alephtav sermons

January 26, 2023

Abridged Version - Be Present in the Now

This is an abridged version of the digital eBook entitled “Be Present in the Now”. Free download of full version at:

Google Books - https://bit.ly/NowPresence

INTRODUCTION

If the truth be known, we often times travel through time in our mind. We become so occupied with either the past or future that we ignore the present.

小生怕怕! Saya takut lah!

THE MENTAL TRAVEL

The mind constantly travels between the past, and the future. Regretting the past. (Regrets. I’ve had not a few.)

Worried about the future. (Worry. Cause I’s so worried).

Haiz! Sibeh sian!

All the while. We ignore the present!

Oi! Siao eh! Dounch boh chap me leh!

A LESSON FROM MARTHA

We can learn a lesson from Martha, albeit a negative demo!

Martha got a brother named Lazarus. He was super the sick! He damn sick, man! So she asked someone to inform Jesus about it.

Lord! The jiao kia Lazarus is very the sick! Think he gonna go sell salted duck egg (i.e. dying)!

Four days later, Jesus arrived. But Lazarus had already died. Up the lorry! Mati dirt! Kong kah kiao! Dong dong chiang!

Martha was quite unhappy. There was no song in her heart. She very buay song!

Now then you come! My brother died four days liao! You went Jurong walk one round is it?

Ladies and gentlemen! I now present to you Miss, NOW!

各位观众! 四條煙屎!

Sacrilegious! Blasphemous!

Chill!

Meanwhile, Martha continued with her buay song nurse.

If you had come earlier, my brother would not have died! Slow lah you!

Martha pushed Jesus back to the past!

Your brother will rise again.

Abuthen! He will rise again in the last day.

Martha completely missed the point. Jesus the life-giver was standing right in front of her! Yet she was oblivious to it. Bak jiu tak stamp!

I think this is called spiritual blindness. What say you?

A LESSON FROM KING SAUL

Here’s another lesson from King Saul.

(Saul): “Can you just stop citing me as the bad example? I am very sore about it!”

(Me): Sorry lor. Hee hee.

This is the story.

There was a war between Israel and the Philistines.

The prophet Samuel, who was the spokesman for God, told Saul to wait for him at Gilgal for seven days.

Meanwhile, the enemy was pressing in real close.

To add salt to wound, Saul’s kah kias also started to have him for dessert. They deserted him!

It was the seventh day and Samuel was nowhere in sight. All thunder but no rain. 只听楼梯响，不见人下来.

Saul panicked and took things into his own hands. 自把自为.

Just then, Samuel arrived.

好死唔死, 塞缪尔出现!

(Samuel): “What in the world have you done? Foolish! You should have waited for me!”

(Saul): “You asked me wait seven days. I never forget you but you forget me. I takut and kalang-kabut ma! Now you blame me?”

(Samuel): “Mampus! You’ve just lost your kingdom!”

(Saul): “So serious? How I know? Mana saya tahu?”

(Me): “We inherit God’s promises through faith and patience.”

(Saul): “Shut your gap! Diam lah!”

IMPOSSIBLE?

Impossible? Impossible!

Impossible is not in God’s vocabulary!

If there is anything impossible with God, it is for Him to be impossible.

God created the entire universe from nothing! You try beating that!

In Mark 9:14-23, a father whose boy was tormented by a mute spirit said to Jesus,

“If you can do anything...help us! You can anot? Li ay sai boh?”

(Man): Wah! He see Jesus no up! It was piece of cake for Jesus! Wet wet water for Him! 濕濕碎啦! You think Jesus is 濕水炮仗, 唔识响? 講笑啦!

Jesus said in Matthew 19:26,

“…with God all things are possible.”

I say this reverently. If we can make the impossible possible, we do not need God!

The problem is we think we can do just that! Sibeh hao lian!

Lazarus was dead for 4 days yo! He was “deader” than dead. But Jesus raised him from the dead. All things are possible with him who believe in Jesus!

Even when a situation is beyond hope, Jesus can still turn it around! Nothing is impossible for Him.

(Female Reporter): “Breaking News! A dead man has just been raised from the dead! Unbelievable!”

(Man): “Damn it! How can God be good when bad things are happening to me!”

God works all things together for our good. The Psalmist David said in Psalm 27:14,

“Wait patiently for the Lord.”

I AM

Jesus is the great I AM!

He is saying to us:

“I AM your RIGHTEOUSNESS!

I AM your WISDOM!

I AM your PROVISIONS!

I AM your PEACE!

I AM your SUCCESS!

I AM your HEALTH!

I Am with you! I am for you! I am in you!

I AM

Your SAVIOR!

I Love you!”