Bringing The Body Under Subjection

Romans12:1-2 'Therefore,I urge you,brothers,in view of God's mercy,to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,but be transformed ny 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.'

It is interesting how easy it is to briefly read through these two verses and miss the process that Paul is trying to teach us. He first instructs us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. A sacrifice is anything that you place on the alter that cost you soemthing and is very dear to you. Our bodies are very much alive!If you do not believe this,leave your body unsupervised for a moment and allow it to rule your life and see what an unruly mess it will put you in! This is exactly why we are carefully warned to bring our bodies under subjection and to mortify the deeds of our bodies.

Romans8:13 'For if you live according to the sinful nature,you will die;but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body,you will live'

Colossians3:5 'Put to death,therefore,whatever belongs to your earthly nature:sexual immorality,impurity,lust,evil desires and greed,which is idolatry.'

What are we responsible for in the area of subduing our bodies?Paul said we must present our bodies. The body belongs to us;therefore,it is our responsibility to present it! Remember,our physical bodies never partook of the renewal experience-only our spirit man. Our physical bodies are not saved. No matter how much we try to dress up our body,it is still as unregenerate as it was the day we accepted Jesus. If we do not buffet it and chastise it,our body will begin to rule and guide us.
I have practiced an exercise of discipline over my body that has brought great results. I deny my body certain things in order to remind it that it does not rule me,but that I rule it. I have declared some weeks as 'War on My Flesh Week',and I consecrate specific times of fasting for the purpose of keeping my body under subjection and reminding it that I am the boss!
Now that we see through the scriptures that we present our bodies as a sacrifice by buffeting the body and mortifying the deeds of the body,Paul then brings us into proper perspective by telling us that this is our 'reasonable service'. In other words,it is the least we can do:a demeaning service.
In lieu of this,I am calling for a one-meal fast everyday until 15feb.I encourage everybody reading this to fast lunch,and start to intercede for our generation at 2pm sharp,wherever you are.
Matthew11:12 'From the days of John the Baptist until now,the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing,and forceful men lay hold of it.'
Friends today let's be forceful people,hungry not only in the physical but even more in the spiritual. I pray that even as we fast and set aside 2pm to pray,I believe that,wherever we are,God hears our prayers and He will answer us,for we serve a God who is faithful and true. Friends,let our physical hunger translate to spiritual hunger to intercede for our generation. We don't need to have an event to start fasting and praying. When we fast,we are declaring that we are serious with God and we declare into the heavens and into hell that we are hungry for God to move in our generation. I know it's going to be tough,this 3 weeks or so,especially with CNY and eveything,but let's be steadfast and be forceful people yeah?

Praying with you,
adriel

One generation living salvation
Here we go
Seeing revival we will defy all
That holds us back from you

So we will rise together
And with one voice to say

Jesus is our Saviour
There will be no other
We will shout it out
We want the world to know

One generation
Living salvation
Living for you
Seeing revival we will defy all
That hold us back from you

This is a generation
We live devoted to your name
This is a revolution
We will not leave this world the same

We want the world to know
We want the world to know
We live our lives for you
In all we say and do

We want the world to know
We want the world to know

We want the world to know
We want the world to know
We want the world to know
This is a revolution

Necessary seperation

Seperation.How we hate that word.How we wince at the sound of that word.How we can't describe how much we loathe that word.

But do you also know that seperation is necessary for our growth?Everyone around us has not made a decision to go to the next level just because we have made a decision to go to higher heights in Christ.Going to the next level will undoubtly cost us great sacrifices.We must never assume that the people around are willing to pay the price to get from where they are to where they desire to be.The process of spiritual growth is not a one-time basis.It does not come about by osmosis,nor is it a magical encounter or a physical phenomenon;it is an on purpose,line upon line supernatural working that takes our effort.We need to constantly yield to the inner workings of the Holy Spirit.Only then can He become our teacher,constantly working in us both to do His will and His good pleasure.

Just like a caterpillar which has to grow through a stage of being seperated in the form of a cocoon to eventually become a butterfly,we,in the same way,have to accept that seperation,although painful,is a vital step to our growth.Why remain spiritual caterpillars whose only task is to eat leaves and nothing else?Strive to become the spiritual butterfly that God ahs called each of us to be.When we make a decision to mature spiritually,be sure that people around us will attempt to pressure us to not do so.Our peers,our bestest friends,they may accuse us and criticize us for changing.During this time,many of us will attempt to justify our decision to mature spiritually and explain our change through apologies.This is in fact not necessary!The only thing that is necessary at this time is the change itself.We do not need to apologise at all or try to justify ourselves because we are simply heading God's call for us!Those who now criticize us for changing will soon be the very ones to applaud us in succeeding.

In order to mature spiritually,we may have to sever relationships or seperate from certain people temporarily.Many of us find this very hard to take.When we realize the cost of having to mature spiritually,we often fall.But friends,today some people are in our life for a reason.Abraham refused to seperate from Lot and it cost him and Lot very dearly.God did not talk to Abraham anymore until he seperated from Lot.In our life there may be times of silence from the LORD.Could it because there are some unnecessary Lots in our life?Is God calling you to seperate yourself from the Lots in your life?

Many times we have to change our environment and make a decision to go where we are not accustomed to going.We have to get out of our comfort zone.If we limit ourselves to the natural,we can easily become a product of our environment.The fish teaches us that this does not have to be so:We can take a fish that was born in salt water,bred in salt water,and caught while in salt water and cook it,but we still need to add salt!Why?Because the fish lived in the salt water but the salt water did not live in it!Many times,if we change our position,God will change our situation.

Zaccheus was too short to see Jesus while in the midst of the crowd.He could not change his physical stature,so he did something extraordinary,something out of his comfort zone,something that got him seperated and above the crowd.Zaccheus chose to see Jesus by climbing up a tree.That gave him the elevation he needed to have the desired view.That action caused Jesus to single him out.That action brought Zaccheus from a place of hated tax collector to a place of host to Jesus.Zaccheus grew in that instant by choosing to get out of his comfort zone.

Friends today the matter of fact is many of us fall at the thought of seperation.But I put it to you that sepeartion is indeed needed for us to take a step deeper,a step higher,a step to spiritual maturity.







Let my walk speak loud
And my words be true
Let my life be whole
With my eyes on you

LORD I'm stepping out
From the comfort zone
Letting go of me
Holding on to you

Freedom comes
When I call you LORD
You are LORD my God

You are the centre of it all
The universe declares in awe
Your majesty I surrender all

I make you the centre of my life
LORD I respond with all I have
You place in me a song of heaven's melody
Your majesty I live to sing your song

I have found your peace
It replaces anything
You have done it all
I can trust in you

This is your song
My God
This is your song
That brings healing to this land
This is your song
Not mine
This is your song
That brings freedom
This is your song
Not mine
It is your song
That brings healing to this land
This is your song
Not mine
This is your song
That brings freedom

Ever felt like you have nothing?Ever felt that God doesn't care?Ever felt that probably you are not worth?Friends today I bind all these thoughts in Jesus name because friends,just look around you and you'll see how much God cares.How much God has given to you.How much God understands.



He has sent His angels to care for you,His Holy Spirit to dwell in you,His church to encourage you,and His word to guide you...just look around you.All your friends,all your leaders,all the people around you.They are God sent.They have been placed in your life for a reason.To lead you,to encourage you,to be there when you need someone,to comfort,and to sharpen you.



Anytime you speak,God listens;make a request and He responds.God has no timing for which you must request or He will not listen.He listens anytime,everytime!All you have to do is just to cry out to Him,and believe that He's there!"For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."Matthew7:8. "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mark11:24.

He will never let you be tempted too much or stumble too far.God will always be there to catch you when you do fall or support you even before you fall. "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;they will lift you up in their hands,so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." Psalm91:11-12

Let a tear appear on your cheek,and He is there to wipe it.

Let a love sonnet appear on your lips,and He is there to hear it.

As much as you want to see Him,He wants to see you more...


You have been chosen by Christ...He has claimed you as His beloved.
1Peter2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Lord,Give Me Strength

Give us your strength,Lord
Because sometimes things get tough,
And we are ready to quit.

Give us your love,Lord
Because sometimes people reject us,
And we are tempted to hide.

Give us your eyes,Lord
Because sometimes life gets dark,
And we lose our way

Give us your courage,Lord
Because often we are put under pressure,
And it's hard to do what's right.

Give us yourself,Lord
Because our hearts were made for you,
And we will not rest until we rest in you.

Serve with passionate honour

The following is a story from Luke10:38-42:
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way,he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.She had a sister called Mary,who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.She came to him and asked,"Lord,don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?Tell her to help me!" "Martha,Martha,"the Lord answered,"you are worried and upset about many things,but only one thing is needed.Mary has chosen what is better,and it will not be taken away from her."

Martha is worried about something good.She's having Jesus over for dinner.She's literally serving God.Her aim was to please Jesus.But Martha made a very common,yet a very dangerous mistake.As she began to make preparations,her work became more important to her than her Lord.What began as a way to serve Jesus,slowly and subtly became a way to serve self...She has forgotten that the meal is to honour Jesus,not Martha.

Friends today many of us very often make the same mistake Martha made that day.Doing our work well has overtaken our main purpose,which is to honour God.Don't get me wrong,i'm not saying you shouldn't make the effort to do the best in what you're doing,but what i'm saying here is that friends,starting today let's continually remember our main purpose for serving.Whether it's in our different ministries,whether it's in our own ways of serving God,in whatever way,let's always keep in mind that our sole purpose is to honour God.Yes,our plans and good work do matter a lot,but all this is only secondary!God comes first!And when God comes,your plans,your work has to take a step back.3 commands can be learnt from this short but powerful story.

1.Do not be distracted by your work till you forget Jesus.
2.Prioritise
3.Choose to chase after something that will last

"but only one thing is needed.Mary has chosen what is better,and it will not be taken away from her." Luke10:42

In your serving,friends never forget that what you really are doing is for Jesus.Serve as Jesus would serve.Portray the values of Christ in your serving and even in your everyday tasks,for in whatever you do,let it be as a service to Christ.Do not serve because you have to,but because you want to.

1Peter5:2 "Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care,serving as overseers-not because you must,but because you are willing,as God wants you to be;not greedy for money,but eager to serve."

Colossians3:17 "And whatever you do,whether in word or deed,do it all in the name of Lord Jesus,giving thanks to God the Father through him."



You've called me to places I can't see
Lord,open my eyes
You've called me to people I can't reach
Lord,stir within me
A hunger to see your kingdom come
A passion for your will to be done

Give me a heart for this generation
Set me apart for your great commision

And I will go
Wherever you lead I will follow
And I have counted the cost
I will carry the cross
So take my hands
All that I have they are yours
And you have laid out my course
I will live for this cause

Heaven and earth will pass away
But Jesus you're eternal
Kings and their kingdoms will fall one day
But your glory's forever
All of creation will bow to you
The time will come for all to sing
God you reign

No turning back
No turning back
And I will follow you
No turning back
No turning back
And I will carry the cross
No turning back
No turning back
And I will live for this cause
No turning back
No turning back
No turning back

God will make a way

God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me

He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way
He will make a way

By a roadway in the wilderness He leads me
Rivers in the desert will I see
Heaven and earth will fade
But His word will still remain
And He will do something new today

Friends today you may be going through the worst period of your life.Probably school has taken its toll on you.Your friends don't even remember your name anymore.You concentrate in class but just can't seem to understand a subject.You put your best in training but somehow just can't perform.You try your best in everything but can't live up to expectations.Probably you are a leader,but your team doesn't respect you and nobody cares about whether you're there or not.Friends today life may seem like hell to you,but i want to put it to you today,you're not alone.Not in any way.I'm sure you have friends who will stand by you,people who will vouch for you,people who will encourage you,and a God who will deliver you.Definitely."No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life.As I was with Moses,so I will be with you;I will never leave you nor forsake you."(Joshua1:5) Friends today you might be feeling like giving it all up,throw away everything and just lead life differently.Perhaps you're thinking,maybe i'll be happier that way?Friends today the answer is NO!I put it to you today that you have a God who will never leave you and will deliver you no matter how deep you have sunk.I know sometimes it's difficult,your friends persecute you for your relationship with Christ,perhaps even your parents are not approving of it.Perhaps you're being picked on because you're a christian.But friends,let's delight in persecution and difficulties."But He said to me,'My grace is sufficient for you,for my power is made perfect in your weaknesses,so that Christ's power may rest on me.'"(2Cor12:9) Friends,if we want God to save us,we also have to do our part! 'Without God we cannot',that is very true.But there is another part to the quote. 'But without us,God will not'.Friends in order that God may save us,we have to be willing to be ready vessels,willing for Christ to work in us.But we also have to believe that God's power is made perfect in our weakness!Our hearts have to be aligned to His will,open to Him to use us,believing that God indeed wil save us!Friends today if there is any doubt in your heart,remove it.When I did,I personally saw the power of Christ in my life!I saw how God changed things around for my benefit."But Joseph said to them,'Do not be afraid.Am I in the place of God?You intended to harm me,but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done,the saving of many lives.'"(Gen50:19-20) Friends today God will indeed make a way,don't ever give up on yourself or on your situation.God hasn't.


There is a longing
Only you can fill
A raging tempest
Only you can still

My soul is thirsty Lord
To know you as I'm known
Drink from the river
That flows before your throne

Take me deeper
Deeper in love with you
Jesus hold me close in your embrace
Take me deeper
Deeper than I've ever been before
I just want to love you more and more
How I long to be deeper in you

Sunrise to sunrise
I will seek your face
Drawn by the spirit
To the promise of your grace

My heart has found in you
A hope that will abide
Here in your presence
Forever satisfied

River of Peace

She was a gorgeous little girl,
Only ten years old
With her mother's smile
And her father's eyes
And she was taken way too soon,
A life so full of promise,
Full of hope,
But never realized

And I raise my fist in anger
And wonder why you take
The tender hearts and
Leave the rest of us behind.

Ours is not to question why,
Ours is just to live and try,
To settle for the answer
Whatever it might be
Until we see you face to face
In another time and place
Where the river of your peace
Runs free.

Now thirty years have come
And gone
Since his country shipped him home
With a silver star and
A broken heart.
More than his innocence was lost
To a complicated war.
His baby brother didn't make it
Back at all.

And each night in silent anger,
He tries to understand the sacrifice
And each night he falls apart.

You said we're all your precious children,
But I must admit,
Sometimes we feel so small.
We wonder if you're there,
Or if you really care at all.

Until we see you face to face
In another time and place
Where the river of your peace runs free,
Where the river of your peace runs free,
Where the river of your peace runs free.

the power of our words

Have you ever wondered how powerful your words are?Well have you also thought how destructive your words are?
Do you know that your destiny is shaped by your words?God created in us a mouth to reflect what's in our heart.When our mouth does not,it deceives and confuses our spirit.When we speak something which is contrary to our heart,we deceive not only others,but ourselves as well.And to deceive the heart is a very dangerous matter."If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue,he deceives himself and his religion is WORTHLESS"(James1:26).Our tongue also has a powerful impact when it is left untamed.It defiles the whole body."The tongue also is a fire,a world of evil among the parts of the body.It corrupts the whole person,sets the whole course of his life on fire,and is itself set on fire by hell"(James 3:6).
The tongue when controlled however,also has a powerful impact.When the tongue is tamed and speaks God's Word from the heart,it has a positive impact because God watches over His Word to perform it."The LORD said to me,'You have seen correctly,for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.' "(Jer 1:12). "You brood of vipers,how can you who are evil say anything good?For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks."(Mat12:34).
Friends,today the matter of fact is,we think that words are only used for communication,but today I put to you that words were originally used to create and still do.It all started already in the beginning.The whole world,the place where we live in,it's all created with words!God said it,you have it!"And God said,'Let there be light,' and there was light."(Gen1:3) Imagine!The whole earth was created using only words!That's the power your tongue has.

Friends today I put to you that your words can have many different kinds of impacts,depending on how much you can control your tongue.Words can:
1.Create. "If you remain in me and my words remain in you,ask whatever you wish,and it will be given you." (John15:7)
2.War for you. "Then He continued,'Do not be afraid,Daniel.Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before God,your words were heard,and I have come in response to them.' " (Dan10:12)
3.Produce life or death. "The tongue has the power of life and death,and those who love it will eat its fruit." (Pro18:21)
4.Justify or condemn. "Even if I were innocent,my mouth would condemn me;if I were blameless,it would pronounce me guilty." (Job9:20)
5.Bring life. "The Spirit gives life;the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life." (John6:63) "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.We have seen his glory,the glory of the One and One only,who came from the Father,full of grace and truth." (John1:14)
6.Words of man are like deep water. "The words of a man's mouth are deep waters,but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook." (Pro18:4)
7.Words are eternal. "Heaven and earth will pass away,but my words will never pass away." (Mat24:35)
8.Words framed the world. "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command,so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." (Heb11:3)
9.Reveal your heart. "And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit,because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." (Rom8:27)
10.Stir anger. "A gentle answer turns away wrath,but a harsh word stirs up anger." (Pro15:1)
11.Pour out foolishness. "The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,but the mouth of the fool gushes folly." (Pro15:2)

Friends do you now know how much impact your words can have? "It is written:'I believed,therefore I have spoken.' With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak." (2Cor4:13). God intended our hearts and our mouths to agree. Friends let us start to be responsible for our words and let's constantly keep our tongues in check.Let God's will be done in our life,and it is definitely not God's will for us to deceive ourselves.Let's edify always,being the salt and light of the world,shining God's light and love in our lives through our words.I pray that you will make a covenant with your mouth not to speak filthy language,but to allow God to use your tongue to reach out to the people out there who need connecting desperately.Amen.




I wanted to find where I was going
Everything I tried it took me nowhere
I was so tired of just living my life
Waiting for a sign

You came to my side Gave me direction
Strong on the inside I shine for You Lord
Now it's my time Now I've made up my mind
To be all You want for me

All I do
Is live my life for You
I know it's true I'll never let You go
All I do
I'd do anything for You
Everything is in Your hands
So I get up, Get up and praise You

And I know where I'm going
I know where I'm going
And I know where I'm going
I know where I'm going

a new year,a new season

first of all,just wanna say blessed new year to all!indeed,God has been faithful in so many ways throughout last year.although year2007 has been a very fast year for me,to say that it has been fruitful is a gross understatement.not only has God proven faithful and good in so many ways,meeting my every expectation and never failing to deliver me even when i forgot all about Him or even when i thought all hope was lost.
One thing i can thank God for this year is definitely for the people He has put in my life.
Friends:I thank God for each and every one of them because they have taught me so much.indeed,all of you have proven that Friends in need are friends indeed.i thank God for every one of my friends,people who have constantly been a source of encouragement and help for me,who have kept me accountable to them,who have definitely left a footprint in my life.people who have left a legacy in my life.

Leaders:These people have been so much of my life in year2007.people whom God has used to teach me how to be role models to other people,who have taught me how to sincerely care and connect,who have taught me how to stand by people and listen to them not because of need but because of sincerely wanting to.people who have touched and impacted my life so much.

Not so nice people:although it hasn't been smooth-sailing with you people,i thank God for each and every one of you because God has taught me many things using all of you.i believe God has put some not very nice people in my life to teach me how to love the person but hate the sin.God has also taught me that although God has a plan for everything,it is really not such a beautiful picture in the outside world.God has really taught me how to reach out to you guys and how to love even the people who persecute me for who i am.i thank God for all of you because God has used you to teach me many lessons.I believe that one day,one day,i will be able to reach out to you guys.

Even as i reflect on the year2007,i have realized how much i have grown and i really thank God.year 2007 has really been a year of great growth,challenges as well as opportunities.but "the latter will be greater than the former",and i believe that no matter how good year2007 has been,year2008 will be even better many times and i thank God in advance.i believe that year2008 will be a year of reaching new heights,new level of advancing,breaking new grounds,greater breakthroughs,incredible growth and supernatural testimonies.Amen.



How can I say thanks
For the things you have done for me
Things so undeserved
Yet You gave to prove your love for me
The voices of a million angels
Could not express my gratitude
All that I am and ever hope to be
I owe it all to thee

To God be the glory, To God be the glory
To God be the glory,
For the things He has done
With His blood He has saved me
With His power He has raised me
To God be the glory,
For the things He has done

Just let me live my life
And let it be pleasing Lord to thee
And should I gain any praise
Let it go to Calvary

With His blood He has saved me
With His power He has raised me
To God be the glory
For the things He has done

To God be the glory, To God be the glory
To God be the glory,
For the things He has done
With His blood He has saved me
With His power He has raised me
To God be the glory,
For the things He has done