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Thursday, November 6, 2008

that night, God heard a sinner's cry...

God really has an amazing way of doing things. Looking back on this journey with God, I saw what I didn't see when I was living the story God has written for me. I saw miracles and transformations, and I realised that I was no longer the same. Gone were the days of darkness; a new day has begun. Yes, there are still struggles along the way, but each struggle that comes to our lives comes with a purpose - to teach us important life lessons. Remember, God will never leave you nor forsake you, but He wants you to learn, to grow stronger, to build up your faith in Him.

A few weeks back, God showed me one amazing thing that He did in my life. God showed me that night, even when I was still a sinner, even when I knew nuts about this God, even when I had no faith in Him, He heard this humble heart of mine. That night I prayed a very simple prayer - "God, I want to know more about You." I never thought God would hear this simple prayer of mine, but thank God He did.

A few months after this prayer, I was saved by the grace of God. Can you believe it? God heard my cry even when I was still a sinner! Not only did He just heard it, He turned my life upside down and inside out. My life was totally transformed by this amazing God. If not for Jesus, I would have committed suicide long ago.

I was completely awestruck. Today, everything that I am belongs to God, even the messages I posted, it's God's wisdom for me. God doesn't need you to pray a long essay kind of prayer, He just wants to hear from you. Trust me, even if you pray "God, help me!", God will hear you and will help you! God just want you to be honest with Him.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

My Life

Verse:
In the valley of shades I walked alone
Wrestling with my thoughts, sorrow in my heart
Weary and burdened, forgotten and lost.
The only thing on my mind was giving up.

And I heard Him say...

Chorus:
Remember that day you cried my name?
Broken hearted, empty in spirit
You asked for my forgiveness
for the things you did to break my heart.
Come back my child, come back my child.

Verse:
I want life no more, It has lost its meaning.
I give it back to you, take it from me.
I want to try no more, I am tired,
so take this life from me.

And I heard Him say...

Bridge:
I spilled my blood to wash you clean
I died on the cross for you to live
I did all that just for you my son
I am willing, I am willing
If I had to choose again
I am willing to pay the price
For your life is precious
Your life is precious to Me

Ending:
Of all sinners, I am the worst
You gave your life for me,
but I gave mine away.
I thought it was all over
but I was wrong, I was wrong.
Lord, I'm coming back again.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

When God Ran... Part 2

Brothers and sisters, God's love for us is never changing. He loved us when we were still sinners, He loved us when we were saved, and He still loved us when we sinned against Him, turning our back on Him. The story of the prodigal son showed us the heart of God. When we realise that we have broken God's heart, when we decide to turn back to Him, when we begin to ask for His forgiveness, do you know what God will do? He will run to you, take you in His arms, hold your head to his chest and say, "My son's come home again!" He will lift your face, wipe the tears from your eyes, and with forgiveness in His voice He will say, "Son, do you know I still love you?"

That's how great the Father's love for us is! Not only that, while you still have your old clothes (sin) on, He will cover you with the best robe, which is the blood of Jesus! He will cleanse you! And the ring, which signifies authority, He will put it on you because you are still His son!

Decide today to turn back to God, because He is still waiting for you. Do you know that the only one, and I really mean the only one, who can make God run, is you? Can you believe it? God loves you so much that He is willing to run to you to embrace you the moment you decide to turn back to Him! So, what are you waiting for?

Monday, July 28, 2008

When God Ran... Part 1

The Prodigal Son
Luke 15:11-24
11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons.
12 The younger one said to his father, "Father, give me my share of the estate." So he divided his property between them.
13 Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 When he came to his senses, he said, "How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you."
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men."
20 So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 The son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son."
22 But the father said to his servants, "Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate.
24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." So they began to celebrate.


This particular father had two sons. One day, the younger son decided that it was time for him to get his share of property from his father because he believed that it was time for him to be independent. So, his father gave him what he wanted; a car, one million dollars, a condo, credit cards, and many more. Once he got what he wanted, he left his home. He led a life of partying, shopping, gambling, drinking, merrying; He thought he had everything in the world. Not long after, he had to sell his car, his condo and all that he had to support his wild living. Yet, he never realised his mistake, not even once. Soon enough, he had no more money; he was bankrupt. Instead of going back home, becaue he wanted to save his face, he tried to get employed. His job was so low paying that he could not afford to eat everyday. His life was so miserable. He realised that his father's workers were all living in comfort, thirst and hunger were never a concern for them. He decided to go back home to find his father to say sorry, and to ask his father to hire him as a worker because he feel that he no longer deserve to be his son.

On his way home, some distance away, his father saw him. His father's heart melted because he still loved his son and he longed for his return. Without a second thought, he ran towards his son immediately, hugged and kissed his beloved son. He exclaimed, "My son is home! He's home! He's home!" The father had joy spelt all over his face. The son told his father that he's no longer worthy to be called his son because of what he had done. Instead, his father told his servant to cover his son with the best robe, put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. He even celebrated his son's return with a great feast.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

The Greatest Love of All

You may be in the lowest valley, you may be walking in total darkness, and you may feel that you are totally screwed up, that life is meaningless, that life is worthless, that there is absolutely no reason for you to live on. You may have experienced many hurts in your life, hurts that formed deep wounds in your heart, hurts that put you in great agony, hurts that haunt you every single day of your life. You may be feeling rejected, despised, hated, and shamed. And you may be wondering if there’s gonna be a chance whereby someone will understand you, your pains, and your sufferings. Yes, who will ever understand what you are going through now? Who will? Who will? It’s painful to know this but the truth is, no one will ever truly understand what you are going through now, no one, not from this world.

It was Judgement Day in heaven. There were many who were rejoicing, for the time had come for Jesus to reign forever. However, there were also many who were crying and cursing God. They hated Jesus because they believed that He was unfair, unjust, and merciless. There were handicaps cursing at God for what had happened to them, some using abusive language against Him for their tragic lives when they were alive; raped, murdered, abused, tortured, despised, hated… The curses continued.

Finally, a voice spoke and all of heaven fell into complete silence. The voice said,

“He came down as a man, born not in a palace, not in a home, not even in a decent place, but in a manger. His birth wasn’t any big fanfare, nor glory, nor respected – It was dubious and despised. He didn’t grow up in a rich family; He was poor. He experienced all the sufferings that we might experience – Hunger, thirst, pain, torture, persecution, temptation, shame, sickness, hatred. He even went through the cruelest death.

What did He do to deserve all these? Did he commit a murder? Or a rape? Was He a thief? Did He even lie?

No! He was perfect and sinless!

Yet, He chose to die for us because His love for us is higher than the heavens and deeper than the sea. Not that we loved Him first, but it was His love for us when He created us, making us his highest creation. Even when He was suffering on that Cross, He still had us in His mind. Do you know what Jesus was thinking when He was hanging there, with blood dripping all over, and pain so overwhelming? He was thinking about how through His death, we can be reconciled to God; that through His death, we can be saved; that through His death, we can be healed, delivered, redeemed, blessed, strengthened, set free; that through His death, we have victory; that through His death, we can be with Him forevermore!

Is it fair for Jesus to die a death that belongs to us? Is it fair for him to die for our sins, something He didn’t even commit? Is it fair? Is it fair? Is there any justice if you want to look through this situation through the world eyes?

NO!

Why? Why did Jesus do that for us? The reason is simple. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Even when we were sinners, Jesus loved us. There’s nothing we can do to make Jesus love us more or less because He love us just as we are. You can be a murderer, a rapist, or even the greatest sinner, and He still loves you. He is the greatest love of all.”


I may not understand what you are going through now, but God understands. Because He went through all that pain and suffering, He knows how you feel. He knows you inside out, even before you were born. Today, Jesus wants you to experience His love, His love that conquers all fear, His love that is so amazing, and His love that is all you’ll ever need. He wants to heal your heart; the deep wounds that no man can reach, He can. The pain and suffering that you are going through now, Jesus wants you to cast them all upon Him. It’s heavy but He wants to carry it for you. He longs to be your greatest friend who will shower the greatest love upon you. And if you have been living in defeat, He wants you to know that from today onwards, you can live in victory because He has won it all at the Cross. You no longer have to live in darkness because Jesus is the light of the world, and His word is a lamp unto your feet, a light unto your path. He wants to give you a second chance to live your life. If you have never accept Christ as your Lord and Saviour, if you want to experience his amazing love, if you want God to heal your heart, if you want Him to change your life, pray this prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus,

Please forgive me of all my sins. I know that I need You. I need Your love to change me, and Your grace to forgive me. Thank You for Your amazing love, and for giving me life and eternity. And above all, thank You for dying on the cross for me. I open up my heart and my spirit, and I receive You as my Lord and Saviour. Come and abide in me. From this day onward, I will serve You and be a good testimony to Your great name. Give me Your power and anointing to become the person I ought to be. I will live my life for You and I will love You forever.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name I pray.

Amen.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Empty Yourself! Part 3

Now, we have many jars in our possession. For many of us, most of the jars are filled with worldly cares, leaving only a few or even none for God to pour His anointing oil into. Imagine, if the widow hadn’t poured away the soup in the jar, she could have totally missed it. Do you want to miss the anointing oil that God is going to pour out?

Don’t you think that it’s time for us to empty all our jars, even if that will cause us to have lack in some areas of our lives? Don’t you think that we have to start gathering more empty jars so that God can pour more of His anointing oil, so that we will not say, “If only I had gotten more in the beginning…”?

Let’s start emptying the many jars of worldly cares in our lives. Let’s come before the throne of God full of emptiness, and let Him fill us with His everything, so that our lives will be all about Him, and not us. We have eaten too much from the world; our stomach is full of it. Let’s starve ourselves for the food from the heavenly Kingdom, which we will never get sick and tired of, which we will always hunger for more and more because it is just so good. Let’s determine in our hearts that from this day onwards, that before we ask Jesus to fill our cup, we first empty our cup so that we will not miss the anointing that He wants to give us. Forget about the world; come into what God has for us. The world can fail us, but God will never fail us, nor will He disappoint us.

Empty Yourself! Part 2

2 Kings 4:1-7
1 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”
2 Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a little oil.”
3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars, Don’t ask for just a few.
4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”
5 She left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring.
6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”
But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.
7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”


2 Kings 4:1-7 talks about the Widow’s Oil. This particular widow was in heavy debts and the creditor was coming to take her sons as slaves. She was desperate and did not know what to do. Then came Elisha, who told her to look for empty jars, not just a few, but more than that. Now, let’s look at this situation from the widow’s perspective. She was so poor that she had nothing in her house, and now Elisha came to ask her to look for more empty jars? The widow’s house was already full of emptiness and now the prophet of God wanted her to find more emptiness? To make matter worst, Elisha wanted her to find more than just a few! What could the widow do with so many empty jars? She must have thought that Elisha was mad!

Being desperate, she listened to Elisha and went around looking for empty jars. She came to this particular neighbor’s house and she knocked. The neighbor opened and she asked him for an empty jar. Knowing of the widow’s situation, he thought, “O poor thing, she had nothing left in her house. She must be starving now.” So he brought a jar filled with soup for her. When the widow saw it, she said, “No! No! No! What I want is an empty jar; I do not want the soup in the jar.” The neighbor thought that the widow was too shy to take it so he insisted, “Take it, you must be very hungry now. You need to feed your sons too.” Left without a choice, the widow took it. Immediately after the neighbor closed the door, the widow poured the soup away and kept the empty jar.

She went home and did as instructed. She began pouring that little oil that she had left into a jar. To her amazement, the jar was filled. She filled another, and another, and another, and another, until all the jars had been filled. She asked her son to pass her another jar, but there was none. She told him to ask from the neighbor for an empty jar. He went and came back with it after a while. She wanted to pour oil into that jar, but there was no more oil. She thought, “If only I had gotten more in the beginning…”

Elisha told her to sell the many jars of oil she had. She did and not only can she pay all her debts, she still had money left to support her sons!

Next: Empty Yourself! Part 3

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Empty Yourself! Part 1

It is of human nature that we like things to be full rather than empty. Ask yourself, who in the right state of mind will want an empty house, an empty bank account, or even an empty stomach? More often than not, we are so caught up with filling every part of our lives full that we forgot about filling ourselves with our very own Creator. And by the time we realized that, we are too full to be filled any further. Isn’t it an irony that people go to church to ask God to fill their cup when their cup is already filled to the brim by worldly cares? That’s the problem with many Christians. They go to church with heavy hearts, with thoughts about tomorrow, with plans for after-church activities, with so many things that there’s no place for God in their hearts. How can God fill your cup when it is already full?

Yes, God wants your life to be full, but do you know that God also wants your life to be empty, especially in His presence? The emptier you are, the more He can fill you. It simpler terms, God wants you to be hungry for Him, so hungry that you want more and more of Him every single day, so hungry that you will never be satisfied with His filling - You just want more! That’s how God wants us to live our lives! Not just hunger for Him on Sundays, on days when we had a fall, on days when we feel that God ain’t there anymore, but hunger for Him on Mondays, Tuesdays, every single day of our lives, on days when things are good, on days when we feel blessed, on days when you are satisfied. That should be our relationship with God – always wanting more of Him because He is all that we ever need!

Next: Empty Yourself! Part 2

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Delight in My Weaknesses

Have you ever felt so useless, so weak, that there is nothing that is good about you? Or have you ever been faced with constant failures that made you ponder over your purpose in life? Do you frequently bombard yourself with questions like "What on earth am I here for?", "What can I do? I have no strengths!", "Why can't I just do things right? Am I that useless?"?

Often, we dwell too much on our weaknesses and incapabilities. The circumstance may not be as bad but because of our inability to get up when we fall, these negative thoughts will take control over our minds. Sometimes, even a small mistake/failure can cause you to feel completely useless and weak. We cried out to God to help us with our weaknesses but nothing seemed to have changed - We remained as weak as before. As a result, we begin to question and doubt God.

Let's see what the bible has to say about this:

2 Corinthians 12:9
But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weaknesses." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.


2 Corinthians 12:10
That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.


It is because you are weak that Christ is strong. It is because you are weak that when you accomplished something you think you cannot do, it will be very obvious that it is not by your own strength, but by God's. It is because you are weak that the world will see God's power in you. It is because you are weak that God can use you as a testimony to His presence, His love, His everything. It is because you are weak that God can come in a mighty way to bless your life more abundantly.

Yes, you can be the most useless guy in the eyes of this world, but in God's eyes, you are the most useful guy because God can use you to show the world what He can do to a guy they think is useless. Jesus can use your weakness to reach out to the lost souls. That through you, Jesus is glorified!

Therefore, instead of allowing the devil to use those negative thoughts to draw you away from God, you should delight in your weaknesses because Christ's power will rest on you. Nobody says that your weaknesses will go away. Jesus knows that it is difficult to delight when all this while you have been hurt by your incapabilities, but Jesus said He will make a way for you.

Have faith in God; He keeps His promises!

Friday, May 30, 2008

He Deserves All Our Praises

I will bless the Lord,
for when I am weak,
He become strong.
He is a super strong God.

I will bless the Lord,
For when I am living in darkness,
His light shine ever so brightly.
He is the light of the world.

I will bless the Lord,
For when I fall,
He lift me up.
He hold me in His hands.

I was a sinner,
Lost in my own world,
Deceived by the devil.

Yet Jesus saw me
While He was on the cross.
He paid the price
To give me victory,
Over sin and death,
To give me life,
To show me His mercy and grace.

What else can I say?
But to give Him praise
All the days of my life.

The world may fall,
But may praise for Him will never cease,
Because He is more than enough for me.

I will bless the Lord,
Because He deserves it.
I will bless the Lord,
Forevermore.

When we lose faith, we don’t have to beat ourselves to it. We just need to turn back to God. He is always there waiting for us. Regardless of our circumstances, He is still who He claims to be, He is still God. He still deserves all our praises. We praise Him when things are good, and we praise Him even more when things are bad, because He is still holding our hands. Jesus said that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and He means it! Your world may have fallen, you may be at the saddest stage of your life, you may feel that life is so meaningless sudddenly, you may even feel that God is so faraway, but the truth is, God is right beside you, waiting for you to give Him your hands so that He can guide you through all adversities. You may have little faith left to trust in God, but Jesus said that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains! Even with little faith, trust that Jesus will do the impossible for you, because He loves you!

PRAISE GOD!

Sunday, May 18, 2008

He Didn't Pay the Price for Nothing

Often, many Christians say that they believe in Jesus, that He is the truth, the Way, and the Life, that nothing is impossible with Jesus. Yet when a situation arises, the first thing that comes to their mind is never about trusting God, but rather, doubting God or even completely remove Him from the equation. Think about it - When you were sick, did you remember that God is our Healer? When you had lack in your life, did you remember that God is our Provider? When you were troubled and down, did you remember that God is our Comforter? Or when the circumstances before you seemed so difficult to resolve, did you remember that God is the God of the Impossible?

When we are faced with an obstacle, we tend to forget about who God is, and what He can do to guide us out of it. We tend to lose faith and trust in Him, and we tend to resolve the situation using our own way. And when things get really bad, we start to ask God this question: “Lord, where are You when I need You?” But did it ever come to your mind that it is you who fail to seek Him, to trust and have faith in Him that He will deliver you from that hopeless situation? Jesus said that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and He means it! All we need to do is to commit our circumstances to Him, have faith in Him, and continue to sing praises to Him. Remember, Jesus said on the cross, “It is done!”

Jesus didn’t pay the heavy price for nothing! He didn’t come down as a man to be despised, rejected and cursed by men for nothing. He didn’t suffer and die on the cross for nothing. He didn’t put our iniquities, our shame, and our pain upon himself for nothing. He healed the sick; not for us to doubt His healing power. He saved the lost; not for us to drift further away from Him. He died on the cross for us; not for us to reject Him. He resurrected; not for us to feel defeated. He was sinless, perfect, and righteous, yet He paid the price for us.

Who are we that we deserved all that the King of Glory had done for us? Are we worthy of His grace and mercy?

WE ARE NOT WORTHY!

But because He saw us when He did all that for us. He loved us. He longed for a relationship with us. He created us in His image. He made us His highest creation.
He wants us to do the things which he had done, and greater things shall we do also, because He has gone to the Father.

Jesus didn’t pay the heavy price for nothing! He died on the cross, was placed in a tomb, but the tomb could not contain Him! When He resurrected, He gave us victory in His Name, and the devil has been defeated! It is not “The devil is going to be defeated”, but rather, he has already been defeated by Jesus on the cross! We have victory against the devil in Jesus’ Name! The battle has been won. All we need to do is to claim God’s Words! He paid the price for these very reasons, to heal us, to give us victory, to set us free, to break the strongholds, to redeem us, to deliver us, to bless us!

DON’T LET JESUS PAY THE PRICE FOR NOTHING!

Let your faith arise in Jesus’ mighty name!

Amen!

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Was Jesus Lord?

I cannot personally conclude that Jesus was a liar or a lunatic. The only alternative is that he was – and is – the Christ, the Son of God, as he claimed. But in spite of the logic and evidence, many people cannot seem to bring themselves to this conclusion.

The issue with these three alternatives is not which is possible, for obviously all three are possible. Rather, the question is, “Which is most probable?” You cannot put him on the shelf merely as a great moral teacher. That is not a valid option. He is either a liar, a lunatic or Lord and God. You must make a choice. Your decision about Jesus must be more than an idle intellectual exercise. As the apostle John wrote, “these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and” – more important – “that by believing in him you will have life.” (John 20:31)

Remember, Jesus died on the cross. Who in the world is willing to pay this huge price for us and worst still, if he knew he was a fake?

The evidence, therefore, is clearly in favour of Jesus as Lord.

Why is the question over Jesus’ true identity so important? Why does it matter whether or not Jesus is God?

The most important reason that Jesus has to be God is that if He is not God, His death would not have been sufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). Only God could pay such an infinite penalty (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus had to be God so that He could pay our debt. Jesus had to be man so He could die. Salvation is available only through faith in Jesus Christ! Jesus’ deity is why He is the only way of salvation. Jesus’ deity is why He proclaimed, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Source: gotquestions.org, More than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell.

Was Jesus a Lunatic?

Extracted from "More Than A Carpenter" by Josh McDowell.

If we find it inconceivable that Jesus was a liar, then couldn’t he actually have mistakenly thought himself to be God? After all, it’s possible to be both sincere and wrong. But we must remember that for someone to mistakenly think himself God, especially in the context of a fiercely monotheistic culture, and then to tell others that their eternal destiny depended on believing in him, is no small flight of fancy but the delusions and ravings of an outright lunatic. It is possible that Jesus Christ was deranged?

Today we would treat someone who believes himself to be God the same way we would treat someone who believes he is Napoleon. We would see him as deluded and self-deceived. We would lock him up so that he wouldn’t hurt himself or anyone else. Yet in Jesus, we don’t observe the abnormalities and imbalance that go along with such derangement. If he was insane, his poise and composure was nothing short of amazing.

Psychologist Gary R. Collins explains that Jesus “was loving but didn’t let his compassion immobilise him; he didn’t have a bloated ego, even though he was often surrounded by adoring crowds; he maintained balance despite an often demanding lifestyle; he always knew what he was doing and where he was going; he cared deeply about people, including women and children, who weren’t seen as important back then; he was able t accept people while not merely winking at their sin; he responded to individuals based on where they were at and what they uniquely needed. All in all, I just don’t see any signs that Jesus was suffering from any known mental illness… He was much healthier than anyone else I know – including me!”

Next: Was Jesus Lord?

Was Jesus a Liar?

Extracted from "More Than A Carpenter" By Josh McDowell.

If, when Jesus made his claims, he knew that he was not God, then he was lying and deliberately deceiving his followers. But if he was a liar, then he was also a hypocrite because he taught others to be honest whatever the cost. Worse than that, if he was lying, he was a demon because he told others to trust him for their eternal destiny. If he couldn’t back up his claims and knew it, then he was unspeakably evil for deceiving his followers with such a false hope. Last, he would also be a fool because his claims to being God led to his crucifixion – claims he could backed away from to save himself even at the last minute.

It amazes me to hear so many people say Jesus was simply a good moral teacher. Let’s be realistic. How could he be a great moral teacher and knowingly mislead people at the most important point of his teaching – his own identity?

To conclude that Jesus was a deliberate liar doesn’t coincide with what we know either of him or of the results of his life and teachings. Wherever Jesus has been proclaimed, we see lives change for the good, nations change for the better, thieves become honest, alcoholics become sober, hateful individuals become channels of love, and unjust persons embrace justice.

Historian Philip Schaff gives a convincing argument against Christ’s being a liar: “How in the name of logic, common sense, and experience, could an imposter – that is deceitful, selfish, depraved man – have invented, and consistently maintained from the beginning to end, the purest and noblest character known in history with the most perfect air of truth and reality? How could he have conceived and carried out a plan of unparalleled beneficence, moral magnitude and sublimity, and sacrificed his own life for it, in the face of the strongest prejudices of his people and age?”

If Jesus wanted to get people to follow him and believe in him as God, why did he go to the Jewish nation? Why go as a common carpenter in an undistinguished village in a country so small in size and population? Why go to a country that so thoroughly adhered to the concept of one God? Why didn’t he got to Egypt, or even Greece, where they already believed in various gods and various manifestations of them?

Someone who lived as Jesus lived, taught as Jesus taught, and died as Jesus died could not have been a liar.

Next: Was Jesus a lunatic?

Lord, Liar, or Lunatic?

Why is it that you can talk about God, and nobody gets upset, but as soon as you mention Jesus, people often want to stop the conversation? Why is it that the very name of Jesus seems to bother people, making them feel embarrass and angry, and even make them want to change the subject? Why don't the names of Buddha, Muhammad, or Confucius offend people the way the name of Jesus does? Why have men and women down through the ages been divided about the question, who is Jesus?

Who is Jesus Christ? Unlike the question, "Does God exist?” very few people have questioned whether Jesus Christ existed. It is generally accepted that Jesus was truly a man who walked on the earth in Israel almost 2000 years ago. The debate begins when the subject of Jesus' full identity is discussed. Almost every major religion teaches that Jesus was a prophet, or a good teacher, or a godly man. The problem is, the Bible tells us that Jesus was infinitely more than a prophet, a good teacher, or a godly man.

C.S. Lewis in his book Mere Christianity writes the following: "I am trying here to prevent anyone from saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him [Jesus Christ]: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -- on a level with a man who says he is a poached egg -- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse... You can shut him up for fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that option open to us. He did not intend to."

Hence, believing Jesus to be a good teacher is not an option. It's either you believe that Jesus is a liar and therefore, a lunatic, or He is indeed, God. You have to make one decision.

Source: gotquestions.org, More than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell.

Next: Was Jesus a liar?

Friday, May 2, 2008

Isaiah

I have never told anyone about my christian name. I will feel kind of uneasy if someone were to know this name. Recently, I have this friend who asked for my christian name and I refused to tell him. I believe he was pretty irritated by my refusal to give him my name. Then he said something that made me reflect on what I have done. He said something along these lines: "Are you ashamed of your name? Your name is given by God. Being ashame of your christian name is like being ashamed of God." What he said made me feel so uneasy and guilt-stricken. There was no peace in my heart. I prayed to God and asked for His forgiveness, and God opened my eyes and allowed me to understand why He gave me this name, Isaiah.

Isaiah means "God is Salvation."

Ever since I was saved by God's grace, I had been worrying about my family's salvation. It came to a point where I would doubt God, wondering if He would ever save my family. Sometimes, I was so eager for their salvation that I would criticise their beliefs. I knew I had hurt my parents and was behaving in an ungodly manner, but i was becoming impatient with their salvation. "God, when are You going to save them? Can't You just make them believe now?" This was what I was thinking.

For this very reason, God gave me this name, Isaiah. He wants me to understand that Salvation comes from the Lord, not from my impatience, not from my eagerness, and above all, not from me. Only Jesus can save my family! Who am I to worry? Who am I to be impatient?

IT'S ALL IN GOD'S HANDS!

Isaiah 55:8-9
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."


Indeed, God's ways are higher than my ways, because only He knows the right time for my family's salvation. God must have greater plans regarding my family's salvation and I know that He will bring them to salvation because He will make all things work out for our good. Praise God. Come to think of it, God has been training me to shine for Him in my household. I have become more patient, my trust and faith in God is building up, and I have learnt to seek first His kingdom. I know that one day, me and my household will praise and worship Jesus together, and for all the days of our lives!

I thank God for this particular friend of mine, because His testimony about His family has greatly touched me, and I know that one day, my family will be like his too. I would love to see this happening, where there is true love for one another, the kind of love Jesus showed us through the Cross of Calvary. Thank You Jesus!

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Conversion of a Muslim

Below is an amazing testimony of muslim who accepted Christ as his Lord and Saviour.

Yusof Lateef is a Malay in his late thirties. Though he was a Muslim, he completed both his primary and secondary education in mission schools. He was accustomed to the message of the Gospel as he had heard it shared many times during his school days. Being a senior prefect, he had even served in the chapel in his schooling years. Despite his Christian exposure, Yusof remained essentially a Muslim, although he never really went to mosque religiously. The times he went to a mosque were merely out of obligation and respect for his parents.

In 2006, a chance encounter with a taxi driver brought Yusof closer to God. He had just concluded his meeting in Shenton Way and hailed a taxi and was on his way back to his office in Pasir Ris. Feeling tired, he briefly told the taxi driver his destination and was going to take a nap on his journey. The driver politely acknowledged, then played a CD and assured Yusof that he would be energized by the songs. That CD was one of Don Moen’s albums. As they made their way out of Shenton Way, they spoke. Yusof recalled that he enjoyed their conversation so much that he did not sleep at all. At the end of the journey, the taxi driver took out the CD, put it in its cover and gave it to him. Although Yusof offered to pay for it, he just refused and insisted that it was a gift. Yusof was very touched by the gesture of this Christian brother. As he would usually arrive early in his office in the morning, he started listening to that CD every morning from then on.

In October 2007, Yusof decided to resign from his job rather than to be involved in malpractices. It was not an easy decision because he had worked there for 18 years. He then seized the opportunity to go on a long overdue holiday with his wife. During that period, someone from a conglomerate of property developers head hunted him. After his holiday, he met them twice and was offered a job in principle. However, in the morning he was supposed to sign the letter of offer, the boss apologized to him that the job had been offered to someone else. Naturally, he was very disappointed. Subsequently, although there were a few other job offers, he did not find them suitable. Before long, a void set in and he just felt an indescribable emptiness in his heart.

One day in December 2007, Yusof met another taxi driver, Jack Ng, who worships in Lighthouse Evangelism. Jack invited him to come and join in a “sing song” session in church. He was merely using that as a pretext to invite him to church. Yusof and Jack met a year earlier in one of the trips he made. He found Jack to be a pleasant and cheerful person and had a kind of informal arrangement to engage Jack’s service whenever he had
planned trips. They soon became friends and Jack used to tell him about church activities. Incidentally, Jack shares the Gospel with his passengers and has brought a number of them to church. So when Yusof, still a Muslim then, accepted his invitation to the Miracle Service, Jack was really excited.

On January 5, 2008, Jack drove Yusof to the Miracle Service. As they walked in, Jack introduced him to other Lighters there. Yusof felt a little uneasy at first when he drew some attention from the people around because he was a Malay and a Muslim. Notwithstanding, he found them to be polite and pleasant. In fact, a Gospelighter even prayed for him. When the worship started, Jack turned to him and not knowing what else to say, he remarked, “Nice song, isn’t it?” Throughout the service, Yusof understood all that was going on and was deeply touched.

During the altar call, Yusof told Jack that he was going forward but Jack, the usually jovial guy, suddenly had no response and just looked ahead because he was too astonished for words. That night, Yusof said the sinner’s prayer and received Christ in his heart! That indescribable void that had been troubling him just disappeared and was replaced by a peace that surpasses all understanding. His wife was the first to notice the difference. From then onward, Yusof never looked back and has been walking and believing in the Lord. Amen!

Source: Lighthouse Evangelism

My Life: "Honor Your Father and Your Mother..."

Deuteronomy 5:16
“Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”


The moment I rededicated my life to Jesus, God gave me this desire to speak to my parents about my conversion. One night, God rained down His Holy Spirit upon me, and there was this urgency to tell my parents the truth. Lying to my parents in order to go to church is not honoring God, nor is it honoring my parents. That night, I cried out to God and I prayed that as I reveal the truth to my parents, all will go well with me; that I will not receive huge rebuke from them. I was very afraid, and I asked God for His peace that transcends all understanding to guard my heart and my mind. I also asked God to teach me what to say when I speak to my parents.

After much praying, I took my first step. I approached my father and told him that I have already received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. To my amazement, his reaction was far from what I had expected; it was not of hostile intent but rather, just a simple “Ok”. He accepted the fact that I had converted, that I had given my life to Jesus, the One he was against initially. God had planted the seeds in his heart. My mum too, accepted this very fact. I went on to confess about me lying to them in order to go to church. They weren’t angry at all. Praise God.

Not only did Jesus lift the biggest burden (of not speaking the truth) from me, He molded me to become more like Him. I became more obedient to my parents, and for the first time in my life, I bought birthday gifts for them. I felt this strong desire to love and take good care of my parents. My parents saw the changed in me. My mum began to talk to my relatives about this change in me after I accepted Jesus. I was shining for Jesus!

I knew I am drawing closer and closer to God everyday. I was very determined to serve God all the days of my life. I attended the New Believer’s Class, and was really on fire for Him. I attended the baptism class after that and was baptized. I began to serve in Soundlight Ministry, and became a member of Lighthouse Evangelism. Recently, I joined a cell group despite the hectic schedule of army because Jesus is more important than anything else.

Matthew 6:33
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

My Life: God, Changed Me!

I was becoming like a Sunday Christian; God only came to the picture on Sunday, and from Monday to Saturday, I would forget about Him. I saw little changes in me life and I asked God where His promises for me were. I was so disappointed with Jesus. Despite that, I still believe that He is the true and living God.

Soon enough, I began to feel sick of how I was leading my life. I seriously wanted a change in my life. I felt so empty and meaningless. Jesus felt so far away from me. I was so devastated that I cried out to God to ask Him to draw near to me. I wanted to have a revived relationship with Him.

One Sunday, I was so touched by my Pastor’s message that during the altar call, I stepped forward even though I was hesitant initially. I said the Salvation Prayer once again, and this time round, I rededicated my life to Jesus. I was so touched and there was this peace in my heart that transcends all understanding. I knew that my life would be changed for real…

Next: My Life: "Honor Your Father and Your Mother..."

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

My Life: The Diminishing Fire

After I accepted Christ as my King of Kings, I was hot for Him. I wanted to learn and know more about Him. However, I did not know who to approach. There weren’t any mentors or spiritual leaders to help me and guide me, and very soon, I was well on my way to backsliding. To make the matter worst, I continued to sin even though I knew that God hated sin. Lies, hatred, disobedience and lust are but a few of the sins I had.

I continued to lie to my parents each week in order to go to church, and this went on for at least 5 to 6 months. Brothers and Sisters, I want to let you know that God hated lies, because it is a sin, and sin is of the devil. Lying in order to go to church is not honoring and glorifying God, it just implies that you are ashamed of the gospel. I was not only ashamed of the gospel, I was afraid of ‘persecution’ from my friends and family members. “I love and trust in God” was in my mouth; “Lord, I am ashamed to let people know I am a Christian” was in my heart. What a hypocrite I was then.

In the Ten Commandments, God said that we have to honor our parents. Not only did I disobey my parents, I disobeyed God. I spoke to my parents with attitude because I thought they were pretty annoying. I had wings to fly and no longer would I need my parents to interfere, or so I thought. I was so ignorant.

During these few months after my conversion, my friendship with my junior who brought me to church came crushing down. I began to dislike his presence and his character. It came to a point that we broke off our ties. Are Christians supposed to lead this kind of life? NO! God said in His Words that we have to ‘love thy neighbours as thyself’, that is to say that we have to love everyone, including our enemies, because we are all God’s creation. We should let Jesus deal with each one of us, and not take matter into our own hands because His ways are higher than our ways; He has better plans than we have.

Things weren’t as rosy as I would expect it to be after accepting Christ. Ain’t Christ supposed to change my life? Yes, He will change our lives, but we have to first, follow His ways and fully obey His Words. I didn’t read His Words nor followed His ways, nor did I open my heart completely to Him for Him to change me. My faith in Him was as good as zero. I was backsliding…

Next: My Life: God, Changed Me!

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

My Life: Salvation!

11 March came as a perfectly normal day, with the usual routines going on. Surely none would expect anything extraordinary to happen. Yet, it did happen. It was this day that I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior. It was this day that I opened my door and He entered and supped with me. It was this day that I confessed that I am a sinner, and only God can forgive me of all my sins, and give me a brand new life.

I didn’t receive my salvation in church, and I didn’t have to, because God is omnipresent. He isn’t confined to church only. I received a call from Lighthouse Evangelism when I was at home. The lady called to do a follow-up, asking me if I had been attending church. I told her that I have been attending regularly for the past few months. She was surprised and asked me if I had accepted Christ into my life. My response was “No” and immediately, she asked me if I believe that Jesus is the true and living God. “Yes” was my answer and she requested to lead me in the salvation prayer. I was hesitant, my mind was in a big confusion, but somehow, I knew that I had to say it because I need God in my life! I wanted my life to change once and for all! And so, I said the Salvation Prayer. Thank God I did!!!

I felt this excitement after I said the prayer. I knew my life would be totally changed by the power of God! I felt great! However, I kept this incident from my parents…

Next: My Life: The Diminishing Fire

Sunday, April 6, 2008

My Life: God vs Parents

My junior invited me to a church event one Saturday afternoon. It was a fun-filled youth event with games, preaching, and praise and worship sessions. It was this gathering that I came to know more about this unique God, Jesus, whom they say created me. The sentence, “I am created in God’s image!” remained in my mind for quite some time, and I knew there was something special about this Jesus. During the salvation call, I wanted to accept Him as my Lord and Savior, but I did not because I know that my parents will kill me if I did. I went home feeling confused and that night, I told my parents that I want to convert; I received a huge rebuke. Not only was I scolded by my parents, I was scorned by my brother. I was so ashamed and disappointed.

From then on, my parents would give me constant warnings not to convert for several reasons, with my elder brother giving me piercing looks whenever we crossed paths. I felt so restricted and soon, I gave up about wanting to know this Jesus.

However, God had everything planned out for me. A few months later, to my amazement, my parents invited me to church as they were being invited by their friends. I thought they were against Christianity? What changed them? When I reached the hotel, I realized that my parents had already attended the services for a few times. I attended the youth gathering and one of the brothers told me that if I really want to know Jesus, all I need to do is to tell Him that “God, I want to know more about You.” I did just that that very night before I went to bed…

A few months later, another junior of mine invited me to Lighthouse Evangelism. I was awed by the praise and worship session. Somehow in my heart, I knew Jesus is indeed the true and living God. There was this feeling that cannot be explained through words. He had touched me, really. During the salvation call, my heart wanted to respond, but my body remained rooted to the ground. On one hand, I really wanted to receive Jesus into my heart, but on the other, I had to take my parents into consideration. My friend was prompting me, my heart was racing, and I knew God was knocking on my door. Sadly, I didn’t open it that day.

Week after week, I attended church without my parents consent, or rather; they had no idea where I went each Sunday. I had to come up with lies each week to be able to go to church. This went on for more than 3 months…

Next: My Life: Salvation!

Saturday, March 22, 2008

My Life: A Godless Beginning Part 2

Life during my secondary school years wasn’t any better. In fact, it was in a bigger mess than before. Lying to my parents, going home late, and suicidal thoughts became part and parcel of my life. I dreaded home. It was a place filled with loneliness, hatred, and darkness. I would lock myself in my own room, staring into blank spaces. The immense emptiness in my heart drove me to a point of desperation. I could not stand that feeling anymore. I wanted to end my life. I cried and cried and cried…

School became my home, and friends, my family. I looked forward to going to school because I believe that my friends understand me best. I was quite wrong. Despite the many enjoyable moments, I often felt the emptiness in my heart. I was frustrated. Soon enough, I realized that no one will ever understand me, and gradually, I refused to talk to others about my life. My life became a mystery to many, and to myself. No one knew the pain I was going through. People saw the ‘lots of fun’ I went through during those days, but none saw the internal struggle within me.

When I was in Secondary 2, I had a major fallout with my elder brother. That day not only broke my heart into pieces, it also completely destroyed the already fragile ‘FAMILY’ in my heart. A cold war began from that day and it continued for weeks, months, and years. It gave me more reasons to hate home, and to hate my presence on this earth…

Next: My Life: God vs Parents

Sunday, March 16, 2008

My Life: A Godless Beginning Part 1

Since young, I have been taught to worship the idols. As a young boy, I was made to believe that these idols were gods, that different idols were for different circumstances, and that they had different power status – if the idol didn’t work for you, worship a stronger one. It was a pretty confusing concept. I feared those idols because they looked ugly, fierce and eerie at night. This made me to worship them obediently for fear that something would happen to me.

The result of worshipping these idols was very negative. I grew up to be a superstitious and timid boy, fearing of being alone and darkness It came to a point that I was afraid of even bathing alone.

At the age of 8, I realized that death was inevitable. My whole world sank. I couldn’t believe that I was born just to die in the end. I found life so meaningless. I was angry and sad, and I cried whenever I thought of this. I kept asking myself, “What happens after I die? Am I going to be buried forever, sleeping in the confined space of a coffin while the world continues to live on?” I was devastated.

Gradually, I grew up to be a defiant kid. At the age of 7, I bullied my handicapped buddy. I would deliberately inflict pain on his body and I felt good about it. The bullying last for 2 years after which, he was transferred to another school. At the age of 8, I was partly involved in a fight in school which resulted in a student being hospitalized. I knew I was mixing with bad company, but I thought it was cool. When I was 10 years old, I began to copy my friend’s homework and one year later, I started stealing money from my parents. When my parents found out about the stealing months later, they threatened to send me to a boy’s home. I hated them. I abhorred my life and I believed that life was so unfair to me.

My relationship with my parents was totally ruined. I no longer trusted them and I drifted further and further away from them. I had enough of them, enough of their frequent canings, enough of their lectures and scoldings. I wished that I could run away from home. I felt that they did not understand me anymore. There was no love at all. Everything seemed so pointless and meaningless. I was lost, very lost…

Next: My Life: A Godless Beginning Part 2