SIN BREAKS, JESUS FIXES!

Last night I watched Larry King Live (I watch that only when there is someone interesting comes up) with Ted Haggard, the famous American preacher who fell from grace by....(read it yourself from the Net lah). He was kicked out of the mega church he founded at the time he was one of the most influential Christian leaders in America. The sin that found him out was actually two years ago. Why again now? This is due to another fellow who reported him to CNN about another sin committed at that time also. Just a little added on to the mess-up life he lived while he was still the pastor of the church. So, Ted and his wife (plus Ted's son online with Larry King somewhere else) sat with Larry, told him (Larry King) and worldwide audience about his sin and his restoration.

What is my reaction or rather are my reactions?

1. I felt the fear of God coming on me. I was telling my wife how come Ted knew that he would lose everything if he persisted in that sin but yet he couldn't stop. Such is the power of sin that could hold anyone in bondage! I, my wife and anyone who is human could fall from grace like Ted Haggard.

2. I felt relieved that Ted did not defend himself and justify his wrongdoing. Many times he used, 'I was messed up','I was a disaster', 'Worst mistake' and 'I am guilty'. The more you justify your sin, the more confused you will be.

3. I felt warmth when Ted's wife and sons and daughters supported him throughout this tough journey knowing that life is a process either towards God or towards doom and they chose God. The family even got bonded stronger than ever. That son who went on air with Larry King was the one who tried to gel the family together to deal with the crisis. Bravo I say!

4. I felt victorious when Ted said he has recovered (almost, I would say) from those dreadful struggle of sin. What thrilled me was that he did not say, "Okay, now I will start a church again or please give me back my church" but he would tell Christians everywhere (if opportunity is given) about his failure and how Jesus eventually healed him after a process.

5. I felt wiser when he answered a caller who asked him whether he would accept a gay who still feels he is a Christian by telling him to spend time reading God's Word alone and find out what God said. Moreover, Christianity is not just a religion but a relationship between God and His people.

Lastly, I felt God throughout the show as His grace was shown in the very right manner. Jesus never left Ted Haggard and His grace always pulls us through if we do not give up. But sin has its consequence and being obedient also means, going through the healing process in humble accountabililty.

Welcome back, Ted Haggard, my brother!

2012 WILL BE THE END?

2012 - the year the Mayans, the ancient civilization known for its superb knowledge of astronomy (signs in the sky), said would be the end of time. Their calender ended on December 21st 2012. Their prediction has sparked numerous doomsday's writings. Why? It is because the date is soon to be expired. Four more years to go. With Hollywood's many thrilling fast-paced movies of earth's destructions heightened the expectations. (Do you know that the biblical word 'Armageddon' was used by non-Christians more than Christians?) There is a movie coming soon this year about twenty twelve! Scary isn't it?

Do the Mayans have the right calender for the end? Maybe! God can reveal to them as well as they can reveal to us in the Bible. According to the Bible, the earth will not go "BOOM!" as yet. The earth will face the greatest assault in its history with nuclear wars and some major calamities the world has ever seen. God only allows it for seven years and if not, the human race will be wiped out! In fact, it was only for three and half years as the half of the seven year- period called the Great Tribulation would be peaceful albeit temporarily.

(Mat 24:22) If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. (How bad it is, refer to the book of Revelation)

(Rev 11:2-3) But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth."

After seven years of world's disorder (while the inhabitants think it's a new world order), Jesus Christ will come back and reign physically on the earth for 1,000 years.

(Rev 11:15) The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever."

After 1000 years of Christ's reign, the earth and the present solar system (heaven) will be recreated to become a new earth and a new galaxy (heaven).

(Rev 21:1) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

(Isa 66:22) "As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me," declares the LORD, "so will your name and descendants endure.

So, come December 21st, 2012, the earth will still be around but it might see the greatest assault the world has ever seen. The question is simply, "How do I escape from such calamity that is coming to earth?" Simple. Come to a Saviour who is waiting with open-arm, Jesus Christ who died for your sins.

(Rev 3:10) Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.

(1 Th 4:16-17) For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

PS: Interesting link; http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=5301284&page=1

THE RISE OF THE ANTI-CHRIST!

By now, you would have noticed I am an avid fan of the end time study. It is extraordinarily amazing to see the similiarity of events happening as compared to what was written thousands of years ago.

The swearing in of the Obama presidency yesterday kept me wondering of how close this is to paving the way for another who is to come when Obama's popularity diminishes. It never happened before in history that so much attention and anticipation the world over had on Obama, a mere man. He has not even done anything yet. I believe strongly that the world looks at his personality, his way with words, charisma, poise, aura, all gushing out from him more than the world's issues at hand.

I don't want to sound pessimistic as I am also atttracted to him simply by his eloquence of words. He has inspired millions across the globe. I believe he will begin well and when the problems get bigger, the world will start looking for another to come.

And that person could be the Anti Christ that the Bible talks about. If Obama can get this kind of attention world wide, then AntiChrist would be even more famous.

Let us look at some verses in the Bible concerning this guy who is soon to come...

(2 Th 2:3-4) Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. (NIV)

(Rev 13:7-8) He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. (NIV)

(Dan 7:25) And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (KJV)

(Dan 11:36) And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. (KJV)

Notice that AntiChrist will speak eloquently and he will be very very convincing!

Therefore, be alert and be sober. Jesus always reminds his disciples to keep watch! Do not go googoogaagaa over the hoohoohaahaa in Barack Obama presidency.

JESUS' PROPHECY IS COMING TO FULFILMENT

The war in Gaza has resulted in never before seen hatred for the Jewish people throughout the world. The Arabic and Islamic television stations and newspapers make things worse for Israel by emphasising only children and women killed in the war. I believe those who blamed Israel for this war will never care about the civilians in Israel killed and the terror suffered for years of Hamas bombardment. Instead of being anti-war, they are anti-Israel. Someone told me that the world is so concerned for the children killed in Palestine, did not even blink for the millions killed in abortions every year. Mother Teresa cried and shouted at the then US president, Bill Clinton when she spoke on the evil of abortion.

All people deserve to live with dignity, Israelis and the Palestinians. This war must be viewed as humanitarian, political (both Israel and Palestine) and not religious issue. Yet, as expected, religion shot to the forefront. There must be fair-balanced view rather than over zealous emotions. God is a God of justice! And He will judge accordingly. Humans will be always be skewed in our assessment of things.

When I read about the world's hatred towards Israel because of this war, I wonder about what Jesus spoke regarding Israel at the last days.

(Luke 21:20-24) "When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Can this happen to Jerusalem? With so much hatred of Israel, I believe we are nearing the end of time. Armies (from many countries) will attack Jerusalem according to this passage. And Israelis will flee everywhere because of the wrath of the Gentiles (non-Israelis).

The above passage is talking about Israel as a nation and the time is the Great Tribulation. During this time, the church would have been raptured. "The times of the Gentiles" if not mistaken would be the last seven-year of Daniel's prophecy (which fits in to the Great Tribulation period). After that, the Armageddon will occur where the armies then will turn towards the God of Israel! And the Bible says fire from the skies will destroy them.

(Rev 20:9) They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.

Then few days ago, I read this verse...

(Psa 102:21-22) So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the LORD.

These verses talks about the reign of Jesus in Jerusalem in His second coming, where peoples (all ethnic groups) and kingdoms (plural meaning countries) will worship the true and living God.

Therefore, prepare yourselves for the coming of Jesus! In the last few years, things are really gearing up for the end, fulfilling what the Bible had prophecied.

ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS

The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is still raging despite the whole world begging it to stop. This was because of the terrifying pictures of many women, children being killed everyday. The crisis in the Middle East is an extremely difficult issue to overcome because of the historical, religious and political all mixed up. It is a big entangled MESS!

1. HISTORICAL -

a. Bible History -

According to the Bible, God gave this land to the Israelites. The promise was first given to Abraham, then to Isaac and finally to Jacob (Changed his name to Israel). But when the Israel sinned against God, God punished them by kicking them out of the Land. Yet, prophecies after prophecies given that Israel will return. Miraculously, they did return in 1948 to form their country called Israel.

b. Recent History -

From 1517 to 1917 most of this area remained under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. The Empire was dissolved at the end of World War I. Its successor, modern republic of Turkey, transferred Palestine to British Empire control under the Lausanne agreement that followed WW I.
In 1917 Great Britain issued the Balfour Declaration for "the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people". In 1922 Britain allocated nearly 80% of Palestine to a nation named Jordan where it covers the majority of the land of Palestine under British Mandate. Jordan also includes the majority of the Arabs who lived there. In other words, Jordan is the owner of major Arab portion of Palestine.

The residents of Palestine are called "Palestinians". When the nation of Israel was formed in 1948, some of the Palestinians were pushed out of the small land (which at that time mostly filled with rocks with only a small area of farmland). The world thought that the bigger area of Jordan and the Arab nations may want to absorb the Palestinians but they refused. They instead turn them into refugees.

It was only after Israel was formed that the myth of an Arab Palestinian nation was created and marketed worldwide. There is no language known as Palestinian, or any Palestinian culture distinct from that of all the Arabs in the area. There has never been a land known as Palestine governed by Palestinians. "Palestinians" are Arabs indistinguishable from Arabs throughout the Middle East. The great majority of Arabs in greater Palestine and Israel share the same culture, language and religion.

During the formation of the nation in 1948, there were wars and violence, both from Arabs and the Jews. The Arabs want to destroy Israel but couldn't and everytime there is war, Israel expanded their land including the capturing of Jerusalem. The Arabs and the Palestinians were furious till this day! This brings us to the religious issue.

2. Religion.

a. Judaism -

Most Jews believed in the Torah, mostly the first 5 books of the Old Testament and Jewish teachings from the times of Kings and prophets. So, they believed Israel is the chosen one and the Land that God gave to them is irreversible. Jerusalem is a sacred place where the Temple once stood. They believed the Messiah (Christians believe the Messiah is JESUS!) will come to Jerusalem and ruled the whole world.

b. Islam -

Arabs mostly are Muslims and they believed in the Quran and the practices of the prophet Mohamed. They believed that the prophet ascended into heaven from Al Aksa Mosque in Jerusalem and they revered that place too. They also hated the Jewish people, not so much because they took the Land, they believed the Jewish people are rejected by God for their many sins. Although some Muslims hated the Jews and wanting them dead, most would love to see Jews come under Islam's jurisdiction. Today, there are many Muslims who only hated the government of Israel and not the Jewish people. Hamas is part of those who wish to see Israel destroyed and disappeared! There are also some Palestinian groups who want to do the same!

3. POLITICAL

a. Israel -

Israel today is a thriving democratic country in the Middle East. They are strong in military might as well as in their economy, mostly sponsored by America where there are lots of Jewish politicians and businessmen and women. They have been attacked many times before and always prepared to defend themselves. It is the only mode of survival for them! But sometimes they squeezed the Palestinians too tight by many checkpoints. And then, they built settlements into areas where negotiations are still going on.

b. Palestine -

It is a well known fact today that everyone wants a two-state solution, where Israel and Palestine nations lived side by side in peace. Today, we have two places they could called home for the Palestinians, West Bank and Gaza. But sadly, WestBank is ruled by Fatah group (wanting to make peace with Israel) and Hamas ruled Gaza. Fatah and Hamas don't see eye to eye and recently, fought against each other.

Now, do you see how MESSY things are? As Christians, we must not take sides in war as precious souls are killed needlessly! What would Jesus want us to do?

1. He wants us to have compassion on those who are suffering by doing something.

2. He wants the churches to play a part to be peace makers.

3. He wants us to use this situation to preach the gospel.

4. He wants us to read the Word and be ready for His coming.

5. He doesn't want us to hate anyone.

THE HISTORICAL MOMENT!

Austin Gutwein

Kendall Ciesemier

I considered last Saturday in the youth Vision Casting Meeting a historical moment. God has grown the youth, both spiritually and numerically. I believe the time is right for the Vineyard Church to grow to the next level and it is proper to set some solid structures for the Youth Ministry. I pray that the youth will be the growth engine of the Church, fueling more fire for all!

OUR VISION :

To be exemplary Youth for Christ with a Heart to Love and to Serve the Lord faithfully.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT:

To Empower the Youth to be the effective hands & feet of God to the community and beyond through fellowshipping, teaching, and equipping them.

CORE VALUES:

Support to Strengthen
Study to Grow
Serve to Lead

Finally, after much consideration, we now have the Youth comprising of those aged between 13 - 17 and Young Adults from 18 to 24 years old. If you are older (like me.., about 29), you can still be in the Youth by serving loh. The Youth Ministry needs volunteers and help!

Just to recap my brief sharing on that day...

Nehemiah having everything he needs in a foreign land, gave up everything to come back to a ruin city to live. He decided to run God's race by rebuilding the broken walls of Jerusalem. Today, our call is not to build broken walls but to rebuild broken lives without Christ.

Three things about Nehemiah we can learn...

1. Nehemiah is HOT for God! He wept when he heard of Jerusalem being torn apart.

2. Nehemiah PLOTS for God! He plans, prepares himself for the task.

3. Nehemiah SLOGS for God! He puts to work whatever he sets up to do. He prepares to be dirty, so to speak. Not only that, he calls people everywhere to help, knowing he couldn't do it alone.

At the end, the walls were rebuilt and it takes a miraculous 52 days (with great opposition). Then Nehemiah, together with the people SHOUT God's victory!

Young people, we can either choose to run God's race or we choose to run with the world. Many lives were wrecked and wasted as their lives end with uncertainties (represented by a black cloth I use for illustration). But let us be those who end with Jesus standing to applaud us in the finish line (represented by the word, "FINISH").

Check out two incredible and awesome real life stories that inspire me to tears...

Check out the boy, Austin Gutwein, a teenager who started Hoops for Hope and helped thousands in Africa!

Check out also Kendall Ciesemier, a teenager who started KC4K (Kids care for Kids) at the age of nine and blessed thousands in Africa!

Yes, last saturday was a historical moment. And we will be history makers!

WE ARE NORMAL PEOPLE THAT NEED LOVE!

He owns a business and soothes a lot of tired souls. She works as a receptionist in MayBank and travels to and fro by bus and monorail. The husband and wife I am writing about here are the blind couple that came with their two sons to our church. Last sunday after service, I have the privileged to lunch with them. I asked them what percentage of vision they are able to see and they replied, "zero". Their sons, Jonathan (older boy) and Joshua (partially affected too in his vision) are very helpful to their parents in assisting them in everything.

Here I see a complete family, living normal lives despite being totally blind. I see their children laughing, smiling and being courteous to us without feeling a slightest of discomfort of their parents' blindness. This family makes good despite adverse circumstances in their everyday life. It reminds me of my own life. that I must be grateful not only for my sight, but whatever I have in life. I shall not complain whenever I am being uncomfortable or in circumstances that seem unfair to me.

I would also like to mention here about Jennie our beloved church member who provides the transportation not only for Ah Keong and Bong, the blind couple we have lunch with but also Caleb and wife, another blind couple (Jennie fetched Ah Keong's family first and then takes a second round to pick Caleb and wife). That day, after lunch, I said to my wife, "Whatever she did to these "little" ones, she did it for Jesus!"

Is there someone that needs your help or your love? If you do it for them, you do it for Jesus!