Marriage : Who Shud You Choose ?

^{Marriage : Who Shud You Choose ?
2} So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, ³ and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; ⁴ but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” (Gen 24:2-4)

¹⁴ Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? (2 Cor 6:14)

²² He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
      And obtains favor from the LORD.(Pr 18:22)

One of my greatest passions in life...something that developed in me after being 8 years (this year) in marriage to my beautiful and God fearing wife is relationships in families...esp Husband and Wife.

Face it, Holy Matrimony is a slice of what the marriage between Jesus and His bride would be..2 shall become 1...We see in Scripture that marriage never meant to be dictatorial but loving and submissive and most of all REWARDING...I always believe and know as much as I am called by God..so is my wife..not just to bear me children and stay at home..but it is my duty to pray and encourage her to pursue God's call upon her life too. 

I remember reading the story off Smith Wigglesworth..a great man of God. Many would not remember that it was his wife, Polly that taught him to read and her ministry was full on way before his. She even told him that she may be his wife, but she was also called by God. 

When I was seeking for a companion, I was looking for a few things ..of course she must be beautiful, and more importantly was she must be so in love with God and in the ministry too...overall, she must be the one God had in mind for me. Why ? 

Answer is simply this : How can two walk together unless they agree ? If both are always on different page of the book of doing life and never able to agree on anything...how to become 1 ? ...Marriage is NOT just about SEX..if it is just about SEX then we are being self-fish and it is not love but LUST !. Outer appearance is important..but as you age, appearance matter less. But I've seen a godly woman grows more and more beautiful ..whereas a woman that has no God and live life anyhow just gets weary and down. 

Answer 2 :- Do you value your faith ? Faith and love is about giving and not just receiving. Sure love is agape (unconditional)..but it has to be a little give and take too (phileo)..sometimes in giving you have to give-up what you want for yourself...but sometimes you have to take too. That's the fun of life. Faith is like that isn't it..We love God wholeheartedly..but we too want Him to bless us too ! Without agreement how to get prayers answered ?

Answer 3 :- She is my joint heir...without my wife standing with me...how to do anything ? Can you imagine needing support...yet even those at home just don't support you ? Till this day, others have said no to me..but my wife always says yes. 

If you value your life and your salvation, don't go looking for unbelievers..God gave that principle not just for marriage but relationships ...don't even marry believers that cannot lift you up when you are down..Missionary minded relationships...meaning you think your love can bring your partner to Christ is so fool hardy. And marriage is forever...divorce is sin.

What happens if your marriage is all wrong today ?

Ans :- Don't blame anybody..God's word is 2000 years old. You have to make it work. If your spouse still wants to love you and be with you...come to God with repentance..and determine to love your spouse too. Find what works for him or her..not just for yourself...

Everyone has a love bank. .and a need to be loved and appreciated.  Just like our bank accounts..the more we put in as savings, the more interest we get. The more we withdraw, the lesser there is in the long run.  Many relationships run into debts and despair because we've stretched the patience and loyalty of our spouses to way over limit. We taken too much and taken their love for us for granted..We've abused their trust. We think Oh they would understand..or they SHUD understand..Now selfishness kills relationships..What about married couples that cannot cut their purse strings from their parents and stand with their spouse even when under pressure ? Who are you married too ? your mother in-law or father in-law or your spouse ? Stop making withdrawals..and start PAYING BACK..Start investing again ! Put love back into the love bank of your spouse.

SOme prefer gifts...others a compliment..others just your presence and time..find what works..and make that commitment to be consistent..don't be robot about it..make it spontaneous but make it regular too. 

Love your spouse today more than you did yesterday !

For the harvest

Edwin

Faith Heard, Faith Spoken.

 Faith Heard, Faith Spoken.

22 For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” 23 So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer. (Ezra 8:22-23)

We know very well that faith comes by hearing and by hearing the Word of God...but did you know, Faith is also what we speak and declare when faith is needed ?

When I was a student, we often hear friends say this, "aiyoh ! die lah die lah..surely fail one"..As we will eat the fruits of our confession (Pr 18), we confess our lack of confidence in God, we will bear it too. 

However if we even through the "reality" or "real" issues facing us, we speak God's word and our Confidence in Him...God will surely move the mountains for us. Have faith in God ! God can surely do that which you declare that He can. 

God Bless

Edwin

Word of Life in brief.

 Word of Life in brief.

My wife and I have been serving the Lord "full-time" since 2000..10 years now. For me I have been serving since 1995..never stop serving Him since the time I got saved. It was in 2003-04 that God begin to call us out of the place we were serving and to take this journey of faith with Him. We were at lost than because my wife was heavily pregnant and I was about to be promoted to Assistant Pastor then. But know so strongly God was asking us to obey. The Bible verses and stories that time that I kept hearing was Abraham's step of obedience eventhough he know not where or what awaits him. So we obeyed.
One year of praying and preparations..also taking time to raise our new born boy...we started seeking God for clearer directions.

God led us step by step in pioneering a new work called Word of Life, Johor Bahru.

Word of Life started on May 1, 2005 with a simple vision to disciple people and to empower people to pursue their God given "work" or callings.

For 4 years we went through many lessons in the school of hard knocks which today we realised was necessary to be where we are today- ready to do greater works. One thing we truely realised is God's awesome love and dedication to the people He gave His only Son for. In doing ministry, if we don't have passion for people and wanting to encourage people to walk with God, we are not doing ministry at all. God really really loves people.

It was in October of 2009, that we decided to stop all work to seek God for further directions as WOL was not breaking through. Nearly 5 months of being refreshed and lots and lots of prayer, God spoke to us through prophecies and in our quiet time that He is not done with WOL. He wants us to continue doing it and doing it at Impian Emas.

Impian Emas was where we were...until I got electrocuted and nearly lost my life. We left Impian Emas because the landlord of the premise we were renting could not guarantee us that the power leakage that was detected by the Utility board..was properly rectified. After that to hold the church together, we rented hotel ballrooms, and other facilities. It was a journey indeed..But God kept on speaking of a great future for WOL.

When God finally confirmed WOL again for this next phase, He said, He wanted us to go back to the place of defeat ..as He was going to give us victory (Isaiah 60). I believe WOL will grow and become one of the most dynamic and effective church in Malaysia that will touch nations !

God has called us to

:- LOVE HIM, LOVE PEOPLE AND LOVE LIFE

To Achieve that ...our mission as His Servants is to

:- Disciple every member to obey the Great Commandments and empower them to fulfill the Great Commission.

OUr desire is to reach our generation and those before with the Gospel..show them that they too if they allow God to flow through them, their lives will be transformed and will become purposeful. (Isaiah 60)

Word of Life is a Church of relevance and will be respected and loved by the community. It will be a place people from all walks will experience what LOVE is. Where the WORD is preached, taught and LIVED ..without any religious boredom. WOrd of LIfe is a place where people will discover God and discover their purpose...People will be empowered to LIVE LIFE as NO ONE is a failure..but the head and not the tail. Above only and not beneath..WE ARE BLESSED !

YEHA ! I am so excited at what God is doing and going to do ! Our future is so bright.

Come join us as we push forward into God's plan.

Edwin

WANDERFUL to WONDERFUL : YOURS TO POSSESS

WANDERFUL to WONDERFUL : YOURS TO POSSESS

 ¹⁵ You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger,

      And brought them water out of the rock for their thirst,

      And told them to go in to possess the land

      Which You had sworn to give them. Neh 9:15

I see too many people struggling with financial issues, struggling in lives endeavours and goals. Religion ties us down with this cannot do, that cannot do. This has caused many people serving the Lord to struggle with tonnes of financial issues..and Christians struggling to reach for the stars. My wife and I too know what it means to have very little or none at all or struggle with debts etc and wondering why the God we serve, only provides bits here..bits there...He does provide..but in the Wandering phase where we are not sure of our foot steps in life...just like the Israelites ..God does provide as we see from Neh 9:15...but God wants us to move from Wandering (confused / fear / uncertain)..to the Place of WONDERFUL...How ?..read on.

After coming out from bondage, the Israelites were not familiar with this new found faith and journey. Everything was so new...and unfamiliar. This caused them to move from WONDER to WANDER and they did that for 40 years.

We know that through the report of the spies that went into Canaan, the land that God had for them was WONDERFUL..flowing with milk and honey was their report..but they were sure that they would not be able to overcome the obstacles enough to enjoy the blessings of God for them. They sealed their fate through their confession. 

Caleb on the other hand was of a different spirit (ruach). He declared that if God is for them, they would be able to overcome. But yet the progress of those that believed was held back because only one thing that is needed was lacking in the rest - BELIEVE.

Without BELIEVE WANDERING sets in. Wandering about the whys and the hows. People that try to discipher God's methods will always end up WANDERING and NEVER possessing.

How do you step out of WANDERING phase and step into the WONDERFULness of what GOd has for you?

1. What do you want ? - James 1:8 tells us a double minded person is unstable in all their ways. Receives nothing. Faith is does not confuse..Faith is determined and is focused. Know what you want..or shud I say, know what God wants..this brings me to the next point.

2. Step out of Wandering phase and into POSSESSING phase. - Stop waiting and begin actively acquiring what you aimed for. Start planning..Start praying and speaking God's promises over and into your goal. Do it all the time in prayer until you get it..your spirit picks up and begins to rise in faith.

For me, when God wanted us to rebuild Word of Life Church..I started actively reading God's Word (Joshua 1:8)..I ask God to speak to me regarding the Church. Sooner than later, He gives me promises in the Bible - Psalms 125, Isaiah 60 and Nehemiah. Whenever I pray for the church, instead of whinning and crying..I pray using those promises and literally personalise and speak prophetically.

You see God's word is His souce of Creation..The Holy Spirit is the Power that turns the Word into matter !

So instead of waiting and wandering..START by knowing what is it that you want God to do. One issue at a time...begin to pray it into being..and also if you can take practical steps lets say..if you are looking for a house..start looking for a house..faith is like that..sometimes we have to correct our steps going forward...at least you are moving forward !

Now He has made you more than a conqueror ! so start Possessing His promises for you !.

Luv 

Edwin.

Wealth and Cares of the World...throw them away?

^{Wealth and Cares of the World...throw them away?}

¹⁹ The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. ²⁰ The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. ²¹ But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. ²² The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. ²³ The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” 

 (Mt 13:19-23)

Lets get this straight from the start. The Word of God spoken to us at Church, at home, by ministers or even unbelievers..(hey ! God can speak through donkeys right ?), is not the the source of being unfruitful. In fact ! we may not know this...but the devil does..that's why in verse 19, we see the devil stealing the seed that fell on the footpath...because he knows that God's Word is powerful and is a double edged sword...even the footpath can have cracks and the Word goes in and does a tranformation ! How many times we reject people just because they are hard nuts to crack ! This inspired me to realised hey instead of rejecting 75% of people in church, now we can have possible 75% more of growth.

1. Footpath - In Jesus' time, footpaths were probably not bitumen type. It was probably those dusty kind of paths or even pebbled / rock paved pathways. What we do know here is ...the surface is hard and unyielding. People can be like this..they have no place for God's word due to unbelieve, ignorance or just life has been unfair to them. Is that too hard for God to work...yes but not impossible ! I believe we just need to connect with people better. Do life with people ! get to know them on the surface and take a sincere interest in their interest..Listen for a change. Don't always be in the hurry to PREACH !...Love first.  Be an active listener. Who knows, the more you do life with people, the more you grow too ! hey even unbelievers have spoken things to me that God used to make a difference in my life. Listening is respect and may open more doors because you took the effort to care.

2.Rocky Soil - They receive the Word but no stickability. Hey sometimes in our life too, we do have rocks in us too...Rocks not the granite kind...but habits, lifestyle, stubborness, things we like or dislike, etc..that stops us from accepting God's Word. The best example of all is the need to forgive...Many of us like to hang on to hate because we think it makes others feel worst than us but actually we are for worst not them. Its like drinking poison and thinking it will kill your enemy. It could even be the way we were brought-up. God is not saying He wants us to change or else ! ...NO ! He said, we need to give-up what is not healthy for us, so that He can BLESSED us even more ! I think here, proper pastoral care and discipleship can aid in people being positioned for more blessings ! Helping people to stick and go deeper. Remember Jesus asked Peter to go deeper to catch fish ?...I think Jesus could have done a more powerful miracle..example like causing fishes to fall from the sky ! haha or swim into shore...or appear from the ground !...but why did Jesus ask Peter to go deep ? it was not for Jesus' ...but it was more for Peter. Lets go deeper with Christ today and see the exceeding abundance of God !

3.Thorns - This are people are caught-up by the lure of wealth and cares of the world. Does this mean, we have to forget about making money and whatever pressures and stresses of life, we imagine they are not there ? Some Christians resort to telling themselves, these things are not real or they are a test of faith ! IS THAT IT ? What is so wrong about money ?

Actually there's nothing wrong. 1 Timothy 6:10, tells us the "love of money" is the root of all evil. Love is something close to the heart. That means instead of telling the rich to part with their wealth or the poor to give-up working because wealth gain's nothing...it is more of a matter of the heart - a matter of PRIORITY !. Matthew 6:33 tells us to put God and His Kingdom's purpose first in our hearts...no longer we work to be rich , but we gain a new purpose in life...God's pleasure and glory. Riches (true riches), salaries, bonuses are rightfully yours but no longer what you work so hard for ! You begin to trust God more...and realise Jehovah Jireh is Your FATHER !

What about those with cares? Family, children, marriage, education, car, house, debts, etc.. are cares of the world. Even if you live in the jungle you will be also find stresses too. These are real issues, people in the real world faces. Discipleship and pastoral care can guide people to trust God more by teaching God's word in faith and not to control. Best thing of all is not being a solve all problems super hero..but to be a brother that sticks with people and encouraged them to step-up.

Finally is the good soil. Good soil is good only because it is teachable, but it is a person that is abiding in Christ and obedient to His Word. To be willing and obedient to God is the key of eating of the good of the land (Isaiah 1:19). Don't let issues cloud your senses. Always always, keep yourself in God through prayer and constant meditations of God's Word. Be open. When fellowship is deeply entrenched in your life, that whatever you ask in His name, it will be done !

I pray that you will be blessed ..exceedingly abundantly according to the power that is at work in you ! That truely as you address the condition of your life, and be open to God...amazing things will happen for your good !

Luv Edwin

It is not for us !

It's Not for Us! 
 

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (John 8:11)

This passage has been quoted over and over again whenever people are in the mood to judge or be judged by others !. If you have never sin, you can cast the first stone.

The person of interest is of course someone that society knows is there but will not want to be associated with. She was a prostitute...someone who sells her soul to earn a living. To a certain extend all of the have go so far in our own interest or with the need to make ends meet, we neglect all other parts of our lives...from our marriages, to our children, to our parents, and most important of all God !

The Bible tells us in Zechariah 3, and in Revelation 12, the Devil is the master of lies and the accuser of people. He stands before God every minute telling God how we have failed Him and maybe just like Jonah, satan tells God, we are all deserving of nothing but God's judgment and condemnation.

In John 8, who could judge this prostitute, in life, who could judge and condemn us ? The answer is NO ONE ! not even the devil because by the Blood of Christ, the devil is a condemned being and destined for eternity in hell. Your friends and family, cannot condemn you eventhough they try...but they can't.

Only one could - His name is Jesus Christ. He is supreme..He is God ! He is the banner the standard of all life ! He could have judged that person...but did He ?..HE DID NOT ! Instead the rule of love conquers...He forgave her and gave her ONE more chance this time with His acceptance to go forward !

What a powerful revelation ! God could and by His Holy right to judge and condemn us for eternity. But He did not. He chose to forgive you, give you His Son as His assuarance and His Spirit as the Power to overcome !

Accept His gift of love and forgiveness today. He is giving you the opportunity now to believe in His gift of Salvation...ie..to accept Jesus Christ into Your life. Now how can you do that ?

1. Ask Him into your life.

2. Pray this prayer out loud.

Dear Heavenly Father. I come to You just as I am. Forgive me and take away all my sins. I ask for Jesus Christ to come into my life and help me to live this life. Live this life for You and your purpose in me. I surrender to you and receive Your love for me. You are my Lord and my God forever more. In Jesus' name I pray....Amen

3. If you prayed this prayer, would you like to leave a comment or e-mail me edkoh1976@gmail.com as a witness to say you did this.

4. Next step, is to find a good Church to be part of.

Luv
Edwin Koh

Why Hate what God Loves ?

WHY HATE WHAT GOD'S LOVES?


For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

When I first turn my life to Jesus, I grew up together with others in a Church and the teachings from the Bible. Sometimes, when people preach out of the Word and not from the Word, they tend to use scriptures to justify their conservatism or hang-ups even. This has produced Christians that are not like Christ...no longer accepting of people but judgmental, critical, arrogant believers that often thing by just telling people alot of words, would convince someone of their own faith.

In my on experience of being well meaning soul-winner, I've done all that. Talk as long as possible hoping to break into the toughness of the hearer's stubborness. I've even laid hands on people, and commanded heaven to act as I speak...Instead of winning people to Christ, it drives people away. Sometimes, God moves powerfully...but its never for my sake but its because God loves the hearer and wants to meet the needs. So humbling.

Unbelievers don't want to come to Christ because they think, it will be a restriction of their lifestyle as they think Christians are always against this or that. or they think they cannot honor their parents and the list goes on and on. Go figure ! Misrepresentation of the true nature of Christ !

How to win a soul then ? Stop hating the world...as there's nothing terribly wrong or evil that could cos God to fall off His throne in fits of anxiety !. If God would act like us, He would have placed a legion of angels to protect the tree of the knowledge of good and evil...heck ! He would have created eden, but placed man outside of it..because it was possible for man to do wrong ! But He did not. Even after sinned, God threw man out of Eden, but God never gave up on mankind. He was still in contact with Adam...but only not in person.

Christians must do life ! Love covers a multitude of sins right...So learn to listen more than talk. Who knows when you finally listen...the unbeliever may present to you the keys to unlock their hearts. Best of all, he gained your trust because you cared enough to give him your time to listen.

Hate sin yes...hate evil yes...but Love the World enough to want to redeem that which is precious...LIVES ! but don't you think, there's so much in the World, or what we called Common Grace of General Grace that the influence of God is in it ?...

Love the World..without being shaken !

YEAH ! lets Love God More, Love People More and Love Life More !

Edwin