Why tribulations?

Are you passing through the deep waters of trials and disappointment?

Does everything seem to be going against you?

These apparent misfortunes are not accidents. The Lord Jesus allows such things for a blessed purposes.

John 16:33 tells us, "In the world you will have tribulation."  Even God's children are not promised a life of ease, of prosperity, nor of good health.  Yet we are never alone in our trouble.  Isaiah 43:2 reminds us that when we pass through deep waters, God is with us.

A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without adversity.

The Bible tells us that tribulation produces perseverance, character, hope and confidence by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:3-5)

In Psalm 119:71, David wrote, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes." And Hebrews 12:11 says that chastening "yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness."

There are no mountain top that we can climb to, no crevice we can hide in, or deserted island to flee to, that can keep pain, death, hardship, and suffering away from us.  These are all the natural consequences of sin.

Why CHURCH ?

Is it just another day or another Sunday ??

For the believers in the early church [Acts 2:41-47], joining with fellow believers was a source of excitement.

The joy of gathering with others who love to praise God for His greatness (Psalm 122:1) and the encouragement, care, and unity that occurs when believers meet together (1 Cor. 12:25) are why we should gather and fellowship with one another.

The writer of Hebrews reminded us to be obedience to God's command to meet together regularly. (Hebrew 10:25-26)

Church is the best place to find Christian companionship.

 

It is a place where there is person-to-person caring and the opportunity for authentic sharing.  A place where the person will feel free, without embarrassment or shame, to tell his secret or state his struggle, where someone will listen, help him unload, and give him fresh strength.

GO with the anticipation of meeting with God [Hebrew 13:5]

GO to learn about God [Psalms 119:105]

GO to fellowship with others [Hebrew 10:24-25]

We do not become a Christian by joining a church or even being christened or baptized.  The only way you can become a Christian is by meeting Jesus personally.

Jesus said, "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved." (John 10:9)

Our relationship with God must go far beyond church attendance and regular devotions.  It should affect our relationship (Neh.10:30),  our time (Neh.10:31) and our material resources .(Neh.10:32-33)

Christianity is a relationship not a religion

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

Praises

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name.  Praise the Lord, my soul; and forget not all His benefits - who forgives all my sins and heals all your diseases.  Psalms 103: 1-3 (NIV)

Praise is expressing to God our appreciation and understanding of His worth.  It is saying thank you for each aspect of His divine nature.  Our inward altitude becomes outward expression.

When we praise God, we help ourselves by expanding our awareness of who He is.
1)  we may be falsely accused and misunderstood by friends and enemies.
2)  we may not be truly appreciated by others for the love we show.
3)  the true value of our work and service may not be duly rewarded or
4)  our ideas may be ignored.

Our praises should focus on Gods glorious deeds

1)  He forgives our sins

2)  He heals our diseases

3)  He redeems us from death

4)  He crowns us with love and compassion

5)  He satisfies our desires

6)  He gives righteousness and justice

Dinner at Hai Boey Seafood Restaurant

Dinner at Hai Boey Seafood Restaurant, Gertak Sanggul with Olugboyega Folorunso and family.

Embracing God's love for us is the key to loving others.

Pursue God

At times we need to ask ourselves:  What are we pursuing in life?  A better job, a bigger house and a bigger car?

What is the will of God for our life?  What does my Heavenly Father expect of me?

As a believer, we need to hold to 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (AMP) - For this is the will of God, that you should be consecrated, .... and Hebrews 12:14 (NIV) - "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."

Before God changes circumstances, He wants to change our hearts.  If our circumstances change for the better, but we remain the same, then we will become worse.  God's purpose in providence is not to make us comfortable, but to make us conformable, " ...conformed to the image of His son ..." (Romans 8:29 NIV).

1. Jesus must be the central to our Christian life.

Philippians 1:21, Paul writes these words "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain"

2. Christ alone is worth to be pursue.

When we pursue a human relationship, we can experience failure, betrayal, financial loss.

3. Only Jesus can handle the complexities of life.

He can give us an answer to prayer, a miracle when we need it and Grace to go through in victory.

4. He is always revealing Himself to us if we sincerely seeks Him.

In Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV), it states "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart".

"The righteous leads blameless life; blessed are their children after them". Proverbs. 20:7

"The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live". Proverbs 15:27.

Money can buy you a house but not a Home, position but not respect, bed but not a good night's sleep.

Contentment

Life is indeed ironic.  Sometimes we spend so much time in pursuit of our dreams, and when we finally get there, we yearn to be back where we were originally.

Why is contentment so elusive?  Perhaps it is because we do not know ourselves well enough.

Finding contentment often begins with being thankful for the little blessing in life.  If we focus only on the big achievements, we might find that the happiness it brings is fleeting, and we are disillusioned when things don't go our way.

Contentment is not an issue that is restricted to any class of people.  It is an issue that affects everyone from the poor to the very rich.

I believe that when our thankfulness is focused on the little things, the normal parts of our everyday life, then we realize that the small blessings add up, and making do with less actually gives us so much more.

Philippians chapter 4 recorded that; People are afraid that if they open the door of contentment, two uninvited guest will rush in: lost of prestige and laziness.

Jesus said, "Be content with your wages" (Luke 3:14) Paul said, "I am well content with weaknesses," and "if we have food and covering ... be content!" (2 Cor. 12:10; 1 Tim. 6:8)

Another apostle said, "Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have" (Heb. 13:5)

Contentment is a blessed place to dwell, but one that few find and remain in for very long.

Just like Paul, we need to learn "how to be content (satisfied to the point I am not disturbed)" no matter what the circumstances were (Philippians 4:11).

Contentment is something we must learn because every human being is born with discontentment.  It is in our flesh and will never be quiet unless we stop feeding it.

Contentment is a blessed place to dwell, but one that few find and remain in for very long.  Being content doesn't mean that we don't want things, but it means we are content with what we have until God sees fit to give us something else.

Security and contentment are found only in a personal relationship with God.  The contentment we find in the opportunities and successes of life is temporary.

Contentment is not the fullfilment of what you want, but the realization of how much that you already have - Annoymous

Happiness is a choice

We were blessed to a dinner by a Christian couple from Singapore at Nyonya Baba Cuisine at Nagore Road.

God is good to bring people along our path to share and encourage, and strengthen our walk with Him.

Happiness is not material goods or high achievement, but it boils down to our outlook in life and the quality of our relationships with the people around us.

To be happy - be part of something you believe in - like play an active role in community work and share time with friends and family.

Nobody is happy all of the time, but some people are definitely more fulfilled than others.

Happiness is a choice

Heaven on earth

"The nearest thing to heaven on this earth is the Christian family and the home where husband and wife, and parents and children, live in love and peace together for the Lord and for each other.

The nearest thing to hell on earth is an ungodly home, broken by sin and iniquity, where parents bicker, quarrel and separate, and children are abandoned to the devil and all the forces of wickedness."

"The Christian Home" by Dr. M.R.DeHaan

God's plan for home life is to be a haven of love where husband and wife and children live with a sense of security and a feeling of acceptance.

J O Y

For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God.  This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.  Ecclesiastes 2:26 KJV

J   ESUS

O  THERS

Y  OU

If we cannot find joy in Christ who lives in us, we will never be able to find joy in anything else.  Jesus is the reason for our joy.

True joy has nothing to do with circumstances.  It is really about faith and trust in God.  Paul writes in Galatians that the fruit of the Spirit includes joy (Galatians 5:22).

That does not mean we enjoy the suffering and difficult.  It does mean, however that we have the strength and resilience to endure - because the Joy of the Lord is our strength - and God Himself will deliver us.

Isn't that the message of the cross?  We live and die on this earth, but we will live forever in eternity with Jesus Christ.  That is God's promise, and that is our joy.  Nothing in this world - not wealth, not beauty, not reputation - will give us true joy - only Christ Himself.

Let the JOY you receive from God be shared to others.

Grace

What is Grace?
Grace is God's unmerited favor.  It is kindness from God we do not deserve.  There is nothing we have done, nor can ever do to earn this favor.  It is a gift from God.  Grace is divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration (rebirth) or sanctification; a virtue coming from God; a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine favor.  -  Mary FairChild

A preacher once explained grace to me with this aconym:
God's
Riches
At
Christ's
Expenses

Grace is internal.  It works from within, not from without.  It is written on the heart, not on tablets of stone.  It is written there only by the Holy Spirit.  No other agent can write the grace of God in our hearts but the Holy Spirit.  Grace is received only through faith.  The very essence of grace is that it cannot be earned.

Grace is not license to sin, because grace produces in us a passion for purity in Christ.

Contrasts between law and grace.

Law came through Moses But Grace comes only through Jesus Christ.

Grace is made available only through the cross and what Jesus did on the cross.  From the cross, grace has been released and made available to the human race.

Everything is of grace in the Christian life from the beginning to the very end - D. Martyn Lloyd James

Grace is getting what we do not deserve, Mercy is not receiving what we do deserve.

God's grace is not a license to continue in sin, but a call to live right with God since Christ has made us right with God.

恩

因  +  心

[yin]         [xin]

reason        heart