Untitled list (playlist)

Some Encouraging Verses…

 

INCLINE YOUR EAR TO ME, AND COME TO ME. HEAR, AND YOUR SOUL SHALL LIVE; AND I WILL MAKE AN EVER-LASTING COVENANT WITH YOU.  
ISAIAH 55:3, NKJV

SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON THINGS ON THE EARTH.
COLOSSIANS 3:2, NKJV

FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE
YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO. 
LUKE 12:34

THOSE WHO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE FLESH
SET THEIR MINDS ON THE THINGS OF THE FLESH, BUT
THOSE WHO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT, THE
THINGS OF THE SPIRIT.  FOR TO BE CARNALLY MINDED  IS DEATH, BUT TO BE SPIRITUALLY MINDED IS LIFE AND  PEACE!
ROMANS 8:5-7

THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS THROUGH
FAITH.
EPHESIANS 3:17

TO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL THAT WE ASK
OR THINK, ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKS IN US, TO HIM BE GLORY IN THE CHURCH BY CHRIST
JESUS TO ALL GENERATIONS, FOREVER AND EVER.  AMEN.
EPHESIANS 3:20-21

THE PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN IS POWERFUL AND
EFFECTIVE.
JAMES 5:16 *NIV

DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANY-THING, BUT IN EVERYTHING, BY PRAYER AND PETITION, WITH THANKSGIVING, PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO
GOD.
PHILIPPIANS 4:6 

THE LORD IS FAR FROM THE WICKED BUT HE HEARS THE PRAYER OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
PROVERBS 15:29

BE JOYFUL ALWAYS; PRAY CONTINUALLY; GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, FOR THIS IS GOD'S WILL FOR YOU IN JESUS CHRIST.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18

“…never feel that God doesn't hear your
prayers because a prayer isn't answered immediately, or because it isn't answered the way you would like.  For your Heavenly Father always knows what is best for you, and; HE WILL NOT LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU. ( DEUTERONOMY  31:6 )”

“…remember to always; GIVE THANKS TO
THE LORD, CALL ON HIS NAME, for He will always hear  the prayers of those who love and adore Him!
( 1 CHRONICLES 16:8 )

BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE; DO NOT BE
AFRAID, NOR BE DISMAYED, FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD
IS WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.
JOSHUA 1:9 * NKJV

THE LORD, HE IS THE ONE WHO GOES BEFORE YOU.  HE WILL BE WITH YOU, HE WILL NOT LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU; DO NOT FEAR NOR BE DISMAYED.
DEUTERONOMY 31:8

WHEN YOU PASS THROUGH THE WATERS, I WILL BE WITH YOU; AND THROUGH THE RIVERS, THEY SHALL NOT OVERFLOW YOU.  WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE FIRE, YOU SHALL NOT BE BURNED, NOR SHALL THE FLAMES SCORCH YOU.
ISAIAH 43:2

"YEA, THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL; FOR YOUR ROD AND STAFF, THEY COMFORT ME.
PSALM 23:4

THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION; WHOM SHALL I FEAR?  THE LORD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE; OF WHOM SHALL I BE AFRAID?  Amen!
PSALM 27:1

LET HEAVEN AND EARTH PRAISE HIM, THE SEAS AND
ALL THAT MOVE IN THEM.
PSALM 69:34 *NIV

PRAISE THE LORD, O MY SOUL; ALL MY INMOST BEING, PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME. PRAISE THE LORD, O MY SOUL, AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS.
WHO FORGIVES ALL YOUR SINS AND HEALS ALL YOUR
DISEASES, WHO REDEEMS YOUR 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 THE EAGLE'S.
PSALM 103:1-5

COME, LET US BOW DOWN IN WORSHIP, LET US KNEEL BEFORE THE LORD OUR MAKER; FOR WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF HIS PASTURE, THE FLOCK UNDER HIS CARE.
PSALM 95:6-7

MY DEAR CHILDREN, I WRITE THIS TO YOU SO THAT YOU WILL NOT SIN.  BUT IF ANYBODY DOES SIN, WE HAVE ONE WHO SPEAKS TO THE FATHER IN OUR DEFENSE, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS ONE.  HE IS THE ATONING SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS, AND NOT ONLY OURS BUT ALSO FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD.
1 JOHN 2:1-2 *NIV

IN HIM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH
HIS BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RICHES OF GOD'S GRACE. 
EPHESIANS 1:7

FOR I WILL CLEANSE THEM FROM ALL THE SIN THEY HAVE COMMITTED AGAINST ME AND WILL FORGIVE ALL THEIR SINS OF REBELLION AGAINST ME.
JEREMIAH 33:8

"I WILL FORGIVE THEIR WICKEDNESS AND WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE."
HEBREWS 8:12

MY DEAR CHILDREN, I WRITE THIS TO YOU SO THAT YOU WILL NOT SIN.  BUT IF ANYBODY DOES SIN, WE HAVE ONE WHO SPEAKS TO THE FATHER IN OUR DEFENSE, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS ONE.  HE IS THE ATONING SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS, AND NOT ONLY OURS BUT ALSO FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD.
1 JOHN 2:1-2 *NIV

IN HIM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RICHES OF GOD'S GRACE. 
EPHESIANS 1:7

FOR I WILL CLEANSE THEM FROM ALL THE SIN THEY HAVE COMMITTED AGAINST ME AND WILL FORGIVE ALL THEIR SINS OF REBELLION AGAINST ME.
JEREMIAH 33:8

For God has said: "I WILL FORGIVE THEIR WICKEDNESS AND WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE."
HEBREWS 8:12

Our Savior said: "EVERYONE WHO SPEAKS A WORD AGAINST THE SON OF MAN WILL BE FORGIVEN, BUT ANYONE WHO BLASPHEMIES AGAINST THE HOLY  SPIRIT WILL NOT BE FORGIVEN."
LUKE 12:10

BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE FATHER OF MERCIES AND GOD OF ALL COMFORT, WHO COMFORTS US IN ALL OUR TRIBULATION, THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO COMFORT THOSE WHO ARE IN ANY TROUBLE, WITH THE COMFORT WITH WHICH WE OURSELVES ARE COMFORTED BY GOD.
2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-4 *NKJV

God has said; "CALL UPON ME IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE; I WILL DELIVER YOU, AND YOU SHALL  GLORIFY ME."  Also our Savior Jesus Christ said; "LET NOT YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED; YOU BELIEVE IN GOD, BELIEVE ALSO IN ME."
PSALM 50:15  & JOHN 14:1

HE WHO IS IN YOU IS GREATER THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD.
1 JOHN 4:4

PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU, MY PEACE I GIVE TO YOU; NOT AS THE WORLD GIVES DO I GIVE TO YOU.  LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED, NEITHER LET IT BE AFRAID." 
JOHN 14:27

"I WILL BOTH LIE DOWN IN PEACE, AND SLEEP; FOR YOU ALONE, O LORD, MAKE ME DWELL IN SAFETY. 
PSALM 4:8

THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, and may it, GUARD YOUR HEART AND MIND THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. 

PHILIPPIANS  4:7

THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THE LOVE OF GOD, AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BE WITH YOU ALL.
2 CORINTHIANS 13:14

WHAT DOES IT MEANS TO HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST?

Scripture Text: Philippians 2:1-11; 4:1-2

Speaker: Ps. Peter Chng

Date: 26 September 2010, Sunday

 

 Philippians 2:1-11

¹ If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴ Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: ⁶ Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷ but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!
⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 4:1-3

¹Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! ²I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. ³Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

 

1. WHAT DOES IT MEANS TO HAVE A MIND OF CHRIST?

(a) Having an attitude of lowliness (humility)

In the John 13 – Jesus’ washes the disciples’ feet.

Jesus wash the feet of the following disciples:

(i) Peter – who is going to deny Him;

(ii) Judas Iscariot – who is going to betray Him and;

(iii) the remaining 10 disciples – who are going to forsake Him.

 

(b) Having a servitude of loveliness

    - serving people with gentleness & 

      lovingness.

 

2. HOW TO HAVE A MIND OF CHRIST?

Philippians 2:1-4

¹ If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴ Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

(a) We must be willing to die to self-centredness

Self-centredness means having high regard of oneself and always wants the attention from others (even though they never say it out, but will think in his/her mind. Eg. if this person attends a birthday party, he will think within himself and says “how i wish i am the birthday boy / girl…”).

How to die to self-centredness?

Philippians 2:2 “…then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose….”

(i) Incorporation of others
     - by accepting others in your life;
     - the recognition & realisation that God  
        uses others and;

     - realise that you can’t do it all by yourself 
       but need to work with others.

(ii) The appreciation of others in Christ

Philippians 2:3-4 ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴ Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Note: a self-centred person never appreciates others.

- A consideration of others in Christ.

(b) You must be willing to die to self-consciousness

Die to self-consciousness means die to your self-reputation and also you’re forever concern about what others think or say about you.

• Don’t worry about what people are saying about you but be more sure about WHAT GOD IS SAYING OR THINKING about you! This is because what people approve of your ways may not be correct in God’s sight.
• People may be happy with your performance but is God happy with you? Is your life pleasing/transparent before God?
• Philippians 2:6-8 ⁶ Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷ but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!
• If we take care of our CHARACTER, God will take care of our reputation.

(c) You must be willing to die to self-occupation.

Self-occupation means you are so caught up with your position / status in life. You feel good when others know that you are a CEO or a Manager or someone who has big career name.

• Jesus took upon Himself as a “bond-servant”.
• People are so conscious of “occupation”.
• Regardless of your occupation, as long as you earn a decent income, you are okay.

(d) You must be willing to die to consciousness of self-dedication.

Self-dedication means how oneself serve God. Like taking into account how much effort or time you put into the Kingdom of God.

• If you have no heart for people, you are not serving God in your life.
• Philippians 2:7-8 “…but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!”
• Jesus died to the consciousness of self-dedication.

IF WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST, NO ONE COULD INTIMIDATE US.

The Book of Job in the Bible

 

(Picture source: http://www.theseason.org/job/jb.jpg)

Recently i started to read my Bible chronologically again, according to the guide, i need to read the Book of Job after a few chapters of Genesis and some other  Books of the Bible. Actually i quite dread to read this Book because i don’t understand why God need to answer Job in a way that is so profound when HE was the One who allows Job to be tested or went through a very painful trial. Well, its the Word of God, so i can’t just skip it, so i read it again. This time i began to see in another perspective. I find it so amazing was that even though we do not know who was the author of the Book of Job, what amazed me was that every single conservation that Job and his friends had was being pen down!

A lot of times we were being reminded that God hears our conversation, but somehow we know it but it just not so impactful to us that God is really hearing our conversation! Imagine that if the Book of Job have a record of the conversation between Job and his friends, how much more God can compile books of our conversations with others – be it words that were good or bad! Well my point of jotting down this reflection is not to bring fear to anyone who is reading this, but to act as a reminder that we need to think before we speak as words have power. It can lift, encourage someone or hurt and tear the spirit of the receiver.

Truly God’s Word is perfect is teaching us to guard our mouths.

PROVERBS 21:23 “HE WHO GUARDS HIS MOUTH AND HIS TONGUE KEEPS HIMSELF FROM CALAMITY”

EPHESIANS 4:29 “DO NOT LET ANY UNWHOLESOME TALK COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTHS, BUT ONLY WHAT IS HELPFUL FOR BUILDING OTHERS UP ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS, THAT IT MAY BENEFIT THOSE WHO LISTEN.

JAMES 3:10 “OUT OF THE SAME MOUTH COME PRAISE AND CURSING. MY BROTHERS, THIS SHOULD NOT BE.”

PSALMS 19:14 “MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE MEDITATION OF MY HEART BE PLEASING IN YOUR SIGHT, O LORD, MY ROCK AND MY REDEEMER.  AMEN.”

May God helps us in our speech and in our actions.

Encouragement cards

The reason i reflect on this topic is because since the day i decided to send my boss an e-card, i began to realise that it has been a long time since i send someone an e-card.

I remembered that more than 10 years ago when the internet was made available to the world, the time when we got so excited when we receive an email as suddenly things got so convenient. Besides receive emails, e-cards was the next hit item on the web. People sending e-cards to wish their friends and loved one having a happy birthday to happy holidays or for some simply disturbing others.

I remembered that i used to print out those e-cards messages and stick it onto my journal book. This is because those words that my mentor or friend wrote to me are so meaningful and uplifting. I find acceptance, hope and love. I thank God for those special memories.

Yesterday, after Sunday Service, one of my cell member talked to me and told me how she was being ‘bullied’ and face some injustice at her attachment. She also shared with me that she found strength and encouragement when she chance upon a card that i wrote to her years ago while she was packing her room to prepare for Chinese New Year. The card that i wrote to her have the title “leave it to God” and through these words she began to resolve in her heart and mind that she will do her best at work and let God do the rest.

Well…i shall make a point to write encouragement cards again to my cell members and my friends.

Note: The birthday card was made by me.

Chinese New Year Spring Cleaning

As usual Chinese New Year (CNY) is a time for my family to spring clean the house with my mom’s help. My brother will take care of his room and i will take care of my room plus the washing of the toilet, bathroom, sweep and mop the floor.

Before i spring my home, i spend some time with God and prayed that HE will helped me to finish the cleaning early and of course, thank God, HE did. He not only helped me to pack and tidy up my room quickly, i believe HE also helped me to realise that i kept too many things and unwilling to give away those that are in good condition.

Usually when it comes to packing my wardrobe, i don’t feel good in giving away some of my clothes. Most of the time i will have the thinking that “humm…this one i like it, but i seldom wear, but let’s wait and see, maybe i need this some day…” With this mentality i end up having a wardrobe full of clothes and took a long time to pack.

This time while i was packing and sorting my clothes, i realised that i have 2 fleece jackets, 4 wind-breaker, a few clothing that are nice but not so fitting (big) for me. I began to think “do i need so many fleece jackets and wind-breakers and since those clothes did not bring out the best of me why should i keep it, it so nice and by donating out, someone who needs it can wear it.” Without second thoughts, i packed those that i think others can own it to a plastic bag which meant for donation.

Not only giving is a “problem” for me, throwing away old stuff also. This is because i have a “i can’t bear to throw away” mentality. But this time i took out those items, i see the condition and find it even if i keep it, i will not use it and even i give it away, it is too old for others to wear…so i made up my mind, i threw it away.

Praise God for breakthroughs.

Not only that i managed to pack my home wear, outing clothes (for work and for leisure), packed my study table (which clutter with lots of CDs and books and notes…) in no time, thus i can helped to clean the bathroom, toilet, sweep and mopped the floor and after dinner, i ironed my clothes. Finished all these including breaks for dinner by 11pm plus (if i don’t remember wrongly).

Hummm… that’s all….