Thanksgiving - '08

There are lots to give thanks for in 2008. Family, school, friends, cell & ministry. I'll mention just these 5 main topics in summarized form.

Family

Thankful for the extended time of schooling to just spend time @ home even if words are not spoken @ times. On most occasions, the mere presence @ home is enough to make one's parents happy. And to them for providing whatever i ever needed. The lord has bless me lots through my parents, which I'm grateful for.

School
Sure glad it's over. Yet it been a special time in life, not entirely about learning what's been taught the past years books wise but life as a whole and what are the important things to chase after and maintain. Thank the Lord for the many friendships that grew especially with various groups of friends the past year. Learning to overcome failures and setbacks and moving on and persevering to reach the end goal has been good lessons to undergo. The lord has brought me through this phase of life, it's been an unique journey the last few years.

Friends

A great year indeed to maintain and move deeper into friendships with the usual gang, spending time together, encouraging and spurring one another onwards in our own individual lives. Despite the time and distance constraint @ times, the Lord has been blessing me lots through each unique person that I've known 8 yrs and counting now(and of course, some of you whom I've known for around 3-4 years already). And many thanks as well to the many new friendships God has helped me built upon, it's been a wonderful time of getting to know those I see week in week out a lot better other than the usual Hi's and Bye's procedure.

Cell
A learning experience filled with its own ups and downs. Thankfully, more ups with the occasional downs to keep oneself in check with reality. Throughout the year, it's been a excellent journey alongside everyone else. God has blessed me lots from the lives of those around me.

Ministry
A whole new ball game! Interesting year where one gets to know even more people better and across the generations as well. I thank the Lord for my class, that every Sunday spent with them have been a blessed time of knowing both the children and God as well. And the children camp itself, a fantastic experience of working with people from another church. A year where I learn to give to ministry 1st my time and energy before every other person/thing as well as been able to learn and grow despite the constant absence from services.

2008 - Life in a nutshell

Life

Under the sun:

> control will always slip out of our grasp
> relationships will always disappoint
> work will leave us frustrated
> pleasure is always fleeting
> wisdom is never an adequate guide
> spirituality usually give in to legalism
> life ends in decay and death

Above the sun:
> control leads to surrender to God's will
> relationships lead to trust in God's love
> work leads to labouring for God kingdom
> pleasure leads to a hunger for God's coming
> wisdom leads to a humble curiosity to know God
> spirituality leads to embracing God's wild heart
> life leads to a joyous celebration of death and resurrection.

Christ makes the difference. Our lives are far from meaningless, because he infuses our lives with meaning.

A new commandment I give unto you
That you love one another
As I have loved you
That you love one another
As i have loved you
By this shall all men know
You are my disciples
If you have love one for another

Stand in Awe of God

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.

When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.

It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.

Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?

Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

"Believe it or not"

Time sure flies, 5 months of planning and within a short span of 4 days, the camp has concluded. Through it all, it's been a great experience of seeing 1st hand how the Lord is building up a new generation of his people for his works, having a chance to work with people from another church who bring in their unique ways of doing things as well as knowing more people in the body of Christ within such a short space of time. Here's a short recap and thanksgiving for the camp.

Last min preparations

Immediately after my 1st paper on Monday, I was down in church to tie down loose ends and dropped by again on Wednesday till quite late to finish up things. With some help, managed to come up with the score board and putting it up. Haha, took almost 2hrs to do up everything.

Thursday - 1st day

Had a good start in the morning, explaining things to the children and though we didn't manage to play a mass ice-breaker, the kids seem to be warming up to one another as well as being in the mindset for the camp.

This is a very rare camp to witness in terms of food wise. Really have to give thanks for the very fact that we didn't waste food at all ! Imagine 2 full trays of white rice, all eaten up ! Yes, the children ate like monsters, going for 2nd and even 3rd helpings. That's what u call good food in the hands of kids growing up! It's great as well that we had enough to fill up every child. Can't say for the adults though, haha! Maybe u guys should join next year, i lost almost 2kg the past few days due to camp and exams, haha. Now where are all those people who mention they are tipping the scale :p ?

Games. Super stressed out due to so many limitations such as age, venues and stuff. In the end, everything fell into place nicely. Just enough games(5) and station masters. Thank the Lord for creative ppl who modified the games further to suit the younger ones. And yes ! A very big thank you to each one of you in M'kk who helped me brainstormed the games, each one of you have been a blessing to the children. And not forgetting the weather as well. The weather report said it was going to rain so we prayed for shine and wooo, it really was a shiny afternoon alright !

Kids love movement so yes, we did have a camp song which the children all enjoyed and thank the Lord for YCCA side who managed to come up with the actions for the song and bless the children through it.

Friday - 2nd day

To make sure the adults themselves didn't get lost in PP, had to walk around and take pictures so that there won't be lost sheep :p The lord bless us with good weather, enough people to help run the stations and the children all had fun @ the various stations

Saturday - 3rd day

Kite-making ! Praise the Lord for enabling the leaders to learn fast on how to make one and that the children all love their self-made kites. We even managed to fly them and the evening ended with a very nice rainbow just outside DCB.

Talent Night. Really thankful for 3 creative and happening MCs who came up with their own script to host the Talent Nite. The children too enjoyed themselves with their own performances as well as the mini-games segment. We played charades and the best combo was " The camp commandent is sleeping in church!"

Sunday - Last day

It was time to say bye bye. We had a good time and the children from COR side put up a good performance from the camp theme song.

This is to me a challenging and yet faith building week. Learning to trust that despite all the factors that i had to work with, God will put things together and provide the people to help out as well. It's great to have a prayer answered after a few years, the chance to work with another church doesn't happen often so yup, thankful for it. Sometimes, u do wonder are you alone in doing things and do people know what's happening in your life. Really thankful for the support and prayer from many of the adults who know i was going through exams, they've been great encouragements.

One thing which i know have to be improved on is faith itself. Learning to let others have their ways of running things, learning to depend on the Lord even in the midst of exams and many more isn't easy but each new experience hopefully will enable me to believe and trust that God will carry me through bigger things in life in the future. And yes, thanks as well to each one of you in M'kk for your prayers and support, it's wonderful to know that as you care for others, there are others out there who care for you.

A Crazy Group of camp leaders, haha. They've been a wonderful bunch to work with.

Hope

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope."

Hope is often misunderstood; it is not a "maybe so" word. Rather it means "a confident expectation."

When God first appeared to Abraham, He promised, "I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward" (Gen 15:1). Abraham had no natural hope of having children with a barren wife so his answer was a bit despondent:

But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.” (Gen 15:2-3, NLT)

It was clear, this man had little or no hope, and God knew Abraham couldn't receive His promises unless he did. So the Lord took him outside that evening and told him to count the stars. I believed this is how it happened. Abraham eventually fell asleep while counting the innumerable stars. The next morning the Lord woke him with a question, "Did you count them all?" Abraham said, "No, there are too many!"

God has the answer He was looking for and followed it with, "Your descendants will be like that - too many to count!"(Gen15:5, NLT) God has placed within him divine hope - a clear picture of His promise to Abraham - multitudes of children. Whenever he looked at the stars he was reminded of God's promise and heard countless offspring cry, " Father Abraham, Father Abraham!" In reference to this the New testament says Abraham:

Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. (Rom 4:18 KJV)

What was spoken? "Your descendants will be like that - too many to count!" Without natural hope, the divine stepped in to overshadow the seen with the promise. Divine hope looked beyond the evident into God's realm of confident expectation. Abraham chose to override the obvious with the divine. In fact, Scripture tells he was "fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform" (Rom 4:21). He received the promise by faith empowered by hope. We are told,

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. (Heb 11:1)

Our faith gives substance to the hope or promises of God. As we've seen in Abraham, divine hope is the vision or blueprint of God's will that we are yet unable to see with our natural eye. Divine hope is extremely important, for without hope, faith has nothing to give substance to. The Word of God not only places faith within our hearts, it also gives us hope, or vision, to the faith.

It could be compared to a collection of building materials, such as tile, windows, shingles, wood, cement, bricks, and so forth. We could have all resources, yet without a blueprint, the building process would be a disaster! You may think, I could build without a blueprint. Perhaps if there were a blueprint in your mind, but there would still need to be some sort of plan.

- Drawing Near

In what/who do you place your hopes in ?

Think About His LOVE

For God so loved the world that
he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life - John 3:16

Think about His love
Think about His goodness
Think about His grace
That's brought us through
For as high as the heavens above
So great is the measure of our father's love
Great is the measure of our Father's love

How could I forget His love
How could I forget His mercies
He satisfies, He satisfies
He satisfies my desires

Even when I've strayed away
His love has sought me out and found me
He satisfies, He satisfies
He satisfies my desires
Great is the measure of our Father's love

Place God 1st & things will fall into place

Foot notes from the Guys talk - The Every Day Man

1) Our relationship With Christ determines our identity

• Our identity is in Christ and NOT what we are tasked to do
• By making Christ the priority, everything will be taken care of by him
• It's the desire to place God 1st, pursing him and setting aside time to be with him

2) Our relationship With Christ determines our purpose

• Don't follow the patterns of this world
• Don't chase after the rewards
• Don't need to upgrade, following what the world does
• Don't let chasing the world overshadow your call to ministry
• Bear fruit
• Leaving a legacy : touching and impacting people in your life journey
• God's promises & faithfulness will carry us through
• Balancing life style of Family-Ministry-Work : Put God 1st and he'll take care of everything

3) Our relationship With Christ directs us in our life

• Grow spiritually : Do evangelism
• 5 Steps : Read bible, Prayer, Witnessing, Fellow shipping, Ministry
• 5 ways God speaks : Scripture, Holy Spirit, Godly Council, Common sense, Circumstances

Don't reply on yourself, look to God and surrender to him

You Are So Faithful

Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth."- Hosea 6:3



Like the sun, that rises every day
You are so faithful, dear Lord You are faithful
Like the rain that You bring and every breath that I breathe
You are so faithful, Lord

Like a rose that comes alive every spring
You are so faithful, dear Lord You are faithful
Like the life that You give to every beat of my heart
You are so faithful, Lord

And in the midst of the storm through the wind and the waves
You’ll still be faithful, You’ll still be faithful
And when the stars refuse to shine and time is no more
You’ll still be faithful, You’ll still be faithful, Lord

I see the cross and the price You had to pay
I see the blood that washed my sins away

Treasuring those around

Been out the past 5 straight nites, that would have drained me dry normally. However, since i didn't plan anything and the entire schedule was planned out by the Lord and the people around, it was kind of refreshing(like the ice cream, cold and nice) to just spend time with different groups of people.

2 more months to enjoy such settings especially over the week ends. In a honest opinion, with much changes happening once we move into 09, there will be less time spent with one another due to Sunday becoming a totally free day from church and maybe cell timings becoming shorter if we move to week nites. Hopefully, lesser time available will mean treasuring those around more or will it ? Only time will tell. May we keep the friendships that the Lord has blessed us with burning brightly.

Shine

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path - Psalm 119 : 105

Jesus Says :

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few - Matt 9 : 37

God is my planner

For the past weeks, organising and planning for outings and camp is kind of enough to drain my mood away. I need to be in the correct mood if i want to ask ppl out to catch up or rot time away. Normally, its easy to get into that mood but when u r sian, it becomes hard. So in steps God ! The best planner ard !

So for the past few weeks, God has made great gatherings out of nothing. The best of the lot are on the wk ends. A few ppl here and there, and u get some new combo which never happened b4 and everyone can really get to know one another better. There's also the odd one on one which is very nice as well. Really can get to just chill out and discover new things abt another person.

Of course, the ppl ard are playing a part as well. They ask me out instead of the other way rd ! Esp those whom u least expect, one call from them and it's like a miracle from God has happened ! Not so extreme la but somewhere along that line. Anyway, saves me the trouble of asking and thinking where to go, wat to eat and etc. Ah..... hopefully such things last for as long as God deems it to be!

Sometimes, u plan things which don't go according to wat u want so u ask God why? But when God plans the mtg, its always going to be within his plan, don't need to ask why, just need to say thank you Lord ! Its wonderful to have a 24/7 planner !

Slow down, come to a stop, rest and recharge, prepare for the road ahead

The title above sums up my month of Oct. A tiny little tetra amount less things to do apart from mtgs, deadlines and revision, so life hopefully be able to flow in a slightly smoother sense, this i really pray hard for.

One thing is to get back into the mode of a normal sunday. Since the beginning of jul, i've been to youth service once. Feels like some sort of prep so that i wont miss it when we move to sat settings next yr. The challenging part this Oct is to refocus and create a mindset where it becomes a 1 way traffic (receiving) rather than a 2 way traffic while serving(u still receive despite giving). And yet, not becoming too comfortable with it cos Nov is another MIA mth due to serving. {If this part doesnt make sense, just ask me in person}

In a way, not being ard is good in the sense where u don't take cell grp/service for granted that u will be "fed" and will leave with something. Sometimes, u just don't. It makes you more aware that one shld actively seek for feeding rather than rely too heavily on been spoon fed in this sense. Actively doing QT in a disciplined manner, reading, being sensitive when God speaks, observing the things happening ard, sharing with one another, signing up for seminars(someone recommanded this method), are just some of the ways which one can source his/her "feeding" from.

Trying to slow down is a challenge indeed. While there isn't a need to be @ ministry this mth, reports in sch need to be rushed, revisions for exams need to begin soon once all those reports are done with, children camp needs time out as well to plan for games and there are still mtgs to attend that come along in this ministry. On one hand, there is a need to slow down to recharge for the month of Nov and on the other hand, there is a need to pick up pace to gear up for Nov. Balance life style, not as simple as it seems.

Still, every moment can be finding rest if we just pause whenever we can. Managed to find time out the past few days last week to just rot away time. Went to some nearby HDB flats and found some benches and just spend time alone, reading, enjoying the surroundings and catching a quick nap or 2. In conclusion, there isn't a huge need for a major rest. Rather, short and regular breaks are more essential to a healthy Christian life. Its a marathon not a sprint, a journey that lasts till we draw our last breathe.

Children Ministry

Warning - verbal diarrhoea - haha. I didn't expect it to be this long though

23th Sep 2007. That's the date when i 1st step into the room where children service is held. Both pastors gave very different responses. One asked me why i was here, so i explained a bit while the other was like "How come are you here! You must explain clearly cos i need to explain to your pastor!" I'll leave it to you to guess who said which one, haha. Btw, i didn't mental note this date down, it was just nice that the following Sunday, we went Balai for the mission trip so i could find out the exact date.

How did i come to join this ministry ? Personally, i told myself that i won't get involve in any ministry if i couldn't commit to it in the right mindset and drop out after a while. I did mention to someone outside cell in 06 that i might be interested in Children ministry though it wasn't the right timing yet. So in Sep 07, God sort of spoke during prayer mtg. I was thinking about having a look already, but i needed some sort of confirmation. And yup, God spoke, not once but twice that night. If mtg the children pastor was normal during a prayer mtg, then mtg one of the children whom i knew even b4 joining the ministry is called rare. Come to think of it, never did see him or his family come to prayer mtg after that. In-ter-est-ing. And so after taking a look, spending time over there the next few months as 07 came to a close, it was good to witness and trust that if the door is open and God isn't closing it, a step of faith is the next step to take.

And so, its been an eventful 10 months of journeying thus far in 08. Just 2 months more ! In fact, only 1 more lessons to teach only, woohoo ! For those who don't know, the children pastor printed out a piece of paper, sort of like a contract, and made everyone sign on it to indicate our commitment for a year to this ministry. Does any other ministry do that? Unlike most ministries where you sort of only know when you are on duty every 3 months, down here, its a standard serve 1 and then rest 1 month rotation. That said, i estimate that this year itself, i will have miss up to 7 months of youth service. Nevertheless, I'm thankful that there are so many other sources to gain "feeding" from other than just going for services.

As I recall the past 1 year, its been lots of fun and learning despite the busyness and energy draining things @ times. My class started off with 12 kids and atm its down to 8 kids, since 4 moved to another church, so it's kind of good to not have too big a group especially now where they are at an age in which they have tons of questions to ask and are trying to seek more personal freedom. As much as you feel that you are giving to the kids in a one way traffic, the kids are in fact giving back to you as well. Their childlike faith in believing, their ability to remember God and his promises and many other qualities helps to remind me to continue to seek God the way the children are doing. It also forces me to have to dig even more during QT and memorise verses as well. At least can give better and more accurate answers when they ask their questions. And ya, if u ask them to memorise things, one must also know it yourself by heart.

One of the huge challenges in this ministry is bible study. Not so much about the preparation but more about the need to get the most out of a limited amount of time and trying to help the kids understand things at their level. Two hours a week, where you have maybe a maximum amount of 30 mins class time isn't a lot, on top of which their attention span is very short. The girls are either listening or asking questions if not their mini chit-chatting sessions starts. The boys are either in their own world or having mini fights, haha. Despite all these, at least they are all willing to keep asking questions, seeking answers and share about their lives.

It's bad enough that i sometimes don't apply what i was taught in regards to preparing for class. We are suppose to prepare from Monday to Friday, setting aside time along side QT to do so and then leave Saturday to pray even more for Sunday. I just wonder for those who do word during cell, do u at times or most of the time leave it till the last min or are you consistent on your preparation ?

Another challenge is the Powder-ful arrows the ahem... children pastor shoots out. Telling u last min what you've been tasked to do is bad enough, its even more "wonderful" when you find out the arrows only when u look at the papers printed out with your name on it and the task to do beside. BOOM ! Why must church leaders at times be so similar with the leaders in the outside world in regards to their working style one, haha. Oh well, a challenge is there to be overcome anyway, hehe. BUT, that doesn't mean those who are leaders out there who are reading this blog shoot any arrow they like any time !

One very unique thing about this ministry is the forever shortage of manpower, especially in terms of guys. Interesting fact: 9/10 of the ladies here are full time mums, don't all the ladies out there aspire to be one next time, haha, then u can consider now to join this ministry in future! Back to the topic, lack of ppl = more work one needs to do = less chance to siam arrow = very sad = thinking of saying bye bye ? (Def not at this point anyway, haha. We serve by one year commitments down here, i will review again in 2010). Nah, this thought hasn't surface yet, hopefully not now.

But, it does give one the chance to learn and do practically everything. If u are interested to try out welcome ministry, we do it here as well, lining up and greeting the kids. Sound ministry? Yup, you are on the console esp when the feet washers need help. Worship ? I already turn it down in terms of leading and playing. Media ? Projector or laptop decides to pull up a tantrum, you have to think of a solution + helping to operate it during teaching as well. So if u don't know which ministry God is putting you into, u can give this one a trial period to get some confirmation. Just don't ever mention that i gave anyone of you this idea!

If you think that's all, not quite. Children ministry presents to you an opportunity to become not only a teacher/leader but a mentor as well to the kids. At this stage of life, many of us at our age have or are seeking a spiritual mentor to advice us on matters. Instead of just seeking a mentor, why not become a mentor yourself? A ministry that goes beyond just serving but impacting the next generation of God people that will shine for him. Ever thought of leaving a legacy and maybe later when you're a grandparent yourself, regret that you could have done more for the younger ones. Why not start now and leave behind your way of living life that will inspire the generations to want to follow that is also pleasing in God sight.

So right now, its the cross roads for me. Saturday or Sunday ? Which day to serve in since our sections are going to move to sat service next yr and there is going to be a children ministry for our new service. Lots of factors to consider. After clearing the initial stage of whether to continue serving in this ministry, its another new stage to go through. Both days are good choices but only one of them will be God best choice. Which one? I've absolutely no idea at the moment. Hopefully things will become clearer before the year draws to a close.

Well, that's that on a summarised version of a one year journey of serving in Children ministry. Of course can't compare to the many great servants out there who have been serving for years le, but serving is fun and a joy to be part of. It's something that i remind myself every Sunday before i see the kids. Because, if the true purpose and meaning of serving God is lost and things become a routine, what's the point of serving when your heart isn't in it anymore. It'll just become like working, dreading about it already from Mon to Fri, still want to dread about a different kind of work on week end ? No way !

- Maybe God's best present ever to us is the hope he gives in the future generations to come that will do his work and bring him glory. That we too take up the challenge to nurture and protect these young ones till they can stand up on their own.

Billy Graham - The Early Years

Giving pain for the sake of love

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. (Prov 15:22). This I need to constantly remember and u can too esp if u have lots of plans coming up, big or small. Although the truth can @ times hurt, "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." (Prov 27:6), just got to bear with it alright, so that smooth sailing can occur(hopefully).

Therefore, its good to also as a friend note when a friend is starting to stray off course to remind him or her about the dangers they are getting themselves into. "My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins" (James 5:19-20)

If we cant even stand hearing words of rebuke from friends who know us well and really care about our well being, how then can we even say that we can hear God's inner voice speaking to us. "If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen." (1 John 4:20)

So sharpen those arrows and get ready to shoot, of course bearing in mind what exactly you are doing and being sensitive about it as well.

- summaried and extracted from "Wasting Time with God"

His outcome

How little or how much planning can go into something, how little or how much effort can go into something, how little or how much time can go into something, in the end, the outcome will be set by God and God alone. His outcome is always the best in his sight even when at times, the mind cannot fully comprehend the results. Thanks nevertheless for making it pleasant for your people on Sunday.

Channel it out to him

Imagine a volcano that remained quiet for years and years and suddenly it explodes out all the lava, steam and ashes. In the same way, our lives can be looked upon in similar aspects to that of a volcano. Why? That happens when many choose to keep all the negative feelings and thoughts inside of them, not even revealing it to close friends or God. And one day, when they can no longer contain all the built up stress over the years, they let it all out in 1 huge blow. The end result is these people suffer break downs and at the same time, those around them suffer as well due to the effects of their explosion (imagine all the hot lava chasing after you and the ashes that damage your health when you breathe them in).

So what does the world do to prevent these from happening if they do know a volcano is on the verge of exploding. Of course the most wise choice is to leave the area till the volcano calms down. But they'll live in constant fear from then on, not knowing when this disaster might happen again. Another method is to blow up the surrounding rocks and try to force the lava to flow into a different direction, out of harm way.

What about us Christians ? What do we do in these sort of situtions ? If you are the volcano, will you be willing to open up to close ones to allow them to help you through tough times. Or will you want to stick it up alone, believeing that your abilities will pull you through ? Sadly, most times, those who go at it alone, end up suffering the most. But does that mean brothers and sisters in Christ are the best options you have in terms of a living presence? Yes, they are concern for you and in trying times, you will finally know who are those who do care about you. (much like the ppl who blow away the rocks to help channel the lava to a different direction) No, in lots of cases, when one really needs the support, many choose to distant themselves away. (Why ? Well, they might be like the residents of the area near the volcano, living in fear of the next explosion that will drag them into things that causes them to lose things that are precious to them)

So are friends really dependable? Not totally. After all, everyone is a sinner, made from the earth and in which we'll return as earth when our time is up. As much as we hope that friends can be there for us in all times, they can't. That's the reality that we must live with. It is in this manner that God is allowed to be in control of our lives. When we no longer look to man but to Him, the Lord will assure us that he will carry us through all things. That unlike human beings, He is the only one who is always with us, in good and bad times.

Jer17:5 states that "This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD." Have we placed too much trust and hope in man that we have diminish God to a smaller role ? This has happen in many situations and God has to let us go through the trials of this life in order for us to place our trust in him and him alone. Remember this well, man will forsake you but God will never leave your side so channel your problems to him and release your burdens for you are not running this race on your own. God is beside you, running with you, if only you pause and sense his sweet presence.

Seeking God

Are we only interested in God only when it is convenient for us such as during church services and bible study groups or will we pursue God no matter what the cost may be, to the tune of rearranging our priorities and lifestyle ?

Finding contentment in God

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength

Phil 4:11-13

Friendship is linked from the top down and back up

The trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit loves one another and is also the same God that we all love. In this way, there already exist a loving relationship within the Trinity and this loving relationship model is spread to us as well. John 14:21, 23 states "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." .... If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him". Through this, Jesus is teaching and commanding us to obey and love him and in the same way, not only will He love us but his Father as well.

Jesus spoke in Matt 22:37-40, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Thus, after the immediate command to love God, it's the command to love those around us, people that we come into contact with.

Friends, who can do without them. One can't really express the meanings behind the feelings you experience when you're in their presence. You can be just yourself, feeling accepted, loved, able to express thoughts without been judged and being offered listening ears. In this way, we experience a foretaste of heaven: encouragement, sympathy, care, laughter, bonding, sensing someone's soul. Pro 17:17 states, "A friend loves at all times"

To help us to gain the emotional and relational skills we need to engage in a closer relationship with God, God offers a school of love through experiences with human friendships. Not only are human friendships a joy to be in, they are also a means to deepen our relationship with God. Our close relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ are essentially very important to Christian living than previously thought.

As i look back to the Saturday where we share about what Mkkadesh means to us, we are also effectively saying that after God, friends in this cell has special meanings to us. We can't deny the huge influence that each one of us have on one another. Of course, been humans also mean one gets the full package as well. Hurts, pains, tears, frustrations, unfulfilled expectations, doubts, rumours, misunderstandings and many more occur from time to time in the cell. Although in almost all cases, we do in unknowingly, we still end up hurting someone. And yes, the writer here has given his fair share of heartaches to everyone out there as well, which I'm sorry about and please continue to forgive me cos i know there might be more to come.

That aside, the joyful knowledge is God's grace, mercy and love allows each one of us to forgive and grow stronger in our friendships with one another. In doing so, like taking part in communion and asking for forgiveness and forgiving others as well, we increase our individual capacity to love one another. God experiences hurts from our actions and yet he has never given up hope in us and love us just the same from the 1st day we were created in our mother womb. How great is that capacity to love? Unmeasurable ! Do you want to even reach near that level to love?

As we grow older and draw deeper in love with God, in the same way, we'll grow deeper in our ability to love one another. This despite when in a friendship, when one party gives to another and gets nothing or even hurts back in return, our faith to continue to love is truly tested. But if each one of us here in Mkkadesh loves God, we'll be able to love one another even greater cos we are indeed obeying his commandments. It's a wonderful experience in knowing that you are loved by him and you can love one another in a greater level because He first love us.

Therefore, whatever happens next yr and the the yrs to come, let's continue to love one another to the best that our capacity allows and pray that our capacity to love will grow exponentially.

HIS or mine ?

Whenever a matter of small or big status comes along, which one is more evident when you make that important decision ?


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Is it time to relook at how we deal with matters that come along ?

Rain or shine, God is there

It's been encounters with cats and dogs for the past 8 days. As i reflect about it, i will say it's wonderful to have both cos the sunny or rainy days can represent so much in our daily lives. Some of us love the sun(can play outdoors sports), some hate it a lot (makes u sweat), and there are those who love the rain (calming effect) and yet more who dislike it for all the inconvenience it brings about.

Imagine that a hot weather was actually you been in the midst of fire-fighting in the office or other situations and the Lord brings rain to calm the raging fire within you and others around you. And in the rainy times, where the water level keeps raising and making it hard for one to breathe, God brings out the sun to shine, drying out what's drowning you and bringing a smile into your life, to assure you he is always there.

Our life isn't easy, each one of us go through an almost challenging day each day, and the only way to get through it is constantly remind ourselves that someone is out there who is in total control and only wants to give you the best that He can give to you. And till that happens, trust in the Lord, for his love for us endures forever.

Will it or will it not rain tomorrow ?

Father and Child

Small little events we witness daily can be a message from the Lord if we take time to pause and think abt it. Here's something which i saw today which is a gd reminder of God's love for us.

While on the train, I saw a father and son standing next to the row of handles which we grab onto when the train is moving. The father was holding onto his son of abt 2yrs, while the son was grabbing the handles. At the same time, the father slowly lowered his arms, while still carrying his kid and allowed his son to try to use his own strength to hold onto the handles. This was repeated over and over again. Of course, the son didnt succeed each time, but yet there was so much joy between both the father and the son.

Kind of reminds you how as a christian, the way we r treated by God is something like the above scene. He holds onto us and yet at the same time, he slowly let go and allows us to experience and try out things so that we can grow in maturity and be able to stand on our own feet. And the great thing is, each time whenever we might fail in our attempts, God is already there waiting to hold onto us so that we wont get hurt from trying to overcome new challenges.

Being a young or matured christian isnt a matter, each new challenge might be tough but yet we can be assured that our God is already on hand to hold us whenever we need him.

Continue to trust that the Lord is indeed beside each and everyone of you in your daily lives.

Side note: Thank you Lord for 1 year of learning and sharing through this blog. May it continue to be a blessing to everyone out there.

God Speaks Progressively

The bible reveals a progressively pattern in the way God communicated with people. In Old Testament times the heavenly Father spoke in multiple ways. The Gospels tell us God fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies and deepened his relationship with his people by sending his Son. After Christ's Ascension, God sent the spirit and established the church, continuing to communicate with his people. Jesus said it was to his disciples' advantage that he leave them so that they receive the Holy Spirit.

God also relates to individuals in a progressive way. In the bible, someone's first meeting with God is often more dramatic than later encounters. The original discourse between God and Moses was the burning bush experience. A bright light literally blinded Saul of Tarsus when the risen Christ first confronted him. Likewise, Ezekiel's first encounter with God was unforgettable as he saw a great cloud of fire flashing and heavenly messagers within it. (Ezek. 1:4-21). However, as each of these men grew in his relationship with God, God did not always need to use such dramatic means to gain their attention and to communicate his will. For example, the apostle Paul mentions hearing from God often, but apart from a couple of exceptions, the manner he describes seems to indicate an intimate, daily communication, not a string of earth-shattering events. Many people seek a series of spectacular experiences with God, but biblically the dramatic seems to be the exception rather than the norm.

God seeks a dynamic, growing relationship with his people, so he speaks progressively to individuals. He guides people step-by-step, day-by-day, each new word building upon what he said previously. When God first spoke to Abraham, it was to tell him to leave his homeland and to go to a different place. At first, God didn't even tell him where his new home would be. After following God for almost forty-five years, Abraham received the command to sacrifice his only son (Gen 22:1-3) . It is doubtful Abraham would have been prepared for such a difficult word at the outset of his walk with God.

Likewise, Jesus taught his disciples in a progressive way. He did not speak to them about the cross, for example, until they had first come to understand that he was the Christ (Matt 16:13-21). They simply were not ready for such a stunning revelation before then.

- Hearing God's voice by Henry & Richard Blackaby

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What phase are you @ in your walk with Christ ?

Only He knows what's best

When you pray that certain things wont happen to you and God decides to turn it 180 degrees around and instead gives to you the exact things you didn't want, it can be mind blowing ! Of course, after spending Sunday night thinking about it while uploading the pics for retreat, its a sense of knowing that God knows what's best for me. So yup, I'm thankful for everything that was given to me and I'll use them wisely to spur myself on till retreat 2009.

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Its no coincidence that retreat 07 and 08 both ended on the last day of my holidays. Somehow, its a good boost to start school on the right note after spending time to reflect on both retreats and asking what's next. To me, the end of retreat 07 was the start of a 1 yr journey which concluded with retreat 08. Now that retreat 08 is over, its time for a new phase till retreat 09 of which, to continue to serve with a clearer mindset and maybe waiting for other things to drop down from the top boss above us. "Ouch"

In between these 2 retreats, the Lord has answered lots of questions, lots of doubts and lots of prayers as well. So much similar to what the Israelites did when they were brought out of Egypt that they kept asking God for miracles (re-learnt this during children service), i understand now that complaining must be done in the right manner. I guess it enough seen and time to really just let things play out in the way God wants them to be (even if sometimes, one will ask why in this way must it happen then the end goal can be reached).

The Lord really loves M'kkadesh. Everyone who is in the cell, can feel and is witnessing great things that God has done, is doing and is continuing to do even at this stage. It takes 2 hands to get a thing done, God is doing his part, now its our turn to do our part. As a body, so much can be done, but each individual must first be willing to play out his/her part. This is also why God has given us one another and to some, closer friends in this cell. So that we can encourage, teach and pull one another on the path that God intends for this cell group. Let us not waste away yet another 365 days before we come again to retreat 09 and ask for the same things once again. Its high time we move on to a new level in our faith for there is so much out there we can give to and bless if we in the 1st place get ourselves aligned with God's will.

Well, we did asked for time to spend to know one another better so that's one very quick answered prayer. He knows our deepest desires, given us so much,don't you think we really need to take a stand for God. He has given his greatest creation the ability to decide what we want, so what's your choice after hearing and receiving so much during this retreat? Only He knows what's best for each one of us, all we ever need is to trust that he is control of everything.

"No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." Joshua 1:5

He's there, so close beside us, waiting to be let in to be in the centre of all things we encounter in this life. Don't allow yourself to run your life, let God do it, things will turn out so much differently when God is in charge of things.

No one is perfect, not me, not you, only God is. So don't ever get discouraged how tough the choice we make for God will be. Just as Marcus shared abt trying out a new shirt b4 putting it on, remember to put on your NEW SELF and cover it with the armour of God so that it stays clean !

I Thank You Lord for .....

I thank you Lord for guiding me throughout the 10 weeks of my attachment

I thank you Lord for guiding me every single day when I said a prayer to you

I thank you Lord for guiding me every single day even when i forgot to pray to you

I thank you Lord for providing the buses to my workplace which never broke down

I thank you Lord for providing superiors who were understanding and willing to teach me

I thank you Lord for the diff workers from various countries who were kind and friendly

I thank you Lord for providing safety to everyone that no one suffered any serious injuries

I thank you Lord for teaching me brand new things daily

I thank you Lord for the weather, be it rain or shine

I thank you Lord for helping me make the right decisions on most occasions

I thank you Lord for teaching me never to play my psp @ the bus stop after I miss 2 buses

I thank you Lord for giving me gifts to use to bless others @ work

I thank you Lord for the free food provided every day @ work

I thank you Lord for providing help whenever i needed it

I thank you Lord for providing a small amt of salary to survive on wk ends

And i thank you Lord for every other thing i might have missed out

Retreat - A year on & Beyond

Thanks to all the curious cats who read and gave their opinions on this which has allowed me to publish this with a peaceful state of mind. Happy readings, may God reveal things to you, hopefully !
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Certain things in life, one must personally go through it or be part of something to fully comprehend the full extent of what exactly is happening. For everyone out there, the Lord would have/will be in the near future, call you at a certain stage in your walk with him to serve in various committees to bless those around you. Each group is unique in itself, with a very interesting blend of people from all walks of life, coming together to achieve the end goal for God glory.

Last year retreat was, personally a wonderful experience and it's great to witness so much that God has done and is currently doing even at this moment in the run up to this year retreat. Just a few more days before this year retreat, so what exactly is on everyone mind and what do u truly want to experience during those 3 days? That I'll leave to you to think and pray about.

We are already so focus on praying for the retreat during this period of time, have we ever thought about praying for what's beyond retreat. True, its important to be focus on what's ahead of us, but its equally important to focus on the road ahead. If we keep on , as discussed in cell, year after year, keep asking for the same desires to be met during retreat itself, then something outside of retreat must occur for us to move onto a deeper level with the Lord.

That's when prayer for the other 362 days is important. Because, it serves no one any good to reach the peak of the mountain, the climax of events or meeting a full stop when the retreat is over. Instead, we must start to trust and believe that God will change us for the better, that we'll "Wake up", and that we'll be made anew in his image. At the same time, we must start asking questions like "So what's next?" JFK once said: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." Maybe, it's time we do the same in the context of after becoming renewed, “Ask not what God can do for me, but what I can do for God". God doesn't need us to do anything for him but yet he desires an obedient heart that will listen and be willing to carry out things he wants us to do for him. Indeed, let the retreat be the jump start that we need to spur us on a more intimate relationship with him and also in serving him. Because serving him can be a great reminder for us to stay in tune with his blueprint for all creation.

In any relationship, God or human wise, both parties must be willing to play out their part for the relationship to work. Sir Alex, Man U manager, once said, He is driving a bus load full of passengers, and it’s going at high speed without any stops. If anyone thinks they can’t cope with the ride anymore, then he'll just leave them behind. That's how the world we are living in behaves but does God do that? Absolutely not! God, the bus driver in this case, will keep on coming back to the bus stop where you are situated to pick you up time and time again. The question is, are you willing to board the bus he is driving in the 1st place so that you can be moving along with him?

Lastly, I received something during cell on sat but mentioning it was a bit out of place due to the focus on retreat itself. We all acknowledge that retreat been a yearly event is something that helps us to refocus back to God. However, due to the time gap, we sometimes feel that we are back to square once again when a new year is upon us. There doesn't seem to be much growth. Well, maybe to look at things in a bigger picture, with service changing to sat and all of us getting older and busier with families in future, maybe the newly given free Sunday is something wonderful for us all. Why? Instead of a yearly retreat, a once every 3 or 6 month single day retreat on Sunday, will help us to realign ourselves with the Lord, prepare us better for the next few months and also set aside time to spend with one another on a greater level. Maybe this can be explored in future?

For now, let's continue to be focused on what's right up ahead and may each one of you, have a wonderful experience in being in His presence and being made new for future challenges for his glory ahead.

M'kkadesh - The lord Sanctifies

It's the quality, not the quantity

Singaporeans love different varieties of food. The more the merrier and we are constantly going for money's worth. Meaning the more quantity there is, the better it is in our eyes. When u compare it to Daso, u see the Japanese doing it differently. Here, quality is been presented to us as a more important factor to consider than quantity. Therefore, u see products with very nice packaging and stuff.

So how about friends? Which is the factor u truly want, the quantity(no.) of friends or the qualities of a true friendship. In this modern society, we are blessed with many technologies. Like the Hp for eg, where we store all our friends and love ones' nos. , ever felt the sense of uneasiness and hopelessness when the Hp is lost/you forgot to bring out of the house? Or how about friendster, facebook, myspace, online forums and others, do we find it a sense of pride and satisfaction when we have a certain no. of friends or reach a certain status in the forums?

Don't get me wrong here, there's nothing stated in the Bible that says u cant register and sign up for them. I'm just saying is the time and energy used to chase after large quantities of friends worth it?(Unless u know for certain, that God has spoken that this is your ministry) Or at the end of the day/during a crisis, how many of these friends will really respond and come to our aid/side to support us? Sadly, in this world, be it friends or colleagues, we do to some extent make use of one another and thus, many are abandoned when their worth is no longer there.

So are friends still worth having? Of course they are, that's what God has given to us, especially if they are believers. Followers of Christ and great support to one another in life as well. However, be it they are christian or otherwise, we still love them and accept them as who they are. Friends normally come together when interests or common characters are similar. And as time moves on, numbers are added into the group as the Lord blesses the fellowship. Kind of similar to the olden times in the bible where it is written that God added new followers into the group of already recognised believers.

And it is here where u see the cell grp. Over the years, many are added into the mix and clicks do form somewhat. It is here where new comers do at times find it difficult to break into them cos in their eyes its a closely knitted grp of friends who already accept one another as who one is. But, they miss the point that in a cell context, we do our best to love and accept one another as who a person truly is without forcing them to change to become what we want. Of course, this will take some time to change their mindset as well as their individual efforts to foster friendships with the ppl in cell .

But even so, there is no need to rush to knowing all 26 other ppl in the cell well enough to a certain extent. This is because once placed into the mix, a strong network of friendships form and all it takes is for 2 close individuals to spread the blessing God has given to them. We don't have be worried about trying to know the quantity of ppl here but instead focus more on building up the quality with close friends 1st. And just as God adds more into the group over the years, in his timing, we'll get to know those among us on a greater level.

Personally, I'm thankful to the Lord for the current season where I'm force to spend my time wisely and give proprieties to different groups as well. From family to close friends, cell mates to good friends, to the adults whom i play badminton with, ministry & the camp com, time is never enough to set aside for them. Anyway, one will just drop dead if u meet up with all of them within a short period of time. (Pls don't try to ever go beyond your limits in mtg up with ppl). In the scientific term added with spiritual sense, to have kinetic energy, one needs to store up potential energy in order to expand it. And that's where spending time alone to recharge in God's presence gives one the potential energy to turn it into the kinetic energy, so that we can be a blessing to those around us. And yet, for the current moment, where he chooses, i'll hang out with, for it's always worth the time and energy to build upon all these relationships.

Cos why, as the saying goes, true friendships withstand the test of time. And i've seen how God has done wonders in this part. Was telling a close friend of a simple prayer in the form of that God help me find time to spend with those friends who are closed to me. And yes, despite my own bz-ness and tiredness, the prayer was answered in the manner where the ppl ard you automatically organise mtgs up together. (Save me the trouble of having to think where to eat for dinner, woohoo!). So despite our individual lives in which one moves along with, that causes us to meet up less @ times, the time spent back then to build up these frienships became the very foundation upon which God has given to us to continue to stay in touch with one another.

In life journeys, sometimes even close or gd friends have to move along on a different path for a certain period of time but that doesn't mean we can't update one another and still meet up. The true qualities of a friendship is when we don't have to spend a huge effort to get into the mindset of hanging out, sharing and enjoying one another company. God has built up each friendship to the extent where i'm sure there's at least one person besides God in this entire world that you are able to find it comfortable enough to share deeper stuff and that you really value this friend that God has given to you and the company that he/she provides.

Just as we sang, "Redeemer, Saviour, Friend" during cell, don't ever forget that the Lord our god is also the closest friend we'll ever have and he's the 24/7 hot line if u ever need him. And next up, close friends who put friendships on the line @ times to keep us on the right track. Cos only true friends are honest enough to be frank to us in the hope that each one of us can change for the better in God's eyes.

This is why for friendships especially, its the quality, not the quantity. Agree ? (Of course one can still eat a lot of varieties of food, buy things from Daso, appreciating the cute and unique things they offer and still log unto facebook to do what u want. We just need to know which is more impt to us esp. whenever our time and energy to give away is limited).