The "Presence of God"

Previous week, I preached on something “heavy” in church. By that I meant something to really ponder on, something to look deeper into. Like the Bereans, one will have to search the Scripture, discuss it and see if it is true rather than just taking everything said by the preacher behind the pulpit as truth. Preachers aren't right all the time. Here's a gist on the subject on the presence of God.

Keep in mind this Hebrew word: Paneam. It means “face to face”. Before the Fall of man at Eden, man and God were able to meet face to face. After the Fall, God removed Himself from the presence of man because in the sinful state, man cannot dwell in the presence of God (Paneam). Throughout the Old Testament, God's visited His people but not in the way He did before the Fall. His glory can be seen and His presence tangibly felt and His voice can be heard. But man still cannot “paneam” God because as God said to Moses: “ … I will let you see my glory and hear my holy name but I won't let you see my face, because anyone who sees my face will die” (Exodus 33:19-20). After this encounter, Moses physical body glowed to the extent he had to wear a veil because people couldn't look into his face. Can you imagine what would have happened had Moses stood in the presence of God? He would had imploded. God placed Moses behind a cracked rock to protect him from His presence and allowed Moses only to have a partial glimpse of Himself after He passed by Moses. Moses no doubt felt the awesome presence of God but was not allowed to be in the presence of God (paneam) lest he die.

What about us today? Can we be in the presence of God (paneam) and yet live? I don't think our physical body can take it although in spirit we are regenerated. In that sense, I believe we will not physically survive the presence of God and live. That's why God gave us His only begotten Son! That's His grace. By looking at Jesus we see God. Jesus said if we had seen Him, we would have seen the Father. If we had heard Him, we would have heard the Father. In order to know God and dwell in God's presence, we have Jesus as the Way, Truth and Life! So today as we worship and gather in the Name of Jesus to pray, we enter into the presence of God. We tangibly feel and experience God's presence but we are not seeing God face to face. We can't. Our bodies cannot take it. There will come a time we will be able to but now, in our mortal body and present condition, we have Jesus as our Mediator. When the apostle John had an encounter with God at the island of Patmos, He was caught in spirit into the presence of Jesus who was in His glorified state. John fell to the ground as though dead. Isaiah too thought he was going to die when he had his encounter with God. He had a revelation of a sinful man in the presence of the most Holy God! Unlike Moses, Isaiah and John encountered God in the spirit while Moses had a physical encounter, yet they were overwhelmed!

In my opinion, in order for us to encounter God face to face, there must be these three conditions. First of all, being born again. Secondly, a new body. This we will have when we get to heaven. Thirdly, a new name. God has a new name for us in heaven because “old things have passed away and all things have become new”. In that glorious state, we will be able to see God face to face. What God did in Eden before the Fall, God will restore then in spirit, soul and body. What's my point in sharing this? My concern for the way preachers today define the presence of God.

Preachers love to draw attention to themselves. I am not saying this as a norm. Being human, the temptation is always there. In church, there's the stage and there's the audience. People love a good performance and the star has to shine brighter in order to maintain the ambiance. This is where the preacher (if he or she is not careful) succumb. People love a hero, a star. They are willing to pay for the stage. But this is not something new. Centuries back, Paul warned in 2 Timothy 4:3: “The time is coming when people won't listen to good teaching. Instead they will look for teachers who will please them by telling only what they are itching to hear”. We need to take heed of this. Jesus is soon returning and false teachers are on the rise. My caution is: be a follower of Jesus, not a follower of preachers. God's presence is not unique only to some as some preachers would claim to have the unique ability to enter into the presence of God. I honestly think if God were to really appear, we too will cry out “woe is me for I am unclean”. How can we stand in the presence of the most high God in our present state? Yet, by the grace of God, we have been accorded the privilege of knowing Him and gracing His presence and His glory through Jesus Christ the Son of God. In Jesus we live and move and have our being. We are indeed God's offspring (Acts 17:28). Jesus is the mediator between God the Father and us and we have the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit through whom we have been adopted as sons of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Praise be to our God! One day we will meet God face to face. For now, we will embrace the awesome presence and glory of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, Master and Savior.

Churches have evolved through the centuries. What it is today is not quite the same as what it was originally in Acts. But that's alright. Time passes and generational change will continue as in methods and styles. It's understandable we don't do church the way it was done previously. Change is inevitable and is healthy and necessary as long as the core is not compromised. In fact, Paul said there are diversity of ministries and gifts but of the same Spirit. Churches come in all kinds of styles and sizes but as long as it is borne of the same Holy Spirit, it is alright. My only concern is doing church without the Holy Spirit but supposedly in the name of Jesus. 

Since I was a freshman in Bible College in 1979, I had been involved in the pioneering of a church in Rawang. So all in all, I have been in the ministry forty years, thirty eight of which were in Vineyard which  I pioneered. Through all these years, I have benefited so much from big churches and gifted pastors. Their training programs for pastors were a great help and inspiration So whether a church is big or small, it's still God's church. God is no greater in one church and lesser in another. God is God. As long as I am a follower of Christ, and as long as I abide by His Word, God's presences is felt no matter where I am. That's the joy of being a follower of Jesus. His love, His joy and His peace abide in me. I too hope sincerely (as I have so taught) that you too will be a follower of Jesus Christ, not a follower of a church or a preacher. God's presence is everywhere. Be faithful to God and to where He has planted you. Things may not be the way you want and it probably may not, but should a man leave his wife if his spouse is not up to his expectations? What works is faithfulness. As long as you stay on course, you too can contribute positively and grow your church in ways that glorify Jesus. After all, the purpose of the church ultimately is to proclaim the kingdom of God. God have mercy on all of us and to Him be all the glory!

Lightning from the east

Back in the 70s' the second coming of Christ and His soon return were very much emphasised. It sparked off the fuse for the sharing of the gospel because Christians back then literally believed Jesus' return could happen anytime! Today, this emphasis is no longer. Christians are very much distracted by the internet age (as is the world) and evangelism has lost its momentum. Coupled with this self-love age, the soon coming of Jesus Christ is far from the minds of Christians. Nevertheless, the fact still remain. Jesus is coming back soon! Let's just hope we don't fall under the category of five foolish virgins in the parable. Their unpreparedness and taken-for-granted attitude cost them the banquet! As for me personally, I am still of the hope that Jesus will come in my life time. He has to come sometime. So I am hoping it's during my life time. Foolish of me? I'd rather be ready than be left behind. AND I have my reasons for my belief. One of which I want to share with you today. An end-time prophecy as spoken of by Jesus.

32Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. 33So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near,d right at the door. 34Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened. 35Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. (Matthew 24)

Israel was depicted here as the fig tree. It was prophesied that Israel will cease to exist until such a time when God Himself will gather them back as a nation. After AD 70 most of the people of Israel were expelled from their land and Israel ceased to function as a nation. For almost 2000 years, they wandered, were persecuted, murdered and ultimately the Holocaust when European Jews were systematically hunted down and eliminated. In 1948, true to God's word, the fig tree budded. It's branches may still be tender but it's sprouting leaves. Read again the above verses. Who is "this generation"? This next verse is going to imply the very possibility that Jesus was speaking about our time today.

"For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man" (v. 27)

The gospel was birthed in Jerusalem. From there it went westward and travelled the globe and is headed (or has) back to Jerusalem. It's amazing how Israel became a nation in 1948 just when the gospel was heading back to where it all began! From Jerusalem in the West, you can see the gospel coming from the East! Twice the apostle Paul had wanted to take the gospel eastward towards Asia but God forbade. So from west to east, it's now returning like "lightning" from east and seen in the west! All these prophecies coming to pass IN OUR TIME!

There are other major prophecies regarding Jesus' soon return such as Revelation 9 and 13. Like I mentioned earlier, I am hoping for Jesus' return in my lifetime. All the sign that were not yet in place during the apostles' time are unfolding before our very eyes today. I am hopeful. Are you? If you are not, think about this ...

36No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,e but only the Father. 37As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. 39And they were oblivious, until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left (Matt 24).

MARANATHA!!!

"God spoke to me"

Every now and then you will bump into Christians who would say something like, “God spoke to me” or “I hear God saying”. Coming from Pentecostal/Charismatic background myself, I can understand the zeal that spurs us into thinking that God is speaking to us all of the time. In fact, preachers do that quite often and the sheep … well, they follow. Now, I do not doubt that God speaks but many times, I wonder whether it is God speaking or is it just simply my ego!

My ego did get in the way! At least in the early years of my ministry. It feels so cool to be able to say, “God told me.” I don’t know how accurate I had been in discerning if at all God was speaking to me but being a pastor, if I told somebody something that is not true, I can cause damage! I cannot be presumptuous when it comes to dealing with people. It’s either God did tell me or He did not. And that brings us to today’s thoughts. How do I know if God is speaking to me? How do I know if God is the one giving me the word?

Ask a preacher/prophet this question: “How accurate are you in your prophesying?” If they answer, “70% or 80%” but not 100%, then maybe you should consider if you want to allow that person to prophesy over you. I mean, what if you fall into the 30% category where you receive an inaccurate prophecy? The preacher won’t take responsibility. If the word didn’t come to pass, it will always be assumed that you are in error, not the preacher. Scary huh? Well, what’s more scary is when Christians go around saying all the time that God is speaking to them and through them! Somehow it seems they hear God’s voice all the time and see visions all the time! Come to think about it, maybe I should hire them so I can know what God is saying about my friend who is struggling with cancer, or about that investment, should I or should I not?

Now I am not being sarcastic here. I do believe God speaks. I do believe in dreams and visions. But I am a bit wary with people who constantly profess that God is speaking to them and through them. What is alarming is they don’t take responsibility over what they say! If it didn’t come to pass, there’s always some excuse and it’s usually the recipient’s fault. And preachers … I don’t think they realize it but I think they are using this “God told me” mentality to “control” the audience. I have been a Christian since 1976 and have been in the ministry for more than 30 years and I dare say I have not yet seen a prophet in my life! I know there are many who profess to be prophets but really, I have not seen one true prophet yet! I’ve seen many who goes about prophesying, declaring God had revealed to them stuff, BUT no, I have not yet once met a prophet. At least not according to the credentials of a prophet as we see in the Bible.

So, the question now is … should I or should I not prophesy? Of course you do. The apostle Paul himself urges us to seek after the gift of prophecy. But in our desire to want to prophesy or proclaim “God told me”, let’s practice integrity. My personal preference is, if I cannot be 100% sure, then let me just not say "God spoke to me." And if God is speaking to me about stuff, I don’t have to declare “God told me”. If the information comes from God, I’ll just take it as wisdom and from here, I will counsel accordingly without the need to elevate myself before others in proclaiming “God told me”.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 7:26-28, “Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for you to remain as you are. Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.” Let me ask; did God spoke to the apostle Paul saying that Christians ought not get married but rather stay single? Or was it Paul’s opinion? Obviously it was Paul’s opinion, not God speaking for in the verse previous, this is what Paul wrote; “Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy.”

What happened here, God did not speak to Paul about this issue of staying single. It’s was Paul’s idea. But Paul’s idea was recorded into God’s Word so that makes it God’s word? Not necessarily so. Here’s my point for you to ponder. Yes, there are times God speaks to us supernaturally. AND being supernaturally born again of God and not of man, there are times we too like Paul, think God’s thoughts. So my point is this. When thinking God’s thoughts let us not say, “God told me”. Just because I can at times think my “wife’s thoughts” doesn’t mean that I can say “My wife said”. Paul made it very clear when he said, “I have no command from the Lord”.
I have seen damages done because Christians carelessly go around saying, “God told me …”. Most of the “word” given are out of context and do not bear the mind of Christ nor the fruits of the Spirit. Let’s be more responsible when we think we are speaking on behalf of God. We are all called into accountability and someday soon we are all going to stand before God. Did God really say it to you? Or are you just thinking God’s thoughts? OR are you just being presumptuous? It’s a problem with pride and ego.

I wonder. Did God ask me to write this article? Or did I simply just think God’s thoughts? Hmmm….

Silver Cord

Last week in church, I spoke on the "Silver Cord". I do this once in a couple of years to remind church of the mercies of God and that we are not to judge the living nor the "dead". On the same week, an assistant pastor from a mega church in California, USA  committed suicide, leaving behind a wife and two little boys. The pastor was only thirty years old and was a mental health advocate. It's kinda hard to understand and I am sure there are many that had extended help and compassion to the surviving family while there are others who would have judged and condemned even though none actually have the relevant facts. Mental illness has become or is becoming a disease and many has succumbed to it. I suspect the internet age has contributed significantly  to this. I sometimes wonder too  for those that succumb to euthanasia. Can they be looked upon the same as in the case of this young pastor? What happen to their souls? This is why I preached on the Silver Cord once a while in church to remind us of the mercies of God and that God, and only God alone, can rightly judge.. Here's the gist of it.

Death, according to the Bible, is not when the heart stopped beating or when the brain ceased to function. Death, in the eyes of God is when the spirit of man is separated from the physical body (James 2:26). UNTIL that happens, like in the case of Lazarus, the person is not dead but "asleep". Because Lazarus  was "asleep", Jesus was able to "wake him up" (John 11:11). Otherwise Lazarus couldn't have been raised from the dead for God has appointed: "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment," (Heb. 9:27). Lazarus would have died twice in his life time then if God had raised him from the dead. So death, according to God, is not when the heart stopped beating and when the brain ceased to function. Death occur ONLY when the silver cord is severed (Ecc. 12:6-7). The silver cord is that which attached the spirit of a man to his physical body giving life to it (think of it like the umbilical cord). As long as the silver cord is not broken, even when the person is being dead for up to four days like in Lazarus case, in the eyes of God  that person is not dead but asleep and can be saved or raise from the dead if God chooses to. Here's a scenario.  When that young pastor committed suicide, his physical body perished but the silver cord may not  yet have broken. The Lord could have appeared to him and got things right with him. Then when the silver cord breaks, he's with Jesus in heaven. That's why I say even for a person who has never heard of Jesus prior to death can still be saved. After all, Jesus is the good Shepherd who brings His lost sheep back to the sheep pen. Salvation belongs to God.

God is indeed merciful. I won't be surprised at all to meet people in heaven whom I never thought I'd see. An uncle or aunty, grandpa, grandma, brother, buddies, people who had never received Christ while alive on earth or heard about Jesus. God has His way of revealing Himself to his lost sheep. After all, many are praying for their love ones and friends. In answer to prayers, the Lord could have revealed Himself to that person prior to the breaking of the silver cord and do that which we cannot but can only hope and pray for. Is there anything too hard for our God? Amen.

Maranatha!!!

Since the beginning of Christianity, every generation of believers had believed that Jesus is coming back in their time. It has been two thousand years now and I wonder if Christians today still believe Jesus will be returning in this generation? I asked because this reality has not been taught much today as it was previously. Nevertheless, the truth remains. Jesus is coming soon and when He comes, He comes like a thief in the night when you least expect him and when your guard is down. I have always been hopeful that Jesus will come in my generation. I have the hope that I will not experience death but the transformation of my body in the Rapture! And for that I have to believe He will come in my life time. Perhaps many are not expecting His soon return anytime soon but Jesus' return is unavoidable and imminent and He WILL return in His full glory. It has to be sometime. Why not hope and believe for NOW?

Looking back over the centuries, there has never been a more realistic time for Jesus' return such as NOW. Within short decades,  the ushering in of the internet age has shaped this world's landscape in such a manner that the signs of Jesus' return is now in place and a reality. Two thousand years ago, the apostle John saw into the future that described the age we are living in TODAY. Take the robotic age and AI (Artificial Intelligence) recorded in Revelation 13 for example. It's already a reality! Not one hundred years ago, not during the times of the apostles but HERE and NOW. Recently we read about China's invention of facial recognition as it enters into 5G. It will replace the present cashless society in China. Imagine, no need cash, credit cards, no need hand phones for making transactions. Just face recognition! What is simply needed in the very near future as this world continues to evolve rapidly in this manner, is just your facial recognition and hand prints! Does this sound familiar?

"And the second beast required all people small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark - the name of the beast or the number of its name". (Revelation 13:16-17)".

What are the manner of recognition? Forehead and hand. Not necessarily an embedded chip (old school). Facial recognition and hand prints! Jesus is coming back soon. If you are neither  perceiving  His soon return, nor expecting His soon return, I then fear for you for in the Bible, Jesus said : "Two men working in the field. One taken up and one left behind. Two women working in the mill. One taken up and one left behind." One out of two is 50%. So many will be left behind when Jesus comes.  In the parable of the Ten Virgins, there will always be the five foolish ones. Don't fool yourself into thinking Jesus coming is not anytime soon.

This Saturday's "Devotion with senior pastor", I will be dwelling on this subject. Maranatha!!! (Our Lord is coming)!

How to sin

Everybody is prone to wrongs. That's the human nature. The moment we were born, we were born into a nature where it's natural to lean towards wrong while doing right is a struggle. It has been so following the FALL in the Garden of Eden since the beginning of time. That's why today we have laws, prisons, governance, etc because the human nature can't help but sin. However, one of the blessings of the human nature is God created us with a freewill, the ability to choose. The result of who we are or what we are today is a result of our choosing, not fate which is a convenient way of excusing oneself from predicament and failure. Before an act of wrong (sin) is committed, there is a process that leads to it. Looking back at Genesis 3 we can observe a pattern.

1. Sight
To get the attention of Eve so as to entice her to choose according to his favor, Satan drew Eve's attention to the fruits of the forbidden tree. She looked at the fruit and SAW that it was good. There is a huge difference between looking and staring. I can't help but to look at whatever is before my eyes but when I allow myself to stare at something , I am going beyond looking.  I am in fact dwelling on what I am looking at. I am staring, intentionally looking. That's why pornography appeals to the human nature. When Potiphar's wife appeared before Joseph naked, Joseph did not dwell on his glance. He did not stare. He looked away and fled. So be careful little eyes what you see. The eye is the window to the soul.

2. Talk
Yea, we all yak away the whole day long. Some more than others. Some unceasingly. There are those who intentionally took the vow of silence and there's this song with these lyrics: "silence is golden but my eyes still see". Talk means to converse, to articulate. As a teenage boy, my buddies and I would gather together at night and we would narrate ghost stories. Didn't have internet back then so that's what we did. We talked a lot. We made up stories. Needless to say, once a while there would be a nightmare or two. What we talked about dwelled in our mind affecting both our consciousness and sub consciousness. I sometimes wonder if such conversations had altered our psychological profiles (hahaha). Anyway, the fact is when we talk about something we should not be talking about too much or  too often, like the eyes, they lead us astray. Eve shouldn't have had that conversation with the devil KNOWING what God had cautioned. But against better judgement (like most thinking people) Eve succumbed one step further into the path that led to sin. Like a dynamite, the fuse is lit. So be careful little mouth what you speak.

3. Touch
Eve took the fruit from the tree. She knew she was not supposed to TOUCH it, let alone plucked it. In one of my classes with the teens on the subject matter on sex, I asked them what they thought were boundaries as to what is permissible and what's not permissible when it comes to touch whether it relates to a family member or peers. Touch leads to desires so it is important to bring to their attention what is appropriate and what is not. Touch is powerful. It means you are reaching out. When Jesus reached out and touch somebody, He healed. When Eve reached out and touch the forbidden fruit, it led to the path of destruction, of forfeiture. So be careful little hand what you touch.

4. Action
After long hours and days, even months of preparations and rehearsals, FINALLY comes the act. Curtains are drawn and the show begins. What “movies” you are watching today depends on what got you here through sight, talk and touch. Eve looked, talked about it, touched it. Now her desires for it grew to the extent she was willing to forfeit all that God had prepared for her in exchange for that one moment of pleasure. She acted accordingly. She plucked and she ate the forbidden fruit. The rest was history. So becareful what you do.

Now you know how to sin. Let me conclude by saying this. There was a time when mankind could not help but sin as a result of what happened at Eden. Look into history and you'll see they broke all the laws, including the Ten Commandments. They indulged in all kinds of debauchery, evil and wickedness. They killed prophets sent by God and eventually they crucified Jesus. Thinking that was the end of it, it was in fact the beginning of God's blessings upon mankind. Man, who had no control over the desire to sin now have redemption. Through a new birth in Jesus's name, once again we have the ability to exercise freewill to choose good over bad, right over wrong. Bondages are broken. Sins are forgiven and erased by the Blood of Jesus. But the battle between good and evil is still raging. However, we have help and we are never alone. God has given us the Holy Spirit. We are more than conquerors in Jesus' name. We are no longer victims but victors. We have been redeemed from the curse of the law. There's only one thing that God requires of us in order to live the victorious life. Stick close to God at all times! Do read Deuteronomy 28. The ball is in your court.

 So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!” (2 Cor 5:17).

Knowing how to sin helps you avoid sinning. But alas … not all will take heed.

Head or Tail

Used to play this little game when young. Flip a coin in the air. When it lands, head I win, tail I lose. This game of chance reminds us of the fact that time and chance happen to all (Ecc.9:11). That's why when we pray, we ask for divine intervention. If God grants us our request, then it's divine. If not, we have to take the chance in life but knowing fair well that God's got our backs.

A lot of us are content to be the tail, not the head as long as we still belong. It's like someone saying: “I don't care about rewards in heaven just as long as I get in”. Have you thought about migrating to another country with nothing but just the shirt on your back? I mean, no resource, no account, no house? Nothing. I know. Heaven is different. God's there and He has prepared a place for us. Perhaps you should read the book of Revelation at least once a year. There are rewards awaiting us in heaven based on what we do here on earth. There must be a use for it when we get there. Else why the rewards? I think I'd be much more assured IF I had all the basics in the other country that I want to migrate to. Just a thought.

Alright, back to where I am taking us this morning. Tail always follows the head. Tail don't decide where to go, what to do. The head does that. It's called leadership. It's job is to get you from here to there. Are you disgrunted in life today? Not happy where you are or what your portion has been thus far? You shouldn't be if you'd rather be the tail and not the head. Trust me. It's more fun being the head than the tail. More responsibility no doubt and more challenging but that's God's desire for His people. It's so easy to walk the path that someone else had walked on. But to create a path where there is none, that makes a whole lot of difference. Again, more responsibility is on the head, and more challenging is the work but to be able to walk with God and create a path others can walk on is not only meaningful but exhilarating. That's why we were created to work. Work is not just about sustenance. It's about creativity, about going “boldly to where no man has gone before”. Work provides you the opportunity to be the head. When a task need to be performed, there's more than one way to get it done. As the “head” thinks, new inventions are discovered. The possibilities are endless and it brings out the good and the potential you never thought you had. So yes. Work, but don't just work hard. Work smart. Promotion comes from the Lord (Psalm 75:6-7). How do you think the Jews become so smart? How do you think Einstein is so brilliant? How do you think mankind can be so smart? I see it as God's inspired wisdom.

If you are happy where you are then so be it. It's ok. The world still needs accountants, doctors, engineers, waiters, actors, dancers, grab drivers, etc. I fear to imagine a world without garbage disposers. As long as it is honest work, it's dignified. As long as it brings fulfillment into your life, it's ok. After all we are not immortal. Everything we made for ourselves, everything we achieve or accumulate, it will all be gone one day. We will come to an end. But praise God, there's still the universe God made that's yet to be uncovered. Life goes on after death. Jesus promised He is preparing a place for us. He said in His Father's house (universe) are many mansions (solar systems) [John 14:2]. And where He is there He will bring us. I am looking forward to life after death! But while we are still here, alive and kicking, why not strive to have a taste of what it's like to be the head? Why not turn your work, your passion, into a career? If you are a chef, be a great one. People who like your foods will follow you. But instead of just working for someone your whole life, why not turn your passion, your work into a career, a business? Better yet, turn it into a ministry!

When God told Abram to leave his city (human's first civilization) and head into the unknown, there were no sign boards to tell him which way to go. There were no paths to follow. He was to be the path-maker, the trail-blazer. He followed his heart and he followed His God. Abraham became the father of many nations. And God's name today is still the God of Abraham. God challenged His people in Deuteronomy 28 to be the head and not the tail. I believe we are serving the same God still. So, go ahead. Be the head not the tail. Live that blessed life that God has in store for you. But read first Deuteronomy 28. Blessings.