Philippines 2

He was into alcohol,smoking and gambling. Then at a neigbourhood film evangelism outreach he responded to believe and follow Jesus. He has now been with the pastor for the past one year. His life has been transformed. He found peace of heart, joy to live and love and serve others.

Every morning they hold prayer at 5 am. At 6am he [ MA ]feeds the pigs at the farm. After shower and a simple breakfast he goes to teach at the church kindergarten, an outreach to the very poor neigbourhood. During the day he and others like him would do all kinds of chores to upkeep this "house" which is the pastor's home/school of evangelism/youth center/home for orphans and returning prodigals. In the evening they have very spontaneous worship/bible study/revival meetings as the young people of this neighbourhood gather at the "hut"/ House of Prayer next to the beach.They sang with gusto and listen to the Word attentively.Yes this place is beside the beach...lovely with lots of coconut palm trees swaying with the wind. There are also a lot of chickens in cages and dogs and puppies running around.They dogs also attends the prayer meeting and night services. You can go to Joash's blog to look at the pictures..I hope.

MA's parents keep urging him to go outside and work, but he insisted that he wants to serve the Lord this way and God will provide for all their needs. The father is a fisherman who actually "mortgaged" the house to the neighbour for 10,000 pesos [Rm800 ] last December for a motor for the boat. The principal has increased to 12,000 Pesos and the burden of loosing their home was very heavy on their hearts. MA put his arms around me weeping/praising the Lord when I told him that we will get the money to pay the loan and get back the "mortgage paper". [ Actually it is a "IOU" note.]To him it is a Big answer to his prayer to testify of God's faithfulness. So little for many Malaysians can do so much for my brother in Philippines and encourages him to serve the Lord more faithfully. They now will save the repayment money in an account to "recycle" it for the next " healing project" instead of the burden of paying the interest with the unpredictable catch of fishes.

I saw tears of joy when MA pass the money to his father to pay the neighbour. I had tears of joy too. Truly it is more blessed to give than to receive. A sister sent me this sms: God uses little spark to ignite big fires. Do you believe?

The House is The People

As we have been emphasising about God directing us [ FCC ] to be a House of Prayer and Healing,I asked my fellow workers to respond to the word " House". These are some the responses.
1. My home is my palace - spoken in Bahasa " Rumah ku Istana ku"
2. I want not just a house but a home.
3. Sense of belonging.
4. More than shelter, but a place to be cared and loved.
5. A Sanctuary.

There are many Houses of Prayer being extablished all over the world in recent years. The emphasis to place Word-centred prayer or communion with God as our foundation and chief resource of our spiritual life and activities is of paramount importance.

Today I pointed out that the House of Prayer is more than just a place/building for the encounter of God and man, but it is a "people" that God is buidling. When we say that God is establishing a House of Prayer and Healing at FCC, I am convinced that God is establishing a People of Prayer and Healing. A People who carries the communion/the presence/the love of God wherever they are, not just when they are in the physical place of prayer. Therefore we are the House of Prayer and Healing, a people who are not only in touch and in love with God but in touch with one another in God's love.

Christians in House of Prayer can be so busy talking to God that they have no time to be "like" God. It make sense that being like God is the fruit of talking with God. Can we be so busy loving the bridegroom but have no time at all for His Bride? When we have gazed at the beauty of His Son, can we then be like the Son.Can we look at the "house" and see if there are feet that need washing?

A House is also a family, our descendent or our legacy we leave behind. What would FCC second generation of Christians be? Would they be a People in love with God and one another, a People of Prayer and Healing, a People who knows God and love mankind?

LET US ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BUILD US INTO HIS HOUSE OF PRAYER AND HEALING UNDERGIRDED BY HIS COMPASSIONATE LOVE.