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1 What s Inside? Introducing 2017 Board Of Deacons The Joy Of Motherhood Hearing The Call A Victorious Easter Sunday Celebration THE PROPHET S THREE QUESTIONS TO A MOTHER CALVARYNEWS A PUBLICATION OF CALVARY CHURCH MAY 2017 ISSUE 193 PP5911/11/2012(031323)

2 THE PROPHET S THREE QUESTIONS TO A MOTHER By Senior Associate Pastor Petrina Guneratnam The story of the Prophet Elisha and the Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4: 8-37) never ceases to inspire me each time I meditate on it. She was called great, notable, wealthy and well to do, to quote a few translations. She was indeed an extraordinary person and was considered great because of her many spiritual qualities (her simplicity, hospitality, generosity, graciousness, contentment, trustworthiness and others). She was godly and discerning, although Elisha did not tell her he was a Prophet, she perceived him to be a man of God. She gave an open invitation to Elisha to have a meal at her home, anytime he passed by. She was not only generous towards Elisha, who represented God, she literally made a room in her home for the Prophet to stay whenever he needed. Her lifestyle was one that evidently pleased God, for she experienced many miracles in her life, one of which was the gift of a miracle son. Although she gave to Elisha without expecting any returns, Elisha prophesied that she would have a son (2 Kings 4:17). This miracle son grew, and one day while he was working with his father in the field, he fell ill. It does not necessarily mean that any miracle you experience will be without challenges! When her only son died on her lap, she was faced with the greatest crisis of her life. Note her immediate response. She placed her son on the bed of Prophet Elisha in the room she kept for him. And she set out with a servant to find the man of God. She wanted to turn the matter to God (Elisha). She trusted Elisha and she chose to act on her faith, believing, somehow, Elisha had the answer! 2 MAY 2017 CALVARYNEWS The Bible says Elisha saw the woman coming in the chariot and asked his servant to meet her and asked her, Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well (2 Kings 4:26). The Sequence Of Elisha s Three Questions To The Shunammite Mother Are Very Significant. Elisha did not ask the questions at random. The first question he asked was, Is it well with you?, or How are you? and not How s your son? His second question was, Is it well with your husband?, or How is your spouse? Thirdly, Elisha asked, Is it well with your child?, or How is your child? The sequence of the questions reflects the importance of putting priorities right in our life and relationships. Note, the second question is How is the spouse?, followed by How is the child? If the wife is investing in the husband and wife relationship, and the marriage is well, the family relationship will be healthy and the children will not be neglected. The Most Important Question To Deal With Is HOW ARE YOU? God is most concerned about you, as He is towards every child of His, no matter who you are, what you do or how young or old you are. Our well being has to do with our relationship with God. Before we can excel in other relationship, we must have a good relationship with God. In our context, the Shunammite woman was a wife and mother. Often mothers can have a messiah/redeemer attitude, always putting everybody else in her family first and putting themselves last. The message for mothers is, first take care of yourselves before you can take care of others. This applies to every child of God too!

3 SELF-CARE / SELF-LOVE IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE Dr. Kim Cho spoke at one of our Woman s Conferences, some 15 years ago, and I still remember she started her message with this question. She asked, Who should eat the good food on the table? Your children? Your husband? Her answer, No, YOU. Her rationale was, You must take care of yourself before you can take care of others. A mother must be strong and healthy to take care of her family. Her good advice was in line with Elisha s concern. Elisha s top priority was the well-being of the spirit, soul and body of the Shunammite woman. If she was well, her husband will be well, her children will be well and her home will be a sanctuary of peace, and all her other relationships will be well. one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? It is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well 2 Kings 4:22-23, KJV). She just knew she had to look for Elisha, who represents God. She wanted to turn her son back to God. Firstly, note how she responded to her husband s query about the challenge of finding Elisha. She said, It shall be well (2 Kings 4:23), it was in the future tense, shall. This is her expression of her hope and trust in God. It was beyond her control and ability and she was wanting to turn over the matter to Elisha. Secondly, note how she commanded her servants, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee (2 Kings 4:24, KJV). As she journeyed on, it must have been THE SHUNAMMITE S RESPONSE TO ELISHA S QUESTIONS The Shunammite woman was in turmoil over the death of her son. The Bible says her soul was in deep distress (2 Kings 4:27) and the KJV said she was vexed within. Yet when Elisha asked how she was, her response was, It is well. Everything is well. She replied with strong affirmation, confidence and conviction. Why was she able to declare such? It was a declaration of Faith. Let us explore her journey of faith from the moment her son died. After the death of her son, the Bible says,.. she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and

4 challenging for her, not knowing if she could find Elisha, but she did not slacken in her faith. She kept moving forward in her journey to find Elisha, she kept trusting God for the best in her adversity. Similarly, in our journey of faith, whatever we are believing God for, challenges and difficulties will come. But we must keep pressing forward and not slow down. We must not be tempted to turn around and stop trusting God. Thirdly, by the time she arrived and met the prophet, personally at the end of her journey, she was able to declared, It is well (2 Kings 4:26, KJV), present tense, and not, it shall be well (future). Along the journey, her hope and faith coupled with action (the journey) grew to a place where she knew her dead son will receive life again. She was transformed in the presence of the Prophet (represents God). Similarly for us, when we come into the presence of God, speaking of our intimacy with God and in right relations with Him, all is well with us. God always honours our faith! He knows what we are going through in our journey of faith and we can trust Him completely. GOD IS ASKING, HOW ARE YOU? It is not a superfluous question. God cares for you, just like how Prophet Elisha cared for the woman. This was why she was able to respond, It is well, in spite of the fact that her soul is vexed within her (KJV) and another translation says, in the bitterness of her soul. The problem still not resolved yet, her son was dead at home. It was very painful for her, yet she kept trusting. The message for us all is, whatever the reality of life, walk by faith, trust God that all will turn out well. God sees all we are going through, the difficulties and distressing circumstances, and He empowers us to come out victorious. The hymn, All is well with my soul was written by Horatio Spafford, a fervent believer, after he lost four daughters at sea. It is a testimony of the victory he had over his grief and devastation in the tragedy. He wrote: When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul. (Stanza 1 & 2, All is well with my soul ). Whatever you may be facing, be it grief, loss of position, or finance or possession, and the list goes on, you can choose to respond like the Shunammite mother and Horatia Gates Spafford! They were not devastated by tragedy but they had the victory. The Shunammite woman experienced the resurrection power of God, through the raising back to life of her dead son, and Spafford tasted the peace, calm and confidence of God. They both had trust and good relationship with the God who loves and knows what is best for us all. You can release all your "bitterness of soul" and declare, It shall be well (future tense) and choose to move forward, and declare, "It is well", that is to act in faith today. As children of God, we are positioned for victory. Nothing is beyond God to overcome. When He is with you (and in you), in your battle, you win. When He is with you in your family crisis, you win. The Bible says, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). All Bible quotations are in the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated. 4 MAY 2017 CALVARYNEWS

5 INTRODUCING 2017 BOARD OF DEACONS Front Row (L-R) : Chow Sang Hoe, Helen Elizabeth Leong, Senior Associate Pastor Petrina Guneratnam, Senior Pastor Prince Guneratnam, David Dev Peter Back Row (L-R) : Christopher Lim Hwa Seong, Puan Chen Keck, Tam Kok Meng, Ngeow Zoo Gin Our Stewardship Day was held on Friday, 21 April 2017 at Calvary Church Damansara Heights to acknowledge the Lord s blessings, dedicating ourselves with communion and to receive God s Word as members of Calvary Church. There was great joy and appreciation for every report shared testifying of God s faithfulness. PORTFOLIOS OF THE BOARD OF DEACONS David Dev Peter - Church Secretary Chow Sang Hoe - Church Treasurer Ngeow Zoo Gin - Church Human Resources Puan Chen Keck - Church Business Helen Elizabeth Leong - Church Hospitality & Special Functions Christopher Lim Hwa Seong - Church Projects Tam Kok Meng - Deacon At Large On Sunday, 23 April 2017 at Calvary Convention Centre, the deacons were installed and charged with biblical principles of leadership from Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 and Colossians 3: CALVARYNEWS MAY

6 Being a mother is a joy when one learns to recognize that this job comes with awesome blessings. There is the lack of sleep, vacation, and official sick days. However, living in the moment and being mindful of the present have greatly benefit a mother s relationship with her children. We have asked some of the mothers. 1. What gives you great joy in being a mother? 2. What s one of the most challenging aspects of being a mother? 3. What s one of the most helpful parenting advices you ve ever given? Imagine you re writing a letter to your younger self when you're a first time and younger parent. What would you want to say to yourself? We also asked a question to their children, What s one of the most important piece of advice given to you by your mother? The Joy AMELIA GUNERATNAM 1. Being able to experience on a daily basis all of my kids successes and watching them excel at something they love. 2. Coping with the daily responsibilities of motherhood and wanting to always be a good role model for my kids. 3. Loving each of them unconditionally, knowing their differences and not make comparisons. Jamie Do your best and trust God to do the rest. James Pray and be a good friend. 3. In guiding my sons, when they are young, with one hand, I hold God s hand and the other hand, I hold my son s hand and where God leads I follow, leading my son along. When they have grown up, I put their hands into God's hands and they follow Him now. Samuel Take care of your health. It'll be sad if you go before you have accomplished all of God's purposes for you on this earth because you didn't take care of the temple that He has given you. CHIN KI FEN 1. I find great joy in nurturing my sons, watching them grow, hearing their laughter, knowing that they love and serve God, seeing them enjoying wholesome friendship and knowing that they honour their parents. Jonathan My mother most important advice to me is to follow God and to trust Him. 2. To model godly living and not to stumble my sons in their development of their personal relationship with their Heavenly Father. Having three pairs of eyes watching me day in and day out is not easy I have to be mindful of what and how I talk and what I do. David Follow God. Becoming an adult, the burden and expectations of society weighs heavy on any individual. My parents won t be there all the time, but my mom reminded me to always know my identity in Christ no matter where life s road takes me.

7 Of Motherhood LEE BEE PENG 1. It gives me great joy being a mother to be loved by my children, and watching them achieve their goals in life. They make me proud. 2. The most challenging aspect of being a mother is not having enough sleep. 3. Don t worry too much. Enjoy the process of parenting. There are three helpful advices from the Christian author, James Dobson: Rules must be clearly laid out before punishment. Don t punish kids when you are angry. Mothers need time-out to cool down. Joshua Put family first before your friends and activities because otherwise family will be neglected. Grace Learn to say no to people when I have too much to do because I need to know my limitations. LINA LAU 1. When my children walk in the ways of the Lord. It is a joy when they put God first in everything they do, just as the Bible says that we are to train up our child in the ways of the Lord and when they are old they will not depart from it. 2. When I have to discipline them. 3. Chill and lean on God. He will gently lead those with young. Alicia Do your best and God will do the rest. This piece of advice is applicable for all aspects of my life. NG SUN JIAN 1. There is never a dull moment when you are with them. Be it a moment of joy or sometime moment of challenges. At times, they will give you unexpected answers that will put a smile on my face. 2. I am a mother of three, and they are just so different, even though they are all breed by us, the same parents all this years. 3. Children are unique gifts from God and He makes every one unique and beautiful. I learned to partner with God to discover and to raise them to their best. A pastor once shared that as much so we want to be a friend like relationship with our children, but they have many friends in their lives. Therefore, what they needed most is parents, (which we are given that role) to be able to discipline when is wrong, to nurture them when they needed the confidence, to guide them when they needed a direction. Abigail When I was three, I jokingly asked my mother for a swimming pool, and she replied with a sure! Surprised, I told her we couldn t actually get a swimming pool because we weren t millionaires, but she said, Well, you have eyes, don't you? And you have a nose, and a mouth? You are rich! Back then I couldn t fully comprehend the meaning of her words, but now I understand she meant that I could make do with what I have, and make the best out of it. Annabelle Pray when you are in trouble, especially when mommy is not there. Because you can only trust in one God! God will help you in every single second! Adam Plan your day, use your time wisely. Austin Play well, don t fight, you are brothers and sister, and you have to look out for each other! We are family! CALVARYNEWS MAY

8 HEARING THE CALL By Melissa Samuel Photographs by Henry Tai, Abigail Ler, André Chan, Kimberly Yip, Andrew Tan We rejoice that the Easter musical The Call was successfully performed as a gift to the city of Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley over the Easter weekend, April Praise and thank God for the commitment of the production cast and crew, who were all from various backgrounds and ages including children. They gave themselves and used their talents to effectively share the gospel of the Easter musical, The Call. It was a blessing to all who came for the presentation. Older Peter narrating his story The musical highlighted the life of Peter, one of Jesus disciples, who spent three years with Jesus. Peter listened to His teachings, witnessed the many miracles He performed, and even walked on water with Jesus! But at the most crucial moment, when Jesus was crucified, Peter denied Him. Even though shame and guilt haunted him, Peter found forgiveness and love once again by responding to The Call of Jesus. Peter s life was then transformed into one of true significance! All of us are called to be witnesses for Jesus James and John s mother acting as their agent Musicians playing live music Children paying attention to Jesus story-telling Crowd rejoicing over the healing of a blind woman The first miracle of Jesus turning water into wine

9 Jesus proclaiming, Because I live, you will live also Crowd dancing and waving palm branches Soloists expressing touching songs Jesus urging His disciples to pray at the Garden of Gethsemane Dancers portraying their pain over Jesus on the Cross Younger Peter sharing his encounter with Jesus Peter and disciples witnessing Jesus walking on water

10 Senior Pastor Prince Guneratnam reinforced the message through his preaching. When God created man, he was a prince with God and he lived in a paradise garden (Genesis 2:8). But because of man s disobedience to God s command, man became a sinner. The penalty of sin is death. Death is a separation from God. The curse of sin was a sinful nature. We are capable of doing hideous acts of wickedness and evil. There is a beast in all of us as the Bible says, For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God s glorious standard. (Romans 3:23 NLT) not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16 NLT). We have the coming of Jesus the Christmas story (Luke 2:8-14). Jesus came to pay the penalty of sin by taking upon Himself the curse (Galatians 3:13). For the curse of sin to be broken in our lives, we need to believe in Jesus and reciprocate with love. The Bible says, But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12 NLT) and This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT). Praise and thank God for the 152 who gave their lives to Jesus Christ for the first time, 121 who rededicated their lives, and 181 who responded for prayers for needs. Thank God too for the good attendance. 7,360 people in total came for the presentation over the three nights. God loved us as the Bible says, He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will This is very much like Walt Disney s Beauty and the Beast. The prince, who did not behave like a prince, Not to us, Lord, not to us but your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. Psalm 115:1 was cursed and became a human beast. The only means for the curse to be broken was for someone to love him, and he to love in return. Many responded to God s love by believing and accepting Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Jesus appearing to His disciples at the upper room Altar workers following-up with the respondents

11 Senior Pastor sharing a compelling message Many people responding to the altar It s a great day because Jesus is alive! Production cast and crew with Senior Pastors Prince and Petrina Guneratnam CALVARYNEWS MAY

12 A VICTORIOUS EASTER SUNDAY CELEBRATION By Jason Sia The Church family came together at Calvary Convention Centre to celebrate and worship our risen Saviour and Lord on Easter Sunday, 16 April The Music & Creative Arts Team presented three special numbers from the Easter Musical, The Call. A Brighter Dawn, The Great Day and High Above the Earth depict the triumph of our Lord s victory over death and sin at the cross through His resurrection and the hope we have through faith in Jesus Christ. Senior Pastor Prince Guneratnam shared a practical and powerful Easter message entitled The Stone At The Tomb. In life we go through experiences akin to what transpired historically on Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Sunday. Fridays are the times we face and go through struggles, sufferings, confusions and unanswered prayers. Saturdays are the times when nothing seems to happen, there is silence from God. There is the temptation to fear, doubt and go back to our old life of Celebrating the risen Saviour and Lord living. Sunday is the day when we experience the breakthrough and have the victory over our circumstances. Keep in mind there is a Sunday for every Friday, because Jesus is risen and He has conquered death, hell and the grave! The Bible says the women who went to Jesus tomb to embalm his body asked each other, Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb? But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away (Mark 16:3-4). The stone represented the challenges, hindrances and impossibilities we face. The stone at Jesus tomb had been rolled away. The application for us is God has already removed every stone from our lives. No matter what challenges we face, let us trust and obey Him. He has won the battle for us. The Bible says, Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us (Romans 8:37 NLT). During the altar service, Senior Pastor prayed for many with needs who responded for prayer and they left rejoicing. Calvarites responding to altar LAUNCH OF THE 50 DAYS TO PENTECOST At the close of the service, we were encouraged to set aside the 50 days, between Easter and Pentecost, to pray and fast for as many days or meals as we are led during these 50 days. A 50-day devotional and prayer guide was given to each worshipper. Prayer, accompanied by fasting, is a very powerful weapon. Jesus tells us that some satanic activities are defeated only by prayer and fasting (Matthew 19:21). In these challenging times, it is imperative that we seize the power through prayer and fasting and see an even greater move of God in our personal lives, our homes, our church and a spiritual revival in our nation. Praise and thank God for His encouragement and empowerment at the Easter Sunday Worship service. Jesus has won the victory at the cross. Let us arise and enforce His victory through fasting and prayer.

13 DIMENSIONS EXTENDED THE BEST VERSION OF YOU By Han Suyin Ng Sun Jian speaking on dressing tips On 18 March 2017, 127 women gathered together on a Saturday morning to attend a Dimensions Extended workshop, The Best Version of You, conducted by Ng Sun Jian. As a certified image consultant, she advised ladies on how they can present themselves better and more effortlessly through the way they dress and style their outfits. Sun Jian emphasized one thing throughout the talk i.e. every outfit we put on sends out a certain message. It is, thus, important to be conscious of dressing appropriately to prevent sending out wrong Enjoying lunch at Olive Café Ladies offering themselves to God at the conclusion of the workshop messages. I ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel, a quote by Maya Angelou which Sun Jian shared to illustrate further on the importance of creating a good first impression. Among the many tips that Sun Jian shared was the use of colour shades and schemes to make one look younger and vibrant or to exude confidence. She also did a live demonstration on how different scarfs set the mood for different occasions. As a summary, she shared very practical steps on enhancing our God-given beauty with relevant fashion beauty tips. She reminded us that a smile is the cheapest accessory you can wear to balance your look. Every one of Fellowshipping over lunch us is unique in our own way. We create our own brand by bringing out the best version of ourselves. Pastor Lee Peng sharing the devotional thought Associate Pastor Chan Lee Peng concluded the session by reminding us that our outward appearance is a visible and silent testimony of our Christian values and the God we serve. The Scripture theme for the day was an encouragement to all ladies, She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future (Proverbs 31:25).

14 TIGA SOALAN DARI SEORANG Oleh Pendita Sekutu Kanan Petrina Guneratnam Cerita Nabi Elisa dan wanita Sunem (2 Raja-raja 4:8-37) tidak gagal untuk memberi inspirasi pada saya setiap kali saya merenungkannya. Dia dipanggil hebat, ketara, kaya dan berkemampuan, antara beberapa terjemahan yang dikatakan tentangnya. Sememangnya dia merupakan seorang yang luarbiasa dan dianggap hebat oleh kerana memiliki pelbagai sifat kerohanian (kesederhanaannya, keramahannya, kemurahan hatinya, keanggunannya, kepuasannya, boleh dipercayai dan lain-lain lagi). Dia saleh dan berpengertian, walaupun Elisa tidak memberitahu bahawa dia merupakan seorang Nabi, wanita itu dapat merasakan Elisa merupakan seorang abdi Tuhan. Dia memberi satu undangan terbuka kepada Elisa untuk makan dirumahnya, setiap kali ia melalui tempatnya. Dia bukan sahaja bermurah hati terhadap Elisa, yang mewakili Tuhan, dia juga menyediakan sebuah bilik untuk Nabi itu tinggal apabila perlu. Gaya hidupnya nyata menyenangkan hati Tuhan, kerana dia mengalami banyak mukjizat dalam hidupnya, yang salah satu adalah anugerah anak mukjizat. Walaupun dia memberi kepada Elisa tanpa meminta apa-apa, Elisa bernubuat bahawa dia akan melahirkan seorang anak (2 Raja-raja 4:17). Anak mukjizat ini tumbuh, dan suatu hari saat dia bekerja dengan ayahnya di ladang, dia jatuh sakit. Ini tidak bererti bahwa mukijizat yang kamu alami akan tidak ada cabarannya! Ketika anak laki-laki satu-satunya meninggal di pangkuannya, dia menghadapi krisis terbesar dalam hidupnya. Perhatikan responnya yang serta merta. Dia menempatkan anaknya di tempat tidur Nabi Elisa di rumahnya. Dan dia berangkat dengan seorang hambanya untuk mencari abdi Tuhan itu. Dia ingin menyerahkan masalah ini kepada Tuhan (Elisa). Dia mempercayai Elisa dan dia memilih untuk bertindak berdasarkan keyakinannya, percaya, bagaimanapun, bahawa Elisa ada jawabannya! Alkitab mengatakan bahwa Elisa melihat wanita itu masuk ke dalam kereta kuda dan meminta hambanya untuk menemuinya dan bertanya kepadanya, Selamatkah engkau, selamatkah suamimu, selamatkah anak itu? Jawab perempuan itu: Selamat! (2 Raja-raja 4:26). 14 MAY 2017 CALVARYNEWS Tiga Urutan Pertanyaan Elisa Kepada Ibu Sunem Yang Sangat Penting. Elisa tidak mengajukan pertanyaan secara rawak. Pertanyaan pertama yang dia tanyakan adalah, Selamatkah engkau?, atau Bagaimana khabarmu? dan bukannya Bagaimana anakmu? Pertanyaan keduanya adalah, selamatkah suamimu?, atau bagaimana pasangan kamu? Ketiga, Elisa bertanya, Apakah baik dengan anak mu?, atau Bagaimana kabar anak mu? Urutan pertanyaan mencerminkan pentingnya menempatkan prioritas tepat dalam kehidupan dan hubungan kita. Perhatikan, pertanyaan kedua adalah Bagaimana pasangannya?, Diikuti oleh selamatkah anak itu? Jika isteri melaburkan dalam hubungan suami isteri, dan rumahtangganya baik, hubungan keluarga akan sihat dan anak-anak tidak akan diabaikan. Pertanyaan Paling Penting untuk Diatasi adalah BAGAIMANA KAMU? Tuhan sangat memperhatikan kamu, seperti Dia terhadap setiap anak-anak- Nya, tidak peduli siapa kamu, apa yang kamu lakukan atau seberapa muda atau tuanya kamu. Hal ehwal kita ada kaitan dengan hubungan kita dengan Tuhan. Sebelum kita boleh berkemenangan dalam hubungan-hubungan lain, kita harus memiliki hubungan yang baik dengan Tuhan. Dalam konteks kita, wanita Sunem itu adalah seorang isteri dan ibu. Seringkali ibu memiliki sikap mesias / penebus, selalu menempatkan orang lain di keluarganya terlebih dahulu dan menempatkan diri mereka terakhir. Pesan untuk ibu adalah, jaga dulu dirimu sendiri sebelum kamu menjaga orang lain.ini termasuk juga bagi setiap anak Tuhan! JAGAAN DIRI / KASIHI DIRI SENDIRI ADALAH PALING PENTING Dr. Kim Cho pernah berbicara di salah satu Konferensi Wanita kami, sekurang-kurangnya 15 tahun yang lalu, dan saya masih ingat bahawa dia memulai khutbahnya dengan pertanyaan ini. Dia bertanya, Siapa yang harus makan makanan enak di atas meja? Anak-anak kamu? Suami kamu? Jawabannya, Tidak, KAMU. Sebabnya adalah, Kamu harus menjaga diri sendiri sebelum boleh menjaga orang lain. Seorang ibu harus kuat dan sihat untuk mengurus keluarganya. Saranannya yang baik adalah seiring dengan keprihatinan Elisa. Prioritas utama Elisa adalah kesejahteraan roh, jiwa dan tubuh wanita Sunem itu. Jika dia sihat, suaminya akan sihat, anak-anaknya akan sihat dan rumahnya akan menjadi tempat yang damai, dan semua hubungan baiknya akan berjalan dengan baik. RESPON WANITA SUNEM UNTUK PERTANYAAN ELISA Wanita Sunem itu dalam kekacauan kerana kematian anaknya. Alkitab mengatakan bahwa hatinya pedih! (2 Raja-raja 4:27) dan Alkitab mengatakan bahwa dia merasa kepedihan yang mendalam. Namun saat Elisa bertanya bagaimana keadaannya, jawabannya adalah, Baik. Semuanya baik-baik saja. Dia menjawab

15 NABI KEPADA SEORANG IBU dengan tegas, keyakinan, dan keyakinan yang kuat. Mengapa dia boleh menyatakan hal seperti itu? Itu adalah sebuah pernyataan Iman. Mari kita lihat perjalanan imannya dari saat anaknya meninggal. Setelah kematian anaknya, Alkitab berkata,.. Sesudah itu ia memanggil suaminya serta berkata: Suruh kepadaku salah seorang bujang dengan membawa seekor keledai betina; aku mau pergi dengan segera kepada abdi Tuhan itu, dan akan terus pulang. Berkatalah suaminya: Mengapakah pada hari ini engkau hendak pergi kepadanya? Padahal sekarang bukan bulan baru dan bukan hari Sabat. Jawab perempuan itu: Jangan khuatir. 2 Raja-raja 4: 22-23). Dia hanya tahu dia harus mencari Elisa, yang mewakili Tuhan. Dia ingin mengembalikan anaknya kembali kepada Tuhan. Pertama, perhatikan bagaimana dia menjawab persoalan suaminya tentang cabaran untuk mencari Elisa. Dia berkata, Jangan khuatir (2 Raja-raja 4:23), suatu pernyataan yang menunjukkan situasi masa depan. Inilah ungkapan harapan dan kepercayaannya kepada Tuhan. Itu diluar kawalan dan kemampuannya dan dia ingin menyerahkan masalah ini kepada Elisa. Kedua, perhatikan bagaimana dia memerintah pelayannya,... Tuntunlah dan majulah, jangan tahan-tahan aku dalam perjalananku, kecuali apabila ku katakan kepadamu (2 Raja-raja 4:24). Saat dia meneruskan perjalanannya itu, pasti ia melalui banyak cabaran, kerana ia tidak tahu sama ada dia dapat mencari Elisa, namun dia tidak mengendur dalam keyakinannya. Dia terus bergerak maju dalam perjalanannya untuk mencari Elisa, dia terus mempercayai Tuhan untuk yang terbaik dalam kesengsaraannya. Demikian pula, dalam perjalanan iman kita, apapun yang kita percaya kepada Tuhan, tantangan dan kesulitan akan datang. Tapi kita harus terus maju ke depan dan tidak menjadi perlahan. Kita tidak boleh tergoda untuk berbalik dan berhenti mempercayai Tuhan. Ketiga, pada saat dia tiba dan bertemu dengan nabi itu, secara peribadi pada akhir perjalanannya, dia dapat menyatakan, Selamat! (2 Raja-raja 4:26), suatu ungkapan tentang keadaan kininya, dan bukannya, itu akan menjadi baik (masa depan). Sepanjang perjalanan, harapan dan keyakinannya ditambah dengan perbuatan (perjalanan) tumbuh ke tempat di mana dia tahu bahwa anaknya yang telah meninggal akan menerima kehidupan kembali. Dia diubahkan di hadapan Nabi (mewakili Tuhan). Demikian pula bagi kita, ketika kita datang ke hadirat Tuhan, bercakap tentang keintiman kita dengan Tuhan dan dalam hubungan yang benar dengan Dia, semuanya baik bersama kita. Tuhan selalu menghormati iman kita! Dia tahu apa yang kita alami dalam perjalanan iman kita dan kita dapat mempercayai Dia sepenuhnya. TUHAN BERTANYA, BAGAIMANA KAMU? Ini bukan pertanyaan yang melebihlebih. Tuhan pedulikan kamu, seperti bagaimana Nabi Elisa menjaga wanita itu. Inilah sebabnya mengapa dia dapat menjawab, Selamat!, walaupun kenyataannya bahawa hatinya pedih dan terjemahan lain mengatakan, dalam kepahitan jiwanya. Masalahnya masih belum terselesaikan, anaknya sudah meninggal di rumah. Sangat menyakitkan baginya, namun dia terus percaya. Pesan untuk kita semua adalah, apapun realiti kehidupan, berjalan dengan iman, percayalah kepada Tuhan bahwa semua akan berubah dengan baik. Tuhan melihat semua yang kita alami, kesulitan dan keadaan yang menyedihkan, dan Dia memberi kekuatan kita untuk keluar sebagai pemenang. Nyanyian rohani, Semua baik dengan jiwaku ditulis oleh Horatio Spafford, seorang yang sangat percaya, setelah dia kehilangan empat anak perempuan di laut. Ini adalah kesaksian tentang kemenangan yang dimilikinya atas kesedihan dan kehancurannya dalam tragedi tersebut. Dia menulis: Ketika kedamaian, seperti sungai, memenuhi jalanku, Saat kesedihan seperti ombak laut bergulir; Apa pun nasib ku, Engkau telah mengajari ku untuk mengatakan, Baiklah, baiklah dengan jiwaku. Meskipun Setan memukul, meskipun percobaan harus datang, Biarkan jaminan kawalan yang diberkati ini, Bahawa Kristus telah menganggap tanahku yang tidak berdaya, Dan telah menumpahkan darah-nya sendiri untuk jiwaku. (Stanza 1 & 2, Semuanya baik-baik dengan jiwaku ). Apapun yang mungkin kamu hadapi, baik itu kesedihan, kehilangan posisi, atau kewangan atau kepemilikan, dan senarainya terus berlanjutan, kamu dapat memilih untuk memberi respon seperti ibu Sunem dan Horatia Gates Spafford! Mereka tidak hancur kerana tragedi namun mereka mendapat kemenangan. Wanita Sunem mengalami kekuatan kebangkitan Tuhan, melalui kebangkitan kembali kehidupan anaknya yang telah meninggal, dan Spafford merasakan kedamaian, ketenangan dan kepercayaan diri Tuhan. Mereka berdua memiliki kepercayaan dan hubungan baik dengan Tuhan yang mengasihi dan tahu apa yang terbaik untuk kita semua. Kamu dapat melepaskan semua kepahitan jiwa kamu dan nyatakan, Baiklah (masa depan) dan pilih untuk maju, dan nyatakan, Baiklah, iaitu bertindak dalam iman hari ini. Sebagai anak-anak Tuhan, kita diposisikan untuk meraih kemenangan. Tidak ada yang Tuhan tidak dapat atasi. Saat Dia bersamamu (dan di dalam kamu), dalam peperanganmu, kamu menang. Saat Dia bersama kamu dalam krisis keluarga kamu, kamu menang. Alkitab berkata, Tuhan itu bagi kita tempat perlindungan dan kekuatan, sebagai penolong dalam kesesakan sangat terbukti (Mazmur 46: 1). Semua petikan Alkitab ada dalam Terjemahan Bahasa Indonesia melainkan dinyatakan. CALVARYNEWS MAY

16 先知对一位母亲提出的三个问题文 :Petrina Guneratnam 副主任牧师 我每次默想先知以利沙和书念妇人的故事的时候 ( 王下 4: 8-37), 它总是时刻令我感到鼓舞 她被称为 伟大, 显著, 富有 和 富裕, 引用一些译本 她确实是一个非凡的人, 被认为是伟大, 因为她有许多属灵品质 ( 她的简朴, 好客, 慷慨, 亲切, 满足, 诚信等等 ) 她是敬虔和精明, 虽然以利沙并没有告诉她他是先知, 但她感觉到他是一位神人 她公开邀请以利沙每次经过, 可以在她家中吃饭 她不仅慷慨款待代表神的以利沙, 她也在家里为先知准备了一个房间, 等他需要的时候就给他住 她的生活方式是显而易见的讨神的喜悦, 因为她在生活中经历了许多神迹, 其中一个是得儿子的神迹 虽然她对以利沙施与是没有期待任何回报, 但以利沙向她说了一个预言, 她将会有一个儿子 ( 王下 4:17) 这个神迹性的儿子长大, 有一天当他与父亲在田里工作的时候, 他病倒了 你所经历的任何神迹不一定是没有挑战! 当她唯一的儿子在她的膝上死了, 她面对着她生命中最大的危机 请注意她立即的回应 她把儿子放在先知以利沙的床上, 在她为他预备的房间里 她就和仆人一起出发, 去寻找神人 她想把事情交托给神 ( 以利沙 ) 她信靠以利沙, 她选择凭自己的信心行事, 相信不管怎样以利沙有办法解决! 圣经说, 以利沙看见那妇人乘著车来到, 就叫他的仆人去迎接她, 对她说 : 你平安吗? 你丈夫平安吗? 孩子平安吗? 她说 : 平安 ( 王下 4:26) 以利沙问书念母亲的三个问题的排序非常重要 以利沙没有随意地问 他问的第一个问题是 你平安吗?, 或 你好吗, 而不是 你的儿子好吗? 他的第二个问题是 你的丈夫平安吗? 或 你的配偶好吗?? 第三, 以利沙问 : 16 MAY 2017 CALVARYNEWS 你的孩子平安吗? 或 你的孩子好吗? 问题的顺序反映出在我们的生活和关系中, 安排优先次序的重要性 请注意, 第二个问题是 你的配偶好吗?, 其次是 你的孩子好吗? 如果妻子投资于夫妻关系, 婚姻美好, 家庭关系就会健康, 孩子就不会被忽视 要处理的最重要问题是 你好吗? 神最关心的是你, 如他对他的每一个孩子, 无论你是谁, 你做什么, 年龄多大 我们的健康幸福是与我们与神的关系有关 在我们可以善于其他关系之前, 我们必须与神有一个良好的关系 在我们的上下文中, 这个书念妇人是一个妻子和母亲 通常做母亲的可以有一个 弥赛亚 / 救赎者的态度, 总是把家里的其他人放在第一位, 把自己放在最后 对母亲的信息是, 先照顾自己, 然后才能照顾他人 这适用于每一个神的孩子! 自我关顾 / 关爱自己是非常重要的大约 15 年前,Kim Cho 博士在我们的一个妇女大会上分享, 我还记得她以这个问题作为她的信息的开始 她问 : 谁应该吃在桌上的好食物? 是你的孩子吗? 是你的丈夫吗? 她的答案是 : 不, 是你 她的理由是 : 你必须先照顾好自己, 才能照顾别人 一个母亲必须身体强健才能照顾她的家人 她的良好忠告与以利沙所关心的事一致 以利沙最要紧的事是这个书念妇人的灵 魂和身体的健康幸福 如果她健康安好, 她的丈夫会很好, 她的孩子会很好和她的家将是一个平安的庇护所, 并且她的所有其他关系都会很好 书念妇人对以利沙的问题的回应这书念妇人因她的儿子死亡而心乱不安 圣经说 : 她心里愁苦 ( 王下 4:27 ), 另一译本说她 心灵悲痛苦恼 然而, 当以利沙问她的情况时, 她的回答是 平安 一切都很好 她很肯定, 自信和坚定地回答 为什么她能够如此宣告呢? 这是信心的宣告 让我们从她儿子去世的那一刻开始探索她自己的信心之旅 在她儿子去世后, 圣经说 : 呼叫她丈夫说 : 你叫一个仆人给我牵一匹驴来, 我要赶去见神人, 然后回来 丈夫说 : 今日不是初一, 也不是安息日, 你为何要到他那里去呢? 妇人说 : 平安无事 ( 王下 4:22-23) 她只知道她必须寻找代表神的以利沙 她想把她的儿子交托给神 首先, 请注意她是如何回应丈夫的询问关于找以利沙的挑战 她说 : 将平安无事 ( 王下 4:23), 这是未来时态, 将 这是她表达她对神的盼望和信靠 这是超出了她的控制和能力, 她想把事情交托给以利沙 其次, 请注意她是如何命令她的仆人的 : 走, 赶紧走, 除非我吩咐你, 不要为了我而慢下来 ( 王下 4:24) 当她在走时, 对她一定是充满挑战性, 不知道她能不能找到以利沙, 但是她的信心没有松懈 她一路继续前进去寻找以利沙, 她在逆境中坚持地信靠神 同样地, 在我们的信心之旅中, 无论我们为何事相信神, 都会有挑战和困难 但是, 我们必须不断努力前进而不是放慢速度 我们决不能受诱惑转身回去和停止信靠神 第三, 当她抵达并在旅途结束时亲自见到先知, 她能够宣告 : 平安无事 ( 王下 4:26), 现在时态, 不是, 将平安无事 ( 未来 ) 一路上, 她的盼望和信心加上行动 ( 旅程 ) 增长到一个地步, 她知道她死去的儿子将会再次得到生命 在先知 ( 代表神 ) 的面前, 她被改变了 同样对于我们来说, 当我们来到神的面前, 说到我们与神的亲密和与他的正确关系, 我们 一切都平安无事 神总是尊重我们的信心! 他知道我们在信心之旅中所经历的事情, 我们可以完全信靠他

17 Baby Dedication David Lim Wee Gin and Grace Lim Soo Yong with their baby Esther Lim Siiz Qiixz, together with the grandparents, Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Ng Lay Swee and Professor Lim Tiong Koon Amani John Mayage and Kobagize Nkone Dissa Enos with their baby Micaella Amani Mayage q Mark 10:13-16 TLB 13 Once when some mothers were bringing their children to Jesus to bless them, the disciples shooed them away, telling them not to bother him. 14 But when Jesus saw what was happening he was very much displeased with his disciples and said to them, Let the children come to me, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as they. Don t send them away! 15 I tell you as seriously as I know how that anyone who refuses to come to God as a little child will never be allowed into his Kingdom. 16 Then he took the children into his arms and placed his hands on their heads and he blessed them. Parents who bring their children for dedication, the very act signify their faith in the Christian way of life. They also indicate their desire that their children should grow up to know the Lord, to live according to His will, and to live eternally in the blessedness which God has decreed for those who love Him. The act of dedication does not automatically make the 神在问 你好吗 这不是一个多余的问题 神在乎你 就 像先知以利沙关心那妇人 这就是为什 么她能够回应 平安无事 尽管事 实上 她的心里烦恼 和另一个翻译说 她的心灵痛苦 这个问题还没有 解决 她的儿子在家里死了 对她来说 非常痛苦 但她仍然信靠 对我们大家 的信息是 无论生活的现实如何 凭信 心行事 信靠神一切事皆会变好 神看 到我们正在经历的一切 困难和痛苦的 情况 而他赋权我们得胜 圣诗 我心灵得安宁 是由一位热诚 忱的信徒Horatio Spafford 当他在海 上丧失去了四个女儿之后写的 这是 他胜过悲伤和在悲剧中丧失一切的见 证 他写道 q children Christians, instead it is a point of beginning in which parents have committed their children to God for His care in matters beyond human wisdom, understanding and enters in partnership with the Church to teach them early to fear the Lord, to direct their mind to Holy scripture, their feet to the sanctuary, their hearts to Christ as Saviour, to bring them up in the nurture and admonishment of the Lord. 有时享平安 如江河又平稳 有时忧伤来似浪滚 不论何环境 主已教导我说 我心灵得安宁 得安宁 神的平安 平静和信心 他们都信靠和 与神有良好的关系 他爱我们和总是将 最好的赐给我们 你可以释放你所有的 心灵苦痛 并宣告 将平安无事 未来时态 并选择向前进 并宣告 平安无事 那就是今天的信心行 动 撒但虽来侵 众试炼虽来临 但有福确据在我心 基督已顾念 我乏助之困境 甘流血救赎我 赐安宁 我心灵得安宁 的第一和第二节 无论你面对的是什么 无论是悲伤 失 去职位 还是财务或财产 而这样的例 子不胜枚举 你可以选择像书念母亲和 Horatia Gates Spafford一样回应 他 们没有被悲剧打倒 但他们得到胜利 书念的妇人经历了神复活的大能 通过 死去的儿子的复活 Spafford体验到了 On 9 April 2017, these parents came with gratefulness in their hearts for the little ones which God has placed in their care. Senior Pastors Prince and Petrina Guneratnam dedicated these two babies to the Lord and prayed for the parents and the grandparents. 作为神的儿女 我们被定位得胜利 没 有什么事是超越神能胜过的 当他与你 同在 和在你里面 在你的争战中 你就得胜 当他在家庭危机中与你同在 你就得胜 圣经说 神是我们的避 难所 是我们的力量 是我们在患难中 随时的帮助 诗46 1 以上经文是采用中文圣经和合本修订版

18 INTRODUCING CHURCH MINISTRY CALVARY LIFE MINISTRY (CLM) CLM was established in 1993 as a non-profit counselling and care centre that contributes to the well-being of our community through the means of counselling and care giving. Our services are provided on a free will donation basis so that no one would be turned away because of their inability to afford counselling services. CLM Volunteers Workshop on Psychology of Making Good Decisions All our services are open to anyone regardless of their race and religion. Counselling Individual, marital, pre-marital, family and children counselling. Preventive Education Community workshops and seminars. Assessment CLM is licensed to use PREPARE, a very well-researched and well-used tool in pre-marital assessment. Spiritual Direction Individual, spiritual formation groups (for Christians only). Trainings For general public and professional training for counselling practitioners. very fulfilling and I thank God for using me and all that I have been through to be a vessel of blessing to others for His glory. Samuel Kurian (volunteer counsellor since 2004) I am tremendously blessed every time I see counselees who are courageous to step forward to address problems and patterns of behaviour that interferes with their lives. I am mindful that there were times I experienced situations and emotions that I could not make sense of. But knowing that God is always here for me is a 18 MAY 2017 CALVARYNEWS Workshop on Emotional Intelligence TESTIMONIES OF COUNSELEES WHO HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY Tutor These sessions have been a miracle. My wife and I still need help, but the counsellor has helped us a lot! Counselling should be taken as a health check and not just to fix problems. TESTIMONIES OF VOLUNTEERS WHO SERVE IN THIS MINISTRY Lucy Yee (volunteer counsellor since 2008) My involvement in marital counselling has helped me to further understand myself and my own marriage. It is an on-going journey of self-discovery and courage to see my own flaws and imperfections, and address underlying issues that cause me to react negatively. Some techniques I learned in counselling have further enhanced my relationship with my spouse. This ministry is hand to serve communities. Since joining the team, I feel like a wine maker, no fussing allowed over the barrel of wine, holding myself back to just wait. By His grace, my patience has increased many folds! Group dicussion during workshop privilege that I have as a child of God. Being in CLM is my way of serving Him joyfully and by God s grace it will be a blessing and testimony to someone. Carol Yong (volunteer for outreach project since 2014) Being a process painting facilitator is a whole new arena of serving! We are a mixed bag of individuals coming together to be silent sentinels on Manager CLM has helped me to improve communication with my spouse which in turn helps to strengthen my marriage. Executive The help given to me as a parent with regards to my teenage child was very useful. For more information, visit our website at or call /61 or at clm@clm.org.my.

19 WATER BAPTISM 24 Congratulations to 28 Calvarites who followed the Lord in water baptism on 8 April 2017 at the Saturday Worship Service at Calvary Damansara Heights. May you continue to grow from faith to faith in your journey with the Lord Saturday, 13 May am Multipurpose & Banquet Hall, Calvary Convention Centre Indulge in an exquisite lunch experience, enjoy the fashion parade organized by the Hidden Treasure, and hear powerful testimonies of God s grace and faithfulness Royce Lim Ee Tat Jojo Lim Xi Rou Bryan Lim E Hang Wong Yoke Wong Ah Mooi Ho Foong Ling Crystal Quah Hian Kiet Lim Choon Wei Caroline Phua Yuin Hueii Carin Chow Mee Kim Foong Yar Zee Deborah Yuwendra Kumar a/l Ramaling Jazreel Edwin Kumar Edison Phua Xiong Yi Eddie Phua Joo Chai Foong Yar Lee Kimberly Patricia Adrina a/p Elias Sandy, Chan Yann Sang Chong Yi Jie, Joanne Chong Yi Yu, Grace Andrew, Tan Khai Ching Siv Sav Danny, Soh Teck Leong Jamie, Cheah Chin Chin Benjamin Tay Wei Ye Angeline, Cheah Pee Yee Rachel, Tan Kai Xin Thaddeus, Tan Wei Zhe Abigail, Tan Kai Xuan Blood Donation Drive Date: Time: Venue: Date: Time: Venue: For more information on water baptism, you can call the church office at ext 434. Mother s Day Luncheon 25 Sunday, 28 May am pm Calvary Convention Centre A single pint can save three lives, A single gesture can create a million smiles.

20 WORSHIP SCHEDULE MAY 2017 SATURDAY AT 5.00PM Calvary Damansara Heights 06 Associate Pastor Raymond Yong Communion 13 Associate Pastor Chan Lee Peng 20 Associate Pastor Peter Ong 27 Associate Pastor Yong Chee Weng SUNDAY AT 9.00AM Calvary Convention Centre 07 Senior Pastor Prince Guneratnam Communion 14 Senior Associate Pastor Petrina Guneratnam Mother s Day 21 Associate Pastor David Seah Membership Intake 28 Associate Pastor Peter Ong Youth Fellowship (CY Nights) Dates: Saturdays, 6 & 20 May 2017 Time: Venue: 7:30pm Calvary Damansara Heights Mother s Day Service Date: Sunday, 14 May 2017 Time: 9.00am Venue: Calvary Convention Centre Speaker: Senior Associate Pastor Petrina Guneratnam Church Camp 2017 Date: Monday-Thursday, 5-8 June 2017 Venue: Rainbow Paradise Beach Resort, Penang Speakers: Bishop Mosa Sono (English) Rev. Paul Ch ng (Chinese) Father s Day Service Date: Sunday, 18 June 2017 Time: 9.00am Venue: Calvary Convention Centre Speaker: Senior Pastor Prince Guneratnam CALVARY CHURCH (Assemblies of God) CHRIST-CENTRED EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY 2 Jalan Damansara Endah, Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia CALVARY CONVENTION CENTRE 1 Jalan Jalil Perkasa 1, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: Website: @calvary.org.my Senior Pastor Rev. Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Prince Guneratnam