Faith that Leaves a Legacy

Rev Gideon Lee

2 Timothy 4:6-8
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day –and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

We have just read a passage of scripture where Paul, knowing his end is near made an important statement.

Before this, how many of you remember the passage I preached on two Sundays ago? It was "faith that heals".

Today I am talking about faith that leaves a legacy. I want to talk about legacy, about death. I know it's not a popular subject.

Let's say if you have an opportunity, what words would you like inscribed on your tombstone. Most of the time we choose a verse that reminds us of how this person lived his life. Most of the time we won't get to choose the verse but if you had the opportunity which verse would you choose? Think about it?

Josh, what would you choose being a lawyer? Josh: Jesus wept. (Laughs). I think we all have our favourite verse but coming back to this at the end of his life Paul wrote this letter while awaiting his execution.

He started off by saying that his life was like an offering being poured out to God. And that he had fought the good fight, kept the faith and finished the race. As we read this I pray that when our time come we can confidently say the same. That the words on our tombstone would be well done thou good and faithful servant.

He started out by expressing his view on life. He saw his death as an offering and sacrifice being presented to the Lord.

How many of you have seen some movies, especially Chinese movies where before the king, the man is offered wine and he pours it on the ground because he felt unworthy to drink it.

When a person wants to make an offering to God often the person pours wine or oil before the Lord. That was what Paul did.

Paul did not think of himself being executed but that he thought of his life as to be offered to God. His life was not taken from him but that he laid down his life. - William Berkerley.

Paul was a Jews amongst all Jews. He sat before Garmaliel. Not every one has the opportunity to sit before this scholar. But now he offers it to the Lord. I pray that all of us can reflect back on our life without any regrets. That we have used all our resources for the Lord.

The bible says Jesus laid his life on the cross like a lamb to the slaughter. No one could take the life of Jesus as he has legions of angels to call on. But He lay down his life for us.

Where is God in all that we are doing? This kind of commitment is very rare.

I remember a story where a woman went to the printers to choose her wedding card design. She chose and paid and a week before the wedding she called the printers to check if it is ready. They said it is ready but she asked if she can make some changes. So the printer said okay and she said the dates have changed, the church too and the guy is different (laughs). She was not committed.

Do you know what is a martyr. Do you know that word and the word witness come from the same root word. So when we are a witness for Christ we must be ready to die for our faith. I don't want to use the word martyr but are we all witnesses? That we may pour out our life. There may come a time where it may be illegal to be a Christian. I don't know. What then church?

He goes on to say that the time of my departure is near. The Greek word for departure give us three images. The first is the picture of a ship hoisting an anchor pulling up the rope and departing for another country. The second picture is the breaking up an encampment, clean up, take up your tents. Break camp. The third is the un-yolking of an animal. These pictures described Paul's life very well. Paul was going to a better place.

Paul made three important statements. I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith and have finished the race.

Fought the good fight you think of a warrior, a gladiator.

I finished the race you think of a runner.

I have kept the faith is the picture of a good stewart.

He has done his best. He had much to fight against. Being shipwrecked, put in jail it was easy for him to give up. He fought on. Paul completed his race like an athlete. What are some of the qualities of an athlete. Determine, endurance, focused, he lives, sleeps and wake up as an athlete. He completed his race.

There is this story of a guy name Michael Johnson. He was one of the fastest man alive. Even in the trial to the Olympics he was so determined and focused that he did everything to break the record. That was just the trial. During the trials he broke the record but it was not captured due to a fault in the timer. The reporter asked him whether he must be disappointed. But he said no worries, tomorrow I will do it again. And he did it the next day. He was so determined that he was not concerned about the gold. He just wanted to break the record. He was so determined he broke the record but also tore his muscle doing it and could only complete the first of three races.

I have kept the faith. He looked at faith like a good stewart. It was like he saw his faith, like how a good stewart did with his resources. No matter how difficult it was he kept his faith.

Then he goes on to say this. What awaits me, a crown of righteousness. There will be rewards in heaven but we are not after the reward but if we do what the Lord requires, the reward will follow.

There once a manager that was given a reward and he told the secretary he didn't deserve the reward and the secretary said that "then the reward went to the right person".

But the good news is that he didn't stop there. He said that this crown of righteousness is also available to all of us. But we have to fight the good fight, run the race and keep the faith.

The gift of salvation is free but Jesus paid for it. It is available to all but we have to accept it. Likewise the rewards.

Coming back to the tombstone I was tasked to choose the scripture for my father's tombstone. I felt that the verse that I could properly remember him by is this.

Luke 18:29-30
“I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”

Because I could see the commitment to the faith of my father. That is how I remembered my father. That is one of the reason I am able to stand here and answer the call of God. Because my father left me a godly legacy. Not a good legacy. I want the best for my children, like education. But it will be sad if they say they don't want to answer God's call. I pray that I will leave for them a godly legacy.

All of us have a different call. I am not running against you. All of us have a different race to run and we have to finish it. Fight the good fight and hang on to keep the faith. That at the end your children can see your life and not just remember the good things you have done for them but also the godly example that you have given them. That we will not look back on our life with regrets.

Here lies pastor Gideon, good and faith servant. I pray that it will be inscribed on all our tombstones.

Fear Not! Be Strong and Courageous

Rev Marcus Tan

This morning even as you celebrate your 35th Anniversary, I want to tell you a little bit about how TOP started.

In the beginning of 1978 at Lebuhraya Besi we met at a house and Pastor Eng Lian said God is going to do something special.

And this was the verse, Psalms 107:9 for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Where it all started...humble beginnings at Lebuhraya Besi.

With that she went around the neighbourhood to witness. And from Convent Greenlane, 3 students attended her bible study.

She went back to bible school and some of us had to take over and two of them, Pastor Ruth and Bro Chong Boon are here with us today. And all those that started there, about 7 of them that started at TOP, all went to bible school. TOP was small then but were powerful. Since then TOP has started Hiding Place and also TOG, Tabernacle of Grace, also a vibrant church.

We want to show you a little clip of Pastor Eng Lian.

If you look at the video, she said to support all the work of God. If you want to do the renovation, do it. Support your pastor, support your leaders. When she started there was nothing. No aircon, no chairs, no tables. She just had a vision and she did it. When God give you that leading He will also give you that help.

At that time, TOP grew by leaps and bound and the churches in KL even came to find out how TOP grew so fast. In a short time we had 200 and a that time even Calvary was only numbering about 400.

TOP started with a vision, with an idea. She started with the idea of a lighthouse. That became the TOP logo. And it must shine. When TOP grow, there will be trials and opposition. This house after only 3 months can seat about 30 and at that time the fan dropped from the ceiling but no one was hurt. Imagine a fan with spinning blades came crashing down. You would imagine heads rolling everywhere. It was a miracle even as we faced opposition from the devil. God's angels were watching us.

When I came I teared seeing how TOP has grown. But there is more in store for TOP. Let's take a few minutes to thank the Lord before I deliver the message.

Penang First started TOP but it was TOP that grew the fastest and biggest. A healthy church always grow the fastest. And I find there is a kindred spirit between me and Pastor Gideon. His mother is still with Penang First and his father too was there at the beginning. Way back in the fifties and sixties.

When we heard that he was coming, we were rejoicing because we knew he was the right person. Amen! I want to thank God for every remembrance of you.

I am going to title my message Fear not! Be strong and courageous.

Joshua 1:1-5
The Lord Commands Joshua
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide:2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them –to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates –all the Hittite country–to the Great Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

It is a new season. What is ahead of you, you don't know. Just as how God spoke to the people of Moses. It's a new season. Get ready. Get ready for what God has prepared for your church.

Eccl 3:1
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

God has got a promise for you. The Israelites were slaves. Any of your Indonesian maids or Cambodian or Filipino maids own land here? But God promise them land. Between land and house which would you want? Land? I want both. God said I will give you the land. Therefore we must learn to dare to ask.

Joshua 1:2
2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them — to the Israelites.

Psalms 2:8
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.

Hudson Taylor asked for China and God gave china to Hudson Taylor.
William Carey asked for India and God gave India to William Carey.
Adinoram Judson asked for Burma and God gave Burma to him.
John Knox said to God "Give me Scotland, else I die" and God gave Scotland to John Knox.
John Hide asked for Punjab, and God gave him Punjab.

Josh 1:4
4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west.

All of them asked for nations. TOP what are you going to ask God for? Many a times we ask for small things. God please have our aircon work well (laughs). Nothing wrong with that but if you want big things, you need to ask big. I will tell you why the aircon is down. Yesterday it was raining non stop and last night I had a running nose. So I tell the devil to get behind me because I have a message for TOP so the aircon has to be down a notch so that I can preached (more laughs).

Sometimes we think that miracles happened a long time ago and no longer happens today. That's not true. There is this man who went to Punjab named john Hyde. He prayed for souls in Punjab or else I die, just like John Knox. Your heart is left hand side or right hand side? It's left hand side. That's why we wear our ring on the left hand side. But when they operate on him his heart is on the right hand side. Google him and find out more. He prayed until his heart moved from the left to the right. Prayer is hard work.

Those days, Saturday after Saturday TOP prayed for 4-5 hours and that's why we are reaping the revival at TOP. Revival swept over Punjab.

We need to ask for nations.

Psalms 2:8
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.

The Koreans and China asked for revival and God poured out His Spirit to these land. The Holy Spirit no need to apply for visa or a passport. The Spirit of God will move over the entire earth. When TOP ask for Penang, God will give Penang to TOP. When you ask for Butterworth, God will give Butterworth to TOP. If you ask for Malaysia, God will give you Malaysia and even the nations.

TOP's influence will be far reaching. TOP, your influence will be great over civilisations. Your influence will also cover the Hittite country. Who are the Hittites? There are the enemy grounds. They are called the "sons of terror". Not too long ago we keep hearing how one bullet can kill you in your car. When you read news like that it puts fear in your heart. Even as they are promised the promise land they are confronted by the sons of terror.

Genesis 15:19-21
the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”

Canaanites  : Shame 
Hittites : Fear& Terror
Hivites : Depression 
Perizzites : No boundaries
Gergashites : Deception
Amorites : Pride/Rebellion
Jebusites : Oppression

When we move forward we will be confronted by these enemies but greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. No one will be able to stand up to you. We fall but we come up again. We fall but we come up again. We fall but we come up again. We fall but we come up again. We fall but we come up again. The steps of the good man is ordered by the Lord and he will not be cast down.

We are not forsaken. God says that we are not to be afraid. God had not given us a spirit of fear.

1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love;
but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
If you do not have these quality when you face the enemy you will be defeated. But if you have these you will not easily be defeated.

In the name of Jesus I come against these fears. In the name of Jesus I reject that. Fear of sickness, fear of a wandering husband, fear of bankruptcy etc, I reject that. Some of us allows fear to drive our life. Night and day we live in fear. Fear is not from God. Do not be afraid. Even when you do the renovation do not be afraid there is no money. God will provide. God wants to bless us with prosperity and success. Every church has problems. Big church, big problems. Small church small problems. At Penang First, we are raising 5 Million, so we have a 5 million dollar problem.

From where do we get the secret of success. The bible can change life, society and nations. The whole world. Go after the bible. The secret is found in the word of God. Not Feng Sui or all the counting of beads. It is the word of God in your heart and your mind. Say amen to that.

There was this man who was staying in a condo beside Gurney Plaza. The wife accepted the Lord, and she asked me to remove all the idols in the house. When I went I saw all kinds of crystals in the house. I said "this is your husbands things and he is the head of the house. I can remove the idols but I cannot remove these other things". I told her to move the things to a room. Three days later I received a lawyer letter. But I told him I did not remove your things, just moved them to a room. I was shaking as I have not received a lawyer's letter before.

I asked a senior lawyer in my church about this and he said do not reply it. I said cannot, what if the police come and catch me in the middle of my service? He said no need to reply this is just a RM50 letter. I asked the wife what happened? She said the husband believed these crystals will give him prosperity and when he came back he got very angry when things were moved. They are placed strategically at different places in the house. The word is Chi. That's why people wear all these because they want prosperity.

Fast forward. This man is an accountant. He divorced his wife and then he got cancer became skinny, literally skin and bones and I heard about it. I went to the hospital to see him. I asked if he recognised me. I asked if he wants to know Jesus, he said yes. I led him in the sinners prayer. Only skin and bones but he accepted Jesus. It is God's will to give you prosperity and success. But it is in His word.

Joshua 1:5
5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Romans 8:31
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Joshua 1:9
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:8
8 ... For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Isaiah 55:11
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for
which I sent it.

His word will proper you. Your marriage. Your business. Your church. His word will prosper Penang. Amen. How powerful is His word. I want you to look at some of these pictures.

What is the Word of God?

Good for the Champion.
Your armour
Your weapon
Your GPS
God’s Blueprint for His kingdom
Your Training Manual
Your Management Handbook
Your Financial Handbook
Your Resource Handbook
Your Problem-solving Handbook
Your Multiplication / Expansion Manual
Your Evaluation Sheet
Your Devotional / Inspirational / Motivational Reading

Your Miracle Book

• Save
• Heal
• Deliver
• Transform
• Prosper
• Success
• Generational Blessing

England gave us the bible and became very great. Today England forsake the bible so England is going down. America gave us missionaries. And America became no. 1. But today America forsake God and today America is going down. Brazil honoured God and see how Brazil prospered.

North Korea and South Korea. What's the difference. South Korea has got Samsung, LG, Hyundai, KIA, Gold Star! Look at the nations from the satellites. What's the difference.

That's because they believed in God. Your life can be like North Korea or South Korea. The Korean Peninsula is just a small land. The border is just a small area but when South Korea honour God, God prospers them.

Joshua 1:8
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

You cannot have both, you have to chose one. Your choice will lead to consequences. Like North Korea or South Korea, vibrant and prosperous. The biggest AOG church is found in Korea. Recently there is a bigger church in Africa. All the biggest churches are not found in America or England. They are found in Korea. Amen. You need to make choice.

Joshua 1:9
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Dance performance from the Hokkien congregation.

TOP young adults performed two numbers.

Pastor Ruth sharing about the beginnings of TOP

Rev Marcus during ministry time

Today also happens to be Rev Marcus Tan's birthday!

Rev Gideon together with the church board praying for Rev Marcus Tan

Rev Marcus Tan praying for TOP on it's 35th Anniversary

Faith that Heals

Rev Gideon Lee

I want to thank all of you for praying for me. If you didn't know already, last week I hurt my back while picking something up. I was supposed to preached at the youth last Saturday but I could not do it so I asked bro Vive to take over and he graciously did. I thought I could preach on Sunday but I still couldn't so I asked bro Koay to take over. He is someone who excel in last minute preaching so he just stepped up to preach. And sis Melinda handled communion, where she is more than qualified. So that was Team B last week, the replacement team. I was told even the worship leader was a replacement. That is what it is all about. We talked about this at the Leader's Retreat. Empowering leaders to take over. 

Luke 17:11-19
Ten Healed of Leprosy
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him–and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

There was this story of a travelling evangelist who advertised himself as a faith healer. He jumped onto the stage and said there are two people who will be healed today. He said to the crowd, quickly the two of you come to the stage. Then a man named Harry came to the stage and the evangelist asked what healing he needed and he said he stutters. Te evangelist asked him to go behind the curtain. Then the second person named Steven came up and was on a crutch and he said he wants to walk again. Both of them were asked to stand behind a curtain. So he called Steven to slip his crutches out from underneath the curtain. After some time one crutch came out and later the second crutch. Then he told Harry to speak properly and asked an usher to give Harry a mike. So Harry slowly but surely said, with a little stutter, Steven has fallen down. (laughs)

I don't know what you think about healing but if you treat it as a business I don't think God will be pleased. But I believe God is still in the business of healing. My title is Faith that heals.

The bible says Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. And as He was travelling He came to a village and as He was going in 10 men with leprosy called out to Him. Notice how desperate these men were.

Maybe to know how desperate you have to know what leprosy is like. Back in those days it was considered one of the most frightening disease. It is a disfiguring disease, where body parts can fall off. And they look pale and it is a very slow death. People who are afflicted with this is very pitiful. And often they are blamed to have been punished because of sin.

In Jewish custom they are considered physically unclean. So they cannot participate in any of the temple worship.

Leviticus 13:45-46
“The person with such an infectious disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean! ’ 46 As long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp.

They have to live alone outside the city gates. They can only live with their own kind. And they have to wear a black robe and move around shouting unclean unclean. They can only be healed by God. Imagine the anguish and heartache with these people.

Imagine not only their mental pain but also their emotional pain. They knew Jesus was the answer. Master have pity on us as they stood at a distance. The law says they have to be at least 6 feet away from another.

Friends, have you been in such a desperate situation like this? This pain is not only physical but also emotional and mental pain. But the good news is that Jesus heals a person completely. Not only your body but also mental and emotional.

Do you know suicides is on the rise. What would drive them to do that? Jesus has come to deal with it permanently. Emotional distress can cause a person to take their own lives. The bible says Jesus healed the 10 men. Jesus said go show yourselves to the priest and as they went they were cleanse.

As they acted on the command, they were cleanse. The word of hope for us is that Christ hears our pleas as well as he heard the pleas of these 10 lepers. He hears, he cares and he has the ability to do something about it.

There was this woman who had no hope of healing and in a symbolic manner as she stood by a window she shut the curtain thinking that God has shut her out. You can shut the curtain but that does not mean the sun is not shining. We can shut God out but that doesn't mean He does not care.

There was this man called Peter Marshall who died in 1946. He said if God shuts my life he will not be one minute too early or one minute too late. He was right. The promises of God are true and he heals us according to our needs. This is what I call a statement of faith. Healing faith is that even in our dire circumstances there is a loving God who watches over us and healing will come.

But we need to know that death is sometimes also part of the healing process. But don't get me wrong I am not saying we pray for death but that death is not the end so we do not fear death in that sense. But don't get so caught up that we want a person to be healed only our way. Sometimes, death is God's way, absent from the body and present with the Lord.

We need to be at a place where we are so desperate for God to heal us. Dead end situation and somehow God comes and turn the situation around for His glory.

Friends, the key this morning is to hold on to God's promises.

How many of you have been on a plane especially a small plane like the Firefly. Sometimes as it taxi down the runway everything shakes even you. And you wonder if the plane can take it or not. But once the plane takes off, no more shaking. That's like our situation. Sometimes we are in a situation similar to the shaking. But we must hang on because it is just about to take off.

The 10 men got cleanse as they went. When we act on faith to God's promises the healing comes. Out of the 10 how many came back to thank him? Only one. And he was a Samaritan. Samaritans were like half breed, the worst of the worst but he was the one that came back. And Jesus said your faith have made you whole. The 9 received healing but this man was saved spiritually as well. He saved the whole person. And one of the keys is a grateful heart. Gratitude is important. We need to learn to be thankful. That's when we will see the healing come.

Are you going through a difficult time? I pray that during the turbulence do not be so quick to jump out. It is about to take off.

Do you have a need for healing? Healing for your body, marriage, emotion? A good place to start is to be thankful. It is important we understand faith plays an important part of our healing and lives.