A LIFE COMPLETE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST

Reflection from Psalm 5

2011-11-03T22:39:00.000-07:00

What are sinners like?

Wicked (v4)

Evil (v4)

Arrogant (v5)

Bloodthirsty (v6)

Deceitful (v6)

Liars (v6, v9)

To harm others and make people suffer (Malice) (v9)

Rebelled against God (v10)

(Many, many sins (v10)

What sinners deserve from God?

Unwelcome before God (v4)

Cannot stand in God’s presence (v5)

God should hate us (v5)

Destroy us (v6)

Detest us (v6)

Declare guilty before God (v9)

Face downfall (v10)

Banish for our many sins (v10)

Who are these sinners and deserving all these?

EVERYONE

What have we received now? (v11-12)

Be glad (v11)

Sing for joy (v11)
Protected by God (v11)
Rejoice in God (v11)

Blessed before God (v12)

Become righteous (v12)
Surrounded with God’s favor as with a shield (v12)

Biggest question: HOW COME?

All because of Jesus Christ who bore all this sins and our judgement before God

Fanny Crosby Take The World But Give Me Jesus

2011-09-19T23:15:00.000-07:00

Take the world but give me Jesus, Fanny Crosby

2011-09-19T23:12:00.000-07:00

Take The World But Give Me Jesus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz4vXdVjGJA&feature=related

Take the world, but give me Jesus,
All its joys are but a name;
But His love abideth ever,
Through eternal years the same.

Refrain:
Oh, the height and depth of mercy!
Oh, the length and breadth of love!
Oh, the fullness of redemption,
Pledge of endless life above!

Take the world, but give me Jesus,
Sweetest comfort of my soul;
With my Savior watching o’er me,
I can sing though billows roll.
Take the world, but give me Jesus,
Let me view His constant smile;
Then throughout my pilgrim journey
Light will cheer me all the while.
Take the world, but give me Jesus;
In His cross my trust shall be,
Till, with clearer, brighter vision,
Face to face my Lord I see.

Was God actually deceived by the Gibeonites?

2011-04-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

The Gibeonite Deception? No. It was actually God’s reception (Joshua 9)

The likelihood of comprehending Joshua 9 as how the people of Gibeon deceived Joshua and the Israelites and how they were demanded to be servants of the Israelites as woodcutters and water-carriers seems to be a superficial understanding.

This is how it should be understood.

Firstly, although God was not enquired (v14), trusted (v15), God was not ignorant in intervening if it is necessary for the sake of His promises made. He cannot let His people be destroyed. So God was fully in control of the Hivites deception when they said they are ‘from a distant country’, “we are your servants’ (v8).

What this passage was to be understood that God is not only in control, but also God’s Promises are powerful and God is merciful.

Firstly we understand the Power of God’s promises.

The Hivittes are already trembling of God, not so much the people of God for the work He had done.

· They knew who God is: “your servants have come...because of the fame of the LORD your God”. (v9)

· They knew what God had done: “For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, ¹⁰ and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.” (v9-10)

· They knew what God has said: ““Your servants were clearly told how the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives” (v24)

In reality, they knew that God always deliver His promises. Always have done so. God’s promises are so great, so powerful and terrifying that the neighbouring countries do not only stand is awe of this great God but they surrender themselves to Him. It was not the Gibeonite’s deception, but God already accepted them because they knew who He really is, perhaps more than some of the Israelites.

It is such a great joy to know that God never failed to be who He is, do what He said and deliver what and who he wants. God Accepts whoever acknowledges and turns back from their sin to God, knowing that it is a real privilege to be a woodcutter and water-carrier all the days of our lives, then to suffer without him. Cos this is repentance and this is true recovery. Letting go of all pride, all freedom for the real freedom in being with God and His people. Look below for God’s hand for people who acknowledges God.

¹The Gibeonites after Joshua 9.

a. The Gibeonites became servants at the tabernacle, just as Joshua had commanded.

b. Gibeon becomes a priestly city; the Ark of the Covenant stayed at Gibeon often in the days of David and Solomon (1 Chronicles 16:39-40 and 21:29).

c. At least one of David’s mighty men was a Gibeonite (1 Chronicles 12:4).

d. God spoke to Solomon at Gibeon (1 Kings 3:4).

e. Gibeonites were among those who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem with Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:7 and 7:25).

f. These are examples of the great things God can do with people who are sinners, but come to Him in humility and love.

^{1http://www.enduringword.com/commentaries/0609.htm}

Do you care about the tears of God?

2011-04-18T20:05:00.000-07:00

The great cry of God

All of us want God to wipe away our tears and to relief us of our pain. But few would care to acknowledge and think about God’s own tears. Now how do you think God would have cried on the day of His Son’s death?

Exodus 12:

¹The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, ² “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. ³ Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb^[a] for his family, one for each household. ⁴ If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. ⁵ The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. ⁶ Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. ⁷ Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. ⁸ That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. ⁹ Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire—with the head, legs and internal organs. ¹⁰ Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. ¹¹ This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD’s Passover.

¹² “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. ¹³ The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt...

²⁹ At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. ³⁰ Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.”

What is PASSOVER? How is it so relevant and how does it makes sense to reveal during the crucifixion of Jesus when it was stated:

“But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release 'the king of the Jews'?" (John 18:39)

What has this incident has to do with the significance of the Passover have to do with releasing a sinner on the account of the sinless, innocent Jesus. It all matters to the question of WHY? It was necessary that someone should bear the judgement of God for the sake of all.

During the time in Egypt, the Israelites got free from the wrath of GOD when he passed over them because of the blood of the lamb. Now, we know God’s judgement pass over us when the lamb, Jesus Christ saved us from the wrath of GOD. But do we know the other part of what happened?

On the time of God’s wrath falling upon the Egyptians firstborn, there was immense wailing. Imagine an infant in a household crying. It will split open the house. Imagine a group of family members wailing in a household during a funeral. It will be greater wailing. Now imagine the whole of Egypt wailing for their firstborn that has perished in an instant. All they spend their lives nurturing, caring and loving them and now they are gone in an instant. They just drop dead. See video for slight reference http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0lno8YetL8)

Yet greater was the cry of GOD, then the entire Egypt on the day of the Lord’s death. The reason being, Jesus was fully innocent. Imagine us grieving over our old grandfather then our new born baby. Our old grandfather had lived life and he knew many things and he isn’t that a saint in our lives perhaps to pour our great tears. But when a child who do not deserve death, and especially when it was innocent dying. It brings us such pain and grief. God had an innocent child who had never displeased him. All the child knew was one thing: To love God with all his heart, mind, soul and strength and to love his neighbour as himself. Now he is dead.

“But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release 'the king of the Jews'?" (John 18:39)

The great exchange of a sinful generation getting of scot free on the expense of Jesus calls on the judgement of God falling on him. God pass over us (sinners) to let Jesus, his very own firstborn innocently die! And on that day, there is a great cry of God and the heavens.

Now have we considered that?

April Fool-Satan’s joke on mankind

2011-04-02T02:12:00.000-07:00

April Fool-Satan’s joke on mankind

As I was going for a jog today evening in the park near my home, I met two boys on the playground. What kept me staring at them was that one of the boy, who was a little older, intermittently and continuously asked the other boy to look somewhere, just to then sheepishly smile and say “April Fool”.

Not sure whether April Fool is just for the 1st of April or the remnants lasts till 2nd April (like the boys I observed today) or for some, lasting for the whole of April (since it’s called April Fool), but what stirred my heart was the concept of April Fool itself.

April Fool is ‘celebrated’ by many, and even Christians, and it looks like it is harmless, light-hearted, fun, good opportunity to interact and bond and so much to reason that it is fine to have a little joke and fun. What’s wrong with a little joke?

But what I realised is that April’s Fool is Satan’s joke on mankind. Why do I say that? What lies beneath the light-hearted joke is a disguise of DECEPTION! Yes, deception. The art of deception that Satan uses disfigures all the other reasons that we use to justify April Fool. A white lie or real lie, a lie is a lie and it has no place in the light of the truth. The Truth is Jesus Christ himself (John 14:6)

What I would recommend, especially Christians, is to stop cultivating April Fool and give any room for it to grow in the hearts of your loved ones. Imagine your children learning deception only to use it harmfully on you in future.

Satan loves deception...to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).

Do not leave room for it for yourselves and your loved ones. I believe no one loves to be deceived.

May no one be a fool but trust in Jesus who have come to give life to us to the full (John 10:10)

What exactly is God’s grace?

2011-04-01T22:13:00.000-07:00

What exactly is God’s grace? Today morning was a great day as I was reading Mark 5-Jesus meeting with legion. But before I make sense of how it made sense to me, I do have to share how I have been negligent, immensely negligent on the grace of God. I do have a big problem with the grace of God, mainly because I feel damn guilty on days I have sinned against God and I feel righteous on the days I have not sinned against God. I know it is a big issue because there is a need of God’s grace + performance in my life. As I started to read Jerry Bridges “The Discipline of Grace”, it really made me seek and understand God’s grace. (A book I will greatly recommend for those who have an issue with God’s grace plus performance.) It all began last week as my church brother Matthew Lawes, went through with me on Colossians 3. It was about the overwhelming attitude of Paul who was giving thanks to God and teaching us the attitude of God’s grace by thanking God again and again (1:3, 12; 2:7; 3:15, 16, 17). Paul, who had a large sheet of a clean slate, was never righteous about performance, but he was only thankful that God has redeemed us through Christ. I realised that without knowing the depth of God’s grace through the redemption given by the Son’s work on the cross-the gospel- which Paul keeps talking about (Colossians 1:3, 13-20-23; 2:13, 20, 3:3), we will never overwhelm with thanksgiving and joy and grace. As I was reading Mark 5-where Jesus will meet a demon-possessed man, today morning, I had a great joy in the Lord. There were many lessons to draw out from this one story that overwhelmed me-but I saw myself as that man today. That man who was grieved with multiple demons. I too have my own set of demons (sins) and cry out at times (v5) just like the man. But what was great was that the man RAN and FELL on Jesus feet when he saw Jesus from a distance. (v6) He was totally reliant on the grace of Christ to save him. He realised that Jesus had ultimate authority and power over him as the Son of the Most High God (v7). Only he can give permission to the demons before they can choose to do an alternative (v13). This shows the ultimate grace of Christ, who has all authority beyond mankind. He wholesomely makes all, breaks all and saves all! It’s in him we trust. It’s in him, we are redeemed! Grace. As I was walking in my neighbourhood to the singpost in Macpherson today morning, I saw MP Mathias Yao and nominated MP Tan Pei Ling passing by me. What I did was to walk to the side, not wanting to even smile at them for the reason that I was a nobody. I was a nobody. However, interestingly MP Mathias Yao took the effort to walk all the way to me and shook my hand with a big smile and following that, Ms Pei Ling offered to shake my hand too. Now, after that, I was thinking that I do not deserved to be honoured with the hand shake but I then got to understand God’s grace. It’s just like God. It was not based on my performance but it was an act of grace. I could be the worst person in the neighbourhood but there was a veil of ignorance, no questions asked about me before he accepted me and shook my hand. No questions asked. It’s just like God’s word’s or acceptance “I remember your sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12). A clean slate! A great acceptance! What makes me also understand about God’s grace from this simple few seconds hand shake with MP Mathias Yao was that I am completely confident with the decisions that he makes and had made for the Macpherson constituency throughout the years and that alone is enough for me in his decisions to choose the right person to take over him although the new MP is a new challenge based on her youth. Likewise, I am completely confident with God’s authority given to Jesus and I fully put my trust in Him as he is more than just appointed by God. He is God, He is in God’s image and the fullness of God dwell in Him (Colossians 1:15-17). In conclusion, I have been learning about God’s grace and I seek prayer from all of you that I might know deeper and deeper of God’s grace and that will help me to be overwhelmed with thankfulness. Just after I was reflecting on God’s grace after the handshake, I met another auntie in my neighbourhood whom I knew. She and I sat down as she poured out her heart over her family issues with her daughter. Meanwhile, I was praying to God to help me witness for Him. But I didn’t have a good chance. Yet, I don’t know why, I wasn’t guilty of my shortcomings to witness about God after I left. The reason being, I was getting to understand God’s grace without the need for my performance. I knew that there will be opportunities later on in life to share with her and her family. That I leave it to God’s grace too. Coming back to Mark 5 on the demons’ meet with Jesus; Jesus was rejected and asked to leave by the people when they knew about his divine, supernatural power that is more greater than the demons they could not control (v3). Jesus left just as he entered, just as their wish. We make attempts to witness about Christ, but we leave and respect the decisions people make. On the other hand, the man who is now no longer possessed, wanted to follow Christ. Jesus did not let him. That doesn’t mean that he is not a disciple of Jesus. He is a disciple of Jesus. He was given a privilege to stay in his hometown to share the power and the grace of God through Christ, the Son. Jesus said to him: “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” Jesus had been intentional on letting the man stay and preach what Christ has done so that the people will want to know Him again. Christ was not angry over the rejection. He was full of love for them, that he still sought that they might be saved one day. Jesus wants him to tell about God’s mercy. Now the mercy of God isn’t about some healing we received, but the ultimate healing of our souls through Christ work on the cross. That is His Mercy and Grace Let our decisions be intentional as we witness about God’s salvation, mercy and grace and let us not give up on that person. I like how Paul ended the book of Colossians: “Grace be with you” Let us not disgrace the grace of God with sin...Let us grace the disgrace of Christ with holiness, love and unity. Grace be with you my brothers and sisters. Grace be with you. *Mark 5: 1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.[a] 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” 9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. 11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. 14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. 18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis[b] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Acts 1: Prove Him

2011-03-26T10:24:00.000-07:00

Acts 1: Prove Him
As we are looking into mission work in our neighbouring country JB, I was thinking that it will be good to go through the whole book of Acts thorough out that describes the Acts of God in the life of His missionaries. In fact, it is a fallacy to say that mission work is once a month or only when we go to Malaysia. Telling the gospel is part of our everyday life, it is the reason why we are still on earth. To bring forth His glory to all mankind.
Let me go through Chapter 1 today. Chapter 1 of Acts describes not just the mere last moments of Jesus on earth. Chapter 1 of Acts is life in Jesus. The life that He wants us to live till we see Him again.
Scripture Reading
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Introduction: Proving something is true
How do you know when something is true?How do you know whether the sun will rise tomorrow? How do you know that you are not dreaming now? How do you know that your colleague has not been possessed by aliens? In fact, how do you know that anything is true?Knowing how to tell if something is true is a problem that humans have worried about for thousands of years. It matters in every aspect of what we do. Juries, for example, have to decide whether a defendant is telling the truth when he or she says, "I didn't do it." Scientists have to decide whether new scientific theories are true. Consumers have to decide whether Apple is telling the truth when the company claims that IPAD 2 is better than IPAD 1.Well, there are two ways to evaluate the proof for what something is true.
Evidence: Empirical Evidence makes a lot of sense when we seek to evaluate a case. If you remember watching CSI, you know that a DNA sample, a Cigarette butt, a strand of hair, a nail mark on the deceased all form evidence on solving the mystery. But the truth is sometimes evidence are hard to detect like a needle in the haystack.
Well, there is another way to solve the mystery of a case: Witnesses.
When there are witnesses and that which are more than one, the possibility to confirm the accused makes the whole case much smoother. Lesser trial conferences, lesser suspense and quicker judgment that will put everyone to rest. Peace comes as the accused is judged. You might be wondering why I am talking about proof, evidence and witnesses. In fact, Jesus uses these same form of words in today’s passage.
Luke, who is a doctor, started writing this book addressing it to Theophilus as he did the book of Luke. V1 says that he wrote “all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit”. Often we forget that Scripture is sufficient for us to know Christ. Everything about Christ is written for us and we look for things more than just scripture to help our knowledge as Christians.
1. During the 40 days (Acts v 1-3)
During the forty days, our Lord Jesus had devoted his time with his disciples, not mere fellowshipping, eating and playing around but to equip them with the most important task before he ascends to heaven. Jesus, after his suffering, gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. The key word here is “convincing proofs”. Why do I say that? If you look at v3, you know that He spent these 40 days wanting to let the disciples know the Cross and Resurrection deeper. He needs to convince them which they now convinced us with the Word written for us. It is the most crucial thing that a Christian needs to know about. It is not just about Jesus died and He rose from the dead. The whole of New Testament and New Testament revolves around the Cross and the Resurrection of Christ. The Cross is not just about Christ bearing our sins. He bore all curses of God written in the OT. He bore the wrath of God that was meant for us. And we know He rose from the Dead but do you know why? He was vindicated because He was without sin. He was accused for us and thus God vindicated him! We have proof, convincing proof of the Death and Resurrection of the Lord now in the Scriptures. The Cross and the Resurrection are not part of Christianity and then we move on to something better. There is nothing better than Christ, the Saviour. We do not need eloquence or human wisdom to reveal a Jesus. We have it all here. This is our evidence. You will even see the other half of chapter 1 or throughout the book of Acts, where Peter and every disciple will rely on the scriptures alone to make sense God’s plan.
Jesus in v3 also spoke about the kingdom of God. Now we do not get confused with what the kingdom of God is. Basically, it is the Kingdom of God where Christ the eternal King will rule the entire world in time to come. Also the Kingdom of God involves His suffering, His Resurrection and the need for the true gospel to go out to the world from the disciples’ mouths. In the last days, if you read the book of Revelation (chp 5), you will understand the words that the angels, the saints and the entire world will long out to cry out to the Lamb is “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain”. Because that is why we can have the privilege of drawing near to GOD! It is due to the Lamb who was slain on that Cross. Yet, we live a life without seeking to know His Cross and the Resurrection day after day. We think these were meant for those who are very, very strong and knowledgeable people. Jesus chose to send this message to people who were previously dumb! They had no power on their own to bring this message out. I had no great, super knowledge about Christ. Yet I strive to know Him. And even on last Saturday, I read an article in the Straits Times about an atheist, one who believes in a dumb and deaf nature and its work on the natural disasters than on God. I was so restless that morning that I do not care who he is. I prayed, prepared and shot a long email to him talking about the Lord Jesus. We can reach out to anyone if we seek to know God more.
2. During one occasion (Acts 4-5)
Luke also brings the readers one worthy scene of Jesus Christ just before the ascension. He talks about one occasion; he describes Jesus left a final command to the disciples during this 40 days. And that is to wait for the gift, the gift of the HS. Now waiting for the gift is something we do not like. When we know our birthdays are coming and we have just hinted to our closest friend that it will be nice to get hold of the new IPad 2 and you expect that your friend will graciously get you that. And that entire month you only have one thing on your mind: Your birthday gifts.
Now there are three things we need to know about the HS:
1. Firstly what do we receive?
Receiving the water baptism is one thing, receiving the baptism is another.
2. Secondly, What was it for?
The disciples did clearly hear from Jesus about the restoration of the Kingdom in Israel. But what they did not know at this point of time was that they had one more task before the restoration takes place. So why the HS was was given unto us? It was for one reason. (look at v8) To be witnesses to everyone, to the whole world, not just a twice month thing and then we go back to our lives only to witness again next trip. Now we know that the baptism of the HS had already fallen on men and we receive it to be Witnesses in our everyday lives about the Lord’s Cross and Resurrection. Yet its so hard isn’t it. There are so many selfish reasons not to witness to our loved ones and friends and neighbours and strangers.
And the last question is this: What will help us from the agony?
Jesus mentioned that we will receive POWER when the Holy Spirit rest upon us. To do what? To enjoy the world and all in it? To be Powerful in our workplace, in leadership, in motivation, in front of others? We received the POWER of the HS to be His witnesses. Witnesses not just in Malaysia, but to everyone where Christ, the Lamb is not enthroned in their hearts. We shall seek more of God to know the Power within us that should be unleashed for one reason: To be His witnesses. Now we are not evidences but witnesses. We are not called to live our lives right alone and then let people piece the mystery pieces together. That category called “Lifestyle Evangelism” was not taught in the Scriptures. Lifestyle evangelist will not aim to tell about God. They rely on good works and mere tracts. Even when people sort out that you are a Christian, they will think Christianity is so vigorous that it’s all about a moral life and nothing much about a Savior of grace. Look at these verses in Acts 5: 30-32 which tells that the disciples witness is.
30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
The disciples are witnesses of what? The resurrection and the Cross
Only by witnessing the crucified Christ and His resurrection we can then be witnesses. Our lives will not bring the true gospel meant for people to understand. The real evidence that brings Christ alive is the Scripture and we are witnesses of Christ. There are two types of witnesses. Normal witness and expert witness. The normal witness only tries to tell his part from his small frame of mind but an expert witness is a witness, who by virtue of education, training, skill, or experience, is believed to have expertise and specialised knowledge in a particular subject beyond that of the average person. We have all the knowledge we need in the Scriptures and we are expert witnesses as long as we long to spend all our energies knowing and preaching the crucified Christ. And we do not just witness about Christianity. We need to be specific. People need to know Christ offers, not what Christianity offers. Be specific in our preaching about the Lord.
We ought to be afraid and we ought to be motivated in witnessing for Christ because Christ is coming. Look at (v11) “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Friends, He is coming! Like it or not. And if Christ is coming, then we better start working hard in being His witnesses. He will come with power and glory. Now ask yourself this question: ‘Am I seeking Christ coming today as I serve Him for His glory or am I thinking Christ, please do not come today, I got much more to do. The one who do not wait for His coming is lost.
I wish to end with the last part of the text where they went back obediently to the Upper room, waiting for the gift of the HS and were praying constantly in the upper room. We do not know what they were praying but it is possible that they were not confident and rejoicing at that time. Jesus left them, they don’t know when the gift is coming, they don’t how it will help them, and they are not sure what will happen to them. Lots of things are going on.
Brothers and sisters are we like them, constant in prayer and whole-hearted dependence on God, obedience in faith. If prayer reflects less in our hearts that shows that we have more confidence in our own flesh for this ministry. After this, we will devote time in prayer. Everyone will pray together and we will wait upon the Lord as we pray. We will seek Him and find Him.
Let’s seek God to know of the Power of the HS in us. Sometimes we seek vacations because we are burnt out. We often cry that we cannot do it. It’s too much. We are burnt out. The reason that we are burnt out is that we have no strength or power that comes from God. There was once this great man of God, called Spurgeon was interviewed this question? “How can you do all the work that is the work of many more men together? He replied, “Because Christ is in me”. There is Power! There is Power in the HS. There is total dependence on God. Let’s seek God for boldness to bring the gospel of Christ to the lost souls that we will visit that they might know His suffering and the Resurrection. Let God reveal His Power through the Mighty Christ who baptized us himself. Now let’s pray.

In response to “Acts of God: It’s how we react”. ST, Saturday, March 26, 2011. Pg A2

2011-03-25T22:19:00.000-07:00

In response to “Acts of God: It’s how we react”. ST, Saturday, March 26, 2011. Pg A2

Hi brother Yen Feng,

My name is David King Thorairajan and I am writing in response to the article that you wrote today morning as a commentary. It left me a restless morning.

I hope that God will disturb your heart by my comment, not so as a threat but by Christ’ form of encouragement to you.

I realised that there are many things bothering you such as the effects of the natural disasters, the accusations and opinions that are formed as a result and the biggest question of all: If God is true, why is there suffering?

Now I am writing to let you know certain truths although your heart will be resistant at first. But if you put on an objective cap, you will be able to rationalise what I am talking about.

Now firstly, I do agree with you that some of the religious people whom you defined as “religious extremists” and “bone-headedness” are making claims on their own. You were right when you claimed that this guys comment on what “God was thinking” because it is a fallacy to assume what God was thinking. However, this is not the case with what God is talking.

Firstly, there are many countless ways to illustrate how the Scriptures of the Bible are supernatural, especially in terms of the prophecies that are fulfilled. You will be amazed yourself with the fulfilment that I will show you in a couple of verses soon. Before that, you must first reconcile the fact that it is foolish to assume what men think God would like to say than what God had already said. I like you to read this verses on what Jesus, the Son of God had said before He went to the Cross willingly.
These are the words of what mankind is to expect. The words are written by a Doctor called Luke.

Luke21:5 Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 6 “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”
7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”
8 He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”
10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 And so you will bear testimony to me. 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 Stand firm, and you will win life.
20 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22 For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
32 “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
37 Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, 38 and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.
Brother Yen Feng,
It will take a while to digest the words of Jesus Christ but there are some things you wish to know.
1. When Jesus said that “the time will come when not one stone will be left on another” it was fulfilled. Some 40 years after Jesus said this, there was a widespread Jewish revolution against the Romans in Palestine, and they enjoyed many early successes. But ultimately, Rome crushed the rebels; Jerusalem was levelled, including the temple - just as Jesus said.
It is said that at the fall of Jerusalem, the last surviving Jews of the city fled to the temple, because it was the strongest, most secure building in the city. Roman soldiers surrounded it, and one drunken soldier started a fire that soon engulfed the whole building. Ornate gold detail work in the roof melted down in the cracks between the stone walls of the temple, and to retrieve the gold, the Roman commander ordered that the temple be dismantled stone by stone. The destruction was so complete that today, they have true difficulty learning exactly where the temple was.
You might wonder why. People started to idolise the temple rather than God himself with the “beautiful stones”. But more than that, you must know that when Jesus said something, it will always come true. His words never failed. Now there are some other things He has mentioned in the text that we can see today.
· Wars and uprisings
· Nation will rise against nation
· Kingdom against kingdom.
· Great earthquakes, famines and pestilences
· signs in the sun, moon and stars
· Nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.
You might say that all these things are always there in the world, but ask yourself this. How does Jesus know that there will be the roaring and the tossing of the sea- The Tsunami that we call today?
What do I conclude then from the Word of God?
26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Jesus Christ had clearly said that the Son of Man will be coming with power and great glory. People will be apprehensive on the terror on the world but more than that people will be dumbstruck when they see Jesus, who never failed in His words, coming back with power and glory. For He said 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Brother Yen Feng, you have alot of questions and you try to search them in the wrong places with your research on books. Why not spend some time with me knowing Christianity which makes the biggest claims before you deduce anything. You make responses based on opinions but what I want to supplant you with facts, objective facts from the Bible for your many years of questions. I do have answers to tell you on your questions on Why is there suffering? Will it come to an end? It will be nice to meet up for lunch at Toa Payoh, near your workplace when you are free and have a discourse on these issues?
With that, I leave you with these words of Jesus which he concluded on the passage:
34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
The question is: Will you escape that is about to happen?
Cheers
P.S: For more details on the passage, please look at this link http://www.enduringword.com/commentaries/4221.htm

JESUS COMPLEX: Is Jesus God? - Page 2

2011-02-27T07:55:00.000-08:00

JESUS COMPLEX: Is Jesus God? - Page 2

A LIFE COMPLETE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST: The Goal of our Relationship

2011-02-03T07:50:00.000-08:00

A LIFE COMPLETE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST: The Goal of our Relationship

The Goal of our Relationship

2011-02-03T07:22:00.000-08:00

As Maria and I enjoyed our first Chinese New Year today, the best part of all is to sit in the quietness of our hearts and go thorough one of the most powerful bible sharing today IN PHILIPIANS 3.

As we realize what Paul discoursed about him pressing on toward the goal which God called us heavenwards, we found joy in pursuing that in our relationship and for our children too.

May our goal be that we GAIN CHRIST AND BE FOUND IN HIM. In other words, we look forward to consider everything a loss and rubbish compared to Knowing Jesus Christ and to be like Him.

7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Stop denigrating the meaning of God’s Presence

2011-01-16T17:21:00.000-08:00

Stop denigrating the meaning of God’s Presence

As I was having quiet time today morning , I was impressed with a small reflection and I also wish to share and encourage all of you my friends.

"I can’t stop being annoyed when Christians and even pastors and preachers and leaders attribute God’s presence as an outburst of ‘positive emotion’ or a ‘feeling’ either in the quiet time or in the church (especially when the worship song is their favourite one.

Where did we see that in the Scriptures?

As I was reading Psalm 139 today morning, God impressed on me a very special insight on the meaning of His presence.

Read Psalm 139 here again because the misconception of His Presence is unveiled in Psalm 139.

Psalm 139(NIV)

1 You have searched me, LORD,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me...

The verses by King David define how God’s presence for a Christian is always there! It is never taken away from a Christian!

139:7Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

The only thing to worry about is whether when His presence is cast out from us (psalm 51:11).

Now if we define the availability of God’s presence as one that “fills” us at times, then we are also actually confessing that there are times we are not Christians. We admit that we are non-Christians, secular beings at certain points of time and life. And that is why God’s presence is compartmentalised to being there at only some times of our lives, especially on Sabbath days.

King David describes that he perceive our thoughts even from afar!(v2), when we sit and arise, before we even go somewhere (v3), before we speak the next word (v4), wherever we hide ourselves (v810) and even before we were born! (v13).

It totally contradicts that God is present only at times and only when we are near God or we think or tell the Church ‘God is “here”, “God is near”. Not only God is there from the time we were in our mother’s womb, but God was there in the past, is there now and will be till the end of days.

16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

And when we come to the knowledge that God is ever-present, it means and helps us to know that

1. We are to be Christians every second of our lives. No secular moments should exist in our hearts or else God’s presence will then be evaluated as being there only when we are Christians again.

2. It’s such a joyous and thankful thing to praise the Lord that we have a God who is ever-present with us Christians. Let’s praise Him! Let’s praise Christ who justify us by dying for us and thus restored God’s presence with us as Christ lives in us.

3. Stop telling the church that God is present for that moment and assure them with Psalm 139 that from Monday to Sunday, from Morning to Noon, from the East to the West, before birth till death, from the beginning of the world to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, from suffering to goodness-God is always there. He is ever-present.

Please don’t denigrate His presence."

God is always there for us Christians

Psalm 139(NIV)

1 You have searched me, LORD,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.

19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Jesus Christ is Everything - Paul Washer

2011-01-10T17:57:00.000-08:00

Jesus Died! - Paul Washer

2011-01-10T17:50:00.000-08:00

God the Mother, Rubbish!!

2010-12-13T11:03:00.000-08:00

Hey Church of God,

Here is my message to wake you up...

Dear Church of God,

Heresies are man made versions of the bible no doubt.

Let me explain how this heresies that you so call claim is to be verified and understood.

1. Sunday service: to worship Jesus, it doesn’t matter if it is Saturday or Sunday. If you are a saint on Saturday and you live your life as a sinner from Monday to Friday and Sunday then you are living not in accordance to the commands of Jesus. Jesus raised the standards of the OT commandments. OT says ‘Don’t murder’, He said ‘don’t even hate, its murder’. He is the Lord of the Sabbath and the Sabbath is to rest in Christ everyday, not only your Saturday.

2. Definitely we must keep the Passover. I agree

3. Dec 25 is definitely not Jesus birthday but a fool will be complaining about that. A wise man full of the Spirit of God will be using that opportunity to tell all non believers (who will be celebrating it foolishly) that it is a remembrance of Jesus who came to die for our sins. I am using this opportunity to do 6 evangelistic events to tell about Jesus. What are you doing? You might be wallowing in self-pity that your claims that God is the mother and other secret claims are not known to the world.

4. Putting the cross symbol in Church or having the Passover is a reminder of what Jesus had done on the cross. It is not to be worshipped definitely. Churches have it not to worship it but to be reminded of the Lord’s work on the cross. You fools, why are you so close- minded? Don’t worship the idol, but when Churches use it to remind yourselves, be grateful that they are eager to appreciate the Lord’s death for their sins.

The main focus of Jesus is to save the world from their sins. Instead of focusing on that, you are wasting time, feeding your own knowledge. You have shown that Gnosticism, where men think they have the secret knowledge of God, exists even today. Go and read 1 John and Colossians where john and Paul will deal with people like you. God is Light. He is not hidden. Jesus is the Saviour of the world, not just you special people.

Let me continue on condemning your heresies about God is the Mother joke and if you don’t open your hardened heart to accept it and repent, then you and your church might just be heading to hell.

Joke no 1: God is a woman who created himself as Eve joke:

27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

You are using these verses to claim that God is the mother.

NOW read this

15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.... But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

23 The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” (She was take out from a man)

God created Adam first and then called him man. He created a woman later out of a man ribs. And you claim that the secret knowledge of God the mother is hidden to the whole world. Wake up, you fool! If God is the mother and if that is why he created Eve, then look again at why God is a Triune God. If God is the Father, the Mother, the Son and the Spirit, then there should be four in One, not Trinity. Even the Holy Spirit is a He (john 16) not a ‘She’. Where did u get the word ahnsahnghong from? Your modified bible?

I give you further references on why God is never the Mother

Joke no 2: God is the bride joke:

You use one more verse to justify that God is the mother when you use rev 22:17. Foolish guys, always read the bible in context. Firstly, Jesus is the bridegroom as we know in Luke and Ephesians 5:22 describes the church as the bride. But let’s just focus on Revelation. The bride was first used in 21:9-10.
One of the seven angels...came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.[Rev. 21:9-10]
Firstly, are you claiming that God is Jesus wife? That is a heresy fools!. The verses continue to show the Church..12 apostles (v14), the nations and the kings(v24), and they are those who have been written in the book of life. (v27), the servants (22:3-5) represent the Bride. CONTEXT!!!
Wake up your idea. The Church is the bride. The Father is not Jesus’ bride. Come on, you can do better than that as Christians to understand the bible in context instead of taking a verse like a fortune cookie to feed your own stomach.

Joke no 3: Family system in heaven Joke

God established the earthly family system to show us that there is also a family system in heaven??What a joke

Hey fools, have you not read Luke 20: 34

34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.

Joke no 4: Using Galatians 4 -‘Jerusalem is God the mother’ joke:

Hey come on friend, you can do better than that. It talks about how paul was using a figurative speech. Use the dictionary right now if you do not know what is figurative (Gal 4:24) . And Jerusalem which was used to describe the freedom from the law, is not GOD the mother. Jerusalem is God’s nation, not God. Can’t you make a simple distinction?

Joke no 5: God is the ‘compassionate mother’ joke:

Since you quote Isaiah 49:15 with your lack of context, let me bring you back to the context.
That verse is talking about how the Lord will have compassion on His afflicted ones (v13) and He compares His compassion much more supreme than a mother who is physically closer to a child.
Do your pastors preach God as ‘She’? It will be a great joke if he does that. Look at the same Isaiah you guys quoted and at verse 10: “He will have compassion on them”. Not only it clearly states that ‘He’ is a He not a ‘She’, Isaiah 49 also refutes your Revelation 22 claim. Look at verse 18: He regards His people as the bride. Oh come on brothers and sisters. Wake up.

Joke no 6: Look at nature and see the importance of mother in animals joke

Why is it wrong for God to create Eve? U all failed to see the reason Eve was created. She was created to procreate and rule the earth God Created. If God had 2 Adams, then it will be no procreation. Eve was to be a good helper for Adam is serving God together, not just some random ‘image of God’. Read the bible to understand the truths of it holistically, not be stubborn to prove your points that God is the Mother.

I had enough jokes for the day. Now let me show you some Truth.

The Truth of the gospel that made it clear: God is the Father. Period!

John 1
14, We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father
18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[b] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
John 2
16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”
John 3
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, 17 For God did not send his Son. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
35The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

And it goes on in the book of John... Have Jesus have to play games with mankind by calling God the Father when you should ask why he has never called ‘God my mother’? If God is the Mother, then he would have let his Holy Spirit overshadow Joseph, instead of Mary. Don’t confuse God’s gender and other heresies. Your secret knowledge will not save you, only the Lord Jesus Christ death is the saving grace.

John 3:18-19. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

Jesus is the Light who has come into the world; don’t make him dark by your own secret knowledge. REPENT!!!

I am deeply concern for your souls. Very deeply.

We want to SEE!

2010-10-29T05:07:00.000-07:00

The first temptation recorded in the bible is the deception of Eve. 3:4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman.

"For God knows that when you eat of it YOUR EYES WILL BE OPENED, and you will be like God..." IN FACT, EVE WANT TO SEE!

WE SEE, this same occurring problem in the desert with Israelites when they want to mould an idol in the form of the calf to worship it.

When God gave the 10 commandments, the longest one He emphasized was the 2nd one.

"You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments."

God was very, very sad when His people rejected him as King and asked for a tangible king (1 Samuel 8:7).

In the New Testament, the greatest enemy of God was actually Mammon (money, materialism and self-satisfaction).

And that is the problem with having faith.

We want to see.

"But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" Matthew 6:23

MY UNFORGETTON PAST-18

2010-10-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

HIS WINGS

2010-10-27T06:40:00.001-07:00

As for me some of the marvellous reflections were... (1) when Naomi, Ruth’s mother acknowledged it is God’s work all the time (Ruth 1:8-9,13,20-21;2:20)...(2) Boaz, a man of godliness and faith (Ruth 2:5,12; 3:13)...the people’s acknowledgment and thanksgiving attitude to God (2:4, 4:11-12; 14)...and finally everything is the Work of God alone, the work of His grace (for Him who afflicted (1:20, Him who blessed (Boaz-2:20, Ruth-3:10, Obed-4;11-13) and him be praised alone (4:14).
What I feel was the best verse was Ruth 2:12:
“May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."
Boaz acknowledged and assured Ruth that he has no power at all to help her. Only One can help her and that is....THE LORD OUR GOD!!!
Our usual way of doing things is that we help others and assure them of their faith in us. Here we see a God-Centered Man who knows that God alone helps. How humbling this lesson is for me.

In the business of Second Chances

2010-10-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

Let's Move it!

2010-10-12T10:16:00.000-07:00

Jesus, the Promised Land

2010-09-26T20:16:00.000-07:00

Jesus, the Promised Land

Deuteronomy (3The LORD your God(D) himself will go over before you. He will destroy these nations before you, so that you shall dispossess them, and Joshua will go over at your head,(E) as the LORD has spoken. 4And the LORD will do to them(F) as he did to Sihon(G) and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when he destroyed them...
7Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. 8It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

As I was reading through this today morning, I reflected how it connects with the same concept in the New Testament, Matthew 1.

19And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling(X) to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20But as he considered these things, behold,(Y) an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will bear a son, and(Z) you shall call his name Jesus,(AA) for he will save his people from their sins." 22(AB) All this took place(AC) to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23(AD) "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name(AE) Immanuel" (which means, God with us).

So the whole idea is that as Joshua was asked to lead the people into the Promised Land, we can speculate and say that Joshua is Jesus representation to bring the people into the Promised Land.

But what I see here is that Jesus is the Promised Land., he is not Joshua.

The father of Jesus, Mr Joseph is supposed to be Joshua and to trust God.

And the Promised Land is not a land to enjoy prosperity in what Christ came for. He came to save us from our sins! (V21).

Today people who are failing to trust God will feel like a Joseph.

They will have questions like, “is there a Promised Land?”, “What is causing the fear to enter the Promised Land? (JESUS)”, “why are there so many obstacles to enter the Promised Land?” Deuteronomy 31:3.

What we know is that God is merciful to:

1. Open up for us who trust Him to enter the Promised Land

2. To enter by trusting in the one who is with us when we are going to the Promised Land. (Deut 31:8, Matthew 1:22)

3. To appreciate the Promised Land (by living and keeping he commands of Jesus (Joshua 1:7-8) 4. To remind us that God is bigger than the fear that will grip us into entering the land (Jesus) because the enemies are overwhelming (SINS)

It’s a reminder than, to trust the Lord that he has given us the Promised Land (to save us from our sins).

Jesus is not just bringing us to the Promised Land.

He is the Promised Land!

He is the WAY, not just he brings us to the WAY.

The Holy Spirit in us is helping us to walk towards the Promised Land.

Thank you Holy Spirit for helping us and thank you God for paving the way Jesus Christ, the Promised Land.

"Help me O Lord as I keep failing to be satisfied in Him and seek for our temporal pleasures that makes you hide your face from my sins. Please help me to be satisfied in this Promised Land. What can be better than that O Lord?"

King Of Love

2010-09-17T21:14:00.000-07:00

Hi brothers and sisters,

I was hearing this song on radio today and I was inspired, touched and soaked with the love of God when I heard this song.

Today we are in a modern generation where songs that needs to exalts Christ is undermined in gospel-singing with self-proclamation.

Sometimes, people are confused whether are we in a rock concert or are we in the presence of a Holy God.

The Scripture of Colossians 3:16 is not the primary focus of why we praise God in songs.

Col 3:16 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God"

Here my friends, I wish to inspire you of a godly song that teaches us to live in Christ.

Enjoy the lyrics and link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCXNfYI5Tlo&feature=related

King Of Love King of Love you've called my nameYou gave me life although the shame,Had covered me, you took my hand,And here I stand, I'm saved by grace.Father God, you heard the prayerFrom deep within my spirit criedIf there's a God, come rescue me,Now here I stand, I'm saved by grace.I will thank you for saving my soul,For you've shown me the truth in your Word,I will take up my cross and follow you,Now I live for the glory of God.Now we turn, to walk away,From selfishness, the pride and hate,And when we pass through stony ground,We'll gladly walk upon our knees,So we cry out, "Come change us Lord,Into a church that loves your Word"We will return to knowing you,With joy we walk beneath the Cross.We will thankyou for saving our souls,For you've shown us the truth in your Word,We will take up the Cross and follow you,Now we live for the glory of God.Now we live for the glory of God.Now we live for the glory of God.Written by Martin Smith �1994 Curious? Music UK

There is more to it than just Karate

2010-06-11T18:14:00.000-07:00

TheKarate Kid movie was so fun too and I learnt alot of lessons.

1. Even the mentor can be mentored by the mentee ( when the boy helped the crying Jackie and when he repeated his own learning lesson to Jackie when he was injured in the end).

2. It is wise to humble after your defeat, this proves the mark of wisdom ( when the boy loses in the end, he accepts defeat with humility).

3. Making penitence for the mistake we do is important instead of arguing that we are right (the boy had done damage to the girl's family but he humbly apologized).

4. When there is an action that is so unique, there is a chance we will model it. So we need to show our mentees, the right things in life. ( The boy worked hard to learn the snake stance cos it is impressed in his heart)...

There are other lessons too, but the most impactful one is when I was wondering all the way what is the motivation behind the boy learning Kungfu? Was it the cute chinese girl, was it just to humiliate the china boy, etc. But it was actually BECAUSE HE WAS EAGER TO OVERCOME HIS OWN FEAR!) This is important because our values determine our vision in life. If u dun know why, there is no point doing it and it must be an authentic 'why', not just some stupid reasons. There is more to it than just Karate in the movie.

David's Interview in Different Faces, OKTO channel- January Edition

2010-04-12T05:35:00.000-07:00