Being grateful and contented

A good day to you! The year 2023 is coming to a close. Soon, we are heading into a brand new year. Hallelujah! 

Before we enter into a brand new year, we can take some time to reflect on ourselves. 

What is 'self-reflection', or some people call it 'personal reflection'? 

It is taking the time to think or reflect on ourselves, on what we have done during the year, how we behaved, our attitudes, our desires in life, our motivation in life, etc during this past one year. 

And yes, as we reflect on ourselves, there can be a number of things in our lives that we can be grateful for. No doubt, we all have our share of challenges in life, but looking at the brighter side in life, surely there are also many things that we can be grateful for and thankful for! 

What is the definition of 'being grateful'? In the context of your relationship with God, 'being grateful' is 'feeling or expressing thankfulness for the good things that God has given in your life.' 

How about 'being contented'? In the context of your relationship with God, 'being contented' means 'being happy and satisfied with what God has given in your life, or the willingness to accept yourself and your present stage in life.' 

You see, you don't have to compare yourself with others. Instead, you look to the Lord and receive all the good that He wants to give to you. Now, don't get me wrong. Living a contented life doesn't mean you cannot have dreams or ambitions in life. It doesn't mean you cannot look forward to improving your life. But what I'm saying is living a contented life simply means accepting your present stage in life with peace and positivity. And of course, being thankful for who you are, and what God has given in your life. 

In Philippines 4:11-12a (NKJV), Paul wrote, 'Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound.' 

See the word 'content' here? In other words, Paul wrote that in every circumstance of his life, he has learned to be content.

Let's read from another version, the Amplified Bible. 'Not that I speak from [any personal] need, for I have learned to be content [and self-sufficient through Christ, satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or uneasy] regardless of my circumstances. I know how to get along and live humbly [in difficult times], and I also know how to enjoy abundance and live in prosperity.' 

As Paul had mentioned here, he learned to be content, trusting in the Lord that whatever the time and season he's in, he's not alone. And he can therefore say, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." That's in Philippians 4:13, just one verse later. Paul knew in whatever circumstance that he faced in life, the Lord's there to strengthen him, and therefore, 'he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him.' Without God, he knew he couldn't. But with God, all things are possible. 

Now, it is the same with your life. We all have our own unique life story. Whatever your life story may be, one thing for sure is you can count on the Lord to see you through. As for my wife (Sharon) and I, we have come a long way since we left our accountancy career those days and began serving the Lord full-time some 25 years ago in various ministry capacities. We have seen how faithful God has been to us. Yes, in good times, and even in challenging times, we have tasted and seen how good He is to us. We are grateful. 

So, you too, you can count on the Lord to do things that are otherwise impossible for you to do. Your part is to keep looking to Him, counting on Him, trusting in Him, and of course, obeying His every instruction for your life. When He says so, you say so. When He says no, you say no. And He will know how to lead you and guide you. Remember, He will never lead you into trouble or dead-end road. He will always make a way for you. Amen! 

Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV) 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.'

The word 'thanksgiving' here is 'eucharistia' in Greek. It means 'being thankful, being grateful, having gratitude in life'. So, in a time like this, let us be grateful and thankful to the Lord. And let us say to the Lord, "O Lord God, I thank You for all the good that You have done in my life. Yes, even if there are some areas in my life that I do not understand, but I just give thanks to You. Because I know all things will somehow work together for good in my life." 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV) says, 'Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.' 

In everything give thanks! That's what Paul wrote here. 

What is the meaning of 'pray without ceasing'? It means 'constantly praying and having fellowship with the Lord, and having the consciousness of being in His presence throughout each day.'

What is the meaning of 'in everything give thanks'? It simply means 'living a life of gratitude and thanksgiving, and learning to count your blessings.' 

There will always be things, even seemingly little things in your life, that you can give thanks for. For example, your bed, your home, your loved ones who really care for you and pray for you, etc. Now, different people different. You can list down all the things, even the little things in your life, that you can give thanks for. Amen! 

Psalm 107:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.' 

Yes, He is the Lord who knows how to redeem you. And indeed, He is the Lord who knows how to redeem your lost time. He is a God of repair and restoration. 

Psalm 95:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving. Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.' Hallelujah! See the word 'thanksgiving' here?

James 1:17 (NKJV) says, 'Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.' 

There is no doubt, without any shadow of doubt, that He is a good God, and that He is the Source of every good thing in your life. Therefore, what is your part? Your part is to keep looking to Him and His goodness in your life. Keep receiving the goodness of God in your life. Taste and see more and more of God's goodness in your life!

Lamentations 3:22-24 (NKJV) says, 'Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him."' 

What does it mean by 'the Lord is your portion'? The Lord is your inheritance! What are some of His inheritances? He is the Source of joy in your life. He is the Source of blessings in your life. He is the Source of security in your life. He is the Source of provision in your life. He is the Source of comfort in your life. He is the Source of strength in your life. He is everything in your life. He is your portion. All these inheritances that I've written here, and even more, have been given to you!

So, if you read here, "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him.", the author of this book meant, "Because the Lord is my portion, I can be rest assured that I can hope in Him and look to Him. Because He is a God who is faithful to me, and He is a God who will never fail me." Amen! 

So beloved of God, let us be grateful and be contented not just for what He can give to us, but for who He is to us. Thank God for He is a merciful God. Thank God for He is a loving and forgiving God. Thank God for He is a compassionate God. Thank God for who He is in our lives! 

What if you have made a mistake in life, or you think you blew it, or messed up? Remember, as a beloved of God, He is for you and not against you. It's not the end of the world. Return to His ways. It isn't too late yet. To God, 'a thousand years is as a day', the Bible says. It means what humans can achieve in 1,000 years, He (God) can accomplish it in just one day. That's how great He is. He can therefore redeem you. He can redeem your lost time. He is a God of restoration in your life. So, forgive yourself. Condemn yourself no more. Learn from those mistakes, yes, but look ahead and rise up again. Rise up and soar higher than ever before. He is here for you, and His hands are here to carry you!

Right now, I pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit to be upon you (for you) to soar higher than ever before, and to soar to the next level. In spite of all those troubles and challenging times you've had in your life, be rest assured that the Lord's grace is more than enough for you. The Lord's grace is sufficient for you. His anointing is upon you (for you) to soar higher than all those storms, and to soar like that of an eagle. Amen!

Let us pray: "O Lord God, we thank You not just for what You can give to us, but also for who You are to us. We thank You for Your mercy. We thank You for Your lovingkindness. We thank You for Your love for us that never fails. There are indeed so many things we can give thanks for. We are thankful that You are still the same faithful God - yesterday, today, and forever. We thank You that You will know how to work all things together for good in our lives. We thank You for the year that is past. And we thank You in advance for the year ahead of us. It's going to be a brand new start. It's going to be a good year ahead. In Jesus' name. Amen." 

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Urgent message: Be alert against the offers of the enemy!

The Lord says: 

"Never give up waiting on Me and trusting in My perfect timing. Never allow the enemy to sidetrack and distract. The enemy is trying to sway My people away from looking to Me and putting their trust in Me. The enemy is trying to offer My people a lot of creative and seemingly better alternatives that are not from Me. Never buy all these lies. Even if the answers seem to be delayed, stay firm in what I have promised and spoken in My Word." 

There can be 1001 spirits or kinds of spirits trying to lure God's people nowadays. This is the end time. This is that perilous time. That's why it is so important for God's people to stay alert, and walk even closer with the Holy Spirit. Because only the Holy Spirit in you can help you to discern what is of God and what is not. 

Some people may say, "What if my prayers have not been answered yet?" or "What if the answers that I've been waiting for from the Lord seem to be delayed, and the Lord has been silent?" They would then say, "That's why I went after other ways."

This reminds me of Exodus 32 when Moses went up to Mount Sinai and he never came back at the time the people expected him to come back. And you know what? Instead of waiting for Moses, they chose to move on and worship other gods. That was the beginning of a disaster for them. 

When the people saw how long it took for Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. Now watch what they said: "Come on, make us some gods who can lead us. We don't know what had happened to this fellow Moses who brought us here from the land of Egypt." Aaron answered: "Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me." 

When Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, this caused the people to be anxious. Yes, admittedly, Moses was delayed. But there's a reason why God allowed the delay. If only God's people would wait a little longer, this wait would have been over soon. But you know what? The people couldn't wait. 

So, Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, "O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!" Aaron saw how excited the people were. So, he built an altar in front of the calf, and the people worshiped it. 

For the record, Moses was gone forty days. That seemed a long time to the people. However, in the presence of the Lord, that was just a short time to Moses. But the people couldn't wait. That's why they were looking for alternatives. 

You see, how we handle a delay is so important. Do we keep trusting in God's perfect timing? Do we still keep looking to the Lord? Do we have this deep assurance that the Lord will somehow, in His perfect timing, answer us and reply us, in His way? Or do we look somewhere else and drift away from God, thinking that He is not powerful enough? 

Unfortunately, Aaron (the leader in the absence of Moses) bowed down to the pressure of the people. He bowed down to the popular opinion of the people. This was an example of the will of the people prevailing over the will of God. 

Upon knowing all the above, Moses pleaded with the Lord for mercy for the people. Imagine his heartbreak when he saw how Aaron had let the people get completely out of control! Of course the enemy is happy. Moses had to take some very necessary steps to put a stop to all these, so that the people could be restored back to the Lord their God. 

Now, this 'gold calf' in our modern times today may not be exactly 'gold calf' per say, and may not be a 'physical idol' per say, but it can be any spirit, influence, or practice that is not from the Holy Spirit. And in this age, they are very creative to lure away God's people. In fact, they have become more and more creative in luring God's people away. These spirits are very good at camouflage; disguising and hiding themselves behind some very attractive and seemingly innocent outward facade, telling people their practices, their way of meditation, and their way of doing things are good for health and give people peace. 

But you know what? For those who are walking closely with the Holy Spirit, they know what is the difference. They know what is of God and what is not. They know such false peace is definitely not the peace from the Holy Spirit. So, may the Lord awaken His people! May the Lord awaken them from all these 'spells' and all these influences of the work of darkness! And awaken to the Lord their God! 

You just need to watch what people say or do in the social media nowadays to know how many believers of the Lord have been swayed by these subtleties and "alternative offers" from the power of darkness. In other words, these spirits are actually saying to God's people, "Hey, your God is not able to help you anymore. Your God is not sufficient for you. Come on here. Join us!" And many believers of the Lord have been subtly tricked into thinking these alternatives can bring them greater peace. But these are lies. Only the Lord your God, YHWH, gives true and lasting peace. 

Many of these spiritual practices look nothing harmful on the surface, but it is a way to draw believers away from relying solely on the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God. Anyone who walks closely with the Holy Spirit will be able to sense and discern what is of the Holy Spirit, and what is not of the Holy Spirit. 

The anointing of the Holy Spirit is now here to break every yoke, every bondage, and every spell! The anointing of the Holy Spirit is being released now to break that spell, and set people free! The anointing of the Holy Spirit is now waking people up from their spiritual slumber! I know what I'm saying, because one aspect of my ministry has been deliverance ministry. I've seen all kinds of manifestations of the power of darkness right before my eyes. 

The truth is the Holy Spirit in you is sufficient to teach you peace and life. You don't need any other. The Holy Spirit is sufficient to give you all that you ever need in life here on earth. Never sell yourself to any other influence that do not come from the Holy Spirit. 

Now, this message may not be for you who are walking closely with the Lord. But it may be for the people around you, and maybe even some family members of yours. I want to pray for this release of the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon you, upon your family, and upon those who are around you. Let this anointing destroy every slumber, every yoke, and every spell! Be set free! And let the life and the peace of the Lord fill you all in all. In Jesus' name. Amen! 

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How to know your time and season in life?

Let's talk about time and season in our lives, and how we can flow in God's time and season for each of our lives. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of flowing with God's time and season for each of our lives. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV) says, 'To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.' 

Notice the words 'under heaven' here? It means 'on this earth'. There is a time and season for everything here on this earth.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NKJV) says, 'He has made everything beautiful in its time...' 

Whether it's in the spiritual realm, or whether it's in the natural (physical) realm, it is the same. And not just us. Even animals too are created with the ability to sense and cope with time and season. 

For example, winter can be harsh in the wild. There is less food available in winter time. These animals need to learn to prepare enough food and enough warmth as winter draws near. What happens if they miss their time? Their chances of survival will be slim. Some animals would collect or gather food in the hole or underground. Some animals would grow thicker coat of fur, so they can retain heat. In fact, some other animals would avoid the difficulties of winter by reducing their metabolic rate, going into a time of hibernating when the body temperature drops and the heartbeat reduces. So, they might look like dormant, almost like dead, but they are actually alive. 

So, how do you know you are in time, out of time, or behind time? How do you know if you are walking in the perfect timing of the Lord? How do you know the time and season in your life, in every aspect of your life? And how not to miss your time? 

In 1 Chronicles 12:32 (NKJV), the Bible says, '...of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do...' 

The name 'Issachar' here is interesting. It's 'Yissakar' in Hebrew, from the root word 'naw-sar'. This word 'naw-sar' means 'to lift, to rise (higher than others)'. 

Interestingly, the Hebrew word for 'eagle' is 'nesher', and this word also comes from the same root word 'naw-sar'. 

So people of God, may you have such eagle's vision, and may you be so sensitive in the spirit as you flow with God's time and season in your life! 

You see, there's a time for waiting, and there's a time for soaring. There's a time to move forward, and there's a time to return to the nest. 

Eagles have such awesome sense of timing. You know that they hardly crash. They just know when to plunge to catch the prey, and when to lift up after catching the prey at the sea. 

May you be like that eagle ('nesher')! May you lift and rise higher than the storms above you! May you soar with the winds of the Holy Spirit! May you soar in the ways of the Lord! 

My prayer for you right now is the Lord will sensitize your spirit to know your time and season in your life; to walk in it, to flow with it, and to see His good hands in your life!

Very interestingly, the word 'times' here in 1 Chronicles 12:32 is 'paam' in Hebrew, which speaks of 'the movement in the spiritual realm'. 

May you too know the movement in the spiritual realm around you! 

The key here is to be connected to the Holy Spirit who is all-knowing. It is when you are in tune and connected with the Holy Spirit that you'll be able to catch the "frequency" and "transmission" of the Holy Spirit in your life. It is when you are in tune and connected with the Holy Spirit that you'll be able to catch what the Holy Spirit is doing in your life. And that's how you'll move with such precision like that of an eagle ('nesher')! 

There are three ways to see time: kronos, kairos, and atomos. 

First, 'kronos' time. 

What is a 'kronos' time? 

It is a time to keep building, building, building... and a time to keep preparing, preparing, preparing...  It's like a planter who keeps tending the plants, yet no fruits to be harvested yet. Or it's like a tree growing its fruits, but not ripe for the picking yet. A waiting time is not a wasted time. A waiting time is a time of strengthening, building, and preparing. If you are in such a time now, continue to build yourself in the Word and in the Spirit. Continue to prepare yourself for the greater things that are coming in your life! 

This Greek word 'kronos' is where the English words 'chronicles' or 'chronology' come from. It means 'a time implying a fixed time (or duration), a waiting time, or a time that can be measured (by the physical clock)'. 

Second, 'kairos' time. 

What is a 'kairos' time? 

It is a time when the 'fruit' is ripe for the 'picking' or 'harvesting'! In 1 Chronicles 12:32, in the Greek Old Testament, the word 'times' here, or 'paam' in Hebrew, is translated as 'kairos'. It means 'a time or occasion implying a set time (or a time set by God), an opportune time (when a thing should be done), or an appointed time (to accomplish a God-given task)'. In short, it means 'the right moment', 'the right opportunity', or 'an opportune time'. 

Very interestingly, the next few chapters following 1 Chronicles 12:32 are about the right time or the right timing to bring the ark of the covenant, which speaks of 'the presence of the Lord, or the glory of the Lord', back to the city of God! You can see that in 1 Chronicles chapters 13, 14, and 15. Here, the right time to bring back the ark of the covenant to the city of God had come! They did it, and they saw the glory of the Lord! 

Third, 'atomos' time. 

What is an 'atomos' time?

It is a time of our final victory as believers of the Lord Jesus Christ! Of course, if you are reading this, this time has not come yet. This is because the Lord wants you to make the most out of your current time. He wants you to fulfill His calling for your life here on earth. He wants you to fulfill His vision and mission for you here on earth. But there will come a time when 1 Corinthians 15:52 will come, as the Bible says, 'In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.' Rapture time! 

The word 'moment' here is 'atomos' in Greek, which actually means 'uncut, indivisible'. This word 'atomos' is where the English words 'atom' or 'atomic' come from. You see, even 'one second' can be further divided into, say, 'half a second', 'a quarter of a second', 'a hundredth of a second', or even 'a thousandth of a second'. But an 'atomos' is a unit that cannot be further divided.

And in such 'atomos' time, 'in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye', someday, Jesus returns! And that's when we shall all be in eternity. Not time-bound anymore. Not limited by time anymore. Ageless! 

1 Corinthians 15:53-54 (NKJV) backs this up, 'For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So, when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory"'. Amen! 

So, you have 'kronos' time, you have 'kairos' time, and in the future, you have that 'atomos' time! 

Let's look at one example now. 

Let's look at Joseph's life. Joseph went through different stages (or seasons) in his life. It can be summarized in Acts 7:9-14 (NKJV) here. 'And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first, and the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to the Pharaoh. Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people.' 

That was a time of reuniting! Jacob (Joseph's father) and all of Joseph's brothers came to Egypt, and they were all reunited with Joseph! 

There are five stages (or seasons) in Joseph's life. 

1. Adored by his father. 

2. Despised by his brothers. 

3. Served under a foreign master. 

4. Employed by a foreign king. 

5. Reunited with his family. 

Very interestingly, Joseph's life is a 'picture' of Jesus Himself on earth. Joseph started off as his father Jacob's favorite son. And in the very end, Joseph was reunited with his father Jacob. Look at Jesus now. He came from the Father. He returned to the Father. It is the same with each of us. We came from God the Father. We shall return to God the Father!

Like Joseph, each of us has our own unique life story too. We all have our time and season. We all have our stages and seasons in life. Our part is to continue to trust the Lord that He knows what He's doing in our lives, and trust the Lord that all things will eventually work out for good in our lives. 

So beloved of God, whatever you've been going through in your life at the moment, keep looking to the Lord. The Lord sometimes allows certain things to happen in our lives, because He sees farther than us and He knows better than us. Continue to stay connected with the Lord. You may not understand everything that He is doing at the moment, but one day, you will understand. His ways and His thoughts are always higher than ours. He is a good God, and you shall see that He is indeed a good God in your life. Amen!

Prayer: 

"O Lord God, we thank You that You are a Sovereign God. We want to learn to walk in Your time and season in our lives. We know that You see farther than us and You know better than us. We want to stay connected to You, and we want to stay in tune with Your Spirit. We want to be like the "eagle" who knows how to soar higher than any storm on earth. We want to be like the "eagle" who knows how to soar in the wind of the Holy Spirit. We want to flow in Your time and season. We will know when to move ahead and when to let go. We will know when to rise and when to rest. We will know when to harvest and when to prepare. In Jesus' name. Amen."

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