TAMAN DESA FGBMF

10/09/2021

23/09/2020

Pastor Elisha Satvinder

“My sin not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, praise the Lord O my soul…” Part of a song written by Philip Paul Bliss / Christopher C. C. Stafford

This morning come into the presence of God knowing you are deeply loved.

Reading and Reflecting from Luke 7:36-50

V47: “Her sins, which were many, have been forgiven.”
Imagine these words spoken of you. How does it make you feel?

Jesus paints a picture of 2 kinds of people: A righteous person, who loves much, and; a self-righteous person, who loves little. VV 39-47

Read the second part of this passage again, look carefully at how Jesus speaks to this woman and to Simon, a Pharisee

Ponder on this with these questions:

1. Which description might fit you, even just a little?

2. Can you imagine yourself as either of these characters?

3. Which one of them do you identify with?

In this passage we see Jesus bringing together forgiveness and love- being forgiven much and loving much. Are you able to see this connection in your own life?

Linger in His presence as you ponder.

16/08/2020

Pastor Elisha Satvinder

11/08/2020

Pastor Elisha Satvinder

This Poem moved me today (2015)...hope it blesses you all...
"Living What We Pray For”: Poem Anon

"I knelt to pray when day was done
And prayed, “O Lord, bless everyone;
Lift from each saddened heart the pain,
And let the sick be well again.”
And then I woke another day
And carelessly went on my way;
The whole day long, I did not try
To wipe a tear from any eye.
I did not try to share the load
Of any brother on the road;
I did not even go to see
The sick man, just next door to me.
Yet, once again, when day was done,
I prayed, “O Lord, bless everyone.”
But as I prayed, into my ear
There came a voice that whispered clear:
“Pause now, my son, before you pray;
Whom have you tried to bless today?
God’s sweetest blessings always go
By hands that serve Him here below.”
And then I hid my face and cried,
“Forgive me, God, I have not tried.
Let me but live another day,
And I will live the way I pray.”

09/08/2020

*NECF 40 DAYS - Day 4*
10 August 2020, Monday

Bible Reading Matthew 16-20

*Keep Our Light Burning*
The High Priest had the responsibility to enter the Holy Place, twice a day, to trim the wicks, pour in fresh oil and remove impurities from the Golden lamp stand. It was a constant action, not occasional. It was so that the light would never grow dim nor flicker, and would never be extinguished.
This is how God works, daily, in our lives.
No one knows us better than Jesus, and He cares DAILY for us. He continually “walks” with us, breathing into our lives. His eyes are perpetually upon us, upon His Church. He knows our works, our sufferings, and our sins, and those eyes
are as a flame of fire, so that He sees with a pe*******on, discernment, and accuracy which no other can.
Our eyes are dim and dulled by the culture around us while His are a flame of fire, seeing us in our truest condition.
So we pray today, “Lord, our great High Priest, come to us, to the Church in our nation and put our light in order. Visit us with Your fire and set us to be a flame again in purity and power. Lord, remove all impurities, showmanship, compromises, superficiality, arrogance and divisions. Search us and sanctify us. Pour fresh oil upon us to overflowing. Cause us to burn bright for You, for Your glory and honour. Amen.”

*Today’s Prayers:*
• Pray for God to ignite the fire of evangelism in the hearts of His people, the Church in Malaysia, and that we will cultivate a lifestyle of evangelism, with a love and passion to share Christ to the non-believing world. Pray also for empowerment of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Christ and enlightenment to those who hear the Good News.
• Pray for the Parliament and Law Division in the Prime Minister’s Department that, as the law department works on the reformation of our current law, they will have thorough assessment over its implementation and enforcement, so that whatever is drafted, amended or abolished will be fair and equitable to all.

06/08/2020

Pastor Elisha Satvinder

Samuel appointed his sons judges over Israel, and they were driven by greed. His sons “did not follow his ways” (1 Samuel 8:3). In contrast to Samuel’s integrity, his sons “turned aside after dishonest gain” and used their position to their own advantage. This unjust behavior displeased the elders of Israel and God, putting in motion a cycle of kings that fills the pages of the Old Testament (vv. 4-5).

To refuse to walk in God’s ways allows room for the perversion of those values, and as a result injustice flourishes. To walk in His ways means honesty and justice are clearly seen not only in our words but in our deeds as well. Those good deeds are never an end in themselves but always that others may see and honor our Father in heaven.
By J Blase
(Source: Daily Bread)

29/07/2020

Pastor Elisha Satvinder

6 things to understand from Daniel chapter 10 as he wrestles in prayer with fasting for 21 days.

A. Don’t give up when you do not get your answers immediately.
B. Don’t take spiritual opposition lightly. Don’t explain or see everything from an earthly perspective.
C. Don’t focus on Angels or the demonic too much but more on your prayer time and focus.
Daniel was seeking God for the people and not chasing prophecies and demons.
D. Our wrestling in prayer and fasting is for the will of God to be released in our lives, our city and nation.
E. Make time, be tenacious when you pursue your breakthroughs
F. We cannot pray successfully without taking hold of God’s Word

Ephesians 6:17,”...take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

We can read the Scriptures, but we may not allow Scripture to read us, correct us, shape us, guide us, protect us; and most critical, we do not know how to live by the Word and come before God with it.

Hebrews 4:2,” For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

Israel heard the Word but it never profited them- take a moment to ponder on this.

Hosea 14:2 (NASB),”Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity And receive us graciously, That we may present the fruit of our lips.”

“Words” - precious and powerful when from the heart; words of confession and prayer, mixed with humility, repentance, confession, appeal and praise- these words are to be with our whole heart, and not our lips alone.

Words can be worthless when not from the heart, and yet priceless when flowing from a heart that is surrendered to Him.

The issue here is not just an outer crying and praying, but the words that are coming out are so connected to the heart they are flowing out from.

Heart, mind, spirit and mouth are all connected- this gets Gods attention. “I HEARD your WORDS!” Said the angel to Daniel- the deeper truth of this is – Its His word that first takes hold of our heart and mind. It then gives us the heartbeat and perspective of God.

“TAKE WORDS WITH YOU!”

Prayer is fundamentally words. Words that come from His Word! What are the words that control your prayer and worship?

29/07/2020

Pastor Elisha Satvinder

In Mark 4, Jesus and His disciples were in "the same boat" together, when they encounter a horrendous storm. They were gripped with fear, even fearing death. And where was Jesus? Sleeping! - In that same boat! They scream in fear, “Do you not care that we’re going to die?” Jesus gets up, looks at the storm and speaks to it, “Peace, Be Still!” His was literally saying to the storm to ”Shut up, be muzzled.”

Today, everyone everywhere is facing uncertain and challenging times on many sides. Many nations are experiencing the second wave of Covid-19, with more economic uncertainties. The whole world is affected, and if I may put it this way, ”We’re all in the same boat!”

Lets take those words of Jesus, “Peace Be Still”, and look at them together with Psalm 46:10.

Psalm 46:10,”Cease striving/ be still/ stand silent, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth/ I will be honoured by every nation in the world!”

Some thoughts on being “Still”:

1: The first words God SPOKE in Genesis were, “Let there be light!”- He spoke meaning, purpose and life into darkness chaos and emptiness.

Our encouragement from this is that no matter what is happening in our world, God has the words of life, of restoration and redemption. God’s written Word, His “living” Word still speaks to us today for every situation.

2: The issue is not so much us declaring or screaming “Peace be still” to all the storms in life, to failures, to pain and sickness etc. around us, but rather the greater challenge is to take hold of His tangible peace and learn to be still.

This is not the “still” of Mark 4, but the “still” of Psalm 46:10-coming to a place where we cease to strive, quiet down our hearts and minds, distilling our spirit before The Almighty, who incidentally, is in the “boat” with us.

3: This “Be Still”, most commentators explain as “a stillness where we stop every physical, mental and emotional strain. No human effort, no exertion.” The idea is one of leaving matters with God, not being anxious about the issue.

Its easier to pray “be still” to a problem, then for us to “be still” in His presence- one is engaging the problem, while the other is getting away from it and letting go of every control.

4: In Exodus 14, Israel is caught in a death trap- the Red Sea before them, Desert and Mountains on the left and right, and Pharaoh’s advancing army behind them. No Way Out! They are terrified and begin to cry out to God and to Moses, ”Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have brought us out here to die?”

Moses answers, “Don’t be afraid! Be brave, and you will see the Lord save you today/ Stand (be still) and see His salvation!” The idea here is of the “Be Still” of Psalm 46

In Mark 4, the Disciples cried out to Jesus, In Exodus 14, the Israelites cry out to God and to Moses-all are crying out for their lives in fear and anxiety.

Friend, what are you crying out to God for right now? What are your fears and anxieties in this season?

In each of these instances, God is saying that there is to be no anxiety, where your entire being i.e. body, mind, spirit and soul are to be in a posture and condition of complete calm, no strife. Your focus being on His presence and power, focusing on Him who in the past has demonstrated His great power and deliverance...that He is with you and is working His purpose and plans out for us and our World.

“Stand and see His salvation!”“Be Still And Know That I Am God”

Yes, we are surrounded by dangers, uncertainties, storms and more; but our disposition should be one of resting in Him, praising Him with Thanksgiving, letting His peace invade our every fiber...”And know that I am God, see what I have done, the evidence that I am God.”

“Cease striving!”

We can do a few things today and every other day, as we look at the darkness that surrounds us, the storms that are blowing at us, the lack that confronts us, pain, sickness Etc. We can either:

Declare, "Let there be light!" or "Peace, be still" into every circumstance; but better still, let us “Be still, cease from striving, stand still in absolute trust and Know that He is God and see His Salvation!”

Be Still And Know That He IS God!

22/07/2020

Pastor Elisha Satvinder

Thinking About: What does it really mean to embrace and to share the hope and joy the Resurrection of Jesus brings?

John 20:24-29,” Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe. “A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe. “Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God! “Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

I am certain something deeper is taking place inside Thomas. There is skepticism about this resurrection talk. Its too good to be true? Just some “Charismatic”-hype? Maybe he is resisting a faith that seems way too easy? If Jesus is truly risen, he must still bear the wounds of the crucifixtion. Can’t just ignore that?

Do I have those feelings in me too? Sometimes? Are there ‘dark places’ in me where I still need to meet the Risen Jesus? How about you? Where do you struggle in your faith?

I look at the world I live in right now and I see issues of poverty, hunger, suffering, discrimination, sewer politics, leaders lacking integrity, greed and loss. Can Jesus really be risen there? I look at the broken places in my own life, too. What are the wounds that I need God to heal?

As you read the passage above again, try to imagine Thomas’s face and feelings as he places his hands in the wounds of Jesus. This is no feel-good, happy ending – but real life out of real death. A hope so real you could base your life on it.

We all need to find some flicker of hope within us to hold on to it- to let it grow, and burn bright again.

Tell God all your struggles today and lets say with Thomas, “My Lord and my God”