2011 great difficulty Greater Grace and Glory

2011 began in a much unexpected way. This year the verse “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9) had being so real to me. I literally had to face a lot of pressures from every aspects of my life, from finance, emotional, family and ministry. It started back in 2010. A day before our church’s Christmas Celebration, I received a call from my father asking me to send him to hospital because his blood pressure shot up to a dangerous level. At the hospital, I was informed that my father might get a stroke. After being at the hospital whole night, I went to our Christmas Celebration with a very burdensome feeling and a tired body. I didn’t expect much at the end of the celebration, as usual, I did my duty and ministered to others. Really God does not need us except our willingness. Though I am not ready but HE is ready. This is the one of the most powerful ministering I personally did until that point of time. I saw the Lord touch the people greatly through me. One of the guys was so touched by the Lord and he wept like a baby. The Lord also powerfully touched him until he kept on vomiting. The presence of God was so strong and so sweet there. That was the beginning of my “the great difficulty, the greater grace and glory.”

After the Christmas event, I went to hospital to see my father. I was so discouraged when I saw him. Sadness, despair, helplessness all gushed into me, yet I try to contain it to myself so that it won’t affect my mother. The right side of my father’s body was totally paralyzed and he couldn’t move at all. Not even talk or eat. A tube had to be inserted into his nostrils until the stomach for the milk to be poured in. He can only gaze as us with his sad eyes. Then the doctor told me, my dad had stroke. I tried to ask them what can be done for the next step (operation, medicine) but they told me nothing can be done as the brain cells is dead. I was so shocked but thank God I am the only one that received this piece of information. I made a decision, not to tell my mother, sister and especially my dad about it. I told them, he will recover soon because I didn’t want them to lose hope. The doctor even suggested indirectly that my father won’t be better and kept teaching us on how to take care of a paralyzed patient. Prompted by the Lord, I told the doctor, “No, I don’t want him to be on the bed all days of his life. I want to bring him out; I want to go outing with him, CAN I?” The doctor was so shocked as she did not expect this question. From that point, I decided to take doctor’s information as secondary and opinion only. I engaged myself to trust in the Lord for miracles. A great difficulty, yes, but greater is HIS grace and glory. One day, Pastor Lois came to the hospital, prayed for my father and shared Christ with my parents. Praise the Lord! Miracles started to take place. At night when I am taking care of my father, I would declare healing on him while he is asleep. Suddenly, I saw he lifted up his right hand and placed it on his stomach. Then, his right leg lifted up a bit, and he spoke a word while he was sleeping. Though the next morning my father did not look any better, but I knew the Lord had heard our prayers and everything would be fine. The whole first six months of 2011 was really stressful for me. I had to go to the hospital almost every week, sometimes even 2-3 times a week and it had taken a great toll in our finance. To cut the story short, my dad is able to walk, to eat, to talk and go anywhere with us today. Yes it is not an easy journey as we still needed to go through physiotherapy, consult doctor and taking medicines but all these will not be fruitful without the Lord and the miracles. Even the physiotherapists were in amazement of his recovery. I do not know why all these happened and why not a total recovery, but I knew the power of God is real and His grace and love is so great. But I knew all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

To be honest, I was actually very confused during that period of time. Had I ever wonder? Had I blamed God on what happened? Surely yes, I am just a normal person. I asked “God, I thought we agreed that I take care of Your assignments and You would take care of my family? What happened? What went wrong?” Yet God knew the best. During this time, I can see our family bond was even closer as we embrace this difficulty. I really thank God because I saw it was a disaster in my cousin’s family when their mother got stroke. The family argued a lot and pushed the responsibilities around. Besides our relationship, my parents started their relationship with the Lord. Praise the Lord! They accepted Christ as their personal saviour at the hospital. When my father was able to speak, in his own words he was telling my mum he do not want to worship those “god” anymore and believe in Jesus. During Wesak Day in 2011, my dad urged me to tear down the altar and throw away all those stuff. He even got angry when my mum wanted to delay a bit longer. He insisted it had to be gone. This is the best Wesak Day for me as people are worshiping their so called “god”; I have the opportunity to tear it down. My mum even started to tell our relatives to trust in God when my uncle got sick. She also thanked God and share a bit in her own language about the goodness of God to our relatives during Chinese New Year and sharing a testimony book to her friend. This is the one of the best thing which happened to my family. God always remember His promises and our prayer.

Even during this very hectic lifestyle of juggling the time to take care of family, going in and out of hospital, meeting financial ends and ministry, with the grace of God I saw a great outpouring of God at church and on my life. I personally had experienced a great touch of God. God let me experience a short while of what many called Holy laughter, twice, though a very short one. It’s really so amazing. Thank God it is a short one as its really hilarious and my stomach almost burst. Yet it filled my soul with tremendous joy. Giving an opportunity to sit under Patricia King’s teaching had greatly impacted me. I received a lot from her sharing and ministering. Besides her, we also had Rodney Howard Browne and David Newberry to minister to us at our very own stadium in Malaysia. I saw a great value in both of them. During one of the ministering time, the Lord touched me so deep in which I started to groan. I thought I was very soft, but I was wrong. After the whole thing, people who were far away told me I was groaning loudly. The first time I did so in the public and I was a bit embarrassed until I don’t know how to answer them and just smile. But I do not regret, I would rather look foolish than to miss the deep touch of God. I am hungry and thirsty for it.

During our Church Camp, I also experienced a great touch of God. As the organizer, I actually was a bit tired and have to keep my attention so everything would run smoothly. Everything except the meeting was going on accordingly. The meetings were out of all the ordinary, but yet it is the proper order of the Lord. The Lord manifested greatly. I was being filled with joy again and laughed in a way I usually don’t. I remembered the guy I ministered to, I felt a power ball on my hand. He went down on the floor and started shaking as I throw it towards him. The presence of God was so sweet and tangible.
In 2011 during many challenges, I saw a great growth in our section member’s life. I was so proud of their maturity. Especially in one particular incident where they showed it from the way they face a situation and in making a very important decision. Seeing them grow tremendously, trusting in the Lord and pouring their life to influence others to turn to God and love God is filling my heart with much assurance.

2011 was truly a year of great difficulties for me but HIS GRACE AND GLORY are even greater.

On this fine day.......we thank God

On one fine day (3rd June 2010), Mabel and I went to our gynecologist for a normal, routine check up. We never expected anything as the last check up we had last month went well, showing no symptom of complications. During our journey to the hospital, we were still discussing whether we should buy some baby stuff afterward or push it to some time later. Seeing we still have more than 2 months before the expected delivery on August, we put the plan on hold.

The doctor checked on Mabel's blood pressure and told us that her BP was too high. He said we needed to send her to the hospital immediately and that the baby should be delivered anytime from now.

Though things weren't as expected, there are many areas that we would like to express our gratitude to God. Here is the list in chronological of events and is not based on priorities nor importance.

1. We thank God that this is discovered through a normal check up and not through any complicated situation.
2. We thank God for Dr. Edson who refered us to HUKM and conveyed the situation to us with much assurance, yet highlighting the urgency of this matter without alarming us.
3. We thank God for Dr. Edson, with his professionalism, did not consider his own benefit by hiding the matter from us in order that we continue with his service. He also considered our affordability when refering us to the relevant hospital for further treatment.
4. We thank God that the doctors and staff of HUKM carried their job effectively.
5. We thank God for our spiritual family for their support, comfort and most of all, their prayer and intercession.
6. We thank God for a very kind and professional team of doctors who executed wise and prompt decisions.
7. We thank God for doctors and medical staff in getting everything ready for us. They actually called all nearly hospitals even way up to Perak, in getting a cubicle (incubator) for our prematured baby when all in HUKM are occupied.
8. We thank God for all the nurses for attending to us with much love though there were still times of them being fierce or in bad mood.
9. We thank God that our cell members were (and are still) able to continue with the good works and stepped in to fill the gap when we weren't around.
10. We thank God for His favor that the doctor managed to get an incubator for our son and thus there wasn't a need to send him (son) to Slimriver in Perak. I can't imagine myself travelling to Slimriver to see him every day!
11. We thank God for our family for helping us and supporting us during this time. May God's strength and blessing be upon them richly.
12. We thank God for our spiritual family for their continuous prayers, support, love gift, gifts, visits, wishes and greetings.
13. We thank God for His strength, presence and power upon Mabel.
14. We thank God for His embracing love and strength upon Matthias Lee, our son.
15. We thank God because He is and always is our good, great and mighty God!

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

Beauty of fellowship-Skytreks outing trip 27 Nov2009

Praise the Lord for a very exciting and wonderful outing. It’s a new adventure to many of us and it was great. This outing reminded me of the importance of the people around us in giving support and encouragement for us to be courageous and to go higher. We literally needed to go “higher” as we had to climb some tall trees to begin our sky trekking journey. For the sake of our readers, jungle trekking means walking, trekking or going through a jungle. Therefore sky trekking means you are on the sky, going through it. LOL. Due to some misunderstanding, we were delayed and needed to wait for a very long time. Many times, I felt like giving up because of the waiting was tiring and it was getting a little bit late. Besides, fear started to creep in during that long wait. Though it did not look very scary, the height can be quite frightening if you stare at it long. Remember, God always reminds us to look at HIM, then faith will rise up! If we focus too much on our trouble or circumstances, fear will creep in instead. Praise the Lord, this is the time where our brothers and sisters come along, encouraging and urging us to not to give up; go for it, you can do it and let’s try it! WOW, it’s great to have people like these around you and I believe your life will be very different. Yes, we need to have such wonderful people around us. Therefore, its important what is the heart condition of the people around you as they are influencing you in some way or other. Are they influencing you to move higher, better and to grow in the Lord? Or is it the other way where you lose the purpose and excitement of life, being bound by meaningless, purposeless, with no faith, hope and love kind of life? I have seen many people who think they can worship God by themselves. Some Christians join fellowship but never really invest into such a relationship. Let me tell you, fellowship is neither a duty nor a spiritual requirement. Fellowship is something real that can affect who you will become. Invest into proper fellowship and not just for the sake of having fun or with any other purpose in mind. Give your heart to it. These are the wonderful people who will be around you when you need them. They will pray for you, cheer you up, support you and cushion you. Don't think we don't need others as this is pride, a seed Satan uses to kill our relationship. Like Daniel in the Bible, (Daniel 2:17-18) when he faced great challenges in life, he turned to his friend and ask them to pray for him. The thing Daniel faced was a life and death situation and if he can’t solve the problems given by the king, he will be killed! Ask yourself, do you have people whom you can turn to and ask for prayer?? Do you dare to entrust them your life and death situations? If you don't, it’s time for you to reflect on whether you have invested enough time and put in your heart on the people (whom you can trust) around you. Or have you all these while care only to have friends whom you can have fun with? Prayer, support and care are very wonderful resources in our life and because of them, we can be a better of ourselves. And believe me, prayer is very powerful and you can only receive it from people who walk closely with the Lord, people who love God and love one another. Not just in difficulties, even in the midst of peace, we can then see joy and glory glowing in our life!

HOUSE ALONE

Coming from a not so prosper family, having a room for our own is more like a dream. I believe in most people heart at least there is a time we hope to have a room by our own. Our private areas where we have the full freedom and liberty to do what we hope and want. I do have similar wish some of the time though I knew it’s quite impossible. When I start my college life, and start staying out side, still this remains just a wish because of financial situation. Not only me, but quite a lot of other students as well, though we can hear mostly want to have a room by themselves in an affordable price, still majority sharing their room with friends or stranger . Finally, my this “wish” (though I don’t really like it anymore) to have a room by myself come true. Not only room, but now I have a house all by myself ( A period of time before I get married). It turns out to be quite frightening I am all alone. After this many years of staying together with people, if I am given a chance to choose again, I still want to share room with other people even though I have the money to pay for a room by myself. The experience is too much to miss it. I will never forget all those “fight” and “talking” with my housemate and roommate. We learn from one another weakness and strength. I remember once of the dreams our brotherhood who stay in the same house had is to have everyone who leave the house one day will be a very much different person, better in every sense and a man of God. I gain much compare with those “privacy”. Actually staying with people, we still have much privacy if we able and knew how to communicate and relate with people.Now coming home, and only silent is waiting for you, is truly a not an enjoyable feeling. I knew why so many rich people who have BIG houses are feeling empty. Though I am not there yet, I can magnify what I face and if I am at that situation, I will be drive to crazy or probably be a suicide. However, I thanks God, because as I start to look out of myself and my house. There is tremendous beautiful thing and people God put around me. All those wonderful, handsome, pretty, and God-fearing man and woman of God. They are all full of love, kindness and hope. Seeing them around me, is truly like a honey to the depressing soul. It brings a lot of soothing and sweetness into my life and my soul. Never forget our lovely God the source of love. I can’t imagine, how I my life will be without HIM in my life.I understand all the people won’t be around me all the time, yet for me all of them is like sun in the sky. Though dark cloud can hide it from my view. But my sun is always there shining onto me, giving my heart a warm that can’t never be take away. Deep in my heart, I wish to say, I love you all and thanks for the time we went thru, and also we will go thru it together in time to come.

FACING THE GIANTS

There is this parable I listen in a movie “facing the giants” mentioning there are 2 farmers who desperately need rain. Both of them pray to the Lord to ask for rain. However only one of the 2 farmers going to the field, work on it and prepare for rain. From this simple parable, who do you think believe God will give rain? It’s very obvious the one who work on his farm, prepare his farm and prepare for the rain to come. Faith without work is dead.

This parable might be a very simple, but I found it very profound. How many of us, we always blaming on this and that yet without giving our best. How many of use, we will only give our best when we see the best situation around or when there is favor or when God answered our prayer? How many of us wait till things happen, than only we give in our best? This is not faith at all. As we know nothing is impossible for God, let us do our best in all situations and leave the results to God. In life it’s not about gaining and achieving what we want to achieve. God put us here for a PURPOSE. All that we achieve or pursue, if only for ourselves will one day be meaningless. Do think about it. Do you remember who is the richest person 20years ago, who is the greatest person 20years ago? In the movie, the coach tell his player, winning for their own glory is only short term, very soon people will forget about that, very soon their trophy will be there collecting dust. It’s very true, I remember I study very hard to achieve a good results, yes I get straight A’s in some government exam, good results in SPM, get my degree and all those stuff. Yet, it all became nothing now. I don’t mean we shouldn’t have goal, or we are not to do anything with our life. As I have mention, we need to do our best in all situations, and bring glory to God. First, let us understand our purpose, God said the greatest thing we to do is to love God wholeheartedly and love people fervently. This is the most important and primary; as we love God our life will be in the correct perspective. We will use our life for bringing God glory and not anymore for our selfish ambition. Jesus Himself had died for us for this reason so that we are connect back to God. God love us so much, in all that we our do or pursue God will certainly there to bless us because HE care for us and HE care for the thing which we care as well. Only never let those things take the place of God.

I had found sometimes we do not do our best because of various reasons. We might think we are small, weak, definitely will lose or we will fail badly. But as we know our purpose, it’s not anymore regarding failure or success; it’s all about giving our best. Never give up, never back down, never lose faith. Do you prepare your field for the rain God will pour down? Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and HE shall make your path straight. FOR GOD NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

Ps: Facing the giants is a very meaningful and touching movie. As you watch it, I believe as well it will impart faith, strength and confidence to you

GRADUATION ….that DAY will come.

One of the rejoicing time as a minister of God among the college students is attending their convocation or graduation day. I have attended tremendous time of convocation, though it might be a routine of many things like photo taking, yet I truly rejoice as that day is D day for her or him. This year alone I have attended more than 5 convo, sending off a member to overseas degree program and seeing few students enter the society after they completed their student life. It brings me back to my remembrance of those times when I first met them. Most of them will tell me they have difficulty in studies, they can't afford to complete their studies and also some might think they are not able to graduate at all. However Praise God, as they continue to put their trust on the Lord and do the best they can afford, today all of them able to stand in one of the grant day in their life to receive the reward they deserve. I really touch by the power and love of God, seeing the Lord answers their cry and prayer, helping them to go through all the exams, assignments, challenges and also financial difficulty. For those who think they can't pull through it or you have a big hindrance in front of you, I encourage you to look at Jesus Christ, cry out to HIM. I believe you will going to be able to make it. Not just for students, but all of us. This life is in a way a big university to us, where we face challenges and testing. God not just helping the students but all of us as well. Besides that, one day we will graduate from this world, standing before the presence of God to receive our rewards. That will be our grandest moment, more grand than any convocation or graduation. Therefore just as students will enter a new phase of life after convocations, we as well will graduate from this world into a place where we will be there for a long long time. That grand day will come; see you there at the glorious moment.

DOG WALKING

The Below article are taken from Ron Hutchcraft Minitries

I never voted to have a dog in our house. I think they sneaked her in when I was on a trip or something, but we got one. Her name was Missy, a Shih-Tzu, and the last time she went to this dog care place, they actually registered her as "Missy Hutchcraft." Now, that is my last name. There is no family resemblance here, and I'm not sure I want to give her my last name. But I do confess that I think Missy taught me something that I might never have understood without her. I hope she's not listening. I would hate to admit this in front of her. Well, see, it was never hard to find Missy when our son was home. He was her master, so when he is at college, you never knew where you would find her in the house, but when he's home, oh, it was easy. When you have found our son, you had found Missy. He's in the living room - she's in the living room. He's in the basement - Missy's in the basement. Our son's in his room, Missy is in his room. Missy doesn't care where she is as long as she's with her master.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Dog Walking."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Joshua, chapter 14, and spotlights an ancient hero named Caleb. When the ancient Jewish people had come to the border of the land God had promised them, Moses sent twelve spies in, and ten came back and said, "Giants, walled cities - no way we can take it." Two came back, Joshua and Caleb and said, "Let's go for it, we've got God." Ten saw how big the giants were instead of how big their God was. Well, they got to wander for forty years in the wilderness as a result of that, and a whole generation of unbelieving adults didn't get to go to the Promised Land. Forty years later, though, the Jews have conquered it under General Joshua, and Caleb and Joshua do get to go in because they believed they could. And though Caleb is now 85 years old, he's still a tiger for God. Or better yet, he's a dog. That's actually what Caleb means - dog. Hey, that's a great name when you understand why.

In Joshua 14:7, the 85-year-old man says, "I was 40 years old when Moses sent me to explore the land, and I brought him back a report according to my convictions, but my brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God, wholeheartedly." Later in the chapter it says, "You Caleb, have followed the Lord your God wholeheartedly." It says one more time, later in the chapter that he "wholly followed the Lord all the days he lived." Good dog, huh? What a tribute! What an epitaph! I'd love it on my tombstone: "He followed the Lord his God, wholeheartedly." Caleb is God's puppy dog. He doesn't care where he goes, he just wants to know where his Master is going, and he will follow Him there - even if there's giants there!

That's what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 12:26, "Whoever serves Me, must follow Me so that where I am my servant will be." See, if you love Jesus, you don't plan your life. You pray, you listen, you look to his Word to find out where He's headed. Where He's headed in your day, where He's headed with your family, with that relationship, with your ministry, with your child. And then you just go right there behind Him.
Now Missy let our son's steps determine hers. She followed him wholeheartedly. That's what you are supposed to do with Jesus. Caleb wouldn't let anything lose his Master's lead - not years in the wilderness, not hardship, not giants, not waiting a long time for what God had promised, not being nearly the only one standing up for what was right. He just said, "I'll follow my Lord. I'll follow my Lord, no matter where this takes me." You've just got to find out where Jesus is going and go with Him there.

I hate to say it, but I want to be like Missy, or maybe more like Caleb, not caring where I end up, as long as I'm right on the heels of my Master.

When I first get to know the meaning of "kaleb" in other language mean dog, I just refuse to take it and think that it's different. However, the origin of this name is really mean dog. I used to like dog before and I also very scared of dog. This article help me to treasure this given name by the Lord, I truly hope God will help me and give me the grace to follow Him whole heartedly as HE continue to lead me and guide me.