A Place of Discovery

IN THE NAME OF JESUS: SALVATION COMES (Acts 4:5-12 — Ps Paw Liang) How do you know that you’re saved? Who is Jesus to you? A Theologian who was converted from other religion told about his conversion story. Each time he visited graveyards, he was intrigued by the words on gravestone. The Moslem writes, “ semoga amal dan ibadah diterima di sisi Allah ” (may the good works and service (worship) be accepted at the side of God. Whereas Christians’ write, “ Telah kembali ke rumah Bapa di sorga ” (Has returned to the Father’s home in heaven). One will depend if your charity will be enough to gain heaven. But the other one has the assurance they will be accepted at the Father’s home. There is an assurance in Jesus' name! Jesus Christ of Nazareth is fully human and fully God. The name of Jesus comes with power: it’s not enough to believe, we need to claim and live on that power as what John and Peter did. The power of Jesus enabled them to do what Jesus has done—to heal

THE PRAYER OF THE HELPLESS Psalm 86 “Hear me, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.” ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭86:1-3, 11, 17‬ ‭NIV David sounds desperate and helpless, to the point of giving up. He realises that he is poor and needy. He is helpless. He doesn’t surrender to his enemies (pressures of life), he turns to God for help. Although God seems to be slow in answering his prayer! Yet David affirms himself, God has helped and comforted him in the past. God’s faithfulness never fails. He will continue to trust in God. His faith in the mighty and living God outweighs the oppressive harsh realities

RIGHTEOUSNESS PREPARES THE WAY “Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.  Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.  The LORD will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.” ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭85:10-13‬ ‭NIV This Psalm starts with a pleading (1-9) to God, “Restore us again, God our Saviour, and put away your displeasure towards us.” And ends with God’s vision and hope. (10-13) I believe God will not suddenly drop the “shalom” (perfect harmony, peace and wholeness) from heaven! Or perhaps some of us are waiting for the Judgment Day to destroy this universe before God will grant us a complete new earth and new heaven? What do you think? The Psalmist says, “Righteousness goes before Him and prepares the way for His steps.” Has God righteousness started working yet? In your life? In my life? In our family? In our church? In our

IN THE NAME OF JESUS:   FAITH THAT MAKES US STRONG (Acts 3:12-19 —  Ps Paw Liang) The Easter season reminds us of our faith in Jesus. How much do we believe in the power of His resurrection? Really believe? Believe the power of God that will make us strong, compel us to repent, to turn towards God and be transformed and be revitalised? Out of his concern for the church in his time, Soren Kierkegaard, the 19th century Danish Philosopher told the story of a magical land inhabited only by ducks. And of duck church. One fine Lord’s Day, all of the ducks dutifully waddled to duck church, where the parson duck stood to deliver his homily. He opened his duck Bible to the place where it spoke of God’s great gift to ducks—wings. “With wings”, said the duck preacher, “we ducks can fly! We can mount up like eagles and soar the heavens! We can escape the confinement of pens and fences; we can know the utter euphoria of unfettered freedom! We must give God thanks for