has all authority to do whatever He chooses. But He has not left us in the dark because He has revealed (in the Bible) what He will reward and punish, and how He will save those who trust in Him.

So, following Jesus is much more straight-forward than trying to connect with mystical feelings; it is a simple matter of believing the Gospel and obeying what God says in the Bible! The centurion understood the principle and Jesus set him as an example for all of us. So as you follow Jesus at work today, accept His supreme authority over everything, rely on His grace to cover your failings and obey His Word. Keeping that in the front of your mind will make the working day much more straight-forward!

Faith to Wait

2010-05-14T06:11:00.001+08:00

Luke 7:6b-7 He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed." (NIV)

The Roman centurion's personal servant was going to die. Despairing, he had asked the Jewish elders to see if Jesus would help; but then he changed his mind at the last minute. He quickly sent his friends with another message, to stop Jesus coming; saying that he was unworthy of Jesus coming to his house. The powerful soldier was in awe of Jesus, because when the Lord spoke, things happened: demons were cast out and the sick were healed. It was clear that Jesus had a superior authority to him.

Faith is all about trusting somebody's word. It is not primarily about comforting thoughts or peaceful feelings (they are the consequence of obedience). Faith is the confidence to take action because we believe that the promised result will be fulfilled. That is the essence of trusting Jesus. Sometimes, the action required is to do nothing, and wait for God to act. That is how it was for the centurion. He demonstrated his faith by pulling back from asking Jesus to visit, because he believed that one word of command from Jesus (without any physical demonstration or touch) would be enough.

The proof of faith is obedience, and sometimes that means actively restraining ourselves from taking our own action, and allowing God to be seen to act. It is hard to be still and know that one word from God and the job is done. Sometimes, an inner evil urge convinces us that 'something must be done', and we confuse activity for obedience. An action is only obedience if the Lord has given the command to do it. Perhaps the Lord is taking us through times when we should do nothing, except to wait for His powerful word to be fulfilled. If, today, He is calling you to stand still while He works, any activity is disobedience! Wait for the Lord to show His powerful hand.

Ministry Lifestyle with a Purpose

2010-05-12T06:17:00.002+08:00

Luke 7:1-2 When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. (NIV)

It should be impossible to read the gospel accounts without realising that Jesus was always purposeful. He made deliberate choices about the places He visited, the people He met and the timing of everything. Sometimes He was in the middle of the crowd; then He would switch to being with His disciples, or being alone with His Father. But His itinerary was not a series of random ideas: He knew who He was going to meet, and every encounter was designed to bring glory to His Father as He moved towards His pivotal appointment with death on the cross.

Jesus had finished the 'sermon on the plain' (Luke 6:17-49), exposing the 'manifesto of His Kingdom' to His trainee apostles and the Jews who wanted to follow Him. Then He went into the busy market town of Capernaum to meet a Gentile soldier - a Roman centurion who was in charge of the local garrison of occupying forces. The Jews would have kept away from him, but Jesus knew that his heart was open to believe. The serious illness of the centurion's personal servant was the opportunity for the soldier and the Saviour to meet.

Nothing about God's work through Christ happens by chance. The Lord still has appointments with people who are individually loved and specially valued by Him despite their culture or religion. Of course, it is often our unwillingness to meet Him which apparently delays the encounters. So He may use our difficult or painful circumstances as opportunities to get our attention: and when we cry out to Him, He is always there. Had you ever thought that the Lord wants to show His love to your colleagues and friends? When all is going well, they might not be listening for Him; but when life is bigger than them, watch how the Lord chooses His moment. And be alert, He may want you to be there as well so that you can work with Him!

2010-05-10T20:13:00.001+08:00

Luke 6:47-49 "I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When the flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." (NIV)

Construction workers know the importance of foundations. It is not the things we see which determine their lasting value, but what is unseen. Jesus used this building illustration to challenge religious leaders and alert His disciples to a new way of living. They were used to seeing so-called 'holy' people paraded in public, but what were their hearts like, deep down? Jesus said that His gospel words alone had the power to change people from the inside, so that that their lives would be unshakable.

The disciples had started to follow Jesus by obeying His words (Luke 6:13), and there was no other way to continue if they were to remain secure. But one of them, Judas Iscariot, ignored Jesus: he sadly proved the truth of this parable by building his life on the 'sand' of money and greed, leading to his destruction. So although Jesus provides the only safe foundation for a secure life with God, disaster will still come unless we are willing to obey Him. His building-site example gives no room for misunderstanding - build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ or face disaster.

Believing in Jesus (that means obeying His words) does not stop the storms; these will inevitably come, testing the foundations of every person's life. So having started with Him, we must keep on obeying Him - if we fail to do so, the cracks will certainly appear. Christians are often tempted to desert the grace of Christ (Galatians 1:6-7) by believing in the security of money, possessions, status, ideas, self-discipline or family solidarity; or even the approval of religious people. None of these will enable us to pass the test of death, and all will fail to deliver peace with God. Jesus alone has the power to make us peacefully productive in this life, and gives us confidence of His welcome into the life to come. So ... as His mother Mary said, "Do whatever He tells you" (John 2:5).

Not Just Hearers but Doers of the Word

2010-05-08T10:27:00.001+08:00

Luke 6:46 "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" (NIV)

The word 'lord' in Greek refers to supremacy. A 'lord' was an owner of property and the master of people, somebody who had the right to decide and control. Used as a title, 'Lord' recognised the person as being in authority, and gave a solemn responsibility to serve and obey. The Bible writers also use 'Lord' as a name of God, which greatly heightens our obligation to do what He says today.

This link between words and actions is a fundamental part of God's economy. Words matter, because when God speaks - things happen. So Jesus' question in this verse goes to the roots of our human duplicity. We may say that we honour and serve our Master; but if we ignore His commands, disobey His laws, obstruct His plans and frustrate His purpose ... what kind of words are we saying: surely they are lies. We might think that we mean them but excuse our disobedience as 'weakness' when we are not very good at the action part. But that is only another way of saying that we do not really believe that Jesus is Lord.

So, agreeing with the Lord is not enough. Failure to take action demonstrates that our agreement is worthless. But when we obey, our actions validate our beliefs. More than that, obedience enables the Lord to validate our trust because His words always bring righteousness to those who do them. Alas, busy people may confuse activity with godliness. The question to ask is not, "Am I doing what I think is right?" but, "Am I obeying the Lord's words as written in the Bible?" That is why we need a time to be quiet before the Lord each day, to receive His words, agree with them, confess disobedience, and seek His help as we determine to be obedient. That kind of integrated lifestyle brings a gentle confidence into the home and workplace, as Jesus validates our obedience with His power.

Empowered by His Spirit

2010-05-06T06:46:00.000+08:00

Judges 14:5-6 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

Judges 16:20 And she (Delilah)said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.

Samson is a powerful example of a man of God who won his battles over and over again because the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. Yet when he was finally defeated by Delilah’s temptations he didn’t realize that the Lord had left him, so effective was the woman’s spell.

The enemy is subtle and the temptations of the flesh can so quickly quench the presence and power of God’s spirit that we may not even realize it has happened. But this anointing of the Holy Spirit is our Life….and our victory. Opposition can be destroyed and burdens can be lifted when His wonderful Presence fills and rests upon us. Our greatest battle is maintaining that internal communion with Him by His Spirit. Temptations, bad habits, our sinful nature, demonic attacks, all these collaborate to rob us of this holy anointing, our communion with God, and our only real power over every enemy!

Samson’s victories vividly demonstrate the tremendous power of the anointing. His power over the Philistines was legendary and truly heroic. But when he lost his anointing, they nearly destroyed him. How critical it is in these days to keep our lamps burning with the holy “oil” of Yeshua’s (Jesus’) anointing. His goodness will defeat the evils around us…His light will banish darkness…His joy will annihilate our depression…His forgiveness will root out all bitterness…His love will overcome our natural hatred…and every subtle deception will be exposed by His excellent TRUTH! Seek HIS ANOINTING, the fullness of the Holy Spirit — He will equip you to break every yoke of bondage and defeat every internal and external enemy.

And, please don’t find yourself in the condition of Samson, in the arms of his lust, not even realizing that the anointing had left him. The cost was enormous, even though he was restored. Instead, guard yourself against the subtle temptations of this world seeking more and more of His indwelling Presence. That anointing will produce one victory after another. Amen.

2010-05-05T06:44:00.002+08:00

“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment… (Ex 6:6)

He is my God and is our God and His promises to us is to free us from our misery. He hears our problem and knows what we are facing. we don’t have the strength but God has and He will never forsake us in our journey. What do we have to do then? Wait on Him and surrender everything to Him and trusting that He will deliver us from whatever we are going through. Sometimes we don’t know why, but we are sure that God is always in control. Just surrender!

I have been reminded time and time about not worrying and believing that He will deliver us from the challenges we are going through and even our family. We can see that God knows what is happening and we have to trust and believe in what is happening. He will pull us through and will not let the situation lose control. Just wait on Him and have faith with action and God will help us with His mighty hand. Even sometimes, things are not properly working, but for God NOTHING is impossible. We just need to believe and wait on Him. Surrender everything to Him.

Disproportionate Giving

2010-05-04T06:51:00.001+08:00

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (NIV)

God is not mean. He does not abuse His servants nor ill-treat His friends. He rewards those who give service, time, labour, money, possessions and worship in His Name. But God never defines a particular reward for individual acts of sacrificial giving. Perhaps that is because we are not employed by Him on a contract; so we are never given the luxury of predicting what we get for what we give. Neither are we to compare our reward with anybody else's. Nor are we allowed to know when or how God's reward will arrive - in time or eternity. Also God is not limited by human ideas of what is best: as Ephesians 3:20 says, He is: "... able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine ..."

However, Jesus wanted His disciples to be clear about the quality and quantity of His reward. It is always good, and always exceeds what is given. As apostles, they should not hold back from giving through fear of being reduced to nothing. The more they would give the more God gives. Indeed, all we have is God's: as we pass it on, He is glorified and we receive further provision. The more we pass on, the more He gives us to give to others.

So it is right that we should be encouraged to give. However, unfortunately this principle has been misused by some leaders who demand money with promises that God will give more money in return to make the giver more prosperous. But there is no evidence of the Lord Jesus or the apostles ever being rich in money, although they were rich in faith, hope and love. It should be obvious that if we give because of what we can get, greed and not grace is operating in our hearts. But do not let the abuse of Jesus' words stop us from being obedient. If we can respond to genuine need in the Name of Jesus, we should do so gladly without thought for our own welfare; and simply trust the Lord to deal graciously with us in this life and the next.

Yearning For God and waiting

2010-04-29T06:18:00.003+08:00

Rom 8:18-23,

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

A woman in labor has gone beyond the definition of hunger and far surpassed the meaning of passion. Now she is openly, unapologetically desperate to deliver her gift to the world. So it is with the people of God at the apex of the progression of divine frustration

The time of mystery is over and the news is out: The church is pregnant something big is coming soon. Parts of the body have lodged protests over the inconvenience and "impropriety" of the whole thing, but it is too late. God is about to birth something in the earth through His bride that will affect the nations. We shouldn't be surprised to see our lives disrupted.

People in every era and culture understand what happens to a woman who is nearly full term in her pregnancy. Her center of gravity has drastically changed, her balance has shifted, and she is forced to walk differently. This perfectly describes the church today. It feels off balance and awkward right now. Why? The church is pregnant with the purposes of God and the time of birth is near. … If the determinate length of our waiting really does predetermine the size and passion of His answer, then perhaps it would help to apply this concept to our "divine pregnancy." I heard somewhere that the pregnancy of an elephant lasts two years! Perhaps that means that the "larger births" are always preceded by the longest gestation periods .

Do you feel spiritually off balance and stretched at times? Is there an expectancy in your spirit that keeps growing stronger with every hint of His nearness, and every rumor of His visitation?

Don't be surprised if His sudden visitation throws you off even more. God usually "births" things in individual hearts before He touches entire regions as a whole. That is because He always uses people who yield to Him to carry change and revival to the world.

Consider the example of God's dealings with women in the Bible. When He touched Sarah's barren and aged womb, she became pregnant and gave birth to Issac. When He touched Rebekah, she became pregnant with twins and bore Jacob and Esau.

The angel of the Lord touched Manoah's wife and she became pregnant and bore Samson who would judge Israel. When God answered the desperate prayer of a barren woman named Hannah, she became pregnant and gave birth to Samuel. He touched a priest named Zacharias and his barren wife Elisabeth became pregnant with John the Baptist. Finally, when the Holy Spirit touched Mary, she became pregnant with Jesus.

Do you really want God to touch you? Are you prepared for the changes, the stretching, the frustration, the public scrutiny, and the hard work of labor that comes with pregnancy?

When the "fullness of time" comes, when something is about to be born into the world, all of the pressure and expectancy of the pregnancy comes to bear on one goal-the safe delivery of the new into the old. Until that moment, we may feel that time has nearly stopped along the way.

Do you feel like you've been pregnant with the promises of God for a long time? You have done everything you know to do to bring it to pass, and now it has brought you to your knees and you are desperate. You have finally arrived in the ultimate posture of worship-desperate despondency!

Do you feel discouraged because the time you've spent waiting on Him has outstripped your memory of the moments you spent in His presence?

Once a holy thing is birthed in your life or church, it may take you the rest of your life or many generations of the church family to catch up to the inner work God completed in you in just moments. Consider Saul who was renamed Paul:

He met the resurrected Carpenter from Galilee, and it took three years of isolation in the desert for Paul's theology to catch up with his thirty-second experience with the Messiah in blinding glory. He poured out this revelation knowledge in the form of New Testament letters or epistles he wrote to the young churches in the first century. We are still feasting on the revelation knowledge Paul received in that thirty-second moment of time

Have you ever experienced an encounter with the resurrected Carpenter that left your life spinning and made your old life and ministry obsolete? How did He impart His heart to you? Did He work through your intellect or speak directly to your heart, leaving the intellect to catch up later?

Holding Tightly

2010-04-27T06:58:00.001+08:00

Luke 6:30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. (NIV)

Materialism invaded our world long ago; along with abuses of power, legal disputes over property, illegal and violent behaviour. Today's verse might refer to street robbery, suing for damages, violent neighbours, unscrupulous family members; or the habit of poorly paid Roman soldiers and civil servants (like tax collectors) who assumed the right to demand whatever you had without reference to any authority. And such travesties of justice are still common today in many parts of the world.

Jesus' advice was not to demand your rights. He wanted the disciples to know possessions are not the key to life; and even very personal possessions must be held lightly. Those who cling on to what is theirs, believing that things create security, are like a monkey who found a jar of nuts: the monkey put his hand into the jar to pull out the food, but the clenched fist was too big to pull out of the neck of the jar ... when the lion came, his choice to hold onto the nuts meant he lost everything.

Jesus wanted the disciples to know that their only security came from trusting in Him, and being willing to let everything else go. It is still the same today. In a wicked world, you cannot always get justice; greedy people will always want to get more out of you than they should. But, as Jesus said in Luke 12:15, "... a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions". To believe that is to be a fool who risks losing everything. On the other hand, to believe that we are called to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, then He will provide us with all we need, is to be a true disciple. For workers and managers, academics and homemakers, it is a daily challenge. How we react will speak volumes about who we believe!

Fountain of Life

2010-04-26T06:00:00.004+08:00

"Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up into eternal life."-- Jn 4:14.

ONE MORNING, a woman awoke in the little town of Sychar that lay between the twin mountains, Ebal and Gerizim. She little realised that that day would revolutionise, not her own life only, but that of untold thousands. Throughout its happenings her story would be embalmed in the history of the race, and she would take the first step which, as tradition says, ended in martyrdom.

Her nature was passionate and intense. The well was deep! She had sought to satisfy her heart with human love, but in vain, and she had ceased to believe in love. Her character was gone, and her neighbours would not tolerate her presence at the ancient well, so that she had no alternative but to carry her pitcher to collect water at noon, instead of in the cool of the late afternoon, when the women came to draw their water. She messed up her life and reputation. She was dry and thirsty. She had a great need within her.

She was not destitute of religion. There was the ancient tradition of Jacob's faith, for he had lived within sight of these hills and had drunk of that well. She believed in this ancestral religion, which had existed in its sublime simplicity before the division arose between Jew and Samaritan, and had listened to many discussions as to the rival claims of the temples at Jerusalem and Gerizim. She also believed that some day the long-looked for Messiah would appear, and explain all things. In the meanwhile, however, she was sick and weary at heart. Her daily lonely visit to the well seemed to describe her inner experience. "Give me, Stranger," she seemed to say, "anything that will appease this soul-thirst, and restore to me the years that the locust and cankerworm have eaten. Then I shall cease to thirst and come all the way hither to draw!"

Is she not the type of many? Some of us have drunk of all the wells sunk by human hands, and have found them brackish or empty. They have turned from them all with the verdict: "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." Is it thus with you? Then, it may be, that He who came far out of His usual way to find and help this distraught soul, is near to you also, waiting to open those hidden springs of which, if a man drink, he shall never thirst again.

Jesus can satisfy our soul. Go to the giver of life...He is our fountain of life...He gives us water and when we drink from it, we will never thirst again.

God Cares for our children

2010-04-25T07:10:00.002+08:00

“In the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children shall always have a place of refuge.” Proverbs 14:26

Do you worry about the future of your children? Your grandchildren? The world is threatening and become very alarming in terms of ungodly influence. Today’s culture seems bent on destroying all that is innocent, pure, and magical for our children. Children are constantly bombarded with information most adults can’t digest or comprehend. Children are given responsibilities and are forced to make decisions that were once left to parents. The wonderment of life is crushed beneath the reality of government making choices for their well-being, choices that should be left only with mom and dad. Children are taught that scientific theories trump faith. Politically correct tolerance trumps parental consent and oversight. Government intervention is said to be the answer for all their ills–responsibility and accountability are for someone else. Rules are said to apply to all, but actually only apply to some. It’s a fearful thing to consider at times. But there is hope.

We need not allow ourselves to be consumed by what the world around us is doing. Their threats are nothing to one who trusts in the Lord–for those who worshipfully fear Him and rely on Him. He is our confidence, not the world and its foreboding dangers. Nothing intimidates God. Nothing contaminates, nor cancels out His sovereign watchcare. Menacing hazards that scream in our faces, perils that whisper omens of fear in our ears–they are empty, hollow, mutterings to the Most High God, El Elyon. As we entrust our lives to God, we have confidence that He will care for our children. He will give them a place of refuge in Christ as we guide them and lead them to the knowledge of His saving grace. The world holds no threat that our security in Christ cannot withstand. He is the Victor. He has overcome the world.

2010-04-24T06:38:00.001+08:00

“You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” John 13:7

There are seasons in the lives of us all when it is not easy to believe that God is faithful. When our eyes are full of tears, our ears are distracted by the noise of the world, we feel we can no longer hear the sweet voice of our Savior calling out to us, and we can no longer trace His sovereign hand at work through the events of our days.

At times when this has happened in my life, my mind was left confused and full of questions. I had sought to be faithful to God… why would he allow this to happen?

What we must remember at these times is that God is faithful. His Word is true. In every relationship with His Children, God has been faithful. No one ever trusted Him in vain. We need that reminder, which is why it is so important to remind ourselves of the God revealed in Scripture. His faithfulness is part of His character. We can have confidence in Him, whether we understand our current situation or not.

One of my favorite poets is William Cowper. He spent his life battling depression, loneliness and many other struggles. Yet his poems remind us constantly of the faithfulness of God. Remember that even when God moves in your life in a mysterious way (as He did in William Cowper’s), He is sovereign, He is gracious, and He is, even now, working out His good plan in you.

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

Passionate for God

2010-04-23T06:15:00.003+08:00

'For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.' Psalm 51:16-17

Sometimes you come in your fullness and make yourself empty, as Zacchaeus did. At other times you cry out in your bankruptcy, hunger, and pain, and God shows up. That's the cry God can't deny.

Men and women come to Him in every conceivable posture and position, but we all wind up in the same position in the end-on bended knee.

Some come to Him steeped in pride and stiffened by a stubbornness descended from Adam's seed.

Others bend low and come to Him in the knowledge of their sin and some come crawling face down in their desperate need for deliverance, healing, and miraculous intervention in their impossible situation. It seems easier for God to lift someone who comes to Him "meek and lowly" than to "lower" someone who comes to His throne haughtily.

How do you approach the King of glory-from the position of the meek and lowly or from the position of pride while parading your own strength? Do you cast your prayer list at His feet or do you first throw your crown at His feet in worship, humility, and unconditional adoration?

Passion caused God to remodel heaven so He could turn the dead-end door of death into a secret place of access to heaven. In His passion He said, "I have to figure out way to get My kids in here, even if I have to remodel what was preexistent." It is illogical that God would sacrifice His own Son just to get close to you, but passion got in His way.

Many people would love to challenge the very concept of passion in the church by asking, "What does passion have to do with the gospel?" Passion has everything to do with it.

Pure logic would rule out the mercy and grace Jesus made possible on the cross. It was passion that led God to sacrifice so much for what seems to be so little in heaven's economy. The Bible says, "For God so loved…" and not "For God so thought…" I am not against logical thought or the acquisition of knowledge; but I must protest when I see logic, human thought, and mere knowledge exalted to idol status.

What role does God-ward passion play in your life? Do you pursue Him primarily because it seems logical, or because passion for His presence leaves you no choice?

Questions We have to Confront

1. Do you remember times when you "emptied" yourself to reach out for God? What happened?

2. Do you have memories of crying out to God in times of spiritual of physical bankruptcy or desperation? Describe what happened:

Waiting upon the Lord

2010-04-22T07:09:00.002+08:00

' Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.' Isa 40:28-31

If the determinate length of our waiting actually predetermines the size and passion of His answer, then perhaps that explains why true revival has evaded most of the church. We know that passion will cause the heart of the Father to do things that otherwise He wouldn't do, but holy desperation may even move Him more!

Why did God use the word wait? If you think about it, the closest thing we have to a "god in a hurry" is the prideful angel who pretended to be God and was ushered out of heaven "in a hurry." The true God is never in a hurry and He is never late. If anything, time bends to match His pace and not the other way around.

The closest thing to "rushing" we should experience is the rush to kneel before Him when He manifests His glory among us and the rush to obey His commands. In these situations, tardiness may indicate a weakness of love or a lack of wisdom. Any other hurrying may indicate our schedule is out of control or even under the subtle influence or driving pressure of the "would-be god in a hurry" known as the Adversary.

What is the pace of your prayer and worship life? Do you rush through your worship and prayer times and then anxiously await an immediate reply? Why is it important to wait on God when seeking His face for a long-term visitation?

If our waiting upon divinity has value in God's eyes, perhaps our passion for Him has ab even greater impact on His heart. Look at the children of Israel suffering under Egyptian bondage in the Old Testament and noted:

Yet the day came when things got so bad that the people uttered a different kind of cry. This cry had a cutting edge of desperation that possessed the power to cut through the brassy heavens over Egypt and capture the heart of God! That was when He allowed Moses to "catch" Him at the burning bush, and announced, "I heard their cry, so I came down to deliver them out and bring them up."

Have you ever stumbled across the secret key of desperate prayer from the heart, only to be surprised by the swiftness and power of God's reply? Was it manipulation on your part or anticipation of Divinity to answer your cry and meet your need?

Persistence is one of the legitimate forms of "waiting" on God. Many believers in previous generations called it "praying through." Isaiah the prophet called it "waiting on God." Most of us today who have experienced it call it a combination of pure desperation, dogged determination, and holy perspiration. This is the tool the widow used to unlock the hardened will of the heartless judge in Jesus' parable to the disciples. It is the bombshell of a broken heart that Hannah unleashed on heaven from the dim chambers of the tabernacle where Eli the priest presided. It is the essence of the high priestly prayer Jesus poured out to heaven as a drink offering of desperation, sacrifice, and obedience to the Father in the face of death. It is the cry God cannot deny.

Have you ever persevered in prayer until heaven came down to earth? Are you prepared to pray until the foundations of your prison shake and every chain encircling your neighborhood just drop away? Will you become a persistent Hannah on behalf of a nation in need of deliverance? (You may have to pray until the unexpected fires of revival are ignited-and then give it all back to God without taking the credit.)

Frankly it is uncommon for the modern church to press through to this level of divine access. Perhaps it is because a good number of us can barely stomach a seventy-minute prayer meeting, much less a seven- or ten-day interval of intense prayer, worship, or fasting

What Do You Think?

I believe there are unused keys of power and divine access lying on the dusty shelves of the church that we have forgotten about. Desperate passion of worship or the painful cries of crisis are going to unlock the heavens for somebody. Most of the time, we just say, "Wonder where those keys are?" It is time for us to perceive and seize the secret keys to the heart of God

1. What do you think? If God gave someone the keys long ago, why would they misplace or discard them?
2. What are you going to do now that you've rediscovered some of those keys of privileged access to the heart of God?

2010-04-21T06:53:00.000+08:00

Christ in you the hope of glory . . . that we may present every man complete in Christ" (Colossians 1:27–28).

God doesn't use beautiful flasks to house His fragrance. He has chosen to put the treasure of His fragrance in clay pots. He uses earthen vessels, not the fine china. He takes simple clay pots and fills them with His glory. Fragile and flawed, cracked and leaky clay pots are His choice vessels.

He uses clay pots so He alone can get the glory.

Most of the time these old pots have to be broken before they emit the sweet fragrance of His grace. God does it through the pressures that come in our lives.

The apostle Paul writes: "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed" (2Cor 4:8-10, KJV).

The NASB reads, "we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also maybe manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (2Cor 4:8-11).

God's power is perfected in our weaknesses. When we die, He lives. When we lose, He wins. When we are weak, He is strong. When we are dependent, He is powerful. When we are tempted, He is triumphant.

2010-04-20T06:11:00.002+08:00

. . . Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith . . . Hebrews 12:1b-2a

The landscape in Kuala Lumpur is always changing with high rise buildings along Jalan Sultan Ismail.

What does amaze me are the workers who put those office buildings up. I'm referring to those special individuals who walk the girders way up in the sky. Try to ask these brave men how they managed to keep going without losing his balance.

They will say, "You get used to it."

"The first rule is: don't ever look down or around. Keep your eyes on the place you are walking toward. Then you don't get frightened."

This reminded me of a spider web team building game I played three years ago and it was at least three storey building high and I have to walk from one end to another end by just holding the rope and move. It was challenging but I stayed my eyes on the destination I just wanted to reach by focusing my eyes on the other side of the rope.

That's a great rule. Keep your eyes on where you're going. That rule is applicable to things other than walking on steel girders. Hunters need to keep their eyes on where they're going when they go into the field. Motorists need to keep their eyes on where they're going when they're driving their car.

Above all, you need to keep your eyes on where you're going when it comes to eternal life. If you look down at all the things the world has to offer, all the temptations the devil places in front of you, it can get frightening, disconcerting, dangerous. It's too easy to fall.

That's why we need to look at the place where we're going and, just as importantly, look at the person, Jesus, who is taking us there. When we see His cradle, His cross, His empty tomb, our fears disappear and we know we are safe.

Look at Jesus and you'll feel safe. And you don't have to take my word for it. You can take it from a man who walks the high steel for a living.

Let run the race and our eyes fixed on Him.

Overcoming the Fear of man

2010-04-19T05:56:00.008+08:00

'' And they came again to Jeruselam. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, and scribes, and elders came to Him, and began saying to Him, "by what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do these things" Mark 11:26 to 28

The fear of man is a common problem. This is true of my life. As I began to read this powerful encounter of Jesus, my flawed life flashed before my mind. I wondered, "How many times have I failed my Lord and those around me because I gave in to the fear of man?"

The fear of man ensnares us into compromising what God would have us otherwise do. The compromise is made through different thoughts, words or actions ending up in faulty decisions and consequences.

Jesus' disciples saw their Master face at least four intimidating circumstances in this one encounter. He didn't flinch.

The city - Jerusalem
There is no greater place that a person would want to gain respect and fame than Jerusalem. If one is received well there, he is received well by the nation. Here was the chance of a lifetime to show Himself great.
The holy place - the temple of God
Was there a more austere place to show ones knowledge of God than the temple of God? By being accepted by man and conforming to man's wisdom, He could show Himself to be holy and 'close to God.'
Confronted - by the chief priests, scribes and elders
This situation screams for compromise. Each of the three most respected groups - chief priests, scribes and elders– was written in the plural. At the minimum, six men all adorned in their flowing robes came up to challenge Jesus. There probably were many more. Outnumbered. Outflanked. Out-educated. Compromise was begging Jesus to conform for acceptance.
Hostile - a challenging question
Their question went straight to the ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus had numerous ways to compromise and make these guys favorable to Him. He could have said, "We are working for the same God. Sorry if there were any misunderstandings."

The fear of man has at times been a real snare in my own life. Jesus, however, was not shaken, scared, sensitized or silenced. He was not shamed into cowardliness. But filled with the Spirit, responded with wisdom making his counter-challenge.

Application: I need a fear of God that would null any intimidation from others.

Jesus said that He would answer their question if they first answered His question. In so much that they boldly asked Him a question, out of politeness they had to answer Jesus' question. Jesus asked,

And Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me." And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, "If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But shall we say, ‘From men’" --they were afraid of the multitude, for all considered John to have been a prophet indeed. And answering Jesus, they *said, ?We do not know.? And Jesus *said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things".
(Mark 11:29-33)

"Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer me."

Their private discussion fills the last verses. One can almost see these three groups huddled together offering different suggestions. Christ's wisdom is at least seen in three areas.

Jesus did not share God's beautiful truth with skeptics
Jesus devised a question that would have them analyze the key issues, in this case it was authority.
Jesus confronted them with their own guilt.

If John the Baptist was from heaven (God), why did they not respect him and take his advice?
They themselves were afraid of man.

Application: Ask God for much greater wisdom to meet the stubbornness and skepticism of today's secular leaders.

The Spirit of God has been excavating my soul's past. With each shovelful, out came another 'fear of man' bone. I was so humbled at the many times I had disobeyed God and let man down. This solemn time seemed to merge into a constant life of failing God and man. It seemed that I would need a tractor to do the excavating! I am all the more amazed at the great grace of God. Praise Him!

Application: The leaders refused to examine Jesus' challenge. I need God's grace to hate sin to the degree that I would always examine my life in light of God's Word. I refuse to ignore my guilt or fear of man. They were not willing to let God's Word dig in their own heart and therefore had no answer from Jesus. They had no Word from God. They were caught in their own snare of intimidation.

I realize that I had learned intimidation when young. When people intimidated me, I became afraid of man. Later I would use these same belligerent techniques that worked with me on others. Long lasting habits of raising my voice, using threatening words, grimacing my face, etc. must by God's grace be broken. They are used to intimidate rather than train. Should I be surprised when my own family members start using these techniques with their siblings?!

May the grave be dug and filled with the last of these intimidating tactics.

2010-04-18T14:31:00.003+08:00

'. . . I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued My faithfulness to you.' Jeremiah 31:3b

Too often many of us feel we're not loved. This, of course, is entirely untrue. Even if nobody else loves us, God still does.

That truth was brought home to me by a lady with whom I met recently in JB. She suffered from skin cancer and her face was swollen. She had undergone some fairly serious persecution from her neighbors and shunned by many.

Little children called her names when she walked to the market. One of them yelled out, "You're the ugliest old woman I ever saw."

The woman's reply is remarkable. She turned and said, "Isn't it wonderful how God can love an ugly old woman like me?"

What a fantastic response!

Indeed, I'm sure if the lady wasn't beautiful on the outside, then she, most definitely, was beautiful on the inside. She would have been beautiful because this lady reflects a caring, redeeming, and beautiful God.

We all need to remember that when we're feeling plain and ugly. Those moments do come for all of us, don't they?

You may remember those moments when the dark side of us takes over and we're spiteful and angry. Those are the moments when we're hateful and cruel.

Amazingly, in spite of our ugliness, God still loves us and calls us back to repentance and the forgiveness which Jesus has won for us and offers so freely to each of us.

All of this leads us to conclude this: "Isn't it wonderful how God can love ugly old men, ugly old women, like us."

Are You Drifting?

2010-04-17T13:00:00.002+08:00

"Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments...For God will bring every deed into judgment...whether it is good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

t wasn't the first time they'd had problems with the space station, but this one was pretty serious. There are four gyroscopes that the space station really depends on. One had been dysfunctional for a while. But now a second gyroscope had gone down, leaving the station and its crew all too vulnerable. With no backup now, one more gyroscope failure and they would be in big trouble. NASA hustled to find a solution because the gyroscope performs an essential function for that platform in space. It keeps it pointing in the right direction so it will have the power it has to have.

"Drifting" may be a word that describes a little of how you feel about your life right now. You can be successful but not satisfied. You can be winning but still wondering what your life is all about. This drifting feeling affects all kinds of people: young and old, single, married, those who have it all, and those who have very little. It's a sense that my life doesn't have any direction that gives it real meaning. So there's this like emptiness.

There's a reason we feel that way. Our spiritual gyroscope is missing. We're pointed in the wrong direction. In the words of our Creator, recorded in the Bible, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way." We're created to have our life pointing in the direction of our Creator, but we haven't lived like that. As the Bible says, we've "turned to our own way," often doing what we want with no consideration for what God wants. Consequently, we're adrift in the universe, with this deep cosmic loneliness. It's no wonder that a survey published in USA Today asking Americans what one question they would ask a Supreme Being showed the largest group would ask, "What is the purpose of my life?"

Centuries ago, one of the most successful men in history found himself adrift and searching. King Solomon, the richest and most sought after man of his time, wrote these words recorded in Ecclesiastes, beginning with chapter 1, verse 2. It's our word for today from the Word of God. After tasting every accomplishment and pleasure you could think of, he said: "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." Maybe you know that feeling. Later he says, "God has set eternity in the hearts of men" (Ecclesiastes 3:11). He realized that only something eternal can fill the hole in your heart. And after years of searching, he says, "Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments...For God will bring every deed into judgment...whether it is good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Ultimately, it's all about having a personal relationship with the God that we're away from.

It wasn't easy to make it possible for us to finally point our life in the right direction. There was nothing we could do to fix it. But God sent a rescue mission - His Son Jesus, who died to remove the guilt and the penalty of our sin and our wandering. So we could, by grabbing Jesus in total faith, have every sin forgiven, our hell cancelled, and the God-relationship we were made for finally begun. It's why God brought us together today, so you could have this chance to be His. To give yourself to the one who gave His life on the cross so you could have the life only He can give you and the heaven only He can give you.

If you're tired of a life that just isn't going the right direction, if you'd like to experience for yourself this awesome love, this awesome plan of God, I'd urge you to tell Jesus this very day, "Jesus, I'm Yours. I give up the control - the steering wheel of my life. I'm putting all my trust in what You did on the cross to pay for what I have done against You. Right now, I'm giving all of me to You."

You weren't made to live without direction, without meaning, without peace. You were made to belong to the person who made you, and that relationship can begin this very day.

The Power of Faith

2010-04-15T06:46:00.003+08:00

for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well." Mark 5:28

I think that it's easy to get a wrong impression of who God is. That somehow if we have a need, we are not sure whether he will answer our prayer and hear us.

Jesus is walking along, a huge crowd following Him. And one of the people in the crowd is a woman - she's been bleeding for 12 years. That means that according to Jewish law, she's unclean. She's an outcast. But she's heard about Jesus….about how He heals people.

And so she goes along this day and thinks to herself - "If only I could touch His cloak, I'd be healed." And she did - touch His cloak. And she was - healed.

This woman is disparate for God to heal her. She knows that Jesus can heal. She goes all the way to be healed, even by touching the seams of the garment. She is not shy or afraid about it. She is very focus on Jesus to heal her.

Jesus feels the power go out of Him and He turns around and says - "Who touched me?" - His disciples say - "What - there's a huge crowd here, what do you mean ‘Who touched me?'"

But Jesus knew there was something different about this woman - her faith. And that faith drew on His power. It was her faith and His power that healed her.

Friends, whether you are going through difficulties in life, your career, your health, your family, your financial situation, come to to Jesus. He is Able and He Can! Run to Him, Be disparate, Only Believe!

The Choice for Life is Yours

2010-04-14T07:21:00.002+08:00

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NIV) ¹⁹This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live ²⁰and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Blessings and life or curses and death are our choices. There is no middle ground. We must choose one or the other. Heaven and earth will bear witness to the choice we make.

It is a awesome that Almighty God gives us such a privilege. Considering the horrible consequences to others if we make the wrong choice. It is a wonder that we get to choose at all. But God is not after robots. He wants relational creatures. He is looking for those who will desire Him and His goodness of their own free will.

In these verses we find that the choice of life that we make effects our children, our love for God, our ability to hear His voice, and our endurance in the faith. It effects the length of our lives. When the choice is laid out so clearly, and the consequences made so plain, who would choose curses and death? Sadly many still do. It is easy to believe the lie that other things can deliver these benefits to our lives, when that choice lines up with our fleshly desire.

The LORD is our life. We may think our life is wrapped up in things and family and friends, but all those are from the LORD. He is life itself. He breathed into us the breath of life. Jesus is our life because He is the Way , the Truth and the Life. He who has the Son has the Life.

Amen

In God we Trust

2010-04-12T05:01:00.003+08:00

"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty," ISam17:45

When we face challenges, either financial, career, business, family relationship or marital issues, do you check your wallet? or trying to get people on your side or trying to find the best form of arguments or the best weapon of intimidation you could find to resolve these issues? When you are faced with health concerns, is your physician the source of your confidence? During the downs that come between the ups in your career, is your network or resume your source of comfort?

When facing a problem, the natural tendency is to look over our resources, abilities and connections and find in them the confidence needed to get through.

Israel tried that route of depending on own abilities and resources when faced with a problem of giant proportions-Goliath. No one, not even the king, would face the Goliath of the Philistines. Only one man dared to face Goliath without fear. it was David, where many remembered him as a shepherd boy. His reliance was not on past victories, though he had them, nor on the armor that was made available to him, nor on the weapons he carried with him.

David relied on God. That does not mean that he did not use his skills he learnt while shepherding his father's sheep.

"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty," he said. (17:45). David wanted all to know that "it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's" (v. 47). David acknowledged that the battle is the Lord's. God gave a swift victory to the one who trusted Him.

Whatever difficulties you face in life, some may seem to take a long time to see complete victory, while some may seem victory is far away, take heart, our confidence must not be in self alone but in God.

Whatever you face today, remember to trust in God. Ask Him to help you through the challenge before you.

2010-04-11T08:10:00.002+08:00


	Ruth 1:20-21 So she said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?" Angry at God A growing problem in Malaysia is "road rage." A recent court case involving a young man beating up an elderly man for blocking his car is the tip of an iceberg of hatred and extreme anger over what is happening to our society. This is a terrible price to pay for foolishly venting one's anger. Yet it's far more foolish when we become angry at God. When Naomi returned to her homeland, it was obvious she was angry with God for the losses in her life. When her friends called her Naomi (which means "sweetness" or "pleasantness"), she in-structed them instead to call her Mara (which means "bitterness"), because "the Almighty has afflicted me." She lamented that she left Bethlehem with a husband and two sons, but returned "empty." She was angry at God because of what He had allowed. In God's plan, however, Naomi was actually at the beginning of the most fulfilling time of her life. Soon Ruth would meet and marry Boaz and bear his child. That baby, Obed, would become the grandfather to Israel's greatest king, David, who would establish the lineage of the Messiah, Jesus. What God had allowed to be taken away from Naomi would be replaced with blessings beyond her wildest imagination. When you experience the grief of losing a loved one?a husband, a wife, a child?it's easy to become bitter and lash out at God. You think it's all His fault. He allowed it to happen. Yet the God who loves you is also the God who sees the end from the beginning. He knows what He is doing. Trust Him. What has begun as a heartache for you will ultimately result in overwhelming blessings.

Ruth 1:20-21

So she said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?"

Angry at God

A growing problem in Malaysia is "road rage." A recent court case involving a young man beating up an elderly man for blocking his car is the tip of an iceberg of hatred and extreme anger over what is happening to our society. This is a terrible price to pay for foolishly venting one's anger. Yet it's far more foolish when we become angry at God.

When Naomi returned to her homeland, it was obvious she was angry with God for the losses in her life. When her friends called her Naomi (which means "sweetness" or "pleasantness"), she in-structed them instead to call her Mara (which means "bitterness"), because "the Almighty has afflicted me." She lamented that she left Bethlehem with a husband and two sons, but returned "empty." She was angry at God because of what He had allowed.

In God's plan, however, Naomi was actually at the beginning of the most fulfilling time of her life. Soon Ruth would meet and marry Boaz and bear his child. That baby, Obed, would become the grandfather to Israel's greatest king, David, who would establish the lineage of the Messiah, Jesus. What God had allowed to be taken away from Naomi would be replaced with blessings beyond her wildest imagination.

When you experience the grief of losing a loved one?a husband, a wife, a child?it's easy to become bitter and lash out at God. You think it's all His fault. He allowed it to happen. Yet the God who loves you is also the God who sees the end from the beginning. He knows what He is doing. Trust Him. What has begun as a heartache for you will ultimately result in overwhelming blessings.

The Privilege of Knowing God

2010-04-10T06:08:00.003+08:00

'But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,' Phil 3:7-8

It is a great tragedy that many people go through life without ever becoming acquainted with their Creator. To overlook that relationship is to miss the purpose for their existence and the greatest privilege available to mankind—knowing God. Even Christians can undervalue the honor of getting to know Christ more intimately.

Paul's all-consuming passion to know the Lord caused him to count everything else as worthless in comparison to that tremendous blessing. Though believers can accept Christ as their Savior, faithfully serve Him, and anticipate being with Him in heaven, many have no hunger to know Him right now.

How can we be satisfied simply with being saved and have so little interest in the most gratifying and exciting relationship available to us? Pursuing Christ with Paul's passion requires sacrifice—spending time alone with the Lord, surrendering our will, and learning to know Him through suffering. Although salvation is a free gift, intimacy with God is a costly process, but the rewards are invaluable and eternal.

Our culture floods us with information and distractions that can fill our minds and hearts, leaving us indifferent to developing a deeper relationship with Christ. Some people even substitute learning facts about the Lord for knowing Him relationally.

Examine your life to see what is hindering your passion for God. Consider ways to carve out time each day to be alone with Him. As you go about your routine, seek His guidance and listen for His voice. You, too, will eventually count everything else as rubbish compared to knowing Christ.

Memorial of faithfulness

2010-04-09T07:10:00.000+08:00

“Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Mk 14:9

We may assume that our expressions of devotion to God are small and insignificant, but in God's eyes they may hold much meaning. Our love and dedication to Christ may even create memorials to God for future generations.

This woman performed a profound act of love for Jesus. She did not do it to impress His disciples or to gain public attention or to gain praise from Jesus. She simply sought to express her love for Jesus. She did nothing spectacular; she performed no miracles; she preached no sermons. Yet Jesus was so moved by her selfless loyalty that He deemed it worthy of remembrance throughout the remainder of history.

We do not know all that God finds most pleasing, nor do we know what acts of our love He may choose to honor through our children and future generations. Abraham could not have known that the day he demonstrated his willingness to sacrifice his only son would be memorialized and would bless many generations who heard of his obedience. David could not have known that his walk with God would please Him so much that David's example would bless generations who followed him.

God can take your faithfulness and begin a spiritual legacy, making it a blessing to others for generations to come. You will never know until eternity all who received a blessing because of your righteous life. That is why it is so important that you daily express your love and devotion to Jesus. Amen

The Art of Service

2010-04-08T07:22:00.001+08:00

" If then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done for you' John 13:14-15

One of the issues that mattered most to Jesus' disciples was who was the most favoured and important to Jesus. James and John, asked their mother to help them secure the seats of honour in Jesus' kingdom (Matthew 20:21)

Jesus response is that she did not know what she was asking and her sons were more interested in benefits of power but not sacrifice. Otherwise, these sons of Zebedee could be in the left and right side of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, before Jesus was arrested (Matthew 26:40-46)
Instead they slept and fled after Jesus was arrested. They could have been in the left and right side of Jesus when He was hung on the cross but stayed in the crowd.

Jesus taught them the true meaning of greatness. Jesus used the towel and basin principle. He washed their feet - the duty of a servant. Even Peter could not understand this fundamental truth of greatness. In all areas of life, to be great is to know how best we can serve one another. As a parent, we serve our children, when we grow up, we serve our parents, our employers, our clients, our country, our loved ones and our peers.

We live in a competitive and self-aggrandising world where examples of humility, kindness, helpfulness, and caring for others first are hard to find.

Great is the reward, the sense of purpose and self satisfaction are what we reap if we follow our Master's footstep.

2010-04-07T06:10:00.002+08:00

' I beseech Thee, show me thy Glory,' Exo 33:18

Many of us will be satisfied if God can visit us on Sunday worship celebrations or our prayer meetings. At certain times, we are satisfied with ourselves, going through life without His visitation.

The people of Israel during the days of Moses were not different from us today. They cried to God to deliver them from the Egyptian masters. They were always busy compiling ' want lists' and 'complaints' to God. When they crossed the Red Sea, they have forgotten what God has done for them.

Moses wanted more than what he has experienced with God. Moses had heard God's voice and witnessed His delivering power. Moses had experienced miracles. Moses had experienced the manifest presence of God. However, he was not just satisfied with a visitation, his soul longed for His habitation. He wanted more than seeing God's finger or hearing God's voice from a cloud or a burning bush. God's abiding presence became his consuming desire and he begged God so that he could see His Glory.

God told Moses ' that canst not see My face: for there shall no man see Me and live' Exo 33:20. Many of us would just resigned from this and it would be a close case. But Moses knew ' there was a way'

The Lord told Moses ' Look, you can't see My face, but there is a place by Me where you can see Me as I disappear off in the distance' Exo 33:21-23

The Lord told Moses to 'present himself' to Him on top of the mountain the next morning, and He would hide him in the cleft of the rock while His Glory passed by.

' Now before I ever get there, I am going to reach forward in time to cover you with my Hand while I pass by you. After I pass by, I am going to pull My hand away so you can stick your head out and look in the direction I've gone. Then you will see just a little bit of My 'back parts' as I disappear into the distance' Exo 33:22-23

Moses did exactly what God told him to do and this made a lasting impact in His life.

Thank God! Today, God dwell in us through His Spirit that lives in us. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Let us guard our hearts and His dwelling place.

IN worship, let us pray that whenever we meet as people of God, we can enjoy His manifested presence in our midst or even in our daily prayer and devotion.....show us your Glory! and do not pass by us......

Hallelujah - What does it mean to us?

2010-04-06T05:46:00.002+08:00

' After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting;Hallelujah! Salvation and Glory and Power belong to our God' Rev19:1

The word ' Hallelujah' means in Hebrew "Praise the Lord" This word has a very special meaning. The word 'Jah' comes from the root word 'Yehweh' or ' Jehovah' where God revealed to Moses at the burning bush. He is the great and awesome God and His name is beyond description. He is 'I am is what I am'

Hallelujah is only mentioned in the book of Revelation, four times in chapter 4.

No where else can we find Hallelujah in other books in the bible.

In the book of Psalms, the word used is 'Praise the Lord!' Psalm 111, 112, 113, 'Praise the Lord is found only in the beginning of the chapters while in Psalm 115,116, 117 ' praise the Lord' is found at the end of each chapter.

The apostle, John, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, used the word 'Hallelujah' in the book of revelation, the last book in the scripture to point to the fact that Worship will be at its Glorious peak when Finally, all Praise is given to the Awesome God, the Beginning and the End, in Him all things consist, whose name is above all other names, when finally every creature, every tongue, every tribe, every knee must bow to worship the great I AM.

' Hallelujah' ! to the Risen Lamb of God!

Up is down and You Die to Live

2010-04-04T22:07:00.003+08:00

5 April

' If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all' Mk9:35b

In God's economy which is in direct contrast with the world, up is down and the way you live is to die. The way to get is to give because the laws of the Kingdom are reversed from the laws of this world.

For us , it is often difficult to give up and get out of control. It is rather difficult to 'let go' and be stripped of any position whether in church of in our daily vocations. Jesus said ' not my will, but Yours be done' Luke 22:42b.

I have experienced in my life recently, when I gave up so that I can have more of Christ! When I was in church leadership all these years and to give up at the prompting of His Spirit is the most painful decision I have made. It was through this experience, I learnt to humble myself and looked at things from the perspective of the sheep. When position is stripped away, what do we have? It is your character and walk with God that counts. Finally, I learnt what Solomon said in Ecc 12:13 ' the conclusion, when all has been heard, is fear God and keep His commandments, because it applies to every person...'

In Exo 4:6-7 , Moses was giving a lot of excuses to avoid God's call when the Lord told him ' ok now put your hand in your bosom...now pull it out' Moses was shocked to see that his hand was covered with leprosy! When God told him to put his hand back to his bosom and withdrew his hand, it was perfectly clean again.

God was teaching Moses two lessons. Firstly, any person who cannot control the flesh, cannot cast out the devil. You must know your heart and keep your flesh clean through repentance and obedience. Secondly, 'put your hand on your heart' It will reveal what is written in your hands. The second lesson tells us that God cannot work His miracles through anyone who wants to be control. God let Moses know who was in charge and where the power came from.

Today, after 2 years of searching for answers to problems in church life, God has also taught me to nurture the father's heart in me. What we need today is beyond pastoral care, it is the father's care...because this is my Father's World.

He is the Risen Lord

2010-04-04T06:04:00.002+08:00

'His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters.'
Rev 1:14-15

Many of us would have thought : “If only I could have walked with Jesus, as the twelve disciples did, it would be so much easier to live the Christian life!”

This thought reveals that we do not understand fully the greatness of the Risen Christ we serve today. The Jesus of the Gospels is often portrayed as One who walked along the seashore, loving children and gently forgiving sinners.

Yet the image of Jesus that we see at the close of the New Testament is far more dramatic! He stands in awesome power as He rules all creation. His appearance is so magnificent that when John, His beloved disciple, sees Him, he falls to the ground as though he were dead (Rev 1:17).

We have grossly underestimated the God we serve! To ignore God's Word or to disobey a direct command from Him is to ignore the magnificent nature of Christ. Our fear of other people proves that we do not understand the awesome Lord who walks with us. The Christ we serve today is the Lord of all creation. He is vastly more awesome and powerful than we often imagine.

If you struggle with your obedience to Christ, take a closer look at how He is portrayed in the Book of Revelation. If you are succumbing to temptation, call upon the powerful One who dwells in you. If you have forgotten how great and mighty the Lord is, meet Him through the vision of the beloved disciple. The encounter will dramatically affect the way you live!

Breaking the Chains

2010-04-03T08:18:00.002+08:00

' You have freed me from my chains' Ps 116:16

'Do I suffer for the sins of my family before me?' is a question people sometimes ask particularly when things go wrong in life. After all 'does bible say that God 'punishes' the children for the sins of the fathers to the third and fourth generation? (Num 14: 18) Surely, there is no hope for me that I must pay for my forefathers' sins.

The truth is the fathers' sins are being 'visited' on the children and this is not divine arithmetic but divine observation. What God is saying is that those who break his law inevitably pass on those ways to their families, and so they end up living the same way, often for generation to come.

But the prophet Jeremiah saw that life wouldn't always be like that, but that a time would come when 'people will no longer say, the fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge. ' Instead, everyone will die for his own sins;whoever eats sour grapes- his own teeth will be set on edge' Jeremiah 31:29-30

When Jesus came, He broke this inexorable chain.....Indeed the first thing He said he has come to do is ' to proclaim freedom for the prisoners....to release the oppressed Luke 4:18

No longer would sin..our own or our forefathers- be able to continue to imprison us in its terrifying grip. At the cross, He broke this chain and set us free. Paul has this confidence and say ' if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come' 2 Cor 5:17

We do not have to live under the shadow and influence of our forefathers and their ways. Declare that you believe he died to break the chains of the past, and claim the power of the cross that sets you absolutely free....

Door Keeper

2010-04-02T05:29:00.001+08:00

2 April

' For a day in your courts is better than a thousand (anywhere else); I would rather be a doorkeeper and stand at the threshold in the house of my God than to dwell ( at ease) in the tents of wickedness' Ps 84:10

Doorkeeper ( or sometimes referred as gatekeeper) whose duty is to guard the door of the Tabernacle, so as to prevent anyone from coming carelessly to the 'Ark'

In David's day, the Levites surrounded the 'ark of the covenant' with continuous praise and worship. Those who were in the Tabernacle enjoyed the benefits of a continuously open heaven because there was someone who stood at the door and 'held' it open. Open heaven refers to the free access of God's presence to man and the free flow of God's glory to man. David's desire is to see God's manifested presence and experience open heaven. He chose to be a doorkeeper than to be elsewhere because of his passion to be in the presence of God. David understood the importance of this office to be a doorkeeper. Being a doorkeeper stationed at the right door is the place of real influence. If you can be a doorkeeper and open the door of the manifested presence of God to your church and your community, you need to understand that you have been placed in the most influential position in the entire world. We are called to be doorkeepers and we can be ' a walking doorway' to God's presence. People around us can sense the glory light shining under the door.

Obededom (a doorkeeper : 1Chron 15:18,24) knew what it was like to be a
doorkeeper and knew what it was like to have God dwelling in his house instead of merely visiting there. He discovered that there were side benefits that came to his job of safeguarding the 'ark of the covenant'
'And the ark of God remained with the family of Obededom in his house for 3 months.And the Lord blessed the house of Obededom and all that he had' IChron 13:14.

Lot, on the other hand 'was the gatekeeper in Sodom and Gomorrah' Gen 19:1 the bible tells us that Lot 'sat in the gate of Sodom' Despite his bad choice of city, he recognised that presence of angelic visitors. He welcomed the angelic visitors to his home. Lot also knew what wickedness and unrighteousness was like in that city but he failed to close the gate to the sin that was consuming the city. Sodom was destroyed by fire because the gatekeeper failed to do his job.

Let us remind ourselves that we are doorkeepers for His manifested presence and we are His doorway where people around us can experience God's presence and open heaven and be blessed in His presence. Let us guard God's presence in our lives and be an impact in the community. We have the responsibility to watch at the gates.

Trusting God

2010-03-30T22:30:00.001+08:00

30 March

' Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don't depend on your own understanding. Remember the Lord in all you do, and He will give you success' Pro 3:5-6

The moment we turn our eyes from Him and we trust ourselves more than Him, we are heading toward a spiritual decline in our walk with Him. It cuts both ways.

1) Pride: it is unhealthy and when such arrogance slips into our thinking, we become convinced that we are in control of our own world and this will affect our behaviours, our attitudes, and our relationship with people around us. Pride stinks the nostril of our God.

2) Despair: this happens when we face inevitable difficulties and setbacks of life that are outside of our control - illness, a difficult relationship and an economic downturn.

To have strong defense against these 'odds' , the bible tells us to daily trust in Him for He is the source of all good gifts, provisions, the only safe refuge. When life becomes difficult, he steers us from the twin dangers of pride and despair.

Psalms 40:3-5 , God reminded us that he is always thinking of us despite our disobedience and rebellion against Him. It is a privilege to know that He is thinking of us. The prophet Jeremiah tells us that His thoughts toward us is for our well being and it is the thought of peace in us and we will have an expected end.

Take heart, God will not abandon us. It is us who abandon Him.

Faithful God

2010-03-29T20:48:00.000+08:00

29 March

' Great is thy Faithfulness' Lamentations 3:23

Many children or even adults say this ' I won't be your friend anymore if you don't' Friendship has become 'conditional'

Thankfully, God's friendship is not like that. His friendship with us is unconditional. It is never manipulative or demanding. God's friendship is always there.

God's friendship with us is a friendship of covenant. Through Jesus, God has made a covenant , that is the binding commitment with us ...promising to be our friend forever, come what may, to work his purposes out in our life. It is awesome to think that God, who upholds the whole universe, should have promised to be with me and to be for me, come what may!

How can we be sure? The answer is simple...God has already demonstrated His faithfulness and commitment to us in the act of sending His Son to die on the cross to pay the price of our sins...and that is a historical and unchangeable fact.

Paul puts in ' since God did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won't God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?' Rom 8:32 Of course, He will!

This same God is with you today. His faithfulness is sure .. not because of you, but because of Jesus. And that is why you can be confident that you can experience that faithfulness afresh today.

' He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright, and just is He. Deut 32:4

Experiencing Peace

2010-03-28T16:23:00.000+08:00

28 March

' He, Himself , is our peace' Eph 2:14

Nations generally negotiate a peace treaty and neighbours also negotiate peace to live harmoniously.

God's peace is different. Jesus did not negotiate peace between God and us; He is our peace. Peace is not an ' atmosphere or a thing' but peace is a person!...the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was Jesus who destroyed the dividing wall of hostility that separated the court of the gentiles from the court of Israel in the temple of Jerusalem. Signs stood at the gate between the two: 'Gentiles keep out on the pain of death'

Through the death of Jesus, He ripped down the wall and made possible for Jews and Gentiles alike to come close to God so that they could know His peace- with Him and with one another.

Peace is the birth right of every believer. God wants us to know and experience His peace which surpasses all human understanding....a peace that abides in face of difficulty, hardship, and even death.

But how do we maintain such a peace? Through trusting in the Lord, and not ourselves; through staying close to Him and depending on His Spirit; through keeping our minds fixed on Him and putting God's word into practice.

The life of Christ was characterised by a calm, unruffled, unflappable spirit. Even when He walked through a mob anxious to kill Him or waited at Gethsemane for His betrayer to arrive. It is this sort of peace, a peace that knows God is with us even in the pressurised times that Jesus promises to each of us today.

' Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, whose mind is set on thee; because he trusteth in thee. Trust in the Lord forever:for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength' Isa 26:3-4

A solution to those who are tired and weary...

2010-03-27T08:17:00.000+08:00

26 March

' Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost' Isa 55:1

A few years ago, after visiting my sisters in London, I took the Euro Star back to Paris and it was dark and I could not find my way back to my hotel in Paris from Gare D'Nord. The only thing I had to look for was Opera Garnier to reach my hotel. After walking for more than 45 min, I went back to this spot to find my bearing.

In life, the first step to finding our way to somewhere is always to find out where we are now:or, to put it a different way, the first step to solving a problem is to see the need. The bible tells us of our needs or where we are now....in many different ways, it sees us being hungry, thirsty, weary, blind, lost, etc.

Here in this verse, the bible tells us that we are thirsty..thirsty for reality..and thirsty for Him. The solution for us is not to keep on pressing on regardless, hoping something might turn up , but to turn back to where they had started, with God himself.

Perhaps, you are feeling spiritually thirsty or dry today. Don't keep busily pressing on with life regardless, filling your life with all kinds of busy-ness in the hope it will 'do the trick.' It's time to stop and to hear the invitation of God to come and drink from his well; for his promise is that all who do, will truly find their thirst quenched.

Jesus answered ' Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life' John 4:13-14

He is Faithful Always

2010-03-26T07:06:00.000+08:00

26 March

' And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you;not one word of them has failed' Joshua 23:14

Towards the end of his life, Joshua took time with the people of God to review the things that God had done for them.God had given them an impossible task to conquer a foreign and hostile land with fortified cities and armies more powerful than their own. They just went into the enemy territory with God's promise that He will take care of them. Now Joshua looked back over the experience and reminded them of God's faithfulness to His word. They enjoyed god's provision for every need in their struggle.

When we are going through trials or crisis, we wonder if God will be faithful to His promises. We focus on our problems, and our trust in God begins to waver. For 25 years Abraham waited for the promise of a son whom God had promised earlier. As David was fleeing from Saul, he may have been uncertain how God would keep His promise to make him king. But after his long and prosperous reign,he could recall how God has sustained him and the faithfulness of God's promise.

You, too, can rely on God today. He is faithful. Are you going through crisis? Hold on to the promises of God. Look back into your life and recount the many ways in which God has been faithful to His word.

God Remembers Us

2010-03-25T07:21:00.001+08:00

25 March

'Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you.'
Isa 49:15

God will never neglect any of His children. God said it would be more likely for a nursing mother to forget the infant at her breast than for Him to forget one of His children! The nursing mother has a keen sensitivity to her baby. Even if the infant is in another room the mother's senses are in tune with her child. The mother knows when it is time to feed and care for the child. The mother never becomes so preoccupied with other things that she neglects the needs of her child.

God chose this fitting imagery to describe how He looks after His people, for He is more sensitive to the needs of His children than even the most loving mother. He anticipates every cry for help. Even before we can call out in need, God is responding with His answer (Isa 65:24). This is one of the most comforting promises God has given to us: that He will never forget us.

Don't let the difficult circumstances you are facing convince you that God has forgotten you. Don't ever assume that God is more concerned with the needs of others....the more significant, more spiritual people than He is with yours. Scripture teaches that God looks upon you with the same love, interest, and concern as a nursing mother would look upon her infant. It should reassure you to know that your Father loves you like that!

Compelled to Serve?

2010-03-24T21:22:00.000+08:00

24 March

' Your people shall be volunteers In the day of your power' Ps 110:3

One mark of revival, during which God comes to His people in power, is that God's people are compelled to offer their lives for His service. Many churches lack people who are willing to get involved in carrying out God's redemptive work. The mission fields are crying out for Christians to go and share the gospel with those who've never heard it. What we need is not more pleas for volunteers, but an outpouring of the power of God. When God comes among His people in power, there is never a shortage of volunteers or resources for His work!

When Christians today are asked what aspects of the Christian life are most important to them, missions is not usually ranked as a priority. This is because we have lost track of why God called us in the first place. We were not saved from our sin simply so that we would qualify for heaven. God delivered us so we would have a relationship with Him through which He could carry out His mission to redeem a lost world.

Only the power of God can free us from our natural self- centeredness and reorient us toward the mission of God. There is no need to pray that God would come in power. That is the only way He ever comes. We need hearts that are so responsive to Him that He will choose to demonstrate His power through us. Is your heart so filled with love for God that you are watching for the first opportunity to say with Isaiah, “Here am I. Send me!”?

Jesus, the focus of Promises

2010-03-23T07:43:00.000+08:00

23 March

'...the promises of life that is in Christ Jesus' 2Tim 1:1

It has been said 'promises and pie crust' are meant to be broken. Many have experienced broken promises made by friends, relatives and even loved ones...promises that give vague hopes resulting in disappointment.

In 2 Cor 1:20, the bible tells us ' for as many as are the promises of God, they will find their Yes in Christ. For this reason we also utter the Amen to God through Him to the Glory of God'

We find Yes in Christ in His promises to us and Amen (so be it) in Christ! Whatever situations, needs and unfulfilled dreams, Jesus holds the key and He will not fail us. He is the same yesterday, today and forever...

Amen

There is Hope

2010-03-22T07:17:00.000+08:00

22/3/2010

Psalm 39:7 ' But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you'

Some people may say ' I am keeping my fingers crossed for you' That is a silly thing for people to say. Putting one finger over another could not make any difference. Of course, in modern society, what many people would really want to say is 'I am praying for you' But this is far too embarrassing and risky thing to say....

Let us be clear that there is one thing for sure..hope in the living God! David wrote this Psalm amidst many challenging and difficult situations. It seemed quite hopeless in his situations. King Saul was after him..he was on the run for 10 years.....he was exiled in the desert, caves, hills.

He even stayed in the enemy's camp, pretending to be mad....even after he became king, he faced family breakups, rebellion and civil war....all seemed to drain all hope out of him.

Despite these, David did not give up hope. He discovered the God of Hope..'My hope is in you'

Today, this same God of Hope is with you in whatever challenges and opportunities are facing you. Look to Him ..and find your hope!

"Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God' Ps 42:5

Experiencing God's Faithfulness in our Daily Lives

2010-03-21T07:41:00.000+08:00

Sunday, 21 March

' My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you' Job 42:5

It is also encouraging to listen to stories about the faithfulness and power of God. How a testimony of some great healing or miraculous intervention by God builds our faith. How exciting to hear of someone's story that God intervened at the right time and God provided for them in some fantastic way.

But while such stories edify us in many ways, this will not bring change to us unless we have a personal encounter with God to experience His faithfulness for ourselves in the nitty-gritty of life.

We cannot learn about God's faithfulness in our lives in the classroom or from reading christian books or from watching a christian DVD. Rather, it is in the hard knocks of life, with all its trouble, the rough and tumble of life experience...that we can prove for ourselves of God's faithfulness. It is when we are put to the test that we can see His Faithfulness works in us.

Abraham discovered this when God put him to a test by asking him to sacrifice his long awaited, promised son and then miraculously intervened at the last moment. What Abraham had to learn that day was that it was not his son that God wanted, but his heart.

This was what Job learned too when, after much questioning from his own heart and many answers from his friends, every issue was settled in just one real encounter with the living God.

Neither these two men learned about God's faithfulness from a book; they had to walk through life and make the promises their own. It is true to us as well. You may be facing some challenges or difficulties at this time. Don't see this as God's abandoning of you, but simply his opportunity for you to discover Him again for yourself in the 'nitty-gritty ' of life and discover that his promises work, not just for others but for you as well.

' we no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves' John 4:42

Power of Relinquishment

2010-03-20T08:03:00.001+08:00

' Woe to the rebellious children....who executes a plan not Mine and make an alliance but not of my Spirit, in order to add sin to sin..who proceed down to Egypt, without consulting Me...and seek the shelter in the shadow of Egypt..' Isa 30:1-3

And the Lord said to Moses ' what is that in your hands? And he said ' a staff ' Then He said ' throw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses fled from it. But the Lord said to Moses ' stretch out your hand and grasp it by the tail..so he stretched out his hand and caught it and it became a staff in his hand' Exo 4:2-4

The prophet Isaiah spoke of those who trust in the shadow of Egypt for protection from their enemies and have been influenced when they get into its shadow. The shadow of Egypt keeps them away from the full light of God's plan and pursuit.

Moses learnt how to get out of the shadow of Egpyt by staying in God's plan and purpose in his life. He relinquished the influence of Egypt by obeying God.

In Exo 4:2-4, Moses threw down his favourite old shepherd's rod as God commanded him and it became a serpent and he ran from it. Things got worse when God commanded him to hold it by the tail. This is a dangerous thing to do as the serpent is free on the 'business end' and free for 'action' It did not make sense.

Many times when we are going through the wilderness of 'relinquishment', we may think that God is leading us the wrong way or saying something that does not make any sense. The point is that we cannot figure out what He is doing but just trust Him.

When Moses picked up the serpent, it became a rod and from this time forward, the rod is never referred again as the 'rod' of Moses but the rod of God' Exo 4:20. Because Moses released his favourite rod and the snake was taken out of it, it became God's rod. Moses relinquished the one thing that he trusted most to God. God may strip you of everything in order for you to see and understand your total dependence on Him. With that stripping, with that relinquishment, comes power. Many times there are things that we hold on to very dearly and we have to release to Him so that God can remove the snake from it.

We need to do the right thing, to experience the power of God through a selfless life and relinquishment.

Amen