Reminiscence

This is the summary of our Pastor's wife's sermon, Mrs. Lusi's Supratman, on Sunday, Aug.31st 2008 at Narimasu Chapel Church. Why is the word of God important? 1. The word of God is our shield of faith (Eph.6:16) In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one . Two volunteers were asked to perform on the stage. One was bearing a shield made of paper which symbolizes advice from friends, gossips, news in newspapers, tips and tricks from the world. The other one was playing as the devil attacking us with his sword of lies, fears, stress, pressures, accusations, doubts and all bad things. Can the shield of human's advice stand the devil's sword? It is too fragile, brittle and thin to stand the devil's cunning schemes. The word of God is strong, never changes and it is the only firm shield that can protect us from the devil's attacks. Jesus said in John 10:10 The thief comes only to st...

This is taken "from the pastor's heart", an article in our church newsletter. Tiga Hal Tiga hal dalam hidup yang sekali terlewatkan, tidak akan pernah kembali lagi: 1. waktu 2. kata-kata 3. Kesempatan Tida hal dalam hidup yang dapat menghancurkan seseorang: 1. Kemarahan 2. Tinggi hati 3. Tidak mau mengampuni Tiga hal dalam hidup yang jangan pernah engkau lepaskan: 1. Harapan 2. Damai Sejahtera 3. Kejujuran Tiga hal dalam hidup yang paling berharga: 1. Kasih 2. Keluarga dan teman-teman 3. Kebaikan Tiga hal dalam hidup yang tidak menentu: 1.Harta 2. Kesuksesan 3. Mimpi Tiga hal yang membentuk seseorang: 1. Komitmen 2. Ketulusan 3. Kerja keras Tiga hal yang tidak pernah berubah: BAPA, PUTRA, ROH KUDUS English Version: THREE THINGS Three things in life that, once gone, never come back 1. Time 2. Words 3. Opportunity Three things in life that can destroy a person 1. Anger 2. Pride 3. Un...

This is an email that I received from a mailing list. I do not fully agree, but somehow they have some truth and I think I have to be grateful with my life. I also put some comments in italic. Sorry, it is still in Indonesian, I'll translate it into English when I have time, probably I may not. Saya bersyukur ... untuk istri yang memberiku makanan yang sama dengan kemarin malam, karena istriku di rumah malam ini dan tidak bersama orang lain. Saya bersyukur ... untuk suami yang duduk bermalas-malasan di sofa sambil membaca koran dan nonton acara olah raga kesukaannya, karena do'i bersama aku di rumah dan tidak keluyuran, apalagi ke bar malam ini. Saya beryukur ... untuk anakku yang selalu protes di rumah karena artinya dia sedang di rumah dan tidak keluyuran di jalanan. Saya bersyukur ... untuk pajak yang saya bayar karena artinya saya bekerja dan punya penghasilan. Saya bersyukur ... untuk rumah yang berantakan ( karena anak-anak atau anggota keluarga yg lain yg bikin berantaka...

Tiga Hal Tiga hal dalam hidup yang sekali terlewatkan, tidak akan pernah kembali lagi: 1. waktu 2. Kata-kata 3. Kesempatan Tiga hal dalam hidup yang dapat menghancurkan seseorang: 1. Kemarahan 2. Tinggi hati 3. Tidak mau mengampuni Tiga hal dalam hidup yang jangan pernah engkau lepaskan: 1. harapan 2. Damai sejahtera 3. Kejujuran Tiga hal dalam hidup yang paling berharga: 1. kasih 2. keluarga dan teman-teman 3. kebaikan Tiga hal dalam hidup yang tidak menentu: 1. Rejeki 2. Kesuksesan 3. Mimpi (cita-cita) Tiga hal yang membentuk seseorang: 1. komitmen 2. Ketulusan 3. Kerja keras Tiga hal yang tidak pernah berubah: BAPA, PUTRA, ROH KUDUS English Version: THREE THINGS Three things in life that, once gone, never come back 1. Time 　 2. Words 3. Opportunity Three things in life that can destroy a person 1. Anger 2. Pride 3. Unforgiveness Three things in life that you should never ...

This is an email I got from a friend. Some of the contents are true but some are not because there are many "x" factors involved, so the premises below are somehow have some true values as we experience life. ~~*I BELIEVE*~~ A birth certificate shows that we were born; a death certificate shows that we died; pictures show that we lived! Have a seat . Relax. And read this slowly. I believe - That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do. I believe - That we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change. I believe - That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that. I believe - That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love. I bel ieve - That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache f...

Imagine if a bank gives you the amount of money of $86,400 on a daily basis. Then they ask you to spend all of the money in one day. Every night, the remaining amount of money will be erased from your account if you fail to spend all of it in one day. What would you do? Surely you will try to spend every penny that you have. We all have that kind of bank. The name is TIME. Every morning, you are given 84,400 seconds to spend. At the end of the day, it would be count as loss if you fail to invest it wisely. The remaining time that we don’t use will not be carried over for the next day, and you cannot withdraw more than the amount determined for you. Every new day, a new account will be opened for you, and every night, the account will be erased. If you fail to use your savings for the day, you will lose it and it will never come back. You have to live for today, for your ‘savings’ today. Invest your time to get the yield from the investment, such as health, happiness, and success. To re...

Poor thinking produces negative progress Average thinking produces no progress Good thinking produces some progress Great thinking produces great progress (source: jimmyoentoro.com)

A lthough things are not perfect B ecause of trial or pain C ontinue in thanksgiving D o not begin to blame E ven when the times are hard F ierce winds are bound to blow G od is forever able H old on to what you know I magine life without His love J oy would cease to be K eep thanking Him for all the things L ove imparts to thee M ove out of "Camp Complaining" N o weapon that is known O n earth can yield the power P raise can do alone Q uit looking at the future R edeem the time at hand S tart every day with worship T o "thank" is a command U ntil we see Him coming V ictorious in the sky W e'll run the race with gratitude X alting God most high Y es, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but... Z ion waits in glory...where none are ever sad! (from holyspiritinteractive.net)

THE FOUR BLESSED LOOKS: 1. Look back and Thank God. 2. Look forward and Trust God . 3. Look around and Serve God. 4. Look within and Find God!' 'I asked God, 'How do I get the best out of life?' "Bagaimana aku mendapatkan yang terbaik dari hidup, tanyaku pada Allah?" God said, 'Face your past without regrets. Jawaban Allah, "hadapi masalalumu tanpa penyesalan." "Handle your present with confidence." "Kerjakan masasekarangmu disertai keyakinan." "Prepare for the future without fear!'' "Persiapkan untuk masadepan tanpa ketakutan." 'Without God, our week is: Sinday - hari perbuatan dosa Mournday - hari kepedihan Tearsday - hari cucuran airmata ...

1. Give something away (no strings attached). 2. Do a kindness (and forget it). 3. Spend a few minutes with the aged (their experience can be priceless guidance). 4. Look intently into the face of a baby (and marvel). 5. Laugh often (it is life's lubricant). 6. Give thanks (a thousand times a day is not enough). 7. Pray (or you will lose the way). 8. Work (with vim and vigor). 9. Plan as though you will live forever (because you will). 10. Live as though you will die tomorrow (because you will die on some tomorrow). In Christ abundant grace Ps. Caleb & Lusi

One day my husband and I came home really late at night and we were starving. As a nice gentleman, my husband told me to take shower while he prepared our dinner. Without any argument, I gave him the instruction on how to put our frozen dinner into the oven and then rushed into the shower. Shortly after my shower, I smelled something burning from the kitchen. I rushed into the kitchen and asked my husband, “Babe, did you smell the burning?” Looking funny, my husband told me that he burned our dinner. He told me that he saw the instruction to bake the food at 325 degree. However, he thought if he increased the heat 100 degree more the baking time would be faster. Listening to my husband's explanation, I didn’t know whether I should be angry or laugh at it. The only thing that I knew in that instant, God reminded me of “God’s timing”. In one point or another, we all have to wait; waiting for our legal status to stay in US, waiting for the job or the most common one: waiting for our p...

When we offer something to God, whether it is our time, energy or money, there are two extreme of false points of view: 1. Give “whatever is available” because God is good and accept us whatever we are 2. We have to do all effort to give the perfect one for HIM Of course God loves us whatever we are, without any requirements! However do not forget that He is also A KING, who deserves more than “whatever” or “just enough”. It does not mean that we have to work all effort to become perfect so he will be pleased to our offering. It is not right if we feel that whatever we do will never be enough to make God pleased. Actually, God seek the best offering that we have. What He seeks is “your best”, not “the best”. So now what do you have in your hand? Do not give half-heartedly when you give to God. Probably it is still far from perfection, but if that is your best that you have now, do not doubt that he will be pleased to receive it In Christ abundant grace Ps. Caleb and Lusi (IFGF Tokyo)...

To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey (Mat.25:15) God does not want us to fail. God wants us to be the light and salt of the world for people around us. Elbert Hubbard explained that successful people are those who try, not those who complain: those who work, not those who are idle; those who take responsibility, not those who escape from it; those who bear the burdens, not those who stand still; those who look ahead; those who give advice. Charles Kingsley said, "Successful people are those who are always cheerful and hopeful, those who do his jobs with smile on their face, those who have the same attitude when facing opportunities and difficulties." Levels of Success: 0% - I do not want 10% - I can not 20% - I do not know what to do 30% - I hope I can 40% - What’s this? 50% - I think I probably can do it 60% - I may do it 70% - I think I can 80% - I can 9...

The word of God says, “where there is no vision the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18), a free translation of that verse will be “without a vision, people will perish.” Vision is like a dream that will drive us to the future. Now the question is “how can we be a professional dreamer?” What are the characteristics of a dearmer? 1. A dreamer finds a hope for the future. Many people do not dare to dream, especially when they face a difficult situation in their private life or nation/country. They are afraid to dream and hope. To dream is considered something useless and it is sometimes derided by other people. In fact, “To dream” is Holy Spirit language! When you read Joel 2:28-29, God’s Word wrote about people who received dreams. Do you have dreams? • What do you desire? • Where are you going? • What are you going to do? • What are your plans? 2. A dreamer trust God for his future. Proverbs 3:3-6 reminds us to trust in God with all our heart for our future. A dreamer al...

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! —1 John 3:1 Some people looking for love have found help in an unusual place—a taxicab in New York City . Taxicab driver Ahmed Ibrahim loves to set up blind dates for his single passengers. His matchmaking services have been featured on the Fox News Channel, The Wall Street Journal , and NBC’s Today show. He doesn’t assist just anybody though; they have to be serious about looking to settle down with someone. Ahmed loves to help romance blossom, and he even hands out roses on Valentine’s Day. The best place to find love is not in another person but in a book, the Bible. The Bible tells of God’s great love for us. This is expressed in what my friend called the best love note she had ever received. It’s found in John 3:16. For God so lo V ed the world , That He g A ve His on L y Begott E n So N T hat ...