Mr Christmas!

Over the 2 weeks before Christmas, I've been inundated with this question each time I met a friend, "What are you doing this Christmas?"

My answer was simply this, "I'll do what Jesus would have done and that I believe is He will be spending time with His church!" He is the reason. He is the Church!

I am not going to church (the man made building), but I'll be spending time with the church (God's less fortunate children).

On every Christmas Day, I reminded myself to live righteously for the next 365 days because Jesus has been born into me and now dwell in my heart in the Spirit. The gifting of the Holy Spirit lives in me to help me live my earthly life for the honor and glory of the Father. My daily earthly life is a testimony of Jesus true being alive in me. People around me must be able to witness Jesus at work in my daily earthly life.

Christmas is about celebrating the miraculous spiritual birth of Jesus Christ, by God's mercy and grace, into our hearts. It's about God's unfailing love in his plan of salvation through his only begotten son, Jesus. In Christ Jesus, we are born into God's family. And because Christ lives in our hearts today, we will also live with him forever.

Jesus Christ is the Father's most awesome gift to mankind. This is the story of Christmas!

In our hearts is born to us a Saviour. His name is Immanuel. He is Jesus the Christ. Christmas ain't Christmas unless Christ lives in our hearts.

Merry Christmas!

The Best Christmas Gift Ever!

God's Christmas gift put man's best Christmas gifts to shame.

Christmas is about God, the Father providing hope for us through one man, his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind, the son of the Living God of Israel; the gift- to dwell forever with the Father!

Christmas is about being blessed with the one gift that the heavenly Father has wanted to gift us.

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the wonderful Christmas gift
I accepted your gift and
Believed that Jesus Christ is
The Son of the Living God
Who came to die and forgive me and
My sins at that cross and
That He was resurrected by your Spirit,
The Holy Spirit to bring to me
A hope, a hope because I have placed
My trust that someday
Jesus Christ, my Saviour
Will return to bring me home
Safely to you, my heavenly Father and
I shall lived happily with you
In your Kingdom forever.

But to all who believed that Jesus Christ is the Saviour, the son of the Living God, and accepted Him, God gave them the right to become children of God. John 1:12

A Blessed Merry Christmas 2007!

A Big Question!

I asked myself this question a few minutes ago....

Which will make me richer...

A lot of money in my bank

or

A heart filled with Jesus' love.....

If my answer is money, then I should be pursuing money otherwise I should be pursuing Jesus without end.

Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Matthew 6:21

I asked the Holy Spirit help me to choose Jesus, because when I have Jesus in my life, I have everything.

Amazing Love!

Thank you Lord Jesus for loving me!

Thank you Jesus for coming to love the imperfect me perfectly at the cross.

Thank you Lord Jesus for your amazing love!

A Godly Heart

When I became a Christian, I became a new person. Each day I am so worried about evil wanting to live in my heart. Each day I kept asking Jesus my Saviour in the power of the Holy Spirit to guard my heart and not allow evil to prosper in my heart.

I want to be holy just as my Saviour Almighty God is holy.

Whenever I am tempted to commit evil, I asked Jesus to help me run to seek refuge in Him. Jesus is my hiding place. Only in Him I am safe!

So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 1 Peter 1:14-15

Stand, Sit, Lie, Or Kneel?

How do you worship the Lord, our Saviour?

I kneel.

What about you?

Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. Psalm 95:6-7

Every time I pray, I kneel before the Lord my Saviour Almighty God in Christ Jesus. When I kneel to pray, even though no words were spoken out of my mouth, my Saviour God heard my prayer. When I kneel, I revered Him as Lord, my Saviour God in Christ Jesus. Each time I kneel before my Almighty Maker, I remembered I am dust!

Therefore, God elevated Jesus to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11

Every time I kneel, I acknowledged that my Saviour Jesus is the son of the living God, who was sent to die for my sins and was resurrected by the Holy Spirit to bring me a hope because I have placed my trust in him to return someday very soon to bring me safely home to the Father.

The Great Sermon

A great sermon is one that you heard the Merciful and Gracious Shepherd speaking His teachings into a heart that was unlock by the Holy Spirit, the listener went home convicted and sought the Lord Jesus' help through the Holy Spirit to repent, resulting thereafter in a rich life that bore the fruits of the Holy Spirit, thus bringing honor and glory to the heavenly Father.

But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. James 1:22-25

For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Hebrews 4:12

It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. Isaiah 55:11

A great sermon is one that changes hearts and steer your hope towards Jesus, the Almighty Saviour.

How Christian Are You?

Are you a Christian only in the presence of men or do you still maintain being a Christian in the absence of men? Most Christians live dual lives. Are you?

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Philippians 2:5

Miracles Without End

The person who pursue God's righteousness without end will be blessed with encounters of miracles without end.

Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33

The Teacher

If plans to eliminate poverty from our midst is successful, then I wonder who will teach us to perceive what is kindness, meekness and generosity?

God, the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth and everythings in it, did not placed the poor in our midst so that we can be charitable, but that we can learn to prosper by His strength to be praiseworthy by living our earthly lives for His honor and glory. Because when we chose to live apart from Him, we can never accomplished anything by our own strength.

Each day is a day of learning obedience with the help of our Saviour's Spirit to please God, the Father. Deeds is our accountability that we belong to God, the Father in His son, our Saviour Jesus.

Christ taught us that by obedience to his teachings, we demonstrate our faith in him through our deeds that Jesus is a living God! Our deeds is a result of our learning from him and not by our own conception through our human wisdom to comprehend what is righteosness and benevolence.

We must not forget that we were once sinners made worthy by the blood of his begotten son, our Saviour Jesus. We are dust! We can never please God by ourselves!

In the absence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we can never produce deeds to please God, the Father of our Saviour Jesus. Without the Holy Spirit gifted to help us, we can never love our enemies.

Every triumph is a result of Jesus Himself in his Spirit working in us, bringing honor and glory to the Father, lest we boast that we are capable of doing God's will by ourselves.

Everything surrounding us is placed by God to teach us.

Remember Proverbs 6:6 that ask us to take a lesson from the ants understanding their ways? Do not allow pride to deceive us that we have enough knowledge to teach others.

Why do you keep calling me 'Lord! Lord!' when you don't do what I have taught you? (Luke 6:46) Jesus is always the Teacher!

I Am A Christian!

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and sympathetic? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose.Don't be selfish; don't live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don't think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing. Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Philippians 2:1-5

We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters. But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help – how can God's love be in that person? Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before the Lord. 1 John 3:16-19

2 Fathers

If possible, most of us would love to have two spiritual fathers. Isn't that most ideal? Won't that be the quintessential of every human being's fantasy?

Yet in the Bible, we were told that we could only honor one father (Matthew 6:24).

One father promises us everything that is temporary and the other promises us everything that will last for all eternity.

Still we have to make a choice. Surprisingly, most of us would pick the offer that is temporary.

Perhaps money is a priority over God in Christ Jesus, our Saviour to survive! If we have money, we don't need God, Father of our Lord Saviour Jesus.

But when we have God, we have everything and beyond!

Still most of us argue that we need money to survive! "How can anyone lived or accomplished anything without money?" echo our exclaimation. Perhaps God's power is debilitating?

All of us at some time struggle juggling making a decision between the two. The worst are those who sat on the fence; those who would love having two fathers!

I undergo 7 painful and difficult years struggling each day to finally comprehend the truth. And the truth was never about money or the things that is of this world. The truth is God loved me so much that He came in Jesus Christ to redeem me so that I could have an everlasting fellowship with Him as Father and son.

But don't we all concur that it's impossible serving and pleasing two fathers? Furthermore why would anyone desire something that is only temporary? Why would anyone not desire something that is infinite?

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
1 John 2:15-17

I chose Jesus Christ, the son of the living Almighty God of Israel who loved me and promises me timeless relationship with Him through his death on the cross and resurrection by the power of the Holy Spirit. I await you my Lord Saviour and Redeemer Jesus to come soon to take me home safely to be with the Father. Come Lord Jesus, Amen!

When Will I See You Again?

Read the Bible. Know Jesus. He is the Way, the Life and the Truth.

Spend time enjoying a fellowship with the one who alone loves you; He is Jesus Christ, God's beloved son, our Saviour whom God the Father sent to redeem us from a life that is deceiving us to eternal damnation.

Jesus Christ alone loves us because He died for me and you, so that in Him we have the promise of everlasting life with Him.

Merdeka: Our Children Showing Us The True Meaning

Every evening, the kids in my neighborhood comprising various races, played together in harmony. These kids are the best witness to what Merdeka is all about. These kids don't understand what racialism is all about. They have no discernment of color, language or religion among themselves. They are each best friends. They may fight, argue and quarrel and the occasional declaration of "I DON'T FRIEND YOU" statement, but they make up before you even realized they had fought.

Could the secret be simply because politics does not exist in their lifestyle.

They don't have politicians sowing negative and sensitive sentiment into their lives. Politicians are the culprits of all forms of conflicts. Children are innocent, pure and truthful. Their minds are not tainted with any influence of evil. Their friendship are not pretentious, deceitful or dishonest. They don't go to bed planning how to destroy their friends the next day. Children go to bed with pleasant thoughts hoping to meet their friends the following day, enjoying each other's company.

Politics exist because many people do not have a mind of their own to manage their own life. They needed someone who is known as a politician to elucidate to them what is right and wrong, who are our friends and who are our enemies, what we should do and what not! These people surrendered their minds as playgrounds to politicians. The greatest irony is every few years we elect these politicians or more correctly term as mongoloids, the retards of politics to act for us and then we stressed ourselves out complaining about them and the cycle repeats itself.

On a similar note, children too will become cautious of the friends they socialize if parents cautioned them about who their friends are. Parents play the role of a mentally corrupted politician in the household when their way of judging their children's friends becomes extreme and unjustified. In the adult world, politicians were elected to represent the voice of the underprivileged people, fighting for their rights and needs and not abused the responsibility entrusted to them.

Parents and the government are bestowed with a responsibility to care for the welfare of their children and people. The children and the people look to them as angels to guard and protect them, not as devils to maltreat them.

Simply put, the world is definitely more peaceful and a better place to live in if politics doesn't exist. But the irony is we created these politicians because we are so apprehensive in confronting the many issues of our daily lives. We elect someone to represent us and we condemned them for abusing and disrupting our rights of life!

Merdeka to me means freedom from politics; being set free from the bondage of deception that another person could manage a life that we are ignorant of! Maybe we should start emulating the lifestyle of the innocent child again to fully experience what Merdeka is all about.

Agape Love

Let all that you do be done with love.
1 Corinthians 16:14

Death Is The beginning Of Life

If you desire to live, you must first desire to die for unless you die, you will never live!

Death is, actually the beginning of living.

Don't die the death you don't deserved, but die the death that you deserved to live!

Die with Christ to live the new life with him through his resurrection.

Die to the present earthly life to live in the coming heavenly life!

May the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, The Almighty Creator, and Father of our Saviour Lord Jesus Christ bless you richly with His Holy Spirit.

The Humble Servant

What are you?

Are you someone who goes around washing feet or are you someone who prefer your feet to be washed?

Are you a leader who is serving humbly as a servant or are you a servant who is serving arrogantly like a leader?

What exactly are you? Check your heart!

For correction, please consult Jesus Christ.

A Daily Walk With Christ

A Personal Letter To CK

As promised, I wished to document my gratitude and appreciation for your trust in me, the decision to open a Blue Mountain Arts gifts and cards store.

Over the last few months together, I hope you have learned a lot about living life the 'abnormal' way. I hope you are learning how to live your life by "standing out of line!" I live my personal life, not depending on my own effort, and wisdom, but purely dependent on God's Spirit to guide, teach and help me.

I jest about accolades to me when your store register overwhelming sales figures, but as you should know by now, God has burden me with a heart for the poor. While I pray each day that your store will enjoy an abundance of God's blessings, allow me to also ask God to bequeath you with the same burden of sharing your wealth and success with the poor. These are truly God's children. God placed them amidst us to teach and help us to love.

It is when we learned to share, then God will fill our hearts with His peace and joy. It pleases God when we fashioned our lifestyle to share what He has given us. The person who gives actually gave out of God's providence.

I want you not only to learn to give ten cents away, but to really have joy in sharing the ten cents. Just sharing is not complete until you've learned to share it with joy and love in humility.

I trust that each day with me, you have learn, heard and understood the messages that Jesus spoke to you through my mouth.

Human efforts accomplishes nothing, rather place your hopes and trust in the Almighty God and His son, Jesus.

When you do everything with love, then you know that God in his son, Jesus lives in your heart to provide you the ability. It's tough when we rely on our own strength and wisdom; Thank God who has provided us the answer in His son-Jesus!

Peace:

The Chairman

The Priceless Gift- Free!

I always wonder and is curious what other Christians ask for in their prayers?

When I pose my curiosity to another Christian brother, he revealed to me that he normally asked for blessings for his family, blessings in his work and, blessings of good health and prosperity for family and himself.

"What about you, Mao?" he asked me back with the same curiosity.

"Well! My request is rather simple. I ask God for His blessings of the Holy Spirit to guide, counsel, teach, comfort and guard my earthly life so that in everything I do, I'll do it together with my Saviour Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit to please God, my heavenly Father, bringing Him honor and glory," I replied.

"How can I be obedient and live my life pleasing God, my heavenly Father and Saviour of my soul if God had not gifted me with His Spirit?," I continued, "I am nothing but dust without the gifting of the Holy Spirit. I will never be able to fathom God's amazing truth."

The Holy Spirit is God's priceless gift representing His grace, mercy and unfailing love through His son, Jesus Christ, to us, who acknowledge that He is the Redeemer. The Holy Spirit identify us as His sons. And because we are His sons, we can ask the Father for anything that will bring Him honor and glory.

So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. Luke 11:13

Perhaps you may want to ask wisely the next time you pray.

Jesus Christ Decides

Lately, there has been a lot of display of knowledge, with praises and condemnation to judgement from the various people over the emergence of a gay pastor in the midst of the Christian community in Malaysia. What's the hue and cry all about?

To all you people out there, whether you are a Christian or not...if your son or daughter or a loved one close to your heart is gay, what will you do? How do you seek help?

Has anyone who has been sharing their know all about rights and wrongs of what they know in the Bible attended the services by this gay pastor recently?

Did this gay pastor promotes homosexuality in his preaching? Or is he trying to bring gays to the knowledge of Jesus Christ? Was he using the Lord's name in vain to promote homosexuality or was he given an agenda by God to establish His son, Jesus, to the gay community?

Paul was hunting down Christians, persecuting them, and executing them before Jesus called him to serve Him. Does that mean Paul, who was an enemy of God, was disapproved of God? One of God's biggest commandment was not to kill, so, why was Paul, an accomplice in the crime, chosen to serve God?

I have heard a lot of stories by Christians themselves judging and condemning other Christian denominations, discerning who are wrong and who are right. It's as though these people knows the hearts of man! Perhaps these people have the ability to examine the hearts of man. Perhaps they believed they are gods!

Honestly, I thought a true Christian is someone who is obedient to the teachings of Jesus Christ and live his life obedient to the Holy Spirit. I thought the issue of judgement belongs exclusively to Jesus.

If Paul, who was a "killer" of God's chosen people was chosen to serve, why not a gay?

In 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And He chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

So do you know how God works? Who He chose to bring Him honor and glory?

God is after a worker who is after His heart and will to serve Him. God wanted a worker who will yield to Him, totally dependant of His strength and wisdom to serve Him. God is after a person who will labor obediently according to His instructions and not just someone who talks a lot.

Who can work for God without God helping them by the Holy Spirit? Well, if God, Himself is helping these workers by His Spirit, then who are we to comment on God's servants?

So, if God has chosen a person to do His will, who are we to judge God's chosen?

How about you started questioning whether your pastor is an approved worker or is he an illegal worker of God? Is he chosen or is he on his own?

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for his sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don't belong to him and he isn't their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hands runs away because he's working only for the money and doesn't really care about the sheep. John 10:11-13

Before you judge what's outside your church, how about starting from inside your church?

You might be in for a surprise!

Jesus Performed Baptism

God's truth is in the Bible. When you don't spend time in fellowship with Jesus Christ through the Bible, you can be falsely led. A lot of people can write and speak eloquently, with deception! Your relationship must be built on the Rock, which is Jesus Christ. How can anyone have the Truth when they chose to live apart from Christ, (when you don't spend time reading the Bible)? Don't chose to believe everything people say or write, whether they claimed to speak or write with the help of the Holy Spirit. Your relationship with Jesus Christ must be bonded by your endless pursuit for the Truth through constant prayers and reading of the Bible.

A fortnight ago, I wrote and question whether Jesus baptized his disciples, incorporating quotes from the Bible to support my discussion about baptism. I waited for a week for anyone to write in questioning my postings. (Maybe everyone is busy with their worldly life.)

Here are the verses in John 3:22-26 mentioning that Jesus baptized the believers. Then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time with them there, baptizing people. At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism. (This was before John was thrown into prison.) A debate broke out between John's disciples and some Jews over ceremonial cleansing. So John's disciples came to him and said, "Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us."

I wished to mention that there was no intent to cause harm or to plant deception of any sort, neither there was intent to cause you to stray from the Truth in my last two posting. I merely wanted you to know the dangers of trusting in man. Jesus warned us umpteen times about false teachers and false prophets that lives in our midst to bring destruction to our beliefs.

It is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in people. (Psalm 118:8) Man, whoever they claimed to be can be use by the evil one but not the Holy Spirit whom God has gifted you when you acknowledged that Jesus Christ is the son of God, the Redeemer and Saviour. I have written these things to you because you need to be aware of those who want to lead you astray. But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you all things, and what he teaches is true – it is not a lie. So continue in what he has taught you, and continue to live in Christ. 1 John 2:26-27

The other time when Jesus sort of baptized the disciples was when our Saviour washes the feet of his disciples in John 13. Here is a part of what Jesus told Peter when he tried to refrain the Lord from washing his feet. Unless I washed you, you won't belong to me. (John 13:8b)

The following is what I believe about true baptism. True baptism is simply a declaration to commit from the heart to follow Jesus Christ and to stay obedient to His teachings.


Baptism is simply a pledge to repent wholeheartedly from wrong doings committed in the past, severing your relationship with the world and initiating a new relationship trusting in Jesus Christ, the son of God fully guided by the Holy Spirit.

Baptism is simply surrendering your old sinful life because of your guilt when God's Truth that was revealed to you by the Holy Spirit, convicted you after hearing the Good News of God's son, Jesus Christ our Saviour.

No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not a cutting of the body but a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. Whoever has that kind of change seeks praise from God, not from people. Romans 2:29

For those who wished to know the difference between baptism and circumcision: Baptism and circumcision are simply rituals commemorating your new faith because God has open your hearts to the Gospel of his son, acknowledging that Jesus Christ is the son of the living God, the Saviour who came to die on the cross for our sins, resurrected on the third day to provide a hope for all believers that someday Christ will return soon to bring us all safely home to the Father.

A true Christian is someone who has fully repented in the heart and turned to Jesus, trusting in the Saviour to help him live the new life by the power of the gifting of God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit. Matthew 4:17 is Jesus first utterance as He began his ministry doing the Father's will. From then on Jesus began to preach, "Repent from your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of God is near."

True Christians are those who loved each other truthfully and those who exhibit Jesus love in their hearts in all parts of their way of living powered by the Holy Spirit. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. John 13:35 True Christians are those who are fully guided by the Holy Spirit. The children of God are those who are guided by the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:14

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 2 Corinthians 1:2

Jesus Baptized The Disciples

Did Jesus Christ baptized His disciples?

Jesus did baptized his disciples....

Keep a date here to find out the answer.

May the Holy Spirit guard and bless you.

Baptism Or Circumcision?

Baptism or circumcision?

Honestly, what answer was you expecting?

The answer is we don't need to accomplish anything anymore because all had been done at the cross by our Saviour Jesus who bought our freedom when we decided to place our faith and trust in him for our salvation.

Salvation is in Jesus Christ, who alone is our Lord and Saviour.

We are hopeless people when Christ came to buy us our freedom. We were all heading for destruction when God, the Father have mercy on us.

There's is nothing required of us anymore to be saved other than believing and trusting in the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Saviour. All that is require of us is to live our earthly lives obedient to the power of the Holy Spirit gifted to us by the Father, when we place our hopes in His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.

All that is require of us is to live our earthly life honoring God, our heavenly Father in Christ Jesus our Saviour by bringing glory to Him alone who loves us.

The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
2 Corinthians 3:17

Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For "Who can know the Lord's thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?" But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:15-16

Remember the words of God in Romans 8:14?

Those who live by the Spirit of God are children of God.

God guard his own children from evil by his own Spirit. God who redeemed us by the precious blood of his son, our Saviour Jesus protect us with His Spirit because He is concern about our safety from false teachers and false prophets who will rise unceasingly to bring harm to His children.

I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true- it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.
1 John 2:26-27

If you, who are reading this now believes that you are truly a child of the living God, because you have placed your hope and trust in Jesus Christ, whom God, the Father sent to save you from destruction, YOU HAVE BEEN SET FREE FROM ALL THE RULES OF MAN, because God's Spirit lives in you. The Holy Spirit will guide, teach, counsel, comfort, and guard your earthly life for the honor and glory of God, the Father who alone have mercy, grace in His unfailing love for us.

May the Holy Spirit be with you until the day our Saviour returned to bring us all, who belong to Him, safely home to our heavenly Father's loving arms.

Baptism: Water Or Spirit?

"Christians" must read the Bible. Reading the Bible construe to fellowships with God, our heavenly Father and Jesus Christ our Savior. Frequent fellowships with God and Son forged a relationship resulting in the Holy Spirit revealing God's Truth to us. Truth is vital because when you don't have the Truth, you cannot discern lies and deceptions within you.

Many of us perceived "The pastors, priest or the church leaders" who have authority over us could never be wrong in justifying what they do because these are "men of God" or "men appointed by God."

The perception is if the entire world is practicing the same, how can "we" be wrong?

Don't forget that 2000 years ago, it was Jesus versus the world at large who was against the son of God! The entire world, including God's chosen tribe, the Jews, who affirmed that God is their true Father is against Jesus. Still Jesus spoke against them. "No, you are imitating your real father, the devil. They replied. "We aren't illegitimate children! God himself is our true father." John 8:41

Is our baptism correctly performed? Were you correctly baptized? And I wished to add by asking whether water baptism is necessary?

While Jesus himself undergo water baptism, Scripture did not record any of Jesus' disciples undergo water baptism- why?

I will cite the relevant verses from the Bible and leave you to decide for yourself by asking the Holy Spirit to reveal you the truth! The truth about understanding baptism and it's relevance.

I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am- so much greater that I'm not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Matthew 3:11 (These are John the Baptist own words regarding our Saviour Jesus. John, who was chosen by God, the Father, defy himself as being unworthy even to be a slave of Jesus)

Once when Jesus was eating with his disciples, he commanded them, "Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gifting of the Holy Spirit he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Acts 1:4-5

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere- in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 (Without the Holy Spirit, no one can do the works of God, the Father)

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 (After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. Matthew 3:16) Even Jesus, the son of God was equipped by God's Spirit and with power before setting out to do the Father's will.

While Apollos was in Cornth, Paul traveled through the interior region until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. "Did you received the Holy Spirit when you believed?" he asked them. "No" they replied, "we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." "Then what baptism did you experienced?" he asked. And they replied, "The baptism of John the Baptist." Paul said, "John's baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus."

As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. Acts 19:1-6

The above verses articulated Jesus' message on the significance of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God's only way to protect His chosen children, redeemed by the precious blood of his son Jesus, from evil. Jesus, himself spoke at length about the Holy Spirit and his role in our earthly lives in John 16.

Why the baptism of the Holy Spirit supersede water? I mentioned earlier that I personally believe that the gifting of the Holy Spirit is God's personal reason to guard and protect us, His chosen children against deception from the false teachers. Our heavenly Father in Christ Jesus our Saviour knows that His children are vulnerable to fall and stray away from His grace without His protection.

Our heavenly Father through our Saviour Jesus made a couple of statements in the Bible about the importance of his children worshipping Him in Spirit, hence the baptism in the Holy Spirit is important.

John 4:23-24, But the time is coming- indeed it's here now- when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.

Romans 8:14, 16 For all who are obedient to the Spirit of God are children of God. For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children.

Galatians 3:2 Let me ask you this question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Holy Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Jesus.

Ephesians 4:30 And do not bring sorrow to God's Spirit by the way you live. Remember, God has identified you as his own child by his Spirit, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the last day. Take note that without the Holy Spirit in us, God will not be able to identify those who belongs to Him.

1 John 4:13 And God has given us his Spirit as evidence that we live in Him and He lives in us.

Above are, but only a handful of God's messages in the Bible about how important His Spirit's role is in our earthly lives. Living obedient to the Holy Spirit is living in God's grace! Let's be expounded by Galatians 2:20, I was put to death on the cross with Christ, and I do not live anymore-it is Christ who lives in me. I still live in my body, but I live by faith, trusting in the Son of God who alone loved me and gave himself to save me. It's important that you understand we no longer live under law rather, we now live by God's grace in Christ Jesus, our Saviour.

God's Word above simply explain that we cannot be saved unless we put our trust in his son, our Saviour Jesus to live out our earthly lives by obeying the Holy Spirit gifted to us when we confessed and believed in our hearts that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Saviour.

Baptism simply means surrendering totally to our sinful life or dying to our sinful ways and commit to live a new life obedient to God's Spirit through Jesus who will guide, teach, counsel us to live to please God, the Father and Jesus Christ our Saviour. Our sins cannot be washed away by water but by total repentance from a contrite heart who trust in Jesus to help us.

Our Saviour Jesus resurrection has provided us victory over death. That what Jesus meant when He says in John 14:6, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life!

Baptism is simply being truly sorry for all the wrongs we committed against God, the Father and sincerely asked to be forgiven by a repentant heart to live a new life believing and trusting Jesus, our Lord and Saviour.

And God, through Jesus Christ his son, our Saviour will gift the Holy Spirit to those who are truthfully repentant of their sins and seek a new relationship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Lastly, please note that the Holy Spirit is only gifted to those after they have acknowledged that Jesus Christ is the son of the living God, Creator of heaven and earth and everything in it, and that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was resurrected on the third day to provide us victory over death and by trusting in Jesus that someday through this hope, our Saviour will return to bring us, His chosen children home safely to the loving arms of the Father.

True baptism is genuine repentance of your sins from the heart.

No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people. Romans 2:29

Keep a date here to read and discover the true meaning behind baptism and circumcision.

Baptism: Water Or Spirit?

Is water baptism significant?

Our Saviour Jesus undergo it when John the Baptist baptized Him.

My question: If water baptism is significant, why didn't our Saviour Jesus baptize his disciples?

Read all about it soon in my next post.

333: I Am Only Half The Beast! I Am Only Half Evil!

A twenty something youth checked in with this question: Is it wrong if I visit the casino in Genting Highlands and indulge in a spot of gambling?

God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. 1 Thessalonians 4:7

I responded to the youth's enquiry, guiding him with Jesus' teachings that our Saviour Jesus assure us there is no temptation so great that he could not handle. Jesus has given us His victory at the cross and from His resurrection. He will always be at hand to provide us an escape from any variety of temptation. Just cry out to Him for help as our Saviour's presence is always with us.

But this young man is insistent, elucidating that he could not perceive why it can be wrong if he just dabble in gambling as some kind of entertainment and not "gambling." He disputed that Jesus will be angry with him and will not punished him as it is only a minor sin compared to the more serious ones listed in the ten commandments.

"It's not really a significant sin I think!," he reasoned, still trying to win approval to free himself from feeling guilty in committing the wrong.

"I am just playing and not gambling, and I guessed that's okay with Jesus!" he again tried justifying his later on intentions.

As sons of the living God, we should always guard our eminence that we are "Christians", a privilege only as the chosen ones are blessed. The Father has gifted us with the Holy Spirit to keep us safe from evil and we must draw strength and wisdom from Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit to live our earthly lives to honor and glorify Him.

Stay away from every kind of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:22

We cannot chose to believe that Jesus is okay if we are to be half the beast (333)!

So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scripture say, "You must be holy because I AM holy" 1 Peter 1:14-16

Temptations comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it will give birth to death! James 1:14-15

Our downfall as "Christians" resulted from our pretence that when we are tempted to do wrong, we tried to justify by reassuring ourselves that God, our heavenly Father understands.

Perhaps God is trying to understand why we always thought He understood our ordeal when He has already provided Himself to help us run away from evil!

Lord Jesus, Please Help Me! My Mum Is Complaining.......

I checked with my mum why she hasn't been regularly attending service on Sundays at the local church.

Her rejoinder, "It's getting too expensive attending church services on Sundays! Each visit cost me about RM10! Apparently salvation is no longer free! God's work when administered by man is no longer free. Going to church is as expensive as going for a movie."

I explained to her that she need not give if she didn't want to. Her reply was that the church will make her feel guilty by preaching that everyone must learn to give cheerfully.

"It's always a blessing to be able to give to God," as mum echoed what the church says. My mum continued with her dissatisfaction, "Honestly, I am always not cheerful about giving to all these church building projects!"

"And the church is always having a lot of projects that needed a lot of money to accomplish. They are always building something; exactly like the government!"

"I would rather spend time with a few of my friends going around feeding and meeting the needs of poor folks amidst us" she replied merrily this time.

As I ponder over what my mum bemoaned, I wonder whether the churches care or are concerned over these burdens upon the church goers who were in church to seek fellowship with their beloved Saviour Jesus. My distress is the poor in our midst?

I wonder whether this is the universal trend among the churches throughout the world to do God's will which is building the church. But having examined Scripture thoroughly, I found that there weren't any verses that depicts God's desires to build the church. Was this church building perception birth from man's wisdom or is it a part of God's plan?

"He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn't live in man-made temples, Acts 17:24

In the New Testaments, Jesus constantly express God's plan that Jesus Himself will ultimately be God's church. The chosen children of God will be knitted into Jesus body which is the church where Christ Himself is the Head.

I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple! Matthew 12:6 (This verse distinctly expound that Jesus, who is Head of the church which is his body, is greater than the temple.)

"All right," Jesus replied. "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." John 2:19

Let me be brief here explaining about the Temple. The man made temple, is only man's ephemeral place of worship, until Jesus' death. Upon Jesus death at the cross, a switch took place; Jesus became the Church! That's why Scripture recorded thrice about the temple being torn in two the same time as Jesus' death.

Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Matthew 27:50-51, Mark 15:37-38, Luke 23:45-46 (What is the significance of this episode)

My question seeking for truth is whether today, we are building the right temple- the temple of man which is the building or the temple of God which is the people. Perhaps we have misinterpreted the meaning of 'Church'. Perhaps evil has led us to believe that we are executing God's will correctly.

I know you, the reader believed (could be deceived) a church is necessary to keep an assembly of God's people together, under a roof, to worship God, the Father and Jesus our Saviour. But Jesus Himself assured us that He will be with us when two or more people gathered together in his name. Jesus streamline a requirement of only two people to worship Him. For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I am there among them." Matthew 18:20

I wonder how people in impoverished communities gathered together to worship our Saviour Jesus? The following thoughts trudge across my mind asking, "Will our heavenly Father be pleased and approved of worship if two poor people worship Him under a coconut tree, in a forest, at the paddy field or in any kind of habitation?"

Is our heavenly Father only delighted when His children worship Him at mega churches?

I am not questioning whether people should build mega churches, rather my concern is whether we are building the right church!

2000 years ago, Jesus taught for free in an open area with meals thrown in...Matthew 14.

My mum could choose not to tithe or make any offerings.....

Honestly, the truth is not about my mum.... neither it is about the collection of money....rather it is about the Truth...

The truth is about God's church, His precious children redeemed by the blood of His beloved Son, our Saviour Jesus.

So guard yourselves and God's people. Feed and shepherd God's flock- his church, purchased with his own blood- over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders. I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. Acts 20:28-30

Our Creator, heavenly Father intended salvation to be free....paid in full by the blood of his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord Saviour.

The Cheerful Giver

Jesus loves the cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35

Indeed it is always a blessing to be gifted by God to give generously and cheerfully. Nevertheless, remember the ability to give result from the power of the Holy Spirit.

Be reminded that your ability to give should not cause you to be narcissistic.

Ensure your generosity comes from a cheerful heart that is filled with Christ love and humility.

O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! 1 Chronicles 29:13-14

Pride Makes You A Fool

The reason why people sometimes became stupid or made an ass of themselves is due to their arrogance and pride. Arrogance and pride, is such a dominant evil force that it can influence a person to lie and do stupid things.

When you mastermind your fabrication, be it in words or deeds, someday when it is exposed, you become a victim of your own produce.

All who fear the LORD will hate evil. That is why I hate pride, arrogance, corruption, and perverted speech. Proverbs 8:13

Who Is Your Boss?

Who is your master; Jesus or money?

Many claimed to be working for God, the Father but every effort of their work demanded monetary payment of sorts. Who are you working for actually, Jesus or money?

Yet I have never used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that I want to start now. In fact, I would rather die than lose my right to boast about preaching without charge. Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn't preach the Good News!

If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust. What then is my pay? It is the opportunity to preach the Good News for free or without charging anyone. That's why I never demand my rights when I preach the Good News. 1 Corinthians 9:15-18

Why would these servants of God takes umbrage when you raised these issues to them?

Let me inquire again, are you working for the Kingdom of God or money?

Jesus Christ did everything for free. Paul claimed he, too, did everything for free because it was a sacred trust from God, compelling him to do it.

No one can do the will of God, the Father without the equipment of the Holy Spirit. So, those who claimed to be doing everything for the Kingdom of God, are they doing it by and for themselves or by the power of God's Spirit?

If your ability to do God's will results from the gifting from the power of the Holy Spirit, then by demanding payment for it will directly mean that God, Himself is asking to be paid for His work to love us? Does that mean God, our Father no longer care and love us, His precious children redeemed by the precious blood of His begotten Son, our Saviour Jesus, for free?

Again I ask, are you a worker for money or a worker for the Kingdom of God?

Are you doing God's will by your own initiative or by the equipment from the Holy Spirit?

Did I heard you with clarity that you needed money to survive?

Are you saying that you can live apart from God, the Father and Jesus Christ our Saviour but not money?

Please be clear about who you are working for- the Kingdom of God or money?

Please don't tell me that without money it's impossible to do God's will.

What??? (screaming very loudly)

Are you saying that God who created heaven and earth and filled everything in it has lost his power and now require money to accomplish his plans?

But it says in 1 Timothy 5:18, that those who work deserves their pay and you must not muzzle the ox that work the fields.

Aha! So you are applying your rights to demand payment rather than boasting that you could do it for free?

Anyway, it is God, the Father and Jesus Himself that will judge and examine your heart for your true motives.

May God the Father and Jesus Christ our Saviour bless, protect and reward those who serve for the honor and glory of His Kingdom.

The Perils Of Money: Living With An Enemy

Money, like sex is the pre-eminence of man. Tell me who doesn't love money?

Today's posting is about money and it's evil characteristics, affecting every breathing man. Money is good if it is our slave and not our master!

The subject of money dilemma must be the number one common factor that affects mankind the most.

Money dilemma is always the central issue existing in every aspect of our living.

Trust me, almost all of us live under the pretension that 'we' are all doing fine. The moment someone in our midst is brave enough to admit suffering from problems with money, you can expect many more, coyly disclosing suffering the same fate and predicament.

I want to address the issue of money as briefly as I can. For a few, my experience may shed a new light on your situation. Some may have a radically different opinion, that is expected; but for many, this will help change your view and possibly your approach to your money situation. But still, at the end of it all, to many, money will remain our best friend.

In the last 6 years of my financial struggle and spiritual rediscovery, I have arisen from both experiences to understand the power of money and how it affect our lives. The only way to fully comprehend money is when you are empty of it.

(When you have lots of money, you have lots of friends. When you are down to nothing, your friends too disappear. When you have lots of money, everyone knows who you are but when you are down to nothing, and without friends, then you know who your friends were. It is during this moment you fully comprehend the meaning of friendship.)

Like friendship, you only understand money when you have none of it.

Hopefully the eight principles below provide you enlightening about money; it's advantages and disadvantages and how it can distressed our lives when we are not the master over it.

#1 - Money: Who Doesn't Want More.

At a recent meeting with some close friends, they thought I was bragging when I disclosed that I had enough money and how I dread having more. I was absolutely serious. I have always had enough money, albeit not always earning a lot of money.

When I earned less than minimum wage, I had enough money. When I earned minimum wage, I had enough money. I have enough money now.

Someone asked the multi-billionaire John D. Rockefeller the question of "How much money is enough?"

His answer was, "One more dollar than I have." He therefore, would never have enough, no matter how many billions he had.

I have seen people earn more than double of what they were earning in the previous year and they still experience a lack of money.

Money is one of those things where unless the spirit gets right, you never have enough. Having enough money is primarily a matter of spirit, not amount, so I hope everyone understand this.

#2 - Rich Means Contentment.

Don't be like Rockefeller or else you will forever be dissatisfied.

Often our change from poor to rich is more spiritual than financial. It is why the Apostle Paul could say if you have food and clothing then you should be contented.

Perhaps we should realize that instead of struggling so hard to get more, we should simply want less. The problem with wanting more is that it never stops, and most find that even when they get "the stuff," it's not what they thought in terms of real contentment.

Jesus said:

a. The Kingdom of God is within

b. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Everyone wants the kingdom, yet everyone also wants to be rich.

Just maybe, for many of you, you have enough already.

#3 - Jesus Lives 33 Years On Earth Without Money Because He survived Trusting In God's Provision.

Some will argue against this to an extreme, but I have searched for it over and over in the New Testament of the Bible. It simply isn't there unless you take a Scripture and twist it to mean what it really didn't say or you must make speculations about things that aren't written in Scripture.

No words in the New Testament promote wealth when looked at in context. Unbelievable? You may want to try searching for that elusive verse under a magnifying glass! Trust me there is NONE!

"What about when Jesus told the disciples where to fish and they had the great haul of fish?" you may ask.

Read what they did with the increase after they got it. The disciples ate the fish then left the fish to follow Jesus. When you read exactly what they did, the pattern becomes clear .

We can sometimes be masters at making Scripture say what it never meant because it is what people want to hear and it often justifies our own agenda.

Jesus NEVER pointed us towards material wealth; he did quite the opposite when you read what he actually said.

Many passages plainly point you away from riches but none plainly point you towards it, not in the New Testament.

And no, the verse, "Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health," is not talking about riches.

Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:8, that if you have food and clothing you should be content. I thought about that verse as I was alone one day. I had a BIG problem with it then, and I still struggle to fully understand and accept it.

"What about shelter?" I thought. How in the world does God expect you to be content with no house? That just didn't make any sense to me.

So I asked God during a quiet moment, "Father, how can a person be content with no house?" And God, my heavenly Father answered me and though I didn't like the answer, the minute I heard it, I recognized the truth of it.

The answer was, "Did my son have a house?"

"Whoa!"

Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Matthew 8:20

Not only are we not happy and contented with food and clothing, we often aren't happy even in medium or large houses. We want mansions and guess what? Given enough time, we often aren't happy in those either.

#4 - Rich And Poor, We Are The Children Of God, The Creator.

I never regretted that I chose a holiday at National Rainforest in Pahang. I wanted to see the rain forest before man destroyed it. The native children in the jungle were excited to see a mobile phone.

We trekked through the jungle all day with a native guide. He said our hike would culminate by visiting the rumah orang kaya (rich man house).

I was expecting a huge mansion overlooking a river and the rich expanse of the rain forest. When we got to this orang kaya's house, it indeed sat on a hill, but it was hardly a mansion. It was more like a shack on a hill. His house was distinguished by the fact that it had a generator. The rich man had electricity. When the rest of the village was dark, he had light, therefore everyone in the village considered him "Orang Kaya" or "The Rich Man."

I learned a great lesson from that. The native headman had no indoor plumbing, no air conditioning, no marble counters or carpeted floors. His house would not even meet minimum building regulations in the poorest neighborhoods in the entire country. However, he had electricity when everyone else was in the dark, therefore he was rich.

In many parts of the world, what we consider poverty is considered great wealth. We have so much food in almost the entire country that eating too much causes Malaysia's biggest health problems.

#5 - Money Is Not Necessarily The Source Of Happiness.

The Pahang National Park jungle was perhaps the poorest area that I have ever visited. There was no industry. The huts did not even have doors. Yet, in the midst of what many would consider extreme poverty by Malaysian standards, again I saw something.

The people were happy.

The ability to sense spirit is something God gave me long ago. When I sold newspapers as a young lad through many of the neighborhoods in Penang, the minute people opened the door, I could sense whether the house was happy or sad one.

I sold newspapers in the richest and poorest of neighborhoods. Both had their share of happy and sad homes.

The guide told me as we walked through the village with the doorless huts, "We marry around 13 or 14."

"13 or 14?" I repeated, amazed at such a young marrying age.

"What is the divorce rate?" I asked.

"Less than 5%," he replied.

Again I saw that material possessions don't necessarily guarantee happiness. In our society today, we have relatively huge wealth along with a relatively huge divorce rate.

#6 - Bad Attitudes Is The Producer Of Bankrupts.

The Joneses.

Because we often try to keep up with the Joneses, it strains our finances to the limit and beyond. My father, often quoted, "If your outgo exceeds your income then your upkeep will become your downfall."

Too often we live way above our means. Today, I have always had enough money because I have always kept my expenses well below my income. And of course I learned all these through the 6 years of very painful lessons. Whether you earn millions or minimum wage, the principle applies.

Years ago a girl friend of mine began selling a nutritional system. The system had a cassette tape explaining it. She went throughout several of Petaling Jaya's affluent neighborhoods putting the tapes in mailboxes.

She only selected the fancy houses as she only had a limited number of tapes.

Six people responded wanting the system. The system cost RM100.

Of the six people who responded, not ONE had RM100. Each had a story of why they had to wait until payday or could only pay a part now but none had RM100.

"How could that be?" my girl friend asked. "I specifically only put these tapes in BIG houses. They all had two fancy cars and RM200,000 plus houses. How could their finances be so tight that they don't have RM100?" she kept bothering me with that question.

My reply was that everyone lived next to The Joneses, who lived next to The Joneses, who lived next to The Joneses, who lived next to ...

#7 - The Importance Of Good Planning And Discipline.

From my experience over all that I have endure the past 6 years, today, I tried each day to share with people I meet what is money and managing it. Don't laugh because you thought I am not an authority about it but I teaches people how to manage their money.

I often remind people in the church that after tithing 10% of their money to the church, the remaining 90% still belongs to God, the Provider. And they should learned to honor how to manage what God has allowed them to keep.

People came to me with testimonies about what I shared changed their financial lives. The first thing I did was to teach everyone create a budget.

Surprisingly, NO ONE had a budget. No one could say exactly how much they were spending. Sure, they all knew what the rent or mortgage was, but it was often the "other" stuff that sunk them. No one could tell you with any degree of accuracy exactly what they were spending as a total.

I loved to tell the story of how one lady had come to me for a loan. She wanted to buy a car. She was going to pay for the car by the week at one of those "pay by the week" places.

She got angry at me when I would not lend her the money. I had her to do a budget. When she did, she was shocked to see that the weekly payments plus what she was spending on other stuff added up to more than what she was earning. If I had loaned her the money for the down payment on the car, it would have been a sure financial disaster.

WRITE IT DOWN exactly how much you spend each month on EVERYTHING. You may be surprised. Just something as simple as a two pack a day cigarette habit is RM200.00 per month.

#8 - Give And You Will Be Given.

I cannot logically explain this, but I know it is true. I am of the opinion that Malaysians are the most prosperous and generous people on the face of the earth, because each time there is an appeal for funds or donations, Malaysians will never disappoint and will consistently rise to the occasion.

Yes, I know we has flaws but that doesn't change the principle or the result. We benefit from our benevolence; we suffer for our malice.

God spoke a Word of Wisdom to me personally concerning money.

"Anything beyond sufficiency is insignificant."

It has taken me a long time to understand that but the longer I live, the more convinced I am of that truth.

Money is similar to food. You need it; if you run short, it gets very uncomfortable and even unhealthy. Yet excess consumption has great dangers. Having excess food is wonderful if you do the right thing. The problem is not in having the excess; the excess is a blessing. The challenge is in doing the right thing with the excess.

Even the Old Testament of the Bible listed lack of both money and food as a curse and its abundance a blessing. The problem was that it wasn't long after the abundance that the people became corrupt. It is very hard to keep abundance in balance.

That's why Jesus said it is HARD for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

Money has always been and always will be an issue. It remain a bondage to most in this world; unmindful of who you are.

"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." The Pharisees, (ministers and priests) who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.
Luke 16:13-15

I am hopeful that you have benefited what I have shared with you on the principles for abundance and some guidance for using the abundance.

Do remember that the Almighty Majestic God is the Provider and we are all born into the world with nothing and will someday leave with nothing. Our riches are stored in the Kingdom of Heaven where we truly belongs.

Each time we share what we have in this world, we are actually storing up our riches in our true home, Heaven!

Everything that we have comes from our heavenly Father. Whatever we share with others were of the Father. We don't actually owned anything and the fact that we are owners are a lie from the Devil.

I know some of you will argue that you have 'earned' it through your hard labor, toiling in the field of work under harsh working conditions. Don't forget that your job itself was a blessing from God! He provides!

O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious Name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!
1 Chronicles 29:13-14

In closing, I want to assign you with this paltry chore. Ask Jesus in your quiet time with Him, this seemingly insignificant teaching why he taught us to pray asking for our daily, and not weekly, fortnightly, monthly or yearly bread? Why daily?

This is not the answer to my above question but when a person lives day to day trusting Jesus for His providence, then this person is truly rich because he lives free from the bondage of insufficiency. Because Jesus, our Provider is the Owner of Heaven and earth and everything in it!

Father, give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money! Turn my eyes from the worthless things of the world and give me life through your word and your ways.
Psalm 119:36-37

Home Sweet Home

Why wouldn't I want to die?

Could it be because I love the world more than I love to be home with my Father, who alone loves me in Christ Jesus?

Isn't going home early to heaven, a more aspired place to be than having to struggle against evil each day for the next 80 years (assuming I live 80 years) in this world, and maybe in the course of it, I missed home in heaven and ended up in a fiery place?

Why would I want to live longer when my passion for the world and everything in it has fizzle out? For to me, it's like being held captive in the most boring and unwelcome place.

When I finished work, I wanted to go home. When I am tired after a day out, I wanted to go home. When I break from class in school or college, I wanted to go home. Wherever I am, my heart is always longing for home. I think of the warm bed and cozy room where home is the only place I can actually rest in peace!

I wanted to be home to enjoy being love by my loved ones. I wanted to be in their company where true love is alive. Home is the most wonderful place to be.

Honestly, I hate living in the world, because each day I have to dodge sinning to stay pure and holy. It's tiring work to stay away from sinning and I may end up away from my heavenly home when I finally died.

Do you think my opinion about life's boredom is balderdash? Actually I am pragmatic and humble about what I want for my life. However, it may be different for those who have everything to live for! Simply put, some may love the world much much more than me!

Sometimes, I envy those who were never born into the world. The Book of Ecclesiastes chapter 4 verse 3 has it on record stating, But most fortunate of all are those who are not yet born. For they have not seen all the evil that is done under the sun.

I guess not too many people can comprehend what's in my mind about 'going home.' Don't misunderstand or misinterpret my thoughts; I am not talking about suicide. I am expressing the joy and the excitement and the longing to be with my heavenly Father who alone loves me in my Saviour Jesus.

When my relationship with Christ is so intimate, the love sets me free from the fear of death. I only wanted to go to be with Him. And I guessed that's what understanding His love for me is. In fact, because of His deep love for me, He came to show me how much He love me by setting me free from the fear of death at the cross.

Because God's children are human beings-made of flesh and blood-the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. Hebrews 2:14-15

In the Book of Isaiah chapter 57 verse one, our heavenly Father explained that sometimes He loved us so much that He is compelled to bring us 'home' before evil consume us. Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come.

Until we understand how much God, the Father loves us in Jesus and how much we also love Him, we will be reluctant to want to be reconcile with Him. It's just the same when we don't love someone, we wouldn't want to be near them.

Let me conclude by expounding on how much Paul aspired to 'go home' and be with Jesus Christ. Paul divulged his longing in Philippians 1:21, 23, For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.

I am looking forward to 'go home' and be with my Saviour Father, Jesus who alone loves me. After all, this is not where I belong....I am just a visitor, a foreigner in a foreign land.

Father Saviour, Jesus, I know how much you miss me....I miss you too!

YOU are a NOUGHT THING!

You are nothing!

When our hearts are not filled with the love and humility of Jesus Christ, we are but NOTHING!

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

God our Almighty Father, Creator of heaven and earth, Father of our Saviour Jesus Christ, elucidate His approval of us that we can be everything but if His love doesn't live in us, then we are NOTHING!

Are you Nothing or are you SOMETHING?

Who Filled You?

If God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit lives in you, are you still required to attend studies to learn about God, the Father?

But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets. No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. and we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

But people who don't have the Holy Spirit cannot understand these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who have the Holy Spirit can understand what the Spirit means. 1 Corinthians 2:10-11, 14

So, when you don't understand the Bible, and our Saviour Jesus' teachings, check out who filled you?

I Love You Forever!

When someone says, "I Love You" to you, you expect the person to be trustworthy in it's commitment to love you forever.

So, when you says, "I Love You" to someone, how long are you trusted to love that someone?

Can anything ever separate us from the love of Christ? Does it mean Jesus no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. Romans 8:35-36

When you says, "I Love You!" are you saying it with the love and humility that Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, has filled your heart?

Three things will last forever-faith, hope and love-and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Ha! Now You Know It's Not Easy!

Someone just asked me how to place their trust in God?

My rejoinder: Simple, sell all you have, give them to the poor and follow Jesus Christ!

Want To Live Forever?

You won't find eternal life by reading the Bible. However, you will find and learn about Jesus in the Bible.

You can attained eternal life only by believing and trusting in Jesus, the Saviour, the son of the Living Father.

You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. John 5:39-40

Jesus says, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me." John 14:6