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Showing posts from April, 2010

Doing the work of God

As Christians, we desire to please God and would like to do the work of God. However, we may be very busy doing the so called “works” and missed the main point and all the so-called works will not be counted in His sight. In John 6:28 The multitude also asked Jesus the same question, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” In effect, Jesus is revealing to them that there is only one "work" that God now requires and without which no "works" are acceptable in His sight. This work is to take His gift - to believe on His Son. v29 impressed upon me deeply that the work of God is actually all about Jesus Himself, believing in Him whom God sent. I need to live by believing, by receiving, by appropriating God's gift of Christ, in regard to both His person and His work on my behalf. Everything we do must always be in Him, through Him and by Him. Apar

Jesus made me complete

Below hymn, "Just as I Am" is written by Charlotte Elliott in 1835 and it is a very encouraging hymn and hope it encourages you too. Although we are poor, wretched and blind, we can come to Jesus "Just as we are" and in Him we are made complete. 1. Just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou bidst me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 2. Just as I am, and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot, to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 3. Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt, fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 4. Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind; sight, riches, healing of the mind, yea, all I need in thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 5. Just as I am, thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; because thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 6. Just as I am

Jesus rebuked the winds and the sea

Are you going through storms in your live where you felt hopeless and helpless? We may think or feel like God does not care. He is sleeping. He is not answering our prayers. But thank God that in Matthew 8:23-27 we see that Jesus is in our boats! He is in control. Jesus want us to learn not to doubt, but to completely trust him and rely on his power and promise in the storms of our life. It is tough especially when we are going through the storm but when we realize who Jesus is, we can confidently and even persuaded that we can entrust our whole life to Him. When I learn not to struggle on my own but let Him be the captain of the boat, I always experience a calm after the storm. Dear Lord, may we learn to trust you in every storm! Let us learn to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord!. (Exod 14:13).

To be like Jesus

Every christians has this same desire ie. to be like Jesus. I love this verse in 2 Corinthians 3:18 where Paul says, “And we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit.” How do we transform from glory to glory? We are transformed by beholding and reflecting the glory of the Lord. We are transformed not only by seeing the Lord, but also by reflecting Him. There are many things that can veil us which frustrates our beholding and reflecting the Lord: Our own concepts, religious backgrounds, natural inclinations etc I love the verse in Romans 12:2 - we need to be renewed in our mind. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2). The word of God can renew our mind - there is washing of the water in His word (Ep

Jesus made everything beautiful in its time

The Word of God

I am beginning to appreciate the Word of God more each day. In the past, the Word of God are just mere letters to me. It didn’t have much impact on my life because I just read it like any other books. However, in John 1:1 we see that the Word was God. “ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”. If I want to know God, I need to spend time to read His Word. His word encompasses the totality of God: His nature, character, values, abilities and capabilities. There are creative power in the Word. My desire for this year is to receive more revelation of God himself by laying hold on the word of God - hearing it, reading it, studying it, internalising it, meditating on it and finally acting on it in obedience. Let the word of Christ dwell in me richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Col 3:16 Hope this is your desire too!

2 different kinds of responses

I have read the story on the how the Lord fed the 5,000 people several times (John 6: 1-14) but it didn’t occur to me that although the same questions were presented to the disciples, there are two different kinds of responses. The story goes this way: A huge multitudes were following Jesus and it was a long journey and they became weary, tired and hungry. Although Jesus and His disciples were also tired and hungry, yet Jesus had compassion on the people and turned to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Many a time, the Lord can do many things on his own but he chose to involve His disciples. He also posed the same questions to us – He wants us to learn to trust Him in all situations. Response from Philip: John 1:7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” Instead of trusting God, Philips started to figure

God cares for you

Be a steward

The topic for last week's children meeting is "To be a steward”. The Bible tells us clearly that we are stewards. (1 Cor 4:1). I asked myself, how does this topic applies to the children? I believe children can learn to serve God as faithful stewards while they are still young. A steward can be defined as someone who manages property or other affairs for someone else. According to Matthew 25: 14-22 we know that God has entrusted us with some talents. Some may be entrusted with more talents while some may be lesser according to their abilities. However, we know that everyone will have at least one talent. We do an activity based on the parable of the talent. Children were given some materials: construction paper, toilet roll, ice-cream sticks, colored paper etc. Some were given 5 pieces of materials to typify 5 talents, some two pieces and some were given one piece. They were then told to proceed to do some meaningful artpiece ie. to convey the message of God’s love t

Jesus meets all our needs

Many a time, our Lord does not answer our prayer as we expect and in our way. Our prayer will be answered only in His way and also when we submit to him in obedient faith. There is a story in the Bible that tells us of a nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. He pleaded Jesus to go to Capernaum to heal his son who was at the point of death. And Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe. Jesus did not intend to go with Him to Capernaum. Instead Jesus was calling him to the highest possible faith. The nobleman must not first see but first believe the word of Jesus without any outward proof. (John 4:46-54) Extraction from the Bible : 4:50 Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. 4:51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!” 4:52 Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to h

Personal Witnessing

I love the story of the Samaritian Woman. Here is how the story goes:- One day, Jesus passed by Samaria and came to a town called Sychar and being tired from the journey, he sat down by the well. A samaritian woman came to draw water and below is the conversation between Jesus and her. John 4:7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" John 4:8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) John 4:9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. John 4:10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." John 4:11"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? John 4:12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave u

Holy Spirit .... teaches us what to say..

John 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Luke 12:12for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say." Just recalled a sister's testimony last Friday. She was supposed to meet a young sister to give some advices. However, she did not know how to begin. She asked God to give her words. On the very day that she is to meet the young sister, she still does not know what to tell her. However, the moment she met her, the Holy Spirit just taught her what she should say. I believed she just experienced what the bible say, out of her heart will flow rivers of living water. She believed that the young sister was greatly encouraged and so was she herself. Reflection: Thus we just need to trust God and need not worry what we should say. As we turn to the Lord, He will lead and guide us and give us utterance that will nourish the people around us. Praise God!

Elderly Gospel Meeting

Just attended the elderly gospel meeting this morning. The elderly ones are just so cute and lovely. We sang gospel hymns in dialets. God is so gracious and met them according to their levels of faith. I enjoyed the testimonies of how God met one elderly father through a dream and he woke up wanting to receive Jesus (Bro Michael Tan's testimony). The family had been praying for their father for quite some times. Another testimony is from Sis Yeow. One day her mother received Jesus through a simple request she made "Lord, give me sleep" for she couldn't sleep for 15 days. She had visited a few famous doctors and also prayed to the idol but to no avail. One day she asked her daughter to teach her how to pray to Jesus and the daughter told her just to talk to Him with her heart. That very night after she told the Lord to give her sleep, she slept soundly and she simply believed and accepted Him. Praise God!