Voice of a Savior

Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance
I just wanna praise You
I just wanna praise You
You broke the chains, now I can lift my hands
And I'm gonna praise You
I'm gonna praise You

In the corners of mind
I just can't seem to find a reason to believe
That I can break free
'Cause you see I have been down for so long
Feel like all hope is gone
But as I lift my hands, I understand
That I should praise You through my circumstance

Everything that could go wrong
All went wrong at one time
So much pressure fell on me
I thought I was gonna lose my mind
But I know You wanna see
If I will hold on through these trials
But I need You to lift this load
'Cause I can't take it no more

Been through the fire and the rain
Bound in every kind of way
But God has broken every chain
So let me go

Shackles (Praise You) - Mandisa

Where do you go to to fill up the void within you? Where do you go to to find a peace that you haven't known for a long time? Where do you go to to just hear someone say 'I love you'? How far would you go to find your purpose and identity once again?

This post may be for you right now, it may not, but I believe the Lord is speaking to you as you listen to the track and read this. Friend, whoever you may be, the Lord is calling you back into His arms again. I don't know what you've been through, I don't know how you far you've ran, but one thing I do know, and that the Lord is faithful. His ears are never too dull to listen to your cries, His arms never too short to reach you. Friend, today the Savior is calling you back. Broken heart, broken life, return to the Father, He'll take you as you are.

Today I sense the Lord leading me specifically to write to 2 particular groups of people.

The first group. You are afraid to look yourself in the mirror. You are afraid to stand on the weighing scale. You are afraid to open your wardrobe, in case you find yourself not being able to fit in some of your clothes anymore. You think so lowly of yourself. You are stressed up because of how you look. You are disappointed that you can't stay 'good looking' (the way the world describes it). It is affecting your daily life, your emotions, decisions, and work. Friend, hear this. It does not matter to the Lord. Y'know, when you begin to despise yourself, you are despising God. You are blaming Him for creating an 'imperfect' you. And more importantly, you are calling God a liar, because you refute His claim that you are 'fearfully and wonderfully made'. Friend, instead of taking that position, why not let your heart be full of praise and thanksgiving? Let your heart echo that of the Psalmist David in Psalm139:14. Praise God, because it is true that if God made you, took a step back to inspect you, then declared 'Very good', you are very good! Friend, learnt to see the beauty of the Lord in your life. Learn to recognise that the Holy Spirit lives in you and that already makes you special. For your outward looks matter not to God, He's looking at your heart. And it is your heart that He sees, what then does He see? Be more concerned about that.

The second group of people I write this to is those who are going through trials at this current period of time. Recently you've been through something horrible, maybe you lost a race, maybe you received a bad grade, maybe you lost something very important to you, maybe you just made a terrible mistake. Or maybe the things in school/work have been such a strain on you. You are feeling stressed, disappointed, upset, confused, maybe you just don't know what to feel anymore (numbness). Friend, one thing to you, persevere. 'Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.' (Romans5:1-5) REJOICE IN YOUR SUFFERING, BECAUSE YOU CAN REJOICE IN THE HOPE OF THE GLORY OF GOD! Many times, we ask God to show us His glory, to show us His will, to reveal to us His plans for us etc. But many of us really do not know what we are praying when we pray this kind of prayer. We want to see what God has for us, but we are not prepared to do what it takes. God's plan/will/ways are sovereign and holy, and it cannot be revealed to the unholy. Therefore, in order that God might reveal to us His plans/will for us, He must first prune us of our unholiness. But many of us miss the point. We think of pruning as 'suffering', which is pardonable because it truly is painful. However, we cannot treat the pruning of our lives as something dreadful. Instead of dreading pruning, we should approach it with joy and thanksgiving because we know that God will not give us too much to bear, and because of that, we will emerge victorious, and stronger in the process. Therefore, let our attitudes this day be as such, one of rejoicing, praising the Lord in every circumstance, for we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. The ultimate goal of our suffering is hope in God. Many of us go through suffering and find it pointless because we have missed the point. Suffering, instead of making us hope and trust stronger in the Lord, caused us to drift away from God instead. We began to blame God, and decided to take things into our own hands, thinking we can control everything. Or we take a different approach, we adopt a heck-care attitude. We become numb to whatever we are going through, and in the midst of it harden our hearts. We become so deaf to how the Holy Spirit encourages/comforts us, that we think God doesn't care, and then we blame God. But this should not be so! 'When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone' (James 1:13) No one should be blaming God for his/her own suffering. Instead, one should rejoice that God, by His grace and mercy, prunes and refines us for His glory. Adopt the right attitude in trials, my friend. Life is about choices. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. Choose to adopt the right attitude, make the right choices and then the Lord will be on your side. (Not that God's love is conditional, but simply because He is a Holy God, He cannot take the side of unholiness)

Friend, as you are reading this, I pray that you will allow the Lord to speak to you. I don't know about you, but I for one, choose to praise the Lord my God, the very same God who gives and takes away, Blessed Be His Name.

Some people try to listen to the bottom of a bottle
Some people try to listen to a needle in their arm
Some people try to listen to the money in their pocket
Some people try to listen to another's arms

You and I are not that different
We got a void and we're just trying to fill it up
With something that'll give just a little peace
All we want is a hand to reach to
Open arms that say I love you
We'd give anything to hear
The voice of a Savior

Some people try to find it with blind ambition
Some people try to find it where no one else has gone
Some people try to find it in the crowns of victory
Some people get defeated and lose the strength to carry on

You and I are not that different
We got a void and we're just trying to fill it up
With something that'll give just a little peace
All we want is a hand to reach to
Open arms that say I love you
We'd give anything to hear
The voice of a Savior
The voice of a Savior

Some people try to find it in the shadow of a steeple
Some people try to find it in the back row pew
Some people try to find it in the arms of Jesus
That's where I found it, how about you?

You and I are not that different
We got a void and we're just trying to fill it up
With something that'll give just a little peace
All we want is a hand to reach to
Open arms that say I love you
We'd give anything to hear
The voice of a Savior
The voice of a Savior
We'd give anything to hear
The voice of a Savior
The voice of a Savior
The voice of a Savior

Voice of a Savior - Mandisa

Are you getting too busy?

Long before I watched this video on www.tangle.com, I already knew that busy-ness was one of Satan's schemes to keep us away from being in full communion with our Holy God. However, just now as I was watching this video, it was like a reminder to myself that we have really been too busy for our own good.

One part that particularly spoke to me was 3:05, which says 'Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted.' As I read this line, I wonder, what is the true meaning of rest? I was in a Tenet class last week, and Pastor Dennis said this, 'We all need to learn to rest. Many of us think that resting is sitting on the couch and watching TV is resting, but many of us do not realise that playing is hard work!' And it's true, many of us do not know what true rest is. Let me give you an example. If someone is stressed out over work, he/she takes a vacation. The vacation is supposed to allow him/her to rest. But when he/she comes back, he/she takes one more day leave from work to rest from the vacation before going back to work!

And so I can't help but wonder, what is the true meaning of rest? What comes to mind is Psalm23.

PSALM 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

V1 'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want'. In school, are you found wanting in terms of results? In the workplace, are you found wanting in terms of promotions? How many of us dare to fully trust God with our grades and promotions? How many of us would be found receiving a bad grade and praising God for it, knowing full well that He is in control? Now I am not saying that we should all be complacent in our studies/work, I encourage all of us to do our best in these areas. Rather, what I am saying is this, how many of us fully understand the power of God in our lives? How many of us trust God with it? Or are we found striving? Are we found wanting? Striving for more of worldly success, or wanting more worldly riches? Again, we come back to the topic of sensuality, which I shall not say more, having written my thoughts in earlier posts. Friends, today allow me to charge you. Dare to trust God fully with your life. Dare to be strong and courageous even in wanting times, even in times of trials and confusion. Dare to trust God. Notice the term is 'I shall not be in need', but it is 'I shall not be in want'. This speak volumes of our priorities when it comes to living our lives. Te Bible tells us that as long as we have food on our tables and clothes on our bodies, we ought to be content. Everything else that comes is a blessing from God. Do not be found wanting, my friend, for you are well taken care of. Your author of your life knows your beginning and your end, and He has everything well taken care of.

V2(a) 'He makes me lie down in green pastures'. Physically speaking, does anyone have to teach us how to lie down? Does anyone have to be forced to lie down? The answer is NO. All of us were born in a lying down position, unless you were born standing up, which is highly impossible. But in the spiritual realm, do we have to be taught how to lie down? The Psalmist David wrote of the Lord that He MADE him lie down. How many of us have to be made to lie down in God's presence today? How many of us dare not even lie down in God's presence for a minute. Too busy with worldly things to do that? Friends, learn today to lie down in God's presence. Learn today to bask in the fullness of God's beauty. It's a wonder how we need to learn to lie down and allow God to refresh us. Nut nonetheless, my friend, learn.

V3(b) 'He guides me in paths of righteousness'. Righteousness is one of the names of God. Jehovah-Tsidkenu: The Lord our righteousness, found in Jeremiah 23:6. Many of us today are found wanting in our schools, striving just to be top, to gain recognition, to obtain our 'best for ourselves'. Friend, let it be known to you that your self-worth is not based on what you can do, but on who you are, and you are a child of God. Need I say more? You have been forgiven and blessed by the only one who could condemn you. Instead of chasing after worldly wealth, chase after the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God brings forth favor. And when you walk in the favor of God, you will walk in the favor of man.

It's currently the March holidays, and it's holidays for me too, waiting to go into Ngee Ann Polytechnic to start a new season of my life. And as I look back, I wonder, how have I been spending this holiday? Have I used it well to rest and be recharged by the Holy Spirit? If you are having your holiday now, use it well. Learn what it means to truly rest in God's presence. Many of us seek temporal enjoyment, going to the movies, or 'sweating it out', or playing computer games etc. Not that all these things are no good, I myself enjoy doing all these. But is this truly resting? or are these just temporal get-aways? Just something that allows you to temporarily forget reality. What's the difference between this and getting drunk, taking drugs etc.? Don't seek temporal get-aways, my friends. It leaves many of us more exhausted than before, and then we need to 'rest'.

And now onto sleep, is sleeping really resting? We speak of getting 8 hours of sleep, to ensure getting enough rest. But won't some of us testify that sometimes sleeping leaves you more tired and sleepy than before? I'm sure many of us have snoozed the alarm clock in the morning, or requested for '5 more minutes' when someone tries to wake us up. I believe if we had truly rested in our sleep, none of these would actually happen. We'd all be so refreshed we get off our beds instantly with joy, ready to embark on the new day! But unfortunately, it doesn't happen often.

What then, is true resting? Personally, I get recharged whenever I enter into the inner courts to meet with God. Every time I enter into God's presence and commune with Him, I find myself recharged and re-energised. And so, to me, resting is about waiting upon the Lord, to simply adore and love Him for who He is, and then for God to love me in a tangible way in return. Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin was a Pastor in the United States. It was known from his son, Jr Kenneth E. Hagin, that there was a period of time that Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin did not physically sleep for a few months. At night, he would be found praying and studying Scripture. And when his son asked him, Rev. Hagin would answer, 'The Holy Spirit will refresh me'. Now that is something I want to experience myself! Again, not that sleeping is no good, but when it takes a certain priority in your life, you know you better sort out your life. True resting is about basking in God's presence, worshiping Him in praise and song, about communicating with Him.

I have shared this with a few people, to whom God allows me to. I don't know when this started, but it has dawned upon me that either I just don't care, or I am just not sentimental, or that I trust God a lot, and I think it's the latter. Many people think my life has no problems as a result. Haha, not true! In fact, in recent times I have been through many ups and downs, I hardly share with anyone though. But even through these times of tribulations, I testify that I did not feel stressed/upset whatsoever. I simply felt peace. And it's a wonderful feeling, to just be at peace no matter what happens. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7) I hold firmly to this verse, which says a lot about letting go and letting God. Truly, dear reader, it is so important to allow the peace of God to guard our hearts and minds. You won't fully understand this until you do it. So go do it.

Rest well, my friend.

'I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.' (Psalm 4:8)


Your faithfullness endures always
Where mountains fall and reason fails
And You calm the raging seas
And You calm the storms in me, again

All I know is I find rest in You
All I know is I find rest in You

My heart will praise throughout the night
Where singing seems a sacrifice
Your grace is all I need
Your grace is all I need

God's Perfect Will vs God's Permissive Will

"Do not conform any longer 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's God's will is-his GOOD, PLEASING and PERFECT will." (Romans12:2, caps mine)

Have you ever went to God and prayed like this, "God, I really really really really REALLY want to date this person", and then you pray this prayer for many times. But each time God says 'No', and then you pray again. After a few times, do you know what God will say? God will say this, "Okay, go ahead, if that's what you want." If God's people pray and ask for things to be a certain way, even if it is not God's perfect will for them, God will often permit it. Don't believe it? A lot of people don't. They claim, "But if God permits it, it has to be His perfect will."

Let's read 1Samuel8. In 1Samuel8, Israel asks for a king. God didn't want the Israelites to have a king like all the other nations. God wanted to be their king. But the Israelites insisted, and so God relented. He said, "All right, go ahead. You have my permission to have a king." But from that point on, the Israelites were never in the perfect will of God again, even though God blessed them and helped them as much as He could.

This is where many people have missed it. Many times God has dealt with them and told them what His will is for their lives. But they keep after Him, praying out of their natural understanding for something they want. So finally God says, "Alright, if you want it that way, go ahead." You see, God is gentle, and He will not force His way around. He will reveal to you His will for your life, but it'll be your decision to follow in His ways.

A lot of times, our prayers have a lot to do with how far we go in our destiny. Do we pray selfish prayers, whereby our wants take priority over God's will? There was a farmer who always prayed, "God, bless me and my wife, my son John and his wife-us four and no more!" Most of us may not say those exact words, but if we would examine our prayer lives, we just might find that our prayers are just like the farmer's, 'praying with our own understanding'. In other words, most of our prayer time is devoted to praying about matters that concern ourselves and our loved ones. In short, our prayers are often selfish, where our wants take priority over God's will for us. Think about it, when was the last time you prayed, "God, your will be done".

Friend you and I need to pray like Jesus did at Gethsemane. "'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'"(Matthew26:39) and again in Matthew26:42,"'My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.'"

I don't know about you, but I'd rather live in God's perfect will than in God's permissive will. It's your choice to make.

Many people, after living in God's permissive will, encounter difficult situations and then wonder why God ever allowed them to go through what they did. But the thing is, it wasn't God who got them into the mess! You see, when we insist on something, God will say, "Okay! Okay!If that's what you want, go ahead", but He will never say, "This is my will, walk in it and be blessed". John15:7, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. The key to abundant living is constant abiding in God's will, not our wants/desires! That's why it's so important to get the Word of God in us first before we pray. We need to ensure that God's Word is abiding in us. We need to start praying scriptural prayers, not human-understanding prayers. Friend you and I must never get out of God's Word when we pray. Build a strong foundation of the Word in your prayer life. If you don't have that foundation, you may go off after a desire that's not God's will for you, and that is very dangerous.

I don't know about you, but I'm not satisfied with God's permissive will or with His second best- I want God's very best! His will before mine in every circumstance, throughout earth and eternity.

No eye has seen no ear has heard
The good that the Lord has prepared
For those who wait on Him
To hear His voice
I am the Potter and you are the clay

Jesus take me in Your hand
And make me all that You want me to be
Jesus help me understand my purpose
And what You can do through me
Fulfilling my destiny