Work-in-progress

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

As we go through our life circumstances, twists and turns, God's grace and mercy will brings us closer to Him and reshape us into more Christlike persons, "conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29)

Have Thine own way, Lord!

Have Thine own way!

Thou art the Potter, I am the clay;

Mould me and make me after Thy will,

While I am waiting, yielded and still. - Polland

We all face giants in our lives - worry, doubt, fear, sin and guilt. but with limited and unlikely resources and unswerving confidence in our all-powerful God, we too can triumph over them.

"When you fall, don't see the place where you fell, instead see the place from where you slipped. Life is about correcting mistakes."

Christian's life on earth is like God's work-in-progress as written in Ephesians 2:10. It is also about Christ and relationship with Christ.

Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'

First commandment is the relationship or communion with God.
God had a relationship with Adam and Eve that was based on loving trust. But when disobedience broke the trusting relationship, God added more rules to protect the wayward couple and their offspring.

In Christ, God proclaimed once more that the good life He wants for us is not about rules but a relationship or communion.

Second commandment : ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.
Even as we have tasted the goodness of God, we should share it with our relatives and friends as commanded in Matthew 28 :19-20 '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.”

The gospel of Jesus Christ brings the promise of peace and reconciliation with God and with each other.

Comforter or Comfortable

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. 2 Corinthians 1 :3-7

Someone has written : "Sorrow can lead us into one of four lands ; the barren land in which we try to escape from it; the broken land in which we sink under it; the bitter land in which we resent it; or the better land in which we bear it and become a blessing to others." To enter that better land, we must stop focusing on our own sorrows but accept God's comfort in them, and reach out to others in need.

The best comforters are those whom God has comforted and who are willing to comfort others -- Henry Bosch

GOD DOESN'T COMFORT US TO MAKE US COMFORTABLE, HE COMFORTS US TO MAKE US COMFORTERS

Trouble

Does it surprise you that trouble is a part of life ?

When troubles come and doubts arise, I often turn to Romans 8. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? asked Paul (verse 35).
It shouldn't surprise us, therefore that God permits the added trials of ridiculed and hated because we follow Christ (1 Peter 4:12)

So why do we need to go through pains or suffering in our walk on this earth ?

As Job wisely assessed God's role in trying circumstances of loss and poor health: "He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" [Job 23:10]

As we go through trials or troubles, God uses these circumstances to bring us to our knees and to Him. By His grace, He continues to use life's twists and turns to mould and reshape our character to be more Christlike, ".... conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29). It will also draw us closer to God, as we seek His strength and comfort. Trouble not only helps us experience our dependance on God but also reminded us of our inter-dependance with one another.

Much of life is about "getting through" the trials and troubles that are inevitable in our sinful world. Acts 14:22 recorded Paul and Barnabas strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Real trials in life are not ifs - they are whens. In fact, life's most profound lessons cannot simply be observed, they must be experienced. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. [James 1:2-3]

No one can predict with certainty how stormy our life journey will be. But we do know, though, that everyone will face storms. If you're anchored in Jesus, you have nothing to fear.

TOUGH TIMES CAN TEACH US TO TRUST.

Mission Recce to Betong, Thailand

The Church organised a mission recce to Betong, Thailand from 14 to 16 May 2011. We [Pas. Gideon, Adrian and Joy] started our journey at 1 pm and arrived at Pengkalan Hulu after 2 hours travelling in the rain, before meeting Mr Lo who lead us into Betong town.

Betong is a district of Yala Province, situated in the southernmost province of Thailand in Sankalakhiri mountain range. With an area of 1,328 sq. km, it borders the Malaysian states of Kedah and Perak. Its terrain is mostly mountainous and hilly with forested plateaus. About 1,900 feet above sea level, it is 140km from Yala and 1,224km from the capital city of Bangkok.

Betong, meaning bamboo, is named in the Malay language. It has a population of around 30,000 which can be classified into two major groups Muslims and Chinese, the majority of its people are agriculturists. Climatically speaking, Betong is under the influence of the Southwest and Northwest monsoons. Therefore, there is a lot of rain and the weather is nice and cool with fog in the morning. This is perhaps how it got is name - 'A Town in the Mist with Beautiful Flowers'.

On arrival, we were given a tour by Mr Lo, where we saw the world's largest mailbox which is located at the Clock Tower Intersection in the town center. It was built in 1924 by Mr. Sa-Nguan Jirajinda, the former head of Betong Post and Telegraph Office and the Lord Mayor of Betong. Then we went to the 'hot spring' which is situated at Ban Bo Nam Ron, Tambon Tanah Merah, 5km from Betong town on Highway 410 and another 8km off this highway on an asphalt road. The heat of the spring water can hard-boil an egg in 7 minutes. Both locals and tourist love to bathe in the mineral water which is believed to cure body aches and skin diseases.

The last tourist site is Piyamit Village-Guerrilla Tunnel. The village of Piyamit located on a mountain surrounded by thick forest was first settled by a group of people called the Thailand Joint-developers in 1976. These people used it as an operation base for the Malaya Communist Guerrillas to escape from air attacks and to store provisions. The village houses a tunnel previously used as a headquarters stronghold for the guerrillas. The tunnel, which took 40 - 50 people 3 months to dig, is approximately 1 km long and some 55 feet wide, and has a seating capacity of 200. Only 6 of the original 9 passageways are left to be seen.

On Sunday, we attended a Lahu hilltribes church at Ban Bo Nam Ron area, situated directly opposite the 'hot spring'. The church is lead by a Lahu pastor, Pas. Caleb and attendance for the day were about 60 people. Presently, Pas. Peter, Pas. Jern and Pas. Wichai is assisting in training the members, and evangelism work in Betong town centre.

Presently, only 0.5% of the population are Christians, half of it being Catholic and the remaining charismatic believers. We believe “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few" as recorded in the books of Matthew and Luke. Thus, the church will be going back again to follow-up and work together with the Romkloa Church as a partner.

Lahu

Population: approx 73,000, Origin: Yunnan, Myanmar
Also known as Musor, the Lahu are concentrated near the Burmese border and have five sub-groupings: Red Lahu, Yellow Lahu, Black Lahu, White Lahu and Lahu Sheleh. The Black Lahu is the largest sub-grouping, making up close to 80 per cent of the Lahu population. The women wear very distinctive black and red jackets and skirts and the men wear baggy green or blue pants. They have a reputation as excellent hunters, and survive off vegetable cultivation, with some supplementing this meagre income with opium production.

Lahu women are skilled in weaving cloth both on back strap and foot treadle looms. Lahu weaving is unique in that the pattern appears on only one side of the cloth. Lahu women also produce delicate and colourful patchwork trims. Lahu men make baskets, crossbows and musical instruments.

M.O.T.H.E.R.

M-O-T-H-E-R

"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,
Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"
A word that means the world to me.

- Howard Johnson

A good mother loves her family and provides an atmosphere where each member can find acceptance, security, and understanding. She is there when the children need a listening ear, a comforting word, a warm hug, or a loving touch on a fevered brow. - Richard De Haan

GODLY MOTHERS NOT ONLY BRING YOU UP, THEY BRING YOU TO GOD

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL MOTHERS NOT ONLY ON THIS SPECIAL DAY BUT ALSO ON EVERYDAY OF THEIR LIFE.

Choice

Choice consists of the mental process of judging the merits of multiple options and selecting one of them. [Wikipedia]

Choice is always a good thing. And what's even greater than choice is clarity of choice - Annoymous

Every choice we make creates a ripple effect on our lives as well as on the lives of others. The choices we have made throughout life determine where we are and what we are becoming. Paul captured the same idea in the universal law of sowing and reaping. He said, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." Galatians 6:7. Our choices often have a reach and impact that we could never imagine. Thus the apostle's words remind us to choose wisely - choices that emanate from a heart fully committed to Jesus. He stated that :- "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ," Phillippians 1:9-10

When choosing between options one must make judgments about the quality of each option's attributes.

MAKE AN EXCELLENT CHOICE AND WATCH THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF BLESSING.

"But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” - Joshua 24:15

Be ye holy....

Lazy people pursuit pleasure without responsibility. As such few people today seem the least bit concerned that before their actual holy matrimony, have been living together off and on since their courting days.
We must therefore always try to take step to set ourself apart from the world as Romans 12:1-2 said.. Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Given a choice, many of us are a little afraid of spiritual checkups. After all, if we check our spirit too closely, we might have to change a habit or two.
Proverbs 4:20-27 reminds us of the areas that we need to examine :-

Ears [v20] - Are we hearing God's Word clearly and with understanding? Are we doing what those words tell us?

Eyes [vv21,25] - Are we keeping our eyes on the teaching that will guide us toward righteousness?

Heart [v23] - Are we protecting our heart from evil?

Tongue [v24] - Is our mouth clean and pure?

Feet [v26] - Are we walking straight toward God's truth without wavering?

[Extract from Our Daily Bread]

Colossians 3:2 reminded us "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."

1 Peter 2:9 said "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

Greatest privilege

The greatest privilege of our Christian life is to live in the center of God's Will.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Whatever and however man does, God's plan is never crippled or stopped because God is sovereign - He overrules and He reigns.

An adaptable or flexible spirit is essential to fulfill the will of God. - Watchman Nee

CONTENTMENT COMES WHEN WE WANT GOD'S WILL MORE THAN OUR OWN WAY.

Let Him Have His Way with Thee
Would you live for Jesus, and be always pure and good?
Would you walk with Him within the narrow road?
Would you have Him bear your burden, carry all your load?
Let Him have His way with thee.
Refrain:
His pow’r can make you what you ought to be;
His blood can cleanse your heart and make you free;
His love can fill your soul, and you will see
Twas best for Him to have His way with thee.

Would you have Him make you free, and follow at His call?
Would you know the peace that comes by giving all?
Would you have Him save you, so that you can never fall?
Let Him have His way with thee.
Would you in His kingdom find a place of constant rest?
Would you prove Him true in providential test?
Would you in His service labor always at your best?
Let Him have His way with thee.

Sources:The Cyber Hymnal (http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/h/i/hiswaywt.htm)

"Li Zai Nyia Lang Eh Sim"

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

祢知道人的心

You know men's heart

Li zai nyia lang eh sim

祢知是假是真

You know if it's genuine or fake

Li zai shi kae shi chin

来到祢面前不必做戏

It's needless to act before you

Lai kao Li bin cheng mian choe hee

来到祢面前做回自己

I can only be myself before you

Lai kao Li bin cheng choe th’ng ka kee

给我心会清洁 灵也正直

Give me a pure heart, a right spirit

Hor gua sim eh cheng khee ling eh chia tit

外面和里面 全会真实

Outward and inwardly, to be true

Gua kao ka lai bin long eh chea sit

做每个事情 真是为祢

To do everything, as unto You

Choe mui eh tai chi chin sit ooi Li

不是为别人 为自己

Not unto others, nor myself

Ng shi ooi pak lang ooi ka kee

真是为着叫祢叫祢欢喜

It's only unto You, to please You

Chin shi ooi tiok kheo Li kheo Li hua hee

别人看不到的

What escapes the sight of men

Pak lang khua beh tiok eh

祢全知道

Are all in Your knowledge

Li long zai nyia

骗得过别人

I can deceive the world

Pian eh kueh pak lang

也骗得过自己

As well as myself

Ye pian eh kueh ka kee

我骗不过祢

I cannot hide it from You

Wo pian beh kueh Li [A song by Pas. Lim Gee Tiong]

1 Chronicles 28:9 “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

This is true whether the heart is pure or if it is a corrupt heart robed in false claims of innocence. We may fool others who see us only on the outside, but God sees the reality of our hearts - whether good or bad.

It is wise, therefore, to humbly confess our faults to the Lord. He desires that we admit the truth (Psalm 51:6). The only way to escape the sin and restore our fellowship with God is to acknowledge and confess it to Him (vv 3-4)

WE MAY SUCCESSFULLY FOOL OTHERS, BUT GOD KNOWS OUR HEARTS.

F.A.I.T.H.

When affliction strikes us, how do we react? Are we embittered, or do we trustfully appropriate God's sustaining grace? 2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

I was reminded of this verse when a young believer and his family encountered trials and challenges in their walk with the Lord. I was wondering how I might lift their spirit and encourage them to cling to God's promise of Romans 8:28. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Faith in Christ is not about safety and caution But about believing Jesus and trusting Him no matter what. It's about taking up a daily cross [Luke 9:23] and living for the Saviour. - Dave Branon