Sunday Re Cap (25th Nov 2007)

Here I am, Send me
By David Lai

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Isa 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."

• There is a difference between “Here I am” and “I am here”.
• The first means we are present and available and the other one just means that we are present i.e. in class and paying attention or just in class, present.
• Our King Uzziah could be our carrier, friends, family, money, health. This could be the reason as to why many times we are present in church; “I am here”; but not available. Until we let our Uzziah die, we cannot become present and available; “Here am I”.
• We need to decide when our “King” dies; who is going to be our next “King”. We can allow another “King” to take the throne or we can turn to God.
• God is waiting for us to speak to him and once we turn to Him the veil over our eyes will be removed and we will see the supernatural take place v.1-3
• It is a place of total bankruptcy to self and total dependency upon God v.5-7
• Not by might i.e. political, educational or financial, etc; but by the Spirit of God.
• We can fix problems but only God can cleanse our sins. Isaiah was cleansed and he said “Here am I”.
• Moses turned to the burning bush (present and available) and God called him. Samuel ran to Eli (Present and available) and God called him.
• If we are present we may hear once “Samuel” but if we are available we will keep on hearing “Samuel, Samuel”. 1 Sam 3:1-10
• God calls the foolish. The Bible “foolish” here is not “stupid”. It’s a foolishness of not measuring the way the world measures things. 1 Cor 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
• Jn 15:16 God chose us and appointed us; when we are appointed, we need to simply make ourselves available. Appointment brings the anointing which is the empowerment and the authorization of God.
• That our “Fruit” should remain; only one fruit; to be conformed to the image of Christ i.e. sons!
• People begin to recognize God in us-when we are present and available.
• Is 8:18, Mark 16:15 Our lives begin to be a signboard leading people to God through signs, wonders and miracles.
  
  

Conclusion
Is 58:9 When we say “Here I am” and are available, God says to us “Here I am”. God is always available to those who are not just present but available to Him.

Is 66:1-2 We touch heaven and change earth!

Sunday Re Cap (18th Nov 2007)

Prayers That Move God’s Heart
Ps. Abel Phillips

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Text: Acts 10:1-8

Characteristics of Cornelius (verse 2) that moved God’s heart to answer:

1. Devoted – pious /godly and committed to the highest ideals. – God / authorities etc

2. God Fearing – world manipulates. God is respectful, the world does not respect,

• Respect one another/ authority, flag / rules/ other ethnics groups.
• Disrespect brings disorder and disunity and stops God from hearing us.
• God answers when there is a spirit of respect and unity. Our motions and money used to please God.
  

1 Thess 5:14-22 – call us to abstain from all form of evil
Eph 6:1-3 – Children obey your parents.

3. Generous – gives alms to the poor /needy. God is generous / we should not manipulate with money.
John. 3:16 – God is generous – He gave His only SON for us.
To be generous is to charitably contribute. Start to learn on how to give generously... to others, church, leaders for this pleases God

4. Servant - He served (v2) with his family. How did he make his soldiers and family follow him? He learnt to serve. Jesus, the Creator said, he came not to be served but to serve. (Matt 20:28)
Today, our society – likes to be served not to serve. Change now! We have all been called to serve.

Moral of the story

God knew Cornelius’ name. He knows your name too.

Cornelius had 3 encounters as the result of his prayer.

• Vision – God gives Pictures – praying / forgive/ helping etc.
• Instruction – God gives us information and direction in life
• Acceptance – acceptance in the KOG / God’s family.
  
  

Our duty is to let them (our neighbours, relatives and people we are acquainted with) know that God accepts them through GRACE by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

God answers when our hearts are ready.

Pray: Lord, give us a heart of disposition to respond to You, always abiding in You, that we may bear fruits that are pleasing to You, bringing blessings to others (John15:5).

Sunday Re Cap (11th Nov 2007)

Living A Burden-Free Life
by Ps Samuel Hari

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Mat 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. (29) "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. (30) "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

• Who are “all who weary?” This is an invitation only to these and not to anyone else. Symptoms?

• What does weariness cause? We become tired, condemned, burdened, overwhelmed, sickness, stress, resentful, unforgiving, pride, fear, etc

• What are weary of? People’s expectation? Our own expectation? Your own “religious expectations? The law? Legalism? The world value system?

So this invitation is for each and everyone of us!

We have sometimes brought the world into the church. We have superimposed the world template onto the church template. Why? We live in the world and are exposed from the world systems from childhood. Rom 12:2

• It is a system of the law and legalism
• Our whole value system is based on point system!
• The LORD desires for us to live a burden free life!
• First of all we need to realize that a burden is a curse! Reject it! (Gen 3:17, Genesis 5:29, Ecclesiastes 1:13-14, Ecclesiastes 2:17, Romans 8:20-22)

• Where do we go? “Come to me” Don’t carry your own yoke (religion, expectations, self righteousness); take HIS yoke (the finished work of the cross that carries the unmerited favor of God).

• How to go? “learn from me” “I am gentle and humble in heart”. The key is to be humble. Humility is needed to stop and pray. Pride says we can go on ourselves (religion, legalism). God resists to proud but gives grace to the humble.

• What happens? “YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. (30) "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

· Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to change our mind-sets. Let’s begin to read scripture from the point of the NT. From the point of the finished work of the cross. The OT is important and must now read from the NT mindset. 2 Chr 7.14; Jn 10.10; 1 Cor 11.29, Col 1.10. What is worthy enough?

· The LORD desires for us to live a burden-free life. How? We are burden free as we look at Jesus and the finished work of the cross. He has born all our burdens. In fact carrying burdens is an act of pride and God resists the proud. No wonder we’ve been stressed out! (1 Pet 5:5-11 (AMP), Ps 37.5 (Roll thy way upon, the LORD. Heb))

CFM's response to the Prime Ministers Speech

Dear Pastors/ Elders/ Christian Leaders/ Bro & Sis

Please find with this email the CFM's response to the Prime Ministers Speech at the UMNO General Assembly on the 8th November 2007 for your attention.

Thanks

NECF Malaysia

CHRISTIAN FEDERATION OF MALAYSIA

(PERSEKUTUAN KRISTIAN MALAYSIA)

Address: 26, Jalan Universiti, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Telephone: (03) 7957 1278, (03) 7957 1463, Fax: (03) 7957 1457

Email: cchurchm@streamyx.com

PRESS STATEMENT

A Response to the Prime Minister's Speech at the General Assembly of UMNO on November 8, 2007.

The Christian Federation of Malaysia has noted with great appreciation Datuk Seri Adbullah Badawi's presidential address to the UMNO 58th General Assembly where he had stressed the importance of maintaining harmony between the various communities and religions.

As Prime Minister, his speech was not only meant for the UMNO delegates but also for the whole nation.

In his speech he particularly highlighted the central place of the Federal Constitution and for it to be interpreted as a whole and in the spirit of the social contract of the founding leaders of the nation.

He also called for curbing all forms of religious extremism, bigotry and overzealous enforcement of laws that curb the freedom of religion as guaranteed in the Federal Constitution.

His clarion call must engage the best efforts of all Malaysians to ensure that our country is governed with honesty, integrity, justice, equality and peace.

The Christians of Malaysia want to assure the Prime Minister that we are prepared to work with all other religious communities in mutual dialogue and accountability. The well-being of our country can only be achieved by practicing religious moderation and respecting the Constitution as the supreme law of the land.

The government should act decisively against those who promote religious chauvinism and extremism that can greatly harm the spirit of religious harmony existing in our country.

May God grant the Prime Minister and his cabinet ministers good health and wise counsel as they lead the country to become a model of inter-religious harmony for other nations to emulate.

Bishop Dr. Paul Tan Chee Ing, SJ
Chairman, Christian Federation of Malaysia
Dated: 9th November 2007

Sunday Re Cap (4th Nov 2007)

Walking in Repentance
By Ps Francis Peters

Amo 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing Unless He reveals His secret counsel To His servants the prophets.

How do we strengthen our inner man? By walking in repentance

• Offenses must come; however our inner man must be strong. Our inner man can be weakened by unconfessed sin. When we are strong in our inner man than we will be strong outwardly i.e. healing, deliverance, joy of the LORD, etc. Mt 18:7, Pro 18:14; Pro 17:22. We become strong by focusing on the Christ’s finish work on the cross.
• We must follow God’s way of correcting those who offend us. Mt 18:15-17
• God desires to give us abundant life Jn 10:10
• Speak and confess correct words that bring life and health. Mt 18:21; Mt 12:36
• Ps 41:4 Asking God to heal our soul through Christ.
• 1 Jn 1:8-9 If we say we have no sin, we are not telling the truth. However, through the finished work of Christ on the cross we are forgiven and have victory.
• Isa 38:3 (part) ….how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart, and have done the good in Your sight. And Hezekiah wept with a great weeping.
• Mic 6:13 Sickness can be due to unconfessed sin our lives. We can come to Jesus and receive His finished work on the cross and be made whole!
  
  

2 Cor 5:17 We are a New Creation! Old things (our flesh, our own efforts, works of the law) have passed away and behold ALL things (blessings, prosperity, health and healing, the joy of the LORD, etc) are new and ours!

When Trust Is Established

Ministries of Francis Frangipane Weekly Message System

Please read the article in the above link.

It is said that "Having RESENTMENT is like drinking a cup of poison and expecting the other person to die". Let's stop drinking poison today and trust in the finished work of the cross!

God bless.

Sunday Speaker 4th Nov 2007

Please take note that this coming Sunday we are blessed to have our own prayer warrior and man of God, Ps Francis Peters to share with us the word of God.

What We Project

What We Project

"Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."1

On one occasion when I was in a particular group, one man constantly and bitterly complained how negatively other people treated him.

As kindly as I could I finally said to him, "You know, John, what we project is what we get back!"

I felt as though my words fell on "deaf, angry" ears!

The fact remains, if we constantly project negative vibes and express negative words, that is what we will receive in return. Also, if we constantly project feelings of anger and express angry words, anger responses is what we will receive in return.

On the other hand, if we constantly project loving and warm feelings and express kind, loving and encouraging words, that, too, is what we will receive in return.

Unless we are being persecuted because of our Christian faith, as a general rule what we consistently project is what we consistently get back. As Jesus also said, "We reap what we sow."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to realize and accept the fact that if I am constantly feeling put down, rejected or criticized, chances are (in most cases) it may just be because of the attitude that I am projecting. Help me see what my problem is and lead me to the help I need to change. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Jesus (Luke 6:38, NIV).

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