Log In To God's Covenant Promise

In this modern age, we use PCs and have to "log in" our passwords in order to access the various programs or sites and gain usage. Similarly, in these troubled times, how do we "log in" to God and His covenant promise ? Remember that God is a covenant keeping God, and even in the best or worst of times, He is there with us and for us and His promises are "Yes and in Him, Amen !"

In the Bible, there is a story of a famine recorded in Genesis 26 for which Isaac was given specific instructions to follow. Although our current world financial crisis has not caused widespread famine yet, it can be likened to a financial famine for many especially to those who have lost their jobs and every asset that they ever had. Let us observe what God told Isaac and how He kept His covenant and blessed him even in a famine situation :

1. Do Not Rely On Old Ways Of Provision

The first instruction given when God appeared to Isaac during the famine was in verse 3 : "Do not go down to Egypt". The natural tendency for human beings in a disaster situation or when they face financial challenges is to "go to Egypt". We have borrowed before, just take a personal loan to tide over first, let's mortgage the house, let's emigrate to Australia, etc.

We do all things in the natural which seems to be the "right thing to do" and limit God to meet all our needs according to His riches in glory. God is a creative God. He can make a way where there seems to be no way. Trust Him with an open and renewed mind and He will come through for you.

2. Dwell In The Land Which I Shall Tell You

The second instruction to Isaac was : "Dwell in the land which I shall tell you". After this second instruction, God reminded Isaac that He will keep His promises as given to his father Abraham. In troubled times, we tend to worry and think : "Should I go for a better job ?, What if I get retrenched ?, I better save for a rainy day...etc". Most times, God will want us to just be still and stay where we are and know that He is God. Proverbs 3 : 5 - 6 reads : "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." There is a Chinese proverb which says that when you reach a crooked bridge, it will straighten out by itself. Choose whom or what you want to put your trust in.

3. Presence Of God Will Be With You

God assured Isaac that He will be with him when he sojourn and dwell in the land where He will show him. In troubled times, the Presence of God in us is our everything. We must learn to stay in His Presence in abounding and lean times. Most Malaysians and Christians alike have been so blessed that we only know how to bless the Lord and know His Presence in good times. May we be ever more sensitive to His leading and ever aware of His Presence in us.

4. God Blesses You & Your Descendants

The story in Genesis 26 continue to assure the reader that God keeps His covenant and reminded Isaac of His covenant with Isaac's father, Abraham. We may forget the promises of God, but God will keep His part of the covenant and fulfill it. Our side of the covenant is to remain in Him as Jesus is the fulfillment of all the laws, statutes and commandments. We are the head and not the tail and even in crisis times, God can still bless us and even transfer the wealth of the world (or unrighteous) to the righteous (that's us - the righteousness of Christ).

5. Do Not Cease To Sow

Whilst God is a covenant keeping God, that doesn't absolve us of doing our bit. In verse 12, Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The LORD blessed him and the man became rich and gained more and more until he became very wealthy." In "famine times", we must continue to sow into His Kingdom (i.e. tithe) and work hard and we will reap a bountiful harvest. The world's system is one of borrowing and lending but God's Kingdom principle is one of sowing and reaping. I have heard of so many testimonies where even in economic downturns, the church's tithes and offerings went up and many are still blessed. I am not saying it will be true for all Christians, but He will meet all our needs, not necessarily our wants.

6. Reaping A Hundredfold

Consistent to the parable of the sower, how we sow will reap us the kind of harvest we will get. Those who sow sparingly into His Kingdom will also reap sparingly. Crisis time is a good time to exercise our faith. Give your dues to God and let Him prove Himself strong in meeting all your needs. Let us all keep the faith and reap a hundredfold like Isaac.

Look to God as He is indeed a covenant keeping God. God is with you, no matter what. Remain in Him and He will remain in you. He's got the whole world in His Hands and God is still on the throne. God Bless and have yourself a very blessed Christmas and bountiful New Year 2009 !

J.E.F.F. = Just Everyone's Favourite Friend

Yesterday, one of my church's pastors gave me a key chain in appreciation of my contribution in teaching the Beta and Precept-upon-Precept classes. The key chain has my name in short form : JEFF and the acronym stands for "Just Everyone's Favourite Friend". Boy ! If only that is true. As human beings we are full of flaws and has many shortcomings.

We also have our fair share of close friends or "favourite friends" but definitely this "JEFF" here do not measure up as "Just Everyone's Favourite Friend". Through the course of my life so far, I have had very good and favourite friends and then, there are those who are acquaintances, whilst some, you won't want to go near them. You know what I mean.

My hope and prayer is that when I am in contact with my friends or even strangers or new found friends, they will come away from meeting me and say : "Hey, Jeff is a friendly guy ! Enjoyed his company". There is still much room for improvement and it is my desire that everywhere I go and whomever I am in contact with, I will always leave a "good fragrance" i.e. the fragrance of Jesus Christ, that all may see and give glory to God. We are not perfect as the best of Man is still Man at best. May I take this opportunity to say "thank you" to all my friends out there and all those who have sent me SMS's and emails to wish me "Happy Birthday" recently. I appreciate all of you and may our friendship grow deeper and stronger in the days ahead. God Bless ...

Four Keys To Success

Hi ! It has been a long time since I last updated my blog. Been very busy at work and church. Just want to share something which I hope will help us experience success even in challenging times. Even as we go through so many challenges in life and amidst the chaos and turmoil in the world, here are 4 Keys to Success which are :

1. People of Vision - We are to be a people of vision, God's vision - in order to be people of success. In Numbers 13, Moses sent out 12 spies to survey the Promised Land and to give a report of what they saw. 10 spies came back with a negative report, but 2 spies namely Caleb and Joshua came back with a positive report that they are well able to take the Land. We are to see with "supernatural eyes" and not with our natural eyes. We are to see what God sees. You will see what you are looking for. If it is success you look for, then success is what you will see and the opposite is also true, that is, if it is failure that you see, then failure it will be for you. Remember that God has given us His Holy Spirit, and just as Caleb and Joshua are of a "different spirit", the One in us is greater than the one who is in the world. We are a people of vision and overcomers in Him.
2. Attitude - Our attitude determines our altitude. How high we soar or how low we sink depends a lot on our attitude towards life and people around us. When you see the right things, you believe the right things but if you are always having a negative attitude towards life, you cannot have what you hope to have. Your attitude will either push you to attain what you set out to do (just like Caleb and Joshua) or it will prohibit you (like the other 10 spies).
3. Presence of God - In Numbers 14 : 44, the ark of covenant which represents the Presence of God continued to be at the camp of the Israelites and we read that wherever they went, the ark of covenant was carried with them. If we do not have the Presence of God in our lives, it is difficult to have success especially in our spiritual battles. No Presence = No success. In Psalm 16 : 11, David wrote : "You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." David always pursued the Presence of God, whereas for us now, we have the Presence of God in us. It is either active or dormant as we at times grieved the Holy Spirit and is not even aware that He lives in us. May we always be conscious of His ever Presence in our lives.
4. Prayer - Our most powerful weapon and key to success is prayer. When Abraham's servant was asked to look for a wife for Isaac, he prayed to God : "Give your servant success today." Whatever you do, and wherever you may be; whether in a meeting, doing a project, etc, just shoot a quick prayer up to God : "Give me success today, Abba Father".

May these 4 Keys to Success help you in your journey in life and give you peace.

Lunch With A Group Of Pastors

Today (19th Oct 2008), my wife and I were invited by our Senior Pastor, Ps. Chew to have lunch with him and Ps. LT Jeyachandran of Ravi Zacharias Ministry as Ps. Chew wanted me to send Ps. LT back to USJ 6 which is near Bandar Sunway where I stay. Little did we know that Ps. Edmund Chan and his pastors from Covenant Evangelical Free Church of Singapore were in town and they too were invited. All in all, there were six pastors who had lunch with my wife and I ! Awesome !

There were Ps. Chew, Ps. Chandran, Ps. LT Jeyachandran, and Ps. Edmund Chan, Ps. Tony Yeo and Ps. Fabian from CEFC, Singapore. What an overwhelming privilege it has been for me to be having lunch with God's anointed servants and in the brief one hour or so, I learned so much from these servants of God. From Ps. Edmund, I learned that it is a good practice to live not just within our means but below our means so that we have some to save and some to bless others. He also stated something which was profound : "To have freedom without maturity is lame" and "To have maturity without freedom is blind".

Ps. LT commented that in India, the Christians are suffering now although the Indian Constitution allows freedom of religion. This is because Indians do not know how to handle their freedom with maturity.

From Ps. Fabian who is a Worship Pastor, I learned that worship is not just an activity we do during the weekends when we gather but in every aspect of our lives, it should be a worship unto the Lord and we also opined that most worship ministries in churches today have deteriorated into "golden calves" to which Ps. LT commented that the songs that we sing now are about how much we adore the worship we give to God rather than just worship God and God alone.

Ps. Chew then asked the pastors how as pastors are we to address the congregation in the wake of the current economic/financial meltdown. To this Ps. Edmund commented that as a Pastor, he has always hold on to the principle of : "Nothing to lose, nothing to prove and nothing to hide." So, to pastors the current meltdown is not so much felt by them as they hold no stocks and shares but to the business people, it could mean a total wipe-out or almost half of one's assets being wiped out overnight.

So, as Pastors he opined that they have to feel their pain as well and point them back to the God of all comfort, the One who has the answers to life's problems, and assure them that God is still in control of every circumstances. There will be a new generation of poor but there will also be the next generation of the rich.

There were many other topics which we talked about but suffice to share here in my blog that it has been such a "blessed" afternoon for my wife and I. May God continue to use these pastors to build and encourage the Body of Christ ! Amen !

Words

With more than 8,000 satellites currently orbiting the planet, 2 billion or more cellphone subscribers and a trillion signals being transmitted from earth to the satellites and back, we live in a world where words, good words are hardly spoken to fellow human beings.

Our short messages (or SMS's) are really short and the more common ones are : "c u (meaning "see you"), r u gud ? (meaning "are you okay or alright ?"), etc. Kids hardly talk to their parents and vice versa. With so much technology which is supposed to "improve" communication, the irony of it all is that communication per se has degenerated to just a mere few words or short messages.

May we be wise with the words we speak to one another and may we as we see the picture above about "kind words" be not stingy with our words but have a right word to say for the right season and time. May we deposit the Word of Life (i.e. the Bible) in our hearts, for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. So, if we have nothing deposited inside of us we are just an empty vessel with no words to speak, get it ? So load up your "word bank" and let it roll !

A Little Concern

There is an air of expectation in the political environment in our land. It is as though the whole nation is holding its breath to see what happens tomorrow. Some are a little concerned as to whether the change, if it does happen, would be good, smooth sailing and incident free. Others, to be on the safe side, are stocking up. Whatever it is, tomorrow may just be a non-event i.e. "business as usual".

However, that is the name of the game. The saying goes : "It's always darkest before the dawn". I sense that we at at the threshold of a new era. An era where we will be one step closer to realising the dream of a truly Bangsa Malaysia. We may be a little concerned while others have much to be concerned about because it affects their "rice bowl" and "golden goose"

The future can be a scary place. The unknown can be overwhelming, especially when the known has so many struggles. Nevertheless, as God-fearing Christians, we can depend on God's promise of help - regardless of what trouble the world will be in. God said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13 : 5). And Jesus said, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28 : 20). Those are great promises to depend on when we start to worry about what the future holds, whether it is ours or the next generation's.

We may not know who will be the next PM yet, or what the future holds but we can trust in the One who holds the future. Peace to all !

Anwar Ibrahim as PM on September 16 ?

It seems to be a never ending topic that people are talking about these days. Will Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim (DSAI) really have enough MPs to cross over to Pakatan Rakyat and will he be the next Prime Minister ? Whether it happens or not, it is just a mere 9 days more before the deadline is up and in the words of a renowned politician : "One week is a long time in politics".

So, as responsible citizens, do we just sit and wait ? My recommendation for all of us is : "Be watchful and pray". We need to pray like never before. To see change, we must prepare for change and there will be resistance to change and it can take any form. The more the current ruling party thinks their ship is "sinking", the more the resistance to this change will be.

Whether DSAI pulls it off as our 6th Prime Minister or not, let us pray that peace will continue to prevail in the country. May the transition (if it really happens) be smooth with just an audience with the King and the dissolution of Parliament and the immediate swearing in of the new PM and his Cabinet. May it be swift and without resistance or untoward incidents, etc. This we can hope and pray and when DSAI does really become the PM, may we pray that Pakatan Rakyat will truly bring forth a change that ALL of us will be proud to be called : "BANGSA MALAYSIA".

MALAYSIA BOLEH !

Free Apple iPod Touch ?

Last week, I received an invitation to attend a complimentary seminar on Data Governance and advances of Data Management by a renowned IT Solution Vendor with a catchy statement thrown in the invitation : "Free Apple iPod Touch for attendees". Thinking that this was too good to be true, I called up the organisers and asked whether each attendee will really get an iPod Touch for free.

An Indian gentleman on the line replied : "Yes, sir. You will get a free iPod Touch when you attend but it will be by lucky draw." So I asked him : "How many iPods are up for grabs ?" And he replied : "Hold on, sir, let me check (sound of chattering...) Only one is for lucky draw, sir." I said thank you and was wondering how could one advertise something as free when it is by lucky draw. So, in essence, there is no such thing as a "free lunch". You have to endure hours of boring speeches and lectures/workshops before the "lucky draw". Forget it !

This really is nothing but a marketing gimmick to get people to attend the seminar. When our Lord Jesus Christ offer us the free gift of salvation, it is really FREE for the believer although it costs God His only begotten Son's life ! The Bible says in John 3 : 16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." For the believer, all we need to do (no payment on our part) is to just believe and confess our sins. The price for our sins has been paid by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you have seen the show "Passion" directed by Mel Gibson, you will then know why the whole show is so "bloody" and there was a scene where Jesus' mother used a cloth to wipe His blood because it is indeed His precious blood poured out for the remission of our sins. If you want this TRUE FREE GIFT, all you need to do is to accept the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart. This is no gimmick, it is truly an invitation to the FREE GIFT OF SALVATION with the price PAID IN FULL by the Lord Jesus Christ ! Would you say "Yes" to this free gift of eternal life ?

Keeping Your Focus When Your Dreams Are Shattered

This Sunday (7/9/08), I will resume leading a class in my church on "Precept-Upon-Precept" where we will learn about my favourite character in the Bible i.e. Joseph the Dreamer. The story of Joseph appeals so much to me because in many ways, I too am a "dreamer" as are many of us out there. Even Martin Luther King has a dream for America which started the "equal rights" movement where all U.S. citizens irrespective of colour or creed are to be accorded equal rights.

Like Joseph, God has spoken to me via dreams quite a few times before. I dreamt who my future wife will be and God even showed me in a dream how my father-in-law would die (he slipped and fell in hospital) and in his last moments, we managed to share the Gospel with him and he went into eternity accepting Jesus as his Saviour. You see, God gives us dreams for a purpose and it can range from confirmation of some future event, a warning, an instruction we are to follow, etc.

Some of us have dreams that could have been shattered and we ask God : "Why Lord ? Why is the realisation of this dream not forthcoming ? How long more ? " This must have been the cry of Joseph when from being the favourite child, he was sold as a slave to Egypt. He was then bought by an Egyptian officer named Potiphar and was made overseer over his household. He was then accused wrongly and thrown in jail but even there was made to be in charge of the prisoners. He was left there for 2 years but was made Prime Minister when he was able to interpret Pharoah's dreams.

In many ways we too can prayerfully consider how we can relate the events of Joseph's life to our own. In Romans 15 : 4 we read that : "whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." Despite the seemingly non-fulfillment of Joseph's dreams, he never lose focus but continued to trust in the God Who has seen him through so many circumstances. May we learn from Joseph to keep our focus on God when our dreams seem to have been shattered. Hang in there, He will carry you !

Psalm 23 For The Work Place

A colleague of mine shared this with me :

Psalm 23
(For the Work Place)

The Lord is my real boss, I shall not be in want.
He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me.
He gently reminds me to pray and do all things without
murmuring and complaining.

He reminds me that He is my source and not my job.
He restores my sanity everyday and guides my decisions
that I might honour Him in all that I do.

Even though I face absurd amounts of e-mails, system
crashes, unrealistic deadlines, budget cutbacks, gossiping
co-workers, discriminating supervisors and an aging body
that doesn't co-operate every morning, I still will not stop---
for He is with me ! His Presence, His Peace and His Power
will see me through.

He raises me up, even when they fail to promote me.
He claims me as His own, even when the company threatens
to let me go. His Faithfulness and love is better than any bonus cheque.

His retirement plans beats any RM1,000k there is !
When it's all said and done, I'll be working for Him a whole lot longer
and for that I BLESS HIS WONDERFUL NAME !!!

Amen !

I Know Who I Am

Someone took a lot of time setting up this message; I hope you will cherish it as much as I did. Be bold and Be Kingdom minded....

I KNOW WHO I AM

I am God's child (John 1:12)

I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )

I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17 )

I am bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)

I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)

I am the salt & light of the earth ( Matt.5:13-14)

I am a member of the body of Christ(1 Cor 12:27)

I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)

I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant ( Phil.3:20)

I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31 -34)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God(2 Cor.5 :17-21)

I am the righteousness of God in Christ ( 2 Cor 5 : 21)

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)

I cannot be separated from the love of God(Rom.8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God ( 2 Cor.1:21-22)

I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28)

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )

I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 )

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)

I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)

I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16 )

I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)

I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3)

I have been justified (Romans 5:1)

I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor.6:1)

I am God's workmanship (Eph.2:10)

I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected (Phil 1: 5) I have been redeemed and forgiven (Col. 1:14)

I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5)

I belong to God

Do you know who you are!?

'The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you; the LORD turn His face toward you and be gracious to you; and give you peace.' Numbers 6:24-26

To Be Efficacious

Last week, we learned a rarely used word from our Pastor i.e. "efficacious". To be "efficacious" means : "To do the right thing at the right time in the right season in the right way to the right people to achieve the right result."

In this season of prayer, we have been urged to pray for the nation and be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. God work in seasons and this is the time where we pray for the Shalom of God to come. Jehovah Shalom will bring forth peace and soon crush Satan under our feet. In Isaiah 40 : 3 - 5 we read :

"3 A voice of one calling:

"In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD ;
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God.

4 Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.

5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all mankind together will see it.
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

To be efficacious, may we be sensitive to the Spirit's leading to usher in a new beginning even for the Nation as we prepare the way for the LORD to bring forth a spiritual awakening and breakthroughs in the churches of Malaysia. May we as individuals be efficacious to be used of the LORD to do the right thing at the right time in the right season in the right way to the right people to achieve the right result. Here I am LORD, use me !

Wrong Impressions

A story was told of a group of natives who were clearing a hill slope and cutting down trees to plant vegetation. From another hill, a group of farmers were observing the natives from afar and said to themselves : "The natives must be expecting a hard winter, they are chopping down trees for firewood. We should strengthen our barns and do up our roofs to prepare for the worst." Meanwhile, the natives on seeing that the neighbouring farmers were busy doing their thing said this amongst themselves : "The white men must be expecting a hard winter, we better cut down more trees for firewood." Winter came and it was such a mild one and both side wondered what went wrong ? This was the result of "Wrong Impressions".

In Joshua 22 : 10 - 34, we read about another episode of wrong first impressions. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had built an altar near the Jordan. When the other tribes learned about this, they were enraged because God had commanded that he alone be worshiped and that sacrifices be performed only in the tabernacle. They saw the building of this altar as an act of apostasy. Fortunately, Phinehas the priest led a delegation to find out why they had built the altar. They were told that it was a memorial of unity for all the tribes under one God of Israel.

Even the Lord Jesus had people who has wrong impressions of Him. He came as One Who served but the Israelites were looking for the Messiah who would come as King ! So, until today, the Jews are still looking for the Messiah Who will deliver them when in actual fact, Messiah has come two thousand years ago, and the next time Jesus comes would be His second coming to set up His Millenial Reign on earth.

Too often, our first impressions of people can be very wrong. I remember the first time when I was appointed as Cell Leader, the first impression others have of me was : "This guy must be Pastor's favourite, etc.." and I was accused of so many other malicious things. Our own pride and prejudices often lead us to have wrong impressions of others. May we not judge "the book by its cover" but give others the benefit of doubt. For those who have been misunderstood, may I encourage you that you are not alone, and the LORD will always vindicate us. I know as I have been vindicated many times before and the LORD has moved me from Cell Leader to Zone Leader to Church Council member. To God Be All the Glory !

Being Who You Can Be Through The Great I AM

Have you ever wondered why when Moses asked God for His name, He replied in Exodus 3 vs 14 as such : "I am who I am . This is what you (Moses) are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you." God is exactly what He says He is; He is the Great I AM. In your time of financial need or poverty, the Great I AM says : I am Jevorah Jireh, Your Provider. In times when you need healing, He is Jehovah Rapha, your Healer, etc.

You see the Great I AM will be unto you as "I am your provider, your healer, etc as your need requires. Isn't that a bit self-centred to think that God will be who we want Him to be ? Not at all ! God delights to be the Great I AM to you and even in the Gospels, we read of Jesus and His pronouncements of the "7 Great I AM's" i.e. I am the Bread of Life, I am the Light of the world, I am the door of the sheep, I am the Good Shepherd, I am the Resurrection and the Life, I am the Way, the truth and the Life and I am the True Vine.

We too can be who we can be to others through the Great I AM. Here are some practical ways how we can do that :

1. Through the Great I AM who is our Bread of Life, we can offer that same bread to those who hunger for God.
2. Through the Great I AM who is the Light of the world, we too can shine for Jesus and let our light so shine before Man.
3. Through the Great I AM who is the door of the sheep, we can lead others to be His sheep through that door.
4. Through the Great I AM who is the Good Shepherd, we can also shepherd and pastor those who need to be cared for.
5. Through the Great I AM who is the Resurrection and the Life, we can lead others to eternal life in Christ.
   
6. Through the Great I AM who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, we can show others the way to His Truth and lead them to newness of Life.
7. Through the Great I AM who is the True Vine, we can continue to bear fruit and be His branches and encourage others to do so.

No matter what our lot in life is and how little talent or gifting we have, in the hands of the Great I AM, we can be like Him and be who we can be through Him who is the Great I AM !

God's Delays

In these 40 days of prayer and fasting that we are in as we do Freeda Bower's "Give Me 40 Days", have you ever felt like giving up ? Have you ever wondered why God is so slow (like the snail) in answering our prayers ? Why is He so slow in showing up ? What is wrong ? Waiting is very hard for most of us and I am also one who wants answers now. I'm stretched by God's delays, wondering why and by when, always asking : "How long more, O Lord ?" If you are in the same predicament, welcome to the club !

These 40 days as we venture into Freeda Bowers' book and discipline ourselves to pray for others and not for our own needs, the Lord has really caused such a shift in my whole attitude towards waiting upon Him in prayer. We often pray and treat God like an ATM where the answers comes out almost instantly ! Our attitude should be like that of the prophet Habakkuk who wanted answers as well. He started off in Habakkuk 1 : 2 by asking : "How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save?".

However in Chapter 2, Habakkuk's attitude changed even as he declared : "1 I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint." "2 Then the LORD replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. 3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay."

Faith never gives up and despite the long delay, God is still at work because we are sure that as we put our faith in Him, He will come through for us. Madame Guyon wrote : "Each delay is perfectly fine, for we are within the safe hands of God." We are to learn that each delay as if it were "perfectly timed and it will be fine". Postponements are reasons to pray more rather than grow anxious, impatient and angry with God and our situation.

So, take heart and persevere on my friend in these 40 days and beyond. If God's answer tarries, "Wait for it, because it will surely come."God is at work and His timing is always perfect. He makes all things beautiful in His time. Amen !

5 Graces To Live By In Our Urban Lifestyle

Today, at my Bank's Tentmakers' fellowship, I managed to invite Ps. Irvin Rutherford to speak to us and he shared on a very timely and pertinent message on the "5 Graces To Live By In Our Urban Lifestyle". I take this opportunity to share this with you (with expanded inputs from yours truly) and trusts that you will be blessed.

In our hurried and chaotic world, we really need more and more of God's Grace to get us by on a daily basis. All over the world even as we study the lives of great men of God who lived in times of revival, their motto in life has been governed by the elements of these "5 Graces" or at least one of the 5. Incidentally, the Biblical number for Grace is the number 5.

The 5 Graces to live by are :

1. Grace Of Faith

The Bible says in Romans 1 : 17 "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." We need the Grace of faith to continue to have faith not on faith but on the Giver of faith i.e. our LORD Jesus Christ. We need to live our lives by faith and not let the pleasures of life, our jobs, our properties be our security. Instead our faith must be built on Jesus' blood and Righteousness. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

2. Grace Of Assurance

The hymn "Blessed Assurance" was written by Fanny J. Crosby and composed by Phoebe P. Knapp. The scripture reference is found in Hebrews 10: 22 "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water."

Frances Jane Crosby (March 24, 1820 - February 12, 1915), known as Fanny Crosby, was an American lyricist and Methodist, best known for writing Protestant Christian hymns. Despite her blindness which she acquired shortly after birth, she was one of the most prolific hymn writers in history, having written over 8,000 hymns. One of the best known women in the US, Crosby was also known for preaching and public speaking. It is amazing that especially for a blind person, someone could write on this variety of spiritual truths and experiences with such proliferation.

"Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood."
Chorus:
"This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long

1 Tim 3 : 13 "Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus."

In our urban life, we may be too caught up with our own comforts and be stressed by the worries of life. Despite her handicap, Fanny Crosby held on to her "Blessed Assurance" as she knew and she knew that the "best is yet to come" for her and she lived till a ripe old age of 95, praising her Saviour all the day long !

3. Grace Of Humility

In this modern age of Internet and Tele-Evangelists, we have seen how so many Preachers and Pastors starting well in their ministry but when they are blessed they turned arrogant and are puff-up with pride and becomea demi-god.

We must never take any glory but give God all the glory for the great things He has done in our lives. A broken and contrite heart the LORD will not despise. It is easy to be prideful in a modern society when we are greatly blessed and highly favoured, holding positions of high office.

May we be like Paul who wrote in Acts 20 : 19 "I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews." Pray to our LORD to help us guard our hearts and be filled with the grace of humility to serve Him and the Body of Christ.

4. Grace Of Prayer

In our nation today, we need to pray like never before. Many great men of God get by not by their charisma or theological knowledge but by prayer and fasting. When we work, we work but when we pray, God works. We have a Great High Priest who continuously intercedes for us. Our prayer does the things our hands cannot do. In Philippians 4 : 6, we are urged by the apostle Paul : "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

5. Grace Of The Fear Of The LORD

Last, but not least we must not lose our reverence for God. God is to take His rightful place and we are to have a reverential fear of the LORD within us to keep our lives in check. In Hebrews 5 : 7 "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission".

Even the LORD Jesus, in reverence submitted Himself to do the Father's will and God gave Him the victory over death ! When we reverence God and have this grace of the fear of the LORD, we know our standing in God and gives God the Glory due to Him.

Psalm 84 : 11 "For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly."

Hallelujah for His Grace. Amen !

Lie In Coffin, Rid Of Bad Luck ? Serious-ah ?

Today, I read in bewilderment and with amusement an article in the Star newspaper promoting a movie "The Coffin" which is based on a Thai ancient ritual called Non Loeng Sadorco (which literally means "Lie in Coffin, Rid of Bad luck"). This is based on a Thai practice of giving money to temples to purchase coffins for the poor. The practice evolved when donors wrote down : "I want to transfer the good karma I've accumulated (from buying a coffin) to my loved one who has passed away" on a piece of paper and pasted it on the coffin that they had bought.

This ritual took a bizarre turn when donors lie in the coffin (with its lid shut but not completely) while a group of monks performed the death rites on them as if they were dead. And when the donor rose from the coffin the monk read a chant of new life. Many participants felt as if they were reborn after the ritual - with their bad karma buried behind them. Before any of you readers out there do likewise, may I suggest to you a better way to rid yourself of the past and be reborn.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5 : 17 : " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!". For the Christian, when he has opened his heart to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour, he is said to be "born again". In the gospel of John, Jesus said to a Pharisee named Nicodemus : " Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

One of the acts following the acceptance of Jesus as Saviour for the Christian is the act of "water baptism" which is a significant act of obedience depicting our new identity in Jesus Christ. The word baptism comes from the root word "baptiso" which means to be totally submerged in water. This act involves the person entering into the water (declaring that his old life is gone), and then he is submerged in water (a symbol of being buried with Christ) and when he steps out of the water, it represents that he now has newness of life (being resurrected with Christ).

Water baptism is, in essence, a funeral. It is an act of faith in which we testify, both to God and to the world, that the person we were before is dead and buried, and we are raised as a new creation in Christ. This is beautifully illustrated by the following Scripture :

"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."- Romans 6:4

My friend, if you are reading this article and have not yet been "born again", may I invite you to say this prayer of faith :

"Lord Jesus, I thank you for your love for me. I confess that I am a sinner and thank you that you died on the cross for my sins.

Lord Jesus, I now invite you into my heart as my Saviour and Lord. I want to be born again and start life anew and have abundant everlasting life.

I pray this in Jesus' most precious Name. Amen"

If you have prayed this prayer, I would love to hear from you and congratulate you. God Bless you and may you be "born again" this way rather than the "coffin ritual" way !

A Foretaste Of Worship In Heaven

Hallelujah ! Hallelujah ! Hallelujah ! to the Lamb of God. Jesus Christ, Lamb of God ! That was the last chorus we sang to close the gathering of nations at my church to worship and give praise to our great God and King. Wow...I just came back from my church's "International Night" where peoples from various nations gathered to celebrate the goodness of God. My Senior Pastor was so overwhelmed by the superb performances and testimonies that he just said : "What else can I say after witnessing such a marvelous display of God's love and goodness ?" and he aptly ended the session by just sharing two points to the migrant workers and aliens in our midst i.e. "God Loves You" and "God Cares for You".

I too was moved to tears by the performances of the Myanmar kids, the Nepalese, the Indonesians, etc and I just cannot wait for the day when all nations of the world will stand before God and give praise to Him. In Revelations 5 :11 - 14, the Apostle John wrote about his vision of the worship of the Lamb of God in Heaven : "Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" 13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:

"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" 14The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.

I don't know about you, dear friends, but as for me I am longing for that day to come and together with the Spirit I say : "Maranatha, even so come Lord Jesus !". Hallelujah to the Lamb !

Turn Your Need Into Seeds

In these tumultuous times, where the prices of necessities are escalating at lightning pace, there is a tendency for us to be inward looking in meeting our own needs first. We may turn from being one who likes to help others to one who is selfish to care only for our own immediate needs.

The Word of God admonishes us in Galatians 6 :9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

In fact during trying times, it is a good time to prove God to be faithful as in Malachi 3 : 10 ...Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty."

This is the one time where God throws an invitation to us to test him and to see that if we continue to sow seeds into His Kingdom, He who is no Man's debtor, will repay us abundantly for what we have sown into His Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is one of sowing and reaping, and in 2 Corinthians 9 : 6 "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."

There is a story in the Bible in 1 Kings 17 : 7 - 15 about a poor widow who had only a handful of flour and a little oil but yet sacrificed it to bake a cake for a prophet. "7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the LORD came to him: 9 "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food." 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?" 11 As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."

12 "As surely as the LORD your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die." 13 Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.' 15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah."

The widow could have been self seeking first in meeting her own physical needs which she has every right to do so as the handful of flour and the little oil was all that she had. But she turned her need into seeds of faith and because of that was rewarded with a jar of flour that was never used up and a jug of oil that did not run dry.

In difficult times, we are filled with a weight of worries which hang heavy upon us but Proverbs 17 : 22 says : "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Even as we have our own needs to be met, if we convert it to seeds, you will be surprised that in return your own needs will be met. For example, if you need friends (your need) then be friendly (seeds) yourself and seek friends. If you are sick (your need), start praying for others (seeds) and you will find that you may healed already. Dear friends, let us turn our need into seeds. God Bless You !

From Prison to Palace or From Sodomy to ...?

The symbol of justice as in the picture has been internationally recognised as the icon of law and justice. Of late, in Malaysia, we really do not know what is right or wrong, what is truth or a lie anymore. The recent sodomy allegations against the de facto Opposition Leader is one such episode where we witnessed the 'ugliness' of politics and the deceitfulness of man in full swing.

There are so many theories of this "sodomy episode" ranging from an old theory being re-hatched, a conspiracy to stop Anwar at all costs, a self-concocted act, etc and the list goes on. Whatever it is, as responsible citizens of Malaysia we cannot be indifferent anymore. We have to make a stand and stand we must on grounds of righteousness, justice, peace and deliverance for a safer, peaceful and prosperous Malaysia.

These 3 months have seen major shifts in the political scene and we are sick and tired of all these political charades. There are even postings on the internet that the country is no longer a safe place anymore nor is it a good place to invest. In the absence of knowledge of the whole truth, we as mere citizens can only discern with our spirit and whatever little wisdom that we have, on who the "bad guys" or "good guys" are. We need to pray like never before for God to deliver Malaysia from the current mess.

And this is my prayer : "If Anwar is innocent of these allegations, may he rise from prison to the palace (Putrajaya) but if he has indeed committed the act, may justice be served...".

My take is that Anwar was like Joseph of old in Genesis 39 where he was wrongly accused of seducing Potiphar's (his master) wife when in actual fact Joseph was the victim here and he ran away from Potiphar's wife for fear of God. Joseph was thrown in prison but God was with him and he later interpreted Pharoah's dreams and was made Prime Minister over Egypt.

May this Bible story be Anwar's as well and may we see his change of position from prison to Putrajaya with a caveat (i.e. if indeed he has turned over a new leaf and is innocent). May God help us all. Let us P.U.S.H. (Pray Until Something Happens) !

Life For Sale

A Briton living in Australia has agreed a bid of more than £192,000 after putting his "entire life" up for sale on e-Bay following a split from his wife. Ian Usher, 44, who left Darlington six years ago, included his house, car, job and friends in the online eBay auction, in an effort to make a fresh start.

The lot attracted a peak offer of 399,300 Australian dollars (£192,276) when bids closed early on Sunday. Despite expecting higher bids, Mr Usher said he had "no regrets". Up for auction was his three-bedroom home, in Western Australia's capital Perth, and everything inside it, including his Mazda car, motorcycle, jet ski and parachuting gear. He also sold an introduction to his friends and a trial run at his sales assistant job at a rug shop.

Mr Usher decided to cut ties with his current life after realising almost everything reminded him of his relationship with his wife of five years. He said: "I've got some ideas. Once it's finished and confirmed, I'd like to do some travelling. I'd like to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, it's one of a huge list of things I want to achieve."

What Mr. Usher did may not be the norm and borders on being eccentric. In a split-up, to remain bitter or better is really a personal choice. He chose to “sell his life” to start afresh but there is a better way. The Bible in 2 Corinthians 5 : 17 states that : “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” We can have a fresh new beginning in the Lord Jesus Christ

He is also our Good Shepherd who cares for us (His sheep). He cares for the broken-hearted as a Shepherd tends his sheep. In Isaiah 40 : 11 we read : “He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those with young.”

The Lord Jesus Christ offers us life and life more abundantly (John 10 : 10). We can cast all our cares on the Lord Jesus Christ for He cares for us (1 Peter 5 : 7). In Isaiah 55, The LORD says, "Come, everyone who is thirsty--- here is water! Come, you that have no money--- buy grain and eat! Come! Buy wine and milk--- it will cost you nothing! Why spend money on what does not satisfy? Why spend your wages and still be hungry? Listen to me and do what I say, and you will enjoy the best food of all. "Listen now, my people, and come to me; come to me, and you will have life! I will make a lasting covenant with you and give you the blessings I promised to David (a former king of Israel)”.

Why sell your life when you can come to the “Life Giver” Jesus Christ ! He will give you fullness and newness of abundant life in Him. Come my friend to the Living One ! He can give you new life. Amen !

Broad Way or Narrow Way ?

Last week, one of my Bible class students asked me : "What does it mean by the "Narrow" way ?" and in a hurried moment, I just explained what I could to her at that point in time. Well, now that I am relatively free, this topic is worth "blogging" and here is an exposition of the "Narrow" way.

The Bible in Matthew 7 : 13 - 14 states : "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Jesus was continuing on His sermon on the Mount, better known as the "Beatitudes" or "Beautiful Attitudes" and this teaching on the narrow and wide gates are an extension of His teaching.

Have you ever wondered why Hollywood is also called "Broadway" ? What values do we get from Broadway ? We have movies like "Sex & the City", values on "it is okay to kill, steal, sleep around, lie, cheat, etc..." being churned out from the Hollywood factory. No wonder the Bible says that "broad is the road that leads to destruction". How true it is in today's society to follow the "Broadway" ! We want to be rich fast, we want an easy life without the hard work, we want immediate gratification to our wants. All these are elements of the broad way that one chooses.

The way to Jesus is a through a narrow way or gate. Why is it a narrow way ? Because it is a road less traveled and one which is not filled with rose petals and everything nice. The way of Jesus is one of being an overcomer. It is narrow because it talks of "focus". When it is narrow, we can focus on Him alone and be not distracted by the things on either side of the road along the way.

There was a rich young man who asked Jesus : "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life ?"

Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."Which ones?" the man inquired.

Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'

"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?". Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first."

Jesus said in John 14 : 6 "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" and in John 10 : 9 - 10 "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Friend, enter into life, abundant life through this narrow gate for Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Amen!

See Jesus, Serve Jesus, Speak Jesus !

A Leader's Credibility

In recent days, we have seen many leaders who have lost their credibility by virtue of the things they said, do or did not do. They seem to be like the "Transformer" in the picture, transforming from a leader with the people's interest at heart seemingly, to one who are careless with their words and actions.

The Bible in Proverbs describe such leaders as messengers :

"An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing."
Proverbs 13:17 NLT

Peter Kuzmic wrote :

"A credible message needs a credible messenger because charisma without character is catastrophe."

We are not short of leaders who are good orators and charisma and I think you know who I am referring to. However, as Peter Kuzmic rightly pointed out : "Charisma without character is catastrophe." Does Malaysia needs another "charismatic leader" ? He may turn out to be a "charis-maniac" and be puffed up with pride once in power. That is the curse of leadership in this country. Do the acts and words of the so-called "government-in-waiting" or the present government reflect the very manifesto of a people-oriented agenda or is self-interest the order of the day ? When the so-called leader acts, does his deed reflect on the country or people he represents ?

Similarly as Christians, we are Christ's ambassadors and therefore his messengers. Too often we think that the message we preach reflects our faith. However, on a much deeper level it is the message of our everyday words and actions that are influential. We are the letter from God that people read. We become unreliable messengers when we speak crudely, gossip about a neighbor, or act dishonestly. May we not be like the leaders of our day but may we raise the standard for God and pray that He will raise God-fearing leaders who will lead with credibility, integrity and much wisdom.

Our words and actions reflect God, who lives inside us, to people who never open a Bible or enter a church. Never forget that you are an ambassador for Christ and a messenger of hope. Ask his Spirit to empower you to deliver the Good News with your life and words.

LORD, thank you for allowing me to be your ambassador. Let my message be honest and true. Help me to encourage others and to go out of my way to speak a kind word. Forgive me for times when I have spoken without thinking. Let me live in such a way that my words and actions represent you so that my message may be one of love and hope.

The “Fu-Bu” Culture : Re-emergence of “Jezebel Spirit”

In the Sunday Star newspaper recently, I read with disbelief an article written about a disturbing culture/trend amongst young adults and teens today termed as “fu**-buddies” (censored) or in short “fu-bu” culture. In the Wikipedia, the term "fu**-buddies" is defined as a term to describe a type of casual relationship (sexual). These are young adults or teens who engage in free sex with different partners and even same sex partners who are not at all afraid of sexually transmitted diseases as they claim : “We take precautions you see !”

These “fu-bu” practitioners are not from broken homes but most are from highly respected families, professionals and would you believe it, the more aggressive ones are the girls who have no reservations at all in buying the guy a drink, inviting him over for a full night of sex romp and often ending up in an orgy which could be easily arranged via a few short messages sent via the mobile. This is indeed frightening and what comfort does it give parents with teenage kids who may be susceptible to such bad influence ?

I believe this “fu-bu” culture is the re-emergence of the “Jezebel spirit” in our midst as prophesied and forewarned by many modern-day prophets like Chuck Pierce, Cindy Jacobs, etc in recent times. Who is this “Jezebel” ? In the Bible, we read from 1 Kings 16 : 30 “Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him. 31 He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. 32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria.”

Jezebel was a “seducer” and married King Ahab who turned from the worship of Yahweh (God) to the worship of Baal (idolatry, witchcraft, sexual promiscuity, etc). She engineered the slaughter of God’s prophets and the Bible further described how King Ahab was so influenced by her in 1 Kings 21 : 25 “There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife.” What is this “Jezebel spirit” ? It is the embodiment of sensualities, self gratification, sexuality, lust, witchcraft, manipulation and everything to do with the flesh.

Even in her dying moments before she was killed, guess what Jezebel was doing ? She was making up to look pretty even in death ! We read this in 1 Kings 9 : 30 - 33 “Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she painted her eyes, arranged her hair and looked out of a window. As Jehu entered the gate, she asked, "Have you come in peace, Zimri, you murderer of your master?" He looked up at the window and called out, "Who is on my side? Who?" Two or three eunuchs looked down at him. "Throw her down!" Jehu said. So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot.

In the last book of the Bible, Reveleations 2 : 18 - 25, Jezebel is mentioned again prophetically when the Church in Thyatira was admonished for tolerating her :

"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): Only hold on to what you have until I come."

We are in a spiritual battle dear friends. A battle against the evil forces which robs our teens and young adults of the sanctity of marriage, which robs them of having sex the proper way i.e. in marriage and which stirs them to want immediate gratification to meet their sexual urge and lusts. There are many bad consequences for the "fu-bu" practitioner. He/she will never ever be satisfied again with just one partner and even if they do get married, the marriage in itself would only be ceremonial. There is no joy for the groom in discovering that the one he has married is indeed a virgin. He would possibly be wondering how many men has my wife bedded previously ?

For the woman, the wedding night would no longer be sacred and it would be just another "night of sex", only this time with my legally wedded husband. What if the husband could not satisfy and what if the husband still practices "fu-bu" ? What chance does this marriage has of survival ? And it has been medically proven that for such ladies to conceive, the chances would be slim as the abuse to their body in the sex romps prior to marriage would render her to have a weak womb and reduce the production of eggs in the ovaries.

My prayer is that this "Jezebel spirit" be removed and that the practice of "fu-bu" be totally eradicated. Join me as we pray against this in Jesus' Name ! Amen !

Power Of A Father's Prayer - Happy Father's Day

A story was told of how one Elsa Sturit Kint's father who have been constantly praying for her and her cousin's safety reluctantly sent them off to sail on the maiden voyage of the ship "Titanic" to America. Here is her story :

Saved by a Stamp
"God's answers to prayers can affect generations to come. In fact, if not for His gracious answers to a prayer offered many years ago, my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren would not know His blessing today. The story is simple. My cousin Mirea and I wanted to visit friends in America. Sensing that we would not abandon our grand idea, my father sent us on our way with heartfelt prayers for our safety.
Our trip across Europe took several days. Finally we arrived on the western shores of England. But as we prepared to set sail for America, we were told there was a problem with our papers. Officials at the immigration office said Mirea was missing a stamp on a paper that would allow her to leave the country. We would have to stay in England for another week until Mirea's papers could be corrected, they said.

Mirea and I went to the steamship office to ask if we could exchange our tickets for a ship leaving later in the month. The man at the window was glad to make the exchange. He was sure he could resell our berths. People were eager to sail on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. As we wandered back to the hotel, Mirea and I were disappointed that we had to stay in England. But, when the news reached us a few days later of the sinking of the Titanic, we both began to cry, in sadness for our lost shipmates, but also in relief, realizing how close we had come to death ourselves. God, in His mercy, had answered my father's prayer for our safety with something as small as a missing stamp. How good is God! (Elsa Sturit Kint)".

Even as I read the story of Elsa, how many a times I thank God that He has answered my prayers as a father when I prayed for the protection of my kids, their healing, their studies, etc and indeed He has been a good God. Even as we celebrate the fathers this weekend on Father's Day, may we remember our Heavenly Father God who loves us and gave His only begotten Son Jesus to redeem us back to Himself through His sacrifice on the cross. Oh, what love..Oh, what grace the Heavenly Father has lavished on us that we should be called the sons and daughters of God !

Happy Father's Day to all Dads out there !

Remedy For "Heart Failure"

Man is getting very jittery and nervous nowadays due to the uncertainties of life and prevailing harsh conditions in the world. For those who just survived a typhoon, a change in weather conditions to a stormy day will get them scrambling for shelter. Yet, for those who survived an earthquake, the slightest rumbling in the deep of the night will send their hearts fleeting fearing another big quake.

For those who are affected economically by rising costs of living and unemployment, we fear for our future and how far our next dollar will bring us. Man is literally dying of "heart failure" as fear grips them. The prophet Isaiah described Man in fear as such :
Isaiah 13:7
"Because of this, all hands will go limp, every man's heart will melt."

Even the Psalmist David described his "heart failure" as follows :
Psalm 40:12
For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.
Psalm 38:10
My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes.

But there is hope in God and as the Psalmist David turns to God, he proclaimed :

Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

God will strengthen us again. We need not fear as He will carry us through the storms of our lives. Ultimately, whatever grips us and whatever plans there are in Man's heart God's purpose will prevail.
Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

God's promises are "Yes" and in Christ "Amen !". He will not fail us nor forsake us. As written in Joshua 23:14 "Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed."

The prophet Isaiah wrote :
Isaiah 35:4
say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you."

Yes, God will come and save you. Do not fear or be dismayed, for God is the strength of your heart. Keep your focus on Him. He will carry you through.