Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness…
Hi, my name is Ming Sheng. I testify of Gods faithfulness to His promises.
Last year, during our 15th anniversary, we had our usual anniversary giving as well as the building fund for where we meet today. Leading up to that day, I was praying, asking God of an amount to give. He gave me a figure, but I thought to myself, God.. are you serious? Or is this my own mind? At the same time, me and a few brothers in Christ were planning for a trip to Japan. I was really looking forward to it, as I have not travelled since I came to KL to study. The last time was a family holiday to Hong Kong in 2010. After that trip I renewed my passport and the pages were empty and about to expire at the end of 2015.
After hearing from God, although I wasn’t fully convicted of the amount to give, I told my fellow brothers, sorry guys I don’t think I can join u all on the Japan trip.. As I continued to pray, God affirmed the amount and it was exactly my entire bonus for last year. I did struggle, as I really wanted some time off from my work as an auditor, after working tirelessly for 1 and a half years. At the same time, I felt the peace of God, as I was reminded that He only gives to us what we can handle. I was also reminded that He is a God that gives and takes away.. and that big amount of bonus was a result of His blessing, which I was able to testify last year that God blessed with a high rating of 4.5/5.
Learning this principles again, I reminded myself that there is a season and timing for everything and rest is not just found in travelling, getting out of work, but every time I step into the presence of God, that is rest.
After receiving my bonus, I gave it to the offering and rest my case.
In the audit line, we will usually rotate between different managers to get a better exposure. 1 week after the anniversary giving, my current boss asked me.. do you want to continue to work for me after this period which I was supposed to move on to work with another manager. I asked him, what job will I be involved in? He refused to tell me and told me to think about it. For some reason, I felt the peace of God to answer him yes.
He then told me that he wants to send me to US in April. Later I found out It wasn’t me that was supposed to go. The senior in charge at that point was about to resign and my boss wanted to bless him with this last overseas working experience. But he didn’t want to go, because he was afraid of flying, after the 2 airplane crash incidents. God simply blew my mind..
God knows and gives you what you need, not what you want..
Last year, from my intended 1 trip to Japan, thinking to be going on to the 6th year without any holiday, God blessed me with 5 overseas trips, 3 times to US for work – 3 weeks in april, 3 weeks in July, and 1 and a half months in December.. 1 time to Korea and 1 time to Thailand with a friend. All in all, the expenses from visa, to flights, hotel stay, allowances, were more than 10 fold of what I gave. I learned that God gives you what u need.. Not only was I able to gain international experience which is valuable, I experience something I have not felt before in my life, so much fun to be able to spend money without having to think a lot how much it cost.. as a foodie, I had a client that was really familiar with all the best foods locally, brought me for lunch daily. As a result, whatever allowances I had was for travelling to Chicago, Washington, New York, Paris (during my 12 hour transit time) + shopping.
All glory and gratefulness and thanks to God! I thought that was over as God had already blessed me way and above what I could even imagine. This year, I was reminded of the building fund that I gave back when I first joined acts church. I didn’t know much about cameras back then and the money I had from my Form 6 scholarship I wanted to get a hand held camera, but was instead given to the building fund. I totally forgot about that, but I learned that God never forgets.. even to the smallest dream/desire that you have.
Up until this year, I do not own a camera. From the money I managed to save from not having to spend any of my own money during those US trips, and this year, entering into my 7th year serving in Acts church and Acts TV specifically, this week I managed to buy a Sony A7s.
Truly our God’s plans are perfect. And to finish how I started.. the most valuable lesson I learned through this experience.. refining what I understood above this verse, God is after our hearts, to Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.. while so many times I catch myself focusing more of “all these things/blessings/desires”.. I’m thankful to God to that I have moved on from “Seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness so that all these things will be added unto me” to Seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
I would like to end with Matthew 6:25-33
Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 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.
My hope and prayer even as we enter into a year of double portion.. is to hear the testimonies and breakthroughs of each of you, my brothers and sisters, as you decide today in your hear to seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. And I know that God will add all these things to you.
Thank you. Mario Edwards Jr Jersey Darian Thompson Authentic Jersey