2014 shall be crowned with His goodness

Every year I pray this for myself and my family before I move into the new year.

This year 2014 was no exception. I prayed this verse again & again for myself & my family - Ps 65:11" You crowned the year with Your goodness. Your paths drip with abundance."

The Lord gave me a better understanding of this verse on New Year's day.

2014 is a year indeed crowned with His goodness but only on one condition that I learn to keep to His paths and not my paths. Only His paths & His paths alone will bring about the "dripping with abundance". 

This year I felt led to do some research on the significance of the verse even as I shared this during Watch Night service and decreed this for the church during early morning prayer on Jan 1. 

"Goodness" refers to the character & inherent nature of God.

In the Hebrew it is "towb" meaning "welfare, prosperity & happiness". In other words God has my welfare, prosperity & happiness at heart! What a comfort! What a joy to know this!

10 wonderful truths about the "goodness" of God:

1. Goodness is an essential character of God and it is very great

Exodus 34:6 "And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth"

Ps 31:19 "Oh, how great is Your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men!"

Isa 63:7 "I will mention the lovingkindness of the Lord and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord bestowed upon us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel...."

2. Goodness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit

If we yield ourselves fully to the Holy Spirit, we will surely bear the fruit of goodness.

Gal 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness and truth"

Eph 5:9 "(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth)"

3. God's Goodness is a blessing & a crown of pure gold

Ps 21:3 "For You meet him with the blessings of goodness;You set a crown of pure gold upon his head"

4. God's Goodness (& mercy) is our companion all the days of our life

Ps 23:6 "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever"

5. God's Goodness can satisfy our spiritual longing & our spiritual thirst

Ps 107:9 "For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness"

Jer 31:14 "I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, and my people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the Lord"

Neh 9:25 "And they took strong cities and a rich land, and possessed houses full of all goods, cisterns already dug up, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and grew fat, and delighted themselves in Your great goodness"

During the corporate prayer meetings, I often find myself crying out for more of the Lord. In doing so I am seeking to be filled to the brim with the goodness of God even to the overflowing....!

6. God's Goodness is found in the local church, the Bride of Christ

Jer 31:12 "Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, streaming to the goodness of the Lord - for wheat and new wine and oil, for the young of the flock and the herd; their souls shall be like a well-watered garden, and they shall sorrow no more"

The wheat is like the pure word of God. The wine & the oil is the sweetness of the Holy Spirit. Truly those who feed themselves with the wheat, the wine and the oil will never be thirsty or dry.

7. God's Goodness leads us to repentance

Rom 2:4 "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?"

It is the goodness (forbearance & longsuffering) of God that is going to lead my mother to repentance not my own goodness, no matter how much I give her in monthly allowance, no matter how much good deeds I seem to do for her...surely nothing can move her heart to call upon Jesus but the riches of His goodness which will lead her to repentance.

8. God's Goodness will enable us & empower us to do His will

2 Thess 1:11 "Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power"

In the prayer ministry and in my LG - I really need the "good pleasure of His goodness" in order to work of faith with power.

9. God's Goodness gives us hope in times of trouble

Ps 27:13 "I would have lost heart, unless I have believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living"

As long as I know that there is the goodness of God reaching out to me to help me through my tough times, there will always be hope for me in all the trials I am going through.

10. God's Goodness will keep us in the right path

Prov 2:20 "So you may walk in the way of goodness, and keep to the path of righteousness"

To walk in the path of righteousness is to walk in the path of goodness. 

What does God wants me to do? I believe He wants me to release faith for His goodness in my life by giving thanks to Him.

Ps 107:8 "Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"

Ps 107:15 "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"

Ps 107:21 "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"

Ps 107:31 "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"

LORD bless me & my family with Your Goodness in every area of our lives - work, family, ministry. In Jesus Name. Amen

Giving to God always leads to abundance - Principle no 5

When I first started this series on giving to help me prepare my offering messages on Sunday, I thought there were only 5 principles. However as I continued to meditate on the messages the Holy Spirit laid upon my heart, I realized that the list expanded!

So I will no longer limit myself to 5 principles but will flow with the Holy Spirit as He gives me the teaching & the revelation.

The 5th principle of giving (and there is more to come) is that "Giving to God always leads to abundance".

Coming back to the famous phrase that Jesus remarked when asked by someone in the crowd "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me" - "One's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possess" this remark is so deep and rich in wisdom and meaning indeed!

This famous phrase in Luke 12:15 is quoted everywhere, even in non-Christian publications - "One's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses".

Pause for a moment and reflect. 

Jesus did not actually answer the question as to what then should consist the "abundance" that we should possess. Jesus only answered in the negative. "Nay, you are wrong. Abundance is not in your physical possessions!"

Searching the word "abundance", I realized that it appears 77 times in the Bible. In the OT the reference is mostly to physical stuff - goats, herds, iron, money, bronze, gold, grain, wine, riches.

However there are verses in the OT and especially in the NT where abundance does not refer to physical things but to intangible things!

I found out that there are 7 of them that I really need:

1. Abundance of honor

2 Chron 17:5 - Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance. Now who does not want that? I certainly need "honor in abundance" in my job to clinch that promotion! 

"Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah gave presents to Jehoshaphat, and he had riches and honor in abundance" 2 Chron 17: 5

2. Abundance of peace

Now I really need this especially when my work gets really tough and all I want is to throw in the towel! (Quit lah...)!

Ps 37:11 "The meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in abundance of peace"

3. Abundance of goodness

Ps 65: 11 "You the crown the year with Your goodness, Your paths drip with abundance"

We have to take God's paths in 2014 in order to enjoy this "dripping with abundance"! Imagine 365 days of the year....everyday dripping with abundance!

4. Abundance of truth

Jer 33:6 "...I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace & truth"

5. Abundance of grace

Romans 5:17 "For if by one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ"

Abundance of grace is needed for every good work.

2 Cor 9:8 "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have abundance for every good work"

6. Abundance of joy

2 Cor 8:2 "that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality"

Giving to God will give us abundance of joy!

7. Abundance of revelations 

2 Cor 12:7 "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me...."


To be continued.....

Giving breaks the covetous tendency in us - Principle no 4

To be shared on Nov 24 - offering exhortation

When Jesus was talking and teaching, a man suddenly interuppted Him from the crowd "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." Luke 12:13-15.

I was just wondering what was in the man's mind when Jesus was teaching. Was he not listening to what the Lord was saying? Why did he suddenly blurted out this request in the middle of nowhere? Whatever triggered him to ask the Lord of this request?

Perhaps this was something that he wanted to ask the Lord all along. Perhaps this was something that was bothering him and he was just waiting for the chance to make this petition to the Lord. Unlike others who came with requests for healing, he came with this request about money!

However from what he spoke, it was clear that something manifested when he opened his mouth to make this request. The spirit of covetousness just skimmed to the surface and out of his mouth he revealed a self-seeking heart attitude. 

This incident recorded in Luke really made me do some hard- thinking...I am wondering "Lord, am I like that in my prayer life? Do I ask things of you out of a covetous or self-seeking attitude? Unconsciously or sub-consciously in my prayer life would I have been asking for this kind of things from you?"

I guess left to my own devices, I would have been the same as this man being self-seeking in my prayers and obviously with a tendency to be covetous as well. Give me...give me...give me....!

It is only in praying in the Spirit a lot that I am finding my prayers being aligned to the will of God!

Just look at all the Cantonese soap operas. Fiction they may be but they are not far from the truth. Families have broken up because of fight over inheritances and money. In real life we seek it happening again and again especially among rich families.

God seems to know that without us receiving any teaching or stories on giving we would most likely be praying covetously.

Almost one third of the Gospels say something about money:

1. The rich young ruler whom Jesus asked to sell all and follow him (not that the Lord was going to leave him destitute but I believed that he lost out on the greater riches that Jesus had planned to give him).

2. In the debate on whether we should pay our taxes, Jesus told the people to render to Caesar what was Caesar's and to God what is God's.

3. Parable of the talents.

4. Widow who threw in her last 2 mites.

5. Lazarus and the rich man.

6. The prodigal son who got his inheritance in advance only to waste it all on wasteful spending and later to realize that the love of his father went beyond money and material possessions. Money was incapable for buying him unconditional love.

7. Jesus overturned the tables of the money-changers in the temple.

8. Parable of the rich fool. He thought that he could tear down his barns to build more barns to store his material possessions only to have his life taken from him that night itself when he was planning all this in his mind!

9. The parable of the shrewd steward.

10. The man who asked the Lord to ask his brother for the share of his inheritance.

Luke 12:13-15

"Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me" But He said "Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?" And He said to them "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses"

Jesus is giving us a warning. He wants us to guard against covetousness. Man does seem to have a covetous tendency or a covetous streak. Covetousness can be seen in our actions, speech and even in our prayers. Covetousness is not just about money alone, it can be just envying another person's success, family-life or material possessions.

What is the abundance that Jesus wants us to have?

John 10:10 - the spiritual abundance here speaks of the intangible things of the Spirit i.e. life, love, joy, peace, blessing, favor, eternal life - these things are the abundance that God wants us to have. This kind of abundance cannot be measured in material possessions.

Giving is one way to break this covetous streak or tendency. When we give to God our tithes, offering, gifts, talents, worship, resources we will experience:

- healing from poverty
- deliverance from covetousness
- shifting of priorities from the things of the world to the things of God
- re-aligning of our spiritual focus
- streamlining our spiritual perspective to focus on the main thing. Keep the main thing the main thing.

Today when we give, let us determine to ask God to keep us from the covetous tendency. Let us ask yield ourselves to God for Him to break every covetous spirit in us, confess every wrong priority in our lives, confess the pursuit of money without regard to the things of God. 

Give more than you normally give in order to experience the abundance that Jesus promised us!

Giving is a Christian lifestyle - the 3rd principle of giving

Shared in church on Oct 13

What do you think is a Christian lifestyle?

Lifestyle is defined as:

"A way of life or a style of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or a group"

Today people adopt many lifestyles: shopping lifestyle, exercise lifestyle, travelling lifestyle, working lifestyle. In fact some of us adopt what I call the "smartphone lifestyle" where our hands are glued on the smartphone for the most part of our waking hours - playing games, updating our Facebook or simply emailing!

These are the physical lifestyles that a person can adopt but we must not neglect the spiritual lifestyle which has the ability to influence all other areas of our life.

There are 3 features or characteristics of the lifestyle of a sincere Christian:

1. Giving
2. Praying
3. Fasting

Today for us to grow as a Christian or disciple of the Lord the aspects of this lifestyle is non-negotiable.

Matthew 6: 2-3 "When you give..." (2x)

Matthew 6:5-7 "When you pray...." (3x)

Matthew 6:16-17 "When you fast...." (2x)

The word used is "when". It is not "if" thus a believer who desires to grow has no option on the same!

The 3 aspects are so important to the Lord that He gave us several guidelines to follow in Matthew 6 concerning each of these principles.

Cornelius comes to mind when I think of an example in the Bible of someone who has adopted this lifestyle even though he was not a Christian in the sense of the word.

He gave (Acts 10:2), he prayed to God always (Acts 10:2) and he fasted (Acts 10:30). As we all know not only was he blessed with salvation and the baptisms, his entire household also experienced the same blessings!

When we adopt giving as a lifestyle we will never be barren or unfruitful. Titus 3:14 "And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs that they may not be unfruitful'

"Doing good works" and "giving to needs" are in actual fact acts of giving. 

Truly a lifestyle of giving is not just limited to giving our money (which is very important) but it also involves a spirit of giving or a heart of giving. When in the spirit of giving - we give of our tithes and offering, we give to those in need, we give of our time, energy, talents, gifts, energy, love, resources to do God's work - we are sowing seeds that will bring forth a great harvest. A harvest of financial blessings and richness/abundance in every area of our life!

This coming Christmas, even as you give your offering today, consider the giving of your time to be involved in CPAS, to invite your friends & family or just to simply pray for this event corporately with others whenever there is a call to do so.

What were we created for?

This short message was shared as part of the offering exhortation in church last Sunday:

What were we created for?

I believe that God created us for 3 main reasons:

1. To give Him pleasure

Remember the song "Thou art worthy, thou art worthy O Lord. For thou hast created, hast all things created, thou hast created all things. And for thy pleasure they were created, thou art worthy O Lord"

Col 1:16 "For by Him all things were created...in heaven and on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him"

2. For good works

Eph 2:10 "For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them"

3. For true righteousness and holiness

Eph 4:24 "That you put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness"

The widow's oil

This wonderful message was shared by Philip Mantofa at the recent Jubilee prayers at CCC. He said that he just received it on the spot whilst worshiping with us.

2 Kings 4:1-8

"A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.”

² So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”

³ Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. ⁴ And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.”So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. ⁶ Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.”

And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased. ⁷ Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”

Sometimes the church is just like the "widow". The church sees its lack and inability to overcome the enemy - "the creditor" who is prowling around like a roaring lion seeking whom it may devour.

The church does not realize that it has the potential to defeat the "creditor" even if all it has is a "little oil"!

Like the widow, we should go out to our "neighbors", those around us in our sphere of influence, our contacts, our family members and loved ones to borrow their "vessels" to pour the oil  even if our oil is very little. In going out we have to knock on doors and to make contact and connection with them. In going out to share with our neighbors, we will begin to stop focusing on our lack but start focusing on others.

Like the widow we need to pour our little oil into these vessels to fill them up. We pour out the Holy Spirit who is in our heart into these vessels that we are reaching out to and whom we are touching with the love of God.

When we do that the little oil will continue to flow and begin to increase and overflow in our lives and fill up many empty jars even till the very last jar!

Cerita Kornelius

Cerita Kornelius

Cerita ini adalah cerita yang menarik.

Kornelius seorang bangsa Itali. Dia bekerja untuk kerajaan Rom sebagai seorang pegawai tinggi mengendalikan askar-askar Rom sebanyak 480 orang.

Kira-kira 65% askar-askar Rom masa Kornelius datangnya dari bangsa Itali.  Kemungkinan besar semua askar-askarnya datang dari Itali. Kornelius merupakan pegawai tinggi dalam regimen askar Rom kerana ia mempunyai orang suruhan. Lebih lagi keluarganya dapat tinggal bersamanya sekadar darjat seorang pegawai tinggi.

Kerendahan hati Kornelius

Walaupun orang-orang Rom masa itu menganggap orang Yunani sebagai orang berpangkat rendah, tetapi Kornelius tidak menpunyai tanggapan tersebut. Dia tidak angkuh. Dia tidak prejudis terhadap orang Yunani. Malahan dia percaya kepada Tuhan Yahweh, Tuhan orang-orang Yunani. Dia seorang yang amat rendah hati dan tidak sombong langsung.

Walaupun di kelilingi patong-patong tuhan-tuhan orang Rom, Kornelius tetap percaya kepada Tuhan yang Satu dan bukan banyak tuhan-tuhan.

Dia sering menolong mereka yang miskin, beribadat dan selalu berdoa kepada Allah.

Kisah Rasul-Rasul 10:1-5

“Di Kaisarea ada seorang laki-laki bernama Kornelius. Ia seorang kapten "Pasukan Italia. Ia orang yang takut kepada Allah dan seluruh keluarganya beribadat kepada Allah. Ia banyak menolong orang-orang Yahudi yang miskin, dan ia selalu berdoa kepada Allah.”

“Pada suatu hari kira-kira pukul tiga siang ia melihat dengan jelas dalam suatu penglihatan, seorang malaikat Allah datang dan memanggil dia, "Kornelius!”. Kornelius memandang malaikat itu dengan ketakutan lalu berkata, "Ada apa Tuan?"

Malaikat itu menjawab, "Doamu dan kemurahan hatimu sudah diterima oleh Allah dan Allah ingat kepadamu. Sekarang suruhlah orang ke Yope memanggil Simon yang nama lengkapnya Simon Petrus. Ia sedang menumpang di rumah seorang penyamak kulit bernama Simon, yang tinggal di tepi pantai."

Kesucian hati Kornelius

Memang jelas hatinya adalah hati yang suci dan baik. Dia juga selalu berdoa kepada Tuhan yang maha esa, Tuhan yang satu dan bukan pelbagai Tuhan.

Kesucian hatinya semakin ketara sehingga suatu hari seorang malaikat Allah menjelma di depannya dan memberikannya arahan tertentu untuk mencari Petrus.

Memanglah tabiatnya untuk berdoa pada masa-masa yang tertentu tiap-tiap hari kepada Tuhan Allah orang Yahudi.

Kisah Rasul 10:22

“Mereka menjawab, "Kapten Kornelius menyuruh kami kemari. Ia seorang yang baik dan takut kepada Allah, serta sangat dihormati oleh semua orang Yahudi. Seorang malaikat Allah menyuruh dia minta Tuan datang ke rumahnya karena, sebagai jawaban atas doanya, ia disuruh mendengarkan apa yang akan Tuan katakan kepadanya."  Maka Petrus mempersilakan mereka masuk untuk menginap di situ. Besoknya Petrus bangun dan pergi bersama-sama mereka. Beberapa orang percaya dari Yope pun ikut juga.

Kemurahan hati Kornelius

Bukan sehaja dia beribadat dan berdoa, Kornelius juga banyak menolong orang-orang Yahudi yang miskin. Sebagai seorang Itali dia tidak dibenarkan ke jemaah Yahudi kerana dia tidak disunat tetapi dia tetap memberi sedekah dan membina tempat-tempat ibadat untuk orang Yahudi.

Kehormatannya terhadap hamba Allah

Jelas sekali Kornelius amat menyanjungi Petrus yang telah dihantar kepadanya oleh malaikat Tuhan yang memberi utusan. Walaupun dia seorang yang berpangkat tinggi dia sanggup sujud apabila berjumpa dengan Petrus yang datang ke rumahnya.

Dia telah sedar bahawa Petrus merupakan hamba Allah yang membawa berita baik jadi dia telah mengumpul ahli-ahli keluarganya berkumpul untuk mendengarnya.

Kisah Rasul 10:25

“Ketika Petrus sampai, Kornelius pergi menyambut dia dan sujud di hadapannya. Tetapi Petrus menolong dia berdiri, lalu berkata, "Bangunlah! Saya sendiri pun manusia juga." Sementara berbicara dengan Kornelius, Petrus masuk ke dalam rumah. Di situ ia melihat banyak orang sudah berkumpul.”

Ketua keluarga yang mempunyai sifat kerohanian

Memang patutnya seorang ketua keluarga mempunyai hati dan sikap rohani. Ini adalah kerana ahli-ahli keluarganya akan mengikut imannya sebagai contoh.

Petrus terus menginjil kepada seluruh keluarga Kornelius kerana telah dibenarkannya. Korneliuslah yang telah mengumpul ahli-ahli keluarganya untuk mendengar Berita Baik.

Sebenarnya Kornelius terus beribadat dengan seluruh keluarganya. 

Jadi senanglah untuk Petrus mengajari mereka tentang Yesus Kristus.

Selepas dikhabarkan Berita Baik, semua keluarganya menerima baptisan Roh Kudus dan juga terus dibaptiskan dengan air!

Kisah Rasul 10:37

“Kalian tahu apa yang sudah terjadi di seluruh Yudea, yaitu yang mulai dari Galilea sesudah baptisan yang dianjurkan oleh Yohanes. Kalian tahu bahwa Allah sudah memilih Yesus orang Nazaret itu dan memberikan kepada-Nya Roh Allah dan kuasa. Kalian tahu juga bahwa Yesus itu pergi ke mana-mana untuk berbuat baik; Ia menyembuhkan semua orang yang dikuasai oleh Iblis, sebab Allah menyertai Dia.

Kami inilah orang-orang yang sudah melihat sendiri segala sesuatu yang Ia lakukan di negeri orang Yahudi dan di Yerusalem. Meskipun begitu mereka menyalibkan dan membunuh Dia. Tetapi pada hari yang ketiga Allah menghidupkan Dia lagi dari kematian dan memperlihatkan Dia kepada manusia;
tidak kepada semua orang, melainkan hanya kepada kami yang sudah dipilih oleh Allah terlebih dahulu untuk menjadi saksi-saksi-Nya: Kami makan dan minum dengan Dia sesudah Ia hidup kembali dari kematian.

Dan Ia menyuruh kami memberitakan Kabar Baik itu kepada orang-orang dan memberi kesaksian bahwa Ialah yang diangkat oleh Allah menjadi Hakim orang-orang yang masih hidup dan orang-orang yang sudah mati.

Semua nabi-nabi berbicara tentang Dia. Mereka berkata bahwa semua orang yang percaya kepada Yesus, akan diampuni dosanya dengan kekuasaan dari Yesus."

Sementara Petrus masih berbicara, Roh Allah turun dan menguasai semua orang yang mendengar berita itu. Orang-orang Yahudi yang percaya kepada Yesus dan mengikuti Petrus dari Yope, semuanya heran melihat Allah memberikan juga Roh-Nya kepada orang-orang bangsa lain yang bukan Yahudi.

Sebab mereka mendengar orang-orang itu berbicara dalam pelbagai bahasa dan memuji-muji kebesaran Allah. Lalu Petrus berkata, "Coba lihat, orang-orang ini sudah mendapat Roh Allah seperti kita. Jadi dapatkah orang menghalang-halangi mereka untuk dibaptis dengan air?" Maka Petrus menyuruh mereka dibaptis atas nama Yesus Kristus. Setelah itu mereka minta supaya Petrus tinggal dengan mereka beberapa hari lamanya.”

Kesimpulan:

1.     Kornelius seorang yang rendah hati, tidak sombong atau angkuh

2.     Kornelius seorang yang bersifat kerohanian dan benar-benar mencari Tuhan Allah yang benar untuk disembah

3.     Kornelius seorang ketua keluarga yang menyayangi keluarganya sehingga sanggup mengumpul ahli-ahli keluarganya supaya dapat mendengar Berita Baik

4.     Kornelius seorang yang suka berdoa walaupun dia tidak banyak mengetahui tentang baptisan Roh Kudus atau baptisan air.

Bahasa Roh Kudus

Berdoa dengan pertolongan Roh Kudus adalah akibat daripada

perhubungan kita dengan Tuhan.

Roh Kudus akan menolong kita berdoa. Dia akan berdoa melalui 

kita dan melalui kita.

Apakah itu Bahasa Roh?

Ia adalah bahasa malaikat.

1 Korintus 13:1

“Meskipun saya dapat berbicara dengan berbagai bahasa manusia,

bahkan dengan bahasa malaikat sekalipun, tetapi saya tidak 

mengasihi orang lain, maka ucapan-ucapan saya itu hanya bunyi 

yang nyaring tanpa arti.”

Siapakah yang boleh berdoa dalam Bahasa Roh?

Sesiapa yang percaya pada Yesus Kristus dan telah membuka 

hatinya kepada Roh Kudus.

Kisah Para Rasul 2:38

“Petrus menjawab, "Bertobatlah dari dosa-dosamu. Dan hendaklah 

kalian masing-masing dibaptiskan atas nama Yesus Kristus, supaya 

dosa-dosamu diampuni. Maka Saudara-saudara akan menerima 

hadiah Roh Allah dari Allah.”

Kisah Para Rasul 10:44-46

“Sementara Petrus masih berbicara, Roh Allah turun dan 

menguasai semua orang yang mendengar berita itu. Orang-orang 

Yahudi yang percaya kepada Yesus dan mengikuti Petrus dari 

Yope, semuanya heran melihat Allah memberikan juga Roh-Nya

kepada orang-orang bangsa lain yang bukan Yahudi.

Sebab mereka mendengar orang-orang itu berbicara dalam pelbagai

bahasa dan memuji-muji kebesaran Allah."

Kisah Para Rasul 19:1

“Sementara Apolos berada di Korintus, Paulus sedang menjelajahi pedalaman daerah itu lalu tiba di Efesus. Di sana ia berjumpa dengan beberapa orang yang sudah percaya kepada Yesus.

Ia bertanya kepada mereka, "Sudahkah Saudara-saudara menerima Roh Allah ketika kalian percaya kepada Yesus?" Mereka menjawab, "Belum. Malah kami tidak pernah mendengar bahwa ada Roh Allah." Kalau begitu, dengan baptisan apakah kalian dibaptis?" tanya Paulus. "Dengan baptisan Yohanes," jawab mereka.

Lalu Paulus berkata, "Yohanes membaptis orang untuk menyatakan bahwa orang-orang itu sudah bertobat dari dosa-dosa mereka. Tetapi sementara itu juga Yohanes memberitahukan kepada orang-orang Israel bahwa mereka harus percaya kepada Orang yang akan datang kemudian daripadanya, yaitu Yesus."

Ketika mereka mendengar itu, mereka dibaptis atas nama Tuhan Yesus.

Dan pada waktu Paulus meletakkan tangannya ke atas mereka, Roh Allah menguasai mereka, lalu mereka mulai berbicara dalam bahasa-bahasa yang aneh serta menyampaikan berita dari Allah. Jumlah mereka semuanya ada kira-kira dua belas orang.”

Apakah peranan Roh Kudus dalam doa kita?

1.     Menolong kita untuk suka berdoa

Zakharia 12:10

“Kemudian keturunan Daud serta penduduk Yerusalem akan 

Kuberi hati yang suka mengasihani dan suka berdoa. Mereka akan 

memandang dia yang telah mereka tikam dan meratapinya seperti 

orang meratapi kematian anak tunggal. Mereka akan meratap 

dengan pilu, seperti orang yang telah kehilangan anak sulung.”

2.     Menolong kita berdoa dan berdoa melalui kita

Roma 8:26

“Begitu juga Roh Allah datang menolong kita kalau kita lemah. 

Sebab kita tidak tahu bagaimana seharusnya kita berdoa; Roh itu 

sendiri menghadap Allah untuk memohonkan bagi kita dengan 

kerinduan yang sangat dalam sehingga tidak dapat diucapkan.”

3.     Menolong kita berdoa dengan bahasa ajaib

1 Korintus 14:14-15

“Sebab kalau saya berdoa dengan bahasa yang ajaib, roh saya 

memang berdoa, tetapi pikiran saya tidak bekerja. Jadi, saya harus 

berbuat apa? Ini yang akan saya buat: Saya akan berdoa dengan roh

saya, tetapi saya akan berdoa juga dengan pikiran saya. Saya akan 

bernyanyi dengan roh saya, tetapi saya mau menyanyi juga dengan

pikiran saya.”

4.     Menolong kita dikuasai/pengaruhi Roh Kudus

Efesus 5:18

“Janganlah kalian mabuk oleh anggur, sebab itu akan merusakkan 

kalian. Sebaliknya, hendaklah kalian dikuasai oleh Roh Allah”

5.     Bahasa doa Roh Kudus ialah Bahasa Roh/ajaib

Roma 8:26

6.     Bahasa doa Roh Kudus akan menolong kita berbicara dengan Allah

1 Korintus 4:2

“Orang yang berbicara dalam bahasa yang ajaib, orang itu 

bukannya berbicara kepada manusia; ia berbicara kepada Allah.

Tidak ada orang yang mengerti apa yang ia katakan, sebab Roh

Allah yang menyebabkan ia mengucapkan hal-hal yang hanya 

diketahui Allah.”

7.     Bahasa doa Roh adalah untuk menguatkan iman kita

1 Korintus 14:4

“Orang yang berbicara dalam bahasa yang ajaib hanya menguatkan

dirinya sendiri saja, sedangkan orang yang menyampaikan berita 

dari Allah menolong jemaat menjadi maju.”

Jude 20

“Tetapi kalian, Saudara-saudaraku, binalah terus hidupmu 

berdasarkan percayamu kepada Yesus Kristus. Imanmu itu sangat 

suci. Sementara itu berdoalah dengan kuasa Roh Allah,”

8.     Bahasa doa Roh Kudus akan menolong kita menentang ajaran salah

Yudas 4

“Sebab tanpa kita sadari, ada oknum-oknum tertentu yang

menyelusup masuk ke tengah-tengah kita. Mereka orang-orang

bejat yang memutarbalikkan berita tentang rahmat Allah kita, 

untuk mendapat kesempatan melampiaskan hawa nafsu mereka. 

Dan mereka menolak Yesus Kristus, satu-satunya Penguasa dan 

Tuhan kita. Sejak dahulu hukuman untuk mereka sudah 

dinubuatkan dalam Alkitab.”

Yudas 19-20

“Mereka inilah orang-orang yang menimbulkan perpecahan. 

Mereka tidak dikuasai oleh Roh Allah, melainkan oleh keinginan-

keinginan tabiat duniawi. Tetapi kalian, Saudara-saudaraku, binalah

terus hidupmu berdasarkan percayamu kepada Yesus Kristus. 

Imanmu itu sangat suci. Sementara itu berdoalah dengan kuasa 

Roh Allah”

Cara-cara berdoa

Terdapat 5 cara untuk kita berdoa.

1.     Memberi pujian

2.     Mengakui dosa kita

3.     Meminta untuk diri sendiri

4.     Meminta untuk orang lain

5.     Berterima kasih sentiasa

1.     Memberi pujian

Pujilah Tuhan untuk kemegahanNya dan kebesaranNya. Cinta 

Tuhan terhadap kita berlimpah-limpah.  Hendaklah kita berikan 

Tuhan Allah segala pujian yang patut.

Wahyu 4:11

“Ya Tuhan, ya Allah kami! Engkau sajalah yang layak menerima pujian, hormat dan kuasa. Sebab Engkaulah pencipta segala sesuatu, dan atas kehendak-Mu juga segala sesuatu itu telah terjadi dan hidup."

Berilah satu daripada sifat Tuhan yang boleh kita berikan pujian.

2.     Mengakui dosa atau kesalahan kita

Doa ini dipanggil doa pengakuan.  Doa kita akan lebih efektif

jikalau hati kita bersih dari segala kemarahan atau rasa benci.

Lukas 15:21

“'Ayah,' kata anak itu, 'aku sudah berdosa terhadap Allah dan terhadap Ayah. Tidak layak lagi aku disebut anak Ayah.'”

1 Yohanes 1:9

“Tetapi kalau kita mengakui dosa-dosa kita kepada Allah, Ia akan menepati janji-Nya dan melakukan apa yang adil. Ia akan mengampuni dosa-dosa kita dan membersihkan kita dari segala perbuatan kita yang salah.”

3.     Meminta untuk diri kita sendiri

Matius 6:9-13

'”Bapa kami di surga: Engkaulah Allah yang Esa. Semoga Engkau 

disembah dan dihormati.  Engkaulah Raja kami. Semoga Engkau

memerintah di bumi dan kehendak-Mu ditaati seperti di surga.

Berilah pada hari ini makanan yang kami perlukan. Ampunilah 

kami dari kesalahan kami, seperti kami sudah mengampuni orang 

yang bersalah kepada kami.

Janganlah membiarkan kami kehilangan percaya pada waktu kami 

dicobai tetapi lepaskanlah kami dari kuasa si Jahat. (Engkaulah 

Raja yang berkuasa dan mulia untuk selama-lamanya. Amin.)”

4.     Meminta untuk orang lain

Yohanes 4:46-47

“Kemudian Yesus kembali ke Kana di Galilea, di mana Ia pernah

mengubah air menjadi anggur. Di kota itu ada seorang pegawai 

pemerintah, anaknya sedang sakit di Kapernaum.

Ketika ia mendengar bahwa Yesus telah datang ke Galilea dari 

Yudea, ia pergi kepada Yesus dan minta Yesus datang ke 

Kapernaum untuk menyembuhkan anaknya yang hampir mati.

Yesus berkata kepada pegawai pemerintah itu, "Kalau kalian tidak

melihat keajaiban-keajaiban, kalian tidak percaya."

Tuan," jawab pegawai pemerintah itu, "cepatlah datang sebelum anak saya mati." Kata Yesus kepadanya, "Pergilah, anakmu sembuh." Orang itu percaya akan perkataan Yesus, lalu ia pergi. Di tengah jalan, pelayan-pelayannya datang kepadanya dan mengabarkan, "Anak Tuan sudah sembuh." Lalu ia bertanya kepada mereka pukul berapa anak itu mulai sembuh. Mereka menjawab, "Kemarin kira-kira pukul satu tengah hari demamnya hilang."

 Lalu ayah anak itu teringat bahwa pada saat itulah Yesus berkata kepadanya, "Anakmu sembuh." Maka ia dan seluruh keluarganya percaya kepada Yesus. Itulah keajaiban kedua yang dibuat Yesus di Galilea setelah Ia datang dari Yudea.”

5.     Berterima kasih selalu

Lukas 17:11-19

“Dalam perjalanan ke Yerusalem, Yesus melalui daerah perbatasan Samaria dan Galilea. Waktu memasuki sebuah kampung, Ia didatangi sepuluh orang yang berpenyakit kulit yang mengerikan. Mereka berdiri dari jauh dan berteriak, "Yesus! Tuan! Kasihanilah kami!"

Waktu Yesus melihat mereka, Ia berkata, "Pergilah kepada imam-

imam, minta mereka memeriksa badanmu." Sementara mereka 

berjalan, hilanglah penyakit mereka.  Ketika seorang dari mereka 

menyadari bahwa ia sudah sembuh, ia kembali sambil bersorak-

sorak memuji Allah.

Lalu di depan Yesus, ia sujud dan mengucap terima kasih kepada-

Nya. Orang itu seorang Samaria.  Kemudian Yesus berkata, "Bukankah ada sepuluh orang yang disembuhkan? Di mana yang sembilan lagi?  Mengapa hanya orang asing ini yang kembali mengucap terima kasih kepada Allah?"

Lalu Yesus berkata kepada orang itu, "Bangunlah, dan pergilah

Karena engkau percaya kepada-Ku, engkau sembuh."

Berapa orang yang telah disembuh Yesus?

Berapa orang telah berterima kasih kepadaNya?