stefanyeverlyse

[stefanyeverlyse]

God of Salvation

2020 marks the 10 years of my Christian journey and looking back, I give thanks for the many opportunities and breakthrough I have with Jesus and in serving His people. Yet somehow, at this juncture, especially after reflecting through Saturday sermon, I honestly dislike where I am now! I start to question where did my fervor go, was all these years just a hype thing? Have I lost sight of my previous conviction in Him or my heart for the things and the people that matter so dearly to Him? 

At the place where I’m given the privilege to lead His people in such a front line manner, the privilege where I get to serve Him full-time and see the beauty of the body of the church at work… I start to lose myself to the idea of familiarity and structure. I start to lose focus on God and place a lot of focus on myself, on what I can bring to the table, on what my comfort is when all God ever wanted was for me to obediently yield myself to Him and to be His light to genuinely love people to Him. It was never meant to be about me but about Him.

What seems like a peak in the secular world is considered a loss if Christ doesn’t take center stage. And this is a loss to me because of the lack of personal worship, the lack of deeper revelation in Him. It is not that the current revelation isn’t enough to worship Him but the whole idea of over-familiarity causes me to desire much less of God. And in this heart of putting myself down, of being discouraged and discontented with who and where I am, I am reminded of God’s heart through the song “So Will I”.

God of salvation You chased down my heart through all of my failure and pride On a hill You created The light of the world abandoned in darkness to die And as You speak, a hundred billion failures disappear Where You lost Your life so I could find it here If You left the grave behind You, so will I I can see Your heart in everything You’ve done Every part designed in a work of art called love If You gladly chose surrender, so will I I can see in Your heart, eight billion different ways Every precious one, a child You died to save If You gave Your life to love them, so will I Like You would again a hundred billion times But what measure could amount to Your desire You’re the One who never leaves the one behind

Through all of my failures, Jesus lost His life just so that I could find a new life and a new hope! Because of His unfailing and such unexplainable love, He set aside His comfort and His own will just so that I could no longer be in bondages, just so that I could live a life of freedom and just so that I could be bridged to God again. And if such love has been so freely lavished on me, I pray that my response will always be “so will I”! Not I, but Christ lives in me and works through me.

Do I truly know God?

Isaac Ong struggled 13 years of unfruitfulness yet all he ever wanted was to still obediently fulfill God’s promises for him. Job in the bible lost literally everything yet in his turmoil, even as he struggled and wrestled with God and his friends, he persevered and humbled himself before God. Daniel in the bible was righteous and a man who seeks after God but was put into a situation where the people used the law of God to put him down and send him into the lion’s den yet in the confusion, he trusted in God’s deliverance. Abraham in the bible struggled for years with infertility and God finally blessed him with a son at the age of 100 but was asked to sacrifice his son to God yet without complaint or negotiation, he obediently did it.  Paul in the bible gave his life to Jesus and became His witness, spreading the gospel to many cities. He was thrown in prison for doing God’s work yet he continued to worship in prison and continued to write letters and have his best interest for the people out there.

This is the life of what it means to deny yourself, to take up the cross and follow Jesus. It is not a life full of roses but a life full of sacrifice and a life full of mockery. Yet, in this age and the country we live in, it is so easy to downplay the cross that we have to carry and the idea of Christianity easily becomes something more of what we deem as the hype. But a life that truly desires God’s character and God’s will is a life that is willing to go through such struggles and yet respond just as Habakkuk did;

Habakkuk 3:18 (NLT) “yet I will rejoice, yet I will be joyful in the God of my salvation.”

Why? Because they knew that God is bigger than their circumstances. There are so many things they do not know but one thing they know is that they know a God who knows what they do not know, they know a God who is in control and knows the bigger picture. Thus, the only possible response was to not take things under their own control but to trust that His plans will always prosper and come to completion. These people above, live very different lives yet the core of it is that they never live a life for themself but living a life as God’s vessel to glorify Him. It all boils down to a life that truly knows that they are where they are not because of their strength but because of His salvation that was freely given to each of them. The work on the cross should compel us to a life that worships Him in spirit and in truth, to live a life that truly knows who God is, not just in the head but personally over our life. And my prayer is to recognize that I am not made to settle for over-familiarity or a life that lives for myself but to constantly remember and desire after this God of salvation which, in turns, compels me to live a life of honest worship that constantly yield myself to His character and His plans. May my life be used as your vessel to always seek the best interest for others, to always be your light in the darkness and to always desire after the things in your heart.

[stefanyeverlyse]

1 SAMUEL 17:42-47

42 He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”

45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin,but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

Inadequacy, weakness.. all this doesn't amount if you knew your identity. When you know how much the God who is in you is greater than that of those in the world. There were be no fear because we ourselves knows who is in control.

The same authority that God holds is living in us and we ourselves can be like David, a young fellow with apple cheek and peach fuzz with so much authority to go against the enemy because he knew who holds the final call, "for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands"

So there's actually not a need to fear though fear is definitely inevitable but with the same fear, we should still know that the authority in heaven and on Earth has already been given to Christ and now because his in us, we will be able to say to our enemy "you come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but i come against you in the name of the Lord almighty" 

And yet again, I will rejoice in the Lord almighty! Because as the devil is so evident in my life, I know that God is evidently reigning in my life as well, fighting for me and pushing back all the darkness. And because I knew that even though the devil is so strong in my life, God is too and the battle is his so I will and want to give all praises in my trouble time.

And at the end of the day, when the battle is won, let all glory go back to God because this season is used to shine forth God's glory and goodness for people who witness it to see. "All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands"

Because God works all things good for those who love him and he who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus so we will continue to praise when we are weak because his grace is sufficient for us, for his power is made perfect in weakness and therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 

That authoritative power WILL rest on me. Amen

[stefanyeverlyse]

"Sometimes I wonder why should we even try when nothing seem to please my child anymore"

It was disheartening yet it had given me an opportunity to talk to this parent whose hearts are harden towards their child. Negativity, worries kept coming out from their lips and as I saw how much this parent tried to be sacrificial and giving, the child's expectation kept raising as they raised their sacrificial and giving spirit.

I had so much thoughts about slapping that child up side down lol because indeed, hearing so much from both side and even being able to have the chance to witness how their family do life.. I envied them, to be honest because that child is indeed so abundantly bless with a loving and complete family.

But seeing how much, the parents is starting to get upset and disappointed over their child's behavior towards the family.. yet, the parent didn't chose the easy way out of Indifferent but choosing to embrace and think of approach with some tough love in the way as well to help their child.

Listening to their experience, Im thankful for the opportunity to be able to relate from the child point of view ( relating myself to that cause im a child as well ) and from the parents point of view ( understanding adults and also understand my dad ), it just show how much we all have different expectation, different values, different view but we need to learn to give in to one another and it could only be through love.

If one lacks love, and harbor indifference, there is almost 100% chance that this relationship would not even work out. 

And listening from the parent point of view, Im thankful to know that, no matter what a brat or a wretch this child may be, a parent can and will never choose to look at you with an indifferent heart and say, this child deserve to be out of this world... no. Even with disappointment and a little bit of tough love.... it still love, isn't it?

As I was speaking to the parent, I could only be reminded of how much God didn't gave up on me. Im a wretch, i'm flawed but look who said on the cross during his death... "Forgive them for they do not know what they are doing". He took the blame, he took the shame and I'm graced. 

Parents will always be one of the sacrificial and giving person I'll ever know, even with disappointment and tough love, indifferent were never be their choice. 

[stefanyeverlyse]

"Slow and steady wins the race"

This phrase felt right at that moment but then as I start to question further towards the fast being able to win the race as well, it starts to get confusing so I shall bear with myself as I go through this "stefany's analogy". Looking at the rabbit and the turtle, the rabbit could have won but he rested and thus leading the slow turtle to win. But the truth is, all that rabbit needs is not to be slow to win. All it needs is to be humble enough to win the race. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. (1 Peter 5:6 NIV) If he hasnt had that thought that even if he takes a nap and still able to wake up in time to finish the race, he would have won. But pride was overwhelming in him during the whole race which causes him to have all this thoughts about him being the better one. And just like us, the longer we go in this race, the more we think we know. But just cause we know it all, doesn't mean we have the rights to look down on others and just let them be. God opposes the pride but give grace to the humble. And yet when we look at the turtle, it was only because of perseverance that he is able to win the race. because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance ( James 1:3 ) The turtle could have chosen to give up when he sees the long road ahead that seem so far or he could have given up when he knew that the rabbit is going to win the race anyway but its through all this trials and temptation that perseverance is developed. And like us, we go through many season in this race. Mountains high, valley low. We could have given up during our mountain high season because we know that we are up there and prideful so we slide away but yet when we chose to look towards the glory as God's and not ours, we will be humble enough to know that God is leading us through. As for valley low, trials, temptation, this is one season where most people are blinded away from God's view. They see things as tough and they couldnt understand what God plan is all about so thats when they slide away. But choosing to look on to God and keep the faith is where perseverance is developed and when perseverance comes in, we look to Jesus and fight the good fight of faith. But at the end of the day, its not about having to win the race. I mean winning is one thing but another, is to know that people are winning this race with you as well . The rabbit could have pull the turtle along and win it together but out of selfish conceit, he went ahead alone. The turtle could have wake the rabbit up and win it together but he chose not to because he sees opportunity for his gains. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, (Philippians 2:3-9 NIV) Just as Jesus did, we should consider ourself as something so that we can place people above us, to love them enough to want to serve them and help them out in due time. Clothed in humility and God will exalt. I am confused towards who actually wins the race lol but one thing for sure, to win a spiritual race. We need to be blameless, to have perseverance, to love others and to walk in humility. To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8 NIV)

[stefanyeverlyse]

Life ain't a bed of roses.

It never is or never will be. But one thing for sure, God is leading.

Lead me Lord

[stefanyeverlyse]

Thousand days cannot compare ( Im forever yours ) Struggling with throat infection for the past week, but let it not be a hinderment to seeking the Lord for I will still lift up my voice up to the Lord.

[stefanyeverlyse]

Hour of goodness (((:

Worship music mix #3 Track list: 0:18 Up in arms - Joel Houston (Hillsong United), 4:33 Heavenly light - Citipointe Live 9:49 I give my life to You - Elevati...

[stefanyeverlyse]

Love is.....

As I was worshiping in unit meet, as we were singing a pure heart and God of this city, I was stumbled through God's question upon me...

"Do you really love? Or do you love because you are told to do? Do you dread to love the people? Or are you loving out of the abundance of your heart?"

As I thought through the question and feel like im halfway in, halfway out and couldn't really come to a point of whether I really love or I love cause I have to. Then, God reminded me of a verse in Song of Solomon 2:4b where it says

Let the banner over me be LOVE

I believe through the season, many will start to go through the motion, the motion of having to love because I have to, the motion of serving people, serving our family, our friends, our classmates, our Lifegroup, in ministry wise and we forgot the main point of what it is to really love people out of the abundance of our heart.

We ended up with doing the cliche cause the higher authority called us to, the bible say so, abiding to rule but I believe today, God stirred in my heart and place a burden in me to love! A heart that is pure and blameless to love the sinners, the unloving and the indifferent.

As I talked about having to go through the motion to love, give and serve the people, God reminded me of this quote

You can give without loving but you can't LOVE without Giving.

I think all my heart long for right now is to find the root of all love, the love that genuinely wants to love, the love..... Just like Jesus do.

The LOVE that Jesus did... To demonstrate love through dying for us while we were still sinner. - Romans 5:8

God, I want to love people out of the abundance of my heart. That where love is, God you are there too. amen

Love; it doesn't apply to christians alone or the people I know but LOVE that drives towards every single living people on Earth

Love is..... to give people the greatest gift of all and that is, Jesus.

[stefanyeverlyse]

I can do all things through Christ who strengthened me! 

[stefanyeverlyse]

So my little cousin memorized the entire Let It Go scene from Frozen and it’s just adorable.

[stefanyeverlyse]

Paradox of the greater life

The greater we become in God, the less about us our lives become. We dont build true greatness by adding self-esteem. We build it by subtracting self-reliance so that after our pride has been stripped away, Christ in us is revealed.

The higher you rise in God, the lower you'll be willing to go, because you'll realise more and more that the purpose of the greater life isnt to bring attention to yourself. its to bring glory to One who will always be greater

From time to time, God has to bring something into our lives to help us realize we're not as great as we think

John 3:30; He must become GREATER, i must become less

Let your love, let your spirit lead me into the life of greater. 

[stefanyeverlyse]

主你的十架 是無價至寶

[stefanyeverlyse]

[stefanyeverlyse]

Looking back from the start when I took over NP1 till now, I can’t help but to give thanks to God for his providence and grace despite the many down times. Not about the increase in attendance but having to see hearts that have been harden returning back to his arms, returning back to serve him for greater purpose.

Such a joy to see these people coming back to step out and build the LG. Indeed all the many down times are worth it for me to witness such joy and sight.

The worst day of a leader are always always better than the best day of an onlooker

If i have chosen to give up then or because of my inadequacy and not obeying in taking up the call, I would never be able to come to this point of witnessing his faithfulness for the LG firsthand (:

Thank you Jesus 

[stefanyeverlyse]

[stefanyeverlyse]

Think in the box.

Many times, I personally like to think out of the box. I like to think of things that is far above my capability and because of that, there are times when I start to feel dejected because I couldn't achieve it.

God reminded me that thinking out of the box is just "wishful thinking". Things that you wish you will achieve. I'm not saying that it is a bad thing to dream dreams because the truth is that we all dreams and if we are dreaming out of the box, there are many times we will just end up dreaming and not working.

But we have to start thinking in the box, in the box where our capabilities is reach. Where it mention that we have to be faithful with the little and if we are able to start small, dream small, God will then add upon us and expand our box to the bigger thinking.

I don't want to see myself thinking out of the box, pursue straight for that dreams only to realize that its all my will and God is not in it. 

Let me start small, let me be faithful, let me serve where I am right now, let me just think in the box and know that God is gonna add upon me and be victorious.

Where the spirit lead, i obey and follow even as little as it seem to be. 2013 has been a grace-filled year, 2014 is gonna be a victorious year filled with Jesus in it. 

[stefanyeverlyse]

My worst days are never so bad that i’m beyond the reach of God’s grace and my best days are never so good that i’m beyond the need of God’s grace.