Punishment

What happens when we disobey our parents? More often than not, we will be reprimanded or cane by our parents. If I think back to how I was often being punished when I was little - it was because my parents love me and they want me to be good so that when I grow up, I can be a positive contributor to the society. They simply want the best for me. It is the same in he spiritual realm. God, whom we call our heavenly father, will also punish us if we make mistakes. As we see in these 2 verses: - Exodus 32:33 The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. - Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Like our earthly father, if we make mistake again, he will in no doubt punish us again and again till we learn our lesson. Our heavenly father will let us live the way we like on earth but when the day comes for judgement, he will separate the goats for the sheeps, and the goats will be wiped out. Our God is a God of grace and love. If we repent our sins, He who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Let us not be complacent, but live a live that is pleasing to God and like Jesus least God will enforce PUNISHMENT on us.

Talents and Giftings

 

Talents and Giftings - Exodus 31:1-11
The first time I accepted Jesus into our life, I have also unknowingly accepted the Holy Spirit into my heart. This is a Devine experience because I am no longer my old self; I become new, and Jesus now lives in me.

And with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, I am given spiritual gifts. These gifts are not just gifts for worshipping the Lord but also gifts to exercise the power of the Holy Spirit to heal, to discern and to intercede.

It has always been God's intent to give us skills and talents (Giftings). The most important turning point here is: we need to EXERCISE it. In this passage, God gave His people all kinds of skills, wisdom, understanding and knowledge. We need to use it in the right way:
- Wisdom to make God led choices
- Understanding and then applying God's word
- Knowledge of good and evil. To apply good and flee evil

V6: God opened up my eyes to see that in all things we will best use our skills whenever God calls and command us to do. If we do what God calls us to do, His promise to us is that we will have the ability to do all things successfully.

Let's make a decision today to exercise God's GIFT for us in faith and to obey what He has called us to do with the TALENTS we processed.

Cleanliness

Cleanliness
How do we define cleanliness in the spiritual realm? The Holy Spirit prompted me about not just the outside (though it's important); it is the inside that God is concern about:
- The purity of our body - Do we engage in pre-marital activities? Are we doing anything funny with our sexual orientation?
- Our health - How are we treating our physical body? Are we overly obsessive of being slim? Are we over-weight? Are we smoking and polluting the Holy Spirit's residing place? Do we exercise to keep a healthy and balance lifestyle? Are is our life just about work?
- Holiness - Are we living a life that is pleasing and acceptable to God?
- Do we FLEE from sins?

Through Exodus 30:17-38, we can see the very character of God: in that He is very serious about the way we keep ourselves "clean". In the old testament, people of God need to be physically cleanse as an act of cleansing from their sins and be holy. We do not need to do that anymore because Jesus already cleanse us from our sins with His blood. However, we need to be careful to live our lives which is acceptable to God because he is a holy God. We are not FREE from sins but we must FLEE from sins.

So the next time we begin to worship, be sure to ask God for forgiveness, for a thorough cleansing of our spirit and soul, because we want to present a CLEAN body and spirit to God as an act of holy worship!

Worship

What is Christian worship? If I were to worship God, what would I do? For most people, it would be: Singing songs to God, Praying, Doing your quiet time, Talking to God, Lifting hands, Out-stretch arms. God showed me that worship means more than those listed above. Worship is showing the deepest admiration and affection to God. Have you ever been deeply loved by someone? When I look at my wife's love to me, I realized it is more than "words" or actions". It is the unspoken and undone but yet the heart is there to love. And today, I was touched by the Holy Spirit who shows me that worship begins with my heart. And this questions poured in: Do I love God? Let's not even go to how much is my love for Him. Love in the simplest form - Do I really love God? My answer is an astounding "no". Why do I say no when I am really doing what I am suppose to do at cell meetings, church, quiet time etc...? The Holy spirit shows me that, yes, while you are doing those things, but how about your heart condition? Are you habouring sins in your life? Have you forgiven that someone you hated? Have you stop gossiping? Have you loved? Have you tithe faithfully? Have you been distracted by lust of the eyes? Have you ever been faithful to Me? Have you spent fruitful time with me? Faithful = Obedience = Doing what is right. Though the list about worship seems endless. I summed up my thought about worship to simply: Keeping my body pure as an act of sacrifice to God, Living my life based on the fruit of the Spirit - to live like Jesus. And in order to be able to do that daily, we need to get right with God. Don't wrestle with God about having not enough time, having no energy, having no mood etc. We need God's energy to keep us going, to keep us WORSHIPPING.

Traumatised

This week has been a trauma for me. Someone out there is trying to harm me. I do not know who but I am sure justice will be served. I am leaning on God's promises for me:
Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Those of you who is suffering from a hurt. Be afirm that you have a hope and a prosperous future.