How to be pleasing to others

Just read this from Pastor Robb Thompson's Daily Success Key.

Numbers 14:27-28
"How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. Say to them,' As I live,' says the LORD, 'just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you.’” (NKJV)

If we refuse to eliminate negative things from our lives, those negative things will ultimately destroy us and there will be nothing we can do about it. The moment we choose to obey is the moment we have declared we no longer want our own way. We must listen, hear, and be content with the instructions we receive from God’s Word, whether it is from the man of God or though our daily meditation. Why is that? Because God has given us the responsibility to obey.

It is also God’s desire for us to be pleasing to others. In our modern society, everyone wants to know the reasoning behind every situation. Why do you want me to do this? Why do you want to do it that way? The question is constantly “Why?” There is no desire to submit and that spirit has crept into the Church. People in the Church are even now beginning to hold a negative opinion against those God has called to lead them. That very spirit will eventually kill them if that negativity is not dealt with.

We must be serious about stopping the negative influences from penetrating our lives. Remember, we are all susceptible to the negative flow of society, but we must remain diligent to fill ourselves with His Word.

I know this for myself as it is indeed the struggle of my flesh when it comes to submitting to leadership. May the grace of God help me further in this area.

Trials in life

A daily success key from Pastor Rob Thompson says

Trials are the only things that stand between us and the Land of Promises.

1 Peter 1:7
“These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold – and your faith is far more precious to God that mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” (NLT)

Trials comes in may shapes, sizes & forms. My trial right now is one of patience and perserverence. I'm blessed with knowing what to do in life and Praise Jesus for that. But with it comes a time of waiting. Waiting for the right time and opportunity.

Oh how many times have I not passed this test, trying to create opportunity myself instead of relying on the Lord for provision and getting into unnescessary trouble which ultimately prolongs my time of waiting.

Pastor Kong talked about the power of focus and it is indeed important for us to be wise in selecting the right things to focus on, least we end up neglecting the things that are right before our eyes, screaming for our attention and missed the great opportunity that God has made for us.

May God grant all of us wisdom and understanding to the times in our lives! Amen!

Prisoners in a palace

Except from RZIM blog [ link: A Slice of Infinity ]

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus gives a fascinating description of the condition of people since the Fall: "For when Satan, who is completely armed, guards his palace, it is safe—until someone who is stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings" (Luke 11:21-22, NLT).

Humankind, he insists, is like a great number of people in a huge palace. The palace is controlled by a mighty prince who is heavily armed. It is large and has many distractions to entertain its prisoners, keeping them from considering their predicament. To all intents and purposes they believe that they are totally free—except in those rare reflective moments when they realize that something is wrong with the world. In the confines of the palace, misery, guilt, fear, confusion, and disappointment stalk them. In reality they have never tasted true liberty.

Cool... Kinda makes us special agents, saving the prisoners from within the palace... :)

Word search: tree of life

What's it about the tree that Adam lost in the fall? I did a search on the phrase "tree of life". Let us look at what the Bible says.

(Gen 2:9 MKJV)
And out of the ground Jehovah God caused to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food. The tree of life also was in the middle of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

(Gen 3:22 MKJV)
And Jehovah God said, Behold, the man has become as one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever,

(Gen 3:24 MKJV)
And He drove out the man. And He placed cherubs at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

(Pro 3:18 MKJV)
She is a tree of life to those who lay hold upon her; and happy is everyone who keeps her.

(Pro 11:30 MKJV)
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he who takes souls is wise.

(Pro 13:12 MKJV)
Hope put off makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

(Pro 15:4 MKJV)
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but crookedness in it is a break in the spirit.

(Rev 2:7 MKJV)
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

(Rev 22:2 MKJV)
In the midst of its street, and of the river, from here and from there, was the Tree of Life, which bore twelve fruits, each yielding its fruit according to one month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

(Rev 22:14 MKJV)
Blessed are they who do His commandments, that their authority will be over the Tree of Life, and they may enter in by the gates into the city.

Think there's a distinction between "tree of life" and "Tree of Life"

tree of life = wisdom, fruit of the righteous, desire fulfilled, wholesome tongue.

Places: Mount Moriah

Mount Moriah:

1. where Abraham took Isaac for sacrifice (Gen 22:2)

2. where the Lord appeared unto David (2Sam 24:18)

3. where Solomon built the temple (2Ch 3:1)

In 2Ch 3:2 we are told that Solomon began the construction in the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.

The double digits 2 seem to spring up in verses that talks about altar/sacrifice/House of God...

1Ki 6:22 And he overlaid the whole house with gold, until he had finished all the house. Also all of the altar that belonged to the Holy of Holies, he overlaid with gold:

1Ch 22:1 Then David said, This is the house of Jehovah God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.

2Ch 2:4 Behold, I am building a house to the name of Jehovah my God, to dedicate it to Him, and to burn before Him sweet incense, and for the continual showbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of Jehovah our God. This is an ordinance forever to Israel.

Revelation of the day: Is there not a cause?

Was listening to Dr Ravi Zecharia's "Is There Not A Cause" podcast when he mentioned 4 points that can be learnt from Nehemiah:

1. Feel the burden in your heart.

2. Seek God ernestly with that burden (have a strong devotional life).

3. Having faith, hope & love.

4. Get into the proximity of the situation.

5. Know exactly what you need.

6. Finish the task with the Glory of God.

Awesome. Thank You Lord for the deep truths and revelation in these simple yet profound points.

Physical manifestations in Scripture

According to the book "Surprised by the Power of the Spirit" physical manifestations in the Scripture are categorized into:

1. Visible phenomena

• Theophanies* (Ex 19:16-25)
• Angelic appearances (Matt 28:4)
• Audible voice of God (Matt 17:6-7)
• Visions (Dan 8:27)
• Jesus during his earthly ministry (John 18:6)
• Appearance of glorified Jesus (Acts 9:1-9)

2. Intangibles

• Trembling (Psalm 119:120)
• Weeping (Neh 8:9)
• Trance (Acts 22:17-18)
• Drunkenness (1 Sam 1:12-17)
• Casting out of demons - shrieks, convulsions, unconsciousness etc. (Mark 1:23-28; 9:14-29)

* Theophany = Appearance of God Himself

Profile: Sarah, Abraham's wife

What kind of a women is Sarah, the wife of Abraham? Did a search on the occurence her name in the Bible. Let's see what the Word says...

(Gen 17:15 MKJV) And God said to Abraham, As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah.

(Gen 17:17 MKJV) And Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born to him that is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear?

(Gen 17:19 MKJV) And God said, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son indeed. And you shall call his name Isaac. And I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

(Gen 17:21 MKJV) But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time in the next year.

(Gen 18:6 MKJV) And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal; knead it, and make cakes.

(Gen 18:9 MKJV) And they said to him, Where is Sarah your wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

(Gen 18:10 MKJV) And He said, I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and lo, Sarah your wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard in the tent door which was behind Him.

(Gen 18:11 MKJV) Now Abraham and Sarah were old, far gone in days, and it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

(Gen 18:12 MKJV) Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After my being old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

(Gen 18:13 MKJV) And Jehovah said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I, who am old, truly bear a child?

(Gen 18:14 MKJV) Is anything too hard for Jehovah? At the time appointed I will return again, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

(Gen 18:15 MKJV) Then Sarah denied, saying, I did not laugh; for she was afraid. And He said, No, but you did laugh.

(Gen 20:2 MKJV) And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister. And Abimelech the king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

(Gen 20:14 MKJV) And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men-servants and women-servants, and gave them to Abraham. And he restored him Sarah his wife.

(Gen 20:16 MKJV) And to Sarah he said, Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, he is to you a covering of the eyes, to all that are with you, and with all this, you are reproved.

(Gen 20:18 MKJV) For the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

(Gen 21:1 MKJV) And Jehovah visited Sarah as He had said. And Jehovah did to Sarah as He had spoken.

(Gen 21:2 MKJV) For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

(Gen 21:3 MKJV) And Abraham called the name of his son that was born to him (whom Sarah bore to him) Isaac.

(Gen 21:6 MKJV) And Sarah said, God has made me laugh, so that all who hear will laugh with me.

(Gen 21:7 MKJV) And she said, Who could have said to Abraham, will Sarah suckle children? For I have borne a son to him in his old age.

(Gen 21:9 MKJV) And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian (whom she had borne to Abraham) mocking.

(Gen 21:12 MKJV) And God said to Abraham, Let it not be grievous in your sight because of the boy and because of your slave woman. In all that Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice. For in Isaac your Seed shall be called.

(Gen 23:1 MKJV) And Sarah was a hundred twenty seven years old, the years of the life of Sarah.

(Gen 23:2 MKJV) And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

(Gen 23:19 MKJV) And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave at the field of Machpelah before Mamre, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan.

(Gen 24:36 MKJV) And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old. And he has given to him all that he has.

(Gen 24:67 MKJV) And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. And he loved her. And Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.

(Gen 25:10 MKJV) the field which Abraham bought from the sons of Heth. Abraham and Sarah his wife were buried there.

(Gen 25:12 MKJV) And these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bore to Abraham.

(Gen 49:31 MKJV) They buried Abraham and his wife Sarah there, and they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah. And I buried Leah there;

(Isa 51:2 MKJV) Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.

(Rom 4:19 MKJV) And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body already dead (being about a hundred years old) or the deadening of Sarah's womb.

(Rom 9:9 MKJV) For this is the word of promise: "At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son."

(Heb 11:11 MKJV) By faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged Him who had promised to be faithful.

(1Pe 3:6 MKJV) as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose children you became, doing good and fearing no terror.

Revelation of the day: "Surprised by the power of the Spirit"

i was taking a study break when i saw a book "Surprised by the power of the Spirit" by ex Dallas seminary professor Jack Deere on my shelf. felt the Holy Spirit telling me to just flip thru e book and did just that. the first page of that i flipped to had this title, "Seduced by" which instantly caught my eye. author was talking about being subtle seductions that can bring us away from the Lord. here are his main points:

1) be careful of loving your denomination more than the Lord.

2) be careful of loving the Bible more than the Lord.

3) be careful of loving your commitment to the Lord more than the Lord Himself.

the following verses are what i found in the scriptures. :)


Eph 4:4-6
There is one body and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all.

Deu 11:22
For if you will carefully keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love Jehovah your God, to walk in all His ways, and to hold fast to Him,

Luk 18:10-14
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed within himself in this way: God, I thank You that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice on the Sabbath, I give tithes of all that I possess. And standing afar off, the tax-collector would not even lift up his eyes to Heaven, but struck on his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner! I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself shall be abased, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.


his examples were so presonal and heartfelt and he has raised some points which touches me personally and echoed with my own experiences. awesome! thank you Holy Spirit!