Where God's Lambs are - Mehhh...Mehhh...

Right & Wrong: A Case for Moral Absolutes

2009-02-13T00:41:00.002+08:00

"Someone has said that we live in a strange world where the relativity of Einstein is considered absolute, and the absolutes of the Bible are considered relative."

I've just finished reading a small booklet with the above title published by RBC Ministries (which is also the publisher of My Daily Bread). At a short 32 pages, it gives a short introduction to why morality is absolute and not relative, as it is claimed to be in this day and age. Just to share some excerpts:

"There is something wrong with a mind that is so open that can't tell truth from error... If Christ revealed God, then He revealed at the same time the Source of all absolute standards of moral decision. More important for us, he showed that the ultimate absolute is a God who shows us what is right only because He loves us."

On examples of moral absolutes:
"Behind all the Scriptures, is a God who by His own nature is the basis for absolute moral law." There are absolutes to protect faith and worship, absolutes to protect the family ("Cultural relativism has broken down the protective fences of sexual restraint."), absolutes to protect the sacredness of life, as well as absolutes to protect honest relationships. Moral absolutes are timeless because they are consistent with God's unchanging character.

On exceptions to the rules:
"The Bible itself shows us that amongst the laws of scripture there are some that do not qualify as absolute standards for all people, at all times, and in all circumstances." Examples include the non-absolute law against killing ("The key to understanding this is to distinguish between the absolute law against murder and the non-absolute principle of killing.") as well as the non-absolute law of submission. "Only when we see how the whole counsel of Scripture applies a law can we determine whether it is meant to be circumstantial or absolute."

This booklet also includes how we Christians can play a role in society with regards to morality and ethics, and what it means to apply the law of Christ in a pluralistic society. ("Individual Christians must make it their goal to be winsome, honest and civil as they express our spiritual and moral concern for others' welfare. Our response must reflect the spirit of Christ.")

To end off, the booklet expounds on what absolutes can and cannot do. "Only when we understand whether an 'ought' is rooted in a principle, and only when we see the relationship between a timeless principle and the character of God, will we be able to understand the real difference between right and wrong. While the law can show us what is right, that same law can never make us good. There is a great difference between knowing and keeping the law... All the absolutes laws of God could ever do was show us our need for the undeserved help of the Spirit of God."

To find out more, feel free to approach me for the book. It wouldn't take you more than a day to read it, but it'll probably take us all a lifetime to internalise and apply it everyday =)

Emmett

Prayer Meeting 6th Feb (Fri), 7:30pm

2009-02-04T14:04:00.003+08:00

It's the 1st Friday of the month again! I hope everyone can try to make it a point to come together as a church to pray for the matters of the church. Personal prayer, prayer as a fellowship or cell group are important, and so is praying as a church with our brothers and sisters in the church.

When we come to pray as a church, we show our eollective dependence on God to bring the church forward, to guide and lead the church, including all its members. We also commit individuals in the church, who have certain needs, non-believers and ministries to the Lord, an act of love for our brothers and sisters.

Hope to see everyone there! =)

Emmett

Burned Out Christians

2009-02-04T14:02:00.003+08:00

What is Christian burnout, and what is the cure?

Maybe you’re at church again spending long hours on a project. Nobody else is there, and you bang things around. Why are you always the one left with the responsibility? But you wonder if it’s right to be angry. After all, you said you’d do it. You sigh. You note that you’ve been sighing a lot lately, and you wonder how long you’ll be able to keep up this work for the Lord. As you are truthful with yourself, you don’t want to keep on this religious treadmill one more day. If you could escape to the Bahamas, you’d go in a heartbeat. But then you reprimand yourself. A Christian must persevere and pay the price. You pray for the energy to get this project done, but you don’t really want to pray. You’re disappointed with God. Doesn’t the Bible say we’re supposed to experience joy in serving Christ? So where is the joy?

If any of this sounds familiar, you may be experiencing burnout. And yes, good Christians do burn out in their serving.

What are some symptoms of burnout?

Loss of joy in serving Christ

Physical fatigue

Feeling of always giving and not receiving

Resenting the people we are serving

Possibly seeing diminishing effectiveness in your serving

Other people expressing concern for you

Why do Christians burn out?

The causes usually fall under four headings: Wrong Priorities, Wrong Motivation, Wrong Ministry, or Wrong Way of Serving.

What about PRIORITIES? Your serving is most satisfying and effective when it flows out of a close and growing relationship with God. Ironically, when you’re most involved with doing church work, you may think you have the least time for your own life with God. Churches often applaud “Christian workaholics”. You may not find a lot of support and encouragement to seek rest and spiritual renewal. But you can take charge and stop the activity long enough to listen to God. God may show you how you need to reorder life to have Him at the center and to experience everything flowing out of a vital relationship with Him. Recovery and renewal may start with stopping long enough to listen to God.

What about MOTIVATION? If you are showing signs of burnout, it may be time to examine your motives. Trying to please or impress people in the church, seeking to earn their approval and escape their criticism, is deadly to your own spirit. Often Christians who burn out have trouble setting boundaries and are unable to say “no” to the requests and expectations of others. But sometimes we have our own high expectations of ourselves. When we don’t see the results of our efforts we hoped to see, we get disheartened. When we continually fail to measure up to what we think effectiveness or success looks like, we may become discouraged to the point of wanting to quit. We may express the hurt as disappointment in ourselves, or perhaps as disappointment in God. Pain and disappointment can turn to bitterness when we believe that God has let us down. Recovery and renewal may start with a very honest conversation with God in which you pour out all the pain, disappointment, and bitterness within you. Then you can ask God for God’s perspective on your situation. You may hear God questioning your motives, and wanting to give you different motives, based on His purpose for your life, rather than on your own or other people’s expectations.

What about the MINISTRY you’re doing? (The use of the word “ministry” does not just apply to vocational ministry, but the particular type of service any Christian offers.) Are you doing what you’re “wired by God” to do? Is the ministry a match for your spiritual gifts and talents? Does it really engage you at a deep level? Many of us end up spending a lot of time and energy doing something for God that is not really our passion or our calling. Recovery and renewal may start with a prayerful examination of what God is calling you to do. (A helpful resource is “Writing Your Personal Mission Statement” on the Christview Ministries Web Site: www.christviewmin.org/leadership/leadership.skills.personal.mission ) It may be that a particular ministry was right at one time, but God is calling you to begin a new adventure in serving. God may be releasing you to a new ministry in a new season of your life.

What about the WAY you serve? Are you trying to do it all yourself when you could be delegating, building teams, and helping others use their gifts? Often people say, “I hate to ask anybody to do anything. I would rather just do it myself.” Granted, it can be frustrating trying to organize others. Other people can fail to show up or follow through. But the solution is not doing it all yourself. Recovery and renewal may start with prayerfully asking God how He wants you to do this ministry, and who He wants you to do it with. Renewal may continue as you ask those people to pray about serving on a team with you.

What Helps in Recovery and Renewal?

Pouring out your heart to God, expressing everything you truly think and feel

Listening for God’s response

Letting God heal you, change your inner motivations, and your priorities

Making your relationship with God a priority, and doing the things that help you grow closer

Building spiritual growth and renewal time into your life

*Pray Daily
*Worship Weekly
*Weekly “Sabbath Time” (Article on Sabbath Time in the “Thorncrown Journal” www.thorncrownjournal.com/turners )
*Annual Spiritual Retreat

Getting clear on what God is calling you to do

Learning to say “I’ll pray about it” when someone asks you to do something

Learning to say “no” unless God is not giving you a clear “yes”

Creating ministry teams and delegating

Praying with scripture passages such as:

Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God”
Mark 6:31 “Come with me by yourself to a quiet place and get some rest”
Matthew 11: 28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest

http://www.thorncrownjournal.com/turners/burnout.htm

Emmett

The Screwtape Letters

2009-02-02T22:11:00.002+08:00

The Parables Company, a local Christian theatre company, is putting up The Screwtape Letters. The available dates and timings are:

27th Feb (Fri) 8pm
28th Feb (Sat) 3pm
28th Feb (Sat) 8pm

Tickets are priced at $32 each (incl. booking fee). Venue's at Jubilee Hall, Raffles Hotel.

I would probably be catching the 28th Feb (Sat) 8pm one. Should anyone be interested be catching it with me, please let me know by 1pm this Sunday (8th Feb). Heard that tickets are running out. (:

Synopsis
The Parables Company is proud to present, for the first time in Singapore, a new stage adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ classic satire The Screwtape Letters. At turns philosophical, mercurial and witty, the book following a senior demon’s searing correspondence with a greenhorn tempter on assignment here on earth has now become a play that will shift some long-held paradigms on what we think is “evil”.

It is London, 1938, and the personal life of trainee demon Wormwood’s human “Patient” is beginning to mirror world events. As order and sanity begin to crumble under the growing threat of a second Great War, Wormwood tries to flex his untested tempting abilities to lead his Patient unsuspectingly down a path towards Eternal Damnation. But this is not without his vastly more experienced and merciless Uncle Screwtape, Senior Undersecretary of the Department of Tempter Training, critiquing his every move.

C.S. Lewis, author also of the much-loved Chronicles of Narnia series, dedicated The Screwtape Letters, with its dark sense of inverse morality, to his friend J.R.R. Tolkien, and declared he never wrote anything ‘with less enjoyment’. However, these diabolical epistles proved to be an instant hit and remain a bestseller to this day. As we track Wormwood and Screwtape’s surprising stratagems alongside the choices faced by their Patient, the play promises to be an revealing study of evil in all its varying shades, and the fight we may, or may not, choose to put up against it.

Praise for C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters:

‘Sparkling yet truly reverent, in fact a perfect joy’
– Guardian

‘Excellent, hard-hitting, challenging, provoking’
- Observer

The Parables Company is a theatre company driven by Christian values and a mission to tell stories, for all, that answer as many questions as they ask. More information to be found at www.theparablescompany.com

Emmett

Freedom from Quiet Time Guilt - Part 6 of 6

2009-02-02T21:33:00.002+08:00

6. The Theology of Prayer: Means of Grace

So what exactly does prayer do? That’s the question I’m often asked. There are several wrong answers to this question. Some assume that prayer furnishes God with the information he lacks. God doesn’t view it that way. He not only knows what’s going on now, he knows what will be going on next week. Indeed, he even ordained what will be going on next week, the Bible speaks of “the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” (Eph 1:11).

Neither is prayer an attempt to convince God to do what he wouldn’t otherwise do. He will grant our requests only insofar as they accord with his eternal purpose—his will. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 Jn 5:14-15).

And I hope we’ve dismissed the idea that prayer shows God how much we love him! It’s not a work, but a grace! But often we think that prayer is something we do to obligate God to bless us. This is the subtlest of errors, for it resembles the biblical teaching. Indeed, it is a caricature of the biblical picture of prayer. Grace-empowered, grace-motivated prayer does bring blessing, but prayer isn’t a work we do that obligates God to give blessing. It’s a subtle difference, but an important one. Prayer is a means of grace, not a work to merit grace.

Theologians have classically called prayer and Scripture (along with the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper) means of grace—highways along which the Holy Spirit tends to travel. The means of grace are the normal instruments God uses to accomplish his saving work in and through us. Does prayer change things? Yes, because God changes things, and prayer is an expression of our reliance upon him to accomplish his purposes.

I remember about six months ago calling upon God in prayer about my finances. Starting a not-for-profit teaching ministry is hard work, and church missions committees would often rather support a missionary doing evangelism than one who is training believers. One evening I called out to God with great urgency. After a year of support raising and teaching, I could still only afford to teach half-time while working another job, and even the funds that had enabled that year of half-teaching were almost all gone. “Father, this is your ministry, not mine. If you have raised me up for this, then something must change. I cannot go without food. I cannot fail to pay my rent. If you wish me to teach, you must grant the resources to do this. If you do not enable me to teach, I will not teach. Apart from you I can do nothing.”

Was I manipulating God by threatening to stop teaching? No. And being a sovereign God, he wouldn’t have been impressed. Rather, I was confessing to God my utter and total dependence on him to fund my work.

The next day, after eight months without any new support, a new friend took me out for coffee and told me he felt compelled to support me at $100/month. That same day, I received a note from an old friend in another part of the country pledging monthly financial support. When I checked my email, I had received a message from a member of my church who had since moved away, telling me a $1200 check was in the mail.

Did my prayer force God’s hand? No. All of this was already in the works long before I prayed. But when I confessed my neediness to God, he was pleased to provide for me. Prayer was the means of grace, not a work I offered for reward. And God was glorified in my weakness. God is faithful to hear our prayers, and he delights in answering them. Prayer is one of the basic freedoms Christians have, and freedoms aren’t given to leave us in bondage. There is a cure for Quiet Time Guilt. That cure is the gospel of Christ, in whom we have redemption. Gospel—our need and God’s provision—is the heart of biblical prayer. God will care for us. We belong to him.

Hope this series has renewed our perspective of QT. (:

Emmett

Freedom from Quiet Time Guilt - Part 5 of 6

2009-01-31T00:43:00.002+08:00

5. The Surprise: The Quiet Time is Optional

Imagine for a moment you’re meeting a Christian friend. “How’s your relationship with God going?” they ask you. “Well, I’m struggling with my attitude about my job—but God is teaching me to be content and to not gossip when people rub me the wrong way.” A silent stare greets the words, your inquisitor’s eyes staring you up and down. After a moment of awkward silence, the question comes again, “But how is your relationship with God?” Hmm. What wrong with this picture?

Perhaps this has never happened to you. But I’ve found contemporary Christians are often more concerned about my ‘relationship with God’ than with my relationship with God. Whose idea was it to define the sum total of my relationship with God as my devotional consistency? Your quiet time is not your relationship with God. Your relationship with God—or, as I prefer to say, God’s relationship with you—is your whole life: your job, your family, your sleep, your play, your relationships, your driving, your everything. The real irony here is that we’ve become accustomed to pigeonholing our entire relationship with God into a brief devotional exercise that is not even commanded in the Bible.

Yes. That’s what I said. The daily quiet time—that half hour every morning of Scriptural study and prayer, is not actually commanded in the Bible. And as a theologian, I can remind us that to bind the conscience where Scripture leaves freedom is a very, very serious crime. It’s legalism rearing its ugly little head again. We’ve become legalistic about a legalistic command. This is serious.

But no misunderstand what I’m saying. My goal isn’t that we pray and read the Bible less, but that we do so more—and with a free and needy heart.

Does the Bible instruct Christians to call out to God in prayer? Absolutely. “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Th 5:16-18). But this isn’t a command to set apart a special half-hour of prayer; it’s instruction to continually call upon God. Elsewhere the Apostle calls us to pray: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:6-7). But notice that the focus here is not on the performance of a devotional duty, but on approaching God for grace—for our heats and minds to be guarded by him. Paul’s burden is that we would rely upon God in every circumstance and therefore have peace, rather than relying on ourselves and finding ourselves captive to the anxiety that accompanies self-reliance.

Does the Bible command us to read our Bibles every day? No. Not really.

What Scripture actually instructs is that we meditate on God’s word all the time. Consider the godly man in Psalm 1. “His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Ps 1:2). This is not exactly the same thing as reading the Bible every day. Personal Bible reading is one—and only one—way we to meditate upon God’s word. At this point it’s helpful to consider the difference between a good idea and a biblical mandate. A biblical mandate is something that God explicitly or implicitly commands in Scripture. Loving your neighbor is a biblical mandate (Mt 5:43). Moving to Philadelphia to work in a homeless shelter, by contrast, is not a biblical mandate. Rather, it’s a good idea, a wonderful possible application of the biblical mandate to love your neighbor. But moving to Philly isn’t the only way you can love your neighbor. Similarly, meditating on God’s word is a biblical mandate. The daily quiet time, by contrast, is a good idea, a wonderful possible application of the mandate of biblical meditation.

It may surprise you to know that the concept of the quiet time as a command is a modern invention. It’s only in recent centuries that Christians have been able to actually own Bibles—the printing press and cheap paper have given us more options so far as biblical meditation is concerned. But remember that most Christians throughout history have not owned Bibles. They heard the Bible preached during corporate worship. They were taught the Bible in the churches. They memorized the Bible profusely—a first century rabbinic saying stated, “If your rabbi teaches and you have no paper, write it on your sleeve.” But for most Christians through history, biblical meditation took place when they discussed the Bible with family and friends, when they memorized it, when they listened very carefully to God’s word preached. The concept of sitting still before sunrise with a Bible open would have been very foreign to them.

We have so many options today, why do we get hung up on the quiet time? Listen to Christian teaching tapes. Invest your time in a small group Bible study. Have friends over for coffee and Bible discussion. Sing and listen to Scripture songs. Read good theology. Tape memory verses to the dashboard of your car. And pray throughout your day. I always reserve the drive to church on Sundays as a time of uninterrupted prayer for my pastors and elders, for those leading worship, and for the peace and purity of the church. Certain landmarks around town remind me to pray for certain churches, Christians I know, or causes God says are important. I suspect I spend more time praying in my car than on my knees. (Though I love praying on my knees as a concrete display of my dependence on God, I can’t do this in my car without causing an accident.)

If you have a regular quiet time, don’t stop. You’ve found a wonderful way to meditate on Scripture. You’ve set aside a specific time to call upon God in prayer. But if the quiet time doesn’t work for you, that’s okay. You should not feel guilty since you have not broken a commandment. The quiet time is an option, a good idea—not a biblical mandate. If the quiet time isn’t working for you, there are other options as well. All of them are good ones. The key is to rely on God to accomplish his plans, a reliance expressed in prayer and fed in Scripture. You have all kinds of opportunities to call upon God in prayer and to meditate upon his word. He loves you and delights in your expressions of weakness and dependence. He is glorified in your weakness.

Upcoming: Part 6 - The Theology of Prayer: Means of Grace

Emmett

Freedom from Quiet Time Guilt - Part 4 of 6

2009-01-28T23:21:00.003+08:00

First and foremost, here's wishing everyone a blessed Chinese New Year! Hope the holidays, 'tho short, have been a good time to catch up with relatives and friends!

A reminder to all who have been baptised and are members of the church, there is business meeting at 8pm this friday (30th Jan). Although the meeting may be dry, or you may feel that it is of no relevance to you, I feel that as a part of this community, it is really our duty and responsibility to concern ourselves with the happenings in the church. Think about the question the day you were baptised, when the reverend/pastor asked, "你愿不愿意加入教会，并且履行会友的责任吗？" Not trying to be legalistic, but if your time permits, do try to make church matters on the whole your concern too. =)

4. The Shocker: Grace for the Christian

This grace is for you right now, now and tonight and tomorrow and next week and forever. The deadly assumption made too often among those who claim to heed the Scriptures is that grace is only for non-Christians. Grace is what God offers to people who don’t know Christ. Grace is what makes us Christians; but once we’re Christians, we live by our own resources. This is why advocates of Strength Christianity so often sound like evangelical Christians. They really do believe that God offers grace to unbelievers who will turn to God through Jesus Christ. And they’re right on that. What they wrongly assume, though, is that the Christian life begins by grace, but continues by human works.

I’ve seen this confusion many times. I found it ironic that the very same prayer program that so hurt the church I love included within it an absolutely wonderful children’s program. This at first puzzled me. The children who attended were pointed to Jesus, reassured of God’s love for them, and encouraged to rest in God’s mercy and total acceptance in Christ. In the adult activities, by contrast, people were told to try harder, to persevere, to do better, to be more consistent and to pray more, so that God could bless them. The children heard, “God did it,” while the adults were told, “Just do it.”

Why the difference? The difference was simple. These teachers were assuming that the children of the church were not yet Christians (…an assumption I would question). God offers non-Christians grace. The adults, however, were committed Christians. The Christian’s relationship with God rests not upon God’s grace, but upon his or her performance, particularly the performance of the ultimate devotional duty, the daily quiet time. This assumption that "grace isn’t for Christians" is spiritual venom, which is keeping millions of Christians in bondage to self-reliance, guilt, shame, and despair. Quiet Time Guilt is the great epidemic among Bible-believing Christians today.

If you think the purpose behind this little tract is to absolve you from the call to pray or the need for Scripture, think again. My purpose is to free you to desire prayer—to desire God. I want you to long for the pure message of the gospel, spelled out on page after page of the Bible, and to find the joyous freedom found in Christ. Prayer is a grace, not a work. It is a confession of our neediness to God, not a proof that our “relationship with God” is going well. If you think that God will not bless you today because you missed your quiet time, this has been for you. If subtle legalism has left you in bondage so that you no longer hunger for God’s word or freely call out to him in prayer, then hear this: God has already chosen you, pronounced you righteous, adopted you into his family, and promised to finish his work in you. Perhaps you have been lied to in the past. Now it is time for the truth to set you free. Free to be needy. Free to fail. Free to approach God without dread. Free to delight in him rather than in your performance.

But I have a few more theological reflections to share before you leave. Keep reading.

Upcoming: Part 5 - The Shocker: The Quiet Time is Optional

Emmett

Love

2009-01-23T00:22:00.004+08:00

I came across this speech excerpt on a friend's blog, and although it's not an entirely Christian perspective, what it proposes and advocates do have some merit. It is seemingly directed at love in a boy-girl relationship, but from a broader perspective, it actually does apply in all our relationships, which include, of course, friendships, and to some extent, "enemy-ship".

What you're going to read below may not be anything new, it may have been something you've heard before (maybe even countless times), they may be ideas which you've already been exposed to. But as we read it, may we continue to reflect on our perspective on love, how we love, and going back to God's word, how Jesus taught us to love and realigning ourselves once more to God's teachings and instructions on love.

"The other side of the coin is this: fall in love.

I didn't say 'be loved'. That requires too much compromise. If one changes one's looks, personality and values, one can be loved by anyone.

Rather, I exhort you to love another human being. It may seem odd for me to tell you this. You may expect it to happen naturally, without deliberation. That is false. Modern society is anti-love. We've taken a microscope to everyone to bring out their flaws and shortcomings. It far easier to find a reason not to love someone, than otherwise. Rejection requires only one reason. Love requires complete acceptance. It is hard work the only kind of work that I find palatable.

Loving someone has great benefits. There is admiration, learning, attraction and something which, for the want of a better word, we call happiness. In loving someone, we become inspired to better ourselves in every way. We learn the truth, the worthlessness of material things. We celebrate being human. Loving is good for the soul.

Loving someone is therefore very important, and it is also important to choose the right person. Despite popular culture, love doesn't happen by chance, at first sight, across a crowded dance floor. It grows slowly, sinking roots first before branching and blossoming. It is not a silly weed, but a mighty tree that weathers every storm.

You will find, that when you have someone to love, that the face is less important than the brain, and the body is less important than the heart.You will also find that it is no great tragedy if your love is not reciprocated. You are not doing it to be loved back. Its value is to inspire you.

Finally, you will find that there is no half-measure when it comes to loving someone. You either don't, or you do with every cell in your body, completely and utterly, without reservation or apology. It consumes you, and you are reborn, all the better for it.

- Quoted from Mr. Adrian Tan's speech at the NTU Convocation 2008 "Life and How to Survive It"

Mr. Adrian Tan a litigation lawyer at one of Singapore's leading law firms. Outside the courtroom, he is known for a variety of funny things, including The Teenage Textbook, which he wrote in the late 1980s.

Emmett

Freedom from Quiet Time Guilt - Part 3 of 6

2009-01-22T22:40:00.000+08:00

3. The Remedy: Weakness Christianity

There are two religions calling themselves evangelical Christianity today: Strength Christianity and Weakness Christianity. Strength Christianity is that religion which places both feet squarely on the Bible and proclaims, “I am strong. I sought the Lord. I’m a believer. I’ve turned away from sin. I read my Bible and pray every single day. I’m for God!” Weakness Christianity, by contrast, places both knees squarely on the Bible and says, “I am weak, but the Lord has sought me. I believe, but help now my unbelief. I fail and am broken by my continued sinfulness. Have mercy on me, Lord, and grant me favor, for apart from you I can do nothing.”

Those who pursue Strength Christianity will never find joy in God, for they will never find God. Our Father refuses to be approached in that manner. They will find only increasing religious pride and secret hardness of heart. On the outside, they will project a picture of righteousness. They’ll have it all together. They’ll be spiritual. But only on the outside.

For those who stumble across the rare jewel of Weakness Christianity, however, there is provision beyond what we can possibly imagine. Our suffering, our failures, our weaknesses and disappointments all gain an incredible spiritual significance. God never says he’ll be glorified in our religious accomplishments. But he does promise that his power will be made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor 12:9).

Neediness is the heart of biblical religion. When we honestly lay our brokenness before God, we’re surprised to see a radically different message in the Bible. While we had perhaps expected a to-do list from Holy Writ, a program to make us righteous, or a divinely sanctioned self-help book, we instead see a shocking message that centers on our God and his grace to his broken people, not about us and our performance and expected rewards. And when we approach God in brokenness—Weakness Christianity—we find a radically difference vision for prayer. Prayer is not something we do—a performance designed to get something from God. Instead, it’s merely a free and honest confession of our neediness to God and our spoken reliance upon him for each and every blessing. When you stumble upon Weakness Christianity, you realize that true religion is all about God’s grace, not about our devotional consistency.

Upcoming: Part 4 - The Shocker: Grace for the Christian

Emmett

Freedom from Quiet Time Guilt - Part 2 of 6

2009-01-20T10:02:00.001+08:00

2. The Culprit: Legalism

The root of Quiet Time Guilt is legalism. Often when we think of legalism, we think of the petty man-made rules that have so often strangled the churches—rules against dancing or drinking or makeup or ‘secular’ music. But these legalistic rules are merely an outward sign of a deeper legalism of the heart. When prayer and Bible study are thought of primarily as duties (‘disciplines’) rather than as grace, both prayer and the study of Scripture become unfruitful in our lives. We put ourselves on a performance treadmill and cease relying on God’s grace to sustain us. We trust in ourselves and our consistency, becoming proud if devotionally successful—or despairing because of our inconsistency. Either way, our spiritual self-reliance short-circuits the inexpressible joy of life in Christ. The quiet time becomes a human work whereby we think we gain—or lose—God’s daily favor. When we’ve started our day with Scripture, we presume that God’s blessing will rest upon us because of it. When we fail in our quest for devotional consistency, we feel we’ve short-circuited God’s grace in our lives. Quiet-Time Guilt.

If this describes you or anyone you know, the situation is far worse than you think. Jesus condemned the Pharisees for this very attitude about Bible study. “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me” (Jn 5:39). Yes, that’s what Jesus said. Bible study can be a sin. The Pharisees assumed the Bible a book of rules or principles for living, but failed the grasp it as a story about God’s love for his people. The quiet time can drive you far from God if you fail to understand that the Scriptures are a story about grace. The Scriptures are a story about Jesus Christ, the man of grace. His works—not our works—are the center of the biblical story. And this Jesus gives grace daily to those who fail him. How you approach the Bible—as needy sinner or as self-reliant Pharisee, says a lot about the state of your soul.

Just like Bible study, prayer too can be sinful. Remember what Jesus said about the Pharisee and the tax collector. The one saw prayer as a work, the other as an expression of need. The one who merely expressed his neediness to God—the expression of our neediness being the heart of true prayer—that one went home right with God.

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk 18:9-14).

Often we assume that if we really had it together and could approach God without sin, without failing, with only pure spiritual successes to offer, then God would somehow delight in our prayer more. The opposite is true. If you approach God in that manner, you approach him as his enemy. We are all fallen. If we presume to approach him as something more than needy, dependent sons and daughters, God rightly takes offence. There’s nothing more dangerous than the pride of devotional consistency.

Upcoming: Part 3 - The Remedy: Weakness Christianity

Emmett

Invited

2009-01-20T01:20:00.003+08:00

"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am." [John 13:13]

Jesus gives us a choice to believe in Him. If He said, "You have to believe - you HAVE to treat me like I'm the Son of God," then it would completely change our relationship with Him. But He gave us a choice. - Osward Chambers' Classic

Imagine you were given a chance to be a part of Josh Groban's or Jay Chou's concert, or Goh Chok Tong is inviting you for a dinner tonight. Will you be extremely excited and do tones of preparations with zillion passion in doing the job well? I guess yes, at least I will.

Now we're being invited by the almighty King, into His ministry, into His blessings and His heaven, I'm sure most of you who are reading this post had already accepted this invitation, but are we having the same type of attitude? At some point of time we might tell God that "Hey! I'M serving You, I'm so tired, give me your blessings!" But will we carry the same type of attitude when we're plainly helping out in the concert of a big star? Or will be feel so honored to be able to be in a part of this big star?

Are we feeling honored and pleased in being the son and daughter of the almighty King?

We are a part of a BIGGER star. Say thank You. =)

Thank You ✝

Vivian

Sermon Notes 《一齐成长》

2009-01-18T14:30:00.000+08:00

经文：弗4：11-16

人是健忘的，让我们莫忘上帝所赐给我们看不见的恩典。

1。建立基督的身体（弗4：11-12）

我们都是基督里的肢体，若肢体不成为身体，教会便无法成长。
我们要明白我们在主里的职分，并且这职分所带来的责任。
一个真正的信徒是不可能只有领受上帝所赐的福分，却不参与事奉，回应神的爱。Let us all do our part!

2。在真道上合而为一（弗4：13）

“对神的儿子都有一致的信仰和认识” - 我们需要在真理上和谐，彼此接纳，分享经历，一起体会更高的信仰层次。

我们的文化背景会否搅乱我们对信仰的认识？
Can we be sure that our faith will bring us back to God?

3。在爱中建立教会（弗4：16）

全民皆兵：彼此牧养。每个信徒都能参与牧养的工作，每个肢体的长处都可以带来生命的祝福。
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On a side note, in addition to the reflection on the subject of service yesterday:

"The greatest competitor of true devotion to Jesus is the service we do for Him. The goal of the call of God is His satisfaction, not simply that we should do something for Him. Are we more devoted to service than we are to Jesus Christ Himself?"
- "It is the Lord!", My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Let us remind ourselves once again, never to take our eyes off Jesus, even as we serve Him.

Emmett

Service

2009-01-17T12:33:00.000+08:00

"The call of God is not a call to serve Him in any particular way... Service is the overflow which pours from a life filled with love and devotion. But strictly speaking, there is no call to that. Service is what I bring to the relationship and is the reflection of my identification with the nature of God.Service becomes a natural part of my life. God brings me into the proper relationship with Himself so that I can understand His call, and I serve Him on my own out of a motivation of absolute love. Service to God is the deliberate love-gift of a nature that has heard the call of God. Service is an expression of my nature, and God's call is an expression of His nature."
~ "The Call of the Natural Life", My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers

This is a timely reminder for all of us who serve in ministries, whether in school or church, that service means nothing if we don't personally have an intimate relationship with God first. We cannot serve God or His church and people if we do not first love God or His people.

Let us not forget our Lord, the Subject of our service amidst our business, and to constantly build a close relationship with Him; lest we ourselves become the object of our worship.

Emmett

Freedom from Quiet Time Guilt - Part 1 of 6

2009-01-16T20:02:00.000+08:00

I came across this article on the net, which challenged some of my notions on QT. As it is quite a long and wordy article, I will post this article in 6 parts according to the headings in the article over the next 2 weeks. Perhaps we can share our comments and views at the end of the series.

Should anyone want to finish the entire article at one shot, it can be found at this website:
http://gregscouch.homestead.com/files/quiet_time_guilt.htm

1. The Diagnosis: Quiet Time Guilt

I recently watched as a congregation I love was spiritually raped. A Christian ministry came into the church for a three-day program whose purpose was to encourage believers to pray more. During one of the breakout sessions, a man expressed his frustration with unanswered prayer. He had faithfully prayed with and for his daughter for years, and still she was not walking with God. He was broken, depressed, perhaps more than a little ashamed. How does God in his grace speak to this man? A bruised reed was crying out for help.

“You need to try harder. You need to pray more.” That was the message he was given. I was enraged. Having known this church for many years, I was horrified. What I was hearing was what one seminary professor calls sola bootstrapa. Self-reliance. We pull ourselves up by our own spiritual bootstraps. The teachers who said such things surely meant well. The problem was not a lack of sincerity on their part. The diagnosis is far more severe. The problem was heresy. Any heresy wounds the soul.

When I look upon the evangelical world today, I see millions of sincere believers who are loaded down with false guilt by teachers who fail to grasp the basics of biblical prayer. To sharpen the point slightly, Christ’s sheep have been lied to. They have been told that prayer is a work that we must perform in order to get God to bless us. As heresies go, this one is often subtle. Prayer has become a work rather than a grace. The result has been a loss of joy in prayer.

And prayer is not the only grace we’ve turned into a work. Personal Bible study has become a source of bondage as well. A whole generation of Christians has been told that God will bless them if they read their Bibles every day, as if the act of reading the Scriptures were some kind of magic talisman by which we gain power over God and secure his favor. This is not the religion of the Bible. This pervasive belief that God gives us grace as a reward for our devotional consistency is antithetical to the religion of Jesus Christ. Prayer and Bible study—what evangelicals for the past century have called the “quiet time” have become dreaded precisely because they have been radically misunderstood.

It’s ironic, but the Quiet Time has become the number one cause of defeat among Bible-believing Christians today. At one time or another, nearly every sincere believer feels a deep sense of failure and the accompanying feelings of guilt and shame because he or she has failed to set aside a separate time for Bible study and prayer. This condition is called Quiet Time Guilt. And it’s a condition with many repercussions. The shame of Quiet Time Guilt manifests itself in even deeper inability to fruitfully and joyfully study Scripture. Prayer becomes a dread; Bible study a burden. The Christian suffering from Quiet Time Guilt then despairs of seeing God work in his or her life, until finally he or she simply gives up. He may continue outward and public Christian commitments like church attendance, but secretly he feels a hypocrite. What is the root of Quiet Time Guilt?

Emmett

Busboy

2009-01-11T01:02:00.000+08:00

.. just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Matthew 20.28

today's qt talked about serving, i remember somewhere someone mentioned that we should be like waitors to a restaurant, but this is more interesting.

Some christians will display their Christianity like a smock waiter in a restaurant. "look at me, i'm serving." "Yes sir, coming right up" but what God wants is us to be the busboy-the person who cleans up after everyone.

While the waiter is busy with other customers, the busboy slides in quietly and cleans off the table. Most of the time we dont even know he's there. he's different. he's not there for the tip, he's there because of the job.

it really shows us how we should be the silent servant, who is un-noticed but enjoys his/her job.

"although no one sees, God sees"

it's funny cos it's exactly the opposite from society. in a working world, it's a competition of capability. everyone tries their best to gain credit to what they do and no one cleans up the mess when things goes wrong.

it really serves as a good reminder when we serve. to be that silent servant who cleans up and expects NO commendation in return. meaning to be humble and not expecting self-credit. afterall, we shouldnt be doing it for ourselves, or for people. but for God.

"Go un-thanked. God knows" oswald chambers

Jason

Waiting

2009-01-04T15:29:00.000+08:00

"When God brings a time of waiting, and appears to be unresponsive, don't fill it with busyness, just wait. The time of waiting may come to teach you the meaning of sanctification - to be set apart from sin and made holy - or it may come after the process of sanctification has begun to teach you what service means. Never run before God gives you His direction. If you have the slighest doubt, then He is not guiding. Whenever there is doubt - wait.

At first you may see clearly what God's will is, but never act on the impulse of that feeling. If you do, you will cause difficult situations to arise which will take years to untangle. Wait for God's timing and He will do it without any heartache or disappointment. When it is a question of the providential will of God, wait for God to move."

- "Why can I not follow you now?", My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Emmett

Are we worrying too much?

2009-01-02T11:24:00.000+08:00

First of all, here's wishing everyone a blessed New Year!

As we enter a new year full of uncertainties and unknowns, may we continue to embrace the challenges that we may face with faith and the known certainty that the Lord is our Provider and that His grace is truly sufficient. (2 Cor 12:9)

"Have you been asking God what He is going to do? He will never tell you. God does not tell you what He is going to do - He reveals to you who He is... think of how unnecessary and disrespectful worry is!" - Will you go out without knowing?, My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers

Very often, we always put our focus on what God has done, what God may be doing at the moment, and more frequently, what God will do in the future. But we tend to take our eyes off the more important issue: who God really is, and even more importantly, who God is to each of us. As we embark on this new year, may we throughout the course of this year, seek to know God for who He truly is.

7 reasons not to worry (Matthew 6: 25-34)
The same God who created life in you can be trusted with the details of your life. (6:25)
Worrying about the future hampers your efforts for today (6:26)
Worrying is more harmful than helpful (6:27)
God does not ignore those who depend on Him (6:28-30)
Worrying shows a lack of faith in and understanding of God (6:31,32)
Worrying keeps us from real challenges God wants us to pursue (6:33)
Living one day at a time keeps us from being consumed with worry (6:34)

Planning for tomorrow is time well spent; worrying about tomorrow is time wasted. Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference. Careful planning is thinking ahead about goals, steps, and schedules, and trusting in God's guidance. When done well, planning can alleviate worry. Worriers, by contrast, are consumed by fear and find it difficult to trust God. They let their plans interfere with their relationship with God. Don't let worries about tomorrow affect your relationship with God today.
- From Life application study bible

Emmett

Sharigs + reflections on MISSION TRIP!

2008-12-19T21:22:00.000+08:00

Hi bros & sis,

Most of you all know that im on a mission for God again. This is my 4th time and im back to share with you all. Overall experience was indeed different from ALL mission trips & God is always telling me things through mission trips!

Let me share with you all the the PRE-mission trip, on going & post.

This mission trip is slightly different as im tagging along with another church. Because our church doesn't have the right timing for me to go.. that's y im tagging with other church. A group of bro & sis and i having been preparing this trip for quit a long time, almost 4 to 5 months. Most of them, this is their first time and many of them are first timers doesn't know what to do, but through many preparations, renewal of hearts + rehearsing, God did show them the path.

This mission trip mainly we are doing children's christmas gospel rally, youth christmas gospel rally & visitation of elderly homes + presentation of two songs on the sunday service. Even saying is easy, but doing is difficult but i really thank God everyone's goal/aim is is the same line.

In this five to six months of preparation, I have really learnt to be a better christian. What i meant was, how to love MORE, to care & concern MORE, to work together as bro & sis MORE, to be more efficient & active. Bro & sis have helped each other in times of difficulties for example : can't purchase this or that,,, called other to help or to meet up and solve this or that plus taking initiative to plan to have more rehearsals and meetings in weekdays etc... Everyone is SO INVOLVED in this mission trip. I can tell that their heart working for God is MORE than their normal daily routine which is working or studying.

One more thing which touches me is that their PRAYERs, their relationship with GOD through prayers. It is like praying is NEVER a FAILURE to them! Everyone is praying for ALL the small or BIG things in this mission trip. Examples : the preparations, the health, the weather, the mission trip itself, the heart of missioning, the technical part etc... and their WORDS which uses in the prayer is powerful & detailed. Everyone will take turns to pray out and someone will end it. Im glad that im able to see my weakness which is not talking to God oftenly. Im thankful that the 5 mths of preparations let me see lots and lots of stuffs which i didn't see it for myself.

In this preparation, i also learnt that everyone is important in the eyes of God. One less broORsis is not allowed. I also learnt how to treasure everyone around me which is bro & sis in this mission and to watch out for one another. Because this IS a spiritual war which we're doing for God. Mr.S.A.Tan is searching of loop holes which want to break us apart, but that will never happen unless we're TOGETHER in one body of christ. Prayers & personal relationship with God,合一, devotional is important in every mission or your personal life. I once again thank God that he has put me into this group of bro & sis so we together can learn & grow too!

Next will be the mission trip.

Day 1

I went from 11/12 to 16/12. First day will be just plainly from Singapore to our destination jounrey which wil lbe a village NEAR KL. After which when we arrived, not long after a pastor from the church called "Foo Mushi" bring us to go eat. After which we back to our place to rehearse for the next day's activities! (I thank God we stayed in a kindergarden school with aircon! lol) It's God Grace to let us stay in a comfortable place so as every following day, we will have MORE strength and energy to work for him!

Day 2

We woke up early for devotion together that we're reminded of God's love. So after a good breakfast, it's time for us to go our to distribute flyers & invitation cards for the christmas gospel rally. Foo Mushi help us to group with some of the youths from their church as they know the routes to go. Time given is 2hrs and we all six groups have separated and go spread. My group did spread some gospels to some youth & childrens too. They use the 5 colours booklet and i use the 三福but i made it simpler for them to understand. I thank god that i have approached to children to share gospel + invite them to come for the rally. Even in the end they know that this God exist and they have sin which need to repent, but they claimed that they are buddist but nevertheless i thank God that the seeds are already put into their heart.

After which, we went visitation to the elderly home. This home most of there is cantonese speaking which i thank God for it. hahaz. For there, i saw bro & sis's love for the elderly, even though the place was not pleasant (urine smell), plus some mental problems for some, but bro & sis are very loving and caring. They still go over to help clean, to serve them food, to teach songs and to explain the meaning for christmas. All bros & sis also took picture which each wldely, to develop the picture out and paste it on a selfmade heart shaped colour paper and give them straight away. It reminded me on HOW powerful God's love can be, just a simple small actions can bring joy to many people around you. We had a good time @ the elderly homes. After which back to the church to have monthly church's prayer meeting to pray for church and activities and mission team etc... then nights out!

Day 3

Day 3 is involving children and youth christmas gospel rally morning & night. As usual everyone woke up to prepare for the children's event. Everyone is nervous but nevertheless... prayer is powerful enough to claim us down. Devoation and breakfast finished... we went straight to church which is nearby and prepare out stuffs. Overall children came was 60 to 70. It's quite a grea amount, as again i can see the enuthesium from all bro & sis and how claimly the work and deal with matters. Almost all children are non-christians but through this event, hoping would bring more kids to christ. We have taught the kids two songs, handcraft on how to make fold and make christmas trees and the five colours of christmas tress what it makes and santa claus come out to tell story to them and giving presents to them. I thank God that this event, quite a lot of kids stood up in receiving christ as their saviour! It's HOW amazing God can be. HE MAKES ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL IN HIS TIME!

In the middle of afternoon, we soon took 2 hrs of rehearsing our youth christmas gospel rally which falls in the later part @ night. In the rehearsal, things will always goes wrong... especially the technical part which is the sound system and etc... A lot of things need to clarify or change and remember. After that we took shower and the event started. The whole flow was great and smooth. This event was oso to renew christian's heart too besides new friends accepting christ. Hmm.. in this event... i've learnt how everything RELATED to this event is important. I thank God once again that Bro & sis gave out all in this gospel rally. I can really see the EFFORT they put in preparation + actual event. Before that, we even prayed by holding hands and through prayers.... the holy spirit have touched us which almost evenyone teared. That's how strong the team can be in a body of christ! After which... sleep!

Day 4

This is somehow the last day that we're going things for God. To attend sunday service @ their church and to present two songs. Before that everyone in our bulk practice again before presenting songs. After this will be reflections on the team this few days for servicing for God. 4hrs in total to share. I can see that everyone is open to talk, everyone have their own strugglings but how did they managed to overcome it, what have they learnt and serve as a reminder for the team, how did it apply to their personal life (in families, in work or study), what did God want them to Know, what difference in Singapore with this place etc... Tears or joy and tears of touchness by God have shown in this sharing.

Other that day... the rest of the few days is shopping one day tour in KL.

Overall learning again is that, let us glowers be reminded that, to LOVE, to CARE & CONCERN for one another especially bro & sis in christ ard u! Let take the step ahead in DOING GREAT STUFFS for God. God have always let me see different things in different mission trip. Let us be HUNGER for God words and let me ready and prepare to SHARE to another ard us (especiall ur love once who have not believe it God) and friends. Let US be the LIGHT & SALT of the world and let us once more be reminded to let God take control of us and not ourselves.

Last thing is let us OBEY God and do what God command us to do. I always feel JOYFUL doing God's work. Never once said NO always a YES! Im now equiping... as many of u noe! Until God's calling comes that's when im all ready to go study! I know the gift's that God gave to me will NEVER be a waste but to fully use it in his ministry!

Let us ONCE more be reminded in this verse which im reminded :

"所以，你们要去，使万民作我的门徒，奉父、子、圣灵的名给他们施洗（或作：给他们施洗，归于父、子、圣灵的名）。凡我所吩咐你们的，都教训他们遵守，我就常与你们同在，直到世界的末了。 " 马太28:19-20

To GOD BE THE GLORY! :)

JOEYEE WATT

Verses of Reminders that WE all can be reminded!

2008-12-09T14:44:00.000+08:00

I have found some of the verses of reminders that we all can be reminded in one way or another!

To serve as strength and power for us through bible.

Each verse is about us, life & God. Each quote shows us which bit of bible it comes from.

for LOVE

God says: " Can a woman forget the baby she nurses? Can she feel no kindness for the child to which she gave birth? Even if she could forget her children, i will not forget you." Isaiah 49:15

The Lord loves us very much, and his truth is everlasting. Psalm 117:2

The Lord is good. His love is forever, and his loyalty goes on & on. Psalm 100:5

Your (the Lord's) kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life. Psalm 23:6

for LIFESTYLE

With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow. Proverbs 3:5-6

Consider others more important than yourselves. Care about them as much as you care about yourselves. Philippians 2:3-4

for FREEDOM

You must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets you free. God will bless you in everything you do, if you listen and obey, and don't just hear and forget. James 1:25

Jesus said: "If you continue to obey my teaching, you are truly my followers. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. ...If the son makes you free, you will be truely free." John 8:31-32,36

People who are ruled by their desires think only of themselves. Everyone who is ruled by the Holy Spirit thinks about spiritual things. If our mins are ruled by our desires, we will die. But if our minds are ruled by the Spirit, we will have life and peace. Romans 8:5-6

for THOUGHTS

Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. And the God who gives peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9

How can a young person live a pure life? By obeying God's word. Psalm 119:9

for FAILURE

If you don't confess your sins, you will be a failure. Bt God will be merciful if you confess your sins and give them up. Proverbs 28:13

God showed his love for us when he sent his only Son into the world to give us life. Real love isn't our love for God, but his love for us. God sent his Son to be sacrifice by which our sins are forgiven. 1 John 4:9-10

for ACCPETANCE

Jesus said: " The father gives me my people. Every one of them will comes to me, and i will always accept them." John 6:37

Jesus said: " If anyone loves me, they will obey me. Then my father will love them, and we will come to them and live in them." John 14:23

for RESPONSE

Jesus said: "Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who searches will find. And the door will be openeed for everyone who knocks. Matthew 7:7-8

Jesus said:"Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and i will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives." Matthew 11:28-29

for FUTURE

God makes everything happen at the right time. Yet none of us can ever fully understand all he has done, and he puts questions in our minds about the past and the future. Ecclesiastes 3:11

Jesus said:" More than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants... Don't worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You can enough to worry about today." Matthew 6:33-34

Lord, i trust you. I have said, "You are my God." My life is in your hands. Psalms 31:14-15

I saw a new heaven and a new earht... God will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever. Revelation 21:1,4

JOEYEE WATT

youth zone carolling 08

2008-12-01T21:11:00.000+08:00

Dear bros & sis,

Do you ever feel that it is very difficult to talk about Christianity to friends and parents who are non-believers? Christmas is coming! Do you want to seize the chance to tell let them know more our god?

Here is a very good chance! There will be a Christmas caroling hold in youth zone on the 24/12. Apart from going to elder’s home and hospital, we would like to go to people’s house start from 3pm till 7pm . We will be singing songs and tell them about the true meaning of Christmas. So, if you want to send gospel but don’t dare to talk, it could be a very good opportunity to let them know more about your friends, your church and your god.

Anyone who is interested please contact twinkle (hp:91995140) or zhiyang (hp: 97652990).

Merry Christmas!

Regards,
Twinkle

I See Love by Third Day

2008-12-01T00:13:00.000+08:00

I SEE LOVE by Third Day
Song played by SYFC at YWAV's Garbage In, Garbage Out

Some see a teacher Standing on a hill Speaking words of wisdom
Some see a healer Reaching out his hand To give sight to a blind man
Some see a dreamer Wasting his life On what can never be
Some see a fool Dying for his dreams

But I see love (I see love) I see love (I see love)
Light of heaven breaking through
Well I see grace (I see grace) I see God's face (I See Gods face)
Shining pure and perfect love
When I see you I see love

Some see a prisoner Alone before his judge With no one to defend him
Some see a victim Beaten and abused With all the world against him
Some see a martyr Carrying his cross For what he believes
Some see a hero Who set his people free

But I see love (I see love) I see love (I see love)
Light of heaven breaking through
Well I see grace (I see grace) I see God's face (I See Gods face)
Shining pure and perfect love
When I see you

With your last breath I see love
Through your death I see love
I see peace in the eyes of the king
I see hope in your suffering (I see love)

I see a calm in the center of the storm
I see a Saviour I see love I see love
Light of heaven breaking through (heaven breaking through)
I see grace I see God's face
Shining pure and perfect love
When I see you I see love When I see you
I see heaven breaking through See
Gods face Shining pure and perfect love
When I see you When I see you When I see you
I see love I see love When I see

Some see Him walking from an empty grave...

Bonnie

宝贵十架

2008-11-27T20:24:00.000+08:00

Hi bro & sis in Christ,

A song which im touched.... always... by the lyrics and the voice of the duets! Hmm... this song is a inspiration and a movitation for me to even want to serve him more in my everyday live for what he had done for me and us!

This song talks about...

We thank God for what he has done for us by sacrificing his body and his blood just for us which cleanse our sins. It is because of HIM that we are free. He did all this JUST because he LOVE us.

Actually just a short message which can be as powerful as changing many people lives & touching people's heart!

Let me share all this you this song...

宝贵十架

主耶稣我感谢祢
祢的身体为我而舍
带我出黑暗进入光明国度
使我再次能看見
主耶稣我感谢祢
祢的宝血为我而流
宝贵十架上医治恩典涌流
使我完全得自由
宝贵十架的大能赐我生命
主耶稣我俯伏敬拜祢
宝贵十架的救恩
是祢所立的约
祢的愛永远不会改变

I would like to share the SAME song... but in korean version. Korean version got more impact!

赞美之泉 - 宝贵十架（韩）

Yeh soo nim gahm sa hae yo
Nal we hae ship jah gah ji sa
Aw doom gah woon de baong whoang ha done sal me
Be tsu ro be chu shim eul

Yeh soo nim gahm sa hae yo
Nal we hae bo hyul heul li sa
Chi yoo e Gahng mool nae gae heul luh num cheu
Nae geh chahm jah yoo joo shi meul

Chan yang ha li nol la uhn joo eu ship jah gah
Nae geh sae sang myung eul joo shut ne
byun chi ahn neun joo eu sa rang eu uhn yak dweh sa
Nah eh geh goo won joo shut do dah

https://rcpt.yousendit.com/629202603/ccb5a63b910233f1e751ba86cf6d0c98
(download korean version - expires in 7 days)

Let us once again... reflect in our everyday life... after listening to this songs... think for what God had done for us... let us humble before him in asking for forgiveness for what we has done... Renew our hearts let us together have the flame in serving him again!

Joeyee Watt

The language that we used....

2008-11-24T23:00:00.000+08:00

Hmm... Recently fellowship has many issues. But thank God that God's love & words has mould us into better christians that we have the love from God for one another!

Languages or should say how you form a sentence or even the way to speak or even type in your sms determines how people see who are you... what type of character are you... and how you want to bring across the message to other people that you're having a conversation with.

Remember last few months... a tuanqi session with Huimin... a group discussion on how to talk etc... yups

I just felt that sometimes we may forget or lack of the reminder that we're a body of Christ and fellow bro & sis in Christ that we may accidentially used wrong words, unhelpful words or even sentence which you didn't think about it and just bring across... without noticing that the way to bring across to the person have hurt him/her deeply.

Like for example... BOLD words... extreme words... which will make a difference.

example :

1. "I think you very CHILDISH" VS "I think this child-like behaviour of yours should ....."
2. "i think we should" VS "i think YOU should"
etc....

Sometimes we may accidentially in a situation using words that didn't process through our thinking caps but out from our mouth that we're angry or mad, but let us be reminded that even no matter HOW angry or mad we're to each other, let us not use words to misunderstand or hurt each other but rather to solve it in anohter positive ways. Let's follow God's foot steps.

Remember that God gave us all a mouth to sing praise to him and to speak good things... and not to use mouth to criticize people or even say bad things. It is because that is the MR S.A.TAN's evil doings around us.

I do think as God's children... we are people who are different of the outside world people. The difference is LOVE! It is love that brought us together. So through God's love... let us continue be reminded, be mature in our own actions & words from mouth.

Jia You everyone & God Bless! :D

Joeyee Watt

The time and effort... For GOD...

2008-11-21T18:15:00.000+08:00

Vivian

Human Rights vs Ethics

2008-11-09T20:55:00.000+08:00

came across this article on a woman that suffered from a rare tumor in her face and she lost her case in requesting in assisted lethal treatment, Euthanasia. She died in her apartment after losing her case. what's sad is that she was suffering every single minute as her tumor made her blind and her left eye was pushed out of the face, and nose blew many times it's size... would you want to live like this? the law in her country said no.. if u ask me, i'll say no too, but if u take a look at this article and see how is she, believe me, u'll say u dunno.....

if you think u'll lose your dinner or lunch over this, i suggest u not open this Link

i remember doing this project research on Euthanasia and discussing in school... and this triggered me to think how controversies are reflecting the changes in Human Rights and Ethics in the age now.....

Human Rights is defined as "a right that is believed to belong justifiably to every person

Ethics is defined as " a set of moral principles"

i realised that in times now, controversies are formed when the Human rights change, and defying Ethics..... eg. Gay marriages, Euthanasia... these happens when people who has the rights and want to do somethings AGAINST ethics of common people... the ethics remain, but people change and some things might seem "right" for this age, but defying Ethics....

example, it's morally right to say No to suicide. but hey i'm suffering so much and i'm in pain n sufferings, don't i have the rights to choose? i have my human rights too? it becomes controversy. ethics say no, rights say yes.

How do us as Christians view this? i guess it's a straight flat rule for us sometimes to say, NO u cant do this. No u cant do that... but take this challenge... if u suffer from this tumor in your face. u cant see, cant smell, cant taste, it hurts every minute. do u want to die? Imagine yourself in this position... Church says no. but can you convince yourself to bear with the pain? will u shake?

maybe sometimes when we think of these issues we will give the typical answer but if it happens to you?

bite on this.

tell me what u feel and if u can maybe suggest more controversies on human rights conflicting ethics?

jason

Silver

2008-10-23T17:43:00.001+08:00

Malachi 3:3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.'

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.' She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy - when I see my image in it.'

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

Emmett =)

God blesses humble people

2008-10-18T16:35:00.000+08:00

""The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.'"

But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.'"

The Pharisee barely acknowledges God at all. He used his time in the Temple as an opportunity to justify himself. In the guise of thanking God, he cut down others and congratulated himself. There was no humility in him.

The tax collector, on the other hand, was rightfully aware of his sin before the most holy God. He made no claims for himself. He didn't try to justify his action. He only admitted he was a sinner.

Jesus declared that it was the humble tax collector, not the proud Pharisee, whom God was willing to justify.

May God give us the courage to admit our true condition before him. Take time to meditate on God's holiness, and give up justifying yourself. In humility, cast yourself on the Lord's mercy.

Ah Black

2008-09-26T21:29:00.000+08:00

Carefully Careless

2008-09-08T00:45:00.000+08:00

Below is a quiet time I had today. Nice to share. =)

"But seek first His kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33

This verse might be very familiar and common to us, but have we thought deeper in it? Or sometimes when we hear this verse, we'll feel troubled because it's the exact opposite of how most of us live.

People around us in school or our workplace might have things backward. What they wear, how they perform in school or work or how much they earn are the dominant concerns of their lives. But sad to say, these are the wrong measuring scales. We have to be carefully careless about these things as they have no real value or meaning if you are not closely related to God. The earthly things are normally very attractive, once we are careless, we will lose track.

Jesus told us to concentrate on our relationship with Him first. Get that in order and then work on the other things.

God is number one. That's it.

Get that straight and the rest will come easy.

PS: Glowers!!!!! We shall all try to pick up the habit of posting our daily thoughts here again to motivate each other in our spiritual growth. =D

VIvian

Love or hate?

2008-09-02T21:01:00.000+08:00

i came upon some blog entries that i typed last year, found this one quite interesting=)

这几天插花的时候, 突然想到一个假设性的问题:

假设,

for guys: 你插的一束花, 是卖给一个你恨的人, 却是送给一个你爱的人. 你会以什么心情去插这一束花?

for girls: 你插的一束花, 是卖给一个爱的人, 却是送给一个你恨的人. 你会以什么心情去插这一束花?

Responses:

Victor said: i will be sad , but sadness won't helps. So i guess i will be focus & have my best !我的心情 ? haha.....乐观的 ! :)

Vivian said: Just do my job lor.

Tommy said: Just fulfil my job, cause' if not nice then have to redo again anyway.

Friend A said: Pass it to someone else to do. Don't wanna face it.

Friend B said: Don't care. Do then give the girl myself. (li hai, I never thought of this.-_-")

Mummy said: Just do my job.

Daddy said: Do my best for this one, and hopes the girl knows who did it.

That's about all! haha the nice thing I found out is that I had the same thinking as my dad, even to the last sentence. Cool~

Well, I guess as christians, we learn to focus on love than hate. The answers I received more or less revealed that too. And I think it's true that we all should focus on love and forgive the person we hate.

Jesus said: "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these. "

LOVE

2008-07-22T00:15:00.000+08:00

Where did you find God today?

2008-07-16T14:12:00.000+08:00

Instructions...

I've been procrastinating to post regarding this topic, cos' i really did not know what picture will show that i experience God. So, I've been thinking, & i chanced upon this photo.

This photo isn't just about glowing, it represents the youths of QBC. & it just struck me, that all along I've found the many many blessings of God, in youths who come to church for God.

The reason why we are different from groups of friends from outside, is not just the 'cliche' reason of having the same faith & belief in the same religion. Don't you realise, that the reason why all of us can stay together throughout so many years, is also because we have this common place to go to every week?

We meet in church every weekend, for God, for fellowship & for church. Youths in Singapore are so tempted by so many places & people that they can find outside religion boundaries, & what keeps the youths in QBC together? The never failing grace & love of God, the one we chose to prioritise in our lives.

I guess, we can experience God in many places, but to witness God's work in people around us, is an experience which we can only see, by seeing others in how God sees them.

The next 2 to share, hmm.

- ANGELA TAN

- ANGELA CHENG

in His never-ending love,

Where did you find God today?

2008-07-11T00:48:00.000+08:00

instructions...

This is a little chain game we shall play. And this is the rule:
#1 Choose a place or some little things which u realized u find God there.
#2 Post the picture
#3 Write a few lines and shared how u experienced God there.
#4 Choose 2 persons from fellowship and they repeat Step No1 to Step no3 and post it here. =)

And here is mine..
lessons
when prompted to think of what i realised, i guess i realised that God is always teaching us lessons in our daily lives, and our lessons can be from ANYTHING... one tool that always teach me lessons from little everyday happenings is my qt bk... everynight when i go to this book, it always seems to fit in my daily experiences... if i skip a few days, after when i come back, the next page will speak to me once again... i guess God has million of ways to speak to us, if we listen!

little things can mean alot... if you think abt it.

still learning,

Jason

Next in the list:

1) Cheehan
2) Dion

Where did you find God today?

2008-07-09T10:49:00.000+08:00

Instructions...

This is a little chain game we shall play. And this is the rule:
#1 Choose a place or some little things which u realized u find God there.
#2 Post the picture
#3 Write a few lines and shared how u experienced God there.
#4 Choose 2 persons from fellowship and they repeat Step No1 to Step no3 and post it here. =)

And here is mine..
Pain
I shout of praises while I'm happy and worshipping in church. But rarely do I listen. God's voice was the loudest during the neverending, grueling times of life and pushes me to overcome whatever challenges faced.
One of the most amazing thing God has created in this world, is that through pain and suffering, people come together and the bond is built. From there, there's support and love.
Thank you Lord for being the light of the darkness, and the comfort in pain.=)

With sincere gratitude,
Ah Black

Next in the list:

1) Xiwen
2) Jason

Where did u find God today?

2008-07-09T10:20:00.000+08:00

This is a little chain game we shall play. And this is the rule:
#1 Choose a place or some little things which u realized u find God there.
#2 Post the picture
#3 Write a few lines and shared how u experienced God there.
#4 Choose 2 persons from fellowship and they repeat Step No1 to Step no3 and post it here. =)

Let’s see how spontaneous our fellow mates can be. OR maybe not. We shall see… Haha…

And here is my sharing:
COLORS
This is a picture of the place I went recently. My life is busy in the busy town. I hardly stop to admire the colors of the sky. Now! Look at the sky! Look at the sea! Both is blue in color. But what amazed me is they are totally different kinds of blue! I realize how powerful and creative our God is when I saw this! Now, I can’t help but to thank God for his creativity and for giving me Sense of Sight. =D

Posted with Love,
Li Er

And the next two names I shall call are….

1) KaHei!
2) Daniel!

being a child...

2008-07-03T19:59:00.000+08:00

in my Qt i learnt this interesting theory....

to be like a child....

" And he said: ' i tell u the truth, unless u change and become like little children, you'll never enter the kingdom of heaven." [ Matthew 18:3 ]

why children?

everyone was a child once, but we grow up, some even want to grow up as soon as possible to be more religious... but it's the "outside-grown-up-selves" which make ourselves grow away from God instead of towards him... why?!

obedience...

as a child, all the decisions made come from our parents and mentors... which all we had to do was follow suit... and when we act according to their instructions, they would say "good boy/girl!.... but as we grow up, we would think we're matured enough for anything (which we're not) and often we would be defiant and go against rules and act upon feelings... which in this case in time we would grow to realise how naive and childish we were.....(notice we in fact are childish and naive-when we think we're "matured" and act...)

in our relationship with God, it's similar........ when we proclaim our faith initially we'll go all out and seek him.... to a point where we think we're spiritually strong, the danger sets in.. the overly ego humans like us will then defy the truth and sets his/her own directions, and in time realise that he/her was childish and naive too..... we may not experience direct instructions from God like what we get from parents, teachers and mentors, but in the Bible and teachings in church, the truth is always there and it'll be very obvious to your eyes, when u seek it....

knowing the truth and the right thing is one. but doing it is another... we learn teachings from church and in our daily lives... but are we obedient to act it out? or do we think we can take charge and be defiant?

we must really be like children who accepts the truth from others, and trusting that the decision is right, and really doing it.... i guess it's a challenge for all of us... to do what we know is right...

Oswald Chambers said in his Qt book... pray a child's prayer today.... use this as our starting point and pray with the innocence and trust that children have....

it's amazing how a little story can trigger big thoughts....

thanks for reading...

p.s. Child-like is not Childish......

Jason

A simple story to share with glowing.

2008-07-03T00:10:00.000+08:00

A man works in a church for a living,

his job is to open & close the door for those who come to church & pray.

At the front of the church,

is a cross with Jesus hanging on it.

Everyday, the man sees a lot of people coming into the church to pray to Jesus.

For little things, such as losing of ICs & wallets.

For man, for his wife or for a wife.

For woman, for her children and husband.

Everyone who comes into the church has something to pray about, be it significant or not.

The man witnesses this everyday,

& one day, he finally said to Jesus,

"Dear God, if only i can share your burden for one day"

Jesus heard his prayer, got down from the cross and said to the man,

"I shall exchange roles with you for one day. I'd open & close the church doors, & you shall listen to the people's prayers. With one condition. You will not open your mouth to talk no matter what prayers you hear"

The man agreed.

So, the fake Jesus hang on the cross & listen to people's prayers,

while Jesus opened & closed the door for those who comes to pray.

On that very day,

a wealthy man walks into the church, puts down a packet of money and left.

The fake Jesus was confused & thought to himself,

"I wonder what's that money for"

Later, a poor man walks into the church, & closed his eyes to pray,

"God, I am poor with no money at all to support my family. Please help me"

The poor man opened his eyes and saw the packet of money.

He thought that God gave him a miracle, so he thanked Jesus and left the church.

Meanwhile, the fake Jesus wanted to stop him from taking the money which does not belong to him, but still he said nothing.

Next, a young man who is about to go onboard a ship, came into the church to pray for a safe journey.

Before he could pray, the wealthy man ran into the church & upon realising his money is gone,

he confronted the young man angrily.

While the young man kept denying he did not take his money, the wealthy man simply kept accusing him of being a thief.

Unable to ignore this unjustified situation any longer,

the fake Jesus shouted,

"The young man did not take your money! A poor man who came before him was the one who took your money!"

Thus,

the wealthy man ran out of the church to catch the poor man, and the young man rushed off to catch his ship.

& Jesus appeared in front of the fake Jesus, and said

"From now on, you do not have the right to listen to people's prayers"

The man was confused, didn't he just did the correct thing?

It turned out;

The wealthy man wanted to use his money for prostitution.

The poor man who took his money was really in need of money to feed his family.

The young man who rushed off to board his ship, was actually going on board Titanic.

SO,

if the fake Jesus had not spoken,

the poor man would have the money to support his family,

the wealthy man would not get back his money to continue his sinful acts,

& the young man would still be arguing with the wealthy man,

thus missing his ship which would save him his life.

I guess this story reminded me,

that no matter how smart humans are, how logical we can analyze situations,

God still plans more perfectly than we can ever imagine.

& I hope,

this story would remind you too.

Xiwen.

Boy to MAN!

2008-06-16T22:48:00.000+08:00

Sharing with you a little article I came across:

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of Passage?

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!

Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us.

When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him. Just because we can't see God, doesn't mean He is not there. 'For we walk by faith, not by sight.'

Joeyee Watt

Experiencing & Equiping... a testimonial by myself

2008-06-09T23:30:00.000+08:00

Recently there's a lot of things i want to share.. just too much... Sometimes i dun wish to "spam" the posts almost all from me... (lol!)

Testimonial on me!

People who have know me from more than 10 years... grew up with me.. ever since i've entered this QBC in 1993 or 1994. 6yrs old till now... should know this or rather...

Im a person from at the age of 6 in church... after that... there were a few of us... named ka hei, ka tai, vivian. bonnie & me at first... in a family cell group at that time still remember days @ bonnie's old house coached by Polly & Tommy when they were still sec 1 or 2.

I was an easily bullied little kid especially by Ka Tai. Had the good and fun memories in us ... until growing up till now... After entering into the teenage-hood where i still was as native as a little boy not really hunger in God's word and still thinking about playing with people that was in the year 2001 (around there!)... slowly my hunger for God's word comes and adapting by reading bible and listenings to preaches in Sunday Services... (Still remember went some of us are still kids, after children service... we would go to the old chapel open the door and climb up and wait for our parents at the red stairs???) hahah!

As time goes by.. I've offically accepted christ in year 2002 by Pastor Ivy & baptized @ Dec 2003 with 6 or 7 of us together! Remember our baptism date and i still remember laiyi's.... LOL... shall not sae.. (zip my mouth!)... But really all this years... i have been keeping the GOOD and Bads.. the touchings and the native times in my life. Till now... im finally a grown up and STILL hunger for God's word... etc... Experiencing God in my daily life and worshipping him through Music & Dance that God have gaven me this two wonderful Gifts.

As some of u all know that im STILL in the process of equiping myself for the past 4 to 5 yrs... For those who not sure wad it is.. It was some how that day wen i was 14 to 15 yrs old... somehow God uses people in cluding my mother to tell me things... and because of this i have being talking to some pastor's in church and they told me what i should do now and prayed for me.. That also happened when on that ACTUAL day @ the ACS the church... Baptist Mission Conference 2007, when the Pastor praying for those who willingly or felt that God is calling you into this field... at that point of time my heart of being touched or moved by the holy spirit, i somehow have the strong feeling and instead i willingly without any doubts and straight away go up in front of the stage and let the pastor pray, Esther too. After that Night, Pastor Ivy, esther and i had a talk on this about the calling and prayed for us.

I sure it's a calling... God had placed me in somewhere, in this area etc... for a purpose. God had given me this two gifts, for Singing & Dancing for a purpose. And now, it has been the 5th yrs and im still equiping it, I of coz duno went God's calling with me in this missionary field to be a Music Pastor but i know that im now equiping myself the Hunger of God's Word, the Vocal, the Dance & the leadership. This equiping for myself will of coz in process until one day if God wants to be give up what i have or etc... to be able to serve him AND him alone into this field of pastoring in Music, worship etc.. I will be willing to, going into a Theological College to study and etc...

No matter wad, I will continue pray, seek God, CONTINUE to equip myself, serve him with my Gifts & others the fullest & always hunger to learn more about his words & to experience him!

Experiencing God

Have my brothers & Sis here experiencing God daily or frequently? Did your experiencing God becomes a testimonial to ur non-christian friends? Or have you not experience him much though?

To me... oftenly some christians do not have enough experiencing with God that's why everytime when they wish to share with their own friends, they oftenly used their fellow christian's experiencing God instead of theirs to share. Example would be : " Do you know that one of my friend who..... " instead of theirs.

I think we should experience him more and use our own experiencing God's testimonials and able to share it with your close friends or etc... It would be good as it is your testimonial PLUS after all your friends oftent be with you or etc.. so they should know your doings and life well and they might see through your difficult time and your times or thanksigiving. And when you share your testimonial, they've seen it that it is in you and they know that it's our God who is doing great thing in our life!

Spiritual Growth!

Here's ANOTHER story that a pastor share with me...

There's a mission team back from Thailand and shared with their pastor from that church saying that they had organsied a gospel rally one of the days in thailand in that village which was a free thinker village and after which, 50+ people including children raising their hands up & accepted Christ as their Saviour. They were being saved! So they pastor was happy to hear from the mission teams but as he thought deeper into things, he suddenly post back a question to them saying:

" So who are going to do the Follow-ups?"
" Who are going to teach this people how to read the bible?"
" Who are going to teach this people HOW to pray?"
etc...

This mission team.. STUNNED! They didn't thought of these questions before and didn't know what to do next...

So what i want to say is that... sometimes we're happy that one after another... people around us or closed to us accept Christ as their saviour and we're happy that they've been saved!Nevertheless, we didn't think of the next question in mind which triggers our mind of asking the three or more Questions above.

It is just like a simple illustration of a NEW BORN BABY just being thrown at the side expecting his/herself to be able to know how to drink milk... how to talk, how to walk etc... its the same thing!

It's important that we christians have to do follow ups with new believers who are new to this circle and able to grow spiritually in the body of Christ. Yups!

This is something which the pastor had shared with me that i wished to share it with you guys and as a form of reminding ourselves too!

yup!

okie i SHALL stop here.. i shall not spam liao la... talk too much!

cya and have a GREAT experiencing god weekend!

JOEYEE WATT!!!!

God's Will...

2008-06-08T22:19:00.001+08:00

There was once a MUSHI went to a church to preach, after which this Zhi Shi questioned MUSHI this question saying " Is it God's Will in wanting to set church up? "

The MUSHI... stunned! He have never come across this question before... before this MUSHI of coz read the bible lots of times and in the bible, it didn't state about God's Will is to set up a church or etc...

So bro & Sis in Christ, let me make you ponder on this same Question....

" Izzit God's Will in wanting to set church up ? "

I also learnt something recently that, in the bible, it didn't state.

But im VERY SURE that what God's Will is that from the bible JOHN 17 says ( Jesus's prayer too) especially verses 20 - 22.

In the bible the "one" refers to “ 合一 ”。

No matter what, as LONG as we are as ONE in the body of christ, even if setting up a church is also God's Will.

So no matter what... remember that we're all as ONE in a body of Christ!

*****just something to ponder on!!!!! yups!

Joeyee Watt

to marry a non-c OR not

2008-06-06T19:41:00.000+08:00

WOW… I can see that this is a hot topic and we are very passionate about this. Haa..

Well… I have to tell a story..

Many years ago. A young lady was very passionate about serving God. She inspired a lot of people and at that time, she told others that she will never marry a non-c… She said it with an almost swearing tone. But as the years go by, the woman faces new challenges. She has forgotten her commitment to the Lord and she has passed her 30 – the deadline of the society to find the ONE. However, one day this handsome fine man appeared and soon she is married to him. Everything is prefect accept that he is not a Christian. They didn’t even have a wedding in church which was what she has dreamt of all the years. Also, her actions stumble a lot of girls who one looked up to her as their role models…..

What changed her decisions?

To be honest, I have never faced such huge pressures before the age of 22. Life was pretty much the same. But after I passed 22, some of my friends are already getting married! Where-ever I go, be it when I am traveling or at work, people often asked “when are you getting married?” When I just heard of such questions, I was so shock that I didn’t know what to answer. Even if they don’t ask you this question, they will rephrase it in another way. For eg, xw that day asked me, who will you choose from Tuan Qi if you have to choose ONE. HAHA~

You see.. People just completely skip the step of asking “what kind of guys do you like?” OR “are you ready to date now?”

The amount of pressures a woman face is indescribable!! Esp. when I see the number 3 approaching, it’s like I see hundreds and thousands of such questions dropping onto my head like rocks from the skies! *Ouch* *Ouch* *Ouch* Haha.. Really!! I’m sure stupid men will never understand that kind of feelings. *laughs*

Well, I can’t even consistently do QT everyday. What makes you think I can promise anyone I will not marry a non-c?

The only thing I want to do now is to focus and serve Him to my very best. Of course, I still pray that He prepare the one for me. And yes! I did have rush on non- c before! In the future each time if it happens, may my dear bro and sis-in-Christ gently remind me what to do. And also may I rmb the illustration which Jennifer shared. That as Christians we are standing on chairs and the non-c are on the floor, it’s always easier they pull us downwards than we pull them upwards. =)

Thank you all for reading! May God mould us into great partners for our future families!

Li 'Er

Happily Married at 40! (Next chapter)

2008-06-05T23:00:00.000+08:00

adopted from " How to ruin your Life by 40"...

i think next we shall continue to see what God want us to know and prepare so we as christians know what to you. Coz i think we at this age is not young to know about this things.

It's a rather good start to know!

It was Robert Schumann who said : " When I was a young man, W vowed never to marry until i found the ideal woman. Well, I found her - but, alas she was waiting for the perfect man. "

Perfection will be hard to find.

Perhaps it would be wiser to look for compatibility instead of perfection. If your focus is on finding a mate with whom you are compatible, you will give yourself a much higher probability of enjoying a satisfying nd meaningful marriage at forty.

If you are compatible with someone, you fit with them. Or to put it another way, the two of you just "click".

If you are on AM and they are on FM, you are not compatible. To be compatible is to be on the same frequency. It's the ability to understand and read someone - and they can do the same for you.

Very briefly, let me pass on some wisdom that was given yo me nearly thrity years ago by Dr. Grant Howard.

Did you know that there are s ix key areas of compatibility that are part of any relationship? One of the goals before you get married is to find out how you fit with this other person is this six areas :

1. Intellectually - interests and ideas you share in common; learning to think together, not always alike.

2. Emotionally - appreciating one another's emotional makeup; you both should feel understood by the other.

3. Socially - not embarrassed by the other in groups, comfortable with their speech and actions.

4. Volitionally - leaning to make decisions together.

5. Spiritually - you are both seeking the lord together and obeying his words.

6. Physically - appropriately expressing the affection of your heart.

Now there's an extremely important point. To find out if you are compatible with an individual in these areas, how many of those areas are discovered by touching? The answer is one, and it's obviously the physical.

How many of thosr six areas are developed by talking? The answer is five. You find out if you are compatible with someone intellectually, emotionally, socially, volitionally, and spiritually by talking.

That's five for talking and one for touching.

Now watch this logic. Therefore, I would conclude that before you are married, a relationship should be characterized by a maximum of talking and a minimum of touching.

Does that not make sense?

SURE it does. It made sense when Dr. Howard said it thirty years ago, and it makes sense now.

What happens when a couple gets real involved physically? They get deceived into thinking that they are very close. But they are not close. They are close physically. But they are not close volitionally. Volition is the ability to choose, to decide. So if you marry this person, will you use credit cards or not? Will you put your kids in public schools or homeschool them?

It's amazing how many couples are very intimate and very close physically - but they are miles apart in the areas that really count. They have no idea if they compatible on very important matters because their focus is on touching rather than talking.

For a long time, guys have been trying to get girls to sleep with them by telling them, " We have to find out if we are sexually compatible."

A guy who uses that line needs to enroll in Biology 101. If you have a male and female, guess what - they're sexually compatible. Woman, when a guy uses that line, what he is really sating is that he wants to use you to meet his sexual desires. Please allow me to be very, very blunt. He simply wants to have an orgasm with you. Don't fall for that nonsense. Sexually, any man and woman are physically compatible.

And one more thing.

Get to know their heart. Do you really know their heart? Do you know what's down deep inside them? Is Christ ruling and reigning on the throne of their heart? Do you know their hopes and dreams? Have they shared their failures of the past and fears of the future?

If they make a commitment, will they keep a commitment? If they don't demonstrate that in their life, then run. If you're not sure, you don't know enough about them yet. Back off on the physical and get to know their heart. Find out if their heart is compatible with you heart.

Your whole life is on the line here. And so is the life of your future children. This is nothing to play around with - but if you seek the lord with your whole heart and listen to wise counsel, He will instruct you.

He will make known to you the path of life (Psalm 16:11).

So there are some ground rules. And if you follow them it will guarantee that you will happily married at forty.

Not quite.

Those ground rules are of strategic importance. But they are simply the foundational principles you build on as you look for a potential mate.

They are common sense principles. And they can save your life.

Psalm 127:1 sums it all up:
Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who builds it.

Joeyee WATT

Christian can only marry other christians!

2008-06-04T10:41:00.001+08:00

adopted by the book " How To Ruin Your Life By 40 " by STEVE FARRAR.

Steve Farrar is a former pastor. He holds an earned Doctoral Degree from Dallas Theological Seminary.

I have been reading this book, of coz its a WEIRD title.. but in the book itself, God's word has once again reminded me as a 20 yrs old guy here on how to live MY life starting from NOW till 40 and beyond! Thanks god for this book!

Ps - This book in Singapore almost sold out!

Let God's word stir up our minds in this topic.

In Matthew 7 :24-29, Jesus talked about the foolish man who built his hous on the sand. When the storms cams his course was washed away. But then Jesus spoke of the man who built his house upon rocks. When the sotrms showed up his house withstood the test. The point is simply this : What you build upon is extremely important. It can literally be an issue of life & death.

Houses have foundations. A house is only as strong as its foundation. You've seen on the evening news million-dollar homes on a hillside sliding down into the ocean. That's ultimately a foundation issue.

Marriages also have foundations. Psalm 127 declares that " Unless the lord builds the house, they labor in vain who builds it. " The context of Psalm 127 & 128 is the family. It's clear that the ones building a house are a husband and wife. Bit if they are not committed together to the lord as they build a marriage, they already have a major breach in their foundation.

If you love Christ, why in the world would you marry someone who doesn't? You are already in conflict on the most important thing in your life. That's like buying a house on the San Andreas Fault in California that already has a three-foot-wide creak running through the living room. When a Christian marries a non-Christian, you are divided before you ever begin.

Second Corinthians 6:14-15 puts the truth right on the table:

Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has believer in common with unbeliever?

So what does a believer have in common whtih an unbeliever? If you marry an unbeliever, what will you tell your kids about Jesus? If you marry an unbeliever, how will you make decisions together as a couple? You will pray and the unbelievers won't. That doesn't mean a lot of sense.

Quite frankly, you are asking for trouble and misery if you violate this principle. So don't violate it.

If you smell gas in our kitchen, don't light a match to try and find the leak.

If you are attracted to someone who is not a Christian, get ahold of yourself and redirect your interest. Fight off the emotional attraction and walk away quickly. Don't give any consideration to the possibility that you might lead them to the lord. God doesn't need you to do His work in their life. What He does want you is OBEY his word concerning His instructions about marrying unbelievers. And here's a piece of logic for you: If you don't date unbelievers, you won't marry an unbeliever. Funny how that works.

Joeyee Watt

how this guy fights the odds...

2008-06-01T23:37:00.000+08:00

this guy fight the odds....
n stay with God...
till he won the battle...

let's learn....

http://myanticancer.blogspot.com/2005_06_01_archive.html

Li 'er.

INTERESTING CONVERSATION that really questions HOW STRONG is our FAITH!

2008-05-26T15:12:00.000+08:00

An Atheist Professor of Philosophy speaks to his Class on the Problem Science has with GOD, The ALMIGHTY. He asks one of his New Christian Students to stand and . . .

Professor : You are a Christian, aren't you, son ?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So you Believe in GOD ?
Student : Absolutely, sir.
Professor : Is GOD Good ?
Student : Sure.
Professor : Is GOD ALL - POWERFUL ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : My Brother died of Cancer even though he Prayed to GOD to Heal him.
Most of us would attempt to Help Others who are ill.
But GOD didn't. How is this GOD Good then ? Hmm ?

( Student is silent )

Professor : You can't answer, can you ? Let's start again, Young Fella. Is GOD Good ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Is Satan good ?
Student : No.
Professor : Where does Satan come from ?
Student : From . . . GOD . . .
Professor : That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this World ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Evil is everywhere, isn't it ? And GOD did make Everything. Correct ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : So who created evil ?

( Student does not answer )

Professor : Is there Sickness ? Immorality ? Hatred ? Ugliness ?
All these terrible things exist in the World, don't they ?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So, who Created them ?

( Student has no answer )

Professor : Science says you have 5 Senses you use to Identify and Observe the
World around you. Tell me, son . . . Have you ever Seen GOD ?
Student : No, sir.
Professor : Tell us if you have ever Heard your GOD ?
Student : No , sir.
Professor : Have you ever Felt your GOD, Tasted your GOD, Smelt your GOD ?
Have you ever had any Sensory Perception of GOD for that matter ?
Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Professor : Yet you still Believe in HIM ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says
your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son ?
Student : Nothing. I only have my Faith.
Professor : Yes. Faith. And that is the Problem Science has.
Student : Professor, is there such a thing as Heat ?
Professor : Yes.
Student : And is there such a thing as Cold ?
Professor : Yes.
Student : No sir. There isn't.

( The Lecture Theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events )

Student : Sir, you can have Lots of Heat, even More Heat, Superheat, Mega Heat, White Heat, a Little Heat or No Heat. But we don't have anything called Cold. We can hit 458
Degrees below Zero which is No Heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as Cold. Cold is only a Word we use to describe the Absence of
Heat. We cannot Measure Cold. Heat is Energy. Cold is Not the Opposite of Heat, sir,
just the Absence of it.

( There is Pin - Drop Silence in the Lecture Theatre )

Student : What about Darkness,
Professor : Is there such a thing as Darkness ?
Professor : Yes. What is Night if there isn't Darkness ?
Student : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the Absence of Something. You can have Low
Light, Normal Light , Bright Light, Flashing Light . . . But if you have No Light
Constantly, you have Nothing and it's called Darkness, isn't it ? In reality, Darkness
isn't. If it is, were you would be able to make Darkness Darker, wouldn't you ?Professor : So what is the point you are making, Young Man ?
Student : Sir, my point is your Philosophical Premise is Flawed.
Professor : Flawed ? Can you explain how ?
Student : Sir, you are working on the Premise of Duality. You argue there is Life and then
there is Death, a Good GOD and a Bad GOD. You are viewing the Concept of GOD as
something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can't even explain a
Thought. It uses Electricity and Magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully
understood either one. To view Death as the Opposite of Life is to be ignorant of the
fact that Death cannot exist as a Substantive Thing. Death is Not the Opposite of
Life : just the Absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you Teach your Students that
they Evolved from a Monkey ?
Professor : If you are referring to the Natural Evolutionary Process, yes, of course, I do.
Student : Have you ever observed Evolution with your own eyes, sir ?

( The Professor shakes his head with a Smile, beginning to realize where the Argument is going )

Student : Since no one has ever observed the Process of Evolution at work and
cannot even prove that this Process is an On - Going Endeavor, are you not Teaching
your Opinion, sir ? Are you not a Scientist but a Preacher ?

( The Class is in Uproar )

Student : Is there anyone in the Class who has ever Seen the Professor's Brain ?

( The Class breaks out into Laughter )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever Heard the Professor's Brain, Felt it, Touched or
Smelt it ? . . . No one appears to have done so. So, according to the Established Rules
of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have No Brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then Trust your Lectures, sir ?

( The Room is Silent. The Professor stares at the Student, his face unfathomable )

Professor : I guess you'll have to take them on Faith, son.
Student : That is it sir . . . the Link between Man & GOD is FAITH. That is all that Keeps
Things Moving & Alive.

NB: I believe you have enjoyed the Conversation . . . and if so . . . you'll probably want your
Friends / Colleagues to enjoy the same . . . won't you ? . . . Forward them to Increase their
Knowledge . . . or FAITH

It turned out later that the student is Albert Einsten
http://www.jewishmag.com/59mag/einstein/einstein.htm

Joeyee WATT

should i ask???? -just ask-

2008-05-17T00:22:00.000+08:00

just came back from 关爱晚宴，which i attended with my mummy and granny!!!

when the organisers announced the date of the dinner, i had a struggle... should i ask my mummy? would she agree? will she feel "out", "stress", "wierd'??? will she be angry??? the worries i had were countless...

back in 3years ago when i heard of 孝亲聚餐，i thought it's an occasion for all the children to treat their christian parents to a meal, den i realised it's a evangelical event to expose their parents to the Light of God in a homely diner and thought i'll be good if my mum could come! but reli ah. worried that she dun like and worries about alot o stuffs....

this year's a little different for me.... personally i really see His wonders every single day and He proved that we must act by Faith, not by emotions! like the mission trip, it's 9days in sarawak and when i heard of it, it seemed impossible for a NSF like me to go... but something told me just buy the ticket, God can make me go somehow, and that something was the Faith that burned in me..... i booked the tickets, and the money (cpf bonus) and leave (help by instructor to apply a consecutive 7days leave) all followed!!!! no hiccups at all! see! when we act by Faith, He'll see to the others, in his perfect plan!

so eventually i booked 3tickets for the dinner not knowing if anyone would come.... and i asked my parents about the dinner..... as expected their response was ok only.. so i just prayed for their willingness to come..AND! the next day my sis told me that my mum's gonna come with my GRANDMOTHER! (who's a extremely devoted buddhist)... wa. really gave me a shock by how well He planned this dinner...

today's the dinner and it really proved that my worried are unnecessary!!! they were open to the worship and i saw my granny clapping with smiles in her face! and she even asked me IF THE CD CONTAINED THE SONGS! she liked it! wa............ my mum was ok with the entire evening too! infact, i think they enjoyed themselves!

this evening was an evening to open their heart to how a christian function is like, and how worship, prayers are carried out and i really really Thank Him cos their reactions r all good! unexpectedly GOOD! my mum said that she will want to attend the next dinner next year!

i guess this little pockets of events are our chances of bringing ANYONE to him... to open their hearts. maybe not to "Love God immediately", but maybe just to "not hate/think that christianity is OK".....

yea. another step! THANK U LORD!

ppl! act by Faith more! it's wonderful to see his powers when u do!

smiling jason.

Meaningful Day / Session on 1st May.

2008-05-06T08:41:00.000+08:00

I was asked to share about the experience , etc, that I receive / have during the 2 talks on Labour Day.
But frankly speaking I do not know what to share.

1^st : Where did we get the Bible from.?

Interesting topic isn’t it?
Don’t you ever wonder who did the compilation?
How was it done?
Originated from?

Haha. I seriously gained a lot of knowledge from the talk. How the Bible from Hebrew Language eventually became other language and what happened during the process of compiling and translating the Bible.

2^nd : Human Law, Divine Justice and Your Destiny / Role in the Eternal Scheme of Things

Basically the lady, a lawyer, talked about how human law came about, and how is it link to Divine law.

We can tell of the character of the Law-giver by looking at the law. Therefore looked at the Law that God set, you will know what kind of God he is. =D

God is a God of Justice. Take a look at, Isaiah 5:16, Isaiah 5:23-24 & Psalm 97:2.

The lady talks about how/what will S.A.T.A.N do to us. And for us to know, all that the devil does is only 4 thing.
1. Tell us our life is in our own control = Freedom
2. Lie to us
3. Tempt us to sin/repeat sin, by telling us we’re of equal to God.
4. At our lowest point, he will attack us, as to further drag us away from God.
So peeps, let’s keep in mind that s.a.t.a.n will and should die/be destroy. =D

I too learn about going / entering the Paradise/Heaven is very hard.
WHY??
We came to earth being chosen, not because it does rightfully belong to us. We came to earth to chosen and to do God’s work,
Therefore,

1^st Judgement : Relationship with God. Do we have that, as in accepting Christ as our Lord and saviour = access = God’s Mercy. John 14:6
(in the past God talked about subsidiary death, sacrificing a lamb for our sin. But in Modern times, we do not need to. WHY? Because our Christ, JESUS die/sacrifice for us. =D)

2^nd judgement : Rev 20. (this chapter is worth reading.) 20:11 – 15, tells that the book were open, God will judge us according to what we’ve done INDIVIDUALLY. God is Fair.

Then names who are not found will be thrown into the lake of fire. (so guy let us save more people into the Kingdom of Lord.)

She talks about 3 type of Christian but I forget liao. Haha. Only remember about the Centurion.

Centurion : Honest, integrity, brave & courageous. A warrior for God.
(A question : would you be as brave and courageous as the centurion? and proclaim and share about God to whoever you know that is a non-Christian?)

Ok. That’s all. Hope you guys will receive something from it.
God Bless. See you guy soon!

Sincerely,
Dion

Wish i be there !

2008-05-06T03:45:00.000+08:00

Gosh.......wish i be there !

It been almost a month since the last gathering with Glowing, because i am away from S'pore and spend my holiday in Hk. I do wish to spend my holiday in S'pore as i been irregular in my attendance to the fellowship and church(which i am guilty of !), also to prepare of my National Service , but my parents do want me to visit my relatives and spend time with them. So i went ahead !

Went out with some Glower for the first week, shop ard, eat local delicacy. Everything i need to do, i had it done by the second week. I attend a church in HK too, every sunday from 10am to 12pm at North Point with my parents , many friendly pples there......almost everyone, just like QBC ! But i still feel.........weird ? Finally......i know, it's you guys.......Glowing !

If i miss 1 or 2 gathering is all right since my absence does not make a BIG diffence and i am bound to see you guys soon or later and i can catch up with u guys in no time , but sadly the soon/later become to frequent and finally a habit ! Sorry guys !

Habit is hard to quit, but not impossible !

Not that no one to go out with after church......
Not for the fun & joy fellowship outing.......
Not that i need pple to talk to........
Not because i have no activites......

Is the Glowing-spirits, i can't sense it now. Right here in Hk !

I need everyone to close your eyes and imagine that u are in QBC and u see everyone, but except brothers and sisters from Glowing ! Although u will see pples that u knew in church, i dare to say it's weird !

knew this from someone, 不要懂得可惜,才学会珍惜 !

Now Now Now~ how i wish i have the "Shadow Clone Technique" from the anime "Naruto". So i can be there with u all ! Haha......still so naive !

Take care guys !

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. - Romans 12:12

God Bless,
Ka Tai

many VS a few

2008-05-04T23:09:00.000+08:00

Happy belated birthday to me!!! =) In case you don't know what did you all pay for my BD present, please look at what i am carrying on my hands lately. Muahaha~ alright..

Today a few of us gathered at NYNY to celebrate me and twinkle's birthdays. I was so so sad that only a few turn up. =( JOKING!!! hahaha.. In fact, i was quite happy!

When I was 7, all I wanted was presents and MORE presents.
When i was 14, all I wanted was to celebrate with my besties n who cares abt my family?
When i was 18, all I wanted was to watch M18. HAHA..
When i was 21, all I wanted was MORE pple to celebrate for me, to experience that kinda "popular feeling". And of coz, expensive presents, to prove that I am a fren worth pple paying more money for. hahaha...
when i was 22, all i wanted was to treat my mum a meal. To let her know silently that i appreciate her everything. (just a meal to exchange all her work , HAHA.. so cheapo of me)
when i was 23, all i wanted was to see frens ard me loving God more. =) Ya, to Love and serve Him whole-heartedly...

People asked me if i am sad that only a few celebrated with me and twinkle. In fact, i was not even a bit unhappy. I was glad. Glad that glowers are serving God, that sing Shen pple are practising for their mission trip, glad that pple going for Global Prayer day to help out. It means alot more to me, to see pple serving God actively than sitting down and laugh abt some stupid jokes. (not that jokes r not good, but serving is the priority.)

Sitting down for a casual lunch and dinner (thurs and today) was such joy. I get to talk to everyone. No need to scream and shout across the tables like what we did in the past. HAHA... And no need to worry your will make me a fool in public. =P kidding. ya, main thing is.. i get to catch up with alot of ur. (the latest trend is.... XW loves to touch Zhi Feng's breasts) hahaha...

yup.. Thank you Lord for this wonderful time i had with Glowing. I really thankful to see all of ur grow so much, serving actively in all areas: sunday sch, ushers, choir, pianist..... it's one of the best presents!! Keep it up!! (but of coz.. next year ur still must buy presents for me, after all, i am greedy. HAHA!)

With much love and hugs,
Li Er

Glowing with <3

2008-04-30T14:50:00.000+08:00

I'm actually typing & backspacing while trying to put my thoughts down in words.

......

I'm finally back in Singapore after spending 12 days in HK,

& i actually missed 2 weekends of fellowship.

Truth be told,

on Saturdays spent in HK,

I'd be wondering what'd Glowing be doing now,

& it was during times like that I would wish i could just teleport myself back to church for fellowship.

Now that i'm back,

& as Twinkle updated me on the happenings of Glowing for the last 2 weekends,

somehow i felt rather distant.

Not because i wasn't there for 2 weeks,

but I felt that Glowing wasn't exactly how i remembered it to be.

Maybe people in Glowing are just not as attached to the fellowship as they were before,

and it's really very saddening if this is really the case.

How can we bring new friends if we are not even attached to our own fellowship?

I really pray that God's love would bring us back together.

Even though we may have exams, work & other obligations which had given us the "so-called authority" to exempt us from attending fellowship,

are we really being truthful to God,

or are those just excuses to give when you're questioned regarding your absence.

Glowing Fellowship is not a tutorial which you have to submit a MC to prove that you're rightfully excused on a Saturday evening.

I think that the bottom line,

is that you, yourself, should be attached to your own fellowship & feel committed to attend it even though you're given a choice.

Glowing would not grow,

if people in Glowing are not growing either.

If you think that since there's less than 10 people attending fellowship this Saturday,

& it wouldn't make much difference if You're absent as well,

let me tell you that You would make the difference.

Perhaps Glowing doesn't seem so warm & lively as we were before,

but that should not serve as a barrier for us to attend it religiously.

I'd apologise if my post seem too solemn & serious,

but I really hope that you would search your heart after reading this post,

& pray to God that He'd help you find your way back to Glowing Fellowship,

cos' it's just like finding your way back to a place you'd call Home.

As we gather,

may Your spirit work within us.

As we gather,

may we glorify Your name

Knowing well that as our hearts begin to worship.

We'd be blessed because we came.

In His love,

Xiwen.

::To gamble or NOT::

2008-04-25T16:25:00.000+08:00

This is just a sharing among us Glowers. A few days ago, all the Chinese teachers had our regular meeting. The topic was the teachers’ moral values. So we were discussing is it alright for teachers to buy 4D or have a tattoo?

So most of the teachers say yes, and say it is part of their private life. The parents or students have no right to question their behavior when they are not in school. However, those with kids say that, they will not question the teacher’s private life, but they won’t like teachers with tattoos to teach their kids.

Though I do not gamble, I was enjoying their conversation. They were saying what if your student walked into Toto shop? haha.. will u be so shock to say anything? The act of gamble all rooted from one word ‘GREED’. Whether you gamble for entertainment, whether it involves with 1 cent or 1 dollar, it’s still about the thought of wanting more or winning.

Being in the working industries for quite a number of years, I have seen many Christians who compromised their values to this world. I had Christian boss who buys 4D, Christian colleagues who played Majong with 20cents and others. They know that I don’t played it with money, so they normally don’t ask me out. I am more than happy about it.

Watching my colleagues debating about whether teachers can gamble, I feel great that I am not torn apart with the thought of to do it or not. For I know for sure, God provides for me every SINGLE day of my life. And He promised me that. =)

He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.
-Psalm 111:5

:: Li er::

2008 音乐培灵会

2008-04-25T01:00:00.000+08:00

2008音乐培灵会 will be held on 10th May 2008 at 6:30pm in Room D!

主题: 生活的点滴、生命的见证

Through worship, prayer, sharing and testimony, we pray that we’ll experience a spiritual revival from the Spirit of the Lord!

This year, we hope to involve YOU in sharing the little things in life that God has done for you,
1. As a testimony to His love and faithfulness, 见证神的爱与信实
2. Encourage and remind one another of God’s providence and grace. 彼此激励、鼓励、勉励，彼此提醒神丰富的供应和恩典

We would like YOU to step up and share your testimonies with all of us! If you’re moved by the Spirit, please prepare a short sharing/testimony (about 5 minutes) on one of the three topics:
1. Studies
2. Work (incl. NS)
3. Family

Once again, these need not be earth-shattering experiences (无须是惊天动地的经历); but the little things in life (生活的点滴) which God has done for you because He loves you.

You may present it in any format, incl. powerpoint, video, etc. Just let us know and we’ll try to make arrangements! =)

Please let me know if the Spirit has worked in you and you would want to share!

Regards,
Emmett 祉扬
On behalf of Music Dept

积财宝在天

2008-04-21T15:21:00.000+08:00

“耶稣看着他，就爱他，对他说，你还缺少一件。去变卖你所有的，分给穷人，就必有财宝在天上。你还要来跟从我。”
马可福音 10：21
“耶稣说，我实在告诉你们，人为我和福音，撇下房屋，或是弟兄，姐妹，父母，儿女，田地。没有不在今世得百倍的，就是房屋，弟兄，姐妹，母亲，儿女，田地，并且要受逼迫。在来世必得永生。”
马可福音 10：29，30

这是我在少年崇拜当中所学的：

在这里，神给了我们一个何等大的应许！只要我们把一切放下，就必能积财宝在天上。但为何故事中的少年官却忧忧愁愁的走了呢？其实，要过一个圣洁生命的代价是什么呢？会大过于回报吗？其实，只要会数算的人都知道，我们一生的所有又怎能比得上永恒的应许呢？但为什么很多时候我们都放不下眼前的东西？

话说，有一个登山者，独自去登山，却不小心滑落山崖。幸好他及时抓住了一根从悬崖壁生长出来的树干，才侥幸没有摔个粉碎。这时，这个人心想，来登山的人并不多；再加上他正悬挂在悬崖壁上，想要救他也不易，这次他必死无疑。他便求告神，求神能塔救他。这时，神就对他说：你只要放手，我必能塔救你！但那人不敢放手，就对神说：神啊！你必定有更好的方法来救我！请你不要叫我放手！但神却说：不！放手就是最好的方法！那人不肯也不敢，就紧紧地抓住树干，直到他力气用尽了。这时，他再也没有力气抓住树干，手一松......

原来，那根从悬崖壁生长出来的树干离地面还不到三米，但因为那个人太害怕了，一直不敢往下看。神叫他放手，并不是要故意考验他对神的信心，而是真心要救他，帮助他。

(haha sorry this is taking me too much time so i'll continue in Eng. BUT i'll learn to type in all Chinese next time!=))

I feel that this story can help to illustrate how isit like when God ask us to let go. We often judge the value of things based on our own perspective. And what are our perspective often based on? i think that even as a christian, i can't help but to rely more on our experiences and knowledge in making a decision or judgement. Perhaps, when we can't let go of certain things, we know exactly the pain and discomfort and 'bad' experiences which might come next.

We know because there might be people around us who experienced it before, or u know it because it is easy to imagine how it will be like. For example, u can imagine the pain and sadness u will experience if u lose someone u love. u know how hard it can be if u are broke or bankrupt. u know how it can be like if u were to get into an accident and lose your limbs? that might be a little extreme. But say, imagine the struggles u will undergo if u surrender your weaknesses to God and let God mould u IN HIS WAY. U know how scary and how 'twisted your stmomach will feel' when u have to step out of your comfort zone and lose the comfortable and familiar environment u were used to. These are also the things which God want us to Let Go! Are u willing to do that? or rather, do u have to guts to pray to God and teach u how to Let Go? i'll be honest with u that i am afraid. Just like that man hanging on the tree truck, im afraid of the possiblity of falling to my death. This is really something which i find it hard to reconcile with what i know and what i feel. But i have been praying to God to take that fear off me. Im learning to take a step forward and say: 死就死罢，(就如以斯帖一样)。

But REmember borthers and sisters,
'耶稣看着他们说，在人是不能，在神却不然。因为神凡事都能。'
马可福音 10：27

God didn't leave us there and expecting that WE CAN DO IT OURSELVES. NOPE! God knows very well that we CANNOT DO IT OURSELVES. and that is why we should pray to God for strength. There is really no way that we can overcome our weaknesses (for example) with our own determination. WE should not even believe that we can do it ourselves. Because when we are confident about something, ironically, it is something that is most vulnerable to Satan's attack! Therefore,

Do pray about anything and everything! May we all grow in the Lord and learn how to Let Go! God promised us of something even better!!!

^j^ = JennifeR

2008-04-20T00:43:00.000+08:00

i was thinking about what zhili shared today...

are we serving god for our self-interest?

i still remember i asked god that how can i serve him last year around janurary,

then he said i didnt have enough experience.

so i ended up taking up a lot of jobs in church

then dont know y auntie elsa asked me if i can serve in children choir,

so dont know y i serve there for one and half year liao....

then also around that time lydia asked me to help her to play for the elderly zone as she is not free that day,

so i crashed into elderly zone and serve until now...

then still got a lot of tuanqi thing ar, then magic show ar, ppl control ar, sanfu ar , combined choir ar, musical ar, funeral ar, talk ar....

so i can say i experienced a lot of things in this one and a half year...

so am i serving god for our own interest?

i can only say that i am in a win win situation.

i want to serve god with my talent; god also want me to gain experience

by serving different kind of ppl, he let me know what ppl really need

maybe u can say that the youngest and the eldest in church are the ''bu qi yang'' ppl in church

really can do it by anyhow...

i can say that if u are taking it serious, u are really serving god as they are the one who indeed

until today, i am waiting god to give me something challenging as i want to some breakthrough

i still want to see how does the world look like

i still want to experience him

twinkle twinkle little star

SYFC Youth Conference - Perspectives

2008-04-19T15:15:00.000+08:00

Hi glowers,

(i have decided to put here because incase people forget to read email and just read blog, here it is!)

Here's an conference organise by Singapore Youth For Christ that i urge/encourage you all to go!

There will be two sessions.

Session One Speaker : Associate Professor Bruce Lockhart (History Dept) NUS

He will be speaking on where exactly did we get the bible from? The Original Text and the Translations.
(Come find out how the bible was being put together and discover the process of doing english and chinese translations)

Session TwoSpeaker : Professor Thio Li-ann, (Faculty of Law) NUS
(Currently a Nominated Member of Parliament) - 11th session.

(Pro Thio Li-ann was the person who speak up in the disagreement of Law 377A (homosexuality) in the Parliament with her rationale, other members of parliament agreed)

Pro Thio will be speaking on Human Law, Divine Justice & our role in the Eternal Scheme of Things.
(What is the relationship between Law and Justice, between Divine Law and Human Law and what implications does our relationship of this have our destiny and how we live our lives?)

Session one : 1pm till 2.30pm
Session two : 3pm till 5pm

Date : Thursday, 1st May 08 (PUBLIC HOLIDAY)
Time : 1pm till 5pm
Venue : St. Andrew's Cathedral (Next to City Hall Mrt)

Refreshments & Notes will be given!

This venue is free-of-charge! But need to register!
(limited sits left only - first come first serve!)

please sms/email me :

Name :
Age :
School :
Hp:
Email Address:

(even i know, but just type gimme!)

I really really urge you all to go. Its a benefitting conference.

(this post will be taken off after monday(21st April)

Thanks

JOEYEE WATT

读经分享：需要和想要

2008-04-18T19:10:00.000+08:00

经文：腓立比书4：19 「我的神必照他荣耀的丰富，在基督耶稣里使你们一切所需用的都充足。」

弟兄姐妹，当我们向未新主的朋友分享福音时，是否有告诉他们信主的好处呢？如果连我们都不能肯定信主是何等大的福气，那么最好别去传福音。免得人们觉得信主是很艰难痛苦的一回事。

有人说，信耶稣好！可以赚大钱，可以把病医好，不会有困难。你相信吗？可能以上的例子太夸张。但是，千万别为了世上的荣耀富贵而信主。

那么，信主有什么好处呢？我们需把“ 我需要” 和“ 我想要” 分清楚。现代世界里，由于商业化，我们常把需要和想要的给混淆。因此，有些人虽然很有钱，但是一点也不快乐。追求潮流，物质上的享受，但永远不满足。

我们都是神拣选的仆人。我们的上帝是为大的创造者，以上帝的形象创造我们每个人。所以神最了接我们每人所需。感谢神，让我们都知道追求世界是愚昧的。但是当我们基督徒面对困难时，是用什么态度面对呢？我们都喜欢过舒适的生活。但是一旦面对实际的困难时，我们对神的信心是否就减少吗？我们有时可能面对失恋而伤心。觉得万事不妙。好象全世界已经垮下来。但是，我们任然要相信，上帝最了解我们所需要的。很多时候，我们是近视的，看不见未来，长远的事。但我们要深信，我们相信的神是爱的源头。我们懂得爱，是因神先爱我们。那么，最纯洁，无暇，无私念，伟大的爱是从神而来。我们不一定会得到我们想要的。开始时可能会感到伤心，痛苦，甚至心怀不平。但只要深信上帝掌管一切，就可以等待神所预备的。因那才是你所需的。

智恒

2008-04-17T20:25:00.000+08:00

i read a passage which is about the unhappiness.

if god is good, why would he allow the unhappiness exist?
he can simply take them away...

it is the answer from billy graham's daughter anne graham;

someone said, 'there should be no bible lesson in school.' we said,' no problem!'

someone said, 'we only need to finish all our responsibilites, let alone our private life.'
we said,' of course! we only need to care whether the economic is performing well.'

someone said,' no one really care what the tv is boardcasting, what the radio is talking, we can boardcast whatever nonsense.' then we watched.

we asked god to leave us so he leave us...

i am so sorry that i am not sure if i am ranking my god in the first place.

bcos....sometimes i will do the opp...

then sometimes i will argue with him......wakakaka.....

i always think that i can do whatever nonsense as long as i want to do.

so, i dont really know if i am putting it into god's hands or ....is a habit.

(provided i rem i have prayed for it...)

i think i should start to pray for those things which is not directly related to me.

globalization connects ppl...

youth olympic also makes singapore dollar so expensive.

(hope i am serious enough)

twinkle twinkle little star

We're representing JESUS....

2008-04-16T12:25:00.000+08:00

Have you all ever wonder everything that we do are representing our heavenly father? The big or even small things.. actions... words... that we say, act or do. Sometimes we may tend to forget that we're representing christ in front of others(christians or non-christians).

We should always be reminded of ourselves that we ARE representing him.

This verse which made me ponder much after reading again and again, it really reflects on myself this past 13 to 14 years as a christian. "Whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus."(Col 3:17)

"... I no longer live, rather Christ lives in me" (Gal 2:20)

As believers in christ, our role or task in our own life has changed. We no longer have the assignment of looking out for our own interests but out job now is to represent the interests of JESUS. We are to be his face, hands and feet wherever we are by showing up in the lives of others on his behalf.

We represent JESUS in the hospital; we represent JESUS at the funeral; we represent JESUS at the wedding; we represent JESUS by talking to friends whom is a non-believer of christ etc....

We are not of his world, but we are in THIS world. We function as ambassadors for christ; we serve at the will of our heavenly father. We serve as sokesmen and even servants for God's kingdom.

We many of times will reach to nonbelievers by living in such a way that they ask us about the KING we represent. We as ambassadors of Christ, we work hard to understand the culture in order to translate our KING's message in such a way that those alien to his kingdom will understand his commandments and his policy of grace.

Our ambassadorship is more than a mere job; it is our highest calling. But in order to be a faithful ambassadors, we have to make a very simple yet critical deicison : do WE want to impress the nonbelievers OR do WE want to influence them?

If our objective is to impress them, then we can do that at a distance, but that leaves the kingdom of God at a distance.

If we want to influence nonbelievers, we have to get close enough for them to see our faults and frailties, but that's also where they will see out faith as real and necessary.

So glowers, do you think God wans each and every one to IMPRESS nonbelievers or INFLUENCE them?

Here are some ways to extend our influence as a REPRESENTIVE of JESUS!

- By smiling at people. The bible says a cheerful look brings joy to the heart (Proverbs 15:30). You can influence others with a simple smile. (remember the "ONLY YOU" discussion? What that pastor in that recording state about SMILING? lol)

- By sympathizing with people. We can offer emotional support and encouragement for people in distress. " God comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have trouble, we can comfort them with the same comfort God gives us. " (2 Cor 1:4)

- By serving people. The more you serve others in love, the more you will influence them. The Apostle Paul wrote, "Even though I'm free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people." (1 Col 9:19)

- By speaking up. Being a representative of Christ requires courage; we're to let people know we believe. His lovenot only compels us to explain out faith, it will sometimes prompt is to confront evil behaviour in others "Let the redeemed of the4 lord say so" (Psalm 107:2)

- By sacrificing. Great sacrifice = real influence, and that may mean your influence will increase only after you move out of our comfort zone. Just like the bible tells us, "....Christ was sinless, and he offered himself as an eternal and spiritual sacrifice to God... Now we can serve the living God and no longer do things that lead to death" (Heb 9:14) If your sacrifice helps to change the world, is it worth it?

Hoping we as brothers & sisters in Christ will continue to remember that we're a REPRESENTATIVE of Christ and to influence every person that we have come in contract every day.

Joeyee

“Salvation for Free!! Save your Soul baby!!”

2008-04-16T08:49:00.000+08:00

Responding to the letter on ST forum:

It’s a pleasant surprise to see such commends online because I always wanted to know what are on those people’s mind. They must be finding us such a pest. *laughs*

I am quite amused by the statement “It may be acceptable to spread one's religion by setting up a booth at Orchard Road, putting up a website, or distributing fliers, but it should not go further.” SETTING UP A BOOTH! WOW!!! Haha..

Can you imagine? If we set up a booth, what shall booth sells? Perhaps a banner hangs “Salvation for Free!! Save your Soul baby!!” Kinda funny huh.. haha.. I can’t imagine the outcome but I don’t think the “sales” will be good. *giggle*

Because I really saw a Christian Evangelical booth at Bangkok and no one walked near it. At the booth, there’re people giving the Thai Version of 4SL, one person holding the loud hailer screaming something, and there’s one person wearing the boards which is like those M1 promotion boards. I wanted to take a photo at that moment but I was rushing off to somewhere. Interesting right?

Honestly, I am not a fan of Street.E. (oh no~ Pastor ZhiLi is going to knock my head~) *laughs* why not? It is because the effectiveness of it is not prominent. However, I can’t deny that the fact that it can possibly plant a seed. God talks to us in many ways, many unknown ways.

I once had a friend whom found the bible in the library and realized that God was speaking to her. And then she turned to God! No one speak to her. But yet some idiot left the bible there. And in return, God actually used that opportunity to speak to another person. (I said idiot because you are not suppose to forget such important stuffs. Haha) And perhaps when this guy is typing such a letter on ST forum, God is already planting a seed in his heart. Who knows?

Lastly, Visuals has a powerful impact! That is why this guy in the forum asks us to “Show me that your beliefs make you a better person”. Are we behaving well when we are talking to strangers? Are we behaving well in public? And mostly importantly are we behaving well in our respective areas of our lives?

::Li 'Er::

loss

2008-04-15T14:31:00.000+08:00

my grandma passed away on saturday...

tears and sorrows filled our entire family... but my heart was dampened even more when i think of what's gonna happen to her unsaved soul...

it's every Christian's responsibility to spread his words... not because we're so stucked up, but WE WANT TO SAVE U and we want U TO BELIEVE that u're going to heavens not hell...

often non-believers will reject hearing the gospel or going to the church.. but why? is it cause they're afraid to know, or is their own religion keeping themself from hearing and learning? to me it's a personal choice... a personal choice that we choose what to believe in, and have a intimate relation with who u believe in...

most chinese believe in that doing good deeds will bring them to heavens... but when your love one pass on, u carry out rituals and offer incense and burn inscense to:
1.bring their souls down so they dun become missing souls wondering around,
2.give them food and
3.money to spend down there.
but have anyone asked this question before, if u think u have done enough good deeds in your present life, why will u think that you will go to hell?

when they burn incense and paper, u're saying that your mum/love one is in hell isnt it? or are people just afraid about life after death? that's why alot of them are afraid their love ones got nothing to eat, nowhere to go, no money to spend? it really stands out when i see these rituals and practises being carried out at the funeral. when i see them burning paper and jossticks i was reli sad. cos u're thinking that your mum is in hell and u need to provide for her , den where does your God come in????? haiz...

although i won't stop it cos i respect their rights and religion, but i cant bring myself to agree... everything seems so illogical and so man-made....a religion should be about worshipping God, and following his words... shouldnt be man-made rules ahhhhhhhhh...

a funeral should be for the Living, not for the Dead... it's should be one which celebrate's the person's homecoming to heavens, not fearing that the person suffers in hell... if he/she goes to heaven, we dun have to worry about him not eating, him not living well, him not happy. cos in heavens, God provides everything and human needs shall be gone.

anyway these r just my thoughts.. wun defy their practise la. jus keep quiet and let them do their practises.

God, bless my family.

comments on ST forum

2008-04-15T02:18:00.000+08:00

Haha.... this is indeed an interesting post:)

Notice that he/she didn’t mention which God or religion in which he is referring to (or it might not have been allowed on the forum). But i suppose that the subject is clearly referring to Christianity, from the way he described being mugged by street evangelists. Let us all thank our mighty God, Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac, Israel and everyone on Earth that someone is angered to such an extent as to post his displeasure on our leading local newspaper.

We should be really thankful that our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ are working so hard in spreading the gospel. This article is indeed an encouragement, to all the youths out there who are doing street E, spreading the gospel in school and public.

Were any of you angered initially? There isn't a need to. Instead, let us show compassion to this individual, who continues to hold on to his/her view on democracy and freedom of choice. We can clearly see the extent that people go to reject the truth and gospel (From the effort of submitting a lengthy post to ST's forum). But all is not lost, because he/she did bring up a good point for all of us Christians to think about.

“I believe that the only way for a person to win respect for himself and his beliefs is for that person to be a good person first.

He should embody the values which his beliefs teach him, and prove the strength of love through actions, not sermons.

Show me that your beliefs make you a better person, and that your religion makes you care for the world; that is all you need to do.”

This individual has actually summed up the almost everything that we need to do as Christians. It’s a wakeup call to all of us, that non-believers are constantly observing our every action and decisions based on the fact that we have claimed to be “Christians”. They need actions, not words. Real time spiritual evidence that clearly sets you apart from the rest. There is no point to simply be a hypocritical Christian.

How many times have we been afraid of being different from friends who are non-believers? Often, we resort to compromising our stand in hope of being accepted. How immature this thought suddenly seems, knowing that they are always observing our every move. Let us remember that leading a life that glorifies God is the best way to spread his gospel.

This shouldn’t be a source of discouragement to any one of us who would do street E in the future. There is no guarantee that our efforts will be accepted in the eyes of the world. But keep in mind that the efforts will be rewarded one day, when we face our creator.

Cheehan

Straits Times Forum: Let's respect a person's private space in public

2008-04-13T01:44:00.000+08:00

It's great to see this blog becoming so happening and thriving healthily since its humble beginnings! I am sure God's mighty hand is working in making this blog a venue for sharing and growth. It's very encouraging to see many people actively posting to encourage one another, sharing how God has worked in their lives, importance of cultivating spiritual habits, etc. Let's keep this up for Him!

Anyway, posted below is a letter addressed to the Straits Times forum on 12th Apr 2008 (Sat). Something for all of us to think about, and if anyone has any response, feel free to post! =)

Let's respect a person's private space in public

"I was sitting along in my school canteen one afternoon when a girl came up to me and asked if I had time to spare. Yes, it was yet another get-to-know God session.

I'm sorry if this sounds impolite, but I've had enough of such encounters in school and other public spaces.

I find the increasingly noticeable trend by Singaporeans trying to proselytise in pubic worrying.

It is not uncommon when one is sitting alone outside Starbucks, or on a bench in school, to find oneself being approached by some stranger who starts introducing his or her concept of religion.

It may be acceptable to spread one's religion by setting up a booth at Orchard Road, putting up a website, or distributing fliers, but it should not go further.

Proselytising in school is too much. I am well aware that these people mean well, and feel intensely about their beliefs and that good things are meant to be shared. I feel the same way about my religion too but I do not do what they do because it is not the right way to share my beliefs.

Such get-to-know-God sessions are undemocratic because they indirectly convey the message tat a person feels his religion is superior to the beliefs of others, and that others should therefore switch.

It is also intrusive especially if courtesy requires one to listen when one wishes to turn away. I am glad that my friends, who are of a different religion, do not try to convert me.

Religious freedom does include the right not to be annoyed by someone who over-enthusiastically tries to promote his or her beliefs.

Tolerance and acceptance have their limits.

I believe that the only way for a person to win respect for himself and his beliefs is for that person to be a good person first.

He should embody the values which his beliefs teach him, and prove the strength of love through actions, not sermons.

Show me that your beliefs make you a better person, and that your religion makes you care for the world; that is all you need to do.

After encountering one too many sessions in public, I think that there perhaps should be a law to ban such religious touting."

This forum article has raised some interesting, albeit contentious and provocative points. Any comments?

Emmett =)

TEMPLE

2008-04-12T23:36:00.000+08:00

small story with a big message...

Imagine a house.... What kind and how big is up to you... Let's imagine God has given you this house and has said he's gonna live in it. Where would you start??? Clean out the rubbish? That's probably first. The easy fixing and cleaning can be done earlier on. The insulation problem needs taking care of. The windows must be clean so the light can come in. Eventually, you'll need to get down to the foundation to make sure that it's solid. We must have things that will make God comfortable when he arrives...

Getting all these? sounds silly to you? God has given all of us a House... our body... Paul called it a temple...
If you're inviting God to come and stay inside your temple, what do you have to do today to make it ready???

I guess EVERYONE of us had heard that our body is the Temple of God... but among us who really make honour our temple? This story striked me with questions like... if this is a temple that God stays in, everything we Say, Do, Think, See, Hear has to glorify him isnt it?

Believing and having Faith in him is one... but keep the Temple of God and honouring the place where God is staying is our sole responsibility.. no one is responsible of your temple... your actions, your speech your attitude your thinking eventually come out from the Temple and reflect ourself as Christians... So how's your Temple like?

"Invite God into your House... You may still have alot of work to do, but get the invitation out there... You don't know when God may come knocking on your door... Be Ready. Clean. Clear. Repair... temple improvement time."

*** "You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will i be greater than you" Genesis 41:40

Jason

Jesus Take The Wheel

2008-04-12T23:11:00.000+08:00

" Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on"

I guess for most of you,
when you see the title of this post,
you'd be thinking of the musical by QBC.
for me,
the chorus of this song by Carrie Underwood is on repeat mode in my mind.

today's the first day i heard this song.
& that's only because i happened to borrow my sister's ipod.
...
I guess for many many many times,
I've felt that I've drifted away from God,
& as time went by,
I just got used to life like that.
I thought i could take charge of my own life,
& God wouldn't blame me for being independent.

but after listening to this song,
It just moved me.
it's so easy to just leave your whole life,
every small little detail of it to God.
but yet,
due to my own defiance & pride,
I chose not to.
& when I finally reached the breaking point & I couldn't face things alone anymore,
He's still the one I'd turn to.
after making one big U-turn, I just had to turn back to him.
cause I know he would save me from the endless road I was on.

He took the wheel of my life.
& I hope,
as you're reading this,
You'd have let Him take the wheel of your life as well.

Xiwen

An evening of WORSHIP with Planetshakers + Tim Hughes.. {my thoughts!}

2008-04-11T00:36:00.000+08:00

It was a fantastic concert night at Singapore Expo worshipping God through worship!

Im sure people who went have benefited in one way or another through songs & testimonials by them.

There were thousands & thousands of youths + adults coming together from all parts of Singapore just for ONE PURPOSE... and that is to worship & praise HIM -> Jesus Christ.

I am glad & happy that there were non-believers went to this concert and some raised their hands in wanting to accept or know more about Christ. That's great! It's a evening that never will i forget.

Very happening! Everyone were very "into" it. Examples : raising hands.... jumping.....

I've remember that a person who shared his testimonial on the stage was very true. He talks about worshipping. Worshipping God is part of what we are here for in this world. We live for God & God himself, no others. In the bible, God tells us that God seeks worshippers who worship him.

Anyone in our fellowship can be a worshipper. It is whether are you willing to serve/commit to him? God doesn't really see how well you sing for him or whether you have the talent or gift of singing BUT what he really want to see is your HEART! Whether you HAVE the heart to serve him.

Pray that god will empower us with the knowledge and the wisdom of worship.

祖尭

When you feel weak due to your own weaknesses.

2008-04-10T23:19:00.000+08:00

I guess I'm someone who would praise God when something good happens,
& wonder where did God go when I'm faced with problems & dilemmas.
Often than not,
I would find myself really hypocritical.
I only go back to God when i need him,
when I don't,
I'd just push Him away.
and many things which i portray myself to be,
may not be the way it really is.

& to think that nobody knows?
God knows,
& SO DOES SATAN.
You may think that you've got your weaknesses covered,
but satan would like to get the lowest possible bid on YOUR LIFE. (Auctions anyone?)
To do so,
satan would make sure that he looked you over,
UP. DOWN. LEFT. RIGHT. INSIDE-OUT.
& truth be told,
satan is so perverted that he's very interested in your weak points.
Be it tendency to lie, to doubt,
or leaning towards pride, arrogance,
or bitching about someone,
etc.
i guess it's simply the side of us which you wouldn't want jesus to question you about.
If you sense an intense struggle in your life right now,
the truth is satan would just continue to pressure you till it hurts.
Since he knows your down-side,
I'm sure that he wouldn't be reluctant to make full use of that knowledge.
........
UH-HUMPH.
But in case you had forgotten, (& before you start emo-ing)
Jesus is so much much much more stronger than satan!!!
He knows your weak points too,
& He wants those vulnerable areas to become HIS power points in Your life.

thus,
realising this, Paul was able to write,
"When I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor 12:10)
In spite of all your struggles & weaknesses,
the Lord Jesus did not purchase Your life for a 80% discount sale.
He paid with His own life,
& no other higher price could have been paid.

From His point of view,
you're worth so so much, even in your weaknesses.

& I hope this would be a reminder to me, & all of you too <3
Xiwen

By Forgiving Each Other...

2008-04-09T22:02:00.000+08:00

Is forgiving so hard for Human Beings especially Christians like us?

As for me, it is EASY to forgive that person who did a small mistake(s) BUT it is HARD for me to forgive that person who did a BIG mistake(s). I have been praying everyday asking God to calm my heart down and able to forgive friends whom offended me or etc.. Forgiving an enemy or friend(s) is part of our spiritual Growth.

Did anyone in the fellowship offended you in one way or another or causes any misunderstandings?

Always remember that " In a fellowship without forgiveness is impossible! "

As believers, we're called "to settle our relationships with each other" (2 Cor 5:18). We need to consistently forgive others and receive forgiveness from others, or we'll "give up in despair"(2 Cor2:7)

The bible speaks candidly about settling score : "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but try to be kind to each other and to everyone else"(1 Thes 5:15). In God's economy, it's not enough to say we won't seek revenge; we're to press into every heart of forgiveness - "forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (Eph 4:32)

As the bible says, it becomes very clear that forgiveness is not optional for the Christ-Followers, God sets the standard SO high because he knows how much is at stake in our life. Bitterness & unforgiveness are a cancer that will eventually destroy you from the inside out. Forgiveness is the scalpel that removes the tumor of bitterness. This doesn't mean we'll always be able to forgive and be done with it but we may have to keep forgiving again and again until we know we've released the offender. But forgiveness is a choice we can make and one that God expects!

So WHAT does forgive means to me?

Forgiveness means you no longer hold the offense against the offender. It means we've pardoned the dept and we're intentionally chosen to release the one who hurt us.

Just like the bible says, you love deeply, "because love covers over a multitude of sins".(1 Peter 4:8)

Maybe here are some steps which we can do towards forgiveness :

1. Talk to God before talking to the person. Cry out to God telling him exactly How you feel.

2. Always TAKE the initiative. It doesn't matter whether you are the offender or the offended.

In the bible God told us to make the first move: "This is how i want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of wroship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God" (Matt 5:23-24)

3.Confess your part of the conflict. If you're seriously about restoring a relationship, you should begin with admitting your own mistakes or sin.

In the bible, Jesus said it's the way to see things moreclearly, "Firstly get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye" (Matt 7:5)

If anyone us are in the situation of not forgiving your friends or HARD to forgive your "enemies", maybe we should stop right now and have an honest conversation with God about someone we need to forgive. It is because our heavenly father knows that it's not easy to let go of our hurts. But he will help us and give us the grace to forgive!

祖尭

Prayer is a VERY powerful tool!

2008-04-09T21:24:00.000+08:00

Bro & Sis,

Do you know how powerful is prayer is?

Praying

is very VERY

powerful tool...

Sometimes " You do not have, because you do not ask God " (James 4:2b) by praying...

So when you pray meaning " Ask, and it will be given to you " (Matthew 7:7)

Sometimes when things are getting critical or needed god the most....

" You may ask me for anything in MY name, and i will do it " (John 14:14)

and also...

" Call to Me and I will answer you! " (Jeremiah 33:3a)

that is the STRENGTH & POWER of praying!

祖尭

Bible Sharing

2008-04-09T17:14:00.000+08:00

"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it" Joshua 1:8

To most people, our “success” means achieving something that is of authority, prosperity, fame, etc.
This is what human would think/want.

But GOD teaching goes against those of that.
To succeed:
1. Be strong and courageous as task ahead would not be easy
2. Obey GOD’s Law
3. Constantly reading & Studying the Book of Law – GOD’s Word
4. Pray and Meditate in His Word.

**Which is more important, success in worldly life, by world’s standards OR in GOD’s eyes?

“I command you – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your GOD is with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:9

“Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid of them! The LORD your GOD will go ahead of you. He will never fail you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

other verse: Deuteronomy 3:22; 20:1 & Hebrews 13:5-6

Isn’t it enough of conformation from GOD?

Its normal that we face opposition in school, @ work, @ home, etc. We would feel helpless, lost, but GOD has boosted our confidence by constantly reminding us that he is with us.

Always keep in mind GOD is with us and He overcome everything.

*remember the footprint story??* =D

{Joshua 1:8-9 is one of my favorite verses in the bible, just here to share it with you guys. =D}

When we hold on to His Word, Pray & meditate on it, we will know what He has plan for us, face it with courage because we know GOD is with us & God will provide everything for us that we need. =D

Dion

读经分享- 遵守诫命

2008-04-08T02:05:00.000+08:00

经文：列王纪上6:12-13[“论到你所建的这殿，你若遵行我的律例，谨守我的典章，遵从我的一切诫命，我必向你应验我所应许你父亲大卫的话。我必住在以色列人中间，并不丢弃我民以色列。”]

在这里，所罗门王为耶和华建造圣殿。神的话就在此临到他，告诉所罗门王一个条件，就是顺服他的律例，神就永远住在他们中间。

有时，我们会认为神的爱是无条件的。这并没有错。我们都是罪人，但神确大有怜悯，赐下他的独身子耶稣基督到世上拯救迷失的人。这个救恩是何等宝贵，是无价之宝（priceless）。不论我们做什么，也无法配的上这个救恩。有些人就觉得，尽然神是何等怜悯，而我是何等的渺小，那么我就可以我行我素，神也会赦免我的罪。

也有些人认为耶稣来到世上，指责遵守律法的法利塞人，就认为我们基督徒就不用遵守神的道。有些基督徒甚至觉得旧约是不符合现代的基督徒生活，连翻翻几下也不肯。说到利未记就不用多说，很多时候要读圣经却死在埃及。但只要翻到马太福音5:17-20, 就会知道耶稣来到世上，并不是要废掉律法，乃是要完全。马太福音5:20[我告诉你们：你们的义若不胜于文士和法利塞人的义，断不能进天国。]

看了这个文章后，希望能够让炽燃团契的弟兄姐妹为自己的生命做个检讨。我自己以前会认为我想做个“现代”基督徒，不想朋友说我是个”boring”,”rigid”,”extreme”的基督徒。我甚至想做个”hip”,”modern”,”God has set me free!” 的基督徒。我不明白为什么基督徒要做得那么死板，好像是做假好人。我本来就是罪人，何必装出一个好形象呢？喝几杯酒，取笑一些周围的人，在别人背后说是非（gossip）, 好像是没什么大不了。但是，如果我们继续妥协（compromise），其实已经是开始离弃神。我们的神不是个妥协的神，祂要的是顺服的心。这就是我们做基督徒，如果要神与我们同在的条件。

有些人会认为这个Blog很严肃，令我感到很激励，想继续投稿。这是应该的！我们信耶稣是开玩笑的一件事吗？有多少人为了信耶稣，被人逼迫。我们是不是活得太舒适了？如果有一天为了信耶稣，你会坚持真道，连生命也敢牺牲。可能我们现在说可以，但不要忘了彼得虽然看到耶稣，见过奇迹，却三次不认主。当圣经说要警醒等候主再来，我们是不是以开玩笑来等候呢？我们团契里的弟兄姐妹，多数已经是20岁以上了。可能教会认为我们还是少年人，所以还在少年区。我们有资格升上青年去吗？是不是一到20岁，教会就得把我们升上去。在社会里，我们一旦21岁，就是以成年人来看待。但在神的眼里，我们是以年龄来判断属灵的成长吗？是以我们在这世上的时光，成绩，口才，样貌等因素来判断吗？不是的。

我呼吁大家，快来认识我们的上帝，了解祂对我们的盼望，要求。我们的救恩是白白得来，但也要顺服这位伟大的真神。要让人们知道这位是真神，就要活出来。要知道这位真神，就要读圣经。不要再等了，要警醒的等候，快来读圣经。它是神所默识的，比任何一本书更值得我们去读。要做个顺服的基督徒，就得先学他的话。如果我们在学校里能够读书，有些人甚至能把一本书背的滚瓜烂熟，哪一篇写什么字或有什么图画都有记忆，为什么连圣经目录都不会呢？你知道俄巴底亚书在哪里吗？哪一本书是最短的？如果当我们需要造出任何圣经经节或教义时我们无法做到，反应是“Erm... I think..." 当兵的弟兄会知道如果向长官这么说，他可能会说"If you think, i thought, then who confirm?" 我们如果是感到愧欠了神，请把该做的行出来。不要象约拿在大浪翻腾时，继续在船舱沉睡。

智恒

读经分享：祷告

2008-04-05T00:28:00.000+08:00

经文：撒母耳记上12:23 [ 至于我，断不停止为你们祷告，以致得罪耶和华。我必以善道正路指教你们]

撒母耳在以色列人面前向他们发言，教导他们不可偏离耶和华，要尽心事奉他。当时，以色列坚持要立一位王，与当地的其他民族一样。这是神不喜悦的。因为耶和华就是以色列人的王。可见，他们已把神给忘了，愿意依靠人而不依靠神。所以，撒母耳就教导以色列人，指引他们应当行的路。

撒母耳教训以色列人其实这是理所当然的。因为他是以色列人的领导者，当时的士师。就像导师指责学生一样。最令我感到稀奇的是他竟然会说，“断不停止为你们祷告，以致得罪耶和华”这么说，我们没有为别人祷告是犯罪吗？撒母耳在这里所做的表明我们基督徒有双重责任：1）要为别人祷告，2）教导人归向耶和华。在这里，虽然撒母耳不同意以色列立王，他还是向他们保证会继续为他们祷告，教导他们。

现今，我们虽然不是什么牧师或传道人，但也是神的子民。这段经文也是呼吁有事奉领袖岗位的弟兄姐妹负起为别人祷告的责任。感谢神，看到今天少年人纷纷参与教会的祷告会。我们都做了个好见证，连牧师也有注意到。但最重要的不是追求人们的称赞或鼓掌，而是获得神的喜悦。

智恒

读经分享

2008-04-02T21:06:00.000+08:00

炽燃团契的弟兄姐妹，我们是否在生活中把神居首位呢？

在大约1406BC, 以色列人出埃及在旷野漂流了40年后，终于进入迦南地。那时，神吩咐以色列人把迦南地的原住民赶出去。因为迦南居民罪大恶极，应受严厉的处罚。更重要的是，以色列人是圣洁的一族，就不能住在邪恶而拜偶像的民中，否则就会受他们的邪教风俗感染。不过，以色列人并没有照神的话去做。在多处经文可以看出，他们把一些人留下。(约书亚记15:63,16:10,17:12) 结果不久后，以色列人与他们结婚，偏离真神，敬拜假神，最终导致他们的败亡。

我们是否在生活中也象以色列人一样，有各式各类的偶像妨碍我们专心敬拜神。也许你认为以色列人真愚蠢，竟然会拜一些木头，金牛犊等类似的偶像。贪心，骄傲，自我，金钱，知识，情欲，学业，前途，娱乐，这都是我们现代人所面对的各种偶像。我们知道如果我们把这些偶像藏在心中，神就会不喜悦。因此，我们必须将偶像从生活中除净。

弟兄姐妹，我们不可做自欺欺人的基督徒。竟然我们已相信这位真神，就得把一切捆绑我们的罪恶和偶像去除。[腓立比书4:13-我靠着那加给我力量的，我凡事都能做。]原你们过讨神喜悦的神活，做个好见证。

智恒

Bible study group

2008-03-31T04:23:00.000+08:00

From the very day we have chosen to accept Christ as our savior, we have been given the responsibilities and duties that a Christian should abide with. Our lives are no longer ours, but as a service to God. Our God is a merciful, understanding the weakness of our flesh and always there to support us when in need. However let us not forget that He expects us to place Him above all, to love him with all our heart, will and to the best of our ability.

The service that is mentioned earlier does not restrict to our roles as members or leaders in church or fellowship. The service is a 24/7, full time commitment with our entire lives. Every thought that goes through our minds, every word we speak, actions we take. In the world of temptations, confusion, bombardments of various theologies, we have to know where our stand lies.

Ever had difficulty preaching to a friend about God? Dumbfounded by some questions and theories that questions the basis of your faith? Finding it hard to resist any worldly temptations? Basically it is not enough to simply have a faith the size of a pea. It is not enough to have a shallow understanding of the very faith that you depend on with your life.

It is a quest that we are all on, to fight the spiritual battle. Our faith is real, something that requires real time actions. To equip ourselves, we would all need to read the bible.

I believe there shouldn't be any debates regarding this topic. It isn't so much of a should or should not. It is more like an impossible task to most people. Some have even resorted to undermining the importance of reading the Bible. However I would assume that there are no such people within the fellowship. The purpose of this post isn't to convince you that reading the bible is good and should be done. If necessary, another post titled "Importance of reading the Bible" would be posted soon. With regards to the reading of the bible, many have tried and failed. Resigned to failure of the tremendous task of reading the word of God.

Too boring (You probably don't read much do you). Too repetitive. Too thick (Note that there are mini sized bibles that is thinner than your average text material). No time (And why are you reading this online? What are you doing online anyway? Chatting? Checking your face book account?) Can't read. (Alright and what exactly are you doing now?) The list of excuses goes on. For more, kindly post your own at the end of this post.

I can assure you that it is not an impossible task. According to research, it takes 70 hours to finish reading the bible at an average speed. (This is based on a pastor who preached in my church earlier this year.) Alright I’ll assume that you read at a crawling pace. Let’s say 140 hours. This breaks down to 23 minutes a day for a year. Alright you have a really short attention span. Take two years then. Maybe three. The point is, set a goal to achieve.

If anyone here feels that the bible is too dry, in the sense that you find it too bland for your taste, there are always materials to make your quest much more interesting. I am currently using a Chinese bible with sub notes at the side, maps, and character analysis to aid with my reading. There are also guide books (similar to Final Fantasy) as well. All these will be recommended when you....

Join the bible study group. I understand that perhaps some of us just don't like doing something alone. Alright the bible study group's objective is to allow you to have accountability and companions on the similar quest to have a constant habit of reading the bible and hence doing quiet time. Take note that the bible study group is not group tuition, where you would attend class each week for 1 and a half hours such that you can read the bible together. It is more like an informal group setting, where we meet up on certain regularity (depending on the numbers in the group and the needs of everyone) to share on what we have learnt and provide support to one another. This means that the support can be done anytime, anywhere such as through SMS, Emails, when you meet during fellowship etc. Isn't it great that we now have another topic to talk about, other than the clothes we wear and the hairstyles we have?

This is in no way a desperate call for people to join this study group. Even if there is just one person out there who feels that YES THIS IS MY CALLING, I NEED TO JOIN NOW, it is fine. If there is no one, it's alright too. Just remember, the battle has already been won, it just depends if we are willing to submit and commit to following Christ. Just as the 603550 men fit for battle, (not counting the women and children and other men not fit for battle which would have amounted to a population of at least 2 million) were afraid of fighting for the promised land when they left Egypt and resulted in 40 years in the wilderness, your actions now would result in a similar result. Choose your path wisely or risk resulting in entering spiritual wilderness.

If you are interested in joining the bible study group, kindly approach me, Cheehan during fellowship.

To end, there was a survey done by American adults with regards to their knowledge on Christianity. The results were appalling. Here are some of the results.
- 60% can’t name five of the ten commandments
- 50% of high school seniors think Sodom and Gomorrah were married. (These are the two cities destroyed by God in Genesis because they were filled with sin)
- Only one third know that Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.
- Fewer than half can identify Genesis as the first book of the Bible

[Cheehan]

bible study group

2008-03-31T02:40:00.000+08:00

From the very day we have chosen to accept Christ as our savior, we have been given the responsibilities and duties that a Christian should abide with. Our lives are no longer ours, but as a service to God. Our God is a merciful, understanding the weakness of our flesh and always there to support us when in need. However let us not forget that He expects us to place Him above all, to love him with all our heart, will and to to the best of our ability.

The service that is mentioned earlier does not restrict to our roles as members or leaders in church or fellowship. The service is a 24/7, full time commitment with our entire lives. Every thought that goes through our minds, every word we speak, actions we take. In the world of temptations, confusion, bombardments of various theologies, we have to know where our stand lies.

Ever had difficulty preaching to a friend about God? Dumbfounded by some questions and theories that questions the basis of your faith? Finding it hard to resist any worldly temptations? Basically it is not enough to simply have a faith the size of a pea. It is not enough to have a shallow understanding of the very faith that you depend on with your life.

It is a quest that we are all on, to fight the spiritual battle. Our faith is real, something that requires real time actions. To equip ourselves, we would all need to read the bible.

I believe there shouldn't be any debates regarding this topic. It isn't so much of a should or should not. It is more like a impossible task to most people. Some have even resorted to undermining the importance of reading the Bible. However I would assume that there are no such people within the fellowship. The purpose of this post isn't to convince you that reading the bible is good and should be done. If necessary, another post titled "Importance of reading the Bible" would be posted soon. With regards to the reading of the bible, many have tried and failed. Resigned to failure of the tremendous task of reading the word of God.

Too boring( You probably don't read much do you). Too repetitive. Too thick( Note that there are mini sized bibles that is thinner than your average text material). No time( And why are you reading this online? What are you doing online anyway. Chatting? Checking your facebook account?) Can't read. ( Alright and what exactly are you doing now?) The list of excuses goes on. For more, kindly post your own at the end of this post.

I can assure you that it is not an impossible task. According to research, it takes 70 hours to finish reading the bible at an average speed. ( this is based on a pastor who preached in my church earlier this year.) Alright i'll assume that you read at a crawling pace. Lets say 140 hours. This breaks down to 23 minutes a day for a year. Alright you have a really short attention span. Take two years then. Maybe three. The point is, set a goal to achieve.

If any one here feels that the bible is too dry, in the sense that you find it too bland for your taste, there are always materials to make your quest much more interesting. I am currently using a chinese bible with subnotes at the side, maps, character analysis to aid with my reading. There is also guide books( similar to Final Fantasy) as well. All these will be recommended when you....

Join the bible study group. I understand that perhaps some of us just don't like doing something alone. Alrights the bible study group's objective is to allow you to have accountability and companions on the similar quest to have a constant habit of reading the bible and hence doing quiet time. Take note that the bible study group is not a group tuition, where you would attend class each week for 1 and a half hours such that you can read the bible together. It is more like an informal group setting, where we meet up on a certain regularity ( depending on the numbers in the group and the needs of everyone) to share on what we have learnt and provide support to one another. This means that the support can be done anytime, anywhere such as through SMS, Emails, when you meet during fellowship etc. Isn't it great that we now have another topic to talk about, other than the clothes we wear and the hairstyles we have.

This is in no way a desperate call for people to join this study group. Even if there is just one person out there who feels that YES THIS IS MY CALLING, I NEED TO JOIN NOW, it is fine. If there is no one, it's alright too. Just remember, the battle has already been won, it just depends if we are willing to submit and commit to following Christ. Just as the 603550 men fit for battle, (not counting the women and children and other men not fit for battle which would have amounted to a population of at least 2 million) were afraid of fighting for the promised land when they left Egypt and resulted in 40 years in the wilderness, your actions now would result in a similar result. Choose your path wisely or risk resulting in entering spiritual wilderness.

If you are interested in joining the bible study group, kindly approach me, Cheehan during fellowship.

To end, there was a survey done by American adults with regards to their knowledge on Christianity. The results were appalling. Here are some of the results.
- 60% cant name five of the ten commandments
- 50% of high school seniors think Sodom and Gomorrah were married.( these are the two cities destroyed by God in Genesis because they were filled with sin)
- only one third know that Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.
- Fewer than half can identify Genesis as the first book of the Bible

[Cheehan]

2008-03-24T14:58:00.000+08:00

YOu might be real surprise to see me writing a post here~ yes i have finally figured out how to blog~

Just wanna share with u guys a song. Some of u might have received it via email but its good to keep it here right? ^.^
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HRYdPre45k

我的天父可否让我好好地谈恋爱
不再流泪不再伤痛不再聚合又在分开
我的天父我只想要安稳找个人来爱
请让我知道那个人在不在

我的孩子难道你忘记我就是爱
学懂爱我学懂爱你自己你就懂好好恋爱
我的孩子何不尝试安静地慢慢去等待
你就会知道那个人在不在 ...

Look at the lyrics, isn't it just so well- written? I really think that this is a wonderful song isn't it?

Recently, someone asked me a question which really triggered my thoughts. 'Aren't christian supposed to be good? Then why are some not?' was what was thrown at me. For a moment, i was dumb. Yes aren't we supposed to be good? Then why aren't we? Are we the salt of the earth light of the world? Then why would someone ask me such a question... like that!? This just reminded me of the our humanity. The teaching of the bible is true and with no mistake. We who believe in the bible are supposed to be more like jesus Christ. But we all know, its hard and definitely takes time. However, what most people see is not the bible but the people believing in it. It is evident that in their mindset, Christians are expected to be good. (U can disagree with me) If not why do we always get the more stares and criticism when we did something wrong just like other non-christians did? True enough, they do have expectations of us, be it said or unsaid. So we'll have ask ourselves, are we up to it? Of course, we don't live to live up to their expectations but God's. However, if we can't even prove to them that we can live a reborn life being a christian, why should they? Many a time, when we emphasize so much on spreading the gospel to non- believers(not to say that its not important), we often neglected the fact that actions speak louder than words. I am sure friends around can see and feel how u are as a person. How great will it be if they can associate your great actions to Christianity? If the gospel is the seed we wish to plant in your friends' heart, i would say our actions is the water and nutrients the seed need to grow. Let's all work together and tell the people around us that God is love and we are reborn by his love, not only through words but by our lives!

^j^

The Room

2008-03-24T01:13:00.000+08:00

This would be a long message, but it is really worth your time. I took this from a book by Christian author Joshua Harris. This is a real account of what he dreamt of one night.

“The Room”

I found myself in a room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall covered with small index-card files.

They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject. These files, are stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endlessly in either direction. As I drew close to the wall of files, the first to catch my attention reads “Girls I have liked”. I opened it and was shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one.

And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room was a catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn’t even match.

I began randomly opening file, exploring their contents. Some brought sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.

The titles of the files ranged from mundane to the outright weird: “Books I have read”, “Lies I have told”, “Comfort I have give”. Some were as detailed as “Things I have yelled at my brothers”. I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were more cards I expected or fewer cards then I hoped.

I also realized actually each and every card was written in my own handwriting, each signed with my signature.

When I came to a file named “Lustful thoughts”, I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded.

Suddenly I felt an almost animal range. “No one must ever see these cards, this room! I have to destroy them!” In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out. I had to burn the cards! But I don’t seem to dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.

Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore “People I have shared the gospel with.” The handle was brighter then those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle; I could count the cards it contained on one hand.

And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that the hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key.

But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw HIM. No, please, not Him. Not here, Oh no, please, anyone but Jesus.

I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn’t bear to watch His response. When I look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. Why did He have to read every card?

Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room with pity in His eyes. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands, and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn’t say a word. He just cried with me.
Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card.

“NO!!” I shouted, rushing to Him. All I could find to say was “No!! No!!” as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn’t be on these cards. But there it was, written in red, so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His very own blood.
He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and continued to sign the cards. I don’t think I’ll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, “It is finished.”

I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.

This really touched me so much. It give me a new meaning of Jesus took away my sin. It always seems so far away from me. But after seeing this, I realize that oh no, He not only will take away my sin, He replace Himself for every single one of my very sinful sins. Such a pure and holy God replace my sin!!!! Who can ever do this??!!

There is no one, but Jesus. All we have to do is believe.

Vivian

“It’s Hard” VS “I Can’t”

2008-03-23T23:38:00.000+08:00

I was reading a great book and one of the chapters is called “what kids need to understand”. And I applied the same theory into the lives of Christianity. Here it is:

What Christians Need to Understand
“It’s Hard” VS “I Can’t”

Each of us should carry his own load. (Gal 6:5)

One aspect of learning to take responsibility for a Christian to understand that being unable differs from being uncomfortable. Sometimes, we see the two as one. Therefore, what we don’t enjoy, we think we can’t do. Thinking that we can’t do, we will either give up difficult things because they are too hard, charm someone else into doing them for ourselves, or find shortcuts like cheating on exams.

Alright, let’s honestly ask ourselves. Have I ever say such things: I can’t read finish the bible, that’s impossible! OR I can’t come wake up for Sunday Service, I am dead tired OR I can’t come for bible study, it’s too boring for me OR I can’t serve, I am too busy.

Part of growing up as a Christian is learning what we are responsible for our own spiritual life. Searching for God’s will and learning His words are definitely what each of us is responsible for. No one can do it for us. However, there’re certainly things and problems with which we do need help, problems such as spiritual war, experiencing emotional crisis and such.

But even in these crisis situations, a Christian must still learn responsibility. He or She still has tasks. Here are the tasks:

1) Being honest and humble enough to realize you have a problem instead of being proud or denying the problem.
2) Taking initiative to ask for help from others instead of withdrawing, or hoping it will go away.
3) Picking trustworthy people of character you can ask for help
4) Doing your part to solve the problem
5) Valuing and appreciating the help that’s given
6) Learning from the experiences so that you don’t repeat them.

This is the bad news in life: Even when we are unable to help ourselves, we still have a job to do. If you are hit by car, you’re a victim - but you still have to hobble to the physical therapist and do the exercises. There’re very few things in life in which we has no responsibility at all. Yeah, it’s unfair. But well, one thing we can be sure of is that God will give us the strength to bear our own responsibilities.

So now let me say my final line, let us all encourage each other, to take responsibility in our own spiritual growth.

NOW let us say “Although it is difficult, but I will still do it to glorify God.”

Posted by The Old One

Inspired from the book “Boundaries with Kids” by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend

Things to do before CAs/Mid-terms/Exams

2008-03-21T22:24:00.000+08:00

I believe everyone has had the experience of sitting for exams. It's interesting to see what people do just right before the exams, their expressions on their faces, etc. In my faculty, what we see most commonly is most people frantically flipping through their notes last minutes, not because they have not read it for the nth time, but maybe because they do not want to miss out any detail which might just have the slightest remotest chance of coming out in the exam. People would also be busy trying to clarify any last-minute doubts with classmates. Quite a tense atmosphere.

I am blessed that there is a Christian fellowship within this faculty and community of mine. We made it a point to gather half an hour before the reporting time for exam, just like everyday before the start of lecture, to praise and worship the Lord, to pray and to entrust the entire day into His hands.

A friend shared something very interesting and true, and I hope that as most of us students continue to face exams and tests, (or even as people who are facing challenges and struggles as we work), we'll keep this in mind.

"Even as we draw close to the exams, let us remember that what we need to mug the most isn't our textbooks, lecture notes or summaries. What we should be mugging most is the bible, for that is the source of our strength, peace and wisdom."

Heart of Worship

2008-03-17T23:12:00.000+08:00

When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

Chorus: I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord,
for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus

King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve
Though I'm weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

LET US ALL WORSHIP FOR GOD AND GOD ONLY

God... u there?

2008-03-17T21:48:00.000+08:00

what happens when u become too comfortable living in your perfect life as a christian? i believe all of us have experienced comfortable living and tend to take God's grace in our lives for granted... at least for me, i experienced it

was overwhelmed by this awesome God 5 years back and devoted my life to him.. but after attending services and even taking up commitment to join Sing Shen, his presence drifted from me... i was still attending church.. still having fun in Glowing, still singing for church services... but when i put myself at ground zero and looked down at myself, it was clear that i drifted from God... the motive and passion to burn for him was missing.. why???

it's human nature to feel that God left us... and den grumble about how God "forgot about us" or, "is not listening to me"... but hey... it's the other way around!!!

there's this inspiring story i read during my devotion...

imagine u're a little boy holding mummy's hand and is at the escalator... when mummy steps up the escalator, the little boy decides to see what will happen if he just stay put at the bottom of the escalator... watching mummy on the escalator going higher, he watches and laugh.. until mummy was too far, fear sits in and the boy cries in loneliness.. a kind stranger walks pass and helped the escalator up... up there, the boy realised mummy's still at the top of the escalator!!!!

sometimes... it's us that make decisions that make us look away from God and walk in the other direction... although we might not see it initially, but we must know that it's us that walk away from God, and not him forsaking us! this is v v v v impt! cos he'll always be there at the top of the escalator waiting for us to go back! all u need to do is realise that crying at the bottom of the escalator is pointless and step up! he's waiting!

wishing all a spark in their spiritual passion!!!! let it burn!

jason

how old are you???

2008-03-12T22:06:00.001+08:00

was travelling to SSDC for my final theory test yst, (although i failed), but learnt something on my trip there...

the walk to ssdc was a distance, and i was in the big crowd that was heading to the driving centre... beside me was a office lady, a malay girl, a uncle, a bangala, and a tai tai... it was pretty obvious all of us were walking with the same aim, to get to ssdc, to get a license...

among the crowd, i felt very young cos i am getting a license at 21 (although i'm 3 yrs late), but others were grown up working adults... den it striked me that it doesnt matter how old are you to get a license (of course u have to be 18), but it's all about your decision to commit into getting a license and going for classes, tests... it's up to you, u might take it up at 18, or u might do so when u're 38, but eventually it's the same license! it doesnt mean that if i'm 20, i'm a lousy driver, or if i'm older, i'm better... it's all about you TAKING A STEP to go for a license...

here's the challenge... if i'm a christian that grew up in a christian family, does that make me spiritually strong? if i'm a new believer that seeks God in my daily life, does that make me lesser than a born christian? i guess my point is that sometimes one might deceive oneself that by being a christian and attending church for so many years it would make him a spiritual and committed christian... it all runs down to the time when you realise the need to commit into leading a Godly life, and serving Him with your gifts with right motives... no matter how old u are... after all it doesnt matter when u believe in christ, how long u have been a christian.. it's about THE THINGS U DID when u are a christian!

just to share a random thought~

p.s. do share your QT thoughts in here! :)

jason

Glowers' Birthdays Presents Budget

2008-03-02T22:18:00.000+08:00

okay i should be the first to blog a NSS (Not-So-Serious) post.
haha.
& i think we should add a tagboard.
(LOOK AT THE TEMPLETE. i'm pretty sure someone with initials Z.Y chose it.HAH)
anyway, for those who doesn't know.
our birthdays' presents (unofficial) budget for 2008 would be as follow:

21st birthday - SGD$6.00 (Per Glower)
regular birthdays - SGD$3.00 (Per Glower)

& the reason why Glowing is going through an economic crisis this year,
would be mainly the fact that a lot of people are turning 21!
so please understand,
why the usual people would ask you for money every now & then.
& note that these are the people,
who don't mind the effort to buy the present,
& takes the initiative to collect the money.
so the very least you can do,
is to pay them promptly.
i'm sure that everyone loves to receive presents on their birthdays,
including YOU!
so despite how cash-tight you may be to cover for you own expenses,
or how reluctant you are to take out money from your wallet,
do think a little more for each other.
<3

Glowing is filled with God's unlimited love,
so why not spread the love around?

Xiwennnnnnnn.

"GIVE"

2008-03-02T00:13:00.000+08:00

After our meaningful discussion today, a thought came to my mind and imprint in my heart. The main word that describe the whole chunk of thoughts is just simply "GIVE".

We can GIVE without LOVE but we can't LOVE without GIVING. (This meaningful phrase is obviously not from me.haha!It's from some other people that said this and got printed in daily bread.) Jesus's greatest commandment was simply "LOVE the Lord" and " LOVE your neighbors". Well, "LOVE" is always a big word but " GIVE" is really the action to show it.

In glowing 's focus's context, I think "GIVE" is very relevant as well. We have 5 aims. Worship, Discipleship, Fellowship, Ministry and Evangelism.

Worship:- It's a way that we "GIVE" thanks to God and "GIVE" a living testimonial about Jesus to the people around us using our lives.

Discipleship:- This is the part where we "GIVE" up our own sins,desires,wants and pick up what Jesus had wanted us to be.

Fellowship:- This is where we can "GIVE" to each other. If we were to be alone, there would be no one for us to give. Therefore, God put is in a fellowship to learn to "GIVE" to each other. In Acts, fellowship of the christians did not mean meeting on everyday saturday for two hours. Their fellowship wasliving together and giving all that they have to the fellowship and share among everybody.

Ministry:- This is where we "GIVE" our services to the church using our gifts that God had placed in us.

Evangelism:-This is where we "GIVE" to the non-believers, and even people that we may not even know. Some people even have to "GIVE" their lives just for this sake. God "GAVE" his only son to us, and that's where we learn from Him, to GIVE.

Back to our fellowship context, there might be a thousand and one things that do not match our needs or satisfied our desire. Therefore, if we focus on what we can get and receive from the fellowship and church, it will never ever be enough. There are too many needs out there to satisfied and our owns are often least attended to. However, at the same time, since there are so many needs out there, when we focus on what we can "GIVE", we will never be lack of chances and opportunities to do so. So if you are feeling left out in the fellowship or feeling irrelevant to the fellowship, maybe it's time to change a perspective. A person can only be committed and involved when he/she starts to "GIVE". So next time, instead of asking " What can I receive from the fellowship?", we can start asking "What can I GIVE to the fellowship?"

Sorry for the long winding blog entry.haha!But well, FREEDOM OF SPEECH!

"What do you want me to do for you?"

2008-03-01T12:04:00.000+08:00

This is a question that Jesus asked the blind beggar in Luke 18:35-43, and this is a question that Jesus continues to ask us today. Just like a loving father would ask his children, God wants to be there for us whenever we have issues to resolve, problems to overcome.

Have we ever thought that anything was too trivial, "This is too childish to ask of God, better not ask."?

Have we ever thought that anything was too difficult, "This problem is too complicated, doubt God will be able to provide a way out anyway."?

Have we ever thought that anything was too ridiculous, "This request is totally absurd, think it's just my wishful thinking, God won't entertain one lah."?

But indeed, God is asking us, "What do you want me to do for you?" Let us never try to perceive the power of God and what He can do with our extremely limited human minds. If something seems an impossibility, it is the very thing which we have to ask for. While ultimately, whether it is the will of the Lord to accomplish what we ask of Him is His authority, let us ask God with the innocence of a child and maturity of the spirit what we'd like of Him to do for us.

"Lord, I pray that I grow to be more like you." Sounds impossible? This is precisely what we can ask for. God is glorified by doing the impossible for us.

"And Jesus said to him, 'Recover your sight, your faith has made you well.' And immediately he covered his sight and followed him, glofriying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God." ~ Luke 18:42-43

5 Loaves and 2 Fishes

2008-02-23T13:23:00.000+08:00

All 4 Books of the Gospels mention Jesus feeding the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-14). We marvel at the power of Jesus in this miracle, but have we ever thought where the 5 loaves and 2 fishes came from?

Only in John, is it mentioned that "There s a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish.." (John 6:9). Could Jesus not have performed the miracle and fed the crowd without the what the boy had to offer? Jesus clearly"knew what he would do" (6:6). So why did Jesus need the 5 loaves and 2 fishes?

What a privilege it is for us to be able to serve the Lord! He allows us to offer willingly what limited gifts we have so that we can be a blessing to those around us and more importantly, to bring glory to His name.

Many may be afraid to step up and serve, because they're afraid that they do not have the necessary experience or gifts or talents to be able to serve. But let us learn from the example of the boy who offered the 5 loaves and 2 fishes he had. We serve and offer up our gifts and lives to Him, not because His kingdom cannot do without it, but because of our love for God.

Very often when we watch period dramas, we see many warriors willingly lay down their lives for their kings to fight the war. We may think why? Don't they think of the sorrow their family experiences should he perish on the battlefield? What difference would one soldier make on the battlefield? They are willing to sacrifice, because of their love for the country, the king and to gain favour in the king's eyes.

If we are willing to lay down our lives for the soverignty of our earthly country, what more for God's eternal kingdom? May we not be intimidated by our inadequacies, because we will never be adequate anyway, so that we may not boast of our gifts and talents; but be willing to offer whatever we have, however little and small, to be of use to God and to be a blessing unto others.

"Take my five loaves and two fishes
Do with it as you will
I surrender
Take my fears and inhibitions
All my burdens, my ambitions
You can use it all
No gift is too small" ~ Five Loaves and Two Fishes, Corrinne May

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNxw90Ayl74

2008-02-19T00:27:00.001+08:00

mehhhmehhh.blogspot serves as a portal for Glowers to input their thoughts and topics to share about. so feel free to blog and comment!

username: mehhmehh

password: jesuschrist

email: mehhmehh.gmail.com

start posting!

Where God's Lambs are - Mehhh...Mehhh...

Right & Wrong: A Case for Moral Absolutes

Prayer Meeting 6th Feb (Fri), 7:30pm

Burned Out Christians

The Screwtape Letters

Freedom from Quiet Time Guilt - Part 6 of 6

Freedom from Quiet Time Guilt - Part 5 of 6

Freedom from Quiet Time Guilt - Part 4 of 6

Love

Freedom from Quiet Time Guilt - Part 3 of 6

Freedom from Quiet Time Guilt - Part 2 of 6

Invited

Sermon Notes 《一齐成长》

Service

Freedom from Quiet Time Guilt - Part 1 of 6

Busboy

Waiting

Are we worrying too much?

Sharigs + reflections on MISSION TRIP!

Verses of Reminders that WE all can be reminded!

youth zone carolling 08

I See Love by Third Day

宝贵十架

The language that we used....

The time and effort... For GOD...

Human Rights vs Ethics

Silver

God blesses humble people

Carefully Careless

Love or hate?

LOVE

Where did you find God today?

Where did you find God today?

Where did you find God today?

Where did u find God today?

being a child...

A simple story to share with glowing.

Boy to MAN!

Experiencing & Equiping... a testimonial by myself

God's Will...

to marry a non-c OR not

Happily Married at 40! (Next chapter)

Christian can only marry other christians!

how this guy fights the odds...

INTERESTING CONVERSATION that really questions HOW STRONG is our FAITH!

should i ask???? -just ask-

Meaningful Day / Session on 1st May.

Wish i be there !

many VS a few

Glowing with <3

::To gamble or NOT::

2008 音乐培灵会

积财宝在天

SYFC Youth Conference - Perspectives

读 经 分 享： 需 要 和 想 要

We're representing JESUS....

“Salvation for Free!! Save your Soul baby!!”

loss

comments on ST forum

Straits Times Forum: Let's respect a person's private space in public

TEMPLE

Jesus Take The Wheel

An evening of WORSHIP with Planetshakers + Tim Hughes.. {my thoughts!}

When you feel weak due to your own weaknesses.

By Forgiving Each Other...

Prayer is a VERY powerful tool!

Bible Sharing

读经分享- 遵守诫命

读经分享：祷告

读经分享

Bible study group

bible study group

The Room

“It’s Hard” VS “I Can’t”

Things to do before CAs/Mid-terms/Exams

Heart of Worship

God... u there?

how old are you???

Glowers' Birthdays Presents Budget

"GIVE"

读经分享：需要和想要