A Place of Discovery

BE WISE AS HEARERS AS WELL AS DOERS (James 1:21-27; 2:14-16—Ps Paw Liang) The issues in this text: the people failed to listen and to learn from God’s word therefore there was no connection between their belief and the way they lived. Three things involved from hearing God’s word to living our God’s word: 1.   Good listening (v.19) We listen for various reasons: to obtain information/knowledge, to kill time, for enjoyment, for learning or to listen for life? The Lord requires us to listen to His Word for life, to let the word of God shape and nourish us, to be the bedrock of our life! To save you ...The challenge is how to listen well? The ancient Chinese character “ 聽” ( ting) reminds us: to listen with our ears as well as our eyes, and heart, with an undivided attention as if we’re listening to a king.   Second challenge, to listen with a clear purpose, ... and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. To listen for “life”, for the abundant li...

BE WISE IN HANDLING YOUR ANGER (James 1:19-20; 4:1-2)   What is your view about anger? What are some bad experiences you have had for failing to control your anger? Anger is a normal human emotional experience. Anger by itself may not be dysfunctional, but the way we express it can be worrying. The Bible never say anger is a sin, but Paul reminds us, “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.” (Eph 4:26). Anger is God-given energy intended to help us to solve problems. Anger will alarm us when something is not right. Expressing anger can be God-pleasing and constructive when our underlying motivation is to restore relationship, fight injustice, or battle evil. For example: Moses was in rage when he found the Israelites were worshipping the golden calf. Jesus was angry when the Jews defiled God’s temple in Jerusalem (John 2:12-18). Anger is destructive when it estrange our relationship with God and with other people and split the...

GROWING STRONG IN SPIRIT “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:2-3‬ ‭NIV As someone who have lactose intolerance, milk isn’t something i naturally craving for. Nor do I enjoyed in the past, as it would only caused stomach upset. . Only after endless efforts, my system could somehow begin to absorb and be benefited by milk. . I wonder this is what might be the condition of our spiritual life? Some kind of “intolerance” in our system that make us unable to enjoy nor to be nourished by spiritual milk? Hindering some people to taste the goodness of our Lord? . Unless we grow strong in spirit, grow up in our salvation, with spiritual nutrients, would there be other ways to get rid of all malice and deceits, hypocrisy m, envy, and slander of every kind? To stop inflicting on others or be able to overcome when we are being attacked? . How could w...

JEHOVAH JIREH “When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. This is what the LORD has commanded: “Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.” ’” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭16:15-16‬ ‭NIV This story reminds me to know God as who HE IS... HE IS our Jehovah Jireh (God the Provider). God sees our needs even before we realise it, that His “pro-vision”. God knows what is possible, and what is the best in the given situation and time. He gave manna to His people in the wilderness. “Manna” was not what they knew or expected from God. But manna is what His people need in that moment! God’s provision is always enough for everyone. Take as much as you need... the problem with us perhaps “to know how much we need”! We can find such a dilemma in parties or buffet restaurants ...? How often we, too, get stuff that we do not really ne...

DO YOU WANT TO GET WELL? “When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, ‘ Do you want to get well?’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘G et up! Pick up your mat and walk. ’” ‭‭John‬ ‭5:6, 8‬ ‭NIV Do you want to get well? Jesus cares! He sees each and everyone of us. He cares to know us. He saw the crippled at the pool of Bethesda! He knew his struggle! And He sees you and me—He sees our struggles! His mercy comes to us even before we come and cry out to Him! He asked, ‘Do you want to get well?’ His grace heals far better than our human cures! Certainly much better than the cure of the pool of Bethesda! Do you want to get well? God wants to, not just cancel our sins! But, in the words of Charles Wesley, He also wants to “break the power of cancelled sin.” What are some power of cancelled sin that still crippling you? Do you want to get well—physically, emotionally, and spiritually? Jesus says, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and...

Why Community? (Hebrews 10:19-25 ~ Preacher: Ps. Paw Liang) Why people stop going to Church? Verse 25 told us that some believers had stopped attending Christians worshp and gatherings. The possible reasons were: fear of persecution. Like today’s situation: lazy. Many believers had stopped making any efforts to grow their faith and Christian life. There are perhaps other reasons, such as sickness, financial problems or relationship problems. God’s Commandments are for our good and joy. Through the letter to the Hebrews, God reminds us that we need to work on our relationship with God (vv 22&23) and with other people (vv 24-25). In my observation, three things that attract people to come to a church: good sermon, good performance (music and atmosphere), and good friends/community. What will make people stay are friends or community. The greatest joy that could possibly happen to us comes from relationship. The greatest pain that could possibly happen to us also comes fr...

HAVE SALT IN YOURSELVES Mark 9:41-50 . ““For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭9:49-50‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ . SALT in Jesus’ time was used for: preservative, an antiseptic, disinfectant, a fire catalyst, fertiliser, to add flavour to food, etc. . Salt as a fire catalyst was used to keep the fire burning. The challenge is how can we keep the fire burning without, we, being burnt out and lost our saltiness! And how can we remain salty to function as antiseptic or adding flavour to food? To promote peaace and to transform the society? . We can’t give what we don’t have. And we can’t give more than what we have! We can only give what we have!   . Was this how John Wesley felt before his heart warming experience on 24 May 1738? Tasteless? Powerless? No fire? . May you do your work in us L...