Hi ppl,

I just wanna share w you a testimony and the encounter i had with God during my lowest point. Hopefully it will encourage you (:

Title: Faith & Trust

When something goes wrong in your life, and you can do nothing about the situation, many of times; you'll feel dishearten.
Situation is worst when things have always been smooth in your life and you've nvr faced any setbacks but all of a sudden, failure strikes you.

There are just some things in my life that isnt going too smoothly or rather i've nvr faced any setback like this. The first day, i was really upset. I cried and i questioned God, "why things turn out this way, this is not what i wanted. Haven't i been faithful in serving you and abiding to your words?" I didnt even wanted to serve that weekend and wanna hide away from the whole world but I really thank God for His words. If not for His words, my Faith and trust in Him will waver.

God reminded me of many verses in the bible. Just to share a few here. One of which is in James 1:2 where God reminded me that these are trials in my life, and that He is testing my faith and trust in Him.

The other verse He reminded me is taken from Col 1:3-14. On sat, when i attended service, i really came with a heavy heart. I really didnt wanna sing praise and so i just clap my hands "Strengthlessly" and didnt sing with a thankful heart to praise Him. Then again, God reminded me from Colossians to give thanks and praise God no matter what situation we are in. I was also reminded by what Pastor shared before. He mention that it is really difficult to praise God in times or troubles and at your lowest point. But he also said, all the more you shld give thanks to God, and praise Him even louder. Thus, i lift my heavy heart up unto God and started praising Him. Indeed all was good. I felt much relieve after that.

Then again, on Monday, another situation hit me. I was lyk really depressed; once again i ask God, "God, I tot you gave me your word, that nothing is impossible thru you, that if i continue to confess over it, it'll come to past?"
But God replied me instantly, "I am stretching you, bringing your faith for Me up to the next level." I was also reminded that God ways are higher than my ways. He has His plans for me and His plans will nvr go wrong. So i told God, "Show me your plan, God!"

True enough, He showed me His plans. At the start of October, when i had decided that i want to go SOT 2011, I trusted God. I trust that He will provide the fees for me, i trust that He will help me to plan my time so that SOT will not clash with my Uni classes. Now, God really showed me His plans. If i pass all my modules, my classes will be mostly in the morning especially in march. Now that i have to retake certain modules, my classes are mostly 330pm onwards and only one or two classed in the noon. For those who dont know, SOT classes are 830am to 1pm. Indeed, God ways are higher than my ways. He had it all plan out for me.

I am no longer upset and i aint afraid to share this. Yes, i failed 2 modules (which i really did not expect). It was a great blow to me becos i have nvr failed in my life or rather i have nvr failed examinations before. But God is faithful! When i trusted Him and feed on the Word of God, He showed me His ways. He is an awesome God and i can stand firmly and say becos of this, my faith in Him has increased and i have moved up to the next level.

To all christians: Nvr Give Up on God when u are faced with a difficult situation and dont understand why. For God will bring you out of the situation. He will nvr put u in any situation too difficult for you to handle. Trust Him, Have Faith in Him and Read His words.

Just happen to have this thought.

This is a strong message by Pastor Tan on one of the leaders' meeting, and I believe those who went the meeting was strongly impacted by what pastor had shared. Hopefully it will bring another new level of perspective on what exactly it meant to be a servant(one who serve) and a master(one who take care of his servant).

In Exodus, Moses was called to bring the people of Isreal to a promised land, in another words Moses brought the people out of Egypt, out of salvery to the land of Canan where they will be freed from their salvery. So the system would look this way:

Moses had brought the people out so that they could be freed from the salvery of Eygpt to another form of salvery, salvery of the 10 commandment where Moses received from God in Mount Sinai(Exodus 20). If you read on the rest of Exodus, you would realized that from Exodus 21 onwards, would be an elaboration of all the commandment that God have gave Moses.

Exodus 21:1-9

1 “Now these are the judgments which you shall set before them: 2If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing. 3 If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself. 5 But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.
7 “And if a man sells his daughter to be a female slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. 8 If she does not please her master, who has betrothed her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her. 9 And if he has betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. 10 If he takes another wife, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marriage rights. 11 And if he does not do these three for her, then she shall go out free, without payingmoney.

Now look at this paragraph, you would realized that this whole passage was talking about a Hebrew servant. And v2 is an elaboration of the 4th commandment: Sabbath day.

Now while we are talking about Hebrew servant, we need to find out the origin of how exactly can a Hebrew become a slave/servant? To understand this even further we shall look at Leviticus 25:23-55.

Leviticus 25:23-55 is very very very long story on how a person from rich ended up into a slave/servant. To start with, every man are entitled to a piece of land, from the highest top of the family tree, our grandfather to our father to us, this piece of land was inherit from time to time after one died off. So a person will never become poor if he were to use the land inherit to irrigate food for himself. BUT if a person were to become poor because of his bad investment, or because of his poor judgement, or because of gambling habits, whatever reasons it may takes to let him become poor, he is entitled to SELL his land to his debtors as a mortgage. This mortgage would last about 49years.



During this 49years, if he/she have a relative/friend who came to redeem for him, it shall be redeemed for him. But if he have no one to redeem for him BUT he himself redeemed it, he shall then determine the value for the year since he sold it and refund the balance to the man whom he sold it ; and then he could go back to his own property.

For e.g. If I sold the land on year 2000, and on year 2010 I managed to redeem it back, all i have to pay back is value of the land - 10years value of the land = 39years value of the land.

However, if the person is unable to redeem it, the property that he mortgage shall be returned to him on the Year of Jubilee, in another word after 49years.

For e.g. If I sold the land on year 2000 and unable to redeem it. I can only have it back on year 2049.

Next, what happens next is IF a person who had already had his property mortgage and still make bad investment, doesn't learn his lesson from, remains poor & credited with huge debts. The thing that he could mortgage is his house (Leviticus 25:29-30):

29 If a man sells a house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it is sold; within a full year he may redeem it. 30 But if it is not redeemed within the space of a full year, then the house in the walled city shall belong permanently to him who bought it, throughout his generations. It shall not be released in the Jubilee.

As you can see from this passage, if a person became poors and had to mortgage his house in order to pay off his debt, the lifespan for his house to be redeemed back is exactly 1year. Else, it shall belong to him/her who bought over the house after a year.

Now IF this person still refused to learn his lesson, still have not give up his bad habit, continuously getting himself in huge debt, yet he have no more possession, no more property, no more house to sell to you to pay back what he owe, he will then sell himself to you.

And thats how we got Hebrew servant who served under you. He served under you BECAUSE he forever was in huge debt, so huge that he first used his property, then his house, and all his possession until he have nothing else left but himself only. And yes, it was always because of DEBTS that caused him to be where he is.

Now we finally understand how did a person became a Hebrew servant. Now lets explore the unlying reason why do we have to understand this, and experience the magnificient grace that God gave us.

Now back to Exodus 21, we said that when we bought a hebrew servant, he is to serve us for 6years and on the 7th year he shall be freed and pays nothing. Why 6years and to be released on the 7th year?

• When we are borned in a good family, we got everything we need. We are rich, travelling around the world, enjoy single part of life we could.

  • Isn't this like when we got ourselves a big piece of land, not fearing that we will be poor one day?

** Yes, but in the end one person will be poor if he doesn't have a good judgement, or consume a bad habit that costs his big piece of land to be taken away from him. Or to be declared bankrupt.

• Now when we do not learn from our past lesson, we still spend like we used to be rich, thinking that we could have the world back. Still daydreaming that our credit cards could swipe like annual salary worth 100billions.

** Yup, consequences we all know. Selling more of our possessions, our jewellary, our house just to clear our debt.

• And now we realized one thing, we got no choice but to work in order to survive. In order to feed ourselves, we need to work. Work for the sake of surviving.

**Isn't this ending like, becoming a slave/servant to another master? Employee to employer.

Like a servant, you work to pay off your debt. You work/serve your boss to get yourself survive. This is where God's grace comes. God doesn't make you go through all these process to get himself some joy. This is happening to you because of a single word.

BECAUSE YOU DO NOT HAVE RESPONSIBLITY.

Yup, harsh as it is, but it's all because you lack of responsiblity for youself, that you have to learn to serve your boss. You have to learn new skills, new task, learn to be humble, learn to be resposible for your own action. Yes, that's why a servant had to serve for 6years, because this 6 year is a time frame for us to reflect and learn how to be a humble & responsible person.

That's God intentions for us: to be a humble & responsible person.

And often people who came to church are people who are lost, broken, poor, and we as a church are here to teach them how to be responsible & humble person, to follow God's will.

** A penny for your thought: “Have people/members' life changed after they came to church? For better or for worse?

So now the system will look this way:

When there is servant, there is master too. Just like there's heaven & there's earth.

And now if you are master, and you have a servant, you are to treat your servant well as well. This is what the bible says - Exodus 21:20-36.

20 “And if a man beats his male or female servant with a rod, so that he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished.
21 Notwithstanding, if he remains alive a day or two, he shall not be punished; for he is his property.
22 “If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.23 But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
26 “If a man strikes the eye of his male or female servant, and destroys it, he shall let him go free for the sake of his eye. 27 And if he knocks out the tooth of his male or female servant, he shall let him go free for the sake of his tooth.
28 “If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, then the ox shall surely be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be acquitted.
29 But if the ox tended to thrust with its horn in times past, and it has been made known to his owner, and he has not kept it confined, so that it has killed a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death.
30 If there is imposed on him a sum of money, then he shall pay to redeem his life, whatever is imposed on him.
31 Whether it has gored a son or gored a daughter, according to this judgment it shall be done to him. 32 If the ox gores a male or female servant, he shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
33 “And if a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls in it, 34 the owner of the pit shall make it good; he shall give money to their owner, but the dead animal shall be his.
35 “If one man’s ox hurts another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and divide the money from it; and the dead ox they shall also divide. 36 Or if it was known that the ox tended to thrust in time past, and its owner has not kept it confined, he shall surely pay ox for ox, and the dead animal shall be his own.

Picture yourself in this:

You have a maid, do you everyday torture your maid because you want to fully utilised whatever you have paid, or do you shower your maid with love as a master? Think!

When your maid is in trouble, are you the one as a master to stretch your hand to help her get out of the situation with your strength?

When you go travelling with your family, do you bring your maid along to enjoy whatever you are enjoying? Or do you just leave her at home, every now and then call her to make sure that she is not taking a break?

You will see when you and your maid contracts ended, will she leave you or will follow like what the bible said:

Exodus 21:5
"But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free.”

That's the level of love, care & concern you showered for your servant. To the extend that he/she wouldn't even want to leave you and said that they are willing to even serve you for the rest of their life. To be your BONDSERVANT, till they died.

Hey guys, Jus to share with you a few Testimony to encourage you guys before 2009 end and be faith filled for 2010!

1. Results
My this Semester exam was not as easy as expected especially History of Management Theory (one of my module). The paper was 50% of my entire grade. Out of that 50% i couldnt do 24% of section A as the questions i predicted did not came out at all. I panicked during the exam. Kept praying to God in my heart, as i know besides God's miracle, i will not be able to clear this paper. I trust in God with all my heart that He would help me as well as prayed with faith and fasted for my results. Indeed, God is good... Instead of just a pass, i got a credit (one grade higher than pass)! Praise the Lord. I know it's not by might nor by power but by the works of the Holy spirit that i was able to get such a good grade. I was happy with my overall results with 2 credits and 2 distinction. 1 high distinction, 1 distinction and 1 credit for all my projects. PTL!!!


2. Financial Blessings and Favor in work place
I just wanna thank God for financial blessings. It's not a big amt but thank God for Pastor Tan. He provided for my JB Pastor Kong retreat. Eventhough i was there to look after his kids, but it was a privilege being able to serve Pastor Tan and the best thing was being able to speak to Pastor Kong. Pastor Kong retreat was 4 days, without favor from my work place, i will not be able to take 4 days off. Thus, I wanna Thank God for Financial Blessings and favor in workplace. =)


3. Protection upon my mum and greater capacity and friends

As some of you know, my mum when through a major operation on 17th Dec. She was suspected of having breast cancer (75% to 99% chance, but could only confirmed after operation), diagnosed by 2 professional doctors. Of cos my entire family was super worried abt my mum. I wanna thank Anthea for praying with me and those who prayed for my mum. I fasted and prayed and confessed in faith that the lump inside is jus a phloysis tumor (not a harmful one) and not any cancer cells. I prayed with my sister (who is a believer in our church as well). Indeed, the doctor has no final say, only God has the final say! Praise the Lord! The lump was only a phloysis tumor! My mum is back to her normal self now.

During that period of time, i had to prepare for thailand trip, had to do plenty of calling as it is children's church big day (CMAS), Had to plan for cg outreach bbq and had to invite friends for outreach and svc. I thank God for stretching my capacity and providing me strength to do the things He had tasked me. Indeed God is good. Outreach my connect grp invited a total of 7 friends and CMAS a total of 6 friends. I jus wanna encourage all of you esp the helpers that God is good! If you're faithful in the lil things He has tasked you to do, be assured that God will surely bless you abundantly!!!

Hope these testimonies will help you start a FAITH-FILLED 2010!

Happy New Year!

Once there was this very wealthy young man. He lived in a great, elaborate house with dozens of rooms. Each room was more comfortable and more beautiful than the one before it. There were paintings and sculptures. Crystal chandeliers, golden, ornate railings on the stairs. More beauty that most have ever seen. One day he decided to invite the Lord to come and stay with him. When the Lord arrived, this young man offered him the very best room in the house. The room was upstairs and at the end of the hall. “This room is yours, Jesus! Stay as long as you like and you can do whatever you want to in this room, remember Jesus, it’s all yours.” “Thank you” the Lord replied, and with that the man shut the door and went about his daily business.

That evening after he had retired for the night there came a loud knocking at the front door. The young man pulled on his robe and made his way downstairs. When he opened the door he found that the devil had sent three of his demons to attack the man. He quickly tried to close the door but one of the demons kept sticking his foot in. Sometime later, after a great struggle, he managed to slam the door shut and returned to his room totally exhausted. “Can you believe that!” the man thought, “Jesus is upstairs in my very best room sleeping while I am down here battling demons. Oh, well, maybe he just didn’t hear.” He slept fitfully that night. The next day things went along as normal and, being as tired as he was, the young man retired early that evening.

Along about midnight, there came such a terrible ruckus at the front door that the young man was sure that whatever it was would tear the door down. He stumbled down the stairs once again and opened the door to find that there were dozens of demons now trying to get into his beautiful home. For more than three hours he fought and struggled against the demons from hell and finally overpowered them enough to shut the door against their attack. All energy seemed to fail him. “I really don’t understand this at all. Why won’t the Lord come to my rescue? Why does he allow me to fight all by myself? I feel so alone.” Troubled he found his way to the sofa and fell exhausted into a restless sleep.

The next morning he decided to inquire of the Lord about the happenings of the last two evenings. Quietly he made his way to the elegant bedroom where he had left Jesus. “Jesus,” he called as he tapped at the door. “Lord, I don’t understand what is happening. For the last two nights I have had to fight the demons away from my door while you laid up here sleeping. Don’t you care about me? Did I not give you the very best room in house?” He could see the tears building in Jesus’ eyes but continued on, “I just don’t understand. I really thought that once I invited you in to live with me that you would take care of me and I gave you the best room in my house and everything. What more can I do?”

“My precious child,” Jesus spoke so softly. ” I do love and care for you. I protect all that you have released into my care. But when you invited me to come here and stay, you brought me to this lovely room and you shut the door to the rest of your house. I am Lord of this room but I am not Master of this house. I have protected this room and no demon may enter here.”

“Oh, Lord, please forgive me. Take all of my house – it is yours – I am so sorry that I never offered you all to begin with. I want you to have control of everything.” With this he flung open the bedroom door and knelt at Jesus’ feet. “Please forgive me Lord for being so selfish.” Jesus smiled and told him that He had already forgiven him and that He would take care of things from now on. That night as the young man prepared for bed he thought to himself, ” I wonder if those demons will return. I am so tired of fighting them each and every night.” But he knew that Jesus said that he would take care of things from now on.

Along about midnight the banging on the door was frightening. The young man slipped out of his room in time to see Jesus going down the stairs. He watched in awe as Jesus swung open the door, no need to be afraid. Satan stood at the door this time demanding to be let in. “What do you want, Satan?” the Lord asked. The devil bowed low in the presence of the Lord, “So sorry, I seem to have gotten the wrong address.” And with that, he and the demons all ran away.

———————————————-

There is a moral to this tale. Jesus wants all of you, not just a part. He will give you victory over all that you give Him. How much of your heart have you given to the Lord? Are you keeping a portion of it away from Him? Perhaps the attacks are coming more and more each day. Why not let the Lord fight the battles for you? He is always victorious.

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you [Jesus] is greater than the one who is in the world [Satan]” 1 John 4:4.

Just to share something which i read from the bible. =) Hope it brings something to you! Of course its all in my own revelation and thinking. Subjective. haa

Proverbs 7: 6 - 8 (NKJV)
⁶ For at the window of my house
I looked through my lattice,
⁷ And saw among the simple,
I perceived among the youths,
A young man devoid of understanding,
⁸ Passing along the street near her corner;
And he took the path to her house


This verse from the way it seems how a man w/o understanding and fell right into immoral behavior. But let's us take a closer look at the whole verse.

'I perceived among the youths, a young man devoid of understanding'
Yes why among the youth and not among adult, isn't adult the 1 who always have external affair?
From this sentence, it used YOUTHS, it meant - immature. And it does not really mean immature in reality, but IT is in spiritually. Yes, and its always usually the new who just received Christ. Usually, because it might refer to people who are long in church still yet to be spiritually mature.

And later on of the phrase you see that it said a young man devoid of understanding. Initially i was thinking "huh, what understanding? understanding of what?" UNTIL i read Pastor Phil's book - Inspired to PRAY, it gives a me a whole new understanding.
Understanding is the KEY to leading & relating to people & navigating our way through our life with God. It just meant - understanding God's Words and His way. Some people just don't get it, God why me? God, why at this time? God, why? why? why? which i believe Pastor Tan did state before.
And you saw through your position, among the youth there! there's a youth who is lacking of understanding. Someone who don't understand God's way and plan and purpose. Someone who lack of understanding.

v8, and you see temptation start coming in. There, a women waving seductively at the weaker member. And yes, when you do not have God's understanding, you just took the path yourself thinking that there bound to have another alternatives for this problem. Thinking: "No, I do not need God's help for this. Even He close the heaven's door to me, treating me with a silent days, i shall live by my ways." And thats when temptation start waving at you, giving you the ways which God have no intention for you.
And you just walk along the street near her corner, and you took the path to her house, fell into a trap setup by the devil.


Simple verse like this, but i believe it speaks to us who constantly falling into the devil's trap. Constantly into temptation and sins again and again. Constantly thinking that God will forgive, forget, and give grace back to you.
BUT one thing i can be assure is, every time we sinned, God cried for us. Just like how a naturally father who see his daughter/son, going into a stray way. How much it hurts, it comparable to how God see us sin. It just hurt so much that, He might not even have a good night rest because of it.

I have seen my real father turned from 30years old dad into 50years old overnight. Just within 1week, he became so much older. Thats why i believe its the same in our Spiritually Father.
Hope it brings something into your life. =)


Loves,
Sebas