Pride and Humility

Bro Koay Kheng Hin

Pride and Humility is the humbling of man and the honour of God. I believe that the church TOP will be moving into a new season even as we wait for Ps Ronald to come on board.

Pride and humility will reflect on how we react as a person and as a church. Sometimes we say people is being very humble or very arrogant. We say this based on the traits of a person whom we can see clearly. But if we look at it, all of us struggle with pride this side of heaven. It is because there are degrees of pride and degrees of humility. When we say a person is arrogant, we look at it in relation to ourselves. The same when we say someone is humble.

But I want to say all of us struggle with pride including me. No exception. I have related to some people in or not in ministry and I want to say without exception all struggle with pride. What I want to say is how the Bible looks at pride.

I want you to hold on to the fact that pride and humility has a relationship. As humility grows, pride will lessen and as pride grows, humility lessen. I call pride and humility half brothers.

Someone said there are 3 Gs that men struggle with. Gold, Glory and Girls. But I say all start with glory. If you look into the US election, I will probably be familiar with the Nixon era in the 70's until now. In all US elections, the priority were issues. But this election it was about character assassination. A man vs a woman. You see the world manifest in intensity the glorifying of self. The world celebrates pride to a certain extent. Like how well you talk. People gravitate to people who is confident. Pride to a certain extend give you much political power.

When you look at the Bible you see a total different scenario. The Bible is not about political power. It is in essence about spiritual power. God opposes the proud and give grace to the humble. And a proud man possesses no spiritual power. He cannot give you that manifestation of spiritual power. That's why we are called vessels through which God moves.

John 3:26

And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!”

John's disciples saw Jesus as competition to John the Baptist. And John took 10 verses to explain this. And it ends with He must become greater and I become less. He must increase and I must decrease. And this is the basic understanding of Christian humility. It is not about denying self but glorifying Jesus Christ and emptying self.

Philippians 2:6-8

6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

But the key word in Greek is "he made himself nothing". What does this mean? It meant Jesus emptied himself. He did not release his deity but he emptied himself of self. When we think of God we think of supreme glory but when we look at Jesus we see this little baby on Christmas day. When he grew up, you may want to think that he grew up as a young superman but he was not like that. He was just like any ordinary child. But at the end of his life, you will think of someone who is laughed at and mocked at and lastly as someone half naked and a laughing stock for everyone to behold. Jesus humbled himself was an ultimately humbled into humiliation. You watched the Passion of Christ.

But it did not end at verse 8.

Philippians 2:9-11

9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

You will find the exaltation of Jesus Christ and he was exalted to the highest place. In heaven, on earth and under the earth, all will bow to Jesus Christ. Only whether you now willingly or unwillingly. And every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father.

Have you ever thought what is the gospel? When we preach the gospel and someone accepts Christ, which all of us did many years ago. What is the essence of what you did? We think of eternal life. But what is really the difference between someone who is a child of God and someone who has yet to know Christ? Those that have not become a believer has some form of self pride while those who is a child of God lives for the glory of Christ. That is the gospel. It is primarily not about us but about Christ crucified.

Many of us have stepped over and become the children of God but many of us have not changed our mind set yet and we sit down and wonder what else God can do for me. Or why God did not do this or that for me.

I heard someone said, if I had known accepting Christ is like that I would not have accepted Christ. I think her experience of God is where she is the centre of the relationship. I wonder if she is God and Jesus is merely servant instead of Jesus is God and she is the servant. She has self glory, you glorifying yourself. Biblical humility is about honouring God. The confession of Jesus as Lord and God.

Philippians 1:20-21

20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

The whole life of Paul is the emptying of self and the exaltation of Christ in Paul's life. Not just in his life but also ministry.

1 Corinthians 1:31

Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 2:1

And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.

They were comparing Paul with Apollos who was a trained orator.

1 Corinthians 2:2

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

His focus was upon Christ and the ultimate focus of all his ministry. This was the centre of his ministry. When we look at ourselves on a daily basis, as disciples and servant of the most high, do we live for the glory of God in Christ and not about how much we will get from God but for the living for the glory of God. On our ministry have you thought about this? That finally Jesus is the centrepiece and focus. That is biblical humility.

I believe when a person is full of himself what place can there be for God to be the focus. When a person's heart is full of money, there will be less of God. That's why in Matthew, it's says you cannot serve both God and mammon. You cannot serve two masters. And if a person wakes up and wonder where to find entertainment and pleasure, then you will have less of the presence of God. If you're full of some form of prosperity you will be less of the purpose of God in your life. I want you to reflect a little bit on this even as you have walked some ways with God. Ultimately it is the glory of God that gives purpose and meaning to our walk with God. God does bless us but it is not the purpose in our walk with God.

What defines us as children of God is that we have the capacity to give glory to God regardless of how well or not well we do compared to unbelievers. But you may ask what is there in it for me?

The expression of our biblical humility.

Philippians 2:3-5

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

That is biblical humility. Consider others more than yourself. A proud person is someone who sees weaknesses of people. A humble person is someone who is focused on someone's strength. None of us is perfectly strong or weak but a humble person focuses on a person's strength.

Romans 12:3

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

A proud person will always think of how good he is but a humble person will see his need to work on his weaknesses.

If you often say I'm right and you are wrong. Then there's sign of a lingering pride. This is a clear sign. A humble person will ask are you alright? A humble person is interested in the welfare of the person and not so much who is right or wrong.

We also have met people whose number one trait is to argue. They just like to argue whether right or wrong. Humility is marked by a person who likes to discuss. I had a good time with Bro Kuna. I discussed a lot with him. You say something and then you stop to listen to the other person. You try to learn together. Arguing is about the other person being wrong.

Next, a proud man is someone who goes by law. He goes by coercion. But a humble man works by persuasion. Recently I had a chat with a young man. A young man nowadays to me is in his thirties. He spoke to me about some issues and I told him to give some space and time for God. To give space for the Holy Spirit to work. When you deliver God's message, the seed has been planted so you need to give some space for God to work. Persuade, don't coerce. A person who is proud is easily agitated. When there is disagreement, the person with a shorter fuse is someone with a lingering pride.

There was one many years ago. The person said send to me a prophet. I got jammed because I'm not a prophet. So I went to the Ten Commandments. I said we actually don't need a prophet because the word of God says you shall not covet. That is pride as he wanted to listen not to me but to a prophet. He turned red. That is lack of self control.

Another is the language. See how many times you see the person use the word "I". You see the world in terms of you. I did this. I did that. I know. If you are exalting God it is not about I, it's about him.

Finally I want to bring this to the church. It's about biblical humility as it affects the church. Paul in Philippians was talking about humility. As our church goes through this transition, remember that humility is the root to unity. Paul was talking about the unity of the spirit in Corinthians and it's having love for one another. A pre-requisite of love is humility. People who is proud have no capacity to love. Love is about putting people's concern above self. You have the welfare and concern of others at heart. People who are full of pride has relationship problems.

I encourage all of us as we go through this transition we want to look at each other in our strength. If you are someone who is gifted in one way or another, God wants to use you. Not with pride but to serve with humility. Sometimes when we are in ministry we have to remind ourselves that we are working in the spiritual realm.

I read 30,000 Greeks against hundreds of thousands of Persians, how did they win? The Greeks fought as a square, not as individuals. It is about fighting as a team and the Greeks perfected that art. The church needs to have unity of the spirit and it will augur well for 2017.

One of the things I remind myself. I came from Penang Free School in 1970. I had a very strict HM who walks around with a cane. I learnt one thing. If you think you are smart there are a lot of people who is smarter than you. If you think you are a very good singer, there will be many who are better singers. If you think you have a heart for the poor, there will be others who have a bigger heart than you.

In Free School, I learnt this. It is all relative. Now as a teacher, I realized I have many students that knows more. Never think too highly of yourself. Paul says don't think too highly of yourself.

Now to end I want to look at the OT. Chapter 2.

Elisha was Elijah's follower. Elijah kept telling Elisha don't follow me around. When they reached the river Jordan, Elijah knew his time was up. That was when Elijah asked Elisha what he wanted from him.

2 Kings 2:9-10

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”

“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

And Elisha asked for a double portion of his anointing. The amount of miracles Elisha did was double what Elijah did. It was really double. It was more than just the inheritance. In this narrative there is issues of pride and humility. There is nothing wrong in asking gifting from the Lord. It is not pride to ask. It is why you ask it for. If you ask for promoting yourself, then I've nothing to say. Elisha asked for anointing for the right reasons. Elijah was willing to grant it to him because Elijah knows it is not for him to give but for God to anoint.

Elisha saw Elijah being taken up and he received the Lord's anointing. The miracles of God in the OT are primarily concentrated on these two prophets. In the NT, the miracles were mainly concentrated on Jesus Christ.

What had this to do with humility? Elijah had an anointing and his disciples asked for double the anointing and he was ever willing to give. He exhibited biblical humility by recognising that it was all for God's glory. What would a prideful man be like?

This you can see in Chinese history. If a prodigy becomes too powerful, they cut off his head. That is pride. In China, the most vivid example are these two personality. Mao Tse Tung lived only for himself. He can destroy China for himself. Dang Hsio Ping is the opposite. He is described as a small bottle. He survived three purges. He's a man that lived for China.

You need to understand pride is always there. It is the last weapon by the devil. The devil may come to me with gold and girl but it's glory that is his last weapon.

I want to end with the good, the bad and the ugly. Those of you my age will remember that movie. Lee Van Cleef. You take your pick.

If you pick the good, someone come along and say you're not good enough your reply will show whether you have a lingering pride when you say "at least I'm better than you".

You may pick the bad, and someone says you are very bad, you may reply and say "you are no better".

Or if you pick ugly, a person may say you are extremely ugly, and you reply "none of your business".

All these answers show a lingering of pride in you. How then can a believe answer?

If someone say you are not good enough, you may say I know no one good but God. Biblical answer.

Or if someone say you are very bad, say I know. But God is good and I trust him to change me.

And if someone say you are extremely ugly, you may say I know, but God is beautiful beyond description.

At John chapter 3 we see what crowns John the Baptist's humility. A man can receive nothing except what is given by heaven.

John 3:27

To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.

Our honour is an honour that is given by God. The day will come when we reign with him because he has seen it fit for you to reign with him.

Confidence in the Midst of a Crisis

Rev Gideon Lee

I'm going to look at Psalms 46, but it must be read with Psalms 47 and 48 to have the proper understanding. We are gong to look at Psalms 46 so you can go back and read Psalms 47 and 48.

Psalms 46

God the Refuge of His People and Conqueror of the Nations

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song for Alamoth.

1 God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear,

Even though the earth be removed,

And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,

Though the mountains shake with its swelling.

Selah

4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,

The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;

God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;

He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

7 The Lord of hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is our refuge.

Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,

Who has made desolations in the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;

He burns the chariot in the fire.

10 Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!

11 The Lord of hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is our refuge.

Selah

It starts out by saying God is our refuge and our strength. There are three things I want to share from these scriptures.

1. He is still God our protector v1-4

2. He is still God our provider v4-7

3. He is still God the proven one v8-11

I mentioned you need to read Psalms 46, 47 and 48 to really understand. God saved the city of Jerusalem miraculously.

2 Kings 19:34-36

34 ‘For I will defend this city, to save it

For My own sake and for My servant David's sake.’ ”

Sennacherib's Defeat and Death

35 And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead. 36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh.

God protected the city miraculously. The Bible scholars said that these Psalms were written in response to this incident. That night 185,000 of the Assyrians died. No one knows exactly what happened. The people placed their trust in God and the enemy suddenly died. They didn't even to have to go to war for hand on hand combat. It was a miracle and it tells how God delivered them. They also said that most probably the person who wrote this Psalm is the prophet Isaiah. Because some of the phrases he used is the same as in the book of Isaiah. God protected God's people. He protect his people. I don't know what is coming but my message to you is that God protects his people.

1. He is still God our protector

God is our refuge. Some translations say he is our hiding place. Our shelter. He is your refuge. I don't know if you have a situation where you don't know where to turn to except the Lord. There you will find shelter in the storms of life.

I was one of the first in my family to have a bike. I even knew how to ride a bike even before I got a licence. The first time I rode on my motorcycle in the rain, it was painful. I thought it would be more like a shower. In that situation when in a downpour you are desperate for a shelter. In KL you cannot stop anywhere on the highway. So you look for the next flyover to find a refuge. God is that refuge. And what a relief when you find that shelter. When you have nowhere else to go. He's the only place where you can hide.

There are days when you just want to hide under the blanket in your bed. I've had days like that. Reminds me of this story when one man said he's tired and didn't want to go to church. The mother said. You must go and encouraged him. He then said I don't want to go because I have no friends in church. The mother said then must go and make friends. Then the son said, mom, give me one good reason why I must go to church. And the mother said because you are the pastor. I'm not saying that's me ar.

If you look at that word refuge it is followed by a conjunction, the word and. The word and ties refuge and strength together. Not only is God your refuge but he is also your strength. He not only give you shelter but is also your strength. It doesn't mean he is over protective where it becomes detrimental to you. He provides you with a shelter and you receive strength from him. We are strengthened to face the storm. It's like how vaccination works, so that your child can stand that disease. It's the same. He vaccinates so that you have the antibodies to face the enemy. He loves you very much.

Psalms 91:1-4

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you

from the fowler’s snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

He is God your protector. Your refuge and strength. Someone you can count on to take care of you. God is not protecting us to hide us but to help us. He gets us ready for the battle by giving us his strength. And I like v3, the ever present help in time of trouble. He is present, not past tense or future tense. It's when you need it now. Not tomorrow or a few years back but right there, right now. He is never late nor early. He is always on time. If your miracle have not come to you, then it's not time yet. You can count on him to be right on time. My God is a present tense God. He is an "on time" God.

Remember Daniel and the three Hebrew boys? When in the fire, there was a fourth, so he is right there, right on time. He is our ever present help in time of trouble.

V2 and 3 it says therefore. I like therefore, like in conclusion, a lawyer's term, that we will not fear. The conclusion is that because he is our refuge and help we will not fear. How many times we have let fear overpower us? The antidote is to look at the Bible and what it says. God is able to show up in your circumstances. He is able.

2. He is still God our provider

In ancient times rivers are very valuable resources. Water sustains life. Jerusalem actually don't have a river. For the city to flourish, they must have a river nearby. But there is a spring that is nearby, the spring of Gihon and it spring leads to a place call Shalom. That water can be cut of so King Hezekiah channelled the stream underground right straight into Jerusalem. That underground tunnel provided water supply to Jerusalem whenever they were under sieged. The river because so important even when they are under sieged. It's the river of living waters.

He is the provider during our crisis and we need to tapped into him. He may be our protector and provider but we need to learn how to tapped into God's resources. Has God been your provider? He had been my provider for so long but he is not my ATM or vending machine.

I remember in Bible school when I was much younger. I quit my job from Reader's Digest and I went from 10,000 a month to zero. And God was our provider. Some may say I have savings but actually no, you can ask my wife. And they wanted to collect Faith Promise, but how much can we give? But God spoke to me to give 300.00 to that mission. That was like impossible for me as a bible school student. So I said God I'm going to trust you for it. So I put 300.00 and at the end of the trimester, I still don't have the amount yet. So I asked God that he said he will provide. I was in class when I received a text on my phone from a friend I've not met for a long time.

I'm in class so I waited till the break to call him. He said wait for me and that he's coming to see me. He came and he said he felt that God spoke to him to bless me with this amount and he said he just want to do it. He passed me an envelope of money, said God bless you and he left. I counted the money and it was 300.00. I went to the chapel and gave it to missions. God is your provider and not just your protector.

3. He is still God the proven one

He is someone who has an impeccable and unblemished record. We are praying to the one who created heaven and earth by his word. That's how powerful he is. He can do anything. Someone asked me where did God come from? Someone asked who created God? He is that he is. He exists. If someone created God then he is not God. He is God the proven one. Not just to reflect on his power but to rest in it. Be still.

Psalms 46:10-11

10 Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!

11 The Lord of hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is our refuge.

Selah

Be still literally mean let God take over. Rest in him.

2 Chronicles 20:17

You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”

This verse is for someone here. Be still. Coming to the end there were three words I did not read our loud. Selah. It's a musical word. When you play music, Selah means it tells the singer to stop and reflect. And in this chapter there are three Selahs.

After verse 3 God says reflect. After God our protector. Then after verse 7, stop and reflect because God is my provider and after verse 11, God says stop and reflect because God is the proven one.

What a wonderful God we serve and it results in that he deserves our praise and worship. This morning let God be your protector and provider because he's the proven one. Then go back and read chapter 47 and 48 and it will encourage you and let it results in praise and worship for him.

Overcoming Setbacks in Our Life

Rev Gideon Lee

1. God is our only way - seek him
2. God's way is different from ours - submit to him
3. God's way is faith - trust him

2 Kings 5:1-15

Naaman Healed of Leprosy

1 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.

2 Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5 “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. 6 The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!”

8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”

11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.

13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.

15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.”

Imagine you have just graduated with first class honours. You're intelligent and soon to be employed by a big and famous company. You did well and became the CEO of the company. Then you made a name for yourself. You are smart, famous and rich. But one day you discovered a pain in your back and you went to see a doctor to be told you have a terminal disease. You are devastated. You have everything but nothing can help you. All your fame and riches are of no use. That is the situation of Naaman. He was second only to the king. He had everything going for him. He was never defeated in battle before because God granted him victories. He was famous. The Bible said "but" he was a leper.

It is a disease that is considered unclean. You're like an outcast. It's like someone with aids today. It was a disfiguring disease. Naaman was a leper and it's a black spot on his otherwise sterling life.

One day there was this little girl captured and serving Naaman's wife. A captive. She could have just let him die since he has taken away her family. But this little girl told the mistress that there is a prophet the healed their master from leprosy. She offered a solution. Naaman was desperate enough to listen to this little girl.

The king of Israel responded by tearing his robe. And Naaman asked why. Naaman went to see this prophet. But Elisha didn't even meet him but sent a servant. And he told Naaman to dip in the Jordan river seven times. It's double insult. And river Jordan was dirty. And not one time but seven times. Naaman was upset. But God's way is not our way. The issue is not us but our heart.

Naaman said no way. He was going back. But another servant came and advised him to do it. Naaman in the end hearkened to his servant and did it and he came up with skin like a baby's.

Is your life like Naaman's. Your are at the prime of your life but there is a but. A setback that is too big for you and you need a miracle. Sometimes when things are well you have no time for God. Naaman is likewise. He was at his prime when he suddenly had a need for God.

God wants us to be close to him all the time and not just when we have a problem. Let's be honest, when things are fine, we don't need God. When things are not fine like Naaman, God is his only way and he needed to seek him. God uses crisis in life to show us what we really need in life. Without his crisis Naaman would have never known God. That's why he said at the end "now I know there is no other God in the world but the God of Israel".

Jesus said what good if a man gains the whole world but yet loses his soul.

The word crisis is where "Christ Is". Are you going through a crisis this morning? Take courage and be of good cheer because God is your only way. Seek him with all your  heart. Sometimes you may ask God why make it so difficult? This leads me to my second point. God's way is not our way. That is the challenge of faith.

Very often we expect God to do things the way we think it should be done. But guess what, just sometimes his ways are different than our ways and his thoughts higher than our thoughts. He is interested in solving the problem from the root which is the issue of the heart.

Naaman thought he needed healing but what he needed was to know God. God is not just interested in our problems but in us. He wants to heal us spiritually and not just physically. It was not just a physical healing that Naaman needed but a healing of his soul.

God's concern for us is to receive the giver and not just the gift. We sometimes treat God like a vending machine. We come to God with that kind of mentality. That our prayers will be granted if we say that the right amount of hallelujahs and amens.

Even if Naaman went and obeyed and dipped himself five times, there'll still be no healing. God wants complete obedience.

Sometimes we bargain with God when God told us to do something. Naaman asked, no better river? God wants him to be obedient. Your solution is in God. You may have a financial problem but God also see the spiritual problem and you have to do it God's way. We have to learn how to submit to him. Seven times means seven times. Not more, not less.

I thank God that Naaman didn't leave that day. He went down and dipped himself seven times. He listened to his servant. And the little girl. That's why we need friends. Without the two of them encouraging, Naaman would not have made it. Love your enemies, that's what the little girl did. We need brothers and sisters like that in our life.

Last but not least, God's way is always a way of faith. You still need to do your part by stepping out of the boat. We need to take that step of faith. No faith no grow. Naaman had to step into the river and dipped himself seven times. You want to walk on water you have to step out of the boat. If he stayed in his boat nothing would have happened. How many of you have walked on water? Before Jesus , Peter was the only one. Naaman was also mentioned in the NT.

Luke 4:27

And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”

Where was the prophet from? Israel. Yet non was healed except this outsider, a Syrian was healed. God always ask us to take that step of faith. Until Naaman was willing to take that step of faith, nothing would have happened.

What's your hopeless situation? Will you trust God to see you through? Would you take that step of faith? What was Naaman's response after being healed? He said there is no other God in the world and note that when Naaman brought gifts, it did not mention that Elisha took the gifts. His way is a way of faith. We can never bribe God to do things for us. Or buy our healing. Or arm twist God to give to us. It has to be by faith.

We must all come to this conviction that there is no other God except the God of Israel.

The 4 Essentials of an Effective Church

Rev Gideon Lee

Our emphasis will be on the word effective. From scriptures we will see there are 4 essentials for an effective church. That is not to say we are not effective but that we can always be more effective.

We are  celebrating our 38 years but we want to live forward. The church is you and me and not the building. This morning I pray as we talk about the church I'm speaking to you because the church is you and me.

Acts 16:6-10

Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia

6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

This passage of scripture can teaches us a few things on how to be an effective church. Effectiveness is "the degree to which something is successful in producing a desired result". Do you know sometimes we buy things thinking it's effective but sometimes it is just not effective because it does not give us the result we want.

Like how sometimes we go pasar malam (night market) where they sell traditional medicines that they claim can do everything. It's like it can cure anything. I think if you ask if it can cure cancer, they will say can. And when you take it back you find it's just not effective. Even though he promised it's so effective but at the end of the day when we put it to the test it does not give you the result that you want.

A group of people can gather together 3 times a week, sing some songs, listen to a sermon and say some prayers and call it "church", but that does not constitute an effective church. An effective church is a church that worships and glorifies God, disciples and trains believers and seeks to point lost people to salvation in Jesus Christ. 

Let me give you my points first.

1. Desire
2. Discernment
3. Direction
4. Determination

These attributes are seen in Paul and his fellow labourers as they surrendered to the Macedonian call. Let's look at this passage of scripture and examine "4 Essentials Of An Effective Church"

At this point Paul's ministry has recently undergone some major changes. Paul had been traveling with Barnabas for some time. They had been very successful in the Lord's work. They set out to visit the churches that they had established. But there was a sharp disagreement between the two over whether or not to allow John Mark to go with them.

As a result they split up and Paul chose Silas to go with him during the next phase of his journey. These two servants of God went through Syria and Cilicia encouraging the brethren. After this they travelled to Derbe and Lystra, there they met Timothy and Paul selected him to join them on this mission. They travelled through the region preaching the Word. As a result, churches were established and verse 5 says that the churches "increased in number daily". 

At this point Paul had a plan for the future, but he quickly found out that God had other plans! Though his intentions were not what God had in mind, we can see Paul's heart's desire in this text. 

Think about this for a moment. How come the Holy Spirit stopped them? I thought God wants everyone to be saved. If you read the scriptures you will find God had a plan. It was not God's plan or timing. The Holy Spirit plays a very important part for us to be an effective church.

But Paul had a desire but the Holy Spirit said not yet. Paul being a servant of God immediately understood and obeyed. Paul himself was called by God. He was on the road to Damascus. What was he planning to do? To persecute the Christians there. He was a zealous man. When he desired to do something he would do it even of it’s the wrong thing. God met him halfway to Damascus. A bright light confronted him and blinded him. And the Lord said it is me whom you are persecuting. God asked him to go to a place called Straight and to wait. We know the story, Ananias came and prayed for him. Saul's eyesight was restored.

In order for us to be an effective church we must first have the desire. As a church we have a specific calling. Planted 38 years ago and it is still fulfilling the calling God has forgiveness the church. Start with the desire to be an effective Christian. And to be an effective church. I hope we have that desire and know that God has given us a purpose.

What is the desire and purpose of TOP? What is the vision of the church? It's no longer placed here but it's downstairs at the third floor. How many of you remember? That's why I purposely have the service on the fourth floor.

Recently we had our wedding anniversary and we went to Alor Star to celebrate. We left our children for someone to help take care of them. At the anniversary, we had to revisit why we got married and what was God's purpose for us.

So we also have to remember what is the vision of TOP. And what is the mission of the church?

Luke 4:18-19

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,

because he has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,

to set the oppressed free,

19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

This is what God has called the church to do. But if we do not have the desire, it will just be a poster in church. If you want to be an effective church you need to have the desire. My prayer is that God will increase your desire for the things of God. We must make sure that desire is within the will of God.

This leads me to the second point, discernment.

Acts 16:7

When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.

Paul did not ignore the call of the Holy Spirit. Paul discerned correctly and he obeyed. We need to discern correctly and properly. J. Stowell said that discernment is the skill that enables us to differentiate. The ability to see issues clearly. And we need to cultivate this skill to know what is right and wrong. Light from darkness. Every Christian should be able to determine right from wrong, truth from error, righteousness and unrighteousness. Cultivate discernment from the Lord.

And when Paul discerned he obeyed. He didn't fight or bargained with God. Paul discerned correctly. And so he obeyed. Like I said just now, we need desire but it may not be what God wants for me. One of the ways we learn to discern is by growing in the word. When we know God's word we will automatically know the counterfeit. And discern what is right from wrong.

Remember how I said the devil come to offer us the counterfeit and if we know God's word we will know which is the counterfeit? We need to really know the word of God. It's fundamental and foundation of our walk with God.

Another way is we need to spend time in his presence. My sheep hears my voice. If we know how to discern God's voice, any other voice we will know it's counterfeit. Desire is good but we need discernment. As a church we need discernment.

We must be on autopilot. Are we spending enough time with our master? Like my children better hear from me. I hope I don't leave it to the TV to tell them what is right or wrong. We need to discern the timing as well. The time and the season of what God is doing. I am concerned that the church at large has lost our discernment.

With discernment must come the word direction.

Acts 16:8

So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.

They didn't just stand there and did nothing. They discerned what God wanted to do and the direction was to go this way. We need to go where the direction of the church is heading. Sometimes the pastor surge ahead and when he look back there are no followers. Just him alone. We need to move together. We must not lose sight of our vision and mission. We need to follow God's direction.

It is not good enough just to know what God wants us to do but to actually do it. We need to follow when he gives us his direction.

That brings me to my last point. We need determination. We need to determine ourselves.

Acts 16:9-10

9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

God gave Paul direction by sending him a vision and he got ready to leave. Paul was waiting for direction. He was not sure why God kept him from Asia but he knew how to wait on God for direction. In the vision God gave him the answer. And he made plans to go.

When God calls us to do something, let's just go. Let's go with determination. God woke up the next morning and determined in his heart to go to Macedonia. We need determination in our church.

Many times we have good and even godly plans. Sadly I find we do not have the determination to see it through. If this is from God let's just do it. Are you with me this morning. We need to have the desire that we want to be an effective church. We won't run far from our vision and mission.

And let's determine to finish it. When God gives us a vision we must act on it immediately. If you say becoming a Christian is a bed of roses I want to ask you which church tells you so. Yes God is with us but suffering is part and parcel of the Christian life. When Jesus  was tempted in the desert the devil wanted to give Jesus  an alternative with no suffering.

I hope when the devil hears your name and he will tremble. If he does not, it's a sad day. It means we have lost our effectiveness. Our effectiveness is not measured by how we do on our Sunday. But rather how well we do at the marketplace. When we are out there with our colleagues. How brightly are you shining for Christ. My desire is that we will be effective. And we will be salty and be a light bearer.

Unfading Glory

Bro Koay Kheng Hin

These two words, glory and unfading captures a certain essence of what our Christian faith is all about. Christ has done the work of the cross and resurrected over 2000 years ago and we await his return.

1 Peter 1:1

To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,

Here he mentions pilgrims (strangers) and the elect. This was during a difficult period and Peter is saying even during those times, it is only for a moment, a period. It was a church when initially established went under heavy Jewish persecution. The people persevered and when things seems better they got under Roman persecution.

Today, I believe that our country, when we read epistles like that we find it difficult to identify with the circumstances the people are going through.

For most of us we have a certain religious freedom that the government has given us. I think messages like that of an epistle like 1st Peter, we may not understand. I believe that Malaysia may go through a difficult period and we may not enjoy the liberty that we are enjoying now.

As I prepare this message unfading glory, I was looking at a time if the church faces persecution like we have never experienced before or as a Christian we go through a different challenge, 1st Peter may become meaningful.

I have a friend who is doing well, better than me. I'm doing okay as a school teacher but he is much better financially. He said he don't believe in God and he said he is not doing badly. If we talk of God in the area of temporal blessing they may not appreciate it because they say they are doing better than you. But if you look at Peter you will see he sees his faith in a different light.

Peter says this is not our home when he calls us strangers. We are journeying, a pilgrim. When the church is prosperous, sometimes we may forget that this is not our home. You may say I'm 60 years old so it's okay to say this is not my home but I want to say whether young or old this is not our home. Paul says our citizenship is in heaven. That's why Matthew talks about treasures in heaven. The NT is a gospel where eternity is real and the things that matters to us must be seen in the light of eternity.

It is on that basis that we can be more than conquerors for Christ. It is on that basis we can say that the kingdom of God is expanding on this earth.

1 Peter 1:24-25

24 For, “All people are like grass,

and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;

the grass withers and the flowers fall,

25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is the word that was preached to you.

Peter writes that flowers wither and only the word of God will last forever. Peter is not talking about a concept but Peter has seen much of what is in man's heart. As we go through life, many things occupy our life. One is money. We need money but the problem is when their glory is their money. Where their security and worth is their wealth. Then we say their glory is their wealth.

Another area is beauty. I thought this is a problem only women have. But nowadays I realised these days men also have this issue. They go for facials. Sometimes God wants us to look pretty and beautiful and we are like that in God's sight. I remember an actress who could not take growing old. When the glory of her beauty fades. She secluded herself.

For some people their glory is other people's recognition. Like when they retire as boss, they no longer receive the same recognition. Some of these people lose much of the meaning of their life.

Coming to health, our health may become our pursuit and we make statements like my health is the most important thing. But no matter how well you take care of your health, you will slowly lose that glory. Recently I lost my mom and it affected me. I am very close to my mom and those that comes to my house knows that. My mom used to cycle around Lip Sin. Many knows her as the cycling auntie and I'm known as the cycling auntie's son.

In January my mom started losing weight. Esther my youngest daughter touched my mom and felt her bones. It was just skin and bones. We looked through old photos and she was very pretty when young. No offence but she is prettier than many of you here. But day by day I could see her body wasting away. You can see that the body at the end was just skin and bone.

2 Corinthians 4:16

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

Paul was talking about a fact of life. Outwardly we will waste away. But we are renewed inwardly.

2 Corinthians 4:17

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

We will one day have that glorious body that Christ will give to us. It is this that allows me to see that hope that I can capture in a real way that my mom as a spiritual soul will one day have a glorified body. But if you look at Paul, he says there are trouble. He said to the Corinthians that he suffered for the sake of the gospel and Christ but he says they are momentary. A passing moment in a journey. The momentary he compares to the eternal. Paul says these problems are light to me.

What we can capture from here is that Paul looks into the future and see the glory. That glory is not just the glorified body. This word glory has diverse meaning. When we say the glory of the Lord, that word glory has a certain sense of the favour and the perfect righteousness of God. And a God given honour imparted to us. That is why we will one day reign with God not because of our doing but his. An honour that God gives to his children.

Jesus was trying to show Peter, James and John what the glory of God was when Jesus transfigured before them. There was a certain radiance and brilliance about the glory of God. When the apostle Paul looks to eternity he is captured by the brilliance of the Lord God almighty.

This brings me to verse 18. People asked me you talk so much about heaven but we are here on earth. So which is more important?

2 Corinthians 4:18

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

The apostle Paul is telling the Corinthians that we have to fix our eyes on the unseen and eternal. I wrote it down like that, that we must see eternity as we live out our present. Not see eternity and have that kiasu attitude with that of wanting eternity now. The decisions you make in your life will be different. And things that are important to you will be different.

Even though eternity is the destination, what we do now will affect our eternity. We all have eternal glory but you can slowly sense that there are different degrees of glory. I struggled with this. I thought glory is perfection so everybody is the same. Recently I bought a book that solved this problem. Infinity is infinite but there is smaller and bigger infinity. It's mathematical and it's true. There are different degrees. Apostle Paul will have a different degree of glory to you and I.

2 Corinthians 5:9-10

9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Paul is saying we must please God and that we have to appear before God not for judgement but rewards. What we do now will affect our eternal glory. What are we supposed to do or what criteria will God look at?

Centuries back, the church had a system called indulgence, this was before the protestants. You give and your sins can be cancelled. Until one day Martin Luther wrote this, it is blasphemous to be able to buy your way to heaven. How does God judge? I look at a more practical framework. Like if you are a cell leader more marks. If you are a ministry leader you get marks or if you save how many souls. I use a simpler system. I would put it this way, all in Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 3:18

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

God's system is easier. Not by merit. This scripture show how we get to heaven. How do we experienced having the wrath of God taken away from us to have favour of God. It is the imputed righteousness of God that is the criteria. The righteousness of Christ is where your eternity lies in. If you grow in the image or likeness of God you are on safe grounds.  But what exactly do we mean by the likeness of Jesus Christ? You have to look at the gospels.

When Jesus was being baptised by John, Jesus had done nothing but God the Father spoke that Jesus is his well pleased son, because of the life he lived even before he did any ministry.

If you want to grow in the image of Christ, it is about who you are, the spiritual character and the fruitfulness of your character. When God sees you does he sees the fruits of who Christ is. Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to empower you to Christlikeness.

In the garden of Gethsemane, he ended with that prayer not my will but your will. Christ knew his purpose, that he was faithful till the end. It's the faithfulness of his ministry.

Some people find loop holes. He said God has not called me to be a pastor, and I say thank God, or called me to be an evangelist or a prophet so I don't have to do anything. Those are positions that God has a special calling as office. Not all are called and it's true. But has God called you to preach the gospel? God has not called you to be an evangelist but called you to do evangelism. Or God has not called you to be a pastor but you are called to pastoral work and to care for another. We are all called to do the work of the ministry. The call leaders are not pastors but they do pastoral work. Faithful to the ministry where God has called you and every child of God is called.

It is just most of the time you have ignored what God has called you for. The renewal we have daily is a renewal of glory. A renewal that comes from the glory of God transforming us. In that transformation you go from glory to glory.

When the glory of God comes upon you, there is a certain joy and you feel light. That is what will carry you to eternity.

I was reading about Martin Luther who gave his last sermon the day before he was assassinated. I have been to the mountaintop. He says I have no fear of any man and what may come I am prepared for it. He had a premonition from God that God is taking him home. He said I have seen the glory of God and it's upon me. Like at the Transfiguration, they have seen the glory of God. The apostle Paul saw it. It was so brilliant and bright that it blinded him. The apostle Paul saw the glory of Christ.

As we behold him and spend time with the Lord, that glory will rub on us. We need to experience the glory of God. I am someone who uses my mind. What you experience in your mind is important but the spirit man grow when he experiences what is in the word. The logos has to become the rhema. You will see a difference.

All of us have eternal life which God the Holy Spirit promised us but how many of us have eternity in our hearts. Let's have eternity in our hearts.

I want to end with a story of two birds. One is the eagle while the other is a turkey. Can a turkey fly? I used to think no. Google say domesticated turkeys can't fly but wild turkeys can fly up to 100 feet. But they struggle to reach 100 feet. They have to accelerate hard before they can fly.

Eagles are different. They can fly to 10,000 feet. That's very high. And the eagle seldom flaps their wings, because they glide and look effortless when they soar.

If you have the temporal on earth at best you are like a turkey, struggling to fly. But if you are able to be like Peter who is a stranger on earth or like Paul whose citizenship is heaven, then you will be like the eagle that can reach 10,000 feet in your spiritual height.

Do you want to soar into the spiritual heavenly or do you want to struggle as a spiritual turkey. You should want to soar like an eagle instead of struggling like a turkey because you will end up on the dinner table on thanksgiving.

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