Now is the Time!

This is it....my one week marathon....

I have been sick for the past two days. So have my members and interns. Well, I am grateful that at least it is before the crazy week starts. The marathon has begun. To me this week is the one week that will sum up the whole season and bridge forth a new beginning. I have been planning this for such a long time. Now finally it is about to come to pass...

I am so excited. I have seen many revelations and build my expectations upon this. This is going to be a week of BREAKTHROUGHS. E30, E45, Outreach members, are you guys ready to shake this TOWN?!

Tuesday-Friday: morning prayer
Thursday: Outreach Big Day
Friday-Saturday: Mission Trip
Sunday: Gala Dinner & Mission Weekend

Charge up guys! It is going to be faith-filled, stretching week...But it will be the most amazing time of your life. Your time is NOW! =)) Through this, you will discover your destiny. Seize the moment. Don't miss the hour!

:)) REAL & RADICAL!!!

Revive the Call - SPEAK FORTH!

Finally, the finals and the busy hectic life is over. I was able to breathe again! *phew*

Yesterday, as I was traveling back to Taiping in the car, I was caught up with thinking about a lot of things in life. A lot of recent happenings, and how I have learned so much from it. Uh. And I was also reading Harvest Times. An article by Dr. Yonggi Cho especially impacted me inside out in the car, that I began visualizing and reviving the old dreams. Not that that they were gone, but reading the article refreshed the big picture!

As Shirley had been very busy preparing for her wedding, there were tons of things she needed to be handled. She was amazing. Throughout the period of her wedding preparation, I wasn't involved in the events planning. But, as I was talking to her, I knew her vision, and the certain things that she was going through in the crucial period of her time...wow..not easy. There had been some hiccups here and there, not in her wedding (hmm..maybe there are some minor decision making here and there, that i'm not sure)....but in the life of the people she was taking care of.

Seeing how she stood by her vision even when it is understandable if she breaks just for a few minutes (but she did not give in at all!)...was really inspiring.

Looking back at all the hiccups I have to deal with in campus outreach, sometimes I am desperate for God to just come down and take everything into hand. "Come, God...show the people you are real! Then everything is solved. I don't need to work so hard or get discouraged or crack my head anymore!"...i said. LOL...God can do that I know...but I believe He wants to use the people in the campus. Using lives to change lives. With that, it can be evident that God is living in the INSIDE of us.

I was talking to one of the church leaders the other day. She was talking about the issues that were going on in campuses and her cell group. How local university students were so much simpler and easier to engage. Well, I talked to Shirley about this. She told me one thing: "Hazel, you have no idea how many many years ago, professors, lecturers, students from local universities come together, praying praying and praying, breaking the and plouging the ground...and now it is so easy because they are reaping the fruits from the previous batch of people who engaged so deeply for their campus. you are only seeing the fruits. Likewise, for you...in your campus. That is the reason why I asked you to adhere to the two pillars...to pray and then only to evangelize. You have to prepare and break the ground. Then, it would be easier for the generations after that."

Wow...I was inspired. I honestly didn't know that :)) I am dying to share this with my outreach members. Wanting to tell them to keep going and keeping the big picture in mind. Shirley taught a group of us another thing the other day over the breakfast table. I am amazed how she can continuously impact the lives of others with her words, with just the short time she had with us. She was so busy! But  yet when she shared, it seemed like you have sat with her for the WHOLE DAY. You just naturally draw so much.

She was sharing about the stronghold in a city. Whereby in the enemy's kingdom, there is a very very very structured and orderly system...in fact more orderly than the human world. The "Stronghold" is like the zone supervisor. Taking care of the city...each city had different strongholds (that's why God works through changing city. you conquer the stronghold, you conquer the city)...and underneath it would be the many many other small little "soldier", each taking its own role. As in the campuses, the deceitful spirit would be that of the wisdom of the world. Whereby every wisdom obtained is used to counter and refuse the existence of God. That is what we have been facing in most of our campuses. People question the need of God. And it is really not easy to break.

Nonetheless, three of us especially, did not give up. We kept doing what we were suppose to do. Every week just pray and pray. To break and bind all the other power that is not from God. To prepare the ground. True enough, there had been a lot of open doors. I personally find it really very difficult to invite people to events without them feeling threatened or suspicious of my intention. People always give me the reaction..."Hazel no way I am going to attend any church events. Don't think I do not know your intention"...some were very skeptical. Well, can't blame them. I am known to be very active in church activities. Who could blame what suspicions they have?

However, these days as we fervently gather to pray, there had been breakthrough in the atmosphere. I personally find there were more openings where I can get involved personally in the lives of my other friends (believers or non believers alike). There were outings that I could join, there were people opening up to me about their problems. And from there, I engaged...and it became so much easier. I have also learned tremendously from these friends recently. Somehow previously it didn't occur to me that bonding of relationship could be the KEY to people feeling less threatened!

So as I was saying, I was reading this article about the power of words in life. Scientist recently found that the speech area in your brain governs the nerves in your body. So whatever you speaks, your life will react according to it. Dr. Yonggi Cho was talking about how last time when he preached, he used to have pictures of people healing and he thought it was the enemy's ploy. So he rebuked those thoughts in Jesus' Name because it was distracting to his preaching in services. Nonetheless, God told him this one day: that the presence of God, the Holy Spirit is in his church. But nothing could happen, the Holy Spirit cannot work unless he SPEAKS! So whenever he speaks, the Holy Spirit begin to work (healing works) and people get healed. Those pictures were revelation from God those who were being healed. God was just wanting him to acknowledge the healing and testify to the rest in the congregation.

Likewise, before God created earth. Holy Spirit was already incubating there. But no creation were formed. until GOD speaks! So it was the same here. Knowing this, it was really inspiring to me. I just imagined myself praying, and preparing allowing the Holy Spirit to incubate in my campus. And when I begin to speak, then the work could happen! How cool is that?! The Holy Spirit needs us to speak so that He can work. Likewise with preaching in cell group. So we cannot take the word lightly. It is the basis where the spirit can work. That is why one evidence for Christians when they receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit is to speak in tongue! It means the Holy Spirit is already taking control of your tongue. And when we work according to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, He will work on the basis and foundation of the word we speak forth!

So speak forth, people! It brings life! And one more thing I learned was the fourth dimension. About how Dr. Cho was engaging in the fourth dimension, which is working through visions and dreams. Dr. Cho, since the Holy Spirit worked through that dimension, visions and dreams, he began using the fourth dimension to overrule what was going on in the third dimension (the real physical world) when he was praying one time. And as he was engaging himself there, he was imagining the solution to the problem, he was imagining a healing of a broken relationship of one of his church members who was at the verge of divorcing his wife. As he imagined...he told God...yes God...let it be that  way. And he left to see that member of his.

As he was there, stepping into the apartment, the atmosphere communicated tension and hatred among the husband and wife. Then, the couple began hurling insults on one another. Both were right in their own opinions. Dr. Cho felt sandwiched in between. Both agreed that their relationship was beyond repair, and they wanted divorce. They didn't want Dr. Cho to reconcile them, but they just wanted him to pray blessing for their divorce. Dr.Cho amazingly just held both of their hands together and began to speak of words of binding all hatred and the ploy of the enemy. commanding both of them to be reconciled and be joined as one. tears just began streaming down the couple's face the moment he said that.

Dr. Cho then said in the magazine, he already overruled the broken relationship in the third dimension in his fourth dimension. So what was needed was a word from him...then the Holy Spirit can work! And it did! the weekend, the couple told Dr. Cho that as he spoke, both of them felt a wall being broken and they didn't even know why they fought so much in the first place. now they are more in love than ever.

Wow...Now, imagine us doing that in campus outreach. Having the faith and the courage to speak. I really feel I should implement this. With words, lives and things can change because the Holy Spirit is given a ground to work with. I am so excited and psyched over this.

And for the vision and dreams to keep going on, we really need to know what to imagine so that the Holy Spirit can work according to our fourth dimension and overrule our third dimension! Here are the slides of what I have been imagining all the time since I started outreach. We really need prayers to break the bondage of the wisdom in the world...that eyes may be opened to what is true and real.

Outreach members. As small in numbers as we may be, let's begin to engage the fourth dimension and to use our tongues to speak forth faith, life...creating the foundation for the working of God. Here are some pictures for us to imagine and visualize on. If we can all be united to do that...there will be an awesome breakthrough! I really believe that. I am seeing that. It shall come to pass..

Don't give up! =)) we are not alone.

Conviction...and Honor (Outreach)

It's an amazing weekend. I was singing on stage this weekend, and both services, Pastor Kevin indeed spoke THE WORD of the season into my life. I am totally blown away. The countless times that Pastor would always somehow answer certain queries I have within me through the sermon preached is truly a blessing. This weekend was no different from those times. Today, I indeed had a very very valuable revelation.

For those who have been reading my blog, you would have known that I have started a campus outreach in college out of a revelation from God. And there was a time when God told me to keep on going, and keep on keeping on having faith, stepping out into the unknown and just trusting God. The start of the outreach was indeed an amazing journey. With Shirley supporting, and everyone being so on fire coming for meetings and pray...

But as time passes, the outreach grew smaller, and less on fire. People began to drop out. Seeing this happening was truly a discouragement to me. I prayed and pleaded with God asking what I need to do....I was really totally clueless. To an extend, i dreaded going to the outreach because I do not feel the possibility of it taking flight, or even seeing a future in what we are doing. Everything just felt  so lost. This is my confession. That week in week out, when I was in the outreach, I just didn't know how should I go on because I honestly did not lead with conviction...I was just doing it out of duty, because I knew this is a vision I received from God and I need to keep it going for His sake...

Nonetheless, today's message totally transformed my life. Something just hit me and my bubble broke. How would I bring conviction and passion to my group of outreach members when I myself who was supposingly the person who had the vision, is not having the conviction that things could happen, situation could change, and we could do something great? On the way home, I prayed, and I really engaged in a deep talk with God in this. One word that I heard from Him that time was this: Start all over! Go back to the first day I receive the vision, go back to the time when we were all on fire....go back there and retrieve the conviction! That...was the one thing that would not only change my outreach members lives, but the lives of those who come in contact with us. Conviction. As we communicate from spirit to spirit, carrying the positive spirit is the key for the breakthrough of anything at all.

I spoke to Shirley last night, about all these struggles and about the conviction that I need to carry. As usual, her ONE WORD is always able to direct you to do what is needed to be done. Shirley told me that it is always easy to run the vision of others, because  everything has already been set....what needed to be done to get to the vision, what  needed to be instilled...etc....but to run your own vision, it is always something tough...and probably along the way people might even hate you for your own convictions or your own revelations. But these words when she said to me, really touched my heart: Hazel, if this is a revelation and vision given to you by God, no matter what it takes you will run it....because it is your own conviction...not  your members' conviction. It is a word God gave to you....so you cannot allow anything to dampen your spirit. Carry your conviction....and JUST DO IT! Rather than living in fear or in disappointments or in uncertainties of how things might work, when we do it....(even if we make mistakes)....at least we will not think of the "what if's" in life.....

To have faithfulness and honor in the vision given to us....it is not an easy motivation, but I know at  the end of the day, it is all worthwhile. Last week, in outreach there were only two of us coming together and praying...I know I have mentioned in the previous blog that I will not allow anything to dampen my spirit in the process of making this outreach a success...but as human, I do get demotivated with what seems to be stagnated. I need support, I need encouragement, and people telling me..."Yes,  Hazel! All these can be done! Let's do it! Let's go all out to touch the lives of people and make a difference."

But the fact is, I should be the one who is saying that to God.....and today I hope this will be a long-lasting prayer I will hold on to...that even when nobody turn up for outreach, or when nothing seem workable, or nothing is progressing, I will still turn up for outreach, even when I am alone...and I will keep praying behind that classroom....I will plough the ground, break it and wait.....if this is God's vision...something must, and will happen....I want to start living out this conviction, and I want to be the one that honor the vision that has been imprinted into my life. I will honor His vision.....I want to....and you guys as my witnesses.

This life is His. This life is on the altar.....my life is indeed His song.....He writes, He sings...I will journey =)

Outreach members, let's carry a good convicted, and honorable spirit, finish the race, and support one another as small a group as we are! We are all in this together :)

This could be our Bario Revival! =))

Be blessed.

In this City, my city...

It has been a long time since I last blogged. My schedule is so tightly packed with emerge coming up and etc, the call ups in church, the crazy making sure everything is arranged, the discipleship and so forth. It is not easy in this journey of clustering, I am sure Clement, Nickey, Si Xuan, Joel, Jenny, Bobby and Siew Min would agree with me (LOL). Nonetheless, one thing I realized this morning as I was doing my devotion, that all these things have brought me to a new phase of life that I never thought I would have entered. At least that is what I feel now. I am no longer the same person as when I first started with the cluster. I just feel different inside out. Emerge fever is kicking in! So are you ready to emerge? WE dare YOU! yaaa!!

As human, I get tired too especially this season, but my refreshing and renewing of strength comes from seeking the One above every morning. With God, the whole day usually runs in order. This season is truly a good training ground for me as Shirley said. If the cluster leaders can learn to lead these big groups of people, we can lead a subzone one day. Yea! I am visualizing that now. =D I always wonder how Shirley did it. Now, I know it is not easy. All the more this process of leadership makes me appreciate my leaders more. With 200 people under my cluster, not my subzone, whose pastoral issue I needn’t have to worry about because they have their own cell leaders, I am already feeling that it demands a lot from me. What more for Shirley and pastor.…leading more than 200 people!!! And inside there are so many pastoral issues that they have to personally deal with….they’re amazing!

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I went to Passion Conference last Sunday night. Honestly I was really tired, whole day being in church for all the competitions cheering and so forth. But, the conference was totally awesome.

Chris Tomlin’s worship on Sunday night had ministered to thousands (4 thousand attended the conference that night). Will the problems and storms in your life stop you from singing to God? The truth is, the overwhelming joy and confidence of victory in God only increase your desire to worship the ONE TRUE GOD all the days of your lives. Nothing can replace that, not even the deepest darkest problems. Not stress, not what people talk about you behind you….But if we allow these petty problems to stop us from singing, then God is not the ONLY One we worship nor the FIRST in our lives.

Many of us cried so much last Sunday night. The presence of God was really strong. Especially when Chris Tomlin sang…man…it was portrayed inside out that he is truly a man of God. The anointing he carried is indescribable. The atmosphere was just so full the spirit that people just naturally have visions and are restored and healed and refreshed. My mindset was that preaching of the Word can only have such a strong effect. No doubt worship can too, but it just didn't occur to me that I can experience it other than only knowing by fact. In Passion conference, not only me, but many others were ministered at the same time. Passion conference was all about being passionate for Christ. About outreach for Christian, about Christ for the non believers.

A lot of time we hear people saying, our country, our campus, our marketplace, they are all our responsibilities. Yes truly we know that. But how many of us will actually claim the city for Christ? How many of us will say, yes God I will be the salt of the earth and make You famous…then really stepping out and doing it. Or rather, we are those who at that moment of time, we were touched, so we said yes…after that, we doubt or we were too lazy to step out to do it even.

“Too radical” some would say…or maybe… “It is not my calling!”…. “I do not have the time!”….I believe all of us at some point of lives or maybe until this very day still saying this. The truth is we do not need thunder, fireballs falling from the sky and God’s audible voice to tell us that reaching out and crossing over to bring the gap closer between the living and the dead is our calling. THIS IS THE HEARBEAT OF GOD. A true Christian will know that what God desires all of us to do at the end of the day, is really mission. His desire is to restore the whole world back to their original purpose, that is to believe in Christ and be reconciled again with Him. Then what is with the denial of the responsibilities we have in Christ? I would personally say…fear….fear of not being able to do it, fear of nothing happen, fear that we might not be the one, fear that we are not good enough, fear of being criticized, fear of looking like a “holy” person, fear of investing time, fear of commitment, etc….Yes, and I am no exclusion from all these claims. 

Outreach, was the greatest thing that God has implanted in my heart this very season of my life. I remember, when I was urged to lead an outreach in my campus, I turned away from God and rejected Him, claiming that I was too busy, suspecting that it may be only my imagination. Besides, I have too many assignments, exams, too busy to plan that. Second time when God called me, I said yes this time, but with many excuses of not being able to find a room, a good support to start this whole thing. Third time when I was urged, He said this: If you don’t want to take this up, I can call somebody else. It doesn’t have to be you!

Immediately I realized how disobedient I have been, and take up the call. There and then when I decided and started planning, God showed me the possibilities of making it happen, a place to gather, the right people to support. I really do not want to miss out in what God can use my life to be part of. The week after that, few of us just gathered behind a classroom and we began praying and interceding for our campus. And the meeting stands till this very day. However, honestly, I have been discouraged big time by this outreach. I told God this:  You asked me to start an outreach, but there is no planning or ideas to go with it. What are we to do next other than praying? And still only 5 of us? How can we make any difference? It has been so long, and we are still here. It doesn’t seem like we are progressing at all. What am I suppose to do? Are we healthy spiritually? Did I hear You wrongly? Or is it I have done something wrong that I could not hear what You want me to do?

Well, this doesn’t seem biblically right I know, LOL but hey…I am human too. I know God works according to His own time, but I was desperate for something to happen.

I have been trying to twist God’s arm, wanting Him to make things happen according to my time! My way of seeing the move of God, is through the results. God’s way of moving is through mysterious ways that men cannot possibly understand. In fact this is the word that God has put in my heart since the beginning of this year…that it is not the result He is concerned about but the quality of my relationship with Him...And it just hit me that He is preparing me for this season. In Passion Conference, God asked me one question that I will never forget: Child, the outreach is not ONLY for you to reach out, but the outreach is also for you to build your trust toward Me. Will you continue waiting and keep on keeping on even when I do not move for one year, two years, five years? Or will you just stop doing everything? Will you keep on having faith in me even when all else seem hopeless and impossible and people are mocking you? The choice is yours. That night, God put in my heart two pictures to meditate on:

One of it that i find biblically significant and encouraging was this:

Jesus, leading us through the woods. Quietly, we followed behind, not uttering a word. He walked on the water. We all halted our steps not wanting to step in, being afraid. We all know the story of Peter, but we were not brave enough without the hands of God with us. Jesus turned around, reached out his hand, held ours…and said: Come…at that moment of time, we are in the midst of decision whether to step in or to say, "its ok! we are fine on dry ground." In the end we did...His grip was so secure that I personally just trusted Him. And then as I walked out I put out my hand for another person at the edge of the island uttering the same word, "COme!", and he step in too, then that person do the same to another, then another…then another…and the whole sea, was filled with people walking on the water with Christ taking lead.

As Christ has done for us, we did the same to others…that we may all cross over to the promised land and nobody is left behind. And people just follow and become Christlike. But first it takes us to be Christlike before that happening. Imagine, who will trust us when we say "come!" if we do not carry the anointing and the image of Christ. At the end of the day, the glory all goes back to Him. We are just a vessel. But we have to be willing to turn around and say "Come" before we are able to be a vessel. And even before we turn around to ask others to come, we must be the one who step into the water first! It is living a life of example! Wow...

 And it began to sink in my mind, that my family, my friends, my campus, my city, my country, my world….is truly my responsibility. And to impact the world, I have to start with the people I have first. I was in a mode of amazement, looking at the picture of Kuala Lumpur. Compassion and growing fire unbelievably began to overflow from within. And as I closed my eyes and worship I decided there and then that I will not allow disappointments to tear down this vision in my heart. No matter what it takes, I CHOOSE and DECIDE that I will not allow it to affect me.

To HUC ambassadors of Christ, let us all pray for our campus. Will we walk strong together united despite of denominations and cultures to make Christ famous? It is truly the love of the people that will spark this desire within us and the unity among us. To reach out is not a specific calling for certain people, but it is for all of us to make disciples of all nation. To be a part of God's hearbeat is a choice. It doesn’t necessary have to be through joining the outreach movement, it can be just merely a decision of wanting to reach out. But the question is will we join together and intercede for our campus? Remember…Our appointed time is ALWAYS NOW!  

Let's do it!

And to all outreach members. Do not give up! Stay strong. Let's all be FRUITCAKES for Christ.

For greater things have yet to come,

And greater things are still to be done,

In this city…

Revelations PAT MESITI CONFERENCE

Pastor Pat Mesiti's Conference has really been changing lives. Sometimes to me it is scary in a good way to go to conferences like these. I would feel afraid to go because  know at the end of the day i will end up feeling SUPER CHALLENGED....but yet at the same time i really want that challenge to come. And no doubt about it, the conference had left me dumbfounded and stunned. Words cannot describe the things God spoke to me when Pastor Pat was preaching. A lot of people received words and prophesy from pastor himself as well. Some people actually told me that they wished to have someone prophesying over their lives. it was cool....I used to think that too...But then I realized that the best way is always to hear from God Himself if possible. Wouldn't it be better to hear from God directly rather than to hear from the man of God, the channel? What Shirley taught me was that each time a person receive a prophesy, there are 3 reasons. 1. The person cannot hear from God directly (meaning no relationship with God), 2. The person needs encouragement, 3. The person needs confirmation...So it is always best to hear from God yourselves.

And as Pastor Pat was preaching and the presence of God on Monday and Tuesday night was moving so greatly across the congregation. It was unspeakably amazing....i received a strong word of revelation and vision from God Himself. Words that i have sometimes tried to ignore (in fear of the expectations required of me). However, this time I cannot and must not leave it be....i have chosen to receive the challenge, be bold and courageous...and step out in faith. So this is my covenant today....

and these dates are to be remembered always!

Monday, 10.3.2008 - Receive

Tuesday, 11.3.2008 - Confirmation 

Wednesday, 12.3.2008 - More mind boggling confirmation through another unexpected person.

Pastor Pat's conference have been full of challenge and goosebumps to me...A good way to push me forward to kick off the rest of the year. However, one thing that was really revealed to me this season was this. Like Pastor Kevin said, a lot of time, we go receive a good preaching, attend a good conference...coming home all charged up....received the word from God...But after awhile, fear creeps in and we began wondering if it is real or if it is really us that God is speaking to...then we abandon God's vision for us and just walk away. Alot of times we are overwhelmed by circumstances and began to lose faith halfway through....but this is the thought that have struck me when i was speaking to "Rev. Dr. Neoh" (ahhahaa) that Monday....was that...callings and visions from God are not forced upon us. We are still the ones making the choice whether we want to carry the torch and run the vision, or turn away and live a normal life. Choices are ours really. But then again, God is not hard up for us to respond to Him. If we don't want to, God can CALL SOMEONE ELSE who are more willing to run the vision.

This really struck me HARD. I was thinking to myself that night. If God calls a person and that person does not want to respond it is really not God's lost but rather that person's lost..because he or she is unable to move to the level that God wanted him or her to....Even Pastor Kong as so i heard...was not the first person that God called. God called someone else before Pastor Kong to start a church like City Harvest. Pastor Kong was God's plan B...but he responded....now today...look at how City Harvest has grown and impacted people in the world? And how Pastor Kong has grown in pursuing his calling and vision. Truly....God's calling is to no avail, for our benefit and not His. He is truly not the respector of men, but respector of principles. And the principles of God no doubt has everything to do with the magic substance word, called FAITH. Think about it and ponder this through....

Are you willing to be BOLD and COURAGEOUS, STEP OUT with faith as God calls? =)