The Little Darling - Part 2, Jesus is our Hope

me at shao pei's 13th birthday

Another great week to give thanks to God for. Here is how my week went......

I was praying the whole week for 'The Little Darling' to return to our youth gatherings, her well being and also for her salvation. She hasn't been coming for the past few months. We've been contacting her via msn and sms asking her to come for youth on Saturday the past week. And on Saturday morning itself......

Jimmy went to pick the youths from their respective places when I got a wonderful sms from Karen saying that the little darling would be coming for youth that day. I quickly called Jimmy and asked him whether he knew about it and he told me that he also got the sms from Karen (actually the sms Karen sent to me started with 'Hey Jim' hahahaha). It was just so good to see her again and I personally was overjoyed when I saw her [as always :)].
I shared a message on the story of Peter being called out of his fishery career into a career of changing this world. Let me just share a few thoughts and some brief things I shared......

In the life of Peter we see that he rejected Jesus before the climax of the cross. It is interesting to know that though Jesus knew Peter would deny Him, He still carried the cross and bore the shame of Peter 'til death. In the last chapter of the gospel of John, we read of Jesus asking Peter a question 3 times, "Do you love me?". In Greek, which the New Testament is written in, love is described in 3 ways, eros, phileo and agape. Phileo means love of friends and agape means unconditional love, love that might even be a 1 way love, a love that goes beyond reason, even maybe beyond the other person knowing that he/she is being loved. The word agape was created when Jesus, the Son of God came to earth to save us. The first 2 times Jesus asked Peter "Do you love me?", He was using the word agape, which would be written like so.... "Do you agape me?" And Peter answers Jesus with a lower form of love, phileo, knowing that he didn't love Jesus beyond condition. The third time Jesus asks Peter, Peter was grieved. But how come? Why was Peter grieved? Wasn't it the same question again? If you read the whole context knowing the word 'love' in Greek has different words to describe it, Peter was grieved because on the third time when Jesus asks Peter, Jesus used the word phileo and not agape. And Peter answers with this phrase, "Lord, you know all things, you know that I phileo you". Wonderful heh? Jesus went down to Peter's level of love.

Maybe as you read this, you might not be in a state of total appreciation or knowledge of God's love. But all God wants is all that we can give. If your understanding of love is as low as "I love hamburgers".... Go ahead, Jesus wants all that you can give him, and as we grow in spiritual maturity, we will understand and appreciate His love for us and even for others more and more.

As the little darling was sitting, listening to the message, I wanted to say I'm talking about me and you. You see, I know that I might never get back the love that I am giving her, or she might not even know what level of love I have for her [of coz I pray she will :)], but I will be like my Savior Jesus. When we get touch by God we become like him, godlike. For example, in the Bible it says that Jesus is the Light of the world, and a later verse Jesus tells His disciples, us, that we are the light and the salt to the world. You see, when we get touch by the Light of the world, we in turn become the light of the world, or when we experience the Savior, we then become someone else's savior, which is to save them from going to eternal suffering by being the one's to cause them to realize that they need Jesus. Making sense here? Well if it doesn't, this is a spiritual truth that needs spiritual understanding not natural reasoning.

We broke up into smaller groups and later that day I was told that she, the little darling, accepted Jesus Christ into her life. Prayer changes things baby!

So let us give Him our whole life, to use and to manifest through. Notice that agape love is never for one's self and it might even be repaid in sorrows and pains, but if we would all look toward Jesus, the alter and finisher of our faith, we will never forget that He agape-d you and me too.

I hope this blog entry has blessed you and showed you that our prayers and love can change situations, climate, a person, a community, a nation. God bless you, and may the Holy Spirit be with you.

P.S. - Why did I say our prayers can change climate? We had a kite flying outing today and we were praying for good weather so that we could fly kites...... Cut the long story short, it was a windy and cool day.

'WORDS OF FAITH'

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. (John 15:13 NKJV)

Friendship - A Secret Weapon

Bright sunny afternoon with a light breeze of wind, I start to think of all the wonderful things my God has done for me and the people which He has placed around me. It's just great to be with the right people at the right place and at the right time and how amazing that God has led so many people from different places together. 

After a successful Intake 11 of the Apostolic Program this year, I just want to give thanks and praise to God for His abundance of grace and anointing throughout the program.

This afternoon as I was reading through the Apostolic Program book, 503 Gateway to Revival (session 2-Demonstrating God's power), the Holy Spirit brought back to my remembrance of something He spoke to me earlier this year, and these were the words....

'Friendship attracts My presence'.

It is interesting to know that God works in and through all of us, despite our difference and background or our way of thinking and doing stuff. That when we see something happening in our own life, we can be confident that God is doing a mighty work in someone else life as well, whether we see it or not with our natural eyes.

Looking forward for Christmas this year, I noticed that I won't be celebrating Christmas with many of my close friends. Seeing many friends obeying the voice and call of God for their lives to live out their calling and destinies at different places, all I can do is rejoice, fully knowing that friendship is greater than distance. Though our callings may be different but we serve the same ever faithful God. (We'll spend eternity together in Heaven anyway...haha). With this said, I would like to extend my appreciation and love towards all of my friends still with me, here, doing the things I am doing (F60 you guys especially). And to those of you that are not here, let us do what we must do for the sake of revival and lost souls. I believe that greater things are to come our way and it is just a matter of time when God will manifest His glorious life changing presence in our communities.

I urge you brethren of the household of faith, let us, together, look toward the upward call and continue to run this race with endurance as we see 'the Day' approaching. 

'WORDS OF WISDOM'

United we stand, divided we fall.

Aesop

'WORDS OF FAITH'

A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12 NLT)