Flourish In The Courts Of Our God

"The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. Psalm 92:12-13 (NKJV)"

This evening, Psalm 92:12 took me aside like a burning bush and I ended up memorising it and verse 13, as well. I know not how then, but this particular serving of God's Word became alive to me and prompted me to meditate upon them. They became like heavenly bread for my spirit man.

Here then is a timely refresher for me from my desk calendar that it is the Holy Spirit who quickens the Word of God to become living and active: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63 (NKJV)"

The righteous obeys the voice of God like a sheep that follows the Good Shepherd. By his action, the upright shows that he reveres and trusts the Word of God.

The flourishing of the righteous is like a palm tree which, according the the Amplified Bible translation, is "long-lived, upright and useful". A date palm, for instance, is known to be capable of reaching a height of over 20 metre with  a primary root system that averages 4-metre deep and may extend further downward to 10 metre. 

The righteous is steep in his love for God's Word as both a hearer and doer as well as deep in His fellowship with God. 

In turn, this is how God has responded to him: "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. Psalm 91:14 (NKJV)"

As for the cedar tree, the Amplified Bible speaks of it being "majestic and stable". The righteous keeps growing in wisdom, stature, grace and the knowledge of God. He knows whom he has believeth and is confident that God is able to keep him in perfect peace internally.

The righteous person is rooted in a congregation of believers for edification and mutual relationship to advance the kingdom of God. With such unity of fellowship, there God commanded His Blessing in accordance to His Word such as the following:

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore. Psalm 133;1-3 (NKJV)"

""Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:19-20 (NKJV)"

The earthly courts are no match for the courts of God -- where we appear in the Presence of the King of kings and LORD of lords. 

God is awesome and His works are awesome, too!

Consider the following:

"And I said: “I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned. Nehemiah 1:5-6 (NKJV)"

"Say to God, “How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You. Psalm 66:3 (NKJV)"

May you flourish in the courts of our God as you feed on His Word daily, clothe yourself with the righteousness of Christ, confess your sins and be a hearer-and-doer of God's Word.

The Beginning of Wisdom

The usual quote on 'the fear of LORD is the beginning of wisdom' is taken from the Book of Wisdom, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10; NKJV)."

Today's reading from Psalm 111:10 (NKJV) is a refreshing take: 

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever."

Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash

When we humbly recognise our lack of wisdom, we can ask God for heavenly wisdom (James 1:5). 

However, having due reverence and honour for God would be the first step we need to take in order to be wise; not in our eyes but in God's sight. 

As we walk in the ways of God such as heeding His commandments, which God has in His infinite wisdom established to be non-negotiables from the very beginning, we show that we have a good grasp of what is good for us.

Even when we are not conscious of the divine edicts of God, we are blessed when we do them, and we begin to learn and understand the will of God as we see the favourable outcomes of our good conduct.

"The [reverent] fear of the Lord is the beginning (the prerequisite, the absolute essential, the alphabet) of wisdom; a good understanding and a teachable heart are possessed by all those who do the will of the Lord; His praise endures forever (Psalm 111:10; AMP)."

As the blessings of wisdom in fearing and obeying the LORD's guidance become established as a lifestyle, we can't help but be full of praise and thanksgiving unto God.

Indeed, "The good life begins in the fear of God— do that and you’ll know the blessing of God. His Hallelujah lasts forever (Psalm 111:10; MSG)!"

For your further rumination, please study and meditate the following Scriptural passages as well:

"And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding’ Job 28:28 (NKJV).”

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother; for they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent (Proverbs 1:7-10; NKJV)."

The Presence of God

While people in the world talks about the usual things such as finding your tribe, the good ol' days, politics, fashion, sales and so forth, the tribe of the Lion of Judah (aka Christians) gets to recount passionately about the Presence of God which they have experienced in church, cell group, Christian conference and personal time with God.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

The Presence of God is like heaven on earth where we can see and believe that all the Promises of God are indeed "Yes" and "Amen".

Recently, while reading "Becoming Aggressive About Your Harvest" by Dr. Jerry Savelle, I received a fresh revelation that being in God's Presence is like a two-fold blessing of experiencing not just His tangible reality but, also, the dissipation of all evil and whatever hindrances that come against our walk of faith, hitherto.

The particular extract from Dr. Savelle's blog post is as follows for your edification:-

"This is what the Psalmist was saying when he declared, “My enemies will fall back and perish in your presence.” (Psalm 9:3 TLB)

I like to say it this way: Every assignment of your adversary is broken when you stand in the presence of God. When the presence of God shows up on the scene, every attack of the enemy must cease."

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Don't settle for the last row in church. Gather unto the LORD with expectancy, come hungry spiritually and press in for the Presence of God; touch the hem of His robe.

Click here for Becoming Aggressive About Your Harvest by Dr. Jerry Savelle

Click here for I Love Your Presence/I Remember - Annabel Soh

The Kingdom of God

The following is a skeletal sermon notes based on Rev. Sun Ho's preaching of "The Kingdom of God Is Within Us" at City Harvest Church on 25 August 2018, with adaptation.

In the LORD's Prayer, Jesus taught us a prayer which includes these words: "Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven."

When the Kingdom of God comes, what is real in heaven will be real on earth, as well. For example, there will be Hope and Healing against all odds. 

Where is the kingdom of God? Jesus replied thus in Luke 17:20b-21 (NKJV), "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

This internal reality of God's kingdom overflows out of us and permeates, affect and changes our external reality. For example, in Mark 4 Jesus rebuked the windstorm with "Peace, be still!" and the wind ceased. Jesus’ internal reality became His external reality. The kingdom that Jesus lives in has no storm.

We need to appropriate more of heaven on earth as a living reality beyond mere knowledge. Let our consciousness of His kingdom and presence be greater than our circumstances. The devil is not worthy of our attention. 

Our eyes ought to be set on God who will rule and reign in our heart and soul if we humble ourselves and submit to His authority. Learn to fear God. Psalm 25:12-13 (NKJV) has this to say to us, "Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose. They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will inherit the land." 

Psalm 25:14 (NKJV) goes on to say, "The Lord confides in those who fear Him; He makes His covenant known to them." Lovers of God has a private place and receive the revelation secrets of His promises. 

Right now, Jesus is giving fresh revelation and interceding for all believers who have been gifted to Him by God the Father. "I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours (John 17:6-9; NKJV)". 

The world is at its best when the church is at its best.

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!(Mark 1:15; NKJV)”

Repentance involves a total change of thinking resulting in a total change of action. The kingdom of God within you will transform your life supernaturally. 

Genesis 1:26 reveals that we are made in the image and likeness of God. "Image" refers to external physical form while "likeness" means similar inner nature. We are the exact copy of God. 

We are to have dominion and subdue the earth. God has given us the legal authority of a lease agreement over earth. 

However, we gave it away to the devil when Adam and Eve were deceived and he now asserts that he can pass it on to whomever he wants (Luke 4:6).

We need to contend for more of the Kingdom of God and take back what the devil has stolen. Will you stay loyal to God and receive His power to accomplish your mission? "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him (2 Chronicles 16:9a; NKJV)."

We are well able to fulfill the call and mission if we adhere to the following spiritual disciplines:

1) Have the right image of ourselves; and

  

2) Partner with the Holy Spirit.

When Moses had his burning bush encounter with God, he asked "Who am I? (Exodus 3:11)" "And God said, “Certainly I will be with you,... (Exodus 3:12; AMP)” 

Moses had doubts and felt unqualified. On the other hand, God had chosen Moses (think of how Jesus also chose His inner circle of 12 disciples) and pre-qualified him for the task at hand.

According to a revelation from Pastor Bill Johnson in modern-speak, God is affirming Moses that 'You are the person I like to hang out with'.

We will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit has come upon us (Acts 1:8). You are not inadequate no more with the Holy Spirit.

Click here for City Harvest Church: Sun Ho - The Kingdom Is Within Us  

The Heavens Declare The Glory of God

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard." Psalm 19:1-3 (NKJV)

The sun, moon, stars and galaxies as well as the sky and clouds unspokenly declare the glory of God. When we behold them, we are moved to an awareness of God's majestic splendour. 

Somehow the heavens speak louder than flora and fauna of the glory of God, and this could well have to do with their greater expanse and magnitude.

Look up to the heavens and you will see the glory of God. As you look up to God and behold His glory, your problems will diminish and be put into perspective. Surely, God is bigger than all your troubles combined.

May you increase in the knowledge of the glory of God.

How do you know if your dream is from God?

Click here for 7 Indicators You Have a Dream from God by Terri Savelle Foy, which are summarised as follows:

1. If it captures your imagination and inspires you everyday.

2. If it seems impossible and you're unable to fulfill it on your own.

3. If it seems as though it will never come to pass, but deep down you are 

    unwilling to give up on it.

4. If not everyone is as enthusiastic about it as you are.

5. If you have experienced resistance, difficulties, setbacks, and sometimes, 

    frustration over this dream.

6. If it consumes your thinking and it gets bigger and bigger on the inside.

7. If it seems to define who you are, and shape your life.

The Life Triangle of Energy, Money and Time

The following sermon notes are adapted from Rev Aries Zulkarnain's preaching at City Harvest Church 5 p.m. service on 30 June 2018.

"Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce." Proverbs 3:9 (NLT)

Honour God with everything you own; give the first and the best. Learn how to prioritise; give importance to what is important. 

Let God be in the centre of all your priorities such as family, church and work or  studies as you take a deeper walk with Him.

While you could have got your priority right, you may still be struggling in life as you face shortfalls or inadequacies in the 3 sides of Life Triangle, namely, Energy, Money and Time.

When money is lacking, you may succumbed to make it a priority and shrink the other two sides of energy and time. Hence, you end up working longer hours and this, in turn, affect your productivity/health and social interaction time with loved ones. As a result, your life triangle becomes lopsided.

Regardless of age, the life triangle will still apply. This awareness will help to better prepare you for the journey. By and large, a teenager has lots of energy and time, but little money. A working adult has energy and money, and lack time at their disposal. As for those in old age, there is plenty of time and money, but a depleting tank of energy.

The Bible looks at time, money and energy as resources to grow. For example, this is illustrated in Matthew 25 which covers the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids, Parable of the Talent and the Final Judgment.

The following verse offers an insight on how life can be maintained in good balance and even expand the life triangle such that there will be more energy, money and time.  

"In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone." 2 Peter 1:5 (NLT)

The way to balance your life is not just about aligning your priorities. It’s about learning and changing from inside out. Use your resources to grow your inner circle of faith, character, skills/creativity, endurance, godliness, brotherly affection and love. Grow from the inside out and your triangle will grow. 

View energy-money-and-time as resources rather than priorities. Use the resources to upgrade your inner core and relationship with both God and people. A bigger inner circle will then be able to hold up a bigger triangle.

How To Be Strong In The LORD

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
The Lord will perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands." -- Psalm 138: 7-8 (NKJV)  

The many facets of truth and nuggets of wisdom from the Word of God have always been there for all and sundry. But, we need to turn aside to look into them and be blessed with our very own "burning bush" experience with the help of the Holy Spirit who teaches us.

Are you facing trouble on multiple fronts? The LORD will revive you as you walk uprightly with Him by faith. 

"Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened,

That it cannot save;

Nor His ear heavy,

That it cannot hear." -- Isaiah 59:1 (NKJV)

"He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." -- Psalm 23:3-4 (NKJV)

Humble yourself and call upon the LORD and He will save you, not just from sin, but also the difficulties you are dealt with. 

"I will cry out to God Most High,

To God who performs all things for me.

He shall send from heaven and save me;

He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. Selah

God shall send forth His mercy and His truth." -- Psalm 57:2-3 (NKJV)

Beyond saving you, the LORD is refining you as a constituent of His church that will be without blemish at His coming again. The confidence which Paul the apostle has declared continue to speak forth in truth: "I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return]." Philippians 1:6 (AMP) 

David was praising and worshipping God as well as declaring the lovingkindness and truth of God's Word way in Psalm 138:1-6 before he wrote verses 7-8. David was so full of eagerness to praise God that he will awaken the dawn (Psalm 57:8b) and was fully persuaded that God is so faithful and true that He has magnified His Word above all His name. David trusted God not because of His name alone but in the knowledge that God is both the personification and doer of His Word.

As you cry out to the LORD, may He indeed answer you and make you bold with strength in your soul. Amen.  

Sid Roth's It's Supernatural

Sometimes we are ridiculed for being overly spiritual and be labelled as 'too heavenly minded to be of any earthly good'.

Truth to be told, if we are indeed and truly heavenly-minded enough, our lives would never be the same again. 

Our LORD Jesus Christ is a prime example of being mindful of the will of our Heavenly Father so much so that He changed our world by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Click here for Sid Roth's It's Supernatural for some faith-building resources on the invisible realities amidst the natural world.

Are You Responsive to God?

"And the Lord said to Moses, “Cut two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I will write on these tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you broke. So be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself to Me there on the top of the mountain. And no man shall come up with you, and let no man be seen throughout all the mountain; let neither flocks nor herds feed before that mountain.” Exodus 34:1-3 (NKJV)

"Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him." Exodus 34:29 (NKJV)

Relationship depends on responsiveness. When God calls, how would you respond? Would you respond in obedience like Moses?

Consider also how David responded to God. "When You said, “Seek My face,”

My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” Psalm 27:8 (NKJV)

David responded without hesitation; he takes delight to fellowship with God.

Click here for Do You Want To See God's Glory? Then Do These Things. || Dr. Jerry Savelle || Feb 18, 2018.

Top Business Ideas from the Holy Bible

"And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." - Genesis 1:28 (KJV)

The 4 Steps to being successful in your endeavours such as investment and business with creativity and innovation are as follows:

1. Be Fruitful or Productive

2. Multiply Your Fruit

3. Replenish or Distribute Your Fruit

4. Subdue or Dominate Your Market (Sphere of Influence)


For your illumination on the above best practices, please click here for 4 Keys To Become CHRISTIAN BILLIONAIRE by Dr Myles Munroe (Must Watch!!!).

How To Live Above Your Circumstances

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air." --1 Corinthians 9:24-26 (NKJV)

For your encouragement and refreshing, the following is an extract from "On Holy Ground" by Pastor Charles F. Stanley:-

"A key to living above your circumstances is leaning on the faithfulness of Christ while refusing to be caught up in the instability of your surroundings. Paul used the analogy of a runner to explain how you are to respond to life's circumstances (1 Cor. 9:24-26).

You are to fix your gaze on the finish line and race with all your might toward that goal. Once God places a goal in your heart, never give up. Instead, move toward it with swiftness and courage."

  

The Person of The Holy Spirit

The following sketchy sermon notes is adapted from Pastor Bobby Chaw's preaching at City Harvest Church on 27 January 2018.

"And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to Aaron, and say to him, ‘When you arrange the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.’” And Aaron did so; he arranged the lamps to face toward the front of the lampstand, as the Lord commanded Moses. Now this workmanship of the lampstand was hammered gold; from its shaft to its flowers it was hammered work. According to the pattern which the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand." -- Numbers 8:1-4 (NKJV)

The golden lampstand has a form and function in the Holy of Holies. What is the message of the lampstand?

The lampstand is made of pure gold and not just coated with gold. Gold is a symbol of God's nature. The lamps give light and God is light. The seven lamps refer to the seven-fold Spirit of God as outlined in Isaiah 11:1-3, namely: Spirit of the LORD, wisdom, understanding,  counsel, might, knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

In the Holy of Holies, the high priest depends on the light (power) of the Holy Spirit. The light is divisive as it exposes the good and the bad.

In Luke 4:18-19 (NKJV) Jesus refers to the Spirit of the LORD:-

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, 

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

The Holy Spirit is a Person; be sensitive to the Person of the Holy Spirit. Learn to feel, think and direct your mind to the Presence of the Holy Spirit. "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." -- Romans 8:5 (NKJV)

The Holy Spirit and the Anointing are synonymous. When the Holy Spirit is with us, we are anointed. And, this for me is the big takeaway from the sermon -- that we need to fellowship with the Holy Spirit as a Person. 

Allow the Holy Spirit to come in His seven-fold fullness and let Him lead and direct you as you trust and obey. Your life will never be the same again as the oil of the Holy Spirit keeps giving you light and shines through you. 

Won't you make room for the Holy Spirit willingly each day? 

Men's Meeting with Bishop Dale Bronner on 23 June 2017

(The following are excerpts with adaptation from what Bishop Dale Bronner had shared during a Men's Meeting held at City Harvest Church on 23 June 2017.)

Mistakes. All of us have made mistakes in life. However, your past failings do not define you or make you a failure in life. Your past prepares you for the future. The power to define is the power to determine destiny. Add a positive "yet" to your confession. Don't just say: "I have not done what I ought to do", but say: "I have not done what I ought to do yet." "I am not a millionaire yet." You are not done yet.

Truth be told, you are empowered by where you have been been -- in the difficult situations and circumstances of, say, pains and struggles. Failure teaches much than success will. Your power is from where you have been. That’s where you find, inter alia, Grace, Strength and Sanctification.

Moses was at the back of the desert before he had his burning bush encounter with God, and before he confronted Pharaoh. The past prepares you for the meeting with God, and your transformation after the meeting in your being a doer of the Word of God will revolutionise your life.

God gives seed to the sower. Measure the success of your day by the seeds that you sow. Success is not measured by the size of your harvest. After all, one sows, one waters, another reaps, but it is God who gives the increase.

Each of us is a seed. Until we are in the right atmosphere, nothing will happen. When men pray passionately, watch out. When you read the Word of God you will find that the Bible is the only book when you open it, the Author is present.

You charge and change the atmosphere by your prayers. Your power is in your place of prayer, pain, addiction. God works through you by where and what you have been through. Every thing you have experienced have prepared you for this season. You know what to do or not to do again; you have learnt. God won't make you do right, but makes you wish you had done right.

When you have been with God, He turns your pain into power. Your past is your ammunition. Your ministry comes out of your past. God never give a gift which is not needed; you just have to find where it is needed. Go where the hunger or appetite is. The ravens (from which come the word "ravenous") are not known to wanna share their food. But God commanded them to feed His prophet Elijah. 

STAY HUNGRY. Fast in your pursuit for God. There are people who are starving for Jesus but are not hungry for Him. Thank God for your appetite for the things of God. Stay hungry. Sick people don't have appetite. You are in danger when you loose your hunger. Are my associates stimulating or suppressing my hunger? Men ought always to pray and not faint. We never had to ponder "Why should I go to the grocery store?" Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

STAY HUMBLE. Humus, of the earth. Be on your knees. When you are on your knees it stabilises you. It takes humility. When you are under stress, anxiety and frustration, this is the call to prayer, humility and dependency on God -- the Higher Power. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

STAY HONEST. You don't know who people are really like until you give them power. Power reveals the condition of the man’s heart. The Shunnamite woman provided a room for prophet Elisha's use and furnished it with a bed, a table, a chair and a lamp.

These are the essentials which every man needs. Bed - place to rest. You make different decisions when you are tired. Table - place to eat and nourish the soul. Chair - place to study. Lamp - illumination of the Holy Spirit.

Stay true to your calling, your real identity. Live according to what you were made for. Take care of your H.A.T. where H = Habits, A = Associations and T = Thoughts.

HABITS. You are what you perpetually do. Your habits prophesy your future. The secret of success is found in your daily routine.

ASSOCIATION. Taking a leaf from Jim Rohn, "You are the average of the five persons you are closest to." Is God amongst  your selected 5? Direction determines destiny. The enemy will try to frustrate (to deceive) you. Associations are like an elevator. The right associations will elevate you.

THOUGHTS. As a man thinks in his heart (spirit), so is he. I am a new creation made in the image of God. One God-thought can change your life forever..

Jabez (he who causes pain) may have been one who caused so much pain to his mother when she gave birth to him. Yet, Jabez was eventually considered more honourable than all his brothers. You cannot give birth without pain. Sin entices with quick relieve and initial enjoyment, but ultimately seeks to enslave and dominate. Pain is necessary. Jacob intervened and changed Rachel's second son's name to Benjamin (Son of the Right Hand); she had call him Ben-Oni (Son of my Sorrow) just before she breathed her last while giving birth to him.

Remember your strength in your pain. Your past prepares you. It does not define you. People can put a label on you. Jacob's name means supplanter, deceiver, con artist, or trickster. Jacob wrestled with God all night and would not let Him, even when God had touched and caused the socket of his hip to be out of joint, till He blessed him. God then changed Jacob's name to Israel which means Prince with God. Jacob walked with a limp thereafter as a reminder of what God had delivered him from.

Your weakness is an opportunity for your testimony to be shared. God's grace is sufficient for you, for His power is made perfect in weakness. This is a sign of your turning point. Abracadabra is an Aramaic word for "I create why I speak." You shall eat the fruit of your lips. Life and death are in the power of the tongue. Have a tenacity to pursue God's best for you. We are creators unlike the magicians who are merely illusionists even though they say, "Abracadabra!" "I create while I speak." 

Remember what Jesus said in Mark 11:22-24 (NKJV): "So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."

Jabez got sick of hurting people. He asked God to bless him indeed. God does a great work in you before He can do a great work through you. "God, make me a blessing. Lord, bless me. Put your power in me; empower me to prosper." Blessing does not mean exemption from persecution. Joseph went to jail. You are not defined by where you are. Ask God to bless your desires (so that they are in alignment with what He desires of you).

As with Jabez, ask God to enlarge your territory. We are in a shift now. Pray that God's Hand of favour and protection be on you. Pray that God will keep you from the evil. 

Do something great in me, O God, so that I can have homegrown food to export. Do something great in me so that You can do something great through me.

About Bishop Dale C. Bronner

Bishop Bronner is the founder/senior pastor of Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral, a thriving interdenominational ministry with more than 19,000 members. He is a much sought after conference speaker and leadership trainer, whose travels have taken him around the world. An accomplished author, Bishop Bronner's message reaches millions daily through his international multi-media broadcast.  

Dream Big, Think Small: An Interview with Jeff Manion by Jonathan Petersen

If you wanna get some gentle reminders and fresh insights on how to live an extraordinary life one day at a time, then you might wanna take up "Dream Big, Think Small" by Jeff Manion.

The 'trick' or often overlooked secret to our quest for our dream life and doing great things for God is really the sum of our daily activities. The prize or rewards do not come sensationally overnight, but it is an accumulation of our faithfulness in the the little things of daily habits such as prayer, guarding our hearts, and the "one thing" of learning the Word of God with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Click here to read An Interview with Jeff Manion by Jonathan Petersen.

Friendship

"But in Friendship, being free of all that, we think we have chosen our peers. In reality, a few years' difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another, posting to different regiments, the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting—any of these chances might have kept us apart. 

But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking, no chances. A secret Master of the Ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," can truly say to every group of Christian friends "You have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another." 

The Friendship is not a reward for our discrimination and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each the beauties of all the others. They are no greater than the beauties of a thousand other men; by Friendship God opens our eyes to them. They are, like all beauties, derived from Him, and then, in a good Friendship, increased by Him through the Friendship itself, so that it is His instrument for creating as well as for revealing.” 

― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

Jesus' Advice For Writers

As an aspiring writer, I was enthused to discover the following advice from Jesus regarding what scribes (writers) would do in my recent reading from the Gospel of Jesus Christ:-

"Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” " -- Matthew 13: 52 (NKJV)

Inspired by this nugget of wisdom from Jesus Himself, I would venture to say that a writer brings out the best that he has learnt and kept preciously in his memory bank -- things he has learnt from way back and things that are like fresh bread from heaven.

And, the key to learning anything is a 10-letter word called UNDERSTAND which Jesus has taught when explaining the Parable of the Sower:-

"But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”" -- Matthew 13:23 (NKJV)

Interestingly, Jesus' parables involves daily chores such as farming and husbandry of which his audience in that era could identify with ease. 

Without a doubt, Jesus is a Master Teacher. As observed by Benjamin Franklin, "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."

Consider the Word of God

The following is an adaptation on selected highlights of Rev Dr Kong Hee's preaching on Faith, Trust & Rest (Part 1) in City Harvest Church on 7 November 2015 for your edification. 

For the full sermon, please surf to The Ink Room http://www.theinkroom.com.sg/ 

"Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform." Romans 4:16-21 (NKJV)

By grace and through faith, and by believing with full conviction on the promises, we shall surely obtained God's promises for us. Many of us missed out on the promises of God due to unbelief. Not so with Abraham, who did not consider his old body, but kept believing the God will indeed make him a father of many nations. As with God, he calls those things which do not exist as though they did.

Here then is an important principle: 

WHATEVER WE CONSIDER, OUR HEART WILL BECOME OPEN TO; WHATEVER WE DON'T CONSIDER, IS WHAT WE WILL BECOME HARDENED TO.

Consider means 'think and ponder carefully, give attention to, direct our entire mind or focus on'.

In the feeding of the five thousand (Mark 6:30-39), Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, ".. looked up to heaven and said a blessing of praise and thanksgiving to the Father..". (Mark 6:41; AMP) Jesus did not consider the apparent lack and chose to look to the Father for heavenly provision.

After the feeding of the feeding of the five thousand, "Jesus immediately insisted that His disciples get into the boat and go ahead [of Him] to the other side to Bethsaida, while He was dismissing the crowd. And after He said goodbye to them, He went to the mountain to pray. 

Now when evening had come, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and Jesus was alone on the land. Seeing the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night (3:00-6:00 a.m.) He came to them, walking on the sea. And [acted as if] He intended to pass by them. But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost, and cried out [in horror]; for they all saw Him and were shaken and terrified. But He immediately spoke with them and said, “Take courage! It is I (I Am)! Stop being afraid.” 

Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased [as if exhausted by its own activity]; and they were completely overwhelmed, because they had not understood [the miracle of] the loaves [how it revealed the power and deity of Jesus]; but [in fact] their heart was hardened [being oblivious and indifferent to His amazing works]." (Mark 6:46-52; AMP)

Did you read that Jesus insisted that His disciples get into the boat while he retreated to the mountain to pray? Perhaps He already knew that a storm would be looming and it would be an opportune time to see how well they would fare this time round without Him in the boat. Earlier on in Mark 4:35-41 when the disciples encountered a storm, Jesus was sleeping in the stern of the boat before they woke Him up to calm the storm.

The storm was so severe that the disciples were straining at rowing. Straining as in 'tortured, in pain, torment'. Nevertheless, Jesus did not intervene then, and when he walked by on the water at the fourth watch, He would have walked passed them had they not cried out in terror, supposing Him to be a phantom. The disciples had seen many of Jesus' miracles, but they did not consider Jesus' deity and power in the light of their subsequent challenges.

"Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as [your fathers did] in the rebellion [of Israel at Meribah], on the day of testing in the wilderness," Hebrews 3:7-8 (AMP)

When the disciples could not cast out the boy with a mute spirit, his father brought him to Jesus. "Jesus said to him, “[You say to Me,] ‘If You can?’ All things are possible for the one who believes and trusts [in Me]!” Immediately the father of the boy cried out [with a desperate, piercing cry], saying, “I do believe; help [me overcome] my unbelief.” Mark 9:23-24 (AMP) 

Then, Jesus commanded the deaf and dumb spirit to come out of the boy for good.

To digress from the sermon, here is a refresher on faith. "Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]." Hebrews 11:6 (AMP)

Back to the sermon. Jesus said: "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!’ and does not doubt in his heart [in God’s unlimited power], but believes that what he says is going to take place, it will be done for him [in accordance with God’s will]. For this reason I am telling you, whatever things you ask for in prayer [in accordance with God’s will], believe [with confident trust] that you have received them, and they will be given to you." Mark 11:23-24 (AMP)

Even when Jarius' daughter had died while Jesus was on the way to heal her, Jesus told him, “Do not be afraid; only keep on believing [in Me and my power].” Mark 5:36b (AMP) 

Abraham was fully convinced of God's ability. "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness." Romans 4:20-22 (KJV)

As believers, let us remember to:-

"Bless the Lord, O my soul;

And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And forget not all His benefits:

Who forgives all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from destruction,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,

Who satisfies your mouth with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s." Psalm 103:1-2 (NKJV)