~ A Donkey In Lion's Clothing

July 18,2009
Saturday

READ:
Matthew 7:15-23

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Beware of false prophets...in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
-Matthew 7:15

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In the final book of C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, The Last Battle, a devious ape named Shift finds an old lion's skin and persuades a simpleminded donkey to put it on. Shift then claims that the disgusted donkey is Aslan (the Lion who is the rightful king of Narnia) and forms an alliance with Narnia's enemies. Together they set out to control and enslave the subjects of Narnia. Young King Tirian, however, can't believe that Aslan would actually be involved with such brutal practives. So, with the help of the real Aslan, he defeats Shift and his counterfeit lion.

The Bible tells us that the devil is in the business if imitating God. His goal is "to be like the Most High" (Isa. 14:12-15). Through deception, Satan tries to replace Christ with a substitute. Jesus Himself warned us of false prophets and false christs:" Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many" (Matt.24:4-5).

How can we tell the real Christ from the counterfeit? The only authentic Christ is the one described in Scripture. Anyone or anything that portrays a different Jesus that the One represented in the Bible is promoting "a donkey in lion's clothing."- Dennis Fisher

Beware of anyone who claims
To speak directly from the Lord
If what he says does not agree
With everything that's in God's Word. - Sper

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God's Word gives wisdom to discern what is false.

~ Dangerous Freedom

July 4,2009
Saturday

READ:
Galatians 5:1-6,16-21

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Do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
-Galatians 5:13

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Freedom is dangerous in the hands of those who don't know how to use it. That's why criminals are confined in prisons with barbed wire, steel bars, and concrete barriers. Or consider a campfire that is allowed to spread in a dry forest. It quickly becomes a blazing inferno. Unchecked freedom can create chaos.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the Christian life. Believers are from law's curse, its penalty, and its guilt=producing power. Fear, anxiety, and guilt are replaced by peace, forgiveness, and liberty. Who could be more free than one who is free in the depths of his soul? But here is where we often fail. We use freedom's luxury to live selfishly, or we claim ownership of what God has merely entrusted to us. We slip into patterns of self-indulgent living, especially in affluent societies.

The proper use of freedom is "faith working through love" to serve one another (Gal. 5:6,13). When we rely on the Spirit and expend our energies on loving God and helping others, the destructive works of the flesh will be restrained by God (vv.16-21). So let's always use our liberty to build up, not to tear down.

Like a raging fire, freedom without limits is dangerous. But when controlled, it is a blessing to all. -Dennis De Hann

Christ came to give us liberty
By dying in our place;
Now with new freedom we are bound
To share His love and grace. - D. De Haan

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Freedom doesn't give us the right to do what we please, but to do what pleases God.

~ War In Heaven

May 19,2009
Tuesday

READ:
Revelation 12:7-12

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War broke out in heaven....[And Satan] was cast to the earth.
-Revelation 12:7-9

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Philip Pullman is a gifted writer of fantasy books. His Dark Materials trilogy includes The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass and is very popular among young reader. But below the surface of these sympathetic characters and compelling subplots is a sinister purpose. The story culminates in a great war against God.

In these books, Pullman views the fall of Satan as a righteous cause for personal independence from God's "tyrannical" control. He implies that Satan's attempt to usurp the throne of God was the right thing to do!

In the book of Revelation, we read of the endtimes: "War broke out in heaven.... [And Satan] was cast to the earth" (Rev.12:7-9). That future was is being preceded by an eathly conflict on the battlefield of our minds.

We must recognize Satan for what he is - a liar (John 8:44). His strategy is to take God's words out off context and twist them into falsehood (Gen. 3:1-7). Our best defense against him is hold firmly o the truth of God's Word (Eph. 6:10-18).

our loving heavenly Father is "not willing that any should perish" (2 Peter 3:9). But neither will He force our obedience. He leaves the choice to us.

The prince of darkness grim-
We tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure-
One little word shall fell him. - Luther

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When Satan strikes, strike back with the Word of God.

~ The Secret Is

May 15,2009
Friday

READ:
1 Corinthians 2:6-16

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We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages.
-1 Corinthians 2:7

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If you believe Rhonda Bryne, author of the bestselling book The Secret, "The shortcut to anything you want in your life is to be and feel happy now!" According to Byrne, this has to do with something called the law of attraction. If you think only about things that make you happy, she says, happy things will be attracted to you.

Sounds easy enough.

However, the Bible says that "the secret" to is something very different. It has to do with "the law of the Spirit of life" that sets us free from "the law of sin and death" (ROM.8:2), not with the "law of attraction."

According to the apostle Paul, the most important thing to know is " Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). To those who are concerned with happiness now, this indeed foolishness (v1.4). They do not recognize the power of God in what appears to them as weakness.

The Lord created us with a desire to know what is secret. In His wisdom, He kept certain things hidden in mystery for a time (v.7).But now, through His Holy Spirit, He has made them known. And the secret He reveals has nothing to do with having happy thoughts in order to obtain happy things; it has to do with having the mind of Jesus Christ (v.16).- Julie Ackerman Link

There is a law that made us free-
In Romans 8 this truth is heard;
The secret is to walk with God,
And daily lean upon His word. - Hess

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To know lasting happiness, we must get to know Jesus.

~ In the Worst of times Is the Best of times

Hi, I have a good news for everyone! A new event coming up in Kuala Lumpur by RBC Ministries Bible Teaching Session. Please refer below for more details!

Date: Saturday, 6th June 2009
Time: 7.30p.m.-10.00p.m
Venue: Chinese Methodist Hokkien Church
Address: No.1 Lorong Hang Jebat, 50150 Kuala Lumpur.
Speaker: Albert Lee

Please click image below for larger and detail map view.
Credits: RBC Ministries.

~ The World Is Watching

May 11,2009
Monday

READ:
John 13:31-35

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By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
-John 13:35

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My friends were serving in a ministry that was directed mainly to Christians when an opportunity came for them to change jobs and touch the lives of thousands of non-believers. They decided to make what they believed to be an exciting change.

Many people, even some who didn't personally know them, were shocked and accused them of seeking fame and fortune in the world. But believing that Jesus came "to seek and to save that which was lost: (Luke 19:10), they decided to pursue what they considered an even greater opportunity to serve the "lost" in their community.

They said later, " Some Christians were so cruel to us, and wrote hateful e-mails. Our non Christian friends were kinder to us than our fellow Christians. We didn't understand that, and were hurt deeply." They told me that their desire was to follow God's directive to be "salt" and "light" in the world (Matt. 5:13-14).

When someone we know is making a decision or change, it can be helpful to ask about his or her motives. But we can't fully know another's heart. We don't want to "bite and devour" our fellow Christians (gal.5:15), but instead to love them in a way that others will know we are Jesus's followers (John 13:35). The world is watching. - Anne Cetas

We join our hearts and hands together,
Faithful to the Lord's command:
We hold each other to God's standards-
All that truth and love demand. - D. De Haan

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Only God sees the heart.

~ Check Your Attitude

Apr 15,2009
Wednesday

READ:
1 John 3:22-36

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He must increase, but I must decrease.
-John 3:30

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A music professor with a well-trained voice usually sang the major male solo parts in the choir of a large church. A young man named Bob with no training sometimes took a few shorter solos. As the choir director prepared for Christmas cantata, she felt Bob's voice and style made him a natural for the lead role. However, she didn't know how she could give it to him without offending the older man.

Her anxiety was unnecessary. The professor had the same thoughts as she did, and he told her that Bob should take the part. He continued to sing faithfully in the chorus and was a source of much encouragement to Bob.

People who can set aside selfish ambition and genuinely seek the good of others have an attitude that pleases God. Do you remember how John the Baptist reacted when the crowd left him and began following Jesus? He said, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).

What did John the Baptist and the music professor have in common? The were able to set aside "selfish ambition." They were happy to see others elevated above themselves when it was for the common good. Can the same be said about us?- Herb Vander Lugt

This is the highest learning,
The hardest and the best-
From self to keep still turning
And honor all the rest. - MacDonald

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When we forget about ourselves, we do things others will remember.