A Man in Need of Deliverance

"Something happened to me when I was 12-14. I just stayed at home, not going to school. I heard like someone is tapping on the wall. I felt irritated and hit the walls. I hit other people's house walls as well. Whoever looks at me, I felt like they wanted to fuss with me. I chased the small girls around; When they cried, I could not stand it, and I just wanted to choke them.

I smoked a lot, and my father bought the cigarette for me. I cursed a lot. My mom is not here. I was loved by my grandmother, and I was shocked when my grandmother died when I was 9 years old. I did not talk much since, did not want to see anyone. I took medicine for my illness, and I did not go to school. I prayed daily waiting on God, but the illness persists. I played around with the TV cable all the time. The doctors could not do anything to help me; the medicine could not help me either. My father had to give me showers because I cannot take care of myself. They don't want me home any more because they could not stand me any more; when something took over, I had incredible strength."

God is reaching out to everyone of us to help, to set free and to deliver. He can set you free today. Will you trust Him? Do you believe Jesus can set you free today?

Pastor Linh

Some of Life’s most important lessons…

Life isn't always fair, but it's still good.

When in doubt, just take the next small step.

Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree .

Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

Make peace with your past, so it won't screw up the present.

It's OK to let your children see you cry.

Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about .

If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

Take a deep breath; it calms the mind.

Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie...Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

Over prepare, then go with the flow.

Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

No one is in charge of your happiness, but you.

Frame every so-called disaster with these words ''In five years, will this matter?"

Always choose life.

Forgive everyone everything.

What other people think of you is none of your business.

Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

Believe in miracles.

Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

Your children get only one childhood.

All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back

Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

The best is yet to come.

No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

Yield.

Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Do You Have the Time to Care?

"I need help! I feel anxious many times over nothing. Other kids used to beat me up; I had black and blue injury. I was the skinny toothpick. I was picked on a lot daily. My family moved a lot. There was this big bully who seemed to follow me everywhere I went. One time, he kicked me in my tail bone with a steel boot. It hurt me so much.

Some of my friends died. I am afraid to die. I had brain surgery. I believe I am going to heaven. I am saved. I have faith in Christ. I am divorced, and I have joint custody of my children. I am in debt, and I live in fear. In my dreams, I had fear running away from bullies. I ran away from myself, my spouse.

I pray, but the problems seem the same or getting bigger. I believe God, but why did God let things happen to me? I tried meditation and felt disappointed. It did not help me. I felt angry at God. I felt jumpy when my alarm makes noises. Why am I anxious crying over nothing?" Is there any help for me?

How would you minister to someone like her? Would you sit down and just listen first and gently allow God to use you as He alone can to minister God's love and healing to a broken spirit and troubling soul? Do you have the time to show that you do care.

Pastor Linh

What Would Jesus Do?

Have you met someone whose life is so messed up? God is seeking to save that which is lost. The story below demonstrated that God is still in the Healing business. He saves you and me for His own sake, to demonstrate that He truly loves us.

"I had my first OD when I was 16. I took anti-psychotic drugs to fight my depression. As I recalled, I had out of the body experience; I do meditation and I use healing bone. I feel illuminated yet at the same time I am government-paranoid.

I believe God is the Source. I want to be close to Him. However, I used mind altering drugs just for a few hours of side effects to get high. Deep down inside of me, I am searching for answers. "Why my life is so hurtful?" People made fun of me in school. "What did I do to deserve it?" I have so much anger and resentment toward myself, and my enemies. I hated my enemies. I have sad thoughts. I don't have peace in my heart. I don't read the Bible. I do pray. I feel scared. Prayer is just a last resource.

In high school, I had many thoughts. I was in a relationship with my boyfriend, but I felt his rejection. There was a change from within. I felt awful, depressed when I am being made fun of when I was 7-8. I noticed myself stopped talking when I was 12 years old. I shut-in, didn't want to reach out. I felt goofy; people joked around and playful that hurt me. I am retarded, and I have ADHD. I became a loner. I got into heavy metal music to hide my pain; It was the modern group "Into the Mouth of Hell We tour"; AC/DC group that glorified death and destruction.

About two years ago, I began to play around with tarrot cards in the garage; I explored New Age. It seemed to provide accurate detail about my life; very insightful I thought. It has 7 energy points, extra projection, out of the body experience/leaving my body. My life is a mess. I need help."

What would you do to help someone in desperate spiritual needs? What would Jesus do?

Pastor Linh

Life Skills and Characters to Be Developed

I have pondered over these Life Skills and characters. It will take time to enhance these great skills and characters:

Skills and characters will take time to develop. Characters will take place more over life skills. Having both together is a great development.

Fruits in Galatians 5:22 is needed as always. It is a must to have the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Along those fruit are things very important to have.

Integrity, responsibility, accountability,

Godly characters, fun and loving to be around,

giving heart, open mind, helping hands,

vibrant body, dreamer of a bright future,

faith-action oriented.

full of faith in God.

no fear, willing to learn,

willing to try anything new to learn more,

love God, love your neighbors as you have loved yourself.

know how to make money, handle money well.

Caring heart,

clean up the house, house chores,

good with kids, good with people-skills,

listening more than talking,

Be teachable, coach-able,

cheerful, happy heart.

No gossip.

Uplifter of others.

See beyond what is now.

Willing to delay instant gratification.

Work hard. Handle stress well.

Love life.

Love Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit to witness.

Love souls like God does and let himself be used by God for whatever purpose He wants.

Willing to pay the cost to fulfill God's dream, calling for your life.

I am sure there are more "skills" needed to be added here.

Pastor Linh

Jesus Is Love

In the midst of all the pain, the hurt and the turmoil, the past few weekends have been wonderful. I was just chilling out by the sea and open water, feeling the breeze, getting wet in the rain, swimming in the ocean and also allowing the sunshine to warm my soul, thinking about the past, the present and the future.

What will tomorrow hold? I don't really know what tomorrow will hold, but I know the God who holds my tomorrow. I feel like Peter, the Apostle, when after everything that happened in his life before and after he denied Jesus three times, he went fishing in the sea of Galilee. The disappointment, the frustration and the opportunity just to be alone with God helped me sort things out. What is God's will for me? What is the mission and purpose of my life?

There, in the open sea of Galilee, back to the things Peter used to do in the past, fishing for fish; however, it was also the place where he met the Savior Jesus again face to face and hearing His voice again. It was the Lord! He has fresh bread and fish for the physical needs; He is the Bread of Life for my soul; He is the living water for my thirsty spirit.

Jesus is so personal. He loves me despite of my shortcoming. He is so forgiving, so merciful and kind. Jesus's love is irresistible. He loves me, and He shows me what true love really feel inside. His love wins the heart of man back to God again and again.

I realize that in those personal encounters, you and I certainly will have a God-encounters, and those encounters will definitely change our hearts, minds, souls and spirits.

We will never be the same again when we personally meet Jesus on the streets of life, where the rubber meets the road. God is faithful. He is so loving, caring and kind. He is not always angry, and He does not treat us according to our failures in the past, our past sins, our denial of knowing Him.

He is always ready and open to welcome you and me back. Why not come back to Him today, now. It's better late than never. Jesus is waiting. Love is beckoning us.

Pastor Linh

A Man in Desperate Need

I recently met a man on the street of life. He woke up one morning and found an imaginary friend who he would call his drinking buddy. He could see this friend like he was real. This imaginary friend would ask him a question early in the morning "Got a beer?" Then he would go out and drink with this imaginary friend.

He lost it all, his job, his car, his clothes, and now he is living on street drinking alcohol and panhandling to get by each day. He would sleep on the curb of the street at night. Once in a while, his imaginary "real" friend would be mad at him because this friend did not get his way! One day, this friend got him so mad that he beat himself on the chest that people had to call the ambulance to take him for treatment.

The depression hit him hard along with other illnesses. He loses hope, just want to give up. A little faith he said in God got him through a day. He would like to be off the street because the stress level is too much to handle. It causes anxiety attacks, shaking and alcohol withdrawn.

What option does he have the rest of his life? Where does his help come from?

Pastor Linh

Jesus Is the Answer to the Broken Heart

Once in a while, I met someone who was so down, discouraged and depressed. He would cut his hands around the wrists; this self-multilation helps him reduced the terrible pain inside his heart he said. But is it really I asked him. No, cutting, hurting oneself like this does not help at all he finally admitted. After so many attempts to choke, to hang himself and so on, this was the last time he tried to end it all so he won't bother anyone else any more.

Piercing, lacerating one's body hoping it would ease the pain is just a way one copes with the aweful pain inside one's heart and mind. One person I met some time ago would burn himself with cigarette lighter, hoping the filth, the pain, the shame and the emotional trauma he has experienced since childhood would go away. Maybe he said that God would love and accept him and not letting him be put in hell.

The love of God in my heart caused me to reach out and ministered to this hurting person with the love of God. After some sessions of 1-1, a person who wanted to die with the help of other professionals finally changed his mind not to hurt or kill himself.

Through the entire process, I have seen God's grace at work in the life of each one who has come to God for help; it's a desperate cry for help. At one time I had seen this 18 years old lady took a lot of medicine that would cause her mind to go into a coma. All just to want to get away from the pain, the rejection, the loneliness and the depression.

If one only knows that Jesus is truly the Answer. Many does not provide cure for the soul; it's only a temporary solution that man can offer another lost and hurting soul. It's truly the love of God and the power of Jesus Christ can set one free to love life and to live in freedom from bondage again.

God is looking for a lot of His children who are sensitive enough to the hurting world out there to offer a helping hand. May God use you and me to help bring His true healing and transformation to the broken world in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Linh