Supreme Motivation

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. Philippians 3:10

Paul had an impressive resume. He was circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin. He studied in Jerusalem, trained under the feet of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). He was a zealous Pharisee. Concerning the righteousness which is in the law, he was totally blameless. Yet for all his scholastic achievements and renown as a “Hebrew of Hebrews,” Paul would gladly throw them all away so that he can put his trust and hope in Christ alone. To him, all worldly accolades are like worthless “dung” compared with the priceless gain of knowing Jesus Christ.

Now that Paul knew Jesus, what was his supreme motivation in life? Preaching? Ministry? Church-planting? Missionary journeys? Presiding over large congregations? Writing epistles? No, none of these.

To Paul, his supreme motivation in life was to know Christ. The word “know” in the Greek is not knowledge through information or learning. It is knowledge through experience. Paul’s greatest desire in life was to experience God on a daily basis, having encounters after encounters with Christ. He wanted to encounter God in the power of His resurrection. Because God dwells in the realm of the supernatural, Paul loved the supernatural. He constantly said, “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:4-5).

Apart from encountering God in His power, Paul longed to experience Him in the “fellowship of His sufferings.” The word “sufferings” is in the plural, meaning that it is not a direct reference to the cross. There are many sufferings a believer will have to go through for the cause of Christ and His kingdom. Notice too that suffering is a fellowship. It is a privilege reserved for genuine disciples whom the Lord would count worthy (Acts 5:41). Paul says, “I am to be a part of that group of people.”

The purpose of trials and testings is so that ultimately, we can learn obedience. Referring to Jesus, Hebrews 5:8 says, “Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” Obedience, therefore, is not automatic. It has to be learned. Paul wants to be a part of the fellowship of all those who learned obedience and absolute dependence upon God.

The Power Of Your Testimony

“Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.” Acts 22:1

The word of our testimony is a very powerful spiritual weapon when we engage in soul-winning (Rev. 12:10-11). A faith-filled, positive, well-organized testimony is a very effective destroyer of fear, doubt and apathy. A testimony is especially powerful when it is inspired by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). Jesus encourages us that the most dire situation may “turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist” (Luke 21:13-15).

Principle #1 in sharing your testimony: Identify and endear yourself to your listener. In Acts 21-22, Paul was brought before a hostile crowd. He didn’t try to act religious or be superspiritual. He simply used wisdom to gain a chance to witness for the Lord. He appealed to the fact that he was a citizen of the Roman Empire and as such, he had a constitutional right to speak freely as a citizen (21:37-39). To win their attention, Paul spoke to the predominantly Jewish crowd in the Hebrew language instead of Greek. By doing that, he identifi ed himself as a fellow Jew and endeared himself to the people (21:40-22:2).

Principle #2: Don’t preach down at others; be persuasive by talking politely to them. Paul didn’t preach hard at the people in a condescending tone. Instead, he chose to simply share his personal life testimony (22:3).

Principle #3: Briefly tell how you were like before you accepted Christ. Paul shared about his past as an ultra-zealous Pharisee, preoccupied with jailing Christians and persecuting many believers to death (22:4-5).

Principle #4: Briefly tell how you received Christ. Paul then shared how he met Jesus on the way to Damascus (22:6-16). All throughout his testimony, he didn’t use highsounding theological jargons. He spoke so simply that even the most hardened sinner could understand him.

Principle #5: Briefly tell how you are like after you accepted Christ (22:17-21). Notice that all throughout the sharing, Paul kept his testimony very short and brief. A good testimony should not last more than five minutes. Paul used this simple testimony format very effectively to reach out to many sinners-to government officials and even King Agrippa. Agrippa was so moved by his sharing that he told Paul: “You almost persuade me to become a Christian” (26:28). Learn to be a good witness for Christ by always being ready to share your testimony.

Needed On Earth

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain … For I am hard-pressed between the two, having
a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. Philippians 1:21, 23-24

Becoming a Christian is about the easiest thing a person can do. All the work has already been done! Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sin. He rose from the dead to give us life. He ascended back to heaven to make intercession for us before the Father. He sent the Holy Spirit to draw sinners to Himself. And when sinners do come, He gladly receives them and saves them by His grace. All the sinner has to do is believe (John 3:16). However, after we are saved, then the struggles begin!

Being spiritually alive now, we become keenly aware that we are living in a sinful world. We are surrounded by temptations and trials on a daily basis. At the same time, God expects us to be busy working for His glory. Is it worth being a believer? Yes, it is the best life possible! But at times, we can get so tired of all the struggles with temptation and Satan that we just want to go “home.”

Paul often felt that way. He felt “hard-pressed between the two.” He felt like a prisoner in this world. His body is here, but his heart is elsewhere. He feels the pressure of this life and longs for the freedom of heaven. Paul was getting “homesick.” But while Paul longed for heaven, he knew he was needed here on earth. Jesus needs workers in the harvest (4:35). Here are some truths that you need to come to terms with:

(1) God saved you to work (Eph. 2:10).

(2) You have a “debt” to repay (Rom. 1:14-15).

(3) You will be rewarded according to your labor (1 Cor. 3:13-15). We have been given the greatest message and mission that the world has ever known. It is our duty to take it to a world that is perishing in sin. We have a duty to serve the Lord with all our hearts while there is breath in our bodies. We owe it to Jesus, we owe it to the lost, we owe it to the saints of God and we owe it to the Church. Paul knew that while he lived, others could see Jesus living in and through him (Phil. 1:21). However, he knew that if he were to die, then he would be the better for it. To Paul, he was a winner either way.

by Ps. Kong

Personal Responsiblity Can't Be Delegated

" the next day Moses said to the people, You have sinned a great sin. And now i will go up to the Lord; perhaps i can make atonement for your sin.

So Moses returned to the Lord, and said, Oh, these people have sinned a great sin and have made them selves gods of gold!

Yet now, if you will forgive their sin---and if not, blot me, i pray You, out if Your book which You have written! "
Exodus 32: 30-32

The Israelite did not want to take responsibility for anything. Moses did praying; he sought God for them, he even did their repenting when they got themselves in trouble.

A baby has no responsibility at all, but as the child grows up, he is expected to take more and more responsibility. One of the main roles of parent is to teach their children to accept responsibility. God desires to teach His children the same thing.

Lift Up Your Eyes and Look

" The Lord said to Abram after Lot had left him,lift up now your eyes and look from the place where you are,northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see i will give you and to your posterity forever." - Genesis 13: 14-15

This passage clearly reveals that even though Abraham found himself in less-desirable circumstances after his seperation from his nephew, God wanted him to 'look up' from the place where he was the place where He wanted to take him.

Abraham had a good attitude about his situation,and as a result the devil could not keep the blessing of God from him. God gave him even more possessions than he had enjoyed before the seperation, and blessed him mightily in every way.

I encourage you to take a positive look at the possibilities of the future and begin to 'calleth those thigns which be not as though they were' (Rom 4:17). Think and speak about your future in a positive way, according to what God has placed in your heart, and not according to what you have seen in the past or are seeing even now in the present. =)

They are free...

Last month...my friends...they all free from MIA...hahaha...this is their sem6 final presentation....all of them didn't sleep well..and i heard that they all sleep at the printing shop, the shop owner helping them to print all the presentation board from night till the next morning...wau!..such a good 'tau kei'...now they all finish their study dy...i miss them a lot.

cute cute tartzzzzzz ^^

Colleen brought me some cute small tarts..is very small..hahaha...is very cute...and the taste nice too..is brought from sri rampai pasar malam...don't know how much la...can ask her ...if u want to know..hehehe