9 Aug 2014 by Adeline Lum CM-

On 3^rd of August, Erik Lai and his wife, Julia, were walking out from his aunt’s house in Subang Jaya Section 18 at 6:30 PM, when they were attacked by two robbers—the front rider armed with a 12-inch screwdriver and the pillion rider with a machete.

“At first, we thought they were asking for directions. Suddenly, he pulled out a machete, we realized that it’s a robbery,” said Erik.

The pillion rider with a machete pulled Julia’s document bag and threatened her to let go; but Julia refused and managed to snatch it back. When that failed, the robber turned to Erik and tried to grab his knapsack and hand phone, but that failed as well. At that moment, the robber became agitated and threatened to slash the couple with his machete. But the couple were surprisingly calm.

 “I realize it’s either they are in control or you are in control. When you panic, they will be in control. There’s calmness and peace of mind. So, we did not even have time to pray but I just respond to the situation from our years of following God that He is with us in times of trouble,” said Erik.

Ref : ananiasfaithfulone

He negotiated with the robbers to not take their personal belongings in the bag, but only take the money. The front rider hesitated because he was expecting to receive money from Erik, which bought time for his wife Julia Wong to step back.

But just when she stepped back, the front rider saw her and grabbed her bag while trying to stab her with his screwdriver. Julia screamed at the top of her lungs for help. Erik rushed to grip the front rider’s hand to prevent him from stabbing his wife, while the pillion rider brandished his machete at Erik and wanted to snatch his knapsack. Julia continued to scream and this caused the robbers to panic. They realised they were in danger and fled as quickly as they could.

Amazingly, no one was harmed and no belongings were taken!

“Everything happened in split second. God is always in control, we need to really faithfully walk in His Ways, so that His presence goes with us,” said Erik.

Ref : blingcheese

“We had been threatened or robbed before in those early days but they were mostly by gangsters, mostly extortion cases, but not with machete. This robbery is done with the intention to harm.

“We have seen on the internet that many victims of such snatch thieves and robberies suffered serious injuries and loss. But miraculously, we are delivered, so that must be divine intervention and protection. Even the police officers were also quite surprised and amazed,” said Erik thanking God.

Despite having suffered no loss or injury, he made a police report so that the police are aware that robbers and snatch thieves are rampant around Subang Jaya. He hopes that this will protect the residents in the area.

And even after the trauma, Erik and his wife hold no grudge for the robbers. In fact, they are praying for them to know Christ, to receive him, and repent of their ways.

Erik Lai (right) with his wife Julia

“The first thing that came to my mind (during the robbery) is that I wanted to talk to them; I wanted to give them the opportunity to realize that they are wrong. They are very young from their voice and built, probably in their twenties,” said Erik.

He added, “Always try to make a friend out of every enemy. We should always try to be a peacemaker; that’s the role that God has called us—love your enemies.”

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matt 5:9)

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17)

Praise the Lord for protecting His children!

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10 Aug 2014 by Adeline Lum CM-

Pr Happy Yang has been called by God to love all people, particularly one not of her own race and color. But like Jesus, whose love was extended to tax collectors, Samaritans, and Romans —people from all walks of life— Pr Happy knew that every person is welcomed and has a place in God’s Kingdom.

At 30 years old during her morning prayer, Pr Happy received a vision from God of children screaming for help behind bars. The Lord said, “If you don’t reach them, Satan will.” With that revelation from God, the Lord opened doors for her to minister to children, particularly from the Indian community.

Pr Happy Yang and her late husband Alex Yang, with their daughters

“God has given me the heart for Indian children. I feel God’s heart for them. For me, it doesn’t matter what race they may be, the Kingdom of God welcomes them and they need to hear the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ,” said Pr Happy whose church congregation is mostly from the Indian community, though not all have accepted Christ.

“We don’t know who will receive the Word but to us, it is all about sowing the Word of God into their lives with every opportunity we have,” said Pr Happy.

In 2005, Pr Happy and her late husband, Pr Alex Yang, pioneered their church, OASIS, The Peoples Church, at their home. As the congregation grew, they moved to Ara Damansara two years later. In Ara Damansara, doors were opened for them to minister to underprivileged children and families living at the low cost flats in Lembah Subang. They began visiting these families, who are mainly from the Indian community. As a result of these visitations, many children and their families came to church. Again, as the numbers grew, they moved to a bigger location nearby in year 2010.

Children receiving food supplies from home visitation

Although the church went through a difficult period, the Lord began to work through their difficulties. Seeing how the church began to cater for the Indian community, the worship leaders and singers in the music ministry learned to sing Tamil and Indonesian worship songs. The church also started conducting the church service in English, with interpretation in Tamil and sometimes, Bahasa Malaysia.

On a weekly basis, Pr Happy and her church members visit the homes of the Indian families to build a better relationship with them. “We spend time getting to know them and their living condition. It also provided valuable insight into their home environment, and their needs,” said Pr Happy. This led Pr Happy and her late husband to begin a ministry that provided some of these families with monthly provisions, especially those who are single mothers. “As the Bible points out in James 2:15-16, if we realize someone has needs, we will try to meet the needs instead of instructing the person to pray about his or her situation. Hence, in this matter, we want to be relevant and practical,” she said.

A mother and daughter receiving food provision from OASIS, The Peoples Church

As Pr Happy and her late husband continued to faithfully serve the community, in year 2011, the Lord gave them a vision to start a baking and tailoring center. By the end of 2011, a lady from Indonesia, with an expertise in tailoring walked into church. She was an answer to their prayers and a confirmation of the vision given. God eventually sent various groups of people from the expatriate community to other believers-in-Christ to sponsor and provide the sewing machines, ovens, and other miscellaneous things needed.

“When God spoke and gave us the vision for the center, we told God that if he wanted us to start the center, He would have to provide. And, true enough, God is faithful and a provider.  We are blessed as we didn’t have to raise funds for the center and we will only raise funds if necessary. We want to practice bringing everything in prayer and look to God, not men for provision. And, God has never failed us,” said Pr Happy.

Children learning how to sew with donated sewing machines

Both baking and sewing classes are held mainly for children and teenagers from the underprivileged community. “We are not into setting up a business to generate income. Our aim is to provide the children and teenagers with skills, which they can use to be self-sufficient in future, should they not be academically inclined.” Apart from these baking and sewing classes, free tuition classes is also offered to these children and teenagers to help them excel in their studies.

Children learning the art of baking

Besides that, her late husband, Pr Alex started the OASIS Football Club to help instill discipline into the lives of young boys from the community. Currently, her son-in-law, Daniel Foong, has taken charge of the club and jerseys have been made for the boys with their respective names and numbers. They recently organized two friendly matches with outsiders.

“Ultimately, from all these projects, we want to show them that there is hope for them. Many of them think that life would be like their fathers or mothers. That’s why we want to tell them that in Jesus Christ, they have a hope and a future, and that they don’t have to remain in this vicious cycle of a lifestyle that leads to drugs, alcoholism and gangster-ism. We are excited of the change we have seen in them and the desire for something better for themselves,” said Pr Happy.

A boy smiling at the camera, as member of the OASIS Football Club

Since 2010, the church has been implementing a coupon exchange program, which runs twice a year. Every good action performed by the children is rewarded by a coupon, such as attending church, bringing a friend, helping out, and memorizing bible verses. These coupons that are collected for six months will then be exchanged for daily household items ranging from food, toiletries, stationaries, school bags, and accessories on a specific day in church. Items are donated by church member and generous individuals. The coupon exchange program teaches the children the value of things.

Children huddling together at the Coupon Exchange booth, excited to exchange for items

Pr Happy and her church want to show the community that God is not against them but He loves them very much. “We want them to know that God wants a relationship with them. Sometimes it is difficult because most of them grew up without much attention and appreciation, and they have been told that they are of no worth. But in church, we continually tell and show them that we love them and we find practical ways to express our love for them,” said Pr Happy.

Reflecting on the past, Pr Happy is grateful and thankful for her church leaders and members in OASIS The Peoples Church for their support and dedication; she is appreciative of the contribution, provision, and support from friends and other fellow believers in the ministry. “There are times when we feel tired and weary, alone, and lack encouragement. But God has always brought people of the same heart and mind to support us, just like how God provided Moses with two other individuals to lift his hands. So I really appreciate the people around me and how hard they have labored. I also believe that God will always refresh us as we continue to draw closer to him each day,” said Pr Happy with joy and contentment.

Worshipers in Oasis, The Peoples Church, who could sing in English, Bahasa Melayu, and Tamil

Because of God’s overflowing provision for OASIS The Peoples Church, it has given the church the opportunity to support literacy programs for the children in the slums of Delhi, led by Pr Solomon Kings. “We recognize that our calling as a church is to the poor and needy, especially among the children, here in Malaysia and overseas. That’s where my heart is because I believe children are the next generation. It is through the children, we can reach the adults – their families. We see our church as a family-oriented church,” said Pr Happy.

Lastly, Pr happy is thankful that God has kept OASIS The Peoples Church by His power and they continue to place their faith in Jesus Christ (1Peter 1:5). She recognises that it is the Grace of God that has enabled and empowered them to do this ministry among the poor, needy and underprivileged children and their families in the community of Lembah Subang until now. She also believes that God will continue to be faithful as they keep on sowing into these lives because as it is written in 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV), which says, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

It is through the children, we can reach the adults

“Thank you, Jesus, for the privilege to serve You. To you be all the glory, honor, power and praise,” exclaimed Pr Happy.

Through Pr Happy and her church’s example, we can learn that Christ knows no difference in race or colour; that all is equal in God’s eye.

Love beyond color.

Love like Jesus.

ABOUT Pr Happy: Pr Happy Yang is a housewife who was called into ministry alongside her late husband, Pr Alex Yang. Over the many years of being involved in ministry, she has led cell groups, was a youth pastor, has led children ministries for 20 some years, and is very active in missions work in India and The Philippines. Now, she is the Senior Pastor of Oasis, The Peoples Church. She has four beautiful and wonderful daughters, Charity, Cassiemarie, Charis and Carmen, and two sons-in laws, Allen and Daniel, who are all serving the Lord faithfully. She is also a grandmother of two grandchildren, Telsia and Christopher.

Visit OASIS The Peoples Church

Website | https://www.facebook.com/OASISTPC | http://www.twitter.com/OasisTPC

Address | B-1-05 & B-2-05, Block B, Jalan PJU 1A/41B, Pusat Dagangan NZX, Ara Jaya, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Tel | 03-7804-1735 | 012-388-3875

Email | oasistpc@gmail.com | alexyangcp@yahoo.com

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20 August 2014 by Jason Law CM -

Good education is essential to a person’s well-being. The availability or lack of high-quality knowledge either shapes the person to be successful in a competitive world, or it can leave a person to struggle over their societal places throughout their life. But success is defined by more than what you earn; in the end, a person’s value is defined by the kind of life they lead and the legacy they leave behind.

ref : http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/BPI/EPA/images/new_interface_pages/30208394.jpg

Realizing the importance of holistic education, tNCC EduCenter aims to not just pass down knowledge but to shape culture through the next generation as well. tNCC’s EduCenter is pretty new to the scene, but already they have seen inspiring ways in how God can bring hope and change lives through edification. The EduCenter is part of the New Covenant Church’s vision of providing a Christian world-class education alternative for young people at affordable costs as a service to our community.

Pr Peter Sze, the pastor of tNCC, shared that this was a vision that God had planted in his and the other leaders’ hearts; one of the best ways to shape a Godly generation is through quality education. ‘When tNCC first mooted the idea of the EduCenter, we actually didn’t know if it would work out. We didn’t even know if there would be people with the heart for the ministry. We only did it through faith and obedience and the Lord answered. The timing was perfect, and sis Jennifer Lee (the principal coach at tNCC EduCenter) answered the call. She later shared that this has been her concern all the while.’

Pr Peter Sze of tNCC

Using a self-paced system known as EduSeeds, that combine multimedia-based online learning and in-class interactive sessions, students are shaped and equipped to sit for the Cambridge IGCSE, a Level 10 high-school exam internationally recognised by leading universities and employers. Since they have started opening their center in January this year, they have grown to cover two stages of the EduSeeds system; Junior (Levels 1-4) and Middle (Levels 5-6) with the aim to extend further to Levels 7-10 in another 6-12 month’s time.

Students at the tNCC EduCenter.

‘The subjects we cover include the usual ones like Maths, English, Science, BM, and Social Studies which include World Geography and History. We facilitate our students so that they’re able to sit for the Cambridge IGCSE, but we also believe in shaping a child through more than theoretical knowledge. At EduCenter, we also aim to build our children’s character through not just Physical Education, but also Life Skill sessions,’ sis Jennifer Lee, its principal coach shared.

The EduCenter is a comprehensive venue that caters for both outdoor and indoor PE activities and multiple discussion rooms. Subjects like Arts and Crafts, as well as Information Technology are conducted in rooms that are dedicated and specialized for them. The online system it uses has a personalized database that helps the coaches in providing committed guidance to each student.

PE sessions with the children.

‘We identify our instructors as coaches. That is who we aim to be : coaches do more than just teach. Our ultimate priority is to shape the child’s life so that they become pillars of society when they go out into the world. The approach has to be centered on the child; learn to understand them and you’ll find the seed of potential grow in them. The child has to understand the reasons for certain things ie. explaining and identifying with the child, before controlling their video game privileges near exam times.’

Sis Jennifer guiding one of the students.

‘Part of that has to do with the spiritual life,’ sis Jennifer communicated. ‘‘For Christians, we have Bible Studies 3 afternoon sessions (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday), a week but we make it flexible, according to our children’s comfort level. Chapel is conducted every Friday afternoon at 1-3pm.

‘When we talk about spiritual life, it sounds so mystical but it’s really not that intimidating at all. We guide our children to have spiritual values and to understand and walk with God, but we don’t impose our belief systems on non-Christians. What we do is we include them in our group discussions so that they are not regarded as outsiders by the other children, and we talk about values.’

The chapel at tNCC EduCenter.

The EduCenter have received many encouraging feedback, some even from non-Christians. ‘We had one student who was previously in a second last class in another school. He was 5 years backwards, education-wise, for his age. The teachers, probably overburdened with other workload, had given up hope on him. This boy was feeling neglected and aimless, and when his parents sent him to our EduCenter, he told us to give up on him because the others had already done so. In fact, he told us that even he himself had given up hope, and that broke our hearts.

The children having fun with their coaches.

‘The best way a child grows is when they have a strong bonding with not just their parents, but also their teachers. The teacher must have a strong relationship with the student, and opportunities must be given to the students, something which already overburdened teachers under conventional systems can ill afford. This boy started to see the potential in himself, and he started producing As, something which he previously thought was impossible. Remember, our standards had to adhere to those set by the Cambridge IGCSE.

‘And you know the best thing? He started reaching out to others, helping to coach them. His parents shared with us that our God must be working in his life, and they have already started encouraging him to pray. It is the opportunity to see things like these that is our greatest encouragement and reward.’

Sis Jennifer Lee, principat coach at tNCC EduCenter.

Sis Jennifer shared that the vision of the EduCenter is to bring hope where there may be none previously, and they do this through development, motivation, character, and conversation, with the ultimate end-goal of building the inner self-values of the child. They find and instill this inner motivator through constant positive encouragement.

‘It takes dedication, time, and patience to do this, but it pays off and you see impactful life stories first-hand,’ sis Jennifer shared.

Sis Jennifer Lee previously served as a children pastor, and has her own inspirational story to share. You can find out more about tNCC’s EduCenter and its inspirational life-stories through their FaceBook page at https://www.facebook.com/tNCCEduCenter or their website at http://www.tncchurch.org/ministries/tncc-educenter/They can be contacted through email at tncceducenter@gmail.com or phone at 03-7732 0506

tNCC’s EduCenter academic calendar consists of 3 terms each year:
Term 1: January – March
Term 2: April – July
Term 3: August – November
They follow Malaysian governmental holidays, and have short breaks between each semester.

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NOTE: Pictures of tNCC Educenter were contributed by tNCC. 

27 August 2014 by Adeline Lum CM-

Which job should I take? Should I change my job? Should I venture into a new industry? As a working adult, we have many questions for our career.

Although we mull over articles and videos on career, we often forget to ask for direction from our Creator, Father God.

“It’s always the leading of the Holy Spirit. You want to know where you should be, you better ask your Creator. Walking with God meant being at the right place, at the right time, and applying the gifting and skills God has for you in that vocation,” said Yaw Chun Soon, Executive Director of Talam Transform Berhad.

As the leader of the SIB KL Workplace Ministry, Yaw shared that everyone needs to understand the Christian worldview about work.  

Firstly, we must recognize that every one of us has a specific calling or purpose in life, and that starts from having an ongoing relationship with God. Through our daily walk with Him, we are able to recognize His Voice and follow His leading.

Ref: len-seekingthelord

We can also recognize our calling by evaluating ourselves and understand our natural skills sets or talents and passions.

“What is your passion? Somehow, you know it. What makes you wake up every morning? What is the one word that makes you come alive? You look at your purpose, passion, and your potential, that’s where God is guiding you towards your destiny. Job will change but your purpose remains the same,” said Yaw.

Like threads in a tapestry, our calling in life becomes more apparent as we look back. We realized that in the midst of messy threads and knots, God was at work in our lives. And He makes something beautiful out of them, much better than what we have in mind. 

But sometimes, we are afraid to try something new and we get stuck in our current position. Our indecisiveness paralyzes us because we are looking for a clear-cut answer from God. We asked God, “If this is the job for me, then grant me this position or this salary.”

The truth is that there is no formula in deciding a job transition. The longstanding time-tested habits of reading the Bible, praying, seeking God, and finding peace—basically having a relationship with God— still works today.

Ref: untci

And when we are bold enough to decide, it is easier for God to steer us when we decide to move, like how it is easire to steer a moving car than a stationary one. 

“If you want to honor God in your life, you got to trust God that He will direct you back to the right path even when you have make a wrong turn. Do not stay in the paralysis of indecision. Working out your purpose is a journey, not a one-time event. We have a dynamic and not a stagnant God,” said Yaw.

Ref: readingacts

Yaw made his first uncomfortable transition after practicing law for seven years. Handling cases up to the then Supreme Court level, Yaw knew the ropes of his job until he had a job offer from TA Securities Berhad in 1993. And while he thought he would be working in the legal department there, he worked only three months before he was assigned to a management role. In that role, he begun the journey of relearning from ground zero the stockbroking systems, processes and procedures, which were foreign to him (covering areas from dealing, to share settlement, margin accounts, credit control, and compliance).

“Generally, in the first few months, you want to go back to your old job which you are familiar with as the new things require a new mindset and you need to roll up your sleeves and try to understand and work through the whole process. You need a lot of patience, persistence, perseverance, and hard work to stay the course.”

“It’s a humbling process but after that exposure, I had a good overview which assist me to oversee the departments and in making the right decisions. So often the decision is not so clear cut, and I got to ask if I have all right facts before me—what are the benefits, risks and consequences. So, those were all the trainings I went through and there are no short-cuts,” said Yaw.

Yaw Chun Soon

After two years of training in an entirely new stockbroking industry, Yaw was promoted to General Manager of Botly Securities Sdn Bhd, a sister-company of TA Securities Berhad and eventually became its Executive Director in 1996. He learned and acquired many soft skills from managing people in a corporate setting compared to the independent background he came from in the law firm.

“You develop a lot of soft skills when you run an organization. It was tough. It’s never easy to change. But you need to have a learning culture and want to learn new things.”

“But skills and information, there’s a limit to them. What matters is the application of what you know because life is full of uncertainties and they come to you like a curve ball.”

“When making the right decision, it’s about your experiences because there are so many variables that are out of your control. That is why God has to be involved in it,” said Yaw, who always prayed for wisdom from God.

Ref: reuters

He shared that when we decided in our heart to follow God, we must be willing to follow His Way. But sometimes, we deceive ourselves by wrapping our personal ambition around God’s ambition.

“Sometimes, we want something so much that we make it look like a God thing. But the truth is that we wrap our ambition around God. We do things our way and make it look like God’s way. So, when thing do not happen our way, we blame Him. Our eyes are focused on the results we want. For example, if you want to buy a Honda Accord, you will see this Honda car all over the road.. We make it look like a God thing but it’s our thing,” said Yaw.

And yes, following God sometimes involves making decision that is uncomfortable and downright risky. Faith is spelt RISK!

Yaw with his family

After 18 years in TA group, Yaw was already the Executive Director of TA Enterprise Berhad and a director for its subsidiaries. But the Lord prompted him to move on at his prime time in year 2011 into an entirely new industry at 49 years old. During then, one of his children was going to the university and it was the post subprime loan crisis.

“When I was approached for a new job, it doesn’t make sense to move to a new industry in a new start-up company when you are in a secured and comfort zone, but somehow I sensed I got to move. You look at everything, and financially and risk-prospects wise, you should not go. However, I have the peace in my heart though my mind could not make commercial sense of it. I was looking for a challenge but I never expected a shift in the industry and company.

“I don’t expect to retire though the official age of retirement is 60. Once you have a learning attitude, you only move on to do other things. A calling is not a job or just collecting a paycheck to meet monthly needs, but it is reaching your highest potential, which God gave you,” said Yaw.

Ref: mindbodygreen

Putting on the attitude of Jesus is everything. But as a generation that demands immediate results and gratification, we forgot the value of patience, persistence, and perseverance in reaching our destiny.

“You must be prepared to go through the training to understand whether you’re cut for the job. Excellence is basically giving your very best in whatever you do. Marshal all your skills and resources. Be outstanding and good in what you do. When the opportunity comes, pray and make the move. You got to trust God. If you take the wrong path, He will direct you back.”

“You do your best and God will take care of the rest. Skills are good to acquire. Experience will come as you take risks. Once you do it, you get new experiences. Some situations are challenging but if you don’t do it, you don’t get experience and expertise. God has to be involved. It’s not how smart you are,” said Yaw.

Yaw and his family

CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW ABOUT WORK

1. Work is not a curse

Sharing on the Christian Worldview about work, Yaw shared that we tend to look at work as a curse but even before Adam fell into sin, God created work. God took Adam and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And ‘work’ in Hebrew meant ‘avodah’, which is worship. But when Adam sinned, God cursed the ground (not work) with thorns and thistles so that the results would no longer commensurate with the work. Simply put, work becomes tough.

Are we doomed to the curse of unfruitfulness for the rest of our life? Before Jesus was sent to crucifixion, the first time he shed his blood was the placement of the crown of thorns around his forehead at the Praetorium (the seat of government power where the marketplace is). This crown of thorns represents the curse of the thorns and thistles on the ground. And the shedding of blood by Jesus represents the breaking of the curse to bear fruits from our work. 

Jesus has redeemed us from the curse by becoming a curse for us, so that the blessings of Abraham can come to us. In other words, Jesus has redeemed our work to be fruitful and satisfying.

Ref: marieleslie

2. Fruitfulness does not equal to becoming millionaires

All of us should be fruitful! But Yaw shared that fruitfulness does not necessarily mean being wealthy alone but also being healthy, enjoying good relationship, achieving our purpose and destiny in life, and leaving behind a legacy. The Bible actually holds many promises for us as His Children. But we need to claim these benefits by following God.

“A lot of promises are conditional in the Bible; if you do this, God will do that. But we want the benefits, we don’t want the responsibilities. And in the Abrahamic covenant, God blesses us to bless others.”

“But sometimes, we are like the Dead Sea with inflow and no outflow. We are supposed to be a river, full of life and always flowing in and out.

Ref: freebigpictures

“We are a generation of quick-fix and formulas. We do this and we get that. But please give the credit to God. God wants our attention and relationship. The long and short of it is that it’s all about God, not us,” said Yaw.

3. God will grant you success  when  you follow Him

And amongst all people, God has the greatest interest to see you succeed in your life because He has created you and put His image and likeness in you and invested in you with the blood of Jesus Christ. His ‘ROI’ (return-of-investment) is setting up his children for success, by guiding us to do things His Way and in His Time.

“But do you have the desire to succeed in using God’s way and God’s timing without compromising?” said Yaw.

When Jesus was brought by the devil to the top of the mountain, the devil offered Jesus a short-circuit way to reign over all the kingdoms of the world without the pain and agony of the crucifixion by worshipping the devil. The truth is that Jesus will eventually reign over all the kingdoms anyway. But it would come later in God’s timing and God’s way, which involves a painful death by crucifixion and in the process, redeems us and reconciles us to the Father.

Yaw Chun Soon and his family

4. The meaning of success is fulfilling your destiny to the highest potential

“Do you believe that God can make you a millionaire in a week’s time? Yes to some and no to others. If God can create the universe and own the gold and silver and the cattle on the thousand hills, surely God is able and ready to give you a million dollars instantly if He wants to,” said Yaw.

We are currently living in the culture driven by the Babylonian system, where we believe that success meant being rich and famous. But what is the meaning of success in God’s Kingdom?

Is Mother Teresa considered successful? Though she did not have a big house and she mixed with the rejects of the society, Yaw believed that Mother Teresa is very successful. This is because when she feeds a child, she sees the face of Jesus in every child. Mother Teresa fulfilled her destiny in reaching her highest potential. A humble lady who worked in the gutters with a heart of compassion for the downtrodden and under privileged, Mother Teresa was awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace prize.

Ref: amendolaart

5. God is using your work to mold you into becoming like Christ

“Sometimes, we are myopic, we look at events and short-term gains. But there’s a greater character and spiritual formation. How do you build that formation in your daily affairs of life? God would use your work to mold and shape you,” said Yaw.

We are first and foremost all full-time priests, though a few are called into the full-time pastoral ministry. God did not make a mistake by placing us in the workplace. A full-time marketplace vocation is not inferior to a full time pastoral ministry vocation. We are all first Christians and are called to different vocations. There are more pre-believers in the workplace than in the church. And so, God called the majority of the believers to spend the majority of their time interacting with the majority of the pre- believers in the workplace. In this manner, God is raising the workplace believers to impact their workplace’s sphere of influence.  

He shared about Joseph who was a favored son of his father and brought up in a privileged background. But at 17 years old, he was sold and worked as a slave for 13 years from the pit to Pothipar’s household and the prison, before he returned to the palace and became the prime minister of Egypt. God was with Joseph all the time in a foreign land working under ungodly and difficult employers all these years. The Lord was using all these circumstances to shape and form his character before elevating him to the premiership role. The marketplace is also the place that God use to mold us into becoming the person He wants us to be. And at His opportune time, God will promote you.

Ref: patty-patcards

In conclusion, everything stems from having an active and vibrant daily relationship with God. From this relationship, you will be able to make wise decisions for your work transition. Build your relationship by spending time with Him by reading the Word and praying. There are no short cuts.

Also, do not be afraid to make mistakes as you learn to discern His Voice. Do not fear failure. Every failure is only a temporary set back and the good Lord will redirect your steps and bring restoration as we trust and obey God in our journey of faith.  

Lastly, the Lord intended our work to be enjoyable, fruitful, and satisfying, especially when He has redeemed it with His precious blood from the crown of thorns. As you take a step of faith, God will take a quantum leap and you will find yourself fulfilling His Will for you in your work and your destiny.

The Lord is with you and the Lord establish and bless the work of your hands.

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3 Sept 2014 by Adeline Lum CM-

Rev Dr Edmound Teo, Senior Pastor of International Christian Assembly (ICA), shared how his church became the largest international church in the world during his visit to Malaysia, as a speaker for the Metro Tabernacle 32nd Anniversary.

Born in Sabah, Rev Edmound knew that his calling had always been a missionary. After he completed Bible school, he became a missionary in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Philippines, before finally landing in Hong Kong.

While he thought he would only spend a few years in Hong Kong, he never knew he would stay there for 17 years with his wife and daughters who were educated in international schools based in Shanghai and United States.

The first time he stepped into his 500-square-feet apartment in Hong Kong, he was shocked with the limited space. And having brought up in a Malay-language speaking church, Pr Edmound knew limited Cantonese to converse in Hong Kong, having been mistaken frequently as a migrant from China. At that time, he also knew limited English to pastor the international church there.

A national event called 1 People 1 City held by ICA Hong Kong, which showed the rich diversity in the church reflecting the demographic of the Hong Kong people

Today, Pr Edmound speaks English fluently as a Senior Pastor of ICA in year 2008. Since he took over, he reinvented the leadership wheel by growing ‘glocal’ leaders, meaning building leaders from their own church members. This is a different practice for most international churches in the world. Since ICA’s establishment in Hong Kong in year 1973—which is the first international church started by the Assemblies of God World Missions (AGWM) from United States—missionary pastors from foreign countries had always been sent to pastor international churches (for expatriates or foreigners in Hong Kong). But Pr Edmound thought about the long-term plan of growing ‘glocal’ leaders.

Since Pr Edmound took over, he did most of the ground work and called the church to fast and pray for 40 days each year. The ministries grew rapidly to 4500 people, with more than 50 ministries ad over 60 full-time staffs. They have eleven other language ministries including Filipino, Indonesian, Thai, Indian and Hindi, Sinhala and Tamil, Cantonese, Putonghua, Nepali, and Brazilian. Their church is also the only church in Hong Kong with Cantonese-speaking services with over 500 people, beyond the average of 200 people in the Chinese-speaking churches in Hong Kong. Each week, ICA offers around 35 worship services in seven locations in Hong Kong. 

Pr Edmound speaking at the pulpit | Ref: gcc

Having coined the name ICA, other countries under the AWGM leadership also used the same acronym in Bangkok, Surabaya, Moscow, Kiev, Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam, and in many other countries. But Hong Kong is an independent church currently, although they still keep their paternal relationship with the United States AOG.

To Pr Edmound, we live in a global world today where everything you do impacts the world through the Internet. Although we are all a new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17), in the ministry of reconciliation, we are all but one (1 Cor 12:27; Rom 12:5). Pr Edmound highlighted that the book of Acts especially gave us an example of people coming together without racism, elitism, classism, ageism, and sexism, because that is the definition of church. But today, we see a homogenous group in the church—people of the same color, same class, and same language. We are so homogenous that a different person would walk in feeling strange.

Ref: consideringhisword

The world has changed so much but the church remains the same. To put it simply, the demographic of the church does not reflect our community and city because the church only speaks one language and one style. But Pr Edmound shared that the church should be the most diverse community of all, like the people you find eating in a restaurant or working in a multinational company. It’s a pity that the most segregated day in the world is on Sunday, which is on the church day.

Today, fewer people are migrating but immigrating. Hence, by the time we die, Pr Edmound shared that our children would probably have lived in more than one city in the world. The world is our home. That is why the church will have all kinds of people at the door. But are we ready to accept and willing to change to become more of a global church?

Ref: fmcusa

In the past, Pr Edmound shared building pastors to lead the urban churches is a challenge. But today’s challenge is pastoring a global or international church. Pr Edmound foresees a church in the future where we would have a multi-lingual service with equal emphasis, strength, and dynamic. No longer would the English-service be a predominant service, but other groups of people speaking other languages will have the same influence as well.

Challenging his church to be a salt and light in Hong Kong, Pr Edmound taught his members that it is acceptable of the church members to leave the city individually poorer because they are in the city to bless and not to plunder the land. They are placed in Hong Kong for a reason, with a mission mindset. And because of this mindset, ICA has one of the most aggressive feeding programs in Hong Kong, with 150 volunteers mobilized to feed over 800 people monthly living below the poverty line. They also held a massive-scale charity carnival, called 1 People 1 City, which celebrates the cultural diversity of Hong Kong. Representing the demographic of the city, the church also invited international consulates and the Hong Kong government to be part of the event.

1 People 1 City

Malaysia has also welcomed people of many nations to our doorstep due to globalization. But are we ready to pastor them in our soil? If yes, are we ready to grow ‘glocal’ leaders from the people of the church, instead of our own people? These are the pertinent questions to ask ourselves to be an effective church.

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7 Sept 2014 by Kim Yung-

Loo Ann grew up in the state of Malacca, with a big family of many siblings. Growing up, she did not have much knowledge about Christianity as her family was brought up with Buddhist beliefs. It was only when she moved out of her parents’ house and moved to Melbourne that she got to know the Lord.

Ref: bennyhinn

A Series of Confusion which led to Revelation

While in Melbourne, 18 year old Loo Ann lived with her already married sister and her family; she recalled how her sister would make it compulsory to attend the church together on Sundays during her stay with her.

“I remember how I would sit right at the back. I wouldn’t sit with them as a family,” shared Loo Ann.

After numerous mundane Sundays, there was one particular Sunday at church that was unlike the others. The message preached that particular day somehow touched the core of Loo Ann’s heart which brought her to a stream of tears. Although she did not understand why at that time, everyone knew that the Holy Spirit was upon her; and when the altar call was made she found herself making her way to the front.

“On that day itself, I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit,” she said.

Loo Ann and Kenneth’s wedding photo

After a peculiar series of events, her sister and her family stopped going to church and so did Loo Ann. When she began studying in university where she pursued a double degree in Computer Science and Accountancy, she stayed with her brother and worked part-time in a Chinese restaurant. During this time, one of her friends would often try to encourage her to attend Church, where she would respectfully reject the offer. When she heard an Easter camp was coming up she was also hesitant to attend. The day before the camp, an overwhelming feeling of uneasiness swept over her. She could not explain it.

“I just felt like I just had to go for the camp, and because I could not get rid of that feeling I called my friend and said that I would go if it’s okay” she shared.

“At that camp the Lord really touched me, the message was very much about Moses and the burning bush and that encounter with God. From that day onwards I really gave my life to the Lord,” said Loo Ann.

From there, she built a strong foundation of faith by getting involved in Overseas Christian Fellowship and the navigators Bible study.  All this happened in about a span of two years from the time she moved to Melbourne. Loo Ann and a bunch of her university friends even got involved in a church that was to kick off; it was called Hope of God. There, they served by doing little things such as helping to set up the chairs, cooking lunch, serving in the children’s ministry and more. When the Church wanted to build an outreach in the City Centre, it was her and her friends that helped pioneer it!

A New Season

While in university, it was prophesied that she would have a ministry in Malaysia. Loo Ann was about 22 years old when she graduated; she had a tough decision to make because it was time for her visa to expire and she did not want to leave Melbourne.

“I went to enrol in a Bible school but I could not get my visa extended no matter how hard the school tried. Finally the school team told me, ‘I think the Lord wants you to go home.’ I went home very disappointed,” shared Loo Ann.

Kenneth and Loo Ann in the New Life Youth in the early 90’s

The pastors over in Melbourne because they knew Pastor Jeremiah of New Life Church, wrote her a reference letter to attend one particular church in Malaysia because they knew she would be well taken care of there. There, she became part of the initial group that started the youth ministry in that small church while she simultaneously began her life in the corporate world in I.T. (Information Technology). At the beginning, she really struggled with the working life and serving God at the same time. The time was tiring but somehow her focus kept her going in the youth ministry.

Do Not be Discouraged!

She met her husband Kenneth in that same youth ministry and he proposed to her soon after. As we all know, nothing in life is without troubles and it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Loo Ann was diagnosed with Endometriosis before she got married. It really hit her hard.

“I was having severe pain! They thought I was having appendicitis and proceeded with operation. When they cut me up they found that the appendix was fine. So the doctor looked around and found a 10 centimetre blood cyst in my ovary” she said.

They immediately proceeded to remove the cyst and they told her that she would have trouble conceiving. This incident discouraged her but she continued strong with her faith in God!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.
⁷ Be not wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. (Proverbs 3:5-7)

Miraculously just a month into her marriage, she gave birth to a baby girl!

“The Lord is good!” she shared.

In the second year into her marriage, she was head hunted and offered a job in San Francisco, she however turned it down because she felt that the Lord wanted her to be in Malaysia. Her growing family caused her to quit her corporate job and explored teaching, contract work, and pursued many other things as she moved forward.

Loo Ann in Melbourne during an Easter camp

During her and her family’s growth, she soon gave birth to a son! As a family, they continued to loyally serve the Lord. Loo Ann shared that she would leave her job because of difficulties of juggling family life, but it never once crossed her and her husband’s mind to cut down on ministry.

“We had determined that we would always serve God as a family, that nothing would distract us. That became like a guide for us,” she shared.

The Power of the Word

During her time of pursuing contract work, she experienced the uneasiness of an unconducive working environment which allowed employees to smoke while working. She prayed hard to quickly finish the job that was estimated to finish in three months.

“The Lord gave me so many insights in my job,” she shared. Through prayer and persistence she managed to finish it in a span of three weeks!

After she was done however, the constant smell of smoke that surrounded her continued to affect her even after she left. Her sinus continuously got worse to the point that she could not stay in air-conditioning or even sleep at night without having at least three pillows under her head. This stayed on with her for many years from before she was even pregnant with her son.

Loo Ann with her husband as a young family

“It got so bad that it came to a point where she told the Lord, ‘They told me that there is no cure but that I can go for operation. I will not go for operation but I will confess every day the scripture that says ‘By your stripes I am healed’ (Isaiah 53:5),” she said.

Every day she would confess this portion of scripture!

“One day all of a sudden, it just happened that I was having less difficulty breathing and over the course of time, I gradually did not have any problems breathing anymore. This was just by confession!” shared Loo Ann.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

The Lord is Good

Through her experiences in life and faithfulness to the Lord she received, the Lord’s favour into her life.

“Our first focus is serving Him, so we never had problems with work and all that. The Lord always provided,” she shared.

In the year 2007, her husband Kenneth was ordained a Pastor and then following that, she and her husband were approached by New Life Church to take over New Life in Puchong as pastors. In the year 2008, they took over and they have been serving there as pastors ever since!

Pastor Kenneth’s Ordination

In the year 2012, they felt that the Lord wanted them to resign from where they were in the corporate world. From there they started their own business in Engineering.

“The Lord has been good. Having our business has helped us manage our time better. We are very much a husband and wife team in Church and in our business,” she shared.

Through her years of walking with the Lord she shared, “I have learnt that I mustn’t separate secular from the sacred. My initial years of working life I remember really struggling having to work and serve the Lord. I think the real problem was compartmentalizing, that ministry was God and work was work.

“That was the reason why there was strife and struggle. I realised that our life is ministry itself, that our life is a service to God. Over the years I’ve learnt that, as long I learn to live out my life in Christ, doesn’t matter whether it is work, family, or ministry; they are all one because I am one with the Lord” shared Loo Ann encouragingly for all to know.”

The portrait of a happy family

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11 September by Bernice Kok -

There’s no doubt that learning is a huge and essential aspect of our daily lives. In my opinion, “A life without learning is not a life worth living.” It doesn’t matter whether you’re learning new stuff at school, work or even by yourself; learning should always be a part of your daily life, even when you’re old and wrinkly. That’s why old people are so wise because of their years of learning from their own mistakes and life experiences.

With one of the children at the EduCenter

I have always admired the many people who pursue the noble career of teaching. While there may be many teachers who only perform the bare minimum, there are still those out there who carry the passion for teaching and raising up the next generation of world citizens. They are like precious gems, scattered across the globe, with hearts of gold, even though they can be pushy and tough sometimes. 

These teachers spend extra hours helping students who are falling behind in their studies. They are the ones who will forever be imprinted in our memories because of both the academic and life lessons they have taught us.

Bernice with tNCC EduCenter

So when my mother first approached me to be a temporary assistant teacher at the Educenter in tNCC, I was honoured, thrilled … and afraid. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to live up to the standards that my previous teachers had set before me. I didn’t want to teach for the sake of earning some extra money for my laptop fund or filling my free time before I started college. I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to be able to impact the lives of the children and students under me for the better.

As the school grew larger, my responsibilities increased. Even though I’m not the most patient person in the world, I tried my best to help my students with their studies and to develop relationships and bonds with them. I believe that in order to lead and guide someone, you must first have a relationship with them first so that they will trust you and your advice.

Bernice Kok

Even though I was the teacher and, technically, the students were the ones who should be learning from me, I, too, learned a lot from observing and talking to them. During the five months that I had with them, it was like watching a live TV series every day. I had forgotten how dramatic everything could be when you are a kid.

As I watched them, I continually reflected upon my own life and realised that true friendship is something that is extremely rare. There are many people out there who can pretend to be your friend, but those who stick with you — through thick and thin, highs and lows and even the loopy loops that life may throw your way — are the ones whom you should cherish and hold dear to your heart.

Bernice serving in the worship team.

Another thing I learned from my time teaching is that potential exists in every single person. It’s so easy these days to label people as mentally challenged or “troubled”, but what we fail to realise is that there’s potential inside them too. I’ve personally watched the growth of one girl who was placed under my care for a couple of months.

Initially, she was a handful and I was doubtful that she would ever be able to improve, but she proved me wrong. Through all the obstacles we faced together, the roller coaster ride of emotions, the times I lost my temper and scolded her, she has since changed and grown tremendously.

Bernice Kok with CG Members

There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of watching a kid grow and mature and improve in every aspect of their life and being a part of it. I’m 17 this year, but I believe I have already experienced a part of what it feels like to be a parent, thanks to the girl. I hope that she will never forget the impact, no matter how big or small it may be, that I tried my best to make on her life. I guess this is how all parents feel; after all, they are the very first teachers we encounter in our lives.

NOTE : Bernice Kok is a Student of Communications, Taylor University, Subang, and served as an assistant teacher at the tNCC EduCenter. To find out more about the tNCC EduCenter, you can visit their FaceBook page at https://www.facebook.com/tNCCEduCenter?fref=ts or their website at http://www.tncchurch.org/ministries/tncc-educenter/ 

You can also read about the EduCenter here on Christianity Malaysia at: 

http://christianitymalaysia.com/wp/education-is-more-than-passing-down-knowledge-jennifer-lee-tncc-educenter/

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24 Sept 2014 by Kim Yung CM-

Bishop Benjamin from Hyderabad was born and brought up in a Christian family. He recalled how his family was very poor; they lived in a tiny space with a mud floor and a leaf roof, and that was their shelter they called home. He grew up in a difficult situation where the food he ate were precious to him.

“There were many times where my mother would cut one egg into four pieces, then each person would have a piece of egg. I remember in that poverty-stricken stage, that I wouldn’t dare to eat my egg. I’d just look at it and then eat my rice and some ‘sambal’,” said Benjamin who recently shared his testimony at a Full Gospel Business Men Fellowship’s meeting at Summit on the 10^th of September.

Ref: aroyaldaughter

As a small boy, Benjamin’s mother would tell him the story of Jesus. At a mere age of seven, he already knew how much Jesus loved Him and how God gave His only son to save him.

“My mother asked me if I would like to receive Jesus into my heart and so I received Him into my heart,” he shared.

Through the rough patches of his life, he emerged triumphantly! Now he is a soon-to-be grandfather with a loving family and travels the world.

His experience has indeed taught him the importance of allowing children to have their story time.

Ref: markjmartin

“We need to help them receive Jesus into their hearts and tell them that this Almighty, great, glorious and gracious God lives in them; that no matter where they go and no matter what they encounter, they can call upon Him and God will deliver them from trouble! That is such an important truth, both for the little babies and for the big boys and girls! Amen,” he shared.

The story of Jesus gave him hope for the future and provided him with strength, so much so that he evolved into a young man who would stand in front of a crowd with his other young friends and tell people about Jesus. When God revealed to Him that there was a need for the people in the rural areas to know Him, Benjamin stepped out and stayed in the rural areas and continued to preach to those in need.

Ref: frankrondon

“It was beautiful, God anointed and filled us with the Holy Spirit and the gift of speaking in tongues,” he said.

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. (Luke 6:38)

Ref: angelsculture

“After 35 years, we were able to plant several hundred Churches in India and outside of India with the glory of God! It was a slow change but God blessed me and satisfied my heart to serve Him,” he shared.

Through his humble walk to serve God, where he put people first before himself, and though he was poor and never thought he would marry, God blessed Benjamin with the finest girl who was born into a family with chauffeurs; a girl who loved him despite his background. God took his desire and took him to greater heights that he would have never even imagined.

Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 34:7)

“Today I stand before you, not as a poor, broken, struggling man; I stand before you blessed!” he said.

Ref: katherinepasour

Favour and victory is yours if you have the passion and desire for God’s heart, for within you lies the authority to make a difference in this world that God has given us and granted us stewards of.

Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine. (Proverbs 3:10)

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:30-33)

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11 October 2014 by Adeline Lum CM-

“I am just thankful that God has provided me a good job and good opportunities. I never really need to make those decisions that are grey. A lot of what I do is black and white, partly because I am an engineer,” said Gary, an engineer in the Mechanical, Materials, and Integrity Department at Shell Projects and Technology in Kuala Lumpur.

For his work, he conducts Fitness for Service calculations to make sure the equipment in the oil and gas industry is running safely within the optimum capacity. Most of the people he works with also demonstrate integrity and honesty in providing the information he needs.

“I must say also it’s not perfect. It’s an environment where people are also selfish and people may take advantage of you if you are not careful. But what I have also found, you see the workplace for many people, that’s their life. In that sense, that’s all they define themselves in,” said Gary who found compassion in difficult people.

Ultimately, in making decisions at work, Gary would ask himself two questions: “Am I growing as a Christian in this workplace?” and “Do I see this promotion as an opportunity to serve and grow or is this taking my time away from God?”

Gary Lee

For example, there was a time when Gary felt that he should be promoted; having done the work of a senior position that was vacant. Although many felt that the promotion was justifiable, he kept his matter to himself for a year.

“I saw a lot of my contemporaries being promoted and I am quite jealous about it. So, I read the Bible. And I realized the difference between selfless and selfish ambition is that you crave for that ambition so much that you will do anything to get that promotion. So, you start to descent into this level of lying, not being godly in achieving your goal. 

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:16-17)

“But selfless ambition is where you feel like you want to use whatever opportunities that God gives you, whether promoted or not, to serve. So, the measure is whether when I am promoted; am I growing as a Christian? I keep telling myself, ‘It’s okay to not be promoted as long as I have love for God and my faith,’” said Gary.

Within that year, Gary was offered a double-promotion job in Russia but he turned down that offer! Firstly, he did not feel prepared to take that position. Secondly, he felt that he could not grow as a Christian in Russia due to the lack of churches there. And thirdly, he wanted to avoid the increased exposure to the rampant prostitution there especially when he was not in a relationship.

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. (1 Cor 6:18)

Gary Lee skiing

But shortly after he turned down the offer, Gary’s manager approached and offered him to write him a recommendation letter for promotion. Gary got it! Praise God! He is thankful because he realized getting promoted in the same position of the same company is harder. This is because promotion usually occurs during job transitions.

“I learned that a promotion is God’s gift. But secondly, I was struggling with it for so long, when I got it, it didn’t feel special. In fact, when I got it, I was thinking how about the next promotion?

“So, it’s our sinful nature, I really want that car. But when you get that car, you want a bigger and better car. I realize that actually no matter how much promotion you have, it’s never going to satisfy you,” said Gary who learned about contentment.

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. (Phil 4:11)

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

(Hebrews 13:5)

Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.

(Ecclesiastes 5:10)

But godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Timothy 6:6)

Through that one-year period of waiting, God has also taught him the great value in waiting on His gift at the right time. Around the time Gary had his promotion, the Lord brought his fiancé Jillian into his life!

“I might be struggling with this and that. But when I don’t struggle with this, God gives me what I was struggling before. So, if He has given that the thing that I wanted during my struggle, I would be quite prideful. So, it is in his grace and mercy to prevent me from being unfaithful,” said Gary.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

Gary Lee in a marathon with his friend

In serving God at work, Gary also asks himself, “How do I best serve God with the gifts that I have?” or “How would God want me to be a blessing for people in the workplace?”

For example, he noticed that the women in his male-dominating field may feel coerce to behave like a man to command authority. However, Gary believes that all women can retain their God-given feminineness in work. Hence, to empower his female colleagues, Gary would listen attentively and find opportunities to verbally affirm them.

“I think men and women alike feel empowered when they get comfortable with you, when they can be honest and vulnerable… You allow them to be assertive in a way that is natural to them. So, I guess at the end of the day, it is to be someone you are in the workplace,” said Gary.

Another way he served God in the workplace is serving through the company’s CSR or Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Having started the CIS or Christians in Shell six years ago with an average of 20 people from different denominations meeting weekly, Gary has rallied their efforts to help the communities through CSR and publish their work in the company newsletters. One experience he find particularly invigorating is witnessing how the action of faith begin at his workplace.

Gary Lee

“We can think about how a particular decision ought to be acted on as a Christian in CIS. So, we can be more of an application base. This is one of the places I find that I am able to grow, knowing that people are struggling in some form in their faith.

“And also, it’s been an encouragement because you see so many gifted people using their gifts and talents. And all are so different, yet knowing that it’s not a one-size-fits-all. It’s so diverse to the point that you can enjoy serving together,” said Gary.

Having travelled more this year compared to last year, he is also excited to see the revival happening among the CIS members. One colleague in particular stepped up to coordinate the group with her excellent hospitality gift, with several other colleagues taking turns to lead in Word. Just the past two months as well, the group has also started the ALPHA Workplace!

The journey with God

“You know the thing is that we spend 60 to 70 percent of our time in our work, so do our colleagues as well. So, sometimes, when you’re a Christian and they are not, it means that they witness what a Christian should be day in and day out of their lives.

“So, you are their testimony; you are the person they reference what a Christian should be like. So, there’s so much potential; there are so many opportunities. Take hold of these opportunities,” said Gary quoting his favourite bible verses, Matthew 5:13 – 16.

“¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” “You know the thing is that we spend 60 to 70 percent of our time in our work, so do our colleagues as well.

(Matthew 5:13-14)

Every one of us has the ability to influence the people in our workplace, with the unique position, expertise, experiences, and skill sets we have. We are after all, the salt and light of the world!

Perhaps, in making decisions in our work, we can ask ourselves four questions like Gary:

“Am I growing as a Christian in this workplace?”

“Do I see this promotion as an opportunity to serve and grow or is this taking my time away from God?”

“How would God want me to be a blessing for the people at my workplace?”

“How do I best serve God with gifts I have at work?”

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12 Oct 2014 by Kim Yung CM-

Teng Luen Foong, a mechanical engineer by training and a financial planner by profession shared at the Summit Full Gospel Businessman meeting on the 8^th of October 2014. He has served his industry in Asia Pacific levels as a President of the Associations. Teng began his sharing by citing the Bible verses according to Genesis 18:22-33 where Abraham pled to the Lord below.

So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. ²³ Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? ²⁴ Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? ²⁵ Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” ²⁶ And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

Ref: jewishchristiangay

²⁷ Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. ²⁸ Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” ²⁹ Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” ³⁰ Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” ³¹ He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” ³² Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” ³³ And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place. (Genesis 18:22-33)

Teng Luen Foong

“This is a very beautiful understanding. It is about the people of the Lord pleading to Him to spare this judgment upon our land,” shared Teng.

Most of the time, many focus on the negative aspects, which is God’s judgment in this case. However, the verses above revealed to us God’s mercy. Through observation, notice that God does not tolerate sin but judgment is often God’s last alternative and mercy if extended before judgment. Men’s condemnation is that they love darkness rather than light and people who practice evil hate the light because it exposes their deeds. (John 3:19-20) It is when people choose judgment over submitting to a Holy God that judgment falls upon them.

Ref: readthebiblewithme

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

As we walk through the history of Sodom, keep this in mind. You will see God’s loving mercy first. As men revolt against God and glorify godlessness, the only remaining alternative is justice. I believe God executes justice with a broken heart. But His mercy does not overrule justice. His mercy paid the penalty of His justice. Therefore, forgiveness is freely given to anyone who will receive it.

In the world we live in, even Christians can be blind to sin because we have a culture that bombards us daily with the acceptance of sin in our daily lives. This can can be anything from seductive advertisements to movies and many more. Whether we want to believe it or not, these things have high influence in people’s lives. Sin is presented as acceptable, fulfilling, and harmless.

Ref: pixedelic

There are two points of failure that blind Christians: when they do not renew their minds, and when they do not turn away from temptation. If you allow your mind to become polluted by this world and if you don’t seek God daily, you will lose yourself in the world. You have to know that only our God can purify sinners. Our only hope is to draw close to Him for in Him all things are good. Everything in this world will eventually come to pass but the love of God will remain eternal. Everything outside of God is a counterfeit. As you are renewed, you will see the reality of God in your life and the reality of the life to come that He has prepared for all those who are with Him!

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

Ref: faithfulbloggers

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26 Oct 2014 by Jason Law CM -

Pastor Petra Ho has a distinctive ministry, not just to educate children from a young age, but also to bring in the Word of God through education. She has started two ministries; the Bible Phonics ministry (a Bible-based programme) and the Shuffle Champ ministry (a community-based programme). She recently shared about not just the Shuffle Champ, but also her Bible Phonics Ministry.

Pastor Petra Ho (right)

How It All Began

Pastor Petra shared that when her pastor first asked her to take care of a group of nursery-aged kids many years back, she never realised it would lead her to the development of the Bible Phonics program. 

‘The kids had already finished Sunday School and were too young to participate in the next program.  I thought I would just tell them some stories and do some crafts,’ she shared.  ‘I committed the matter to the Lord and felt an impression to teach them how to read using phonics and bible stories.’

The Bible Phonics programme used in Sunday School in Penang Christian Centre.

Heeding the call from the Lord, Pastor Petra went to bookshops to find materials but could not find any at that time.  At that time, she initially decided it couldn’t be from God as she could not find the resources that she needed.  However, the impression grew into a challenge to develop a simple reading program for this group of kids.

‘I told my pastor about what I felt led to do and how I wanted to teach the children to read bible stories and he gave me his full support.  What began as a short-term project has now become my passion and ministry.’

Contents of the Bible Phonics Programme

From just a few lesson plans, the Bible Phonics program now consists of Bible Story Rhymes, Workbooks, English Readers, Teacher’s Manual, visuals, craft worksheets and teaching aids. There is also a CD where teachers can just churn out craft worksheets and a variety of teaching aids.  The latest addition is the DVD which teaches kids the sounds of the alphabet, blending of sounds to form words as well as sight words and reading. 

Term 1 Bible Phonics Student Materials

In fact, just by watching the DVD alone, children can learn to read by themselves.  Pastor Petra explained that this was a necessary addition, as unlike a kindergarten, children only come to class once a week.  The DVD provided the necessary reinforcement and revision.  Teachers who were unsure of the phonetic sounds now need only to refer to the DVD.  There is an additional bonus section in the last 2 DVDs which introduces Phonics Level 2.  Upon finishing the program, children can proceed to Phonics Level 2 and learn the more difficult sounds.  Together with this bonus track, the program covers the 44 sounds in phonics. 

Matching Activities under the Bible Phonics Programme.

The Bible Phonics program can be used in Sunday Schools, children’s cell groups, community outreaches to teach English as well as kindergartens wanting a bible-based phonics program.  ‘Someone once asked me which was stronger in this program, the bible side or the phonics side.  To that I would say neither, as both are equally strong. Phonics is the skeleton, while bible stories is its flesh.  In other words, phonics is the whole backbone of this program and it is surrounded with bible stories instead of secular ones,’ she explained.

Shuffle Champ And Spelling Competition

Besides her Bible Phonics ministry, Pastor Petra also has a ministry that aims to help children manipulate letters to form words: ‘The Lord helped me develop a set of alphabet blocks which could form more than 3,000 words.  It was from this set of blocks that Shuffle Champ was developed.’

The Shuffle Champ Game Set

Shuffle Champ is a wordgame with its own reading program.  (Refer to the link below to watch a demonstration on this wordgame). This set of 7 colour-coded blocks is a great tool for spelling.  In fact, a few years ago, Penang Christian Center began to use these blocks for a Spelling Competition coupled with games and gospel.  A total of 180 students participated. 

Shuffle Champ at Subang Jaya Assembly

This was followed by Subang Jaya Assembly which had a response of about 120 plus kids.  They held another one this year and added an evangelistic movie for parents to watch while waiting for their kids.

Shuffle Champ at KAOG

The teachers at Sonshine Kids from Kajang Assembly came and observed and caught the vision.  Recently, on 11^th October, they had their own Spelling Competition with a total of 125 registered participants. 

Having a Spelling Competition is a great way to reach out to our community and help improve the level of English. ‘What we have discovered through it all is that there is a great positive response from the community to such an event and it creates an impression of the church as an education centre,’ she shared.

NOTE:

Shuffle Champ can also be used as a two-player game, and here’s how:

Step 1: Serve 5 cards and open a card together.

Step 2: Form the word on the card, then spell and read the word aloud. Press the bell.

Step 3: The winner gets to tick the word formed. They then repeat the process with the next card. The winner with the most ticks wins the game.

For further enquiries on the Bible Phonics program or Spelling competition, kindly contact Ps Petra by email petlhho@gmail.com or at 016-2718087. For a Demo on Shuffle Champ, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F58TGRxDc_s

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4 Nov 2014 by Adeline Lum CM -

A beautiful and intelligent veterinarian, no one would think that Melissa Phoon was undergoing depression during her college days behind closed doors.  

Though she attempted to find solace, comfort, and fulfillment in her romantic relationships, her heart was finally smitten by the relentless, faithful, and unconditional love of our Abba Father.

“I didn’t have any self-worth at that time. And I thought if the experience was too painful, sometimes you want to hurt yourself to feel that you’re living,” said Melissa who first discovered depression after her first break up with her boyfriend.

“So, this is the first time I feel it hurts so much that it can suffocate you. It hurts you so much that you cannot breathe. It hurts you so much that you cannot eat or drink,” said Melissa, who recalled how her friends would comment about her rapid weight loss. “I eat not because for joy but because I need to eat. I do things not because I am happy but because I need to live.”

Ref: google

Like a bubbling brook, she would suddenly burst into tears while driving or before sleeping. Sleep was the best way to escape her despair before she woke up crying again. Her daily routine were void of emotions and purpose in life; though her depression had not descended to the worse level because she still had a goal to complete her studies in college at that time.

But God saw her pain and sent her a course mate who somehow introduced her to a friend in a church near her college. There, she was showered in love and met her second boyfriend who showed her how a man would act if he loved a woman.

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)

“I think the purpose he is sent by God is to take care of me. I feel that I am still worthy to be loved by someone. I find that I am still lovable in a way,” said Melissa.

Ref: blogspot

However, she eventually broke up with her second boyfriend due to irreconcilable values. Some time later after a brief third relationship, Melissa experienced a descent to a real depression where she ceased to feel.

“I look perfectly fine and normal but I know something is not right. I have no feelings at all. And I just feel constantly tired. I used to be an easily pleased girl from just hanging out with a friend and getting a call from a friend.

“But when all these little things don’t make me feel anything, that’s depression. There’s nothing for you to look forward to. You cannot feel. You are in an emotionless state.

“When you can’t feel, it’s even worse than you can feel hurt because you can still feel pain; you can still cry. The routine you repeat everyday has no significance. It’s just meant for you to continue existing on this earth because we are living in a system where we need to pay for everything—the food and the place you stay,” said Melissa.

Ref: tumblr

Not only she did not have any joy, she did not feel anger, sorrow or fear as well. She almost felt that she was not a human being. And how she sees herself began to dim.

“I think depression is like you have a photo of yourself but you cannot see yourself anymore. It becomes very blur. I know that I exist but I don’t know who I am, so I cannot see myself. And when you look at the mirror, you asked, ‘Is this the person that I know?

“I knew if I don’t do anything about it, I would commit suicide. At that point in time, I didn’t think if I commit suicide, people would care because maybe my existence is not important at all.

“If let say I look at myself as an ant in this world, I am just ant. There’s nothing much about it.  I am replaceable in my company. Everyone is replaceable. Boyfriend or girlfriend is also replaceable. Nothing is permanent,” said Melissa.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Matt 10:29-31)

Ref: staticflickr

But since she joined her cell group, Melissa began to experience feelings of joy, peace, and finally rest. God sent her many friends to care for her in unexpected ways; one even took a day leave to accompany her to the hospital for surgery.

“God has sent me friends who need help from me or need my company. And from there, I can see myself in them. I can see the reason I need to go through all these things so that I can understand them better. I never thought that my experience would encourage them,” said Melissa.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Through God’s pursuit of Melissa’s heart, she saw that it was okay for her to broken and vulnerable before Him.

“Throughout this journey, I learn to accept that I can feel. It’s okay to be weak. It’s okay that you’re not perfect. I don’t have to live up to other people’s expectations. And let say if I need a rest, I should be able to express it. If let say I am angry, it’s okay to be angry.

“There’s nothing wrong to be angry. There’s nothing wrong to be bitter but you cannot be bitter for your whole life. It’s okay that I don’t have to uphold the perfect image that I want to portray to other people,” said Melissa.

Ref: favim

And looking back, she thanked God for using her relationships to teach her multiple lessons in life.

“I learned that there’s no one straight way but there are many ways. And you have the right and freedom to choose what you want. I used to have many criteria that I look for in a guy. God blessed me with that kind of boyfriend but at the same time, it comes in a package with other flaws as well,” said Melissa who learned from her first relationship that her ideal might not necessarily be God’s ideal for her.

“Towards a certain point, I cannot let go of this guy because he’s my first love. So, I kept holding on the wrong relationship until a point, I ask God if he’s meant for me. God broke it off and make it happen.

“I felt very hurtful then. And I didn’t know what to do because I had so many dreams with him. So, I was asking God, ‘Why he didn’t appreciate what I done for him?’ Isn’t that enough or more than enough?’” she added.

Ref: tumblr

One of the lessons she learned in her relationships is that women should always trust their instincts if they feel that something is not right at the beginning of the relationship. This is because their instincts are accurate most of the time. Also, if your friends were to treat you better than your boyfriend, then it is a red flag to reconsider the relationship. A good relationship should nurture us in all ways to become better in freely expressing ourselves.

Mostly, she learned about the difference between like and love. Liking a person comes from the good feelings that come from spending time with the person, which dissipates during inconveniences or foul moods Loving a person, on the other hand, comes from making a willing commitment to work together, tolerate each other, and bring out the best in each other.

And after all these experiences, she realized only her Abba Father could fulfill all her needs of security, comfort, love, and encouragement.

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35)

Ref: levinaxena

“I was looking for different guys to fill my cup but it was never filled. Looking back, I was looking for qualities I don’t have in me in another guy. And I hope that it can complete me.

“But it didn’t work out, I still feel constantly insecure in my life. But I find joy when I enter the cell group—each and every small little things in cell—I feel that it’s speaking to me… the many small incidences. I knew that God was pursuing me,” said Melissa.

Akin to a beautiful doll, Melissa sees herself as that doll but it that has broken machineries inside. Although she was adorned with hairstyles, dresses, and makeup from her master. which personified positions of authority in her life such as her parents and teacher, everything that was put on her was unsuitable or ugly. And although she appeared perfect outside, she knew she was broken inside. But instead of finding her Maker, she searched for the hairdresser, bartender, and pedicurist to fix her.

“I didn’t go to the right source to fix although I knew there was a mechanic there. And the mechanic was waiting for me. But I didn’t go to the mechanic to fix myself because I forgot about him until one day, the mechanic awakens me,” said Melissa.

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. (Psalm 139:13-15)

Ref: blogspot

The Maker fixed the doll’s machineries with new bolts and screws. He knew the best hairstyle, the most amicable dress, and the most suitable make-up for Melissa because He made her. And holding Melissa in His arms, the Maker was proud of her precious possession, ready to show her off to the world!

“I know who I am now. I am the child of God. And my Father truly loves me not matter what I do, no matter how bad my tantrum is, no matter how useless I seem to be, I am still the child of God. Nothing will change my value in Him,” said Melissa with a contented and satisfied smile. “I am still in my journey with God but I know He will never let me go and He is always there for me.”

Melissa Phoon

Courage is not born from living a smooth life without problems, but a bumpy ride where sometimes you feel you are about to be thrown out of your ride. But like how Noah was in the boat that was tossed to and fro by the vicious waves of the flood, he was safely shut in the boat by God. And this is how life is, my friends, in going through the troubles in our life. Although we are swirled, tossed, and turned, by wave upon wave of troubles, know that you are safe in Your Father’s Boat! No troubles will overcome you! (John 16:33) And you will rise above every wave of challenge because God is with you! (Matthew 28:19-20) He will be your greatest comforter. (Psalm 56:8, Psalm 116:1-2) He will never leave you. He will never forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6) He will do what He says in His Word. (Numbers 23:19) Nothing in your life is not in His Control. (Psalm 22:28) He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, (Revelations 22:12) the Creator of Heaven and Earth, (Nehemiah 19:6) your Everlasting Loving Abba Father in Heaven. (1 Corinthians 8:6) You are in good hands, my friends. You are not alone! And you are meant to overcome! You have hope! You have courage! And you can conquer all your troubles and fears!  

Ref: hollichristinemccormick

And courage is when you reveal your vulnerable part like Melissa. Sometimes, we feel discouraged of why certain things are happening in our life. But like Melissa, God has used her to connect and comfort many people who felt depressed like her before. Are you encouraged by this story? Share your story with others as well, you will never know who you would save.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Finally…when all is said and done, let’s take a deep breath now and embrace the adventure before us. Bon voyage!

Ref: thepiratestory

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7 Nov 2014 by Jason Law CM -

Pastor Robert Ssesanga is a man that knows the Holy Spirit intimately. He has a powerful anointing in the healing ministry and his rallies are always packed and accompanied by signs and wonders. More than healing rallies, however, those meetings are also saturated with a tangible presence of the Holy Spirit, so much so that they are revival meetings by themselves.

So that when Pastor Ssesanga writes a book about the Holy Spirit, you know that he is writing from a deep understanding of who the Spirit is, and from years of familiarity of walking with Him. In the preface to his book on the Holy Spirit, Robert Ssesanga shares honestly about his early years; that he used to seek earnestly for the power from the Holy Spirit but without understanding.

Robert Ssesanga’s book ‘The Holy Spirit’

There are in fact much confusion about who the Holy Spirit really is, and what He is about. In page 12-13 of this book, Robert writes;

Just as the day of Pentecost when onlookers thought the disciples were behaving drunk when they were filled with the Holy Spirit, many still misunderstand His manifestations among God’s children today. To some, everything about Him is weird, or they will say the church has made Him appear so.

He points out that many terms have been coined within the body of Christ to describe how certain groups and denominations, understand Him or rather, misunderstand His operations. For example, we have the ‘Pentecostals’, who believe in His infilling and operations, the ‘Charismatic’ who believe His power gifts, and the ‘Third Wave’, which is a move for revival.

And we have yet to mention the ‘Cessationists’ who believe that the manifestations of the Spirit’s gifts ceased after Pentecost, and the ‘Continualists’ who believe He is still in action to date. Robert entreats us not to focus on the understanding of men but to look in the Bible.

Ref : aleteia

‘The Holy Spirit’ was written by Robert Ssesanga with every group of Christian in mind, regardless of faith level, denomination, or culture. He points out that firstly, we have to understand who the Spirit is. In the very first verses of the Bible, in Genesis 1:1-3, we read of God’s Spirit hovering over the water. This meant that the Holy Spirit was there at the very beginning, even before Creation, and not just dating from the Early Church.

The Holy Spirit is not junior or a servant to Jesus, but co-equal with the Father and the Son. The three are distinctive in Their dispensation, yet They all work together. Many times, Christians misunderstand the Spirit as a sort of cosmic force. In reality, He is not a passive power, like what you see in Star Wars. He is not an invention of fiery men or an imagination by Bible fanatics; He is God (Page 16).

Robert Ssesanga at one of the Malaysian healing rallies early this year.

With the understanding who He is, comes the realization that we cannot do without Him. Robert writes; if we stay ignorant about the Spirit and His operations in the world today, we deny ourselves of a full life with God and a life of unlimited possibilities.     

In the first chapter of the book, Robert outlines and elaborates in some detail about the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives. The Holy Spirit is our:

1. Counselor
2. Helper
3. Intercessor
4. Advocate
5. Strengthener
6. Standby
7. The Spirit of Truth
8. The Revealer of Our Heritage in God

It is clear that the Holy Spirit enables Christians to function in a full life, and in a complete way, within the plans of God. How do we know this? Because God tells us this through His word, and Pastor Robert provides Scriptures to verify this.

Robert’s book is divided into 9 chapters, each dedicated to a separate aspect of the knowledge of the Holy Spirit, making the book a comprehensive one. For example, in the next chapter, Robert writes about the Holy Spirit’s distinctive dispensation, and how it differs from that of the Father and the Son. Many practical aspects like the infilling, fellowship, empowerment, leading, and interrelation between the Spirit and Salvation are discussed extensively.

One chapter that is of interest is on the gifts of the Spirit. These gifts can be divided into three groups of 3 gifts, based on their roles, making a total of 9 gifts of the Spirit. These are:

1. Gifts of Revelation: Word of Wisdom; Word of Knowledge; Discernment
2. Gifts of Utterances: Prophecy; Different kinds of Tongues; Interpretation of Tongues
3. Gifts of Power : Faith; Miracles; Healings

Each of the 9 gifts are explained in detail, and at the end of the chapter Robert outlines the importance of the Spiritual gifts and how, collectively, they benefit the Christian in the three main areas of Edification, Exhortation, and Comfort.

Robert does not shirk from controversial issues like Speaking in Tongues, explaining and giving them a proper context within the Christian faith. He writes; ‘[it is true] that there have been excesses in the operations of the Spirit’s gifts and probably confusing manifestations to some, but that is not reason to relegate the Spirit’s relevance to fanaticism. Excesses will always be there in all aspects of our Christianity, but our reference is not experience but the infallible word of God. Likewise ignorance and inexperience do not justify irrelevance’.

Ref : godisreal

In the epilogue of the book, Robert makes a compellingly resounding case for the exercise of the gifts of the Spirit, and for the centrality of the Holy Spirit’s role in the lives of Christians. When Jesus said in John 14:12 that it was advantageous that He left, He was talking about the impact we’re going to make in this world through the enabling of the Holy Spirit.

As Robert writes; ‘Because of who the Holy Spirit is, we can do what Christ did and even greater things. The Holy Spirit cannot be ignored nor His power downplayed in our days. Any serious Bible-believing Christian needs to read only 2 books – John and Acts, and they will see the reality of the divinity of the Holy Spirit. To ignore His presence and power is to ignore the essence of Christianity today’ (Page 134).

About The Book

Title: The Holy Spirit: The Ever Present Helper For You

Author: Robert Ssesanga

Publisher: Aflame Gospel Ministries  

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9 Nov 2014 by Jason Law CM -

Even amidst the challenges of life, when everything seems to go against us, there is one constant hope that we can hold on to.  The whole Book of Job is a testament to this. In Psalm 86:7, the psalmist calls to God during a time of trouble for he knows that the Lord answers prayers. Isaiah 26:4 reminds us to trust in the Lord, for He is an everlasting rock for those who hope in Him.

One such example can be found in the life of a brother-in-Christ that I recently came across. Brother Joshua Lai is a simple man that does not have the advantages that many of us may take for granted. Sharing about his background, brother Joshua related that he previously worked in a restaurant for many years. Life seemed to be a struggle, and he earned barely enough to support his living.

Brother Joshua Lai suffered from a lung condition (Picture taken from an NGO record card he carried).

‘There were days when I wondered how I would survive, and the future scared me. Things seemed very difficult but I had to carry on with my life. In 2012, I decided to carry out a business of my own. I used to do well in the areas that I covered since 4 years ago. I had my own business, selling stationery such as pens and stickers, and much of this I did through my own effort,’ he shared.

‘During one of my rounds, on a particularly bad day for my business, I returned home at 2pm, discouraged and not knowing what will happen tomorrow. The next morning, I woke up with a sharp pain in my body, hand, leg, and stomach. I didn’t know what had happened or how serious the sickness was.’

Joshua shared that when he went for a check-up, he found that he had been struck with Dengue. ‘I was brought by my brother two times to a hospital for check-up, and the doctor admitted me to a ward. The fever was really bad, and after many days of treatment with dripping from a pack of salt, I was moved to a quiet ward.’

Water retention in the legs.

During his stay in the new ward, Joshua suffered a very painful chest pain, and the doctors found that he had a severe heart problem. ‘I had to undergo ECG, EKOGRAM, heart-scan, and the doctor told me that I had to restrict my daily intake of water. He advised me to take only 500ml of water per day, along with a bowl of rice.’      

Without realizing it, Joshua found one day that he had swollen face, stomach, and leg. An X-ray check-up by an emergency doctor showed that he had a swollen right lung, and many times after, he was admitted to a hospital to tap out the water in his lung.

Brother Joshua Lai today.

‘I wondered why I had to go through all this. Trying to earn a living was already difficult, and now I was going through a tough time of suffering and illness. But the Lord showed me this year that He is always faithful.

‘Since March this year, I was admitted 2 times to the hospital. After I came out from the ward, I found I still had difficulty breathing and swallowing. However, in April this year, I visited the hospital again, and this time when I was discharged I found that I had been healed. This was the last time I had to visit the hospital until now in November,’ he shared.

‘God had miraculously healed me. I was so happy to be free from my illness. What I want to share is that though many may not know what is going on in my life, God knows. When I feel alone, it helps to know that God is there with me. Even my doctor told me that He will surely see me healed. I have faith that God will bless all my work and that I can look to the future with Him,’ Joshua shared.

If you wish to help or bless brother Joshua Lai, he can be contacted either though email at joshlai2011@gmail.com or at 011-26631263.       

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20 Nov 2014 by Jason Law CM -

The verse in John 17:22-23 came to mind when I visited JCM Agape in Mont Kiara. Japan and Christianity does not normally go along synonymously in our minds. Much of the history of the nation has been shaped by the harshness of the land, leading to the formation of a culture that is highly hierarchical and self-reliant, and in which the concept of unearned grace and individual worth are alien and relinquished to the necessity of hard work and a group-orientation. Based on a lack of understanding, a stereotype has formed in the minds of many about the Japanese as a race of proud people.

Yet the amazing thing about God’s Grace is that it penetrates even into cultures in which we would think it would be difficult to. Already, we are seeing a revival among the Japanese, with many taking up prophetic callings, people such as Pr Peter Tsukahira, Dr Joseph Ozawa, and Dr Yukio Funatsu. What many Malaysians may not know, however, is that there is a Japanese church in Malaysia, and it’s playing a huge role in blessing the local communities here.

The famous Takotori Catholic Church in Kobe Japan, designed by the master architect Shigeru Ban.

JCM Agape stands for Japanese Church of Malaysia Agape Network. In 1999, Pastor Mayumi Yamazaki started what later grew into JCM, from a humble beginning as a Japanese Ladies Fellowship. The aspiration was to build a spiritual orphanage, where Christians who are spiritually homeless can find a place with God regardless of culture, language, occupation or faith level. Those years were a learning period for Pastor Mayumi in which she learnt more about herself and God’s plans for her life. 

The Lord built her up and gave her a vision to start a Japanese church in Malaysia. Considering that running a church in Japan is already very challenging, what more starting a Japanese church on foreign land, the early years were likely not going to be an easy thing. But the calling from the Lord had given Pastor Mayumi the courage and prompted her to start building up the Japanese church in Malaysia.

Pastor Mayumi Yamazaki (right, in white blouse and green skirt).

In 2004, the fellowship expanded into a home church, a weekly service in Japanese Language was formed, and men started to join the services. Today, JCM ministers their services bilingually in English and Japanese, and it has grown into the JCM Agape Network (NPO), reaching countries across the region like Cambodia and Japan, and working with several international Christian outreaches and missionaries.

Pastor Mayumi has been in Malaysia for more than 30 years, and is married to a Christian businessman, Colin Cheang. In that time, she has courageously led a church on what must have been unfamiliar grounds, even completing her Masters in a local seminary, the Alpha Omega International College in PJ. Possessing a great love and talent for music, Pastor Yamazaki was instrumental in helping Yamaha when they were first started in Malaysia.

Pastor Yamazaki preparing to conduct the church’s choir.

This gift from God has led Pastor Mayumi to form The Hallelujah Singers, a choir group that comprises members from various churches. ‘There isn’t a requirement for those who want to join the choir. The only requirement is that the members love God,’ Pastor Mayumi shared with our writer, James Hoh when he visited the church back in 2013. “I am very happy that although they are from other churches, they are very faithful members of their own churches. Some of them would like to sing in their own churches but they were not given opportunities.”

Conducting The Hallelujah Singers.

Along with The Hallelujah Singers, JCM organizes annual events in which foreign artists are invited for the purposes of creating a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood not just locally, but also globally, in which gospel artists can be blessed, bonds built up and lessons shared with one another, building up the Kingdom of God and creating a common goal in the Kingdom building through gospel music.

Last October, on the 11th of the month, JCM conducted a charity concert with the primary aim to raise funds in support of ministries to the local blind or poor, and to off-shore ministries they have been supporting. The invited beneficiaries for this year’s concert were the Agape Service for the Blind, Gospel to the Poor, and the Christian Fellowship Center.  

One of the beneficiary representative of the night. Pastor Mayumi and brother Colin Cheang stands on the right.

It was a wonderful medley in which the great traditions of Christian music were highlighted. Among these traditions were the choral music and gospel music. Contemporary elements of music such as ballads, instrumental performances, jazz, and soul accompany traditional ones like hymns and folk songs. Many of the songs performed were original creations by Japanese Christians, written in the vernacular. 

Songstress Hiroco Kanematsu

Jazz guitarist Tom Kanematsu and songstress Hiroco Kanematsu, along with jazz keyboardist Christopher Brooks III, were the performance highlight of the night, with many other performances by other groups such as JCM’s own Hallelujah Singers and the beneficiaries. Brother Colin Cheang shared that such concerts are held annually to create awareness for the many less-advantaged brothers and sisters in Christ, and that we should do whatever we can to assist them not just financially, but also spiritually and emotionally. The concerts also aim to provide an avenue for them to demonstrate their God-given talents.

Ultimately, the message that JCM Agape wants to announce to the local Christian community is that while JCM Agape network is a Japanese-speaking Church founded by Pastor Mayumi Yamazaki, they would also love to work and network with other local churches and non-denominations.

Leaders of JCM Agape.

As part of this effort, JCM has set up many community-building ministries by providing Language, computer, and dance & music classes as well as Bible Studies. In fact, if you would like to pick up the Japanese Language, JCM conducts free classes of the language as a part of their bridge-building effort with the local community.  

JCM Agape is located at the 16th Floor of Menara 1 Mont Kiara.

For more information about the church, visit their website at http://www.jcmagapenetwork.com or their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/JCM-Agape-Japanese-Church-in-Malaysia/173304479359939?fref=ts

NOTE: Some photos kindly contributed by JCM Agape Church. 

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5 Dec 2014 by Adeline Lum CM-

Married to her fiancée Sean Ho, Jessy Goay is a celebrated singer for the past six years, known for her soulful voice in wedding gigs and corporate events. Despite her successful singing career, she felt a gaping hole in her heart. 

“I feel like something is missing. It started two years ago; I said to myself, “I can’t go on. I cannot live this life for the rest of my life.

“I have no intentions to become an album singer. There are a few who approached me so that we can produce an album together. That excites me a little.

“But when I am alone and think about the idea, it scares me. I feel that something is missing but I just don’t know what it is. Why can’t I imagine myself as a singer?” said Jessy who was later advised by her pastor to take a career assessment by Crown Financial Ministries.

Jessy performing on stage

When she got her assessment back, she found out what she was missing!

“When I read the report, the very last part showed my value and it said that I what I wanted in my job is something that I can help people directly. And I was like, ‘This is it!’

“The reason I am feeling so dry and meaningless amidst this thriving career as a singer is that I don’t get to help people directly. But I want to know that I am making a change in people’s life,” said Jessy.

The test reaffirmed her vested interest in counseling, which she began during her college days in University Malaya. But due to financial challenges, she quit her college to begin her singing career and to support her family.

“I get a handsome pay. It feels like an easy job and you make easy money. But you do that for five to six years and you come to the point, ‘Do I want to do this for the rest of my life?’ But what can I do besides singing?” said Jessy.

Jessy (2nd from left) with her husband Sean (1st from left) with her friends in the 30-hour famine camp in UCSI

After the career assessment, many of her church friends reaffirmed her inherent gift from the Lord in counseling. They told her how they felt comfortable in confiding in her with their problems.

Later on, her pastor asked her to join the ministry’s consultation training. She discovered her sweet spot—a place where her passion, talent, and skills finally collided!

“During the training, I feel that this is the best decision I have ever made because I can actually see that God wired people in a unique and different way.

“I had been asking God, ‘God, I want to live in your Will. Show me Your Will.’ But I don’t see God answering me in a very specific and assured way.

“But during the training, it really taught me you have to come back and ask yourself, ‘What God has given you?’ God has given everyone very special talents. And these talents, God has prepared for us to do good works.

“And our responsibility is to find that talent and put it into good use. Be a faithful servant with the talent. Make it grow. If you’re focused enough, you will shine and the world will see. And you will give glory to Him,” said Jessy.

Jessy and her husband Sean

She realized many people would tell God what they want to do. But they focused on what they do not have. What God would ask them is: “What have I given you? Use that.”

When she first accepted Christ, Jessy mused how she thought God’s Will for everyone is to be a missionary in the jungle.

“What I learned is God’s Will is embedded in our unique design, which is our personality. In reality, there’s no good or bad personality. You are wired this way because God has prepared you for something,” said Jessy.

Apart from personality, the career assessment also explores one’s interest. If we love what we do, we do not need any force or external motivation to do something.

“It was the report that reminded me actually, I am very interested in counseling. When I looked back, I will always go to the self-help area in the bookstore and explore relational issues.

Jessy and her friends

The assessment also explores one’s skills, which are vital to make your career a reality. Finally, it reveals one’s values as well, which is most important because values touch on what you believe in.

So, in the past five months, she found joy in consulting people from all walks of life—working adults and college students—about their life. Witnessing them change in countenance brings her the greatest satisfaction.

“People tend to forget what God has given them. They will always look at what they don’t have. So, what we do is that we help them to see they have all this. These are the resources you have.

“And with the limited time we have here on earth, do you want to spend your time in those areas you do not like or you want to make a change?” said Jessy—a certified career consultant of Crown Financial Ministries currently—who has helped people in the last five months transition in their careers while taking into account of their finances.

“So, it’s very rewarding. I am still a singer but I feel that since I become a consultant, counselling makes me a better singer as I keep upgrading myself by going to counseling school.

“Also, in consultation, we want to encourage people to integrate things together. I don’t need to stop singing. But since I love sharing and helping people, I will look around for people who need my help,” she added.

Jessy performing on stage

Through her knowledge in counseling, she became more self-aware of her deep-seated fears, known by closely listening to her heart. For example, Jessy used to be afraid of meeting strangers. But being a consultant has helped her to listen to her heart.

“Instead of feeling scared and running away from the problem, I would say to myself, ‘Okay, now I feel uncomfortable and uneasy meeting people and I know that I am ready to run but this time, I will act differently.’

“I will ask myself—I will go deeper into my heart—‘Has this person done anything to cause me this fear or is this my problem?’ I want to change that fear to courage, so I need to look into my heart.

“When you have that self-awareness, you get to know yourself more, you will listen to your heart, and God will meet us there in our deepest place,” said Jessy.

Jessy Goay

This self-awareness has helped her to change some of her thinking habits, and helped others in changing their habits as well.

“Most of the people want overnight success. But since becoming a consultant—God has restored me—the way I see things is different; I no longer focus on the product or outcome.

“God showed me that it’s the journey itself and the improvements you made along the way, because it’s the journey that molds your character. I am learning to be faithful—to be responsible to what God has given me and I find more joy.

“We want people to know that your workplace should be your playground. It should bring you joy, purpose, and meaning. Your job must get you to create and bless people,” said Jessy.

Looking back, she believed that her current career is a beautiful arrangement by God. Two years ago, a pastor told her, “Many years later, many women will come to you an talk to you.”

Jessy and her family

And this year, during her church’s conference, the speaker who did not know her pointed at her onstage and said, “That lady who was worshiping—when I saw you—God sent me this vision, ‘Your scars will turn into stars.’” He told her that all the pain and betrayal she experienced would be turned into something good.

On that very night, Jessy was praying and suddenly she saw God’s hands in her life One-year prior to this camp, she was deciding to take up her interest in counselling.

“I must say this year is one of the most beautiful years in my life. I have been waiting for a moment when I feel alive again! I have been feeling spiritually dry in two years,” said Jessy.

With a gift of communicating to God through dreams, the Lord reaffirmed her by showing her a dream of seeing her counselling. 

“I want to tell people that your dream life is possible. And I also learn to focus. You feel like you want to be like everyone else. But at then end of the day, God wants us to be the best version of ourselves.

Jessy Goay is a Certified Consultant of Career Direct under the Crowns Financial Ministries. To find out more, contact her by 012-410-4258.

Jessy and her friends

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7 Dec 2014 by Adeline Lum CM-

In the Asian culture, filial piety is a value practiced and treasured. We were taught as children to be loyal to our parents’ traditions. And sometimes, embracing another religion is seen as a betrayal to them.

Kalbi Massey, a Punjabi lady who grew up in the rubber plantation of Kluang Johor, struggled in coming to know Christ when she had to choose between being loyal to her parents or embracing the Christian faith.

Although the family of six grew up in a rubber plantation estate with little amenities and no toys, they were nevertheless a happy family living in a tight-knitted Sikh community.

When her application for a teacher’s training course failed—which was her childhood dream—her parents intended to marry her off to a good husband as in her tradition, but Kalbi wanted to have her own career instead.

She completed her A-levels in Kuala Lumpur with excellent results, which earned her many places to receive nurse training’s in the UK hospitals.

Ref: tumblr

However, due to her fear of leaving home, she turned down all the hospitals until the hiring agency gave her the ultimatum to take the offer at Runwell Psychiatric Hospital in Wickford, lest the position would be opened to someone else.

In fact, Kalbi shared such a tight bond with her mother that she recalled crying when her mother wanted to leave her at Johor Bahru to complete her A-levels. And out of love for her daughter, her mother forfeited all the tuition and accommodation fees she paid. Both went home instead. This happened before she could finally overcome her fear of leaving home and completed her A-levels in Kuala Lumpur.

“My mum was very reluctant to let me go. You know I had a very overprotective upbringing. When I was young, I had quite a few serious illnesses. And I was very, very thin,” said Kalbi who had malaria and a serious form of chicken pox when she was a child.

“My mum said to me, ‘You won’t be able to cope. If you went to England, you won’t eat and you won’t look after yourself. The weather is so cold. I don’t think I can let you go,’” she added.

Kalbi standing outside her house at a rubber plantation in Kluang, Johor

But after much persuasion, her mother finally allowed Kalbi to go in reluctance and join her two other sisters who were already in UK.

“Even now, I think it’s a miracle that I ever left home because I had such a fear of  leaving my parents,” said Kalbi.

When she arrived in Essex at UK, the countryside scenery she was residing in was so beautiful and picturesque that it reminded her of the familiar surroundings of her estate village.

Although she felt homesick, Kalbi met many Malaysian Chinese friends in Essex who were nurses. Many of them were Christians and invited her to their Christian Fellowship meals.

“I declined their invitation because my mum warned me to not become involved with Christians because my sister became a Christian secretly in Malaysia in a Convent school.

“And when my parents found out about her secret visit to a church in Kluang, they were angry and upset with her,” said Kalbi.

Her father was a man of high standing in the Sikh community—almost like a lay preacher—who is mostly seen praying and memorizing Scripture in his white turban. During events in the temples, her father would spend days praying.

“I was very obedient and respectful of my parents. I would do nothing to hurt them or upset them in terms of religion,” said Kalbi although she recalled sneaking to church with her sister one day.

Ref: wikimedia

She remembered ducking in the cab when they saw their father riding his bicycle to work. That was her first experience of going to church.

“It was lovely but you know in my heart, I knew that I would never convert. ‘You know my sister carried on with her new found faith.’ But I was determined not to be  influenced because I loved my parents so much and did not want to  hurt and upset them,” said Kalbi.

Her father had been stern with her sister’s conversion of faith. Her mother has also tried burning the Bible but it miraculously did not burn. Looking back, Kalbi recalled seeing her sister hiding in their large bedroom of six children and secretly reading the Bible with a kerosene lamp.

“So, in UK, I thought that I won’t be pursuing this religion. I was in the training. I was enjoying the culture. I love the peace and quietness. I love studying.

“I have some lovely things in my room, which I never had before—I got electricity, I got a TV, I got a refrigerator. That was luxury and then I started to feel guilty. I was thinking my family had so little,” said Kalbi before tearing up.

Strangely enough, Kalbi was attracted to a weekly Christian program that played different worship songs and hymns. Although she was enjoying her life in UK with the—company of her two sisters, lovely friends, and loving family, interesting training—she was aware of the emptiness in her heart. God pursued her quickly but gently.

Ref: sunshinechurch

During Christmas, Kalbi had an operation due to appendicitis. While her sister and her brother-in-law visited her, they started sharing the gospel with her. The first Bible verse shared was John 3:16.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

“And by faith, totally just by faith, I remember clearly kneeling by the hospital bed with my hands together in prayer mode and I said the sinner’s prayer of salvation and accepted Jesus Christ.

“I remembered this clearly—this was 34 years ago—the Spirit of God at that time was new to me. I could not really understand what’s happening. But I could feel this presence around me—just wonderful, warm, and strong presence of God.

“And I decided in my heart that this is the God I am going to serve and love all the days of my life,” said Kalbi.

Upon accepting Jesus, she was so excited that she jumped out of bed and hugged the first gentleman she saw. Later on, she gathered that he was a Salvation Army volunteer who was praying and making his rounds in the hospital.

Kalbi (far left) with her friends at the nurses’ home

At 21 years old, Kalbi started to go to a Baptist church in town. But aware of the temptations in UK especially being away from home, she decided to get baptized.

“I thought to myself, ‘There were so many temptations in the UK and also because of my strong faith and belief in the religion and loyalty to my parents, if I get baptized in water, it would mean that I would never turn back.

“And the Bible verse I chose was Proverbs 3:5-6. So, I was very determined to hold on to Christianity,” said Kalbi, who decided to keep her faith from her mother.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

    and he will make your paths straight. (Prov 3:5-6)

“My mum was a very strong religious lady because of mum’s loyalty to her husband but not that she needed any persuasion. When she met my dad, she embraced the religion,” said Kalbi.

Finally, after four years of accepting Christ, she told her mother and family who surprisingly did not reprimand her of her faith. Kalbi found out that her mother had suspected that Kalbi would succumb and embrace Christianity in UK due to her sister’s influence.

She relentlessly prayed for her mother who finally came to know Christ after ten years through her sister’s sharing of the gospel and another brother who encountered Jesus Christ. Her mother became a prayerful lady, frequently encouraging Kalbi to trust in God during her anxiety.

“My mum attended the church in KL, which is so wonderful especially when it comes to my mum to not be afraid of what the community thought of her, that’s just so amazing for her to do. She was not hiding her faith,” said Kalbi.

When her mother passed away eight years ago, she wanted to have her funeral done as a Christian service, which brought a lot of encouragement to Kalbi.

However, although Kalbi found comfort in knowing that her mother accepted Christ, she struggled in her faith thinking about her father. Her father died before she went to UK for her nurse training—that was before she knew Christ.

“You can imagine the struggle that went through my mind about heaven and hell. Where’s my dad? So, I was already going through that bereavement process when I came to the UK, I was missing him so much.

“I nursed patients. My patients passed away. I got very upset. I would start crying because I was thinking of my dad,” said Kalbi.

Later on, her sister told Kalbi that their father actually knew that Jesus Christ is mentioned in the Holy Book of the Sikh.

“My father knew. He comforted himself—this daughter in a way was betraying him—he found consolation in the fact that the god she believes in is mentioned in the holy book.

“It took quite awhile for me to not be tormented as to where my dad is, now that I know the truth of Heaven and Hell, and God can give me that peace,” said Kalbi taking comfort that there is still hope.

Ref: biblicalhope

Looking back at her life, she believes the hand of God have been upon her family even before they knew him.

“I feel that God works in a systematic way… It all happened for a reason. If I had stayed in Malaysia, I would have never become a Christian. So, it’s all the sequence of events that happened one after another leading me to Him,” said Kalbi.

Staying miles away from her family and yet still feeling attached to them even today; Kalbi found comfort, solace, and even confidence that God listens to and answers her prayers and cared for her family. Today, most of Kalbi’s family members have come to know Christ in Malaysia! Praise God!

Hence, let us be steadfast in practicing our faith and continue honoring our parents, even in the face of hostility. In God’s Time and Way, they will surely know Jesus Christ one day. Keep praying and don’t give up; our God is a prayer-answering God!

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12 Dec 2014 by Jason Law CM -

Today, at the age of 39, Dr Benny Prasad has already lived the kind of life that many of us only dream of.

As a musician, he has traveled to all 245 countries in the world including the Antartica. In the process, he created the World Record for the fastest man ever to visit all countries. He has performed before heads of governments and the multitudes of such mega-events as the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the 2004 Olympic Games. As an inventor, he earned renown for his creation of the world’s first bongo guitar known as the Bentar.

Benny Prasad performing on the Bentar III bongo guitar, an instrument created by him.

Yet, before all these successes, at the age of 16, Benny had almost ended his life in despair and failure. Today, while travelling the world, he shares to huge crowds about the power of God’s grace and mercy. In truth, he is the closest living example I have ever come across to the power of God’s providence. Last weekend, Dr Benny Prasad shared his testimony at FGA KL and about the role of faith in his life.

Dr Benny Prasad was born on 6 August 1975 in Bangalore, India to intellectual parents and in a competitive environment. From an early age, he grew up with huge expectations and was expected to set an example for his younger brothers and sisters.

Dr Benny Prasad sharing at FGA KL.

Benny shared, ‘Today, I have the title of doctor, but I never wanted to be a doctor, and until today I do not know where the title came from. It must be from God. You see, my father was a scientist at the National Aerospace Laboratories [India’s second largest aerospace firm] and he wanted me to grow and take up his mantle as a scientist. But I was different from him. How do you tell your parents about your love for music and your dream of becoming a musician after all the expectation and preparation they had taken for my role in life? It was tough.’

He felt constrained by the walls of parental and societal expectations, and because his parents didn’t want to sign his school records, he learned how to forge signatures. ‘I had no excuse except for having a feeling of being trapped by all these expectations. I had a deep love for music but the society was built in a way that had no future for such people. This is what society does to people. It traps us into molds and we live our lives according to the walls that are set by its dictates. My severe asthma compounded the problem. At the age of 16, I tried to end it all just to be free.’

Ref : worldrecordacademy

Benny shared that the incredible thing about God’s power is that He has a knack of taking broken lives and transforming them into extraordinary ones, not because of who we are but because of who He is. ‘My life seem like it was going to end in failure. But for the grace of Christ, I wouldn’t be where I am today,’ he shared. Throughout the Bible, we see how God employ people with failing lives and guide them to greatness.

When God called Moses, he was living a resigned life as a refugee in the desert and very possibly expecting that was going to be his lot until death. Gideon was a timid man and no warrior by nature. David was a young shepherd boy overlooked by his own father and brothers. Jesus picked his disciples from among humble men like fishermen and social outcasts like a tax-collector. For every one of them, all it took was a trust and faith in an Almighty God who is full of grace.     

Ref : blogspot

Benny shared a passage in the Bible to illustrate the nature of faith. One of the most powerful testimonies in the Gospel is found in Mark 10:46-52. In the passage, we read of the healing of a man named Bartimaeus near the city of Jericho. This man was a beggar and all he had was a cloak. When he heard that Jesus was near, he shouted to Jesus for healing. The people around him tried to shut him up, but he only shouted louder. When Jesus called him to come near, he immediately threw off the cloak and came up to Jesus.

‘In those days, beggars had to have a license to beg. It was the Jewish custom to give alms, and in order for someone to beg, he had to be certified by the authorities that he had genuine handicaps. The cloak was a sign of this certification and basically all that Bartimeus had. The shedding of the cloak was an obvious mark of this man’s faith. Against every pressure from the people around him, he threw all he had in order to follow Jesus,’ Benny communicated.

Ref: artbible

‘So often we let people around us tell us what we can do and what we cannot do. We look up to prestige and celebrities eventhough we hardly know them. We let the world of consumerism imprison us. We must always have the latest gadgets though we do not need it, simply because it is the latest and most expensive. Many people can’t survive today without credit cards, but I have news for you. People can survive without credit cards because for most of the human history, people have been surviving without them. Be careful of these traps,’ imparted Benny.

‘When God called me to travel the world to share about Him, I was surviving on meager earnings and to the human mind it was an impossibility. But our God makes the impossible possible. I told God that I had 4 conditions; 1.) that I would not beg, 2.) that I would not steal, 3.) that I would not take a bank loan, 4.) that I would not use a single credit card. And yet, at the end, God miraculously provided by sending people along my way to facilitate this.’

Benny Prasad’s record-breaking tour around the world.

‘In countries that was difficult to get into, with passport and visa problems and whatnot, God miraculously brought my path to just the people who would make it possible for me to enter these countries. He has led me to experience things few others have experienced; new culture, new environments, new food, etc.. In Antartica, seeing penguins in the wild, a thought came to me; if God could love and take care of these comical birds, there is no doubt that He loves and takes care of us.

‘In whatever challenges, I can feel God there with me. Genuine peace comes not from an absence of danger but in being within the presence of God,’ Benny shared. ‘Since coming to know Christ, my life has been filled with a rare and true kind of freedom.  Words cannot express the kind of partnership you get with God’.  There were many stories of what God has done in Benny’s life, and his testimony is a powerful one. Through his own sharing, the power of God in transforming what is, in Benny’s own words, a life of failure, into a life of freedom and victory are very tangible.

Ref : visualnews

‘If I could be made useful, anyone in this world can. If my dreams can come true, yours can too. My sin and shame has been exchanged for righteousness and new life by the Almighty God to set me free,’ Benny shares.

‘People often ask me how I knew that the voice calling to me at the age of 16 was from God and not my imagination. The answer is really simple. My imagination was urging me to suicide. It took the calling from the God of infinite compassion and grace to change the direction of my life.’     

NOTE: This article has been written through the impartation the writer has received from the sharing of Dr Benny Prasad.

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10 Jan 2014 by Joycelin Ooi-

Asking God for a Birthday Gift

In 2012, after a period of working with HSBC bank, I was praying for a career. Although I enjoyed traveling and working in the customer service department, I considered venturing into the airlines industry. And so, for my 2013 birthday, I prayed for a job as an air stewardess. I heard God speak, “Will you still love me (if I grant you your request)?” I broke down into tears, and I said, “Lord, help me to love you.”

Joycelin Ooi during her days as an air stewardess

Job Offer as an Air-Stewardess

In the early 2012, I went to Singapore for the Kingdom Invasion conference with my parents and an acquaintance, Frankie Heng. On the first night, I had a dream from God, which implied that I will be working together with Frankie. My initial response to God was, “What? I barely even know this person…” I did not give much thought about it or share about it after.

On the Valentine’s Day of 2013, two airlines called to offer me a job, and thus I began my journey as an air-stewardess. Being in the airlines has many benefits; besides the high pay, I was able to explore and to learn from the many cultures worldwide. However, in the last quarter of 2013, God gradually laid on my heart that the airline is not a path in which I should continue. Regardless, I ignored the soft promptings as I was attracted to the benefits and luxurious lifestyle of being an air-stewardess. In the midst of being convicted, I blurted out saying, “God, if Frankie offered me a job, I will stay in Malaysia”. I was confident that it will not happen.

Joycelin Ooi

Suddenly, in early 2014, I was dismissed from flying due to certain unforeseen situations.  I was extremely shattered, yet I told God that I was not going to let go of the airlines. Immediately, I saw a clear vision: a big ‘NO’! Devastated, I wept in my room. I spent some time in my close buddy’s place as I needed comfort. Then, I happened to call Frankie to share with him about the news. However, I was confused because he was giggling and sounded happy.

Working with RoLeaf

A week later, he offered me a job with RoLeaf. I was surprised as I was reminded of my dream two years ago and the prayer that I made. Still in the stage of surprise, I said, “Lord, the dream and conversation were between you and me, he couldn’t have known! God, are you not giving me any choices but indicating me to stay in Malaysia?”

I recalled a random prayer I made when I was in Jeddah, “If Frankie offered me a job, I will consider staying in Malaysia.”  Back then, I was clueless that he had a business plan in mind as he did not share much with me. I was indirectly challenging God, merely finding an excuse to carry on with my airline dreams.

Joycelin (far left) and her friends

Pondering on Frankie’s job offer, I knew in my heart that I could not find any excuse, and that I had to honor what was spoken to God. I was very reluctant, and the struggles between my carnal desires with God’s desires are very strong. Despite my attempt to delay my decision to join RoLeaf, I had such a transcending peace in my heart. Eventually, I casually started working in RoLeaf in March, and hence, my journey of many frictions and roller coasters begun. Nevertheless, to my utter amazement, in working through our differences, I bear witness that Jesus is being glorified.

Self-Reflection

The struggle between God and our desires are very real. But I realized when an imperfect vessel like me surrenders to God; I become a living testimony, bringing God much glory!

Joycelin (Back, Second from right) with her new colleagues in RoLeaf, including her friend Frankie Heng, Founder of Roleaf (Far left)

Being in RoLeaf, my FAITH muscles were put to work. I came from a place of having no sign of any sales to trusting in God, and experiencing a flooding of sales. In addition, now that I am on the ground, I can be part of a church and enjoy fellowship with people who love Jesus. I am very excited as I continue to be part of the testimonies and miracles with the team in RoLeaf. Miracles do happen and testimonies can be regular in any life. Shalom and blessings.

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16 Jan 2015 by Jason Law CM -

We often hear that as Christians, one of the great privileges we have is in making an impact for the Lord. Impact mostly comes from influence, which can be made either through force or through wisdom. Influence in turn can be made in one of seven mountains (arts and entertainment, business, education, family, government, media, and religion).

For Christians, we recognize that influence ultimately comes through the work of the Holy Spirit. Ideally, the Holy Spirit must prevail on every one of these mountains, and some Christians have roles in more than one mountain. Recently, last Sunday in Glad Tidings PJ, Reggie Lee released his new film ‘Elephant in the Church’ to great anticipation. Who is Reggie Lee and what is so special about his films?

The Lauching of ‘Elephant in the Church’ at Glad Tidings PJ.

Reggie Lee is a former chef, born in Penang but now living in London, also now serving in a wider capacity for the Lord. At the end of this year he plans to launch a cookbook, but already for ten years, Reggie has been itinerant, traveling from church to church, city to city, country to country, to teach, preach, evangelise, and responding to whatever the Lord has called him to do.

An area of expertise for Reggie is the Book of Revelations, and he has himself written three books to date. It is through his movies, however, that he will be instantly recognizable to many people, including non-Christians. In 2010, he released the movie ‘Who are the Chinese?’.     

Reggie Lee – Pastor, Chef, and Filmmaker    

Pastor Reggie Lee.

During the launch of his latest film, Reggie shared that he considers himself foremost either as a pastor or a chef, not a filmmaker, and there were challenges in the early stages of his filmmaking career. Firstly, he needed money and he had no such large amount of money. Secondly, he needed to write a script and he did not know how to do so. Thirdly, he needed a large team consisting of a wide variety of professions including a logistics manager and a director.  

Reggie, however, knew how to trust the Lord and the Lord has led him on a miraculous and providential journey of discovery in this area of his life. When there were challenges in finances, God would send people who voluntarily sponsored the sum necessary. LiveWire! Media Sdn Bhd came along to help produce and make his films possible. Reggie shared many testimonies of how God has blessed and guided him through their making.

Pastor Reggie Lee sharing his story behind his film ‘Who Are The Chinese?’

The film ‘Who Are the Chinese?’ traces the roots of the Chinese people and presents evidence that we are the people of God, something which is reflected even in the characters of the written Chinese language. It has been watched by millions of people in multiple countries, and the Hong Kong actress Fung Bo Bo was so blessed after watching it that she volunteered to sign on as the narrator for the Cantonese version free of charge. This version will be out before Chinese New Year. In 2014, the film won the prestigious Best Mission Film Stellae Award, beating many other films which were themselves of great quality.

Reggie Lee’s ‘Elephant in the Church’  

After the success of ‘Who Are the Chinese?’, recently Reggie Lee launched his second film ‘Elephants in the Church’. What is ‘Elephant in the Church’ about? Reggie Lee communicated that the film is intended to combat the evils of what is known as the Replacement Theology, something which Reggie said is unfamiliar to many people but which is doing a great deal of damage. Principally, however, I understood that Reggie has a heart of compassion for a certain distinctive group of people, and what he was fighting against was the effect of this theology.     

The Replacement Theology first cropped up in 105AD.  Basically, it teaches that the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ had established a New Covenant with God’s people, and that the Old Mosaic Covenant had been fulfilled and ‘replaced’ by that New Covenant.  This is a major theological stance of many mainstream churches, but it has also had adverse effects on our views of the Jewish people and Judaism’s current status. Because this theology holds that the Jews had been replaced by the Church as God’s chosen people, it has affected the way many Christians regard and treat the Jewish people.

Reggie showed through clips from the film of the churches’ mistake during the Holocaust. When Hitler came to power and established Nazism in Germany, he implemented what was known as the Final Solution. Millions of Jewish people were murdered and the piles of bodies were so huge that the Nazis used bulldozers to push their bodies into mass graves like rubbish heaps.

Ref : furtherglory@wordpress

Reggie Lee shared that many churches kept quiet during this whole period of history, and many are still ignoring this huge question in their midst; the ‘Elephant in the Church’. How are Christians to treat the Jewish people? Have they been replaced by the Church as God’s chosen people? Reggie communicated that these are important questions, and the film is scheduled to be launched in many nations such as the US, Europe, and other nations.

Further Projects     

Besides this film, there are many other projects in Reggie’s pipeline, among which are the 1^st project of Evangelistic Animation for India and the rest of the world. “When ‘Who Are the Chinese?’ was released, many people asked ‘What about the Indians?’. This is my acknowledgement and gift of gratitude for the support I have received from many people,’ Reggie shared.    

Reggie Lee’s upcoming projects will include an animated evangelistic animation for the Indians.

Other upcoming film projects include ‘Revelation: The Movie’, ‘Who Are The Chinese Part 2’, ‘The Other Side of the Coin’, ‘Amazing Testimonies’, ‘Why Don’t You Give Me A Chance?’, and short videos for YouTube as well as animated stories from the Bible.  

All finances that come in for Reggie Lee’s projects and through his films will be channeled for the Holy Land, India’s education, other countries according to needs, and poor pastors in Indonesia. For updates on funds, expenditures, and the filming projects, you can visit the website www.endrevelation.org or through email contact at potbless@yahoo.com.      

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