Be discreet and listen, dude!

Last time whenever I hear testimonies from fellow brethrens, I felt so frustrated because the testimonies was their not mine. And many times I asked God for such experiences, but I didn't see the prayer answered. So naturally I read bible more and pray more. I'm not sure have you guys ever have such mentality, when I don't see promises come to pass I will live my christian living even more "perfect" in order to get the promises come to pass. And that's completely a lie of devil.

And when I read Bible, pray, and listen to sermons of many famous men and women of God. I started to learn more about the spiritual and natural truth. I was thinking in my mind, "yeah man, I learn a lot. I will excell in my ministry quicker..." I even started to criticize my own senior pastor's sermons. Thinking in my mind, this point is not well presented, this explanation is wrong, I can explain this point better... You know what, I think the person most expert in bible knowledge in the whole world is none other than pharisees and scribe in the Bible. But almost all of them at all time were finding fault in Jesus's teaching. That's why there was one time in the Bible, Jesus was ready to heal the people there when He was teaching (Luke 5:17). But end up only one person who was paralyzed was healed recorded in the Bible.

Back to story, I had not been receiving any revelation and strength during my senior pastor's teaching ever since I had such mentality. Then I blame my senior pastor not anointed enough. As long as i embraced such mentality, I couldn't received anything during teaching time. I personally think I was even out of the coverage of anointing of my senior pastor, because things didn't work well in my ministry.

There was another story in Bible, a scribe asked Jesus a question (Mark 12:28). This scribe was different from others. After Jesus answered him, and the scribe responded wisely(v32). Jesus saw that he answered intelligently [discreetly, having his wit about him]. Jesus said to him, "you are not far from the kingdom of God"(v34, amplified bible). Wow, isn't it wonderful? When you remain discreet and listen carefully to words of God, God says, you are not far from the kingdom of God; let say, when your mentor or leader was speaking some godly wisdoms and advices to you, and you remain discreet and listen carefully, God says you are very near to my King-dom, "King's Dominion". As you know our King is a good King, His kingdom is filled with good stuff too: love, joy, peace, gifts of healing, miracles... gentleness, blah blah blah.

I have already settled with my heart, repented. How about you?

Remark: Sorry to my senior pastor for my foolish way. However I praise Jesus! There is now no condemnation for those who are in Jesus Christ! Yeah!! Therefore let us continue with our foolishness. ...Certainly not!(Romans 6:1)

"Never Know" part 2

I want to share with you something that i learned from my and as well some other's experiences. There is one story about the battles between the tribes of Israel and tribe of Benjamin in the book of Judges chapter 20.

The tribe of Benjamin backslided and had done a great crime. Tribes of Israel was at war with them.(v18)The children of Israel went to the house of the Lord consulted God and asked which of them should take the lead to battle against Benjamites, and God said Judah should go up first. In that battle 22,000 men of Israel died and loss.

(v22)But the people, the men of Israel, took courage and strengthened themselves and again set their battle line in the same place where they formed it the first day. And they went up and wept before the Lord and asked of the Lord shall we go up again? And the Lord said, yes go up against them. In that battle 18,000 men of Israel died and loss again.

(v26)Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up and came to the house of God [Bethel] and wept; and they sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. And they asked again, shall we yet again go out to battle against our brethren the Benjamites or shall we quit? And the Lord said, Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand. In that battle Israel got a complete victory. Later on, Israel welcomed Benjamites repent and back to Israel.

Notice, that God allowed Israel to go into the battles and they loss. They wept and consulted God, they done everything so correctly but they loss. About 40,000 men of Israel died in that first two battles. But one thing that really is crazy and bizzare is after their first loss, they took courage and strengthen themselves; after the second loss, they wept and fasted before God in the House of God, and offered the ultimate highest offering and worship to God! And they asked again, shall we go up against the Benjamites... or shall we quit.(v28)And the Lord said, Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand. If you look at the battle, they loss; If you look at it from eternal view, they won.

When you pray for miracles, or share gospel, or reach out to somebody, and you followed everything that your mentor taught perfectly. But there's no result, what will you do? God, shall we go up again... or shall we quit? God said, Go up again. For tommorow I will surely bring him the miracle that he need, without fail.

You can look at things from different view and question God, why didn't He heal me when i first prayed, why didn't He cause the person to repent when i first preach gospel to him, why didn't i become leader after i completed the training, why this why that. But things can be turned entirely different, if only you take courage and strengthen yourself again and talk (or cry, for some people)to God in the secret place. And offer an ultimate worship to Him. Then when you ask Him again, God should i go up again? You can never know how great is the victory that you are going to receive.

Encouraging words: What makes you so special that He answers so many prayers, but refuse to answer yours?! Huh? Tell me please!

Jimmy's Journal: Never Know

Everytime I look back I can't stop praising God. My earthly parent playing a very important roles in my life. They had done whatever's possible to make me a useful man, and my Dad in Heaven.... is doing the impossible to make me a king.

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1999, I was a kid often wanna know more. To know more about life. And um... I liked to listen to people who seem wise (wise man, haha...) about their views on life. And that time buddhism influenced me a lot. I viewed life like a buddhist do. I tried my best to do good, please my family and my friends to gain recognition. I had a little success on it.

Until I met a person, Jon (short name). He studied same year with me in secondary school. He was my guitar teacher, the one inspired me the most in playing guitar. He was teaching a few of us in a class, he shared to us about the passion and the love of Jesus and brought us to church (this is a good idea to do outreach dude!). And thanks to my Father i was one of the victim. Hahaha (Selah...)[pause, calmly think about that]

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2000, Because of the enthusiastic guitar teacher, Jon. He invited me to a church camp. I didn't want to go because wanted to save my parent's money. I told Jon i would ask my parent for permission to join the church camp, and i thought my parent will never allow me because it's "church" camp. So i should be quite safe. Who know turned out my parent allow me to join. (It made me realized that God's hand is bigger) So i went. Amazingly, it was a great camp. In the strong presence of God, i was speaking in tongue during the worship session. I had never expect that, no one expect that. Haha (Selah...)[pause, calmly think about that]

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2004, Jon kept encouraging me to keep the sabbath and come and serve in children church. I stayed at a place far from the church, i wasn't driving. I wanted to serve as a bassist and i realized that they did provide transport for some children who stay near me. So i came only to children church, but not Sunday for convenience sake's. Regardless how they advised me to keep sabbath I just wasn't not moved. I know Jon and others bro and sis in Christ were disappointed by my decision. But they never gave up. They encouraged me continuously and i believe they prayed a lot for me.

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2005, All of them gave up. I stopped going to children church, they stopped inviting me to church. And that time we focused on our form 5 final exam. Seemingly the devil got the victory. Unknowingly, my academy was going down and down because i didn't have the reason and vision to study. I didn't even have the vision and reason to live for future. My life was just boring, I not sure whatever i was doing had anything to do with my future. I learned many good value and also bad value, but i was confused because i didn't have vision and reason for my life. I locked myself in room and i prayed and cried for revelations and purposes of life, and i gave my life to God. I did this many time since that time. Fuuh... the demon has never ever win even one time!!! Selah [pause, calmly think of that]

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2009, I am now a fulltime minister in World Harvest Church. Sharing the same vision with my church and the Body of Christ. Now I am actively reaching out to non believer and train believer to be a disciple. And every day have fun with God, share His thought over me and His people. All glory to You, my King, Lover, Father, and Friend. Thanks Jesus!!

*I wanna share this to you my dear friends, that whatever effort you had made and effort that you are going to make for your disciples, friends, and your neighbor are definitely not wasted. Your prayer will certainly come to past, no doubt. You may never know what you had done has plant an important seed in somebody's life, and it's growing certainly. Thanks to my friends, Jonathan Loh, Gui Lan, Gui Lian, Pastor Wong Fook Sang, Steve Lee, Mun Hoe, and my formal leader and now my colleague, Karen Yap, and also my senior pastor Pastor David Wong Kim. Let our hearts not fail and be discouraged in our mission to see His will be down. Amen