12 Blessings - Family Harmony

Okaaaaay... Back after 6 months!!

This one is for Dank and Mark, for the sermon that they missed during encounter weekend..Hee..

Everybody wants family harmony. In fact God made family to reflect our spiritual relationship with Him. Hence a family is a place for each of its member to receive love and care.

Principals for family harmony is recorded in Colossians.
Colossians 3:18-21
Wives submit to your husband as is fitting in the Lord
Husbands love your wives and do not be harsh on them
Children obey your parents in EVERYTHING for this is pleases the Lord
Fathers do not embitter your children or they will become discouraged

In fact relationship between children and parents is so important to God and it is his heart beat to "turn the heart of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers" (Malachi 4:6a)

There are 3 kinds of relationship that need to be nourished in a family.
1. Husband - Wives relationship
SWITCH ON your mind to submit and to love.

It is not easy for wives to submit. In fact it is written submit to your husbands - NOT Christian husbands. Submission is not an easy thing to do. It takes a great deal of faith to submit, believing that God will look after your life despite of how the one in authority (husbands/leaders/bosses) treated you.

While for husbands, its even more stressful! Husbands should love their wives like how Christ loves His church, i.e. willing to lay down your live for your wive (Ephesians 5:25)

2. Children - Parents relationship

TURN ON your EMOTION to obey and encourage

Obeying parents takes high priority in God's check list. In fact, this is the only commandments with a blessing attached to it.
Exodus 20:12 -> Honor your father and mother, SO THAT you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.


3. Family - God relationship
ACT ON your will to remember and restore.

While each family members are not perfect, God is.

It pleases the Lord to see us obeying our parents DESPITE of the circumstances. Yes, it is true that our parents made their mistakes and sometimes it hurts us, but when that happens we should always turn back to our heavenly Father and surrender the hurts to Him. It is God's will for us to love and honor our parents.

It is true that children hurts their parents, brothers hurt their sisters and husbands can hurt their wives. However God is always there to restore these relationship. GOD's will is for the family to unite and love one another.


Below is my personal testimony on how God recovered my personal relationship with my father:

I often quarreled with my parents during my teenage years. And its not just me! My mom and dad also quarreled frequently. Home was not a place where I want to be after school. I would rather be involved in many CCAs and other activities than going home straight. I felt so alone at home.

Things did not change much after I received Christ. I know that my parents love me, but I just felt that I was not treated fairly. "They just could not understand me!" I thought. I turned to God and 'complain' about my parents. During these period I found out that God is the perfect father who understands me, He wanted me to forgive and love my parents as He forgives and loves me. I couldn't remember when exactly, I finally decided to hold my anger whenever I felt that I was treated unfairly; instead of arguing I chose to serve them and listened to their advices. Things slowly improved, but mum and dad still quarrel pretty often.

Then something happened in my 2nd year of senior high-school. To over-simplified things, my parents want me to move to another school, while I wanted to stay in my previous school. One day my dad came to me and told me " Son, you think about it and let us know your decision, its up to you to decide." So I came to him and told him that I wanted to stay on in the old school because all my friends are there. Guess what... My father got angry with me and told me that I have no will to be successful and if I decide to stay I can just go out from the house. I was so hurt. I still remember, after that quarrel I did not talk to ANYONE, not my mom nor my dad nor my brother for 1 week. After a week I started talking to my mum and brother.

Life in the new school was fun. Months after months passed, but I still chose not to speak a single word to my dad even though we meet EVERYDAY at dinning table. Until around 6 months, then God spoke to me again on this command of honoring my parents. He touched me, and revealed to me that HE is the only perfect father, He had forgiven my wrongs so I should forgave my dad.

So after 6 months or so.. I started praying for God to open an opportunity to reconcile me with my dad. The opportunity came. Representative from NUS and NTU came to my school. I know that my dad really wants me to go overseas to study. So my mum arranged for me to go alone with my dad to NUS and NTU public talk in Jakarta. I remember the first sentence that I told my dad after 6 moths was "NUS is not bad" and his replied was a simple " Yes" hahaha....

Right after I spoke the 1st sentence, I felt God's peace. I remembered my father's expression when he spoke his simple "Yes", it is an expression of great relieve. Slowly I started to talk to my dad. It was not easy for both of us, afterall 6 months is a considerable amount of time. But God was working. He recovered my relationship with my parents, my dad especially.

I can see God's work even after I came to Singapore. I thought I will be separated from my parents and that's the end of our relationship. I prayed that God will bless my family with peace as I left my parents in Indonesia. I realized that we actually got closer and the relationship grew stronger after I left! I was and still am amazed on how God works in my family.

Now my parents don't quarrel anymore. I learned to be more patient and understanding towards my parents. I realized that mum and dad only want what is best for me. They love me so much. Its just sometimes they do things differently from what I expect. I chose to honor them and love them. God is faithful in my family, He restores and mends broken relationship in the family. Praise be to God!!

I CAN WALK!! (Again)

I could walk normally after the miracle service, however through out the week the pain came back. My ankle was swollen. May be because I walked a bit too much when I was in NUS(my toilet and bathroom were renovated, that's why I moved back to Sheares hall).

Anyway, I went to church on Sunday a bit limping again. I told God, "God, my ankle is still painful. Can you do something about it?" During the altar call I went forward (again not to be prayed for, but to serve as a consolidator). Inside my heart I was like "God I want to be healed, why can't someone else be consolidator." As I came forward I realized many of my guys came forward, and I realized how selfish I had been. God is a God who answers prayers. When I was praying for Joseph Lee, I realized that the pain in my ankle is no more!! Praise God!! I can walk again!!

Lesson learned:
1. Healing from God can instaniously or through a process.
In my case God healed me to a certain extent on miracle Sunday last week. However I kinda lost the healing because I did not take care of my ankle. What I should have done is to rest my ankle and continue to claim healing for my ankle. Well, God is gracious enough to heal my ankle again yesterday though.

2. Ask, Seek, and Knock (Matthew 7)
How much do you want God's blessing(healing is one of them)? God promise to us is: Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened.

In asking God's blessing there are 3 ways:
1. To ask.
2. To seek.
3. To knock.
Each of them has different intensity. God always answers prayers. The question is...How hard do we pray?

I CAN WALK!! (Miracle Sunday)

This is overdue by 2 weeks, but then again its better late than never...

I always hear people testifying about healing that happens to them, how God get rid of illnesses from small ones to big ones, from a slight flu to a deadly cancer. I praise God for all these miracles, however I have never experience anything until the Easter week Sunday. Easter Sunday supposed to be a miracle service.

Two of my friends came(They are married couple). The husband came with leukimia(blood cancer). I came with a sprained ankle (do not play soccer without shoes... its bad for your ankle).

During the altar call for those who need healing my friends came forward. He raised his hands to receive Christ. Praise God! Few days later, I met this couple and ask them about the conditions. The blood test seemed normal however we still do not know if he has been healed completely from the cancer. To know if he has been healed normally he has to go through a bone marrow test (which is more painful than giving birth according to some people). He will be taking this test in a couple of months, so lets keep on praying for Mark!

As for me, when I walked back to hall 9 from sending this couple to taxi stand in EXPO, I suddenly realized that I can walk properly!! Before that I was limping because my ankle hurts so much. Praise God for He is God heals!!

For I know the plan I have for you, plan to prosper you not to harm you

Its been awhile since I last updated this. Guess it takes a bit of discipline to maintain a blog. Hee.. This testimony should be dated 2nd of February instead of 9th. Gonna be a long entry.

I just gotta give thanks to God, because in all things He works for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

Just a bit of background. I am doing sales(telesales) in the conference industry. Basically calling the decision makers(CEO, Directors, VP, etc.) in MNCs and big local companies. God had blessed me abundantly. I have been promoted twice every year and am currently an assistant manager, leading my own sales team. The money is good. Everything is well and I am supposed to be promoted as a sales manager at the end of March (It means more money!) Something that I have been looking forward for since my day one in the company as a sales executive. I thought, "This is the fruit of my labor! After 2.5 years I'll be a sales manager and earn big bucks!"

It seems that God has other plan for me. These past few months He has been prompting me to surrender my career and finance to Him. I headed off the notion as soon as it 'pop' on my head. My initial response was " Go away Satan!" Haha.. Then followed by some lame excuses. "God, I am making a lot of money and I will make more! I will use the money for Your glory! I will fund all my cell group's expenses, sponsor reach out activities, cell chalet, etc. etc." or things like " I will have a great influence over the people in this company as soon as I become a manager/director" I mean, I am doing very well, I'm on the right track to be a sales manager then maybe sales director and then may be GM "Take it all God, all but my career." Career and money became my source of security without me realizing it.

I kept on hardening my heart and closing my ears until 2 weeks back. During sanctification week, God spoke to me very clearly through Ps. Roland. He said most of the time, we cannot hear God's voice because we are affraid. We perceive God as a big boss up there who told us what to do and what not to do. However perfect love casts away all fear (1 John 4:18).

God asked me 3 questions that day, the same questions that He asked Adam when men first fall into sin (Gen3:9-11).
Question 1: Where are you? I miss you son.
He asked me this not to judge me for being rebelious, He asked me as a father who miss His son (wanted to cry but told myself guys don't cry heh).

Question 2: Who told you (that your career and money could give you that sense of security)?
He revealed to me that He is the one who owns this entire world, if He look after the birds in the air how much more will He give to His son.

Question 3: Have you eaten the fruit I told you not to eat? (Have you put your security in your career and money)
I confessed to God that I did.

I don't usually hear God's voice audibly. God will usually put some notions or prompting in my heart, however He spoke to me audibly that night. His words was: "Do not worry my son. I know my plans for you, a plan to prosper you not to harm you." I wept (so much for guys don't cry).

I still have a lot of doubts. I know God wants me to resign and offer my career to Him. Its not easy though. On sunday, the message was about fear. Its as if God is affirming me to take the leap of faith. The same evening I printed out my resignation letter. I was very anxious. I couldn't sleep. Then I tell God, "God, if you really want me to quit, ask someone to sms me." Guess what.. Few seconds later, Vincent sms-ed me psalm 23. That's like totally cool. God heard and answered my silly request.

The next day I gave the letter. Still anxious, but when I was in my director's room God gave me peace. I even shared the reality of God with him. God is good, I found favor in my director's eyes. I will be staying for a couple of weeks to make sure that the conference that I am handling is taken care of. He offered to write a testimony for me and he will give me off whenever I need to go for other interviews.

I still have not applied for any job yet when I resigned. However I felt enormous peace and sense of freedom. Indeed, I have been set free from worries and fear of man. I know that God holds my future and I can rest assure that He will meet all my needs. A foolish faith it seems, but doesn't God use the foolish of the world to put its wise men to shame? (1 Corinthians 1:27)

"But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him(2 Corinthians 2:14)"

Sons of God.... In all things give thanks!

Work is pretty stressful this week. Selling an event that supposed to be the best conference produced by the company does bring a lot of pressure, especially when the number of delegates has not been increasing for the past 3 weeks. Further more one of my senior staff just resigned last week.

But thanks be to God! It seems that God wants me to learned a thing or two.

1. I am a son!
A son is a son. My earthly father did not disown me when I did not do well at school. Nor will he love me less when I broke a few thousand dollars worth of ceramics (I was quite naughty last time :P). Its nothing like '"If I obey God's commands this week, then I'll be His son and He will bless me." Again I realized God's love is unconditional. A son is a son despite of his performance. Of course having said that, it doesn't mean that I will slack. In fact as a son, I will try my very best to please my father.

2. Give thanks!
"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him" 2 Cor 2:14
I realized that its easy to give thanks when things go smoothly. But what if things don't go smoothly? Well... My first reaction would be asking God for help.. But where's the thanksgiving part? Do I need to give thanks still? The answer is YES! Phi 4:6" Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
I did that, I surrender my anxiousness to God, I prayed, and I give thanks over my situation at work. I give thanks because I know that God will lead me to victory (...who always leads us in triumphal procession...)

I believed that God will lead me to victory when I started my week, I went through this week as a victor, and at the end of this week(Friday) I really saw the victory. To close the story, we doubled the number of delegates this week. For the past 1.5 month we managed to get 16 delegates for the conference, but at the end of this week I had 32. God is good!

Have you given thanks today? ^_^

AWESOME! My very first blog!!!!

I finally created a blog!!! Yay!! Well... Err...Actually I created this sometime ago, I couldn't even remember. Until when I was about to sign up the blog went "this email account already registered" ..or something along that line. Talking about short term memory. Geez. I vaguely remembered I created this blog after some planet crush program. Guess I was just to lazy to post anything after I registered that time. Oh well... I somehow managed to retrieve my ID and pasword. God is good. Heh.
In the light of using cyberspace to influence youth, I dedicate this blog to my cell group. To share God's goodness and His work in our lives. ^_^