The Evidences of Sodom and Gomorrah Burnt

 

Matthew 14:1-12 The Death of John the Baptist

Have you ever wondered how this story could be applicable to us? Check out this link:
http://executableoutlines.com/matt/mt14_1.htm

Dating

"The greatest danger of dating is giving parts of our hearts and lives to someone to whom we’re not married. It is a significant risk, and many, many men and women have deep and lasting wounds from relationships because a couple enjoyed emotional or physical closeness without a lasting, durable commitment."

Source: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/when-the-not-yet-married-meet-dating-to-display-jesus

David Oldfield- I'm A Broken Vessel in Need of You Chords

G                 C          G
Lord I’ve come to You
              Em           G
With everything I am
G                    C       G
Take me in Your hands
        Em                            G
And mold me into Your plan

           Em               D

I am willing and waiting
                        C                              G
To give You what You want from me
                Em                D                      C                     D                           
So Lord, lead me and guide me to the place I need to be
            C         D                        G
Im a broken vessel in need of You

 G        C      G

Purify my heart
  Em                                G
Make me white as the snow
             Em                     G
Im not worthy of Your grace
                          C                         G
Through Your love Ill see Your face

 

           Em                  D
I am willing and waiting
                        C                              G
To give You what You want from me
                Em                D                        C                   D    
So Lord, lead me and guide me to the place I need to be
             C        D                      Em
Im a broken vessel in need of You

 

D                           C               G                          
Take my hand in Yours, oh Lord
         Em    D                             C        G
And You wash me with Your blood, yeah
         Em           D           C     G
And You be glorified in me, oh
         Em     D                      C        D
And You open my eyes to see

          F#m               E

I am willing and waiting
                         D                            A

To give You what You want from me

                F#m               E                       D                   E   
So Lord, lead me and guide me to the place I need to be              

             D        E                        A
Im a broken vessel in need of You
(In need of You)                            

               D       E
Im a broken vessel,
                     A
In need of You

 

In His Will

 "If David Wilkerson had allowed slander to deter him from his work with New York gangs in the 1960s, we would not have the ministry of Teen Challenge today. The key to persevering in God's call is to genuinely know that we are doing God's will."

Source: http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Matt/Time-Everything

Not Qualified

Matthew 9:12-13

Healthy people don't need a doctor- sick people do. Then He added, "Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: 'I want you to show mercy, not sacrifices. For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.

in the KING's presence

JESUS
King, Creator, Friend and God

It is in Your presence that I don't have to play pretend

It is in Your presence that I experience true freedom

It is in Your presence that I can bare my heart

I can be myself in front of You

I can come clean with all my weaknesses

I can tell You I'm struggling

I can tell You I'm angry, sad, or really happy

I can tell You if I like someone

Because I know I'm judged only by You

I trust Your judgment.

In Your Justice, Holiness, Righteousness

And LOVE, you judge.

In Your Love, You never condemned me but saved me from my sins

In Your Love, I can have hope,

Hope to be what You've created me to be!

You've created me good

You've created me to enjoy a relationship with You,

To connect with You

To worship You

Forever!

It is in You, my Creator, that I truly found who I really am,

What I was created to be.

Thank You for inviting me in Your presence.

I'm honoured to be in the KING's presence.

Some God moments during shopping...

Was accompanying my sis to shop for office wear
Back of my mind was just thinking if the shopping wasn't as fruitful...
I wouldn't be as happy... =(
Though I kept reminding myself that I just want to spend that time with her
We looked around but there wasn't any that fit her
Then we were reminded, we knew of someone who was quite big framed as well
and wondered where she got all her clothes

Just finish reading the msg, "... ...and Dorothy perkins." we ended up there, right in front of us.
Just felt that was so divinely led and guided...
And yes! They have pretty clothes with sizes from 6-20!
We had so much fun bcos we found clothes that fits us!
What's more, they are having sales with clothes up to 50% discount and additional 15% with POSB  everyday card!

I learnt to cast ALL my cares on Him bcos He cares for me (not just spiritually but also physically =))!

Jesus come work with me

feel so tired today
during work I feel like going home and not working anymore
all I do is to do and do and do
I longed for deeper  relationships
Sharing of lives and heart
not just doing and doing and doing all day
I'm not a machine

then I confessed
I confessed I've lost focus
man where has Jesus been in the midst of my work
what am I looking at
charts
to dos
charts
to dos
where is Jesus
none in sight

Jesus come work with me
Fill me with an abundance of You
for more of Your love
for more of Your touch
for more of Your strength
to pray for the ppl I met
knowing that they didn't come into my life by chance
Help me not to see them as work
They are ppl with a heart and a soul
They are Your created beings
who needs Your LOVE

Each bedsheet I change, let them know You
Each diaper I change, let them know You
Each shower I've helped, each bed sponge I've done, let them know You
Each diet I serve, each medicine I give, each cup of water I bring
Let everything I do, let people see Your love, YOUR LOVE for them

Let it come out of an abundance of LOVE from You.

it's such a joy...

it's such a joy to be in love with You all over again
to be in Your presence
to be in Your love
So, thank You for bringing me back...
All the times I've been lost but You never let me go
You never gave up on me
It's such a joy to fall in love with You
All over again.
=)

back from chengdu! =)

hi my dear friends, i'm back from chengdu and would like to bless you with a little something as i remember and thank God for the times when your life has been such a great blessing to me.

do choose the gifts you want and whatsapp me the gift number. i'll reserve them for you till we meet again! =)

if there's nothing you want, bu2 yao3 mian2 qiang3 ba4 (don't force yourself). hehe.

#1 earrings

#2 earrings

#3 earrings

#4 facemask

#5 facemask

#6 facemask

#7 facemask

#8 wheat tea

#9 socks

#10 socks

EXPERIENCES:

I was there just to see my sec sch best friend life in chengdu, in which she'll spend 6 years of her life there.

AWESOME CATCHUP
it has been an awesome catch up with her!

EXCITING
it has been an exciting journey cos it's the first time i'm travelling to and fro to a country via air alone.

GOOD FLIGHT
i usually take budget flights so to me, silkair was rather luxurious- food and drinks, red wine, eye shades and many more services.

FUN
had 3 lovable and fun-to-be-with dogs to play with during my stay!
lighting fire crackers and fireworks was also quite a thrilling experience!

LEARNT
hospitality- felt really welcomed and loved by the couple (my best friend and her husband) during the trip. everything was carefully thought of, well planned and prepared for my arrival and enjoyment. i was touched by their hospitality.
there can be freedom and fun in marriage- i used to think that i can't do alot of things that i want to do like mission trips, volunteering etc etc when i'm married but that's not necessarily true. sometimes, it can be better and more fun with a partner doing it together or supporting what you are doing and vice versa.
i guess it's really that someone who's able to see value in the things you value, able to appreciate you, relate to you, grow old with you and vice versa that makes married life so beautiful! =) my best friend's married life is a beautiful example.
charcoal pills and panadol is a must when travelling- medicines you need are not so readily available in stores overseas, even if it's city area.

-okay, end of highlight :p-

God moments

Thank God for ps yvonne to validate and affirmed my feelings in regards to friends

Thank God for good friends in my life!

Thank God for the talk with Grace after btj!
Realised through the life of PI that though my situations sometimes can be harsh and cruel, it also helped me to better use my resources in life! Just like how one cruel experience made PI realised that tiger is not his friend and this realisation has helped both him and the tiger to survive the shipwreck too! You must know how each person you wanna help work in order to better help them, eg, tigers are different from human, and  every human is different too!

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just a quick sharing for my btj mates as well =)

Just a quick testimony. I felt like I was going insane one night! Felt super duper upset! The kind where you feel like dying, like life is just too hard, no point trying, just end it all! I just can't do it! It came on 13/11 night. I'm on my bed, fatigue but can't sleep. Work and people momentarily took away this feeling, but it comes back when i'm alone. I wondered how can Jesus survive in this world? I felt like I can't! Too much guilt and condemnation! Too much of why am I like that? Why am I not able to? I wanted to know how Jesus made it since He's 100% man. So, I started listening matthew on the train, to movie and on the way to btj. As I listened, faith and conviction grew. The part where Jesus scolds His disciples saying you of little faith when they feared the storm. It wasn't a condemning voice but one that says, don't worry, I'm (God) here, I'm (God) able to calm the storms in your life!




During btj, I understood why I went through this difficult time and had such torturing feeling. All these while, i've been clinging on to my job cos it gave me enough security. Stable job, stable income, can even bless ppl with my wealth, doesn't it sound good? But felt that God is telling me: Sharon, that's fake security. $70 can be gone in a day. The things that you think are secure can be easily gone. Let your security be in Me alone. I've come to realise that even security doesn't satisfy me and the end of the day, if my security is not in God, I am still shaken and empty, defeated and depressed, not being able to experience the abundant life God has promised.

...

11:43pmExpand

Show ImagesSharon Yu Shu Yan

And i'm set free. I am truly happy now! I felt a great release in my spirit when I made the decision to put my security in God alone! The beginning of my abundant life!

...

11:50pmExpand

Show ImagesSharon Yu Shu Yan

And yes, I invite you to hold me accountable to the things I said today! May I not be fickle minded, rationalise and change my mind again cos this is where I found my joy- in God! If I do, remind me of today! :-)

thank God

Thank God for btj, for a good time of crying and pouring out to God. A good time of remembering that blessed are those who mourn, who weep, who are poor... Amen.

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thank God

Thank God I got to see a squirrel at the park beside my flat today.
Thank God cos though I didn't feel too well yesterday and today but yes for the little things I still thank God.
Thank God for the perfect weather to run and to swim that I feel so much better
Thank God for the brown rice, wanton, unagi, seaweed soup this aft
God you know exactly what made my day and what not
Thank God that I know all that I have and all that i've been through, all that I am, God you can have your very good purposes, that even when I dread to do things sometimes, and I never get things done or I make mistakes that you still love me, forgives me and have plans to give me hope and a future!

Amen

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and thank God

Still thank God always for my useful (as useful as any smartphone!) though slow and small little phone, still going strong for 2 years already! :-)

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Thank God

Thank God for a good night rest. Though it's just 5hours but felt refreshed!
Thank God that i'm able to wake up for morning shift early and don't need to take taxi!
Thank God for MRT that I can take to work
Thank God for a home and a room and a bed that I can rest
Thank God for glucosamine, ginko and vit c pills that I didn't buy
Thank God for pecan nuts that was so delicous!
Thank God for pkc girls whose response was so enthusiastic when I suggested ice skating though the offer on groupon was expired
Thank God for mummy and daddy whose love towards each other and us grew.
Thank God that jie jie has a job
Thank God that I have a job too
Thank God for clothes to wear, food to eat, water to drink, toilet to ... :-)
Thank God i'm able to meet jolin and jane later. :-)
Thank God that i'm able to thank God.
Yay!

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Thank You

Thank You for Guiying! For her encouragement, love and joy!
Thank You for giving me strength for work!
Thank You for enough time to finish work.
Thank You that I can be of help during work!
Thank You for nice, knowledgeable (the senior staff nurses) and skillful (runfang who's very good at setting plug) colleagues
Thank You Lord for joy and peace in my heart!
Thank You for this not so bad doctor who didn't make me angry afterall. He was rude initially (or maybe he's stress or thats the way he usually talks) but became polite after I showed abit of displeasure.
Thank You God for rest now!

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Thank You!

Thank You I am alive
Thank You for home cooked food at work
Thank You that I am of some help in my workplace
Thank You that I had enough sleep
Thank You for helping me with my emotions
Thank You for a home to rest
Thank You that I chose I phone that I really liked even till now
Thank You that I can have new things to learn at this new area of work
Thank You for helping me to be contented
Thank You for the faith in You
Thank You for being with me and still working in my life!
Thank You God. =)

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NOTES from GO4 church 2-6/9 & 9/9/2012+KATS

Have faith in God Himself instead of what God gives
E.g. Mary, a virgin decided to have faith in God to give birth to Jesus as she was called even though this child comes with a price. She would be condemned, scorned upon by family, friends, strangers and probably stoned in those days AND she would even risked having her favorite man, Joseph, leaving her. If she had faith on what God gives, she probably would give up living her calling from all the pain, hurts, uncertainty, fears of condemnation that comes with baby Jesus. But Mary instead, had FAITH IN GOD and lived out her calling, as we all know.
_________________________________________________________________________________

1 Corinthians 3 

God's church MUST function according to God's plan!
A man-led church will die! 
If a church is done according to the standards of the world, the LIFE of the church will die!
Good programs without God can also cause growth in numbers like any other society or organisations but it will not bring LIFE in it's members as a church should. Without God, it's no longer a church.

Our goal is to be Christ like!
It's not about making members but making disciples.

A church should not have divisions 
If you see people through God's eyes, through the eyes of grace, all will be good.
Without God's grace, church will have divisions
See through Jesus's eyes, the church will have grace
Love and justice through the cross acts like a filter, a mask. It blocks out pollution, the dirty things of people.

TESTIMONY OF GOD and TO PROVE GOD is 2 very different thing
Testimony of God is when we die to ourselves and follow GOD. Whatever happens, GOD is glorified.
To prove God is when we think WE can prove God and WE work hard to prove God.

Give up everything & follow His will,
Then His grace will cover us.
It is not by our strength.
If we give up ourselves, everything will be glorifying God, everything will be meaningful.

Spiritual things cannot be understood by human wisdom.
If we have too much of our own thinking, too much of human wisdom, we will not know God.
Live out God's word. It's powerful.
___________________________________________________________________________

PRE SERVICE PRAYER MESSAGE
How to be bounded/oppressed/have a foothold in your life:
Live by myself and my own thinking

Signs & symptoms of being bounded/oppressed/have a foothold in your life:
Get angry easily
Don't feel the presence of God
Pray but don't have confidence
Read the bible but no deep revelation
Habitual sin

The different spirits:
Fear
Divisions
Hatred, evil
Oppression, deprivation, slavery
Legalism, violence
Anger & despair

If we are bounded, we will not get the original meaning of the message, we might filter it through the spirit of e.g. legalism

If you have character that God doesn't want, that will be a foothold

Maintenance of the Holy Spirit is a daily, moment by moment thing.
Living in the Holy Spirit is the MINIMUM requirement of every Christian.

Privilege of the righteous comes through the throne of grace
Jesus is our mediator
It's not because of your merit, it's because Jesus recommend you.

PRAY AND BE SET FREE!
_________________________________________________________________________________

1 Corinthians 2

Crucify human wisdom, we should live by God's wisdom
Wisdom of the world: How much you posses, the do's and the don'ts
Do not STRIVE to enjoy things in the world
Learn to rely on whatever God gives, not be possessors of things in the world
When we posses too much things, it slows down the process of God
E.g. a traveler cannot bring too many things
Don't posses, keep giving it out

We are not measured by the things we possessed. 
We are measured by how much we obey God's word.
All problems come because you think you possess it.
In fact, everything you enjoy is God's! The truth is there's NOTHING that you have! That's why you can be free! If you have nothing, you don't need to worry about anything!
The things you have are the things God allowed you to use it for Him.
As soon as you think you own it, problem comes.

If we are really Christians, we wouldn't worry about food, etc.

God uses the weak to shame the strong
God is pleased with total dependence
You cannot live your life without God and without the power of His Spirit!

Church is different from the world. We cannot be like the Corinthians, trying to please people of the world.
Salvation belongs to the Lord. Our job is to preach truthfully and accurately.
If you don't receive the right gospel, you will not be able to walk correctly
If you pay attention to people, you not only kill yourself, you kill them as well. You should only look to God.

"Jesus, be my wisdom, my holiness"

When God forgives us, He erases out our sins and cleanse us as white as snow.
So when satan throw accusations at us, you just respond, "What sin? God has already erases my sin!"
When you believe, you receive righteousness by faith. Not striving but by faith.

When there's hope you will endure.
When there's love, you'll sacrifice.

You shouldn't feel defeated. You are not created like that!
The only reason why you are being defeated or despair is because you are CHEATED!
The Word of God is designed as an essential and fundamental to your soul and spirit!
Word of God should be LIFE in you!
You should not surrender to physical suffering, you should find the spiritual cause of it.
The important thing is to digest the word of God by FAITH, it cannot be filtered by world's standard or human wisdom. If it does, it will lose it's power!
E.g. Word of God is like cooked meat. It's good. But filtered by world's wisdom, it becomes overcooked. It's no good. It has lost it's nutrients.
Do not be malnourished without God's word!
If you do not digest the word of God by faith, you do not accept it as the truth.

It is difficult for us to accept the truth because of our evil desires
E.g. Prophet Jeremiah ate the scroll (the word) and it turned bitter
Paul did not try to persuade with men's wisdom. Truth will not be persuasive.

What made you mature is not how long you've been in church but how much of God's word have you digested.
To develop spiritual maturity takes about 6 months to a year

Does God know we will sin? Of course He knows, He is all knowing.
If God knows we will sin, why did He still created us?
It's because He loves us.
E.g. If you have a son and you know all the mistakes that he will make in the future, will you still love him?
If you know that your son will betray you, whip you and crucify you next time, are you still able to love him?
He chose to give up His all knowing power so that He can love us. 
God has already decided to take responsibility for all our mistakes that we will make.
God has the best solution to everything that we decide, even our mistakes.
Through the cross you realize how good God is. You don't use your own strength.

E.g. CEO of a company decided to let his son runs his company, there is a risk.
When God appointed us to be His church, there is a risk

Whatever you do, He will be responsible for your actions and behavior
He knows the best route for us
He love us so much that He gave us everything!

You are God's church
You have the authority in the kingdom of God.
You must be excited to be part of the church

If majority of the congregation is immature, it will cause a lot of issues and problems.
When immature people is in an organisation, it will be affected negatively. Mature people however, will edify
Immature people are people who cannot control their bodies.
E.g. For a infant to point his finger to the middle of his nose is difficult cos it's hard for infants to control their bodies but for an adult is easy.

Infants will treat God as rubbish if there's no gain (possessions)
They are like a 65yo that still choose to wears diapers not because of any illness.

Traits of the immature: Quarrel, strife, jealous, don't see their own weakness, magnify a small problem (e.g. to an adult it's a small problem, but to the child it seems like a big problem and make a big fuss over it)

The glory of the church does not depend on the number of people.

If we live by flesh, we are just like animal who live just to eat.
If we live by the flesh, the more we want to posses, the more we want to eat.
Do not pursue anything that's not eternal.

No man will invest in a bank that will perish!
_________________________________________________________________________________

Correctly give what God has given you.

Minister should minister according to the grace you are given
Minister according to the portion given by God, not to add or subtract
Live according to what God provides
We often strive by our own effort and this cause death

Be careful of greed (subtract: take something that is not yours) and despair (add: you feel that the things God has given someone is not enough & you try to add/stop the person from trying to give God) and loneliness (do it alone, instead of with God) when you are doing ministry.
Greed
E.g. Take some money out from mission fund for your salary
Despair
E.g. A poor man wanna give God offering and you said, don't need to give. You are already so poor already, keep for yourself. You are not God. He's giving to God, not you. You don't need to worry about him. God will take care of him. God will provide for him.
E.g. People who wants to come camp but has no money. You take ALL your salary and gives them until you have no money for yourself. It is God's responsibility to provide for them, not yours. You are not God.

God is the boss, He is our Father. He is the One who provides all our needs.
God is the CEO, not the pastor of the church.
The pastor is also your God's worker, and your fellow worker.

We often think that if we don't go, somebody is gonna die
Even if you don't preach, God will save
Our job is to do the things that God entrusted us to do
You just spend what you've been given by God
Unless you become pure and holy, God cannot flow through.
Your mind must be molded by the truth, then the Holy spirit will flow through you.
You are a channel of God. You are a vessel. Do not add or subtract to whatever God gives. Let God Himself flow through your life.
God is the focus of our ministry: what God wants me to do, where is God placing me, who God wants me to meet

Secret of successful: Do not limit the presence of indwelling Holy Spirit
Only through the spirit can we know God- personal encounter (Romans 8:26)
E.g. When you choose to love your enemies, your Holy Spirit will communicate to God & God will give you grace and help you to love your enemies.
The Holy spirit is our helper!
Know the truth & respond according to the truth (Hebrews 10:16)
It will be impossible to live in this world if you limit the presence of indwelling spirit

Demons can intervene in your mind and manipulate your mind.
Above all things, guard your heart.
You have the power to defeat satan
Only when you are deceived, you will be defeated- because you don't know who you are and what God has done for you.
God's spirit is in you
We can enter the King's chamber
Live by the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:27)
Spiritual things should be discerned by the spirit
Moment by moment, you have to live by the Holy Spirit, if not you cannot live.
Leaders must live by the Holy spirit
We must have the mind of Christ through the Holy Spirit

To be like Jesus, you need to know exactly who He is.
We need to see Jesus through the spirit

1 Cor 3:10-15
Architect should built according to the blueprint/plan instead of what they want
Earthquake will tell you how strong the building is

Eph 4:11
If you try to teach with human effort, it will spoil the plan of God

Everyone is important! Cherish your body. Even your little finger. You can't use your thumb to dig your nose.

See through the eyes of faith
Seeings is believing
_________________________________________________________________________________

Pray by the strength of God, not in your own strength

Grow in God's rest

First thing in the morning read, read the word of God, not tv, newspaper, or other things of the world

Be a man of faith, except totally what God has given you.

Habakkuk

The more of the world you have, the less the Holy Spirit will be able to move

The more you wanna possess, the more you'll lose

Uproot the impurities in you!

Ezekiel 40

You need to empty yourself so that you can let God fill your life!

We are drown cos we depended on our own strength. Actually even if we don't know how to swim we can still float if we relax in the water

Obey and submit to the word of God

1 Peter 2:22

Don't depend on your own feelings to fast or pray. Depend on God.

Amos 3:3
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Philip 1:6 God's part
2 peter 1:4 Our part
Prov 4:23- guard your heart
Mark 7:15, 20-23
Luke 6:43-45

God and us are a team! All team members must give something to the table. God gives love, grace, forgiveness, joy, we too must give all we have, our brokenness, our weaknesses, etc.