tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7742433985770480712024-03-13T10:14:58.638-07:00Gospel Youth MinistryTuhan, asoh ati aku berunding ka nuan; Tuhan, ajar mulut aku bejako ka Nuan; Tuhan, iring jari aku bekerja ka Nuan; Tuhan, leboh bejalai bai aku enggau Nuan; Asoh penampak Nuan nerangka aku; awak ka orang bukai tau nemu Nuan.† axlshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16165913816100169709noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-69875280067287153942013-03-17T17:16:00.002-07:002013-03-17T17:18:35.273-07:00Your Personal Guide to Fasting and PrayerFasting is the most powerful spiritual discipline of all the Christian disciplines. Through fasting and prayer, the Holy Spirit can transform your life.
Fasting and prayer can also work on a much grander scale. According to Scripture, personal experience and observation, I am convinced that when God's people fast with a proper Biblical motive-seeking God's face not His hand-with a broken, repentant, and contrite spirit, God will hear from heaven and heal our lives, our churches, our communities, our nation and world. Fasting and prayer can bring about revival - a change in the direction of our nation, the nations of earth and the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
The awesome power can be released through you as you fast through the enabling of the Holy Spirit.
Fasting is one of the most neglected spiritual admonitions. In fact, it has been ignored for so long that it is difficult to find information on the "how-to's" of this life-changing experience. When I first undertook an extended fast, I had a difficult time finding information on the nature of a Biblical fast, how to start, what to expect physically and spiritually, and how to terminate a fast.
<b>Why You Should Fast
</b>
If you do not already know of the power and importance of fasting, here are some very important facts:
•Fasting was an expected discipline in both the Old and New Testament eras. For example, Moses fasted at least two recorded forty-day periods. Jesus fasted 40 days and reminded His followers to fast, "when you fast," not if you fast.
•Fasting and prayer can restore the loss of the "first love" for your Lord and result in a more intimate relationship with Christ.
•Fasting is a biblical way to truly humble yourself in the sight of God (Psalm 35:13; Ezra 8:21). King David said, "I humble myself through fasting."
•Fasting enables the Holy Spirit to reveal your true spiritual condition, resulting in brokenness, repentance, and a transformed life.
•The Holy Spirit will quicken the Word of God in your heart and His truth will become more meaningful to you!
•Fasting can transform your prayer life into a richer and more personal experience.
•Fasting can result in a dynamic personal revival in your own life-and make you a channel of revival to others.
•Fasting and prayer are the only disciplines that fulfill the requirements of II Chronicles 7:14:
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
If you fast, you will find yourself being humbled as I did. You will discover more time to pray and seek God's face. And as He leads you to recognize and repent of unconfessed sin, you will experience special blessings from God.
<b>How to Prepare Yourself Spiritually and Physically
</b>
<b>Spiritual Preparation
</b>
In preparation for this special time with God, I strongly urge you to examine your heart, and detect any unconfessed sin. Scripture records that God always requires His people to repent of their sins before He will hear their prayers. King David said:
Come and hear, all of you who reverence the Lord, and I will tell you what he did for me: For I cried to him for help, with praises ready on my tongue. He would not have listened if I had not confessed my sins. But he listened! He heard my prayer! He paid attention to it!
Blessed be God who didn't turn away when I was praying, and didn't refuse me his kindness and love. (Psalm 66:16-20)
In your prayers, confess not only obvious sins, but less obvious ones as well. The sins of omission as well as the sins of commission experiences. These may be experiences leaving your first love for our Lord: worldly-mindedness, self-centeredness, spiritual indifference, and unwillingness to share your faith in Christ with others, not spending sufficient time in God's Word and in prayer, a poor relationship with your spouse, your children, your pastor, or other members of your church.
Another great way to prepare for your fast is to practice what I call "Spiritual Breathing." The concept is simple, but it has changed my own life and that of millions of others.
Like physical breathing, Spiritual Breathing is a process of exhaling the impure and inhaling the pure. If you knowingly sin, breathe spiritually to restore the fullness of God's Holy Spirit in your life. You exhale by confessing your sins immediately when you become aware of them, and you inhale by inviting the Holy Spirit to re-take control of your life. As an act of faith, trust Him to empower you. During the fast, spiritual breathing-constant reliance on the Holy Spirit-will enable you to resist temptation, not only to sin but to abandon your fast.
<b>Physical Perparation
</b>
Although fasting is primarily a spiritual discipline, it begins in the physical realm. You should not fast without specific physical preparation.
If you plan on fasting for several days, you will find it helpful to begin by eating smaller meals before you abstain altogether. Resist the urge to have that "last big feast" before the fast. Cutting down on your meals a few days before you begin the fast will signal your mind, stomach, and appetite that less food is acceptable.
Some health professionals suggest eating only raw foods for two days before starting a fast. I also recommend weaning yourself off caffeine and sugar products to ease your initial hunger or discomfort at the early stages of your fast.
<b>How to Make Your Spiritual Experience the Best it Can Be
</b>
Receiving God's best blessing from a fast requires solid commitment. Arranging special time each day with God is absolutely crucial in attaining intimate communion with the Father. You must devote yourself to seeking God's face, even (and especially) during those times in which you feel weak, vulnerable, or irritable. Read His Word and pray during what were mealtimes. Meditate on Him when you awake in the night. Sing praises to Him whenever you please. Focus on your Heavenly Father and make every act one of praise and worship. God will enable you to experience His command to "pray without ceasing" as you seek His presence.
As you enter this time of heightened spiritual devotion, be aware that Satan will do everything he can to pull you away from your prayer and Bible reading time. When you feel the enemy trying to discourage you, immediately go to God in prayer and ask Him to strengthen your resolve in the face of difficulties and temptations.
The enemy makes you a target because he knows that fasting is the most powerful of all Christian disciplines and that God may have something very special to show you as you wait upon Him and seek His face. Satan does not want you to grow in your faith, and will do anything from making you hungry and grumpy to bringing up trouble in your family or at work to stop you. Make prayer your shield against such attacks.
My major reason for fasting is for personal revival, revival for our nation, for the world and for the fulfillment of the Great Commission. But praying for our own needs and interceding for others are also important reasons to fast and pray. Bring your personal needs before the Lord, intercede for your loved ones, your friends, your church, your pastor, your community, your nation, and the world. By your prayers of humility, as you fast, you will help the Great Commission be fulfilled.
However, do not become so caught up in praying for yourself and others that you forget about simply reverencing and praising God. True spiritual fasting focuses on God. Center your total being on Him, your attitudes, your actions, your motives, desires, and words. This can only take place if God and His Holy Spirit are at the center of our attention. Confess your sins as the Holy Spirit brings them to your attention and continue to focus on God and God alone so that your prayers may be powerful and effective.
A renewed closeness with God and a greater sensitivity to spiritual things are usually the results of a fast. Do not be disappointed if you do not have a "mountaintop experience," as some do. Many people who have successfully completed extended fasts tell of feeling a nearness to God that they have never before known, but others who have honestly sought His face report no particular outward results at all. For others, their fast was physically, emotionally, and spiritually grueling, but they knew they had been called by God to fast, and they completed the fast unto Him as an act of worship; God honored that commitment.
Your motive in fasting must be to glorify God, not to have an emotional experience, and not to attain personal happiness. When your motives are right, God will honor your seeking heart and bless your time with Him in a very special way.
<b>How to Maintain Nutritional Balance and Health from Beginning to End
</b>
I know the prospect of going without food for an extended period of time may be of concern to some. But there are ways to ensure that your body is getting the nutrients it needs so you can remain safe and healthy during your fast.
For an extended fast, I recommend water and fruit and vegetable juices. The natural sugars in juices provide energy, and the taste and strength are motivational to continue your fast. Try to drink fresh juices, if possible. Off-the-shelf juice products are acceptable, as long as they are 100% juice with no sugar or other additives.
If you are beginning a juice fast, there are certain juices you may wish to avoid and certain ones that are especially beneficial. Because of their acid content, most nutritionists do not advise orange or tomato juice (these are better tolerated if mixed with equal portions of water). The best juices are fresh carrot, grape, celery, apple, cabbage, or beet. They also recommend "green drinks" made from green leafy vegetables because they are excellent "de-toxifiers."
Fruit juices are "cleansers" and are best taken in the morning. Since vegetable juices are "restorers" and "builders," they are best taken in the afternoon.
I usually dedicate a portion of my 40-day fast to a special liquid formula, which I have found to be effective over many years. A few recipes and my comments are on this page, as well as a helpful schedule.
One gallon distilled water
1-1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4-cup pure maple syrup
1/4-teaspoon cayenne pepper.
The lemon juice adds flavor and vitamin C, the maple syrup provides energy, and the cayenne pepper -- an herb -- acts to open small blood vessels which, I believe, helps the body as it cleanses itself of stored toxins. (A word of caution: although I use this formula with no ill effects, cayenne pepper could cause severe physical reactions in persons with a specific allergy to this herb.)
My favorite juice is a mixture of 100% pure white grape juice and peach juice. The juice is available in frozen cans under the Welch label. Most knowledgeable nutritionists recommend:
•Watermelon -- just put it in the blender without adding water
•Fresh apple juice
•Green juice -- blend celery, romaine lettuce, and carrots in equal proportions. (Vegetable juices like this one are important, for they supply the electrolytes necessary for proper heart function!)
Some nutritionists recommend warm broth, especially if you live in a colder climate. You may find their recipes helpful:
•Boil sliced potatoes, carrots, and celery in water.
Do not add salt.
After about a half-hour, drain off the water and drink.
•Gently boil three carrots, two stalks of celery, one turnip, two beats, a half head of cabbage, a quarter of a bunch of parsley, a quarter of an onion, and a half clove of garlic
Drain off the broth and drink up to two or three times daily.
You may find the following daily schedule helpful during your fast. I recommend you print it and keep it handy throughout your fast.
•5:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
Fruit juices, preferably freshly squeezed or blended, diluted in 50 percent distilled water if the fruit is acid. Orange, apple, pear, grapefruit, papaya, grape, peach or other fruits are good.
•10:30 a.m. - noon
Green vegetable juice made from lettuce, celery, and carrots in three equal parts.
•2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Herb tea with a drop of honey. Make sure that it is not black tea or tea with a stimulant.
•6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Broth from boiled potatoes, celery, and carrots (no salt).
I suggest that you do not drink milk because it is a pure food and therefore a violation of the fast. Any product containing protein or fat, such as milk or soy-based drinks, should be avoided. These products will restart the digestion cycle and you will again feel hunger pangs. Also, for health reasons, stay away from caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, or cola. Because caffeine is a stimulant, it has a more powerful effect on your nervous system when you abstain from food. This works both against the physical and spiritual aspects of the fast.
Another key factor in maintaining optimum health during a fast is to limit your physical activity. Exercise only moderately, and rest as much as your schedule will permit (this especially applies to extended fasts). Short naps are helpful as well. Walking a mile or two each day at a moderate pace is acceptable for a person in good health, and on a juice fast. However, no one on a water fast should exercise without the supervision of a fasting specialist.
† axlshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16165913816100169709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-2034877017575053702011-05-26T17:28:00.000-07:002011-05-26T17:36:58.196-07:00No Other Sacrifice<strong>John 20:31 (NKJV), John 2:1-22 (NKJV) </strong><br />When a soldier is dying on the battlefield a medic will give him a potent dose of morphine. The drug will not save him, but it will mask the pain and ease the suffering.<br />In the same way the blood of animals could never save and could not fix the root of the fatal wound; sin. These Old Covenant sacrifices could only mask the symptoms of sin for a short season, but every year new sacrifices had to be offered and new blood had to be shed.<br />The blood of Jesus was of a totally different quality than any blood ever shed before. The blood of Jesus not only dealt with the symptoms of sin, it went to the very root of the problem. The blood of Jesus was not a superficial remedy for a shallow flesh wound. It penetrated the core of the human condition and went all the way back to Adam; reversing the curse and turning the greatest tragedy in history into the greatest victory.<br />The ruler of the feast said, "…you’ve kept back the good wine until now." After all other wines had been served and after they had all run out and run short, finally the "good" wine was being served. The best was saved for last. I see this first miracle of Jesus as a prophetic foreshadowing of what Jesus had come to do. The Jews were hoping for a national Messiah that would start a Maccabean-type revolution. Jesus had come to lay down his life and shed his blood.<br />When Jesus sat at the last supper and held up the cup of Passover wine he said, "This is the NEW Covenant in MY blood…" After all the blood of goats, lambs and birds had been shed and after they had all run out and fallen short, then God Himself came and performed a miracle; the Word became flesh.<br />His body was broken and His blood was shed once for all. His blood did what no other sacrifice had been able to do. There is enough power in one drop of the blood of Jesus to wash away every sin, to heal every sickness, to break every curse of every human being who has ever lived in all the world and in all of history! God has saved the best for last!<br /><br />Taken from Christ for all Nations news<br />Water Into Wine - Part 3 of 3 - No Other Sacrifice<br />By: Daniel Kolenda, EvangelistRiz Angel Cupidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03304448538090531326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-23781830873852720412011-05-15T19:23:00.000-07:002011-05-15T19:24:11.608-07:00<strong>Easter 4 (15th May 2011)<br />Theme: The Shepherd and the Sheep (John 10: 1-10)</strong><br /><br />The context of our Gospel reading for this morning is the story in John 9, which is about the healing of a man who had been blind since he was born. After Jesus healed him, the Pharisees were angry because he did it on a Sabbath Day. So in chapter 10 Jesus started to talk about the Good Shepherd and what he does for his sheep. He was explaining what he was doing – that in his act of healing the man born blind, he was exercising his love and his care for his sheep. <br />The image of God being our shepherd was not an invention of Jesus: it was a continuation from the Old Testament. Ezekiel 34:31 says, "You are My flock, the flock of My pasture; you are men, and I am your God," says the Lord.” In Psalm100:3b, it is stated: “We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” Psalm 95:7, it says: “For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand.” And in Isaiah 40:11: “He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.”<br />Why are we compared to sheep? Why not dogs or cats or horses? It is because a sheep is a unique animal. Without a shepherd a sheep is a defenceless animal. Without God we too are defenceless against Satan. A sheep may fight with another sheep but it cannot fight other stronger wild animal. We too can fight our fellow men, but under attack of Satan we would succumb to defeat. <br />The sheep is prone to wander and a sheep is also without a sense of direction. If a sheep is lost it cannot find its way back, like a dog or cat. That is why in the parable Jesus speaks about the lost sheep that has to be searched by the shepherd. We too are prone to wander until we get lost. Isaiah 53: 6 says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” <br />So because we are easily lost like the sheep, we need a Shepherd to guide us. And because we are defenceless against Satan on our own, we need to stay together, just like the sheep under one flock and led by a shepherd. <br /> There are three things that I want to share with you about becoming sheep of the Shepherd:<br />Good sheep know the shepherd: "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep” (vs. 1 & 2). <br />We live in a world that has a lot of false shepherds knocking at the door of the sheepfold. People are being misled, confused and wasting their lives without ever truly understanding Who God is and what He wants for their lives. How are we going to recognize the true Shepherd?<br />First, false Shepherd avoids the proper way. He who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. The purpose of the sheepfold was to provide protection during the night. A Sheepfold was a circular wall about 10 feet tall with a single opening that served as a door. Several flocks might be placed into the sheepfold at night, with one of the shepherds lying in the opening to serve as the door. Nothing could get into, or out of the sheepfold without having to go through the shepherd and only thieves and robbers seek to enter the sheepfold by another means besides the door. <br />Second, false shepherds surround us on all sides looking for ways to get at the flocks. Sometimes they come through religion. Sometimes they approach us and teach about morality and make us feel guilty, and then give us false hope. Some may tell us about giving us excitement, or promises of wealth or health. What is common about false shepherds is that they always distort the truth in one way or another - primarily the truth about Who Jesus really is.<br />Third, false shepherds work hard. They teach you many rules to follow and rituals to keep so that you remain in their control, and you can be led astray. Their teaching may sound good, but their real motive is to steal and exploit the sheep for their own purposes. Many of these false shepherds are sweet-talkers and full of charisma, and that is why many people don’t even realized that they are being sucked in and led astray. 2 Peter 2:2-3 says, “And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”<br />On the other hand, the true shepherd enters the proper way: "But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep” (vs. 2). In the summer, the flocks stayed out in the field all night. But in the winter, the flocks were gathered into pens, or sheepfolds. <br />Shepherding in the ancient East worked differently from the ones practiced in the West. In the west, sheep are driven by the shepherd on a horse with the help of a dog. In the east, the shepherd leads the flock on foot, and they follow him. In the east, sheep were given names, as we do with our dogs and cats. The shepherd was familiar with his sheep, knowing them all by name, and they would know the sound of his voice.<br />The sheep would graze out in the field the whole day. When even came the sheep would be led into the sheepfold. In an open country, the shepherd would herd his sheep into a low walled enclosure of piled rocks with a small opening. At night, since there was no gate, just an opening, the shepherd would lie across the opening to keep the sheep in and the wild animals out – he would literally become the door. That was what Jesus was talking about in verse 7: “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep”.<br />The sheep that were reared near villages were kept in a slightly different manner. They would be taken into a common sheepfold. This sheepfold was typically a large stone wall enclosure about 10-feet high, without a roof, with a single entrance into it. Several flocks from various shepherds would all share this same sheepfold for the night. Shepherds would take turn to guard the sheep by spending the night sleeping at the entrance of the sheepfold. <br />A good Sheep know the voice of the shepherd: "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out (vs.3). A communal sheepfold might have about a few hundred sheep belonging to different shepherds. How would they sort out what sheep belong to who? In the morning the shepherds knocked at the barred door & the watchman would open from within. Then each shepherd would separate his sheep by giving a call or singing a song. The flock would follow its own shepherd. This reminds us two things:<br />First, good sheep know the Shepherd’s voice. A sheep is a unique animal. It does not respond to a call: you cannot blow a whistle and expect the sheep to come like a dog. Sheep don’t respond to calls like that: they respond to Shepherd’s voice. What does the voice of our Shepherd sound like? Does he speak like a politician or an environmentalist or a businessman? Does Jesus speak like any religious leader? I believe that the voice of Jesus is different from most voices because he speaks about forgiveness, about love, and about grace, in a way different from others. We who are his sheep need to hear a voice that speaks like Jesus. And we, the Church, cannot speak differently from how Jesus speaks. <br />Second, good sheep know their own names given by the Shepherd. In Bible times the sheep were raised not so much for their meat, but for their wool. So the sheep received special care, and even develop a sort of relationship with the shepherd. The relationship was so special that the shepherd has a name for every one of his sheep. What sorts of names does a shepherd give to his sheep? He usually named them by their peculiar characteristics, traits or spots, or even by their defects. He would give them descriptive names like “Brown-leg” or “Black-ear” or “Big eyes”. <br />Jesus also knows the individual weaknesses and failings of His flock and watches over the members with love and understanding. Jesus knows our doubts, fears, trials, conflicts, and defeats that disturb our peace, and He will come to our aid. That is the picture of our God. He knows what you are worried about right now. He knows the temptations that you battle with. He knows the struggles you have had this week <br />Names convey a sense of who we are and how others relate to us. “The Lord has called Me from the womb; . . .He has made mention of My name” (Isa. 49:1). Jesus calls us by name because He knows us so well. And those of us who know him respond to his voice. If the shepherd gives the names of his sheep after their traits and characteristics, what name do you think that Jesus has given you? Of course I don’t want you to go around and tell people that Jesus has called you “Ms. Humility” or “Mr. Cheerful Giver”. That is for you to know yourself. <br />A good sheep follow the leading of the shepherd: …..and leads them out. "When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers" (vs. 4 & 5).<br />The shepherd has to constantly lead the flock of sheep from place to another. He cannot lead the flock out of the sheepfold to graze and then takes a rest and goes to sleep. We need to remember that the grass in Palestine is not like ours. They only have little patches of grass here and there and the shepherd has to protect them and ensure they will grow again. So the shepherd has to keep the sheep moving otherwise the sheep will eat all the grass until the root, leaving the place a barren land. The sheep have to be on the move because if they keep still in one place they will start to fight one another. <br />What does this speak about our God? Our God is the Shepherd who keeps us always on the move. Sometimes he leads us out of our places of comfort so that we don’t get lazy. Sometimes God makes us busy so that we don’t have time to fight and quarrel with one another. I know why I have to be moved out from this town parish to a rural parish like Betong – It is not only because God has a purpose for me there: it is also for your own good that I move. <br />Now if the Shepherd is on the move, we the sheep should be moving too. The sheep has to constantly listen to the voice of the shepherd; otherwise it will be left behind. Christians who are not paying attention will be left behind. If you are left behind, you are without the protection of the Shepherd. If you do that, you are putting yourself in a very dangerous place and very vulnerable to attack of the enemies. <br />There are so many religions and churches around us – all claiming to speak the truth and leading people to the right way. So how do we know the truth? Look at verse 5: "A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." Do you know why the thieves and wolves are so successful today? Do you know why false teachers attract crowd of people to follow them? It is not because their voice is so effective: it because the sheep don’t know the voice of the true Shepherd. When you don’t know the truth, you will accept anything that sounds convincing, sweet and nice to be the truth. That is why every Christian must spend enough time with God, to study his Word and in prayer. In that way you will develop an ability to know the voice of God, so that you can recognise when a stranger or a false shepherd is speaking and trying to lead you astray.<br />I believe that as we go through this section of the Bible, there are at least two things we can learn: Jesus is leading us right now. As he moves ahead of us, he is calling us to follow him. The question is: are you listening to his call and are you moving with him?Riz Angel Cupidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03304448538090531326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-37081484321395952662011-04-11T20:25:00.000-07:002011-04-11T20:26:40.428-07:00<strong>That You Might Believe<br />John 20:31 (NKJV), John 2:1-22 (NKJV)</strong><br />On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."<br />Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come."<br />His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it." <br />Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!"<br />This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.<br />John 2:1-22 (NKJV)<br /><br />What an embarrassing debacle! Running out of wine at a Jewish wedding was a shame to irresponsible hosts. Once their disgraceful miscalculation became apparent, the bride and groom could only wait and dread the moment when their thirsty drunken guests would start whining (no pun intended) about their dry goblets and itching tongues.<br />For all their bungles and blunders, however, the discombobulated newlyweds had unwittingly done something very wise…they had invited Jesus to their wedding. Jesus saved the day! I’m sure the bride and groom would have been thrilled for Jesus to supply any wine…even average wine. After all, it was the end of the wedding and usually the cheaper wine was served when the guests were inebriated and had become indifferent. But Jesus' wine wasn't just "good enough"…it was the best! It was the finest! It was more than enough!!<br />This is a wonderful parable of grace – no matter what mistakes you have made along the way, if you’ll invite Jesus into your life, he will turn your mess into a miracle and your tragedy into a triumph!<br />The turning of the water into wine was the first of Jesus' miracles and it had a profound effect on those that knew him. John 2:11 says that it was because of this miracle that his disciples, "believed on him." To most it would have been seen as a demonstration of power and a revelation of Christ's Messianic identity, but those disciples would later see a much more profound prophetic meaning to the miracle after Christ had ascended to Heaven.<br /><br />Taken from Christ for all Nations news<br />Water Into Wine - Part 1 of 3 - That You Might Believe<br />By: Daniel Kolenda, EvangelistRiz Angel Cupidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03304448538090531326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-39321133363981894122011-04-08T20:29:00.000-07:002011-04-08T20:29:07.779-07:00Theme: “The Flesh and the Spirit (Romans 8: 6-11)Lent 5 (10 April 2011)<br />
Other Readings: Ezekiel 37:1-14 & John 11:1-45 <br />
<br />
This section of the Bible is a reflection or a meditation of Paul. Paul is reflecting on the difference Christ makes between “flesh,” and “spirit”. By “flesh” Paul means living life on one’s own powers, by one’s own lights, on one’s own terms, without God. It is to live a life, whereby God is not at the centre of our lives. A person may claim to be a Christian, but if God is not at the centre of his life, it is living without God. <br />
<br />
According to Paul, if we continue on living such life, it will result in death. Now, the “death,” that Paul refers to here is not physical death. Paul is talking about an absence of life or deprivation of life. It is life empty of meaning, purpose, point, and it is certainly absence of God. It is a life lived according to the principles of “flesh,” which will not only lead to death, but is “death,” itself. They are things we do that are meaningless, and contribute nothing to anything really worthwhile, no matter how good they look, or how much they are valued, on the outside.<br />
<br />
These “principles,” of the flesh are things we do: they are the operating ABC’s of a society and the individuals in that society. The Jews and many religious people all have their operating principles, and these are rules, or basic assumptions and prescriptions about life. These laws or rules are often inspired by God or connected to God. Though the laws are good and reveal what God wants out of us, but they do not help us to become good people because we simply do not have the power to keep them. Thus, a Jew has all the rules to help him how to live. However, he does not have the power to exercise what he knows, because he cannot overcome the flesh. <br />
<br />
So we need some other force or power to help us - an extra ingredient if we are to become what we can become. Paul identifies that “ingredient,” as spirit. This is not the human spirit: this is the divine Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, and the Indwelling Holy Spirit, who enables Christ to live in us and among the Christian community. Though we are still in the world or still in the flesh, we are no longer a prisoner of the flesh because the Spirit helps us. <br />
<br />
This Spirit also helps us by bringing us into the presence of God, right up to the last day, the day of general resurrection, the “end of the world.” This Spirit affects our attitude, which changes our behavior and connects the two, the internal (attitude), and the external, (behavior). This is what we called life in Jesus Christ; it is a life which transcends the laws, principles, customs, presuppositions, prescriptions, death, and sin. <br />
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In verses six and seven, Paul says that the mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. The verse explains the results of the sinful nature as well as the result of the life controlled by the Spirit. He says that the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Again this verse explains the result of the sinful nature and the result of no relationship with the Spirit.<br />
<br />
Verse eight tells us that those who are in the flesh cannot please God: To be “in the flesh” is to be operating on one’s own – meaning to doing what we want or like, and that, by definition, is opposed to God. The two cannot mix, cannot be reconciled, because they are opposites. Living “in the flesh,” has for its purpose and goal pleasing the self. “Flesh” and “obedient to God” are contradictory terms.<br />
In verse nine, Christians are people whose lives are directed from a source outside themselves, here characterized as “living in the Spirit”. There can be no relationship with Christ apart from this Spirit. There can be no such thing as a Christian Pharisee; that is, by being someone who tries to please God by living a good life through his own power. And Paul stresses that whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ. If you have no Holy Spirit, you are not a Christian. Note also that Paul uses “Spirit of God,” and “Spirit of Christ,” interchangeably. <br />
<br />
Paul does not deny that all humans have something which can be described as “spirit.” This is often referred to as zeal, enthusiasm or motivation. But it is only when that human “spirit,” is enlivened by “Spirit of God,” that life starts to have special meaning. In our Old Testament reading in Ezekiel 37: 1-14, the resurrection from the dead took place in two steps. First, the “body,” rose. It looked like any normal human body, but was lifeless. Only when the “spirit,” was breathed into it did it come to life. <br />
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Likewise, we have bodies that live, but if we really look at ourselves and at one another, we shall realize that many of us are not really living as we should. We are just on surviving mode. We come to church, we say our prayers, give some money and that is it. The church itself no longer has meaning. Some of us treat our job just as source of earning income: the work itself no longer has meaning. We can be just doing things without zeal, enthusiasm or motivation: it is just dead.<br />
That is why we need God’s Spirit to help us. When we are only guided by the human spirits we shall only exercise human enthusiasm. Yes, we shall do good and noble things, but up to a certain points. Time will come when that enthusiasm will cease, when we become less motivated, or when we lose interest altogether. But when we allow God’s Spirit to work within us, we shall not only do good things just for the sake of looking good or making names for ourselves. (These are what the people of the world are doing: they want to be seen and acknowledged, praised and honoured, and remembered for the good things they have done). When we work simply under the strength of our human spirits we can also get bored and lose interests after we have been doing them for a long time; or we may want give up when we are challenged by difficulties and problems. But when we are under God’s grace we have God’s Spirit to help and empower us, to do what God’s want us to do. That is why when we have done something good for the church or society, we should not be taking the credit. The glory should be given to God because he is the one who enables us to do what is good and right. If there is anybody who says, “I quit because nobody notices or appreciates what I am doing,” that person is not serving with the grace of God: he or she is serving out of her own effort! <br />
<br />
Again I don’t want to be misquoted here. I am not implying that if a Christian has lost his zeal, interest or becomes lukewarm, he has no Holy Spirit. No. I am not saying that. I believe that every Christian has the Holy Spirit in him or her. The problem is the person does not allow the Holy Spirit to work; perhaps because he does not trust the Holy Spirit, or because he does not know he has the Holy Spirit.<br />
<br />
Let us look at verse 11: And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Note that the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is the same Spirit who lives in us. If you use this verse to apply Christ’s resurrection to the resurrection of all Christians, it can come to mean that that our resurrection is not only at the end of time. In fact, our first resurrection takes place when the Spirit enters our lives at our baptism. Paul in Colossians 2: 12 says, “…having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.” <br />
<br />
Last few Sundays we heard about the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus; and in that encounter Jesus explained to Nicodemus what it meant to being born again by the Spirit. From Jesus’ explanation we understand that when we receive the Spirit of Christ or the Holy Spirit, we are reborn because our mortal bodies are given new lives. So our lives now have new meaning. And not only that: our meaningless activities are also transformed into life-enhancing and enduring quality. The good things we do in this world under the power of the Spirit will not be good only to this world: they take on eternal value and meaning. For example, how we treat one another does not only affect our relationship with each other: it affects our relationship with God. Jesus spells it out plainly: he says that if we forgive others, we will be forgiven. Likewise, we shouldn't judge, lest we be judged and we shouldn't condemn lest we be condemned as well.<br />
<br />
This is not always good news to the church because when some people in church allow themselves to be transformed and used by the Holy Spirit, it can create uneasiness or even tension between them and those people who have not opened themselves to the working of the Holy Spirit. People who are not transformed and inspired by the Holy Spirit tend to use human reasons, experiences and emotions when they do things. For example, when Jesus told the people to remove the stone covering the tomb of Lazarus, Martha said, “But, Lord, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Martha was speaking out of her human experience that a body that had been buried for 4 days would produce a bad smell. <br />
<br />
On the other hand, those under the guidance of the Holy Spirit listen to the God’s word and prompting. Sometimes what they say or do does not make sense at all: they go beyond the confine of human logic or experience. Therefore, people not under guidance of the Holy Spirit very often, will accuse them of being extremists or even heretics.<br />
<br />
What is my point in bringing out this matter? First, we need to understand that the church is composed of various kinds of people at various levels of spirituality. Some are very worldly-minded and they only do things based on reasons and experiences. Some are more matured and have learned how to submit themselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. A few have advanced deeper so much so that God have given them special gifts that others have never experienced. These are people who are blessed with visions, blessed with gifts of prophecy, and abilities to perform miracles. <br />
<br />
Wherever or whatever level we are at, Christians have no basis or cause to reject something or boast about something, except in the Lord. If we are to do that, we are allowing ourselves to slid back into the conceit, into thinking that we can do God’s work without the help of God’s Spirit; and into thinking that we can do something good on our own power alone. It is not the deed itself, but the “Spirit,” in which and by which the deed is done that matters to God.<br />
<br />
Second, Christians are supposed to grow in faith. Those of us who hold important position in Church must grow spiritually; otherwise we become obstacles to the growth of the Church. It has taken a long time for the Anglican Church in this Diocese to grow because many lay leaders and some members of the clergy are not spiritually-enlightened or transformed. They do things under the pretexts of keeping the traditions. They reject anything that comes from the Spirit of God, and instead prefer to use their own logics and reasons to do the work of God. Rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to lead them into new experiences, they prefer to walk the familiar roads, play safe, and stay in their comfort zones. They say, “This was how things were done in the past, and this is how they are going to be run”. They are just like the men in Ezekiel’s vision: they have bodies but they are spiritually dead. <br />
<br />
Therefore, if we want the Church to grow, that growth must begin in each one of us first. We need to abandon our old thinking and allow our minds to be transformed and opened to the guidance and the prompting of the Holy Spirit. To have God’s Spirit dwelling inside us means that we must accept Christ, replacing our own will with His will. And these are not easy things to accomplish because we are naturally protective of our biases, interests and things that we are comfortable with. That is why we need the grace of God to help us out. We are like the dead men in the valley of dry bones: we need the breath of God. We are also like Lazarus who came out of the tomb, covered in shroud: we too need to be released of our bondage.† axlshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16165913816100169709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-37428834820682214842011-04-01T21:33:00.000-07:002011-04-01T21:33:23.968-07:00Pontianak Mission Trip 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaEOKRPDf4jz7wzzEVyyoLnAdJfTJoTsprvL-UgoJbui97r2EWtsA8YSXdhzLnWOmUq3F4cKvz8Vhri-8aypw2oVubbkK9GVThRZCHXxMBwgxenFSKuz-2XuFnNcMFhAp_YzOAetcmZY/s1600/25032011066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaEOKRPDf4jz7wzzEVyyoLnAdJfTJoTsprvL-UgoJbui97r2EWtsA8YSXdhzLnWOmUq3F4cKvz8Vhri-8aypw2oVubbkK9GVThRZCHXxMBwgxenFSKuz-2XuFnNcMFhAp_YzOAetcmZY/s320/25032011066.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</style> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Praise the Lord for my safe voyage to Pontianak and also for my safe passage return back to Brunei Darussalam. The Lord Jesus had sheltered me and secluded me from any harm that might transpire along the way of the mission trip. Even though a day before my embarkation to Pontianak, the evil one had tried to prevent me from going there by giving me some treacherous obstacle. But the Lord Jesus had kept me out of danger. </span></div><br />
<div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I give thanks to the Lord, for giving me the opportunity to be called for the missionary work in Pontianak and also for the spiritual experiences that I gained during those passed days serving at “ruko” with Ps. Martin, Sister Noridah, Aunty Janet, Aunty Betty and Aunty Grace.</span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">My first impression of Pontianak was: “It is a cultural wakeup call” for the reason that I found out a lot of Dayak heritage is still firmly exist in all places throughout the city. I was a bit surprised that it resembles a lot more like the Iban culture in Sarawak in terms of the tribal art, the traditional attire and so forth. It is really startling to see all of that, and I finally discovered that the Iban heritage was originated from Kalimantan. So the history was there and surely it will be a good sharing for the G.Y.M.</span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">From the first night at Pontianak, I met up with all the young adults at ruko, from my point of view they are very extraordinary and gifted young people. There is nothing that they can’t do in Christ alone. Ucok, Ana and Elisabeth are among the youth leaders and the Sunday school teachers that had attend the ADYC Leader’s retreat in Kuching 2010. As we comfortably seated at ruko, Ucok gave us the warm welcoming speech on behalf of Pak Ben who was not there due to his training somewhere in Bandung. Nevertheless, the praise and worship at ruko is simply excellent in terms of spirituality even though they only utilize a keyboard but the heart of worship was present, the music are all preset in the keyboard synthesizer consequently that it will produce a good quality sounding effect. The worship was pretty much alive when everybody stood up and giving their best to the Lord. Overall ruko can be a very good potential youth church since most of the members are youth & young adult. The young adults are the ones that are the most active on the reaching out part in comparison to the adult member. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In terms of church growth it needs to be improved for the elderly members. I witnessed only three or four members are adults but the majorities are youth & young adult. Definitely ruko need to have some pastoral effort to be conducted. Well one of the member name Pak Herman is one remarkable person. He had endured hardship in his life, the Lord had blessed him. His skull was badly broken when he tried to prevent an armed robbery in progress during his duties as a security. He testified that the Lord had saved his life. He is one of the dedicated members who haven’t consecrated himself to join the Anglican member at ruko because he is from another church called ‘Isa Al-Masih’. He is very faithful to the Lord and served Him with all his heart. He has an open view to join ruko. He also composed worship songs, play musical instrument and lead worship. I think that he will make a good lay-reader or worship leader for ruko.</span></div><br />
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</style> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">During our visitation to Siantan (slump area) at a place for Sunday school called “The holy house of life”, there is a feeling of sadness reached out to my heart where I saw poverty empowers the land. A different side of life that I never encountered before seems to grab my nature sensitivity. What made this part so heartrending is that the unleveled stilt house, roof full of holes that I can imagined when the rain pouring down the water will be dripping all over the place and makes it a hell on earth to live in; the fact that the owner of the house is just a little girl surviving on her own. The empathy for the little girl was really depressing that made me call upon the Lord in prayer and from that moment I had learned a valuable lesson not to take everything in life for granted. I believe that the Lord always watched over her as she watched over the few dozen children there which they use her home as a class for Sunday school. In nature they are too young to have felt the hardship in life, yet they manage to wipe their sadness with a warm smile. The most remarkable things that I’ve seen in life that the effort that they made to minister to others in harsh conditions. The benevolent dictates the heart that serves the Lord with truth, hope and love.</span></div><br />
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</style> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As we continue our days in Pontianak, it came to one Sunday morning where we walked approximately 15 minutes away from our hotel to a nearby stilt house which is also utilize as a Sunday school class room. Aunty Janet and Aunty Betty had become a blessing to those children. Those children were so anxious to answer their questions because in return they will be receiving prizes. Once they were asked to pray, I was once again amazed of the heart that showed how intimately those children with Christ in their prayer. One small boy captured my attention, he was closing his eyes so tightly; holding his both hands so firmly and prayed with his immense heart to the Lord. It is a heartwarming situation for me, as I never encountered any children below the age of 6 would pray like an angel. It is truly a blessing to have experienced all of that. I know that there is a reason why the Lord called upon me for this mission and that is to serve and gain more faith; there is a purpose to be served here. Aunty Betty was so brilliant ministering to the children with the help of Aunty Janet, they were match made in heaven to be the children’s greatest blessing.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We had a long journey of endless prayers, we visited the members that had not been attending regular Sunday service at ruko and gave them encouragement and counseling. We prayed for the blessing of the Lord to be upon them. </span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Well some journey will come to an end somehow. During our last day in Pontianak we gathered in fellowship with the ruko members. We ate together in joyfulness as if that is the last time we ever see each other again. That night me and the three girls from ruko perform a musical collaboration involving guitar and tambourine in a sense of creative art. Sister Noridah had thought them how to play the tambourine while I on the spot accompany those three girls on the guitar part. Another new experienced for me playing another type of musical genre. It was overwhelming to worship the Lord using musical instrument, one of the very talents that the Lord bestowed in me. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve learned so much during this mission trip. I’ve learned about life walking with Jesus, serving his people according to His will. The Lord had made a path for me long before I was born. He had planned something wonderful for me. I just need to listen to what He is telling me and He shall direct my path to righteousness for His glory. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Guard their hearts, Lord, keep them close to you. Lord, help me to show them what is right. I pray, Lord that they would grow strong in you. Thank you Lord for trusting me, guide me and teach me all your ways; and I will not fail to give You all of the glory and praise. In the name of Jesus, Amen </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This prayer will always be the remnant of blessing from the Lord for the members of ruko at Pontianak.</span></div></m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac></m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac>† axlshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16165913816100169709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-40150268745314857642011-03-30T17:11:00.000-07:002011-03-30T17:14:07.208-07:00<strong>Lent 3 (27 March 2011)<br />Theme: Jesus and Sinners</strong><br /><br />Last Sunday we heard about the encounter of Jesus with a Pharisee named Nicodemus. This morning we hear of another encounter of Jesus – not with another religiously upright, educated, wealthy or a respectable person of society - but a woman with doubtful character from Samaria. Nicodemus sneaked into the house where Jesus stayed at night, while this woman met him as she went to the well at noon time. Though they have chosen two different times, they did it out of the same reason – i.e. in order to avoid being seen by others. Nicodemus did not want other Pharisees or religious people to see him with Jesus who they regarded as a false teacher and therefore, an enemy. The Samaritan woman went to draw water from the well at noon day because she did not want to meet other women who despised her. <br />When John put these two stories one after another, I believe he has one purpose in mind – that is to let us see that irrespective of where you stand in the eyes of society this morning you need Christ Jesus. The religious and the irreligious, the moral and the immoral, the educated and the uneducated, the rich and the poor, male and female – all need Jesus Christ.<br />It is not easy to describe the life of this Samaritan woman. As a man I cannot possibly understand her feelings as an outcast. But there are a few things which we can understand. First, as a woman in those days, she was dependent on a man for her identity as a human being. We are told that she had been married five times, and the man she was living with was not her legal husband. We do not know how her marriages to the other men ended, whether by death or divorce. <br />She knew the life of an outcast to the point where she had to go to a well far distant from the city on at noon day. No woman would come to the well to wash their clothes or draw water at noon day: it would be too hot. They would come in the early morning or evening when it would be cooler, and that was when they would fellowship and chat with one another. This Samaritan woman could not join the other women because they would have nothing to do with her – to them she was an outcast, an immoral person and object of gossips. <br />Imagine her loneliness and the inner pain – the men looked down on her and the women rejected her friendship. She knew their gossips. She heard their conversations. She was familiar with her reputation, the stares and the snide remarks. They wounded her spirit and hardened her heart. She would rather face the fierce heat of the midday sun than risk meeting one of the townspeople at the well. Imagine yourself to be in that position: it is a dreadful place to be and an awful situation to find yourself in. Hiding away from people for fear of what they might say and what they are thinking.<br />How did Jesus end up meeting this woman? We are told that the encounter took place while Jesus was on the way from Judea to Galilee. In order to reach Galilee travellers from Judea must travel through Samaria. This was not something the Jews would do unless they had to because the Samaritans were considered by the Jews as enemies. Some strict Jews would even travel hundreds of miles through other regions outside Samaria in order to stay ritually clean. This hatred of the Jews towards the Samaritans and vice versa stretched back over 700 years to the time immediately after the death of Solomon and the conquering of the land by the Assyrians. When the northern region was conquered the Jews of that land started to marry people of other races, and hence lost their racial purity and their religious purity, and came to be known as the Samaritans. Around 400 B.C. the Samaritans built their own temple at Mt. Gerizim because they could no longer worship in Jerusalem. This is the background to this story.<br />John tells us that Christ Jesus was tired from the travelling and so he sat down at the side of Jacob’s well (v. 5-6), whilst the disciples headed off to the nearest town to purchase some food (v8). Whilst they were away a woman came to the well and Jesus asked her for a drink of water (v.7). <br />To us this seems like a simple request but considering the hatred between Jews and Samaritans, it means crossing over social barriers. And for Jesus, a Jewish man, to speak to a woman, in public was forbidden – and worse still a Samaritan woman. Some Jews would even speak to their own wives in public. That was why the woman was so shocked when Jesus spoke to her (v9). She said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” <br />Even her own people in the village of Sychar despised and rejected her, and yet here was Jesus, a Jewish man speaking to her. She must be thinking, “If this man knows my reputation he will not speak to me. And he certainly will not ask me for anything”. Most of us will never tell anybody what we really go thorough in life because we fear what they will think of us. We keep our pains, hurts and longings to ourselves because we fear people may no longer want to be our friends, if they know who we are. When this woman answered Jesus, ‘How can you ask me for a drink?’ she was stating more than the social barriers between them – she was revealing something of her heart to Jesus. “If you know what sort of woman I am, you will not speak to me, let alone ask water from me?” <br />In reply to her question Jesus made an offer (v10). He said, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” Water is a symbol of spiritual blessing, and Jesus spoke to her about ‘the gift of God…and living water.’ But she could not understand what Jesus was saying. Even when Jesus restated the offer in even more vivid terms, in verses 13 and 14, but once again she failed to understand. While Jesus was talking about the spiritual thirst of her soul, she was talking about her physical thirst. He talked of the eternal and she was focused on the things of this world. But then, why should we expect her to understand? Her life was all about fulfilling her physical hunger and thirst. Wasn’t her entire adult spent on seeking to quench her thirst for love, acceptance and security in one failed marriage after another? Hadn’t she been thinking, hoping, maybe even praying all these years that the next husband would be the one to fulfil her longings? <br />Now let us ask ourselves a question – Are we any different from this woman? Have we not been thinking and hoping and praying for the next thing that can bring us satisfaction in life, but only to be disappointed time and time again? It may not be relationship issues: it may be a job that we hope will satisfy our ambition; or that we are hoping for more money to come in that will fulfil our needs; or it may be some project that we hope to accomplish that will bring names for ourselves. Are there not times when you think there is ‘something is missing in your life’ and that you have not found it until now? In our story this morning, Jesus was trying to make the woman to take her eyes away from the things of this world and to look at the spiritual, and she couldn’t do it. Are you like that woman, stuck with your particular needs, and having no idea how to get out?<br />When the woman asked for a drink of this ‘living water’ which would quench her thirst, Jesus told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” Why did Jesus do that? That is how Jesus often deals with our thirsts. He went directly to the source of the problem. (I am not saying that the sixth husband is the problem). But look at her answer. Up to this point she had been quite talkative but now her answer is short and too the point, ‘I don’t have a husband’ (v17). Her answer is truthful but evasive. She still refused to talk about it because it was a painful subject to talk about. <br />Have we not been there? Have we not been evasive in some areas of our lives because they are too painful or hard to confront? Sometimes we blame other people or circumstances for our miseries and our failures. But look here: Jesus did not stop from confronting her with a personal issue. He said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” <br />The question I want to ask you is: was Jesus being cruel by revealing something so personal and opening up the past wounds? You need to remember that in a few weeks time Jesus would die on the cross for this woman. Jesus wasn’t being cruel to her: he was doing this to save her from the consequences of her past and to save her from having to continue in such a spiral of broken relationships, unsatisfied thirst, and living in shame in the future.<br />But it was hard for her to accept. She tried to divert the conversation once more. “Sir,” she said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” She did not want to talk about her personal life, instead tried to change the subject to a religious question. It is easy to be critical about this woman. But don’t we often talk about religion when God wants to talk to us about relationship? This woman asks a question concerning the right place to worship God: was it Jerusalem or Mt. Gerizim? She talked about place of worship not because she was religious: she was simply uncomfortable with the topic that has to do with her moral life. Don’t we do the same?<br />I have attended several hundreds of committee meetings in Churches all over the Diocese and Province during the course of my ministry. Most of the things that were heavily discussed or debated upon have to do with material things – money, buildings, lands, vehicles, number of people and list of physical activities and programs. And when it comes to dealing with spiritual matters, things that concern our relationship with Jesus and things that matter the most – only few people dare to give their opinions. <br />It is significant that Jesus refused to be drawn into this argument as to what place was the acceptable for worship. And Jesus told her that a time is coming when neither the temple in Jerusalem nor the temple on Mount Gerizim will be needed or considered as acceptable place to worship God. After the Ascension of Jesus, God is worshipped all over the places, and all over the world. The important thing is not where, it is the attitude of the hearts which matter - that God must be worshipped in spirit and in truth. It is all about the Spirit of God and truth of God’s Word. It is not dependent on places or things.<br />Then she answered, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” And Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” It was at that point that the disciples returned. Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him. <br />Many of you have heard this story many times and you have heard many explanations from various preachers, so much so that our hearts can be hardened, and say that there is nothing more to learn. Let us ask ourselves: are we happy and contented with our lives, or are we always feeling something are missing deep within our hearts? Sometimes we connect this sense of emptiness with something we hope to find in this world. It may be human friendships; it may be material wealth; it may be change in our status; but if that emptiness has something to do with the living water Jesus was talking about, no amount of money, friendships and whatever things can fulfil the emptiness. But how often we are like this woman: seeking to fulfil her needs, and yet when she is confronted by Jesus on the very issue of her problem, she wants to change the subject? Every time Jesus wants to talk to us about renewing our relationship with him, we change the subject: we talk about church buildings, or money, or about maintaining traditions, rituals or rules. And when we are confronted with the issues of our own sins, we talk about what is wrong with other people. <br />If we come to church this morning, feeling almost exactly like this woman who stood before Jesus, please know that Jesus is also speaking to us, also wanting to offer us this living water. You know that he knows the sin in our lives, the mess of our past lives and he is not going to let us brush them aside. If my sharing this morning makes you feel somewhat uncomfortable or even angry, it may be because Jesus is speaking to your heart, telling you something is not right with your life. This Sunday is already the 3rd week of Lent and if you have really reflected upon your personal life, you may come to conclusion that there is something that is not right with your life. <br />This morning Jesus gives us an offer – the forgiveness of our sins, the cleansing of our souls and the quenching of our thirst. Our longing to be forgiven, to be loved, to be accepted, to be free from the past and to have another chance can be realized this morning. But there is a condition for it: Jesus will not, and he cannot, evade the issue of our sin. Jesus also comes to us with the living water that can satisfy the thirst that lies deep within us and cries out for quenching. He knows the poor decisions each of us have made in life, and yet he accepts us for who we are, and loves us still.<br />Earlier during the service we have heard the Ten Commandments and said our general confession. Now we take a more personal step to confessing a particular sin that that has become a barrier to our relationship with Jesus; and have that burden lifted, our sin forgiven and the thirst of our soul quenched. Let us pray this sinner’s prayer:<br /><br /><strong>“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.”</strong>Riz Angel Cupidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03304448538090531326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-15282032891612803032011-03-24T01:11:00.000-07:002011-03-24T01:11:28.109-07:00<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Sunday next Before Lent (6 March 2011)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Theme: The Significance of the Transfiguration of Jesus<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Texts: 2 Peter 1: 16-end; Matthew 17: 1-9<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent2"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Our lesson for today tells us about one of the greatest experiences ever recorded in the Bible - the transfiguration of Jesus Christ!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It came about when Jesus was preparing himself to face the cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus knew that he would die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus also knew that it would not be just death, but a painful death on the cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew how the Roman soldiers treated their prisoners as they were condemned to die. Those thoughts must be really agonising.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know that Jesus tried to share his predicament with the disciples. But when he mentioned it to them (e.g. Mark 8: 28-32), Peter rebuked him for saying such a thing. They could not understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So the only thing to do was to seek comfort from his Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could that be the reason why Jesus decided to go up the mountain? Or is there other reason?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">So on this particular day he took his three disciples with him up the mountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matthew said it was a high mountain. Some people suggest that it could be <st1:place w:st="on">Mount Hermon</st1:place>, but quite unlikely – because at more than 9000 feet high, it would be too cold at top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some say it was <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Mount</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Tabor</st1:placename></st1:place>, but there was a large Roman garrison at the top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would not be a good place to meet God. Another interesting suggestion was <st1:placetype w:st="on">Mount</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Meron</st1:placename>, which at 3,900 feet is the tallest mountain in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As I said earlier, Jesus could have decided to go up the high mountain with the 3 disciples in order to seek peace and comfort as he faced the cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it could be more than that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you study Matthew 16, you read that people had been asking the question: Who is Jesus?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Matthew 16: 13, Jesus asked his disciples: “13Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The disciples replied, "<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Some say John the Baptist; some say Elijah; and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets</i>."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it wasn’t just the crowds who were talking about Jesus. His own disciples were asking the same question. So he asked them: "Who do you say I am?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Simon Peter who answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The question “Who is this Jesus” was on everyone’s lips. Matthew 16 tells us about the human responses. Now in Chapter 17 we see a divine response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So Jesus took the 3 disciples so that God the Father can give them the answer to the question of Jesus’ identity. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">There may be another reason – to fulfil his promise to the disciples in Matthew 16:28.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Some of you standing here now will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom</i>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus was, of course talking about his second coming in glory and might.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as far as seeing the Son of man in glory, that verse was fulfilled when Jesus transfigured at the top of the high mountain.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The transformation was such a sight. One minute, Jesus looked like any other Jew. The next minute, His face was shining like the sun and His clothes were as white as the light! This is what Jesus is going to look like when he comes again and that is what he looks like when He is in heaven. In Revelation 1:16, when John sees the heavenly Christ walking among the seven golden lamp-stands, he says that Jesus’ face was “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">like the sun in all its brilliance.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Then Moses and Elijah appeared before them and talked with Jesus. Matthew does not tell us what the two men said to Jesus, but Luke 9: 31 tells us that they were speaking to Jesus about his “departure, which He was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am sure that you have been told about the significance of the two men. Moses was the one who brought the Israelites out of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region> and wrote down the Old Testament laws. Elijah is the first and greatest of all the Old Testament prophets. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Peter, confronted with the extraordinary sight, did not quite know what to say and do. In the process he made two subtle mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, he did not want the experience to end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter wanted to prolong the mountaintop experience and enjoy that glorious fellowship as long as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We do not want to criticize Peter too much because I think he was overexcited more than anything else. But think about the implications of what he was saying! There was an element of selfishness in it. He was saying “Forget about the nine other apostles down for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let them have their hands full trying to drive out demons and healing the sick. Forget about our mission for a while. Let us just stay up here and just keep Jesus to ourselves for a while!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Could we be feeling the same way when we are in Church?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we content with our worship and fellowship, that we need not care what is happening to the world outside?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we content to have our little mountaintop experience with Jesus right here?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">There is nothing wrong with having a mountain top experience with Jesus Christ. In fact we need it once in a while. But we cannot keep the mountain top experience to ourselves! We have a responsibility to share our mountain high Jesus experience with the people down below and the people outside. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Personally-speaking my three-year stay at St. Margaret’s Church has been a mountaintop experience in my ministry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a blessing to be given this break to look after a small congregation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I am not supposed to enjoy this for long…time may come when I have to go down to the valley, where tough works are waiting to get done.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Peter also made another mistake. He calls Jesus “Lord,” but then he ends up creating his own little trinity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said, “If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see: the whole point of the transfiguration is to shine the spotlight on Jesus Christ! It is to show that Christ alone is the central authority figure in our lives! Christ alone is the Lord. But Peter did not know what he was saying, and he ended up blurring the distinctiveness of Christ and putting him on an equal level with Moses and Elijah.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">How many of us have ever put other things or people in our lives on an equal level as Jesus? We call Jesus “Lord”, but how many of us are more excited about other things than we are about our relationship with Jesus? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Peter’s comment about putting up tents makes it clear that he doesn’t understand the significance of Jesus’ transfiguration. So God has to act quickly. Verse 5 says that while Peter was still speaking, “a bright cloud enveloped them” and a voice from the cloud proclaimed “This is my Son, whom I love, with whom I am well-pleased.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then God added three very important words: “Listen to Him!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The disciples were in fear. And when the bright cloud cleared Elijah and Moses were seen no more. Only Jesus was left standing with them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">There are three very important lessons that we can learn from the transfiguration of Jesus Christ. First, it teaches us that when we are in the midst of some personal crisis, it is wise to come away to be with the Lord. There are people who blame God for their problems and stay away from God’s Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are people we don’t agree with in church and there may be things we don’t like happening in church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it is a mistake to stay away from Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What we should do instead, is to come closer to God and spend time more time with him – not less time. In time God will reveal to us greater things which our human eyes fail to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And God may even use us as agent of change in that imperfect church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Second, Jesus had spent numerous times up on the mountain or a lonely place alone; but not this time. When Jesus went up the high mountain he took Peter, James and John with him to experience something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that encounter would be something that they would never forget. Long after Jesus had risen from the dead, this scene was still burned in their minds. In 1 John 1: 5, John wrote, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">God is light; in him there is no darkness at all</i>.” And Peter, in our Epistle reading this morning, declares, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“…we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain”</i> (2 Peter 1:16-18). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">What does that tell us? It tells us that there are times when Jesus invites us into his presence so that he can share his glory with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe that Jesus wants us to talk with Him and worship Him and focus on Him! He wants us to see that he alone is the glorious Lord of heaven and earth! But why is that not happening or never happens to us?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps we never desire it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps we don’t believe that we can ever see such things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think our problem is that we have been so complacent with what we have been doing over the years. We simply don’t expect good and wonderful things to happen…so they never happen! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Third, it teaches us about the importance of listening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter had been focusing on “good” things. Moses and Elijah were important men who represented the greatest revelation that God had ever given to man up that point. Moses and Elijah were important men, but they paled in comparison to Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moses’ face didn’t shine like the sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Elijah’s garments did not turn as white as snow. It was Jesus that shone with light and glory… not them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was why the voice from the bright cloud and a voice from the cloud proclaimed, “This is my Son, whom I love, with whom I am well-pleased. Listen to Him!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The point is this: It’s easy to get distracted by “good things” in this life and neglect the best that God wants for our lives. As a Church we can fall into the trap of paying too much attention to the less important things. We can have our “hobby horse doctrine” and conduct activities and programs that consume almost all of our teaching, energy and money, while leaving Jesus out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can spend a lot of time preaching important topics, but failed to show people Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has happen to preachers and churches; you know fully well it can also happen to us here. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">You need to be aware that it is possible to go to church all of your life… and still not listen to Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is possible to have perfect attendance; to be involved in various committees and activities in the congregation; or even preaching or sharing the Word; but to have Jesus missing out of our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can go through the routine of going to church: say and do all the proper things, but never seem to be listening to Jesus. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>† axlshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16165913816100169709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-13783038380498134272011-03-24T01:09:00.000-07:002011-03-24T01:09:24.614-07:00<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">4<sup>th</sup> Sunday before Lent (13<sup>th</sup> February 2011)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Theme: Being co-workers in God’s service (1 Cor. 3: 1-9)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The Corinthians thought of themselves as spiritually mature congregation, endowed with all the spiritual gifts they needed, well taught and self-sufficient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Paul saw them as people who were still worldly – mere infants in Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They thought they were mature; and in some respects they were, but in other occasions they were still acting like children.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Look at verse 3: “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were quarrelling and jealousy among them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could they claim to be spiritually mature if they showed that sort of worldly immaturity? Rather than being directed by love for one another they were driven by competitiveness. They were constantly comparing one with another to see who was the best, who was the smartest, or who has got the right answers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And of course the major issue in this divisiveness is the issue of leadership. They each have their favourite teacher or leader.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And what is wrong with them having their favourite teacher? Why is this a sign of immaturity?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It is their understanding of leadership in Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their view of leadership comes from the world, not from God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To them leadership is about the exercise of power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is how the world sees the leader: as one who gives directions, who sets the agenda, who determines what is important and what is not. A leader is considered to be the most important person in the organisation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is why CEOs in big companies receive big pay package.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without them business will not succeed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">When it comes to the criteria of a Church leader, it is different because the Church is not all about big business or the exercise of power and control over others. Church leaders are to submit to the authority of Christ. They are to seek the will of God and work under guidance of the Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the Christians in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Corinth</st1:place></st1:city> seem to think of their leaders as having power of themselves – even above Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So that is why Paul asked them, “What is Paul?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is Apollos?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leadership is not about personalities: it’s about function, gifting. What are they there for? Well, they are there to serve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">From a Christian perspective, leaders are servants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul uses two metaphors from everyday life to illustrate what he is saying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, he says, one plants another waters. So which is the one that matters most?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both are vital tasks but neither one is more important than the other. They are both fellow servants of the one God, who is the source of their wisdom and authority. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Let me stretch this further.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we think about Church leadership, what usually come to mind?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We tend to picture a small group of people called by God to do his work in Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leadership in Church involves a team of people, but it is not limited to those at the top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are a part of the team, no matter how small you think of yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to see that we are all important members of God’s workforce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed, some of us may not take up prominent tasks or do the most obvious things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if you have ever shared the word of God with a non-believer, you are part of the God’s workforce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have brought someone to Church, you are a part of the workforce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your work may not be seen by everybody, but you are one of those who plant the seed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of you take up responsibility in nurturing or discipling small groups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of you minister to children, some minister to the youths, while others spend their time helping the elderly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My work seems to be more prominent because I am allowed to stand here and preach on Sundays. My point is that whatever it is that God calls us to do we must remember two things:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(i) that we are part of a team and (ii) we must stay humble. We must remember that we are just like a farmer who plants the seed and another farmer who waters the planted seed. The true authority and importance in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Kingdom</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">God</st1:placename></st1:place> lie in the one who serves.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As the church grows and as many things are done and achieved, it is easy to forget this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luke tells us that one time a dispute also “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">arose among the disciples as to which of them was considered to be greatest. <sup>25</sup>Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. <sup>26</sup> But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. <sup>27</sup> For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves”</i> (Luke 22:24-27).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">One of the problems that we have in church is that some leaders refuse to see themselves as servants, or as equal to other God’s servants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And worse still, they see their co-workers as rivals to compete with, rather than to work with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Team work is non-existent in their vocabulary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is what some churches are struggling with at this point of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to be always reminded that God does not intend his church to be run by one or two persons because no person has all the resources to do God’s work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need cooperative efforts to be exercised over a period of time – meaning that we need to work, and work patiently with one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that manner we can get results that will be far greater than one done by one person. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">There is another thing that I want you to understand here. Look at verse 8: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labour. </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will notice that the verse does not say “success”. Paul does not say that you are being rewarded because of your success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want you to know that when you do the work of God, you may not always see great success in your work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may have heard of some people bringing in hundreds or thousands of other people to the Lord, and when you start comparing what you have achieved with what other people have done, you can feel rather dismayed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want you to understand that when God calls you to serve him, he wants you to serve him faithfully and you will be rewarded accordingly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul says that each of us will be rewarded according to his own labour, and not according to his success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I have been here more than 3 years now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do I see great success? No. In fact I am seeing the number of people in this church going down. And it is hard to find people who can take up certain responsibilities in the ministry of the Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Faced with this predicament, it is easy to become discouraged, but I am not because I keep my eyes on the overall plan of God - not the individual bits and pieces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are going through hard time right now, and I believe God intends it to be that way because it can be a test of our faithfulness - to see how many people will continue to stay with the church in hard time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God wants you to see whether you can continue to do your work faithfully as a part of God’s team, even in difficult times or even when the future looks bleak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Do you know why we suggest “Growing up Together in the Body of Christ” as our theme for this year?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you know why the word “Christ” comes last instead of at the beginning?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul has emphasized cooperation toward mutual goals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And this is what we are also pursuing. This Church has no doubt put emphasis on “personal relationship with Jesus Christ”, and that is our mutual goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The theme stresses on co-operation, togetherness, team work, mutual support and encouragement as we seek our goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we go though the process of growing, we shall experience all sorts of things: there will be good and bad times; there will be gains and losses; there will be joy and sadness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The theme suggests that we are to stay together in both good and bad times. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I see my ministry in Seria only as a period of transition between the past ministry and the future ministry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember that a transition period is only meant to last for a certain length of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t foresee myself staying here for long time because someone else has to take up the next phase of ministry in this church and bring it to a greater height.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Team work in God’s Church is not just working together now: it includes preparing ground for the next group of leaders, so that the church continues to be built up upon the same foundation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">If you continue reading the same chapter you will find that in the next few verses how Paul refers to teamwork in building a structure. He says, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. <sup>11</sup> For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ</i>” (1 Cor 3: 10-11).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our foundation is Jesus Christ and upon that foundation our work of building continues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul says that each one should build with care; and that was what I have been doing with you here during the last three years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have been building together with care: we didn’t try to rock the boat too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We encourage patience, understanding, and co-operation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We acknowledge there are unhappiness and frustrations, but we encourage you to keep on repairing broken relationships and strengthen the shaky ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are disagreements but we preach forgiveness and acceptance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We keep on talking about unity and emphasize on the importance of working together.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Now, leadership comes and goes but our cooperative efforts must continue for years to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have to continue to look for ways we can help one another to use their gifts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also need to make room to help newcomers gain experience and expertise as they join the team. The idea is that we stick together in building up one another, and try to minimize problems that can cause us to be torn apart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So the issues that we are dealing with here is not about putting up grand programs or organizing new activities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are dealing with the issues of the hearts, and the attitudes. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I want you to understand that when we allow ourselves to be controlled by feelings and emotions, it is not going to be good for the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tendency is that when people feel good, they are likely to act nicely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if they feel bad and allow that feeling to take the upper hand, they can be led to express emotions that they cannot control, and they end up making wrong choices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is how arguments and quarrels happen in church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">How do we deal with the problem?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We encourage people to live a life that trusts in the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Living this committed life means committing everything to the Lord including our mistakes and problems, as well as the good things that come our way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the time we get up to the moment we fall asleep, be convinced that God is hearing our prayers, and that he is taking care of whatever is happening to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we do that, we will also learn to deny self, deny wrong feelings, control our emotions and ignore all the lies of the devil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We shall live life that expresses surrender to God’s will for us, as well as a life worthy of the gospel that we proclaim. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Finally, when God does his work, he will involve many different individuals with a variety of gifts and abilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will find people with gifts that put them into position of prominence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will also find people who are more gifted than you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may find yourself having to encourage others exercise their gifts. Or you may find yourself entrusted with gift that others don’t have. Remember, there are no superstars in this task - only team members performing their own special roles – all for the glory of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is why Paul reminds the people at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Corinth</st1:place></st1:city> not to seek the praise that comes from people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, they must seek the approval of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can become useful members of God’s team by setting aside our desire to receive glory and praise for what we do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>† axlshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16165913816100169709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-79190434698844484242011-02-27T17:26:00.000-08:002011-02-27T17:27:58.937-08:00<strong>Modified from a sermon preached @ Thomas’ Church, Bintulu on 3rd February 2002)<br />Texts: Gen. 1: 1 – 2:3; Rom. 8: 18-25; Matthew 6: 25-end</strong><br /><br />The title of the first book of the Bible Genesis comes from a Greek word meaning ‘birth’ or ‘beginning’. The title was used when the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek. Some people who see the words ‘In the beginning’ think that the book was written to give us information as to how the world and all the things in the world started. Some non-believers use this story to make fun of the Christian faith. <br />But Genesis was written not to show how and when the world began. It is not a record of historical events or a scientific research: it is a reflection of a man who had faith in God. So we cannot use Genesis for the study of world history, astronomy, biology or science. It is meant to proclaim that the universe was created, and that it did not come about by accident. And the Creator is the one true God who should be praised and glorified. That is why the book looks a poetry or hymn.<br />This morning we have two other readings in Romans 8: 18-25 and Matthew 6: 25-34. Romans 8 speaks about suffering while Matthew 6 tells us not to be anxious and worried. There are so many things to study in these three passages. I don’t have time to go through them so I shall just talk about Genesis 1: 1 & 28b, and relate them to the epistle and gospel readings.<br />First, we look at Genesis 1:1, ‘In the beginning God created’. The intention of the writer is not to tell us that Creation was something that happened at a certain point in the past, and stopped there. For the writer, Creation is a continuous process. That is the teaching of the Christian faith. After God created the universe he did not leave it alone; he continues to sustain his creation. In other word, God continues to watch over his universe. <br />It is important to understand this because it is the basis of our understanding of the words of Jesus in Matthew 6: 25-34. When we stand to proclaim in the Creed that we believed in “God, the Maker of heaven and earth” we are not just proclaiming an event that took place millions of years ago. We are in effect proclaiming that God created the universe and that it belongs to him, so he continues to sustain and watch over it. Now, if you believe that God is watching over your lives and your needs, is it logical to be excessively anxious and worried about things that God is providing? Jesus said that people who worry and who run after worldly things are pagans – meaning that they are people who do not believe in God the Creator and Provider.<br />However, I don’t want you to stretch this too far, because we have to differentiate between a person who is a worrier and one who has concerns for something or somebody. When Jesus said that we are not to be worried about food and clothes and other needs, he is not saying that we should not be concerned about these. What he is saying is that we should not focus all of our attention, and use up all our energy to acquire these things that we forget about God who provides them. It is a reminder that we should work, so that we have enough to live on and to share with others. We need food so that we continue to live healthy lives. We need clothes to help us to keep warm and make us look decent. We need cars and other means of transportation to help us move about quickly. During the time of Jesus their only means of fast transport was by using animals, like donkeys and horses. We need houses for shelter, to protect us from storm, rain and sun. <br />Material things are good, but if we put them above God and above people we are supposed to love and care, then it opens up opportunity for sins to come into our lives. We have seen cases where family members or friends are no longer in speaking term with each other because they quarrel over things. There are people who refuse to be seen with those who are poor because they want to maintain their high status. I have come across cases where parents ration the food of their children simply because most of the money goes to paying off loans as the result of their high lifestyle. These are the some of the things that Jesus warns us against. <br />So remember when we recite the creed, saying that we believe in God the Creator, we are in effect proclaiming that God is also our Provider. Our possessions are the gifts of God, and we are to use them prudently, unselfishly, and not with greed. It serves to remind us that worrying about things that we don’t have, serve us no purpose at all. <br />Gen. 1: 28 highlights on human relationship with things and other living beings. God said to man, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish and the sea and birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” <br />There are two things that we can learn from this verse: First, it reminds us that human beings are different from other living creatures. God gives us the ability to choose between doing right and wrong, while animals act by instincts and need for survival.<br />Another difference is in the term of power we have over other creatures and created things. All animals, birds, fish and other creatures survive by what is already provided for them. They do not have to work or earn a living to survive. But we have something extra - the power of thinking and reasoning. With this power we can carry out research works and exploration, make new inventions and new discoveries, and upgrade our living standards. We can use the raw materials to invent new things. <br />This verse also teaches us about prayer and worship. The verse reminds us that things created by God are not meant to be objects of worship. It is wrong to worship rocks, trees, spirits, animals, birds or human beings even how magical people claim them to be. We are meant to worship God alone and not the things he has created. <br />Our understanding of the created things only comes into proper perspective when we know who God is. When people fail to know and worship God, they will worship something other than God. And if we are not careful, any one of us can end up worshipping our possessions. Furthermore, when people do not believe in God they will not feel accountable to God. Such people will have no sense of responsibility towards their fellowmen, to other creatures and the environment. One purpose of reciting the Creed is to remind us who we are in relation to God. Christians need to remember that it is wrong to dump rubbish and toxic waste anywhere we want, to chop up trees in our forests without proper control, to burn up jungles, to indiscriminately poison the fish our rivers, to put up shoddy construction works. This is what we are seeing in the Island of Borneo nowadays. In Sarawak, thousands of acres of virgin forests are being replaced with oil-palm estates. The fertilizers and weed killers to clear the bushes are washed into the rivers, polluting that water that the people are drinking and poisoning the fish and prawns that they are eating. Some of these big companies are not satisfied with destroying the forests: they even grabbed rice-farms and lands used by the long-house people to plant their rubber trees and fruit-trees, because these lands are without titles. I have no other words to describe it except sin. The blatant destruction of the good things God has created for us is a sinful act.<br />According to Paul, human sin plays a major role in the suffering and disorder in this world. It is because of sin that creation cannot attain the purpose for which God intended it. When man disobeys God, the whole creation suffers. Scientists now have discovered the truth of this belief. Excessive emission of smoke and poisonous gases, and extensive deforestation have caused an adverse climatic change in our planet. Floods, droughts, landslides, and bush fires, are more than just works of nature but something we have brought upon ourselves. If human attitude is not changed we can expect more catastrophes in the years to come. We can only imagine the sufferings of the future generations. One reason why the world is slowly wasting away is because less and less people actually believe that God created and own the world. And many Christians are not doing their part telling the world that God is the Creator, and that we are his children called to look after his creation.<br />Thus the word of God is read to remind us of our responsibility as people with power from God. The collect for today has that prayer: “Teach us to discern your hand in all your works, and your likeness in all your children…” <br />As a church we must discern the hand of God at work in this world. What does it imply? <br />(i) As a church we must be the hand of God that is at work, and his voice that speaks against all the injustices and evil work of man in this world. We must look beyond our immediate selves, and have concerns over something that affects the whole world. <br />(ii) As a Church we have a mission, and our mission is to let the world to know about God the Creator, and that God has sent Jesus Christ to be the Saviour. God does not choose us to be church members so that we get comfortable with ourselves. We must be a church that looks beyond ourselves. Last Sunday the Spiritual taskforce has a meeting whereby we discussed several issues in and outside this community, which this church must be involved in. These will be revealed to you during the course of the year.<br />(iii) As a Church we should realise that that God wants us to become his instruments to bring the good news to others. If we are always worried and anxious about material things that we have or do not have; or if we are always hungering, coveting, and fighting for the material things we want in this world – we cannot become useful and effective instruments of God. Christians should have a different attitude towards material things if they are to be effective in bringing the Good News to others. I sincerely believe that the teaching spread by the proponents of prosperity theology has somewhat undermined the image of the church. If our God is there just to prosper us, give us good health and comfortable life in this world; how is he any different from the gods worshipped by people in the temples or private shrines?Riz Angel Cupidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03304448538090531326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-59842232974382038672011-02-15T21:46:00.000-08:002011-02-15T21:50:45.939-08:00<strong>4th Sunday before Lent (13th February 2011)<br />Theme: Being co-workers in God’s service (1 Cor. 3: 1-9)</strong><br /><br />The Corinthians thought of themselves as spiritually mature congregation, endowed with all the spiritual gifts they needed, well taught and self-sufficient. But Paul saw them as people who were still worldly – mere infants in Christ. They thought they were mature; and in some respects they were, but in other occasions they were still acting like children.<br /><br />Look at verse 3: “You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?” There were quarrelling and jealousy among them. How could they claim to be spiritually mature if they showed that sort of worldly immaturity? Rather than being directed by love for one another they were driven by competitiveness. They were constantly comparing one with another to see who was the best, who was the smartest, or who has got the right answers.<br /><br />And of course the major issue in this divisiveness is the issue of leadership. They each have their favourite teacher or leader. And what is wrong with them having their favourite teacher? Why is this a sign of immaturity? <br /><br />It is their understanding of leadership in Church. Their view of leadership comes from the world, not from God. To them leadership is about the exercise of power. That is how the world sees the leader: as one who gives directions, who sets the agenda, who determines what is important and what is not. A leader is considered to be the most important person in the organisation. That is why CEOs in big companies receive big pay package.Without them business will not succeed. <br /><br />When it comes to the criteria of a Church leader, it is different because the Church is not all about big business or the exercise of power and control over others. Church leaders are to submit to the authority of Christ. They are to seek the will of God and work under guidance of the Holy Spirit. But the Christians in Corinth seem to think of their leaders as having power of themselves – even above Jesus Christ. So that is why Paul asked them, “What is Paul? What is Apollos?” Leadership is not about personalities: it’s about function, gifting. What are they there for? Well, they are there to serve. <br /><br />From a Christian perspective, leaders are servants. Paul uses two metaphors from everyday life to illustrate what he is saying. First, he says, one plants another waters. So which is the one that matters most? Both are vital tasks but neither one is more important than the other. They are both fellow servants of the one God, who is the source of their wisdom and authority. <br /><br />Let me stretch this further. When we think about Church leadership, what usually come to mind? We tend to picture a small group of people called by God to do his work in Church. Leadership in Church involves a team of people, but it is not limited to those at the top. You are a part of the team, no matter how small you think of yourself. We need to see that we are all important members of God’s workforce. Indeed, some of us may not take up prominent tasks or do the most obvious things. But if you have ever shared the word of God with a non-believer, you are part of the God’s workforce. If you have brought someone to Church, you are a part of the workforce. Your work may not be seen by everybody, but you are one of those who plant the seed. Some of you take up responsibility in nurturing or discipling small groups. Some of you minister to children, some minister to the youths, while others spend their time helping the elderly. My work seems to be more prominent because I am allowed to stand here and preach on Sundays. My point is that whatever it is that God calls us to do we must remember two things: (i) that we are part of a team and (ii) we must stay humble. We must remember that we are just like a farmer who plants the seed and another farmer who waters the planted seed. The true authority and importance in the Kingdom of God lie in the one who serves.<br /><br />As the church grows and as many things are done and achieved, it is easy to forget this. Luke tells us that one time a dispute also “arose among the disciples as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:24-27).<br /><br />One of the problems that we have in church is that some leaders refuse to see themselves as servants, or as equal to other God’s servants. And worse still, they see their co-workers as rivals to compete with, rather than to work with. Team work is non-existent in their vocabulary. This is what some churches are struggling with at this point of time. We need to be always reminded that God does not intend his church to be run by one or two persons because no person has all the resources to do God’s work. We need cooperative efforts to be exercised over a period of time – meaning that we need to work, and work patiently with one another. In that manner we can get results that will be far greater than one done by one person. <br /><br />There is another thing that I want you to understand here. Look at verse 8: The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labour. You will notice that the verse does not say “success”. Paul does not say that you are being rewarded because of your success. I want you to know that when you do the work of God, you may not always see great success in your work. You may have heard of some people bringing in hundreds or thousands of other people to the Lord, and when you start comparing what you have achieved with what other people have done, you can feel rather dismayed. I want you to understand that when God calls you to serve him, he wants you to serve him faithfully and you will be rewarded accordingly. Paul says that each of us will be rewarded according to his own labour, and not according to his success. <br /><br />I have been here more than 3 years now. Do I see great success? No. In fact I am seeing the number of people in this church going down. And it is hard to find people who can take up certain responsibilities in the ministry of the Church. Faced with this predicament, it is easy to become discouraged, but I am not because I keep my eyes on the overall plan of God - not the individual bits and pieces. We are going through hard time right now, and I believe God intends it to be that way because it can be a test of our faithfulness - to see how many people will continue to stay with the church in hard time. God wants you to see whether you can continue to do your work faithfully as a part of God’s team, even in difficult times or even when the future looks bleak. <br /><br />Do you know why we suggest “Growing up Together in the Body of Christ” as our theme for this year? Do you know why the word “Christ” comes last instead of at the beginning? Paul has emphasized cooperation toward mutual goals. And this is what we are also pursuing. This Church has no doubt put emphasis on “personal relationship with Jesus Christ”, and that is our mutual goal. The theme stresses on co-operation, togetherness, team work, mutual support and encouragement as we seek our goal. When we go though the process of growing, we shall experience all sorts of things: there will be good and bad times; there will be gains and losses; there will be joy and sadness. The theme suggests that we are to stay together in both good and bad times. <br /><br />I see my ministry in Seria only as a period of transition between the past ministry and the future ministry. Remember that a transition period is only meant to last for a certain length of time. I don’t foresee myself staying here for long time because someone else has to take up the next phase of ministry in this church and bring it to a greater height. Team work in God’s Church is not just working together now: it includes preparing ground for the next group of leaders, so that the church continues to be built up upon the same foundation. <br /><br />If you continue reading the same chapter you will find that in the next few verses how Paul refers to teamwork in building a structure. He says, “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 3: 10-11). Our foundation is Jesus Christ and upon that foundation our work of building continues. Paul says that each one should build with care; and that was what I have been doing with you here during the last three years. We have been building together with care: we didn’t try to rock the boat too much. We encourage patience, understanding, and co-operation. We acknowledge there are unhappiness and frustrations, but we encourage you to keep on repairing broken relationships and strengthen the shaky ones. There are disagreements but we preach forgiveness and acceptance. We keep on talking about unity and emphasize on the importance of working together.<br /><br />Now, leadership comes and goes but our cooperative efforts must continue for years to come. We have to continue to look for ways we can help one another to use their gifts. We also need to make room to help newcomers gain experience and expertise as they join the team. The idea is that we stick together in building up one another, and try to minimize problems that can cause us to be torn apart. So the issues that we are dealing with here is not about putting up grand programs or organizing new activities. We are dealing with the issues of the hearts, and the attitudes. <br /><br />I want you to understand that when we allow ourselves to be controlled by feelings and emotions, it is not going to be good for the church. The tendency is that when people feel good, they are likely to act nicely. But if they feel bad and allow that feeling to take the upper hand, they can be led to express emotions that they cannot control, and they end up making wrong choices. That is how arguments and quarrels happen in church. <br /><br />How do we deal with the problem? We encourage people to live a life that trusts in the Lord. Living this committed life means committing everything to the Lord including our mistakes and problems, as well as the good things that come our way. From the time we get up to the moment we fall asleep, be convinced that God is hearing our prayers, and that he is taking care of whatever is happening to us. When we do that, we will also learn to deny self, deny wrong feelings, control our emotions and ignore all the lies of the devil. We shall live life that expresses surrender to God’s will for us, as well as a life worthy of the gospel that we proclaim. <br /><br />Finally, when God does his work, he will involve many different individuals with a variety of gifts and abilities. You will find people with gifts that put them into position of prominence. You will also find people who are more gifted than you. You may find yourself having to encourage others exercise their gifts. Or you may find yourself entrusted with gift that others don’t have. Remember, there are no superstars in this task - only team members performing their own special roles – all for the glory of God. That is why Paul reminds the people at Corinth not to seek the praise that comes from people. Instead, they must seek the approval of God. We can become useful members of God’s team by setting aside our desire to receive glory and praise for what we do.Riz Angel Cupidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03304448538090531326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-40481736317848187752011-01-30T21:00:00.000-08:002011-01-30T21:01:05.944-08:00<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Epiphany 4 (30<sup>th</sup> January 2011)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Theme: Called to live by godly wisdom (1 Corinthians 1: 18-end)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b></b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Last Sunday I spoke about our need to have unity in Church and I pointed out a few ways on how we can achieve and maintain this unity. We have seen last Sunday how groups of people in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Corinth</st1:place></st1:city> have aligned themselves to certain leaders based on their personal perceptions of these leaders. They were not concerned about the message that these leaders were trying to get to them: they were obsessed by the personalities of the leaders – their capabilities or their intelligence. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So Paul goes on to explain to them that Christians are not to judge things based on human wisdom and capabilities. If they are to continue to do so, they will not be able to stay united because each person thinks and sees things differently. So Paul tells them to forego their human wisdom or the human way of judging things, and try to see things from God’s point of view. If they can do that, they will have a common mind, and they will be able to see things from the same perspective. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This morning I want you to see how Paul expresses the difference between human wisdom and the wisdom of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. Paul tells the Corinthians to abandon their “wise-guy” attitude, and really grow to become wise men. Now, what is the difference between a wise man and a wise guy?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">When we speak about a wise guy we often refer to a person who is out for himself. He tends to look down upon other people’s ideas. He always has something to criticize. Wise guys tend to use their intelligence in a way that destroys, rather than to build up; to discourage rather than to encourage. On the other hand, wise people know how to use their intelligence to serve others and to help those around them. They are constructive in their way of thinking and they are willing to listen to what other people have to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In this passage Paul addressed those in the church at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Corinth</st1:place></st1:city> who claimed to be wise. These people initially started their like anybody else. They had humbly submitted themselves to Christ, and had not put trust in human wisdom for their salvation. However, as they grew in faith, they began to take pride in human wisdom and emphasized such wisdom over the gospel itself. And in their pursuit of wisdom, they became arrogant wise guys, using their “wisdom” in a way that divided the church and set themselves in opposition to Paul. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Paul told these groups of Christians that they had moved back to human wisdom and this was causing great disunity in the Church in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Corinth</st1:place></st1:city>. Paul told them to heal their divisions because they were contrary to the unity that exists in Christ’s body. And to do that, they needed to understand that their so-called wisdom was worthless. Such wisdom could not save anyone; it could not further the cause of Christ. All it did was to create frictions among the believers, and if it were allowed to prolong, it could eventually destroy the Church. So he urged the Christians in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Corinth</st1:place></st1:city> to recognize the folly of human wisdom and to embrace the wisdom of the gospel. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Let us look at how Paul set up his argument here. First, Paul speaks about two kinds of people in the world: those who are perishing and those who are saved (v.18). Those who are perishing are the unbelievers who live according to human wisdom. They were those who claimed that the message of the cross is foolishness. On the other hand, those who are saved are those who believe the gospel, that is, they accept the word of the cross and perceive it to be the power of God. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Paul then points out that human wisdom will be destroyed (v.19). Paul said in verse 19: “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate</i>.’” He was quoting from Isaiah 29: 14, where the prophet rebuked <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> for going against God by relying on the wisdom of the wise of the so-called wise advisors. He told them that God would destroy human wisdom and do things to frustrate the philosophical and religious teachings that humans put up against his revelation. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Paul’s then goes on to say that not only will human wisdom be destroyed: it has been made foolish (v.20). He asked in verse 20: “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Paul uses quotation from Isaiah 29:14 to illustrate his point. When Isaiah made his prophecy, Sennacherib (King of Assyria) was planning to conquer <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Judah</st1:place></st1:country-region>. The Lord told Isaiah not to worry – not because of the strength of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Judah</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s army, or King Hezekiah’s strategy. God promised that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Judah</st1:place></st1:country-region> would be saved solely by God’s power, with no human help. All <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> had to do was trust and obey. If you read Isaiah 37:36 and 2 Kings 19, you know that God destroyed 185,000 Assyrians with just one angel! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Another way to ask the three questions Paul asks would be to ask, “Where are all the smart people who seem to have the answers?” How much closer are we to eliminating poverty, hunger, ignorance, crime, and immorality than they were in the days of Paul? You look throughout history and you will find that human wisdom has never been able to solve the basic problems of man. We may be more educated than our forefathers, but we are not much better off morally. We have more means of helping each other, but we are more selfish. We have more means of communication, but we do not understand each other any better. We know more about psychology and human behaviours, yet we have more crime and more wars. No, we have not changed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It is natural for us to try to solve our own problems, fight our own battles in our own strength. In terms of salvation, it does not work that way: instead, we are called simply to believe in the message of the cross – the simple gospel. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Let us move on to look at verses 21-25. They read: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><sup>21</sup> For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. <sup>22</sup> Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, <sup>23</sup> but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, <sup>24</sup> but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. <sup>25</sup> For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With all the human wisdom and knowledge we have today, we should have solved most of our problems. But that is not the case. Man’s increased knowledge tends to increase problems, not solve them. Hatred increases, misunderstandings increase, and so are the increase of mental breakdowns, wars, crimes, addictions, and family problems. They not only increase in numbers, but the problems are getting more serious. Man can’t solve his problems because he won’t recognize the source of his problems, which is sin. And the solution to sin is Salvation from God, and not more human wisdom!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Church brings a simple message – the message of Christ who was crucified on the cross. By his death on the cross He took our sin on Himself. And on the third day, He rose again to prove who He was. We can respond to it by turning to Christ by faith. When we do that, He can exchange our poverty for His riches, our sin for His righteousness, our despair for hope, death for life. That is the gospel. It is so simple, but that message is unacceptable to many people. The Jews understood the cross of Christ as a demonstration that Christ was cursed of God (see Deuteronomy 21:23), not blessed as they expected the Messiah to be. For the Gentiles, the cross is foolishness. They asked: “How can a person be saved because he believed in one man who died on a Roman cross? And how could one trust a God who allowed his human enemies to crucify him like a common criminal?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Are we going to change the message just because many people see it as foolishness? No. Paul said, “Indeed the gospel of the cross was a stumbling block to Jewish listeners and foolishness to Gentiles, but I’m not to reduce it into something acceptable either of them.” And God would not stop doing something simply because the most Jews and Gentiles rejected the gospel. He is going to call people, both Jews and Greeks, and he would touch them with his Holy Spirit and they would joyfully accept the gospel of the cross: these were people who had been touched by the power of God’s Spirit. And finally, human wisdom is outclassed by God’s foolishness. Paul said in verse 25: “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength</i>.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The message of the cross may be a stumbling block to some and foolishness to others, but we are not going to preach other message, because this is the power of God to us who believe.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The amazing thing about this is that God uses simple people like you and me. Isn’t that something? God is not looking for the very rich and famous persons to do his work. How nice would it be if God were to convert and use famous TV personalities like Oprah Winfrey or Larry King to spread the Good News? But that is not to be the case. You just look at who Jesus chose for His disciples – simple fishermen, tax-collector and people of the street. And this is the real paradox of God’s wisdom: that God can make a simple, uneducated, untalented, clumsy believer who trusts Christ and humbly follows Him to become a wise person. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Today we don’t have Jews in our Church, but we do have people who think like them. We have people who are like the Jews. They read the Bible, they attend worships in church, but they think it is commitment to their tradition and their sets of religious rules that save them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We don’t have Greeks in our Church but there are irreligious Christians everywhere. They sometimes sit in the Church Committees, and they run the church like they run their companies. You can’t talk to them about trusting and having faith in Jesus because they only listen to logical arguments. You can’t discuss with them spiritual matters because they only understand material and tangible things. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But we also have gospel people. I want to tell you that only gospel people are saved. If you are Gospel people you are saved because you believe in the word of the cross, that is, the gospel. Gospel people believe that they are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>† axlshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16165913816100169709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-79781470929750462292011-01-19T23:36:00.000-08:002011-01-19T23:36:15.651-08:00How to lead worship<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
<div class="intro FLC" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="info" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 2264px;"><div class="Details" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div id="intelliTxt" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/1.3em arial; line-height: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Worship leaders have an awesome responsibility to lead others into the presence of God. Some believe the only requirement for being a good worship leader is to be a good musician or singer. But being a good musician is only the beginning. Understanding the nature of worship and your role in it is crucial if you want to become become not only a better worship leader, but also a better Christian.<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div></div></div></div><div class="article FLC" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="sectionTitle FLC" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="difficulty" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Difficulty:</span> Moderate</div><h2 class="Heading1a Underline header" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 24px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-color: rgb(61, 155, 249); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 7px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 24px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Instructions</span></h2></div><ol id="intelliTxt" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li id="jsArticleStep1" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/1.3em arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="stepNumber" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Spend time with God. This is the single most important thing you can do to become a better worship leader. It's only when you spend time in God's presence that you learn who He is and what pleases Him. You will never be able to lead others in worship if you don't spend time with God.</div></li>
<li id="jsArticleStep2" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/1.3em arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="stepNumber" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Listen to God. Ask God what He wants, not only for each individual service, but also for your worship team as a whole. Allow God to direct you in all things. Spend time in prayer before each service asking God to show you which songs He wants for the service. Always be open to new suggestions from God.</div></li>
<li id="jsArticleStep3" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/1.3em arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="stepNumber" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">3</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Study the Bible. It's crucial that as a worship leader you know what you believe. Worship leaders don't have the luxury of being lukewarm Christians. If you are not grounded in your faith, your worship will be dry and ineffective.</div></li>
<li id="jsArticleStep4" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/1.3em arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="stepNumber" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">4</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Be humble. Because leading worship puts you in a position to be noticed by others, sometimes your ego can become a problem. Try to maintain a spirit of humility as a worship leader. Remember, pride always comes before a fall.</div></li>
<li id="jsArticleStep5" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/1.3em arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="stepNumber" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">5</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="StrongLink" href="http://www.ehow.com/sports/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #0074e8; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Exercise</a> authority. Although you need to maintain a humble estimation of yourself, it's important to exercise the authority God has given you. Take charge. You are the one God has chosen to lead your congregation into His presence.</div></li>
<li id="jsArticleStep6" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/1.3em arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="stepNumber" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">6</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Avoid rebellion. You will not always agree with your pastor or those who are in authority over you. Sometimes they may ask you to take the worship service in a different direction from what you believe God wants. That being said, you should always try to submit to those who have rule over you unless God tells you otherwise. In the end, God will bless you for your faithfulness.</div></li>
<li id="jsArticleStep7" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/1.3em arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="stepNumber" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">7</div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pray. Spend time in prayer daily for your pastor, your worship team members, your congregation, and mostly for yourself. If you are not spiritually strong, you will not be an effective worship leader. Pray for God to give you the strength to lead people in a way that is pleasing to Him, and ultimately to become a better worship leader.</div></li>
</ol></div><div class="resources tips" id="jsTips" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h2 class="Underline sectionTitle Heading1a" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 24px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-color: rgb(61, 155, 249); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 7px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 24px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tips & Warnings</span></h2><ul style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(169, 169, 169); border-top-style: dotted; border-top-width: 1px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li class="FLC" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(169, 169, 169); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="IconFlag1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://ui.ehowcdn.com/_ui/skins/corporate/images/icons-sprite.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -1433px; background-repeat: no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 3px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 22px;"></div><div class="text" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/1.3em arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 40px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Don't get stuck in a rut. As worship leaders, we sometimes become lazy and use the same tired songs over and over again. Many congregations become uncomfortable when new songs are introduced. Don't change simply for the sake of change, but try to keep your worship services fresh and exciting.</div></li>
</ul></div>† axlshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16165913816100169709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-14401971556416232182011-01-19T23:11:00.001-08:002011-01-19T23:11:45.587-08:00Theme: Called to be One (1 Corinthians 1: 10-18)<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Epiphany 3 (23<sup>rd</sup> January 2011)</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A story was told about a man who visited a mental hospital for inmates who had committed serious crimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The visitor was shocked to see that only 3 guards were supervising more than 100 dangerous inmates. He asked the guide, “Don’t you fear these people will plot an escape and overpower the guards?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Don’t worry about that,” The guard assured him. “Lunatics never unite.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">That story makes me wonder whether the Church is indeed full of lunatics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you know about the history of the Church, you will see that the church has been struggling with the issue of unity. You just search it in the internet, and there you see the various types of Anglican Churches – most are within the Anglican Communion and some identify themselves as catholic or Independent; you have various types of Baptist Churches; You have Free Lutheran, Evangelical Lutheran, Apostolic Lutheran Churches; Free Presbyterian, Reformed Presbyterian and United Presbyterian Churches, and there thousands of Evangelical Churches and Charismatic Churches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You add to that the fact that even within our own little sub-groups, we keep on hearing cases of people bickering, backbiting, and quarrelling with one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Before I go further I just want to bring to your attention the list of sins the God most detests: In proverbs 6: 16-19 it says: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: <sup>17</sup> haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, <sup>18</sup> a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, <sup>19</sup> a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As we look at our epistle reading for this morning we hear we find that at least one of the sins that God hates the most was being committed in the Church in Corinth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul writes in verses 11and 12: “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. <sup>12</sup> What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ</i>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Corinth</st1:placename></st1:place> there were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">false witnesses who pour out lies and persons who stir up conflict in the community.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were committing not one sin, but two.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The divisions in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Corinth</st1:placename></st1:place> were caused by believers following different leaders of the church. They formed cliques around certain leaders. One group considered themselves followers of Paul; another considered themselves as admirers of Apollos; and there were some who like Peter, or Cephas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Division in Church is not something natural.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Paul addressed the Corinthians in the first chapter, he called them saints. The Church is called to be holy wherever it is located.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is meant to be different from the rest of the world. And one way they can be noticeably different is by the way they live: there must be oneness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was what Jesus has designed it to be - to be a functional unity that works together. But why do we tend to disunite?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Before I go further, I want you to see that it is not always the bad things that cause people to disunite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the case of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Corinthian</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype></st1:place>, it was the 3 leaders - all with strong personalities and good leadership qualities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have strong and good leadership in Church and there is disunity – I can only ascribe it to one thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It must be the work of the Devil. Satan does not want us to be united in Christ, and he will do whatever he can to break that unity, and he will try to use anyone of us to create disunity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So whenever Satan sees greed, envy, selfishness, discontentment or anger being expressed from our hearts, he will use it to destroy the unity of the Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul, Apollos and Peter did not cause disunity in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Corinth</st1:placename></st1:place>: it was their followers, who had hidden agenda, or selfish ambitions, or envy in their hearts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may be true also that some of them might behave that way out of ignorance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It is oversimplification if I am to blame Satan for the whole problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He, nevertheless, plays a part in it but it is us who allowed ourselves to be used by him to break the unity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was God who created us, and he created each one of us differently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are meant to be different from one another, but we are called to be one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(i) We are to be one when it comes to doctrine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(ii) We are to be one when it comes to our concern and care for one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(iii) We are to be one when it comes to our attitudes. These are areas that have no room for compromise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this oneness is not necessarily about ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are allowed and encouraged to think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we exercise out thoughts, we can only exercise them to a certain extent, because of our limitations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if God is to reveal to us the truth, very often that revelation is not in its complete form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is why we have meetings and discussions – to complement each other’s shortcomings.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Unity or oneness is also not about everyone doing the same thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul in the same letter argues about how we are all designed differently and have different strengths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God intends it to be that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So whenever you see there is uniformity, very often it is enforced upon us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you may abide by it either hypocritically or grudgingly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, when we talk about unity or oneness, we are not called to have the same ideas and to do things uniformly. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">What is it that can cause us to lose our unity?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one point I mentioned just now is: it is the work of Satan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another possible reason is that we as believers very often still carry around our old nature. We may have received Christ and been born again, but we still have the ability to do what is wrong. We still sin. As we look deeper into our epistle reading for today, we can see three areas of failure that can cause us to lose our oneness.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Our first failure is that we lose our composure (vs. 11-12).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can lose our temper easily and get into a fight – if not physically, verbally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And unfortunately also, quarrels are a part of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have all experienced them in our family, with our friends or colleagues. We can also easily agitate ourselves into factions. The division in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Corinthians</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype></st1:place> centred around four characters: Paul, Apollos, Peter and Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Paul started the church three years earlier and he had lived with them for 18 months. So for those who were closed to him, Paul was truly there spiritual father and leader.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others had affection for Apollos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had followed Paul at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Corinth</st1:place></st1:city> with his blessing. He was known as a very good speaker and teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So some people liked his style of leadership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were some that had affection for Peter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was the primary spokesman of the early church and the first of the apostles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those who loved Peter felt that he must be listened to and followed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last group sounds like it might be the one that had got it right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They followed Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed they had the right name, but they have the wrong spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These so-called followers of Christ were nothing more than self-righteous believers, and because they claimed to believe in Christ, they were not going to listen to any of the church leaders.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">What these followers failed to realize was the selfishness and pride in them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each group was angry at one another because none of them was getting what it wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember taking a course conducted by Selwyn Hughes many years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said that our anger is the result of a blocked goal. We want something but we don’t get it; so we become angry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anger, pride and selfishness never bring people together: they only drive people apart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The amazing when this thing happen is that everybody starts to become spiritual, and each one claims to speak for the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The remedy to such situation is not to speak louder or claim to be more spiritual. Instead, when there is disunity everyone needs to repent and be reconciled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to remember that factionalism does not have a place in the church for Christ did not design His body to work in a divided manner. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Our second failure that causes disunity is when we lose our understanding of the truth (vs. 13-16). When we lose our unity, it is so often because we have lost sight of the big picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being the body of Christ, it is essential that we be one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus has said that he is the Vine and we are the branches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, we are never to forget that it was Christ who was crucified for us all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we must never make an attempt to make a name for ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead we must remember under what name we have been baptized, which is Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So if you are a just a cell group or fellowship, you cannot consider yourselves to be bigger and be more important than a parish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Likewise, we as a parish cannot be more important than the diocese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the Diocese cannot be more important that the Anglican Communion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also need to maintain the unity between parishes and churches – and not just within a local church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is important to see the big picture, otherwise we forget what the church is really all about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we see the big picture, we remember that the Church is the Body of Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Our third failure that often causes disunity is losing our Commission (v.17).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we forget what we are called to do, we can end up doing what we are not supposed to be doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to know our mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul said, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel</i>…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God has chosen us for a purpose – to proclaim the gospel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not about how good the speaker is or how well he use clever words. It was not about how persuasive or logical his argument is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The important thing is Christ is preached! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">When we forget our mission, we end up doing something that God doesn’t intend us to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we are spending too much time criticizing one another, it is a sign that we have gone astray from our mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our mission is to reach out to the lost and bring them to Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To enable us to do that, we must have unity within our congregation. The devil doesn’t want us to unite, so he keeps on instigating us to anger, jealousy, fear, suspicion – so that we forget what our mission is. That makes it easier for him destroy the ministry of this church.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We not only need to know our purpose and mission, we need to be in a position to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we need to recognize the distractions that keep us from fulfilling God’s calling on our lives. Paul, had baptized many followers, but for Paul being a baptizer was not his primary responsibility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a distraction to him. He would prefer someone else to do the job, so that he could continue preaching the word. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We must remember this too in the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our mission is not to pit our opinions against others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is not a place where we try win arguments at all costs, and put others in to shame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God called us to be here because he has a mission for us, which is to proclaim the Good News of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must never forget this.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Remember that we are different from the rest of the world because God called us to be different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we look at the world, we see divisions – in terms of politics, social status, nationalities, races, sexuality, and class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So if we want to be different from the world we must seek unity or oneness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is possible to be one because of the cross of Jesus has broken all barriers that are in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">So here is what we must remember and practice. Unity is a decision of the will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must make an effort to stay united, by showing mutual concern for one another; by resolving to live peacefully with one another; and by exercising consistent acts of love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are all positive antidotes to disunity. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Unity is important not just because it benefits us: unity also brings God glory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we work toward unity, we show that we care more about what God thinks than what we think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we are always at odd with each other, our actions grieve the Holy Spirit of God, and we fail to bring him glory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not an easy task to keep peace and maintain unity in Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is hard work but it is honorable work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Unity is important because we represent God to the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People are watching us and they listen to what we are saying about one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we become angry and divisive, we are not only robbed of our joy, we are robbed of our effectiveness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we lack unity, we also lack credibility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And this becomes a barrier between unbelievers and the gospel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see, when we argue and fight, it is not Good News.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Finally, unity is important because it is a testimony of the power of the cross. Jesus died on the cross out of his love for us and his obedience to will of the Father. Unity is the way of the cross. So when you are willing to give up your rights or give way for the sake of others, you are walking on the way of the cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have chosen to live differently from the people of the world, who always demands their rights or who want things done their ways.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Let us pray:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We pray Lord that may our love abound more and more<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in knowledge and depth of insight, <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">so that we may be able to discern what is best; <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">and that we may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.3pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">to the glory and praise of God. Amen.</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br />
</span></div>† axlshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16165913816100169709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-59958015525537796132011-01-12T16:32:00.000-08:002011-01-12T16:36:31.529-08:00Set your hearts and mindsa devotional series on Colossians 3:1-17<br /><br /><em>…set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.</em><br /><br />In the first part of verse 1 we are reminded of the foundation of the spiritual life – that we have been raised with Christ. Now, the Apostle Paul begins to teach us how we are to live in this new way of life (because remember salvation is not just about waiting for heaven one day, it is about living in God’s kingdom here and now!). We begin by “setting” our hearts and minds on different things. Several translations use the phrase “seek the things that are above” as opposed to “set your hearts”. The point that I believe Paul is making is that we must turn our hearts (aspirations, ambitions, desires, affections) and our minds (our thoughts, intellect) to seeking the way of Jesus. In other words, faith isn’t just a mental thing or just an emotional thing – it is a whole life thing!<br /><br />This reminds me of one of Jesus’ own teachings found in Matthew 6:25-34 in which he tells us how life in God’s kingdom is to be. Jesus says not to worry about the things of this world (material things such as what we wear and what we eat), but to “seek first his kingdom and righteousness”. One way that Life in God’s Kingdom is different than life in this world is that we set our hearts and minds not on things that are temporary and will some day fade away, but on the eternal things that really matter. Now, this does not mean that God does not care about the mundane details of our daily life – in fact it is in the midst of our regular everyday life that we learn to set our heart and mind on different things and begin to see life with a new eternal perspective.<br /><br />The key in this verse is the “setting” of our hearts and minds. Some people in this world have their “heart set” or their “mind set” on certain goals, dreams, aspirations. Unfortunately, they are usually just earthly things: a nice house, a good career, money, comfort, etc. But, having been raised to a new life, we must now ask our self: “What is my heart set on?” and “What is my mind set on?” And then as the Spirit gently shows us the ways in which we need to be transformed in our hearts and minds, we can begin to do the work of “setting” our hearts and minds on different things!<br /><br />We do this in several ways:<br /><br /> we can set our hearts on “Christ-things” by living generously and letting go of our “stuff” – Jesus said, “where your treasure is, your heart will be also”<br /> we can set our minds on “Christ-things” by studying and meditating – we are wired in a way that we conform to that which we study and concentrate on<br /> we can set our hearts on “Christ-things” by spending time in God’s presence – there is a time and place for prayer in which we ask for something, but we can also learn to sit in God’s loving presence and allow our hearts to be captured by God’s all consuming love in which all other affections fall by the side<br /> we can set our minds on “Christ-things” by engaging in activities that promote God’s goodness and beauty – Paul says, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable�if anything is excellent or praiseworthy�think about such things.”<br />So, as we learn to live in the new way of life embedded in us by the resurrection, we must learn to submit our hearts and minds to Christ and allow them to be transformed and conformed to his heart and mind.Riz Angel Cupidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03304448538090531326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-27769472471614334082011-01-08T09:18:00.001-08:002011-01-14T19:02:52.335-08:00Baptism of Christ (9th January 2011)<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Text: Acts 10:34-38</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Have you ever believed something, or pictured something one way, only to find out that it was completely different?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many years back I was invited for the first time by St. Andrew’s Church to conduct a service and preach; and I had never been to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Brunei</st1:place></st1:country-region>, I had all sorts of imagination about the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But none of what I imagined turned out to be true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am sure that when you plan to go to a place you have never been to, you too like to imagine what it will be like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I think when people start to learn more about God, they have certain picture of him. But after they have spent some time reading the Bible, or hearing proper teaching about him; they find out that God is different from what they have imagined him to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it possible, that you have always believed something about God, even though it’s not really true? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In our 2<sup>nd</sup> lesson for today, we hear about a couple people, – one, a member of the Roman army, and another, the Apostle Peter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both of them had different pictures of God, and they later found out that he was very different from how they had imagined him in their minds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today I have used the theme: “Being faithful to our calling” to remind us about what the calling is all about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am sure that when some of you first became Christians, you had very little idea about God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is possible that you have developed certain picture of God in you mind, and you continue to hold onto that image until today. So whenever people talk about God, it brings certain picture into your mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, there are people who decided to become Christians after some deep thoughts, or because they have discovered the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as time passes, they begin to lose their focus; they lose their first love for Jesus; and in the end they are no different from those who don’t know Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As we think about the baptism of Jesus this morning, and the story about Peter and Cornelius, you may be surprised to find out some things about God that you had never known before, things that contradict the way you had always thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or, you may be proven right. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">We first take a look at Cornelius. Cornelius was a centurion in the Italian Regiment of the Roman army in <st1:place w:st="on">Caesarea</st1:place>. A centurion was in-charged of 100 soldiers. The Bible describes Cornelius and his family as God-fearing and devout. He was always donating money to the poor, and he followed the religion of the Jews and prayed to God regularly. Cornelius was a good man, and in spite of being busy with doing good things: he donated money to the poor, and tried to live a good, clean life – but he was not saved. Why? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Let us go beginning of the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day while Cornelius was praying he had a vision. God’s angel appeared before him, and told him to send men to Joppa and find Simon Peter. And he did as he was told – Peter came to his house, and shared with Cornelius the true way of salvation. It was on that day that Cornelius realized what was missing in his life, and it was even more important than all the good works he could ever done. He had tried very hard to do good things, but no matter how hard he tried, those good works were not going to get him to heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">What Cornelius was missing was faith in Jesus Christ. He had heard of Jesus before, and he knew how Jesus died. He knew that people were saying good things about him. But he didn’t understand that Jesus was his Saviour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So Peter had to explain it to him. He said in verse 36, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You know the message God sent to the people of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all</i>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter told him that if he wanted to be at peace with God – he could only get it through Jesus Christ, and nowhere else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he went to say, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You know what has happened… how God anointed Jesus of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nazareth</st1:place></st1:city> with the Holy Spirit and with power</i>…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is what our Gospel lesson talks about just now: at Jesus’ baptism Matthew 3:17 says, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased</i>.” And Peter went to say that God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it was with that power that Jesus “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him</i>…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus performed all sorts of miracles but he has one major purpose: that is to show people that he was the Messiah – the only real way to heaven. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Peter later goes on to describe how Jesus took away the sins of the world by dying on the cross and then rising from the dead. You can imagine what was going in Cornelius’ mind as he heard this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had always thought that being a good person, helping the poor, praying regularly, believing those were enough to get him to heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But now, Cornelius found out something different: that no matter how good you are, you can never be good enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That day he realized prayers and good works would never lead him to heaven: the only way to heaven was through the Saviour named Jesus Christ, who had taken away all of his sins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That day he also realized that God loved him and had forgiven him because of what Jesus had done on the cross. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The statements that I have made have offended many people who believe that their prayers and good works can help them make peace with God and bring them to heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know where you faith level is, but if you ever think that you can go to heaven by just being a good person, by praying once in awhile, by helping out the needy, or by trying to live a good, clean life, I want to tell you this morning, “you are mistaken”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure, you have heard of Jesus Christ, and what a good man he was. Just to be a good person like Jesus is not enough. Why? It is because that no matter how good you are, you’ll never be good enough, you’ll never do enough to earn God’s favour. Because God is not just looking at what you are doing: he is watching the motives of your hearts. You can do all the good things with wrongs motives. If we allow God’s word to pierce our hearts, we shall find out that even the nicest person in the world still has his faults, still has his shortcomings; and because of those short comings, we can never be nice enough to earn our way to heaven. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">When you have found out who Jesus Christ really is, you would know that he is more than just an example of how to be a good person. You would realize that he has done something for you, something that you really need: he has taken all your faults, all your shortcomings, all your sins, and has washed them away, by dying on a cross. You would find out that Jesus has risen from the dead, to prove to you his power to forgive you for all the mistakes you have made in life and also his love for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can stop trusting in your good works, and now you can start trusting in Jesus Christ as your Saviour. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This good news turned that Roman soldier’s life upside down, for the better. And I hope those of you who have been carrying this wrong understanding of the Christian faith, can also find transformation in your thinking!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have to abandon the belief that being a good person is good enough to get us to heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life – and he is our only way to heaven. Now what about good works? Do they have a purpose in our Christian life? I shall answer that question at the end of my sermon. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Now we look at Simon Peter. This whole situation also turned his life upside down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In verse 34, Peter says, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I now realize how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right</i>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter could not believe what he was seeing. Here he was in the house of a Gentile, and God was converting Gentiles and blessing Gentiles just like God had done for the Jews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This goes against everything Peter had been brought up to believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had always thought that God was for the Jews only, and that Gentiles were the outsiders, who didn’t deserve God’s attention. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">If you read the whole of Acts 10, you will realize that after Cornelius had a vision of the angel, Peter also had a vision. Acts 10: 11-16 says, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. <sup>12</sup> It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. <sup>13</sup> Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” <o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> <sup>14</sup> “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> <sup>15</sup> The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> <sup>16</sup> This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">That vision transformed Peter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly, Peter realized that God loves all people, regardless of what nationality and race they are; and that he wants all people to believe and be saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is a God for every person on the face of the earth, and not just for a select few. This changed the way Peter had thought. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Sometimes we forget this because we have been comfortable with our situation in church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to remind us again today that no matter what a person’s nationality, no matter what a person’s social or economic situation, God wants every person on the face of this earth to believe in Jesus Christ and be saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes it is hard to fully accept this. Remember that God loves you as much as he loves a poor, homeless person who begs on the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God loves you who always come to church, and he also loves those people who have made many mistakes in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our God is a God who loves all people, and wants all people no matter who they are, to believe in Jesus and be saved. He does not show favouritism. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">How do we translate this new understanding to our Christian life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last Sunday I tried to explain to you all the reason why we are here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God sets his church for a purpose, and the purpose is to get people in touch with this wonderful message, so that God can change people for the better. There are so many people out there just like Cornelius, nice people who don’t know the way of salvation. There are so many people out there like Peter, people who don’t know just how loving our God really is. As a church, we are here to share with people these wonderful truths from God’s Word, so that God can change people for the better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Whenever I visit your homes, I can see that you have many relatives who don’t know the Lord Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They just sit there with blank faces as we say our prayers and sing our hymns. Have you ever tried to share the Good News with them? Some of you have aging or sick parents or grand-parents: have you tried telling them about Jesus Christ?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you really believe that Jesus is the only way to our Father in heaven, then you have to realise that these people are not going to be with you when you get to heaven. Don’t you want them to join you in the Father’s house? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Now I come to the conclusion and I want to answer that question:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does good work have a purpose in our Christian life? If good work does not get us to heaven, why do we do it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our first reason is the one I have just mentioned: we want other people to believe in Jesus and accept him as their Lord and saviour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you want people to believe in Jesus you need to show them what Jesus has done in your personal life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is why you exercise charity, love, care, forgiveness, patience in your everyday dealing with people around you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We want people to see what Jesus has done in our lives and what Jesus can do for them also.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Second, prayers and good works are our responses to the love of God. We cannot repay all the good things that God has done in our lives: so we return the favour to our friends and neighbours. If you feel that you have been blessed by God, you will, in turn want to bless others. For some years now, our parish has been giving out some money to help other churches in the Diocese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, I shall be travelling around and spend a bit of time outside this parish to minister to the people outside our parish. I know that you need me here, but I hope you also understand the need to share our resources and blessings with other people in the other parishes, churches or chapels. And at the same time, I hope that we can get other preachers to minister to you here because you just cannot listen to Andrew, Humphrey and me talking to you every Sunday. If we want to be a healthy and growing church, there need to be a process of give and take – we need to be blessed, and at same time do all the good works required of us by the Lord. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Finally, I want to welcome this morning our new brother-in-Christ and receive him into our Church. I want to invite Mr. Tan, who has spent most of his life having heard about Jesus Christ, but has not committed himself to Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as he has made a decision to believe in Jesus and accept him as Lord and Saviour, I want to welcome him and accept him as a Catechumen in front of you all this morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the Iban Service earlier on, we also accepted a few people as catechumens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are many more people like them outside there, waiting to be invited and encouraged to open their hearts to Jesus, and it is your responsibility to bring them in. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 150%;">---oOo---<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>† axlshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16165913816100169709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-12470273138702696842011-01-03T16:08:00.000-08:002011-01-04T20:24:13.690-08:00Christmas 1 (2nd January 2011)<br />Text: John 1: 1-9<br /><br />The gospel text for this morning is the same one that we read on Christmas morning, except that it is 5 verses short. Since I did not preach on this text last Saturday, I want to touch on it this morning as our starting point for the theme “Growing Together in the Body of Christ” for 2011. <br />One week after we have celebrated Christmas, and two days into the New Year, I think that it timely for us to reflect upon what we have done the previous years and what we plan to do in the future. Now, if you are to ask for my opinion as to how we have been doing these last few years, I shall say that we have not done enough, and neither have we done what we were supposed to do. I think in some ways I have failed and I don’t want anyone of you to tell me not to blame myself because as a priest-in-charge I know I should have done better. And that goes with every one of us here. The reason I say this is because it is so easy to blame outside factors and unforeseen circumstances for our failures: it is easy to point fingers at somebody or anybody, without thinking about our own shortcomings. <br />I have said on last Christmas Day that God was happy we could be in Church on Christmas to celebrate his Son’s birth. But I believe that God is more interested in what we are going to do with this Jesus every day of our lives. That’s why we start with John 1 – to help us understand what difference this child makes in our life. John doesn’t mess around with a lot of details about the birth of Jesus: he summarizes the whole event by saying this, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us (1:14). Jesus is the Word, and he was there in the beginning of time, and the Word, Jesus, was God. On Christmas Day, God came to earth as baby Jesus.<br />God had come in the flesh to walk among us, to experience the same ups and downs we do, the same temptations, the heartbreaks, even to experience a brutal death on a cross. Why would he do this? Why would he leave the splendor of heaven and come to the darkness of earth as a weak human infant named Jesus? The Bible tells us he did this because he loves us that much, he knew that if he didn’t come to earth, we could never experience a truly full and abundant life; we could not walk in the light of his paths, and we could never be adopted as his children. <br />There are three results of the Word becoming flesh: <br />First, we become adopted as God’s children. God wants every person on earth, every person here, to be his child. Just because we are born into this earth doesn’t mean we are his children. We must be born again, born of his Spirit to become one of his children. And when we believe that God came in the flesh and have accepted him into our life, we are given the rights to become a child of God. We are adopted into his family and we receive all the benefits of being children of God. What are the benefits? They include forgiveness, eternal and abundant life, light, blessings of love, joy, peace, etc.. These treasures God give us in abundance and He works them inside us so that they are unaffected by whatever bad things or suffering we must endure. God tells us we will experience suffering in our life but those who keep the faith will receive his treasures which will endure forever. <br />Second, we can receive his life. Verse 4 says, “In Him was life.” John repeats this over and over in his gospel, that Jesus has come so that we might have life, he even concluded his gospel by writing that the very purpose of his writing his gospel account is so that we might have life. What does he mean by that? <br />He means two things. First, God wants us to experience eternal life. He wants us to live forever with Him forever in heaven. Jesus repeated many times over that no one could experience eternal life without him. Second, having life refers, not only to a future, but to a present reality. We can live a full abundant life right now because of Jesus. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).” Without Jesus, we cannot live life to the fullest, we cannot have abundant life, and we cannot receive eternal life because he is the source of all good things. <br />Do you know what happens when we don’t receive his life? We experience selfishness, pride, hopelessness, guilt, anger, bitterness, and broken relationships. That is why as we look around us we see so much of these: they are the results of life without Christ. Even so-called Christians may experience these if they have no personal relationship with Jesus.<br />Third, we can receive his light in our darkness. John goes on to say, God came in the flesh, not only that we might receive life but so we could receive his light, “In him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it (v. 4-5).”<br />Whether we like to believe it or not, our world is shrouded in darkness. It has been shrouded in darkness since the very first man and woman walked the earth. It is shrouded in darkness because people follow the darkness: they make bad choices, say stupid things, and do stupid things. We may like to think that the world is getting better, but the reality is darkness still remains and will always remain until every person on earth receives Jesus, the light. The truth is we don’t have the power strong enough to resist evil, temptations and sins. God says there is only one way to eradicate darkness from our life, from our community, and from our world: and that is Jesus, the Word made flesh (John 8:12). <br />I know most of you have received Jesus at some points of your lives. But some of us still have problem of darkness hovering over our lives, like a shroud. Even those of us who are in the light can still fall into darkness, sin, and temptation. God tells us we will never be free from temptation and the only way to keep us falling into temptation is to have the light of God shining on all areas of our life. We may have received God’s light but certain parts of our lives are still in darkness because we have not let him deal with our anger problems, or our resentments, our fears, our selfish desires, our addictions, or whatever darkness we struggle with. Sometimes when we think that we have overcome certain temptations or sins, new ones will come out to make us fall. That is why God’s light has to shine all over our life, and not just one time but all the time; otherwise it will continue to bring a shadow over the other areas of our life. <br />Now, I want to take you to look our proclamation verse for today: “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will…” (Eph 1: 11). I started with John’s Gospel because that is where we must begin. Now we look at a more specific reason as to why God came into this world and why he wanted to give us life and live in his light. Paul tells us that God has chosen us to be his children and that we are chosen for a purpose. Before Jesus was born God had already chosen Mary and Joseph to be his mother and guardian. And before Jesus, started his ministry, God sent someone else to go ahead of him, to prepare the way. The man was John. When God wanted the Good News to spread to the gentiles, he called Paul. You will find that pattern repeating itself in the Bible and in the history of the Church: that when God wants something done, he will send someone to do the job. <br />I believe St. Margaret’s Church was put up in Seria for a purpose. God did sent some people to start the Church. Whoever was called by God to help start this Church knew the purpose. But as years passed by and with so many developments taking place, that sense of purpose gradually become forgotten. So today many of us are content to be on maintaining mode. But all these years God has been sending someone to do something new and something more for him in this church. Do you want to know whom God has chosen and sent? It is every single one of us here, and including those who are not in church this morning. <br />Why are we chosen and sent? Look back at verses 6 & 7: “There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe”. That was a job description for John and it is also our job description. God chose and sent us as “witnesses to testify concerning the light”. God has no other plan or purpose or need for us, other than as witnesses and to bear witness!<br />I believe that we have missed the purpose and the process of effective evangelism right here. And now I know why the average church of Jesus Christ has limited power in our outreach. We miss a step and the step that we miss is a fundamental step in our witnessing attempt. Indeed, we are to bear witness of the light. We are to tell everybody about Jesus and what he can do. But before we bear witness, we are supposed to be witnesses. In other words, before we can tell somebody what Jesus can do for them, we must show them what Jesus has already done in our lives. That’s being a witness.<br />The reason we have a lack of power in the church today is because we only want to bear witness but most of us are not prepared to be witnesses. We want to talk about Jesus but we have not shown people what Jesus has actually done in our personal lives. But if people don’t see our lives to be any different from them, why should they believe in what we say? <br />I am not saying that Christians are perfect people. The church is a place where people come for spiritual or emotional healing, and naturally we will find people with various problems in church. But those of us who have been here for a long time, we can’t stay emotionally or spiritually unhealthy after we have encountered and accepted Jesus. Those of us who have received God’s forgiveness must be forgiving; those of us who have received God’s mercy must be merciful; those of us who have experienced God’s love must be able to love others; and those of us who have experienced God’s grace must be gracious to others. <br />We put our theme for 2011 as “Growing together in the Body of Christ” because we want to recapture the original purpose of the Church. Before we can be witnesses again to the outside community, we need to put our relationship with God and with one another, right. We need to grow and work together: there must be a team spirit. Each one of us needs to sincerely ask ourselves: Am I really contributing to the growth and the unity of the Church? When people look at me, do they see me as a witness? Do they see Christ in me? And if our answer is ‘no’ then we are not helping the church to grow. I know that God can do a miracle by just pointing his finger from heaven and bring immediate unity and love within this church, but he is not going to do that. He wants you and I do it. He wants us to work together to achieve it. <br />There is one final point that I want to make before I conclude. Note that, to bear witness is to point to Jesus as the Light. John was very clear about the role of John the Baptist. He wrote in verse 8: “He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.”<br />This is an important point to remember because people who are witnesses are not free from temptation – the temptation of wanting to be the Light. I have encountered good Christians, people who love God and trying to give God their best – end up talking about their own achievements. In other words, they were pointing to their own lights rather than Light of Christ. I tell you if you are a true witness you will indeed have a light and people will see the glow; you will also have power and peace from God. And the temptation is that you may want people to see your light. And that is why some people with the light, fall into disgrace because they allow their light to eclipse the Light of Christ, by bragging about all that they have done in the kingdom of God.<br />The words that I share with you as we begin the New Year are both words of encouragement and caution. We are chosen, saved and sent to be witnesses and to bear witness. God does not choose us so that we become spectators or observers. God calls us so that he can give us certain responsibilities in his Kingdom. And for those of us who are actively doing something for God and glowing in light, we must also remember not to let out light eclipse the Light of Christ. Let the glory belong to God.<br />May I wish you all a Blessed New Year.Riz Angel Cupidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03304448538090531326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-62444120920695927192010-12-28T23:48:00.000-08:002010-12-28T23:55:40.792-08:00Seorang Anak Anugerah Tuhan-Keajaiban JasmaniahHansye Pakaya (47 tahun) adalah seorang pria kelahiran Purworejo, Jawa Tengah. Pada usia 25 tahun, ia berjumpa dengan Wati ketika mereka masih sama-sama belum mengenal Tuhan Yesus secara pribadi. Pertemuan itu meningkat menjadi berpacaran hingga pernikahan pada bulan Maret 1980, di Jakarta. Hansye memasuki bahtera rumah tangga dengan fondasi yang labil karena ia dilahirkan di tengah keluarga berantakan. Wati pun demikian. Selama 2 tahun usia perkawinan mereka yang tidak membuahkan anak telah menciptakan suasana panas di dalam keluarga. Masalah anak sering memicu pertengkaran di antara mereka.<br /><br />Sementara itu, mereka terus berusaha mendapatkan anak. Mereka telah mendatangi setiap dokter yang ahli. Mereka sudah melakukan apa pun tetapi tidak membuahkan hasil. Namun, pemeriksaan kandungan Wati dengan teropong laparaskopi justru menemukan kelainan pada indung telurnya. Kandungan itu tertutupi dengan suatu selaput yang diduga menyebabkan Wati sulit untuk hamil. Ia tidak seperti wanita normal lain yang bisa mengalami haid sebulan sekali. Wati mengalaminya hanya setahun sekali bahkan pernah tidak sama sekali. Oleh sebab itu, dokter menyarankan tindakan operatif untuk mengupas selaput tersebut. Operasi itu memerlukan biaya yang tidak sedikit.<br /><br />Dalam keadaan itu, mereka merasakan bahwa tidak seorang pun dapat menolong mereka keluar dari masalah ini. Wati selalu cemas mengenai hidupnya. Sebagai seorang wanita, ia merindukan kehadiran seorang buah hati yang menjadi sumber sukacita di dalam rumah tangganya. Kecemasan ini telah menggodanya untuk mencari pertolongan dari seorang dukun ke dukun lainnya. Selain meminta pertolongan dukun, ia juga memeriksakan diri ke dokter untuk mengetahui perkembangan kandungannya. Namun, sayang sekali, semua usaha tersebut tetap tidak membuahkan hasil. Wati kecewa bukan hanya sekali tetapi sudah berkali-kali. Ia merasa tertekan, putus asa, dan tidak tahu harus berbuat apa lagi.<br /><br />Keadaan keluarga itu tidak kunjung membaik. Pertengkaran sengit semakin sering terjadi. Keluarga muda ini nyaris berakhir dengan perceraian. Bahkan sebagai pelarian, Hansye sempat menjalin hubungan dengan seorang wanita, rekannya sekantor selama 1 tahun. Ia juga sering mengunjungi tempat-tempat hiburan untuk bersenang-senang. Bonus THR-nya dihabiskan di meja biliar yang semakin memperlebar jarak antara Hansye dan Wati. Di tengah keputusasaannya, Hansye diundang rekan sekantornya untuk mengikuti sebuah kebaktian. Hansye seorang penganut Kristen KTP (Kristen Tanpa Pertobatan) dan hatinya mulai terusik. Cerita-cerita rekannya tentang Yesus membuatnya ingin mencari kasih Tuhan.<br /><br />Hansye menerima ajakan rekannya untuk mengikuti kebaktian itu, dengan suatu kesadaran yang terasa berbeda. "Di sini aku merasakan sukacita dan damai sejahtera," ungkap hatinya. Ia meresapi setiap kidung pujian dan doa-doa dengan sepenuh hatinya. Pada saat itu, ia sudah mengalami jamahan kuasa Tuhan yang mengalirkan kasih-Nya. Ia pun bertobat pada tahun itu juga, 1984. Sekarang, ia tidak lagi mengalami ketakutan yang ia rasakan selama ini, meskipun sekiranya Tuhan bermaksud tidak akan memberi dia seorang keturunan.<br /><br />Sejak saat itu, ia senantiasa mengikuti kebaktian di gereja meskipun secara sembunyi-sembunyi. Namun akhirnya, istrinya juga mengetahui bahwa hampir setiap hari Minggu ia beribadah di gereja. Wati kurang senang melihat Hansye aktif ke gereja. Ia berusaha menghalangi Hansye dengan segala cara, misalnya dengan menyembunyikan sepatunya. Namun, Hansye yang telah menerima Yesus sebagai Tuhan dan Juruselamat hidupnya, tidak marah atas perbuatan istrinya.<br /><br />Akhirnya, meskipun Hansye tidak jadi ke gereja, perubahan pada sikapnya itu membuat Wati heran. Wati mulai berpikir, "Apakah yang terjadi pada suamiku? Apakah yang ia lakukan? Apa yang ia dapatkan di gereja itu? Apakah yang diajarkan gereja sehingga suamiku berubah?"<br /><br />Kemudian, Hansye mengajak Wati untuk menyertai dia pergi ke gereja. Karena Hansye sudah berubah, Wati pun bersedia mengikuti ajakan suaminya. Namun, Wati ternyata berpikiran lain, "Aku akan menguji suamiku." Wati menganggap bahwa apa pun yang didengarnya di gereja tidak akan bisa memengaruhi dirinya. Selama di gereja itu, ia selalu berusaha memengaruhi suaminya agar tidak memercayai setiap kata-kata sang pengkhotbah. "Bohong, itu bohong," demikian selalu kata Wati.<br /><br />Namun pada suatu hari, pemberitaan firman Tuhan tentang kebaikan dan kasih Tuhan telah menjamah dan meluluhkan hati Wati. Ia dapat merasakan betapa Tuhan sangat mengasihi dirinya, bahkan Ia rela menyerahkan hidup-Nya untuk Wati. Pada saat itu, Wati menyerahkan hidupnya kepada Tuhan. Ia berdoa dengan berlinangan air mata, "Tuhan, saya mohon pengampunan-Mu atas dosa-dosa yang saya telah lakukan. Saat ini saya bersedia menerima apa pun yang Tuhan berikan kepadaku. Dalam nama Yesus. Amin." Sejak saat itu, Hansye dan Wati mengalami kehidupan baru di dalam Tuhan. Mereka menyerahkan segala kerinduan akan seorang buah hati kepada Tuhan. Kecemasan yang melanda jiwa Wati selama ini telah terobati. Ia tidak lagi takut menghadapi kelainan pada kandungannya. Mereka telah mengubur masa lalu itu dalam-dalam.<br /><br />Setelah pertobatan itu, keduanya justru tidak pernah lagi berusaha mendapatkan anak, tidak berkunjung ke dokter, apalagi pergi ke dukun. Mereka tidak lagi takut jikalau Tuhan tidak bermaksud memberikan mereka seorang anak. Iman dan perbuatan mereka berjalan berdampingan. Hansye dan Wati sekarang sudah yakin. "Dalam keadaan ini kita harus beriman bahwa Tuhan sanggup mengadakan mukjizat pada kandunganmu," ungkap Hansye kepada istrinya. Mereka terus menjalani kehidupan dengan damai sejahtera.<br />Seiring pergantian hari, Tuhan tidak melupakan pekerjaan tangan-Nya. Ia menyertai kedua pasangan ini untuk masuk ke dalam rencana-Nya yang indah. Hansye dan Wati dilibatkan dalam berbagai kegiatan pelayanan. Pada suatu hari, Wati melayani orang-orang yang memunyai masalah seperti dirinya. Wati hanya bisa berserah dan berdoa kepada Tuhan, "Tuhan, aku bersedia menjadi saksi-Mu. Tetapi, bagaimana aku bisa bersaksi jikalau kami belum pernah mengalami punya seorang anak? Tuhan, aku meminta Engkau mengadakan mukjizat di dalam kehidupan rumah tangga kami. Janganlah permalukan hamba-Mu ini, Tuhan."<br /><br />Setelah beberapa tahun menantikan kehadiran anak, akhirnya mereka berserah kembali di dalam doa, "Tuhan, jikalau Engkau tidak memberikan anak, itu tidak mengapa. Kami akan mengangkat seorang anak sebelum kami pindah rumah." Mereka berharap akan sudah memiliki seorang anak angkat sehingga para tetangga mereka yang baru tidak akan mengetahui asal usul anak itu. Mereka merasa iba jikalau anak itu kelak harus bergumul dengan asal-usulnya.<br /><br />Tuhan selalu bertindak tepat sesuai waktu-Nya. Ia tidak pernah terlambat atau terlalu cepat menyatakan mukjizat-Nya kepada mereka yang percaya. Pada saat Hansye dan Wati berniat untuk mengangkat seorang anak, Tuhan melakukan sesuatu. Sekitar tiga bulan setelah mereka berdoa dan bersiap-siap untuk pindah, Tuhan melakukan sesuatu pada kandungan Wati. Pada saat itu, mereka tidak menyadari pekerjaan Tuhan sedang terjadi di tengah mereka. Perut Wati tampak semakin membesar tanpa ia menyadari apa yang sedang terjadi pada dirinya. "Ada apa dengan perutku," pikirnya. "Jika aku hamil, mengapa aku tidak merasakan mual-mual, pusing, ataupun mengidam seperti layaknya seorang wanita hamil?"<br /><br />Penantian yang begitu lama telah membuat mereka trauma untuk mengunjungi dokter kandungan, khususnya Wati yang enggan memeriksakan diri ke dokter. Namun, Hansye sempat mengetahui terdapat tempat praktik dokter kandungan ketika ia mengendarai mobil dari tempatnya bekerja. Tanpa berpikir panjang dan tidak menunggu persetujuan istrinya, ia segera mengarahkan mobilnya untuk memeriksakan keadaan istrinya di sana. Akhirnya, meskipun dengan agak terpaksa, Wati bersedia diperiksa dokter kandungan tersebut.<br /><br />"Dokter, saya merasakan sesuatu yang aneh di dalam perut saya. Mengapa bentuk permukaan perut saya tampak lain? Saya tidak mengetahui apakah tanda-tanda seorang sedang hamil," ungkapnya kepada sang dokter dengan penuh rasa ingin tahu.<br />Setelah ia diperiksa, dokter mengatakan, "Jika seperti ini, ada dua kemungkinan, kalau bukan tumor kandungan, ya kehamilan." Menanggapi diagnosis itu, Hansye dan Wati hanya bisa berdoa dan berserah kepada Tuhan. Jika hasilnya tumor, itu tentu saja tidak pernah mereka harapkan. Namun, jika hasilnya Wati positif hamil, tentu saja ini merupakan kabar yang sangat menggembirakan mereka. Namun, pengalaman menyedihkan setelah sekian lama membuat mereka tidak berani terlalu berharap kehadiran seorang anak.<br /><br />Pada keesokan harinya mereka datang kembali untuk mengetahui hasil pemeriksaan itu. Keduanya duduk di deretan kursi ruang praktik dokter, menunggu giliran dipanggil dengan perasaan tegang. Pertanyaan: "bagaimanakah hasilnya?" senantiasa terngiang di telinga masing-masing.<br /><br />Suara seorang suster mengejutkan mereka, "Ibu Wati Pakaya!"<br />"Ya, saya!" jawab Wati dengan harap-harap cemas. Wati dan Hansye segera masuk ke ruang dokter. Wati melangkah masuk sambil berdoa, "Tuhan, aku percaya kepada-Mu, apa pun yang Engkau berikan, pasti yang terbaik bagiku."<br />"Silahkan duduk!" dokter mempersilakan mereka duduk.<br />"Terima kasih, Dokter. Bagaimana hasilnya, Dokter?" tanya mereka dengan harap-harap cemas.<br /><br />Dengan tenang dokter menginformasikan hasil USG itu, "Sekarang Bapak dan Ibu harus bersyukur. Yang berada di dalam kandungan bukan tumor, tetapi seorang bayi. Ibu Wati telah mengandung 3,5 bulan."<br />Kata-kata itu bagaikan hujan di tengah kemarau panjang. Keduanya menangis haru dan mengungkapkan rasa syukur kepada Tuhan. "Terima kasih, Tuhan. Engkau sungguh Allah yang berkuasa. Engkau tidak pernah melalaikan janji-Mu kepada kami." Mereka begitu merasakan kuasa Tuhan. Kasih Tuhan Yesus sungguh besar. Mereka pun pulang dengan penuh sukacita.<br /><br />Sepanjang 6 bulan berikutnya mereka tidak berhenti berdoa agar Tuhan memelihara kehamilan itu. Mereka menyadari tantangan masa kehamilan itu mengingat keadaan Wati yang sudah cukup berumur, usia di atas 30 tahun. Kehamilan itu cukup berisiko tinggi, mengingat tekanan darah Wati juga sangat tinggi.<br />Mereka melalui hari-hari penantian itu dengan penuh sukacita. Tuhan senantiasa menyatakan kasih-Nya kepada keluarga ini. Hansye dan Wati sangat merindukan seorang keturunan, yang bukan hanya menjadi berkat bagi keluarga ini, tetapi juga menjadi berkat bagi banyak orang. Oleh sebab itu, mereka selalu mendoakan anak itu sejak ia masih dalam kandungan.<br /><br />Ketika mereka menanyakan nama untuk anak itu, mereka beroleh pernyataan dari Tuhan bahwa nama anak itu ialah Mikha. Dalam kitab Perjanjian Lama, Mikha seorang nabi yang memberitakan kepada bangsa Israel bahwa Tuhan adalah Allah Pengasih, namun Ia juga sangat membenci dosa. Ia juga memberitakan anugerah pemulihan dari Tuhan bagi bangsa itu. Pemberian nama ini diteguhkan seorang penatua gereja setempat, yang juga mendapatkan pernyataan sama dari Tuhan mengenai nama anak itu.<br /><br />Pada pagi hari 2 September 1988, ketika usia kandungan Wati sudah mencapai 8,5 bulan, Hansye kembali mengantarkan Wati ke rumah sakit dalam rangka pemeriksaan kandungan. Namun tanpa diduga sebelumnya, karena keadaan kandungan Wati, ia diharuskan untuk segera menjalani operasi untuk mengeluarkan bayi. Dokter mengatakan, "Bayi di dalam perut Ibu harus segera dilahirkan, sebab jika menunggu, ketuban yang airnya mulai mengering bisa pecah dan jika ini terjadi bisa sangat membahayakan bayi Ibu." Padahal, mereka berharap bayi itu bisa dilahirkan dengan prosedur normal tanpa operasi. Pada saat itu, seorang suster juga menyarankan agar Wati segera menjalani operasi.<br /><br />Akhirnya, Hansye menerima, "Ya, baiklah, jika Tuhan memang menghendaki operasi ini," ungkapnya dengan penuh penyerahan kepada Tuhan.<br /><br />Setelah persiapan segala sesuatu dengan cukup cepat dan kesehatan Wati dianggap siap secara medis, operasi itu pun segera dilaksanakan. Hari itu merupakan peristiwa bersejarah bagi pasangan ini. Wati dibawa masuk ke ruangan operasi pada pukul 09.00. Ia merasa tegang bercampur bahagia karena akan segera dapat memeluk buah hatinya. Ia akan mencurahkan segala perhatian dan kasih sayangnya kepadanya. Sementara itu, Hansye tak kalah tegang menunggu di luar ruang operasi. Namun, hatinya meluap dengan sukacita karena anak mereka, yang kehadirannya sudah mereka tunggu selama bertahun-tahun akan segera dilahirkan pada hari itu.<br /><br />Akhirnya, pada tanggal 2 September 1988, sekitar pukul 11.00, dokter keluar dari ruang operasi dan memberitakan kabar yang luar biasa indah kepadanya. "Pak Hansye, selamat! Anak laki-laki Bapak telah lahir dengan selamat. Istri Bapak juga selamat!" kata dokter sambil menjabat tangan Hansye.<br /><br />Hansye sangat bersukacita mendengar berita itu. Ia segera menaikkan rasa syukur dan pujiannya kepada Tuhan. Sesungguhnya, meskipun mereka tidak merencanakannya, ia percaya bahwa Tuhan sudah menetapkan waktu yang terbaik untuk mereka. Allah turut bekerja dalam segala sesuatu untuk mendatangkan kebaikan bagi orang yang mengasihi Allah dan terpanggil sesuai dengan rencana-Nya. Beberapa saat kemudian, Wati keluar dari ruang operasi itu, masih dipengaruhi efek anestesi. Hansye melihat sukacita terpancar di wajah istri yang dikasihinya. Wati masih harus dirawat selama seminggu setelah melalui saat-saat yang kritis itu.<br /><br />Mikha kini telah hadir di tengah keluarga itu, yang mereka percayai sebagai berkat Tuhan bagi mereka. Mikha menjadi tumpuan kasih sayang mereka dan akan menjadi alat Tuhan untuk memberitakan kasih dan keadilan Tuhan kepada banyak orang. Mereka menyadari bahwa Allah sungguh berkuasa memberikan seorang anak yang bagi manusia tidak mungkin. Wati yang diketahui memiliki kelainan kandungan, kini telah melahirkan anak kandung mereka sendiri. Tanda-tanda bekas jahitan itu telah membuktikan bahwa Allah berkuasa membuka selaput kandungan itu tanpa tindakan operasi.<br /><br />Tuhan sudah mengadakan mukjizat dan Ia juga telah memulihkan keluarga yang semula hancur ini. Allah sudah menganugerahkan seorang anak dengan cara yang unik. Oleh sebab itu, mereka tidak putus-putusnya mengucap syukur dan memercayakan hidup mereka kepada Tuhan.<br /><br />Kini, Hansye melayani di Yayasan Abbalove Ministry, di bagian yang menangani produksi kaset-kaset khotbah untuk didistribusikan ke toko-toko dan gereja-gereja lokal. Wati juga melayani Tuhan bersama sang suami di yayasan yang sama. Sedangkan Mikha sudah bertumbuh menjadi seorang remaja pencinta Tuhan; ia aktif dalam pelayanan di gereja. Pada saat ini, ia bersekolah di SMP Tunas Bangsa Sunter, Jakarta. Keluarga ini aktif bersama-sama melayani Tuhan di sebuah gereja lokal di Jakarta. Tuhan sudah menempatkan mereka sebagai saluran berkat-Nya bagi orang-orang yang membutuhkan jamahan kasih Tuhan dalam hidup mereka.<br /><br /><strong>Diambil dan disunting seperlunya dari:<br /><br />Judul buku:10 Mukjizat yang Terjadi pada Orang Biasa<br />Penulis :Hansye dan Wati Pakaya<br />Penerbit:CBN Indonesia, Jakarta 2001</strong>Riz Angel Cupidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03304448538090531326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-34854918615321081822010-12-28T23:12:00.000-08:002010-12-28T23:20:44.795-08:00Penyertaan Tuhan Yesus Kristus bagi yang Masih Bimbang-Keajaiban Jasmaniah<span style="font-family:arial;color:#993399;">Tanggal 10 November 2007 kira-kira pukul 16.00 WIB, saya memerbaiki genteng rumah yang bocor. Tapi karena saya kurang hati-hati, saya terpeleset dan meluncur ke bawah dengan posisi duduk mundur, terus ke kanopi, dan jatuh ke jalan (paving block) dengan posisi terduduk dan kemudian terhempas ke belakang (punggung menghempas ke jalan). Setelah itu saya tidak bisa bangun -- duduk, apalagi berdiri.</span>
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<br /><span style="color:#993399;">Saya berteriak, kemudian ditolong oleh anak saya, Kevin, dan keponakan saya, Indra -- yang pagi harinya baru saja tiba dari Malang. Saya menelepon istri dan membawa saya ke rumah sakit tulang. Di sana, saya dirontgen dan dirujuk MRI di RSSI. Hasil rontgen menunjukkan ada tiga bagian tulang saya yang terganggu: tulang punggung T12 retak (kompresi), tulang ekor terdorong ke depan, dan tulang duduk kanan retak. Saya diberi obat tulang, antiradang, dan pengurang rasa sakit. Kemudian deskripsi diagnosis dokter RSSI atas hasil MRI mengatakan bahwa pada tulang punggung saya, T11 dan T12, telah terjadi radang (sponsdilitis).</span>
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<br /><span style="color:#993399;">Selanjutnya, dokter tulang mencari jenis radang tersebut dan akhirnya berkeyakinan bahwa itu adalah radang TBC tulang, walaupun dokter saraf meragukannya. Mulai tanggal 18 November 2007, saya diberi pengobatan anti-TBC. Setelah 2 minggu, dokter tulang merencanakan operasi tulang punggung untuk membersihkan radang dan akan memasang pen pada dua ruas di atas T12 dan dua ruas di bawahnya. Ini akan menyebabkan saya cacat tulang punggung (kaku, tidak fleksibel, tidak bisa membungkuk lagi seumur hidup). Di samping itu, obat anti-TBC yang saya konsumsi memunyai efek samping -- terganggunya fungsi hati dan rasa mual yang amat sangat.
<br />Tanggal 18 November 2007, saya mulai dirawat dengan obat anti-TBC. Sejak itu, penderitaan dimulai. Saya merasa mual yang amat sangat dari pagi hingga malam, rasa nyeri/sakit pada tulang yang retak, sakit dari otot, dan daging yang memar akibat jatuh. Saya merasa jenuh dan hampir putus asa. Saya coba untuk menaikkan pujian "Mujizat itu Nyata", tapi lama-lama saya merasa bosan dan berhenti. Saya berdoa agar Tuhan memberi kelegaan, pertolongan, dan menyembuhkan saya. Tapi karena tidak ada perubahan apa-apa, maka doa saya pun menjadi pendek: "Tuhan Yesus, tolong saya. Tuhan Yesus, tolong saya." Itu pun lama-lama menjadi lebih pendek lagi: "Tuhan Yesus, Tuhan Yesus ...." Dan akhirnya berhenti sama sekali. Saya sadar dan merasakan bahwa saya ini tidak ada artinya di hadapan Tuhan. Jika saja Tuhan Yesus menolak saya dengan mengatakan: "Hai, siapakah kamu? Aku tidak mengenal kamu! Enyahlah dari hadapan-Ku!", maka pastilah saya sudah tamat! Tetapi Tuhan itu sangat baik. Tiba-tiba, saya mendapatkan pengertian dan saya percaya bahwa ini adalah karya Roh Kudus.</span>
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<br /><span style="color:#993399;">1. Saya mendapat rhema dari firman Tuhan yang intinya mengatakan bahwa apabila kita bertobat dan menerima Tuhan Yesus Kristus sebagai Tuhan dan Juru Selamat pribadi kita, maka kita diselamatkan oleh-Nya dan dijadikan anak-Nya. (Yohanes 1:12)
<br />2. Saya diingatkan status saya sebagai seorang anak. Apa pun yang saya butuhkan, saya bisa memintanya dari orang tua saya. Bahkan jika saya lapar, maka saya bisa langsung mengambil tindakan: pergi ke dapur, mengambil piring dan sendok, membuka lemari, mengambil makanan, dan menikmati makanan itu sampai kenyang. Dengan demikian, saya bisa menolong diri saya sendiri dengan menggunakan fasilitas orang tua saya. Seharusnya demikian pula dengan fasilitas yang telah diberikan bagi saya dari Bapa Surgawi.
<br />3. Pujian yang dinaikkan oleh KW pada saat membesuk saya, kata-katanya menguatkan sekali: "Ku tak akan menyerah pada apa pun juga, sebelum kucoba semua yang kubisa ...!
<br />Ketiga hal tersebut mendorong saya untuk melakukannya saat itu juga. Lalu saya berdoa dan menggunakan "fasilitas surgawi", yaitu kuasa kasih Tuhan Yesus Kristus yang memulihkan dan memberi kelegaan. Lalu, saya mengucapkan kata-kata berikut: "Kuasa kasih Tuhan Yesus Kristus, turunlah dari surga melingkupi saya. Merekatkan tulang-tulang saya yang patah dan retak, menguatkannya, menyembuhkan luka-luka saya, dan mengangkat kuman-kuman penyakit yang ada di tubuh saya." Saya mengulangi kata-kata tersebut sambil mengangkat tangan.
<br />Tiba-tiba, saya merasakan sesuatu terjadi. Dimulai dari sekitar tulang ekor saya -- kulit bagian luar merinding disertai rasa panas. Terus melebar sampai ke dada dan paha. Ini berlangsung sekitar 10 -- 15 detik, sampai-sampai suatu saat saya merasa seperti terangkat dari tempat tidur! Saya tidak merasakan sentuhan punggung saya dengan alas tidur saya. Rasanya panas seperti berendam di "whirpool" air panas! Semua rasa sakit pada tulang, otot, dan daging yang memar hilang! Rasa jenuh, bosan, dan putus asa, hilang! Yang ada gembira, sukacita, dan penuh semangat!</span>
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<br /><span style="color:#993399;">Baru saya sadari bahwa itulah penyertaan Tuhan untuk saya. Sambil menangis, saya mengucap syukur kepada Tuhan karena tidak meninggalkan saya. Dia mengasihi saya. Itulah mukjizat yang pertama, dan malam itu pun saya bisa tidur nyenyak. Keesokan harinya, pagi-pagi saya sudah bangun dan setelah diseka (pengganti mandi), saya merasa lapar. Telur rebus yang biasanya selalu saya tolak, pagi itu saya lahap habis. Sarapan biasanya hanya dua sendok, pagi itu habis setengah porsi. Begitu juga makan siang dan makan malam, saya bisa makan lebih banyak, termasuk buah-buahan. Hal ini merupakan hal yang aneh, karena sebelumnya saya selalu merasa mual.</span>
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<br /><span style="color:#993399;">Tanggal 5 Desember 2007, saya diperiksa di SGH dan ditangani Prof. Tan Seang Beng, Direktur Departemen Bedah Orthopedi SGH. Di sana, gambar hasil MRI saya dinilai jelek mutunya sehingga beliau tidak dapat mengambil kesimpulan dan saya harus dirontgen ulang, dan apabila hasil rontgen ulang masih meragukan, maka saya harus mengulang MRI di SGH. Dari hasil rontgen ulang dan pemeriksaan fisik, dokter Tan menyatakan bahwa yang saya alami adalah fraktur tulang biasa dan itu pun hanya terjadi pada T12, sementara ruas lainnya normal. Beliau mengatakan dengan tingkat keyakinan 95 persen bahwa dalam waktu 3 bulan, tulang saya bisa pulih kembali dan setelah 3 bulan, saya harus diperiksa ulang. Mengenai radang tulang, beliau menyatakan tidak melihat hal tersebut, hasil rontgen saya bersih. Lalu saya dirujuk ke dokter ahli penyakit infeksi.
<br />Tanggal 7 Desember 2007, saya diperiksa dokter ahli penyakit infeksi (Dr. Asok Kurup). Semua hasil MRI dan rontgen diperiksa ulang. Lagi-lagi beliau menyatakan tidak melihat adanya radang tulang apa pun dan beliau menyatakan agar obat anti-TBC yang saya konsumsi dihentikan. Saya masih penasaran dan menanyakan apakah masih ada cara lain yang lebih meyakinkan? Beliau menyebutkan: periksa darah lengkap termasuk TB Serology Quantiferon dan pemeriksaan cairan tulang belakang. Pemeriksaan cairan tulang belakang tidak disarankan karena beliau sudah yakin dari gambar rontgen. Karena ingin lebih yakin, maka saya menjalani tes darah lengkap. Lima hari kemudian, Dr. Asok Kurup mengirim email dan menyatakan bahwa tes TB Serology Quantiferon atas darah saya hasilnya ... negatif! Dari batas > 0,35 IU/ml, darah saya hanya 0,12 IU/ml. Artinya, saya tidak menderita TBC tulang! Tuhan telah mengangkat apa yang dikatakan oleh dokter tulang sebagai radang TBC tulang. Dengan demikian, saya bisa menghentikan pengobatan anti-TBC dan tidak perlu operasi tulang belakang.</span>
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<br /><span style="color:#993399;">Keraguan atas penyertaan dan pertolongan Tuhan merupakan tanda bahwa kita kurang memiliki hubungan pribadi dengan Tuhan. Ini harus diperbaiki. Ingatlah akan Imanuel, sungguh benar bahwa Tuhan kita tidak pernah meninggalkan kita, ini sesuai dengan janji-Nya: "Aku akan menyertai kamu sampai kepada akhir zaman." Mukjizat Tuhan itu nyata. Pertolongan Tuhan bagi anak-anak-Nya adalah pasti. Yang perlu kita lakukan hanyalah percaya dan tetap berserah kepadanya. Allah memiliki waktunya sendiri.</span>
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<br /><strong><em>Kiriman dari: Frigard Harjono
<br /></em></strong> </span>
<br /></span>Riz Angel Cupidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03304448538090531326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-88383840603530359892010-12-23T08:00:00.000-08:002010-12-23T18:09:01.753-08:00<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVxOcJ0L0GxSq_hiwleUepGTwmOuMo8rf-mw0IADsdGiAwNw0YfkjLGeLJ4TwTnwODgCwNyx0o4ZGS6TxekmSuBjOt9B-tXtBOp-TZF17MsjMKMawylmT0TWlKZ7VyqG053VP7OgWbd8/s1600/christmas-bells.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 215px; HEIGHT: 178px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554050484710726050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVxOcJ0L0GxSq_hiwleUepGTwmOuMo8rf-mw0IADsdGiAwNw0YfkjLGeLJ4TwTnwODgCwNyx0o4ZGS6TxekmSuBjOt9B-tXtBOp-TZF17MsjMKMawylmT0TWlKZ7VyqG053VP7OgWbd8/s320/christmas-bells.jpg" /></a></p><br /><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;">SELAMAT ARI KRISMAS</span></em></strong></div><p align="center"><strong><em><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;">&</span></em></strong></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong><em><span style="color:#ff0000;">SELAMAT TAUN BARU</span></em></strong></span></p><p align="center"><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4isasiQnhZLXq_yv1oSnJuLT8Eepuo_ZLfnVn1j-lrm7Ma6CrsEV5zwAXX6avsLEKa1GsBjjfTl6tXeqIDPBC4mUUdx5LbSbWZ2dRknGMsPrjWzjuRY4fall6_TQM62zP2s-uDQNJzc/s1600/christmas_joy_warms_the_heart_santa_claus_frosty_snowman.gif"><img style="WIDTH: 365px; HEIGHT: 311px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554051302046374914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4isasiQnhZLXq_yv1oSnJuLT8Eepuo_ZLfnVn1j-lrm7Ma6CrsEV5zwAXX6avsLEKa1GsBjjfTl6tXeqIDPBC4mUUdx5LbSbWZ2dRknGMsPrjWzjuRY4fall6_TQM62zP2s-uDQNJzc/s320/christmas_joy_warms_the_heart_santa_claus_frosty_snowman.gif" /></a></p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><em><span style="color:#33cc00;">Merry Christmas samoa. Arap ke Xmas taun tu maie kita pengaga ati enggau bala kaban serta bala sebilik kita, Apai enggau indai. Lantang ati belama semampai dalam berkat serta ibun dalam jari Tuhan Jesus Kristus. Amen. </span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#33cc00;">Besampi kitai ba taun baru tu ambi Tuhan nyaup nama utai ti di pinta kitai ari iya. </span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#33cc00;">( Luke 11:9 )</span></em><br /><p align="center">Tuhan merekat kita samoa!<br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LCHudalKe10Cb11Iu55BKhh80UrNH2qE0wwzuZyI5MjPg5OD9D4EIg0YNa3Q4n9RoBIL77XacFhoC2jSCJV0PEbpoEfAG8Ukz3Wigp9H_Tlf4c4tXd-s4faqUewfhDDc9mYL8kaocgk/s1600/christmas-bells.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4isasiQnhZLXq_yv1oSnJuLT8Eepuo_ZLfnVn1j-lrm7Ma6CrsEV5zwAXX6avsLEKa1GsBjjfTl6tXeqIDPBC4mUUdx5LbSbWZ2dRknGMsPrjWzjuRY4fall6_TQM62zP2s-uDQNJzc/s1600/christmas_joy_warms_the_heart_santa_claus_frosty_snowman.gif"></a></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4isasiQnhZLXq_yv1oSnJuLT8Eepuo_ZLfnVn1j-lrm7Ma6CrsEV5zwAXX6avsLEKa1GsBjjfTl6tXeqIDPBC4mUUdx5LbSbWZ2dRknGMsPrjWzjuRY4fall6_TQM62zP2s-uDQNJzc/s1600/christmas_joy_warms_the_heart_santa_claus_frosty_snowman.gif"></a></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dd-q9HKUNtKkdFge0TdvYEcJy2To0BI5S813Cvp6r9Q27HYuMluBKEufER8womegMo-6ejCq26BNxU88VyBvt6OC9o9ZZFPklNSvHnrQIGd4p1NdkXEIZCw3hLBYbz11VFoUfCx8qHs/s1600/christmas_graphics_18.gif"></a>Riz Angel Cupidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03304448538090531326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-36364056005202184492010-12-22T21:59:00.000-08:002010-12-22T23:01:54.389-08:00Rapture: Kesaksian FionaShalom sdr/sdri kekasih di dalam Tuhan Yesus,<br /><br /><br />Saya mau menyaksikan apa yang dialami oleh anak saya Fiona, beberapa waktu lalu. Fiona adalah anak pertama kami, yang belum genap berusia 6.5 tahun.<br /><br /><br />Pada tanggal 2 Agustus 2007 Kamis sore, mendadak anak saya panas tinggi, dan sesudah di kasih obat panas Calapol Forte, agak turun, tetapi panasnya naik kembali, sehingga kami harus memberi obat panas tsb setiap 6 jam sekali.<br /><br /><br />Tanggal 3 Agustus 2007 Jumat pagi, kami membawa anak kami ke dokter umum (karena dokter anak langganan kami sedang cuti), dan diberikan antibiotik (4 kali sehari) dan obat batuk.<br /><br /><br />Ternyata sampai hari Minggu malam, 5 Agustus 2007, panasnya tetap tinggi, sehingga setiap 6 jam sekali harus minum obat panas.<br /><br />Pada hari Sabtu, kita mempunyai planning untuk membawa anak kami ke dokter anak langganan kami pada hari Senin pagi tanggal 6 Agustus 2007.<br /><br /><br />Nah, kejadiannya di Sabtu malam itu, Fiona bermimpi diajak ke surga oleh Tuhan Yesus. Fiona sempat cerita ke istri saya mengenai mimpinya tersebut dan istri saya menjadi agak takut, di tengah panas yang turun naik setiap 6 jam sekali tersebut, karena apakah itu artinya anak kami akan dipanggil Tuhan.<br /><br /><br />Akhirnya sesudah saya pulang dari gereja tanggal 5 Agustus, saya mengajak Fiona bicara mengenai mimpinya tersebut dan ini adalah kisah percakapan kami.<br /><br /><br /><br />===============================================================<br /><br /><br />Saya : Fio, katanya semalam kamu mimpi ya.<br /><br /><br />Fio : Iya papi, mimpinya indah sekali. Fio tidak pernah mimpi yang seindah ini<br /><br /><br />Saya : Mimpi apa, Fio?<br /><br /><br />Fio : Kan aku ceritanya lagi pergi keluar, pingin beli apel buat mami, eh di tengah jalan, aku ketemu sama Tuhan Yesus yang lagi naik keledai (dia tidak berkata kuda, tapi keledai, padahal kalau ke puncak, dia suka naik kuda). Nah, aku diajak Tuhan Yesus duduk di pangkuannya dan kami langsung terbang ke surga.<br /><br /><br />Saya : Terus di surga ada apa Fio?<br /><br /><br />Fio : Di surga bagus sekali papi. Aku di kasih tempat tidur sama Tuhan. Aku disuruh pilih mau warna apa, karena aku suka warna biru, jadi aku pilih warna biru. Tapi birunya bagus sekali papi, karena birunya mengkilap.<br /><br /><br />Saya : Terus ada apa lagi Fio<br /><br /><br />Fiona : Tuhan Yesus juga punya tempat tidur. Tempat tidurnya ada tiga.<br /><br /><br />Saya : Loh kok ada tiga, Fio?<br /><br /><br />Fiona : Iya papi. Satu buat Tuhan Yesus, 2 lagi untuk murid yang di kasihiNya, yaitu Petrus dan Yohanes. Ranjangnya bagus papi. Semuanya mengkilap. Juga ada batu-batu permatanya.<br /><br /><br />Saya : Terus ada apa lagi, Fio<br /><br /><br />Fiona : Ada kursi Tuhan Yesus. Bagus sekali. Warnanya Okker (Orange) dan banyak dihiasi batu-batu permata, warna batunya biru, hijau, kuning, merah muda, dan ungu. (Wahyu 21:11, 18-21)<br /><br /><br />Juga ada banyak malaikat terbang di sekeliling Tuhan Yesus, sambil terus memuji Tuhan. (Wahyu 5:11-12)<br /><br /><br />Saya : Tuhan Yesusnya seperti apa, Fio?<br /><br />Fiona : Tuhan Yesusnya berkumis sedikit, juga berjanggut. Bajunya putih sekali dan sangat mengkilap. Wajahnya bersinar terang sekali seperti matahari. (Wahyu 21:23)<br /><br />Saya : Terus Fiona pakai baju apa?<br /><br />Fiona : Aku juga pakai baju putih papi, mengkilap dan bagus sekali (Wahyu 19:8). Dibandingkan baju pesta mami, baju aku lebih bagus (istri saya punya baju pesta warna putih yang belum lama dibeli)<br /><br />Saya : Terus ada apa lagi Fio?<br /><br />Fiona : Di surga juga ada makanan papi. Ada ayam goreng. Aku makan nasi, sama wortel, kentang, jagung, dan sayur sop. Yang masak Om Yohanes, papi. Yang nyiapin piring: Om Petrus. (mungkin Fiona Cuma kenal sama Petrus dan Yohanes)Seumur hidup aku tidak pernah makan makanan yang seenak ini papi (Wah ini mungkin makanan dalam perjamuan kawin Anak Domba - Wahyu 19:9).<br /><br />Terus Tuhan Yesus juga banyak binatang peliharaan. Ada kuda, kelinci, domba, kambing, harimau, singa.<br /><br />Saya : Terus, harimaunya galak tidak Fio?<br /><br />Fiona : Tidak papi, semuanya tidak galak, tapi jinak-jinak. (Back to Eden nih)<br /><br />Saya : Terus ada apa lagi, Fio?<br /><br />Fiona : Di surga juga ada kolam renang papi. Kalau aku berenang, aku tinggal bilang tenggelam, aku langsung tenggelam. Kalau aku bilang terapung, langsung terapung. Di surga juga ada mobil papi, bangkunya 4 baris. Kalau aku bilang klakson, mobilnya langsung klakson. (wah, semuanya dikendalikan oleh Firman!)<br /><br />Saya : Memangnya kenapa mesti klakson Fio, memangnya di surga ada orang yang nyebrang?<br /><br />Fiona : Bukan papi. Kalau udah sampe rumah, aku tinggal bilang, mobil klakson dan dia langsung klakson. Terus pagar rumahnya terbuka sendiri. (di surga ada rumah buat kita ya, spt yang di sebutkan dlm buku Heaven is so Real dari Choo Thomas). Terus juga ada sepeda, tempat duduknya 5 baris. Tapi sepeda Tuhan Yesus ada 6 baris. (wah sepeda tandem dong). Terus di surga juga ada banyak buku papi. Ada nama orangnya. Bukunya tebel ada 50 halaman. Di dalamnya ditulis semua perbuatan kita, baik yang benar maupun yang jahat. (Wahyu 20:12)<br /><br />Saya : Terus di surga ada siapa lagi Fio?<br /><br />Fio : Ada dede Bryan papi (anak kami yang berumur 5 tahun). Juga ada papi dan mami. Cuma papi dan mami sudah tua dan ceritanya sudah meninggal (lega juga mendengar ada kami di surga, itu artinya Fio bukan mau di panggil pulang ke surga sekarang, tapi dia hanya menerima mimpi / penglihatan dari Tuhan). Terus Fio disuruh Tuhan kembali lagi ke dunia. Padahal aku sebenarnya lebih suka di surga, papi.<br /><br />Saya : Itu artinya Fio harus kembali ke dunia dan memberitakan ke semua orang bahwa Tuhan Yesus baik dan supaya setiap orang boleh percaya sama Tuhan Yesus, supaya bisa diselamatkan dan masuk ke surga.<br /><br />Fiona : Iya papi.<br /><br />Saya : Terus ada apa lagi, Fio?<br /><br />Fiona : Papi, di surga semua benda mengkilap papi. Apapun warnanya sangat bagus, karena semuanya mengkilap. Tapi ada satu benda yang tidak mengkilap papi.<br /><br />Saya : Benda apa tuh Fio?<br /><br />Fiona : Kayu salib papi. Warnanya coklat tua dan tidak mengkilap.<br /><br />Saya : Kok tidak mengkilap, Fio?<br /><br />Fiona : Iya papi, karena kayu salib itu mengandung dosa manusia! (saat itu mataku langsung berair. Aku sangat terharu dan aku merasakan kasih Tuhan yang begitu besar mengalir dalam hatiku dan aku sangat mengucap syukur buat mimpi yang Tuhan berikan kepada anakku)<br /><br />Saya : Terus ada apa lagi, Fio?<br /><br />Fiona : Di surga aku minta maaf sama Tuhan Yesus, papi<br /><br />Saya : Emangnya kenapa, Fio?<br /><br />Fiona : Iya, kan dulu aku pernah bilang Tuhan Yesus jahat (memang saya ingat Fiona pernah bilang Tuhan jahat, waktu dia sakit batuk pilek, lama sekali tidak sembuh-sembuh, walaupun kita sudah tiap hari berdoa). Tapi papi, waktu Fio di surga aku tahu dan aku bisa rasakan bahwa Tuhan Yesus baiiiiiik sekali sama aku.<br /><br />Saya : Iya Fio, memang Tuhan Yesus sangat baik buat kita.<br /><br />Demikianlah akhir dari cerita mimpi anak kami tersebut.<br /><br /><strong>Jakarta, 6 Agustus 2009,</strong><br /><br />Shalom sdr/sdri kekasih di dalam Tuhan Yesus,<br /><br />Pada bulan Agustus 2007, anak kami Fiona diberi penglihatan mengenai surga dan neraka. (posting sebelumnya).<br /><br />Beberapa bulan lalu (Mei 2009) Fiona kembali mendapatkan mimpi. Kali ini mengenai Rapture (Pengangkatan Orang Percaya). Berikut isi kisahnya.<br /><br />Fiona : "Papi semalam aku mimpi pi"<br /><br />Papi : "Mimpi apa Fiona"<br /><br />Fiona : "Aku lagi tidur dan tiba-tiba terbangun dan aku ketemu Tuhan Yesus." Tuhan bilang,"Hai Fiona", terus aku jawab,"Hai Tuhan Yesus". "Kemudian aku diangkat ke langit dan ada seperti asap dan aku lihat ada seperti TV, tapi tidak terang seperti TV" (Tahulah aku bahwa Fiona sedang dikasih penglihatan oleh Tuhan)<br /><br />Papi : "Terus apa yang kamu lihat Fio?"<br /><br />Fiona : "Aku melihat ada orang-orang yang keluar dari dalam tanah dan diangkat ke langit. Tapi pi, tanahnya tidak rusak, jadi orang-orang tsb seperti keluar begitu saja dari dalam tanah. Tidak seperti kalau kita keluar dari selimut, kan selimutnya jadi berantakan. Terus aku juga lihat teman-temanku yang baik juga diangkat ke langit." (anakku sekolah di sekolah Kristen, jadi selain baik, mereka sudah mengenal dan menerima Tuhan Yesus sebagai Juruselamat tentunya). "Juga aku melihat Papi, Mami, Bryan, dan Floren diangkat ke langit."<br /><br />"Terus pi, orang-orang yang tidak ikut diangkat pada berpesta, makan dan minum. Ada makanan, buah-buahan melon, anggur, juga ada minuman anggur. Ada juga seorang raja yang pakai baju ungu dan duduk di kursi raja yang terbuat dari emas."<br /><br />Papi : "Terus apa yang terjadi Fio?"<br /><br />Fiona : "Kemudian Tuhan Yesus datang ke bumi, bersama dengan orang-orang yang tadi diangkat, dan berperang melawan orang-orang yang ada di bumi."<br /><br />Papi : "Perangnya pakai senjata apa Fio, pistol, bom, meriam, atau apa?"<br /><br />Fiona : "Perangnya pakai pedang papi. Pedangnya berkilau terang, tapi pedangnya Tuhan Yesus selain berkilau juga berwarna kuning, karena terbuat dari emas. Kemudian orang yang ada dibumi seperti dilemparkan bola api dari langit."<br /><br />Papi : "Seperti apa bola apinya Fio?"<br /><br />Fiona : "Itu pi, bola apinya ada buntutnya, seperti pelajaranku, kaya meteor. Jadi orang-orang yang ada dibumi tersebut semuanya terbakar, termasuk rajanya. Tapi walaupun terbakar, mereka tidak mati, tapi mereka terbakar terus."<br /><br />=====================================================================<br /><br />Kutipan Wahyu 18 : 1-24Ayat 2 : Dan Ia berseru dengan suara yang kuat, katanya : “Sudah rubuh, sudah rubuh Babel, kota besar itu, dan ia telah menjadi tempat kediaman roh-roh jahat dan tempat bersembunyi semua roh najis dan tempat bersembunyi segala burung yang najis dan yang dibenci,Ayat 3 : Karena semua bangsa telah minum dari anggur hawa nafsu cabulnya dan raja-raja di bumi telah berbuat cabul dengan dia, dan pedagang-pedagang di bumi telah menjadi kaya oleh kelimpahan hawa nafsunya.”<br /><br />Ayat 4 : Lalu aku mendengar suara lain dari sorga berkata: “Pergilah kamu, hai umatKu, pergilah daripadanya supaya kamu jangan mengambil bagian dalam dosa-dosanya, dan supaya kamu jangan turut ditimpa malapetaka-malapetakanya.<br /><br />Ayat 5 : Sebab dosa-dosanya telah bertimbun-timbun sampai ke langit, dan Allah telah mengingat segala kejahatannya.<br /><br />Ayat 6 : Balaskanlah kepadanya, sama seperti dia juga membalaskan, dan berikanlah kepadanya dua kali lipat menurut pekerjaannya, campurkanlah baginya dua kali lipat di dalam cawanpencampurannya:<br /><br />Ayat 7 : berikanlah kepadanya siksaan dan perkabungan, sebanyak kemuliaan dan kemewahan, yang telah ia nikmati. Sebab ia berkata di dalam hatinya: Aku bertahta seperti ratu, aku bukan janda, dan aku tidak akan pernah berkabung.<br /><br />Ayat 8 : Sebab itu segala malapetakanya akan datang dalam satu hari, yaitu sampar dan perkabungan dan kelaparan; dan ia akan dibakar dengan api, karena Tuhan Allah, yang menghakimi dia, adalah kuat.”<br /><br />Ayat 9 : Dan raja-raja di bumi, yang telah berbuat cabul dan hidup dalam kelimpahan dengan dia, akan menangisinya dan meratapinya, apabila mereka melihat asap api yang membakarnya.<br /><br />Ayat 10 : Mereka akan berdiri jauh-jauh karena takut akan siksaannya dan mereka akan berkata: “Celaka, celaka engkau, hai kota yang besar, Babel, hai kota yang kuat, sebab dalam satu jam saja sudah berlangsung penghakimanmu!”<br /><br />Kutipan Wahyu 19 : 1-21Ayat 6 : Lalu aku mendengar seperti suara himpunan besar orang banyak, seperti desau air bah dan seperti deru guruh yang hebat, katanya: “Haleluya! Karena Tuhan, allah kita, Yang Mahakuasa, telah menjadi raja<br /><br />Ayat 7 : Marilah kita bersukacita dan bersorak-sorai, dan memuliakan Dia! Karena hari perkawinan Anak Domba telah tiba, dan pengantin-Nya telah siap sedia.<br /><br />Ayat 8 : Dan kepadanya dikaruniakan supaya memakai kain lenan halus yang berkilau-kilauan dan yang putih bersih!” (Lenan halus itu adalah perbuatan-perbuatan yang benar dari orang-orang kudus.)<br /><br />Ayat 9 : Lalu ia berkata kepadaku: “Tuliskanlah: Berbahagialah mereka yang diundang ke perjamuan kawin Anak Domba.“ Katanya lagi kepadaku:”Perkataan ini adalah benar, perkataan-perkataan dari Allah.”<br /><br />Ayat 10 : Maka tersungkurlah aku di depan kakinya untuk menyembah dia, tetapi ia berkata kepadaku: “Janganlah berbuat demikian! Aku adalah hamba, sama seperti engkau dan saudara-saudaramu, yang memiliki kesaksian Yesus. Sembahlah Allah! Karena kesaksian Yesus adalah roh nubuat.”<br /><br />Ayat 11 : Lalu aku melihat sorga terbuka: sesungguhnya, ada seekor kuda putih; dan Ia yang menungganginya bernama:”Yang Setia dan Yang Benar”, Ia menghakimi dan berperang dengan adil.<br /><br />Ayat 12 : Dan mataNya bagaikan nyala api dan di atas kepalaNya terdapat banyak mahkota dan padaNya ada tertulis suatu nama yang tidak diketahui seorangpun, kecuali Ia sendiri.<br /><br />Ayat 13 : Dan Ia memakai jubah yang telah dicelup dalam darah dan namaNya ialah: “Firman Allah.”<br /><br />Ayat 14 : Dan semua pasukan yang di sorga mengikuti Dia; mereka menunggang kuda putih dan memakai lenan halus yang putih bersih.<br /><br />Ayat 15 : Dan dari mulutNya keluarlah sebilah pedang tajam yang akan memukul segala bangsa. Dan Ia akan menggembalakan mereka dengan gada besi dan Ia akan memeras anggur dalam kilangan anggur, yaitu kegeraman murka Allah, Yang Mahakuasa.<br /><br />Ayat 16 : Dan pada jubahNya dan pahaNya tertulis suatu nama, yaitu: “Raja segala raja dan Tuan di atas segala tuan.”<br /><br />=====================================================================<br /><br />Papi : "Dari waktu terjadinya pengangkatan, sampai Tuhan Yesus datang kembali untuk berperang, kira-kira ada waktu berapa lama Fio?"<br /><br />Fiona : "Cukup lama sih pi, seperti 1 atau 2 tahun." (mungkin Fiona belum bisa memperkirakan berapa lama, tapi yang jelas ada jeda waktu antara rapture dan kedatangan Tuhan Yesus kembali)<br /><br />Papi : "Kemudian apa yang terjadi Fio?"<br /><br />Fiona : "Tuhan Yesus dan kita yang sudah menang kemudian berpesta dan makan-makan. Makanannya semuanya enak sekali." Piring dan sendoknya dari emas.<br /><br />Papi : "Kamu melihat wajah Tuhan Yesus bagaimana Fio?"<br /><br />Fiona : "Aku tidak bisa melihat wajahnya pi, karena berkilau terang sekali. Bajunya berwarna putih berkilauan, sendalnya Tuhan Yesus berwarna coklat. Ada banyak malaikat yang memuji Tuhan, dan ada banyak malaikat yang bermain gitar, kecapi, dan suling."<br /><br />Papi : "Terus ada apa lagi Fiona?<br /><br />Fiona : "Tiba-tiba pi, gedebuk, aku ditiban sama dede Bryan, jadinya aku kebangun deh pi."(memang kedua anak kami tidur dalam 1 kamar, dan kedua ranjangnya didempetkan satu dengan yang lain. Kasihan juga Fiona, karena dia sedih mimpinya terputus oleh dedenya)<br /><br />Demikianlah kesaksian anak kami, semoga bisa menjadi berkat buat kita semua.<br /><br />Persiapkanlah dirimu, sambut kedatanganNya, sebab Ready or Not, Jesus is Coming.<br /><br />Datanglah segera Tuhan Yesus! Kasih karunia Tuhan Yesus menyertai kita sekalian! Amin.<br /><br />=====================================================================<br />1 Kor 15 : 51-58<br /><br />Ayat 51 :Sesungguhnya aku menyatakan suatu rahasia: kita tidak akan mati semuanya, tetapi kita semuanya akan diubah,<br /><br />Ayat 52 :Dalam sekejab mata, pada waktu bunyi nafiri Allah yang terakhir. Sebab nafiri akan berbunyi dan orang-orang mati akan dibangkitkan dalam keadaan yang tidak dapat binasa dan kita semua akan diubah.<br /><br />Ayat 53 :Karena yang dapat binasa ini harus mengenakan yang tidak dapat binasa, dan yang dapat mati ini harus mengenakan yang tidak dapat mati.<br /><br />Ayat 54 :Dan sesudah yang dapat binasa ini mengenakan yang tidak dapat binasa dan yang dapat mati ini mengenakan yang tiak dapat mati, maka akan genaplah firman Tuhan yang tertulis: "Maut telah ditelan dalam kemenangan.<br /><br />Ayat 55 :Hai maut dimanakah kemenanganmu? Hai maut, dimanakah sengatmu?<br /><br />Ayat 56 :Sengat maut ialah dosa dan kuasa dosa ialah hukum Taurat.<br /><br />Ayat 57 :Tetapi syukur kepada Allah, yang telah memberikan kepada kita kemenangan oleh Yesus Kristus, Tuhan kita.<br /><br />Ayat 58 :Karena itu, saudara-saudaraku yang kekasih, berdirilah teguh, jangan goyah, dan giatlah selalu dalam pekerjaan Tuhan! Sebab kamu tahu, bahwa dalam persekutuan dengan Tuhan jerih payahmu tidak sia-sia.<br /><br />1 Tes 4 : 13-18<br /><br />Ayat 13 : Selanjutnya kami tidak mau, saudara-saudara, bahwa kamu tidak mengetahui tentang mereka yang meninggal, supaya kamu jangan berduka cita seperti orang-orang lain yang tidak mempunyai pengharapan<br /><br />Ayat 14 : Karena jikalau kita percaya, bahwa Yesus telah mati dan telah bangkit, maka kita percaya juga bahwa mereka yang telah meninggal dalam Yesus akan dikumpulkan Allah bersama-sama dengan Dia.<br /><br />Ayat 15 : Ini kami katakan kepadamu dengan firman Tuhan: kita yang hidup, yang masih tinggal sampai kedatangan Tuhan, sekali-kali tidak akan mendahului mereka yang telah meninggal.<br /><br />Ayat 16 : Sebab pada waktu tanda diberi, yaitu pada waktu penghulu malaikat berseru dan sangkakala Allah berbunyi, maka Tuhan sendiri akan turun dari sorga dan mereka yang mati dalam Kristus akan lebih dahulu bangkit;<br /><br />Ayat 17 : Sesudah itu, kita yang hidup, yang masih tinggal, akan diangkat bersama-sama dengan mereka dalam awan menyongsong Tuhan di angkasa. Demikianlah kita akan selama-lamanya bersama-sama dengan Tuhan.<br /><br />Ayat 18 : Karena itu hiburkanlah seorang akan yang lain dengan perkataan-perkataan ini. (GG)Riz Angel Cupidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03304448538090531326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-41601855125854119372010-12-22T19:05:00.000-08:002010-12-22T22:17:24.449-08:00Daftar Kekurangan<span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Seorang pria dan kekasihnya menikah dan acaranya pernikahannya sungguh megah. Semua kawan-kawan dan keluarga mereka hadir menyaksikan dan menikmati hari yang berbahagia tersebut. Suatu acara yang luar biasa mengesankan.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Mempelai wanita begitu anggun dalam gaun putihnya dan pengantin pria dalam tuxedo hitam yang gagah. Setiap pasang mata yang memandang setuju mengatakan bahwa mereka sungguh-sungguh saling mencintai.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Beberapa bulan kemudian, sang istri berkata kepada suaminya, “Sayang, aku baru membaca sebuah artikel di majalah tentang bagaimana memperkuat tali pernikahan” katanya sambil menyodorkan majalah tersebut.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">“Masing-masing kita akan mencatat hal-hal yang kurang kita sukai dari pasangan kita. Kemudian, kita akan membahas bagaimana merubah hal-hal tersebut dan membuat hidup pernikahan kita bersama lebih bahagia…..”</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Suaminya setuju dan mereka mulai memikirkan hal-hal dari pasangannya yang tidak mereka sukai dan berjanji tidak akan tersinggung ketika pasangannya mencatat hal-hal yang kurang baik sebab hal tersebut untuk kebaikkan mereka bersama. Malam itu mereka sepakat untuk berpisah kamar dan mencatat apa yang terlintas dalam benak mereka masing-masing.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Besok pagi ketika sarapan, mereka siap mendiskusikannya. “Aku akan mulai duluan ya”, kata sang istri. Ia lalu mengeluarkan daftarnya. Banyak sekali yang ditulisnya, sekitar 3 halaman…</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Ketika ia mulai membacakan satu persatu hal yang tidak dia sukai dari suaminya, ia memperhatikan bahwa airmata suaminya mulai mengalir…..“Maaf, apakah aku harus berhenti ?” tanyanya.“Oh tidak, lanjutkan…” jawab suaminya.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Lalu sang istri melanjutkan membacakan semua yang terdaftar, lalu kembali melipat kertasnya dengan manis diatas meja dan berkata dengan bahagia, “Sekarang gantian ya, engkau yang membacakan daftarmu”.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Dengan suara perlahan suaminya berkata “Aku tidak mencatat sesuatupun di kertasku. Aku berpikir bahwa engkau sudah sempurna, dan aku tidak ingin merubahmu. Engkau adalah dirimu sendiri. Engkau cantik dan baik bagiku. Tidak satupun dari pribadimu yang kudapatkan kurang…. ”Sang istri tersentak dan tersentuh oleh pernyataan dan ungkapan cinta serta isi hati suaminya. Bahwa suaminya menerimanya apa adanya…Ia menunduk dan menangis…..</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Saudaraku terkasih,Dalam hidup ini, banyak kali kita merasa dikecewakan, depressi, dan sakit hati. Sesungguhnya tak perlu menghabiskan waktu memikirkan hal-hal tersebut. Hidup ini penuh dengan keindahan, kesukacitaan dan pengharapan.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Mengapa harus menghabiskan waktu memikirkan sisi yang buruk, mengecewakan dan menyakitkan jika kita bisa menemukan banyak hal-hal yang indah di sekeliling kita ? Kita akan menjadi orang yang berbahagia jika kita mampu melihat dan bersyukur untuk hal-hal yang baik dan mencoba melupakan yang buruk. </span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">(2 Korintus 13:11) Akhirnya, saudara-saudaraku, bersukacitalah, usahakanlah dirimu supaya sempurna. Terimalah segala nasihatku! Sehati sepikirlah kamu, dan hiduplah dalam damai sejahtera; maka Allah, sumber kasih dan damai sejahtera akan menyertai kamu!</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">LORD JESUS bless you abd me, now and forever.AMEN</span>.Riz Angel Cupidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03304448538090531326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-35626686129651564762010-12-22T17:39:00.001-08:002010-12-22T18:39:30.504-08:00John 3:16<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySiuRoFgdWbVyRie-hBdLrXWl2g_5g3ZMWjCeOMYvidvHbXn6JhWihZWvnlcPYGjPTLoFmWags0rkp3NrWD5aAM-80OHEqvl6yhUy4MjP9VZBPhjIpTuqButzCfI6Xcmp7dH9eZIc9NU/s1600/image001.gif"><img style="WIDTH: 107px; HEIGHT: 105px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553686416921049410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySiuRoFgdWbVyRie-hBdLrXWl2g_5g3ZMWjCeOMYvidvHbXn6JhWihZWvnlcPYGjPTLoFmWags0rkp3NrWD5aAM-80OHEqvl6yhUy4MjP9VZBPhjIpTuqButzCfI6Xcmp7dH9eZIc9NU/s320/image001.gif" /></a></p><span style="font-family:verdana;">A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner, the people were in and out of the cold. The little boy was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell many papers.<br /><br />He walked up to a policeman and said, "Mister, you wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you? You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and it's awful cold in there for tonight. Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay."<br /><br />The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door. When they come out the door you just say John 3:16, and they will let you in." So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered. He looked up and said, "John 3:16." The lady said, "Come on in, Son." She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom rocker in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16....I don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm.<br /><br />Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry ?" He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food," The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat any more. Then he thought to himself: John 3:16...Boy, I sure don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full.<br /><br />She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: John 3:16 ... I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. You know, I've not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out. The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself: John 3:16 ...I don't understand it but it sure makes a tired boy rested.<br /><br />The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible. She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face. "Do you understand John 3:16 ? " she asked gently. He replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it," She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus . Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus. He sat there and thought: John 3:16 -- don't understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.<br /><br />You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I don't understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die. I don't understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end. I don't understand it, but it sure does make life worth living.<br /><br />John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.<br /><br />Jesus said, "If you are ashamed of me, I will be ashamed of you before my Father."<br /><br /></span><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmC8CZHQlWuECw4K810ntBj4z_Kd1ckWwMUTskuDqh5BDL_4wEGnUedUzKvz3Dbd9Hmd3VDihMQT-b_dT6f4aIsPxeIA88eBK1YYQGwgA9JZyq0LlTKkcJeB6BRThQbHkchFfns_j8wc/s1600/image002.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 215px; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553686544564258450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmC8CZHQlWuECw4K810ntBj4z_Kd1ckWwMUTskuDqh5BDL_4wEGnUedUzKvz3Dbd9Hmd3VDihMQT-b_dT6f4aIsPxeIA88eBK1YYQGwgA9JZyq0LlTKkcJeB6BRThQbHkchFfns_j8wc/s320/image002.jpg" /></a></span></p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><br /></span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmC8CZHQlWuECw4K810ntBj4z_Kd1ckWwMUTskuDqh5BDL_4wEGnUedUzKvz3Dbd9Hmd3VDihMQT-b_dT6f4aIsPxeIA88eBK1YYQGwgA9JZyq0LlTKkcJeB6BRThQbHkchFfns_j8wc/s1600/image002.jpg"></a></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmC8CZHQlWuECw4K810ntBj4z_Kd1ckWwMUTskuDqh5BDL_4wEGnUedUzKvz3Dbd9Hmd3VDihMQT-b_dT6f4aIsPxeIA88eBK1YYQGwgA9JZyq0LlTKkcJeB6BRThQbHkchFfns_j8wc/s1600/image002.jpg"></a></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmC8CZHQlWuECw4K810ntBj4z_Kd1ckWwMUTskuDqh5BDL_4wEGnUedUzKvz3Dbd9Hmd3VDihMQT-b_dT6f4aIsPxeIA88eBK1YYQGwgA9JZyq0LlTKkcJeB6BRThQbHkchFfns_j8wc/s1600/image002.jpg"></a></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmC8CZHQlWuECw4K810ntBj4z_Kd1ckWwMUTskuDqh5BDL_4wEGnUedUzKvz3Dbd9Hmd3VDihMQT-b_dT6f4aIsPxeIA88eBK1YYQGwgA9JZyq0LlTKkcJeB6BRThQbHkchFfns_j8wc/s1600/image002.jpg"></a> </div></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span> </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmC8CZHQlWuECw4K810ntBj4z_Kd1ckWwMUTskuDqh5BDL_4wEGnUedUzKvz3Dbd9Hmd3VDihMQT-b_dT6f4aIsPxeIA88eBK1YYQGwgA9JZyq0LlTKkcJeB6BRThQbHkchFfns_j8wc/s1600/image002.jpg"></a> </div>Riz Angel Cupidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03304448538090531326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-58723609881353134922010-12-21T17:39:00.000-08:002010-12-21T17:45:28.593-08:00Walking with God<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxTqshXmAwJ0O8-dczvGVePRB5Wik2vA7BnYs8RsXuIhhO0BWQjsBTAg4D0sK8fUNvvlLoY-7GZCC9Wfw-VJA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Riz Angel Cupidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03304448538090531326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-774243398577048071.post-25789391313110590682010-12-20T23:54:00.000-08:002010-12-20T23:54:19.206-08:00Hillsong - For all you've done<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/xezYcILoO7o?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>† axlshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16165913816100169709noreply@blogger.com0