Christian Living

A sign of stronghold is when you tried and tried to come out from a sin, but you are getting no where. Sins open a door for demonic influence to come in. A stronghold is when the demonic influence stays in and you have no abilities to remove it anymore. The demons will change and reorientate your mind so that wrong means right, and right means wrong.  Romans 12:2 - "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."   The target of the demon is your mind; your mind must be transformed by renewal through the Word and the community of God.  2 Corinthians 10:4-6 - "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your ...

Genesis 22 - God tested Abraham. - God calls our name - Faith will be tested "hear I am" - ability to hear and discern God - my sheep hear my voice. (John 10:27) - be a friend of God.  God told him to sacrify his son - call to lay down our prized possession  - surrender to God's will - love is not possessive or want our own way.  We are who we are - how God has wired us. 1 Cor 13:4 22:3-5 Abraham travel with his son. He told his servants that they will go to worship but they will come back. He has a faith that his son will live.  - quick to listen and fast to obey - Faith is personal but lived with the community  Issac carry the heavier item - the wood. Don't spoil over-protective our children. Don't just give them what we didn't have, but also give them the responsibility we had.  Isaac call him, he said "yes, my son". Do we answer "WHAT!"? We need to answer them gently no matter if their questions are stupid.  If we do not know, then tell...

Life In Prison (Life in the Palace - future)  Favorite son Betrayed brother Enslaved servant Trusted Steward Condemned prisoner ??? Leader God is doing a deep work in Joseph life through his suffering.  We may on not in a physical prison, but we may be in spiritual prison: eg-Painful prisoner, Mistreatment prisoner, Guilt prisoner, fear prisoner.  1. Prison is a place of  (a) Obscurity - you are alone (b) Obedience - trust the Lord and serve him.  (c) Opportunity - Joseph interpret the dreams of his prison partners.  From prison to platform - He helped others while hurting.  - he used his gifts where he was - he was faithful in small things 1. Waiting time is working time... Gen 41:1 a) the hand of God and hand of Joseph - build character without crowds - teaches dependance through disappointment.  - Align timing to task  2) Delay is not denial (gen 40:23). God's timing is the best.  3) Man forgets, God remembers . (Gen 41;14) the turn...

Life in Potiphar's house.  Faithfulness in private prepares us for promotion in public. Joseph didn't go to the palace but became a slave to Potiphar. The wrong question is "When will I get out of the season."  The right question is "Who am I becoming in this season." Potiphar's House Season : 1. Unchosen position 2. The unkind environment 3. Unfair treatment 4. Unjust situation 1. The power of perception - The lord was with Joseph, that's why he was prospered, though Joseph was only a slave. When the Lord is with us, we will prospered despite the situations and circumstances we are in.  God is now here, not nowhere. Eg 12 spies in Numbers saw the same thing but have different perspective. "God, we do not know what to do, but my eyes are on You." 2. Passion before promotion.   God bless Potiphar because of Joseph. Joseph did not allow slavery to impact him - he did it for the Lord with the best of his heart, without complaining. The Passion...

Four lessons from the life Joseph - Pastor Kevin (COP camp)  1. A place of development but not destruction. (Gen 37:18-20). Joseph was a dreamer, but he was not ready for the dream. He was thrown into the pit. But the pit is not a destruction but for development.  Like building a tunnel, you can it see it. All you see a mess and dust on the surface. God will Refined, Redirected Repositioned. God uses setback and emotional and physical pain to develop us into something we don't expect.  2. The gift of grace. Reuben told them not to kill Joseph. This is not luck, it is grace of God.  Grace is strategic - it's a purposeful.  Grace is sufficient - it is more than enough. (eg Paul and his thorn). We want God to remove bad things and bad people - remove my Mil.) But God is not the business of removal and the business of improvement. God wants us to grow in our challenges and suffering 3. Your identity is being investigated . (v23-24) the robe represent identity and ...

  I Just read Numbers 20. It is a very very sad chapter. Miriam and Aaron died, Moses was prohibited from going into the promise land. The people rebelled again, and didn’t learn the lessons of their fathers. But what was saddest for me is that God hold Aaron accountable for what Moses did. The short story was that Moses strike the rock twice, when God told him to speak to it so that water will come out (v8, v11). 1 Cor 10:4 said that the rock symbolizes Christ, and he only need to be “strike” once only, when he completed the redemption work at his crucifixion and resurrection. And this already happen in Exodus 17:6, where Moses strike the rock as God told him to do so. So now, all we need to do is speak to Jesus and ask for the Holy Spirit (symbolized by the water pouring out from the rock). However, Moses ruined God's purpose to demonstrate the redemption plan. But Moses makes things worse when he spoke harshly to the people: “Listen, you rebels: shall we bring water for you ...

1. We need to be a generation that sees: (Prov, Joel) We still need to listen. We still need to receive insights and revelations. a. See God - Hagar (Gen 16:13), Jacob (Gen 30:32), Moses n Aaron (exo 24:9-11), Isaiah (isa 6:1), job (job 46:6) b. See God's kingdom. His kingdom is already here when Jesus came the first time. He wants believers to extend his kingdom to the world.  c. See People. Jesus was the one who walked with people - all who loved him, all who hated him, all who are disabled, all who are rich and all who are pure.  2. A generation is still ploughing. We don't know which ploughing will be successful. We continue to plough in all generations and trust God will bring harvest or build up a person to be a great preacher.  A morning and evening ploughing will be different. We cannot do the same ploughing using the past ways for new generations.  3. A generation that still releases. Prov 11:26 "A generous person will prosper. Whoever refresh others will ...

Spring symbolizes new beginning. 1. God the persuer   (Hoses 6:3). He will come to us. He takes the initiative and wants intimacy with us. Eg-Adam and Eve, after they sin.  Eg-Paul when he was persecuting believers. Paul said “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” . (Philippians 3:10.)  Our response - We need to approach Him.  2. God the Provider Deut 11:14-15 - he will provide. Jehoveh Jireh.  A time to gather  A time to gratify  Our response - Always be trustful and thankful.  Trust that God will provide if we have a burden for God's calling. God gives enough but overflows.  Do not be like the Israelites who always complained after the escape from Egypt. We should always be thankful and show our gratitude.  Paul said “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:9 3. God the promise keepe...

1. Compassion is not just an emotion but - a drive to bring about change and move us to action. - change the way we love - to suffer and the ability to emphatize with the emotional state of another person. 2. Compassion has no boundaries  Matthew 9:35 (KJV): "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people." Compassion and grace is interchangeable. Compassion is rooted in the love of God. Compassion does not mean you will be loved or rewarded by them. 2) Compassion sees and feels the need Matthew 9:36 (NIV) says: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Harrased - they are defeated by life Helpless - they are broken and without purpose. sheep without a shepherd - they would follow any fad, guru or ideas that lead them into destruction. 3) Compassion leads to a ...

    “The Sower’s Four Soils” – Teaching Framework (10–15 minutes) 🎯 Main Goal Help children understand how their hearts respond to God’s Word and encourage them to be “good soil” that listens, grows, and bears fruit. 1. 🎬 Opening Hook (2 minutes) Ask : “Have you ever planted a seed? What happened to it?” Show a small packet of seeds or a picture of a garden. Say: “Jesus told a story about a farmer who planted seeds—but not all of them grew well. Let’s find out w 2. 📖 Story Summary (3 minutes) Use simple storytelling or a short dramatization: A farmer scatters seeds on four types of ground : Path – Birds eat the seeds. Rocky Ground – Seeds sprout fast but die without roots. Thorns – Seeds grow but get choked. Good Soil – Seeds grow strong and produce fruit. Use props or drawings to represent each soil type. 3. 🧠 Meaning Behind the Soils (5 minutes) Use this memorable acronym: S.O.I.L. ...

Ephesians 4:11-16 (v11) God gives us resources - pastor, prophet, evangelist, teachers to equip the people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up This means that the people should not expect the leaders do everything, as we are expected to provide services to the Church.  We can go to church to receive blessing from the leaders and workers. This is going to church with an empty bag. This put a lot of stress on them. What we should do is to come with a bag full of blessings and do gift exchange with one another. We come not to receive but to give blessings. We can come early to bless each other even before the service starts. example: What if Chinese reunion dinner can be cooked together, rather then cooked by the mother. Gal 5:13 - You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. If one if your leg is broken, then your hand must take over by carrying a c...

  Sending Harvest Workers (Matthew 10) Collin Leong. May 1, 2025   v1-14: Sending The First Harvest Workers In the previous chapter, Jesus said the harvest workers are few. In chapter 10, we read about Jesus sending his 12 disciples to the Jewish region as missionaries. Why only to the Jews? Because the gentiles are not familiar with Jesus at this point. They haven’t heard His teachings nor seen His miracles. Only the Jews have, and they are ready to make decisions. (See  Matt 11:23-24 ) In this chapter, Jesus told them what to do, where to go, and instructions on how to do the mission. Above all, He gave them the divine authority to do so. This is the model procedure for sending new missionaries into the field. This is what Jesus told them: v5-15: Instructions For Their Mission 1.      (v5-7)  To go to the "lost sheep of Israel" (Jews only) 2.       (v8)   Authority to heal the sick, raise the ...

Legacy Builders 1) Invest in long term results. (v10) Paul pioneered the Corinthian church but Apollos built on it. In Paul's mind, it is never about himself. With the limited time spent in that place, he wants to build a Legacy.  When leave the church, what are we leaving behind. 2) Invest in eternity in mind. (v13-15) 3) Invest and build with their best resources. (v10-13) God is looking at the motivation from your heart. You can build with gold or straw. Gold is when you serve with love; straw is building with fame from others.  We are limited with time, energy, and money.  Three types of Giving: - Loose Change Giving  - Budget Giving  - Faith Giving  Your will should include giving to Christian ministries. 4) invest with or through the holy spirit. (v6-7) A legacy Builder invest when the Holy Spirit calls. Whatever you give will be like the five loaf and two fishes.  ------- True legacy is about leaving your money and education degrees to live in t...

Christianity is a Crutch for Weak People Collin Leong. March 5. 2025 There is a common saying or criticism that Christianity (or religion in general) is a "crutch for weak people." This idea suggests that some view religion as a psychological or emotional support system for those who cannot face life's challenges on their own. Critics often argue that faith is used as a way to cope with fear, insecurity, or uncertainty. This perspective has been discussed by various thinkers, including Sigmund Freud, who described religion as a form of "wish fulfillment" to provide comfort and protection. However, many Christians respond to this critique by emphasizing that faith is not about weakness but about recognizing human limitations and relying on God's strength. They argue that Christianity is not merely a crutch but a source of truth, hope, and transformation. Christians often address the critique that faith is a "crutch" by reframing the concept and high...

Excerpts from CEFC Timothy Yeo's Sermon 20th Jan 2025 A. Introduction The Mars Climate Orbiter, launched by NASA on December 11, 1998, was designed to study the Martian climate and atmosphere. Unfortunately, on September 23, 1999, the spacecraft was lost during its orbital insertion. The failure was attributed to a navigation error caused by a mismatch between metric units used by NASA (metric units - newton-seconds) and US customary units used by the spacecraft builder, Lockheed Martin (imperial units - pounds-seconds). This error led the orbiter to enter Mars' atmosphere at a lower altitude than intended, causing it to burn up.  (Note: Newton-seconds measures impulse, ie, the change in momentum resulting from a force applied over a period of time. 1 newton-seconds is equal to 0.2248 pound-seconds) It's a fascinating yet tragic example of how even small errors can have significant consequences in space exploration. What about our Christian life? If we are not aligned to Go...

Except from Sonny Yeoh, Hope Search Jan 4, 2025 Rejoice Always. Pray Continually. Give Thanks in all circumstances. (1 Thess 5:16-18) RPG: Rejoice Always: When we know God accepted us, we should rejoice. Not only He accepted us as just a human, but also loved us personally. We can approach God and get a hug from him. No matter what happens, he is looking after us. See Habakkuk 3:17-19 - " Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places." Pray Continually  Pray is not just to talk to God, but talk with God, which includes hearing him.  God is omnipresent, so we can pray from anywhere and anytime.  Pray after mistakes and ask for forgiveness. Pray for o...

Excerpt from FGC sermon  Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes at the end of his life, in addition of Proverbs and Song of Songs. He wrote this after he strayed to live in pleasure and riches. He wrote what he had learned from his mistakes. God allows a rich man  to take a suitcase to heaven, after he prayed persistently for his approval. When he died, the angel said he cannot bring a suitcase into heaven. He opens the suitcase and it's full of gold. The angel and his friends laugh and ask him why he wants to bring pavement to heaven? We should not hoard temporary things but the fruit of the spirit. Mary who wash Jesus life are still remembered today, 2000 years after. 1. Seeing eternity from the Throne room "I have seen the god-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied." Ecc 3:10 We should read the scripture end to end, multiple times, not because we must, but because we love God. We are not suppsed to live accordingly to chaotic Earth's events. we must see it f...

Saul has all the advantages to be a successful man and leader:  These are what 1 Sam 9-11 say about him Handsome and tall (9:2) A humble man (9:21) God's blessing (10:6, 9-10) Support of good people (10:24) Skills in Leadership and Wars (11:11) However, success is not our assessment but God's assessment. God removed Saul from being king. He failed the king mission. The one disadvantage Saul has is his heart was not right with God. In 1 Sam 13, he did not have the patience to wait for Samuel and went ahead to perform the burnt offering and peace offering. Saul knew the laws only allowed a priest to do so. (Samuel was a prophet and a priest - 1 Sam 2:18; 7:9) Samuel said to Saul: "But now your kingdom must end, for the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart. The LORD has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.” (1 Sam 13:14) Saul did not kept God's command, because he did not love God. Those who love God ...

Joseph: A Character Model In Different Life Experiences (Genesis 37,39,40) Collin Leong. 6 November 2015 If anyone had an excuse to become a hardened, bitter, unforgiving, pessimistic and reclusive man, it would be Joseph.  Coming from a dysfunctional family with a father with 4 wives, 10 older brothers who had committed unspeakable acts, being bullied and rejected by them (no thanks to Jacob’s show of  favoritism  to him), thrown in a pit, sold to traders, slaved in Egypt, falsely accused and chained up in prison, and then forgotten by someone he helped.  Yet Joseph turned out to be someone who rose above every attack, every unfairness, and every temptation to become a beloved leader who saved tens of thousands of lives in Egypt and beyond.  So, let’s stop our self-pity right now, sit up and learn something from Joseph.  As a recap, we know that God build and tests our character through trials. And in many cases, he gives his servant a vision (or...

Beyond the Comfort Zone (Gen 32) -    Unexpected Moments of a Disciple Soon Yean. 30 October 2015 Chapter 31 : 3  Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” Chapter 32:  24  Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25  When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him.  26  Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”  27  So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”  28  He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” 29  Then Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he...