Worship Roster - 11 December 2011

CM : Tom C.
WL : Chow Foong Yee
BU : Tan Hong Lu, Colleen Chang, Lareina Chang
PN : Christopher Lai
SY :
LG :
BG : Kenneth Lai
DR : Anna Sim
TM :
LCD : Timothy
PA : Hiew FF, Jeremiah

*as per hardcopy printout

Sunday Sermon - 4-Dec-2011 - Bro. Liong Kam Chong

Speaker: Bro. Liong Kam Chong
White Fields Assembly, Seremban

http://www.mediafire.com/?klssuglbxsx0pza

A Wreath Observed

by Dr. Gary Chapman

What's the best Christmas present you can give your kids this year? An iPad? An e-reader?

The other day in the car, Colin asked if we could get a bigger Christmas tree. The one we chose is puny, evidently. I think he wants more room for presents.

That caused me to think about what I really want to give them. I love giving toys, trinkets, gadgets, and giz. I love giving books and gift cards and musical instruments. I love the feeling of watching them open a present and seeing the recognition on their faces that someone knows them, sees inside their souls well enough to get that DVD or pair of woolen socks.

But the truth is, the greatest gift I can give my children can't be placed under a tree, no matter how big it is. The greatest gift I can give my family is a commitment to my marriage and the fortitude to work on that relationship no matter what.

On the cover of the book, A Marriage Carol, there is a Christmas wreath. And below that, the door knocker is in the shape of an engagement ring. These circles represent something that will last, something that has no end. The contents of the book, we hope, will encourage couples to continue the struggle, continue to fight for their marriage even if things seem bleak.

If your relationship is frosty, cold, or almost dead, all the trinkets, toys, and gadgets in the world will not make your kids happy. Their real happiness comes in the security they feel with two parents who are committed enough to each other not to quit, but to humble themselves and go to work.

If you're married, give the gift that will keep giving to your children, your friends, everyone around you, and also yourself. Give the gift of commitment.

No wrapping paper or bow needed.

GUEST POST BY: Chris Fabry

CHRIS FABRY is a graduate of W. Page Pitt School of Journalism at Marshall University and Moody Bible Institute's Advanced Studies Program. Chris can be heard daily on Love Worth Finding, featuring the teaching of the late Dr. Adrian Rogers. He received the 2008 "Talk Personality of the Year" Award from the National Religious Broadcasters. He has published more than 60 books since 1995, many of them fiction for younger readers. Chris collaborated with Jerry B. Jenkins and Dr. Tim LaHaye on the children's series Left Behind: The Kids. His two novels for adults, Dogwood and June Bug, are published by Tyndale House Publishers. Chris is married to his wife Andrea and they have five daughters and four sons. You can find out more about Chris at his website.

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From One Father to Another

by Max Lucado

This isn’t the way I planned it, God. Not at all. My child being born in a stable? This isn’t the way I thought it would be. A cave with sheep and donkeys, hay and straw? My wife giving birth with only the stars to hear her pain?

This isn’t at all what I imagined. No, I imagined family. I imagined grandmothers. I imagined neighbors clustered outside the door and friends standing at my side. I imagined the house erupting with the first cry of the infant. Slaps on the back. Loud laughter. Jubilation.

That’s how I thought it would be.

But now…Who will celebrate with us? The sheep? The shepherds?

The stars?

This doesn’t seem right. What kind of husband am I? I provide no midwife to aid my wife. No bed to rest her back. Her pillow is a blanket from my donkey.

Did I miss something? Did I, God?

Download : NECF Prayer Bulletin

NECF Monthly Prayer Bulletin - December 2011

Download it HERE

A Word for the Weary: God Will Finish What He Started!

J. Lee Grady Newsletters - Fire In My Bones

The devil is busy trying to abort God’s promises. Hang on and keep believing.

Here’s a trivia question: Which building project took the longest to complete?·

A. The construction of the Pentagon.

B. The carving of Mount Rushmore.

C. The digging of the Panama Canal.

D. The building of the Empire State Building.

E. The carving and assembling of the Statue of Liberty.

The answer is C.

It took 31 years to dig the Panama Canal, mainly because that superhuman task was started and stopped several times due to floods, mudslides, unexpected costs (the total bill for the United States was $375 million in 1914) and a horrific death toll (20,000 French workers and 6,000 Americans died on the job site.) The moral of that story: Expect delays when you cut a 50-mile-long canal to connect two oceans.

I’m not attempting to move millions of tons of earth to make room for cargo ships. My ministry assignment is different. But I still feel overwhelmed at times by the task. God calls each of us to join Him in His work, but accomplishing anything spiritual (such as building a church, winning the lost, or influencing culture for Christ) is impossible in human terms. We can’t accomplish anything for God without supernatural faith.

Love, Marriage, and Stinking Thinking : Men Behaving Badly

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If you or anyone you know has ever wondered what to do about a man who behaves very badly, this is the show for you to watch. Mark and Debbie look at both sides of the coin: What guys contribute to the situation and what women do that enables the rotten behavior. Get ready to be challenged in your thinking as Mark explains why our culture is in desperate need of strong, confident, respectful women--what he terms "butt kicking women!" Hear how the submission message that churches have been teaching and preaching for decades has contributed to the demise of marriage. You don't want to miss what Mark has to say about the "just submit" advice many pastors give to answer marital issues.

For more information on the show and more of Mark Gungor, please check out our website, http://www.stinkingthinking.tv

New Kid by Friday- part 5

http://firststepstoday.com

Dr. Leman has a technique that he uses for a lot of different behavior problems. This one works particularly well when the purpose of the misbehavior is to get your attention and to control you. It goes like this:

1. Say it once.

2. Turn your back.

3. Walk away. 

Telling your child more than once, he believes, just teaches your child that you think he/she is too stupid to understand you the first time. I tend to think it teaches children that they don’t have to obey until you have gotten worked up about it. That’s why counting is usually a bad idea.

Turning your back keeps your child from the reward of your attention. Children sometimes want your attention so much they don’t care if it means being punished. Not giving them attention when they are misbehaving breaks that link. Later, when they are doing well is the time to reward them with your attention.

Walking away is the hardest part of this method. When you walk away your child begins to panic, “Why isn’t mom giving me what I expect?” Dr. Leman says not to even say why you are walking away, just do it and it will result in a teachable moment.

So here are a couple common scenarios for toddlers.

Sunday Sermon - 27-Nov-2011 - Bro. Tan Hong Lu

Speaker: Bro. Tan Hong Lu
White Fields Assembly, Seremban

http://www.mediafire.com/?p70sllofbs3y9vm

Worship Roster - 4 Dec - Communion

CHAIRMAN Siow K. W.
W. LEADER W. Kai Yew
BACK UPS Ng Siew Pin, Shankar R., Gigi Lim
PIANO Grace Lee
SYNTH
BASS C. Weng Ern
GUITAR Jacquelina L.
DRUMS Darren Oi
TIMBREL
PROJECTION Moses Tan, Bryan Tan
PA Tommy Q.

Divine Gifts

Oh, the things we do to give gifts to those we love.

But we don’t mind, do we? We would do it all again. Fact is, we do it all again. Every Christmas, every birthday, every so often we find ourselves in foreign territory. Grownups are in toy stores. Dads are in teen stores. Wives are in the hunting department, and husbands are in the purse department.

And we’d do it all again. Having pressed the grapes of service, we drink life’s sweetest wine—the wine of giving. We are at our best when we are giving. In fact, we are most like God when we are giving.

Have you ever wondered why God gives so much? We could exist on far less. He could have left the world flat and gray; we wouldn’t have known the difference. But he didn’t.

He splashed orange in the sunrise

and cast the sky in blue.

And if you love to see geese as they gather,

chances are you’ll see that too.

Did he have to make the squirrel’s tail furry?

Was he obliged to make the birds sing?

And the funny way that chickens scurry

or the majesty of thunder when it rings?

Why give a flower fragrance?

Why give food its taste?

Could it be he loves to see

that look upon your face?

If we give gifts to show our love, how much more would he? If we—speckled with foibles and greed—love to give gifts, how much more does God, pure and perfect God, enjoy giving gifts to us? Jesus asked, “If you hardhearted, sinful men know how to give good gifts to your children, won’t your Father in heaven even more certainly give good gifts to those who ask him for them?” (Matt. 7:11 TLB).

God’s gifts shed light on God’s heart, God’s good and generous heart. Jesus’ brother James tells us: “Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light” (James 1:17 MSG). Every gift reveals God’s love … but no gift reveals his love more than the gifts of the cross. They came, not wrapped in paper, but in passion. Not placed around a tree, but a cross. And not covered with ribbons, but sprinkled with blood.

From One Incredible Savior

Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2011) Max Lucado

Love, Marriage, and Stinking Thinking : Finding a Soulmate

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This week's episode features an email from a Christian man married 20 years who believes that he's found his "soul mate"and it's not his wife! Watch and see what Mark and Debbie have to say to about the cultural acceptance of adultery and the stinking thinking that is widespread even in churches. In this day and age when so many people make their decisions based on feelings and the need to be happy, hear why it's vitally important that we use the Bible as our point of reference. Mark also uses the account of Jesus' birth to illustrate where God is during our times of hardship and misery and how our comfort level has nothing to do with what is right or wrong in any given situation.

Bad Theology = Bad Marriage

by Mark Gungor

There is line of thinking that began in American culture during the hippy movement of the 1960s and has continued to grow in popularity until it proliferated even Christianity. I’m referring to the concept of “unconditional love”. Over and over we hear people talking about how we need to love others “unconditionally” and how others should love us “unconditionally”. It also has morphed into the idea that God’s love for us is “unconditional”. What a bunch of horse manure! Nowhere in the bible does it say that love is to be without conditions…in fact, the phrase “unconditional love” isn’t even in the bible. (Not to mention that the bible is clearly a list of conditions God has for his people.) Funny how Christians are so quick to make such unbiblical ideas and phrases in to pillars of the faith!

The other phrase that is repeated over and over again until it, too, has become accepted “doctrine” is “God loves you just the way you are.” Wrong!! God loves you in spite of the way you are! He loves you when you are broken and in sin.

He loves you when your life is a disaster, if you’ve committed adultery, are lost in addictions, or cheating and lying up a storm. It’s not that God doesn’t love you, he does… but he expects you to change. We need to repent, to grow, to mature as Christians. But when people mistakenly say, “God loves you just the way you are”, what is either spoken or implied is the caveat that you don’t have to change.

10 Basic Blessings You Should Be Thankful For

J. Lee Grady Newsletters - Fire In My Bones

Americans today face economic challenges, but we have nothing to complain about.

We Americans are a blessed people, but we are also spoiled. I know I am. I can get flustered over the stupidest things—like when my cellphone doesn’t get a good signal, when a flight is delayed or when my computer takes too long to load a website. Most people in the world don’t have iPhones, can’t afford air travel and don’t have computers. My impatience reveals my ungrateful spirit.

So how can we avoid this virus of selfish immaturity? Thankfulness is the antidote. It melts our pride and crushes our sense of entitlement. It reminds us that everything we have comes from God, and that His mercy is the only reason we are blessed.

"Be thankful instead! God calls us to live above negativity. When we give thanks in all things, God gives us a supernatural attitude adjustment.”

As you celebrate Thanksgiving Day, I pray you will invite the Holy Spirit to convict you of any whining. Here’s a list of 10 blessings that many people in the world don’t have. Go over this list and then see if you still have anything to gripe about.

1. Got clean water? The next time you uncap a bottle of water or grab a drink from the tap, remember that one in eight people in the world (that’s 884 million people) lack access to clean water supplies. Millions of women around the world spend several hours a day collecting water. When you take a five-minute shower, you use more water than a typical person in a developing country uses in a whole day.

Sunday Sermon - 20 November 2011 - Rev. Canon. Dr. Lakshman K.R

Speaker: Rev. Canon. Dr. Lakshman K.R
Bethel Anglican Centre, Puchong Jaya

http://www.mediafire.com/?5xpeli865ed6cnj

Worship Roster - 27 Nov

CHAIRMAN Liong K. C.
W. LEADER Terry C.
BACK UPS Tan Hong Lu, Foong Yee, Lydia Sim
PIANO Jocelyn Lee
SYNTH Jacinta Lee
BASS Darren Oi
GUITAR
DRUMS Anna Sim
TIMBREL
PROJECTION Joseph Yap
PA Manjit Singh

Utilizing Thanksgiving as a Reminder to Appreciate Your Staff

by Dr. Gary Chapman

Thanksgiving is the holiday where we are encouraged to be thankful for the good things in our lives - health, safety, adequate food, clothing, and shelter, as well as the many material blessings we have. For most people, Thanksgiving is usually more of a personally-focused celebration, including sharing meals and time with family and friends.

But the Thanksgiving holiday season can also be an opportunity to focus on, and be reminded of, the positive aspects of our work lives. This is especially true in these more difficult economic times, where many who desire employment are unable to find work or have to settle for a job beneath their professional capabilities.

For those who are supervisors, managers, business owners or leaders in their organizations, the Thanksgiving holiday is an excellent reminder to both remember, and communicate, the most valuable asset in your workplace: the people who work there (both employees and volunteers).

While many people sarcastically say, "I'd enjoy my work more, if it weren't for the people"; in reality, most of us have highly talented and valuable colleagues. And a few minutes of reflection can help each of us identify those positive characteristics that our team members bring to the workplace each day.

Identifying the Positive Characteristics of Colleagues.

Think about the individuals you see and with whom you work regularly.

• What do they do that makes you smile?
• What character quality do they demonstrate, that if it weren't present would really make life at work tough? (e.g. dependability, thoroughness, punctuality, honesty)
• What talents or skills do they regularly demonstrate that are part of "who they are"? (e.g. good communication skills, accurate detailed work, being a good problem solver, creative).

Make a list of your teammates, along with the characteristics you've identified. Communicating your appreciation. While it's nice (for you) to reflect on and be thankful for the top quality co-workers you have, it would make their day to hear from you what you appreciate about them. Let me give you some tips that will make the appreciation communicated really "hit the mark" (versus "fall flat"):

1. Make sure your praise is specific and personal. General, impersonal praise is like eating mashed potatoes without gravy or butter - blah. Use their name. Tell them specifically how their positive characteristic makes your life better. Give a specific example, if possible.
2. Communicate in a way that will be comfortable for you. You can tell them verbally, write an email, or write a handwritten note in a Thanksgiving card. It doesn't have to be a big deal or production. Just do it.
3. Absolutely be genuine. Don't try to fake it and don't overstate your appreciation ("You are the best accountant in the world!"). Make sure your tone of voice, facial expression, and body language match what you are communicating. If you are rushed, or uptight about something, wait until you have relaxed before talking to them.

A small act of communicating your appreciation to your colleagues may make their whole Thanksgiving a very special holiday. And the rewards you may reap in the coming weeks may be bountiful as well.

GUEST POST BY: Paul White, PhD Dr. Paul White is co-author of The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace. He is a psychologist, author, speaker, and consultant who helps make work relationships work. For the past two decades, he has improved numerous businesses, wealthy family estates, schools, and nonprofit organizations by helping them to build healthy relationships, create positive workplace environments, and raising the level of job satisfaction for both employees and volunteers. For more information, visit DrPaulWhite.com

GET SOCIAL: Share your questions, thoughts insights, or comments by joining the conversation on Facebook at facebook.com/5lovelanguages

The God Who Feeds My Soul

by Max Lucado

Bread is eaten daily. Some fruits are available only in season. Some drinks are made only at holidays. Not so with bread. And not so with Jesus. He should be brought to our table every day. We let him nourish our hearts, not just in certain months or on special events, but daily.

Bread can meet many needs. So can Jesus. He has a word for the lonely as well as for the popular. He has help for the physically ill and the emotionally ill. If your vision is clear, he can help you. If your vision is cloudy, he can help you. Jesus can meet each need.

Can you see why Jesus called himself the Bread of Life?

I can think of one other similarity. Consider how bread is made. Think about the process. Wheat grows in the field, then it is cut down, winnowed, and ground into flour. It passes through the fire of the oven and is then distributed around the world. Only by this process does bread become bread. Each step is essential.

Jesus grew up as a “small plant before the Lord” (Isa. 53:2). One of thousands in Israel. Indistinguishable from the person down the street or the child in the next chair. Had you seen him as a youngster, you wouldn’t have thought he was the Son of God. He was just a boy. One of hundreds. Like a staff of wheat in the wheat field.

But like wheat, he was cut down. Like chaff he was pounded and beaten. “He was wounded for the wrong we did; he was crushed for the evil we did” (Isa. 53:5). And like bread he passed through the fire. On the cross he passed though the fire of God’s anger, not because of his sin, but because of ours. “The Lord has put on him the punishment for all the evil we have done” (Isa. 53:6).

Jesus experienced each part of the process of making bread: the growing, the pounding, the firing. And just as each is necessary for bread, each was also necessary for Christ to become the bread of life. “The Christ must suffer these things before he enters his glory” (Luke 24:26).

The next part of the process, the distribution, Christ leaves with us. We are the distributors. We can’t force people to eat the bread, but we can make sure they have it. 

“I am the bread that gives life.” John 6:35

From: A Gentle Thunder

Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 1995) Max Lucado

New Kid by Friday- part 4

 http://firststepstoday.com

Over the last three months I’ve been sharing some insights from Dr. Kevin Leman’s book, Have a New Kid by Friday. In February I reviewed the three pillars of a child’s self worth: Acceptance, Belonging, and Competence. Then in March I reviewed the first of the top 3 long-term concerns of parents, Attitude.

In April I reviewed what he had to say about Character. Of course most of his book is about the third concern, Behavior. It is written for parents with children of all ages; much of the book is beyond the scope of babies and toddlers. Laying good foundations of discipline is so important, though, that I want to take some time to talk about some of his specific approaches.

Dr. Leman emphasizes the importance of looking at your long-term parenting goals when considering discipline. Here are a few of his points to consider:

1.  Parenting is a big job with little time in which to do it. Children grow up so fast. You cannot afford to NOT take advantage of the time you have to teach them life lessons.
2. Think about the kind of person you want your child to become and keep that picture in your mind. Respectful, hard-working, thoughtful of others? Make your own list and then see what you can do today to begin to develop those traits.
3. Your child needs not only your attention but also a relationship with you. Relationships take time and effort to build. Don’t be too busy for your children. Without a relationship, your rules, your words, and your actions mean nothing!

Sunday Sermon - 13 November 2011 - Pastor Ronnie Teoh

Speaker: Pastor Ronnie Teoh

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?919ujcoadpm4hvk