Friday, August 29, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
How Do We Obtain Victory?
2 Corinthians 2:14 "But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him."
Say for example, I would like to own a pair of white Nike Running Shoes, how do I go about doing it?
Well, I call it the 6 steps to own a pair of White Nike Running Shoes, we will :
1) Head down to a Nike Shop
2) Look for a Running Shoe
3) Make Sure its white in color
4) Check out the price
5) Pay for it
6) Bring it home
Easy isnt it? But provided the price is right, the shoe size is available, you brought money along, you cannot bring the shoes home.
Well, in most leadership conferences and self-help book, they too offer steps to obtain victory in life, to obtain finanacial freedom, to be the top performer etc. And more often than not, they are good practical steps in obtaining victory and success.
These are good. But let's say if someone you know comes along, carrying a pair of Nike running shoes, white in color, exactly the size you need and having already paid for it, he/she give it to you. All you got to do is to just take it home.
My friends, it is the same as with the Lord. The bible says that the Lord gives us victory. He GIVES, meaning to say that HE has already got the right size, the right color and paid for it and He gives it to us. All we got to do is to just bring it home.
So let us not fret and worry about finding the right ways and methods to obtain victory. We do get frustrated and somewhat discouraged when we fail to see ourselves improve.
But when we turn to God and seeks His face, the bible says "ALL these things that you need in your life will be added onto you" Matthew 6:33. It does not just say provided but added onto what you already have received, it becomes Your thirty-fold, sixty-fold, hundred-fold.
So beloved, seek God and rest in His promises for you and I. Praise the Lord!
Say for example, I would like to own a pair of white Nike Running Shoes, how do I go about doing it?
Well, I call it the 6 steps to own a pair of White Nike Running Shoes, we will :
1) Head down to a Nike Shop
2) Look for a Running Shoe
3) Make Sure its white in color
4) Check out the price
5) Pay for it
6) Bring it home
Easy isnt it? But provided the price is right, the shoe size is available, you brought money along, you cannot bring the shoes home.
Well, in most leadership conferences and self-help book, they too offer steps to obtain victory in life, to obtain finanacial freedom, to be the top performer etc. And more often than not, they are good practical steps in obtaining victory and success.
These are good. But let's say if someone you know comes along, carrying a pair of Nike running shoes, white in color, exactly the size you need and having already paid for it, he/she give it to you. All you got to do is to just take it home.
My friends, it is the same as with the Lord. The bible says that the Lord gives us victory. He GIVES, meaning to say that HE has already got the right size, the right color and paid for it and He gives it to us. All we got to do is to just bring it home.
So let us not fret and worry about finding the right ways and methods to obtain victory. We do get frustrated and somewhat discouraged when we fail to see ourselves improve.
But when we turn to God and seeks His face, the bible says "ALL these things that you need in your life will be added onto you" Matthew 6:33. It does not just say provided but added onto what you already have received, it becomes Your thirty-fold, sixty-fold, hundred-fold.
So beloved, seek God and rest in His promises for you and I. Praise the Lord!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Is This The Truth Or A Lie?
There was a Man who graduated the last few in his cohort in the military school. He is a small-sized short man. In your opinion, how far can such a person go in his career? An Officer Major at the most?
How about this other man who once was forced out of the military because he could very well faced court martial if he stays on. This man went on to worked and failed at being a businessman and his wages as an employee in a company could not feed his entire family. Do you see any chance of letting someone like that be a leader in any organisation?
What about this Young Preacher, who started his career as a pastor and preached a 10 min sermon to the elders and leaders of his church. The comments he received from his seniors were meant to help him find a place for effective ministry. They put across very nicely that he was definitely not made to preach as a career.
These 3 men did not have what it takes in their life, whether in terms of height, built, status as in the first man, luck, favor and character as in the case of the second man and eloquence, quality of presentation and skills to teach as in the case of the third.
Is it true that they could not amount to anything great in their lives because of all these truths and facts about them.
Because of their limitations, is it not difficult for any logical, reasonable person to conclude that it is best for them to retire contented with being who they are with what they have?
Is this the truth? Or a Lie?
The first man became the greatest emperor of all time, conqueriing almost all of Europe and the known world at that time. Having 70 million people under his rule. He was hailed as the most well-known man today in the history of Europe behind Jesus Christ. A military genius and a very infamous person on the face of the earth. His name : Napolean Buonaparte.
The second became one of Americas's youngest president and a great leader of all time. A great General and a champion strategist, Ulysses S.Grant led the Unionist to victory over the Conferderates.
The third man went on to become one of the greatest evangelist of our time, preaching to millions of people and seeing God touching the lives of countless individuals all over the world. He was also advisor to a few of the American Presidents in his course of duty.
This man , Billy Graham, is the man that people know to be the man that God used as his appointed evangelist to the nations.
My friends, the lie is that they will not amount to anything, the truth is that they did.
Jeremiah 29:11
"I know that plans i have for you says the Lord, plans to prospoer you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future."
The Lord loves all of us and sees as as somebody when the people around us sees us a nobody. Dont believe what others say about you or what you think about yourself as a nobody.
Let's set our eyes on the Lord and believe, that we are meant in God's will to succeed and to be a person of great influence and use for God's Kingdom.
Praise the Lord!
How about this other man who once was forced out of the military because he could very well faced court martial if he stays on. This man went on to worked and failed at being a businessman and his wages as an employee in a company could not feed his entire family. Do you see any chance of letting someone like that be a leader in any organisation?
What about this Young Preacher, who started his career as a pastor and preached a 10 min sermon to the elders and leaders of his church. The comments he received from his seniors were meant to help him find a place for effective ministry. They put across very nicely that he was definitely not made to preach as a career.
These 3 men did not have what it takes in their life, whether in terms of height, built, status as in the first man, luck, favor and character as in the case of the second man and eloquence, quality of presentation and skills to teach as in the case of the third.
Is it true that they could not amount to anything great in their lives because of all these truths and facts about them.
Because of their limitations, is it not difficult for any logical, reasonable person to conclude that it is best for them to retire contented with being who they are with what they have?
Is this the truth? Or a Lie?
The first man became the greatest emperor of all time, conqueriing almost all of Europe and the known world at that time. Having 70 million people under his rule. He was hailed as the most well-known man today in the history of Europe behind Jesus Christ. A military genius and a very infamous person on the face of the earth. His name : Napolean Buonaparte.
The second became one of Americas's youngest president and a great leader of all time. A great General and a champion strategist, Ulysses S.Grant led the Unionist to victory over the Conferderates.
The third man went on to become one of the greatest evangelist of our time, preaching to millions of people and seeing God touching the lives of countless individuals all over the world. He was also advisor to a few of the American Presidents in his course of duty.
This man , Billy Graham, is the man that people know to be the man that God used as his appointed evangelist to the nations.
My friends, the lie is that they will not amount to anything, the truth is that they did.
Jeremiah 29:11
"I know that plans i have for you says the Lord, plans to prospoer you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future."
The Lord loves all of us and sees as as somebody when the people around us sees us a nobody. Dont believe what others say about you or what you think about yourself as a nobody.
Let's set our eyes on the Lord and believe, that we are meant in God's will to succeed and to be a person of great influence and use for God's Kingdom.
Praise the Lord!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Count Your Blessings!
Today, I decided to start my day by counting my blessings. I began to realised that I actually had so much more than I thought I have.
I thank God for my family who have been with me since day 1 till now.
Thank God for blessing me with a good and beautiful girlfriend, through whom I see life in a whole different way. Whom I practiced to love, to understand, to be truly wise.
I thank the Lord for blessing me with good friends whom I have, friends I can share and laugh with.
The Lord also bless me with a good job, close to my home, good colleagues. I never have to worry about anything.
And how can I forget my grandma who loves me in the way she knows how, and my domestic helper who is obedient and selfless.
My day has only begun when I feel really rich on the inside... Like I have lived like a millionaire.
Romans 8:32 "He who did not spare His own son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also along with him, graciously give us all things? "
My Friends, God is good to us. Let us also be kind to others and spread forth this joy and grace to the people around us.
God's grace and peace be with you all!
I thank God for my family who have been with me since day 1 till now.
Thank God for blessing me with a good and beautiful girlfriend, through whom I see life in a whole different way. Whom I practiced to love, to understand, to be truly wise.
I thank the Lord for blessing me with good friends whom I have, friends I can share and laugh with.
The Lord also bless me with a good job, close to my home, good colleagues. I never have to worry about anything.
And how can I forget my grandma who loves me in the way she knows how, and my domestic helper who is obedient and selfless.
My day has only begun when I feel really rich on the inside... Like I have lived like a millionaire.
Romans 8:32 "He who did not spare His own son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also along with him, graciously give us all things? "
My Friends, God is good to us. Let us also be kind to others and spread forth this joy and grace to the people around us.
God's grace and peace be with you all!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Team - Learn to Complement One Another
I found that when working in a Team, more often than not, people do have to learn to work with each other, whose working style and behaviours may be different.
If we approach an objective without understanding this fundamental principle that different people will have different working styles and leadership, we may end up having conflicts and problems with our relationships.
Working as a team does not just mean each person does his own job and the team will unite and look good. Of course that is important and the most primary thing to do, but what is most important is that we don't just do what we need to do but we also learn to complement one another by being the strength in each other's weakness and encourage one another as a process. Pointing fingers when things go wrong is definitely the worst thign to do in any case.
Let me give us an example to illustrate this principle.
Say for example, you are leading a group at Sunday School and you are the Teacher of the group. Your Programme IC goes to the front of the crowd and speaks to them regarding some activities coming up 2 weeks from now.
Seeing that he/she does not have the ability to "Ra Ra" the crowd, you know that the crowd is getting bored and not paying attention.
Situation : Your Programme IC is not very familiar with working with your crowd's age group and does not know how to communicate effectively. He/she has something to say but does not know how to brings it across effectively.
What do you do?
1) Allow things to go on as per normal or 2) Politely come and grab the crowd's attention, helping your team member to speak more effectively to them
In doing this, you complement one another. 1st in you helping your teamate to deliver his/her message more effectively by being that "RaRa" player and 2nd by allowing the crowd to see that you both are in it together.
Rather than sitting at the side and allowing your teammate to carry on in an ineffective way, you read the situation and comes in to work things out.
By complementing each other, a strong team will be forged. You look good when you all look good together.
If we approach an objective without understanding this fundamental principle that different people will have different working styles and leadership, we may end up having conflicts and problems with our relationships.
Working as a team does not just mean each person does his own job and the team will unite and look good. Of course that is important and the most primary thing to do, but what is most important is that we don't just do what we need to do but we also learn to complement one another by being the strength in each other's weakness and encourage one another as a process. Pointing fingers when things go wrong is definitely the worst thign to do in any case.
Let me give us an example to illustrate this principle.
Say for example, you are leading a group at Sunday School and you are the Teacher of the group. Your Programme IC goes to the front of the crowd and speaks to them regarding some activities coming up 2 weeks from now.
Seeing that he/she does not have the ability to "Ra Ra" the crowd, you know that the crowd is getting bored and not paying attention.
Situation : Your Programme IC is not very familiar with working with your crowd's age group and does not know how to communicate effectively. He/she has something to say but does not know how to brings it across effectively.
What do you do?
1) Allow things to go on as per normal or 2) Politely come and grab the crowd's attention, helping your team member to speak more effectively to them
In doing this, you complement one another. 1st in you helping your teamate to deliver his/her message more effectively by being that "RaRa" player and 2nd by allowing the crowd to see that you both are in it together.
Rather than sitting at the side and allowing your teammate to carry on in an ineffective way, you read the situation and comes in to work things out.
By complementing each other, a strong team will be forged. You look good when you all look good together.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
What Do You Need God To Do Today?
Psalm 46:1
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."
The Bible says that The Lord is our refuge, strength and our ever-present help in times of need. When we need a solution, provision, comfort, miracle now... the Lord is here and He is willing to help us.
My friends, somehow we find it easy to believe that the Lord is able to help us let go of the past and bless us in the future. But we often find it hard to believe that the Lord is able to give us a miracle right now whereever we are, at this very moment of our lives.
In the story of Lazarus in John 11, the bible says that Lazarus has been buried in the tomb for 4 days. His body has started to decomposed.
When the Lord Jesus arrived at the scene, Martha told the Lord, "Lord, if you would have been here earlier, Lazarus wouldn't have died."
The Lord told Martha,"Your brother will rise again."
Not understanding what the Lord meant, Martha goes on to say, "Yes, I believe that Lazarus rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
Jesus replied,"I am the Ressurection and the Life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies, the whoever lives and believes in me will never die. do you believe this?"
You see, Martha believed that the Lord can do a miracle in the past and also in the future, but not now because the situation is hopeless. The situation cannot be reversed, it is game over!
But the Lord has other plans. He is more than ABLE to perform a miracle right this very moment, He is the Resurrection and The Life to all who believe in Him. Nothing is impossible for God and for us who believe.
The Lord said in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" and Lazarus came forth. "Take off his grave clothes and let him go."
My friends, you are the beloved of God. Today whatever mountain you face in your life, whatever storms there is, look to the Lord and say "Lord, You can remove this mountain, calm this storm in my life now. Thank you Lord!"
The Lord is able and willing, He is our ever-present help in times of need! Believe in Him Now!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
When The Enemy Comes Like A Flood..... What Do We do?
What would you do when the enemy throws a torrent of negative thoughts at you? And you dont feel like praying cos you are tired? And you dont feel like reading the bible cos you are having a hard time slowing down your pace to let any word sink in?
What would you do?
My friends, there are times when the enemy of our faith does that. He has a scheduled routine planned out to take us down. Whenever he wants us to stop growing,he discourages with with negative thoughts, frustration . Because he knows that if he can influence out mind, he can deceives us from walking in God's will.
And instead of believing that we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, we feel far from God, feeling lousy, like a failure.
Don't you feel like that sometimes?
Well.. there is good news, whenever you feel like that, like in every war, we need to find an Ally. We need a friend, a brother or a sister to help us, pray with us, talk to us, listen to us and encourage us. We need to look for the fellow soldiers of God for reinforcement.
The bible says in Galatians 6:2
"Carry each other's burdens , and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
We need a Barnarbas in our life who would believe in us and lifts us up when we feel down. To encourage us with God's word that we are still the victorious son/daughter of the Living God.
In turn we too should also look out for our fellow brothers and sisters and be an encouragement to them.
Galatians 6:10
"Therefore if we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, espescially to those who beling to the family of believers."
Like this, we will build a strong family of allies, formidable and undefeatable against the attacks of the enemy.
What would you do?
My friends, there are times when the enemy of our faith does that. He has a scheduled routine planned out to take us down. Whenever he wants us to stop growing,he discourages with with negative thoughts, frustration . Because he knows that if he can influence out mind, he can deceives us from walking in God's will.
And instead of believing that we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, we feel far from God, feeling lousy, like a failure.
Don't you feel like that sometimes?
Well.. there is good news, whenever you feel like that, like in every war, we need to find an Ally. We need a friend, a brother or a sister to help us, pray with us, talk to us, listen to us and encourage us. We need to look for the fellow soldiers of God for reinforcement.
The bible says in Galatians 6:2
"Carry each other's burdens , and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
We need a Barnarbas in our life who would believe in us and lifts us up when we feel down. To encourage us with God's word that we are still the victorious son/daughter of the Living God.
In turn we too should also look out for our fellow brothers and sisters and be an encouragement to them.
Galatians 6:10
"Therefore if we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, espescially to those who beling to the family of believers."
Like this, we will build a strong family of allies, formidable and undefeatable against the attacks of the enemy.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Don't worry Be Happy!
Matthew 6:34
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
My Friends, have you ever feel like you have spent alot of time and energy thinking about the concerns of tommorrow and you feel physically and mentally tired at the end of the day?
You may be worrying about your project deadlines, your exams, your finances,career etc etc... and you find that it is not only weighing you down but also zapping your energy away. You feel tired, stressed out and impatient. Sometimes even feeling lousy about yourself.
Dear Friends, the bible says that the Lord does not want us to do that, in fact so serious is the Lord Jesus that He told us not to worry at all.
And the reason why the Lord says that is because He promises that He will grant you and I sufficient grace everyday. It is like we don't have to prepare for it, as we enter our day, enter our situation, the grace of the Lord will also be there if we walk in faith. He already knows what will happen tomorrow and has already in mind the grace we need to go through it.
Now this does not mean we don't have to plan and prepare for the future, but to commit it to the Lord and don't worry. And the more you entrust to the Lord, the more you can live happily and in freedom. The more you will experience God's blessings in your life.
So let's cast away our fears and worries that bog us down and look to the Lord in faith. He is our provider and our Heavenly Father who loves to give us good things to enjoy in life.
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
My Friends, have you ever feel like you have spent alot of time and energy thinking about the concerns of tommorrow and you feel physically and mentally tired at the end of the day?
You may be worrying about your project deadlines, your exams, your finances,career etc etc... and you find that it is not only weighing you down but also zapping your energy away. You feel tired, stressed out and impatient. Sometimes even feeling lousy about yourself.
Dear Friends, the bible says that the Lord does not want us to do that, in fact so serious is the Lord Jesus that He told us not to worry at all.
And the reason why the Lord says that is because He promises that He will grant you and I sufficient grace everyday. It is like we don't have to prepare for it, as we enter our day, enter our situation, the grace of the Lord will also be there if we walk in faith. He already knows what will happen tomorrow and has already in mind the grace we need to go through it.
Now this does not mean we don't have to plan and prepare for the future, but to commit it to the Lord and don't worry. And the more you entrust to the Lord, the more you can live happily and in freedom. The more you will experience God's blessings in your life.
So let's cast away our fears and worries that bog us down and look to the Lord in faith. He is our provider and our Heavenly Father who loves to give us good things to enjoy in life.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
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