Sunday Sermon - 29-Dec-2013 - Pr Donald Wayne Dickman

Speaker: Pastor Donald Wayne Dickman
Sword of The Spirit Family Church Petaling Jaya

http://www.mediafire.com/?o48lb01av271z9p

Christmas Service - 25-Dec-2013 - Pr Naresh Benaiah

Speaker: Pastor Naresh Benaiah

http://www.mediafire.com/?sd4z7ljmw3yhcok

Sunday Sermon - 22-Dec-2013 - Pr Naresh Benaiah

Speaker: Pastor Naresh Benaiah
Itinerant Speaker

http://www.mediafire.com/?nhw2qeshd8x3zc5

Sunday Sermon - 15-Dec-2013 - Pr Malcolm Dennis

Speaker: Pastor Malcolm Dennis
Full Gospel Assembly Kuala Lumpur

http://www.mediafire.com/?nngxk87j0jgclpq

Sunday Sermon - 1-Dec-2013 - Pr Benedict Muthusamy

Speaker: Pastor Benedict Muthusamy
Open Doors Malaysia

http://www.mediafire.com/?mxsbsxeu7hf761o

Sunday Sermon - 24-Nov-2013 - Pr Les Lee

Speaker: Pastor Les Lee
Itinerant Speaker

http://www.mediafire.com/?mxwxuhx4lwdyu6p

Sunday Sermon - 17-Nov-2013 - Bro. Chin Teng Lum

Speaker: Bro. Chin Teng Lum
White Fields Assembly Seremban

http://www.mediafire.com/?wj3oxga3yau78do

Sunday Sermon - 10-Nov-2013 - Rev Dr Solomon Abraham

Speaker: Rev Dr Solomon Abraham
Grace Assembly Petaling Jaya

http://www.mediafire.com/?52f0gqe5ves2bfi

Sunday Sermon - 3-Nov-2013 - Pr Ong Hock Huat

Speaker: Pastor Ong Hock Huat
Full Gospel Assembly Ipoh

http://www.mediafire.com/?ni925yhfdt3twb5

Sunday Sermon - 27-Oct-2013 - Pr Dr Bernard Teh

Speaker: Pastor Dr Bernard Teh
Full Gospel Assembly Taiping

http://www.mediafire.com/?l948u9z1odt8o50

Sunday Sermon - 20-Oct-2013 - Pr Dr Isaac Yim

Speaker: Pastor Dr Isaac Yim
Itinerant Speaker
Pantai Baptist Church, Petaling Jaya.

http://www.mediafire.com/?ss8sxaahdy7dhnm

Sunday Sermon - 13-Oct-2013 - Bro Tan Hong Lu

Speaker: Bro. Tan Hong Lu
Young Adults Life Group
White Fields Assembly Seremban

http://www.mediafire.com/?99led3mev1nkkcu

Sunday Sermon - 6-Oct-2013 - Bro Eric Fung

Speaker: Brother Eric Fung
Asian Outreach

http://www.mediafire.com/?ir6v65790afb6l7

Sunday Sermon - 22-Sept-2013 - Pr Anand Kumar

Speaker: Pastor Anand Kumar
Full Gospel Assembly KL

http://www.mediafire.com/?54ofd7drdkcjpsz

Worship Roster - 6-Oct-2013 ~ 22-Dec-2013

Worship Team Roster for 6-Oct-2013 to 22-Dec-2013

http://www.mediafire.com/view/b78f3dzcz7eab94/WFA_Worship_Schedule_2013-10-06_2013-12-22.pdf

Sunday Sermon - 8-Sept-2013 - Ps Kenath Verghese

Speaker: Pastor Kenath Verghese
FGA Mornington Peninsula, Australia

http://www.mediafire.com/?szd13b9ilryidkx

Sunday Sermon - 1-Sept-2013 - Pastor Dennis Balan

Speaker: Pastor Dennis Balan
New Life Community Church USJ

http://www.mediafire.com/?vyonc2tvcuv0t74

Sunday Sermon - 25-Aug-2013 - Ps Benaiah Naresh

Speaker: Pastor Benaiah Naresh

http://www.mediafire.com/?iircdwpgf698b8j

God Wants to Kill You

It is amazing how often Jesus spoke of our need to die to our selfish nature:  “Pick up your cross . . . “ “Lay down your life . . . “ “If you lose your life for my sake, you’ll find it . . . “  He even gave us a simple parable about it:  “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.  But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”  Jesus taught that the one way we could guarantee we would be alone is to refuse to die to our selfish nature, but if we willingly set selfishness aside, we would experience new life.

God wants to kill you….. Not the physical you, but the selfish you.  Jesus taught us that if we don’t die to our selfish nature, we will never be able to experience all of the blessings that God wants to bestow on us.  Talk about a paradox!  Everyone wants to live, but Jesus taught us that the only way we can truly live is if we die.  Well, if there was ever an institution designed to kill the selfish you, it’s marriage.  In fact, it is virtually impossible to succeed ant marriage if you don’t learn how to let the selfish part of you die.

It is not unusual for me to hear a frustrated spouse cry out, “I feel like I’m dying!” “Yep,” I reply, “you probably are.”  The answer, however, is not to fight death to the self, but to embrace it.  Remember, Jesus said if the grain of wheat fails to die, it remains alone, and that is precisely what we have today: millions of married people who refuse to die to self and become one with their spouse.  The result is a state of profound loneliness. (Let me clarify that I am speaking of dying to selfishness.  I am not advocating that one should die emotionally or physically due to neglect or abuse.)

Sunday Sermon - 11-Aug-2013 - Elder Sim Say Khim

Speaker: Elder Sim Say Khim
White Fields Assembly Seremban

http://www.mediafire.com/?cnqpdmiz207e9zo

The Dark Side of Wives Submitting to Husbands

Christian teaching on male headship is often used as a weapon against women. This abuse must be confronted.

During a past ministry trip to Hungary, I heard a painfully familiar story. Through a translator, a tearful young woman living near Budapest explained that her Christian husband was angrily demanding her absolute submission. This included, among other things, that she clean their house according to his strict standards and that she engage in sexual acts with him that made her feel uncomfortable and dirty.

This lady was not demanding her rights or trying to be disrespectful. She was a godly, humble woman who obviously wanted to please the Lord. But she had been beaten to a pulp emotionally, and she was receiving little help from her pastor—who was either unwilling or unprepared to confront wife abuse.

I've heard so many sickening versions of this scenario. In Kenya, several women told me their AIDS-infected husbands often raped them—and then their pastors told them they must submit to this treatment. In some parts of India, even some pastors believe it is acceptable to beat their wives if they argue with them or show any form of disrespect. And in some conservative churches in the United States, women are told that obedience to God is measured by their wifely submission—even if their husbands are addicted to alcohol or pornography or if they are involved in adulterous affairs.

Sunady Sermon - 4-Aug-2013 - Rev Dr Jeremiah Yap

Speaker: Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Yap
New Life Restoration Centre

http://www.mediafire.com/?cra15acuc635ou5

Practically Speaking

Words Of Affirmation
"We have a 5x7 picture in our bathroom on which we  write love notes to each other. Instead of a picture, we inserted a sheet of college ruled paper and use a dry erase marker to write on the glass. I love seeing what message he will leave for me each morning." ~Ivette

Acts Of Service
If you have a family that likes to watch sports together, make each game you watch a party. Serve up some appetizers, plan a half-time show of your own (if you have children get them involved too), and don't forget when you get up to get a drink or snack to offer the same to others as well.

Receiving Gifts
"My husband works at a gas station and a couple times he has brought me home a beverage from work. What I love most is the fact that he was thinking about me during the day." ~Anonymous

Quality Time
"My boyfriend and I are both Quality Timers. We are very busy and work opposite of each other often. About once every week or so he'll sit down and talk with me while I'm doing my make-up about what my day looks like like, etc. It's time he doesn't have to take, but he chooses to do so to have a few minutes with me." ~Lara

Physical Touch
"A simple back rub speaks more to me than a thousand words." ~Emily

Why I Don’t Use the F-Word

I honestly never thought I’d see the day when Christians would justify swearing.

I lived a sheltered life growing up. My Christian parents allowed me to watch a re-release of Gone With the Wind at the local theater when I was 12, and my virgin ears were scandalized when Rhett Butler told Scarlett, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” I had never heard such language—and I knew that if I ever talked like Rhett Butler in my house, I would be sent to the backyard to choose my own switch.

Fast-forward to today, when profanity has so saturated our culture that dirty words are unavoidable. Dropping the F-bomb is a daily habit for millions of Americans. Jesse Sheidlower, the editor-at-large of the Oxford English Dictionary, says the F-word has lost its shock value. He says, “For most people, it’s hardly noticeable anymore.”

Today students wear “WTF?” T-shirts to school. I’ve seen the F-word indelibly tattooed on people’s arms in dark blue ink. And I’ve heard guys and girls alike use the F-word more than 15 times in a sentence to simply describe their day. There’s even a mock children’s book titled Go the F*** to Sleep that was one of the fastest-selling titles on Amazon in 2011. What’s going on here?

Music has certainly played a role in forcing the F-word on us. (Listen if you dare to any popular hip-hop artist for proof of this nastiness.) One song by the rock band Limp Bizkit a few years ago featured the F-word 50 times. American rapper CeeLo Green released a song in 2010 called F*** You, and it was nominated for a Grammy Award. Meanwhile, the Motion Picture Association of America recently relaxed its ratings code to allow more uses of the F-word in PG-13 movies. (The old rule only allowed one F-bomb per film.)

Sunday Sermon - 28-July-2013 - Pr David Lim

Speaker: Pastor David Lim
OA Missionary

http://www.mediafire.com/?11r4su47jpzb74n

6 Steps Out of Your Religious Box

Almost all ministry in the book of Acts occurred outside a church meeting. So why do we hide our message in a building?
Whenever I visit my friend Lewis Lee, a pastor in Baltimore, I end up on the streets. That’s because Lewis is never content to keep his congregation cooped up inside their church. Every month he takes them downtown to feed homeless people at a park near Johns Hopkins University. On hot summer days he takes teams to the worst neighborhoods of his city to pray for people, share the gospel and distribute bottles of water.

This should be standard procedure for any church, but it’s not the norm. A majority of American churches rarely engage in any form of outreach that takes place outside their buildings—and 95 percent of Christians in this country have never led a person to Christ. Because of fear, apathy or lack of training, we are content to live in an isolated religious universe. Then we trick ourselves into believing we can transform our communities by singing, praying and preaching to the choir.

Yet when I read the book of Acts, I’m struck by the fact that in the earliest days of the New Testament church, almost all ministry took place outside of Christian meetings. The gospel was always shared outside the box. Of course, the first disciples met together for encouragement, teaching and fellowship, but their primary focus was always outward. Shouldn’t the book of Acts be our pattern?

Sunday Sermon - 21-July-2013 - Pr Dr Isaac Yim

Speaker: Pr. Dr. Isaac Yim
Itinerant Speaker

http://www.mediafire.com/?bjr587f30dvoc2j

Attention all Worship Leaders, Musicians and Singers!

Allow me to begin by saying that I am a musician.  I have played music since I was 13 years old.  I have played around the world in Christian bands and worship services for over 30 years.  I was part of one of the first Christian rock bands in the 70’s. I know what it means to play in church services, both traditional and contemporary. I have written and produced music for radio and television for almost 20 years.  I was even the producer of a recording used in the sound track of the hit movie The Bucket List.

So let it be clear: I am not against music or musicians when it comes to the Christian experience.  Quite the contrary; music can be a powerful part of the worship experience.  But, I believe we have some big problems when it comes to music in many churches today.

PROBLEM #1: We have defined singing as worship.
Look up the word worship and you will find definitions like this:
to show devotion or reverence; adore or venerate; to have intense love or admiration for; to offer prayers; etc…

Interesting that there is no mention of music.  Oh, don’t get me wrong.  One can surely use music to adore or show reverence, but one does not need music to do that.  In other words: Singing is not, in and of itself, worship.

How God Is Breaking Walls of Racism—in Europe

Only the Holy Spirit can break a vile form of racism that has lasted for centuries.

I can’t communicate too well with my friend Dániel Kovács. He doesn’t speak much English, and I only know three phrases in Hungarian. But last week we sat beside each other in a worship conference and enjoyed fellowship with the help of a translator.

Dániel is my brother in Christ. But many people in Europe look down on him because he is a Gypsy. He faces huge obstacles because Gypsies—also known as the Roma people—have the highest rates of unemployment, illiteracy and poverty in Eastern Europe, along with the lowest life expectancy rates.

Dániel and the people in his village of Uszka, in northeast Hungary, suffer from what is known as antiziganism, the hatred of Gypsies. It is racial profiling at its worst. It has plagued Europe since the Roma people arrived from India in their caravans 600 years ago. The highest Gypsy populations are in Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Hungary, Slovakia and Spain, but Gypsies are scattered all over Europe and the Middle East—and many have come to North America.

Wherever they go, they experience discrimination.

Antiziganism reached its peak during the 1940s, when German Nazis murdered between 250,000 and 500,000 Gypsies in concentration camps. Like the Jews, many Gypsies were starved or gassed; others were sterilized. Scientists also used Gypsies as human guinea pigs for diabolical experiments because they felt their slightly darker skin made them racially inferior.

Practically Speaking - July 12, 2013

Words Of Affirmation
You'd be surprised how incredibly fulfilling a genuine "thank you" is to someone whose love language is Words of Affirmation. Next time you have a chance to express appreciation look that person in the eyes, pause until you have their attentiont, and say something like, "I just want you to know I am really appreciate ___________. Thank you."
 

Acts Of Service
Next time there is a load of dishes in the sink, offer to help your spouse. The dishes will get done quickly leaving plenty of time for other fun activities.
 

Receiving Gifts
Pillow presents can be small and playful, as much as they are meaningful. When the one you love isn't looking or in another room, place a small gift on their pillow. It may or may not be take some time for them to notice, but when they do you will most certainly know. The fun is in the anticipation.
 

Quality Time
Though it is not the dialect of every Quality Timer's love language, watching a T.V. show or series together can be a way to speak Quality Time. Sharing the experience of story as it unfolds can be meaningful and even lead to conversations (more Quality Time). So if the one you love loves movies or a particular TV series, grab some snacks, dim the lights, and cuddle up!

Physical Touch
If your spouse speaks the love language of Physical Touch, consider starting a "Project Touch." The goal? Touch your way to a better marriage by finding more ways to touch each other each and every day. This could be sexual, non-sexual, or both. Get creative and have fun!

The 5 Biggest Mistakes We Make in Prophetic Ministry

While ministering in Eastern Europe this week, I learned about a church leader who recently aired an audacious claim. He says he was taken to heaven in some sort of fantastic vision and that while in glory he met and talked to the apostle Paul himself.

The clincher is even more ridiculous: This self-appointed leader says Paul commissioned him as an apostle to his country, adding that anyone else who claims to be in that office is going straight to hell. This isn’t the most diplomatic way to win followers.

There have always been and always will be religious megalomaniacs who split churches with claims of special revelation. But the saddest part is that men like this give the biblical gift of prophecy a bad name and cause people to be suspicious of anything of a supernatural nature.

While I was overseas I helped teach at a prophetic school that is sponsored annually by a large charismatic church. I shared these points below with the students. I think they will help you in your local church, especially if you want to develop a prophetic ministry that is healthy, God-honoring and faithful to the New Testament.

In my experience with prophetic ministry over the years, I believe there are five big mistakes we make in this important area.

A Place at God’s Table

God gives hope!  So what if someone was born thinner or stronger? Why count diplomas or compare resumes? What does it matter if they have a place at the head table?  You have a place at God’s table—and He’s filling your cup to overflowing!

The overflowing cup was a powerful symbol in the days of David. As long as the host kept the cup full, the guest knew he was welcome. When the cup sat empty, the host was hinting that the hour was late. On those occasions when the host really enjoyed the company of the person, he filled the cup to overflowing; he kept pouring until the liquid ran over the edge of the cup and down on the table.

Have you noticed how wet your table is? God wants you to stay. Your cup overflows with joy. Overflows with grace. Shouldn’t your heart overflow with gratitude?

from Traveling Light

Overflowing with Grace

Do you ever worry that the cup of God’s mercy will run empty?  Are you afraid his grace will run out?   That your warranty will expire?  Are you afraid your mistakes are too great for God’s forgiveness?  I wonder if the apostle Paul had the same fear. Before he was Paul the apostle, he was Saul the murderer. Before he encouraged Christians, he murdered Christians. What would it be like to live with that kind of past?

Did Paul ever ask, “Can God forgive a man like me?” The answer is found in a letter Paul wrote to Timothy:  “The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” (I Timothy 1:14)

God is not a miser with His grace. Your cup may be low on cash or clout, but it’s overflowing with mercy. Your cup overflows with grace!

from Traveling Light

Sunday Sermon - 7-July-2013 - Dr Paul Ang

Speaker: Dr Paul Ang
Itinerant Speaker

http://www.mediafire.com/?ylgy6q96119tmtv

Practically Speaking (Singles Edition) - July 5, 2013

Words Of Affirmation
With the rise of technology today, a hand-written letter from a trusted friend is almost unheard of. Take some time to find some interesting stationary and write a letter to someone you care about.

Acts Of Service
Ask a friend if you can take their car out for a little detail. Take it to the wash, vacuum it out, add an air freshener, and top off the gas tank! If their love language is Acts of Service, the gas tank won't be the only tank you'll be topping off.
 

Receiving Gifts
Parents are known for getting their children gifts, but what about vice-versa? Declare a Parent Appreciation Day and plan a special evening including a nice meal and some gifts. Let them know you appreciate them for who they are in your life.
 

Quality Time
Is there a friend you haven't seen in a while? Why not make it a point to catch up?! Give them a call, go for coffee, meet for pizza and spend some time listening, sharing, and learning about their life.
 

Physical Touch
Sporting events are full of celebration. Take a few people to your favorite team's next game. Make sure to give plenty of high fives and fist bumps—they always make rooting for your team extra fun! 

He Cares About You

Maybe you don’t want to trouble God with your hurts.  After all, “He’s got famines and pestilence and wars. He won’t care about my little struggles,” you think.  Why don’t you let Him decide that?

Jesus cared enough about a wedding to provide the wine. He cared enough about the woman at the well to give her answers.  1 Peter 5:7 says, “He cares about you.”

Your first step is to go to the right person.  Go to God.  Your second step is to assume the right posture.  Bow before God.  Luke 18:7 reminds us, “God will always give what is right to His people who cry to Him night and day, and He will not be slow to answer them.”

Listen to the prayer in Psalm 25:1-2: “Lord, I give myself to You, my God.  I trust You.”  So, go…bow…and trust.  It’s worth a try, don’t you think?

from Traveling Light

When What He Hoped Didn’t

A disappointment reminds us what we hoped would happen, didn’t.  We wanted health; we got disease.  Divorce instead of family.  Dismissal instead of promotion.

Now what?  We could do what Miss Haversham did.  Remember her in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations?  She closed all the blinds, stopped every clock, left the wedding cake on the table, and continued to wear her wedding dress until it hung in yellow decay around her.  Her wounded heart consumed her life.

Jesus is our healer!  He touched the eyes of the blind man.  He touched the disease of the leper; the searching heart of Nicodemus; the broken heart of Mary Magdalene.  And He will tend to you if you will let Him.

Psalm 147:3 says, God “heals the brokenhearted.”  Have you taken your disappointments to Him?  You’ve shared them with your relatives, your friends.  But have you taken them to God?  Go to Him!

from Traveling Light

You Are Not Alone

Have you ever gone to the grocery on an empty stomach?  You’re a sitting duck.  You buy everything you don’t need.  Doesn’t matter if it’s good for you—you just want to fill your tummy!  When you’re lonely, you do the same in life, pulling stuff off the shelf, not because you need it, but because you’re hungry for love.

Why do we do it?  Because we fear facing life alone.  For fear of not fitting in, we take the drugs.  For fear of standing out, we wear the clothes.  For fear of appearing small, we go into debt and buy the house.  For fear of sleeping alone, we sleep with anyone.  For fear of not being loved, we search for love in all the wrong places.

But all that changes when we discover God’s perfect love. 1 John 4:18 says, “Perfect love casts out fear.”  You are not alone!

from Traveling Light

Top 10 Rudest Things People Do in Church

Lots of things annoy us today. But we should be most concerned about what God considers rude.

It doesn’t bother me anymore to hear a phone ringing during a church service. It’s part of life in the 21st century. But I’ll admit I was shocked last month when I heard a ringtone while I was preaching—and a woman seated in the third row pulled her phone out of her purse and began a lengthy conversation as if she were in the waiting room of a beauty parlor.

That incident prompted me to post a question on Facebook the next day. I asked my friends to share their own stories of rudeness in church. That triggered an avalanche of pent-up frustration about crinkly peppermint wrappers, loud music, smelly feet (yes, someone took off their shoes during the service), unruly children, coffee-sipping saints and parishioners who try to finish their pastors’ sentences during sermons.

When I tallied the responses, I came up with this list of the rudest things people do in church:

1. Talking during a service.

2. Texting or surfing the web during a service. (One person mentioned seeing people playing video games on their phones.)

Put Your Trust in Him

How did Jesus endure the terror of the crucifixion? He went first to the Father with His fears. He modeled the words of Psalm 56:3, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Do the same with your fears. Enter them—just don’t enter them alone.  And while there, be honest. Pounding the ground is permitted.  Tears are allowed.

“Take this cup,” Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemene. Give God your fears. Give God the number of the flight. Share the details of the job transfer. He has plenty of time. He also has plenty of compassion. He won’t tell you to “buck up” or “get tough.” He knows how you feel. That’s why we punctuate our prayers as Jesus did: “Father, if you’re willing. . .”  Was God willing?  Yes and no. He didn’t take away the cross of Christ, but He took away the fear. Who’s to say He won’t do the same for you?

from Traveling Light

God Loves Humility

God loves humility!  Could that be the reason He offers so many tips on cultivating it?

May I (ahem) humbly articulate a few? Do you want to be humble?  Assess yourself honestly.  Don’t take success too seriously. Celebrate the significance of others. Don’t demand your own parking place. Never announce your success before it occurs. Speak humbly. One last thought to foster humility. Live at the foot of the cross.

Paul said in Galatians 6:14:  “The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is my only reason for bragging.” Do you feel a need for affirmation? Does your self-esteem need attention? You don’t need to drop names or show off. You need only to pause at the base of the cross and be reminded of this:  The maker of the stars would rather die for you than live without you. And that’s a fact.  So if you need to brag, brag about that!

from Traveling Light

Sunday Sermon - 30-June-2013 - Bro Patrick Cheng

Speaker: Bro. Patrick Cheng
Executive Director, National Association of Christian Counsellors

http://www.mediafire.com/?4zof65tfo92xwvf

God Hates Arrogance

Proverbs 16:18 reminds us as humility goes before honor, “pride goes before a fall.”

Ever wonder why churches are powerful in one generation but empty the next? The Bible says, the Lord will tear down the house of the proud. God hates arrogance. He hates it because we haven’t done anything to be arrogant about. Is there a Pulitzer for ink? Can you imagine a scalpel growing smug after a successful heart transplant?  Of course not. They are only tools.  So are we. We may be the canvas, the paper, or the scalpel, but we are not the one who deserve the applause.

David declares who does in Psalm 23, “He makes me, He leads me, He restores my soul…for His name’s sake.”  For His name’s sake!  No other name.  This is all done for God’s glory.  He takes the credit, not because He needs it, but because He knows we cannot handle it!

From Traveling Light

Practically Speaking - June 28, 2013

Words Of Affirmation
When on vacation, many people enjoy visiting the ocean or a beach of some sort. As you frolic in near the water, take advantage of the wet sand to write fun, playful, and/or loving words to those you love. Creation never looked so good!

Acts Of Service
Airports can be stressful and nerve racking on your way to a vacation destination. Relieve some of the burden by offering to carry the bags of someone you love.

Receiving Gifts
Most people enjoy receiving small gifts from someone who travels. During your vacation, take some time in the shops to think of those you love and pick up a small gift to let them know you were thinking about them.

Quality Time
What better way to spend quality time than to take a vacation with those you love?! During your trip be intentional to explore each others feelings, dreams, goals, and perspectives. Ask questions and then really listen. Turn off the phone and be in the moment with those you love.

Physical Touch
If your spouse's primary love language is physical touch, vacations can be a blast! Holding hands in the thrill of the moment on a roller coaster ride. Applying sun tan lotion near the pool. Getting playful in the ocean. Holding hands at a romantic cafe.

Suitcases of Guilt

Do you carry a load of guilt?  So many do. If our spiritual baggage were visible, you know what you’d see? Suitcases of guilt, bulging with binges, blowups, and compromises. The kid with the baggy jeans and nose ring? He’d give anything to retract the words he said to his mother. But he can’t. So he tows them along. The woman in the business suit that looks like she could run for Senator?  She can’t run at all. Not hauling that carpet bag wherever she goes. So what do we do?

In Psalm 23:3 David said it like this, “He leads me in the paths of righteousness.” The path of righteousness is a narrow, winding trail up a steep hill.  At the top is a cross. At the base of the cross are bags, countless bags full of innumerable sins. Calvary is the compost pile for guilt.  Would you like to leave yours there as well?

From Traveling Light

Where Does My Help Come From?

David said in Psalm 121, “I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?”  And David answers his own question, “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip, He who watches over you will not slumber. The Lord watches over you. The Lord will keep you from all harm, He will watch over your life.”

God—your rescuer, has the right vision.  He also has the right direction. He made the boldest claim in the history of man when He declared, “I am the way.”  People wondered if the claim was accurate. He answered their question by forging a path through the underbrush of sin and death—escaping alive.

Maybe you need your hope restored.  If so, lift up your eyes.  Like David said, look unto the hills…look unto the One who made you and He will give you help.

From Traveling Light

A Response to Exodus: Don’t Apologize for the Truth

I agree with Alan Chambers that some Christians have been hateful toward the LGBT community. But we can’t change God’s Word to please people.

Two weeks ago at a church in Pennsylvania, a young man came to me seeking prayer. I’ll call him Enrique. He needed to make an honest confession. He admitted to me he had been experimenting with gay sex with two different guys.

The Holy Spirit had convicted Enrique that his behavior was wrong. His eyes were moist with tears as he bared his soul. He said he didn’t want to live in a homosexual lifestyle. He wanted help. I could have offered my new friend three very different responses:

1. Harsh judgment. I could have stepped back, scowled with disgust (“You did what? That’s sick!”) and told Enrique homosexuals go to hell—leaving him feeling condemned and without hope.

2. Lenient sympathy. I could have told Enrique not to feel guilty. I could have affirmed his behavior by saying, “Lots of people have same-sex attraction. Some are born that way. If you are attracted to men, just explore your sexuality. God loves you just the way you are.”

You Have Hope

For many, hope is in short supply. Hopelessness is an odd bag. Unlike others, it isn’t full. It’s empty, and its emptiness creates the burden. Unzip the top and examine all the pockets. Turn it upside down and shake it hard. The bag of hopelessness is painfully empty! Not a very pretty picture, is it?  What would it take to restore your hope? One comes quickly to mind…a person.  Not just any person. You need someone to look you in the face and say, “This isn’t the end.  Don’t give up.  There’s a better place than this.  And I’ll lead you there.”

David, in Psalm 23, used these words, “He restores my soul.”  God majors in restoring hope to the soul. Please note that you always have hope!  Psalm 121:7 says, “The Lord will keep you from all harm—He will watch over your life.” He’s the perfect one to do so!

From Traveling Light

Sunday Sermon - 23-June-2013 - Dr Steven Yee

Speaker: Dr. Steven Yee
Senior Pastor, Covenant Community Life Centre, Kuala Lumpur.

http://www.mediafire.com/?bx1pkv3lszbe8dx

Worship Team Roster for 14-July-2013 to 29-Sept-2013

Worship team roster for 14-July-2013 to 29-Sept-2013

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8Jpi4mt0DUTUktzY2xYRkFGV00/edit?usp=sharing

One Step is Enough

Arthur Hays Sulzberger was the publisher of the New York Times during the Second World War. Because of all the world conflict, he found it almost impossible to sleep.  He was never able to set aside worries from his mind—until he adopted as his motto these five words, “one step enough for me.” He took it from the old hymn, “Lead Kindly Light.”

Lead, kindly light. . .
Keep Thou my feet;  I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.

God isn’t going to let you see the distant scene either. So you might as well quit looking for it. God does promise a lamp for our feet, not a crystal ball into the future. We don’t need to know what will happen tomorrow. We only need to know that Hebrews 4:16 promises  “we will find grace to help us when we need it.”

 From Traveling Light

Practically Speaking (Childrens' Edition) - June 21, 2013

Words Of Affirmation
Write sticky notes of affirmation and stick them on the fridge, mirror, front door, and any where else your child will see. Describe not just what you appreciate about what they do, but who they are.
 

Acts Of Service
Children often have trouble keeping their room clean. This weekend, offer to help them clean their room or organize their clothes. Not only will it help then feel loved, it will give you some peace of mind.
 

Receiving Gifts
Even if it isn't their primary love language, most kids enjoy gifts. Go to the local dollar store or candy shop. Pick out a handful of small items you think he/she will enjoy and give it to them at a special moment.
 

Quality Time
Take some time out to turn off the phone and take your child to the park, play a video game together, talk, read a book, or go on a special outing together. Talk about whatever they want to talk about. Don't forget to really listen and pay close attention to what they have to say.
 

Physical Touch
Spins, hugs, back scratches, tossing the hair all communicate love to a child whose primary love language is physical touch. Moms, paint your daughters toe nails. Dads, take your son to the park and play some basketball. Don't shy away from your child. Your appropriate touch makes them feel secure and loved.

Commodity Marriages

In the last post, I spoke about living in a “throwaway” world and suggested that if we are not careful, we can end up thinking that way about our marriages too.  We live in a culture that is very consumer based and the consumerist mind-set runs deep.  Many people build their identities around the stuff they have…or it may be more apt to say, by what has them. If I run to the store to buy some simple dish soap, I can buy the inexpensive brand that sports the name “Dish Soap” on the front of the bottle.  But just looking at the label Dish Soap makes me feel flat, empty, nondescript.  So for some reason, I can’t settle for that.  As a consumer, what I buy defines who I am, and I have no idea who I am if I buy something labeled “Dish Soap.”  I need something more.

Then I see it!  Right next to the unsophisticated Dish Soap is a product called “Dawn.”  My heart lights up—now we’re talking.  Who wants to wash their dishes with Dish Soap when you can wash them with morning-fresh, bright sunshine?  Presumably with Dawn, a person can do the dishes and dispel the darkness in life at the same time.

 

But just before I make my all-important decision, I look to the other side of the imagine-less, unfulfilling, chore-oriented Dish Soap.  Alas, there is yet another amazing product possibility: “Joy.”  Wow.  Who would have thought that a person could experience joy while doing the dishes?  And couldn’t all of us use just a little more joy? The Joy has it, hands-down. So what if it costs a little more, I muse.  After all, aren’t I worth it?

He Leads

Worrying is one job you can’t farm out, but you can overcome it. There’s no better place to begin than in Psalm 23:2. “He leads me beside the still waters,” David declares. “He leads me.”  God isn’t behind me, yelling, “Go!”  He’s ahead of me bidding, “Come!”  He’s in front, clearing the path, cutting the brush. Standing next to the rocks, He warns, “Watch your step there.”

Isn’t this what God gave the children of Israel? He promised to supply them with manna each day. But He told them to collect only one day’s supply at a time. Matthew 6:34 says, “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow.  God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

God is leading you! Leave tomorrow’s problems until tomorrow!

From Traveling Light

40 Years After Roe v. Wade: One Abortion Survivor’s Story

My friend Chris Foster could have been aborted. Today he is a trophy of God’s grace.

The Supreme Court legalized abortion in this country 40 years ago. That is an intensely personal issue for my friend Chris Foster, a pastor in Pennsylvania who happens to be 40 years old. He was born just three months before the Roe v. Wade case was decided.

Chris grew up in central New York in a troubled family. He sometimes struggled with his identity because his stepfather spoke about “adopting” him. Chris didn’t understand what that meant. Later, when he was 16, his sister told him during a fight he was a “bastard.” Chris got angry—and realized there were issues about his past that were being hidden from him.

Chris’ mom tried to change the subject when he asked about his sister’s cruel comment. But Chris was left with nagging doubts. Who was his biological father?

Chris began a personal relationship with Jesus when he was 17 and then headed to Bible college. But five years later, after he had married his wife, Amy, he learned the shocking truth about his conception: His mother had been raped by a drunken stranger while she was visiting some friends. The result was an unwanted pregnancy.

Sunday Sermon - 16-June-2013 - Pr Ang Siew Khim

Speaker: Pastor Ang Siew Khim
River of Life Sanctuary, Kuala Lumpur.

http://www.mediafire.com/?cs6dcq5ytc4fq2l

Practically Speaking (Workplace Edition) - June 14, 2013

Words Of Affirmation
Words of Affirmation can easily be expressed in the workplace electronically—email, messaging, social media, or text. However, a hand-written note, card, or verbal affirmation may add a personal touch that feels a bit more meaningful to the recipient. Look for opportunities to give Words of Affirmation, not only for what people do, but for who they are.
 

Acts Of Service
True leadership requires a willingness to serve others—either one's customers or colleagues. If there is someone who appears frustrated or overwhelmed at work, ask them if you can be of assistance. Have a good attitude and help the way they want you to help, not just the way you think you should help. This is achieved by clarifying exactly how they want you to help before you begin.
 

Receiving Gifts
Sometimes it's not only the face to face gifts that make a difference—it's that you were thinking others that means something to a Gifts person. Maybe it's a snack you bring in for everyone, some fresh coffee to replace the stale brew in the break room, or some gift cards you distribute around the office to a local bakery. Discover ways you can brighten someones day through small and unexpected gifts, and you will make the Giftie a very happy colleague.
 

Quality Time
In the workplace, Quality Timers feel valued when you spend time with them. Take them to lunch, stop by their office to chat, invite them to a sporting event, or give them a call just to see how they are doing. It's important to make sure when spending time together you are not just there physically, but emotionally as well. Your attention and attitude will make a significant difference in how authentic they perceive your gesture.
 

Physical Touch
Appropriate is the key word. Appropriate Physical Touch can be a high five, handshake, pat on the back, or maybe even a fist bump. If you see a colleague who rarely expresses appreciation to others in these ways, you can safely assume that they probably wouldn't appreciate the gesture from you. Therefore, observe the people who are already expressing these types of gestures to others and mark them as those who would most likely appreciate a fist bump from you when the merger goes through.

5 Lessons From the Stupidest Man in the Bible

If you want to be a good husband and father, avoid this guy’s bad example.

Who is the most brainless man in the Bible? We could make a long list of losers: Adam, Cain, Esau, Pharaoh, Saul, Ahab, Judas or Simon the Sorcerer. I love the fact that people’s mistakes aren’t whitewashed in the Scriptures. Even the holiest guys blew it (Peter comes to mind) but fortunately many of them found forgiveness and a second chance. That gives me hope every time I make a dumb mistake.

But there’s one guy who’s stupidity puts him in a class by himself—partly because he never even realized how spiritually clueless he was. When I was speaking to a group of leaders last week in Puerto Rico, I used Nabal as an example of how men shouldn’t act.

If we want to be good husbands and fathers, and if we want to disciple other men to do the same, we should take a cue from this Old Testament geezer whose name literally means “fool.” Here are five reasons I put Nabal in the “stupid” category:

Nabal didn’t honor God. Nabal was an entrepreneur and he built a prosperous business in sheep and goats. But the Bible says he was “harsh and evil in his dealings” (1 Sam. 25:3).  He was the kind of guy no one really wants to be around: pompous, corrupt and selfish. When David came seeking food for his warriors, Nabal refused to help. He didn’t care about God’s kingdom because he was focused totally on building his own.

Sunday Sermon - 9-June-2013 - Bro Caleb Ramachandran

Speaker: Bro. Caleb Ramachandran
White Fields Assembly Seremban

http://www.mediafire.com/?4ohazjkrzp1d1r1

Practically Speaking - June 7, 2013

Words Of Affirmation
My husband and I have the exact same love language. Why do we feel disconnected?

Many times, if a couple happens to have the same love languages, they have different dialects within those languages. So, you still think that what makes you feel loved makes them feel loved. The best way to handle that is to say to them, “Okay, so Words of Affirmation is your love language. It’s my love language too. What are the kinds of words that you like to hear from me? And where do you like to hear them? In private or in public?” So, find out something about the nuances of speaking their love language. That’s the key: learning to speak their language and their dialect of that language.
 

Acts Of Service
How can I communicate my love language of acts of service to my husband when he is overseas for long periods of time?

Here’s what I suggest, if your husband’s love language is acts of service and he is overseas and, consequently you can’t do acts of service for him physically, then in your emails or phone calls to him you say, “I just want to let you know, I’ve been loving you today. I took the garbage out, mowed the grass, mopped the floor…” Tell him the things you do for him that he appreciates, that when you do those things you’re thinking about him and about how much you love him. He’ll get it and emotionally he will feel your love.
 

Receiving Gifts
My daughter is dating a guy whose love language is Receiving Gifts. However, she is on a very tight budget. How would she show this?

Don’t assume that because a person’s love language is Receiving Gifts that you have to give expensive gifts. That’s not true. If gifts is a person’s love language, then little gifts will mean just as much as large and expensive gifts. They know if you’re on a budget and if you don’t have a lot of extra funds around. So simply buying a piece of candy or something else small, it says to them, “they were thinking about me, they got this for me.”

So it doesn’t have to be an expensive gift, it’s the thought that counts. But don’t ignore the reality that their love language is “Receiving Gifts.” Give them gifts but stay within your budget.
 

Quality Time
My wife and I are both active duty Marines, and we spend a lot off time away from each other. How do we start talking when we know one of us will be leaving soon?

I think one of the ways you prepare yourself for the separation is to talk with each other about some of the things that you really enjoyed during the time you were together. And then to ask the other person: What are some things I can do while you’re away that would be helpful to you to have done while I’m gone?

I think another factor is to say to them, “how can we stay in touch while we’re away?” And the good news is, for example, the love languages can be spoken long distance by emails or phone calls or letters. But talking about that before you go can set the stage for your actually speaking love long distance.

Physical Touch
My husband got a zero for physical touch on your online quiz and I got a zero. How do I deal with it?

He must learn how to reach out and give you the kind of touches that communicate love to you—just as you must learn to speak his love language. It usually doesn’t come natural to speak a language that is not native to us, so it will be just as difficult for him as it is for you. But if you both understand how important this is—that this is what is going to make the other person feel loved—it makes learning to speak each other’s primary love language much easier. I deal with thoroughly in my book The 5 Love Languages, so if you’ve not yet read it and only taken the quiz, I want to encourage you do so. I would also recommend you get your husband the men’s edition because in it I give guys several additional ideas on how to speak all five languages.

Cloth Diaper Marriages

When my kids were babies, we had cloth diapers.  Disposable diapers were available at the time; we just couldn’t afford them.  No, we did not indulge in those fancy throwaway diapers; we had the good ol’mess’em and clean’em later diapers.  You put them in a diaper pail, a delightful little plastic container where a lovely, pungent brew of baby poopies would slowly stew until you got around to washing them so they could be reused.  Now, don’t misunderstand me, I do not miss cloth diapers. God bless the person who invented the disposable diaper! (I know, I know, they are bad for the environment—landfills and all that—but cloth diapers were bad for the environment where I lived, so I welcomed the invention of throwaway diapers.)  But I do have a problem with throwaway marriages—relationships that are tossed aside because they get some “poo” in them.

We need to develop some “cloth diaper” marriages—marriages that you stick with no matter how crappy they get.  Relationships that you hold on to—yes, you need to learn how to wash and dry them, and maybe use some fabric softener to make them nicer to touch and smell—but you don’t toss them away.  Sadly, what we have instead is a culture of quick, no-fault divorce that fosters throwaway marriages—disposable love.  It’s amazing, but some folks hold on to their underwear longer than their sacred vows of matrimony, and they didn’t even pledge to the underwear, “Till death do us part.”

We live in a throwaway world.  We throw away everything.  When I was growing up, repair shops were not hard to find.  Shoe repair, television repair, appliance repair, and watch repair ships were commonplace.  Today that isn’t true.  When was the last time you had a pair of shoes fixed?  Who repairs torn socks anymore?  Unless you have an expensive watch, you just throw away the one you have when it quits working.  We throw away everything today—even the things that should never be thrown away, things that are designed to last for a lifetime, like marriages.

How I Know David and Jonathan Weren’t Gay

Some “theologians” today are perverting Bible stories to promote their agenda. We can’t let them hijack the gospel.

A few weeks ago when I addressed the topic of homosexuality, a reader posted a comment on our forum suggesting that the biblical King David and his friend Jonathan were gay lovers. After a few other readers questioned this interpretation, another reader repeated the claim. “The Bible is clear that David and Jonathan were physical, sexual, gay male homosexual lovers,” this person wrote authoritatively—without citing a chapter and verse.

Most evangelical Christians would drop their jaws in bewilderment if confronted with such an odd theory. Even people with minimal knowledge of the Old Testament know that (1) David was married to Jonathan’s sister, Michal—and he had a few other wives, and (2) David’s biggest blunder was his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba—a woman he saw bathing on a rooftop. God was not happy about David’s lust or with his decision to have Bathsheba’s husband killed so he could hide his sin.

It is illogical to read homosexuality into the story of David and Jonathan because neither Jewish nor early Christian tradition ever endorses sex outside the bounds of heterosexual marriage. If you read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, you will never see a depiction of a gay relationship, ever. Nor will you see homosexuality affirmed. You cannot get around the fact that the Bible says gay sex is flat-out wrong.

Sunday Sermon - 2-June-2013 - Pr Dave Van De Berg

Speaker: Pastor Dave Van De Berg

http://www.mediafire.com/?swusqi5m4xax6rh

Practically Speaking - May 31, 2013

Words Of Affirmation
Vow to yourself that you will very carefully consider the words you use with those you love, especially in emotionally charged situations. That extra few seconds finding the right words will have much more impact than the torrent that can flow from a heated exchange.
 

Acts Of Service
Are you feeling a bit too overwhelmed for Spring cleaning? Plan a CLEAN-A-THON! Plot your course by going from room to room, writing down one thing you would like to do in each. Grab a stopwatch and get started: Spend five minutes in each room cleaning, folding, organizing—whatever you previously listed. When the five-minute mark hits, sprint to the next room. Repeat cycle until you've accomplished your goal. Break as needed.
 

Receiving Gifts
Who says that men don't deserve a little pampering, as well? Chances are your town has a barber or grooming salon that caters to men, so arrange for a lengthy session including a haircut, shave, and any other services they offer that your man will appreciate.
 

Quality Time
It's time to discover something new with someone you appreciate or love. Find a new restaurant for dinner. Walk in a park you've never been to. Try the new coffee shop up the street. Not only will this be a fun experience for you both, it will also allow you to create new memories together.
 

Physical Touch
Sometimes the gift of touch needs to be your partner's choice. When you have the opportunity, don't just immediately take their hand . . . instead reach out, showing your intent, and let them choose to take yours. The gesture shows your desire for their touch too, and how much you value your shared tactile experience.

No More Spineless Christianity

The apostle Paul not only confronted sin but named specific sins when he preached. Why can’t we?

People often complain about angry preachers. I don’t like them either, and I agree that if a person mixes a sermon with hateful language (or if he believes God has called him to picket other churches), he’s in the wrong profession. Yet today we’ve jumped to the opposite extreme. Now we are afraid to confront sin.

We can’t preach about materialism because we might offend rich people in the audience—as well as the poor people who buy Lotto tickets every week. We can’t preach about fornication because there are people in the church who are living together. We can’t preach about domestic violence because there are deacons who sometimes hit their wives. We can’t preach about homosexuality because our culture says it’s hateful to call that a sin.

And the list goes on. In fact, some preachers are avoiding the word sin altogether because it’s too negative. And we all know that the latest polls show people want a positive message.

This temptation to dilute the gospel has produced a new recipe for a trendy sermon. We start with some great motivational speaking (“Your past does not define your future!”), add a few quarts of cheap grace (“Don’t focus on your sin!”), pour in some prosperity gospel (“Run to this altar and grab your financial breakthrough!”), flavor it with some trendy pop psychology (“It’s all about you!”) and voila!—you end up with a goopy mess of pabulum that not even a baby Christian could survive on.

Sunday Sermon - 26-May-2013 - Pr Malcolm Dennis

Speaker: Pastor Malcolm Dennis
Full Gospel Assembly Kuala Lumpur

http://www.mediafire.com/?vt190kinlqq8wm0

Practically Speaking - May 24, 2013

Words Of Affirmation
Grab some sidewalk chalk and have some fun with it! For example: If you want to show love or appreciate someone who has taken the car to work, write a big "VIP Parking" in a car shaped rectangle on the driveway where they park. Then draw a path of affirming words they are to follow once they get out of the car. By the time they reach the house, they will feel loved.
 

Acts Of Service
Over the cold winter months you may have had the delight of acquiring some useless things. Team up with a loved one to find those physical (or even digital) items no longer vital for your lives together. If they need a new home, then pack them up and take to the nearest thrift shop or family in need. If not, trash them. You'll be amazed at the freedom you'll both feel.
 

Receiving Gifts
Who says you can't make up your own holiday? Who says only birthdays and anniversaries are worthy of gifts? Pick a day with your partner, clear the calendar, and celebrate. Make your own theme, suggest appropriate gifts and go all out marking the day you choose.
 

Quality Time
Spend some time reading your child A Perfect Pet for Peyton. Your child will enjoy the story, finding the hidden animals, and the interactive iPhone app that brings the book to life. Most of all, they will enjoy the quality time with you.
 

Physical Touch
When separated by distance, having physical items that belong to one another may serve as a tangible substitute. Perhaps a shirt sprayed with the cologne or perfume of your significant other may remind you of each other and of enjoyable times together.

There Are No Indian Reservations in Heaven

God’s heart is broken over the spiritual condition of the Native American community. Do you care?

I spent part of this week preaching at my friend Quentin Beard’s church in Sioux Falls, S.D. On Sunday—which happened to be Pentecost—I reminded the congregation that if we really want the fullness of the Holy Spirit, we must have more than just emotionally charged worship, speaking in tongues or miracles of healing. Those things are wonderful, but if we want full-blown Pentecost we must also tear down racial and ethnic barriers.

Later that morning, a tall Native American brother named Joe Marrowbone came to the altar for prayer. He is from the Lakota Sioux tribe, and he wanted the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Within a few moments, he was praying in tongues with his hands raised in the air. He told me later that He feels God will send him to share the gospel on some of the Indian reservations near Sioux Falls.

Joe was especially blessed when I addressed the issue of racism among whites and Native people in his home state. I told the church that when we get to heaven, there will not be a white section, a Hispanic section, a black section or a Native section. “We are all one big family. There are no Indian reservations in heaven," I said.

Men Don’t Like to Work on Relationships

When a man falls in love with a woman, his thoughts go something like this: I love her, she’s great—in fact, she is perfect.  I love her just the way she is and I hope she never changes.  It was this thinking that inspired Billy Joel to write the song “I Love You Just the Way You Are.”  On the other hand, when a woman falls in love with a man, her thoughts are generally something like this: I love him, he’s great, but he really needs some work.  This is a disaster in the making.  Divergent expectations always lead to conflict.

When a woman thinks a man needs work, she is not trying to be negative or demeaning.  In fact, she rather enjoys the thought.  Do you know why?  Because women like to work on relationships, and because marriage represents her greatest relationship, she enjoys working on it.  But the thought of working on any relationship makes most men feel ill.  You see, to a man, work is something you do to earn money.  Relationships don’t fit into a man’s definition of work.  We think relationships are the one class of things we should never have to work on.

So when a woman wants to work on the marriage relationship, the husband usually gets nervous and uncomfortable.  The reason is simple: She says she wants to work on “the relationship,” but men view that as code for she wants me to change.  And men don’t want to change.  To a man, “change” is a four-letter word. This is primarily because we men have fragile egos.  We don’t you handle there is something wrong with very well.

Sunday Sermon - 19-May-2013 - Elder Sim Say Khim

Speaker: Elder Sim Say Khim
White Fields Assembly Seremban

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?jwr8j4h77z1brj3

Practically Speaking - May 17, 2013

Words Of Affirmation
"My husband's primary love language is Words of Affirmation. On one of his birthdays, I wrote a single word of each of his best attributes on vellum paper. There were about 80 of them and I put in a small paper jewelry box with my picture on top. And during our lunch he read every one and I could tell he really loved it!" ~Anonymous
 

Acts Of Service
If you have children, offer to take care of them for a few hours so that your spouse can rest.
 

Receiving Gifts
Most people enjoy a good writing utensil. Next time you are at a store, look at the pens and see if there are any that seem a cut above average. Pick it up for anyone whose primary love or appreciation language is Receieving Gifts.
 

Quality Time
The NBA playoff season is a great time to get together with colleagues and watch sports together. Take the initiative and see what people are doing and if they'd like to get together!
 

Physical Touch
Cooking with your spouse often provides moments of close interaction. If your spouse's love language is Physical Touch, maximize these moments with your loving or playful touch.

The Bible Verse No Guy Enjoys Reading

Deuteronomy 23:1 is painful—but it shows us that God wants to heal the wounds of the masculine soul.

I’d never heard a sermon on Deuteronomy 23:1 until last month, when my Puerto Rican friend Luis Roig had the courage to read the text out loud to a group of men in Florida. When he did, one guy gasped and fell on the floor. Several others laughed nervously, and we all drew our knees together and groaned.

The Holman translation says it this way:

“No man whose testicles have been crushed or whose penis has been cut off may enter the Lord’s assembly.”
Ouch!

Please pardon the graphic language, but older translations just aren’t clear. The King James Version says, “He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord.” That’s putting it mildly!

Most of us dismiss or ignore this odd passage, either because the subject matter is embarrassing or because the law seems unfair. After all, if a man’s private parts are damaged in an accident, why should he be considered an outcast?

Sunday Sermon - 12-May-2013 - Pr Mike Constantine

Speaker: Pastor Mike Constantine

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?zid750mqlab4hkc

Practically Speaking - May 10, 2013

Words Of Affirmation
"Whenever my friends are encountering a challenge or bad situation in their lives, I send them a message telling them that I believe in them. I also remind them of God's great love and purpose for their life." ~Elionei
 

Acts Of Service
"When my husband bought his motorcycle, I did not like it at all. I finally went on a ride and now I love it! When he is getting the cycle ready for riding, I'll go out and help him clean it. He loves me helping and I get my tank filled with quality time, too!" ~Anonymous
 

Receiving Gifts
If someone you love has a Pinterest (or other social media site) pagewhere they post items on their wish list, check it out. Pick something you know they've been pining for, and present it to them when they least expect it.
 

Quality Time
Find a bench at a shopping center, park, or alongside a beach. People watch. Take photographs. Talk about what you see. Make up fictional conversations of the people you see walking by. Point out interesting flowers near the scene. Stop and take everything in around you, especially each other.
 

Physical Touch
Next time you go to a restaurant with someone your spouse, ask to be seated in a booth. Sit on the same side. It may seem awkward at first as people stare. However, the gawks will turn to envy as they see you talk, laugh, and playfully touch shoulders, knees, and hands.

Disappointment

At the beginning of every relationship, there is a high level of hope and desire that causes it to run on autopilot.  But over time hope and desire begin to erode when disappointment enters.

There are dozens of ways we can disappoint one another in a relationship as close and intimate as marriage.  From I thought it would be different to actual differences in upbringing, values, habits about money, personality, motivation, work ethic, and sex drives, we have the makings of marriage wars.  Sometimes people come across offensively because they are reacting to pain from the hurts that they have experienced in the past, and they are just trying to protect themselves from being injured again.  Wounded animals do not act predictably when you approach them; neither do emotionally wounded humans.

When Jim and Laurie walked into my office, I was shocked to discover they were about to call it quits.  From the outside, they looked like a great couple. Fun. Social. They were active in church.  But secretly they were at war with each other.  A lot of it had to do with the way each had grown up.

Jim grew up in a home where both his parents were quiet and seldom, if ever, raised their voices.  In Jim’s home, raising your voice meant you were extremely angry.  Laurie, on the other hand, grew up in a larger family, where you had to yell or you lost your opportunity to get the food at the other end of the dinner table.  The only time her family got quiet was when they were really, really mad.

Managing Our Thoughts

You’ve got to admit—anger shows up, and we let him in. Revenge needs a place to stay, so we have him pull up a chair. Pity wants a party, we show him the kitchen.

Don’t we know how to say no?  For most of us, thought management is, well, un-thought of.  Shouldn’t we be as concerned about managing our thoughts as we are managing anything else?

Jesus stubbornly guarded the gateway of his heart. On one occasion the people determined to make Jesus their king. Most of us would delight in the notion. Not Jesus.  When He saw they were about to grab him and make him king,  John 6:15 tells us, “Jesus slipped off and went back up the mountain to be by himself.”

Proverbs says, be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life!  (Proverbs 4:23).  Jesus did, shouldn’t we do the same?  Most certainly!

from: Just Like Jesus

7 Ways to Stop the Adultery Epidemic

Why is there an epidemic of moral failure in the church? Because holiness has become a foreign concept.

It happened again. For the third time in six months, the pastor of a large church in my hometown of Orlando, Fla., has resigned from his pulpit because of adultery. I’m sad. I’m sick. I’m sorry for the pastors, and sorrier for the congregations that are having to deal with the fallout caused by bad choices.

I’m also cringing because an increasingly hostile public sees these train wrecks as evidence that Christians are hypocrites who preach one thing and live another. We stand for biblical marriage between one man and one woman, but in many cases those marriages are failing. No wonder the gay community hates our flimsy platitudes.

Why are we witnessing this epidemic of moral failure? Many factors could be cited (easy access to pornography, sex-saturated entertainment, the devil and his demons, etc.)—but I don’t think we need a list of excuses today. I’m tired of excuses. The devil does not make us do this. It is totally possible for Christian men and women to live in holiness today. The power of His grace is not affected by social trends or hell’s attacks.

Maybe we’ve made this too complicated. Let’s go back to some basic ways we can stay pure:

You Harvest What You Plant

Pretend you’ve come to visit me.  I’m working in my greenhouse.  (Neither my house nor my thumb is green, but let’s pretend.) It’s the perfect spot for flowers and fruit.  You’ve always thought I was a bit crazy, but what I do next removes all doubt. I strip seeds off weeds—crab grass, grass burrs. You can’t believe what you’ve just seen.

“I thought you wanted a greenhouse full of flowers and fruit!” you say.

“I do,” I answer.

You ask, “Then don’t you think you ought to plant flower seeds and fruit seeds?”

My foolish response, “Do you have any idea how much those seeds cost?  No thanks, I’m taking the cheap and easy route.”

Think for a moment of your heart as a greenhouse. Consider your thoughts as seed. Some become flowers.  Others weeds.  Sow seeds of hope and enjoy optimism. Sow seeds of doubt and expect insecurity.

Galatians 6:7 says, “People harvest only what they plant.”

from: Just Like Jesus

Face the Music

Many years ago a man conned his way into an orchestra although he could not play a note.  He would hold his flute against his lips, pretend to play but not make a sound.  Then one day the leader requested a solo from each musician. The man was panic stricken. On the day of his solo performance, he took poison and killed himself. The explanation of his suicide led to a phrase that found its way into the English language:  “He refused to face the music.”

Face the music! Some of us have buried a marriage, parts of a conscience, and even parts of our faith—all because we won’t face the music…we won’t tell the truth. Ask yourself, am I honest in my dealings? Am I a trustworthy student?  An honest taxpayer? Do you tell the truth—always?

Proverbs says, “The Lord hates a lying tongue.” (12:19)

Just tell the truth.

from: Just Like Jesus

Practically Speaking

Words of Affirmation
"I put a note in his jacket pocket or inside his laptop, expressing how I feel about him and thanking him for everything he does for me. " ~Cindy

Acts of Service
"It is our habit to iron all clothes to use throughout the week on a Saturday evening. My wife does not enjoy ironing; so whenever I'm around, I ask her to bring all her clothes to wear through the week and I iron them together with mine." ~Medadi

Receiving Gifts
The gift of self can provide an intangible something that speaks even louder than a tangible gift. Being there for someone in a time of need, or maybe even a time of want, can very much count as a gift.

Quality Timw
"My wife has more than a full-time job being a stay-at-home mom, so to give her a break in her daily busy routine I've implemented Weekday Walks with Dad. So after greeting my wife when I get home, I greet my daughter and take her on a 30-45 minute walk around our condo complex. Not only does this allow me to decompress from my busy day at work, it also allows me to spend Quality Time with my daughter, and it's a small gift/act of service to my wife for all the sacrifice she makes for our family. Love is great!" ~Gregory

Physical Touch
"When my husband and I are sitting in church, I will spontaneously write on the back of his hand with my finger "I Love You". I always get a smile and a squeeze back and he knows that I am thinking of him out of the blue." ~Jennifer

Tell the Truth

Some of us could state our credo as, “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you squirm.”

Our dislike for the truth began at age three when mom walked in our rooms and asked, “Did you hit your little brother?” We knew then and there that honesty had its consequences.  “Did I hit baby brother?  Well, that all depends on how you interpret the word hit.”

We want our bosses to like us, so we flatter. God calls it a lie. We want people to admire us, so we exaggerate.  God calls it a lie.  We want people to respect us, so we live in houses we can’t afford and charge bills we can’t pay.  God calls it living a lie.

The cure for deceit is simply this: face the music. The ripple of today’s lie is tomorrow’s wave and next year’s flood.

Be just like Jesus.  Tell the truth!

from: Just Like Jesus

Deception is Never an Option

For the Christian, deception is never an option. It wasn’t an option for Jesus.

Isaiah 53:9 says, “He had done nothing wrong, and he had never lied.”  His every sentence true.  No cheating on tests. No altering the accounts.  Not once did Jesus stretch the truth.  He simply told the truth. No deceit was found in His mouth.  And if God has His way with us, none will be found in ours. He longs for us to be just like Jesus.

Proverbs 12:22 says, “The Lord hates those who tell lies but is pleased with those who keep their promises.”  Why the hard line?  Why the tough stance?  One reason is that dishonesty is absolutely contrary to the character of God.  God always speaks truth.  When He makes a covenant, He keeps it. When He proclaims the truth, we can believe it!  Because He cannot be false to Himself.

from: Just Like Jesus

Nothing But the Truth

A woman stands before judge and jury, places one hand on the Bible and the other in the air, and makes a pledge.       

For the next few minutes, with God as her helper, she will “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”  She is a witness.  Her job is to tell the truth. Leave it to legal counsel to interpret. Leave it to the jury to resolve. Leave it to the judge to apply.  But the witness? The witness speaks the truth.

The Christian, too, is a witness.  We are called to tell the truth. The Bible is present, the watching world is the jury, and we are the primary witnesses. We are called to testify; to tell what we have seen and heard. Our task is not to whitewash or bloat the truth. Our task is to tell the truth.  Period.

From: Just Like Jesus

The Horror Movie That Will Never Be in Theaters

It could be called The Abominable Dr. Gosnell. Or perhaps Nightmare on Lancaster Avenue. Or maybe something as provocative as Scissors.

The plot might resemble a movie in the bloody Saw franchise. In the opening scene, a frightened teenage girl wanders into a dank, smelly clinic. Muted cries of women can be heard in a nearby room. Creepy violin music plays in the background.

A cat walks down a dark corridor, startling the girl. She sits down nervously on a sofa in the waiting room and sees a blood-stained blanket. The girl decides she doesn’t want an abortion—but when the doctor comes to take her to the procedure room, he gets angry when she protests. (Shouting is heard off-camera, followed by more of the Psycho-esque score.) The girl wakes up several hours later with severe cramps and realizes she has had an abortion.

This is not a clip from an Alfred Hitchcock film. The scene I described resembles what happened to a 15-year-old patient of Dr. Kermit Gosnell, the infamous Philadelphia abortionist whose trial ended Monday. Yes, there was a cat wandering in his clinic. (Observers testified that it had fleas.) Yes, there were bloodstained blankets in the waiting room. And witnesses testified that the girl was forced to have an abortion even though she decided not to go through with the procedure after arriving at Gosnell’s filthy office.

If that’s not enough R-rated horror for you, consider these facts:

Call Home

Years ago, our youngest daughter had a sleepover.  When it came time for bed her guest wanted, more than anything, to go home! I can’t blame her.  When I travel, the hardest part of the trip is going to sleep.  When it comes to resting, there’s no house like your own.

It’s what David asked. He longed to live in the house of God. He asked for his own room—permanently. He longed to retire there in a life-long residence. When David says in Psalm 23:  “I will live in the house of the Lord forever,” he’s saying simply that he never wants to step away from God.

Make it your aim never to leave God’s house. And when you find yourself in another house, do what my daughter’s friend did—call home! He won’t mind—in fact, He’ll be waiting.

from: The Great House of God

A Trio of Peaks

You can’t run the world, nor are you expected to be all-powerful. You may think you can. But when you face your own grave or your own guilt,  your power will not do the trick.

The Bible says “Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever.” (Matthew 6:13).

A trio of peaks. Admire them, applaud them, but don’t climb them. You weren’t made to run a kingdom, or to be all-powerful. And you certainly can’t handle all the glory. Mount Applause is the most seductive of the three peaks. More than one person has stood at the top and shouted, “Mine is the glory!”—only to lose their balance and fall.

As you confess that God is in charge, you admit you aren’t. As you proclaim that God has power, you admit you don’t. And as you give God all the applause, there is none left to dizzy your brain!

from: The Great House of God

Sunday Sermon - 28-April-2013 - Elder Dr John Lee

Speaker: Elder Dr John Lee
Full Gospel Assembly Batu Pahat

http://www.mediafire.com/?6vbtpdrjf3mxlrk

Practically Speaking

Words of Affirmation
"I write the words "I love you" or "I'm thinking of you" or even "Baby, you're the greatest" into a banana and pack it in his lunch box. You can write with anything sharp into the peel and it will show up clearly in just a few minutes."  ~Anonymous

Acts of Service
"My husband works a swing shift, and as a result he is always tired. When he is coming home from work after working 3-11pm, I sometimes surprise him by having the garbage can brought out to the road (typically his job) and having a snack plate and beverages ready for both of us to sit down together and have some quality time and snuggling. His big smile is a wonderful reward for me and fills my love tank too!" ~Jennifer

Receiving Gifts
Do they have a favorite author? If so, pick up a title from their favorite author at a local book store. If you can find a classic, autographed, or authentic vintage edition at a used bookstore or yard sale . . . even better!

Quality Time
"I like to make eye contact and give my undivided attention as I am speaking or as they are speaking to me." ~Anonymous

Physical Touch
"I frequently sit on the couch with my husband and rub his feet and legs. Or other massages as needed are much appreciated. Doing this without being asked is wonderful! Just being willing to serve is best. It covers so many of the love languages too." ~Paula

God Calls the Shots

Every time Satan sets out to score for evil, he ends up scoring a point for good.  Consider Paul.  Satan hoped prison would silence his pulpit, and it did, but it also unleashed his pen.  The letters to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians were all written in a jail cell.

Satan is the Colonel Klink of the Bible.  Remember Klink? He was the fall guy for Hogan on the television series, Hogan’s Heroes. Klink supposedly ran a German POW camp during World War 2. Those inside the camp, however, knew better. They knew who really ran the camp:  the prisoners. They listened to Klink’s calls and read his mail. They even gave Klink ideas, all the while using him for their own cause.

Over and over the Bible makes it clear who really runs the earth. Satan may strut and prance, but it is God who calls the shots.

from: The Great House of God

Give Him a Pretzel

Years ago I was traveling with my daughter, Jenna.  When I realized she and I weren’t seated together,  I asked the fellow sitting next to her to swap seats with me.  Surely he’ll understand, I thought.  He didn’t.  I was left separated from my 12 year old on a long transatlantic flight.

I began plotting how I’d trip him if he dared walk to the restroom during the flight. I turned to intimidate him with a snarl and saw, much to my surprise, Jenna offering him a pretzel. What?  My daughter was fraternizing with the enemy! As if the pretzel were an olive branch, he accepted her gift and they both leaned their seats back and dozed off.

I learned the lesson God had used my daughter to teach me. All of us are here by grace and, at some point, all of us have to share some grace. So the next time you find yourself next to a questionable character, don’t give him a hard time—give him a pretzel!

from: The Great House of God

We Are All Beggars

We are all beggars in need of bread. “Give us this day our daily bread,” we pray. (Matthew 6:11). You may prefer, “We are all hungry, in need of bread.”  Such a phrase certainly has more dignity than the word beggar.  Who wants to be called a beggar?  After all, didn’t you create the ground in which the seed was sown? No? Well at least you made the seed? Right? You didn’t?

What about the sun?  Did you provide the heat during the day?  Or the rain.  Did you send the clouds?  No?   Then exactly what did you do?

You harvested food you didn’t make from an earth you didn’t create. Let me see if I have this straight. Had God not done His part, you would have no food. Hmmm. . .perhaps we best return to the word beggar. We are all beggars, in need of bread!

from: The Great House of God

9 Bad Charismatic Habits We Need to Break

I love the Holy Spirit’s gifts. But some of our “Spirit-filled” practices are questionable.

Anybody who has read this column before knows I’m unapologetically charismatic in my theology. I love the Holy Spirit, and I believe the New Testament calls us to make room for manifestations of the Spirit. The apostle Paul gave guidelines for the gift of prophecy; he saw dramatic healings; he experienced supernatural visions; and he told church leaders not to forbid speaking in tongues (see 1 Cor. 14:39). Paul was the epitome of charismatic spirituality.

But not everything we do today in the name of the Holy Spirit is a valid expression of His power. Over the past four decades, we charismatics have invented some lame practices that not only make us look silly but actually turn people off to our message. I figure we started these behaviors because of immaturity—and I can laugh about them because I’ve done some of them myself. But it’s 2013, and I think God expects more of us.

I realize this can be sensitive if you have one or more of these bad habits. But please pray over this list before you blast me for being critical.

1. The body slam. There are times when people feel woozy or weak-kneed when the Holy Spirit touches them. I leave room for that. But can we please stop pushing people to the floor? Any minister who hits, shoves or slaps people at a church altar is being extremely rude. He is also relying on his own swagger to demonstrate he has the power to “slay” people in the Spirit. If you pushed someone to the floor, God had nothing to do with it.

Idol of Happiness – Part 2

Last time we began looking at the Idol of Happiness in Part 1.  I discussed how often people won’t do the right things in life simply because those things don’t make them happy. It’s common in our culture for believers to mistakenly believe the notion that “God doesn’t want me to be unhappy.” This is especially true in marriage. For many Christians, marriage has some kind of get-out-of-jail-free card attached to it.  They seem to think the radical, difficult parts of Christianity (to love, to serve, to forgive, or to sacrifice, pertain only to those outside of one’s marriage.  Loving, suffering, turning the other cheek, forgiving are all wonderful Christian concepts, but one shouldn’t have to do that in our own marriage.  That would be way too much work.

“But stay in an unhappy marriage!?” you protest. I’ve had people try to reason and argue with me about why they were bailing on their wives or husbands and justify it one way or the other based on the presupposition that God would not want them to suffer. “Come on,” they’ve said to me incredulously.  “Are you actually saying God would ask someone to stick in a marriage that makes them unhappy?’

I grant you that the idea of staying in an unhappy marriage is a completely foreign concept to most folks, and it’s one that is not readily received. (You may as well be speaking Swahili to non-Swahilis.)  But have you ever considered that the reason the Scriptures call us to live by faith is to empower us to do what’s right even when it’s hard to do—whether or not we suffer while doing it?  What if faith was designed by God to give us the courage to choose what’s right though it makes us unhappy, though it means losing everything we have, though it means laying down our very lives? Whoa, this sounds so—Jesus-like.

Abba

When my daughter Jenna was twelve, I took her to Jerusalem.  As we were exiting the Jaffa gate, an orthodox Jewish family was in front of us—a father and his three small girls.  One of the daughters fell a few steps behind and couldn’t see her father.  “Abba!” she called to him.  “Abba!” she called again.  He spotted her and immediately extended his hand.  As they continued, I wanted to see the actions of an abba.  He held her hand tightly in his.  When he stopped at a busy street, she stepped off the curb, so he pulled her back.  When the signal changed, he carried her and led her sisters through the intersection.

Isn’t that what we all need?  An abba who’ll hear when we call?  An abba who’ll swing us up into his arms and carry us home?  Don’t we all need an Abba Father?

from: The Great House of God

Chocolate Ice Cream or Okra?

Jesus said:  “The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.” (Luke 6:38).

It’s as if God sends you to purchase your neighbor’s groceries.  “Whatever you get your neighbor, get also for yourself.”  I’m crazy about double-chocolate ice cream, so I buy my neighbor double-chocolate ice cream.  But suppose your neighbor’s trash blows into your yard.  He’s in no rush—says he’ll get to it next week.

You’re just about to have a talk when God reminds you, “Time to go to the market and buy your neighbor’s groceries.” You march right past the double-chocolate ice cream toward the okra and rice. You drive back and drop the sack in the lap of your lazy, good-for-nothing neighbor. “Have a good dinner.”

The next time you go to your pantry, guess what you find? What will you be eating?  Chocolate ice cream or okra?  It’s up to you.

from: The Great House of God

Sunday Sermon - 21-April-2013 - Pr. Les Lee

Speaker: Pastor Les Lee
Itinerant Speaker

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?wgxkfebjhsd7d7d

Resentment

Resentment is a prison.  When you’ve put someone in your jail cell of hatred, you are stuck guarding the door.  If you’re out to settle a score, you are never going to rest.  How can you?  For one thing, your enemy may never pay up.

As much as you think you deserve an apology, your debtor may not agree.  The racist may never repent.  The chauvinist may never change. As justified as you are in your quest for vengeance, you may never get a penny’s worth of justice.  And if you do, will it be enough?

You see, resentment is a prison.  Jesus doesn’t question the reality of your wounds.  He just doubts whether resentment is going to heal you.  What are you going to do?  Spend your life guarding the prison jail cell?  Or entrust your wounds to Jesus?

from: The Great House of God

Practically Speaking

Words Of Affirmation
"When I have to spend a night away from my family, I write a note to each of them and put it under their doona (blanket) so they only find it when they hop into bed for the night. The note tells them how much I love them and look forward to seeing them again soon."  ~Gwen

Acts Of Service
"I will make my husband his evening coffee and take it to him, even if I'm steaming mad at him. I want him to know I love him, mad or not." ~Aubrie

Receiving Gifts
Get a bag of mixed individually wrapped candies/chocolate and hide them all around the house. Count the pieces as you go. Then when the person you love notices the first one, tell them there are X number more hidden around the house. Their love tank will start to fill with each piece they find. *Note: Make sure it is a candy they enjoy.

Quality Time
"I occasionally do an at home social hour. I'll buy or make one of my husband's favorite appetizers and a light dinner to go with it. Then I'll send him an evite to our private social hour. I once listed 'live entertainment provided by Max & Pee Dee' (our 2 bulldogs)." ~Marianne

Physical Touch
"My husband does 75% of the driving when we take road trips to see family. To make him feel loved and appreciated for this, I reach over from my seat on the passenger side and give him neck and shoulder rubs while he is driving. It keeps him from tensing up and lets him know I love him!" ~Nita

Dealing with Debt

Doesn’t someone owe you an apology?  A second chance?  An explanation? A thank you?  A childhood?  A marriage?  Your parents should have been more protective. Your children should have been more appreciative. Your spouse should be more sensitive. What are you going to do?  Few questions are more important.

Dealing with debt is at the heart of your happiness. Jesus speaks of the grace we should share.  He says: “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14).

It reminds me of the story of a huge grizzly bear in the center of Yellowstone Park feeding on discarded camp food.  No one dared draw near. Except a skunk who walked toward the food and took his place next to the grizzly.  The bear didn’t object.  He knew the high cost of getting even! We’d be wise to learn the same thing.

from: The Great House of God