How To Overcome Your Great Difficulties ( Everyday Emmanuel)

In our Christian lives,we often encounter some difficulties for example, we feel like a failure, timid, disobedient, weak, have many problems so how then can we build His kingdom and benefit His people

with such conditions? These thoughts make us feel helpless and stop us from moving forward with God and make us. This happens because we are still focus on not being able to do what we should be doing. Paul who was greatly used by God also have similar experience. 

Romans 7 :18 

For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 

Romans 7: 24

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death. 

So then, I myself in my mind am slave to God's law, but my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Paul has understood the greatest mystery of the cross.

Romans 8:1

Therefore, there is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We must learn to receive the unmovable love and covenant from Jesus so that we can have a heart that is not accused, not afraid of failure and without pressure or stress. Then with this heart we can rely on the Holy Spirit to carry out God's good works.

1. We must ask ourselves, why are we always unable the great difficulties?

We must understand that our hearts have been receiving insinuation. For example, what I am doing now is not God's will so I will not receive His blessings,  I do not have any abilities to do what God wants me to do or feel that the situation we are in is extraordinarily unpleasant and its not that easy to be solved. These insinuation cause us to worry and unable to concentrate in our daily lives. Slowly, we will lose our sight on the covenant and love and start to react according to feelings. The deceiving thoughts will make us hide from God and men. 

2. It is only through Holy Spirit that will help us overcome the difficulties

Then how to rely on Holy Spirit. We must always remember that all great difficulties do not come from the situation we are in but rather its from our heart because we have not receive answers. Answers come from making a covenant with God. The covenant and love from Jesus is never changing. No matter how difficult a situation may be, God's word will not fade away. When we seek Him through His covenant , we will definitely know His will. 

Directional will: All our conditions,problems and  past are for the Kingdom. Without any problems we won't be able to understand His salvation for us and to testify for Him. 

Perfect timetable: Some trials require time and process in order to mature our faith and He is preparing something better for us. So do not be disheartened. 

God's will in our condition:  Sometimes we experience things that are unpleasant so that it drives us into prayer. 

After we make covenant with God in such manner, and discover His will in everything then we will be able to overcome the difficulties we have.

3. All things are possible through the Holy Spirit

How? We must hold on to his love and the 4 Gospelization and make it our perspective everyday in order for us to die to ourselves. The death and resurrection of Christ has show us the power of the cross. In Jesus, there are no difficulties. No matter how difficult a situation is, we must learn from the Holy Spirit to not be accused. Learn the perfect will of God in our everyday living.

Everyday Emmanuel (2/12/13)

The Sweetness of True Repentance (Everyday Emmanuel)

Many people have misunderstanding on repentance,they do not like to hear about repentance and find it hard to repent. They thought repentance is about feeling guilty or apologizing to God. True repentance is actually the sweetest thing that can happen in your life. When we are exhausted in our life problems, true repentance help us to gain strength from God's throne to move on with our lives. 

True repentance is simple terms meaning turning to the Truth of God. It is  a restoration of a believing spirit through believing in every word of God. True repentance is the changing from a disbelief spirit into a believing spirit.For example, if I repent from stealing it doesn't mean I just stopped stealing only. This is because I may fall into a different kind of sin. True repentance happens when I truly believe that God is the only provider and I feel satisfied in my spirit then slowly I hate stealing.When this happens, you faith will grow and your relationship with God too.

Psalm 103:2-5

Praise the Lord,my soul, 

and forget not all his benefits

who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

who redeems you life from the pit 

and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things 

so that your youth is renewed like eagle's.

    

David's repentance is going back to His benefit and be satisfied with God's love and compassion. This is the sweetest true repentance. But Satan always stop us from repenting. How does he stop us?

1.What obstruct us from true repentance?

You think that God won't forgive you 

Because you believed so, therefore you remain in accusations. But God says, when we acknowledge our own struggle or weakness, it means that we are also acknowledging our disbelief. He will forgive all our sins and heals us.

You think that God don't understand what you are going through or needs

You believed that therefore you do not believe that whatever God has given you its the best. What you can see is only your failures, problems and weaknesses. 

You do not believe God has His own timetable

That's why you remain disheartened and hopeless.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is slow in keeping his promise, just as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone come to repentance.

The timetable of God is not up yet because He wants us to quickly repent so we do not remain in accusation.

You think that you can wait and things will get better

What you fail to see its that God is actually equipping us so that we will be used by Him in the future.

2. What is True repentance?

When we struggle in our spirit not because you have fall short of the standard and expectations of the men but have fall short of what God said. Our spirit is related to the word of God. For example, God ask me to love my brethren but even though I have done nothing wrong to them but because I cannot love them that's why I struggle in my spirit. So if our lifestyle, habits and decisions are not in syn with God's word then we will definitely have struggle. And we must acknowledge this struggle.

After that you realize you have no choice but to believe. Obedience is about believing and not about you being able to do so much. 

Then you nail that flesh of yours- you do not satisfy your flesh by not giving in to it. For example, I have influenced by the drama series, no matter how I have tried I still cannot stop watching it. It is only through believing His promise. His promise tells me that I will be used by Him, then it generates an inner strength so I do not want to be influenced anymore by the drama. Then keep confirming and believing, the influence will then slowly reduced.

3.We need to know that we cannot keep hypnotizing ourselves not to worry about the problems. When we do this, the problem will still remain. It is only through confirming and believing every word of God and all His attributes. Then even though the situation does not change but we will realize that all things work for the good to them that love God.

In situation we are put in is for us to experience the wide, long, high and deep of His love If there are areas in our lives that we are still struggling, we must learn to turn to, believe and confirm His promise. 

Here is the link

09/11/2013 Everyday Emmanuel

Delight in the Lord's goodness ( Everyday Emmanuel)

The goodness of the Lord is everlasting. 

Psalm 100:5 

For he is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. 

Maybe we cannot feel the goodness of God because of our own problems or areas in our lives that we are still adamant at, but one day God will prove it to us. 

God's goodness is that He saves us and He won't abandon us or ignore us just because we are disobedient. If God removes some things that we really like in our lives then He will definitely give us something better. He is actually helping us to rise up and walk the correct path when He allows problem in our lives. These are the goodness of the Lord and we must find joy in His goodness and not through getting what we want. Whatever we want is temporary and always changing,it is only His goodness that is everlasting. 

When we don't find joy in His goodness, we will feel bored or numb at His words and remain in our struggles. 

Psalm 37:1-2 

Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass, they will wither soon, like green plants they will soon die away.

1. When we are envious of the world, we will follow the ways of the world. 

So, we need to ask ourselves, what are we looking for today? And the answer will tell us the state of our spirit today.

If we only want to get our problems solved then we wouldn't want to see God's perfect will. We will lose our joy and satisfaction in Him easily.When we are always envious of the world, we will make our decisions according to it, we will go by our feelings and make many wrong decisions. Then our bondage will get stronger, making it harder for us to submit.

2. We need to rely, seek and dwell in His will. 

Psalm 37:3-5

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desire of your heart. Commit your ways to the Lord, trust in the Lord and He will do this. 

God will give us timely provisions, help, anointing, etc. If we are unhappy, fearful, worried about our future, accused because of our old habits then we are still relying on ourselves and what the world can offer us. We are not delighting in God's goodness.

Turn to the promise of God. All those feelings come from a disbelief spirit and our flesh. Those who turn to the Lord will receive His grace, love, strength then only our spirit will change and we will dwell in His will. 

God says take delight in Him and He will give us the desires of our hearts. It does not mean that when we are happy then only God will give us our desires but it means delight in our submission and dwell in His will- believe that His guidance is the best. 

Psalm 37:23-24

The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him though he may stumble, he will not fall for the Lord will uphold him with his hand.

3. We will not fall.

We will get discouraged, feel weak, worried but we must let God prove that His goodness will carry us through. The greatest blessing is He won't let us fall completely. God will never leave us, just like how He didn't abandon king David. 

Don't ask God when He will provide, bless us or fulfill His promise. This will make us tired and lost heart. We can never be faster than God in accomplishing things. Put our values on the eternal kingdom even though the world is constantly tempting us. We must hold on to God and submit to Him then He will prove to us.

This is the link!

07/11/2013 Everyday Emmanuel

Through Prayers I Do All Things ( Everyday Emmanuel)

I don't remember the last time I did a post on Everyday Emmanuel. To be honest, I haven't been translating for quite sometime. But since I am doing it again, I feel that it will be nice to share it here as well.

Many people use prayers to get their desired outcomes or to change their situation. God ask us to pray so that we can enter a state of being Holy Spirit filled. When a person is Holy Spirit filled, regardless of whatever situation he is in or whatever conditions he has he will still be able to rejoice and testify 

for the Lord. 

I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at least you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what is it to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through him who gives me strength. 

In the last verse, it does not mean that after he prayed, his situation changed. Most of the time, it doesn't change at all.  What is absolute is that Holy Spirit comes upon him.

The secret in that whenever he prays , he sees that 

1. Every of his situation is the most perfect. 

He confirms in his spirit that God is the Jehovah Jireh.

2.God still give him joy and a satisfied heart. 

If he has little, he spends less, if he has more, he will also spend accordingly. When he is constantly hungry, he knows that God wants him to pray.

His focus is in heaven and his heart is focus on listening to God so the Holy Spirit gives him pure and immense joy that enable him to see God's love in everything. 

3. He gives thanks for his faith

Not give thanks because his problems were solved. Paul is more happy in meeting God in his spirit than having his problem solved.He delights in following God more than getting the praises and approval from men; happy to see God's help rather than men's help.

Maybe our motives are wrong when we pray, we put a lot of focus on the physical outcome. 

We should focus on getting our hearts and minds influenced by God's words so that we can discern and make judgement in all things through the Truth. 

Paul only wants to see the Emmanuel God is his prayer. Therefore, he finds whatever he seeks.

This is the video. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JpSY8s1ns4&feature=youtu.be

C

I had 2 weeks of break after my finals before they announce the results. The consequences of failing would be staying back for about 6 weeks to resit the paper and hopefully you passed in order to make it into year 2.

After my finals, I was very upset because I did very badly. I couldn’t recall things that I have diligently  studying  during my study break, things that I pay little attention to came out whereas those that I deem important didn’t come out. Since its final, the paper was hard. But I know it wouldn’t be a problem for those people who have been consistent all these while. Anyway, I got really upset about it . So when I saw people posting online about their concern and worries because they are afraid that they won’t make it and rant about the stupid mistakes they did in finals, I got really annoyed. Of all people I feel that I have all the rights in the world to worry and complain since I am the one who have failed the tests for 3 times while they are the one who kept passing. Who are more likely to fail? They  or me?

Actually I thought failing isn’t that bad. At least we are given a second chance to redeem ourselves. Yes and no. Because the whole process of repeating the paper takes up to 6 weeks ( the entire break we have) the mini project that is supposed to be carried out that time would be carry forward to next year. And that means that you’ll be doing it with the juniors. Think of the embarrassment  and the feelings of being labelled as the ‘failure’. So, it got me worried even more. For me, it doesn’t stop there it also means that I will have difficulty going to church because my housemate won’t be around and I will need to walk to class alone, eat alone, be alone all by myself.

I was worried and scared because I really couldn’t do the paper even questions that were repeated from the previous tests. I let myself drown in numbness for a while. I know the voice of the Holy Spirit was always there, it prompted me to pray.

When I prayed, I thought about the nonsense answers I wrote, the amount of questions I couldn’t answered and the number of times I can’t recall and feel that failing will be the outcome. I told my friend that I need to pray to prepare myself so that it’ll be easier for me to accept my failure and I need to know why God allows it. But she said that I haven’t even fail yet. And my actions show that I am second guessing God. It’s true what she told me but I couldn’t get passed it before she didn’t see how badly I did. Only God knows what nonsense I wrote.

The night before I got my results, I prayed to God. I asked Him to help me surrender all to Him and no matter what the result is, it is the best for me. I was challenged by my own thoughts that asked “ It is still the best result that God prepare for you if you fail?”. Yes it is, even if I failed. And that is what I meant by trusting God and really believing that He will always give us the best in everything. It is not the world’s best but God’s best. I reminded myself that I have a Master and He got everything planned out for me. When I think of how to prepare myself and make plans I am already making myself the master of my own life.  God is the alpha and omega so how can He not know what will happen in my life and if He already knows then why I am planning my life myself as though I know what will happen. When I begin to confirm the Truth, I feel relieved. There is really no need to worry about anything at all. And by worrying, my results won’t change. I quit thinking about what would happen next and to just live moment by moment and enjoy the daily grace that He has prepared for me. I try to be simple- to believe the Truth and without questioning more , to simply believe without doubting. I asked God to help me see that He is more real than the situation I am in, His promises is more true than anything.

I found several post it that I wrote about a year ago, some verses and some personal notes incidentally while I was cleaning my room. It says “ Always remember how you got into UTAR, not by your results but with God’s mighty hand”. God brought me here and He will be responsible for it. I choose to believe that if God wants me to pass, I will pass. Simple faith based on the absolute truth no more ‘buts’, ‘what ifs’...

It’s always when the situation is doomed or when we feel absolutely helpless then we resort to God because we know that we have tried everything and now we just have to leave it to God. Its best if we can turn to God in both good times and bad times. We often become laid back during the good times when the sea is calm and we take things lightly. I feel that it shouldn’t be the way because those good times are meant for us to get ourselves equipped with His words because we will need it when the storms come.

 I recalled the very first time that God let me pass my test the night before I prayed to be submissive. And I thought “ Hey, I’ll use back the same method because it works that time”and it really did.

I got the happiest C in my life. I just passed I was very close to failing because after the C it’ll be the F. I am not those smart people that never got any Cs in my life, I have but this is the happiest. Honestly, no student will be happy with a C everyone wants an A or at least a B.I was very relieved that God has given me the grace to pass. I know its impossible to make it. I need to get exactly 60 marks for my finals in order to pass and I usually get much lower than that. I will always remember this incident whenever I feel worried about my exams.

I realized that we get the most answers when we are down  because during that time we are more willing to listen, to die and to learn. When God becomes the only hope we have, be comforted because He will not disappoint us. A week ago, my Emmanuel Group leader shared how she failed this test and she told God that she served in so many ministry why did she fail. She didn’t mean that if you served you won’t fail. But after that she received an email that there was a mistake and she got a better result. And sh

So when I was worried, I thought about her. But I got accused first. I told God that I really want to serve Him, its just that I am not good enough and that He didn’t give me the chance. I am serving in the Toddler’s class and the Youth now. I want to do more not because I thought the more ministry I serve the greater the blessings, its just that I really want to share God’s word to people and I really like to serve in church. I don’t know how to explain, I guess its just a natural instinct in us as the children of God to offer our service to the Father’s house. Like the mother’s instincts to care and protect her child, very natural.

God told me that as long as I am doing my best in the little tasks that He has given me, it will be good enough. Focus on little submission and little tasks, if I do well, more will be assigned to me when I am more spiritually mature.

Besides, I am sharing His word now through my blog, this is also what He has assigned me to do. I don’t know how many people and who actually read what I write but I guess when you do God’s work you only need to do as you are told and leave the outcome to Him. After all, I am His servant and He is my Master.

I am very happy now, I will officially be a year 2 student in May. It’ll be very exciting and  I can’t wait to see how God  will lead me this year. Year 1 was tough, I shed many tears along the way and God was with me. And He will always be with me. In this short period of time, I feel more set free. I was very bitter about some issues but I am not as affected anymore because I know  God loves me and will definitely use me.  I find myself more willing to let go and die. And I can assure you that dying to yourself is a beautiful thing. When you die, you are allowing Christ to live in you and what can be more beautiful than that.

The letter C now reminds me of 2 things : Child of God and His Covenant.

Ps: I got baptized on the 17^th of March  and my dad attended my baptism.

The Disbelief Spirit

I  have never thought that I think very lowly of myself. I am not a super confident person but I do not think that I have very low self esteem. But I was wrong, very wrong. It took me some time to convince myself that I have low self worth but at the same time I have very high expectations on myself. And if I don't meet my own expectations, I beat myself up. I think I have mentioned it before that my confidence is tied to how well I do in exams or even how happy I am with the way I dressed up for that particular day. I am just as fragile as some china piece that would break into a million pieces when hit with the slightest force. I'm not exaggerating but I'm probably more fragile than that. I take jokes too seriously at times, I some how feel that it meant something more or that he/she is actually hinting me that I need to change.
There are also times where people around me is so insensitive with their words. They asked questions that I do not know how to respond because I do not have answer to why I am obsolete, always learning but never understanding, seemingly hardworking but results always show otherwise. I wonder if they know that those remarks are very hurtful. Whether they mean it or not, apologize or not, the damage is done and its irreversible. Those things pulls my self esteem even lower. I subconsciously compare myself to many people and end up putting myself in a miserable state. I don't understand why I am always not good enough, why is it that I am so different ( I think differently ) , why is it that every effort I put in seems futile and the lists could go on and on till the cows come home.

I tell God how different my situation is every time, how bad the situation is compared to the previous one but God only told me one thing. That all outcome is the same. Its still the best for me because God's promises said so. And that every solution is the same that is to simply trust and obey.

 People always tell me that after I have done His will, I just have to simply trust and surrender all to Him. Leave the outcome to Him. But my question will always be the same, '' What if I haven't be doing God's will? or rather at times I am certain that I have not done God's will and that question is not on whether have I put in my best or not. When its simply because it was hard for me, I got chicken and back off, I got too lazy to persevere through, I simply do not want to obey and most commonly- The mind is willing but the body is weak, my flesh got the best of me. 

I wished that I am not so complicated that I will just take in what God says directly instead or over thinking and analyzing it. I need to stop all those thoughts. 

Those thoughts are not just tiring, it has been giving me the wrong idea of who God really is. God is not complicated but I always complicate Him. I always think that God will not bless me because of this and that, God will fail me in my tests because of whatsoever possible reason I can think of. And before every outcome is revealed, I always have the tendency to think that its going to end badly. I am never positive. I believe that's what most people think. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. But how much can you prepare? If I were to spend my time worrying or preparing myself for the worst possible outcome while waiting for my results, wouldn't I be wasting my time if the outcome is otherwise? Then all those time I allow myself to be tormented by the thoughts that I would fail and preparing what to do next would be in vain. That is pure stupidity. 

I remembered what I told my Pastor two years ago when she asked me what am I going to do while waiting for my results. I said I will punish myself for not putting more effort in my studies. Obviously, it was stupid but its still how I feel at times. I feel the need to punish myself for things that I know I should have done it better. And knowing that God forgives me for my sins and knows my weaknesses I feel compel to punish myself even more since He will not do it. This is very sick and twisted.  Not sure if I am the only weird one who thinks like that. I just feel that I do not deserve any pleasures, treats, any form of happiness and that I am just supposed to be without any feelings or just bitter. This is the mentality of a slave. Slaves are the lowest form of human beings and their only job is to serve, they have limited or no freedom and do not deserve any forms of pleasures. 

I have not been living like a glorified child of God even after accepting Christ. I am tired of fearing that I will not meet up to His expectations, tired of feeling crappy from my own thoughts. And its time I put an end to this.

I have confirmed repeatedly that all problems I have only has one root problem and that is the disbelief spirit. Actually initially, I feel a little offended when I was told about the disbelief spirit. I was like " What do you mean by disbelief? I believe in Jesus okay. I know he is not fictional and he is God. I believe in died for my sins. pfft".

But when I think deeper as I quiet myself, I know it is true that I have a great disbelief in me. If I believe that He died for my sins and I am already forgiven then why do I still punish myself. Why do I blame Him when things didn't turn out good when He says that whatever He gives me will be the best. It all points down to the disbelief spirit. When I compare myself with others or unsatisfied I am already in a disbelief state because I do not believe that I am fearfully and wonderfully made Psalm 139:14. 

Why should I compare myself when the one who made me already see my as perfect?

From now on, I will be more careful with my spirit. The disbelief spirit is cunning, it deceives you into taking the untruth as the truth or distorting the truth.That is also how gradually, the mentality of the slave is formed.But in order to discern we need to know the right Gospel.  And in order to know the truth rightly, you'll need to pray and be diligent in reading the Bible and listen to messages. Its not easy just as Jesus's said but its definitely worthwhile. 

Only by God's Spirit can Things be Accomplished

Our God is concerned of His temple but this temple is not the physical temple that can be seen. In today’s context, this temple refers to the believer’s inner life. We are His temple and He dwells in our hearts.

Our temple in what God is most concerned of today. Today, what are we concerned of? Is it eternal matters or the Kingdom’s matter? Whose voice are you listening today? The voice from our own motives and ambition or the God in us.

No matter how short is the time we have believed in God or how small is our faith, God do look down on us. God is concerned of your life and our spirit. Even in the smallest things or tasks that you have obeyed God, he will definitely reward you. So when Haggai asked his people to build the house of the Lord, at the same time another prophet Zechariah was raised up too.

Even if we only have been assigned a small task by the God, He still values our submission. 

 So he said to me, “ This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.

Zechariah 4:6

When the Isarelites first returned to build His kingdom, they faced various problems. First, the remnants that came back are very few. So they limited man power while the project ( to build the Temple ) is a massive one. At the same time, they also need to deal with the attacks of the enemy surrounding them. Therefore it seems to be an impossible task to finish the project.

Are we facing a similar situation now? In our lives and serving, we may face with the internal and external problems. At some point when we get so discouraged that we just want to give up or run away from the problem. If we are such problem today, let me tell you that our problem does not come from the challenges in the problem but because we are relying on the wrong thing. It is true that our problem is great, we have many issues to deal with. We get discouraged in our situation when we start seeing our own capability and start counting the resources we have. This is because we are depending on man’s strength and power. But God says that we must rely on His Spirit.

The next question is : How do I rely on His Spirit? Firstly, relying on His Spirit is believing His covenant. His covenant says that He is with us. God will not lead us into a situation whereby there is only a dead end or we go through the entire situation in pain only. On the contrary, God leads us into a situation whereby we have no choice to believe in Him in order to go through the problem. So when we believe, the peace and strength that follows suit comes from the Holy Spirit. Then God will reveal His perfect will to us and tell us how to make decisions and  arrange all things. Sometimes God’s perfect will is like a big picture while other times He reveals His will little by little and guides us through.

When we believe and obey, strength, wisdom and timely guidance will definitely be given to us in order for us to go through our struggles.

Are you disheartened and discouraged at the moment? May the word of God strengthened you. Do not rely on yourself but His Spirit.

Once again, God has spoken. In the midst of preparing for my finals, this message came forth and ease all the worries in me. Worries come from fear. And when you have worries, you seek human interventions. Looking at the amount of chapters I need to cover in less than 20 days time, I feel very disheartened knowing that it is an impossible task. I am very tempted to stay up whole night to revise and try to cover as much as I could. But I know, this is my way and not God’s way. With the clock ticking and fears that overwhelm me, I am very tempted to use my own solution.

But in today’s message, God asked us not to look and count our resources (in my case its the days to my finals) but rely on His Spirit. And the first step I need to do is to believe in what He says. I believe that God is with me in this struggle I am facing. I must keep restoring His truth. When I believe, naturally the Holy Spirit will guide me how to study effectively and teach me how to discern what is important and what is not. Things are easier said than done but action speaks louder than words. We will not experience His guidance just by listening or reading, we must take the step first: Believe in Him and Do His will.

ps: I can't seem to upload the video here but you can find it in the Life Church and Missions website. This post is translated from today's Everyday Emmanuel (06/03/2013)