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 ?


asdasdasdsadasfsefsdfsdasdasOR


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

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 !