Purpose Driven Life Day 30: Shaped for Serving God

Isaiah 43:21
The people I formed for Myself
that they may proclaim My praise.

You were shaped to serve God.
Before God created me, He decided what role He wanted me to play on earth. He planned exactly how He wanted me to serve Him, and then He shaped me for those tasks. I am God's handcrafted work of art. I am custom-designed, one-of-a-kind, original masterpiece.

Psalm 139:13-14
For You created my inmost being; 
You knit me together in my mother's womb. 
I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Nothing that happens in our life is insignificant. God uses all of it to mold us for our ministry to others and shape us for our service to Him. God never wastes anything. He would not give us abilities, interests, talents, gifts, personality and life experiences unless He intended to use them for His glory.

How God shapes You for your ministry
Spiritual gifts
Heart
Abilities
Personalities
Experiences

SHAPE: Unwrapping Your Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual gifts are special God-empowered abilities for serving Him that are given only to believers.

1 Corinthians 2:14
The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Because God loves variety and He wants us to be special, no single gift is given to everyone. Also, no individual receives all the gifts. Our spiritual gifts were not given for our own benefit but for the benefit of others, just as other people were given gifts for our benefits.

1 Corinthians 12:7
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

God planned it this way so we would need each other. When we use our gifts together, we all benefit.

2 common problems:
1. Gift-envy
We compare our gifts with others', feel dissatisfied with what God gave us and become resentful or jealous of how God uses others.

2. Gift-projection
We expect everyone else to have our gifts, do what we are called to do, and feel as passionate about it as we do.

1 Corinthians 12:5
There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.

Sometimes spiritual gifts are overemphasized to the neglect of the other factors God uses to shape us for service. Our gifts reveal one key to discovering God's will for our ministry, but our spiritual gifts are not the total picture. God has shaped us in 4 other areas, too.

SHAPE: Listening to Your Heart
The Bible uses the term heart to describe the bundle of desires, hopes, interests, ambitions, dreams and affections we have. Our heart represents the source of all our motivations - what we love to do and what we care about most.

Proverbs 27:19
As water reflects a face,
so a man's heart reflects the man.

Our heart reveals the real us - what we truly are, not what others think we are, or what circumstances force us to be. Our heart determines why we say the things we do and why we feel the way we do and why we act the way we do.

God has given each of us a unique emotional 'thumb print'/'heartbeat' that races when we think about the subjects, activities, or circumstances that interest us. We instinctly care about some things and not about others. These are clues to where we should be serving. Our emotional heartbeat is the 2nd key to understanding our shape for service. Don't ignore your interests. Consider how they might be used for God's glory. There is a reason that you love to do these things.

Repeatedly the Bible says to "serve the Lord with all your heart". God wants us to serve Him passionately, not dutifully. People rarely excel at tasks they don't enjoy doing or feel passionate about. God wants us to use our natural interests to serve Him and others. Listening for inner promptings can point to the ministry God intends for us to have.

How do you know when you are serving God from your heart?
1. Enthusiasm 
When we are doing what we love, no one has to motivate/challenge/check up on us. We do it for the sheer enjoyment.

2. Effectiveness
Whenever we do what God wired us to love to do, we get good at it. Passion drives perfection.

Proverbs 15:16
Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.

Figure our what you love to do - what God gave you a heart to do - and then do it for His glory.

Points to ponder: I was shaped for serving God.

Verse to remember: 1 Corinthians 12:6
There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

Question to consider:
In what way can I see myself passionately serving others and loving it?
Medical missionary
Pediatric
Discipleship/Accountability

Purpose #4: You Were Shaped for Serving God

Purpose Driven Life Day 29: Accepting Your Assignment

1 Corinthians 3:5-6
What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe - as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

John 17:4
I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave me to do.

You were put on earth to make a contribution.
I was created to add to life on earth, not just take from it. God wants me to give something back. This is God's 4th purpose for my life and it is called my 'ministry' or service!

1. You were created to serve God - Ephesians 2:10
Whenever we serve others in any way, we are actually serving God. We are placed on this planet for a special assignment.

2. You were saved to serve God
1 Timothy 1:9
It is He who has saved us and called us to a holy life - not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.

We're not saved by service, but we are saved for service. In God's kingdom, we have a place, a purpose, a role and a function to fulfill. This gives our life great significance and value.

We don't serve God our of guilt/fear/even duty, but out of joy and deep gratitude for what He's done for us.

Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.

If you are a Christian, you are a minister, and when you're serving, you're ministering. We are blessed to be a blessing. We're saved to serve, not to sit around and wait for heaven!

3. You are called to serve God
Our call to salvation includes our call to service.

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.

Anytime we use our God-given abilities to help others, we are fulfilling our calling. One reason we need to be connected to a church family is to fulfill our calling to serve other believers in practical ways.

1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it.

Each of us has a role to play and every role is important. There is no small service to God; it all matters.

4. You are commanded to serve God
Matthew 20:28
Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

This is the heart of a Christian life!

"Holy living consists of doing God's work with a smile!" -Mother Theresa-

Jesus taught that spiritual maturity is never an end in itself. Maturity is for ministry! We grow up in order to give out. We must act on what we know and practice what we claim to believe.
Impression without expression causes depression.
Study without service leads to spiritual stagnation.

Preparing for Eternity
Romans 12:5
So in Christ we who are many form one body and each member belongs to all the others.

One day God will compare how much time and energy we spent on ourselves compared to what we invested in serving others. We're only fully alive when we're helping others.

Mark 8:35
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever losses his life for Me and for the gospel will save it.

If you aren't serving, you're just existing, because life is meant for ministry. God wants us to love and serve others unselfishly.

Service and Significance
It is through ministry taht we discover the meaning of our life. God wants to use me to make a difference in His world. What matters is not the duration of our life, but the donation of it. Not how long we lived, but how we lived.

Examples in the Bible:
1. Abraham was old
2. Jacob was insecure
3. Leah was unattractive
4. Joseph was abused
5. Moses stuttered
6. Gideon was poor
7. Samson was codependent
8. Rahab was immoral
9. David had an affair and all kinds of family problems
10. Elijah was suicidal
11. Jeremiah was depressed
12. Jonah was reluctant
13. Naomi was a widow
14. John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least
15. Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered
16. Martha worried a lot
17. The Samaritan woman had several failed marriages
18. Zaccheus was unpopular
19. Thomas had doubts
20. Paul had poor health
21. Timothy was timid

This is quite a variety of misfit, but God used each of them in His service. He will use me, too, if I stop making excuses!

Point to ponder: Service is not optional

Verse to remember: Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Question to consider: What is holding me back from accepting God's call to serve?

Purpose Driven Life Day 28: It Takes Time

Ecclesiastes 3:1
There is time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven.

Philippians 1:6
Being confident in this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

There are no short cuts to maturity. When we try to ripen fruit quickly, it losses its favor. While we worry about how fast we grow, God is concerned about how strong we grow.

Before Christ "invades" our lives at conversion, He sometimes has to "soften us up" by allowing problems we can't handle. The moment we open ourselves to Christ, God gets a "beachhead" in our life. We may think we have surrendered all our life to Him, but the truth is, there's a lot to our like that we aren't even aware of. Once Christ is given a beachhead, He begins the campaign to take over more and more territory until all of our life is completely His. There will be struggles and battles, but the outcome will never be in doubt.

Discipleship is the process of conforming to Christ. Christlikeness is our eventual destination, but our journey will last a life time.

Ephesians 4:13
Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

So far we have seen that this journey involves believing (through worship), belonging (through fellowship) and becoming (through discipleship).

Colossians 3:10
Put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge and in the image of its creator.

Today we're obsessed with speed, but God is more interested in strength and stability than swiftness. Real maturity is never the result of a single experience, no matter how powerful or moving. Growth is gradual.

2 Conrinthians 3:18
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed in to His likeness will ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Why does it take so long?
1. We are slow learners
We often have to relearn a lesson 40 or 50 times to really get it. We need repeated exposure.

2. We have a lot to unlearn
Since most of our problems and all of our bad habits didnt develop overnight, it's unrealistic to expect them to go away immediately.

3. We are afraid to humbly face the truth about ourselves
The fear of what we might discover if we honestly faced our character defects keeps us living in the prison of denial. Only as God is allowed to shine the light of His truth on our faults, failures and hang ups can we begin to work on them. That is why we cannot grow without a humble, teachable attitude.

4. Growth is often painful and scary
There is no growth without change; there is no change without fear or loss; and there is no loss without pain. The unconscious worry is that if I let go of my habits, my hurt or my hang ups, who will I be? This fear can definitely slow down our growth.

5. Habits take time to develop
Remember that our character is the sum total of our habits. There is only one way to develop the habits of Christlike character: You must practice them - and that takes time! There are no instant habits!

1 Timothy 4:15
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.

If you practice something over time, you get good at it. 
Repetition is the mother of character and skill.
These character-building habits are often called "spiritual disciplines".

Don't get in a hurry
As you grow to spiritual maturity, there are several ways to cooperate with God in the process.
1. Believe God is working in your life even when we don't feel it
Sometimes we will have a short, intense burst of growth (springtime) followed by a period of stabilizing and testing (fall and winter).

2. Keep a notebook or journal of lessons learned
This is not a diary of events, but a record of what I am learning. Write down the insights and life lessons God teaches about Him, about myself, about life, relationships and everything else. Reviewing of my spiritual journey/journal regularly can spare me a lot of unnecessary pain and heartache.

Hebrews 1:2
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.

3. Be patient with God and with myself
One of life;s frustration is that God's timetable is rarely the same as ours. We are often in a hurry when God isn't. Remember that God is never in a hurry, but He is always on time. Great souls are grown through struggles and storms and seasons of suffering. Be patient with the process.

James 1:4
Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

4. Don't get discouraged
A delay is not a denial from God.
Remember how far you've come, not just how far you have to go. You are not where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be. God isn't finished with you yet, so keep on moving forward!

Point to ponder: There are no shortcuts to maturity.

Verse to remember: Philippians 1:6
Being confident in this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Question to consider: 
In what area of my spiritual growth do I need to be more patient and persistent?
Learning and meditating on the Word.

Purpose Driven Life Day 27: Defeating Temptation 

2 Timothy 2:22
Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up against it.

God has promised never to allow more on us than He puts within us to handle. However, we must do our part too by practicing 4 Biblical keys to defeating temptation:
1. Refocus your attention on something else.
The Bible tells us to 'resist the devil" and not "resist temptation". Everytime we try to block a thought out of our mind, we drive it deeper into our memory. By resisting it, we actually reinforce it.

Psalm 119:37
Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
Preserve my life according to Your Word.

Since temptation always begin with a thought, the quickest way to neutralize its allure is to turn our attention to something else. Don't fight the thought, just change the channel of our mind and get interested in another idea. So when temptation calls you on the phone, don't argue, just hang up! Satan can't get your attention when your mind is preoccupied with something else.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.

If we're serious about defeating temptation, we must manage our mind and monitor our media intake.
Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart.
for it is the wellspring of life.

2 Corinthians 10:5
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

This takes a lifetime of practice, but with the help of the Holy Spirit we can reprogram the way we think.

2. Reveal your struggle to a godly friend or support group
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

God's plan for our growth and freedom includes other Christians. Authentic, honest friendship is the antidote to your lonely struggle against those sins that won't bulge.

James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Do we really want to be healed of that persistent temptation that keeps defeating us over and over? God's solution is plain: Don't repress it; confess it! Don't conceal it; reveal it. Revealing our feeling is the beginning of healing.

The reason we hide our faults is pride. We want others to think we have everything "under control". The truth is, whatever we can't talk about is already out of control in our life: Problems with finances, marriage, kids, thoughts, sexuality, secret habits or anything else.

What are you pretending isn't a problem in your life?
Singlehood.

What are you afraid to talk about?
Desperation.

It is humbling to admit our weaknesses to others, but lack of humility is the very thing that is keeping us from getting better.

James 4:6-7
But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

3. Resist the devil
We don't passively resign ourselves to his attack. We are to fight back. How can we resist the devil?
Ephesians 6:14-17
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all these, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

Remember this: If you are a believe, Satan cannot force you to do anything, He can only suggest. We must use the Word of God as our weapon against Satan. If we don't have any Bible verses memorized, we've got not bullet in the gun! I challenge you to memorize one verse a week for the rest of your life. Imagine how much stronger you'll be!

4. Realize your vulnerability
God warns us never to get cocky and overconfident; that is the recipe for disaster.

Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

We are good at fooling ourselves. Given the right circumstances, any of us are capable of any sin. We must never let down our guard and think we're beyond temptation!

1 Corinthians 10:12
So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!

Point to ponder: There is always a way out.

Verse to remember: 1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up against it.

Question to consider: Who could I ask to be a spiritual partner to help me defeat a persistent temptation by praying for me?
Julynn.

Another Chapter of Life

How time flies. Next week will be my last week in Neurosurgery. God has been good to me for sending me here to learn more about the brain, the surgeries and most important, to learn to be nice. It's always easier to be nice when everyone around is nice but I hope I can be nice even when I leave the nice people. I pray that the next 5 weeks in Surgery department will be peaceful and the most important of all is to learn as much as possible!

I know it'll be difficult to remember everyone here after I leave, so I thought it'll be good to mention them here for future references.
Consultants: Mr Saffari, Mr Azmi
Specialists: Mr Kantha, Mr Tan, Mr Hafiz, Mr Saiful
Registras: Dr Priya, Dr Sofan, Dr Kong, Dr Zamri
Masters students: Dr Thinesh, Dr Ching
MOs: Dr Rakesh, Dr Kanmani, Dr Ginelle, Dr Vicky, Dr Poobalan, Dr Vijay, Dr Adlina, Dr Husna, Dr Yong Meng Hsien
HOs: Mohana, Christopher, Vicky, Faizi, Yee
Intervention radiologists: Dr Lau, Dr Chan, Dr Johar

Thank you Father for sending angels my way. I trust that You'll continue to watch over me everyday of my life. I love You Lord!

God's Protection

It's day 2 of fasting month and traffic is terrible. It takes an hour to travel home compared to the usual 30 min or sometimes even less. After sitting and dozing off for a little while and out of nowhere craving for KFC, I decided to take a walk and get dinner home.

But I made a big mistake. My dressing. Soemhow I decided to wear my home clothes today. Spaghetti strip and shorts. Bad choice. I felt awkward once I step out of the house but I ignored the Holy Spirit and left. I had to take my umbrella as it was starting to drizzle. I bought curry puffs (me and dad's favorite) and KFC and headed home. Everything was well until I realized there was a suspicious motorcyclist right outside the guard house. He drove past me and turned back. I knew I'm the target then and I did not know what to do. All I could do was to ask God for help! I started praying that He will rescue me!

True enough, he came and snatched my purse. I defended with my umbrella. Somehow he drove past and let go of my purse. Trying to stabilize himself on the bike I supposed. So I didnt lose my purse, but I did suffer a little scratches on my neck and a little burn on my arm. I was too embarrassed to stop by the guard house and say anything but to rush home. Later only I realized that my necklace has snapped and I lost my pendant. I'm a little heart broken but I've learned my lesson. I'll consider it to be a pretty minimal damage lesson and most of all, I want to thank my Abba Father for His protection.

I'm sure this experience will take me a long way. Both spiritually, mentally and physically. Thank You Father.

Purpose Driven Life Day 26: Growing Through Temptation 

James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life what God has promised to those who love Him.

Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.
On the path to spiritual maturity, even temptation becomes a stepping-stone rather than a stumbling block when you realize that it is just as much an occasion to do the right thing as it is to do the wrong thing. Temptation simply provides the choice. While temptation is Satan's primary weapon to destroy you, God wants to use it to develop you. Every time you choose to do good instead of sin, you are growing in the character of Christ.

Galatians 5:22-24
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

God teaches us love by putting some unlovely people around us. It takes no character to love people who are lovely and loving to you. God teaches us real joy in the midst of sorrow, when we turn to Him. Happiness depends on eternal circumstances, but joy is based on your relationship to God.

God develops real peace within us, not by making things go the way we planned, but by allowing times of chaos and confusions. We learn real peace by choosing to trust God in circumstances in which we are tempted to worry or be afraid. Patience is developed in circumstances in which we're forced to wait and are tempted to be angry or have a short fuse.

God uses the opposite situation of each fruit to allow us a choice. You can't claim to be good if you've never been tempted to be bad. You can't claim to be faithful if you've never had the opportunity to be unfaithful. Integrity is built by defeating the temptation to be dishonest; humility grows when we refuse to be prideful; endurance develops every time you reject the temptation to give up.

How temptations work:
1. Satan identifies a desire inside of you
Eg: Sinful desire - to get revenge/control others/desire to be loved and valued or to feel pleasure.
Temptation starts when Satan suggests that you give in to an evil desire. Always beware of shortcuts. They are often temptations!

Mark 7:21-22
For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.

2. Doubt
Hebrews 3:12
See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.

3. Deception
Satan says, "You will not die. You'll be wiser like God. You can get away with it. No one will ever know. It will solve your problem. Besides, everyone else is doing it. It is only a little sin." But a little sin is like being pregnant: It will eventually show itself.

4. Disobedient
You finally act on the thought you've been toying with in your mind.
James 1:14-15
But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Overcoming Temptation:
1. Refuse to be intimidated
Be realistic about the inevitability of temptation; you will never be able to avoid it completely.

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

2. Recognize your pattern of temptation and be prepared for it
There are certain situations that make you more vulnerable to temptation. Identify them and then prepare to avoid those situations as much as possible.

Ephesians 4:27
Do not give the devil a foothold.

Wise planning reduces temptations
Proverbs 4:26-27
Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. 
Do not swerve to the right or to the left; keep your foot from evil.

Proverbs 16:17
The highway of the upright avoids evil; 
he who guards his way guards his life.

3. Request God's help
Heaven has a 24 hour emergency hotline.
Psalm 50:15
Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.

God is waiting to help us defeat temptation, why don't we turn to Him more often? Honestly, sometimes we don't want to be helped! At other times we're embarrassed to ask because we keep giving in to the same temptation over and over. But God never gets irritated, bored or impatient when we keep coming back to Him.

Hebrews 4:15-16
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

God's love is everlasting, and His patience endures forever. Ask Him for the power to do the right thing and then expect Him to provide it. Temptation keep us dependent upon God. Just as the roots grow stronger when wind blows against a tree, so every time we stand up to temptation, we become more like Jesus.

James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when He has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.

Point to Ponder: Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.

Verse to remember: James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when He has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.

Question to Consider: What Christlike character quality can I develop by defeating the most common temptation I face?
Discipline!