in pursuit of spiritual growth and maturity

WE'VE MOVED!

2009-01-01T10:11:00.000+08:00

bayouths.blogspot.com

plunge 2

2008-11-26T13:59:00.001+08:00

i'm so i glad i took the plunge!

camp forms! camp plunge!!

2008-11-14T15:41:00.002+08:00

camp registration form

parents' indemnity form

youtube acct

2008-11-14T11:11:00.002+08:00

bay camp 07 pics

2008-11-07T11:01:00.003+08:00

24 more days to camp!!!!

last year's camp pics:

vs

this camp, which is like ages ago~

BAY-B-Q

2008-08-01T00:01:00.000+08:00

psalm 62

2008-07-31T11:00:00.001+08:00

My soul finds rest in God alone, My Rock and my salvation,
A fortress strong against my foes, And I will not be shaken.
Though lips may bless and hearts may curse, And lies like arrows pierce me,
I’ll fix my heart on righteousness, I’ll look to Him who hears me.

CHORUS
O praise Him, hallelujah, My Delight and my Reward;
Everlasting, never failing, My Redeemer, my God.

Find rest, my soul, in God alone
Amid the world’s temptations;
When evil seeks to take a hold
I’ll cling to my salvation.
Though riches come and riches go,
Don’t set your heart upon them;
The fields of hope in which I sow
Are harvested in heaven. (TO CHORUS)

I’ll set my gaze on God alone,
And trust in Him completely;
With every day pour out my soul,
And He will prove His mercy.
Though life is but a fleeting breath,
A sigh too brief to measure,
My King has crushed the curse of death
And I am His forever. (TO CHORUS 2X)

BRIDGE
O praise Him, O praise Him, hallelujah, hallelujah,
O praise Him, O praise Him, hallelujah, hallelujah,
O praise Him, O praise Him, hallelujah! hallelujah!

- aaron keyes, stuart townend

consider Christ

2008-07-26T09:33:00.000+08:00

What has God done in raising Jesus from the dead? Here are a few biblical answers.

Because of the resurrection of Jesus, death will never have any dominion over him again.

Romans 6:9: “We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.”

Acts 13:34: “He raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption.”

Because of the resurrection, Jesus intercedes for us in heaven before God.

Romans 8:34: “Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”

Jesus’ resurrection was the beginning and guarantee of our resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:20: “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

2 Corinthians 4:14: “He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.”

We were raised with Jesus so that our true life is hidden now in him.

Ephesians 2:6: “[God] and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

Colossians 3:1-4: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. . . . Your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

Because of the resurrection of Jesus, we are born again to a living hope.

1 Peter 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Because of the resurrection of Jesus, we now enjoy his personal fellowship with us always.

Matthew 28:20: “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Because of the resurrection of Jesus, he has a name above every name and every knee will bow to him.

Philippians 2:9-10: “God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”

The resurrection of Jesus means that Jesus kept his word.

Matthew 17:22: “Jesus said to them, ‘The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.’”

The resurrection of Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures and the promises of God.

1 Corinthians 15:4: “He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”

Acts 13:32-33: “We bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus.”

Because Jesus was raised, he has received the promise of the Spirit and poured out the Spirit on us.

Acts 2:33: “Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.”

Because Jesus is raised, he can still heal the way he did on earth.

Acts 4:10: “Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well.”

Because of the resurrection, he gives repentance and forgiveness of sins.

Acts 5:31: “God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.”

Because Jesus was raised, he is now appointed by God to judge the living and the dead.

Acts 10:42: “He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.”

Acts 17:31: “He has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

God secured our justification by raising Jesus from the dead.

Romans 4:25: “He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”

The risen Christ takes the place for us that the law once had so that we can bear fruit for God.

Romans 7:4: “Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.”

Because of Jesus’ resurrection, he now has the glory for which we were made. Our ultimate destiny is to see him as he is.

1 Peter 1:21: “God . . . raised him from the dead and gave him glory.”

John 17:5, 24: “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. . . . Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”

May the risen Lord Jesus himself arouse your sincere mind to new depths of worship and allegiance and joy.

Pastor John

christian radio - KLOVE

2008-07-17T17:49:00.000+08:00

K-Love christian radio

click on it for a new window

KLove radio

4hours@cage

2008-07-15T10:44:00.001+08:00

bay wallpaper

2008-07-10T16:56:00.001+08:00

the BAY youtube channel is created!

www.youtube.com/bayouths

church camp melaka 08

2008-06-22T02:40:00.001+08:00

photos by dom

B@Y

2008-05-06T22:14:00.002+08:00

vee day 08 pix!

2008-02-28T17:26:00.004+08:00

bay valentine's special *click here*

photos by hozea.

of soccer highlights and spiritual highs

2007-11-23T17:57:00.000+08:00

"...I suspect most football (soccer) fans are grateful for programmes like "Football Highlights." In the space of an hour or so you see the highlights of all the games played over any given weekend. Instead of having to sit through hours and hours of football footage, much of which may be boring, we get to see the most exciting moments...

...Similarly, we do not experience a spiritual high every other minute in our walk with God. There are those moments when we have special encounters with Him. But burning bushes are rare. Often, quiet time is a discipline that we do because we love the Lord. (And sometimes done with the aid of coffee so that it doesn't become too quiet.) Sometimes the heavens open during corporate worship. Often, we discipline our hearts to look out for God when sermons are not the most scintillating and the singing is flat. Walking with God is not a thrill a minute."

continue reading
http://graceatwork.org/view.php3?Id=396

utmost: forgiveness

2007-11-21T17:31:00.001+08:00

The death of Jesus Christ is the fulfillment in history of the very mind and intent of God. There is no place for seeing Jesus Christ as a martyr. His death was not something that happened to Him— something that might have been prevented. His death was the very reason He came.

Never build your case for forgiveness on the idea that God is our Father and He will forgive us because He loves us. That contradicts the revealed truth of God in Jesus Christ. It makes the Cross unnecessary, and the redemption "much ado about nothing." God forgives sin only because of the death of Christ. God could forgive people in no other way than by the death of His Son, and Jesus is exalted as Savior because of His death. "We see Jesus . . . for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor . . ." ( Hebrews 2:9 ). The greatest note of triumph ever sounded in the ears of a startled universe was that sounded on the Cross of Christ— "It is finished!" ( John 19:30 ). That is the final word in the redemption of humankind.

Anything that lessens or completely obliterates the holiness of God, through a false view of His love, contradicts the truth of God as revealed by Jesus Christ. Never allow yourself to believe that Jesus Christ stands with us, and against God, out of pity and compassion, or that He became a curse for us out of sympathy for us. Jesus Christ became a curse for us by divine decree. Our part in realizing the tremendous meaning of His curse is the conviction of sin. Conviction is given to us as a gift of shame and repentance; it is the great mercy of God. Jesus Christ hates the sin in people, and Calvary is the measure of His hatred.

phil 4:10-23

2007-11-19T22:02:00.000+08:00

I just discovered something amazing!!!! I was reading this verse for qt this morning, and I believe i spent a good 10 mins in sheer wonder of what Paul is trying to say. He says:

For i have learnt in every situation to be content. I know what how to be
brought low and how to abound. In ANY and EVERY circumstance, I have learnt the
secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

and his secret to being able to be content, to face every and any circumstance is this phrase he tells himself

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

It's Paul's little secret, but this tiny 10-word sentence is what his confidence to face ANY and EVERY circumstnace comes from.

so bind this to your hearts guys... that NO matter what you are going through... work, family struggles, study problems, ministry issues, relationship difficulties and maybe just being terribly blessed, the secret to being able to face your situation is knowing that 10-word sentence.

Of course the passage reads on the the comforting verse in 19 that says that He will "supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in JC". This is because the Phillipians blessed Paul by supporting his work. Similarly, as we strive to meet others needs with our giving, be it effort, time, money or skills... I believe that He can and will meet our needs.

-Jeanette

walk

2007-11-17T04:50:00.000+08:00

holding on to that which is constant.

2007-11-15T11:27:00.001+08:00

Psalm 51:17

2007-11-15T09:30:00.000+08:00

psalms 51:17 "the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a contrite heart, O God you will not despise" reminds me of what God really desires even as i live my life or even serve him in any way.

A broken spirit and a contrite heart
you will not despise
you will not despise
you desire truth in the inward parts
a broken spirit and a contrite heart.

Lord, my heart is prone to wander
prone to leave the God i love
heres my heart, lord
take and seal it,
seal it for your courts above

-Gabriel

Zechariah 4:6

2007-11-13T14:49:00.001+08:00

The next devotional that encouraged me when I read and made me think is this. It speaks of God as our strong fortress. When facing a difficulty, we have a choice. Do we run into "Panic Palace" and hide or perhaps wallow in pity, or do we run into the arms of our God who is our strong fortress. "God is my strong fortress; He guides the blameless in His way and sets him free" 2 Sam 22:33 All of us, at one time or another, have said, "I can't do it, I can't" The next time we face a difficulty let's instead give it all to Jesus. All our concerns and our seemingly impossible problems - knowing that He gladly receives each and every one. His answer to us is simple, "I never said you could, but I always said I would" "Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit... says the Lord of hosts" Zechariah 4:6

-Hazel

2 Cor 3:18

2007-11-13T14:48:00.000+08:00

Well the first devotional speaks of refreshing transformation. When we can lose ourselves in who our God is and what a great God we are privileged to know and have live within us, our steps become lighter and they have a fresh new spring to them "But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." 2 Cor 3:18 So as we continue walking on this road of transformation and we come across blocked or impassable roads, we need to remember that he always leads in right paths for "His name's sake". " He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake" Ps 23:3 Christ would lose His good name if he didn't. Our problem is we start gazing at our circumstances instead of upon the Lord, and we lose our balance... ( isn't this so true...)

-Hazel

Romans 8: 1-11

2007-11-12T06:58:00.002+08:00

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

What does it mean for us to walk according to the Spirit. It means to accept that Christ has set us free, to set our minds on the things of the Spirit. Being spiritually minded is life and peace!

Micah 6:8

2007-11-12T06:58:00.001+08:00

Micah 6:8
He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

Our came theme is our life theme guys... Ben shared last night that in Genesis, it was God's amazing and unsurpassable love for us that He chose to walk with Adam in the garden. And what then is expected of us? To walk alongside with our God. That is goodness. As we continue to walk, we will continue to be transformed more like God... I mean that's what happens when you spend time with someone right? you begin to be more and more like that person.

youtube

2007-10-30T10:56:00.000+08:00

Perseverence

2005-03-31T01:48:00.000+08:00

ARGHHHHHHHHHHH...........................
Must type all over again....... somehow everything i typed just now just disappeared after i clicked "publish"
ok, i agree with hozzy as too feel that like everything is like moving slowly, people are being "distracted", tired, discouraged...... But i too feel very strongly against giving up and I'm glad that none of us has given up. So indeed, I pray that we'll be strengthened by the Lord and we'll not loose our focus, our love (for God), and our commitment.

I have been reading Acts and its really encouraging to see how Paul and the apostles persevere dispite all the persecution and suffering that they face. So may we all learn from them and not give up praying, serving, and obeying God.

try, really try.

2005-03-20T17:28:00.000+08:00

maybe no one will read this. or someone will, eventually.

On the surface, it seems like everything's okay. but we know it's not. we can almost say BAY is falling apart. but we know God will restore us. and the leaders gotta put in the effort to serve Him.

and with so many people, not just a few but many, seeming to tend to drift away; it's so hard trying to hold them back. sometimes i feel like no one's really trying to do it, maybe cuz those ppl are drifting away so gradually, almost unnoticeable. or no one knows how to hold on to them. Schoolwork; NS; and more schoolwork. even within the leadership, some of us are weary or caught up with the seemingly more important part of our lives, and we fall away too.
We said we want to be revived; press the RESET button. but truthfully not everyone is trying as hard, right? I know i'm not, so i want to "get back on track".
And i think we gotta really get down to doing it, cuz i feel a sense of urgency. not so much of Christ's return, but that of people falling away and making it all the more difficult to pull them back.

So far being a cell leader, I guess i have gotten to know some people alot more. but that means having to listen alot more and know alot of their problems. and having to handle with it. i really want to help, but i dont know how. i know i cant do everything, and it's always good to pray. but somehow it's just a little tiring to just have the knowledge of something. and the broken relationships are really there, even though this is a church. even i myself, have unresolved relationships or just strained ones.

I am trying. or i'm trying hard to try. I feel so inadequate to do anything, yet i dont want to give up. I hope we ALL try. I pray that I will stick to this and not fall away.

2004-10-26T13:07:00.000+08:00

hey everyone! I haven't contributed anything here for a long time... but i guess i just felt like sharing some things that are on my heart right now.

Firstly, please pray for me. I'm going through some refining right now, and i'm trying my best to keep functioning but all i want to do is break down and cry. It's not a bad thing. God has just directed me and my family... and due to financial and other reasons that I don't understand yet, I have to drop my graphic design major... (still staying with social work though). And thank God that I can hear Him, because if not I would be lost and confused... now i'm just dissapointed and working through this.

But what I wanted to share was that God is good. I've personally had one of the roughest times of my life, and they aren't over. But being alone over here, having friends that I used to communicate with just not around, and then coping with an immense workload and being a leader on my wing has put me... well, in a place where without God i would be nothing. But, He has just been so faithful, and so wonderful... that i cannot even begin to express it. And before my semester is over, I just want to testify to that.

The amazing thing is that I've grown! my morning qt's though blurry eyed and so so little compared to the rest of my day... well.. it all has been beneficial for me. And.. of course, soming back home this December is such a great present and blessing that I well.. =) I am grateful. Yup. So... you know how James 1 talks about going through every trial with joy? that's how I plan to get through it! Because even when logical fact says that the situation is bad and hopeless, the truth of the matter is that God is good and He gives us hope! =)

October 21

2004-10-22T01:12:00.000+08:00

Nobody can possibly help me

How wonderful! You can shake hands with a king. His name is Jehoshaphat, and his story reads like a letter from someone who feels desperate - maybe like you feel right now. You don't know where to turn. Neither did he. Jehoshaphat had no forces to oppose the "great company" marching against him.

Standing achingly helpless (as you are), what did he do? He literally threw himself on God. He prayed," O our God, we have no power to face this vast army attacking us. We don't know what to do but our eyes are upon you." (You'll find the story in 2 Chronicles 20.)

Do you see yourself in the mirror of the story?Do you feel overpowered by a "great company" of temptations. Are you stumbling through confused days and tossing through sleepless nights.

What is the answer? Stoic endurance? No. That brings only deeper despair. But you can pray Jehoshaphat's prayer! His God is your God if your faith is in Jesus Christ. You can plead with God on the grounds of his great power, his promises and his love. And all the while you can keep your eyes steadfastly on him.

The result? As you trust, you will one day say as Jeheshaphat said," The Lord has given me cause to rejoice."

From The One Year Book of Bible Promises.

Decision Time

2004-10-17T18:17:00.000+08:00

Ah...been a long time since i've last posted anything here... but i just thought i'd start again.
As i was worshipping this morning during the morning's service, a thought just came across my mind. Well, being in the army and all, i realised that i haven't really been a good testimony to the people around me in camp. I guess what made me think of this was because before i went into the army, i kinda wrote something on a piece of paper which is still in my bible now. And everytime i look at it, it just makes me guilty cause what i wrote there was, "I will be a testimony for you in camp." You can say i wrote it while i was inspired by God during one of the worship services a pretty long time ago.

So now my problem is, I haven't been doing what i said i'd do. However, i am going to change all of that today. I've made my decision. If any of you know my situation, i'm in SISPEC now, training to be a future commander blah blah blah. The thing is, all i ever wanted was to get an 8-5pm posting, something like my cousin, Mark (lucky dude). However, I guess God is telling me otherwise.

I realised, in order to get the 8-5pm posting that i so much long for, it would mean that i would have to "Chao Keng" a lot.

Chao Keng(definition) - well, it basically means i'll have to act weak, do things badly, try to report sick most of the times etc. Ultimately, get downgraded to a worse pes.

And, doing this would totally contradict what i wrote down on that piece of paper. So, i have decided to do my best in the army now. I figured, since God has put me in this position, given me good health etc, it could only mean one thing. He wants me to use my talents to the best of my abilities. I think there's even a verse that says something like to do everything excellently.

I'm sick and tired of always trying to plan what I want. It's time to let God plan for me. After all, he knows best right?

So guys, would like you all to pray for me as i undertake this decision. I know it'll be hard, given my slack nature and all that, but i know it's possible, espcially with God's help.

Micro level

2004-10-13T01:12:00.000+08:00

Hehe, TV actually has some pretty good stuff. I was watching this kids program called, "standard dievents TV". Today they were talking about socialogy, and wad hit me was when they defined some terms in socialogy. They stated that there are two social levels, micro and macro level. Marco level is where the people are not that close and the example they gave was factory workers and the boss. Mirco level on the other hand involves people who are much closer and involve each other in their lives. Then they gave church members as a micro level. Interesting.

2004-10-06T22:53:00.000+08:00

short entry but just a food for thought.

my chem teacher is also a christian.. well apparently she was trying to find some smart reason for us to concentrate on our work, and she said she heard a pastor saying something very meaningful in a service, that we dont say God is fair or unfair, instead, God is just. (Hmm... )

unfair!!!

2004-10-05T19:00:00.000+08:00

well, this kinda hit me as i read the entry, timo 0.14. We all know that Jesus died for us and that he was physically tortured with whips, nails, torns... But what hit me was that he also had to face God's warth on all sin that was committed and will be committed by everyone who ever lived. So if God's warth on a city such as sodom, was enough to cause him to send fire and stone, i am even afraid to even imagine wad Jesus faced with ALL the sin on his back..........

ok so why the title "unfair!!"
Another thing that struck me was that if we were to say that the world is unfair and we are being unfairly treated... blah blah.... then aren't we belittling wad Jesus did. Cos if we really being unfairly treated... den how was Jesus treated?

hehe i guess i better think twice when i feel like i am being unfairly treated.

Anywayz.. just had my maths paper today... fwah!!! It was a killer!!! But good news is that nobody else thought otherwise... hehe

Cheers,
Nck

Loving our enemies?

2004-10-05T01:21:00.000+08:00

Well, I kinda got this thing about the issue about loving our enemies. As in i still dun really understand it.

Case study:
Jacob is a normal boy who goes to school like all other normal boys. And in school there is this other typical boy called Donny. However, Donny is the typical attitude kinda guy who thinks he is the King of the world and is the boss of everybody around him... Everyday Donny criticizes about almost everyone and everything, and one of his usual victims is Jacob. Needless to say, Jacob dislikes Donny and goes to even hate Donny on days where Donny just goes overboard. Jacob is a Christian and he knows that Jesus Himself commanded us to live our enemies.

Question:
What do you think Jacob should do to love this enemy of his?

My views:
The main thing that made rather confused is what was preached in 2nd service a few weeks ago. What was said, if i remember correctly, was that the verse ,that says that when you love your enemies you reap coles of fire on their head, actually meant that you provide fire for enemies when they are cold.
So, if i am not mistaken, we should provide for our enemies. Then, in like Jacob's case, how does he provide for Donny? If he goes out of his way to help Donny like do stuff, Donny is just gonna take advantage of him and probably criticize him more resulting in Jacob disliking Donny more and maybe even triggering a bloody and violent scene. HaHA some answers just popped into my head but i stall wanna see wad u guys have to say.

Cheers,
Nck
p.s : haha tml my first paper, feeling abit confident but got the feeling that i shouldn't be... hehe

2004-09-30T10:02:00.000+08:00

The Assigning of the Call
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church . . .
—Colossians 1:24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We take our own spiritual consecration and try to make it into a call of God, but when we get right with Him He brushes all this aside. Then He gives us a tremendous, riveting pain to fasten our attention on something that we never even dreamed could be His call for us. And for one radiant, flashing moment we see His purpose, and we say, "Here am I! Send me" ( Isaiah 6:8 ).

This call has nothing to do with personal sanctification, but with being made broken bread and poured-out wine. Yet God can never make us into wine if we object to the fingers He chooses to use to crush us. We say, "If God would only use His own fingers, and make me broken bread and poured-out wine in a special way, then I wouldn’t object!" But when He uses someone we dislike, or some set of circumstances to which we said we would never submit, to crush us, then we object. Yet we must never try to choose the place of our own martyrdom. If we are ever going to be made into wine, we will have to be crushed—you cannot drink grapes. Grapes become wine only when they have been squeezed.

I wonder what finger and thumb God has been using to squeeze you? Have you been as hard as a marble and escaped? If you are not ripe yet, and if God had squeezed you anyway, the wine produced would have been remarkably bitter. To be a holy person means that the elements of our natural life experience the very presence of God as they are providentially broken in His service. We have to be placed into God and brought into agreement with Him before we can be broken bread in His hands. Stay right with God and let Him do as He likes, and you will find that He is producing the kind of bread and wine that will benefit His other children.

My Utmost for His Highest

Have not been doing my QT lately, as i have not been sleeping well, my bus rides are times where i just stone and stare into space, trying to save up every single drop of energy before reaching the office. But today i finally pulled myself together to read today's devotion, and so decided to blog it down. All i can say is I understand what God is trying to say to me. And YES! All i want God to do is to use me to produce the bread and the wine that will benefit His other children.

God's Mouth Piece

2004-09-28T22:57:00.000+08:00

Amen to Ben's latest entry, "to encourage is to give courage!" (--,)
---------------------------------------------------------------------

My day was good, my lesson started about 12, ended very early like 2 then i got to play basketball with my classmate, so fun :) After playing basketball, we went to a nearby market to have dinner. Thinking back, it looks like a very normal dinner with my classmates, chit chatting, luaghing at each other doing stupid and funny stuffs.

But i believe God didn't allow that to happen today. We were talking, then my classmate Zhongren(Christian) was talking about how his grandma don't allow him to be baptize due to some chinese believes. Then another classmate of mine, ah long(non-Christian) made this comment, that it doesn't matter which religion we choose, to believe, as long as the religion teaches us to be good, that is the most important.

Then Zhongren tried to answer back, that this world only has one God that is our God. Then ah long said, how can we know that Our God is the real one. Then i tired to add on, that our God is the only true God. But before long, they changed the subject. As they know if we continue to talk about it, its not going to end and may lead to an arguement.

But i thought it was a pretty exciting and interesting experience for me, that God gave me a chance for talk about him during dinner. wow, praise God, that i had a chance to be his mouth piece to share with others about Christ, even thought my friend still don't really understand.

Because of this, i am challgened and encouraged to find out more, about who God is and also how to direct others to Christ.

I believe, as Christian, we all should prepared, that everytime, everywhere God might placed us in suituations to share about Christ. The question now is, what is our respone?? Are we just going to change the subject, ignore them? wonder whether we should share with them? or should we try our best to direct to Christ ?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The Great Commission-

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to thw very end of the age."
Matthew 28:19-20

Encouragement

2004-09-28T13:58:00.000+08:00

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,
just as in fact you are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:11,
NIV).

The word encourage simply means to put courage into
another--something we all need to receive regularly.

Years ago--I was little more than a kid--one of the men in
our church squeezed my arm affectionately and spoke a kind
word as I passed by him.

I've never forgotten that tiny touch which to me was a big
encouragement. Some years later I recall how in my
beginning days of ministry after speaking to a youth group
one of the members in attendance said to me, "Thank you for
being God's messenger to me today." I've never forgotten
her words and those of many others along the way either.
(Sadly, though, a cutting word can have the opposite
long-term effect.)

Encouragement. So easy to give, costs nothing, and worth
its weight in gold.

As Leo Buscaglia said, "The majority of us lead quiet,
unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will
most likely be no ticker-tape parades for us, no monuments
created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible
impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone
just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our
compassion, our unique talents. Someone who will live a
happier life merely because we took the time to share what
we had to give. Too often we underestimate the power of a
touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest
compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which
have a potential to turn a life around. It's overwhelming
to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make
our love felt."

Be sure to encourage--and put courage into--someone today,
especially your own loved ones.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you for all the people
who have encouraged me along the way. They are greatly
appreciated. And please help me to be an encourager to
someone else every single day just as others have
encouraged me. Thank you for hearing and answering my
prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

The above passage is another mail that i got from aunty lee eng. Yup it kinda taught me alot of things. And also a continuation of what nick shared about seeing everyone sharing something and he himself being encouraged. Indeed no matter how small you think you are, you are bound to play a major role in changing someone else's life in a way or the other. So i would like to encourage each one of us to take hold of every opportunity you can, and look out for situations where you can encourage others as well as spur each other to be more Christ-like.

being humble

2004-09-24T19:10:00.000+08:00

hey guys =)
just wanted to share about something which i have been thinking about, and also kinda sparked off by ivin's post!

anyway, recently i have been finding myself getting a little arrogant sometimes, in class, in church, or wherever. well, mostly in class, bcos i have no idea why, but i usually top the class, which is not very common for me.. hahaha. i mean, before jc. this isnt about boasting, but i have to admit that sometimes i congratulate myself on doing well, on having better answers, etc. few days ago, i realised that i was being quite proud.. letting it get to my head, and thinking that i. am. smart. haha. maybe i am? heheh. but thats not the point. the point is i realised that i forgot to thank God for giving me the good results, for letting me do well, for putting these answers into my head.

on a side note, just as an encouragement for those taking exams, God can really do wonders. i was talking to joyce a few weeks back, and she reminded me about the time before my O level results came out, and she asked me what i was expecting. i told her 11 or 12, or at very best 10. now, God gave me 8 points. i didn't find the papers that easy, i didn't think i'd do that well. but God let me! so yeah. before i let that get to my head too, i'd better give it to God =)

well, another thing ivin mentioned was being proud about our giftings. in a way, im guilty of that too, cos somehow there is this mindset that, worship leading, for example, is a glorious job, and so on. so, i hope that whatever i do, be it worship leading, or leading cell or whatever, that i will not be proud that i am capable enough to do the job, but be proud that i am able to do the job for Him. errr. makes sense? haha. just thoughts that came by..

chow =)

Keep it up guys

2004-09-23T09:39:00.000+08:00

hey you guys... its always good to read about the things going on in your life. hope you guys will keep writing and journalling to reflect and talk about your experiences with God. God is still at work in our lives. He is never static and constantly engaging us, at school, at work or at play. All we need is to do is to listen and reflect, and apply our knowledge of the Word and of God to our life.

Dunno if you guys read about Diana, the CEO of Mil-com Aerospace, who died in a car accident in China. The company is worth $30mil dollars and she left behind a husband and 2 kids. It reminded me of what Uncle Jonathan talked about during Church camp in June, Anyone can die at anytime. The question is, are we doing things that mean something in eternity? Just in case all of you decide to quit school and go be a missionary in the amazon jungle. (which incidentally might not mean anything in eternity). If you look at the sermon on the mount in Matthew, you will find this verse, Matt 6:20 - store up for yourselves treasures in heaven...

but if you look at the previous verses, you will see that Jesus was teaching and comparing the differences between how earthly people live and how Godly people should live.

I think that is what Jesus is trying to tell us. Living for eternity does not mean being a missionary or serving full time in church neccessarily. But storing treasures in heaven means living our lives on earth as God intended, seeing the world and others through God's eyes, and speaking only what glorifies God. Jesus came to become a full time missionary at the age of 30, He served the church which had only 12 members. He was the elder, deacon, pastor, and teacher. But most importantly HE lived, suffered and died in obedience to God for HIS brief stay on earth.

Are we obedient to God?

I can tell you this is the hardest thing. I am challenged everyday to live in obedience to God. The more I read HIS word,the more i m convicted of the things i have done wrong. Wrong thoughts, bad attitudes, being proud of my giftings, putting down others, not giving people grace, tearing people down with my words, my thoughts... the list goes on. I am challenged to give up. Give up myself, give up living for me, stop planning, living and scheming for my success, my worth, my value, my possessions. but learn to give, give in, give up....

The only saving Grace I have, is that God will complete the work HE has started in me. Phil 1:6. I know HE will continue to remind me, help me, save me from myself. So that the only thing i can boast, is that He is the one who has done it.

To God be the Glory forever and ever.. amen

once again

2004-09-15T22:23:00.000+08:00

it's the book again! on the first day of Prelims, i read what was on for that day. and it was amazingly appropriate to me. it says something like Lord, remind me often today. and the first verse basically said that whichever areas of my life that i did not surrender fully to Him, i find that in these areas i am most "severely tried". how true. hit me as my area of studies. i depend on my own ability. i ask for strength, for diligence, for focus. but in the end i try to find my own strength. or i simply dont believe i'll get it even though i asked for it. hmm..

makes us look very dumb huh. like trying to act smart. trying to do it yourself. prove something. humanly pride. but the more you do that, that more difficult you find your task. what better deal is it, to just simple believe it will be done, it will be given, and then it is indeed given to you. what better deal.

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.
Matthew 21:22

today

2004-09-12T19:10:00.000+08:00

The One Year book of Bible Promises
with writings from Ruth Harms Calkin
That's the book given me by Auntie Pauline. she gave different books to those who just got baptised. This is what was given for today, Sept 12.

Seek first
O Lord
How futile, how foolish
To attempt to keep up with the Joneses
On the gold-studded ladder of success.
Even if we make it
(Setiing high, competitive goals)
We awake one dismal morning
To discover the Smiths have bypassed the Joneses
So it starts again - the goading competition

God, Your objective is far more rewarding.
You want us to "keep up" with Your Plan
For our individual lives.
"Seek first the kingdom of God"
Is Your shining word to us.
Forgive us for moments and days
(Even months)
When our love of money
Has exceeded our love for You.
Please, God
Be our Financial Advisor
And deliver us from a thousand "if onlys."
May we never be defeated
By the lack of money
Or captivated by the lure of it.

"So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. " 1 Timothy 6:8-9 NLT

Seek first the kingdom of God

God is Great

2004-09-07T20:56:00.000+08:00

Well, its been ages since i've witten something here. Have been really encouraged with wad ben and hozzy wrote in the last 2 entries. I fully agree with wad Ben said about focusing and not loose our strength, i was actually wondering what to write in this blog and finially after a few weeks i finially realised that even the simple thing of just talking about our lives is really encouraging. What hozzy shared about her family really touched me cos it made me realise that its really thru these sharings that really help us to grow closer and even care more for each other.
just wanna share about what God has done for me ( actually more of like me and pauline ).
The past few weeks have been really busy for me and pauline, we had alot of school work, projects, debate preparation, tutorials, etc... But interestingly and amazing thru all the working i have really prayed and relied on God more and God really answered. Last week when i worked late into the night rushing thru some report or something, dunno why i suddenly felt all happy and peaceful...weird man...
So juzt wanna encourage all u guys to share more, even about the simple things in life cos i really encourages!!

taking a break

2004-09-02T20:46:00.000+08:00

finally remembered to blog but i'm starting this not really knowing what i'm gonna put it.
well, this week i managed to put into practice something good.. i am perhaps more conscious of the act of praying for people. on tuesday, a car knocked into my dad's car.. (it's the 2nd time this has happened, and i wonder why people like to knock into it..) well ya.. so Again, my dad was quite shaken up.. (i would think the impact is heavier on him, since it took alot for him to go learn driving after a hit-n-run accident in the past; he was the victim)... and yesterday he suffered minor effects of whiplash.. today he had a molar removed. for past few days my mum was sick and is still a coughing.. and... tomorrow night they're leaving for Japan, a business trip for my dad to go train some ppl... i wonder how he's gonna speak with one cheek swollen.. but hey, timo's done it, right.. haa.. yep.. the point is, at the end of the day, i really sat down and prayed for them.. and for my younger brother to be less impatient huh.. ya i think tjc hasnt made him a better person? ah well..

well during the weeks of studying and being "off-duty", life was pretty mundane. i realised even if i attended the friday meetings, i'll just repeat the same stuff each week. when people ask me how's my week been, my brain search for some interesting events and you'll just see question marks.. i think some of you have seen that look.. being at home this week, nothing much is better... somemore there's a higher tendency to slack. and since there's just my grandma and the maid and me at home, i feel that i should stay home. ironically it's also better since i cant do anything else but sit down and study. of course i can use the computer but i consider switching it on will take alot of time. haha.

A song to share..

O God of love, I come to you again
Knowing I'll find mercy
I can't explain all the things i see
But i'll trust in You
In every moment You are there
Watching over, You hear my prayer
You go before me, You're behind me
Nothing's hidden from You

How good it is, to be loved by You
How good it is

O God of strength, Your hand is on my life
Bringing peace to me
You know my frame, You know how I am made
You planned all my days
Hand of mercy, hand of love
Giving power to overcome
If all beneath me falls away
I know that You are God

Who can stand against us?
In my weakness, You are strong
Your Word is everlasting
I will praise You, Faithful One

Words From Uncle Poh Kian

2004-08-30T11:41:00.000+08:00

Quoting From what Uncle Poh Kian said during open worship yesterday
"We in BA must develop our strength to be strong and close as one family, to be involved in each others' lives"

To put in a bit of context, he said that because he felt very touched and encouraged for all those who came to visit Aunty Milan, and also all those who wrote cards to her, and also spending time to console the family.

As i was thinking about it, i thought to myself, that's so true. As a small church that should be our strength to be able to got involve with one anothers' lives and being there to support and encourage, to share and to sharpen one another. I feel that this accountability is important so as we do not lose any of God's sheep, but draw them closer to the shepherd. I know that it is tough but if as leaders we do not start, then how will the younger ones follow? I guess there are already some who have been doing it. But i just like to emphasize the phrase "strong and close as one family" God's Family =)

Usefulness or Relationship?

2004-08-30T10:07:00.000+08:00

Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven
—Luke 10:20

Jesus Christ is saying here, "Don’t rejoice in your successful service for Me, but rejoice because of your right relationship with Me." The trap you may fall into in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service—rejoicing in the fact that God has used you. Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you keep your relationship right with Him, then regardless of your circumstances or whoever you encounter each day, He will continue to pour "rivers of living water" through you ( John 7:38 ). And it is actually by His mercy that He does not let you know it. Once you have the right relationship with God through salvation and sanctification, remember that whatever your circumstances may be, you have been placed in them by God. And God uses the reaction of your life to your circumstances to fulfill His purpose, as long as you continue to "walk in the light as He is in the light" ( 1 John 1:7 ).

Our tendency today is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make their request for help on the basis of someone’s usefulness. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure who ever lived. For the saint, direction and guidance come from God Himself, not some measure of that saint’s usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that our Lord gives His attention to in a person’s life is that person’s relationship with God— something of great value to His Father. Jesus is "bringing many sons to glory . . ." ( Hebrews 2:10 ).

Extra sentence from the devotion book that i have : It is the work that God does throught us that counts not what we do for him.
My Utmost for His Highest

Well today's QT was really excellent so i decided to print out everything since it is so short.. Have highlighted the stuff that hit me ..

So this is rather interesting.. What the whole relationship actually means. First having the relationship, then God uses us. Not the other way round, whereby our works bring us closer to God( no no ). Have we actually fall in that trap.. The thought of Toy story came to my mind .. So if we are toys .. would it be great if we establish that relationship with God and he picks us up to "play with us"(use us) rather than we keep "doing stuff to get attention"(works) . something like that .. hehe ..

Question time she comes:
1) Is Your relationship with God right? Who comes first you or God?
2) What happens when we are filled with the spirit? Do we still control our actions with our mind, or just let the spirit lead us?
3) What happens when we are Not filled with the spirit? Do we continue with the works that we do hoping that we can get back the relationship or get back the relationship first then continue?

On a Quest to know more about God

2004-08-11T09:52:00.000+08:00

Well first things first .. this blog has not been posted for like a super long time .. i thought we are suppose to put in like half an hour each week to blog any thoughts or ideas.. haha well i am kinda guilty of that .. but i hope we can hear more about you guys, especially now the J2s are not around on fridays .. maybe you guys can spend like 10 mins to share with us .. well just a suggestion..

Yup .. i am now on a quest to want to know more about God.. since i dun grow up in church, and have missed out so much on the stories and lesson, so i have to look for other ways of input into my life. Well i have been reading about book on spiritual leadership by Oswald Sanders, who was passed to me by Ivin. So like to share with you guys abit of what i read.

Todays readings that struck me:
We can lead others only as far along the road as we ourselves have traveled. Merely pointing the way is not enough. If we are not walking then no one can be following, and we are not leading anyone.

Yup .. so this lead me to the next few questions
1) As a leader how far have we walked towards the direction we are leading towards? Are we still walking or have we stopped?
2) Are we just pointing to the people where they are suppose to be headed to? or are we leading them?
3) Lastly, find out who is following you, then you can know how to lead them. You cant be a leader if no one is following =)

Slavery 101

2004-07-30T13:20:00.000+08:00

We are all slaves. As I ponder over this fact, I am beginning to be more and more aware of the significance of Paul's words to the Romans. Slaves to sin versus slaves to righteousness.

We must be slaves to something. In the Webster disctionary, a slave is someone who is subject to the will of another, offering no resistance to the point of total submission. Or in another words, no freedom. I have in my 28 years of living (almost 29 in a few weeks) been enslaved to many things. But most often then not, I am a slave to my own appetite, my own desires.

Desires are not bad, until they control you so much so you loose the freedom to choose. Worst yet, you start to rationalise and choose what you desire. Slavery without even knowing it. Before I was a Christian, I was like that. I do not even know it. But Praise the Lord, HE set me free. Set me free to see that I do not have to live for myself.

I started playing computer games again. Its one of those, "David-on-the-rooftop-with-nothing-to-do" moments. My school timetable is quite slack. Most days I only have 1 lesson, or 2. And I dont have to go to school till later in the afternoon. When Joyce wakes up to go to work, i have loads of time on my hands. Oh dont get me wrong, I still read my bible, read the PDL, and even start reading other books like Tozer's "Rut, Rot and Revival"

But I still have loads of time. I decided to play Diablo 2 once again. Mouse clicking was quite fun, and I told myself, I can stop whenever i want to. WRONG!! A few minutes turn to few hours and very soon, I cant stop playing. Most of you would know that feeling - just 1 more level, just 1 more unique weapon, just 1 more quest, then I will stop. Before I know it, I am a slave to a stupid game, which is not profitable for anything. (Except developing strong finger muscles)

God convicted me many times. But still i played on, I even uninstalled it (but din delete my character) but reinstalled again. Finally, I had enough of going against God, I deleted everything. And now I am free - almost.

I realise one cannot be truly free. If not Paul would have just said God set us free from sin, period. But he went on to say, now we must become slaves to righteousness. We must submit to something or someone. The only way to break free is to be enslaved to God.

How many of you have been there? Doing the same wrong thing again, falling short again, feeling sorry for yourself again? Getting into the same bad habits, and never seemed to be able to break free from guilt and feeling bad about yourself. Never seemed to be able to pull your socks up and break those bad habits... be it laziness, slackness, girls, boys, money, bad attitudes, anger, self pity.. the list goes on.

The wonderful thing I realised, is that we can stop. We can stop because God said we can and HE has made it possible. How? By being slaves to HIM. By bending our will to be aligned with HIS. By reading HIS word, through prayers and by listening and obeying the Holy Spirit, the Spirit that Christ deposited in us, to guide us and shape us. As a deposit, an inheritance to come.

Know your bad habits, know how they are formed, know how it starts, address the root of the problem. As Jesus has said, if the hand causes you to sin, cut it off! If its games, stop installing games, if its girls, get as far away from them as possible, avert your eyes and focus on the Lord. Surround yourself with Godly pals and have them pray with you. If its anger, walk away from potentially dangerous situations. Take a deep breath and walk away. If its self pity, stop feeling bad about yourself, instead start feeling good about God and who HE is. Declare HIS greatness, and very soon, you will forget why you were feeling bad about yourself. If its laziness, give yourself a schedule and stick to it. Pray that God will help you stick to it... excercise your will and choose, have God help you choose. Ask the Holy Spirit to prompt you time and time again when you stray. Ask people to prompt you. Make a conscious effort to try. God will reward you.

At the end of the day, God called us to be more than conquerors. Because His love enables us to leap over a wall, make our feet like the feet of a deer. But choose, we must to be slaves to God.

All is not lost

2004-07-27T16:34:00.000+08:00

wow. That sounded like a tough day. I guess in times like this, its easy to be despair. I have just one prayer for you.

Father God,I pray that you will be able to comfort Pauline. When she needs You most, when all around her has fallen, when everything she worked for, has become like dust. And her grades doesnt seem to improve despite her hard work. My Lord Jesus, please put Your comforting arms around her like no one can. and may You give her the encouragement and peace that she needs. May You look upon her favourably and your calming presence surround her. In Christ most precious name we pray... Amen

Toil Is Meaningless

2004-07-27T15:05:00.000+08:00

Yesterday was a very bad day.

Morning:
I was caught in a traffic jam due to an accident. Thus I was late for my lesson. Well when I step into the class, everyone was doing their work, and I was marked absent. I tried explaining to my teacher, but she said I was giving excuses...so...I cried... In the end she just said ok, and agreed to mark me present. I doubt if she really mean it.

Later afternoon:
I had my Lab Test. Well, I don't know how to do. I didn’t have enough time to finish. Thus many questions were left blank... Every disappointed...I cried again knowing that I failed( not will fail, but is confirm fail). I wonder why am I working so hard for things that I couldn’t understand. Must as well not studying...

This morning was a enlightenment.
As i read the bible, Ecc2: 17-26 and subconsciously continued to chapter 3 and 4. I have learnt 3 every import verses, Ecc2:22,23,26. Reflecting on how much I desire on earthly things, and haven’t been handing all things up to God.

[Ecc2
22 What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.

26 To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.]

Eternity

2004-07-25T22:49:00.000+08:00

the play is called Eternity. i just found out it lasts for a week.. tonight to coming friday. the last one is in Mandarin.
It's okay, i guess. They had the stage supposedly look like heaven. then have like 6 case studies.. something like that. some go hell, some go heaven.. different lives, different outcomes. like the atheist, the money-lover, the good-deeds-are-enough guy, the i-go-to-church-so-i'm-ok teenager.. they go to hell.. the devil jumps up and laughs and keeps saying You Fool and laughs some more.. the good people, well, needless to say they go heaven and the angels do some funny actions.. i guess the hell part is quite traumatising for some, with red flashing light and the devil guy who's supposed to be satan.. yeah.. they try to cover the different types of lifestyles and depict that you must believe in God and then you are forgiven and will have eternal life. it's not enough to be just a good person. it's not enough to go to church every sunday but don't believe. yeah, so there was altar call and quite a number went up. (though my classmate who's not saved, did not)
yeah well still got chance to go if you want to.. it's free anyway..so why not..

heyhey

2004-07-21T22:17:00.000+08:00

maybe you'd notice i deleted an entry before this. yep it sounded quite bad, dun think it can actually encourage anyone. but anyway all's well.. for now.. i thank God for answering my prayer that she'd pick up the phone. yay.. ( in case you dont know, i had a little misunderstanding with my friend..) yeah all's well.. though she's decided not to come to sch for the next 2 days, not because of me of course.
anyways, studies has improved and remain rather constant. but i think i need to work harder. really.. don't y'all worry, i'm not over stressing myself ya.. need to throw away the TV to have optimum studying momentum.. haha.
Last week's cell outing was great. thanks Becky! Holland V is quite a nice place.. and i'd thank God, along with Becky, for coming up with the 10-minutes-chat thing.. haha. was fun and i really got to know a few of them alot more. interesting stuff.. didnt know they could chat so much.. haha.
Pray for me to remember to turn to God ALL the time and make the right decisions. Pray for discipline in studies (applies to the other A'level peeps as well..) Thanksgiving to God for all you people!! i get encouraged when i think of when we will meet during the week.. :) and i havent got to think about what to do on SAt.. i'm chairing BAY ya... yep...
see you all!!

in the midst of a whirl

2004-07-20T10:00:00.000+08:00

hey... I am so encouraged to hear all the good stuff about the guys! =) I wanna hear more... hee.. =) I'm doing really good over here, actually been in a whirlwind of stress, both emotional and er mental and in that sense spiritual... which is what I wanted to share about. Just that last week I've pretty much been in a daze about things happening around me because of all the work for school, school fees, sis going to china, guitar warped, friends in trouble, reading books and kinda lonely and moody... and still waiting on God for myself and other people and feeling on top of things yet losing control of everything. Then on sunday, God spoke to me through this song "Be still my soul"... and I just felt this overwhelming stillness come down on me... and well, my mood just lifted. I still have tons of work, but I'm coping. So, I guess I wanted to share this with you guys too! That when it seems like everything around you is in a whirl, your soul can still be still and calm. =)

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, be leaving, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.

Final words? for now...

2004-07-20T01:17:00.000+08:00

Hey, it's me again. I just thought i'd squeese in one last entry before i go into the army... cause that would mean i'd only be able to write like after 2 weeks.

Anyway, AMEN to ben's previous post. I totally agree that BAY has grown. Well, if not, then i can say my cell has grown at least. Not just in numbers (as in ppl come regularly now), but also spiritually. I must say i am greatly encouraged by EVERYONE in my cell.

Wilfred - his maturity has amazed me countless times. I have actually ended up taking his advice on some occasions. Amazing person.

Darryl - even though he knows he is slack, i am amazed that he still takes the time to do his QT and all that. At least that's what he tells me... so i'm amazed as well.

Joel - even though he's been busy with judo and all. Hearing him share his week on Friday meetings are just encouraging man... he's like still close to God despite not coming down for cells. Rock on!

Cornelius - for the past few months, i see you've been making the effort to come down for cell and that really encourages me as well. Life is tough, but guess wad, with a cell to uphold you, it makes life all the more easier :) i got your back.

Kenny - i think church camp really changed him. Good to see him set BAY as a priority as well. I know he puts his buddy darryl over his busy schedule. You da best!

Tian En - what more is there to say about him? He is one of the guys that i would say have grown tremendously throughout this past year. I am just astonished at the rate he's growing in the Lord. Rock on brudder, you da man.

Victor - he strikes me as a man who thinks a lot. Sort of like a philosopher...like finding the answer to life and all that. I am greatly encouraged that he is involved in his school FES activities and all that. Continue to grow in the Lord.

Mark - my dearest cousin, even though he's in the army right now, i am certain that God will see him through. As his buddy, i will try my best to keep him accountable for.

Graham - my dearest brother. Though he might not come down often for BAY, i know that he still has a longing to know God more. I hope that he does get to know God, cause God is awesome.

You people in my cell are just awesome and amazing. I could not ask for more :) Anyway, i just hope and pray that you all will continue to grow in the Lord, even during my absence. You don't know how encouraging it is to me. I LOVE YOU ALL. EVERYONE SINGLE ONE OF YOU.

Beach Outing With the Guys

2004-07-17T23:36:00.000+08:00

Erm... these are some of my thoughts la.. i posted it on my blog .. but thought if you guys never read there den no point .. so i re post it here .. haha

Today had an excellent time with the guys at the beach. Well suppose to be cell outing, but both guys cells decided to combine together and spend the time at the beach. Actually i was feeling quite sucky.. kinda in a lazy mood and wanted to busk in the sun. But there was no sun .. cloudy and cooling weather all day.. thanked God it didnt rain. Well .. like i was saying didnt feel like playing soccer or frisbee.. because i will be exerting too much energy and draining that little bit of energy i have.. but looking at the numbers, they seem to have not enough people to form proper 2 teams, not that i am that important, but i didnt wanna be a spoil sport and be extra lying around, and ppl may think that i have some problems or something ... haha .. but well i psyched myself up to play both soccer and frisbee.. It was a good time of bonding with the guys... although didnt talk much but i felt closer with the guys now.. i missed dinner though .. cos was too tired and had to lead worship the next morning ... so went home to rest..

well thoughts and feelings:Hahaha .. one of the funny thing is that it's one of the times that i didnt really thought much about winning and had an enjoyable time to just play the sports ... I was quite seriously nudged but darryl .. and kicked a few times by alan.. well while thinking on the bus ride home .. in the pass such situation will lead into fights .. by today i felt nothing and was able to smile about it .. 2 conclusions 1) i have grown up through God.. or 2) they are just small kids and ppl i love and have concern for and i should be able to show them love and grace .. haha eh seems like point 2 backs up point one .. well i feel that i was truely encouraged by the younger ones who have shown alot of skill in their sports abilities and most importantly their sportsmenship ... This goes to people like wilfren leon and darryl ... Hope that God can give me more privilege to see more growth .. especially closeness to God.. Yeah excellent time .. Thank You God ...

Some more stuff to add for the leaders ... Well i dunno about you all .. but looking at the youths now.. and thinking all the stuff we have gone through ... i was like so glad that i am part of this process of seeing them grow... and understand that proud father feeling ( i am sure kel feels it all the time being father Bay and all haha ) but when i look to God .. I am sure he is like looking down at us .. being so proud of the leaders and the youths ... the feelin super indescribable .. super shiok .. haha even shiok like not enough .. feel like screaming .. but so late liao ..
only can say

THANK YOU GOD !!!

I realized that...

2004-07-14T21:45:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, my brother just got back to Singapore from his NS training in burenia. I was so happy to see him, and he just made my day so lighten even though i had a bad day in school. For the past 3 weeks, i just felt, wield. My days were just very bad...But ever since his appearance i realised that i missed him a lot.

Welll, i learnt that a disapperance of something in my life makes a very big impact. Just like how my brother seems to not exist in my life is equals == to how I dont exist in God. Because i didnt been doing my QT and praying. So i guess God must be feeling wield when i dont communicate to him. Yup.

Anyway...... i need to go and study for my test tommorrow and start afresh a good relationship with God. Oops no time liao....byebye

New stage of my life

2004-07-13T16:40:00.000+08:00

It is strange to write a resignation letter. I was sitting at my desk wondering what to say, thinking about the words. But more importantly, thinking about my life at EDB. This is the first resignation letter I am writing. EDB is also the first job I ever have. I did not have to write a resume for my first job, and now, I did not have to write a resume for my second. Praise God for that.

4 years came and went. It has been 4 years since I came back from the US, and for 4 years I was thrown into the nuts and bolts of what makes the Singapore economy tick. Honestly there were bolts that looked crooked, some rounds ones were forced into square holes. But all in all, it was an educational experience (to say the least).

I learnt about project management, timelines, administration, tour guide, communication, politicking, take scoldings without flinching, relating to bosses and colleagues (i have no subordinates to talk about). All in all, I learnt a fair bit. I learnt about the good, the bad and the ugly side of corporate work life. But most important of all, I learnt the faithfulness of God.

I honestly thought I may not be the best person to work at EDB, but somehow God has helped me manage my time such that, I could serve in the youth ministry, worship ministry, get a girlfriend, get married, in the process of renovating a house, and now in the process of changing to a new job. To teach and share God's love in an academic setting.

I know who I am. I know that no matter where I go, and what I do, I love to share about God, and HIS goodness in my life. I love to share the wisdom HE has imparted to me, and the excitment of studying HIS word. My work experiences may not be always sweet, but HE is always good. And HE has proven HIMSELF again and again.

As I enter into a new phase of life, I don't know where it will lead me, I dont know the tough times ahead of me (I am sure there will be some if not more). But one thing I do know, my God is for me and HE will never forsake me. He has plans for me, plans to prosper and not to harm. Plans to give me a hope and a future. This is my God, and I shall seek and obey HIM forever. Amen

Just some thoughts ..

2004-07-03T04:02:00.000+08:00

WoOoOoHOoOo !!! It's 4 am in the morning .. just got back from blading with daniel graham victor and hozea .. it was excellent skating in the urban area nice breeze.. lighted streets and smooth road.. well most of the roads are smooth.. Now sitting in front of my com waiting for my body to cool down .. I was reading today's QT since i know sat very little time and after that very little energy to do QT one ..

Well today's QT was on The concentration of personal sin, by Oswald Chambers. Pauline i think ivin was recommending this daily bread to you..
http://www.gospelcom.net/rbc/utmost/07/03/
the above is the link for the online one. very good trust me .. have been reading it everyday.. super shiok and if you put some thought to it very refreshing..

Well back to QT, strangely ivin was talkin about defense last nite and here there is the part on Sin .. fwah it is like a double impact. You guys can go take a look yourselves i will just give my thoughts.. It actually says that when we have the Holy Spirit in us, we cannot give brief statements like " Hey God, Pls forgive me for i have sinned against you ". Because the Holy spirit will actually prompt us the exact definite and specific thing that you have done.

Well when i was thinking about it, it kinda reminding me the first time i failed my english or chinese test in pri school. At that time still young so didnt bother much about grades, plus half the class failed too and i failed by onli a few marks so not so bad. So i walked up to my mother after school and told her ... "Hey mom .. I failed my test, which the half the class did as well." I was about to walk away when "SLAP!!" my mother gave me a huge slap across my face and yelled at me.. "It doesnt mean you can take it so lgihtly !!" .... It is the exact so feelin came to me like when you tell God "Hey God i am sorry i have sinned ".. and he roars back" Dont you take it so generally.. i will want you to confess specifically what you have done."

Well as humans we always like to play with words and lighten our "sentence" like we have not done anything majorly wrong. But like my mom concerning about my future well being and character growth, so does God, and he being God even more concern.

So thoughts:-

1) Do we wanna play word games we God and take him lightly
2) Do we wanna play more defense, so that we can make ourselves pure and perfect in his eyes when we meet him?
3) In Matt 10:28 ".. fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell" i know this expect of God is not well liked by most ppl cos most of the time we empahise on the Loving and less tense side of God. But definitely this side of him should not be take Off, but to think about too. So choice A) Can choose to live in fear of God because of your choices of sinninig against him or B) Basking in his wonders as we gain favour in his eyes.. =)

God is good

2004-06-30T14:26:00.000+08:00

I just wanna give a quick praise report for the things that are happening in my life over here. =) It's almost been two weeks, and yes, in a way, I should have been very lonely and sian. I barely interact with more than 5 people a day here. But God is still very much present, and I love Him. It's been a great blessing to know that He is around. I am now attending Tulsa Chinese Christian Church (TCCC) and really.. feel that God will give me an snwer about staying here. The english congregation is smaller than BAY and well, it's services remind me of sunday school.. but, God has still be speaking to me.. more than that, fufilling my needs for fellowship and love and having those satidfied, has made it alot easier to be aware of Him. I've also been able to talk more online =) and really well.. do stuff. I have a blog now,and I made it here! (blogger used to be censored by my school firewall) .. but i really look forward to coming online and finding abby, serene, hozea, alan... and be able to talk... and hopefully, encourage. I am so blessed by a late class... but that too will change by next week. But, i am assured that He goes before me, walks beside me, carries me and also watches my back for me. What an awesome God!

yay

2004-06-29T19:43:00.000+08:00

yippee just 1 last paper tomorrow and exams (for me) are over.. for now.. yeah..
i'm not very tired now though i should be. cuz i slept really late last night studying.. well ANYWAY..
i'm happy so far.. once again it's one of those moments in which i wonder why i'm happy when i expect myself to be stoning and depressed and all..
well for one, exams havent felt all that bad. and 2ndly, which is really great, is that i got to talk to my classmate today. She's a Christian too but i never really talked to her much about God. even when we did, it was short and not very personal. and i was quite sad cuz i thought i'd never be able to talk to her that way.. and i longed to be able to talk to another Christian in school and share. and it was amazing today. it felt good to be able to share with another Christian not in the same church. different perpectives. i'm regretful but encouraged at the same time, that she cares alot for how non-believers will observe us. when she feels really lousy and sian about studies, she almosts msgs my teacher or a friend but she wont. cuz she says it's not a good image to show. and i felt like, oh no. that's what i do all the time. my studies are quite bad. i'm so obviously lazy and i know ppl around me know that. and i worry cuz they'll have a bad impression of Christians. but i still go on.. hmm..

after GP today i was feeling quite "pukish" and my eyes ached cuz the lighting was really weird. felt like the lights were flickering when i read the passages which made me sick.. and it felt as if my eye degrees were increasing by the hundreds. eew.. but as i took the bus ride i tried to look out of the window at the faraway trees and i felt comforted. and i thought, see, God made trees for us to look at and help our eyes.. it's just amazing to see God everywhere.. never really thought of it that way.. and i'm really quite excited cuz so far, i feel God around all me all the time and He's always on my mind.. in the past, it was during QTs and friday nights and sat afternoons and sunday mornings.. then it was school.. as if school was some "no-God" place.. but it's not true. and i even mentioned Christianity in my essay and one or 2 sentences about Christianity was in the GP compre passage.. haha..

on a side note, several friends of mine were quite annoyed or exasperated when they read that small part about Christianity.. complained they dont know anything about it, so how to answer.. didnt sound like they want to know more; they didnt want it to be there.. hmmm...

Words, more than Words?

2004-06-29T00:52:00.000+08:00

Give me the words, my Lord to speak:
A message that prompts hearts to seek.
Give me words, for i am weak;
Give me your strength - that makes me meek.

Give me the words, my Lord to pray:
That rise above the skies of gray.
Offen I really don't know what to say;
Please search my heart, and guide my way.

Give me the words, my Lord to sing:
A song to make the heavens ring.
From out of feeble offerings;
Sweet music for my Lord and King.

Give me the words, my Lord to praise:
The theme of Christ alone to raise.
Until i see you face to face;
And worship you through all my days.

Give me Your words, my Lord to eat:
I cannot live without such meat.
Impart to me Your wisdom sweet,
While i am kneeling at Your feet.

Give me Thy Words, my Lord, to hear:
I need no words when You are near.
Grant to me Lord, your presence dear,
And banish all my pride and fear.

I give You words, my Lord, I try -
Please make them more than words alone.
In vain the foolish words i cry,
Unless you melt my heart of stone.

Tan Lisheng
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Isn't it beatitful? How powerful and wonderful God's word is, is "more than words alone." The author expressed his thoughts, asking God to give him words to speak, to pray, to sing, to praise, to eat and to hear. I was wandering, are we always seeking God in all this aspects, constantly asking God to Give us words, to inspire us?

In bible, its says that Words are like double-edged sword. It can be use to tear down or bring down a person or it can be use to encourage and show love to a person. Words are powerful, are we using it for the right purpose?

Growing up

2004-06-28T09:36:00.000+08:00

Growing up is never easy. It is a road filled with tears of joy and sorrow. Some people may grow old, but never wiser. Some are too old for their age, maybe even sinking into cynicism. But there will be those who flourish as the years go by, like aged wine and fermented bean curd (although I have never tried it)

As I read your thoughts on this blog, I cant help but realised, 'my goodness, you guys have matured'. If your mom and dad were to read this, I am quite sure they will be surprised too. Thank God for using all the trials and difficult times to teach and train you. Indeed as the T-man said, life is a schoolhouse which God teaches us important lessons.

I am proud of all the leaders. Your hard work, your dedication. Yes there were times when you fell, when you slacked, when you were swamped with work, with army, with school. But yet each one of you persevered, and pressed on. I am very sure God is saying,'Well done my good and faithful servant. I will put you in charge of many things.'

As many of you enter into a new stage of life - 'A' lvls, army, Uni, Poly.. just look at how far God has brought you.. and most importantly look at where God will bring you. Just as HE did not abandoned you even when you faltered, HE will not abandon you in the future. Put your hope in HIM.

I am proud to be on your team, proud to be allowed this wonderful opportunity to mentor a great bunch of leaders like yourself. I look forward to more wonderful times in the future. Thank God.

We all need our moments of SLEEP

2004-06-27T18:47:00.000+08:00

Heh, if you're wondering about the title of this, well, it's pretty wierd, but when you think of it, we All need to sleep.

This week has been a killer for me basically because I chose to stay up to watch the Euro Cup 2004. Pretty hardcore if you ask me, having the stay up till about 5am each morning. I know that it's bad for me cause my body needs rest, but I guess watching my favourite teams or good teams play against each other was just more important.

It's pretty strange cause the comments I got from people were all "Go and sleep la, you need the sleep." And I knew they were right, but I chose not to follow them.

It was only today that I realised the importance of sleeping. If you know me, I'm the kind of person that die die must also find something to do on a Sunday afternoons. But this Sunday, I just decided to go home and sleep. Maybe it's because I'm a relationship kinda person, not wanting to waste any opportunity getting to know people better, but today, I told myself, sleep is more important.

I just woke up from my sleep. I just read the rest of all your bloggings. I feel good. I feel refreshed. That's what I feel now. I think in God's amazing plan, he created us to require sleep. If we abuse it anyway, it'll just create a spiral downwards to lethargy and stoneness. I know God doesn't want that from us.

What's my whole point? It's not that sleeping is good, but rather, God knows what's best for us. Imagine, God is the sleep I was mentioning about. How many times have we chosen to reject God? How many times have we told him, "We don't need you." "I can live life without you."

THe bottomline is, we cannot live without sleep. God made us that way. And, now that we've come to the knowledge of who God is, we also cannot do without him. He is like sleep to us. Something we NEED, something we WANT. So, let's stop all our distractions and get back to the root of it all, which is God.

A "withered" QT

2004-06-26T09:53:00.000+08:00

Haha. As some of you know this week my parents went away to hong kong for 4 days and I was left with some responsibilities to do. One such task was to help my mom water her beloved plants(she watered them like twice a day and i guess i was expected to do the same). However being rather busy and abit lazy hehe, i did not water the plants that regularly and kept thinking, "argh, sure got rain one so they got water liao wad and even if never rain, plants are strong enough, they can survive 1 or 2 days without water rite...."
so of course, i was wrong and on the last of the 4 days, i saw the plants and they looked really dehydrated.
ok so here comes the whole point of me writing this.
It suddenly struck me as i watered the dry, withering plants. How many times have i in the same way neglected my QT, how many times have i just did a 5 min QT with little or no thinking, too many times have i gone thru the day without even opening the Bible.....
Just like how plants need water, our QT needs us to sacrifice our precious time for an even more precious God.

friends, friends, friends. =)

2004-06-25T23:20:00.000+08:00

hey! i've been wanting to post this for awhile, but didnt really get down to it. it might be pretty long. i dont have a blog, too lazy to get one, to this is my outlet. keke. anyway. serene put a lil paragraph abt me in her blog, and i am extremely touched! its a wonderful feeling to have a friend who loves you! =) thanks, pardna =)

but the point is, i have been thinking abt this whole issue of friendship. i know at the teenage-age, friends are possibly what defines us, what makes us feel loved? and i also remember when i was sec2, (wow, feel abit old) i was really really lost bcos i didnt have any close friends. this problem happened btw my best friend and basically we sorta didnt talk anymore. and every recess, i would sit by myself in class and eat what my mum packed for me, cos i didnt wanna eat alone in the canteen. i still hate eating alone. haha. anyway, yeah. i remember the sucky feeling, it was bad. but then God was my friend then, the most, in a way. i remember telling Him everything. well almost. and then, he gave me back my friends! in sec3. yups, i guess it was an experience. a pretty bad one, but showing me how impt friends were, and yet how unimpt they were compared to Him.

my point being? i just feel that many of u guys, esp the younger ones, if u do read this, might be feeling lonely or dejected bcos u dont have a close friend or many friends. i sometimes feel this way too, and im extremely thankful to God for giving me the 'leaders' cos they have been my greatest support. honestly, its easy to feel as if you are not popular or friendly enough, and u feel that u need to make more friends, have more ppl on yr friendster/MSN list.. that sorta thing. rubbish. keke. for me, i have learnt to live with those who care abt me, and thats enough. i just hope u guys will rem this, and also try to reach out to those whom u think need that special friendship yea?

im trying my best too, and glad i finally got this off my mind! it was a tough issue to face. =) heh. but well, we learn, dont we? =)

chow!
cheryl.

My Inner Thoughts..

2004-06-24T23:46:00.000+08:00

Hello, i am here to share what God taught me today during my course orientation. Well, today when i was on my way to Ngee Ann Poly for my orientation, i was getting more and more excited about it. Not scare, just excited :) To meet new people and my classmates. Well there was a lot of people at the orientation for our division. So the orientation started, the usual stuffs, introduction of the directors, course manager, key people. Ya, i also saw Uncle William there, hahaha, i not sure whether he saw me, but it doesn't matter la.

My class 1P01, i saw my classmates, quite a number of china people and some Singaporeans. My class is about 12 or maybe a bit more lah, but today's attendance was 12. My class is the death silent type and not enthu class. During the briefing i was sitting in between 2 pairs of friends, 1 pair is from china, the other one was Singaporeans. They simply just kept talking to each other, i wanted to say hi or start a conversation which i found was super hard, maybe i was a bit shy so i didn't really tired to talked. But from the briefing right until the break, i didn't talked to anyone around me, i was going nuts. I was like screaming in my mind. Then when the student leaders were talking, the freshmen was like DEAD. Just like talking to a wall, i felt super crappy and sianz. Orientation was supposed to be fun, energtic but this one was the total opposite. In my mind, i was telling God, Why Why? why, must it be like this.

It was lunch break, everyone was hanging out eating and chatting around. I was all alone, for the first time in 17years+ i actually felt super lonely, crappy, sianz and lost. I had thoughts of leaving the orientation halfway. Then i asked God, why? why do u want me to be here? what is it u want me to learn? Is there even something to learn?
After that i got a msg from a frd that i knew from work, (my boss's daughter) so she came along, asking me how was everything, sianz anot. i just gave her answers like so so lor, still okay la. Then she left, i didn't feel any better but at least i decided to finish the orientation.

After lunch, there was a talk by people from Innovative and enterpise club. Shortly after it was games, organise by the people from innovative and enterpise club called Master of the Seven Seas. We had to combined with other classes cause my class only left 4 people after lunch. So when we spilted up, some of us were from different class and some were from different courses. I thought it was going to very sianz again, cause the people all looked very gloomy and sianz. But then something amazed me, this 3 good buddies in my group, were super enthu, i think their names were, jonathan, kieth and acmeche(i think spell wrongly :P) the first thing they did was going around shaking hands, finding out all our group peoples' name, they were super friendly, nice people and they always comfirm have a smile on their faces :) They always try to make jokes and try to get everyone involved in the game, which did happen, our group became super enthu, eventually our enthu and with some risks, helped us to win first for the game, hahaha :P. It spread to the whole class and change the whole mood around. Just a few person's enthu is CONTAGIOUS.

Sorry people, if i sound boring.. But i know God taught me some lessons which no teachers on earth can teach.

1. That is 'the quality of our thoughts affect the quality of our life'. If we chose to be sianz or turn off, that will be quite sad, cause it just makes you feel crappy and sianz. Why not be super on or enthu about it, no matter what happens, i believe if u have the right mind set, u can see changes :)

2. The Question now is as leaders are we enthu for God ?? God meets us at where we want him to meet. So where do YOU WANT GOD to meet YOU ?

Spiritual high

2004-06-19T23:26:00.000+08:00

This was said by my sis and i thought it was very meaningful. It's regarding church camp as I told her that i just came back from a wonderful camp where God was really present.
She said, "when u are at a church camp its usually like that , and its up to the leaders to make sure that the pple who were touched not loose this emotional high, as when everything is over, it may come crashing down, esp when there is school and exams. Thats what happened in our camp, where my group was really "on" and we were praying for each other very fervently and renewed our strength with God, But since, many of them i have not seen coz of school etc....
But let the holy spirit lead, as thats the only way that your walk with God will never lose that sort of feeling."
Well I want to share this as an encouragement to us all to at least not loose this spiritual high in our lives and really live for God!! WOOhoo!!

finally

2004-06-17T11:29:00.000+08:00

finally finally finally.. phew... hello everyone.. this is hozzy reporting from..... ok whatevr.. haha

it;s been not bad after camp. though i fell sick and am still sick. but i'm still really cheerful and i wonder why. have studied some, but i'm glad i find myself unable to start unless i do some QT first. :) so far, thank God i havent strayed away from QT and stuff and i hope i won't.

yesterday's Purpose driven life chapter made me look at worship in a whole new way.. (it's day 8, and yes i know i started looonng ago but i havent been keeping up ya..) it kinda rebuked me in a way, regarding how i viewed worship and how i feel i should feel worship. but it's not about me. it's all about God.

i just got reminded of the time when i went to FOC with my friend. (i wasn't in BAY then so i didnt go with the BAY). and you know, after every song, everyone claps and all that. but she refused to do so. she said they should be clapping for God, not for the band. at that time, i was still my very quiet self so i didnt say anything except feel that what she said made sense and i shan't argue with her. maybe she could tell that ppl were clapping for the singers and not for God, i don;t know.. but just because other's weren't doing it with the exact correct intentions doesnt mean you can't do it, right? hmm i guess we all have our own way of expressing ourselves... hmm.. ah well maybe this don't make any sense.. just my thoughts. <:)

hozzy

Half Time

2004-06-16T15:43:00.000+08:00

Hey wonderful peeps, hope you guys are well rested after the hectic 5 day camp at Penang. Perhaps some of you are already settling into the humdrum of "normal" life. Whatever it is, i hope and pray all of us will not lose sight of the goals God has set before us, individually and corporately. Most importantly, i pray we will have enough discipline to continue running the race. Its not over till the fat lady sings, so the saying goes. Last I checked, Christ hasnt come back, so i guess the race is still on.

I am not sure about you, but i have many questions burning in my head. How am i doing? Have i accomplished what God has set out for me to do? Have i been obedient? What have i done right, or wrong? How to learn from it? What is going to happen in BAY for the next few months? What changes are God making to BAY, or BA? How can i be apart it? The list goes on...

June is a good time to sit down and think. Reflect on our past, learn from it, and move on into the future. Half time is a good time for the coach to share his thoughts about the team and then set out new strategies or tweek old ones so that the team can do better. What are some of your thoughts about the team? What do you think we have done right? Or wrong? I think we have done considerably well for the first half. The scores are up, God has scored a major victory for many of us, and we can enter into the second half with our heads held high. But what about our positions? Do we need more defenders, strikers or midfielders. Now that we have new team members on board, how does that influence and change the team dynamics? Are our responsibilities still the same? What is God saying to us? How can we take advantage of the growth and maturity God has caused in our lives and how can we further develop it?

As you can see, I entered this BLOG with more questions than answers. But theres where the excitment comes in. As we have experienced in camp, when we humble ourselves before the LORD and ask of HIM HIS plans and vision for HIS youth ministry, HE will answer. All of us have a position to play. The most important thingy is to ask the COACH, HE will know where to place us. I hope you guys will pray about it from now and be ready to share on Friday nite during ldrs mtg...

Crazy...

2004-05-29T10:24:00.000+08:00

You know, as i read more from the book "The Purpose Driven Life", it becomes more clear to me the purpose we are living this life right now. Stuff like what are we living for, who are we living for and why are we on this earth.

This song just came into mind while i was reading today's chapter of "Life is a Temporary Assignment":

Lyrics by Mercyme. Song:Crazy

"Why I would I spend my life longing for the day that it would end..
Why would I spend my time pointing to another man..
Isn’t that crazy

How can I find hope in dying, with promises unseen..
How can I learn your way is better
In everything I’m taught to be..
Isn’t that crazy

Chorus:
I have not been called to the wisdom of this world..
But to a God who's calling out to me..
And even though the world may think
I'm losing touch with reality
It would be crazy
To choose this world over eternity

And if I boast let me boast
Of filthy rags made clean
And if I glory let me glory
In my Savior's suffering
Isn’t that crazy

And as I live this daily life
I trust you for everything
And I will only take a step
When I feel You leading me
Isn’t that crazy"

I think this song is just beautiful because it just says how much our purpose is not to be of this world? In the bible there are many verses that says that. For example: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18

In the same way, our focus in life should not be on the stuff of this world, although stuff like making a living and all that is important. But rather, we should focus on what is eternal, which is the place we will go after we leave this life, and of course, God :)

Unlikely Heroes

2004-05-27T09:55:00.000+08:00

All of us probably have a fixed Walt Disney, Fairy Tale concept of a hero. Heroes would be young, dashing, tall dark and handsome. Heroines are probably greatly independant, confident, atheletic and not to mention attractive. Of course with the coming of stories like Harry Potter, that scrawny looking bespectacled kid, nerds have a chance of getting the limelight. But darn it, he can use magic, has a cool family background, and a weird tatoo to top it all off. That would leave like 99.99% of the world's population out of the picture. But of course the nature of heroes is that we dont need many of them.

Fortunately for the 99.99% of us, God has a different picture of what a hero looks like. HE has selected some of the weirdest people in the bible to be heroes. Drunks (Noah), liars (Abraham, Issac), cheaters (Jacob), murderers (Moses), ruffians (Samson), adulterors (David), eccentrics (John the baptist), fanatics (Paul the apostle). But if you realise, all of these people have something in common. They played by God's rules. By hook or by crook, they obeyed. That is the common denominator. Through reading the book of Judges, i have a clearer picture of who God is, and how HE selected people to do his will. He chose them because they obeyed.

Do you want to make a difference today? Do you want to be an agent for change? Do you want to find out that your life here has meaning and you have a destiny?

We are all unlikely heroes, because we serve a God who is THE Hero. All we need to do is obey HIM. So my fellow slaves of righteousness, let us play by God's rule, let us come and discover GOd's calling and annointing on our lives, and let us live a life of obedience to HIM. To HIM be the glory forever and ever, Amen.

Who's Boss ?

2004-05-27T01:02:00.000+08:00

It was a interesting day yesterday, my first solo being a kayak rental boy(KRB) at east coast ..had some school thingy so took over from hozea at 12.30pm. Everything went quite fine, as a KRB it was a very slack job on weekdays as there are very few customers. After hozea left at 2, i took out my book to read to past time. Sitting under the shade of a tree reading a book and most importantly getting paid to do it .. HAHAH !!

Well i only enjoyed it like a short while before some customers came. As the tides were super strong the customers had problems getting out into sea. The tides were super scary, my guess about 1.5 metres high(first time i see in singapore waters), as the waves could slap me in the face and fling the kayak towards me at face level. After that i advised the guy not to kayak as it is too dangerous for him since he dunno how to kayak. Being drenched i lost the feelin to pick up my book again. so i sat at my spot to chill out. After a while this couple came back after kayakin to take their belongings. I opened the small hut( about 2 metres by 1.5 metres very small, will be locked at all time unless i need to retrieve things or customers belongings, but we are not responsible for any loss of belongings), for this couple to take their stuff. Then suddenly the guy realised that he lost all his valuables a pouch that contain his hp and wallet, car key and house keys which are in his pants. I am sure kel will understand how this guy is feeling, but the worst thing was the car is new and it was the first day his dad allowed him to take the car out( poor guy sia ). his girl fren didnt bring her hp , so i lend him mine to call his phone and his mom( who after got my no. kept calling my hp). After that i called my boss, fwah he was super kan cheong and rushed down.There was attempts to try to look around for suspicious ppl, while doing that i was praying for the poor guy,as i know he will be going home to get a huge scolding from his parents. To cut the long story short a police report was made and i was held up till like 8 before i can go home.

Well where does my boss comes in? Well he was super kan cheong like i said haha, and after i told him the story he kept telling the police what happened, saying its the first time such a thing happened and tell the police what possible things that could have happen. The police was quite annoyed, giving the if you are not at the scene of the crime pls get lost look. Well i had to give my statement to the police, because they said i had keys to the place so i am also a suspect( he say is standard procedure la). At the end of the day when packing up, my boss asked me if i was scared. I said i didnt do anything wrong so there is nothing to be afraid. Then i asked him if he was scared, as he seemed so worried, and he gave me the impression that police invovled so suay will affect business kinda look. Then his answer to me was, he was worried for me, as the police suspect me, thats why he tried to cover up for me. After that he even gave me $20 say is for OT and to pay for the guy using my hp and dinner too. I was so amazed but his generosity. I thanked God for such a wonderful and carrying boss. I also remembered that he gave hozea and i chinese biscuits and drinks when he comes to check on us.

This led me to think about God. As he is my ultimate big boss, and i thank God for thanking care and worrying for me in every little detail. In Psalm 139, it talks about God being so involved in our lives that knows every little detail and that he is every where to take care of us. Especially verses 7-12 and 23-24.

Prayer:
Dear God
thanks for being the God of our lives, and constantly taking care of every little detail of our lives. I pray that you will help us to give you more control of our lives, be our big boss oh God. I pray that we will be able to live our lives to Glorify the big boss.
In Jesus' name
Amen

amazed.

2004-05-26T20:24:00.000+08:00

hey! im pretty psyched up about camp now, bcos of, well, a few mails ivin sent. hehe. if you ask me, its pretty amazing how God can work miracles. imagine just a few weeks ago, we were practically begging everyone to sign up for camp.. and now.. well. 50 says it all. i think God is amazing, sometimes we try to beg all we can and we just forget to ask God to stir His own people! oh well. as ivin says, there are now 50 youths waiting to be touched and touch God, so i guess that means we do have quite a big responsibility. a good one, of course =) all the same, lets get praying and preparing shall we? we dont wanna let this opportunity slip away..

The Reason

2004-05-26T13:39:00.000+08:00

Just read another chapter of "The Purpose Driven Life". Today's theme was on "Made To Last Forever"

This topic just made me think more about living life at this present moment. You know, God initially made us to live forever? But because of sin, we were condemned to physical death. But by his great love, he managed to find a way for us to get back to Him, and that's through eternal life after our physical deaths.

Right now, we're just living in this earthly bodies, but when will we realise that it is where we go after we die that is even more important? Think about it, you live only for about 100 years on this earth, after that, you will be spending either eternity in Heaven or eternity in Hell.

With that in mind, this life we are living is just meant as a preparation for the life that is to come. Isn't that cool? If we all think in this manner, I guess it will really change the way we live now. Certain things will just not seem so important to you. Stuff like wealth, fame and all that will just fade in comparision.

If you ask me, I'd rather choose this to live this life one with purpose. And that purpose is God. I don't know, i was just listening to the song "We are the reason" and this phrase just caught my attention:

"I finally found the reason we're living, it's in giving every part of my heart to him. In all that i do, every word that i say, i'll be giving my all just for him, for him."

What is your reason for living? I certainly hope it's the right ones. :)

Man (and Woman) of Vision

2004-05-18T10:29:00.000+08:00

"Where there is no vision, the people perish" Prov 29:18 (KJV)

This is a famous verse that people like to quote. Vision here can mean many things in our language, but in this verse, the hebrew word is Chazon. Which means prophetic vision, or you can say divine revelation.

We live in a time where God has spoken (through HIS word) and God is still speaking (through HIS word and other ways). We need vision for our lives.

If you would just take some time when you go to school, look around you instead of sleeping on the bus. Look at each person slowly and ask these questions, "what is this person thinking about?", "where is he/she going?", "does this person know God?".

Many a times, you will find that people are wandering aimlessly, looking for something. Some are looking for money, looking for value, looking for love, looking for acceptance, looking for a vision, looking for themselves. Some never find what they are looking for. They searched and seeked and when they have the grades, have the boyfriend or the girlfriend, have the job, have the school they wanted, they thought they would be happy, would be at peace. But only to find its for naught. Only to find disappointment.

Ultimately all of us need vision. Divine revelation. I just finished reading Joshua and at the end of the chapter, they mentioned where they buried him after living for 110 years. Interestingly another person was mentioned, and his name was Joseph. Joseph also lived 110 years and his bones were taken from Egypt and buried in the land that belonged to his tribe. The amazing thing to me was this man's vision. Joseph with his last breaths said a few hundred years and some 5 chapters before that God will deliver Israel and bring them out of Egypt and when HE does, bring his bones with them.

Do we have that kind of vision? Do we have that kind of faith to utter things like that? Joseph's knowledge of God and HIS ways were so deep and intimate, that he was able to see much further than anyone has seen. He was able to have the faith to believe what God really wanted. He knew for certain that God will keep HIS promise that Israel will inherit all the land that God said they would and Egypt was not it. Egypt was not the end of the road for them. Egypt was good, for then, but not the best.

It is easy to be content in our lives. We are comfortable in our setting and our environment. But what if this is not it. This is not the best place God has for us. We are in transition, we are not there yet. There is still much to be done, much to learn, much to see and experience. There is still much vision God wants to download to us. So let us open our eyes and see, let us still our hearts and listen. Let us wait eagerly for God. Let us hunger and thirst for HIM. Let us seek HIS face and recharge our desires!

All about Mums

2004-05-17T22:27:00.000+08:00

On this recent Sunday, I went out with nick’s family. Kind of scary at first and I don’t really dare to go out with them. I was quite thankful that nothing really bad happened on that day. And I started to know nick’s family better, especially her mum. I used to be afraid of his parents because her mum is too nice compared to my mum. Now, I think she is really very nice and I am not that scare anymore.

Today, when I woke up this morning I greeted my mum a good morning. This may seem normal to many of you, but to me, not so. Because I am always scare of my mum. Don’t really know why. But I know that we are lacking in communication. Anyway, back to thee story. My mum seems happy and she treated my better and we are able to communicate a bit better too.

To link these 2 days together, I have learned to communicate with people through the time spend with nick’s family.

N|CK

2004-05-14T15:40:00.000+08:00

Yesterday in my QT, I read this verse:
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,”
Matthew 5:44
The last line really hit me and made me think. Of all the irritating school mates and people who constantly piss me off, I have never thought of even praying or even blessing them. In fact sometimes at the back of my mind I would be putting them in my “hate” list and sometimes plotting revenge.
But yesterday night’s QT came to me like some sort of warning and I learnt that we were once enemies of God but instead of putting us in His “hate” list, He put us in His “I love you no matter what you do to me” list.
That night I prayed for all my enemies.

Victory is ours!

2004-05-14T00:44:00.000+08:00

Before i start off, i just want to say that for those who are having problems posting your own blog,
1.first of all, create your own account.
2.Then, tell me your email address. An invite will be sent to you and just accept it.
Then you will be able to post in the blog, simple as that.

Okay... I just finished watching the OC, I tell you, the show rocks! heh. Anyway, took a bath after that cause it's really hot here...Singapore has terrible weather. Then I just told myself to read the bible, since I can't really sleep with my hair all wet and all.

I read from 1 Timothy Chapters 1 & 2. The verses which got me thinking was 2:1-4. It says:

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of truth."

I guess what really struct me was the part when God wants all men to be saved. It's quite strange actually, because i've always thought that stuff were predestined in a sense that some are going to heaven and some are going to hell. But here it reminds me that God wants all to go to heaven. I guess some people just don't want it.

It's comforting to know that God thinks this way. You know we talk about evangelism and all of that, but isn't it just great to know that in the midst of us trying to influence/tell our friends about God, God himself is helping us? He desires that your friends come to know him as well?

Well, the other comforting part is actually after the verses. If you read on, it will talk about how God sent his son Jesus Christ to be that mediator for us, so that we can be saved. Cool huh? Victory is ours, so let's live victorious lives.

"If my God is for me, then who can be against me"

FYI

2004-05-13T14:38:00.000+08:00

hey guys, i see some frustrated peeps out there about this blog thingy. I believe you have to first register at www.blogger.com then you should be able to write in into this blog with your name. lol.

take it easy guys.

oh for this Friday.. we are going to cornerstone for an evangelistic concert by some native australians... should be fun.. lets take a break from our normal schedules...

i understand some of us will be late... if you cant make it on time, lets meet for supper later... cornerstone is actually in katong area. I will be driving :) cya

great

2004-05-12T18:52:00.000+08:00

oh great, i STILL dont know how to use it under my own username.
help, someone???? im cheryl btw, and that post was from me.....

ahhhh.

2004-05-12T18:43:00.000+08:00

haha, ahhhh! finally! after being TOTALLY confused at this blogger thing, cos well i wasnt sure if i had to sign up an account then login to this one or wad.. and then i had to go invite myself and all. so well anyway. im here finally. so yea, school is pretty tiring these days, because the weather is really quite weird and it makes it worse (makes sense?) anyway, i think i have kinda learnt to see God in school and all. i find myself appreciating things around me more - the aircon lecture theatres, my friends, the occasional cool breeze that comes along every now and then, and yea even in maths equations. wahaha. that not so much though. =P

i guess, like all tired students, i sometimes wonder why the heck we're all studying so hard.. why we have to push ourselves so much, why the world revolves around studying and eventually getting a job. is that all to life? bcos if it is, then its really, well, sad, iant it? while i still dont really get why we have to pushed so hard, i realised that if it werent for God, nothing would be meaningful at all. everything would be pointless, bcos it would just lead to death in the end. however, im glad to think that we have a greater pupose in life then just earning money and all.. to spread the love of God through everything we do! yeah well, still working on that.

but at least i have something to work on, besides, err, work. okie. cya =)

Pray Powerfully

2004-05-12T10:28:00.000+08:00

Hi gang. I m heartened to hear that many of the guys are going to the Tueday prayer meetings. Praise God. That is much better than I would have done. Keep it up. Trust me it will be uphill task of pulling your dead weight carnal self to church every Tuesday, but hey its good practise to put that body of ours to death and live in the new life that God has given us, Amen!

Thank you for all your posts. Like I said, you cant imagine the joy and pride i have seeing you guys go through life and finding the victory in Christ, the joy and feeling in the song "I'm coming back to the heart of worship, and its all about you, all about you Jesus!" Trust me, God is even more joyful and excited than I am.

I have finally finished reading Deuteronomy and moving into Joshua. I cant help but have the sense that God is also calling us to cross our river Jordans, and come out of hiding in our "40 years" of wandering aimlessly in the desert.

I read something that inspired me to write this post. In Joshua 10:12-14 it said:

12 On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel: "O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon."

13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.

14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a man. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!

Amen. the statement that struck me the most is verse 14, when the Lord listened to a man. the Lord did exactly what Joshua asked for.

Gabs asked sometime ago about prayer. And I think there is some power and authority that God has given us as mankind that makes us different from other creatures. During creation, mankind is the only creature that is made in God's likeness and has God's breath breathed into us. We are the only ones that God has commanded to take dominion of all the earth (Gen 1:26). We are the only ones who God is willing to share dominion with, giving us the liberty to name God's creation (Gen 2:19). The power and authority comes from God. I believe the power to ask God in prayer comes from God.

Christ said the same thing to his disciples when in Matt 17:20 he said:

20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

The power of prayer, and the power of our faith (which is given by God by the way Heb 2:2) I think our prayers can change things, thats the meaning of sharing dominion with God. I believe God can say 'no' to our prayers, but when we know HIS purpose, and HIS heart, we can pray HIS will into being. Joshua know for sure that God will deliver his enemies to him. He just wanted more time to kill them, and God granted his request. Perhaps even if Joshua did not ask for the sun to stop, he would still conquer his enemies, but because he had the faith to ask, God showed him HIS glory.

Do we know God's heart for us, do we know HIS mind and HIS will. Do we have the faith to ask GOD to show us HIS glory. May we as a youth group grow to understand God, and may we grow in faith so that HIS glory may manifest in our midst. TO God be the glory Amen.

hello

2004-05-11T18:06:00.000+08:00

yo yo yo this is Hozzy!! haha
i dont know why i feel so happy now.. though i still have work to do and tests to study for and i'm still struggling to do it AT HOME. maybe cuz i just posted the sharing and prayer requests and that half year review thing. and i remembered to add the part where we must be as enthu or more enthu than the crowd.. ya and i shared abit about how i make my happy and geared up for events even when i initally didnt want to.. maybe its not much of a prob among you ppl but it's impt to me cuz i prone to feeling negative about things.. well.. *big nice sigh* isnt it amazing how God works in our lives.. He gives us the freedom of choice, but once we actually go the right way, He'll be leading the rest of the way..hmm..

this morning, i read the 3rd day of PDL (Purpose driven Life). it's wonderfully strange that it makes me want to read more and more. i wonder what i will discover at the end of it all..

pls continue to pray for diligence as i struggle to somehow convert my room into a conducive environment for studying... i have no idea how i'm gonna do that...maybe throwing away that "poison box" ( as aptly described in a GP essay) would help.. FYI, the poison box is the television. haha... and i shouldnt be here now.. haha..

recently i fell in love with a song that we shd all know.. it's in the NEw song book. i heard it on Women In Worship.. a set of CD my dad got for me for my bday.. title: Here is Love.
Here is love, vast as the ocean
loving kindness as the flood
when the Prince of Life our ransom
shed for us, His precious blood
Who His love, will not remember
Who can cease to sing His praise
He will never be forgotten
Throughout Heaven's eternal days

On the mount of cruxificion,
fountains opened deep and wide
through the floodgates of God's ransom
flowed a vast and gracious tide
Grace and love, like mighty rivers
flowed incessant from above
and Heaven's peace and perfect justice
Kissed the guilty world in love.

Actually the first half of it was sung in some other language but i dont know what.. there're other new songs i heard in the CD that's really great too.. :)

okay see ya.. gotta go MUG!!

My QT

2004-05-10T22:41:00.000+08:00

Praise God, for I have been reading the book “The Purpose Driven Life”. I think that it is an interesting book. It kind of makes me continue to read it everyday. Maybe it was purposely written in this format for people like me who does not like reading. It was written that the book takes 40days to finish. And on each day there is one thing to learn.

Well, today is my second day on reading this book. It teaches me that God has created me not by an accident, but by his purpose and even way before I was born. That has led me to think of some of my areas of my personality, background, and physical appearance.

Firstly, my personality: I used to think that I am not intelligent enough compared to others. And my mum always not satisfied with my results. Secondly, my background: Sometimes I really envy those people who are born in a rich family. They can buy so many branded stuffs, go on holidays to places far away… while me... never mind…Lastly, my physical appearance: I think I am short and ugly. Every time as I flip through the magazines, I would really admire them. Don’t know why, I had this feeling. Maybe when I was young, I look at pretty girls too much…hee…hee…

Anyway, now I think that all this struggles are not necessary. I was prescribed by God in every single detail of me. I was custom-made, just the way he wanted it. If I continue to not like myself, then, I would be disagreeing with God’s creation… A bit too … I hope that I would be able to remember this in my heart, not just my mind.

Chiong Ahh!!

2004-05-10T11:40:00.000+08:00

dont know about you guys but reading what you wrote gives me a high. Not because you guys are terribly articulate or peotic, (and not that I can appreciate such things) but because i can catch a glimpse of God working in your lives. That is the most precious thing ever. To recognise that God is working.

Ben issued a question as to which pile of tools i am in and i think i am in the molding pile. God has been working with me and pounding me.

I see myself in a new phase. God has challenged me, if i want to see my life prosper and my ministry expand, i need to spend more time with HIM. Listen to HIS voice. And the biggest obstacle is my XBOX!! (hah i said it) So i am giving up XBOX, packing it up and storing it away. (Anyone who wants to borrow, I will say, 'be careful not to fall into the pit like me :)

Time is of the essence. i feel i dont have much time. Every minute i spend playing my xbox, reading on more games, would mean another minute has gone without spending it to better use. i always wonder why God doesnt direct my path like HE used to. But God told me He has always been speaking, its just that i have not been listening.

i realise listening takes time and practise. you need 1st be interested in who and what is spoken. 2nd you need to concentrate your heart and mind to the words and person, and 3rd you must be ready to respond to what was spoken.

so pray with me as i dive deeper into what God has for me, and for us. its time to go all out for God. its time to chiong ahh!!

2004-05-08T22:46:00.000+08:00

The Blacksmith's Shop
In the shop of a blacksmith, there are three types of tools. There are tools on the junkpile:

outdated, broken, dull rusty.
They sit in the cobwebbed corner, useless to their master, oblivious to their calling.

There are tools on the anvil:

melted down, molten hot, modable, changeable.
They lie on the anvil, being shaped by their master, accepting their calling.

There are tools of usefulness:

Sharpened, primed, defined, mobile.
They lie ready in the blacksmith's tool chest, available to their master, fulfillinf their calling.

Some people lie useless:
lives broken, talents wasting, fires quenched, dreams dashed.
They are tossed in with the scrap iron, in desperate need of repair, with no notion of purpose.

Others lie on the anvil:
hearts open, hungry to change, wounds healing, visions clearing.
They welcome the painful pounding of the blacksmith's hammer, longing to be rebuilt, begging to be called.

Others lie in their Master's hands:
well tuned, uncompromising, polished, productive.
They respond to their Master's forearm, demanding nothing, surrendering all.

This passage was written by Max Lucado from the book "On the Anvil"

After reading this short passage today, i started to reflect on myself in which category am i placed. After the past months of being lost and despair and weary, i placed myself in the useless pile of crap tools. Not useful, taking up place( also wasting time ) and being just an eyesore. Definitely thoughts of giving up have passed my mind many times, no motivation as well .. Worst still holidays have began and i think i will just fall deeper and deeper being more slack and worthless..

But just like i shared on friday nite .. God has showed me a great deal and i was marvel by his little Children .. reminding me of what he has done for me .. and what i have promised myself to do .. After sharing with you guys i felt that maybe there is still hope in this piece of crap .. Sitting on the bus lookin at the sky i tot to myself that i dun wanna be crap anymore.. Den i said a short prayer.. After that it sort of felts as if the blacksmith has picked up this piece of metal from crap pile and has brought it to his anvil .. What is the blacksmith doing ? I myself do not know .. what will be made from this metal I do not know too .. But what i know is that there will be painful pounding and sharpening from days to come .. I hope you guys will join me in prayer that one day this once useless piece of metal may end up in the blacksmith's hand ready to do his work at his command .. Like to thank you wonderful peeps for your prayers .. will be praying for you too .. and also post a question which pile of tool are you in ?

posted by renewing tool (Ben)

2004-05-08T18:01:00.000+08:00

The Cost of Sanctification

"May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely . . . "
—1 Thessalonians 5:23

When we pray, asking God to sanctify us, are we prepared to measure up to what that really means? We take the word sanctification much too lightly. Are we prepared to pay the cost of sanctification? The cost will be a deep restriction of all our earthly concerns, and an extensive cultivation of all our godly concerns. Sanctification means to be intensely focused on God’s point of view. It means to secure and to keep all the strength of our body, soul, and spirit for God’s purpose alone. Are we really prepared for God to perform in us everything for which He separated us? And after He has done His work, are we then prepared to separate ourselves to God just as Jesus did? "For their sakes I sanctify Myself . . ." ( John 17:19 ). The reason some of us have not entered into the experience of sanctification is that we have not realized the meaning of sanctification from God’s perspective. Sanctification means being made one with Jesus so that the nature that controlled Him will control us. Are we really prepared for what that will cost? It will cost absolutely everything in us which is not of God.

Are we prepared to be caught up into the full meaning of Paul’s prayer in this verse? Are we prepared to say, "Lord, make me, a sinner saved by grace, as holy as You can"? Jesus prayed that we might be one with Him, just as He is one with the Father (see John 17:21-23 ). The resounding evidence of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life is the unmistakable family likeness to Jesus Christ, and the freedom from everything which is not like Him. Are we prepared to set ourselves apart for the Holy Spirit’s work in us?

2004-05-08T15:02:00.000+08:00

haha
Learned quite a lot the past week. Firstly, as some of your know already, I had to apologize to Pauline's mom for not being able to greet her everytime I called.(everytime I call I just go straight to asking for Pauline and not even saying, "hi aunty!")
Well at first I thought it would be a good chance to flaunt some of my speaking skills(if I even had any), but when I really wrecked my brain for the exact words to say and as I pictured myself really talking to Pauline's mom, it terribly freaked me out. One thing was for sure, I had always been and still was very afraid of Pauline's mom. So to help myself out, I went in search for some useful and practical tips to aid my apology.
My first useful advise came from the all knowing, Kel, who taught me the subtle apology where I don't really say, "sorry aunty." But instead, I buy something that she likes and start greeting her on the phone.
Next, there was the always calm, Ben Ben, who really showed me some very practical things to say as an apology.
Lastly (or so I thought), was someone who could really identify with me, was amazingly, my mom. She too agreed that I needed to apologize for being so rude. Also, my conversation with her actually lasted for much longer than I thought as it led to other subjects ranging form my grandparents to teenagers in the present generation.
With all these advise, I was set to go make the history making phonecall. However, I still decided to do something else before calling, my QT. My QT for that week was about Faith and for that specific day was about having faith in God and trusting Him to do miracles. At hat moment it was like all my efforts to apologize seemed so little compared to what God could do. So I really trusted Him and prayed before I made the phonecall. Praise the Lord it went rather well and pray that my faith in Him would continue to grow as I change to become more polite over the phone.

2004-05-08T12:51:00.000+08:00

haha, well, dun think i really have anything spiritual to write here... haha, under pressure sia! anyway, had a hard time trying to figure out how to use this, so quite happy that i can finally do something with this! muhaha!

anyway, i just thought i'll just share about this week, haha, and maybe a little of my QT too. well, maybe it's not really a QT, cause i dun read a bible, but well, that christian devotional book doesn't need me to use it with a bible! haha... well, for the past 5 days or so, it has been a rather up and down week... had a fair share of disappointment, happiness, excitement, and sianzness! haha, but, what really great that happen is that for once in quite a while, i managed to do my QT for consecutive days! yeah! and i guess, the QT does speak to me a bit. i mean, for the past month or so, or actually a long long way back to the time i became self-aware (cool term huh?), i have been feeling very lousy with myself (haha, and still do). i mean, i've been trying to find my place in my life and my environment. the bible said that God made everyone special, and has a divine plan for each and everyone of us, so i'm kinda struggling to find out what's that plan for me. i know it is my responsiblity to serve others with the gifts that God gave to me, haha, but how can i serve without knowing wat my gifts are? well, my QT didn't really dealt with that, but it has helped me reaffirm the truths in the bible, and that God indeed has a plan for me. haha, maybe just that i've not found out his purpose for my life. haha, or i rejected it because i didn't like what God gave me.

haha, so maybe i'll just share this verse that God gave me this week.
4 Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be his through our union with Christ, so that we would be holy and without fault before him.

"Because of his love God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children—this was his pleasure and purpose. Let us praise God for his glorious grace, for the free gift he gave us in his dear Son! For by the blood of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven. How great is the grace of God, which he gave to us in such large measure!" (Ephesians 1:4-6)

=)

Cornelius...

2004-05-06T23:38:00.000+08:00

The following passage is something that aunty lee eng posted to all of us last week .. the title is "THE SHEEP WITH A BROKEN LEG"..

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.
Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness
and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews
12:11, NIV).

Robert Munger writes about an American traveling in Syria
who became acquainted with a shepherd. Each morning he
noticed the shepherd taking food to a sheep that had a
broken leg. As he looked at the animal, he asked the
shepherd, "How did the sheep break its leg? Did it meet
with an accident, fall into a hole, or did some animal
break its leg?"

"No," said the shepherd, "I broke this sheep's leg
myself."

"You broke it yourself?" queried the surprised traveler.

"Yes, you see, this is a wayward sheep; it would not stay
with the flock, but would lead the sheep astray. Then it
would not let me near it so I had to break the sheep's leg
so that it would allow me, day by day to feed it. In doing
this it will get to know me as its shepherd, trust me as
its guide, and keep with the flock."1

Sometimes, just sometimes, when we insist of going our own
stubborn way and leading others astray, the Shepherd of the
fold, may have to "break our leg" too for our own good and
that of others.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please give me the good sense
to not only know what is the right thing to do but the
courage and willingness to do it, so that I won't need to experience
painful discipline. Thank you for hearing and answering my
prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

I had quite a bad fall on tuesday scrapping quite a bit of skin of my shin.. the pain till now is very irritating cos whenever i cross my leg or any action which stretches that area of skin it will hurt tremendously .. now i know just a bit of what hozea feels like when he fell and a even more little bit of what christ felt like when he died on the cross. haha .. and before me i know daniel fell and bruised his knee on the same day .. haha .. now both of us out of action..

but back to the point .. after the fall and readin this small passage that was forwarded to me i have a few questions ..
1) Is God trying to get my attention by giving me this bad fall .. since i am putting much interest in blading and other activities nowadays? ( i now God should be the one answering this .. but it's just a thought)
2) Why are there still people back sliding? Why didnt God break their legs and let them know who is the shepherd?
3) So are these people who have back slided sheeps who the shepherd dont want anymore?

Well this is just a thought .. personally i didnt felt encourage by this passage but very puzzled by this analogy ..

posted by Ben (12.15 AM 7/6/2004 20 mins)

2004-05-06T01:16:00.000+08:00

hey guys i know some of you like timo and tien en have your own blogs up and running, will be adding links to them here. but do you want to post stuff here as well? would make things neater only lah, with everything on one page, so its up to you.

2004-05-03T22:47:00.000+08:00

ah? i dunno how to use this thing? how come my names gabriel gabruek? quite cool ah actually...like kristin kruek guy version =P and i dunno where to add in title? so ill make my own.
GAbriel: "I Want To Sing"

Story:
theres a story to why i chose this title..started last night..a song came into my mind, mm the tune came into my mind but the song didnt..er..means i couldnt figure out what was the song..so i figured out how to play the song according to the tune and asked my parents what song was it but NOBODY could tell me..frustrated i entered my room and picked up the song book..i wasnt expecting anytihng but i was thinking how cool it wld be if i flipped to the song, er and i did. (song 135) okkk so i dont know if its coincidence or not or God trying to show me something..i havent really figured..but anyway i played the song and sang the song and the first line goes " i want to sing until im lost in your love" so i decided to use this as the song ill play and try worship with every night this week before i do Qt..mm which was what i did yesterday..and..QT was quite meaningful! (which was my prayer request on sat, for a more meaningful QT)

Anyway, i did 3 days of QT since the previous 2 days i was feeling like crap and didnt do my qt. to cut it short, one was on "a cheerful giver", that its not about giving till it hurts but giving with eager willlingness.. something joyce and ivin asked me to think abt last week..and i didnt really do..ill try harder this week =P and the next two were on atheletes. this is what i learnt..

Its like running a race at full speed and suddenly WHAM! u run into a wall (wa dramatic eh? =P) it maybe a wall of sickness, broken relationships, disappointment due to losing ur badminton match which u believed u shld have won or a combination of all. Regardless of the form, the effect of the wall is the same, it stops u cold. Ok, thats when the body says "tts it, tts all i can take." BUT, a seasoned athelete knows tts not the end, but in fact a signal that hes on the verge on a breakthrough and if he pushes harder, he'll reach a level of excellence he wouldnt have reached any other way.

So, when feeling worst or faced with failure, we shouldnt give up but instead turn to God for strength..punching a hole in the wall and tearing away at it with faith and the word of God. DOnt quit! and soon the forces of God will come bursting through demolishing the obstacles for us..then, we'll run faster then be4 with more confidence and strength.

Mm, i guess it made sense to me coz everytime things dont work out for me i always am tempted to give up..yet God was always there to make sure i didnt..quite shameful ah..since im an athelete myself and i didnt really understand this principle of "breaking through".. Well, ill pray for more faith, like i learnt in sunday sch that Jesus helped those according to their faith..mm so.. the take away verse..

"i can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" phillipians 4:13

ahh ok i think i wrote too much..theres one more Qt but ill share it another day..take care all =)

2004-05-03T21:33:00.000+08:00

testing

2004-05-02T16:27:00.000+08:00

Daniel: Win A Date With Tad Hamilton!
Date: 1/5/04

Heh, i used the title cause I thought i'd make more of you want to read it. But actually, it's NOTHING about the show :) haha....well, at least it's what happened on that day.

After the late night movie on sat, i got home and took a bath (rollerbladed home). Then, I actually just sat on my bed and just... started thinking. You see, usually, I would have gone straight to the computer, but this time, because my computer was spoiled, I had sort of... no choice but to just...think?

Anyway, I started thinking about what I was to share for Sunday's worship because I was co-leading with Dan Loh. So I sat there and prayed and asked God to speak to me... after that, I took out the bible and read.

A hightlighted verse in my bible just caught my eye (I think that's what hightlighters are supposed to do), so I read it. Roman 5:6-8 says: "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

I started pondering over this verse and it made so much sense to me. It's just a glimpse of how much God loves us! I mean think about it. God has a perfect son, Jesus. God created sinful man, you and I. Right now, God is willing to give up his son (to sacrifice him) to get sinful people like you and I! Just think about it... it's like saying you want to eat a rotten apple instead of a fresh juicy one. Illogical if you ask me, but that's what God did! Amazing huh?

I guess reflecting on this verse just made me feel better in a sense, knowing that God loves us all so much and is willing to do anything to get us back.

Well, that was my reflection for today :)

2004-04-30T23:50:00.000+08:00

becky: what i learnt from kayaking

i really struggled to get back to shore today! the waves were abit choppy and the current kept pushing me towards the breakers and stuff. for every stroke on the left i had to make 3 strokes on the right just to keep moving straight. there were times it seemed as though i was paddling so hard but not moving anywhere; so discouraging! i got really tired battling the waves, lagged far far behind everyone else. but hey, i made it! (eventually.)

the waves and currents are like our sinful nature. if we are not alert and just stop trying, they will definetly sweep us away, whether we notice it or not. it takes tremendous effort even to maintain your position! so dont feel discouraged if you rate yourself 3 every week. (although it doesnt mean you dont try harder too)

sometimes in our walk we get really tired, the salt water keeps getting into your eyes, wave after relentless wave just keeps crashing on you. but you just gotta keep going; one day you'll get to were you wanna go if you dont give in. (albeit a tiny bit sunburnt)

and, it helps if you have friends to support you, encourage you and give you water along the way! =)

its easy to lose your direction in the sea. its so boundless, every direction looks the same, shiny blue waves. to know where you're going, you gotta fix your eyes on things that dont move, and see where you are in relation to that stationary thing. as the old cliche goes, the only constant is change, so there is nothing in this world that you can fix your eyes on. thats probably why so many ppl are lost today. what doesnt change is God and His standards for us. Heaven and earth may change but His word will still remain. we have to keep His word in our hearts and see where we stand, how much further do we have to go to meet God's standards. and then wholeheartedly go down that path!

its tough. even tougher than kayaking, which is pretty tough already if you ask me. but the prize at the end of the day is WAY better than a tan and stronger arms!

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Phillipians 3:14