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Friday 27 April 2007

Concurrent Service

Hey people! How are you guys and girls out there doing?!!??! Whether you had a good or bad week or whatever you name it, remember to thank God that you are still alive! and serving for Him Alone! Do not forget to ponder about all the things you have been through and remember to always ask God "Lord, what are You trying to speak to me through this?" or "God, what do You want me to learn from this?" Lets recall back on what God had spoke to us last sunday.

Luke 15:11-32
The Parable of the Lost Son
Speaker : Cmdr. Gideon

Cmdr ask us to remember to read verses 1-10.Which talks about The Lost Coin and The Lost Sheep.(all 3 parables come to ONE conclusion. What is it? Can you remember? Nvm if you cant, I'll help you ;))

Some of you must be thinking "another sermon?", "lazy wanna read la..not important also" or maybe "i know these parables d la..dunit to read.." and u scroll to the X sign and close this page. Well whether you read it or not, its in your hands. But always be remindful that you can always read this page because it will always be here. ;)

There was a man who had 2 sons. One day his youngest son said to his father "Father, give me my share of the estate." So he divided his property between them.

To ponder : Whats wrong with this picture?

Imagine you go up to your parents and ask "Dad can i have my share of your property?" What will your dad do? Of coz you'll kena a choke slam from your dad and a kung fu hit from your mum! LOL Its the same as asking "Dad and mum can u'll die faster??" LOL (sorry for being harsh) Tell me, when will you only get your share on your parents property? after they RIP right? but you see..

The problem is ...
1. This father is not dead yet.
2. his father AGREED!
- He divided the property to his two sons. Its just like our Father in Heaven. (If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:22)

Moreover
- He divided the property to his eldest and youngest son in the ratio of 2:3 !Which means the youngest son who asked had 3!

This youngest son not only did he not use this money to spend it wisely but he used it to go partying and squandered his wealth in wild living.

One day he hit rock bottom. His money was used up. He had no where to go and worked to help feed pigs.

Now now whats wrong with this picture?

You dunno leh..let me tell you, he is a jew.
and you will like think "so???"
Well, according to the Jewish Law, Jews cannot be-friend a pig. Get me? Aiyo, means cannot touch pig or do anything with pigs la k.. hehe.

This young man not only offered himself to feed the pigs. He also longs to EAT WITH the pigs but no one gave.

See how desperate this man was? Will you end up like him if you have taken his path?

v17.
Suddenly the light bulb in his head went "TINGGGGG...!"
He thought to himself, even his father's servant had food laid on the table for them! But look at him, his own son craving for food offered to pigs and starving!

He came up with a plan deciding to go back to his father and say to him :
18 "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired man."
20 So he got up and went to his father.

His father saw him from afar and ran to hug and kiss this youngest son of his.
Back in those culture he is not suppose to show his leg. This man care less of what his neighbours will say held his "baju kurung" and ran to his son!

Can you imagine your father running to you, after all you've done? Shouldnt it be the other way round where you are suppose to run to him? LOL


21 The son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son."

This father quickly asked his servants to bring the best robe and put a ring on his finger and sandals for his feet. He even asked his servants to kill the fattened calf! How excited this father is!

While all the servants was doing what was told by the master, his eldest son did not know what was happening. Until a servant told him that his younger brother was back. He got angry and ask his father all these years he had not disobeyed his father and yet his father did not gave him a young goat so he could celebrate with his friends. And complained that his youngest brother had disobeyed him and used up his father's money yet a fattened calf is killed to celebrate his homecoming.

Later, his father replied,
31 "My son," the father said, "you have been with me, and everything i have is yours.
32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."


Let us examine. Was that the same line he rehearsed? FINALLY he UNDERSTOOD the meaning of GRACE !

Let us look how this parable can be related to us.

While you and i deserve the punishment of God,
He said :
If you come to me like this young man recognising that there is nothing you can do to earn his love for you.

Do you know that you do not need to do anything to earn His love?
He loves us equally. No matter how good or bad looking you are. No matter you have talents or not. No matter anything you can think of! As long as you repent and ask for His forgivness.

For those who knows you do not need to do anything to earn His love. Ask yourself do you really know know this? Do you really practice this in your life? Do you really have the peace?

I've heard this somewhere that if there is anyone out there that you are holding grudges on or have not really forgiven them, but you are asking God to forgive you for your sins you are still not forgiven.

Just think through my brothers and sisters on your life.

"God, whether I get anything else done today, I want to spend time loving You and loving other people because that is what life is all about. I dont want to waste this day! Amen!"


HE WILL LOVE THE SINNERS BUT HATE YOUR SINS!

Wednesday 18 April 2007

To Be A Leader

TO be a leader is to be VULNARABLE
- to meet the disapproving stares of others with the joy and certainty of God's infinite love;

TO be a leader is to be IMPERFECT
- to enjoy the enriching process of a new challenge with the hope and confidence of the Master;

TO be a leader is to be TRUSTING
- to disregard dire projections of gloom for the joy and creativity of our Creator;

TO be a leader is to be HONEST
- to own our sinfulness with the sincerity and authenticity of the Spirit;

TO be a leader is to be UNIQUE
- to accept the wonderful gift of self, in the knowledge and understanding of community;

TO be a leader is to be FREE
- to welcome recurring waves of change with the awe and wonder of a child;

TO be a leader is to be EMPOWERING
- to share the exhilarating power of information in the establishiment of inter-connectedness;

TO be a leader is to be HUMBLE
- to give the inestimable gift of flexibility with the grace and forgivenes of God;

TO be a leader is to be a WHOLE
- to know the startling reality that I am central, yet peripheral, in God's plan for the world;

TO be a leader is to be WEAK
- to understand that I can rest in the hollow of God's hand only in the total yielding and complete trusting of my child's heart.

& By Dee Bernharadt