Choices

A longing for more care and concern, a longing for more love, a longing for acceptance, a longing for stronger relationships, a longing for understanding, a longing for more support, a longing for better days... Who doesn't long for more of the good stuff, and less of the obstacles that always seem to collide head-on with you just when things are looking brighter? Financial meltdown just when your business is picking up, a cheating boyfriend just when marriage plans are on the go, misunderstandings that often destroy friendships just when you thought you had finally found someone whom you can talk to... The frailty of human relationships, the uncertainty of world's economy; no one knows what lies ahead of them.

I have my struggles too. My relationship with God took a downturn when I decided to trust in my own ways rather than God's even though I know in my heart that God's way is indeed the only way. It's like telling God, "Hey God, I don't want to trust you anymore. Not that my way is right and yours is wrong, but I just don't want to trust in you anymore. Period." Ironic? Of course. But this is exactly what is happening to many christians.

Instead of seeking God first when we are faced with a problem, we seek the world, including ourselves, for the answer. Through the process, we begin to backslide, lose sight of God, stop going church for a few sundays, which slowly becomes months and even years. For some of us, we turn back to God when our spirit take a beating, when we realised (not that we don't know) that God is indeed the only way. Yet for others, they become detached from God totally - Christianity becomes just another religion for people to feel good.

There is one thing that all of us must be clear of, that is, the devil is constantly fighting against God for our souls. Know that God's will is that none should perish, but God cannot do anything if we ourselves do not decide which side of the fence we are on. Yes, God loves us no matter which side of the fence we are on, but if you do not choose to be on God's side, you won't be able experience what God wants you to experience - love, joy, peace, blessings...

Having said so much, It all boils down to this - It's all about our choices.

Without choices, there will be no love, nor will there be friendships and relationships. We make a choice to love or to hate, to give or not to give, to be friends or remain as it is. We make a choice to build or break a relationship, to be faithful or otherwise.

Jesus too, had many choices. He could have chose to send the heavenly army down to destroy those who longed for His death at the cross. Yet, Jesus chose to go up to the cross, remain there until His death, all for the sake of you and me so that today, when you remember the decision Jesus made for you two thousand and nine years ago, you will be able to make the decision to trust God once again. All you ever need to do is to tell God that you need Him in your life. You don't have to work for it, nor do you have to pay for it. Just ask and God will hear.

Oh, and when you make this decision, the many longings that you have hoped for earlier seemed to have pale in comparison to the tremendous blessings God has for you!

the Jesus that I have always told you about...

You may be lost right now and as the emptiness sets in,
the sudden realisation that you are all alone,
that everything seems so meaningless,
that nothing appears to satisfy you anymore;
You have come to the end of the road.

No way forward,
No right turn,
Nor is there a left turn,
You've got no where to go.

All you can see is the darkness that consumed your future,
A once bright and perfect life that you thought you have
Has become the bleak and lifeless person you are right now.

No where to run,
No where to hide,
No where to seek comfort,
You've got no where to go.

The floodgates opened and you realised,
that the best you could do now
is to let the tears flow down,
flow down like a river.

And you remembered that very night
I told you about the Jesus that I know.

You may not see Him, You may not feel Him,
You may not even know Him; but He knows you.
Hold on and stay strong, because help is on the way
This is the Jesus who loves me.
This is the Jesus who never forsakes me.
This is the Jesus whom I have been trying to tell you about.
And this is the Jesus who is going to help you.

He says He loves you,
Just reach out and take His hand
He says He longs for you to come into His presence,
Just open your heart and let Him in
He says you are His,
Just believe in Him.

The floodgates remains opened;
but the tears that once brought sorrow,
have now given you much joy,
for you have believed in your heart,
the Jesus that I have always told you about.

The Reason to Celebrate!

Psalm 13
1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me.

I believe many of us have been in such circumstances whereby you just felt so helpless and weak, so troubled and sad. The overwhelming sorrow in your heart causes the floodgates to open and all you can do is to cry and cry and cry. God seems to be so distant, and you question God, "Where are You?"

Perhaps you have a broken family, a broken relationship, or someone dearest to you just died. Perhaps you have just met with a failure; a massive debt you have incurred is haunting you. Your future looked so bleak, your life seemed so pointless; you are at the deepest valley.

King David experienced this too. Verses 1-4 tells us the difficult situation he was in and the sorrow and desperation that he felt during those days. He questioned God in his desperation, "Why, why is all these happening? Where are You? Are you going to help me?"

Yet, what did King David do after expressing his immediate emotions? He rejoiced and sang praises to God. More than that, he celebrated. A celebration in the midst of a difficult situation - that's surrender. King David celebrated because God had helped him so many times in his life and he knew that God was going to come true for him once again despite the tough situation he was facing. He celebrated because he trusted God when God said that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He celebrated because He knew that God's plan was the best for him. He celebrated because he knew that God was with him.

Whatever that God says He is, He is. It is up to us to believe it or not. God cannot do anything if you don't believe that He can. King David did and God help him. What about you?

A father will never leave his child alone. The cries of the child will soften the father's heart, and the joy of the child will bring joy to the father. When a child celebrate, his father will also celebrate. If you dance and sing before God, He will take you by His hands and dance and sing with you.

How can we not celebrate when we know that God loves us and He will ALWAYS be with us? How can we not celebrate when we know that the greatest of all is for us?

How can we not celebrate?
How can we not celebrate?

A Year of Transformation

"If you want to see something that you have never seen before, then you must do something that you have never done before. But if you do something that you always do, then you will see what you have always seen."
- Pastor Ed Silvoso, in the recently concluded Transformation Conference '09

In the beginning of this year, God impressed upon me that this year will be a year of transformation for me, that He will work mightily through my life, raising a strong warrior for His Kingdom. I was excited of course, and started off this year feeling good and hopeful about it. I was so determined at first, but lost that fire halfway through.

In God's perfect plan for me, He reminded me that He is going to do a new work in me. This was what happened.

Chris told me that his twin brother, Ben, had just won the top award in his unit. This wasn't any ordinary award because his unit had the toughest trainings and they were considered as the cream of the crops in the entire organisation. The best amongst the cream, that makes the award so special. I am very inspired by Ben because he always strives to give his best for the glory of God and it seems like nothing can stop him from doing that, NOTHING. His life is a testimony of God's grace and power, and the songs that Ben wrote reflects all that.

In his song "Things That Matter", he wrote "help me be the best that I can be, every single day" and here he is, giving his best for our great God every single day. What a great testimony and inspiration.

As I was reflecting, God led me to last year, when He placed Chris into my life. It was my first time seeing someone who was (and still is) so real to God. Through the tough times, Chris never gave up. I was a chaotic and messed up guy then and had caused him much distress and yet, he continued to shower God's love upon my life. He may not be perfect (none of us are) but He was shining so brightly in the kingdom of darkness, planting seeds of love in the lives of many, including me. If it weren't for his persistent prayers and faith in God that He will do something about my life, I don't think I will be who I am today.

God does have an interesting way of doing things. He sent this amazing twins into my life to show me that God is indeed in the business of transformation and my life can also be a testimony and inspiration to the lives of many if only I believe. That very day after the conference, I decided to make a decision for God - to give my best every single day of my life.

Through the lives of Chris and Ben, God showed me that He can do the same thing in my life. How can I reject this amazing offer that God has given to me? A year of transformation? Yes, this will be a year of transformation for me. As Pastor Ed said in the quote above, I will do what I have never done before (to give my best every single day of my life) and God will let me see things that I have never seen!

A Big Wake-Up Call

by Chris Seow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

I watched this video last week and I was surprised by how moved I was. Yes, call it over-hyped, or say that 'her voice isn't THAT amazing', but I think we all have a little bit to learn from this. Is susan boyle ugly? or are we? thats the questions ringing in british tabloids, and questions that we should dig deep into. Seeing how the crowd, and even many of us watching on youtube ( I too am guilty), misjudged susan with an immediate assumption that she was bound to be another 'william hung', indeed shows the decadence of our society. This is, as judge Amanda so well put into words, 'a big wake-up call'.

I admit I'm really running on emotions here, but I would not be ashamed to be associated with this big brouhaha regarding susan boyle. As the people of God, we are called to be not of this world, we are called to see in the eyes of Jesus. So often we neglect it, with our stereotyping and labeling. We do it everywhere, from the casual conversations to the prayer meetings. I think this is something we are all very aware of.

But another underlying question would be, did susan boyle have to open her mouth and display her power voice before we gave her a chance, a little respect as a fellow human? After all, if susan did not 'redeem' herself with her voice, the world would have dismissed her as a wanna-be or a weirdo, or even dissed her and laughed at her.

But angelic voice OR NOT, susan boyle is God's beautiful child, and she is a delightful jewel in Jesus eyes. We need to even go beyond what the world is saying now about not judging a book by its cover, its more than that. We need to love unconditionally, challenge ourselves to be more Christ-like. To put it plainly, we have to love not just the Susan Boyles but the William Hungs as well. I do not support the crowd's reaction, before AND after she sang, but I just think this video serves as a good reminder to all of us, to cut out the stereotyping, labeling, belittling, mocking, for in the kingdom of God there is NO SUCH THING.

Blessings from God

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

It was an email. It was an email that opened the floodgates, followed by the streams of tears that came naturally. It was a moment of joy and delight. No, It was more than that; It was a moment of awe for Jesus. The many months of struggle, of emotional hurts and of uncertainties, with the many months of surrendering and believing that God will provide, God made it clear once and for all on that very day I received that email.

Wonder what the email was about?

The email read, "We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected for the Health Science Scholarship (Diploma with Degree Conversion) in Physiotherapy, tenable for 3 years in Nanyang Polytechnic and 1 year in an overseas university."

In November last year, I decided to ask God to show me His will in my life and of course, the course that I should take for my tertiary education. It was after 2 years of thinking and wondering what I want to do in the future and finally reaching the end of the road that I realised that I have gone in the wrong direction. Like the parable of the prodigal son, God ran to me when I made the decision to come back to Him.

He diverted my attention away from all the glamourous courses towards a course that most students won't think about studying - Physiotherapy. I was filled with doubts but God showed me that He was going to use me mightily in this area and I obeyed Him. Then came the strong opposition from my parents who were very against the idea of studying physiotherapy because I had to go through a polytechnic education which they thought was second-class. I was very upset and hurt, and the breaking point was when they threatened to disown me if I were to choose this path. I was heartbroken and had absolutely no idea what I was supposed to do. I couldn't tell them that this course is from God because they weren't christians. I was very lost.

Chris told me to press on and coninue to trust in the Lord, and I did. I prayed and believed that God's Will will be done in my life, and He did. My parents became more accepting and even my elder brother whom I had a relationship breakdown a few years back spoke for me. It was amazing and it became much clearer to me that this was and is indeed God's perfect Will for my life.

I decided to apply for a scholarship for this course so as to appease my parents, who in their hearts, were still very unwilling to accept my decision. As school drew closer, I began to doubt and there was just so much uncertainty regarding this course and whether I would be able to do well for it. At one point I even regretted choosing this. I prayed and prayed and asked God for His strength.

School started, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed studying this course. Last thursday, I went for the scholarship interview. I was pretty unprepared but I believed that God was with me and even allowed me to gain the favour of the interviewers who seemed to be enjoying my presence. Even though I was offered the scholarship, I knew deep down that it wasn't because of me that I got the scholarship, it was 100% God. Without God, I have nothing.

Like what Chris said, "this scholarship affirms my position in physiotherapy." I am so honoured to be so loved by God, knowing that His Will is unfolding in my life right now. My parents too, are glowing with delight now.

Looking back, what I saw wasn't just the email, it was beyond that. I saw God's miracle hands working through my life. I saw a God who's love is unfailing, a God who's provision is more than enough for me, a God who knows what's best for me. I cried because I was touched by our awesome God.

What else can I say about this amazing God who makes all things work for the good for those who love him, who are called according to His purpose?

A New Season

As I begin my tertiary education tomorrow, a new phase of my life unfolds. Call it a new season of my walk with Christ. A new level of faith, admist all the stress and anxiety, to trust God for my studies and for His purpose to be fulfilled in my life. A closer walk with God on this path of many uncertainties and challenges.

God put me in physiotherapy for a reason, and I trust that His plan is indeed the best for me. 2 years of leaning upon my own thinking, I came to the end of the road, with no decision made, a future that was so clouded. Yet the moment I asked God to lead me, He gave me a future - in physiotherapy.

I faced strong objections from my parents who threatened to disown me if I were to study this. I was so lost and helpless, but I decided to trust God that if it is His will, then He will definitely provide a way for me. And He did.

"All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship"

This may be a new season of my life, but God is still the same yesterday, today and forever. He placed me in this course for a reason, and for that reason, He will walk with me throughout this journey. And even right now, I am just gonna boldly declare that I will excel in this course because God is with me. He provided a way for my parents to accept this decision, and He will definitely see that I excel in this course to bring Him all the glory! 3 years from now, you will hear me testify on this blog that I have done exceedingly well in my course and all glory belongs to God because without Him, I am nothing. Amen!

Always Before Me

Our God never fails to surprise us with His amazing love for us. As I was reflecting, I realised that it's always about me in Jesus' eyes so that it will always be about Him in our eyes. He is always before me so that I can see the signs and wonders that followed after Him.

Even before I knew God, He knew me and prepared the way for me to believe in Him. Even before I loved Him, He allowed me to experience His love, a love that I have never received from my family. Even before I fell off the cliff of sins, He was right at the bottom, with arms wide open, waiting to catch me. Even before I made up my mind about Him, He made up His and went to the Cross.

As Ben Seow of Ebenezer wrote in his song "Where Do I Run":

"Before I saw You, You saw me
Before I chased You, You chased me
Before I made up my mind, You made up Your mind about me"

At the Cross, what Jesus saw wasn't just the crowd that's before Him; He saw a life that needed a love that this world could not provide. He saw a need to give to this precious life that was created by Him. He saw a soul that was blinded by darkness, needing His light to guide the way. He saw a sinner saved by what He would do on that Cross. He saw me.

1 John 4:10
"This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

The Miracle Maker

If you were given three and a half years, what would your accomplishments be? Could it be written into a book? Or could it even be written into a book? Or how about your entire lifespan? Yes, you could write a book about your life, but can you write more than that?

Let's look at how Jesus fared.

John 21:25
"Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written."

When I read this verse, I was awestruck. Jesus did so many things that even the whole world could not contain all that. Three and a half years and so many lives were touched by Jesus. Ain't that amazing? Think about it, let's say Jesus did 100 or 1000 things, there will still be rooms for all these books right? But what if the number of things Jesus did is in millions or even more than that? And what did Jesus do? Miracles.

John 14:12
"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing . He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."

Look, it is Jesus' intention for us to do what He did - miracles. And if He can perform so many miracles in His short ministry, we can do even more miracles and greater miracles than Him because He has gone to the Father. It's back to this - Dare to Believe. Dare to believe God for the miracles that you need in your family, in your relationships, in any difficult situations when things just seem so hopeless. Dare to believe that signs and wonders will follow us who believe in Jesus as our savior.

Jesus turned the world upside down in His three and a half years of ministry. It's time for us to take the stand, to do what Jesus did, and turn the world upside down and inside out until the whole world witness the glory of our great God!

What Last Friday Was For

It was a bloody scene. His flesh was torned beyond recognition. The crown of thorns added to the list of sufferings that He had already faced. With barely enough strength left, He had to carry the huge wooden cross to His final destination. The crowd looked at Him not with sympathy, but hatred. As the nails drove through His hands and feet, His cry was drowned by the sea of laughter and joy. It felt like a celebration. O yes, it was indeed a celebration - the man that the crowd hated so much was about to die!

Hanging on that cross naked, He said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" Hey, did I hear wrongly? Did He say "forgive"? He had all the rights to hate and yet, He chose to forgive?! What is wrong with this man? Is He out of His mind?

That must have been what I was thinking when I was busy hating someone last week. And that was what Jesus taught me on Good Friday - Forgiveness.

There are so many times in our lives when things just seemed so unfair and we thought we had all the rights to be angry about it - When your boss accuses you of not doing your work, when your project mate is on "all talk, no action" mode, when you realised someone is making use of you, and the list goes on. Hatred appears to be the right reaction to these situations. Yes, it is, if you looked at these circumstances through your own eyes.

Look at what Jesus did when He was at the cross, having all the rights to hate. He forgave. Not because He was out of His mind, but because it was the right thing to do. As a saying goes, "An eye for an eye makes the world goes blind." What is right is always right even if the whole world is not doing it, and what is wrong will always be wrong even if the whole world is doing it.

Admit it, we are flawed. If we really trust our own belief system, the world will soon be blind. Why not try looking at these circumstances through the eyes of Jesus, the only perfect one? When Jesus was hanging on that cross, what He saw was not the evil in man, but the creation of His Father. What He felt wasn't hatred but love, love for the lost generation, love for His own creation. He chose to forgive so that two thousand and nine years later on Good Friday, I can forgive.

If Jesus, who had all the rights to hate, chose to forgive, then how can we, who had no rights to begin with, not forgive? We were the ones who drove Jesus to the cross, if He can forgive us, can we not forgive those who hurt us?

My Chains Are Gone Part 2

Matthew 19:26
"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

We cannot overcome addictions with our own strength. We need to partner with God, who is our strength, who has already given us the victory at the cross of calvary.

2 Timothy 1:7
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

When you come before God, don't come with a spirit of timidity. Why should we come begging and hoping when we already know that God will help us. Instead, come boldly but not arrogantly before the throne of God, and declare in the mighty name of Jesus that God has broken the chains of addiction in your life!

Look at the bold declarations in 1 Corinthians 15:55:
"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"

God wants us to boldly declare the victory that He has already given us. And when you do, feelings no longer come into play. It's Faith. And what did the bible says about faith?

Matthew 17:20-21
"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Dare to believe - that's how God want us to pray. You may not feel any difference, and you may even think that how will your addiction disappear just like this. Don't let logic create disbelieve in you because our logic is not the same as God's logic. God's logic is our impossible. But if you allow your disbelieve to take control of you, you are basically locking yourself with the very same chains that God has already broken for you.

We are co-heirs with Jesus Christ. We will be rulers in heaven. If you can't rule (with God) over your addictions, how then will you be able to rule in heaven?

Revelation 2:7
"To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."

Revelation 2:11
"He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death."

Revelation 2:17
"To him who overcomes, I will give give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it."

Revelation 2:26-28
"To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations...just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give him the moning star."

Revelation 3:12
"Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name."

Revelation 3:21
"To him who overcomes, I will give him the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne."

My Chains Are Gone Part 1

"My chains are gone, I've been set free.
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, Amazing grace"

How many times have we sung this song with such conviction at that point in time, believing that God has indeed set us free? And how many times have we, the very next moment, gone straight back to our addictions? What does it mean to you when you sing "my chains are gone, I've been set free"? Is it a declaration of the victory that God has already won for you, or is it just a hope that God will one day come to your rescue? Faith vs Logic and Feelings, Authority in Christ vs Begging for God's mercy, which side are you on?

Day and night we ask God to help us overcome our addictions, we cry out to Him and sometimes even question Him, we beg God for His mercy and grace. But once the temptation arises, logic and feelings will come into play. You ask God why is it so tempting, why can't He just take get rid of your addiction? You cry out to Him, telling Him that you really cannot resist the temptation anymore. And the next moment, you fall back into sin. Sounds familiar?

Logically, addictions are never easy to get rid off. It's always tempting you to do it again and again. And if you try to resist it, you will feel terrible. The outcome is you carry on with your addictions. In this trap, your faith becomes your feelings; once you were praying with authority, now you are just begging God to help you. You begin to pray with doubts, not believing that God can help you overcome your addictions. From fighting with God to fighting alone, from believing to just hoping, from God-centered to self-centered, you begin to wonder if God can do the impossible for you.

Have you realised that it's all about you so far, and never really about God? It's about you not being able to resist the temptation, it's about you feeling so terrible, it's about you not being able to live for God. The entire focus is on you, and that's the problem...

Thus Far

Ebenezer, formed by 5 God-fearing musicians from Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC), is the up-and-coming band in Singapore. Their lives are reflections of how amazing our God is, of how God can use our weaknesses to glorify His great name. Having performed in a number of gigs, including "What Last Friday Was For" - A Good Friday Harvest Gig and "Ebenezer in the Basement", they are gaining popularity in this nation. Below is their hit song, "Thus Far", which reflects our reliance on God, our need for God, and our rest in God.

Note: Scroll down to the music player on the right and click on "Thus Far" to listen.

Thus Far
Words and Music by Chris Seow (Ebenezer)

Verse 1:
In the Lord,
I find my rest.
In the shelter of His wings,
In the shadow of the Almighty One.

And I know,
My life is in His hands.
Through the winding roads and bends,
He’ll guide my way.

Pre-Chorus:
Thus far has the Lord helped me.
Whom shall I fear now? Him shall I follow after.
Thus far has the Lord been my strength.
Him I shall trust.

Verse 2:
Through the storm,
He is my peace.
He calms the raging seas,
His power made perfect when I am weak.

In His word,
I find my hope.
And my whole life I know
He holds me close.

Chorus:
Lord my God, Carry me. In your loving arms and
Lead me close, to your heart. Let me live in your glory.
Cover me, with your grace. Into your hands I surrender.
As I walk, in trust and faith.

Bridge:
Time and time again,
You’ve shown yourself faithful, faithful to me.
Oh how can I deny
Your love in my life.
For You are good
So good.

Chris Seow of Ebenezer explains the meaning of the song, "Thus Far":

'Thus far' is a song which carries an important fundamental of our everyday lives - dependance on God. The main theme, 'Thus far has the Lord helped me', comes from 1 Samuel 7:12, where Samuel set up a stone declaring the Lord's help after the Israelites won their territory back from the hands of the Philistines. Interestingly, that rock was named 'Ebenezer' (this was also how we came up with our band name). The Lord is our stone of help, solid rock in whom we can trust.

'Thus far' begins with a quiet knowledge of who God is. 'In the Lord, I find my rest... I know my life is in his hands... Through the storm He is my peace... In his power I find my hope...' Indeed, the Lord is all these things, and in the knowlege of who He is, we find the rest to lean on Him. The pre-chorus also sends a reminder that 'thus far has the Lord helped me' and in that God whom has helped us thus far, we indeed can place our trust!

Something that means a lot to me as the songwriter is how within the song, there is an integration between the quiet assurance of who God is and the utter desperation for His presence. With the entry of the chorus, a new sound emerges, and a new cry, one directed at God. It is an outcry to God to carry us through. From addressing yourself in the verses, there is an obvious turn to addressing God. The chorus is ultimately a prayer, and its words are not uncommon to our everyday prayers and desperation for God in our lives.

One of the most meditative points of the song is the bridge, which continues in the prayerful mood. Once again, we are reminded of God's great love.
'Thus far' is a song that came out from my heart during a rough point in my life, in the army. I do not remember what exactly I was doing, but I remember it was raining. And I remember walking in the heavy downpour crying out to God 'Lord my God! Carry me in your loving arms'. Indeed, this is our cry not only in the tough times, but in every single moment of our days! How we need God and depend on His help!

Unoffendable Part 4

Overcoming Offenses
by Francis Frangipane

***
Note: I thought this is a good read, so I've decided to share here. All credits given to Francis Frangipane, the author of this article.
***

When we study what Jesus taught, it is obvious that He came to make us “unoffendable.” Consider: He says that if someone slaps you on one cheek, offer him the other. He said to love our enemies and bless those who curse us. What He’s really doing is showing us how an unoffendable heart of love overcomes all adversity.

We pray, “Lord, I want to change.” To answer our prayer, He sometimes must put us in situations that perfectly offend us. The offense itself awakens our need of grace. Thus, the Lord precipitates change by first offending the area of our soul He desires to transform. He does not expect us to merely survive this adversity, but to become Christlike in it. Ask Joseph in the Old Testament: the “land of offense” became the land of his anointing and power. Listen my friends: the destiny God has for man unfolds or dies at the junction of offense. How we handle offense is the key to our tomorrow.

Psalm 119:165
“Those who love [God’s] law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble”

Lord, grant me that new creation heart that can walk as Jesus walked, through a world of offenses without stumbling. I want to see everything as an opportunity to pray, everything as an opportunity to become Christlike. Lord help me to interpret offenses as opportunities that lead to transformations. Grant me, Lord Jesus, the pulse and beat of Your unoffendable heart. Amen.

Unoffendable Part 3

When God Himself Offends Us
by Francis Frangipane

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Note: I thought this is a good read, so I've decided to share here. All credits given to Francis Frangipane, the author of this article.
***

The fact is, false expectations can become a source of many deep offenses. However, one of the worst offenses we can suffer is when God Himself purposely offends us.

In 2 Kings 5, we read the story of when Naaman, a Syrian general, sought to be healed of leprosy by Elisha, the prophet. When Naaman and his entourage arrived at Elisha’s house, Elisha didn’t greet him personally, but instead sent his servant with a word/cure for Naaman. It was a simple assignment for the military leader: wash seven times in the Jordan River. However, the cure offended Naaman. Why didn’t the prophet himself come out? Why this muddy Jordan? Scripture says that “Naaman was furious.”

An offended spirit is an angry spirit. In this case, Naaman was beyond mad; he was furious. Do you find that you are always mad at a particular person? It’s because they have offended you and you haven’t forgiven them. Naaman was offended at Elisha, but what was the real cause of Naaman’s offense? Listen to his words. He said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and cure the leper’” (v. 11).

Catch the phrase, “Behold, I thought . . .” In truth, Naaman was not offended by Elisha, but by his own failed expectations. He probably spent many hours envisioning the moment of healing.. He even pictured himself testifying of how the man of God healed him. When it didn’t happen according to his plan, he was offended.

Friends, before the Lord heals you or assigns you some new, elevated position of service, He will often offend you. Why? What is it that gets offended in us? Usually, it is our pride. We come to God desiring physical healing, but the Lord wants us not only to be healed, but to be humble. Yes, God heals us through our faith, but there our times when our own pride keeps us from receiving the method of God’s healing. The Lord offends us to humble us, so He can give us grace. Faith works through grace, but God only gives grace to the humble.

Look at how often Jesus offended people before He healed them. Once, He actually spit on the ground, made mud and put it on a blind man’s eyes, and then told him to walk across town that way! Imagine if you were next in the healing line and saw what the guy before you had to do. Admit it, we each would be looking for another healing ministry, one that is a little less offensive! On another occasion He told a woman who came seeking her daughter’s healing that she was an unclean dog; another time, He stuck His fingers in the ears of a man to heal his deafness. The Lord often offended people before He healed them.

If we would learn to humble ourselves in the offense, we would discover that the apparent offense was, in realty, a door that led into the manifest power of God. When Jesus called the Canaanite woman a “dog,” instead of being offended, she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs feed on the crumbs” (Matt. 15:27). When Jesus told the man to walk across town with mud in his eyes, the man didn’t argue or ask for a more dignified healing; he humbled himself and came back seeing. When Elisha told Naaman to dip in the Jordan seven times, the offense wounded him. Yet, when he humbled himself, his leprosy was replaced with the skin of a little child. His skin became as a child, because his heart, through humility, became as a child.

Maybe you haven’t received your healing or breakthrough yet because to walk the path set before you is beneath your dignity. Maybe you need to get rid of your dignity and go to that Pentecostal or Baptist church you’ve been making fun of, then ask them to pray for you. God wants to heal you, but He also wants to renew and transform you with His grace.

Unoffendable Part 2

False Expectations
by Francis Frangipane

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Note: I thought this is a good read, so I've decided to share here. All credits given to Francis Frangipane, the author of this article.
***

Unrealistic or exaggerated expectations inevitably will cause others to fall short and offend us. Some desire their spouse or pastor or friends to meet their every need. However, at the deepest level, our soul was created to find its security in God, not man. When the Almighty truly becomes our security, our peace flows from our awareness of His love and unlimited capabilities. As people who put their confidence in God, we can live comfortably with imperfect people around us.

Still, the very power of our expectations can choke out the sweetness of a personal relationship. Suppose that, instead of burdening people with our expectations, we simply learned to appreciate them for themselves - no strings attached. What if we approach family and friends with gratitude for what they are doing rather than disappointment for what they failed to do?

Suppose that a husband, instead of expecting a full course dinner from his wife each night, learned to appreciate whatever she was able to offer him? Then, instead of his failed expectation degrading into an offense, there would be a living, sincere appreciation for the food his wife prepared. I know we have arrangements by common consent, but in reality, a wife is under no obligation to cook special meals or do housekeeping. You did not marry her to be your housekeeper, but to become one with her.

Or imagine a husband who works a long, tiring job. However, his wife expects that he will work another two hours at home or go shopping with her or listen attentively about her problems. What if, instead, she welcomed him at the door and sincerely thanked him for daily giving himself to support their family? What if she met him, not with demands, but with appreciation? Perhaps she might even massage his shoulders and, because of love, have his favorite meal prepared.

You see, expectations can seem like legitimate aspects of a relationship, but they can also cause us to be disappointed and offended when people fall short. I have known situations in the past where my expectations actually blinded me to the efforts being made by a loved one. They were trying to improve in an area I was unaware of because my focus was preset upon a different expectation. I should have been grateful and encouraging.

Of course, today I discuss issues and expectations with those close to me, but the weight of my expectation is not on others, but upon myself to be Christlike and sensitive to those around me. I put a premium upon enjoying the uniqueness of others, sincerely thanking God for their contribution to my life.

Unoffendable Part 1

The Sequence That Leads To Apostasy
by Francis Frangipane

***
Note: I thought this is a good read, so I've decided to share here. All credits given to Francis Frangipane, the author of this article.
***

Matthew 24:10-12
“Then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another . . . and because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold”

In our last teaching we looked at offenses and examined the lethal effect an offended spirit could have upon our lives. We discussed how the only way to not be permanently offended was to attain the unoffendable heart of Jesus Christ.

Attaining Christ’s heart is not a minor issue. Remember, Jesus warned that, in the last days, “many” would be offended. A wounded spirit is not the same thing as an offended spirit - an offense occurs when we do not process our wounds in a Christlike manner. Indeed, an offended spirit, left unattended and brooding in our minds, will soon manifest as betrayal, hatred and cold love. Jesus said offenses would be the ultimate cause that leads many to fall from faith. Listen well: Jesus linked the real cause of apostasy not to wrong doctrines, but wrong reactions.

Aren’t right doctrines important? Of course, but we can have right information and still have a wrong response. Doctrinal information can be upgraded and refined, but Proverbs warns that someone “offended is harder to be won than a strong city,” and “contentions” between people “are like the bars of a castle” (Prov. 18:19).

Yes, beware of false leaders, but more deceitful than false prophets or teachers is our own heart when it is offended (Jer. 17:9). Are you living with an offended heart? If so, you are gradually slipping away from true Christianity, which is known for its agape love.

Thus, dealing with an offended heart is vital in maintaining ongoing spiritual maturity. For this reason, we need to look again at the things that offend us.

Who Will Go? Part 2

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Like Isaiah, we have saw the grace and mercy of God over our lives. More than that, we have the privileged of seeing God's love for us in so many ways, and the bible tells us that in the greatest act of love in the whole of mankind, Jesus died for us.
Not because He owed us anything, nor was He forced to do it - It was His decision.

We are saved because of this amazing act by a God who loves us so much, but are we as excited as Isaiah? Are we even thankful to God for this life that He has given to us? Maybe we were thankful in the beginning, but through the years, the magnitude of God’s love for us seems to fade away.

Should that be the case?

Remember, God is the same yesterday, today and tommorrow. His love for us doesn't diminish over the years. It may be two thousand years since He died on that cross, but His love for us is still the same now and the day He died at the cross. God doesn't shortchange us, but He wants us to go back to the cross, the very same cross two thousand years ago and seek Him.

Remember the crown of thorns, the whippings, the nails that drove through his hands and feet, remember the blood He spilled, the pain he endured, and remember the victory He gave us all. Remember the day of your salvation, remember the countless number of times you sinned against Him and yet Jesus still rained down His grace and mercy over your life. Remember the love He poured over your life, the best friend who is always there for you. Remember Jesus.

Brothers and Sisters, it's time to stop short-changing God and give Him our best. It will not be easy, but God will provide you with the ways. Believe. Believe God for this generation who will rise up for the King of Glory. It's time for christians all over the world to come together as one in the Name of Jesus. It's time for us to shout to God, "Here am I. Send me! Send me! Send me!"

Who Will Go? Part 1

Isaiah 6:1-8
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.
2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
3 And they were calling to one another:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory."
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.
7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

I can imagine the scene when Isaiah saw God. He thought he was going to die because he knew his position before God. Being a sinner, he understood that the righteous God cannot tolerate sin. He was afraid, so afraid that he cried out in verse 5, "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." That was the end of him, or so he thought.

Instead of facing the wrath of God, Isaiah saw the other side of God; One who is full of grace and mercy. God forgave Isaiah of all his sins.

Isaiah was surprised and amazed! In fact, he was delirious!

And when God asked “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?”, Isaiah said without a second thought, “Here am I. Send me!”

Zero hesitation.

Isaiah knew that the task won’t be easy, but that didn’t stop him from going for God. Do you know that because of Isaiah’s messages (mostly warnings, judgements, events that took place in his time, with a few messages of hope in the end.), he had few friends during his life time? Nevertheless, he faithfully continued to bring God’s message to the world.

If one day God were to call out, “Who will go?” Will you be like Isaiah, who without hesitation said, “Here am I. Send me!” Will you be as eager as him? Will you still have the fire for God? Or will you hide your face from Him?

Looking Back on 2008

2008 has been one of the most tiring years of my life. The packed training schedules in the first half of the year had drained me of my energy to the point that I lost the heart of service in my previous church where I was serving in the soundlight ministry. I was quite tired of serving in the ministry because it was taking too much of my time. It was also during this time that I lost sight of God, and everything just seemed to come tumbling down. My overly sensitive feelings consumed me once again and I became very emotional.

Then came the miracle that made me decide to join FCBC. Looking back, I thank God that He was still there for me even when I chose to forsake Him. Joining FCBC was a huge turning point in my life. I saw hope in this messy life. By God’s grace, even though I continued to sin against Him, even though I continued to dwell in my emotional-depressed state, and even during those times when I really felt like ending my life, God refused to let me go. He even allowed me to understand more of Him, to experience Him in a way that I’ve never experienced before.

Lately, I began to ignore God. There were times that I would ask Chris to stop mentioning God when he tries to help me. Even during the my Hope week, I continued to put God aside, out of my life. I even told Chris that I didn’t want to testify because my life was screwed up, that I’ve broke God’s heart so many times; I felt that God wasn’t going to use my testimony anyway because of what I had done. Nonetheless, I prepared the testimony but my heart wasn’t fully right with God. It was only during that evening that I came before God and asked for His grace and mercy over my life. That very night, I saw God’s greatness in my life as I testify and realized that the many times I took the wrong step, He was there to ensure that I get back on the right step.

2008 can be summed up using this chorus:

“If I could count the stars in the sky
Could it compare to how many times
I broke Your heart
But still here You are with open arms”

When I first thought about my life in 2008, I thought that I was just going to say how bad things were. But through everything that happened last year, every single thing that I’ve said and done to hurt God and the people around me, through all these, you know what I saw? I saw God in my life. In fact, 2008 wasn’t about how screw up I was, but rather, it was about how amazing our God is, that everything that happened last year is a testimony to God’s grace, mercy and love. He is never a God who will give up hope on His children, like some fathers do; He is always the God who loves unconditionally, running faster than anyone towards us when we turn back to Him.

On the very last day of 2008, I made up my mind.

“Redemption, knocking on my doorstep
I lay me down
I don’t wanna turn from You no more
I’ve had enough of what this world’s to offer
So take me back
To the place where I belong”