Irene In Christ

As I read about Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel, I kept thinking of these words:  The frailty of man.  Read Nebuchadnezzar's story in the first 3 chapters of Daniel and let me know if you're not jaw dropped at the double-mindedness of this man.  Here are just some snippets from Daniel.  2:47 The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets , since you could reveal this secret.” 3:15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands ?”  3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God ,...

I had just finished reading the book of Daniel. And this time round, while reading it, I saw so many things that I had never read before. Somehow, I read the words but didn't realise what is there.  Have you ever experienced that while reading the precious Word of God?  Somehow, you read the words, read many different translations of the same verse even. Knowing what the words are, what the verse said, what the verse meant. And yet NOT realising what it says or means. Now when one thinks of the prophet or the book of Daniel, these three things almost immediately would come to mind: 1) Daniel in the lion's den 2) His 3 friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, i n the fiery furnace.  3) Daniel Fast Source: Internet God-incidentally, I had started fasting the first day I started reading Daniel. (Mere coincidence, I hadn't planned on it.) On my first day of fasting (I was fasting a meal), I thought to myself, "I'm going to lose some weight at the end of this fast....

One of the best things I've heard and learned in the 2nd semester of my Greenhouse discipleship course (right after I had my breakthrough in my relationship with my mum) was this:  To the extent that you love yourself, you will be able to love your children.   A healed you is a better mum or better dad.  (OK, sorry, that was 2 things, not 1...😅) If you have followed my Kuching God stories where I retold my journey of how the Holy Spirit healed me of my brokenness (and bitterness towards my mum), made new my wounded heart and set me free from the self-captivity that I was wallowing in, you will know the Lord has truly done a massive work in me. It was a huge digging, cleaning and reconstructing project.  I heard the above 2 lines in Ps Mervin Jayaseela's Personal Freedom class on 17 May 22, just 2 weeks after I had released and shed off all my offences I've taken up with my mum.  It was something he mentioned during Q&A session. I think someone asked if...

I previously wrote about sermons and preaching that had blessed me  here. Today, I would like to list down the books that had helped me grow deeper in my knowledge in the things of God.  There are many good authors and books out there. And trust me, I have read many, many Christian books. (Haha! It's not hard to tell that I love reading right? 😄) I'm simply listing  only  those which had impacted me the most in my walk with God. I don't know if it's the same with anyone else, but for me personally, I have found that different preachers and teachers ministered to me  in different seasons of my life.  Therefore, I find myself spending a bulk of my time devouring verbal and written teachings of a specific man of God over a period of time. And then, just as suddenly as I started following them, I would stopped and the Holy Spirit would lead me to another preacher/ author instead.  It's not to say that I completely stopped listening to them, but, often, fo...

God has been speaking to me about a word recently: father. It started with an article by Rick Renner on  A Father's Bad Influence .  This article reminded me of a book by Derek Prince that I read years back, while my family and I were in Kerteh: Fatherhood.  To this day, I still remember all that I read back then on God's design for earthly fathers - firstly as a priest, secondly as a prophet and lastly as a king. I think I remember it so well because, growing up, I never did have such an earthly father, who represents the family to God (the office of a priest), who represents God to the family (the office of a prophet) and who rule as a king over the household.  Please don't take me wrong, I am not accusing or saying anything negative about my parents. I love them and honour them. I had asked for forgiveness, had forgiven and had reconciled with them. What I'm saying is simply that I did not have a healthy image of the word 'father'.  ( Note: I'd like to r...

If you've been following me, then you'd have known that I have been on a journey of journaling my walk with God.  3 years ago, I went through a dark, night season (I guess one might describe me as going through depression) which lasted for about a year. I wrote about how God loved and lifted me up out of that season in Part 6 of my God stories. Starting with my pinpoint moment to the battery recharging moment, to the prophetic words I received, God begun a good work in me.   The Holy Spirit began to uncover the veils over my spiritual eyes and started to reveal to me the deeper things of God. He taught me, both by speaking to me directly and through the teachings of various mighty men and women of God.  I devoured all the teachings that the Holy Spirit brought to my path.  And for the longest time, I had a silent desire in my heart that everyone will be able to know of these teachings and truth that has blessed me so. At that time, I had a thought: I should keep...

I recently read these profound and truthful words from Ps. Ashok.  Our reading of God's Word must lead to understanding; understanding must lead to revelation and revelation must lead to experience.  Stay in the Word; seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit for He is the only one who is a teacher par excellence. And as I was reading 1 John these past few days, two verses jumped out at me, bringing to remembrance the fact and the truth that the Holy Spirit is the only teacher par excellence.  The Apostle John told us  in 1 John 2:20,  that we have an anointing from the Holy One and we know all things.  Source: Internet He then reminds us again seven verses later, that ' t he anointing which you have received from Him abides in you' , and ' as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things and is true.... '. The word "received", in the original Greek, lambano, means:  To take  To receive  (I would like to point out that the 'to take' carri...

In my church's cell group teaching last week, we learned about living with a peacemaking disposition and  studied what Jesus taught in Matt 5:39-41.  Source: Internet It is something every Christian (and perhaps every non-Christian too) would know.  I mean, come on, it IS famous alright? (Even before I became a Christian, I've heard of the bible teaching that when someone slaps you on one cheek, you are to offer your other cheek too.) Anyway, in the cell group teaching, the preacher expounded on these verses in the context of the society in the days of Jesus. ( Below is a brief explanation of it. You can read more  here , under the heading of "Nonviolent resistance interpretation".) 1) On the other cheek : At the time of Jesus, when someone strikes another person on the right cheek, using his left hand (obviously), he is implying that the person is of a lower status. Thus, by turning the other cheek, the person receiving the slap was demanding equality in a gentle an...

We  (Or for most parts of the world that is)  have celebrated Mother's Day last month and Father's Day on Sunday, celebrating two very special people in our lives - the mothers and the fathers. Coincidentally , I was reading a Bible Study guide/ note on strengthening marriages, by Denise Renner, called School of Cinderella these past two weeks.  And it has got me reflecting on the Christian home and the relationships within - the Christian husband, wife, father, mother and children.  Source: Internet There are tons of good biblical material, teachings and courses out there on marriages. Not to mention, pre-marital course, which most churches have made a compulsory criteria prior to tying the knot.  To be completely honest though, my husband and I didn't exactly went through the pre-marital course as how couples would normally do (classes and sessions with relevant church personnel and all), considering that both of us were in two separate states (Terengganu and...