3 May
Please note that Joie de Vivre is closed, and I’ve moved to a new location: Word And Verse.
If you like, please update all links to my blog to point to the new address. Content on this blog will be wiped, and I’ll probably use it as a personal blog from then on.
I hope to see you at Word And Verse!
Shalom.
30 Apr
I recently caught another sermon by pastor Kong Hee of City Harvest Church. Speaking on prayer and quoting Mark 16:17-18, he advised that “the key to power and protection, to the wisdom of God, to solve society’s problem, to shine for the kingdom is praying in tongues.”
Uh, no, pastor, it’s not.
Society’s problems cannot be solved by Christians praying in tongues. The world needs to hear the Gospel, repent and turn to Christ, not through humanist efforts. You can build the best hospitals, have the best doctors but there will always be disease and death, and the eternal fates of people are more important.
Yes, you can and should take care of people’s physical needs for we are to feed the poor and take care of widows, but that must come after the Gospel is preached. Did Paul build hospitals to help the heathen turn from their false gods and pagan practices? No, he preached the Gospel and the Gospel only.
Here’s an excerpt from the sermon which you can watch here (Jabez 2: Prayer Part B):
So what is Jesus saying? As you engage culture, God’s power will ensure you’ll solve society’s problem. You’ll find solution for people that are sick, you’ll find solution for people who are oppressed, you’ll do miraculous work. You’ll find the solution for every answer the world is looking for.
…
How to get into that kind of power?
…
You see, right in the middle of Jesus’ command here, He gave us a little key. He said “In my name, you gotta speak with new tongues.”
That means the key to power and protection, to the wisdom of God, to solve society’s problem, to shine for the kingdom is praying in tongues.
And I didn’t say that; Jesus said that!
I am quite sure that our Lord Jesus Christ didn’t say that at all, meaning this pastor is putting words into God’s mouth.
Seriously, I am warning that one be careful not to follow after such teachings.
You’ll notice that, if you fast forward the sermon, the entire congregation was told to break forth and speak in tongues, which is an obvious disregard to the instructions given by Paul for orderly worship.
What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.
Worse yet, there was an altar call right after. I wonder how true Paul’s words earlier in 1 Corinthians would be for some unbelievers there!
If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds?
It saddens me that so many are led astray…
29 Apr
Joie de Vivre will be relocating to a new host and operate under a new domain in the next couple of days.
Thank you very much for supporting this ministry all this while. The move will see the blog go through a makeover and most probably start afresh.
I’ll be posting the new location in a couple of days as soon as things are set up. I pray that you will continue to support the new ministry.
Shalom!
25 Apr
For the Lord is good and His love endures forever
He’s a faithful God to all generations
For the Lord is good and His mercies will not fail us
They are new each day
O lift your voice and say the Lord is good
Great is Your faithfulness O Lord
Your loving kindness fills our hearts to overflowing
Songs of rejoicing and sweet praise
They fill our hearts
They fill our days
23 Apr
I am going through a bad case of bloggers’ block at the moment, but with so many thoughts on my mind I’d really like to share, I thought this a la carte series would be a good way to do so without having to kill too many brain cells trying to conjure up a decent post.
This video reminded me a lot of the time when my maternal grandpa passed away when I was very young. I still vividly remember the conversation that an aunt had with my mom when the latter asked what his last words were (we lived a distance away and wasn’t there when my grandpa passed on).
22 Apr
“I was a true atheist, addicted to pornography and a big fan of torture. I hated the Bible and literally looked at “contract killer” as a career option. I favored Darwinian abortion of potentially disabled children and agreed with the majority of Adolph Hitler’s statements about the disabled and invalid. I fantasized about murder and contemplated suicide and held nothing but hatred in my heart for anyone who told me I was wrong. In short, I was the most degenerate scum to ever walk the earth. That God saved me is still so far beyond my comprehension I have to wake up every day and think ‘wow’.”
20 Apr
Surely we are in the Last Days, when the wickedness of man knows no bounds!
I’ve read of girls as young as eight going for Brazilian waxes and other beauty treatments (at the request of their mothers no less) and other stupid things many are doing nowadays, but gender re-assignment for children takes the cake!
A doctor at the renowned Children’s Hospital Boston has launched a new program to drug children to delay puberty so they can decide whether they want a male or a female body, according to a report today in the Boston Globe.
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