TRANSFORMED BY WORSHIP by Kong Hee

(Source: City Harvest Church news bulletin, October 11 - 12, 2014)

The Tabernacle in the Old Testament is a pattern of what is in heaven and it outlines how the believer can enter into the Presence of the LORD in today’s context.

Within the Tabernacle resided the Altar of Incense, a picture of worship and prayer. It is positioned in front of the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies.

Each time the priest entered into the Holy Place, he was commanded of the LORD to take a handful of incense and sprinkle it onto the burning coals of the altar. As the incense burned day and night, the perfumed smoke passed through the veil and into the Holy of Holies, as a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

The fragrance, mixed with the presence of God, would fill the Holy Place, saturating the clothing, hair and even the skin of the priest himself. The fragrance of God’s presence would then be carried by the priest to others in the Outer Court.

Today, as believers in the New Covenant, when we enter into the presence of God and offer Him our worship, our love and our adoration; we must come away with our spirit, soul and body so permeated with the fragrance of God that we will be “…to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing …the aroma of life leading to life…” just like how it’s described in 2 Cor. 2:15-16.

WORSHIP ALWAYS TRANSFORMS US

The goal of worship is to be transformed into the image of the One who is worshiped. In Luke 9 is a beautiful account of how Peter, John and James went up to the mountain to pray with Jesus. As Jesus spent time with His heavenly Father, His face shone like the sun and His clothes became white and glistening (Luke 9:28-31; Matt. 17:2). Jesus was transfigured by the presence of God.

In the original Greek, the word transfigured is the same word as “metamorphosis”, which means to change from one form to another. It is the same word used to describe the transformation of a caterpillar in a cocoon into a butterfly. So during His time of worship unto God, Jesus was metamorphosed from a human being into a glorious spiritual being.

The same word is used in another verse …”But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the LORD, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the LORD.” (2 Cor. 3:18)

This verse tells us that what happened to Jesus – when He was worshiping His Father – can also happen to us. For that to happen, based on 2 Cor. 3:18, we must know four things:

1. We must worship God with the REAL “US”

To worship with an “unveiled face” is to come before God without any masks – open honesty. Real change and transformation of our lives cannot take place without us being truly honest and open in the presence of the LORD.

2. We must look into the GLORY OF THE LORD

Introspection alone is not going to bring about the transformation we need in our lives. To that effect, even spiritual activities such as prayer, reading the Bible or Christian books would not change us either. It is only when we see the glory of God in Jesus Christ, then only will true transformation take place.

So, during prayer, when we see Jesus, we will be changed; as we read His Word, when we see Jesus, we will be changed.

3. We must expect the Holy Spirit to work in us

When we are looking at His face, the Holy Spirit is doing a deep inner work within us. In the Old Testament, during the plague in the desert, when Moses lifted up the bronze serpent on a pole, his message to the people was “Look and live”. Today, Jesus has already been lifted up on the Cross as our Savior to give us eternal life. So Paul’s message to us here is, “Look and be changed”.

4. We must allow the change to be PROGRESSIVE

Whatever glory we can see in God becomes the new platform to greater levels of glory to be revealed to us. As we spend time in worship looking at God’s nature, we will be adjusted to that nature – we become more loving, more forgiving, more faithful, more patient – from glory to glory!

The transformation is not instantaneous and there are no shortcuts; but as long as we hang in there with Christ, we will never fail. We are changed from “faith to faith” (2 Cor. 10:15) … “from strength to strength” (Ps. 138:3) … “from grace to grace” (1 John 1:16).

By the by, as we worship God, the Bible says that we will be changed “until Christ is formed in us” (Gal. 4:19).




Preaching the gospel of Christ in a way that’s both progressive and heartfelt, Dr. Kong Hee is a highly sought-after conference speaker worldwide, and his messages minister to millions of people around the world who are inspired to become true ambassadors for Christ wherever God has placed them. Kong is also the founder and senior pastor of City Harvest Church – a thriving, contemporary congregation in the heart of Singapore. His international TV program, Alive! With Kong, encourages millions around the world each week. For more information on Kong’s ministry and materials, please visit konghee.com. 

http://edition.konghee.com/

What Can We Offer to God?

There are a good many things we can offer to God from whom all blessings flow. Everything we possess comes from Him; the earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof.

We can offer to God our tithes, offerings, time, talent and so forth for the advancement of His kingdom. All of these would constitute part of offering our body as a living sacrifice unto Him out of love translated into willing obedience. Additionally, we can offer sacrifices which are direct and personal to God Himself.

Today, the Holy Spirit beckons me to meditate on Psalms 50:14-15 (NKJV):-

"Offer to God thanksgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble;I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me."

Yes, we can offer to God thanksgiving. Nobody is perfect, unless, of course, if your name is "Nobody". Let us, therefore, set a guard over our tongue and be mindful to give thanks to God habitually. 

When, where and what do we give thanks to God? 

"in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)"

Why do we give thanks to God? 

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34 (NKJV)" "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! Psalms 107:8 (NKJV)"

Just as important as thanksgiving would be the keeping of our promises to God -- rendering unto Him what is due lest we be guilty of honouring Him only with our lips.

Then, when we call upon him in the day of great distraught and He will come to our rescue. The day of trouble speaks of a particular momentous day. It could be our Waterloo where the odds are turning against us. Alternatively, it could be the day when we face our Goliath. 

When God delivers us and saves the day for us, we shall proclaim His goodness and mercies all the more!

Thus, we do well to give Him thanks (and praise), pay our vows and call upon Him. At the very least, we could offer to God the sacrifices of praise and thanks. "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God. Psalms 50:23 (KJV)"

To wrap up our reflection for today, the following take on Psalms 50:7-15 from The Message is as follows for your edification:-

“Are you listening, dear people? I’m getting ready to speak;

    Israel, I’m about ready to bring you to trial.

This is God, your God,

    speaking to you.

I don’t find fault with your acts of worship,

    the frequent burnt sacrifices you offer.

But why should I want your blue-ribbon bull,

    or more and more goats from your herds?

Every creature in the forest is mine,

    the wild animals on all the mountains.

I know every mountain bird by name;

    the scampering field mice are my friends.

If I get hungry, do you think I’d tell you?

    All creation and its bounty are mine.

Do you think I feast on venison?

    or drink draughts of goats’ blood?

Spread for me a banquet of praise,

    serve High God a feast of kept promises,

And call for help when you’re in trouble—

    I’ll help you, and you’ll honor me.” 

An Interview with Dr Robi Sonderegger: On Obedience, Crisis Management & “Looking Up” by Yong Yung Shin

Please click here for the interview with Dr Robi Sonderegger by Yong Yung Shin of City News.

A Fresh Vision of Jesus by Jentezen Franklin

After reading the earlier article on "The Gospel of Jesus Christ the King", which is adapted from a sermon by Rev Tan Ye Peng at City Harvest Church on 21 June 2014, you may also find it beneficial to build up your inner man with the following sermon by Pastor Jentezen Franklin on "A Fresh Vision of Jesus".

Click here to view.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ the King

[The following article is adapted from a sermon preached by Rev Tan Ye Peng at City Harvest Church on 21 June 2014. ]

When we think of the "gospel", what comes to mind could be gospel music or an evangelistic rally where the gospel is preached unto the salvation of souls. The Greek work for gospel is euaggelion  (yoo-ang-ghel'-ee-on) which means good news or glad tidings of a king or kingdom. 

Thus, Mark 1:1 speaks of "the gospel of Jesus Christ (King)" and Mark 1:8 speaks of "the gospel of the kingdom of God". This is where many Christians miss it when we relegate Jesus to Baby Jesus lying in a manger or relegate Him as being nothing more than just our best friend. 

Truth be told, Jesus is Lord of all. And, if we do not honour Him as Lord of all in our life, then He is not Lord at all in our experience. Yes, the King demands a response from us to live for Him and His kingdom. Get real lest we sweat over this. After all, Jesus is our King, and He is worthy of our loyalty and worship.

The gospel is not just the good news; it's the glad tidings of King Jesus and His kingdom. We cannot truly get it (the gospel), when we do not have a close relationship with the Person of Jesus Christ and advance the cause of His kingdom. Remember, His sheep hears His voice.

When Jesus taught in the synagogue at Capernaum, He spoke with authority (of a king). "And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Mark 1:22 (NKJV)"  Behold, we have in Jesus the King who has absolute power and authority, and if we allow Him, He can evict every squatters in our closet such as fear, worry, temper problem, addiction, unforgiveness and idolatry.

How then are we to live as one who comes under the authority of King Jesus in His kingdom? Hear then the words of Jesus, "... "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. Mark 8:34 - 38 (NKJV)"

In Mark 1:24 (NKJV), the unclean spirit identified Jesus as the Holy One of God,  "But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him."" Jesus did not need any affirmation from the kingdom of darkness. Yet, the Pharisees could do worse when they kept asking Jesus for signs which clearly show that they would not believe Him as the Son of God. It would be an offence really for us to keep asking the King to prove His authority. Can we deny ourselves of the worldly mentality to challenge God's Authority and Sovereignty? Thus, as Jesus has cautioned, we are to be wary of the leaven (influence) of the Pharisees (Mark 8:15).

Jesus also charged us to rid ourselves of the leaven of the Herod who was an earthly king. Herod speaks of one who is not mindful of the things of God -- which may not be convenient; a person who has not given up the throne of his own life to Jesus and His kingdom. Taking up the cross means unto death and in some countries, disciples of Jesus face martyrdom for real.

When we follow Jesus, we have to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily. Following Jesus would be doing whatever He tells us to do and it encompasses serving Him rather than mammon (money) as our Master.

Many of us, as with Apostle Peter by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, would have a revelation of Jesus as the the Christ -- the Son of the living God. Yet we could still have an impaired vision of who is Jesus in His full glory. Peter found it hard to accept that Jesus had to suffer and go to the cross so as to fulfill God's plan of Salvation. 

Sadly, we have often confined Jesus to a room in our heart and in so doing limit His influence and authority over our life. We could have our best days yet, if we allow King Jesus to reign supreme in our heart of hearts. Today is a great day to start. God bless.


Please click here to access resources from City Harvest Church which are made available at the Ink Room.

Faith has a voice

Recently, the Holy Spirit spurred me to have a made-up mind to believe the Word of God before I even start to pray. What's the point of praying when there is unbelief? As a matter of fact, when we demonstrate unbelief it is akin to calling God a liar. Yes, it's that bad.

It's time for us to humble ourselves before God and take Him at His Word; God is not a man that He should lie. And, it's time for us to restore the fear of the LORD even in the House of the LORD. Let God be God, and mortals be mortals -- saved only by the Grace of God.

When God has said it and it is settled in my heart that His truth will prevail, I can pray believing that God hear and answer prayers if I pray according to His will and do not ask amiss of what's His best for me.

As I pray believing, I am reminded further by the Holy Spirit to pray audibly for my own hearing. While there is a time and place for contemplative praying, I find that praying aloud even during my own Quiet Time yield tremendous effect in the invisible or spirit realm. Our Words are powerful according to the Scripture!

When we speak the Word of God appropriately in our specific prayers, by having regard to the full counsel of God's Word, it is just as God is speaking His Words for accomplishment. For example, instead of just praying for me, myself and I, I could try praying along the line of being blessed in my career so that I could be a blessing to my family, employer, relatives, community and the Kingdom of God.

We can learn much from Solomon's prayer at Gibeon. As outlined by Pastor Jim Cymbala in his book "Breakthrough Prayers":

1. Solomon approached God first with thanks and praise (1 Kings 3:7a);

2. Solomon prayed with great humility (1 Kings 3:7b);

3. Solomon defined himself as God's servant, ready to do His will; and

4. Solomon asked for a blessing that would bless God's people.

Mind you, King Solomon did not just think his prayer but said it out. When Hannah was praying for her breakthrough to conceive a child even though her voice was not heard, her lips moved! (1 Samuel 1:13) Also, hadn't Jesus said to speak to our mountains rather than think away our problems?

As we bless others or cast all our cares upon Jesus through prayers, let's demonstrate faith by moving our lips or making our prayers audible to ourselves, i.e., the ears of our inner man. 

Faith a voice. Let God hear our voice!

  

Testimony of Judith Halim

Judith Halim's journey was very tough ... she persevered and passed her trials or tests, and she can now share her testimony of God's grace. Click here to listen to her powerful testimony.

As I listened to her testimony during a recent cell group meeting, Hebrews 11:6 came forth as rhema to me.

 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)

Yes, let us be very clear that without faith, it is absolutely not possible for us to please God. Impossible; no way! Given good parents, children would readily believe and lay hold of their parent's words or promises and would not call the parent a liar.

Sadly, many adults do not approach God in childlike faith and demonstrate unbelief rather than faith by their very actions. Boy (girl), we are gonna to so miss out on the goodness God when we lean on our own understanding rather than trust God. 

Judith kept on trusting God and pursue the truth of God's Word such as:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

When we face impossible situations or need help, we can come boldly to God's throne of grace to ask Him for our needs. But, if we can't believe that God is who He says He is and we magnify our problems rather than God, we are dishonouring Him unwittingly. We are saying, by our actions, that God is not good enough for us.

But, if we can believe and seek Him diligently, boy, o, boy, we are gonna be rewarded! When we honour God by our faith, He will honour us. Remember, faith is the currency of heaven.

How then shall we seek God in prayer? In his book "Break Through Prayer" (page 92 -93), Pastor Jim Cymbala writes: The first rule of prayer is not "faith", but whether the request is according to God's will. Let's not forget the LORD still sits on His throne as ruler of the universe. 

He went on to say that we can count on two clear and powerful promises that leave no question about God's will, namely:

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." James 1:5 (NKJV)

"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 (NKJV)

As a matter of fact and as reminded by an intercessor friend of mine, the LORD's Prayer (The Model Prayer as NKJV captioned it) would be an ideal framework for us to use when approaching the throne of God's grace on our knees:

The Model Prayer (Matthew 6:5-13; NKJV)

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." 

Make no doubt, God keeps His promises willingly. As George Mueller has observed, "Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance. It is laying hold of God's willingness."

Let's take heart and keep on praying on for our breakthroughs in the light of God's word and His goodness and so much more (Love, Grace, and so forth). Hallelujah! In anticipation of answered prayers.

Joy in the Mist of Trials

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." James 1:2-4 (NKJV)

It is not easy to find believers who are joyful while going through trials. When we revert to worldly wisdom in our carnal minds, it would appear reasonable not to rejoice in the midst of trials. Indeed, the world has its reasonable test of how a person would respond to trials -- along the downstream drift of nurse it, curse it and rehearse it. We can call this the 'Poor Me' syndrome or  'Victim Mentality', no joy intended.

However, when our mind is renewed by the Word of God, we can face trials squarely with the grace of God and in the knowledge of His unconditional-and-everlasting love for us. Notably, Jesus Christ and Paul did not allow trials to rob them of their joy. 

Just as Jesus has completed His race for the joy that was set before Him, we are urged to do the same:"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-3 (NKJV)

Having obtained the gospel through the revelation of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:12), Paul paints for us a landscape of reasons for his joy, perseverance and hope in Christ in his various writings by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit such as the following verses from Romans 8: 

"18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.  

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 

29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 

30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 

32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 

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

34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

36 As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 

38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 

39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Many Christians would probably fancy a trouble-free life. But that is not in the plan of God! As we are seeing in God's Word, trials or persecutions will produce patience or perseverance and really goes to prove that our faith is genuine -- that we will live by faith anchored in Christ alone and secured in the love of Christ.

Indeed, as Jesus said, 

"Blessed are you when men hate you,And when they exclude you,And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,For the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven,For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets." Luke 6:22-23 (NKJV)

Also, consider the following Scripture passages:

"My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful." James 5:10-12 (NKJV)

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen[a] you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1:7-9 (NKJV)

What shall we say then in the light of this? I would say that while we are in the midst of trials, it would be only a mist in Christ. When we have Christ, we have everything; when we have everything except Christ, we have nothing. I would even venture to echo that apart from Christ, we are nothing.

Let's keep digging into God's Word and grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ!

I Have Been Crucified with Christ

"I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20 (AMP)

Much have been said and taught that the Word of God is Life and Spirit and that man shall not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Knowing the truth of God's Word in our mind is insufficient. As A.W. Tozer had observed, "Truth that is not experienced is no better than error, and just as dangerous."

However, when we experience God's Word it would elevate us to a whole new plane of knowing it in our heart. Now, I wouldn't say that I have fully experienced Galatians 2:20, but just scratching the surface of this kernel of truth was enough to propel me powerfully today so much so that I wanna penned it down as a tribute to the Word of God and God Himself.

This morning the Holy Spirit brought to my mind Galatians 2:20 and it infused new energy for me to carry out my work and all for the day. I have memorized the aforesaid verse before in the New King James version and did not even have to meditate on it to be superlatively rejuvenated in my spirit, soul and body.

Much intrigued, I am meditating on this verse and cross-referencing it to other Bible verses. My short study is presented here along the way. 

'I have been crucified with Christ' ....When Christ died, all of my sins were nailed to the cross. My old self was crucified on the cross and sins do not have power over me. As Romans 6:6 (AMP) explains, "We know that our old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that [our] body [which is the instrument] of sin might be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin."

Galatians 5:24 (AMP) says, "And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires." 

Further on, we have Paul's declaration, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in Galatians 6:14 (AMP), "But far be it from me to glory [in anything or anyone] except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) through Whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world!"

'It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me'.... Far be it from me to think that I can run my life the way I want it. It is Christ whom I need to enthrone on the seat of my heart so that my every thoughts and actions will be captivated by the will, purpose and delight of the LORD of lords and KING of kings. God is worthy of my all; He alone is my all in all. 

Following from this, whom shall I fear and of what shall I be afraid of? God alone is supreme. all-powerful, all-present and all-knowing. With God as the Chief Operating Officer of my life, I am more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37) and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13)

'I live by faith in the Son of God' .... My life is centred on Christ Jesus who has said, inter alia, that He is the Bread of Life and has come to give us life and life more abundantly,and He will come again. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and no one can come to God the Father except though Him (John 14:6). 

This means that I submit myself to live life in a manner that is according to the Word of God such as 2 Corinthians 5:15 (AMP): "And He died for all, so that all those who live might live no longer to and for themselves, but to and for Him Who died and was raised again for their sake."

'the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me' .... this truth is expounded expansively in Ephesians 2:4-6 (AMP), "But God—so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, 

Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved ([a]delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation). 

And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us [b]joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One)."

Oh, such unconditional love of Christ for us! As Isaiah 53:12 (AMP) describes it, "... He poured out His life unto death, and [He let Himself] be regarded as a criminal and be numbered with the transgressors; yet He bore [and took away] the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors (the rebellious)."

Thank God for His Word which is living and active. 

May the truths of Galatians 2:20 spurs us to live in a like manner after Colossians 3:1-4 (AMP), as well:- 

"If then you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth.

For [as far as this world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God.

When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in [the splendor of His] glory."

Grace, Grace

“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’Says the Lord of hosts.  ‘Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone
With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’” Zechariah 4:6~8 (NKJV)

Ephesians 2:8 speaks of saving grace; the grace of God for our salvation. And, this verse reveals to us that grace is free gift of God, not of our own works and it is activated through faith in the Giver -- God Himself. 

But, I have been further enlightened through the teachings of John Bevere that grace is not just for salvation and it can apply to other aspects of life, too. That was a powerful revelation which liberated me from my limited or ignorant view of grace.

Just last week, while listening to a YouTube message by Pastor Jentezen Franklin on "Grace, Grace", I was further enlightened by his categorization of grace into:

1. Saving Grace (Ephesians 2:8; NKJV);

2. Justifying Grace 

"... being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ" (Romans 3:24; NKJV) 

3. Teaching Grace  

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works." (Titus 2:11~14; NKJV)

4. Enabling Grace

"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:14~16; NKJV)

Now that we know better, we could be happier and live victoriously as we become both the hearers and doers of God's Word.

 As Pastor Dennis Burke has rightly noted in his book "Grace (Power beyond your ability)": "We have been invited to come boldly before the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find the grace we need to help us through any situation. The more time we spend in the presence of God, the more we will grow in the grace of God."

And, now, if you have got the time and hunger, may I entreat you to hear out Pastor Franklin's message on Grace, Grace by clicking here.

April Reflections by Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian

(Source: page 3, TRUMPET April 2014, published by Trinity Theological College, Singapore. Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian is the Principal of Trinity Theological College.)

Once a year we are given license to poke fun at others such as getting people to believe ridiculous things or send them on a 'fool's errand'. Sometimes even the media gets into the act all for a good laugh. The origin of April Fool's Day is uncertain, although it is supposed to be one of the more light-hearted days of the year. Some believe that the switch to a new calendar changing New Year's Day from 1 April to 1 January by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 led people to make fun of those who refused to accept the change or unaware of it. Since then, many people good-naturedly welcome such jests to light up their lives.

Indeed if laughter is to be medicine for the soul, it should not only be humour at the expense of others, but also encourage people to laugh at themselves. Those who take themselves too seriously lose sight of this special gift available to us all. Thus, in our stressed filled lives at school, at work and at home, having a sense of humour restores the equilibrium of our senses. It rejuvenates our mental and emotional health as individuals, and that in turn enhances the wellbeing of our society.

 April also calls for serious contemplation as Christians commemorate Jesus' sacrificial life which ended on Good Friday. The season of Lent is a time of fasting and praying and abstinence from the appetites of human desires in our focus on our relationship with God.But the practice of these spiritual disciplines can become ends in themselves unless they lead us to reflect on our 'trespasses'.

One of the problems we face in this modern era is the tendency to minimize sin and its consequences. Perhaps, the internalized moral authority of our upbringing has become less dominant and as a result, right and wrong are not clearly demarcated as it used to be. So Holy Week should lead us to re-order our priorities, take stock of our value systems and renew our moral standards. To be sure, the grace of God is sufficient to cleanse us from any and every sin, but repentance (that is, confession followed by transformation) is a necessary step towards becoming Easter Christians.

April sounds the bell for the last lap for our graduating cohort. They will press towards the finishing line and expect to receive their degree in theology. It marks the closing chapters of formal theological education. This cohort, like others before them, will be assessed on how well they have integrated their theological studies and how they will apply their learning to the varieties of Christian service. But ministering to this generation will be far more difficult in the face of formidable challenges from the world and its secular offerings.

It is said that when quality of life improves through better education, and there is more equitable income distribution and longer life span, then religion will decline as more people embrace atheism. It is even projected that by 2041, religious people will become a minority with the rise of secularism. Consequently, religion will lose clout as it becomes the minority view in more societies as already seen in Sweden and Japan.

Are these ominous signs? Are 'secular gods' more attractive? Near the end of his life, John Wesley said: 'I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist...but I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having a form of religion without the power". Wesley believed that the discipline, stewardship and frugality of his followers would eventually lead to a better life. But he also knew that economic wellbeing puts Christians at risk of embracing secularism which could subtly hollow out their once vibrant faith. Therefore, it is imperative that our generation be intentional in building up Body of Christ to ensure that our children and their descendants will hold fast the faith.

God Loves the 5th Sparrow, too!

"Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will." Matthew 10:29 (NKJV)

"Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God." Luke 12:6 (NKJV)


The above two Scripture passages are I am sure familiar to those of us who have been a Christian for the longest time. Yet, as with me, you may have read them without due thought and overlook the significance of the math involved -- God's mathematics that would bend our mind with 2 + 2 = 5!

As we read closely, we could buy 2 sparrows for 1 copper coin and for 2 copper coins we could buy not 4 but 5 sparrows. In other words, the 5th sparrow is thrown in as a spare or goodwill. In effect, the 5th sparrow is of no monetary value; only to be given away for free upon the sale of every 4 sparrows.

Now, there are upon a search on the internet quite a number of stories or exposition on the 5th sparrow but I like the following version best as shared by Pastor Edmund Chan in his book Growing Deeper With God (ISBN 978-981-08-1392-5):-

"A moving story was told of a little Spanish boy in Vigo who became a devout Christian. He was asked about his conversion.

"It was all because of the fifth sparrow," he said.

"I do not understand," said the Englishman. "What fifth sparrow?"

"Well, Senor, it is this way," the boy said. "A man gave me a New Testament, and I read in one Gospel that two sparrows were sold for a cent (farthing). And again I read in Luke, 'Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings?'

"And I said to myself, Jesus Christ knew well our custom of selling birds. As you know, Sir, we trap birds and get one chico for two sparrows and for two chicos, we throw in an extra sparrow, the odd sparrow as a spare. That extra sparrow, the fifth sparrow, is a dead weight and is of no account at all. It's just a spare. But yet, the Bible says that not one of them is forgotten before God.

"And so I think to myself, I am so insignificant, so poor, so small, of no account at all. Yet I am like that odd sparrow. God remembers me. I have never heard of such a thing. No one but God would have thought of not forgetting me. I am significant to Him!" 

That, my friend, is the saving grace of God! "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven." Matthew 10:30-32 (NKJV) 

Join me, and tell the world that Jesus lives!

Understanding Grace

One of the very best teaching I have heard on grace came from Dr. A. R. Bernard who preached it at City Harvest Church on 18 January 2014.

He started off his teaching on the purity of love. If there are reasons for love, it means that there are conditions. I love you IF ...., you get the drift. That's human love. 

On the other hand, God's love or God's kind of love is unconditional. A man, for example, is to love his wife redemptively, sacrificially and unconditionally. Yes, a man is to love his wife as Christ loves His church. God is love. Pure love is redemptive, sacrificial and unconditional. These constitute grace, and we need solid-food teaching in the Body of Christ on grace (and much more) to ground and establish us in the eternal Word of God. And, live life as God has intended for us; His Words are Spirit and Life.

Before the advent of Christ, we have the law which constitute the rules that govern human conduct. The law of Moses is a complete system lacking nothing.  When Jesus came, He elevated the Mosaic laws and raised the bar for He examines and deals with the intent of our hearts. It is already a sin when we conceive it in our minds before we decide whether to proceed with it or not!

In the Kingdom of Christ, we are blessed and highly favoured. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. We are now in this window of time called the dispensation of God's grace. 

Grace is an expression of God's love and graciousness is the quality of being warm hearted, considerate, affectionate, forgiving and sympathetic. With grace, what we believes determines what we receive whereas the law is merit and performance based.   

In the account from John 8:1-12 on the woman caught in the very act of adultery with the male counterpart conspicuously left off the hook, the Law (Pharisees) accuses and wanted to know what Grace (Jesus) would say. Jesus said, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.

Dr. Bernard summarized that: 

1) Jesus did not dispute the charges;

2) Jesus gave her protection from the accusations of the law;

3) Jesus gave her dignity;

4) Jesus offered her forgiveness;

5) Jesus released her from condemnation; and

6) Jesus made a demand on her lifestyle ("go and sin no more").

I think the biggest slice of takeaway from this message for the Body of Christ is that SIN HAS CONSEQUENCES as certain quarters of believers may be over-emphasizing grace to the point where sin is like a mere mosquito-bite to be soothed by the balm of Christ's blood.

As recorded in John 5:14 after Jesus had healed the man at the Pool of Bethesda who had an infirmity thirty-eight years, He cautioned him, "Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you." 

With humility, fear and trembling, I submit the following 2 Scripture verses which shed further light that sin has consequences, too, even after we have come to an initial saving knowledge of Jesus Christ:

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away,to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame." (Hebrews 6:4-6; NKJV)

"For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”says the Lord.And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:26-31; NKJV)

The call remains remain for us to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ Jesus. More grace to love people into the kingdom of God and more knowledge for us to stay in the Kingdom of God till Christ comes again. And, to be mindful that grace makes a demand on our lifestyle. For we were bought at a price so as to glorify God in our body and in our spirit, which are God’s. (1 Corinthians 6:20; NKJV)

P/s: This article is adapted from Dr Bernard's sermon at City Harvest Church on 18 January 2014 and, if you are interested, please proceed to procure a CD copy from The Ink Room.

Breakthrough!

On 2 November 2013, I received this revelation that God has a good plan and great destiny for the believers even though it may not have panned yet out according to His plan. He has already seen the end from the very beginning as He is the Alpha and Omega; the beginning and the end.

After all, is there anything too hard for our Creator? God can do anything. (Okay, God can’t sin, to wit.) And, God remembers and cares for us. While the children of Israel were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar from Jerusalem to Babylon, God sent His word to them through the prophet Jeremiah. Amongst other things, He said, “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. (Jeremiah 29:11; MSG)”

Also, didn’t Jesus say: “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. (John 10:10b; MSG)”? What is eternal life? “And this is the real and eternal life: That they know You, the one and only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You sent. (John 17:3; MSG)” Did we get that? We have access to the most High God! An audience with Him in His throne room, if you will. And, we thought minion thoughts that meeting with Bill Gates or having lunch with Warren Buffet was such a big deal. Hey, let’s get our perspective and relativity of awesomeness in order.

Coming down to earth, we may be living far below what God has planned for us but that does not negate His plans. The greatest waste or loss is the gap between who we are and the person we were meant to be, in Christ Jesus. No wonder it is also commonly said that one of the richest places on earth is the cemetery where so much dreams and aspirations lay buried and wasted. One idea or product and one prepared person whose time has come can change the world.

Yes, who knows (God knows!), you may well change your world or even change the world if you would prepare and pursue all that the Holy Spirit is revealing to you. Think about it, mull over it. Do we really know our God? Don’t we know our God? If we would recall, “God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good? Numbers 23:19; MSG)”

The ball is in our court, so to speak. We can bridge the dichotomy between who we are now and all that God intends for us. It’s all up to us to respond and take this journey of faith. It’s amazing that we can trust God for our salvation by His grace or favour through faith in Jesus Christ and not apply the same faith in God’s grace for every other areas of our life.

I am repentant of this and have only just begun to see that while Ephesians 2:8 speaks of God’s grace for salvation, His grace is not confined or restricted to salvation from the consequences of our sins and our sin nature. There is so much more, in Christ!

How do we advance and step into our Promised Land -- our dream position, home, family relationships, friendships, ministry, et cetera? Faith is sacrosanct in this regards. Faith in God through our relationship with Him and in His Word. It has to be developed and proven (put to the test) over time through our a close walk with the Holy Spirit who will teach us the Word of God, reveal the truth and wisdom therein, and instructs us in our walk of faith.

^“But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10; NKJV).

Also, “This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success” (Joshua 1:8; MSG).

Next, we need to guard our heart and let praise and thanksgiving spring forth. What we say will reveal the treasure of our heart -- the Word of God, no less! We will get the biggest bang for storing His Word in our heart and internalizing it so much so that we know the thoughts and ways of God. For example, that He is a good God and He has loved us with an everlasting love.

King David knew so well of how to find salvation or deliverance when he wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that: “He who brings an offering of praise and thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me; and he who orders his way aright [who prepares the way that I may show him], to him I will demonstrate the salvation of God. Psalms 50:23; AMP)”

Our breakthrough is at hand. Keep believing. Do not grow weary. Keep sowing. God is all for us and we can truly live out, through obedient faith, all of what He has planned for us.

Kingdom of Priests

This reflection is adapted from a message preached by Rev Dr A. R. Bernard in City Harvest Church on 21 September 2013.

In Revelation 1:5b – 6 (NKJV) we read,  “To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Also, we read from 1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV), “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”.

As we have seen in the aforesaid verses, the Word of God tells us in no uncertain terms that the Christian believers are all priests and priestesses. (I will stick with priest or priests in this writing to refer to both male and female believers.) Truth be told, the moment we are born again, we become part of the royal priesthood of Jesus Christ.

Dr Bernard asserted that every New Testament believers is a priest and our greatest privilege is to have direct access to God Himself, with great thanks to what Jesus Christ has accomplished for us through His death and resurrection. We may not feel like a priest or even royalty, for that matter. Yet, the heart of the matter is that the Word of God is the final authority. When God says it and we believe in His Word, that settles it.

This will require a paradigm shift as many believers have abdicated their priesthood to the church. Thus, many sincere believers were trained over the years to get from the church rather than take up their responsibility as a priest unto God, with Jesus Christ as the High Priest.

Following from this, we could well imagine throngs of downtrodden believers coming to church for repair and maintenance. I once liken believers coming as cars to the garage of a cell group meeting for refueling, fixing-up and washing-up.

But, we were meant to be givers as the priesthood is based on sacrifices. We come not to seek the blessing but the One who gives the blessing.

Dr Bernard highlighted that as priests we are to offer the following sacrifices to God:

1)   Our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1);

2)   Fruit of our lips as a sacrifice of praise (Hebrew s 13:15);

3)   Our substance in our tithes and offerings (2 Corinthian 9:7); and

4)   Our service heartily unto God (Colossians 3:23).

When we know and become the priests according to the order of Melchizedek, doing church or playing church will longer be our weekly agenda.

We can, with diligence and discipline by the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit and in the fellowship of healthy believers, become a minister of God 24/7 and seven days a week. All Glory be to God! Amen and amen.

It is my prayer and aspiration that this gentle reminder from Dr Bernard of our priesthood and the disciplines entailed thereof will help to move more and more believers to “reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17)

Our Words are Powerful!

Our words are important; what we say matters. More accurately and more than just audible sound, our spoken words are full of power -- the ability to do things. Our tongue may be a small part of our body but we need to be reminded regarding the power of the tongue.  Proverbs 18:21 (NKJV) states matter-of-factly, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

Research has shown that our body listens to our brain. Specifically, the speech centre of the brain exercises control and dominion over our entire body. This is consistent with what James 3:4-5 (NKJV) has stated through the centuries, “Look also at the ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!”

Indeed, there is much wisdom to adhere to the maxim of being quick to listen but slow to speak. As written in Proverbs 15:2 (NKJV), isn’t it true that “The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.”?

Today, we need to do an assessment of our spoken words. Do we tend to be negative, neutral or positive? Do we choose to bless or wallow in cursing? Do our words promote health or pierce like a sword?

How then are we to speak? The answer that springs out is 1 Peter 4:11 (NKJV), “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

We can also reflect on Colossians 4:6 (NKJV) which urges us to “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”

When we speak wholesome words we are acting wisely for our sound words bring health to our body rather than wrought curses to our body. That’s the least we could do to steer clear from the venom of foolish words and avoid being a part of the “brood of vipers” who speak and act contrary to the Word of God.

But, there is more to our speaking than keeping a healthy body, soul and spirit. We can speak the Word of God so as to be more than conquerors in Christ (Romans 8:37) and to reign as kings and priests in this life (Romans 5:17; Revelations 5:10).

The Word of God has to speak louder to us than everything else so that we can change the seen with God’s Word and shape the unseen things by calling things that are not as though they were. (Romans 4:17)

In his book “Changing the Seen & Shaping the Unseen”, Pastor Charles Capps writes that: “God’s Word is the establishing force of the image of unseen things. We should not allow circumstances and the cares of life to create images within us. Take God’s Word and change things that are seen – the things that you don’t desire – into things that you desire.”

Consider the four lepers in 2 Kings 7 where the city of Samaria was besieged by the Syrian army and beset by a great famine. Now they were at the entrance at the gate and reasoned amongst themselves that if they continue to sit around, they will die. If they enter the city, they will also die as the famine is in the city. Their final decision was to approach the Syrian camp and surrender themselves with the hope of being kept alive, at best.

Early next morning, when they had come to the outskirts of the Syrian camp, they were surprised to find that the enemy had fled, leaving behind their camp intact. There they found much spoils including food and drinks, tents, horses, donkeys, silver, gold and clothing.

Unbeknown to them, God had caused the Syrian army to hear the noise of a great army approaching them at twilight. Many believed that as the lepers moved, God moved by magnifying the sound of their several footsteps.

What is crucial is that earlier on in the chapter, Elisha had spoken God’s Word that the famine would be over by tomorrow, and the lepers had step forth into the realm of God performing His Word. They encountered what the Greeks called a kairos moment -- the right or opportune moment; the supreme moment.

As the prophet, Jesus or the man or woman of God speaks the Word of God, we, too, can step into the realm of God performing His word. God says He is ready (watching) to perform His Word (Jeremiah 1:12) and His Word which goes forth shall not return to Him void “But it shall accomplish what I (God) please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11b; NKJV)

The words of Jesus are spirit and they are life (John6:63b). When Jesus says we are healed, we are healed, indeed! When Jesus says we live, we shall not die but live! Also, as He is, so are we. Thus, we, too, are the light of the world and salt of the earth. The Word of God works because God is watching over it so that His purpose will be accomplished.

The Word of God which was revealed by Jesus Christ and by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to Paul the apostle will also be proven to work. It will also work when men and women who are followers of Jesus Christ speak the Word of God.

Today is the day for us to go up one notch in our understanding and application of what Pastor John Osteen calls The ABCs of Faith, which is to: (A) Agree with the Word of God; (B) Believe the Word of God; and (C) Confess the Word of God with Your Mouth.

Our words are powerful. God’s Words are even more powerful. God’s Word in our mouths is as powerful as His Word in His mouth. We have everything to gain and be blessed by speaking God’s Word over our lives, our loved ones and our world, and let God bring about the results for His Glory.