When You First Don't Succeed...

WHEN YOU FIRST DON'T SUCCEED

5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. (Luke 5:5-7)

When we first don't succeed, try and try again is a formula for failure. Because if you ever want different results from the result you've already got, it is not try and try again..It is "when we first don't succeed make changes and then try again".

Jesus in the center of your lives will begin to see change and increase in your lives. Increase is not so we can live a comfortable and luxurious lives..full of selfish extravagant indulgence. Increase comes into our lives so that we can begin to help others increase as well 
(see verse 7).

Increase will overflow your boat forever even as you are helping others, your boat will not be in lack but will always overflow. This is because God will always supply seed for the sower...Be a giver...be a generous giver !

Jesus told them to make changes. Go and fish according to His word and wisdom. Its not just about location, or product, or methods..its all about listening to Him directing and leading you. Jesus told them to go fish because fishes comes out at His command and wisdom !

Go deep...is to wait longer, pray more, fast more, be patient more..

Jesus is our more than enough !

Information introduces you to change..does not cause change..JEsus will bring change and when we want to change...we will change !

So one of the greatest lesson of life I've ever learnt is this..."Learn to Listen"

Luv Edwin 19/6/12

Jesus is.

JESUS IS

Acts 4:12 -“And there is no salvation in any other man, for there is no other name under Heaven given to the children of men by which it is necessary to receive life.”

I always wondered where does one find peace in religion and a hope that is secure where there it is dependent on what I do and don't do to achieve it.

While walking to the coffee shop to "tapau" lunch for my wife and kids...we are totally exhausted from an adventure that cut short our "holiday" and led us to the hospital. My youngest boy had breathing difficulties that forced us to hop-off our express bus and rush to hospital. Thank God Jesus is fully in control and he is on the express way to complete healing.

Usually such dramatic and jarring situations, takes alot out of me...but its moments like this I ask God questions that starts with "why". As always in difficult situations He has something for me to know. So this is what He said to me...

"When salvation is self-dependent, people become desperate and angry because they know, to be good enough for heaven is impossible". Not even the best of charitable righteous living can ever get us into heaven. Frankly speaking man's actions are not always rooted in the best motives and intentions. Romans 1:28, " Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done"

Sin is not what we do or don't do. Sin is trying to be god or play god. Sin is as Romans 1:28 tells us, not acknowledging God in our lives. Sin is taking ownership of our lives and living it our own way and methods that rightfully is not ours to have and do. Lying, cheating, murder and all the bad stuff people do...all the evil intentions in our hearts etc is the fruits of self righteousness and self deception. Since God is the sole giver of life, living without God ..will lead us to death.

I really thank God He gave us His only Son to break the curse of sin and bring us back to Him. Jesus is the only way, truth and life. In the scripture verses below, we will see what happens when man takes over.

(Mt 21:12-15)

12Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13“It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’”

14The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,”

 they were indignant.

When Jesus is no longer the center of our lives, our Churches, our families...this is what happens. Do you know why they were selling doves in the temple ?..Doves are a symbol of peace and the Holy Spirit. Both were non existent when Jesus is not in the center but kept out of His temple.

To compensate for lost of light and abundant life, people compensate it with worldly living. Programs, events, all kinds of activities. Those things are good..but if Jesus is not in the center of our lives, what good can they bring to our lives ?

The moment, Jesus entered into the temple...he drove all this things out ! Holiness is symbolised usually by fire. When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, the dross will be burnt and consumed. Fire also brings light...light will expose the dirt. Fire will also prepare us to be sanctuaries of worship. When people worship Jesus, He will draw all men onto Himself..That's where we will see miracles again !

Luv Edwin Koh 19/6/12

Kingdom Ways-Di-Vision

Kingdom Ways 

(Di-Vision)

5 But Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents.

6 Now the land was not able to nourish and support them so they could dwell together, for their possessions were too great for them to live together.

7 And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle. And the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land [making fodder more difficult to obtain].

8 So Abram said to Lot, Let there be no strife, I beg of you, between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are relatives.

9 Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself, I beg of you, from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you choose the right hand, then I will go to the left.

10 And Lot looked and saw that everywhere the Jordan Valley was well watered. Before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, [it was all] like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as you go to Zoar.

11 Then Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley and [he] traveled east. So they separated. 

(Gen 13:5-11)

A couple of things we can learn from this passage of Scripture about Kingdom principles and processes.

1. (Verse 6), Sometimes two are not meant to be together. This is especially when each has chosen different pathways to go. God did tell Abraham to leave it all behind and follow Him. However Abraham brought everyone along with him. We can say this is Abraham's fault. Sometimes we have to let go of emotional attachments and sentimentality to pursue that which is of God. God's blessings for you is meant for you. God will give people for your life and place people that will walk with you and help you build. That can only happen when those that are not meant to be there with you, are taken away.

2. (Verse 10), Lot in hebrew is to be veiled. His sight is blurred and handicapped. This is especially true of us before we know Jesus as our Savior. When we were living in Sin, our eyes are veiled. All we saw was our own needs for survival. We lived not for others..definitely not to give..But to Get and to take. When we live like this...we live in poverty. When we don't have enough, we start blaming others. We are always about ourselves. Just like Lot (verse 11), "Lot chose for himself".

Sin is not what we do or don't do. Sin is living this life as though we are god. We do not acknowledge God as God in our lives. When we take control of our lives, we live in toil and snares. Never having enough. Never getting enough. Never giving..never sharing. Its all about me me me..Thinking stuff makes me. When we repent and come to Christ, living by faith..God takes us above and beyond this world's standard.

How many today will live for Christ and be ridiculed because they live for Christ. How many willing to suffer to Christ. How many willing to bear it all? There's a price to pay.

Many preached carrying the cross a burden. However the real burden is trying to save our lives that eventually we will lose. Bearing the cross , our lives in Christ is our hope of glory its a route of blessing and joy ! Yes there will be challenges, but the blessings of knowing Jesus far outweighs it all !

Lot chosed the "best"..the best eventually not good at all. Abraham took what was given to him, eventually ended up be blessed and us too !

Always choose God's way and not my way...Make decisions that will benefit GOd's call on your life and not decisions to gain more stuff. When you seek God's kingdom first (Mt 6:33), and His righteousness (walking in Jesus' word, He justifies you and clears you for the road ahead), He will add all things to you.


Live by faith !


Luv


Edwin Koh (c) 12/6/12

2 Years Ago...

2 Years Ago...

We have been on the pioneering and pastoring for the past 10 years. All I can say is, its all Jesus, past, present and future. 

2 years ago (2011), we wanted to give-up church planting, walk away from Johor Bahru and said to God take us anywhere else except JB. We were ready to leave it all behind and go. Why ? Church planting and pastoring without following Jesus through and through was like walking in hell on earth. We had no idea how to deal with all the complexities not of ministries but people and the issues they bring with them.

I admit I made mistakes in decisions and had no patience in waiting on God and allowing Him into the lead and control of it all. Had no wisdom in dealing with people and managing my own reactions and how deep I allowed hurts to go deep. People also said having the wrong people makes it harder to build any church...but today whatever you say, Church is about people..and people as people are ...just like me...imperfect. Today I say to my family at Word of Life, we re a Church of equals..everyone has a past, and imperfect it was..today all of us stand before God, because of what Jesus has done and His blood that was shed for us.

It was that time...2 years ago, God asked me this..."Do you still want to do this ?". I knew in my heart, the pain and hurts were so real, but the call was still there..but how ?..However, I said Yes Lord. That was the moment, God miraculously lifted the "daggers" in my heart. He then said this..."Now, do it MY way, no longer your way."

This time, we've learnt to wait and not rush ahead. We've learn to let Jesus walk us through it all. The only thing we do alot is ...PRAY PRAY PRAY PRAY PRAY PRAY ! Why not ! ...nothing else worked in the past...handing out flyers, cell groups, and all kinds all kinds of programs..nothing worked..so instead of trying so hard..put all the strength and effort in what works the most...in PRAYER ! Instead of trying to be god...Let God be God !

Today, Jesus is truly the one that builds this Church. We don't have cell groups or any other meetings..The only thing other than Sunday Services, is our corporate prayer meeting with our family that comes from Faith Methodist Church. Even in the prayer meetings...this is the policy...no other agenda..but His ..only His !

So let God be God !

More Posts from Facebook and Twitter

More Posts from Facebook and Twitter

a. WALKING WITH GOD

1. Tough journey, but Jesus will keep walking with us as we walk through.

2. Complaining and murmuring only reaffirms the reality of going forward..but faith see that reality of challenges and difficulties but its no longer you or about you..but our Lord God, Jesus who has gone before to give you the victory for His purpose alone.

3. Faith is not a rose tinted glass that denies facts and reality..it gives you victory as you serve God's purpose and walk in His leadings.

4.inaction breeds complacency and fear is birth...action in faith destroys limitations and inspite of fear, Jesus brings you forward..

5. In fear, I saw nothing ...In faith Jesus sees me in Him.

6. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and 

self-discipline. (2 Cor 1:7)

7. pray pray pray...waiting on HIm...not a burden..carrying our cross is not a burden..the only burden is if we try to save our own lives.

b. THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST

1. So much that has complicate the simple message of the cross..When you see Jesus, its not theology that matters...its the message of the cross..the Gospel of Christ that matters. 

(1 Cor 1:18)

2. When all is said and done, and when we come back to the heart of Worship - JEsus in the center, all that matters then is the Cross ...that old empty cross that once hung my Lord and God ! but today an empty cross ! BEcause Jesus is alive !

c. LIFE AND RELATIONSHIP
1. Don't be a burden to others..learn to be a blessing instead.