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? 

Watch City Harvest Church Videos on YouTube

For your edification, please click here to access an extensive selection of sermon snippets, praise and worship songs as well as special highlights from City Harvest Church.

The following is a sample for your spiritual nourishment:

Kong Hee - Power of Confession (Part 1) [2017-02-18] 

City Harvest Church: Sun Ho - My Journey With The Holy Spirit 

Pure As Gold - Annabel Soh 

City Harvest Church: Bobby Chaw - Numbers 4 - Ministry Of The Levites 


City Harvest Church: Easter Production 2017 - Unforgotten

"Journey to the Beautiful Life" by Rev Wu Yuzhuang

The following article with adaptation is based on what Pastor Wu Yuzhuang of City Harvest Church had preached during the 3 p.m. service on 2 September 2017.

"One day at three o’clock in the afternoon, Peter and John were on their way into the Temple for prayer meeting. At the same time there was a man crippled from birth being carried up. Every day he was set down at the Temple gate, the one named Beautiful, to beg from those going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter the Temple, he asked for a handout. Peter, with John at his side, looked him straight in the eye and said, “Look here.” He looked up, expecting to get something from them.

Peter said, “I don’t have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!” He grabbed him by the right hand and pulled him up. In an instant his feet and ankles became firm. He jumped to his feet and walked. 

The man went into the Temple with them, walking back and forth, dancing and praising God. Everybody there saw him walking around and praising God. They recognized him as the one who sat begging at the Temple’s Gate Beautiful and rubbed their eyes, astonished, scarcely believing what they were seeing." -- Acts 3: 1-10 (MSG)

The gate where the man crippled from birth sat begging for alms was named Beautiful. Yet, the man's life was anything but beautiful; he had to beg for a subsistence life.

After all these years he could have resigned himself to the fact that the beautiful life was for all the people going into the Temple; it was not for him -- can see only but not touch. Perhaps he didn't even venture into the Temple because he was disheartened by his physical constraint. He didn't feel blessed or thankful and might well be wallowing in self-pity day in and day out.

Today was just another humdrum day, he thought. As usual, he was begging. But, he asked right today! He asked for alms from Peter, the apostle of faith, who was accompanied by John, the apostle of love, while they were coming for prayer meeting. Faith + Love + Prayer = Power of God.

He asked for a handout. But, Peter gave him something exceedingly far better than money. Peter invoked the name of Jesus Christ and unleashed the healing power of God to heal the lame man. 

Sensing the strength in his legs, the man "jumped to his feet and walked" and went into the temple with them "walking, leaping and praising God" Acts 3: 8b (NKJV). Indeed, like what has been recorded in Isaiah 35:6a (NKJV) on the future glory of Zion (the church of Jesus Christ), "Then the lame shall leap like a deer".

In life sometimes we do need people to help or carry us when we have a physical impediment, face setbacks or meet with adversities. But, people can only carry us so far to the brink of our breakthrough, destiny or miracle.

The lame man had people who were faithful to carry him to the Beautiful gate. The key to the blessing of God is showing up. Back-sliders might reach a stage where they analyse or question why they need to go to church. Is it because of praise and worship, giving of tithe and offering, prayer, hearing the Word of God, partaking the bread and wine during Holy Communion and/or receiving the benediction given by the pastor at the end of the service?

By focussing on the doings, we miss out on the essence of Who -- why we do what we do or who are we honouring and acknowledging by doing what we do. King David, a man after God's own heart, declared in Psalm 122:1 (NKJV), "I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.”

Also, our approach to God must be reverential and honouring, as preached by Rev Bobby Chaw recently when he reminded us on what the LORD has said in Leviticus 10:3 (NKJV), "By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified."

When Jesus was in the wilderness, the devil put Him through three tests with the evil intent of rattling His identity:

1. Performance-based Identity (I am what I do)

'If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.'

2. Popularity-based Identity (I am how many followers I have)

'If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: "He shall give His angels charge concerning you."'

3. Possession-based Identity (I am what I have)

'All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.'

Back to our condition in life. Don't stay down and wallow in self-pity. You don't need to succumb to an identity crisis because of wrong thinking which leads to negative emotions and warped (carnal) mindset which is out of alignment with God's Word concerning you. You don't have to seek validation from other people in order to feel good about yourself. If God be for you, who can be against you?

Being carried and lifted up is an experience. But, God wants to give you more. He wants to take you on a journey to the beautiful life. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10 (NKJV) 

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Cor. 5:17 (NKJV) 

Jumping up and walking is the journey. The crippled man moved from dependence to independence! Man, he was ready for his breakthrough and he seized it without hesitation when God touched him. Get ready for your breakthrough/destiny/miracle today!

Click here to watch a snippet of the sermon.

For your further encouragement, click here to watch and listen to CityWorship: Miracle // Teo Poh Heng @ City Harvest Church.

Look at the Birds

(The following sermon notes with adaptation is based on what Bishop Dale Bronner had shared on 24 June 2017 at City Harvest Church.) 

"If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. 

If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."  -- Matthew 6:25-34 (MSG)

God is for you. God is in you. God moves through you. Find supernatural help by knowing that God is with you. Don't lose you head over a piece of tail. A squirrel was crossing a rail track when its tail got ran over by a train. As it turned back to look, it lost its head, too. 

In Matthew 6:26, Jesus urges us to look at the birds. You don't have to be concerned with everything that is happening. God takes care of the birds. 

Photo: Pixabay

1. Birds don't stress. The same God who fed them yesterday will also feed them today. Every morning they break fast as they look forward to breakfast. They get food for their young. God has got their provisions under control. Stress is a call to prayer. You weren't design to do certain things on your own. Birds can fly but some choose to walk. They are not in a rush. 

2. Birds don't stress over time! Time is subjective. Time is slow when you are waiting. Time is very fast whenever you are late. Time is supposed to be consistent. 

Birds can only carry a little. Little begins the process. Are you paying attention to the lessons of nature? Consider the ants. The little ants are diligent. Be diligent in what you do.

Don't expect to possess the promise if you cannot embrace the process!

"Give me a clean heart to pursue the things of God."  A desire without discipline becomes a delusion.  There is a process involved; it happens and unfolds over time.

Whenever God has something installed for you to do there is distraction. The greatest enemy to your destiny is a clear path to a lesser goal. 

Everything happens in an atmosphere. When the atmosphere is conducive, a seed will germinate and sprout. A little prayer begins the process of prayer.

The greatest blessing comes from serving other people. Everybody, even a billionaire, still has a need to be met. If you can meet the need of others, it could open their hearts towards you to receive the Gospel or to bless you with their insights or expert advice. When you serve, God opens the door. 

Relationships account for 80% of our happiness. If relationships are what matters at the end of the day, shouldn’t it matter now? An African woman who has her own house and grow her own food supply was once asked, "What would you do with $50k? She replied, "I guess I would give the money to somebody who need it."

Wealth is measured by how little you need. Be rich in His Peace and contentment. Christianity is the only religion that replaces religion with relationships. Take care of your relationships with the people that matter. The church is a family of families. There is only one way to happiness. And that is to cease worrying about things that are beyond you. 

In Psalm 46:10, God reminds us to, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"

When we put our cares in His hands He put his Peace on our heart. 

Take a leaf from the 72 Hour Rule. If it won't matter in 72 hours, it never did matter. If you won't feel the need to react in 72 hours, do not react at all. If someone hurt you, and hasn't checked on you in 72 hours, move on.

Go to the source not the symptoms. Our job is a resource. God is our Source. We suffer from destination syndrome. There is no finish line! Keep going. Birds never stop searching for food. 

Far be it from us to say "I have read the Bible" or "I have prayed" which sound like it is once and for all enough. Men ought always pray and not faint.

Circumstances don't determine your outlook. Manage your miracle! Whatever you pray and came about is a miracle. Now you have to manage the miracle. When you don't know how to manage the miracle, the solution is to simplify. 

Life is like a 4-act play. After the drama, the curtain closes for the setting of the next scene. Then comes the grand finale where every culminates. In every narrative God is writing an epic and would not leave Himself out. And we know that all things (good and bad) will "... work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28b; NKJV)

Every drama needs an antagonist ... this produces energy and makes you stronger on the inside as a believer as your faith is proven. There is glory in your story. The next chapter is a shift. The greater  the darkness the greater the glory. There is treasure hidden in darkness. Hidden for you and not from you.

The little begins the process. Birds are little but they have much to teach us. Look at the birds which are well taken of by God who is big enough to take care of us all. Let go, let God and let's get going to keep at doing our little things. Little becomes much over time and when placed in God's Hands.

Do not become weary in well doing. May God multiply the works of your hands!

Footnote from the writings of Charles F. Stanley:-

"What does living life to the fullest mean to you? Some may picture a lifelong dream being fulfilled. Others may think of a comfortable retirement, while many more envision what they can achieve if given enough time. But if you really want to start living life to the fullest, begin with Jesus. He is the fulfillment of all your dreams. In Him, you will find the things you need the most -- contentment, love, and friendship."

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.  

DIVINE PRIORITY

Recently, Rev. Dr. Kong Hee of City Harvest Church has been preaching a series of messages on the "Kingdom of God".

The following is a brief recapitulation and adaptation of his preaching on 25 & 26 March 2017 for your edification. 

However, you gotta get hold of the sermon CDs from The Ink Room so that you can listen to them. After all, faith comes from hearing the Word of God. There is power in the spoken word; God spoke the universe into existence where "Uni" means "One" and "verse" means "poetic verse" in Latin.

In Genesis 1:26 God gave man dominion over the creatures He has created. "Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”" Genesis 1:26 (NKJV)

To have dominion means having authority as a king over a territory or a domain. Interestingly, God did not give man the authority to subdue other people.

A king has authority over a realm while a lord has ownership (e.g. landlord). In Psalm 24:1 (NKJV) we understand that:- 

"The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,

The world and those who dwell therein."

"But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant." Matthew 20:25-26 (NKJV)

The Kingdom of God is a king of kings; servant kings. It is filled by believers who serve others with dignity as opposed to servitude.

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:" John 1:12 (NKJV) 

As sons and daughters of the Most High God, we are the King's kids; princes and princesses. (This truth need to be told more often so that it is not sidelined to the corner of fairy tales or myths and legends.)

"The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to be king over all, but all who will take God’s gift of forgiveness and acquittal are kings of life because of this one man, Jesus Christ." Romans 15:7 (TLB)

Indeed we are meant to reign in life as kings in Christ Jesus.

Our reign is on this earth. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5 (NKJV)

"The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s;
But the earth He has given to the children of men." Psalm 115:16 (NKJV)

God is fittingly both our KING and our LORD. As declared in Revelation 19:16 (NKJV), "And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS."  

God gave man a lease agreement over the earth. God Himself will not violate His words. 

The authority over the earth was, however, relinquished to the enemy of our faith when man fell into sin. 

"Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish." Luke 4:5 - 6 (NKJV) 

God need to look for a human to intervene on this earth. By prayer, we give God permission to move and intervene on this earth while the lease is still operative.

“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

“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 18:18-19 (NKJV)

"Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15 (NKJV)

Repent means a total change of thinking resulting in a total change of action.

Jesus has already dealt with sin and the devil. Our greatest enemy is ignorance.

According to Abraham Maslow, the basic needs of man are food, water, clothing and housing. Truth be told, these have already revealed by Jesus Christ way back during His earthly ministry.

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?" Matthew 6:25 (NKJV)

God is a Spirit and mammon is also a spirit. Mammon is the spirit of this world which makes us worry about food, drinks, clothing and housing.

Hear then from Matthew 6:33 on the Divine Priority:-

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

DIVINE PRIORITY means that seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness is the most important thing in life. T

To seek means to pursue fervently. Seek Him first and only; not seek Him first and then seek after mammon. The two are mutually exclusive. Make the Kingdom of God your highest priority. Don’t imbibe the spirit of mammon. Repent from giving leeway to the spirit of mammon. Align your thinking with the Word of God.

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24 (NKJV)

When we acknowledge God as LORD, it means that He is our supreme owner. Seeking God first is a "Yes, LORD." response. When we say that God is LORD, but respond with 'Yes, LORD, but ...', this is an oxymoron.  

There is a cost to following Jesus through whom we come to God our Heavenly Father.

"Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Luke 9:57,58 (NKJV)

Jesus said matter of factly that it could be costly to follow Him; one might have to give up the comfort of home or house even.

"Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Luke 9:59 (NKJV)

This man was called by Jesus specifically, but he was not ready till his earthly father has passed on.

"And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”" Luke 9:61, 62 (NKJV)

This follower kept looking back to unresolved distractions; he did not have a clear priority to seek God first and only.

We are in the world but not of the world. What are you giving strength to? Are you controlled by mammon or led by the Holy Spirit? Are you giving yourself consistently to the things of God and allowing Him first priority in life, above all?

Then there is the account of the rich young ruler. "Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." Matthew 19:21,22 (NKJV)

For sure, God is a rewarder and He will show Himself faithful to those who follow Him to the end with the right motive. (Bottom line: If we have Jesus, He is our everything.)

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." Matthew 19:29 (NKJV)

"So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”" Luke 18:29,30 (NKJV)

Repent and cast aside mammon. God has something better for us -- Divine Priority. Get this right, and we will enjoy life as God has intended for us. He is a good God who takes care of the flowers and birds. Surely, He will take care of us, too, as we submit to His reign in our lives as the King of Kings and LORD of lords.

About Kong Hee

REVERENCE AND RELEVANCE.

These two words encapsulate the crux of Kong Hee’s life-transforming message to the masses: “Loving God Wholeheartedly and Loving People Fervently.”

There is much value in the simplicity of this maxim that effectively demonstrates the vertical aspect of the Cross—having a deep relationship and reverence for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; as well as the horizontal aspect—stepping out of the confines of our personal needs to meet the needs of others.

Preaching the gospel of Christ in a manner that is both progressive and heartfelt, Kong is a highly sought-after conference speaker worldwide, and his messages reach out to touch and minister to millions of lives through many multimedia platforms. Kong’s revelatory emphasis of the Great Commandment, the Great Commission and the Cultural Mandate resonates powerfully within 21st Century Christianity by inspiring believers everywhere to take on the mantle of Kingdom ambassadorship. Not just within the four walls of the church or within full-time ministry, but in whichever areas of society God has placed them in.