God has you covered

Rev Gideon Lee

We want to pray for all those that are taking their SPM. I believe all our young in TOP do well, not just in their studies but in life. And parents, you all play a very important role. 

Isaiah 59
Sin, Confession and Redemption
1 Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.
2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
3 For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters wicked things.
4 No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments and speak lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.
5 They hatch the eggs of vipers and spin a spider’s web. Whoever eats their eggs will die, and when one is broken, an adder is hatched.
6 Their cobwebs are useless for clothing; they cannot cover themselves with what they make. Their deeds are evil deeds, and acts of violence are in their hands.
7 Their feet rush into sin; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are evil thoughts; ruin and destruction mark their ways.
8 The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks in them will know peace.
9 So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us.
We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.
10 Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like men without eyes. At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead.
11 We all growl like bears; we moan mournfully like doves.
We look for justice, but find none; for deliverance, but it is far away.
12 For our offenses are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us. Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities:
13 rebellion and treachery against the Lord, turning our backs on our God, fomenting oppression and revolt, uttering lies our hearts have conceived.
14 So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter.
15 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice.
16 He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.
17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.
18 According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due.
19 From the west, men will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory. For he will come like a pent- up flood that the breath of the Lord drives along.
20 “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the Lord.
21 “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.

Isaiah 60:1-5
The Glory of Zion
1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
4 “Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the arm.
5 Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.

I want to give you a little background on the book of Isaiah before we go to chapter 59. Chapter 60 starts on a very encouraging note and verse 61, 62 and it is like that from that chapter onwards. But to appreciate the blessings that is going to come you have to understand chapter 59.

The book of Isaiah is written by who? Isaiah. What does Isaiah mean? It means the Lord saves or the Lord is our salvation. Isaiah is a prophet.

Remember what did Pastor Clement says about a prophet? He comes to tell you what to do, he is the index finger that points the direction. Isaiah is such a prophet.

Firstly, he gave a message for the people there at that time. Secondly, in the message is also about something that is going to happen in the future. And third is that the message the prophet have was not just for the people at that time but is also for us today. That is why we are reading it. If not it is just history and have no relevance to us.

Here in verse 1, he sets the tone, the preamble. Isaiah 59:1 Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.

This is the first thing he wanted them to know. That his hand is not too short that he cannot save. That it is not impossible, without a shadow of a doubt he can save.

He is not like a dinosaur like the T-Rex with short hands though he is powerful. His ears are not deaf that he cannot hear your cry. This is a very good reason why we pray. That is because God hears our prayers. Then he goes on to what's happening. If you read this passage, it sound depressing right? That's why I ended with arise shine! That's more positive right?

Some of the situation sounds like what we were in, walking and groping in darkness. Not only were we walking in spiritual darkness but that it was our own doing. We were like that before we were saved.

Isaiah is saying we choose to walk away from God but he also said here's how you get out of darkness. By taking responsibility. That we turn from our sin. That was what we did when we first came to God right?

How often we will solve a lot of problems in a relationship if we know how to admit our wrong. How many marriages will be saved. That's what God wants from us. Total surrender.

That was why Isaiah was saying to the people and to us as well.

Isaiah 59:19 From the west, men will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory. For he will come like a pent- up flood that the breath of the Lord drives along.

I love this verse. How many of you have seen a sunrise? Or how many of you have climbed Mount Kinabalu? I have not and would like to do that one day, by helicopter (laughs). They wake you up at 2.00 am and trek up to the peak to catch the sunrise. And they tell me it's beautiful. It's cold and dark and wet and just as the sun pierce the darkness and slowly but surely you see the sun rising up. I have not been there but I am telling you this (laughs). The bible says that's what it's like, his glory is like the rising sun.

This verse proofed to be quite controversial. In those days there were no comma or verse or chapter. It was a problem for the scholars where to put the comma.

When the enemy comes in, like a flood God will raise up a standard. Or when the enemy comes in like a flood, God will raise up a standard.

The floods come in silence to places when you least expect. That was how some problems come to us right? But I am not bothered where the comma is because I like the end of the verse, God will raise up a standard. A banner. I like that.

In the old Chinese movies, how often you see two opposing armies charge at each other. And who goes first? The flag bearers.

Isaiah is saying that when the enemy comes in like a flood, like a tsunami that will overwhelm you, like this is the end for you, that is when before anything happens, the Holy Spirit is fighting on your behalf. He raises up a standard, his banner. I would rather have God on my side than the strongest man. He's got your back, he's got you covered. That's the title of this message. God has got you covered.

As a child of God, the Holy Spirit is fighting on your behalf.

Isaiah 59:20 “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the Lord.

The redeemer is coming to the saved ones. You and me. Who is the redeemer?

Rev 5
The Scroll and the Lamb
1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty- four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song:
“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they sang:“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

This is a picture of our savior, our redeemer. The person who can redeem you has to be a kinsman. That was what Jesus did for us. Only Jesus can open the scroll who was worthy enough to do it. Jesus was your kinsman redeemer. If he did not withhold his life for you, don't you think he will withhold anything good from you? We have the Holy Spirit and Jesus, our kinsman redeemer on our side.

Isaiah 59:21 “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.

Not only do we have the Holy Spirit and Jesus on our side, we also have his covenant, his word. God has given us the assurance of his word.

So many times, we look at our problems and it looks so big. But have you considered who's covering your back? You've got the Holy Spirit, the kinsman redeemer and the covenant of his word.

We have a tag team on our side, like wrestling. I would go into any ring, any battle with my Jesus. So lets arise and shine. That's going to be our theme. So TOP, lets arise and shine. 

Five Fold Ministry

Rev Clement Wong

Tabernacle of Praise's 34th Anniversary (Combined Service)

Good morning. I want to congratulate the church for 34 years of existence. God has been faithful. My question is have the church been faithful to God?

One day there was a church that went into a big church building project. The committee said to the congregation, we have good news and bad news. So they asked, what's the good news? The good news is that we have the money already. So they asked, what's the bad news? The bad news is that the money is in your pocket.

A church with a vision plans for the future. We must see beyond our lifetime. We must plan the church for our future generation.

But I see a huge problem in church. Many children are physically taller than their parents but is spiritually shorter. We have to build a generation that is strong in the Lord after we have gone to heaven. Our children, or grand children or great grand children.

So lets turn to your iPhone or for some your Samseng phone to Ephesians. (laughs)

Ephesians 4:11-16
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

This passage of scripture is what I call a very heavy passage. Full of words and much about the church. I will try to dissect it and help you understand what it means for the church.

That's why I am happy for the announcement where you all are working hard for the Christmas with the community event.

I believe the church is not build for the believers but for the world.

But in verse 11, we sometimes call this the five fold ministry. The Lord has given to the church the five fold ministry. They are offices given to the church.

It is easy to understand and remember. We have five fingers or for some who is more specific, four fingers and one thumb.

The first, your thumb is for the Apostles. He builds the foundation of the church. So the thumb is very important for the hand. You need it to write or even to use a spoon. If you try to break an egg with four fingers is very difficult without your thumb.

Then we have the Prophet. The index finger which we use for pointing. Who points the finger and say "Thus saith the Lord". He give directions from the Lord.

Next, your middle finger is the Evangelist. The evangelist is the tallest one and he stands out. They go town to town and cause a whirlwind and the pastors have to clean up.

Then we have the Pastor who is the ring finger. He marries you and he buries you.

And the last one, your little finger is the Teacher. What he says goes into your ears (sticks finger into ear).

They're a gift to the church. When I stand before my church, I always see myself as a gift to my church. You may say "Wah pastor so proud" but it's not me who says this but the bible says.

The five fold ministry is a gift to the church. Because of this, I feel a heavy responsibility. I feel the call of God in my life. I believe we cannot employ the five fold because he's a gift.

But you may say, "but pastor we pay you wat". But I always say you can never give me enough. Because I am a gift. But they say "if you are a gift then free lo". I've got smart church members. You can never hire a five fold ministry. You can never hire and fire. Some of you think you can and do it and you face the judgement of God. I say if you're not happy with me, tell my boss. It is wiser to fear God than men.

I am reminded that when I answered God, I remember God said it is He that called me and not man. When it is man that call me, then it is easy to give up. Have I tried to throw in the towel and give up? Yes, in all sizes and colours. If it is God that called me I will not give up.

If you want to be a strong church, love the gift that God gave you.

I tell my church you can never pay me enough. You can give me as much as you want but my reward comes from God. My pay is out of this world. (laughs)

Why did God give us His gift? Are we perfect? No. Are you perfect? No. If I am perfect, I wouldn't want my congregation. If my church members are perfect, they wouldn't want me. We are all sinners saved by grace. Anyone goes to heaven because he is handsome? If anyone qualify its me. (laughs)

Why? For the equipping of the saints. As like in a military to train you to put weapon in your hands and show you how to fight. To equip us for the work of the ministry. I realize that as a pastor my work is not to do the ministry but to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry. Who? Turn to your neighbour and said YOU. Who does visiting the sick in the hospital? Oh, we employ the pastor to do visitation. Who does the counseling? Oh we pay the pastor do that. Who pray for the needy? Oh we pay another pastor to pray. So what do we do? We go out and make money and eat 10%.

I see some churches, not TOP of course (laughs), it is like in a stadium. 22 players playing and 50,000 commentators. This is a problem with some churches, not TOP.

But the scripture say God gave the five fold ministry to equip you to do the work of the ministry. You lay hands on the sick, you go visitation, you share with the unbelievers. What does the pastor do? The pastor train you.

I am glad there are cell leaders. Cell leaders are like shepherds. You may say "wah Pastor I have 10 members and already so stressed. I don't know how you can handle hundreds of members." You need to be trained. You must be willing to be trained.

When you are in boot camp you don't ask why. This is the problem with the "Y" generation. Everything they ask why. You are trained to obey. You don't ask why. When the captain say jump, you say how high. When he says run, you ask how fast.

You don't ask why because at the battlefield bullets fly in all directions. When the sergeant say "hit the deck", you don't ask why. You hit the deck. Otherwise you hit the deck backwards. Then the sergeant will tell you "that's why la". (laughs)

God has given us the five fold ministry to equip us. Let's be obedient. If everyone of us do the work of the ministry, can you imagine how fast the church will grow. We are like the football spectators. We just complain. It is easy to complain but not easy to do it. You think it's easy to score a goal in front of an open goal? It is not easy.

So we want to tell our pastor to train us. To do the work of the ministry, to edify the body. Unless the saints do the work of the ministry we cannot edify the body. I used to almost visit everybody. It is impossible to visit everybody now. There's just no time. I cannot do everything. But we have others doing it.

A lot of people like to just talk. Don't just talk. If you want to talk talk to the right people.

Till we all come to the unity of the faith. When the body of Christ is being edified, then there is true unity in the church. The church cannot mature if we only want to employ somebody to do the work.

Look at the scripture. When everybody serves God, everyone is edified and there is true unity. There are too many babies in church. They don't do anything. They only complain. Some people after 20 years still ask "why nobody visit me?" Hello?!! You should be visiting others. Then the church will never grow. We are suppose to mature in Christ. And you can never mature if you don't serve. We need to grow up.

When you serve God in the ministry we will all come to the unity of the faith. The five fold that God gave to us is to mature the body of Christ. So the church must grow up. So that all of us can be a powerful force, all to be like Christ, no longer like children. When we grow up we will reproduce. When the church grows, we will need more pastors to equip the saints.

No prayer pastor, no visitation pastor. All of us should be doing that. If I visit you, then very serious already.

Can you imagine if all of us do visitation, how many is being reached? If half of you do discipleship, how many will be discipled? I still do visitation but rarely. I have leaders who do that.

We will jump a few verses. Verse 15, Ephesians 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

The truth will help us grow. We may not like it but it will set us free.

Verse 16, how does the church work? Ephesians 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

The scripture says, the body is joined together and strengthened when everyone work together. The body can only be strengthened when everybody does their share. So in your anniversary, you need to ask yourself, what part do you play? Is it worship, music, multimedia, cleanliness of the church, usher, or the cell or even cooking? My mother used to cook and everybody loves her cooking and come just for that. And through that, she got many of her friends saved.

Another one of my member love coffee and he is a coffee connoisseur. He has many coffee making machine and many just want to go to his home because o that. And they got saved.

What can you do? Not what you cannot do. Many times you only think of what you cannot do. Some people want to sing when they can't. Want to try, don't try. You torture the congregation.

Can you drive someone to church? "Pastor out of the way la." There is no greater joy than to bring someone to church. Even if it is out of the way.

The sweetest words to our pastor is "Pastor what can I do for the church? Where you lead me I will follow, what you feed me I will swallow." (hilarious laughter)

I have been to many churches and in every church there is a unique person. There was this church where every service there is this elderly women that would come to the front of the church to dance. (Pastor Clement dancing to illustrate - laughs). So what? She has been rejected by many churches. Let her be accepted and loved. I see this church and I say they have matured. Let us all grow up.

Note from the transcriber: This is one of the most difficult sermon to transcribe because it is interrupted by too many laughter. Shaking hands not good on the iPhone's keyboard ;-)

The Church Board together with Pastor Gideon and the Anniversary cake.

And here they are ready to cut the cake.

The lighted candles showing 34 Years of God's faithfulness to TOP.

And here is a poem composed by by Bro Terence Low for the occasion.

TABERNACLE OF PRAISE (TOP)

Your Community Friend

Tabernacle of Praise

34 years of God’s amazing Grace

Tabernacle of Praise

JESUS CHRIST is LORD of this Place

Tabernacle of Praise

Lifting God high in worship and praise

God has placed TOP above and at the top

TOP stays top, praises go on non stop

God is faithful throughout the years

He saw our weaknesses and fears

He felt our sweat and tears

All our cries and prayers, He hears

We prayed fervently at PPN

We need to enlarge and extend TOP’s tent

To take up 3^rd floor and no more paying rent

God heard and His Kingdom will expand

The Spirit of the Lord has anointed TOP 

To preach the gospel to the poor and needy

Healing the sick and the brokenhearted

Setting the oppressed and captives free

3^rd year of TOP’s Christmas with the Community

Touching lives with God’s love and mercy

To bring them joy, hope and charity

To love and to serve the needy unconditionally

We trust God for wisdom and direction

We will work and serve together in unison

Caring and sharing with one heart and one mission

Laboring in humility for one goal and one vision

TOP’s Christmas with the Community

Hee hee ha ha anyone who comes will be happy

Got so many kinds of food, so ho chiak and so tasty

Char mee, kueh and TOP’s famous baked cookies 

TOP’s Christmas with the Community

Full of uncles, aunties and kiddies

Lots of fun games, prizes, goodies and freebies

TOP would not miss such evangelistic opportunities

Free haircuts, health checks, songs and talks

Exciting programs, activities, stalls for all walks

May each visitor feel God’s compassion and love

May everyone experience a special touch from above

We declare that JESUS is LORD over Jelutong

With God’s whole armor TOP is battle strong 

Harvesting souls with victories after victories

JESUS’ name is lifted high in the community 

LPN Vision

Pastor Albert Tan

LPN (Love Penang Network) Partnership Facilitator

I am very pleased to come and share with you the LPN Vision. We had a half day program at PCC two years ago to share the vision. That was shared by the pastors but now we want to go to the grassroots level which is all of you Christians.

We are going to show you two video clips.

The first are the views from the pastors with regards to the vision of LPN and how all these churches are partners to fulfill this vision. 

The next video is a collage of some of the work by LPN including some fund raising project and how LPN was started.

Then I am going to share with you the outline of our vision.

I have been traveling to the different LPN churches to share this vision. But now we realize that we cannot impact Penang the way we have been doing it.

I am going to show you the seven spheres were we can have influence and here we need you, the Christians at grassroots level to be discipled.

The Mission that compels us. 

We sense there was a unity amongst the 7 churches so the pastors looked at "intentional discipling". The pastors are looking at discipling a specific kind of Christian. We talked amongst ourselves and felt that we need a world Christian. Not a worldly Christian but a world Christian. A world Christian is very different from a worldly Christian. A Christian that sees and have the finishing line in mind. That before Jesus comes back, every people group must know Jesus. Some in this nation is not yet reached. We want to disciple Christians who will be involved in the great commission.

Christians are amongst those that have the biggest resources. And it is sad that these resources are inward by nature. We buy more houses and store up more money. We want to disciple Christians who know how to invest this resources into God's kingdom.

We want these to not just be discipled but to also disciple others. Not from the church but from bringing in unbelievers and disciple and produce Christians who will impact the world and transform our city.

We have 5% Christians (10% in Malaysia but that's mainly in East Malaysia) and if they are not world Christians then our impact will be limited. We have Christians everywhere, as businessmen, teachers, in politics, in the government etc and these Christians are in places of influence.

How many of you have been a Christian for more than 20 years? And how many of these have a younger Christian being discipled by you? Teaching them the ropes of being a Christian? Everywhere I go there is hardly any. We expect the church to do that. More bible studies. But that is only the giving and feeding of information.

We want to start planting churches. We need to bring in unbelievers and not just reach Christians. That is like taking a fish from one aquarium and putting it into another. We need churches that is local where people don't have to travel across the island to attend. We have different churches in different places with different languages.

We have to plant churches. How many? Unlimited. We want to saturate the city with churches where we can impact the city much more. We are planting into every area a lighthouse that can be a place for the lost in this city. Even if it is a group of 40 or 50, we are happy because number is not everything as long as the Christian is being discipled well. Not every church is a 1,000 strong congregation church.

When we plant churches where the leaders have to be implanted with the DNA that we are wanting to plant more churches. The speed of expansion is going to be dramatic when we do it this way. LPN event is open to all of us so you can see how some of these churches are doing their church planting.

Jesus wants us as believers to serve together. We want to network you. We want you to meet up with other Christians in the city within the same sphere. That way we can have better impact in the city.

When we do community service we are only doing the trimming of the leaves. We are not treating the root issues. Why are there so much hurts, so many broken homes? There need to be addressed bigger issues at policy level that is not being voiced. This is what we call structural evil that needs to be looked at. Unless structural laws are set in placed, the suffering will continue, like those of the migrant workers. Where some are even oppressed by Christian business owners. God looks at injustice with anger. He came for the oppressed and the poor and the marginalized.

But we cannot do this as one church. You may not even be able to fully reach Jelutong much less Penang. We have to do it together through the seven spheres.

The great commission involves shaping the culture of the city. God wants the city to have what we call His shalom peace. These seven spheres are influences that can shape the city's culture. All seven spheres are involved.

We have to reach the unreached people group. The rural urbanization is happening now because people are moving out to the city. 70% of the population is going to be in the city. That is why it is important to reach the migrant workers.

I am going to give all of you a form where you can tick two areas where you want to be involved with the spheres. Not more than two. It is usually an area of your work but not limited to it. We will want to pool all of you within the same sphere to come together and brainstorm how you can better impact Penang through your sphere.

Here are the PowerPoint presentation by Pastor Albert

Living Sacrifice

 Pastor Gideon Lee

We want to collect this morning a special offering for NECF as announced last week. The money you have saved during the prayer and fasting month will be sowed into the kingdom of God. And next week we will announce the amount collected.

Romans 12:1-2
Living Sacrifices to God
1 I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

What is happening here is a conclusion of the discourse that has been going on since chapter one. That's why he started with the word therefore. A term lawyers use to conclude their case.

I want you to note this that God's will is good perfect and pleasing.

These two verses as you have read them in there are two words that stands out "living sacrifices". The next word is "do not conform to the pattern of this world" and it did not stop there but continued with a comma "be transformed by the renewing of your mind". You can only do the transforming without the conforming. And the last thing is that God's will is good for us pleasing and perfect.

The book of Romans is written by Paul and if you know the history Paul wrote this when he has not been to Rome. His desire is to get a chance to go to Rome to preach there before the end of his life. Back in those time Rome is the centre of the world. He wrote this letter to prepare the people that he is coming.

Secondly he also wrote to correct some wrong doctrines. One of them is that the Jews that became Christians had problems with the Gentiles. They were still doing what was required by the Torah. He wanted to unite the Jewish and the Gentile Christians. There are a lot of fundamental doctrines being discussed.

And now at chapter 12 he is moving from the theological to the practical aspects of Christian life. From revelation to responsibility. How we are going to lead our life. From doctrinal to application.

Paul used a known analogy here. In the OT you bring animals to be sacrificed and the priest will first and foremost examine your sacrifice. You cannot bring a blind lamb or one with three legs. They need to be perfect. Jesus was our perfect sacrifice in every way.

We in nature give leftovers to God. Let's be honest with ourselves. "If I have the time if I have the extra money I'll give to God".

But to bring the perfect sacrifice the lamb needs to be killed and blood shed. Thank God we don't need to so that now or we have have a very dirty church. But Paul said we do not want a dead sacrifice but a living sacrifice. What Paul is saying is that we are to bring our entire body and let it be a living sacrifice as its our spiritual duty.

We cannot compartmentalise our life. It's not only Sunday that we bring our body to God. It's everyday 24/7. Then it becomes a pleasing sacrifice to God. You are a Christian 24/7. When we walk out the door we are supposed to be the same person whether we are in church or in the world.

365 days a year we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. When we do business we are a Christian businessman. And we are to be Christian employees. All the time. God doesn't want you dead he wants you to be a living sacrifice out there.

Verse 2 starts off with an imperative. A command. It's not a suggestion. Do not conform. We MUST do this. It is not an option. Don't let the world mould you.

How many of you knows how to make Ang Ku Kueh? To make it you need to press it hard into a mould. When the things come out we say chop chop like how a son looks like the father.

This is because we are not of this world. In it but not of it. We as Christian employees give our best to our employers. Everything is done as unto the Lord. Don't let the pattern of the world mould you. Paul is not talking about the outward. You can clean the outside but it's only for a while. Paul is asking you to be transformed. Of course the outward is also important but what is inside will come out.

This word transform is the same root word as the word metamorphosis. What happens during metamorphosis? Change happens. But change happens from the inside.

In science class we take a caterpillar and puts it in a jar. Then it goes to the stage of a pupae. Here it is in a cocoon and looks dead. But something is happening inside that changes it to a beautiful butterfly.

As a child of God we need to change from the worm that you were (for lack of a better word) to a butterfly by the renewing of your mind. It is a very important organ in your body.

Your mind needs to be constantly renewed and how you do it is by reading God's word. Like dialysis. You need to hook up to a machine that washes your blood like the kidneys. Out come the clean blood. That's what God's word does to our mind. It renews your mind. By reading and digesting the word of God. You need to saturate your mind with the Word of God. Not one day but everyday. It only ends when we see God face to face.

When we grow up we are somehow being moulded by our world. That's why there is peer pressure. We are forced to change to how the world thinks. But we are to be renewed in our minds, to be more and more like Christ.

When I was a youth pastor, a Christian brother showed me a wonderful Christian book. But I wanted to point out something to him knowing him well. I asked if he has read the bible from Genesis to Revelation. I am all for Christian books, don't get me wrong but we need to first and foremost read the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation. This is because it is the foundation to what we read. So that we know what is rigth and wrong because all Christian books in the bookstore is based on the bible. Then we can test and know what is God's perfect plan and will for us.

Putting your mind to God's washing machine, washing it so that when we stand before God we are more and more like Him.

Five manifestations of a renewed mind.

1. When you actively accept and live a life with a purpose and destiny that God has given you.

Look at Gideon in the bible. God used him to deliver Israel. He lived a life with a destiny in God.

2. You are not ruled by circumstances.

Logic has a place to play but what does the word of God says? We live under supernatural circumstances in God. We are not ruled by circumstances when we have a renewed mind.

3. You recognise that abundance is not limited with the material that you have.

We always equate abundance with money. If you have a renewed mind you will know you can have a nice house in the best part of Penang but still not a home. You may have the best mattress in this world but not a good nights sleep that comes from a clear conscious. Or money to buy the best medication but not health.

4. When you have the right priorities.

What's your number one priority? Sad to say it's not your children? We are first Christian then businessman. First Christian then pastor in my walk with God.

5. When I see you in every area of your life you strive for excellence.

We need to do things where we give our best. Remember Caleb when he was 85 years old he told Joshua that he felt as young as when Moses called him. He strived for excellence at 85 to take the mountain. There is no retirement for Christians. The only way you retire is when God take you from one area of leadership to a higher area of responsibility. Retire as cell leader? Sure, then be a zone supervisor.

You want God's perfect will in your life? Then you need to renew your mind.