Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Leonard Ravenhill's tombstone
I like this - revivalist Leonard Ravenhill's tombstone. Says "Carried by angels" and "Are the things you are living for worth Christ dying for."
Monday, December 27, 2010
The Gospel of Prayer (Leonard Ravenhill)
There's nothing more transfiguring than prayer. People often ask, "Why do you insist on prayer so much?" The answer is very simple - because Jesus did. You could change the title of the Gospel according to St. Luke to the Gospel of Prayer. It's the prayer life of Jesus. The other evangelists say that Jesus was in the Jordan and the Spirit descended on Him as a dove - Luke says it was while He was praying that the Spirit descended on Him. The other evangelists say that Jesus chose 12 disciples - Luke says it was after He spent a night in prayer that He chose 12 disciples. The other evangelists say that Jesus died on a cross - Luke says that even when He was dying Jesus was praying for those who persecuted Him. The other evangelists say Jesus went on a mount and He was transfigured - Luke says it was while He was praying that He was transfigured. There's nothing more transfiguring than prayer.
The Scriptures say that the disciples went to bed, but Jesus went to pray - as was His custom. It was His custom to pray. Now Jesus was the Son of God - He was definitely anointed for His ministry. If Jesus needed all that time in prayer, don't you and I need time in prayer? If Jesus needed it in every crisis, don't you and I need it in every crisis?
The story goes that a group of tourists visiting a picturesque village saw an old man sitting by a fence. In a rather patronizing way, one of the visitors asked, "Were any great men born in this village?" Without looking up the old man replied, "No, only babies." The greatest men were once babies. The greatest saints were once toddlers in the things of the Spirit.
C. H. Spurgeon was converted at the age of 16 and began preaching in London at the age of 19. When he was 27, they built him a tabernacle seating 6,000 which he packed twice on Sundays - that's 12,000 - and once on Thursday nights. How? He waited on God. He got alone with God. He studied...and he prayed.
Desperate Prayer
God makes all His best people in loneliness. Do you know what the secret of praying is? Praying in secret. "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door..." (Matt. 6:6). You can't show off when the door's shut and nobody's there. You can't display your gifts. You can impress others, but you can't impress God.
I Samuel 1:1-15 gives an account of the yearly trip Elkanah and his wife, Hannah, made to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord. During this time, Hannah had been distressed that she was not able to bear a son for her husband. This passage of Scripture gives quite a descriptive account of her time in prayer concerning the barrenness of her womb. It says that Hannah wept. More than this, she wept until she was sore. She poured out her soul before the Lord. Her heart was grieving; she was bitter of soul, provoked, and of a sorrowful spirit.
Now that's a pretty good list of afflictions - sorrow, hardship, and everything else that came upon this woman. But the key to the whole situation is that she was a praying woman. In verse 20 it says that she reaped her reward. "And it came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, 'Because I have asked him of the Lord.'"
Now I say very often - and people don't like it - that God doesn't answer prayer. He answers desperate prayer! Your prayer life denotes how much you depend on your own ability, and how much you really believe in your heart when you sing, "Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling...." The more self- confidence you have, the less you pray. The less self-confidence you have, the more you have to pray.
What does the Scripture say? It says that God takes the lowly, the things that are not. Paul says in I Corinthians 1:28 that God takes the things that are not to bring to nothing the things that are, so that no flesh should glory in His presence. We need a bunch of "are nots" today.
The Language of the Poor
Prayer is the language of the poor. Over and over again David, the King of Israel, says, "Incline Thine ear, O Lord, and answer me; for I am afflicted and needy" (Psalm 86:1). And do you remember that one of the greatest psalms he wrote says, "This poor man cried and the Lord heard him..." (Psalm 34:6).
The apostle Paul overwhelms me with his spirituality, his pedigree, his colossal intellect. Yet he says that he's very conscious that when he's weak, he is strong. He was always trying to prove to himself and to others that he was a nobody.
True prayer is a two-way communication. I speak to God and God speaks to me. I don't know how the Spirit makes communication - or why God needs me to pray - but that's how God works.
"Get Up And Pray!"
One day I was at a conference with Dr. V. Raymond Edman of Wheaton College, one of the greatest Christian educators in this country. He told us of an experience he had while he was in Ecuador as a missionary. He hadn't been there long before he was sick and dying. He was so near death that they had already dug his grave. He had great beads of sweat on his brow and there was a death rattle in his throat. But suddenly he sat straight up in bed and said to his wife, "Bring me my clothes!" Nobody knew what had happened.
Many years later he was retelling the story in Boston. Afterward, a little old lady with a small, dog-eared, beaten-up book, approached him and asked, "What day did you say you were dying? What time was it in Ecuador? What time would it be in Boston?" When he answered her, her wrinkled face lit up. Pointing to her book, she said. "There it is, you see? At 2 a.m. God said to get up and pray - the devil's trying to kill Raymond Edman in Ecuador." And she'd gotten up and prayed.
Duncan Campbell told the story of hearing a farmer in his field who was praying. He was praying about Greece. Afterward, he asked him why he was praying. The man said, "I don't know. I had a burden in the spirit and God said, 'You pray; there's someone in Greece that is in a bad situation.' I prayed until I got a release." Two or three years later the farmer was in a meeting listening to a missionary. The man described a time when he was working in Greece. He had been in serious trouble. The time? Two or three years ago. The men compared notes and discovered that it was the very same day that God had burdened a farmer, on a little island off the coast of Scotland, to pray for a man in Greece whose name he didn't even know.
It may seem the Lord gives you strange things. I don't care. If the Lord tells you something, carry on with what the Lord tells you.
Who Shall Ascend to the Hill of the Lord?"
There's another experience Duncan Campbell told about when he was working in Scotland.
"I couldn't preach," he said. "I couldn't get through to God. The heavens were solid. It was as though there was a 10 ft. ceiling of steel." So he quit trying to preach. He asked a young man named John Cameron to pray. The boy stood up and said, "What's the use of praying if we're not right with God?" He quoted the 24th Psalm, "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?"
You can't approach God unless your hands are clean, which means your relationships with others are clean and your heart is clean. "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? He who has clean hands and a pure heart..." (Psalm 24.3-4).
After the boy recited Psalm 24 he began to pray. He prayed 10, 15, 20 minutes. Then he suddenly said, "Excuse me, Lord, while I resist the devil." He turned around and began to tell the devil where to go and how to get there. He fought for all he was worth. You talk about having on the armor of God and resisting the devil! When he finished resisting the devil, he finished his prayer. He prayed for 45 minutes! When he finished praying it was just as though God had pulled a little switch in heaven. The Spirit of God came down on that church, that community, on the dance hall at the other end of town, and the tavern on this end of town. Revival was born in that prayer!
At the end of Malachi it says, "And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly (that's the word I like, suddenly) come to his temple" (Malachi 3:1). Remember what it says about the shepherds? They were watching their flocks by night when suddenly there was the sound of the heavenly host. Do you remember a bunch of men that had been waiting in the upper room? Suddenly the Holy Spirit came on them in that room.
There's a date in history that I love very much. It was Wednesday, August 13, 1737. A little group of people in Moravia were waiting in a prayer meeting. At 11:00 suddenly the Holy Spirit came. Do you know what happened? The prayer meeting that began at 11:00 lasted 100 years! That's right. That prayer room was not empty for a century! It's the longest prayer among men and women that I know of. Even children six and seven years old travailed in prayer for countries the names of which they couldn't even spell.
Why We Don't Have Revival
In an old town in Ireland they'll show you with reverence a place where four young men met night after night after night praying for revival. In Wales, there's a place in the hills where three or four young men only 18 or 19 years old met and prayed night after night. They wouldn't let God go; they would not take no for an answer. As far as humanly possible they prayed a revival into birth. If you're thinking of revival at your church without any inconvenience, forget it. Revival costs a lot.
I can give you one simple reason why we don't have revival in America. Because we're content to live without it. We're not seeking God - we're seeking miracles, we're seeking big crusades, we're seeking blessings. In Numbers 11, Moses said to God, "You're asking me to carry a burden I can't handle. Do something or kill me!" Do you love America enough to say, "God, send revival or kill me"? Do you think it's time we changed Patrick Henry's prayer from, "Give me liberty or give me death," to "Give me revival or let me die"?
In the 30th chapter of Genesis, Rachael goes to Jacob and throws herself down in despair. She says, "Give me children or else I die." Are you willing to throw yourself down before God to seek the spiritual birth of spiritual children in our country?
People say, "I'm filled with the Holy Spirit." If the coming of the Spirit didn't revolutionize your prayer life, you'd better check on it. I'm not so sure you got what God wanted you to get.
We've said that prayer changes things. No! Prayer doesn't change things. Prayer changes people and they change things. We all want Gabriel to do the job. God says do it yourself - with My sufficiency and My strength.
We need to get like this woman, Hannah. What did she do? She wept, she was grieved, she said she had a complaint, she fasted - and she prayed.
Jesus, the anointed of God, made prayer His custom. Paul, with his background and intellect, depended on prayer because he said he was weak. David, the king, called himself a poor man and cried to the Lord. Hannah prayed for a son and gave birth to a prophet. The prayers of a handful of young men sparked revival.
There's nothing more transfiguring than prayer.
Copyright (C)1994 by Leonard Ravenhill, Lindale, Texas - http://www.ravenhill.org/
The Scriptures say that the disciples went to bed, but Jesus went to pray - as was His custom. It was His custom to pray. Now Jesus was the Son of God - He was definitely anointed for His ministry. If Jesus needed all that time in prayer, don't you and I need time in prayer? If Jesus needed it in every crisis, don't you and I need it in every crisis?
The story goes that a group of tourists visiting a picturesque village saw an old man sitting by a fence. In a rather patronizing way, one of the visitors asked, "Were any great men born in this village?" Without looking up the old man replied, "No, only babies." The greatest men were once babies. The greatest saints were once toddlers in the things of the Spirit.
C. H. Spurgeon was converted at the age of 16 and began preaching in London at the age of 19. When he was 27, they built him a tabernacle seating 6,000 which he packed twice on Sundays - that's 12,000 - and once on Thursday nights. How? He waited on God. He got alone with God. He studied...and he prayed.
Desperate Prayer
God makes all His best people in loneliness. Do you know what the secret of praying is? Praying in secret. "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door..." (Matt. 6:6). You can't show off when the door's shut and nobody's there. You can't display your gifts. You can impress others, but you can't impress God.
I Samuel 1:1-15 gives an account of the yearly trip Elkanah and his wife, Hannah, made to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord. During this time, Hannah had been distressed that she was not able to bear a son for her husband. This passage of Scripture gives quite a descriptive account of her time in prayer concerning the barrenness of her womb. It says that Hannah wept. More than this, she wept until she was sore. She poured out her soul before the Lord. Her heart was grieving; she was bitter of soul, provoked, and of a sorrowful spirit.
Now that's a pretty good list of afflictions - sorrow, hardship, and everything else that came upon this woman. But the key to the whole situation is that she was a praying woman. In verse 20 it says that she reaped her reward. "And it came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, 'Because I have asked him of the Lord.'"
Now I say very often - and people don't like it - that God doesn't answer prayer. He answers desperate prayer! Your prayer life denotes how much you depend on your own ability, and how much you really believe in your heart when you sing, "Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling...." The more self- confidence you have, the less you pray. The less self-confidence you have, the more you have to pray.
What does the Scripture say? It says that God takes the lowly, the things that are not. Paul says in I Corinthians 1:28 that God takes the things that are not to bring to nothing the things that are, so that no flesh should glory in His presence. We need a bunch of "are nots" today.
The Language of the Poor
Prayer is the language of the poor. Over and over again David, the King of Israel, says, "Incline Thine ear, O Lord, and answer me; for I am afflicted and needy" (Psalm 86:1). And do you remember that one of the greatest psalms he wrote says, "This poor man cried and the Lord heard him..." (Psalm 34:6).
The apostle Paul overwhelms me with his spirituality, his pedigree, his colossal intellect. Yet he says that he's very conscious that when he's weak, he is strong. He was always trying to prove to himself and to others that he was a nobody.
True prayer is a two-way communication. I speak to God and God speaks to me. I don't know how the Spirit makes communication - or why God needs me to pray - but that's how God works.
"Get Up And Pray!"
One day I was at a conference with Dr. V. Raymond Edman of Wheaton College, one of the greatest Christian educators in this country. He told us of an experience he had while he was in Ecuador as a missionary. He hadn't been there long before he was sick and dying. He was so near death that they had already dug his grave. He had great beads of sweat on his brow and there was a death rattle in his throat. But suddenly he sat straight up in bed and said to his wife, "Bring me my clothes!" Nobody knew what had happened.
Many years later he was retelling the story in Boston. Afterward, a little old lady with a small, dog-eared, beaten-up book, approached him and asked, "What day did you say you were dying? What time was it in Ecuador? What time would it be in Boston?" When he answered her, her wrinkled face lit up. Pointing to her book, she said. "There it is, you see? At 2 a.m. God said to get up and pray - the devil's trying to kill Raymond Edman in Ecuador." And she'd gotten up and prayed.
Duncan Campbell told the story of hearing a farmer in his field who was praying. He was praying about Greece. Afterward, he asked him why he was praying. The man said, "I don't know. I had a burden in the spirit and God said, 'You pray; there's someone in Greece that is in a bad situation.' I prayed until I got a release." Two or three years later the farmer was in a meeting listening to a missionary. The man described a time when he was working in Greece. He had been in serious trouble. The time? Two or three years ago. The men compared notes and discovered that it was the very same day that God had burdened a farmer, on a little island off the coast of Scotland, to pray for a man in Greece whose name he didn't even know.
It may seem the Lord gives you strange things. I don't care. If the Lord tells you something, carry on with what the Lord tells you.
Who Shall Ascend to the Hill of the Lord?"
There's another experience Duncan Campbell told about when he was working in Scotland.
"I couldn't preach," he said. "I couldn't get through to God. The heavens were solid. It was as though there was a 10 ft. ceiling of steel." So he quit trying to preach. He asked a young man named John Cameron to pray. The boy stood up and said, "What's the use of praying if we're not right with God?" He quoted the 24th Psalm, "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?"
You can't approach God unless your hands are clean, which means your relationships with others are clean and your heart is clean. "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? He who has clean hands and a pure heart..." (Psalm 24.3-4).
After the boy recited Psalm 24 he began to pray. He prayed 10, 15, 20 minutes. Then he suddenly said, "Excuse me, Lord, while I resist the devil." He turned around and began to tell the devil where to go and how to get there. He fought for all he was worth. You talk about having on the armor of God and resisting the devil! When he finished resisting the devil, he finished his prayer. He prayed for 45 minutes! When he finished praying it was just as though God had pulled a little switch in heaven. The Spirit of God came down on that church, that community, on the dance hall at the other end of town, and the tavern on this end of town. Revival was born in that prayer!
At the end of Malachi it says, "And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly (that's the word I like, suddenly) come to his temple" (Malachi 3:1). Remember what it says about the shepherds? They were watching their flocks by night when suddenly there was the sound of the heavenly host. Do you remember a bunch of men that had been waiting in the upper room? Suddenly the Holy Spirit came on them in that room.
There's a date in history that I love very much. It was Wednesday, August 13, 1737. A little group of people in Moravia were waiting in a prayer meeting. At 11:00 suddenly the Holy Spirit came. Do you know what happened? The prayer meeting that began at 11:00 lasted 100 years! That's right. That prayer room was not empty for a century! It's the longest prayer among men and women that I know of. Even children six and seven years old travailed in prayer for countries the names of which they couldn't even spell.
Why We Don't Have Revival
In an old town in Ireland they'll show you with reverence a place where four young men met night after night after night praying for revival. In Wales, there's a place in the hills where three or four young men only 18 or 19 years old met and prayed night after night. They wouldn't let God go; they would not take no for an answer. As far as humanly possible they prayed a revival into birth. If you're thinking of revival at your church without any inconvenience, forget it. Revival costs a lot.
I can give you one simple reason why we don't have revival in America. Because we're content to live without it. We're not seeking God - we're seeking miracles, we're seeking big crusades, we're seeking blessings. In Numbers 11, Moses said to God, "You're asking me to carry a burden I can't handle. Do something or kill me!" Do you love America enough to say, "God, send revival or kill me"? Do you think it's time we changed Patrick Henry's prayer from, "Give me liberty or give me death," to "Give me revival or let me die"?
In the 30th chapter of Genesis, Rachael goes to Jacob and throws herself down in despair. She says, "Give me children or else I die." Are you willing to throw yourself down before God to seek the spiritual birth of spiritual children in our country?
People say, "I'm filled with the Holy Spirit." If the coming of the Spirit didn't revolutionize your prayer life, you'd better check on it. I'm not so sure you got what God wanted you to get.
We've said that prayer changes things. No! Prayer doesn't change things. Prayer changes people and they change things. We all want Gabriel to do the job. God says do it yourself - with My sufficiency and My strength.
We need to get like this woman, Hannah. What did she do? She wept, she was grieved, she said she had a complaint, she fasted - and she prayed.
Jesus, the anointed of God, made prayer His custom. Paul, with his background and intellect, depended on prayer because he said he was weak. David, the king, called himself a poor man and cried to the Lord. Hannah prayed for a son and gave birth to a prophet. The prayers of a handful of young men sparked revival.
There's nothing more transfiguring than prayer.
Copyright (C)1994 by Leonard Ravenhill, Lindale, Texas - http://www.ravenhill.org/
Sunday, December 26, 2010
I will offer up my life (this thankful heart)
As I reflect on the year gone by, I cannot help but be full of gratitude to the Lord for His goodness. Indeed, He is good. While I was in Kwang Lim, I realised I had the greatest blessing possible - knowing God, and being known by Him.
But he's also blessed me with so much more. This week, I realised I am a product of so much grace; and am loved by so many people ... God, family and friends.
Yesterday, as the prayer team gathered for an Xmas party, one of my friends asked how my Korea trip went. Then she asked, "Were you sick at the last leg of the trip?" I nodded. My fellow trippers would know that towards the tailend of the trip, I had a left arm that was in pain, a nose that was dripping like a tap, and fingers that were peeling from the dryness of the cold winter. But how did this intercessor and friend in Singapore know that? I certainly didn't tell her. But the Lord did. And because the Lord did, unbeknownst to me, she and another friend had been interceding for me in Singapore!!! I was tremendously touched, and felt sooooo blessed. In situations like this, it just reinforces to me that the Lord takes care of His sheep! :)) He tells his children supernaturally what his other children might be going through so they can pray for one another. And this is the blessing of being part of the body of Christ - where we cover each other and lift each other up before the Father. WOW!!!! So blessed. So blessed.
Then today, I spent the better part of the day with another Christian friend, just sharing with each other what God has been doing in our lives. And I am grateful for the people God has put in my life, whom I can journey with.
So this song - Matt Redman's "I will offer up my life" that we sang in church today just captures a wonderful 2010 gone by.
Jesus, what can I give, what can I bring
To so faithful a friend, to so loving a King?
Savior, what can be said, what can be sung
As a praise of Your name
For the things You have done?
Oh my words could not tell, not even in part
Of the debt of love that is owed
By this thankful heart
But he's also blessed me with so much more. This week, I realised I am a product of so much grace; and am loved by so many people ... God, family and friends.
Yesterday, as the prayer team gathered for an Xmas party, one of my friends asked how my Korea trip went. Then she asked, "Were you sick at the last leg of the trip?" I nodded. My fellow trippers would know that towards the tailend of the trip, I had a left arm that was in pain, a nose that was dripping like a tap, and fingers that were peeling from the dryness of the cold winter. But how did this intercessor and friend in Singapore know that? I certainly didn't tell her. But the Lord did. And because the Lord did, unbeknownst to me, she and another friend had been interceding for me in Singapore!!! I was tremendously touched, and felt sooooo blessed. In situations like this, it just reinforces to me that the Lord takes care of His sheep! :)) He tells his children supernaturally what his other children might be going through so they can pray for one another. And this is the blessing of being part of the body of Christ - where we cover each other and lift each other up before the Father. WOW!!!! So blessed. So blessed.
Then today, I spent the better part of the day with another Christian friend, just sharing with each other what God has been doing in our lives. And I am grateful for the people God has put in my life, whom I can journey with.
So this song - Matt Redman's "I will offer up my life" that we sang in church today just captures a wonderful 2010 gone by.
Jesus, what can I give, what can I bring
To so faithful a friend, to so loving a King?
Savior, what can be said, what can be sung
As a praise of Your name
For the things You have done?
Oh my words could not tell, not even in part
Of the debt of love that is owed
By this thankful heart
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Back to the heart of the Gospel
“For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His love toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.”
(Psalm 103:11-12)
On Saturday, I attended a YWAM meeting - the worship was just awesome!! As we were worshipping, the scripture verse above came to mind. And this thought came to me:
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His love toward them that fear Him. As I thought about this, I mentally drew a vertical line that goes until infinity.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us ... I mentally drew a horizontal line that goes on until infinity.
And behold, when I put the two lines together, there is the symbol of the cross - until infinity.
Back to the heart of the gospel.
Wow. Awesome.
(Psalm 103:11-12)
On Saturday, I attended a YWAM meeting - the worship was just awesome!! As we were worshipping, the scripture verse above came to mind. And this thought came to me:
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His love toward them that fear Him. As I thought about this, I mentally drew a vertical line that goes until infinity.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us ... I mentally drew a horizontal line that goes on until infinity.
And behold, when I put the two lines together, there is the symbol of the cross - until infinity.
Back to the heart of the gospel.
Wow. Awesome.
There's a Place for Us (Carrie Underwood)
Caught the latest Narnia movie "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" at the cinema yesterday and it was enchanting ... as well as heart-convicting and moving at bits. I loved Repicheep the mouse - which Wikipedia describes as "a large, talking mouse who carries a rapier, and wears a red plume tucked in his golden circlet. He is an experienced warrior, utterly fearless, and faultlessly courteous, particularly to noble ladies. He is also pugnacious and quick to defend any affront to his honor". Heheh. Aslan the Lion is of course noble, majestic and kindly, as usual.
But what was a nice surprise was the song which was played as the credits rolled. J and I wondered who the singer is ... only to discover it is Carrie Underwood. The lyrics are below. Someone said it could only be describing heaven. Somehow, I think so too ... what a lovely piece!
There's A Place For Us
There’s a place out there for us,
More than just a prayer or anything we ever dreamed of.
So if you feel like giving up cause you don’t fit in down here,
Fear is crashing in, close your eyes and take my hand.
We can be the kings and queens of anything if we believe.
It’s written in the stars that shine above,
A world where you and I belong, where faith and love will keep us strong,
Exactly who we are is just enough
Yes there’s a place for us, there’s a place for us.
Where the water meets the sky,
Where your heart is free and hope comes back to life,
Where these broken hands are whole again,
We will find what we’ve been waiting for,
We were made for so much more
We can be the kings and queens of anything if we believe.
It’s written in the stars that shine above,
A world where you and I belong, where faith and love will keep us strong,
Exactly who we are is just enough,
Yes there’s a place for us, now there’s a place for us
So hold on, now hold on,
There’s a place for us
We can be the kings and queens of anything if we believe.
It’s written in the stars that shine above,
A world where you and I belong, where faith and love will keep us strong,
Exactly who we are is just enough, exactly who we are is just enough,
There’s a place for us.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Made Me Glad (Hillsongs)
I will bless the Lord forever
And I will trust Him at all times
He has delivered me from all fear
And he has set my feet upon a rock
And I will not be moved
And I'll say of the Lord....
You are my shield
My strength
My portion
Deliverer
My shelter
Strong tower
My very present help in time of need
Whom have I in Heaven but you?
There's none I desire beside you
You have made me glad
And I'll say of the Lord....
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Repentance: Key to revival (The Pyongyang example)
While in Korea, we spent some days at the Osanri prayer mountain. Whilst there, I am always struck and deeply inspired by the fervency with which Koreans cry out to the Lord in prayer. It's hard not to hear these prayers - they are shouted from the mountaintops (literally!) and resound beyond the confines of individual prayer ghettos. It seems to me these prayers are not just uttered; they almost rise from deep within the believers' spirit. It's just incredible to behold.
Another reason I'm inspired by this is that I've been thinking a lot about revivals -and why the Lord has poured out His Spirit to sweep in great numbers into His Kingdom in some lands. As far as I know, these God-breathed revivals are few and far between in modern history ... the Azusa Street revival, the Welsh revival etc, are a few that come to mind. So one question I had in my mind was: How did Korea get Christianised? It's an Asian nation and the spread of Christianity in the East largely occurred in the last 50 years. We had the privilege of dining with a full-time Christian worker in Seoul, whilst there, and she shared that Korea was blessed by the presence of Western missionaries. What surprised me though was when she shared that the first major revival in Korea took place in Pyongyang.
This is what I learnt from my research: the Pyongyang revival of 1907 was triggered by a repentance movement. As people confessed their sins to each other and the Lord, the Holy Spirit fell.
Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit (Psalms 34:18)
Is genuine repentance, hearts broken by our sin, a key to revival in the land?
Article from OMF:
What is the extent of God’s grace and what are its limits? Sometimes we have the tendency to forget that God delights in working the impossible in the most difficult of times. And, indeed, one of the great reminders of His powerful grace and His perfect timing is the Pyongyang Revival, a dramatic revival in 1907 that was later called the “Pentecost of Pyongyang” and which was one of the reasons Pyongyang came to be called the “Jerusalem of the East.”
The northern region of Korea in the early 1900s faced many struggles and was a seemingly unfruitful place for the gospel, in much the same way that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is perceived today. In 1905, at the end of the Russo-Japanese war, Korea was placed under Japanese protectorate (and later fully annexed by Japan in 1910); this led to a general feeling of disillusionment and despair in the country. Pyongyang, the country’s third largest city at the time, had been known as “the most wicked city in Korea” and “a city of hopelessness” until 1892 when the gospel began to be preached there. By the end of 1906 there were 6,000 Christians out of a population of 40,000, but about two-thirds of all businesses were drinking establishments and the city’s reputation for ungodliness remained.
The beginnings of revival in Korea started in Wonsan (on the Eastern coast of what is today the DPRK) in 1903, with a small group of missionaries who felt led to confess their sins. Similar meetings were held in a few major cities in 1904 and the spirit of confession and repentance began to spread. In 1905 the revival movement spread over the whole Korean peninsula, continued to grow in 1906 and peaked in 1907 in Pyongyang.
The Pyongyang revival was precipitated by reports delivered in 1906 about the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in India and Wales. This caused some Korean Christians to greatly desire the same blessing, for which they began to pray. The revival began in spiritual improvement meetings the missionaries in Pyongyang had planned at the beginning of the year 1907, starting on January 6. People came from as far as 100 miles away to attend the meetings; there were so many attendees from the countryside that locals were barred to make room for visitors. People began these meetings from the start with a great expectation to be blessed by the Spirit, but met for a week with no extraordinary blessings. Saturday, January 12 after the sermon, many testified to a new understanding of what sin was. Then on Sunday, January 13 there was a strange “night of gloom” when everyone had particularly heavy hearts. The following day the missionaries met and prayed for God’s blessing; and that night those who entered the church felt that the place was full of God’s blessing.
As the people prayed, a spirit of heaviness and sorrow came upon those present, and all began to confess their sins and repent. “Man after man would rise, confess his sin, break down and weep…Every sin a human being can commit was publicly confessed, that night. Pale and trembling with emotion, in agony of mind and body, guilty souls standing in the white light of judgment saw themselves as God saw them.” The same experience of prayer, confession and repentance stirred by the Spirit was also experienced at the local missionary-run high schools and elementary schools. In some schools as many as 90 percent of students became Christians. The movement continued until 1910 and spread as far as Manchuria and Japan.
“The impact of the revival movement at Pyongyang was enormous. It changed not only the Christians of Pyongyang but also its entire society. The vast number of bars was gradually closed because business had become unprofitable. The city of Pyongyang cleansed her past and restored her reputation. The result of the meetings was that about 2,000 persons decided to accept Christ as Savior.”
From 1906-1910 in all of Korea there were 79, 221 new converts. There was also a new zeal for sharing Christ with others. Many who couldn’t contribute funds to the work contributed “days,” going outside their local areas to preach the gospel at their own expense, with the result that almost every house in Korea was visited. Clearly believers in Pyongyang in 1907 experienced one of the most remarkable Christian revivals in history.
Now, more than one hundred years later, God is at work in North Korea and is looking for believers worldwide to answer his call. The Lord is establishing ways for Christians to establish relationships that will build a foundation for future work. From the human perspective, revival in North Korea may seem slim. But our God is a God of great wonders and divine timing. Join with us praying for His grace to fall once again on North Korea.
Another reason I'm inspired by this is that I've been thinking a lot about revivals -and why the Lord has poured out His Spirit to sweep in great numbers into His Kingdom in some lands. As far as I know, these God-breathed revivals are few and far between in modern history ... the Azusa Street revival, the Welsh revival etc, are a few that come to mind. So one question I had in my mind was: How did Korea get Christianised? It's an Asian nation and the spread of Christianity in the East largely occurred in the last 50 years. We had the privilege of dining with a full-time Christian worker in Seoul, whilst there, and she shared that Korea was blessed by the presence of Western missionaries. What surprised me though was when she shared that the first major revival in Korea took place in Pyongyang.
This is what I learnt from my research: the Pyongyang revival of 1907 was triggered by a repentance movement. As people confessed their sins to each other and the Lord, the Holy Spirit fell.
Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit (Psalms 34:18)
Is genuine repentance, hearts broken by our sin, a key to revival in the land?
Article from OMF:
What is the extent of God’s grace and what are its limits? Sometimes we have the tendency to forget that God delights in working the impossible in the most difficult of times. And, indeed, one of the great reminders of His powerful grace and His perfect timing is the Pyongyang Revival, a dramatic revival in 1907 that was later called the “Pentecost of Pyongyang” and which was one of the reasons Pyongyang came to be called the “Jerusalem of the East.”
The northern region of Korea in the early 1900s faced many struggles and was a seemingly unfruitful place for the gospel, in much the same way that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is perceived today. In 1905, at the end of the Russo-Japanese war, Korea was placed under Japanese protectorate (and later fully annexed by Japan in 1910); this led to a general feeling of disillusionment and despair in the country. Pyongyang, the country’s third largest city at the time, had been known as “the most wicked city in Korea” and “a city of hopelessness” until 1892 when the gospel began to be preached there. By the end of 1906 there were 6,000 Christians out of a population of 40,000, but about two-thirds of all businesses were drinking establishments and the city’s reputation for ungodliness remained.
The beginnings of revival in Korea started in Wonsan (on the Eastern coast of what is today the DPRK) in 1903, with a small group of missionaries who felt led to confess their sins. Similar meetings were held in a few major cities in 1904 and the spirit of confession and repentance began to spread. In 1905 the revival movement spread over the whole Korean peninsula, continued to grow in 1906 and peaked in 1907 in Pyongyang.
The Pyongyang revival was precipitated by reports delivered in 1906 about the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in India and Wales. This caused some Korean Christians to greatly desire the same blessing, for which they began to pray. The revival began in spiritual improvement meetings the missionaries in Pyongyang had planned at the beginning of the year 1907, starting on January 6. People came from as far as 100 miles away to attend the meetings; there were so many attendees from the countryside that locals were barred to make room for visitors. People began these meetings from the start with a great expectation to be blessed by the Spirit, but met for a week with no extraordinary blessings. Saturday, January 12 after the sermon, many testified to a new understanding of what sin was. Then on Sunday, January 13 there was a strange “night of gloom” when everyone had particularly heavy hearts. The following day the missionaries met and prayed for God’s blessing; and that night those who entered the church felt that the place was full of God’s blessing.
As the people prayed, a spirit of heaviness and sorrow came upon those present, and all began to confess their sins and repent. “Man after man would rise, confess his sin, break down and weep…Every sin a human being can commit was publicly confessed, that night. Pale and trembling with emotion, in agony of mind and body, guilty souls standing in the white light of judgment saw themselves as God saw them.” The same experience of prayer, confession and repentance stirred by the Spirit was also experienced at the local missionary-run high schools and elementary schools. In some schools as many as 90 percent of students became Christians. The movement continued until 1910 and spread as far as Manchuria and Japan.
“The impact of the revival movement at Pyongyang was enormous. It changed not only the Christians of Pyongyang but also its entire society. The vast number of bars was gradually closed because business had become unprofitable. The city of Pyongyang cleansed her past and restored her reputation. The result of the meetings was that about 2,000 persons decided to accept Christ as Savior.”
From 1906-1910 in all of Korea there were 79, 221 new converts. There was also a new zeal for sharing Christ with others. Many who couldn’t contribute funds to the work contributed “days,” going outside their local areas to preach the gospel at their own expense, with the result that almost every house in Korea was visited. Clearly believers in Pyongyang in 1907 experienced one of the most remarkable Christian revivals in history.
Now, more than one hundred years later, God is at work in North Korea and is looking for believers worldwide to answer his call. The Lord is establishing ways for Christians to establish relationships that will build a foundation for future work. From the human perspective, revival in North Korea may seem slim. But our God is a God of great wonders and divine timing. Join with us praying for His grace to fall once again on North Korea.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Snowy Kwang Lim Prayer Mountain 2010
December 2010. Just returned from the prayer mountains in Korea. What a wonderful time with the Lord! My friends and I reprised our time last year at the Osanri and Kwang Lim prayer mountains ... to spend some time in quiet solitude before the Lord, to seek His face, and to worship. We had an awesome time fellowshipping with Him and one another. This trip is all the more meaningful to me because we nearly didn't make it - primarily because of me! All this talk about impending war between North and South Korea and military exercises (including the presence of a US warship in the Yellow Seas) a week before our planned departure made me very nervous indeed. I knew that unless we had peace in our hearts, there would be no point going - after all, this is a prayer retreat! But God is good, and He spoke to the 4 of us individually, in ways that would convict our hearts, that He would go before us and protect us.
And then, while we were in Kwang Lim, He surprised and delighted us in just the way Father God would! He sent us snow, that completely transformed the bleak wintry landscape into what I thought was breathtaking beauty. I never thought it possible, reckoning that Kwang Lim was not at a high enough altitude. But it snowed over two days. We worshipped with singing as the snow came down, but also had fun pelting each other with snowballs, and sticking our tongues out to taste the snowflakes :)
Indeed, God does all things well!
That night, I chanced upon Psalm 135:5-7, and mused about how God brought snow out from his storehouse, to bless us with scenery that took our breaths away and brought so much joy to our hearts.
Psalm 135:5-7
5 I know that the LORD is great,
that our Lord is greater than all gods.
6 The LORD does whatever pleases him,
in the heavens and on the earth,
in the seas and all their depths.
7 He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
he sends lightning with the rain
and brings out the wind from his storehouses.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Prayer distilled
Prayer is simply being with God. The greatest thing in life is to be able to touch the heart of God and have His heart touch you.
Thus says the LORD, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
Thus says the LORD, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
Sunday, November 21, 2010
We all have a sacred calling
Two nights ago, I re-watched the movie "Amazing Grace" on DVD. It's an excellent film about William Wilburforce, and his crusade in Britain's Parliament for the abolition of the slave trade. It was a fight that would take many years, and a toll on his health, because Britain and its empire flourished on the slave trade. But God used his man with his great oratory skills and sharp mind, who deeply believed that all man should be free, to accomplish a wondrous thing.
Today, I read about the Moravian Christians in Herrnhut. Herrnhut, Germany is the home of the renowned Hundred-Year-Long Prayer Meeting. In 1722, persecuted Christians from Moravia fled to Saxony and found protection in the domain of the regional Count Nicolas Ludwig von Zinzendorf. Initially, twenty-four people took one hour shifts during which they committed to pray – the Lord’s Watch. More joined the watch and this prayer watch went on unbroken until 1847.
Steve Hickey's website writes: "As Moravians at Herrnhut started to sense God’s missionary call to take the good news to the lost, they would hold funerals for the missionaries before they sent them off to places like Jamaica. (We found Moravian missionary graves when we were in Jamaica a couple years ago!) Imagine holding a funeral for someone who is about to leave because it was understood that the call of Jesus was to go give your life reaching lost people and that you’d not return in this life. To reach the slaves in Jamaica, the Moravian missionaries would sell themselves into slavery as it was the only way to gain access to Caribbean slaves. Stories of supernatural visitations and provision accompany each missionary account of the Moravians."
John Wesley wrote that he was led to Christ by a Moravian missionary from Herrnhut while sailing on a ship to America. When the ship was nearly overtaken by a storm, and he and the other passengers panicked, however the Moravian fellow on the ship was calm, had peace and prayed. In his revivals Welsey often talked about the “warming heart” moment of his born-again experience with the Moravian missionary."
I was deeply struck by this. God used lives given to Him to accomplish His purposes as the slave trade was going on. Moravian missionaries who were willing to sell themselves into slavery to reach the slaves. Full-time missionaries willing to give their all. And one William Wilberforce in government to eventually have slavery abolished altogether. His is not a secular pursuit either.
As Ravi Zacharias put it in "The Grand Weaver", "Because we are all priests before God, there is no such distinction as 'secular' or 'sacred'. In fact, the opposite of sacred is not secular; the opposite of sacred is profane. In short, no follower of Christ does secular work. We all have a sacred calling."
Today, I read about the Moravian Christians in Herrnhut. Herrnhut, Germany is the home of the renowned Hundred-Year-Long Prayer Meeting. In 1722, persecuted Christians from Moravia fled to Saxony and found protection in the domain of the regional Count Nicolas Ludwig von Zinzendorf. Initially, twenty-four people took one hour shifts during which they committed to pray – the Lord’s Watch. More joined the watch and this prayer watch went on unbroken until 1847.
Steve Hickey's website writes: "As Moravians at Herrnhut started to sense God’s missionary call to take the good news to the lost, they would hold funerals for the missionaries before they sent them off to places like Jamaica. (We found Moravian missionary graves when we were in Jamaica a couple years ago!) Imagine holding a funeral for someone who is about to leave because it was understood that the call of Jesus was to go give your life reaching lost people and that you’d not return in this life. To reach the slaves in Jamaica, the Moravian missionaries would sell themselves into slavery as it was the only way to gain access to Caribbean slaves. Stories of supernatural visitations and provision accompany each missionary account of the Moravians."
John Wesley wrote that he was led to Christ by a Moravian missionary from Herrnhut while sailing on a ship to America. When the ship was nearly overtaken by a storm, and he and the other passengers panicked, however the Moravian fellow on the ship was calm, had peace and prayed. In his revivals Welsey often talked about the “warming heart” moment of his born-again experience with the Moravian missionary."
I was deeply struck by this. God used lives given to Him to accomplish His purposes as the slave trade was going on. Moravian missionaries who were willing to sell themselves into slavery to reach the slaves. Full-time missionaries willing to give their all. And one William Wilberforce in government to eventually have slavery abolished altogether. His is not a secular pursuit either.
As Ravi Zacharias put it in "The Grand Weaver", "Because we are all priests before God, there is no such distinction as 'secular' or 'sacred'. In fact, the opposite of sacred is not secular; the opposite of sacred is profane. In short, no follower of Christ does secular work. We all have a sacred calling."
"The World is a great liar" - Peggy Noolan
Am presently reading management guru Tom Peter's book "The Little Big Things - 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence". For a management book, it's incredibly filled with biblical principles! Since turning 35 this week, I've been thinking a lot about legacy. Perhaps it's triggered by the notion that if God lets me live to 70, I'm half-way there. Time to think about legacy!
Here's a quote by Peggy Noolan in the book that made me think this morning. It says "The world is a great liar". How true. In the financial world I'm in, success is measured by mind-boggling pay checks and bonuses Wall Street used to pay. These days it's more moderate. Two years back, I sat in the memorial service after our CEO passed on from leukemia. I knew him briefly and he was a good man. What struck me was that although he was at the pinnacle of his career; had reached the height of his profession; was the leader of many thousands; during the eulogies, no one mentioned how brilliant, or bright he was. Everyone remembered him for the good man he was.
This week, Credit Suisse's former Chairman of investment banking Paul Callelo passed on. He was 49. The newspapers eulogised him, for being a rare-breed banker; one who was ethical, and who loved people. Even in an industry that seems to worship money, when all is said and done, it honours the men and women who exemplify goodness and kindness.
Here is what Peggy Noolan says:
"In a way, the world is a great liar. It shows you it worships and admires money, but at the end of the day it doesn't. It says it adores fame and celebrity, but it doesn't, not really. The world admires, and wants to hold onto, and not lose, goodness. It admires virtue. At the end it gives its greatest tributes to generosity, honesty, courage, mercy, talents well used, talents that, brought into the world, make it better. THat's what it really admires. That's what we talk about in eulogies, because that's what's important. We don't say, "The thing about Joe was he was rich." We say, if we can, "The thing about Joe was he took care of people."
Here's a quote by Peggy Noolan in the book that made me think this morning. It says "The world is a great liar". How true. In the financial world I'm in, success is measured by mind-boggling pay checks and bonuses Wall Street used to pay. These days it's more moderate. Two years back, I sat in the memorial service after our CEO passed on from leukemia. I knew him briefly and he was a good man. What struck me was that although he was at the pinnacle of his career; had reached the height of his profession; was the leader of many thousands; during the eulogies, no one mentioned how brilliant, or bright he was. Everyone remembered him for the good man he was.
This week, Credit Suisse's former Chairman of investment banking Paul Callelo passed on. He was 49. The newspapers eulogised him, for being a rare-breed banker; one who was ethical, and who loved people. Even in an industry that seems to worship money, when all is said and done, it honours the men and women who exemplify goodness and kindness.
Here is what Peggy Noolan says:
"In a way, the world is a great liar. It shows you it worships and admires money, but at the end of the day it doesn't. It says it adores fame and celebrity, but it doesn't, not really. The world admires, and wants to hold onto, and not lose, goodness. It admires virtue. At the end it gives its greatest tributes to generosity, honesty, courage, mercy, talents well used, talents that, brought into the world, make it better. THat's what it really admires. That's what we talk about in eulogies, because that's what's important. We don't say, "The thing about Joe was he was rich." We say, if we can, "The thing about Joe was he took care of people."
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Quotes from Robert Murray McCheyne
Today, I read an excerpt of the life of Scottish preacher and revivalist Robert Murray McCheyne, and was very inspired by the man. He died at 29 but left a deep impression.
He made prayer, meditation and self-discipline key aspects of his work throughout his life. His usual daily pattern was to rise at 6:30 am and spend two hours in private prayer and meditation (including an hour devoted to the Jews). From 8:30-10 am he had breakfast and family prayers. On Sundays his practice was to spend six hours in prayer and devotional reading.
Here are some of his quotes worth pondering:
"Live so as to be missed.”
“Most of God’s people are contented to be saved from the hell that is outside; they are not so anxious to be saved from the hell that is inside them. Lord, make me as holy as a pardoned sinner can be.”
“If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me.”
“Your own soul is your first and greatest care. Seek advance of personal holiness. It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to the Lord Jesus. A holy pastor is an awful weapon in the hand of God. A word spoken by you when your conscience is clear, and your heart full of God’s Holy Spirit, is worth ten thousand words spoken in unbelief and sin.”
Words worth pondering indeed.
He made prayer, meditation and self-discipline key aspects of his work throughout his life. His usual daily pattern was to rise at 6:30 am and spend two hours in private prayer and meditation (including an hour devoted to the Jews). From 8:30-10 am he had breakfast and family prayers. On Sundays his practice was to spend six hours in prayer and devotional reading.
Here are some of his quotes worth pondering:
"Live so as to be missed.”
“Most of God’s people are contented to be saved from the hell that is outside; they are not so anxious to be saved from the hell that is inside them. Lord, make me as holy as a pardoned sinner can be.”
“If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me.”
“Your own soul is your first and greatest care. Seek advance of personal holiness. It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to the Lord Jesus. A holy pastor is an awful weapon in the hand of God. A word spoken by you when your conscience is clear, and your heart full of God’s Holy Spirit, is worth ten thousand words spoken in unbelief and sin.”
Words worth pondering indeed.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Countdown to the Last Days
A sobering message by Ps Yang that is very unequivocal that Christians will have to endure the suffering of the last days ... To listen to this excellent message, click here.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Five Loaves and Two Fishes (Corrinne May)
Corrinne May is a Singaporean who has two (or is it three?) amazing albums! Five loaves and two fishes is one of my favourite songs. And I just discovered her sing In a Bleak Midwinter. It just gave me goosebumps! And Same Side of the Moon - is just the most poignant song ever!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Sent Ones
Tonight, as I was reading the book of Hebrews, I saw something I never saw before in this verse on angelic beings:
"Are they not ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14)
Sent out. Some of my friends who have the seer gifting, or move in the gift of prophecy, see angels in our meetings. Many times this is in church. But they have also seen angels with us once when we were simply praying and ministering to a friend in one of our homes. It is awesome that they are with us. And it struck me, that God sent these angels out. If I were them, perhaps I would prefer to stay in heaven, by the side of the Lord Almighty. But God in His love, sent them out to earth, to serve those who are to inherit salvation.
The Holy Spirit reminded me that we, believers, are also Sent Ones.
And I was really excited to read in a note by Campus Crusade on the Internet on why this is important. Why did Isaiah in Isaiah 6:1-8 say "Here I am, Send me" rather than "I will go?"
The note says this is because Sent Ones have the following characteristics:
1. Sent Ones go in the power, authority and presence of God (Matthew 28:18-20)
2. Sent Ones carry the message of the sender (2 Cor 5:16-20)
3. Sent Ones are empowered and directed by the Holy Spirit (Acts)
When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." –Matthew 9:35-38 (ESV)
"Are they not ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14)
Sent out. Some of my friends who have the seer gifting, or move in the gift of prophecy, see angels in our meetings. Many times this is in church. But they have also seen angels with us once when we were simply praying and ministering to a friend in one of our homes. It is awesome that they are with us. And it struck me, that God sent these angels out. If I were them, perhaps I would prefer to stay in heaven, by the side of the Lord Almighty. But God in His love, sent them out to earth, to serve those who are to inherit salvation.
The Holy Spirit reminded me that we, believers, are also Sent Ones.
And I was really excited to read in a note by Campus Crusade on the Internet on why this is important. Why did Isaiah in Isaiah 6:1-8 say "Here I am, Send me" rather than "I will go?"
The note says this is because Sent Ones have the following characteristics:
1. Sent Ones go in the power, authority and presence of God (Matthew 28:18-20)
2. Sent Ones carry the message of the sender (2 Cor 5:16-20)
3. Sent Ones are empowered and directed by the Holy Spirit (Acts)
When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." –Matthew 9:35-38 (ESV)
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Psalm 23 to music!
Stumbled upon this wonderful video of Psalms 23 set to music and gorgeous paintings!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Jehovah Nissi - The Lord Our Banner
Tuesday night, I had a terrible, terrible nightmare. When I woke up, I was quite disturbed in the spirit. Was it a coincidence that only a few days before, we had an awesome time with the Lord in an overnight prayer, when all of us felt the presence and power of God so tangibly, we believed we had advanced God's kingdom? It seemed to me that the Evil One was saying again to me, "Back off!" I am not naturally courageous by nature, so this disturbing dream did shake me somewhat.
But God is gracious. All this week, I am attending a prophetic conference, and as part of exercising our prophetic gifting, we had to ask the Lord for a word for one another. Given how shaken I was, I prayed to the Lord, "Please God, give me a word that I need." And the sister who prophesised over me gave me just the word I needed by reminding me of my calling in Him.
Then at night, the Lord prompted me to revisit something he's been laying on my heart - which is to KNOW him, REALLY KNOW him... his power, his majesty, his goodness, his lovingkindness. So I decided to spend some minutes reading Herbert Lockyear's "All the Divine Names and Titles in the Bible". The name I needed - for my situation - was Jehovah Nissi, the Lord my Banner.
Here's what Lockyear wrote, which was revelatory to me, and which so blessed my heart:
Explaining Jehovah Nissi from Psalm 23:5 "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies", Lockyear says, "We might well ask, 'What has a banner to do with a table? Well, banners and banquests are a suggestive combination. 'He brought me into His banqueting house and His banner over me was love'. In our human way, the banquet follows the battle, and successful leaders and victorious troops are entertained and feasted. But here is loftier conduct. The banquet is spread before the battle because the banner is already victorious. Even though we live in the midst of foes, ours is the joyful privilege of living in fellowship with Him who is our Banner, our Defense."
Amen, and amen.
But God is gracious. All this week, I am attending a prophetic conference, and as part of exercising our prophetic gifting, we had to ask the Lord for a word for one another. Given how shaken I was, I prayed to the Lord, "Please God, give me a word that I need." And the sister who prophesised over me gave me just the word I needed by reminding me of my calling in Him.
Then at night, the Lord prompted me to revisit something he's been laying on my heart - which is to KNOW him, REALLY KNOW him... his power, his majesty, his goodness, his lovingkindness. So I decided to spend some minutes reading Herbert Lockyear's "All the Divine Names and Titles in the Bible". The name I needed - for my situation - was Jehovah Nissi, the Lord my Banner.
Here's what Lockyear wrote, which was revelatory to me, and which so blessed my heart:
Explaining Jehovah Nissi from Psalm 23:5 "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies", Lockyear says, "We might well ask, 'What has a banner to do with a table? Well, banners and banquests are a suggestive combination. 'He brought me into His banqueting house and His banner over me was love'. In our human way, the banquet follows the battle, and successful leaders and victorious troops are entertained and feasted. But here is loftier conduct. The banquet is spread before the battle because the banner is already victorious. Even though we live in the midst of foes, ours is the joyful privilege of living in fellowship with Him who is our Banner, our Defense."
Amen, and amen.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
When we are the ones who tarry...
Yesterday, I read this account of the heavenly man.
"Brother Yun was born in 1958 in the Southern part of Henan Province among the simple farmers and pheasants of Liu Lao Zhuang, Nanyang County. Brother Yun’s mother had believed in Jesus years before through missionary witness, but after the missionaries were expelled and churches shut down in the Communist take-over, she had grown cold towards the Lord through lack of fellowship. There were no Bibles to help the Christians grow.
In 1974, Yun’s father lay dying of cancer. Such a loss would have left the family in dire straights, and things were so hopeless that Yun’s mother even contemplated suicide. One evening as she lay in bed, she heard a voice say, “Jesus loves you.” In tearful repentance, she rededicated herself to Jesus Christ. She gathered her family around and they all prayed, “Jesus, heal father!” The very next morning, Yun’s father began to get better. Everyone in the family believed on Jesus, and they all began to experience revival.
Brother Yun was 16 at the time. The family did not have a Bible, and it had been many years since Yun’s mother had heard any teaching about Jesus. Yun began to ask his mother who Jesus truly was. She would reply, “Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross for us, taking all our sins and sicknesses. He recorded all his teachings in the Bible.” Yun would ask if there were any way he could learn of the teachings of Jesus for himself. His mother would say, “No. All his words are gone. There is nothing left of his teaching.” Imagine a family hungering and thirsting for some knowledge of the words of God, and no way to find out what they were!
Yun’s mother took him on a long walk to see a man in another village who she remembered had a Bible. The man was too afraid to show Yun his Bible, but he told him, “The Bible is a heavenly book. If you want one, you’ll need to pray to the God of heaven. Only He can provide you a heavenly book. God is faithful. He always answers those who seek Him with all of their heart.”
Yun decided to fast and pray for a Bible, and for the next 100 days ate only one bowl of steamed rice every day. He cried out to the Lord for a Bible. His parents thought he was losing his mind. One morning, there was a knock at the door. Two men had brought a Bible to Yun.
Three months before, an evangelist in another town had been instructed by the Lord in a vision to give his Bible to Brother Yun. Although he did not know this young boy, the Lord had showed him the village and house where Yun lived in a vision. It had taken him three months to decide to obey the Lord."
After reading this account, I was quite bothered by it ... bothered by the fact that Brother Yun had to fast for 100 days for an answer to prayer because the person God instructed to be the answer to prayer took 3 months to obey.
It set me thinking: How often do I not obey immediately?
And when that happens, what are the repercussions on the person for whom God had intended for me to bless through my obedience?
God sometimes does not tarry. However, He uses human instruments, and sometimes it is us who tarry. Would it be that we are like the men and women of God in the Bible, who respond immediately when God calls.
"Brother Yun was born in 1958 in the Southern part of Henan Province among the simple farmers and pheasants of Liu Lao Zhuang, Nanyang County. Brother Yun’s mother had believed in Jesus years before through missionary witness, but after the missionaries were expelled and churches shut down in the Communist take-over, she had grown cold towards the Lord through lack of fellowship. There were no Bibles to help the Christians grow.
In 1974, Yun’s father lay dying of cancer. Such a loss would have left the family in dire straights, and things were so hopeless that Yun’s mother even contemplated suicide. One evening as she lay in bed, she heard a voice say, “Jesus loves you.” In tearful repentance, she rededicated herself to Jesus Christ. She gathered her family around and they all prayed, “Jesus, heal father!” The very next morning, Yun’s father began to get better. Everyone in the family believed on Jesus, and they all began to experience revival.
Brother Yun was 16 at the time. The family did not have a Bible, and it had been many years since Yun’s mother had heard any teaching about Jesus. Yun began to ask his mother who Jesus truly was. She would reply, “Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross for us, taking all our sins and sicknesses. He recorded all his teachings in the Bible.” Yun would ask if there were any way he could learn of the teachings of Jesus for himself. His mother would say, “No. All his words are gone. There is nothing left of his teaching.” Imagine a family hungering and thirsting for some knowledge of the words of God, and no way to find out what they were!
Yun’s mother took him on a long walk to see a man in another village who she remembered had a Bible. The man was too afraid to show Yun his Bible, but he told him, “The Bible is a heavenly book. If you want one, you’ll need to pray to the God of heaven. Only He can provide you a heavenly book. God is faithful. He always answers those who seek Him with all of their heart.”
Yun decided to fast and pray for a Bible, and for the next 100 days ate only one bowl of steamed rice every day. He cried out to the Lord for a Bible. His parents thought he was losing his mind. One morning, there was a knock at the door. Two men had brought a Bible to Yun.
Three months before, an evangelist in another town had been instructed by the Lord in a vision to give his Bible to Brother Yun. Although he did not know this young boy, the Lord had showed him the village and house where Yun lived in a vision. It had taken him three months to decide to obey the Lord."
After reading this account, I was quite bothered by it ... bothered by the fact that Brother Yun had to fast for 100 days for an answer to prayer because the person God instructed to be the answer to prayer took 3 months to obey.
It set me thinking: How often do I not obey immediately?
And when that happens, what are the repercussions on the person for whom God had intended for me to bless through my obedience?
God sometimes does not tarry. However, He uses human instruments, and sometimes it is us who tarry. Would it be that we are like the men and women of God in the Bible, who respond immediately when God calls.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Prayer that moves mountains
It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.
Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. (Acts 12)
A few years ago, as I was studying the book of Acts in a bible study class, our teacher told us about Brother Yun - the Heavenly Man. He told us the book of the same name was Acts for the modern day.
In Brother Yun's autobiography, he recounts the persecutions he went through preaching the gospel in China. During his third imprisonment, he endured many beatings and scourgings. One day in May 1997, he heard the voice of the Holy Spirit, telling him to simply walk out the heavily guarded prison gate. Risking being shot to death on the spot, he obeyed the voice, and walked straight through several prison doors that were somehow left open in front of many prison guards, across the prison yard and finally out of the main gate. Brother Yun stated that it was as if he had become invisible to the guards who stared straight through him.
A little known fact is that Brother Yun's escape tallies completely time-wise with an intercessory meeting taking place miles away in far-flung Sweden. In a church in Sweden, a group of 30 were in a small room interceding for Brother Yun and other Chinese people who had been imprisoned for Christ. During a meeting, a Swedish lady, who usually prayed silently to herself, suddenly exclaimed aloud that she had seen a vision of a man walking out of prison to freedom. The group praised the Lord! This was recorded in the annals of the church... many years later, the lady's vision was verified by Brother Yun as having taken place at the very hour he was freed.
I was so inspired when I heard this. Yes, Brother Yun is a giant of a man. But the Holy Spirit intervened in a supernatural way in his life, as He did in the life of Peter, in response to the prayer of the saints.
It was so during the time of the Apostles. It is so today.
Prayer moves the hand of God, to free those in physical and spiritual bondage. Prayer is a powerful force on earth because it is plugged into the Most High God!
Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.
Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. (Acts 12)
A few years ago, as I was studying the book of Acts in a bible study class, our teacher told us about Brother Yun - the Heavenly Man. He told us the book of the same name was Acts for the modern day.
In Brother Yun's autobiography, he recounts the persecutions he went through preaching the gospel in China. During his third imprisonment, he endured many beatings and scourgings. One day in May 1997, he heard the voice of the Holy Spirit, telling him to simply walk out the heavily guarded prison gate. Risking being shot to death on the spot, he obeyed the voice, and walked straight through several prison doors that were somehow left open in front of many prison guards, across the prison yard and finally out of the main gate. Brother Yun stated that it was as if he had become invisible to the guards who stared straight through him.
A little known fact is that Brother Yun's escape tallies completely time-wise with an intercessory meeting taking place miles away in far-flung Sweden. In a church in Sweden, a group of 30 were in a small room interceding for Brother Yun and other Chinese people who had been imprisoned for Christ. During a meeting, a Swedish lady, who usually prayed silently to herself, suddenly exclaimed aloud that she had seen a vision of a man walking out of prison to freedom. The group praised the Lord! This was recorded in the annals of the church... many years later, the lady's vision was verified by Brother Yun as having taken place at the very hour he was freed.
I was so inspired when I heard this. Yes, Brother Yun is a giant of a man. But the Holy Spirit intervened in a supernatural way in his life, as He did in the life of Peter, in response to the prayer of the saints.
It was so during the time of the Apostles. It is so today.
Prayer moves the hand of God, to free those in physical and spiritual bondage. Prayer is a powerful force on earth because it is plugged into the Most High God!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
God's gifts to Singapore
While in Israel last year, we were reminded of how blessed Singapore is ...
Though a little red dot nation, with no natural resources and hinterland, we were punching above our weight politically and economically.
In our group of 70 at the Mt Carmel School of Ministry was an African couple (a pastor and his wife). They were in Israel on the sponsorship of a Singaporean.
Then, we visited an Arab Christian church, and the pastor shared that when God called him to build a bigger church, some of the funds he needed came in by divine providence - on the generosity of an annonymous Singaporean.
Those of us Singaporeans in the school realised then at that time what impact our little nation was making ... many many miles away in Israel (And possibly around the globe). We realised just how blessed we are ... that we have materially more than we need, such that we can give unto others ... That God prospered us not so we could spend lavishly on ourselves, but so we could partner with Him in Kingdom work.
Yesterday, one of Singapore's founding fathers Dr Goh Keng Swee passed away. He was 91. Watching a documentary which paid tribute to him, I realised we are blessed because God gave us incredible leaders and politicians. Men like Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Keng Swee - who had great vision, top-rate minds, incredible executional ability, and who put country before self. The policies they implemented set us on a course of development that transformed our land into a first-world country in one generation.
"The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases." (Proverbs 21:1)
So we are blessed because of the leaders we have. We are blessed because the people God set in authority above us were men (and women) who governed and governed well. While we mourn today the passing of Dr Goh, I can only think how thankful we should be that God gave him to us when our little nation was being built. We owe the high quality of life, and our material wealth and creature comforts, to him. For which I am very grateful to God indeed!
Though a little red dot nation, with no natural resources and hinterland, we were punching above our weight politically and economically.
In our group of 70 at the Mt Carmel School of Ministry was an African couple (a pastor and his wife). They were in Israel on the sponsorship of a Singaporean.
Then, we visited an Arab Christian church, and the pastor shared that when God called him to build a bigger church, some of the funds he needed came in by divine providence - on the generosity of an annonymous Singaporean.
Those of us Singaporeans in the school realised then at that time what impact our little nation was making ... many many miles away in Israel (And possibly around the globe). We realised just how blessed we are ... that we have materially more than we need, such that we can give unto others ... That God prospered us not so we could spend lavishly on ourselves, but so we could partner with Him in Kingdom work.
Yesterday, one of Singapore's founding fathers Dr Goh Keng Swee passed away. He was 91. Watching a documentary which paid tribute to him, I realised we are blessed because God gave us incredible leaders and politicians. Men like Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Keng Swee - who had great vision, top-rate minds, incredible executional ability, and who put country before self. The policies they implemented set us on a course of development that transformed our land into a first-world country in one generation.
"The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases." (Proverbs 21:1)
So we are blessed because of the leaders we have. We are blessed because the people God set in authority above us were men (and women) who governed and governed well. While we mourn today the passing of Dr Goh, I can only think how thankful we should be that God gave him to us when our little nation was being built. We owe the high quality of life, and our material wealth and creature comforts, to him. For which I am very grateful to God indeed!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Called to be watchmen
All of us are called to be watchmen.
When I was in Korea last year, I met a lady whom everyone recognised as an intercessor. And I had the privilege of being ministered to by her ... she heard from God and she released words to me that pierced the heart. She is an ordinary person; she doesn't hold an office in the church nor is she theologically-trained. I pondered why God used her so mightily, and came to this conclusion: She is sensitive to His Spirit through a close walk with Him. But she also loves Him so much that she obeys Him instantly and unconditionally. Obedience for her supersedes her own personal reputation. I think that is why God uses her so mightily.
Tom Hess, in his book "The Watchman" also captures the qualities of the watchman. He writes:
The true watchman is someone who watches God, the Chief Watchman - beholding Him in His awesome, majestic glory, and what He is doing. The watchman is attentive to God with all his faculties and consequently sees things more clearly through God's eyes and His word, the Watchman clearly hears and obeys God's voice and is faithful in practicing all the aspects of watching as led by the Holy Spirit. He will be prepared to prepare the way for Messiah.
I find this short paragraph so densely packed with truth. It puts Jesus at the centre of everything we watch. It makes Him the centre of our gaze. It provides the key to clarity of hearing of seeing (the revelatory gifts). It makes clear that God gives us relevation for us to obey. It makes known why we watch and pray ... ultimately, to prepare the way for the Messiah.
When I was in Korea last year, I met a lady whom everyone recognised as an intercessor. And I had the privilege of being ministered to by her ... she heard from God and she released words to me that pierced the heart. She is an ordinary person; she doesn't hold an office in the church nor is she theologically-trained. I pondered why God used her so mightily, and came to this conclusion: She is sensitive to His Spirit through a close walk with Him. But she also loves Him so much that she obeys Him instantly and unconditionally. Obedience for her supersedes her own personal reputation. I think that is why God uses her so mightily.
Tom Hess, in his book "The Watchman" also captures the qualities of the watchman. He writes:
The true watchman is someone who watches God, the Chief Watchman - beholding Him in His awesome, majestic glory, and what He is doing. The watchman is attentive to God with all his faculties and consequently sees things more clearly through God's eyes and His word, the Watchman clearly hears and obeys God's voice and is faithful in practicing all the aspects of watching as led by the Holy Spirit. He will be prepared to prepare the way for Messiah.
I find this short paragraph so densely packed with truth. It puts Jesus at the centre of everything we watch. It makes Him the centre of our gaze. It provides the key to clarity of hearing of seeing (the revelatory gifts). It makes clear that God gives us relevation for us to obey. It makes known why we watch and pray ... ultimately, to prepare the way for the Messiah.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Martina McBride - God's Will
One of the most wonderful songs about God's grace towards us ... and how this often comes to us in dear lil' children. This song moves me to tears. The lyrics are just lovely.
Martina McBride - God's Will (Official Music Video) - Watch a funny movie here
Martina McBride - God's Will (Official Music Video) - Watch a funny movie here
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Israel's increasing isolation and our response
Yesterday, I attended a prayer meeting for Israel. The host of the meeting summarised very well latest developments in Israel, and the snub Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received from Obama during recent meetings in the White House. Relations between both nations are at their worst in 35 years (according to some high-level aides).
The diplomatic row centres on the Israeli government's insistence on building 1,600 homes in East Jerusalem. Israel believes it has the right to build on this land, which it possessed following a victorious 1967 war. The peace roadmap that the US seeks to broker with the Palestinians sees East Jerusalem as occupied territory, to be returned.
God's word is pretty clear on this ... we are not to divide up Jerusalem ... which God restored to His people in 1967, though they were not the aggressors. To the nations that divide up the land, God says in Joel 3:1-2, that He will "enter into judgement against them".
"In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
I will gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations, and divided up my land." (Joel 3:1-2)
Says Joel Rosenberg of the latest diplomatic spat between Israel and the US:
The central problem is the White House and State Department are trying to force Israel to divide Jerusalem and divide Judea & Samaria, commonly known as the West Bank.
"Prophetically, I believe Israel will eventually be isolated from all countries in the world, especially as we approach the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38 & 39. Eventually, the Lord will wean Israel off of every nation – including the U.S. – so that the Jewish people only have Him to turn to and depend upon. That said, however, the Scriptures are clear in Genesis 12:1-3 and elsewhere that those who bless Israel, He will bless, and those who curse Israel, He will curse.
We want our countries to be blessed by God, to experience repentance and revival and to be blessings to the rest of the world. Now, therefore, is the most critical time for true followers of Jesus Christ to show unconditional love and unwavering support to Israelis and to their Palestinian neighbors. We need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We need to show the love of Jesus to every Jew and Gentile in the Holy Land. And we need to strengthen the Church in the epicenter, encourage pastors and ministry leaders, and help them fulfill Isaiah 60."
My heartfelt prayer yesterday was for Singapore - that we would continue to bless Israel, even if it suffers continuing isolation from the nations of the world in the days ahead. Because the Scriptures are clear that those who bless Israel, He will bless, and those who curse Israel, He will curse. When it is time for us to vote, which way will we cast our vote? Will we fear man, or fear God?
The diplomatic row centres on the Israeli government's insistence on building 1,600 homes in East Jerusalem. Israel believes it has the right to build on this land, which it possessed following a victorious 1967 war. The peace roadmap that the US seeks to broker with the Palestinians sees East Jerusalem as occupied territory, to be returned.
God's word is pretty clear on this ... we are not to divide up Jerusalem ... which God restored to His people in 1967, though they were not the aggressors. To the nations that divide up the land, God says in Joel 3:1-2, that He will "enter into judgement against them".
"In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
I will gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations, and divided up my land." (Joel 3:1-2)
Says Joel Rosenberg of the latest diplomatic spat between Israel and the US:
The central problem is the White House and State Department are trying to force Israel to divide Jerusalem and divide Judea & Samaria, commonly known as the West Bank.
"Prophetically, I believe Israel will eventually be isolated from all countries in the world, especially as we approach the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38 & 39. Eventually, the Lord will wean Israel off of every nation – including the U.S. – so that the Jewish people only have Him to turn to and depend upon. That said, however, the Scriptures are clear in Genesis 12:1-3 and elsewhere that those who bless Israel, He will bless, and those who curse Israel, He will curse.
We want our countries to be blessed by God, to experience repentance and revival and to be blessings to the rest of the world. Now, therefore, is the most critical time for true followers of Jesus Christ to show unconditional love and unwavering support to Israelis and to their Palestinian neighbors. We need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We need to show the love of Jesus to every Jew and Gentile in the Holy Land. And we need to strengthen the Church in the epicenter, encourage pastors and ministry leaders, and help them fulfill Isaiah 60."
My heartfelt prayer yesterday was for Singapore - that we would continue to bless Israel, even if it suffers continuing isolation from the nations of the world in the days ahead. Because the Scriptures are clear that those who bless Israel, He will bless, and those who curse Israel, He will curse. When it is time for us to vote, which way will we cast our vote? Will we fear man, or fear God?
Sunday, March 7, 2010
All the Way My Saviour Leads Me (Chris Tomlin)
Late last year, when I sought God about what He wanted from me in 2010, I sensed Him saying it was to be a year of extravagant worship. While worship is not all about music (it probably is least about that, then faithful obedience), nevertheless, I signed up for keyboard class at Believer Music School (now at Novena Square). Five weeks into class, I am so glad I signed up! Since it's the Beginner class, we are simply learning how to play simple chords, without much embellishment. And yet wow! I can always feel such a wonderful presence of the Lord in that small room, with five of us ... and our teacher, as we play the keyboards and sing. Next week, we learn how to play Chris Tomlin's "All the Way My Saviour Leads Me". I never heard this version of this old hymn until it was introduced to us. I LOVE IT! Great rendition of an old classic!!!
All the way my Savior leads me
Who have I to ask beside
How could I doubt His tender mercy
Who through life has been my guide
All the way my Savior leads me
Cheers each winding path I tread
Gives me grace for every trial
Feeds me with the living Bread
You lead me and keep me from falling
You carry me close to Your heart
And surely Your goodness and mercy will follow me
All the way my Savior leads me
O, the fullness of His love
O, the sureness of His promise
In the triumph of His blood
And when my spirit clothed immortal
Wings its flight to realms of day
This my song through endless ages
Jesus led me all the way
Jesus led me all the way
All the way my Savior leads me
All the way my Savior leads me
All the way my Savior leads me
Who have I to ask beside
How could I doubt His tender mercy
Who through life has been my guide
All the way my Savior leads me
Cheers each winding path I tread
Gives me grace for every trial
Feeds me with the living Bread
You lead me and keep me from falling
You carry me close to Your heart
And surely Your goodness and mercy will follow me
All the way my Savior leads me
O, the fullness of His love
O, the sureness of His promise
In the triumph of His blood
And when my spirit clothed immortal
Wings its flight to realms of day
This my song through endless ages
Jesus led me all the way
Jesus led me all the way
All the way my Savior leads me
All the way my Savior leads me
Friday, February 26, 2010
What does God want to do with all His heart and all His soul?
Now therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, ‘It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: 37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. 38 They shall be My people, and I will be their God; 39 then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. 40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. 41 Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul.’(Jeremiah 32:36-41)
These three days, I've been attending the Eastern Gate Prayer Convocation in Singapore, led by Tom Hess from the Jerusalem House of Prayer. It has been an incredible time of hearing what God has been doing in the nations, and praying for the nations. There are more salvations now than in any other time in history, in nations like Israel and the Middle East, and of course Asia! God is moving in a powerful way!
Today, as we prayed for Israel, and a sister read the passage from Jeremiah 32, these words jumped out at me.
God says, "Assuredly, I will plant them in this land, with all my heart and with all my soul." (Jeremiah 32:41)
When I heard those words, I thought to myself, "God said THAT?!"
God is a God who hates lukewarmness. He wants us, His children, to have undivided hearts. To be a people passionate for Him and His kingdom's cause. The first and greatest commandment, He tells us, is that we should love Him with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind. (Matt 22)
But until today, I didn't know there was a verse in the Bible which describes the reverse - namely, what will God do with all His heart and all His soul?
Amazingly, to me, it is to plant His chosen people (the Israelites), back in their OWN land.
This prophecy was fulfilled in 1948. We are witnesses to this. Today, the enemies of Israel continue to want to force them out of this land, even threatening to wipe them off the face of the earth.
As believers, we need to stand with Israel, and to pray against this, and the carving up of the land that God has promised them, and planted them back in.
This hit home today, in a very strong way. Because giving Israel back their land is what God wants to do with ALL HIS HEART AND ALL HIS SOUL. The only verse which describes God in this fashion. Awesome!
These three days, I've been attending the Eastern Gate Prayer Convocation in Singapore, led by Tom Hess from the Jerusalem House of Prayer. It has been an incredible time of hearing what God has been doing in the nations, and praying for the nations. There are more salvations now than in any other time in history, in nations like Israel and the Middle East, and of course Asia! God is moving in a powerful way!
Today, as we prayed for Israel, and a sister read the passage from Jeremiah 32, these words jumped out at me.
God says, "Assuredly, I will plant them in this land, with all my heart and with all my soul." (Jeremiah 32:41)
When I heard those words, I thought to myself, "God said THAT?!"
God is a God who hates lukewarmness. He wants us, His children, to have undivided hearts. To be a people passionate for Him and His kingdom's cause. The first and greatest commandment, He tells us, is that we should love Him with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind. (Matt 22)
But until today, I didn't know there was a verse in the Bible which describes the reverse - namely, what will God do with all His heart and all His soul?
Amazingly, to me, it is to plant His chosen people (the Israelites), back in their OWN land.
This prophecy was fulfilled in 1948. We are witnesses to this. Today, the enemies of Israel continue to want to force them out of this land, even threatening to wipe them off the face of the earth.
As believers, we need to stand with Israel, and to pray against this, and the carving up of the land that God has promised them, and planted them back in.
This hit home today, in a very strong way. Because giving Israel back their land is what God wants to do with ALL HIS HEART AND ALL HIS SOUL. The only verse which describes God in this fashion. Awesome!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
The Holy Spirit - Confirming Signs (AW Tozer)
And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs - Mark 16:20
Such words as these in the second chapter of Hebrews stand as a rebuke to the unbelieving Christians of our day: "God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will."
A cold Church is forced to 'interpret' such language. She cannot enter it, so she explains it away. Not a little juggling is required, and not a few statements for which there is not scriptural authority, but anything will do to save face and justify our half-dead condition. Such defensive exegesis is but a refuge for unbelieving orthodoxy, a hiding place for a Church too weak to stand.
No one with a knowledge of the facts can deny the need for supernatural aid in the work of world evangelization. We are so hopelessly outclassed by the world's superior strength that for us it means either God's help or sure defeat. The Christian who goes out without faith in "wonders" will return without fruit. No one dare be so rash as to seek to do impossible things unless he has first been empowered by the God of the impossible. "The power of God was there" is our guarantee to victory.
"May the power of the Lord be with me in my ministry today, so that I might not be 'outclassed by the world's superior strength'. Amen."
Such words as these in the second chapter of Hebrews stand as a rebuke to the unbelieving Christians of our day: "God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will."
A cold Church is forced to 'interpret' such language. She cannot enter it, so she explains it away. Not a little juggling is required, and not a few statements for which there is not scriptural authority, but anything will do to save face and justify our half-dead condition. Such defensive exegesis is but a refuge for unbelieving orthodoxy, a hiding place for a Church too weak to stand.
No one with a knowledge of the facts can deny the need for supernatural aid in the work of world evangelization. We are so hopelessly outclassed by the world's superior strength that for us it means either God's help or sure defeat. The Christian who goes out without faith in "wonders" will return without fruit. No one dare be so rash as to seek to do impossible things unless he has first been empowered by the God of the impossible. "The power of God was there" is our guarantee to victory.
"May the power of the Lord be with me in my ministry today, so that I might not be 'outclassed by the world's superior strength'. Amen."
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Delay is not denial
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. (Luke 1:12-15)
I read this passage from Luke 1 last night, and was struck by the angel Gabriel's words to Zechariah - "Your prayer has been heard."
God's gift of a baby boy to Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth in their old age was in answer to their prayer. As John Wesley says, "God does nothing except in answer to prayer."
But what I've been pondering is how long ago Zechariah had prayed that prayer. Somehow, it seems he prayed that in times past. He probably prayed real earnestly. He might have persevered for years. But I think he eventually stopped, because he thought God had said no.
Of course I can't be sure he stopped praying. But the circumstantial evidence seems to suggest so, because when the angel announced this good news - that "Your prayer has been heard", Zechariah didn't really have the faith to believe this could be true anymore. He asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."
I think Zechariah probably stopped praying because he thought God had said no to him. But what he thought was God's denial was actually just a delay. Perhaps even a long delay.
What he didn't know was that God always meant to answer his prayer. But God had to wait until it was time for Jesus to come, because He wanted to bless Zechariah with a son whose calling was to be the forerunner of Christ.
It reminded me of this beautiful poem I had read before ... that Delay is not necessarily Denial.
God always hears and answers prayer,
Though long may be the trial.
Let patience bloom while God prepares;
Delay is not denial.
When God would glorify His Name,
And make His blessing great;
The one whose heart God's will doth frame
Must sometimes pray and wait.
But come, the answer surely must,
For God has never lied.
And faith, which looks at God in trust,
God never has denied.
So when the weeks turn months, then years,
And doubt feign would defile,
Beseech the more and that with tears;
Delay is not denial.
I read this passage from Luke 1 last night, and was struck by the angel Gabriel's words to Zechariah - "Your prayer has been heard."
God's gift of a baby boy to Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth in their old age was in answer to their prayer. As John Wesley says, "God does nothing except in answer to prayer."
But what I've been pondering is how long ago Zechariah had prayed that prayer. Somehow, it seems he prayed that in times past. He probably prayed real earnestly. He might have persevered for years. But I think he eventually stopped, because he thought God had said no.
Of course I can't be sure he stopped praying. But the circumstantial evidence seems to suggest so, because when the angel announced this good news - that "Your prayer has been heard", Zechariah didn't really have the faith to believe this could be true anymore. He asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."
I think Zechariah probably stopped praying because he thought God had said no to him. But what he thought was God's denial was actually just a delay. Perhaps even a long delay.
What he didn't know was that God always meant to answer his prayer. But God had to wait until it was time for Jesus to come, because He wanted to bless Zechariah with a son whose calling was to be the forerunner of Christ.
It reminded me of this beautiful poem I had read before ... that Delay is not necessarily Denial.
God always hears and answers prayer,
Though long may be the trial.
Let patience bloom while God prepares;
Delay is not denial.
When God would glorify His Name,
And make His blessing great;
The one whose heart God's will doth frame
Must sometimes pray and wait.
But come, the answer surely must,
For God has never lied.
And faith, which looks at God in trust,
God never has denied.
So when the weeks turn months, then years,
And doubt feign would defile,
Beseech the more and that with tears;
Delay is not denial.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Hosanna - by Hillsongs
Sang Hosanna by Hillsongs at Cornerstone today ... the lyrics in the Bridge really struck me. I think these words are so good, they can be a prayer!
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdom's cause
As I go from nothing to Eternity
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdom's cause
As I go from nothing to Eternity
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Your rod and your staff - they comfort me
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)
Tonight as I was pottering about the house in the wee hours of the morning, I felt a pang of fear threaten to unseat my peace ... to which I uttered, "I will fear no evil ... for your rod and your staff - they comfort me." -- a verse I am very familiar with from Psalms 23.
And... in that moment, the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to something I had never seen before, and I was so excited! ... which is that the shepherd carries two implements, a rod and a staff. I always knew Psalm 23 to be a pastoral, peaceful psalm - and the shepherd carries a staff, to guide and care for us, His sheep. But suddenly, the Holy Spirit asked me, what is the shepherd doing with a rod?
So I did a quick search online, to make sure I wasn't imagining things. Yes, the rod and staff are separate implements.
This is what my googling threw up - among them, a short excerpt from the book "The Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23" by W Phillip Keller. He writes: "The staff is essentially a symbol of concern, the compassion that a shepherd has for his charges. No other single word can better describe its function on behalf of the flock better than that it is for their comfort. The rod conveys the concept of authority, of power, of discipline, of defense against danger."
The Holy Spirit reminded me at that moment of Psalms 2, where God speaks of Jesus as King, Bridegroom and Judge. In that Psalm, it is said of Jesus, in reference to the rebelling heathen nations, that "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." A picture of a powerful, majestic, fearsome Lord.
Sometimes, like tonight, the Evil One tried to cause me to doubt if the Lord can keep me. It is almost as if he was tempting me to doubt if the Lord is powerful. So tonight, I was really really excited by what the Holy Spirit showed me from Psalms 23:4. Which is that even in a Psalm whose main focus is about God's love for us, His love for us is a fierce love that says to the Enemy, Don't mess with my sheep.
If you mess with my sheep, you will contend with my rod.
Prayer today: Oh Lord, thank you. This pierces my heart. You are a good, awesome God, and I am safe in your arms indeed. Hallelujah. Amen!
Tonight as I was pottering about the house in the wee hours of the morning, I felt a pang of fear threaten to unseat my peace ... to which I uttered, "I will fear no evil ... for your rod and your staff - they comfort me." -- a verse I am very familiar with from Psalms 23.
And... in that moment, the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to something I had never seen before, and I was so excited! ... which is that the shepherd carries two implements, a rod and a staff. I always knew Psalm 23 to be a pastoral, peaceful psalm - and the shepherd carries a staff, to guide and care for us, His sheep. But suddenly, the Holy Spirit asked me, what is the shepherd doing with a rod?
So I did a quick search online, to make sure I wasn't imagining things. Yes, the rod and staff are separate implements.
This is what my googling threw up - among them, a short excerpt from the book "The Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23" by W Phillip Keller. He writes: "The staff is essentially a symbol of concern, the compassion that a shepherd has for his charges. No other single word can better describe its function on behalf of the flock better than that it is for their comfort. The rod conveys the concept of authority, of power, of discipline, of defense against danger."
The Holy Spirit reminded me at that moment of Psalms 2, where God speaks of Jesus as King, Bridegroom and Judge. In that Psalm, it is said of Jesus, in reference to the rebelling heathen nations, that "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." A picture of a powerful, majestic, fearsome Lord.
Sometimes, like tonight, the Evil One tried to cause me to doubt if the Lord can keep me. It is almost as if he was tempting me to doubt if the Lord is powerful. So tonight, I was really really excited by what the Holy Spirit showed me from Psalms 23:4. Which is that even in a Psalm whose main focus is about God's love for us, His love for us is a fierce love that says to the Enemy, Don't mess with my sheep.
If you mess with my sheep, you will contend with my rod.
Prayer today: Oh Lord, thank you. This pierces my heart. You are a good, awesome God, and I am safe in your arms indeed. Hallelujah. Amen!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Angels, and the goodness of the Lord
This morning, before I left for work, my sis told me the news that a church member had passed on ... I didn't know this lady personally, but my sis did. She was a fiesty lady, dedicated to ministry, and a faithful servant of the Lord. She had passed on, after succumbing to cancer. It was a relatively short battle ... months only ... and when she was diagnosed, this lady had still retained her optimism. But the chemotherapy got to her - her organs started failing - and this morning, she went home to be with the Lord.
I asked my sis if her death was sudden. I asked because from recent accounts, it had been an up and down journey - some days up, some days down. My sis said no, the family was prepared. Because - and this is what brought a lump to my throat - before she passed on, this lady had asked her husband to release her to the Lord. This was after she saw a vision of two angels standing by her bedside. And ... despite the pain she was in ... she was so happy, she lifted her hands to worship the Lord.
Just thinking about it has made my eyes tear a few times today. It made me tear because it just reminded me how good God is. How real our faith is. How real eternity is. How we are spirit beings, looked after by God, and ministered to by his angels. And at our journey's end, He sends His angels to bring us - His dear children - home. WOW!
I teared because I was just floored by how even at her life's end, even when it was painful physically to do so, this lady praised the Lord, not just in her heart but with the lifting of her hands. WOW!
God is good. And real. Suddenly, the reality of eternity hit home. And the reality of the Lord's goodness in redeeming us - so we are forgiven and adopted into his family - hit home. We are truly privileged as children of God. Truly privileged.
I asked my sis if her death was sudden. I asked because from recent accounts, it had been an up and down journey - some days up, some days down. My sis said no, the family was prepared. Because - and this is what brought a lump to my throat - before she passed on, this lady had asked her husband to release her to the Lord. This was after she saw a vision of two angels standing by her bedside. And ... despite the pain she was in ... she was so happy, she lifted her hands to worship the Lord.
Just thinking about it has made my eyes tear a few times today. It made me tear because it just reminded me how good God is. How real our faith is. How real eternity is. How we are spirit beings, looked after by God, and ministered to by his angels. And at our journey's end, He sends His angels to bring us - His dear children - home. WOW!
I teared because I was just floored by how even at her life's end, even when it was painful physically to do so, this lady praised the Lord, not just in her heart but with the lifting of her hands. WOW!
God is good. And real. Suddenly, the reality of eternity hit home. And the reality of the Lord's goodness in redeeming us - so we are forgiven and adopted into his family - hit home. We are truly privileged as children of God. Truly privileged.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Solomon and largeness of heart
There is a story that comes to us out of the long ago of a king who organized a great race within his kingdom. All the young men of the kingdom participated. A bag of gold was to be given to the winner, and the finish line was within the courtyard of the king's palace. The race was run, and the runners were surprised to find in the middle of the road leading to the king's palace a great pile of rocks and stones. But they managed to scramble over it or to run around it and eventually to come to the courtyard. Finally all the runners had crossed the finish line except one. But still the king did not call the race off. After a while one lone runner came through the gate. He lifted a bleeding hand and said, "O King, I am sorry that I am so late. But you see, I found in the road a pile of rocks and stones, and it took me a while, and I wounded myself in removing them." Then he lifted the other hand, and in it was a bag. He said, "But, Great King, I found beneath the pile of rocks this bag of gold." The king said, "My son, you have won the race, for that one runs best who makes the way safer for those who follow." -- Bruce Thielemann, "Christus Imperator," Preaching Today, Tape 55.
Today, at Cornerstone Community Church, we were taught about living as Royalty (sons and daughters of the Most High God). What struck me most was this verse on Solomon:
"And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore." (1 Kings 4:29 KJV)
I always knew Solomon had wisdom. I never knew he also had largeness of heart. Ps Yang preached that how large our heart is determines the extent to which God can use us to reach others ... how much we can carry ... and then distribute. In the F1 pitstop, refuelling a racing car takes all of 7 seconds, because the fuel hose is huge (and takes 2 men to carry). On the contrary, if our hearts are constricted, how little love and grace will flow from God, through us, to others ...
I found another analogy in Sheena Ryan's book "Pathways to Destiny", which I am currently reading. She writes, "Our lives can be a narrow pathway or a superhighway for the purposes of God. It is up to us to choose what we will allow God to do in our life and how much of His presence and power can dwell in us ... The state of our personal pathways determines the degree of the glory of God that can be revealed in and through us, and also how much of His kingdom we can access. When the pathways are fully restored, they become that highway for the glory of God. Within that glory-God's manifest presence - is contained all that we need both for our own life and the lives of those we touch."
The start of 2010 has been busy, harried and fast-paced already ... and I can so feel my heart constricting as a result. I think in Singapore, our pace of life and the striving is the biggest enemy of this thing called largeness of heart. But what a gift it is! My prayer is that He would grant me largeness of heart!
Today, at Cornerstone Community Church, we were taught about living as Royalty (sons and daughters of the Most High God). What struck me most was this verse on Solomon:
"And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore." (1 Kings 4:29 KJV)
I always knew Solomon had wisdom. I never knew he also had largeness of heart. Ps Yang preached that how large our heart is determines the extent to which God can use us to reach others ... how much we can carry ... and then distribute. In the F1 pitstop, refuelling a racing car takes all of 7 seconds, because the fuel hose is huge (and takes 2 men to carry). On the contrary, if our hearts are constricted, how little love and grace will flow from God, through us, to others ...
I found another analogy in Sheena Ryan's book "Pathways to Destiny", which I am currently reading. She writes, "Our lives can be a narrow pathway or a superhighway for the purposes of God. It is up to us to choose what we will allow God to do in our life and how much of His presence and power can dwell in us ... The state of our personal pathways determines the degree of the glory of God that can be revealed in and through us, and also how much of His kingdom we can access. When the pathways are fully restored, they become that highway for the glory of God. Within that glory-God's manifest presence - is contained all that we need both for our own life and the lives of those we touch."
The start of 2010 has been busy, harried and fast-paced already ... and I can so feel my heart constricting as a result. I think in Singapore, our pace of life and the striving is the biggest enemy of this thing called largeness of heart. But what a gift it is! My prayer is that He would grant me largeness of heart!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
The ultimate rags to riches story
As I asked the Lord what He would have me do in 2010, I sensed Him say that it is to be a year of extravagant worship. I read in a devotional today that as believers, ours is the ultimate rags to riches story. How true. These are a few things I picked up from my readings today on how blessed we are:
1. We are children of God! What a royal calling!
"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." (John 1:12,13)
2. God is a shield to those who walk uprightly
"He holds victory in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
For he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones." (Proverbs 2:7-8)
Herbert Lockyer says it eloquently. He describes the shield as "the most ancient and universal weapon of defense". "Shields were most necessary for use against besiegers who employed darts and stones and blazing torches to overcome the besieged. It was the means of defense between the soldier and his foe."
"Is it not blessed to know that as our Shield, God is between the enemy and ourselves, and that therefore no trial can overtake us apart from His permissive will? Behind Him as our Shield, the antagonisms of Satan, and accusations of men cannot injure us."
Prayer today: O Lord, thank you for our royal calling as children of God. And thank you that you are our Shield, to protect us from the enemy. If you are for us, who can be against us? I stand secure in your protection, your love. Help me to adore you, to worship you, to praise you, for in you, mine is the ultimate rags to riches story. In Jesus' name, Amen.
1. We are children of God! What a royal calling!
"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." (John 1:12,13)
2. God is a shield to those who walk uprightly
"He holds victory in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
For he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones." (Proverbs 2:7-8)
Herbert Lockyer says it eloquently. He describes the shield as "the most ancient and universal weapon of defense". "Shields were most necessary for use against besiegers who employed darts and stones and blazing torches to overcome the besieged. It was the means of defense between the soldier and his foe."
"Is it not blessed to know that as our Shield, God is between the enemy and ourselves, and that therefore no trial can overtake us apart from His permissive will? Behind Him as our Shield, the antagonisms of Satan, and accusations of men cannot injure us."
Prayer today: O Lord, thank you for our royal calling as children of God. And thank you that you are our Shield, to protect us from the enemy. If you are for us, who can be against us? I stand secure in your protection, your love. Help me to adore you, to worship you, to praise you, for in you, mine is the ultimate rags to riches story. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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