Weeks 40 & 41 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

We celebrated our 9th Church Anniversary last Saturday in a very nice hotel. The theme was Go for Gold. It was a glittering affair as the people turned up in fancy dress or formal attire. You are welcome to view the pictures online http://picasaweb.google.com/hopelondonchurch/13October2007HopeLondon9thAnniversary

It is amazing that we have been building this church for nine years. It seems like a long time, yet at the same time, I can remember the early meetings in our small flat in North London. So much memory......so many people have passed through the church.....now back in their home countries....Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Africa, Canada, USA, Australia.....all have left their mark in the history of Hope London and in my heart!

Building God's church is both hugely difficult and rewarding at the same time. The joy of seeing people coming to the Lord and being transformed by Him far outweigh the challenges. No wonder the Lord went all the way on the cross for our sake because He saw the value of each individual soul! Indeed, quoting the theme of the Women Conference that our dear Jo is organising for all the girls ...."Because You Are Worth It". :o)

I am excited in my spirit to believe that the Lord will move in a big way in Europe in the not too distant future. We will use the next year to prepare the church for harvest. I shared with my leaders that the keys are personal holiness, discipleship and ownership. I have already chosen the theme for our 10th Anniversary as "Enter The Land". I believe in a time of fightings and victories in the years to come for God's people. God's Kingdom will advance forcefully in Europe when His people are ready!!!

I echo the cry of the Psalmist "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.......Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble. In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant." [Ps 143:1-2,7-12 NIV]

"......With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.........So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle........By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night." [Exod 13:14-22 NIV] Just like the God of old delivering the Israelites out of slavery in Eygpt, leading them in the wilderness and preparing them for battle in the promised land, He will do the same to God's people of our time. We will experience the same victories if God is with us.

People of God in Joshua's time had tremendous courage and determination in fighting the enemy and conquering territories for God. God's people in the early church had that same boldness and perseverance in facing adveristy. "It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also.......After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each......but the church was earnestly praying to God for him." God came to his rescue. "Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up.......the chains fell off Peter's wrists.......Peter followed him out of the prison.......They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city......" [Acts 12:1-11 NIV] Peter was supernaturally helped by God. So take courage, God will do the same to us!

The day of wrath will come before the return of the Lord. And "Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness. The wicked man earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward." [Prov 11:4-6,18 NIV]

Weeks 37 - 39 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

I was in Italy last week attending the Apostolic Fellowship International conference [see pics]. It was a joy and a blessing to meet so many great servants of the Lord. It was particularly encouraging to see God moving mightily in Latin America, Africa and Asia. Great works are also being done in Australia and Europe, and we shall see a greater move of God in this continent soon.

I have learnt many things from the teachings and sharings of the Apostles at the AFI. One thing that stands out is a life of holiness in them that precedes successes in their ministries. It is the single most important pre-requisite for God to anoint and bless their work!

Yesterday, I shared a prophetic vision with church leaders in Europe and I believe that God is encouraging holiness in His Church, esp. so in the next year. I prophesied that when His Church in Europe grows in holiness, we will see revival coming to this continent. We will see a greater move of God in Europe! (If you are interested in the details of the Prophesy, let me know and I will send you a copy).

The Holy Spirit inspired King David to write "O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely.......Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." [Ps 139:1-6 NIV] This is the attitude of someone who desires after God and His holiness. Let us aspire to do the same.

The miracles that God performed in Egypt through Moses cause me to think that God can use us to do the impossible for God too. "Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields-- both men and animals; it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree. The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were." Even a hardened soul like the King of Eygpt had no choice but to repent of his sins. "Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. "This time I have sinned," he said to them. "The LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong......". [Exod 9:25-35 NIV] I believe God is looking down from heaven for clean vessels whom He can channel His power & His blessings to our communities & nations! Let us get our lives right before God and we shall see great advances in His Kingdom in this land.

The work of the Apostles recorded in The Book of Acts give us great hope and expectation of what God can do in Europe in the 21st Century. "Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city." [Acts 8:3-8 NIV] How I long to see this same great joy coming to our cities. :o)

So dear brethrens, "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine." [Prov 3:1-10 NIV]

Weeks 35 & 36 (07) - Blessings of Divine Guidance

Having spent the holydays (literally) in two church camps in August, I started work in a new environment in the last two weeks. Although I have worked in our Stevenage Office one year before, I now see a lot of new faces, the result of a fairly large turnover in staff. The office is strangely quiet, with eveyone staring at his or her computer screen, working away as if there is no one else around. The atmosphere is so different from that of the camps!

Although I do not expect the work place and the camp to be the same, and it would be silly of me to exect them to be, I still think that it does not need to be so "cold". I suppose most people are there for the purpose of making a living, and their lives & friends are elsewhere. Without sounding judgemental, if a third of our time is spent in a world of isolation, no wonder life is not as abundant as it should be!

God created us to be relational beings. Problems begin when people live in isolation.......physical, emotional, mental...ones. Hence God encourages us to "live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore." [Ps 133:1-3 NIV] A concept and blessing that the world do not understand!

People in the world are slaves, whether we live in a democratic society like the UK or under a dictatorship like North Korea. Slaves all the same. Everyone's purpose in life is to make the most of one's life before one dies, whether one is making billions or simply making ends meet. One's life begin in the womb and ends in the tomb. I was one of them before I know Christ. Christ changed my values and perspective in life. Christ set me free from the misery of "slavery". In the same way, God set the Israelites free from slavery in Egypt.'The LORD...have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. And ....promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land......flowing with milk and honey.'[Exod 3:16-22 NIV]

There is a hunger in the world today to make sense of the purpose of living. Life is empty without finding that answer. The answer is the Good News of Jesus Christ. A time will come when many will come to know Christ, just like when Peter shared Jesus in the early church. "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins....... and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." [Acts 2:37-41 NIV] Lets pray for that day to come!

How I wish I know God better. How I wish I can present Him in a way that all people will understand. ".........I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!........" [Prov 30:2-6 NIV]

Now I know in part :o( ........... then I shall know fully :o)