Time Alone with God

Kenny at Sungai Nibong Cell

Have you ever noticed that there are differences in believers? Some rush around with burdened hearts and worried minds. Others seem to have a tranquility about them no matter what is going on around them. What brings this tranquility of spirit? The single greatest factor is the practice of having a daily quiet time.

Take a moment and reflect. How we prioritize our day reflect on who we really are. Do you act on what you have to do first or what you like to do? Some will clear the necessary and enjoy without distraction what they like to do. Others enjoy first, then work on the necessary. Often, they use the phrase "I work better under pressure" Or the way you eat. Eat what you don't really like and save the best bits for the last bites.

But these are things we do. What about relationships? I've seen many parents shoo their child away, when they run up to ask something. "Daddy's busy, they bark." And you can always see the disappointment in the child's face. Or husbands who prefer time with their friends rather than their spouse. It says a lot about what's important in our life. What about our time for the Lord? Going to church, coming to cell, going to prayer meeting and even being at the Board Meeting or Leader's Meeting is not time with God, in the sense of what we're looking at tonight. Those are often still activity-centric. What we want to look at tonight is the one-to-one time. Time with the person you say you love with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your soul.

Psalms 23:2 tells us that "He leads me (causes me to) lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters"

Notice it is God that makes the first move. He takes the initiative by calling us and leading us to a place of rest. It's not because we are seeking God, but that He is seeking us.

Just as God's cry to the wayward Adam and Eve, "Where are you?" suggests God is always seeking us out. And the picture we get when we are at the place God is leading us is a place of calm, peace and tranquility. The image of still waters emphasizes the concept of rest, a place of safety and security, a place of contentment.

Deep within all of us is a restlessness that can only be removed by God. An emptiness and loneliness that only He can permanently fill. A thirst that only He can quench. He is that living waters from which we will never thirst again.

And what are those green pastures and quiet waters to which God leads us? The bible says God Himself is our "true pastures" in Jeremiah 50:7.

So for us to find that green pasture and quiet waters, we must come to Him and find rest. And how do we do that? It is found in taking time to be alone with God.

Jesus is the perfect example. Notice how so often, he would go off alone to seek the Father.

"Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray'" (Matthew 26:36).

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed" (Mark 1:35).

"But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (Luke 5:16).

This is His quiet time with the Father. A place of intimacy, a place of renewal and a place of perfect rest.

Quiet Time - The Outer Challenge

We all live in a very busy world. Where activities often supersede the relationships. Where what we do can become more important than who we are. The noise level is deafening. And in a world like that it is so hard to find a place where we can be alone and away from the distractions of the world. The TV remotes, the smartphones, the computers all clamor for our attention, and we are seldom more than an hour away from them in our waking hours. But making time for daily devotion is critical to hearing God!

Quiet Time - The Inner Challenge

Quiet time involves an inner state of being, as well as an outward condition. Have you ever noticed that when you sit down to read your Bible or pray, your mind begins to wander or you suddenly remember what you needed at the store? Or what you have to do tomorrow? Inner "noise" can be just as troublesome as outer noise when it comes to having quiet time with God. Defeating the inner noise can be done, but it requires commitment and discipline.

Quiet Time - What is it?

With all the noise of the day, quiet time could refer to those precious moments after the kids are in bed, or all the day's work is done. But for Christians, a quiet time is more than that. Quiet time, or devotion time, refers to our daily appointment with God, when we shut out as much outside interference as possible. During our quiet time, we may sing praise songs, pray, read Scripture or daily devotions, meditate on God's Word, or simply be still and listen. Making that appointment is one thing; keeping it is something else entirely!

Proper Place and Time

Get alone and sit at Jesus' feet. Find a place where you can focus. Jesus said enter into your closet and pray (see Matthew 6:6). That simply means find a place of isolation where you can shut the door on the world and open the windows to heaven. Jesus sought out places where He could be alone, and so should you. It should be a place that offer you some privacy. Pick a time when there will be no interruptions. For many it's the early hours or the after the world sleeps. But it should be a time when you are still alert.

Proper Provisions

In order to have an effective quiet time, you need the right tools. You need a Bible. This is when God often speaks to you and many times, it is through His word. If you play a musical instrument, have it with you. I love the guitar, it does not wake up the whole neighborhood and is the perfect accompaniment in singing hymns, psalms and worship and praise songs to God. Have a place where you can jot notes or record things you learn. I love the digital bible as it allows me to add colour coded notes so easily.

Proper Practice

Finally, may I recommend some practices to follow in your quiet time? There is no hard and fast rules but here are some guide.

1. Praise and Thanksgiving
We have so much to thank God for and this is the perfect time to express them. You may sing your praises. The presence of God will just fill your room or wherever you are.

2. Read your Bible
Learn to use a bible reading plan or do topical studies. Read the Bible for quality and not quantity. It's good to have a goal to read the Bible through in a year, or a similar goal; but that's not the purpose of your quiet time. Reading the bible should never be rushed. Also, devotional books are wonderful. But again, this is not the place for them. This is the time when you simply read the Bible with an open mind.

3. Meditate on God's Word
As you focus on the Word of God and meditate, let it permeate you. Ask:
• Is there a command to obey?
• Is there a promise to claim?
• Is there a sin to avoid?
• Is there a lesson to learn?
• Is there a new truth to carry with me?

4. Pray
When you pray, pour out your soul. Be natural and honest with God. Tell Him how you feel. Pray not just for yourself but for others, your family, your friends, your church. When you hear of a need, note them down and bring them before God during your quiet time. Very often, when I get an update sms from Pastor, if I am alone, I just drop what I do and pray for that need, then in your quiet time, pray again.

Christianity is not a legal relationship, it is a love relationship. Ten thousand “don'ts” will never make you one bit more like the Lord Jesus Christ. It is Jesus Himself Who makes you to be like Him. But you need to spend time with Him. I pray tonight's lesson will help all of us draw closer to Him and we take time to be alone with God.

Making Right Decisions

Rev Gideon Lee

I have only been here about a year and during that time I got to know brother Freddy and the thing that strikes me about him was that he was always smiling. And when he was in the hospital and whenever he felt better he would go around the hospital beds to share Christ.

But today though we miss him, he is in a better place. Tonight, let's celebrate life at the wake service. Brother Freddy lived his life as a person with hope. Hope that God will somehow heal him, but he said he was okay even if God takes him home.

Friends, we need to look at life not just here on this earth but we need to look at life in terms of eternity. Death is but a door. We have no fear of death. Don't get me wrong, we believe God heals, we believe in divine healing but in death, we are free from all pain. Today he is there with Christ. He is in a better place. God has His plan and He does thing His way and He is sovereign.

This morning I want to share from the book of Genesis.

Genesis Chapter 13

1 Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South. 2 Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

5 Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. 6 Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. 7 And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land.

8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”

10 And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. 12 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord.

14 And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. 16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. 17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.”

18 Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the Lord.

Everywhere Abraham went, he pitched a tent, he built an altar to praise the Lord.

Here is also a place where the people needs to be united. As the enemies are also in that land.

Sodom and Gomorrah was mentioned to remind him that though the land was pleasant, it was once Sodom and Gomorrah.

Let's look at the chapter before this.

Genesis 12:1-4

1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country,

from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you.

2 I will make you a great nation;

I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you,

and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

4 So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy- five years old when he departed from Haran.

5 Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan.

Let me tell you the story. Many of you would have heard this many times before.

The bible says God called him to move but did not tell him the destination. If I was Abraham, I'd ask go where? But God never told him, so Abraham just packed up and go. And Lot followed him. God has blessed Abraham so much and Lot was also blessed. God blessed Abraham first and Lot knew that if he followed Abraham, he'd be blessed too.

Can you imagine you are blessed so much that Penang cannot contain you. This was what happened. Back in those days, you are known to be rich by the number of livestock you have.

They were competing for land for their livestock and quarrels started.

Abraham called to solve this and initiated a resolution. Uncle and nephew also quarrelled so he came up with a solution.

Abraham gave Lot the first choice. That's unheard of back in those times, maybe even now. He was so generous in that sense.

Lot looked up and saw the land was so nice, like the garden of the Lord not knowing Sodom and Gomorrah was there.

Can you imagine that the city was so bad that God wanted to destroy it and Abraham had to plead with God to spare the city.

He left with only his family and left everything behind, all his possessions but his wife that looked back become a pillar of salt.

We want to draw lessons here on making decisions.

1. Lets not make decisions based on greed.

Some decisions we make are irreversible. We cannot turn back the clock. There are consequences. Like our choices for studies, work and even a life partner. Don't make them solely on greed. Don't get me wrong, most of us here in general are selfish. We choose the best for ourself. Nothing wrong with that. We are not just human beings but we are Christians. There is always the call to think about the other person. It is more blessed to give than to receive. The world is mainly about what we can get.

Even companies understand CSR, corporate social responsibilities. Giving back to society and thinking about the environment. Lot made his decision based on greed. He forgot his uncle. He should have thought about his uncle, the reason he was blessed up till then. What he left Abraham was stones and barren land.

2. Don't base your decision on only what you see.

He saw and said it looked good but he forgot about Sodom and Gomorrah.

Now is the durian season. How do we choose your durian. We first look at the shape. And whether got holes. You don't want durian with holes. We also make sure the stem is there. So it's fresh. Then we shake and if it rattles, it's ripe. Then we smell. Even then we can't be sure. Then we ask them to open to see. They open a slit, the best part for you to see. Even in buying a durian, we don't base decisions just on what we see.

My wife was away for three weeks. First week she had eye infection, conjunctivitis, then she was in Klang. When we got married we went to Bali for honeymoon. Romantic right. Then the people there try and sell you stuff. This guy came up and wanted to sell us a dolphin carving.

When I held it in my hands, it was quite heavy so it felt like good wood. I asked what wood it was and he said ebony, an expensive black hard wood. It was priced high and after some bargaining I bought it. One day I placed it on display and it fell down and broke. The inside was not black. It looked like, smell like and was heavy but when it broke it I can see it was not ebony. Inside was not black. It was not what we saw.

Don't be like Lot when making decision.

3. Don't make your decision solely in the logical.

We can start with the logical as God gave us a brain to think. But we must end it with the spiritual.

Like in an interview, you may say the pay is good, working hours great and benefits good. But you may have to bring this to the Lord and look at the spiritual. Maybe the working hours may take you away from the Lord. Or the work circumstances may take you away from God.

Why did God reminded Abraham. If you have me, you will have success. That was why God wanted to tell Abraham. And Abraham understood that. Remember, don't only seek the blessing but the blesser. No matter what happens, you will have success.

We should make our decisions this way.

1. Always think of others.

As a church we make decisions that benefits the body. Abraham considered his nephew Lot. We need to consider others.

2. We should make our decisions acknowledging God.

Everywhere Abraham went he built an altar to worship God. Did the bible mentioned Lot doing that? When you acknowledge God we will have success. We need to put God in the picture. He knew it was not the circumstances but that if he was in God's will he will have success. Look at us, we are here because of his decision.

3. Submitting our will to God

When you bring an issue to the Lord do you submit to the will of God? At the Hokkien service I mentioned this. When choosing a partner do not be unequally yoked. That is God's criteria to us and it's important if not we cannot run together. When you pair horses for a chariot, you don't put a fine horse with one that's lame. It just won't work. After that, other physical attributes are your choice. Fat thin dark fair is your choice. That's why we have physical attraction. Don't say we have no choice. I am not a subscriber to choosing a partner for you. I can help bring to person together to meet but the choice is theirs to make. We need to submit to the will of God.

As Christians, let's not make our decisions based on greed. Let's not make our decisions based on what we see. As Christians we will make decisions that acknowledge God and not just because its the logical choice.

How many of you know I have to shift house again. One day our landlady called and said she wanted to see me. On passing me the receipt, she said she needed to take back the house. When she rented she said it was long term. But she said she needed the house as she wanted to get married. What can I say, but okay.

When she told me I said to myself I don't want to shift. I told God I already got so much to do but please help me to sort this out. Unknown to me, here was what was happening behind then scene.

My children plays at the playground and there was a Christian family nearby and their children just clicked with mine. The youngest daughter decided to go kindergarten with my son (laughs).

When they heard we wanted to shift, they said they don't mind renting the place to us but the timing was wrong as it won't be in time for us.

But again God is so good. The wife has three sisters and they have another house a few doors away. The sister were ready to shift and suggested the sisters house instead, two rows down our house. And to make it even better, she gave us the rent at the same price and she even will do the cabinets for us. They never intended to rent out due to bad experience with tenants in the pasts but they were willing to rent only to us.

I told my landlord and she was happy that I found a place and be her neighbour and she was willing to also give me the place one month free rental for the move. Same deal with the new landlord. So I have one month free rental from both landlords. That confirms to me God wants me to be here.

That was because I made my decision to move from Klang to pastor this church based on what we learned today.

Be filled with the Holy Spirit

 

 Rev Jeremiah Abel

What a wonderful God we serve. It's a wonderful testimony from Sis May. Let's put our trust in God.

Alfred Ho has kept a baptismal certificate that I did not sign. It is not my fault, it's the pastors fault. (smile). He was ten years old and he has this certificate with my name and I never signed it. He had it for so long but he needs it because he wants to go to Israel. He wanted to send it to Canada but I told him to send it here and I'll sign it. How many of you value your baptismal certificate? Still have it? I am so glad I have people I ministered to years ago and they are still in touch.

Last week was Pentecost Sunday. What is Pentecost Sunday? It is the day the Holy Spirit descended on the people gathered at the upper room back then. It was also the Global Day of Prayer.

I skyped my children and they said they did not know what it was all about. Anyone knows how the Global Day of Prayer came about? It started in a town in Africa as they wanted to see a revival take place. They prayed that it would become global and sure enough it became global.

Last year I was at Edmonton and they wanted to make sure I was in it fir the Global Day of Prayer and put me in a prayer group to pray for Israel. A lady ask if she can blow the shofar before prayer and she was refused. She came to me and I said I will call you to blow. The presence of the Lord was there when the person blew the shofar.

Pentecost Sunday started in Jerusalem and it has gone all around the world. And now they are talking about going back to the Jerusalem road.

Many do not realise the importance of coming together to pray for the unsaved. We need to be the ones crying out to the Lord. When May testified, she said God heard, how much more us in corporate prayer. Amen?

What I want to say today is this. Why was it the Lord wants the people to be filled with the Holy Spirit?

Jesus told them to tarry in Jerusalem so that they will be empowered by the Holy Spirit.

All of you should be filled with the Holy Spirit. Every believer ought to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus commissioned the disciples to wait in Jerusalem.

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Tell me now which words apply to you? Witnesses. I am to be a witness. Telling people. But many of us tutup mulut saja. We are to be witnesses telling people.

Many people love animals and talk to their animals but not to people. Telling people about what? About Jesus. Because He went to the cross for us. That's why we had communion to remind us of His love for us. To begin in Jerusalem, to Judea, in Samaria and to the ends of the world.

And now we're coming back again. There's revival now in Asia, Africa etc but not in the West. We need to pray for them.

Why is God so desirous that we are witnesses for Him throughout the world? This is because salvation is only trough the person of Jesus Christ. All of you may have loved ones who is not saved. We are so close to the coming of the Lord. Many things point to His coming. The scripture says when you see these things happening, you know His coming is soon. He is coming for His church. We do not want any to be left behind.

Acts 1:4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.

Jesus said I told you before. He has taught the disciples before concerning the Holy Spirit.

John 14:15-17 “If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever– 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

John 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

John 15:26 “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.

Read chapter 16 again where He stressed that it was important He leaves so that the comforter can come. That teaching shows the importance of them receiving the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses. As there are many perishing.

We as believers, what are we doing?

I have three prerequisites. Jesus talk about labourers, we are all labourers. Not just the pastor or leaders but ALL. It is everybody's job. We are to make sure all is involved in this ministry.

Matthew 9:36-38 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

1. We are to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit.

It is not about being filled then speaking in tongues and that's it.

Ephesians 5:18

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

The harvest is right now. 

This is harvest time. We are labourers in bringing these people into the kingdom of God.

Be filled. It's continuous sense. It is ongoing.

John 15:26 “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.

To be effective witnesses of Jesus we are to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. It is sad that many Pentecostal churches are not praying in tongues. It is a prayer language, a powerful weapon that we have. It is such an important gift. Why? It edifies you. But some is saying you don't have to pray in tongues. Some leaders are not even baptised in the Holy Spirit. We need to check it out. It is so important to us. To be baptised in the Holy Spirit and praying in the spirit.

One statement that stays with me all these years is this. Paul made a very clear statement about praying in tongues.

Paul said that "I thank God I speak in tongues more than you all".

1 Corinthians 14:18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

Underline that and apply it to yourself too. It is important that we pray in tongues as it is so edifying. The apostle Paul was always edified and ready to speak to the people. It doesn't matter if someone says it is not important or that no one understands. Just tell them because it edifies me. And through it you will operate in the spirit, with the gift of the word of knowledge, prophesy etc

2. Pray at all times.

Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Pray continually on all occasion. In the spirit. The prayer meeting is so important. Wednesday, 8:15pm. Remember that. The least attended service is the prayer meeting and yet it is the most important. Prayer is so essential today for churches to be effective. We need to be prayer warriors.

Even Jesus said always pray and not lose heart.

Luke 18:1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Psalms 34:15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry;

Psalms 34:17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.

Be encouraged that every time you pray, God sees it and not only sees but also hears.

Psalms 107:6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

Psalms 107:12-13 So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help.

13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.

Psalms 107:19-20 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.

20 He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.

Psalms 107:28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

We used to sing this song! Rejoice in the Lord. Pray. Give thanks.

3. Love one another.

John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Love one another is a commandment, even as He has loved us. By this ALL (not some) will know that we are His witnesses. But only "if" you have loved one another.

Matthew 22:37-41 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. ’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

We should love God with all our soul, heart and mind and the second commandment should be like the first but towards our neighbour.

For the church to be blessed and grow, you and I need to be so filled with the Holy Spirit. If you have not been praying in the spirit, you are missing a great blessing.

Sister May giving her tremendous testimony on how she claimed 
God's promises for healing during her hospitalisation.

Pentecost Sunday

Pastor Gideon Lee

Acts 2:1-21

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God- fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs–we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine. ’”

Peter Addresses the Crowd

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 “ ‘In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your young men will see visions,

your old men will dream dreams.

18 Even on my servants, both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days,

and they will prophesy.

19 I will show wonders in the heaven above

and signs on the earth below,

blood and fire and billows of smoke.

20 The sun will be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood

before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

21 And everyone who calls

on the name of the Lord will be saved. ’

The word "wind" in verse 2, rûah actually means Holy Spirit.

Pentecost was a Jewish event. Every Jew was legally bound by law to observe three festivals. The Passover, the Tabernacle and Pentecost. Pentecost occurs 50 days after the Passover. Jews from all over will gather at Jerusalem. It is also an agricultural festival, the beginning of the barley harvest. Everyone was in the mood to celebrate. It's a big reunion at Jerusalem.

120 of them came and were at the upper room. You must understand, this is after Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. At this point Jesus has ascended and Jesus told them to wait. They have come through despair at the crucifixion, hope at the resurrection and is getting excited with anticipation. Jesus had appeared to many by then but they were told to wait.

Jesus wanted to give them the gift of the Holy Spirit. This waiting was not the sitting down, passive and calm. They were in the upper room praying. They gathered to pray, to wait.

Then they heard the rushing wind. It filled the whole room. How many of you heard the howling wind at about 1.00am? I was preparing the message and I heard the sound of the wind. I looked outside and saw the trees violently swayed. It was like that. The Holy Spirit came and they saw tongues of fire descending. The bible says they began to speak in tongues. So much so that the outsiders were in amazement because they were speaking in the language of the peoples.

There were as usual cynics. Some say they were drunk. Peter stood up to address the crowd. He began to preach one of his greatest message as 3,000 people got saved under the anointing of the Holy Spirit that day. Peter said it is too early in the morning at 9.00am to be drunk.

He quoted the prophesy from the book of Joel.

Joel 2:28 The Day of the Lord

“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your old men will dream dreams,

your young men will see visions.

There are some truth I want to draw on from here. Important truth if we want our church to grow.

1. The disciples were all in one accord.
There must be unity or it will not happen. I am not saying there is no unity but here must be a greater measure of unity in our church. But that does not mean uniformity. It does not mean all of you must have the same hair style as the pastor. We need to be united in spirit. We can have our differences but we need to love one another even if there are some people we don't like. If we want a mighty move of God, we need to have unity of mind, heart and purpose. Many things are never worth fighting about. Church splits are often attributed to the most minor of issues. Who suffers? The church of God suffers.

2. They were all praying together.
The fact is that they were in one accord praying when God poured out his Holy Spirit. I measure the strength of a church by its Prayer Meeting attendance. There is a certain dynamic when they come together corporately to pray. I can understand the many reasons for not coming as I have struggled with this before. It's boring, I'm tired or busy. For TOP if you intend to serve in any ministry, you have to be found in prayer meeting. Only once a month, minimum requirement. Come together and pray if we want God to move. Look at all the churches that are growing, the secret is prayer. It's not the Pastor or the programmes. We need to be a church that comes together and pray. We used to have about 40 and now averages 30. Why? Maybe when you don't have a Pastor, you prayed harder. Some churches even do away with prayer meeting, this will not happen at TOP, amen?!? Youth, sometimes you tell me, Pastor, cannot come because got tuition. Young Adults, and everyone else, we need to be found praying in the house of God.

3. Unity, prayer and finally Repentance.
There must always be a call to repentance. John the baptist had only one sermon. Repent. Can you imagine your pastor week in week out preaches the same message? But that was what John the baptist did. Repent and be baptised. That has always been the central message of the church. Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

When they heard Peter preached they were cut to the heart. Peter told them to repent and be baptised. Acts 2:37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

I believe when we go wrong, we need to come back to the Lord. If we want our church to move in a greater dimension we need repentance in the church.

We are going to pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We are an Assemblies of God church and we believe speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I am not here to debate on this as there are many scriptures to support this so this is a gift that is for all.

Some of you may have some preconceived idea or doubt like you worry whether it's the Holy Spirit or an evil spirit. The bible says when you ask from the father bread, he will not give you stone.

When you receive the Lord as your saviour, you already have the Holy Spirit. What happens at the baptism of the Holy Spirit is like flipping a switch that empowers the manifestation. It is like the lights in this sanctuary. When you switch off the lights, is there still electricity? Yes, but when you flip the switch you activate the lights. Speaking in tongues is a heavenly language that edifies you and the body. It's a blessings and an empowerment of God to live an empowered life. But this is not all. It's just the beginning. You will also show the fruit of the Holy Spirit over time. It is a gift but you must open your mouth to speak in tongues. It won't happen if you keep your mouth shut. It is a gift but the timing is of God. You may be filled immediately or it can happen later wherever you are when you worship God. In my case, I asked but never received it until one day it happened in the shower.

It is the sovereign move of God. Please do not give up if you do not receive it immediately. God is sovereign and timing is His.

It happens in an atmosphere of praise and worship. Seek God and God will know what to do.

Christian Involvement in Education

Bro Lim Boon Chye
President of Penang Christian Fellowship
and Chairman of the Board of RGBC

I am going to share in the form of video and PowerPoint, so it will be a little different from what you're used to. I am glad that your church is very active with student work. TOP have sponsored two buses for our event  last year and this year TOP is participating too.

PCF has a membership of more than 100 and we partner with LPN and I am involved in the Education Sphere. TOP is the first church where we are sharing about these spheres and it will be followed by the other LPN churches in Penang.

The two key areas I am sharing about are:

1. Christian involvement in Nation Building
2. Christian involvement in Kingdom Building

This video is produced by PCF and Malaysian Teachers School Council, made up of Mission Schools in Malaysia.

This video will give you a good overview of education in Malaysia. Education can also be very political. Years of hard work can be destroyed by a political decision. Like Science and Maths being no longer taught in English. Also many are sent to teaching when they fail to make it in the other disciplines so they produce teachers who are non committal.

Teacher's Christian Fellowship PowerPoint. 

Would you like to become a Teacher?

The Great Commission

Matt 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,  baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. 

Why are the schools excellent places for Christians to be witnesses of Christ?

because 5.3 million students in our schools today. 

Pastors cannot reach them

Missionaries cannot reach them

But TEACHERS can and daily!!!
[tent makers & missionaries all in one]

85% of people make a decision for Christ when they are between 4 and 14 years old

Dr. Bryant Myers - World Vision

50% of Malaysian population < 23 yrs. old. 

[Statistical Dept]

The Harvest is plenty... but where are the workers?

Teachers are the workers.
The school is your mission field.
They are God’s missionaries.

Total number of teachers in Malaysia = 340,000

Estimated number of Christian teachers in Malaysia = 10,000 [<3%]

Christian teachers are called by the Lord into the teaching profession,        

sent by Him to different towns & kampungs in the country, BUT

paid by Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia. 

Paid Missionaries
Mt. 28:19  Great Commission -  ‘Go….
Mk. 16:15  ‘Go ye……. 

BUT

Teachers are becoming an endangered species. Look at the age groups. Almost half are in the 51-60 bracket.

Our
"Paid Missionaries"
[Our unsung heroes]

There have been many teachers, posted in various parts of Malaysia who have been fulfilling their call to missions and have borne much fruits. No names are mentioned here but here are some of their achievements.

Teacher A
250 students in CF
50 baptised in 10 years

Kayan, Kenyah, Lumbawang, Kelabit, Penan, Iban, Berawan, Kiput, Chinese
Total: 13 tribes!

CF Activities:

Sun  – Worship & testimonies

Mon  – Scripture Memory

Tue – Sharing of the Word

Wed – Paired prayer

Thu – Praise & worship

Fri  – Group prayer

Sat  – Learn new songs

Teacher B
In another school, another unsung hero.

- No official CF
-  Small Sunday meeting 7 pm for hostel students [50 Christians]
  ● Reading of the Word
  ● Sharing - 10-15 minutes
  ● Closing prayer

Teacher C
And here is another where 3/4 of the students here do not know Christ.

 

Current reality … a crisis situation

- < 3% teachers are Christians

-  Majority above 40 yrs old

Invasion
into the Christian heartland
of Sabah and Sarawak.

Will the children still be Christians in 5 years time?

Touch the Future

If you touch a rock, you touch the 

Past

If you touch a flower, you touch the

Present

If you touch a child, you touch the

Future

  TCF agenda

1. Kingdom Building
2.  Nation building

Christian Teachers
play a very important role in the kingdom of God

WHERE to get the next generation of CF Advisers ?
YOU ???

WHERE to get the next generation of
BB/GB Advisers ?
YOU  ???

WHERE to get the next generation of
Church Leaders in small towns ? 

YOU  ???

Would you like to be

the next generation

Christian teachers?

“ Follow me and I will make you fishers of men”  Matt 1:19

What are factors that discourage the young from going into teaching?

Summary
* Glamour
* Rural posting – TCF network
* Low pay – no more
* Promotion – sure vs fast
* Medical
* Stability – iron rice bowl
* Holidays -  long hols. & weekends
* Paid missionary
* Stress

Will your children go hungry or die of starvation?

DG41 [Graduate starting pay]
Basic   2222
ITK   300
Special cola   300
Housing   210
[in Eng]   222
----------------------------------
TOTAL      3254 
Hardship allowance : + 1500

DG52   [Senior Time Scale]
Basic  7144
Cola   300
Housing   700
Entertainment   600
[In Eng.]   375
----------------------------------
TOTAL    9119
Hardship allowance : + 1500

DG54   [Form 6 Academic Teacher]
Basic   7597
Cola   300
Housing   900
Entertainment   800
[In Eng.]   380
-------------------------------
TOTAL   9977
Hardship allowance : + 1500

Retirement at 60 but optional retirement at 45 or 50
1.  5 years EPF contribution
2.  Gratuity
3.  Golden handshake [Max : 3 months salary]
4.  Pension  – 60% basic pay for life and spouse takes over when pensioner died. 
     Children up to 18 yrs old.

Hardship allowance for interior posting   – RM1500
Scared?  -TCF network

In Isaiah 6:8, Isaiah heard God asking,

“ Whom shall I send?

  And who will go for us?”

   “Here Am I. Send me!”

 

To teach in secondary school
1.  STPM
2.  Local Univ.

To teach in primary school
1.  SPM
2.  Teacher Education Institute

What if cannot get into a teaching course in college or local univ?

Get a degree from private College/University,  then teach as a lecturer in
i.  Private schools
ii. Colleges
iii. University
opportunities to share still there

Schools are excellent mission fields. It is an excellent opportunity to reach out. To parents, you can counsel and advice your children regarding their career but if God call them to teaching, let them go.

Bro Lim Boon Chye
President of Penang Christian Fellowship
and Chairman of the Board of RGBC

TOP teachers being prayed for by TOP students

Bro Allan Tan praying for all the teachers at TOP

Ruth and Naomi

Melinda Song on Mother's Day 2012

Logos wishes all mothers reading this blog a very Blessed Mother's Day!

Two years ago I preached on Mother’s Day – “The Longings of A Woman” from the life of Hagar.
This year’s Mother’s Day message is from one of my favourite books of the Bible – Ruth.

Intro to Ruth
Everyone loves a good story and Ruth as been called "the greatest piece of literature ever written."
It is a love story and one writer has called the story of Ruth "the Cinderella of the Bible." Because this love story is in the Bible, it’s more than just a romance novel. Romans 15:4 “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” 

The book of Ruth is also very significant to Jewish people because it is sung or read out loud in the Jewish Synagogue at the feast of Pentecost, which marks the first day of the Gentile church. The book of Ruth tells the story of a rich, powerful Jewish man who takes a Gentile bride and exalts her, the way that Jesus Christ raises up the Gentile church to be His Bride.

Ruth is love story with a happy ending involving ordinary people who become heroes because they choose to do the right thing at the right time in the right way for the right reason.

Ruth is a story of a woman which makes it very appropriate for Mother’s Day. Women are relational creatures from sharing our food, to going to the toilet together. 52.4% of book, 55 out of the 85 verses, is dialog.

Ruth is a story that celebrates the family and the way it continues through many generations.

Ruth is a book of prayers. All the prayers were prayed by the characters for others, not for themselves and every prayer was answered by the end of the book. Boaz even became the answer to the prayer he prayed for Ruth.

Ruth is a story that showcases the hesed of God. According to rabbinic tradition, the main theme of Ruth is steadfast love. In Hebrew, hesed, means "faithfulness born out of a sense of caring and commitment".

All the main characters in the book — Ruth, Naomi and Boaz — acted with hesed (found 1:8; 2:20 and 3:10). They acted well above and beyond the expected and the book of Ruth shows that even when it appears as if we have nothing going for us, our own loving service may be repaid to us in ways that we cannot predict.

Today we shall look at how the hesed of God and the hesed displayed by the Naomi, Ruth and Boaz that brings glory and honour to God and the persons involved.

A. Naomi & Ruth (In-law relationship)

1. Naomi (Ruth 1:8-13)
Naomi must have been an amazing woman to inspire such affection in her daughter-in-law. She showed loving and caring hesed in thinking of the future of her daughters-in-law when she wanted to send them home.

By the time the story starts she had changed from being “pleasant/lovely” to a bitter woman (v. 20) with a spirit of complaining, faultfinding, and fretfulness.

Later in the story Naomi again acted with hesed when she “matchmade” Ruth and Boaz.

2. Ruth (Ruth 1:16-18)
Ruth followed Naomi with no expectation of marriage and children, but rather the bleak prospect of poverty in a place where she was a despised foreigner. She was referred to as Moabitess five times in 1:22; 2:2 & 21; 4:5 &10.

Ruth devoted herself to meeting the needs of her mother-in-law and helping her the best she could. Love and concern for her mother-in-law were her only apparent motives as Boaz pointed that out later in the story: “All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know.

Ruth uttered one of the most moving pleas of hesed in the entire Bible: "Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me" (Ruth 1:16-17, NKJV).

She was willing to serve Naomi for the rest of her life.

Application today:
Many a woman who loves her husband cannot seem to love his mother. And men seem to have the same problem with their wives’ mothers, as evidenced by the mother-in-law jokes that have circulated through the years. The fact is that there are good, bad and ugly in-laws but much of the problem arises out of a clash of cultures.

My cousin in his wedding vows said, “I promise to love and care for you and those whom you love.” A wedding does not just unite two individuals but two families.

Where does love like Ruth’s or Naomi’s come from? It comes from the Lord of all love. When we have experienced the love of God, it will spill over and we will express it in our family relationships—parents, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, children, and in-laws.

B. Ruth & Boaz (Husband and wife relationship)

1. Ruth
Ruth was devoted to the family (Ruth 1:15-18). She had initiative, “let me go to the fields” (2:2) and she was hardworking, she “worked steadily from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter” (2:7).

Nowhere does it say that Ruth was a beautiful woman like Sarah, Rebekah, or Rachel, but we do know that she had an inner beauty, a meek and quiet spirit, an unpretentious humility that made her one of the loveliest women in Scripture. (Ruth 2:10; 2:13).

She also had a good reputation, “I have been told all you have done…” (2:11)

Her trust in God and her love for God (Ruth 2:12) were the sources of an inner strength and beauty, She was submissive “I will do whatever you say…did everything her mother-in-law told her to do” (3:5)

She did not go after younger men (3:10) and was known as “a woman of noble character” (3:11). In short, she was a Prov. 31 woman.

2. Boaz (Ruth 2:8-9, 14-16)
Boaz was “a man of standing” (NIV) or “a man of great wealth” (NKJV). Helived a God-saturated life. He greeted his reapers in the field. “May the Lord be with you.” And they responded, “May the Lord bless you” (Ruth 2:4). To Ruth he declared, “May you be blessed of the Lord, my daughter” (Ruth 3:10). And again, “I will redeem you, as the Lord lives” (Ruth 3:13). 

The first prerequisite for a successful marriage is that the man be a man of God. One reason so many marriages are floundering is because the husbands are still spiritual babies, ill-prepared to assume the spiritual leadership of their homes.

Boaz was a kind man, thoughtful, considerate, and gentle. Some men have the strange notion that kindness and gentleness are effeminate traits and they go out of their way to avoid them. Not at all! Surveys show that kindness and gentleness rank near the top of the characteristics women are looking for in a husband. They would be good traits for Christian men to ask God to help them develop.

Boaz was generous to Ruth publicly (Ruth 2:8-9) and privately (Ruth 2:14-16).

Boaz was a man of moral integrity (Ruth 3:12-13). His actions in a threshing floor showed that he was a godly, moral, honourable, self-disciplined, Spirit-controlled man.

Naomi recognized that he was a man of his word (Ruth 3:18).

Application today:
Young men should look for a wives like Ruth, a Prov. 31 woman.

Bishop Taylor came the closest of anyone to capturing the sentiment of Proverbs 31 when he wrote: "If you are for pleasure, marry. If you prize rosy health, marry. A good wife is heaven's last best gift to a man; his angel of mercy; minister of graces innumerable; his gem of many virtues; his box of jewels; her voice, his sweetest music; her smiles, his brightest day; her kiss, the guardian of innocence; her arms, the pale of his safety; the balm of his health; the balsam of his life; her industry, his surest wealth; her economy, his safest steward; her lips, his faithful counselors...and her prayers, the ablest advocates of heaven's blessing on his head."

Young ladies should look for men like Boaz who fulfilled our friend, Chin Thuan’s, 4 H criteria to look for in a husband – Happy, Honest, Hardworking, Holy. It works as well for ladies looking for a husband.

The word husband literally means the bands of the house, the person who keeps it together as the band keeps a sheaf of grain together. There are today many married men who are not husbands, because they are not the band of the house. The key to happy families lie in the leadership of the husband.

There is also a Mr No Name (Ruth 4:1-6) who remained nameless in the story. Boaz addressed him as “my friend” (4:1), which in Hebrew means so-and-so.

Why did he refuse? He used a calculator and he was overly concerned with securing his own future.

Hesed is intervention on behalf of someone suffering misfortune or distress and those whose names are remembered – Naomi, Ruth and Boaz – live for the good of others.

C. A Child is Born

The book of Ruth closes with a genealogy from Perez to David. Obed was the grandfather of King David, the great shepherd king of Israel. Ruth and Boaz were ancestors of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Boaz, not Mahlon, is recognized as the father of Obed. The reward of God for the hesed he showed to Naomi and Ruth.

Ruth is one of only three women named in the genealogy of Christ in Matthew 1.

The most unusual aspect of this story is the continuing role Naomi played in their lives from this point on. As a former mother-in-law, we would expect her to drop out of the picture, but Boaz and Ruth are too loving and caring to let that happen. In Boaz’s case, Naomi is not even his mother-in-law!

Application today:
Like Naomi and Ruth we have been brought to fullness and hope through our kinsman-redeemer Jesus Christ. As we receive His love and experience the hesed of God in our lives we too can show such kindness—such covenant loyalty—in our own lives.

When we do so, in turn, God may end up repaying us in ways we cannot foresee. Though Ruth, Naomi and Boaz could not see the end result of their acts of hesed to each other, they acted out of love anyway. So should we.

Ruth, Boaz and Naomi’s story were part of God's story in history because of hesed. We too can be part of God's story -- He invites us to be part of it.

Pastor Gideon giving special gifts to the oldest mother, the most recent mother (no takers as they were on the third floor's Children Church), and the mother with the most children. Last but not least to her beloved wife Sis Serena.

Pastor and the Church Board praying for Oliver and Jesslyn who will be leaving for Singapore to work.

Pastor Gideon praying for all mothers at the end of the service.

Some of the youth giving potted plants to the mothers.

Some mothers with their Mother's Day gift from TOP.