His Words

My today's devotion made me think and assessed myself on what are the good things that I did in my life that have pleased Him? I even asked myself of the wrongdoings that I have executed. We all know that our life on earth is temporary and that all material things can't be brought to another life. On the day of judgment, are we ready to face Him? Can we say, "Your Honor, here are the good things that I did…"? Let us be reminded that He takes His seat as Judge and have prepared all the rewards that we qualified for.

Yes, Jesus Christ will be our judge and not the God father. In Acts 10:42-43, it says there that "⁴² He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” I believe that this responsibility was tapped on His shoulders because He is the one who commanded us to go into the world and make disciples and He will decide how we did on such task by analyzing our mind and thoughts. Yes, I believe that after following His words and fully accept Him, trust and obey; our next primary goal is to make disciples. To testify to others how great He is and how loving our God.

As a judge, He can't be bribed. He is a just and impartial judge. In making a judgment, He doesn't put as "evidence" what others say about us. Our works will be justified based on His own standards. All the worthless things that we did will vanish and He will look only into the valuable parts of our lives. On how we did our purpose, on how we react to every situation and how we prosper and mature as a believer. In the "court room", there is no place for shame and guilt over the past sins and mistakes. It is a place where self-condemnation is not allowed, He will expose the "real" us by washing away the bad things we've done until the "man who pleased God" will remain. Let us encourage one another to do good things and be a perfect imitation of His works. Let us be the best reflections of our Lord both here in earth and in heaven.

Last month, senior Pastor Jeff presented this year's ministry theme, Whole City Whole World. The first thing came into my mind was globalization or going international. I was kinda correct but the question was why? Why did he choose such theme? He gracefully explained it and everybody seemed to grasp the main idea.

Acts 9:4-6 - 4) He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 5) "Who are you, Lord? Saul asked. "I am Jesus whom you persecuting," he replied. 6) "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

As explained by Pastor Jeff, city is like a magnet on which lot of people wanted to come to and experience an urban living. 42% of Singapore's population are foreigners, this city was also described as a cosmopolitan city. The purposes of this year's theme are as follows:

1. Qualitative Growth (more than just an organization). Romans 8:37-39 - 37) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38) For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future nor any powers, 39) neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2. Quantitative Growth (increase of number of believers) 2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

3. Ethnicity Growth (more nationalities and culture to be shared). Revelation 21:27 - Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Pastor Jeff wanted us to participate to these purposes and this theme by doing three simple things: First is "Discipleship and Outreach", we need to share His words to others, encourage everyone to live a life that is according to His will and teachings. Second was what he called as "Going Going Gone", on which we should also help globally and do the work of Lord to other nations. Third is to "Give" as per Malachi 3:10 ("Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty). Lastly is to "Pray", believe and trust His power and be confident to his love.

Last night after my cardio exercises, I met my UL in this coffee stall in AMK Hub. He was patiently waiting for me and was all set to discuss on what he called "a hard topic". Anyway, we started with a prayer before the formal shepherding. We started about by defining what Trinity is. It was described to me as "three in one", meaning God is believed to be made up of three personas, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit with equal level. Once you accepted one of it, you have accepted the three of them, kinda one big package.

In Ephisians 4:30 (And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption), Holy Spirit can be described as a person with feelings, the "grieve" stated above is the sadness or the feeling of being hurt everytime we sin. Holy Spirit also thinks and give us wisdom, don't you feel sometimes experience that some bright ideas just came up in the middle of nowhere? it happened to me a lot of times! Everytime my CL will send out the cg functions and I'm in charge of games, suddenly an overflowing of ideas were being presented to my mind.

Holy Spirit also speaks (Acts 13:2 - While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them"). We should always acknowledge and be aware that HS is also speaking to us in order for us to hear the voice. HS is not speaking of any stories but the voice is gentle that always remind me of who I am and what I should be, specifically to be like Jesus. We should just listen to all the lessons, realizations and the revelations, receiving HS empowers us.

UL also discussed to me the gifts of the Holy Spirit which comprises nine gifts. No one will have all nine gifts in one person as we should need each other and everyone has the job to fulfill in sharing His greatness. Once our leader give us a gift, we must accept and practice it. These gifts are directly discussed in the following verses:
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 - 7) Now to each one of the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8) To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10) to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11) All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

To summarize, the nine gifts are:
1.The Word of Knowledge
2.The Word of Wisdom
3.The Gift of Prophecy
4.The Gift of Faith
5.The Gifts of Healings
6.The Working of Miracles
7.The Discerning of Spirits
8.Different Kinds of Tongues
9.The Interpretation of Tongues

To fully receive and have these gifts, they are being supported by the nine fruit of Holy Spirit (UL used the word fruit to signify that it should be one and also a big package). This fruit were directly discussed in Galatians 5:22.

The fruit consists:
1.Love
2.Joy
3.Peace
4.Longsuffering
5.Kindness
6.Goodness
7.Faithfulness
8.Gentleness
9.Self-control

During the lowest point of my life last year, specifically around July to September, I was at home most of the time and I used it to get closer to Him by reading the bible. On one instance, I was impatiently waiting for a good result and answer that I almost gave up but upon reading this verse, it striked me.

Mark 11:24 - Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

So I continued to pray and claimed that all my prayers will be answered in the right time and that I just need to believe and trust His plans to me. But still after that, there were still those times of doubts and questions on when is the right time? How long should I wait? Should I give up? Are these His plans, to make me suffer? Why is this happening to me? Did I do something wrong? But my trust to Him erased all those uncertainties and I just continued to pray and that time, I looked for more support on the bible as I believe all the answers to our questions can be found in that tiny book.

1 John 5:14-15 - 14) This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15) And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of Him.

Acts 16:31 - They replied, "Believe in the lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household.

Matthew 7:7-8 - 7) Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8) For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to Him who knocks, the door will be opened.

We can see how great He is, He will give everything we desire, just approach Him, just ask and believe that He is always at our side, ready to listen. By believing, it feels so light to wake up every morning knowing that we are loved. Like what I posted before on my Facebook account, "Prayer is the best communication as you know you are loved by the one you are talking to". But there were some moments of questions why we are not blessed or the prayers are taking too long to be answered. The answers are still in the bible and believe me, after reading it, I understood more what my weaknesses are and what are the things I need to consider.

John 16:24 - Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete.

James 1:6 - But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

James 4:3 - 3) When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
The keywords are to ask and believe, don't be discouraged and get frustrated. As my UL discussed to me on our last shepherding, ensure that my prayers are for good intentions and that my motives are clean and will not make any harm to others. Well then, I insist, ask thru prayers, there is always a proper and correct timing to Him... just believe.