Words from the Lord: A time to repair and restore!

The Lord says: "My grace to repair, restore, mend, heal, and reconcile is very rich for you in this time and season. Receive from Me. Receive My love. What needs to repair, let Me repair. What needs to restore, let Me restore. What needs to mend, let Me mend. What needs to refresh, let Me refresh. What needs to reconcile, let Me reconcile. Do not look at your troubles, but look to Me. For My river has been released to you. My river brings life and peace. My river brings gladness of heart."

The Lord says further: "Therefore cease from your struggle. Let go and release all your worries and anxieties to Me. For I am the Lord who cares for you. Leave all those troubles to Me, for I am your refuge and I will help you." 

This is a time for repairing and restoring what has been broken. It may be a broken family relationship. It may be a hurt or wound in your soul. It may be a regret because of something that you've done. Or maybe you feel terrible because you've said something that you shouldn't have said out, and therefore it hurts.

Whatever your situation may be, I have a good news for you. This is the time for God to repair and restore whatever that has been broken. Whatever your situation may be, there is an answer for you, and there is a solution for you. Take heart. 

Psalm 46:10 says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!' 

As you are being still before the Lord, know that He is the Lord. He is higher than any form of trouble in your life. He is higher than any situation in your life. He is higher than any problem in your life. Indeed, there's nothing in this world that He cannot solve for you, and there's nothing in this world that He cannot help you. 

The word 'still' here is 'rawfaw' in Hebrew. It can mean 'to let go and release (in this context, to let go and release to God)'. It can mean 'to cease from your struggle (whatever your struggle may be at the moment)'. It can also mean 'to leave your worries or anxieties (in this context, to leave your worries or anxieties to God)'. 

In cross-reference, 1 Peter 5:6-7 says, 'Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.' 

Look at the word 'exalt' here. This word 'exalt' can mean 'to lift you up, to raise you up, to open a way for you'. As you cast all your care, i.e. cast all your worries, all your anxieties, all your troubles, and all your struggles to Him, let Him take over. He will know how to help you and show you a way. He is a God who cares for you! 

By the way, the word 'casting' (in 'casting all your care upon Him') is 'epirripto' in Greek. It can mean 'to let go and release (in the context of this verse, to let go and release to God)'. It can also mean 'to throw or place upon (God)'.

Do you see the word 'all' in 'casting all your care' here? Not some of your care. Not part of your care. But all your care upon the Lord! 

The Lord wants to assure you that He knows how to take over your situation, no matter how difficult or impossible it may seem to you at the moment. To Him, nothing is impossible. He can even make a way (or give you a solution) supernaturally! 

Psalm 46:1-3 says, 'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear; even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling.' 

He is your very present help. He is now here and present with you. He is also your refuge and strength. It means He is your hiding place, your safe place, your safety. Indeed, there's no other better place than to be in His presence. And that's when you also receive His strength!

Psalm 46:4-5 says, 'There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.' 

As the day breaks and as the sun rises in the morning, all the shadows and darkness will begin to disappear. Because when the light comes, the darkness flees. That's what it means by 'God shall help her, just at the break of dawn'. In other words, when His light begins to shine on you, all those darkness (i.e. all those adversities or troubles) will have to be scattered and leave you!  

Of course, these verses in Psalm 46 speak literally about Jerusalem, the city of God. But you can also apply this in your life. Because you are the temple of the Holy Spirit, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit! (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) 

And this same river in Psalm 46 can also flow into your life right now, bringing refreshing, restoration, repair, healing, even making you glad!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

What does 'seeking God's kingdom' mean?

Matthew 6:33 (NKJV): But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 

How do you 'seek first His kingdom', and how do you 'seek first His righteousness'? And what exactly does this word 'kingdom' and 'righteousness' mean? I tell you what, it's not something so unattainable or so high up that it's hard to get. It's actually very easy. And I'm going to explain to you why and how. This verse, though it looks simple, is a very deep and profound Bible verse worth our study. And blessed are you, if you are hanging on to what Jesus has said in this verse!

Contrary to what some people believe, this verse is not talking about how many hours or how much time you spend or 'commit' in church activities. It is not about putting church work first and putting everything else in your life second. In fact, church is not supposed to be confined within the four walls of a building. The word 'church', or 'ekklesia' in Greek, is never about a building. Church is a people. This word 'church' means 'a people called out (from darkness into God's marvelous light)'. Therefore, wherever we are (and wherever we are gathered), we are the church! We are the light and the salt to this world. And we can express God's kingdom wherever we are, whatever our calling may be. It doesn't necessarily have to be you serving God 'full-time' in a particular church organization. But rather, it's about what God has called you to be. If you are called to the marketplace, you can still seek first God's kingdom and express God's kingdom; and you can still seek first His righteousness and express His righteousness! 

Remember, we are all 'king and priest'. Royal priesthood. The priesthood of all believers. You and I, whatever our calling may be, whether we are in the marketplace, or whether we are in the neighborhood, we are the royal priesthood! (1 Peter 2:9) Yes, no doubt God raises up the apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, and evangelists with the purpose of equipping and edifying His people; but this doesn't take away the fact that every believer is a 'royal priesthood'!

Now, the word 'kingdom' in Matthew 6:33 is 'basileia' in Greek. It can mean 'rule, reign, realm'. Based on the definition of 'basileia' here, we can therefore say 'to seek first God's kingdom' is 'to seek His rule, to seek His reign, and to seek His realm' in our lives. In other words, to let Him take over our lives, to let Him rule over our lives, to let Him reign over our lives, and of course to let His realm take over our worldly realm! 

That's why Jesus taught us to pray: "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10) Yes, let God's kingdom come and let God's will be done in our lives! It means to give God full control over our lives, as we submit and surrender our lives to His way and to His will! 

So, how do we receive this kingdom from heaven? How do we walk in God's way? How do we walk in God's will? By allowing Him to rule and reign in our lives! To 'basileia' in our lives! 

How about this word 'righteousness' in Matthew 6:33? It is 'dikaios' in Greek. It can mean any of these: 'that which is holy, that which is acceptable, that which is justified'. Notice in this verse, Jesus talked about God's righteousness, and not our own righteousness. It means to seek God's righteousness, and not our own righteousness. 

By the way, 'to be righteous' in the context of this verse means 'to be in right standing with God'. How can we be in the right standing with God? Now you see, all of us have fallen short of the glory of God and of the standard of God. None of us is righteous by ourselves. And no matter how we 'suffer' ourselves to earn this righteousness by our own strength or our own effort, we can never achieve it. Because it is by the grace of God that we are made righteous. 

So, 'to be righteous' in the context here is 'having this assurance that because Jesus has died for you on the cross and carried away all your sins, you are now made righteous, and you are now reconciled to God.' In other words, you are now set free from any curse of sin, you have been forgiven, you have been accepted, and you have been justified, through your faith in Him! This righteousness has been given to you, because Jesus has paid the price for you on the cross! Your part now is to believe, receive, and allow it in your life! 

And of course, your part is also not to worry! Because as you seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, you are effectively allowing God to take full control in your life. In other words, you give Him full say in your life! Therefore, He will know how to lead you, guide you, make a way for you, and open doors for you! 

That's why Jesus said in Matthew 6:25-26: 'Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?' 

Here, Jesus meant do not worry about all these, or what you will eat or drink, or what you will wear. Because if He knows how to feed the birds, even though they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, what more you, the beloved of God? Now, Jesus is not saying we are to run away from our responsibilities in life. But Jesus is saying do not worry! Yes, do not worry even about your future. Because as you seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, 'all these things' (even what's in your future) is assured. He certainly knows what is best for you, and He certainly knows your every need in your life! 

Now, what are 'all these things'? 'All these things' means 'all these things'! It means all that you ever need in your life! Your food, your shelter, your finance, your provision, your health, your protection, your children's well-being, your children's education, yeah, even your house, your car, your computer, your clothing, your vacation, and God knows what else! Remember this: Your God is a great God. Your God is a rich God. Your God is a God of abundance. He is more than enough for you. And He has more than enough for you! 

Therefore, beloved of God, let God rule and reign in your life, take full control in your life, and have full say in your life. And you'll be sure 'all these things shall be added unto you'. Amen!

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Dream: I saw a swaying building!

I had a very, very peculiar dream the other night. In the dream, I saw an apartment building swaying from one side to the other side. It was swaying like a coconut tree. Those in the building thought it was some kind of earthquake. So, they ran out of their apartment units. I recognized many of these people. They're fellow believers in Christ whom I know. But here's the funny part. After they've come out from the building, they realized it wasn't an earthquake at all! When they went back to the building, much to their shock, they saw many intruders and bad people in their respective apartment units plundering their goods and taking away their goods! 

When I woke up from the dream, I realized it didn't make sense to my logical mind at all! I mean how could all these bad people cause the apartment to sway like a coconut tree and thus cause people to think it was an earthquake? 

But the Lord told me this dream is to show that the enemy would do anything to deceive God's people! Yes, even causing false 'signs' to deceive, just like what I saw in this dream! This is the perilous and dangerous time that we are living in right now! 

As I sought the Lord further, the Lord gave me a vision. The Lord showed me lots and lots of trees. Then came a strong wind and storm. This isn't the wind of the Holy Spirit, but the wind of deception sent by the enemy. As the wind came, many trees were toppled. But the good news is there were some trees that stood firm in spite of the strong wind. These are trees with strong and deep roots! 

The Lord then said: "Be planted and rooted in Me and My Word. When many in this world are being deceived and deluded by the enemy, those who stand strong are those who are planted and rooted in Me."

The Scripture says in Ephesians 4:14, '...that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting...'

You see, the enemy can send wind of deception, wind of delusion, or even wind of false doctrine! What is the enemy's purpose? It is to deceive God's people! It is to uproot God's people from where they should be, and from what God has planted in them! 

No wonder Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 2:7-8, 'Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.'

The word 'capture' here is 'sulagogeo' in Greek. It can mean 'to cheat, to destroy, to strip, to spoil, to seduce, to lead you away (from the truth)'. Here, the apostle was emphasizing the importance of being deeply rooted in the Lord. Why? Because without being deeply rooted in Him and His Word, a person can easily be deceived, be deluded, and be led away from the truth! 

I know some people may say it's so difficult in this world nowadays. They may say: "Well, everyone is doing it!", "Everyone cheats their way up!", "Everyone uses this trick!" These people will manoeuver their way to climb up the corporate ladder, or to get whatever they want in life, even if it is unethical and ungodly to do so.

But I tell you what. You stay strong in God's Word! You stay strong in God's ways! Yes, even if you feel like a 'misfit' among them, or you are one of those very few in the minority who are different! Because you will eventually see good success! God's ways will always be better in the end! 

Imagine you are now a strong tree with deep roots. In the Scripture, the Lord often likens us to trees. Now I ask you one question: Is it possible to have strong trees (with great branches that bear great fruits), but you have no deep roots? No! You know why? Because the trees would become 'top-heavy', and when the strong wind comes, these trees will easily be toppled! 

The same principle can be applied to us as believers, using this analogy of trees. We cannot be strong trees without having deep roots in Him and His Word! We cannot be strong to withstand every form of 'wind' or 'storm' (including the wind of deception) without having deep roots in Him and His Word! That's exactly what Apostle Paul meant when he wrote to the church in Colosse at that time! 

In this world that we live in, there can be all kinds of 'wind' or 'storm' that we are faced with. At times, it can be so strong that it threatens to 'uproot' us! Uproot our principles in life! Uproot our planting in the Lord! Uproot our faith in the Lord! Uproot us from continuing to walk in God's ways! 

But as for you, beloved, continue to stay firm in Him, and put all your trust in Him! Choose to be rooted and planted in Him! Choose Him, and not the fallen ways of this world! And that's when you are going to see lasting fruits in all that He has called you to be (and to do). Amen!

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

How to make clear decisions in your life?

The Lord says: "Your launching time is coming! This is a key month to make decisions that will propel you to a brand new season and that leads you to the promotion that comes from Me. Many of My beloved are in such juncture and crossroad. Look to Me and abide in Me. Seek My will and My way. For the answers have already been given to you through My Spirit!" 

Many people ask these questions: "What does God want me to do?", "Should I hang on to it, or should I let it go?", "Should I choose this, or should I choose that?", "Should I move here, or should I move there?" 

5 keys in making clear decisions in your life:

1. Purify your heart and your mind 

2 Chronicles 29:3-5 says, 'In the first year of Hezekiah's reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. Then he brought in the priest and the Levites, and gathered them in the East Square, and said to them: "Hear me, Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the holy place."' 

2. Shut off from the 'noises' of this world

Isaiah 28:23 says, 'Give ear and hear my voice. Listen and hear my speech.' 

Isaiah 55:2-3 says, 'Why do you spend money for what is not bread? And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good. And let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live...' 

Psalm 46:10 says, 'Be still, and know that I am God...' 

3. Let go of your anxieties or worries to Him 

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.'

Psalm 55:22 says, 'Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you. He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.' 

Philippians 4:6-7 says, 'Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.' 

4. Spend time in the Word of God

Psalm 119:105 says, 'Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.' 

Psalm 119:130 says, 'The entrance of Your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple.' 

5. Worship/Pray in the spirit

Romans 8:26-27 says, 'Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.' 

Prayer: 

"O Lord God, we declare that our launching time is coming! We thank You for leading and guiding us. We thank You that You always have a way for each of us. We thank You that You always want the very best for each of us. We pray as we make some key decisions in our lives, You will show us Your will and Your way. We shall be propelled to greater things ahead of us. In the name of Jesus. Amen."

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel