If you have been tired and weary, come and be filled!  God wants and desires for you to be filled with His Joy!

The service will start at 7:00 p.m.

in English, Thai,  Japanese, and Chinese.

I thank God so much for sending you to Thailand to light His fire among us. We could never be where we are in our walk with God without you and we appreciate Him and His love through your life. I would like to share about our church and I hope it will be an encouragement to you.

Everything seems like a divine dream that the Lord is taking us through. I want you to know that within the past eleven years of my walk with Jesus, I have never seen such a speedy move of God within the church. The Rivers of Life Church has become a true vessel of God. His wind is blowing non-stop through the church and out of its windows. We cannot close the doors and windows of our church anymore. The Holy Spirit has come to us with all that Heaven has.

The time is right for Thailand to be touched by the Fire of God. I feel as if the Holy Spirit is following me wherever I go and He is leading me in every step of my life. He has placed a passion and love in my heart for both God’s people and unsaved ones to see Jesus as He really is. Pastor Lao, this is the greatest time to be alive and to be here in Bangkok.

I pray always that Lord keep me awake as He moves; I don’t want to be found asleep at these divine hours. It’s time to work hard because He is so close to us. I rejoice and praise Him for all that He is doing.

Tonight May 11, 2006, 8:30pm, while Arthur, me, Eric, Peter and Henry are praying to God, the presence of God showed up in our house, God touched me so strongly, he made me laugh so hard for long time, he also touched my son Eric.

I would like to give a testimony to glorify our great God!  God has changed my life totally; He healed me and made me become a stronger person.  He blessed my business in the past while I was working for Countrywide Home Loan as a home loan specialist, he gave me the job at Countrywide Home Loan so that I can learned how to become a businesswoman, how to reach out to people and how to organize my time.  Being a loan officer was not easy, but God blessed me with a lot of customers and good finances.  Now he blesses me with a great job at General Electric (GE) with a wonderful boss and a lot of helpful friends.

I always remember Ps. Lao and Ps. Da’s teaching – Be a generous giver and do not rob God.  I have been giving my tithe to our church and help the needy.  I found my life has been improving a lot; God has pour out his blessing to me and to my family.

For the past year, I have been praying to God that I really need to have a bigger house, not just because we need a little more space but the main thing is my heart really want to have a bigger house so that our family can evangelize more people and I want to use this house to serve God and to bless many people thru God’s power. As for that our family have been praying aggressively to God and ask God to show us a right house, a house that would be pleasing to God.

On the night of April 18th, God came; it showed me the house in Bothell over and over in my eyes and my head.  I could not sleep and feel so many burdens for long time; I got up and prayed again.  I knew if it is from God then I need to follow.  I called up Ps. Da next day and share with Ps. Da how God touch me.  I really appreciate Ps. Da, she is my best advisor and my best friend, she has so much wisdom, she said if this is what God mean, go forth it.

The next day, we went to offer the house that we liked, however, some other buyer also wants to buy that house, it was funny the house was on the market for two months, no one offer, until we came, the other person also offer the house at the same day and at the same time.  We tried to bid the house with a higher price.  Peter and Eric asked the Youth Group to pray for us if this is right house for us to buy.  It ends up we did not get that house.  After a day God showed us another house in the same neighbour hood with the same layout and design but it is even better than the house we lost from the offer.  This house has a lot of guest parking, closest walking distance to elementary school and junior high school, and a very good school.  The builder gave us a free refrigerator and garage door opener. We went in that house and prayed to God to make sure that this is the right house for us.  The offer was accepted.  The next day, the builder increases the rest of houses in that development by $20,000 to $30,000 for each house.  We got in just the right time before the price was increased.  How wonderful God is, we can save some money.  Our new house will be completed by end of summer.

Now we think back about it, if we bought the other house, we would have no parking for visitors and we will need to move in right away and pay for a higher price, compared with this new house we have more times to prepare for moving and prepare for selling our existing house.  My kids, my parents, Arthur and I are so happy to have this new house and we are amazed that how much God know what is best for us, God has far vision and better view than man.  My son Peter wants to share with his group that God’s vision and God’s way is far more better and exceed than man, just like the instance of our house, if you let God choose, God will choose the best for us.  We really give praise and glory to our God and thank our Holy Spirit, we love him and want to serve him and please him all the time.

On Sunday April 30th, Ps. Lao taught us how to connect with the Holy Spirit, after service, Ps. Lao asked people to come up to the altar to pray for.  I was so hungry for God on that day; I grabbed Arthur’s hand and went up to get prayed for.  The presence of God came down to our church on that day, I got touch and screaming and laughing so hard for long time.  God reviewed to me that “He wants to bless me, so that I can bless others”.  That whole week I was on fire, I kept sharing God’s good news to my co-workers and my friends and tell them how wonderful God is.

Today May 11th, 2006.  God gave us another blessing, Arthur got a new job, and he is going to work for Microsoft as a consultant.  God is so awesome and he blesses our finance.  Ps. Lao and Ps. Da always emphases that we will never out give God, it is so true that we will never out give God.  My life has changed dramatically since I committed my life to God and committed to serve Him, to obey him and to have a strong relationship with him.

I really appreciate Ps. Lao, Ps. Da and all leaders at our church work so hard to server God so that we can have such a blessing church.  Thank you very much.

Jenny Hu

My first appointment to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) was on July 14.  While looking at the mammogram and ultrasound images, the radiologist flatly told me, “highly suspicious”.  A wave of unspeakable heat blasted through my body then I felt the physical draining of my blood away from my body.  I was chilled to my core.  I was shivering beyond control.  The nurse kindly wrapped two warm blankets around me.  Cancer is bad news.  The worst part of facing bad news is the uncertainty and loneliness that often results in fear.  I experienced the full spectrum of God given emotions for the following 48 hours – I cried; I screamed; I whined; and I complained.  Three of my very close Christian sisters came over and started our weekly prayer evenings.  On July 17, one of them emailed me the first four verses of Psalm 91.  Out of desperation, I opened Psalm 91.  I literary forgot to breathe while I was reading all 16 verses in the passage.  I quickly called my friend who sent me the passage and screamed over the phone, “Carol, the entire passage is for me.  I am claiming it! My God, I can’t believe He is actually speaking to me!”  In short, Psalm 91 tells us that our Mighty Father will protect those who love and have faith in Him.  Since that day on, I read so many times of Psalm 91. Though I can’t memorize it, I hold it so dearly to my heart.  Here is my version of Psalm 91:  “Since God is dwelling in my heart, therefore He is my refuge, my fortress and my rampart.  God will not let me be fear of any nasty stuff; evil stuff may come near me, but won’t touch me. God will send angels to lift me up; therefore, I won’t strike my foot against any harmful things.  Because I love God, He will rescue me.  Because I call upon His name, He will answer me; be with me when I am in trouble; deliver me and honor me with long life and show me salvation.”

This passage alone took care of my uncertainty and loneliness.  From that day on, my outlook has changed.  I called and emailed many friends about my diagnosis.  Most of them started with “Oh, my God…”  Then they became speechless.  Some could not repeat the very word of “cancer”.  Some cried right there on the other end of our phone line.  One actually needs to use bathroom right at the middle of our conversation.  No one seems to be able to make sense out of my diagnosis, because everyone knows that my life style is just about medical textbook perfect.  I ended up have to console them.  I later asked my husband, “Who is having cancer here?!”  On the other hand, I felt great peace upon me.  The type of peace only the Creator can grant to His creation, just like the peace an infant experiences as soon as she is in her mother’s chest. I am hanging on every word from Psalm 91.  I waited for over a month for my surgery, I was not anxious at all during my waiting; even the night before the surgery I slept so well that I didn’t wake up till my alarm clock ran off the next morning.  I asked my husband, “Am I normal to be this calm?”  He gave me a hug and said, “God is with you, that’s why.”

Six months ago, everything about my illness was a blur.  We don’t know the stage and the treatment plan.  Six months later, amazingly I am able to line up my unfolding events with each verse in Psalm 91.

In verses 3 to 10, God talks about terror, flying arrows, deadly pestilence and plaque will come my way and yet none of these can harm me because He is protecting me.  I had done three biopsies.  The results were ductal carcinoma in situ with an invasive component in one area.  This one area turned out to be so small that it was 0.4cm.  Therefore, the surgery that was the first step of treatment also became the only step of treatment, no chemo, and no radiotherapy.  SCCA is a world-class facility.  I am very fortunate to be treated by very good doctors.  But it is a very expensive facility too, especially for someone who has no medical insurance.  Diagnosis alone caused us over 30K dollars.  While my husband and I were thinking about whether we needed to sell our SH house, I accidentally ran into an insurance agent and learned that I was qualified to purchase a new Washington state insurance—Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan with no waiting period required.  It is true that something very dreadful has happened to me and my family.  But God makes sure that we have had the means to get through it.  To me, these were truly nasty stuff came my way, but they missed it because God tugs me under His mighty wings and I am lifted and protected!  Amen.

In verses 11 and 12, God says that He will send His angels to guard me and the angels will lift me up so that I won’t strike my foot against a stone.  My younger son is 15 and attending school in SH.  I won’t be able to settle myself in Seattle for a long period of time if no one can look after him in SH.  One of my very best friends in Shanghai and her husband offered to be Deric’s guardians while my husband and I have stayed in Seattle for my treatment.  Deric moved in to stay with this family after the summer until now. At the beginning of the summer, I rented a basement apartment.  The staircase was very steep.  My husband and I had this fear that I might fall down the stairs after my surgery.  Well, at the end of last July, one of my very good friends whom I know for almost 30 years returned back from her trip and heard my situation.  She called me immediately and invited our entire family to stay with her.  As for herself, she and her husband have been going through some tough personal issues.  We moved in her beautiful home before my surgery and I am still staying there now.  My friend and I have spent a lot of time venting out our thoughts, fears and feelings.  We often collapse in each other’s arm.  But we always are able to draw strength from each other’s support.  After my surgery in Sept, Ps Da and Mary Jo showed up at my door one day to invite me to join the lady care group.  I feel that I have leaped a giant step towards God since attending New Hope International Church and this group. Yes, there is only one word to describe all these people – angels, angels of the Lord.  I love you all.

These are the few jaw-dropping events lined up perfectly with God’s words.  How can one plan for an invasive tumor to be spotted out when it is so tiny?  How can any insurance company be willing to take a customer with a serious condition?  This insurance plan was new and available for less than a year when I have purchased.  How can any one unrelated to you willing to take up the responsibility of being a guardian for a teenager for an unspecified length of time?  My friend who has opened her home to me and my family had never hosted anyone more than a week for the last 30 years in her home and yet I have lived there for six months now.  After listening to all these, one of my friends put everything in perspective, “If this is not by God’s grace, what it is?”  Amen.  Apart from these, there are many small wonders too.  I won’t be able to go through them in detail now.

I have heard a wise saying, “If you can get through the adversity, it will become your treasure.”  I thank God everyday for being so faithful to me and never leave me while allowing me to experience a fuller spectrum of life.  Through this experience, I have drawn a lot closer to God and a lot closer to His people.  I have started to feel that He is not just the all Mighty we need to look heavenward to find.  He is so real like one of my closest friends.  Every night before I go to bed, I long for a moment alone with Him, with His words.  Every Thursday, I long for our care group gathering.  Every Sunday, I long for Ps Lao’s teaching and our fellowship.  Although I am a believer for over 20 years, these longings are new to me.  Thank you, God for reaching out and never giving up on me.

Six months ago, I was forced to open a dreadful chapter of my life—declaring war with breast cancer.  For the past six months, I have been longing to end this chapter with a pleasant note.  That day has finally come.  I went to my oncologist to have a check up last week—my check up result was: “So far so good”.  Although I won’t be able to say that I am cancer free; that precious sentence is reserved for survivors after five years.  For now, “So far so good” is as good as it gets!  Praise the Lord.  I often hear cancer survivors say, “I don’t know how to live before I had cancer.  Cancer is the best thing that happened to me.”  I am not sure I am ready to say that yet.  But don’t be surprised that if you hear me say the same thing in the near future.  Because our God is the expert in turning sufferings into blessings!  Amen.

But my story still goes on, upon entering college, I relapsed, and I feel into a place much like I was in back in my high school days.  I reached out to Jon for help, he tried, but there is only so much you can do when someone is on the other side of the world. With the help of people around me, I was able to save myself from committing suicide.  I was unhappy, I refused to believe that my life was an endless chain of ups and downs, where the ups would result in my reckless behavior hurting those around me, and the downs resulted in me wanting to take my own life.  At this time, a close friend of mine brought me to Ohana Seattle University caregroup. I was able to put my foot in the door of Christ.

I left Seattle for half a year, and decided to return to Asia. I took time to find out what I wanted out of myself, and what Christ wanted of me.  When I returned, I made sure that church became a priority for me.  And God has given me so many beautiful people to look up to, all whom live like Jesus.  Some people can hear God talk to them, in their times of trails; for me, God sent angels in the form of people to pick me up, dust me off, and draw me closer to God.

The past year and a half, I have been making Christ a part of my life, I was re-baptized during church camp, I’ve become a member of my church, I’ve assumed duties in a ministry.  And just last Wednesday, my psychotherapist told me that there was no need for me to see her. She had seen tremendous change in me and she knows that I have a huge support network in Christ.  I look back, and I can see all God has done for me, even when I didn’t know him, he has put me in places where I didn’t know I was capable of going, he has shown me what a Christian’s love is and he provides for me.

The passage James 1:12 is one that truly speaks to me “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

I am so thankful for your kindness and love towards my family. My dad and my mom are still talking about the anointing of God in your ministry. I myself just realized that my dad really cares about your feelings. This made him show up at the River of Life Church just to see you and see if you are doing well. By the grace of God, he got touched by the presence of the Holy Spirit in that service. When I met him on Wednesday, he came to me and asked about the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. He believes that it comes from God, not from men. He asked me to open the Bible for him and tell him more about this subject. Frankly, this is the first time after nearly 10 years since he got saved, that he requested to understand more about the Bible. Normally, he always refused to read the Bible or have a Bible study. This time, I opened the Bible and told him about the Scripture talking about falling and laughing in the Spirit.

He wanted to learn more, so I gave him a lesson about the “Outpouring of the Holy Spirit,” that you wrote. He read it and he told me that it was very interesting and he enjoyed reading it very much. He also wants me to record what I explained to him on tape, so he can listen to it many times to understand more and more.

For me, I realized that what I have learned in the past didn’t help me to break through the depth of the spiritual realm at all. After I experienced the touch of the Master’s hand in your meetings, I feel like a true new believer in Christ, and the experience with God this time is different from the past. I asked myself why no one ever told me that it was so different? The Holy Spirit touch this time is a different touch from the past; it is clearer and deeper. I feel like I’m closer to God, understand more what’s from God, instead of using my own reasoning. Now, I’m going back to read the basic understanding about the Holy Spirit. Now, when I read the Scripture, it has a deeper meaning to me. The same Scripture I used to read is now more powerful and comes to life.

I now realize that it is easy to walk with God by the power of the Spirit. I used to half believe in it, but now I truly believe it, because with revival in the Holy Spirit (or the fire of God), everyone is going together. I’m not better than anyone, God is the greatest Person who delivers all of us.. Nee is helping me to hook up with the Holy Spirit and this is something so special for me,… that a new believer of River of Life Church is helping a 10 years old believer to hook up with the Holy Spirit. What a special deal! Now I’m going back to the books I used to have and start to read them again because it’s not the same, especially the Bible.

My best friend, Nong, came to our church and got touched by God on her very first visit. She told me that she got so many blessings after that day, from morning till night… everything she did. She said that things went so smoothly and well–there was a very good solution on all the difficulties in her life. She is willing to learn more and go back to church again.

I truly thank God for choosing me to be part of this revival church and to be led by a dedicated servant of God who has so much love toward people. Khun Mor (Ps Lao), I pray that the anointing of God in you will increase and that He will give you and your family many blessings! Please don’t hesitate to let me know whether I could be a blessing in any area of your ministry.

This is a testimony of how God used an ordinary member of a church that welcomes the fire of revival.
Her name is Cheng, a member of Rivers of Life Church in Bangkok, Thailand. She accepted Christ two years ago.

Dear Pastor Lao,

I would like to ask you about a supernatural situation that marvels me. My mother hired three tailors for her business. These three tailors live with us and would often go to church with us. However, last Sunday, January 22, 2006, they did not go to church with my family. I walked out during the altar call in order to receive the anointing through the laying on of hands by Pastor Noom. I asked the Lord to give me four times the anointing so that I can bring the fire of God to bless the three tailors; even though I was not sure how I would carry it to them.
Overcome with exhaustion, I went home and rested. That night, I grabbed a bag of your teaching CDs and my Bible and went up to their bedroom. As I climbed the stairs, I prayed, “In the Name of Jesus, it is not me, but the Holy Spirit who will touch them. Amen!”
When I entered their bedroom, the Holy Spirit spoke to them through me, “This is the time.” I turned off the television. The four of us sat in a circle and began to ask God for His tangible presence. Suddenly, Joy, one of the tailors, laughed and cried at the same time. We could sense the presence of God in the room. The Holy Spirit told me to lay hands on all of them. My spirit was full of boldness and steadfastness. The whole room was full of weeping, laughter and praising of the Lord. Then the Holy Spirit commanded me to cast out demons.
Out of faith and boldness, I spoke, “In the Name of Jesus, evil spirits, you must come out. You must not stay in the lives of God’s children.” One of the tailors stopped laughing and screamed with pain. The phrase, “In the Name of Jesus” kept coming out of my mouth without ceasing. After a while they all laughed and praised the Lord and I came back to myself. I could not speak with authority any more.
Later while we were talking, I sensed the authority and power of God return. I began teaching many things from the Bible. They were hungry for the Word of God and received it gladly.
Before leaving, I asked the Lord, “They cannot read. How can they receive Your Word again?” The Lord told me to give them your teaching CDs and I did. There was so much love between all of us that it felt like a movie with a happy ending.
I have some questions to ask you:

1. Is it possible for God to use an ordinary Christian like me?
Answer from Pastor Lao: God commands everyone to preach the gospel, heal the sick and cast out demons (Mark 16:15-18). Therefore, any Christian who is filled with the fire of God and walks by faith and obedience can be used by God. God can use any man or woman as His vessel as long as that person is available and yielded to Him. Because you obeyed His voice, God used you to be His vessel. Remember to remain humble all the days of your life because we are nothing without God. Just as Jesus used a donkey to ride into the city of Jerusalem, the Spirit of Jesus uses us to do His will. God gets all the glory. Amen.

2. While I was laying hand that night, I felt as if God revealed to me that one of them missed her home very much. Is it possible for God to reveal her thoughts to me?
Answer from Pastor Lao: This is a miracle of God. God gave you knowledge to know the thoughts of another person so that you can minister to her with love and compassion that comes from God’s heart. God used you as His vessel. In order for you to do His work of deliverance, He needs to fill you with His heart’s desire and passion.

3. What should I do if similar situations happen again?
Answer from Pastor Lao: Simply obey God’s Spirit and be humble. Remember that the honor and glory goes to God. We are just a vessel, and He is the One who sets the captives free. Jesus gets all the glory.

4. I am not afraid of Satan any longer; however I know that Satan has power too and he can perform counterfeit miracles in this kind of situation.
Answer from Pastor Lao: Don’t be afraid because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. Jesus has already overcome the enemy. If you serve in the Name of Jesus and are yielding to the Holy Spirit, you can discern what is the source of miracles.
1 John 4:4 says, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
1 John 3:8 says, “He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”
Colossians 2:13-15 says, “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

5. I would like you to teach and give me advice. Please tell me what kind of miracles did I experience that night?
Answer from Pastor Lao: The Holy Spirit used the yielded vessel. His desire is to save souls and set the captives free. Whoever desires and is willing to be used by Him, He will use as the Spirit wills.
1 Cor. 12:11 says, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.”
He chose to use you that day and placed the desire in your heart. You responded to Him. It is awesome!

Thank you so much for reading my testimony.

When I heard that Pastor Lao was coming to Bangkok in May 2005, I invited my mother, aunt and uncle to come to church. All of them were touched by the fire of God that worked in and through Pastor Lao. Since then my mother has accepted Christ and has decided to change her business. We are praying that God will make a way for a new job. Although we cannot see any other way of making a living for my mother, we believe that God can make a way. Pastor Noom and Anne, and P’Michele encouraged us that everything is possible for God and told us not to worry.

My mother has not found a new job yet; however, this morning my mother told me that one of her customers was interested in getting to know God. My mother shared about how her life got better after accepting Christ into her life. Can you believe that my mother shared the gospel with a customer who came to purchase Buddhist offerings? To me it was a bit strange, but I know that God’s power is beyond my imagination. All things are possible for God! Praise the Lord!!

As for me, I am so glad that God put me in River of Life Church. Everyone here sincerely cares for my mother even though they know that she makes her living selling Buddhist offerings. I am so overwhelmed by His unconditional love and holiness that work in and through Pastor Noom and Anne’s lives. I know they are very busy because they have so many people to care for, but they are still able to find time to care for my family. Thank God for Pastor Lao, Pastor Noom and Anne, P’Michele, and my loving members at River of Life Church. I am confident that Revival will happen through our church soon.

Love in Christ,

Pum