Monday, October 24, 2005

Resonating to the Holy Spirit

For those of you who remembered conducting a science experiment on resonance, you could probably recall how a plastic ruler offset at the edge of the table can violently oscilate up and down when being tapped/vibrated at certain frequency. That certain frequency is called the resonance frequency.

Our walk with God can certainly draw a very synonymous analogy to that simple science experiment. The Holy Spirit moves in a certain pulse that is perfect to the will of God. To resonate with the Holy Spirit is to tap into the harmonic motion of the Holy Spirit. It requires us to, first, be sensitive to the movement of the Spirit, next, to flow accordingly. When our own spirit resonates in synchrony with the Holy Spirit, you can be assured that the unleashing power is able to manifest a Christian life in its full abundance. God has promised that in John 15:7 ...If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Despite a powerful promise from God, yet sometimes we fail to tap into resonance. One of the most obvious reasons is disobedience towards God. I could probably write numerous more articles about the elements of disobedience. But for the simplicity of this article, being disobedient towards God encompass all things that are "not nice" in God's vocabulary i.e. sin, faithlessness, unrepentence etc. God has a warning about being out of sync with the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

However, despite the obedience on our part, sometimes we do feel that God has been awfully silent. Some may feel that things and happenings around them seem to be falling apart like a broken jigsaw puzzle. Feelings of fear, helplessness and inadequecy lurks from within. It can be an excrutiating experience, especially priorly we were on spiritual "high". When this period of dryness seemingly happens, it is because the Holy Spirit has begun moving at a whole new different level in our lives. Through a prayerful attitude, the beckoning of the Holy Spirit is sensable. By faith, we plunge ourselves into that beckoning. I would likened this to upgrading from springboarding into a pool of water to bungee-jumping into air from a mile high!

Because the Holy Spirit has drawn them to a higher level, and by faith, our elders have stepped out in obedience which resulted in the mighty works of God in FGA. I can personally testify the experience of dryness during the 40 days of Purpose Driven Life Programme, and God has brought me to a new level ever since. Lord Jesus Himself can ascertain that. In the gospels of Matthew, Luke and Mark, the patterns are consistent :
1) He was baptised - we can draw the spiritually "high" analogy here
2) He was tempted - shortly after that, His seeming period of dryness occur.
3) He is, thereafter, a powerful minister - He moves in a powerful newer, higher level that has impressed a resonating message to the world forever.

Catch the pattern? Period of dryness is a interface period during which God is telling us that His Spirit has moved on to another level. It also means that temptation is real. The choices we make will result in whether we resonate with the Holy Spirit at a new level, or simply spiral away from His presence. When the Spirit calls, we need to step out with faith towards His direction. For without faith, it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 6:11). Elders Dr. Koh and Bro. Ang had answered the call 26 years ago. Jesus subjected himself to the perfect will of God 2000 years ago. The same spirit still beckons us today to resonate with Him. As evident in many biblical accounts and modern testimonies, the results are simply sensational (it has to be...upgrading from springboarding to bungee-jumping wat). Will you today choose resonate to the pulse of the Holy Spirit?

posted by Mel-Vern @ 6:49 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Changing Mindsets

While I have not (yet) met any Christians who experience the reborning experience without pain, most of us come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through a life experience that almost drives us to the point of fracture. Carmen's jots below shows some of the examples which are very real in our life walk.

In the book Purpose Driven Life written Rick Warren, he mentioned that out of the most tormenting experiences will birth the most powerful ministries. Cause God causes all things to work for good for those who love him and are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28). Having said Romans 8:28, so why do we sometimes fail to capitalize on our experiences for God's glory? The environment that sometime causes people to just seemingly react waywardly, is an overpowering sense of helplessness in the face of life's adversities. It can induce a 2-prong outcome, one resulting in a behaviour which constantly lashes out at opportune time (what I call the bitter-bitter syndrome), the other an almost-too-willing-to-retreat response (what I call once-bitten-twice-shy-three-times-sure-die disorder). So, instead of what could seemingly unfold a magical story has pathetically spiralled in a badly written plot, as described by the 2 syndromes above.

We first need to learn how to think, react and pro-act differently. Sounds cliche, but it echoes in many secular self-help seminars in the market. Really, there is no reasons for us born-again Christians to learn how to think, react and pro-act differently. For Christ's sake (unlike pagans, no pun intended, I mean this for real), we have our Lord God with insurmountable and infinite resource of wisdom for us to tap into! (I'm hearing a hallelujah in a cresendo). There are numerous Proverb verses that can be quoted here about wisdom, but I'll leave it as a homework to all of you. By aligning to the pulse of the Holy Spirit, start challenging the mindset and changing the way we do things will result in the unfolding life's richness and abundance in the Lord. ...but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2). What could be more powerful than forging the alliance with the Holy Spirit?

Jesus' life is a testimony on how He was truly different in His thoughts and actions :
1) His seemingly comprehension of the word as a boy at the temple (Mark 2:41-50)
2) His reactions towards the devil's temptation in the dessert (Mark 4 :1-13)
3) His messages, ministries and miracles (articulated in all the 4 gospels)
4) His pro-action towards the cross (Matthew 26:39)

Some are in serious delay for a major reality-check overhaul spiritually. A simultaneous combination of reengineering of what's in between the ears and a thorough makeover of the heart is necessary to re-track the obedient walk with God, which unlocks life in its full abundance. God, in all His Glory, is in a business of re-inventing mindsets and rejuvenation of the heart to be more like His Son. But only if you invite Him to be your Senior Partner and CEO of YourLife Inc.

posted by Mel-Vern @ 6:45 AM 0 comments