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Sunday, May 14, 2006
In 1995, I was so emotionally, physically, spiritually and mentally exhausted, because there was no revival in church for a long time. We tried everything, from casting out demons, to getting grounded in the Word, to having many prayer meetings, having 26 conferences in a year! But we were still not growing. We were stagnating. Friends of mine, like Job's friends, came to me and said, "It's okay to stagnate, don't be so greedy."
I was very discouraged. I was desperate. Deep in my heart, I cried out a prayer, "Jesus, Lord, what must I do I need to do to take City Harvest to the next level of breakthrough? What must I do to grow the church?"
Then, the Holy Spirit came to me in conversation that would change us forever. He told me to read Mark 22:37-38.
Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’This is the first and great commandment.
I have read this verse, like a hundred times before, but the Holy Spirit asked me to read over and over, for 40 times! But I couldn't get it, I was so frustrated. Then He said, sum up what this verse says. "God, this is so simple", I said, "it means Loving God whole-heartedly."
Then He asked me to read on.
And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
He asked me to read it again for 40 times! And He told me to sum it up again. So I said, "Loving people fervently."
So the Holy Spirit said, "look at Verse 40."
"On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
What is the Law, Kong?
"It is everything that I must do and what I cannot do."
Then who are the Prophets?
"They are the one who give the visions."
Then, it suddenly struck me, like someone flipped on the switch. I suddenly understood.
The primary purpose of God is to see people saved.
Everything that I do and all the visions should be based on these two things. Based on loving God and loving people.
Which means praying, teaching seminars, prophesying, casting out demons, were all secondary. If you claim to love God, you would love people.
It suddenly became crystal clear to me, that the way I can express my love for God, is to bring souls to Christ!
This is also how God demonstrated His love for us!
This is the primary purpose of God.
I mean, you can be deep in the Word, prophesy and all, but not lead a single soul to Jesus. For almost a thousand years, the Christians were so holy that they locked themselves in the monastries in Europe, while the whole world plunged into darkness. Because the gospel of Jesus was not preached to the world!
How do we push back the darkness in the land? Jesus is the light of the world! His light will dispel darkness, and when He lives in you, you become like a little candlestick, shining for God in the dark. How do make a place as bright as possible? By having lots of candlesticks to dispel the darkness!
Maybe you were wondering why is your fire waning? Why is your excitement growing cold? Miracles in the spiritual house never need to come to an end. I don't want to look back to the good old days, I want to live in the present! I want God's presence today!
2 Kings 4:3-6 Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few.
There are so many empty vessels around for us to bring to Jesus to fill! Jesus told us to find a hurt and heal it, meet needs.
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 kept pouring.
If you keep bringing empty vessels, God will fill them to the brim and overflowing. Jesus is the answer for the world. Your job is to bring them in, and God's job is to fill them. It was a miracle in the house of God that the oil kept flowing, and this miracle, this revival will start flowing!
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.”
Sometimes we say, "don't ask me to invite my friends, I'm too tired, I'm just here to be fed, I don't need to bring so many vessels, don't be so greedy.
So the oil ceased.
Miracles, anointing, will come to an end when there's no more empty vessels to be filled.
Daddy, in Jesus mighty name, I know it's Your primary purpose to love You, and love the lost. Help me to bring in empty vessels, and as I bring them in, the miracle in the house of God will keep on flowing, Your oil will keep flowing. Give me boldness, courage, favour, anointing to be a soul winner. Carve this in me all my life, O God, that I will never forget that You love the lost. Help me to love the lost like You do.
I come against any spirit of disunity in cell group, of slander, of gossip, of proud attitude. You said that a place of agreement is a place of power! I want Your Spirit to pour into the lives of this cell group members, and we will go out and bring in more empty vessels to be filled. We are hungry for You. Won't You come?
We will bring, give us everything we need to do so. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.
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Eveline pops at |10:52 PM|
Captivate my heart, dear Jesus
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Jerusalem Church
Sermon by Rev Kong Hee
Sermon by Rev Kong Hee
In 1995, I was so emotionally, physically, spiritually and mentally exhausted, because there was no revival in church for a long time. We tried everything, from casting out demons, to getting grounded in the Word, to having many prayer meetings, having 26 conferences in a year! But we were still not growing. We were stagnating. Friends of mine, like Job's friends, came to me and said, "It's okay to stagnate, don't be so greedy."
I was very discouraged. I was desperate. Deep in my heart, I cried out a prayer, "Jesus, Lord, what must I do I need to do to take City Harvest to the next level of breakthrough? What must I do to grow the church?"
Then, the Holy Spirit came to me in conversation that would change us forever. He told me to read Mark 22:37-38.
Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’This is the first and great commandment.
I have read this verse, like a hundred times before, but the Holy Spirit asked me to read over and over, for 40 times! But I couldn't get it, I was so frustrated. Then He said, sum up what this verse says. "God, this is so simple", I said, "it means Loving God whole-heartedly."
Then He asked me to read on.
And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
He asked me to read it again for 40 times! And He told me to sum it up again. So I said, "Loving people fervently."
So the Holy Spirit said, "look at Verse 40."
"On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
What is the Law, Kong?
"It is everything that I must do and what I cannot do."
Then who are the Prophets?
"They are the one who give the visions."
Then, it suddenly struck me, like someone flipped on the switch. I suddenly understood.
The primary purpose of God is to see people saved.
Everything that I do and all the visions should be based on these two things. Based on loving God and loving people.
Which means praying, teaching seminars, prophesying, casting out demons, were all secondary. If you claim to love God, you would love people.
It suddenly became crystal clear to me, that the way I can express my love for God, is to bring souls to Christ!
This is also how God demonstrated His love for us!
This is the primary purpose of God.
I mean, you can be deep in the Word, prophesy and all, but not lead a single soul to Jesus. For almost a thousand years, the Christians were so holy that they locked themselves in the monastries in Europe, while the whole world plunged into darkness. Because the gospel of Jesus was not preached to the world!
How do we push back the darkness in the land? Jesus is the light of the world! His light will dispel darkness, and when He lives in you, you become like a little candlestick, shining for God in the dark. How do make a place as bright as possible? By having lots of candlesticks to dispel the darkness!
Maybe you were wondering why is your fire waning? Why is your excitement growing cold? Miracles in the spiritual house never need to come to an end. I don't want to look back to the good old days, I want to live in the present! I want God's presence today!
2 Kings 4:3-6 Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few.
There are so many empty vessels around for us to bring to Jesus to fill! Jesus told us to find a hurt and heal it, meet needs.
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 kept pouring.
If you keep bringing empty vessels, God will fill them to the brim and overflowing. Jesus is the answer for the world. Your job is to bring them in, and God's job is to fill them. It was a miracle in the house of God that the oil kept flowing, and this miracle, this revival will start flowing!
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.”
Sometimes we say, "don't ask me to invite my friends, I'm too tired, I'm just here to be fed, I don't need to bring so many vessels, don't be so greedy.
So the oil ceased.
Miracles, anointing, will come to an end when there's no more empty vessels to be filled.
Daddy, in Jesus mighty name, I know it's Your primary purpose to love You, and love the lost. Help me to bring in empty vessels, and as I bring them in, the miracle in the house of God will keep on flowing, Your oil will keep flowing. Give me boldness, courage, favour, anointing to be a soul winner. Carve this in me all my life, O God, that I will never forget that You love the lost. Help me to love the lost like You do.
I come against any spirit of disunity in cell group, of slander, of gossip, of proud attitude. You said that a place of agreement is a place of power! I want Your Spirit to pour into the lives of this cell group members, and we will go out and bring in more empty vessels to be filled. We are hungry for You. Won't You come?
We will bring, give us everything we need to do so. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.
Eveline pops at |10:52 PM|