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Your love is proud to be seen with me.

Yesterday at GoP, Keith preached on from Luke 15 the prodigal son. I have heard this message preached a dozen times yet the Lord always teaches me something new each time.

I’ve always imagined that the Prodigal son lived in the boonies, in a lone house on the hills far removed from society. However Keith reminded us that the Jewish people lived in community and when the Prodigal son was coming back, the village people would’ve seen him, heard his story and their culture of honour would’ve permitted them to stone him. Dishonoring one’s parents was not taken lightly in Jewish law. That was one of the reasons why His father watched out for Him from afar and on seeing him in the distance ran out to protect him, acknowledge him as a son and restore him to his original status.

Although the son made such a scene in the past and completely embarrassed the father, the father was not ashamed of him. He even threw a huge village-wide party to celebrate his return.

I am reminded of the song Pieces by Bethel Music. The verse goes like this:

“Unreserved, unrestrained Your love is wild Your love is wild for me It isn't shy, it's unashamed Your love is proud To be seen with me”

Indeed his love is wild. What really struck me was that God is not ashamed to be seen with me. He could’ve treated me as a mistake. Covered us up, tried to hide us. Yet He calls the church a city on a hill, not to be hidden (Matthew 5:14). Although we deserved condemnation and shame, the Lord covered our sin and removed it from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). He paid the price for my sin when it should’ve been on me. He cleaned us, He restored us and He associates with us. He is a near God (Psalm 145:18), He is proud to be seen with you.

I desire obedience more than sacrifice

Isaiah 58:1-8 (MSG)

“...They’re busy, busy, busy at worship, and love studying all about me. To all appearances they’re a nation of right-living people -- law-abiding, God-honoring...”Why do we fast and you don’t look our way?””Well, here’s why: The bottom line on your ‘fast days’ is profit. You drive your employees much too hard. You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight. You fast, but you swing a mean fist... Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after: a day to show off humility? This is the kind of fast day I’m after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I am interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. Do this and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The God of glory will secure your passage. Then when you pray, God will answer.”

Have I fallen into the trap of keeping up my Christian appearance but ignoring the oppressed and poor around me? When was the last time I met someone’s need? It has been a while indeed. Lord, please forgive me. I have not truly understood Your heart. I have been selfish and self-seeking. Help me to freely give as I have freely received your grace.

Charlie bit me

I had a revelation about freedom and identity in a really strange way. A few days ago on the 11th August 2017, we got a puppy, she’s a cross between a Westie and a Schnauzer and she appeared really timid. On the first day she was always in submissive position; Every time I stretched out my hand to pet her, she’d fall flat on the floor, her belly touching the ground. She barely barked and did not walk around or explore our home. She was always curled up in a corner in her cage observing what we were doing. We took her to the vet the next day for her check up and the vet was curious why she was not vivaciously running around as normal puppies do.

“She seems very timid”, said the vet, after encouraging her to walk and explore. “Let’s bring in the kittens”, the nurse brought in two 6-week old kittens that were the size of my palm. Charlie, my puppy was afraid of the kittens but after some coaxing and encouragement from us all, she began to play and chase the kittens.

“Brave girl Charlie! Go get the kittens!” The vet knows who she is supposed to be and what she can do. Even though we couldn’t see her manifesting those characteristics, there was a strong and firm belief in her identity. Sometimes things in our lives cause us to be fearful and inhibited. Perhaps it is the voice of our past, telling us that we’re not good enough or that people would judge us if we did that. It could even be past experiences or trauma that causes us to watch our steps closely, watch who we let into our lives lest we get hurt again. These things form layers on top of our original identity and rob us of the freedom and joy of being who we are, uninhibited and unadulterated.

So how do we peel off all the layers of who we aren’t and get to who we are?

1. Truth talk yourself

First, we need to know the truth. John 8:32 (NLT) “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”. Knowing the truth is freeing and life-giving. Charlie’s parents are terriers; brave, spritely dogs that herded sheep, independent, type A, sensitive to humans and very friendly with other dogs. She needed to know that she was meant to be a “brave dog” before she acted herself. Sometimes we just need to remind ourselves of who we are - “children of God” I belong to someone. “loved by God” I am loved and cherished. “God’s workmanship” I am created with a purpose and made for such a time as this, and the list goes on. When we know who we are and whose we are, we will truly be free to be the best version of ourselves.

2. Surround yourself with people of truth

Second, we need to surround ourselves with people who will tell us the truth and who are true to themselves . Charlie needed some encouragement from people who saw her for who she really was rather than who she was at that present moment. Find faithful friends who love you, care for you, and speak words that build you up instead of words that tear you down. Be with people who bring out the best in you. Being with people like that nurtures your ego and helps you feel more confident about showing your true colours. Sometimes, having a moderate amount of ego is not a bad thing. Charlie needed other animals who were being themselves to bring out her true self. Sometimes, we need to be with people who are secure in themselves and unafraid of judgment. Genuineness and congruence cultivates genuineness and congruence. Carl Rogers, the father of humanistic theory advocated for “being the self that we truly are” and he proposed that the way to get there is being true to yourself and being true to what you really think and feel. Be with people that allow you to be yourself and won’t judge you for saying what you think and feel. I’m not condoning absolute freedom of speech but I’m saying that we all need to treat ourselves a lil’ better and be people who would treat others good.

It’s Charlie’s third day here in the Tan household and we’ve had some really fun play times. She runs around the house chasing me and her favourite toy. She wags her tail when we praise her and tell her she’s a “gooooood girl”, she’s unafraid to ask for a good belly rub and she’s getting braver in exploring the house. Now she’s even biting my fingers and toes and we are teaching her to treat human skin gently.

Sometimes we all just need to truth talk ourselves and find other like-minded people who are truthful to themselves and have good ‘oral’ hygiene.

The One Who Never Fails

When waters rise all around me When mountains stand in the path I see I look to love that's unfailing I look to grace that is all I need Oh call Call upon the Name Jesus Christ The only Name that saves For there is no one like our God There's no one like our God There's nothing that can stand against You There's no stronghold You can't break No life that You can't save Our God You never fail

I am certain that when I cry out for help, He listens. This past month that I have been away has seen some of my highest mountains yet it has also brought me to my lowest valleys. Nonetheless, God has been a constant support and encouragement. Yesterday at church, I felt reminded by the Holy Spirit to press on in faith and believe that my family will be restored. That word was confirmed by my cell member who came up to me and shared her story of a breakthrough in her family as well. The Lord impressed upon her heart to pray and fast for her uncle’s marriage, which was falling apart. After a season of seeking God and humbling herself, He moved and her uncle and aunt went on a holiday together and went to try and work things out. She was shocked because he was very adamant about getting a divorce before that.

Only the Lord can change a man’s heart and will (1). That is why I believe in prayer, but more than that, I believe in a God that answers prayer and who is more than able to move mountains. As the song says “There’s nothing that can stand against You. There’s no stronghold You can’t break. No life that You can’t save. Our God You never fail”. Hanging on to His word and His promises this season.

Today I graduate from the National University of Singapore but not without a mess of emotions. Joy because it’s a new phase of life, sadness because I will miss close proximity with friends profs that I have come to love and respect, and uncertainty about the future and whether I can do well in my job just to name a few emotions. My only comfort and hope is that Jesus walks with me. My friends may not be with me but Jesus will. My future is uncertain but Jesus will certainly not leave me.

(1) http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/prayer-changes-peoples-wills

First Class: He exceeds my expectations

I have a long testimony to share, God blessed my academics and family so much it's crazy how abundant He is. It's kinda like a testimony in a testimony. Hold on tight! My University CAP (which refers to Cumulative Average Point) was about 4.3 out of 5 and I was praying that this sem I can improve to 4.5 so that I can get a first class honours for His glory. I wasn't going to get hung up on it if I didn't achieve that because I know I've done my best but I was wanting to see an academic miracle. So some background before I dive into my testimony. I have never gotten a perfect score for my semester before. The highest I've got is a 4.5. So in order to pull my 4.3 up to a 4.5, I'd need no less than a perfect score which is 5/5. That means I must get A for my thesis and A for my other module, which has never happened in my 4 years. of Uni. It was a pretty impossible venture in the first place and on top of that, this was a very difficult time for me - academically, emotionally, spiritually and in my family life. Within the most crucial two weeks before I submitted my thesis, I was battling fear and doubt. I had wanted to see God restore my family and bring a break through but we had hit an all-time low and I was depressed (not clinically, but really despondent and disappointed) and really wanted to give up praying and believing. However through a series of words of knowledge spoken over me by my zone 5 cell group members, my thesis Prof, Aunty Ayelan, Sarah Lin, my thesis partner, Chelsea and my classmate, Karyne, I had become convinced that God has not forgotten about me and I made the choice to continue believing for restoration. After that I continued to do my best to set aside the best part of my day to pray and read the word, trusting in God to make an academic miracle happen. I was distraught for a few days because of the family situation and took time off my thesis. Serving at WAGC also set me back by a number of days (again, during the most crucial two weeks before submission) but He gave me the faith to believe He could come through. So I pressed on, did my best and submitted my thesis and studied for my final exam. On the 29th May when I touched down in London on the way to the USA, I received a text message containing my results and praise God, I had received a perfect score! it could've just been two As and that would've been good enough but God in His abundance gave me two A pluses (A+; A+) ! So now I will graduate from NUS on the 10th of July with a first class honours by the grace of God. A week After that, my mother skyped me while I was in Texas and she told me that she wanted to pray and seek God's restoration for the family, which honestly was the hardest thing for her to do but she said God spoke to her through prayer and the word! I didn't even do anything but pray and ask God to work a miracle! He is a mighty God indeed :') I pray this testimony blesses you and reminds you of how good our God is and how powerful He is! Press in my lovelies, y'all are thought of and missed!!! See y'all on the 8th of July!!

yair-am

Everything is going to be ok.

feedmeveggies-blog

massive salad with beyond meat southwest “chicken”… soooo good!!

Comissioning

Dr Goh commissioned us as Christian Social Workers who are graduating. The word she prayed over me was so spot on: spiritual healing, ray of sunlight bringing healing to colleagues and clients. So spot on :') that was the same word I got at YA camp before I entered Uni.

motivated-mindset

When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. When life is bitter, say thank you and grow.

(via motivated-mindset)

Discipleship

I’ve often asked the question ‘what is discipleship?’ and I currently understand it to be a a lifestyle of following Jesus but I never knew what it meant to ‘make disciples’. Today Reverend Dr. Mohan, the pastor of a 40,000 member church in India came to Emmanuel to preach a gripping and challenging message on Discipleship. It was one of the best sermons on discipleship I’ve experienced in a while.

He preached from Jesus’ famous last words in Matthew 28:16-20

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Here are the notes and reflection points I got from it:

“surely I am with you to the very end of the age” - If you obey the parts above this line, you will see His presence/glory in your life.

in verse 16, Jesus calls people up the mountain to listen to the word. Just like how climbing the mountain is tough, listening to the voice of God can be a challenge but it is one that is necessary. The mountain refers to our prayer life. Jesus always went to the Mount of Olives to pray. We need time alone to worship God and listen to him. Worship is not just about singing songs. Worship is when Abraham obeyed God and gave his precious son Isaac up as a sacrifice. Worship is costly and it requires us to surrender ourselves.

In Isa 61, Jesus came to preach the good news to the poor, not to give money to them. When you have the good news, seeking the kingdom first, all other things will be added unto you.

If we have real grace, sin has no hold on you. Grace is not a license to sin. If you’re humble, grace will come, God will come. Humility happens when we have difficult people in our lives and when we go through trials. There must be some people against you or you will become proud.

A. Jesus calls us to Prayer

Rev Dr Mohan shared about men who prayed in the wee hours of the morning daily and they saw breakthroughs and miracles happen. The man who prayed for 4 days and did not stop said he could do it because he had ‘300 prayer warriors to pray for [him] so he could pray like that’. We need prayer warriors! Challenge: spend one hour a day praying

God wants to enjoy us, He craves to be with us. If we give Him time, He will speak to us and transform us. We need to pray for our pastors and leaders. Felt reminded of my calling to be an intercessor. It’s something that has been on my heart but I had forgotten it along the way. You will see revival when you pray.

B. Jesus calls us to Evangelism

The church will grow through evangelism. How?

1. Everyone here targets two people

2. Pray for them, if you don’t pray, nothing can happen

3. build a friendship with them & spend time with them

4. share your testimony

5. introduce them to Jesus then to the local church

After they make a decision

1. Tell them to have a relationship with God through prayer and through reading the word

2. Be in fellowship with a church

3. Get connected to a small group

4. Bring their own friends and teach them how

C. Jesus calls us to make disciples

Evangelism without discipleship will not do much in the church. Discipleship is not an easy job. What is discipleship? Luke 14:26-33

26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciples.

First, we must forsake immediate family. That means we must have supreme love for Jesus that surpasses all other loves. It makes all other loves in our life seem like ‘hate’. We love Jesus with all our heart, mind and soul.

28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you,30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

Discipleship is like building a tower and fighting a war. It is about taking up our cross daily = dying to our will every day. There are many desires in our hearts, but we must forsake worldly things. There is nothing wrong with things, it is our attachment to these things that makes it problematic. Don’t pray for these things and it will come to you. We all need money and that’s a fact but it all belongs to God. Discipleship is about removing attachment to this world and getting attached to the kingdom we will live in for eternity.

Discipleship is about character development. The purpose of heaven is to see Jesus and be like Him. But everyday we must be transformed. For that to happen, we need difficult people in our lives so that we can ‘work out our salvation’. Discipleship is building the life of Christ is us.

D. Jesus calls us to teach and train

Teach our members to be involved with the mission of the church and gives to missions. This teaching is to be done in small group. Purpose of teaching is to build up the church. We need to learn the bible and teach it to other people, then the presence of God will be with you.

Jesus charges us with His authority “all authority on heaven and on earth has been given to me, therefore...”. We must make it our priority to pray, evangelise make disciples, and teach!

Luke 9: a man with a son who was demon possessed crying out for help -- people are crying our for deliverance. Jesus gave authority to his disciples yet they could not cast out this demon. Authority is not the only thing we need. We need power. The disciples’ power was hindered because they did not let God be first in their lives (’let the dead bury the dead’) and they were more concerned about who was going to be the greatest (i.e. position). However, Jesus corrects them and says you must have fasting and prayer. No fasting, no power. We need faith, that is, total dependence on God and His promises. “I have no other way but for You to come true for me”

We have the power and authority.

Action Plan:

Pray 1 hour a day

Fast for the next two weeks to build dependence on God

motivated-mindset

Let your dreams be bigger than your fears & your actions louder than your words.

(via motivated-mindset)

motivated-mindset

Success isn’t something given, it’s something earned. So go out there, work hard, and make your dreams come true!

(via motivated-mindset)

kaylaitsines

Healthy sandwiches over ANYTHING for lunch😍😍 There’s nothing better!!! I remember I used to HATE them at school, I would throw mine in the bin and go and buy a pie and a donut 😂 Ahhh that’s school for ya!! Back in the day when junk food was sold in schools in Australia 😝😝 Now, I love eating healthy and looking after my body 😍😍👏 www.kaylaitsines.com/app @avantgardevegan