God will reward you openly!

Let me share with you a dream I received from the Lord the other day. 

In the dream, I saw a picture of a big ship going through storms. And there was this one person in the ship. The next thing I saw was water from the sea began entering the ship. Water began to seep into the ship through the gaps at the wall of the ship. And then more and more water entering the ship. This person in the dream tried whatever he could to close the gaps at the wall of the ship to prevent water from entering. And he was doing this without others seeing or knowing about it.

Speaking about unsung heroes! Speaking about sacrificing oneself to save others, even without others knowing it, seeing it, or recognizing it! And later on, the sea was calm again. The turbulent storms and high waves passed. And the ship docked at the port. But no one actually remembered him and no one even know he was instrumental in saving the ship. And as everyone went about their own things, no one realized what this person did, and therefore, of course, no one appreciated him or thanked him. 

And that's when the Lord spoke these words: "The good that you have done in secret, I will know how to reward you openly. Even though the world may not recognize it or appreciate it, I recognize it and appreciate it. Even though the world may not know it or see it, I know it and see it. For I see inside the heart, and I do not see as man sees." 

Maybe some of you, you have done a lot of good things, yet many people in the world do not recognize it, they do not appreciate it, they do not know it, or they do not see it. But the Lord wants you to know that He sees it, and He will know how to reward you openly! 

You may be one of those whose good deeds, or whose prayers in the secret, no one knows, and people forget about you. But the Lord your God, your Heavenly Father, will never forget you. He will never forget all your good deeds and all those prayers that you have prayed for others.

Like the little things that you thought are little things, but the Lord your God, your Heavenly Father, values it so much. For example, the prayers that you have prayed to bless others, even when no one is there to listen, or you wake up in the middle of the night to pray for somebody, and that somebody doesn't even know about it. How about the little encouragement you give to people who are down or discouraged? How about the time you have sacrificed to counsel others and to encourage others? How about the energy you have spent to help others? How about your sowing, your giving, yes even financially, to God's kingdom, to God's work, to the ministries that God has put in your heart to give? 

Whatever good that you have done for the Lord, even when no one appreciates you, your Heavenly Father appreciates you. He will never forget, even for one second, all these good deeds and all these prayers that you have prayed, or whatever that you have done for the good of the kingdom of God. 

Your God is not dead. Your God is still very much alive. He sees everything that has been done in the secret, and He will know how to reward you openly!

And that's exactly what Jesus said in Matthew 6:1-4, "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." 

Let me say this very clearly. The context of this part of the Scripture is never about salvation by works. Your salvation is by grace through your faith. But you see, there is a place for good deeds. There is a place for prayers. And Jesus was saying here, "Do not be like those hypocrites". But whatever you do, the most important thing is your Heavenly Father sees it, even if no one in this world sees it. And your Heavenly Father will know how to reward you openly! 

What is this word 'openly' here? It is 'phaneros' in Greek. This word 'phaneros' is from the word 'phos', which means 'light, radiance, luminous'. And one meaning of this word 'phaneros' is 'like the light that shines'. In other words, your Heavenly Father who sees your good deeds in secret will Himself reward you openly, like the light that shines on you! 

Imagine if each of us is like a star in the galaxy, and the light of the Lord shines on you! And you, as that star, shines so bright, even in the midst of darkness or hollowness in the galaxy. And that's what it means by 'reward you openly'! You will be like the light that shines! You will be like a star in the galaxy, and your star shines so bright, even in the midst of darkness around you! 

So, this word 'openly' doesn't necessarily mean 'publicly, outwardly, or for people to see', but more importantly, it can mean in the spiritual realm, your star shines so bright! 

And you know what? Whatever that is in the spiritual realm will be reflected in the physical realm. So I believe this is not just about eternal or heavenly reward, but it has to do also with your earthly reward, i.e. your reward while you are still on earth!

Jesus then said in Matthew 6:5-6, "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward (it means 'they already have their reward'). But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." 

Again, the word 'openly' or 'phaneros', i.e. like the light that shines on you! 

So, be encouraged therefore, because all your good deeds, all those prayers that you've prayed (even in tears for people), and all those good that you've done for people around you, even though they may not see it, the Lord sees it. The Lord sees your heart. The Lord doesn't see as man sees. But the Lord sees right inside your heart.

You may be saying, "But I've been doing good. I've been doing all that I could. I've been praying. But why is it that I don't see my reward?" 

Beloved, your reward will surely come! In God's perfect timing, and even in ways that you cannot imagine. Just do not limit God. Because when God rewards, God rewards! 

God knows how to reward you even in ways you never thought possible. For example, maybe you have put all your energy and time on this person. But this person never appreciates you. And this person later on walks out on you. So, it doesn't necessarily mean when you do good to Mr A, and Mr A will surely be the one who will return good to you. Instead, God can raise up a Mr B to show you kindness or to be a blessing to you. You see, what I'm trying to say here is God is in control. Whatever good that you sow, God will see to it that you're going to reap. Just do not limit God on how you're going to reap it, or in what way you're going to reap it. It may be in a way that will totally surprise you. And that's why your God, your Heavenly Father, is a God of all wonders. Amen! 

Psalm 126:5-6 says, 'Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.' Let this be so for you, on earth as it is in heaven!

In Galatians 6:9-10, Apostle Paul wrote, 'And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all especially to those who are of the household of faith (i.e. your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ).' 

So, let us not grow tired or weary in doing good, in being a blessing to others, in praying for others, in encouraging those who are down, to minister to others, or to serve others. Because in due time, and in due season, you shall surely reap!

In Colossians 3:23-24, Apostle Paul wrote, 'And whatever you do, do it heartily (in other words, 'with all your heart', 'with an abounding heart', 'with a cheerful heart, not a grudging heart'), as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.' 

In a world that is full of selfish or inward-looking people, let the light of God so shine on you! You are so full of His light and His glory, so much so that you cannot contain it, and it shines out on others! Yes, in every way that God can use you, in using whatever spiritual gift or talent that He has given to you to be a blessing to others, and that's how your 'star' is going to shine ever and ever brighter! 

And that's what Apostle Paul meant, 'knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.' It means all the heavenly inheritance bestowed upon you, and all the goodness of God bestowed upon you and overflowing upon you!

So, wherever the Lord puts you in the Body of Christ (we are all parts of one whole Body of Christ), and whatever the Lord wants to do through your life, keep shining! And always remember as you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these things (whatever in the world that you ever need) shall be added to you. And you know that's in Matthew 6:33! 

Just like the dream that I've shared with you just now, be encouraged therefore! You may be like that person in the ship. Nobody knew what he did. Nobody saw what he did. Nobody recognized what he did. Yet he was instrumental in saving the ship in a time of storm. But the Lord your God knows it, sees it, and recognizes it. And the Lord your God will know how to reward you openly! 

Let's pray: "O Lord God, look at Your beloved's heart right now. The good that Your beloved has done even in the secret, You will know how to reward Your beloved openly. Even though the world may not recognize it or appreciate it, You recognize it and appreciate it. Even though the world may not see it or know it, You see it and know it! There's nothing that's hidden from You. Indeed You are the Lord who will know how to reward each of us openly - in heaven and on earth. In the name of Jesus. Amen." 

So, beloved of God, let us not lose heart while doing good. Keep being a blessing to others. Keep praying for others. Keep encouraging those who need encouragement. Whatever the Lord has put in your heart to be a blessing to others, do it. And His light will continue to shine through you, shining and radiating to others through you! 

Whichever part of the Body of Christ that you are in, whatever spiritual gift or spiritual calling that you may have, or whether you are in the marketplace, in your neighborhood, or wherever you are, you can be the light that shines on others! Keep looking out for ways to be a blessing to others and to love others. And I tell you what, you will be like the star that shines so bright - both in the spiritual realm and physical realm. Hallelujah! 

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Stuck in a 'bottleneck' situation? Your breakthrough is here!

I saw a vision of a bottleneck, and I'm going to explain to you why and what is that. 

As I saw this vision, the Lord spoke: "If you have been going through a 'bottleneck' situation, and you are anxious, panicky, or even depressed, look to Me and be encouraged. Take heart, because your breakthrough time is nearing! Get ready for a great release and outpouring of My Spirit upon you and over your situation! Get ready to receive the anointing for your breakthrough!" 

Many of God's people are at a time of 'bottleneck' at the moment. So beloved of God, if you too are going through a 'bottleneck' time at the moment, take heart and be encouraged. Keep looking to the Lord. Because the Lord is getting you ready for a time of breakthrough!

What is a 'bottleneck' situation? 

It simply means you feel so 'squeezed', and you can't see yourself moving ahead or getting ahead in your life.

Here's an illustration. Imagine you are driving in a three-lane highway, and all of a sudden in front of you, there's a roadblock or some kind of roadworks. So, from three lanes, it's now only one lane. And all the cars have to 'squeeze' into that one lane. This of course causes traffic jam. Sometimes, the wait to go through this 'bottleneck' can be very long and frustrating. It's not something that you like to go through. And that's how a 'bottleneck' situation feels like. This can happen in any area of your life, including your spiritual life, career life, ministry life, etc. 

But here's a piece of good news. A 'bottleneck' situation usually happens just before a time of great release and breakthrough! In other words, before a time of great release and breakthrough, sometimes God allows you to go through a 'bottleneck' situation. But if you hang on there, your 'clearance' will come, your breakthrough will come, and you'll be driving on the fast lane again!

What kind of 'breakthrough' do you need right now? 

It can be a spiritual breakthrough. Maybe you've been going through a 'spiritual wintertime'. Maybe your spiritual life has been dormant or stagnant for a long time, and you need a breakthrough.

Another kind of breakthrough may be financial breakthrough. Maybe your finance has been stuck for a long time, and you need to be set free from your lack or debt.

It can be a breakthrough in the area of your career. It can be a breakthrough in the area of your God-given ministry. It can even be a breakthrough in the area of open doors. 

Whatever the breakthrough that you need, there's an anointing being released upon you right now!

By the way, what is the definition of 'breakthrough'? 

It can be a sudden or dramatic advancement in your life. It can be a major step forward. It can be a new discovery. It can be a new development. Or it can be an instance of unprecedented success that comes suddenly upon your life. 

Whatever it may be, never limit God and what He can do in your life!

Where is one example in the Bible about breakthrough?

1 Chronicles 14:8-9 says, 'Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went out against them. Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim.' 

The word 'Rephaim' here actually comes from the Hebrew word 'Rapha'. This word can mean 'heal, cure, repair, make whole'. And our Lord is the Jehovah Rapha. But I want to point you to another meaning of 'Rapha', which is very interesting. And that one meaning is 'vigor'. It means when you receive the 'Rapha' from the Lord, you are being invigorated, you become so refreshed, and you become so enthusiastic for the things that He has put in your heart to do!

And that's exactly what David was experiencing, upon him being anointed as king over all Israel! He had that vigor to build Israel to be a great nation for the Lord! He was so passionate and enthusiastic about bringing the ark of the Lord back to the people! 

But you know what, the Philistines (a 'picture' of the enemy) wanted to kill off this vigor! 

It is the same today. Maybe the Lord has spoken to you about something that He wants you to do. Maybe it's a prophecy. Maybe it's a dream. Maybe it's a vision. And you are so encouraged and invigorated by some of these. But all of a sudden, the enemy comes in to put a dent to all these.

So, what did David do? 

David here can be a 'picture' of you who are a beloved of God. In 1 Chronicles 14:10, David responded by inquiring of the Lord, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?" The Lord then said to David, "Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand." 

It is the same with your situation at the moment. Like David, begin to seek the Lord, inquire of the Lord, and commune with the Lord. Because He will surely speak and show you a solution. And you will know exactly what to do, and what steps you can take in dealing with your current situation. Your part, of course, is to humble yourself and be yielded to Him.

1 Chronicles 14:11 then says, 'So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, "God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water." Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim.'

Let's look at this name 'Baal Perazim'. The word 'Baal' means 'Master, Possessor'. How about 'Perazim'? It's from this root word 'Peretz', and it can mean 'breaking forth, breakthrough, breach through (in this context, breach through the work of the enemy, breach through the conspiracy of the enemy, or breach through the power of the enemy)'. 

Indeed, whatever your 'bottleneck' situation may be at the moment, like David, keep looking to the Lord, keep receiving His anointing for your breakthrough, keep receiving His guidance and direction, and having done all, stand firm in all that He has spoken to you!

And that's how you too shall see the enemy eventually give up on you! And that's when you shall see a great release and breakthrough, even in ways you've never imagined can happen to you. Hallelujah!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

How to walk in step with God?

The Lord says: "Many of My people are entering a new season in their lives. Do not fear or be anxious, but rejoice in Me! Look not behind you, but look forward to the good that I have prepared for you! New season brings new supply of My grace and favor. New season brings new open doors for you. New season brings new people walking along your path. Walk in this new season." 

The Lord says further: "Keep hearing My voice and My words! Keep your heart right before Me and stay yielded to Me! That's how I will supply you with the wisdom you need in your new season. And you'll know how to go about and what to do in this new season of yours." 

1 Chronicles 12:32 (NKJV) says, '...of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command.'  

This name 'Issachar' here is 'Yissakar' in Hebrew, and it literally means 'He will bring a reward'. In the context here, the reward for being discerning and being in tune with the Spirit of the Lord is in knowing what to do and how to go about in each time and season of their lives!

How about the word 'times' here? It's 'paam' in Hebrew, and very interestingly, one meaning of this word is 'footsteps'. In other words, knowing how to follow the footsteps of the Lord and walk in step with the Lord! This is so important. You know why? Because when you follow the footsteps of the Lord and walk in step with the Lord, you will never need to worry about walking in the wrong direction in your life!

By the way, to walk in step with the Lord is to walk in exactly the same timing and pattern of movement as the Lord! Wherever He walks, you walk; and wherever He goes, you go!

Back to the verse just now. To put it simply, the sons of Issachar knew what to do and how to go about in each time and season they were walking in! 

May all of us be like the sons of Issachar! 

Of course the question here is how did they know their time and season? How did they discern and understand the times? What are their secrets? What made them different from the others? And what can we learn from them?

I believe the answer is in being open and yielded to the Spirit of the Lord! As a matter of fact, the more you are surrendered to Him and the more you are yielded to Him, the more you will be in tune with what He says, whether through His Word or through His Spirit! And that's how you will know, understand, and discern the time and season of the Lord in your life!

You see, the answer lies in this word 'footsteps'! Follow His 'footsteps'! Because that's when you will be where He will be, and walk where He walks!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

See the good hand of the Lord in your life!

The Lord says: "This is the time to see My good hand in your life! My hand will guide you. My hand will lead you. My hand will make a way for you. My hand will build you. My hand will rebuild you. My hand will restore you. Whatever your past brokenness and shame may be, or whatever in your life that has been shattered, watch My good hand mend and heal you in this time and season." 

See the good hand of the Lord in your life! 

When the Lord spoke about His good hand, it reminded me of the book of Ezra, because in this book, one can see numerous times it's been mentioned 'the good hand of the Lord'! 

Ezra 7:9 says, 'On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.' 

You see? The good hand of the Lord was upon Ezra. Who is this Ezra? He's a scribe, and many scholars believe Ezra wrote this book of Ezra, which is a story of the return of God's people from captivity (in Babylon) back to their own land (in Judah and Jerusalem).

By the way, what does the name 'Ezra' mean? 'Ezra' actually means 'Yahweh helps'. This name comes from the Hebrew word 'Ezer' meaning 'to help, to protect, to aid, to surround'. It speaks of the hand of the Lord helping you, protecting you, aiding you, and surrounding you! 

And that was exactly what happened in the book of Ezra! The Lord was helping His people to return from their captivity (in Babylon) back to Jerusalem! The Lord was helping His people in the rebuilding of the destroyed temple in Jerusalem! 

And this is very interesting. In Ezra 1:2-3, the Lord actually moved and stirred the heart of King Cyrus (the Persian king) to make a proclamation for God's people to return to their own land and to rebuild the destroyed temple in Jerusalem! 

In fact, Cyrus even acknowledged Yahweh as the God of heaven. He was saying, "All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me..." If you look at the Hebrew translation here, 'the Lord God' here is 'Yahweh'. Therefore, he was actually proclaiming, "All the kingdoms of the earth Yahweh has given me." So, he was acknowledging the God of Israel, Yahweh, as the God of heaven and earth! 

And Cyrus was saying, "Yes, you people of the Lord, you can go back to your land. Build the house of the Lord. Build the house of Yahweh." 

And these words came from a pagan king!

Hallelujah!

How does this apply to you right now? This speaks of a time to be set free from captivity has come! This speaks of a time to declare liberty in your life has come! Free from your bondage! Free from whatever yoke that has held you back! Free from whatever past brokenness or shame! And you are being released to be (and to do) all that the Lord has purposed for you in this new time and season!

Beloved of God, see yourself like God's people in the book of Ezra right now! That's why this book is so important in this time and season. It's such an encouragement, especially if your life has been shattered, or if your life has been broken (or shamed) in the past. 

Look to the Lord right now. He will know how to restore you. He will know how to heal you. He will know how to build you. He will even know how to do the rebuilding in your life. 

Do you see Jesus in the book of Ezra here? Jesus is in the Old Testament concealed, and Jesus is in the New Testament revealed. So over here, see Jesus as the Restorer, Builder, and even Rebuilder of your life! 

And yes, no matter what had happened in your past, like God's people those days, there is hope! And you too will see a greater future, going forward! Hallelujah!

Prayer: "O Lord God, we thank You for Your good hand moving in our lives. Your hand shall help us. Your hand shall guide us and lead us. Your hand shall make a way for us. Your hand shall build or rebuild for us. Your hand shall restore and heal us, no matter what our past brokenness and shame may be. Like Ezra, we receive all that You have spoken today. In Jesus' name. Amen."

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel