Diamonds are....beautiful

Lesson: Diamonds are known as the most beautiful and most valuable jewels.  Of course, the real expensive ones are quite large and specially cut.  Did you know they cut diamonds?  That is what they call the way they split them into smaller sizes.  They hit them a certain way to break them. Diamonds are not only beautiful, they are also useful.  They are the hardest gem stone in nature!  (“Gem” is another word for jewel).  Because they are so hard, people use them in industry to cut and grind things.  They put a diamond point on special drills to cut very hard things.  The only thing that can really cut a diamond is another diamond! Where do diamonds come from and how do we get them?  They are formed in the earth, from crystals that contain carbon, just like coal but more special.  Then, when there is an earthquake, they are pushed up closer to the surface of the earth.  The first one was found by a child in South Africa, who was playing on the beach and thought he found a pretty stone!  Now there are diamond mines in that place that dig up 3 tons of earth in order to find one diamond!  People also make artificial diamonds, but they are not as fine as the real ones. Application: Diamonds are beautiful and useful.  That is how God makes His things.  The Bible talks of something that is even more valuable that a jewel.  What could it be?  It is someone who speaks with wisdom and knowledge.  Each one of you is like a diamond whose life can be polished up to shine for the Lord. Conclusion: Is that how you are?  Pretty and useful, speaking wisely, shining for Jesus?  That is just exactly what all of you can be, as you love and serve our great God.  He will make His love shine in you and will help you to speak the truth with love and to tell others about Him – wonderful words of wisdom!  More valuable than diamonds!  Would you like that?  Let’s pray and ask Him to help us speak well.

Proverbs 30:7-9 New King James Version (NKJV) 7 Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): 8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches— Feed me with the food allotted to me; 9 Lest I be full and deny You, And say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.

NGC Movie Nite - 7pm, 9th March 2013

Come and join us to view this touching movie together on Sat, 9th March at NGC from 7pm till 9.30pm. Living the Dandelion Life When we live the dandelion life, we're living a life invested in others - when our efforts are blown to the corners of the world, our neighborhoods and our homes to bring hope and healing. Our hope is that through this film, more and more discussions about orphan care, adoption, foster care and strengthening the family will surface in churches around the world. And, that ultimately, children will find permanent, loving homes, that suffering will be alleviated and the world will know that God is good and that we are His people. James 1:27

Dandelion

All About the Dandelion Flower To most people, a dandelion is simply a bother, but for others it is something that means a lot to them. The dandelion actually has a Latin name of Taraxacum, which is not a nice name. But, the name actually comes from a French word and means “lion’s tooth”. While a lot of people look at this flower as a pest and a weed, to other people it has some meaning. The floral meaning of the dandelion is that it is a gift to a loved one that will provide happiness and is a promise of total faithfulness. SO, it can mean a lot to some people. Description of the Dandelion Flower Everyone knows what the dandelion looks like, it is such an easy flower to recognize. A dandelion can be characterized by its long hollow stem and the yellow flower that it has on top. Depending on the season that it is, it may have white fuzz on top of it that is the pollination and how the dandelion spreads. This flower is a tap rooted biennial, so it will keep coming back time after time; it is a hard plant to get rid of if you don’t want it. The flower on top has a ton of little florets or petals and at some point it will become a seed head that will spread throughout the area and create new dandelion plants. Uses for the Dandelion Flower So, of course, for some people, with the floral meaning of the dandelion, they give it out to show their faithfulness to their partner. This is one thing that people do with a dandelion. But, there are a lot of other uses for a dandelion too. Chances are, this isn’t a flower that you are going to find in a bouquet, so be aware of that. There are many people that will use the dandelion as something that they put into their salads. Also, it makes a wine that people really enjoy too. There are also some medicinal uses for this flower. The dandelion is said to help with anti-inflammatory issues and can even help with urinary tract infections. But, people need to be careful if they are eating it, for some people they have had allergic reactions to the dandelion pollen that is in the flower that they are eating. Why do people plant the Dandelion Flower? The thing with the dandelion is that it generally doesn’t seem like you really have to work hard to grow it. In fact, for most people that have a garden, they see the dandelion as a pest because of the root system that it has and the ability to spread its pollen easily and take over an area. This flower is able to rapidly colonize an area, so if you are working on a garden in a certain area and the dandelions move in, you are probably going to need to remove them so that there is no issue and they don’t take over your garden.

United We Stand - Divided We Fall

Article by Jeremy Gibson, Derby, England Unity is at the heart of Christianity. In the upper room, just before His suffering, the Lord Jesus laid foundational truths for the church. He taught that love for fellow believers is a proof of discipleship, ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another’, John 13. 35. The apostle John confirmed this acid test for spiritual reality, ‘We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren’, 1 John 3. 14. Writing to churches in Galatia, Paul also emphasized our oneness in Christ despite differences in nationality, social class or gender, ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus’, Gal. 3. 28. But if Christians are expected to love each other why are churches rent by schisms? Why are there so many church denominations? Why do newly born-again believers, having sensed an immediate affinity with other Christians, soon find some saints to be irksome and that many others do not share their doctrinal beliefs? To begin with, let us remember that discord amongst God’s people is not new. The Old Testament records repeated infightings within Israel, and the New Testament is littered with divisions between Christians. Early into church history ‘there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews’, Acts 6. 1; even the apostle Paul and Barnabas – both godly men – fell out, ‘the contention [being] so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other’,15. 39. Christian disagreement has numerous causes. One of these is doctrinal variation. Never forget that the Bible, being the word of the living God, is an exceptionally complex book and our minds are intellectually limited. Add to this the retention of the flesh nature at conversion, and the ongoing propensity to sin, and it is easy to see how our capacity to fully comprehend divine truth is impaired, even though the indwelling Holy Spirit has been sent to ‘guide [us] into all truth’, John 16. 13. Some of these doctrinal differences have a major impact on church practice and affect who we feel free to have fellowship with. Others have enormous ramifications for our view of scripture as a whole. So, for example, should sisters wear a head covering and be silent in church gatherings? Should baptism be for believers only and that by immersion, or does the sprinkling of infants answer to the New Testament’s teaching on this subject? How do we view the thorny issue of divorce and remarriage? Do we see a distinction between Israel, the nations, and the church which is the body of Christ? Is salvation down to God’s eternal electing purpose or the free-will choice of human beings who are dead in trespasses and sins? Be honest. These controversies divide true believers and probably always will until the coming of the Lord, but by remembering that many of them have raged for centuries we will be more gracious when confronting the opposing camp. A more sinister cause for splits between Christians is the deliberate propagation of error by ungodly men. Peter made clear that ‘there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of’, 2 Pet. 2. 1, 2. They teach error for money, v. 3. And they do it to gain a following. Paul warned the elders at Ephesus, ‘Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them’, Acts 20. 30. While doctrinal error is an exceptionally serious cause for strife, sadly, the truth is that most disruptions in local churches boil down to nasty feelings and personality clashes. Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians exposes some of these nasty thoughts. The letter expressed Paul’s gratitude for the Philippians’ generous support of his ministry, Phil. 1. 5. It also addressed disharmony within that church, 4. 2. Envy can play a big part when it comes to church rifts. ‘Envy, phthunos’, 1. 15, is ‘the feeling of displeasure produced by witnessing or hearing of the advantage or prosperity of others.’1 ‘A sound heart is the life of the flesh: [But] envy [is] the rottenness of the bones’, Prov. 14. 30. Unrestrained envy eventually consumes with bitterness and leads to ‘strife’, Phil. 1. 15. The word translated ‘contention’, v. 16 is erithia, meaning ‘ambition, self-seeking, rivalry’.2 Paul knew of men whose motivation for preaching the gospel was envy, an ambitious flaunting of themselves, and a deliberate attempt to ‘add affliction to [Paul’s] bonds’, v. 16. May God preserve us from the serving out of any desire for personal ‘vainglory’, 2. 3. Malicious ‘murmurings’ against fellow believers create much hurt and ill feeling, v. 14; after all ‘the words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the inner most parts of the belly’, Prov. 18. 8. Furthermore, by bearing constant grudges, harbouring a critical spirit, and ceaselessly fault-finding we will inevitably disturb the unity of a local assembly. The word translated ‘disputings’, Phil. 2. 14, is dialogismos. Referring to ‘inward reasoning, an opinion’,3 it described the Pharisees’ harsh criticism of the Lord Jesus, ‘And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, dialogismos, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason, dialogismos, ye in your hearts’, Luke 5. 21, 22. Since the common denominator in all of these sins is pure selfishness, Paul wrote, ‘All seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s’, Phil. 2. 21. Any attempt at unifying all professing Christians will almost certainly fail. There are too many differences. So what can we do? We can hold the truth tenaciously as we see it in the Holy Scripture, be ‘valiant for the truth’, Jer. 9. 3, and do our utmost to maintain unity within the local church in which God has placed us, ‘endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace’, Eph. 4. 3. The Philippian Epistle provides some straightforward ways to achieve this. A local church should have a unified interest in the gospel of Jesus Christ, support missionaries financially, Phil. 1. 5; 4. 10, 14-16, work together in gospel outreach, 1. 27, and live lives consistent with the gospel message which they preach, v. 27. Linked to this is the importance of having a healthy prayer life, praying for all the saints, v. 4, and being freed from unnecessary anxieties by praying about everything, 4. 6, 7. Such a prayerful interest in each other and the gospel promotes affection between Christians and enables us to fulfil Paul’s desire for the Philippians, ‘If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions, make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind’, 2. 1, 2 ASV. A significant barrier to Christian unity is human pride. Thus, Paul exhorted the Philippians, ‘Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves’, v. 3. We can avert many splits by having a truly humble disposition. The ultimate example of such self-humbling is the Lord Jesus, vv. 5-8. Paul showed his own humility by likening his eventual execution to a ‘drink offering’. In the Old Testament, ‘drink offerings’ consisted of fractions of a ‘hin’ (about one gallon) of wine, Num. 15. 1-10, combined with other sacrifices (e.g., burnt offerings). Paul viewed his own death as merely a small drink offering poured out upon the much larger sacrifice of the Philippians’ own priestly service, Phil. 2. 17. Other shining examples of people who humbly sacrificed themselves for others were Timothy, vv. 19-24, and Epaphroditus, vv. 25-30. These examples remind us that an important aspect of assembly fellowship is emulating godly, humble believers, 3. 17. Retaining a Christ-centred focus is another useful defence against divisive thoughts. The Philippian Epistle presents Jesus Christ as the purpose, 1. 21, the pattern, 2. 5, the prize, 3. 14, and the power for Christian living, 4. 13. Paul exhorted the Philippians to ‘rejoice in the Lord’, 3. 1; 4. 4. Paul himself counted ‘all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death’, 3. 8-10. As well as having a strong desire to know Christ better, by looking forwards, ‘for-getting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before’, v. 13, we will be preserved from resentment, from brooding over wrongs done to us, and be helped to confront believers who genuinely wrong us with a sincere desire to forgive them, Luke 17. 3, 4. Such forward thinking will also remind us that ‘our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ’, Phil. 3. 20 ASV. The Lord Jesus so prioritized unity amongst His people that, with Calvary looming, He prayed ‘that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me’, John 17. 21. May we share His desire and do all we can to foster unity within our own local assembly. Endnotes Vine W. E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words (Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers), pg. 377. ibid, pg. 408. ibid, pg. 324.    

Why does Isaiah 45:7 say that God created evil?

Answer: Isaiah 45:7 in the King James Version reads, “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.” How does Isaiah 45:7 agree with the view that God did not create evil? There are two key facts that need to be considered.

(1) The word translated “evil” is from a Hebrew word that means “adversity, affliction, calamity, distress, misery.” Notice how the other major English Bible translations render the word: “disaster” (NIV, HCSB), “calamity” (NKJV, NAS, ESV), and “woe” (NRSV). The Hebrew word can refer to moral evil, and often does have this meaning in the Hebrew Scriptures. However, due to the diversity of possible definitions, it is unwise to assume that “I create evil” in Isaiah 45:7 refers to God bringing moral evil into existence.

(2) The context of Isaiah 45:7 makes it clear that something other than “bringing moral evil into existence” is in mind. The context of Isaiah 45:7 is God rewarding Israel for obedience and punishing Israel for disobedience. God pours out salvation and blessings on those whom He favors. God brings judgment on those who continue to rebel against Him. “Woe to him who quarrels with his Master” (Isaiah 45:9). That is the person to whom God brings “evil” and “disaster.” So, rather than saying that God created “moral evil,” Isaiah 45:7 is presenting a common theme of Scripture – that God brings disaster on those who continue in hard-hearted rebellion against Him.

Recommended Resource: Deliver Us from Evil: Restoring the Soul in a Disintegrating Culture by Ravi Zacharias.

Commentary on Hebrews 11:39,40

The world considers that the righteous are not worthy to live in the world, and God declares the world is not worthy of them. Though the righteous and the worldlings widely differ in their judgment, they agree in this, it is not fit that good men should have their rest in this world. Therefore God receives them out of it. The apostle tells the Hebrews, that God had provided some better things for them, therefore they might be sure that he expected as good things from them. As our advantages, with the better things God has provided for us, are so much beyond theirs, so should our obedience of faith, patience of hope, and labour of love, be greater. And unless we get true faith as these believers had, they will rise up to condemn us at the last day. Let us then pray continually for the increase of our faith, that we may follow these bright examples, and be, with them, at length made perfect in holiness and happiness, and shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father for evermore.

The Fifth Commandment: Honor Your Parents

“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”

Exodus 20:12


Many cultures throughout the world train people to honor people of older generations, including parents, grandparents, and so on. Even adults show respect to their elders in these cultures. But the dominant culture goes in the opposite direction. We prize youth and ignore or even despise old age. Elders are disregarded as being outdated or disparaged as bothersome. We’ve seen this happen again and again in families, neighborhoods, churches, businesses, and politics.

The fifth commandment, therefore, calls us to a countercultural honoring of our parents, and by implication, those who are from older generations. The Hebrew verb translated here as “honor” (kabed) is related to the adjective “heavy.” It might be paraphrased here as: “Give your father and mother the weight they deserve in your life.” The opposite of this would be treating your parents lightly, ignoring them, minimizing them, or even mistreating them.

What it actually means to let our parents be weighty in our lives depends greatly on many factors. If we are minor children, honoring our parents includes obeying them. But this is not true during all stages of life. If our parents are suffering from serious dementia, we might find that honoring them would involve actually disobeying them. As a pastor, I have walked alongside people as they have had to get care for their parents that their parents didn’t want, even though they desperately needed it. I have also worked with people whose parents were so abusive that they needed to keep considerable distance from them. Nevertheless, the fifth commandment urged them to do this without scorn or mockery, but with godly grief and costly love. For most of us, honoring our parents means listening to them, respecting them, and loving them. It means continuing to remain in relationship with them, even if this happens over a long distance. And, as our parents get older, the fifth commandment encourages us to care for them with deference and costly love. Sometimes we are forced into terribly confusing and trying situations when our parents are aging. We may not be at all sure what honoring them implies. Nevertheless, God will be glorified by our efforts to fulfill the fifth commandment, and he will bless us as we honor him through honoring our parents.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: If your parents are still alive, in what ways do you honor them? How might taking the fifth commandment seriously make a difference in your life?

PRAYER: Dear Lord, first, I want to thank you for the wonderful parents you have given me. They faithfully raised me to know you and serve you. They loved me consistently, reflecting your own love through their faithfulness.

Thank you for my father, who has been with you for almost 23 years now. I cannot honor him in a direct way, but I can esteem him in my memory and in my prayers of gratitude.

Thank you for my mother, who continues to be such a loving presence in my life and in the life of my family, not to mention a leader in your kingdom. Help me to honor her through offering her love and respect.

And thank you, dear Lord, for those who have been like parents in my life. May I offer them the appreciation and love they deserve from me, even though we are not literal relatives.

Finally, today I pray for people whose relationships with their parents are difficult. Where there is division and hurt, bring reconciliation and healing. Where aging parents present tricky challenges, grant wisdom, patience, and strength to their adult children. And where children are mourning the loss of their parents, give comfort and hope.

All praise be to you, Heavenly Father. Amen.

Extract article from TheHighCalling.org

p/s NGC is having its annual NGC Parents Night on Sat, 23rd June from 7pm at the assembly hall.

Child Development Needs

Proverbs 19:27 ESV

Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

James 1:19 ESV

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;

Proverbs 12:15 ESV

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

Proverbs 5:1-23 ESV

My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge. For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; ...

John 3:11-18 ESV

Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. ...

Five Things Every Child Needs Daily
by Katy O'Neal Arrowood

With the five fingers on just one of your hands, you can remind yourself of the following five actions that will foster self confidence in your child, as well teach him/her to trust others. As the old saying goes, "It is easier to build up a child than to repair an adult."

1. Hugs - One of the best gifts you can share with your child is touch. Giving your child daily hugs demonstrates your love in a caring way that can't be replaced. Affection toward your child helps teach him/her that families nurture each other in a loving way.

2. Open communication - A child needs to hear approving words often, but a child must also feel that he/she is heard. Talking with, as well as listening to your child will help to build a strong sense of self, as well as encouraging your child to know the importance of listening to others.

3. Daily blessing - Telling your child with words that you know he/she will accomplish great things worth giving! Enlighten your child that you know he/she was created in a special way with unique talents that will fit perfectly with his/her dreams. Words spoken will help to mold your child into who he/she will be; better for the words to be uplifting than to be disapproving. Remember to tell your child daily those three little words: I love you!

4. Respect - Treat your child like a valuable person, and he/she will treat himself/herself and others with honor and respect. Setting limits, being consistent with discipline, and insisting on good manners will demonstrate to your child that you value him/her, and you have a stake in making sure his/her life is honorable.

5. Time - The debate over quality time versus quantity time is over. Yes, the time spent with your child should be quality time, but you also need to spend lots of time with your child. It is not a secret that we all are busy people, but our children must know that we enjoy just being with them. Every activity doesn't have to be spectacular; even time together in the kitchen while one is cooking and the other is working on homework puts you in the same room. You may be surprised the time your child decides to really talk to you, it probably won't be during the quality planned time, rather during just an everyday routine.

EASTER @ NILAI GOSPEL CHAPEL

There's no greater love than the love of Jesus

There's no love that's wiser, that's stronger,
that lasts longer, that's more willing or thrilling.
There's no love more beautiful, more bountiful,
more bold, more basic and unbiased.

There's no love more gracious, more giving,
more living, more sacred, more selfless,
more soul-satisfying, more pure and undying.
There's no love more verifiable, more valuable,
more validating, more victorious, more glorious.

There's no love more precious, more costly, more kingly.
There's no love that's greater-that's more wonderful,
more wild, more passionate, more powerful - than the love of Jesus.

Good Friday Quotes

Jesus died praying. His last words were words of prayer. The habit of life was strong in death. It may seem far off; but this event will come to us also. What will our last words be? Who can tell? But would it not be beautiful if our spirit were so steeped in the habit of prayer that the language of prayer came naturally to us at the last? James Stalker


Mark 14:36 He said,"Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want."
Gethsemane is where He died; the cross is only the evidence. Leonard Ravenhill


And in the article of death, as He saw the last fold of the grand design unrolled, He passed out of the world with the cry on His lips, "It is finished!" He uttered this cry as a soldier might do on the battlefield, who perceives, with the last effort of consciousness, that the struggle in which he has sacrificed his life has been a splendid victory. But the triumph and the reward of His work never come to an end; for still, as the results of what He did unfold themselves age after age, as His words sink deeper into the minds of men, as His influence changes the face of the world, and as heaven fills with those whom He has redeemed, "He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied." James Stalker


No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown. William Penn


Good Friday is the mirror held up by Jesus so that we can see ourselves in all our stark reality, and then it turns us to that cross and to his eyes and we hear these words, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." That'sus! And so we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. We see in that cross a love so amazing so divine that it loves us even when we turn away from it, or spurn it, or crucify it. There is no faith in Jesus without understanding that on the cross we see into the heart of God and find it filled with mercy for the sinner whoever he or she may be. Robert G. Trache


Does God really love us? I say look to the crucified Jesus. Look to the old rugged cross. By every thorn that punctured His brow. By every mark of the back lacerating scourge. By every hair of his beard plucked from his cheeks by cruel fingers. By every bruise which heavy fists made upon His head. God said, "I love you!" By all the spit that landed on his face. By every drop of sinless blood that fell to the ground. By every breath of pain which Jesus drew upon the cross. By every beat of His loving heart. God said, I love you. Billy Lobbs


Christ died He left a will in which He gave His soul to His Father, His body to Joseph of Arimathea, His clothes to the soldiers, and His mother to John. But to His disciples, who had left all to follow Him, He left not silver or gold, but something far better - His PEACE! Matthew Henry

Eliminate The Distractions

Let's be honest, our life not just lately has had so many distractions that we have difficulties to stay focused on what the Lord is saying to us. We have so many extremely important ministry situations that absolutely need our ability to hear from God on and it just seems that other distractions are causing us to miss what He is trying to say to us, as a Church as well as individually.












Here's a sermon that worth our time for our reading and meditation.

Mark 8:13-18

13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. 14 Now the disciples had forgotten to takebread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. 15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. 16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. 17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? 18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

INTRO:
Back when the telegraph was the fastest method of long distance communication, a young man applied for a job as a Morse code operator.

Answering an ad in the newspaper, he went to the office address that was listed. When he arrived, he entered a large, busy office filled with noise and clatter, including the sound of the telegraph in the background. A sign on the receptionist’s counter instructed job applicants to fill out a form and wait until they were summoned to enter the inner office. The young man filled out his form and sat down with the seven other applicants in the waiting area. After a few minutes, the young man stood up, crossed the room to the door of the inner office, and walked right in.

Naturally the other applicants perked up, wondering what was going on. They muttered among themselves that they hadn’t heard any summons yet. They assumed that the young man who went into the office made a mistake and would be disqualified.

Within a few minutes, however, the employer escorted the young man out of the office and said to the other applicants, “Gentlemen, thank you very much for coming, but the job has just been filled.”

The other applicants began grumbling to each other, and one spoke up saying, “Wait a minute, I don’t understand. He was the last to come in, and we never even got a chance to be interviewed. Yet he got the job. That’s not fair!”

The employer said, “I’m sorry, but all the time you’ve been sitting here, the telegraph has been ticking out the following message in Morse code: ‘If you understand this message, then come right in. The job is yours.’

None of you heard it or understood it. This young man did. The job is his.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Are our ears tuned to His voice??

Now, there are some things that interest me about this story!
1.) This young man was not the FIRST one there!
2.) There were probably men with higher qualifications!
3.) There may have been men who were better dressed.
4.) Maybe they were comparing themselves among themselves, and touting their own qualifications!
5.) Maybe each one was telling the other why he deserved the job!
6.) Maybe they were arguing about who was right and who was wrong for the position!

But, while they sat there this young man waltzed right in and got the job!

But, the reason this young man got the job was because he was listening for the right voice!

Somehow he had eliminated all distractions, all outside influences!

While others were pre-occupied with other conversations, although worthwhile they may have been, they missed the main message!

While others were talking among themselves, the small, unobtrusive voice of the telegraph machine went unnoticed! Even though the quietest sound, it was the most important sound in the room, and the one who heard it was the one who eliminated all outside influences and distractions!

I.) THE ONES WHO WILL HEAR THE STILL, SMALL VOICE OF JESUS IN THIS GENERATION ARE THE ONES WHO ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS!

The ones who block out all outside influences and concentrate on what God is saying amid the clutter, and hubbub of every day life!

WE HAVE ALL HAD PEOPLE SAY SOMETHING TO US AND WE WERE DAYDREAMING, OR OTHERWISE PRE-OCCUPIED.

And, so when we finally come back to ourselves, we say. “What did you say? I didn’t HEAR you!”
When, what we really mean is, I heard, but didn’t understand you!
I heard you speaking, but what you said didn’t register with me.
I knew you were talking to me, but my mind was preoccupied with other things, and I didn’t understand what it was that you wanted me to hear.
· I was riding in the truck with my father-in-law the other day and said something to him and he said, “Mike, I didn’t understand what you said, the doctor has told me I have lost 50% of my hearing. I can HEAR, but I don’t UNDERSTAND sometimes what has been said.”
And then he said this, which really stuck with me, “The only way I can really understand what someone says is if I am looking directly at them when they speak!”

II.) IN ORDER TO HEAR WHAT GOD IS SAYING, WE MUST REMOVE ALL DISTRACTIONS AND KEEP OUR EYES ON HIM!

Isaiah 6:1-10
In the year that king Uzziah died I SAW also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

King Uzziah had become a distraction to Isaiah, and it was only when he died that Isaiah saw the Lord!

Uzziah - a contracted form of Azari’ah the Lord is my strength. (1.) One of Amaziah’s sons, whom the people made king of Judah in his father’s stead (2 Kings 14:21; 2 Chr. 26:1). His long reign of about fifty-two years was “the most prosperous except that of Jehosaphat since the time of Solomon.” He was a vigorous and able ruler, and “his name spread abroad, even to the entering in of Egypt” (2 Chr. 26:8, 14). In the earlier part of his reign, under the influence of Zechariah, he was faithful to Jehovah, and “did that which was right in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kings 15:3; 2 Chr. 26:4, 5); but toward the close of his long life “his heart was lifted up to his destruction,” and he wantonly invaded the priest’s office (2 Chr. 26:16), and entering the sanctuary proceeded to offer incense on the golden altar. Azariah the high priest saw the tendency of such a daring act on the part of the king, and with a band of eighty priests he withstood him (2 Chr. 26:17), saying, “It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense.” Uzziah was suddenly struck with leprosy while in the act of offering incense (26:19-21), and he was driven from the temple and compelled to reside in “a several house” to the day of his death (2 Kings 15:5, 27; 2 Chr. 26:3). He was buried in a separate grave “in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings” (2 Kings 15:7; 2 Chr. 26:23).

Isaiah learned that position was not what he should be seeking!

Uzziah gave him a position, and when he got his position, he lost sight of God!
I want you to notice Isaiah’s 3-fold vision:

1.) When the man who had taken care of him died, Isaiah turned again to the Lord, and it was then that he received his vision!

In the year that king Uzziah died I SAW also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

Isaiah said, when my distractions were eliminated, then I saw the Lord!
When I stopped looking to the arm of the flesh, I saw the Lord!
When I got my focus off of the things that man could do for me and to me, I saw the Lord!

2.) After Isaiah saw the Lord, he saw himself!
5 Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Isaiah realized how far he had drifted away from God when he finally saw God again! He realized how unclean he was after he got a vision of God! And, immediately he began to repent!

3.) And, finally, after he saw God and himself, he got a vision of the world that he was sent to witness to.
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

I am saying to this church tonight, God has a job for someone to do!
There is a work to be done, and the position is open, who will fill it?
Who will go and do the work of God in this generation?

III.) THE JOB POSITION IS OPEN, AND THE ADVERTISEMENT HAS GONE FORTH!

Matthew 28:19
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Mark 16:15-16
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Matthew 9:37-38
37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Acts 1:8
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

The job?
Reach the lost at any cost!

The Pay?
Matthew 16:26-27
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

The benefits?
Romans 14:17
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
And a life insurance policy that is out of this world!
And, the applicants have come from near and far, and are sitting in the interview room, waiting for their turn!
But, I would say to you today, that it is not the most qualified, not the most well-dressed, not the first on the scene, or not the ones with the most ability that will get the job, but the ones that will get the nod from the Lord of the Harvest are those who will hear his still, small, voice and understand what the purpose of the church is in this day!

Those whose attention is not diverted by the other sounds that clamor all around, those who don’t think that they have already arrived and deserve the job because of their superior qualifications, but those who are listening and understanding the voice of God!

We can argue all day long amongst ourselves, and use scripture to back up why we are right, and everyone else is wrong, but while we are crossing theological swords, people are dying and going to hell!

IV.) THE ONES WHOM GOD WILL WORK THROUGH IN THIS GENERATION ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE ELIMINATED THE DISTRACTIONS IN THEIR LIVES.

Not the most educated,
Not the best dressed,
Not the ones with the most impressive pedigree or heritage,

But, those who have eliminated distractions!

Psalm 24:3-6
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

It’s interesting to note that one of the meanings of both of the words used here, CLEAN and PURE, is CLEAR!

Not muddled or double-minded, but a clear, unhindered direction.
Matthew 6:22
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
One of the definitions for SINGLE in this passage is SIMPLE, or CLEAR!
I truly believe that what God is looking for in this generation is not talent, ability, pedigree, heritage, etc.

I BELIEVE THAT GOD IS SIMPLY LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO WILL ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS!
PEOPLE WHO WILL KEEP THEIR PURPOSE CLEAR, THEIR LIVES UNCLUTTERED, AND FREE FROM THE THINGS OF THE WORLD THAT WILL DIVERT OUR ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE STILL, SMALL VOICE OF GOD!

People that will not only hear, but understand what God is saying.

CONCLUSION
How do I hear and understand the voice of God?

It’s not enough to hear the voice of God; I must understand what God is saying.
SAMUEL HEARD THE VOICE OF GOD, BUT RAN TO ELI TO ASK HIM WHAT HE WANTED!

It’s one thing to hear the voice, but another to know from where it is coming and what it is saying.

John 10:27
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
The way that I can hear the voice of God is only through prayer, fasting, spending time in the Word and eliminating distractions.

We are going to work on ELIMINATING DISTRACTIONS.

Your Life's Handwriting

You are writing a gospel, a chapter each day,

By the deeds that you do, by the words that you say;

People read what you write, whether faithless or true—

Say, what is the gospel according to you? —Anon.

Some people believe that our hand-writing reveals our character. Experts in the field of graphology watch for things like the slant of letters, the way they are formed, where the “t” is crossed, and how the “i” is dotted. Based on these distinctions, conclusions are drawn about one’s personality. We are told that the style of our writing shows whether we are outgoing or withdrawn, individualistic or of a conforming nature.

While some may question the reliability of this practice, it reminds me of what the apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 3:2. He told us that Christians are epistles “known and read by all men.” The way we compose the letters of our conduct indicates the kind of persons we really are.

If we are trying to please the Lord Jesus Christ, the handwriting of our lives will reveal a love for others and a responsiveness to their needs. We will also express an individuality and a willingness to stand alone for righteousness’ sake if duty demands it. Each day we will try to adjust our behavior to the will of our heavenly Father.

Allow the Savior to live through you by relying on His power. Then let the handwriting of your life tell others you belong to Him.

The Christian's life is the world's Bible.

This article was featured in Our Daily Bread, August 20, 1995

Have a very Blessed New Year 2012 !

TIME TO THINK OUTSIDE THE CASKET

This article was featured on Asian Beacon Magazine (June-July 2011, Vol 43, No 3) by Lily Fu, 63

We’ve heard it before: 60 is the new 40 and 70 the new 50. Yet, there are many among us senior citizens who view themselves as 60 going on 80, and 70 going on 90. They think old, look old and act old. No wonder they feel they already have one foot in the grave.

Death is a taboo topic in most Asian cultures, but, seriously, we all need a wake-up call sometimes before it’s too late and we are staring Death in the face. Do we want to spend the rest of our lives merely existing instead of living? The fastest way to speed up the ageing process is to think we are old and ready to die. Sure, we all have to die one day, but that shouldn’t stop us from having fun, adventure, romance and happiness while we can still draw breath.

When we think we are old, we are. Our thoughts are very powerful. They govern how we behave and react. There are folks who, upon reaching retirement age, retire not just from their jobs, but from everything that used to define who they are.

The first thing they give up is their physical appearance. In their minds, they are thinking – at my age, nobody gives me a second look, so why spend hard-saved money on unnecessary grooming. Their wardrobe consists mainly of auntie or uncle-type clothes in various funereal shades of black, brown and grey. If comfort is the reason, ok. But if they dress or act to please others, then they are allowing others to dictate how they should be living their golden years.

Many retirees allow themselves to put on weight and wrinkles by avoiding all manner of physical activity. Their excuse – oh, at my age, I shouldn’t exert myself too much. Over time, they build up a host of health problems like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis. They become frail and sickly, and dependent on others.


They give up making an effort to keep in touch with old friends or making new ones. They spend their days mostly at home, moping around the house, and idling away the precious hours. They have no interest in anything that will improve their lives or that of others. Their favourite pastime is complaining about the government. A close second is dwelling on the past with regret. No wonder they end up lonely, cranky, depressed and bitter. What a way to live their retirement years!

It’s easy to identify people who are ageing before their time. They say things like:

I’m too old to travel.
I’m too old to love again.
I’m too old to dance.
I’m too old to learn a new skill.
I’m too old to take up a course of study.
I’m too old to wear bright colours.
I’m too old to venture out on my own.
I’m too old to be outrageous.

It’s time to get rid of the ‘I’m too old to’ mantra and replace it with a new one:

I’m still young enough to learn a new language.
I’m still young enough to welcome romance into my life.
I’m still young enough to write a book.
I’m still young enough to take up belly dancing.
I’m still young enough to go on an adventure trip.
I'm still young enough to....ENJOY LIFE!

We must constantly remind ourselves to make the most of our golden years, not waste them waiting for Death to knock on our doors. It's so easy to fall into the ageing trap. Time to think outside the casket!

Sorry if I come on a little strong here, but I just want to get the message through that our retirement years are not a period of gloom and doom. It doesn't have to be so if you choose not to live that way.

‘And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.’ – Abraham Lincoln

Footnote: This article was first posted in August 2008. It's reproduced here with some minor changes. The message remains the same. Source: More articles in Seniors Aloud at http://seniorsaloud.blogspot.com/

NGC Christmas Celebration 2011

Date: 25th December 2011
Day: Sunday and Christmas day !
Time: 9.30am - 1.30am

Venue:
1. Lord's Supper & Worship @ Nilai Gospel Chapel (9.30am - 10.30am)
2. Celebration @ Rajah Brooke Ballroom, Nilai Springs Resort Hotel (11.30am - 1.30pm)

Please RSVP latest by 12 noon, 18th December 2011 at wkpeng68@yahoo.com or inform any of the Working Committee so that we may prepare and estimate the preparation without any wastage.

Luke 2:14:

"Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased." New Living Translation (©2007)

On behalf of the leadership and members of Nilai Gospel Chapel we would like to wish all our members and friends a blessed Christmas and a wonderful 2012 New Year !

Someone has written these beautiful words. Must read and try to understand the deep meaning of it. They are like the ten commandments to follow in life all the time.

1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout.

2] So why a Car's WINDSHIELD is so large and the Rear view Mirror is so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. So, Look Ahead and Move on.

3] Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.

4] All things in life are temporary. If going well, enjoy it, they will not last forever. If going wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either.

5] Old Friends are Gold! New Friends are Diamond! If you get a Diamond, don't forget the Gold! Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a Base of Gold!

6] Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says, "Relax, sweetheart, it's just a bend, not the end!

7] When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when GOD doesn't solve your problems HE has faith in your abilities.

8] A blind person asked St. Anthony: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"

9] When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.

10] WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES, it takes away today's PEACE.

This Do In Remembrance

When a US Navy vessel arrives or departs from the military bases in Pearl Harbor, the crew of that ship lines up in dress uniform. They stand at attention at arm’s length on the outer edges of the deck, in salute to the soldiers, sailors, and civilians who died on December 7, 1941. It is a stirring sight, and participants often list it among the most memorable moments of their military career.

Even for spectators on shore, the salute triggers an incredible emotional connection, but especially between the servants of today and the servants of yesterday. It grants nobility to the work of today’s sailor, while giving dignity to the sacrifice of those from the past.

When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper (Matt. 26:26-29), it was surely with an eye toward creating this same kind of emotional bond. Our participation in the Lord’s Table honors His sacrifice while also granting us a connection to Him unlike any other act of remembrance.

Just as the Navy carefully prescribes the way it salutes the fallen, so too Scripture teaches us how to remember Jesus’ sacrifice (1 Cor. 11:26-28). These acts of reverence and thanksgiving serve to honor past action while giving purpose to present service.

Action Suggestion:
Read with fresh eyes the detailed instructions Scripture offers for the Lord’s Supper in 1 Corinthians 11, and experience anew its power in your spiritual journey.

The Lord’s Supper— Christ’s memorial that He left for us.

Source: ODB.org December 7, 2011 — by Randy Kilgore
Read: 1 Corinthians 11:23-34

Daily Inspiration

You can read how others are responding to God's Word
http://ymiblogging.org/



and listen to messages too
http://www.berita-bethel-ung.com/Audio/audiomessagesindex.html

Malaysia Budget 2012 - Church Contributions/Tithes/Giving

Headlines: Tax exemption on contributions to educational institutions and all places of worship. What is this? In the next few hours bloggers, leaders, etc will discuss more on this and you will read more.

Meanwhile it is good to reflect on what the bible teaches us from his word, The Bible. A growing fad among some Christians is to deny tithing under the New Testament. Since there are no specific directions for tithing in the New Testament, they rejoice that they can avoid this duty. So they leap on the no-tithing bandwagon and roll out their rabid rhetoric. It is time to take off their wheels and let the water cover them.

What is a tithe? It is 10% of income or assets returned to God for His faithfulness and mercy.

Did Old Testament saints tithe? Yes, the Law of Moses required tithing. Israelites gave 10% annually to the Levites, 10% annually on feasts for worship, and 10% every third year for the Levites and poor. They gave about 23 1/3% annually (Numbers 18:20-32; Deut 14:22-29)!

Were tithes the same as offerings? No, tithes were required giving. Israel owed the Lord tithes by obligation of His commandments. The soul offering, freewill offerings, sacrifices, and vows were all above and beyond tithes (Ex 30:15; Deut 12:6,17; I Chr 22:5,14; 29:2-5; Mal 3:8).

Did the tithe originate with Moses? No, Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils of his victory to Melchisedec, and Jacob promised God a tenth for His blessings, and these men lived 300-400 years before Moses and the Law (Gen 14:18-20; 28:22; Gal 3:17). Capital punishment, like tithing, originated long before the Law, but the Law systematized its practice (Gen 9:6).

Does the New Testament require a tithe? No, it does not mention tithing by name, except for Jesus correcting the Jews abuse of tithing (Matt 23:23; Luke 11:42) and Paul’s historical description of Abraham giving Melchisedec a tithe (Heb 7:1-4). But there are many useful and godly principles of the Old Testament that are not repeated specifically in the New Testament.

Does the New Testament require giving? Yes, it requires giving by doctrine and precept for the very same things as the Old Testament – the ministry and the poor (Acts 20:35; I Cor 9:1-18; 16:1-3; II Cor 8:1-24; 9:1-15; Gal 6:6; I Tim 5:3,17; 6:17-19; I John 3:17-18).

Did New Testament saints give? Yes, they gave with cheerful liberality and obvious personal sacrifice both in public and private, for their position or assets in this world meant little to them (Acts 2:44-47; 4:32-37; 6:1; Phil 4:10-18; Philemon 1:4-7; Heb 10:34; III John 1:5-8).

What do New Testament saints give for? They give to ministers who labor full time in the ministry and to poor saints, including widows indeed, in their own church and in other churches (Acts 6:1; 11:28-30; Rom 15:25-27; I Cor 9:7-14; 16:1-3; Gal 2:10; 6:6; I Tim 5:17-18; II Tim 2:4).

Should Christians tithe? No, they should give more! Israel under the weak and beggarly Old Testament gave more than 10% in tithes and offerings, so we under the blessings of the New should give more than they, and the Spirit-filled examples agree (Gal 4:9; Heb 7:19,22; 8:6; Acts 2:44-47; 4:32-37). Remember, the Lord requires based on what He has given you (Luke 12:48).

Should a church require a tithe? No, a church cannot require a tithe without New Testament authority. But a church should preach hard about giving, teach members the origin and nature of the tithe, and exhort members about exceeding the tithe. And a church might use the tithe as a guideline for warning or disciplining members for covetousness (I Cor 5:11; II Thess 3:6).

How much should be given? Saints should give (1) proportionate to income, (2) systematically, (3) liberally, (4) as they purpose in their heart, and (5) cheerfully (Acts 11:29; I Cor 16:1-3; II Cor 8:12; 9:7). God loves cheerful givers. If saints give liberally, they will be blessed liberally (II Cor 9:6). A tithe should be the minimum, since it was the minimum before and during the Law.

Should they give by gross or net income? The question indicates a selfish and stingy heart. In any other situation, this person will always state his income by the highest number; but when it comes to God, he lowers it to give Him less. Gross income is what you were paid; you received many benefits for the taxes deducted. You should give proportionately of your gross income.

What is firstfruits giving? Taken from the first produce of a field or vineyard, it is honoring the Lord off the top, rather than from what remains (Pr 3:9). Therefore, firstfruits giving is more than just a few bucks, is the first use of income, is given from a blessing not for a blessing, and is given from gross income. And the Lord is very pleased with such an approach (Pr 3:10).

What about taking a tax deduction? God raises up governments to provide for His people, and taking a deduction fulfils God’s word. The Bible has many examples of God using pagan governments to provide for His church. Budget 2012? 2013?

But the New Testament does not require a tithe? And the New Testament does not mention corporal punishment, but you use the O.T. principle to train your children (Pr 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; 29:15). It does not mention saving money, but you do so from Solomon (Pr 6:8; 30:25). It does not mention many godly rules or principles, which may be assumed from the O.T.

But the New Testament does not require a tithe? But the tithe was not abolished, as was the Sabbath. The Sabbath was not pre-Moses, was for Israel only, and was clearly abolished according to Paul. Tithing was pre-Moses and not rejected by Paul, thus remaining as a guide.

But the New Testament does not require a tithe? That is right, but Paul did appeal to the Law of Moses for principles of financial giving, which shows the remaining validity of the principles pertaining to giving (I Cor 9:8-9; II Cor 9:9; I Tim 5:18).

But anything like a tithe becomes a mere ritual? Worship becoming a dead ritual depends on your heart, for systematic giving can be done cheerfully, as Moses required of the Jews, and Paul required of the Gentiles (I Cor 16:1-3). Does attending assemblies every Lord’s Day or daily reading of the Bible become a dead ritual merely by its discipline or habit? No!

What if I do not give? You rob God, and you will suffer (Hag 1:1-11; Mal 3:8-12; II Cor 9:6; Gal 6:7). Everything you have is from the Lord, and you should willingly give some back. It is often the love of money that causes some to oppose tithing and/or giving, but disciples of Jesus Christ give liberally, for they reject covetousness and the love of money (I Tim 6:6-10,17-19).

What if I cannot afford to give? You must be in financial trouble, so you cannot afford not to give! Joseph and Mary, though poor, brought two turtledoves for our Lord’s dedication (Luke 2:22-24; Lev 12:8). Jesus took note of a widow giving two mites over rich men giving much (Lev 12:1-4). Moses required a soul offering of every citizen without regard for ability to give (Ex 30:5). The Philippians gave generously, though they were comparatively poor (II Cor 8:1-5).

What about money-grubbing televangelists? They should be rejected as false prophets, for they are not sent by God, do not preach God’s words, steal widows’ houses through fake prayers, promise lies about getting rich, and sell trinkets without shame (Matt 23:14). But their heresies, lies, and scams do not negate the need to generously support God’s ministers (I Tim 5:17-18).

What about giving to get? Our blessed and merciful heavenly Father has repeatedly promised His reward upon those who give liberally, and these promises encourage our obedience, as long life encourages parental honor (Eph 6:1-3). But great men with great hearts, like David, give out of delight and love for God rather than what they might receive as a result of their giving!

What if I give hypocritically? That is your wicked choice, but it has nothing to do with a proper understanding of tithing and giving. Financial giving will not sanctify your life or make up for wickedness in other areas (Is 58:3-7; Hag 2:10-19; Jas 1:27). Jesus Christ taught you to do both – to live a righteous life of mercy, judgment, and faith and to give financially (Matt 23:23).

What is the bottom line? The Lord is a great king, and He deserves your best (Mal 1:14; Heb 12:28-29). If you want the heart of David, you better give more than a tithe (I Chron 22:5,14-16; 29:2-5). Let the lovers of filthy lucre argue about tithing. Since the world began, God has blessed liberal givers (Gen 13:2; 26:12; 32:10; Pr 3:9-10; 11:24-26; Mal 3:8-12; Luke 6:38; II Cor 9:6). The most exciting use of your money should be generous giving to the Lord, off the top, often!

Measuring Growth

When a high school student tried using a thermometer to measure a table, his teacher was dumbfounded. In 15 years of teaching, Dave had seen many sad and shocking situations. But even he was amazed that a student could make it to high school without knowing the difference between a ruler and a thermometer.

When a friend told me this story, my heart broke for that student and others like him who have fallen so far behind in their education. They can’t move forward because they haven’t yet learned basic lessons of everyday life.

But then a sobering thought came to me: Don’t we sometimes do the same thing when we use wrong spiritual measuring devices? For example, do we assume that churches with the most resources are the most blessed by God? And do we ever think that popular preachers are more godly than those with few followers?

The proper measure of our spiritual condition is the quality of our lives, which is measured by such attributes as lowliness, gentleness, and longsuffering (Eph. 4:2). “Bearing with one another in love” (v.2) is a good indication that we are moving toward God’s goal for us: “the measure of . . . the fullness of Christ” (v.13).

Our spiritual maturity
Is measured by the quality
Of attributes that others see
Produced in us by Christ. —Sper

Our love for God can be measured by our love for others.

Source: http://odb.org/2011/09/06/measuring-growth/

NGC Movie Nite @ 20th August 2011

Inspired by a true story. A young boy fighting cancer writes letters to God, touching lives in his neighborhood and community and inspiring hope among everyone he comes in contact. An unsuspecting substitute postman, with a troubled life of his own, becomes entangled in the boy's journey and his family by reading the letters. They inspire him to seek a better life for himself and his own son he's lost through his alcohol addiction

Come and join us at Nilai Gospel Chapel Movie Nite' on Sat, 20th August from 7.00pm onwards and do bring your family and friends too. Letters to God - The Movie is from one of the producers of Fireproof and Facing the Giants. Given the right address, anything is possible. Remember...hope is contagious.

His Manna Supply?

This week's friday prayer meeting was led by bro Teh and he turned our focus in scriptures to Exodus 16:1-36.

This is in response to our theme for August which focuses on God's supply. In response to the grumbling of the Israelites in the wilderness, God furnishes them with manna in the morning and meat in the evening between dusk and dark.

Interestingly the catch was that they were only to gather enough manna for that particular day i.e. the Sabbath, for the two days. If they attempted to save manna, it soured or became infested with maggots. If we consider deeper into this instruction it requires total reliance on God and God alone for provision.

The challenge that this poses for us are enormous. But we also know in our heart how difficult this kind of trust is. So many experiences in our lives make trust hard to come by. Deep down all of us want security and at times it seems not necessarily the security of God's promise, but we want a security we can hold in our hands and tangible in nature.

In today's context can we live on "manna and quail?" All to often the answer is, "I don't know. I'm scared. Help me believe. Help me trust." It is in the wildernesses of our lives, the Dark Nights of the Soul, when everything else is stripped away, that these questions become most real; that they take on their greatest weight.

Many of us struggle with the same attitudes. Not necessarily about food, but about emotional needs, money, love, security. Behind each of these struggles is a story of loss or trauma or pain. In the grumbling in the wilderness the Israelites at least brought their story to the conversation. Mind you they didn't bring it up front and clearly. They didn't say, "we've been enslaved for so long that it's hard to trust God to care for our needs. It's easier to look back through the past with selective memory or to lean on old ways of soothing our pain." But they were talking-and that's the starting point.

As long as you and I can stay in the conversation talking about our fears of living on whatever our version of God's "manna and quail" is....we can trust that God will meet us in the dialogue. God will not abandon us or condemn us because of our fears. God wants to keep the conversation going.

Do join us at NGC this month as we consider the following questions.

Aug 7 : Why is a christian still in need?

Aug 14 : Can we have spiritual sufficiency?

Aug 21 : How are we one in the bond of love?

Aug 28 : The theory of "ENOUGH"

Our breaking of bread / Lord's Supper service starts from 10am every Sunday and thereafter Morning Ministry and Discovery Moment.

Do join us and discover God in the process. And if you desire more, do join our Family Camp from Aug 31 till Sept 3 as we consider God's way always.