LoveOneAnother

Friday, March 09, 2007

Poison of the PAST

Years ago there was a terrible outbreak of disease in a tiny village in a remote part of Africa. Both children and adults were getting sick and overcome with nausea. Several weeks passed, and the sickness became widespread, and people started dying. Word of the disease reached the main city in that area, and experts were dispatched to try to figure out what was causing the problem. They soon discovered that the water was contaminated. The village got its water supply from a mountain stream that was fed from a spring, so the experts decided to trek upstream and hopefully find the source of the pollution. They traveled for days and finally came to the mouth of the stream. But on the surface, they found nothing wrong. Puzzled, they decided to send some divers down to search as closely to the spring’s opening as possible.
What the divers discovered shocked the experts. A large mother pig and her baby piglets were wedged right at the opening of the spring. Evidently they had fallen in, drowned, and somehow gotten stuck there. Now all that crystal clear, pure mountain spring water was being contaminated as it flowed past the decomposing remains of those dead pigs. In no time after the divers were able to extricate the dead pigs, the water began to flow clean and pure once again.

In our lives, something similar takes place. We’ve all had negative things happen to us. Maybe last week, last month, or ten years ago somebody hurt us. And too often, instead of letting it go and giving it to God, we’ve held on to it. We haven’t forgiven, and just as those pigs soured that crystal-clear water, our own lives have become contaminated. The root of bitterness has taken hold.

Worse yet, after a while, we accept it. We make room in our hearts for that bitterness; we learn to live with it. “Well, I’m just an angry person. That’s just my personality I’m always like this. I’m always bitter. This is who I am.” No, with all due respect, that’s not who you are. You need to get rid of the poison that is polluting your life. You were made to be a crystal-clear stream. God created you in His image. He wants you to be happy healthy and whole. God wants you to enjoy life to the full, not to live with bitterness and resentment, polluted and contaminating everyone else with whom you have influence.

Imagine yourself as a crystal-clear stream. It doesn’t matter how polluted the stream may be right now, or how muddy or murky the waters may look in your life today. If you’ll begin to forgive the people who have offended you, and release all those hurts and pains, that bitterness will leave and you’ll begin to see that crystal-clear water once again. You’ll begin to experience the joy, peace, and freedom God intended you to have.

Maybe that’s why David said, “Search my heart, oh God, and point out anything in me that makes you sad.” We need to search our hearts and make sure we haven’t let any roots of bitterness take hold.

I'm Gonna Touch the Sky!
11:19 PM

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The wait is almost over! In five days' time (from this Sunday), Pastors Cesar and Claudia Castellanos, Senior Pastor Lawrence Khong and Pastor Nina Khong will deliver God's rhema word on being the 'Light to the Nations' at the International G12 Conference 2007.

Event DetailsPlenary Sessions: 15 -17 Mar (Thu – Sat)

Free Shuttle Bus Services Free two-way shuttle services between The MAX Pavilion and Simei / Expo MRT stations are available. check out http://www.fcbc.org.sg/service_news.asp

Let's prepare our hearts for G12. Are you thirsty? Come, drink from Jesus the water that will become in you a spring of water welling up to eternal life(John4:14)

REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR TAG ON G12 CONFERENCE DAYS!!!

I'm Gonna Touch the Sky!
11:01 PM

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Thursday, March 08, 2007

Ezekiel 36:9-11
9 I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown, 10 and I will multiply the number of people upon you, even the whole house of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. 11 I will increase the number of men and animals upon you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

I went to church prayer meeting today wanting to pray for my heart to be hungry at the coming G12 conference (wow, just 8 days away!!!). Are you prepared to encounter God once again? I have received so much at each G12 conference that I know I don't wish to miss any of it. If possible, I want to see the Bogota stadium that is so beautifully filled with God's children....wow, such beautiful sight!

I asked some of my gals, "are you excited about G12?" Hhm... frankly the response was not really the answer I expected to hear. Nevertheless the word for tonight at prayer meeting is this:

1) I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor. Such is God's promises to us though we may not know how to really treasure Him. He loves us so much that He is concerned and grant us favour! Many of you need to receive His love again...

2) you will be plowed and sown. I realise tonight that before we go out to sow more, God wants to plow into OUR hard-heart or that hard ground so that He can sow the seeds of godliness, righteousness, love and fear of God. Am sure He'll plough into our hearts at this G12 conf until our land (heart) is soft and ready to bring forth harvest! Let God plough into the struggles, challenges and bring forth victory into your life.

3) I will multiply the number of people upon you. God wants to prosper us with the spirit of steadfastness, resislience and seeing the harvest field. Can you vision your family serving the Lord? Can you see your friends coming to know God one by one? God himself will do the multiplication...simple question to answer yourself..."Do I want to see this fruitfulness?"

I bless the 3 points unto each of you. May you be hungry to encounter God intimately next weekend. Am so excited to see so many foreign delegates coming this year! ...and God says..."I'm going to use FCBC to speak to nations!"

I'm Gonna Touch the Sky!
12:02 AM

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Wednesday, March 07, 2007

PUBLICITY PUBLICITY!!!

Rock Climb this sat!
Date: 10th March (Saturday)
Time: 830am-1.30pm
Location: Yishun Safra
Attire: Track pants or jeans
Price: $8 (includes lunch and water)

How to register???
Our dear Nat is helping up...sign up through her!
Include your name, e-mail add, contact no., cell leader’s name & tribe.

YOUTH 144 MEETING
Date : Sat , 10 Mar 2007
Venue : Magic Box
Time : 3pm - 530pm
Who is eligible? All those who desires to serve God and grow in the G12 vision. Let your mother know though!

I'm Gonna Touch the Sky!
12:20 AM

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Sunday, March 04, 2007

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take. Another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said I love you but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you. The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally. That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie.

"What's wrong, are you well," she asked?

My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news.

"I thought that it would be pleasant to be with you," I responded. "Just the two of us." She thought about it for a moment, and then said, "I would like that very much."

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an Angel.

"I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed, "she said, as she got into the car. "They can't wait to hear about our meeting".

We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me.

A nostalgic smile was on her lips. "It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small," she said. "Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor," I responded.

During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation nothing extraordinary, but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you." I agreed.

"How was your dinner date?" asked my wife when I got home. "Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined," I answered.

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I did to do anything for her. Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: "I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son."

At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: "I LOVE YOU!" and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than God and your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till "some other time."

I LOVE YOU - you all are darlings of aunna! =D

I'm Gonna Touch the Sky!
9:31 PM

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DATE: 7-March-2007
TIME: 07:30PM
VENUE: TOUCHCENTRE Auditorium
Enter into a time of prayer to seek the Lord with the rest of the FCBC family. Let's prepare our hearts to receive the MAXIMUM for the upcoming G12 conference (12 days away). I'll be there...I encourage you to come. BE HUNGRY, BE PRAYERFUL.

Dinner: at Parkway hawker 645pm onwards! =D

I'm Gonna Touch the Sky!
9:01 PM

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Do you find that certain comments just trigger the shocking response out of you and bring adverse effects your relationships? It is called critical spirit, thoughtless words and defensive reaction. Yes, we say that our close ones hurt us most...irony is also that we hurt our love ones most too...

To DEFEND = To PROTECT(self worth) and to OPPOSE (threats)

Roman12:2 do not conform to the pattern of the world but be transformed by the renewal of our mind. 'Pattern' of the world is formed in our early childhood days with family/school. We either accept or hate the pattern. Eg when I was a child, my mum always tells me I’m stupid. So if anyone say directly that 'I’m stupid' or indirectly I received her message as 'I'm stupid', I may flare up and go into defensive mode which can be destructive to relationships.

It’s not so much about others deliberately hurting you (usually not the case) but it’s more because you have to learn to understand your inner thoughts that have been build over the years. Only you can understand those responses with conscious reflection. When you understand yourself and your responses, then it can help to resolve some of this unhappiness. The enemy is not your parents/sister/brother/colleagues but important to bring your case to God and ask for wisdom to handle it in the Spirit and to learn how to resolve conflicts.

All of us need to LEARN HOW TO DISCUSS or SHARE ideas without stimulating defensiveness in each other. Make requests rather than demands. Learn to build each other's self-esteem, self-worth and self-image...

Proverbs 29:11 - A fool gives full vent to his anger but a wise man keeps himself under control.
Proverbs 18:2 - A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.

As I read this chapter in Covenant Marriage by Gary Chapman, God showed me how I myself have been defensive over many things in daily life. Well the illustration given to my G12 is that we are fighting among ourselves in the boxing ring...while the devil is the cheering happily that we are fighting! (hu4 xiang1 chan2 sa1)

Well with wisdom to be humble to pray and control our anger, let's fight back the enemy, for it was him who sows the seed of discord, malice and anger. Do not give devil a foothold, ultimately God's call is for us to love one another. This week, can you share with another sister who you may have hurt, tell her your love for them and make peace to build up one another instead of tearing each other down. You are the army of God! STAND UP and FIGHT devil together with the love of Christ for each other!

I'm Gonna Touch the Sky!
1:40 AM

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