The first time I experienced the Presence of God was during the Overnight Prayer Meeting on the 28th June. The second time was on 1st July, the first day of the 40 Day season. I was alone in my room having a long and amazing time of prayer. I cannot believe myself that I can pray that long as I don't really pray well and I also don’t pray much.
When I first started, I prayed with my hands folded. But as I continued, tears begin to flow. I sobbed uncontrollably. I can't even think of wiping it because I was holding on to my hands really tight and I kept on talking to the Lord, telling Him everything, my desires, my feelings, my thoughts.
While I only slept about 4 hours the day before, I was not feeling tired. In fact, I was feeling so fresh, energetic and happy! I wasn't even feeling hungry. As soon as I woke up, I got up from my bed and had a 5 minutes prayer. I said to the Lord, "I want to commit myself to You my Lord. Please use me...I'm here...I know You love me and I love Youtoo!"
Believe it or not, at 7.30am, there was someone at the door. I opened the door and I was so surprised that a friend (not really close friend) came to me and I was wondering how she knew my unit number. She said she asked my close friend. She was there telling and sharing her burden to me. At first, I just let her talk. I can see through her eyes the pain in her heart. Then, as I started to speak to her, telling how good and merciful God is, when we get to know Him and get close to Him, love Him and pray to Him, God will take away all those burden and pain, if you let Him control your life and have faith in Him because God loves you.....she started to cry and she said she wanted to pray and read her Bible, from now on, to know the Word of God. As she said that, I felt great Joy, I said to her...Amen!
Sis Marilou
His Great Love
As I listened to a song by 蔡琴《心语》，one line goes like this “我的心，密密麻麻写着‘爱你，爱你，爱你’”I was reminded that in my Savior’s heart, my name is written over and over again in love, He loves me, He loves me, and He loves me. So do the names of the lost, He loves every one of us, He loves every one of us.
As I reached the office, I normally go there earlier and read through several sets of newspaper. And since this morning, I had done my devotion and reading or to put it bluntly – fulfilled my quota, I wanted to start reading. But God has a different schedule for me. Instead, I was bugged to start writing the journal.
As I seek Him, His Presence is so real, so near, His love just filled me that I broke down in tears. I listened to and sang the songs “Keep His lovely Face”, “How marvelous is my Savior’s love for me”, the tears just continued to flow. They are not tears of sadness but tears of thankfulness and gratitude that my Jesus just loves me, He just loves me. This truth really struck me.
Metaphors of us as vessel of God’s love and blessing – we are no refrigerator, not a warehouse. We have to and should share God’s blessings with others – faithfulness to community. So, I pray that He will provide tangible opportunities to bless the needy today, the coming days and weeks. Amen.
II. The Fasting
I remembered I giggled during last Sunday cell group, when I read the title of the reading for the first day – “The Great Buffet”. How cruel to read through the list of food when you have decided to fast that day! How great the temptation that would be!
Every morning, I have to walk pass a row of eatery with the aroma of pastry, crispy chicken wings, noodles fill the air. And this morning, it’s my turn to fast. Tough right? Many of you know that I enjoy food (something that Silas has impacted on me) and is always seen eating away. Not as tough as I thought. I walked past without the urge to eat. There is just no desire to eat, just not hungry. Definitely not by my own self-control. God has placed another hunger in my heart – hunger for more of Him.
III. Reflection of the Reading - Days of reading the GREAT …..
I read through and emotions changed rapidly within me. Joy, shame, sadness as the self-defence, self-pride, self-righteousness are confronted and exposed. And today as I read through The Great Reality – on the section “Pray”, bullet 1, I felt really embarrassed. It reads: “Like ants to sugar, we seem irresistibly drawn to claim the wonderful blessings flow from God in the first place.” How true that spoke of me! I can show all of you my booklet; I highlighted the whole paragraph and claimed those blessings earlier. A picture of the Cross appeared. Something I learnt really long time ago (18 years ago, taught by Maureen in 101). We are called to have a right relationship with God, and right action towards others (The vertical and horizontal axis).
IV. Conclusion
I learnt that true fasting is not just to abstain from food, but also words and actions which divide the family, the church, which destroys the community. True fasting is to obey God, to please Him when we act in His will to build the community. We, the Shekinians can become “oasis of hope and healing” and care, share for the poor and needy. Let us 加油！Pray for tangible opportunities and act on it to bless others.
Amen.
Sis. Siew Leng
Before church camp, my heart has been heavy and the word “revival” kept coming into my heart & mind, and I have been praying for God to bring revival to our land. Another confirmation that God is wanting to do a deep & lasting works in the lives of His people and church, came when Pastor shared of a current ongoing revival in Florida USA at the Ignited Church, Lakeland (I went to the website to hear some of the messages)and quite many Words of God are revealed in ways that I have not heard before from the pulpit – I felt it is God’s revelation to His church in the Last Days).
Yesterday, after the event at the gathering of the Love S’pore launch of the 1st day of 40-Day Prayer & Fasting, I went to Marina Square for fasting & prayer, and God revealed 2 things to me:
1. Faith .....
Heb 11:6 (NLT) > And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
2. Love .....
Matthew 22:37-39 (NLT) > 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[a] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.'
Actually, it is very straight forward and there are no complicated formulas find God and His blessings ......
As long as we meet the above two – love & faith ..... the key to God’s blessings and meeting needs in our lives, which is God’s favour, will be upon us and His floodgate of blessing in our lives and ministries would start to flow naturally.
I must say that one of the most difficult part in fulfilling God’s commandments is “Loving my neighbour as myself”. But I am resolving to put aside my carnal feelings and seeing and loving others through Jesus eyes. God is wanting us to love people around us in a new way that has not happened before.
Lord, forgive us for not loving others as you have love them. Open our hearts to love others, including our love ones, neighbours, colleagues, friends, relatives, strangers, without any agendas and conditions.
Praise God for the revival and renewing of His people’s hearts through the 40-days prayer and fasting.
Bro. Richard Chang
Today is the first day of the Prayer and Fasting. I have resolved in my heart that I want to grow deep in God and be transformed by the power of His word as I journey with Him in this 40 days. In the quietness of my house, I took the black booklet, turned to the 1st day of the booklet and started reading with an open heart. After the material, I went down on my knees and asked God to search my heart. The Lord led me to a song and as I sang, the Lord revealed the sin of the life. I asked God to remove the root of the sin from me.
The Lord then led me to one song after another. I knew the Lord was purging the sin in my life as I worshipped, Him. As the Lord led me to the song "Thank you for the Cross" I can sense God's love flowing into my life. He revealed His great love for me through the cross. I could not continue the song because I was crying. I could sense God's love was so real. I was once again ushered into the presence of God. I was very glad that I had another encounter with God. I thank God for the wonderful worship I had. I am convinced that God doesn't just show Himself up in church camp or revival meetings. He is more than glad to show Himself in our house, work place, on the bus etc. All He wants is our whole-hearted pursue after Him. Today is only the first day of the 40 days journey, wow; I'm excited to see what God's going to do on the next 39 days.
Sis. Ada Lai
|
