The ladies' fellowship I attend is doing a series of bible study on service to the Lord! Yesterday we were studying the spiritual gifts and how to use them to build up the Church.
One sister said her spiritual gift is in dreaming dreams and she gave us examples of how God has given her dreams and how they became reality. One example was the dream she had on the last day of her daughters' examinations- the eldest was taking STPM and the second was taking SPM. She dreamt of two eaglets flying and later the Lord told her it was about her daughters flying away for their further studies. True enough, both her daughters flew off for their studies after receiving scholarships. Then she shared that she had a strange dream yesterday morning. She dreamt of another sister in that group going to Kuala Lumpur to meet her husband who has passed away 3 years ago. She does not know what that dream means yet but that particular sister has written down the details of that dream and will be watching to see what it means.
Another sister shared that her gift from the Lord is the ability to listen well. Recently, on a tour to South Korea, she shared a room with someone who confided a lot of things with her. She is also attending a counselling course to help her in her volunteer work as a telephone counsellor with Women For Women Society. I think it is marvellous for her to sharpen her skills in an area she knows she is gifted in and to seek to help others who can benefit from her gifting.
There was yet another sister who shared about her gift in prophesying. She shared about how she was under spiritual attack when she exercised that gift and she suffered shoulder and neck pains and very heavy menstrual flow which caused her to be anaemic.Three days ago, as she spent time with the Lord, the Word oF God ministered to her and assured her of God's healing and taking away her pains. Actually, last Sunday, during the worship service, she prophesied and as she did that, a lady in the congregtion cried out loud and fell down, trembling all over. She was crying, "Lord, forgive me, forgive me!" . Then she started to speak in tongues for quite a while before a group of intercessors brought her to another room to minister to her. During this time, many in the congregation felt the Presence of God strongly and were much encouraged in their faith.
May we all faithfully use the gifts God has given us so that the Church can be built up and the Kingdom of God can be extended!!!
Wednesday, 10 October 2007
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
All alone!
This afternoon, I visited a Sabahan lady who is warded in Sarawak General Hospital, Kuching.She is only 27 years old and she has cancer which has spread from her shoulder to her lungs.She is a single mother with a six year old son. She came here to Kuching by herself to seek treatment and when she first came, she did not know a single person here- not a friend nor a relative. She was all alone!
But God has been gracious to her. The people in the ward has been very kind to her. They have made friends with her and shared their food with her.In fact, she feels so good about the people she has met, that she intends to stay on in Kuching and look for a job here after getting discharged from the ward. Hurray to all who have shown kindness to this lady! The world is a beter place because of people like them.
But God has been gracious to her. The people in the ward has been very kind to her. They have made friends with her and shared their food with her.In fact, she feels so good about the people she has met, that she intends to stay on in Kuching and look for a job here after getting discharged from the ward. Hurray to all who have shown kindness to this lady! The world is a beter place because of people like them.
Monday, 8 October 2007
Joy
Dear Lord Jesus,
I pray that You will give me the gift of joy. Let the spirit of joy rise up in my heart this day and may I know the fullness of joy that is found only in Your Presence.
Whenever I am overtaken by negative emotions, surround me with your love. Teach me to say, "This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it"(Ps 118:24) Deliver me from despair, depression, loneliness, discouragement, anger, or rejection. May these negative attitudes have no place in me. May I always decide in my heart, "My soul shall be joyful in the Lord. It shall rejoice in His salvation"(Ps 35:9)
Plant Your Word firmly in my heart and increase my faith daily. Enable me to abide in Your love and derive strength from the joy of the Lord this day and forever.
Amen.
I pray that You will give me the gift of joy. Let the spirit of joy rise up in my heart this day and may I know the fullness of joy that is found only in Your Presence.
Whenever I am overtaken by negative emotions, surround me with your love. Teach me to say, "This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it"(Ps 118:24) Deliver me from despair, depression, loneliness, discouragement, anger, or rejection. May these negative attitudes have no place in me. May I always decide in my heart, "My soul shall be joyful in the Lord. It shall rejoice in His salvation"(Ps 35:9)
Plant Your Word firmly in my heart and increase my faith daily. Enable me to abide in Your love and derive strength from the joy of the Lord this day and forever.
Amen.
Sunday, 7 October 2007
Care Group
My husband and I belong to a Care Group, consisting of about ten families. Yesterday we had a most unusual meeting.
One of the ten families invited us to their home to meet up with the British boyfriend of one of the daughters. He was visiting Malaysia for the first time. We had a lovely evening chatting with this special Briton, asking him all sorts of questions, not to interrogate him, but just to get to know him better, so that as a care group, we can pray more intelligently for them as they seek God regarding their future together. Very often, we pray together for the children in our families as their welfare is of utmost importance to the parents. So, in this case, we are setting the precedence of meeting the special persons in the lives of our chilldren as a care group, to show our care and concern. After some time of fellowship and refreshment, we prayed for God's guidance and blessings on the two of them. It was a wonderful time together!
We are already planning to meet the next one from another family. How excting!!!! Just hope that the boyfriend or girlfriend will not get cold feet!
One of the ten families invited us to their home to meet up with the British boyfriend of one of the daughters. He was visiting Malaysia for the first time. We had a lovely evening chatting with this special Briton, asking him all sorts of questions, not to interrogate him, but just to get to know him better, so that as a care group, we can pray more intelligently for them as they seek God regarding their future together. Very often, we pray together for the children in our families as their welfare is of utmost importance to the parents. So, in this case, we are setting the precedence of meeting the special persons in the lives of our chilldren as a care group, to show our care and concern. After some time of fellowship and refreshment, we prayed for God's guidance and blessings on the two of them. It was a wonderful time together!
We are already planning to meet the next one from another family. How excting!!!! Just hope that the boyfriend or girlfriend will not get cold feet!
Wednesday, 3 October 2007
Spiritual and Practical Gifts From God.
Yesterday morning, I was with my Homemakers' Fellowship and we were having a bible study about using gifts from the Lord for the common good of the whole church and community. We studied 1Cor 12 and went around,giving each lady a chance to share about what she feels is her gift from the Lord, be it a spiritual gift such as the message of wisdom, the message of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues; or practical gifts as listed in Romans 12 such as serving, teaching, encouraging, contributing to the needs of others, leadership, showing mercy, etc.
It was great to hear how one sister received lyrics of a song which God gave her to share to encourage the church and how she sms it to another sister, who immediately received a tune from God and wrote down the music scores of the new composition. I hope this song will be on an album soon so that the church worldwide can benefit from it!
Another sister talked about her joy in cooking and seeing others enjoy the good food she cooked. This gifting was confirmed by a prophet from overseas who once told her that she saw in a vision, this sister putting more potatoes into her oven, signifying the gift of hospitality, which we all agree she has.
We were all so encouraged that God gives to each and every one of us a gift to use for His glory and to build the church. We were warned that if we do not use the gift God has given us, we may be bring harm to the church by not fulfilling our vital roles which are all needed for the well-being of the church. WOW!
It was great to hear how one sister received lyrics of a song which God gave her to share to encourage the church and how she sms it to another sister, who immediately received a tune from God and wrote down the music scores of the new composition. I hope this song will be on an album soon so that the church worldwide can benefit from it!
Another sister talked about her joy in cooking and seeing others enjoy the good food she cooked. This gifting was confirmed by a prophet from overseas who once told her that she saw in a vision, this sister putting more potatoes into her oven, signifying the gift of hospitality, which we all agree she has.
We were all so encouraged that God gives to each and every one of us a gift to use for His glory and to build the church. We were warned that if we do not use the gift God has given us, we may be bring harm to the church by not fulfilling our vital roles which are all needed for the well-being of the church. WOW!
Unanswered prayers can be answers from God!
God is Almighty and definitely not helpless nor hapless. But sometimes, to Him, it is more important for us to learn some crucial lessons and to grow in our character, than to be healed of our disease. Eg.patience and perseverance, empathy for others who are sick, deep appreciation for other gifts from God such as those who care for us, the brevity and fragility of life, etc.
The purpose of believing in God is more than getting His blessings such as health, wealth,peace, etc. It is to know God and to make Him known. A sickness often helps us to know God better and if we have positive attitudes towards the sickness we have to live with, others around us will know the goodness of our God .
I am not suggesting we try to get sick to able to know God or make Him known. We are responsible to take good care of our bodies and seek medical treatment when we need it. But when there is no hope of a medical solution and God has not granted a miraculous healing, we can accept it as something through which God can bring some good, to us and others around us.
The purpose of believing in God is more than getting His blessings such as health, wealth,peace, etc. It is to know God and to make Him known. A sickness often helps us to know God better and if we have positive attitudes towards the sickness we have to live with, others around us will know the goodness of our God .
I am not suggesting we try to get sick to able to know God or make Him known. We are responsible to take good care of our bodies and seek medical treatment when we need it. But when there is no hope of a medical solution and God has not granted a miraculous healing, we can accept it as something through which God can bring some good, to us and others around us.
Tips for renewing old sofa
My family and I have been using the blue sofa set in my living room for the past nine years. It is covered with PU and there has been very little need for any maintenance except an occassional wipe down with a wet cloth. The problem is, since about a year ago, it is getting worn out at the arm-rests and the seat of the three-seater. I thought it is time to change to another new sofa set and so I began to shop around. There was a particular set that I like and my family also like it but there is no stock of any sofa with the particular colour we wanted, until after the Hari Raya Puasa, which will be in two weeks' time.
Meanwhile, I tried to do something to cover the defects on the old sofa set. I bought some cloth of matching colour and tried to see how it will look like if I velcro it down. The effect was not very good.
Today I bought a mattress pad which covers and fits the three-seater quite well. Then I bought a roll of wall paper which is sticky on one side and my husband and I managed to cover the arm-rests of the sofa rather well. Wow! The old sofa has been given a new lease of life! It really looks good now. And it is just as comfortable as it was before! All at the cost of under RM70. We have saved a big bundle but not having to buy a new set of sofa (Rm3000)!!!!!! Another benefit is that we are saving the earth by prolonging the use of our sofa set, not using up more of the earth's resources in buying a new sofa set and not dirtying the earth by throwing out an old sofa set! Why not try my innovation if you need to give your old sofa set a face-lift!!!
Meanwhile, I tried to do something to cover the defects on the old sofa set. I bought some cloth of matching colour and tried to see how it will look like if I velcro it down. The effect was not very good.
Today I bought a mattress pad which covers and fits the three-seater quite well. Then I bought a roll of wall paper which is sticky on one side and my husband and I managed to cover the arm-rests of the sofa rather well. Wow! The old sofa has been given a new lease of life! It really looks good now. And it is just as comfortable as it was before! All at the cost of under RM70. We have saved a big bundle but not having to buy a new set of sofa (Rm3000)!!!!!! Another benefit is that we are saving the earth by prolonging the use of our sofa set, not using up more of the earth's resources in buying a new sofa set and not dirtying the earth by throwing out an old sofa set! Why not try my innovation if you need to give your old sofa set a face-lift!!!
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