faith

I believe in You,

And i just want to follow You. 

Faith... Thats the step to take, 

Not about chasing the actions or "good works". Those will come naturally and automatically, a byproduct, a fruit...

Faith is taking what is unseen and bringing it down to the world... 

By faith we take hold.

Cain and abel, 

There is worship that is acceptable to God, and one there is not. Which one are you bringing? 

Type? Lamb-veg

Portion? - the best part.. Just something?

Timing? First born- in the course of time, just suka-suka..

Writer of hebrews: what set it apart : faith. God looked into the hearts of cain and abel... He found faith in one. 

Heart of cain was exposed when God rejected his offering. 

What does it mean to worship by faith? 

Choosing to love and honor God inspite of what we're going through. 

Anyone can worship God when things are good, but it takes something else to worship Him when things aren't going well 

Abel worshiped by faith

Enoch walked by faith

Sense a sense of intimacy, 

Like evening walks... 

A walk isn't a continuous thing, a process... In the same direction, can both walk together if they are going different directions?.. When two come into ab agreement. When God calls something good, its good. When God calls something bad, its bad.

Its never a one off thing. 

"a long obedience in the same direction" 

Any relationship is like that. 

Enoch was noah's great great grandfather. A positive effect on the future generations. 

Noah... ____ by faith. 

Witnessed 

To tell people about something you known its true. God spoke to Noah, and he shared it. He acted upon it. 

It look hundreds of years. 

In a time of no rain, people didn't believe it. It is one thing to be ridicule. If you're a good person in an evil society. You'll feel unsafe. 

No one could say no one witness to us. Cause the ark was in their face.

Does our obedience bear witness to our God? Live in a way that we trust God for our salvation?

Live a life that is mindfull of the word or God,.... mighty in service

ps josh power to prosper s2

Ah ps phillip has a cd compilation of PTP.

Fsther wanting to teach the child 

10 sen or 50 sen. You can choose which one to put into the offering bag. 

God loves a cheerful giver. 

I gave the 10 sen, casue keeping 50 eill make me happier

Abundance formula

Earning - tithe - investments = epenses

What is tithes? 

Thr ship wreck people, someonebwill find us. The pastor will find me, i tithe 10k to the church. 

Tithe is a covenantal act that is born out of love. God is the one that has enabled us to make everything.

God is not just a good God, he is a generous giver. John 3 verse 16. Gods love language, for he loved the world so much he gave his only Son. 

FLO

For lovers only. 

If all we want to do is to keep, oyr hesrts become stagnant. It becomes like the dead sea. It becomes toxic. Hoarding, hanging on.

Let our hearts be like the sea of Galile. In flow and out flow. 

Go with the flow.

Four promises of financial covenant

Malachi 3:10-13

I will open the channels between us. 

Windows of heaven. 

"sluice gate" - a dam and river, outlets. 

When God opens the floodgstes, no man can close it. 

A young man wanted to go to the big city and find employment. He took a cannel boat. The captain said to him. Someone will soon be the leading soap maker in NY. You can be that person. But remember the soap is given by God, remember to faithfully tithe to him. 

William Colgate. 10% to 20 to 30 to 50.

All that we have, truely belongs to the Lord. The life, the financial, the family, the people, the factories. 

He knew how to Flo. 

Speak Gods love language. 

I will pour out abundant blessing in Excess

Our God is no man's debtor. 

Financial blessings in excess

"bless" - to kneel or praise. 

Pour out so much that you will not have enough room to store. 

I got it all back, 

And got more than that. 

In salaries increment, in bonuses. 

We can never outgive God. 

Henry parsel Cornwell 

Massive change, people were loosing jobs. 

Ohiao factory, tuberculosis. 

Quaker oats company. 

As their buisness grew, so did their giving. 

I have never gotten ahead of God, 

He always outgives me. 

Over and over. 

When you tithe, i will close the backdoor. 

Prevent the devourer. The pest.

I will protect the blessings you receive. 

It can leak. 

There is no secular sacred divide. 

I want to make God my business partner.

Earth moving machinary. 

Still recession. 26 times in 6 years. 

Antonio. 

Its not how much money i give to God, 

Its how much of God's money i keep for myself - R. G. LeTourneau

I will bring your investments to full term

Time, energy, hiring labour.. 

Skills, company. 

Craft cheddar cheese. 

"the only investments i ever made which have paid constantly increasing dividends is the money i have given to the Lord" - James L. Kraft. 

25 Nov 2018

Revelations 16:15
Do you have your clothes on?

Spiritual garments
1. Isiah 61:10 - garments of Salvation, robes of righteousness.

New creation, Old has passed away all become new from the inside out.

The language of the Bible defines us.
The prodigal son. Like a pig. He is a son. Not a slave. There are rights and privileges given to us, because of 'relationship'. We serve Him, with eh right mindside. Because we love Him, He is wonderful, He...

The best robe. The kind worn by Kings. King of Kings. Revelations 1:6 we are Kings and priest. We are Kings.

He tells us how to operate under Him. He directs us.

A garment of praise

Ephesians 4:22
Put off the old man, Old lifestyle
Put on the new man, new creation

When you read the Bible
It changes the way you think about things
And when you think about things
You act upon those things

When you think about something long enough,
You want to do it

Change the way you act
Spending time in the word renewing your mind

Philippians 2:12
Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

The fact that you have a desire to change, is a fact that God is already working in you.
He wills in you, he enables you. As we yield to the Holy Spirit that is in us.

4. Ephesians 6:10-18
Spiritual armour

5. Luke 24:49
Endued with power from on high
Live the way you ought to live.
It will bring confusion if your lifestyle doesn't not line up with God's power in our lives. 

19 Jan 2019 yby

Private public partnership.
Comit sharing of savings.
Enerygy efficiency goal.

Finance by: bank
Because of the government backing.

Think creatively.
Easier for minister to do it than civil sefvants to execute it. As a subordinate you need to find a way to lobby the leader.

Peace. That burden to be somewhere. Didn't heard God's voice. Try to hear God's leading thorough leaders and pastors.

Conviction not

Is an open door. Things just happen. God open. If you become a ministry or is from God, and of our from God take our with faith and do it excellently. Get yourself busy and be prepared.

Q10. Background. Empatieze. Go see chief minister. Even if it was a private trip. Good thing I change clothes. Sensitive to their needs. Baju luring. Malaysian politician. They want to see you are a part of them. How you dress, will portray. Who you are.

Dressing alone alot edi.

Racist. Framing. How do you frame the discussion. Economic on the race and religion lense. Don't fall into the frame of the enemy. The perspective. I focus on delivery. Noises instead of voice that will bring the country forward.

Q11. Which character. Moses. I thought we won't rezch the promise land. Esther, that position, what we should do. Ezekiel. Different times, different biblical characters in spiritual life.

Science and tech, we don't focus on particular fields. What is strategic for the economy of the country. Tangible. How to commercialise more tech.

Climate change. Its happening. COP24.

Q12. Your so successful. Politics is temporarily. Its just a responsibility. Entrusted. It'll pass. What to improve on, EQ. I'm an impatient person, it's my character. When I'm angry, I eat chocolate. I'm angry at this character. I send my staff to them. Prepare them to see me. Working on Patience. Long meetings, long winded.

I must be a good person. Let the staff do the dirty work xD

Confidence, build or natural? When you know your thing you'll be confident. Public speaking. She couldn't do it back then, two weeks before speaking cant eat. Speak and repeat then you get better. Practice more. Problem with malay, Chinese... And English. So she go kampung speak more.

Hobby. Something you do natrualy. When you're free do will do it wan. YbY is holiday, the beach. Reading, watch TV. 1 two days off, she go beach. Clears the mind, can make better dicisions.

Q13. Regrest or failures.
She can't think off anything her head now.
Didn't spend enough time with her late aunt.
Passed away a non believer.

Make dicisions: will I regret.

Bee Hong.
Brought youth to the parliament. Life change. Feedback. How do we move forward. Not being able to express or advocate what we believe in. Thought to listen to authority, without questioning.

Critises and analyse.

How to ask the correct question and look intelligent.
I just like making jokes. Cheeky person. Depends on my mood. Leaders need to ask questions.

4W. Quite helpful. Ask the process of it. Meticulously in asking. Must do your homework. Processes are the same.

Normal meeting: so this is what we're doing and how and when? When can you come back to me.

What is a good question to ask?

If you don't want to answer, stick to not answering.

Q14. How to balance. Time. Priority.
What is the one thing you do, other things don't matter. Task, urgency and critically.

Urgent: time
Critical: importance.

Q15. Two years 5 years 10 years plan.
A reshuffle. How do you see things down the line. Set it in a way that is not reversible. An ecosystem. It's uncomfortable and inconvient to do. If it's easy to reverse and change.

50 years goal. 28 open day.

ADUN. Counselors. How they get things done. High performing. Engineer. Approve.? He likes to bring down other people.. Shot-stirrer. He is very toxic. Keep on saying want to quit and resign. Gave up on him. This person bring negative spirit to the team, effects me emotionally. He want to feel importance.

I regret not doing it much earlier.
People whom you know you should kot be a part of what you do. You should remove them immediately.

There is no one that is indispensable.

Talk to him. Understand the situation. Curable? People have weaknesses. As a leader help them. If they forever cannot change.. Cut them off.

Cut the tumours off.

17 Feb 2019

3 keys to spiritual success - Gary soon, PPBC

Proverbs 3:7-10

True wisdom, in the Word of God

Nature of knowledge.

Church theme is Ascend

1. Humily

2. Holiness

3. Honor

V7. Do not be wise in your own eyes

A) pride is the first step to a downfall (porv 16:18)

-sometimes we think we are so good at doing something, we forget God is the one that enables us

- self conceited. Don't give attention to instruction and improvement. 

- become hasty in judgments and over confident, doing whatever you want without seeking God. Even in matters of importance, not asking for advice. 

- guard against the fascination of novelty, I.e. The Internet. 

James 1:5 - worse sign: neglecting to ask the council of God. 

:) consider the humility of Jesus (Phil 2:5-7)

2) holiness identifies us as Christians

I) fear the Lord and depart from sin

Romans 11:20 - do not be proud/arrogant but tremble.

Nehemiah 5:15 - out of reverence for God, I did not act like the others did

In all our dealings, make sure because God sees us, we are mot doing anything in private. If we have healthy fear, we will do what is right. 

ii) reverential trust in Him

iii) we recognizer the Holy life of Jesus as our example.

Knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. With the HG, we can understand better. 

When sin comes into play, it is harder to be intimate with God. 

What you say to others makes alot of difference. 

3. Hornoring God in Giving, increases His blessings. 

i) honor the Lord with your wealth. With the firstfruits of all your crops (v9)

-put your money where your mouth is

You cannot give leftovers

-Not how much money I give to God, but how much of God's money do I keep for myself

-The amount is not important, its the heart. Remember the widow with the two coins. 

- even when you don't have enough

- don't steal from God

ii) giving teaches us the joy of living by faith

a) fear says "I am afraid to give" 

b) faith says "I'm so blessed I can't withhold" 

Health: the physical benefits that flow from being right with God

1) we are able to forgive because we have been forgiven

2) we can stop worrying because we have learn to trust God

3) we find real joy because we walk in God's eill

4) new life in Christ kmrpives health in both body and soul

When God calls you, do it

Reputation for good judgement

Pleasure, peace, protection

You are not against God

God's favour is with you

No life is so sinful

That God cannot turn around

Proverbs 3

a grown up baby

"Baby shoes: for sale, never worn. " - Ernest hemmingway. When asked by this friends to write a sad story in 6 words.

I look around me, 

All these people, lives.. 

We are all.. Successful babies. 

The gift of life was good to us. 

We survived. 

What do we want to do with this?

God is alpha and omega

God equips us for new begginings

God guides our decision making

God has the final word

God holds our future

"there are far, far better things ahead, than any we leave behind" - C. S. Lewis 

Recapture the wonder of Christmas - Dr John, sib skyline

Chief passionary officer.
Remember those times you went to the zoo. The first time with family and kids. You're so excited.

Its so amazing to see the panda for the first time. But after an hour.. We lose the wonder.

Christmas is one of the hardest things to preach about. Year after year...

"what i hear I forget, what I see I remember, what I do becomes a part of me"

The geology of jesus.
Matthew 1

The messy world of Matthew. Political oppression. Great social divide. 50% or the worlds wealth is owned by 8% of the people. Religious hipocracy. Laws but no spirit to it. Revolting terrorism. Simon the zealot was a terrorist. Unbridled corruption. Corruption is the number one problem in the whole world. This is the world that jesus came to.

That's what a shepard does. He sleeps where the sheep sleep, eat where they eat, go where they go.

A sign that God is accessible.
The God that owns everything..
There is no social system..

Jesus was a servant,
He got down on this knees and washed feet.

Why was he in a messy place?
Because he was in a messy plan.
Without it, what a mess we'll be in.

I look at my life. The mess I'm in.
Where is he?

Jesus: the Absent-Present King.
Where is He? In Sembulan, in the malls...

The story of Christmas has been drowned. In the malls, like a broken record.

Information overload.

1.9 bil YouTube views per day.
80 languages..

74% log into Facebook. 34

mins per day.
Twittet 134 active users out of..

Social media is the digital tsunami of our time. Communication overload is real.

Tragedy is that we miss out the wonder of Christmas.

Lesson 1: love the unloveable

In the genealogy there were 4 people
Tamar, rahab, Ruth, bathsheba

Not jews..
Cannanites, moabite. Hittite..

He didn't include famous motherd:
Sarah, rebekah...

Unmale, unroyal, unjewish, unconventional.

"nine moths of awkward scandal .. The lingering sense of..." - Phillip yancy.

We are God's original plan,
He is the universal king.

You are God's original blueprint.
It all our brokenness.. Etc..

Matthew included them because he was a recipient of God's love.

Matthew was a tax-collector, despised by his fellow Jews, understood the salvation plan.

We feel unloved..

In Singapore, suicide is the leading cause of death.. 18-25.

Cause: self esteem on social media. We post something, if no one likes it.. We take it down. Then we post something else.

The unlovable are those who are closest to us! Who are the unloveables in our lives?

Love your enemies.. Who?
Its already hard to love our friends..

"do you see anything good in your husband/wife?"

Nothing.. Haha, how did they get married in the first place.

Before marriage, she talks loud. Wow that's great. But after marriage..

The person I love the most is the one I hate the most. My wife.

When I drive she tells me how to drive..

Love your enemies.. Because you have to learn to love yourself.

Lesson #2: hope for the hopeless

Learn to love...

Where is the love. First John.
God is love. Where does God live?
In our lives. We have the power to love.
But where is the darkness? Its also in us.
But its how we nurture it.

We have the capacity to love.
But love does not come from us.
It comes from God.

-lesson 2
Hopeless woman.
Tamar seduced her father in law into incestuous relationship.
Ruth was a widow & refugee
Rahab was a prostitute
Bathsheba was the result of King David's Lust & never exposed evil scheme against Uriah.

These are like people you'd never want in your church. Refugee, like the Sembulan families coming to church?

A prostitute coming to your cell group meeting.. An adultress?

Maybe we are facing the same thing.
Sexually dysfunction. Or overworked? Ask Singaporeans.. How are you? "very busy"... Very tired, exhausted..

Tired of church.. Feel like giving up.

Rising divorce, parent-teen breakup, anxiety attack, disturbing depression. Unforgivable past hurts.. Deep loneliness

Jesus was born into a very dark years.

King herod killed all the 2 years old.
Massacre... Killed two brother in laws.. Anyone that would threaten his throne.. Everyday..
Executed citizens on the day he died.. So that people would mourn...

"thank God we are not Herod"...
We are...

We are herod.

We think.. "this guy, I'm going to kill him"...

Jesus died for Herod..

God saw it differently..
Jesus is the author of hope.

Who is the hopeless?

I am..

I am the hopeless...

In marriage, business, relationship...

Conclusion :
Jesus came into your messy world.

Love the Unloveable
Hope for the Hopeless.

The wounded healers - Henry nauman.
We don't have to be perfect.

But because we have experienced God's love... We can go out and help others.. Heal.

Cinderella in Disney land.
She comes out, so perfect and all..
All the children rush to touch her.
Except two brothers, James and Daniel.
James is badly deformed, and shy.

Cindrella saw this deformed boy, pushed her way through the crowds, and planted a kiss on their cheeks.

Cinderella gave only a kiss,
Jesus gave His life.

Cinderella's encounter was temporary,
Jesus can be a permanent part of our lives.

Cinderella's beauty remained with her and his deformed features remained with him.
Jesus became like us, so that we can become like him.

New strength - Ps Josh, sib skyline

Insanity workout - Shaun T

Isiah 40:31

How do you define stregnth?
We normally thing about physical: how heavy or fast
Or inner s. Emotional, response to problems, recover from setbacks and challenges
Or what we're good at. Gifts talents skills. Cooking? Music? Student subjects, hands. Help us to make a living

Story of three boys, talking bout their fsthers
Boys think thier dad's are the strongest and bestest. 1st boy: my dad writes a few words on a page, sends it off and gets 200 dollars.. They call it a poem.
2nd boy, my dad writes few pages, gets 1000. It's called a story
3rd boy, my dad writes on a PowerPoint, and talks about it, after that people have to go around collecting money from everyone...

Countries: military might, natural resources, global influence, tech, political stability...

Secondary school we heard: vision 2020.
Wawasan 2020. We should develop those parts to become a develop nation..

Next year is that... But..
We hear news of... Recession

Global recession. Strong nations, China and USA.. Germany.. Etc..

But what about us.. A small country like amalysia. We worry. We worry about our jobs, business, rising cost of oil and commodities. Think about family and children needing to go further studies..

Uncertainty of the future. We think until we despair because we had to go through so much to reach this point.

Judah was surrounded. Confused, not sure who to turn to. Feared for their lives. Things got from bad to worse they called out to God.

God do you not see the trouble I'm in, when will our help us.

This is what Isiah said to judah:
You have forgotten who God is

Have you not heard He is the everlasting God
Nations are like a drop in the bucket.
Like dust on a scale.
Nations will rise and fall
Assyria will come and it will replaced by another super power
It is God that raises, builds and tears them down

Look at the skies above, the stars, who created them? By his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one goes missing.

We think about the amazing things we've created over the years... I.e. The great Wall of China. Massive. Biggest structure ever built. No advance machinary. Just human ingenuity and strength..

The sun..
1.3 million earths in a sun..
And its not even the biggest star..

By God, not a single one is missing.

Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew our strength.

Tap into this strength for our lives.

God will allow us to go things that are beyond our own. We can go ahead in Boldness...

God says to us as a church.
Don't look to this experts and forecast.. Ultimately.. All strength comes from the Lord. Don't even depend on our own strength and ability..

Barcelona Olympics 400 m men's. Derrick Rickman. Very important race to him. Previous Olympics he had to withdraw because of injury. He wanted to prove himself he could make the medal.

Snapped his hamstring. Someone runs down.. Officials tried to stop him. No one is going to stop me from being with my son.

My grace is sufficient for you.
My strength is made perfect in weakness.

In life we may fall and falter.
But God, our heavenly father is always there. He will.. Carry us and bring us to the finishing line.

Intimacy, breakthrough. Draws us into  a Living and personal relationship with Him.
To know God is to know His strength. We need to... Know what it is like again.

Story: footprints in the sand.

He there avialable for you to wrap His arms around you.

King David, the greatest King Israel had .. In psalms he says: my heart and flesh may fail, but my strength comes from the Lord.

In order to have Bold intimacy, we need to know God. If we don't know we will misunderstand Him. When we do that we misrepresent Him.

Who is a Christian?

1st Harmoni gathering. SIBA, 1B. Ps James

Why do you call yourself a Christian?
What does it mean to be a Christian?
What is following Christ?

Its not just a set of rules, regulations, precepts, tradition...

Its not even a philosophy

Is it a way of life?

It is.... A relationship.

Being born in a Christian family, being used to coming to church, rituals, singing, listening to sermons.. Its all possible without a relationship.

As long as you don't have a relationship with God... Your status as a Christian is... Questionable.

1 tesselonians 1:6

1. A Christian is someone whom is chosen by God.

It is not a human effort. It's not membership, charity, Good works. We can never reach God no matter what we do. Others try to find favour with God, try to please God.... But we can't.. We're not holy, we're sinful, and we'll never reach his benchmark.

Only when God himself reached out to mankind. Is it possible.

The selection is offered to us. As long as we don't choose Him back. It is incomplete. The transection is incomplete.

Offer and acceptance

Many are called, many chosen, but few respond.

2. A Christian is someone whom has responded to the Gospel.

2 Corinthians.. This I pass on to you, Christ died on the cross for our sons, was buried in a tomb and three days later He resurrected.

The core of Christianity.

3. A Christian is someone whom appreciates Christ above everyone and everything else...

Along with the suffering. Along with the hardships.

Our hardships aren't the end of our life. The final destination for our souls have only two places. Eternity with God or eternal separation.

Jesus is the Saviour

Because Jesus died and rose again.
We will follow after him in death and resurrection.

4. A Christian is someone that has a transformed life

They are so different from others.
Because they've repented. And changed from their old ways.  There's evidence of change and difference. You can see it in them. You can feel.

This is a man/lady of substance.

Your life is not like the ways of this world.
We don't party and celebrate like the rest of the people in this world. With alcohol, drugs and

Some people think clubbing is good to release tension and stress that's built up over the week...

But the best way is..
Praise and worship

The question now is.

Do you know God has chosen you.
Can you listen to the Gospel.
What is your response?

Your fragrance will be different.

A Christian is someone whom is
Sold out for Jesus.

Not half hearted. Alang-alang.
Jangan mandi tidak basah.

Phil yanc - finding purpose

God became so small, we could crucify Him.

God has enabled us to love others whom are not like us

Is that the best plan God can come up with?

God cannot help not loving.
God doesn't love,
He is love.

If there's nothing to love,
There must be something to love.

Sweden
"save us from the vikings"
They are now one of the best country.
But many don't believe in God anymore.
The seed was planted, the tree grew, birds perched on the branches.. Eventhough the  birds don't know where it came from.

That's something appealing to me,
Their life... Forgiving.

If you want to love, it's not by attending more bible studies. It's when you go to people whom are not like you.

When you hear a high school play bethovan.. And it doesn't sound good... Don't blame bethovan.

But sometimes we get it right.
And there's a glimpse of that melody.

Don't blame the church if it isn't perfect.

The Gosple is best spread person to person. We are a small part God left behind in this world.

Why do people nowadays don't know their purpose?
Your calling is when the worlds deep hunger and your deep... Intersects.

It takes time.. To reveal itself..
It emerges..

By a leap of faith.
Prayer, wisdom from friends, community

One thing called to do?

Academics, writing papers that nobody reads.

Mark Martin.
"Start with a job that can become a career that become a vocation that becomes a calling"

Someone's got to collect the rubbish..

Brother Lawrence washes plates.. Because that's where he can meditate.

People have the need to move from success to significance.

David Brooks : a second mountain

Dissatisfaction. A process to redefine.

Fight for rights and justice, but use weapons of grace. My goal is to love the policeman that is hitting me and throwing me into jail - Martin Luther King Jr.

Nobody wants to be like someone mean.

Where is God when it hurts in suffering..
I don't know

Jesus never really answers it.

Romans 8:28 - it all worked out for good in the end

Nothing will separate us from God's love

God of the "more than". Ps Philip skyline.

John 9. The man born blind.
God above the "whys"

1. Some things are a mystery.
Some people that walk into my clinic are immensely courageous. The woman whom stooped so low, but had such a high perspective of life.

Man with cancer. Still so loud. So happy. What a great God, what a great life. At his funeral, people were still rejoicing for God's goodness.

Lady with cancer of ovary. Is now married and pregnant. They light up my life.

They found a secret that has enabled them to overcome.

God of the.. Mystery

Jesus was debating with pharisees about them saying they have a faith of Abraham, but jesus said he was even before Abraham. He is bigger.

They wanted to stone him, he slipped out.

This should not be happening to me. I don't deserve this. Self righteousness.

Maybe the sins of the past are coming to find me. A sense of condemnation.

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We are under grace not law.

When we ask "why".. Its on the wrong premise that the disciples asked.

Jesus never answered the question.

A question Jesus wants us to ask:

2. Mystery does not mean no prupose

Jesus: it was not that this man sinned, ro his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.

The real question :
God, what next?

What do You want me to do?
That the glory and works of God might be displayed

God's work, his deeds, his accomplishments..

Nothing there that God promised that there'll be a supernatural healing miracle...

But that His work will be done. And for His glory.

All means all
Good means good

Stop digging the why pit
It is a abyss.
10, 20 years later still asking why.

God why, I can't tell you, cause you're not I heaven yet.

3. Follow through. He is the light of the world.

God can only do the works while it is still day. Jesus is the light of the world. Yesterday, today and forever. Period.

As long as we don't allow Christ to come in, then it'll be night.

Allow God in.

We can never predict what miracles God will do.

Jesus healed 5 blind people. All of it was different. Barthemaous. Just spoke the word. 2 blind people: he laid hands on them. Bathsaeda: pull one blind man out of the crowd. Spat on his eyes. I can see, but they are like trees. Let me lay hands on you, why two stage? Even healing there is no standard procedure.

Mud. Still didn't get to see. Asked to go wash at the pool of Siloam. 1 km away. Feast of tabernacles. It would have been packed. Gates of the temple. To that distance.

Where is the pool? He had to struggle.

If we follow through, His light will shine through.

So he went and wash and came back seeing. Somewhere along the way he was healed.

Surrender to him, speak healing. Leave the healing to him. Always be purpose..

Wheather it heals or not.

If we focus on the healing. We'll be asking the why question.

Healing is great.
But greater is glory of God.

Delight in the Lord. Ps John. Skyline SIB

Three fruits in delighting in the Lord.
Psalm 37:4
Delight yourselves also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Take pleasure in someone. Joy, find happiness, rejoice.

Small bundle of joy: his children when they were born. A father holding them.

Different from: trust, faith, commitment
Not the same, but not greater or lesser

Different dimension of how we relate to God.  Helps us to be more like Christ. Although we know trust, faith, etc... But have not learnt to delight with Him. Like having fun with a discipline teacher. Outstanding student: stand outside the class

We do not envisage God as a person to delight in. Because we see Him as a legalistic person, can do this cannot so this. Like a wet blanket. The truth is entirely different, He can be delightful. He is holy for sure, sovereign. We cannot "tidak apa Him", cannot be taken lightly. But in the light of all this truth, those that can know Him...

Through his own mistake, stupidity, could wipe out everything. Low. Bankruptcy. Lose everything. Wasn't walking with the Lord.  Like walking in the valley

Delight in me

Delight in my loving kindness

Chesed: loving kindness, steadfast love. loving despite whatever what

I just wanted to sit around and mop.
But to rise up and delight in Him would take so much effort. So convinced that it was God.

Rember the times God parted the red sea. His miracles that he performed. Salvation. The first and greatest miracle in our lives.

Relived it. Saw God's steadfast love everywhere for me. The fears began to melt away.

Love driving out fear.

Restlessness settle

Meditated more on Hin
Brought him to different attributes

Love, mercy, compassion, grace, power..

Joy welling up in my heart.
Unexplainable

The more time I spent with Him,
The more I wanted to do it.

1. We must make time
Spend time with the Lord

We do not delight in him because we don't know him well. To know him well we have to spend time with Him.

It is an ongoing journey.
Alone. With full presence of mind.

A guy complaining abt his gf. Trwleats me like God. Ignores my existence and only find me when have problem

Complete focus. Because no hook for social media, movies, etc

Prayer: talk a little, listen alot.

Worship, praise him.
The antitode to fear is praise.

Its not will power. Its praise.

Fasted. Prepared my heart. Journaled.
Red seas are inside.

2. An open heart
Open your heart to the Lord

Things in our heart that hinders us from walking close to Him. Reason of being in this mess, because of Pride.

Cleaned out more and more of the dross. He filled my heart up with more of Him.

Cannot say Lord come talk to me, yet hold on to our own lives.

3. Immersing in His Word
Immersie in the Word of the Lord

We have the habit of reading books written by others about Him. But not His Word.

Not TV series, podcast, YouTube subscription...

God speaks through His Word.

Pslam 119. The righteousness of your testimony is everlasting. Give me understanding, and I shall live.

When we read the Rhema word, it will transform our lives. It is for us. Not for others. Others words are not for us.

It sustains us through.
We remember Christ...

Immerse in His word.

What are the fruits of delighting in the Lord

Spending time in His presence, realigned my whole being. Brings me great joy.

Spending time with him just bring us joy?
Yeah

The joy Wells up.

We are crested by him, to exist with him, by him

When are with him, we are rested.

Our soul says it is well with my soul

In your presences there is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Pslams 16:11

We are really meant to be in Him.

David wrote, one thing I desire... To behold your Beauty.

You are better han life.

It renewed my life.

It changed my walk with Christ.

Waking up is a joy.

I began to seek God for Him, not for what He can do for me.

Fill me with joy.

And he shall give us the desires of our heart.

2. He will transform your heart
Desire to do His will,

Transformed life, see things through His eyes.

Aspirations become more aligned WITH his will.

Break my heart for what breaks yours.

Same compassion.

When we ask for things it will be inline with His heart.
My own perspective changed.

I now think very differently.

A work in progress. Still learning.

Nothing is too big for my God.

See things not as they are, but what they can be in the Lord.

Not allow external circumstances to crush me.

Outs our troubles in perspective.

What can men do to me?

I'm more secure now.

Look for God's approval, rather man's applause.

Live a directed life.

Everything is multiplied. Senses. Sentimentality.

He will become the desires of your heart.

We love for God's pleasure.

Breaks the hold of sin and lust on us.

It cost Christ to have little appeal to us.

We dont know how Christ can be so exquisite to us.. We settle for what the world offers.

C.s. Lewis: we are half heated creatures.. We fool about..

Prayer, old and new priesthood - Ps Mervin, Kingdom city

Imagine you are a father and lack a voice to warn your child about danger.

That's what happens when priest lose the ability to discern and hear God's voice.

1 Sam 2:12-14

Hannah was crying for a child,
God was crying for a prophet.

God is raising up a new priesthood in kingdom city...

Condition of the old priesthood
We like to hold on to the good ol things,
The hyms, the tradition..

That was good, but new is better.
God is for the new.
New wine

We are nostalgic, sentimental
New songs release a new move of God.

Don't make it generational.

He became fat (especially spiritually)
With camps, conference, sermons..
But not change in the life.

He was almost blind.
Its not working, its good for that season, that move.

The old is now old, fat and blind.

1. They were greedy.
2. Sexually immoral
3.

The new priesthood
Birthing
Not just pray..

But conceive

Sacrifice.
1 Sam 1:11

The enemy is always after you money.
Money is your time, effort, work of life.

Sacrifice is the same aroma of Christ on the cross.

God doesn't want your money,
He wants your heart.

Old Eli order vs new Samuel order of priesthood.

3. Prophecy 1 Sam 3:1

A city that lives without the voice of God is in a dangerous place.
It'll have the voice of the world:  it's okay to be greedy, it's okay to be cruel, it's okay to be sexually immoral

That's what the music, movies and media is showing now adays..

This words won't fall to the ground.

4. Revival
If you're going to bring the prophetic voice, it'll naturally brith into the...

People will be confessing, people will be renouncing...

For the first time they pushed the philistines out.

Jonah 4-God we need to talk.. Ps Josh. Skyline sib

God's justice is as constant as his mercy
And His justice will come in His own time.

Nineveh was eventually punished.

Its is His justice and not ours.
It is more than the justice than we desire and can hope to ever achieve.

Our human justice is penalty, its revenge, its payback...

But God's is... To turn evil hearts to repentance.

Jonah was a recepient of God's mercy, grace, kindness, patience... But he didn't show it to others....

Is there a duplicity in our lives?

Is it right for us to be angry?
When we see a sinner come to Chirst,
They get blessed... They are set free...

The same God that blesses them, is the same God that we serve.

Just because we see God's goodness and favour in someone else's life,
Doesn't mean that He is evil to us.

Why prolong anger towards God is dangerous? Jonah 4:5-11

Jonah care more for his own comfort than the people of Nineveh. Jonah was very happy for the plant. But when God takes it away, he got angry (he felt like he had the right to it). He cared more about the plant than the people, he pitied, was sorry, sympathise, attached to the plant...

Jonah was vindictive, he made a shelter outside the city and was waiting for themntobturn back to their old ways and God's wrath would come upon and destroy them....

But for this plant that grew one day, and died the next, he was soooo angry at God.

Small heart - like the grinch.

Harder, self centered, vindictive, stand aside and pronounce judgement upon people, wanting to spread the same cycle of unhappiness, isolate ourselves from God, from people.

Misunderstandings in church, ministries.. Don't sign up because of offence. I'll only come at events, on my own terms...

We stop caring for people the way He intended. Jonah stopped seeing people as creations of God. We lose sigh of God's vision.

Jonah preached a sermon in 5 sentence and the whole city repents. What could God have done if he had stayed, if He had God's vision.

We set ourselves apart, we see things in a negative light. Everything gloomy...

It not only affects our relationship with God, but also with our relationship with people.

Don't allow our heart to become petty, self centered, harden...

Soften our hearts.

What is the condition of our hearts.

God you're so good...
I'm healed, restored from brokenness...

Mt. SAINAI III. Elijah. Ps yew meng. PPBC. 1 kings 19

1 Kings 19
Our greatest Attack may come after our greatest Victory.

V4: we can all face discouragement. The one that saw fire come down form heaven, raised the dead, call rain down, etc...

Greatest lies: once I become a Christian is that we will never face tough times.

The point is not just to go into it, but through it.

Elijah had an expectation

That Israel would turn back to God after seeing all the miracles.

When you have an expectation and it does not take place.

Unmet expectation

Arise and eat

"Hope differed makes the heart sick"

Listen to the message from God. His Malak, His Angle. I'm not going to listen to the voice of the devil anymore. I'm going to go into God's presence and listen to Him.

Realize our physical needs.
Eat, rest.

The greatest and best of Christians when are physically weak are more prone to an attack of spiritual depression more than any other time. - Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones

Christianity is not about becoming a ghost. Where there's no flesh and blood.

Hospitable: to meet the physical needs of others.

He still knew where to run to. The mountain of God. Sometimes we run to the wrong things: Internet, alcohol, porn

"what are you doing here?" - God

Elijah pours out his heart to God.

God responds in supernatural ways.
Winds, earthquakes, fire...

Elijah knew all this from history.

But the Lord was not in all those.
He was in a low wisper

In the sound of silence

God reveals Himself in His own ways. Not how we expect Him.

Sometimes we look for God in the big loud things that we often miss Him in the small still quite things of the humble heart.

Stimulation has replaced connection

V14 still some self centrednes and pride. Misguided of his own self importance. Self pity. Self absorbed.

How does God break it?

V15 anoint the enemy king, the Israel king and elisha

The victory will come to pass not in your hands but in others.

Not through a miracle, but a bland polical change in power. God is sovereign, in the events of the nation... Not just God of the miraculous, but the mundane. Not just of the big things but also the ordinary.

You are not alone, there are 7000 more.

In every generation, there's always a community whom are quietly faithful to the things of God.

Learn to get past ourselves

God its not about me anymore.
Forget ourselves.
My hope is in You,
And You're gonna work your ways in me,
And Your process.

Key: there is One that has never forgotten us, whom has loved us, died for us, saved us...

Turn our eyes upon Jesus.

God I don't understand the pain and confusion.

But God I'm going to trust You.

That You know what You're doing.

Women in the Bible: Deborah

Ps Phillip lyn, skyline SIB, Judges 4

A wife, a prophet, a judge, a warrior.

Gold Meir (Israel)
June 6, 1967 - six day war
Preemptive strikes. Golan heights - > Western wall

She took over Levi
Yom Kippur War (Oct 1973)
Syria and Egypt attacked. Crossed the Swiss.. She didn't launch the strike, because Israel would have been seen as an aggressor. And the airforce would be shot down by the new Sam missile provided by Russia.

Because they were not seen as agresors, USA supported with arms supply and reinforcements. Hence they csmputred back, huge territory, the sinai desert.

The surrounded Egypt back again. UN called for a cease-fire.

"to be or not to be is not a question of compromise. Either you be or you cease to be" - Godla Meir

Barak - scared, he needed his wife all the time to hold his hand all the time

Judges 4:14-16 a breakthrough spirit
From being defeated to overcoming

Three poweful breakthrough truths:
1. We must learn to say "enough is enough!"... For the weeks months and years that we've been under oppression.

We are the ones responsible for getting into things that are threatening our families.

John 10:10 the thief comes to kill steal and destroy. But I have come that they may have life and life in abundance.

Tell the devil: enough is enough!!!

What mahathir did during the financial crisis

Enough of this depression

Barak - flash of lighting
Deborah - bee

This is the day the Lord will deliver me

Stop pitying yourself
Get out of your comfort zone
You need to get up

There's a phone call, a confession, a relationship to break, and apology, a debt to pay, a restitution, etc...

Take the authority

Even though you are aware of your sins, Jesus has given you the authority over it.

Get up and go in the direction He wants you to go.

2. Second know in your heart that : "God will make a way!"
They were against amazing odds
Iron VS bronze age

Siseria: iron chariots
Down at the plains, is where he had the upper hand.

Barak was counting numbers, the horses, the men, outgunned out maneuver...

Deborah wasn't counting that, she wasn't a military strategist. But she believed that God will make a way.

Isiah 43:19 I am making a way in the desert and and streams in the wasteland.

When God askes something, it might seem unreasonable, but trust Him

Isiah 55:8. His thoughts are higher, His has a way.

The Kishon River flooded. Even the stars fought against them. That's how the battle was won. The iron became a liability.

3. Thirdly give God the glory : say "Glory to God!"

Deborah arose, God gave the victory
Deborah never took the glory for her life.

Deborah's song (judges 5)

"be like the sun that comes out in full strength"

Israel saw God defeat Jabin.
Suddenly.. Your marriage gets healed, breakthrough in business, etc

Harmoni gathering

"the word comes before the light" -ps saw horng yuan, Emmanuel

if you want to see changes in the community and the people around,
speak the Word into their lives, constantly.

you will be the preacher before the preacher

pray for successive and progressive transformation in your friends

let the world see that Jesus is alive in UMS!

Ministry

Ministry comes from the same root words a "minus"

A servant,to make ones self less, less time, money, energy,security

Why in the word would someone want to give up all this for someone else.

Why would we not want to meet our own needs first...

Well that sone of the counterculture that we go through.

Colossians 1:18

I will not forget what he did.

What Chirst has done for us on the cross.

Some give a very positive views of serving,

We serve not because of all the good things,

But we serve because of what Jesus did.

Serving can be tough, disappointing, overwhelming.

And we think...

What am i doing here...

1 Cor 12:14-18

Each one of us has a function and arrangement.

If we follow Jesus,

What areas do we follow him in?

Disciples triangle: up, in, out.

God, others, commissioned 

Sunday worship, small group, ministry and service

New Year Resolutions 2017

as we step into 2017 and leave 2016 behind.
there's something about transiting the boundary of a year's timeline into the next that gives one the sense of extra will power to do something differently with life.

then again if whatever situations around us change but we don'tt change internally, it doesn't matter even if we are uprooted from our current life and placed in a totally new clean slate, because the issues in the heart haven't be dealt with yet

anyways a few things i'd like to improve for the year to come is

1. have more genuine conversations and experience joy by being present in the moment, cutting down on unnecessary meetings and be actively prioritizing the important worthwhile stuff with time slots.

2. be less critical, skeptical, slanderous and live a more positive and optimistic life, being mindful of the words that i utter and my hold each negative thought accountable to the Holy Spirit for rebuke.

3. not shy away from the advancement of technology but instead embrace it as a useful servant that makes life more efficient, ensuring it does not become the master of me.

yeah i think about three would be enough. for now... until something else pops into mind.

a few thoughts from the day
6.30 wake up, snooze for 20 minutes
wore my best for church, just slacks shoes and the grey 'no need iron' shirt.
went to church early to drive the van out, 20 minutes before the set time. (i think i really want to improve on my timing for appointments too) so here's a fourth resolution:

4. be early for meetings, and not rush to places.

i arrived early at kg E, picked up 3 people, asked how many i should be taking, the reply was two, so i ASSUMED i had everyone and just left for church only to find out later that i left someone behind (not negligence), but it could have been prevented if i waited my due time.

anyways i went back to pick her up and we arrived in time for service.

PONDER: i think i know why i can't remember things so well in this "millennial" age. its because that is an inadequacy of time for the information to settle into the brain to be store properly long term. (and hence knowledge cannot be used by wisdom for any application). how to solve the problem? don't overload the brain by constantly reading a flow of new information. but instead take articles in bite sizes and allow the meaning being the words digest and settle in. i know i try to do speed reading alot, but honestly, it isn't very "efficient" as i thought it would be. the "saved" time doesn't make up for not being to recall or understand whatever i've read just moments ago, let alone through the day or even my life. -end ponder-

today's sermon was about being thankful.
we should give thanks even before going through an event, not only after.
we should give thanks, not because of what God has done or what He is going to do, but because of who He is.

anyways i left early to pick up the students for BM service, although i went out early, yet i still couldn't get everyone at 11am because i had to take two trips. the first trip was early, but the second one was quite a rush. and i feel bad, because they are university students that were told to wait at 10.20 but i arrived to pick them up at 11.50. a whole thirty minutes of waiting at the bus stop and having to skip the "fusion time" or "coffee corner food", rushing straight into the first songs on the day without time to "settle down" into the chair and calm one's self in the presence of God.

this is an issue with the pick up transportation time. that sometimes i feel is not my responsibility in setting. but we all know i shouldn't push it to others what i should be giving feedback to fro improvement. and trying to live it out.

really glad that jim liew could come and join =) thanks iggy for bringing him along.

the next issue actually happened when sending the people back.

WISDOM: send the people with less and nearer places first. and then only the further ones. this is to prevent the second round from waiting too long. (almost a whole hour!)

the it was timeto have lunch with the darling.

badminton with li ann, angie (from tawau) really good, elisha, JC, issac and esther lee.
man i got to improve on my recovery after each hit, footwork to cover the court, placement of the ball at the near side of the net and defense of incoming smashes.

2 guys vs 2 girls, we lost =P humiliating. haha nah, just kidding, we had fun.

had a really nice dinner at Thien Thien in gaya street.

had a good talk on the way home:

TRUTH: knowing that God is real is not enough. we must experience Him, then only is there an enabled power for change to happen.

while walking Happy the cutest dog,
i realized a few things. sometimes she goes to paces that i dont want to go, and she doesn't follow me. but i tell her i will take her to those places some other time.

i think its like me following God. He knows the best path for me at the current time, but i still choose to walk other ways. although i know obedience to Him, i will grow and one day be able to properly walk those paths. there is no shortcut.

i wan't to be a good dad next time. and i'm worried i can't balance love and discipline; i don't want a spoil brat nor a traumatized kid. extremes aside, i want a balanced child that knows his parent's love him the most, yet have boundaries that are there for his sake.

should i be reading "parenting books" on how to do this?
nah, i think the Bible will do just fine for the job. its the manual for life after all right.

home, spent some time with the housemates just chatting, face to face.
laughed, smiles. joy.

took a nice shower, tying this journal log out. going to read a book and sleep soon.

happy new year peeps, may you have a good one ahead.

GRATEFUL FOR: the ability to drive the van, to hold a badminton racket, to have a place to sleep.

i love you, both of you.

Joy

Joy comes from holiness.

Guilt is the enemy of it.

Joy is a product of obedience

"Joy is a serious business of heaven" - CS Lewis

When we worship in joy we bring heaven down

As a Chirstian, we have every reason to be joyful, regardless of the situation.

The joy of the Lord is our strength.

It can heal our bones