Learning to Flourish During Difficult Times
by Joshua
Introduction
We live in a very uncertain world. Many predict that difficult times are ahead. But regardless of what is happening around us, we need not be shaken. We don’t have to live in fear. We need not panic or live constantly in despair. Jesus said in John 16: 33 , In this world, you will have troubles. But take heart, I have overcome the world”. In fact, the uncertain times are golden opportunity for Christians to live out our faith. He wants to demonstrate to the world that He takes care of His children even in difficult times. Our God reigns over our lives. If God is for us, who can be against us”. Roman 8:31
Isaac Flourished in the midst of difficult times
There are wonderful stories in the OT of how took care His servants and children during difficult times. This evening, we would like to focus on of His servants, Isaac. We can learn much from Isaac, especially how he flourished during difficult times. Genesis 26: 26:1- 6; 12 -22 records two major problems Isaac faced.
The first struggle was an economic disaster
We read in verse 1 that there was a famine in the land. There was not enough food for his family and his servants if he had stayed in the land. There was not enough grass for his flocks and herds too. Economically he was devastated by the famine. He had no choice but to pack and leave. Where would he go? Egypt would be a natural choice. In the past, His father, Abraham went to Egypt. And Egypt at that was well watered by River Nile. We read that Isaac went to King Abimelech in Gerar, instead. As Egypt was far way, perhaps Gerar was the waiting place before he could make his move to Egypt. But Gerar was not spared from famine. Now the defining moment of his life came at this least expected place. He had an encounter with God. In verse 2, we read, “the Lord appeared to Isaac and said, do not go to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live, stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you”. And Isaac obeyed the Lord”.
What happened next? As an act of obedience, Isaac sowed seeds in the land of famine. In the same year, he reaped a hundredfold harvest. He became rich, but not only that, his wealth increased until he was very rich. Gen 26:13. He prospered right in the land of famine. This is awesome. God did the miracle. God provides and takes care of us when we are in the right place, strategically aligned to His purposes even when the prevailing circumstances in that place may not be to our liking or preference. Isaac was where God wanted him to be. He was obedient to what God told him to do. He stayed in that place. He sowed seed in that land. He trusted the Lord. And God prospered him. Where God plants us, He will prosper us and make us fruitful despite real or apparent challenges. Amen.
The second struggle was an unwanted opposition (Gen 26:14 -33)
As Isaac prospered, the people of Gerar became very envious of him. They teamed up together to drive Isaac away. Their strategy was simple - to fill up the wells of Isaac with dirt and earth. How did Isaac respond? He did not waste his energy defending his wells. He moved away from the city of Gerar and dug a new well. But the herdsmen of Gerar pursued him there too and made an unreasonable claim over the wells for their flocks. He did not confront them although he had every reason to do so. It is interesting to note that Isaac was simply re-digging the wells that belonged to the father. Isaac was a peace-loving person. He preferred not to have strife with the people. So he and his servants moved on and dug another well and the same thing happened. And so they moved on and dug another well again. This time there were no disturbances from the Philistines. No more disputes. No more conflicts. This time he enjoyed rest and peace in this place. So Isaac named it “Rehoboth” which means a large room; a large place. He said the Lord has given us a large place and we will flourish in this land”. What a wonderful confession and declaration.
Perhaps some of at this time us may be facing unwarranted opposition and challenges in our work places, in your businesses or even among your relatives. We may feel we are being bullied and chased from place to place. We may feel being unfairly treated and taken advantage of. There may be some “Philistines” mocking at you and trying to make your life very difficult and even miserable. Take courage from the life of Isaac. If we know we are in the right place and rightly aligned to His purposes and His callings in our lives, we need not follow the methods of the world – defensive and fight to the end. Don’t misunderstand me. Sometime the right thing to do is to dig in and fight. But there are also times when we have to let go and move on. We need wisdom and discernment from God. He will show us what to do as He did for Nehemiah when he was intimidated by Sanballat. He fought the battle with the help of the Lord. Friends, not all battles are worth fighting. There are times God will engage us in spiritual warfare. There are also times He will tell us that the battle belongs to Him. In such times, all we have to do is to stand still and see the glory of God as King Jehoshaphat did. We need to be discerning to the Holy Spirit and do what is right in that situation. The major truth we can learn from Isaac is that God vindicates His servant in the midst of unwarranted opposition and resistance. He brought him to a larger place to flourish.
Conclusion
Are you where God wants you to be? If you are, then hang in there. God is bringing you into your “Rehoboth” – a large place and He will cause you to flourish. He is going to take care of you and allow you to flourish even in the midst of your perplexing and difficult circumstances. We must live by faith and not by sight. To conclude, Isaac’s experiences and responses inspire us to go back to the basics. What are they?
Isaac sought the Lord.
He listened to the Lord.
He obeyed the Lord.
He acted on his faith by sowing seed in the land of famine.
And he prospered. Hallelujah!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
29 May 2009
The Power of the Spoken Word
by Brother Teik
Tonight, brother Teik shares with us his precious daily practice of confessing his faith. We are happy to share his set of 5 declarations here for your reflection and use. Brother Teik prays these at the start and close of the day. What a beautiful way to open and close the day!
I also took the opportunity to do a quick search of the scriptures on the power of the spoken word, and leave the following verses with you:
First of all, God speaks the universe into existence! Genesis 1:3 - Then God said, "Let there be light, and there was light".
Mark 11:22-23 - [Jesus says] That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
John 6:63 - [Jesus says] The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
Proverbs 18:21 The tongue [spoken word] has the power of life and death.
(1) Taken from Dr. David Yonggi-Cho's 4th Dimensional Living in 3rd Dimensional World (pg.18-19)
I believe in Jesus Christ, my personal Saviour and Lord
I received forgiveness through the precious blood of Jesus Christ
I believe in the Holy Spirit who sanctifies me
I believe I shall be healed from sickness
I believe I shall be blessed
I believe in the Resurrection and in everlasting life in heaven
and I believe I'm a citizen of God.
(2) From Brain Bailey's 'Heaven's Glories and the Untold Terrors of Hell' (pg. 202)
Dear Lord, forgive me for my backsliding. Draw me again to You and graciously receive me. Strengthen me and cause me to walk in Thy ways, never again to leave the pathway of righteousness. Amen.
(3) A hymn by Lemmel from the Methodist Hymnal
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of the earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
(4) At the Close of Day (prayer)
O Lord my God, I thank thee that thou has brought this day to its close. I thank thee that thou dost give rest to body and soul. Thy hand has been over me, guarding me and preserving me.
Forgive my feeble faith and all the wrong I have done this day, and help me to forgive all who have wronged me.
Grant that I may sleep in peace beneath thy care and defend me from the temptations of darkness. Into thy hands I commend my loved ones, I commend this household, I commend my body and soul. O God, thy holy name be praised. Amen.
(5) The prayer of Saint Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console
To be understood, as to understand
To be loved, as to love
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
by Brother Teik
Tonight, brother Teik shares with us his precious daily practice of confessing his faith. We are happy to share his set of 5 declarations here for your reflection and use. Brother Teik prays these at the start and close of the day. What a beautiful way to open and close the day!
I also took the opportunity to do a quick search of the scriptures on the power of the spoken word, and leave the following verses with you:
First of all, God speaks the universe into existence! Genesis 1:3 - Then God said, "Let there be light, and there was light".
Mark 11:22-23 - [Jesus says] That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
John 6:63 - [Jesus says] The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
Proverbs 18:21 The tongue [spoken word] has the power of life and death.
(1) Taken from Dr. David Yonggi-Cho's 4th Dimensional Living in 3rd Dimensional World (pg.18-19)
I believe in Jesus Christ, my personal Saviour and Lord
I received forgiveness through the precious blood of Jesus Christ
I believe in the Holy Spirit who sanctifies me
I believe I shall be healed from sickness
I believe I shall be blessed
I believe in the Resurrection and in everlasting life in heaven
and I believe I'm a citizen of God.
(2) From Brain Bailey's 'Heaven's Glories and the Untold Terrors of Hell' (pg. 202)
Dear Lord, forgive me for my backsliding. Draw me again to You and graciously receive me. Strengthen me and cause me to walk in Thy ways, never again to leave the pathway of righteousness. Amen.
(3) A hymn by Lemmel from the Methodist Hymnal
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of the earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
(4) At the Close of Day (prayer)
O Lord my God, I thank thee that thou has brought this day to its close. I thank thee that thou dost give rest to body and soul. Thy hand has been over me, guarding me and preserving me.
Forgive my feeble faith and all the wrong I have done this day, and help me to forgive all who have wronged me.
Grant that I may sleep in peace beneath thy care and defend me from the temptations of darkness. Into thy hands I commend my loved ones, I commend this household, I commend my body and soul. O God, thy holy name be praised. Amen.
(5) The prayer of Saint Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console
To be understood, as to understand
To be loved, as to love
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
22 May 2009
Not by Might, nor by Power...
Reflections on Jeremiah 17:5-8
This evening, we looked at Jeremiah 17:5-8. It talks of two kinds of people - those who trust in human beings and those who trust in God. Or, those who make flesh their strength vs those whose hope is in God.
The truth is, most people have this inclination of trusting in the strength of their flesh. Let's face it - it's a human tendency. We tend to believe in the seen and heard, and find it hard to believe by faith that which is unseen and not very obvious to our natural senses.
The men of God in the bible all had a distinctive quality - they trusted in God, even against huge and impossible odds. We immediately think of King Jehoshaphat and Gideon.
The Prayer of Jehoshaphat is worth meditating on (2 Chronicles 6-12). Perhaps you might like to consider doing this as a personal reflection for the week. As we examine and unpack Jehoshaphat’s prayer, we will find 3 stages, or principles. The first thing Jehoshaphat does in his prayer is he initiates praise; secondly, he identifies the problem, and thirdly, he implores God for help. You may wish to check out the following link for a good study guide on Jehoshaphat's Prayer. http://www.reformedtheology.ca/2chronicles20.htm
"Gideon & his Valiant Three Hundred" is the other remarkable story. God chose Gideon, a young man from an otherwise unremarkable clan from the tribe of Manasseh, to free the people of Israel and to condemn their worship of idols. Gideon started off with 32,000 men in his army. Ironically, God couldn't act when Gideon had this many. It was cut to 10,000, then finally to a mere 300. Could you imagine how Gideon, a rather tentative character, actually felt about being in this situation? His faith prevailed in the end, and the battle was won with 300.
From Jehoshaphat and Gideon, we learn 2 important perspectives -
(a) The battle is not yours but the Lord's. (2 Chronicles 20:15)
(b) The victory is not gained by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts. (Zech 4:6)
We had a good time of sharing this evening, and some key points emerged:
(a) God often gives us challenges and problems that are well beyond us, so that we can learn to trust Him. Indeed, it's usually the case that only when we have come to the end of ourselves that God begins to act. (He's really not in a hurry!)
(b) The simple disciplines of praying and reading the word are paramount and contain the secret to moving mountains! We call these 'disciplines' precisely because it's common to neglect these practices, and we really have to be intentional about it. Start by doing a little each day - do it no matter how little and whether we feel like it or not. God is pleased even if we take very small steps in the right direction, and He will enlarge our steps as we faithfully go along.
(c) The daily act of declaring God's Word and promises ushers the reality of God into our lives. (Teik practices this diligently and will teach us some of his daily declarations this coming Friday!) The world competes with God all the time for our attention, and vey often, we succumb to the attractions this world offers. We trust things that we can see, hear and touch. Actually, God is as real as these things, and it takes someone with a sensitised and awakened spirit to sense God standing next to you all this while. As we press in daily, we will become more sensitive to the presence and leading of God's Spirit. It's worth it and exciting - so let's all press in!
Have a blessed and victorious week! Remember to carve out a little time each day for reflection and pause a little to regain some perspective.
Reflections on Jeremiah 17:5-8
This evening, we looked at Jeremiah 17:5-8. It talks of two kinds of people - those who trust in human beings and those who trust in God. Or, those who make flesh their strength vs those whose hope is in God.
The truth is, most people have this inclination of trusting in the strength of their flesh. Let's face it - it's a human tendency. We tend to believe in the seen and heard, and find it hard to believe by faith that which is unseen and not very obvious to our natural senses.
The men of God in the bible all had a distinctive quality - they trusted in God, even against huge and impossible odds. We immediately think of King Jehoshaphat and Gideon.
The Prayer of Jehoshaphat is worth meditating on (2 Chronicles 6-12). Perhaps you might like to consider doing this as a personal reflection for the week. As we examine and unpack Jehoshaphat’s prayer, we will find 3 stages, or principles. The first thing Jehoshaphat does in his prayer is he initiates praise; secondly, he identifies the problem, and thirdly, he implores God for help. You may wish to check out the following link for a good study guide on Jehoshaphat's Prayer. http://www.reformedtheology.ca/2chronicles20.htm
"Gideon & his Valiant Three Hundred" is the other remarkable story. God chose Gideon, a young man from an otherwise unremarkable clan from the tribe of Manasseh, to free the people of Israel and to condemn their worship of idols. Gideon started off with 32,000 men in his army. Ironically, God couldn't act when Gideon had this many. It was cut to 10,000, then finally to a mere 300. Could you imagine how Gideon, a rather tentative character, actually felt about being in this situation? His faith prevailed in the end, and the battle was won with 300.
From Jehoshaphat and Gideon, we learn 2 important perspectives -
(a) The battle is not yours but the Lord's. (2 Chronicles 20:15)
(b) The victory is not gained by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts. (Zech 4:6)
We had a good time of sharing this evening, and some key points emerged:
(a) God often gives us challenges and problems that are well beyond us, so that we can learn to trust Him. Indeed, it's usually the case that only when we have come to the end of ourselves that God begins to act. (He's really not in a hurry!)
(b) The simple disciplines of praying and reading the word are paramount and contain the secret to moving mountains! We call these 'disciplines' precisely because it's common to neglect these practices, and we really have to be intentional about it. Start by doing a little each day - do it no matter how little and whether we feel like it or not. God is pleased even if we take very small steps in the right direction, and He will enlarge our steps as we faithfully go along.
(c) The daily act of declaring God's Word and promises ushers the reality of God into our lives. (Teik practices this diligently and will teach us some of his daily declarations this coming Friday!) The world competes with God all the time for our attention, and vey often, we succumb to the attractions this world offers. We trust things that we can see, hear and touch. Actually, God is as real as these things, and it takes someone with a sensitised and awakened spirit to sense God standing next to you all this while. As we press in daily, we will become more sensitive to the presence and leading of God's Spirit. It's worth it and exciting - so let's all press in!
Have a blessed and victorious week! Remember to carve out a little time each day for reflection and pause a little to regain some perspective.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
8 May 09
'Love One Another'
This evening, there was no agenda other than just coming together and catching up. It was a return to the basics of fellowship... where we gathered just to share hearts and be there for one another.
Everyone shared what's going well in their lives and what's been challenging, and we joined hands and entreated of the Lord together.
Some of us shared afterwards that it seemed we are growing closer and our corporate prayer seems to have taken on a new quality and momentum. I was heartened by this comment.
It is such a joy and privilege to share lives. When we do, we almost feel that we were made for this.
The Godhead is a community, and community is indeed the ultimate pattern for living. Jesus movingly exhorted... "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)
This evening, there was no agenda other than just coming together and catching up. It was a return to the basics of fellowship... where we gathered just to share hearts and be there for one another.
Everyone shared what's going well in their lives and what's been challenging, and we joined hands and entreated of the Lord together.
Some of us shared afterwards that it seemed we are growing closer and our corporate prayer seems to have taken on a new quality and momentum. I was heartened by this comment.
It is such a joy and privilege to share lives. When we do, we almost feel that we were made for this.
The Godhead is a community, and community is indeed the ultimate pattern for living. Jesus movingly exhorted... "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)
Monday, April 27, 2009
17 April 09 (Week 7 on the theme "Standing on God's Word")
The Mysteries of Christ
By Paul
Paul shared a very interesting message on the 'mysteries of Christ'. He talks about the 6 mysteries and skillfully strings scripture together to present a coherent understanding and fascinating perspectives into the mysteries of Christ...
__________
Unlocking the Mysteries of Christ allow us to understand salvation, the wisdom, and the grace of God in a new way. Being saved is only the first step of the journey to inherit the Kingdom of God, and to be joint heirs with Him. When we understand these mysteries and see their connectivity, it will also help us understand the progression in our spiritual walk that will lead us towards godliness and eternal life in heaven.
Mystery 1 - Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. 1 Cor 2:7 and Eph 3:3. The role of Christ in God's redemptive plan for humankind was a big secret. In fact it was kept as a secret or mystery for such a long time that even the principalities and powers did not know (otherwise they would not have crucified him). God had to keep the purpose of Jesus' life and the significance of His death, a mystery to all, only revealed by the Spirit to the discerning. This is the first step in our eternal journey towards the heavenly Kingdom of God. To acknowledge the power and gift of God, which is Jesus Christ our Redeemer and Saviour.
Mystery 2 - the salvation of the Gentiles. Eph 5:32 and Eph 3:6. As I read the bible, I am so thankful that it was possible for salvation to be given only to the believing Jews and that would have been the end of the matter for everyone else, including the Gentiles. In His mercy and wisdom, the bible tells us that it was also a secret that Christ's death would atone for the sins of the Gentiles, as well as the Jews. The ingrafting of the wild olive branch (Gentiles) to the olive tree (the Jews) will form a new tree - an allegory indicating that the Church of Jesus Christ, His pure and spotless Bride, is the splicing of both Jews and Gentiles as one. This is the second step in our journey where the body is slowly built up. Stone by stone, person by person, from all over the world.
Mystery 3 - the Kingdom of God. Matt 13:11. The bible tells us that the Kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus therefore explained that He had to explain the mystery of the Kingdom, what its like, how to get there etc through parables. Of course, telling interesting stories is one way to get many people's attention, but really the crux is that for the listeners to know exactly what those stories mean - they had to be give revelation by the Holy Spirit. The way we enter into foreign countries and kingdoms today is through road, rail and airplane. To enter the Kingdom of God, one must enter it through the Spirit. This is the third step where our salvation and call will lead us to our heavenly country, our eternal home - the kingdom of God.
Mystery 4 - Christ in us, the Hope of Glory. Col 1:26. Just like Jews in the old days who had to climb the steep slopes up to Jerusalem every year, to ascend the spiritual hill of the Lord will require discipline and sacrifice. Its tough. As we prepare ourselves to enter and claim the Kingdom of God, we must endure persecution and hardship. The good news is we can do it with Christ dwelling in us. His person alone is not sufficient for us to enjoy the benefits of the mysteries revealed, it is Him in us, that is key to receiving glory. This is the fourth step and its very much like the first step. We have to repent of our sins and ask the Lord to enter into our hearts for us to be saved. Only with Him inside us, can we have the hope of glory. There can be no hope of any eternal glory for anyone who does not invite Christ into their heart.
Mystery 5 - the power of Resurrection. 1 Cor 15:51. Some will ask, if I seek after the kingdom of God, and do everything that pleases the Lord, will I have eternal life immediately or will I still pass away in the world. If there is no difference in the outcome compared to other religions, then what are the sacrifices of the Christian life worth? Well, the good news is Resurrection is another great mystery too. We don't know exactly how it works scientifically, but we do know by faith that death will have no grip over us Christians - through Christ, we will enjoy the power of resurrection, and more specifically, the resurrection unto life. This is what counts at the end. The true manifestation and promise of eternal life, is the absence of death. With God, He has promised that temporary physical death or separation will be overturned and a new body will be given to us.
Mystery 6 - the Mystery of Godliness. 1 Tim 3:16.. This kind of starts of, and sums up, the whole topic of the mysteries of Christ. The proof that Christ is real, he is not a ghost or pure spirit being (as was falsely preached by the agnostics), that He as God's plan for salvation also ushers in a new era where we live by the Spirit and not by flesh, He was really revealed to the principalities and powers, He is not just for the Jews etc.
God manifest in the flesh, --> John 1:14
Justified in the Spirit, --> Matt 3:16
Seen by angels, --> Matt 28:32
Preached amongst gentiles, --> Roms 10:18
Believed on in the world, --> Col 1:16
Received up in glory. --> Luke 24:51
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
3 April 09 (Week 6 on the theme "Standing on God's Word")
History's Greatest Master of Metaphors
by Wan Chung
Tonight, we started off by looking at God's instructions for the building of the tabernacle in Exodus 25-31.
We pondered on what these very elaborate instructions tell us about who God is.
Extravant, Grand, Lavish, Detailed, Exacting, Richly-Symbolic...
We picked up on this last one about God's extravagant use of symbols. God uses colours, numbers and things to represent ideas and meanings.
Then, we reflected on how we don't quite see God presenting Himself - grand and glorious - in the NT. Where has this God gone to? Where is the fire, cloud and smoke?
The metaphor has switched from Lion to Lamb...
What is a 'symbol'? A symbol has 2 parts - meaning and expression. The God of the Universe is a God who uses symbols, He is a God who communicates. In the NT, He continues to communicate thru' symbols - except this time, He uses parables, allegories, metaphors, songs - or stories.
In Exodus, God was building a physical temple - He used artisans and physical materials. In the NT, Jesus would build living temples (1 Cor 3:16, 1 Cor 6:19 2 Cor 6:16 ). Transforming lives necessitate the use of relational tools. Jesus used relational tools and strategies to engage, provoke and capture his audience - stories, conversations and lots and lots of questions.
In Exodus and much of the OT, He communicated His glory. In NT times, He communicated His grace.
Jesus is one great fellow of a storyteller. The Gospel is one magnificent story. The Bible, from cover to cover, is one unbroken chain of stories...
Someone said 'The future belongs to the storytellers, especially those who can build stories around arresting metaphors and compelling images'.
Today, we prefer 'analysis' over stories. While analysis is good for control and prediction, story-sensibility is good for understanding meaning and role.
The great Chinese storytellers of old waxed lyrical and enchanted their audience in the teahouses and hidden corners of Yangzhou. Their legacy is the perfected art of storytelling...
Parables
Jesus recognised the power of story. He used parables and indeed purportedly only used these in teaching the masses. He knew that parables would provoke thought and coax his listeners into participating more actively as they consider the parables' ambiguous content.
The parables were simple and memorable enough to survive in an oral tradition before being writen down years after Jesus' death.
Questions
Nowadays, asking questions and conversation have been elevated to the coveted status of 'art'.
McDonalds was created when Ray Kroc asked 'Where can I get a good hamburger on the road?' The Theory of Relativity came about when Einstein asked 'What would the universe look like if I were riding on the end of a light beam at the speed of light?'
If asking good questions is so critical,why don’t most of us spend more of our time and energy on discovering and framing them? Our culture and education system focuses on having the “right answer” rather than discovering the “right question.” Quizzes, examinations, and aptitude
tests all reinforce the value of correct answers. Is it any wonder that most of us are uncomfortable with not knowing? The aversion in our culture to asking creative questions is linked to an emphasis on finding quick fixes and an attachment to black/white, either/or thinking. (Just to stir your thoughts...)
Jesus recognised the power of questions.
Look at Luke 2:46 - Jesus was teaching in the temple, by listening and asking questions. One would typically associated the act of teaching with making statements. But, Jesus listened and asked questions. Jesus asked a total of 82 questions in the book of Matthew!
Now, look at Luke 24:13-35 (Road to Emmaus). 2 short lines in red (Jesus' words - they are open-ended questions) generated long responses from the 2 disciples. Questions are very powerful in provoking thought and reflection. "Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us on the road...?" The disciples later declared. What a powerful declaration! I wonder if I am also able to bring others to this sacred place of self-discovery and conviction...
The challenge I leave with us - How are we able to emulate the example of Jesus by using more stories and questions to build trust and relationships, and to provoke reflection and participation?
Rembrandt told the moving story of the prodigal son (Luke 15) with oil on canvas. This canvas hangs in The Hermitage in St. Petersburg today. Henri Nouwen encountered this story told through the window of art, through a print of it in 1983, and his life was never the same again. The Prodigal Son, with its main cast - the son, the elder brother, the loving father and the joyous community - became a powerful portrayal of a spiritual odyssey for him, which eventually led him to live and serve in a community of mentally handicapped persons.
by Wan Chung
Tonight, we started off by looking at God's instructions for the building of the tabernacle in Exodus 25-31.
We pondered on what these very elaborate instructions tell us about who God is.
Extravant, Grand, Lavish, Detailed, Exacting, Richly-Symbolic...
We picked up on this last one about God's extravagant use of symbols. God uses colours, numbers and things to represent ideas and meanings.
Then, we reflected on how we don't quite see God presenting Himself - grand and glorious - in the NT. Where has this God gone to? Where is the fire, cloud and smoke?
The metaphor has switched from Lion to Lamb...
What is a 'symbol'? A symbol has 2 parts - meaning and expression. The God of the Universe is a God who uses symbols, He is a God who communicates. In the NT, He continues to communicate thru' symbols - except this time, He uses parables, allegories, metaphors, songs - or stories.
In Exodus, God was building a physical temple - He used artisans and physical materials. In the NT, Jesus would build living temples (1 Cor 3:16, 1 Cor 6:19 2 Cor 6:16 ). Transforming lives necessitate the use of relational tools. Jesus used relational tools and strategies to engage, provoke and capture his audience - stories, conversations and lots and lots of questions.
In Exodus and much of the OT, He communicated His glory. In NT times, He communicated His grace.
Jesus is one great fellow of a storyteller. The Gospel is one magnificent story. The Bible, from cover to cover, is one unbroken chain of stories...
Someone said 'The future belongs to the storytellers, especially those who can build stories around arresting metaphors and compelling images'.
Today, we prefer 'analysis' over stories. While analysis is good for control and prediction, story-sensibility is good for understanding meaning and role.
The great Chinese storytellers of old waxed lyrical and enchanted their audience in the teahouses and hidden corners of Yangzhou. Their legacy is the perfected art of storytelling...
Parables
Jesus recognised the power of story. He used parables and indeed purportedly only used these in teaching the masses. He knew that parables would provoke thought and coax his listeners into participating more actively as they consider the parables' ambiguous content.
The parables were simple and memorable enough to survive in an oral tradition before being writen down years after Jesus' death.
Questions
Nowadays, asking questions and conversation have been elevated to the coveted status of 'art'.
McDonalds was created when Ray Kroc asked 'Where can I get a good hamburger on the road?' The Theory of Relativity came about when Einstein asked 'What would the universe look like if I were riding on the end of a light beam at the speed of light?'
If asking good questions is so critical,why don’t most of us spend more of our time and energy on discovering and framing them? Our culture and education system focuses on having the “right answer” rather than discovering the “right question.” Quizzes, examinations, and aptitude
tests all reinforce the value of correct answers. Is it any wonder that most of us are uncomfortable with not knowing? The aversion in our culture to asking creative questions is linked to an emphasis on finding quick fixes and an attachment to black/white, either/or thinking. (Just to stir your thoughts...)
Jesus recognised the power of questions.
Look at Luke 2:46 - Jesus was teaching in the temple, by listening and asking questions. One would typically associated the act of teaching with making statements. But, Jesus listened and asked questions. Jesus asked a total of 82 questions in the book of Matthew!
Now, look at Luke 24:13-35 (Road to Emmaus). 2 short lines in red (Jesus' words - they are open-ended questions) generated long responses from the 2 disciples. Questions are very powerful in provoking thought and reflection. "Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us on the road...?" The disciples later declared. What a powerful declaration! I wonder if I am also able to bring others to this sacred place of self-discovery and conviction...
The challenge I leave with us - How are we able to emulate the example of Jesus by using more stories and questions to build trust and relationships, and to provoke reflection and participation?
Rembrandt told the moving story of the prodigal son (Luke 15) with oil on canvas. This canvas hangs in The Hermitage in St. Petersburg today. Henri Nouwen encountered this story told through the window of art, through a print of it in 1983, and his life was never the same again. The Prodigal Son, with its main cast - the son, the elder brother, the loving father and the joyous community - became a powerful portrayal of a spiritual odyssey for him, which eventually led him to live and serve in a community of mentally handicapped persons.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
27 March 09 (Weeks 4 & 5 on the theme "Standing On God's Word")
Two Fridays ago, most of us were unable to come. It was a small group of 5 in all. Teik shared about the place, purpose and necessity of pain and suffering in our journey. And Kah Lin led in worship.
When I spoke with Michael afterwards, I found out that they had a rather phenomenal time together. It doesn't matter whether the group is big or small, so long as the Lord is present... They also decided to pray in a refreshingly different way - instead of the usual manner of supplication, they declared and appropriated the truth and promises of God with fervour and belief. As a result, God and His promises became very real and they received them in full measure. Praying like this, taking authority as rightful sons and daughters of God, certainly does something to one's faith! Faith literally rises up from within...
This last Friday, the momentum continues...
Susan shared on prayer, specifically the kind of prayer where the things and truths of God are spoken and declared into being. The key is to speak it out. Susan talked about how people are often pursuing the so-called 'rhema word' or the word in season, not realising that the rhema word can also simply be your spoken declaration of the word and promises of God. Your declaration makes the word real in your space and time. Your proclamation in others' lives makes the word real in their lives. We are partners with God to release the Word of Life - the word becomes real when we declare and appropriate it.
(1) Declare (Release) the Word
We don't just think that our families will be saved. We believe (in our hearts) and confess (with our mouths) that our families are saved! And so on...
Some of us who have been enthusiastically devouring Dr Yonggi Cho's The Fourth Dimension, recounted how Cho was in an utterly inadequate capacity at the beginning of his ministry, and how he bottomed out and decided one fine day on to just stand up (even in front of a mirror) and began declaring the promises of the word. How such faith and belief would turn things around for us!
"Declaration breaks Oppression". Resist the subtle advances of the enemy. Don't allow him to keep gaining ground in our lives. Let's take up our rightful authority in Christ, come against the adversary and declare 2 Cor 2:14 - God always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.
So...
let's Read the Word, Declare it aloud, Appropriate it (believing you have received it).
(2) Be Specific in Your Request
Being specific in prayer does reveal our level of trust in the Giver. When we know that the person we ask is able to provide, we tend to be serious in our asking and therefore are specific.
Of course, we could be asking for things from a covetous angle but this is a separate issue. On this, we need to check our motives and go on maturing as Christians, grounding ourselves on the Word and Inspiration of God. As we grow and mature as Christians, what we ask for will quite naturally be aligned with His will. This is the point where the grand promise in Ps 37:4 will come to pass - "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart".
Sometimes, we are hesitant to pray specific prayers because we aren't quite sure if what we are asking for is in line with God's plan for us. So, there may be a tendency to keep our prayers general. This is a reasonable sentiment. The answer?
When I spoke with Michael afterwards, I found out that they had a rather phenomenal time together. It doesn't matter whether the group is big or small, so long as the Lord is present... They also decided to pray in a refreshingly different way - instead of the usual manner of supplication, they declared and appropriated the truth and promises of God with fervour and belief. As a result, God and His promises became very real and they received them in full measure. Praying like this, taking authority as rightful sons and daughters of God, certainly does something to one's faith! Faith literally rises up from within...
This last Friday, the momentum continues...
Susan shared on prayer, specifically the kind of prayer where the things and truths of God are spoken and declared into being. The key is to speak it out. Susan talked about how people are often pursuing the so-called 'rhema word' or the word in season, not realising that the rhema word can also simply be your spoken declaration of the word and promises of God. Your declaration makes the word real in your space and time. Your proclamation in others' lives makes the word real in their lives. We are partners with God to release the Word of Life - the word becomes real when we declare and appropriate it.
(1) Declare (Release) the Word
We don't just think that our families will be saved. We believe (in our hearts) and confess (with our mouths) that our families are saved! And so on...
Some of us who have been enthusiastically devouring Dr Yonggi Cho's The Fourth Dimension, recounted how Cho was in an utterly inadequate capacity at the beginning of his ministry, and how he bottomed out and decided one fine day on to just stand up (even in front of a mirror) and began declaring the promises of the word. How such faith and belief would turn things around for us!
"Declaration breaks Oppression". Resist the subtle advances of the enemy. Don't allow him to keep gaining ground in our lives. Let's take up our rightful authority in Christ, come against the adversary and declare 2 Cor 2:14 - God always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.
So...
let's Read the Word, Declare it aloud, Appropriate it (believing you have received it).
(2) Be Specific in Your Request
Being specific in prayer does reveal our level of trust in the Giver. When we know that the person we ask is able to provide, we tend to be serious in our asking and therefore are specific.
Of course, we could be asking for things from a covetous angle but this is a separate issue. On this, we need to check our motives and go on maturing as Christians, grounding ourselves on the Word and Inspiration of God. As we grow and mature as Christians, what we ask for will quite naturally be aligned with His will. This is the point where the grand promise in Ps 37:4 will come to pass - "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart".
Sometimes, we are hesitant to pray specific prayers because we aren't quite sure if what we are asking for is in line with God's plan for us. So, there may be a tendency to keep our prayers general. This is a reasonable sentiment. The answer?
- Get to know God better and deeply through simple, daily spiritual disciplines, so we begin to understand His ways and plans more clearly.
- Wait on Him, focusing on Him more than the answer we are seeking.
- Let Him know our predicaments (even our struggle to pray specifically over something we are unsure about) and be totally open and honest with Him. He understands, and will give us peace and the way out.
In a more wonderful sense, when we are more utterly lost in wonder (of our infinite God), we may not worry too much about our style of prayer... our very lives become prayer and aroma rising up to Him.
3 passages of scripture were released on Friday. Let's receive these words into our lives. Let's declare these promises aloud, believing the reality or the realness of the message that these verses proclaim, in spite of our present realities or unbelief.
(a) Psalm 37:1-7
1 Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
(b) 2 Cor 1:20
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
(c) 2 Cor 2:14
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
6 March 09 (Week 3 on the theme "Standing on God's Word")
A Word in Season
“But David Encouraged Himself in the Lord” 1 Samuel 30:6
By Joshua Nathan
Introduction
It is a wonderful blessing to be encouraged by others when we face a crisis or an adversity. I thank God for many God’s servants who ministered to me in my low points of my life. But there are times in our lives when we are stripped of everything external and forced to depend solely on the Lord. The Lord may allow such times to come along our way as part His process of maturing us so that we learn what it means to encourage ourselves in the Lord as David did.
David’s Crisis
David went through a terrible crisis just before he was elevated as the King of Israel. This is recorded in 1 Samuel 30. The story begins with David and his 600 men returned to Ziklag. The three-day journey back to Ziklag was exhausting. They were anxious to be reunited with their wives and children. As they arrived at the city, they found the city burned to the ground, their homes destroyed. Their wives and children were kidnapped and taken away. The Amalakites had invaded the city and taken away all that was precious to David and to his men while they were in Aphek.
What a tragic day it was for David and his men. In verse 4, we read “....then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep”. Words could never adequately to express their great sense of loss and grief. If this tragedy was not enough, David was about to face a potential mutiny – we read in V:6 that the men were talking about stoning David for each was bitter in spirit because of their loved ones who were taken captive. And David was greatly distressed.
Why did this happen to David? Did the crisis come upon him because he was living in sin? Was David running away from God? No, he was not. On the contrary, he was walking in the will of God although he did not understand all that was happening to him at this time.
It is important to note that David at this point of time had already been anointed by Samuel to be the next King of Israel. Since then the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit was so evident in his life. Think of what must have gone through David’s mind as he stood over the ruin of his home, not knowing whether his family was alive or dead. Obviously, he must have asked the “Why?’ many times. If God is with me, why did Saul try to kill me? If I am the anointed King, why am I left to wander in this wilderness living from cave to cave, harassed, haunted down and living on handouts? And now, the Amalakites had taken away all that are precious to me. Why, me Lord? What have I done to deserve all these? We would ask the same questions if we are in similar situations. It is nothing wrong to ask these questions in the midst of perplexing situations.
David’s Response
With all these questions going through his mind, David was left alone. No one was there to comfort him, not even his best friend Jonathan. He was left alone to fend himself. Deep down in his heart, he knew he has been called, anointed and being raised to be the leader despite all the difficult circumstances he was going through. Can he afford to be discouraged and quit? Can he falter at this adversity and miss the blessing God has for him? What would be the repercussion on the 600 men who surrounded and supported him in the wilderness all this time? What would happen to the future of Israel? It was indeed a severe testing for David. He was at the brink of a breakthrough that would lead him to his destiny. But he had to make the right choice. So, how did he respond?
We read at the end of V:6 that “But David encouraged himself in the Lord” The NIV version reads, “But David found strength in the Lord his God”. It did not say “David encouraged himself”. How could an emotionally, physically and mentally drained and exhausted person encourage himself? We all know that it is not possible. He was very weak and at the lowest point of his life. What we read is that David encouraged himself in the Lord. Our God is the God of all comfort. What did he do? Verse 7 reads that he took a harp, retreated to a solitary place and began to sing songs of praise to God. They were not songs of his emotional state of sadness, grief or distress. Neither was he lamenting or bemoaning over his situation. Nothing was mentioned that David sang how he plunged himself into a valley of self-pity. Instead, David sang songs of the majesty and the power of God. He sang of the creator who had spoken the worlds into existence. He sang of the deliverer who gave him victories over the lion, the bear, Goliath and the Philistines. They were songs goodness, mercy and kindness of God.
Through this glorious time of praise and worship, David turned his attention away from his circumstances to the El-Shaddi – the almighty God. His response and actions speaks much about his character. The Bible describes him as a man who is after God’s own heart. In the midst of uncertainty and upheaval, God was David’s only constant. He knew God is above all. He knew that He is sovereign and in control over all the circumstances over his life.
Psalm 34, which was composed much earlier, further illustrates how David encouraged himself in the Lord during his low points in his life. These were the times when he had to hide from cave to cave to escape the wrath of King Saul and his soldiers. Psalm 34 was composed by David during such dark times in his life. The first three verses have been a great source of inspiration to many throughout ages. Verse 1 reads, “ I will bless the Lord at all times” – The key words are “I will” and “all times” – good times, bad times, great times and terrible times. He did not let his feelings to distract his view of God. He used his will to bless the Lord. The next verse reads, “His praise shall be in my mouth continually” – what a good way to keep complaining and grumbling confessions away from our mouths. The third verse is even more inspiring – “O magnify the Lord with me”. What does “magnify” means? It means to enlarge an object or make it bigger in perspective. When we magnify something with a magnifying glass, microscope, or telescope, we don’t change the reality of the object. We can’t make God any bigger than He already is, but we can magnify our perspective of God.
Do not magnify the devil. Do not magnify the negative circumstances. Do not magnify your troubles by analysing them with a magnifying glass. These will surely lead you to the pit of discouragement, despondency and eventually to depression. Instead, in the midst of your troubles and negative circumstances, magnify the Lord – speak of His greatness, His power, His might. Talk about how big our God is. When we make our God bigger, we make our problem smaller. This is the essence of David’s praise behind the lyrics, “O Magnify the Lord with me”.
David’s Victory
Tough times do not last long so long as we fix our eyes on the Lord and praise Him. David responded by magnifying His God and not his troubles. The Lord was pleased with his sacrifice of praise. In verse 8, we read, “So David inquired of the Lord saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them? And He answered him. “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all”. All that God spoke to David came to pass. God gave him a resounding victory over the Amalakites. In verse 19, we read, “And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them. David recovered all”. What a great victory. He and his men were reunited to their families. There was much celebration in the camp.
Conclusion
No matter how dark, hopeless and bleak the future may look, God’s people are to encourage themselves in the Lord and rest in His great and precious promises. This is particularly important now as the world around us is plunging into a severe economic crisis. There is mush despair in the air. But we need not be shaken nor overwhelmed because we are the redeemed children of the almighty God. He is our Father. He will provide for us and even prosper us even in the midst of famine like in the days of Isaac.
Praise the Lord at all times. The devil comes to steal our joy. His scheme is to demoralise us. He knows that when we are weak, we cannot be effective in serving God. He entices the believer into morbid introspection. His aim is to paralyse us through depression. He is prowling around like a roaring lion ready to prey upon any one to deceive them. What must we do? We ought to discern the enemy’s schemes, take courage, pick ourselves and start praising the Lord even if you don’t feel like doing them. David passed the test as he stood at the brink of a blessing. He encouraged himself in the Lord despite the adversity. May we learn from King David and apply this principle in our daily life. Amen!
“But David Encouraged Himself in the Lord” 1 Samuel 30:6
By Joshua Nathan
Introduction
It is a wonderful blessing to be encouraged by others when we face a crisis or an adversity. I thank God for many God’s servants who ministered to me in my low points of my life. But there are times in our lives when we are stripped of everything external and forced to depend solely on the Lord. The Lord may allow such times to come along our way as part His process of maturing us so that we learn what it means to encourage ourselves in the Lord as David did.
David’s Crisis
David went through a terrible crisis just before he was elevated as the King of Israel. This is recorded in 1 Samuel 30. The story begins with David and his 600 men returned to Ziklag. The three-day journey back to Ziklag was exhausting. They were anxious to be reunited with their wives and children. As they arrived at the city, they found the city burned to the ground, their homes destroyed. Their wives and children were kidnapped and taken away. The Amalakites had invaded the city and taken away all that was precious to David and to his men while they were in Aphek.
What a tragic day it was for David and his men. In verse 4, we read “....then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep”. Words could never adequately to express their great sense of loss and grief. If this tragedy was not enough, David was about to face a potential mutiny – we read in V:6 that the men were talking about stoning David for each was bitter in spirit because of their loved ones who were taken captive. And David was greatly distressed.
Why did this happen to David? Did the crisis come upon him because he was living in sin? Was David running away from God? No, he was not. On the contrary, he was walking in the will of God although he did not understand all that was happening to him at this time.
It is important to note that David at this point of time had already been anointed by Samuel to be the next King of Israel. Since then the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit was so evident in his life. Think of what must have gone through David’s mind as he stood over the ruin of his home, not knowing whether his family was alive or dead. Obviously, he must have asked the “Why?’ many times. If God is with me, why did Saul try to kill me? If I am the anointed King, why am I left to wander in this wilderness living from cave to cave, harassed, haunted down and living on handouts? And now, the Amalakites had taken away all that are precious to me. Why, me Lord? What have I done to deserve all these? We would ask the same questions if we are in similar situations. It is nothing wrong to ask these questions in the midst of perplexing situations.
David’s Response
With all these questions going through his mind, David was left alone. No one was there to comfort him, not even his best friend Jonathan. He was left alone to fend himself. Deep down in his heart, he knew he has been called, anointed and being raised to be the leader despite all the difficult circumstances he was going through. Can he afford to be discouraged and quit? Can he falter at this adversity and miss the blessing God has for him? What would be the repercussion on the 600 men who surrounded and supported him in the wilderness all this time? What would happen to the future of Israel? It was indeed a severe testing for David. He was at the brink of a breakthrough that would lead him to his destiny. But he had to make the right choice. So, how did he respond?
We read at the end of V:6 that “But David encouraged himself in the Lord” The NIV version reads, “But David found strength in the Lord his God”. It did not say “David encouraged himself”. How could an emotionally, physically and mentally drained and exhausted person encourage himself? We all know that it is not possible. He was very weak and at the lowest point of his life. What we read is that David encouraged himself in the Lord. Our God is the God of all comfort. What did he do? Verse 7 reads that he took a harp, retreated to a solitary place and began to sing songs of praise to God. They were not songs of his emotional state of sadness, grief or distress. Neither was he lamenting or bemoaning over his situation. Nothing was mentioned that David sang how he plunged himself into a valley of self-pity. Instead, David sang songs of the majesty and the power of God. He sang of the creator who had spoken the worlds into existence. He sang of the deliverer who gave him victories over the lion, the bear, Goliath and the Philistines. They were songs goodness, mercy and kindness of God.
Through this glorious time of praise and worship, David turned his attention away from his circumstances to the El-Shaddi – the almighty God. His response and actions speaks much about his character. The Bible describes him as a man who is after God’s own heart. In the midst of uncertainty and upheaval, God was David’s only constant. He knew God is above all. He knew that He is sovereign and in control over all the circumstances over his life.
Psalm 34, which was composed much earlier, further illustrates how David encouraged himself in the Lord during his low points in his life. These were the times when he had to hide from cave to cave to escape the wrath of King Saul and his soldiers. Psalm 34 was composed by David during such dark times in his life. The first three verses have been a great source of inspiration to many throughout ages. Verse 1 reads, “ I will bless the Lord at all times” – The key words are “I will” and “all times” – good times, bad times, great times and terrible times. He did not let his feelings to distract his view of God. He used his will to bless the Lord. The next verse reads, “His praise shall be in my mouth continually” – what a good way to keep complaining and grumbling confessions away from our mouths. The third verse is even more inspiring – “O magnify the Lord with me”. What does “magnify” means? It means to enlarge an object or make it bigger in perspective. When we magnify something with a magnifying glass, microscope, or telescope, we don’t change the reality of the object. We can’t make God any bigger than He already is, but we can magnify our perspective of God.
Do not magnify the devil. Do not magnify the negative circumstances. Do not magnify your troubles by analysing them with a magnifying glass. These will surely lead you to the pit of discouragement, despondency and eventually to depression. Instead, in the midst of your troubles and negative circumstances, magnify the Lord – speak of His greatness, His power, His might. Talk about how big our God is. When we make our God bigger, we make our problem smaller. This is the essence of David’s praise behind the lyrics, “O Magnify the Lord with me”.
David’s Victory
Tough times do not last long so long as we fix our eyes on the Lord and praise Him. David responded by magnifying His God and not his troubles. The Lord was pleased with his sacrifice of praise. In verse 8, we read, “So David inquired of the Lord saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them? And He answered him. “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all”. All that God spoke to David came to pass. God gave him a resounding victory over the Amalakites. In verse 19, we read, “And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them. David recovered all”. What a great victory. He and his men were reunited to their families. There was much celebration in the camp.
Conclusion
No matter how dark, hopeless and bleak the future may look, God’s people are to encourage themselves in the Lord and rest in His great and precious promises. This is particularly important now as the world around us is plunging into a severe economic crisis. There is mush despair in the air. But we need not be shaken nor overwhelmed because we are the redeemed children of the almighty God. He is our Father. He will provide for us and even prosper us even in the midst of famine like in the days of Isaac.
Praise the Lord at all times. The devil comes to steal our joy. His scheme is to demoralise us. He knows that when we are weak, we cannot be effective in serving God. He entices the believer into morbid introspection. His aim is to paralyse us through depression. He is prowling around like a roaring lion ready to prey upon any one to deceive them. What must we do? We ought to discern the enemy’s schemes, take courage, pick ourselves and start praising the Lord even if you don’t feel like doing them. David passed the test as he stood at the brink of a blessing. He encouraged himself in the Lord despite the adversity. May we learn from King David and apply this principle in our daily life. Amen!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
27 February 2009 (Week 2 on the theme "Standing on God's Word")
For the Least of my Brothers...
Over the past weeks, there has been a growing conviction and desire among a number of us to want to seriously consider how we as a community of God's people can put our hearts, minds and hands together to reach out and serve people in need.
At the last cell cluster meeting, Ps. Lip Yong talked about offering our friendship and service to those affected by the current financial crisis, and more broadly on giving of ourselves to the Lord's work among the less fortunate.
When we finally arranged for a discussion on Friday to explore what we could do, there was such a refreshing excitement and purposefulness - which came through all your enthusiastic responses!
There was such an 'agreement' and convergence of hearts, and the Lord did seem very present with us.
A number of us have been helping others in our own personal ways. We now would like to consider doing something together as well.
We had a good initial brainstorming session on Friday. Quite a few of us expressed a heart and preference for children in need. Crisis evangelism and befriending were other emerging themes. Let's continue to pray together and ask God to reveal His specific plan to us.
On Sat morning, Joshua and I had an opportunity to chat and he shared some interesting thoughts. He will be sharing with us on Friday. In the afternoon, Simon gave me 2 passages of scripture which he has been meditating on and which are compelling him to want to do something about it - Isa 58:6-9 & Matt 25:31-46 .
I believe the Lord is exulting us to join hands with Him to attend to that which weighs most upon His heart - service to the poor. We may want to give some time to reflect on these verses this week. I do sense we are on the brink of a new work that the Lord wants to do with and through us, and humbly ask us to continue to keep our fellowship and impending work in much prayer.
Isaiah 58:6-9 (Fasting that Pleases God)
6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "
Matt 25:31-46 (The Sheep & the Goats)
31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Over the past weeks, there has been a growing conviction and desire among a number of us to want to seriously consider how we as a community of God's people can put our hearts, minds and hands together to reach out and serve people in need.
At the last cell cluster meeting, Ps. Lip Yong talked about offering our friendship and service to those affected by the current financial crisis, and more broadly on giving of ourselves to the Lord's work among the less fortunate.
When we finally arranged for a discussion on Friday to explore what we could do, there was such a refreshing excitement and purposefulness - which came through all your enthusiastic responses!
There was such an 'agreement' and convergence of hearts, and the Lord did seem very present with us.
A number of us have been helping others in our own personal ways. We now would like to consider doing something together as well.
We had a good initial brainstorming session on Friday. Quite a few of us expressed a heart and preference for children in need. Crisis evangelism and befriending were other emerging themes. Let's continue to pray together and ask God to reveal His specific plan to us.
On Sat morning, Joshua and I had an opportunity to chat and he shared some interesting thoughts. He will be sharing with us on Friday. In the afternoon, Simon gave me 2 passages of scripture which he has been meditating on and which are compelling him to want to do something about it - Isa 58:6-9 & Matt 25:31-46 .
I believe the Lord is exulting us to join hands with Him to attend to that which weighs most upon His heart - service to the poor. We may want to give some time to reflect on these verses this week. I do sense we are on the brink of a new work that the Lord wants to do with and through us, and humbly ask us to continue to keep our fellowship and impending work in much prayer.
Isaiah 58:6-9 (Fasting that Pleases God)
6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "
Matt 25:31-46 (The Sheep & the Goats)
31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Friday, January 23, 2009
23 Jan 09 (Week 1 on the theme "Standing on God's Word")
God's Medicine Bottle (Derek Prince)
Wan Chung
Recently, Michael gave me a book called "God's Medicine Bottle" by Derek Prince. Some of you may have heard of this book before. When I received it, little did I know that it's going to impact me in a rather significant way. Derek writes with such powerful simplicity and exhorts us not to be double-minded as we read God's Word but to take it as meaning exactly what it says.
The whole book is written based on Proverbs 4:20-22. Herein lies a whole treatise of what standing on God's Word is about. In a moment of inspiration, and through a quick round of confirmation amongst some of us last evening, we all agreed to move on to our new theme "Standing on God's Word". Michael will lead us into this new theme next Friday.
The following are some of the key ideas in this wonderful little book. A detailed summary of my sharing is also provided below. The best thing would still be to get yourself a copy of this book and be blessed!
a. God’s Word works in us insofar as we receive it. If we don’t receive it, it doesn’t do us any good.
b. God is bigger than all our understanding and prejudices. Don’t make God so small that He can’t help you.
c. If your eyes are simple or sincere, you see things the way they are. This is just the way to read God's Word and take it simply as it says.
d. Keep God’s Words in the central place of your life and personality. They are going to affect the whole way you live. (Amazing!)
______________
Proverbs 4:20-22
My son, attend to my words;
Incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Let them not depart from thine eyes;
Keep them in the midst of thine heart.
For they are life unto those that find them,
And health to all their flesh.
1. Attend to my words.
· Firstly, reading God's Word requires our ‘Undivided Attention’
· People nowadays suffer from a disease called undivided attention. (mass media of today pervades our time and space)
· It’s important what we listen to as well as how.
· Mark 4:24 – Take heed what you hear
· Luke 8:18 – Take heed how you hear
· Exodus 15:26 – If you will diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God,…
· Diligently heed, in Hebrew, is to ‘listen listeningly’
· What does it mean to ‘listeningly listen’ – to listen to God with both ears, not one to God and another to something else (worldly influence)
· Consider the interesting Chinese Character “to listen”. (Just google "Chinese Character to Listen" through the Google 'Images' search engine)
· Primary instruction on God’s Medicine Bottle is to give God undivided attention – it matters what we hear and how we hear. Listen to the Word until we hear God.
· Hearing is key to receiving not just Biblical Healing but Faith as well.
· Romans 10:17 - Faith cometh by hearing (Derek earlier felt he didn’t have faith). Doesn’t matter. Faith cometh when we hear the Word of God.
2. Incline thine ear
· “Incline” – Old English. Means to bend down. Incline is a hill that slopes down.
· Fact of the human body is that we cannot bend ear without bending head down.
· This means Humility and Teachability.
· Derek felt God’s promises were too good to be true. (pg 31) Derek had a deep-seated belief that being Christian is equated with a miserable life.
· Until God asked him “Who is the pupil and who is the teacher?”
· He wasn’t letting God teach him. His preconceptions were in the way.
· Incline thine ear – means to give up our prejudices, bend that stiff neck of ours, and He will show us how good He is and how wonderful is the provision He has made for us.
· God’s word works in us insofar as we receive it. If we don’t receive it, it doesn’t do us any good.
· Lay aside naughtiness. Don’t answer God back. Let Him teach you.
· Essence of the inclined ear – God you are the teacher, I am the pupil. I am willing to let you teach me. I bow down my ear and listen.
· God is bigger than all our understanding and prejudices. Don’t make God so small that He can’t help you. Incline your ear and let him tell you how much He’s willing to do for you.
3. Let them not depart from thine eyes
· Key thought – “focus”
· Unique about humans – we have 2 eyes, but when we focus we can form 1 image
· Incorrect focus produces blurred vision.
· This is the problem with many in the spiritual realm – not yet learnt to focus their spiritual eyesight, so their vision of spiritual things is blurred.
· Most people have impression that the spiritual world is misty, half-real, vague, unformed.
· Luke 11:34 – The light of the body is the eye, therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body is full of light; when thy eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
· ‘When thine eye is single’ – we form a single focus or image. Not looking in 2 directions
· Beautiful Promise – Thy whole body is full of light. Body full of light does not have room for sickness. Health comes from light – Malachi 4:2 – But unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healings in his wings.
· “Single” in Greek means “Simple” or “Sincere”. If your eyes are simple or sincere, you see things the way they are.
· Barriers to simplicity and sincerity – rationalization and sophistication.
· Derek – I could be clever and stay sick or I could be simple and get healed.
· He was glad that he became simple enough to get healed.
· 1 Cor 1:25 – The foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is wiser than men.
· Have a single, simple eye. Read the bible as it is, and take it as meaning what it says.
4. Keep them in the midst of thine heart
· A key principle of education states that there’s something called a ear gate and an eye gate. Need to engage students through both gates, then it will get into their hearts. When it gets into their hearts, positive results will follow. (God anticipated the psychology of modern education!)
· When you take medicine, if doesn’t get into bloodstream, then it’s not going to do what it’s supposed to do.
· The previous 3 directions have to do with getting the medicine to where it will do what it promised – the HEART.
· Prov 4:23. Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
· What you have in your heart will determine all that you experience in life. If you have the right thing in your heart, your life will go right. If you have the wrong thing in your heart, your life will go wrong.
· Keep God’s Words in the central place of your life and personality. They are going to affect the whole way you live.
· Hebrews 4:12 – God’s Word penetrates. It can penetrate into every illness and every problem you face – where doctors, psychiatrists do not have the solution, God’s Word will get there.
CONCLUSION
What is important is that we take God’s Word the way He Himself requires that we take it.
1. We must take it with our undivided attention and with a humble/teachable attitude.
2. We must lay down our barriers of prejudice and preconception.
3. Look at God’s Word with a single, sincere wholehearted eye.
We do not want to quibble, we do not want to theorise too much. We must take God’s Word as meaning what it says. We must lay down the barriers of rationalization and sophistication, and then we can let it (God’s Word) enter and do its work.
Wan Chung
Recently, Michael gave me a book called "God's Medicine Bottle" by Derek Prince. Some of you may have heard of this book before. When I received it, little did I know that it's going to impact me in a rather significant way. Derek writes with such powerful simplicity and exhorts us not to be double-minded as we read God's Word but to take it as meaning exactly what it says.
The whole book is written based on Proverbs 4:20-22. Herein lies a whole treatise of what standing on God's Word is about. In a moment of inspiration, and through a quick round of confirmation amongst some of us last evening, we all agreed to move on to our new theme "Standing on God's Word". Michael will lead us into this new theme next Friday.
The following are some of the key ideas in this wonderful little book. A detailed summary of my sharing is also provided below. The best thing would still be to get yourself a copy of this book and be blessed!
a. God’s Word works in us insofar as we receive it. If we don’t receive it, it doesn’t do us any good.
b. God is bigger than all our understanding and prejudices. Don’t make God so small that He can’t help you.
c. If your eyes are simple or sincere, you see things the way they are. This is just the way to read God's Word and take it simply as it says.
d. Keep God’s Words in the central place of your life and personality. They are going to affect the whole way you live. (Amazing!)
______________
Proverbs 4:20-22
My son, attend to my words;
Incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Let them not depart from thine eyes;
Keep them in the midst of thine heart.
For they are life unto those that find them,
And health to all their flesh.
1. Attend to my words.
· Firstly, reading God's Word requires our ‘Undivided Attention’
· People nowadays suffer from a disease called undivided attention. (mass media of today pervades our time and space)
· It’s important what we listen to as well as how.
· Mark 4:24 – Take heed what you hear
· Luke 8:18 – Take heed how you hear
· Exodus 15:26 – If you will diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God,…
· Diligently heed, in Hebrew, is to ‘listen listeningly’
· What does it mean to ‘listeningly listen’ – to listen to God with both ears, not one to God and another to something else (worldly influence)
· Consider the interesting Chinese Character “to listen”. (Just google "Chinese Character to Listen" through the Google 'Images' search engine)
· Primary instruction on God’s Medicine Bottle is to give God undivided attention – it matters what we hear and how we hear. Listen to the Word until we hear God.
· Hearing is key to receiving not just Biblical Healing but Faith as well.
· Romans 10:17 - Faith cometh by hearing (Derek earlier felt he didn’t have faith). Doesn’t matter. Faith cometh when we hear the Word of God.
2. Incline thine ear
· “Incline” – Old English. Means to bend down. Incline is a hill that slopes down.
· Fact of the human body is that we cannot bend ear without bending head down.
· This means Humility and Teachability.
· Derek felt God’s promises were too good to be true. (pg 31) Derek had a deep-seated belief that being Christian is equated with a miserable life.
· Until God asked him “Who is the pupil and who is the teacher?”
· He wasn’t letting God teach him. His preconceptions were in the way.
· Incline thine ear – means to give up our prejudices, bend that stiff neck of ours, and He will show us how good He is and how wonderful is the provision He has made for us.
· God’s word works in us insofar as we receive it. If we don’t receive it, it doesn’t do us any good.
· Lay aside naughtiness. Don’t answer God back. Let Him teach you.
· Essence of the inclined ear – God you are the teacher, I am the pupil. I am willing to let you teach me. I bow down my ear and listen.
· God is bigger than all our understanding and prejudices. Don’t make God so small that He can’t help you. Incline your ear and let him tell you how much He’s willing to do for you.
3. Let them not depart from thine eyes
· Key thought – “focus”
· Unique about humans – we have 2 eyes, but when we focus we can form 1 image
· Incorrect focus produces blurred vision.
· This is the problem with many in the spiritual realm – not yet learnt to focus their spiritual eyesight, so their vision of spiritual things is blurred.
· Most people have impression that the spiritual world is misty, half-real, vague, unformed.
· Luke 11:34 – The light of the body is the eye, therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body is full of light; when thy eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
· ‘When thine eye is single’ – we form a single focus or image. Not looking in 2 directions
· Beautiful Promise – Thy whole body is full of light. Body full of light does not have room for sickness. Health comes from light – Malachi 4:2 – But unto you that fear my name, shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healings in his wings.
· “Single” in Greek means “Simple” or “Sincere”. If your eyes are simple or sincere, you see things the way they are.
· Barriers to simplicity and sincerity – rationalization and sophistication.
· Derek – I could be clever and stay sick or I could be simple and get healed.
· He was glad that he became simple enough to get healed.
· 1 Cor 1:25 – The foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is wiser than men.
· Have a single, simple eye. Read the bible as it is, and take it as meaning what it says.
4. Keep them in the midst of thine heart
· A key principle of education states that there’s something called a ear gate and an eye gate. Need to engage students through both gates, then it will get into their hearts. When it gets into their hearts, positive results will follow. (God anticipated the psychology of modern education!)
· When you take medicine, if doesn’t get into bloodstream, then it’s not going to do what it’s supposed to do.
· The previous 3 directions have to do with getting the medicine to where it will do what it promised – the HEART.
· Prov 4:23. Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
· What you have in your heart will determine all that you experience in life. If you have the right thing in your heart, your life will go right. If you have the wrong thing in your heart, your life will go wrong.
· Keep God’s Words in the central place of your life and personality. They are going to affect the whole way you live.
· Hebrews 4:12 – God’s Word penetrates. It can penetrate into every illness and every problem you face – where doctors, psychiatrists do not have the solution, God’s Word will get there.
CONCLUSION
What is important is that we take God’s Word the way He Himself requires that we take it.
1. We must take it with our undivided attention and with a humble/teachable attitude.
2. We must lay down our barriers of prejudice and preconception.
3. Look at God’s Word with a single, sincere wholehearted eye.
We do not want to quibble, we do not want to theorise too much. We must take God’s Word as meaning what it says. We must lay down the barriers of rationalization and sophistication, and then we can let it (God’s Word) enter and do its work.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
16 Jan 09 (Week 4 on the theme "Prayer & Intercession")
Do not give up, pray through until a breakthrough
Joshua Nathan
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” Ephesians 6: 18
Introduction
It is normal to give up praying when answers to our prayers are not forthcoming or there seems to be no intervention of God in a specific area which is being prayed for earnestly. We may miss the blessing from God because we easily give up praying although the answer is just around the corner. Ephesians exhorts us to “pray with all perseverance”. Eph 6:18. Throughout his ministry, Jesus emphasized the importance of persistent praying. What is persistent praying? It means that we must not only pray, but we must pray with intensity. We must pray with urgency. We must pray with repetition. We must not get tired of praying. We must be earnest, thorough and deeply concerned about the things we are praying for.
“Will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out day and night”
Jesus spoke about persistent prayer through two parables. The first is recorded in Luke 18: 1-8. He told his disciples this parable to show them that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. The parable is about how a widow in a crisis managed to change the heart of an unjust judge who did not fear God and man. Her victory was her persistent asking. If the unjust judge could respond to the persistence of a helpless widow, how much more our father in Heaven who is just, perfect and compassionate would respond to us no matter how long we tarry in prayer. “...will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out day and night”. How much more our Father would come to our rescue to heal, deliver and restore us when we cry out day and night in any crisis?
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you
The second parable is recorded in Luke 11:5-8. It is about a man who goes to his friend at midnight and asked for three loaves of bread. Although it is an odd time and is likely to cause some inconvenience to him and his family, the insistence and the boldness of the requester moves his heart. He gets up and gives him the bread because he is his friend. There is an initial reluctance to get up. But the man stays and continues to ask and he gets what he wants. After telling the parable, Jesus went on to speak about the steps in persistence prayer, “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you”. V: 9. No matter how tempting it is to give up, we are exhorted to keep asking, keep seeking and keep knocking until the door of heaven opens.
“I will not let you go until you bless me”
In Genesis 32:24-28 we read about the incident where Jacob wrestled with God throughout the night. This is a beautiful picture of one who travails in prayer until the Lord touches and blesses Him. Jacob was physically and emotionally exhausted through his all night wrestling with God. But he did not release his hold on God. He clung to Him tightly and said, “ I will not let you go unless you bless me”. V: 26. The outcome was life transforming. God changed his character, his name, his attitude and even the attitude of his brother Esau. More importantly, God made Jacob to be a blessing to Israel through this encounter. May we persist in our prayer against all odds until we see the break-through and receive the blessings.
“An abundance of rain”
Another lesson of blessing of persistent prayer can be learnt from how Elijah prayed for rain seven times during a season of severe famine and drought in the land. 1 Kings 18:41-45. It was said about Elijah that “he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees and prayed earnestly for rain to pour upon the land. His servant reported 6 times that there was no sign of any rain coming. But he did not give up praying. And the breakthrough came on the seventh time when he prayed. “the seventh time the servant reported , “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the seas”. V: 44. Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain came...V:45.
Friends, do not give up praying over your situation. The raincloud is being formed while you are praying. And the rain is coming. Press in with your persistent prayer. Do not give up. He will come and save you. Lift your eyes and see. He will surely come and save you. Amen!
Joshua Nathan
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” Ephesians 6: 18
Introduction
It is normal to give up praying when answers to our prayers are not forthcoming or there seems to be no intervention of God in a specific area which is being prayed for earnestly. We may miss the blessing from God because we easily give up praying although the answer is just around the corner. Ephesians exhorts us to “pray with all perseverance”. Eph 6:18. Throughout his ministry, Jesus emphasized the importance of persistent praying. What is persistent praying? It means that we must not only pray, but we must pray with intensity. We must pray with urgency. We must pray with repetition. We must not get tired of praying. We must be earnest, thorough and deeply concerned about the things we are praying for.
“Will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out day and night”
Jesus spoke about persistent prayer through two parables. The first is recorded in Luke 18: 1-8. He told his disciples this parable to show them that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. The parable is about how a widow in a crisis managed to change the heart of an unjust judge who did not fear God and man. Her victory was her persistent asking. If the unjust judge could respond to the persistence of a helpless widow, how much more our father in Heaven who is just, perfect and compassionate would respond to us no matter how long we tarry in prayer. “...will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out day and night”. How much more our Father would come to our rescue to heal, deliver and restore us when we cry out day and night in any crisis?
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you
The second parable is recorded in Luke 11:5-8. It is about a man who goes to his friend at midnight and asked for three loaves of bread. Although it is an odd time and is likely to cause some inconvenience to him and his family, the insistence and the boldness of the requester moves his heart. He gets up and gives him the bread because he is his friend. There is an initial reluctance to get up. But the man stays and continues to ask and he gets what he wants. After telling the parable, Jesus went on to speak about the steps in persistence prayer, “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you”. V: 9. No matter how tempting it is to give up, we are exhorted to keep asking, keep seeking and keep knocking until the door of heaven opens.
“I will not let you go until you bless me”
In Genesis 32:24-28 we read about the incident where Jacob wrestled with God throughout the night. This is a beautiful picture of one who travails in prayer until the Lord touches and blesses Him. Jacob was physically and emotionally exhausted through his all night wrestling with God. But he did not release his hold on God. He clung to Him tightly and said, “ I will not let you go unless you bless me”. V: 26. The outcome was life transforming. God changed his character, his name, his attitude and even the attitude of his brother Esau. More importantly, God made Jacob to be a blessing to Israel through this encounter. May we persist in our prayer against all odds until we see the break-through and receive the blessings.
“An abundance of rain”
Another lesson of blessing of persistent prayer can be learnt from how Elijah prayed for rain seven times during a season of severe famine and drought in the land. 1 Kings 18:41-45. It was said about Elijah that “he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees and prayed earnestly for rain to pour upon the land. His servant reported 6 times that there was no sign of any rain coming. But he did not give up praying. And the breakthrough came on the seventh time when he prayed. “the seventh time the servant reported , “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the seas”. V: 44. Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain came...V:45.
Friends, do not give up praying over your situation. The raincloud is being formed while you are praying. And the rain is coming. Press in with your persistent prayer. Do not give up. He will come and save you. Lift your eyes and see. He will surely come and save you. Amen!
Monday, January 5, 2009
2 Jan 09 (Prayer Meeting)
Only a handful of us were able to meet tonight, but the presence of God was certainly with us and He was ready to see and hear what we would bring to our meeting with one another and Him on this second day of 2009.
We agreed earlier that tonight was to be a time of worship, prayer and intercession for our loved ones and dear friends. We start our humble prayer movement from here, and move on as the Lord will lead us. At this point, I don't have a clear and specific view of what is to come as we embark on this journey as a fellowship. But perhaps, many a God-led journey are of this nature. God loves (to plan) surprises and hearts wholly yielded to Him. I am reminded of 2 verses:
Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.
Tonight, the six of us (+ 2 kids colouring in the background) prayed by name for our loved ones. We all felt that it was a simple yet very special thing to the Lord to present by name our loved ones to Him. We asked God to include these names in the Lamb's Book of Life. At the end of our meeting, we were quite surprised to realise that we probably prayed for over 50 individuals by name!
Let us press on. Let's continue to fervently pray effective prayers while we live righteous lives for 'The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much' (James 5:16).
As we enter into a season, indeed a movement, of prayer, let's strive to know what makes a prayer powerful and effective, and learn to pray such prayers.
[Michael shared a beautiful 'The Lord's Prayer Movie' which is in Useful Resources. May you enjoy it and perhaps discover some new insights.]
We agreed earlier that tonight was to be a time of worship, prayer and intercession for our loved ones and dear friends. We start our humble prayer movement from here, and move on as the Lord will lead us. At this point, I don't have a clear and specific view of what is to come as we embark on this journey as a fellowship. But perhaps, many a God-led journey are of this nature. God loves (to plan) surprises and hearts wholly yielded to Him. I am reminded of 2 verses:
Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.
Tonight, the six of us (+ 2 kids colouring in the background) prayed by name for our loved ones. We all felt that it was a simple yet very special thing to the Lord to present by name our loved ones to Him. We asked God to include these names in the Lamb's Book of Life. At the end of our meeting, we were quite surprised to realise that we probably prayed for over 50 individuals by name!
Let us press on. Let's continue to fervently pray effective prayers while we live righteous lives for 'The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much' (James 5:16).
As we enter into a season, indeed a movement, of prayer, let's strive to know what makes a prayer powerful and effective, and learn to pray such prayers.
[Michael shared a beautiful 'The Lord's Prayer Movie' which is in Useful Resources. May you enjoy it and perhaps discover some new insights.]
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