Have been doing a Bible study series by - Daughters of the King (written by Kathy Collard Miller).....very apt for now...at least in my personal life....was reading the 'letters' written by our Father , The King.... and was thinking to myself- How come I never read this during the darkest times of my ministry in Melbourne?!?
Listen to what it says:
My Precious Princess and Daughter -
You can change your world. You are a woman of influence when others see your courageous heart - and it takes a great deal of courage to serve Me by serving others.
I also understand that you want to be appreciated. Don't worry when the desire to be rewarded or appreciated comes into your mind. I know your heart of hearts and your desire to see Me glorified. I see everything you do and I know you want to serve Me.
I will cause your works to be acknowledged at the right times. Don't shrink from that either. It's all right to receive encouragement through the gratitude or recognition from others. It can strengthen you to continue in My work. But point them to Me, so I will receive glory through your humility.
Some of My children have the wrong notion that serving Me means nothing bad will happen to them. That idea comes from My enemy, satan, who love to take My loving intentions and twist them to discourage and dishearten My children. But both good and bad happen to good and bad people. I will use the bad to purify and strengthen you, even though it is painful at the time. Always remember, I want only the very best for you because I love you.
My daughter, seek My balance of prayer, rest, and work. Just because you hear of a need - or are asked to help - doesn't necessarily mean I'm calling you to respond to it. Seek Me first and don't feel compelled to do what other people think you should do. I'll let you know what I want you to do. I know exactly what plans I have for you....plans to serve Me and bring glory to My Name.
You are My daughter and a woman of influence. Be known as a woman with a courageous heart.
Lovingly,
Your Heavenly Father, the King
WOW!! Isn't that powerful?!?
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Malaysian National Prayer Network
The recent General Election has been the buzzword since the date for the polls was set on 8th of March....have been really really consoled and encouraged that there are a group of prayer warriors in my homeland with insight and knowledge enough to even set up such a prayer initiative - a 24 hour prayer for a whole week leading up to the polls....
Check out their website:
http://www.bhd.bz/PrayerNetMy/index.cfm?menuid=1
Indeed, let us not be like the Israelites that were described as blind and deaf in in the OT :
"You have seen many things but have PAID NO ATTENTION;
your ears are open but YOU HEAR NOTHING." - ISAIAH 42: 20
Let us fall on our knees and pray....and intercede for our country....to stand in the gap......
Check out their website:
http://www.bhd.bz/PrayerNetMy/index.cfm?menuid=1
Indeed, let us not be like the Israelites that were described as blind and deaf in in the OT :
"You have seen many things but have PAID NO ATTENTION;
your ears are open but YOU HEAR NOTHING." - ISAIAH 42: 20
Let us fall on our knees and pray....and intercede for our country....to stand in the gap......
Saturday, February 16, 2008
New Age talk at church by Rev Rick Howard on 16th Sept
Initially wrote this for my cell group's blog....just wanted to keep a personal copy on my on blog....it is an important issue ...
Just wanted to share a few thoughts from the New Age talk by Rev Rick Howard on 16th February. Had the privilege of attending it with Shen Li (!?!) and it was a well worth talk .....despite the fact that I was post-night and really really tired. ;)
Food for thought:
How many of us actually know what the New Age movement is all about and how it affects Chritians?
Well, I for one wasn't very sure about a lot of things......and definitely never thought much about it except that it was wrong, and that as Christians we are not to participate in it. But I never read/ knew what New Age encompasses .....
Rev Rick Howard opened with a few Scriptures as a foundation to the talk:
1) Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. (Jude 3)
2) I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel - which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1: 6-7)
3) The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons (1 Timothy 4:1)
4) Jesus answered: Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name claiming 'I am the Christ' and will deceive many (Matthew 24:4-5)
5) For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine . Instead, to suit their desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. (2 Timothy 4: 3-4)
- this illustrates the deception from the hearer who demands 'this' kind of teaching
6) For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough (2 Corinthians 11:4)
- the New Age movement seeks to :
a) dethrone Jesus
b) Encounters another spiritual presence
c) preach a different gospel
7) For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. ( 2 Corinthians 11:13-15)
Then he goes on to talk about the history of the New Age movement , introducing us to a few key people:
a) Helena Pertovna Blavatsky - founder of theosophy which is based on the belief that Lucifer is good and he is the light bearer and rightful Lord over the earth; also propogated the idea of 'root race' --> which leads to the idea of an 'Aryan race'
- as you would notice, Adolph Hitler was a student and occult practitioner who studied her works and where his philosophy of an Aryan race originated from
b) Alice Bailey - student of Blavatsky
- founded the 'Lucifer's Trust ' Magazine --> which is now known as the Lucis Trust which is affiliated to the U.N
- espoused the abolition of Christianity, Islam and Judaism
- also espoused the evolution of the Aryan race
- here's a quote from one of her books (The externalisation of the hierarchy)
" The 3 main channels through which the preparation for the new age is going on might be regarded as the the Church, the Masonic Fraternity and the educational field. All of them are as yet in relatively static condition, and all are as yet failing to meet the need and to respond to the inner pressure. But in all of these three movements, disciples of the Great Ones are to be found and they are steadily gathering momentum and before long enter upon their designated task"
Then, Rev Rick Howard introduces a few other key peoples:
a) Benjamin Creme - a British new age leader who took out a full page ad in the Wall Street Journal in the early 1980's announcing that 'The Christ is now here' and introducing 'Maitreya' as the second coming of Christ
The talk continues with a few more statements re: New Age and its goals
- the goal of the New Age is not to eliminate the Christian church, but to transform it into a useful agency that feeds the poor, seeks to cure disease and bring "peace on earth", a church that does not believe Jesus is the only Son of God but a forerunner and a great world teacher
Food for thought:
Do you shudder at that statement?
Then he helps to illustrate how the new age thinking is being absorbed into the Church through:
a) Tearing down the integrity and importance of the Word of God
- eg: Through the multitudes of exotic translations of the Bible which causes divisions through the paraphrased ideas of translation
- a hand out was given which was written by Gregory Reid on this and he quotes Eugene Peterson as the author of The Message Bible as an example
b) Introducing Eastern style and Hindu/Buddhism prayer models
- transcendental meditations
- yoga (Can there be such thing as Christian yoga?!? )
c) Lying signs and wonders
- eg: the Hindu master -Sai Baba and his miracles
- Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1)
d) Introduce other religions as compatible with Christianity
e) Substitute the power of God to change lives for a social gospel that makes the church as relief agency
- eg: New Age thinkers says - Accept and Affirm homosexuals
- what should the Christian say - Accept and TRANSFORM (not affirm!) homosexuals
f) Change the language of the gospel
- refer to 2 Cor 11:1-4
- New Age thinkers belief that Jesus is only one of the 12 ascended masters
g) Eliminate the prophetic
- the concept of "Kingdom Now" and Reconstructionist theology is highly compatible with New Age teaching that the Kingdom is here and we are here to repair the earth and heal it, not wait for some apocalyptical end and the 2nd coming of Jesus
- the New Age teachings suggest that any 'apocalyptic' Bible passages are simply a possible outcome that can be changed by us having a 'planetary pentecost' and discovering an alternative to armageddon
Wow!! It was heavy stuff and challenged me extremely.....was reminded of a passage of Scriptures which is becoming clearer to me:
- men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do - 1 Chronicles 12: 32
Indeed, this truly echoes the word in 2 Timothy 3 :1-5
- But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money. boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power.
Okay...that sounds like a lot to digest....will bring the hand out (zapped a few copies for you all) at next cell meeting.....for those interested to know more, a list of readings were recommended by Rev. Rick Howard:
a) Reinventing Jesus Christ by Warren Smith - www.reinventingjesuschrist.org is highly recommended)
b) The Beautiful Side of Evil by Johanna Michaelson ( also recommened Lambs to the slaughter which shows how the educational system is influenced by the New Age movement)
c) The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow by Constance cumbey
d) 2 other books by Warren Smith ( The Light That was Dark, Deceived on Purpose)
Just wanted to share a few thoughts from the New Age talk by Rev Rick Howard on 16th February. Had the privilege of attending it with Shen Li (!?!) and it was a well worth talk .....despite the fact that I was post-night and really really tired. ;)
Food for thought:
How many of us actually know what the New Age movement is all about and how it affects Chritians?
Well, I for one wasn't very sure about a lot of things......and definitely never thought much about it except that it was wrong, and that as Christians we are not to participate in it. But I never read/ knew what New Age encompasses .....
Rev Rick Howard opened with a few Scriptures as a foundation to the talk:
1) Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. (Jude 3)
2) I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel - which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1: 6-7)
3) The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons (1 Timothy 4:1)
4) Jesus answered: Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name claiming 'I am the Christ' and will deceive many (Matthew 24:4-5)
5) For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine . Instead, to suit their desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. (2 Timothy 4: 3-4)
- this illustrates the deception from the hearer who demands 'this' kind of teaching
6) For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough (2 Corinthians 11:4)
- the New Age movement seeks to :
a) dethrone Jesus
b) Encounters another spiritual presence
c) preach a different gospel
7) For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. ( 2 Corinthians 11:13-15)
Then he goes on to talk about the history of the New Age movement , introducing us to a few key people:
a) Helena Pertovna Blavatsky - founder of theosophy which is based on the belief that Lucifer is good and he is the light bearer and rightful Lord over the earth; also propogated the idea of 'root race' --> which leads to the idea of an 'Aryan race'
- as you would notice, Adolph Hitler was a student and occult practitioner who studied her works and where his philosophy of an Aryan race originated from
b) Alice Bailey - student of Blavatsky
- founded the 'Lucifer's Trust ' Magazine --> which is now known as the Lucis Trust which is affiliated to the U.N
- espoused the abolition of Christianity, Islam and Judaism
- also espoused the evolution of the Aryan race
- here's a quote from one of her books (The externalisation of the hierarchy)
" The 3 main channels through which the preparation for the new age is going on might be regarded as the the Church, the Masonic Fraternity and the educational field. All of them are as yet in relatively static condition, and all are as yet failing to meet the need and to respond to the inner pressure. But in all of these three movements, disciples of the Great Ones are to be found and they are steadily gathering momentum and before long enter upon their designated task"
Then, Rev Rick Howard introduces a few other key peoples:
a) Benjamin Creme - a British new age leader who took out a full page ad in the Wall Street Journal in the early 1980's announcing that 'The Christ is now here' and introducing 'Maitreya' as the second coming of Christ
The talk continues with a few more statements re: New Age and its goals
- the goal of the New Age is not to eliminate the Christian church, but to transform it into a useful agency that feeds the poor, seeks to cure disease and bring "peace on earth", a church that does not believe Jesus is the only Son of God but a forerunner and a great world teacher
Food for thought:
Do you shudder at that statement?
Then he helps to illustrate how the new age thinking is being absorbed into the Church through:
a) Tearing down the integrity and importance of the Word of God
- eg: Through the multitudes of exotic translations of the Bible which causes divisions through the paraphrased ideas of translation
- a hand out was given which was written by Gregory Reid on this and he quotes Eugene Peterson as the author of The Message Bible as an example
b) Introducing Eastern style and Hindu/Buddhism prayer models
- transcendental meditations
- yoga (Can there be such thing as Christian yoga?!? )
c) Lying signs and wonders
- eg: the Hindu master -Sai Baba and his miracles
- Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1)
d) Introduce other religions as compatible with Christianity
e) Substitute the power of God to change lives for a social gospel that makes the church as relief agency
- eg: New Age thinkers says - Accept and Affirm homosexuals
- what should the Christian say - Accept and TRANSFORM (not affirm!) homosexuals
f) Change the language of the gospel
- refer to 2 Cor 11:1-4
- New Age thinkers belief that Jesus is only one of the 12 ascended masters
g) Eliminate the prophetic
- the concept of "Kingdom Now" and Reconstructionist theology is highly compatible with New Age teaching that the Kingdom is here and we are here to repair the earth and heal it, not wait for some apocalyptical end and the 2nd coming of Jesus
- the New Age teachings suggest that any 'apocalyptic' Bible passages are simply a possible outcome that can be changed by us having a 'planetary pentecost' and discovering an alternative to armageddon
Wow!! It was heavy stuff and challenged me extremely.....was reminded of a passage of Scriptures which is becoming clearer to me:
- men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do - 1 Chronicles 12: 32
Indeed, this truly echoes the word in 2 Timothy 3 :1-5
- But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money. boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power.
Okay...that sounds like a lot to digest....will bring the hand out (zapped a few copies for you all) at next cell meeting.....for those interested to know more, a list of readings were recommended by Rev. Rick Howard:
a) Reinventing Jesus Christ by Warren Smith - www.reinventingjesuschrist.org is highly recommended)
b) The Beautiful Side of Evil by Johanna Michaelson ( also recommened Lambs to the slaughter which shows how the educational system is influenced by the New Age movement)
c) The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow by Constance cumbey
d) 2 other books by Warren Smith ( The Light That was Dark, Deceived on Purpose)
Sunday, February 10, 2008
What is love?!?
It has been an eventful week...as my sister would testify..... Truly amazing!!
What are the chances that a friend whom you have not seen in the last 9-10 years suddenly finds you on Friendster...you exchange numbers....and suddenly the phone calls keep coming?!? To top that off....this was the guy that I used to date a loong ..time ago!?! ;) WOW!!!
What's more amazing is how he does not harbour hate and unforgiveness in his heart towards me for what i did to him.....PLUS, the fact that he still feels that we could still be together?!? Is this LOVE?
i dunno...kinda have mixed feelings about it....part of me feels flattered and excited of what could be...on the other hand it sounds rather freaky (even a bit stalker-ish? no?)....Have mixed responses from ppl that I have shared this with.....from 'oh wow! So ROMANTIC!' ..to the 'better be careful...dun make the same mistake twice'...to the 'keep an open mind'.....So what do I do?!?
putting the 'what ifs' aside....it has been such a great reminder of the awesomeness of God..I remember throughout my Uni days , whilst I thought of this particular friend...used to pray for him, that the end of our relationship would not signify the death of his relationship with Jesus....and I was very glad when he shared with me how his spiritual journey has been over the last few years....difficult....and filled with rebellion on his part...nevertheless God's love broke through and here is one guy who is walking with Him...even got baptised! Hallellujah!! Indeed God can craft a broken relationship into a port of entry into the most beautiful relationship with Him - our Heavenly Father....which in my view, is a far greater and better relationship than he could ever have with me...a mere mortal...Praise God! Indeed, His thoughts are higher than our thoughts....
Then, there's this other guy in my cell group....had the privilege of having dinner after church with him and his brother and another church friend yesterday night.....was amazed at how similar that we are.....from our hearts for mission...to ministry.....to our love for music....we were talking abt Sweeney Todd...which evolved to a talk about musicals (one of my pet topics!!)...and suddenly this guy bursts into song!! Hahaha....was rather taken aback at his spontaneity given that he is rather reserved and quite guy!!!...then we talked about Cirque du Soleil(?!?) and David Copperfield (?!?).....hahaha.....was a bit taken aback when he asked me to help with the 'projector ministry' that he is involved in...(why did he not ask his brother to help?!?).....which was followed by an insistence to visit a church friend who was a fellow mission tripper/ private gastroenterologist......wasn't very keen coz i thought it felt weird...but went along anyway.....and must say that I had a VERY good time....that friend is VERY wealthy and lives in a HUGE bungalow .....but more importantly....hearing stories about Nepal made me long for that country again.....indeed, i know God is calling me back there again for a purpose or another....just need to know the right timing!!!! but was glad for that introduction.....even got an ang pow at the end of the visit! muahaha...
Oh well...back to the point of this two stories.....
From having no one to walk this journey with me...and wallowing in self pity that I will be single forever...God is now opening my eyes to potential friendships that can develop into something more beautiful......question that I have been asking over and over again is - What exactly is LOVE? What exactly is marriage? so many questions.....sigh.....
One thing for now that I do know...God knows my heart and my needs....indeed He is faithful to what He promises to us!! Will just have to sit tight...pray....and watch what happens.......;)
watch this space for updates!!!
What are the chances that a friend whom you have not seen in the last 9-10 years suddenly finds you on Friendster...you exchange numbers....and suddenly the phone calls keep coming?!? To top that off....this was the guy that I used to date a loong ..time ago!?! ;) WOW!!!
What's more amazing is how he does not harbour hate and unforgiveness in his heart towards me for what i did to him.....PLUS, the fact that he still feels that we could still be together?!? Is this LOVE?
i dunno...kinda have mixed feelings about it....part of me feels flattered and excited of what could be...on the other hand it sounds rather freaky (even a bit stalker-ish? no?)....Have mixed responses from ppl that I have shared this with.....from 'oh wow! So ROMANTIC!' ..to the 'better be careful...dun make the same mistake twice'...to the 'keep an open mind'.....So what do I do?!?
putting the 'what ifs' aside....it has been such a great reminder of the awesomeness of God..I remember throughout my Uni days , whilst I thought of this particular friend...used to pray for him, that the end of our relationship would not signify the death of his relationship with Jesus....and I was very glad when he shared with me how his spiritual journey has been over the last few years....difficult....and filled with rebellion on his part...nevertheless God's love broke through and here is one guy who is walking with Him...even got baptised! Hallellujah!! Indeed God can craft a broken relationship into a port of entry into the most beautiful relationship with Him - our Heavenly Father....which in my view, is a far greater and better relationship than he could ever have with me...a mere mortal...Praise God! Indeed, His thoughts are higher than our thoughts....
Then, there's this other guy in my cell group....had the privilege of having dinner after church with him and his brother and another church friend yesterday night.....was amazed at how similar that we are.....from our hearts for mission...to ministry.....to our love for music....we were talking abt Sweeney Todd...which evolved to a talk about musicals (one of my pet topics!!)...and suddenly this guy bursts into song!! Hahaha....was rather taken aback at his spontaneity given that he is rather reserved and quite guy!!!...then we talked about Cirque du Soleil(?!?) and David Copperfield (?!?).....hahaha.....was a bit taken aback when he asked me to help with the 'projector ministry' that he is involved in...(why did he not ask his brother to help?!?).....which was followed by an insistence to visit a church friend who was a fellow mission tripper/ private gastroenterologist......wasn't very keen coz i thought it felt weird...but went along anyway.....and must say that I had a VERY good time....that friend is VERY wealthy and lives in a HUGE bungalow .....but more importantly....hearing stories about Nepal made me long for that country again.....indeed, i know God is calling me back there again for a purpose or another....just need to know the right timing!!!! but was glad for that introduction.....even got an ang pow at the end of the visit! muahaha...
Oh well...back to the point of this two stories.....
From having no one to walk this journey with me...and wallowing in self pity that I will be single forever...God is now opening my eyes to potential friendships that can develop into something more beautiful......question that I have been asking over and over again is - What exactly is LOVE? What exactly is marriage? so many questions.....sigh.....
One thing for now that I do know...God knows my heart and my needs....indeed He is faithful to what He promises to us!! Will just have to sit tight...pray....and watch what happens.......;)
watch this space for updates!!!
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