Building A Spirit Of Community

1 Thessalonians 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.

Everyone has a different need, a different focus, a different set of inner thoughts that are either positively or negatively geared towards life and work in general.

What binds people together is the spirit of love and oneness. That means having a commonly understood vision and core values system; watching out for one another to ensure alignment; assessing things at a collective, not individualistic, level.

When people get together with zest and energy towards a common goal, it is evident to all. Similarly, a mindset of divisiveness would reveal itself unconsciously because as a man thinketh, so he is. Your words, your conduct would surely tell you away. And those who seek to divide would consequently find themselves walking down loneliness lane.

Let me reiterate: your actions are the outward proof of your thoughts.

What does your current behaviour at work, at home and with friends reveal of your inner being? Guard your heart and mind. Keep it simple, keep it pure. Unless you do so and and think beyond yourself, and learn to be sensitive and genuinely caring of others, you would not have a safe environment to live and breathe in.

So warn the unruly (including yourself), comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak and be patient with all...

This isnt idealism. It's all up to you. #nelle#

The Da Vinci Code & Me

There's been great commotion around the Da Vinci Code in recent weeks. And the commotion aroused is primarily within the community of Christ. Christians, and less so the pagans, are being shaken. Why? The reason is simple. This book seeks to confuse and we cannot be confused unless we already have prior knowledge or information about something and now, new pieces of information (inaccurate ones in this instance!) come along to contradict what we already know.

The fact is that Dan Brown is a very skilled author and so the whole FICTION is very enticing. The confusion comes because he mixes truth with falsehood. From the perspective of a believer in Christ, there are basically 2 aspects to address the issue:

1. Know the Source of the bible
Over the centuries of human history, there are countless attempts in popular culture as well as political scene to fight the truth of the Gospel. This is the anti-christ spirit that the bible speaks about. Persecution of the church has been spoken about and it is not surprising at all. The question for each of us becomes, "do you really believe that the Holy Bible is God-inspired?"

This you can answer by:

(1) your personal encounters with God. This is something that is experienced and what is experienced is the truth and cannot be taken away. You know it and people involved in that encounter with you would know it. It is an undeniable occurrence regardless of what people say thereafter and you know it best.

(2) through scientific evidences. Even by the standard of measurement of the world, that is through archaelogical examinations (as all other historical texts and information has gone through in the academic world), the Bible has withstood the tests and in fact is found to be of far higher accuracy and consistency than any historical material ever existed in mankind. And this is by conclusion of non-believers. Why? Because the truth is the truth whether one believes in it or not.

2. Understand the main points of contention in the Da Vinci Code
There are talks by various churches and Christian organisations that are organised to address the claims of this book.

A good resource to guide us to refuting the half-truths (or rather falsehoods!) is the audio sermon called "Jesus and the Da Vinci Code" by Pastor Mark Conner of City Life Church, Melbourne which can be purchased online at http://www.attributes.com.sg/.

Also, Pastor Kong Hee of City Harvest Church, Singapore did address the mindset by which we are to approach this. You can watch this sermon entitled "Daniel among the Babylonians" at http://www.chc.org.sg/english/video_sermons/index.cfm or go to http://www.davincicode.org.sg/index.php to read/hear about the views of other Spirit-filled pastors in Singapore.

Further, a handy reference to deciphering facts from fiction may be downloaded by clicking here. For more info, you can also explore http://www.rbc.org/been_thinking_about/06/01/05.aspx

There is a need for us to be discerning in what we allow ourselves to be exposed to. When we come across something that shakes our faith, abandon the material, seek God and pray for a renewal of your mind and a greater measure of faith. It is not about being ignorant or closed up but we have to be careful not to do things that would stumble ourselves or others.

However, with maturity in Christ, and having been illuminated in our minds with the right context and information (from trusted Christian leaders and other Christians sources) and you know in the heart of hearts that you are fully aligned to God, then we are free to hold the ground as Daniel did, being of the Spirit of God in spite of being amongst those who practise alternative spirits.

This way, the end outcome can only be one: our faith in God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, would be strengthened! Halleluyah! Remember, whenever in doubt, seek for the answers within a trusted Christian community. Do not look to the world because one thing is for sure: the truth is where God is - in His Church, His kingdom, not out there somewhere. So build up and be amongst a sound Christian fellowship so that you can stand strong in the world without having to be of it. Amen? #nelle#

Tumbler

"What is special about a tumbler?"

I guess this is probably one question that even a primary school kid would be able to answer right: A tumbler never falls! Yes, a tumbler always stands upright. The characteristic of a tumbler is well described in its Chinese name: Bu Tao Wong.

It is interesting to observe a tumbler. Have you ever asked yourself why it is able to stand upright all the time, even after blows and blows of hits?

It is the weight within that keeps it "unbeatable".

This weight is the centre of gravity of the tumbler. As long as the weight is in the correct position, the tumbler will not be "overcomed". Even if you forcefully press it down, the tumbler is always ready to spring up and stand upright again, however slight or major the force of attack is!

This same logic of the tumbler is applicable to our lives.

Like a tumbler, we face different trials and tests everyday in life. Hurting words, rejection, work pressure, office politics etc…these are blows and blows of hits on us. If we want to be "unbeatable" like a tumbler, we need the weight in our life. Not only the weight is needed, it must be heavy and must be at the right place – the centre position.

To me, this represents our walk with Lord. The Lord is the weight of our lives. The one who holds everything in place for us and He will enable us to overcome all tests and trials. He didn’t promise to remove all tests and trials, but He promise to see us through all circumstances. Question is, "have we put Him in the correct position of our lives?" Or have we put other things such as career, money or ourselves at the centre of our life while the Lord is push to either the left/right side of our life?

Just imagine a tumbler with its weight slant toward the left side, what will happen? It will fall even without any force applied!

While many are still searching for their "weight" in life (and we are called to tell them the weight of life is God!), we who have found ours. We merely need to remember to put Him in the right place! But it does not come naturally because we are so used to putting ourselves in the central position of our lives. Yet it is possible because this weight comes with light and it will remind us if we have misaligned. Once we are aligned, troubles go out of sight.

Therefore, keep the word of the Lord in your heart and whenever you can’t find your balance and everything seems to fall apart, proclaim His words and correct your alignment. For it is His Word, not ours, that holds the centre of gravity of our lives! #min#

It's Not About Me

Have you had times when you spoke something and it went deep into the heart of your listener? Now that is when you need to ask yourself, "Was it me? Or was it... more than me?"

This morning, while chatting over breakfast with a friend, I was gripped with sudden emotion as I uttered a response to her situation. After we parted, she sent me an sms that confirmed that the Spirit of God was at work.

It was then that I was reminded of an incident last Sunday with another friend where I myself was WOW!-ed by what come out of my mouth. It dawned on me that these instances are classic examples of what it means to be supernaturally natural and naturally supernatural! Praise God! My prayer has been answered!!!

Earlier on this year, I prayed that I might grow to be supernaturally natural and naturally supernatural in my journey with the Lord. I want to walk in the light of God and shine that light into the lives and circumstances of people.

I had imagined it to be consciously directing my thoughts to God and having conscientious discussions with God in my head as I speak to the person, so that I might give the person a rhema word from Him. But today, I learn that it isnt quite that way.

My lessons learnt today are that:
1. natural means N.A.T.U.R.A.L. - It just happens!
2. the Holy Spirit inspires the word not because of who I am and what I can do for Him but because of who He is and that He wants to deliver a message that would turn people into His grace and love.

I thank God for using me as His mouthpiece and showing me that in spite of ourselves, He speaks to and through us because He is who He is - our Father in Heaven whose tender heart and loving hands are constantly outstretched toward us, ever-eager to plant a guiding word and extend a partnering hand to carry forth His message. #nelle#

A Time Of Intensity

Revelation 7 The Great Multitude in White Robes

9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." 11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"

13 Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?" 14 I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.

16 Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
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The time of the end is drawing very near. Then, it shall be that we would go where Christ is. Jesus has said in John 14:2-3 that "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."

Revelation 7:16-17 gives us a vivid description of what that time would be like. But it is conditional on verse 14 which speaks specically of those "who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

We know we are to be conquerors in Christ. We confess it. But when faced with trials, we lose vision of it. I believe that those trials referred herein are to situations that calls for our loyalty, faithfulness and obedience to God. And those tribulations, the times when we have to die to our flesh and yield our will to God's.

I sense in my spirit that God is hastening His work in and through all of us. This means that the period of testing would be "consolidated." We would experience or might already be experiencing trials and tribulations within a short period of time. That is, the rate of our trials woud be intensified. Why? Time is running out!

Do not be disheartened. Instead, recognise that the reward at the end of this intensity is more than worth it. Know that you are not alone in your trials for if it is what God has called you to bear, He is with you and will come through it with you.

So do not plead for the trials and tribulations to be taken away from you. Rather, let it be unto you as God has said unto Paul:

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

And let us be like Paul who is able to "take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." This is maturity in Christ.

Matthew 9:26 says, "With God, all things are possible." I pray that we will all rise up speedily and firmly into the next spiritual level. #nelle#

yaBA daBA bLah bl@h bLah...

Da Vinci Code is in. So is Sai Baba. Both have one thing in common: they mix their own glorifying "truths" with the Truth of God. Thus, the majority of people are confused (without realising) and being strayed away from reality. Specific to Sai Baba, there is this little book by Margaret Tottle-Smith which was written with guidance from the man himself.

Pardon me for such a remark. Though it was meant to be educational about who Baba is and why he is to be worshiped, I found it most hilarious. Main claims were as follows:

1. Saibaba is the father of Jesus. Jesus is the lamb, and Baba is the sound that lambs make, implying the identity.
2. Sai Baba is the God-man, the Cosmic Christ. He is able to and has done many amazing miracles.
3. Sai Baba has a "Baba Lord's Prayer" and also a list of 10 commandments.

It was glaring that Sai Baba made unending references to Jesus. Now, all cases of truth can only be ascertained if both sides of the story tally. Otherwise, the party with the most concrete proof of evidence wins. So before you jump on the Baba wagon, go check out the Bible for any concurring information. But knowing most of you, you wouldnt. You shun away from the Bible. Why? Ask yourself and find it out for your own good. Now should you not get that far, let me impress upon you a couple of straightforward comments:

#1 Why does Sai Baba relate to Jesus throughout the writing of who he is, what he does and what he teaches? Why compare? Why Jesus and not any other gods?

Some say all religions are the same. They point to the same god ultimately, just that they are called differently. If all gods were the same, their origin, purposes, teachings and works would be identical yet they are not. Therefore, by logic, they are all different however similar they seem to be.

Modern society fights hard against piracy. What is piracy fighting against? Imitation of the real stuff. Imitation items today are of such high quality they look no different to the real stuff to an any average guy/girl-next-door that the majority of us are! The devil is in the details... Without examining and knowing what is real, you cannot tell what is false. Same with Baba (black sheep?!). We need to lend authority and credibility from a higher being only if we are weak and not as established in our cause and reputation.

#2 The universal proverb says, "Like Father, Like Son", and not the other way around.

Before Christ, there was God the Father who revealed Himself to specific people as the Old Testament details. Father first, then son. Heaven and earth was created then Jesus came to walk on this earth slighly over 2000 years ago. Because of the creative work of the Father, the son could come and reveal Himself to man.

Clearly, the son takes and comes after the father. Why would Baba, claiming to be "Jesus' father" NOT reference himself to the God the Father but Jesus the Son? And why would Baba come after Christ if he were the father and all fathers come ahead of their sons?

Sure, Baba does signs and wonders. So did the sorcerers and witchcrafts men in the times of Elijah until the final showdown in which Elijah won (1 Kings 18) because only his miracles were God-enabled. And God is Supreme above all. Remember, apart from God, no one has dared claim that he is omnipotent.

As Jesus has forewarned, in the end times which is the era we are now in, there would be many (not of God) who would be performing signs and wonders (Revelation 13:13-14) and even make "fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men." They are able to do so because of the supernatural powers they possess by spirits but ungodly ones. There is only one Ultimate Supernatural Power that would outlast all else to the last days of this earth.

If Baba (or any miracle-making "prophet" or "god-man" for that matter) and Jesus were synonymous, then his life would be as the Bible says because the life of Christ was detailed in the Bible. Unless there is consistency in their life to Christ, it is falsehood. That is the litmus test.

#3 Baba's Lord's Prayer and 10 commandments are different to the Lord's Prayer that Jesus has taught for thousands of years, and the 10 commandments that God the Father taught His chosen nation light years ago.

It has been established that the bible is the soundest and most accurate recordings in and of human history by archeological standards. That is, archeologists, objective third parties, have affirmed the truth of the bible. If Baba were the father of Jesus, how contradictory it is that his prayer is different to his son's. And more interesting yet, the most important commandment throughout biblical history was made the last in Baba's 10 commandments. What is the implication? Read his list of 9 commandments before the last one. It tells you to rely on yourself not to do this and that. That is, it is filled with the spirit of independence from God which totally warps the perfect reconciliatory relationship to God that the Bible teaches us.

So if Baba were God the Father, then he is a very incompetent and confused man. What reliability and goodness can there be in incompetence and confusion? There is only chaos which is precisely the point of such a book and personality. To distract the world from the only truth but making himself like the truth. Do not be deceived!

The Bible clearly teaches us that:
1. "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind."
2. those who seek shall find.
3. Jesus said that, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Seek the truth and the truth shall be found by you. And if the truth leads to Christ, then it is clear what choice you have to make.

Because you have read this far, I know you are a seeker of truth. So I pray that as you open your heart to seek what is real, you will find and accept it, and not be hindered by deception that arise from the influences of the demonic.

Man is not God. Do not put any human on a pedestal. One move of God to cease the breath of life and there goes the man. So do not think that a man greater in skills, abilities or amazing wonders than you is god. He is not.

Get it? Sleep on it. It will come to you. #nelle#

Change Of Mind; Change In Life!

Isaiah 55
6 Seek the LORD while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;

Let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,For He will abundantly pardon.
8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there, But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

The bible is candid in expressing that God's ways are different to ours. They are higher than ours! The difference in ways lie in the difference in thoughts. We can think idle thoughts or have ideas that lead to nothing. But God thinks a thought, sets a direction and the matter comes to pass. The process of being born again is to be spiritually awakened. Our spirit man can live and breathe only when fed by the things of God; the manna from God. When we seek God and hold fast in our hearts and minds, the spoken word of God for our lives and situations, and act in accordance to what we hear from the Spirit of God, we bring to pass God's will for the incident and the time.

Romans 12:2 says, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

As we fill our minds with the mind of God, we walk in what is good and acceptable to God. As we focus our mind on God's thoughts and way, we step into a life that exemplifies the perfect will of God. Halleluyah! #nelle#