Fear Not; for Thou Shalt Not Be Ashamed

Isaiah 54:4-10, King James Version

4Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

5For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.

6For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.

7For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.

8In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.

9For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.

10For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.

***
I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

I am not ashamed of the Gospel.
Pastor Linh

Taking Your First Few Steps

Congratulations to you for making the most important decision in life to accept and to invite Jesus Christ into your heart to be your Lord and Savior; Scripture says you are now born-again Christians, my brothers and sisters in Christ.

The angels rejoice with you in heaven. Your name is written in the Book of the Lamb. The Holy Spirit puts his seal upon you. You are welcome into the Kingdom of God.

Scripture says you are new babes in Christ. You shall be fed with the pure milk, the whole truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Definitely, your pastor and spiritual mentor shall guide you in the acquiring of the truth.

You shall be taught the truth, the Word of God. You must pray and guard your heart so you shall not incline to hear anything else but God’s Truth. You need to set aside time to worship and to praise God individually and corporately. Set aside time to fellowship with other believers and to encourage each other in the faith. You need to read God’s Word and understand what God is commanding you to do.

As you grow in your daily walk with Christ in the Word, through prayer and through your dependence on the leading of the Holy Spirit in you, you shall learn to make your daily decision to pick up the cross to follow Christ and submit yourselves under His lordship; you are also enlisted into the armies of the Lord under his banner; you are also the ambassador of good will; the witness to the power of the resurrection in you; the disciple of the Wonderful Master and Teacher; you are the bond servants of the Lord.

Yes, the more you know who you are and what you have in Christ Jesus; the more you discover your inheritance, your hidden treasures in the field, your gifts given by the Holy Spirit as He sees fit, the more you shall be used in the area of your gifting and calling.

However, many people fail to hear God’s call, fail to respond to him, fail to follow him with the right motives and inadequately fulfill their mission in life because the lack of knowledge of the Word. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge;” (Hosea 4:6) we’ve got to know what the Lord requires of us and be fully equipped so that we can serve Him effectively. Beside, many don’t know that they are in a fierce spiritual warfare. It’s on-going.

We have to know which side we are on. There is no DMZ. There is no middle or neutral ground. You must know you are for God and not against Him. If you are not with Jesus you are not belonged to Him. You are or you are not!

Satan through our lack of knowledge has come to deceive us with lies, all kinds of fear and worry and defeated thoughts. He has attacked the body with all kinds of sickness and disease, twisted and perverted the mind with all kinds of false ideas, damaged the soul of man with all kinds of hurt and pain and caused the spirit of man to lose that connection with the Creator. Indeed, man has exchanged the truth for a lie (Romans 1:24-25). That’s why man shall not live by bread alone.

God’s Word emphasizes that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. He lives in us. We are in him. Our body has been bought with a price, the blood of the Son of God, and therefore “If anyone defiles the temple, God will destroy him (I Corinthians 3:17).

How do people defile their bodies, God’s temple? They have done so through illegal drugs, abuse of alcohol, illicit sex outside of marriage, pornography, lust, homosexuality, profanity, demonic evil piercing and tattoo, greed, rage, wrath, unforgiveness …and more. Why would they want to defile it? It is because of their lack of knowledge of the Word of God. Many reject God’s Word as authentic, infallible and absolute truth. And therefore they have developed and believed in all kinds of lies.

As long as we have let the flesh dominate us, we are not walking by the Spirit of God. When we let sin enter our lives and defile our bodies with unclean demons and spirits we are in danger. Everyday I have seen people who are depressed, tormented, harassed or oppressed by the devil, by the unclean spirits and demons. Their bodies are sick with diseases; they have unclean thoughts; they have heard voices repeated blaspheme; they have seen weird and demonic and horrible images, nightmares that continue to haunt them.

Just as Jesus gave his power to the apostles, disciples over unclean spirits and demons He gives the same power to us today to help people in need to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease (Matthew 10:1). In fact when you have an intimate relationship with Jesus, when you know you have His power, His authority and in Jesus’ name you can preach the Word, heal the sick and cast out demons (Mark 3:14-15; Luke 9:1-2; Mark 16:17-18).

There are many things that the Lord needs you to do; the Church needs you. Therefore, we must be trained in the Word. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. You must receive your anointing.

Take your position. Guard your post. Stand in the gap and fulfill what God has called you to do.

Pastor Linh

Songs to Inspire the Heart

Này anh, em ơi..!
Câu 2, 3, 4 by Linh Nguyen

1. Gió lên làm con thuyền nghiêng lắc, chống chèo mau qua bến bên kia. Hò ơ..! Giê-xu đang ở với ta, ta không lo lắng, cũng không sợ gì. Giê-xu ở cùng, Giê-xu ở cùng. Ta chèo, ơ hò là hò…hò ơ!

2. “Chớ nghi ngờ, Ta là Giê-xu.” “Chớ sợ chi, mau bước ra đây.” Hò ơ..! Phi-e-rơ bước ra ngay, ông đi theo Chúa chẳng lo sợ gì. Giê-xu ở cùng. Ta theo Giê-xu. Ta chèo, ơ hò là hò...hò ơ!

3. Chút nghi ngờ sẽ làm chao đảo, bước đường đi theo Chúa ai ơi. Hò ơ..! “Giê-xu, xin Chúa cứu con.” Con đi theo Chúa, quyết chăm nhìn Ngài. Giê-xu ở cùng, Giê-xu dẫn đường. Ta chèo, ơ hò là hò...hò ơ!

4. Có Giê-xu trong thuyền, ta tiến, bước bình an qua bến bên kia. Hò ơ..! Giê-xu luôn ở với ta, phong ba, bão táp, cũng không sợ gì. Giê-xu ở cùng. Ta luôn vững bền. Ta chèo, ơ hò là hò…hò ơ!

Tinh Binh Giê-xu
Câu 2, 3 by Linh Nguyen

1. Nơi trần gian bao điều đau khổ, nơi trần gian bao điều cám dỗ. Ta là tinh binh của Giê-xu luôn ca bài đắc thắng muôn thu. Kìa Chúa đang chờ ta ở cuối con đường. Hãy vứt xa lòng ta bao điều vấn vương. Luôn coi thường nhọc nhằn đau thương, bên Giê-xu tràn ngập ánh dương. Ta lên đường tìm về quê hương.
Điệp Khúc: Ta đi về miền ruộng đồng, ta đi về miền thị thành. Ta đi cho tiếng khóc đêm đen không còn. Ta đi làm chứng nhân cho Giê-xu đến cùng thế giới. Niềm tin ta mang trong tâm là trái tim chan chứa tình yêu.

2. Trong Giê-xu ta được an bình, vui mừng thay trong lòng có Chúa. Ta là con Vua của Thiên Đàng luôn ca bài đắc thắng vinh quang. Kìa Chúa ban Thần Linh ở với ta hoài. Hãy bước theo Giê-xu, nương nhờ Thánh Linh. Luôn vui mừng, thờ phượng Cha luôn, yêu Giê-xu, đầu phục Thánh Linh. Ta lên đường phục vụ tha nhân.

Điệp Khúc: (2, 3) Ta đi về miền ruộng vườn, ta đi về miền đồng bằng. Ta đi mang ánh sáng, yêu thương, vui mừng. Ta đi làm chứng nhân mang Tin Vui đến cùng muôn nước. Truyền rao Danh Vua Giê-xu. Ngài thứ tha ai đến cùng Cha.

3. Vui mừng ta cam chịu gian khổ, đem tình yêu, an bình, tha thứ cho trần gian vui hưởng Thiên Đàng, nhân danh Ngài đắc thắng Sa-tan. Kìa Chúa, Vua Bình An ở với ta hoài. Ngài sống trong lòng ta tuôn tràn sức thiêng. Theo Giê-xu dù đời khinh chê, không nao lòng nhờ Lời Chúa ban, mang Tin Lành Ngài về quê hương.

Xin Xức Dầu
Nhạc và Lời câu 1 bởi MS Ngô Tấn Sĩ, Câu 2 by Linh Nguyen

1. Lạy Cha Chí cao, con xin đầu phục Chúa. Lạy Cha kính yêu ơi, con xin được hầu việc Ngài. Xin xức dầu cho đầu con. Xin xức dầu cho tấm lòng con. Lạy Cha xin xức dầu cho môi miệng con, cùng đôi tay được tôn thờ Chúa trong quyền năng Ngài. Xin Chúa Cha xức dầu bằng Thánh Linh và quyền năng Ngài. Cho con được hầu việc Chúa, cho con được tôn thờ Ngài. Cho con được hầu việc Chúa, cho con được thờ phượng Ngài.

2. Giê-xu kính yêu, tâm con đầu phục Chúa. Giê-xu mến yêu ơi, tâm linh con thờ phượng Ngài. Tôn kính Ngài trong lòng con. Yêu mến Ngài không khi nào phai. Giê-xu xin xức dầu ban cho quyền năng, tình yêu thương, bình an của Chúa, trong lòng con hoài. Xin Giê-xu xức dầu bằng Thánh Linh và quyền năng Ngài. Con vui được hầu việc Chúa, con vui được tôn thờ Ngài. Con vui được phục vụ Chúa, con vui được yêu Ngài nhiều.

Anoint Me Lord
English Verses 1, 2 by Linh Nguyen

1. Almighty God, I bow before You. Heavenly Father I want to serve You. Let your oil pour on me, flowing down unto my heart. Father, touch my lips with burning coal, with clean hands I worship You in Your Presence. Anoint me Father, your Spirit and your power. Let me serve you, my God. Help me praise you, my Lord. Gladly I serve you Lord. Gladly I worship you.

2. My dear Jesus, my heart surrenders. My Lord and my God, my spirit worships You. Honor you in my heart; loving you with all my soul. Jesus anoint me with your Spirit, your true love and peace of God. I love you Lord. Lord Jesus anoint upon me your Holy Ghost. I gladly serve you Lord. I gladly worship you. I gladly serve you God. I gladly love you Lord.

What Is Spiritual Warfare?

Spiritual warfare has been going on forever in the heavenly realms, between God and Satan, between good and evil, between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. The battle has begun in you the moment you placed your trust in God and accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

It is going on in you when you know you now live by the Spirit of God and by His Word and what have happened in the physical world are at odd or at war with the spiritual world you are now aware of. It is when you know that you are in the world but not of the world. I John 2:15-17 says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; for all that is in the world-the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches-comes not from the Father but from the world. And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live for ever.”

The world is not to be in you controlling, shaping, and forming you. Just as light cannot fellowship with darkness so you are. Indeed, spiritual warfare has begun in the heavens and played out here on earth. The two worlds may have influenced each other’s outcomes and results.

Ephesians 6:10-20 talks about spiritual warfare and the armors you and I need to put on in order to withstand the attacks of the enemies. “For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Satan, the liar, the accuser of the brethren, the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy, the crafty serpent, the dragon, together with the beasts, all the fallen angels, the demons, the evil unclean spirits and those who are used by them to serve their will and plans are of the kingdom of darkness.

As children of God, citizens of the Kingdom of God, a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, heirs of Christ, servants of God, you and I have a new nature when we are born again; when we have given our hearts to the Lord Jesus and trusted Him as Savior, Redeemer we are a new creation in Christ Jesus. Biblically, the old is gone, and the new has come, yet experientially, we are still living in this earthly vessel called the body, the flesh.

We still need the basic food, water and shelter. We still need the love, the care and comfort and security. Jesus said, “The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:42) We used to sin before coming to the Savior, but we are now washed, sanctified, justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God (I Corinthians 6:11).

Because we are redeemed for a purpose you and I have a new perspective, a God-perspective, a Spirit-filled life to live. Our mind is renewed, and our will yields to the Holy Spirit; we’ve chosen the narrow gate that leads to life instead of the wide one that leads to death. Our focus is now on God. We tune into God’s Word and obey His commands.

Everything that God has determined for us to have in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world, we will have in the name of Jesus. The Holy Spirit lives in us. Christ Jesus lives in our hearts even though he is sitting at the right hand of the Father interceding for us.

Because of our new relationship with God, you and I no longer see things as we did before. We see them as God sees them through the Scripture, through the Holy Spirit’s prompting and guidance. The things that make Jesus’ heart sad will also be the things that make our hearts sad. The things He stands for will also be the stand that we will take. The truth that He abides, lives and dies for will also be the truth that we shall hold close to our heart and never would let go of even if it would cost us our lives. The life we live in the flesh today we live by the faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us (Galatians 2:20).

The sins you and I may have committed before, now as a child of God, we will have a different feeling and attitude about it. We cannot continue to sin and pray that grace will abound. God forbids.

Whatever a man sows, he shall surely reap. Sooner or later everything will be revealed. Every wrong will be right. Nothing is hidden from God. We obey God’s Word now because we love God and we want to honor Jesus with our lives; we want to yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit so that the works of God will continue to complete what God has started first in our lives. We love the things God loves and hates the things God hates.

Indeed, everyday you and I are going through this spiritual struggle, and the spiritual warfare or battle rage on. Even the lawful thing may not be beneficial to us at all and we will not be dominated by anything (I Corinthians 6:12). Our Helper, the Holy Spirit empowers us to live a victorious life.

In Christ we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. We can submit to God, resist the Devil and it shall flee from us. Knowing that the One who is in us is greater than the one outside in the world helps us put the fear away.

Because you and I are bought with a price we are no longer our own; therefore glorify God in our bodies (I Corinthians 6:19-20). See you at the front lines. March on. Christ is leading the way. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Put on your armors. Be fully equipped in the Word.

Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Follow Him. Walk in God’s love and power to victory! Amen.

Pastor Linh

Sanctify, Sanctified, Sanctification = Thanh Hoa, Nen Thanh, Tay Sach, Thanh Tay

1. John 17:19 (Whole Chapter)
For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

2. Acts 20:32 (Whole Chapter)
"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

3. Acts 26:18 (Whole Chapter)
to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

4. Romans 15:16 (Whole Chapter)
to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

5. 1 Corinthians 1:2 (Whole Chapter)
To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:

6. 1 Corinthians 6:11 (Whole Chapter)
And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

7. 1 Corinthians 7:14 (Whole Chapter)
For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

8. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (Whole Chapter)
It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;

9. Hebrews 10:29 (Whole Chapter)
How much more severely do you think those deserve to be punished who have trampled the Son of God underfoot, who have treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who have insulted the Spirit of grace?

Holy, Holiness = Thanh Khiet, Su Thanh Khiet

10. Exodus 15:11 (Whole Chapter)
Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?

11. Deuteronomy 32:51 (Whole Chapter)
This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites.

12. 1 Chronicles 16:29 (Whole Chapter)
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his [ Or LORD with the splendor of] holiness.

13. 2 Chronicles 20:21 (Whole Chapter)
After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his [ Or him with the splendor of] holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever."

14. Psalm 29:2 (Whole Chapter)
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his [ Or LORD with the splendor of] holiness.

15. Psalm 89:35 (Whole Chapter)
Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness— and I will not lie to David—

16. Psalm 93:5 (Whole Chapter)
Your statutes, LORD, stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days.

17. Psalm 96:9 (Whole Chapter)
Worship the LORD in the splendor of his [ Or LORD with the splendor of] holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.

18. Isaiah 29:23 (Whole Chapter)
When they see among them their children, the work of my hands, they will keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.

19. Isaiah 35:8 (Whole Chapter)
And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it.

20. Ezekiel 36:23 (Whole Chapter)
I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.

21. Ezekiel 38:23 (Whole Chapter)
And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.'

22. Amos 4:2 (Whole Chapter)
The Sovereign LORD has sworn by his holiness: "The time will surely come when you will be taken away with hooks, the last of you with fishhooks. [ Or away in baskets, / the last of you in fish baskets]

23. Luke 1:75 (Whole Chapter)
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

24. Romans 1:4 (Whole Chapter)
and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power [ Or was declared with power to be the Son of God] by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

25. Romans 6:19 (Whole Chapter)
I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness.

26. Romans 6:22 (Whole Chapter)
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

27. 1 Corinthians 1:30 (Whole Chapter)
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

28. 2 Corinthians 7:1 (Whole Chapter)
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

29. Ephesians 4:24 (Whole Chapter)
and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

30. 1 Timothy 2:2 (Whole Chapter)
for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

31. 1 Timothy 2:15 (Whole Chapter)
But women [ Greek she] will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

32. Hebrews 12:10 (Whole Chapter)
Our parents disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.

33. Hebrews 12:14 (Whole Chapter)
[ Warning and Encouragement ] Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Purify, Purification = Thanh Tay, Rua Sach, Su Rua Sach

34. Genesis 35:2 (Whole Chapter)
So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes.

35. Exodus 29:36 (Whole Chapter)
Sacrifice a bull each day as a sin offering to make atonement. Purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate it.

36. Leviticus 8:15 (Whole Chapter)
Moses slaughtered the bull and took some of the blood, and with his finger he put it on all the horns of the altar to purify the altar. He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. So he consecrated it to make atonement for it.

37. Leviticus 14:49 (Whole Chapter)
To purify the house he is to take two birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop.

38. Leviticus 14:52 (Whole Chapter)
He shall purify the house with the bird's blood, the fresh water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop and the scarlet yarn.

39. Numbers 8:7 (Whole Chapter)
To purify them, do this: Sprinkle the water of cleansing on them; then have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes. And so they will purify themselves.

40. Numbers 8:21 (Whole Chapter)
The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes. Then Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the LORD and made atonement for them to purify them.

41. Numbers 19:12 (Whole Chapter)
They must purify themselves with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then they will be clean. But if they do not purify themselves on the third and seventh days, they will not be clean.

42. Numbers 19:13 (Whole Chapter)
If they fail to purify themselves after touching a human corpse, they defile the LORD's tabernacle. They must be cut off from Israel. Because the water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on them, they are unclean; their uncleanness remains on them.

43. Numbers 19:19 (Whole Chapter)
The man who is clean is to sprinkle those who are unclean on the third and seventh days, and on the seventh day he is to purify them. Those who are being cleansed must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and that evening they will be clean.

44. Numbers 19:20 (Whole Chapter)
But if those who are unclean do not purify themselves, they must be cut off from the community, because they have defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on them, and they are unclean.

45. Numbers 31:19 (Whole Chapter)
"Anyone who has killed someone or touched someone who was killed must stay outside the camp seven days. On the third and seventh days you must purify yourselves and your captives.

46. Numbers 31:20 (Whole Chapter)
Purify every garment as well as everything made of leather, goat hair or wood."

47. 2 Samuel 11:4 (Whole Chapter)
Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home.

48. 2 Chronicles 29:15 (Whole Chapter)
When they had assembled their fellow Levites and consecrated themselves, they went in to purify the temple of the LORD, as the king had ordered, following the word of the LORD.

49. 2 Chronicles 29:16 (Whole Chapter)
The priests went into the sanctuary of the LORD to purify it. They brought out to the courtyard of the LORD's temple everything unclean that they found in the temple of the LORD. The Levites took it and carried it out to the Kidron Valley.

50. 2 Chronicles 34:8 (Whole Chapter)
In the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the LORD his God.

51. Nehemiah 13:9 (Whole Chapter)
I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.

52. Nehemiah 13:22 (Whole Chapter)
Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.

53. Isaiah 66:17 (Whole Chapter)
"Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs, rats and other unclean things—they will meet their end together with the one they follow," declares the LORD.

54. Ezekiel 43:20 (Whole Chapter)
You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the upper ledge and all around the rim, and so purify the altar and make atonement for it.

55. Ezekiel 43:23 (Whole Chapter)
When you have finished purifying it, you are to offer a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect.

56. Ezekiel 45:18 (Whole Chapter)
" 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: In the first month on the first day you are to take a young bull without defect and purify the sanctuary.

57. Zephaniah 3:9 (Whole Chapter)
[ Restoration of Israel's Remnant ] "Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder.

58. Malachi 3:3 (Whole Chapter)
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,

59. 2 Corinthians 7:1 (Whole Chapter)
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

60. Titus 2:14 (Whole Chapter)
who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

61. James 4:8 (Whole Chapter)
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

62. 1 John 1:9 (Whole Chapter)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

63. 1 John 3:3 (Whole Chapter)
All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Perfect, Perfection = Toan Hao, Hoan Toan, Tron Ven, Tro Nen Tron Ven

64. Matthew 5:48 (Whole Chapter)
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

65. Matthew 19:21 (Whole Chapter)
Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

66. Romans 12:2 (Whole Chapter)
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

67. 1 Corinthians 1:10 (Whole Chapter)
[ A Church Divided Over Leaders ] I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

68. 2 Corinthians 7:1 (Whole Chapter)
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

69. 2 Corinthians 11:6 (Whole Chapter)
I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.

70. 2 Corinthians 12:9 (Whole Chapter)
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

71. Colossians 3:14 (Whole Chapter)
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

72. Hebrews 2:10 (Whole Chapter)
In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.

73. Hebrews 5:9 (Whole Chapter)
and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him

74. Hebrews 7:11 (Whole Chapter)
[ Jesus Like Melchizedek ] If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?

75. Hebrews 7:19 (Whole Chapter)
(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

76. Hebrews 7:28 (Whole Chapter)
For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

77. Hebrews 9:11 (Whole Chapter)
[ The Blood of Christ ] But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, [ Some early manuscripts are to come] he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation.

78. Hebrews 10:1 (Whole Chapter)
[ Christ's Sacrifice Once for All ] The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.

79. Hebrews 10:14 (Whole Chapter)
For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

80. Hebrews 11:40 (Whole Chapter)
God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

81. Hebrews 12:2 (Whole Chapter)
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

82. Hebrews 12:23 (Whole Chapter)
to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

83. James 1:17 (Whole Chapter)
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

84. James 1:25 (Whole Chapter)
But those who look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continue in it—not forgetting what they have heard but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

85. James 3:2 (Whole Chapter)
We all stumble in many ways. Those who are never at fault in what they say are perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

86. 1 John 4:18 (Whole Chapter)
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Pastor Linh

Scripture Search on the Subject of Lust

1. Genesis 39:7
and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded

2. Exodus 34:15 (Whole Chapter)
“You must not make a treaty of any kind with the people living in the land. They lust after their gods, offering sacrifices to them. They will invite you to join them in their sacrificial meals, and you will go with them.

3. Job 22:24 (Whole Chapter)
If you give up your lust for moneyand throw your precious gold into the river,

4. Job 31:1 (Whole Chapter)
[ Job’s Final Protest of Innocence ] “I made a covenant with my eyesnot to look with lust at a young woman.

5. Job 31:7 (Whole Chapter)
If I have strayed from his pathway,or if my heart has lusted for what my eyes have seen,or if I am guilty of any other sin,

6. Job 31:9 (Whole Chapter)
“If my heart has been seduced by a woman,or if I have lusted for my neighbor’s wife,

7. Job 31:11 (Whole Chapter)
For lust is a shameful sin,a crime that should be punished.

8. Proverbs 6:25 (Whole Chapter)
Don’t lust for her beauty.Don’t let her coy glances seduce you.

9. Jeremiah 2:24 (Whole Chapter)
You are like a wild donkey,sniffing the wind at mating time.Who can restrain her lust?Those who desire her don’t need to search,for she goes running to them!

10. Jeremiah 5:8 (Whole Chapter)
They are well-fed, lusty stallions,each neighing for his neighbor’s wife.

11. Jeremiah 13:27 (Whole Chapter)
I have seen your adultery and lust,and your disgusting idol worship out in the fields and on the hills.What sorrow awaits you, Jerusalem!How long before you are pure?”

12. Lamentations 4:1 (Whole Chapter)
[ God’s Anger Satisfied ] How the gold has lost its luster!Even the finest gold has become dull.The sacred gemstoneslie scattered in the streets!

13. Ezekiel 6:9 (Whole Chapter)
Then when they are exiled among the nations, they will remember me. They will recognize how hurt I am by their unfaithful hearts and lustful eyes that long for their idols. Then at last they will hate themselves for all their detestable sins.

14. Ezekiel 16:26 (Whole Chapter)
Then you added lustful Egypt to your lovers, provoking my anger with your increasing promiscuity.

15. Ezekiel 16:36 (Whole Chapter)
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have poured out your lust and exposed yourself in prostitution to all your lovers, and because you have worshiped detestable idols, [ The Hebrew term (literally round things) probably alludes to dung.] and because you have slaughtered your children as sacrifices to your gods,

16. Ezekiel 23:5 (Whole Chapter)
“Then Oholah lusted after other lovers instead of me, and she gave her love to the Assyrian officers.

17. Ezekiel 23:11 (Whole Chapter)
“Yet even though Oholibah saw what had happened to Oholah, her sister, she followed right in her footsteps. And she was even more depraved, abandoning herself to her lust and prostitution.

18. Ezekiel 23:18 (Whole Chapter)
“In the same way, I became disgusted with Oholibah and rejected her, just as I had rejected her sister, because she flaunted herself before them and gave herself to satisfy their lusts.

19. Ezekiel 23:20 (Whole Chapter)
She lusted after lovers with genitals as large as a donkey’s and emissions like those of a horse.

20. Ezekiel 23:42 (Whole Chapter)
From your room came the sound of many men carousing. They were lustful men and drunkards [ Or Sabeans.] from the wilderness, who put bracelets on your wrists and beautiful crowns on your heads.

21. Ezekiel 33:31 (Whole Chapter)
So my people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you. They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say. Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money.

22. Hosea 7:4 (Whole Chapter)
They are all adulterers,always aflame with lust.They are like an oven that is kept hot while the baker is kneading the dough.

23. Matthew 5:28 (Whole Chapter)
But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

24. Matthew 5:29 (Whole Chapter)
So if your eye—even your good eye [ Greek your right eye.] —causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

25. Mark 7:22 (Whole Chapter)
adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.

26. Romans 1:27
and the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.

27. 1 Corinthians 7:9 (Whole Chapter)
But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust.

28. 2 Corinthians 12:21 (Whole Chapter)
Yes, I am afraid that when I come again, God will humble me in your presence. And I will be grieved because many of you have not given up your old sins. You have not repented of your impurity, sexual immorality, and eagerness for lustful pleasure.

29. Galatians 5:19 (Whole Chapter)
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,

30. Ephesians 4:19 (Whole Chapter)
They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

31. Ephesians 4:22 (Whole Chapter)
throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.

32. Colossians 3:5 (Whole Chapter)
So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

33. 1 Thessalonians 4:5 (Whole Chapter)
not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways.

34. 2 Timothy 2:22 (Whole Chapter)
Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

35. Titus 3:3 (Whole Chapter)
Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.

36. 1 Peter 4:3 (Whole Chapter)
You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul and with all your strength, and love your neighbor as you have loved yourself."

Pastor Linh

Did You Remember?

Did you remember in the beginning God spoke everything into existence, and it was good? Did you remember God created Adam and Eve from the dust of the ground and gave them the responsibilities to till the Garden of Eden and to keep it? After creating them in the image of God, He blessed them and told them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”

Did you remember God also commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die?” The crafty serpent talked to Eve, twisted God’s Word and caused her to doubt God’s specific command not to eat the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden... She saw that the tree was good for food, a delight to the eyes, and it made one wise. She listened to the devil, ate it and gave it to her husband.

Adam listened to his wife Eve, ate the forbidden fruit, and realized that they are naked. They have sinned against God by disobeying God’s specific command not to eat it. The dominion to rule the earth has been tricked out of the hands of Adam by the devil. The rest is history. Man has sinned; the devil has ruled the world. Yet, God has a plan!

When God’s appointed time came, Jesus came to the world he loves as Son of man and Son of God to destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8). He grew up in his hometown in Nazareth, increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.

When he began his public ministry, Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist; when he came up from the water the Holy Spirit came upon Him, and the voice said “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”; and Scripture also said that He was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil for God was with him (Acts 10:38). “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

Did you remember the Father’s love for us all? That’s why He sent Jesus to us. Jesus indeed obeyed His Father, came in the power of the Holy Spirit to save us from sin. He came to seek and to save the lost sinners, you and me. He ate with them. He cried with and for them. He touched them. He walked and talked with them. People saw him, touched him and experienced him. He’s real.

Truly, He came to heal the sick, to cast out demons, to cleanse the lepers, to raise the dead and many other wonderful things that Scripture said “If every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25).

John the Baptist said “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (Luke 3:16). Jesus came, died, was buried, rose again and appeared to his disciples.

Did you remember the Great Commission? Jesus said: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20) He calls you to declare the Kingdom of God is at hand. He calls you to take care of his sheep.

Did you remember in Mark, Jesus said to the 11 disciples: “Go in to all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned.

And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:15-18)

Did you also remember this verse: “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.” (John 14:12-14)

As the Holy Spirit bringing God’s Word to your remembrance, simply obey His Word today. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Live by the Spirit and walk by the Spirit.

Pastor Linh

Ministry Moments in Ma Lai

Kính gửi quý Mục sư,

Một vài tin tức mới từ Mã Lai xin chuyển đến quí Mục sư và các bạn để tường trình và cầu nguyện cho.

Từ lúc chúng tôi đến phục vụ tại Mã Lai cho đến nay, đã có 399 người tin nhận Chúa Giê xu Christ, 42 người đã làm phép Báp têm, 18 thanh niên hứa dâng mình hầu việc Chúa, trong đó đã có ba người đang vào học trường kinh thánh tại Việt Nam và đang mở Hội thánh tại tư gia. Bốn em thanh niên khác còn ở Mã lai tôi đang giúp đở để ghi danh học thần học online với Union University of California.

Có hơn 100,000 công nhân Việt Nam đang làm việc tại Mã Lai. Vì khủng hoảng kinh tế toàn cầu nên chính phủ Mã Lai quyết định sẽ trả về Việt Nam 66,000 người trong năm 2009. Chúng tôi đang gấp rút làm chứng cho nhiều người tin nhận Chúa và làm Báp têm cho họ trước khi họ trở về nước.

Trong thời gian nầy, có những công nhân làm việc hơn năm tháng mà không được chủ nhân trả lương. Có những công nhân mất việc làm hơn hai tháng mà không có sự trợ giúp nào từ phía chủ nhân, họ cũng không được trở về nước như ý muốn vì chủ nhân đòi phải đóng tiền phạt. Một số đông anh chị em công nhân đến nhà chúng tôi mỗi ngày. Trong cơ hội nầy, chúng tôi tổ chức những buổi học kinh thánh, ca hát tôn vinh, dạy anh ngữ, dạy họ về leadership và dĩ nhiên, nhà tôi nấu ăn ngày ba bửa để họ tiếp tục vui sống trong lời Chúa.

Trước đây, chúng tôi giúp đở một số anh chị em đang gặp hoạn nạn bằng cách giúp làm thủ tục, giúp trả tiền làm các thủ tục giấy tờ, passport và mua vé cho họ về nước. Nhưng bây giờ số người cần giúp đở quá đông chúng tôi không đủ sức để tiếp tục, chúng tôi chỉ có thể chỉ họ những phương thức để làm mà không thể tài trợ họ bằng tài chánh được, vì ngay cả chúng tôi dấn thân đi phục vụ Chúa cũng bằng chính tiền saving của mình.

Người công nhân Việt Nam tại Mã Lai thật đáng thương vì không có một bộ luật nào bênh vực cho họ. Nếu họ làm điều gì sai, chủ nhân có thể đấm đá họ, khi bị thương không được chăm sóc và ngay cả không được trả các chi phí dưỡng thương. Tôi được biết, một người đang làm việc bị máy cắt đứt bàn tay, chủ nhân đưa anh vào nhà thương băng bó. Sang ngày thứ hai lúc còn đang trong bệnh viện, chủ nhân đến đưa cho một vé máy bay để trở về nước vì không thể tiếp tục làm việc cho chủ nhân được nữa và người chủ nhân cũng trốn tránh trách nhiệm bồi thường cho công nhân.

Làm việc thì chỉ trả cho công nhân có 18 Ringgit một ngày, trong khi trả cho người Mã Lai khoảng 60 Ringgit. ( một buổi ăn trưa với một Hamburger và một ly nước tốn khoảng 15 Ringgit). Chẳng những vậy, chủ nhân tìm đủ mọi cách để trừ tiền công nhân mà không được khiếu nại. Một công ty làm bánh ở Melaka bắt công nhân làm việc từ 12 đến 16 tiếng một ngày, 7 ngày một tuần, nếu người công nhân bị bệnh không đi làm một ngày ( dù có giấy bác sĩ chứng nhận) họ sẽ bị trừ 80 Ringgit mặc dù mỗi ngày làm việc chỉ có 18 Ringgit cho 8 giờ. ( Một dollar = 3.6 Ringgit).

Một công ty gổ làm bàn ghế có đến 1000 công nhân, Chủ nhân trừ tiền lương của công nhân mỗi tháng 65 Ringgit về phần tiền hao mòn máy móc (worn out machine). Nên hầu hết, nhiều nhân công Việt Nam mỗi ngày chỉ sống bằng mì gói và trứng vì không đủ tiền mua thức ăn. Đã vậy, mỗi tháng họ phải đóng 100 Ringgit cho các môi giới (Môi giới là những người từ chính phủ Việt Nam) và đóng thuế cho chính phủ Mã lai. Bắt đầu năm 2009, thuế của Mã Lai sẽ tăng 100%.

Dĩ nhiên cũng có một vài công ty, chủ nhân là Christian hoặc có đạo đức, họ đối xử với nhân viên rất tốt. Nhưng số nầy chỉ có một vài người. Tội cho một số công nhân nữ, vì không biết tiếng Anh, không biết tiếng Mã, bị các chủ nhân bán hết người nầy qua người khác, và họ bị đối xử tệ hơn người nộ lệ mà chúng tôi có dịp xem phim ở Hoa kỳ trước đây. Tôi cũng vừa giải cứu một cô gái bị chuyền tay qua 3 người đàn bà trung quốc. Mỗi lần chuyền tay qua một người khác họ chuyền cho nhau một bao thư tiền trước mặt cô gái. Tôi đã nhờ luật sư can thiệp trường hợp nầy.

Về môi trường sinh sống tại Mã Lai rất nguy hiểm. Các thức ăn được nhập thẳng từ trung quốc. Những thức ăn nầy bao gồm rau cải và trái cây được nhúng vào trong các chất độc để làm cho tươi lâu ngày. Chúng tôi mua một trái đu đủ, bên ngoài màu sắc trông thật ngon, nhưng khi bổ ra, bên trong đã có nhiều đóm hư thối nên phải bỏ đi. Những trái táo trông thật ngon như mới vừa hái từ trên cây. mang về nhà để lên bàn ăn trong một tháng, màu sắc vẫn không thay đổi giống như mới hái từ trên cây, chúng tôi phải vứt đi không dám ăn nữa.

Mã Lai là một xứ có nhiều nhà máy công nghệ. Những nhà máy nầy chủ nhân là những người Trung quốc. Những chất phế thải họ đều tuôn đổ ra sông. Một số công nhân Việt Nam xuống sông hái rau, bắt cá, khi trở về nhà da họ bị ngứa ngáy hoặc sưng lên vì nước bị nhiễm độc nặng. May mắn tôi có mang qua Mã Lai một số thuốc ngứa và thuốc trụ sinh để kịp thời cung cấp cho các công nhân.

Trong năm 2007, có 307 người công nhân bị chết đột quỵ. Họ nằm ngủ một đêm đến sáng thì đã nằm chết cứng. Bấy lâu nay, tôi âm thầm điều tra về sự chết đột ngột nầy của 307 công nhân trong năm 2007. Tôi chỉ vừa khám phá ra chất độc trên nước sông , chất độc trên thực phẩm và chất độc trong nước uống trong vài tuần nay.

Ngay cả vòi nước trong thành phố, nếu chúng ta giặt chiếc áo thung màu trắng, sau khi giặt xong sẽ biến thành áo thung màu vàng có chất sét dính vào. Màu nước trong thành phố là một màu nâu lợt, không biết khi phân tích sẽ có các chất độc gì trong đó. Các công nhân phải uống nước đó vì không có tiền để mua nước lọc để uống.

Nói tóm lại, vì nguồn lợi cần thu tiền hàng tháng của các môi giới người Việt Nam, ngoài số tiền lớn họ đã thu của các công nhân trước khi rời nước, họ bàn bạc với các chủ nhân giử Passport của công nhân ( hành động illegal) để kềm giử công nhân không bỏ việc khi bị đàn áp, và không có bộ luật nào để bảo vệ cho công nhân ngoại quốc tại Mã Lai, nên các chủ nhân mặc sức hoành hành làm những việc ngoài pháp luật và NO HUMAN RIGHT.

Cảnh sát Mã Lai thì luôn bắt chẹt các công nhân, làm tiền và hối lộ. Ngay cả khi người Mã lai mặc sắc phục cảnh sát cũng chặn đường để ăn cướp nữa. Nên mọi cam khổ đều đổ lên các công nhân Việt Nam phải gánh chịu tất cả.

Xin tất cả những ai yêu mến Chúa, cầu nguyện cho các công nhân Việt Nam cùng cầu nguyện thật nhiều cho chương trình truyền giáo tại Mã Lai.

Nay kính

Nguyễn Thới Lai
Vietnamese Ministry-Malaysia

A Testimony of Healing of Soul, Spirit and Body

Last Friday, I met two men. One person after talking asked to receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He is a new man in Christ.

I met another man in a hall, and he asked if I could pray for him.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "Oh, my left shoulder has a lot of pain, and also this lower left part in the back has pain." "I smoked a lot before." He said.

"What would you like God to do for you?" I asked. "Pray that God will heal me." He said.

I used the anointing oil and laid my hand on the left back of his shoulder where he said the pain was and prayed. Just a simple prayer I said.

As I lifted up my hand and asked him to check where the pain was and also to move his hands. He said the pain was gone. Jesus is indeed the Healer. Praise the Lord. His friend who heard me praying and saw what happened said that he believes in healing, but not that instant healing.

I told him to check with the healed man. He is free from pain that he carried with him for some time. Indeed, unbelief many times has prevented man from receiving his healing or from doing what God has called him to do.

I saw him again a few times after that and checked with him and he said it feels great the pain is gone.

God is good all the time. He will confirm His Word.

Pastor Linh

The Worlds We Live & the Battles of Life

Everyday we live in a physical world, the world of sight, touch, smell, taste and sense. It’s the tangible, wonderful and beautiful world that God created. He spoke the word, and everything came into existence in its order, in its own kind and in its own seasons.

Everything God made is good. Everything exists with a purpose; it thrives with its own life given by God, and everything has its own cycles of birth, growth, yielding fruits and offspring and death and new life again. The law of the creation is self-preservation, multiplication and expansion.

God has given each living creature the power to get food when they are hungry; the power to get a drink or a sip of water when it is thirsty; everything and everyone has a built-in time to rest when they are tired and exhausted; and the time to get up and get going again.

Within the body the soul lives, feels, experiences many things, and it expresses itself through body. We feel love, express love and receive love in return. The living soul in the body has learned and discovered many emotions like love, joy, peace, happiness, elation, hatred, envy, jealousy, rage, unhappiness, sorrow. It can show kindness to others, and it can be very uncaring too. It has the power to give and to receive.

It has the power to build when it is used properly and to destroy when it is misused. It experiences fear and immediately responds with the “Fight or Flight” mode; it has doubts, worries, unbelief; it can experience hurt, pain, anguish, turmoil, rejection, depression, hopelessness and despair. It demonstrates faith in things, in someone, in a god or a spirit, and it also believes in God.

The mind through the brain receives countless information, every stimuli seen and unseen; it comes up with ideas; it can see what the normal eyes cannot; it processes the positive and negative inputs instantly and gives out an output; it interprets the info, stores it and retrieves it when it needs; it remembers, and it forgets; it receives dreams and visions; the conscious mind receives inputs through the five senses, and the subconscious mind processes it day and night continuously.

The mind can be stimulated by many things; it can be poisoned with false ideas and close-mindedness. It can be stubborn and arrogant and ignorant at the same time. The mind can be a great asset or a horrible liability. It can expand, or it can restrict. It can become great, and it can become very small. It depends on what you feed it with, the books you read and the people you associate with.

It is a complicated process of how the mind, the soul and the body interact directly and indirectly affecting each body part, each area of the emotions. One idea can change and affect the whole body and the world around it. One positive word coming from an open mind, a kind and caring heart can lift or uplift others. Meanwhile, when another word is misused or misspoke at the wrong time or at the wrong place can leave indelible marks in a soul.

The spiritual unseen world is where the spirits dwell. It is also the place where God the Father, God the Son and the Spirit of God dwell. The spiritual world can only be seen with the spiritual eye, expressed through beliefs, experienced by faith and felt with the pure heart.

The spiritual world is set up above the mind, the soul and the physical. When everything is in the right order as God has determined so, everything is blessed by God. When it is out of order, troubles rise; turmoil felt; and disasters happened.

Everyday when you and I wake up, get up and get going to our places and destinations we are not just living in a physical world, in a world of positive and negative emotions, but a spiritual world as well. You have a choice which world to live in most and which one will rule above the other.

The physical battles, the wars of the world are fought with soldiers, tanks, planes, bombs and gunfight on the street, on the ground, above in the air, in the water, in the cyberspace of info tech war. But the battles of life must be fought with heart, gut, courage, sweat and tears, and sometimes blood is spilled when man has to defend and to preserve freedom.

Everyday lives are still lost; pain, anguish and grief are still experienced; communities are still devastated; houses, buildings and the infra-structure are still being destroyed by the greed, hatred and anger of man. Battles must be fought right.

Yet you cannot fight the spiritual battles with the physical weapons. However, through prayer and fasting, through faith and belief in God, you enter the spiritual realm and face the enemy.

It’s time to let God fight the spiritual battles for you. The battle belongs to the Lord.

Pastor Linh

The High Calling of God

To serve as a minister of the Gospel or the pastor of a flock is a privilege or a right? To take care a group of believers, to preach the Word and to lead a church is a calling or a profession? Is it an 8-5 job with a salary, office hours, benefits and vacation time, or is it a passion to pursue God’s calling and a compassion for souls and a devotion to God’s highest calling in our lives? Is it a place where you can compete with other pastors to see who has the bigger church, a stronger attendance, a larger budget, a higher salary and a more comfortable compensation plan for retirement?

Is it a means which you can use to advance in your career ladder to move as high as you can so that one might seat on the left and one might sit on the right? Or is it a place of full surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Are you willing to leave everything behind laying down your nets and following Jesus or are you delaying your response to another opportune time that fits your schedule and convenience?

Have you heard God’s voice calling you in the middle of the night? Has He called you out in the midst of the busyness of life’s trouble and turmoil and set you apart for His purpose? Has he picked you from among your brothers and sisters, and you were the least favorite that someone would pick out from a group? Has He talked to you while you were tending your father’s sheep and the livestock? Among other voices in the highways and byways and even in the wilderness of life, have you discerned His still small voice?

Have you seen His vision like Isaiah seeing God sitting on His throne, and the cherubims and seraphims are worshipping Him? Have you found the treasure hidden in the field that you will go home sell everything and follow Him? Have you counted everything as lost and put everything else behind you so that you can love Him above everything and everyone else; so that you can follow Him, long to be with Him each day in the Word and in service to the people He has loved and died for?

On a practical level, how do you know that He calls you to serve in the soup kitchen, to sweep the floor of a church or to clean the toilet on a Sunday morning before the flock comes? How will you know if he calls you to mend the brokenhearted, to comfort the distress, to clean the wound?

How will you know that he calls you among the 6 billions of people to go into the streets of life, the highways and byways of the nations or to the corners of the world to preach the Good News, to proclaim “the Kingdom of God is at hand.”? How will you hear He is calling you to heal the sick, to cleanse the leper, to raise the dead and to cast out the demons? How will you know that Jesus is calling you to do greater things because He has gone to the Father?

You’ve got to know that the Good Shepherd has called out your names. You’ve got to believe firmly that he has a great plan for your life, a plan to bless you and not to harm you, even before a day was given to you when you were still in your mother’s womb. You’ve got to hear His voice, and there’s no mistake about this wonderful, sweet and gentle voice of God nudging, wooing and calling you out to lay down your life for Him.

You’ve got to be willing to lay down your life, to crucify yourselves on the cross so that the life you now live is the life of the Son of God living in you and through you. You’ve got to be willing to die for God’s sake and the sake of the Kingdom just as the seed after it is sown into the ground, it must die before it will spring forth life. You’ve got to meet Jesus face to face on a personal encounter through the Word, by the Holy Spirit of God.

The Good Shepherd is calling your name now. Will you respond to God saying “Here I am Lord, send me.” Will you receive the gifts, the anointing, the baptism of the Holy Spirit and His power to begin to serve Him? (Acts 10:38) Will the people you serve know you by your fruits?

Jesus is interceding for you. The Holy Spirit is leading, guiding and going before you into unknown territory to you so you can walk by faith and not by sight. What are you waiting for?

Follow His footsteps today and everyday and you will not miss anything that He has set out for you to do. You’ve got to remember always that loving Him, honoring Him, worshipping Him, giving Him praises and thanks, hearing His voice, obeying His Word are all acts of love and obedience. The rest is history.

Answer His call today. You’ll never ever regret it. It’s the right thing to do. Do it today.

Pastor Linh

Ten Powerful Phrases for Posivite People

1. “I’m wrong” - I chose to begin with “I’m wrong”

2. “I’m sorry” - Along with saying “I’m wrong” we have to be sorry for it.

3. “You can do it” - is the positive phrase you can always use to encourage others.

4. “I believe in you" - One of the most effective ways we can help others achieve their Dreams is to assure them, “I believe in you.”

5. “I’m proud of you” - Probably the most powerful thing we can say to others, next to “I love you,” is “I’m proud of you.”

6. “Thank you” - Having “thank you” in our vocabulary and top of mind is simply an expectation for all of us who function successfully in our civilized society.

7. “I need you” - Our very life once depended on needing someone.

8. “I trust you” - The success of our society depends on trusting that someone will do a good job, trusting each other to be honest, trusting that people will keep their promises.

9. “I respect you” - You earn respect by showing respect.

10. “I love you” - To say “I love you” and mean it with all your heart has remarkable power.

Rich DeVos

Decision Making Time

There is a time for every single decision in life. Moses put the choices before the people of God to choose between life and death. They've got to choose life and live. The people of God in the book of Judges and throughout their nation's history have had many opportunities to choose between God, the One who led them out of slavery or the idols and the false gods of the nations around them. Many times they had chosen a wrong choice. But God is merciful, and often He had to raise up new leader, new judges and new servants to lead them to safety.

As a chosen people of God they tried and failed to follow God. After a while being in bondage they repented of their sins, called out the name of God for help and deliverance. After allowing them to fail numerous failures after failures to show God that they are serious with God and not to run after other strange gods of the nations God had it with them. The prostitutions with other idols and false gods cannot continue as if God is no longer their God. He sent them into exile; He scattered them all over the four corners of the earth. A remnant remains. In due time, He indeed has brought them back to build the nation again.

Everyday, when the time has come upon you, you've got to act decisively; you've got to make a decision. There is a choice to choose, and you've got to make the right one.

Of course, you can always learn from your own mistakes and failures. It's an on-going learning process to grow onto maturity in the walk with Christ. Just like the parents always say to their children with a warning that there is a consequence for every decision. You must be responsible to your own actions and your words. You are accountable before God and others.

It's decision making time. Let's make the right one.

Pastor Linh

A Choice to Make - Make the Right Choice

You and I were once in the kingdom of darkness. The god of this world used to dominate and rule over us with fear, worry, doubt and unbelief. Since the day that you and I each have confessed our sins and unrighteousness to God, put our faith in Christ Jesus, and believe that God has raised Him from the dead, we are saved. We are forgiven. We are redeemed. We are brought from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of light; from the kingdom of Satan into the Kingdom of God. We are born again.

Jesus said, “Unless a man is born again, he is not going to inherit the Kingdom of God.” Jesus is now the Lord of our hearts. He is the blessed Savior and wonderful Master of our life. He rules our life with faith, joy, peace and power of belief in the resurrected Christ Jesus.

We gladly surrender our everything under the lordship of Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are melted, shaped and molded by the power of God to offer ourselves as living sacrifice good and acceptable to God everyday.

God wants us to live by faith. That’s what the righteous do. He wants us to be led by the Spirit, to live by the Spirit and to walk by the Spirit. We no longer want to sin at will. The Laws of God are written in our hearts. He removed our hearts of stone. As a result of that, we do not want to displease God by following the desire of our hearts and be subdued by the natural desire of the flesh and the carnal mind.

However, everyday, you and I have a choice to make whether we choose to yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit or to act according to our selfish, inflated egos or to the carnal way of thinking. As the people of God who were led out of Egypt by Moses but when they encountered difficulties on their journey, they still wanted to go back to Egypt to live, eat and die there. We must get rid of the Egypt-bound and enslaved mental thought process and be transformed into the likeness of Christ and take on the mind of Christ.

We are no longer condemned criminals bound for hell and destruction. We are now the children of God. We are the disciples of Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit has put the seal of approval upon our hearts. We belong to God and to Christ Jesus. He bought us with a price, His blood, His death on the cross. All our sins are paid for in full. We don’t owe Satan anything any more. Satan, the Evil one has no more claim or legal rights in our lives. Christ by his dying on the cross has paid the sin penalty and broke all the curses which were ever put on us. We are free to love God. We are free to worship Christ Jesus. We are free to obey the Holy Spirit and His Word. We are free to live for God. We are no longer our own.

Will you yield to God or to your flesh today when you encounter temptation, when you go through trials of various kinds and the testing of your faith? Will you give thanks to God and be grateful to Him for He has worked everything together for your good and the good of those who love God? Will you be better or bitter? Will you love, or will you hate? Will you submit yourself to God and resist the Devil? Will you draw near to God as He has drawn near to you?

Live by the Spirit and taste how good the Lord is in your life. You and I have a choice to make today to live by faith or by fear. It’s a clear-cut choice; there is no middle ground; there is no neutral position in the spiritual realms, either God or Satan; light or darkness; truth or falsehood; the Spirit or the flesh; believing God’s Word and accepting His gift of eternal life and life abundantly or accepting Satan’s lies, deception and death; God’s power or Satan’s power.

Today, indeed God has put a choice for you and me to make. Therefore, we must wisely choose life and live; we must carefully choose faith over fear; we must courageously choose to do the will of God in heaven. As children of God, let’s live, act and carry ourselves as transformed people of faith who are led by the Spirit to live out God’s plan and will for our life.

Pastor Linh

Fear Not!

Do you know that as children of God and in the name of Jesus you and I do have spiritual authority over the enemy? Satan is always looking for an opportune time to launch the attacks on you. His attacks are real in the spiritual realm, in the mind and in the physical realm as well.

Do you know that when you encounter a spiritual attack or when you have a crisis moment, a life and death situation you can rise up in the name of Jesus to tell the ruthless enemy to take his hand off you, your family and your property? You can rise up in your faith in God and in the name of Jesus and His authority to rebuke the spirit of “deaf and mute”, “unclean spirit” “tormented and oppressing spirits” and to command the spirits to leave and never to enter again.

Spiritual warfare is a real thing. It’s not a game. It’s not an “if I don’t want to play the game or if I don’t believe it real then I don’t suffer or lose anything.” If you are a child of God, a disciple of Christ, you are in the middle of the spiritual warfare. It’s on-going assault. The enemy will try to do everything to stop you from having that close connection with God, with Jesus and the Holy Spirit as your Commander in Chief who leads the fighting of the battles for you and me.

The enemy will use fear tactics like sending you some types of symptoms of an illness, sickness or disease. Your normal reaction would be fear, doubt and worry. When you go and see a doctor, and the doctor has given you some bad news then you might worry more and fear more and if it is a very bad news of some types of cancer then you might lose hope. You might choose to dwell in sadness.

You just have to remember God does not own any kind of sickness. The Father wants to give you the Best. God does not have any serious illness or a simple headache to give you so you can thank Him or give Him glory through your enduring it; you might have thought you are bearing the cross. Jesus does not throw terminal disease on you so you can heal the sickness in His Name. Jesus does not put demons in you or allows the evil spirits to come in you so that you can be taught how to cast out these evil spirits in His Name. You just have to remember that you have an enemy, and his name is Satan. He is the evil one, the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy.

You might have followed the weather channel forecasting the changes in the weather of today or tomorrow of the recession or the stock market. You might have some fear and doubt about losing your jobs, of not having enough to provide for your families until you find another job; you might worry about your 401K, your investment and your retirement portfolio.

The number or values might have decreased quite substantially or gone completely. What will you do? Will you trust man and man’s ability to save you or to rescue you out of the pit of sadness and despair? Or will you trust God to provide for you and your families. Philippians 4:19 says that my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

You and I have a great God! He is Almighty. His Name is above every name. His authority is absolute and powerful. Don’t be afraid any more of the enemy. Don’t run and take cover like you used to do before. Stand up. Stand firm in your faith in Christ Jesus and on the everlasting Word of God.

Stand on His promises for you and speak to your circumstances, your illness or sickness or your terminal disease. Fear not of the economy forecast of the gloom and doom reports. Don’t ever lose courage. Don’t ever lose faith in God. He cares for you, and He is fighting the battles for you.

Trust in the One who rose from the grave. Rely on the One who holds in His hands the keys of Death and Hades. With Jesus in the boat your boat and mine will safely reach shore. There will always be peace and order and calmness in the midst of the raging storms of life. Listen to His voice. Hear His commands over the winds and the waves. They listened to Him.

With trust in the Lord your God, with faith in Jesus Christ and in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth and in His authority, speak the word and experience the power of God actively at work to confirm His Word. Your relationship with God, your intimacy with Christ will be key to your victory.

Have faith in God and have faith also in Jesus. Fear not! “Lo, I am always with you…”

Pastor Linh

Introduction of a new Vietnamese ministry

Praise the Lord for the new Vietnamese ministry of Westchase UMC which has begun today, Sunday March 15th, 2009 in Houston. Many pastors, church members, friends and family members have come together to help celebrate and rejoice with Dr. pastor Frank Varro and Mr. The Vu in the introduction of the Vietnamese ministry. We are exciting and thanking God for you.

May the Lord richly bless you and increase His blessings over your ministry toward the Vietnamese in Houston. May many Vietnamese souls will be won with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, His power and the love of God for them.

Pastor Linh

He Holds Our Future

Sitting here in a comfortable chair on a cold and rainy day with so much going on around me I have decided to let my fleeting thoughts going back to as far as my mind can remember. It was just like a movie being rewound and then fastforwarded right in front of my eyes. I am grateful to the God who is so faithful, so awesome and ever loving. What an adventurous and exciting journey with Him thus far!

Life indeed is filled with many exciting and challenging events. Many things in the roads of life have changed right in front of our eyes. A few forks in the road have required us to make some tough decisions to choose a new path; a new unpaved road required a new and higher level of faith and trust in the One who holds our hands.

As I think of the children who were once so young, adorable and innocent now are in elementary schools, and their lives have been filled with a lot of violent scenes and rough environment. They were latched-key kids whose parents were absent many hours after they returned from schools. They were educated by TV and babysitters. They were growing up in the homes filled with lots of video games, gameboys and TV programmings that are more negative than positive.

Then another scene just appeared one after another. The children were growing up so fast. It seems impossible. The children are now young teenagers in junior highs who once upon a time were so nice and polite, yet all of the sudden, changed into monsters, wild and rebellious young people that parents had no ideas who they are any more.

They were exposed to smoking, alcohol, condoms-being passed out at school, illicit sex, and other illegal stuff which may lead to chemical dependency and a life full of trouble later. Truly, the teenage peer pressure is so heavy upon them. They want to fit in a group. They are trying to find out who they are and who their heroes are. They are looking for a role model to follow.

They could be in one instance so nice and polite, but in another instance they could become the worst enemy that you would not want to confront, so explosively violent. They do have access to guns and knifes. They could have been a part of a group or a gang who would protect them from another group.

I had seen those who stole cars, stereos, and things from other homes and some from their own homes to support a drug-used and abused lifestyle or a bad habit. They had to deal with suicide. They had to deal with molestation, rape and abortion; kids raising kids; the drop-outs, no job, who depended on welfare, and foodstamps to raise their kids.

They ditched school. They skipped classes. Some have failed school while others have advanced to higher education. Indeed, some have had trouble early with the law enforcement, and the police has visited them a few times at homes; Some were in jail, in and out so often that they don't even care any more if they would get out and get caught again. I visited a few in prison for a while. Some came home with still a lot of struggles, while others are doing okay with a lot of family and community support.

Then I wonder how your children are doing. Where are they now? Do you know what they are facing right now in their life? What are some changes that you have noticed in your children? Do you notice that you have changed as well? What will the future hold for our children who have grown up so fast nowadays? They have faced numerous problems and challenges everywhere, in school, at home, at work even. Have you prepared them well for the journey ahead? Are they ready to be set free to test their wings upon leaving your nests of safety and protection? I pray that they are. What an awesome responsibility you have to raise them up right for their own sakes and yours and our communities.

There are more things to come. More changes in the forks of the road ahead. Are you ready to face the uncertainty of life. The ever changing fast with so many ups and downs in the global economy which affects us all in one way or another. The moral values, the beliefs and the traditions which have been at the core of our life are changing as well. What values will you decide to keep?

What will you need to change to grow? Growing requires that we must change. Change produces uncertainty, fear and doubt. But without change one cannot grow at all. To stand still in the road of life is to fall behind the river of time. To grow we must take certain risks to venture outside the box of narrow-mindedness and limited thinking or impossible thinking to open-mindedness, rich, unlimited thinking and everything is
possible with God thinking.

What will tomorrow hold for you and me? What would our children turn out to be? Nobody knows. Only God knows. I know that He holds my future and yours in His hand. That's the only assurance we have in this life and in the life to come. We can only pray and raise them up in the way of the Lord and be the best examples for them. We can become their mentors and guides if they have chosen to allow us to journey with them. Even if we may have failed sometimes, God is always there to lead them back to His love.

Some may have messed up their lives, but Jesus will save them and rescue them and clean them up and transform them into persons whom He calls and uses for His glory. Don't lose hope. Don't lose faith in them. Don't blame yourselves and live with regrets. Learn your lessons and move forward with God's help set good and Godly examples before them. They are watching you and me right now.

Have you ever wondered what would life be without God in our lives? It would be meaningless, and it would be unfruitful. Indeed, the void in life would never be filled satisfatorily and completely with illegal drugs, with excessive use of alcohol and toxic drinks, with sexual compulsiveness or any kind of addiction. Even religions cannot, even in their purest sense would not be able to fill the void and empty space in our hearts and our souls. The schools may have failed our children and us in some cases. Man does fail us. But God never ever fails us.

Indeed, we can trust God and teach our children to trust God who holds our future and theirs. We can call on the name of Jesus and be saved. Only Jesus can save our children. Only God can deliver us from our bondage, from our fear and doubt. Only the Holy Spirit can empower us to live a victorious life, a fruitful and effective life.

Let's draw closer to Him today. Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you. We surely will discover the joy of living by having our faith and placing our trust in the One who holds our future in the palm of His hand.

Remember, He already has carved your names and mine in His hand. We are the apples of His eyes. He loves us dearly. So rest assure in Him, the One who feeds the sparrow, the One who clothes the lily of the fields with splendid colors, the One who counts your hairs is the One you and I can rely on for the rest of our life and throughout eternity.

Trust God. He is good all the time.
Pastor Linh

Hindrances to a Prayerful Life

Have you ever wondered why your prayer life has not been a great one? Have you ever looked into any hidden past sin, any hindrances that would have interfered with your prayer life? (Isaiah 59:1-2; James 4:1-4) Have those hindrances or obstacles been addressed and resolved so that nothing will interfere with your prayer life?

There are so many hindrances in the mind, in the heart, in the spirit as well as many of them are present in the physical realm.

Let’s look at II Corinthians 10:2-6 and see the hindrances that affect the mind. Are there any human standards, any strongholds or any obstacles that raised up against the knowledge of God in you? In the name of Jesus, take every thought captive to obey Christ and ready to punish every disobedience. Have a checkup from the neck up. Let the Word of God fill your mind. Renew your mind (Romans 12:2)

How about the issues of the heart? When was the last time you had your heart checkup? Are there disappointment, harbored anger, deep root of bitterness, subtle resentment with Satan crouching at the door of your heart wanting to enter? Many people have problems in marriage. They argue a lot over something so simple. They are frustrated over nothing, and sometimes they don’t even know what they were arguing or getting mad about.

Over a long period of time with unsettled things, which have been swept under the rug or ignored then come a sudden volcano exploding out of no where. In reality, there are red flags; there are rumbling noises; there are lava sprinkling here and there, but these signs have been ignored, counted like nothing significant to be paid any attention.

Broken relationships are bound to happen as a result of neglect to care for the heart issues; do not ignore the warning signs like the little problems of the heart like arrogance, unforgiveness, mistrust, and indifferent attitudes like “I don’t care about you any more.” They have finally surfaced to show what have been kept hidden over a long period of time.

When was the last time you have a spiritual checkup by going to see the Great Physician? When was the most recent time the Great Physician takes a look at the things that you described to Him, your lifestyles, your choices in life, your “eating at will, drinking at will, sinning at will or doing anything at will, outside the will of God for your life”? Sin is a terrible thing to keep hidden in the closet of your heart!

Many people sin simply by hanging around with the wrong crowd; bad companies affect a great mind and pollute a pure heart. You cannot hide sins in your heart or under your cover or under your tent like Acan and expect everything to go smoothly. The clouds may be gathering. The storms are coming. The time of God’s Spirit settling the sin account with you may be coming, and you must be ready for it. No more beating around the bush or hiding behind the bush like Adam and Eve.

God is calling out for your names. Where are you my children? Do you hear Jesus’ voice calling out your names in the wilderness of life, in the desert of sin, in the valley of the shadow of death or in the pit of Hell on earth? Will you reach out your hands and grab a hold of his hand? Will you look up into the heaven and realize that God in Christ Jesus still cares very much about you and your life? Will you repent of your sins today? Today is the day of your salvation and deliverance.

Turn your hearts toward Jesus. Call on the name of the Lord, and you shall be saved. Jesus’ name is powerful, and He is able to save you and deliver you.

In deed, the books you read and the association of friends you meet on a regular basis will influence you in some tangible and intangible ways. The negative attitudes will eventual take a hold of you. You’ll start speaking, acting and doing just like your friends without you even be conscious of the changes already started in you.

Are you too busy with too many things going on around self and other people and events? What about the distractions with TV, internet, radio, CD, and music? Sometimes, people could be so busy with going to church events, meetings and conferences and somehow forget completely everything about God, and neglect having a personal time and devotion with God.

Poor time management, laziness, wrong priorities could be indicators that you have lost your first love for God. Over a long period of neglecting to eat the Word of God and to drink the water from the River of Life could have led you to eventually having no love for God, no more passion for souls, no more desire to live for God and to do the things that God calls you to do. You need to take God seriously today. Don’t neglect His warnings for you.

So Great Physician, what should I do now? Pray and take my remedies I've prescribed for you today in my Word and by my Spirit. Get yourself free from any entanglement. Get all the distractions out of the way. Get your priorities straight. Get your prayer life going again soon.

The spirit is willing yet the body is weak. But remember, you need to be led by the Spirit and walk by the Spirit. You need the Holy Spirit to live for God. There is no other remedies for you but to trust in God and to take in the Word of God and the Holy Spirit of God unto your life.

In the midst of all your busyness, do make time to spend time with God. You’ll recover, and you’ll enjoy your relationship with God. You’ll never ever regret spending time with God. It’s the most important relationship you’ll ever have.

Take time to build it and deepen it today. God’s power, Godly rewards, spiritual fruits, effective ministry and abundant living for a prayerful life are unlimited, incredible and indescribable.

Pastor Linh

Our God Will Never Fail

Has God ever failed you? Has God ever let you down? Maybe you have felt that He has when you were praying for a loved one who was dealing with sickness, disease or cancer or a wayward child or an unsaved spouse, but in reality, He has never failed you or me. Our God is a great and awesome God. He is a faithful God. He will never fail you and me. And of course, His way is higher than our ways. He is always on time. Never late and never will. From everlasting to everlasting He is still the same God in whom we can always trust.

Have you ever encountered something so big in your life, and it was like a big, big mountain that you thought to yourself, “Oh my gosh, how will I ever get through this?” Have you recalled having a little feeling of uneasiness, a little bit of fear, anxiety, discourage and a little bit of doubt even? But when you remember God’s Word, suddenly, those feelings of fear, doubt, discourage and uneasiness vanished. Definitely, when you remember your great, awesome and faithful God and look toward the hills where your help comes from, your problems or mountains will be so small to face, and you just walk right through or stepping over it. Always remember “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (I John 4:4)

Do you remember David when he encountered Goliath? Do you remember what David said to the giant? David said, “You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts,…This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down …so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel…; for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hand.” (I Samuel 17:45-47)

Remember this, anything could be a big mountain in your small and limited frame of mind, but from God’s unlimited frame of mind, it’s nothing. Nothing is too big, too hard or impossible for God to handle. He can handle anything, any situation and circumstances. He is in charge of our lives, and we can rest assure in Him. He is the Captain of our ship, and even though the tempest and billows roll, the ship will get safely to shore. With God in the midst of the raging sea and the chaos of life unexpected twists and turns, we shall not fear anything. He is always near and close to our hearts. He is just a “cry for help”, a prayer away. Read His Word again and you will discover how big your God is.

If you will “Have faith in God” Jesus said. If you will say to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea”, and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:23-24)

Have you ever tried to solve it your own way and fail miserably? Have you ever thought in your own wisdom and experience that this has to be done this way or no way at all? I believe God will let us try our own ways. He will let us fail if we so insist in doing it our ways and learn from our own lessons and try God’s way.

Whatever the situation is, you and I should always run to Jesus. He has the answers. He is the answer. He is the way. He is the truth. He is the life.
What does God want to accomplish in and through your life and mine? Will the truth, the grace and the peace of God be revealed? Will order be restored in our lives? Will God’s power be manifested and His glory be revealed? God deserves all the glory, the honor and the praise.

How big is your God? My God is big enough to take care of me, my family and yours.
All I need to do is to kneel down and pray. Humble myself and ask for His help. Do not fret. Help is on the way. Jesus said, “Lo, I am with you always till the end.” Doesn’t that make you feel great? It does for me. Now rise up and speak to your mountain with your mountain-moving faith in God and command it to throw itself into the sea. Do not doubt God’s Word.

Believe God, speak forth His Word and see the results!

Pastor Linh

Dreams

Dreams are beautiful. They are God’s gifts to us. Dreams excite us. Big dreams excite us big time. Dreams, beliefs and actions make dreams a reality. What are your dreams? Remember this always, “Never, never let anyone steal your dreams.” They are yours to realize. Treasure them. Hold them dear to your heart. Keep on dreaming when others already quit on their dreams.

We all want to accomplish the special things in our lives. These special things are our dreams, the things that are dear to our hearts since we were very young. We all have short term and long term goals to accomplish. We want to achieve a certain level of education. We want to have a good and decent job. We want to earn good income to provide well for our families, to have nicer things to enjoy, to help with charity works, to travel all around the world, to do mission works among the poorest of the poor, to have the time and the money and the freedom to do whatever we want to do, when we want to do it with available resources and time to do it with.

We all talk about our dreams with anticipation and great excitement. We all want to succeed and to move forward learning new things everyday. Do you keep your dreams before you?

Dreaming is great, but we need to do the things that are required to succeed. When you learn to do whatever other people don’t want to do and inconvenience your life for just a short while in order to achieve your dreams, you will achieve what you set out to do with God’s help. We must go through the struggles, overcome the challenges to grow strong. They are parts of life. However, we must learn to avoid distractions and to stay clear of temptations to take the easy roads or the wide roads that lead no where or to destruction. We should never short-cut any corner in order to succeed. We should never lie, cheat, steal, kill or destroy to succeed.

We must also learn how to handle objections, criticism, the negatives, the naysayers effectively. When going through the struggles as we always will, we cannot and should not ever quit when the going gets tough. We must realize that we are closer to the goals than we first started on our journey to success, to realizing our dreams. Success is a journey not a destination of finally arriving to a predetermined place in our mind.

I don’t know about you or what your dreams are, but I believe we all have a dear dream that we keep close to our hearts; "I have a dream," Martin Luther King Jr. said. No matter how small or big our dreams are they are important to us; we all want to do something great with our lives, to be significant and to make a difference in someone else’s life.

The struggles will always be there to test your faith, to increase your strength and to make you strong. You’ve got to find your inner strength and to overcome the struggles to grow. You can make adjustments, fine tune your direction, but you cannot quit. For winners never quit, and quitters will never win in life.

You don’t want to live with regrets. You don’t want to live with painful memories of all the what ifs. It is not the regrets of the things that you did that really hurt you; it’s the things that you do not do. I want to live life fully beyond any limits of possibility and venture into the realm of impossibility where God is. God says in His Word that nothing is impossible to God.

Dare to do something great with your life. It’s the only life you will have here on earth. Be ready to give an account of what you have done with your life, with the gifts that God has given to you to do. Leave a legacy behind for others to see. Dream big, Believe in your dream; believe in God and in yourself as well, then work hard to achieve all your dreams.

At the end of the journey, you can reflect back and give thanks to God for all the great things that He is able to do through you. Dream on. Dream big.

Let’s get to work to make the dreams come true. Together we can change someone’s life. Together we can impact our communities and transform the world.

Pastor Linh

Positive Words, Powerful Results

Kind words have the power to
Cheer us up when the world is getting us down
Honor us for our achievements
Cause us to giggle and laugh

Restore our faith in the goodness of humanity
Bolster our self-image
Inspire us to give our best
Let us know someone cares

Lift our spirits
Warm our hearts
Improve our moods
Heal our wounds

Acknowledge our hard work
Bring out the best in us
Boost our confidence
Support us in tough times

Celebrate our triumphs
Comfort us in time of sorrow
Make us feel like we count
Help us to believe in ourselves

Encourage us when we need an extra little push
Remind us about what’s right and good in the world
Supply us with a burst of energy
Tell us we’re appreciated

Surprise us with joy in unexpected times
Teach us valuable lessons
Uphold us during our darkest hours
Give us the recognition we deserve

Point out the reasons for being thankful
Show that others have faith in us
Brighten our days
Enrich our lives

Hal Urban