five lessons from prince caspian

I watched Prince Caspian again on Christmas Day. Hubby was sure we had seen it already, and we probably had, but i could not remember the story... as usual... And i've read the book a few times too!

Anyway, it was quite enjoyable for me. Hubby decided to do something else instead.

The Lord spoke to me through the movie four precious lessons.

1. Peter asked Lucy: Why wouldn't i have seen him (Aslan)? Lucy's reply was: Maybe you weren't looking.
Later Susan asked Lucy: Why do you think I didn't see Aslan? Lucy: Maybe you didn't really want to.
- King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.
We often don't see God's hand in our lives, or hear His voice because we are not looking or expecting, or because we shut Him out of our lives, not wanting to hear anymore in our pain or lethargy. Start expecting, start seeking, and you will surely see and hear and experience His presence every moment of your life.

2. Susan: I finally just got used to the idea of being in England.
This is a strong reminder of the fact that we are in the world and not of the world, and that there is a higher purpose and calling for our lives.

3. Edmund: Exactly who are you doing this for, Peter?
We need to be aware of our own motives which must remain pure and not selfish. When motives are unclear, our hearts are cluttered and we cannot hear clearly from Him. We depend more on ourselves and our abilities than His grace and power.

4. In the first battle, they were sorely defeated because they did not wait for Aslan's instructions. They learnt their lesson, and sent Lucy (accompanied by Susan) to look for Aslan. They realised they need His help. We need to wait upon the Lord, hearing from Him before we make a move.

5. Lucy had a relationship with Aslan different from the rest. She was the only one who ran to Aslan, hugged him, played with him. The others knelt before Aslan in worship. Our new covenant allows for us to come right to His throne of grace. I am grateful to God for the reconciliation and redemption plan, that i can worship Him as well as relate to Him like a child to her father.

I'm going into 2012 expecting His presence to be with me always, and being aware of my need for His grace and strength.
I'm going into 2012 knowing my calling and destiny and that i'm a citizen of heaven.
I'm going into 2012 having made adjustments to my motives - not for selfish gain or vain glory, but in obedience to His call.
I'm going into 2012 resolving to be led by my heavenly Father.
I'm going into 2012 desiring a deeper and closer relationship with my Father.

2011 christmas message

I listened to an encouraging message of hope on Christmas Day.

Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

It was a reminder of God's love for each and everyone of us.

The following are my own reflections on Isaiah 9:6, inspired by Ps P Morrison's message.

As Wonderful Counselor, His wisdom is available to all who come to Him. We often depend on ourselves but if we appropriate His Wisdom, we see through His eyes, beyond our own human perspective.

As Mighty God, God can accomplish the impossible, the difficult, the unimaginable. As Mighty God, He chooses to set things right, removing obstacles in the process.

The one which most touched me was everlasting Father. This aspect of His nature speaks of a relationship. If there is father, there must be children. He is MY Abba Father. He not only provides for me, heals me, takes care of my needs, but He loves me. He knows me fully, AND loves me completely. He wants to spend time with me. I'm amazed by this Heavenly Father whom Jesus came to reveal.

Finally, the Prince of Peace not only brought reconciliation between God and man, but wholeness in every aspect of the life of the believer.

Thank you, Lord for this beautiful scripture which gives me courage and hope and i reflect on 2011, and surge on to 2012!

dream (ship)

Last night, i dreamt that i was on a ship which was out of control, headed towards shore, and threatening to destroy everything in its path. There was a growing momentum, increasing fear, spiralling to a climax.

Just as it was about to hit something (i don't know what - but it seemed like a building), and barely an inch away from impact, everything came to a standstill. There was such peace and calm.

This is certainly divine intervention. Timely help. In the nick of time.

I'm still reeling from the amazing grace of God.

I think it's more than just a dream.

this is for mum (on a day after her birthday, which happens to be mine)

Thanks for being such a wonderful and understanding mum. I enjoy talking to you as you provide different perspectives of situations and people.

I love sharing family birthday celebrations with you - makes our special days even more special. I love shopping for clothes together, and going for facials with you.

You taught me to serve the Lord from a tender age - i was holding up cards for scripture memory and songs when you taught sunday school. You encouraged me to keep learning and learning - piano, singing, typing, counseling skills, etc., even craft work and floral arrangements (but i was never very good with my hands and with careful work such as knitting).

I see how you encourage others so patiently, and are so loving to people from all walks of life, without expecting anything in return.

I cannot count the things i have learnt from you, more from how you do things and treat people, than what is actually spoken and taught.

I love you, mum. Thank you for giving me life, and also showing me how to live my life.

dream four (040911)

I went to bed at about 11pm. Hubby was sleepy around the same time too! That in itself is a miracle. We usually go to bed at different times. We started praying for our preparation for the trip and for the students we will be teaching.
I fell asleep after a while, and in that brief time, just before i woke up at 12.30am, i had a dream about teaching in a lecture theatre, where rows and rows of people were listening. I was stirring up the congregation to go forth to the harvest fields, to march in obedience to the Command and Clarion Call of our Lord. Up and down the rows i went, singing and encouraging them. Some joined me.
When i woke up, hubby had left the room for a while and was in the living room. I went to him and shared with him my dream. I could still remember the song i sang, and sang out a couple of lines to him. It was not a very long song to begin with.
I wonder whether it was what we prayed about in tongues...

aneityum (aka new hebrides)

Dr John Geddie (1815-1872) went to Aneityum in 1848 and worked there for 24 years.

Written in his memory are these words:

When he landed, in 1848, there were no Christians.
When he left, in 1872, there were no heathens.

quotes (from LT and other sources)

Choosing to praise is the most unselfish decision and action to take in any and all circumstances.

Praise and worship gives Almighty God the legal opening to work in my life and situation.

Check only yourself,
not others - not even your spouse.

Overcome and reign over our minds and emotions by the spirit.

The power of His word=His word is powerful
vs
The word of His power=His power is expressed through His word.

quote on praise (KWH)

The power of God is activated through praise because praise is the language of faith.

Faith

"We have made faith a condition of mind, when it is a divinely imparted grace of the heart."

prayer school - ask of me

Psalms 2:7-8 – I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to me, You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of me and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.

We are sons of God. Part of the inheritance given to us through Jesus is the nations.

John 17:20 – I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word

Jesus prayed for the disciples and the impact they were going to have upon the world through the preaching of the word, and the empowering by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:14-15 - For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, We are joint heirs…

Acts 1:8 - But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.

We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to make disciples throughout the earth.

Ephesians 6:19 - And [pray] also for me, that [freedom of] utterance may be given me, that I may open my mouth to proclaim boldly the mystery of the good news (the Gospel),

Paul was very aware of his calling and his dependence upon the power of God to fulfill his calling.

Romans 10:14-17 - But how are people to call upon Him Whom they have not believed [in Whom they have no faith, on Whom they have no reliance]? And how are they to believe in Him [adhere to, trust in, and rely upon Him] of Whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? And how can men [be expected to] preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings! [How welcome is the coming of those who preach the good news of His good things!] But they have not all heeded the Gospel; for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed (had faith in) what he has heard from us? So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself).

Matthew 9:37-38 - Then He said to His disciples, The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. So pray to the Lord of the harvest to force out and thrust laborers into His harvest.

Ekballo – forcefully eject; Not apostello – send forth

But God does not force us. It is with His persuasive love that He moves His people into the harvest field.

prayer school 21072011

Taught on using the Word of God in prayer.

• "The only way we can get acquainted with God is through the Word" - Kenneth E Hagin
• Shared two prayer tips from George Mueller (using the bible to pray - finds a promise, pleads that promise, receives what he asks; and how through meditation on scripture, he was more able to experience a meaningful prayer time)
• Not considering feelings or situations (Romans 4:19) but Jesus (Hebrews 12:3)
  
• Isaiah 55:9-11 - Speaking forth God's word which will not return to Him void...
• Students prayed for 15 minutes using Philippians 1:9-11 and also prayers taught (from Eph) by other instructors

prayer tips from george mueller

Two "Prayer Tips" from George Müller:
(from http://www.prayerfoundation.org/prayer_tips_george_mueller.htm)

1. Open Bible Before Him, and His Finger Upon That Promise, He would Plead That Promise, and So He Received What He Asked

One of the mightiest men of prayer of the last generation was George Mueller of Bristol, England, who in the last sixty years of his life (he lived to be ninety-two or ninety-three) obtained the English equivalent of $7,200,000.00 by prayer. But George Mueller never prayed for a thing just because he wanted it, or even just because he felt it was greatly needed for God's work. When it was laid upon George Mueller's heart to pray for anything, he would search the Scriptures to find if there was some promise that covered the case. Sometimes he would search the scriptures for days before he presented his petition to God. And then when he found the promise, with his open Bible before him, and his finger upon that promise, he would plead that promise, and so he received what he asked. He always prayed with an open Bible before him.

-R. A. Torrey on George Müller; "The Power of Prayer," 1924 (P. 81)

2. Müller's Discovery Was That After Meditating On Scripture He Was More Able to Experience a Meaningful Prayertime

"Reading without meditation is unfruitful; meditation without reading is hurtful; to meditate and to read without prayer upon both is without blessing."

-William Bridge, Puritan Writer

Christian meditation (thinking deeply on Scripture) is "the missing link between Bible intake and prayer." If there was a "secret" to George Müller's prayer life, it was his discovery of the connection between meditation and prayer. Müller's discovery was that after meditating on Scripture he was more able to experience a meaningful prayertime.

-Donald S. Whitney, "Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life" (partial quote and partial paraphrase).

the secret of george mueller's power in prayer

God then began to show me that the word of God alone is our standard of judgment in spiritual things...

a modern paraphrase of john wesley's journal entries

Heard this in a recent message. Just had to post it.

The paraphrased journal entries below display John Wesley's perseverance and determination in the face of persecution and rejection:

Sunday a.m., May 5 -Preached in St. Ann's; was asked not to come back any more.
Sunday p.m., May 5- Preached at St. John's; deacons said, 'Get out and stay out.'
Sunday a.m., May 12 -Preached at St. Jude's; can't go back there either.
Sunday p.m., May 12-Preached at St. George's; kicked out again.
Sunday a.m., May 19- Preached at St. Somebody Else's; deacons called a special meeting and said I couldn't return.
Sunday p.m., May 19-Preached on the street; kicked off the street.
Sunday a.m., May 26- Preached out in a meadow; chased out of meadow when a bull was turned loose during the service.
Sunday a.m., June 2-Preached out at the edge of town; police moved me.
Sunday p.m., June 2-Afternoon service, preached in pasture; 10,000 people came.

Praise the Lord!

"We are fools for Christ's sake..."(1 Cor 4:10)

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." (1 Cor 15:57-58)

church camp in jb in june

We taught and ministered at a church camp in JB last week. The topic was Joy in the Presence of God.

Throughout the camp, we were amazed by God's presence. It was a joy to teach and minister to hungry hearts - as they opened their mouths wide, God filled them (Psalms 81:10).

One person prayed to receive Jesus, and five people were baptised in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in new tongues. A lady was instantly filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke with new tongues just by waiting on the Lord as part of corporate worship (she testified later that this was her heart's desire - to be filled and speak in tongues).

The Lord imparted His joy to the campers - spontaneous joy and laughter were evident as they experienced that the joy of the Lord is their strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

The Lord also ministered healing at the camp - many were healed of aches and pains in their necks, backs, shoulders, feet, etc., and of flu and stomach upset.

The Gifts of the Spirit were in operation during ministry time as words were released to encourage, exhort and edify the campers. People were refreshed and set free from oppression/ depression as they experienced God's love, joy and power during this camp.

Praise God that He is faithful and confirmed His Word with signs following (Mark 16:20). All glory be to Him!

dreams three (19 june 2011)

I dreamt that i was travelling to a place, and was in a conference in that vehicle (probably a ship, but not shown in the dream). As i entered the conference room, i just saw sheaves of wheat on the seats, ready for the harvest. They were very light golden colour, almost white, and moving slightly. I was amazed by the sheaves, but as i looked closer at a few of them, i realised that they were like crackers with the tops like wheat.

I left the room to a smaller adjoining room, where hubby was seated and there was a red umbrella beside him - used and wet. A lady was talking to him, and as i approached, she decided to give that umbrella to him, saying that they had two similar ones. The umbrella had 4 words printed ( i remember three of the words 福禄寿. The fourth is probably 喜 or 康). She was also thanking Oon for the ministering to her and her husband.

I showed Oon the three crackers with the wheat tops from the conference room, and these transformed into something shaped like umbrellas with wheat coming from the tops of the umbrellas. We chose two to bring back.

When i returned to the first conference room, many of the seats had the wheat (umbrellas or crackers?) removed by different people in the room. I put one back.

dreams two (15 June 2011)

i dreamt that my dad and my youngest brother were at my place, fixing and tidying some stuff.

Then mum came to visit, and i was surprised to see her ( i'm not sure why i was not surprised to see my dad as they are both in England at the moment). She said they came back on 13/6 instead of 23/6, so we talked and i needed to change so we shut the bedroom door.

Suddenly, my aunt appeared at the bathroom door and called me. It was such a surprise. She had come to visit me with another aunt and they brought a cake.

I woke up.

dreams one (15 June 2011)

I dreamt that i was teaching the word of God to a group of people in a room.

Then i started singing about Jesus, the melody is somewhat familiar, the words are just Jesus (over and over). As i sang, i began to show some of them how to sing in the spirit/flow in the spirit. (Later i critiqued myself and was aware that i had spent a little too much time on showing them how to sing).

The Holy Spirit then led me to pray for people specifically for healing of bodies.

Quote from John Wesley

The Rev. John Wesley, M.A., preacher, author, teacher and reformer, whose name is treasured in the hearts of believers ever since the Great Revival, would be a competent judge as to whether the miraculous gifts should be in the church today.

This is what he says:

"It does not appear that these extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were common in the church for more than two or three centuries. We seldom hear of them after that fatal period when the Emperor Constantine called himself a Christian, and from a vain imagination of promoting the Christian cause, thereby heaped riches and power and honour upon the Christians in general, but in particular upon Christian clergy.

From this time, they almost totally ceased; very few instances of the kind being found. The cause of this was not, as has been vulgarly supposed, because there is no more occasion for them because all the world were become Christian. This is a miserable mistake, not a twentieth part of it was then nominally Christian.

The real cause was: the love of many, almost all Christians, so-called, was waxed cold. The Christians had no more of the Spirit of Christ than the other heathen; the Son of Man when He came to examine His Church could hardly find faith. This was the real cause why the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were no longer to be found in the Christian Church; because the Christians were turned heathen again, and had only a dead form left ...

The grand reason why the miraculous gifts were so soon withdrawn was not that faith and holiness were well nigh lost, but that dry, formal, orthodox men began even then to ridicule whatever gifts they had not themselves, and to decry them all as either madness or impostures."

teaching in HCMC (June 2011)

We taught Divine Healing to a class of 50 students. Most of them are already active in the Ministry, having served for up to more than 20 years as pastors, ministry workers and church planters. They hailed from diverse church backgrounds - Baptists, Evangelicals, Pentecoastals, Charismatics, AOGs, etc. Indeed, God has blessed the school with tremendous favour among the various churches.

It was a privilege to teach students from so many denominations. Despite their different theological backgrounds, there was a spirit of unity among them. All of them were teachable and hungry for the Word. God confirmed His Word with signs following (Mark 16:20) - healings took place in the first day - many were healed of their pains, sicknesses and diseases. Praise The Lord!

One of the students testified on behalf of the rest that they had been refreshed and transformed by the teaching from the Word of God, and all of them would want to bring what they have learnt back to the churches they pastor or lead. All glory to the Lord!

It was a great blessing for me personally to go back to this place almost 17 years after i had first been there. God truly answers prayer!!

Teaching Trip (April 2011)

We had a blessed time teaching and ministering to the students at the bible school, teaching them on the Foundations of Faith, Prayer as well as A Life of Praise and Worship.

The students were hungry for the Word - we could see their desire in developing a more intimate relationship with our heavenly Father, and trusting the Lord with their future. There was a strong anointing as we ministered and worshiped the Lord together and gifts of the Spirit (word of knowledge, word of wisdom, tongues and interpretation of tongues) were released during this time. One young man who received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was shaking and crying out: 'Fire, Fire' as he felt the power of God come upon him.

We also had an opportunity to minister to a home church one day, and took time to exhort and answer their questions based on the Word of God.

We give God all the glory for the privilege of ministering and for the transformation in these lives.

Myanmar language

one - di
two - ni
three - tho
four - li
five - nga
six - cheow
seven - ?
eight - shin
nine - goh
ten - sen

forty - lizeh

Christians are like bad photos?

Many Christians are like poorly taken photos - overexposed and underdeveloped.

from YCCA Xxon Youths Vision

By the power of the Holy Spirit, we envision the environment in the youth ministry to be:

Persistent in Prayer
We aim to be persistent in prayer, seeking the face of God.
(Acts 4:24)

Prophetic in Posture
We recognize that everything that happens has a spiritual cause and God has called us to spiritual warfare daily.
(Acts 4:20-24; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

Perpetual in Pentecost
We need God's continual empowerment and fresh anointing through His Spirit every day for life and witness.
(Acts 4:31, Romans 8:15)

Passionate in Purpose
The ministry united changes the world. We aim to be of one heart, one soul and one mind.
(Acts 4:32)

one sunday last month (part three)

Hubby preached on healing the following sunday at another service in the month of March. It was a simple but practical message.

About 30 people came up to be prayed for out of a congregation of 300. Together with the ministry team, we prayed for healing for those who stepped up in faith.

Hubby said he prayed for one who was in final stage of cancer. This man was shaking all over because of the power of God. I remember seeing his countenance before the service and it had brightened up by the end of the service.

one sunday last month (part two)

Hubby preached at a church service one sunday last month at HS on Elijah and the widow and the jar of oil which never ran out till the very last vessel was filled.

A miracle took place in the widow's house, and it all started with the question Elijah asked of her: "what do you have in the house?" Her reply was "nothing at all except a small jar of olive oil". Her focus was on nothing. God's focus was on what she had - the small jar of olive oil.

The crucial question is what do you have in the house, what do you have with you that you can use in obedience to God's instruction in order to have a miracle.

Her obedience to God's instruction to gather empty jars from her neighbours allowed her to have enough to pay all her debts and for her and her sons to live on for a long time. As long as there were jars, the oil from the small jar kept flowing.

Her willingness to act on God's instruction ensured God's miraculous provision, creating the atmosphere for the supernatural to take place.

At the end of the message, we ministered to those who needed financial breakthrough and healing.

God is good!

cockroach

Last night, following the dream from the night before, i again woke up in the middle of the night and found that hubby had gone out to the living room to watch a football match. I decided to join him, but he said that the match was ending, and he was coming back to bed.

So i went back to the bedroom, but decided to pray and read for a while, so i turned on the lights. I plopped myself onto the bed, and turned to fluff my pillow. In my sleepy state, i realised that there was a huge black insect on my pillow. Stifling a scream, which was still loud enough for hubby to shush me from outside the room, as it was in the middle of the night, i jumped out of bed. I told him it was a cockroach.

Hubby very kindly checked the bed, and even under the mattress, using his shoulder to prop up the mattress as he looked underneath to ensure that the cockroach was not around.

Assured, i went back to bed.

The Holy Spirit spoke to me about not allowing the evil one to come into my territory. The devil has no right to affect my spirit, soul and body as i belong to God. My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and the work of the evil one cannot dwell in the same place.

Hallelujah!

trampled and crushed

I dreamt last night that i trampled and crushed the devil with my feet. I believe it was his head i was trampling and crushing.

I woke up, exhilarated!

I told hubby, and he quoted Genesis 3:15.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Praise the Lord that Jesus has spoiled principalities and powers! And because I am crucified with Christ, and it is no longer i who live but Christ lives in me, I have victory over principalities and powers!

As i said, EXHILARATED!

another healing testimony

A student (R) shared in her assignment that she was healed of pain in the jaw while in class. She had been having the pain for two days, and she almost did not go for class as the pain increased just before class. The Holy Spirit prompted her and encouraged her to o to class and she would be healed.

During opening prayer to the evening class on the Holy Spirit on 9 March, i was prompted to command for all sickness and pain to be gone.

R shared that as the prayer ended and she said Amen, but the pain was still there. She said that she did not care as she believed that she was healed already. By the time the class ended, she realised that the pain was gone.

As she went home, she kept praising the Lord, revelling n His love for her.

All glory to His Name!!

quotes on prayer

“To be a Christian without prayer
is no more possible than
to be alive without breathing.”
Martin Luther


"Work as if everything depended upon your work,
and pray as if everything depended upon your prayer."
William Booth


"Prayer will make a man cease from sin,
or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer."
John Bunyan


"The true man of God is heartsick,
grieved at the worldliness of the Church...
grieved at the toleration of sin in the Church,
grieved at the prayerlessness in the Church.
He is disturbed that the corporate prayer of the Church
no longer pulls down the strongholds of the devil."
Leonard Ravenhill


"The Church gives more time,
thought,
and money
to recreation and sport
than to prayer."
Samuel Chadwick


"Are you living for the things you are praying for?"
Austin Phelps


“If we are full of pride and conceit
and ambition and self-seeking
and pleasure and the world,
there is no room for the Spirit of God,
and I believe many a man is praying to God to fill him
when he is full already with something else.”
D.L. Moody


“God sends no one away empty
except those who are full of themselves.”
D.L. Moody


“The best prayers often have more groans than words.”
John Bunyon


“In prayer it is better to have a heart without words,
than words without a heart.”
John Bunyan


“Prayer is a shield to the soul,
a sacrifice to God,
and a scourge to Satan.”
John Bunyan


“The Word of God represents
all the possibilities of God
as at the disposal of true prayer."
A. T. Pierson


“The reason why many fail in battle is because they wait until the hour of battle.
The reason why others succeed is because they have gained their victory
on their knees long before the battle came...
Anticipate your battles;
fight them on your knees before temptation comes,
and you will always have victory.”
R. A. Torrey


“We Christians too often substitute prayer for playing the game.
Prayer is good;
but when used as a substitute for obedience,
it is nothing but a blatant hypocrisy,
a despicable Pharisaism...
To your knees, man!
and to your Bible!
Decide at once!
Don't hedge!
Time flies!
Cease your insults to God,
quit consulting flesh and blood.
Stop your lame,
lying,
and cowardly excuses.
Enlist! "
C. T. Studd


“If your heart takes more pleasure in reading novels,
or watching TV,
or going to the movies,
or talking to friends,
rather than just sitting alone with God and embracing Him,
sharing His cares and His burdens,
weeping and rejoicing with Him,
then how are you going to handle forever and ever in His presence...?
You'd be bored to tears in heaven,
if you're not ecstatic about God now!”
Keith Green


“I have seen many men work without praying,
though I have never seen any good come out of it;
but I have never seen a man pray without working.”
James Hudson Taylor


“I never preach a sermon until I have soaked it in prayer.”
Billy Sunday


"Men are God's method.
The church is looking for better methods;
God is looking for better men.
What the church needs today is not more machinery or better,
not new organizations or more and novel methods,
but men who the Holy Spirit can use -
men of prayer,
men mighty in prayer.
The Holy Spirit does not come on machinery but on men.
He does not anoint plans,
but men -
men of prayer."
Edward McKendree (E. M.) Bounds

what i said in class last saturday

Don't just follow His steps ...

follow His timings too.

quote from Catherine Booth

"I am tired of hearing the words 'I can't'.
Jeremiah said,
'I am a child';
but the Lord didn't pat him on the back and say,
Jeremiah,
that is very good,
I like that in you;
your humility is beautiful.'
Oh no!
God didn't want any such mock humility.
He reproved and rebuked it.
I do not like the humility that is too humble to do as it is bid.
When my children are too humble to do as they are bid,
I pretty soon find a way to make them.
I say,
'Go and do it!'
The Lord wants us to 'go and do it'."

quote from J. Stuart Holden

"There are great marvels in the world to-day.
There is the marvel of the disobedient Church,
which hugs to itself Christian privileges
and neglects Christian obligations."

quote from Albert Einstein

"As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud.
I am a Jew,
but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene...
No one can read the Gospels
without feeling the actual presence of Jesus.
His personality pulsates in every word.
No myth is filled with such life."

quote from William Booth

“The chief danger of the 20th Century will be
religion without the Holy Ghost,
Christianity without Christ,
forgiveness without repentance,
salvation without regeneration,
politics without God,
and Heaven without Hell.”

quote from D.L. Moody

“I prayed for faith and thought that some day faith would come down and strike me like lightning. But faith did not seem to come. One day I read in the tenth chapter of Romans, 'Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.' I had up to this time closed my Bible and prayed for faith. I now opened my Bible and began to study, and faith has been growing ever since.”

quotes from C.H. Spurgeon

“We are saved by faith without works,

but not by a faith that is without works,
for the real faith that saves the soul
works by love and purifies the character.”


“Self-surrender is one of the essential qualifications for a preacher who is to be a winner of souls.”


“We know nothing,
till we are taught of the Holy Ghost,
who speaks to the heart
rather than to the ear.”

another gem from smith wigglesworth

God wants you so full of the Spirit that your whole life is praise.

in spirit and in truth

I've been drawn to spending more and more time in His presence these few weeks.

It could be due to the fact that I've been teaching quite a lot since the beginning of this year, so i needed more time to prepare myself.

It could be due to my spending much time in meditating on healing scriptures.

I've replaced some of my recreation time with reading. I still need to work on this area.

I'm also praying more with various groups - my parents, our pastor and his wife (who married us) and another couple, women faculty members, a group of friends, and of course at prayer school or school/faculty prayer meetings, and with hubby. These different groups have various focuses (foci) when we pray together, but it's always a joy to just pour our hearts to the Lord, as well as pray out what the Holy Spirit shows us to pray.

And i've seen radical changes in the way i teach and minister since the beginning of this year.

1. I'm sensing more strongly the prompting of the Spirit to share certain stories or anecdotes or scriptures, and people testify how that sharing helps them in their walk with God.
2. I'm sensing the flow of the Holy Spirit, and what He wants to do in our lives, and just allow Him to flow and minister through words of encouragement, words of wisdom, tongues and interpretations, song and prayer, yielding our hearts in surrender to His leading.
3. I'm sensing God's desire to heal hearts and bodies - either through a brief, sharp pain in different parts of my body, or just a word of knowledge, followed by the gift of healing flowing through me or just present in the atmosphere we are in. I've seen instant healings taking place in my classes.
   
4. I'm sensing a strong call to obedience and surrender, a deep yearning to rejoice in thanksgiving, and a deeper understanding and awareness on our part of the power and might God has already given us so that we walk in victory in EVERY area of our lives.
   

There's MORE. God shows me THERE IS MORE.

There is a greater need to depend on Him, to spend time with Him in His presence and His Word, in order to allow His power and might to constantly flow through me, and to hear more clearly and accurately His instructions.

I am aware i am the righteousness of God, but i have also become more aware that i need to live out that righteousness.

In James 5:16b (AMP), we are taught that

The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].

Here the word righteous in original Greek is dikaios (pronounced dik'-ah-yos) - Strong's #1342

1) righteous, observing divine laws

1a) in a wide sense, upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commands of God

Divine power has been made available to us. As we seek the Lord earnestly in prayer, this tremendous power is dynamic in its working, setting the captives, the oppressed, the sick FREE!

quote from smith wigglesworth

“ A preacher must not tell his audience what he thinks
but what he knows,
and let them do the thinking,”

quote from Watchman Nee

"By the time the average Christian gets his temperature up to normal,
everybody thinks he has a FEVER!"

one sunday last month (part one)

I preached at a church last month. There were about 300 members in the congregation.

I was so touched by the the following feedback from a pastoral staff there:

"Wanted to tell you that many members feed-backed that your message was so simple, clear and so easy to respond to! The people are hungry as it’s been a very long time since we had an extended time of ministry. They were very ministered to and the prayer and ministry people are really looking forward to meet you both again.

There was one lady who also shared to the church during testimony time last Sunday about how you shared about the importance about giving thanks and she in faith gave thanks to God that Sunday for the salvation of her brother (he had been struggling with many issues with no breakthrough) whom she had prayed for for a really long time, and that very Sunday itself, he came to Christ in the church in Malaysia. Our God is so amazing!"

Indeed, our God is amazing! It's His love and His power which reached out to the people!

divine power

As i was meditating on some healing scriptures this morning, i was especially ministered to by the following passage from

II Corinthians 10:4-5
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Our weapons have divine power to demolish strongholds. God has given us weapons containing His power to destroy and annihilate anything in our path that are from the the evil one, anything in our lives that are not in line with the Word of God, and all that attempt to oppress our spirits, souls or bodies.

This divine power has no equal, and is second to none.

We live in the knowledge that no weapons formed against us shall prosper.

We walk, knowing that we cannot be shaken or moved by any wiles of the evil one.

We act with the understanding that we have the authority to use this power in our lives.

We need to be aware

• of our position in Christ - seated in the heavenly places in Him on the right hand of the Father;
• that we are joint heirs with Him, having as our inheritance every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places;
• that God is our heavenly Father, resulting in our privilege or right to call Him ABBA Father, to come to His throne of grace boldly to find help in time of need;
• that the Holy Spirit both indwells us, so that our spirits are quickened to respond to God; and empowers us, so that we are able to do all that He has called us to do.

This is what we have, what we wield with our prayers and confessions of faith.

Quote from R.A. Torrey

"Ninety-nine Christians in every hundred are merely playing at Bible study;

and therefore ninety-nine Christians in every hundred are mere weaklings,

when they might be giants."

Don't play...be a giant!!

20/20 vision part 4 - discipled: moving forward in the things of God (SW)

It can be the best year of your life if it is your best year spiritually. No matter the circumstances. We follow God.

Being discipled is a process - we go from glory to glory.

We look at Noah who moves forward.

Genesis 8:6

The ark came to rest on Mt Ararat on the 17th day of the 7th month.

God changes the 7th month to the 1st month when He delivered the children of Israel from Egypt. So on the 14th day on the new first month, they celebrate the Passover.

Jesus was crucified on the 14th day of the first month. Three days later on the 17th, He rose from the grave.

When we trust in God, there is REST for our lives.

That very day, the ark came to REST after 377 days!

Noah was ready to move forward.

Ravens - as it was not time yet, the ravens kept going back and forth. We cannot depend on ravens in our lives.

Dove - Symbolic of the Holy Spirit, the dove landed on the space that Noah created. We need to create space for God to move in our lives. We need to have faith.

We need to surrender to God.
It is His grace that enables us,
but it is obedience that moves us forward.

20/20 vision Part 3 - Set Free (RM)

John 8:31-36
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

1. It is possible for a believer to be in bondage.
Bondage is any impulsive or compulsive behaviour that restricts you from living in and enjoying the freedom Jesus died to give you. We have to get to the root. Then we get forgiveness and freedom. We need to yield to the Holy Spirit.

Romans 6:15-16
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

2. It is difficult to admit you are in bondage
Jeremiah 7:8-13
“Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations’? Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the LORD. “But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. And now, because you have done all these works,” says the LORD, “and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you, but you did not answer,
The Jews could not see that they are in bondage.

Romans 8:33
Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

We have to know the truth, not just meet the truth. We have to meet Jesus to get saved. We KNOW HIM to be set free.

3. It is easy to be set free from bondage. It does not depend on us
1 John 3:8
He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Mark 9:17-22
Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.” He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

It is not if God can, it is IF WE BELIEVE.

Mark 5:1-6
Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.

The devil could not stop him from coming to Jesus. In setting free/deliverance, the purpose is not to expose the person but the devil!

20/20 vision Part 2 - Healed (RM)

Luke 4:16-19

1. Physical Healing
Exodus 15:26 - God reveals Himself as Jehovah Rapha.
Exodus 23:25 - He takes sickness away.
Deuteronomy 7:15 - take all sickness, not afflict us.
Psalm 103:1-3 - healed ALL SICKNESS!
Isaiah 53:4-5 - bore our sickness and diseases
Matthew 8:16-17 - sickness borne by Jesus

Matthew 4:23
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
Jesus healed because He cared for them.

Excesses which affect our beliefs -
1. God chooses who to heal or
2. God has already healed everyone, so if you don't get healed you didn't have enough faith.

There should not be any blame as you teach the word.
We live in a fallen natural world. So we still get sick and we still commit sinful acts. The bible combines forgiveness and healing
1 Peter 2:24
Jesus broke the power of SIN and SICKNESS.

2. Emotional Healing
Oppressed is bruised. Jesus came to set free those hurt - past wounds, hearts broken through various reasons. He came to heal the broken. Coping is not the solution. We need to come to Him, not control situations or people or live in rejection or please people. Most marriage problems can be solved if people get healed and delivered. When someone tries to point out, there is immediate defense when a person is in bondage. We can't just tell them "just get over it". We need to set the spiritual bones in place so they can heal.

20/20 vision Part 1 - Saved (RM)

1 Corinthians 1:18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Note that it is the present continuous tense for our souls.

1 Corinthians 3:15b
but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Note that is is the future tense, as it is referring to our body.

Ephesians 2:8-9
⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast.

The past tense is used as this refers to our spirit.

Jesus paid the full price for our spirit, soul and body. Sozo - the greek word for salvation is a process of perfection.

1. Salvation is a gift to receive, not a goal to achieve. Romans 11:6
And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

2. Salvation is eternal life.
1 John 2:25
And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.
1 John 5:18
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

This eternal life starts when i die to self.

3. Salvation is forgiveness.
Act 13:38
Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins;
Jeremiah 31:34
No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
Psalm 103:12
As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

4. Salvation is justification
Romans 3:24
being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Galatians 2:16
knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

5. Salvation is righteousness - right standing with God.
Romans 4:3
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness

6. Salvation is redemption
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Redeemed is to purchase back. So when we are saved, we are no longer our own.

7. Salvation is total commitment.
Luke 6:46
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?
Matthew 7:21-23
²¹ “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Never knew. Never committed. We have to make a decision to submit our will to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. If He is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all.

the healing anointing

In class yesterday, i was again prompted to preach briefly the Name of Jesus and the authority we have as a believer, even to the extent of admonishing the students to be bold and courageous and take their healing which God had already given them.

The Holy Spirit led me to minister healing to those having hurts, pains or discomfort.

5 people were instantly healed of pain.

1. S's knee injury instantly healed
2. N felt so much better - no more discomfort in chest and stomach
3. C's back pain disappeared. He felt the warmth of God's healing anointing working on him.
4. J instantly cured of headache.
5. Another student had pain in her knee completely disappear.

Praise the Lord!

Set FREE!

We are no longer under the curse of the law. Jesus has set us free. The works He did on earth before his death, burial and resurrection are delineated in the Luke 4:18-19.

“ The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”

In Galatians 3:13-14, Paul tells us very clearly Jesus' work on the cross.

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

This blessing of Abraham is that we now enter the family of God, the body of Christ - the church. We receive the Holy Spirit Who dwells in our mortal bodies, and strengthens us in our inner man.

We receive all the blessings as outlined in Deuteronomy, and none of the curses, as we seek to please Him in this new life we have in Him!

new door?

I dreamt last night that when i came home from an appointment, i found that hubby had a new door created for our apartment and this was next to our existing one. It was still in the process of being fixed on its hinges. I like surprises and this was surely one as he had never mentioned it to me before. Nevertheless, it was certainly strange as he usually bounces ideas off before he puts them into action. And being a practical man, why would he want to have TWO doors??

Still, i was not upset at all. There was an excitement within me.

As i entered the house i found, i also discovered that he had started painting part of one wall a nice fresh light - almost baby blue. Something like this. Very pretty. That was also unlike him as he prefers white or cream.

Still, i remember liking it...

I woke up for a while and that was the end of the dream.

I slept some more and when i woke up to this new morning, i began laughing. The Holy Spirit showed me that God was opening a new door for us. That was a clear interpretation given.

If anyone reading this gets an interpretation for the painting or the colour baby blue, let me know...

:D

PS. I've read, among other things, that blue represents open heaven.

PS. I'm told that blue represents open heaven...

The Holy Spirit Moves

During a time of worship in the midst of the course i am teaching on the Holy Spirit this month, the Holy Spirit moved in power, ministering to the students in Word and in Power.

1) W testified that the numbness in his right thigh which was there for more than a month was gone in an earlier class on Wednesday (2 Mar).

2) J testified that as we were worshiping, she felt a numbness, a tingling sensation on the back of her head. She believed that God had ministered to her, and received something in her encounter with the Lord.

3) P shared that she was totally lost in the Spirit. Felt intense heat on the right thigh. She heard the word 'Cleansing'. She sensed that God was telling her that she should set aside time to spend with Him since she wanted to have intimacy with the Lord. She felt the need to prioritize her life to focus on hearing His voice. It was an awesome time for her as she received.

4) C was so burdened last night from friends counsel & cried as she did not know what to do. During worship, she heard, 'I had created you as unique person. Don't change the uniqueness in you'.

5) L felt true rest and refreshing as we worshiped. The Lord also spoke about her personal life.

6) R was convicted when the instructor spoke on anger. Recently, her son called her a angry mum. She wanted to change. She read books on how to deal with the emotions, but realized that only the Holy Spirit can help. Today the HS assured her that He will give her His peace, and that her son will never call her as angry mum.

7) F shared how God used her to share Jesus with an old lady in her class: Jesus appeared 2 times to an old lady, once when she fell at her home with no food or drink for 2 days, and just accompanied her till her son came with the police to bring her to the hospital. F showed her how to ask Jesus into her life.

8) K's sister was not well and mum is alone taking care of her in India. In the last few days he wanted to worship, but found it difficult to focus. The worship session in class helped him. He was led to kneel down and cast his cares upon Jesus. And all the words spoken by the worship leader were the confirmations on what the Lord was putting in his heart. He believed that that very moment my sister would have been healed.

9) JM - received Holy Spirit 22 years ago and was asking God what is there for her in this module of the introduction to the Holy spirit. The Lord told her that she will get introduced to the Holy Spirit to a level which I had never been before. The anointing was very strong and she could not contain it. Lord spoke to her to spend time with Him alone and He has lot of things to reveal to her.

10) JJ - was worrying about the future & directions and God spoke to me not to worry about the future.

11) Jh - pain in the shoulders and right buttock and thigh slowly disappeared in the class after the worship session. She had asked and received by faith her healing during the worship sesson.

12) M - just before the class, he found out from his wife in India that his son had a very high temperature and was throwing up. When he was hearing the word and worshiping, he knew in the spirit that his son is healed. During the break, he called his wife and she told him that his son's temperature had come down and he is able to eat and not throw up anymore.

Amen!!! Hallelujah!!!

All glory to God.

(thanks to JM who kindly agreed to record these testimonies!)

Most of the above testimonies took place during a time of worship in the second
hour.

In the fifth and final hour on Saturday, i was prompted to minister to those who had a call to the nations. I kept seeing the word 'nations' almost hovering above the people. As i obeyed, and after a few minutes of trying to check who had a call, I finally asked those who had a call to stand up, and invited the rest of the class to pray with me for the people. The power of God moved, and many received an empowering and a strengthening.

I'm just so amazed at how the Holy Spirit is moving in the classes. There seems to be an intensifying of focus and power as many respond to His love!

Selah

Habukkuk 2:20

Psalm 131:1

Silence in worship contains elements of revelation and response.

Revelations 8:1

Absolute silence is the greatest act of worship.

1 kings 19

God met Elijah in the stillness and quietness.

John Wesley's Worship Encounter

John Wesley's journal entry (1 Jan 1739):

Mr Hall, Hinching, Whitefield, Hutching, and my brother Charles were present at our love feast in Fetter Lane with about 60 of our brethren. About three in the morning as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried out for exulting joy & many fell to the ground. As soon as we were recovered a little from the awe & amazement at the presence of His majesty, we broke out with one voice, "We praise Thee O Lord, we acknowledge Thee to be Lord."

These awed and amazed worshipers went on to change the spiritual climate of a nation.

Jonathan Edwards' Encounter with God

"Once as I rode out into the woods for my health, in 1737, having alighted from my horse in a retired place, as my manner commonly had been to walk for divine contemplation and prayer, I had a view that for me was extraordinary, of the glory of the Son of God. As near as I can judge, this continued about an hour; and kept me the greater part of the time in a flood of tears and weeping aloud. I felt an ardency of soul to be what I know not otherwise how to express, emptied and annihilated; to love Him with a pure and holy love; to serve and follow Him; to be perfectly sanctified and made pure with a divine and heavenly purity.