Library of Anointed Messages on the Gospel of Grace and the Finished Work of the Cross

Saturday 3rd February 2007

I have mentioned elsewhere on my blog that I received the biggest bonus of my career in Dec 2006. While seeking the LORD on how to "tithe" on it, He impressed upon me to sow into the ministry of a truly-anointed man of God, Pastor Joseph Prince, whom He has used mightily to bring across the gospel of grace and the finished work of the cross.

Sometime last month, I placed an order to purchase the entire sermon and book catalog of Joseph Prince Ministries ("JPM"). I have also subscribed to his sermons, which means that each week, his latest messages are sent to me via ordinary mail.

I have stored these CD/DVD sermons in chronological order using the albums as shown on the left. Vol. 1 contains #001 to #168. Vol. 2 contains #169 to date. Just yesterday, I received #267 and #268 via post.



These sermons are meant to bless others, so please drop me an email if you want a copy of the sermon catalog (which includes a synopsis of each sermon).

Books and CD albums are being stored in a box, and my collection is shown on the right.

There have been requests to borrow the CDs from various sources, including from colleagues in my department.

Speaking of which, just 2 days ago, I discovered that my company actually has a group of Christians that meet every Thursday during lunchtime, a majority of whom are from New Creation Church! [This is actually not surprising since it is the 2nd largest church in Singapore and has 14,000 members and counting. (Rev Kong Hee's City Harvest being the largest with 20,000 and counting).]

I have been invited to attend the fellowship next Thursday, and intend to make available the JPM Resource Library to them as well. Would it not be a pleasant surprise for the NCC members to realise that someone from another church has a complete collection of their pastor's sermons :-)

Having listened to more than 100 of his sermons, here is my all-time Top 3 favourites:

(1) In Christ All of God's Promises Are Yes and Amen (1 Aug 2003)
No prizes for guessing why this sermon is my all-time favourite. It is based on my favourite verse in 2 Cor 1:20, and it encourages us to take God at His Word and trust His promises of healing, prosperity and victory.

Synopsis: In the passage leading up to the climax of verse 20, Paul reminded the Corinthian church that his message to them was a firm yes, and not a "yes" one moment and then a "no" the next. If he can be so certain in his preaching, how much more certain is the One he preached about, ie Jesus Christ Himself. Hence all of God's promises in Christ are Yes! and Amen! to the glory of God through us.

(2) Shepherd and Sheep - The Secret to the Abundant Life (16 Apr 2006)
This was preached at Easter 2006, when I brought my mom to the 4th service. There were hundreds upon hundreds queuing to enter the Rock Auditorium. In this sermon, Pastor Prince relates the Shepherd's Psalm (Psalm 23) to the Good Shepherd (John 10) and tells us that surely goodness and mercy will "hunt us down" all the days of our life, as long as we keep our eyes focused on Jesus.

Synopsis: The Lord is many things to a believer — Saviour, provider, healer, lover — but most of all, He wants to be your Shepherd. It is when you take your place as a sheep and rely on Jesus as your good Shepherd that the abundant life He came to give you will become a reality. Hear this message and realise all the blessings and privileges that belong to you as a sheep in Jesus’ flock.

(3) Doing That ONE Thing (16 Jan 2005)
This sermon talks about the story of Mary and Martha. Martha was described to be troubled about many things, and Jesus told her that only one thing is needful and Mary had chosen the good part. As we do the one thing to "sit at His feet" (as it were) and feed upon His Word, He will take care of the other things and put us at the right place at the right time.

Synopsis: In a world filled with cares and distractions, Jesus says that only ONE thing is needful. Listen and discover the ONE thing that will help us live the let-go life!

Shalom
Malcolm

Let's take them to our Leader's Son

Friday, 2nd February 2007

Dear Theophila and Theophilae

When I was much younger, I had dreams of being in the music and entertainment industry as a Disc Jockey. Well, so much for dreams. The closest I have gotten (and will probably ever get) is as the MC at my children's birthday parties.

Wishing to be a DJ meant that I would listen intently to the lyrics of songs. One particular song that never fails to bring tears to my eyes is "Take Me to Your Leader" by Newsboys.

In a typical science fiction movie about aliens and outer space, there will be a scene when the flying saucer finally lands on Planet Earth. Invariably, out steps a creature in a spacesuit who points a laser gun thingy at the inhabitants and says, "Take me to your leader".

It was with this concept in mind that Australian Christian band Newsboys, entitled this song. The climax, as it were, comes at the end where we are asked to "take them to our Leader's Son."

The song starts off with a lady who is caught for shoplifting. She is seen by a judge, whose wife had walked out on him, so he takes it out on her by sentencing her to jail.

In jail, she is ministered to by the chaplain. Touched by his care and concern, she wants to know what makes him so different from other people.

The song then goes on to talk about a man who is worried about his health, and resorts to taking vitamin supplements and aroma-therapy. Yet he finds no solution to his anxieties, but notices that his neighbours seem to have a sense of tranquility. One day, out of curiosity, he decides to ask his neighbour's son what his secret is.

The song ends by pointing us to what is special about the chaplain and the neighbour, and the answer is none other than our "Leader's Son", Jesus Christ!

When I hear this song, it reminds me that we are to be witnesses (Acts 1:8) and ambassadors (2 Cor 5:20) for Jesus Christ. There must be an "attractiveness" about us. While others fret and worry about their career or children's education, we display a sense of peace and serenity. While others take revenge on those who have wronged them (like Pastor KL mentioned in his sermon about avenging or "bao chou" being ingrained in Oriental cultures), we choose to forgive and extend unconditional love. This will cause our pre-believing friends and relatives to wonder why we are so different, and these then become great opportunities for us to point them to Christ.

So let's take 'em to our Leader's Son! Amen?



Isabelle is a belly dancer with a kleptomaniac's restraint
tried stealing Helena's hand basket, made a fast getaway, but McQueen she ain't
at the courtroom Joshua judges her ruthlessly on account of Ruth walking out on him
in the Big House Isabelle is a-telling all to the chaplain who's become her friend

she says: I don't know why you care I don't know what's out there
I don't know where or how just take me to your leader now take me to your leader now

Justin is adjustin' to the odor from Theodore's Evergreen Incense
but aroma therapy don't make him any younger than Oliver's All Liver Supplements
his late mate Merrilee merrily said immortality can't be bought in a jar
this just in: Justin's had enough of cure-alls,
gonna quiz the neighbor kid with the fish on his car

he says: I don't know why you care I don't know what's out there
I don't know how it's done just take me to your leader, son
I see you've got the joy I've seen you live it, boy
It's real, it's free, it's fun, so take me to your leader, son

They don't know why we care They don't know what's out there
They don't know how it's done Let's Take `Em To Our Leader's Son
They see we've got the joy They see us live it, oi
it's real, it's free, it's fun, Let's Take `Em To Our Leader's Son



Shalom

Let's talk about Jesus (more and more)

Thursday, 1st February 2007

The term "Jesus Freak" was coined as a derogatory label for Christians who took their faith seriously. When DC Talk released an album with that as the title track, it helped to take the negative connotations out of it.

There is an equivalent label used in countries where Cantonese is spoken -- and that is the term "kong ye sou" or "talk Jesus". When I was a teenager growing up in ACS Secondary, several of my pre-believing classmates would use that term at Chapel on the speaker, or at the boys from the Christian Fellowship. (I did not join the CF until University although I accepted Christ at the Billy Graham crusade in 1978 because I had started to backslide during my Secondary and JC days, but that is another story for another occasion).

Anyway, this "kong ye sou" term is usually said in a mocking tone, and has caused Christians to stop talking about Jesus. This is exactly what the evil one wants to do, because Jesus has commissioned us to "go into all the world and preach the gospel to every nation" (Matt 28:19). We should be honoured to talk about Jesus. In Rom 1:16, Paul said "I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the dunamis power of God unto the soteria salvation of man".

And that has become the inspiration for this design (which is going to be the 21st Christian-themed tshirt in my collection.) Choon Hong, please stand by for my order :-)

[The rest of my tshirt collection can be viewed here]

Just like DC Talk took the negative connotation out of the term Jesus Freak and made it something cool to identify with, my prayer is that the term "kong ye sou" will also be something that Christians can wear as a badge of honour.

Let's not be afraid to talk about Jesus, because He is the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to God except through Him (John 14:6). Instead, let's talk about Him in increasing measure.

Like that children's song we used to sing in Sunday School, let's talk about Jesus more and more!

Let's talk about Jesus
The King of Kings is He
The Lord of Lords supreme
Through all eternity
The great I Am the Way, the Truth,
the Life, the Door
Let's talk about Jesus more and more!

May you have a blessed day ahead!

Shalom

Highly-Recommended Books

Wednesday, 31st January 2007

Those who know me will realise that I prefer to listen to Christian messages or songs, or watch Christian-themed movies. Recently, however, God has started to impress upon me that I should not preclude Him speaking to me through Christian books.

As I sit here looking through these books, I realise that they cover such a wide range of topics and their contents are so diversified, which goes to show that God has an answer to every aspect of our life.

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Some time last year, RevBarnz recommended a book by C S Lewis entitled The Screwtape Letters. He explained that this book contains supposed correspondences between a senior demon (called Screwtape) and his nephew Wormwood on how to go about secuing the damnation of an ordinary young man. It brings us, as it were, behind enemy lines to get an inside insight into the wiles of the evil one and his fallen angels. The plot sounded so interesting, that I had to get a copy (which I did today from SKS Bookstore at S$19). It is a paperback of 209 pages.

PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT

Then just last week, I was listening to a sermon by Pastor Prince as to how praying in the spirit enables us to have dunamis power. In that sermon, he recommended a book by Jackie Pullinger entitled Chasing The Dragon. This book tells of how an English missionary was called by God to be located in Hongkong. She had to struggled against the darkness of Hong Kong's drug dens, but was able to to overcome the odds when she started praying in the spirit. Triad gangsters were converted, prostitutes quit, and Jackie herself discovered a new treatment for drug addiction: the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is a paperback of 254 pages and I got it from SKS Bookstore at S$20.50.

PROSPERITY

Just 2 days ago, I was having lunch with Rev Wee Boon Hup, TRAC President. Having shared with him my recent experiences regarding financial breakthroughs, he recommended me a book called The Midas Touch by Kenneth E. Hagin. This book provides a balanced approach to biblical prosperity, and I managed to get it from Tecman at S$31. It is a hard cover book of 234 pages thick.





HEBREW AND GREEK

Besides the above, I also recently bought 2 books from Life BookShop at S$44.90 each, by John H. Dobson - one entitled Learn Biblical Hebrew and the other entitled Learn New Testament Greek. The former is a hardcover book of 391 pages while the latter is a hardcover book of 383 pages. Both come with an audio CD each, where Hebrew and Greek words are read aloud so that we know how they are pronounced. The interest came about after listening to a series on the Hebrew language by Pastor Prince; but I decided to get the one on Greek as well to make it complete :-)


I have started to read some of them already, and pray that God will grant me the discipline to finish reading them by the end of February. After which, I will post the lessons learnt, and make them available should anyone of you like to borrow them.

Blessings

Looking Beyond the Physical Circumstances (to Walk by Faith and not by Sight)

Tuesday, 30th January 2007

In his sermon just 2 days ago, Pastor Barnabas spoke about how great is the faith of those who testify of the Lord's goodness even when their physical circumstances have not changed. Many of us only testify *after* God has blessed us with a good job, or with amazing finances, or when our children do well in their exams. But how many of us are able to give thanks in *all* circumstances (even in the midst of the storm), which is actually the will of God in Christ Jesus (1 Thess 5:18)?

That struck a chord in my heart. Do I wait until we see the physical evidence before we praise and thank our God? Am I supposed to wait until healing is manifested in the physical realm before I testify to what God has already done, or can I already start testifying? Thanks for the word spoken through Pastor B, because the answer is to testify right here and now!

In Rom 4:17, we read the famous portion often quoted by the "word of faith" circle, which is to "call for things that are not as though they are".

The first part of that verse actually refers to Abraham, who believed that God had already made him a father of many even before Isaac came forth. Abraham ("aleph-beth-resh-hey-mem") means "father of many". Just imagine him introducing himself to his friends and relatives as "Hello, I am the father of many." and the reaction of those whom he had greeted. Some of them would be laughing or mocking in their hearts that this man, at the ripe old age of 100, must have been out of his mind! But did that stop him from believing God's word to him.

As I was meditating on this, the Lord brought to mind another great man of faith - Noah, whose name is also mentioned in the "hall of faith" in verse 7 of Heb 11. By faith, he believed that God would send the flood, so he obeyed and built a 3-storey ark of dimensions 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high (Gen 6:14).

To get an idea of how big that is, each of the 3 decks had an area the equivalent of 3 soccer fields, or 6 tennis courts, or 20 basketball courts. Put it another way, each floor area was like 27 5-room HDB flats combined. Mulitply that by 3 because the ark was 3-storeys high.

Having had a visual impression of how huge the ark was, now imagine how long it took for Noah to construct it.

Back then, there was no ready timber or prefab wooden planks, or the use or chain saws, so Noah had to literally chop down each tree one by one. The bible does not specifically mention when Noah started to build the ark. What is mentioned however is that he was 500 years old when he had his 3 sons (Gen 5:32), and 600 years old when the flood came (Gen 7:6). So he must have built the ark in that 100-year period.

Now let's put ourselves in his shoes. When he started to cut down the first few trees, there would have been curious neighbours wondering what he was doing. When he started to construct the structure of the ark, people must have started to mock and make fun of him. He had to put up with decades of ridicule and unbelief everywhere he went. The physical circumstances around him had not changed: people were still wicked, and not a single drop of rain could be seen anywhere. Yet, he was not discouraged but pressed on because he believed God’s word. Finally, in the end, when the rains started to fall, he was vindicated and the people who mocked him perished in the flood.

Fast forward to today. Do we believe God's word that by Jesus’ stripes, we have been healed? (1 Pet 2:24). If yes, then stand firm on in! Jesus has come to give us an abundant life, and healing has already* taken place because Jesus has taken all diseases upon Himself by the stripes on His body. Even when the medical reports we see are not that encouraging, we must look beyond the physical evidence, walk by faith and not by sight and continue to trust God.

The physical evidence to Noah was that there he did not see a single drop of rain, that he appeared ridiculous and insane to others by building a huge ark when the sun was probably shining brightly. But he looked beyond the physical evidence and believed God’s word.

The physical evidence to Abraham was that he was already 100 and probably already impotent. When he went around telling people his name was "father of many", some may have smiled politely and others shaken their head in pity. But he looked beyond the physical evidence and believed God’s word.

Like Pastor B says, it takes great faith to testify even when the physical evidence has not changed and we are still in the midst of riding the storm, and I thank God for this timely reminder.

For those of us struggling and seeking for breakthroughs in our marriage, or career, or relationships with our children, or finances, or healing, etc, let us search the scriptures and look for promises to claim upon. Believe on those promises which are Yes and Amen, and continue to confess them each day.

Even if the physical evidence remains unchanged and well-meaning people start to make you doubt, press on like what Abraham and Noah did. God will never allow His children to be put to shame when we take Him at His Word. He will vindicate us, so let us not lose heart. Amen?