“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men” – Pr. 22:29 NASB “When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if your are a man of great appetite” – Pr. 23:1-2 NASB

Wealth has a divine purpose that few can manage well. Correct management is a series of wise choices that come from a healthy heart. Proverbs is a gift from God for those who desire to live well by making such choices. The writer of Proverbs, by the Holy Spirit, gives a promise and a warning to the person of excellence.

People of excellence will influence kings. Those who stand before kings also get a warning as to what tool the devil will use to end their place of influence with the mighty: they must recognize their own tendency to desire the material things, title, and position that they become exposed to in their new place of influence. The biblical answer seems rather harsh. But it gets the point across. We must “put a knife to our throats” if we are attracted to the things we don’t have. This is what good management does. It has wisdom to use self-imposed restrictions wherever and whenever needed. This is the ability to manage our internal world. And when we see that we have a tendency toward something that could destroy the place of influence, we use self-discipline to stay safe and effective.

Thoughts, attitudes, and desires reveal the hearts condition. Paying attention to these things is not to bring shame or condemnation. It is to bring wisdom so we know how to navigate through various parts of life and handle them successfully. Managing our internal world really is the prerequisite for increased external blessing and influence.

God’s Blessings on everyone today. We at present are in the United States, thank you for your continued support during this time. We love you all and speak His favour and Blessings on you.

Shaun & Sandra Hansen

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” – Mt 5:3 NASV

The safeguard for this journey is found in Jesus’ instruction to be poor in spirit (continuing from last week’s Pastors Pen). Being poor in Spirit is not being self-critical or condemning. It is the continual realization that every blessing in our lives is entirely because of God’s grace. None of it is earned – even on our best days. It must also be noted that being poor in spirit is not being in spiritual poverty. Quite the opposite. It is the surest way to abundance in the things of the Spirit of God. In that frame of mind and heart, we know that every difficulty in life has a measure of God’s grace available to bring about a victory. This posture, no matter how blessed we become, must be maintained throughout the growing process. To fail to do so is to choose where we stop in growth.

If either the rich or the poor are not poor in spirit, they become crippled with the spirit of entitlement. The poor feel the government owes them a life of success without needing to work for it, while the rich believe their wealth entitles them to special treatment by laws, courts, and government officials. The same trap is set for both groups who reject the invitation to become poor in spirit. They both taste of poverty in the worst possible way.

“The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the Lord” – Pr. 21:31 NASB. It is one thing to see the hand of God when something impossible happens before our eyes. It’s quite another to see His hand when we’ve worked hard to bring something about through our own gifts, insights, and efforts. It is vital to give God the glory even when everyone around us thinks we earned it through our devotion to hard work.

“Self-made” people sometimes accomplish much in our eyes, but not in God’s. We are designed to advance in every area of life through assistance and inheritance. In other words, it is impossible to reach the potential heights of personal development and in turn impact the world around us as self-made people. Some things are only possible through inheritance.

God’s Blessings

Shaun & Sandra Hansen

“For the Lord hears the cries of the needy; he does not despise his imprisoned people” – Psalm 69:33 NLT

Many of us these last couple of years (in particular), have felt the challenges of the GEC (Global Economic Crisis). I personally have felt the pressure, not only personally with the cost of living, but also in the life of the church as I have witnessed the personal giving of the church family drop dramatically. As a result I have had to take actions that are not easy to make, but had to be done to ensure that we as a church function with good stewardship in what has been entrusted to us as a body.

I am always reminded of what the Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:11 “For I have learned how to be content with whatever I have” NLT. This is an “attitude” I have personally adopted during this time, that there are “seasons” in life as shared by Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:1,2 “ 1 For everything there is a season. 2 A time to plant and a time to harvest”, what is so important during these times is keeping our focus on Him rather than the events that surround us.

Last week I shared from John 9 about the man who had been born blind. His encounter with Jesus was an incredible one to say the least. But it is the question of the disciples that intrigues me: “Why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” (v. 2 NLT). In every circumstance it is so easy to look for blame, but Jesus’ response is interesting: “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins, this happened so the power of God could be seen in him” (v. 4 NLT).

Let’s use this time to glorify God! How?

1. Keep our hearts and attitudes in check.
2. Learn to be content wherever we find ourselves (don’t spend unnecessarily or beyond our means). 3. Be faithful in doing what is good

Thank you for helping us last week in being able to touch those in need. I was feeling burdened with the needs of several people in the church and your act of generosity last Sunday morning raised $1,370.00. We were able to meet each person’s need because of you. Thank You!

God’s Blessings
Shaun & Sandra Hansen

As this New Year begins, don’t sit around and write another New Years resolution rather, take the time to seek God and be obedient to Him. He will then guide you in all of your ways and He will make your paths straight.

Happy New Year,
Ps Shaun and Sandra Hansen

Sandra and I, along with Josiah and Jacinta would like to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas. We wish you a very joyous time, a time with family and friends, a time to sit back and relax after a long year.

However, during this occasion we urge you to not forget the reason for the season. That God sent His only Son down for you and I, that He may be born only to die for our sins. Amongst the busyness, food, gifts and carols, remember that God gave us the ultimate gift in the little town of Bethlehem, His Son Jesus.

“I said to them (scientists), ‘Gentlemen, I want you to see one more thing. Go down in your hospital and bring back a man who has inflammation in the bone. Take your instrument and attach it to his leg. Leave enough space to get my hand on his leg. You can attach it to both sides.’ “When the instrument was ready, I put my hand on the man’s shin and prayed like Mother Etter prays: no strange prayer, but the cry of my heart to God. I said, ‘God kill the devilish disease by Your power. Let the Spirit move in him; let it live in him.” “Then I asked, ‘Gentlemen, what is taking place?’ “They replied, ‘Every cell is responding.’”

If ever there was a man who walked in the revelation of “God in man,” it was John G. Lake. A man of purpose, vision, strength and character, his one goal in life was to bring the fullness of God to every person.

He was born March 18, 1870, in Ontario, Canada. One of sixteen children, he moved with his family to Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, while still a young boy.

Lake first heard the gospel preached at a Salvation Army meeting when he was sixteen and soon after surrendered his life to the Lord. Though he had lived a morally pure life, his heart was in turmoil until he asked the Lord to save him.

He often said that the secret of heaven’s power was not in the doing, but in the being. He believed that spirit-filled Christians should enjoy the same type of ministry Jesus did while living on earth, and that this reality could only be accomplished by seeing themselves as God saw them.

Lake was meticulous in his research both in science and in spiritual matters. He tirelessly investigated the Bible with an eye to not only understand it, but to also prove its accuracy in everyday life. As a result, Lake walked, talked and breathed in the flow of God’s resurrection life.

John G. Lake proved to us that this lifestyle can be lived and enjoyed by those who pursue it. So don’t stop short of what God has given us through Jesus Christ. Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal your heavenly position to you, then take you place and change the nations for God.

At Azusa, blacks, whites, Hispanics and Europeans all met and worshiped together, crossing formerly impossible cultural lines. Although the success of the revival was short-lived, we still enjoy its fruits. Today, Azusa remains a common word within God’s household.

The Azusa Street Mission produced some wild stories. Time was of little concern to these Pentecostal pioneers who would often pray all night for another’s deliverance. They believed the Word of God and waited for its manifestation.

As Seymour grew, he followed in his parent’s footsteps. Undaunted by the lack of formal education, he like many others, taught himself primarily through reading the Bible.

In his search for a church, Seymour stumbled upon the Evening Light Saints, which would later become known as the Church of God Reformation Movement. The group didn’t use musical instruments. They didn’t wear rings or make-up. And they didn’t dance or play cards. Even though it seemed like a religion of “no’s,” the group was extremely happy. They found joy in their faith in difficult times as well as good.

Seymour found his identity in Jesus Christ, believing that the Lord was the only liberator of mankind. He was a sensitive, high-spirited youth, and hungry for the truth of God’s Word. It is said he experienced divine visions, and that early in life began to look for the return of Jesus Christ.

After completing his studies at Parham’s school, the events that led Seymour to Los Angeles started to quickly take place. In early 1906 Seymour began making plans to start a new Pentecostal church in which he could preach his newfound doctrine. In Los Angeles a spiritual hunger was stirring. There was a deep desire and longing for something to happen.

While some agreed with him favorably, others denounced him fervently. A family by the name of Lee invited him home for Sunday dinner. Now Seymour found himself with little money and no place to stay. So the Lees felt obligated to take him home, though they did have reservations. While staying with the Lees, Seymour remained behind the closed doors of his room in prayer and fasting. Soon other members of the mission began to hear of the prayer meetings at the Lee household. They began gathering with them and Seymour became known as a man of prayer.

In spite of the many accusations, mistakes and persecutions, Seymour remained faithful in his purpose for revival. It seemed he trusted and believed the best of almost everyone. Only eternity will fully reveal the fruit of William J. Seymour’s ministry. One thing is clear, he was an able stick of dynamite who God could use to send the explosions of Pentecostal revival around the world. And he did.

Evan John Roberts was born June 8, 1878, into the staunch Calvinist-Methodist home of Henry and Hannah Roberts. The family was known for their love of God’s Word and hard work.

Still very young, Evan’s father was injured in a mining accident. So his father took Evan out of school to help him in the coalmines. Evan was dramatically different from the rest of the boys his age. He never took part in sports, amusements, or coarse joking. He worked in the mines every day, then came home and walked a mile to his church, Moriah Chapel.

At thirteen years of age, Evan experienced his first encounter with God. It was then that Evan vowed to commit himself even further to the work of the Lord.

Evan gave himself to fervent prayer and intercession. So much so, that by the time he was twenty years old, he was known by some as a “mystical lunatic.” During this time, friends also introduced him to an American specialist, Dr. Hughes. The doctor told Evan’s friends he was suffering from “religious mania.”

Evan finally obtained approval to begin a small series of meetings. What began on October 31 as a small church meeting quickly grew into a major revival and lasted for two weeks!

The goal of those first meetings was to dedicate and train intercessors for the coming revival. Evan’s services were marked with laughing, crying, dancing, joy and brokenness.

Soon, the newspapers began covering them, and the revival became a national story. Some of the
reporters themselves were converted at the meetings. The revival spread with great fervor throughout Wales. Soon bars and movie houses closed. Former prostitutes started holding Bible studies. People began to pay their longstanding debts. And those who once selfishly wasted their money on alcohol suddenly became a great joy and support to their families.

The Wales revival was founded on these four points:
(1) Confess all known sin.
(2) Search out all secret and doubtful things.
(3) Confess the Lord Jesus openly.
(4) Pledge your word that you will fully obey the Spirit.

Don’t miss this amazing night of prayer filled with expectation, faith, prayer, and an encounter with God. Come expecting!

7:00pm – 8:00pm
3791 Pacific Hwy, Tanah Merah
(Opposite Hypedome Shopping Complex)

“Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” – 1 Co. 16:13 NASB

Continuing from last weeks pastor’s Pen

4. He commanded the leaders to go first — to demonstrate their faith.
In Joshua 3:12 (NIV), God says to Joshua, “Now then, take for yourselves twelve men from each of the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe.” Now where have we heard that before? If I’m not mistaken it was in Numbers 13, when God told Moses to pick twelve men, one from each tribe, to go on a mission to check out the land. Ten of the twelve, as we have already seen, flunked the course. Now it was time to take the course over.

Once again, twelve men are to be picked, one from each tribe. At this point, God gives no reason for their selection. God simply tells Joshua, go ahead and pick your team of twelve. God then gives clear instructions that the priests (the Levites) are to carry the ark and step into the raging floodwaters. And the moment that their feet touch the water, the waters will roll back just as the Red Sea rolled back. The Levites were the spiritual leaders of the nation, and there is a principle here: Leaders are to lead by their example.

5. He commanded the leaders to stay in harm’s way.
So the Levites took the ark and go into the water first. And then they are commanded to go halfway across and stand there, waiting for the rest of the folks to cross over.

That’s called applying your faith. If that water gave way at any moment, they would immediately join Charlie the Tuna. But it didn’t. And they knew it wouldn’t because their mighty God was holding back the waters — a God they knew and trusted. Were these guys anxious as they stood there? Maybe glancing upstream now and then to see if a wall of water might be descending? I don’t think they were fearful at all. I think they were marveling at the greatness of their God. That’s why they could stand in harm’s way. Their lives were in His hand. And so is yours.

Imagine for a minute what it would have been like to have been there. These people had lived through hard and difficult years in the wilderness. And now, before they stepped one foot into that longed-for Promised Land, they got to experience the power of God firsthand—in a big, big way. That’s the thing about hardship. It puts iron in a man’s soul.

He commanded the stones to be stacked—so the kids would honor His name.

Do you remember the new twelve-man team that Joshua was commanded to choose? So why were they chosen and what was their task? It’s all outlined for us in Joshua 4:

This was all done for one reason. They stacked the stones so that their kids would one day come home for dinner and say, “Hey, Dad, what’s the deal with that pile of stone?” And then the father was to tell them the story of what God had done. And as he told the story, God’s name was honored.

God’s Blessings
Shaun & Sandra Hansen