The water has stopped and a journey to be cleansed (Adran)

Genesis

¹⁷ For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. ¹⁸ The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. ¹⁹ They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. ²⁰ The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than fifteen cubits. ²¹ Every living thing that moved on land perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. ²² Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. ²³ Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.
²⁴ The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.

During my sickness, I had many people sharing dreams, prophesising to us based on the convenant of the flood (rainbow)to our situation, even I saw a a landing on a rainbow in front of my hospital bed. I know God's intention is not to condemn but to cleanse so we can have a future. With this being our affirmation, we continue to leave another day.

I was in hospital since 3rd Oct and I am now back at home since 11th Oct. During my time in hospital, that was no doubt my physical lowest point. the 8 days in the hospital. I have lost half of my lung capacity, I haven't been eating and sleeping for over a month, the pain was not been managed. T

Nevertheless, He alone is my fortress. His divine provision is equally real. He continues to make minor adjustments bringing extra layour of comfort to my situaiton everyday. I still lost my left lung capacity but this is caused by the disease which can only be treated via Chemotherapy.

Now I am finally home, I feel as if the rain has stopped , the next to come will be a time of long term cleansing and recovery required.  

I found myself, I have to re-learn everything, starting from A,B,C.................I need to  relearned how to eat, how to walk, how to sleep, how to control pains, the entire family dynamics in how each one of one work together needs change too. how to do devoption, how to tak to God,  We pray whenever we can as a family and learn to support one another in a practical, emotional and spiritual way. 

There is no doubt that this incident has brought my family together spiritually.


Prayer items,
I will be seeing my oncologist on 20th Oct, she will decide if I am fit to take the next Chemotherarpy, 
I have 7 days to get back to a better physical strength to prove it to her that my physical can take the toil. This means, I need to eat, walk and eat more...

Consider it Pure Joy (Adrian)

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, 
whenever you face trials of many kinds, 
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 
Perseverance must finish its work 
so that you may be mature and complete, 
not lacking anything. -- James 1:2-4 

I am no where near this yet, still going through the same physical and emotional struggles but these are the thoughts going through my mind. I am learning to rejoice in whatever situations. (Please remember this in your prayer)

• We all expect life and ministries to go a certain way, 
• Even healing, to be done in a certain way, in a certain order. 
• If it doesn't go with the way we expect, we thought God is not hearing our prayer.
• We all want immediate fixes with as little pains as possible.
• Often, this kind of mentality remove an element of perserverance and growth that can only be nurtured through many trials. 
• Some of these trials are there for my/our own good and they are necessary.

Even in church

• People often coming from a culture seeking for what's the best to offer in the market with as minimal effort to plug in as possible. 
• Some of the church activities are aiming to do exactly the same, they are not necesssarily bad but a church also needs to learn how to breed mature faith with deep perseverance .  
• Failing this, we are breeding a culture of people no longer coming to church seeking to serve but rather to BE served. 
• When there is a better speaker somewhere, they will switch to a better field momentarily. There is no deep committment to Jesus, His calling and the community where a deeper love can only be growth within a deeply bonded and committed community.

Shared with you a sermon from Francis Chan - 

• Since I couldn't go to the church yesterday, this was my Sunday worship.  
• The Task -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2Dqc8-42tI&t=3346s.

Francis Chan visited one of the underground church in Church,  and they shared about the 5 pillars of their church foundations. 

1. Deep committment in prayer
2. Deep Committment on the word of God
3. Preaching of the gospel where everyone is preaching on the gospel
4. Regular expectation of miracles
5. Followers Embrace Suffering for the Glory of the Christ

Very insightful......
He said when people actually embrace suffering, you have an unstoppable force.
What can they do to you....



Concept of suffering

• " Why people quit on ministries? because it is too often hard. Has anyone everyone encourage to rejoice through suffering?" Francis Chan said. 
• Think of the eternal reward that we are going to get. 
• It doesn't mean it's not hard but it is well worth it.
• Sometimes, this is part of the growth journey

The Convenant of the Rainbow (Adrian)

¹² And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: ¹³ I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. ¹⁴ Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, ¹⁵ I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. ¹⁶ Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
¹⁷ So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.” Gensis 9

Physical side remained the same today plus I had diarrheaa all day long, part of the side effect of a drug that I am taking. 

But God gave me a few assessories upgrade. Due to the pain, it was impossible to find a position where I can sit and sleep comfortably, First God provided me with a super comfy chair in comparison to others today, Then he moved me to a different bed with a better mattress. 

From the new position, I saw a super clear rainbow landed onto a tree. A sign of God's affirmation of His convenant between Him and all mankind. And, also to me, the Rainbow is a sign to cleanse and complete rebuild.

By the end of today, I was moved to a single room with a private TV, a comfy chair and a comfy mattress. 

How Good He is to me!! I didn't even ask for this. He knows what I need.

Also today a brother sent me a text message - 
Quoting a few things - including convenant of Rainbow, this is so that we can have a future. plus Psalm 84.

What an affirmation from God !!!!!

Pay attention to verse 6-7 and verse 12 below....

Psalm 84 

¹ How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty!

² My soul yearns, even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.
³ Even the sparrow has found a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
    Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
⁴ Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
    they are ever praising you.

⁵ Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
⁶ As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;
    the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
⁷ They go from strength to strength,
    till each appears before God in Zion.

⁸ Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty;
    listen to me, God of Jacob.
⁹ Look on our shield, O God;
    look with favor on your anointed one.

¹⁰ Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
¹¹ For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
    from those whose walk is blameless.

¹² Lord Almighty,
    blessed is the one who trusts in you.

Walking Through the Valley of Death (Adrian)

Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

In the past week, it was like walking through the valley of death, my left lung has collapsed, I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, in pain, breathless and totally exhausted. I have never been this physically low in my life. There is no light in the tunnel apart from clinging onto His rod and staff, these are my only comfort. 

As I am journeying into the valley, the journey was as hard as anyone could have imagined. God didn't make it easy for me BUT His Rod and His Staff is just as equally real, divine and powerful.

So many things happening in the space of this week confiming that again, again and again, the Father that I follow is so Good to me.

My brother and his girlfriend plus Christine's sister came to visit me from HK and Peijing yesterday. God opened up a door for me to share my faith with them, something that I have been praying about for the last 30 years. God gave me an opportunity to pray with them individually in my death valley moment. How great is this!

Last night, I regained a little strength, God prompt me to pray for the patients in my ward, 2 of them are very critical and has been restless the previous night. I prayed for life over death in the ward, I prayed for peace over restless. Last night, we had the most peaceful night while I am in hospital. How faithful is this!

This morning, I started the day with my morning devotion, God gave me Psalm 18, I read through the whole chapter. 

 verse from below
¹² Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
    with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
¹³ The Lord thundered from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded^.

Yesterday, as I was transported to another hospital for an emergency radiotherapy, I saw a blasing sun cut throught the the dark clouds . What a confirmation!

¹⁷ He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.
¹⁸ They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
    but the Lord was my support.

Then, God prompted me to pray for my generational sins and curse, where there is a pattern of pre-mature deathness in the line of the family. Both my parents died in my 20s, one of my uncle and auntie died left with 2 teenager girls years ago. I repented, asked for forgiveness, breaking of bondage and healing in the family line.

I recommitted my life and my family to Jesus today and walk another day.

Pslam 18
1 I love you, Lord, my strength.

² The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
 called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
    and I have been saved from my enemies.
⁴ The cords of death entangled me;
    the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
⁵ The cords of the grave coiled around me;
    the snares of death confronted me.

⁶ In my distress I called to the Lord;
    I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
    my cry came before him, into his ears.
⁷ The earth trembled and quaked,
    and the foundations of the mountains shook;
    they trembled because he was angry.
⁸ Smoke rose from his nostrils;
    consuming fire came from his mouth,
    burning coals blazed out of it.
⁹ He parted the heavens and came down;
    dark clouds were under his feet.
¹⁰ He mounted the cherubim and flew;
    he soared on the wings of the wind.
¹¹ He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
    the dark rain clouds of the sky.
¹² Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
    with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
¹³ The Lord thundered from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded^.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
¹⁵ The valleys of the sea were exposed
    and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, Lord,
    at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

¹⁶ He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    he drew me out of deep waters.
¹⁷ He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.
¹⁸ They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
    but the Lord was my support.

Came through the Roof (Adrian)

Mark 2

2 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. ² They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. ³ Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. ⁴ Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”


Last week 4 dear friends of mine from Hong Kong came just to see and support me. The timing and the content of what we have shared was divine. They are like the 4 friends of the paralyzed men in the Story above. 

Last Saturday, I was leading a church Healing Prayer Meeting. Little that I know my left lung has already collpased at the point, I could barely moved and talked. These 4 friends essorted me to and back from the SOC church building giving me and Christine much emotional and practical support in the space of a few days just like so many others from our church community. 

I did what I could in the healing prayer meeting. But honestly not much, I was the most physically sick person in the room, about 60 attended the prayer meeting. The Lord came into His presences. May He continues to bring much healing to His church and people as each one coming forth to Him. 


Psalm 18

²⁵ To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
²⁶ to the pure you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.
²⁷ You save the humble
    but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.

God show great mercy to the one who is humble before Him. 
What are you waiting for?
Come and receive His mercy and healing......... 

My God is a Good Father (Adrian)

2 Corinthians 6:18 “And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

I am writing this in the hospital bed.

• Yesterday I have admitted to the hospital, my condition has worsen in the past few weeks. 
• My first line target drug has stopped working
• My biopsy result confirmed that I am not eligible for the next line target drug.
• Therefore my next line of treatment will be chemotherapy. 
• But, I am scheduled for a radiotherapy treatment tomorrow to tackle a couple of issues first.

Last night, opposite me in the same ward,

• There were 2 very sick old man, 
• One man looks very much in his passing, his entire family came around to visit him. The doctor is trying to explain his situation to them. 
• They were both in a much sedated condition.
• I was thinkng what was going through in their minds, I doubt very much.

Lack of capacity to process new things

• In the last few months, I was in quite a bit of physical pains. 
• In my naive mind, I was hoping to have a lot of quality devotions and quiet time in my sickness. In a way yes, but there is a severe lacking in mental capacity in taking on new things as my mental condition is constantly distracted by my physical condition.

Only thing to cling on to

• Under this kind of condition, my devotional need is retracted to one thing or one question only. My question is my God, the God that I believe, is He a Good Father ?
• If He is , He must be with me from the beginning to the end. that's all I care about and this ALL I need to know.
• Since there are few new insights to take on, I can only dig back to my memories, my previous walks with my Father, my high and lows, how He carries me through every time, how He brought everything to fruition in His perfect timing.
• My only conclusion to this question is My God, He has been a Good Father to me and He still is today in every single details.
• This is something that I wholeheartedly believe and I cannot deny
• This is the only thing that I am clinging onto and this is the only thing that I need to know.

Our Daily Walk

• Brothers and sisters, pay attention to your daily walk, devotion with the Father God.
• Every Little events that he has guided you, dig deep, make journal, build up your memory with the Father God as these memories are going to carry you to eternity.
• It is not something that you can just cramp in your last hours, cause you wouldn’t have time and mental capacity to do so.
•  
• Not only know your Father God in your mind, know Him in your Heart and Soul.
• He is a good Father, if we know what He has planned for us, we would not ask Him to take anything back.

Prayer List No.7 - When the ocean rise and thunders roar - 20/09/2017 (Christine)

We had been sailing in rough sea this past week....
The ocean is rising and thunders are roaring....

The doctor explained in details that the first line target treatment is no longer working - the cancer cell starts to mutate and worsen.  Adrian seems to be weaker everyday, losing weight and strength, and had not been able to eat much.   In moments of panic and fear, I struggled very hard to steer the boat across the high waves - in fact I realised that this boat is only a tiny portion of faith that I am hanging onto - and I began to have doubts and sinking down the sea....

Then I saw Jesus, amid the high winds and thunder storm, walking on the waves towards me and said 'Don't be afraid' ......

Like Peter I said to Jesus, asking Him to show me some kind of sign and confirmation, “If it is You, Lord, tell me to come to You on the water. ”  Indeed Jesus told me to come to Him.   Hence same as Peter I got out of the boat and walked on the water to Jesus.   But when I encountered the strong wind and high waves, I was afraid and I began to go down in the water.   I cried out to Jesus, “Lord, save me!”  and I felt Jesus put out His hand and took hold of me immediately....

Why did I doubt?
Meanwhile a few sisters share that the waves and water thrusting towards us are not to destroy but to CLEANSE, HEAL and RESTORE!  All I have to do is to keep on trusting Jesus and keep my eyes above the waves and focus on Him alone.

 Psalm 91 came back to me as a reassurance:
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

Please continue to pray for:

• Adrian to regain appetite and body strength to continue to fight the cancer.
• For the Lord to provide a good and effective second line target treatment.
• Our soul, heart and mind to focus totally on Jesus....

Thank you all for your continuous prayers and support - as Adrian said in his last post - what have we done to deserve all this love from you?  But in our hearts we are truly grateful!  

What have I done to deserve this? (Adrian)

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
    Your glory is higher than the heavens.
² You have taught children and infants
    to tell of your strength,
silencing your enemies
    and all who oppose you.

³ When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
    the moon and the stars you set in place—
⁴ what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Psalm 8

I know a lot of people are praying for me and my family. As I said, I am not used to all these attentions. But when one part of the body suffers, the whole body suffers. I am sorry to drag you into this. We are overwhelmed by the love, practial caring and messages by so many people and so many of you. 

What have I done to deserve all these loves from you all?

Just would like to say a deep deep "Thank you, thank you and thank you" from the bottom of my heart. "I am truly humbled and feel unworthy" My Father is an abundant Father, He has showed His abundant love to us through you.

I am deeply convicted that God is using my sickness for a purpose and I am trying to live through this purpose as faithfully as possible. 

God has opened doors for me which I can only go through in this physical condition. Therefore, I am setting my eyes on His wills, continue to pray for

• May His wills be done
• May He cleanse my mouth, my mind and hearts, so I am ready for His use in whatever condition.
• May His name be gloried with my serve.

While you are praying for my healing, I urge you to pray for greater things, 

• Our church and our families need healing
• praying for hearts revivials 
• praying for revivial of love, healing and restoration in His church and all of our families.
• praying for a renewal pledging of allegience to our Lord Jesus.
• prayng for a His Living Water, His refreshing love be pouring out to His body - It's only when people see we loved one another, they know Jesus and father God is in us. May we once again build His church on the foundation of His love.

If you are praying for my physical and practial needs

• Eating is an issue. I have lost my appetite, therefore, not eating very well. Pray that I have enough energy to get by each day.
• I am still working. I am contemplating of my working arrangements, there are a couple of options, need to decide which one to take.

If anyone wants to contact us, love to hear from you.

• adrianleefamily@gmail.com  (whatsapp +44 7799408159)
• christineleefamily@gmail.com (whatsapp +44 7747107415) 

Would you like to get well? (Adrian)

Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”   John 5:1-6

God has been asking me the same question lately, "Would you like to get well?" It seems a pretty obvious question to someone in my condition. 

Jesus wasn't asking the man, "Let me help you?" but asked him "Would you like to get well?" 

The issue that Jesus was trying to address wasn't just the man's illness. His issue was a heart issue. The man had already given up.

Sometimes, we continue living because we had to but we live as if we have already given up. There is nothing worth fighting for anymore. We called this "living dead".

For me Given up is an easy option, it is so easy...... I know "to die is gain" in NLT Paul said, dying is even better, he long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for him". 

A brother was asking me the same questions on Sunday, would you like to be healed?. In my mind, I was thinking what kind of question was this. I kept dodging the question and he had to ask me a couple of times. A sister over lunch asked me the same thing but in a different way, encourage me to fight for the people that I loved.

They forced me to confront myself a question, "Have I given up already?" and if I am not, what am I fighting for? 

Am I running it with a mentality of crossing the finishing line or am I trying to run it for as long as possible for the benefit of the ppl around me and the unfinished work.

I know there will be a few soul searching and be stilling moments with Father God for me.  My journey continues.....................

Are you living a life as if you are dying?
What are you fighting for?
Anything worth fighting for?


20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. 21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. 22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. 23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. 24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.

25 Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. 26 And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.
Phillippians 1:20-26

Prayer List no.6 - Jesus Wept - 03/09/2017 (Christine)

This past week had been hard.  I have been holding onto a walking stick as my injured knee is rather weak.  Matt had his wisdom tooth taken out and had not eaten solid food for few days.
And for my dear husband - another series of doctor's appointment, scans and treatments - only to find out that the primary cancer had progressed and grown bigger.....

I saw a vivid vision during quiet time one morning:
There was this lego toy digger trying to dig into a huge dark forrest and after working hard for a while encountered an enormous tree root.  I felt so weak and helpless.....
Suddenly I saw Jesus Christ, standing amongst the trees, and there was this really big nail piercing through His hand, and His blood began to flow through the forrest....

God then gave me this familiar story of Lazarus from John 11
' This sickness will become an occasion to show God’s glory by glorifying God’s Son...
Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, but oddly, when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed on where he was for two more days...
When Jesus saw Mary weeping... he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.... and Jesus wept.'

Thank you God for these words and visions:

• I praise God for His love, grace and mercy, and through the power of the Cross His glory is shown.
• I understand that God's timing and His Will are in view - and He will work when the light starts to shine in our hearts.
• I want to be like Thomas, courageous and bold to follow Jesus.  I want to be like Mary and Martha, showing total faith and uttermost belief in Jesus.
• I understand that grief maybe an emotion that is hard to bear, and the reality of death may grip me with deep loneness and hopelessness.  But in salvation received by faith in Jesus I will be healed and restored.  I believe that God's love has no ends or limits - and He will move swiftly to turn my pain into peace and joy.

***So my beloved brothers and sisters please continue to pray for Adrian and our family....

NOT only for us,  BUT for the entire church community, wherever we are, whatever pain and challenges we are going through...

Pray that God will shine His light over our whole community - and by walking this journey together our community will be healed and restored.

May our GOD be glorified!!!

PS.  For brothers and sisters in HK - A message from our dear sister Fiona and brother Aaron - they have arranged a prayer meeting details as follows:

              Date :   11-Sep Monday 7:30pm-8:30pm
              Venue:  6/F Park Avenue Tower 5
                           Moreton Terrace Causeway Bay
                           Hong Kong (Nearby 中央圖書館)

Prayer List no.5 - In Quietness and Trust is your strength - 24/08/2017 (Christine)

I have been silence for a while - however I was not hiding away.
In fact I am staying still and gathering my strength....

The result of Adrian's bone scan given by the doctor 2 weeks ago was not promising.
In fact the cancer was found to be present in several areas other than just the rib - his mid spine, his right shoulder and pelvic bone.  I began to feel fearful again.
My knee gave up a few times while walking down the stairs - every time it was really painful - and today I could not even walk properly.  Sometimes I just feel like I could just shout out my fear and frustration to God.  Why Father why so much pain for us?
Yet during these few weeks we met up with so many of our beloved brothers and sisters (some came from far away) and there are so many encouraging words and testimonies from them - and I realise that these are from God.
Moreover Adrian seems to be in less pain....
And I remember this passage in Isaiah 30:15:

'In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength...'
....Father God please forgive me if I have been relying on my own strength,
    Help me to set my eyes totally on you
    I realise I only have water in my jars but yet somehow you will turn it into wine
    so that through serving this best wine, we and others will be blessed and healed...           

****So please continue to pray for God's protection for Adrian, especially his bones - the ones that had been damaged and stop the cancer spreading further to other bones - also that the target treatment will continue to be effective.
May God grant healing to him.

Thank you for all your love and support in Christ, once again, we are so grateful and blessed by God.