Salvation Army Malaysia - Changing Lives

Changing Lives video presentation (produce during the 70th Anniversary 2008)

Part 1



Part 2



Part 3

God’s Silence

Pause for Thought: 19 October

God’s Silence

The person of hope is the person who waits, and with a pessimistic waiting, for normally nothing should happen. The only thing we can reckon on is frustration and derision. How could it be otherwise in God’s silence? Job waits, and his friends never tire of proving to him that this is absurd (which it is), that he is wrong (which he is), that God will not come (which is true). They take pains to explain to him why God will not come (Job is guilty), and to make fun of him, since his attitude either is one of a godless rebellion or of an absurd expectation. Still Job waits. Just as Job is the one who attests that a person serves God for nothing, so he is the one in whom the fullness of waiting is actualised. His whole life is filled with waiting. He never lets himself be diverted to the right or to the left by his own attempts to transform the situation. He has penetrated to the bottom of the problem with lucidity. He knows that in the last analysis it is an affair between God and himself, that all the rest, the things that happen, are only the outward aspect of the quarrel with God. He does not work hard and courageously to recover his riches. He does not set out in pursuit of the brigands, or the foreign soldiers, in an attempt to get back his oxen and his camels. He rejects all those human reactions because he knows that the root of the problem is not there. Nothing of serious consequence can be done until satisfaction is had from God. He leaves activity and work to one side, since the one important thing is to wait for God.

From Hope in Time of Abandonment by Jacques Ellul

About Prayer - Part 2

Are There Requirements for Successful Prayer?
Yes, there are some requirements found in the Bible for successful prayer.

Successful prayer requires:


• A humble heart
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (NIV)

• Wholeheartedness
Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (NIV)

• Faith
Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (NIV)

• Righteousness
James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (NIV)

• Obedience
1 John 3:22
And we will receive whatever we request because we obey him and do the things that please him. (NLT)

Does God Hear and Answer Prayer?
Yes, God hears and answers prayer. Here are several examples of this promise from the Bible.

Psalm 34:17
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. (NIV)

Psalm 91:15
He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. (NIV)

Also:
• 1 Samuel 1:27
• Psalm 4:3
• Psalm 18:6
• Proverbs 15:29
• Isaiah 58:9
• Luke 11:9

Why are Some Prayers Not Answered?
Sometimes our prayers are not answered. The Bible gives several reasons or causes for failure in prayer:

• Disobedience - Deuteronomy 1:45; 1 Samuel 14:37
• Secret Sin - Psalm 66:18
• Indifference - Proverbs 1:28
• Neglect of mercy - Proverbs 21:13
• Despising the Law - Proverbs 28:9
• Bloodguiltiness - Isaiah 1:15
• Iniquity - Isaiah 59:2; Micah 3:4
• Stubbornness - Zechariah 7:13
• Instability or Doubt - James 4:3

Sometimes our prayers are refused. Prayer must be in accord with God's divine will.

1 John 5:14
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (NIV)
(See also -Deuteronomy 3:26; Ezekiel 20:3)

Should I Pray Alone or with Others?
God wants us to pray together with other believers.

Matthew 18:19
Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. (NIV)

Abour Prayer - Part 1

What is a prayer? How it works? Why? and so many question are asked.

Here is feature document written by By Mary Fairchild, About.com on the title "Basics to Prayer". Credit belongs to Mary Fairchild.

What Does the Bible Have to Say About Prayer?

The Bible has a lot to say about prayer. The first mention of prayer is found in Genesis, chapter 4.

Genesis 4:26 And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD. (NKJV)

What is the Correct Posture for Prayer?

There is no correct or certain posture for prayer. In the Bible people prayed on their knees (1 Kings 8:45), bowing (Exodus 4:31), on their faces before God (2 Chronicles 20:18; Matthew 26:39), and standing (1 Kings 8:22). You may pray with your eyes opened or closed, quietly or out loud -- however you are most comfortable and least distracted.

Should I Use Eloquent Words?

Your prayers need not be wordy or impressive in speech.

Matthew 6:7
"When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again." (NLT)

Ecclesiastes 5:2
Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. (NIV)

Why Should I Pray?

• Prayer Develops Our Relationship with God.
If we never speak to our spouse or never listen to anything our spouse might have to say to us, our marriage relationship will quickly deteriorate. It is the same way with God. Prayer - communicating with God - helps us grow closer and more intimately connected with God.

Zechariah 13:9
I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure, just as gold and silver are refined and purified by fire. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'These are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.' " (NLT)

John 15:7
But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! (NLT)

• The Lord Instructed Us to Pray.
One of the simplest reasons to spend time in prayer is because the Lord instructed us to pray. Obedience is a natural by-product of discipleship.

Matthew 26:41
"Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak!" (NLT)

Luke 18:1
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. (NIV)

Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (NIV)
(See also - Matthew 7:7 and 1 Timothy 2:8)

What If I Don't Know How to Pray?

The Holy Spirit will help you in prayer when you don't know how to pray.

Romans 8:26-27
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. (NIV)

Prayer Request

If you have a prayer request then please give us a call at our contact page or talk to any of the church members or email us and let us pray for you or your situation.

Prayer requests are treated confidentially, with each request being allocated to a small number of trusted Salvation Army friends.

Prayer requests can be made regarding any situation - whether you're dealing with hurt, grief, or hopelessness, whether you're unsure about a decision you need to make, or whether you just want to say thanks to God for something great that's happened in your life.

We believe in the power of prayer, and we believe that God takes an interest in every part of our everyday lives. We know that he's waiting to bless and help you too.

If you'd like a Salvation Army pastor to get in contact with you, please include your name, address and phone number when you email or call us.

8 Steps of Daily Devotional Plan

By Mary Fairchild (Edited by TSA Penang Corps), About.com

Recommended Bible:
Life Application Bible (NIV version)

1) Decide On a Time.
Keep an appointment with God in your daily calendar. There is no “right” and “wrong” time of day. Choose the right time eg. morning, lunch, evening hours with least interruptions. Let it be the best time of day for you.

2) Decide On a Place.
Finding the right place is key to your success. If you try to spend quality time with God lying in bed with the lights off, failure is inevitable. Choose a comfortable chair with a good reading light. Have a basket with all of "tools" - my Bible, pen, journal, devotional book and reading plan.

3) Decide On a Time Frame.
Once again, there is no standard time frame for personal devotions. You have to decide how much time you can realistically commit to each day. Getting started with 15 minutes a day can quickly develop into more. Some people can commit to 30 minutes, others an hour or more a day. Start with a realistic goal that you feel you can meet.

4) Plan to Spend Some Time in Prayer.
Prayer to God to give you the wisdom of understanding His words. Allow sometime for Him to speak to you in His still small voice {I Kings 19:12, (NKJV) }. Also, one of the loudest ways God speaks to us is through His Word. Spend some time meditating on what you read and letting God speak into your life.

5) Choose a Bible Reading Plan or Bible Study.
Choosing a Bible reading plan or study guide will aid you in having a more focuses time of reading and study. Eg. Using "Our Daily Bread" and etc. resources from - RBC or resource from Scripture Union, Back to Bible

6) Consider Spending Some Time in Worship.
God has created us to praise Him. I Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people ... belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (NIV)
You can express your praises silently or declare them in a loud voice. There is no right or wrong way. You may even want to sing a song of worship in your devotional time.

7) Commit to Follow Your Daily Devotional Plan.
Determine in your heart to commit to the plan, even when you fail or miss a day. Rather than beating yourself up when you mess up, just pray and ask God to help you. And, be sure to start over the next day. The rewards you will experience as you grow deeper in love with God will definitely be worth it!

8) Be Flexible and Willing to Make Changes to Your Plan.
If you get stuck in a rut, try going back to step #1. Perhaps the plan you’ve chosen is not right for you. Change it up until you find the perfect fit.

Tips:

Keep working at your daily devotional plan for 21 days. By then it should become a habit.

Pray for God to give you the desire and the discipline to spend time with him each day.

Don’t give up. Eventually you will discover the joys and blessings of your obedience.

Inner Stillness

Pause for Thought: 12 October

Inner Stillness

Inner stillness is necessary if we are to be in perfect control of our faculties and if we are to hear the voice of the Spirit speaking to us. There can be no stillness without discipline, and the discipline of external silence can help us towards the inner tranquillity which is at the heart of authentic religious experience. In meditation we take steps to achieve this stillness. We quieten our bodies and our emotions, then gradually allow the mind to become single-pointed. Stillness within one individual can affect society beyond measure.

From The Universal Christ by Bede Griffiths

Exercising the Gift

Pause for Thought: 5 October

Exercising the Gift

The spiritual life is a gift. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit, who lifts us up into the Kingdom of God’s love. But to say that being lifted up into the Kingdom of love is a divine gift does not mean that we wait passively until the gift is offered to us. Jesus tells us to set our hearts on the Kingdom. Setting our hearts on something involves not only serious aspiration but also strong determination. A spiritual life requires human effort. The forces that keep pulling us back into a worry-filled life are far from easy to overcome. Here we touch the question of the other side of discipleship. The practice of a spiritual discipline makes us more sensitive in the small, gentle voice of God. The prophet Elijah did not encounter God in the mighty wind or in the earthquake or in the fire, but in the small voice. Through a spiritual discipline we prevent the world from filling our lives to such an extent that there is no place left to listen. A spiritual discipline sets us free to pray, or, to say it better, allows the spirit of God to pray in us.

From Circles of Love by Henri J. M. Nouwen

Mission to bring Help, Hope & Happiness

In the coming month of November we are call to remember our brother and sister in Christ who need our help in their mission by bringing hope and happiness to the people of:

Uganda command
Kenya West territory
Kenya West territory
Indian Western territory

2nd of November will be our Faith Giving Appeal Service.

Kindly join our hands by doing our part to bring help to thousand of poverty crying despair lives, hope to warms the thousand hearts and happiness to discovered Jesus our Saviour.

BUY only necessities, GIVE generously, LOVE unconditionally!

God will bless you as you bless others!

2008 September Newsletter

Corps Council Update

Corps Council recent discuessed and plan exciting programmes for the church and members. Below are the list of them.

Pastoral Visitations
Bible Study
Penang Corps Blog
Community Center
Newsletter
Soldier's Meeting
Membership 2009

Kindly give your support through prayers, self volunteer, financial assistant and etc.

Read more...


Also there was a Church Outing at Batu Ferringhi beach where family members enjoy themselves.