Showing posts with label Thoughts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thoughts. Show all posts
by Rick Warren
God formed every creature on this planet with a special area of expertise. Some animals run, some hop, some swim, some burrow, and some fly. Each has a particular role to play based on the way they were shaped by God. The same is true with humans. Each of us is uniquely designed, or "shaped," to do certain things.
Before architects design any new building they first ask, "What will be its purpose? How will it be used?" The intended function always determines the form of the building.
Before God created you, he decided what role he wanted you to play on earth. He planned exactly how he wanted you to serve him, and then he shaped you for those tasks. You are the way you are because you were made for a specific ministry.
The Bible says, "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works" (Ephesians 2:10 NIV). Our English word "poem" comes from this Greek word translated "workmanship." You're God's handcrafted work of art. You're not an assembly-line product, mass-produced without thought. You're a custom designed, one-of-a-kind, original masterpiece.
God deliberately shaped and formed you to serve him in a way that makes your ministry unique. He carefully mixed the DNA recipe that created you. David praised God for this incredible personal attention to detail God gave in designing each of us: "You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous" (Psalm 139:13-14 NLT).
Not only did God shape you before your birth, he planned every day of your life to support his shaping process. David continues, "Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed" (Psalm 139:16 NLT).
This means nothing that happens in your life is insignificant. God uses all of it to mold you for your ministry to others and shape you for your service to him.
God never wastes anything. He would not give you abilities, interests, talents, gifts, personality, and life experiences unless he intended to use them for his glory. By identifying and understanding these factors you can discover God's will for your life.
The Bible says you are "wonderfully complex." You're a combination of many different factors: "The people I have shaped for myself will broadcast my praises" (Isaiah 43:21 NJB).
(I was reading this devotional today and it really spoke into my heart. It is so powerful to read the word of God in a simple devotional. We are "God's workmanship", His 'handcrafted work of art', a 'custom designed, one-of-a-kind, original masterpiece'.
How awesome is that?
He shaped each of us for a wonderful and specific purpose - each of abilities, experiences, idiosyncrasies can be used for His glory when committed to Him.
The pain that we go through is not wasted. The joys of our victory in Him are not short-lived but are sustained because they are true victories in Jesus that we can testify of forever.
Hope you've been blessed - have a great week ahead! =)
I read this and found it very relevant to me! I hardly have enough sleep most days and I eat so much unhealthy food during mamak. Just something interesting to read and think about. Enjoy!
Your Love Prescription: Take Care of Your Body!
by Rick Warren
In our Devotionals series, Pastor Rick Warren discusses the Bible passages that inspire him the most. Today's Devotional is based on this passage:
"You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands" (Psalm 119:73 NLT).
Many of us are just too tired to love. We want to build deep relationships with those we care about, like family and friends. We want to love people in our community who are hurting. But we're just too tired. You can't love when you're tired.
What happens to your relationships when you're out of energy? Little issues become big problems and love withers. It takes physical energy to listen to people and put their needs first. I'm convinced that many married couples could avoid spending time with a divorce lawyer if they spent a little more time with a mattress salesman or a personal trainer.
The Bible mentions three habits that will refresh you physically and give you the strength to love others.
1. Get regular rest. "It is senseless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, fearing you will starve to death; for God wants his loved ones to get their proper rest" (Psalm 127:2 LB). Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap. Too tired to love your spouse and kids? Your problem isn't spiritual, it's physical. Get some sleep!
2. Eat a balanced diet. "You made my body, Lord; now give me sense to heed your laws" (Psalm 119:73 LB). God made your body to use a certain combination of foods as its energy source. Eating right will help give you the energy you need to love more faithfully.
3. Exercise regularly. "...Honor the Lord with your body" (1 Corinthians 6:20 NIV). Our bodies were made for activity. In biblical times they didn't have to exercise. People walked everywhere. They did physical work. But we have a sedentary life and drive everywhere we go. We need to exercise regularly.
I was just remembering the roots of our cell group today. From Section 19, to SS2, to Seapark, to Ara Jaya and now to Taman Tun. Over 10 years, three multiplications and two restructurings later, we have progressed to the place that we are today.
God's grace and faithfulness have continued to be so evident in and through all the lives of the cell members, and it's so encouraging for me to look back and see His mighty right hand at work the whole time.
After so many years of being involved, I don't feel burnt out or tired in cell (although there are seasons that I have before); I'm as excited or even more excited of what the future holds than when I started out.
I have a feeling that this is going to be a great year with God!
(This is our 'manual' superman pose =P)
by Os Hillman
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." - Colossians 3:23-24
"I didn't know you were in full-time Christian work," said my close friend as we were driving. "I didn't realize that," she went on. I responded, "Every person who has followed the will of God in their life is in full-time Christian work." God calls some to the mission field, others to be accountants, and others to be advertising executives, and still others to be construction workers. God never made a distinction between sacred and secular. In fact, the Hebrew word avodah is the root word having the same meaning of "work" and "worship." God sees our work as worship.
We have incorrectly elevated the role of the Christian worker to be more holy and committed than the person who is serving in a more secular environment. Yet the call to the secular workplace is as important as any other calling. God has to have His people in every sphere of life. Otherwise, many would never come to know Him because they would be separated from society.
I learned this lesson personally when I sought to go into "full-time" service as a pastor in my late twenties, only to have God thrust me back into the business world unwillingly. This turned out to be the best thing He could have done for me, because it was never His will for me to be a pastor. He knew I was more suited for the workplace.
We are all in missions. Some are called to foreign lands. Some are called to the jungles of the workplace. Wherever you are called, serve the Lord in that place. Let Him demonstrate His power through your life so that others might experience Him through you today and see your vocation as worship to His glory.
(I found this article simple and yet very relevant to each of us. Hope you enjoyed the read! =)
(Some more nostalgic cell pics...we really have to take more new pictures!)
This thought came to mind this afternoon: Today is the first day for the rest of your life. I just felt that something new is happening in our cell, in the members' lives, and that this year is going to be quite an amazing one with God. Challenging, yes. But filled with purpose and progress. =)
I've been checking the blog stats and noticed that for the last two days, hardly anyone came to visit. That's probably the result of me blogging on the cell blog so irregularly nowadays. I'm committing to changing that and I will provide updates, thoughts, testimonies and anything else appropriate at least once a week. Anyone who wants to write here, please do inform me and I will put you on the author's list (but you will need a google or blogger account set up I think, if you don't have one already).
How has your prayer and fasting gone this week? I have a confession to make. I've never kept to my fasting commitments for an extended period of time until this week. Since Sunday, I had fasted lunch and after almost a week, I am seeing changes happen in my spiritual walk...things that I did not anticipate and even things that I did not really want to happen.
I just want to share a bit. Every night, when I try to sleep, I've been feeling such a burden to pray and I've been praying for all of you by name and for your situations, many times crying (So manly, right?). But I'm sensing a change in the spiritul atmosphere and in my faith level, and I strongly feel that there will be a breakthrough in many of our lives as a result of this month's focus. Please join me even as we fast and pray for God's hand, breakthrough and presence to pour out on our lives and those around us in March.
Tonight, we're officially moving our cell venue to Sarah's house. I keep saying this but we're really so blessed to have her mom open up the house to us. It is such a great place to have cell and to achieve our cell's purpose. I'm believing God for spiritual growth and maturity this year. I'm believing God that our cell will grow and reach out to more people. And I'm believing God for multiplication this year for our cell. Time to rise up and take our position in the kingdom of God.
Finally, the emphasis this month is on being positioned for service. The verse given is from Ephesians 4:11-12: "It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be build up." To each person, God has provided giftings, and I challenge each of us to try to find those giftings and begin activating them to bless and honour Him.
See you all tonight! I'm excited about cell because we're having some of the transitioning college cell members joining us from today. I hope Aunty cooks...Hahaha! So very hungry already...
that I can't make it for cell today.
I was so excited over this week's cell especially because we have so many new faces joining us.
Haha, I wonder if I can ponteng the seminar at church to go for cell...maybe I'll sneak out early. =P
Well, tonight's going to be an important time of learning about the TCC cell model while you all have fun at cell! I'll make sure to keep you all updated on how we will be transitioning to the new model (not Cindy Crawford).
Have an awesome time at cell everyone!
(By the way, that's our assistant cell leader in the picture...=)
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
Isaiah 43:19a
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28
Even as each of us enters into the new year, realise that God is doing something new. Something new in Church, in cell and in each of our lives.
Where there used to be only desert land and wasteland, there will be streams and pathways. He will form an oasis in the middle of a parched desert and life will spring forth from it.
There are three questions that are essential to build on:
1. What new thing is God doing? (In Church, cell and your life)
2. Do you want to be involved in what God is doing?
3. If you want to be involved, to what extent (how much) do you want to get involved?
Answering these three questions will provide a starting indication of God's will for you in this season (if you're curious about what it is =). As you evaluate them, do so knowing with complete assurance that God's master plan works for the good of those who love Him.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".
Jeremiah 29:11
Hi all,
Tomorrow is our first cell of 2009 and I thought I’d write a post to communicate the vision for this year in Church as shared by Pastor Vincent last weekend.
Last year was the Year of Empowerment and this year is the Year of Positioning!
The verse that we’ll be referring to as a basis is from Ephesians 4:16:
“From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
The main message is that every person in the body of Christ has an important purpose and part to play. Each of us are very different as individuals but have a perfect fit in the body, that has been set aside for us by God. When one part of the body hurts, the rest of the body suffers along.
In 1 Corinthians 12:18, the verse states that, “God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be”.
I’m excited for this year. We’ve shared so many experiences together as a cell; within cell meetings playing ice breakers, worshipping together and discussing the relevance of the Word in our daily lives, as well as outside cell meetings with boardgames, sports, countless mamak sessions and dinners.
We went through multiplication into two cells and several harvest events, including the recent LIITA event which was the largest harvest event we’ve ever tried to handle (Yen’s side had 41 people and our side had 39 people attending). Two cell members had their first baby son, Marcus. We supported each other through job changes, migration plans, family and financial situations, mean bosses and tyre punctures.
2008 was an awesome year. It wasn’t easy by any means with many challenges and rough times but I’ve seen many individuals grow and develop even as they learn to trust God through their trials. It was a year of transition and the power of God was demonstrated in our lives many times even as He remained faithful.
I’m believing God for a greater 2009, where each cell member is going to find their place in the body of Christ, understand the purpose for which God has prepared for them, and be positioned there effectively. It will be a year of growth and and a year of release.
I’m constantly grateful for all of you and the way you have been involved in cell. Thank you for your support and love. It was an honour to serve with and alongside many of you.
Happy New Year.
Hi all, I know I rarely post anything here. Actually I've never posted anything here before! Haha. I want to especially thank you everyone that are involved in the LIITA event. It was good, don't you agree? I'm so encouraged by everyone of you. Everyone! :)
As I went to work today, turn on my laptop and checked all my emails, there's one particular email which caught my attention and made me smile. So I just want to share it with you too. It's called "Don't Give Up". (Shared to me by a friend)
As we're coming to year-end, reflect on this year, what major decisions that you've made and have you followed through that decision? Are there circumstances in life that you felt is impossible to overcome? Or you just felt like quitting? Before you answered those questions, read the story below:
Don't give up.....
One day I decided to quit...
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I asked, "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me...
"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I
took very good care of them.
I gave them light.
I gave them water.
The fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its brilliant green covered the floor.
Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.
In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed.
But I would not quit.
In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would
not quit." He said.
"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared
to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6
months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.
I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
He asked me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots".
"I would not quit on the bamboo.
I will never quit on you."
"Don't compare yourself to others."
He said.
"The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern.
Yet they both make the forest beautiful."
"Your time will come", God said to me.
"You will rise high"
"How high should I rise?"
I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?" I questioned.
"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."
I left the forest and brought back this story.
I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.
Never, Never, Never Give up.
For the Prayer is not an option but an opportunity.
Don't tell the Lord how big the problem is,
tell the problem how Great the Lord is!
One day I decided to quit...
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I asked, "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me...
"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I
took very good care of them.
I gave them light.
I gave them water.
The fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its brilliant green covered the floor.
Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.
In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed.
But I would not quit.
In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would
not quit." He said.
"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared
to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6
months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.
I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
He asked me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots".
"I would not quit on the bamboo.
I will never quit on you."
"Don't compare yourself to others."
He said.
"The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern.
Yet they both make the forest beautiful."
"Your time will come", God said to me.
"You will rise high"
"How high should I rise?"
I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?" I questioned.
"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."
I left the forest and brought back this story.
I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.
Never, Never, Never Give up.
For the Prayer is not an option but an opportunity.
Don't tell the Lord how big the problem is,
tell the problem how Great the Lord is!
In the midst of all your problems lift it up to the Lord who is above all else, He will calm raging seas within your heart. There are 9 more days before end of the year. It's still not too late... :)
Over the last six weeks of planning, I want to share honestly that there have been moments when I’ve felt quite stressed and frustrated. I have never cared so much about a cell harvest event as this one and I’m constantly wondering whether I’ve done enough or prayed enough.
I’ve had two committee members come up to me and ask me, "You’re quite stressed about this, aren’t you?". I didn’t really think about it until someone else brought it up yesterday saying, "Don’t stress, what’s the worst that could happen?".
Without thinking, I replied that the worst that could happen is that people show up, eat and play games without experiencing the love of God...that the message of what Christmas is about fails to drop a seed into their hearts. I said that after seeing how much effort, time, energy and finances the cell members have put into the event, there would be no point if there was no lasting impact...if God didn’t show up.
As I drove back home from work, I reflected on the conversation and realised the significance of what I said. My main worries are not that there won’t be enough food or that there won’t be enough door gifts or that the games don’t get everyone involved.
My concern is whether God will move in the hearts of every person that comes. I don’t know whether my faith level is enough to believe for salvations at the event or even to open up the avenues for people to respond.
I understand now that the only thing we can do is surrender everything to God and pray. At the end of the day, He has to take center stage because Christmas is about God’s demonstration of love to humble himself and come down to earth as a human. He took our sins upon Himself, dying on the cross and rising again to take His place in heaven.
Christmas is about Jesus Christ.
With fear and trembling, we can only bring our few loaves of bread and fishes, believing that He will work a miracle.
Please pray along.
There are times when I'm at my lowest points in my life and spiritual walk when I ask myself, "What more will it take? How much more do I have to give? What is the secret to not giving up and finishing the race?"
I've heard many proposed answers and theories on how to last through and finish strong at the end of the day. I've heard that if you never lose your passion for evangelism, you will never lose your passion in your personal walk. I've heard that if you continue to worship God, it will sustain you. I've heard that you need to be in a place where brothers and sisters in Christ can support you and have an intact covering over you.
But when I think about it, all these are important elements but are they the core of what is important to keep going when everything crashes down around you? If you're like Job and everything is completely stripped away from your life, how would you face it? If you have reached a place of complete disillusionment with life and God, without the ability to evangelise, to sing praises or even give a damn about being in church, what is the answer?
Looking back at the examples in the bible such as Job, Jeremiah and Moses, each reached points of complete disillusionment. But what kept them from giving up? The one thing I noticed was that even when everything stopped making sense, they each had an intimate understanding of the character of God.
They understood that God is the one unchanging and constant entity from the beginning of time; past, present and future. They understood His characteristics and that they could trust Him. The understood these things even in the midst of some of the greatest difficulties anyone in the bible has ever had to go through.
And that was enough.
It wasn't their passion and heart for the people and ministry. It wasn't their lives of worship. It wasn't the people around them that managed to lift them out of their disillusionment. It wasn't the sense of urgency of wanting God to move. It wasn't even their relationships with God (in Job's case, God completely hid himself). And I'm not saying these things are not important, but...
It was from a surrender and complete acknowledgement of who God is that was ultimately and fundamentally critical to them not giving up in their disillusioned states.
The Great I Am.
The Alpha and the Omega.
The King of Kings.
The Lord of Lords.
Maker of heaven and Creator of the earth.
Jehovah.
Yahweh.
If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world...Probably earthly pleasures were never made to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing. If that is so, I must take care, on the one hand, never to despise, or be unthankful for, these blessings, and on the other, never to mistake them for something else of which they are only a kind of copy, or echo, or mirage.
~C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity~
Yes, there are temptations in the world and they are hard to resist. Yes, the social pressures, culture and influences are very real and challenging to face, let alone stand against. Yes, there will be times every human in the world will stumble and fall, only to be faced with the decision to pick oneself up again for the millionth time or to throw in the towel.
But along with all these practical realities and difficulties, we have to realise the truth that only a genuine relationship with God will fulfil the core desires of our hearts. Nothing more and nothing less.
As Blaise Pascal describes, "the infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words, by God himself".
"Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.'" (John 6:35)
"Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4)
"The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in due time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing." (Psalm 145:15-16)
I heard something yesterday which I found quite interesting about peer pressure. It's probably something that most people realise but it made me think.
Peer pressure in the past for older generations took a more verbal form, where verbal statements are made to persuade someone to engage in behaviour that is most often understood to be wrong.
Peer pressure in more recent times has taken on a far more potent and influential form. It now often takes on a nonverbal and implied influence that pressures someone to engage in behaviour that a large number or majority of people in the world think is all right.
The world has been moving in a direction of individualism and and relativism, where an individual's perception and experience negates the need for clear standards and truths.
Truth has become relative without any absolutes and I have regularly debated with people who claim that truth can't be absolute because everyone has their own perception and no one can say for sure whether anyone's perception is right or wrong.
The one question they have been unable to answer is why their claim that all truth is relative is an absolute truth. And suddenly their surety in their statement is challenged by the very thing they want to argue for.
There has to be standards and truths that go beyond the bubble of human comprehension and perception. Truth and moral standard cannot be limited to a fallible and imperfect humanity. If it is, then there is no hope for us.
OK, I've gone on a tangent from what I intended to write. I'll end the post with this.
In a world where moral signposts keep moving, what the world propagates does not make it right, even if the majority of people support its stance. There is an unchanging and unmoving standard of morality that can be referred to: the person of Jesus and His word.
Self-regulation according to one's own perception and sense of morality is just not going to cut it. Demonstrated even in the global financial markets, maybe leaving people to their own devices and individualism without clear boundaries is not the best solution.
The law of the bible ultimately liberates rather than restricts humanity. It liberates us to be the people that, at heart, we want to be. It liberates us to achieve the purposes that God has planned for our lives. It liberates us to receive the blessings that come from obedience and living under the covering of the Holy Spirit.
Are we ready to make a stand?
Many times we pray for power and anointing to overcome the world and in our minds, we're seeing obstacles like our bosses, our parents, people who speak against us, etc, that God will give us the breakthrough to overcome.
As I was praying this week, I kept coming back to the impression that the way we define power is the opposite of the definition found in the world. And I wonder if we fully understood, whether we would still be praying for it.
What if praying for power and breakthrough meant a life of brokenness and submission to God in a manner unlike what we perceive?
Power to fully submit to God's will. Prayer to live a life of brokenness and humility, stepped on and humiliated by the world. Power to be a servant...power for a life that pours out like a drink for the sake of the Lord. Power to comprehend the sorrow of God's heartbeat for the people. Power to weep and stand in the gap.
The power to completely surrender to the purpose and calling that God has predestined for your life...to live a life that may be the tougher than anything you ever envisioned, but yet the most fulfilling that could be accomplished. To be at the center of God's will and fully tapped into His power.
Is that really what we want? Are we willing to pay the cost?
The irony is that the power to submit to God and His will brings the breakthrough and overcoming power over our tangible obstacles. The more we are able to submit to Him, the more we will be able to overcome.
Submission brings the breakthrough because we stop relying on our own strength and wisdom, and begin trusting in the One that has already won the victory.
I mentioned in a recent post that I wanted to share about burnt offerings and it's been on my heart for awhile now but my schedule has just been too overwhelming recently. Before I completely forget what I wanted to say, I'm going to share it in this post although I haven't really thought it out enough yet.
The bible passage is from Leviticus 6:8-13 when God was instructing Moses on the burnt offering that is to be offered.
I won't copy and paste the whole passage but the lines that jumped out at me were:
"The burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar."
"The priest ... shall remove the ashes of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed on the altar ..."
"The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out."
"The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out."
There have been many times when I've left camp, a conference or an event completely on fire for God only to start losing steam weeks or months later. I wasn't able to keep the fire burning. And in this short passage, three times it is written that the fire must be kept burning and must not go out.
Relating it to our lives, how do we stay on fire? How do we step on the altar as living sacrifices, put fresh wood as an offering to God and not crawl off the altar when it gets too hot or uncomfortable?
There were two things that spoke to my heart when I read this bible passage.
Firstly, fresh wood has to be added daily. Burnt offerings don't continue to burn forever on old fuel because the fire consumes what is on the altar. That means that there are things in our lives that we need to bring to the altar regularly; It doesn't mean that something sacrificed in the past will continue to be 'sacrificed' in our lives if we don't continue to lay it down.
Secondly, the ashes have to be removed from the altar or it will get in the way of the fire continuing to burn. Once offerings have become ashes, there's no point trying to burn it again. Many times we like to look back at the things we have done, the sacrifices we have made, and the times that God has used us powerfully for his purposes.
We forget to rely on new mercies everyday and instead try to rely on our past experiences and sometimes even our 'past anointing' to carry us through new periods of our lives. Just because God moved in our lives in a mighty way in the past does not mean that He will continue to do so in exactly the same way today, especially if we neglect to bring fresh offerings to the altar.
Don't hold on to the past. The past reminds us of God's faithfulness but it doesn't give us the power and anointing for the present. The only thing we can continue to hold on to are the promises that God has placed over us that are yet to come to pass in the physical.
Seek fresh manna, fresh anointing, fresh purpose for today. Forgetting what lies behind and just pressing on towards the goal, fully focused on our Lord, Jesus. Don't try to fall back on past accomplishments and achievements, past anointing or past experiences with God.
Although He is unchanging forever, He has something new for us every single day as He carries us through new seasons, from glory to glory. Don't restrict Him by looking backwards but realise that He has a wonderful plan and purpose for our life that will come to pass, and that is coming to pass.
I apologise if my points above haven't been as concise as I originally planned and hope that it captures the essence of what I wanted to share.
Keep the fire burning.
Put fresh wood...fresh offerings.
Clear away the ashes.
Don't let the fire go out.
I was reading last night about the story behind Lance Armstrong's success and I am amazed by the perseverence he showed. In 1996, he was considered one of the top-rated cyclists, if not the top, in the world. He was winning tournaments, making good income and at the top of his game. Everything looked bright for his future.
Then, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He tried to maintain a positive outlook throughout his treatments but then the cancer metastasized to his lungs...then to his brain. He almost lost hope then because he knew that when the cancer spreads to the brain, it usually means death.
But he didn't give up and he fought through testicular and brain surgery, and extensive chemotherapy to recover. A doctor told Lance that he had been given a 3% chance to live when the cancer spread.
Not only did he live, he went back to cycling. And he won the Tour de France a consecutive 7 times from 1999 to 2005. The Tour de France is a grueling 23-day, 21-stage road race usually covering more than 3,500 kilometres.
I just wanted to share this story and encourage you not to give up, no matter what you are facing. The blessing that we have is that we don't have to walk alone through the storms of life; Jesus walks beside us and the body of Christ stands alongside supporting as well.
Cheers!
I was reading Isaiah 53 yesterday and the verses below (3-9) started speaking to me. Jesus fulfilled every characteristic of the prophecies given in the Old Testament about the Messiah.
It's so amazing reading some of the verses about the Messiah written hundreds of years before Jesus was born and realising...
This is Jesus.
He fulfilled every prophecy.
He understood what He was born on earth for and He willingly walked to the most excruciating and gruesome death that a person can experience.
Why would He do that?
Does He love us that much?
This is our God.
This is our God.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)
Many people tend to avoid the 'hard' verses in the bible. There is an increasing emphasis on prosperity, grace and the belief that truth is subjective and personal to each individual.
We can't forget that the bible is the Word of God, that there are absolute truths of God that do not depend on what a human mind can conceive or imagine, and that there are conditions for a person to receive the gift of salvation.
There needs to be solidity in our faith and relationship with God that allows us to take a stand for Christ and for truth uncompromisingly, while combining it with the compassion and grace of God.
It takes an unshakeable focus on Jesus, without looking to the left or the right, and a willingness to make the sacrifice to take the narrow road.
The call to have a relationship with God is not just as a believer, but as a disciple who has counted the cost, and chosen to walk in His will.
“Worship - whether an inner act of the heart, or an outward act of the body, or of the congregation collectively - is a magnifying of God. That is, it is an act that shows how magnificent He is. It is an act that reveals or expresses how great and glorious He is. Worship is all about consciously reflecting the worth or value of God.”
~John Piper~
Worship can happen every moment in our daily lives. It is not just about singing the songs during church services. It is about our lives constantly and "consciously reflecting the worth or value of God".
The way we carry worship in our daily lives demonstrates how much He is worth to us...how much we love Him and value His relationship with us.
Just some thoughts to ponder on.
;;
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
