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).

Green, Yellow, Red

Just want to say, sometimes, the smallest things can be a blessing and a teaching by God.

If not for the traffic light turning red at that right moment, i would have seen my bus zoom past me and needing to wait another 10mins,but not that day, God decided that i would arrive earlier for work.

If not for the traffic light turning red at that right moment, i would have to rush out of the church van since there were buses behind but not this time rd, God decided that I would have enough time to get out and even say a proper bye to the ppl inside.

2 diff timings, same traffic light, sometimes life can be viewed in a simple way of how God works if we can just stand still for a while and think abt what's happening ard us.

Green, Yellow, Red. God does want us to stop and think abt him and him alone. Maybe its time to stop right at this instant and give thanks for all He has done,don't u agree?

Didn't You ask for this ?

Prayer is an impt and (hopefully) a daily thing that we do in order to speak to God and as well as presenting our requests to him. As such, in this post, we are going to basically split prayer into the so called answered and unanswered part. I'm sure for many if not all, the unanswered part far outweighs the answered.

If we were to talk abt the answered parts, just what is our reaction to them? Are we very happy abt it at that moment and then later let the joy just fade away I must say that on some occasions, the "Forgetting to say thank you part" happens to me. Or even if i do say thanks, it's sometimes just like a "Say it for the sake of saying part". Do u guys ever have this happening to you ?

One impt thing that does happen abt prayer is the "I ask for it but i dont treat what God has given to me with the due attention/respect it deserves". Sometimes, one will just take it for granted. Recently, I was praying and asking for someone to come to share the workload as well as making the office filled with more people since my senior left. And wooo, express prayer answered. I was happy at 1st abt it but slowly you take things for granted that the person is ard to help out and later get frustrated with the person when he doesnt do things right and you've have to clean up the mess he created. It doesnt help that his style and pace of working is so different due to the country he is from. ( I can finally understand someone else frustation with dealing with ppl like them). And you just end up been somewhat un-christian like at times when you talk/treat them as a person. It's really a struggle to practice God's principle at work and even more to just have a diff mindset abt ppl that's diff from others.

This part is a very interesting one, it's about praying for something and then later regretting you ever asked for it. In a way, I complain and pray abt somethings and God answered me. The end goal was what i wanted though the process to get there isn't. Still it's good to know more about what God intends to do when you asked for things. Anyway, the more impt thing out of this is that, frustration sometimes does get the better of a person and when God answers your prayer to reveal exactly what your heart truly desires, He'll be saying like: "Didn't you ask for this, why are you having 2nd thoughts abt it then?" It's great that God can read between the lines of what we say and thus enable things to turn out right in the end. Thats why, do consider with care what you pray for and know that the end goal is really what you have in mind.

Sometimes it can be a painful and yet very enriching experiences to build one up as one moves along in life. Therefore, know what you truly desire when you pray for something and when you do get it, treasure and love that reward cos God gave it to you/the ppl whom you've been praying for.

For the unanswered part, know that deep down in your heart, God always hears us, just that the prayer will only happen in his timing not ours cos he knows the entire big picture not us. We just have to show a mustard seed size and beyond faith to let God do his wonders in ours lives and those ard us. Continue to keep P.U.S.H., cos why, our God do love us and want the very best for each one of us. Jia you to all in your daily struggles, He knows everything in your heart so yeah, don't be too overly worried abt matters cos tomorrow has its own worries.