Post by Zac Loh on May 10, 2008 11:14:22 GMT -5
You know, you can buy small packets of three-in-one Milo, three-in-one Coffee, three-in-one Nescafe and three-in-one Tea. In this article, I am going to give a three-in-one message: Personal Relationship With God plus Church Ministry plus Winning Souls.
How many of you know what a parable is? In the Bible, we read that Jesus used many parables to teach people different spiritual lessons. A parable is a story of fiction, or tale, that we can easily relate and identify, because it uses the basic simple things of life. Even though the story might not be true, it is good because the ordinary common people, like you and me, will truly understand and appreciate.
Some time ago, while I was in prayer, the Lord gave me a parable to teach me an important lesson.
There was this famous tailor in an ancient time. This tailor was famous throughout the surrounding villages for his beautiful suits. Many people come looking to see this tailor because of his creative, beautiful and fine workmanship.
One day, the king came to know about this tailor. So the king assigned someone to look for this tailor so that the king could be measured for new apparels. So, the tailor went to meet the king and took measurements. So it was, after the apparels were done and delivered, the king was very pleased with them. But more than that, the king was impressed with the character and personality of the tailor. The king was interested to get to know this tailor better.
Again, this tailor was summoned to the palace. This tailor and the king spent time together conversing and discussing. And the king was very happy with this tailor. The king wanted to spend more time with this tailor. So the king gave the tailor an offer: “will you be personal tea maker, so that we can drink tea together often?” “Give me your answer within two weeks.”
So this tailor went back home. But he was very disturbed because he had to give an answer within two weeks. He had to leave everything behind, and relocate. He had to leave the life he knew. But more so, he was inwardly offended: “I am a famous tailor, how can the king ask me to be a tea maker?”
Days passed by. And this tailor had three days left. He was in a great predicament.
The next day, a traveling stranger dropped-in at this tailor’s house, and asked whether he could stay for a night because there wasn’t an inn nearby, and it was getting late. As in those ancient cultures, not only the stranger was welcomed, he was asked to join the family for dinner.
During dinner time, looking at this tailor’s downcast and sullen face, the stranger asked: “what is bordering you, can I be of help?”
And they both went outdoors after dinner. This tailor consulted the stranger of the problem, and told the stranger of the looming dateline. And the stranger asked for a day to think over. The next morning, the stranger left in order to attend to an errand.
In the evening, the stranger came knocking at the door. This tailor met the stranger at the door. And the stranger asked this tailor a strange question: “would you rather be a tailor, or be with the king?”
On the last day, this tailor packed his things; and took his family along …to see the king!
Do you find your identity, your worth, your value, in what you do? Or do you find your identity, your worth, your value, in Jesus? Will you rather be busy doing things, or will you rather be in the presence of the King of Kings? Do you prefer to do the things you like and be far away from God, or do you prefer to be in God’s presence?
Anyone heard of Rick Joyner? Well, Rick Joyner wrote something in his book that should interest us. You know, many believe that our generation is the last-days end-time believers of Christ, who will be taken-up into the sky without having experienced death. God will take us up while we are still alive. This is called The Rapture.
Rick Joyner wrote that we will be like Enoch. The Bible says that Enoch was taken-up by God while he was still alive. Enoch was known as a man who walked with God. And because He pleased God …God took him up!
We, the last-days believers of Christ will be known as a people who walk with God. We will please God so much that He can’t wait to take us up to Him.
Because we please God so much, He will answer all our prayers! Because we please God so much, He will release His miracles, sign and wonders on our behalf!
How many of you believe this?
So …we have to give importance to our Personal Relationship With God. Let our life flow out of our relationship with Him. Let Church Ministry flow-out of our relationship with Him.
Now, I want to talk about Church Ministry.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
(Romans 8:2 & 8:6)
Repeat after me, The Law Of The Spirit Of Life Has Made Me Free From The Law Of Sin And Death.
The word Life is related to Success. And the word Death is related to Failure. When the thing you do got Life in it …it will grow and flourish. But when you have Death in what you do …you will fail.
Any law you find in the secular world; such as a legal law, or a scientific mathematical law …begins with perception, idea and reasoning.
How many of you know the very basic scientific law which we call the law of gravity. If I jump like that, it’s okay. But if I jump down the building, my leg will break. Why? Because the higher you fall, the speed increases, and the force is more. Or if you increase the weight, the force is more.
Isaac Newton created this scientific law. Some people told the story that the apple fell on Isaac Newton’s head. But most likely that Isaac Newton had observed, from a distance, the apple fell and hit the ground. So Isaac Newton had a scientific perception of such a normal occurrence like an apple falling to the ground. His mind gave him a mathematical idea, that the amount of force of the hit on the ground can be calculated if we know the weight of the apple and if we know the height which the apple fell. That was how Isaac Newton founded The Law Of Gravity.
Today, rocket scientist and astronauts have a better scientific understanding of the law of gravity; thanks to the perception, idea and reasoning started by Isaac Newton.
Romans 8 verse 2 says that there is a law which is called the law of the Spirit of life, and that there is another, an opposite law, which is called the law of sin and death.
Now, if there is law that is of the Spirit of life, it means that there is perception that is of the Spirit of life, it means that there is idea that is of the Spirit of life, it means that that there is reasoning that is of the Spirit of life.
How many of you know that Romans chapter 8 was the continuation of Romans chapter 7? In Romans Chapter 7, we read that Paul loved the laws of God. He was noble and sincere. But Paul couldn’t fulfill the law of God no matter how hard he tried, no matter how noble he was, no matter how sincere he was.
Even so, today, many noble and sincere Christians today try to do the things of God by using their own ability, strength and wisdom. They will discover, like Paul, that no matter how noble and sincere they are – if they do not operate in the law of the spirit of life - will fail.
I have attended church discussion meetings which we started off with prayer. There was a flow of the Holy Spirit. But when we paid attention to items and details of our discussion, we suddenly change. We forgot the flow of the Spirit. We ignore the Holy Spirit. It was as though the Holy Spirit was not interested in the details, or it was as though the Holy Spirit is not capable of helping us deal with people, get ideas and find solutions. Instead of letting the flow of the Spirit over our minds, we have become emotional and intellectual.
In these Christian discussion meetings, we finished tired and exhausted. But we read earlier in Romans chapter 8 verse 6 that the spiritually minded is life and peace. If we operate by the Spirit of life, we will have life and peace and success. If we operate by our own natural self, our own strength, our own ability, our own experience …we will have failure. We will have stress instead of life and peace.
Remember that we have read that there is the law of the Spirit of life - and that there is another opposite law which is the law of sin and death. In the Garden of Eden, there were two trees: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Sadly, Adam and Eve chose to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is about our own self which is to determine what is good and evil for our self, deciding by our self – without God.
We have a choice. We have to be conscious of this choice in Church Ministry. Let us aim to allow the Spirit of life to continually flow through our minds in Church Ministry uninterrupted – so that we will have success.
That which is of the Spirit of life will grow and flourish like a fruitful tree and be successful.
If we allow the Spirit of God to flow though our minds continually, if we operate by the Spirit of life flowing through us uninterrupted - whatever we do - will grow and flourish, we will have success – may it be our personal life, or ministry, or church, or career, or job, or home …every area of life.
Say with me, The Law Of The Spirit Of Life Has Made Me Free From The Law Of Sin And Death.
Now, I want to talk about Winning Souls. I want you to remember four words in Winning Souls: vision, sensitive, grace and faith.
Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! (John 4:35)
Do you see the white wheat field, the wheat ripe for harvest? When you look at people, what do you see? When you look at your neighbor, do you see just ‘neighbor’ or a lost soul? When you see the shopkeeper, do you see just `shopkeeper’ or a lost soul? When you see a friend, do you see a lost soul? When you see a relative, do you see a lost soul?
We need the Lord to help make us see. We need a vision of lost souls. After we see, we need to be sensitive to the leading and timing Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will do something when the time is right. And this is the grace of God. The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of grace.
And when the grace of God is working, there will be faith within us to share and to lead that person to Christ. The Bible says that the lost soul will need genuine faith to confess Jesus Christ so that he will be saved. And this faith will be transmitted by the Holy Spirit to that person. Without this faith, there will not be true conversion.
So, we need the eyes of our heart to be opened to the harvest of lost souls. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. We need to be sensitive to the timing Holy Spirit. And the grace will come when the timing is right. And when that happens, genuine faith will be there in us to share the gospel and to lead that person to Christ. And there will also be genuine faith for that person to believe Christ.
How many of you know what a parable is? In the Bible, we read that Jesus used many parables to teach people different spiritual lessons. A parable is a story of fiction, or tale, that we can easily relate and identify, because it uses the basic simple things of life. Even though the story might not be true, it is good because the ordinary common people, like you and me, will truly understand and appreciate.
Some time ago, while I was in prayer, the Lord gave me a parable to teach me an important lesson.
There was this famous tailor in an ancient time. This tailor was famous throughout the surrounding villages for his beautiful suits. Many people come looking to see this tailor because of his creative, beautiful and fine workmanship.
One day, the king came to know about this tailor. So the king assigned someone to look for this tailor so that the king could be measured for new apparels. So, the tailor went to meet the king and took measurements. So it was, after the apparels were done and delivered, the king was very pleased with them. But more than that, the king was impressed with the character and personality of the tailor. The king was interested to get to know this tailor better.
Again, this tailor was summoned to the palace. This tailor and the king spent time together conversing and discussing. And the king was very happy with this tailor. The king wanted to spend more time with this tailor. So the king gave the tailor an offer: “will you be personal tea maker, so that we can drink tea together often?” “Give me your answer within two weeks.”
So this tailor went back home. But he was very disturbed because he had to give an answer within two weeks. He had to leave everything behind, and relocate. He had to leave the life he knew. But more so, he was inwardly offended: “I am a famous tailor, how can the king ask me to be a tea maker?”
Days passed by. And this tailor had three days left. He was in a great predicament.
The next day, a traveling stranger dropped-in at this tailor’s house, and asked whether he could stay for a night because there wasn’t an inn nearby, and it was getting late. As in those ancient cultures, not only the stranger was welcomed, he was asked to join the family for dinner.
During dinner time, looking at this tailor’s downcast and sullen face, the stranger asked: “what is bordering you, can I be of help?”
And they both went outdoors after dinner. This tailor consulted the stranger of the problem, and told the stranger of the looming dateline. And the stranger asked for a day to think over. The next morning, the stranger left in order to attend to an errand.
In the evening, the stranger came knocking at the door. This tailor met the stranger at the door. And the stranger asked this tailor a strange question: “would you rather be a tailor, or be with the king?”
On the last day, this tailor packed his things; and took his family along …to see the king!
Do you find your identity, your worth, your value, in what you do? Or do you find your identity, your worth, your value, in Jesus? Will you rather be busy doing things, or will you rather be in the presence of the King of Kings? Do you prefer to do the things you like and be far away from God, or do you prefer to be in God’s presence?
Anyone heard of Rick Joyner? Well, Rick Joyner wrote something in his book that should interest us. You know, many believe that our generation is the last-days end-time believers of Christ, who will be taken-up into the sky without having experienced death. God will take us up while we are still alive. This is called The Rapture.
Rick Joyner wrote that we will be like Enoch. The Bible says that Enoch was taken-up by God while he was still alive. Enoch was known as a man who walked with God. And because He pleased God …God took him up!
We, the last-days believers of Christ will be known as a people who walk with God. We will please God so much that He can’t wait to take us up to Him.
Because we please God so much, He will answer all our prayers! Because we please God so much, He will release His miracles, sign and wonders on our behalf!
How many of you believe this?
So …we have to give importance to our Personal Relationship With God. Let our life flow out of our relationship with Him. Let Church Ministry flow-out of our relationship with Him.
Now, I want to talk about Church Ministry.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
(Romans 8:2 & 8:6)
Repeat after me, The Law Of The Spirit Of Life Has Made Me Free From The Law Of Sin And Death.
The word Life is related to Success. And the word Death is related to Failure. When the thing you do got Life in it …it will grow and flourish. But when you have Death in what you do …you will fail.
Any law you find in the secular world; such as a legal law, or a scientific mathematical law …begins with perception, idea and reasoning.
How many of you know the very basic scientific law which we call the law of gravity. If I jump like that, it’s okay. But if I jump down the building, my leg will break. Why? Because the higher you fall, the speed increases, and the force is more. Or if you increase the weight, the force is more.
Isaac Newton created this scientific law. Some people told the story that the apple fell on Isaac Newton’s head. But most likely that Isaac Newton had observed, from a distance, the apple fell and hit the ground. So Isaac Newton had a scientific perception of such a normal occurrence like an apple falling to the ground. His mind gave him a mathematical idea, that the amount of force of the hit on the ground can be calculated if we know the weight of the apple and if we know the height which the apple fell. That was how Isaac Newton founded The Law Of Gravity.
Today, rocket scientist and astronauts have a better scientific understanding of the law of gravity; thanks to the perception, idea and reasoning started by Isaac Newton.
Romans 8 verse 2 says that there is a law which is called the law of the Spirit of life, and that there is another, an opposite law, which is called the law of sin and death.
Now, if there is law that is of the Spirit of life, it means that there is perception that is of the Spirit of life, it means that there is idea that is of the Spirit of life, it means that that there is reasoning that is of the Spirit of life.
How many of you know that Romans chapter 8 was the continuation of Romans chapter 7? In Romans Chapter 7, we read that Paul loved the laws of God. He was noble and sincere. But Paul couldn’t fulfill the law of God no matter how hard he tried, no matter how noble he was, no matter how sincere he was.
Even so, today, many noble and sincere Christians today try to do the things of God by using their own ability, strength and wisdom. They will discover, like Paul, that no matter how noble and sincere they are – if they do not operate in the law of the spirit of life - will fail.
I have attended church discussion meetings which we started off with prayer. There was a flow of the Holy Spirit. But when we paid attention to items and details of our discussion, we suddenly change. We forgot the flow of the Spirit. We ignore the Holy Spirit. It was as though the Holy Spirit was not interested in the details, or it was as though the Holy Spirit is not capable of helping us deal with people, get ideas and find solutions. Instead of letting the flow of the Spirit over our minds, we have become emotional and intellectual.
In these Christian discussion meetings, we finished tired and exhausted. But we read earlier in Romans chapter 8 verse 6 that the spiritually minded is life and peace. If we operate by the Spirit of life, we will have life and peace and success. If we operate by our own natural self, our own strength, our own ability, our own experience …we will have failure. We will have stress instead of life and peace.
Remember that we have read that there is the law of the Spirit of life - and that there is another opposite law which is the law of sin and death. In the Garden of Eden, there were two trees: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Sadly, Adam and Eve chose to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is about our own self which is to determine what is good and evil for our self, deciding by our self – without God.
We have a choice. We have to be conscious of this choice in Church Ministry. Let us aim to allow the Spirit of life to continually flow through our minds in Church Ministry uninterrupted – so that we will have success.
That which is of the Spirit of life will grow and flourish like a fruitful tree and be successful.
If we allow the Spirit of God to flow though our minds continually, if we operate by the Spirit of life flowing through us uninterrupted - whatever we do - will grow and flourish, we will have success – may it be our personal life, or ministry, or church, or career, or job, or home …every area of life.
Say with me, The Law Of The Spirit Of Life Has Made Me Free From The Law Of Sin And Death.
Now, I want to talk about Winning Souls. I want you to remember four words in Winning Souls: vision, sensitive, grace and faith.
Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! (John 4:35)
Do you see the white wheat field, the wheat ripe for harvest? When you look at people, what do you see? When you look at your neighbor, do you see just ‘neighbor’ or a lost soul? When you see the shopkeeper, do you see just `shopkeeper’ or a lost soul? When you see a friend, do you see a lost soul? When you see a relative, do you see a lost soul?
We need the Lord to help make us see. We need a vision of lost souls. After we see, we need to be sensitive to the leading and timing Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will do something when the time is right. And this is the grace of God. The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of grace.
And when the grace of God is working, there will be faith within us to share and to lead that person to Christ. The Bible says that the lost soul will need genuine faith to confess Jesus Christ so that he will be saved. And this faith will be transmitted by the Holy Spirit to that person. Without this faith, there will not be true conversion.
So, we need the eyes of our heart to be opened to the harvest of lost souls. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. We need to be sensitive to the timing Holy Spirit. And the grace will come when the timing is right. And when that happens, genuine faith will be there in us to share the gospel and to lead that person to Christ. And there will also be genuine faith for that person to believe Christ.