Receive the outpouring of God's love!

Season's greetings and happy holiday! Indeed this is a time to receive God's love and release God's love! This is a time for love in action! Amen!

Romans 5:5 says, 'Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.' 

So, this love of God, Jesus, came down! And He is love! And when this love is being poured out on you, you have every reason to hope! You know why? Because His love for you never fails, no matter what happens in this world or how 'hopeless' this world may be!

When His love is being poured out on you (and it's not just a trickle), not only you receive God's love, but you also release God's love to people around you! So, where there's God's love, there will be hope! 

In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NKJV), apostle Paul wrote, 'Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.' What Paul meant here was love is greater than all these mentioned here. 

In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NKJV), Paul wrote further, 'Love suffers long and is kind, love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails...'  

And in 1 Corinthians 13:10 (NKJV), Paul also wrote, 'But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.' What is the 'perfect' here? God's perfect love! His love is prefect! It means when you receive God's perfect love in your life, whatever 'imperfection' in your life will just be a shadow, because you are so full of God's perfect love in your life! And this love never fails! That's why when you have this love, you have every reason to hope in your life!

In other words, God's perfect love is the solution to any problem, challenges, or situation in your life in this world! 

So, as you gather with your family and friends wherever you are, as you encourage one another with God's love, as you build and edify one another with God's love, as you worship God together, as you fellowship together, and even have foods and drinks together, let God's love be at the center of all your gatherings, that God's love be with you and fill you to the overflow!

As you've read just now in 1 Corinthians 13:4, notice that love's foremost fruits are patience and kindness. These are the first two characters in the list - 'patience or longsuffering towards one another', and 'kindness towards one another'! 

In Colossians 1:11-14 (NKJV), Paul wrote, '...strengthened with all might according to His glorious power for all patience and longsuffering with joy, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.'

Let's look at the words 'patience' and 'longsuffering' here.

The word 'patience' here is 'hupomone' in Greek. It can mean 'cheerful (hopeful) endurance, constancy, patient continuance', and it comes from the word 'hupomeno' meaning 'to remain, to bear trials, to have fortitude, to persevere, to abide, or to endure (in spite of your circumstances around you).' 

There's a very thin line to draw between 'patience' and 'longsuffering', and that's why some teachers group these two as one same character.

The word 'longsuffering' here is 'makrothumia' in Greek. It can mean 'longanimity (not short-tempered), forbearance, fortitude, with long (enduring) temper, long spirited, long patience, patiently endure.' 

In short, if 'patience' is 'patience' per say, then 'longsuffering' is 'long patience or enduring patience'. That's basically the difference, a very slight difference actually.

You see, when you have God's love filling your life, whatever provocation against you or whatever that people try to 'trigger' you to react negatively, you will not buy that. Instead, you will respond with love, you will respond with patience and longsuffering, and you will respond with kindness. You will not render evil with evil, but you will return evil with good. And that's what happens when you are so full of God's love!

So, keep receiving God's love and keep releasing God's love! You can rely on His wisdom and the promptings (or the leading) of the Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you on how you can show His love to others. Just look out around you, let His love flow out of you, and you can be sure He will continue to fill you and overflow you with His love (and even His provision) super abundantly. Amen!

Prayer:

"O Lord God, we thank You for Your perfect love that never fails. We want to remember Your perfect love that never fails in our lives. We want to remember all that You have done for us on the cross some 2000 years ago. We want to continue to be the light that shine on others. As we receive more of Your love and Your light, this love will flow out to many around us, and this light will shine forth even in the darkest of places in this world. In the name of Jesus. Amen!"

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

When times are tough, what do you do?

When times are tough, what do you do? This is a question many people ask, especially in times like these. But the answer from the Lord may surprise many.

Here's the answer, and here's what the Lord says, "Keep loving. Keep sowing seeds of love and care. Help anyone who needs genuine help. Look out for one another and look after one another."

There's no denying the fact that the world (I mean, the people of the world) has become 'colder' and 'colder', even though the earth is getting warmer and warmer (due to climate change). People are getting more and more selfish (lovers of their own selves without considering others or to the detriment of others), and more and more inward-looking.

2 Timothy 3:1-4 (NKJV) says, 'But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God'.

But how about you who are the disciples of Jesus?

In Matthew 5:15-16, Jesus says, "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

In tough times like these, the Lord's answer for us is all the more let our light shine brighter and brighter, even as the world gets darker and darker! 

But how do you shine your light? 

Through acts of love and kindness from a genuine and sincere heart!

1 John 3:18 (NKJV) says, 'My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth'.

1 John 4:8 (NKJV) says, 'He who does not love does not know God, for God is love'.

1 John 4:12 (NKJV) says, 'No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us'.

In Matthew 25:34-40, Jesus says, "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'"

You see, as you scatter seeds of love and kindness wherever you are, as you help those who are helpless, and care for those who are uncared for, the Lord will know how to reward you and honor you, even in ways that no man can! The Lord sees it even when man never sees or recognizes it!

Galatians 6:9 (NKJV) says, 'And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart'.

In Luke 6:38, Jesus says, "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

It doesn't necessarily have to be giving in the form of money. It can be using your spiritual gifts, your talents, your time, your energy, or in any way that you can be a blessing others! It goes a long way in bringing hope to many, and you'd never know how much this means to some who are in dire situations at the moment!

So, beloved of God, go ahead and love others! Make a difference in this world! Not just in words, but also in deeds! Your 'light' will shine ever brighter in the spiritual realm! And you will reap the good that you sow! Amen!

For details of this message, click here to watch

Prophetic words for the Hebrew year 5777

Here are the prophetic words for the Hebrew year 5777 (released at Triumph in Christ on Sunday, October 2, 2016):
"This is a key year to take back what you have lost. For I will give you My sword, and I will give you a new zeal! This is a year of My Church arising! Let My Church arise! Let My Church arise! This is a year My Church will begin to arise in ways that the world has never seen or thought possible!"

'My sword' = revelation in the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12, Revelation 12:11).
'New zeal' = a new zeal for His house (John 2:13-17).

"This is a year to gain new territories and walk into the new territories. The enemy will try to make you think otherwise, but I will send you My supplies, and I will send you My ammunitions, even in ways that you have never expected it to happen."

'My supplies' speaks of 'support'.
'My ammunitions' speaks of 'weapons'.

'New territories' speaks of:
- areas you have never been before;
- things you have never done before.

Instructions from the Lord as you cross over the Hebrew year 5777:
"Keep sowing seeds of My love and My kindness, no matter how turbulent this world has become! Keep sowing seeds of My Word! For whatever a man sows, he will also reap! Do not grow weary while doing good, for in due season, you will surely reap, if you do not lose heart."

Galatians 6:7-10 says, 'Do not be deceived. God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 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'.

In Matthew 25:31-40, Jesus says, "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'"

As I was asking the Lord what the 'ammunitions' mean in the prophetic words for the year 5777, the Lord then gave a key chapter for this coming year: 1 Corinthians 13.
Not missiles, bombs, 'lone wolves', or suicide squads, and contrary to what many people think, the answer is God's love and kindness.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 says, 'Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing'.

'love' = 'agapê' in Greek = benevolence (love + kindness).

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 then says, 'Love suffers long (is patient) and love is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away'.

'kind' here is from the word 'chrestos' in Greek, meaning 'goodness, and gracious' (not just in words, but in action).

The love and compassion of Jesus
Matthew 9:35-38 says, 'Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."'

People of God, as we usher in the new Hebrew year 5777 (leading us into the secular year 2017), receive the love of God from on high. This love is God's heavenly love. This love will not fail, when everything else on earth fails. This love is the love of Christ. Romans 5:5 says, 'Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us'.

As you receive this love that never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8) and be filled with His love, let this love overflow to others. Amen.