The Mission of Word of Life Church

The Vision Grows us

The Mission Guides us

Help Everyone Walk with God.

The mission of Word of Life is simple. For everyone to walk with God. In that relationship with God, He grows us from a worshipper to a disciple and eventually a follower of Christ.

The mission of Word of Life was derived from the story of Lydia and how she responded to Paul's teaching..by responding not to the servant but to whom Paul was serving,talking about..to God.

This is how we fulfill the Great Commission.

Taken from Acts 16:14-15

14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Lydia is what everyone in Word of Life is with God from the start.

#1 She was a worshiper - someone who feared and honored God.
Word of Life as the Church - must be a place where Jesus is the centre of Worship, and all that we do. So people coming can worship and receive from Him. The atmosphere of worship gives God the opportunity to bless people. Miracles takes place in worship. 

As a believer- Get your worship of God right, your life will be put in the right place. You set yourself-up for goodness coming after you. There's a price to pay, but the gains out measure what you choose to let go for Jesus. 

#2. Lydia's heart was opened by God to Paul's message.- She became a Disciple of Christ.
Word of Life as the Church - must be the place where God's Word is preached, and live by. Those that preach the word, must live by the Word. Why? if the practitioners do not know how to overcome by His word, how can we testify and true witnesses of His power. His word must be our position. Even before we do anything, we must wait on Him for His word. Only then can people see, and know His word and the benefits of faith.

As a believer - Fruitfulness is guaranteed. How long fruitfulness last and how much is determined by how well you receive GOd's Word (Mt 13-Parable of Sower). A disciple grows obedient to the master's teachings and does what the master says because compared to a life without Jesus the living word, we know where we end up. 

#3. Lydia Welcome His servants into her life -She yielded her life to God for His use. She became a Follower of Christ

At Word of Life as the Church- We give it all back to Him. and Say Lord use us all.

As a believer-Just like the boy with 2 fishes and 5 loaves. He did not complain about being the only one God is using. He just obeyed and said..Lord take it all back and use it. Give it all back to GOd for His glory.

Everyone A Worshipper, A Disciple and A Follower of Jesus Christ

that's our mission.
Edwin Koh (8/1/17)

The Vision of Word of Life Church

The Direction and Mission of

WOL CHURCH MALAYSIA

OUR VISION : Walk with God.

People often ask me, what is the vision of Word of Life? That is simple to answer...what is the purpose of God's Church? 

The answer is found by understanding the purpose of being born again and God's kingdom. God created human beings to be His hands and feet to care for all of creation. Is that the purpose? No. that's the fruit of our relationship with Him. The purpose of Word of Life is no different from any other Church of God. 

As Jacob declared "this is the house of God and the gates to heaven" This is where God and His people dwell as ONE. You see being a Christian is not a solo-race to the end. The moment you are born again, you will be brought into a family. GOd's community for every believer. That's the church. To do what ? well to be loved by Him and to love Him in return as one body...that's what's worship is for..that's what prayer is for. That's what we were created to be..people that are loved by the most amazing awesomest God ever !

#1 So the first purpose of everyone in Word of Life - To Connect with God and to get to know Him-- we call this being loved by God.

To be loved by God, helps us to fall in love with Him naturally. 

- LOVE GOD

So prayer,worship, hearing His word..just coming to church to "do nothing or some people call it to REST" with Jesus is the most important thing anyone can ever do for themselves.

Only when we are connected to Him as one Church, can He begin to birth fruits of this eternal relationship. Those fruits should be fruits of blessings to the immediate and to others around us and beyond. That's how the world gets to taste of Him and starts to know Him.

#2 So the second purpose everyone flowing with God connected to God will find connecting with others at Word of Life becomes natural and a simpler process. Do you see how God and His grace brings us through. I have not even talked about discipleship, or bible studies etc...because nothing man can do will ever help you forward...We ALL need to grow fully dependant on God and His word alone. 

Only than the #2nd part of Word of Life-Loving People makes sense. Why ? Because God loves people more than we can ever think or imagine. A sense of compassion will grow in you for others that you never had before. A sense of not just feeling the need to care but to do something about it. This is where we begin to share GOd's love with others..and the respect gained...will help us to have the opportunity to share His salvation with others. 

and now on to the final part #3-Loving Life. You see a life dependant on grace and dwelling in His love, frees everyone from unnecessary bondages and fears. A new vigor to live again...to be free. No longer bounded by cumbersome customs, traditions and people...to start to find yourself..who you are and be just that ...who you are...not what others want you to be. The coolest person is not one who has most...but one who has found himself/herself and love being just that. ..You see in Christ, we can do anything..because He strengthens us. 

So you see that's how we derived the Vision for Word of Life...which is what the Cross is all about..Jesus died for us to be born again into His kingdom. Where we are connected to God and in connecting with Him we learn to relate to all of creation His way..expecting nothing from others but to love..and expecting everything from God alone.

Because we know His Love, only than can we 

LOVE GOD, LOVE PEOPLE, LOVE LIFE.

(Mt 22:37-40 and Mt 28;16-20)

SO how do we start? we start walking with God every single day of our lives and no looking back anymore.

8/1/17

Edwin Koh

Seek First God's Kingdom

Seek First God's Kingdom

mt 6:33, john 15, psalms 23, romans 8:28

How you want 2017 to be will be determine by your priorities set going into 2017. In whatever situation, be it good or challenging where you stand in regards to His Kingdom that means your quiet time, tithing,going to Church, serving, or lets sum it up your relationship with Him must not shift. In everything however we being human will fail however we can always count on God's faithfulness and presence in our lives. 

God's Kingdom is all about coming home and making Jesus your refuge and where you dwell and draw life from. It is surely not about fulfilling your own goals but fulfilling His calling in your life. Not everyone is called into ministry but surely all are called to life in Him. Whatever your endeavour may be, whatever your possessions maybe, whatever is you..just like the little boy that gave his lunch (Mark 6:41) to Christ, GIVE it all back to God for His purpose.

You see we have hope. Hope is sure because it is rooted by Faith and our faith is sure because we know Him and are loved by Him. FAITH begins when He speaks to you. How does God speak? when you read the Bible, when a sermon is preached or any random situation somehow what has been said just 'jumps' at you. As Psalms 119:130 tells us, God's word ENTERS US..  As a Father pities his children, so does our Heavenly Father pities those that trust in Him  (Psalms 103:13). Take time to say to GOd, 'speak to me'.

Don't worry about the 'uncertainty' of things at the moment where many things seems like end of the road for many things in your life.. Psalms 23 tells us we are walking in the valley of "shadow of death"..no worries..God will guide you through it all. Stay close. God is pruning for growth. God is preparing each one of us for more of Him and definitely preparing Church for more ...much more. So things that are falling away, programs and methods that are no longer usable, even friendships that are caustic but falling apart..just let them go. God has much much better for you.

Three words for 2017 as found in John 15..and these is God's word of wisdom to us. And these wisdom are what we hear and do that is summed up by the scriptures we should meditate upon this whole year. John 15:8 guarantees us of definite fruitfulness. So how is God going to do it ? He needs our cooperation of course. Remember because all goodness is coming to us..however God is not limited by anything in doing good in and around us. 

So taken from John 15

1. Abide (John 15:40) - Stay in His Word...You see if God does nothing we are nothing. Apart from Him we are nothing..but in Him we shall become fruitful. 

2. Love (John 15:9-10) - He loves us so ...so much that He gave us His Son, gave us His Spirit ...gave us His word. No longer dwell in fear or intimidation. Do not think in such a way that you fear doing anything less it causes God to be angry and fail you. Nothing done in fear gains you anything. Know and remind yourself, how much He loved you. You are His beloved, deeply loved, highly favored and greatly blessed. You have nothing to fear. God Loves You.

3. We are appointed for good works, appointed to go and bear fruit (John 15:16) .

So there ...give it all back to God..and God will give You all of Him.

regards

Edwin Koh

30/12/16 for 2017

SPEAK FAITH, PROPHECY HIS REVELATION INTO YOUR LIVES !

SPEAK FAITH, PROPHECY HIS REVELATION INTO YOUR LIVES

20/6/16-Malachi 3:10

I have never lacked in every junction of life. Everytime when I needed more or a miracle of provision be it a home, a car, money, health etc...He has and will always see us through. He is indeed faithful...all the time too good to someone like me.

However I misunderstood the way He provided. I declared for awhile, while in the ordinary daily routine, God provides just enough to get through each day. He holds the abundance for those needed moments. I do still face challenges. Certain things I like to do, places I like to go, I still have to think twice, thrice before I can ever do anything else. Most of the time, this worry keeps me stationary.

This morning, suddenly God just dropped His word from Malachi 3:10 into my spirit, especially the last parts of it "that there will not be room enough". Suddenly I realised I misunderstood God. God wants to provide and will provide till we are overflowed by His abundance. He is our freedom. We should not be held by prisons of fear and mis-truths.

When I got up to speak it out into my life, God dropped another. Psalms 23:1-6, especially the part "surely goodness and mercy will follow us..."So I realised God was dealing with me in this area to bless us and lift us to a new level of His goodness. 

You see, Tithing has always been a good indicator of the health of our faith. If you have to dig into some obscure websites to tell you not to tithe or you have an attitude about tithing, then you are robbing yourself of life !. If we withheld 10% and many people do...only 10%..it is an indicator our faith is not in God but its being imprisoned.

Tithe until faith recovers...tithe until you see God's goodness restored. 

God wants to bless you not because you tithe...but because you are rooted back into God as your life, abundance life giver.

God Bless.

Luv Edwin Koh B.L.

20/6/16

WHAT ABOUT JOHN 20:23?

What About John 20:23?

In John 20:23, Jesus tells His disciples, “If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." The very core of the gospel message is the truth that the way someone has their sins forgiven is by having faith in Jesus Christ as his or her Lord and Savior. In Acts 10:43-44, when Peter was sharing the gospel, he said, “Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” First John 5:1-5 tells us only he who believes in Jesus will overcome the world. Luke 5:20says, “When Jesus saw their faith, He said ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’” Colossians 2:13-14 says Jesus forgave all our sins. All these passages confirm that Jesus is the one who forgives sin, and He forgives all of our sins. If we have had genuine faith in Him, someone else cannot later decide we are not forgiven one sin or another. So, what exactly did Jesus mean in John 20:23?

This weekend, I attended a luncheon to celebrate the marriage union of newly wedded couple. One is not a believer yet and the other is. Both already "married" through legal process and are legally husband and wife. However towards the luncheon, they approached me if I would pray and bless them at their luncheon. Initially I thought they wanted the whole exchange of vows...but it turn out to be a simple blessing of prayer. I asked God what to do and what to pray.

The key word was "MERCY". His "MERCY". You see people will make all sorts of errors even the elect of God. The religious will keep the guitly from receiving forgiveness and His Mercy. It is when we the elect of Christ ...not just Pastors but all Christians step out of all this religious humbugs to extend His mercy...will the guilty KNOW and be afront with the opportunity to KNOW HIS LOVE for them.

So after the whole process, God drop this verse in me and I finally understand what this all means.. He has given us the "power" to extend His mercy and love to people. If we withhold it from them, how would they know ? Sometimes we withhold because of our own hatred and biases.

Lets be taught by the Holy Spirit of of big and how wide is His mercy for us and others. If we don't extend His heart to them, we'd be the guilty ones.

How much God really loves people.

Awesome truth.

Luv Edwin Koh B.L.

20/6/16

Father's Day 2016

We CALL HIM ABBA-(16/6/16)

Romans 8:15

Usually I will ask God teach me what He wants me to share during service. So Father's Day

is just around the corner so the same. 

Being a dad, somethings do help me understand and relate better. You see life is all about experiences and memories. The good and the bad all add up to life. Some get it worse than others. 

As a dad, sometimes I feel dads are not appreciated as much as dads should be. Especially the ones that choose to be around and overcome all of life for their love ones. That is surely not easy to love, lead, comfort and provide. Some do it well, others try the best they can. 

For me I can never imagine being a husband and dad and pastor without God in my life. Without His input, presence and word, its impossible. However I suppose most dads if asked how they liked to be appreciated, many can tell you stories of being given pairs of socks, handkerchiefs, taken out for meals and all. 

However recently, a neighbour taught me a lesson that often than not we fail to do and that which is so important and something that Dads even Daddy God gets less off. What is that?

To be acknowledged.

With God, we just need to be presence, obedient and faithful . With our earthly dads, to acknowledge their presence thats all.

That's all...Happy Father's Day 2016 to all DADS OUT THERE !

Luv Edwin Koh B.L.

Saint Patrick Day by Jeremy Koh En Tian

Saint Patrick Day 

by Jeremy Koh En Tian (my son)

1/4/15

Saint Patrick was born in Roman Britain Romano family. His father was a deacon  and his grandfather was a Priest in the Christian Church.

According to the declaration, at the age of sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish Raiders and taken as slave to Gaelic Ireland and spent six years there working as a Shepherd and during this time he found God. God told Patrick to flee to the coast where a ship would be waiting to take him home.

After making his way home, Patrick went on to become a priest and according to legend, Saint Patrick used the three shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to Irish Pagans.

What I learnt By Playing Games

What I learnt By Playing Games

16/1/15

Edwin Koh Boon Leng

After Farmville, I told myself no more games as they can be so addictive. Nothing wrong with the game, just me haha. How I got into Clash of Clans was by "accident". My little boy started of the game, but he just did not carry on after a few plays. So one day, I picked-up my wife's phone to check the game out and what was so interesting about this game? Since then I've been hooked. Its a simple game where you form your own "territory" and then you join a "CLAN" to battle wars with other "Clans".

These are what God taught me. Go figure ! God uses whatever He can to teach you truths too ! He can ! Why not ! He is God. So here are lessons that He has given me and here I share them with you.

1.Life is very much socialising. Being in the right group does not mean you necessary will overcome all of life. We are not in life to be mere CONSUMERS and Takers. To go further, we have to contribute to the "CLAN" by contributing to the needs of others too. How can we contribute? Its by becoming generous and kind. In Clan, we don't ask of judge them who they are..we just donate troops and reinforcements !.

2. You can leave the clan if you are not happy. Its like you can jump jobs or job hop frequently. However assuming job hopping, frequent instability in life does not mean you go forward. Most of the time you start from the bottom again. It brings instabilty to your progress.

3.One of the major ones God showed me was about myself. Sometimes we "dare" not attack major targets because we prefer targets that WE KNOW we can overcome easily. Why stress ourselves so much right. But of late, I asked God..is the ministry or my life just about 30% only?

You see if we see blessings of 30% it means..God is 30%..we are 70% still in charge.  If we see blessings of 60% it means..God is 60%..we are still involve but at 40%. If we want to live on the edge of faith ! it has to be 100% God and ZERO % of us.

When we went to Australia Sri Lanka last year, the effectiveness of the ministry was 100%. That's why I ask God the above.

In 2015, something in me has to break and give in to God so that God can do much more thru me . What is it ? I'm not sure too. Maybe I know but am afraid to commit to it..because it means FACING the bigger challenges not knowing if can overcome..but surely can because in facing bigger challenges, we stop relying on ourselves but OH DEAR LORD !!! HELP ME right ...

4. How to go forward? If we have tried going forward in Clans..but can't and our territory always gets overwhelmed..it is time to sow and sow and sow to upgrade..upgrade and upgrade. Because level 3 cannons surely can't overcome level 5 giants or troops. So there must be a process of paying the price to sow and sow and invest ! Its a cycle ..this one. 

So you see ! God uses what we do to teach us sometimes !

So glory to Jesus Christ !

God Bless

Edwin Koh

WHO'S THE BOSS ?

Who's the Boss

Mt 25 - Parable of Talents and Virgins

(1/1/15)

The first blog post of 2015 is about a lesson on leadership especially in leading a Church as its founder and pastor. Sounds great right but when you are serving God, having a theology degree does not mean instant promotion and salary increments. Titles and self importance is of no value in God's sight. You may be founder and pastor..but honestly people don't want to follow you..but they want to walk with God. I may be founder and pastor..but at Church God is supreme and boss. 

So how should I lead ? Simple answer - let God tell you.

You see 2014 was a year the vision in my heart of raising-up leaders that would walk with God and giving them the space to do that was confronted over and over again. Honestly I never felt so uneasy in my life ! You see when you let people have space to do what they feel led to do, it will not be in accordance to your expectations. Why? Because everyone is different and God loves it that way.

In the parable of talents and virgins in Matthew 25, we read of the person responsible for the talents or the whole matter ..what does he do ? He hands his underhands the talents or command..and what he does next ?...

HE LEAVES !!! In our mind...hey ! that is not a responsible leader. Shouldn't the captain be the first be there and the last to go ? Shouldn't a leader be responsible from start to finish ?

In our world, when the boss is not around..what do we do ? We sleep on the job right ?. Or we play solitaire on the PC ! . Just like the one with the one talent, in our minds we think the boss is unfair and a lousy person.

However I learnt something this past Christmas Party project at Church. The person that was suppose to do the CP planned everything and organised everything..but suddenly had to depart due to other commitments that were important and necessary too. So the entire group had to grapple with what to do and how to do?. I on the other hand ..didn't like it because haiyah ! means the job comes to me and my wife again ..already with so much on our hands. In my mind was, " this is no way to raise-up leadership in Church !". I was furious...but in my heart, I sense God's hand in this from start to finish.

In fact 2014 has been a year wah ! I've been so overwhelmed with all kinds of feelings and emotions from one end to the other end..Wonder how my heart can take anymore by December ! But it was a year that God had me all to himself in running Word of Life to overseas missions. I had no "senior pastor" to turn to but God himself..only God. It was either I dig deep or sink. Sink was easy..but God was giving me grace to go deep and draw from Him.  

He purposely arranged such a situation to do one thing. Teach us or me a lesson. What did I learn ?.. I learn that :

1. eventhough I am the "boss"..I am not THE BOSS. God still is.

2. eventhough the "key" person is not around..just like the parable of talents..we are not to sit on it. We are to dig deep to be faithful and use ingenuity and creativity that God has placed in us to "do it !". Otherwise you'd never know what you can actually do. Sometimes we depend on others too much that we become like those people in that cartoon - "WALL-E". In crisis...people come together..in crisis..people will choose to either give-up or dig deep to discover solutions. So 2015, lets not say its imposibble..lets say in God all things are possible !

3. The biggest thing I learnt is : as a leader, but yet in a spiritual organisation..following God is more important that doing it "my way". If I want people to be discipled by God and to hear His voice..I need to get out of the way and let the people have space and space and space to walk with God. If I force people to do it my way..they will do it..BUT for who? for me! but they will not enjoy it at all ! But if I stop playing God, they can then learn to do it God's way. 

Will I change the way of doing things in Word of Life..of course not !. When people have been entrusted with responsibility..that's it ! give them space to walk with God ! Just like a couple that runs a cell group at WOL..They do not have consistent weekly meetings..but whenever they have meetings..people come ! and hey I too have been blessed ! God helped me to see that this couple are human bridges to connect people with people and people with God.  Precious they are.

Why people ask where is God? Because there are too many people playing God..too many insecure people in leadership that do not know they are not boss..but God is. Instead of WHERE IS GOD...Tell them ..HERE IS GOD ! 

WALK WITH GOD !

2015 ..make it your God..because God will help you to do that !

Luv Edwin Koh Boon Leng

1/1/15

WORSHIP GOD AS GOD..NOT BECAUSE...

 WORSHIP GOD AS GOD..NOT BECAUSE...

Habakkuk 3:17-19

New King James Version (NKJV)
A Hymn of Faith


17 Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls—
18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.


19 The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills.

To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.

Worship God not because you want to use Him to get stuff..how offensive we've become as man trying to play God oftentimes. Worship Him..because He is God and you are man..only when we acknowledge God..then we'd know how to be ourselves.

I NEVER KNEW YOU AND RAPTURE

I Never Knew You

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Mt 7:21-23)

Do you know that we are so near to the end and so near to Jesus coming back?

When ? we have to look at the signs and not just that trust that Jesus will save us at the right moment...His moment. Its not just about pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation or post-tribulation, I believe because He loved us and we walk in His love, He will save us from it all.

However not all will make it. As you see in the scripture above, it shook me as we all grew-up with the wham bam of the Charismatic movements. The slaying of the Holy Spirit, miracles, gifts etc..but yet Jesus declares against them "depart from me, you who practice lawlessness !". Who are these to depart from Jesus ?

The KEY WORD or words are I never "KNEW" you. Its not just how much you know Him because that's subjective and inconclusive. The word knew or know is a knowing in the Spirit. ..Deep calls unto deep (Psalms 42:7). Remember John 4, tells us that God is spirit, those that worship Him, must do so in spirit and in truth. Romans 8:1 delivers us from the law of the old to the law of the Spirit...which brings for life.

Finally are the 10 virgins. 5 had oil, 5 had none. Oil represent the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Remember the tabernacle of moses and the golden lampstand...7 bulbs with wicks in them to burn. Without oil, no fuel to burn. Also in the Tabernacle...on the right side is the Table of Shewbread--the Word (truth) and on the right is the Golden lampstand..the Holy Spirit..and right in front is the altar of incense - Worship. When we stand before the Holy of Holies and the mercy seat, we stand in worship...with the Word as our guide and guard. The Holy Spirit has our anointing and empowerment.

We cannot just know God..He needs to see us in His Kingdom. That's how He knows us. It is the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit that quickens truth in us and guides us in.Jesus did say...one needs to be born of water (repentance)...have you truely turn away from the world to live God's way?..and one needs to be born of the spirit (baptism of the Holy Spirit)..where one has decided..Holy Spirit take control of my life !

Remember God is Spirit and if you want to relate to Him and for Him to know you, its in the Spirit - deep calls unto deep.

You see our breakthrough is not just in reading the Word of God which is important..but the Word of God reveals Jesus to us..Our breakthrough is not just in being able to speak in tongues...the true breakthrough comes when the Word and the Holy Spirit guides us back into true fellowship with ABBA !

So its in prayer we breakthrough. You see why many people don't breakthrough in their lives ?..because they pray and war in the flesh not in the Spirit. They are not sure if to live for God or self...Why do people struggle with temptations and sin even after saying the sinners prayer ? Because they have not died to self yet. Jesus saved us and to the law we died..but we are alive to God in the Spirit. 

So how do we walk with God ? REST ! Learn to Rest in Him. Trust Him. Then when you trust Him, and more importantly...HE TRUSTS YOU ...He will lead you step by step into His plan for you. All this flows out of that relationship with you..or should I say FELLOWSHIP.

Without relationship, what you do is not of God..when you run into trouble..God will say..its not what He asked you to do..but because of His mercy..He saves you and brings you back ...AGAIN ! haiz !

Learn to listen..then we'd stop running ahead into walls.

Not by might, nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord (Zech 4:6)

So keep praying in the Spirit and listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

AND OF COURSE...DO.