What makes your heart leap?

When my friend reminded me over the phone that the Global Bridegroom Fast in December is going to be a week-long (instead of the usual 3-day long during the first week of every month), my heart leaped within me and I exclaimed "yay!!!"

I was actually quite surprised that I was joyful, instead of thinking... "oh I'm going to be hungry for 7 days..."

I turned to God and excitedly began to think, "oh, what shall I bring to You, Lord... these seven days...each day I will bring you something!" It felt like I was invited to something.... to draw near... and thus my immediate response was "what shall I bring..as a gift, as an offering..." Just like if you were invited to a birthday party of a good friend, you'll think of a gift to bring :)

Before I even began to think of the actual tangible things I can bring and do - e.g. first day, bless someone with a gift, second day, give a love offering to God etc... then God prompted my heart...

2 Chronicles 16:9 ~ For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

1 Sam 16:7 ~ For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Yes... He is looking at our hearts...

With tears in my eyes, I responded to Him..."Yes Lord, I know You are looking at our hearts...I will bring to You a heart that is...

Surrended - all I have is Yours..
Pliable - always receptive to what God has to say, even the most outrageous thing!
Devoted - coming before Him in loving meditation
Pure - no other gods but Him!
Extravagant - pouring out my love to Him, like what Mary of Bethany did...
Intense - may zeal for Your House consume me...me Lord.... Psalm 132
Burning - may I be faithful to You through all seasons... set my heart ablaze for You..hotter and hotter each day!

3 to 9 December 2012 here I come!!

What is Jesus saying through His last final parable here on earth? Matthew 22:1-14

Matthew 22:1-14 was the final parable Jesus preached in His public ministry here on earth. His last word must be delivered with much weightiness - both on His heart and on the hearers' heart.

Jesus must be thinking... "I'm going to leave the people with these parting words. I've kept it till my final hours to say this... I've spoken of many things that my Father has entrusted me to say, and pressed on to do all the things He has told me to do... This is the very message that will sum up what's on my Father's heart...may they take heart...may they take heed and respond..."

Why did Jesus liken the kingdom of heaven to a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son (Matthew 22:2). What does He mean when He ended the parable with the statement, "For many are called, but few are chosen." (Matthew. 22:14)?

What is the kingdom of God like?

There are three major focuses in this parable. Firstly, it speaks of what the kingdom of God is all about (v2). Many parables in the gospel describe the "kingdom paradigm" - the kingdom of God is like a man who sowed good seed into his field... the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed... the kingdom of God is like leaven ... the kingdom of God is like treasure hidden in a field... and so on... In Matthew 22:1-14, Jesus describes the kingdom of God as a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son. It gave the clearest description of why Jesus came for the first time and what He is looking for in His second coming. He is looking for a bride for His Son, a bride who is equally-yoked in love and maturity with Jesus, for the wedding feast to come!

The parable crescendos to the verse in Matthew 22:37-38:

"Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment."

The parable of the Wedding Feast, as what Matthew 22:1-14 is commonly referred to, provides the context for the Call to the First and Great Commandment. Matthew 22:37-38 is in the context of a wedding feast!  God is calling out to us to love Him wholeheartedly because there is a wedding to come! Oh God, let this truth marinate our hearts! May we know what You are saying and looking for!

How then shall we preach the gospel?

Secondly, this parable shows us how we should proclaim the kingdom of God. Do we preach a gospel that merely tells people that it is the way to escape the lake of fire? - "believe in Jesus and you will be saved from hell's  fire!" Or do we proclaim what is the eternal plan in God's heart? - the very core message of the Gospel centres around a wedding feast! This is the very ultimate desire of God the Father! He has a Son and He is looking for an equally-yoked bride to 'marry' Jesus. This union is nothing sensual in the human sense, rather, what God means is that He seeks a spiritual intimacy with believers that is at the closest level. Apostle Paul aptly proclaims this in the context of the relationship between husband and wife in Ephesians 5:32

"This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church."

The importance and necessity to prepare ourselves

Finally, this parable reveals the highest focus of any ministry - to be prepared for the wedding to come! The core message of the Gospel, the ultimate desire of God and the highest focus of any ministry is hidden in the parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1 - 14). So take heed! Whatever ministry that God has given us, they are an instrument to enhance our love for God and an expression of our love for God and people. We are to be faithful in doing it - be it exciting, laborious or even at times mundane. We are to be faithful till the end, standing firm on His truth, with clarity in what we are doing, even when our 'assignment' from God may seem unpopular, our ministry is not growing or we face resistance from all sides..

Yet we need to remember that the primary goal of any ministry is love, for there is a wedding day to come! Are we preparing the flocks that God has entrusted us to be ready in wholeheartedness before His coming? Is the focus of our ministry one that enhances love for God? We often put the cart before the horse and get distracted and preoccupied with the works of the ministry and so neglect our First Love. The works of the ministry are important, yet they are to be secondary. When we put the secondary things in the first place, we will burn out and lose our First Love...

As we read what God is saying and looking for in this parable, may we see the importance and necessity to prepare ourselves for the wedding feast. God has given us a blueprint in the Scriptures, showing us how we should prepare ourselves - the Book of Esther gives us an allegorical description of how Queen Esther, depicting the bride of Christ,  responded to the bridal invitation and prepared herself in partnership with God 'for such a time as this'. She stood in readiness, even unto death, having been through a lengthy process of bridal preparation and intercession. The book of Joel also gives the clearest description of how we should prepare ourselves in times of crisis, which is the very hour we are entering into. May our hearts tremble and may we take heed and respond!

What God is saying and how shall we respond?

The primary and premier work of the Holy Spirit in such a time as this is to restore and awaken the Church to her First Love! (Matt. 22:37-39; Mark 12:30; Deu. 30: 1-14; Songs 6:8-9). Are our hearts burning for God? Do we love Jesus more today than yesterday? Oh, may our goal here on earth be this - to be able to present to Jesus at the end of our life - a life testimony of complete obedience and the offering of our perfect love to Jesus. (1 John 4:12-17). We can love God wholeheartedly! If God has called us to love Him, He will give us grace and empower us too!

Our readiness for the wedding day to come is determined by our preparation. The readiness of an individual believer is the result and combination of both the divine grace of God and human responsibility. We don't earn what God has in store for us, our destiny in Him, but we reach for it (Rom. 8:28-29; Phil. 2:12; Rev. 19:7). It's not about attaining perfection but about the posturing of our hearts to pursue God wholeheartedly with diligence, focus and intensity. For many have said "yes" but few go after it intentionally and deliberately (Matt. 22:14)...


One of the questions of the hour
The parable ends with an exhortation to prepare ourselves and the consequence of not being ready for the wedding day. Matthew 22: 11-12 says,

"But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ "

One of the questions of the hour is this: "Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?" (Matthew 22:12) What a sobering sight - the man was already in the wedding feast but he did not have a wedding garment on. Who was this man? He was in the eternal city but did not receive the full inheritance God has in store for Him because he was not ready. He could be a nominal believer who is casual about his faith or lived in compromise in sin and thus did not esteem loving God wholeheartedly and running in partnership with Him here on earth as important and a priority.

God exhorts us in 2Cor. 13:5 "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified."  

The consequence of not being prepared was liken to being in the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth for the glory of entering into the wedding feast and eternity in proximity with God is something he could have but it was too late. Oh God, give to us understanding of the 'it's too late' reality...let Your truth so strike our hearts...give us understanding and grace to respond! In that day, we want to be speechless in gazing at the fullness of Your glory; not speechless in realising that we are not prepared when we could have done something about it...

He who has an ear,  let him hear what the Spirit of God is saying! And as we hear, may we respond in bridal preparation, intentionally and deliberately. And having done that, to contend earnestly for the fullness God has for us!

"Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." (Jude 1:3)

Heart Connect... Heart Ablaze...

I asked my friend..."are you hot for Jesus?" (Rev. 3:15-16)

He replied..."no, I'm not...I'm lukewarm..."

Then I asked, "so... what are you going to do about it?"

He replied tongue-in-cheek..."date a girlfriend who is passionate for Jesus!"

=_= To which I replied tongue-in-cheek, "then you got to change your girlfriend!"

--------------

Well, the morale of the story is not about changing your girlfriend or boyfriend... nor is it about hanging around people who are passionate for Jesus in the hope that we can be passionate for Jesus too...

Think about it... if we always have a heart connect with someOne within us who is hot, how can we not be hot too? If we have someOne who is burning inside of us, the key is not to look at things or people outside to just ignite the fire, but to seek to add 'fuel' (through reading of the word, meditation / prayer, fellowship with the Holy Spirit etc) to keep that flame burning within us, inside-out..

Not just ignite... but keep the fire burning...

True that people can inspire us, but it can't last us very long. Nothing can replace our own searching out and journey with God. Besides, conviction's gotta come from our innermost being, not just because 'someone said so..'. If we have conviction, even when no one is looking, or doing it, we will still do it. If we do or believe something because of what someone else said, when the person cease to exist or imperfection sets in (people or relationship changes..), we will lose heart.

A mother asked her five-year-old boy.... "How do you keep the fire burning?"...He replied swiftly, "Throw in fresh logs." (Lev. 6:10-13)

Daily... removing the ashes.. things that hinder the fire from burning... and adding in fresh logs... to keep the fire burning...Perhaps some of us have ashes to remove, so that our fire can burn brighter... Perhaps some of us gotta throw in fresh logs to keep the fire burning...

What diminishes love? Trash them.... even valid as they are... what enhances love for God and people? Cultivate them...

Jesus' eyes are blazing when He looks at us because His heart is passionate for us...  (Dan. 10:6; Rev. 1:14; 19:12)... if we are near Him, and have a heart-connect with Him...how can we not be passionate for Him?


p/s: Thank you my dear friend... a mirror for my soul, a stabiliser in times of storm...you have spurred me on in Christ!!

Beyond the manifestation

About fifteen years ago, I was in an overnight prayer meeting. We earnestly gathered to seek His face and hear His voice. Led by the Spirit, we worshipped and prayed....

As we tarried for God's presence to come, He broke in! All across the small room where some thirty people were gathered in prayer and worship, everyone was caught up in the presence of God. No one had to say anything. God came. We knew it. We worshipped. Some broke into tears as God's presence walked in the room... some travailed in prayer in intercession for a burden upon their hearts... some laid slain in the spirit while others were worshipping God with hands wide open.

What a sight...What an experience...

Then a still small voice spoke in my heart... "after this, then what?" It was a sincere question, not a sceptical one. I had a stirring in my heart... by God's grace, I saw in the spirit that some were touched by the Lord but they 'had issues'... while some others had the God-encounter but did not understand or had the maturity to process "so what happened?" and thus "so what can I do in response to God's touch?"

I remembered asking my pastor... that move of God, genuine as it is, how does it bear fruit in us, unless we 'sustain this encounter' in our walk with Him? Perhaps some may need further ministry as God reveals an aspect of their lives that He wants to work through them. Perhaps some need a godly counsel as to what God is doing and saying in their lives through the encounter. Yet some others needed a spiritual deliverance. Of course, for some, it was a timely refreshing deep within as they continue in their journey with God. If there was no 'follow-through' after this encounter, the manifestation of God, genuine as it is, will not bear fruit at all. In fact some may interpret it as a 'top-up' kind of stuff and go from place to place to get 'topped up in the spirit'. How wrong can we get!

That encounter left me wanting... wanting more of God's presence - for He is real and wants to touch us!... wanting more understanding in how to build up the body of Christ (including myself) in receiving His presence, sustaining the presence of God in our lives and releasing it as God directs our hearts in love...

Quoting from an article on 'How to discern the moves of God', I learnt what God does when He moves in power:

Generally, the Holy Spirit has 3 purposes when He releases and heightens His activity:

1. He manifests His power to those needing salvation, healing or renewal. (e.g. Toronto Blessings)

2. He imparts His truth or wisdom. In every move of God there are particular facets of truth that He wants the larger Body to receive.

3. He wants to establish godliness and holiness. (e.g. humility or love)

It is the intention of God to allow all involved with His move to be humbled and sometimes even humiliated....  People have unnecessary pain and disillusionment in the wake of a revival because they thought that revival was mostly about enjoying God’s power instead of learning wisdom and growing in humility.

Fifteen years later... I say... good for you if you had a manifestation... as a loving sister-in-Christ, if I still hear you wowing about the physical experience after a few weeks, I'll give you a loving tap on your shoulder and say... let's go beyond the manifestation... do not be caught up with it, exciting as it may be... may our greatest and most magnificent obsession be... Jesus Christ our Lord! p/s: not just a slogan, but truly walking out in loving Him with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength...over years, over decades... Give us grace, Lord, as we set our hearts on loving You wholeheartedly!

If... (We want to love You)

[God reminded and strengthened me through His word in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3...

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, 
but have not love, 
I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.  

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, 
but have not love, 
I am nothing.  

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, 
but have not love, 
it profits me nothing." 

We may have many talents, hear God's voice clearly with accuracy, do many things in serving God and yet not know that our hearts could be distracted or we have subconsciously 'moved away' from God... Many a time, doing the needful or the routine, good as it is, if we do not check our heart in the Lord and be open and teachable, it may give us a false impression that we are 'still ok' in our walk with God. God once again strengthened my heart... in knowing that it profits me, my heart, nothing... yes nothing (how can it be?)...yes nothing (really?)....yes nothing (oh it hurts)... if all that I do... sing, pray, minister, serve..., I do not have love in my heart.... love of God in my heart, love for others in my heart....

O God, I turn to You...I want to have love in my heart (Pour out Your love as spoken in Your word in Romans 5:5!), I want to love You more, just as the Father loved Jesus (Jesus prayed this for us in John 17:26!), I want to grow in my love for You (empower me!)... 

I want to feel the movements of Your heart.... I want to move Your heart... with my songs, with my prayers...with my all...


If.... (We want to love You)

If ...we play a song to You
But have not love (in our hearts)
We become a sounding brass
We become a clashing symbol

If ...we say a prayer to You
But have not love (in our hearts)
It would profit us nothing
It would profit us nothing

O... We want to love You (with all our heart)
We want to grow in our love for You

Lover of our soul
Keeper of our hearts
Enlarge our hearts
Come fill us with Your love

That we may love You (more and more)
That we may move Your heart (with our song)

That we may love You (more and more)
That we may move Your heart (with our prayers)


Mark 12:30 "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment."

One Thing (is needed)

[Hmmm... it's amazing the number of songs that came out of the House of Prayer that speaks of Psalm 27:4... Truly our DNA - to be the people of one thing... so few lines but so many ways of singing this to God... Praise Him!]

One Thing is needed

This is what I’ll seek

One Thing is needed

I wana dwell in Your Presence

One Thing is needed

This is what I desire

To gaze at Your beauty

Inquire of You, My Lord

To stand, burn and minister, all my days

To stand, burn and minister, hearing Your voice

The Heart of the Ministry...Friends of the Bridegroom

When all is quiet and still, what's beating in our heart to God? One of the key verses in the heart of our vision in One Thing Ministries is John 3:27-30...



"John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.  You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.  He must increase, but I must decrease."


I like to ponder over familiar verses, and at certain seasons, God will lead us to the verses again. He wants to speak to us! He wants to strengthen us! 


So I ponder, and so I still my heart before Him...and so I worship Him... Let it be unto us, what we desire..Matthew 15:28



Verse 1
Everything we have
Everything You've given us
Comes from Your hands
Comes from heaven

Verse 2
Everything we have
Everything You've given us
Comes from Your hands
Comes from Your throne of grace

Pre-chorus
So we stand here as Your friend
As the friends of the Bridegroom
Watching, waiting
To hear Your voice

So we stand here as Your friend
And blow the trumpet
Pressing in, contending
With one desire...

Chorus
You're everything we want
You're everything we desire
More of You
Less of us

You're everything we want
You're everything we desire
A friendship with You...
We wana know You more...

You're everything we want
You're everything we desire
It's all about You
It's all about You... and Your kingdom

Hearing but do not understand, seeing but do not perceive.

Isaiah prophesied in Isa.6:9-10 and this is quoted again in Matthew13:14-5:

‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;

Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’

“Make the heart of this people dull,

And their ears heavy,

And shut their eyes;

Lest they see with their eyes,

And hear with their ears,

And understand with their heart,

And return and be healed.”

At the first reading, one may think of God... "why is God like that"... Doesn't our loving God desire the people to turn? Doesn't God desire to heal and restore His people, especially His chosen nation, Israel? Yet God conceals Himself from them and even hardens their heart.... Why?

Who are You, God?

In the context of the prophecy in Isa.6, we read that Isaiah was commissioned by God to speak judgment on an obstinate nation, Israel. The people have chosen to turn away from God (as we read from Isa.1-5), thus God will give to them what they desire - spiritual bankruptcy! To an obstinate people, God says they will not have understanding nor perceive what God is doing, even if they see and hear from God. In fact, God will make their hearts dull.

Yet God reveals the secrets of His heart to His servants, the prophets (Amos 3:7). Bearing the trademark as one who knows God's heart, that even in judgment, God longs to relent, and God will not punish or banish them forever from Him, Isaiah appealed to God, "Lord, how long?" Note that Isaiah did not ask God, "Why?" but Isaiah asked, "How long?".

Perhaps many of us are seldom acquainted the God who is our Righteous Judge - that He will judge if we turn from Him in waywardness. We like to think of God as a God of love. Thus, we may think that God is 'not loving' or what He does in judgment 'contradicts' Him as a loving God. May God open our eyes to see that even in His judgment, He is also a loving God, for He has already a plan in mind, that He judges so as to restore us in love. It is the same. Think about it...

And true to God's nature, He beckons us to turn to Him, but if we so choose not to, He will fulfill our heart's desire. In fact, He will 'help' us - He will harden our hearts. He is a Righteous Judge and shows no partiality. Yet our blindness and deafness to Him will not stop God from speaking to men. And that's why when Jesus came, He spoke in parables...for the mysteries of the kingdom are spoken in parables,

"For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." (Matthew 13:12)

To what shall I liken this generation?

So how are we responding to God? Are our hearts ever more tender and sensitive to God and His voice, or are we hardened? It is critical to be able to hear God... and more than critical in the days we are living in, to hear God. There will come a time we will hear a voice from behind us saying, this is the way, walk in it, and we will thrive, else we will suffer loss. In other words, we cannot afford not to hear His voice clearly.

Now... now is the time to buy oil... to know God intimately and hear His voice...

Jesus said in Matthew 11:16-19

“But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying:

‘We played the flute for you,

    And you did not dance;

We mourned to you,

    And you did not lament.’

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”

This is a sad state... a generation that seems numb and totally unmoved - not only that, they totally discern things the wrong way. How did they come to this state?

As we live in the world, perhaps things around us may have crept into us, silently, dulling our hearts in the Lord, making us wonder, why am I not vibrant in my walk with God? I fall asleep when I read His word. There is no zeal in my prayer. My heart does not seem to be moved by God as how it did in the past...

You know what I'm talking about... it's not so much the outward intense zealousness all the time but the heart connected-ness with God that you have lost. And you are bothered by it, which is good. For if we are not hot and don't even know it or admit it, we are in a hotter soup!

May our hearts be quickened by His word of caution in 1John 2:15-17:

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."

Many a time, when we want something, and do not get it our way, our terms (lust of the flesh), we get embittered and resentful. Yet if we stay this way and refuse to see our own problem, it's akin to drinking the cup of poison ourselves and hoping the people we are bitter and resentful towards will die from it.

Are we also so full of pride, consumed with self that we think we are all right and others are the problem, thus ignoring voices that warn us from the pit hole right in front of us?

May we respond to God in wholeheartedness and be found as a generation ready for His coming! May wisdom be justified by her children. Let us bear fruits in our lives in keeping a heart that is connected to God!

盐! Matthew 5:13

皮肉痛，心喜悦
心啊，你为何挣扎？
若是，世上的物质享受
无一间，进入了你心房？

拿把盐
撒在心上
转移你的目光
仰望着天父…

我是人类的盐
盐若失掉了咸味，
就无法使它再咸…
皮肉阿，让它屈服…

天父的心
天父的国度
我的心向往！
我的心喜悦！

Prevailing Prayer: Persevere with the Holy Spirit

"Prevailing, or effectual prayer, is that prayer which attains the blessing that it seeks. It is that prayer which effectually moves God. The very idea of effectual prayer is that it affects its object." ~ Charles G. Finney

 

Prayer, to be effectual (producing an intended effect), must be by the intercession of the Spirit. You never can expect to offer prayer according to the will of God without the Spirit. There must be a faith such as is produced by the effectual operation of the Holy Ghost.

 

As a general thing, Christians who have backslidden and lost the spirit of prayer will not get a once into the habit of persevering prayer. Their minds are not in a right state, and they cannot fix their thoughts so as to hold on till the blessing comes. If their minds were in that state in which they would persevere till the answer came, effectual prayer might be offered at once, as well as after praying ever so many times for an object. But they have to pray again and again, because their thoughts are so apt to wander away  and are so easily diverted from the object.

 

Most Christians come up to prevailing prayer by a protracted (lengthened, over time) process. Their minds gradually become filled with anxiety about an object, so that they will even go about their business sighing out their desires to God. Just as the mother whose child is sick goes round her house sighing as if her heart would break. And if she is a praying mother, her sighs are breathed out to God all the day long. If she goes out of the room where her child is, her mind is still on it; and if she is asleep, still her thoughts are on it, and she starts in her dreams, thinking that perhaps the child may be dying. Her whole mind is absorbed in that sick child. This is the state of mind in which Christians offer prevailing prayer.

 

Now, do not deceive yourselves with thinking that you offer effectual prayer without this intense desire for the blessing. I do not believe in it. Prayer is not effectual unless it is offered up with an agony of desire. The Apostle Paul speaks of it as a travail of the soul. Jesus Christ, when He was praying in the garden, was in such an agony that “His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground”  (Luke 22:44)

 

 

[Taken from Principles of Prayer by Charles G. Finney]

Moments... (on the 14th day..)

[I've been asking God to reveal Himself to me, to encounter me, as I press in for the fullness of Him and His promises through prayer and all diligence in seeking Him. He answered my prayer, leaving me wanting more of Him...We've been asking for the increase in the spirit of prophecy - for more dreams and visions - that we may know the heart of God and speak it forth... When God encounters us, it is so vivid and real in the supernatural realm... May it bear fruit and produce a change that only He can bring...May the message be the messenger and the messenger be the message!]

Verse 1
Moments...

When You opened up my eyes

To catch a glimpse of Your glory 

Approaching me

Verse 2

Moments...

When You opened up my heart

To see Your holiness 

All surround me

Chorus

I tear my heart

Unworthy of Your glory

I tear my heart

Turning from my sins

Ending chorus

Facedown... 

I bowed down in worship and awe

Of the Holy One

My God and my King

John 3:29

[After all's been said and done... one thing remains... our heart of worship... our heart that beats towards God saying... our joy is to hear Your voice... aka... it's all about You, it's all about Your kingdom. We press in, we contend... and at the end of the day, what exhilarates us most, is not the happenings or the hand of God, good and encouraging as they are, but the very fact that our hearts are connected to His and we hear His voice speaking to us...]

Verse
Day by day
Walking with You
Day by day
Abiding with You
Day by day
Connecting my heart with You

Chorus
To hear Your voice
Is my reward
To hear Your voice
Is my joy
So I come
Just to wait and hear
It's all about You... It's all about Your kingdom O Lord

You are the Potter (Psalm 139)

[It's one thing to know that we are created by God and another thing, to yield to the hands of our Creator God. How do we look like? Perhaps we don't even know we look stunted (not literally) when we live life according to our own ways... May we yield to the Potter's hand... Oh how marvelous are His works... our days were written in His book... He not only created and formed us, but also has a plan for our life. May we search Him out and let Him lead us... May the knowledge of our Father's loving heart stir in us to cry out to Him 'Abba Father!' as we follow Him... His ways, not our ways...] Psalm 139, Rom 8:15; Isa 64:8

Verse 1
All my days
Were written in Your book
How marvelous, are Your works Lord

Verse 2
All my days
Were written by You
How precious are thoughts, I am Yours Lord...

Chorus
You are the Potter
I am the clay of Your hand
So come and mold me
Mold me and make me like You

You are the Potter
I am the clay of Your hand
Abba Father!
I delight in all Your ways...

Spontaneous
Your ways, not my ways
Your will be done

Search me, O come and prune me
I will follow You...

We've come to seek You (We believe)

[When I pray... do I believe?
Oh God, stir up faith in me... 
To pray, to tarry..


When I pray... where does my answer come from? 
Oh God... spring up hope within me...
To keep pressing in..


When I pray...what is the posture of my heart? 
Oh God, stir up love within me, let it overwhelm, 
From Your heart to mine and from my heart to Yours... I pray...]



We've come to seek You, in this place
We've come to listen, to Your heartbeat
We've come to minister and burn for You
You're all we want... You're all we desire

We believe... that You are near
We believe...You're watching over us
We believe.. Your promises are true
So we tarry, we contend (for You)

Rain down... rain down Your glory
Rain down... rain down Your miracles
Rain down... rain down Your presence, Lord
(We wait for You...)

How It Would Be Like?

[I had a conversation with a friend... about prayer, and we challenged each other to look within ourselves...do we really know and desire what we pray and ask God for. For example, we tarry for the breaking in of the Holy Spirit. But have we looked within ourselves and thought through - do we really mean it.. do we really want it..what does it mean to us personally...or are we only praying cos someone else said so and it sounds good... We need to hear from God ourselves! For when it means something to us, more than a distant thought and good intellectual idea, we will tarry...we will pray...


What it would be like when it really happens? Will we be ready? How would God want us to partner with Him? What does God need? Who will be there to teach, to manage the admin and all.


We hear of start-ups by the entrepreneurs. People giving up their regular and sometimes high-paying jobs to sustain the start-up - there must be some full-time folks running the show. And when the business scales - it must scale else close shop - then more commitment folks. So... do we know what we are in for? Or we just think or hope others will do it? What is God saying?


More than the micro nuts and bolts of the detailed preparation (how many chairs we'll need, what about the duty roster etc - that can be sorted out), I'm talking about the heart preparation and diligence in the hearing, doing and keeping before the breaking in.... Have we heard (paid attention, turned aside and consider)?  Have we taken heart and heeded (and thus changed our lifestyles radically and not sparingly)? Have we done the keeping... keep walking, keep trusting, keep believing, keep the zeal and fervor...keep burning...]


How it would be like
How it would be like
See You move in our midst
Feel the weight of Your glory

How it would be like
How it would be like
See the young and hungry hearts
Come and seek Your face

Lord stir up our hearts
We ask for wisdom
Lord stir up hearts
Make ready Your people
(We say yes)

Hide me, Prepare me

Isaiah 49:2
"And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword;
In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me,
And made Me a polished shaft;
In His quiver He has hidden Me.”


This is one of the key verses for the season I'm in.... as I sought the Lord for directions. This verse speaks of God preparing his saints, that in that day, they may be arrows taken out of the quiver, creating impact for the kingdom of the Lord where the Lord Himself will send them. Meanwhile, prepare, prepare, prepare... Some are in the quiver, while some are in the shadow of His hand... 


Yet more than just running with God in partnership, it's all for love... for I once was lost, but now am found... this life I live, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.. Gal 2:20 May I never forget this...




Verse
I once was lost
But now am found
Safe in Your arms
Safe in Your love


You lift me from the miry clay
You set my feet upon a rock
Put a new song, in my mouth
(I'm Your inheritance, the praise of Your glory)




Chorus
Hide me in the shadow of Your hand
Let Your word, wash over me
Consuming Fire come
Refine me pure as gold
That I may burn and shine
(In righteousness)


Hide me in the shadow of Your hand
'Til Your desire, burns in me
Lord prepare me
Holy Spirit guide me
For that day...
(I will run with You...)

There Is No Other

[Thank God for guiding us to meditate on His word and through songs, to dwell on the truths of Who He is... and encounter Him deep in our spirit man... responding in worship and abandonment in living for God!

May Spirit of God give me understanding of how beautiful and glorious Jesus, the Branch of the Lord, is... that even now, I not only sing in worship, but also live for the day of His coming... Oh.. the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty... who can fathom! Show me O Holy Spirit... I want to know, I want to understand.. (Isa. 2:10, 19, 21) ]

Isaiah 4:2 ~ "In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious;

And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing..."

There is no other as lovely

There is no other as worthy

As beautiful, as beautiful as You

The Branch of the Lord

Shall be glorious

The fruit of the earth

So excellent

The Branch of the Lord

Shall be beautiful

The fruit of the earth

So appealing

(that we will sing..)

No eye has seen

No eye has seen

No ear has heard

What You have prepared

For those who love You

No eye has seen

No ear has heard

Reveal, reveal Jesus

By Your Spirit

Let me hear Your voice

In the morning

Let me hear Your voice

Late at night

Let me hear Your voice

Calling me

1 Cor 2:9-12

But as it is written:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

Nor have entered into the heart of man

The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

Moments when you just can't carry on a conversation with God...

I remember when the House of Prayer was located in the Bible House building. We did not have many verses on the wall. Probably only one, I think...

Psalm 27:4

One thing I have desired of the Lord,

That will I seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the Lord

All the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the Lord,

And to inquire in His temple.

I remember one day, I was meditating upon this verse in the House of Prayer and decided to talk to God using this verse. From the bottom of my heart, while the devotional worship was going on in the background, I told God, "You are my one thing...".

Then I paused and before I wanted to say it again... I thought I heard God saying to me, "You are my one thing...". I kind of shrugged off the voice, as thought I might be dreaming or hearing things... So I opened my mouth and was about to continue talking to God. But He did not allow me to continue...

"You are my one thing... You... You are my one thing..."

Tears welled up in my eyes...

These are moments I could not carry on a conversation with God...

More than five years on, with all its ups and downs, north and south winds... this verse still moves my heart... for every time when I attempt to say that to Him, I hear Him saying the same thing back to me...

It is the name that God has given us as a House... to remind us that above all, to keep Him as the 'one thing' - the very priority, love and pursuit in our lives...crowd or no crowd, glory or no glory, to remember our name... for this is who we are - a People of One Thing..

Praise be to God for His undying love and abundant grace in my life... O how He loves us so.. I want to know Him more... and run with Him...

2Cor 11:3 ~ "For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."

Deut. 4:24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Your Eyes

God wins my heart over, over and over again... whenever I ponder and realise that all He wants is my heart. He cares big time to develop my heart, more than what the work of my hands will bring. He who created us in our inmost being truly knows us well and is not in a hurry.

Over the years, this truth keeps getting grilled in my work-work-work mentality -- the truth that if I don't get down to doing anything for Him, He loves me the same. Period. I still don't get it... >_< My human folly of the performance trap, entraps me and holds me back from fully knowing His heart. How can? I would protest vehemently...

But I yield... and I erm... willingly get grilled over and over again by this truth. He is more concerned with my heart...Like David, I said, "My heart was hot within me...While I was musing, the fire burned..." ~ Psalm 39:3... His eyes are on my heart... more than what I can offer Him with the works of my hands... This truth overwhelms my heart yet again... and my heart is stirred...

YOUR EYES

Your eyes

Are looking to and fro

Searching out for those

Who trembles at Your word

Your eyes

Are looking to and fro

May You find in me

A heart that's after Yours

(Chorus)

Now I know, this I know

You are near

You are with me

You are looking at my heart

(You are after my heart)

(Spont)

I will live before Your eyes...

I will walk in all of Your ways...

Wholeheartedly... My First Love

I will live before Your eyes

I will walk in all of Your ways

Come lead me, come guide me, I pray...

Forever Changed by You

Someone said...we are created to be "wounded" by His extravagant love and to be "ruined" by His indescribable glory! o_O

I was meditating on Songs 5:8-16, Isaiah 6:1-6, Revelation 1:12-20, Phil 3:7-13... and it's just so 'painful'... "Painful" cos I just don't get it...And I hear once again, my own inner voice that says, "Why know all these things? It's too deep. You won't understand... it's beyond you..." Arrggh...

But I press on... and hold on to to what 1Cor2:10 says, "...but God has revealed them (the deep things of God) to us through His Spirit. O Holy Spirit, you are My divine escort into the deeper things of God... lead me, guide me, teach me, I pray..

I figured that there must be something that struck these folks - Isaiah, John, Paul - that they lived the way they lived... I want to emulate them, yet I long to see what they saw, for that is the source and reason for the way they lived.

What/Who did they see? And why did they say and do what they said and did? With such doggedness and unyielding determination they lived, never turning back...

The deep things of God...it's there, but it seemed so out of my reach...so I waited... so I squirmed in my seat... so I hummed... so I picked up my guitar... and so this song came forth...

FOREVER CHANGED BY YOU

(Verse)

Jesus, Name above all names

You are shining forth

Radiant

Jesus, My Beloved and my Friend

Your heart burns for me

Through the age

(Pre-chorus)

By Your mercy, we draw near

By Your mercy, we come close

By Your mercy, we draw nearer

To Your Throne

(Chorus)

Forever changed by Your Love

Forever changed by Your Beauty

Forever changed by Your Majesty

I will arise to love You

I will arise to pursue You

I will arise, run with You...