Spiritual Gifts

Do you know what your spritual gifts are? Well, we took a simple test from www.kodachrome.org/spiritgift and found out. Well, my top 5 are
a) Hospitality - 1 Pet 4:9,10, Rom 12:9-13, Acts 16:14-15, Heb 13:1-2
b) Leadership and Administration - Rom 12:6-8, Heb 13:7, 17
c) Exhortation & Encouragement - 1 Tim 5:1-2, Heb 3:13
d) Craftsmanship - Exo 28:3-4, Exo 31:1-11
e) Music - 1 Sam 16:14-23

In this year of Sabbath, I encouraged my gals to take time to discover their own spiritual gifts and find time to develop others. No harm exploring and growing in some other gifts. Roms 12 exhorts us to serve God with these gifts as we have been bestowed with them.

This morning, was reminded the be praying daily for my 12 as I read Ps 31 as the Lord being our Fortress in times of adversity. Many of girls are walking through tough times either with their own health, parents, kids, family, financial, emotional etc.

God, help them to put their trust in You. Let them never be put to shame, deliver them in Your righteousness, bow down Your ear to them, deliver them speedily, be their Rock of Refuge and a Fortress of Defense to save them! Lead and guide them, pull them out of the net which have been secretly laid for them. Be their strength and redeem them from every difficult situation.

God's Favor Is For A Life Time

What lasts for eternity? Ps 30 tells us that God's anger is but for a moment but His Favor lasts for a life time. Weeping may endure for a night, but JOY comes in the morning. Am claiming that by God's favor, He has made my mountain stand strong. Lord, be my helper.

You have turned my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness. To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever!

Hooray, God wants to bestow His favor on me forever!

The Voice Of The Lord

Ps 29 reminds us to make a deliberate effort to ASCRIBE to the Lord praise, honor and adoration that is due to Him. His voice is over the waters, is powerful, is majestic, breaks the cedars, strikes with flashes of lightning, shakes the desert, twists the oaks and strips the forests bare.

He is enthroned as King of our lives forever and gives strength to His people and blesses His people with peace. Yes, I receive the peace of the Lord over many different situations that we are trusting God for.

A Brand New Day

It's a brand new week of excitement and grace. I woke up feeling rather frantic about what God has install for me in this new week. I have a few things lined up ... I am to visit the MP cluster on Tue to teach and pray over them, a birthday celebration dinner for co12 on Thur and I will try out another week of exercise programme at Curves. That's something wild to think about.

Ps 28 is really what I need for the week, that the Lord will be my strength and my shield, my heart will trust in Him and I am helped... Be my shepherd, Lord and carry me forever!

Enjoying My Sabbath

Hey, today is really my Sabbath! I am resting from doing my own things by reading the Word and enjoying digging into precious treasures from the Bible. I read Ps 27, dug out Scripture about Food offered to Idols, about Sabbath in the Old & New Testament and even reading a book on The Rest Of God by Mark Buchanan.

What a therapy!

A Blameless Life Is What I Long For

Happy Birthday, Mum! Hope you grow steadily in the Lord and look young always!

Hoho, i tried out a new place where I could go regularly for an exercise programme to work out my flabby fats. I have been feeling that I need to lose at least 3-5 kg in this year as well as to keep fit. Being 36 really does not help because the metabolism rate seems to be slowing down and losing weight is thoroughly difficult and almost impossible. Nevertheless, maintaining and toning up some flabs might be good psychologically. Ha!

Well, I read Ps 26 this morning and I would like to declare that I have trusted the Lord without wavering. Yes, Lord, please test me and try me, examine my heart and my mind for Your love is ever before me and I walk continually in Your truth. If there are 'fault lines' within my heart, please surface them to me so I could repent and change quickly.

I choose not to sit with deceitful men nor do I consort with hypocrites and refuse to sit with the wicked. I wash my hands in innocence and go about Your altar proclaiming aloud Your praise and telling of all Your wonderful deeds. I love Your house where You live, O Lord, the place where Your glory dwells...

I want to lead a blameless life, redeem me and be merciful to me. My feet stand on level ground in the great assembly. I will praise the Lord. Amen!

Fear The Lord

Ps 25 has so many wonderful truths for me to 'chew' on ...

1) God will not put me to shame nor allow my enemies to triumph over me. God promises that no one whose hope in Him will ever be put to shame, but those who are treacherous (deceptive, disloyal, two-timing, false, betraying) will be without excuse.

2) I'm asking God in vs 4 to show me His ways and teach me His paths; to guide me in His truth and teach me. Remember me, O Lord, Your great mercy and love, for they are of old.

3) Are there sins of my youth and rebellious ways that I need to repent of? Disobedience, indiscipline, disregard, neglect, stubbornness, unruliness, noncompliance? Good and upright is the Lord therefore He instructs sinners in His ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way. What is His way? His ways are loving and faithful!!

4) Why should we fear the Lord? The Lord will instruct us in the way chosen for us. We will spend our days in prosperity and our descendants will inherit the land. The Lord confides in those who fear Him and make His covenant known to us. Our eyes will ever be on the Lord and only He will release our feet from the snare.

5) Asking the Lord to turn His face towards me ... when I am lonely and afflicted and troubles in my heart have multiplied. Guard my life and rescue me, let me not be put to shame. May integrity and uprightness protect me because my hope is in God.

Everything Is The Lord's

Was pondering much about Ps 24 that God says that the earth is the Lord's and everything in it .... He is Lord of all!

It transits to tell us that if God is the Lord of all and in order for us to come into His presence, we need to have clean hands and a pure heart, and not lift up our souls to an idol or swear by what is false.

If we obey this, we will receive a blessing from the Lord and vindication from God our Saviour. Indeed, such is a generation of those who seek God - who seek His face!

Are we fighting battles? The Lord promises that He is strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your head, Am, that the King of Glory may come in!! He is the Lord Almighty, He is the King of Glory!!

Famous Ps 23

Hey I woke at 5.05 am this morning to read Ps 23. Was such a delight to meditate on God's word.

Indeed the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. (He is really mine and I will not be in lack.) He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters. (I experienced a miracle in KA and I know I can rest and not be anxious and just rest in His presence) He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. (He opens up doors of success for me)

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me, Your rod and staff they comfort me. (There are fears and apprehensive thoughts that crossed me mind especially pertaining to ministry but I am trusting God to bring deliverance and comfort in these situations)

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows. (I am trusting God for a deal to come in and I know He will grant success as He allows my cup to overflow with grace and mercy)

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Amen and amen... I receive!!)

God's Plan For Our Lives

Ps 22 vs 9,10 made me feel so special... Yet you brought me out of the womb, you made me trust in You even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother's womb You have been my God. What an intimate sight of God's handiwork.

When we can experience such intimacy, care and love of the Heavenly Father, even when trouble comes, we will not be shaken or affected and we will have God's strength.

Psalms 21

Arise O Kings, God has a word for you. The Lord allowed me the privilege to pray prophetically for leaders in our land and bless them ...

May Governmental, Church or even Secular leaders rejoice in God's strength. God will grant victory! God will grant them the desire of their heart and will not withhold the request of their lips. He welcomes them with rich blessings and places a crown of pure gold on their head.

God asked for life and they gave to Him, length of days, for ever and ever.. Surely, God has granted them eternal blessings and made them glad with the joy of His presence. Because leaders trust in the Lord through His unfailing love, they will not be shaken.

Be exalted, O Lord, in Your strength, we will sing and praise Your might.

Give Me The Desire Of My Heart

Ps 20 was such a comfort as King David cried out to God to answer Him in his distress. Likewise, I felt that this was the same cry of my heart to God in this season. May the Lord truly answer me when I am in distress and may the name of the God of Jacob protect me.

May He send me help from the sanctuary and grant me support from Zion. May He remember all my sacrifices and accept my burnt offerings.

May He give me the desire of my heart and make all my plans succeed. Amen and amen!!

I will shout for joy when I am victorious and will lift up my banner in the name of my God. May the Lord grant all my requests...

Some trusts in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God... but we RISE UP AND STAND FIRM.

How apt to receive such a word during this time! May the Lord bless the reading of His Word and bring life to my spirit!

The Law Of The Lord

Me woke at 4 a.m. to pray and read. Psalms 19 began to ring in my heart about the law of the Lord being perfect, that can bring revival to my soul.

The statues of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.

Vs 12 led me to meditate much on a recent situation that troubled my heart much ... Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from wilful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Wake Up! Isa 58

We received new challenges from Isa 58 during this week at the Prayer Summit. I was thankful that I had an opportunity to attend the Summit because I felt the Lord dealt with different areas of my life ...

1) A Wake-Up call to see Singapore saved! Revival comes as there be unity in the Body of Christ.
2) Deal brutally with FAULT LINES (Spiritual) in our lives that fracture our relationship with God. That of - religious or blind hypocrisy, disobedience etc. Private fault lines have Public consequences! God cannot bless us if we do not deal with these fault lines.
3) How to walk in step with each other in the Body of Christ... Restore them? Encourage them? Off-load them?
4) How have I been treating "Strangers" in our land? God wants us to love them wholeheartedly and serve them. Blessings will follow...
5) The Lord reminded me that Religious Consumerism is fatal. Rootlessness, Carnal Self-Centredness, Severe Shortsightedness.

Hmm... I would like to take time to process my thoughts and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to me.

Oh coming back to Ps 18, the Lord reminded me that He is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer in whom I take refuge. He is my Shield ... and will save me from my enemies. I felt rather distressed over a matter and the Lord assured me that He heard me from His temple and that when I cry to Him, He hears.

I'm Back

Hi, I'm back from Malacca. Will be sharing more from the Pastor's Prayer Summit held there the last few days. Will update more in the next few blogs... hee hee!! Look out for it ....

Need to chew my 'food' and digest. Information overload! Haha!

God Will Not Forget Me

I am so certain that God will not forget me. In fact, I know that in Ps 13, God will look on me and answer, give light to my eyes and help me to overcome my enemies.

I can trust in God's unfailing love and my heart will always rejoice in His Salvation. I will sing to the Lord for He has been good to me. Very good indeed!!

Bye, I am leaving for Ps Prayer Summit tomorrow in Malacca till Thursday. Till then, ADIEU!!

Evil A Norm?

David's cry sounds like ours when we look around and wonder why there are those who get away with evil or wickedness, sometimes.

Where's the godly? Have the faithful vanished from among men? Everyone lies to his neighbour? Flattering lips speak with deception? Boastful tongue flying all over and even say we will triumph with our tongues? Are we master of our lips?

God says in Ps 12:5 that He will arise and protect us from those who malign us. The Words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnance of clay, purified seven times.

The Lord will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever. Amen!

My Refuge

I am claiming God to be my refuge for every situation. Last evening, we had a prophetic time with BC, where the Lord revealed many precious words to us through the personal prophecy time.

Some highlights to share :

1) I need to be steadfast and immovable in the area of my job ...
2) Spiritually soar on wings of eagles in order to have strength and energy.
3) Continue in KA but God will open up doors for me to be fully in-charge of tiny baby venture and there will be success.
4) Giving gifts to people... Hooray! Shopping!
5) A family crisis coming? Do not be worried or fearful. Speak to the mountain to be removed.

Ps 11 .. in the Lord I take refuge .. The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne. He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them. The Lord examines the righteous ...

For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face. Yes! I want to learn to be righteous because those who are pure in heart will see God.

God Remembers

Ps 10 is a passage where I'm reminded not to take things around me for granted and also not to take offences, revenge or evil deeds into my own hands. There is an existence of God and He watches over the evil and the good.

God is definitely not 'blind' to trouble and grief and He is the Helper of the fatherless. He hears the desires of the afflicted and He encourages us and listens to our cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.

Keep Trusting

Ps 9 is a timely reminder that the Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, Lord have never forsaken those who seek You.

Felt that with this assurance in my heart, I could declare Ps 9:1 that I will praise You, O Lord, with all my heart, I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

Why Did You Create Me?

This was a question which I asked the Lord this morning when I was doing my devotion and reading Ps 8... our Psalm for the day!

Lord, You set Your glory above the heavens, yet You made us and You are so mindful of us and You care so much for us. When we consider the heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars which You set in place, why would You still crown us with glory and honor?

Who are we that You allow us to be rulers over the works of Your hands and You put everything under our feet; all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the air, and the fish of the sea, and all that swim the paths of the sea?

All we can declare, like the Psalmist, is .. O LORD OUR LORD, HOW MAJESTIC IS YOUR NAME IN ALL THE EARTH!

Be Merciful To Me

Felt in these 2 days that the Lord was teaching me to exercise mercy towards others so that I myself will experience mercy. Matt 5:7 says Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.

I had a little trying situation and like Ps 6, I cried out to God to be merciful to me as I felt faint. I asked the Lord to heal me as my spirit was a little antagonised.

Thank God I am waiting and working through to allow the Lord to check my heart, my lousy attitudes, my critical and rather judgemental spirit and I want Him to bring about change, transformation and wholeness.

Psalms 4 & 5

Hey been missing for 2 days .... well, was meditating much in the last two days about how the Lord answers us when we call out to him.

Like the Psalmist David, many a time we cry out to God only in desperation or distress. But I would like to think that God, in this season, is teaching us to cry out to Him and have a deep assurance that He is with us, longs to hear us speak and be intimate with Him and considers our sighing or groans even before we even utter a word.

In the mornings (Ps 5) we can lay our requests before God and wait in expectation. This kind of expectation gives us such a hope in our hearts that yearns for more and more of His presence. God wants to give us a gladness, joy, radiance, gleeful & delightful spirit especially when we learn to take refuge in Him as He spreads His protection over us.

For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. Amen and amen!

My Glory And The Lifter Of My Head

Ps 3 reminded me of a hymn or chorus that I learnt in my youth. Here's how it goes ...

My Glory and the Lifter of my head (x2)
For Thou O Lord are a Shield unto me
My Glory and the Lifter of my head

I cried unto the Lord with my voice (x3)
And He heard me out of His Holy Hill

I thank God that each day I am able to lie down to sleep and wake again because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.

Psalms 2

Hey, it's day number two and thank God, I kept my word to read the Word of God before breakfast was to be served. In fact, the Lord woke me up at 3 a.m. to read Ps 2. ( That's way before breakfast - ha!)

What a comfort the Lord gave in verse 7 - You are my Son, today I have become your Father. See how God affirms or acknowledges the relationship between Jesus and the Father & even us, as children of God.

When we have such a relationship with God, we dare to move on to verse 8 to Ask of Him and He will make the nations our inheritance, the ends of the earth our possession. Let's ask boldly because He is Papa!

Verse 12 is interesting when David tells us to 'Kiss' the Son lest He be angry and you be destroyed in your way .... doesn't kiss give us a clue that God desires intimacy, closeness or even affection from us as well?

2008 - YEAR OF SABBATH

Hello! It's a brand new year - 2008! We had such a party last night at the Countdown but realised that I am getting old. The music was loud, the programme was blusterous & booming and I think it was suitable only for the young and energetic. Ha!

Well, as a Church, we are committed to drawing near to God in this Year of Sabbath on a daily basis. We are to read a Psalms a day for 150 days and allow God to speak to us through His Word as we meditate on it daily. As SP mentioned, we are not to have breakfast until we have read a chapter a day. No spiritual manna, no physical manna! Hoho!

For a start, I was deliberating much on Ps 1 .. Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. .... For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

It is my heart's desire in this year to draw intimate with the Lord and seek to know His will, purpose and desire for me. Welcome 2008 and I am looking forward to entering into a new intimacy, interdependence on God and one another and an integration that God will open up to us.