THE MANY THOUGHTS OF GOD

Hi Friends & Family,

A month has passed by and there have been many many thoughts that have gone through my mind and prayers. Now that I am no longer the team leader at Forest Hill it gives me more options to think about other things and that can be a problem.The tendency is to try and build my ministry from my recent experience, visits and talks with the different people that I/we met. It's easy to formulate ideas (so called vision) and passion (in most cases its more like impulse) and think that it is a God given vision. With constant busyness and a non-stop active life it can be easily understood (in our own mind) that we are doing great service or exploits for God. To make it even worse it is when we get positive feedback from people that we are ministering to. Lately I was reminded of the many times that I have shared about developing a 1. Christlike life, 2. Manifesting a Christlike personality, and 3.Demonstrating a Christ-empowered ministry with the ultimate purpose of glorifying God.

Challenged by the Holy Spirit about my so-called Christlike life, a life of God likeness (or godliness) which is also interpreted as the holy life, I was brought into remembrance the things that I did that stumbled others without confessing or repenting, my present thought life, the intentions of my heart (some times) in doing ministry and the many covetous attitude that some times went unchecked. This is a reminder that a daily soul- searching practice must be a part of my everyday life since holiness, Christ likeness and godliness is not an option for a child of God.

Challenged also by the unconventional methods of Jesus' way of ministry (like healing by putting His saliva in the man's tongue and mixing His saliva with mud and putting it onto the blind man's eyes) and my many rationale of what I think is wrong and should happen, forgetting that the Lord in His sovereignty can do whatever and however He wants with people and ministry. A submission to His sovereignty is needed and a non-judgemental attitude needs to be put in place since our ministry and life will be judge by God Himself.

Paul's words to us is so appropriate that we should "Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ".

So at the present moment it ought to be my vision, passion and dream to work towards allowing God to form Christ in me. It has been a little difficult to really hear God when I know there are things that have separated me from the Lord, probably due to things that I have done or have not done. My thoughts have been more what I want to do than what He is doing. Thus it is more thoughts that can cause anxiety than thoughts that rest in the promises and the will of God.

Holiness is what I need, wholeness is what He gives. Therefore a holy life is a wholesome life full of His grace and goodness. Ideas about the future is great but thoughts of God is better. Thanks for reading and praying. Pray that we will not take too much credit for what HE HAS DONE.

Thoughts of Him and His Glory

Kenny Gan