Author: Dr Sarah Tun

Dr Sarah Tun began her professional career as a teacher. Years later she became a performing artist and administrator to property development. She felt the Call to write full time in 2004. Dr Sarah has traveled extensively, and lived in New York City (for a year), London England (for a long time) and Hong Kong (briefly) before returning to her home in Ontario, Canada, then to Spain and finally now, has re-settled in her adoptive home of England. She graduated with degrees in Drama, Education and diplomas in Acting and Theology. Most recently she was awarded Honorary Doctor of Ministry and became ordained. Her favourite experience to date has been following her Creator and Lord. She doesn't think Life can get any better! Dr Sarah Tun is author, singer, preacher, writing coach and all-round enthusiast, celebrating and seeking to inspire all of us to quench our thirst for deeper intimacy with God through the Holy Spirit.

Examining Biblical Scripture

Standing, Still

“Be transformed by the renewing of your minds…” (Romans 12:2)

The process of becoming uncluttered continues as we seek to grow more like Christ.

Have you ever stood on a mountaintop and recognized how far you’ve come? Why not try it right now. Just stop, imagine yourself on top of a mountain and look down at the ground you’ve already covered. Even though you may see other mountaintops, remember that you are looking from the top of one right now.

Being the New Man (see:http://laruspress.com/larusblog/blog-larus-walk/blog-wholeness-inner-healing/walking-in-the-new-man-permanently.html ) and becoming the New Man are both accurate descriptions of our journey with Jesus today. By grace we are saved by faith (Ephesians 2:8). The old is past, the new has come. And yet, we are working out our salvation and our sanctification; the process of becoming like Jesus is both instantaneous and gradual. Outside of God, can anything else be this paradoxical?

In our spirits, the job of becoming the New Man is finished through faith and the sacrifice of Jesus. Yet in our minds we are processing, receiving, discovering, and being transformed. What if it can be as simple for our minds as it is in the Spirit to become what we are meant to be in Christ? What if we can be transformed into the New Man in an instant?

We have prayed and have asked God for help. Perhaps you have asked, ‘What shall I do to bring You glory, Lord?’ Inevitably, we come to the end of ourselves and say, “I don’t know what to do!” The heart of the problem is that we are trying to do what cannot be done in our own strength.

Charles Swindoll, author and minister writes in, So you want to be like Christ?, “Our purpose, like that of Christ, is to serve others, not to cloister ourselves away in order to hoard up spiritual treasures for our own enrichment.” (W Publishing Group, A Division of Thomas Nelson Publishers, P/O Box 141000, Nashville Tennessee 37214 (c) 2005, p68)

And so, as we mature, we want to give, to enrich others’ lives as God has enriched ours. But is it in our own humanity that we are trying? Although it is very difficult for us to give up trying in our own strength, we must. When we strive, we make a little progress. Truthfully however, when we yield our efforts to God, then we finally are ready to serve Him.

How do we get to the place of yielding? We stop doing.

In Psalm 46:10 the word says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Yet as Rev. Swindoll puts it, “Most of us find this command extremely difficult to obey. Any who have tried to do so quickly discover a perplexing truth: we can’t stop striving on our own.” (p 60)

It may seem ironic, but until we are able to STOP trying, we are unable to serve. It is when we spend time alone with God, just as Jesus did time and again, that the solitude fills our spiritual reservoir, and then we are ready to give out to others in God’s strength. We must allow ourselves to rest in Him as Jesus did, to unclutter our minds, and to cease our activity. Only then will we be ready to consider deeply God’s word, and to pray, to listen and to allow ourselves to be still. Only then can our minds really join in fellowship with God and operate in the service to His people that we long to do, and which our spirit already enjoys.

Ready: Be alone and be still

Set: Be still and listen

Go: Be still. Wait for God’s direction. His voice is often a still, small voice. Wait. Listen. Follow.

As Jesus did nothing other than what the Father told him to do, may we go and do likewise.

One sure-fire way to find clarity of mind is to rest in scripture and consider letting go of any insecurity you may carry.

Free to Be offers you just the structure and strategy to go through the letting go process:

see and buy US: http://laruspress.com/free-to-be-defeating-insecurity-transforming-relationships-building-character

buy UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Free-Defeating-Insecurity-Transforming-Relationships/dp/1554527317/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1407125539&sr=8-2&keywords=sarah+tun

Tags being transformed into the image of Christ, from the Old Man to the New Man, learning to be still with God, listening to God, silence and stillness

Examining Biblical Scripture

Declutter your mind: Is it Time?

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 25/01/2015
No Comments on Declutter your mind: Is it Time?

“This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” (Ephesians 4:17 – 5:33)

Decluttering your mind:

In this revelation of himself, he <Jesus> is showing you the importance of knowing where you come from, where you are going, and who you are. It’s one of life’s greatest tasks, to gain clarity on all these matters, because your work, your relationships, and your entire life will be shaped by that clarity. (from Worknet, Geoff Shattock, Issue “Son of Man 19”, January 19th 2015)

Clutter is the enemy of the mind.

Henry David Thoreau said, “Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify. Simplify.” He lived nearly 200 years ago. What would he make of the clutter that arises out of the gooey mass of internet and social media?

I am learning to declutter. In one sense it has been a single decision and I aim to adhere to it stubbornly. In another sense it is a process which may take some time. But I can already see rewards that are coming from it. More time to write, less stress, more quality time with family.

I have a mug that has a 1950’s style image of a housewife in an apron and wearing a big smile. Her coiffed hair is perfect. The caption reads, “A clean house is the sign of a wasted life.” Well, be it a clean house or a clean inbox the result is the same: industry for its own sake does not yield ultimate satisfaction. Fulfillment comes from running the race set before us as individuals, creating, exploring, endeavouring to fulfil our calling, our purpose in life. Perhaps for some, but I believe it is for relatively few, that purpose is met through being tidy.

Reducing or eliminating entirely the ‘unnecessary’ is a first step in decluttering our minds.

As I read So You Want to be Like Christ by Rev Charles Swindoll, the content of the book triggered in me the following list of ways to avoid clutter:

1) Work on one project at a time.

2) Finish what you start.

3) Know your limitations.

4) Start with a clean slate – even if that means letting go of some unfinished work or great ideas. Take a fresh start instead of playing catch-up with incomplete tasks or ideas.

5) Be an expert on YOU. An expert is simply someone who has been through the fire, has come out singed but alive, and smarter than he was before.

6) Set your face like flint and focus – looking forward (not back) to your goals and objectives, taking on one at a time.

If you want to be changed, you have to go beyond the revelation of what you want to be. You have to set your face like flint and go forward, focused and determined to be changed, different from who you were in all things, and changed into who you recognize you need to be. Real change is recognizing a new perspective, taking it around the corner with you, and not looking back.

I quote from Swindoll’s book, “Too much clutter in your mind leaves insufficient room for devotion to Christ.” (pg 39) Too much clutter prevents progress. To grow we need to move forward with a pure heard and a clear and focused mind.

So, even before working on our projects, let’s spend quality time – on a regular basis – with God. He’ll enable us to choose which project, and where to start. And more than that, He’ll remind us what the project and all of life is about. Then our work will be purposeful, fulfilling and enriching for ourselves and for those around us too. For with God, all things are possible. Our experiences, our lives, our relationships will be richer for our involvement with and surrender to Father God.

Ready: Spend real time with God daily. Learn to listen and to follow his direction every day.

Set: Be determined to live in the new discoveries you’ve made, living in the light of new wisdom and revelation from the Lord.

Go: Yesterday and tomorrow have concerns of their own. Though there will inevitably be setbacks, you can keep a decluttered mind as you focus on the direction you are heading today. God is in the still small voice: Wait for it. Listen to it. You can count on it!

One sure-fire way to find clarity of mind is to rest in scripture and consider letting go of any insecurity you may carry.

Free to Be offers you just the structure and strategy to go through the letting go process:

see and buy US: http://laruspress.com/free-to-be-defeating-insecurity-transforming-relationships-building-character

buy UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Free-Defeating-Insecurity-Transforming-Relationships/dp/1554527317/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1407125539&sr=8-2&keywords=sarah+tun

Tags focus on silence, space and clarity of mind, thinking clearly, to declutter is to ignore the unimportant and focus in the essential

Examining Biblical Scripture

Persevering Beyond the ‘New Year Resolution’

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 23/01/2015
No Comments on Persevering Beyond the ‘New Year Resolution’

“it’s time to change my life,” you say

and diligently strive to live

but then you wake up and realize

everything’s come as it always was

and life is dead as forever you long

to be different but remain always

the same.

How do we keep going in our efforts for change, making this New Year different from all the others?

But it isn’t sheer will power that keeps us going.

Two scriptures:

I find the following two scriptures particularly helpful in encouraging me to persevere:

Romans 12:2 and Philippians 3:12. The first is the theological basis under which faith in God gives us the right to expect transformation, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2 NKJV)

The second is the ‘how to’ mind set, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” (Philippians 3:12 NKJV)

More than our efforts and more than scripture to help us, it is the Holy Spirit – God working in and through us – who draws us into living as the New Man that was born the moment we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. God’s Spirit leads us, guides, convicts, comforts and gets us to the finish line.

Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Ultimately, change comes supernaturally, through our God-given faith along with our commitment to surrender, follow and persevere.

There are several things that can prevent us from continuing in our new walk.

1. One huge lie is in the short check list of things to do. The truth is that following a little list of errands means becoming distracted from your purpose and goal to live in the light of God’s wisdom and strategy for today. Moments lead to days and days lead to years. If you hope to fulfill the purposes of God, be wary of the little to do lists… they can become dictator. Your timing for the day is a huge part of following God’s will for your life. Surrender it, and wait to see what happens next!

2. Distraction. Whether it is technology, our children, or keeping order in our households, there are things that will always call upon our time and attention. Discernment as to what is God’s path comes with time spent with him in prayer and in the Word. While the internet offers huge opportunities to connect with a wide range of people, relationships take time to deepen. While our children need our help and support they also need to develop age-appropriate autonomy (see: http://sarahtunexaminelife.blogspot.ca/2015/01/living-in-free-fall-part-3-parenting.html ); sometimes what they seem to need from us will take us away from the path God wants for us and we need to say ‘yes, LORD,’ even if it means saying ‘no son/daughter.’ No paperwork or housework can’t wait; enough said on that aspect I think.

3. Habits. All habits die hard; some harder than others. Saying ‘no’ to a habit – whether good or bad – is a necessary part of permanent change.

4. Sugar! Once the initial energy boost wanes, sugary drinks and candy make us sluggish and drowsy, and also lead to poor concentration.

5. Hurry. The mental and spiritual process of transformation takes time. There’s no need to rush, and in fact, rushing can lead to mistakes that in turn tear down our confidence and faith. Allowance for our mind to grasp all the nooks and crevices of new revelation takes time, focus and attention. When feeling forced to rush, I try to do the opposite: I take time to read God’s Word and to hear God’s voice in my heart, to recalibrate my connection with Him.

6. Noise. There are all kinds of noises in life today. In particular, consider the ‘noise’ that clutters our minds; let’s instead reach for solitude, quiet, and stillness, where is the opportunity to deepen our thoughts, to reflect and even to journal. Listening to and familiarizing ourselves with our innermost questions, concerns, hopes and ambitions helps us.

7. Unbelief. Faith comes from God. It comes from hearing His Word. As you make time to study (2 Timothy 2:15), as you surround yourself with others of faith, as you ask for more of God’s gift of faith, He can build. For example, He may draw your mind to the miracles of the past which will encourage you to move forward into your future with hope and determination.

As you live in faith, knowing what Jesus has done on the cross and desiring to walk like him, there will be hindrances. But these enable us to strengthen our desire and our resolve. One day at a time we will be changed into his likeness. We will, by his grace and power, become what God has placed in us to be, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord of Hosts’ (Zechariah 4:6).

Ready: Be determined to be changed and then surrender it to God.

Set: Be wary of distractions, be diligent and give God room to grow you.

Go: Know: “He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

Tags blockages to transformation, persevering with transformation, what prevents us from transformation, what we need to be transformed into Jesus' likeness

Examining Biblical Scripture

How to Prepare for the Kingdom

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 21/01/2015
No Comments on How to Prepare for the Kingdom

In this life, we seek to minister to others, don’t we. Have you ever considered what we’ll be doing in heaven? Or in the New Earth? I believe it’s time to prepare for the future today, and to prepare our children.

Are we in the Last Days? Are we seeing the signs before the Tribulation comes, before Jesus returns, before we see a New Heaven and a New Earth? I think so. I believe so. And each Believer has a role to play in these days, and in the days ahead – far ahead into eternity – when we have new bodies, when a new earth and a new heaven have been ushered in, where the light shines so brightly that there will be no need of sun or moon.

And Larus Press is dedicated to watching the signs, studying the word, and sharing insights with you, the reader, so that you can grow into your role in eternity. In order to know our role we need to see ourselves as Father God sees us, and begin to step into that reality today. Then we can be ready for all He has intended for us from the beginning – until now and for eternity.

Ready: Seek the Kingdom of Heaven, that suffers the violence of spiritual warfare (Matthew 11:12). Seek His righteousness, in purity and love toward God and one another. Seek Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Allow yourself to deepen your relationship with the Holy Spirit, who comforts and convicts us in our faith.

Set: Dig deeply into the Word of God yourself. Meditate on scriptures that jump out at you. They are your words, from the Father of Creation. They are for you to chew and swallow, to feed upon, for your spiritual awakening and deepening.

Go: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV)

Tags calling and purpose in the Kingdom, calling and purpose in the last days, role and calling in the last days, role in the kingdom of Heaven

Reflections and Poetry

Parenting Our Children’s Abilities and Disabilities

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 20/01/2015
2 Comments on Parenting Our Children’s Abilities and Disabilities

What do we do when our perfectly good children behave consistently badly?

There are so many identified conditions now that effect children … autism, Asperger’s, ADD or ADHD, OCD, ODD, specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, … shortcomings that effect their social awareness and / or interaction as well as their educational growth. Does your child still throw tantrums at age 8? Can she not sit still? Does he seem fearful or dismissive of peers? Is she finding learning or socializing particularly difficult and getting overly frustrated with herself? Why does your perfectly good child behave badly?

When children misbehave as toddlers or young children, we see it as typical, at least to a degree. Tantrums are meant to gradually wane into cooperative behaviour, so long as parents are vigilant in their training. But what about family situations where a child’s heart or a teen’s desire is clearly to comply, but her behaviour doesn’t follow your direction? We can teach or discipline a child into an attitude of – and behaviour of – responsibility, but only to the degree they have the desire or skill to follow. What if a child seems to have the will to behave appropriately, but not the way, despite all your efforts to show her?

When they have the desire then we’re all in a very good place. But what about those children who want to cooperate but seem to unable to ‘get the message’?

When a child has a mild handicap – a lack of ability to cope socially, academically or emotionally in certain ways – then we need to maintain our expectations so they can grow into responsible adults, but modify our practices so they can discover and learn what most children absorb naturally. I’ve been discovering this myself within my own family.

We can, as people of God, have our children tested and labeled for disability. However, we can also research their symptoms ourselves and pray for God’s healing and transformation.

I write to encourage all parents: children may or may not have a condition such as the above, but they will have shortcomings. How do we cope when a child is consistently ‘difficult’?

If you suspect something may be lacking in your child’s equipment to socialize, moralize, learn or emote in a way that is constructive, teach him how do to it. Research to uncover any descriptions or symptoms that match your child’s behaviour. Be patient. Share your frustration but keep your anger, and lavish love on him. Prayer (and fasting) are tools the LORD provides for breakthrough.

The most important aspect to raising children is to integrate their faith-life with their secular. For example, Jesus is the healer, and as Paul says, our bodies are a living sacrifice and our minds need to be renewed by faith (Romans 12:1-2). This truth is for any person, including a child. As you learn about your child’s learning difficulty or shortcoming, apply God’s Word to your methodology to help him. Teach him that as a child of God, he is chosen by God, and victorious in all things (Phil 4:13). Pray about his identity in Christ and then sow that identity into him. For example, I believe my son is called to be a peace-maker. So, I will share with him what God says about peace-making, and that it needs to be a part of his behaviour to sow peace. In this I am encouraging him to rise to his identity and purpose in Christ, even at an early age. How I put it to him will depend on his age, of course, but I will use it as a means to motivate him beyond his fears or frustrations.

As you unveil a disability in your child – if you unveil a disability in your child – the discovery will, inevitably, uncover wounds that have developed because she has been misunderstood up until now, or because too high a level of expectation was placed upon her, given the shortcoming.

I believe in healing for the family as a whole, both of the disability and the trauma that comes with unmet expectations. I recognize that healing may not be the course for all children with a disability. God has reasons for allowing ‘thorns in our sides’ (2 Cor 12:7-10) too. But I believe, in this age of Google, where there is a library of information in your home, we can study and identify the issue, learn and work with our children through the difficulty. With the quality and quantity of responsibility placed by God on our children, we can – and must – raise them to their calling, nurturing them in the process.

Ready: Discover God’s call for your children.

Set: Raise them to that call. Don’t allow a disability to rule, but use it as a tool to teach your child blessing, humility, grace, courage, and perseverance.

Go: Be realistic, be faithful, be steadfast, be optimistic, be patient, be loving.

Tags overcoming childhood disability, overcoming children disability, parenting a difficult child, parenting a learning disabled child, parenting children to their calling, parenting children with ADHD, parenting children with Aspergers, Parenting children with dyslexia, parenting children with mild autism, praying through childhood disability, what to do when my child has a mild psychological condition, what to do when my child lacks self control, why does my good hearted child misbehave

Reflections and Poetry

Seeking Breakthrough: A Practical Faith

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 20/01/2015
2 Comments on Seeking Breakthrough: A Practical Faith

ADVICE ON BLOGGING: SEEKING BREAKTHROUGH

Seeking Breakthrough in our work: Each of us has some form of work – industry that consumes our time and hopefully allows us to express and blossom in our gifts. I am a writer, so I’ll talk about blogging, but this could be applied to any artist, or any career for that matter, where you find you are not experiencing the fullness of what you have hoped and aspired to achieve.

How do you find the breakthrough you’ve been praying for?

“On blogging, getting discovered and God’s grace”

Blogging takes time. First, it takes time to develop a personal style, theme and voice; and then it takes more time to establish your audience. For the Christian, we can lay aside all our ideas, pray, and ask God to lead us by His Spirit, to show us the prophetic words, images and timing that we can develop in order to reach the audience He has for us.

But, like everybody else, then we practice. We practice the craft of writing because that is who we are. As fiction author Ana Menendez writes, “But writing, like reading, is an intensely personal act. If I could no longer create a world, then all possible worlds suddenly <would be> lost to me.” (Searching for the Real and the True, “Poets and Writers” Magazine, ‘The Inspiration Issue’, Jan/Feb 2011, pg 26).

In addition to the joy of self-expression, we need an income for our exertion. Or, if we are financially self-sufficient, we at least want the results of our creative efforts to be seen by others; success may not be measured in money, but usually we create and desire to share our creations. The overarching reason we blog is to be read – to be seen, to develop a profile – so our work is marketed. It isn’t easy to ‘be discovered’.

How do we get breakthrough? I’ve settled on three particular patterns for success. One may be for you…

Pattern I: The shortcut to your discovery on the world stage may be through the serendipitous moment. First, you receive inspiration, which provokes you to ‘write now!’ Then, knowing when your ‘defining moment’ has come and acting upon it is fundamental to success. Many who have achieved notoriety in any range of fields have expressed an experience that led to success which can be condensed to the following*:

Listening for the ‘call’
Believing in what they ‘heard’
Taking Action
Serendipity – the divine ingredient that took them ‘over the top of the hill’

These people were alert to their own talents and asserted themselves at the key moments when their efforts and the ebb and flow of humanity would collide, pointing the way to their discovery.

Pattern II: An alternative ‘key’ to unlocking your visibility may be in writing to a large audience with a specific need. You title the message perfectly in order for Google to pick it up through their Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and your post or blog or book or video promo goes VIRAL!

Pattern III: Discovery may come through the ‘surrendering of all your effort’ and by yielding your time and work to God. Then you wait for His call… wait until He issues it. This supernatural approach will probably involve more work than it may seem, with fasting, prayer, intercession and acts of service being ingredients.

As for me, I’ve chosen the surrendered approach, yielding to the LORD as completely as I can. I’m discovering that, as I increase my time in fellowship with him, as I fast sometimes, pray always, and wait, I begin to hear Him and His direction for my work.

Most recently, I discovered in this process that, while I thought I’d surrendered my work to Him, most of the creative work that I was doing was based on my will. I thought I was supposed to do “X” because it’s part of the general procedure I follow as a writer – which God has clearly called me to do – and as an entrepreneur of my work. But most of this, in my case, was of my own making and has so far born relatively little fruit. Now I realize: Ah! No wonder it’s been too much for me to manage! It’s been my workload, my burden, not His. I know, “His yoke is easy and His burden is light.” Now I’m realigning my theology with my practice. Time will reveal the impact this will have on my outreach.

For me, this third pattern is the most fundamental. It is all-important. Allow me to take you back to the place in prayer that I was when I made the discovery that has changed my work day competely. Here, I believe, is an all-important kernel for transformation toward Christ.

I was in the third day of a three day fast. I was alone in my study, a place of calm and focus. I reached out to the LORD toward the end of a long, busy and rewarding Sunday. It was about 7 pm.

I told God I wanted to yield everything to Him (including my personal and work life), and to surrender completely. Immediately impressed upon me was the fiction writing project I’m working on currently, a project which was initiated by the LORD many years and several projects ago. Then as I continued in prayer, my long list of writing projects came to my mind, and along with them, a glimpse of various responsibilities surrounding them. Only then did I hear in my heart,

‘The fiction project is a project which comes from my heart. The other work comes from my mind – from my will, not His.’

My world has changed with this revelation. All the activities and responsibilities I had put upon myself to be busy, to tick the boxes, to stretch toward my goal of having my work read were my burdens, not those of the LORD. In this, I have discovered the edge of the knife that divides the supernatural agenda from the natural. It’s as the scripture in Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (NKJV)

I am recognizing the division between my ideas and God’s, my inspirations and His.

Next I wondered, did Jesus feel tempted by Satan after the 40 day fast? Or was that perhaps a less difficult battle than the temptations he faced daily in his ministry. Did his heart go out to someone, his thoughts to another, but His Father pointed him in a third direction and say ‘go there’, and Jesus went?

My journey began with a prayer, asking God to help me to surrender completely. It was not the first time I’d prayed this prayer and it probably won’t be the last. But this time, when my attention again merged into the present world, I realized I knew Jesus better than I had before I started. As well, I’d discovered I’d been sidetracked from the main purpose of my work. Though I’ve worked diligently at my projects, I was living my agenda instead of His.

I hope that I am now changed permanently. I hope this transformation of my mind will ensure my ordered steps are His, and that the labour of my hands and my mind draw closer to the work (and timing) God has ordained for me.

Will my new direction stick? And will it gain me exposure, ultimately? I hope it will stick, not so I gain exposure, but because my relationship with my Father is deepening. If He wants my work to be seen, then I have to believe He’ll guide me to the people, the projects, and the strategies that will work to get the job done, and make the exposure happen.

And, I hope the sharing of my experience will inspire others who are still looking for breakthrough. Let’s take courage, ‘let go’, and to do the work God has implanted in us to do. It isn’t easier to walk the supernatural path than the natural one, but it is the one I choose because I know God is faithful.

In Jeremiah 29:11 scripture says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)

Joshua was encouraged before he entered the promised land. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (NKJV, Joshua 1:9)

Ready: Choose the method you plan to use in order to have your words, music, inventions, discoveries, work validated.

Set: Have a focused mind and a clear eye for the pathway before you. Love those around you as you step out to complete the work set before you. Be bold, be confident, and be sure – this is your time and your strategy and your moment. Give it all you’ve got!

Go: God’s grace, love, assurance and passion are within you. May you discover the blessings awaiting you.

OTHER OF MY BLOGGING CAN BE SPOTTED AT:

http://sarahtunexaminelife.blogspot.com Useful insights and related thoughts drawn from my personal day-to-day journey

and http://lifefromthelighthouse.wordpress.com Sharing what I learn from God when I manage to listen

Tags consequences of surrendering our life to God's will and purpose, Identity and Purpose in Christ, Living the fullness of your calling

Examining Biblical Scripture

Walking in the New Man… permanently

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 20/01/2015
3 Comments on Walking in the New Man… permanently

The New Man

What is the ‘new man’? How can I walk in the new man every day, all day, forever? I’m saved by grace, but don’t I have to work hard to be a Good Christian? The answer is simply, “No, you don’t.”

“Give me back my stuff,” said Jesus to Author and Prophet Graham Cooke in a personal encounter.

What is stuff? Stuff is the anxiety, worry, anger, hostility, fear, bitterness, resentment…. Stuff is all of the negative thoughts and feelings that are not a part of the Kingdom of God. They are dead, as dead as Jesus was on the cross. And they belong to the Old Man, the man you were and the man I was before accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. The old man is dead (Romans 6:6). The new man lives (Ephesians 4:22-23) and we can allow him to reign in us, by the power of the blood of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit.

We can discern the thoughts and the feelings of the old man versus those of the new man easily enough. Negativity is from the old man. Whatever is not holy, heavenly, delightful, life-giving is not the new man’s thinking or emotion. The fruits of the Spirit which are: love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, patience, faithfulness, self-control, are linked with the thoughts and feelings of the new man.

When Jesus died he took all of our stuff, so that we wouldn’t have to carry it anymore. When we fall into negative thought or emotion, we are taking back what Jesus died to overcome; we are taking back the stuff he died to have, so we wouldn’t have it anymore. He wants us to live in the new man, and let him keep the stuff of the old man.

Although the old man rises up inside of us, we don’t have to allow what is dead to be resurrected. We have the authority and the power to reject the dead man. It is not true that it is a part of us.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2)

Recognizing the old man as dead and that his negative emotions and thoughts are not actually a part of us is an understanding that comes to the transformed mind. We are no longer ‘dead’ in our sin. Saved by grace, we have access to the thought-life and emotional life of Heaven.

The old man, as cited in Romans 6:6 is, “crucified with Him,that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”

Continuing,^“For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:7-11 NKJV)

Meditate on this. Allow it to sink into your mind and spirit, to transform you from the inside.

Paul’s reference to sin includes thoughts and emotions that are not life-giving. They are dead, just as we were dead before we knew Jesus. And we do not have to accept them as a part of us any longer. Instead, we choose to turn a corner and to walk full of the newness that life with Christ offers.

The new man is described as, “renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” and we are to ‘put him on’ (Colossians 3:10). Now, “The new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24 NKJV) is described as, “as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering” (Colossians 3:12) is the person we have become through salvation, whether or not we realize it. We no longer need to walk in the futility of our minds but we have a new mind. Saved by grace we no longer live in despair or darkness except by ignorance.

Becoming Christ-like isn’t about wrestling with our bad habits to overcome them so we can behave more “Christian”. Becoming like Christ is living in the new mindset we’ve already been given supernaturally. We are not only saved by grace, but we are also sanctified by grace. And so let us with this information, walk in the new man, leaving behind the patterns, habits and trappings of the old man. Let us run the race set before us (Hebrews 12:1) with joy, peace, faith and love, knowing the old stuff is false and the new is our true identity, already accessible. We are alive in Christ. So, let us help each other to walk in that new life, knowing the old has passed away and the new is here to stay.

Studies in the world have proven that we will often manifest what we expect. Let us expect a life free from strife, filled with joy, and moving toward the Kingdom of Heaven which has come down to Earth and has already saved us from sinful selves so that we can live in the freedom of our true selves, free to be the people God created us to be.

My favourite scripture is this:

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14

Ready: Take time to unclutter your mind and discover who you are in Christ.

Set: Choose to be resolute. Trust and surrender is letting go of hard work and doubt. It is tenacity at it’s best. It is hope and faith in action.

Go: With faith and focus like flint and with a face to match, I’m going forward in the knowledge and love of Christ, to be the new man, full of God’s grace, truth, hope and joy. Please, will you join me?

One sure-fire way to find clarity of mind is to rest in scripture and consider letting go of any insecurity you may carry.

Free to Be offers you just the structure and strategy to go through the letting go process:

see and buy US: http://laruspress.com/free-to-be-defeating-insecurity-transforming-relationships-building-character

buy UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Free-Defeating-Insecurity-Transforming-Relationships/dp/1554527317/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1407125539&sr=8-2&keywords=sarah+tun

Tags failure, free to be who you were born again to be, free to be who you were created to be, freedom, frustration, grace, grief, How can I walk in the new man, living the totality of grace, no more pain, Sanctified by grace, walking in wholeness

Examining Biblical Scripture

Parenting is Tough, Jesus is our Role Model

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 11/01/2015
No Comments on Parenting is Tough, Jesus is our Role Model

“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

When I look at Jesus I see a man of infinite patience. I see the Son of God who loves me to no end. I see the Father’s face and am moved to tears of gratitude, joy and hope. I am safe in love, mercy and peace.

When I look at myself in the mirror I do not see Jesus, but I know I am Jesus to my child. And I want my child to see the Jesus that I see: daily, hourly, moment by every precious moment.

Parenting is tough. How do I represent God to my son, so that he will grow up full of love, and into a follower of Christ?

Many children want two things: to please and to have their own way. Often, these two desires are not compatible. When we parent our children, we have the responsibility to guide them to truth and responsibility, and to enable them to enjoy the life they’ve been given. Whether in joy or sorrow, pain or pleasure, we mirror God and His universe to them. We want them to grow, knowing they are imperfect, they are loved and they are to love.

I’ve asked myself many times, ‘Am I getting this right?’ How, as a parent, do I lead my child to Christ, to be a confident person, humble before God?

Ready: First, I pray. Pray when the child is in the womb, that s/he will grow into the person God has created. Pray and let your child see you praying for her, for your family, friends, colleagues. Pray for your city, country, world. Pray that you will have strength to parent your child wisely, and with compassion, strength and integrity.

Set: Next, enjoy. Play, challenge, encourage. Build his sense of right and wrong, his knowledge of Father God, his delight in others and in you, his parent(s). Discipline when necessary, with both firmness and gentleness. Be consistent in your expectations, follow through with your promises, be tender when he fails and kind. Know that one day, in the fullness of time, you will want this person to be your friend.

Go: Be confident in your calling, even when you feel full of self-doubt. Jesus, by his Spirit, is within you and surrounding you with love. Love covers a multitude of weaknesses, both yours and your child’s. Know that just as Father God has led you this far, He will never let you down. Lean on Him, be strong for your child, and take courage. Your child will grow into the man or woman s/he was created to be.

My son and me:

Tags being Jesus for our children, parenting is tough, witnessing Christ to my child

Examining Biblical Scripture

How is it that Jesus is the only way?

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 07/01/2015
4 Comments on How is it that Jesus is the only way?

Jesus is the son of God (Matthew 1:18). He is the Word of God (John 1:1). He is the immaculate conception (Luke 1:30-35). He died and rose again from the dead (Mark 16:6).

We who follow Christ know all these things to be true. But each of these facts may not convince a seeker who wants to believe that good people go to heaven and that those who’ve never heard of Jesus but are faithfully religious in their culture will ‘be saved’.

How is it possible that only one person can be the gateway for a relationship with the Creator of the Universe? How is it that Jesus is the only way to God?

Only one person was able to defeat death, so that others could piggy-back on His triumph, and be forgiven their sin and regain the relationship with God that was always intended. That one person had to be pure, so that others could attain that purity through their faith in him. That person could not be the son of a man, because any who are the son of man have inherited the sin of mankind, through Adam. That person happened to exist outside of time, before the world began, when he spoke words and the elements came into being and obeyed his voice.

Jesus was a baby, then a boy, who became a man. Before time and before he was born in Bethlehem, we know the Word of God existed because he spoke and there was light, and life. But his name wasn’t Jesus. His name was Word.

There is so much to grapple with in trying to understand how Jesus is the only way (John 14:6). He said it and so it must be true because he would not lie. But how is it true?

The theology of the truth of Christ’s power is not difficult, but it is profound. The reality is that no one else has the right to save. Adam forfeited the world God had given to him, and his immortality, to Satan when he disobeyed God’s will; God allowed Satan to tempt Jesus so he – and we – could see for ourselves he would not be tempted or tricked into disobeying God. Jesus did not inherit sin by being born in sin, nor did he become sinful through disobedience. Further, as he was totally surrendered to God, so he was a perfect model of surrender for us; he even surrendered unto death, the most painful form of execution in history. Then he rose from death to complete the task of enabling us to have eternal life.

Jesus has claim to be the only savior because he was the only one who walked the walk of a savior. He was only able to walk that walk because he was totally surrendered to God. And he was the only one able to be totally surrendered because he had the Spirit of the living God inside himself, speaking and working through him to do the will of the father.

When you witness your faith in Jesus, know the theology of who Jesus is. It isn’t particularly whether he was fully man, fully God or a mixture that needs to be resolved. What matters to the unbeliever is where Jesus got his authority. He was perfect, and so the ‘buck stopped with him.’

Ready: Know the why’s and how’s of your faith in order to answer questions intelligently and with the authority God has already given you as one of His children.

Set: Prepare your testimony and be ready to give an account of your faith.

Go: Live, love, laugh, knowing God has set you free from your sin and seeks to save others through who you are and how you live. You may never be drawn into an argument, but in case you are asked, you’ll want to be able to explain answers to the profound questions of salvation by God’s grace.

God bless. See you next Thursday. In the meantime, how about investigating another of my blogs:

A Life Examined is a woman’s view of life as it unfolds. It is a more secular viewpoint and so can be a useful tool to offer to others who don’t want ‘God talk’ but who do want a healthy, sincere perspective on life as it unfolds.

Life from the Lighthouse shares what I learn from God when I manage to listen.

Tags How God's grace works through Jesus Christ, theology of God's grace, what does a believer need to know of Jesus' authority over sin, Why is Jesus the only way to God?

Reflections and Poetry

New Perspective for the New Year: How God shapes us into His image

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 01/01/2015
No Comments on New Perspective for the New Year: How God shapes us into His image

Do you want to be and do all God has for you? I do. And I’ve discovered that in order to be ready for God’s call on my life, I need to be changed into his likeness.

How does God change me?

“Process Events are when God orchestrates circumstances in order to get a development phase in your life that moves you from where you are to the next level.” (Lance Wallnau)

How does God shape us and perfect us?

One way is that He uses experiences and people to teach us, even in the hard things in life.

God wants to s-t-r-e-t-c-h us in order to prepare us for His next assignment. First He prepares us in order, to ensure we are ready for higher places of responsibility. Discomfort – while it may not be nice – is a good sign that He is maturing us and reshaping us to make us more like the person He created us to be.

Ready: Does God cause us to suffer? No. But sometimes we need to suffer in order to get ready to hear Him.

Is He unaware when we experience discomfort, disillusionment or injustice? No, he it totally aware and loves us enough to be ready to hear our prayers and supplications toward Him.

Is the enemy able to attack us and God is unable, unwilling or unaware of our circumstance? I believe not! Rather, He allows uncomfortable things to come our way in order to penetrate our own will.

Set: Do you know those times when you are really uncomfortable with your circumstance and you are convinced the devil has a grip? You are convinced it is not God? Well, it most probably IS God, right at work, in you.

Instead of rebuffing what is in your path, you may need to consider taking on a new attitude toward discomfort. As for me, I choose to trust in God in all my circumstances.

Go: The next time we are in an uncomfortable situation, rather than rebuking the enemy or asking God to ease the suffering, can we remember God is sovereign and trust that there are no accidents? He is preparing a good work in us and for us. Seek Him, Ask Him, Praise Him.

For, “If God is for us, Who can be against us.” (Romans 8:31)

Tags character and calling, God perfecting us, God stretching us, growing in strength, sanctification process

Examining Biblical Scripture

Does the Church need the Holy Spirit at Christmas?

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 23/12/2014
1 Comment on Does the Church need the Holy Spirit at Christmas?

It is Christmas! It is the day that so many of us around the world have marked to celebrate that Love came down to earth, to set us free from the despair in our own sinful lives.

Nothing can minimize the huge blessing that was the arrival of baby Jesus, nor does the amazing significance of his death and resurrection have any equal. Jesus came from on high and was baptized into ministry at the age of thirty. He did only the will of his Father, and all that he did, he did through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Does the Church need the Holy Spirit at Christmas? The Need for God’s Holy Spirit Anointing is evident at this time in our history. The Church needs the Holy Spirit at Christmas and every day.

In Bill Johnson’s book, Dreaming with God, he makes it abundantly clear we need the Holy Spirit to fill us, in order to live the life the LORD has for us. And Geoff Shattock of WorkTalk Weekly says, “your work consists of these same energy consuming characteristics, and you will need the same Spirit to equip you. Please don’t be tempted to believe that you can work in any meaningful way without the sense of the Spirit being upon you, anointing you and sending you” (post date: 8th September, 2014)

For far too long, far too many believers have been walking out their lives in their own strength and power. But we see in God’s word that Jesus was equipped for service through the power of the Holy Spirit:

Isaiah 61 and Luke 4 read:

“The Spirit of the LORD God is upon Me, because He has anointed Me…” (NKJV)

With the call and responsibility as Believers in these times, can we afford to think the Spirit is no longer available, is dormant or is only a connection point at the moment of salvation? No, the Spirit is active in and through you, and is available to the level of your faith, study, and willingness to receive. He is the power and the presence of Father God. He rested upon prophet after prophet in Old Testament times and filled many a believer in the New Testament church. We need him now, in these challenging and surprising times, no less than at any other time in history.

We need an awakening, an activating, an infilling of the Holy Spirit throughout the Body of Christ, as it was with the Apostles, as it was in the New Testament church. We need the Spirit of God actively working in us in order to function effectively for God’s Kingdom in these End Times.

Recently, I moved country, and the process hasn’t been easy. God’s adventures are never dull; there are so many blessings I’ve experienced through the people I’ve met and the challenges I’ve faced since the beginning of the process to move from Canada to Spain. But I have failed many times, particularly as a parent in these last few weeks, and I know I am only as ‘good’ as the Spirit who dwells within me.

How do we receive Holy Spirit’s power? We seek, ask and pray. What do we do to safeguard ourselves from the occult? Know the Word and the fellowship of other believers. How can we trust it is God working in us, rather than Satan? We shall know by the fruit our actions produce. The fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, Patience, Faith and Self-Control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Ready: Seek deep intimacy with the Father. Ask Him for a baptism of His Holy Spirit, because the power of God resides inside you, and is meant for leading, guiding and equipping you in your walk through life.

Set: As you ask in Faith to receive God’s Holy Spirit power, wait. As a Believer, the Spirit is already within you. Ask God to make you abundantly aware of His presence within and around you. Pray for His protection if you feel fearful, and trust He hears your prayer.

Go: Do you recognize your need? Do you experience God meeting you? In the power of the Holy Spirit, follow God’s lead to live, to witness and to minister to others to whom God will lead you.

In subsequent weeks I plan to dig into more depth about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

May this special day marked on the calendar be the beginning of deeper intimacy with the Father and His Son, through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Tags Anointing of Holy Spirit, Fruit of the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit Anointing, What is the Holy Spirit

Reflections and Poetry

Idolising Christmas

Is there any such thing as ‘too much of a good thing?’ when it comes to Christmas? There may be.

The heart of the matter of Christmas is love (see: What Is Christmas), and I’ll never think there is an excess of love in the world. But apart from the obvious ‘too much’ of food, drink or commercialism, I believe there is a potential threat to our spirituality at Christmas.

“As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” said Joshua (Joshua 24:15).

It is important, I think, to ‘split a hair’ with regard to the celebration of Christmas.

Christmas is about love. Jesus was born and we celebrate his birth on 25th December. We thank him that he relinquished his place in heaven, in order to come to earth to sacrifice himself for us. And so we celebrate his birth at Christmas.

But there may be something more we celebrate that isn’t really of God.

We may celebrate – that is worship – Christmas.

Worship is devoting one’s attention. When we focus on Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we worship and celebrate God. When we sing Christmas Carols – which, by the way, I love! – we are celebrating God and the gift of Jesus to the world.

Or are we?

Just as we enjoy creation, we who are Believers in God are mindful of the Creator and we revere Him, not his creation.

So too, as we celebrate Christmas, let us all be mindful of Jesus, and to worship him, and not the day we’ve designated as his birthday.

Ready: As we search our hearts, let’s consider that we are worshiping the Saviour of the World.

Set: Confess if there has been any unwitting Christmas worship in our hearts.

Go: Enjoy the festive season, loving Jesus and all whom we meet. ‘Worship the LORD in the Spirit of Holiness’, aware of the potential ungodly ‘pull’ of Christmas on our spirit.

Tags Christmas as an act of worship, whom or what do we worship?, Worship creator not creation, worship Jesus not Christmas, worshiping Jesus at Christmas

Reflections and Poetry

Finding our place in God’s Kingdom on Earth

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 18/12/2014
No Comments on Finding our place in God’s Kingdom on Earth

We have skills, we have talents, and we have gifts that God has given us. We want the opportunity to use them. But it isn’t always easy to fit ourselves into ministry.

How do we find our place in God’s Kingdom building?

To surrender our identity, our time, activity and desires to God, is the first step to receiving the place God has reserved for us in ministry. Surrendering our gifts and abilities – whatever we have in our hands – is the starting point, and through this surrender, we’ll find and fulfill our purpose in life.

I can do nothing (of significance or meaning) in my own strength; nothing of real value to God’s Kingdom is done without the supernatural. Our gifts and talents are God-given, and we work hard to develop them. As Thomas Edison said, “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety nine percent perspiration.” And yet, after the hard work, what comes next is to wait.

As we wait upon the LORD, He renews our strength and prepares us for the vision He has for us.

God will take the unique package which is us and use us in a meaningful way. We must prepare – that’s the perspiration; then we must surrender.

Surrender is an act of worship. It is an act of faith. I’ve discovered it requires as much – or more – discipline to surrender as it does to develop our talent. But without it, we wrestle in our own strength.

Whether or not we are significant on the World’s Stage is in God’s hands. Whether we seek significance or insignificance, God will step in and draw us to the people and places where our calling will become a reality, when we live a surrendered life, allowing His will to be done ‘on earth as in heaven’.

Learning to yield to God’s Spirit is both a process and a destination. I live the journey daily. As Paul said, “I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.” (1 Corinthians 15:31)

What do you hope to accomplish in this life? What gifts has God given you to develop? How will these two aspects come together?

Prepare and watch God move!

Ready: What gifts has God given you to offer back to the LORD?

Set: Develop your gifts to the best that your time and effort will allow.

Go: Trust in the LORD, wait upon Him and allow Him to direct your paths toward the fulfillment He has in mind for you.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Tags finding our ministry, finding our place in the Kingdom of God, finding our purpose, purposeful life

Examining Biblical Scripture

When is it the time to witness our faith?

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 11/12/2014
No Comments on When is it the time to witness our faith?

Sharing our Faith

When is it the right time to share our faith with unbelievers?

Recently, I heard David Wilkerson preach. It was a clip from You Tube, broadcast on Revelation TV.

In essence, David said,

“When was the last time in church you felt the conviction of God, drawing you to repentance, drawing you closer to Him, drawing you?”

It’s so easy to live our lives day-by-day, as though we have all the time in the world to get to know Jesus.

But we haven’t.

And neither do our friends.

As the world spins around, anti Christ forces are pulling hard, and media, education, politics, and much of western society is speaking such anti God propaganda that it’s closing minds before they’ve even had time to consider Creation and the Creator.

I had the experience of losing a friend to cancer well before her time. Thankfully, she was a believer. But it taught me, the time truly is short and not to be taken for granted.

I don’t believe we are all called to be Evangelists. But we are all called to be ready to give an account of what we believe and know of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. (see 1 Peter 3:15)

When is the time to witness our faith? Now. And always. With meekness, gentleness, shamelessness and confidence in Christ.

When is the time to draw closer to God. Now. And always. With meekness, gentleness, shamelessness and confidence in Christ.

Ready: Prepare your testimony. How did you find Jesus? (How did he find you?) What difference has he made to your life? Why are you talking about him now?

Set: Pray for God’s occasion and calling, for you to speak on behalf of your faith in Him.

Go: Know the Holy Spirit of God resides in you, and will give you the time, the audience and the words to speak.

“Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.” (Acts 5:20)

Tags evangelism, reason for your faith

Examining Biblical Scripture

Jesus: Baby, Son of God, God

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 10/12/2014
No Comments on Jesus: Baby, Son of God, God

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” (John 1:14)

How do you celebrate Christmas? Is Jesus at the center of it? How do you show your focus to him?

It will be only days before the majority of the world celebrates the birth of a baby in a stable whose name was to be called, Jesus. The Christmas Season is upon us, and I for one choose not to ignore it.

Some Christian organizations celebrate on the 25th of December, some on the 6th of January. Some do not like to celebrate either of these dates, because it isn’t the actual season of Jesus’ birth; others reject the commercialism that has come to symbolize Christmas, and so for the sake of their principles, they ignore the occasion.

”As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15)

I enjoy the principle of Christmas. I know the date was chosen centuries ago, to fall on the last day of a pagan festival to try to draw those pagans into Christianity. But still, I enjoy the nativity and all the modern lights and scenes that depict the night of the birth of the son of God.

I don’t like the commercialism of Christmas. I love the carols, but not the modern songs that talk about snow drops and reindeer and which seem oblivious to the reality of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ, the Saviour of the world. I can take or leave a tree. But I don’t like to ignore the beginning of the life of the Word who became flesh.

READY: Choose how you will mark the birth of Jesus. Make it your own festivity, for you and your family, in your own way.

SET: Prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus in your own unique way.

GO: Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in a new and personal way to reflect the Christmas Season that manifests your relationship with Jesus, Saviour of the World.

Tags birth of the son of man, Christmas Season, nativity

Reflections and Poetry

Deep Prayer: How to get closer to Jesus

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 25/11/2014
No Comments on Deep Prayer: How to get closer to Jesus

“And the word became flesh…” (John 1:14)

My heart is aching, LORD. My heart aches for you, Lord.

Does this expression resonate with you? Have you ever wondered, “How do I pray when I’m hurting?” Do you find relief and intimacy with God, or do you often get stuck at times of pain, depression or challenge?

How to go deeper in prayer is the subject, because it is in going deep into prayer that we get closer to Jesus.

I am residing in Spain. It is a recent shift from Canada. My husband’s work and our desire to be in full time Christian service has led us here. (To learn more about my personal journey, you can check out my blog: A Life Examined.)

After my husband and two of his colleagues were doing a Bible study on 1 John recently, we discussed it.

I said, “John (including John’s Gospel, the three letters, and Revelations) is so different from any other Biblical writing. All the writers are different from each other. But John is different in that LOVE is so clear: Jesus’ love, and John’s love for his audience as well. The gentleness and commitment is pervasive.”

Alan replied, “John just says in every way, “Just get to know Jesus. Just get to know him and everything will make sense. Just get to know Jesus.”

In prayer, just get to know Jesus and everything else – even the pain, frustration, and hurt – will all begin to make sense.

In prayer, I feel empty, and tell Him of the ache I feel. In this instance, it leads me to confession. (Another time it may lead to request or forgiveness or the release of sorrow from another’s hurt.)

My example of a dialogue with Jesus:

“I’m sorry, Lord, for losing my temper. I’m sorry. You feel far away.” I pause.

I wait.

Then comes a feeling of release and peace, of residing in his presence.

“I’m ready, Lord, for this next chapter.”

I’ve met with him and he with me.

Ready: Deep prayer requires honesty. Deep prayer requires time, patience, and faith. It includes a sense of responsibility. The conversation could go in any direction, once you’ve laid down your burden. Be open and prepared to follow whichever way he leads you, and you will be restored.

“The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:1-3)

Deep prayer starts with where you are now and takes you to where God wants you to be.

Deep prayer releases, frees, answers, comforts, and moves you forward.

Set: Settle yourself with Jesus. “The word became flesh” and that has made all the difference. He understands.

Go: Wherever you now, start here. Hide nothing, and take your time with Jesus. He’ll move you, from where you are to where you need to be… for him, for yourself, for your family, witness and calling.

It’s all about connecting with Jesus.

Tags getting closer to Jesus, how to get closer to Jesus, how to get released from pain, inner healing, intimacy that leads to healing, restore the aching heart

Examining Biblical Scripture

Prayer that bears another’s burden and leads to victory

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 14/11/2014
No Comments on Prayer that bears another’s burden and leads to victory

Have you often wanted to help someone who is suffering, yet have felt helpless? Have you ever wondered, ‘How can I help my friend who is in pain?’

Do you know that you have the power to help anyone who suffers?

Distress is painful to experience, but it can be equally painful to observe from the sidelines the pain of a loved one. Those who follow Christ know that we are to “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

Though we may feel powerless to help someone else, we know the power that does help, which comes from above.

Prayer moves mountains and heals the physically and emotionally sick.

Prayer changes your heart and the hearts of others.

Prayer determines our course and touches the course of Heaven, when we pray the LORD’s prayers.

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:31-34)

As we mature in our personal prayer life, a natural shift begins to take place: We begin to ask more for others than for ourselves, trusting God knows and satisfies our own needs. As we pray, we are bearing others’ burdens in the Spirit; likewise, when we share our needs with others, we are sharing our burdens. Doesn’t God love it when we knit ourselves together, bonding in Godly love and support for one another! (Psalm 133)

Ready: Who do you know who’s need is great and who perhaps God has laid on your heart?

Set: Find a verse that supports the needs of this person. (Bible Gateway will help you to find the location or specific wording of any verse.)

Go: Commit to pray for this person and allow God to lead your words. WAIT to hear what God will say, and how He’ll lift the burden. Trust that, when it lifts, God has done the work that needs to be done, through your prayer and your love toward your ‘brother’. Then, you can praise God, trusting, with faith, that the work has been done.

Bless you for your love. Trust that love is a gift from God and that, in the Spirit, it is powerful in the pulling down of strongholds.

Tags bearing other's burdens, power of prayer, prayer for one another

Examining Biblical Scripture

How to pray without ceasing

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 04/11/2014
1 Comment on How to pray without ceasing

What is prayer?

Prayer is such an amazing tool and gift. Ultimately, it leads us to the throne room of God. Prayer elevates our thinking and reveals God’s perspective to us. It is the means we use to fight and win against the enemy. But until we dig, reflect, relate personally through prayer and worship, and allow ourselves to be broken, we cannot grow to be the spiritual warriors God has created us to be.

Romans 1:9-10 is just one of many scriptures that shows the effort prayer takes:

“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you.”

In the end, Paul did get to Rome.

Have you experienced profound practical results directly through your prayer life?

If you find prayer yields less than you hope, rest assured it isn’t because God is absent. You can deepen your prayer life. While it starts with determined effort, through reading the Bible and giving yourself a quiet space and personal room for calm moments of reflection, it doesn’t really blossom until you connect with the Holy Spirit, does it?

You can’t demand the Holy Spirit meet you, but you who have the Holy Spirit inside you, can expect Him to draw near. Everything in the Word that Jesus says about God’s Spirit promises intimacy. God hears our prayers; His Spirit is willing and eager to meet with us.

Let’s look at an issue I have experienced to show how close the Holy Spirit is to us…

Ready: My young son’s spiritual maturity is very much a heart issue for me. I earnestly seek God’s will for his life and pray protection over him daily. I don’t say a prayer and leave it at that. But nor do I repeat the same prayer over and over, because I believe God hears me the first time. I don’t presume and let the issue drop.

Set: I pray daily for my son: for his growth, through the issues that arise in his life, lifting up the challenges and situations he faces, and for his future as a Godly man. The words of my prayers change, but my heart’s desire does not. I also yield my prayers to God, asking Him to reveal His heart for the child, and His timing in the experiences that will teach and grow the boy.

One example of praying without ceasing is covering my son in prayer: for his safety, his maturity, his relationship with God, and his personal identity. I trust God hears me and I allow Him to touch my heart and to guide my prayers, as I surrender my will and my son’s life to God.

By the time he’s 21, my son will be a man. I still won’t stop covering him in prayer, but as now, the prayers will be adapted according to the needs and circumstances he faces, and based on God’s leadership and not my own.

Go: Now, is it your turn to sit with the LORD? Time to talk with Him, and to praise Him for the unfolding of answered prayer.

Earnestly seek Him, His will and His way, and He will reveal Himself and the ways in which He needs you and your prayer life to grow.

Seek a quiet place to pray.

Tags Holy Spirit and prayer, persevering in prayer, prayer as relationship foundation with Holy Spirit, prayer warfare, prayer without ceasing, prayer yielding fruit, Spirit-led prayer

Reflections and Poetry

Why do we Pray?

The deeper I want my relationship with God to be, the more often and the longer my prayers will be.

I don’t pray to get what I want. I used to and it was effective, because God gives us the desires of our hearts. But by God’s grace, I’ve grown, and now I pray to be more intimate with God.

Why do I pray?

If I want to be more like Jesus, I pray.

If I want more of the Holy Spirit’s fruits or gifts, I pray.

If I want more of God’s glory to fall on earth, as it is in heaven, I pray.

Prayer is for comfort. Prayer is for communion. Prayer is for inspiration.

If every step I take is bathed in prayer, I am a greater blessing to others.

That’s why I pray.

When my spirit soars, I am renewed, refreshed, rebuilt, and I am more loving, more faithful, more free.

Tags purpose of prayer, reason for prayer, what to pray

Reflections and Poetry

How to be more patient?

I would like to be patient and I want it NOW!

How do I grow in patience?

Everything around me rushes past and it’s hard not to be swept along.

Do you long to stay calm under stress? To take your time when there seems little of it?

To trust God’s timing, yet find yourself worrying?

You ask yourself: How do I become a more patient person?

I have discovered that almost everything I struggle with boils down to my own impatience. And so, I am determined to grow in patience, no matter how long it takes!

The key:

To have a goal but not to be concerned with when it will be achieved is a key to patience.

I have observed my son, and have discovered that almost every time he gets upset it is because he is impatient with himself… or he’s felt my impatience with him.

The single thing that causes difficulty in my life is my own impatience.

How do I become more patient?

Ready: I see the goal and I ask to achieve it.

Set: I consider the consequences of my own impatience, remembering key situations in the past, and choosing to surrender this weakness to God.

Go: I remember the joy I feel when the family is in harmony, versus the discomfort, distress and disappointment when we are not.

I recognize most problems are rooted in impatience and
I determine to be patient instead of being impatient with others.
I pray, surrendering to God, asking for the fruit of patience.
I recognize it is a gift and not something I can ‘work up’ on my own.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”(Galatians 5:22-23)

Tags fruits of the Spirit, impatience, impatience as a negative consequence, patience, patience as a choice

Examining Biblical Scripture

Why will the Poor always be with Us?

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 23/10/2014
2 Comments on Why will the Poor always be with Us?

Why are there poor?

Jesus said, “For you have the poor with you always…” Mark 14:7a.

Did Jesus mean we are to care for them all the more? Or to recognize we can never rescue all of the poor? Or does this mean something else completely?

Recently, I was reading the children’s Bible to my son and, in its simplicity, I was suddenly struck by the notion that, like Lazarus, the LORD carries those who have lived wretched lives on earth; they experience comfort and wholeness after their earthly lives have ended.

The LORD, who exists outside of time, knows the purpose for all events and all of our lives. Perhaps the poor exist for themselves to be redeemed in the next life, and for the rich of this world to discover their own wretchedness in the next.

Ready: We are to value life, this life, irrespective of what our standard of living is. There is a place for all of us after life on earth, and those who are wretched in this life will be comforted in the next.

How this all works theologically remains somewhat of a mystery to me, as I know that Jesus came to save us all from our sins, and that none of us can see the Kingdom of God except through him. We must be born again by faith in the Son of God, just as Jesus said himself in John 3, if we are to have eternal life. BUT perhaps those in abject poverty are: in their humility, in their suffering, and in their despair, more aware of God, unlike the rich in their prosperity and distraction.

After this life, there is another that goes on for eternity. Perhaps, though Lazarus suffered in this life, God was using the suffering as an opportunity for the wealthy to love and to give. God honoured the poor man into eternity, for his suffering; comfort came to Lazarus. But pain and shame came to the rich man who saw nothing beyond himself while on earth.

Set: If we who have much honour the poor who have little, we are able to be grafted into the honour given to the poor man.

I wonder if this is how God sees the value of suffering? Certainly Jesus suffered on behalf of us all, but perhaps in His wisdom, he gives some of us more opportunity to suffer or to be a comfort to others in this life, in order to grow us for the next.

How will we move forward knowing the poor we will always have with us?

We will love, in word and deed.
We will acknowledge with respect and humility.
We will give as we have been provided for.

And then perhaps we may share in some of the Glory that comes through suffering and hardship.

Go: love, live, enjoy and give.

Tags action towards the poor, redemption of the Poor, rich versus poor, salvation by faith in Jesus, what are Believers meant to do for the Poor?, what is 'Poor', who is poor?, why are there poor people?

Politics and Society today

Why are nation groups splitting off and redefining themselves?

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 09/09/2014
No Comments on Why are nation groups splitting off and redefining themselves?

Nation groups are seeking independence, sovereignty, autonomy.

Do I experience prophetic revelation? Am I simply discerning the times? I’m looking into current events, seeking to discern their significance and relevance to Biblical Truth: Why are nation groups in Europe seeking their independence on the rise?

I seem to have had a eureka! moment earlier today. I was listening to Revelation TV live (UK Christian television), as host and guests were discussing the imminent referendum in Scotland regarding the possible separation from the rest of Great Britain.

It occurred to me: in current events we seem to be having a preponderance of nation groups seeking sovereignty – going back to their ‘roots’, their identity. Whether its Ukraine, Iraq or the UK, around the world citizens are seeking to group themselves according to their historic roots. Why?

In the End Times, we see that LORD will judge the earth and nations groups will be sheep or goats, saved or unsaved (Matthew 25:31-46).

Ready:

Could it be that supernaturally, the nations are being divided according to their spiritual status? Will some nations be found wanting and others delivered from judgment? That is what the Bible says. And it may be that in these times, the Holy Spirit is behind the nations’ efforts for sovereignty, so that God’s justice will prevail over the nations.

Set:

Consider current events. What, with your spiritual eyes, do you discern is happening that stands in line with scripture of the End Times?

Go:

Practice looking at current events in this light. God can and does speak to us, and we can improve our sensitivity to His activity and His leading when we look beyond the media and toward lining His word with current events and activities.

Tags discerning the times, God's last days judgments, Nations redefining, prophecy, spiritual revelation

Examining Biblical Scripture

What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 09/09/2014
No Comments on What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?

Baptism means ‘to submerge’ so to be baptized means to be immersed in water. By definition there is no such thing as full immersion baptism as opposed to any other sort, because – at least as I see it – the word implies full immersion and nothing else.

So, if baptism means ‘to be submerged’ then what is Holy Spirit baptism? What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit’?

Ready:

On the Day of Pentecost, 50 days after the Passover and Christ’s Crucifixion, many were gathered when tongues of fire descended upon them and they spoke in various languages (Acts 2). This is one manifestation of the Holy Spirit. The Pentecostal Church denomination was founded upon this truth, and it is their doctrine which says you will speak in tongues if you are baptized in the Holy Spirit. For me, Baptism in the Holy Spirit is even simpler than that: the manifest presence of God will fall upon anyone it wills and the power and presence of God will be experienced.

The Holy Spirit is our teacher, comforter, and will convict us of sin. He is our helper (John 14, 15, 16) Any who believe and follow Jesus receive the Holy Spirit at the time of rebirth. But how do we experience His presence? How do we know the power from on high? And do we need this power if we are saved by God’s grace? Indeed we do. Why?

We live in dangerous times. Many say it is the End Times.

Jesus had the Holy Spirit’s power and presence. In Luke 4 Jesus quotes Isaiah 61, speaking of the Holy Spirit of the LORD resting upon him. If he operated in and through the Spirit, then how much more do we need Him?

“The Spirit of the LORD God is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach good news….” (Isaiah 61: 1)

And yet I for one, haven’t enough of Him. I have experienced His power and presence. I have basked in the beauty of His holiness on more than one occasion. And yet, I am fearful of Him whenever He draws near, not because He will hurt me, but because I am anxious when it comes to surrender. Even though it is always good, always refreshing, always renewing, my flesh resists and I struggle to yield.

Set:

I experience the presence of the Holy Spirit in the following ways:

He makes me nervous

He makes me tremble

He gives me a rumbling ache in my tummy

My mouth wants to shout praise

I am sleepless

These are just clues to manifestation of Holy Spirit.

The fruit is patience. The fruit is greater love for others and for God

The fruit is joy, peace, goodness, faith, greater kindness, gentleness and/or self control.

Nothing ill comes from Holy Spirit. He does not overtake our bodies or our minds. He does gently and sometimes persistently prompt us to surrender to God’s timing, Word or wisdom. He does wake us up to spiritual understanding, deepening our experience or understanding of God’s word. He does not take over or harm. He is to be awed but not feared, to be followed, to be comforted and nurtured by. He protects, warns and guides.

Yes, in these end times, if indeed they are End Times, we need Holy Spirit. And those operating with Him can do much to bring God’s kingdom here, on Earth, as it is in Heaven.

Go:

Plan to experience a deepening awareness of God’s Spirit upon you.

1. Invite Him

2. Choose to trust Him

3. Give Him time to descend upon you and to fill you

4. Surrender: fear, suspicion, anxiety to Him

5. Receive from Him

May you have a Spirit-filled day!

Tags Full Immersion Baptism, Holy Spirit baptism, Speaking in Tongues

Examining Biblical Scripture

How can the Church become like Jesus?

Post author By Dr Sarah Tun
Post date 15/07/2014
2 Comments on How can the Church become like Jesus?

5 Aspects of Christ: How can Jesus’ church become like Jesus?

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12)

Many people say they like Jesus but not the church. The church follows but does not act like Jesus. We are called to be his hands and feet, but making the church like Jesus hasn’t been very successful so far, has it?

Ready: How can the church become like Jesus today? The church has a responsibility to reflect Christ. After 2000 years we are still lacking. How can we finally equip ourselves, and find our perfect character in Christ?

Set: For the church to operate in the way God intends, we need to be led within the structure God intended. One key lies in the five fold ministry, Jesus’ gift to the church. These five fold ministries are: apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher, pastor. Each of these ministries is an aspect of Christ, who had all of these qualities. We need all the qualities of Christ if we are to operate in his authority and power.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to My Father.”(John 14:12)

Through these 5 ministries, the Body is prepared. Within the church, there are people with the particular calling of pastor, teacher, evangelist, prophet, or apostle.

The calling does not have to do with education but everything to do with anointing. You may know the person that just opens his mouth and out comes revelation about God’s Word (teacher). Or whenever someone is in need of wise counsel, you can spot the gifted pastor, ready with just the right word in just the right season. There are those who have a special gift for sharing Jesus with unbelievers, who’s witness seems so easily to affect others toward him; these are evangelists. Some have the ability to see God’s plans and purposes and are designed for the prophetic. Finally, there are apostles who lead naturally, and hold visions for the new things God has for His Church.

With any one of these ministries missing, the church is lacking a necessary part of it’s headship and does not grow as God intends it. So often everything falls to the minister employed by the church; many things cannot be fulfilled by one key person. God loves unity (Psalm 133) and to see His people working together for good.

How to play your part in building the church:

Step 1: Recognize the church structure is imperfect but God has given us the perfect structure to equip the Body of Christ.

Step 2: Study and learn these 5 fold gifts. See if you spot others who are these gifts to the Body of Christ. Could you be one of these gifts?

Step 3: Encourage the gifts in others; identify and practice them. 1 Corinthians chapter 12 tells us the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Romans 12 lists the gifts of God.

Step 4: Encourage your church leaders. Honour them. They too are gifted and seeking to honour God with their lives.

Step 5: Pray, asking God to reveal the gifts of Jesus that are within the congregation. This may be radical thinking for your church, so pray for God’s will to be done and for willing hearts within your congregation and church leaders.

Go: Intercede for your church, your city and your region, that the Body of Believers would be equipped and ready to serve the LORD with gladness, and the people with love. (And when you feel called to step out to share this message, step out in faith and share in love, asking for God’s timing and His window – first.)

Tags Bride of Christ reflecting Christ, end times church, Five Fold Ministry, how the church becomes like Jesus, Jesus as the Head, Jesus gifts to the church