SACC ipoh

Touching Lives - Ps Chan

2010-05-31T20:04:00.003+08:00

1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.

God is the source of our love. How well do you display your love for God in the choices you make and the actions you take? How do you show God's love to your neighbor? Is it important that you must first walk in God's way so that others can see the love of God through your life and hence touch theirs. Your choices and actions reflects your life.

Expression of God's love
1 Corinthians 13:4, 6-7 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. Love does not delight in evil but rejoice with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

How do you show love with patient? Do you started shouting around when your husband or children don't wash their plates after dinner? Do you yell at your wife because she didn't wash the clothes?
Love keeps no record of wrong. If you find yourself keep getting angry about the same thing, you should learn not to.

Ephesians 4:25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

Lying to each other disrupts unity by creating conflicts and destroying trust. It tears down relationships and leads to open warfare in a church.

Be excellent workman for God
Ephesians 2:10, 4:12 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

We are God's workmanship (work of art, masterpiece). Our salvation is something only God can do. It is his powerful creative work in us. If God considers us his works of art, we dare not treat ourselves or others with disrespect or as inferior work. Work together the church can express the fullness of Christ

Bring the church to people
When you couldn't invite them to church, why not you go to them? As 2 or 3 gather together, the presence of God will be there. You don't really have to persuade them to come to church or wait for them to come, instead you can go to them.

Pray for the needs, be encouraging & helpful
Let words of encouragement comes out from your mouth & not words of destroying their faiths
Because touching lives with God's love involves warfare to break the strongholds that is holding people from experiencing and tasting His grace and blessings.

The Foundation - Ps Selvaraju

2010-05-23T16:06:00.004+08:00

Luke 6:48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.

I believe the main take-away from today is that in order to have a good life (which all of us want), we need to be firmly grounded in God, so that we can have Jesus, grace.

Grace and Law, are the two main themes for today. Grace gives us a Victorious & Meaningful Life for in Him there is no fear, as the love of God removes all fear [Isaiah 54:14,17] [1 John 4:18].

Law gives us a Religion while on the other hand; grace gives us a Relationship with God. We all know that the law does not save us. Not only that, it puts us under a curse to strive to be righteous when we can never attain it. Nothing we do can save us but only His saving grace can. This is why we need to abide in Him, so that He can abide in us. Moreover, we are called friends if we do what he commands, what a privilege huh... [John 15:14]

Lastly, we need the Understanding to help us to know Him. However, this does not guarantee that we will Experience His power. Just as faith that not backed by action is dead [James 2:17], understanding that is not applied should also not bring forth experiences.

So, how do we get the understanding? How do we apply them so that we can have the fullness of life? Of grace?

We need to read the word of God, pray, and have faith, like what we learnt last week.

Hebrew 11:7 - Ps Dian

2010-05-21T16:33:00.008+08:00

Ps Dian preached 7 points about the faith of Noah:

The Foundation
"being warned by God"
The Measure
he believed in "things not yet seen"
The Power
he was "moved with Godly fear"
The Proof
he "prepared an ark"
The Fruits
"for the saving of his household"
The Function
"by which he condemned the world"
The Reward
and "became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith"

These seven points highlight the kind of faith which Noah have, and which we should model. Firstly, Noah was warned by God. This means that he had the foundation, which is the Word. Faith not grounded by the Word is like a ship without an anchor. It can be swayed by the slightest breath of wind or wave that we face in life. We should read His word with more breadth and depth.

We should also know that our belief, being characterised by faith, looks toward a God that does things in the unseen realm, but affects all. Noah had faith, a faith that believes in things not yet seen. As such, we need to be firm in our foundation so that our faith can be strong to continue to believe. Romans 10:17

In believing, Noah also inherited the fear of the Lord, and moved with great power. Knowing the Word, he acted upon it and the proof of his faith was the ark. Faith does not stop its work at there, it grows in us fruits too. Not just a change in character, it brought about the saving of his household too. We can do the same, and bring about a change in the community that is around us.

Through this believe, the change that was brought about is the acknowledgement of Christ. Revealing the truth about the Jehovah God, our commission.

Though mentioned last, this came the moment faith was activated. The inheritance of righteousnessness as heirs and co-heirs with Christ.

The 5th Commandment - Ps Naba Tan

2010-05-03T21:20:00.002+08:00

Exodus 20:12 Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Filial piety is at the heart of Christianity, unlike what some may think. In fact, the family is one of the most important social unit that He has installed in our lives. Him being called our Abba Father is also another proof of that.

Our parents are an earthly representation of the authority of God over our lives. It is a fact that we as human beings tend to be disobedient, especially when there are nobody watching us. The government knows this, the police knows this, our parents too. God knew too. He knew this way before Adam and Eve were made.

God was able to walk beside our human bodies during the early times to talk to us, guide us and to love us. He cannot do so now, due to disobedience. The fruit was eaten, humans are now fallen. So now, what is the closest earthly figure that can show us the same relationship, guidance and love? Our parents!

Learn to love our parents, and we will learn the ultimate lesson.

To love God.

Elijah's Battle with Depression - Elder Robert Ng

2010-04-15T11:46:00.003+08:00

1 Kings 19:1-18

Jezebel was determined to hunt down Elijah. Even after all that he did in the name of the Lord, he was still in this situation, forced to run for his life. Leaving his servant, Elijah went into the desert wanting to die. In Horeb, the mountain of God, also known as Mount Sinai, Elijah was asked by the Lord, "What are you doing here, Elijah?".

Just like how Adam was asked by God, "Where are you?", Elijah also needed God to help them put their situation into perspective. Our situations can sometimes blind us and confuse us, making us lose sight of God, forgetting His character and His power.

There are three dangers that we may face when serving Him gets tough:

1. Looking at our circumstances instead of looking at God

We should never forget that God can work through any situation, however difficult it may seem. He is the Almighty God. Moreover, it might have been His will for such things to happen. He is in control of everything. We should always recognize God's hand in everything that happens. He enables and get things done, not us.

So, if there is fear in us, or if we are tired, trust in Him that He will accomplish all things. Go to the Besor Ravine to take a sip if we need to, but remember to always look at God.

2. Self-pity syndrome

It is easy to say "I quit" when things get tough. Indeed, we are all human, and we do feel that. Even Elijah wanted to quit, and asked God to end his life. However, if we think that, then we are thinking from a very wrong perspective. Who was it that enabled us to do what we did? Who was it that lead us to where we are? Not us, but the Almighty God.

We should turn our eyes back to Him, and ask Him what is it that He wants us to know.

3. Feeling that you are indispensable

Some of us work very hard. We may have started with a passionate heart, wanting to serve Him. However, did pride set in? Did we start to think that all the things accomplished was by the work of our hands?

We need to check our hearts and humble ourselves before Him. Don't compare, don't be too full of ourselves and don't exaggerate our own problems.

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Let us not be disillusioned by our circumstances. Take His yoke upon ourselves, not the yoke set upon us by the world. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Let us face the things set before us with His strength, not our own.

Sin, sickness, death - Ps Naba Tan

2010-04-09T11:58:00.004+08:00

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die...

All have sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God. We are all sinners. The blood that flows through our veins, contain the blood of disobedience that came through the first man. It is inevitable that we have sin.

Sin, is something that not only affects us. It pains our Creator. It also hurts the people around us. Just as how Adam's sin caused the human race its downfall, our sins will also affect our family members, friends and also brothers and sisters in Christ.

Praise God, that Jesus came. He came to give life, so that we can have it to the full. Free from bondage, free to start on the journey to a better relationship with the God Almighty.

Let us then be reminded of our freedom of choice. The choice given by God Himself. We can either choose to continue sinning, or we can choose to glorify God. Let us check our actions, our speech, our thoughts and also our heart. Let us glorify Him with what can be seen, and also by what is unseen.

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive!

Good Friday Service

2010-04-07T21:07:00.005+08:00

We had a Good Friday Service last Friday night on the 2nd of April.

A short clip was showed from the movie "Passion of Christ" to remind us about how Christ died on the cross for us.

Even though we showed this movie almost every year, it still nailed down to our hearts. Every time I watched this movie I would cry and my heart fell for what Jesus had gone through that day.

Jesus died on the cross on this day over 2k years ago for me and you, for our sins so that we can be reunite with our Father in heaven.

Our dear Pastor Peter Chin is recovering in an amazing speed,give thanks to our God. He returned to Ipoh after a few months resting in Klang and returned on the alter to pray for the church! Praise the Lord!

Last Friday, all witness that he conducted the Holy Communion and sing praises to the Lord.

Pastor is praying before the service starts.

Crucified, laid behind the stone
You lived to die, rejected and alone
Like a rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall and thought me
Above all.

Aunty Rebecca thought it would be meaningful that the Holy Communion should be conducted on Good Friday but then Pastor Clement Peter is not available on that night. So we thought of asking Pastor Peter Chin to conduct it.

This is testimony to all others to see the miracle that God had done!
And all God's people say.... AMEN!!!

Shalom Mission - Ps Selvaraju

2010-04-02T01:12:00.004+08:00

Indeed, as what the apostle Paul has said in the book of Corinthians,

1 Corinthians 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

The once drug addict gangster...

... is now a follower of Christ whom has the overflowing love of God in him.

The testimony of our dear Pastor Selvaraju is one that cannot be described with mere words. The experiences, emotions and most of all, His presence, throughout the journey can only be understood through the one whom speaks it.

Just as how God has used Ps Selvaraju, let us also remind ourselves of one important thing in this very important part of the year. The death of Christ, on the cross, for you and me. Jesus chose to be flogged, tortured and ridiculed. The One seemingly weak was hung on the cross so that through Him, may we be strengthened. Through His death, we receive life.

Life everlasting.

Spirit of Contention - Ps Voon Li

2010-03-24T15:40:00.004+08:00

Genesis 26

The life of Issac is also filled with opposition, unfair at times. In this chapter of Genesis, we can see how Issac was determined at heart not to have the spirit of contention. He did not fight in the face of opposition, though the wells dug are rightfully his, instead he trusted in the Lord to provide room for him to live.

Issac had the men to fight against his oppressors, as in verse 14, we can see that he had many servants. However, he did not. He trusted in the Lord and waited until God gave him and his tribe a place to settle down. We know this was what Issac was thinking as he named the third well Rehoboth, which means 'room to live'.

If God is for us, who can be against us? So, let us not have the spirit of contention. Let us lay down our rights, so that God can have His right to work in us.

Parables by Pastor Naba Tan

2010-03-18T19:31:00.003+08:00

Matthew 13:34-35
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world."

Why does Jesus speak in parables? Does He intend to hide things from the world? The answer is NO!

Matthew 13: 13-14
This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving."

Jesus used many illustrations, or parables, when speaking to the crowds. A parables compares something familiar to something unfamiliar. It helps us understand spiritual truth by using everyday objects and relationships. Parables compel listeners to discover truth, while at the same time concealing the truth from those whom are too lazy or too stubborn to see it. To those we are honestly searching, the truth becomes clear. We must be careful not to read too much into parables, forcing them to say what they don't mean. All parables have only one meaning unless otherwise specified by Jesus.

Matthew 4:11-12
He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, " 'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!' "

Some people do not understand God's truth because they are not ready for it. God reveals truth to people who will act on it, who will make it visible in their lives. When you talk with people about God, be aware that they will not understand if they are not yet ready. Be patient, taking every chance to tell them more of the truth about God, and praying that the Holy Spirit will open their minds and hearts to receive the truth and act on it.

Matthew 13:15-17
For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.

When speaking in parables, Jesus was not hiding truth from those who sincerely seek Him. This is because those who were receptive to spiritual truth understood the illustrations. To others, they were only stories without meaning. This allowed Jesus to give spiritual food to those who hungered for it while preventing his enemies from trapping him sooner than they might otherwise have done.

Cleansing the Temple - Ps Clement Peter

2010-03-08T18:57:00.001+08:00

[John 2:12-25]

There are three points that were mentioned, and these three points are related to the three sentences that were spoken or raised in the above verses.

1. "How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"

2. "Zeal for your house will consume me."

3. "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."

We have filled our hearts with many things. A friend of mine gave the analogy of a storage box. As we grow up, we store things into this box. The older we grow, the more things we like, and the more things we want to put into this box. However, there is only a limited space in this box. So, by putting things into the box, we sacrifice space for other things. If we put money into the box, we sacrifice our time. If we put other idols into it, we sacrifice our devotion to God. If we put our personal problems into it, we sacrifice our ability to look beyond ourselves and to serve others.

In the third point of the sermon, Jesus was talking about a second kind of temple. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 tells us that our body is a temple of God, and that we are to honour God with it. Just as our church building is important, as it is the place where we meet, our bodies are also important. If we do church cleaning at every end of the month, should we also start to do to ourselves a cleaning of the heart? Should we then, still fill our hearts with things of this world?

On the same occasion, in another book in the bible, Jesus said this: "It is written 'My house will be a house of prayer', but you are making it a 'den of robbers'". Clearly, we are to make the temple, our bodies, a house of prayer. Ps Clement Peter gave the example of Isaiah 6 as an example of a house of prayer. A place where we experience God, a place where we hear the will of God, a place that has his presence.

So, how do we make our church a house of prayer? How do we make our bodily temples, our heart, God's dwelling?

In some occasions, God's presence leaves its physical dwelling, the church. Many a times it is because of wrong things that has not been corrected. God is so holy, He will be unable to stay when sin prevails. We should continually examine ourselves, so that God does not leave our church, and also does not leave our hearts. We need to allow God to clean up our insides so that we can be a house of prayer, the dwelling of His presence.

Also for some of us, there are those whom have lost the zeal for the Lord. Is our life stagnant? Is our walk with Him tiresome? Maybe, the better question would be this, "Is our zeal misplaced?".

Where is our zeal for God? Has our zeal for God failed to consume us? Ask, that God will change us. To burn in us the fire that will help us stand for Him when others fall. A fire that helps us do His will.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins - Ps Naba Tan

2010-02-28T17:51:00.004+08:00

The parable as told by Jesus, about the end times.

Matthew 25:1-13

At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'

Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'

'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'

But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'

But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

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The virgins represent us, those whom are waiting for the 2nd coming of Christ, which is represented by the bridegroom. The lamp which gives forth light tells of our spiritual condition, and it is fueled by the oil in the lamp, representing the Holy Spirit.

In this parable, Ps Naba Tan tells us, the virgins waited with a purpose. We wait for the 2nd coming of Christ with a purpose too, which is to see Him and to join Him in his Kingdom. In this wait, the time and hour is unknown, and the wait may seem long. Patience is needed. However for us, we are already told in advance of what is to be expected. To be foolish is to know of what is needed, but still did not prepare for it, just like the 5 foolish virgins.

The 2nd coming of Christ will be like a thief in the night. It will be unexpected. It might catch us off guard. However, we all have heard about His second coming, and so we should be prepared so that we will not be caught with our spiritual condition dimming. The wise virgins need only to add some oil into their lamps, but the foolish ones will not make it in time to enter the banquet.

In verse 9 it tells us that we are unable to share our oil. This is because our relationship with God is a personal experience. To be continually filled with the Holy Spirit is our responsibility!

Let us not be like the 5 foolish virgins, to miss the opportunity, to be shut out from heaven. There won't be any other second chances, because the second chance is already given when Christ died on the cross. Keep watch, always!

20th Feb worship workshop

2010-02-22T20:03:00.004+08:00

Last Saturday we just had our 2nd worship workshop conducted by Asaph (Pastor Dian's son) and his team members, Adrian, Gabriel and Ian.

They came all the way down from KL to minister us.

They showed how worship is to be and what it is all about, the origin of music and how it is important not to take worship for granted.

What is worship?
(Hebrews 10:5-7, Hebrews 13:15)
According to the bible worship was define as a sacrifice which means giving up your all.
There are 2 forms of worship which is offerings and the Fruits of Our Lips.
Nowadays we gives our offerings by giving out 10% of what we received, and also through our tongue. Therefore whatever things that is coming out from our mouth must glorify God.

Worship is the reason for the existence of the church. It's a way that we express ourselves to the King and acknowledge His works on us.

Asaph later on showed us something that Jesus did before he was crucified as an act of hunble.

Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.

This reminds us of how humble is Christ even though He is the Son of God.
He gave up His life for you and me.

A Year of Joy - Ps Chan

2010-02-22T06:20:00.003+08:00

Philipians 4:4-5 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Instead of asking us to be joyful, Ps Chan gave us questions to be pondered upon.

When are we happy?

Are we happy only during the Chinese New Year season?

Are we happy only during celebrations?

Why are we happy?

Are we happy because of good results?

Are we happy because of favourable situations?

Is our happiness or joy dependent on situations of this world or is it rooted in the joy that is from the Lord? Ps Chan gave a clear explanation. Our joy comes from God, whom sent Jesus to die for us, that enabled us to have a relationship with Him again! That is all we need to stay joyful in the midst of troubles and bad situations.

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And for those of us whom want to stay joyful all year long, here are three things that he advised us to do:

1. Honor your family

Ephesians 5:33

Tells those of us whom have found our other half, to love them and to respect them.

Ephesians 6:2, 4

Tells the children to honor their parents and to the parents to love and teach their children according to the ways of the Lord.

2. Be a blessing to others

Ephesians 4:25-26, 29, 31-32

All these verses tells us how to act, to behave and mostly how to speak. Our tongue has power, and the bible tells us in many books and verses about how we should be careful when using it. James 3:9 specifically tells us how the tongue can be both used for good and evil at the same time.

We need to choose to be a blessing to others. It takes conscious effort.

3. Pray to bless one another

Ephesians 1:16-19

The last advise Ps Chan gave us is to continually keep others in prayers. Our Christian brothers and sisters in church, our family members and even our non-Christian friends and family members. Many a times we forget that those who need the most prayers are those whom still do not know the Lord.

Prayers can be done knowingly, it can be done unknowingly too! Lets start by building the culture of prayer in our own church, let us pray for one another constantly and continually!

Ephesians 1:2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Have a blessed week ahead!

Live the Let-Go Life - Ps Selvarajoo

2010-02-15T13:16:00.001+08:00

Living a Let-Go life means living a life without worries...

Evil things are not from God. They come because men sin and destroy this world (Romans 8:22). But God sent His son to redeem us, He wants to reunion with us, He set us free (2 Corinthians 5:18). Jesus took all of the punishments of our sins about 2000 years ago on the cross. And, He wants to bless our life abundantly (John 10:10).

(Luke 8) We need to have faith first, trust in God in all circumstances and not depend on our own ability. Result will come next. We have to stand still in His words and submit to God.

The result of having faith in God is PEACE (John 14:26-27).This followed by victorious life. Hence, We shall not be afraid.

If we want to see miracles happen in our lives, we should always guard our heart from being troubled, worried, and afraid. (2 Chronicles 20:17) Stand still in the Lord for He will fight for us...

Stop worrying!!! we don't live with bread alone, but the words of God. He will provide (Matthew 6:25-34). We trust in the Lord and not ourselves because men are not perfect. Believe in God that He can work through us regardless of our abilities. The one living in us is greater than all things and powerful.

Seek His kingdom first!

Jesus, the Lamb of God – Ps Clement Peter

2010-02-10T00:03:00.005+08:00

John 1: 29-34 (NIV)
²⁹The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' ³¹I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."
³²Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. ³³I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' ³⁴I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
Jesus is the Lamb of God, because He takes away the sins of the whole world, sacrificing Himself for our sins once and for all.
John the Baptist is the first to call Jesus as the Lamb of God
# He goes before Jesus Christ as an alarm ~ like policemen go before King or Sultan nowadays
# John the Baptist says: Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world
In the Book of Revelation, Jesus Christ is mentioned as the Lamb of God for 29 times
1. He was the sacrificial Lamb
Genesis 22: 7-8, Genesis 22: 14 ~ these passages show that our God (Jehovah Jireh) provided the sacrifice due to Abraham's faith
Genesis 22:18 ~ Jesus who is the offspring of Abraham will sacrifice for our sins
The sacrifice had to be PURE, without BLEMISH
The sacrifice had to be HOLY, without SINS
1 Peter 1: 18-19 ~ this verses give us an assurance that we can have eternity through the blood of Jesus Christ
Therefore, it's because He died, that we can stand before His throne today!
2. He was the Passover Lamb
Exodus 12: 6-7 ~ When God send the plague which brings death, He asked the Israelites to sacrifice a pure lamb. Use the blood of the pure lamb to paint on their door. If there's no blood on the door, death will take place.
Exodus 12: 21 & Hebrews 9: 22
~ Similarly when it comes to judgement day, we will all be judged. Only those with the blood of the Lamb will be spared. This Lamb called the Passover Lamb. We are covered by the blood of the Passover Lamb so death has no power over us.
1 Corinthians 5:7 (talks about Moses)
Moses mentioned about removing yeast from the house. Yeast is the symbol of sin. This shows that we can't live in sin and allow God to cover us.
Our Response: Are we ready and willing to turn away from our 'yeasty' life of sin?
3. He is the blood of the new covenant (Exodus 24: 6-8, Luke 22:20)
Matthew 27: 25 ~ It's very amazing! All the people who want to crucify Jesus at that point can prophesy together and say:" Let His blood be on us and our children"
Ephesians 1:7 ~ His blood is flowing through us have the greatest authority, covenant and power!
[Thanks NiQi!, for preparing the notes for us!]

Joshua 24:15 - Bro Jimmy Wang

2010-02-03T20:52:00.006+08:00

Like any picnic trips or camps, planning is required, unless we want to end up lost or to be spending extra money and time on unnecessary things. Ask me, I've been to enough unplanned trips to know. Similarly, our spiritual journey also needs careful planning and preparation. Thoughts have to be given to our beginning and to our ending.

In the previous week, Brother Jimmy Wang brought up the issue of planning our spiritual journey. This is indeed important. To live a life of victory, that continually stands firm in His ways, we need to plan well, and to follow it through. For those whom have made commitments to God, ask yourselves whether you have met the commitments made. For those whom did not make any commitments, it is time to have a goal, to expect to grow in our spiritual life.

For those thinking of making a goal and a plan, this is what Brother Jimmy Wang is telling us. We need to recommit our lives to God. The reason for this is not so much because of us, but rather is because He first chose us. Romans 5:8 While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

However, recommitting ourselves to God is easier said than done. Some of us do not know how, some of us do not dare, but for most of us, it is because we do not fear the Lord. Psalm 111:10a The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We were told that those who fear the Lord, will:

1. Commit their lives to God

2. Serve Him with all faithfulness, putting away all false Gods and idols

3. Honor His holiness, judgement and justice

When we fear the Lord, there is no pretense, and we will serve with sincerity.

The next thing that we need to do, is to make a choice. A choice for the path of life. Indeed God has given us the freedom to choose. We are allowed to choose the good, the better, and even the bad. However, we must all know that every choice that we make has consequences. Our choices does not only affect our relationship with God, it also affect others. So, we have a responsibility to ourselves and to our brothers and sisters in Christ to choose the path of life.

Lastly, the third thing that we need to do to make our spiritual journey a good one is to walk the talk. We need to practice our decision, our decision of salvation and our decision for growth. Walking the talk is more than a decision, it is the walking that is essential. Thus, demonstrating our commitment to our talk is important. We also need to demonstrate our sincerity to our decision. Just as faith is dead without action, we can also say that a decision is dead without demonstration.

Before we end, remember the challenges given us. Be challenged to renew a covenant to the Lord. Be committed to it, remind ourselves of it. Love God, as much as God is loving us with His perfect love. Continue to choose to serve Him just as Joshua did.

Joshua 24:15b As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

The Fire - Ps Dian

2010-01-24T17:41:00.003+08:00

There are two kinds of fire, one that will incinerate our soul and body and the other that will burn us up to be on fire for God.

Pastor Dian came together with his team today and they brought us into a time of Spirit-filled worship. These brothers and sisters that are standing on the stage today came with a fire in their hearts, and they are hoping to pass it on to us. This is a fire of change, this is a fire that brings about refinement, this is the fire that will burn us up with passion for God.

We were asked to focus on God. Time and time again Pastor Dian will emphasize on this, as this is the attitude that we must have in order to be burned up for God. We were described as cili padi, mosquitoes, and also ants that pack a gigabite. However, the first thing we need to be clear of is this: "Are we available for God?"

I did not dare to answer, because our words have power. And I know the difference between saying and doing. Did we really mean what we said when Pastor Dian asked that?

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The story of the Bride

There was a bride that was about to be married. She was already in the huge and grand sedan, on the way to the church to meet her groom. As the car was moving, the bride looked around and suddenly shouted: "STOP!" The driver was shocked and stopped the car. The bride then immediately opened the door and ran out of the car.

Did she change her mind about the marriage? Probably not.

Did she think that she will be married to the wrong man? Guess not, she must have knew her groom well enough to have accepted the betrothal.

In this story, the bride did the craziest thing that any gown wearing person would do. She jumped into the mud, playing, dirtying her white gown prepared for her, for this day of marriage with the groom.

Why would she do something so crazy? Why would we do something so crazy?

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There are many exhortations and scriptures quoted for today's sermon. However, I believe one of the greatest take-homes would be for us to be focused on God. We need to constantly keep our eyes on Jesus, and not be distracted by the sins of the world, not by the activities of the world and certainly not by the difficulties that we are facing when serving our Lord.

Let us not walk astray, for in 1 Peter 1:16 it says: "Be holy, for I am holy".

We need no other reason to continue pressing on in this journey with Him.

Luke 17:20-33 - Ps Clement Lee

2010-01-10T16:49:00.001+08:00

I believe today's message was given to many different people in the different segments of his sermon. So, let us do today's post in another manner. Let us share the thing that was most striking to us, or even thoughts that we have gathered through this sermon that was preached to us.

Personally, I find this statement interesting. It gives greater meaning to the things that we are facing in these times, and gives me, at least, a sense of hope that something great is coming.

"Before greater things, come greater challenges."

All things said, I believe the central theme that Ps Clement Lee was trying to pass down to us is that "the kingdom of God is in us", and that we have all that we need inside us. This is the result of the Holy Spirit being inside us, providing us with what we need. In light of this, we should not follow the norms of this world, but we should dare to be different in order to bring light into this world.

Sharing?

Living with significance - Rev Clement Peter

2010-01-03T16:24:00.008+08:00

Today, in SACC, we were called to walk with God, to be blameless and upright, to fear God, to shun evil and to obey Him. It was put in context as an encouragement to live our lives with significance, to be someone that, on his epitaph, is known to have an intimate relationship with God.

The first thing that we are called to do is to:

Walk with God

Unlike literally walking with God, this meant that we should be intimate with God, to have His presence with us. This is more than a feeling, and is something more than what we feel for our other halves.

For the leaders out there, whether in your workplace or in church, walking with God is especially important. Just like how the rebellious and undeserving Israelites benefited from Moses' walk with God, your followers would also have the presence of God. The only other reason other than that God loves your followers, would be that God's presence is with you, so His presence would be with your followers too.

That being said, walking with God is a choice, it does not depend on your feelings. It requires a conscious change of our wills and a heart that desires God.

The second thing that we are called to do is to be:

Blameless

Psalm 119:1 Blessed are they whose ways are blameless; who walk according to the law of the Lord

Being blameless serves only to benefit us, to bring blessing into our lives. All we have to do is to walk according to His ways, then we will be blameless. In another verse it says this.

Psalm 15:1,2a Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless...

In this verse it tells us that if we are blameless in His sight, we may dwell in His sanctuary. We will have His presence. It all starts with walking according to His ways. If anyone finds having His presence and His blessings not good enough a reason to walk in His ways and to be blameless in His sight, let his feed upon the following verse.

Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight

The last thing that we are called to do is to:

Obey all commandments

This is not so much talking about following the rules and laws mentioned in the bible as with being obedient to the plan that He has for us. His plans for us may bring fear and suffering, it may also challenge our intelligence and it will probably demand a cost on our part. Obeying means to be obedient in spite of these challenges.

However for many of us, I believe, the more important issue is to know 'what is His plan for us'. That, would most probably come naturally as we do the first two items mentioned.

All things said, we should know one thing above all, which is that without the FEAR OF THE LORD, we will not be able to walk with God, be blameless, much less to obey ALL His commandments.

Let us not take god for granted, and let us put our hearts into the hands of our God almighty, now.

*The above post is an extract of what I have obtained from Rev Clement's preaching. Thanks be to God for the word of God. Let us also strive to produce weekly posts of the sermons for those whom are not able to attend church, and also for referencing in the future. Do correct me on any information that is unacceptable :P

Where do we stand?

2009-11-08T13:30:00.004+08:00

A wonderful sermon from Ps Naba Tan was delivered to us today. I believe if we take the sermon one step further and to apply it onto our lifes, we might discover something. (This is as far as what I believe I got from the sermon. So, pardon me if I'm wrong.)

We all know that we are called to be from the world, but not of the world.

Does this mean that we should be doing the opposite of what the world does? No, we learned this just a while ago. Instead, we should appreciate the goodness of the world, and more to that, to add to the goodness. This is also part of being the salt and light to the world.

But what does being the salt and light to the world mean?

Some people are in a conflict when they talk about the world and about the church. Some people think that working in the world would get them away from God, while some believe that the church is the only way we can glorify His name. Is the world as corrupted as we believe? Yes it is. However, is the church as holy as the bible says it should be? I don't think so.

I believe when we talk about the difference between the world and the church, it is only in the people. Some are called to be businessman, some doctors, some lawyers and also some, pastors. There is not one calling that is greater than the other, they are all God's calling. So, whether or not we are involved in full time ministry in church or are working full time in the secular world, remember that we are all actually serving God full time according to His purpose and plans for our lives. Therefore, we are not to think negative or wrongly about those who spend more time in the secular world as it is their calling to serve and to glorify His name there.

The secular world also need godly workers who stand for justice and righteousness. If all of us serve full time in church, who else is there to serve God's people in the world, and to bring the gospel and godly kingdom values into the secular world?

So the question for us is this, do we know where we are called to serve?

And the next obvious question, for those whom already have the answer for the above question is, are we doing it?

True? False?

2009-09-14T21:48:00.002+08:00

Yesterday I just discovered that there are few verses are not in the bible (NLT)

For example : Matthew 17:21, Matthew 18:11

I was wondering why, can anybody please tell me?

I also read an article saying that modern translation such as New Living Translation (NLT) or New International Version (NIV) is not accurate to refer. The only he claimed to be the 'right' bible is King James Version (KJV). NLT removed the word 'begotten' in John 3:16.

Mark 12:30-31

2009-08-24T21:58:00.002+08:00

Mark 12:

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
31 The second is equally important: Love your neighbour as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.

God's laws are not burdensome. They can be reduced to two simple principles : love God and love others. These commands are from the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18)

When you love God completely and care for others as you care for yourself, then you have fulfilled the intent of the Ten Commandments and the other Old Testament laws. According to Jesus, these two commandments summarize all God's laws. Let them rule your thoughts, decisions and actions.

When you are uncertain about what to do, ask yourself which course of action best demonstrates love for God and love for others.

Pastor Peter Chin is back to church

2009-08-23T20:31:00.005+08:00

It's a miracle!

God answers our prayers!

God is a healer!

Pastor Peter Chin is back!

Pastor Peter is smiling to the camera in his study room in Ipoh home, packing his stuff to be moved to the new house.

On May 13, Pastor collapsed in his home during dinner, having his arteries in his brain burst and was in critical condition.
Moved to KL Glen Eagles for a operation.
Stayed 2 weeks in ICU, 2 weeks in high defensive unit and 2 weeks in normal wards.

Today on August 22, he was able to travel back to Ipoh.
He's a healthy man!
God had blessed him with speed recovery.
He can now eat by his own, moves both of his hands and legs, he can walk, climb up and down the stairs.

This is an amazing testimony to the nation.
Praised the Lord!!!!!!

The SACC family!!!!!!!!

Welcome back Pastor!!!!

Amazingly after the sermon, Pastor Peter leads us in closing prayer!

Psalm 34:12-13

2009-06-19T23:02:00.002+08:00

Psalm 34:

12 Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous?
13 Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies!

David said that a person who fears the Lord doesn't lie, turns from evil, does good, and promotes peace. Reverence is much more than sitting quietly in church. It includes obeying God in the way we speak and the way we treat others.

Pastor Peter Chin is recovering!!!!

2009-06-15T22:55:00.000+08:00

Pastor Chin is recovering!!!!

He has been removed from ICU to normal ward with good care of nurses and doctors!!!!

Praise the Lord!!!!!

I bet all of you would want to see how is he right????

So here's the picture of his taken just few days ago when Shu Qi and the family went down to KL to visit Pastor.

If those of you who would like to visit Pastor, he is in Ward 560, Level 5, Gleneagles

A church in KL is organizing a concert to raise fun for Pastor Chin. Shawn might be invited to play the drums during the concert. Therefore those who can make it to the concert please give your support.

SACC Ipoh

2009-05-23T01:33:00.002+08:00

Our Mission : To connect people in our community and beyond, into a right relationship with God and to nurture them to be Christ-like.

Our Vision : Passionate winning, Life-transformed building, Purpose-driven equipping, Empowered leading.