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Showing posts with the label Truth Is

SEALS 2017 Morning Meditation - John 3: 31-33

John 3:31-33 (ESV) 31.   He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32.   He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33.   Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. Reflection Questions: ·       What does it mean in three words? ·       How does it make you feel (sad, mad, glad, or scared?) ·       Which phrase impacts you the most? ·       How does verse 33 affirm who you are?   Use action verbs, adjectives, and characteristics to describe how this verse affirms you. ·       Journal about the phrase that has impacted you.

SEALS 2017 Morning Meditation - Listening Prayer thru Art

Matthew Geppert from Southeast Asian Prayer Center (SEACP) challenged conferees to take a moment to reflect and listen regarding our Identity.  The   continual  encouragement was to  remember  and minister to ourselves this message.   And  when we are struggling most to  remember it and profess it outwardly during those hardships. We repeated in response: “I AM WHO I AM  MADE BY THE I AM WHO  SAYS WHO I AM.” This morning create a time and space for listening prayer.   Perhaps the Lord may offer an adjective to describe the season, provide an affirmation, a new name, a vision, or an image.   After listening, perhaps draw, sketch, paint, or color the provided word.   It can become a process that will reveal a lesson, bring healing, and/or bring clarity. Creative methods and strategies with new tools may have its struggles and uncover an emotional or spiritual ep...

SEALS 2017 Morning Meditation - Psalms 38

Flat Tire on the Motorbike Journey into the Villages, Laos, March 2014 Do Not Forsake Me, O Lord Psalm 38 (ESV) A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering How often do you feel overloaded by surroundings, criticisms, judgments, shame, and even sometimes our own communities?   As Disciples on this earthly journey our Refuge is here to lean on throughout all our struggles, hardships, judgments, shame, and community development. ·       Read through Psalms 38. ·       Reflect on each section ·       Write your own psalms of offering in your own words ·       Our Refuge is here to lean on. Surrender: Confession of Shortcomings 1. O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath!   2. For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me.   3. There is no soundness in my flesh bec...

The Leader Who Had No Title

It's called the LWT, its short for Leader Without a Title.  I think many of us can relate to this.  Often we think to ourselves in our cultural context of being Southeast Asian Americans who function under a cultural constraints, context, "ministry", and or occupation as stuck?  Hurt?   Plateaued, mediocre, with lack of focus, limited??  Some might even still be struggling with self worth and value in their capabilities.  We are approaching SEALS 2014, in a 2 weeks and it is a leadership summit right.  Here is some food for thought: How does this take us to depend on God's love?  How do we REMAIN in him with this though of disintegrating our negative thoughts and behaviors, our past..... The more thought put into choosing to disintegrating negative thoughts, behaviors, and past experiences leads us to consider what it means to deny yourself to take up the cross DAILY, what does being created in His likeness really mean, and how can we funct...

Go further this Holy Week

In our Christian worldview, this week is called "Holy Week".  I am not only looking at the symbols, reminders, and the passages that we review during this week, the memorial, but I am looking further past the gift of Jesus's sacrifice on the cross.  This week I am challenged by the humanness of Jesus.  As one of my professors said in class this week,  "From upon the cross when Jesus says, 'Elio! Elio! lema sabachithana?"  which means "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.'  He is actually shouting READ PSALMS 22 READ PSALMS 22!!!"   Psalms 22:1-2 1 says, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?  Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do no answer, and by night, but I find no rest."   I look back and see that holy week is not a series of symbols, how to be a better person, or recognized that "Yeah, I sinned this many times this year, and this sin was a doosey...

An Anchor for our Soul

ANCHOR What is the first thing you thought within 2 seconds? When we think of an anchor, we first think of the massive hook-like iron connected to a chain to keep a boat from drifting into the far beyond.   In track and field and swimming relays, each team has 4 persons; the last to run is the anchor.  That person has the agility, the endurance, the strength, the consistency observed over many races, and the experience to be the one to finish the race strong. These are the dictionary definitions that affirm our initial visualization of an anchor. 1)  any   of   various   devices   dropped   by   a   chain,   cable,   or   rope   to   the bottom   of   a   body   of   water   for   preventing   or   restricting   the motion   of   a   vessel   or   other   floating   object ,  typically   having broad,   hoo...

Fellowship of Believers

To those who are beginning a new school year, to the teachers, to the student, the disciple, to the worship leader, to the shepherds, to the designers, the youth staffers, the administrators, the young, the weak, the leaders, the missionary, the family who yearns and draws near to the Fathers heart, continue to share and work together for the sake of the Kingdom. We are not only a catalyst but a Fellowship of Believers. The main purpose of the Southeast Asian Catalyst is to band together in prayer, intercession, prayer, and support of one another's ministries, servanthood, and how we work the harvest together. As SEAC we mobilize, empower, and equip as best we can for the sake of kingdom cause. In Paul's words in Galatians 6:1-10 Doing Good to All Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfi...

Transformation, Devotion, Establishment

Remember the in 2010  the theme for SEALS was Grass Roots grow into Tall Shoots.. In 2012 SEALS theme was Arise and Shine.  In retrospective the SEAC Women's Ministry will have their first Women's Retreat this coming weekend.  May we all continue to uplift one another in authenticity, affirmation and devotion as we come before the Lord with unveiled faces.  Transformation 2 Corinthians 3  17.  Nww the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.   18.  And we who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.   Devotion Jeremiah 30 21. "Their leader will be one of their own;their ruler will arise from among them.  I will bring him near and he will come close to me, for who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?" declares the Lord. 22.  "So you will b...

God’s Field

In all things, God is the Creator, the Author, and the Master Craftsman.  And as his servant leaders we are learning to mimic his craftsmanship.  As we practice, train, and discipline ourselves through life we are being refined from  beginners to advanced servant leaders following the examples of the master designer.  In the beginning he holds our hands on how to do things, and as we grow and develop he helps us redevelop and refine our technique.  He helps us with our skills, but he affirms and nurtures our gifting   Yes, because a Master Craftsmen cares for his apprentices.    In this analogy we see that God has been building up the Bride of Christ and as we know the harvest is ready but the workers are few.  May we know that we are the workers and we build each other up and the kingdom with care and authenticity, even through the growing pains stretching and branching out for the sake of God's satisfaction, our sanctifica...

Identifying your Voice in the Name of Jesus

The King's Speech, 2010 One of the greatest movies I have seen in the last few years was The King's Speech.  In the beginning we see how George was unfit to be King because of his lack of confidence, stammering, and stutters.  As he ascends to the throne we see more of King George's frustration and anger.   But through practices, exercises, and an honest frank friendship with Lionel we see King George break through his timidity.  With time, reflecting and redefining himself (past and present) King George is able to identify his voice to lead and affirm the country of Britain during the breaking dawn of war with Germany.   Specifically, There is one scene where there is a major break through in King George's voice.  Lionel is sitting in King Edward's Throne because it is a "chair", but King George is furious because it is King Edward's throne.      "Listen to me, listen to me," interrupted by Lionel, "Why should I waste my ti...