in the not too distant past, during a typical lunch conversation...
Isaac:"eh Jon, i realise that i play much better when i play for church then when we prac for the event."
Jonathan:"(rolls eyes) of course what. playing for God you got the annointing what."
my friend jonathan hit the spot.He's right! when we are annointed, we play much better. we serve much better. we ARE much better.
ANNOINTING is a pretty big but frequently used word in churches world-wide. but just what is it? are we using it correctly?
Annointing is pretty much used in the phrase 'annointing of God'. but if we cut the phrase up and focus solely on 'annointing', we find that annointing is:
1.A purely passive act: ~annointing cannot be attained through the work of two co-operating parties. when you are annointed, you CANNOT do anything to get more or less of it. it is RECEIVED.
2.Only brought about from a higher power/authority through a medium: ~annointing can only come from power from on high. ~no one has power except for God, thus making God the ONLY one that can annoint. ~it acts through a medium: *Old Testament: Oil *New Testament: Prayer
Acts 1:8~But you shall RECEIVE power FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT (from on high, as some translations read) comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.
with these in mind, let's look at examples from the bible that portray the annointing of God:
+King David was annointed with the oil of annointing by the Prophet Samuel. Scripture Text: 1 Samuel 16. King Saul was NOT annointed by the Prophet Samuel, he was simply chosen by the people.
+Peter was annointed by the Holy Spirit, as said by Jesus when he was taken to heaven. Scripture Text: Acts 2
before we continue, let's establish the difference between 'favour from the Lord' and 'annointing of God'.
to avoid the misconception between the two, let's cite two examples:
FAVOUR: Joseph had the favour of the Lord in prison. Scripture Text: Genesis 39: 20-21
ANNOINTING: Samson had the annointing from God that brought about his superhuman strength. Scripture Text: Judeges 14:6.
when we receive the annointing of God, we start to do acts for God. because the annointing of God is special. NO ONE else can give it to us except for God.
*if you're struggling to serve Him whole-heartedly, why not pray to God and ask Him for His annointing?*
Dear God, i thank you for dying on the cross for me. i thank you that you're more than a story, more than words on a page of history. Help me to serve you better, Lord. i ask for Your oil of annointing to be poured upon me, so that i will rise up to serve You whole-heartedly. In the mighty name of Jesus i pray, Amen.
ASS 091109 isaac
On behalf of the brotherhood @ 9:24 PM
Sunday, November 1, 2009♠
a nail, a mallet and a bloody hand.
hello! it's november. looks like one of my wishes at the start of the year came true. TIME FLIES!
"...[The] question is, "What are you going to do with the time that is given to you." Frodo Baggins of the Shire had but one purpose: to reach the fires of Mordor and destroy the Ring that ruled Middle Earth. Jesus Christ of Nazareth had but one purpose: to reach the cross on Calvary and destroy the grip of Sin on Man. Sounds similiar? only thing is, Frodo Baggins is not real. The blood of Christ is real.
Come with me to the hill of Calvary. Watch as the soldiers shove the Carpenter to the ground and stretch his arms against the beams. One presses a knee against a forearm and a spike against a hand. Jesus turns his face toward the nail just as the soldier lifts the hammer to strike it.
Couldn't Jesus have stopped him? With a flex of the biceps, with a clench of the fist, he could have resisted. Is this not the same hand that stilled the sea? Summoned the dead? But the fist doesn't clench....and the moment is aborted.
The mallet rings and the skins rips and the blood begins to drip, then rush. Then the questions follow. Why? Why didn't Jesus resist?
"Because he loved us," we reply. That is true, wonderfully true, but--forgive me--only partially true. There is more to his reason. He saw something that made him stay. As the soldier pressed his arm, Jesus rolled his head to the side, and with his cheek resting on the wood he saw: A mallet?Yes. A nail? Yes. The soldier's hand?Yes. But he saw something else. Between his hand and the wood, there was a list. A long list. A list of our mistakes: our lusts and lies and greedy moments and prodigal years. THe bad attitudes from last week. There, in broad daylight for all of heaven to see, was a list of your mistakes.
He saw the list! He knew the price of those sins was death. He knew the source of those sins was you, and since he couldn't bear the thought of eternity without you, he chose the nails.
*adapted from '3:16', Max Lucado
ASS 011109 isaac
On behalf of the brotherhood @ 10:32 PM
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Birthdays Calendar
January
30th - Ian Zhuang
Feburary
-Nil-
March
10th - Samuel Chew
April
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May
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July
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September
-Nil-
October
29th - Alan Cheong
Novemeber
2nd - Jabez Chiam
15th - Isaac Tan
20th - Samuel Yu
26th - Aaron Chua