Important Scriptures for 2012

Psalm 127

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

A. ¹ Unless the LORD builds the house,
         They labor in vain who build it; 
         Unless the LORD guards the city, 
         The watchman stays awake in vain.
 ² It is vain for you to rise up early,
         To sit up late, 
         To eat the bread of sorrows; 
         For so He gives His beloved sleep. 

^{B. 19} Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.(James 5:19)

^C.10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” (Mt 4:10)

^{D. 18} ‘So you shall observe My statutes and keep My judgments, and perform them; and you will dwell in the land in safety. ¹⁹Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill, and dwell there in safety. 

²⁰ ‘And if you say, “What shall we eat in the seventh year, since we shall not sow nor gather in our produce?” ²¹ Then I will command My blessing on you in the sixth year, and it will bring forth produce enough for three years. ²² And you shall sow in the eighth year, and eat old produce until the ninth year; until its produce comes in, you shall eat of the oldharvest. (Lev 25:18-20)

Don't Be A Scrooge

Don't Be A Scrooge

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. 

                                                                                                       (Mt 13:44-46)


Its the Christmas season already. Christmas is always the season for giving and forgiving. However its also in Christmas that Scrooge found his fame too. Scrooge to me is someone that is so full of the grumps !. Someone that lives in his narrow minded, self absorb world of just himself. He finds joy in criticizing and looking down on others because all he sees is ..himself.

Many of us may have ended up like this if all we do is trying to survive, trying to protect what is ours, trying to live ! We make decisions that benefits us only forgetting that our God given life has its purpose very much in connecting and being with others...our families, friends ..with people. We are no good on our own.

This year, God showed me one thing that I will truely treasure and remember for life. He revealed Himself to me in ways I've knew but never known ! If you read the previous blog about the Christmas Gift Box, you will understand this. God showed me, His kingdom is far greater and less complicated than ours. He showed me that, our effectiveness is not in living to ourselves and being boxed within the 4 walls of Church.

He showed me, He can effectively move through me and use me more when we are outside those 4 walls ! And the effectiveness of the gospel we preach is magnified in the field and not in the shelter !
 

"22 Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. 23 So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. 24 And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.” 25 Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. 26 Then He sent him away to his house, saying, “Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.” (Mk 8:22-25)

Jesus took this blind man out of town and restored him. Jesus needs to take us out of town where its so busy, so complicated, so many opinions, so many methods, so many programs..to clear our sight !

We use to see men like trees. GOd wants us to see people as He sees them..People He gave His only begotten Son to go to the cross for. Jesus Loves them as much as He loves You !

(c) Edwin Koh 23/12/11

So Simple Is His Kingdom

So Simple Is His Kingdom

¹⁵ Call upon Me in the day of trouble;

         I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” (Psalms 50:15)

For the past few months, we've been so stressed out with outstanding payments yet to be settled. We did some renovations to our church building. It only costs us RM2,600.00. We've managed to settled a portion through the offerings in Church. But had RM1,500 left. 

We've prayed and cried and wailed in faith for the past 3 months. God just kept saying its coming. And one thing God said was, "Things will change". This change includes all that pertains to our live and ministry.

The contractor has been patient but pursuing his money. It was this week that was the final dateline or else, he will come and take back everything he put up. So prayed hard..fasted..It was on Thursday morning in my devotion time (22/12/11) that God showed me Psalms 50:15. 

There's nothing I could do about it but pray and trust. I felt led to share our concerns to our ministry friends. Requesting them to pray for our situation.

HALLELUJAH ! we've received an sms in the afternoon that they want to bank-in the RM1,500.00 into our account. By the end of the day, God enabled us to settle the payment ! PHEW ! Praise Abba !

(c) Edwin Koh 23/12/11

Why Don't I Do Just That !

Why Don't I Do Just That !

  ¹EXCEPT THE Lord builds the house, 

they labor in vain who build it; except the 

Lord keeps the city, the watchman wakes but in vain.

 ²It is vain for you to rise up early, to take rest late, 

to eat the bread of [anxious] toil--

for He gives [blessings] to His beloved in sleep.(Psalms 127:1-2 AMP)

Nearly 2-3 months ago before Christmas this year, God moved our hearts to start a Gifts Collections project for an orphanage in Johor Bahru. As a Church, we've been wanting to embark on social works, but timing and not having the right people to do it caused us to KIV this. However, we have been going once every two weeks to an orphanage in town to minister, play games and just to be an encouragement to them. 

So when we embarked on the Christmas gifts Box Collection, we specified the gifts to be new and according to the wishes of the children at the home. I was concern though, because our church, Word of Life, does not have many people. So I was wondering how would we be able to fulfill the wishes of these children. You can read our experience in the previous blog post.

To cut the long story short, God moved so powerfully. The word that God gave me to stand on was in Psalms 68:5 -"He is the father to the fatherless...". God moved through people that are not even in our Church. From America, to Singapore..the contributors came. And amazing how God moved so quickly and decisively for these precious children. One group even took the kids out and treated them to goodies and gifts ! 

My wife and I were totally in awe ! at how evident was the hand of God in this project. This was a new experience we have with Jesus. I remember one prayer, I said to God.."Lord if moving in what you love to do, go where you love to go makes it easier to be blessed !...why don't I do JUST THAT !".

And that brings me to the scripture verse above...unless the Lord builds, those that builds, labor in vain ! I like how the message Bible puts this verse...The Lord gives us sleep..we always think sleep is sleep..as in ZZZZzzzzzzz...but actually the Lord gives us "rest" in the midst of the "work"..Why ? because we do what He wants us to do...we go where He wants to go. 

SO SIMPLE to be blessed ! Just flow with Him..FLOW FLOW FLOW with the Lord !

Don't struggle anymore..just go with the Lord...

Pray pray pray..listen listen listen..and go go go with Him.

  ^1-2 If God doesn't build the house, the builders only build shacks.
   If God doesn't guard the city,
      the night watchman might as well nap.
   It's useless to rise early and go to bed late,
      and work your worried fingers to the bone.
   Don't you know he enjoys
      giving rest to those he loves?(Psalms 127:1-2 Msg)

(c) Love Edwin Koh Boon Leng 17/12/11

What can I do with so little ?

WHAT CAN I DO WITH SO LITTLE ?

Word of Life is a fairly young church with handful of worshippers. I used to struggle  wondering early on what could we do with so "little" but struggles are aplenty..We struggled with paying the electric and water bills. Don't even talk about rental. But by God's grace, we've always made it..However pioneering a Church is more than paying bills..it is winning souls and edifying the lives in God's house. What can we do with so little ? 

When I started believing and stepping out, quite alot actually ! Faith in Him takes you there !

Let me share one example with you. We've been going to minister and bless an orphanage in Johor Bahru. With Christmas around the corner, God just moved my heart to meet their needs to bless them. When God said that, I was wondering what can we do ? Looking at the children, God gave me the idea of a Christmas Gifts Box. But the greatest fear I had, what if nobody fulfills the wishes, then we will be left with kids with no gifts..These kids at the home are precious already. So I challenged myself to dig deep and pray hard. 

God gave me this verse to hang on. 

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.

(Psalms 58:5)

Since then till today, people from all walks of life, people that are not even in Word of Life. People that are not even in Malaysia. They have committed themselves to buy the gifts for the children. Recently, we've just received 2 MP3s from USA ! PRaise GOd ! God told me this, "my world is greater than your small narrow world". When God moves, He calls on all corners of His universe to do great great stuff !. 

Word of Life Church although not many people yet, but the testimonies are tremendous itself. Can you imagine, when we first started..I nearly died being electrocuted..God saved me..gave me a word "Tsunami"..and that alone spurred me forward. When we moved into Bukit Indah, we had no money, no electricity, no grills, no water..nothing ! YET people just came and worship on Sundays. Funny thing is..every Saturday night..it would rain..and Sunday morning would not be so hot. 

The other worry I had initially, because we had no grills or gate to close our premise. We were concerned that people would just come in and take all our sound equipment and stuff. But we found out, every night, someone would sleep on the stairwell leading to our sanctuary. It was a vagrant. We would find beer bottles there too..but every night, Church was secure ! It's God's angels to me !

And there's sooooo much more to tell ! ...If you look at the numbers in the church, you would be dissapointed..but when you look to God and listen..you will see amazing stuff happening all around you.

When you use the easy way out in solving every problem, you won't discover your purpose in life...stop depending on Money and other comfort zones ..depend on God and STEP OUT !

 Having no money to solve every problem is a blessing most of the time..Think abit more, squeeze that God given creativity..see who is with you..ALOT can be done...best of all..callings are discovered like that.

 If God called you, He would already have equipped you..All you need to accomplish the task, is rely on what you already have and who is already with you...No need always spend money..use faith instead !

PRay alot, Depend on God with your life...feed of God's Word..and never leave His presence. You'll be fine.

Luv Edwin Koh

Jonah - The Lesson of Grace

Jonah - The Lesson of Grace

a. Introduction

Matthew 12:40-42

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁴⁰ For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.

⁴¹ “The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent. ⁴² The queen of Sheba will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen.

As usual, the New Testament is the Old Testament unveiled. According to scripture, Nineveh was a great city (Jonah 1:1-2). To Jonah it was a city whose people do not deserve mercy but wrath. Nineveh was an Assyrian city that constantly tormented and troubled Israel. Jonah knew that in being sent to Nineveh, if by any chance the people “repented” , God would relent and spare this “irritant” of a nation. Jonah was a man of  God…but his heart was Loyally attached to Israel. So Jonah would have nothing to do with this.

B. Jonah Ran from God

1. Instead of going to Nineveh, he ran towards Tarshish. His goal, was to run from the presence of the Lord – Jonah 1:3. Can one run from God and God is omnipresent?

Through the storm, Casting Lot and eventually being thrown overboard, God responded in grace and kindness to those around him..something that Jonah could not see..why ? He was blinded by his “traditions”, “culture”, “fears” and “people”. He failed to see that God’s might and fame was not just limited to Israel, but “others” have come to know of God too !

Jonah also failed to see also how God would not relent at wanting to move through Jonah…to the point when Jonah was being swallowed up by the seas, God prepared a fish to be Jonah’s home for  3 days and 3 Nights !

Jonah relented not because he wanted to go willingly, but he wanted to get out of the fish’s belly !

Jonah gave up on Nineveh because of his hatred towards them and the "sins" Nineveh have commited against Israel. God instead "saved" the sailors by stopping the storm when Jonah was thrown into the ocean. God moved through Jonah even though he was an unwilling servant. If we were God, we would have been pleased the "difficult" servant would have been swallowed by the ocean and eaten by the fish. Good riddance to an annoying person. 

But no God reacted differently..He DID NOT JUDGE Jonah nor the Sailors !

C. THE NUMBER 3

3 Always always represents the purpose and will of God. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit ..they are 3 in person..but 1 in existence, in will, in purpose, in everything…so right here…the person on the stage, the focus of this is not Jonah, the fish …but God Himself and His plan to Save mankind !

Salvation is of the Lord and never the best intentions of man !

 D. JESUS BETTER THAN JONAH

Why did Jesus say in Mt 12:40, that someone better than Jonah is here...Someone better than Solomon is here ? 

Jonah represented the Law and people who live to perform their way to righteousness and heaven. The Law will always place demands on us...whereas Grace will supply the righteousness and save us ! God brings us to repentance by His word and His love for us..not through demands.

Hebrews 10 –Tells us how in the Old Testament, even if the priest offers the sacrifices, it can never take away the guilt of the errors.

Jonah represented the OLD COVENANT – THE LAW – Demands, Kills..because it has no power o save nor help man fulfill anything…Its like our roads having speed limits..without enforcement, education..it is just words that warn us..tell us what is right to do..but no power to help us do it..in the end ..speeding will kill.

God on the other hand Jonah shows the greatness of His heart by what He said to Jonah  at the end …

 ¹⁰ Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. ¹¹ But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?” Jonah 4:10

God’s grace always qualifies the unworthy…God is not angry with people, He is furious with Sin.

⁶ He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. (2 Cor 3:5)

So what does Jesus mean when He told the Israelites looking for a sign to think to Jonah..and then instead of leaving his audience at Jonah, He tells them..just like Jonah..God has someone better for you ! – Jesus

Jonah was an unwilling servant. Jesus came as a willing sacrifice in sacrifice He loved you first. Jonah wanted judgment on the people, Jesus wanted grace and forgiveness on the people. Solomon could give the best wisdom but no life. Jesus is your wisdom and in His word is Spirit and Life !Jonah spent 3 days and 3 nights as an unwilling servant in the belly of the whale..Jesus spent 3 days and 3 nights in the depths of hell, as a willing servant who sacrifice Himself because He loved YOU and I.

Hebrews 10 –Tells us when Jesus paid the price, He sat down ! When someone sits down from, it means the WORK IS DONE..It is finished !  Jesus is the Perfect Sacrifice ! Jesus paid the price for you to be reconciled back to God and forever will you be accepted. Jesus took your sin and on the cross cried out "MY GOD MY GOD..what have you forsaken me"...So that we can cry out "ABBA FATHER, why have you so bless us !".

E. THE PRODIGAL SON – Luke 15:13

In the story of the prodigal son, when the lost son came back to His dad, the dad never judged Him but clothe him and restored him. It was the lost son's older brother that felt left out and that his younger brother do not deserve this (the Jonah mentality). Can you see the difference between how humanity views errors and Sin ?..and how God views not sin but the Person who does not know what is right or wrong ? God never judge..so we should not too !

F. THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOU !

The best act of God in showing He has accepted us is giving us the Holy Spirit. If you read the account of Peter's experience at Conelius household in Acts 10, you will realised that Peter could testify of God accepting the gentiles is because God gave the gentiles the same "Pentecost" experience as God had given them in Acts 2:4. 

Acts 10, Acts 15.

⁷ At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe. ⁸ God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. ⁹ He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. ¹⁰ So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers^[ with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? ¹¹ We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.” (ACTS 15:7-10)

CONCLUSION 

Jesus is the seal of the new covenant..in this covenant is the promise of life..Not just the promise but the grace to live in it and inherit all that God has for His children, we are His children. You see friends, God has not judged you. Scripture tells us God loved us first. God love us and knew us while we were in the womb. God loves You !.

Friends, Jesus can to destroy all the works of evil on our lives. He has done it by dealing a final blow to the root of it - SIN. Sin is turning ourselves away from GOd. When we walk in darkness, we open the door to sin. Sin will produce its fruits - lying, cheating, murder, jealousy etc.  But when we turn back to God, and yield our lives to God, it is God that keeps us. Stay in His presence, stay in Him !

-----END----Edwin Koh

From Nothing to Everything..the Journey of Faith

Romans 1:17 New King James Version (NKJV)

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

 

Psalm 84:5-7 New King James Version (NKJV)
 5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
 6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools.

 7 They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.

The journey of 1 million from Egypt into the the promises of God often mirrors our own journey of faith with God. Israel was found in slavery, bondage and poverty. We need to remember poverty is not the situation of not having anything. It is the in the position of having it but not able to have freedom and the privilege to bake the cake and eat it. 

The Exodus of the 1 million across the Red Sea into the wilderness was suppose to be a journey of days became a journey of 40 years. We all know the story of the spies that came back with good report but with doubt that what they saw was really of God ! Too hard to get. Too impossible to achieve. Too difficult. Lets stay here and die here was their surrender.

People like Caleb was already 40 years old by then. It was only when he was 80 that he enjoyed all God had for them ! All because of the unbelieving believers ! But yet in the midst of unbelievers, Caleb, Joshua and I believed many more never stopped believing God !

Even in the wilderness God took care of their meals and shelter..all this while they were disobeying. This was the "ENOUGH". They had "ENOUGH" for each person, each family for each day and even weekend (Exodus 16:12-24). Just enough not more than enough.

How many times I hear people asking for their daily bread for their daily manna ? I wonder what is in their mind ? Manna was only for a season...but it was not God's ultimate plan for the Israelites and neither is it God's ultimate goal for you. Many people give-up in the enough. 50% faith enough. 50% of my life in obeying God !

Don't stop in the wilderness ! There's no complete rest and peace living in tents and shelters !.  The Israelites had manna for 6 (man work) days for 40 years (trials and struggles) in breaking through to trust God fully !

When the unbelieving believers in the camp died together with Moses, Joshua now took over the reigns to lead the people across the Jordan into Canaanland. How did they cross the Jordan river ? God instructed the Levites to carry the ark with them. The moment they stepped into the water, the waters were held back ! Amazing !

Extravagant Worship, is always  the priority of our lives. It is only in Worship we see miracles and revelations. Because our hearts are rooted in the love of God ! Never never give-up praying and bathing in the love of God for you !

9 So Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God.”

10 And Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites:(Joshua 3:9-10)

God's promise to them to know GOd is with them is, they will see their enemies fall before them.

God is with you when you see everything that is against you becoming for you. Difficulty becomes nullified. Situations around you turned around for your good.. You see victory in everything ahead of you. 

Joshua 5:11-12

11 And they ate of the produce of the land on the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and parched grain, on the very same day.

12 Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year.

 

The moment they cross over into Canaanland, they began to enjoy the PRODUCE of the land. You see manna was not forever. Your current "ENOUGH" moments hand to mouth moments is not forever, God will bring you to a place where what He wants you to do, where He wants you to be will produce MORE THAN ENOUGH for you !. This is the rest God has for you.

Who is your more than enough ? it is Jesus Christ. He is not our means to everything..He is our everything. In moving with Him and obeying His word, He will produce the more than enough for you. Jesus is your rest !

You see, the produce of the land was not "produced" by the Israelites. It was the products of the "iets" Where were they ? The Jerichos saw the Israelites approaching, they all ran into the fortress of Jericho. 

We will see in the rest of Joshua, the conquest of Israel on all that was occupying Canaanland. Why did God want them to bring down Jerichos and the Ai's?. Its the same God deals with us. So that they will not anymore chances to bring you down ever again !Never rebuild the old attitudes and lifestyles that destroys you. Never waste your time on the works of SIN. Sin has no more hold on you because the Blood of Christ flows freely for you ! 

In our Christian journey today is summed up by Lydia's experiences in Acts 16:13:-15

13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.

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.

 From poverty to enough to more than enough ..is the journey of Christ in us. As we go from being an extravagant worshipper to a disciple (someone who listens to God) and to someone that follows (does what God wants us to do) Christ forever !

You are never a loser in trusting God at His word ! because God keeps His word always and through His word, He keeps You (see Jude 1:24).

Don't stay in the wilderness, don't be afraid Just BELIEVE !

Be Blessed 

Edwin Koh Boon Leng (17/10/11)

 

 

The End of Man..is the Beginning of God

REVIVAL

REVIVAL is basically saying this :

IF YOU BELIEVE…

JESUS CAN.

The end of man is the beginning of God. We have tried our way, our methods, our smartness..yet this life seems to just get out of control ! 

Many times, it is pride that makes us stick to the wrong path. Thinking that its about me/us. Its never that. It is never about  just us. The Fear of God is the beginning of REVIVAL (WISDOM). 

We were created for a purpose– to WORSHIP God. Jesus took our broke the curse of SIN and in Him reconciled us back to God. For one purpose only, that we will live to Him only.

(c) Edwin Koh 7/9/11

 BELIEVE | EXPECT| RECEIVE

You Can Believe

YOu CAn Believe

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23)

Yesterday (2/9/11), as I was cooking dinner for my family, God said something to me. He said, "just because something troubles me today, we must never forget what God has done yesterday and what He will do tomorrow". In fact God is the God of today too and it is in days like this who we are really are shows its true colors. 

I was at a Benny Hinn Crusade in Adelaide many years ago. Was a new Christian then. First time attending a miracle crusade. I was of course sceptical but wanting to believe. As I was witnessing the miracles, I was struggling to accept it as genuine. There God said something to me. He said whether I believe or not its up to me.

I decided that I want to believe. It was in 1997, that I had a terrible splitting headache and realised the left side of my face was swollen. I could not sleep as the pain was unbearable. So I got up, to watch TV. It was some Christian program with Marilyn HIckey on it. She was testifying that she was needing to preach that evening but she has a cold and her throat was troubling her. So she prayed every hour for God to heal her..and God did heal her.

So, I was in pain..I had nothing to lose. So I talked to God..I said to Him, I was going to pray like that ..every hour I will ask God to heal me..until He healed me. I did that for the whole of the next day. Pain the entire day, went to the dentist that morning. The dentist told me it was sinus infections and that if it did not get better, I may have to get tests done.

So went back home and kept on praying. That evening, I read Psalms 103 and as I begin to worship God...I remember the song I sang.."No other name but the name of Jesus"...God told me to put my left hand on my cheeks. That's what I did.. The moment I did that, a very warm sensation filled my entire body ! Then I realised the pain had stopped. I knew that I was ok. 

It was the following day, that when I was blowing my nose...the inflamation came out totally. 

Jesus healed me ! Of course that was not the only miracle I've received. Till today, God always shows Himself strong . As David declared to Goliath in 1 Sam 17:46  

"This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand,..."

The lady with the issue of blood said, if only I can touch the hem of His garment, I will be healed ! 

Nothing is ever impossible to them that believe in Jesus..Jesus is not your means to the miracle..He is the miracle. He is our more than enough !

To people that are sceptical, don't remain sceptical all your life and miss out on life. What a waste to never try and see if all Jesus is true or not. I tasted, and now I believe ! today I serve my Lord with my life ! No regrets ! 

Luv Edwin Koh Boon Leng (3/9/11)

I will invest in that, because it was loved...

 I will invest in that, because it was loved...

I just want to add this note because something someone said really makes more than sense to me. It was someone wanting to invest in property. Saw many options..but chose the not the first or the third..but the second one to dump RM1 Million into. The person's statement really had me thinking. This person chose the 2nd option, because...that property was "loved by the owners".

This got me thinking about the word Passion. This is not some exhaustive research or study done..but just by observation and opinion. Why do people love Ferraris ? Is it because of its price and the status it gives to the owner ? Or is it the passion that goes into building Ferraris that it carries the name of the founder. Why some other car companies are describe as building washing machines and dish washers on wheels..is it because they are just that..appliances on wheels.

Its the same for food. Passion of the chefs can be experienced in the food itself. From the quality of ingredients, to the care put into preparation, timing, controlling of temperatures and oh before all the the training gone into the person. Or has it got to do with the person's heart (his thoughts and feelings).


All in all, a successful person is one that wants to succeed and will discard dead works, dead faiths, dead attitudes and begin to pay the price to achieve. All this comes by dying to self every single day...and the fruit of all their labour is the by product of their lives ! 


Isn't that who  God is. He took it upon Himself to step out of heaven, walk 33 years on earth. Knows that He is not here to reign as King but to walk this life as a suffering servant. Why ? because only His death and resurrection ..only through His pain, can we gain...He gave it all to share with us all that HE IS...You see, passionate people are never selfish..but most of the time what they do often is for the benefit of others.


The Lord leads us in Path of Righteousness for His name sake..because He not only gave us His name..He gave us Himself. We bear His image everywhere we go. Jesus is so proud of YOU. 

Now, this life that we live in Him,..where HE IS LORD..we are stewards..stewards are people who manages that which belongs to the master...What would you put your name on in this life ?

Don't live this life aimless and empty anymore. Break-IN to Breakthrough !

Thank You Lord

 Thank You Lord

Excerpts from a sermon I preached on Sunday 28/8/11.

Scriptures - 2 Cor 12:7-10, 1 Thess 5:18

His grace is more than enough for us, and His strength is made perfect in our weaknesses. Grace is the greek word- Charisma. It means God's unmerited favour for us who do not deserve it. Its a gift. What is grace..Grace is Jesus. 


So often in life, when Jesus begins to work in us, and abundant life is filling us...New job, promotions, progress,..you start to go forward. But many take the changes that comes with progress and blessings as burdens. Why ? The wineskin that is unchanged or don't want to change. The wineskin is us having the capacity to adjust and adapt quickly in moving forward. This can come by, believing and knowing His grace for us. Being thankful and living a thankful life knowing that what God is doing for us far outweighs what we can ever do for ourselves.


Our limitations do not hinder God's amazing power and abilities. He will still work all things out for our good regardless of our capacity. What did Jesus do ? The people that were with Jesus before and during His crucifixion are clear representations of us.


1. He forgave the lost.  -John 3:16, Isaiah 53:6. The people standing and witnessing the brutal torture and crucifixion of Jesus..is who He first gave His life for. The Lost.

2. He had mercy for all that gave Him a hard time, then and now.
How many times we complain this is not enough, that is not enough. We run down Churches, and Pastors that He has placed for our blessing. Sin is not the things we do. Remember Sin is singular. Because Sin is (Rom 1:28), turning away from the creator of life, to idols. In walking in darkness, living this life apart from Jesus (the life that is the light of man), the products of what we say, we do, our lifestyle will surely pale from what it could have been.  

3. He set the guilty free. The crowd shouted to Pilate, "FREE BARABAS"...but "CRUCIFY JESUS". Jesus in going to the cross, He broke the chains of guilt and condemnation.He place it upon Himself and gave everyone a chance to start all over. A chance to do things right. Doing things right is relying on Him.

4. He told the convicted next to Him, that today "you will be with me in paradise". So often we are living the consequences of our past decisions and even errors of generations before. Seems hopeless. At the last breath of life, and your wits end...is there hope ? With Jesus there is. the guilty and condemn crook, found peace even at the last moment. This tells me, there is no defeat, no "this is the end" moments for you, if you turn to Jesus.  

Your beginning to a greater life begins with having the right attitude to take you to greater altitudes.

"Be thankful"  in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus 
(1 Thess 5:18)

What is the definition of love ? It is not 1 Cor 13 where Paul talks about love. 1 Cor 13 is the outcome of love. The definition of  love  is this. 

"THiS IS LOVE", not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son" as an atoning sacrifice for our sins  (1 John 4:10) 

It is in His love, we find grace to go forward. Something that we cannot do on our own. In our weaknesses, it is not pretending to be weak, or pretending to not able to do things. In our weaknesses means, knowing that in this life, without Jesus, we can do nothing.


May God Bless You richly as you begin to do things right. When you do right, you will see His blessings !

Luv, Edwin Koh Boon Leng (29/8/11)

GraceD YOUR WORDS

GRACED YOUR WORDS
George Müller told of a wealthy German whose wife was a devout believer. This man was a heavy drinker, spending late nights in the tavern. She would send the servants to bed, stay up till he returned, receive him kindly, and never scold him or complain. At times she would even have to undress him and put him to bed.

One night in the tavern he said to his cronies, “I bet if we go to my house, my wife will be sitting up, waiting for me. She’ll come to the door, give us a royal welcome, and even make supper for us, if I ask her.”

They were skeptical at first, but decided to go along and see. Sure enough, she came to the door, received them courteously, and willingly agreed to make supper for them without the slightest trace of resentment. After serving them, she went off to her room. As soon as she had left, one of the men began to condemn the husband. “What kind of a man are you to treat such a good woman so miserably?” The accuser got up without finishing his supper and left the house. Another did the same and another till they had all departed without eating the meal.

Within a half hour, the husband became deeply convicted of his wickedness, and especially of his heartless treatment of his wife. He went to his wife’s room, asked her to pray for him, repented of his sins, and surrendered to Christ. From that time on, he became a devoted disciple of the Lord Jesus. Won without a word!

George Müller advised:
Don’t be discouraged if you have to suffer from unconverted relatives. Perhaps very shortly the Lord may give you the desire of your heart, and answer your prayer for them. But in the meantime, seek to commend the truth, not by reproaching them on account of their behavior toward you, but by manifesting toward them the meekness, gentleness and kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ.