Great Is Your Faith! Be It Done for You as You Desire

Do you ever feel "put-off" or ignored by the Lord?This passage (Matthew 15:21) describes the only occasion in which Jesus ministered outside of Jewish territory. (Tyre and Sidon were fifty miles north of Israel and still exist today in modern Lebanon.) A Gentile woman, a foreigner who was not a member of the Jewish people, puts Jesus on the spot by pleading for his help. At first Jesus seemed to pay no attention to her, and this made his disciples feel embarrassed. Jesus does this to test the woman to awaken faith in her.
Jesus first tests the woman's faithWhat did Jesus mean by the expression "throwing bread to the dogs"? The Jews often spoke of the Gentiles with arrogance and insolence as "unclean dogs" since the Gentiles did not follow God's law and were excluded from God's covenant and favor with the people of Israel. For the Greeks the "dog" was a symbol of dishonor and was used to describe a shameless and audacious woman. There is another reference to "dogs" in Matthew's Gospel where Jesus says to his disciples, "Do not give to dogs what is holy" (Matthew 7:6). Jesus tests this woman's faith to see if she is earnest in receiving holy things from the hand of a holy God. Jesus, no doubt, spoke with a smile rather than with an insult because this woman immediately responds with wit and faith - "even the dogs eat the crumbs".
Seek the Lord Jesus with expectant faithJesus praises a Gentile woman for her faith and for her love. She made the misery of her child her own and she was willing to suffer rebuff in order to obtain healing for her loved one. She also had indomitable persistence. Her faith grew in contact with the person of Jesus. She began with a request and she ended on her knees in worshipful prayer to the living God. No one who ever sought Jesus with earnest faith - whether Jew or Gentile - was refused his help. Do you seek the Lord Jesus with expectant faith?
Lord Jesus, your love and mercy knows no bounds. May I trust you always and pursue you with indomitable persistence as this woman did. Increase my faith in your saving power and deliver me from all evil and harm.
source: From the desk of Don Schwager, hosted by Kairos Europe and the Middle East

Out of the heart come evil thoughts

Where does evil come from and how can we eliminate it from our personal lives? Jesus deals with this issue in response to the religious leaders' concern with ritual defilement (uncleanness) - making oneself unfit to offer acceptable worship and sacrifice to God. The religious leaders were very concerned with avoiding ritual defilement, some no doubt out of reverent fear of God, and others because they wanted to be seen as observant Jews. Jesus points his listeners to the source of true defilement - evil desires which come from inside a person's innermost being. Sin does not just happen from external forces. It first springs from the innermost recesses of our thoughts and intentions, from the secret desires which only the individual mind and heart can conceive.

God gives us his strength to resist sinful thoughts and desires

When Cain became jealous of his brother Abel, God warned him to guard his own heart: "Sin is couching at the door; it's desire is for you, but you must master it" (Genesis 4:7). Cain unfortunately did not take God's warning to heart. He allowed his jealousy to grow into spite and hatred for his brother, and he began to look for an opportunity to eliminate his brother all together. When jealously and other sinful desires come knocking at the door of your heart, how do you respond? Do you entertain them and allow them to overtake you? Fortunately God does not leave us alone in our struggle with hurtful desires and sinful tendencies. He gives us the grace and strength we need to resist and overcome sin when it couches at the door of our heart.

God's word has power to set us free to chose what is good and reject what is wrong

The Lord Jesus wants to set us free from the burden of guilt and from the destructive force of sin and wrong-doing in our personal lives. He wants to purify our hearts and renew our minds so we can freely choose to love and do what is right, good, just, and wise. The Lord Jesus is ready to change and purify our hearts through the grace and help of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Like a physician who probes the wound before treating it, God through his Word and Spirit first brings sin into the light that we may recognize it for what it truly is and call upon his mercy and grace for pardon, healing, and restoration. The Spirit of truth is our Counselor and Helper. His power and grace enables us to choose what is good and to reject what is evil. Do you believe in the power of God's love to heal, change, and transform your heart and mind?

Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and make my heart like yours. Strengthen my heart, mind, and my will that I may freely choose to love what is good and to reject what is evil.

source: From the desk of Don Schwager, 

hosted by Kairos Europe and the Middle East

Out of the heart come evil thoughts

Where does evil come from and how can we eliminate it from our personal lives? Jesus deals with this issue in response to the religious leaders' concern with ritual defilement (uncleanness) - making oneself unfit to offer acceptable worship and sacrifice to God. The religious leaders were very concerned with avoiding ritual defilement, some no doubt out of reverent fear of God, and others because they wanted to be seen as observant Jews. Jesus points his listeners to the source of true defilement - evil desires which come from inside a person's innermost being. Sin does not just happen from external forces. It first springs from the innermost recesses of our thoughts and intentions, from the secret desires which only the individual mind and heart can conceive.

God gives us his strength to resist sinful thoughts and desires 

When Cain became jealous of his brother Abel, God warned him to guard his own heart: "Sin is couching at the door; it's desire is for you, but you must master it" (Genesis 4:7). Cain unfortunately did not take God's warning to heart. He allowed his jealousy to grow into spite and hatred for his brother, and he began to look for an opportunity to eliminate his brother all together. When jealously and other sinful desires come knocking at the door of your heart, how do you respond? Do you entertain them and allow them to overtake you? Fortunately God does not leave us alone in our struggle with hurtful desires and sinful tendencies. He gives us the grace and strength we need to resist and overcome sin when it couches at the door of our heart.

God's word has power to set us free to chose what is good and reject what is wrong

The Lord Jesus wants to set us free from the burden of guilt and from the destructive force of sin and wrong-doing in our personal lives. He wants to purify our hearts and renew our minds so we can freely choose to love and do what is right, good, just, and wise. The Lord Jesus is ready to change and purify our hearts through the grace and help of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Like a physician who probes the wound before treating it, God through his Word and Spirit first brings sin into the light that we may recognize it for what it truly is and call upon his mercy and grace for pardon, healing, and restoration. The Spirit of truth is our Counselor and Helper. His power and grace enables us to choose what is good and to reject what is evil. Do you believe in the power of God's love to heal, change, and transform your heart and mind?

Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and make my heart like yours. Strengthen my heart, mind, and my will that I may freely choose to love what is good and to reject what is evil.

source: From the desk of Don Schwager, 

hosted by Kairos Europe and the Middle East

Worship the Lord, according to His Words

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)

According to the commission of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:10-11)

It is Christ who owns the church which He purchased it with His blood, and He is the Head of all His churches.

Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you guardians, to feed the church of the Lord which he obtained with his own blood. (Acts 20:28) 

He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent. (Colossians 1:18)

Christ alone is the Head of the church as it is His church, and we as the body of Christ, we will stand in His Word, and affirm it as the truth.

God not only appointed a day of worship which is the Sabbath day, but also a way of worship. Therefore, we we should not worship any way we want. 

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24)

Worship is a selfless act of giving and when we give selflessly to our God that worship will be the meaningful experience for us that we and God want it to be.

He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:39)

He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12:25)

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:12)

Thus, we must give of ourselves completely and totally to the worship of God to receive abundant spiritual blessings in return. 

Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back. (Luke 6:38)

You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve. (Matthew 4:10)

We must worship Him according to His word. Every word God was inspired by Him and is without error. 

All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16) 

You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me. (John 5:39)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith. (Romans 1:16)

So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ. (Romans 10:17)

Worship His Majesty, Christ Jesus the King

Majesty worship His Majesty 

Unto Jesus, be all glory,

Power and praise 

Majesty, Kingdom authority 

Flow from His throne, 

Unto his own, His anthem raise. 

So exalt, lift up on high

The Name of Jesus

Magnify, come glorify,

Christ Jesus the King

Majesty, worship His Majesty 

Jesus who died, now glorified,

King of all Kings.

Majesty

Praise & Worhship

Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!

~ Psalm 117:1 ~

God is Glorified by praised in song 

and by worship in prayer 

for his majesty, his love and his faithfulness, 

and thanked for his grace in our lives.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; 

let all the peoples praise you!
~ Psalm 67:3 ~

Sing to God, sing praises to his name; 

lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; 

his name is the Lord; exult before him! 

- Psalm 68:4 ~

I will praise the name of God with a song; 

I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

~ Psalm 69:30 ~

By praise and worship, we focuses on the utter goodness of God, and celebrate his goodness in our lives. Praise and worship is seen throughout in the Word of God, Hymn (Song and Psalm) and in prayers. During prayers in silence, we are encouraged to listen to what the Lord has to say to us. God may reveal to some of us his message of encouragement, exhortation, or consolation through the Holy Spirit. Some will receive the Lord's gift of prophecy during silent praise where he reveal his message to be proclaimed, shared and spoken out to others. We are encouraged to praise and worship God in groups in an atmosphere of love and support for one another in an effort to grow in the knowledge and love of God, and to demonstrate by sharing this love by our attitude towards our brothers and sister in Christ Jesus.

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew 18:20)

When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. (1 Corinthians 14:26)

O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love. (Psalm 59:17)

Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. (Psalm 63:3)

Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! (Psalm 105:2)

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)

That my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! (Psalm 30:12)

An evening of Praise & Worship, Penang on Malaysia Day