The Learned

 Read John 14 everyday. This chapter changed my life. Are you on any sort of caffeine: coffee, tea, coke? I get anxiety attacks with coffee and tea.

A teen is not a kid anymore. Then again, boys mature about 3 years slower, so just take that into account.  When faced with lazy teens, we need to find out the root issue — is it a spirit of laziness? It has to be addressed. He needs to know that it is a spirit and not him. And that he has to fight it. And what happens when spirits like that are not warded off. And how they can ultimately possess a person when entertained and given into. If it’s not laziness, it is a lack of motivation. What do they really have in mind that is really bothering them or they are inspired about and work on that.

 I’m an intro too.. I started with a Facebook page for those interested. Perhaps get their input — what would they like to cover during the fellowship - what really helps? Most important thing is to talk to God — need the rhema word of God for the kairos time you are in. You need to know what God is saying to each individual.  Don’t meet up for the sake of meeting up but really just fulfil the desires of His heart for the people and being an introvert helps you to log out from the conversation at hand and tune in to what God is saying at that point of time. Try to be sensitive to Him. Too many people pleasers out there. The hunger for the spirit is real. Give them real, give them God.

1. Jesus was baptized  2. Jesus’ disciples baptized 3. Jesus commissioned us to baptize 4. Ephesians 4:22 talks about putting off the old man.  This means leaving your past behind and you are not that person. Your dead body is buried and you are now alive because of Christ in you. So the devil cannot point his finger at you and condemn you for your past sins because that person is dead, and you are not that person. You are a new creation. If Christ is in you, Hebrews 6:4-6 says we cannot crucify again the son of God.  2 Peter 2: For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog re...

1 MONTH BEFORE: Those that shipped their furniture here regretted it — old furniture that have no value here, wanted to have a fresh start but having so many old items, in the end, they end up giving everything away that they shipped here to buy new stuff. One even shipped a piano here, and gave it away for free to buy a new one. Leave something behind for the people you love and you will miss. Especially family. Because when that time comes to say goodbye, you will want to give them the world. Take it as a fresh start - a home you can redo from scratch, a new beginning for your family, a new life. Appliances have different adapters, so keep that in mind too.. don’t bring electronics with Malaysian adapters Getting Rid of Stuff (In Malaysia): If there are stuff that nobody wants and you can’t get rid of, there is Salvation Army in Malaysia that will sometimes even come to your house to pick it up furniture for you. I did that before in Malacca. They took everything we needed to get rid...

Too expensive? This is the perfect opportunity to teach them about money, and how it works. This is the time to introduce business to your kids so they understand the meaning of profit. They have to learn how to earn money rather than working for money. Empower them by equipping them with the know how to self sufficiency. Teach them to plant things with monetary value and sell them; teach them to bake cookies; teach them to buy and sell items, etc. and they can use that to buy their snacks. Snacks are not out of the budget and not too expensive, they just didn’t earn the money for that yet, which they can freely do. They also need to know how to choose wisely once they do have money.

Having toddlers and younger in a service is relatively easy if you have 5 different things for him: - are you allowed food or drinks inside? My daughter loves munching on cornflakes  - if you have space, you can even roll out a small play mat with roads for his imagination to run - usually a bunch of stationary and blank paper or coloring paper is a good start, followed by sticker books, after that, move on to the toys when he is bored  - a basket of toys but don’t take them all out at once. Take them out one by one. Give the next toy when he is getting restless. Start with the most boring one and then the better toys last. Hide them all. - last resort is electronics. If all else fails, he can see photos or muted videos of himself during the week.

Brittany Parker, Children and Youth Ministry Coordinator, and Homeschooling mother of a large family, Blue Earth, Minnesota:  I had a dream recently that really put a new perspective on my children’s struggles.  I was reminded of how God addresses people in the Bible. He calls them what He sees they will become.  He called Moses to do what Moses was not.  He called Saul when he was as opposite a potential to be used by God as could possibly be.  He told a shepherd boy he would be king.  God is always proclaiming the impossible to the very person who it would seem impossible to. Yet He proclaims the victory that He sees forthcoming in their lives as though it weren’t up for debate. He knows who He called them to be and He believes they will step up to the calling.  My son struggles with anger and honesty. When I woke from this dream a clear image of him was in my mind. Terrified for his future if he should stay on his path I was constantly trying to imp...