Do you see the crowds?

4th October, 2009
Written By Rev. Law Hui Seng

Posted By Teresa Han

Matthew 9:35-37
Main Idea: Be compassionate like Jesus who can see the needs of the crowds.
Objectives: a. To preach the reason for evangelism is that the needs of our society (crowds) for Jesus. b. To help the congregation to see the needs of our society (crowds) for Jesus.

A. Introduction
- Do you see that people out there need God? They need Jesus. When you see people who are sick; depressed; having extra-marital affairs; threatened by divorce; beggars; rich but proud; full of hatred, ineffectiveness, and bitterness; lazy and not working; worshipping idols; corrupted; the uneducated Penans; lots of indigenous people in Sarawak who are perishing and lost; lots of Chinese out there who do not know where they are heading in life, etc, do you see that they need Jesus to come into their lives and save them?
- For God so loved the world that He gave us His begotten son, Jesus. This son Jesus see the needs of the crowds for God. He sees that the crowds need salvation.
- Do you see as Jesus sees?

B. What does Jesus see?
- I am very encouraged, inspired and challenged by what Jesus had done when He was on earth. Verse 35 says, “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.”
- Are we disciples of Jesus? If we are, then, we must be like Jesus. Paul exhorted the Philippians in 2:5, where it says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” In verse 7, Paul went on to say in verse 7, that Jesus made him self nothing, taking the very nature of a servant...
- We should like Jesus in every way. If we cannot be like Him 100%, we should have 10%, 5%, or even 1%. If you are not like Him at all, you must at least begin somewhere. Do what Jesus does.
- I am very inspired by the bible says today, that Jesus went through all the towns and villages. What were the purposes? It says, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.
- No wander Jesus sees so much. He went to every town and village. Some more, He was in touch with people by preaching and healing. No wonder He sees a lot of things in people.
- What is the big deal about seeing the crowd? What is the big deal about seeing a lot of things in people.
- Brothers and sisters, the answer to these questions is the main point/ the emphasis I desire to put across to you today.
- The answer is found in verse 36, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
- Why we need to do evangelism? Why we need to bring the good news of salvation in Christ to the crowds/ the society? In the name of Jesus Christ, I preach to you that because people out there are harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus’ heart feels for these people. Jesus had compassion for these people who are harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
- Evangelism and mission are motivated by the simple fact that Jesus has compassion for the lost people.
- As you learn to be like Jesus, as your attitude should be like Jesus, are you like Jesus, you have compassion for the lost people?
- As Jesus says, “The lost are like sheep without a shepherd.”, in the name of Jesus Christ, I preach to you that the first of mission is for disciples of Jesus to go out and compassionately help people out by presenting them with their Shepherd, that is Jesus.
- When Jesus looks out over the world it is the helplessness of people, their depression and suppression, that affects him most deeply.
- They appear to him like sheep who have lost their shepherd.

C. Why we cannot see the crowds like Jesus?
- By what are the people harassed and helpless (oppressed)? By the deceitfulness of worldly life. This is one very important reason why we cannot see the crowds like Jesus?
- What is this worldly life? Materialism, secularism, greed, hatred, pornography, injustice, etc. All that causes us to obey God is worldly life.
- You see how we are deceived? Earn our millions and push the question of salvation to when I get old; some say I have no time for God; I have no need for God; God is not my priority, etc. Unbelievers are deceived in so many ways.
- Ironically, sometimes, we christians, disciples of Jesus are also deceived by the worldly life. We spend so much time pursuing our careers that we become not sensitive to the needs of the lost around us. We lost our focus on Jesus and not preach Him. As a result, we do not develop compassion for the lost.

D. How do you help yourself to see the crowds?
- In my case, my compassion for the lost grows stronger and stronger every year as I am in touch with the harassed and helpless people here locally, in my office, at coffee shop or among the Belaga Penans. I believe my compassion for the lost (both christians and non-christians) will only develop and become stronger if I take the steps to help them in any way I can. I pray that you follow my example.
- I pray that God will send to your life, your house, your small group, and your office the lost, the people who need Jesus, the good shepherd.
- How do you help yourself to see the crowds? You must get personal with people; you must enter the crowds; you must get to know the problems of people; you must humble yourself, and not be proud and relate to people; you must dirty your hand and sit down with people and use John 3:16 to preach to people.
- You must be deliberate in praying for the lost. You must mention their names in your prayers. If you do not even pray for them, how can you give God a chance to speak to you to preach to someone? If you do not even pray for someone who is lost, how can God empower you to preach the gospel?
- If you do not pray for people, you will not feel with them like Jesus feels with them and of course you do see their needs for Jesus.
- For Jesus He is very much with them, pray for them, and He sees their needs, He feels for them and so He has compassion for them. Can we do the same?

E. Conclusion.
- Jesus today ask you: “Can you draw all resources like all the teachings on evangelism, the tools of evangelism, the courage from the holy spirit to overcome fear, the word of God and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and humble yourself to discern the needs of others to do evangelism?”

Are you the ‘Moses’ or the ‘Prophets’?

27th September, 2009

Written By Rev Law Hui Seng

Posted By Teresa Han

Luke 16:19-31
Main Idea: Be the Moses or the Prophets.
Objectives: a. To explain one reason why we must do evangelism. b. To challenge the congregation to do evangelism.

A. Introduction
- Every human being on earth must answer the great question: Where do I go after I die? It is a question nobody can avoid. If you do not believe there is hell and heaven, you still have to answer.
- Unless you believe there is no life after death. There is no such thing as soul and spirit. But science has proved that we have souls.
- So, where does a soul go after a person dies? This is the question on eternity?
- The whole bible gives the answer that God has created us and we must find our way back to God through Jesus.
- Eternity is at stake? Where do we spend our eternity is at stake. Either we spend our eternity with Christ or we do not.
- This calls for evangelism.

B. Eternity is at stake – the why of evangelism.
- We need to do evangelism because where the souls of our loved ones, relatives and all those around and beyond us are stake. Because if their and our souls are not with Christ in eternity in heaven, then, their souls are in hell, where there is eternal suffering in hell (neraka in Bahasa Malaysia). The authority is coming from the bible.
- The parable of Jesus today uses the term ‘hell’ in verse 23, the term does not carry the same meaning of hell as neraka in BM, or the usual meaning of hell. In its orignal Greek word, it is ‘hades,’ according to Jesus, it is a place of torment, suffering. For those who come here, their destiny have been decided and they cannot change it. They are not free to move out of it. If it can be done, Jesus would have asked the rich man to go back to earth and told his 5 brothers.
- Hell in the sense of the book of Revelation, it is a place of ultimate destiny, where one go there after the judgment by Jesus. This is eternal punishment in hell.
- Let us see how this place called hades looks like. In this place, the rich man can see Abraham and Lazarus, the poor man far away. In verse 24, we see this rich man felt very hot because he was in agony in the fire. He did not die there, he felt very thirsty.
- How come the rich man ends up there? What did he do on earth that deserved all these? He was spending his live on earth in luxury as verse 19 says. He did not share with the poor. He just allowed the poor Lazarus to eat what fell from his table. There was no initiative on his part to help him. There is no mention of their religious states. But after both died, verse 22 says, the angels came to carry the poor Lazarus to Abraham’s side. The same thing does not happen to the rich man. Obviously, Lazarus was faithful to God and not the rich man. He had all the time on earth to pursue God, but he did not. He chose a luxurious life and not used his possession to pursue God. And so, this is his destiny, Jesus says.
- You see a lot of people out there are like the rich man, they do not realize they are heading in the direction of hades. By the time they realize, they are already in hades.
- That is why we have to do evangelism. We need to preach the gospel of salvation. That is why we have to tell people why Jesus died.

C. Jesus depends on the ‘Moses’ and the ‘Prophets’ to preach the gospel to the lost.
- In the case of the rich man, when he realized, he requested Abraham to send Lazarus to his 5 brothers on earth to tell them the consequences of unrepentance. To warn them of the existence of hades, a place of suffering.
- This is when Jesus emphasized that there is no need of it because there are Moses and the prophets whom they can listen to. Moses refers to the writings of Moses and the prophets refer to the scripture, so the whole thing points to the whole Scripture.
- The rich man even argued that if someone who died and visited them, his brothers will repent. Jesus argued that if people did not listen the Scripture on earth, they would not listen to somebody who rose from the dead like Lazarus.
- You see how Jesus depend on the writings of Moses and the Scripture to spread the gospel of salvation. Are you the agents of Moses and the prophets? Are you the carriers of Moses and the prophets.

D. Jesus depends on you to preach the gospel.
- Brothers and sisters, Jesus is such a powerful God to us. He is living and touching our lives everyday. He loves you and desires your obedient all the time. He depends on you and not those who do not know Him to preach the gospel.
- I strongly believe that He is calling every Christian, every child of God and every disciple of Him to preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations everyday.
- Now, some may have heard of the calling and not respond; some never heard the calling because we are too worldly and too sinful; some heard it and obey.
- Which category you belong? We are now into the second week of evangelism movement. By all means, apply what you learn and reach out to people and help them to know Jesus.
- Why you do it? Because where one is spending his or her soul is at stake.

E. Conclusion
- If the eternity of souls is stake, then, do you see the urgency of doing evangelism while you are on earth? Jesus has done the most difficult thing on earth, that is to die a tormenting death on the cross for your sins and my sins. Will you now respond and obey Him and present the most precious gift of eternal life with Jesus to those who are around you?
- What is so difficult about telling others what Jesus has done for you?

The Precious Space

12th Sept, 2009
Written By Rev Law Hui Seng

Posted By Teresa Han

Ephesians 5:22-33
Objective: To result in every married person to give space to his or her spouse.

A. Introduction
- We do not like narrow space, it limits our movement! Commercial sector has to spend much money to buy space or rent the space to do business.
- We enjoy more freedom in a bigger space. We can do more in a bigger space.
- What about the psychological space, the space in your heart? You do not like somebody especially your husband or wife, or your boy friend or girl friend constantly nagging you; correcting you for making small mistakes; forgetful or a certain habit which he or she does not like; for repeating to you things you already know, etc. You find that you have been pushed to a corner, psychologically, you have no space to breathe. You are frustrated.
- In order for married couples to give space to one another in marriage, you need to hold the word of God dear to your heart: verse 22. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. Verse 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her...

B. Submission and Love.
- God has enlightened me in these 2 verses.
- For a wife to submit to her husband in all things just as the church submits to a wife is giving her husband all the space needed to express his headship authority over her; out of reverence for Christ (verse 21).
- Without this space, the husband cannot exercise that headship at all.
- Take for instance, when a husband wants all family members to come together for a prayer before going to sleep, the wife simply refuse to cooperate for no reason; she does not submit to her husband, she does not give space to the husband to exercise his headship authority.
- If she does, then, the husband can exercise his headship authority successfully and it can enhance a good spiritual habit.
- However, this submission is not a passport for her husband to RULE her; control her; to make her as a servant.
- Paul is writing this marriage instruction in the context where Jews use to treat their wives as things (barang-barang) and divorce was a easy matter.
- That is why following that instruction for the wife, he does not hesitate to instruct the husbands to love their wives just as Christ love the Church.
- For a husband to love his wife, it means to give her all the space she needs.
- This space must be given to your husband only by those of you who are wives. This space must be given to your wives only by those of you who are husbands. Do not allow other man or woman to do it.

C. Giving the partner the precious space.
- Remember tow of you are bound in marriage; agreed in a covenant to live together for life before God in Church.
- That entails you are in contact with one another everyday, deal with one another for the next 40 to 50 years; unless you die earlier.
- It is this contact/ dealing, you need to give each other plenty of space.
- Why? Because of a lot of differences in terms of background, education, habits, value system, different ideas and convictions which are far apart.
- Take for instance, my habit of drinking soup with noise. My wife used to complain about it because she said it was impolite.
- Differences which are not properly handled can give rise to conflicts which may lead to quarrels.
- So now you see why we husbands and wives need space, the precious space? This is exactly because, we human beings, every husband or every wife is not perfect, we tend to make mistakes. We tend to forget, we may be poor in communication, overlooking things, etc.
- We need to give space, the psychological space to one another to make mistakes to allow the persons to be different, etc.

D. Forms of space.
- Differences, mistakes, and even sin, we need to give space, the precious space. When there are mistakes, we need to say from our heart and mouth, it is okay, it is alright, I do not mind.
- How to give the precious space to your spouse?
- (1). Firstly, when your spouse makes mistakes, committed a sin against you, you need to be forgiving. It can be done through hurtful words, irresponsibility, negligence, etc. Robert Muller, former assistant secretary general of the United Nations, wrote this poem for International Forgiveness week:
- Decide To Forgive
- Decide to forgive.
- For resentment is negative.
- Resentment diminishes and devours the self.
- Be the first to forgive.
- To smile and to take the first step.
- And you will see happiness bloom.
- On the face of your human brother or sister.
- Be always the first.
- Do not wait for others to forgive.
- For by forgiving.
- You become the master of fate.
- The fashioner of life.
- The doers of miracles.
- To forgive your husband or your wife whatever mistakes, sins committed, is to say, “it does not matter.” By doing so, you give the precious space.
- When your partner felt forgiven, he or she received the space; space to even repent; you may as well become the agent of God’s grace/ God’s forgiveness for him or her.
- When you forgive, you give space to the other persons to breathe. If you keep reminding him or her the sin, then, you give him or her no space to breathe. Instead, he or she will have lots of guilt, frustration, burden, anger, etc to carry.
- (ii). Secondly, to give space to your partner you need to be understanding. Take for instance, as a wife, you need to understand that your husband faces lot of pressure at work, so you do not give him more pressure by asking to do more or complain about children.
- Let me share my own experience. I expect my wife to be understanding. I need to go out at night to do my ministry and some time I may come home late. I hope she will be understanding and not complain and support me.
- At the same time I know that she may worry if I come home late. So to be understanding towards her, I learn to tell her in advance my every day schedule and always let her know when I come back. If I am late, I will call back.
- Understanding given by wife is a space for me to move about. It is precious for me, a blessing for me, without this space, I do not have the peace of mind to do my ministry.
- (iii). Thirdly, to give space to your partner you need to trust your partner. You need to trust him/her that he/she is matured enough not to go after other man/ woman.
- You need to trust your wife to nurture your children; you need to trust your wife to be a good steward of your money.
- I trust my wife to spend my money wisely. She does not need to tell me how much money she spends a month. I trust her very much. My understanding with her is at the end of the day, we will either be rich or poor together.
- My wife has all the space she needs in order to do her shopping, marketing, etc.
- (iv). Fourthly, to give space to your partner you need to be patient with your partner. It means giving more time.
- When I had my first child, Grace, on Sunday morning, I got dressed up and sat in the car waiting for my wife to go for service earlier. For the first few weeks, I had problem waiting for her. I normally horned to hurry her. Of course she was not happy and got angry with me. However, I observed that I needed to learn and waited. I became more patient.
- When you are patient with your partner, you give space to him or her.
- (v). Fifthly, to give space to your partner you need to accept him/her as who he or she is.
- Accept the person as your wife, as your husband. You do not accept the bad behaviour or the sin. Take for instance, in an examination, you write an essay, you make a mistake, you do not erase the whole essay or throw away the whole essay. Similarly, when your husband or your wife makes a mistake, you do not condemn him or her. You accept him or her as who he is or she is.
- Do not try to change him or her by your own might or power.
- Accept him or her, let the Holy Spirit change him or her.
- My wife has accepted me very well. Take for instance, she accepted my old-fashion.
- How much space you give your life-partner, it will decide whether you will graduate from the school of marriage or not.

E. Conclusion.
- Marriage is not designed to place restrictions on you; marriage is for the purpose of completing you, thus enabling each member of the “team” to be more than you could be as individuals. Marriage is designed to enable you to grow to your maximum because of support, love and encouragement of your mate.

Jesus Centred Faith and Actions

Written By Rev Law Hui Seng
6th Sept, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han

Acts 4:1-22
Main Idea: Faith must be centred in Jesus
Objectives: a. To drive home the point that our Christian faith is Christ-centred; b. To preach for the need Christ-centred faith to produce Jesus-centred actions.

A. Introduction- The degree of faith that one places in a given object is directly proportional to one’s knowledge of the object. For example, consider a man terrified of flying. When he first arrives at an airport he buys insurance at those coin-operated insurance-policy machines. He has his seat belt buckled 20 minutes before the take off and is sure to listen carefully to the routine “emergency instructions.” He has no faith in the ability of the plane to get him to his destination. But, as they journey progresses, this passenger begins to change. He first unbuckles his seat belt, then has some lunch, pretty soon is talking to the person next to him and joking. Why the change? What happened? Is there more faith at 36,000 feet? Of course not. The more he learned about the object of faith, the plane, the more faith the exercised in that object. So, it is with disciples of Jesus. The more we learn of our Lord Jesus, the more faith we can place in Him.
- Faith is only as good as its object. A small boy in England was asked by a scientic team to be lowered down the side of a cliff to recover some important specimens. Though the scientists offered to pay him greatly, the boy said no. They tried to persuade him further and he consented finally, but only on one condition – that his father would be the one to hold the ropes by which he would be lowered.
- Can you trust the object of your faith? Jesus Christ, the centre of your faith. Is Jesus the centre of your faith? Or, it is other things like knowledge, material wealth, fame, wisdom, miracle, experience, etc? It is very easy to test what or who is at the centre of your faith? When you are in trouble, who or what you turn to first?
- Why is Jesus-centred faith so important? What is so big deal about it? Let us turn to the faith of the early apostles and disciples and see for ourselves what it means to have a Jesus-centred faith and why it is so important.

B. Jesus must be at the centre of your faith
- I am amazed by this big paragraph. Only for this reason. As I meditated on this passage I discover that apostles Peter and John and the early disciples were so particcular about the person and divinity of Jesus. They really got personal withe the person Jesus. They regarded Him as God. Their belief, trust and faith were Jesus-centred. How could this be?
- Firstly, in verse 2, we are told that Jesus was at the centre of the apostles’ teaching in front of the people. We are told that the priests and captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees were greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. Their faith was such that it was based on the resurrection of Jesus. Becasue of the resurrection of Jesus who was dead, they preached Him. They were arrested and jailed because of their Jesus-centred teaching. In verse 4, we are told that the number of men (not including women) who believed grew to 5000. You see, the Jesus-centred teaching even resulted in conversions.
- Secondly, in verses 7 to 10, we are told that when aposltes were questioned by the rulers, elders, teachers of the law and the priests on the name or the power that healed the crippled beggar, apostle Peter was filled by the Holy Spirit answered with certainty in verse 10, “...It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.” This is an excellent example of how Jesus-centred was the apostles’ faith. They commanded the healing in Jesus’ name, and of course it was Jesus of Nazareth even they could not see him who had resurrected. And the man who was miracurously healed was over 40 years old.
- Thirdly, the apostles took the golden opportunity to preach to the enemies whom some of them did not believe in the resurrection of Jesus and Jesus as the Messiah, the apostles claimed that Jesus was the name given by God to save mankind. In verse 12, we see apostle Peter said with the strongest conviction, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” The name here is referring to Jesus and you cannot help but see that the apostles’ faith was very Jesus-centred. They believed that only Jesus and so, no other name can save and so they preached the Jesus-centred salvation.
- The opposition group against the apostles was astonished by the apostles who used to spend time together with Jesus and they recognized that these men were with Jesus before and they even warned the apostles not to teach at all in the name of Jesus. You see the Jesus-centred faith of the apostles, even the enemies recognized somehow their had something to do with Jesus.
- The opposition groud did not know what to do with the apostles. All over the place of Jerusalem people knew it was Jesus who healed the crippled beggar through the apostles, nobody could deny it. If they decide to punish the apostles, the crowd would get very angry with the opposition group for punishing the apostles who had been compassionate.
- The apostles were warned not to teach in Jesus’ name anymore by the opposition group. However, Peter and John were die hard followers, disciples of Jesus, they responded with the greatest conviction to mission for Jesus Christ, they cried out, “...Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God.” You see how Jesus-centred their faith was. At the end of the day, Jesus was all that mattered to them. Is this your attitude towards Jesus?
- Brothers and sisters, is your faith money centred; wealth centred; studies centred; girl friend centred; boy friend centred; children centred; greed centred; career centred; computer centred; material centred; pronography centred, etc?

C. Actions of Jesus centred faith.- I pray that your faith is most Jesus centred, you have no doubt that it must be done.
- What happened to apostles whose faith was Jesus centred? Let me preach to you with great excitement and enthusiasm. I observe in the passage today that the apostles backed their Jesus centred faith with actions. Their belief, trust and convictions for Jesus as the Saviour of mankind turned into great actions. They behaved as if they were totally at the disposal of Jesus. They went all the way to obey Jesus. They took actions to exercise their Jesus centred faith to heal and to preach the salvation offered by Jesus. Will you do the same as the early disciples?
- You see whatever faith you have in Christ, Jesus, it must be expressed through your actions. Your belief in Jesus must cause you to obey Jesus in action, in doing what He commanded in scripture.
- Otherwise, in the name of Jesus I tell you and I that we are not faithful to Jesus. Jesus is not requiring all of us to do prison ministry. His challenge to you is when He calls you, will you respond? Right there and then, you decide to be faithful to Him or not.

D. Two actions you need to take as a result of Jesus centred faith.- Firstly, you need to preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations. When God calls you to preach Jesus to your family members, your colleagues, indigenouse people in Miri, Kapit, Balingian, Selangau, Bintulu, Belaga and the people in Cambodia, will you take leave to go? When God calls to pray for the sick; to visit the prisoners; to help the poor; to give towards the disaster victims of Taiwan; to help someone who is depressed; to forgive someone who offended you, will you respond because of your Jesus centred? I pray you do.
- By the way, we have 5 persons who have made up their minds to be missionaries among the Ulu Belaga Penans. The latest addition is a graduate from Sarikei.
- When I received the instruction to preach in revival at the first Bahasa Malaysia convention at Kuching Trinity Methodist Church among the indigenous people of all races, I obeyed Jesus and preached. I wanted to testify that I was filled by the Holy Spirit to preach with the strongest conviction. The result was amazing. People wept, repented and turned to God.
- In our church now, we are trusting God for an evangelism movement. I have trained 16 of you yesterday how to use your testimony and John 3:16 to preach the gospel, will you train others to do it and you yourself do it. Do not be reluctant to do it. Do not feel shy to do it. You have all the Holy Spirit to fill you. Jesus is never reluctant to save you; He is never shy to bless you with all He has.
- Secondly, you need to take your job as God’s calling. If you are a housewife; a student, do you believe that God calls you to be one? If you are an enginneer; lawyer; teacher; manager; computer expert; businessman; clerk; accountant; contractor; information person; human resource person; technician, etc, do you take your job as God’s calling. If you do, you will have strong sense of mission at your workplace, you will pray for the salvation of your colleagues, you will impact their lives with biblical love, care, concerns and values. You will be concerned about their salvation. People will see Jesus in you.

E. Conclusion.
What really matters at the end of day, in all our lives, Jesus matters in all aspects of our lives. You miss Jesus, you miss in your lives. I pray that you will realize this truth asap.

The Impact of Disciples’ Prayer

Written By Rev Law Hui Seng
23rd, August, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han

Acts 4: 23-31
Main Idea: To show the congregation the power of prayer
Objectives: a: To challenge the congregation to pray like the early disciples. b. To challenge the congregation to spend time in prayers, especially coming to Thursday night and Saturday morning prayer meetings.

Introduction
- I am as excited in preaching to you on prayer as preaching to you in mission and outreach. The reason is very simple, without prayer nothing in the spiritual realm will change. When God’s people pray God choose to work with them and see that God’s will is done. When God’s people prayed, mission is done. A great example is in the response of disciples of Jesus in SCAC to the Ulu Belega mission. There area monthly mission teams which are committed to go there and make a difference for Jesus among the Penans. There are 2 plus 2 missionaries who are lining up for the mission work there.
- Here locally, we have been praying for the Pujut Primary School school students to respond to come to our BB, GB and children Sunday School, I witness with my own eyes, a few children are now coming to our BB and Sunday School.
- Myself as the pastor of this church I have no doubt at all that there is great impact in the prayers we do. My strong conviction about prayer is any prayer that is done according to the word of God in the bible and according to the will of God, God will answer. Why I purposely mention the will of God? This is because a lot of things, details about life are not taught in the bible, so, you need to know God’s will for you. Things like is this the person whom God provides me as a life partner; the college I should go after Form 5 or Form 6? What course to do? to do this business or that business or not? Which job to take up? what job to apply? Etc.
- I am not just doing my job here as a pastor telling you to pray. I am not at all discouraged when you do not come for prayer meetings. I do not take it personally. I am doing much more than I am a pastor. I am preaching to you today if you do not believe in the power and impact of prayer, you lose so much, you miss the divine power; you miss God’s power at work in you.
- The early disciples’ believed in the power and impact of prayer. I know there is a world of difference between the context of the passage today and our context today. Their context was one of persecution of christians and they could be killed any time. Our context has no persecution. We have all the freedom to preach Jesus. And we are all living in very comfort zone. We experience no disaster; no political destability; we may have H1N1 disease but our lives are not threatened yet, etc. So we may not exercise prayer as much. We do not need God as much.
- But it is under this kind of circumstance; this context, we are greatly challenged to believe in the impact and power of prayer.
- I find it very hard to preach a sermon like this when we are living in a very good condition. Because at the end of the day, you may not feel the need for it. However, this is where I am greatly challenged to trust God that despite this circumstance, you will see the impact of prayer; the power of prayer.
- Let us learn from the powerful prayer of the early disicples.
A Powerful prayer of the early disciples (Verse 31)
- At the end of the prayer of the early disciples, the word of God today says in verse 31, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God bodly.
- What was the impact of the early disciples’ prayer? At least 3 things we can see. Firstly, the place where they worshipped God, where they prayed, was shaken. Do you expect this to happen in GMC? Secondly, they were filled by the Holy Spirit. Do you expect this to happen to you as you pray? If you do not, then, I question whether you really pray or not. Thirdly, they spoke the word of God bodly. Do you expect it to happen to you after you pray? If you do not, then, I believe you do not put much faith into your prayers. A lot of christians who made investment in business, they strongly believe they are going to make money/ profit. When you pray to preach the gospel, to give testimony, do you believe that God can give you the boldness like the way He gave to the early disciples? Do you believe like christian businessman who will make money for his investment?
- The belief to speak bodly for God is not just a matter of psychology because God comes in to take away the fear of all kinds; it is divine encounter with God.
- Do you believe in the powerful impact of prayers like the early disciples?
- Let us now examine the powerful and impactful prayer of the early disciples. You pray the same nature of prayer after this.

What actually characterised a powerful prayer?
- What characterised this church? You may like to say majority of us are professionals; we emphasize mission; we emphasize on teaching the word of God; we give much, etc. What characterised a powerful prayer?

- Firslty, a powerful prayer is a prayer done by the whole congregation who is united in prayer (verse 24a). For apostles Peter and John, after the release from jail; after being given warning (4:17) not to preach Jesus; after being given further threats (4:21), they went back to see their fellow disciples to report what had happened to them. After hearing all the news, they prayed in loud voice with all unity. In verse 24, it says, “...they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them...”
- Can you see the power of praying together as a whole congregation in unity for the same thing? It is just like a laser beam that gather and focus all the heat at one point to cut pieces of iron or steel. When every member of a congregation, as many as possible, in fact, the more the better, you gather enough strength, heat to form into one powerful force of request that point to God. God cannot help but pick up that strongest request to do His will. I pray that you see my point of a powerful prayer.

- Secondly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that honours God (verse 24b). Spiritually, the word honour has everything to do with worship. When you honour God, you worship Him. When you honour someone, he or she must have good qualities or character worth your adoration. Similarly, when you honour God, the person of God, the divine being, definitely must have good qualities or characters that deserve your adoration, your worship, your love. In verse 24b, in the early disciples’ prayer, they address God as the the creator, it says, “you made the heaven and the earth, and everything in them.”
- Remember, the early disciples said the loud prayer in unity under the condition of possible persecution. As they face possibe persecution, imagine with them how they can still appreciate God; worship God; honour God. In the midst of persecution, they could still go beyond themselves and praise God as creator, this is powerful prayer. They did not pray to be spared from persecution. They went beyond themselves to honour God. This prayer is powerful because it achieves the purpose of strong belief and conviction of God in the person of Christ, as creator.
- Brothers and sisters in Christ, if you are really in Christ, when you are teased for faith in Christ; in big troubles; business failures; relationship problems; children disobeyed you; you are depressed and hurt; you are very sick to the point of dying, etc, will you still honour Jesus as the creator of all things? If so, then, your prayer that honours Jesus is very powerful. It shows your strong faith in Christ the circumstance.

- Thirdly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that builds on real experience of the past servants of God (verses 25 and 26). The early disciples quoted the prophesy of David which was empowered by the Holy Spirit and recorded in verses 25 and 26. It was a prophesy about how nations, kings and rulers went against God in the Old Testament days. This part of the prayer is powerful because it helps us to see that the prophesy came true in those and it also came true in the early disciples’ days. It is a recognition of how history repeats itself. A prayer that shows that you see the same old problems is powerful because of its prophetic element. The fact that you are able to see the same problem repeated in the future is very powerful. Then, you can do something about it.
- Fourthly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that speaks the truth (verse 27). When you come before God in the person of Jesus, you have to face Him with all honesty, openness and transparency, you cannot escape from His examination of your deepest motives, hearts and minds. He knows all your lies, excuses, hyprocrisy, ulterior motives, etc. You cannot hide anything from Him. However, if you are able to tell God the truth in your prayer like the early disciples, it is very powerful. The early disciples sincerely told God the truth that Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with Gentiles and the people of Israel to conspire against Jesus, the servant of God on earth.
- Despite your sinfulness; your ugliness, you are able to face God with all the truthful prayers, you have an intimate relationship with God. Under whatever circumstances, nobody can rob you of it. When you own an intimate relationship with God; the presence of God is with you. Then, who can harm you; who can afford to go against you. No enemy is strong enough to pull you down when God is on your side. So, come and always pray truthful to God and keep a intimate relationship with Him.
- Fifthly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that is done according to God’s will (verse 28). It was God’s will that Jesus was crucified, dead, and buried for the purpose of serving as a sacrificial lamb to redeem mankind. The early disciples prayed according to the will of God when they prayed in verse 28, “They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.” When you pray according to God’s will recorded in the Bible, it will definitely be done. How can God not grant the request of His own will? So, take for instance, if you pray for someone to repent from sin, God will make sure it happens. Let me qualify myself; it will happen in God’s timing. If the person whom you pray for is not repenting, God has a purpose somewhere and you may seek God about it. Personally, when it is praying according to God’s will, I am most excited and dare to pray freely. This is because God must answer a prayer that is according to His will. So, now you know a prayer that is according to God’s will is powerful.

- Sixthly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that depends on God (verse 29). Do you see your prayer this way? When you pray with all sincerity, honesty and with all your heart, mind and soul, you are actually depending on God in whatever you are doing. Praying is depending on God to do it for you. The early disciples prayed to depend on God when they told God the threats of the opposition camp and asked God to empower them to speak God’s word boldly. When you depend on God, He helps you. That is the power of a prayer depending on God. When you depend on money, skill, knowledge, etc, they can help you as far as one of them can. If a problem require more than money to solve, then, money cannot solve. If your problem is pride, you think any amount of money, skill, knowledge can help you to overcome pride? In fact, the more money, skill, knowledge you may become more proud. You need God to come in to humble you, only then you can overcome your own pride. You need to tell God in the person of Jesus that you have pride and ask Him for forgiveness, then, you will solve the problem of pride.


- Seventhly, a powerful prayer is a prayer that trusts God for miracles (verse 30a). You see, in life, there are lots of impossible things which are impossible to achieve. But God in the person of Jesus can do the impossible if He wants His will be done. When you trust God for a miracle, then, there is a possibility that it can happen? Is there a place for miracles in your life? I always pray for miracles for church members who are in crisis in terms of marriage, disobedient children, having bad habits, health problem. Do you pray for miracles? A powerful prayer is a prayer that trusts God for miracle because it may happen. The early disciples prayed in verse 30a, “Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders...” Then, if you do not pray for a miracle, then there is no possibility of it.

- Eightly, a powerful prayer is a prayer done in Jesus’ name (verse 30b). Brothers and sisters, a prayer done with all your sincerity, honesty, and with your whole being in the name of Jesus, the most holy name, the most powerful name, anything can happen. I have preached to you before, when you pray in the name of Jesus Christ, you are appealing to the highest authority on heaven and on earth for an answer. When you say in the name of Jesus; you think of Jesus; you connected yourself with Jesus through your prayers, worship, reading your bible, meditation, etc, you caught the attention of Jesus, and He must attend to you. In the name of Jesus, I ask you which earthly father or mother will not pay attention to his or her child when he or she calls? Do you now see why the early disciples end their prayers with the phrase, in verse 30b, “... through the name of your holy servant Jesus”? Only prayer made in the name of Jesus deserves His attention, that makes it powerful.

Conclusion.
- Only a prayer honoured by Jesus is most powerful. So, now, you know how to pray powerful prayer?

Decide to help the poor

Written By Rev Law Hui Seng

16th August, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han

Acts 4:31-36
Main Idea: Help the poor.
Objective: To challenge the congregation to make a wilful decision to help the poor.

A. Introduction
- Listen to this interesting story entitled “The Guest.”
- A pious father always closed grace for the evening meal with these words: “Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest and bless what thou hast provided.” “Papa,” said the little son, “every evening you ask Jesus to come and be our guest, but He never comes.” “My son,” replied the father, “we can only wait. But we know that he will not despise our invitation.” “Well, then” asked the little fellow, “if we expect him at the table.” And so to save further embarrassing questions, the father permitted the boy to set a place at the table. Just then a knock came at the door. When they opened it a poor helpless waif stood shivering in the cold. The son thought for a moment and finally said, “I guess Jesus could not come today, and so he sent this poor boy in his place.” With little further conversation the little beggar boy was brought in and set at the empty place at the dinner table.
- The little beggar boy is the poor sent by God to the family.
- The scripture has very strong teaching about helping the poor. Matthew 25:35, 40. “For I was hungry and gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Then in verse 40, Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

B. Explanation of the text.
- The scripture lesson today is the direct application of the teaching of Jesus on helping the poor by the disciples.
- Let us see how they went about helping the poor. How they get to do it?
- Before the disciples (Peter, John and the early believers) were so willing to help the poor, in verse 31 we are told that they prayed and were filled by the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God. Let us now see the results of prayers and being filled by the Holy Spirit.
- In verse 32, we are informed that believers were one in heart and mind. This is a strong characteristic of the infant church; this is a strong expression of unity; how united they were? The later half of verse 32 says, “No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.”
- In verse 33, we are told that the apostles had great power to testify the resurrection of Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.
- In verse 34, we are informed that there was no needy persons. Why? From time to time, the disciples who sold lands or houses and brought money from the sales to help the poor, by passing all the money to the apostles.
- Verse 35 says that they gave the money to the apostles and they distribute the money to anyone as he had need.
- Take note this is all as a result of prayers and filling by the Holy Spirit. I believe that as a result of prayers, desire for possession become minimum. The early disciples also tend to renounce their property and practise self-sacrifice and mutual benevolence.
- According to verse 35, you can see the rule to help the poor is based on need, the money was distributed he had need.
- In verses 36 and 37, I can see that Luke felt it was worthy to highlight a personal example to show how people at that time from far away land like Cyprus also gave to the poor. This guy called Joseph, a Levite in the Jewish tradition must have been touched by God in a great manner, he sold a piece of land and brought his money to the apostles. Probably he was one of those Jews who was dispersed after the Babylonian conquest.
- The whole passage this morning is not so explicit about the motive of helping the poor but if you were to study carefully verse 35, it says, “... it was distributed to anyone as he had need.”
- Why it said that? Firstly, if there was no poor people who had need, there would not be a need to sell the land and houses. Secondly, people who contributed must have been filled by the Holy Spirit, touched by God, and sold something they could afford to sell.
- Your heart for the poor; your desire to reach out to the poor must be coming from God or it is a result of reading God’s word to help the poor. It is God’s will to help the poor. So, you do not come before God to ask if it is God’s will to help the poor.
- You must pray to God, “Send me poor people for me to help.”
- Your response will depend on how willing are you to help. You need to see as God sees the need of the poor.

C. Application.
- Are you willing to help the poor? Those of you who choose to be complacent, living in comfort, don’t want to dirty your hands. God says, “Stay where you are...I don’t force you to help the poor.” Unless God wants to use you like the way He used Paul otherwise He will not appear to you like He appeared to Paul to get you to help the poor.
- To those of you who are willing to help the poor; you are willing to pay the price to obey Christ; you are more than willing to do it; you take it as a privilege to do it; you expect God to bring the poor to your doorstep; expect God to give you the information about where are the poor people.
- Let me share with you a great area of need among the poor Penan children at Ulu Belaga. They all cannot afford to go to school, they need people who can do short term mission in the area of education; and of course long term mission in the area of education. Are you willing to dirty your hands to go there and teach for one or two days to get them excited about education and eventually sponsor them to go to school? We need sponsorship for the 4 missionaries who are going in at the end of the year and at the beginning of next year. If you do not go, will your money go. One brother from Mei Ann Methodist Church has sponsored one year of a missionary’s salary. RM1,500 per month.
- There are lots of people in Tudan and Permyjaya who are poor. Some of them are our church members. If you desire to help the poor in anyway you can, you can call up Pastor Chan. She always has somebody in mind whom you can help. I will always encourage you to give in kind and do not give money.
- Thank you for some of us who have faithfully giving to help to buy rice for a few families in Tudan.
- Let me push you to a corner to ask you for a decision to help the poor if you have not been doing it.
- Now, unless you decide to help the poor, otherwise, I cannot publize for GMC to help the poor. Only when majority of us decide to do it, then, God will send the poor coming knocking at our door.
- How to help the poor? These are some areas you can help. Provide a space for someone who is in trouble to stay for a few days. Provide something for poor children to eat. To give some money to poor students to help them to pay annual school expenses. To help the poor to find a simple job or a better job (Do you have job for a welder?) Help widow who have many children to support. Help those who are involved in accidents and lost their ability to work. Help the poor to apply for monthly social welfare grant. Bring them to see doctor and pay the bills.
- Researcher M. Douglas Meeks describe Wesley’s ministry with the poor in the following manner. It was intensely practical. It includes: “feeding, clothing, housing the poor; preparing the unemployed for work and finding them employment; visiting the poor, sick and prisoners; devising new forms of health care education and delivery for the poor; distributing books to the needy; and raising structural questions about an economy that produced poverty. Wesley’s turn to the poor, however, was not simply service of the poor, but more importantly life with the poor. He actually shared the life of poor in significant ways, even to the point of contracting diseases from their beds... To be in Christ meant to take the form of Christ’s own life for and with the poor. To be a disciple of Christ meant to be obedient to Christ’s command to feed His sheep and to serve the least of His sisters and brothers.”
- Wesley was convinced that there is no substitute for personal contact with the poor. Wesley says, “One great reason why the rich in general have so little sympathy for the poor is because they so seldom visit them. Hence it is that, according to the common observation, one part of the world does not know what the other suffers. Many of them do not know, because they do not care to know. They keep out of the way of knowing it , and then plead their voluntary ignorance as an excuse for their hardness of heart.”
- Brothers and sisters, Wesley brought to the poor not only a sense of their own worth but a sense of their power over their own destiny.

D. Conclusion
- Are you inspired to help the poor? Have you decided to help the poor?

Give Thanks In All Circumstances

Written By Rev. Law Hui Seng
9th August, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han

1Thess 5:16-18
Main Idea: Give Thanks In All Circumstances
Objectives: a. To challenge the congregation to give thanks in all circumstances. b. To challenge the congregation to take concrete action to show your gratitude to God for what He has done for you.

A. Introduction What Thanksgiving is all about?
- Too often our gratitude is dependent on the circumstances of life. A beautiful hymn to counteract such thinking was written by Martin Rinkart during 30 years war (1618-1648). Rinkart was a pastor in Saxony, Germany, as these turbulent years unfurled, and for a season he was the only pastor in Eilenburg. His pastoral duties caused him to preside at nearly 4,500 burials in 1637 alone. In the context of this bad circumstance, Rinkart penned the words to “Now Thank We All Our God.” It is a hymn of unconditional gratitude to God. We need to learn from the content of it in this thanksgiving season.
- A grouchy, young man was confronted by his pastor for being so negative during the Thanksgiving season. The young man responded, “Preacher, what do I have to be thankful for? I don’t have even enough money to pay all of my bills!” The wise pastor replied, “In that case, you should be thankful that you aren’t one of your creditors.”
- A little boy was asked by his father to say grace at the table. While the rest of the family members waited, the little guy eyed every dish of food his mother had prepared. After examination, he bowed his head and honestly prayed, “Lord, I don’t like the looks of it, but I thank you for it, and I’ll eat it anyway. Amen.”
- These are good examles of giving thanks in all circumstances.
- How can you give thanks to God when you have a car accident? Sickness and suffering? Broken relationship? Bad day?
- I pray that at the end of my sermon, you will be able to agree with word of God and start to practise “Give thanks in all circumstances” – especially in bad circumstances.

B. The Context of the 2 Verses
- Before verse 18, you have verse 16, Be joyful always, verse 17 says you need to pray continually.
- These 3 verses are among the last few verses of the 1Thessalonians. Why this kind of final instruction? According to the immediate context, from verses 12 to 15 the reason could be due to some interpersonal problems among the Thessalonians.
- Commentator Leon Morris believed the leaders of the Thessalonian church tried to put things right, and their manner of doing so may well have aroused opposition.
- To address the the problem, Paul came in to help the situation by instructing them: verse 12 to respect those who work hard among them
Verse 13 to hold them in the highest regard; live in peace
Verse 14 to warn the lazy, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient
Verse 15 don’t pay back wrong for wrong, try to be kind to each other.

C. Explaining the text.
- Joy. In doing all these things, the readers, the congregation is to approach all these things with a joyful attitude.
- That is why Paul wrote the verse 16, “Be joyful always;”
- For a christian to be joyful always requires him to be born again, a new creation; he does not see things from earthly perspectives.
- He sees things as a child of the heavenly father, he rejoices in the father’s world.
- He does not produce joy by his own efforts; take for instance, he is happy when things go well; not this joy that depend on circumstances.
- It is the joy that comes from being in Christ. How? In very bad circumstance, you have to think more of Jesus than your difficulties; you have to think more of your spiritual richness in Christ than your poverty on earth; you have to think more of your glorious future with Christ than your unhappy past; interpersonal relationship problem/conflict. If so, you can rejoice now.
- Prayer. From this joy, it will spring forth continuous prayer; joy in your life will give rise to a spirit of prayer.
- Christianity is a “faith” that turns your thoughts away from yourself and your small deeds to the great God who has blessed you with the great salvation in Christ.
- It is God, Jesus who saved you, you can’t bring about your salvation.
- After you are saved, you are to depend on God for everything; God surround you with love.
- Continuous prayer is the continuous expression of this dependence.
- Prayer and rejoicing are closely related, for often you find in prayer the means of removing that which is the barrier to joy.
- Give Thanks. Prayer removes obstacles to your joy, it results in Christians giving thanks to God in all circumstances, including the bad circumstance.
- You see, after you are saved by Christ, everything is changed. You have eternal life. Now, God has every right to intervene in your life; He wants to work out his loving purpose for your life.
- This leads to the thought that the same loving purpose is being worked out even in those events which the believer is inclined not to welcome at all.
- When you come to realize that God’s hand is in all things, you learn to give thanks in all things. It includes suffering.
- Suffering is unpleasant, yet in the midst of suffering, you will give thanks, knowing that the heavenly father who loves you so greatly has permitted suffering on you or your loved ones so that his wise and merciful purpose might be worked out.
- Out of this central truth, Paul calls all of you to give thanks to God in all circumstances.
- In chapter 1:6, we are told that in severe suffering, Thessalonians welcomed Paul’s message with joy given by the Holy Spirit.

D. Application.- How do you apply verse 18 “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
- When you do it, your faith will grow deeper. Your faith will not be superficial. That is you will not give thanks to God for good things only. You will also give thanks in bad circumstances. Take for instance, you will not let your emotions affect your relationship with God.
- Your faith will grow stronger. This is because you are able to stand the test. Bad circumstances test the strength of your relationship with God. In bad circumstance, you still trust God, hold on to Him and do not doubt Him, your faith will grow stronger.
- Fanny Crosby, a blind gospel hymn writer in the 19th century, wrote more than 8000 texts. One of her hymns is found in UMH 369 Bessed Assurance. In suffering of blindness, she can count God’s blessings and goodness.
- Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called to his purpose.”
- 1Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
- James 1:2-4, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
- Whatever trials you face in life, as your faith is tested, it will produce the character of perseverance which leads to maturity.
- How do you practically give thanks to God? In terms of good things you get, remember to pray; tell others to witness for Jesus; write about it; give an offering; sing a song of thanksgiving.
- In terms of bad things you get, you also give thanks immediately and acknowledge God’s goodness; pray to give thanks for other things; after everything is over, you give thanks for the bad circumstance because God use it to mould your character.

E. Conclusion.
The best way to give thanks to God in all circumstances is to offer to serve God, tell God, “Here I am, I am available to serve you, as an act of gratitude to your blessings, moulding. I am willing.....”