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Monday, 1 December 2008 @ 23:26

Real Man Part 3: True Humility

{Real Man Part 3: True Humility}

Matthew 5:5,"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.:
God wants us to have provision and prosperity, but only the meek will receive it! Just because someone is extroverted and full of opinions does not mean he is proud or arrogant, and just because someone is quiet and introverted does not mean he is humble. Unfortunately in the Asian culture that I live in, a "sign" that a person is humble is when he is introverted and gentle.

Numbers 12:3," Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth."

Moses did so many miraculous things, and even led so many Isrealites out of Egypt, but he was not proud, or arrogant. He was very humble! But not in the way that we would define it. Moses knew he was not perfect, but he had humility!

[What is humility?]

Humility is about objectivity, a true, precise realisation of who you are. Your strengths, talents, weaknesses and limits! The problem with people growing up in Asian culture is that we usually undervalue or over-value ourselves! Its like when you do something well, and someone sees it and praises you, you tell the person "Oh no no no, I'm not good, I just started.". We live in a culture that makes us think humility is to deny your strengths(ke qi) and cover up your weaknesses because of this thing called "face"!

Galatians 6:3,"If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself."
On the other hand, proud people are subjective! They feel great among small people and feel small around big people! But because they feel great among small people, they will always hang around small people and will always remain small! These people have a fluctuating/external humility because they are so insecure!

Matthew 26:63-64,"But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ,the Son of God. "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.""

Genuine humility is an acceptance of your strengths and weaknesses! Even Jesus didn't deny that He was the Son of God, but confidently told the high priest who He was! And like Paul, he accepted his weaknesses and didn't cover them up to make himself look good!

Philippians 3:3-7," For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ."

Genuine humility will also allow you to serve!

-What you have (Authority)

-Where you came from (Identity)

-Where you are going (Destiny)

Having a servant's attitude does not mean taking on a servant's mentality! You do not have to "think" like a servant!

Finally, before I end off, here are some verses that tell us just how humble Jesus was!

John 18:3-6," So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?" "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I am he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground."

Friends, there is power in humility. There is power in accepting your strengths and weaknesses. It let's God use you, and it also let's God change those areas of your life that need to be changed.

@ 23:22

Pastor Kong Comes To Heart Of God Church! Day 1, 9 Nov 2008

Day 1

The heart has always been our source of life, a small muscle about the size of your fist that pumps away endlessly. The Bible tells us to guard our hearts, for your heart controls your destiny! If you can master your emotions, will, thoughts, you will be able to manage your life, family, relationships, friends etc. well!

Heart= Soul
The moment we take control of our heart, we have the ability to change our soul!

The heart works on 4 levels

1. Thinking
Proverbs 23:7,"for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost. "Eat and drink," he says to you, but his heart is not with you." Basically what this means is that what a man thinks of himself, he will become!

2. Visions And Dreams

3.Faith
Romans 10:10,"For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

4. Speaking
Romans 10:10.

Masaru Emoto is a Japanese author known for his controversial claim that if human speech or thoughts are directed at distilled water droplets before they are frozen, images of the resulting water crystals will be beautiful or ugly depending upon whether the words or thoughts were positive or negative. Emoto has claimed that this can be achieved through prayer or different types of music like classical or heavy metal. However, these studies have been called "pseudoscience", and supposedly hold no scientific proof.

Although his research may or may not be true, the process of the experiments were most important, because they have truths connected to the Bible! For example, just by saying positive words of encouragement or just thinking positively of someone, you realize that these people actually perform better and are more positive! But, if you direct negative emotions toward them, they don't fare well. Sometimes you just know when someone is directing negative emotion at you.. you can just feel it.

Now, let's bring this back to what we say or think:

Ephesians 3:20,"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,". The Holy Spirit releases his power proportionately! He works to the extent of what we say and what we think! And so this power comes from faith, which comes from hearing the Word of God! Not by power or ambition!

Now, let's look at Einstein's theory of relativity:

E=mc2

Energy = mass of a particle x speed of light squared

Now let's put it into another perspective:

Energy = mass of a particle x speed of light squared

Power=Masses of people x consciousness of prayer

God's power is released corresponding to our actions! Christianity is a very active faith! On the other hand, sheltered, shallow Christianity is a very passive faith. Instead of putting in the effort to pray and so on, these Christians expect to do nothing and get something from God!

And this is what God says in Genesis 1:28,"God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

God wants us to put in our effort! In Genesis, God wanted man to actively fill the earth and subdue the creatures of the earth!

Finally, let's look at the story of Jacob and how he lived a life in a 4-dimensional way:

Genesis 30:32-40,"Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat. They will be my wages. And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored, will be considered stolen.

"Agreed," said Laban. "Let it be as you have said." That same day he removed all the male goats that were streaked or spotted, and all the speckled or spotted female goats (all that had white on them) and all the dark-colored lambs, and he placed them in the care of his sons. Then he put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob, while Jacob continued to tend the rest of Laban's flocks.

Jacob, however, took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond and plane trees and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches. Then he placed the peeled branches in all the watering troughs, so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat and came to drink, they mated in front of the branches. And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted. Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals that belonged to Laban. Thus he made separate flocks for himself and did not put them with Laban's animals. Whenever the stronger females were in heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches, but if the animals were weak, he would not place them there. So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob. In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys."

Jacob had worked for Laban for a very long time and wanted a form of "payment" for his long service, so he asked to take away every speckled and spotted goat as his wage. Even more than that, he actively moved in the 4th dimension of the Holy Spirit, letting the power of imagery and visualisation influence the goats into giving birth to speckled and spotted young!

So let's recap: the heart works on 4 levels and thats how the power of God flows and works through you. They are: thinking, visions and dreams, faith and speaking!

@ 23:20

First CG of 2008- 25 Jan 2008

WALKING IN FAVOUR WITH GOD AND MEN

Luke 2:52, " And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men."

Now, as Chinese New Year is coming up, there is an opportunity to walk in favour with God and Men.

Firstly, to walk in favour with men, we must love them, even if its your irritating aunt who always asks you funny questions like, " Why haven't you grown taller?". Even though such relatives are usually undeserving of your love, why not love them magnanimously anyway? If this is your first Chinese New Year as a Christian, show them how God has changed you, and I'm sure they will be impressed. For example, you can start conversations with them and find out how they are doing. You can also help out around the house if you are having a reunion dinner, and also spend time with your family. People do not care about what you want them to know unless you can show them that you care.

The next method is by sowing. During the festive season, reach out to your younger cousins and be genuinely interested in them. For me however, I have no younger cousins, therefore I don't have that opportunity. But, if you can show that you really care about what happens in their life, then they will really look to you as their role models, and then you can begin to talk about the Word to them, and have a seed sown in their hearts.

Now, on to having favour with God.

Firstly, we must be uncompromising. We want to live an alternative life, a life that is pure and holy, and the festive season does not give you an excuse to do things that should not be done. For example, and I'm sure it always happens during Chinese New Year, people gamble. They play games like mahjong, tai-ti and so on, for the "thrill" of winning money. Gambling encourages greed.

As Christians, we must stand up for our beliefs and avoid all sorts of activities that can lead to sin. We want to please God and serve men, not serve God and please men! Although your relatives might call you a spoilsport for not participating, at least they will respect you for standing up for your beliefs. Also, be wise and explain to them why you can't participate, and never tell them things like," I can't do it because I'm a Christian". That really gives them the wrong impression.

Finally, we can honour God. God has blessed us tremendously, and we want to give back to God! This Chinese New Year, why not take a bold step and commit part of your finances to God?

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, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."

We all know that we can never out give God! He wants us to give and do our tithes because we do not have enough room to contain His blessings!

@ 23:17

Pastor David Shearer Back With A Great Sermon- 14 Jan 2008

Yes! Pastor David Shearer is back with another great sermon.

Obedience is better than sacrifice

1 Samuel 15:22," But Samuel replied: Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams."

Now, in order to obey God, we must first hear Him. In order to hear Him, we have to walk with Him. Obedience is learnt through suffering. Suffering may not happen physically, but the "I" suffers and decreases when we obey God and the "He" increases in us.

The Secret Place of the Most High

Psalm 91:1 ," He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."

Now, this is one of God's great contradictions. Although God is fully clothed in light, we find that he does cover Himself with darkness. But it is this training in the darkness that prepares us for His works in the light. This will ensure that by the time we get to that point, there will be no trace of Life's darkness left in us, and then we can proceed to do His works.

Exodus 20:19-21," They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, ' Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.' Moses said to the people, 'Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you form sinning.' The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was."

Generally, the people of Israel did not want to hear from God because if He spoke to them directly, they would have to put to death a part of their old selves, and there were only 2 choices: to Obey or to Disobey. Instead, if they heard from Moses, they could give the excuse that what Moses was speaking was his opinion and not God's.

It would be in the darkness where God's correction could take place, but the people of Israel would not follow Moses into that darkness.

God's Love

God's love for us is jealous in a good way. His love is so consuming that He will not share us with anything that can compete with His love for us, and our love for Him.

Song of Songs 8:5-7," Who is this coming up from the desert leaning on her lover? Under the apple tree I rouse you; there your mother conceived you, there she who was in labour gave you birth. Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like a blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away...."

Whatever others spend a lot of their time and energies on, that is their "god". Basically, God is a jealous god, and like fire, will burn away anything in your life that is placed above Him, because He loves you, and He does not want you to love anything else more than Him. Others can love devote their time and energies to other things, we cannot, because God simply loves us, and we have been called by Him to do great things.

@ 23:13

The Love Series Part 3 - 6 Jan 2008

Hi everyone! just came back from service. Pastor How really preached a great sermon about love today, and I want to share it with you all.

LOVING UNDESERVEDLY

We don't need a brain to love, who says only intelligent people can love? Wealth is not needed to love, who says only rich people can love?. All that love needs is the heart. However, what people consider love is actually minuscule in the eyes of God. For example, parents love their children, you can love ice cream, and even evil people love something. But it is only when you extend your love to those who don't deserve it that you begin to lift your love to a Godly level.

Today's sermon is about loving undeservedly. There are 2 main points : Mercy and Grace.

Mercy is not getting what we do deserve, like punishment for doing something bad.

Grace is getting what we do not deserve, like not getting punished for doing something bad, and more than that even being forgiven.

We have received God's grace and mercy, and it is now time for us to pass it on to others. For example, you may have met someone in your life who had hurt you and disappointed you, but you show him mercy by not rejoicing when bad things happen to him, or to get him punished for his wrongdoings. And to top it off, you show him grace by blessing him and praying for God to change him for the better!

Sometimes we only tend to love people who benefit us, while at other times, we only love people who love us.

According to Matthew 5: 43-48, " You have heard that it was said, ' Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Therefore, if you only love those who love you, you are no different from a non-Christian, who also knows how to love, but not at a Godly level.

Remember Romans 5:8 ," But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." While we were still sinning and undeserving of God's love, Christ died for us so that we may live.

There are 3 ways that we classify people in love, and they go like this: People deserving of our love, people whom we do not know very well but we still love them as a formality, and people who are totally undeserving of our love and we feel should immediately go to hell. A short example in everyday life would go like this: Christmas is coming, and you decide to buy the ones you really love gifts that cost, lets say $50. Now for those that you don't know very well, you may buy them gifts that cost $5 for the sake of it. And for those you really hate, you might just decide to give them a cockroach.

Now, for the last 2 groups of people, God wants us to extend our love to them! We do not want to be like the tax collectors mentioned in Matthew 5, who love only those who love them, and be no different from non Christians. We want to lift our love to a Godly level! Let us bless those who curse us and pray for those who make use of us and persecute us!

Referring to 2 Samuel 9:1-13, When David became king of Israel, he sought out the remaining people of King Saul's house. He found a servant of Saul's household called Ziba, and asked him if there was still anyone in Saul's house whom he could show God's kindness to. David then found and brought Saul's grandson, Mephibosheth to his palace and actually showed him kindness, by taking care of his needs and even inviting him to eat with him at the king's table.

Applying that to everyday life again, we can begin to increase the value of our gifts to the last 2 classes of people, even if they are undeserving of our love, we will still love them.

So friends, let us today bring our love to a Godly level, that we may be channels for God's kindness, and that we can light up the lives of those who walk in the dark, and show them His love.

@ 23:04

Christian Living. Sharing The Gospel- 13 Dec 2007

Now, today Pastor How preached a great sermon on one of the topics of the Christian Lifestyle. Now, there are many many Christians who genuinely love God and desire to spread the Word, but they have no idea how.

PERSONAL TESTIMONY

OK, the best thing that you can do before you share the Gospel is to share your personal testimony. Well, the story of your conversion is your testimony. According to Revelation 12:11, "And they overcame (satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to death."

Now, as you share your testimony, remember to divide it in to 3 important parts:

1. BEFORE Your life before Christ!

2. CONVERSION How you came to Christ!

3.AFTER Your life after Christ!

BEFORE ( YOUR LIFE BEFORE CHRIST)

For example, Inward needs- Rejection, lonliness, emptiness, bitterness, pride, low self-esteem, an absence of purpose and meaning in life, insecurities and so on.

And not forgetting, Outward Sins- Unmet inward needs caused you to make some bad decisions leading to the outward expression of sin and other problems.

CONVERSION (HOW DID YOU COME TO CHRIST?)

So, when did you first hear and understand the Gospel? What lead you to accept Christ as your LORD and Saviour? And how did you receive Him? These are some questions you can ask yourself and put it in your testimony.

AFTER (YOUR LIFE AFTER CHRIST)

After talking about the conversion process, you then go on to share about how much your life has changed and improved tremendously after accepting Christ. For example, your inward needs are met by Jesus, giving rise to good decisions which allowed you to overcome your bad habits. And ultimately, your character is changed for the better, in terms of attitude and mindset.

AND ALSO, HERE ARE SOME PRACTICAL TIPS WHEN GIVING YOUR TESTIMONY:

Be careful not to offend people. Do try to be sensitive. Secondly, your testimony should be around 3-5 minutes long, as people get bored listening to long stories.

JOHN 3:16
After you've shared your testimony, its a good time to start sharing the Gospel.

1.God created man and wants us to have an abundant (Great) life on earth and an eternal life in Heaven.

We are created by God. The universe, the planets and man are definitely not the products of the big bang.

We are not accidents, not products of evolution.

Its like saying you take a BMW, a Mercedes and a Ferrari and crashing them together to get something better, say , a Rolls Royce?.

The 2nd law of thermodynamics states that " Every system left on its own will always move from a condition of order to disorder."

So if God didn't create us, we would never have actually existed.

Now, we are a 3 part being, made up of the body, soul(heart, mind and will) and spirit.Animals don't have a spirit. We are different from animals, because of our intelligence and our ability to pray. We have a spirit and thats why we can worship God.

2.God wants you to have a relationship with you and I.

Christianity is all about having a relationship with God, and its not a religion. Referring to John 17:3 ,"And this is eternal life, that they may know you , the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

Eternal life is about knowing God and having a relationship with Him.

3.However, we have sinned against Him.

Romans 3:23 ," for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...". We are all born sinners, whether we like it or not. Even children, in all their "innocence", sin. For example, if a child breaks a vase, and his parent asks him if he did it, he will naturally say no to protect himself. No one taught him how to lie, and yet he instinctively knew. Therefore we are all born sinners, because we have the potential to sin.

4.As man has sinned, our relationship with God is broken and we are seperated from Him. As a result, man is now walking towards eternal death. Refer to Romans 6:23.

5. We try to do things to get back to God. So man tries to earn salvation and blessings by good works- charity, donations, being good and helping others.

Ephesians 2:8-9 ," For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Therefore, we cannot be saved by ourselves or our own efforts, and it is not be good works, but by repentance that brings us back to God.

6. Others try to connect back to God through rituals or philosophies.

John 14:6 ,' Jesus said to him, " I am the way the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." '. There is no other way back to God except through Christ.

7. All these good works and philosophies cannot bring us back to God. So God sent His own Son Jesus Christ to save us. He bacame our scapegoat, and died for us on the cross to pay the penalty of our sin.

John 3:16, " For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

8. Now the way to salvation is open and man can be reconnected back to God through a genuine relationship with Him. At this moment, you and I must make a decision whether we want to ask God for forgiveness and believe in Him OR to reject God as your Saviour and LORD.

Now the choice that will affect your eternal destiny is yours.

Well, we are called to be witnesses. After a person has listened to you, but still chooses not to accept God, it is not your fault. The decision is up to that person. You however, have been a good witness. Although you have tried to save a soul but failed, God knows that at least you tried, and you will not be judged for it.

So all you Christians out there, let me challenge you today, why don't you take a step of faith and try reaching out to your friends today?

@ 22:59

Vacation Bible School Day 1. Living and Learning Right by Pastor Lia. 9 Dec 2007

OK! I finally have time and energy to post! Although its Sunday, I feel the need to share this great sermon with everyone. Its been a really hectic week due to VBS. Ha ha. Down to business. Pastor Lia preached a really great sermon on Wednesday that was both practical for both the normal and spiritual life. As you know, in the world that we are living in now, we really need people who can rise up and not only lead people, but impact them and with God's power, touch and change their lives.

However, according to Proverbs 24:10, " If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!" . This basically means that if you faint in times of adversity, be it due to temptation or a moment of weakness, your strength is small. But, referring to James 1: 2-4," Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." This means that leaders must have a strong spirit of faith and perseverance.

Genesis 1:3 - 2:3. Yes, its very long, so I won't type it. But Basically, when God created the universe, He was actually very systematic. He had it all very well planned. And, just like God, we must at least try to be like Him. We must follow these 3 principle. Live.Learn.Lead. To live properly, you must have order in your life. Only then can you develop the hunger for learning. And finally, you will then be able to lead effectively and move people!

1 Timothy 3: 1-8. Again its very long so I shall not type it out. But basically it says that if you cannot live an orderly life, you cannot develop the hunger for learning. And if you don't have hunger, you cannot learn and understand, and hence you will be unable to lead. In essence, if you cannot put the basic things in your life right, you cannot learn and you definitely won't be capable of leading!

Mediocre person with average gifting + disciplined and orderly life = Brilliant and successful person

Brilliant person + undisciplined and disorganized life = mediocre person

So what is success? It is the progressive realization of a predetermined (planned) goal.

It requires effort and discipline to really be organized. Discipline basically means to have self control. Only those who are disciplined will realize their dreams. Being organized also requires 2 things: Planning and time management. Proverbs 16:9," In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." God will direct your steps only after you have planned what you want to do. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!

SO WHY DON'T PEOPLE PLAN OR SET GOALS?

1. Ignorance.
Hosea 4:6," my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." When people do not read widely enough, they do not have information which may be crucial to their success. But because they are oblivious to their surroundings, they don't plan and hence they are not successful.

2. Laziness.
Proverbs 13:4 ," The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied."

3. Resignation.
Some people are resigned to their "fate". They have been so hurt and disappointed by society and those around them that they no longer dare to set high expectations least they are disappointed again. Their way of thinking then causes them to lose their motivation to do well in life. However, who knows that people of faith do not walk in resignation?

4. Presumption.
Some others think that things left on their own will naturally get better and better by themselves. Now that is a wrong mindset. Luke 14:28-30 generally gives an example of how planning is important even in doing simple things like building a tower, where the cost of building has to be calculated, as well as other factors.

SO HOW DO WE SET GOALS?

Yes. So how do we set goals? Through something called SMART!

Firstly, we have to be Specific. We have to list everything that we want to do down. Next, the goals must be Measurable. After that, you must have an Action plan! How are you going to achieve these goals? Then, you must be Realistic. You must definitely have faith in God but must also keep your feet on the ground. Down to earth yea? Finally, you must be Time conscious. Pressure from limited time usually brings out the best in people. This is because the highest level of productivity is during that time. For example, when you study for your exams, you absorb as much information in one week as you do in one month.

Christians, however, must be SMART-ER! E stands for expectation management. We must learn to be flexible and change our expectations once every few weeks, as circumstances are always changing. And R is for Revelations! Yes, you do plan and let God guide you. But ultimately it is God who makes the final decision and gives you revelations to direct your path!

THE VALUE OF TIME

Exodus 18:13-23. Again, it is too long for me to type. But generally it speaks of Moses serving as judge for the people. However, Moses would be doing the same thing all day long, helping people with their problems, be it big or small. When Moses' father-in-law saw this, he told Moses that what he was doing was very inefficient, and that he should choose capable men who are holy and fear God to help him with the small matters, so that he could concentrate on the larger matters that God had for him.

We therefore need to know the importance of time management, and classify our tasks according to their importance and urgency.

High Importance, High Urgency (HI/HU)- Things which have a deadline and need to be done quickly.

High Importance, Low Urgency (HI/LU)- Such things are commonly ignored because they have no deadline, but they are important and must be completed.It is important for you to work such tasks into your daily schedule. For example, personal hygiene.

Low Importance, High Urgency (LI/HU)- Although the tasks are not very important, they do have a deadline, so get it done quickly. For example, buying a present for someone's birthday.

Low Importance, Low Urgency (LI/LU)- Leave such tasks until you have the time to do them.

SO HOW DO I ORGANIZE MY LIFE?

1. Set priorities and mark upcoming events on your calender.

2. Allow time for the unexpected.

3. Organize your work space.

4. Work according to your temperment. ( Since you know yourself best, work when you feel best during the day or the night)

5. Use waiting, busing or in-between time for light work and growth. For example, plan your day's schedule while waiting for the bus.

6. Develop systems that work for you, be it a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

HOW DO YOU TELL WHEN A PERSON IS ORGANISED?

1. Appointments and deadlines are all met, and meetings are fruitful.

2. Personal grooming is tip-top and you become aware of an increase in your self-esteem.

3. I invest my energies in productive tasks.

4. I tend to feel good about my work and I am motivated to give my best all the time.

5. I enjoy intimacy with God.

6. The quality of my relationships reveal orderliness in my life.

7. I love myself, my life and everyone around me, and God.

So friends, if you feel that you are living a disorganised life, you can change it. Start planning your life out and soon you will begin to see that life will flip 180 degrees and become great!

@ 22:57

Wisdom Of The Locust- 3 Dec 2007

Proverbs 30:27 ," Locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks;" That was the day's sermon. The wisdom of the locust.

Locusts, do not tend to congregate by instinct. Rather, they learn to come together in swarms. Locusts usually live solitary lives and remain in a solitarious form, and they even go out of their way to be alone. If nothing happens, they will remain this way all their lives. However, there is a more sinister alter ego to their seemingly "docile" nature, called the gregarious form. In this form, the locusts become more aggressive and start to congregate in swarms.

But what causes this drastic transformation? Water. Rain causes vegetation growth and allows the female to lay eggs in the sandy soil. The new vegetation provides food and shelter as the nymphs develop into winged adults. The vegetation is distributed in such a way that the young locusts have to congregate to feed, and the close physical contact causes the insects' hind legs to bump up against one another. This causes changes in their behaviour and bodies, transforming them into the aggressive gregarious form that many know to destroy crops.

Locusts are like an army, and just like them, so we must be, to work together as a church and impact lives in all levels of society. Individual Christians who think that they do not need to go to church and work alone are weak! Only be coming together and moving as one can they actually do something.

Also, Locusts are always hungry! And just like the locusts, we Christians must also be hungry for God! If you are not hungry for Him, or if your fire has died down somewhat, hang out with people who are. Like the locusts that congregate together in swarms to feed, we must also come together as a church and "feed" on spiritual food, which is the Word Of God!

Lastly, locusts cannot fly as their wings are too stiff and straight. The locust's strength is not in its wings, but its legs! Even if they can't get to their food fast enough, they are resilient and determined enough to jump their way to feed. Just like the locust, so we must be, with a spirit of determination and resilience to seek Him. And even if we don't fly, we can jump!

Also, the locusts have the quality of patience and "faith". Swarms of locusts actually rely on the wind to get to their food. At first, there is no wind. They wait, and wait, and wait. Finally, a small breeze, and it gets bigger and bigger until finally, the wind becomes a string gale, and the locusts will take a leap of faith and jump! Then, they spread their wings and catch the wind, and they glide far.

We must learn the locust's quality of patience, and wait for the right time to jump. Then, when the wind of the Holy Spirit blows, we take a leap of faith and jump, and we will soar!

Locusts cannot navigate and change direction due to their wing structure. However, they go wherever the wind takes them. This is an example of faith, because the locusts know not where they will end up. For example, locust swarms can be carried by the wind all the way across the Atlantic Ocean to Central America.

And So, we must all develop the quality of patience, and take our leaps of faith at the right time. With that, I end off with this verse. John 3:8 ," The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

And so, the prophetic message for the locust is : Propel

@ 22:55

Zone D Camp- 28 Nov 2007

Now, on to the sermon. Dominic was preaching last night, and the sermon was really impacting. Dominic talked about holiness. Now holiness is not what many people see Christians as, immediately gained after being saved. No. Holiness must be pursued. Being a Christian does not mean that one is holy.

Psalm 29:2 ," Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness". This verse says that holiness is beautiful! A genuinely holy person is tremendously beautiful and attractive on the inside. However, many people often view others only on the outside. Although some people are beautiful on the outside, once they open their mouths, they show how dirty they are inside. And so this phrase stands true: " Some are good from far, but far from good".

Righteousness vs. Holiness

The moment you are saved, you are not made holy, but righteous. When we become Christians, we have a right to stand before God, and we have the right to be a child of God. Righteousness is similar to giving your sins to God, while holiness is to give your life to God. Now let's look at this guy called Lot. Lot was a righteous man, but he was not holy.

Genesis 13:5-11, ' Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. And quarreling arose between Abram's herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time. So Abram said to Lot," Let's not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers. Is not the whole land before you? Let's part company. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go to the left." Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of Jordan and set out toward the East. The two men parted company: '

Lot knew that Jordan at that time was full of sin, and many people sinned heavily against God. Others can choose to go to Jordan, but Lot cannot! Lot was meant for a life of greatness!

However, Lot chose to go to Jordan and so, missed the great destiny that God had prepared for him.Therefore, we must not be like Lot!

We must not be like Lot, who missed out the great destiny that God had for him, because we are meant for greatness! And while other people can choose to sin and turn away from their destiny, WE CANNOT!

And yes, in this day and age, it is hard to remain strong with so much sin everywhere. Therefore we must be like Daniel. In chapter 7 of the book of Daniel, even after a decree was given to throw anyone who prayed to any other God other than King Darius himself in to the lions' den, Daniel still remained strong and faithful and even boldly prayed and worshipped God three times a day! Although he was thrown in to the Lions' den, God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions and he emerged the next day unharmed! In times of tribulation, if we remain faithful to God, God will remain faithful to us!

@ 22:53

Wisdom Of The Rock Badger- 26 Nov 2007

Genesis 1:20-25, ' And God said, " Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind, And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." And there was evening, and there was morning- the fifth day. And God said, " Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its own kind. And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. '

Now, why would God create insignificant , ugly and tiny insects? Although it seems that they have no purpose to exist, God actually preaches to us through his creations. He is so great that He can even use insects to preach to us! Proverbs 30:24 ," Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer." This verse shows us the wisdom of the ant, which can be described using one word "preparedness". However, today I will be posting about the wisdom od the rock badger.

God created the Cheetah to have an aerodynamic skull, oversized lungs and large nasal passages to take in more oxygen, and be able to go from 0 to 100km/h in 2 seconds. A truly magnificant creature of speed. However, God chooses not to preach to us using such magnificant creatures, but rather, through small and insignificant animals and insects to show us that no matter how small and insignificant we are, we can be exceedingly wise and powerful if we allow Him to use us.

God is not impressed by great things because He alone is great. God shows us His power and glory by being able to use small things to doing great things!

Ordinary people + Extraordinary God = Extraordinary Things

You can be little but wise, tiny but powerful! God does not look at external might, but rather internal might!

Now, the rock badger is feeble, slow and is not able to burrow underground, which makes it easy prey for predators like eagles, but it makes its home in the crags, or rocks, and thus it is protected. Similarly, God is our rock, and we are the rock badgers!

2 Samuel 22:2-3 ,"...The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, "

The rock badger knows that its strength lies in the rocks, and hides in it. Just like the rock badger, so we must be. It knows that it is weak and so hides in an environment which protects it. Just like the rock badger, a wise person knows that he is weak, but can trust in someone who is stronger than him, and that is God.

But, the church is also like a rock. It protects us from the devil. Rock badgers that venture too far from their rocks are easily picked off by eagles. Similarly, weak Christians are easily picked off by the devil once they leave their "rocks" and backslide. That's why it is critical for new Christians to come to church weekly to grow in the spirit and allow God to guard their hearts and minds. Rock badgers also live in communities, and just like them, the church is our community, and we stay together for strength and warmth.

And the prophetic message for the rock badger is : Positioning . We, like the rock badger, must learn to position ourselves in the church and God, so that we may be protected from evil that lurks just outside.

@ 22:51

The High Call Of God- 24 Nov 2007

Hello. Just got back from church. Today, Pastor How gave a very powerful sermon that I'm sure spoke to many people who attended the Getting Started with God session, and I am going to share it with you.

We are saved by grace through faith. Grace is God's unmerited and undeserved favour, while faith is man's belief in God. We are therefore saved by God's unconditional gift of salvation and our belief in him, and remaining committed to His will. Salvation is a gift of God and we are not saved by good works, or doing good. According to Titus 3:5, " ... not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit...".

In other words, we are NOT saved by doing good works and earning God's favour. On the contrary, it is because we are saved, and we experience God's love, that we want to share it with others by doing good works. Also, the laws of God are not for us to obey, but to show us how sinful we are, because no matter how much we try, we cannot be sinless, and hence we need a saviour and that is Jesus.

After getting saved, the first question that many Christians ask themselves is " Where do I go from here? ". Yes, the Christian life is not simply about going to church, listening to pastors preaching and just reading the Bible for the next 60 years on this planet. Rather, it is about growing in the spirit, getting closer to God, and doing the good works that God has prepared beforehand.

There is a PRIZE at the end of our Christian race. Referring to Philippians 3:12-14, "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working towards that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven."

So what is this prize of the high call of God that Paul is relentlessly pursuing? Its is beyond salvation: an eternal life in God, perfection and treasures in heaven. The meaning of perfect in this case is to be complete and mature in moral character.

Referring to 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." We live a life of tribulations, temptations and tests to build patience. Patience builds character and holiness, and makes us more mature spiritually and hence more complete.

We are saved by grace through faith, but we are rewarded according to our works. The treasure in heaven are the eternal rewards of the kingdom of God. According to James 1:12, " Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him."

THE WAY OF THE CROSS

God's plan for mankind was to pursue the high call. However, this journey was cut short by man's fall and sin. Jesus, by dying on the cross, redeemed man back to the place where he fell, a sort of back to the starting point. Jesus's work did not bring man straight to heaven nor did it produce instant spiritual maturity. Once saved and redeemed, man must walk the way of the cross by obeying God and changing his or her character for the better. Therefore, eternal life is not the end of the journey, it is only the beginning. Salvation only brings us back to the starting point of the race, where we begin to walk in the way of the cross.

Referring to Ephesians 2:8-10, " For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

To conclude, God wants His children to grow, to become 'perfect' and mature, in essence, more Christ-like. Our goal is to pursue the prize of the high call of God, which is spiritual maturity and being complete in character, and the treasure in heaven, rewards given according to our works by doing God's will.

@ 22:43

Getting Started With God- 10 Nov 2007

GOD'S PLAN FOR SALVATION

The character of God

1. God is HOLY.
According to Revelations 15:4, " Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you." Now the devil, however, wants you to think that God is not holy. He will come up with lies to deceive you, for example, he may tell you that God is 98% holy and is 2% selfish. He wants to SOW THE SEEDS OF DOUBT in us about the character of God. Also, although we are not God, we can learn to BE LIKE HIM. Referring to 1 Peter 1:15-16, " But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written , ' Be holy, for I am holy. '

2. God is JUST.
Now God is a God of justice. Fairness = equality, and if God is fair, then he would be something of a communist. For example, if someone commits murder, then everyone else must also be punished, even though only that one person did it. At this rate, all 6 billion of us will be wiped off the face of the Earth. That is why the saying that "God is not fair" is true. God is not a fair god, but a Just god. God will judge people based on their individual needs and metes out justice based on a person's character and background.

3. God is LOVE.
According to John 3: 16," For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish bur have EVERLASTING LIFE." God loves us even though we are sinners! He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for all of mankind, so that our sins will be forgiven.

4. God is MERCIFUL.
Referring to Lamentations 3: 22-23, " Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. His Mercies Are New Every Morning; Great Is His Faithfulness." This means that even after we get saved, we can't avoid sinning because we are all human. It is human nature to sin, and therefore we must live a life of repentence. If we confess and repent, God will forgive us.

THE CONDITION OF MAN'S HEART

1. Our hearts are deceitful above all things.

2. Our hearts are desperately wicked.

According to Mark 7: 21-22, " For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness." Man has the potential to do them all- when provoked or pressured under certain circumstances. As such, God is very clear about one thing, that man has sinned! That is why even people who do good, but are non-believers, go to hell when they die, because the potential to sin is there.

SIN AND IT'S CONSEQUENCES

Sin is an inward spiritual attitude of rebellion towards God, which is expressed in outward acts of disobedience.

There are 2 types of sin, the first being :

The sin of commission = The bad things we commit , and the second being:

The sin of ommission = The good things that we fail to do.

Therefore, sin does not only mean the bad things that we do, but also the good things that we fail to do.

Referring to 1 John 1:8-10, " If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us... if we say that we have not sinned, we make him a LIAR, and his word is not in us." and James 1:15, " Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death."

The penalty of sinning, is therefore DEATH.

There are 3 kinds of death a sinner faces:

1. Spiritual death, or an inward seperation from God.

2. Physical death, or outward sicknesses and eventual death.

3. Eternal death., or banishment from God's presence forever. The third death is for all unrepentant sinners.

When sinners face eternal death, they are cast into the lake of fire, more commonly known as HELL. Referring to Revelation 20: 12,15 , " And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. ... ... This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast in to the lake of fire."

Who is specifically cast into the lake of fire?

Revelations 21:8, " But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

GOD HAS A PLAN OF SALVATION FOR ALL MAN : JESUS CHRIST

According to John 3: 16," For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish bur have EVERLASTING LIFE." and Romans 5:8 ,"But God demonstrates his own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ dies for us."

God sent His only son, Jesus, to become mankind's greatest scapegoat, to die on our behalf on the cross, so that we can have eternal life, and not death. In this way, God is holy and just. He judges sin and metes out punishment. At the same time, He is loving and merciful. He paid for our punishment with His own Son, so that we can be forgiven, loved and blessed.

SO HOW CAN WE BE SAVED?

1. Repent

1 John 1:9, " If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

2.Believe

Romans 10:9-10, " that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteoueness, and with mouth confession is made unto salvation."

3. Confess

Boldly confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord and God.

@ 22:37

Taming the Tongue Part 2- 26 Oct 2007

Now, on to Pastor How's sermon last Sunday. He did a recap on taming the tongue part one, and also went deeper into why we should tame the tongue. Pastor talked about the seven diseases of the tongue.

1.Excessive talking.
I know many of you out there can relate to that. At some point of your life, you must have met someone , or mabye its even you, who just cannot stop talking. Referring to proverbs 18:21, "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Also, from Proverbs 10:19, " When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise."

This basically means that many a time, by talking excessively, you tend to say more bad things than good, and as the tongue has the power of life and death, you may put down those around you rather than pull them up. He who holds his tongue is wise, and that is very true. For if you do not know something for example, and remain silent while others talk, you may be taken for a very observant person and a good listener.

2.Idle or careless speaking of words.
According to Matthew 12:36-37, " But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgement for every careless word that they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. " This basically means that we should really think before we speak, because once we speak something undesirable, the damage cannot be undone, and there is no such thing as "I didn't mean it!" , because if you didn't mean it, you would not have said it. So remember this : If you have nothing good to say, DON'T SAY IT!

3.Gossip.
Yes, we just love this one don't we? Juicy news, scandals, the paparazzi( They seem to be rather heartless and without conscience, mindlessly chasing people around like zombies, they just won't leave others alone), and mabye even people you know. According to the bible, the devil is referred to as satan, in a way the accuser of brethren. Referring to Proverbs 20:19, "A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much."

What the verse is trying to say here is that you cannot put confidence or trust in someone who gossips, because a secret will never remain a secret. Most gossipers like do what they do because they feel insecure and want attention, even if its for a few minutes, and it makes them the "centre of the universe". By gossiping, those people are actually letting the evil of satan manifest in them, and they are helping to do the work of the devil. Just imagine, with gossipers around, the devil can just take a vacation and just fly off to hawaii, because his job is already done for him, and that is to spread lies about others and cause chaos.By the way, the devil does not live in hell, contrary to popular belief, he roams the world, waiting to devour people.

4.Lying.
Yes, this is the crowd winner! We have all lied in our lives, whether its to get out of trouble or just for the fun of it. According to Proverbs 6:16-19, " There are six things the LORD hates , seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue,hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush to evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers."

Out of those 7, 3 of them involve the tongue! Relationships are based on trust. no trust = no relationship.Simple as that. Lying breaks trust. For example, you did something serious and you lied to me to cover it up. Then I find out the truth, but then I think to myself, " How am I supposed to trust this guy in the future? And has everything he said in the past been a lie as well?" So you see, lying breaks trust and if you lie to cover up for a mistake, you sin, and this will lead to more sinning as your lies get bigger and bigger. So, we must remember to always have integrity and speak the truth!

5.Sowing discord.
God hates manipulative people who cook up wicked schemes in their hearts and breaks the bonds of trust between people.

6.Flattery.
According to Proverbs 26:28, " A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin." This means that flattery is a bad thing( obviously), because it is false encouragement, and more often than not, you hurt the person more than you're trying to help. Sometimes, flattery has an ulterior motive. Flattery is giving to get something in return. For example, you flatter someone by saying nice things to him or her because you need a favour. Don't continue with it!!

7.Hastiness of speech.
This verse says it all. Proverbs 29:20, "Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him."

@ 22:31

Taming the Tongue Part 1- 15 Oct 2007

Pastor How's service last sunday was powerful and impactful. Firstly, he talked about effective prayers. In order for a prayer to be effective, we must do 4 things. Firstly, PRAY SPECIFICALLY. Secondly, YOU MUST HAVE A STRONG DESIRE IN WHAT YOU ARE PRAYING FOR. Thirdly, YOU MUST HAVE FAITH! With reference to Hebrews 11:1 :Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. It is a substance, something that can be felt, even though it may not be seen.

To have effective prayers, we need to have faith in God, and to achieve breakthroughs in faith, let us refer to Philippians 4:6-7,"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanks giving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. "

Pastor How then further explained that even though we pray repeatedly, we must be able to feel a peace and an understanding that your request will be fulfilled, only then should we stop praying. Referring to Mark 11:24 : Therefore I tell you,whatever you ask for in prayer, believed that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Pastor How then went on to talk about the last and most important step. That is to MIND YOUR LANGUAGE! Just what does he mean by that you might ask? According to Proverbs 18: 21,"The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit."

That means that the tongue has the power to speak life and death to people. For example, it can be used to praise or say positive things about the people around you, or it can be used by the devil to hurt those around you through vulgarties and gossiping. As christians, we should speak the words of LIFE as much as possible, and not death.

I know its hard, especially in Singapore, where our culture is mostly a dead one. For example, "Aiya, i didn't study for my exams! DIE LA! I forgot to bring my calculator for my A.math test! DIE LA! SIAN LA! DIE LA! SIAN LA!" Our culture is mostly made up of the words DIE and SIAN, therefore we must try hard to speak life. Referring to Proverbs 13:3," He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin." This means that if we don't have anything positive to say, then don't say it!

Everyday, we are surrounded by our friends. Some good, some bad. Some say good things, others don't. But how do we tell the good from the bad? Simple. According to Proverbs 15: 4," The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit."

For example, when you are down or depressed, you should turn to a friend who can comfort you and share your burden, not one who rubs salt in your wounds and goes around telling everyone how pathetic you are right now.

Therefore we must learn to tame the tongue. Referring to James 3: 5-8," Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue is also a fire, a world of evil among the parts of a body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals,birds,reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but NO MAN CAN TAME THE TONGUE. IT IS A RESTLESS EVIL, FULL OF DEADLY POISON."

Finally, Pastor How told us how we can counter death with life. For example, if someone were to say," Oh! you look absolutely ugly today, and i feel like a bean pole next to you!" You can tell the person this," Its alright. What matters is that you're beautiful and that you look good being thin. I just eat well, thats all." Then everyone around you will know who the real bad person is. Or, by speaking life, God will break the other party's spirit and will to say bad things about you. Therefore God, I hope that you will bless us to speak life all the time, and put a stop to the words of death. Amen.

@ 22:28

Service with Pastor Joakim Lundqvist- 23 Sep 2007

The Right One

Finding your way in the jungle of life.When is the right time to get into a relationship? When is the right time to get married? And if you are already in a relationship, how do you keep yourself pure and chaste until you are married? The bible says that sex is reserved for the married, and while you are single, what can you do to keep your mind off temptations?

[ Three crucial things you can do while you are single]

1. Get to know God

Exodus 20: 2-3

Read your bible and spend time with HIM!

2. Develop yourself

Firstly, get to know who you are: your interests, hobbies, friends, what you want in life and so on. Next, you must build up your character. Spend your time wisely with good people or do meaningful things, because this will shape your character. Remember, your friends and enemies define you! Finally, stay BUSY! Many people get into early relationships, and most of them end up having premarital sex before they even get married. IF you keep yourself busy by serving God, this will help you to remain chaste until you are ready.

2 Samuel 11: 1-2

3. Find the main road

How do we find the main road? Just follow step 2 and stay busy! Only then can you find your true calling in life and develop your talents.

Next is the part for those who are ready to go into a relationship.

[ Things to do here and now, to prepare for a great relationship ]

1. Get rid of pressure,especially peer pressure. In this weird world we live in, the culture is such that most people be the age of 15 will have at least a girlfriend or boyfriend, but we must do our best to remain pure and holy and only go into a relationship when you are ready.

2. Let go of disappointments. If you had been in a relationship, and was hurt in the process, for get it all. Forget the pain and move on with life. Because dwelling on such hurtful memories may cause you to be self-destructive. For example, if you've been hurt in a relationship, and when you do find a good partner, the chances are that you would exact your revenge on him or her. And that's being unfair to the other person because he or she has never done anything to hurt you.

3. Delete the word "Unfaithfulness" . For those who are married or in a very serious relationship, remain truthful and trust each other wholeheartedly, and remain faithful.

4. Decide not to marry a non- christian! It is often much easier to interact and connect with people of the same goals and passions as you. And since you are a christian (generally) , you might as well find someone whohas the same interests and goals as you!

5. Finally, make a vow of sexual purity. We must live a life of holiness and purity as the devil is lurking in every facet of society, waiting for a chance to attack you in the form of unpure and sinful sexual practices as well as people. Therefore God, i pray that you will bless this generation to be pure and holy because in this dark era, we need you more than ever to keep us chaste and on fire for you.Amen.

@ 22:26

Yo all!

Nic here. Yea, here's the new D5 blog, and well, I'll be around to update things once in a while. For now, enjoy most of the sermons that I have been archiving for the past few months!