2008

I can't believe it's just 6 hours more to 2008.

It's been a good year...many things that we have desired, and what God has promised us have come to pass.

I'm still waiting for other things to be fulfilled in our lives and ministry.

Still, God is Good ALL the time! I'll always believe that. That's why i'm looking forward to 2008!

ministry unto the Lord

I discovered a few posts which i started on, but never quite had the time to complete. By started, i mean i had the idea of the post, and probably wrote only a couple of lines... This is one of them:

I was recently (this was at least six months ago now) looking up articles on prayer and worship in preparation for teaching at prayer meeting. I came across free Christian e-books - precious gems by men of faith like Watchman Nee, Smith Wigglesworth, etc.

Watchman Nee's article on ministry to the Lord was really a timely reminder on what it means to serve the Lord. He differentiates between serving the "temple" or "people" and thus just the needs, with the view of impressing men, and serving the Lord, just focused on Him, bring joy and delight to Him. He emphasized that the Lord wants us to draw near to Him and spend time in His presence. Then we'll hear from Him to know where and when and what service is to be accomplished.

Acts 13:2 "As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said: Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them"

We don't want just to do good thing, but to fulfill His divine purpose.

He also urges us not to depend on our our strength, wisdom and efforts to do the work of the ministry, but to work out of His strength and wisdom which can be obtained in His presence. It's like working out of a rest in Him. Serving people or the ministry then has its basis in and is governed by serving the Lord

In Watchman Nee's own words: Let us seek the grace of God that He may reveal to us what it really means to minister to Him!

PS. Let me know if you want to read the article in its entirety. I'll give you the website.

3 projects

You might have noticed ( i just realised myself - i mean it just came to my consciousness...haha sounds like i was unconscious before) that i have had three projects going on in my blog in the last couple of months.

1. Present: my current experiences
2. Past: the call on my life/family and how this unfolded in the last 2 decades
   
3. my grandfather's life and encounters
   

The latter two began from the posts on "My Christian Heritage" but there came a division into the 2 projects indicated above.

More to come in the New Year!

obeying the promptings of the Holy Spirit

I'm glad that we obeyed the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

In our recent teaching trip, at the seminar, I had it in my spirit to ask those who wanted to be filled with the Holy Spirit to come forward. About 10 people were filled with the Holy Spirit, and the team prayed for them.

Then I was prompted to give an altar call for those who wanted to confess Jesus as Lord. I hesitated as it was a seminar for pastors, church workers and bible school students. My mind was reasoning that there could not be unbelievers around. I looked around after i gave the call, and quickly wanted to go on to the next thing. But hubby pointed out to me there were 2 near the front. They were taken aside by the local missions pastor.

It was such a beautiful sight (i could see them through the glass doors) to behold him sharing the gospel and then praying with this couple just next to the statue of Buddha outside the hotel function room. To me, it was a indication of light triumphing over darkness. Also, it showed me that the Holy Spirit knew better - thus the salvation altar call in a believers' meeting!

This couple was brought by their mother to the seminar as they had returned home after many months of being away to protest against their mother becoming a Christian and then a full-time minister. The mother was dancing for joy and praising God for the times she had prayed with tears.

The next day, hubby had it in his heart to have all of us go into a time of worship. As we began to worship, he heard from the Holy Spirit that the interpreter who was also a worship leader was to come up and sing a song. When he asked her, she was at first uncertain. She said later that she had a song but she was stumped at that moment regarding the title. Her co-worker went to the keyboard after she hummed the song to him. When she started singing, the presence of the Lord intensified.

The song was aligned to the vision hubby was receiving the very next moment - On Eagle's Wings. Hubby encouraged those present at the seminar that God wanted them to arise on eagles' wings even as they waited on Him, and that they would surely begin to soar. He told them that eagles did not flap their wings, but waited for the current (ie Holy Spirit) and then glided (ie flowed with the Holy Spirit). Thus they would soar high above all their circumstances. And be able to see clearly as from God's perspective because of the advantage of height. In this way, they will know what to do, and how to do (Isa 48:17, John 16:13).

At the end of the seminar, a lady pastor testified about how she was blessed by the prophetic word, and that her broken wing had been restored, and she could soar. For too long she had gotten by with just one wing: she was worried before the seminar about how to find a venue to rent for her church, as she had been asked by the landlord to leave as she could not pay the higher rent he wanted. After she received the word, she was no longer anxious. She knew in her heart that the Lord would definitely help her.

Hallelujah! The Holy Spirit knows so we just allow Him room to move.

break me for the nations

Father, my prayer is to be more and more focused on You, and the things of God, the things of His Kingdom.

I want to put aside, set aside things that hinder that i might be a more effective minister for you.

It's not that i want to be away from the world. No, i'm in the world, just not of it. I want to be practical and effective, connected to Your church and also the nations, so i can impact them for Jesus!

That Your heart become my heart for all the world...

blessed christmas 2007

Hey everyone! It's Christmas!

O Come Let Us Adore Him, Christ the Lord!

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6 KJV)

His Shalom be with you and yours.

Wishing all of you who drop by a Blessed Christmas and a GLORIOUS new year ahead too: A year of good things, an increasing intimacy with the LORD, favour with people around you, and more encounters with His power and glory!

dealing with the flesh

I just came back from a teaching trip with hubby. I praise God that we broke through to a higher level of ministry. We worked well in the team of 6 which included the locals. God showed us who was supposed to lead the service, thus humbly submitting to one another in love.

It's interesting that when i wanted to move higher in the spiritual realm, i have had to deal with some "flesh" issues. i noticed that some of these thoughts come to me only when i am in that country. But no more. It was somewhat easier this time than the last. I just had to put my flesh under, and to choose to think good and lovely thoughts according to Phil 4:7. He has given me victory.

When i actually made the choice to focus on things above, it became easy. His grace was sufficient for me. It was really not my effort. My part was to have self-control and have my will choose to do His word, to obey Him. And i could choose because i (flesh) have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer i who live (flesh) but Christ who lives in me (in my spirit), and the life which i now live, i live by faith in the Son of God. So it's by faith in His grace, His provision of victory for me. (paraphrase of Gal 2:20)

Actually, even the desire is from Him. So i was able to deal with the thoughts and be able to focus on things above. Praise God!

He has given me victory. I don't have to be overwhelmed by my fleshly desires; i can choose to be led by the spirit!

remembering kong kong: demonstrating God's power (papa's account)

When Kong Kong was pastoring in the Chin Hock Methodist church in Kampong China, Sitiawan in North-west Malaysia, he and a band of elderly ladies (these were usually the pray-ers in the church who got together often to pray) were often called upon to deliver those who were demon-possessed.

The demon in the person would instill fear in the people around, but these ladies, together with Kong Kong, were fearless as they knew the power of Jesus' name. Often, the person possessed would be controlled by the devil to such an extent that he would hurt himself and his loved ones. The devil's intention was to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus came so that we might have life abundantly, and that we might be free from the bondage of the evil one.

In one instance, the young man who was possessed had broken a bowl and cut his body with a sharp broken piece from the bowl and then he challenged anyone who dared to stop him. He seemed to have supernatural great strength. He went on to bite the broken bowl and chewed it into even smaller bits. His mouth would be filled with blood and yet he did not seem to feel pain at all. His parents were at their wits' end, helpless and greatly distressed to see the son cutting himself in such a manner. Somebody who knew that the church could help them solve the problem informed Kong Kong, and invited him to the house to help.

When Kong Kong and the prayer band were approaching, the demon-possessed person knew it before anyone else and began to call out loudly, “Why have you come? I’m not afraid of you, whoever you are!”

Kong Kong and the ladies entered the house fearlessly. They began to sing praises over and over again with boldness and yet there was such peace about them. And then they began pray out loud, as in a chorus. And at the end of concerted prayer, Kong Kong looked straight at the possessed person and declared: “In the name of Jesus, I command you to leave NOW!”

“I can’t take it anymore... I will leave now,” a voice came from within the demon-possessed person. Immediately the dogs outside began to bark. The person had been delivered! The demon had left. Praise the Lord! The man was sitting there, rendered powerless and looking rather weak and in a daze. He groaned in pain and asked why his body and mouth were bloody.

This family accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord and faithfully worshipped the Lord in the Church. Others around them who knew about this also came to the Lord.

This was not the only family that experienced the mighty power of the Lord in overcoming the evil one. Many families like them gave their lives to God when a family member who was demon-possessed had been delivered.

Praise the Lord!

my christian heritage - part 7: His call

A few months later, the call of God on my life was getting stronger.

When i didn't do too well in my exams to be guaranteed a place in the university, i thought it was His plan for me to go into a full-time ministry. My parents disagreed with me, and i was glad about that as they certainly were wiser. They wanted me to finish university first. They felt that that would be a greater honour to the Lord, and that no one would say that i'd chosen to serve the Lord because i could not do anything else.

I submitted to their decision. I remember this setback broke their hearts. Mum wanted to knit me a light yellow sweater to keep me warm in the university library, but she stopped knitting entirely then. She just put all her knitting equipment aside, never to pick them up again. In my heart, i told myself i would never disappoint them like that again.

I had not put in enough effort in my studies, erroneously thinking that i had been diligent enough. Studying had always been easy for me as i grasped concepts quickly and had a good short term memory. But for the kind of exams this was, i had to do more than just understand or vaguely remember, i had to memorise the points well enough to explain them at length.

I grew up through that experience, spiritually, emotionally and in character. I realised that I was in no position to serve the Lord. At that time though i could have gone into christian radio or into theological college. But i believe God had a different plan. There were things i had to learn, and character traits i had to develop.

The time i spent in self-study that year was tough. i learnt discipline, dependence on the Lord, and diligent work. i had always been quite diligent, but i had always known to give just enough in order to do well enough. i got bored easily with repetitive work, and studying for the "A" levels was VERY repetitive. I knew the work, but not enough to write a good essay on it. So i learnt to put to memory important points. I learnt what worked for me where study was concerned: how i preferred studying in short spurts/bursts, and needed variety in the topics studied. This was to help my students later when i went into teaching.

I also made a good friend and we encouraged each other in the Lord, and woke each other. She studied later into the night than i did, so got up later... But other than that, we used to discuss the subject we had in common - Economics and GP. And we would just account to each other what we had studied the day before, and what we intended to do that day! The happiest day in each week was Sunday, where i could go to church to worship and fellowship with friends. YAY!

It was to be 16 years later that i would receive the calling to enter bible school, and then to teach and work at the bible school. During those years, i would sometimes look at others with envy who answered His call, and told the Lord. often in frustration, that i was called earlier than them, but they were entering the mission field or ministry before me.

After i completed university with a bachelor's degree with honours, i went into teaching. It was a clear instruction from the Lord, although i would have preferred to serve Him in a full-time capacity. :D

I also had clear instruction when i finished training which school i was to serve at. It was just a knowing. I completed my training with a post-graduate diploma in teaching (with merit).

The allowance i received when i was under training was a couple of hundred more than those who graduated without honours. The same additional amount was given when i was given a full salary. God was returning me what i had lost in the setback. God is so good.

Every two years, i would be asking the Lord whether it was time to leave. But after the first two years, i went into the GEP in the same school i was teaching. After 4 years in the programme, i was approached to become an officer at MOE. i would rather have gone into full-time, but there was no direction from the Lord where that was concerned. Also at that time, my desire to have a baby was intensifying. Instead, there was peace about entering the MOE HQ GE Branch, so i did. I knew my time would not be long there. Three years would be the maximum.

The Lord did release me after three years. I had opportunities to run programmes for students talented in writing, counsel students with problems in studies and at home, and train teachers and impact policy plans, thus honing my administrative and interpersonal skills.

I left the teaching service in March 2003, and went into bible school in August that year.

Thus began a new phase of my life...

my christian heritage - part 6: as for me and my house

When i came home from the camp, i began to tell my parents about what had happened. They were very concerned as this is the first time they had heard about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit as well.

After explaining, we just knelt down in my bedroom and began to pray, asking the Lord for wisdom and revelation in this matter.

The presence of the Lord just came in the room, and i began to prophesy:
"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. My whole house will serve the Lord".

I believe we began to cry because this was our hearts' desire, the words coming from deep within my spirit.

We got up from our knees, blessed by His presence, honoured by His words, having a new sense of destiny in our hearts.

In our minds, we wondered how it was all going to be... but God was already setting in motion His plans and purposes for our family.

remembering kong kong: divine provision (papa's account)

Kong Kong did other things for the church like conduct Bible study, visit the sick, diagnosed the sick - he was well-versed in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and often wrote out prescription for his church members who were very poor (around mid-1900s) and could ill afford to obtain medical help and medication, bought the chinese herbs for them, decocted the medicine (with Ah Ma's help) and brought the medicine to the patient's house personally in order to ensure that it was taken. No matter how tired he was he would go over to the house of the sick to visit and pray with them.

When he was called to rebuild the dilapidated Foochow Church in the early 1947, he wondered at first where to get the funds. Wealthy people were few and also not forthcoming. He committed the matter to God in prayer. God gave him a dream. He saw Jehovah Jireh in the form of a ray of light beaming down from heaven on a church building. When he got up he immediately drew what he dreamt with as much details as he could remember. Then he got in touch with an artist, Wong Cheng Ming, who was a new convert. For several days Mr Wong sat down with grandpa who related to him the vision of the church. The colorful picture of the church was eventually painted and many copies printed. Kong Kong was full of creative ideas. Anyone who donated $500 and above towards the church building fund was presented with a framed picture of the church. Other donors were given handbill-size picture of the church.

Kong Kong was also very innovative. He wanted every member of the church to be involved in contributing toward the church building fund. One day he saw a huge pile of empty condensed milk cans left discarded at the back of the coffee-shop. He thought if he could get these cans, wash them clean and then seal the two small holes at one end, and make a slot at the other end, he could have good donation cans. The coffee-shop owner was only too happy to part with the empty cans.

Soon hundreds of these cans were neatly arranged on a table at the church sanctuary. More than 300 cans were taken home by worshippers at the end of the worship. Each member was expected to faithfully drop in coins and return at the end of 3 months. It is a well known fact that ‘little drops of water make a mighty ocean.’ This was yet another good yet creative way of getting funds for building the church.

This went on for 3 years and Kong Kong had to work hard. He worked hand in hand with a dedicated team to open the returned cans, count them, record the amount. At the end of each year he would laboriously yet steadfastly compile a statement of account in a booklet and distributed to all donors.

There was once while it was raining heavily, Grandpa was driving in the Newton area. It was quite dark and visibility was poor. When Kong Kong stopped at the traffic light somebody from the car behind came out. He opened Kong Kong's car-door, threw in a bag, slammed the door and ran back to his car. Kong Kong could not make out who he was and what was in the bag.

When he reached home, he was surprised to discover that the bag was full of money. He immediately informed the Local Church Executive Committee chairman and the treasurer who came. He led them in a thanksgiving prayer before they counted the money. The amount was by no means small. This was yet another provision by Jehovah Jireh. All the money was channeled to the Church building.

In the early years there were several occasions when Kong Kong had no money to buy food for the family, which had altogether 9 members including 7 children. Kong Kong would spend the whole morning praying in his room. On looking back, it is a great testimony fo God's miraculous provision and faithfulness. God had never forsaken us or left us to suffer hunger. On at least 3 occasions, he would receive an ang-pow from the letter-box. He had no idea who dropped the ang-pow into the letter-box. There was only the words "GOD KNOWS" written on it, written in Chinese. God indeed faithfully provided for the needs of the family as Kong Kong faithfully served Him.

my christian heritage - part 5: baptism in the Holy Spirit)

About six months before i turned 18, there was a spike in my desire to know the Lord. I was at a prayer meeting, and there was such a yearning for the things of God, i banged my fist (noiselessly) on the back of the pew in front of me. No one heard me, thank God. But i was not at all contented with where i was; i wanted more of life in God. There was no answer for the next few months, and i was caught up with my A levels exams.

Then came Sunday School Camp. That was tremendous. I made a good friend there, and i learnt for the first time in my life the importance of the Holy Spirit and His role in my life. When the speaker taught us the acts of the Holy Spirit, and said that the same power is made available to us, i became angry because in all my years in church so far, no one had shown me that. And it had always been in the bible. I had read through the bible but had hardly noticed what the speaker was highlighting to us.

Anyway, he gave an altar call for those who wanted to receive the power of the Holy Spirit to step up and into a separate room, where he will teach us a little more before praying for us.
About 10 of us followed him and his team into a classroom - our camp was held in a school, and the teaching had been in a hall.

We sat on chairs in a u-shape. I was the second one from the left. As the speaker taught us, the girl on my left began to lean back as if she was weakening. The Holy Spirit was already upon her. When he finished teaching, he asked us to stand to receive, and we all were moved in a straight line before him. The girl who had earlier slumped in her chair was the first to fall under the power.

When one of the team members prayed for me, i could feel power and warmth coursing through me. A bubbling rose from within my spirit, and out of my mouth. I remember clearly that my first words in tongues were: bubububububu. I swayed for some time before i fell under God's power. When i was on the ground, i began to laugh. I discovered much later in my life that it was crucial that the supernatural joy of the Lord entered my life. I was to undergo a life-changing experience, and God's grace and mercy prepared me for this. I was to suffer the consequences of my choices and attitudes, but God was to turn it around for good.