When Trouble Comes Knocking

Rev Gideon Lee

In our cells we have been talking about the trials of life and how we response to it.

If we talk about the trials of life we cannot but look at the book of Job.

Job 1:1-5
Prologue
1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
4 His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

One of the most realistic stories of trouble comes from the book of Job. Job was blessed as we read the beginning of the book. Blessed with 7 sons and 3 daughters. He has 10 children in his family and it signifies completion. God has blessed Job with completion. Likewise God blessed Job with 7,000 sheep and 3,000 camels, a total of 10,000. He had 500 oxen and 500 donkeys, a total of 1000. He had everything.

He was so rich each of his children had their own homes and they feast everyday in each home. The children were all in harmony, another example of God's blessing.

The writer is trying to say that God blessed Job with not only his possession but also relationships. Sometimes it seems that when a rich man die, his family fights over the inheritance. Not in the case with Job. There was harmony in his family.

He was rich yet the bible says he is both rich and righteous. He had everything and no reason that he had to go through any trouble. You would think that nothing bad would happen to him.

But when you read the book further you find that Satan spoke to God to trouble Job. Four things came upon Job. the first messenger came with the news that his goats were stolen. Twe're is sheep were burned. Then all his camels stolen and his servants slained. Then the fourth messenger said each of his sons and daughters were killed in a hurricane as they were feasting in the eldest son's home.

You know sometimes we say if things are taken away they can be replaced. But not children. How to replace them? What comes to your mind when you read all this? WHY?

Look at Job, the wife said to him to curse God and die. I thank God he didn't listen to his wife. His wife challenged Job. What was his response?

Job 2:10
He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

What I'm trying to say is not why Job had to go through these problems but how he responded. That's my title this morning "When trouble comes knocking". Not if but when. Storms comes whether we like it or not.

What happened to Job you may think, it's because he sinned, but the bible says he is a righteous man. God even bragged about Job that there is non righteous like him.

When we talk about blessings, we will also have to talk about storms and trouble. And more important how we respond to them. I pray that all of us understands what Job was saying. We have to accept the good and the bad. He could easily just resign to it but he didn't.

I remember this story about the negros that came to America. No disrespect but they were called the blacks or negros. They came in slave ships. If you have seen the movie Amazing Grace and Roots, the whites would go there and round up the natives by force, bringing them over the oceans. They were treated like animals and many did not survive the trip. The conditions were deplorable. They were sold as slaves and became a property. Their children will also become slaves.

In America there are the black churches and they are on fire for God. Some of the best speakers are African American. They came and got saved and they saw their masters who were Christians treating them badly. Some of the preachers were preaching for slavery. John Newton, who wrote Amazing Grace was a slave trader. There was even one of those ships called Jesus.

If you see the despairing reason for them to turn away from God, this would be one of it. But they hung on to God and things turned around. And today the legacy is that black churches are doing well in America. How we response to trials is important.

Most of the time when we response it would be in the flesh. A tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye. If we do that we would have a toothless and eyeless society. What would Jesus do? Would he strike or turn the other cheek.

It is important that when we response to God, it does not contradict our faith. The bible says that his rod and his staff comforts us. Psalms 23, read it. The staff represent his security and discipline, and we have God on our side. God most of the time allows us to go through trouble. Not because he is a sadist that likes to see us suffer but the scripture in the proper context tells us it is to mould us. When we response correctly, we become more and more like Jesus. Smooth seas don't make good sailors. We have to go through some rough seas.

And here's the difference between a Christian and a non Christian. The rain and sun falls on both good and bad people. But here's the difference, we have God with us. When it rains put out the umbrella. When it shines put out the umbrella. Who is the umbrella? Jesus.

I want to end with a story.

It's about Arthur Ash. He won Wimbledon and the US Open and is a star in tennis. The story goes that one day he needed an operation. And he needed blood and when he came out he found out he had HIV. There were no screening then.

When the news broke many reporters wanted to interview him and how he dealt with this news. Remember, he didn't ask for this. Finally one reporter managed to track him down and he asked him, how he dealt with the situation. Do you blame God. And here was his response.

I was tempted to ask God why me. But if I was to ask God why me for this bad thing, then I should also ask God why me for all the good things. If we can receive good from God, why not also the bad.

Look at the last Chapter of Job. The blessings he had on the later part of his life was much more than what he started of with. His children was still the same, 10 and wife 1. The bible says his daughters were the most beautiful in the land.

As you respond rightly to God in your troubles, you will have the assurance that he will be with you. It will not be easy but the bible says Job never sinned against God.

This morning I want to ask you, are you going through a storm and feel like sinking? Do not let this storm drive you away from God.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Give thanks for both good circumstances and bad circumstances because in both circumstances He is with you. And when you get out of it, you will become a stronger Christian.

TOP students sitting for their PMR being prayed for.

Promises of God, Promises of Man

Sis Melinda Song

Recently Hubby and I have just finished watching 2 seasons of a TV series entitled “Hell On Wheels.” Set in the 1860s at the end of the American Civil War, it is a story about Cullen Bohannon, a former Confederate soldier, who is determined to exact revenge on the Union soldiers who murdered his wife and young son. His quest for vengeance led him to Nebraska’s “Hell on Wheels,” a lawless mobile encampment that moves along with the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad. 

Bohannon eventually became a fugitive because there was a bounty on him for the murders of the "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Army" Union soldiers. His boss, Thomas Durant, who needed his services as foreman, found him and managed to obtain a pardon for him on the condition that he come back to work on the railroad. When Durant brought Bohannon back to the camp Bohannon asked Durant, “Aren’t you afraid I will run out on you?”

Durant’s reply was, “Mr Bohannon, for a man like you, your word is stronger than any shackle I can put on you.” Bohannon was a man of his word. He was a man who told the truth and kept his promises. He was someone you can trust because you know he will do what he says he will do. 

A lot of words pass through our lips everyday so let us today look at what Jesus has this to say about keeping our word. 

Matthew 5:33-37  “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

The title for my message today is Promises Of God, Promises of Man. 

How many Bohannon’s are there? Nowadays everything has to go through the lawyers. And even then there are loopholes that people find in order to wiggle out of keeping their word. 

Our words are so unreliable that people often make oaths and vows in order to show that they really mean what they say. 

So what is an oath? Sometimes it is necessary to assure others that what we are saying is true. To swear or take an oath is simply making a declaration to man (or men) in which we call God to be our witness. In court, when we are called to be a witness we take an oath to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. 

Oath-taking is necessary because we know that our plain word is not likely to be trusted. As A. M. Hunter puts it, "Oaths arise because men are so often liars” but Jesus is emphasizing that honest men do not need to resort to oaths. 

What is a vow? A vow is a promise made to God or a deity “to believe something, say something, do something or be something.” The promise could be made to God alone, or with men as witnesses. Vows may also be a commitment to oneself to a given life, e.g. marriage or monastic vows.

What is a promise? So long as we have told someone we will do something for him, it is a promise. We do not need to raise three fingers or even say “I promise” to make a promise. This, in a sense, is what our Lord and James is teaching us when they instruct us to let our yes be yes; and our no be no (Mt 5:37, Jas 5:12). We must always speak the truth, and what we say we will do, we must do. 

We make many promises in our lives. Unfortunately, no one can lay claim to having kept every promise that they have made. 

a. How many of us have had people break their promises to us? We are all accustomed to seeing promises being made and broken. Near the top of the list of most untrustworthy persons are politicians who do not keep their campaign promises. How discerning of Christopher Tan label his project as “Janji diketepikan,” instead of “Janji di tepati”!

We shake our heads and carry on with life, hardly allowing it to bother us unless someone we love and trust breaks a promise made to us.

b. On the other hand, how many of us have made promises that we have broken? It could be as simple as forgetting to call when you said you would, or promising to take the rubbish out and you didn’t. Which parent hasn’t heard from their child, “But Mom, you promised!” It is a gentle reminder of how easily we make and break promises. 

Here is a list of the most common promises. See if they sound familiar to you.

1. I promise I will do it tomorrow, e.g., start revision for exams, start on our diet
2. I promise I will never tell anyone.
3. I will call you. Or, I will pray for you. [That’s why I always pray for people immediately]
4. I will never do that again.
5. I promise I will always love you.

People are fallen and not perfect, and we all have to deal with that, even in our own selves. I don’t think we intend to lie or deceive but:

• Sometimes we over-commit. Very often we are people who have good intentions or who tend to think we can do more than we can and so can't always follow through on what we've committed to do. E.g. New Year resolutions that are broken before January is over. Nowadays I only make one New Year resolution: I shall not make any New Year resolution [which is actually a circular argument]! 
• Sometimes we simply forget things that we commit to. E.g. A friend drove home after he collected his car, forgetting that his wife was waiting for him at the entrance. Pharoah’s chief cup-bearer forgot all about Joseph after he was reinstated (Gen. 40:23). 
• Sometimes promises are broken due to circumstances beyond our control. E.g. Hachiko the dog who waited every day at the railway station for his master to return. One day his master had a heart attack at work and didn’t arrive on his usual train. Hachiko appeared faithfully every evening to wait for his master until the day he died. 
• Sometimes people change their minds, and so they break their promises. E.g. You vowed to be faithful to your spouse as long as you both shall live. 
• A promise is a promise, whether big or small. Promise-keeping is one of the pillars of civilised society, and when it is demolished we all suffer. A world full of broken promises produces a world full of broken lives. 

God expects us to keep our word even if it costs us dearly.  He wants us to keep our promises no matter how difficult, embarrassing, hard, or burdensome it may be. We ought to keep our word to the best of our ability.

Illustration: The book, "A Promise Kept", is the story of Robertson McQuilkin, a former missionary and seminary president who gave up his post because his wife Muriel had Alzheimer's disease. He dedicated himself full-time for as long as the Lord deemed necessary to take care of his wife. He wrote of traveling with his wife here:

Once our flight was delayed in Atlanta and we had to wait a couple of hours. Now that's a challenge. Every few minutes we'd take a fast-paced walk down the terminal in earnest search of what? Muriel had always been a speed walker. I had to jog to keep up with her.

An attractive woman executive type sat across from us, working diligently on her computer. Once when we returned from an excursion she said something without looking up from her papers. Since no one else was nearby I assumed she had spoken to me, or at least mumbled in protest for our constant activity. "Pardon?" I asked. "Oh," she said, "I was just asking myself, Will I ever find a man to love me like that?"

McQuilkin turned to the woman and said, "Oh yes, you can find a man like that. You can find a man like that, because I've found a man like that. The only reason I love my wife the way you see me loving her is because the man Jesus first loved me. The only resources I have to draw upon to love my wife the way I do are the resources he gives me. Mirrored in my relationship here with my wife you can see the faithful love of God for me."

What a wonderful testimony for Christ! When you keep your promises, when your yes is a yes and your no is a no, it glorifies the Lord and honor and respect is your reward. 

We have a God who honours his commitments. He keeps his promises. He fulfills his word. You are most like God when you keep your promises because God Himself is a Promise-keeper! 

Numbers 23:19  God is not human, that he should lie, nor a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

A. Don’t evaluate God’s ability to keep His promises by human standards

I am thankful that God is not human like us. He is God! He’s more than we are and more than we’ll ever be. He has all the power and wisdom in the universe at his disposal. He is in control and is able to do all that He has promised. God can do anything but fail. 

He just has to speak and it is done. 

Isaiah 55:10-11  As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Remember, promises are only as strong as the person who makes them. A promise is of no use if it is beyond the ability of the one who promised.

Romans 4:18-21  Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 

B. God will never lie or change His mind.

1 Samuel 15:29 “He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.”

God cannot lie because He is "the God of Truth" (Psa. 31:5). He is "the true God" (Jer. 10:10). Jesus said "I am the truth" (John 14:6). Truth is in Jesus (Eph. 4:21). If He has promised, He will do it. 

After they entered the Promised Land and the land was divided among the tribes:

Joshua 21:43-45  So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. 44 The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hands. 45 Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

The problem for us is in believing that what God said will actually happen. Or sometimes things just don’t happen the way we expect them to happen. Why?   

1. We operate on a different time schedule than God does.  Our society tells us that it is now or never.  God never said that. 

2 Peter 3:8-9  But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

2. Some of the promises are conditional and we have not fulfilled the conditions. They come with instructions that we have to follow in order to enjoy all that He offers. 

Take for example John 3:16.

John 3:16  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

You have a choice to believe or not to believe but either way God will keep His promise in John 3:16. 

Philippians 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

God has obligated Himself only to the extent of our needs. That would include food, clothing, shelter, companionship, love, and salvation through Jesus Christ. It would not include the multiplicity of luxuries that we have come to think of as needs.

3. And not all the promises are ours to claim. For example, God spoke specific promises to Abraham at several places in the book of Genesis. God promised to give Abraham a son, and to produce a nation from Abraham's seed, and to give Abraham a land and a name. These promises were given specifically to Abraham, and they were fulfilled through the Jewish people.

D. You can trust God to fulfill ALL His promises 

The Bible is a book of the promises of God that have been fulfilled and that will be fulfilled at the end of the age. 

2 Corinthians 1:18-20  But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not "Yes" and "No." 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not "Yes" and "No," but in him it has always been "Yes." 20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. 

See for yourself the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel

a. Disobedience would lead to the nation of Israel being scattered amongst all nations.
Deut 28:64 'Then the LORD will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other.' 

See also Lev 26:33, Jer 9:16, Ezek 12:15. In all, 6 different books of the Bible predict the scattering of Israel amongst all the nations of the earth. In 70 AD when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman Empire and the remaining Jews were scattered amongst the nations. 

b. No rest for their souls while in exile amongst the nations.

Deut 28:65-66 Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart. You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life.

For nearly 2000 years following the destruction in 70AD, the 'wandering Jew' has lived without a homeland, subject to the strongest racial prejudice and torment suffered by any people group. From the day they were scattered to the holocaust of WWII, this prophecy spoken by Moses has sadly been fulfilled.

c. God himself would restore the Jews to the land of Israel from all the nations
Jer 16:14-16 However, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "when men will no longer say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ but they will say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ For I will restore them to the land I gave their forefathers.

In all, 13 books of the Bible speak of the nation of Israel being restored in their land from the nations in which they were scattered. This prophecy became history in 1948 when the United Nations granted a homeland to the Jewish people and the nation of Israel was reborn! See also Jer 3:14, 31:8-9, Isa 60:8-9, Deut 30:3, Amos 9:15.

d. Isaiah 66:7-8 “Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.”

This accurately describes what happened on May 14, 1948 - when Israel became a united and sovereign nation for the first time in 2900 years.

e. Zech 7:14 I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations, where they were strangers. The land was left so desolate behind them that no one could come or go. This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.

While the Jewish people were scattered amongst many nations, the land of Israel was a barren desert. See also Lev 26:14, Ezek 15:8, Jer 9:12-13, 23:10, 44:22, Isa 32:13 

f. Isa 27:6 In the days to come, Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill the world with fruit.

Not only has God bought the Jewish people back into their land like He said He would in the last days, but He has also blessed the land so that they now export flowers and fruit around the world! Satellite photos show the green pastures of the nation of Israel, in sharp contrast with the surrounding desert lands of the Arab nations. See also Isa 35:1, Ezek 36:35.

g. God Himself would defend Israel and cause Israel to be mighty in battle
Zech 12:8 On that day the LORD will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the Angel of the LORD going before them.

Taken in context, this verse speaks about God defending Israel in a battle to come in the last days. Have we not seen this miraculously occur several times since Israel became a nation again in 1948? They have been greatly outnumbered in key Arab-Israeli wars in 1948, 1967, and 1973. Yet Israel exists! God has seen to that!

Let me end with this intro for the featured article, “ "http://nogreaterjoy.org/articles/israel-thriving-at-65/" Israel: Thriving at 65,”which is being reprinted with permission from the May/June 2013 issue of Israel My Glory magazine.

Such a small group of people on a tiny piece of land about the size of New Jersey—yet, such productivity. They are dwarfed by 22 hostile Arab/Islamic dictatorships 640 times their size and 60 times their population empowered by a sea of oil.

Wanting only to live in peace on a small portion of the land God gave them and the United Nations bequeathed to them, their efforts are frustrated by neighbors of a religious persuasion that killing just one Jew will guarantee them a place in paradise with 70 virgins. Worldwide Jewish population is about 13 million compared to 300 million of their enemies.

Having been forced into five major wars and seven major conflicts since 1947, much of their attention and assets go to self-defense. Having limited natural resources Israel has become a world leader in medicine, technology, agriculture, physics, science, and economics. With less than two-tenths of 1% of the world’s total population, they hold over 20% of all Nobel Prizes, a world standard for excellence, knowledge, and advancement. Of U.S. Nobel Prize winners, Jews make up 30% in Chemistry and 53% in Economics. How could this be?

It is a God-thing.

God is a covenant keeper.

He says, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).

Predicting their unbelief and dispersal among the nations, God promised that in the last days, “And I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them” (Amos 9:14).

There are many things in this life that can dash our hopes, but God’s promises are sure. 

One of my favourite songs is “Shout to the Lord!” and my spirits are always lifted up whenever I sing “nothing compares to the promises I have in You.”

The Bible is a historical record of the absolute reliability of God’s promises. The Bible's promises have always proven trustworthy, so you can rely on them. God’s promises have been thoroughly tested and found true.

Psalm 119:140  Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant love them. 

You can count on the promises of God because God the Promiser is FAITHFUL. There are no broken promises with God. 

You can count on the promises of God because God the Promiser is POWERFUL.  God has infinite power to fulfill His promises.

All the promises of God are Yes in Christ! You can depend on God's promises, because Jesus is their guarantee.

Therefore…

Hebrews 10:23  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful. 

1. If you are a Christian asking “How long Lord?” 

a. Continue to have faith in a faithful God who will come through for you. Psalm 145:13  Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.

b. BE patient. Learn to wait. God is not slow regarding his promises. 2 Peter 3:8-9   But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

c. Very often God’s promises come with testing. Meanwhile His grace and strength will carry you through. Psalm 119:50  My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.

d. WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED

God has not promised skies always blue.
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through.
God has not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

But God has promised strength for the day,
Rest for the laborer, light on the way;
Grace for the trial, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

2. If you are not a Christian this morning . . .

a. God has two sets of promises for you.

b. Which set of promises will be fulfilled for your life?

c. God’s promises of salvation are conditional and only applicable if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. 

Kingdom Rule

Rev Phillip Sung

We talked about covenant in my last sermon. How many of you remember? I want to continue on the second aspect of God's DNA.

The DNA of the bible has two threads. Covenant Kingdom. God relates to us based on covenant. Not equal covenant but unequal covenant. God who is so great wants to covenant with small people like us. It's about promises, relationship and Jesus being in the centre of our life.

The second thing is kingdom. The kingdom rule. We are destined to reign with God. I want to talk about Joseph.

Genesis 37:8
His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.

This is a favorite Sunday school story. You all know about Joseph. He was handsome, tall, capable and was spoiled by his father. He was gifted and somehow he felt like he was the centre of the universe.

He was pampered and spoiled and he had a dream that his brothers will bow down to him. When Joseph shared the dream to his parents, they said you will even rule over us? But this dream was prophetic. The brothers were so angry with him they wanted to kill him.

He went through dangers and difficulty because of this and the journey from the centre to the edge is the next part of the story. God was with Joseph. He was so capable he took charge of Potiphar's household. The hand of God was on Joseph. He prospered. Until when Potiphar's wife almost destroyed him. He was thrown into jail. Jail was a difficult experience but God had His purpose. Even in the midst of prison Joseph reign. He became in charge of the prison.

He learned how to be broken. Every great man of God needs to go through brokenness. A seed must die before it can grow. Humility is something that Joseph had to learn.

In prison Joseph was able to interpret dreams. God's anointing was still upon Joseph. Even after Joseph interpreted the cup bearer's dream the cup bearer forgot about Joseph.

But finally, Joseph interpreted Pharoah's two dreams when nobody could. The cup bearer remembered Joseph as someone who could interpret dreams. Joseph told Pharoah I cannot interpret your dreams but God can. Joseph finally learned the lesson. From being in the centre to allowing God to be in the centre. A simple story of how God dealt with Joseph.

Some of us has forgotten how we started with God. God no longer become the source of our strength and power. Just like Joseph. God gave Joseph the wisdom and interpretation. Something he finally realized.

This morning I was sharing in the Hokkien service. That we need to rely on the Holy Spirit. To be full of the Holy Spirit and to be continually being filled by the Holy Spirit.

In the AOG Conference we were talking about God raising up a young generation of Pentecostals. A Spirit filled and anointed life. Not dependent in our degree, talent or strength.

Fourty years ago when I was called into ministry at Form 5, after my MCE, I went to Form 6 and thought I would go to university. But God had other plans and God gave me the zeal and strength to submit to Him and to serve Him. No regrets.

Joseph ruled in Potiphar's household, ruled in prison, ruled in Egypt. When you go through prison you become a better leader. Our CM Guan Eng was in prison. Annuar was in prison. Nelson Mendela was in prison. Suffering is good. It creates character in our life. Joseph went through suffering and became the prime minister of Egypt.

Then the brothers came to him and was reconciled. When finally Joseph died, he said you thought evil against me but God made it for good. There are many things in life when we saw bad things happen, even crisis in the church, or terminal sickness or broken relationships, God is in control. If we know this in our hearts, God can meant it for good. That's why we are kingdom people. He is preparing a kingdom of priest.

I am going to pray for you all over this and we are going to come before the Lord and reflect on these things that I have shared.

Josephine saying a few words before being prayed for.
She'll be going down to Segambut, Johor to further her studies.

The Marks of Discipleship

Rev Gideon Lee

Luke 14:25-35
Leaving All to Follow Christ
25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 “ If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it — 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish. ’ 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
Tasteless Salt Is Worthless
34 “ Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The mark of a great leader is seen in his demands of his people. Look at Winston Churchill. He told the people "I have nothing to give you but blood, sweat, toil and tears." Every leader demands something from his followers.

Jesus spoke of the necessity of commitment in the passage that we just read. He even said if you want to follow me, you have to hate your father, mother, brother and even your own life. Don't misinterpret the scripture ya.

It is to tell us commitment is very important. More important than your love for your parents or your own life. Remember the Ten Commandments said honour your father and mother, so it is not contradictory when you read this in the right context.

Why did Jesus demand that? He probably knew, looking into the future that His disciples will follow His suffering. Many of His disciples were crucified, beheaded and flayed. Andrew was hanged on an olive tree at Patrae. Peter thought himself unworthy to be crucified as his Master, and, therefore, he asked to be crucified upside down. Paul was beheaded. The only one that lived was John, living in a forsaken island called Patmos. His disciples paid the price of following after Jesus.

His demands were radical and shook the foundation of our believe.

In the passage it said a large crowd was following Jesus. In the crowd many follows Jesus for many many reasons. Some for healing. Some because Jesus fed 5,000 so maybe for a free meal. Some could be for political agenda. And Jesus knew that. Jesus didn't say a popular thing. Following Him is not all rosy. Sometimes we will go through storms.

Same goes here for our congregation. Why do we follow Jesus? Is it because so that we receive blessings? Or is it just the popular thing to do? Or because you come due to your boyfriend or girlfriend? As you hear this message about the marks of a disciple, I want to remind us the cost of being a disciples.

What are the marks?

1. Establish right priorities.

Too often, other things that are not important become our priority. We need to have the right priorities.

There was a survey done to see how much time was spent on different things in life. The survey shows we spent 23 years sleeping. About 32-33%. Work? We spent 16 years working. 23%. TV? We spent 8 years on TV. Now maybe more because of Astro and Korean series. How about eating? We spent 6 years on eating. Maybe in Penang even more. We even spend much time dressing up. You know how long? 2 years! How much time on religion? Anyone can guess? We spend 6 months on religion. That is just 0.7%.

The survey shows that we have messed up our priorities. The mark of a disciple is that we must have right priorities by putting God first.

Let me put it this way, if it becomes illegal to be a Christian or to gather or assemble together to preach God or even to mention the name of Jesus, where will your priorities be?

2. We must count the cost.

If someone wants to build something he must count the cost so that he can finish it. When we don't finish something, our work is not complete. Know that Jesus wants you to succeed as a disciple. What is the cost? Everything.

In my father's ministry in Thailand, he would ask the contractor, when can you come and he would say next week, but is not specific. In Malaysia we have rubber time. Or worst, we always say on the way, when you just left the house. Or just around the corner. Which corner? The Thai culture is that they will turn up when they want. They can work for a few days then go missing for the rest of the week. It is part of the Thai culture. They will not finish at a specific deadline. They call it the Thai time. Will it be done? Yes. When? At Thai time.

As servants of Christ, we must count the cost.

3. Pay the price.

Jesus says deny yourself, take up the cross and follow me. He did not say pick up your Gucci bag or your Louis Vuitton or Prada and follow me. As we count the cost let us pay the price. What is the price? Everything.

And I end with this.

There was once a rich nobleman. He lived in a time when there was no electricity. And he said to himself, when he die he wants to leave a legacy to the village. After thinking, he said he wants to built a church for the village. But he did not show the plan to anyone. When the church was ready, everyone was invited and they could see how beautiful it was.

But when they came, they saw the place was dark because there was no electricity. One of them asked the rich man, why is the place so dark? He asked them to look at the wall and he told them on the wall are hooks. Every time you all come to the church, bring a lamp and hang it on the wall. When all of you bring your lamp the church will be bright. If one of you don't come it will be less bright.

Jesus wants our commitment. We light up the church. You may think your absence does not matter. It does. Our church will be less bright without you. We all need to show commitment.

Look at at Abraham, Isaac, even Moses. Moses left the palace to be in the wilderness for the Israelites. Abraham gave his only son. They paid a price so that God's people can fulfill the plans of God. What about Jesus, our perfect example? He paid the ultimate price. He gave His life for us.

Today I ask this question, would you pay the price to be His disciple?

Pastor Gideon praying for TOP's students sitting for their UPSR and their parents.

The Pursuit of Holiness

Bro Koay Kheng Hin

The last time I came up here was before the general election. Much have changed since then. I have moved on to a different dispensation but I won't be talking about that. Today I want to share on this idea of holiness.

I want to ask what comes to mind when the word holy is mentioned. Hold on to that and I'll try to add to your thoughts.

When Pastor asked me to preached on this Sunday, I immediately knew I wanted to talk about holiness.

More than 10 years back, someone was telling me "all this talk about holiness, when we are living in grace. I don't like those holier than thou Christians". Then a few weeks back someone was asking me that in the OT is a lot of talk about holiness. That if we are not obedient a lot will come upon us which is scary.

For a lot of people, holiness is a bit negative. We are living in grace so there are a lot of things on our mind when it comes to holiness.

A proper understanding of holiness is necessary. We have compartmentalised a lot of teaching and holiness is not exempted. Or we talk about grace. Due to time constrain we focus on one or the other. But when you do it like that a lot get confused.

Actually it is an issue right from the time of Paul. If you preach grace without holiness, you will find there is a certain liberty for the people to sin. On the other hand if you teach holiness without grace you fall into a set legalism and you become like a Pharisee. It is a yolk around their neck and other people's neck.

There are 4 compartments. You preach grace without holiness and there is no consequences to sin. If you preach holiness without grace, you become legalistic and under law. If you preach no grace and no holiness, then it's not Christianity. The fourth is the only accepted one which is to preach grace with holiness and grace within holiness.

But so far I have not opened the bible. If it's just this, then it's just my opinion and it carries no weight.

Hebrews 12:14
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

My focus today is upon the word pursuing holiness.

All of us have different sort of pursuits. Some of us it's money. We wake up and see the dollar sign. Some of us already have money, so they pursue Datukship. I didn't know there are different types of Datukships until recently. Some people pursue recognition or status. But most people pursue enjoyment or pleasure. Some pursue happiness. My contention is this. Here the Hebrew writer says we are to pursue holiness.

And the reason is simple, without which we will not see God. We will not be able to experience the presence of God and in future we may not be able to go where God is.

What is meant by this holiness? If you ask people, some say you carry a big bible, or go to church always, or your dressing, like the clergy. Cover this, cover that and you are holy. Or someone who don't mix with sinners and lives like a hermit.

To really understand what is holiness we need to study what the bible says. I have this friend who told me he had a cousin who became a Christian. And he said his cousin wears a certain type of dress and talks different, he says if that is holiness, that's not for me. His understanding of holiness is not correct.

I want to skim through exactly what it is all about. It began in the Garden of Eden. The day came when they ate the fruit and death both physical and spiritual became a reality. The bible says you will surely die. What is spiritual death? It is separation from God. It was an immediate separation. That was why they hid from God after they sinned.

Adam is a living moral being with a conscience. The whole process is that when man sin, he will know it and the separation is immediate. Unless a person has a seared conscience. What is that?

Take money for example. If you steal 1,000 dollars from your company, for the next week you will worry if you will get caught. You do it the first time, you feel like that. But if you do it for the tenth time your conscience is seared. You no longer lose sleep over it.

There are two types of separation. The immediate as in Adam and Eve and if that separation is not atoned for, then there is a second separation. Under the dominion or bondage of sin. And that separation is the penalty of sin.

The problem is we often separate the two.

When the Israelite nation is born they came out of Egypt as a people of God. God said to them this is it and they can experience the presence of God.

Exodus 25:21-22
You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you. 22 And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.

This cover is the atonement cover. Here is where the presence and glory of God is. The word meet means His presence will be there. God was dealing with them corporately and Moses was the representative. You will notice there are three things here.

The atonement cover.
It cannot be left empty. It has to be sprinkled with blood and brought in together with incense.

The mercy seat.
That's where grace is. The presence of God.

The testimony.
This is the tablet that carries the Ten Commandments. This carries the moral nature of God.

These three always come together. God meets in holiness without which no one can see God. He also meets us in grace without which no one can see God. He covers our sin without which no one can meet God.

Many today say the Ten Commandments is no longer applicable as we live in grace. Let's look at the fifth commandment. Do we need to honor our father and mother today? The sixth commandment where we cannot kill. Can we kill today? Cannot. The commandment says you shall not commit adultery and the Pharisees says they have not but Jesus asked if they have lusted after a woman and they kept quiet. Jesus have taken the commandments from the actions to the heart. With murder, Jesus asked if they have angered against another. So Jesus have taken the commandments even higher.

People have misunderstood what holiness is. If you ask a woman if she wants a holy husband she may say no. But if you ask if she wants a husband who don't commit adultery or lust after another and she will say yes.

The Ten Commandments is tied very well with the fruits of the Holy Spirit. This is holiness. So the next time if you are asked if you want to marry a holy man, look at a man who has the fruit of the Holy Spirit. What about a man? Do you want to have a wife who is holy? Someone who is a good helper to you. Who is submissive to you. You also want a holy lady to be your wife.

I want to change your idea of holiness. Holiness is about that Christ-like nature that is represented by the Fruit of the Holy Spirit and the Ten Commandments. You have to get the perspective of holiness right.

The next one is do you want to meet God? In His presence His promises become yay and amen. In the Holy Spirit is the promises and power of God. It brings joy and a delightful heart.

When you link all three together, the presence, the grace and holiness of God.

If you are a drunkard or an adulterer and you say you have the presence of God, do you believe him? It is nonsense.

When Moses came down with the tablets, the Israelites had a golden calf and was sinning. Moses was so angry he broke the tablets. Imagine he has to fast 40 days and 40 nights for it already. The Israelites started on the wrong footing and this went on for 800 years. And God said enough is enough yet in their exile God's grace was still there for them.

Jeremiah 31:33-34
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord:I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbour  and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord, ’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

After two sets of the tablets, the Israelites were still sinning and so God upgraded it and now put the law in their hearts. This is the New Covenant. Jeremiah 31 smacks right into this grace, presence and holiness of God coming together.

But here it is still not explained how to put that law in man's heart until Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 36:25-28
Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.
Ezekiel answers the question Jeremiah didn't answer. That new nature that God gives is the moral nature of God through the Holy Spirit. This is the New Covenant. But they had to wait for Jesus to come before the Holy Spirit can do His work in our hearts.

The Ten Commandments was fulfilled when Jesus was on the cross. The grace, the holiness and the presence was in Jesus himself.

Hebrews 10:10
By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

We are made holy. The perfect holiness of Christ is imputed to us and God sees us through the eyes of Jesus. We call this positional holiness in Christ. What does it do? Positional holiness deal with the penalty of sin. In other words, we are saved. You will be able to go back to the presence of God. There will be no eternal separation from God. You are born again. The Holy Spirit dwells in you to begin the work to regenerate you so that you become holy. That is practical holiness.

1 Corinthians 1:2
To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

There are two parts to it. Those sanctified, made holy and those who are called to be saints, to be holy, that is practical holiness. Positional holiness is immediate. Practical holiness is to be pursued but not attained. If not there is no need for glorification.

Positional holiness is by grace but practical holiness is within grace. The spirit of God works within you to make you holy but you must put to death the deeds of the body.

Romans 8:13
For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

If you want to pursue holiness you must depend on God but you must also cooperate with the spirit of God.

God wants to see your heart.

David was a man after God's heart even though he sinned. He repented and was restored. Consecration and repentance. Positional holiness is God's presence in you. Practical holiness is experiencing the presence of God.

In the presence of God is the fullness of joy.

In grace and holiness I want to summarise like this: we are made holy to free us from the penalty of sin. God works in us so that we can become holy to free us from the dominion of sin.

England was in a moral decay in the 16th century when John Wesley was anointed by God to preach. There was lots of pubs and prostitute houses. There was a massive revival in England. John Wesley may have saved England.

John Wesley was someone who emphasised on the holiness of God and that man can achieve total practical holiness though I don't agree with him. It achieved much for England, as all the pubs and prostitute houses close shop.

The Assemblies of God has got a great emphasis on holiness. This is our spiritual heritage.

I want to end with this. If you ever think why you should be holy, fundamentally there is only one reason.

1 Peter 1:16-17
because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;

We pursue holiness because our God is holy.