Caleb R.
Peggy Tan
Hong Lu, Richard, Gigi Lim
-
Grace Lee
Joseph Yap
-
Terry Choong
Anna Sim
-
Moses Tan
Tom C., Tommy Quek
Sunday, 30 November 2008
Time To Choose
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your father served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. - Joshua 24:15.
Where are you going? Can you hear the still small voice? You can pretend you never heard and walk right into the jaws of sin. Turn back before it is too late. The Word of God says in James 1:14, "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death." And "the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Death stands before you with this mouth wide open and would you even without blinking your eyes walk right into its jaws?
Do not waver between good and evil, between sin and holiness, between light and darkness, between belonging to the Lord and Satan. You cannot stand with one foot on one side and one the other. For they are worlds apart. One is life and the other death. None of them merges into the other. There is a clear and distinct line drawn between them.
Do you remember the first time you were so nervous and afraid to do wrong? You wanted to hide from everyone, to be in the dark. You did not heed to the still small voice telling you to flee - to flee from lusts, feel from unrighteousness, flee from the works of the flesh, flee from the wickedness and bad company. You could see well that it would all bring ruin and destruction to your life. Still you went ahead. But now it has become so much a part of you that do those things which ought not to be done as if there were the right thing to do, because you have hardened your heart. You chose death instead of life, bondage to sin instead of being free in Christ.
Now however much you try to hide the wretchedness within you and act as if all is normal, you know very well that you are rotten on the inside. You are dying because of your sin, wrong choices, pursuing fleshy desires, giving in to wilful pleasures. You want to be free but you are not willing to give up your sinful ways of life.
Beloved, now is the time to decide. Do not say, "Let me hang in there a little longer just once more". Each time hell is closing up on you and it may be too late.
Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. Come to Him with all your hopelessness, and wretchedness like the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-24) and say, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee". Seek forgiveness from the Lord and ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life. Do not look back or go to your old ways but walk in the newness of life that He gives you. Be a changed human being in Christ Jesus today.
Anyone who finds God finds life.
- Daniel O.C
Where are you going? Can you hear the still small voice? You can pretend you never heard and walk right into the jaws of sin. Turn back before it is too late. The Word of God says in James 1:14, "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death." And "the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Death stands before you with this mouth wide open and would you even without blinking your eyes walk right into its jaws?
Do not waver between good and evil, between sin and holiness, between light and darkness, between belonging to the Lord and Satan. You cannot stand with one foot on one side and one the other. For they are worlds apart. One is life and the other death. None of them merges into the other. There is a clear and distinct line drawn between them.
Do you remember the first time you were so nervous and afraid to do wrong? You wanted to hide from everyone, to be in the dark. You did not heed to the still small voice telling you to flee - to flee from lusts, feel from unrighteousness, flee from the works of the flesh, flee from the wickedness and bad company. You could see well that it would all bring ruin and destruction to your life. Still you went ahead. But now it has become so much a part of you that do those things which ought not to be done as if there were the right thing to do, because you have hardened your heart. You chose death instead of life, bondage to sin instead of being free in Christ.
Now however much you try to hide the wretchedness within you and act as if all is normal, you know very well that you are rotten on the inside. You are dying because of your sin, wrong choices, pursuing fleshy desires, giving in to wilful pleasures. You want to be free but you are not willing to give up your sinful ways of life.
Beloved, now is the time to decide. Do not say, "Let me hang in there a little longer just once more". Each time hell is closing up on you and it may be too late.
Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. Come to Him with all your hopelessness, and wretchedness like the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-24) and say, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee". Seek forgiveness from the Lord and ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life. Do not look back or go to your old ways but walk in the newness of life that He gives you. Be a changed human being in Christ Jesus today.
Anyone who finds God finds life.
- Daniel O.C
Sunday, 23 November 2008
30 NOVEMBER 2008
Barnabas P.
Foong Yee
Terry Choong, Jocelyn Choong
-
Lydia Sim
Joseph Yap
-
Anna Sim
Kai Yew
-
Tian Sia
Manjit Sing. Hiew FF
Foong Yee
Terry Choong, Jocelyn Choong
-
Lydia Sim
Joseph Yap
-
Anna Sim
Kai Yew
-
Tian Sia
Manjit Sing. Hiew FF
Blessings of Obedience
Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments. - Deuteronomy 7:9
Is your heart grieving over something which has happened in your life quite unexpectedly? Do you wish this accident which has been affecting you so much had never happened? Are you still battling with the reality of a painful incident?
Joseph's life was full of incidents which seemed more like accidents but through it all, the word of God says that, " ... the Lord was with him and made whatever he did to prosper" (Genesis 39:23). Joseph was loved more than all the other children which Jacod had and he gave him a special tunic. One day Jacob sent Joseph to see whether everything was all right with his brothers who were taking care of the flock at Shechem. Joseph's brothers who were jealous of him and envied him took this opportunity and conspired to kill him. However Rueben tried to deliver him and suggested that he be put in a pit which was empty. Later he was sold to the Ishmaelites while his tunic was dipped in the blood of a young goat. Jacob who saw this mourned his son for many days thinking that his son Joseph was dead. Though it seemed everything was against him, the Lord was preparing Joseph for something good.
Joseph sold to Potiphar found favour in his sight and was made supervisor over his house but soon he was accused by his master's wife which landed him in prison. "The Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy and loving-kindness and gave favour in the sight of the warden in the prison. And the warden of the prison committed to Joseph's care all the prisoners.." says the word of God in Genesis 39:21.
The butler who had forgetten Joseph now remembered him to Pharoah and through the wisdom of God he interpreted the dream which none of Pharoah's magicians could interpret. Pharoah recognised that in Joseph was the spirit of God (Genesis 41:38-39). He said to Joseph, "For as much as (your) God has shown you all this, there is nobody as intelligent and discreet and understanding and wise as you are." Joseph was set over all the land of Egypt.
The Lord had chosen circumstances of his life and ordered his footsteps to work good both for himself, his whole family who later came and bowed before him and over the land of Egypt. If your likfe is surrendered into the hands of the Lord even the unexpected painful events, situations which shake you will all turn out to be those which mould you to be ready for something greater.
No destruction of the enemy can stop the good plans of God in your life!
As yourself: what kind of church would mine be if everyone is like me?
- Daniel O.C
Sunday, 16 November 2008
By Grace Through Faith
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God - Ephesians 2:8
"Why are you so fearful? Where is your faith (your trust, your confidence in Me - in My veracity and My integrity) ?" Jesus asked his disciples when they awakend Him in the midst of the storm in the lake of Galilee (Luke 8:25). And that is exactly how most of us behave when the storm winds and the raging waves surround us. We panic, runhere and there, call up the Pastor and every prayer warrior we konw, worry unceasingly about ourselves, instead of exercising our faith.
If you think to yourself that it's alright with you to be just an ordinary Christian attending church every Sunday and going about your way, then you are wrong. The Lord wants you to exercise your faith, to be an extraordinary person and live at a higher spiritual level each day. To every man is given a measure of faith and the Lord desires of you to daily increase your faith.
The Lord is looking for hearts who will step out in faith, believe Him and operate in His power. Sometimes people have so much faith in their prayerful Pastor, but make no effort to grow in their spiritual lives. Today the Lord is calling you to step out from your ordinary way of living, into the extraordinary, from the natural to the supernatural, from living by sight to living by faith.
The ten spies who went by sight and 'saw' the land, said. "we are not able", "they are stronger than we are". "all the people we saw in it are men of great stature (giants)", and "we were in our own sight as grasshoppers". But Caleb and Joshua who walked in faith said, ?we are well able to conquer it", "the Lord is with us", "they are bread for us", "their defense and the shadow (of protection) is removed from over them, but the Lord is with us", "fear them not". And the result was that only Caleb and Joshua who walked in faith entered the promised land (Numbers 13 & 14).
"For truly I say to you, if you have faith (that is living) like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, move from here to yonder place and it will move, and nothing will be impossible to you." Jesus said in Matthew 17:20. Desire to be mountain movers and have faith like some of those found in Hebrews 1:1. Let your life be known as a man of great faith and a woman of great faith.
Love restrains you from doing evil and reaches out in selfless service to all.
- Daniel O.C
23 NOVEMBER 2008
Dr. Siow KW
Kai Yew
Shankar R., Peggy Tan
-
Jun Fhui
Meng Fhui
-
Terry Choong
Nicholas
-
Richard
Tom C., Tommy Quek
Kai Yew
Shankar R., Peggy Tan
-
Jun Fhui
Meng Fhui
-
Terry Choong
Nicholas
-
Richard
Tom C., Tommy Quek
Monday, 10 November 2008
WHEN I SAY I AM A CHRISTIAN (Maya Angelou)
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."
I'm whispering "I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven."
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need His strength to carry on.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace, somehow!
-
Maya Angelou is hailed as one of the great voices of contemporary literature and as a remarkable Renaissance woman. Being a poet, educator, historian, best-selling author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist, producer and director, Dr. Angelou continues to travel the world making appearances, spreading her legendary wisdom.
A mesmerizing vision of grace, swaying and stirring when she moves, Dr. Angelou captivates her audiences lyrically with vigor, fire and perception. She has the unique ability to shatter the opaque prisms of race and class between reader and subject throughout her books of poetry and her autobiographies.
Dr. Angelou has authored twelve best-selling books including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, A Song Flung Up to Heaven and Even the Stars Look Lonesome
In 1981, Dr. Angelou was appointed to a lifetime position as the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University.
In January 1993, she became only the second poet in U.S. History to have the honor of writing and reciting original work at the Presidential Inauguration.
Dr. Angelou has been nominated for two Grammy Awards for "Best Spoken Word or Non Musical Album" for On The Pulse Of Morning (1993) and Phenomenal Woman (1995). In 2004, she received a Grammy Award nomination in the "Best Spoken Word Album" category for Hallelujah! The Welcome Table. Dr. Angelou has garnered over 50 honorary degrees from colleges and universities worldwide.
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."
I'm whispering "I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven."
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need His strength to carry on.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace, somehow!
-
Maya Angelou is hailed as one of the great voices of contemporary literature and as a remarkable Renaissance woman. Being a poet, educator, historian, best-selling author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist, producer and director, Dr. Angelou continues to travel the world making appearances, spreading her legendary wisdom.
A mesmerizing vision of grace, swaying and stirring when she moves, Dr. Angelou captivates her audiences lyrically with vigor, fire and perception. She has the unique ability to shatter the opaque prisms of race and class between reader and subject throughout her books of poetry and her autobiographies.
Dr. Angelou has authored twelve best-selling books including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, A Song Flung Up to Heaven and Even the Stars Look Lonesome
In 1981, Dr. Angelou was appointed to a lifetime position as the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University.
In January 1993, she became only the second poet in U.S. History to have the honor of writing and reciting original work at the Presidential Inauguration.
Dr. Angelou has been nominated for two Grammy Awards for "Best Spoken Word or Non Musical Album" for On The Pulse Of Morning (1993) and Phenomenal Woman (1995). In 2004, she received a Grammy Award nomination in the "Best Spoken Word Album" category for Hallelujah! The Welcome Table. Dr. Angelou has garnered over 50 honorary degrees from colleges and universities worldwide.
Sunday, 9 November 2008
WHEN I SAY I AM A CHRISTIAN (Maya Angelou)
-
WHEN I SAY I AM A CHRISTIAN
by Maya Angelou
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."
I'm whispering "I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven."
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need His strength to carry on.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.
When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace, somehow!
16 NOVEMBER 2008
Liong KC
Shankar R.
Hong Lu, Foong Yee
-
Jessica Lee
Joseph Yap
-
Anna Sim
Jaemy Choong
-
Siew Pin
Tommy Quek, Manjit Singh
Shankar R.
Hong Lu, Foong Yee
-
Jessica Lee
Joseph Yap
-
Anna Sim
Jaemy Choong
-
Siew Pin
Tommy Quek, Manjit Singh
The Servant of The Lord
Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. - 1 Samuel 12:24.
Are you serving the Lord? What is your reason to serve the Lord? Is it because you need the emotional satisfaction? Do you want to make yourself important in the eyes of others and does all the attention make you happy? Or perhaps you are looking for some personal gain?
"And now Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you but (reverently) to fear the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with your entire being." (Deuteronomy 10:12). If you are not true in serving the Lord with your whole heart and with your entire being and for the love of the Lord you will find yourself being bitter, unsatisfied and frustrated that your end was not met.
True service can only come from having a good, honest consistent walk with the Lord and by completely yielding yourself to the Lord without looking for any gain but out of love and gratitude. However hard you may try to cover up and hide your motives for serving the Lord, the word of God says that the Lord sees not as a man sees. "For the Lord sees not as man; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).
Serving the Lord is a great honour no matter what ministry you are involved in. Most Christians like to be involved in those ministries where they are noticed failing to realise that their true rewards is in heaven not from man. Know the Lord God whom you serve. If you are involved in a ministry but not having an intimate relationship with the Lord, yours will be a job that is no different from others in the world. You will never experience the true joy of serving the Lord and when difficulties and trials come your way, you will easily get discouraged and want to quit.
The word of God encouraged us to "serve the Lord with gladness", "serve the Lord with reverent awe and worshipful fear","... offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship".
What is teh quality of your service to the King of kings and the Lord of lords who gave Himself to die what you should live? The Lord is asking, "Whom shall I send and who will go for Us?" Like Isaiah, can you say, "Here I am, send me" and "I delight to do His will," like David, and serve Him with your whole heart and entire being?
Be a Christian today in words, deeds and actions.
- Daniel O.C
Are you serving the Lord? What is your reason to serve the Lord? Is it because you need the emotional satisfaction? Do you want to make yourself important in the eyes of others and does all the attention make you happy? Or perhaps you are looking for some personal gain?
"And now Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you but (reverently) to fear the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with your entire being." (Deuteronomy 10:12). If you are not true in serving the Lord with your whole heart and with your entire being and for the love of the Lord you will find yourself being bitter, unsatisfied and frustrated that your end was not met.
True service can only come from having a good, honest consistent walk with the Lord and by completely yielding yourself to the Lord without looking for any gain but out of love and gratitude. However hard you may try to cover up and hide your motives for serving the Lord, the word of God says that the Lord sees not as a man sees. "For the Lord sees not as man; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).
Serving the Lord is a great honour no matter what ministry you are involved in. Most Christians like to be involved in those ministries where they are noticed failing to realise that their true rewards is in heaven not from man. Know the Lord God whom you serve. If you are involved in a ministry but not having an intimate relationship with the Lord, yours will be a job that is no different from others in the world. You will never experience the true joy of serving the Lord and when difficulties and trials come your way, you will easily get discouraged and want to quit.
The word of God encouraged us to "serve the Lord with gladness", "serve the Lord with reverent awe and worshipful fear","... offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship".
What is teh quality of your service to the King of kings and the Lord of lords who gave Himself to die what you should live? The Lord is asking, "Whom shall I send and who will go for Us?" Like Isaiah, can you say, "Here I am, send me" and "I delight to do His will," like David, and serve Him with your whole heart and entire being?
Be a Christian today in words, deeds and actions.
- Daniel O.C
Friday, 7 November 2008
Sunday, 2 November 2008
9 NOVEMBER 2008
Caleb R.
Peggy Tan
Tian Sia, Phoebe Sim
-
Grace Lee
-
Terry Choong
Anna Sim
-
Meng Fhui
Hiew FF, Tom C.
Peggy Tan
Tian Sia, Phoebe Sim
-
Grace Lee
-
Terry Choong
Anna Sim
-
Meng Fhui
Hiew FF, Tom C.
Letting God Use You
"Are you called to help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies, so that God will be glorified through Jesus Christ - to Him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen." - 1 Peter 4:11
Isn't it beautiful that God does not make us all conform to one pattern? There is only one way to salvation, but in other ways, such as the way we are introduced to Christ, He deals with each of us as individuals.
In His own healing ministry, Jesus once reached down and made mud and put it on a man's blind eyes. He said, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam."
Another time, He just spoke the word and a man was healed many miles away. It was discovered later that at the very moment Jesus spoke the word, the man had been healed. On other occasions, He would go into a house and actually touch an individual, as in the case of Peter's mother-in-law.
Peter went one step further than praying in the name of Jesus. He become a point of contact. At the gate called Beautiful, he took a man by the right hand and lifted him up. Immediately, the man's feet and ankle bones received strength and he began to leap and walk.
After the man was healed, he did a terrible thing - he went in and completely disrupted an afternoon prayer service! He seemed to show no respect for the sanctity of the temple at all.
He went in there leaping and jumping and shouting and waving his arms, "I'm healed! I'm healed! I'm healed!"
This man, lame from his mother's womb. now just tore apart the afternoon prayer service! But what was the result? We read in the next chapter of the Bible (Acts 4) that five thousand men were added to the church that day - five thousand because of one miracle!
Not only were those five thousand saved that day but you can imagine the multiplication as they went out and got their relatives, they got their neighbours and brought them into this experience of salvation in Jesus Christ.
There's no telling how many people were won to Christ as a result of that one miracle. None of it would have happened if Peter had just said, "Well, it's just not this time. He does not have the faith. He must have sin in his life. There's something blocking his healing."
But Peter had gone the extra step and was the point of contact for a miracle that brought a great breakthrough to that area.
You must become a point of contact. You must let God use you. You cannot be timid. Christ Jesus' abundant life adds boldness to your personality.
Faith is a fact, but faith is an act. Faith without works is dead!
Be ready to act your faith!
Be a point of contact.
Isn't it beautiful that God does not make us all conform to one pattern? There is only one way to salvation, but in other ways, such as the way we are introduced to Christ, He deals with each of us as individuals.
In His own healing ministry, Jesus once reached down and made mud and put it on a man's blind eyes. He said, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam."
Another time, He just spoke the word and a man was healed many miles away. It was discovered later that at the very moment Jesus spoke the word, the man had been healed. On other occasions, He would go into a house and actually touch an individual, as in the case of Peter's mother-in-law.
Peter went one step further than praying in the name of Jesus. He become a point of contact. At the gate called Beautiful, he took a man by the right hand and lifted him up. Immediately, the man's feet and ankle bones received strength and he began to leap and walk.
After the man was healed, he did a terrible thing - he went in and completely disrupted an afternoon prayer service! He seemed to show no respect for the sanctity of the temple at all.
He went in there leaping and jumping and shouting and waving his arms, "I'm healed! I'm healed! I'm healed!"
This man, lame from his mother's womb. now just tore apart the afternoon prayer service! But what was the result? We read in the next chapter of the Bible (Acts 4) that five thousand men were added to the church that day - five thousand because of one miracle!
Not only were those five thousand saved that day but you can imagine the multiplication as they went out and got their relatives, they got their neighbours and brought them into this experience of salvation in Jesus Christ.
There's no telling how many people were won to Christ as a result of that one miracle. None of it would have happened if Peter had just said, "Well, it's just not this time. He does not have the faith. He must have sin in his life. There's something blocking his healing."
But Peter had gone the extra step and was the point of contact for a miracle that brought a great breakthrough to that area.
You must become a point of contact. You must let God use you. You cannot be timid. Christ Jesus' abundant life adds boldness to your personality.
Faith is a fact, but faith is an act. Faith without works is dead!
Be ready to act your faith!
Be a point of contact.
MARTHA
Martha
by Max Lucado
Every church needs a Martha. Change that. Every church needs a hundred Marthas. Sleeves rolled and ready, they keep the pace for the church. Because of Marthas, the church budget gets balanced, the church babies get bounced, and the church building gets built. You don’t appreciate Marthas until a Martha is missing, and then all the Marys and Lazaruses are scrambling around looking for the keys and the thermostats and the overhead projectors.
Marthas are the Energizer bunnies of the church. They keep going and going and going. They store strength like a camel stores water. Since they don’t seek the spotlight, they don’t live off the applause. That’s not to say they don’t need it. They just aren’t addicted to it.
Marthas have a mission. In fact, if Marthas have a weakness, it is their tendency to elevate the mission over the Master. Remember when Martha did that? A younger Martha invites a younger Jesus to come for dinner. Jesus accepts and brings his disciples.
The scene Luke describes has Mary seated and Martha fuming. Martha is angry because Mary is, horror of horrors, sitting at the feet of Jesus. How impractical! How irrelevant! How unnecessary! I mean, who has time to sit and listen when there is bread to be baked, tables to be set, and souls to be saved? So Martha complained, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me alone to do all the work? Tell her to help me” (Luke 10:40).
All of a sudden Martha has gone from serving Jesus to making demands of Jesus. The room falls silent. The disciples duck their eyes. Mary flushes red. And Jesus speaks.
“Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things. Only one thing is important. Mary has chosen the better thing, and it will never be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41–42).
Apparently Martha got the point, for later we find her serving again.
“Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:2–3 NIV).
Is Mary in the kitchen? No she is worshiping, for that is what she loves to do. But this time Martha doesn’t object. She has learned that there is a place for praise and worship, and that is what Mary is doing. And what is Mary’s part in the dinner? She brings a pint of very expensive perfume and pours it on Jesus’ feet, then wipes his feet with her hair. The smell of the perfume fills the house, just like the sound of praise can fill a church.
An earlier Martha would have objected. Such an act was too lavish, too extravagant, too generous. But this mature Martha has learned that just as there is a place in the kingdom of God for sacrificial service, there is also a place for extravagant praise.
From
Cast of Characters
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2008) Max Lucado
Now Available
by Max Lucado
Every church needs a Martha. Change that. Every church needs a hundred Marthas. Sleeves rolled and ready, they keep the pace for the church. Because of Marthas, the church budget gets balanced, the church babies get bounced, and the church building gets built. You don’t appreciate Marthas until a Martha is missing, and then all the Marys and Lazaruses are scrambling around looking for the keys and the thermostats and the overhead projectors.
Marthas are the Energizer bunnies of the church. They keep going and going and going. They store strength like a camel stores water. Since they don’t seek the spotlight, they don’t live off the applause. That’s not to say they don’t need it. They just aren’t addicted to it.
Marthas have a mission. In fact, if Marthas have a weakness, it is their tendency to elevate the mission over the Master. Remember when Martha did that? A younger Martha invites a younger Jesus to come for dinner. Jesus accepts and brings his disciples.
The scene Luke describes has Mary seated and Martha fuming. Martha is angry because Mary is, horror of horrors, sitting at the feet of Jesus. How impractical! How irrelevant! How unnecessary! I mean, who has time to sit and listen when there is bread to be baked, tables to be set, and souls to be saved? So Martha complained, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me alone to do all the work? Tell her to help me” (Luke 10:40).
All of a sudden Martha has gone from serving Jesus to making demands of Jesus. The room falls silent. The disciples duck their eyes. Mary flushes red. And Jesus speaks.
“Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things. Only one thing is important. Mary has chosen the better thing, and it will never be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41–42).
Apparently Martha got the point, for later we find her serving again.
“Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:2–3 NIV).
Is Mary in the kitchen? No she is worshiping, for that is what she loves to do. But this time Martha doesn’t object. She has learned that there is a place for praise and worship, and that is what Mary is doing. And what is Mary’s part in the dinner? She brings a pint of very expensive perfume and pours it on Jesus’ feet, then wipes his feet with her hair. The smell of the perfume fills the house, just like the sound of praise can fill a church.
An earlier Martha would have objected. Such an act was too lavish, too extravagant, too generous. But this mature Martha has learned that just as there is a place in the kingdom of God for sacrificial service, there is also a place for extravagant praise.
From
Cast of Characters
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2008) Max Lucado
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