Greeting All Beloved: Counting down 5 more days left for 2012! A blessed new year 2013 to you all!
A Touching True Story:
We met and hosted 40-45 homeless people on Christmas Eve at 4:30 pm. One Christian brother, Steve, cooks everyday for the foods at Boys and Girls Club to feed the homeless for the past three years without getting a pay. He told my dear friend and team partner for this ministry of homeless, Aurupee that he was like one of them, the homeless and he was led to serve voluntarily. We were totally touched by what he told Aurupee. Steve is a living testimony for us and so is Aurupee who always was led by God to help and give me what I needed. Anyway, we came to help Steve by a divine appointment for sure. Steve was short of help that day; no one showed up to help him and here came Aurupee and her friend, my friend Tania, and then myself like the angels for Steve and the Homeless. Oh, Aurupee, her friend, and Tania were so obedient to God's calling! Aurupee and her friend came early to help most of the kitchen work and serving foods. Tania and I helped the kitchen a little and later took care the spiritual food of the homeless like in book of Acts 6. We passed out gifts, Bibles and Christian tracts. I preached to them and a part of my preaching is that it is not about this life, the poor man can be in heaven and the rich man can be in hell so that they all would find comfort. They appreciated so much. We love them so much! We were full of JOY! Serving Jesus and others give you full JOY that words cannot express. Aurupee and I decide to help Steve whenever he needs us.
Two Bible stories of Beggars to Heaven, Rich Men to Hell:
1. The Rich man and Lazarus, the Beggar:
It is wise for us to sell everything for the Kingdom of God and follow Jesus as commanded by our Lord (Matthew 13:45). Be rich in Christ, not rich in this world. We are slave to righteousness, not to sins (Romans 6:16-19). The way of righteousness is obedience to Jesus. Read Luke 16: 19-31 "“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell,where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” "
2. The Rich Young Man:
Matthew 19:16-24: "16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
The Cost of Following Jesus:
Jesus was born in the manger not in a royal palace. He had no place to lay his head. Jesus was poor but rich. Luke 9:57-62: "57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow me.” But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” "
It is time for our every Christmas to change "Ho, Ho, Ho" from Santa Claus to "Homeless from Hopelessness to Hopefulness" for Jesus!
Praise Reports:
Our church facility looks humble and simple. The temple of God is within us, not outward per the Bible. We have simple faith to believe and remove mountain. Personal discipleship, one on one is what God calls me to do. We are like the poor but we are so rich. God has given us so much presence or anointing. God answered our prayers like healing. Just last week, one Christian sister, this is the first time the doctor reduced a half of her medicines after many years and after she joined us consistently for more than two months. She could not stand often under God's strong presence and felt so good. Healing has been released to her. Same to me and it is so awesome to be in His presence. Someone who doesn't belong to my church lost the company key and he found it right after I prayed for him. One Christian sister said her upset stomach was completely gone immediately after prayer. She could go back to work. She also found her beautiful Bible she lost. She felt delivered from wounds after prayer. One time, she felt sad and she wanted to read the book of Psalm; as she opened up the Bible, it is right there on Psalm, the exact verses she needed. Also, the reading light turned on itself. Miracle after miracle! Another loves the teaching of the Bible and learned much. All glory to God! Thanks to Jesus of His mighty acts!
I pray that you may start the new year 2013 with the divine purposes of God! Be a doer, not just a talker! Be prosperous spiritually! A day by day decision making for you! May God bless you richly and welcome you to His kingdom one day!
In Abiding Presence of Jesus Christ,
Pastor/Prophetess Edna "Esther" Ng, your servant and God's friend
