LawrenceLim My prayer:
Dear God Heavenly Father, please let this be my sincere prayer to You. I've fully dedicated this blog to You. Please use it as You will for Your purpose. Do keep me encouraged to do this for You even when nobody seems to be interested in it.
Please grant me whatever gifts or help required, including providential circumstances and Your specific directions, not just to do this blog for you, but also to work Your will through me. I belief that if I pray in accordance to Your will, You will be pleased to answer my prayers.
Grant me the desire to do what is pleasing to You, that I can glorify You throughout my life. Forgive me my sins Lord, and the half hearted obedience that displeases You. Change me through & through, that I can be useful & pleasing to You.
Let me be sensitive to Your voice, that I will know what You want me to do for You. Help me be obedient to You, and to delight in You. Teach me how to fear You, and what it means to really love You and live for You.
I hope when I finally come to see You, You'll say:' Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
If you have anything useful, such as something inspirational or useful for the Spiritual Walk, do share it, mail them to me. I'll post it up here, and will definitely give you credit for it "not money of course!". The Lord will definitely bless you for your contribution. Remember, we're doing this for the Lord, not for ourselves.
Let's glorify our Lord together, and He will make use of what seemingly small in your eyes and make it into something big for His kingdom.
By the way, here's my other blog.
My Contacts:
MSN Messenger: moo78052027@yahoo.co.uk
ICQ: 104120334
Guess I'll put these here as well. These poems are written by my sister in Christ, Yi Qing as she was inspired by the Lord Himself. I pray in Jesus name, that you'll be blessed as well, amen.
When God Doesn't Seem To Be Near
"Do you need a sign to feel I’m there,
To be really sure that I do care?
I’m the air you breathe, I’m all around,
I’m there even when things are upside down.
You may not feel that I’m all that near,
No matter how you strain to hear.
But…the eternal Truth will always be true,
That no matter what you feel, I truly love you.
Maybe this is the part you don’t understand,
Why is it you need My help but can’t see My hand.
It’s because, you’ve missed this vital part,
That the reason is because I live…in your heart.
Don’t just reach out to a space so far,
Reach within, into the very core of who you are.
When you believe Me, you ushered Me in,
So when you’re desperate for me, search within.
I’m the reason you live, you belong to Me,
And if you let Me, I’ll live in you and you in Me,
Abide in Me and see, that I will be your God for eternity" says the Lord.
To Whoever’s Out There...
When you’re depressed and feeling lost,
Everything you believe is questioned.
You wonder and wonder if life’s worth it’s cost,
Cuz in everything you just don’t get the connection.
The world is cold, twitched and dark,
Whatever smile you have is fake.
You feel you have nothing actually,
And all that you actually have are lost.
In that deep despair you loose your strength,
You don’t run, you don’t hide.
It all seems so pointless to you,
Cuz something is eating you on the inside.
You think you’re crazy, you think you’d die,
You don’t want to face tomorrow.
You need something beyond yourself,
Yet you try to hide all your sorrows.
Thinking that no one cares…no one understands,
Everything is cruel, just wrong and pointless.
But a knock comes at the door of your heart,
You refuse to be bothered.
An envelope is slipped in under the door,
Just the sight of it makes you feel warmer.
You opened it despite yourself,
It’s a handwriting you don’t recognize.
You read the poem written inside,
And tears flooded your eyes.
Your questions remain unanswered,
Your accusations unjustified.
Nothing is explained, nothing is changed.
Except that now, those are of second importance.
You still don’t understand,
But you’re somehow stronger,
No longer screaming on the inside.
Something in the poem,
Something God said,
Just touched you deeper,
Than anything else would,
Deeper than you had though possible.
Truly…God is a God of Miracles,
Since He has healed your hurting heart?
~Written by Tan Yi Qing~
Some Fun Tests I Took:
Your soul is bound to the White Rose: The Pure.
"I've been waiting in the dark for a long time, shining my beacon of hope through the shadow. If you see me, don't you hide your eyes from me."
The White Rose is associated with purity, honor, and chastity. It is governed by the goddess Artemis and its sign is The Cross, or Agape.
As a White Rose, you are a person of your word. You may have a strong moral code, but regardless of your virtue, you always stay true to yourself. To you, love is the most pure of emotional forms and it's just a matter of waiting for it to bless you. Some people may say you are too idealistic, but it's only because you don't want to mess things up.
Delight yourself in the Lord and
He will give you the desires of your heart.
-Psalm 37:4
Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone. To have
a deep soul relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and
exclusively. But to a Christian, God says no. Not until you're satisfied
and fulfilled and content, unreservedly to me alone. I do love you my
child, and until you discover that only in Me is your satisfaction to be
found, you will not be capable of the perfect human relationship that I
have planned for you. You will never be united with another until you
are united with Me, exclusive of any other desires or longings.
I want you to stop planning, stop wishing, and allow Me to bring it to you. You just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things. Keep experiencing the satisfaction of knowing that I am. Keep learning and
listening to the things I tell you. You must wait. Don't be anxious. Don't
worry. Don't look around at the things that others have gotten or that
I've given them. Don't look around at the things that you think you
want. Just keep looking off and away up to Me, or
you'll miss what I want to show you.
And when you're ready, I'll surprise you with a love far more
wonderful than any would ever dream of. You see, until you are ready
and until the one I have for you is ready, until you are both satisfied
exclusively with Me and the life I have planned for you, you won't be
able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me,
and is thus perfect love. I am working even this minute, to have both of
you ready at the same time. And dear child, I want you to have the most
wonderful love. I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your own
relationship with Me, and to enjoy materially and concretely the
everlasting union of beauty and perfection that
I offer you with Myself.
KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU. I AM ALMIGHTY GOD.
BELIEVE AND BE SATISFIED.
Wow, I can't believe my last post was 9 months ago! Apologies for not posting anything for so long, as I've been busy with work. I want to thank you for leaving comments of concern or even emailing me (you know who you are). I am deeply touched. I'm blessed to have you all in my life...
Anyway, just want to update this blog myself regarding something that is new in my life - I'm engaged. I thank God and am amazed in how faithful He is in answering my heart's desire. The truth is, I sometimes find this unbelievable as this is happening to me! Too good to be true…All I did was to pour my heart out to the Lord regarding this heart's desire of mine (I long to serve God alongside my spouse -I've been praying since 2001 I guess) plus a little extra ( I told God I would like to marry someone fairer than me lol!).
When I look back for all these years, I see His hand in preparing this answer step by step…God has provided in miraculous ways and all, moving my family and hers, the American Embassy and our churches to work things out. He has never been late to answer, just me doubting and procrastinating a little…but He still remained faithful regardless of my state of doubting…
If you want to know more, do visit my fiancée's blog in http://writersheart.blogspot.comto find out more. It's just too much for me to spill the beans…lol!
All I want you all to know is that God is faithful, and He is able to do more than you dare to ask or imagine! It is true as it has happened in my life! Keep praying, and then commit it to God totally, don't try to restrict God, don't keep Him in the box for He is more than able to do things better than we all can. Let God has His way for He knows our deepest longing and desires (He is the one who put the desires there) and He knows best how to fulfill them. He knows when, He knows how, He knows best!
We drain-up ourselves when we carry burdens which are supposed to be carried by the Lord Himself. We rely on our own strength rather than on God who wants us to cast our cares upon Him. In truth, He is the one who knows best how to help us with our problems. We can be there for our brothers and sisters in Christ, yet we are to commit their burdens to the Lord, and not putting those yoke upon our shoulders. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we should encourage them to commit their burdens to Him who is there for them. It is not the Lord's will to drain us with other people's problems, it is His will for us to entrust our cares upon Him, so we will not be distracted by those burdens and be able to focus on our walk with Him, which is our God-given highest priority.
I personally think that the best approach to care for others is to be there for them, encourage them to turn to the Lord. We are to do this with His love, His wisdom, His strength. This can only be done when we avail ourselves for Him to use us, to show Himself through us. Only then they can feel His love, His concern and all for them, and see Jesus through us. It is Him who should be shown through our actions, to help them through us, to love them through us.
In Him, ~Lawrence~
Matthew 11:28-30 (New Living Translation) Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."
Is there such thing as hearing from God yet misinterpreted the true meaning of what God intended to say? Misinterpreting God's will isn't just misleading, but can be disastrous in jeopardizing our walk in living out God's perfect and specific will for each of our lives. I need more discernment in understanding His will, not just hearing from Him. All I can do is to do the above, trusting Him to lead me each step of the way, and that He'll be faithful to lead me back on the right track should I walk astray. Of course, not to miss out on the requirements of being obedient on our part in every step of the way, the known written will of God that we learn from the bible. I'm feeling rather confused, and there is some sort of sorrow and depression in my heart with reasons unknown. Perhaps I've been ignoring my own feelings, like brushing it aside in order to focus on what I need to do and doing so for long has let these feelings accumulate till it came to the point that I do not the true cause of what made me feel this way. Only God knows the causes of my emotion. Other than that, I confess that I haven't' been spending much time with God and have been missing the daily divine appointment, my quiet time isn't that consistent. Too often I was occupied with some other things, my mind couldn't focus on Him when I finally do it, was distracted by other thoughts and weariness. I think this too can be one of the factor that causes my current emotions. Again, the Lord knows. I'll get back to Him.
Anyway, the above is something which bothers me currently and has been happening for quite sometime now. I would appreciate that you'll keep me in prayer that He'll reveal His will clearly to me as I continue to keep myself on the right track with Him. Thank you in advance!
Well, to my friends who have been reading my blog (even if it's a few months ago) and wondered what had happened to me since my last entry which was about 3 months ago, I am sorry for the worries I've caused. First thing first, I'm alright and am currently working as a full-time staff in my church. I'm serving as multimedia personnel in Calvary Communication – an extended ministry of my church (Calvary Church of A/G). Ever since I completed my short term Bible School (AIM – which stands for Asian Institute Of Ministries), I prayed for the Lord's leading and regarding the desire to serve Him fulltime. I acknowledged this issue to my senior pastor during AIM Lunch session and he asked me to pray about it and said that he is willing to help me to get to where God wants me to go. A month or so later, I was asked to help out in designing and editing the Church Camp booklet, and Pastor Steven handed me a form saying that senior pastor recommended me to try out the Living Sacrifice program. Basically, this course requires an interview and all yet senior pastor has actually "okayed" even before I apply for it. Anyway, I took the form home, read and prayed about it and came back to the office to inquire more information regarding the Living Sacrifice program. In the end the head of the Missions department (Pastor Peter) came to me and started with the interview when all I came for was just merely for information inquiries. After the interview, he was pleased with my willingness to serve and mentioned that he will have a meeting with the Missions committee in order to give me the final answer for my enrolment. A week later, I met up with Pastor Peter and he said that it'll be wise for me to get a fulltime job than enrolling the Living Sacrifice due to the situation of my family. He mentioned that Calvary Communication ministry needs people and he suggested me to Jim (the head of Calvary Communications ministry, who is now my boss) and I said that the same thing – that I'm willing to take this leap of faith. A few days later, I was interviewed by Jim and accepted the job offer, started working in August (with 3 months probation) and last week I got a confirmation letter that I've completed my probation and am now officially accepted to continue working in this department.
Personally, I think mine is a rare occasion and this can never happen without God working behind the scene and leading me, opening each door etc. What I've heard is that usually for those who desire to serve as full time staff in my church, they have to go through Living Sacrifice program for a year, they must be an official member of Calvary Church and all. The truth is I am not even an official member of my church yet and here I am serving as an official staff of Calvary Church. I am also in the process of fulfilling my membership requirement now.
In all, I praise and thank Him who has lead me thus far. Even though serving in church has it's ups and downs, I've encountered various challenges (dealing with people whom I am not comfortable with is one of them), learning and doing something which I never studied in my college (I studied business and here I am serving as a multimedia personnel) and lot's more…I'm believing God to lead me from here (where I am working now and all the challenges I'm currently facing I consider as stepping stones – a molding process which God uses to prepare me for whatever purpose He has for me) to where He desires. I need to be strong and I'm relying on His strength each step of the way. I have my fears, yet I also have some level of excitement / curiosity of what God is doing and where He is leading me from here.
That's all for now my friends, till later.
In Him, ~Lawence~
PS: Thank you Beeba and Rita for leaving me messages on the Tagboard. This blog looked so dead and I was thinking of closing it, but now...I think I'll keep it. Thanks so much to both of you, inclusive of those who dropped by.
Hmm…no, this is not a testimony but rather a journal about what’s occurring in my life right now. Please don’t continue to read unless you truly want to be affected by my negative emotions – be warned.
I know most of my post that are written by me reveals that I’m a person with a pessimist mindset. Lately (actually it has been a few months) that I’ve been feeling rather “down” in my life, emotionally, spiritually, etc… Feeling rather drained out right now. Trusting God isn’t easy, lest living for Him. Not that I will give up my salvation, it’s just that in my opinion, we may not have all we desire in this life on earth as Christians, and we may not experience all of God’s blessings on earth but in heaven thus storing up treasures in heaven. The requirement of having contentment in this thought is to have the eternal perspective, and not the short-sighted earthly perspective that life here on earth is all that it is. Though I do know intellectually that what’s in Heaven is better, yet I just don’t feel contended or fulfilled unless I have all my earthly desires fulfilled. That’s just me, I want to have all my earthly hearts’ desires fulfilled here on earth before I leave earth because I can’t enjoy some of these desires in heaven…funny but true…but shall not elaborate further. Will He grant me all my hearts desires, and hopefully not less than what I desire? Bible says God is capable of doing more than what we dare to ask of Him. I agree that God is capable, but the question is that will He, or is He willing to grant me what I ask for? I’m sorry to say that I don’t have that much faith in believing that all my hearts desires will come true. The fact is that life here on earth isn’t a bed of roses, and this stays true to all people, including Christians. I think that even I as a Christian, not all prayers for will come true, but only some…for all prayers are subjected to His will. That’s why I don’t dare to hope too much, fearing that the more hope I put in, the more vulnerable I will be to experience disappointment. I’ve been disappointed enough due to expecting too much…I do know of people who are carefree in their perspective in life. Whether they have what they want, whether their desires are fulfilled or not, they’re fine either way. All they do is to just “cruise” through life. Maybe they’re happier people, and on the other hand, yet on the other hand I consider them people who are shallow in life…due to their lack of purpose in life. I expect much in life, to be honest. I am focused, making sure that everything I do will bring desired consequences, if not I rather not spend my effort doing it. I confess my motives is partially self-centered. Serving God is a desire I have in my heart, a pure desire… in doing what He asks me to do, yet on the other hand, I also hope He’ll meet my ends. It’s just me, as I don’t like being betrayed or cheated, nor to out-give…It’s my nature…I may be testing God, not for fund. Even in giving Him and serving Him, putting in money and effort, there are always doubts and fear within me of whether He will be faithful in providing my needs as I serve Him. Not that I serve Him for money or anything. It’s out of my desire to do so, God given I think. But the doubts that He may not grant me what I hope for is evident. Thus the anxiety and all…I still hope that God will bring ALL my hearts desires to fulfillment before I leave earth…I just want this as blessings from Him. I do not like being deprived of my hearts desires; neither I want those desires to change or to be taken away but fulfilled completely. Rather demanding Sorry to God regarding this issue. It’s just not Christ-like I know. It’s strange that I’m still clinging upon Him in life as my responses above aren’t “CHRISTian” at all. Yet there is a desire to want to please Him…I am rather confused about myself….It’s not that I want to upset Him for being selfish…I can’t help feeling this way…I don’t want to be deprived of what I long for. I am upset that being a Christian has to be so tough…
What is my purpose to be a Christian? To be saved? God revealed Himself to me, and I believed. That’s how I came to know of Him intellectually. Giving my life over to Him? I did that, because I felt His love and that He has revealed to me the true meaning of Salvation, living a life which is not my own but of Christ, which He lived in a way that is perfectly pleasing to God, thus us who accepted this gift have become pleasing and acceptable to Him and are redeemed – all because of what Christ did, not our effort. Is He now my Lord and not just my Savior? Did I turn all my life over to His control? Hmm…in words of prayer I did so, but what about my heart…If I truly am surrendered to Him, I would have been willing to give up anything I desire just for His sake, but sadly I’m not. I am not completely willing. I still want my desires fulfilled in full. I don’t want to be deprived. I’m afraid that giving out my all will cost me so much that my desires will not be fulfilled. It’s self-centered…I’m only taking one step at a time…I’m afraid of going all out now…I’m not that sacrificial. Sorry for the disappointment…don’t take me a role-model...But if you want a role model for a worldly guy…I’m not the best choice either…I’m stuck in between…
Another issue is that I’m still waiting for an answer regarding the Living Sacrifice program of my church. Regarding what this program is about, in short…it’s a one year commitment to serve the church, as an unofficial “worker”…a course designed for those who think that God may place in their heart a desire to serve Him fulltime…feeling called for ministry etc…I’m just feeling anxious about this, and also regarding or things in life. Anyway, I will be meeting Pastor Peter on Tuesday regarding this program. Please keep me in prayer yes?
Anyway, enough babbling, sorry if I make anyone of you feeling distress or anything. This isn’t meant to entertain anyone, it’s a journal and I need to vent somehow. At least now I’m “blogging”. Isn’t this is what blog is created for?
Thanks for your comment and encouragement on my blog. To keep you all updated, I've been encouraged by senior pastor and my youth pastor to take up this Living Sacrifice program, a one year course where I'll serve the church in whatever ministry that needs people, yet not considered as an employment thus they don't give salary but reasonable amount of allowance. I've gotten the form and yet to sign up for it. I’ve also been interviewed by Pastor Peter who is in charge of this Living Sacrifice program. What I'm concerned now is regarding the financial part, and whether this is really God's will for me to take up this program. I haven't had any prompting of the inner witness regarding this issue. Please keep me in prayer yes? As for my relationship with the Lord, it has been ups and downs, trying to love Him yet having doubts about His plan for me, difficulty trusting Him to fulfill whatever desires which is in my heart. I've grown rather fearful of giving too much to Him that it'll cost me so much, and thus living the kind of life which deprives me from the things I desire....I know this isn't Christ-like, and it's rather self-centered than God-centered. I don't feel that I'm that Lawrence whom you used to know...I know there’s no such thing of out-giving God, for all things are His in the beginning, and when I read the notes from the bible in the book of Hosea, I told God that I couldn’t accept the fact where I have to suffer the loss, in order to benefit others yet not myself. Now my relationship with God is like a barter trade, I serve Him in order to get what I want from Him. Yet I know this isn’t what pleases Him. God would rather want our hearts than our service, and to serve Him out of gratitude, out of love for Him. That aside, I do have the desire to serve Him, and it has been there for quite sometime, not for the wrong reasons, but now due to the fear of what this will cost me, I continuously remind God to not deprive me my hearts desires as I serve Him for the rest of my life. I made a vow years ago to serve Him regardless of whether He will give me what I desire, now, things have changed. I will serve Him still, because of my vow, yet I will not give up praying daily regarding my hearts desire until I hear from Him, or until I get what I desire from Him. I’ve been persistent in praying for this…now….this is who I am now….There’s nothing to be proud of me, really…
Tomorrow I will be officially graduate from AIM (Asian Institute Of Ministries) a short term bible school program of my church, recognized by BCM (Bible College of Malaysia) . Yesterday was the day I received my final allowance from my dad, which also means that he will no longer support me financially because I told him that I want to work, even serving God in ministries, in church. He is not in favor with it, inclusive of the idea of me going to bible school, even though he is a believer himself, believing in the same God yet from a different perspective of God and how He works due to different denominational background. I am from the Assemblies of God, while he is from the Brethren background.
Anyway, what makes this more difficult is that my mom is a person very against anything that has to do with Christianity. She only takes religion as something to benefit herself, yet not something to devote to. She is an unbeliever. Because of her, I cannot attend church on Sundays, except when she is not around on that day, or whenever I can find an opportunity to go, I will. I even lied to her just to create an opportunity to attend church on some occasions. I know this isn't God's way so I’m not encouraging anyone to do what I did.
Right now I just consider this as a perfect timing that my dad gave my final allowance due to the reason that I will be an official AIM graduate tomorrow. I know this day will come and I’m quite prepared for it. Pastor Steven (My Youth Pastor, President of AIM and the Chairman of BCM) has asked me whether I’m serious in taking up the Living Sacrifice program – a one year program where the church will bring me to whatever ministries that need people, serving the church for one year as probation for being a fulltime staff for my church. As what I’ve mentioned in my previous posts, I have been checking my heart for a long time and I am very certain that I have the desire to serve God in wherever He leads me. This desire has been in my heart for quite a few years, and I do not have the passion to work in any secular jobs, meaning being a businessman or anything but only ministries. I do not know what my calling is, thus I joined AIM in order to receive ministry training and theology education, and also to by myself time to seek God in order to find out what He actually wants me to do. Now without the financial aid of my dad, it actually gives me the opportunity to trust God in giving me a job to finance myself, and also for training me to do whatever He wants me to do. Please be in prayer for me, as I know I need that badly. I’ve been praying for months, or even years for this but right now I still have not got any answer from Him yet. Please also pray that He'll provide me enough financially as what I heard about the Living Sacrifice program is that it doesn't give people salary, but only allowance which isn't quite much. I do not work for God because of this financial reason but to serve Him, yet I also cannot survive if I do not have enough to pay for my daily living. Really appreciate it if any of you can pray for me.
Here are the two photos taken on my baptism day. The two men who stood beside me in the baptism pool are associate pastors of my church. Pastor Peter Ong on my right and Pastor Timothy on my left. The baptism pool is in the sanctuary. Guess what? There is a one leg dead cockroach in the pool! Luckily I closed my mouth! Lol! As for another picture is me sharing my testimony before baptism. Please ignore my pimple yes? Be blessed!
In Him, ~Lawrence~
My Declaration Before Baptism (On my right is Associate Pastor Peter Ong, while on my left is Associate Pastor Timothy)
This is me sharing my testimony before the baptism
Thank you for telling me what I need to hear, and not what I want to hear. I know what is the right thing to do - to surrender. You and I know it isn't an easy thing to do, and if I really do so, I hope it is done out of first and foremost - love for Him, out of loving Him above everything else here on earth. Yet even this alone I have doubt that I really love Him as my first love. I do not know, as I know it is possible to do what has to be done, yet not out of love, and there are times I’ve doing things this way in ministry. For example, it’s really not my character that I talk to strangers, to people whom I’m not so close to, to open myself up to people. Those who know me well will tell you that I’m a quiet person, often in deep thoughts. Yet because of what the short term bible school course requires me to do – evangelism, I did what I’m required to do – I initiated the conversation with strangers for the sake of evangelism, not that I enjoy doing so, but because I’m obligated to do so. Usually I only do so when I feel compelled by my love/concern for someone I’m close to.
I find it hard trusting God to fulfill my dreams (not that I doubt His ability to do so, but His willingness to do so), due to some reasons which only a handful of people know. I even confessed this to God bluntly that I do not trust Him enough to really surrender it to Him. I was rather upset and bitter towards me and Him that time. God knew.
Areas which I find it easier to surrender it to Him are those which I don’t find it too important/closely related to me. Even in prayer for someone or something which I don’t mind too much for whatever God’s answer is, it is easier to surrender it to His will. But those things which I often want to have it my way, I can’t. It’s just an honest statement I made, and perhaps this statement may even make you doubt whether I truly love those people I pray for. Well, I’ll let you judge me if you want. As for me, I confess there are people whom I love more than the others. I do pray for those I dislike/uncomfortable with, but I don’t pray with evil intentions, that I can assure you. I’m just a normal human being, and my love isn’t perfect like God’s.
For now thing concerning me which is fully surrendered to Him is my career. I’ve been praying much and checked my heart quite a few times and I have some level of certainty that I have the desire to serve Him in full time ministry. But whether that is His calling for me, I am not so sure. I worked in corporate world before and I know I have no passion for that sort of thing. So yes, I’ve been praying daily for months now, and even more frequently lately that He’ll reveal to me what He wants me to do. Seriously, I only have the desire to serve Him, yet not certain which job or ministry He wants me to go to. Being God’s servant is not only about serving Him, but more accurately is about doing what He wants me to do (His will) and not just getting myself in any ministry in any ministry and assuming that I’m serving Him.
What is more important to God, other than faith and love, is the obedience to His will, and not really our service for Him. If we truly regard Him as the Lord of our lives, we will obey Him regardless of what He asks us to do, regardless of the cost. According to my understanding, without faith, it is impossible to please God. On the other hand, having faith and works BUT without love for Him doesn’t please God either. God doesn’t want to be our slave master, but our Heavenly Father. The same goes for what He wants from us, our love for Him. God created us isn’t just to fulfill His plan for our lives. If we understand the heart of God, we will know that those plans are created out of His love for His children. God is a relational God, and His desire to be our heavenly Father is in order for us to feel His love, thus loving us as His children.
Now that you know all these, I hope that you’ll not just benefit from this post, but also hope that you’ll keep me in prayer (I really do appreciate it, and thanks to all those who has encouraged me and been keeping m in prayer). As for those who were offended by what I write here, I’m sorry!
Matthew 7:21-23 (New King James Version) “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Jeremiah 29:11-13 (New Living Translation) For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me.
*God used Jeremiah 29:11-13 in my New Living Translation Bible to speak to me, which is the first time I ever heard from Him through the Holy Spirit in year 2001 when I was really heart-broken. This is my personal testimony. That was when I felt His love for me for the first time, a personal touch from Him. He became very real to me during that time. Before this I only relied on His Word, trusting them as my source of truth.
Acts 17:27-28 (New Living Translation) "His purpose in all of this was that the nations should seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him--though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As one of your own poets says, `We are his offspring.'
My Declaration Before Baptism (On my right is Associate Pastor Peter Ong, while on my left is Associate Pastor Timothy)
This is me sharing my testimony before the baptism