Why did God send prophets to the people?

Some people think prophets mainly foretold the future. But actually their main job was to challenge the people to turn back to God. Often the prophet's messages contained predictions about the future, but most of the messages were challenges to obey God and live right. God's prophets were willing to risk everything for him. Some of the most famous prophets were Moses, Elijah & Elisha, Samuel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Jonah. Some "less-well-known" prophets also wrote books of the Bible: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Even though these prophets spoke hundreds of years ago, their messages apply to us too, so we should listen to them and prophets of our generation of what they have to say.

'MEMORY VERSES'

I'm scared to let God really control my life. What if he makes me be a missionary to Africa?

Don't be afraid. Just trust me. (Mark 5:36 NLB)

To Encourage You

Stay tune for more 'Do the Right Thing', 'Amazing Facts', 'Sticky Situations', 'Memory Verses', 'Heroes and Villains', 'I Wonder....' and 'Life Then, Life Now'.

How to Respond to God's Leading

People communicate in many ways. What about God? Does He have an answering machine? How does He call people, how does He lead them, and how should they respond? Mary was a young woman when she was engaged to Joseph. One day the angel Gabriel appeared to her and told her that God had a special mission for her. The Holy Spirit would soon cause her to become pregnant, and she would give birth to God's Son, Jesus. This was of course incredible news and a bit frightening; people might think that she had sinned by getting pregnant before marriage. Gabriel assured her that God was with her. Mary said that she was ready to serve God and then responded with a beautiful song of praise and thanksgiving to God. Here is what you can learn from Mary's experience.

Step 1 - Be Available

From Luke's account, we don't know exactly what Mary was doing when Gabriel visited her. What's important is that God knew she was ready and willing to serve Him, wherever she was and whatever He wanted. Open your mind and heart to God's next assignment for you.

Step 2 - Be Amazed

The Lord of the universe had sent His messenger to an unknown young woman in a town called Nazareth. Mary was in awe. You may not receive an angelic visitor, yet the same Lord is ready to communicate with you through His Word. The Bible tells us what God wants us to do. It is truly awesome.

Step 3 - Be Appreciative

Mary could have responded "Oh, really?" or "Not me, Lord!" Instead, her heart filled with gratitude for what God was going to do through her son and spilled out with a song. Be thankful - God is at work in the world, and you are a part of His team.

'FUN FACT'

When you are called, the question is not about "when is the right timing" but 'when are you ready to take the first step of faith, trust Him and obey His call?'

Daniel Wong, Ministry Assistant of WHC

Zero Calories

In Ezekiel 3:1-3, God commanded Ezekiel to eat a scroll that contained a message for the people of Israel. In this vision, Ezekiel did what he was told. He found that it tasted sweet as honey! Although we wouldn't actually eat pages of the Bible today, we can develop an "appetite" for God's Word. This appetite comes when we spend regular time reading what God has said to us in the Bible. If you haven't already developed this habit, start it today.

'FUN FACT'
Coming to church is like going to a buffet. But this buffet is ZERO calories!

Timothy Naden Henry, youth of WHC

You've Been Awesome

Seasonal greetings everyone. Merry Christmas... Eve. Glad to be back here blogging after about a month. Its been an awesome month since the ending of November till date. 20th December's Christmas Praise Celebration was awesome in so many ways. One of the things that impacted my life and gave great encouragement to me were my new young brother's and sister's in Christ, sharing their testimony on stage. I've truly been blessed. I'll be heading S7 of World Harvest Church yet again in the coming year and also the Worship Team 'Team B'. Thanks for all your support and prayers this year, I really appreciate your God sent life and unselfish heart. Let's make 2010 happen. God bless and bye bye.

'FUN FACT'

Everyone is wanting to turn a new leaf, it's time to turn to Jesus who gave you new life.

Daniel Wong, Ministry Assistant of WHC

'THE GOOD BOOK'

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common. (Acts 2:44 NKJV)

The Watchmaker

Bluetooth watch by Sony Ericsson

If you watch 'Heroes' series and know who Gabriel a.k.a. Sylar is, you'd get a clearer picture on this next post. Enjoy!

A watch proves very obviously that there was someone that made the watch. And a watches primary function is to show the time. There are watches nowadays so hi-tech that it even functions as a communication device, like a cell phone. But most often than not, people buy a watch for its primary function, which is to show the time. So we can come to an equation that a watch was created for a specific purpose by someone.

What I'm trying to get to is, your existence proves that there is a Creator and there is a purpose you are living. Earning money is definitely not the primary function of a human being, it is part of what we need to do but it ain't a humans primary function. If earning money was the primary purpose of our existence, you will feel complete satisfaction when you earned your first cent and you would never need another penny again. You've probably heard people saying, or if not yourself, "When I earn my first thousand, I know I'll be happy". But we all know, especially if you're working, that that does not happen. Though we are joyful for a moment, but moments, mind you, never last. It's called moments for a reason (duh!). This applies for travelling, coffee drinking, video games, excellent results in examination, popularity, amount of facebook friends and etc..... You can try, but rest assured you will find that, at least for this area and topic, I'm right :)

If you've been wondering about your purpose in life, let me tell you, everyone will wonder about it sooner or later. Don't pacify or numb that feeling, it will only lead you to more sorrows and fake happiness.

There is a solution to everything. Every problem, every sickness and deceases, every hurt, every wound. The solution is Jesus. I don't say it because I'm a Christian and that I want to convert you (if you haven't accepted Jesus into your life). I say this because, I've tasted an awesome "hamburger" and I'd like to recommend this "hamburger" to you. I would be a selfish imbecile if I had a million dollars but didn't share the moments spending the money with people (friends).

All you need to do is long for an answer of your purpose here on earth. He'll definitely answer you.

'FUN FACT'

If your mind is blank, you're probably heading no where.

Daniel Wong, Ministry Assistant of WHC

The Value Of Mystery

An intellectual gospel is always in danger of creating a God that looks a lot like us—one that is our size. The quest for answers sometimes leads to a rejection of mystery. As a result mystery is often treated as something intolerable, instead of a real treasure. Living with mystery is the privilege of our walk with Christ. Its importance cannot be overrated. If I understand all that is going on in my Christian life, I have an inferior Christian life. The walk of faith is to live according to the revelation we have received, in the midst of the mysteries we can’t explain. That’s why Christianity is called "the faith."

All too often believers abandon or dilute their call in order to feel better about the things they cannot explain. To allow what we cannot answer to downgrade what He has shown us is to be carnal minded. Too many only obey what they understand, thus subjecting God to their judgments. God is not on trial; we are. A true cross-walk is obeying where we have revelation in spite of the apparent contradiction in what we cannot explain. To obey only when we see that there will be a favorable outcome is not obedience. Obedience is supposed to be expensive. To embrace what He has shown us and to obey what He has commanded us, often in the midst of unanswerable questions, is an honor beyond measure. It is a great privilege to be a believing believer in the midst of a culture of unbelief. We must embrace this privilege. No Christian should be unmoved by the Lord’s question, “When I return, will I find faith on the earth?” I have set my heart to be His pleasure by living in faith.

Excerpts from 'Dreaming With God' chapter 1

by Bill Johnson

'FUN FACT'

God hides things for us, not from us.

Bill Johnson, author of best-selling 'Supernatural Power Of The Transformed Mind'.