During the trip, we had opportunities to go visit the villagers in their homes and attend the house churches. As usual, not knowing what to expect, I just went along believing that God would do his thing.

Mark 16:20 says “And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.”
He confirms the message, He confirms His Word. I don’t have to try to make it happen.

DAY 1
And so we went out on the first of two trips to the villages. I fell asleep on the drive to the villages and when I awoke, I was surrounded by land as far as the eye could see. I was awed by how vast it was. It made me feel small, dazed and intimidated. The simplicity of the living conditions was astounding. A family would be staying in a hut, half the size of most people’s bedrooms. My attention was pulled to the sight of 4 little children, 2 guys and 2 girls standing in the little plot of land outside their hut. They were naked.

As we made our way into the village, I quickly realised that the house at the entrance of the village was the biggest one, probably belonging to the village head. The huts in the village were much smaller and stood side by side along the road. The entrance was about 1.4 metres high. There were a lot of children around as well. These were the ones who were still too young to go to school. They were running around and playing amidst the pigs that weren’t tied to posts beside the entrances. Our guide and translator, Hau, had mentioned earlier that there were many children in the village and she wasn’t kidding. It occurred to me that they had no knowledge of birth control or contraceptives.

Later on when we walked quite a distance to another part of the village, about 15 minutes away, we arrived at an orphanage. Here I discovered that there were about 24 children being taken care of by a Christian lady. Here I learnt that if families got too large for the man to support, children had to be given away. The lady shared about how her husband, who recently passed away, had started the orphanage. When they first started, they only had 3 cups of rice for themselves and a child. But as they trusted in God and more and more children came into the orphanage, she testified that they had never gone hungry.

As I glanced around the room, I noticed scripture verses pasted all over the walls. They were written side by side in Burmese and English. These were the promises of God that they were claiming. At that moment, she gestured towards the space between the staircase and the prayer corner. There lay 4 large sacks of rice. Her faith produced more than a 1000% increase in rice.

John 6:35 says “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”

Isaiah 49:10 says “They shall neither hunger nor thirst, neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them.”

Life in December is so packed. After coming back from a wonderful trip from Myanmar, I had to immediately prepare myself for youth camp. The more I think about it, the more I realise how much I still have to learn about the ministry. Sometimes it seems as if I'll never be able to reach the standard or the proficiency that we see many well-known evangelists or preachers. But thats not the point right? I really thank God for the things He's showing me and revealing to me.

Training takes time and I praise God that He has giving me the ability to learn by observation. I realise that even with learning music, I'm the kind of person that needs to watch and listen. Then I need to try it out to get the hang of it. Principles and theories do very little to convince me. Thats why I feel that having the opportunity to teach and minister in Myanmar did a lot to educate me. I keep getting comments from people that I am a "teacher". Maybe its the way I present the topics or explain things but I don't feel as if I am special in that area. My session with the students from the Church Planting Institute went pretty well. I was slightly nervous before I started but praise God that I was able to keep my focus. I did waver somewhere in the middle when I couldn't find my place in the notes. But I felt that I was able to come back. The time that the translator took also helped me to think before every sentence.

I was really encouraged by what Pastor 'V' said to the students after my session. I had mentioned during my introduction that I was halfway through my first year in bible school. He told them that they should be able to preach like I did because they have already been in training for almost 3 years. It really puzzled me. It must have been God working through me because I felt like I was nowhere near being a benchmark for the students.

While preparing for the teaching, God showed me Jeremiah 1:7-9
“Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, “Look, I have put my words in your mouth!”(NLT)

It made me realise that God was more concerned about the people than my shortcomings. In Jeremiah 1:12.
Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it."(ESV)

Muted amazement.
I don't want to sound like a newbie and squeal about every little thing that I saw in 'The Golden Land' but at the same time, the things that I saw God doing is worth shouting about!! Its plain to see that God has great plans for that nation. I was constantly amazed at how willing He was to use us to achieve His purpose. Its almost as if He was using any excuse there was to bless them! It seemed as if He used us despite our shortcomings.

As I prepared for this trip, I didn't know what to expect. I had no clue what the land looked like. I had no idea what the people did or how they spoke. Even when the team landed in Yangon, I couldn't form an impression of them. It was clear that many were living in poverty. There were great physical and fiscal needs. But I felt that there was something that God wanted to tell me about them. I just couldn't grasp it at the time.

It wasn't until the next morning that I realised what God was trying to tell me. We made our way by bus to the church where the team would do its first seminar. The journey through the residential area made me pray and wonder why I didn't feel anything for them. But as we approached the church, I felt as if something in the atmosphere was changing. One way to put it was that I could feel that I was approaching the church before I actually saw the church. Coming down from the bus, I quickly realised that there was a live worship going on. So I rushed to the entrance of the church and looked for the live band. All I could see at the front of the room were 2 girls and a guy singing. There was a keyboardist and a guitarist at the side too. It was bizarre because what I heard and what I saw didn't make sense to me. The congregation, made up of a large majority of people over 40 were shouting and jumping and praising God.

Thats when it hit me. Thats when the Love of God came sweeping over me. The realisation hit me like a wave. God loved this country. It wasn't a comparison to the love that He had for any other nation. He was beginning to show me His heart for Myanmar. They were something special.

Types of Redemption in the Old Testament
The Brazen Serpent
Numbers 21 - Background

1. We see again the complaints of Israel against God and against Moses. By doing so, they stepped out from under the hand of protection of God. They were no longer heeding the conditions that were stated in Exodus 15:26.
   Fiery serpents came and bit the people and many died.
   
   
2. We see in verse 7 that the people were quick to repent and they begged Moses to intercede for them.
   God instructs Moses to make a fiery / bronze serpent and to set it on a pole. So that everyone who sees it shall live.
• The serpent on the pole is a type of Christ on the cross. Everyone who looked at the cross would live.
• Numbers 21:8 Then the Lord told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” 9 So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed! (NLT)
  
  
3. God strongly desires that His people would be living in fullness of health. That is why He made a way for the people of Israel. That is why He sent Jesus for us. The people were healed when they fixed their eyes on the serpent. What about us today? Today we have the real thing. The true and real Jesus. If we fix our eyes on Him, He heals us.
• Numbers 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of bronze and put it on a pole, and if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the serpent of bronze [attentively, expectantly, with a steady and absorbing gaze], he lived. (AMP)
  

Types of Redemption in the Old Testament
Bitter Water Made Sweet
Exodus 15 - Background

1. Moses had just led the people of Israel out of Egypt and they had all seen the miracle of God parting the Red Sea.
• Exodus 14:31 Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.
  
  
2. So after praising God, they continued on their journey to the promised land. They travelled for 3 days and at the first sign of trouble, they started complaining again. They arrived at Marah (bitterness) where they finally found water but they couldn’t drink it because it was bitter.
• Exodus 14:24 And the people grumbled against Moses…
  
  
3. And Moses, being the super-spiritual giant of faith prayed with authority and commanded the water to become drinkable. NO!
   Moses was reacted in the same way any human under stress. He CRIED out to God.
   
   
4. God showed him a log / a tree, and Moses threw it into the water and the water became sweet.
1. The Log / Tree is a picture of the cross
2. The Waters of Marah / bitterness is a picture of pain, disease, sickness.
   
   
• John 4:14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.
• Isaiah 53:4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! 5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. (NLT)
  
  
5. There are conditions that have to be met. Rules to enjoy the sweet waters.
• Exodus 15:26
• diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God
• do what is right in His sight,
• give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes

Types of Redemption in the Old Testament
Korah’s Rebellion & The Plague
Numbers 16 - Background

1. The pride and rebellion of Korah against Moses and Aaron was sin. If we look back at Leviticus 6 - 9, we see that God was raising up Aaron by teaching him the priestly responsibilities. God had chosen Moses and Aaron as priests The people had seen God approve of Aaron. (Leviticus 9:22-24) and here was this troublemaker Korah bringing 250 others like him to question their authority.
   
   
2. Sin leads to death. God gave a chance to the people to separate themselves from the judgement of Dathan and Abiram. The earth opened up and swallowed them all. The 250 chiefs were also burnt up by fire from the Lord.
   
• James1:14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
  
  
3. There is a compassion for the people. When they heard God’s judgement, immediately they fell facedown and interceded.
• Number 16:22 Then they fell on their faces, and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the congregation?”
• Romans 8:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
• Numbers 16:44 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces.
• Romans 8:34 It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
  
  
4. Numbers16:47 Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped.
• This is a picture of what Christ did for us. Like Jesus, Aaron entered into the midst of disease and sickness.
• Jesus was the atonement, He paid the price, He stood between the living and the dead. There is an infection of sin in the world, which only the cross and intercession of Jesus Christ can stay and remove.
• Eziekiel 22:30-31 So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. 31 Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD.

Praise Life

The results and revelations of praise

How is it possible to describe the goodness of God in 200 words? Ever since coming into Rhema Bible Training Centre, God has been doing so much for me. Initially, I couldn’t tell the difference in myself. I had people coming up to me and telling me how I’ve changed and how different I’ve become. Glory to God!

Waking up in the morning can be a painful experience. When the mind is dull with sleep and every fibre in your body screams out for more sleep. Ever since my kindergarten days, I always dreaded waking up early. My parents would exclaim that it was as if the frame of my body had been fused to the mattress. Any attempt to get me out of bed before I was ready (5 minutes more!) would leave me grumpy and in a foul mood. This habit followed me down through the years.
A change came when I was reading a book and the author quoted Smith Wigglesworth.

I don't ask my body how it's feeling; I tell it how to feel.
- Smith Wigglesworth -

The revelation felt like a punch to the head. It occurred to me that I could choose to do that too! I decided to try it. And it was a disaster! I would mumble “Thank You God” under my breath when I woke up the next morning. But I was feeling as horrible as always. But I kept trying and kept praising God. I even turned on some praise and worship songs like “Rejoice in the Lord Always” in the morning which would change my focus and put a smile on my face.

I woke up today feeling pretty lousy. My body was aching from the drumming during AWE worship. My head was aching from all the thoughts rushing through my head. I went to the computer to try to install the new hard disk that I'd gotten but I couldn't get it to work. At that moment, I really felt very useless. I seriously didn't feel like going to church. As I was walking back to my room, I told myself, "This isn't the way I should be behaving!!" Thats when I started to pray in tongues and began to thank God and praise God for how good He is. Luckily there was no one at home because they would have be scared by my shouting, "Hallelujah" and "Praise God". And that was when I started to feel better! Praise God that when I stepped out of the elevator to the lobby, there was a cab waiting for me.

Many times in life, I would question God, “How come You don’t do the great things that I see in other people’s life for me?”
I would get upset when I heard good reports and testimonies from others. Not upset at them or that good things were happening to them. But upset that I was not experiencing those blessings. I wanted those blessings so much! I would pray fervently for God to bless me and use me to achieve His purposes.

God in His graciousness told me over a series of events that it wasn’t that He was withholding His blessings. It was that I wasn’t taking time to recognise it. I wasn’t giving Him the glory and praise that was due to Him. My understanding of His blessings was too shallow, selfish and warped. When I would pray for a situation, I would come to Him with preconceived ideas on how I wanted Him to work. Ways which I could figure out with my mind.

He began to show me His hand guiding and protecting me in my life. He reminded me of things that He’d done for me when I was in Polytechnic, in the army, in church and even now in Rhema Bible Training Center. He told me in such a loving way that it offended Him that I wasn’t thanking Him. You see, I was demanding that things be done in my way and even though He fulfilled His plans in a more glorious and splendid way, I didn’t recognise it.

If I want to see more power, I’d have to learn to recognise and thank Him for what He’s already done for me.

He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much…
- Luke 16:10 -

I believe that because I’m praising Him, He’s showing me more and more adjustments that I have to make in my life. At the same time, He’s revealing more truths to me. Praise God forever!