Sunday Re-Cap (28th Jan 2007)

Building Relationships
by Josef Chow

The mark of a true Christian:

• Jn 13:34-35 All of us desire to be loved and appreciated. We love one another.
• Jn 14:7-11 If they have seen us, they have seen the Father.
• Jn 16:13-15 Trinity-there is unity, authority and submission. It must be the same in a Christian.
• Jn15:12-15 We go from being servants to friends of God. All friendship & relationship are progressive.
• 1 Jn 4:7-8 He who loves little has little love. God wants to fill us with His love. Just be hungry for it.
  

All relationships such as husband/wife, parents/children, church/pastors are fragile and must be guarded. How are relationships broken? Through hurts by the tongue:

• Js 3:3-12 The power of the tongue.
• Jer 17:9 All of us have a wicked streak. It is expressed through the tongue.
• Js 1:26 If we do not bridle/control our own tongues, we deceive our hearts.
• Prov 18:21 The power of our tongue is just like the power of a judge. It can sentence to death or give life. Many mental cases are a result of tongue abuse i.e. their own or someone close to them.
• Phil 4:8 Let us choose to see the good in others and also in every situation.
• Prov 12:18 The tongue can be sharp and hurtful. However, it can also promote well.
  

Use our tongue to promote health, build relationships.

Bro. Josef Chow's profile

The Person God Uses

"Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful."1

In God's order there is work for everyone to do. He doesn't call many to be a "Billy Graham or a Mother Teresa," but he does call all of us to be faithful in using the gifts and abilities he has given to us. In case we don't feel worthy to be of much use to God, it can help to look at the frailties of many of God's servants in the Bible.

Somebody has pointed out that: "Moses stuttered. David's armor didn't fit. John Mark was rejected by Paul. Hosea's wife was a prostitute. Amos's only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning. Jacob was a liar. David had an affair. Solomon was too rich. Abraham was too old. David was too young. Timothy had ulcers. Peter was afraid of death.

"Lazarus was dead. John was self-righteous. Jesus was too poor. Naomi was a widow. Paul was a murderer. So was Moses. Jonah ran from God. Miriam was a gossip. Gideon and Thomas both doubted. Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal. Elijah was burned out. John the Baptist was a loudmouth. Martha was a worry-wart. Samson had long hair. Noah got drunk. Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse? So did Peter as did Paul."

True, we all have areas of weakness and have experienced failure at some level, but God will still use every one who makes him or herself available to God. So let's be sure we are serving God by faithfully using the gifts and talents he has given to each of us. It's a great privilege and a great opportunity—plus it has eternal rewards.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please give me the want-to-be what you want me to be and the want-to-do what you want me to do using the gifts and abilities you have given to me—and help me to love and serve you faithfully all the days of my life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. 1 Corinthians 4:2 (NIV)

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Rapha Night

Your Future According to God

Your Future According to God
Chip Ingram

Satan once put his tools up for sale in a garage sale. All of them were there: hatred, envy, jealousy, deceit, pride-each with an individual price tag. Off to the side was a harmless-looking tool, well worn, but priced very, very high. One of the shoppers asked him what that tool was and why it was so expensive.

That's discouragement, he said. It's more useful to me than all the others put together. I can get at someone's heart more deeply with discouragement than with anything else. It's so worn out because I use it on almost everyone. And the best part is they rarely know I'm using it.

The enemy still uses discouragement as a tool, and he uses it on each of us day in and day out. Because discouragement often comes from pessimism about how things will turn out, one of the best ways to overcome it is to get God's perspective of our future. In order to do that, we have to let go of two myths.

The first myth about the future is that our situation will always be this way. If your job has always been terrible, you'll eventually embrace the myth that it always will be. Same goes for a marriage, a home, parents, children, or whatever else you struggle with. Discouragement interprets the past and present as an unbreakable pattern, which leads to more discouragement. If we want to see life from God's perspective, we have to reject that myth.

The second myth about the future is that when we make a change for the better, we expect things to start improving almost immediately. Many people find themselves in an overwhelmingly difficult situation and begin praying, going to church, studying the Bible, and overhauling their lifestyle as a result. And when they've stuck with it for a week, a month, or even a year, and nothing seems to be getting any better, they feel like they've gotten a raw deal. Never mind that they've been sowing bad seed into a career or a family situation for twenty years. Most of us feel that if we've made the right changes, we ought to see the right consequences happen pretty soon. And while God mercifully works that way sometimes, He doesn't always. Sometimes the fruit of our obedience takes a long time to grow.

God's perspective on our future is this: Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him (James 1:12). That's a great promise. It encourages us that things will change; whatever we feel stuck in now isn't permanent. But this promise also reminds us that change requires perseverance. It doesn't usually happen overnight. God honors loving obedience and faith that can stick it out over time. And the reward for enduring is a crown of life.

God promises deep fulfillment and rich joy beyond your wildest dreams. When you come through your trials, you begin to experience it. That's why, if you've ever met a gentle, loving, wise person who radiates the love of Jesus, I can almost guarantee that he or she has suffered deeply. The way God produces that kind of person is through adversity. They don't give up, the life of Christ begins to manifest through them, and they have an inner joy and fulfillment from God that can't be touched by circumstances now and that is greatly magnified in heaven.
Are you looking at your future through the lens of whatever problems you face today? Or do you see it through the certainty of God's promise? Don't give up and don't give in. God says you will receive a reward when the test is finished. You'll get a fulfilling life on this earth in communion with Him, and you'll receive an eternal heavenly crown. And discouragement will be an old, worn-out tool never to be used on you again.

Sunday Re-Cap (14th Jan 2007)

Rebuilding Our Spirit & Soul Foundation by Ps Dong Campoy

Ezra 9:9
He revived us so that we were able to rebuild the Temple (spirit) of our God and repair its ruins. He has given us a protective wall (soul) in Judah and Jerusalem.

Haggai – Rebuilt the Temple = Rebuilding our spirit with the presence & righteous of Jesus.
Neh 1:3; 2:10, 19 – Rebuilt the wall of the temple – Rebuilding our soul - attitudes.
Rev 21:2 & 9 –Every city has a wall – an attitude. The bride is a person/church.

The soul is all about our attitude. We must be imparted with the Spirit of Jesus so that the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ will be in us.

1. Rebuilding our Spirit Foundation:

a) What is happening in the natural will happen in the spirit. Our belief system will affect our value system (Pr 23:7).

b) For the fire of God to come down, God requires not just a sacrifice (1 Kgs 18:24) but a righteous sacrifice (1 Kgs 18:37-38).

c) Isa 43:18-21 – Behold I am doing a new thing- do you not perceive it? God’s part is to do a new thing and our part is to perceive/believe it.

d) Ps. 51 – I was conceived by sin. No capacity to do the will of God.

e) “Jacob” meant deceiver / trickster; so God renamed him Israel.

f) Jacob was created; Israel was formed. This clearly depicts the need for our spirit foundation, the spiritual Israel, to be rebuilt/formed.

g) Eze 36:25 - I will put a new spirit in you – impart a divine capability & capacity.

h) Haggai 2:8 – Jesus is in us. He gives power inside us. The Holy of Holies is our spirit / heart = the presence of God.

The Holy Place is our soul = our character / attitude.

2. Rebuilding our Soul Foundation:

a) Ps. 51-12 & 17 – Restore to me the joy of salvation. A broken & contrite heart God will not despise. Are we the Temple of God or the temple of Babel (flesh)?

b) Matt 16:13-17; 22-23, Mt 17:3-4 ~ Peter received the revelation knowledge but end up in the flesh – inaccuracy in life.

c) Acts 2:14 – Peter was stirred up by the Spirit of God and he was restored. He understood that Jesus is the Master of His life.

d) Eph 2:6 - God gave grace to raise our standard- The chosen people of God carrying the identity which is a victorious life of Jesus.

So church, let’s surrender our lives to Him. We don’t have the strength and we need the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Turning a Church in Bondage from Darkness to Light by Mike Genung

"And I said, `Who are You, Lord?' And the Lord said, `I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. `But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.' Acts 26:15-18

In the past 90 days, the following has happened:

A young friend of my son's is watching his parents divorce because his father is not willing to give up sexual sin.

When my wife gave a copy of my book to a neighbor who lives several doors down, she revealed that her full grown son, who is a married father, is losing his marriage and family because of his unwillingness to deal with his struggle with porn addiction.

A dear sister of mine told me she spent Christmas day at work, without family. She lost her marriage a few years back to her husband's sex addiction.

Recently, I watched as a brother of mine tell me through tears that he's filing for divorce, his marriage a victim of both his and his wife's problems with sexual addiction.

Ted Haggard, pastor of a 14,000 member church here in Colorado Springs, resigned his position after his lifelong struggle with homosexual sin was exposed.

Another pastor in a large church in Denver resigned, confessing his own problems with homosexuality.

A few weeks prior, as another pastor was showing his congregation a PowerPoint presentation, a porn image came to the screen. He later resigned, confessing his addiction to pornography.

Another sister in Christ told me this past week that, in spite of her entreaties, her Christian husband sees nothing wrong with his porn habit. She's quoted him Matthew 5:27-28 where Jesus said "You have heard that it was said, `You shall not commit adultery'; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart," but even in the face of God's word he still refuses to relent.

How can pastors like Ted Haggard, men who have ministered to many others and are undoubtedly surrounded by believers to whom they could turn for help, carry on a lifelong battle with sexual sin without asking for help?

How can so many Christian husbands and fathers, many of who sit in church every Sunday, tell their wives to their face that there's nothing wrong with masturbating to pornography?

We receive many emails from wives, every week; all too many read like the one from this wife and mother:

I am fighting a battle with this porn addiction that my husband has. My husband seems to think he is doing nothing wrong. He tells me most men do this… and they get bored. I have heard every excuse there is. It has made me feel that I am not good enough, not pretty enough and especially not skinny enough. I have even said if I was to give him a choice and he would have to choose me or porn, I honestly think it would be the porn. Please tell me how to deal with this for I am so hurt. There are not many days that I don't cry. I have fought this for 13 years and it has just gotten worse. I need to know how to get my husband to understand the hurt I feel and how important it is for him to stop. I have asked him to please not do this while my kids are here. My kids are old enough that they know what is going on... I love my husband with all my heart and I can not imagine my life without him.

Many of God's people are in bondage, captive to Satan's lies that "a little porn doesn't hurt anyone." Others are chained to their sin with the iron shackles of shame, terrified to ask for help for fear of what will happen when the truth comes out. "You can't tell anyone about this," Satan's minions hiss, and so the sexually broken stay in the shadows, not realizing that they're playing right into the hands of the prince of evil.

As a result, the lives of men, women and children are shattered; and God's church isn't the source of light, truth and peace He wants it to be.

Many don't understand the depth or intensity of the bondage of sexual sin. In a recent interview on the Blazing Grace radio show, Ted Roberts of Pure Desire, who has ministered to thousands, said it takes an average of two to three years for the average struggler with sexual sin to break free. Ted shared that he walked away from alcoholism, but that it was a daily fight for several years before he broke free from lust.

One wife who lost her husband to his sexual addiction recently posted the following on our forums:

When I read posts on this site from people whose husbands are sex addicts and quit (getting help), I just want to cry. They need to know how serious this is. It's just as serious as alcoholism. If their husband is not in counseling, they are losing the battle. I honestly don't believe my husband wanted to give up his family for this disgusting addiction. But the first to go is the family.

(You can read more like this in our forums and on the prayer request page of the website.)

If this was a problem that just a few people were struggling with it wouldn't be as bad, but the statistics show that at least 50% of Christian men at every level of the church, plus many women are struggling with some form of sexual addiction.

Sadly, we are all too often our own worst enemy.

One man recently posted the following in our forums:

I'm doing a class about porn addiction for men in nine different congregations of our church. I'm in a significant local lay leadership position (which I asked to step down from, given my "recovering porn addict" status, but was asked to stay). I am aching to let these men know that "I know that close to half of you are addicted; I've been there, and there's hope". However my lay leader says not to say anything, since it would be an embarrassment for the church. Same for the addiction recovery support group that I'm starting up for church members in our city.

And another said in response:

I am saddened by the approach your lay leader is taking. But it is all too common. I too tried to get my pastor to address this issue and hit a stone wall. I was talking to a good friend about this last night. After I had given him the statistics on sexual sin in the church I asked how many sermons he's heard in the last 10 years on the subject. His answer; none! I know our pastor has talked about sexual purity, but taking an honest look at the men and women in the church and calling them out has never happened. When I told him the statistics, all I heard was silence. I don't think he believed me. I am going to take one more run at this with him, and then I will probably just start something on my own.

My experience has been that our concern for our reputation is often one of the primary reasons the church at large has yet to effectively step up and take a hard look at addressing the porn epidemic. Embarrassment of talking about the topic of sex is another, but if we're really honest I think we'll have to admit that this is often fueled by concern over what other people think. Since God devoted a big chunk of the Song of Solomon to graphically describing a sex act between husband and wife, we should have no fear of boldly discussing the same.

How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God? John 5:44

Every man, woman and child is precious in God's eyes; these are His marriages and families. What grieves me is that many lives would be saved from shipwreck if we were only willing to speak out with boldness and clarity about the issue, and take effective action.

As God sent Paul to turn His people from darkness to light, so should we. Here's what leading our hurting ones to the light looks like:

Face the truth

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-unless indeed you fail the test? 2 Corinthians 13:5

Saying that 50% of Christian men have a porn problem sounds surreal; hard to believe. We don't want the numbers to be this high, because if they are then the church is in big trouble.

The truth is that the numbers are that high (if not higher), and we are in trouble. (See www.blazinggrace.org/pornstatistics.htm for more information, including the results of a survey on porn of the church I attended in 2004.)

Speak the truth in love

but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Ephesians 4:2-16

Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices… Colossians 3:9

The truth that so many are struggling with sexual sin in the church should be proclaimed on a Sunday morning before the entire congregation. Why? Because we dare not miss a single soul with our message of hope; many are dying in shame and/or pain; craving answers, comfort and encouragement. Some have hard hearts and are spitting on their marriages, and need to hear the convicting power of the truth. Leading our people from darkness into light means we're willing to face the hard truths and be bold in pointing our people to God's light. We no longer pretend to be something we're not; instead, we confess what we are as a body: broken, hurting, and in need of God's grace, peace and healing.

Give them a safe place to go.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16

He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. Proverbs 28:13

Breaking free from the bondage of sexual sin is a long, often bloody process; Sunday sermons are the beginning of the battle; the doorway to hope, not the end. Those who struggle need a safe place where they can break out of isolation, expose what's going on in their heart, and find healing through the power of God's grace— and the freedom from shame that comes from the acceptance and love of others who support and encourage them in spite of their ugliest sins.

A Strength in Numbers group will provide your people with a safe place where they can move from darkness to light and find such grace. See www.blazinggrace.org/strengthinnumbers.htm for more information.

Pray, surrender, and follow

and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me John 15:4

Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest. Mathew 9:39

You can expect to come up against opposition if you want to encourage the church to take a hard look at itself and deal effectively with sexual sin. Satan has many strongholds in the church: silence, fear, concern for reputation, pride, the love of pleasure, love for the world, lack of knowledge of God's word, lack of surrender to God, and love for comfort and the status quo. You will more than likely come up against at least a few of these in the battle to lead the hurting from darkness to light.

This battle must be fought with God's power and anointing, not man's, which means ongoing prayer is a must. Enlist as many people as possible to pray with you for God's leading, power, protection and guidance.

Blazing Grace could not survive without the prayers of God's people; I've had more issues with spiritual attack in the past two years than in my entire 44 years of existence. Leading the broken to the light happens when God's people pray, surrender the control of their ministry and lives to Him, and then allow Him to work in His power, ways, timing and methods through them.

Never forget that we are broken clay pots in need of His power, wisdom and love. Where those in ministry blow it is when they try to charge the hill alone in their own strength. Pride is a poisonous viper that snaps at the heals of all who would go into ministry, and the antidote is to live in the truth of our brokenness and stay dependant on the power of the Living God to accomplish His purposes.

But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment… John 16:7-8

Then he said to me, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, ' Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts. Zeccariah 4:6

And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

We know that God's heart is to lead every man, woman and child from darkness to light. Living in bondage to sexual sin is living in darkness, and His heart is that His people be set free from this terrible plague that is shredding so many families.

My prayer is that He would send many of you to reap the ripe harvest of healing and restoration that lies in our midst.

My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20

But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you. Psalms 81:16

Sunday Re-Cap (7th Jan 2007)

A People of Destiny: God’s Promise of Restoration in 2007

The text of our theme for this year is Jer 29:1-14. The background of this theme is God’s promise of restoration for the children of Israel that were being held captive in Babylon. God is a God of restoration. He wants to restore us and restore us perfectly.

Jer 29:1-9

Who are these who prophesy falsely?

• These are the ones who advocate the “name it and claim it” principle.
• These are the ones who subtly educate us in the principles of instant success and deliverance.
• These are the ones who were teaching that we can plan and dictate things according to our own time table and not God’s.
• As a result, we become impatient, disheartened, discouraged when we don’t see it happen according to our time table and we begin to question God.
• We even lose our passion for God and our first love because God did not do as He promised in His word.
  
  

Jer 29:10

• Only God’s timing is the right timing.
• He is often teaching us to wait. Is 40:31
• The purpose of waiting is renewing (châlaph) our strength. Not depending on our old strength. He desires to empty our old strength and replace it with His strength. Ex: Like driving into a service station and emptying our old oil and putting in new oil. Moving on, forward, transitioning out.
• There is a process involved. Don’t get impatient, let His processes work through for restoration to take place.
  
  

How do we get this re-NEW-ed mindset? This requires spiritual disciplines:

• The WORD of God. (Josh 1:8)
• Praying in the Spirit. (Eph 6:18; Jude 1:20).
• Be filled with the spirit continually (Eph 5:18).
• Walking in the spirit (revelation knowledge) and not lust of the flesh (sense/carnal knowledge)(Gal 5:16),
• mind of the spirit (Rom 8:27; Eph 4:23; 17-32)
• Guarding our hearts and lips.(Prov 4:23-24; Prov 18:21 Rom 10:17; Matt 12:35-37)
• Serving-humility, teachability (humility and repentance).(Lk 22:26; Jn 12:26;Heb 12:28)
  

We do these because we want to have a fresh encounter daily with God Himself (John 5:39).

Isa 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land

2Ch 7:14-16 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (15) Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer [that is made] in this place. (16) For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

The Power of One

The Power of One

"I [God] sought for a man [person] among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one."¹

Have you ever felt helpless in light of the seemingly overwhelming problems we face in today's world—either at home or abroad? The truth of the matter, however, is that one person can make a world of difference to at least one other person and, more often than not, to a host of other persons.

Some time ago a friend sent the following anonymous poem to me. I'd like to share it with you today.

One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.
One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal.
One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam can light a room.
One candle can wipe out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.
One step must start each journey,
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.
One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true.
One life can make the difference,
You see it's up to YOU!

As another has said, "All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of one small candle." And as Edward Everett Hale so eloquently said, "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do."

Don't ever forget how very important you are in your world and remember too, that "One person is very important to God, too." Most of his work on earth has been started by one person. God is always looking for people who will do his work on earth. Will you be the one he is looking for today?

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I'm available. I want to say yes to you today and be one you are looking for. Please use me to be a part of your plans in what you are doing in the world in which I live. Please show me where I can begin. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Ezekiel 22:30 (NKJV).

Special Meetings with Pastor Dong Campoy

Just Suppose

"My son [and/or daughter] give me your heart ... for out of it are the issues of life."

Zig Ziglar tells the story about an elderly man playing an organ in a cathedral in Europe. He was playing sad and melancholy music. It was sad because this was his last day as organist of the cathedral. He was being replaced by a younger musician.

At dusk, somebody stepped into the cathedral. Seeing the younger man, the organist stopped playing, locked the organ and slipped the key into his pocket. He was approached by the young man, who simply said, "Please, the key."

On receiving the key, the young organist went to the organ and began to pay.

While the old man had played beautifully and skillfully, the young man played with sheer genius. Incredible music came rolling out of that beautiful old organ.

This was the world's introduction to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. The old man, with tears in his eyes, said, "Suppose—just suppose—I had not given the master the key!"

Have you given the Master of Life the key—the key to your heart and to your life?

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I surrender the key to my heart and life to you. Please make me the man/woman of God you want me to be. Do with my life as you will. Please use me to be a part of what you are doing in the world today. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Proverbs 23:26 with 4:23 (NIV & KJV).

Sunday Re-Cap (31st Dec 2006)

A New Mindset for the New Year

Mat 9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

The LORD wants to give us new wine for the New Year but before He can do that, do we have new wineskins? The new wine speaks of a fresh anointing and enablement of the Holy Spirit to face the challenges of the New Year and to be more than conquerors. A new wineskin speaks about a new kind of mindset, a Kingdom Mindset rather than a carnal or earthly mindset. Is it possible that all this time, we operated out of our carnal sense knowledge i.e. touch, see, feel, taste and hear? However, for the New Year, The LORD wants us to operate out of revelation knowledge.

The natural man operates out of sense knowledge and the spiritual man operates out of revelation knowledge.

What manner of man are we? What kind of wineskin do we have?

We need to have a Kingdom mindset in the following areas to have new wine:
1. Finances
A new mindset is having a breakthrough in our giving and not getting. (Mat 19:21; 2Co 9:8)

2. Health
A new mindset is believing what the word says about our healing and health. (Is 53:5)

3. Influence to reach out.
A new mindset is that we have influence in the market place. (Ps 2:8)

4. Soul care
A new mindset is watching what we say and guarding our hearts (Prov 4:20-27)

How do we get this new mindset?

1. The WORD of God. (Josh 1:8)
2. Praying in the Spirit. (Eph 6:18; Jude 1:20)
3. Guarding our hearts and lips.(Prov 4:23-24; Prov 18:21 Rom 10:17; Matt 12:35-37)
4. Serving-humility, teachability (humility and repentance).(Lk 22:26; Jn 12:26;Heb 12:28)

This is not just a formula and an end in itself. If we only did these four things, then we would soon burn out and find our Christian lives empty and dry. Why do we read, pray in the spirit, etc? We do it because we want to have a fresh encounter daily with God Himself (John 5:39). The shepherds in the fields were changed because of an encounter with God (Lk 2:9). Paul was changed because of an encounter with the LORD (Acts 9:3-4). The disciples were changed because of an encounter with God and the list goes on and on.

Are we ready for an encounter this coming year? Only He can give us the new wineskin but we must be willing and position ourselves for it. Are you willing?

Isa 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land

Visit to Homes on 30th Dec 2006

Blessed New Year Grow-ites! Tis truly a season to give and be a blessing. On the 30th of Dec 2006, some of us went to Rumah Ceria, SONshine home and Grace Home to bless "Him" by giving to the "least of our brethren". Let it not end here but lets really touch God's heart this coming year by being and "action" church and not just a "talking" church.
Love you and may the LORD be with you!