Season of Transition

Pastor Teh Yung Huat

I bring this video along to show young people the church is the greatest thing on earth. Let's believe that God will use everyone of us here to do great things.

When God saved you like how the children of Israel in their entry into the promise land, there was a journey they had to go through, the wilderness.

Salvation is only the beginning. The journey is where they really see the nation of Israel and they see God. This is the purpose God saved the nation of Israel and established them as a nation.

For too long we have been looking at salvation as the focus of the church. We are more than being saved. We have to reach out to see the promise land. His Kingdom that he has prepared for us. So the church needs to demonstrate his Kingdom. His Kingdom coming on earth.

Too long we say to people you are saved and going to heaven. God has given you promises individually and as a church. But often we let that dream go off.

Exodus 13:17-18 (NIV)

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.

Deuteronomy 8:15 (NIV)

He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.

When God delivered them from Egypt, he led them through the dessert instead of a shorter way. The Philistines were there and God knew they were not ready to face the Philistines. They were not ready.

Your transitional journey actually depends on you. It's not God's problem. It's your problem. It wasn't God that you are not ready. But it's a journey that you have to take before you enter the promise land.

There will be things that will happen that you did not think of but you have to be ready. To be ready for change. If you're not willing to change, you'll just be like the nation of Israel, stubborn and harden. We have to embrace change. The world is constantly changing but we cannot stay still. Time have moved on. So we need to ask God what is he doing at his moment.

Some people don't like change. They kept looking back at Egypt even through it was not a pleasant place. They were saved there but they were used to the life there.

Change is the norm in transition.

Moses was probably the most powerful leader but Moses could not lead them because they refused to change. Too often we look to leaders but it takes them to change. They blame Moses and the leaders and worst they blamed God. End of the day they have to change.

Even Moses the great man of God failed. Are you shocked? God told him to lead them into the promise land. Did Moses enter the promise land? No.

How did Moses fail? When God wanted to destroy them, Moses said God cannot do that. He said if you want to kill them kill me too. You think Moses has more mercy or grace than God? You're mistaken.

God listened to Moses but eventually Moses knew he should have listened to God if he had wanted to enter the promise land. So the people never entered the promise land. In transition many things will happen but we have to look to God and learn the lesson God wants us to learn.

The transition is a tough time.

We should be in that transition all the time. Because God is changing us from glory to glory so we are constantly in transition. Even if God has used us greatly in the past we have to look at what is now. He's looking at our good and not just our want. They expected instant results, like how they were delivered from Egypt, like salvation. God is looking at our long term success and not just now.

They would have caused havoc in the promise land if they are not ready. If we are going through difficulties, know it is to equip you so that you can inherit what he has for you. It's a journey that we have never been before. Doing things that we've never done before. So transition time is not an easy time. There are dangers like snakes and scorpions. Some will die and God knew.

They were not ready to face the Philistines. God is looking at the long haul. He's preparing you for your promise land. He has better and greater things for us. Don't worry about problems. He led them through the dessert.

Deuteronomy 8:16 (NIV)

He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you.

In the end it will go well with you. He is taking you step by step so that in the end it will go well with you. God will not take you to a battle that you are not ready or cannot win. God doesn't fight fair. He favours us.

It's something your father had never known. Don't say this is the way we do church. Don't look back to the past how you've done it. Manna was a new experience. Don't have a fix idea how church can be done? Have you seen a church like ours in Tawau? That's God. We're expecting greater things. God wants to lead you into new experiences. Be open. Not like the Jews that are harden. They settled for less because they were not willing to change.

Often instead of facing problems and move forward we stay back. God wants us to experience new experiences. That's exciting. The church today is not the same as the church of yesterday. It's the same God we have so God can do new things here too.

Before it happens you have to remember things will get worst before it gets better.

Numbers 20:4-5 (NIV)

4 Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink! ”

In this journey there will be times when you ask why. Why? Why? They were now facing difficulties and it seems to be worst than Egypt. Moses, why? There will be times things will get worst before it gets better. For our good. Not because God need to but we need it. There may be things that happens in church and you may say it shouldn't happen because it's in church. But you must know church is under construction. So it's messy and dirty but wait till it's completed and you'll see its beauty.

I don't want to tell you what happened that shouldn't happen but I'll tell you one because my members are not here.

In the midst of the building project, a small group left our church. We never expect it to happen but it happened. They thought if they leave the project will not happen. In our midst, has anyone given you one million before? You should be glad because if you can give one million means you have more. Here someone gave one million and he wanted it back. And if we don't give back he'll take us to court. When you go through transition things happen that you think won't happen in church. There are scorpions.

God sees things for the long term good. Not the immediate. God can handle any problems, just we cannot. So we have to put our hands in his and we're declared a winner but you may have to go through some problems.

Things will get worst before it gets better. It don't have to be but it does. And if you quit you'll miss what God has for you. We have to change our mindset. Look from God's perspective. Don't just moan and complain and miss your promised land.

When God leads you, he will not hand everything to us all at one time.

Deuteronomy 7:22 (NIV)

The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you.

Little by little. Sometimes we're impatient because we think God takes such a long time. God wants to establish you before he takes you another step. If not it will collapse when it's tested. God knew. What we need to build. That's why they didn't conquer the nations all at once. How fast depends on us. How ready are we? To face those challenges.

Even if we are impatient, his timing is perfect.

In order to enter into the promise land. You have to fight. Those who refuse to fight will not enter. You've got to fight. There will be obstacles and difficulties and you've to fight. You have to have that warrior spirit. Even Caleb. Sometimes it's not us but because the people are not ready. Caleb and Joshua had to wait. But when the time came for him to enter he had to fight. You want to break through as a church there will be warfare and you'll have to fight.

The enemies occupied the promise land. Fortified cities and giants occupying the promise land. The goings that God is wanting to give you someone else is occupying them. Another kingdom is occupying them that's why you have to fight. Don't be afraid of problems. They're just stepping stones.

Great problems come with great miracles. Seven nations greater and stronger than Israel. So they had to fight. When we have problems and giants, we rise up. We will be giant killers. Like David. We are winners. That's who we are.

Don't just live because you are saved. We're just doing the religious thing. A lot of movement but not advancing. That's the wilderness experience. We aim for the promise land because the wilderness is not our destination.

Because our God is with us. Who would have thought in Tawau a church will build a building like that. A small church doing that. Because we have a great God. The same God is leading you through a new season. So I hope this message will encourage you as you enter a new season. Rising up together with the new leadership fighting to enter the promise land that God has for you.

Ps Teh delivering his sermon.

The Temporary Necessity

Pastor Peter Seow

Good morning, my name is Peter Seow and I bring you greetings from Canning Methodist Church. I grew up in church, Sunday School, Youth Group, I grew up in Church services and is one of the musician in our band. Thank you musicians for a great job today. We worship God together not just with our voices but also with our instruments.

I came to answer the call for full time ministry and I started with children's ministry, and my wife served the youth. Very good ministry. I pass the children to her youth for her to bring them up. We did that for many years but before that I was a music teacher at Yamaha Music School. But I gave that up and became a full time minister.

At that time I though God, I've gone full time already, I've sacrificed earning lots of money. I have a lot of joy serving in church and I thought that was it. That I will grow old in church and enjoy my retirement in serving God.

But that was not so. When teaching Sunday School one time on Missions Month and I challenged the kids if you hear God's call, don't reject it although you're young, God can still use you. Right after that I heard God speak to my heart, what about you Peter? If I call you will you go? I said no la God, I serve you full time already, my work is here.

Next year, same thing again, Mission's Month, I began to preach and also challenged the children to response to God's call. Then God spoke to me also. At the end I said, if I can preach it, I must live it. And so I said I will do that and I will answer the call.

And I searched for Mission organisations to join. So I joined Wycliffe Bible Translators because I feel that if I should do missions, the Word of God is important and the Word of God is eternal, it would not be destroyed. And at Wycliffe they translate the word of God into the language that the people are speaking.

I have some slides to show my family. When we answered the call to go missions our kids were quite small. Like 2 years old and the eldest was 9. Now they are all quite grown. David is the eldest, he's 22, Daryl is 19 and Hannah is 15. The first 2 have already gone to university and we have Hannah with us at Papua.

History of the Gospel in Papua 

In 1855, two German missionaries - Otto and Geisler, landed on Mansinam Island, Papua.

They knelt, prayed and claimed Papua for God The Gospel spread - first to coastal areas and then to the highlands.

Local believers became evangelists bringing the Good News to the highlands interior.

The Gospel in Danama

We work with a people group called the Walak. They are from the central highlands and about 5,000 strong, not more than 10,000. When the missionaries went to the highlands, the village chief Tenggino who is now about 60 years old, rejected it because he was not sure what kind of news it was. When the local evangelists came he killed some of them.

It was only after years later he heard the gospel and then received it and not only him but the whole village. They burnt all their charms and they turned to the saving love of Jesus Christ.

But because God is not in their own language it's like a foreign religion. So it's preached in Bahasa Indonesia but that's it their language. Their language is Walak. But there's no Scripture or writing system in Walak. That language has sounds that we don't have. It was strange to my ears when I first heard it. And we had to analyse the language and work out a language system for them.

Here I'm with Tenggino and Minagi. Tenggino the village chief was a warrior. He used to fight and kill and conquer other villages and protect his own village. But since the gospel came he has become a very gentle spirited person. But he is very strong. He wants the Bible in his own language. We are keen to bring the word of God to them if not by reading, by hearing. 

Types of Translation Programs 

1. Traditional translation 

You live in the village spend 20 years, learn the language, their writing system and after 20 or 25 years the nNew Testament is published. Not even the Old Testament. That's how long it takes.

2. Mother Tongue Translation

Work with a local speaker where together he does the translation because he understands the language. All you have to do is give him the education and he works on his own and you're the consultant helping him to translate. That's faster, maybe 15 or 10 years.

3. Oral Translation 

This is what we're doing now. We want them to get the word of God as soon as they can. We translate through speech. We record it, put it in the computer and analyse it, checked and work on it and bring it to the village. So they get to hear the word of God.

One Story  

1. A basic set of 25 stories are first drafted in Indonesian so that it can be translated into the local languages that need it.

2. We have 6 languages that come together 4 times a year for a month at a time. 

3. A consultantnt is at hand to check their work.

4. Computers are used to record and input data. Wireless network provide a repository so that all data is saved on local server. 

5. Checks are done and feedback given by consultant. Materials are the corrected and revised.

Revelation 7:9-12 (NKJV)

A Multitude from the Great Tribulation

9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,

Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,

Be to our God forever and ever.

Amen.”

It's amazing verse that shows what it's like at the end of the age. After being there for 12-13 years, I'd like to make a proposition to the church. Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. It's not the main priority. The mission call is to meet a target or goal. Missions is only the vehicle to that goal. What is the ultimate goal? What has God called you to do ultimately. Worshippers.

God wants us to be worshippers.

John Piper, Let the Nations be Glad!

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.”

“Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions. It’s the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white hot enjoyment of God’s glory. The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God….

Like all great works of art like movies or novel, it's the last scene where the lasting impressions happen. It's meant to leave a lasting impression or impact on the people. That's like what we read in the final pages of Revelations 9.

The scene or finale ends with worship. People of all nations and different tribes and tongues all together worshipping God. That's what we will be doing when we get to heaven. This is what happens when Jesus returns. A new heaven and new earth is established. People worshipping God our creator. So why is missions important?

… But worship is also the fuel of missions. Passion for God in worship precedes the offer of God in preaching. You can’t commend what you don’t cherish.”

Worship also the fuel to missions.

I led worship in church as a youth for many years. And I can say that it was worship that fuelled me to missions. How can I sing and not be prepared to do what we sang. So we challenged ourselves, Angie and I and we said if we can sing that, we can do that. Worship is the fuel for missions.

How can we preach God if we don't cherish God? I cannot sell an iPhone if I'm using an Android.I sell iPhone but I like Android. Cannot work right? It does not make sense.

Why is missions important?

There are still many tribes and people yet to be represented before the throne of God, that have not been reached. If they can't get the good news, they cannot believe in him and if they cannot believe in him, they cannot call on him and if they cannot call on him, they cannot be saved and if they cannot be saved how can they worship God?

“The story of missions the whole world over shows that the success or failure of missions has always been dependent on whether those brought to Christ had the Scriptures in their own language or not.”  G. Campbell Morgan

If you do missions in China, you will preach in Mandarin. But if you go to a small village that speaks Han you'll need to preach in Han. This kind of thinking. If they cannot read the Scripture on their language how can they hear?

As of September 2016:

• 6,909 living languages (Ethnologue)
• 636 languages with full Bible translated
• 1,442 languages with New Testament translated
• 1,145 Bible portions or stories translated

=> At least some portion of the Bible has been translated into 3,223 languages.

<    50% of the world’s languages.

There's still a lot of work to be done and that's what we are doing at Wycliffe. And many other organisations are doing the he same also.

What is the goal of missions?

The gladness of people in the greatness of God.

The Psalmist proclaims let all the people praise Thee O God. Let the nations be glad and sings for joy. This is a very well used verse. This God that pursued us with his love, loved us so much that he sent his only son who talked to us and crucified on the cross and in doing so he redeemed all of humanity that they may be reconciled back to their creator. This is a very basic message of what we believe in as Christians. It's good to be reminded that there are many others who do not know this fact.

I've been a Christian now for 40 years. Every time and I pause and think and reflect on what God has done for me I'm deeply touched. I remember I was not who I was 40 years ago. I was a sinner. Rotten and dirty. I know I am. I know the thoughts in my heart and mind and I do struggle just like you too. When we got older we forget that we came from that state. We haven't arrived yet, we're still being sanctified and renewed daily. On our own we are helpless.

But God knows that, and it took him to came down to lift us up. We cannot climb up. He stooped down to save us. It was this God that created the heaven and the earth coming down to save us. Isn't that amazing. It's so amazing. That's why we sing that song Amazon Love and the sacrifice that he's given for us. Not everyone knows this fact.

More than half the world's population still need to know about Christ. These people have no one to tell them there is a way out. Will you respond and speak life to this people and bring the good news to them.

How should missions be carried out?

It should come from a point of passion. Passion for God in worship precedes the offer of God in preaching.

I want to end with a story in Papua. Although man does the work of mission, ultimately it is God who does the work.

Mission is supremely the work of God.

This is the story of Stan Dale and Phil Masters.

These two has been serving in Papua for many years back in the 1950s. They have reached the Dani people and they wanted to go to the Yali prople. They are very fierce warriors and they are scary too because they also eat human flesh. They believe if they eat their enemies, they'll gain their power. Their believes turns them to their animalistic side of their spiritual being.

These two families wanted to make contact with the Yali people. The Yali people out of fear conspired to kill these two. They shot him with an arrow and technically should have died but didn't. So they were also very frightened of them because they didn't die and they have white coloured skin.

So as they went back after meeting the people they were ambushed. Stan Dale stayed back to talk to the Yali people and he put his hands up and said don't shoot. But one of the Yali shot him from behind and it hit his armpit and he pulled the arrow out and broke it and threw it away. Then more shot arrows at him but Stan just pulled the arrow out and broke it. They got more panic as he was not dying. They became desperate. At the end of it they counted as many as 50-60 arrows were shot at him Stan knew he won't survive this. At last he dropped and died.

Next was Phil. As the tribe surrounded him he didn't run and just stood there with arms open. They shot him. They were surprised because usually the enemies run. It got them curious. The news got all around the world and more than ever people were praying for the Yali people than ever before.

The missions authorities went in and arrested those people who they heard were the killers. Killed 5 of them and put one in prison. With all these violence, that Valley was closed and that no gospel was going to go through.

God's plan was different from man's plan.

A few months later, a family called the Newmans had a missionary pilot took them to go to Mulia. This was a new Canadian pilot who was a professional and a good pilot. He was new to the place. At that time it was hard to read the Papua terrain. It was bad weather and instead of landing on Mulia it crashed in the same Valley. All died except for one boy Paul. Nine year old Paul Newman knew he was the only one alive. He lost his glasses and couldn't see and wandered in the valley for a few hours.

Then he came across a Yali man called Kusaho. He was one of the few that was against the killing of the missionaries. Kusaho saw this white boy and he said he must protect this white boy. He took him in and protected him for a few days. Here's an amazing story because here is a primitive Yali taking in a white boy.

The rescue mission in helicopter came and they saw that the plane crashed and probably no survivors. Two weeks earlier two expats were killed here so they are keen to quickly leave.  But then as they were preparing to leave, they saw this white boy running towards them, Paul Newman. And they were so surprised and shock that there was a survivor. Then they heard the story of Kusaho and how he protected the boy. A bridge was build from there.

The missionaries convinced the Indonesian government to release that one Yali man because he knew NP matter. Two years later, the Yali people invited the missionaries to visit them. God opened the door that was shut tight. It was God who guided all these things. He managed all these situations. We are just blessed to be called to this mission.

Although Stan is dead his son is there doing pastoral work and translating the Bible. Because God is doing the work there is no failure. We cannot not go just because we fear failure. We just need to be obedient and just work alongside God. He determines the end.

We can enter alongside our Master in this work in different ways:

• We can go to the mission field
• We can give to the missionaries and the mission organisations
• We can pray for the missionaries and for their work

ALL of us can do something.

All of us can do something. Because want to see the nations worship God.   

Rebuilding Your Temple

Rev Tony Phang

Good morning! It is so good to wake up in Penang. I told my wife, any invitation from Penang please don't turn it down. We are so excited to be with you all this morning and to be reunited with Ps Ronald and Sis Jasmine. As you know Ps Ron was our Bible School president and I still remembered the first week he was in Bible school, he summoned every student to go and see him one by one. I was wondering what I did wrong but when I went to see him, he asked me my name, what I do and what are my dreams and what was God calling me to do and he prayed for me. I was so impressed. And the three years in Bible school was a tremendous blessing to me. He was a good example to me and I learnt a lot from him.

He in fact taught me how to preach so this morning if I preach something wrong, please don't come and see me.

2 Chronicles 29:1-5 (NIV)

1 Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done.

3 In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the Lord and repaired them. 4 He brought in the priests and the Levites, assembled them in the square on the east side 5 and said: “Listen to me, Levites! Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Remove all defilement from the sanctuary.

This morning the title of my message is rebuilding your temple. I'm not talking about a physical temple but I'm talking about a spiritual temple.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:16 (NIV) Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?

You yourselves are God's temple. This morning I want to talk about having an intimate relationship with God. Why it is needful. And why it should be the most important thing to do as a believer.

And from the Bible I will show you who you are and what you do and what you have is determined by your relationship and your walk with God. Jesus said in John 15 that without God we can do absolutely nothing. Without connecting to God we cannot bear fruits. In order to bear fruits we must have a relationship with him. A connection with him.

Just like the branch and the vine.

John 15:4 (NKJV) Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

Your success in life is connected to your relationship with Christ. I'm not talking about you being more religious but rather to have a relationship with a living God. Somebody say amen to that.

Last 2016, in the month of May, I said to my wife I have not seen my girls. My daughters for 18 months. And I said to my wife I miss them. I want to hold them, I want to hug them and I want to go out with them. Can you arrange and buy tickets and help me to get over there. So my wife who couldn't wait to get rid of me bought me a ticket, so my flight to the States will take me to Hong Kong, 31/2 hours, the to Dallas 12 hours and then to Springfield 11/2 hours.

But on the day of my flight, at 4 in the morning, my wife told me that my flight was cancelled because of bad weather. But my clever wife, still couldn't wait to get rid of me found me a replacement ticket. A different route to take me to the States.

The new route would take me to Hong Kong  31/2 hours, plus 10 hours transit. Then to London 13 hours, London Chicago 9 hours and then to Springfield 11/2 hours. So I literally flew around the earth. When I saw the new route I was so discouraged. My wife and my family knows I really don't like flying. But I want to be with my girls. So thinking about it for a while, I said I'm going. I decided I was going to endure the trip because I want to be with my daughters. It's because I love them and my relationship with my daughters is very precious

 and they are important to me. I want to talk to them and I want to hug them.

When Christ was on the cross and when he cried out with a loud voice, it is finished, and yielded out his spirit, and the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom. The tearing of the veil was very significant. More than just a miraculous and sovereign act of God, the tearing of the veil was the expression of God's love towards us, so that we are no longer separated to God. He loves us and he longs to be with us. There were no more barriers anymore.

When our daughters were still with us we sometimes go for vacations. I always tell my wife make sure we get connecting doors in the hotel. We have to book two rooms. And once we get to our rooms I'll tell Katherine and Vicky I want them to keep the door slightly open, don't lock it. And they'll protest, dad give us privacy. That's because I love them and I want to be able to hear their voices and their laughter, and to be able to hear them when they call me and to be able to see them anytime I want. Because I love them. We have a relationship. So my daughter can come to me freely.

Now you know why the veil was torn down.

Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Today, we can come and enter boldly and freely into God's presence without any difficulties, or observe any OT religious practices because of what Christ has done on the cross. God sees his relationship with us as something precious, so precious that he was willing to send his only begotten son to die for us so that we can boldly come to him. We are important to him.

The problem today is that some Christians do not share the same sentiments as God. That's why some Christians don't spend time with God or not at all. They think that coming to church once a week is sufficient enough. And they wonder why they are suffering. Or why they are in bondage. Or not bearing fruit. We are just the branch and without the vine we cannot bear fruit. Without connecting to Christ, you and I cannot bear fruit. It is impossible. That's why they are not fruitful. What we do and what we are is dependent on our relationship with God.

Without God it is impossible to bear fruit.

2 Chronicles 29:1 (NKJV) Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah[a] the daughter of Zechariah. 

Hezekiah was a good king. And some Bible historian calls Hezekiah was the second best king of Judah after King David. The Bible said he did what was right in the sight of the Lord during his reign. And under Hezekiah leadership, the Syrians were defeated by him. The economy of Judah grew and prospered. And when he died the Bible said that all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honoured him. The people loved Hezekiah. What was the secret of his success? He inherited a nation that was backslidden. He inherited a nation that was once ruled by evil and irresponsible Kings. He inherited a nation that was once invaded and held captive by their enemies and they're still carrying the scars of slavery. What did he do to turn this mess around?

The Bible says he first opened the doors to the house of the Lord and repaired them. Hezekiah first assignment was not the economy, it was not military or healthcare, or the security of the nation but his first assignment was to restore Judah's spiritual state. He cleaned the temple of its rubbish. It was setting the temple in order.

Why? Because the temple was abandoned for so many years. It was neglected, unkempt and when he became King, he instructed the Levites and the Priests to clean the temple spiritually. Why was the temple so important, because the temple was the spiritual life of Israel. It was in the temple that prayers were offered, sacrifices were offered, the law were read and offerings were given. It was in the temple that Israel worship and commune with God. The temple symbolises Israel's relationship with God. And that was the first thing King Hezekiah did, setting the temple in order.

Now church, let me ask you a question this morning. How is your temple? How is your spiritual life? Is it important to you? Is it in order? Or did you abandoned it. Or did you neglect it? Is your bible covered with dust? If it is, you need to set your temple in order. You need to do some cleaning and get the rubbish out so to speak.

In Revelations chapter 3, Christ chastised the Laodicean church for being lukewarm. He said in verse 20, behold I stand at the door and knock.

Revelation 3:20 (NKJV) Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Christ said he was standing at the door, he was left outside the church waiting and knocking. This is rather strange because isn't Christ the head of the church? If he is the head of the church, why is he outside waiting and knocking, waiting to be invited in? He is the head of the church ma.

If I see Ps Ronald standing outside your church and knocking on the door, hoping somebody would open the door for him, I would ask pastor where is your key? If Jesus cannot enter the church, why? Because he does not have the key.

Let me ask you a question. Who do you usually give your house  keys to if you go on a vacation? Do you give it to a stranger? Or people you hardly know? Or people you just met? You give to your family members or somebody you are close to. Why? Because you have a close relationship with them. It's all about relationship. Jesus was left outside because he doesn't have the key to go in.

The Laodicean church did not give Jesus the keys because they don't have a close relationship with Jesus. They treated him like a stranger. Someone they see only once in a while. Someone they don't have a close relationship with. Many people go to church but in reality, some do not have a close relationship with Jesus Christ.

Some people say this verse is for unbelievers and it's not true.  It's used for Evangelism. It's to the church not unbelievers. Jesus was talking to the Laodicean church.

Revelation 3:22 (NKJV) “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Notice that despite not having the keys, Christ still knocks on the door, hoping that someone would hear his voice. Hoping that someone would open the door. Hoping that someone would invite him in. Relationship with God is important to God. Do you have a relationship with God? Is your temple kept unkempt? Is your temple neglected? Do you seek His heart, his will and obey him?

When a lawyer asked Jesus which is the greatest commandment in the law, Jesus said to love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. And he also said this is the first and the greatest commandment. Before you love anyone or anything else, you have to love God first. Hezekiah knew and understand that the destiny and the prosperity of Judah was connected and dependent on their relationship with God.

Until today people still ask me and Christine why do we go to Africa? Is it because they pay you well? No. If I tell you how much they pay me you will be shocked, 17 years in Africa no EPF. 17 years. We go there because of a relationship with God. I go there because Christ said I'm going to do a work in Kenya  and I want you to join me. That's why we went.

Do you think I really want to go? Not me. I did not want to go. I even prayed I did not really want to go. But eventually I went because I have a relationship with him, deep enough to trust him that all things will be fine. It's not because of money because there is no money there. I trust him that he will take care of me and my children.

Today my wife and I are very blessed. My children today are studying in the Sates with full scholarship. We don't have to pay a cent. God took care of us. God showed how good he was to us during those17 years. It was not easy. There will be days when there's no water for months and without power for weeks. Here, when there's no power or water, you call right? That water or power will be restored in 2 hours. There you call nobody answers. Security was bad, life was different. Culture was different and it was a huge adjustment for us but we hung in there. There were times the ministry was hard.

One day my wife was so broken she wanted to quit. One of our orphan, a girl at our orphanage, about 12, 13 years old, a beautiful girl, a song leader, has a lot of potential died. Christine received a call, where a leader said this girl died at the village. We were sad but what made us even sadder and angry was that she died because of female circumcision. She was forced to go through that. My wife was so heartbroken, she wants to quit the ministry. I'm not joking.

17 long years we hung in there because of this relationship with Christ. I've met pastors who pastors their church for 20 years that had 10 people. 20 years and I wondered why they still stick in there. Why don't they just quit and go home? Why? Because of this relationship with God. Life is hard. Life is not getting better. This is the truth. Our world is not getting better. Jesus said in this world you will have tribulation.

Didn't Jesus said the wise man builds his house on the rock? Didn't he said the wind and the flood will come, the rain will come and beat on that house? But that house will remain standing, why? It was built on the rock. There was a connection. If you want to survive the trials in this coming storm, you got to have a relationship with Christ. We cannot afford to be casual in our relationship with God. In such a time like this.

The revival that started with Hezekiah began on the inside of the temple first. After the temple was set in order, then the people went out into the city of Judah and broke every sacred pillars of idolatry in every town and every villages and threw down all those altars at high places. It began in the temple then it moved outside. It began with the people then when things changed on the inside, then it changes the outside. Change must begin in your heart.

Church, as a Christian, your outside is a reflection of your inside. And the inside is your heart. For example, If your heart is filled with anger, hatred, jealousy, unforgiveness, pride, you have no ability to change the world. In fact, you are going to add to the problem.

But if your heart, your inside is touched by God because of a relationship and you are full of peace, love, joy, full of mercy, you are going to make a difference in the world. If you want to change Malaysia you have to change first. If you want to bear fruit and change your circumstances you must start by examining what's in your inside, your heart, your temple and your relationship with God.

Let me close with what Hezekiah said. Listen to the words of this prophet.

Haggai 1:5-6 (NIV)

5 Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

It looks like the people of Judah was working so hard but they were not receiving the result from their hard work. They were not getting the returns from their investment. It was obvious that something was not right. Have you gone through this experience? The returns are so little when you work so hard. So what's wrong?

Haggai 1:8 (NIV)

Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored, ” says the Lord.

Build the temple. Put God first. Put your relationship with God first. Then you will have enough. God wants you to succeed and prosper. But you have to set things right in your life and family first. Build your temple. And when you put God first other things will fall,I to place perfectly.

Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and all these things will be added to you. But it has to start with you first. How is your temple? How is your prayer life? How is your Bible reading? It's time to come back and built the temple.

Excel in the Grace of Giving

Rev Ronald Ooi

It's good to bounce back after Chinese New Year. After all that eating and visiting. We are still in the midst of shifting. We have been in that house for the last 10 years, and when you first moved in to an empty house and after 10 years you wonder where all the things comes from. We try to give it away, clear it as we can't bring too many things with us to Penang.

I must thank the intercessors for praying because my grandson came with my daughter and son-in-law just for two days and when they landed in Penang airport my grandson got really sick. He has never been so sick before. He is normally a cheerful young boy but he was so sick they had to carry him out of the plane. His temperature was rising and we brought him to see our family doctor Dr. Sybil, our doctor for the last 30 over years. She used to see my children when they were 2 to 3 years old and now I'm bringing my grandson who is about 4 years old.

She checked and she thought there is something wrong with his stomach and suspected appendicitis and she said we better take him straight to the specialist. We took him straight to Island Hospital and we had to wait again because there were so many tourists from other countries lining up to see the doctor. My little grandson was so exhausted and was just sleeping. In the meantime I just WhatsApp Sis Felicia for the intercessors to pray for little Isaac.

And when the doctors checked him, the doctor said I can't find anything wrong with him. No appendicitis, no firmness and so no medicine. He said no need any medicine. And we took him out for lunch and after lunch, he said I'm ready to go for a swim. That was really quick. And you know what, I really thank God, ,that's why I believe so much in prayer. I really do. God has shown us again and again and again that prayer work.

Now I thank God for all the doctors in this world. Including my son who is a researcher. I thank God for all the doctors but there is a great physician. Amen?

A very happy Chinese New Year to all those who celebrates Chinese New Year. In Penang everyone celebrates Chinese New Year. And the island gets congested. I live to celebrate Chinese New Year because that's when our families come together. We are made to be a community so families are very important. We miss our families when we don't see them after a while.

Why do we miss them?  Is there a scientific explanation? It is because we are created to be a community. God created man and woman so that we become a community. Before governments came into being. Before politics came into being. Before the economy came into being, the family is the first Institution God has brought it into being so that we are connected with one another.

We receive Ang Pow at Chinese New Year when we are young. I am very young because I received an Ang Pow from the youth. We had a wonderful time with the youth and we are going to have the young adults come to our place. We are going to have a fun time with the young adults. Make me feel so young. When we are young we are dependent on others. More so when we grow up to become teenagers. My teenage son at one time became very nice to mom and dad. I know something is up with him. Very nice to us. So we ask him what he wants. He wants money because he is not working so he is dependent on us, the older ones, the mature ones, for his finances.

It is the same in the Christina world, in the church. We look to the elders and leaders when we first come to know the Lord for help and soon we too become independent and when we become independent, we begin to give. But it does not stop there. We think we can do what we want to after we become independent but it's not the end. We learn to be interdependent. We complement each other and find our strength in each other.

We miss the fullness of life when we live with only ourselves. As we do life together, I know it will be an exciting year. I'm bringing a preaching and teaching team to plan for the year. I'm forming a team to lead you so that we can grow, serve and be transformed together.

His plans and purposes is better than ours. His will is better than our will. I enjoyed sister Melinda and Bro Koay's sermon. I may not be here but I'm here.

God has a better way to live. Not only his plans but his purposes. A more meaningful way. Your life and my life will never be the same. One of the ways I want to talk about is the way of giving. A few weeks ago I talked about the YES key. Today I want to talk about the GRACE key. It will unlock the many blessings God has for us.

It is called "Excel in the Grace of Giving". It's to prepare us for the Harvest Mission we are collecting next week. I know we are a little late, supposed to be January but I am inviting Bro Terence who is a young man together with Debra and you will love them. They sat under our pre-marital counselling. And they have been to Cambodia to do missionary work there, then in Sabah, a brilliant young man willing to just let go everything together with their two children now to do mission work. I could have invited somebody older but I love to give the opportunity to the young missionaries to tell us what they're doing these days. You'll enjoy them and you'll enjoy the church camp. I've invited Pastor Eric Lau who is a bi-vocational pastor who will be here to minister together with his wife for the children's church. I consider him one of my sons in the faith. I'm looking forward to a new season, a new outpouring of God's spirit upon TOP.

Let's look at the passage of 2 Corinthians 8:1-6 as I want to set the tone for this month as we are collecting for Harvest Missions. And it is very close to my heart when it comes to missions.

2 Corinthians 8:1-2

1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

Take note of the superlatives used here. Paul is trying to form a picture with his words. This was a church who was rich in their heart even though they were poor materially.

2 Corinthians 8:3-6

3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part.

Giving is an act of grace. Grace and giving is connected. Mission is the heartbeat of God. Giving is a character of God. We know this in John 3:16. That God so loved. But that word love is not that love in the air, the love that makes the world go round, you know we all hear songs about love. And the world is trying to figure out this word love in a sentimental soft manner. Nothing wrong with that. But the bible is so clear in bringing to us the understanding of what this love is all about. Because the bible says for God so loved the world, he gave. He gave. It is accompanied by giving.

I once invited a preacher to talk about faith promise and he said to the congregation, brothers and sisters, I will not be talking about giving and smiles came upon the faces of the people. Then he said, I'm not going to talk about giving, I'm going to talk about sacrifice. And when you look at what God did in John 3:16, that love is accompanied with a sacrifice.

He gave his only son. That we would not perish but have everlasting life. A sacrifice. When we say I love you, there's always a because. But when God gave his son, it was unconditional, he gave sacrificially. We are made like him, so we are to speak like him and we are to love like him and we are to give like him. He is our model.

Bob Pierce who founded World Vision, a big organisation saw for himself in South Korea war torn children. And he wrote these words in his Bible. Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God. After that the rest is history as World Vision impacted the world.

We can't make a law to make people love you. It is impossible to carry out a love relationship based on the law. It is a divine revelation that he loves us so much that he gave his son. That is his amazing love for us that can only be experienced. It comes and overwhelms you. And you will do for God because you want to and not because you have to.

It comes out from a heart that is responding to the grace of God.

When I went to Thailand I saw for myself first time in Thailand a refugee camp at the border of Laos. Several thousand refugees that had crossed over Mekong river and ran away from the communist troops. Their parents have been killed. And for the first time I saw what Bob Pierce had seen. War torn children with just pants and no shirts running about. I saw it. Mission is something you can't talk about. You got to go out there and see it for yourself. Go out there and see what the Orang Asli is like. The tribal villages of Sabah and Sarawak. You just have to go out there and see for yourselves.

I want to encourage you, every one of us, sometime in your Christian life, can you tithes 10% of your year to go out for missions. You need to go out there and see what God sees and feel what God feels and you will be changed. You will be able to align your life with the will of God. 10% of your year, that’s 36.5 days. If 10% is a bit hard then 5% la. In Malaysia we can negotiate. There's no negotiation between you and me. It's between you and God.

We get to apply the principles of love in mission giving. The Bible teaches us to give in love. We do not give out of pity. It is different from philanthropy. Not out of charity but because it is a biblical mandate. Go back to the scripture. We align with God's heart for humanity. It is God that is concerned for the poor and those in need.

It will make your life different. You will not only become rich in wealth but you will become rich in heart.

1.  Giving is an Act of Grace.

2 Corinthians 8:2-4

2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people.

As much as they are spiritually gifted, Paul is telling them to excel in the act of giving. Grace was mentioned 4 times. Jerusalem was like a mother church. There was a famine at that time and Paul is telling them it is their turn now to help their mother church and the churches in Jerusalem. Like we must not forget our parents and older folks and the young adults say?

Let's look at what the Macedonian church did. They became a biblical model. Poor as it may seem, they became a model for physical giving. Wow. God was not looking at the rich to be a model. God was looking at the poor as a model for giving.

The generous act of favour given to the church of Macedonia. I love this phrase, grace be upon you. When we learn to give lovingly, or when we give even when our needs are more than those that are in need, God's grace will be extended to you the giver. God's grace will be extended to you. Because you are giving wisely based on what the Holy Spirit tells you.

That's why it's called Faith Promise. It's not like going to the bank where you give a 10 dollars you expect God to give you 1000. Though there is a principle here in giving, I have moved away from that kind of thinking. It is God's grace that you will receive. Grace is unmerited favour. It is a very powerful principle.

They gave out of their most severe trials. I love the use of superlatives by Paul.  They were going through a difficult time. Not just severe drought but most severe drought. Extreme poverty. Not just poverty but extreme poverty. But when they gave they gave with overflowing joy. And they gave from a heart that is wanting to give. At the end of the day, it was not how much they gave but it was about their heart wanting to give. It's the heart. It demonstrated their sincerity and willingness to sacrifice.

Remember the story of the boy and the crowd following Jesus that was hungry. I can imagine when this boy told the mother he was going to see Jesus, the mother probably said to him to make sure he don't go hungry. Make sure you have enough food. And the mother gave him 5 loaves of bread. Ah, not five loaves of bread but five small loves of bread and 2 small fishes. We sometimes miss the word small.

The disciples said there is not enough food to feed the 5,000. And the disciple said there is this boy with 5 small loaves of bread and 2 small fishes. And Jesus probably said give me your small loaves and small fishes. And maybe we would have said but so small how to feed the people. Maybe only feed 3 or 4 persons. But Jesus  took them, prayed and multiplied it. Not only did Jesus multiplied them, when he went home, he went home with 12 basketful so I can imagine the mother asking him where did all that food, did he steal it from somebody? And the young man probably said, no mommy, Jesus did it. I gave him so much he gave me much more.

This is called the grace key and I've experienced it again and again and again.

When we got married, it was Saturday and the next day we must go to church. I think in the 70's, you have to go to church. No honeymoon yet. Before our wedding we didn't have much but after our wedding dinner, we suddenly became rich. Wow! Not bad huh. We can get rich just by getting married. We were smiling and we were so happy. My mind was thinking how I can make our home comfortable for my wife.

And that Sunday morning there was a call to give in church and we looked at each other and we just gave. We didn't even said a word. We gave almost all but we had enough to honeymoon at Gentings. No gambling though. And we forgot about it. And we came to Penang as a young couple. I was still driving a motorcycle and she was pregnant with our first child. But we carried on serving God.

And before we knew it, a missionary was leaving the country and he sold everything but his car he couldn't sell. And the day came he passed me the key. He said it was worth more than 22,000 but he couldn't sell it and the Lord told him to pass it to me. You can never out give God. There is that key of grace. I can share with you more, but the story didn't end there. After giving me the key to our first car, the Volvo 122, it's like a tank, he came and drove in another better Volvo, the Volvo 747 and he got it for 1US dollar. He gave us his Volvo, he got a better Volvo.

Your heart, even when you are in need don't just think about self. If Jesus  thought about self. He would have stayed in heaven and not shed a single drop of blood. If we live for self we will not find the real joy of living.

I love to give Ang Pows but now my wife does it and it gives me joy to see their smiling faces. And Jesus is God's biggest Ang Pow to us. If you didn't get any Ang Pows this year, never mind, Jesus is your biggest Ang Pow.

2. Giving is an Outflow of our Intimate Relationship with God.

2 Corinthians 8:5-9

5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

The Macedonians was giving because they first gave themselves first to the Lord.

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give". - Duane Hulse

So you have to make a choice. Do you want to make a living or do you wan tot make a life with the life that you have. Giving is not a one time thing but a lifestyle.

"It is now how many years we live, but what we do with them". - Evangeline Booth

What do you do with the years God gives you? You can choose a life of keeping or a life of giving. What do you chose? I'm giving away my books this morning. I wrote and printed 10,000 copies which cost me 10,000 ringgit. And when the bill came, it was FOC. And I said God, I'm not selling this book, I'm giving it away. I've given away 17,000 copies. I don't sell them and with my heart, though it's a small book, but with appreciation for what God has done for my son. For God's favour upon his life.

And I've given it to churches and there's no obligation to pay but the money that we got I gave it away to orphanages and children's homes. On my record, I've given away 19,000 ringgit for this one little book. And I've learnt that the more I give back the more I receive.

When it comes to giving to the kingdom of God, it will always come back to you more so let's give our best.

3. Giving is an Act of Excellence.

2 Corinthians 8:7

But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

When we grow up, we are told to do well in your studies. Do well in your sports. In everything do well, do well, do well. When it comes to church, do we excel? When we do something for God we do it well. It's not a law, no pressure but when we are serving God, we do it well for his namesake. Let's excel for Jesus. No more just que sera sera, no we do well. We prepare well, we teach well, we preach well. We do well for God with a good heart.

"Missionaries are never beggars. They are ambassadors who give us an opportunity to become partners by giving our dollars while they give their lives". - Harry Ironside.

You have been supporting missions and we are going to support a lot of people in these next six months. And the next six months. Some of these I know them personally. Theresa Chye is one of them. You have been supporting her. When I came here I didn't realise her name is there. Guess what, I knew her when she was in Sunday School. And she went to Bangladesh. 8 years as a missionary. 8 years as a single lady. Some of us can't even survive one week there. I'll invite her to come sometime in October.

I want to encourage you that where your money go it will go a long way in the kingdom of God.

"Many of us cannot reach the mission fields on our feet but we can reach them on our knees". - TJ Bach.

We are partners and participate with them and we will go a long way. Your life will be different. Pray for those that are in the mission fields.

Prayer:

• Dear Lord, thank you for loving me.
• I love you too and I give myself first to you today.
• Thank you for your grace that is sufficient at all times as I learn to give to others.
• With the help of your Holy Spirit, I will excel and complete the act of giving for the work of your kingdom.
• I trust you will open the windows of heaven and flood my life with your blessings.
• In Jesus Name.