Showing posts with label DE24 Column. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DE24 Column. Show all posts
Everyday Deserves A Chance
One of the books I have read recently was a book called "Everyday Deserves A Chance" by Max Lucado And I read it during one of my most busy period at work and it sustains me, by readjusting my eyes to the potential of each day. How good/bad the day will be, is in my control. So I will be posting some of this short writings called Day Lifter at the end of each chapter and you can read it every time you feel down! It worked for me. I have a link also to the first chapter of the book, really do highly recommend this book to everyone! http://maxlucado.net/pdf/everyday.chapter1.pdf Kenny Foo Day Lifter "The next time you are mired in a bad day, check your outlook with these three questions: 1. What do I feel guilty about? 2. What am I worried about? 3. What am I about? Reflect on your answers with these reminders: Yesterday . . . forgiven. Tomorrow . . . surrendered. Today . . . clarified. Jesus’ design for a good day makes such sense. His grace erases guilt. His oversight removes fear. His direction removes confusion. 
This is Church
Yesterday I had a very interesting time of meeting up with some of my cell members and Primers. In total I had 3 meetings.3 meals, with 3 different sets of people.
Honestly it was a bit of a struggle for me, because I have alot admin to catch up for the Primers ministry and I was weighing the need of the meetings.
Well to me the first meeting was essential, because it was a meet up with a new member of the cell. Kinda like the old sponsor sponsee meetings I used to have when I was a new believer. The next meeting was with a member who wanted to do more for God, but lacks the necessary skills sets, and therefore I was there to impart some of my experience to his planning.
Lastly the third meeting was with a pair of new Primers, that I have recently known during the trip up to Sri Lanka! These are the future of Primers, and hopefully the future of DETRIBE!
It was interesting as I reflected back, because all 3 groups of people represented the different stages of all of my cell members. First they got to know us thru' our ministry in Primers as officers, and later they will accept the Lord as their personal Lord and saviour, at the later stages they will be serving alongside as officers in Singapore Poly! And to me that is precisely the reason why we do Primers, while we are in ministry, why we have YOUcampaign, OSLT, RIO camp, SGB etc. To me this is CHURCH, everything we do boils down to us being able to meet up with the people we minister to and letting God come thru in their lives!
So if I ever have to struggle between doing up the admin part of primers or ministry and meeting up with a person that I am ministring to, I know what I will choose to do.
Cos I just need to remember THIS IS CHURCH!
PS. this post is kinda a rip off from a chapter I read in Bill Hybels' new book called AXIOM, I may write a book review of it soon!
DE24 Retreat @ Pulai Springs
Hey all
Here is a short teaser of the fun we had during the weekend.
Benita, Jose, Valerie Kenny and I @ City Plaza, JB.
Who we are as DE24?
The Fellowship of the Believers
42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. your summary here
Well, for some of you who are wondering what do we as DE24 do during our G12? This video is but a taste. Hahaha
But more importantly just like what the Acts 2:46 says
"Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,"
This is who we really are, enjoying each others' presence, and mind you , Me kenny foo does not sing nor enjoy Kbox at all and I spent a total of $26 sitting there for 2 hours watching others sing but it was a good time spent! Simply because my family was there.
Kenny Foo
The people you meet the books you read
How we change in the next 5 years, will depend on the books we read and the people we meet .This was the quote that was shared to me at the start of this year. I reflected upon this statement and I fully agree with it. The person I am has been a mixture of many influences like films, TV, music, books and especially people!
And I do read quite alot and coming from a person who stuggled to finish his "lao fu zi" comic when he was 10, this is a big big improvement! The reason that i read, is due to my desire to grow more as a person.
Recently my sis put a book on my table, more specifically 2 days ago. I picked it up and finished it within a day ( I had a day off yesterday! So I read it once thru!)
So maybe for just this year I might, and I put I might do a book review of the books that I loved. So lets start with this book that is so captivating.
The title of the book is "The Last Lecture" based on Dr Randy Pausch's last lecture that he gave to his university students. It is kinda interesting because just a few months back he was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer and given only 6 months to live.
So he prepared a lecture for his students (aka his 3 younger children). It talks about his perspective in life and his outlook. I am very impressed by his energy and his positive outlook of his circumstances. Alot of the things that he shares are exactly what we are trying to achieve here in Primers. So if u have a chance go and read it!
But without further ado, watch this clip on oprah. It more or less summarises the book itself!
For your info, He passed away on 25 July 2008
And for those who are interested to read this book, you can ask from Me, Kenny Foo
Journeying with God Part 6
6. Overcoming Fear
Someone once said, peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God.
Likewise Hope is the not the absence of resistance or worries, but the presence of God, the wisdom of His Truth where we hold close to our hearts.
The KEY partner with An Overcomer, when you play to win, you choose strong players in your team to play with.
Today choose Jesus as your star player, Godly men and women as your teammates.
They will mentor you to be an OVERCOMER!
PsD
Photo slide of DE24 before 2009! :)
Updated photos on DE24 during Countdown Party is on the right column! Check it out yea! :)
Below is HIS-story...
Lionel's tots of MY HOPE
This year's Christmas season feels different... and i am thankful. It was kind of nice to hear over the radio a description of Jesus Christ's birth on Christmas Day.
I am thankful for the 3 hands that were raised for the Christmas Party for my students. Had a good talk with one of them. Need to follow up on the other two.
I am thankful for the team i led up to Thailand. The rapport and relationships built has been amazing considering we had so little time up there. Thankful that they have been pretty real to me and how the Lord has shown me how He is using me to touch these lives. It is a privilege.
I am thankful for the rest. Am on leave till Christmas. Just need to clear the accounts for the sch trip, finish up on 2 assignments (LAST TWO!!!) and i can really enjoy this break. Got two referrals from Dr. Tan... exciting! Praying that things will go well since one of them asked for CBT... not exactly my strength.
I am thankful that the Lord seems to already be setting things up for me next year in the area of work. Have been roped into a cluster team requested by my cluster supervisor to oversea certain areas for the cluster. Hopefully it will be a good learning experience. As much as i am quite resistant to climbing up, if it is what the Lord has planned for me, i shall do my best.
I am thankful for this year of being lost. Had been feeling so far and lost for the most of this year. Quite opposite to the theme of Sabbath, but it as shown me how little i can acheive apart from Him. Even what seemed as natural and easy becomes so difficult. It has been pretty humbling and i am reminded, just like what Paul said, that i can boast only because of what the Lord had done thru me.
I am thankful.
Thank God!!
Lionel's Love story..... last part.
Becoming the Hero, waiting for the Princess (Part 3)
By the grace of God Xiangru and I started to talk again on MSN, on extraordinary circumstances which led to us finding that we were still very much attracted to each other. One thing led to the next and we were officially attached on 8/4/2007.
This date was special to me for a few reasons:
1. It was Resurrection Sunday. I remember at Ps Roland’s house when he announced that we are official and I was made aware of this date, God said:’ I am resurrecting this part of your life because you gave up your life to me for the past 2 years.’ Tears swelled up in my eyes as I heard it and I could feel God’s love fill my heart.
2. It was Ignez’s birthday!! When Ps Eve was still pregnant with Ignez, I had wanted to ask if I could be the God-father. But when I heard that Xiangru was the God-mother, I thought that it would be better that I dun mention it to not complicate things. Now I will be Ignez’s god-father even without me asking!! God is GOOD!! :)
God showed me two things to show me that she was the one:
1. The thing that irritated me about her the most was her pride. She ALWAYS thinks that she is right. Talking to her feels as if you are being talked down to by a teacher. But what God showed me was that she had learnt of her own weaknesses and that she is not in total control. That she knows that God is the one who is control and she is just a guide to her girls.
2. This might sound a bit funny. Because of her strong character, I had always feared that she would have problems submitting to me as a wife. This feeling was made even stronger by the fact that she was YN144 while I was YN1728… like lower in rank! Haha! So when the news of Ps Danny being seeded up into Ps Eugene’s 12, my first thoughts was not about being in the 144. As a matter of fact, I was telling God: “You must be kidding!!” and I was preoccupied with what that meant with regard to us.
After we got together, Xiangru disclosed that what kept her interested and attracted was how I handled myself 2 years ago when faced with my mistakes. I faced them, admitted that I was wrong and was ready to face any consequences. She also saw how I grew in the 2 years and worked at my weaknesses. In seeing all of that she respected me for them. What kept me interested and attracted was how she allowed her pride to die and understood more of God’s grace.
Even now, we are seeing how God is molding us to be perfect for each other. If you know us, you will know that we are two very different people with conflicting personalities. But God is showing us how that difference is being used by Him to complement each of us. An example is how she is so detailed and meticulous in her work while I am so big picture and free spirited. Combined we become a dynamic duo! She has also become gentler, which can be testified by all her friends around her, in the near 19 months that we have been together. :)
Let me end my sharing with this: we have always been taught that in praying for the right partner, one of the things we can do is to list down 5 non-negotiable and 5 negotiable criteria that we want. The common thought or practice is that it will never happen and that we would ‘downgrade’ our requirements so that there is higher chance of use finding the right one. Especially as we grow older, we start to fear that we will never find the right one. I want to testify that at age 31, 3 Oct 2009, I will be marrying my rib, helper, soul mate and best friend who fits ALL of the 10 criteria that I listed down. Want to know what the 10 criteria are?? Maybe next time I will tell you. :)
Now she seem more and more beautiful with each passing day and I can tell from the way she looks at me (and by her telling me) of how she looks up to me for the things I do and believe in. You can say that finally, after 2 years, that I have become her Hero and she has become my Princess.
Lionel's Sharing
Becoming the Hero, waiting for the Princess (Part 2)
I first heard of this name “Xiangru” from a friend Amos during Uni Year 4. And then somehow that name just stuck in my head for the longest time. I remember that after I graduated from Uni, in one of the chilling out times with Shixiong at ECP where we talked at the Coffeebean, we were talking about our ‘Top 10 list of potential girlfriends’. Xiangru was one of them but I just dismissed it coz at that time I could not foresee how I would get to know her and not to mention start anything.
I finally got to formally know Xiangru in 2003 during one of the retreats at Sentosa Scripture Union. I remember I introduced myself to her and then went on to tell her what I know about her. It was just a simple intro during an ice-breaker. We did not like talked much after that till the Family Camp at PL end of 2003. What caught my attention was when she referred to a joke I made during the camp as one of the moments she will remember about the camp. At that time there was still nothing special going on.
Then I screwed up. Thinking that it was ok to explore with a few girls at the same time, I decided to get to know 2 girls better at the same time in 2004. I asked Xiangru out for supper and she agreed! We had roti prata at Jalan Kayu. Later I got to know that firstly, she dun normally eat supper and secondly, that was the first time she was out with a guy on a one on one date! I would also go on single dates with the other girl and often sent her back and walked her up her place. To top it off, I would tell them about each other so as to ensure transparency. Haha! That was what I thought! Honest! During the whole time Ps Danny was telling me about how Xiangru would be a better choice and that the other girl was not ready and had issues. I refused to listen and even told him that I knew her better than he did. I ignored what my brothers told me.
Well, it all exploded in my face when on one hand I did not know how to ‘reject’ the other girl and on the other hand my actions have already put Xiangru off big time. All 3 parties were getting hurt. The pastors had to step in to close the matter. On separate occasions I had to apologies to the girls and end things. I admitted my mistakes and was ready to face whatever things that might come. The other girl even scolded me on her blog with some vicious words. Angry as I was I knew I deserved it.
It was only then that I realized that what Ps Danny was telling me about her was true. This made me surer that I wanted to start something with Xiangru but it was already too late. I really handled things very badly. This resulted in 2 years of having minimal contact with Xiangru. When Ps Laifun asked me once whether it would ever be possible for things between Xiangru and I, I told her that it would require a miracle. The other girl just faded away and even left church. Sometimes I wonder if it was me who caused her to leave. It was something that I had to settle with God.
In the 2 years of no contact, I gave my life anew to God and the cell was born. It started with Kevin, Gavin, Darren…. Then was Brandon, Xianbin, Ryan, Don, Nigel… then Eugene, Bjorn Ng, Bjorn Liu, Gifford, Xunfu… just to name the few familiar ones. God just brought these lives one by one to me without me lifting a finger. And for two years I poured my life into theirs and just concentrated on them. Personally I worked on my weaknesses. I gave up meeting my female friends on single dates coz I knew that was something that Xiangru did not like. I realized that I was someone that would say anything to save my skin and I was good at it, which made it even harder for me to change that part of me. I also had to work hard to clear the emotional baggage I had and re-learn how to be friends with females maintaining a proper and healthy boundary.
It was a humbling 2 years......
Last part coming up! :)
Lionel
Sharing from BGR Talk by Lionel
Becoming the Hero, waiting for the Princess (Part 1)
Being in an all boys school since primary school, the only girls I knew then other than my cousins were 2 of my father’s friend’s daughters who are both much older than me. And strangely I have never been interested in girls even in secondary school. I remember that in the gang of 8 of us that hang out often my other friends would be talking about girls all the time, tea parties, who is chio and always seems to be changing girlfriends like changing clothes.
It was always this cycle: a new girl is introduced to the group, we go out a few times and then it would be drinking session to nurse a broken heart. A funny thing was that a friend of mine had girlfriends named April, May and June one after the other! Haha! We always made fun of him that if a girl could be named July then it would be his girlfriend!
It was then that I decided that I only want to have one girlfriend that would become my wife and I was determined that for that to happen, I must get ready to be in a relationship …. Get ready for what? I was also discovering that as I went along.
I had my first girlfriend when I was in Uni year 2. I thought I would be ready then. She was from the same cell and I guess the love blossomed when we would plan for worship together; she led worship while I played the guitar. Then I would walk her back from Hall 6 my room to Hall 7 where she stayed. Mind you thou it seems that it’s just the next block, Hall 7 is on the other side of campus. Then it was thru other opportunities of dinner and studying together for the exams that I plucked up enough courage to tell her that I like her and asked her to be my girlfriend. Even thou she wasn’t everything that I wanted in a girlfriend I thought that maybe she will change or I will grow to accept that part of her because I loved her. And that’s how my first relationship started.
We lasted for 2 and half years. A year into her working life we realized that what she wanted in a relationship had changed and I realized that I wasn’t as ready to be in a relationship as I thought I would be. It wasn’t a very clean break and things were pretty chaotic for 8 months before it was truly through, and then began the 3 years of picking up the pieces.
Some of the lesson I learnt from that relationship was:
1. Don’t change who you are to fit into the relationship. It will not last and you will feel stifled and even lose yourself. You start to do things that you know you have to do but grudgingly and that will poison the relationship. Find someone that you can be yourself with, good or bad. That would help you two love each other more.
2. Open communication helps to eliminate any misunderstandings that would cause bitterness with each other. Sometimes we think that maybe it would be better that the other party not know about certain things. But having to keep a secret just makes you appear shifty and breeds distrust. Even if being truthful will result in arguments, working thru it will help to grow the relationship deeper. Honesty is the best policy in a relationship.
3. I was not as ready as I thought. I was not sure about what kind of a man I needed to be so that I can be depended upon as a husband. Though I started on the right foot, of wanting just one girlfriend, I still made a mess of things coz I did not learn how to include someone else into my life. I remember very clearly what my supervisor then said: It takes one complete person and one complete person to make a complete relationship. It requires you to be first secure of your position in Christ, healed of past hurts and aware of your own weaknesses and strength, and ready to put someone else’s needs as more important than yourself, then you are QUITE ready to start. Why only quite? Coz if you go ahead without the blessing of God, no matter how humanly ready you are, things will still fail. 100% man, 100% God.
I spent almost a year sorting out my emotions and trying to set my heart right so as not to carry any baggage into my next relationship, which would doom it right away, before I started to socialize again.
Stay tuned for Part 2..........
Lionel
Aftertots from the BGR Talk
The journey that God brought me through, preparing myself for THE relationship
Just in case some of you might just be thinking, “You mean you have only liked one in your life? Do you not even have crushes?” No. Li Ting had crushes before, one in primary, one in secondary school, one in JC, one in university, but they just never got developed into a BGR sort. Why? Simply, I trust that God had protected me (not that these boys are harmful, but there were just not at the right time). For some, when I was tempted to begin a relationship with someone, the two questions I would ask myself were:
1. Is he Christian? A man after God’s heart?
2. Can I live with him? (Is he a husband material?)
If for any one of these questions, the answer is a ‘no’. I would move on. By God’s grace and strength, I moved on, trusting that my Heavenly Father would know me best.
One precious revelation that God showed me was the 1X1=1 rule of relationship. The impression I had from the media for a long while was that the rule of relationship was that of ½ + ½ = 1 until God changed that old mindset. It is said in Genesis 9:7 (NIV), “As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; MULTIPLY (capitalized for effect here) on the earth and increase upon it.” Mathematically God said multiply and not add to the number. Spiritually, in Genesis 2:24 (NIV), it is mentioned, “For this reason, a man (one man) will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife (one wife), and they will become one flesh.” 1 man X 1 wife = 1 flesh. I realized the importance to be whole and complete as a person in a relationship. I do not want to be found saying to my other partner, “you complete my life.” Before, I commit myself to a relationship; I want to first be happy and satisfied being a single. And I knew I can only be whole and complete in God. Only He only can satisfy the desires of my heart, no one else can. This is the verse I held on to while happy waiting: Song of songs 2:7 (NIV), “Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.”
I believed that the one relationship I would have would lead to marriage, the one boyfriend I had would be my husband. And God was true to the promise He placed in my heart. There is no need to have many relationships so that we’ll be more experience in relationship issues and that each relationship after that would just get better. Not true! Every relationship broken is one piece of your heart being taken away. Yes, God will heal. I believe with all my heart that God can heal and make us whole again but please there is no need to have yourselves gone through such heartaches and make God work harder. If a relationship is broken and not have a proper closure, you might just be carrying more baggage into a new relationship, can then could it be better than the previous?
The elders of the church would advise, “Before you look for the right one, be the right one.” Such wisdom found in this statement! How to be the right one? Well, it will have to be more than just the looks. And I thank God for that. For I do not have the physical look that would grant me entry into beauty pageants, that does that mean I would have to be left on the shelf for a long time? Of course not! 1 Peter 3:3-4 mentions, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” Girls, if you are to be found of such worth in God’s sight, trust me, your Heavenly Matchmaker would tell the worthy son of His to come for you. Don’t just bank on physical looks to attract the opposite sex. Come on, we’ll all age, we can’t be 18 all our life. Have a diversified ‘investment’ portfolio to up your ‘market’ value. Invest your time, energy to grow yourself in other areas too like spiritual, ministry, emotional, intellectual, cultural, family and financial. These were the areas shared by Pastor Cesar’s daughter some years back when she spoke at the G12 conference; I shall claim no credits here. She shared too that you can use the same 8 areas to write down what are the three most important traits (to each area) you would like your future spouse to have. This exercise can help you to know what is important to you. And finally if the one would really to appear, you would know why or what you really like about each other rather than saying, “Oh, he’s a nice guy.” “Oh, she’s a nice guy.” Well not all nice people are the right one.
The one that God brought into my life is currently my beloved husband, David. We already had some friendship to begin with. We were in the same ministry for some time and before G12 come into place for Youthnet, he was my cell leader a few months. David took about nine months to know me more before he asked me to be his girlfriend. I would refer to those days as my courtship days, and David had made those days interesting and purposeful. He would testify that I am of a different kind as compared to his previous girlfriends. He told me that he spoke to his leader before about how different I am and was uncertain if the relationship would really worked out. His leader only prompted him to realize that maybe the old idea of what kind of girl he wanted to be with didn’t work and to give this relationship a try. And the verse that God gave him was from Proverbs 31:30, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” I was humbled by the way God brought us together. After he popped the question, I took two months to give him an answer. I knew I liked him when he courted me and the day he popped the question, I could still remember how overjoyed I was to hear it from his mouth for I have waited for months. Till today, I would still tell him how much I appreciate him for chasing me, that he made the moves, that he popped the question. The truth that always anchored in my heart is that he cherishes me. During the two months I made him waited, I made an unusual request. I asked that he would give me two character references that I could meet to hear from them about him. It was an interesting experience to hear from his cell leader and his good friend about him for they have known him well for years and that would give me a good idea if he is consistent to the impression he gave me. On hindsight, I was surprised myself I made such a request. He gave me the freedom to meet up with them in his absence. With such confidence I guess, he would have won half of the ‘battle’, even before I meet up with them on separate occasions.
I still remember I blessed I was in the relationship because there were so much community support and blessings. I knew all these were possible because all the while when he was chasing me, he kept the leaders and the pastors in the know, I was kind of the last to know. But then, why should it matter.
Li Ting
Praywalking!
There was a special teaching by the ROLLED Clusters' pastors on prayer walking which happened happened yesterday at TC 3rd floor. Well they covered many MANY points of what was the purpose of prayer walk, what is the objective of prayer walking, how we can do prayer walking and what are some of the fruits of prayer walking.
So as I sat there listening (mind you I was huffing and puffing, rushing from EXPO to Singapore Poly and then back to Marine parade all within 2 hrs), there was a certain familiar message that came out for me. In my own words, "do you see the world and people as I(Jesus) do?"
This seems to be the message for me at this current junction of my life. On Sunday that was the message that struck me the hardest from Ps Pat Chew's talk and now on this wednesday, same thing! And guess what I am reading Church Shift by Ps Sunday Adelaja..and its the same thing!
Pretty scary, but I guess thats one of the objective of prayer walking? As we pray onsite (the place where we want to see our prayers answered), we will begin to see and know the land/people as we observe who they are and sensitive ourselves to their needs!
I for one am a person that can be very oblivious to the needs of others, in my pursuit for a bigger ministry, a better program or just simple having FUN. So let me give you an example of what I mean.
Watch this video
Its an awareness test, and for me its a reflection of the needs out there in my community and I pray to God and ask him to show me the needs and that I will meet the peoples' need!
Time for me to do some serious prayer walking now so what about you?
Kenny Foo
The Leader’s Pathway – A Vital Walk with God
A leader’s greatest gift: A fully yielded heart
Sometimes we find it difficult to maintain a close, consistent, vital walk with Jesus Christ. We feel ashamed of ourselves when we hear of others practicing solitude, fasting, prayer, journaling, and other spiritual disciplines… things we have not been doing for a while. We feel inadequate and wonder why we can’t establish and sustain vital walk with Christ.
Maybe all this is because we’ve never discovered our spiritual pathway – our unique means of moving toward vital union with Christ. We’re all different, special, unique. We grow in our walk with God in different ways. Just as different people have different personalities and gifts, so they have different spiritual pathways.
Here are some examples:
1. The Relational Pathway
Have you ever noticed how difficult it is for some people to flourish in their walk with Christ when they do it alone?
For these people, it feels like solitary confinement. It feels suffocating. It’s frustrating. Doing Bible study alone produces little growth. Sitting alone at a worship service is intimidating, and serving alone is a fate worse than death. People who connect best with God on the relational pathway feel a sense of spiritual dullness when they try to walk with God alone.
But bring relationships into their life, and see what happens! They begin to thrive spiritually. When they pray with others, they feel the presence of God physically. When they study the Bible with other followers, they learn so much and come away on fire for God. When they work together with others in church, they find great joy. When they praise God with other believers, worship is extremely meaningful.
For these people, the relational pathway is their primary pathway to God. Most people fit into this profile, because we’re all made to be part of a community, to build each other up and support one another through all situations.
2. The Intellectual Pathway
For people who fall under this category, they find that their minds must be fully engaged before they can make significant spiritual progress. They can’t have their devotions without commentaries and study guides. They are drawn to bible classes, seminars and events that will challenge their thinking.
Why? Because they realize that their hearts will never fully engage until their minds are filled with the truth!
For them, once their minds are fully convinced, their hearts follow, and their convictions become rock solid. And when they don’t keep their minds challenged, they will probably dry up spiritually. They feel the need to read theology, philosophy, history…all kinds of books to keep their soul satisfied.
If you have an intellectual orientation, start developing a spiritual formation plan that focuses on the development of your mind. Love God with all your mind and watch what happens in your walk with Him.
3. The Serving Pathway
Some of us can’t seem to grow in our walk with God or feel consistently close to Him unless we’re quietly and constantly doing His kingdom work. These people are the doers.
Of course, they read their Bibles, pray and attend church services like the rest of us. But ask them when they feel most alive in Christ, and they’ll say, ‘when I’m serving, when I’m volunteering in ministry, when I’m helping to accomplish the work of God.’
If you’re someone who feels closest to God when you’re doing something for Him, then work toward the serving pathway. Put together a spiritual formation plan that focuses on serving, and your awareness of God’s presence will increase.
4. The Contemplative Pathway
Some people don’t like to be busy. They are easily drained by relationships and activities, but they can spend almost unlimited time in solitude, basking in God’s presence. Offer them a Bible, a literary work, a poem and a journal, and they can disappear for days.
For them, simply being alone with God is enough. They love spending hours reflecting on the goodness of God, praying and worshipping privately. They are spiritually sensitive, and can discern the activity of God wherever they are.
These people take things seriously. They see beauty in nature, and often serve as the conscience of the faith community, calling the rest of us to ministries of compassion and inclusiveness. Often idealistic, they reflect on the many people suffering in the world, and wonder why so few care. They help us focus on what kingdom life is supposed to be like.
Contemplatives tend to have rich inner worlds; they’re the ones who compose the songs of write the books that stir our hearts and provoke our thoughts about God.
5. The Activist Pathway
Activists are the opposite of contemplatives. They are at their best when they’re speeding ahead, reveling in a highly challenging environment that pushes them to the absolute edge of their potential. It’s at the edge that they feel closest to God.
Many activists have received a calling from God, burst out of their comfort zones, and ran full speed from the day God spoke to them until the day they died. Along the way, they ignited all sorts of kingdom activity.
These people normally feel closest to God when they have given Him every last drop of their emotional, physical, mental and spiritual potential for a worthy kingdom cause.
If you’re an activist, accept it. Lean into your pathway. Accept that this is the way God has made you, and devote your energy to His work.
6. The Creation Pathway
These people grow best and relate to God most closely when they’re surrounded by nature. It’s just something about mountains, deserts, woods, oceans or beaches that show them a glimpse of God’s beautiful creation, and His mighty hand at work in the world.
Being in a natural environment increases their awareness of God, and they often draw direct spiritual meaning from nature. This isn’t surprising, considering that God created human beings and put them in a garden. These people are heading back to their roots.
7. The Worship Pathway
These people feel closest to God when they’re worshipping Him. Whole-heartedly and completely. It doesn’t matter if they’re worshipping in a church service, or in a small group, or singing along to CDs in their car… they feel most fully alive when they worship God.
Now that you have some ideas about spiritual pathways…
Firstly, identify your pathway. (It is possible to have more than one pathway, and this list isn’t exhaustive. Also, resist the temptation to compare your pathway with others’. Everyone is made different, and there is uniqueness in that difference.)
Secondly, lean into your pathway. Experiment with it. Try it on and see how your walk grows.
Third, appreciate all pathways. Experiment once in a while with various pathways, even though certain ones may be a stretch for you. Because they ALL offer an opportunity for growth.
Finally, help others identify their pathways.
DEtribe Blog Team
A good shepard
Carl Roger, the guru of person-centered therapy, says that an effective therapeutic relationship has these 3 essential elements:
1. Empathy - the client must be able to sense that warmth and understanding that comes from the counsellor.
2. Congruency - the counsellor must at least appear to be real about wanting to help. What he says must match with what he does. Clients can tell a fake straightaway!
3. Unconditional Positive Regard - the client must feel that he is accepted for who he is and not judged for the issues that he will be telling the counsellor.
Consider this: Isn't this the same in the relationship between a sheperd and his sheep?
1. Godly Compassion - Your sheep must sense that warmth from you which will draw them (and others) towards you.
In Col 3:12, God tells us that even as we are born again in to the new self, we need to 'put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience'..... and in verse 14 'beyond all these things put on love.' Hear this truth: your sheep DO NOT NEED to listen to you as much as you NEED to listen to your shepard... we all CHOOSE to listen because God first loved us and therefore we obeyed His instructions. It is a matter of choice. You need to win your sheep over with love and compassion before they will follow you. Why does your sheep follow you? Out of obedience or out of seeing God's compassion in you?
2. Outstanding Integrity - Your sheep can tell if you are just 'playing leader'. You need to be real about what you teach them about God!
Many of us live double lives. On sundays we appear to be Godly man after God's heart and on the other days we become what the world wants us to be. Worse, we become what we think the world forces us to be in order to survive. Do not be deceived. Romans 12:2 says: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." We can't serve 2 masters. Be real! God has said that whoever confesses his sins He who is righteous and just will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteous (1 John 1:9).
Another phenomenon is this: that a leader treats this as a part-time job and does not put his whole heart into this. John 10:11-16 compares between a shepard and a hireling. A shepard 'lays down his life' while a hireling flees at the first sign of trouble. There is no way your can be an effective leader to mentor your people if you do not 'lay down your life' for them. You need to be real in this so that they can see that you are serious with them. Otherwise how would they learn to hear your voice and know you?
3. Declining Judgement - Why would your sheep tell you their secrets if they know you will judge them and throw the bible at them?
Luke 6:37 writes: "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned." No one likes to be judged... and especially not from someone you know who is not perfect. We would feel unjustified and even angry at someone who judges us based on their own 'biased' assessments. Ever felt that before? We start to think things like 'He thinks he is so great? He also like that what!' or 'He should sort out his life before he pokes his nose into my affairs!' or 'Whoever made him God!! " This is the same when we judge others and jump to conclusions about others: We have passed judgement.
Do not be mistaken, there is a difference in MAKING judgements and PASSING judgements. It is nearly impossible not to make judgements but it is entirely possible to refuse passing judgement onto others. It also helps you in your relating with that person.This opens the way for people to feel safe about sharing their lives with you, which always starts from the good things to the not so good things to the downright bad things. They need to feel that Godly acceptance. How deep is ur relationship with your sheep and your spiritual family? This might be a good gauge as to how they see you.
I purposely chose the words so that the first letters form the word GOD. This is a reminder: that we are all made in the image of God who is THE perfect shepard.
Lionel Chan
Notes on Salvation part 1
Dear all,
this is a concised notes on what is salvation all about. The whole document is split into 4 parts, we will be posting one part per week so do come back for more!
It is done up by Shixiong and he has kindly agreed to share it with us on this tribe blog. So do give him a pat on his shoulders when you see him on sunday!
DEtribe Blog Team
SALVATION (THE CROSS)
The Cross is the center of the Christian faith. (Main Passage: Titus 3:4-6)
Salvation for Old Testament people à On the basis of what Christ will do in future
Salvation for New Testament people à On the basis on what Christ has already accomplished
Both eras are saved according to the cross. God is timeless, that’s why He can extend His hands of grace towards the Old Testament people even though He can’t stand sin.
Rev 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
THE ORIGINAL STATE OF MAN
Original State of Man from the Book of Genesis:
a. The mind, emotions, will are filled by the characteristics of God (We are made in His likeliness)
b. We are spiritual beings with the filling of God’s own breathe
c. We are given authority and are God’s representatives on earth
The very essence of God is holy and just. And we are made in His image and likeness.
DEFINITION OF SIN
Sin is a failure to meet God’s laws and holy standards. Sin is lawlessness.
1 John 3:4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.
Sin includes both wrong acts as well as wrong attitudes. (E.g. In the Ten Commandments: “Thou shall not covet”)
James 4:17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
Sin does not come from God. Sin is a direct contradiction to God’s nature and His excellence in moral standards.
Deut 32:4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he
It is even impossible for God to desire to do evil.
James 1:13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
With the fall, we went out of control, fallen short of God’s plan and there’s corruption in the world.
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Prov 20:9 Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"?
We became sinners by nature.
Eph 2:3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
This means even infants, even before birth, have a sinful nature.
Ps 51:5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
PROBLEM WITH SIN
1. The universality of Sin
There are no exceptions. There is none righteous and everyone has that same propensity to sin.
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 3:10-18
10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."
13 "Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit "The poison of vipers is on their lips."
14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."
15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know."
18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."
2. The seriousness of Sin
Rom 5:23 For the wages of sin is death…
Rom 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned…
We will all be judged.
Romans 2:6 God "will give to each person according to what he has done."
Col 3:25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
3. The inability of mankind to deal with Sin
a. By good works and charity? All rich men will go heaven?!?
b. Cover evil with good? I pay you $20 after I slap you?!?
c. Make an offering? I pay you $100 after I break your $100 handphone?!?
Romans 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
Galatians 2:16 know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.
RESULT OF SIN
1. We become spiritually dead and in bondage to Sin
Eph 2:1-3 "1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest."
2. We become alienated from God – Sin in us is so repulsive to God, that even as God loves us, He cannot stand us
Colossians 1:21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.
3. We become subjected to God’s wrath because of His righteous anger – God’s wrath needs to be satisfied
Romans 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness…
Eph 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
In the same capacity that God uses to create, He can use it to destroy.
“Do not measure God’s anger with our own understanding of anger.”
4. We become guilty under the law – None of us are righteous enough for God
Isa 64:6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
Ps 53:1-3 "1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good. 2 God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. 3 Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one."
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
5. We become slaves to Sin – Sin reign over us
Rom 7:21-24 "21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?"
ATONEMENT IS NEEDED
Atonement means “someone taking the place of punishment for another person”.
This is because:
a. Man’s inability to deal with sin
b. The righteous demand on sin that has to be carried out
Romans 5: 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
With Christ’s death, the price of sin is paid. Hence, God took the wrath upon Himself.
Isaiah 53:10
Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE CROSS
1. Substitution for Sin
Sin in front of a Holy God demands payment. Christ died on our behalf.
Rom 5:23 For the wages of sin is death…
Matt 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
2 Corin 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2. Redemption from Sin
– We are no longer spiritually dead and in bondage (to Sin)
Rom 6:11-13 "11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but (present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
Gal 4:5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
– We are no longer slaves to Sin
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace."
– We are redeemed from the curse of law
Gal 3:13-14 "13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"-- 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
– We are bought at a price (like slaves from a market place)
1 Corin 6:20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
2 Peter 2:1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
– We are totally set free
Romans 8:1-2 "1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
John 8:31-32 "31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
– We are forgiven
Colossians 2:13-14 "13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.
– We are provided for
Rom 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
3. Propitiation for Sin
Propitiation means to appease. Death of Christ propitiated God and averted His wrath; All of God’s wrath that was originally directed at us was diverted to Jesus
2 Corin 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
1 John2:2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
4.Reconciliation with God
The barrier between God and man was torn down.
2 Corinthians 5:19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
Romans 5:10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
5. Justification in Faith
God is just and He demonstrated His justice.
We are declared righteous before God. God passes the “Not Guilty” verdict.
God pronounces us just, not because of what we had done, but what He has done.
Gal 2:16 know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.
Titus 3:4-7 "4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life
Romans 3:25-26 "25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus."
6. Broken the power of Sin in our lives
By Christ’s death at the Cross, power of sin is broken.
Romans 6:1-10 "1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
7. Cleanse (Purified) us from Sin
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
8. Basis of judgement of satan and his demons
Colossians 2:13-15 “13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."
John 12:31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
Love
Dear Family,
My last message on the fruit of the Spirit was summed up with three main points. That it is necessary and essential for us believers, to grow in the fruit of Spirit because
1) We are known by our fruits,
2) It is evidence that we are really born again and lastly
3) The fruit of the Spirit is permanent.
And God wants us to be fruitful, and to produce a "bumper" harvest! (references given: John 15:5 and Matthew 13:23)
Today I want to share more, on the same verse again.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,I will continue my sharing of Galatians 5:22-23, from a perspective on the first aspect of the fruit of the Spirit, which is love.
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
(Galatians 5:22-23)
What is Love?
I am devoting alot more time on love, than the rest of the aspects, simply because love is so important.
The hebrew translation for the word love here, is "agape", which means unconditional, sacrificial love, which reflects the love God has for us, that subjected Him to the cross. It is the highest and most noble form of love, a genuine desire for the well-being of others without strings attached, and putting others before self. Agape love is a love that gives and no taking is involved. God Himself is agape manifested, by the lying down of His life for us, in John 15:12-13.
This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
(John 15:12-13)
The image of God is love. God Himself, is love. The very essence of God, is love. We can see that, very explictly, in 1 John 4:7-8 and 1 John 4:16.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who
loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know
God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)
And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God isIt is love when God the Father, draw out the plans for our redemption. It is love when God was compelled to come down to us, in the 1st place. It is love in action, made Jesus endured the sufferings, pains and rejections associated from the cross. It is love, that Jesus rose on the 3rd day, so that He can be the way, the truth, and the life, pointing the way to the Father's hug.
love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. (1
John 4:16)
To best sum up this love that God demonstrates for us, we look to the cross, where Jesus died.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners,Hence, our only appropriate response to His love, is to love Him back in kind, and love His people in kind. If you have received the love of God, you can't help it but answer back God with our love, and love anothers in response.
Christ died for us. (Romans 5:18)
We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
On a more serious note, the same verse in 1 John 4:7-8 says "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" that if you do not have love for one another, then God says "I don't know you."
You might then ask, having agape level of love...is not humanly possible. Well, you are exactly right! Having agape love is humanly impossible....BUT is absolutely Holy Spirit possible. Consider Romans 5:5, which says His love was poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, God pours our His love for us. And it is the same Holy Spirit that was given unto us as well! Meaning, we are "empowered" in the same might of the Holy Spirit, to love others with agape love.
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into ourAnd not only that having agape love, is possible, it is a commandment from God to love others, just as He loved us!
hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Romans 5:5)
This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
(John 15:12)
If all the commandments in the Bible can be summarized into a single word, that would be the word "love". Apostle Paul sums up "love" is everything, both in Galatians 5:14, as well as in 1 Corinthians 13:13.
The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as
yourself." (Galatians 5:14)
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is
love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)
Having love is the single, most important aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. It is by no concidence that "love" is placed 1st in Galatians 5:22-23. In fact, "love" is a pre-requesite and a foundation for the remaining 8 aspects of the fruit of the Spirit. Meaning, all the other remaining aspects are spring forth, from love.
I read a statement somewhere that says, "Joy is love exulting. Peace is love resting. Patience is love enduring. Kindness is love with bowed head. Goodness is love in action. Faithfulness is love confiding. Gentleness is love in refinement. Self-Control is love obeying."
Love is supreme. Love also, should be the driving force, behind everything that we do or say. And the bible has a point blank description for those who speak without love, and likens them to be nothing more than a noisy nuisance (a gong or a cymbal).
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only aPerhaps the best definitions of love, and a very practical form of it, is found in 1 Corinthians 13, also written by Apostle Paul. As you can expect, the word love in 1 Corinthians 13 means agape love in the hebrew translations.
resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Corinthians 13:1)
Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not
arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked,
does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in
unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all
things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are
gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will
cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. (1 Corin13)
Lastly, showing love, involves mainly through actions and deeds, not by pure words alone.
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in
truth. (1 John 3:18)
But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes
his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? (1 John3:17)
I cannot over emphasis for all of us, to ask God to help us receive love, for the people that will be placed under our care. And to demonstrate that love, through deeds and actions.
Loving other is tough and hard work but when you think and believe that all else fails, just remember...
...Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13)
Serving in love together,
Caleb Wong
Fruit of the Spirit
Dear Family,
I would like to share a bible passage that spoke to me recently. It's actually a very popular set of memory verses, which I believe all of you would have read them before.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
The Greek word for fruit is the word "karpos", meaning, the fruit is in a singular form, ie. not "fruits". This one fruit, is made up of 9 godly aspects. If any one of these aspects is missing, then we do not have the fruit of the Spirit. But it also means if we have the fruit of the Spirit, then all 9 aspects will also be present in our lives.
A farther understanding of the verses would lead to a highlighting of the presence of unity, in the fruit of the Spirit. Nine different godly aspects, but working together to make up a singular fruit. Contrast this difference by comparing the "Deeds of the Flesh" with the "Fruit of the Spirit", and you will see that anything by the flesh is plural, which means disunity and strife. Of course, it is expected that some of the 9 aspects of the fruit of the Spirit, in a person's life, might be more developed than the others, but what I want to stress here is that, all 9 aspects are present in each and every true believer, regardless the stage of that person's christian walk.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is...." - Notice that the word "is", which is in present tense, indicating the process of growing this fruit of the Spirit is a continuous process. The fruit needs to be cultivated continously, and through time and effort. Effort being the continous and conscious effort of one, to be fed the word of God daily, to learn to pray and walk in the Spirit, to come together in a christian community...etc
We cannot pass on a heart to grow in the fruit of the Spirit, if we do not understand what it means to grow in the fruit of the Spirit in the first place. This leads to my next question...why is there a need for us, to grow in the fruit of the Spirit? Personally, I learned three reasons as to why there is a need for us, who are believers, to grow in the fruit of the Spirit, and I will share them below.
Reason #1: We are known by our fruit. For the first part of the answer, we look to the very words of Jesus, towards the end of the Sermon of the Mount.
You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits. (Matthew 7:16-20)
We, as born again, bible believing, God loving christians, will be known, by our fruit! We are recognised by our good fruit and bad fruits. A fruit produced, is meant to be eaten. If we have the fruit of the Spirit, it attracts people who do not have it, to yearn for it. This also relates to being the light of the world and salt of the earth, in Matthew 5:13-14.
Reason #2: It is evidence that we are really born again. The second part of the answer, for the need to grow in the fruit of the Spirit, is found in John 15:8.
By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. (John 15:8)
Recall Pastor Melyvn Mak's sermon on "Eternal Life", dated 25th Nov 2007. Having the fruit of the Spirit is an evidence to show that we are truly born again, and that the Holy Spirit is indeed living in you, and proof that we are disciples of Jesus. The outworkings of the Holy Spirit MUST BE a transformed life, depicted by a growth in all 9 aspects, made up of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Growing in the fruit of the Spirit, brings God glory, through the demonstrating of the character of Jesus to others, the very nature of God being manifested in our lives.
.....Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:23 partb)
Moveover, the law of Moses found nothing contradicting with regards to the fruit of the Spirit. The flesh may imitate and counterfeit some of the godly characteristics found in the fruit of the Spirit, but it will never be able to produce them. As I have shared earlier, if you are truly born again, you will have all nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit.
Reason #3: Fruit of the Spirit is permanent. Through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, we grow in the fruit of the Spirit. And having this fruit of the Spirit distinguishes us from another person, who might say the sinners' prayer, accepts and receives Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior, gets excited for the first few weeks...and then subsequently falls away.Jesus had a good parable to explain this.
The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. (Matthew 13:20-21)
The person here, receives joy, but it does not last. The joy lasts only a short time and is temporary. He might also have love for others, peace on his heart, patience to bear things, but they are temporary as well. Once trouble and persecution comes and hit him, he falls away. Life itself is demanding, and has its full share of ups and downs. A born again believer will be tested and will need to show his or her character in Christ over time, which means not falling away when the rubber tire hits the road. The fruit of the Spirit will last year after year. You do want your love, your joy and your peace to be permanent, right?
To sum it up, the amount of the fruit we will bear is directly dependent on how much we are willing to abide in Jesus. And it is God's desire for His children to produce and bear a "bumper crop" in terms of the fruit.
I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. (Matthew 13:23)
God wants us to be fruitful! Lets grow together and enjoy the bumper harvest!
Serving in love together,
Caleb Wong
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