PARENTING AND FAITH (TAKEN FROM MY FB)

PARENTING AND FAITH (TAKEN FROM MY FB)

Best sellers are best sellers because of great marketing and advertisements. Books contains knowledge but no life and certainly no Spirit.  

When I first became a parent some 10 years ago, I did not know anything about being a great father but I know to be a dad is given but to be a great dad is by choice. I want to give the best of me to my children. I love them so with all my life.

Books were a great source of knowledge and advice ..some practical..others just ridiculous and coming from a culture that is vastly different. But God uses life to train us and mold us. Thru His word and the power of the Holy Spirit, God as my Abba has shown me His love and continues to every single day. With the love He has given me , He helps me to reflect on His example to me and that alone is more than enough inspiration and grace in loving my own sons.

Too many people I've come across are trying to implement knowledge from books, seminars, conferences on their children. They wonder why their kids are not responding in obedience. Too many parents employ logic and "opinions" and suggestions from what they read, watch and hear but forget to do one thing...Love their children. 

Ma! how did you bring me up? Oh by this book or thru that seminar. Kids rebel and become bullies because obedience is demanded and if not ROTAN (punishment). No wonder many adults today detest authority because at home they detest the only authority that makes the difference-Parents. Bullies are bred at home by how their parents treat them and relate to them. 

Open your hearts to God's love. He loved you first. He never demanded but loved you first. A love that is faithful and long suffering. When I opened my heart to God after many years of serving God (ministry)---go figure ! ...He helped me to realised wow ! His love is so awesome. Even when I stumble, He still loved me. God never fail to let me know He just loves me. So how I can I love my children other ways ?..can because I am human being and weak. but I never fail to hug my kids, tell them I love them..show it in ways like giving them my time, money, toys and best of all affirmation. 

God had to change me first...remember kids are not a burden but they are just mini you and me.

Below are just some FB statuses I've put on my FB page recently..Hope you'd be blessed !

Love you kids, with the love Abba loved you.

1. PARENTING in GRACE

a. God never demanded obedience. He always shows us His faithfulness and love in our lives. When we learn to accept His love is irrevocable and boundless..our Abba, its no longer obedience to an authority figure but to Heavenly Father who loved us first.

b. When a parent demands obedience from their children, children will rebel and will eventually hate that relationship to an authority. They will see their parents as bullies and they in turn bully others. But when children are loved and they know it, obedience is given...Love you kids they are no burden.

c. One thing God opened my eyes this year to is how a couple who runs a community tuition ministry may not have the best methods, am very strict but because they love the 40-50over kids ..the kids did so well in their exams this year not because of the methods or the rotan sometimes but because they know they are loved...love breeds hope and faith.

with luv 12/12/13
Edwin Koh

THE END TIMES & 666

THE END TIMES & 666

by Edwin Koh Boon Leng

12/10/13

Here are some things God has shown me about the end times and the coming of Christ. 

1. WHEN WILL JESUS COME BACK?

If you study everytime judgement came on lets say Sodom and Gomorrah, and even at Noah's time, you notice one thing. Judgement came as scriptures (1 Thess 5:2) says "for you yourselves perfectly know that the day of the Lord comes like a thief of the night". At night people are sleeping not expecting anything. However in Matthew 24, the Bible has given us signs of the end times but those BIM ! BAM! BOOM ! are signs but not the end.  Remember the parable of the 10 virgins? The master came back when those that were "complacent" or lets say "sleeping" were not prepared. They thought they have time on their hands. 

You see Jesus will come back when the world is sleeping in sin. Just like in the time of Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah. When society comes to a place where wrong is right and right is unpopular and hard to stand up for anymore. Why ? when sin is justified and declared as alternative living.

Society seems to be headed that way. 

2. WHAT IS 666 THEN ?

  

Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. (Rev 13:18)

God created man on the 6th day.  Number 6 always speaks of the strength of man. Man did not begin work on the 6th day neither did he began doing stuff on the 7th. Man had to find rest in God and let God be God and Lord and King before he can function in this world. 

You see God made man in His own image but God did not create man to replace Him or to do what He does. Man yes a little higher than the angels but remains a creation of God needing God. 

What is sin ? Sin in Romans 1:28 tells us is the rebellion of Man. Man refuse and see no need to acknowledge God for who He is. 

God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit makes up what theologians define as the Holy Trinity. In the last days, religion that has been the hindering force to the progression of Sin and immorality and injustice will be trampled upon and thrown into the garbage cans of the world. Instead as in Revelations 13, the dragon (the devil) will try to rule the world thru man. Man or the beast is the proxy of the devil.

The world as in Revelations 13 tells us will marvel and because they live not by the Truth of God's Word but by what they see...They will bow down to the 666...

The 666 is the replacement to the Holy Trinity. In the lastdays, we will see the beast 666 do one blaspheme thing ..that is to step into the centre of sacredness ...into God's temple and put himself as the centre and all worship will be demanded .

That's the mark of the end..

3. REHEARSING FOR HEAVEN

Nope..we are preparing to STAND when the abomination of desolation comes. According to the book of Daniel 7 years it will be. The Abomination will come in the middle of the 7 years.  We will walk and live thru the tribulation..but God will rapture us and rescue the faithful.

So today, if you are not steadfast in Him and bothered by provisions...you have not rested in Him. Learn to trust in Jesus..Ask the Holy SPirit to help you in your walk in Christ. You don't have to do it in your own strength. But in His.  

(See Daniel 9:27, Daniel 12:11, Mt 24:15, Mk 13:14)

Everything today strengthens the pride and arrogance of man..the marks of the end of the world. 

So Learn to walk by faith now it will determine how you last in the tribulation. In the tribulation you can take on the 666 to buy, to trade to do anything..because you have to deny Christ. So how to live through it ? it is by Faith..JEsus today is your provision...Jesus is not the means to..but IS ..learn it today before you take on something that takes you away from God and your salvation.

 

GET READY !

Luv Edwin Koh 12/10/13 

Marks of a Born Again Believer (2/2)

Marks of a Born Again Believer (2/2)

(Acts 10/Acts 15)

5 Jesus answered, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, unless a man is born of water and [even] the Spirit, he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)

When a baby is in the mother's womb, the baby cannot see what is outside..no see his parents. But when the baby comes into the world, he finally sees what's beyond the comforts of the mother's womb. So when we want to live in God's kingdom and walk in it and benefit from being a son and daughter of God...we need to be born again not in the flesh but in the Spirit.

Being borned of water is to be born thru repentance. Turning away from the world's rebellious nature of not acknowledging God (Rom 1:28) to Him as God and King. We begin respond to His word as not just refuge but our pillars to go forward from. How ? grace?..Yes..Grace is God's attitude towards us..Love is God's passion for us..However its not just that. 

Ezekiel 36..tells us that God will give us a new heart and put His spirit in us that we will walk in His ways. John 7:38-39 tells us that the promise of the Father to us is the gift of the Holy Spirit. When we receive Christ, the Holy Spirit is deposited in us as a mark of ownership..that we belong to God. But when we are baptised in the Holy Spirit when we ASK JESUS FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT...we submit to the Lordship of the King.

But more than just ownership. How do we know the Holy SPirit is in us ?..Don't you want to have assuarance that you belong to God and that God accepts you ? Faith yes..but faith is always proven and materialises in matter that we can (Heb 11:1) see, hear, feel, smell, hold, taste etc.

How ? 

Lets look at what happened at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15.

7 And after there had been a long debate, Peter got up and said to them, Brethren, you know that quite a while ago God made a choice or selection from among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the message of the Gospel [concerning the attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God] and believe (credit and place their confidence in it).

8 And God, Who is acquainted with and understands the heart, bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit as He also did to us;

The Jewish believers were debating about the authencity of the faith of the gentiles here. Peter got up to defend the gentiles who have to turn to Christ. What did he use to justify his argument ? See in vs 8 of Acts 15..."God, who is acquainted with and understands the heart, bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit as He also did to us;" What was Peter referring to ?

Peter was referring to Cornelius household in Acts 10:44-47

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the message.

45 And the believers from among the circumcised [the Jews] who came with Peter were surprised and amazed, because the free gift of the Holy Spirit had been bestowed and poured out largely even on the Gentiles.

46 For they heard them talking in [unknown] tongues (languages) and extolling and magnifying God. Then Peter asked,

47 Can anyone forbid or refuse water for baptizing these people, seeing that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?

Peter based his reasoning to accept Gentile believers on 2 occasions when the Holy Spirit "baptised" or fell on the people. He used what happened to the 120 in Acts 1:8, and Acts 2:4 and right here in Cornelius household in Acts 10:44-47..On both occasions when the Holy Spirit fell on the people what happened ? 

In  Acts 10:46 "For they heard them talking in tongues and extolling and magnifying God".   It was Tongues and gloryfying God that convinced the Jewish believers that the gentiles have been accepted by God !

So when I pray in Tongues...I know the Holy Spirit is in me. and I know that God accepts me as a genuine believer for Jesus Christ..Isn't that so comforting and empowering !!!

Its a powerful truth that sets believers secure in their faith and hopefully moving on to discover their purpose ! ...

But not many people speak in Tongues..but are they genuine believers...YES ! but don't you want to have the guarantee like above ?

Luv Edwin Koh

30/9/13

 

MARKS OF A BORN AGAIN BELIEVER (PART 1/2)

MARKS OF A BORN AGAIN BELIEVER (PART 1/2)

MARK 16:15-18

by. Edwin Koh Boon Leng (30/9/13)

Mark 16:15-18, Amplified Bible (AMP)

15 And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach and publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature [of the whole [human race].

16 He who believes [who adheres to and trusts in and relies on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] and is baptized will be saved [from the penalty of eternal death]; but he who does not believe [who does not adhere to and trust in and rely on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] will be condemned.

17 And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages;

18 They will pick up serpents; and [even] if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well.

• Remember in John 3, Nicodemus reacted by asking how can one be born again ? Is it possible for a grown person to go back into his mother's womb to be born again? Jesus did say, what is born of flesh will flesh..What is born of the Spirit will be spirit. Why was Jesus so adamant at being born again ? Because being born again is to reboot an entire human being into a new life into a new way...GOD'S LIFE...GOD'S way..in God's Kingdom. God is spirit. Those that worship / fear Him/ serve Him, must do so in the Spirit. 

• What's God's Kingdom ?...God 's kingdom is wherever God is ..which is everywhere as He is omnipresent. Where Jesus is King. How does the King rule ? A King rule His subjects by His decrees (His Word) and His Subjects enjoy the life and benefits of being His subjects. So miracles and His providence is not a "miracle" per say but an everyday occurance. Finally in God's kingdom, we His subjects serve His purpose alone..So God's Church which is the Ekklesia have been called out for such a purpose as this.

• You see many Christians do not have the right purpose in life. They receive Christ..but like the 9 Lepers, they go back to their old ways. Only 1 that was cleansed, so no need to go back to the priest. Instead he turn around and headed straight to Jesus ! To a new life..a Covenant set forth by His blood...The law could not save. Only Jesus could and still can.

• Many Christians are lost in this world because they are not sure if they are saved or not. How does one know He is saved ? ...well he is BORNED AGAIN ! ..What are the marks of being born again ?

In accordance to Mark 16:15-18..here they are :

  

a.Preach Jesus = Praising and Sharing Jesus. 

Just like the Samaritan woman in John 4, when Jesus touched her, the first thing she did was to go back to her village to tell everyone about Jesus. When we tell people about Jesus, when we come to Church to praise Him in song...why because of the joy of Jesus in us !

b.Believes unto a new life 
(Transformed to Walk in His Way) 

The leper turned back to Jesus without going to the priest because we will always follow the one that changed our lives for good. The one that makes a difference in our lives. Not only Jesus is God..He is King !

c.Drive out demons = a New Authority /New Victory 

No longer do we live defeated but the enemy everything that can be named is placed under our feet. 

d.New Tongues = New heart (Eze 36) 

Why a new tongue?..Out of the abundance of our heart we speak. The values of our lives is in our heart ...our soul. The first thing the Holy SPirit did on pentecost was to influence the tongue (language) why ?...Because God wants to change our hearts..Remove the rebellion and disobedience to a heart maliable in His hands. 

e.Favour and protection = Is Life (Ps 30:5-6) 

God's anger on us may last for a night but rejoicing comes in the morning. And His favour is for life ! .Nothing more to say.

f.Healing of others (miracles)

Begin to love others. Begin to serve others...out of our hearts will flow rivers of living water..We begin to serve others and love others.

So this are the marks of a Born again believer 

• luv Edwin Koh

30/9/13

GOD'S DOES NOT PERFORM MIRACLES FOR THE MINISTER TO BE "SHIOK" ONLY !

GDNPMFTMTBSO

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 

 

10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” 

 

11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. (John 2:6-11)

What was the actual purpose of this miracle ? Fourfold answer.

1. Reveal Jesus as creator (Elohim). How he transformed ordinary into something that did not exist in the very beginning.

2. The Holy Spirit. Jesus said to the samaritan woman in John 4, that when she drinks of the water He gives to her...she will thirst no more. She will have no need to drink of anywhere else but Him. The Holy Spirit is the anointing of the anointed Saviour. Zechariah 4:6, tells us that it is not by might, nor by power but by the Holy Spirit. Only when we make way for the Holy Spirit..not just know Him but believe in Him too...can the work of abundant life so overfill and overflow us.

3. The first people that benefited from this miracle was the wedding guests and the manager. Miracles are not for self-glorification. God does not perform miracles to exalt man to super-celebrity status. Miracles are there to bless and benefit others. It is meant to reveal Himself as the only one that satisfies. Be a servant of Jesus Christ not try to play God..Let Jesus be God and you and me learn to love others as Christ loved us.

4. The second group of people is of course the servants and especially the disciples of Christ. Can you imagine the moment they saw the water turning into wine and the reaction of it..Nobody knew how the miracle happened but the disciples of Christ do. They saw it..eventhough they had no drink of it..they saw it happen ! Their faith soared because of that. They recognised for the first time, who Jesus really is ! ...GOD !

God Bless You
Edwin Koh ...5/8/13 

Hauntings of the Past

Hauntings of the Past

³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

 ³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.“You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (Mt 14:30-31,NIV)

Before you can ever go forward, you need to release the failures of the past. Fear of the past repeating itself will bring the past back into your future. Start by turning back to God and be honest with the cause of failure. Only then you can go forward.

Let me share from my own failures. No shame about it but it may help many who are disillusioned with ministry, people and life. 

When my wife and I obeyed God to step out of our commitments to a local church, we did it not because of offenses because there were none. We were very much in good relationships then till today. We stepped out with the vision in hand and desire burning to serve God in a new journey of faith. In fact when we first pioneered Word of Life back in 2005, our Senior Pastor then agreed to be our Spiritual Covering, something that would not have happened if we left in offense. 

Anyways, to cut the long story short...Word of Life had its first service at a hotel in Johor Bahru called Good Hope Hotel. It took us 2 months to get a shoplot of our own at Taman Impian Emas in August 2005. It was there Word of Life started growing and it was really flourishing ! We had our first water baptism and even conducted a simple holy matrimony too.

One year later in 2006 in August, while closing the metal grill doors of the Church premise, I nearly died. I was electrocuted while trying to pull the metal doors close. The electric board said there was a power leakage and direct current was coursing all over the building. Thank God, I believe He saved me for another day. However, the electric current broke my left shoulder blade which caused the left side of my shoulder to sink down.

Today, God has helped me to realise why things have become so unfruitful in ministry since then. Growth comes and goes. Misery aplenty at times. But there were too moments of greatness but it never remains. 

You see God showed me that after the electrocution, I did not dare walk into that building anymore. Everytime after the incident, when I needed to open the grill door, I made sure I had a test pen with me. Made sure there was no power leakage before I insert the keys to the door. Immediately, we made the decision to get the owner to let us have 1/2 of the deposits and we will return the building to him as we felt not safe in using it anymore. That was where we started renting hotel ballrooms, rented here and there.

To cut the long story even shorter, this was the beginning of intimidations and fear setting in. Fear of the past repeating itself. Fear of things repeating itself. 

Fear is very much like faith. We believe. What we believe somehow will always come to past. To be able to move forward in life, we need to be honest and brave enough to admit our mistakes. Admit not to others. Admit to ourselves first and then to God ! Let God take the wounds of the past away so that you can go forward. 

DEBTS COMPLETELY GONE !

DEBTS ARE COMPLETELY GONE !

23/1/13

The promises of God that God revealed to me that He is with me in this is these 2 precious promises:-

 14 “Sacrifice thank offerings to God,
fulfill your vows to the Most High,
15 and call on me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me (Psalms 50:14-15)

and

14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.” (Psalms 91:14-16)

Credit card repayments can be so challenging especially when income is not consistent. However it this big mistake I made in my life, God came through to deliver and set us free.

The big mistake was using the card to help pay for our early days in running  and pioneering church services, and all other "ministry" things. A big error in judgment and a symptom that  God would reveal to me of something deeper than it is.

Last year, we actually paid RM1,000.00 plus to reduce the amount. However due to inconsistency the outstanding went up and down. It reached a point that was not making any payment.

Every month and week, my wife and I have been praying for a breakthrough in this. God showed me in the past that debt is equivalent to sin. Sin (ROM 1:28) is basically not acknowledging God and Lord in our lives. Doing things our own way and living our lives as though we are god and not Him.

This "error" as Jesus showed me was a symptom of something that God has been wanting me to deal with and yield to Him. It is Sin. We lived our lives and doing ministry shaken and stirred by circumstances and never rooted in prayer and steadfast in Him. 

Instead of letting Him lead and show the way, we dealt with things the way we "knew" how. The easiest, the fastest without much effort. In the end, led to this.

This week the Bank called me and offered me a solution. I owed RM4,100.00 ..they said since all these were interest and charges ..they told me if I could pay RM3,200.00, they will close the case and reinstate my financial credibility.

This came after God led me to pray and ask Him for the impossible. I asked Him to clear this debt from us this month..Its been too long carrying this pain in our lives and the constant calls from the Bank has been stress laden.

So when the Bank called, God helped me to recognised His hand in it. So for the past 3-4 days, my wife and I have been fasting and praying. 

God taught us precious lessons.

1. Repent of Sin and take our feet out of it forever.

2. Learn from error of inconsistent prayer in the past.

3. Let Him lead.

4. Even with this burden, just keep our eyes on Him 

5. Worship Him through it and after it.

Today, God woke me up (23/1/13) with faith in me knowing something good will happen to us today. My parents offered to loan us the amount. We decided to take the offer and will pay them back every month till the full amount.

Thank God for family and especially our parents. They will always be the ones that stand by you in it all.

Today, we walked into the Bank and banked in the RM3,200.00 and walked out in Jesus' victory.

God then spoke to me again in the car..He said to me, He wanted me to learn the last lesson in this which is that when we sin and play god, we bear the consequences of it alone. but when we repent and turn back to God and recognise that He is Lord and the one that paid a price so great for all our errors...SUCH MERCY !..not just because He loved us and we are His beloved..but because of His MERCY !!!

He still wanted me to pay back my parents but now its free of the stress of bank demands and interest..because He showed me how much of parents loved us, and He placed the power back into our hands.

So that is my story. Hope it blesses you too.