Be a Contributor to Bless, Influence and Transform Lives

Blessed New Year of 2015! In Genesis 12:2-3, we read of how God blessed Abraham to make him a great nation and to bless him and made his name great so that he shall be a blessing. In him, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Indeed, through Abraham, the people of Israel have grown from families to be a nation that has blessed the world: the Jews comprise a mere 1/4 of 1% (13 million) of the world's population (6 billion) and that 99% of the world is non-Jewish. Of the 660 Nobel prizes from 1901-1990, 160 have been won by Jews. Just to name a few..Albert Einstein, Dr Sigmund Freud (father of psychiatry), Marie Curie, Levi Strauss (invented levis/jeans), Steven Spielberg, Dr Abraham Jacobi (father of pediatrics) and so on. As we bless one another in this New Year, let us remember that we are to be channels of blessings to others. Blessed to be a blessing!

In just a few more hours, the year 2014 will move on into the shadows of a past that can come no more. By God's grace to each of us who live out this 2014, God have given us 365 days broken into 8,760 hours. Of these hours, 2,920 will have been spent in sleep, and about the same number at work. How have we spent the hours given to us? Are we eager to give a report to Him if He were to ask us to account for the hours now? God's willing, there will be another 8,760 hours in the year 2015 waiting for us. Let us be ready for this brand new year by praying the prayer of Moses, the man of God: "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12).

In 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Paul said he had fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith. Now there is in store for him the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to him on that day—and not only to him, but also to all who have longed for His appearing. Paul was confident that the crown of righteousness was awaiting him. How about us? Are we certain of our salvation, let alone reward from God? Tomorrow will be the last day of the year. Take stock and evaluate and see in what areas of our lives that we need to do and be better to be as certain as our Apostle Paul. My prayer for you is in Phillippians 1:9-11.

The Israelites were instructed to march once around Jericho for 6 days and 7 times on the 7th day. Finally, they were to shout and the city walls would fall. The weary Israelites were probably dubious about the instructions. However, they obeyed God and shouted out in faith - confident He had already conquered Jericho (Joshua 6). God has given you 'Jerichoes' as well - strongholds you've to conquer. You may be exhausted from such a long march but as the year is coming to a close, obey Him in whatever areas He has instructed us! Then, we must shout out in praise. Express our faith that the march is nearly done and that it is God who WILL give us the victory. Read Psalm 44:3

In the book of Revelation chapter 18 verse 17, the evil doers who enjoyed a good and wealthy life was suddenly brought to ruin in one hour due to God's wrath. This shows that things can change very quickly and that we must always be prepared for the unexpected to happen. We can also take heart that ultimately God in the end will always punish the wicked for their sins. As the year of 2014 is drawing to a close, please take heart and take stock of all that had happened and do an evaluation and planning so that we are always be prepared to meet our beloved dear Lord Jesus face to face as it is one year nearer to His Second Coming!

We all know how Job has suffered. He did not just suffer physically, financially, emotionally as all his children were struck dead but he suffered from mental anguish as he did not know what were the reasons behind all those occurences. But, we note from Job 26:11-14, that he has the right view and perspective of God to keep him going. He knew God. He knew that He is an All Mighty and All Powerful God who adorned the heavens and we are just hearing His whisper and seeing mere edges of His ways only. He knew how great our God is! Start planning our resolution for next year with this right perspective of our Almighty God!

Ever wonder why the wise men would drop everything to follow a star 3000 km? You're not alone - there's a lot of speculation about that star which announced the birth of Jesus. Think what it represents: 1. HOPE. "God loves us ...He gave us a hope...that continues forever" (2 Thessalonians 2:16) 2. JOY. Jesus is the source of transcendant joy that lifts us above all circumstances. 3. GUIDANCE. The star united intellectuals and illiterates, rich and poor, lofty and lonely around Jesus - heavens's answers to earth's dilemma. So, when asks, "What did you get for Christmas? Just smile and say "HOPE that gets brighter each day, JOY that's greater than any threat or circumstances and GUIDANCE for each step of the journey! I wish you a Hopeful, Joyful and Jesus-Guided Christmas and New Year 2015!

"But while he was still a long way off, his father ... was filled with compassion for him ... ran to his son ... threw his arms around him and kissed him." (Luke 15:20). No other religion pictures its deity like this. Our Heavenly Father is a God who runs after His children. In spite of our  rags, the lingering smell of the pigsty and the embarrassment that colors our faces, the return is all that matters and God enthusiastically runs to His child and escorts him into His household. Eventhough there is nothing appealing about us that compels Him to do so, it is just His nature. May we daily give THANKS to our heavenly Father. We can base our lives on this knowledge that we are irrevocably His!

You have within your grasp the greatest message ever known: There is only 1 God who loves you and forgives your sins when you believe in Him, confess your sins and repent. Throughout history, the bravest people have proclaimed God's Word despite persecution, pressure and terrible consequences (Read Hebrews 11). It was worth it because the message is true and it transforms the life of whoever accepts it. You are part of an excellent history of people who trusted God and told others about Him. So, join the boundless throng of people who proclaim God's salvation. Psalm 145:21 "My mouth will declare the Lord's praise; let everything praise His Holy Name forever and ever." Do that this morning!

Be thankful - this should be our attitude toward others. Believers are challenged to look at their loved ones, friends, co-workers, neighbors and acquaintances with a spirit of gratefulness. Know that as you read this meditation this morning, someone is giving thanks for you - for God's work in your life and for what you mean to the people around you. Even for difficult people, you can praise God that He is teaching you something through them. He is growing you through them. Practise what Paul did in 1 Corinthians 1:4 and Ephesians 1:16 and you will be amazed at how God will bless you as you learn to thank Him for the people who have crossed your path!

We attend ceremony of graduations, birthdays and weddings. How God has also instituted several practices such as eating of unleavened bread for 24 days in a particular month in a year to REMEMBER the day the Almighty God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, out of bondage of slavery solely by the strength of the hand of God as we read in Exodus 13. Likewise, we too must celebrate and have an occasion to REMEMBER what God has done for us especially Christmas where He came to be with us for the ultmate purpose to deliver us from the bondage of sins. Let us prepare ourselves to celebrate Christmas and share the true meaning of Christmas to our loved ones this year. You can let go of your frustrations and fears. It is imperative that you do because they impede you from enjoying the life God has given you. Today, cast all your cares - the anxieties, doubts and all of the things that distract, irritate and drive you crazy upon God. Give each one - from the least to the greatest to God so

We often hear that Jesus loves us. However, have we heard that Jesus cursed as well? In Mark 11:21, we learnt that Jesus cursed a fig tree that did not bear fruit. In John 15:16, Jesus Himself told His disciples that He chose us and appointed us to go and bear fruit. He has given us the remedy to bear fruit in the same chapter in verses 5 and 6 that we are to abide in Him to bear fruit, failing which He shall cast out the branch that is withered and gather them to be thrown into the fire. We should then take heed of these very Words of Jesus and take every step to abide in Him and bear fruit for Him as the promise for such obedience is great reward as promised in verse 7. Read John 15:7 If at First You Don’t Succeed… We consider blessed those who have persevered. James 5:11 Whether we ultimately fail or succeed sometimes depends on our own tenacity. We’ve all heard stories about people who beat the odds and achieved where others tried and failed. But we seldom stop to think abou

Jesus will one day come back to earth without any of us knowing as He has already pointed out to us in Revelation 3:3 that He would come like a thief, not knowing the hour nor the day. Therefore, we should be always steadfast in our faith and also to seek for forgiveness for any wrongdoings we may have committed. We must be prepared to meet God face to face at anytime. Not only that, we should do our best to share the Gospel to as many people as possible so that they will also be ready when Jesus comes back. Take this opportunity during Christmas to share this joy of Christmas, the hope for mankind as C.S. Lewis said "The Son of God became a man to enable men to become the sons of God". When Jesus wrote to the church in Thyatira through John in Revelation 2:24-25, He cautioned the church not to learn the so-called deep secrets, which He equated the same as satan's ways. He just exorted them to hold on to what they had until His 2nd return. Likewise, let us hold on to th

What's our response when God says to us 'Not Yet?' Throw tantrum or lose faith? God shall not be moved by our reactions as God knows what He is doing as He wants the best for us.His delays are not His denials. While we wait we are testing our faith and develop in us discipline, trust, compassion and submission. Most spiritual gains come only through testings. If we had our way, how long would you put up with these character builders without asking God to remove them? Often we are not able to see the reason for the delay. God says "Neither are your ways My ways." (Isaiah 55:8). He can orchestrate an even greater result than we ever thought our faith could believe for. So, be patient and CONTINUE to trust Him even when the answer is delayed! We have heard "debates" on whether it is better to spend time with God in the morning or at night. What intrigued me is that God called Moses to be ready in the morning and went up to Mount Sinai and met Him there.

In Exodus 35:10 & 36:5, we read about how God filled the workers with ability to teach, skills to do all manner of work and God put in them the wisdom and understanding to know how to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary. What we can be assured of is that if we do all things and attend to our work and study as a service for God, God will provide the skills and the wisdom to do all His work. How important then that we approach all that our hands find to do or our mind to think with reverence and awe as a service unto our Lord Almighty!

In Ezekiel 43:11, we read of how God asked the Israelites to write down the entire design of the temple and all its ordinances, its forms and laws so that they would perform them. Likewise, how we must write notes during sermon or any seminar that we attend in order that we will remember, keep and put to practice God's Word in our lives. We can also see specifically how God had asked Moses and John to write down all He spoke and hence we have the 10 Commandments and the book of Revelation respectively. Let us make it a habit to write as God speaks to us. Our God is ALL powerful and Almighty. The right hand of the Lord does valiantly and we are to rejoice as salvation is in the tents of the righteous (Psalms 118:15). Surely each and every believer in the Lord has had the experiences with our Almighty God, be it little or big provisions of God's grace. We are to live and declare the works of our Lord. We are to be His mouthpiece to speak of His awesome works! Read Psalm 118:17

Ever wonder how we ever become a believer of Jesus Christ? It is by our own effort or by God's grace? In 1 Peter 1:3 & 5, it is clearly stated that it is according to His abundant mercy that begotten us into the living Hope of Jesus Christ but we are kept by the power of God THROUGH FAITH for salvation to be revealed in the last time. Hence, we have to CONTINUALLY having faith in Jesus Christ as we are being saved day by day by the saving mercy of our beloved Jesus Christ. Never lose hope and never let go of God. Just hang on and hold Him tight and He will never ever let go of our hands but lead us to life everlasting with Him forevermore. Amen. Thought you might enjoy this interesting prayer given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate. It seems prayer still upsets some people. When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard: Heavenly Father, We come b

As I have just gave thanks to God yesterday on how God has provided shelter for me by "stopping" the rain at the appropriate times, it is as if God reminded me that even in bad times, I still need to thank and praise Him. Just right after church, we had to leave for lunch as my in laws were with us. We needed to go through rain to go in and out of the restaurant. Even, after that, we went through heavy rain causing me to be soaked wet to attend a function. How thankful I am that I have the Word of God as I could recall Habukkuk who said in Habakkuk 3:17-19, "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,yet I will rejoice in the Lord , I will be joyful in God my Savior.The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights." Ever wonder how we ever become