New Spirit…

I have been very busy the last couple of months, hardly able to find time to sit and continue my writing. I thought I should begin with a brief update on the Church Building Project. The construction is progressing well, however the recent resident inspection reported that it was not too satisfactory as there were still some loose ends to tidy up. Our contractor, Capstone is committed to do its best to keep to schedule. I take this opportunity to thank our dedicated and conscientious team of Building Committee Members who have been working very hard in overseeing the project. I believe if God is willing, we will be back early next year. I covet your prayers for the project.

I have also been pondering and asking the Lord what does He mean when He wants us to come back with a new spirit? I sense that the Lord is saying that we need to come back with a new level of spirituality.

1. Spiritual Maturity. The Lord wants every one of us, particularly those of us who have known Him for many years, to grow from elementary to maturity (Hebrews 5:11-6:1a). The Lord would want us to be Spiritual Parents: in birthing and nurturing believers whom He will entrust to you. It is time we put our faith in Him into action (James 2:22) and continue to produce the work of our salvation (Philippians 2:12-13).

2. Spirit of Unity. During one of our Leadership Cell Meetings, Ps Michael Koh affirmed something the Lord is showing me about the spirit of unity. Referring to Acts 2, he shared that the Lord wants us to come back “in one spirit and in one accord” – the Church needs to move together in unity! I concur with Ps Michael. Jesus said, “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall…” (Luke 11:17) Satan knows this too, and he will work restlessly to sow division among God’s people. We need to stay vigilant, united and function as one body where Christ is the Head! (Ephesians 4:11-16)

3. Spiritual fervency. Paul wrote in Romans 12:11, “Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically!” (NLT) Coming back to our “very own new home” is exciting. Our excitement must go beyond a new physical building… our excitement must be translated to energy to serve God… and serve Him enthusiastically! This is what the Lord has laid on my heart as the theme for 2012, “Serve Enthusiastically!”

When we return with new mind, new heart and new spirit, we will have a great new Bethel Experience!

New Heart…

God wants us to return with a new heart that is committed to His Word, a new heart that is obedience to Him, and a new heart that is passionate about Him!

What does it mean to be passionate? For example a person who is passionate about soccer will have an intense emotion towards the sport, strong unusual excitement, enthusiasm and sometime we say he is “crazy” about soccer. Such a person usually has a favourite team, he will not to miss every single match his favourite team is playing. He will wear the team’s T-shirt, be first on the queue and he knows the names of all the players, the coaches and manager of the team. He is every happy to speak about the team and his eyes sparkle when he speaks with intense excitement.

Wow! What will happen when we translate such passion towards God? We will have an intense emotion towards God like the Psalmist. Listen to his heart, “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?” (Ps 42:1-2, NLT). “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you” (Ps 63:3, NIV). “I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise!” (Ps 145:1-3). God wants us to have a heart that is as passionate as the Psalmist about Him.

We can learn about being passionate about God from the recent devotion in Every Day With Jesus. Selwyn talks about adoring God, and he shares how we can cultivate the habit of contemplation – deep reflection about God. It’s time to practice what we use to sing,

When I look into Your holiness, when I gaze into Your loveliness,
And when things that surround me become shadows in the light of You. When I’ve found the joy of reaching Your heart, When my will becomes enthralled in Your love,
And when things that surround me becomes shadows in the light of You
I worship You, I worship you
The reason I live is to worship You.

When we are passionate about God there will also be an unusual excitement, enthusiasm and “crazy” about Him. In the Book of Acts, you will notice that Christians in the Early Church were passionate about Jesus and they went about telling people about Him. Even when the apostles were being threatened and ordered to stop speaking about Jesus, they answered, “For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). It was Christ’s love that compelled them to speak (2Cor 5:14). I remember when I first came to know Jesus I was so overjoyed that I went around enthusiastically telling people I have found “Joy!” People were curious, “What joy?” Then I will reply, “I’ve read this book and it tells me about someone called Jesus…” (I received Christ through reading the New Testament, Living Bible Version. I have not been to a Church and no one taught me how to evangelise). The first person I spoke to was my sister, and till today she is still attending Bethel with her family. Then I started sharing with my colleagues. I was literally “crazy” about Jesus! I wanted to know more about Him, so I bought a full Bible. I hung a cross in my car, pasted a bumper sticker to tell people I love Jesus and I bought a hymnal and Christian record and cassette tape albums (before CD was invented). I used to whistle hymns every day in my workplace… I was all excited, enthusiastic and “crazy” about Jesus!

I have decided to follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me, still I will follow
Though none go with me, still I will follow
Though none go with me, still I will follow, no turning back, no turning back.

The world behind me, the Cross before me
The world behind me, the Cross before me
The world behind me, the Cross before me, no turning back, no turning back.

When we are passionate about God, it also mean we are passionate about coming together to worship Him. I remember many of us in the 70s used to come an hour early before worship services and prayer meetings start to spend time in the Prayer Room to worship and pray… We can’t wait to get into His Presence!

When we are passionate about God, we would want to know Him more… both wider and deeper. Paul said, “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Phi 3:10). With such a passionate heart Paul prayed for Christians in Philippi, “This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in the knowledge and depth of insight…” (Phi 1:10). To the Christians in Ephesus, he prayed, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better” (Eph 1:17). And to the Church in Colosse he prayed, “…We have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through spiritual wisdom and understanding… growing in the knowledge of God…” (Col 1:9-10).

Courting couples are usually passionate about wanting to know each other better, how much more if we are passionate about God – we want to know Him more and better every day! You can’t wait to have your Time Alone With God.

When we are passionate about God, we would want to serve Him… and serve Him wholeheartedly! I mentioned earlier that when we are passionate about God, we want to worship Him, and one of the expressions in worship is serving. Jesus cited Deuteronomy 6:13 when He rebuked Satan, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” (Mat 4:10).

It is natural for us to serve the person we love. In John 21, Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me…?” Each time when Peter replied, “Yes…” Jesus said, “Feed by lambs…” The second time He said, “Shepherd my sheep…” and the third time He said, “Feed my sheep…” Peter may not have fully understood what Jesus meant at that moment, but several years later, He wrote in his letter addressing the elders, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve.”

Dear Bethelites, I sense God is saying to us, “My sons and daughters, give me your hearts!” Are you willing?

New Heart…

Last week, we look at to three areas about the heart from the Scriptures: (1) There is a very close association between the mind and the heart; (2) The heart is deceitful; and (3) God seeks for people after His own heart. What is God saying to us, Bethelites about coming back to the new Sanctuary with a new heart?

Before crossing over to the Promised Land Moses told the children of Israel (Deut 6:1-5),

“These are the commands, decrees, and regulations that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you. You must obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy, and you and your children and grandchildren must fear the Lord your God as long as you live. If you obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life. Listen closely, Israel, and be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and you will have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.
Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.”

I believe God is also saying these words to us while we are preparing to return to the new Sanctuary. There are three areas that God is saying to us about our hearts:

1. God wants our hearts to be committed to His Word.
We need a new appetite for the Word of God. Not only must the pastors be committed to preach and teach the Word with greater passion, every leader and every member must be committed to read and study the Word. “And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today” (Deut 6:6).

Let’s capture the passion for God’s Word from the Psalmist’s heart,
“The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul… The Commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart… They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb…” (Ps 19:7-11). “Oh how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long” (Ps 119:97). “Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight” (Ps 119:111). “Truly, I love your commands more than gold, even the finest gold” (Ps 119:127).

I pray to God to rekindle this passion in our hearts for His Word.

What about the believers in the New Testament? Luke tells us that Early Christians “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). He also took note that “the Bereans were more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11). God wants us to have such passion and desire for His Word.

I urge you to begin setting aside time daily to be alone with God. READ and REFLECT on His Word, RESPOND to what He is saying to you, and RECORD them in your journal.

2. A Heart that is obedience to God
The word “obey” was repeated three times in the first three verses of Deuteronomy 6. God wants us to obey His Word. He even promised those who obey that they will enjoy long life and they and their descendants will continue to enjoy His blessings.

Jesus told a parable about the sower who scattered seeds, in Luke 6:8-15. The seed represents God’s Word. The seeds that fell on footpath represent God’s Word fallen onto harden hearts. Very quickly the devil will come and take it away from the heart. The seeds that fell on the rock soil represent those who hear the Word and receive with joy, but like these seeds that do not have deep roots they will fall away when they face with temptation. The seeds that fallen among thorns represent those who hear the Word, but all too quickly they are crowded by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life as a result they never grow to maturity. The seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s Word, cling to it and patiently produce a huge harvest! I pray to God to take away the hardness of the heart and give you a receptive heart, that you will grow from maturity to maturity and live a fruitful life for Him!

In John 15:7, Jesus said, “But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!” He went on to explain in verse 10, “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love…” We remain in Christ by obeying His Word, and He will answer our prayers!

When we set our hearts to obey God’s Word, it will also keep us from sinning (Ps 119:9-11).

We must return with a new heart that is committed to God’s Word and obedience to Him. We will be good Bible-practising Christians – Be The Lite!

Next week, I will take time to share with you the third area that is God wants us to have a new Heart that is passionate about Him.

Mind and Heart…

I was running a very tight schedule since last week and just having difficulty to find a reasonable quiet moment to pen my thoughts for this blog. It is natural that our hearts pump up and our pulse rates increase when there is so much to do and added to it some critical matters sprouted up at least desired moments. When we sit down and start sorting things out in our mind and a manageable schedule set in place, our heart rates normalized. There is a strong link between our hearts and our minds.

Last week, I attended the Eagles Leadership Conference (ELC) at Suntec City with some of our pastors. Interestingly, the theme for the Conference was, “Heart, Mind, Habits: Developing the Whole Leader.”

The success and failure of leaders depend very much on their hearts, minds and habits – I believe this applies to every Christian too! Last week, I mentioned briefly in this blog that your mind affects your heart – the way you feel towards God, peoples, things and environment. Thus, our feelings affect our attitude and influence the way we behave. Mr John Ng, the President of Meta and Chairman of Eagles Communications Board of Governance, in his opening address at ELC exhorted the delegates to “Guard our hearts, nurture our minds and cultivate good habits.”

I have been seeking the Lord as to what He is saying to us about having a new heart. First thing I did was to turn to the Bible… What is God saying about the heart? You will be surprised that the Bible has so much to say about the heart. Today, I will like to draw our attention to three areas.

1. There is a very close association between the mind and heart.
“The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5). Moses in writing the passage linked the mind with the heart, because it is difficult to separate one’s thoughts and feelings.

In the New Testament, Jesus said in Matthew 5:27-28, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” The Greek word for lust epithumeoepi is formed by two words: epi means exceeding, and thumos means burning passion. So, lust means exceeding burning passion. Thus, Jesus is saying adultery is not committed in looking but lusting. It is from the eyes to the head (thoughts and imagination) then to the heart (feeling, craving and lust) that caused one to sin.

Moving forward to a new heart, we need to balance our minds and hearts. What I mean is, there are times we need to be rational in our thinking (mind) to manage our passions (heart); and yet there are times we need the intuition of our heart to check our rationale. We should neither act by feelings alone nor solely by reasoning. To act with new mind and new heart requires us to seek the mind and heart of God. Keep this prayer in our heart and mind:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive ways in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).

2. The heart is deceitful
The word of God in Jeremiah 17:9-10), “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, 
to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” The Hebrew word for deceitful, aqob means slippery, insidious, crooked.
Someone said, “The heart of human problems is the problem of the heart.” Albert Barnes in his comments on this passage wrote, “If the man is so blessed Jer 17:7-8 who trusts in YAHWEH, what is the reason why men so generally ‘make flesh their arm’? And the answer is: Because man’s heart is incapable of seeing things in a straightforward manner, but is full of shrewd guile, and ever seeking to overreach others…[thus] mortally sick.” Our heart is deceitful: Watch out for our feelings of suspicions, superiority and discrimination.
In Matthew 23, Jesus dealt with the deceitfulness of hearts among the Pharisees and religious leaders. They subtly buried their greed and self-indulgence beneath their feeling of righteousness by reason of their obedience to the Law.
Thus Jesus rebuked them, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness” (vv.25-28). Our heart is deceitful: feeling right may not be the right feeling!
The Bible says, “To the pure, all things are pure…” (Titus 1:19), and Jesus taught, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). Keep this prayer in Psalm 51:10 in our heart and mind,
“Create in me a pure heart, O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

3. God seeks for people after His own heart.
“Do not judge a book by its cover” is an old proverb I have learned in my primary school. Yet, honestly speaking very often I am attracted to a book by its cover. Of course, I will check on the author and contents before purchasing it. There is a tendency for us to look at the outward of a person: the look, physique, poises, etiquette, dressing, speech and etc., and form our opinion of that person. Even Samuel the great prophet fell for the outward when he saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord” (1Samuel 16:6). Listen to what the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (v.7).

When King Saul repeatedly disobeyed God, Samuel brought these words to him (1Samuel 13:14), “But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” I believe God is still seeking for men and women after His own heart to lead His people…not only in the Church, but also in every sphere of social-economic influences.

I believe, in the context of this verse that the first thing that God is seeking is obedience: men and women who keep and obey His Word. The Lord told Joshua (Joshua 1:6-9), “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people… Be strong and courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that your may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; mediate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then your will be prosperous and successful… Be strong and courageous… for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

The new heart that God is looking for is a heart of obedience. Let’s begin with a passionate heart to pursue after God, to be a man or woman after His own heart, by obeying His Word… To do that, let’s start reading the Bible today!

In the next couple of weeks I intend to share with you a little more on what God is saying about a new heart. Keep me in your prayers as I continue to seek after Him!

New Mind…

When the Lord called us to return to the new sanctuary with a new mind, He wants us to renew our thinking. Our mind as we refer to the human anatomy as the brain is the most important organ in the human body. Dr Steven Dowshen, Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Kidshealth wrote, “In fact, your brain is the boss of your body. It runs the show and controls just about everything you do, even when you’re asleep.”

The Bible tells us that our thoughts influence our whole person. Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinketh within himself, so is he” (ASV). Our thinking influence our personality, our feelings, our perception of God, people, things and environment, thus, it will affect our attitude and behaviour. When the religious leaders saw Jesus healed a paralytic and heard Him said, “…your sins are forgiven…” their minds were buffeted and they reacted violently against Jesus (Matt 9:4). Bethelites, if you are seriously praying and expecting a new encounter with God when you return to the new Sanctuary, the first thing you got to do is to renew your thinking. I would like to suggest four areas where your thinking needs to be renewed.

1. Your Thinking About God
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” (Eph 3:20-21, NLT)

Our God must be greater than our imagination. Solomon acknowledged that neither the immense Temple that he had built nor the highest heavens is able to contain God (1Kg 8:27). God’s thoughts and ways are beyond our comprehension (Isa 55:8-9). His love towards us is everlasting (Jer 31:3) and inseparable (Rom 8:37-39). You must not confine God within your limited knowledge of who He is. God created all things and He alone is worthy to receive all praise, glory, and honor and power (Rev 4:11-13).

When going through problems, magnify God – never magnify problems! The Psalmist calls out, “Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!” (Psa 34:3). When you look beyond the mountains (of challenges and problems), you will see the God who created the heavens (Psa 121:1-2). Then you are able to pray, “Ah, Sovereign Lord, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you” (Jer 32:17). Yes, with God all things are possible! (Mat 19:26).

2. Your Thinking About Yourselves
Don’t think too highly of yourself. Take heed to this warning from the Apostle Paul, “Because of the privilege and authority God has given to me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” (Rom 12:3, NLT). If you want God on your side, stay humble, because “God opposes the proud but favors the humble!” (1Pe 5:5).

Always keep in mind your relationship with God. “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ” (Eph 5:1-2). You need to live like sons and daughters of God (Joh 1:12). God has given you gifts and talents, and the empowerment of His Holy Spirit to accomplish His plan and purpose for you – His plan is to prosper you (Jer 29:11).

Peter Daniels came from a disadvantaged family background. All through his school he was told by his teachers, particularly Miss Phillips, that he was stupid and would never amount to anything. He failed every grade in school and became a bricklayer. At 26, he was hopelessly in debt. He went to Billy Graham Crusade on 25th May 1956 in Adelaide, South Australia. He heard the gospel, and realized that he was equal to all men before God and he was a son of a King! From then on, there was a total change in the way he thought about himself, he was determined to live as a son of the King. After much hard work and perseverance, he managed to build a large real estate business in Australia and Southeast Asia, and served as director and chairman on a range of international boards.

You must see and act on your potential and ability in Church ministry, in your family, among your friends, in your business, in your work and in your school, according to your measure of faith God has given you! You can do everything through Christ who gives you strength! (Phi 4:13).

3. Your Thinking About Church
Church is not about a building, Church is about Christians coming together to worship God (Eph 5:19-20), to encourage one another (Heb 10:25), to serve one another (Gal 5:13) and to nurture in the Word (Act 2:42) – it is about the family of God (Eph 2:19). The Church is not about me, it is about us.

Church is not about what you can get, but what you can give in order for the Church, the Body of Christ, to attain the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Eph 4:13). You need to do your part in complementing others with the gifts God gave to you (Eph 4:16). Whenever you gather with other Bethelites in worship, cells or ministry, prepare yourselves to “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 5:19-20). Think about how your presence is going to make a difference to other Bethelites when you gather with them in worship, cells or ministry!

4. Your Thinking About People
Last week, I shared with you about the need to change our values. The parables in Luke 15, reminds us to value people above things and animals that you may value for various reasons. I will not elaborate further, but to challenge you consider people differently with these words from Jude 23, “Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.” (NLT).

God wants us to value people the way He values them. He loves them and gave His One and Only Son to save them (Joh 3:16). He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2Pe 3:9). Very patiently, He is giving us opportunities, as long as you and they are still living, you are to bring the Gospel to them… They could be your loved ones, your parents, siblings, friends, relatives, colleagues, schoolmates and people whom we meet every day – they may perish without coming to God in repentance. Rescue them! Pray for them! Tell them that God loves them!

I believe God wants us to return with a new mind… new thinking about God, about yourselves, about the Church and about people. Let’s begin with praying and spending time alone with God (TAWG). Next, I would like to borrow these words of Paul from Philippians 4:8, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

New Mind, New Heart and New Spirit…

During my Time Alone With God [TAWG] in my office last week, using 40 Day 2011 (I still have my TAWG at home in the morning using Every Day With Jesus [EDWJ]), the Lord spoke to me from Luke 15 that coming back to the new sanctuary with a new mind, new heart and new spirit will require us to have right values.

Jesus told three parables: the lost sheep, the lost silver coin and the lost son. The shepherd in the first parable made great effort to seek out the one lost sheep that was missing from his fold of a hundred. The shepherd was so happy to find the lost sheep that he carried it on his shoulder, instead of leading it home, and he called his neighbors together to celebrate with him. We read in the Old Testament that Saul left his home in Benjamin and travelled throughout the hill country of Ephraim to seek his family’s lost donkeys (1Sam 9:1-20). I often see on the walls of lift lobbies notices of lost pets with cash rewards offered by owners. People are willing to go to great extend to seek and recover their pets.

You will see in the next parable Jesus told about a woman who swept the whole house to find her lost silver coin. She prostrated herself with one side of her face on the ground. She strained her eyes under every piece of furniture as far as the light of her oil lamp could reach. The woman let out a scream of joy when she found the silver coin, and she called together her friends and neighbors to celebrate with her. Two weeks ago, I dropped a vitamin pill. I peered beneath the kitchen cabinets, and stretching my arm as far in as my hand could sweep… it was frustrating for me, I couldn’t find the pill. I remember seeing a little notice posted by someone in a clubhouse. The person concerned had lost a memory stick and the data in the memory stick were of great importance to him. People will go through great effort to find the lost item that is valuable to them.

Jesus then gave a twist by telling the parable of the lost son. The son was portrayed as ungrateful, lack filial duty and dared to demand for his right of inheritance from a living father. After some time, he squandered all his wealth, and stricken by famine he hired himself to work as a keeper of pigs. In the midst of hunger and suffering, he came to his senses and he repented. He decided to return home. Now, when a sheep was lost, the shepherd went all out to seek and find it back. When a silver coin was lost, it’s owner search the whole house until she found it. But, when a son was lost… no one went to find him!

Who should be responsible for finding the lost son? The fact that the father was looking out for his return infers that he would have personally gone to find him if he was not constraint by the physical condition due to his age. Thus, the elder son should have gone out to help find his lost brother – sad to say, he couldn’t care to do so. In fact, he was angry when he discovered that his brother was back and his dad threw a party to celebrate his return.

Coming back to the new sanctuary with a new mind, a new heart and a new spirit will require you to value souls… more than silver and sheep (or your pets). This means that if souls really matter to you, then you will give priority to prepare yourself to be an effective witness for Jesus.

Last month we have close to 200 Bethelites who attended and completed the Spiritual Parenting [SP] Training. This training equipped them to witness and to nurture new believers. Some of those who have completed the SP Training told me that they feel more confident to share the Gospel with others now than before. If you have missed the last SP Training, I urge you to enquire from your Cell Leader, Zone Supervisor or Regional Pastor and make sure that you will be enrolled into the next SP training.

Coming back to the new sanctuary will also require us to have the same spirit like the father in the parable, looking out for his son and ran to welcome him back. Let’s start to look out for new comers and move quickly to them and welcome them to our fellowship!

I believe the Lord will enable us as we consciously and seriously work towards coming back with a new mind, new heart and new spirit. Let us start changing our mind, heart and spirit now.

Hear What God Is Saying To Us…

Morning of Sunday, 22nd May 2011, I was preparing to preach in our afternoon Service, I sensed these words from Revelation 2 and 3 kept ringing in my mind, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” After sometime, I turned to the Lord and asked if He has a word for the Church that afternoon. As I closed my eyes and tuned my ears to hear what He was going to tell me, these words welled up from my heart…

“You will soon be returning to a new building, I want you to go with a new mind, a new heart and a new spirit. So, while the workers are building the new physical building, I want you to start building up your relationship with Me… that you will love me with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind… and to love your neighbor as yourselves.”

Again these words rang in my ears, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saying…”

Bethelites, listen to what the Spirit is saying to us…
• Soon we will be returning to a NEW building…
• God wants us to return to a NEW building with a NEW MIND, a NEW HEART and a NEW SPIRIT.
• How do we prepare to return with a NEW MIND, a NEW HEART and a NEW SPIRIT? He wants us to start building up our relationship with HIM… by building on the Two Greatest Commandments (Matthew 22:37-39) in our lives NOW!

This morning, 2 July 2011 as I am waiting on God, He reminded me His letter to the Church in Ephesus record in Revelation 2:4, “…You have forsaken your first love…” This calls for us to reflect and evaluate our relationship with the Lord. Are you still as much in love with Him? Old Timers like me will remember a chorus we used to sing with a smile and yet with tears streaming from our eyes,

I keep falling in love with Him,
Over and over and over and over again,
I keep falling in love with Him,
Over and over and over and over again,
It gets sweeter and sweeter as the days go by,
Oh what joy between my Saviour and I,
I keep falling in love with Him,
Over and over and over and over again…

Are you still falling in love with Jesus as we used to be? If you have fallen away from loving Him, then God is saying to you, as in Revelation 2:5, “Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and [Return to] do the things you did at first…”

Take heed to what the Spirit is saying to us and start building our relationship with the Lord.
With the launch of our new website, I will be taking time every week to share my thoughts with you about what the Lord is saying to us. Feel free to share your thoughts with me too.

God bless.