prayer school series 2010 - part 1 (Reflections regarding prayer from Nehemiah)

Nehemiah turned to God for guidance regarding the wall of Jerusalem that had been broken down. He was sad but did not despair and was not despondent.

Hebrews 4:16

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Nehemiah was covered under the Old Covenant but we are in the New Covenant. We are people with the Spirit of God in us. How much more will our prayers prevail!

Nehemiah 1:4

When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.

1. Nehemiah did not despair in the face of obstacles but always went to God in pray. He took time to listen to the Lord and repented before the Lord.

Nehemiah 2:4

The king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God of heaven,

2. He prayed when the king asked him what he wanted.

Nehemiah 2:12

I set out during the night with a few men. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem.

3. He told no one – it was between him and God.

Nehemiah 2:12-17

4. Even though there was something brewing, he waited for God’s timing.

Nehemiah 2:20

I answered them by saying, "The God of heaven will give us success....”

5. He was ready to give an answer when questioned.

Like Nehemiah, we can depend on the wisdom of the Lord. When we do that our mind is freed up and things becomes clearer.

In prayer time, the Lord begins to download His plans to us. He smoothens the path and prepares the way for us.

PRAYER is SO SO SO important!

(notes taken by a student when i taught the above at prayer school.)

renewing our minds

I watched Matrix on TV last Monday evening for the third time. Just before the movie came on, i had told hubby that i did not want to watch it as i had watched it twice already.

I'm not really one who would remember a plot of any movie in great detail. Usually as i watched a movie the second time around, i would just vaguely remember yes this did happen, not being one who would anticipate what is going to happen, at least not for all the scenes, unless it made a great impact on me.

Anyway, somehow as the movie came on, i changed my mind. And third time round, i understood the movie better, having seen the sequels.

I also saw strong parallels between our life in the spirit, or our walk in God, and Neo's induction into the Matrix, as he discovered of the elaborate facade set up by artificial intelligence, and the revelation he received through his various encounters and observations (without taking into consideration the even stronger parallels with new age-ism).

Two things struck me:

1. Training was required, and Neo had to learn how the matrix works and what to watch out for. Although he was gifted, he still had to develop his inherent abilities. The results he achieved does not seem to commensurate with the effort he put in. In other words, his effort yielded much more results. This is likened to God's grace and gift in us, so that as we work with our heavenly Father, being rooted and established in Jesus, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we can achieve so much more.
2. Towards the end of the movie, when Neo finally sees things as they really are, he, as predicted earlier by Morpheus, did not need to dodge bullets anymore. Instead, he stopped them in mid-air, as the bullets hurled towards him, plucked one from mid-air, as if to demonstrate his new-found awareness, and the rest of the tiny missiles, now rendered useless, just fell to the ground. He had renewed his mind, no longer allowing his old perceptions to trouble him (as they first did, when he struggled to make sense of the deception, even delusion he had been living in), no longer immersed in his previous habitual worldview and orientation. He saw the truth and reality of the situation: the men and their powerful weapons were merely codes. In the same way, we need to, as believers, to see God for who He is, ourselves for who we really are, and our situations for what they really are. These are contained in the Word of God. Only then will we have victory as promised in the Word.

from a devotional - today God is first

This is an interesting insight. I've done something like that myself many times - reaching out, or what this author calls, sowing in tears. Read on...

"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy." - Psalm 126:5

Psalm 126 describes an interesting process that goes against our natural tendencies when we are taken into a difficult period in our lives. Whenever we are hurled into a crisis that brings tears, our tendency is to retreat or recoil in fear and hurt. However, there is a better way that God tells us to handle such times of travail.

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. "He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him" (Ps. 126:5-6). God is telling us that if we will do what is unnatural for us in these circumstances, He will make sure that what we sow in tears will return in joy. This is one of the most important lessons I have learned when faced with difficult circumstances. Rather than sit back and allow self-pity and discouragement to consume us, we should plant seed during this time. Reach out to a person who needs a friend. Invest in the life of another. See where you can be a blessing to someone. Give of yourself.

The psalmist acknowledges that we are doing this while we are in our pain. However, during this time we are to sow seed. That seed will return to us in another form. Here is what will happen when we do this. "He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." We will receive joy and fruit from the seed that we plant during this time. Sheaves represent the fruit of a harvest. We will actually get a harvest from this seed.

"You must not let the circumstances destroy you! Too many in the Kingdom are counting on you to come through this because of the calling on your life!" Those were the words spoken to me by a friend one time when I was in the midst of a very difficult business and personal circumstance that was threatening to destroy me emotionally. This person saw what God was doing and the fruit that God wanted to bring from these circumstances. Sometimes we need others around us to push us through the difficult times. If you find yourself in a difficult place today, see where you can sow some seed. Soon you will be reaping songs of joy.

HIS healing compassion flows

Hubby was ministering at a lunchtime fellowship in town last week. He was sharing about healing, and then gave an altar call to those who needed healing to come forward. He also extended it to those who needed prayer for their work.

I prayed for the women while hubby prayed for the men. There were perhaps about 10-12 people who came forward. As i prayed for the first few women, i did not 'feel' the power of God but just believed with them for their healing or for change in their situation. The second last woman i prayed for, however, God's healing compassion became substantial in me. I actually felt a gush of God's love all over me, gushing out from within me, and flowing into the woman. Tears gathered in my eyes. She felt His love after a while, then began to sob, as i laid my hands on her in prayer. She had gone through much and was fearful, but i sensed His love overwhelm, flood, even drive out the fear in her. I felt a release in her as she cried quietly. I believe she had been healed in her body and in her mind.

This is God's healing love and compassion. It was interesting that i had been reading about divine compassion one or two days before the meeting. This was not the first time i felt this gush, but i was able to identify or recognise this flow better.

my brother's birthday (revised)

My brother celebrated his birthday today.

And i want to write a special blog for him on his birthday.

You were born more than twenty years ago today.

You were plucked from the jaws of death, saved by papa''s God-inspired response in driving away from the heavy and huge truck carrying a full load of sand and gravel, charging at their new car; and mummy's divinely-led, yet instinctive move to the centre of the back seat in order to get a more direct flow of air from the air-conditioner. You were barely one month old then. God's hand of protection has been on you ever since.

You give yourself fully to things you are passionate for:

You love listening to music - different genres and styles. When you were just six or seven, you could sing word for word almost all the songs from Les Miserable the musical, listening to the CD over and over again.

You taught yourself to play the drums as well as the guitar. You were involved in a band with your school friends, and now you play with various bands in church.

You love playing football - and you have had a fractured finger (now healed) to prove it.

You enrolled yourself at Bible School, spending almost 1.5 years of your life, 4 hours a day, 5 days a week, studying the Word of God and learning how to be led by the Holy Spirit.

You write love songs to God, and about God, "pouring your heart out like water before the face of the Lord" (Lamentations 2:19)

You lead worship in church services, in youth meetings, at prayer meetings, cell group meetings, and even at weddings and in family events, just wanting to serve Him and bless His people.

You expound on the Word of God in your writings and in your conversations, and in preaching, clarifying and revealing to them the practicality and relevance of His Word in the world today.

You seek out the homeless, and take time to listen to their stories, and sometimes, when led to, give them money, to minister to them.

You love your steak - medium rare, and your salmon - Norwegian, and eat your chicken clean, biting off even the white crunchy joints from the bones.

You never fail to say hi to your nephew, or give him a little cuddle, no matter how late you reach home. You take countless photos of him, and even bought him little t-shirts from your recent trip.

You have a heart for the marginalised, those sidelined by society, and will visit a friend in hospital every day, who was suffering from depression, just to bring cheer and encouragement.

You love to read, especially books on reaching out, and are building up your library full of treasured books.

You love to get together with your friends, just to chill out, but even more to talk about life and purpose.


Brother, this is my birthday gift to you... Hope you like it...

Continue to live life the way God wants you to - fully and passionately, and obediently adhering to His plan for you.
I know He has more in store for you.

I thank God for you in my life, and am inspired by your passion.

what God just did

i'm just amazed at what God just did at prayer meeting last night.

His love for the church is so great He visited us. I did not seem to be able to prepare anything for the teaching session. I'm not sure whether this was God's intention in the first place, or a lack of my waiting on Him. I did ask Him but perhaps did not spend enough time. But really, it is not about me, but God.

I continued to focus on God as I went about my tasks and appointments that afternoon, though my mind was coming up with different angles i could take at the prayer meeting regarding the teaching. I did mull over Ephesians 4 about equipping the body of Christ the most, and that did come up during the 'inspired utterances' in tongues and interpretation, and also just in English.

The presence of the Lord washed over us like a river when we started worshiping. The worship leader sensed His presence so strongly, that he changed the entire order of songs, there and then, directly entering into the flow of His sweet refreshing.

It was in the second or third song, the refrain: "Lord, have your way in me" leapt out at me. I'm not sure whether all who were there 'picked this up' in their spirit. I did, and i believe the worship leader did. And some of us just sang this phrase repeatedly for a while. This became the cry of our hearts for our lives, for our ministries, for our church.

The exhortation i felt in my heart for the people, especially the leaders of the church (including cell leaders) was that they must carry out the agenda of the Lord, not their own agenda or pet project. They must hear from the Lord and then obey what He has put in their hearts to do. His plan is foremost and is that which will work.

Secondly, everyone in the church had a specific role to play, and they were to obediently step into that role. No one is deemed greater or lesser than the next person. No one can substitute another. Each had been given their own gifts and callings, and were to hear from the Lord as they waited on Him to discover or uncover what they are.

Another young man had the scripture passage from Proverbs 4:20-24 (NKJV) and exhorted the people to guard their hearts and focus on the Word of God which will guide them -

My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;
For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

Another person exhorted the members to 'hook up' with the Holy Spirit, depending on Him for direction and wisdom, and not on their own thinking or their own minds.

Tremendous start to prayer meeting in 2010.

We continued to pray for leaders and the pastor corporately, and then had a brief sharing on various church concerns, complete with testimony from a new believer whose smoking habit, which he had been attempting to quit on his own for months and months, just disappeared overnight, the desire to smoke no longer existed, and whose ulcers had been healed. This was followed by group prayer.

Amazing grace of God!

3-D - the power of virtual reality

I just watched Avatar in 3-D last night with hubby. I was grinning in the first half an hour as i was plunged into a world of fantasy, captivated by the sci-fi story which has all the right elements of love and betrayal, intrigue and conspiracy, loyalty and sacrifice. Of course, the special effects and animation enhanced my whole experience.

The 3-D glasses sometimes got in the way, but minimally:

• I was slightly light-headed when i first put on the glasses because of the weight, but this lasted less than ten minutes.
• The 3-D glasses dropped a few times throughout the movie as they were just hoisted upon my own glasses on a tiny groove.

It was cool, the way i was immersed into the movie with weapons pointing at me, seeds floating around me, and people walking in my direction.

However, hubby and i were disturbed by the nuances of nature worship that permeated in this fantasy world of Omaticaya People. Idyllic and idealistic, the natural world has a corresponding spiritual realm which keeps it in balance. The deity worshipped has no values, and does not judge good and evil, or take sides. These would be absorbed by the naive child or unsuspecting viewer. Even the more discerning among us, whether believer or unbeliever, might ponder over or reflect upon the

It has been reported that many viewers became depressed after watching Avatar because they were so impressed by the perfect fantasy world, their own reality paled in comparison. This attests to the power of media, the impact that the visual virtual reality has on the human mind and imagination.

The word Avatar itself has a 'spiritual' origin. Various dictionaries concur with the following definitions:

1. Hindu Mythology. the descent of a deity to the earth in an incarnate form or some manifest shape; the incarnation of a god (my addition: Hindus see Jesus as an example of an avatar.)
2. an embodiment or personification, as of a principle, attitude, or view of life.
3. Computers. a graphical image that represents a person, as on the Internet.

Definitions 1 and 3 are portrayed in the movie.

The transfer of the life essence from one being to another is an example of incarnation. So beautifully depicted in the guise of true love transcending all odds, even the boundary of the physical body, this philosophy of life or religious belief is subtly introduced into the viewer's consciousness towards the end of the movie.

what we need...

The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender.

There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind.

There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined.

We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith.

We have enough greed; we need more goodness.

We have enough vanity; we need more virtue.

We have enough popularity; we need more purity.

launching pads?

I came across a phrase recently in a book i'm reading now:

"Your lowest points are launching pads to God's greatest promotions."

This is certainly very encouraging, teaching us to view difficulties and trials as opportunities for growth and maturity, even increase in various areas in our lives or ministry or family.

When we go through challenges, we really need to see them in perspective:
through eyes of eternity (which means whatever we encounter is but temporal),
and through the blood of Jesus, shed to give us victory in our lives, to make us overcomers (which means we prevail over our circumstances.

Of course it is hard to keep things in perspective when you've just been dealt a great blow or a series of punches with no holds barred, and while most of the time, if one is walking close to God, one is prepared. There's still the unexpected that bowls you over, dropping you in a deep swirling pit. But it is still only temporary, and victory WILL come.

So we 'lean' on the Everlasting Arms.
We can be bewildered and puzzled, but those Arms are strong.
We may not understand all because indeed His thoughts and plans are higher, loftier than our own, but His character is steadfast.
Yes, He does tell us things ahead of time. That's what the Holy Spirit is supposed to do.
Yet, the secret things belong to the Lord.
Yet again, the bible tells us that He reveals great and unsearchable things to those who seek Him.

I realise that i'm not here to figure things out on my own.
Instead i rest in Him, in His relationship with me (not so much my relationship with Him, the difference is the focus on His initiative first, then my response), and trust that He will continue to open the eyes of my understanding, continue to reveal His plans and purposes to me, and the secrets that i want to understand.

In my heart of heart, i'm not looking for any promotions.
In my heart of hearts, i just want to glorify Him with my life, including how i respond to Him and to my circumstances in my lowest points.

Let my life be a song of praise to my Lord.

breakthrough

We often think of breakthrough as ascending to a higher level, breaking free from bondages, enjoying a greater outpouring of his blessings.

I've had a breakthrough in my life recently where God broke through my defence of vulnerabilities and sensitivities, pain and confusion, to reach within. An deep assurance that He is. An intense awareness of who i am. A sharp focus of His purpose in me.

A quick pull and i was hurled out of the pit.

It was precious.