Image by ToniVC via Flickr

My good friend sent me this to my email. He took it from his friend’s blog post somewhere (I’ll have to ask him the URL later). It really is a good read especially for me who’s still single at  his 30s. Waiting for God for His perfect timing can be a bit daunting and distressful, but I know at the end, it’s always the most beautiful moment we’ve ever experienced with Him.

Check this post out, especially if you are waiting for God’s answer to your prayers.

Trusting God’s Timing

When are you going to bring me a mate?  God, when is my business going to take off?  When are my dreams going to come to pass?

You can relax knowing that God is in control, and at the perfect time He is going to make it happen.  The scripture says, The vision is for appointed time.  Though it tarry wait earnestly for it, for it will come to pass.”   “Appointed Time”.

But whenever it is you can rest assured that it will be in God’s perfect timing.

It’s not going to be one second late.  At exactly the right time, God is going to bring the perfect person into your life, and he or she will not be one second late.

Be patient, It’s not the right time.

Simply remain faithful and keep doing the best you can.

Consider the possibility; you may be ready for what God has for you, but somebody else who is going to be involved is not ready yet.

Just stay in an attitude of faith and learn to trust His timing.

Don’t get in a hurry or try to force things.

To live your best life now, you must learn to trust God’s timing.

Learn to trust His timing.  Don’t go in a hurry; don’t grow impatient; don’t try to force doors to open.  Don’t try to make things happen in your own strength.  Let God do it His way.

The sad truth is, if you push hard enough, and if you’re so stubborn that you must have things your way, God will sometimes allow you to undertake a project without His blessing or at the wrong time.  The problem with that,of course, is when you start something in your own strength andin you’re own timing, you’re going to have to finish it and maintain it in your own strength.  When you let God start something, He’ll finish it for you.  He’ll provide everythng you need.

When we try to force open doors and make things happen in our own strength, the end result is a constant strain on us and a drain on our resources.  Life becomes a constant struggle.  Nearly all joy, peace, and victory dwindle from your existence.  That is not a place of contentment and satisfaction.

Be careful! If God isn’t in what you are doing, you need to make a change.  Here is where many people miss God’s favor.  They know God has spoken to them; He has placed a dream within their hearts.  But they then set about trying to fulfill God’s plan on their own.  We must be aware that if we get out of God’s timing, it’s the same as getting out of God’s will.  We need to be patient and let God bring His plan together at the appointed time.

But when it’s God timing, it doesn’t matter what the surrounding circumstances look like.  It doesn’t matter what people are telling you.  If God says it’s time, then He will bring it to pass.

Understand, when you get out of God’s timing, you are stepping out of His favor. When you step out of His favor, you are operating on your own in the dark.  I’m not saying that when we do something for God we’re not going to have adversity.  But fighting the good fight of faith outside God’s timing can leave you constantly struggling, never having anything go your way, never having any joy.  On the other hand when you’re in God’s timing, you can be in the midst of the biggest challenge of your life, and you’ll still be filled with joy.  God will give you all the grace you need.  If you will learn to trust His timing, He’s promised that at the right time, He will bring your dreams to pass and answer your prayers.  The answer will come, and it will be right on time..

I was teaching about the importance of teamwork on the last preparation class in my church before the new congregration members start serving in our church ministries. I taught the importance of having a goal, trust, communication, initiative, humility, and being submissive. These “simple” traits are often overlooked and can become a disaster in your ministry & others.

No matter how skillful you are, no matter how good you think you are, your ministry is never bigger than your character. God always choose a person with a good heart, a good character. He never choose someone because he/she is capable.

Important traits that you must have in the team

1. Goal
   When you are in a team, you must have a goal. Although a general goal is to serve God with all your heart, a team normally has a specific goal. For example if you are in a Christmas celebration team, then your goal is to make sure that everything is running smoothly and the church can have a great Christmas celebration (how to outreach the newcomers, organizing the events, practice sessions, prayer sessions before the celebration, etc). You’ve got the idea. Each member in the team has to share the same goal, the same vision.
2. Trust
   Trust each other. Everyone has strength and has weaknesses. It’s important to trust others to complement your weakness, and vice versa. Don’t feel that you are the better member who knows much more than the others. Let the others work with you together, don’t be a “Rambo”.
3. Communication
   Miscommunication even occurs in a team. A miscommunication can be devastating both as a team and as an individual. When miscommunication occurs, the effectiveness and productivity of the team suffer. At times, it can also create conflicts because of a simple misunderstanding.
4. Initiative
   As a team member, often we play the “waiting game”. We wait for our leader or coordinator to give us tasks, to be “ordered around”. At times, your leader can be very busy that he/she may forget certain things that he/she overlooks. We wait anxiously and at times we then complain to the other members in the team. We are a team! We need to encourage one another and help each other. Take the initiative and remind your leader or help each other out. Don’t just sit there and wait for something to happen.
5. Humility
   Be humble and don’t judge other people. Don’t look down at others especially if you know more in a certain area than the others. Don’t discredit other people as if you are better or can do better. Remember, we are all sinners and we are nothing without God!
6. Submissive
   Submit to your leader. Your leader is already appointed to be responsible for the whole team. When we disagree with our leader or coordinator, as long as it doesn’t go against the Word of God, submit to him/her (assuming you’ve expressed your concern or opinion on a matter). What you think is right doesn’t mean that it’s always right. Sometimes, your leader sees far ahead than what you see at a given time. Being submissive doesn’t mean that you become a “Yes man”. Being submissive doesn’t mean to say “Yes” and complains to other people afterwards.

Translated from the original sermon notes.

Read 2 Samuel 13 (consequences after David sinned).
Amnon, David’s son, fell in love with his own sister, Tamar (the same father (David) but with a different mom). In the Torah, it’s not allowed to marry with your own sibling, therefore Amnon forced and raped Tamar (verse 14). Amnon changed though, from loving Tamar to hating her. In verse 15: “Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her“. Absalom, his brother, knew about this and swore for a revenge. Two years after, Amnon was murdered by Absalom.

WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM 2Samuel 13

1) Know when we’re really fall in love

In verse 1, the Bible says that Amnon fell in love. But the forgot about things that he need to think about really seriously. He fell so deeply in love but it’s all lust, not pure love.

Test yourself whether you are really fall in love with someone:

• Time: love needs time. If it happens all of a sudden, then it’s lust, not love.
• Knowledge: love means to know a lot of his/her good and bad characters, not just a particular one or from physical appearance.
• Focus: true love focuses on the others, to the other person that we love.
• Distance: true love doesn’t change even when distance breaks us apart.
• Physical attraction: crazily in love (not true love) only focuses on physical appearance.
• Barriers: people who are crazily in love doesn’t care about rules, regulations, or word of God.

2) Don’t focus on physical appearances

Amnon loved Tamar just because she was beautiful (verse 1). The world always views love as physical attraction (appearance) first and spirituality comes last. We, as children of God, focus on spirituality first, appearance last! Focus on someone who loves God, not because he is handsome or because she is beautiful.

3) Amnon can’t differentiate between love and sex

World view: “If you love me, give me your body”. Sex is beautiful but only in marriage. Sex outside of marriages is an adultery and destroying our lives! Learn from Amnon so that we have a full control of ourselves, not being controlled by lust!

The word “hate” that is being used on the original meaning (Amnon to Tamar) is the same as the word being used to explain Absalom’s hatred to Amnon.

True love consists of: Eros (romance), Phileo (friendship, giving time, communication), Agape (pure love, sacrificial, love that is giving)

Learn from Amnon’s mistake!

We had a Christmas celebration yesterday (29/11/2009) at our church, Emmanuel Baptist Church (EBC), where a few of our friends wrote together a nice piece of song titled “Unfailing Love”. The song was written by Kalvin Hanjaya Ananda, Giovanni Julius Sutjiutama, and Jesse Wisesa Oey.

Kalvin also played the guitar while Jesse was the singer. Here is the video, I hope you love it as much as I do.

UNFAILING LOVE

This wonderful piece was played on a scene in the middle of the play. I’ll update this post once I’ve got our Christmas play video up on the web if you want to watch the whole thing.

Note: I searched and used the pictures from Flickr using the Creative Common Search under the non-copyright categories. So please let me know if your picture is somehow not being categorised correctly and you want me to pull it out from the video.

Here are the pictures that I used in the video clip:

Don’t forget to share this video to others if you like it!

Image by Whitby Archives via Flickr

This is a good post from Pastor John Piper (taken from DesiringGod.org). The article was written back in 1998 but just like the Bible, the words stand true through out ages and many generations.

Note: This actually applies to Sunday afternoon and evening as well :)

How to prepare for the Sunday morning service

1. Pray that God would give you a good and honest heart.

The heart we need is a work of God. That’s why we pray for it. Ezekiel 36:26, “I will give you a new heart.” Jeremiah 24:7, “I will give them a heart to know Me.” Let’s pray, “O Lord, give me a heart for you. Give me a good and honest heart. Give me a soft and receptive heart. Give me a humble and meek heart. Give me a fruitful heart.”

2. Meditate on the Word of God.

Psalm 34:8, “O taste and see that the LORD is good.” On Saturday night read some delicious portion of your Bible with a view to stirring up hunger for God. This is the appetizer for Sunday morning’s meal.

3. Purify your mind by turning away from worldly entertainment.

James 12:1, “Putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.” It astonishes me how many Christians watch the same banal, empty, silly, trivial, titillating, suggestive, immodest TV shows that most unbelievers watch. This makes us small and weak and worldly and inauthentic in worship. Instead, turn off the television on Saturday night and read something true and great and beautiful and pure and honorable and excellent and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8). Your heart will unshrivel and be able to feel greatness again.

4. Trust in the truth that you already have.

The hearing of the word of God that fails during trial has no root (Luke 8:13). What is the root we need? It is trust. Jeremiah 17:7-8 says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream.” Trusting in the truth you already have is the best way to prepare yourself to receive more.

5. Rest long enough Saturday night to be alert and hopeful Sunday morning.

1 Corinthians 6:12, “All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything.” I am not laying down any law here. I am saying there are Saturday night ways that ruin Sunday morning worship. Don’t be enslaved by them. Without sufficient sleep, our minds are dull, our emotions are flat, our proneness to depression is higher, and our fuses are short. My counsel decide when you must get up on Sunday in order to have time to eat, get dressed, pray and meditate on the Word, prepare the family, and travel to church; and then compute backward eight hours and be sure that you are in bed 15 minutes before that. Read your Bible in bed and fall asleep with the Word of God in your mind. I especially exhort parents to teach teenagers that Saturday is NOT the night to stay out late with friends. If there is a special late night, make it Friday. It is a terrible thing to teach children that worship is so optional that it doesn’t matter if you are exhausted when you come.

6. Forebear one another Sunday morning without grumbling and criticism.

Psalm 106:25, “They grumbled in their tents; they did not listen to the voice of the LORD.” Sunday morning grumbling and controversy and quarreling can ruin a worship service for a family. When there is something you are angry about or some conflict that you genuinely think needs to be talked about, forebear. Of course if you are clearly the problem and need to apologize, do it as quickly as you can (Matthew 5:23-24). But if you are fuming because of children or spouse delinquency, forebear, that is, be slow to anger and quick to listen (James 1:19). In worship open yourself to God’s exposing the log in your own eye. It may be that all of you will be humbled and chastened so that no conflict is necessary.

7. Be meek and teachable when you come.

James 12:1 “In meekness receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.” Meekness and teachability are not gullibility. You have your Bible and you have your brain. Use them. But if we come with a chip on our shoulder and a suspicion of the preaching week after week, we will not hear the Word of God. Meekness is a humble openness to God’s truth with a longing to be changed by it.

8. Be still as you enter the room and focus your mind’s attention and heart’s affection on God.

Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.” As we enter the sanctuary, let us “come on the lookout for God and leave on the lookout for people.” Come with a quiet passion to seek God and his power. We will not be an unfriendly church if we are aggressive in our pursuit of God during the prelude and aggressive in our pursuit of visitors during the postlude.

9. Think earnestly about what is sung and prayed and preached.

1 Corinthians 14:20, “Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature”. So Paul says to Timothy, “Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything” (2 Timothy 2:7). Anything worth hearing is worth thinking about. If you would take heed how you hear, think about what you hear.

10. Desire the Truth of God’s Word more than you desire riches or food.

1 Peter 2:2 “Like newborn babies, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” As you sit quietly and pray and meditate on the text and the songs, remind yourself of what Psalm 19:10-11 says about the Words of God “More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.

Pastor John