Kingdom Work

Rev Yee Tham Wan

I love the song you sang, "I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back." I remember this song when I came out of the water during my baptism. Maybe we need to change the lyrics. No holding back. No holding back. 

By the way, the difference between a social worker and a kingdom worker is obedience. Social work is about needs. Kingdom work is about the King, and obeying him. 

The ministry is a viable career. I know it's a calling but not everyone of us should be in full time ministry. I know some of us God called but we are not responding. Some people are called but they did not obey God. If you are one of those or even a parent. In my days we had to disobey our parents to answer the call of God. But today, Christian parents are making their children disobey God. 

This is the place where I serve, on the mountains. It is a beautiful place called Baggio. It is a beautiful place especially at the seminary. Fresh air and the vast skies before you. The temperature now is below 10°. I am enjoying life in the ministry. I want to tell you the ministry is a viable career. It started as a call. In fact every career should be a call. Ministry is indeed a viable career. 

We serve at the Asia Pacific Theological Seminary. It is perhaps the premier AOG Seminary outside of America. It is very well equipped with excellent facilities. If you are considering studying, this is a meaningful place to go to but we only take in students pursuing their Masters. We have students from all over the world. 

Come and visit. It is a beautiful place. Trekking, mountain canopies, hot springs and waterfalls. And one of the largest shopping malls around. 

This is my family. When I answered the call they were just toddlers, now my youngest son is going to be 30 this year. My wife and I pray for them everyday. That God will watch over them and protect them. That they make wise choices. My son is more famous than me. He is pastoring a church called 180°. What type of name is that for a church? But he is touching young lives. 

My second son is with Astro. He just finished directing a dance competition. 

The third boy, this is a wedding photo with his long hair. But he is a man (laughs). He is an editor with the Star. He is with the youth wave called Rage. You may have read his column. 

When we took on kingdom ministry, we took on risks, but it is not a real risk because it is the King's work. It is obedience that God wants. God don't need social workers. 

I am on Facebook. It is a powerful tool. I am on it and sometimes I have to explain why. I am very active on Facebook. Just be careful and don't just pass news around as many is not true. What's on my Facebook is true though (laughs). 

Malaysia is very blessed. Malaysia truly Asia is a very successful campaign and won many awards. If you study marketing this is one of the case studies you'd be doing. Very successful. 

"Malaysia, Truly Asia"

Individual cultures maintain their identity and uniqueness. Cellular society. 

A variety of cultures; yet blessed with relative peace and prosperity. 

Representing the 3 largest unreached blocs of people groups:

Chinese

Indians

Muslims

Sociologists have discovered that there is no dominant society even if the Malays think they are dominant. In Malaysia, there is no 2/3 majority. We also did not experience periods of bloodshed after independence. India and even Indonesia went through bloodshed but not Malaysia. 

God is a strategic planner. Malaysia is blessed because God has a plan for Malaysia. We are not blessed because we have an intelligent Prime Minister (laughs). I don't know why all laugh every time I say this. I have to be careful we need to pray for him. We are not blessed because of our natural resources. 

We are blessed ahead of the Philippines. Why? They are more talented than us, sing better, play music better and they even look better than us.  In spite of all the complains on social network, we are a blessed nation. Amen?

God bless us because we have a purpose from God. We in Malaysia have access to China. 

I am a very direct person, more Western in thinking. When I preached in Taiwan, I was direct. I said if you think the only reason you become a Christian is to go to heaven, then your time on earth is wasted. The faster you die the better, then go to heaven. Even the interpreter don't dare to say die, they say left us, gone away etc (laughs). 

China used to be closed but today the doors have opened. China needs missionaries from Malaysia because their doors are now open. 

Indians here are still in touch with India. And they can still practice what they do as Indians in Malaysia. I spoke to one mamak man and he said, you look at me so pitiful here in Malaysia but when I go back to India I live like a raja. He has a wife in India and a second wife in Malaysia. 

We are blessed because we can have access to India and to China. India and China needs Malaysia. 

The largest unreached people in Malaysia is the Muslims. The worlds largest Muslim country is around us. Indonesia is the largest. We live amongst Muslims and can connect with them unlike any other. 

There are three unreached groups in Malaysia, the Chinese, the Indians and the Muslims. God has a purpose for us here in Malaysia. We are called the "Land amongst the Giants".

We are your Malaysian missionaries to APTS. You are touching the nations through your investment in us. 

Matthew 6:9-13

In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

13 And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

There is earthly request, heavenly request and the doxology. 

Romans 8:14-17

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

In recent months our country have been in heavy discussion on the name of God. A certain name is not allowed to be used. Names are very important. If all your names are the same, then it is difficult to call a person. Everyone will turn to you. But God is one, so names makes him a personal God but it also showed his attributes. But there is one name that Paul said "Abba Father" which only the Holy Spirit can give meaning to. It shows our relationship. I have three sons and to give up one son for you it's unthinkable. If I give up one son, I'd still have two. But God gave up his only begotten son. 

Abba speaks of:

Love - Intimacy

Likeness - Imitation

Legacy - Inheritance 

Love - Intimacy

And Jesus did nothing wrong for God to give up his son. On his baptism, when Jesus have not done anything yet, God the Father said this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. That is a father's heart. You love even before he has done anything. He loves you just the way you are. We don't have to earn God's love. He love us because of adoption. 

My son was fortunately born handsome but whatever comes out I have to take home. I cannot reject. But you are different when you are adopted. He has a choice. He chose us. He chose to love us. We are adopted because he chose us. He had a choice. 

Likeness - Imitation

And when we call him Abba Father, we are suppose to look like him. We are to be like the image of God. People see us and they are supposed to see God in us. We walk in dignity and have different values. We have to be different, the guy work hard. The guy don't take bribes. That guy don't take buta gaji. Different, we have to look and act different. 

Legacy - Inheritance 

And we have a legacy. When my son come home, he can just open the fridge and eat what he wants. When tired he just go into my room and sleep on my bed. But when you come to my house you cannot (laughs). Because you are not my son. You don't even dare open my fridge or go into my room. 

God is not responsible or obliged to answer a non Christian's prayer. But God who is our father wants to answer our prayer. It is a prayer that only a Christian can pray. We have an inheritance. My sons sometimes don't tell me things because they think that they don't want to stress me. But I still want to know because I love them. That's what God is like. We don't have to worry that if we tell God our problems we stress God. Wah, he has to take care of the problems in the Middle East some more. Like the movie Bruce Almighty. Where he got to be God for a day. And he couldn't handle all the requests and needs. Our God is not like that. 

I want to tell you a story. I had a beautiful car Ford Cortina. All black. But the church could not afford the petrol so I used the church van. But the church van also got stolen. And we really needed a car, but as a pastor I cannot go to prayer meeting and ask for request for a car. Wah, pastor hinting. 

So we just prayed with my family but one day in the board meeting, the stingiest board member said let's get pastor a car. But as a Chinese I am humble and said no need la, no need la but inside I shout hallelujah. 

I asked him later why he mention that when it was not on the agenda. He said he was jogging one day and a car honk him from behind and he saw it was the pastor of a church down the road driving a new car. So he said wah, must also get our pastor a new car. I also know the pastor so I told him next time you get a new car, drive and honk him again (laughs). 

God has been faithful and I want to challenge you. God did not bless you by accident. If you obey God, do not worry. God will provide all your needs. 

ARISE! SHINE! From Success to Significance

Bro Vive Supramaniam

Introduction by Rev Gideon Lee

Today we have a special speaker all the way from Nepal. They went there for a short mission trip. Pastor Steven Teoh met them there at Nepal. They decided to do this all on their own. They kept me updated trough WhatsApp so that we can pray along. As we do our Harvest Mission Promise it is good to have him share with us. 

They say whenever you go to a Nepalese church they say "Jirehsee" which means praise to the messiah. It is a privilege to come here to share with you. In 2014, we planned a holiday. We wanted to go to Vietnam but somehow Vietnam didn't turn out as we had an opportunity to go to the holy land, Israel. But Egypt went through some conflict so we decided to put Israel aside. Somehow this Nepal came along so we offered to join pastor Steven in Nepal. 

He said I just have to preach one service. We landed on 24th but was told to preach in their Christmas service. Then we were supposed to have a few days holiday but I was told again I was to preach on Sunday in a church. Including sharing in a bible school. For me it's a life defining moment. 

I will be joining the 40's club soon and I was asking God what he wanted us to do as a family. God spoke to us and he is really good. 

This morning it is good that God is bringing us to a new season. From the called out once to Arise! Shine! My title is to move from success to significance. 

When I was in Nepal, I met a man name Jason Dai. The word Dai actually mean the elder brother. 16 years ago he came to Nepal. He was trained as a pilot but he felt this is not what God wanted him to do. So he quit the Air Force. His superior told him in Singapore you don't quit the Air Force, we sack you. So his superior who is also his church brother said they'll fail him. 

His vision was to have 200 churches with 200 members by 2020. In Nepal life is different. When you order food it takes 45 minutes. Things are slow there. 

Today, Jason has started 150 churches in Nepal. He raised up leaders, village pastors. When I say villages don't think Malaysian village. To reach a town he had to walk 15 hours and a long bus ride to the town. His requirement is that he will support them with RM200 a month. He has an incentive, if he can get 200 members, they will get a piece of land. 

The village churches is like the photos that Deswyn sent. Cows come to your church service (laughs). 

Another person is architect Wong. Jason is one of his main sponsor. Architect Wong has been sponsoring about 50 such lands. He did this even before he became a Christian. He is now saved. Praise the Lord. Today they are building a Hotel in the village to bring transformation and social work to Nepal. 

The next person is CK. He is from Brunei in car business. He impacts Nepal in an interesting way establishing old folks home. He pays for everything. The church thinks strategically and single mothers going to work are welcomed to leave their kids there free of charge and many mothers are coming to the Lord. They are now planning a kindergarten to reach the lost. 

When did the first Malaysian church I started? Don't know your history meh? In the 14th century. The first church in Nepal is 1941. 50% of churches in Nepal is more than 1,000. Their church service is 3 hours long and they are in church half an hour before service. No chairs, no aircon, no carpet. Malaysian church, what happened to us? That's why I said it is a life defining moment. God challenged me. 

This morning I want to talk about moving from success to being significant. When young we are already being pushed for success. How many of you tell your children it's good to be hopeless. Or tell them to fail, fail more. We are taught and it's imprinted into our DNA to be successful. 

In Nepal they collect offering in a plastic. Some bring vegetables. No Kangkong (laughs).  

One very important thing in life is to go into survival mode to be a success. It's never enough. We want to be more and more successful. But there is importance to move from success to significance Rick Warren said. 

According to Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life, Life goes through the three “S” stages – Surviving, Success and Significance.

It's good to be successful but we must learn to be significant in our walk with God. 

John Maxwell is his article Success or Significance says the following:

“I know a lot of people who believe they are successful because they have

everything they want. They have added value to themselves. But I believe significance comes when you add value to others – and you can’t have true success without significance”

Glenn Bland, in his book Success (published fifteen years ago), gives the best example I've ever seen of the importance of priorities. It shows vividly that success and money alone can't buy happiness and peace of mind.

Bland tells of a meeting in 1923 of the world's most successful financiers held at Chicago's Edgewater Beach Hotel. In terms of money, these financial giants almost literally ruled the world. 

Look at their names and positions:

Charles Schwab, president of the largest steel company in America; Samuel Insull, president of the largest utility company; Howard Hopson, president of the largest gas company; Arthur Cutten, the great wheat speculator; Richard Whitney, president of the New York Stock Exchange; Albert Fall, Secretary of the Interior in President Harding's cabinet; Jesse Livermore, the great "bear" on Wall Street; Ivan Krueger, head of the world's greatest monopoly; and Leon Fraser, president of the Bank of International Settlements.

These men were "movers and shakers," the kind many people envy and wish to be like. Yet something went terribly wrong with these men's lives. 

Twenty-five years later:

* Charles Schwab went bankrupt.

* Samuel Insull died in a foreign land, penniless and a fugitive from justice. * Howard Hopson was insane.

* Arthur Cutten was insolvent and died abroad.

* Richard Whitney had just been released from Sing Sing prison.

* Albert Fall had just been pardoned from prison and died at home, broke. * Jesse Livermore committed suicide.

* Ivan Krueger committed suicide.

* Leon Fraser committed suicide.

I am not saying material success will end badly. But it is the use or abuse of wealth that determines the outcome. 

In fact, power, position, prestige, pleasure, and prosperity are rather amoral-neither good nor bad from a moral position. It's the use or abuse of these that determines the outcome.

The story reminds us about Solomon who sums up every of his success in one word : Meaningless

Ecclesiastes 1: Everything Is Meaningless - 1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” 3 What do people gain from all their labours at which they toil under the sun?

This morning we are going to look at the Word of God and what God is telling us of managing success.

Luke 12:13-21

The Parable of the Rich Fool

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

16 And he told them this parable:“The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops. ’

18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself? ’

21 “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”

What is Success?

The WORLD thinks about success as the accumulation of business skills, knowledge, natural wisdom, financial resources, emotional/relationship skills and personal health sums up pretty much what most people today think success is all about.

This year our company stock has been doing very well. Everyone is talking about stocks and the Vice President was telling us every dollar the stock rise he earns 100,000.00 dollars. Everyone is talking about wealth and material. 

Those things are good to have provided of course you use them for a good purpose. It is not wrong to want to be successful. But there is a bigger thing in life than being successful: being a person of SIGNIFICANCE.

The world often promotes the following view on success : “I worked hard, I earned it, and it’s mine to do with as I please”

The world suggests that we are “entitled” to any outcome of success. But the BIBLE has a different view on this is different. The Bible teaches all we have or receive comes from God. God has “entrusted” it to us. There is big difference between “entitled” and “entrusted”.

The bible says differently. We are entrusted with our wealth. The blessings come from God that we may use it wisely. 

King David understood this when he thanked God for the money and talents that God’s people generously and freely offered to build the temple

1 Chronicles 29:11-16

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power

and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,

for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom;

you are exalted as head over all.

12 Wealth and honor come from you;

you are the ruler of all things.

In your hands are strength and power

to exalt and give strength to all.

13 Now, our God, we give you thanks,

and praise your glorious name.

14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 15 We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. 16 O Lord our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.

What is Significance then?

We can define significance in this way: significance is a measure of the value you add to OTHERS.

Ephesians 2:10 - 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

1. God’s plan for us is to be successful 

God wants you to be fruitful, productive, effective, blessed, and successful. Being successful itself is a testimony of God’s goodness in your life.

Look at Joshua 1:8: " 'This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.' "

We see this in the lives of many men and women in the Bible.

For example, the story of Joseph in Genesis chapters 37-50? By the world’s standards, he was doomed from the start. The young Hebrew had been beaten and sold into slavery by his own

brothers, and for years he lived a life of servitude and imprisonment. However, in everything Joseph did, God made him thrive.

In those important chapters of Genesis, we see Joseph as a shepherd boy, then a slave, later as a prisoner, and ultimately as the prime minister of Egypt!

Surely God had planned for the faithful servant’s good fortune, even during those years when all seemed hopeless.

We see similar accounts throughout biblical history. Moses, David, Nehemiah, and Joshua all demonstrate this same kind of greater divine plan for distinction. And, of course, let’s not forget the apostles—they thrived in the first century and spread the good news of salvation around the world. No doubt, their mission must be considered a success, or we would have no churches or record of Jesus Christ at all.

In each of these examples, people discovered what the Lord wanted them to do, committed their lives to it, followed godly principles, and achieved their goals. In the eyes of God, they were all successful.

2. Success is not the end product.

Biblical success, I believe, is the progressive realization and internalization of all that God wants me to be and do

In the parable of the Rich Fool - The rich fool erred in his understanding of the purpose of wealth. The rich fool was foolish in that he saw his possessions as his security, and as the basis for his ceasing to be productive.

Success is usually the steppingstone to significance. It a journey and it might rock our comfort zone.

The success of Joseph in Egypt moved it further to be significant by being a blessing to his siblings and to Israel. God saves Israel through Joseph. 

Genesis 45: 6"For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither ploughing nor harvesting. 7"God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. 8"Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Google about Jim Nobel, where his King's Restaurant's proceed was given to the benefit of the poor and hungry. 

Jim Noble is a pastor and a renowned chef living in High Point, N.C. He owns four very exclusive restaurants in the Charlotte (N.C.) area. By every definition we choose to use, Jim Noble is a very successful person. Almost two years ago, he decided to open a nonprofit restaurant called The King’s Kitchen. One-hundred percent of the proceeds from the meals served in that establishment go to feed the poor of Charlotte. Last year he donated over $50,000 to projects that support food banks and social service agencies. In that same facility, he provides job training and a number of other programs that help people get back on their feet. CNN decided to interview Jim Noble, to do a story on this ministry that nourishes the soul; you can see the interview on YouTube.

When asked why he opened a restaurant where everything he took in would go to feed poor people, his reply was, “At some point, you have to make a distinction between success and significance

NOBLE’S MISSION:

Our mission is to operate restaurants in a spirit of excellence. We are committed

to being among the best in the world, operating approachable, friendly, relaxed, comfortable restaurants for all guests. We will serve great food, clean, simple, and reasonably priced.

Service is the key to our success. We appreciate our guests with sincere, professional, congenial and humble service. We will strive to provide a great family-friendly working environment for our staff and seek out people of strong character to be part of our team. We will develop leaders of honesty, integrity and accountability; exemplifying Christian and Godly principles.

His punch line - Through profitability, our restaurants will help fund the Great Commission. 

Deuteronomy 8:18 - 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who

gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

When in Nepal there is a restaurant called SingMa. It's a Singapore-Malaysian restaurant. If not you only eat dhal dhal dhal. It was started by Christians to get in roads into Nepal. They are opening SingMa in different places meeting needs and creating job opportunities. 

We don't have to be famous to be significant. Every kind deed, kind word, thoughtful action, is significant. Added up over a lifetime, in God's eyes they make a life both significant and truly successful.

We can do something significant in the kingdom of God here. There is a lot that is being planned but let's be significant. We visited a church at Gertak Sanggul where they sang 15 songs for worship. I like the tambourine man. He had stroke but he will come up for one or two songs before he rest again. 

This is a year of significance where we need to rise up. We are going to need board members soon. Many letters were sent out but many say cannot. 2014 is not the time to say cannot. 

We have bibles being confiscated. When is the church going to wake up. If we don't rise up to being significant, we may become like the US and UK. Don't seat and warm the pews. Cushion chairs. Wake up. 

Don't say you retire and let someone else serve. When we sing Amazing Grace for you, then you can retire. Success is great but significance is lasting. 

When the emphasis is on success not significance, we lose sight of what we are really called to do. And if we focus on success, we could miss out on being significant.

God gives us all we need, so we can give to others in their need. Blessed to be a blessing.

Possibly Our Best Year Ever

Rev Gideon Lee

Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine;

For your light has come!

And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.

Let me give you a little bit of background. In this chapter of Isaiah is the turning point because before that the Israelites were going through very difficult times.

The people of Israel were in the darkness in the 5th century B.C.E. They had returned to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon with great hope. They were going to rebuild the city, its walls and its temple. They were going to restore Israel to greatness; but many did not want to return. They had made a life for themselves. Those who did return found opposition from without and within, from the neighboring nations and from the Jews who had stayed behind in Jerusalem at the time of the exile. The result was that the rebuilding was painfully slow, there was constant quarrelling, and the results were pitiful.

The only thing worse than dashed hopes is to have those hopes dashed again. That is what happened in Israel. First exile, then a disappointing homecoming. The prophet describes it in chapter 59: ... we wait for light, and lo! there is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in gloom. We grope like the blind along a wall, groping like those who have no eyes; we stumble at noon as in the twilight, among the vigorous as though we were dead (59:9b-10).

In exile, they were enjoying life in Babylon, a life they got used to, so there was mix feelings in their coming out of exile. We say there is nothing like home. Nothing like Penang right? You can go everywhere but the best food is still from where? Penang! 

All of us like coming back to our hometown. But for the children of Israel not all of them wants to come home. They have a life at Babylon so not everyone wants to go home. The second reason is that when they went back to their home town Jerusalem, you know what greeted them, a ruined city. Only beggars left. 

Imagine you come back to Penang after war and it is not a pretty sight. They had to come back and rebuild their city and their homes. They come back and there is a lot of work. What greeted them was not so what they like. 

Then came chapter 60. There was a breakthrough in chapter 60. Yes, all these things has happened but in chapter 60, he told the people to arise, shine because the light has come. Pacing in that gloom and darkness, however, they hear the Word of the Lord: "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you" (60:1).

It was an encouragement after another encouragement. Yes, painful but as we look forward, look at the possibility and what God can do. 

We may face obstacles, like finance, health but the possibility is with God this year can be the best year. Price increase but the positive side is that God wants to increase us. Our faith level and our walk with him. This year can be possibility of the best year for us.

This morning we want to encourage some possibility thinking. We want to explore the possibility that this coming new year will be the best year any of us has ever had.

I realize that for some of you that will sound flippant and trite. You are facing mountains - mountains you are not certain you can climb. 

Notice, though, I am not saying that this will be the easiest year we have ever faced. Only that it can be the best year. Success cannot always be measured in either accomplishment or accumulation. If the coming year brings us closer to God and closer to our friends, if it helps us value more highly the things that really matter and causes us to appreciate more deeply the gift of simply being alive, it will be a great year regardless of our outer circumstances. So, let's explore that possibility together the possibility of a rich and rewarding New Year. 

Certainly our text from Isaiah is a possibility text. With the blessing of God anointing his words, Isaiah counsels his people, "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you." 

Many who heard Isaiah's summons surely responded, "What nonsense. How can I let my light shine?" "I've had a rough year." "I'm old and feeble." Or, "I'm young and restless." Besides, "I don't see any evidence of the deliverance of God."

Perhaps there is someone here this morning who is of a like mind. You doubt that this can be a great year for you. You're too old for fantasies. Too cynical for fairy tales of better days ahead. Like many in Isaiah's audience, you see no evidence of the deliverance of God. Let me offer some items in evidence if I might some reasons why you and I can have the best year ever. 

Chapter 60, promises after promises. May I suggest to you this morning. Possibly our best year because we need to know who we are. 

What was the theme in the past two years? Called out ones. And who are the called out ones?

A) IN THE FIRST PLACE, WE KNOW WHO WE ARE.

That's simple enough, but still profound. One of Isaiah's primary tasks was to remind the people of God who they were. They were no ordinary run of the mill ragtag outfit. They were God's own anointed. They were the chosen. Like the Marines, they were the few, the proud. 

We need to be reminded, sometimes, who we are too. We are God's people. We are those for whom Christ died. We belong to the best family in town: God's family. 

Family membership is a real advantage in this world, is it not? When Senator Teddy Kennedy first ran for the Senate, his brother Jack was President, and his other brother Bobby was Attorney General. According to one source Teddy told his brother the President that he thought he would change his name. It was too well known politically, he concluded, and he did not wish to hang on to the coat tails of his brothers.

The President asked, "What name are you going to ask for?" 

"Well," said Teddy, "I think I'll keep my first name. After all, I'm used to responding to that." "But for the last name I think I'd like Roosevelt." Well, Teddy Roosevelt would be a pretty nice name. 

There would be certain advantages to being a Kennedy or a Roosevelt or a Rockefeller. Membership in a prominent family is helpful in this world. I want to suggest to you, however, there is an even greater advantage to those who know themselves to be a part of the family of God. 

We have something much better because we carry the name of God. We are the children of God. Look at chapter 60. 

Isaiah 60:16-17

You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles,

And milk the breast of kings;

You shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior

And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

17 “Instead of bronze I will bring gold,

Instead of iron I will bring silver,

Instead of wood, bronze,

And instead of stones, iron.

I will also make your officers peace,

And your magistrates righteousness.

God is saying I am not going to short change you. He will bring you something of value. Instead of bronze, he give you gold. Instead of iron he give you silver. As children of God, this could be our best year ever. Instead of wood he give bronze. He want to give you something lasting. Termites won't eat it. It is something lasting. And iron in place of stones. 

When we did the renovation for the third floor we want the least for the best that last the longest. This year 2014, God wants to do something lasting. Something with substance. Let this year be a year where we arise and shine in our spiritual life as well.

An unknown poet has written: 

I may be young; I may be old, 

But I am somebody, For I am God's Child.

I may be educated; I may be unlettered,

But I am somebody, For I am God's Child. 

I may be black; I may be white, 

But I am somebody, For I am God's Child. 

I may be rich; I may be poor, 

But I am somebody, For I am God's Child. 

I may be fat; I may be thin, 

But I am somebody, For I am God's Child. 

I may be married; I may be divorced, 

But I am somebody, For I am God's Child. 

I may be successful; I may be a failure,

But I am somebody, For I am God's Child. 

I may be a sinner; I may be a saint, 

But I am somebody, For Jesus is my Savior.

I am God's Child! 

There is the great secret of life to believe you and I are somebody because we are God's child. We may not be a Rockefeller or a Kennedy or Roosevelt. No, our parentage is more exalted than that. We have God for our Father! We have a certain innate dignity because of our heritage. We know who we are. 

It can be your best year ever because you are God's child. 

B) WE ALSO KNOW WHERE WE ARE GOING.

Isaiah wanted his people to know where they were going. He painted a picture of a peaceful, prosperous time when the peoples of the world would look to God's people for guidance and inspiration. Isaiah understood the power of vision. If he could help his people see what they could be, if he could get them to buy into this victorious vision and make a move towards its realization, God would bless his people in a wondrous way.

Here again is a great secret of life. People who arrive are those who know where they are going. 

General George Patton once told about a Chinese national young man who enlisted in the American army in WWII. This fellow's unit was stationed in Louisiana. As luck would have it this Chinese soldier got lost on one of the manoeuvres. Being unable to speak English he couldn't ask where his outfit was located. He was stranded at a crossroads where he attempted to hitch a ride with any army vehicle of any unit. The problem was he tried to use his index finger to hitch a ride instead of motioning backward with his thumb. 

You can guess what happened. An army convoy approached. The Chinese soldier pointed his index finger down one of the roads at the crossroads. The driver of the first vehicle didn't stop since he thought the soldier was directing traffic. When the convoy failed to stop, the young Chinese soldier moved to another road and with the next convoy pointed down the new road. According to Patton, in one afternoon, this soldier split army units so badly by pointing down one road and then another that it took them over a week to locate all of the troops! Troops, trucks and tanks were scattered all over Louisiana and Texas! 

Some people spend their lives going first down one road and then another. They wander nowhere in particular and then wonder why they never get anywhere. May I suggest that as we start this new year, we write down a description of the things we really would like to accomplish? Let's give ourselves a roadmap. What are some goals we really would like to attain? Spend more time with our family? Project ourselves more forcefully on the job? Devote more time to the service of God? Paint a picture in your own mind of where you would like to be this time next year. Write down your goals and refer to them from time to time. We will travel more surely in this new year if we know where we are going. And let's make certain our goals are worthy goals.

In the spring of 1608 the settlers at Jamestown, Virginia discovered gold. At least they thought they did. They almost totally abandoned any efforts at planting crops, preparing buildings, and readying themselves for winter. They had found gold and devoted themselves to steadily digging out and washing the precious metal. The colonists probably would not even have survived the summer and fall if the Indians had not fed them. 

However, they were able to send a ship back to England with a heavy load of the metal for which they had labored all spring. Unfortunately their gold turned out to be iron pyrite, also called "fools' gold." They had given their time, their talent, and all their energies to "fool's gold."

The colonists could say the name "fools' gold" had special meaning for them. For not only had they been deceived by the worthless lookalike mineral, but they had foolishly abandoned everything they needed for life in a quest that would have made no sense even if their discovery had indeed been real gold. 

Is that not a parable of the way many people spend their lives? Stocking up fool's gold. Ignoring the really important matters in life until it is too late. We can have a great new year if we know who we are and if we know where we are going. 

Let me explain. God has been there before because he is the alpha and the omega. The beginning and the end. Look at the last verse. 

Isaiah 60:22

A little one shall become a thousand,

And a small one a strong nation.

I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time.”

Is Israel a big nation? No and it is surrounded by enemies. Remember the six day war? In six days the soldiers of Israel, they took back the land and drive out all the enemies and until today they are still around. God did that for them. 

Today look at the contribution of the Jews to the world. Look at the Nobel prize winners, quite a number are Jews. God's promise to them fulfilled. If God can do that for Israel, won't he bring to pass things for you because he has been there. 

So what do we do? By faith follow. Do you know God is taking us somewhere. He knows the way. And because he knows the way, we won't get lost. 

C) AND, FINALLY, IF WE KNOW WHO GOES WITH US.

I end by thrilling you this story. The Israelites have to be reminded that God is with them. Emmanuel, God with us. We will have obstacles but we know God is with us. Isaiah understood that any glory that came to his people was not their own doing. Their hope was in God and God alone. So it is with us.

Somewhere I've read that among some Native American tribes an interesting rite took place in every little boy's life, a rite designed to help the boy learn the courage of manhood. When he was very little, he was taken out into the forest to spend the night alone. Left with nothing but a knife for protection, he was required to remain silent as he awaited whatever horrors the night might bring. The next morning, however, he was greeted with a delightful surprise. He found that his father had been standing and watching all through the night, with bow and arrow ready lest something hurtful should happen to his son.

Many of us have discovered something like that in the midst of our own long, difficult nights. Someone was watching over us all through the night.

We need to realize this. God is standing silently and watching and he is fully armed. And should any danger happens he will step out. He is only a prayer away. 

In 2014, know that God is there and he knows the way and he goes with you. God is concerned for your needs. He loves you same as how a parent loves a child. 

This morning let me encourage you. You are God's child,, he knows where he is going and he goes with you.

Many thanks to Pastor Gideon for his notes that helped complete some missing transcriptions.

Arise! Shine!

Vision Casting Sunday

Rev Gideon Lee

This morning I give you a broad picture or direction where the church is heading for the next two years. If you do not understand what I am saying it's okay. But as we continue it is important that as a church each and everyone of us here have to support and participate. Doesn't matter if you don't fully understand. 

Before I go into my message I want to say a few things. I want to welcome my friend here Rev Tony Phang. I understand that he is a Manchester United fan so we will pray for him and all you Liverpool fans say? You'll never walk alone. 

The other thing I want to say is regarding what's happening in our country where JAIS raided the Bible Society of Malaysia. The BSM is a ministry that prints bibles in several languages. You can go and get it here and find bibles there if you cannot get certain translations in the book stores. They are an important ministry to churches here and if you notice we are supporting them through our harvest missions. 

About 300 Malay bibles were confiscated. We need to understand that JAIS is at state level and what they did was not according to the law, raiding without a warrant. Whatever they have done and as a church we need to respond correctly. This is with regards to the word Allah where they say Christians cannot use it. And since this word is in the Malay and Iban translations they were confiscated. 

Some is saying that Allah is not a word we use so what's the problem and use Tuhan instead of Allah. Read from our notice board and you'll see why we are standing so firm in the use of Allah. As a church we want to respond correctly to this. They say they want to protest in front of our churches, that does not mean we go and protest in front of their mosques. But as a citizen of Malaysia we need to know our rights. The freedom of religion and the freedom to profess our faith. So as a church we need to stand firm with respect to the law. 

Of course very important is we have to pray. Some people say why every problem we just pray. Why not taking action? I think we are missing the point when we think prayer is not a positive action. This is the best thing we can do in any situation. This morning can you bow your head and commit this situation to the Lord. 

I want to encourage you in your quiet time commit this need to the Lord. I am going to say that things will get worst. This is just the tip of the iceberg. This has to happen before the return of our Lord so don't be discouraged. These things must precede the coming of our Lord so look towards the coming of the Lord. 

How many of you remember my Christmas message? I spoke about Emmanuel, God is with us. I say that we can claim this Christmas message when we are frightened. Remember the bible said fear not, not no fear. And we need it for 2014. Do not be afraid. Price increase, fear not. How many of you have felt the price increase especially all the hawkers after the new year? Electricity increase. Fear not! Semua naik, gaji tak naik. Whatever it is, fear not. The second was when we are lonely. That he is with us. Sometimes we can be in a room full of people yet feel lonely. We can claim this promise that God is with us. And finally we can claim it when we are in sorrow. I said that Christmas may not be the best time for everyone. Like when you have just lost a loved one. We remember them and that they are not with us. And we think how are we going to face the new year. But we can claim on this promise. 

After Christmas what did I talked about on the last Sunday? I talked about Joseph and Mary. How they had to flee to Egypt. I talked about how Joseph obeyed. I talked about how after Christmas life has to go on. 2013 will end and we have to embrace and go into 2014. I talked about how Joseph trusted the Lord when the angel spoke to him. Friend we have to trust God for 2014. Joseph never said a word, he just obeyed. He was someone that trusted God completely. As we enter 2014, we have to trust God completely. I encourage you that in 2014, we need to take care of our loved ones. Look at how Joseph took care of Mary and Jesus. I am not saying that we are not taking care of our loved ones but in 2014, with the obstacles we need to take care of them not just financially but also emotionally and spiritually. 

I also said we need to take care of those that matters to the Lord. We need to reach out to these people who matters to the Lord. We will kick start our Christmas with the community. We took a break last year so this year we will start again. 

How many of you remember my watch night service? I spoke about how God likes to do new things. When we are saved we are an old creation? No, new creation! In 2014 we are going to do new things. I don't want 2014 to be the same old same old. That's why I say Arise! Shine! Our new theme. I am the kind of person who believe that when it's time to work we work but when it's time to play, play. When we work we give 101%. We cannot be doing the same things and expect the same results. 

But I know some don't like new things because it involves change. We don't like change. How many of you come in and see someone else sitting at your place. And you got angry. Can't they see that's my chair. It's got my print on it. And you like that old hymn, "I shall not be moved". (laughs)

But I need to prepare you. 2014 is going to be a year of new things. We will do new things that the Lord is leading us to. 

I shared with the English congregation but I'll share with you since we're all here. We are looking at starting a ministry at Gertak Sanggul. If you look at the island of Penang it's like a turtle and Gertak Sanggul is at its tail. It was started after the tsunami. It's a small fishing village. Some say it's not a potential so why go there? Maybe Butterworth or Bukit Mertajam. I want to go where God is leading us because where God leads us the ministry will be successful. 

We need to build TOP according to the design that God has given us. Let's do what God has given us to do. We are going to plant a church there. Right now they have only about 5 or 6 in the church and I pray that God is going to do a work in the church. I heard that it's a place where the gangsters "buang" people there. That's what we are called to do. To reach out. Our mission have not changed. But the theme is our emphasis and for the next two years it's Arise! Shine!

I am going to talk about that mentioned in Isaiah so you must not miss church. 2014 is going to be about doing new things. Not just doing new things but meaningful things. Never mind if you don't understand but just support. 

If you look at our Arise! Shine! It's different from the bible. It is with the exclamation mark. I asked the leaders at the leader's retreat whether we should have the exclamation and I am so glad that all the leaders want the exclamation mark as it is something we will emphasise on and go to work.

So it is not arise and shine but Arise! Shine! Come on everybody, Arise! Shine! Louder, I can't hear you. Arise! Shine!

We need to arise. What does it mean? It means whatever you are doing now, 2014, you need to up your game. 2013, if you are just an ordinary member in 2014, you need to be serving. If you are not doing anything in 2013, find a ministry in 2014 and serve. If you tell me you don't know where to serve, come and see me and I'll tell you where to serve. 

Instead of complaining ask yourself are you serving? When you are contributing, the church will be better. 20% of the members are doing 80% of the work. What happened to the 80%? Many of the cell leaders are crying out for helpers. Some can sing and worship lead. Where is your contribution? Oh pastor I just give my offerings, pay my tithes. Thank God for that but are you serving? Don't say you got no time. 

This is a real story. I had a friend who said he got no time. He has to work. One day he got into an accident and spent one month in the hospital. In the hospital he was so free. God asked him now got time or not? I am not saying God will break your leg but God will find ways to get you to be with him. Please don't say I am too old or too young. In the church of God there is a place for everyone. Every age group. If not I will create a ministry for you. We need a men's ministry. A ladies ministry. But where are the leaders? Someone who will come to me and say they want to put their mouth and their money on a ministry. A senior citizen ministry? 

Two years we will focus on this. I also mentioned that God wants to change names. Every time God changed a name there was a new thing that God did in their lives. When you have a new name there's a new start and new possibilities. 

The bible says where your treasure is there is your heart. Every thing is a matter of the heart. If your heart is for the things of God, 2014 things will fly. You remember Rev Anthony mentioned about a church that collected 7 offerings in a service. When they asked the pastor how he did it, the pastor said where their treasure is that's where their heart is. 

We have just finished the third floor renovation. It's almost finished and it's bigger than here and it's beautiful. Don't go down as I want it to be a surprise. After the third floor we will renovate the fourth floor. It is going to be awesome. 

But I need your help. I want you to put your hands into your pockets and pray for your wallet. Where your heart is. Do you know Maybank has shifted out of the second floor. We are not going to be looking at another building or land. If God willing we can get the second floor. And if God give us the first and ground floor? Praise the Lord. 

I remember what pastor Marcus mentioned. This is the time for TOP to be "ang". You know what is "ang"? Not that we want to be famous but let's lift Jesus up. 

God also like to do new beginnings. Behold he wants to do new things. This is the time for TOP. Let's join our hands and work together. We want to empower our leadership. I want you to look at our mission. 

We want to empower the people of TOP to rise up. Not only empower but also the discipleship of our people and we want to concentrate on evangelism. 

How many of us have shared with someone the message of the good news? Many times we don't do it because we are afraid. Afraid what people will think of us. But a survey said that most people do not share because they don't know how. But in 2014, we want to train you on how to share your faith. We need to be sharing our faith if not how the church is going to grow? Or leave it to the pastor. God has called each one of you to share the gospel. Not just the pastor. But every believer. Are we doing it?

So 2014, Arise! Shine! Remember we shine because the glory of the Lord rises upon you. So are you ready? We ere going somewhere so I pray every one of us get on board. When the church do something, support it. I am not saying you don't ask questions, I am just saying at the end of the day, even if you don't understand get on board. Like I say, if it is of God, it will prosper. If it is from God, let's not stand in the way. If it is not, it will just fail. 

In closing I want to warn us. As the church move you will get opposition. One of the tool the enemy use is the word discord. He comes in and sow disunity among the people. It starts when people begin to murmur and complain. Just take the example of the children of Israel when Moses was leading them. Instead of taking three months to reach the promise land it took forty years. Let's not sow discord. If you don't understand come and clarify. Don't get into the spirit of grumbling and complaining. This is one of the main tool the enemy uses and all of us needs to guard against this. 

So 2014, let's Arise! Shine! No options. 

Back to Reality

Rev Gideon Lee

It seems like it was just a few months ago I was looking forward to Christmas because it's the holidays. Parents will understand as you can sleep a little later instead of fetching your children to school. But Christmas is over so fast and school will start again soon. It's a little bit sad but we comfort ourselves that Chinese New Year is coming soon. 

Today we want to look Mary and Joseph. If we think we are busy and have no rest, just look at their lives. 

Matthew 2:13-23

The Escape to Egypt

13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet:“Out of Egypt I called my son.”

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,

weeping and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children

and refusing to be comforted,

because they are no more.”

The Return to Nazareth

19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”

21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets:“He will be called a Nazarene.”

Talk about after Christmas, we just read the story that Joseph and Mary had to flee after baby Jesus was born, right after Christmas. They had to flee to Egypt. Notice that in the passage in our encounter with Joseph, what he was told to do, there no reply from him. He just immediately does what the angel said. 

There's no record of him speaking at all. He is a man of action. He just responded to the message. The word said they travelled during the night. Egypt was a place of bondage and slavery for the Israelites but now it is a place of safety and refuge. God can change circumstances where the bad can be good. Herod had no jurisdiction in Egypt. Egypt was not nearby, they had to travel long distances. 

Later, the angel spoke again to Joseph. "Now you can go back" and Joseph just got up and moved to Nazareth. 

Herod was mad that the Magi tricked him and ordered the killing of all firstborn under 2. It fulfilled scripture. 

This couple never had a chance to rest but had to flee for their life. What we can learn from this right after Christmas is that life must go on after Christmas. We can learn a lot from this couple. 

What we can learn from Joseph is this. As we move on to 2014, we must trust God. When the angel spoke to him in a dream he just picked himself up and obeyed. How many of us will respond in obedience to a dream, to Egypt which is not a nice place. 

Once I shared about when we pass away what would we like to be written on our tombstone. Here lies... I think for Joseph, it would be said a man of faith, or a man of integrity. What did Abraham do when instructed. He never bargained with God but went where God called him to go and in the book of Hebrews, he was called a man of faith. Where God called him to go he obeyed. When God asked him to sacrifice his son, he obeyed. 

As we go into 2014, many of us are not very keen as signs are bad. Petrol increase. Electricity increase. House prices increase. But I pray that we enter 2014 trusting God. God is with us, Emmanuel, so we can trust God for 2014. 

The second thing we can learn is that we need to care for those we love. Look at Joseph and Mary. Did Joseph cared for Mary? First of all he married her in spite of knowing the child was not his. He could just divorce and leave her. How else? When they asked him to bring the family to Egypt, he did it. Jesus was not his biological son, so he could not have bothered. But he raised him like his own son. There was responsibility. We need to care for those we love, not just financially but also spiritually. 

On 2014, the world is changing as we need to love the ones close to us not just in words but in action. We need to connect with our children. We need to connect to them emotionally and most important spiritually. 

I am not ashamed to tell you this. I want to hold my family together to pray. Often I am so busy and tired that I feel I am spent after Sunday. But I make it a point every Sunday we take time to pray for one another. We need to connect with our family on a spiritual level. We need to show our children that prayer is important. When parents pray, there is great anointing. Set aside a time to pray for them. 

If you look at our sanctuary, our theme is up, Arise! Shine!  I will share more about this on watch night service. We must arise and shine. 

And the third thing we can learn is to care for the ones Jesus came for. He came for us. He came for the lost. Not only do we need to care for the ones we love but also those that matter to God. 

Some people come to me and said the church should do this and do that, but who is the church? The church is you and I. We do not have to wait for the church. We must care for the people that matters to God and we need to do it and not wait for the church. 2014 is going to be a year of trusting God. We need to trust God 100%. 

I am reminded of the story of reverend Jesse Jackson. He was giving a speech in South Mississippi. As he was speaking he noticed a basketball player who was 6'8". And beside him was a girl that was 3'3". He was very affectionate to this girl who was his sister. 

After his speech, the Reverend went up to him and asked why so many university would have offered him a place so why choose this university. He told the Reverend that he made a promise to care for his sister when his parents died and this university was the only one that offered his sister a scholarship even though other universities offered him scholarships. He then said, it is his responsibility to care for his loved ones. 

We need to connect with our children. I need to watch cartoons to know what they are watching. I read up on Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus. Why? So that I know what they are doing. How else can we connect to them? We need to be involved with them. Facebook is out, what is the in thing? Instagram? How many of you know what's Instagram?

I close with this story. 

One day there was this pastor who decided to take a different route to walk home. He took the short cut which was a lonely road because he was tired. As he was walking he came to some trees and bushes and he heard a muffled scream. He heard some fighting and he was wondering something bad was happening. And he was wondering if he should get involved and to help. But then he felt tired and struggled whether he should or should not. Finally he decided he should go help as the sound got louder. He went behind the bushes and saw a man was trying to rape a girl. He then struggled with the man and finally the man ran off. It was  dark and he saw the girl was shivering at the corner and he told the girl not to worry, that the guy has left. Then the girl said "daddy"? It was his youngest daughter that was nearly raped. Can you imagine if he had not went to help. It would have been a tragedy. 

We need to care for those that God cares for. We never know how we are connected. We need to love. 

Sunday school students who are graduating to the youth led by Bro Joshua Teh and Sis Melissa Cheah.