I guess it has been such a long time ever since school started that i havent blogged already..i guess its because i didn't think anyone will actually read them. But i didn't know that actually people DO read them. And i was quite amazed that my simple minded posts can actually touch lives. I guess whoever that read this, i hope that it will also serve as an encouragement for you to continue praying, continue seeking, continue reaching, continue doing what you have been doing in the past but may have lost the fire because you thought no one reads or listens. I guess it is the same as prayers. Why pray if no one is listening? Why speak to anyone if you assume they just don't listen or day dream? I guess we will never know who listens, who is not and stuff. We just got to continue doing what we are supposed to do and hold with a hope and believe that the things that we write and say can actually impact lives. If we don't do so, we lose the opportunity to even touch anyone's life or help anyone in any way.
This whole week as Tiffany Tay (my roommate in hall), play a song on her ipod into the speakers named as "If we are the body" by casting crowns. It serves as an encouragement for me as the song kept on playing in my head reminding me about our task and purpose on earth. My mother was sharing with me about what her pastor said once, "when we are young, we work to earn money and enjoy life, when we are old, we use the money to try out best to extend our life."
Isn't it true?
But i guess at the end of the day reality will still strike every single one.
No one is an exception.
No matter how well you live your life, how much money you earn, how many As and how you have impacted your company, every one will need to face one thing. Death.
My mother continued sharing with me about the 5 things that people would want in their life.
1) life
2) wealth
3) health
4) dying peacefully
5) i forgot.
But i believe there is one more thing that should be included into it. That is eternal life. As the chinese temple quotes once said....i translate it into english ah, "heaven's gates got road you don't wanna walk, hell's gates are forbidden and yet you wanna push your way through."
Sometimes i just don't understand as to why people don't wanna believe in Jesus Christ when he is the only one that guarantees a ticket to heaven. I mean, why don't people want to get to heaven after death but choose to go to hell instead.
And i was reading the Bible and it states in romans that how will people have faith to believe in Jesus Christ as the way and the solution for people to be saved is through others. It must be shared through others if not how will people know of this God? And who is going to share it if YOU don't share it?
I guess many will have the mindset that "ai ya, someone else will go and share about it to him/her de. or, he/she heard it before ler..there is no need for me to repeat and share again."
As the song, "if we are the body" states very clearly that we are the body of Christ. And Christ is the head. He is the one that directs and we are the ones that do the work. We are the ones that use our hand to pray, use our feet to travel and kneel, use our mouth to speak, use our heart to show our sincerity and surrender our heart to Jesus, use our body to dance..etc. Before you even talk about "other people will do the work", look at yourself first. Are you doing what you are supposed to do? Are you trying your best? Or are you just too lazy to do it.
God should be our head.
Our head means, the brain, the one who does the thinking, and we just obey and follow. Who are we to question a God who creates the heavens, the galaxies and everything around us whether what he is doing is right or wrong? Who are we to doubt his works? In the Bible it states that nothing can ever resemble Him, not even the skies or animals can describe and represent God.
Think about a pail and a droplet of water in it. Guess what, we are the drop of water. Something like that. Thats our size!
The problem lies as to whether we are willing to obey? whether we are willing to listen? Or we think that our functions as other body parts like the hands and legs can actually replace the functions of the brain?
If a body chooses to move around and do whatever it wants, won't it be disastrous?
Always rmb that we are the body and God is the head.
Where are we placing ourselves again?
Can we replace God?
If your ans is no, what are we doing about it? Stonning?
What are you waiting for?
Go and reach out, touch lives, share testimonies, be a good influence to the people out there. Live your life like Jesus's.
Jia you!
God loves you
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Being able to understand and make a difference
It was the day that i had some "teachers compass ceremony" held at nanyang poly because NIE is being used for the YOG.
In case those who don't know, i am going to go into NIE which is part of NTU,for 4 years, taking a bond for 4 years because it is part of the agreement of scholarship and am going to take Chemistry and Math as my subjects. Its a degree but in education.
So basically, the ceremony ended and people were just heading out.
I met this guy who also wanted to join the "breakdance" cca in NTU and so we talked and so i made a new friend!
We went home in a group with people that i know since the past and people that i just made friends with on that day.
Basically melissa and i was heading towards jurong east and we are at yio chu kang.
There are 2 routes, the red line to jurong or changing mrts from the red line to the green line from the orchard side.
Looking at the number of stops, i was convinced that one straight red line is confirm going to be so much faster than changing mrts and going one big round.
But joel convinced melissa and i to take the latter because even though it looks like a big round, its faster.
I still wasn't convinced..
I asked him, " are you sure its faster?"
He said, "confirm faster, it takes 20 minute to go from yio chu kang to city hall and 20 minute from city hall to jurong. but it takes 45 to 50 minutes to take the red line to jurong."
I was still doubting despite the statistics.
Asking him again, "how you know?"
He said, "last time i always take the trains from yio chu kang area because my gf stays there."
Why am i telling you this normal boring convo that i had?
Because it reminded me of something.
That is the point of this post.
He is able to tell me the numbers so clearly because he used his experiences.
Experiences that everyone go through, including you, can mean alot alot in future..you will never know.
I believe that no one is able to understand another if that person is not able to stand in the other person's shoes and if the person has not experienced anything like it before.
How can you understand the feeling of sadness if one hasn't experienced it?
Or depression, heart brokeness.etc.
Talking about this, i was reminded of one of my close friend, joseph, while talking to me about his past struggles..there was one sentence that he said, "you will never understand, no one will ever understand the struggles that i had and the feeling of wanting to suicide even if i tell them."
There was once i asked joshua ng for help regarding a friend of mine who has gone through heart brokeness because of guy girl relationship.
I tried telling him the advices that i am going to tell her.
Trying very hard to feel what she feels and what it means to be heart broken is very difficult.
The only thing that josh said was, "do you even understand what it means to be heart broken? You have not gone through being heart broken before, how will you understand the pain?"
There was another incident that i was talking to my "ah gong", zhong han! sorry..he is my ah gong because he looks very old. But he is very nice=) not very old, and is my church friend.
I was at redhill market having lunch with him, talking to him about the problems that i face spiritually.
He said something after everything that he adviced me and we talked about.
He said, " i can advice you now because i have gone through it myself and found a solution, thats why i can give you advices as to what to do."
Every experience, be it big or small, bad or good, people learn, grow and understand causing them to be able to be put to good use in future.
It may be used as encouragements, advices for decisions made or even to save a life!
No one knows. but we just got to place everything in the hands of God, trusting that He will use it.
Even God Himself sent Jesus down to become a human being..
for what?
So that he can experience the pain that you and i go through,
The suffering, the happiness, the joy, the struggles, temptations, bonds, feelings..etc
He experienced being a human when he did not even have to do it.
For?
So that He can relate to both you and i
so that He can understand us and have a relationship with us..not just a God who rules and reigns!
But a God who is also a friend and listens.
This closeness that He wants to achieve with us, is what no other Gods will give.
His desire is to be your closest friend.
Will you let him be?
When you think that no one understands?
Think again=)
God loves you.
In case those who don't know, i am going to go into NIE which is part of NTU,for 4 years, taking a bond for 4 years because it is part of the agreement of scholarship and am going to take Chemistry and Math as my subjects. Its a degree but in education.
So basically, the ceremony ended and people were just heading out.
I met this guy who also wanted to join the "breakdance" cca in NTU and so we talked and so i made a new friend!
We went home in a group with people that i know since the past and people that i just made friends with on that day.
Basically melissa and i was heading towards jurong east and we are at yio chu kang.
There are 2 routes, the red line to jurong or changing mrts from the red line to the green line from the orchard side.
Looking at the number of stops, i was convinced that one straight red line is confirm going to be so much faster than changing mrts and going one big round.
But joel convinced melissa and i to take the latter because even though it looks like a big round, its faster.
I still wasn't convinced..
I asked him, " are you sure its faster?"
He said, "confirm faster, it takes 20 minute to go from yio chu kang to city hall and 20 minute from city hall to jurong. but it takes 45 to 50 minutes to take the red line to jurong."
I was still doubting despite the statistics.
Asking him again, "how you know?"
He said, "last time i always take the trains from yio chu kang area because my gf stays there."
Why am i telling you this normal boring convo that i had?
Because it reminded me of something.
That is the point of this post.
He is able to tell me the numbers so clearly because he used his experiences.
Experiences that everyone go through, including you, can mean alot alot in future..you will never know.
I believe that no one is able to understand another if that person is not able to stand in the other person's shoes and if the person has not experienced anything like it before.
How can you understand the feeling of sadness if one hasn't experienced it?
Or depression, heart brokeness.etc.
Talking about this, i was reminded of one of my close friend, joseph, while talking to me about his past struggles..there was one sentence that he said, "you will never understand, no one will ever understand the struggles that i had and the feeling of wanting to suicide even if i tell them."
There was once i asked joshua ng for help regarding a friend of mine who has gone through heart brokeness because of guy girl relationship.
I tried telling him the advices that i am going to tell her.
Trying very hard to feel what she feels and what it means to be heart broken is very difficult.
The only thing that josh said was, "do you even understand what it means to be heart broken? You have not gone through being heart broken before, how will you understand the pain?"
There was another incident that i was talking to my "ah gong", zhong han! sorry..he is my ah gong because he looks very old. But he is very nice=) not very old, and is my church friend.
I was at redhill market having lunch with him, talking to him about the problems that i face spiritually.
He said something after everything that he adviced me and we talked about.
He said, " i can advice you now because i have gone through it myself and found a solution, thats why i can give you advices as to what to do."
Every experience, be it big or small, bad or good, people learn, grow and understand causing them to be able to be put to good use in future.
It may be used as encouragements, advices for decisions made or even to save a life!
No one knows. but we just got to place everything in the hands of God, trusting that He will use it.
Even God Himself sent Jesus down to become a human being..
for what?
So that he can experience the pain that you and i go through,
The suffering, the happiness, the joy, the struggles, temptations, bonds, feelings..etc
He experienced being a human when he did not even have to do it.
For?
So that He can relate to both you and i
so that He can understand us and have a relationship with us..not just a God who rules and reigns!
But a God who is also a friend and listens.
This closeness that He wants to achieve with us, is what no other Gods will give.
His desire is to be your closest friend.
Will you let him be?
When you think that no one understands?
Think again=)
God loves you.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
A Simple Concept
It has been a long time since i ever written my blog..cause i abit lazy to type. heh.
But anws, i have been thinking about alot of things regarding Christianity. And one of the incidences that i truely remember and really be thankful about is what a friend actually did for me.
This friend, i guess some of you all know, is joshua ng zi ern.
It happened quite some time ago whereby our church organised an event called "live recording of the church album, more like you" and it was at 7pm if i am not wrong.
I remember vividly that i had church service in the morning, then we gave out food to the old folks to bless them and then i rushed to orchard to catch a movie "yi man" with my SAJC clique.
But the movie started at 3 plus and ended at 5 plus.
And due to my lack of ability to judge the actual amount of time that i have left, i queued up with my friends at astons until 6 oclock then i realised that i got to walk to the mrt station and take it all the way to gombak to meet another friend, joseph for dinner before the event.
so i chiong and ran, realising that i don't have time for dinner!
I didn't want to cause joseph who was there early to be late so i asked him to go for the event.
Why did i keep on talking about dinner?
Because i was starving, really starving.
For the whole day, i havent had breakfast, lunch was just a cold apple crumble that my SAJC friends bought from the cinema because i really cannot ta han. (i very grateful that i got like at least something to hold my stomach, thx friends!)
so basically, i was starving.
If people know me well, when it comes to food, i cannot not have it. I just love to eat!
But not having anything proper to eat for the whole day brought me to sianess, tiredness and even to tears.
I went for the event with my heavy heart and a very empty stomach.
Sat down alone, i didn't want to find my friends, just watching the live recording.
As i was walking into church, i met joshua who was urshering and passed by me..
It was very coincidental that i met him as i walked into the church building.
He talked to me awhile and asked me, "how come you look so tired and sian?"
I just gave a pass remark, i am hungry and walked away to the second level.
As i sat there alone, he came into the sanctuary and sat next to me, asking me how am i..
I was already tearing and i told him about the whole day i had not much food.
He insisted that i should go and eat and brought me downstairs giving me his urshering food.(actually not supposed to de)
At that point of time, i was really very touched.
It was like food from heaven!
Even though it was just fried rice, i tasted so so good.
Amazing.
Joshua was like my savior then.
Just felt that it was a divine intervention..that of all people, i met him downstairs and because of his character, i believe God knows that he will come and look for me, wanting to encourage me.
Thinking about this, i realised one point and a simple concept.
It was only up to the point of hunger and starvation, can i know what does it mean to be filled.
Benny Ho once said, no one can ever experienced getting healed by God if we were not once broken.
Just like you will never know what is light until you have seen darkness,
you will never know what is heat and warmth until you have experienced the cold.
you will not know what is good until you have seen what is bad.
Human beings will never know that they need God until they have truely nothing in the world to depend on.
Human beings will never know that they need for forgiveness from God until they truely know that they are sinners.
There is a story that i want to share.
There was once 2 brothers fighting.
They are like children.
Then the father came along and grab their hands and ask them to apologise to each other.
They didn't want to do so, so they kept quiet and looked at each other with dagger eyes.
the father asked again.
Again, they didn't do so.
The father insisted the last time, and they mumbled the words.
"Louder" the father said.
They say it with an unwilling heart, "i am sorry!"
Just like 2 brothers who fought, they didn't want to say sorry is because deep in their heart they do not believe that they are in the wrong.
So they didn't want to apologise because they do not see the need to do so.
Its just like, why bother repenting when i am not in the wrong in the first place?
Why must i even ask for forgiveness?
Do you realise why people build relationships and get so close together?
The one factor is that in brokenness, they find that people still cared for them and love them.
Thats the X factor to the build up of friendships. To be there to lend a helping hand in times of need.
God Bless you guys!
But anws, i have been thinking about alot of things regarding Christianity. And one of the incidences that i truely remember and really be thankful about is what a friend actually did for me.
This friend, i guess some of you all know, is joshua ng zi ern.
It happened quite some time ago whereby our church organised an event called "live recording of the church album, more like you" and it was at 7pm if i am not wrong.
I remember vividly that i had church service in the morning, then we gave out food to the old folks to bless them and then i rushed to orchard to catch a movie "yi man" with my SAJC clique.
But the movie started at 3 plus and ended at 5 plus.
And due to my lack of ability to judge the actual amount of time that i have left, i queued up with my friends at astons until 6 oclock then i realised that i got to walk to the mrt station and take it all the way to gombak to meet another friend, joseph for dinner before the event.
so i chiong and ran, realising that i don't have time for dinner!
I didn't want to cause joseph who was there early to be late so i asked him to go for the event.
Why did i keep on talking about dinner?
Because i was starving, really starving.
For the whole day, i havent had breakfast, lunch was just a cold apple crumble that my SAJC friends bought from the cinema because i really cannot ta han. (i very grateful that i got like at least something to hold my stomach, thx friends!)
so basically, i was starving.
If people know me well, when it comes to food, i cannot not have it. I just love to eat!
But not having anything proper to eat for the whole day brought me to sianess, tiredness and even to tears.
I went for the event with my heavy heart and a very empty stomach.
Sat down alone, i didn't want to find my friends, just watching the live recording.
As i was walking into church, i met joshua who was urshering and passed by me..
It was very coincidental that i met him as i walked into the church building.
He talked to me awhile and asked me, "how come you look so tired and sian?"
I just gave a pass remark, i am hungry and walked away to the second level.
As i sat there alone, he came into the sanctuary and sat next to me, asking me how am i..
I was already tearing and i told him about the whole day i had not much food.
He insisted that i should go and eat and brought me downstairs giving me his urshering food.(actually not supposed to de)
At that point of time, i was really very touched.
It was like food from heaven!
Even though it was just fried rice, i tasted so so good.
Amazing.
Joshua was like my savior then.
Just felt that it was a divine intervention..that of all people, i met him downstairs and because of his character, i believe God knows that he will come and look for me, wanting to encourage me.
Thinking about this, i realised one point and a simple concept.
It was only up to the point of hunger and starvation, can i know what does it mean to be filled.
Benny Ho once said, no one can ever experienced getting healed by God if we were not once broken.
Just like you will never know what is light until you have seen darkness,
you will never know what is heat and warmth until you have experienced the cold.
you will not know what is good until you have seen what is bad.
Human beings will never know that they need God until they have truely nothing in the world to depend on.
Human beings will never know that they need for forgiveness from God until they truely know that they are sinners.
There is a story that i want to share.
There was once 2 brothers fighting.
They are like children.
Then the father came along and grab their hands and ask them to apologise to each other.
They didn't want to do so, so they kept quiet and looked at each other with dagger eyes.
the father asked again.
Again, they didn't do so.
The father insisted the last time, and they mumbled the words.
"Louder" the father said.
They say it with an unwilling heart, "i am sorry!"
Just like 2 brothers who fought, they didn't want to say sorry is because deep in their heart they do not believe that they are in the wrong.
So they didn't want to apologise because they do not see the need to do so.
Its just like, why bother repenting when i am not in the wrong in the first place?
Why must i even ask for forgiveness?
Do you realise why people build relationships and get so close together?
The one factor is that in brokenness, they find that people still cared for them and love them.
Thats the X factor to the build up of friendships. To be there to lend a helping hand in times of need.
God Bless you guys!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Man's best friend?
Many will say that Dogs are the man's best friend.
I was just lying on my bed and got reminded of my sister's hamster who died previously and how much she loved it and thus cry her heart out when the hamster died.
I guess the best consolation that one can give to somebody who is very attached to an animal is that "don't worry, i am sure ______ is going to heaven and meet you, it is in the hands of God."
But are they like human beings? being able to enter into the spiritual realms of heaven and hell?
Some say that animals have a soul but do not have a spirit.
This means that they are not able to have any feelings but are able to do the daily routines.
Others may argue that animals do have feelings. Evidences of dog's crying and many others do show.
So that means they have a spirit?
I guess we wouldn't really know..but it got me thinking about dogs.
Why are dogs called man's best friend?
what is so special about them as compared to other animals? other pets?
What is so distinct about them that some people choose to have dogs instead of children?
The one reason is, dogs obey instructions and are more obedient as compared to a child.
Obedience is a big quality.
I got reminded that God desires obedience not sacrifice.
Just like any human being desiring for someone that will obey and listen, God desires it too.
If dogs can be man's best friend due to obedience?
Can man be God's best friend because of obedience?
God loves man.
I was just lying on my bed and got reminded of my sister's hamster who died previously and how much she loved it and thus cry her heart out when the hamster died.
I guess the best consolation that one can give to somebody who is very attached to an animal is that "don't worry, i am sure ______ is going to heaven and meet you, it is in the hands of God."
But are they like human beings? being able to enter into the spiritual realms of heaven and hell?
Some say that animals have a soul but do not have a spirit.
This means that they are not able to have any feelings but are able to do the daily routines.
Others may argue that animals do have feelings. Evidences of dog's crying and many others do show.
So that means they have a spirit?
I guess we wouldn't really know..but it got me thinking about dogs.
Why are dogs called man's best friend?
what is so special about them as compared to other animals? other pets?
What is so distinct about them that some people choose to have dogs instead of children?
The one reason is, dogs obey instructions and are more obedient as compared to a child.
Obedience is a big quality.
I got reminded that God desires obedience not sacrifice.
Just like any human being desiring for someone that will obey and listen, God desires it too.
If dogs can be man's best friend due to obedience?
Can man be God's best friend because of obedience?
God loves man.
Friday, July 23, 2010
True love?
Hey hey! I went to watch the free movie, "bounty hunter" on the mon at the cathay's 75th anniversary and there is like free popcorn and drink!
Anws, there is this sentence that caught my attention in the movie.
One of the old couple who owned the honey moon place told the divorse couple who ended up at their honey moon place once again, they remembered them even after a few years with many other couples spending their honey moons in that place.
The divorsed couple were very suprised that they actually rmbed them and the old couple said, " we rmbed you because you two were the sweetest and most in loved couple we have ever seen. One thing that we have ever learnt from you two is that you taught us that true love is when both parties are willing to love and accept even the flaws and imperfections that both have, thats what will keep the relationship going."
I guess these words touched me, and i really think that true love should be this way.
Be it in any kind of relationship, friends or family members, it is when we all are able to accept and love the person despite their flaws can we say that we love the person.
I know of one person that loves me despite my imperfections and flaws and the best thing is that the person is perfect and there is no reason for him to tolerate my sins because he is not like me in any way because the contrast is just too big, cannot even be measured.
That person is Jesus.
This my friend, is true love.
Have a great day!
God loves people who are dirty^^Don't you think its beautiful?
Anws, there is this sentence that caught my attention in the movie.
One of the old couple who owned the honey moon place told the divorse couple who ended up at their honey moon place once again, they remembered them even after a few years with many other couples spending their honey moons in that place.
The divorsed couple were very suprised that they actually rmbed them and the old couple said, " we rmbed you because you two were the sweetest and most in loved couple we have ever seen. One thing that we have ever learnt from you two is that you taught us that true love is when both parties are willing to love and accept even the flaws and imperfections that both have, thats what will keep the relationship going."
I guess these words touched me, and i really think that true love should be this way.
Be it in any kind of relationship, friends or family members, it is when we all are able to accept and love the person despite their flaws can we say that we love the person.
I know of one person that loves me despite my imperfections and flaws and the best thing is that the person is perfect and there is no reason for him to tolerate my sins because he is not like me in any way because the contrast is just too big, cannot even be measured.
That person is Jesus.
This my friend, is true love.
Have a great day!
God loves people who are dirty^^Don't you think its beautiful?
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Position
I was talking to Kun Jie the other day, and he shared with me something that i thought was rather interesting and i thought maybe i should share it with anyone who is reading this.
We were talking about alot of things, from saying grace to how to listen to God to cells and RLs..etc.
One of the things he said was, alot of people can say and pray, "Oh God, people touch me and speak to me, mould me to be more like you and let me experience you." like everytime, or maybe every sun during service or while singing the worship songs..but many do not do anything about it.
Alot of times we only give lip service to God but we never POSITION ourselves to let God use us.
The word here is POSITION.
To help people to visualise, lets just say your friend was supposed to meet you and was calling you from behind you can choose to turn behind and get a clearer view and hear your friend more clearly, or you can choose to walk further away, facing away from your friend.
Even though this may sound very childish but this is the point i am trying to make.
Your friend is God and many of times, we fail to put ourselves in places where God can use us and we can experience God's power.
Some may say, "oh, but God is everywhere what, not only in church or cells ma..so i also can experience God anywhere i go."
I would say, "Yes true."
But i believe in every relationship it is two way.
You got to put in effort and God will too.
And it is only in church whereby you can find people who will pray for you..it is a place where people who wants to invite God's presence to be there, it is a place of fellowship.
All these are so unlike what you can find from the world.
By coming to church, one is positioning themself to want to meet and experience God together with others. where testimonies are shared and people edify each other.
Along with just coming to church which not really of much effort and sacrifice, there is also a need to serve if one is serious about experiencing God.
Serving helps us to position ourselves to meet God.
Through serving, i believe firstly, God is pleased that you are willing to sacrifice your time and effort to sow the seeds.
Secondly, there will be obstacles and struggles or even brokeness, causing God to aveil and work through you.
Thirdly, it is for the kingdom of God! Why wouldn't God work through those who are willing to serve him for the sake of his children right?
But of course one must do it with a willing heart. If you do it unwillingly, then you are not even letting yourself to be used by God but to do things for the sake of doing things.
For those who are not serving (which includes myself), why not try stepping into the will of God and see how God can show himself to you?
For those who are serving, lets do it because you want to experience God and do it with a willing heart ya!
Joey's blog once said, "we plant the seeds, not pluck the fruits."
If you really want to experience God today, stop living in self pity and discouragement, but to stand up and fight for what you want! don't sit there and do nothing!
God loves you.
We were talking about alot of things, from saying grace to how to listen to God to cells and RLs..etc.
One of the things he said was, alot of people can say and pray, "Oh God, people touch me and speak to me, mould me to be more like you and let me experience you." like everytime, or maybe every sun during service or while singing the worship songs..but many do not do anything about it.
Alot of times we only give lip service to God but we never POSITION ourselves to let God use us.
The word here is POSITION.
To help people to visualise, lets just say your friend was supposed to meet you and was calling you from behind you can choose to turn behind and get a clearer view and hear your friend more clearly, or you can choose to walk further away, facing away from your friend.
Even though this may sound very childish but this is the point i am trying to make.
Your friend is God and many of times, we fail to put ourselves in places where God can use us and we can experience God's power.
Some may say, "oh, but God is everywhere what, not only in church or cells ma..so i also can experience God anywhere i go."
I would say, "Yes true."
But i believe in every relationship it is two way.
You got to put in effort and God will too.
And it is only in church whereby you can find people who will pray for you..it is a place where people who wants to invite God's presence to be there, it is a place of fellowship.
All these are so unlike what you can find from the world.
By coming to church, one is positioning themself to want to meet and experience God together with others. where testimonies are shared and people edify each other.
Along with just coming to church which not really of much effort and sacrifice, there is also a need to serve if one is serious about experiencing God.
Serving helps us to position ourselves to meet God.
Through serving, i believe firstly, God is pleased that you are willing to sacrifice your time and effort to sow the seeds.
Secondly, there will be obstacles and struggles or even brokeness, causing God to aveil and work through you.
Thirdly, it is for the kingdom of God! Why wouldn't God work through those who are willing to serve him for the sake of his children right?
But of course one must do it with a willing heart. If you do it unwillingly, then you are not even letting yourself to be used by God but to do things for the sake of doing things.
For those who are not serving (which includes myself), why not try stepping into the will of God and see how God can show himself to you?
For those who are serving, lets do it because you want to experience God and do it with a willing heart ya!
Joey's blog once said, "we plant the seeds, not pluck the fruits."
If you really want to experience God today, stop living in self pity and discouragement, but to stand up and fight for what you want! don't sit there and do nothing!
God loves you.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Predators--->Fear--->Death
Yesterday i went to watch predators with kun jie and bradley!!
It was a very interesting and scary show i feel...like cause it is M18, it has alot of bloodshed and violence.
I was basically covering half of my face with my jacket half of the time because there were alot of anticipation.
The show had 8 people in some unknown island away from earth at first.
At every attack and experience, someone will die in different ways.
I shan't tell you all the whole story..but it is a show worth to watch..so go watch it~
One thing that the show showed me was something very practical and got me thinking over one question.
The question is "when you face the risk of death and fear, will one still care for others or just care about themselves?"
Perhaps you cannot picture the seriousness of this question because most of us have not experienced before.
The show helped me catch a glimpse of it.
When there were only 6 people left, the people who cared for themselves more and the people who will risk their life to save people showed very clearly.
The only major difference between the predators and human beings, not counting the size and the looks is that human beings have a heart. They have feelings.
And the predators see it as a weakness, attacking their weakness.
They used human being(one of the 8) that are dying as bait to attract the other human beings to rescue them and get into their trap.
They used booby traps to make one of the 8 not being able to walk so as to pull the team down.
Only because the predators understood the crux of the weakness, human beings have feelings and will try their best to save people who are still alive, not to watch them or leave them to die.
There were 2 most distinct scenes, the scene whereby the doctor (one of the 8) got lost from the rest and was panicking and scared.
Because the predators were able to turn invisible, he had to keep throwing smoke sticks to see whether there were any predator around.
When he finally located the rest, they were seperated by a metal door that was slightly torn open.
So he screamed for help!
the rest didn't bother saving him because they may get killed.
But when he was going to get killed, one of the guys, a russian came and shoot the alien. saving him but directed the alien's attention to him instead.
At the end, when he was injured, looking at the doctor for help, the doctor decided to run away, leaving him behind.
At the end, after the alien's knife pierced through his body, he managed to defuse a bomb on himself and killed the alien with it.
The next scene was when the doctor had his leg trapped in a booby trap and he couldn't walk.
The remaining people could have just let him there.
one wanted to go, the other wanted to stay and help him.
The conversation between the girl and guy was, the guy said, "we have got to move, this wasn't meant to kill him, it was meant to injure him so as to slow us down because they know that we will do the very humanly thing, to have feelings." the girl just said, "then what are you?'
Alot of times, we live in peace and comfort, we may not get to experience being in danger, maybe forsaking and risking your life for someone else, maybe just running away to protect yourself and prevent yourself from losing your life.
The thought fear of death and pain is so tremendous that selfishness may take root.
It got me thinking about the Christians in other countries, or even in the end times when martedum (i think i spell wrongly), which means getting killed because they stood up for Christ, Getting killed and tortured just because they are Christians.
I think it is every human being's nature or you can say every creation's nature to protect and
care for themselves.
Its not wrong.
But what makes us not be selfish is because we got a heart. We've got feelings and love.
Thats whats so special and it is the key to unlocking human selfishness, to care for others rather than themselves.
I just think it is amazing and worth to be learnt as to how much people love God, with such intimate relationship with Him that they don't even mind dying, giving up their life for the sake of the name of Christ.
One example is Paul in the Bible..he once said, "To live is Christ, to die is gain"
Lets work for this degree of love for Christ that death will not be of any fear, but of a joy.
Its not easy at all..i don't think i can do it.
But lets give it a shot!
God bless you=)
It was a very interesting and scary show i feel...like cause it is M18, it has alot of bloodshed and violence.
I was basically covering half of my face with my jacket half of the time because there were alot of anticipation.
The show had 8 people in some unknown island away from earth at first.
At every attack and experience, someone will die in different ways.
I shan't tell you all the whole story..but it is a show worth to watch..so go watch it~
One thing that the show showed me was something very practical and got me thinking over one question.
The question is "when you face the risk of death and fear, will one still care for others or just care about themselves?"
Perhaps you cannot picture the seriousness of this question because most of us have not experienced before.
The show helped me catch a glimpse of it.
When there were only 6 people left, the people who cared for themselves more and the people who will risk their life to save people showed very clearly.
The only major difference between the predators and human beings, not counting the size and the looks is that human beings have a heart. They have feelings.
And the predators see it as a weakness, attacking their weakness.
They used human being(one of the 8) that are dying as bait to attract the other human beings to rescue them and get into their trap.
They used booby traps to make one of the 8 not being able to walk so as to pull the team down.
Only because the predators understood the crux of the weakness, human beings have feelings and will try their best to save people who are still alive, not to watch them or leave them to die.
There were 2 most distinct scenes, the scene whereby the doctor (one of the 8) got lost from the rest and was panicking and scared.
Because the predators were able to turn invisible, he had to keep throwing smoke sticks to see whether there were any predator around.
When he finally located the rest, they were seperated by a metal door that was slightly torn open.
So he screamed for help!
the rest didn't bother saving him because they may get killed.
But when he was going to get killed, one of the guys, a russian came and shoot the alien. saving him but directed the alien's attention to him instead.
At the end, when he was injured, looking at the doctor for help, the doctor decided to run away, leaving him behind.
At the end, after the alien's knife pierced through his body, he managed to defuse a bomb on himself and killed the alien with it.
The next scene was when the doctor had his leg trapped in a booby trap and he couldn't walk.
The remaining people could have just let him there.
one wanted to go, the other wanted to stay and help him.
The conversation between the girl and guy was, the guy said, "we have got to move, this wasn't meant to kill him, it was meant to injure him so as to slow us down because they know that we will do the very humanly thing, to have feelings." the girl just said, "then what are you?'
Alot of times, we live in peace and comfort, we may not get to experience being in danger, maybe forsaking and risking your life for someone else, maybe just running away to protect yourself and prevent yourself from losing your life.
The thought fear of death and pain is so tremendous that selfishness may take root.
It got me thinking about the Christians in other countries, or even in the end times when martedum (i think i spell wrongly), which means getting killed because they stood up for Christ, Getting killed and tortured just because they are Christians.
I think it is every human being's nature or you can say every creation's nature to protect and
care for themselves.
Its not wrong.
But what makes us not be selfish is because we got a heart. We've got feelings and love.
Thats whats so special and it is the key to unlocking human selfishness, to care for others rather than themselves.
I just think it is amazing and worth to be learnt as to how much people love God, with such intimate relationship with Him that they don't even mind dying, giving up their life for the sake of the name of Christ.
One example is Paul in the Bible..he once said, "To live is Christ, to die is gain"
Lets work for this degree of love for Christ that death will not be of any fear, but of a joy.
Its not easy at all..i don't think i can do it.
But lets give it a shot!
God bless you=)
Monday, May 31, 2010
What is love? Christian songs scary?should be avoided?
I was just listening to my brother's ipod with several songs by christian singers that i have not heard before.
Spending sometime with God through the lyrics that the songs provide, i started to question, what makes a Christian song a Christian song? What is the difference between singing these songs and the other songs out there in the world?
I remember what Joey told me last friday during a rehma conference meeting at far east "old town white coffee" place.
He said, "we should change the mindset of people. Alot of Christians credit too much to the devil already. We think that listening to different secular songs to be wrong or carry a bad notion into it. Music and songs are just different notes and chords being placed together. Be it Christian songs or Secular songs, they are made the same way. It is possible and nothing wrong to sing secular love songs during worship as well. We can even change Christian songs to secular songs like for example for the song, "Jesus lover of my soul", the lyrics go, "i love you, i need you, though my world may fall, i'll never let you go..." if we add a baby behind it, it becomes a secular song."
Janice added on, "it just depends on who are you actually singing it to."
Song and music plays a significant role in my life. And i believe that it makes a big impact on others as well.
Music can influence the way people think, the way different people view things and the way people react to things.
Music can affect not only the emotional, spiritual, but also the mental state of a person as well.
Music just has its power this way.
Thats why there is a need to choose wisely the songs that you will like to engage in. Songs that will help you, not pull you down and cause you to immerse in self pity and despair.
Coming back to the bus and mrt trip to work this morning, i listened to my bro's ipod, i feel very different just by listening to the love songs written by our church members and several other Christian writers. As i immerse myself in the music and lyrics, reflecting upon them, i felt the presence and spirit of God.
You see, many people try to avoid listening to christian songs is because it carries a notion that it is a "Christian song" and its something "spiritual" and "holy" and people avoid it. But if you think about it, it is no more than just a love song just that the target audience is different. Christian songs can even minister to many who are broken and in trouble, facing with the many issues and problems in life.
A love song to God brings me back to the fact that God is all about love. God is love.
Even my father, a non-Christian tells me that he research on Christianity and it is just all about love and loving others. The life story of Jesus is just to love.
Love is not an easy word. Its easy to spell, but many fail in it.
The solution to all the problems on earth, and i mean all the problems can actually be solved with love. Thats why love is so powerful.
There are many things about love that we don't know and can be learnt from the one who has the perfect love. God. Only because God is love.
This can be learnt through the Bible.
Its not any scary book or "spiritual" book. It is a historical book that we can learn many things about God from.
I would like to end with this song, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NoIJglsGms&feature=related.
It talks about love.
God loves you very much that he is even willing to sacrifice his son for your life.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
JUDO GUY
I don't know whether you all have heard about or got across this article in the news about this Judo Guy from SJI about 1 month ago.
If you all don't know, here is the story.
This Judo Guy is named, Ser Yung. He i 16 this year (taking the O lvls year) but got into a major accident that caused him to not be able to take the major exam.
He went for this Judo competition and fought against this other guy from Hwa Chong and during the midst, his head got hit onto the ground.
After the competition, he walked up to the teacher and told him he was feeling unwell and the next thing was, he fainted.
He was being sent to the hospital and the doctor said there was a blood clot in his brain and he had to undergo a major brain operation to remove it.
Why must i talk about this guy?
He is my friend.
Not say very close, but i know him because everytime for Judo Practice and CCA, the CJC had to train with SJIs and he is one of the better ones.
When Celine and i went to visit him 3 weeks after his operation, we didn't expect things can actually turn out to be so bad.
We couldn't even wake him up properly.
He was transferred from tan tock seng to ang mo kio rehab centre.
When we got there, the situation is that he cannot move at all and cannot talk.
So basically, he understands what you are talking about, but cannot respond at all.
As for his eyes, one eye can be halfed opened and the other can bearly open at all.
I hope you can imagine the state he is in.
Because his two aunties were there, i asked them how long will he take to recover?
The answer is, i don't know...their eyes filled with despair and helplessness.
they also said that he will be staying there for a month before he is again transferred to somewhere else.
It is just so unexpected that someone who is so good with his limbs and pro in judo and study so so hard for his exams to end up in this state.
Its like beyond what everybody else ever imagined and predicted.
Celine and i had to tap him and call him several several times before he can even wake up.
The reason why i am writing this blog is because i do believe in prayers and for those who believe in prayers and that it does work as well to pray together with me for him. For his healing to take place. His two aunties also asked us with sincerity to pray and continue praying.
Lastly, i just feel that alot of times we really take life for granted. We will never know what is going to happen to us next. And alot of people plan so much for the future that they fail to plan for their death and life after death. We invest in the wrong places, indulging ourselves in worldly desires until we forgot what we are actually living for.
Its so easy to fall into the worldly stuff because sometimes it is so enjoyable doing it.
I do pray that we will stand firm in what we believe in and not leave it hanging or stagnant esp in these days when all the attacks are not upon out physically self but more of the mental and emotional self.
Someone ones say, you can got influenced all over by so many things around, but it is a choice as to whether you want to get affected by it and give in to it or not.
Always always not take for granted each day that you live even though you are young. Because time is life. You waste your time away, you are wasting your life.
You will never know nor expect what is going to happen to you next. you really wouldn't know.
Don't wait till its too late before you regret not doing things you could have done and worked on before. This can apply to the many relationships, the things that you want to do and most importantly, the path and journey to the life after death.
Ultimately, what are you going to hold on to when your life comes to an end?
Let us stand united and PRAY for ser yung!
Christianity is all about believe. Let us believe that God is going to heal just like Jesus's time because we are people of faith.
God loves you.
If you all don't know, here is the story.
This Judo Guy is named, Ser Yung. He i 16 this year (taking the O lvls year) but got into a major accident that caused him to not be able to take the major exam.
He went for this Judo competition and fought against this other guy from Hwa Chong and during the midst, his head got hit onto the ground.
After the competition, he walked up to the teacher and told him he was feeling unwell and the next thing was, he fainted.
He was being sent to the hospital and the doctor said there was a blood clot in his brain and he had to undergo a major brain operation to remove it.
Why must i talk about this guy?
He is my friend.
Not say very close, but i know him because everytime for Judo Practice and CCA, the CJC had to train with SJIs and he is one of the better ones.
When Celine and i went to visit him 3 weeks after his operation, we didn't expect things can actually turn out to be so bad.
We couldn't even wake him up properly.
He was transferred from tan tock seng to ang mo kio rehab centre.
When we got there, the situation is that he cannot move at all and cannot talk.
So basically, he understands what you are talking about, but cannot respond at all.
As for his eyes, one eye can be halfed opened and the other can bearly open at all.
I hope you can imagine the state he is in.
Because his two aunties were there, i asked them how long will he take to recover?
The answer is, i don't know...their eyes filled with despair and helplessness.
they also said that he will be staying there for a month before he is again transferred to somewhere else.
It is just so unexpected that someone who is so good with his limbs and pro in judo and study so so hard for his exams to end up in this state.
Its like beyond what everybody else ever imagined and predicted.
Celine and i had to tap him and call him several several times before he can even wake up.
The reason why i am writing this blog is because i do believe in prayers and for those who believe in prayers and that it does work as well to pray together with me for him. For his healing to take place. His two aunties also asked us with sincerity to pray and continue praying.
Lastly, i just feel that alot of times we really take life for granted. We will never know what is going to happen to us next. And alot of people plan so much for the future that they fail to plan for their death and life after death. We invest in the wrong places, indulging ourselves in worldly desires until we forgot what we are actually living for.
Its so easy to fall into the worldly stuff because sometimes it is so enjoyable doing it.
I do pray that we will stand firm in what we believe in and not leave it hanging or stagnant esp in these days when all the attacks are not upon out physically self but more of the mental and emotional self.
Someone ones say, you can got influenced all over by so many things around, but it is a choice as to whether you want to get affected by it and give in to it or not.
Always always not take for granted each day that you live even though you are young. Because time is life. You waste your time away, you are wasting your life.
You will never know nor expect what is going to happen to you next. you really wouldn't know.
Don't wait till its too late before you regret not doing things you could have done and worked on before. This can apply to the many relationships, the things that you want to do and most importantly, the path and journey to the life after death.
Ultimately, what are you going to hold on to when your life comes to an end?
Let us stand united and PRAY for ser yung!
Christianity is all about believe. Let us believe that God is going to heal just like Jesus's time because we are people of faith.
God loves you.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
SERMONS!
Eloise shared with me this website!
I really think it is very cool=)
Basically its a website with several sermons that i think its good.
Go and listen to some.
God Loves
Thursday, April 15, 2010
KICKASS! THE GREATEST SUPER HERO!
Hey ppl, i just watched the movie called "kickass" yesterday and its m18 so very vulgar, violent and stuff.
But i like the story line itself.
It is basically talking about this guy who is very ordinary, not popular in school and everything else, however, he dreams to be a super hero. He wants to be people like spiderman, batman..etc. Basically to make a difference in this world with great intentions.
He bought a super hero suit and tried to train to be like a super hero and eliminate crimes.
When he tried to stop crime for the first time when he saw 2 guys trying to pry open the door of a car, he plucked up all the courage he got to confront them in the suit.
He felt very different about himself.
He used his weapon (2 poles) to try to scare and wack the guys away but end up getting stabbed and knocked down by a car.
He didn't give up but tried to train physically.
Once, he tried to save a cat that was missing on the top of a latch but fell down in the process onto a guy that was running away from the many more guys that chased him.
The guy tripped over and was bashed up by the group of guys.
At the end, he used his weapon to wack them to save the guy on the floor.
The whole process was being recorded down by people who came to watch.
He end up getting bashed up quite badly too.
But he never gave up but carried on.
One of the guys from the group asked him, "you are willing to even die for this guy whom you do not even know?!"
He looked for a moment, panting and bleeding and said, "yes, i do."
The group of guys left anws because of his reply and the many people staring and recording.
That guy said, "you are crazy!"
The guy on the floor said, "thank you" with all the blood all over.
The rest of the show is more about action and killings by "big daddy and head girl"...etc quite nice=) should go watch.
However, the reason why i talked about the first part was because it really spoke to me.
A guy without any powers or talents but with a great intention of being a super hero tried to save a guy whom he did not know,risking his life.
Amazing isn't it?
I guess thats what being a super hero is all about, dying for someone one do not even know.
This draws the parallel to the greatest super hero of all!
you guessed it, Jesus Christ!
He not only died for one man, he died for all who do not even know Him.
He did it because he loves us and wants to provide a way out for us, freedom from our sin so that when we die, we do not have to go to hell but be reunited with Him in heaven.
Isn't it such a good thing?
Thank God for it, even if you don't accept him and say thank you, he already did die.
He died in one of the worst ways to die and be crucified in the past, He died on the cross.
Are you going to be that guy on the floor, filled with thanksgiving and happiness because God saved your life? Or are you just going to walk away and not appreciate this free gift that is given?
What is done is done, it is up to us.
God loves and cares for every individual^^
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tithes!!
Giving tithe has been a very basic custom in many of the churches today.
But many do not really know why do that do it for.
They just follow what they are told to do.
For me, when i give my standard tithes, i always will wonder where the money will go and will be afraid that it will not land up in good hands so i don't really dare to give much.
For others, they give it very unwillingly.
Ask yourself, do you give because the person next to you give?
Do you give reluctantly?
Do you give without praying about it?
Do you give because you are forced to give because of things like pride and face?
Do you give God just tips of your money?
when it comes to money issue, everyone gets sensitve over it because it is a neccessity.
Thats why, when they are asked to give, many would rather not give and terms tithes as a bad thing.
This blog post is going to talk about "the beatitude of giving", basically, what is giving tithes all about.
oh! btw, many of the points here is by Benny Ho, this is one of His sessions from the seminar.
Many always say, "money is the root of all evil"
True?
The Bible says in 1st timothy 6:10, "For the LOVE of money is the root of all evil..."
The money issue is equally as important in the eyes of God.
Why?
A Bible scholar estimated 5280 verses on the subject of money.
16 out of 38 parables refer to money and possession.
When the Bible talks about giving in terms of money, it always speaks of tithes and offerings.
Do you know the story about the israelites making the gold calf and worshipping it instead of God when God already brought them out of egypt, split the red sea..etc.
The same gold that is used to make the gold calf causing God bringing a curse on the people, is used to build the tabanacle, bringing the presence of God in.
This signifies and brings both a blessing and a curse.
"tithes"-"tenth", "10%"
Tithing is rooting theologically in the sovereignty of God in our lives.
Progression of tithing....
Before the Law which means before God give Abraham and 10 commandments and everything else, tithe is volunteery.
It is stated in Genesis 14:17-20, the last part states, "Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything."
It is the first time tithe is mentioned and this took place 430 years before the law was given.
The "him" here refers to Melchizedek (he is both a priest and a king) representing Christ because Christ is the only guy besides this king that is both king and priest.
Thats why "the priesthood of Christ" is called the "priesthood of Melchizedek"
Here is a prophetic picture of Jesus.
Other similarities is that Melchizedek started by giving Abram Bread and Wine and Abraham in return gave Melchizedek a tithe.
During the Law, tithe was made compulsory.
It became compulsory and people do it as an act of obedience.
In Malachi 3:8, tells us that the consequence of disobedience in the Old Testament is that you come under a curse.
In the book of Haggai, it talks about coming under a financed curse.
We end up with holes in our pockets and we come under a famine of finance.
After the Law, tithe was given willingly.
tithing is mentioned 10 times specifically in the NT. 3 times in the gospels by Jesus Christ Himself and each time He did not remove it. Instead, He took tithing to a new dimension under grace.
Today, we give 10% out of obedience and gratitude but we can give the other 90% out of love.
There is this story that he told..very funny de!
Here goes...
There was this China man that has 10 gold coins and he saw a beggar on the way..the beggar looks super pathetic and out of compassion, the china man gave him 9 of his coins.
Instead of feeling a sense of gratitude, the beggar followed him to an alley and robbed his last coin out of him.
when i heard it, i was like huh!
But i realised it is just like us, God provide us with so so much and we still want to hold back the 10% of what he gave us!
The purpose of tithing is in 1st timothy 5:17, 18.
It is to upkeep the lives of the church and its workers
Under the law/Old testament, the people are commanded by Law to pay..
Under the Grace/New testament, the people are compelled by love to Give.
It is proven in 1Corinthians 13:3, "if I gave all i possess to the poor but have not love, i gain nothing..."
God looks at the 1)The principle of Proporation (1corinthians 16:2)
God does not look at the quantity of money, God looks at how much of the total amount of money that you have that you are willing to sacrifice for Him.
It is not the portion but the proportion that matters.
2corinthians 8:2-who ever said that the poor cannot be generous?
2)The principle of Priority.
The simple reason for this is that if you do not put th as priority, you will end up giving God the leftovers.
If we don't cultivate to give when we have little, it will be very difficult to give when we have much.
It is just like if it is to hard to give God $10 out of the $100 that you have, when you earn $1000000, it will be even harder for you to give God $100000.
1Corinthians 16:2, Malachi 3:10.
There is a story about a $50 note and $2 note.
They were all old notes and ready to be recycled and they were having convo, the $2 ask $50 "so where have you been? The $50 dollar note say, "i have been to hotels, restaurants and to this hotel and to that hotel..etc."
The $50 dollar note ask $2 note, the $2 say, "oh! i have been from churches to churches to churches..etc."
3)The principle of Purpose
2corinthians 9:7- we are giving as an act of worship and this should be intentional, not just giving God tips. Pray about it and set the money aside for God.
4)The principle of privacy
matthew 6:1-4-the principle behind this is that when we give, we tend to forget about it and not rmb and exalt yourself or think how generous you were.
5)The principle Privilege
It is not a mindset as to, "I don't have to give, it is that i Get to give."
It is not supposed to be a sacrifice but a joy.
2Corinthians 9:7
2 corinthians 8:4
The whole notion behind this is that IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE IT WILLINGLY THEN DON'T GIVE.
There is this story, "The mother gave her little girl $1 and $0.50 and told her daughter, to test her. She said,"you can choose to give God $1 or $0.50 as offering then the other you keep."
After the service, she said the girl which she gave. The girl say, "I gave the $0.50". The mother sounded slightly disappointed.
The mother ask why?
The girl said," Cause i feel more cheerful if i give $0.50 than $1.
There is nothing wrong with it!
God asks us to be a cheerful giver.
6)The principle of Profit
2corinthians 9:6, luke 6:38, Proverbs 11:25 and Acts 20:35.
Somebody once said, "money is like cow dung, if you keep it and stack it up, it stinks, but if you spread it around it makes things grow!"
God loves to see his children enjoy themselves, have a party.
It is ok to go shopping and buy a car and enjoy life.
But money shouldn't be used to upkeep one's lifestyle according to the income of that person.
Don't fall into the thinking that "If I have a greater income, i must max it up."-becomes a hindrance to God's kingdom.
It is ok to have a million dollars but live a lifestyle of $100 thousand.
God loves you all!
But many do not really know why do that do it for.
They just follow what they are told to do.
For me, when i give my standard tithes, i always will wonder where the money will go and will be afraid that it will not land up in good hands so i don't really dare to give much.
For others, they give it very unwillingly.
Ask yourself, do you give because the person next to you give?
Do you give reluctantly?
Do you give without praying about it?
Do you give because you are forced to give because of things like pride and face?
Do you give God just tips of your money?
when it comes to money issue, everyone gets sensitve over it because it is a neccessity.
Thats why, when they are asked to give, many would rather not give and terms tithes as a bad thing.
This blog post is going to talk about "the beatitude of giving", basically, what is giving tithes all about.
oh! btw, many of the points here is by Benny Ho, this is one of His sessions from the seminar.
Many always say, "money is the root of all evil"
True?
The Bible says in 1st timothy 6:10, "For the LOVE of money is the root of all evil..."
The money issue is equally as important in the eyes of God.
Why?
A Bible scholar estimated 5280 verses on the subject of money.
16 out of 38 parables refer to money and possession.
When the Bible talks about giving in terms of money, it always speaks of tithes and offerings.
Do you know the story about the israelites making the gold calf and worshipping it instead of God when God already brought them out of egypt, split the red sea..etc.
The same gold that is used to make the gold calf causing God bringing a curse on the people, is used to build the tabanacle, bringing the presence of God in.
This signifies and brings both a blessing and a curse.
"tithes"-"tenth", "10%"
Tithing is rooting theologically in the sovereignty of God in our lives.
Progression of tithing....
Before the Law which means before God give Abraham and 10 commandments and everything else, tithe is volunteery.
It is stated in Genesis 14:17-20, the last part states, "Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything."
It is the first time tithe is mentioned and this took place 430 years before the law was given.
The "him" here refers to Melchizedek (he is both a priest and a king) representing Christ because Christ is the only guy besides this king that is both king and priest.
Thats why "the priesthood of Christ" is called the "priesthood of Melchizedek"
Here is a prophetic picture of Jesus.
Other similarities is that Melchizedek started by giving Abram Bread and Wine and Abraham in return gave Melchizedek a tithe.
During the Law, tithe was made compulsory.
It became compulsory and people do it as an act of obedience.
In Malachi 3:8, tells us that the consequence of disobedience in the Old Testament is that you come under a curse.
In the book of Haggai, it talks about coming under a financed curse.
We end up with holes in our pockets and we come under a famine of finance.
After the Law, tithe was given willingly.
tithing is mentioned 10 times specifically in the NT. 3 times in the gospels by Jesus Christ Himself and each time He did not remove it. Instead, He took tithing to a new dimension under grace.
Today, we give 10% out of obedience and gratitude but we can give the other 90% out of love.
There is this story that he told..very funny de!
Here goes...
There was this China man that has 10 gold coins and he saw a beggar on the way..the beggar looks super pathetic and out of compassion, the china man gave him 9 of his coins.
Instead of feeling a sense of gratitude, the beggar followed him to an alley and robbed his last coin out of him.
when i heard it, i was like huh!
But i realised it is just like us, God provide us with so so much and we still want to hold back the 10% of what he gave us!
The purpose of tithing is in 1st timothy 5:17, 18.
It is to upkeep the lives of the church and its workers
Under the law/Old testament, the people are commanded by Law to pay..
Under the Grace/New testament, the people are compelled by love to Give.
It is proven in 1Corinthians 13:3, "if I gave all i possess to the poor but have not love, i gain nothing..."
God looks at the 1)The principle of Proporation (1corinthians 16:2)
God does not look at the quantity of money, God looks at how much of the total amount of money that you have that you are willing to sacrifice for Him.
It is not the portion but the proportion that matters.
2corinthians 8:2-who ever said that the poor cannot be generous?
2)The principle of Priority.
The simple reason for this is that if you do not put th as priority, you will end up giving God the leftovers.
If we don't cultivate to give when we have little, it will be very difficult to give when we have much.
It is just like if it is to hard to give God $10 out of the $100 that you have, when you earn $1000000, it will be even harder for you to give God $100000.
1Corinthians 16:2, Malachi 3:10.
There is a story about a $50 note and $2 note.
They were all old notes and ready to be recycled and they were having convo, the $2 ask $50 "so where have you been? The $50 dollar note say, "i have been to hotels, restaurants and to this hotel and to that hotel..etc."
The $50 dollar note ask $2 note, the $2 say, "oh! i have been from churches to churches to churches..etc."
3)The principle of Purpose
2corinthians 9:7- we are giving as an act of worship and this should be intentional, not just giving God tips. Pray about it and set the money aside for God.
4)The principle of privacy
matthew 6:1-4-the principle behind this is that when we give, we tend to forget about it and not rmb and exalt yourself or think how generous you were.
5)The principle Privilege
It is not a mindset as to, "I don't have to give, it is that i Get to give."
It is not supposed to be a sacrifice but a joy.
2Corinthians 9:7
2 corinthians 8:4
The whole notion behind this is that IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE IT WILLINGLY THEN DON'T GIVE.
There is this story, "The mother gave her little girl $1 and $0.50 and told her daughter, to test her. She said,"you can choose to give God $1 or $0.50 as offering then the other you keep."
After the service, she said the girl which she gave. The girl say, "I gave the $0.50". The mother sounded slightly disappointed.
The mother ask why?
The girl said," Cause i feel more cheerful if i give $0.50 than $1.
There is nothing wrong with it!
God asks us to be a cheerful giver.
6)The principle of Profit
2corinthians 9:6, luke 6:38, Proverbs 11:25 and Acts 20:35.
Somebody once said, "money is like cow dung, if you keep it and stack it up, it stinks, but if you spread it around it makes things grow!"
God loves to see his children enjoy themselves, have a party.
It is ok to go shopping and buy a car and enjoy life.
But money shouldn't be used to upkeep one's lifestyle according to the income of that person.
Don't fall into the thinking that "If I have a greater income, i must max it up."-becomes a hindrance to God's kingdom.
It is ok to have a million dollars but live a lifestyle of $100 thousand.
God loves you all!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
FAITH a gift? a hope?
Hello!! oh! i just signed up for some seminor at some church, i think it is called st john methodist..etc.
Anws, the speaker is Pastor Benny Ho.
Today was the very first session and i am greatly enriched in the fundamental knowledge of the Bible.
I learnt alot from it and i want to share something that i rmb was debated quite a few times between church ppl.
It is the Topic on, "Is faith a gift from God? So does that mean God chooses who he gives faith to?", "is Faith=Hope?"
Christianity surrounds the topic of faith and i think it is very interesting to know about what he has got to say about this.
There are basically 2 kinds of Faith, "worldly faith"-seeing is believing and "Blibical faith"-believing is seeing.
There are alot of verses in the Bible about faith.
some of them are, john 11:10, 2corinthians 5:17, Heb 11:6, Heb2:3, Rom 14:23, Romans 5:1-2.
Why is Faith so important?
In Ephesians 2:8 it mentions that we are saved by grace through faith.
What it means here is that we access the grace given by God by exercising our faith.
What is not faith?
1)Faith is not HOPE
Backed up by verses Heb 11:1 and 1Corinthians 13:13
The difference between FAITH and HOPE is that HOPE exists in the future while FAITH is now!
What do i mean?
The reason why the 2nd coming of Christ is called the "blesses hope" is because it is a hope for the future that has not yet come.
Faith on the other hand is saying, "i am saved now because i have the faith."
Benny Ho continues saying,
HOPE says, "God is going to do something for me."
FAITH says, "God has done it. God is doing it. God will do it."
The word "hope" is a steady expectation of good whereby it is confirm going to be fulfilled. (totally different from a "wish")
Also, Hope lies in the head while faith lies in the heart (1 Thes 5:8)
Hope-mental attitude of expectancy
Faith-attitude of the heart
Believing with your heart does not mean you deny the facts from the brain.
This is proven by Romans 4:18-21, the Abraham story. Abraham recognises the facts and believe with his heart.
Some of the Christians only have Head-faith which is basically an intellectual acceptance of God without the heart.
I read things like people from somewhere around the world, the practice of their church is that whenever someone is sick, the person is not allowed to take medication, only to pray and pray, hoping that God will heal the person.
If the person dies, they believe that it is because their family or the people around them do not have enough faith.
However, Benny Ho mentions that FAITH IS NOT A PRESUMPTION
Faith is acting according to what God says (God's will) but
Presumption is acting according to what we want (self will).
Faith is a response to God's initiative (totally dependant on God) but
presumption is taking on our own (dependant on our own interpretation).
Faith, God carries the promises through
presumption, we carry it and try to make it come true on our own
When we are desperate, it is always easy to fall into presumption.
Don't make promises on God's behalf!
Do not claim that God has spoken when He has not. (Deuteronomy 18:20,22)
Don't go beyond what the word of the Lord has said and act according to what you may think is the best in the situation. (1Sam 13:8-14)
It can lead to disastrous consequences.
What then is faith?
Faith is a GIFT to us by God (Heb 12:2), his son and the holy spirit(Romans 12:3)
There is no need for us to work out the faith because it is already inside you. (John 5:2-9)
Everyone has enough faith to last you for one lifetime!
What we need is just to exercise our faith in God for ourselves.
Anyone can pray for themselves because each of us got a measure of Faith.
Just like in matthew 17:20 about faith as small as a musterd seed can move mountains indicating that God is not looking for how much faith you have. It is not the quantity but the quality!
To end of, this is something that pastor benny Ho mentioned.
"You don't need to have great Faith but you just need to have Faith in a great God."
hope you all learnt something from this! because i did.
God bless you!
Anws, the speaker is Pastor Benny Ho.
Today was the very first session and i am greatly enriched in the fundamental knowledge of the Bible.
I learnt alot from it and i want to share something that i rmb was debated quite a few times between church ppl.
It is the Topic on, "Is faith a gift from God? So does that mean God chooses who he gives faith to?", "is Faith=Hope?"
Christianity surrounds the topic of faith and i think it is very interesting to know about what he has got to say about this.
There are basically 2 kinds of Faith, "worldly faith"-seeing is believing and "Blibical faith"-believing is seeing.
There are alot of verses in the Bible about faith.
some of them are, john 11:10, 2corinthians 5:17, Heb 11:6, Heb2:3, Rom 14:23, Romans 5:1-2.
Why is Faith so important?
In Ephesians 2:8 it mentions that we are saved by grace through faith.
What it means here is that we access the grace given by God by exercising our faith.
What is not faith?
1)Faith is not HOPE
Backed up by verses Heb 11:1 and 1Corinthians 13:13
The difference between FAITH and HOPE is that HOPE exists in the future while FAITH is now!
What do i mean?
The reason why the 2nd coming of Christ is called the "blesses hope" is because it is a hope for the future that has not yet come.
Faith on the other hand is saying, "i am saved now because i have the faith."
Benny Ho continues saying,
HOPE says, "God is going to do something for me."
FAITH says, "God has done it. God is doing it. God will do it."
The word "hope" is a steady expectation of good whereby it is confirm going to be fulfilled. (totally different from a "wish")
Also, Hope lies in the head while faith lies in the heart (1 Thes 5:8)
Hope-mental attitude of expectancy
Faith-attitude of the heart
Believing with your heart does not mean you deny the facts from the brain.
This is proven by Romans 4:18-21, the Abraham story. Abraham recognises the facts and believe with his heart.
Some of the Christians only have Head-faith which is basically an intellectual acceptance of God without the heart.
I read things like people from somewhere around the world, the practice of their church is that whenever someone is sick, the person is not allowed to take medication, only to pray and pray, hoping that God will heal the person.
If the person dies, they believe that it is because their family or the people around them do not have enough faith.
However, Benny Ho mentions that FAITH IS NOT A PRESUMPTION
Faith is acting according to what God says (God's will) but
Presumption is acting according to what we want (self will).
Faith is a response to God's initiative (totally dependant on God) but
presumption is taking on our own (dependant on our own interpretation).
Faith, God carries the promises through
presumption, we carry it and try to make it come true on our own
When we are desperate, it is always easy to fall into presumption.
Don't make promises on God's behalf!
Do not claim that God has spoken when He has not. (Deuteronomy 18:20,22)
Don't go beyond what the word of the Lord has said and act according to what you may think is the best in the situation. (1Sam 13:8-14)
It can lead to disastrous consequences.
What then is faith?
Faith is a GIFT to us by God (Heb 12:2), his son and the holy spirit(Romans 12:3)
There is no need for us to work out the faith because it is already inside you. (John 5:2-9)
Everyone has enough faith to last you for one lifetime!
What we need is just to exercise our faith in God for ourselves.
Anyone can pray for themselves because each of us got a measure of Faith.
Just like in matthew 17:20 about faith as small as a musterd seed can move mountains indicating that God is not looking for how much faith you have. It is not the quantity but the quality!
To end of, this is something that pastor benny Ho mentioned.
"You don't need to have great Faith but you just need to have Faith in a great God."
hope you all learnt something from this! because i did.
God bless you!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
My Very First Interview
Hey people, just wanna share with you all something real cool=)
I went for a job interview at raffles place on mon at around 4.30 pm.
I was so scared cause it is my very first job interview and i didn't have much of an experience regarding the interviews.
So i have no idea what is it going to be like.
Plus, i was super worried because i was looking for a temp job with a pay of 6.50 and above and can only work for 5 days a week and not 5.5 days and i have to take leave here and there.
Like everything is so not confirmed.
I am supposed to go for a trip to batam with the real people 3 days at the end of march, then from april 1st to 8th i going on a Japan trip with my mother and i am probably going for church retreat from the 7th to 11th june.
So that means i got to keep on taking leave to go for so many holidays.
Which job will want me?
Am i going to tell the person about all these?
As for the 5.5 days, it means to work on saturdays half day too.
But i cannot because i got CAMY training (creative arts for media youth) as they train for my case, vocalists.
It is a commitment on sat 11am to 1pm and i cannot replace it with my job.
And my mother wanted me to find a job asap.
I worry about all these for a few days.
The amazing thing is that when i pluck up my courage with joshua's encouragements and prayer and joseph and samuel's smses, i manage to go for it.
And when i came out i just felt very happy.
Although it is a small little achievement and it may seem nothing to many, it is something big to me^^
I was really thanking God for helping me pull through.
But the job offer was that it is 5.5 days at tan tock seng hospital as a telecommunicator.
And the cool thing is that the job offer is mid april to end of may and its 7 bucks per hour.
Its all just nice and the date is just nice because i don't have to mention about taking leave anymore.
After i left the place, thanking God in my heart, the person called me once again and said that its 5 days and not 5.5 days!
Everything just fit so nicely!
God is in control.
And as for all those who are choosing their career or even which courses to go for universities or have already chosen their courses, here is a word of encouragement.
"we worry when God seems silent on specific issues such as what career should i choose? The truth is, there are many different careers that could be God's will for your life. What God cares about most is that whatever you do, you do in a Christlike manner. God is much more concerned about your character than your career, because you will take your character into eternity, but not your career."
Hope that helps and comforts some=)
God loves you!
I went for a job interview at raffles place on mon at around 4.30 pm.
I was so scared cause it is my very first job interview and i didn't have much of an experience regarding the interviews.
So i have no idea what is it going to be like.
Plus, i was super worried because i was looking for a temp job with a pay of 6.50 and above and can only work for 5 days a week and not 5.5 days and i have to take leave here and there.
Like everything is so not confirmed.
I am supposed to go for a trip to batam with the real people 3 days at the end of march, then from april 1st to 8th i going on a Japan trip with my mother and i am probably going for church retreat from the 7th to 11th june.
So that means i got to keep on taking leave to go for so many holidays.
Which job will want me?
Am i going to tell the person about all these?
As for the 5.5 days, it means to work on saturdays half day too.
But i cannot because i got CAMY training (creative arts for media youth) as they train for my case, vocalists.
It is a commitment on sat 11am to 1pm and i cannot replace it with my job.
And my mother wanted me to find a job asap.
I worry about all these for a few days.
The amazing thing is that when i pluck up my courage with joshua's encouragements and prayer and joseph and samuel's smses, i manage to go for it.
And when i came out i just felt very happy.
Although it is a small little achievement and it may seem nothing to many, it is something big to me^^
I was really thanking God for helping me pull through.
But the job offer was that it is 5.5 days at tan tock seng hospital as a telecommunicator.
And the cool thing is that the job offer is mid april to end of may and its 7 bucks per hour.
Its all just nice and the date is just nice because i don't have to mention about taking leave anymore.
After i left the place, thanking God in my heart, the person called me once again and said that its 5 days and not 5.5 days!
Everything just fit so nicely!
God is in control.
And as for all those who are choosing their career or even which courses to go for universities or have already chosen their courses, here is a word of encouragement.
"we worry when God seems silent on specific issues such as what career should i choose? The truth is, there are many different careers that could be God's will for your life. What God cares about most is that whatever you do, you do in a Christlike manner. God is much more concerned about your character than your career, because you will take your character into eternity, but not your career."
Hope that helps and comforts some=)
God loves you!
Monday, March 1, 2010
The MATRIX + ppl's conversations
I know some of the people are waiting for me to post up a post about the sri lanka mission trip that i just went to..this is not the post. I'll post it soon k!
Just wanna share with you all things that struck me in singapore.
I was watching the show 'Matrix' as you can see from the title of the blog post.
It was shown on channel 5 like today night.
I watched it quite a few times and only until today's one i realised something very interesting.
Actually i only watched the last 30 min of the show.
My brother who hasn't watched the show yet asked me, "how come the man who died can rise again de?"
This scene is whereby the lead actor was shot like many times by the 3 matrix guys wearing black suits and sun glasses, being able to transform to be anybody anywhere.
His heart beat stopped as blood starts flowing out.
I answered my bro saying that "oh! cause he is the chosen one ma..so he won't die."
My mother added on, " he is here to save the people, he is like the saviour."
All these things struck me at that point of time thinking that it is exactly like Jesus Christ.
The show didn't had any ending, the ending was just the lead actor walking out of the telephone booth saying things like, "I came, not to give an ending, but a beginning." ," To free the people from living a life under rules, boundaries, to be controlled to a life without."
It stuck me once again.
It is the same for us, Jesus came to save us, everyone of us from being under the control of ourselves and satan.
He came, to free ourselves from ourselves means, to free us from self-centredness, from wanting to do things 'my' way, arrogance.
He came to free us from what satan can do to us, not only our physical, but also our mind. things like temptation, hurts to our body, negative and bad thoughts.
He came to free us from being trapped within all these and free us from being manipulated by satan.
Jesus is the chosen one, only His blood and sacrifice can stand in place of everyone and redeem everyone from sin, providing the only way to heaven.
He saved us from hell to heaven for the simple reason, He love us.
Thats why he came to earth to endure all the many sufferings and ridicule of his own creation as the people spit and laugh at him just to show us God in human form and to understand us as human beings.
What better way to understand something but to be in it and with it.
He had to endure the pain not only physical, getting wipped and cut but also the mental and spiritual, to be separated from His father.
This separation is like trying to tear two deep lovers up.
The seperation cuts and tears the heart of Jesus.
But it is neccessary for the sake of us to gain freedom, a way out and for Jesus to do the will of His father.
Jesus came, not to give everyone an ending to life, but a beginning, a new chapter into eternal life.
Many of you have heard this like a trillion times.
Even if you are a christian, you can always come back to the main focus of what you are actually believing in and thank God for it.
Come back to the basics.
Even if you are feeling dry in your spiritual walk today, always know to praise God because of this truth.
For those who haven't believed.
Jesus has given His life for you which is like everything he ever had.
It is only up to you now. its free for you to accept.
Your worth is worth the blood of Jesus Christ
Oh! there is another thing i want to share.
There was once, not too long ago, my mother said something to my bro and i overheard it.
she told my bro,"You must be neat like me"
my bro said,"why must i be like you."
She said, "because i am your mother, i expect you to be like me."
Even human beings like my mother understood this concept.
The Bible always talks about being more like Jesus, if we are true christians, we will hold characteristics that Jesus showed and had so that when others see us, they will know that we are different from the world and know that christ lives within us.
Even a mere human being like my mother expects her child to follow her good points what more God?
I am sure God desires and expects so much more from us because He perfect.
we can never be compared to God, the gap between us reaching God's expectations is too great.
Thats why Jesus christ came down to provide a way out, to close this gap inorder to us to have a relationship with Him.
There is such a thing called 'grace'.
'grace' is unmerited favour.
That means, we do not even deserve it but God still did it for us.
This grace and forgiveness from God of our sins shouldn't be something that we abuse.
It shouldn't be like, oh, i did something wrong, nehmind la, God will forgive me anw, so its ok to do it.
It should not be taken for granted but it should spur us to stop sinning or even struggle to stop sinning.
it should be, oh, God loves me so much, i shouldn't do anything to upset him and make him cry, God please forgive me.
There is another scene that i saw...
I was on the way for tuition and while waiting for the traffic light, there was this grandpa and a little kid.
The grandpa was teaching the little kid, "cannot cross when it is red man ah, it is wrong, cross only when it is green man."
It got me thinking that alot of times even if our parents teach us all the good stuff and the correct things to do, we always end up not doing it and rebel against it when we grow up.
things like jay walking starts to come into play.
it is not as if we don't know it is wrong but it is just that we do not want to do it thats all.
the question is, why?
this is for you to think about. it will be good if you all can contribute the answer to the comments or something.^^
God bless you!
Just wanna share with you all things that struck me in singapore.
I was watching the show 'Matrix' as you can see from the title of the blog post.
It was shown on channel 5 like today night.
I watched it quite a few times and only until today's one i realised something very interesting.
Actually i only watched the last 30 min of the show.
My brother who hasn't watched the show yet asked me, "how come the man who died can rise again de?"
This scene is whereby the lead actor was shot like many times by the 3 matrix guys wearing black suits and sun glasses, being able to transform to be anybody anywhere.
His heart beat stopped as blood starts flowing out.
I answered my bro saying that "oh! cause he is the chosen one ma..so he won't die."
My mother added on, " he is here to save the people, he is like the saviour."
All these things struck me at that point of time thinking that it is exactly like Jesus Christ.
The show didn't had any ending, the ending was just the lead actor walking out of the telephone booth saying things like, "I came, not to give an ending, but a beginning." ," To free the people from living a life under rules, boundaries, to be controlled to a life without."
It stuck me once again.
It is the same for us, Jesus came to save us, everyone of us from being under the control of ourselves and satan.
He came, to free ourselves from ourselves means, to free us from self-centredness, from wanting to do things 'my' way, arrogance.
He came to free us from what satan can do to us, not only our physical, but also our mind. things like temptation, hurts to our body, negative and bad thoughts.
He came to free us from being trapped within all these and free us from being manipulated by satan.
Jesus is the chosen one, only His blood and sacrifice can stand in place of everyone and redeem everyone from sin, providing the only way to heaven.
He saved us from hell to heaven for the simple reason, He love us.
Thats why he came to earth to endure all the many sufferings and ridicule of his own creation as the people spit and laugh at him just to show us God in human form and to understand us as human beings.
What better way to understand something but to be in it and with it.
He had to endure the pain not only physical, getting wipped and cut but also the mental and spiritual, to be separated from His father.
This separation is like trying to tear two deep lovers up.
The seperation cuts and tears the heart of Jesus.
But it is neccessary for the sake of us to gain freedom, a way out and for Jesus to do the will of His father.
Jesus came, not to give everyone an ending to life, but a beginning, a new chapter into eternal life.
Many of you have heard this like a trillion times.
Even if you are a christian, you can always come back to the main focus of what you are actually believing in and thank God for it.
Come back to the basics.
Even if you are feeling dry in your spiritual walk today, always know to praise God because of this truth.
For those who haven't believed.
Jesus has given His life for you which is like everything he ever had.
It is only up to you now. its free for you to accept.
Your worth is worth the blood of Jesus Christ
Oh! there is another thing i want to share.
There was once, not too long ago, my mother said something to my bro and i overheard it.
she told my bro,"You must be neat like me"
my bro said,"why must i be like you."
She said, "because i am your mother, i expect you to be like me."
Even human beings like my mother understood this concept.
The Bible always talks about being more like Jesus, if we are true christians, we will hold characteristics that Jesus showed and had so that when others see us, they will know that we are different from the world and know that christ lives within us.
Even a mere human being like my mother expects her child to follow her good points what more God?
I am sure God desires and expects so much more from us because He perfect.
we can never be compared to God, the gap between us reaching God's expectations is too great.
Thats why Jesus christ came down to provide a way out, to close this gap inorder to us to have a relationship with Him.
There is such a thing called 'grace'.
'grace' is unmerited favour.
That means, we do not even deserve it but God still did it for us.
This grace and forgiveness from God of our sins shouldn't be something that we abuse.
It shouldn't be like, oh, i did something wrong, nehmind la, God will forgive me anw, so its ok to do it.
It should not be taken for granted but it should spur us to stop sinning or even struggle to stop sinning.
it should be, oh, God loves me so much, i shouldn't do anything to upset him and make him cry, God please forgive me.
There is another scene that i saw...
I was on the way for tuition and while waiting for the traffic light, there was this grandpa and a little kid.
The grandpa was teaching the little kid, "cannot cross when it is red man ah, it is wrong, cross only when it is green man."
It got me thinking that alot of times even if our parents teach us all the good stuff and the correct things to do, we always end up not doing it and rebel against it when we grow up.
things like jay walking starts to come into play.
it is not as if we don't know it is wrong but it is just that we do not want to do it thats all.
the question is, why?
this is for you to think about. it will be good if you all can contribute the answer to the comments or something.^^
God bless you!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Bintan and simplicity
hey hey! sorry for not updating for quite a long time..have been kinda busy and stuff with the real programme! and i just came back from my first mission trip! Bintan!
My misson trip in Bintan is only a 3 day 2 night mission trip. sat, sun and mon.
The whole real team, we basically allocated tasks for different people..some did preaching, MCing, organised tuition lessons, children's programme, testimony sharing..etc.
The food places that we went to were so good! really super nice!
For me, i had to lead the second day of the children's church.
I am going to talk about my experience leading the children's church programme.
For me, i am a person who is not really a leader..
I am better at following..i just cannot really lead.
Joey (the person in charge of the whole real programme) purposely placed me in a leadership position).
At first when i heard that i needed to lead a children's programme for like 2 hours, i got scared but at the same time thought it will be ok..cause i love children and i had some dealing with children background (because i was in children's ministry two years back) so i had confidence that i would be able to communicate with the kids.
I was placed at the first children's programme which was held at sat night.
But somethings cropped up and i was placed at the second one on sun morning.
For the sat night's one, we went to a house and there were alot of children! and the house is kinda small..i think there were about 40 to 50 of them squeezed in a small room.
I got a shock when i saw it.
My group wasn't the one leading the children's programme for the first night so i just sat back and observe the situation, thinking of ways as to how to improve my programmes planned to better cater to the lack of space and so many children.
The other group did worship songs followed by one of the guys from real team, samuel stepped in to drag time because the group which is leading,didn't know what to do.
He was real good.
It was like he was basically born to do it kind because he was able to capture the attention of the kids and really had fun with the limited amount of space..doing magic tricks, games..he can bascially run the whole programme by himself.
The group was really glad that he came to save them and i was too..i was really very amazed at how he is about to connect with the kids despite the language barrier.
Next on the schedule was origami...they had to learn how to fold paper hearts as the group that is leading took over from samuel.
during this time, i really panicked.
i sat aside and really try to think of ways to connect with the kids on the sun morning's programme..i was very motivated to run it well for my children's programme (but it didn't last for very long.)
As for the origami hearts, mine also had origami but it is cranes instead.
but because of the huge amount of children and little manpower, the children soon got restless and started to walk around and go into the room i was in.
So i thought it was ok to play with them and stuff but i realised i was pulling them away from the leading group.
Anws, the children's programme was bascially kinda screwed up if not for samuel who is not even supposed to run any children's programme to step in and help.
There were alot of unexpected and everyone left with a heart that is very discouraged.
For me, my motivation disappeared, and i thought to myself, "i can never be as good as samuel..how am i supposed to connect with the kids?"
And all the other negative thoughts start to pop up in my mind...things like, i will not be able to lead..i am not even born a leader..
And all the past failures in church with regards to me leading worship, me as a person, critisisms that i recieved from people, from leaders at start to come in..and i just felt totally drained out and i was so confident that i am not able to do it..it really took away all my happiness.
That sat night after the service, i talked to joey (because he noticed there was something wrong with me) and i told him stuff..
He is one person that motivated me quite abit...there was something that he said that i remembered..."the reason why i gave you this role is not because i have confidence in you..but it is because i have confidence in God that God can work through you."
I was afraid of failures..i was afraid at how people look at me as a failure..and how incapable i am..
I keep on telling him, what if i fail?
he said that it doesn't matter whether i fail or not. fail then fail la...so what?
i got really comforted.
Samuel also keep on telling me that i am able to do it.
that sat night, alot of people came to leng shan's and i the room to help.
Whether related to the programme or not, they all came to help.
these people were..david, joshua. kah sheng, leng shan, samuel, nigel and jia liang.
I asked for ideas and stuff..we did rehearsals for the skit, created by josh. we did story telling by nigel and many others.
The best thing is that it lastest till 4 am in the morning!
And we had to wake up at 6.30 to 7.
Even gaomin who didn't really know why i am so stressed out and quiet wrote for me a note as encouragement.
Josh wrote a note for me too..
Before i lead the children's church thingy on sun morn, people like joey came to encourage and motivate me once again! He kept on saying that i can do it and he will be there to jia you me and stuff..
As for samuel, he pulled me aside and prayed for me..
As for joshua, he keep on telling me that he will be there so got him to back up..don't need to worry.
Leading the children was a very tiring experience because alot of actions and energy is required..
But after the whole thing, i felt very happy about it and it was a success for me personally.
How i wish i am able to stay there with them like longer.
I just got really amazed at how small little things that people do can really speak into the lives of some..
A simple "hello" or a smile can actually brighten some who had a tough day..
A simple hug can actually make one feel loved and accepted.
A simple tap on the back can actually make someone feel so so encouraged.
Simple words like, "well done"," jia you!" "don't worry", "i'll be there"..etc.
can actually touch someone.
There is no need to create fanciful words or actions just to impress someone or speak into the life of someone..
This is one of the beauty of simplicity.
The sad part is, not many people do so..
If you were to ask me what is the top thing that i gained from this trip to bintan, i would say the friendships forged.
i am just really glad and contented to have friends like these in my life to lend me a helping hand in my times of helplessness.
Really wanna thank God for it.
SIMPLICITY OF FAITH
On the journey back to singapore, on the ship, i went to the top level which is open air to look at the scenery, i also learnt some stuffs.
Looking at the sky, the clouds and the oceans, seeing the sun setting, looking at the birds flying in the air so freely...so many colours all around me and with the wind blowing my hair all around...
It was such an enjoyment for me..because i was finally out of city life..out of places with buildings and concrete structures..i love connecting with nature and just to look at it, enjoy it and appreciate it quietly...
One of my two dreams is to become a pilot..because i love the sky and to be with it.
Looking at far away airplanes fly past, i really wish to be the one driving it...
Anws, coming back to the topic, i was looking at the sky, clouds and the seas i was just simply stunned by how big this thing is!
Its like you look all around, there is no ending in it...you don't see an end..the sky and the oceans stretches across a large large area..too big for me to see or comprehend.
I felt very comforted as i look at the sky and the moon. and was in awe at how big and amazing God can be..
He is the one that created all these! and i am so super small and insignificant as compared to it..
I mean like if you compare the surface area that i occupy against these things, i will be almost nothing...like zero.
But still, God chose us to govern the whole earth.
The question in my mind was, 'why didn't He choose someone bigger to take rule and control? won't it be better?'
These are sights which you cannot really capture when you are on land and esp in a city area or areas with alot of pollution and buildings and vehicles kind.
Its just like a frog in a well.
we are like frogs..
The sky that we see is only one small area out of the vast skies that are out there.
It is just like what we see in life is only one small little portion of the entire thing..
it is just like God. what we percieve and know who God really is, is only one small portion of His entire being.
I realised that when i saw that the sky and oceans that i can see and comprehend at the position i am in, is very limited..
It becomes more limited when i am in a city, with high rise buildings all around and very little sky can be seen.
so actually the people who are living in the villages are actually more fortunate and blessed in terms of being able to get intouch with nature and being able to get a better grasp and hold of the sky and the clouds.
In the same way, although the villages do not have alot of money, they are able to grasp the goodness of God so much more easily..because they do not have anything much to start of with.
They have more time to spend with God and not get so caught up with things to do and deadlines to reach..etc. they are able to appreciate the simple things in life.
One more thing that i learnt is that even though i can describe so much to you..like the sky, the sun, the moon, the oceans,the waves..etc. You won't be able to get the full picture and experience because you are not in it.
You really have to experience and look at the whole thing yourself to really get amazed by it.
even if i were to take pictures of it and show you, you won't be able to fully understand.
Morever, pictures can only take portions of it..not the whole thing..
Similarly, God is just like that.
I can tell you..God loves you up till the point that He is willing to die for you!
But at the end of the day you can still feel very indifferent about it.
Only when you take a step of faith and experience the love God can give, then you will get the full experience.
Then will you be able to get the picture and be amazed by it.
Alot of people think that christianity and God is a very difficult thing to grasp..alot of theories and stuff..
But actually it is the simplicity of it that keeps the faith going.
It is just that God loves you so so much that He is willing to sent His son down to suffer and die for us so that we can live with Him once again in heaven. We love Him because He first loved us.
Isn't it very simple?
God just wants us to love Him.
That is what keeps faith going...love.
God loves you!
My misson trip in Bintan is only a 3 day 2 night mission trip. sat, sun and mon.
The whole real team, we basically allocated tasks for different people..some did preaching, MCing, organised tuition lessons, children's programme, testimony sharing..etc.
The food places that we went to were so good! really super nice!
For me, i had to lead the second day of the children's church.
I am going to talk about my experience leading the children's church programme.
For me, i am a person who is not really a leader..
I am better at following..i just cannot really lead.
Joey (the person in charge of the whole real programme) purposely placed me in a leadership position).
At first when i heard that i needed to lead a children's programme for like 2 hours, i got scared but at the same time thought it will be ok..cause i love children and i had some dealing with children background (because i was in children's ministry two years back) so i had confidence that i would be able to communicate with the kids.
I was placed at the first children's programme which was held at sat night.
But somethings cropped up and i was placed at the second one on sun morning.
For the sat night's one, we went to a house and there were alot of children! and the house is kinda small..i think there were about 40 to 50 of them squeezed in a small room.
I got a shock when i saw it.
My group wasn't the one leading the children's programme for the first night so i just sat back and observe the situation, thinking of ways as to how to improve my programmes planned to better cater to the lack of space and so many children.
The other group did worship songs followed by one of the guys from real team, samuel stepped in to drag time because the group which is leading,didn't know what to do.
He was real good.
It was like he was basically born to do it kind because he was able to capture the attention of the kids and really had fun with the limited amount of space..doing magic tricks, games..he can bascially run the whole programme by himself.
The group was really glad that he came to save them and i was too..i was really very amazed at how he is about to connect with the kids despite the language barrier.
Next on the schedule was origami...they had to learn how to fold paper hearts as the group that is leading took over from samuel.
during this time, i really panicked.
i sat aside and really try to think of ways to connect with the kids on the sun morning's programme..i was very motivated to run it well for my children's programme (but it didn't last for very long.)
As for the origami hearts, mine also had origami but it is cranes instead.
but because of the huge amount of children and little manpower, the children soon got restless and started to walk around and go into the room i was in.
So i thought it was ok to play with them and stuff but i realised i was pulling them away from the leading group.
Anws, the children's programme was bascially kinda screwed up if not for samuel who is not even supposed to run any children's programme to step in and help.
There were alot of unexpected and everyone left with a heart that is very discouraged.
For me, my motivation disappeared, and i thought to myself, "i can never be as good as samuel..how am i supposed to connect with the kids?"
And all the other negative thoughts start to pop up in my mind...things like, i will not be able to lead..i am not even born a leader..
And all the past failures in church with regards to me leading worship, me as a person, critisisms that i recieved from people, from leaders at start to come in..and i just felt totally drained out and i was so confident that i am not able to do it..it really took away all my happiness.
That sat night after the service, i talked to joey (because he noticed there was something wrong with me) and i told him stuff..
He is one person that motivated me quite abit...there was something that he said that i remembered..."the reason why i gave you this role is not because i have confidence in you..but it is because i have confidence in God that God can work through you."
I was afraid of failures..i was afraid at how people look at me as a failure..and how incapable i am..
I keep on telling him, what if i fail?
he said that it doesn't matter whether i fail or not. fail then fail la...so what?
i got really comforted.
Samuel also keep on telling me that i am able to do it.
that sat night, alot of people came to leng shan's and i the room to help.
Whether related to the programme or not, they all came to help.
these people were..david, joshua. kah sheng, leng shan, samuel, nigel and jia liang.
I asked for ideas and stuff..we did rehearsals for the skit, created by josh. we did story telling by nigel and many others.
The best thing is that it lastest till 4 am in the morning!
And we had to wake up at 6.30 to 7.
Even gaomin who didn't really know why i am so stressed out and quiet wrote for me a note as encouragement.
Josh wrote a note for me too..
Before i lead the children's church thingy on sun morn, people like joey came to encourage and motivate me once again! He kept on saying that i can do it and he will be there to jia you me and stuff..
As for samuel, he pulled me aside and prayed for me..
As for joshua, he keep on telling me that he will be there so got him to back up..don't need to worry.
Leading the children was a very tiring experience because alot of actions and energy is required..
But after the whole thing, i felt very happy about it and it was a success for me personally.
How i wish i am able to stay there with them like longer.
I just got really amazed at how small little things that people do can really speak into the lives of some..
A simple "hello" or a smile can actually brighten some who had a tough day..
A simple hug can actually make one feel loved and accepted.
A simple tap on the back can actually make someone feel so so encouraged.
Simple words like, "well done"," jia you!" "don't worry", "i'll be there"..etc.
can actually touch someone.
There is no need to create fanciful words or actions just to impress someone or speak into the life of someone..
This is one of the beauty of simplicity.
The sad part is, not many people do so..
If you were to ask me what is the top thing that i gained from this trip to bintan, i would say the friendships forged.
i am just really glad and contented to have friends like these in my life to lend me a helping hand in my times of helplessness.
Really wanna thank God for it.
SIMPLICITY OF FAITH
On the journey back to singapore, on the ship, i went to the top level which is open air to look at the scenery, i also learnt some stuffs.
Looking at the sky, the clouds and the oceans, seeing the sun setting, looking at the birds flying in the air so freely...so many colours all around me and with the wind blowing my hair all around...
It was such an enjoyment for me..because i was finally out of city life..out of places with buildings and concrete structures..i love connecting with nature and just to look at it, enjoy it and appreciate it quietly...
One of my two dreams is to become a pilot..because i love the sky and to be with it.
Looking at far away airplanes fly past, i really wish to be the one driving it...
Anws, coming back to the topic, i was looking at the sky, clouds and the seas i was just simply stunned by how big this thing is!
Its like you look all around, there is no ending in it...you don't see an end..the sky and the oceans stretches across a large large area..too big for me to see or comprehend.
I felt very comforted as i look at the sky and the moon. and was in awe at how big and amazing God can be..
He is the one that created all these! and i am so super small and insignificant as compared to it..
I mean like if you compare the surface area that i occupy against these things, i will be almost nothing...like zero.
But still, God chose us to govern the whole earth.
The question in my mind was, 'why didn't He choose someone bigger to take rule and control? won't it be better?'
These are sights which you cannot really capture when you are on land and esp in a city area or areas with alot of pollution and buildings and vehicles kind.
Its just like a frog in a well.
we are like frogs..
The sky that we see is only one small area out of the vast skies that are out there.
It is just like what we see in life is only one small little portion of the entire thing..
it is just like God. what we percieve and know who God really is, is only one small portion of His entire being.
I realised that when i saw that the sky and oceans that i can see and comprehend at the position i am in, is very limited..
It becomes more limited when i am in a city, with high rise buildings all around and very little sky can be seen.
so actually the people who are living in the villages are actually more fortunate and blessed in terms of being able to get intouch with nature and being able to get a better grasp and hold of the sky and the clouds.
In the same way, although the villages do not have alot of money, they are able to grasp the goodness of God so much more easily..because they do not have anything much to start of with.
They have more time to spend with God and not get so caught up with things to do and deadlines to reach..etc. they are able to appreciate the simple things in life.
One more thing that i learnt is that even though i can describe so much to you..like the sky, the sun, the moon, the oceans,the waves..etc. You won't be able to get the full picture and experience because you are not in it.
You really have to experience and look at the whole thing yourself to really get amazed by it.
even if i were to take pictures of it and show you, you won't be able to fully understand.
Morever, pictures can only take portions of it..not the whole thing..
Similarly, God is just like that.
I can tell you..God loves you up till the point that He is willing to die for you!
But at the end of the day you can still feel very indifferent about it.
Only when you take a step of faith and experience the love God can give, then you will get the full experience.
Then will you be able to get the picture and be amazed by it.
Alot of people think that christianity and God is a very difficult thing to grasp..alot of theories and stuff..
But actually it is the simplicity of it that keeps the faith going.
It is just that God loves you so so much that He is willing to sent His son down to suffer and die for us so that we can live with Him once again in heaven. We love Him because He first loved us.
Isn't it very simple?
God just wants us to love Him.
That is what keeps faith going...love.
God loves you!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Sow the Seeds!
Today i wanna talk to you all about something that spoke to me when i attended the sermon on sun for adults like for a short while while waiting for the youth service to start^^
Its about evangelism..
Eh eh eh...don't go off yet k?
hear what i have got to say..esp for those who totally switch off when this word 'evangelism' appears.
But! it is really very important! because it is us christian's the primary purpose of us living on earth!
I think i have said this before..
An example is like you have just watched a super nice movie like "avartar"!
it is super duper good..and you just go around and tell all your friends about it, recommending them to watch the movie like non-stop.
At least this is what i would do if i saw something real good be it food, a restaurant, a shop or a movie..
It just comes out naturally because you know that when they watch it or eat it too, they will most probably enjoy it as much as you do...(unless your taste is really different and unique from the rest) but usually what you enjoy, there will be others out there who will enjoy it too.
Just like this real life example that i have stated above, if God is really good and the amounts of truth that you really get blown over by it. and somemore God's love for you is something that cannot be measured at all. and the experiences that you encountered with God, wouldn't it be something that is so so much better than what you can obtain from this world?
The most important thing is also that it concerns the people whom you meet and love's eternal life.
Shouldn't it be natural for you to share how amazing this God is? and why one wanted to be a christian?
God didn't say go! gifted ones! He includes everyone..
This means that He includes you and me..no one is of any exception.
Even though you cannot really speak very fluently or with good language..God will still want you to do so..
The best thing is that you are not talented in this area..you are not a natural speaker or be able to carry yourself forward properly..
Why is it the best?
Because if God works through your weaknesses, you will see very clearly and amazingly that God is actually working through you and using you because you will be doing things that you didn't think you were able to do it in the past but somehow you manage to do it. something like a miracle.
God also says in the Bible that He uses the weak and poor, but shames the strong and wealthy.
This does not mean that He will actually torture the strong and wealthy. it refers to those who thinks that they are ok and are better than the rest not those who recognises that they are strong..
God choose to use those who recognises that they are helpless and weak..those who recognise that they need God to do stuff because they cannot do it on their own.
Which is true because human beings have limits but God is limitless and huge.
Anws, evangelism can be just a simple invitation like, "hey hey! would you like to come over to my church one day and attend the service?"
Different people react differently to different ways to invitation.
But the focus is that you do not give up trying even though they may reject you like once.
why?
Because you will never know what actually happens every new day!
I mean like the guy can today say i hate church and super anti church but tmr, he may change his view because of the complications and problems in life right?
If you neh try you will never know..
I have also been struggling with the fact that after awhile, i give up on people and move on.
if they reject me twice or thrice, i will not even try to tell them about christ any longer..
but i guess this is not the mindset that we should have because the world around us is really a EVER-CHANGING WORLD...but God is a NEVER-CHANGING God. thats the difference..God is reliable and trustworthy.
Some people like me will say.."but i scared!"
But do you know that the Bible mentions 365 times things like, "do not be afraid!"
That means like God kinda knows that everyday of the year you will face somekind of fear.
cool right?hahaha^^
Anws, the Bible also reminds us to not be ashamed of God's word or He will be ashamed of us.
You will never know, you sharing your testimony or story, can actually help someone else find God or to even grow stronger in their faith?
Grace told me twice that our God is a very "economical" God.
He will not waste whatever experiences that we have..like every single one..but to use these experiences to mould us to become what He wants us to be.
With every triumph over every situation, God is able to use it to bless others who might be facing the same problems later on and you will then be able to relate to them in a more personal level and emphatize with them.
Another thing is that you got to pray things like "Lord, pls lead me to someone today that i can bless." God will open the doors to those whom you can bless.
But the problem is that you must get yourself already in a ready position not to wait till things come but you are not equipt with anything and try to say something and you cannot then end up panicking.
Its just like that particular day you are going for a battle but you are not equipt with anything and on the way to the battle field this guy comes and attacks...of course you will lose out! and lose out in quite an embarrassing manner..
ok, maybe this is not a very good analogy...but i hope you get what i mean..
always be in a ready position.
ready as in being able to share the gospel when you meet anyone along the way, ready to say the sinners prayer, ready to relate to their lives and think, how can God come into the picture?
Imagine, if got chance the people out there are ready to accept the Lord and you are ready, God will be able to use you to touch people's lives! and not for you to panick last minute.
There is need to be sensitive to the opportunities that may come your way..
There is a need to immediately engage the Holy Spirit speak through you..
There is this last thing that we need to remember..and its very important!
"Jesus saves, it is not our responsibility to save but to build bridges."
There is this song that is named, "make a difference". its a very nice song and the chorus goes, "and i will run to the alter, and catch the fire, to stand in the gap between the living and the dead, give us a heart of compassion, for a world without vision and we'll make a difference, bringing hope, to our land."
We don't know who is going to be saved and we do not have the power to save the people that we love and care for even though we may want to..
What we know is that God promises that if we sow as many seeds as possible, the harvest will be plenty.
But to allow that to happen, we need to sow the seeds and not give up in sowing..if you give up, none will be growing at all and there will be no harvest.
Even though some may fall on hard ground and die off without growth, our job is not to grow it, the conditions of growth, like sunlight and right temperature is not dependent on us..we cannot control it. Only God can.
Our job is to sow the seeds!
God bless you!
Its about evangelism..
Eh eh eh...don't go off yet k?
hear what i have got to say..esp for those who totally switch off when this word 'evangelism' appears.
But! it is really very important! because it is us christian's the primary purpose of us living on earth!
I think i have said this before..
An example is like you have just watched a super nice movie like "avartar"!
it is super duper good..and you just go around and tell all your friends about it, recommending them to watch the movie like non-stop.
At least this is what i would do if i saw something real good be it food, a restaurant, a shop or a movie..
It just comes out naturally because you know that when they watch it or eat it too, they will most probably enjoy it as much as you do...(unless your taste is really different and unique from the rest) but usually what you enjoy, there will be others out there who will enjoy it too.
Just like this real life example that i have stated above, if God is really good and the amounts of truth that you really get blown over by it. and somemore God's love for you is something that cannot be measured at all. and the experiences that you encountered with God, wouldn't it be something that is so so much better than what you can obtain from this world?
The most important thing is also that it concerns the people whom you meet and love's eternal life.
Shouldn't it be natural for you to share how amazing this God is? and why one wanted to be a christian?
God didn't say go! gifted ones! He includes everyone..
This means that He includes you and me..no one is of any exception.
Even though you cannot really speak very fluently or with good language..God will still want you to do so..
The best thing is that you are not talented in this area..you are not a natural speaker or be able to carry yourself forward properly..
Why is it the best?
Because if God works through your weaknesses, you will see very clearly and amazingly that God is actually working through you and using you because you will be doing things that you didn't think you were able to do it in the past but somehow you manage to do it. something like a miracle.
God also says in the Bible that He uses the weak and poor, but shames the strong and wealthy.
This does not mean that He will actually torture the strong and wealthy. it refers to those who thinks that they are ok and are better than the rest not those who recognises that they are strong..
God choose to use those who recognises that they are helpless and weak..those who recognise that they need God to do stuff because they cannot do it on their own.
Which is true because human beings have limits but God is limitless and huge.
Anws, evangelism can be just a simple invitation like, "hey hey! would you like to come over to my church one day and attend the service?"
Different people react differently to different ways to invitation.
But the focus is that you do not give up trying even though they may reject you like once.
why?
Because you will never know what actually happens every new day!
I mean like the guy can today say i hate church and super anti church but tmr, he may change his view because of the complications and problems in life right?
If you neh try you will never know..
I have also been struggling with the fact that after awhile, i give up on people and move on.
if they reject me twice or thrice, i will not even try to tell them about christ any longer..
but i guess this is not the mindset that we should have because the world around us is really a EVER-CHANGING WORLD...but God is a NEVER-CHANGING God. thats the difference..God is reliable and trustworthy.
Some people like me will say.."but i scared!"
But do you know that the Bible mentions 365 times things like, "do not be afraid!"
That means like God kinda knows that everyday of the year you will face somekind of fear.
cool right?hahaha^^
Anws, the Bible also reminds us to not be ashamed of God's word or He will be ashamed of us.
You will never know, you sharing your testimony or story, can actually help someone else find God or to even grow stronger in their faith?
Grace told me twice that our God is a very "economical" God.
He will not waste whatever experiences that we have..like every single one..but to use these experiences to mould us to become what He wants us to be.
With every triumph over every situation, God is able to use it to bless others who might be facing the same problems later on and you will then be able to relate to them in a more personal level and emphatize with them.
Another thing is that you got to pray things like "Lord, pls lead me to someone today that i can bless." God will open the doors to those whom you can bless.
But the problem is that you must get yourself already in a ready position not to wait till things come but you are not equipt with anything and try to say something and you cannot then end up panicking.
Its just like that particular day you are going for a battle but you are not equipt with anything and on the way to the battle field this guy comes and attacks...of course you will lose out! and lose out in quite an embarrassing manner..
ok, maybe this is not a very good analogy...but i hope you get what i mean..
always be in a ready position.
ready as in being able to share the gospel when you meet anyone along the way, ready to say the sinners prayer, ready to relate to their lives and think, how can God come into the picture?
Imagine, if got chance the people out there are ready to accept the Lord and you are ready, God will be able to use you to touch people's lives! and not for you to panick last minute.
There is need to be sensitive to the opportunities that may come your way..
There is a need to immediately engage the Holy Spirit speak through you..
There is this last thing that we need to remember..and its very important!
"Jesus saves, it is not our responsibility to save but to build bridges."
There is this song that is named, "make a difference". its a very nice song and the chorus goes, "and i will run to the alter, and catch the fire, to stand in the gap between the living and the dead, give us a heart of compassion, for a world without vision and we'll make a difference, bringing hope, to our land."
We don't know who is going to be saved and we do not have the power to save the people that we love and care for even though we may want to..
What we know is that God promises that if we sow as many seeds as possible, the harvest will be plenty.
But to allow that to happen, we need to sow the seeds and not give up in sowing..if you give up, none will be growing at all and there will be no harvest.
Even though some may fall on hard ground and die off without growth, our job is not to grow it, the conditions of growth, like sunlight and right temperature is not dependent on us..we cannot control it. Only God can.
Our job is to sow the seeds!
God bless you!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
One of my experiences at R.E.A.L camp
Hey hey!! sorry for not putting up any post. Just wanna thank those ppl who put up the comments for me..really very encouraging^^really very nice of you all.
Anws, recently i have been very busy with this church programme for O and A levers called R.E.A.L.
Yupps. there are a total of 16 of us in this programme.
This programme is created by the church mainly to help groom leaders..
Basically it is a programme to help us grow spiritually...we will be doing mission trips, workshops, organising events for the next two months (Jan and Feb)..its kinda like working full time in church just that you don't get any salary.
Anws, we had this log in camp from the 28th to 31st dec in G1.
Today, i am going to tell you some of the lessons and reflections i have done^^
Overall, there were alot of first times for me.
It was my first time watching the sunrise (even though i tried like countless of times to watch it but always fail..cause too cloudy or something)
My first time crying so intensely in a camp or even infront of ppl.
My first time being at changi beach.
My first time going to a camp with grace assembly's church ppl.
My first time waking up at 3.30am for an activity in camp.
My first time doing quiet time (qt) so early in the morning and for so long.
When i heard of this log in camp for the first time and saw the videos of the past REAL people
playing games and stuff, i really was prepared heart and mind that this camp is going to be a great one. One that bonds people together, full of action pack games and fun! To help us get a head start and full of enthusiasm for the real REAL programme to start in Jan.
However, i was kinda disappointed at first that it was really tonned down.
It was a camp that had alot to do with writing, listening, seeing and with little moving.
They had games, but it was just for a short while and it wasn't very actioned packed. Everyday, people tell me how wonderful this camp was and how fun it is but i just kept quiet.
The camp was basically made up of workshops on finding out what kind of a person are you, your strength and weaknesses like the (DISCO) which is similar to sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic and meloncholic. Also, things like how to read the Bible, forgiveness, being authentic and stuff...etc.
Just things that are very dry to me personally.
Anws, skip to the part about the morning quiet times.
I just wanna share with you my experience for the morning qt.
There was one at east coast around 6.15am and one at 4am at changi beach.
For the changi beach one i didn't see the sunrise, just the gradual lightening up of the sky.
I am going to share with you my experiences at east coast park.
As i mentioned earlier, everytime i have been to east coast, even if i wake up very early, i still
won't be able to see the sunrise...so i always thought that it can only be seen at west coast park.
(funny right? all along i thought i can only see the sun rise from the west!!)
Anws, Before the sun even came out. i looked at the sky getting brighter by the minute.
Filled with several colours. Blue at the outer most, followed by green then yellow then orange and finally red.
I kinda got disappointed once again because the sky gets brighter and brighter and the sun was no where to be seen.
It just reminded me of the many times i failed to see the sunrise no matter how hard i try.
It reminded me basically, of my failures.
I gave up watching and start to read my Bible...my head was facing down and i didn't bother to look up.
Until Gao Min (one of my friend in the REAL team) called out to me to look at the sky.
I was really amazed by the orangy red sun.
I dunno how to describe. It was just amazing and i just sit there in awe of it. It was really beautiful..you all should have been there yourself.
It was a feeling like wow! and my eyes just can't get off the sun rise above the sea...(just that it was kinda small as compared to how i imagined it to be)^^
Anws, back to the main point.
What dawned upon me was, if i were to give up and walk away, not waiting for God's timing, i would have missed the sunrise.
The devil could be reminding me of all the failures i had in the past to stop me from waiting or even trying to wait and perservere.
I couldn't have seen the sun at all.
Only, if i were to wait patiently and perservere until something happens (PUSH), the rewards are definately worth watching and getting.
It just like the life that we face.
For me, alot of times because of our anxious hearts, we cannot and fail to wait for God's timing.
We want to do things on our own and do the action first then pray later.
My friend once advice me..she said, in everything you do, pray first then do not do first then pray.
Alot of times we do already then in desperate need then seek God and beg God for help.
We usually fail to see that we are to always seek God's will and timing in prayer before we do the stuff.
Only if we were to be patient in every problem we face as we hand it over to God in prayer, waiting for His timing.
Through this, then we can discover amazing products at the end.
The question is, are you willing to wait?
Some people may think that the sunrise is something so common...nothing special, esp those who get to see sunrise and sunset to often and they get so used to it.
Try to think of the sun in a different light.
What is it made of?
How come it is always on unceasing fire?
Who could have created such a huge and amazing thing?
Another thing that struck me was how amazing God can be as i watched the sky, the sea and the air inbetween. God made them to be seperated, not mixing any of them together.
It just so perfect if you can imagine it..how come these layers do not mix when in the outer space, the water can float around and mix kind of thing..
Hearing the splashing of the waves and watching the water go up and down in a repeated cycle with so many so many(billions or trillions) of creatures living within it. Some of us may not have seen these creatures before like evidently. But, we do know it is there because of TV shows and books featuring it. There are even some creatures deep deep down and we only know they exist through machines..not even human beings can get down so deep.
Just like the TV shows and books showing us the things of the unseen, the Bible works the same way.
Just like how the TV shows and books are written and created by people who have went, search and explore the oceans and seas, the Bible is written by people who have experienced God and even seen Him.
They are the witnesses of Jesus.
The question is, are we going to trust the source even if the things are unseen and untouchable by us?
How much are we going to trust?
How reliable is it?
If what we can see like the sun and the surface of the oceans is already so amazing, what more the things that we cannot see?
This camp has really made an impact in my life.
Not that it is really fun and exciting.
But that this is the only camp that taught me the essentials to life.
To be able to know yourself and relate to others,
To love like how Jesus did.
To work for the eternal life.
These can only be done through prayer, reading of God's word, fellowship and worship.
This camp is truely different and it leaves memories like no other.
Thank You Lord
Anws, recently i have been very busy with this church programme for O and A levers called R.E.A.L.
Yupps. there are a total of 16 of us in this programme.
This programme is created by the church mainly to help groom leaders..
Basically it is a programme to help us grow spiritually...we will be doing mission trips, workshops, organising events for the next two months (Jan and Feb)..its kinda like working full time in church just that you don't get any salary.
Anws, we had this log in camp from the 28th to 31st dec in G1.
Today, i am going to tell you some of the lessons and reflections i have done^^
Overall, there were alot of first times for me.
It was my first time watching the sunrise (even though i tried like countless of times to watch it but always fail..cause too cloudy or something)
My first time crying so intensely in a camp or even infront of ppl.
My first time being at changi beach.
My first time going to a camp with grace assembly's church ppl.
My first time waking up at 3.30am for an activity in camp.
My first time doing quiet time (qt) so early in the morning and for so long.
When i heard of this log in camp for the first time and saw the videos of the past REAL people
playing games and stuff, i really was prepared heart and mind that this camp is going to be a great one. One that bonds people together, full of action pack games and fun! To help us get a head start and full of enthusiasm for the real REAL programme to start in Jan.
However, i was kinda disappointed at first that it was really tonned down.
It was a camp that had alot to do with writing, listening, seeing and with little moving.
They had games, but it was just for a short while and it wasn't very actioned packed. Everyday, people tell me how wonderful this camp was and how fun it is but i just kept quiet.
The camp was basically made up of workshops on finding out what kind of a person are you, your strength and weaknesses like the (DISCO) which is similar to sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic and meloncholic. Also, things like how to read the Bible, forgiveness, being authentic and stuff...etc.
Just things that are very dry to me personally.
Anws, skip to the part about the morning quiet times.
I just wanna share with you my experience for the morning qt.
There was one at east coast around 6.15am and one at 4am at changi beach.
For the changi beach one i didn't see the sunrise, just the gradual lightening up of the sky.
I am going to share with you my experiences at east coast park.
As i mentioned earlier, everytime i have been to east coast, even if i wake up very early, i still
won't be able to see the sunrise...so i always thought that it can only be seen at west coast park.
(funny right? all along i thought i can only see the sun rise from the west!!)
Anws, Before the sun even came out. i looked at the sky getting brighter by the minute.
Filled with several colours. Blue at the outer most, followed by green then yellow then orange and finally red.
I kinda got disappointed once again because the sky gets brighter and brighter and the sun was no where to be seen.
It just reminded me of the many times i failed to see the sunrise no matter how hard i try.
It reminded me basically, of my failures.
I gave up watching and start to read my Bible...my head was facing down and i didn't bother to look up.
Until Gao Min (one of my friend in the REAL team) called out to me to look at the sky.
I was really amazed by the orangy red sun.
I dunno how to describe. It was just amazing and i just sit there in awe of it. It was really beautiful..you all should have been there yourself.
It was a feeling like wow! and my eyes just can't get off the sun rise above the sea...(just that it was kinda small as compared to how i imagined it to be)^^
Anws, back to the main point.
What dawned upon me was, if i were to give up and walk away, not waiting for God's timing, i would have missed the sunrise.
The devil could be reminding me of all the failures i had in the past to stop me from waiting or even trying to wait and perservere.
I couldn't have seen the sun at all.
Only, if i were to wait patiently and perservere until something happens (PUSH), the rewards are definately worth watching and getting.
It just like the life that we face.
For me, alot of times because of our anxious hearts, we cannot and fail to wait for God's timing.
We want to do things on our own and do the action first then pray later.
My friend once advice me..she said, in everything you do, pray first then do not do first then pray.
Alot of times we do already then in desperate need then seek God and beg God for help.
We usually fail to see that we are to always seek God's will and timing in prayer before we do the stuff.
Only if we were to be patient in every problem we face as we hand it over to God in prayer, waiting for His timing.
Through this, then we can discover amazing products at the end.
The question is, are you willing to wait?
Some people may think that the sunrise is something so common...nothing special, esp those who get to see sunrise and sunset to often and they get so used to it.
Try to think of the sun in a different light.
What is it made of?
How come it is always on unceasing fire?
Who could have created such a huge and amazing thing?
Another thing that struck me was how amazing God can be as i watched the sky, the sea and the air inbetween. God made them to be seperated, not mixing any of them together.
It just so perfect if you can imagine it..how come these layers do not mix when in the outer space, the water can float around and mix kind of thing..
Hearing the splashing of the waves and watching the water go up and down in a repeated cycle with so many so many(billions or trillions) of creatures living within it. Some of us may not have seen these creatures before like evidently. But, we do know it is there because of TV shows and books featuring it. There are even some creatures deep deep down and we only know they exist through machines..not even human beings can get down so deep.
Just like the TV shows and books showing us the things of the unseen, the Bible works the same way.
Just like how the TV shows and books are written and created by people who have went, search and explore the oceans and seas, the Bible is written by people who have experienced God and even seen Him.
They are the witnesses of Jesus.
The question is, are we going to trust the source even if the things are unseen and untouchable by us?
How much are we going to trust?
How reliable is it?
If what we can see like the sun and the surface of the oceans is already so amazing, what more the things that we cannot see?
This camp has really made an impact in my life.
Not that it is really fun and exciting.
But that this is the only camp that taught me the essentials to life.
To be able to know yourself and relate to others,
To love like how Jesus did.
To work for the eternal life.
These can only be done through prayer, reading of God's word, fellowship and worship.
This camp is truely different and it leaves memories like no other.
Thank You Lord
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