Posts Tagged ‘encouragement’

The Invisible Army on Your Side

{ March 25, 2012 @ 9:50 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Friday, March 23, 2012

The Invisible Army on Your Side
by Rick Warren

“Then Elisha prayed, ‘O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!’ The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.” (2 Kings 6:17 NLT)

We all feel under attack from time to time. In fact, you may feel under attack right now. Maybe it’s the economy. Maybe you’ve lost your job, your income, or your retirement. Or maybe you’re feeling under attack from your friends or family — or even your own mind.

You think you’re all alone in this attack, and you can’t even fathom how God is going to help.

Yet you’re not alone, and God can help. You simply need him to show you all that is at your disposal for your protection.

That’s what happened in 2 Kings 6. The nation of Aram was always at war with Israel. Yet every time they would attack Israel, God would tell Elisha, a prophet of God in Israel, what the king of Aram’s war plans were. So Israel would win over and over again. When Aram’s king learned that Elisha was the one who was giving away his plans, he sent an army to get him. Elisha’s servant woke up and went outside one morning to see that he and Elisha were surrounded by enemy troops.

Scared, he ran back in and asked Elisha, “What are we going to do?” Then Elisha said something that must have seemed very odd to his servant: “Don’t worry. The people on our side far outnumber those against us.” I’m sure that statement must have really surprised Elisha’s servant. As far as he knew, only two people (Elisha and himself) were on their side!

So Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” (2 Kings 2:17 NLT). And so God did. Suddenly, Elisha’s servant saw an army of angels on the hills outside ready to protect them from the army of Aram.

The servant wasn’t scared anymore, and God gave Elisha just the right tactics to defeat the enemy Aram (without ever firing a shot at them, by the way).

Just like Elisha and his servant, you have things attacking you right now. You’re tempted to panic. The truth is, you have a whole lot more that’s for you than against you. But when you’re in the midst of being attacked, you just can’t see it.

God needs to open your eyes to all that is on your side. Like Elisha, you just need to ask him for help.

Even though you can’t see them, God has released his forces to protect you. Will you ask him to open your eyes to them?

//I just really really needed this now. Thank God for little messages of encouragement along the way//

Chosen

{ February 25, 2011 @ 10:02 am } · { Uncategorized }
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Today I had a revelation from one of the DaySpring promotional emails. There was a necklace they were selling that said “chosen”.

All this while I was made to question my own self worth, thinking that there was something wrong with me because I was not the chosen one in the end or that I was not a good enough choice…

But today I was reminded that I am chosen by someone who’s greater, whose love never fails. Time and time again He satisfies.

Eph 1:11

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,…

1 Pet 2:9

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

And better yet, I chose something greater for myself. It took a tv show episode to remind me about that.

Breakthrough!

{ January 24, 2011 @ 12:31 am } · { Uncategorized }
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Jesus Culture Conference 2011 (Brisbane)

That’s Kim Walker, and sadly Chris Quilala’s face is blocked by someone’s hand. hehe

They didn’t allow us to take pics so this was taken at the end of the Conference, when they ended with a celebration praise song.

It felt so surreal! The worship sessions felt like in the DVDs/worship videos..so amazing. I think they really live up to the name of their founding church – Bethel. Such an amazing sensitivity to God’s presence, and the pursuit of it is perfectly exemplified. I really wanted to talk to Kim Walker at the end of it to share my own testimony with her, but she disappeared 😦

The funniest thing was, we were praying for Kim Walker to be healed that day because Janelle attended the session on Friday and told us that Kim Walker was sick. But when we arrived at the Conference, Kim Walker was there! 🙂 And she didn’t seem sick at all! Even if she was, we couldn’t really tell coz her voice was exactly like in the CD, but live.

In the beginning it was hard for me to worship coz 1) I didn’t really know the songs and 2) I was semi-distracted by Chris Quilala and Kim Walker and the whole ‘WOW I’m in the same room as them! They’re just a few feet away!”. Anyway soon after I got over it and was able to just focus on God. It was easy, coz they sang some of the songs I held close to my heart last year – My Passion (from the new album, Come Away), Your Love Never Fails (from “Your Love Never Fails”), and Dance with Me (from “Consumed”). The reason why I wanted to meet Kim Walker was to just tell her that she has been doing a great job, and that I personally have been touched by her own ability to worship God and love God so deeply. Many times I find myself wanting that same heart that pursues God with everything that I am and just find it so comfortable and so captivating, and Jesus Culture/Kim Walker helped me want that. I wanted to tell her that they really live up to their church’s name, and that they played a big part in my life last year. Now I might just type them an email to relate that.

Awesome worship aside, the main theme of the Conference was about revival. I don’t know what’s going on but it really seemed to be in line with what I have been reading about, what I had thought about for Judah 2 this year and just something that has been in my heart recently. I think Joseph also shared about revival in Judah 2 last year. I missed the first session coz it was on Friday night but I heard that it was a great message – also about revival. During the sessions, the speakers shared a lot of testimonies – theirs or people they knew.

Things I learnt:

  • The first session was actually a workshop; I attended one about Words of Knowledge and how to receive/give them (by Jerry Niswander). I learnt that God can give words to me for people through the most subtle-est ways that could be easily dismissed, and I need to seek God more to know His voice. I also learnt that I already possess ALL the gifts of the Holy Spirit because God has equipped me with the Holy Spirit; I shouldn’t wait til I am good in a gift/area before I start exercising it.
  • The second session was more like a time of intercession. The original plan was to go to the city for evax, but there were flood warnings for Friday so they canceled it and decided to have a time of intercession for the nation and state. This only added to what I had already witnessed and felt greatly in my heart since the flood. When we were cleaning up St Lucia after the flood, I was just so amazed by the strong community spirit that was displayed. I really thought (and started to think from then on) that sometimes, because we are foreigners in this land, we have a way of seeing the locals with prejudice, maybe because sometimes in the media they are portrayed a certain way or maybe we have had (ugly) personal encounters with a very small group of them or just that we jump to conclusions and stereotype them a certain way. I have personally witnessed and come to know that Australians are helpful, friendly and really nice people. They offer really good support because of their love for community and their state/nation. As we prayed for Australia, Queensland and its leaders/people of influence, I sensed a greater love and consideration for this country that I am in. I think God was also telling me that He took away a reason to go back to Brunei (for this season – not too sure how long for) so that I could focus more on the being here and fulfilling His will for me here. I think God just gave me a greater heart and sense of responsibility for Australia.
  • Third session, two words: Secret place. This sort of added onto the second session where there was some sharing in the beginning and in between, basically about how prayer shifts the atmosphere and culture of a city and a nation. Solid foundations are important to stand firm and last the distance, and one way to build a strong foundation is via prayer in the “secret place”. Matthew 6:6

One particular incident I will never forget (and sorta still am shaken about it) is when I was praying for Carol as she responded to the altar call to be released from whatever it was that was holding her back and making her feel powerless. I just started shaking uncontrollably and my hand that was on her back just kept shaking/tapping (Eunice called it vibrating) and I felt tingling on both my hands. (Carol later shared with me that she felt something warm) I knew it wasn’t me because it has never happened before and it was something I couldn’t stand that I just started sobbing uncontrollably (like an ugly cry but more) and crying out to God almost like I was in pain (but I wasn’t – it was more like a heart pain/burden). Even til now I don’t know how to put it in words but I know for sure it was God using me. At the end of it all, I was thinking – I asked God to show me His glory, for more of Him, for an encounter, and I got it!

I believe so much that this is just the start of greater things to come. Didn’t I tell you that 2011 will be bigger and better?

Amen!

Captivate my heart

{ November 9, 2010 @ 11:27 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Today God gave me a flower..at first I didn’t see what flower it was and then I thought, “God is it my favourite flower (a tulip)?” And I saw that He was like in a florist shop with tons of flowers behind him, and He said, “I have all the flowers in the world for you to pick from”

Then JL prayed for me a bit later, and she felt to say that God is fighting for me with His army, and I am His princess – He (my prince) will slay the dragons for me and I can rest in knowing that He is fighting for me. The way she described it was just like a Disney-inspired fantasy: prince on a valiant horse, slaying dragons and whatnots to win the heart of his princess.

I left prayer meeting with a skip in my step and walking on air.

Treasures in jars of clay

{ September 17, 2010 @ 12:37 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Devo for Fri, 10Sept

{ September 12, 2010 @ 11:15 am } · { Uncategorized }
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Friday, September 10, 2010
God Is a Caring Father
by Rick Warren

“Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Does God care about your house payment, your health, whether you are a success or failure in life, your children and the education they get, whether you ever get married or not, about the argument you had with your boyfriend, or about how you feel this morning? God says, “You bet I care! I am a caring Father.”

At one time or another, you’ve probably been in a situation where you’ve asked, “Doesn’t God care?” The disciples asked this very question in Mark 4.

They were out in a boat on the lake when the winds and the waves came up.  The water started sloshing over the boat and it began to fill with water.  Jesus was sleeping.  The disciples woke Him up and asked the most important question you can ever ask, “Jesus, don’t you care that we’re drowning?” (Mark 4:38 NLT)

What about you? Does God care about your house payment, your health, whether you are a success or failure in life, your children and the education they get, whether you ever get married or not, about the argument you had with your boyfriend, or about how you feel this morning?  God says, “You bet I care! I am a caring Father.”

Matthew 6:31-32 says, “So do not worry saying, ‘What shall we eat? … or what shall we wear? … Your heavenly Father knows that you need these things.” The next verse goes on to say, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” (NIV)

Scripture says that God is interested in every little detail of your life.  That’s so incredible I don’t think it even sinks in. God is a caring God.  He is concerned about every little detail in your life.

A while back, a man came into my office and said, “I’m a Christian but I don’t feel like I’m going anywhere in my Christian life.  I’m kind of stuck in neutral.”  I said, “What do you think the problem is?”  He said, “I think my problem is I just don’t love God enough.”  I said, “That’s not your problem. Your problem is not that you don’t love God enough.  Your problem is that you don’t understand how much He loves you.”

Love is always a response to love.  The Bible says, “We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19 NIV) When you say, “I don’t love God,” it’s because you don’t understand just how much He really loves you.  He cares about every detail of your life.  He is a compassionate, caring Father.

He knows

{ September 9, 2010 @ 12:11 am } · { Uncategorized }
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Matthew 6:25-34

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Today at Campus Light, we held a prayer walk. We did it a bit differently today, though. We found a nice shady spot under a tree and started worshiping God with a few simple songs. And in the midst of praying and seeking God for what to pray for, I was reminded of the word ‘lilies’ in the Bible. I looked it up and I knew I was specifically looking up this passage. It is a passage I have heard many times and has been quoted lots of times especially in the area of provision. But what caught my eye this time was “your heavenly father knows that you need them”.  Last week was a terrible week for me because I was just getting so impatient and slightly angry over the state that I am in at the moment – jobless => broke => selective in job prospects => “not enough experience”. What a vicious cycle! I was chatting with my brother the other day and I just broke down, ready to throw the towel in. I had a ranting session with God (perhaps even a few) and basically told him, God you DO know that I need to support myself one day right, and I can’t just keep getting handouts from my parents? I mean, God, I’m sure you want me to get a job as well and use the skills I have been learning for the past 5 years in uni..I mean I can’t put those to waste for sure! And I just reached a brick wall. I felt such a heaviness last week and probably even the week before because of this dilemma in my heart.

On one hand, I wanted to have faith that God will provide and God is holding onto the best for me, or perhaps even that I haven’t learnt the lesson that God intends for me to learn in this season and so that is why He is just stretching it out a bit further so that I don’t just get so consumed by my job and forget about what He wants to do in me in this season. But on the other hand, I was just so frustrated that nothing was happening!

I can’t really pinpoint what was the breaking point for me. What made me come out of that “depression” if you’d like to call it that. But I’m glad I did. I was starting to really drown.

Anyway, the whole point was to remind myself that He knows, I mean God is GOD! How can He not know, and who am I to tell him? I guess I have nothing else to do but trust that He knows and He hears the cries of my heart.

T-R-U-S-T. Such a difficult word!

Beautiful

{ August 26, 2010 @ 11:40 am } · { Uncategorized }
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On my birthday, Mummy wrote me this message:

Beautiful, beautiful

Jesus is beautiful

Jesus makes beautiful things of my life

Gradually, touching me

Causing my eyes to see

Jesus makes beautiful things of my life

It’s a Sunday school song I grew up with, and that song made me cry (on my BIRTHDAY!) for some reason. I understand now why. The whole song is so relevant. I’m not sure if I posted this verse up before: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” ~ 2 Corinthians 9:8

And yesterday at shepherding with Jasmine, I was reminded of this verse “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” ~ Romans 5:3-5

I’ve been tossing and turning over my past, and I know God keeps telling me to wait it out and to trust. Be still. And all this time I’ve been struggling just like how you tense up while getting an injection – OUCH. exactly.

Hence, resistance is futile. I’ve decided to just let it be and let God do what He needs to – I think the hardest part is to trust that He knows what He is doing and what He is doing is fulfilling HIS own purpose, not mine, or at least how I picture His purpose to be (which is an outcome I actually want – ok going in circles). God IS sovereign in the end, I need to keep reminding myself. And things will happen in due time. The truth is slowly unfolding, and I am removing myself from that truth. Which is the best for me anyway…don’t want to be involved in complications.

🙂

Pain

{ August 13, 2010 @ 1:56 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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If I could insert an emoticon here, it would be a broken heart, accompanied by an audio clip of glass breaking.

Today as I was preparing for LG Bible discussion about the prodigal son, I was looking for Scripture references for fatherly love, and I came across this:

And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. ~ Hebrews 12:5-11

They always say time heals all wounds. Sure, it does, but when you’re in the midst of pain you just can’t wait for “time” to come. And you feel so alone; like you’re the only person in the whole world. I don’t know where I am in the grand scheme of things, because that picture has been torn into pieces 😦 True story.

Taken from http://pianopod.com

Faith, not feelings pleases God

{ August 9, 2010 @ 11:24 am } · { Uncategorized }
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Saturday, July 10, 2010
The situations that will stretch your faith most will be those times when life falls apart and God is nowhere to be found.
How do you praise God when you don’t understand what’s happening in your life and God is silent? How do you stay connected in a crisis without communication? How do you keep your eyes on Jesus when they’re full of tears? You do what Job did: “Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.'” (Job 1:20-21, NIV)Tell God exactly how you feel. Pour out your heart to God. Unload every emotion that you’re feeling. Job did this when he said, “I can’t be quiet! I’m angry and bitter. I have to speak!” (Job 7:11, TEV)

RAR! Too difficult, too much for me to handle.

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