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