Family First

Familities today are under attack in many different forms.  Satan seek to destroy and divide families as much as possible through divorce and abuse.  As a result, many people have grown up in broken homes.  But, this is not the way familities were originally intended to be.

Family was originally intended to be a picture of our relationship with God.  J.C.Ryle writes, "The son of an earthly parent naturally looks to his father for affection, support, provision, and education.  There is a home always open to him.  There is love which, generally speaking, no amount of bad behavior can completely extinguish ...  Think then how great is the privilege of that poor sinner of mankind who can say of God, 'He is my Father.'" 

As a potter molds clay to form a beautiful creation, so does the strong bond of family and good values.  Family bonds are a link to our beginning and a guide to our future. Early influences are fundamental to our individual development.

We all want to "belong" and feel accepted.  A sense of belonging is derived from the strong bond of family.  Family is where our roots take hold and from there we grow.  We are molded within a unit, which prepares us for what we will experience in the world and how we react to those experiences.  Values are taught at an early age and are carried with us throughout our life.

A close family bond is like a safe harbor where we find refuge.  From trusting that someone will pick us up when we fall, as a toddler, to someone being there for us as we experience the storms in life - family bonds help to instill trust and hope in the world around us and belief in ourselves.  Rituals of bedtime stories, hugs, holidays and daily meals shared together, provide a sense of warmth, structure and safety.  These rituals and traditions, not only create memories and leave a family legacy, but create our first path in life - one that is positive.

Our very spirit can either blossom or wither within the family unit.  When we don't have the security and influence of strong family bonds early in life, the ground work is laid for an emptiness, that is often sought to be filled, through destructive venues.  If one isn't loved as a child, they may later seek love and acceptance in a way that brings them harm.  There is a deep yearning to fill that hollowness, residing in the heart and soul, from never knowing what it's like to be loved, accepted and appreciated for "being".
 

The benefits of keeping family first :-

A) an unwavering trust in God's love and wisdom.
b) steadfast, endurance, courage, patience and hope for eternity
c) the Holy Spirit enables us to produce living fruits such as love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control; (Gal. 5:22-23)

CHILDREN'S EARS MAY BE CLOSED TO ADVICE, BUT THEIR EYES ARE OPEN TO EXAMPLE. 

A  RIGHT  ATTITUDE  WITH  YOUR  FAMILY  BEGINS  WITH  A  RIGHT  ATTITUDE TOWARDS  GOD

Beginning of a new chapter

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.  (Ecclesiastes 3:1-14)

t Penang International Airport

God's Goodness

When everything is going well in our live, it's easy to feel proud.  We're tempted to think that we are good and that it is by our abilities that we have achieved success.  During such moments we tend to forget that behind it all is our good Lord who provides and protects us.

Korean  Dinner

I need to say right away that I believe God is good and He takes delight in doing good things for people.  He does indeed hold our hand in times of trouble and helps us stand against the onslaught of life's difficulties.

So, the next time God blesses us, be sure to look for ways to give Him the credit.  Consuming His blessings without communicating His goodness shortchanges the very purpose of His gifts of grace in our lives.

James 1:17   Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

GOD IS GOOD  --  MAKE SURE THE PEOPLE IN YOUR WORLD KNOW WHAT HE HAS DONE IN YOUR LIFE.

In God's hand

When we release our children into the Father's hands and acknowledge that He is in control of their lives and ours, both we and our children will have greater peace.

Recently, I had to release my son into God's hands again, this time as he steps into the working world.  God teaches us to release him 5 years ago when he left for college and started his varsity life.  He started in Miri, Sarawak and then extended to Perth, Australia in the later part of his semester.

Releasing our children to God does not mean that they will not experience pain.  They will, because pain is a part of life in this fallen world.

We were reminded of the words in Isaiah 55:12    You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

God assured us that the initial pain of releasing our children there comes joy and peace, both for them and us.  Because we know that no matter what stage of life our children are in, when we release them to God, they are in good hands. 

Mission Trip - Dali, China

Dali Gateway

The Antioch Missions Penang office organised a Mission Trip to Dali/Lijiang, China from 4 to15 November 2012 where 5 persons participated (4 from Penang and 1 from Kuala Lumpur).

The trip enable the participants to experience for themselves all the areas of ministry the Antioch are involved such as prayer walk, cycle & pray, medical ministry, teaching and dropping of bibles.

Journey to Wase Village for Gift drop

Medical Ministry at Pan Xi Village

Bus journey from Bing Chuan Village

Medical Ministry

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

Home Cell

Our last home cell of the year was held on 15 November where the Lim's family brought along his father-in-law to joined us.

After dinner, we started our meeting with a few songs of praise before sharing the Word of God on 'Prayer'. We ended the sharing with prayers for needs and personal healing as well as a blessing prayer for our visitor.

 

Acts 2:46  So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart.

"If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another," the apostle John said (1 John 4:11).  That's a love for our brothers and sisters in Christ as well as for those who don't yet know Him.

Some say "fellowship" is "two fellows in the same ship"; this is false, for passengers on the same boat may not speak to each other for they have nothing in common.

Christian fellowship is much deeper, sweeter than secular fellowship.  Bible fellowship means spiritual communion, a joint partnership, a joint sharing, mutual partakers.

Adult fellowships and small groups are not miniature church services.  They are pockets of people who love Christ and believe in helping one another.  They do not point fingers or preach or compare.  They are your brothers and sisters in Christ. - Charles Swindoll

CHRISTIANS ARE LIKE COALS OF FIRE - TOGETHER THEY GLOW; APART THEY GROW COLD.

Thankfulness

Thankfulness follows contentment: a discontented man is not thankful for anything, but a contented man is thankful for everything.  Thankfulness is a branch of godliness, none but a godly man is truly a thankful man.

Thankfulness is the "chief exercise of godliness" in which we ought to engage during the whole of our life.  "Gratitude is the heart  ...  of the Christian life."

Giving thanks to God is then not an optional thing for the Christian.  Thankfulness to God for His love, His care for us, and His provision for our salvation permeates both Old and New Testaments.  In the Old Testament, giving thanks to God was often done through the Levitical sacrifice.

Thankfulness should flow naturally from the Christian who realizes the great gift of salvation offered through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.  Jesus Christ suffered the penalty for what He did not deserve (all my sin), then freely offered to me the reward (eternal life) that I did not deserve.  What an awesome God we serve!

Christian faith can be measure by thankfulness.  Our faith is evidenced by how thankful we are, and for how long.  This is because only those who have an intimate relationship with God are able to express thankfulness.  Those who follow God closely trust Him completely and are able to be thankful even in circumstances that do not naturally elicit thanksgiving.

Let us give thanks in every circumstances and faithfully share this heart of thanksgiving with others.
1 Chronicles 16:8   Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18   Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

William Arthur Ward said,  "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it".

Deeper life

There are many stages of Christian experience and maturity which we consistently find among the professing children of God.

The degrees and forms of Christians men's living are, "common", "special", and "perfect".  The first two of these may begun and ended in this life.  You can enter into perfection but you cannot enter in fully.  The third may by the grace of God begin here but it shall last without end in the bliss of heaven.

A "common" Christian is one who is of ordinary quality and ability.  He is not distinguished by superiority of any kind - ie. a mediocre Christians.  They are halfway up to the peak.  They are not halfway to heaven but halfway up to where they ought to be, halfway between the valley and the peak.   They are morally above the hardened sinner but they are spiritually beneath the shinning saint.

A "special" Christian is one who have the desire and spirit of apostle Paul's.  A desire to gain Christ (Philippians 3:8) and to be found in Him (Philippians 3:9), and to know Him (Philippians 3:10).  The person also has an earnest desire to press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of (Philippians 3:12) and press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.(Philippians 3:14).

Many people want to talk about deeper life but no one seems to want to know and love God for himself!  God is the deeper life!   Jesus Christ Himself is the deeper life, and as we plunge on into the knowledge on the triune God, our heart moves on into the blessedness of His fellowship.
The basic teaching of the deeper Christian life is the willingness to let Jesus Christ Himself be glorified in us and through us.

[Extract from A.W.Tozer - I Talk Back To The Devil]

DIFFICULTIES IN OUR LIVES GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD