I've never seen a generous person who wasn't happy.
God simply loves to shower blessings on the generous.
Be generous to someone today.

Grace and I celebrated our 25th Anniversary recently at the beautiful Pangkor Laut Resort. The great service, gourmet food and the spa and massage made us feel truly pampered. This holiday was like another honeymoon for us (hee...hee..), but certainly much better this time in so many ways because our love for each other has grown deeper and richer because we faced so many challenges together through these 25 years that have made us appreciate and grateful for each other. Grace is truly my lucky star. Without her love, encouragement and belief, I would not have done or become who I am today. I am so thankful for her. With wonderful children like Sarah and Nicholas and with such a great church family, I could not have asked for more. I just want to thank God for everything.

It's only as we become open about our lives that we experience authentic fellowship. The Bible says, "If we live in the light, as God is in the light, we can share fellowship with each other..." (1 John 1:7-8 NCV). It happens when people get honest about who they are and what is happening in their lives. They share their hurts, reveal their feelings, confess their failures, disclose their doubts, admit their fears, acknowledge their weaknesses, and ask for help and prayer. Of course, being authentic requires both courage and humility. It means facing our fear of exposure, rejection, and being hurt again. Why would anyone take such a risk? Because it's the only way to grow spiritually and be emotionally healthy. The Bible says, "Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed" (James 5:16 MSG)- Adapted from Rick Warren's Devotional

New Life's first mission trip to Cambodia- 1994

My heart of laughter brings health to my body (Pro 7:22). I can laugh in every situation because my Father is in control. His goodness will prevail in every area of my life. His love makes me confident for the future.

Pictures of Grace's plants around the house

At the time of writing, the H1N1 virus or Swine Flu has nearly reached pandemic proportions.
11 countries are already affected and nearly 300 people are confirmed cases. In times like this, it is good to return to the word of God and know that God's people do not need to fear.

God has assured His people that He is our hiding place, our strong tower, our refuge and our fortress.
When we put our trust in the Lord, He will shield us, protect us, hide us and deliver us from any plague.

Ps Chris Leong, Ps Richard Toh and I did the fifth LPPKN (Lembaga Penduduk dan Pembangunan Keluarga Negara) Smartstart Program Praperkahwinan at the Tropicana Golf Club. So far we have taken more than 50 couples through this pre-marital program which is highly subsidized by the Government. The couples only pay RM60 which include materials and two buffet meals and one tea break. The Cantonese will say 'ho die'- very worth it. The lessons which are very critical to a successful marriage include 1. Our expectations 2. Our Love Language 3. Conflict Resolution 4. Finance 5. Sex 6. Understanding our partner's upbringing (which impacted a great deal on his present personality and behaviour). If you are planning to get married or if you are newly married, please contact my secretary, Shirley Tan and she will help you make the arrangements. This investment will be much worth your while.

Last Saturday, Grace and I invited Hana, Pastor Patrick, Bee Long and one of Grace' work colleagues, Ron Renten to a performance of the Malaysian Philharmonic. This is maybe my fifth time to the MPO and I continue to be fascinated by the wonderful music that comes from such perfect synchronisation and harmony from an orchestra of violins, drums, tubas, flutes, cellos, bassoons, horn etc (thanks to Hana, I can at least identify some of them). We listened to the 1911 Russian revolution through music. It was a treat!!

On Tuesday night, I joined Grace as she hosted SHE (Safety, Health and Environment) managers from all over the world for a dinner cruise around the Putrajaya Lake. The buffet catered by Shangri-la was nice and the mood and conversation was relaxing. It was an enjoyable experience as we went on the deck after dinner to take in the night scenes around the lake. At the end of the cruise, one thing I told myself is to read up on PutraJaya so that I will be more knowledgeable when taking visitors there. This is the pride and joy of the nation and I need to be conversant on it.

Rick Warren- You must decide you will look to God only as your source of supply. You need to tell God that you're going to look to Him alone to provide for your needs and that you won't look anywhere else.We get ourselves in trouble when we confuse the channel with the source. God may use your paycheck from work as the channel to supply your needs, but your employer is just the channel for God's provision—and God can shift to another channel anytime he wants

You can discover more about someone through one hour of play than many hours of conversation.
Plato

While driving home after my haircut today, I was pleasantly surprised to hear an interview on BFM of the positive effects of FUN (one of our themes in New Life) on productivity, turnover and profitability.

I am not a 'FUN' person so this will be one of my personal goals this year.
I also want to help our church folks enjoy church and also serve with joy and happiness.

Fun stimulates Creativity.

Do you go to church out of a sense of Privilege or do you do it out of a sense of Patronage?

"To patronise a church is a dreadful attitude as if God needs you- God can do perfectly well without you.
It is a privilege to belong to a church; we do not patronise it, we do not support it,
we count it a privilege to draw grace and love
from Christ through fellowship."
David Pawson again.

"I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing"

The Church of Laodicea

David Pawson wrote, "You only have a live prayer meeting in a church when people in the church feel they need God. If you do not feel you need God, you do not go to the prayer meeting. If the church does not feel the need every week of God's grace they do not get on their knees for it."

BE A GREAT COMMISSION CHRISTIAN

Dear Church,

Do you realize that God is a missionary and he expects us all to be a missionary in one form or another?


He left the comfort of His throne in heaven and came to earth in order to save us. This is the extent of His great love for us.


Today is Missions Sunday. This Sunday is especially dedicated to give every New Lifer an opportunity to be a 'missionary' whether in kind, in encouragement and prayer or being part of a missions' team to another nation.


Blessing nations is one of the three vision statements of our church and I encourage every one of us to be part of it. The harvest truly is plenteous as we approach the Day of the Lord.


Rick Warren wrote, "More and more people need to find the Lord as their lives are being embroiled with the conflicts happening in every nation all over the world. People are most receptive to God when they are under tension or in transition. Because the rate of change is increasing in our world, more people are open to hearing the good news now than ever before."Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it" (Habakkuk 1:5 NLT)


These are excellent opportunities for us to touch the nations and because of your participation, New Life is touching nations- in our own nation of Malaysia, in India, China, Thailand, Russia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Australia etc.


The Gospel of the Lord is doing exciting things all over the world.


"This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives..." (Colossians 1:6 NLT).


Plan and save up for a mission trip this year. One mission trip can do more to boost your christian faith than many sermons. Your heart will be enlarged and you will experience the reality of God.


Church, Let’s be a Great Commission Christian and link hands together to touch the nations for the Lord.


Love,
Pastor Ron Hee

WELCOME TO YOUR NEW LIFE!!

Dear Folks,

Welcome to New Life!

We hope today will be the beginning of the best days of your life!

Those of you who know me know that I am a Rick Warren and a Rick Joyner fan. The former helps me with pastoral/apostolic wisdom and the latter with prophetic insights. A few days ago, I managed to catch Larry King's interview with Rick Warren on CNN.

In one segment, RW spoke about how, even in this challenging economic climate, everyone of us still needs three things: to find meaning in life, connections in relationships and relief in our stressed-up life and that is why churches and places like bars and movie theatres will continue to be popular.

Man is made for relationships and of course, we all know that true connections can only be found, not in a casual chat in a bar over a drink but in relationships that are genuine because we care for one another. We hope you will find it here in New Life.

I like good movies. I watched the movie Slumdog Millionaire with my daughter just before she left for Australia to do her final year of her studies. For those of you who saw it, you will know what I mean when I say there is one toilet scene that gave much 'relief'' to my disgust!

All of us know that relief derived from a movie is ok for two hours and when we come out of the theatre, we are once again faced with the unresolved issues in our lives.

If you are looking for relief that is permanent, I have good news for you. The Easter sermon this morning will help you discover the true source of relief and provide you the answer to the challenges in your life right now and to great security and hope for the future.

We value every individual that God brings to us and we are committed to bring each one up to one’s full destiny and potential in God.

If you are new to us this morning, we aim to help you in five areas of your life:

We want to help build your Faith so that you will experience the sufficiency of God in every challenge in life, discover true meaning for your life and have great hope for the future.

We want to help build your Families so that they will be able to live emotionally wholesome lives and succeed in all of life's endeavors.

We want to help you build and develop true abiding Friendships so that you will discover and find genuine relationships that are mutually uplifting and fulfilling.

We want to help you experience Financial blessings so that others may be blessed through you for God's glory and so that God's work will prosper.

We want to introduce the element of Fun in all areas of your life so that you will discover that life with God is enjoyable, pleasurable and full.

The Lord bless you.
Love, Pastor Ron and Grace Hee.

GOD IS TOUCHING HEARTS AT NEW LIFE

These last couple of weeks have brought much gladness to my heart to see the Lord touching different ones so tangibly that they(and we) can't help but be emotional.

Grace and I were talking to a new believer two weeks ago and we were simply amazed at the transformation that has came over her. One day she was utterly frustrated at her 'naughty' children and the next (after accepting the Lord), she was filled with love for them and instead of yelling and screaming at them, she now speaks to them with much gentleness and patience. Even the folks in her house (her mom-in-law and husband) are looking at her with disbelief. She told us that she now goes to sleep with so much joy in her heart and she just could not keep the tears from flowing out.

I saw another new believer last Sunday hugging her sister and friends with tears in her eyes and with so much joy.... just before she got baptized. The sister that she brought to church, just to witness the baptism, committed her life to Jesus at the morning service and I am sure the tears were both for her sister as well as for herself for the privilege of following the Lord in the step of obedience.

After the service, i was shaking hands with three sisters in the Life-Cafe and two of them had just recently given their hearts to the Lord because they saw the miracles that God did in their father who recently went for a triple bypass surgery. The signs of God's wonder were too clear for them to deny the reality of Christ and they had no hesitation to give their lives to the Lord.

Many of us heard Sis Judy's teary and emotional testimony of how Jesus gave her strength to overcome the many challenges and burdens in her life. She has finally found what she has been looking for all her life....

I was at the baptism pool side hugging the different baptism candidates as they came out of the water and I tell you, I had the best seat in the house. My nice, crisp long sleeve shirt may be soaked by the hugs but I count it such a privilege of being their spiritual father.

One sister was so overcome by the experience that she has to take a few minutes to sobbed with the towel covering her face. The daughter was in tears as she observed her mother being so emotional as the Lord lifted the burdens from her shoulders.

I was especially filled with joy to see a 60-something couple, a doctor and his wife, taking that step of obedience to commit their lives to God. The Lord has touched them and helped him overcomed his many initial doubts and i just cannot describe the gladness in my heart as I see them stepped into the baptism pool.

Another couple that recently came to the Lord has been attending our church for the last year- as non- Christians. They finally gave their hearts to the Lord two weeks ago and I was so happy for them. The fact that they were able to come weekly for one whole year without feeling alienated for being non-christians made me feel so proud of our folks in New Life.

There is such a grace for salvation in the church that I am so amazed. Every church needs fresh fire and wood and the Lord of the Harvest is truly at work here. Just a couple weeks ago, the ladies had a fun afternoon and some testimonies and even in that simple setting, three people came to know the Lord. All glory to the Lord Almighty. He is mighty to save!!!

Thank You, Lord!!!

Grace recently celebrated her 50th birthday.
One of the presents she received was this Nikon camera which just put a wide grin on her face.
She just loves cameras.

"A Christian is one who recognizes Jesus as the Christ,

the Son of the living God,

as God manifested in the flesh,

loving us and dying for our redemption and

who is so affected by a sense of the love of this incarnate God

as to be constrained to make the will of Christ the rule of his obedience and

the glory of Christ the great end for which he lives."

Charles Hodge, 19th century Reformed theologian

Philip, Jaecie and Jeffery were members of our cell group during the early years of the church.
We are so proud that they have taken the challenge to plant the church in Cheras. It's always a joy when we see them during church functions. it's like meeting up with good old friends. We remained close even after so many years of serving in different churches.

How do you fulfill the destiny you were created for?

Let God take hold of your life!!

David was a shepherd boy but when God got a hold of his life, He turned him into a King- the destiny that God has created David for.

Emmanuel Adelbayor was a sickly paralysed boy but when God took hold of his life, He became one of the most wanted footballer whom God now used to testify of His Name.

Kaka's wish and ambition was just to play for Sao Paulo but when God took hold of his life, he became the 2007 Fifa Footballer of the year.

Yours truly truly had no ambition in life but when God took hold of my life, he turned this boy from a one-street town to being the senior pastor of a church that is impacting nations and touching lives.

Why are many Christians ineffective in their faith?

They believe that God is powerful but why isn't the power of God revealed in their lives?

The answer is this:

They are not convinced that God is on their side.

Are you convinced that God for you?

Is the Father for the child?

Is the mother for her baby?

Banish your orphan and slave mindset once and forever.

And believe that God that is for Moses and Joshua is for you and He will never leave your side now and forever more.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are by my side."

Mat 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

I am born again and conceived of the Holy Spirit.

God is my Father.

I live daily in His love. Love is the motivation behind my every action in life.

I will see miracles.

"Kindness is not giving what someone deserves but what he needs"

Rick Warren