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New Creation Church
Friday, June 02, 2006
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
B-U-S-Y? Then read this!
Satan called a worldwide convention of demons.
In his opening address he said,
"We can't keep Christians from going to church."
"We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth."
"We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with
their saviour."
"Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is
broken."
"So let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish
dinners, BUT steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a
relationship with Jesus Christ.."
"This is what I want you to do," said the devil:
"Distract them from gaining hold of their Saviour and maintaining that
vital connection throughout their day!"
"How shall we do this?" his demons shouted.
"Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable
schemes to occupy their minds," he answered.
"Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow."
"Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to
work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their
empty lifestyles."
"Keep them from spending time with their children."
"As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape
from the pressures of work!"
"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small
voice."
"Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive."
To keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home
and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays
non-biblical music constantly."
"This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ."
"Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers."
"Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day."
"Invade their driving moments with billboards."
"Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs,
sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free
products, services and false hopes.."
"Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their
husbands will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and
they'll become dissatisfied with their wives. "
"Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night."
"Give them headaches too! "
"If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin
to look elsewhere."
"That will fragment their families quickly!"
"Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children
the real meaning of Christmas."
"Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about his resurrection
and power over sin and death."
"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive."
"Have them return from their recreation exhausted."
"Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation.
Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and
movies instead."
"Keep them busy, busy, busy!"
"And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip
and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences."
"Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek
power from Jesus."
"Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their
health and family for the good of the cause."
"It will work!"
"It will work!"
It was quite a plan!
The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians
everywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there.
Having little time for their God or their families.
Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives.
I guess the question is, has the devil been successful in his schemes?
You be the judge!!!!!
Does "BUSY" mean: B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke?
In his opening address he said,
"We can't keep Christians from going to church."
"We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth."
"We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with
their saviour."
"Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is
broken."
"So let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish
dinners, BUT steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a
relationship with Jesus Christ.."
"This is what I want you to do," said the devil:
"Distract them from gaining hold of their Saviour and maintaining that
vital connection throughout their day!"
"How shall we do this?" his demons shouted.
"Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable
schemes to occupy their minds," he answered.
"Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow."
"Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to
work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their
empty lifestyles."
"Keep them from spending time with their children."
"As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape
from the pressures of work!"
"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small
voice."
"Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive."
To keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home
and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays
non-biblical music constantly."
"This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ."
"Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers."
"Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day."
"Invade their driving moments with billboards."
"Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs,
sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free
products, services and false hopes.."
"Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their
husbands will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and
they'll become dissatisfied with their wives. "
"Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night."
"Give them headaches too! "
"If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin
to look elsewhere."
"That will fragment their families quickly!"
"Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children
the real meaning of Christmas."
"Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about his resurrection
and power over sin and death."
"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive."
"Have them return from their recreation exhausted."
"Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation.
Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and
movies instead."
"Keep them busy, busy, busy!"
"And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip
and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences."
"Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek
power from Jesus."
"Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their
health and family for the good of the cause."
"It will work!"
"It will work!"
It was quite a plan!
The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians
everywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there.
Having little time for their God or their families.
Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives.
I guess the question is, has the devil been successful in his schemes?
You be the judge!!!!!
Does "BUSY" mean: B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke?
Monday, May 22, 2006
Sunday Recap - 21st May 2006
APPRECIATION
By: Bro. Michael Lee
Today many lack of appreciation which causes families, relationships to fall apart. Even many find it difficult to come to church because of the lack of appreciation.
What is appreciation? (Oxford Dictionary)
To understand and enjoy fully in a right way.
To be thankful for.
To let become in value.
First we need to know how to appreciate God before we appreciate one another. When we appreciate God we:
1. Give thanks and praise (Ps. 100:4)
2. Honor Him (Pro. 3:9-10) – Gratitude is a God Honoring attitude.
3. Remember Him (Ps.103:2-5). Holy Communion for us to always remember all the benefits of God. Exo.32:1-14 – The people of Israel were spared because Moses remembers not only the Lord but also His words. But the people perished because they could not remember the Lord their God (Deut 8:19).
When we don’t appreciate God, we will fail to give Him thanks and fail to understand and enjoy Him fully in the right way which eventually causes us to be:
1. Running on empty – no vision lost and confused in life.
2. Burning bridges – become murderers, bitter, cause strife & quarrels.
3. Dissatisfied – become critical, negative & grumblers.
4. An abuser – We abuse one another and ourselves. (Rom.1:20-32)
In short, when we have lost the ability to appreciate, we open the doors to elements like: fear, pride, anger, greed, lust, unforgiveness and success. (Lk.8:37-40; I Sam 11 & Lk.17:11-19).
Let us be contented with what we have and what we are in Christ; and continue to appreciate God and one another always!
Friday, May 19, 2006
Friday, May 12, 2006
Daily Encounter with ACTS
How to Fight Fair, Part III
"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" (Proverbs 15:1, NIV). "Don't sin by letting anger gain control over you. Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil" (Ephesians 4:26-27,NLT).
The sixth point in resolving conflict is: stick to the subject at hand. Oh boy, when people stuff their negative feelings and sit on their hurt and anger, look out! They will eventually either implode (turn their emotions inward and get sick), or explode. And it may be the "smallest" little thing that triggers the explosion, so beware. They may also go back to unresolved grievances from decades ago! To resolve conflicts, it is imperative to deal only with the issue at hand. Period! The other issues can be discussed at a different time.
Seventh, give up the right to always be right. People who have a compulsion to always be right tend to be insecure and immature. Be willing to say, "I was wrong. I apologize." As the Apostle Paul points out, we are not only to speak the truth in love but also to grow up and mature in all areas of our Christianlife.5 That includes humility and respect for others and their viewpoints.
Eighth, as the Bible also teaches, "Don't sin by letting anger gain control over you. Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil."6 That means to resolve conflicts and angry feelings as quickly as possible. When we resolve do this, the devil loses his foothold.
Ninth, speak softly. Most of us tend to raise our voices when we are upset. Research has shown that one effective way to handle yellers is to speak softly.This tends to make them lean forward and speak more softly so they can hear what you are saying. Yelling begets yelling! As Michel de Montaigne said, "He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak." The Bible says, "A soft answer turns away wrath but grievous words stir up hostility."7
Tenth, pray. Pray first about yourself. One of the most powerful prayers I ever learned to pray was whenI was at wits' end in a seemingly never-ending conflict. In utter frustration I literally begged God to face me with the truth of what I was contributingto this seemingly impossible situation. Within two weeks I saw my hopeless co-dependency (even though I hadn't even heard of the word at the time).
Once I saw the reality of what I was contributing, I knew what I could do and was able to resolve my part in the conflict. I wish I had learned to pray this prayer years before--even in Sunday School. Had I done so, I could have saved myself years of needless pain and frustration.
Next, pray together. When two people are willing to face the truth about themselves, accept responsibility for their part in the conflict, and pray accordingly, there are not too many conflicts that can't be resolved. Remember, "The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth."8
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in every conflict situation in which I find myself please help me to see exactly what I am contributing--whether it be positive or negative--and always take responsibility for what I think, feel, say and do. And help me to learn to be Christ-like at all times. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" (Proverbs 15:1, NIV). "Don't sin by letting anger gain control over you. Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil" (Ephesians 4:26-27,NLT).
The sixth point in resolving conflict is: stick to the subject at hand. Oh boy, when people stuff their negative feelings and sit on their hurt and anger, look out! They will eventually either implode (turn their emotions inward and get sick), or explode. And it may be the "smallest" little thing that triggers the explosion, so beware. They may also go back to unresolved grievances from decades ago! To resolve conflicts, it is imperative to deal only with the issue at hand. Period! The other issues can be discussed at a different time.
Seventh, give up the right to always be right. People who have a compulsion to always be right tend to be insecure and immature. Be willing to say, "I was wrong. I apologize." As the Apostle Paul points out, we are not only to speak the truth in love but also to grow up and mature in all areas of our Christianlife.5 That includes humility and respect for others and their viewpoints.
Eighth, as the Bible also teaches, "Don't sin by letting anger gain control over you. Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil."6 That means to resolve conflicts and angry feelings as quickly as possible. When we resolve do this, the devil loses his foothold.
Ninth, speak softly. Most of us tend to raise our voices when we are upset. Research has shown that one effective way to handle yellers is to speak softly.This tends to make them lean forward and speak more softly so they can hear what you are saying. Yelling begets yelling! As Michel de Montaigne said, "He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak." The Bible says, "A soft answer turns away wrath but grievous words stir up hostility."7
Tenth, pray. Pray first about yourself. One of the most powerful prayers I ever learned to pray was whenI was at wits' end in a seemingly never-ending conflict. In utter frustration I literally begged God to face me with the truth of what I was contributingto this seemingly impossible situation. Within two weeks I saw my hopeless co-dependency (even though I hadn't even heard of the word at the time).
Once I saw the reality of what I was contributing, I knew what I could do and was able to resolve my part in the conflict. I wish I had learned to pray this prayer years before--even in Sunday School. Had I done so, I could have saved myself years of needless pain and frustration.
Next, pray together. When two people are willing to face the truth about themselves, accept responsibility for their part in the conflict, and pray accordingly, there are not too many conflicts that can't be resolved. Remember, "The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth."8
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in every conflict situation in which I find myself please help me to see exactly what I am contributing--whether it be positive or negative--and always take responsibility for what I think, feel, say and do. And help me to learn to be Christ-like at all times. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
Daily Encounter with ACTS
1. How to Fight Fair, Part II
"But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus,'And who is my neighbor?'" (Luke 10:29, NIV).
Author John Powell expressed this attitude poignantly when he said, "We defend our dishonesty [denying and not sharing our true feelings] on the grounds that it may hurt another person, and then, having rationalized our phoniness into nobility, we settle for superficial relationships."2
In continuing our series on resolving conflict the fourth point is to use "I" messages. That is, instead of saying, "You make me mad," or "You really hurt my feelings," say words to this effect. "When you say (or do) things like thus and so, I feel hurt and/or angry, and I need to talk to you about it." This helps you take responsibility for your feelings and avoid blaming others. Many of us are like the lawyer in theBible who, "wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?'"3 This was when Jesus told him that the greatest commandment was to love God and your neighbor as yourself.
Blaming others blocks resolution. As difficult as it may be, I need to admit that nobody causes my hurtfeelings or makes me angry without my permission. Asmy colleague Dr. Narramore puts it, "The other person is responsible for their action. We are responsiblefor our reaction!"
For instance, if I had a perfect self-concept--which I don't have--my feelings would rarely be hurt. What the other person said or did wouldn't upset me. But if I feel inferior or have low self-esteem, I will be easily wounded and/or angered. To the degree I overreact, however, that is my problem--not theirs.
Overreactions happen when unresolved issues or wounds from our past are triggered. So the more I have resolved my issues from the past, the less I will overreact when negative things happen to me. This isn't to say that we won't get our feelings hurt or that we shouldn't feel angry at times, but we need to learn how to react in the right manner at the right time in the right proportion to what has happened, not in proportion to our hypersensitivity.
Fifth. Working with several hundred divorced people over the past decade, I have found that the majority blame their former spouse for the breakup of their marriage without taking a serious look at what they contributed. Conflicts can only be resolved and we can only grow when both parties acknowledge their contribution to the problem or misunderstanding. Yes, it is true, some people are belligerent, dogmatic, and abusive. Even the Bible implies that some people are impossible to get along with.4 But even then there is something we can do. It may be standing up for ourselves--that is, overcoming our overly passive or overly dependent, or super-sensitive style by saying,"No more--enough is enough," and exercising toughlove. In every situation there is always some responsibility we can exercise. To be concluded ...
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in every conflict situation please help me to be non-defensive, quit playing the blame-game, and see how in any way I mightbe overreacting and use this as a motivation to grow and become a more loving, understanding and mature adult. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
"But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus,'And who is my neighbor?'" (Luke 10:29, NIV).
Author John Powell expressed this attitude poignantly when he said, "We defend our dishonesty [denying and not sharing our true feelings] on the grounds that it may hurt another person, and then, having rationalized our phoniness into nobility, we settle for superficial relationships."2
In continuing our series on resolving conflict the fourth point is to use "I" messages. That is, instead of saying, "You make me mad," or "You really hurt my feelings," say words to this effect. "When you say (or do) things like thus and so, I feel hurt and/or angry, and I need to talk to you about it." This helps you take responsibility for your feelings and avoid blaming others. Many of us are like the lawyer in theBible who, "wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?'"3 This was when Jesus told him that the greatest commandment was to love God and your neighbor as yourself.
Blaming others blocks resolution. As difficult as it may be, I need to admit that nobody causes my hurtfeelings or makes me angry without my permission. Asmy colleague Dr. Narramore puts it, "The other person is responsible for their action. We are responsiblefor our reaction!"
For instance, if I had a perfect self-concept--which I don't have--my feelings would rarely be hurt. What the other person said or did wouldn't upset me. But if I feel inferior or have low self-esteem, I will be easily wounded and/or angered. To the degree I overreact, however, that is my problem--not theirs.
Overreactions happen when unresolved issues or wounds from our past are triggered. So the more I have resolved my issues from the past, the less I will overreact when negative things happen to me. This isn't to say that we won't get our feelings hurt or that we shouldn't feel angry at times, but we need to learn how to react in the right manner at the right time in the right proportion to what has happened, not in proportion to our hypersensitivity.
Fifth. Working with several hundred divorced people over the past decade, I have found that the majority blame their former spouse for the breakup of their marriage without taking a serious look at what they contributed. Conflicts can only be resolved and we can only grow when both parties acknowledge their contribution to the problem or misunderstanding. Yes, it is true, some people are belligerent, dogmatic, and abusive. Even the Bible implies that some people are impossible to get along with.4 But even then there is something we can do. It may be standing up for ourselves--that is, overcoming our overly passive or overly dependent, or super-sensitive style by saying,"No more--enough is enough," and exercising toughlove. In every situation there is always some responsibility we can exercise. To be concluded ...
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in every conflict situation please help me to be non-defensive, quit playing the blame-game, and see how in any way I mightbe overreacting and use this as a motivation to grow and become a more loving, understanding and mature adult. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
Daily Encounter with ACTS
How to Fight Fair, Part I
"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Romans 12:18, NIV).
I recall hearing the pastor of a large church, when celebrating his twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, declare that he and his wife had never had a conflict.I didn't believe him. Wherever there are two people, there will always be some conflict, misunderstanding, or difference of opinion. About the only way to live without ever having an open conflict is to live in isolation as a hermit or have one partner become a doormat who chooses "peace at any price." But neither of these is actually conflict free. The conflicts have just gone underground or escaped.
Handled creatively, conflicts and disagreements can lead to growth and increased mutual understanding. But to make differences of opinions productive we need to learn to disagree agreeably, and to value the other person's perspective in the process. So how do we dothis?
First, and foremost, listen...listen...listen--not only with our ears, but even more so with our hearts. We need to hear what other people are really saying--not just what we think they are saying. We need to listen to their feelings as well as their thoughts. Good communication and conflict resolution requires listening beneath the other person's words to their sometimes hidden emotions and unspoken needs orwishes.
Careful listening ensures that we won't distort what the other person is trying to say. This is necessary because we each tend to interpret messages through our own lenses. If we are extremely sensitive to criticism, for example, we may interpret our spouse's potentially helpful suggestion as a criticism. The more our seeing and hearing "lenses" are distorted by our problems, the more likely we are to twist the messages people are giving us to try to make them match our perception of reality.
Second, always strive to speak the truth in love. Remember that "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."1We, too, need to precede truth with grace; that is, to always give loving, gracious acceptance. Some of us are long at speaking the truth but short on listening and short on loving. Unless we speak from a point of sensitive caring, people will not feel safe enough to share openly. They will hide or become angry ordefensive. And unless they can share their thoughtsand feelings there can be no resolution.
Third, we need to be aware of our own true thoughts and feelings. If we feel angry, for example, it willbe important to acknowledge our anger. But we should also be aware of what feelings and thoughts lay beneath our anger. Anger, for example, often covers anxiety or fear. Instead of being aware of our fear, we get angry. That feels safer. But it only makes matters worse.
Other times we use anger to stop others from getting close because we fear intimacy. Equally destructive, we deny our feelings altogether and pretend to be something we are not. Each of these reactions prevents conflict resolution. Unresolved conflicts create resentment and festering resentment breaks many relationships.To be continued ....
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, whenever I am in a conflict situation please give me a listening and understanding heart so I will always hear and give consideration to the others person's point of view and not be deafened by my own need to defend myself nor blinded by my own self-interest. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Romans 12:18, NIV).
I recall hearing the pastor of a large church, when celebrating his twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, declare that he and his wife had never had a conflict.I didn't believe him. Wherever there are two people, there will always be some conflict, misunderstanding, or difference of opinion. About the only way to live without ever having an open conflict is to live in isolation as a hermit or have one partner become a doormat who chooses "peace at any price." But neither of these is actually conflict free. The conflicts have just gone underground or escaped.
Handled creatively, conflicts and disagreements can lead to growth and increased mutual understanding. But to make differences of opinions productive we need to learn to disagree agreeably, and to value the other person's perspective in the process. So how do we dothis?
First, and foremost, listen...listen...listen--not only with our ears, but even more so with our hearts. We need to hear what other people are really saying--not just what we think they are saying. We need to listen to their feelings as well as their thoughts. Good communication and conflict resolution requires listening beneath the other person's words to their sometimes hidden emotions and unspoken needs orwishes.
Careful listening ensures that we won't distort what the other person is trying to say. This is necessary because we each tend to interpret messages through our own lenses. If we are extremely sensitive to criticism, for example, we may interpret our spouse's potentially helpful suggestion as a criticism. The more our seeing and hearing "lenses" are distorted by our problems, the more likely we are to twist the messages people are giving us to try to make them match our perception of reality.
Second, always strive to speak the truth in love. Remember that "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."1We, too, need to precede truth with grace; that is, to always give loving, gracious acceptance. Some of us are long at speaking the truth but short on listening and short on loving. Unless we speak from a point of sensitive caring, people will not feel safe enough to share openly. They will hide or become angry ordefensive. And unless they can share their thoughtsand feelings there can be no resolution.
Third, we need to be aware of our own true thoughts and feelings. If we feel angry, for example, it willbe important to acknowledge our anger. But we should also be aware of what feelings and thoughts lay beneath our anger. Anger, for example, often covers anxiety or fear. Instead of being aware of our fear, we get angry. That feels safer. But it only makes matters worse.
Other times we use anger to stop others from getting close because we fear intimacy. Equally destructive, we deny our feelings altogether and pretend to be something we are not. Each of these reactions prevents conflict resolution. Unresolved conflicts create resentment and festering resentment breaks many relationships.To be continued ....
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, whenever I am in a conflict situation please give me a listening and understanding heart so I will always hear and give consideration to the others person's point of view and not be deafened by my own need to defend myself nor blinded by my own self-interest. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Sunday Re-cap - 7th May 2006
Knowing God Personally (Ps. 46:1, 10 & Exodus 3:14-15; 33:11-17)
by. Ps Abel Phillips
Moses asked God who He was and got a peculiar answer. God said, "Say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.' . . . This is My name forever" (Exodus 3:14-15).
Jesus put flesh on God's bare-boned answer to Moses' question, "Who are You?" Jesus left heaven to show us what it means to bear His Father's name. He told His disciples, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). He also said, "I am the bread of life" (6:48), "the light of the world" (8:12), "the good shepherd" (10:11), and "the resurrection and the life" (11:25). In Revelation, Jesus declared, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last" (22:13). And He said, "Before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58). Jesus the Word of God (Jn.1:1).Jesus is the image of the invisible God. —Colossians 1:15
Exodus 33:11-17
God made known His ways to Moses. He made known His acts, or His works, to the children of Israel. Moses knew God in a way the rest of the people didn't. The rest of the people saw the works of God, but Moses knew the ways of God and God intimately.
Most Christians would prefer to see God perform mighty miracles rather than to have fellowship with Him and learn His ways.
The Benefits of knowing our God Personally or Intimately
1. To Know God Intimately Is the Way of Rest
- God says He will provide rest to those who know Him intimately. Verse 14 says, "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest."
2. To Know God Intimately Is the Way of Stability
-Knowing God also provides stability. Israel, who only saw what God did, was fickle. If we don't know God intimately, we'll not be a stable Christian. We'll be just like Israel was. We'll blow hot and cold.
3. To Know God Intimately Is the Way of Necessity
Not only is knowing God a good thing; it is a necessity. (Exodus 33:1-3) When God said "…I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiff-necked people: lest I consume thee in the way," and Moses replied, "God, if you're not going, I'm not going."
Conclusion:
We will only know Him by communion with Him face to face. That's what a quiet time is all about. We can’t know God if we don't spend time with Him.
by. Ps Abel Phillips
Moses asked God who He was and got a peculiar answer. God said, "Say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.' . . . This is My name forever" (Exodus 3:14-15).
Jesus put flesh on God's bare-boned answer to Moses' question, "Who are You?" Jesus left heaven to show us what it means to bear His Father's name. He told His disciples, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). He also said, "I am the bread of life" (6:48), "the light of the world" (8:12), "the good shepherd" (10:11), and "the resurrection and the life" (11:25). In Revelation, Jesus declared, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last" (22:13). And He said, "Before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58). Jesus the Word of God (Jn.1:1).Jesus is the image of the invisible God. —Colossians 1:15
Exodus 33:11-17
God made known His ways to Moses. He made known His acts, or His works, to the children of Israel. Moses knew God in a way the rest of the people didn't. The rest of the people saw the works of God, but Moses knew the ways of God and God intimately.
Most Christians would prefer to see God perform mighty miracles rather than to have fellowship with Him and learn His ways.
The Benefits of knowing our God Personally or Intimately
1. To Know God Intimately Is the Way of Rest
- God says He will provide rest to those who know Him intimately. Verse 14 says, "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest."
2. To Know God Intimately Is the Way of Stability
-Knowing God also provides stability. Israel, who only saw what God did, was fickle. If we don't know God intimately, we'll not be a stable Christian. We'll be just like Israel was. We'll blow hot and cold.
3. To Know God Intimately Is the Way of Necessity
Not only is knowing God a good thing; it is a necessity. (Exodus 33:1-3) When God said "…I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiff-necked people: lest I consume thee in the way," and Moses replied, "God, if you're not going, I'm not going."
Conclusion:
We will only know Him by communion with Him face to face. That's what a quiet time is all about. We can’t know God if we don't spend time with Him.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Daily Encounter with ACTS
1. Diamonds in the Rough
"We proclaim him [Jesus Christ], admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect [complete and mature] in Christ."1
It is true that "God loves and accepts us as we are,but he loves us too much to leave us as we are."
God's design for each of us is that we become the persons he envisioned us to be-not only to receive forgiveness for our sins and the gift of eternal life,but also to grow and mature, to be made whole, to resolve any and all impaired relationships, and to learn to love and accept ourselves, others and Godmore fully.
Forgiveness and eternal life are gifts from God. There is nothing we can do to earn them. We receive them by faith and trust in Jesus Christ. But growth andmaturity are a life-long process. These are our responsibility. When we begin we are diamonds in the rough. To be polished takes a lot of time and pressure.
As Stuart Briscoe said, "The same sun that melts wax hardens clay." In the same way God's discipline hardens some folk and they become bitter; in others it produces gentleness, a loving spirit, growth and maturity. God's will is the latter but the choice is ours.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in every trial please help me to see what I need to learn, what I need to change, and how I can keep growing to become the person you have envisioned for me to be. And please give me the grace and courage I need to submit to your molding. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
"We proclaim him [Jesus Christ], admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect [complete and mature] in Christ."1
It is true that "God loves and accepts us as we are,but he loves us too much to leave us as we are."
God's design for each of us is that we become the persons he envisioned us to be-not only to receive forgiveness for our sins and the gift of eternal life,but also to grow and mature, to be made whole, to resolve any and all impaired relationships, and to learn to love and accept ourselves, others and Godmore fully.
Forgiveness and eternal life are gifts from God. There is nothing we can do to earn them. We receive them by faith and trust in Jesus Christ. But growth andmaturity are a life-long process. These are our responsibility. When we begin we are diamonds in the rough. To be polished takes a lot of time and pressure.
As Stuart Briscoe said, "The same sun that melts wax hardens clay." In the same way God's discipline hardens some folk and they become bitter; in others it produces gentleness, a loving spirit, growth and maturity. God's will is the latter but the choice is ours.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in every trial please help me to see what I need to learn, what I need to change, and how I can keep growing to become the person you have envisioned for me to be. And please give me the grace and courage I need to submit to your molding. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Sunday Re-cap (23rd April 2006)
Developing Humility
By Ps Samuel Hari
Text: Matt 5:38-42; 43-48
Jesus often spoke about forgiveness (Matt 6:12, 14-15) especially in The Lord’s Prayer (Matt 6:9-13) and even in scriptures pertaining to FAITH (Mark 11:25-26). Why was forgiveness such an important part of Jesus teaching? What was the attribute that He was building in us through His teachings of forgiveness? One key attribute was HUMILITY. It requires HUMILITY to forgive and to ask for forgiveness. The first man fell because of PRIDE. The new Adam, Jesus, was exemplified by HUMILITY. How do we grow in HUMILITY?
The Word of God says, God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (Js 4:6). He also says in 2 Chr 7:14,
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.
Let’s grow in HUMILITY!
By Ps Samuel Hari
Text: Matt 5:38-42; 43-48
Jesus often spoke about forgiveness (Matt 6:12, 14-15) especially in The Lord’s Prayer (Matt 6:9-13) and even in scriptures pertaining to FAITH (Mark 11:25-26). Why was forgiveness such an important part of Jesus teaching? What was the attribute that He was building in us through His teachings of forgiveness? One key attribute was HUMILITY. It requires HUMILITY to forgive and to ask for forgiveness. The first man fell because of PRIDE. The new Adam, Jesus, was exemplified by HUMILITY. How do we grow in HUMILITY?
- Matt 5:38-42: Renounce any form of RETALIATION. Leave ALL vengeance to GOD. This includes renouncing every intention of retaliation in the present and in the future. This includes walking in the opposite. Jesus speaks about giving the other cheek, the other cloak, walking another mile, etc.
- Matt 5:43-48: Love by choice, not by circumstances. Let mistreatment by others remind you to overcome their evil through love. Look at every mistreatment as an opportunity to grow from the Holy Spirit. Use it as a reminder from GOD.
- Matt 18:21-35 The parable of the unforgiving servant. FORGIVE DAILY those who have sinned against you. Allow God’s forgiving nature to guide us in forgiving others. We become like the FATHER as we forgive as that is His nature (Matt 5:48). If we want to become like the Father, FORGIVE.
The Word of God says, God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (Js 4:6). He also says in 2 Chr 7:14,
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.
Let’s grow in HUMILITY!
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Sunday Re-cap (16th April 2006)
How To Miss A Miracle
By Rev George Butron
Eph 4:7-12
Jesus descended and then ascended; He went behind enemy lines to rescue us. However, the disciples were not ready and almost missed their miracle (Luke 24:11).
How can we miss our miracle?
Be aware of these things and get your miracle today!
By Rev George Butron
Eph 4:7-12
Jesus descended and then ascended; He went behind enemy lines to rescue us. However, the disciples were not ready and almost missed their miracle (Luke 24:11).
How can we miss our miracle?
- Do not believe the testimony of another believer (Lk 24:11).
- Let our own emotions overrule the Word of God. Focus on our own situation rather than on Him (Road to Emmaus; Lk 24:13-35).
- Try to explain things from human understanding and experience (Jn 20:25-28).
- Fail to truly believe, remember, and embrace the Word of God. Even the Pharisees believed more than the disciples. We fail to believe when we’re under pressure (Matt 27:62-66).
- Decide beforehand how a miracle is going to happen and when it doesn’t, get disappointed, discouraged, angry, etc (Naaman: 2 Kgs 5:9-12).
- Placing our confidence in the wrong things.
- Allowing fear, failure, mistakes, and disappointments to isolate, condemn, imprison us and lock us in. The disciples were locked in. In hiding. (John 20;19)
Be aware of these things and get your miracle today!
Friday, April 14, 2006
Two Days that Changed the World
"But he [Jesus] was wounded for ourtransgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; Thechastisement [punishment] for our peace was upon Him,And by His stripes we are healed."1
G. Franklin Allee wrote how, "Years ago, a young mother was making her way across the hills of SouthWales, carrying her tiny babe in her arms when she was overtaken by a blinding blizzard. She never reached her destination alive, and when the blizzard subsided her body was found beneath the snow. But the searchers discovered that before her death she had taken off all her outer clothing and wrapped it about her baby. And when they unwrapped the child, to their great surprise and joy, they found he was alive and well. She had given her life for her child, providing the depth of her mother love. Years later that child, David Lloyd George, when grown to manhood, became prime minister of Great Britain, and without doubt was one of England's greatest statesmen.England was a better place for a time because a mother gave her life for her son.
On a much greater scale the world today is a better place because on Good Friday 2,000 years God the Father gave his Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cruel Roman cross to pay the penalty for the sins of all mankind. Thank God that includes you and me. And now,because of Jesus' death, all who put their trust in him will live forever in Heaven with God where there will be no more sickness, sadness, sorrow or death. Thus Good Friday and Easter Sunday--when Jesus rosefrom the dead--are two days that changed the world forever.
"But he [Jesus] was wounded for ourtransgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; Thechastisement [punishment] for our peace was upon Him,And by His stripes we are healed."1
G. Franklin Allee wrote how, "Years ago, a young mother was making her way across the hills of SouthWales, carrying her tiny babe in her arms when she was overtaken by a blinding blizzard. She never reached her destination alive, and when the blizzard subsided her body was found beneath the snow. But the searchers discovered that before her death she had taken off all her outer clothing and wrapped it about her baby. And when they unwrapped the child, to their great surprise and joy, they found he was alive and well. She had given her life for her child, providing the depth of her mother love. Years later that child, David Lloyd George, when grown to manhood, became prime minister of Great Britain, and without doubt was one of England's greatest statesmen.England was a better place for a time because a mother gave her life for her son.
On a much greater scale the world today is a better place because on Good Friday 2,000 years God the Father gave his Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cruel Roman cross to pay the penalty for the sins of all mankind. Thank God that includes you and me. And now,because of Jesus' death, all who put their trust in him will live forever in Heaven with God where there will be no more sickness, sadness, sorrow or death. Thus Good Friday and Easter Sunday--when Jesus rosefrom the dead--are two days that changed the world forever.
aMAZING GOD
Isn't it amazing how God works in our lives! On a Saturday nightseveral weeks ago, this pastor was working late, and decided to call his wife before he left for home. It was about 10:00pm, but his wife didn't answer the phone.
The pastor let the phone ring many times. He thought it was odd that she didn't answer, but decided to wrap up a few things and try again in a few minutes. When he tried again she answered right away. He asked her why she hadn't answered before, and she said that it hadn't rung at their house. They brushed it off as a fluke and went on their merry ways.
The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office, which was the phone that he'd used that Saturday night.
The man that he spoke with wanted to know why he'd called on Saturday night.
The pastor couldn't figure out what the man was talking about.
Then the man said, "It rang and rang, but I didn't answer." The pastor remembered the mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he'd intended to call his wife.
The man said, "That's, OK. Let me tell you my story.
You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night, butbefore I did, I prayed, 'God if you're there, and you don't want me todo this, give me a sign now.' At that point my phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID, and it said, 'Almighty God'. I was afraid to answer!"
The reason why it showed on the man's caller ID that the call came from "Almighty God" is because the church that the pastor attends is called Almighty God Tabernacle!!
Isn't it amazing how God works in our lives! On a Saturday nightseveral weeks ago, this pastor was working late, and decided to call his wife before he left for home. It was about 10:00pm, but his wife didn't answer the phone.
The pastor let the phone ring many times. He thought it was odd that she didn't answer, but decided to wrap up a few things and try again in a few minutes. When he tried again she answered right away. He asked her why she hadn't answered before, and she said that it hadn't rung at their house. They brushed it off as a fluke and went on their merry ways.
The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office, which was the phone that he'd used that Saturday night.
The man that he spoke with wanted to know why he'd called on Saturday night.
The pastor couldn't figure out what the man was talking about.
Then the man said, "It rang and rang, but I didn't answer." The pastor remembered the mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he'd intended to call his wife.
The man said, "That's, OK. Let me tell you my story.
You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night, butbefore I did, I prayed, 'God if you're there, and you don't want me todo this, give me a sign now.' At that point my phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID, and it said, 'Almighty God'. I was afraid to answer!"
The reason why it showed on the man's caller ID that the call came from "Almighty God" is because the church that the pastor attends is called Almighty God Tabernacle!!
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Sunday Re-cap (9th April 2006)
The Holy Spirit
By Ps Vera Lim
Jn 14:26 The Holy Spirit teaches us all things.
Eph 1:13-14
God PLANS everything, Jesus EXECUTES God’s PLAN and the Holy Spirit gives us the POWER and LEADS us. He is our TEACHER and HELPER.
1 Cor 14:2, 14 When we pray in the spirit, we speak to God and NOT to man. In no other way can our spirit pray effectively. Our mind is unfruitful (v14). Many give up praying in the spirit because they don’t understand. We aren’t supposed to understand!
Rom 8:26-27 The Spirit intercedes for us the perfect will of God.
1 Cor 2:7 Speak the wisdom of God in a mystery (to others BUT revealed to us (v10)). When the world is negative, we are positively in the WORD. That’s a mystery to the world.
1 Cor 2:9-10 We have wisdom in every situation i.e. exams, interview, homework, etc.
Prov 18:21 Watch our words! When we speak negatively, the devil can take it up to God to accuse us BUT when we speak GODLY words, Christ takes it up with God the FATHER. Who’s report do we believe? The LORD’S!
Jn 16:13-14 He takes us through a precise route as we agree with Him and one another.
1 Cor 14:4 We build ourselves up when we pray in the spirit.
By Ps Vera Lim
Jn 14:26 The Holy Spirit teaches us all things.
Eph 1:13-14
- We were sealed in the Holy Spirit when we were saved.
- Do we acknowledge the Holy Spirit in us?
- He guarantees our inheritance –present and eternity.
God PLANS everything, Jesus EXECUTES God’s PLAN and the Holy Spirit gives us the POWER and LEADS us. He is our TEACHER and HELPER.
1 Cor 14:2, 14 When we pray in the spirit, we speak to God and NOT to man. In no other way can our spirit pray effectively. Our mind is unfruitful (v14). Many give up praying in the spirit because they don’t understand. We aren’t supposed to understand!
Rom 8:26-27 The Spirit intercedes for us the perfect will of God.
1 Cor 2:7 Speak the wisdom of God in a mystery (to others BUT revealed to us (v10)). When the world is negative, we are positively in the WORD. That’s a mystery to the world.
1 Cor 2:9-10 We have wisdom in every situation i.e. exams, interview, homework, etc.
Prov 18:21 Watch our words! When we speak negatively, the devil can take it up to God to accuse us BUT when we speak GODLY words, Christ takes it up with God the FATHER. Who’s report do we believe? The LORD’S!
Jn 16:13-14 He takes us through a precise route as we agree with Him and one another.
1 Cor 14:4 We build ourselves up when we pray in the spirit.
Monday, April 10, 2006
Church Registration
The Pastor/Elder/Leader
NECF Member Churches
Malaysia
Dear Pastor/Elder/Leader,
Warm Christian greetings.
In response to the newspaper report last week of a pastor running an unlawful society (see below for the full article), we wish to advise our members the following:
Churches which are registered as a society can face deregistration when members lodge official complaints against them on violation of certain by-laws. When churches have been deregistered and continue to function using the same name and address, the police has the right to intervene and charge them accordingly.
As mentioned previously by us, the church needs not to be registered under the Registrar of Society and should function under the Freedom of Religion guaranteed by the Federal Constitution. See page 5 of our May/June 2004 Berita NECF for further details. (http://www.necf.org.my/view_file.cfm?fileid=36)
However, if the church is already registered as a society, we advise that extra care should be given to fulfil the bylaws of the constitution so that disgruntled members cannot fault the church on technical grounds.
Churches which are not registered should not be unduly worried about their legal status as this court case only affects those churches in the above category. However, there are other issues that you need to be aware of.
Our Secretary-General, Rev Wong Kim Kong who is on sabbatical at the moment, will address this issue in more details at the BGM on May 20. In view of the seriousness of the matter, you are strongly encouraged to attend that briefing. Kindly refer to the attached for the letter which has already been sent to you.
Yours in Christ,
Patrick Cheng
Executive Secretary
(Leadership Development)
c.c. Secretary-General
© 1995-2005 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
The Star Online > Courts
Friday April 7, 2006
Pastor charged with running illegal society
By CHRISTINA KOH
IPOH: A church pastor was charged in a magistrate’s court here with running an unlawful society and getting funds for his Lim Garden church without permission.
However, Menon Manasa A.J. George, 41, declined to give his plea each time a court interpreter read out the charges in Tamil.
The court had to stand down twice after Menon pleaded for time, saying his lawyers, who were driving in from Kuala Lumpur, had yet to arrive.
He was charged with running Pertubuhan Persaudaraan Kristian Thaveethin Kudaram (Tabernacle of David) at Jalan Ng Weng Hup, Lim Garden, from Jan 28 to Feb 28, and with illegally procuring funds for the church at the same time and place.
When Menon persisted in waiting for his counsel, magistrate Teoh Chin Chong fixed Sept 6 for hearing and imposed bail of RM6,000 for both charges.
The courtroom was packed with the pastor’s followers and supporters who had to be silenced by court policemen when they murmured, “Yes, yes, yes,” after Teoh fixed the hearing date.
As early as 8am, some 200 of the followers staged a protest outside the lower courts.
The crowd, who held placards that read “Please release our apostle” and “Our pastor is being victimised,” dispersed after Ipoh district police chief Asst Comm Che Sab Hanafiah had a word with assistant pastor John Sentosan.
When lawyers M. Manoharan, A. Sivanesan, R. Kengadharan and R. Prabhakaran finally arrived around noon, Manoharan submitted before Teoh that the charges were unconstitutional.
“We ask that the court fix bail at RM1 or no bail at all,” he said, adding that Menon had a right to his lawyers and had not been able to enter his plea.
However, Teoh said the court had already fixed bail and maintained the hearing date of Sept 6.
Last year, the pastor claimed trial in another magistrate’s court here to threatening a housewife and her husband with death if she failed to withdraw a police report alleging that he raped her.
Menon posted bail at the end of the day.
Asst Superintendent Abd Shukor Mohd Kassim, from the Registrar of Societies in Putrajaya, prosecuted.
© 1995-2005 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
NECF Member Churches
Malaysia
Dear Pastor/Elder/Leader,
Warm Christian greetings.
In response to the newspaper report last week of a pastor running an unlawful society (see below for the full article), we wish to advise our members the following:
Churches which are registered as a society can face deregistration when members lodge official complaints against them on violation of certain by-laws. When churches have been deregistered and continue to function using the same name and address, the police has the right to intervene and charge them accordingly.
As mentioned previously by us, the church needs not to be registered under the Registrar of Society and should function under the Freedom of Religion guaranteed by the Federal Constitution. See page 5 of our May/June 2004 Berita NECF for further details. (http://www.necf.org.my/view_file.cfm?fileid=36)
However, if the church is already registered as a society, we advise that extra care should be given to fulfil the bylaws of the constitution so that disgruntled members cannot fault the church on technical grounds.
Churches which are not registered should not be unduly worried about their legal status as this court case only affects those churches in the above category. However, there are other issues that you need to be aware of.
Our Secretary-General, Rev Wong Kim Kong who is on sabbatical at the moment, will address this issue in more details at the BGM on May 20. In view of the seriousness of the matter, you are strongly encouraged to attend that briefing. Kindly refer to the attached for the letter which has already been sent to you.
Yours in Christ,
Patrick Cheng
Executive Secretary
(Leadership Development)
c.c. Secretary-General
© 1995-2005 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
The Star Online > Courts
Friday April 7, 2006
Pastor charged with running illegal society
By CHRISTINA KOH
IPOH: A church pastor was charged in a magistrate’s court here with running an unlawful society and getting funds for his Lim Garden church without permission.
However, Menon Manasa A.J. George, 41, declined to give his plea each time a court interpreter read out the charges in Tamil.
The court had to stand down twice after Menon pleaded for time, saying his lawyers, who were driving in from Kuala Lumpur, had yet to arrive.
He was charged with running Pertubuhan Persaudaraan Kristian Thaveethin Kudaram (Tabernacle of David) at Jalan Ng Weng Hup, Lim Garden, from Jan 28 to Feb 28, and with illegally procuring funds for the church at the same time and place.
When Menon persisted in waiting for his counsel, magistrate Teoh Chin Chong fixed Sept 6 for hearing and imposed bail of RM6,000 for both charges.
The courtroom was packed with the pastor’s followers and supporters who had to be silenced by court policemen when they murmured, “Yes, yes, yes,” after Teoh fixed the hearing date.
As early as 8am, some 200 of the followers staged a protest outside the lower courts.
The crowd, who held placards that read “Please release our apostle” and “Our pastor is being victimised,” dispersed after Ipoh district police chief Asst Comm Che Sab Hanafiah had a word with assistant pastor John Sentosan.
When lawyers M. Manoharan, A. Sivanesan, R. Kengadharan and R. Prabhakaran finally arrived around noon, Manoharan submitted before Teoh that the charges were unconstitutional.
“We ask that the court fix bail at RM1 or no bail at all,” he said, adding that Menon had a right to his lawyers and had not been able to enter his plea.
However, Teoh said the court had already fixed bail and maintained the hearing date of Sept 6.
Last year, the pastor claimed trial in another magistrate’s court here to threatening a housewife and her husband with death if she failed to withdraw a police report alleging that he raped her.
Menon posted bail at the end of the day.
Asst Superintendent Abd Shukor Mohd Kassim, from the Registrar of Societies in Putrajaya, prosecuted.
© 1995-2005 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
Friday, April 07, 2006
Sunday Re-cap (26th March 2006)
What Do You Want?
by Ps David Lai
Text: Mark 10:51
In this text we see that Bartimeus displayed several characteristics that we as believers need to have:
Conclusion
A REVELATION of GOD’S WORD will give us DIVINE WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE to reach our DESTINY! 3 Jn 2
NT involves EQUAL SACRIFICE i.e. when we get a REVELATION that God want to HEAL us, we need to play our part in EATING HEALTHY & EXERCISING, etc. We cannot abuse our bodies.
When we get a REVELATION that God wants to PROSPER us, we will receive divine wisdom and knowledge to reach our DESTINY i.e. work hard, persevere, etc.
by Ps David Lai
Text: Mark 10:51
In this text we see that Bartimeus displayed several characteristics that we as believers need to have:
- Expect great things from God and attempt great things for GOD i.e. a passion for SOULS. Expect nothing and lose nothing.
- A great HUNGER. He knew that in spite of his circumstances, God is still God. Do we?
- Able to draw from Jesus. Like an eagle Is 40.31.
- Like Jacob who moved forward in spite of his fears over Esau, we need to keep MOVING FORWARD.
- Elisha had a PERSISTENCE to follow Elijah and to get his mantle.
- CLOSE OUR EARS to negative talk in us and around us (sons of the prophets in Elisha’s case and crowd who asked Bartimeus to keep silent).
- We need to REAMAIN FOCUSSED. Double minded person cannot receive. Matt 6.24, Js 1.8.
Conclusion
A REVELATION of GOD’S WORD will give us DIVINE WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE to reach our DESTINY! 3 Jn 2
NT involves EQUAL SACRIFICE i.e. when we get a REVELATION that God want to HEAL us, we need to play our part in EATING HEALTHY & EXERCISING, etc. We cannot abuse our bodies.
When we get a REVELATION that God wants to PROSPER us, we will receive divine wisdom and knowledge to reach our DESTINY i.e. work hard, persevere, etc.
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