Come, meditate Psalm 23 with me!

p.s. thanks Janice for sharing this :)

Read slowly.
Read thoroughly.
Let the words saturate into your spirit.
You will surely find treasures in this! :)


The LORD is my shepherd,
- That's relationship
I shall not be in want.
- That's supply

He makes me lie down in green pastures,
- That's rest

he leads me beside quiet waters,
- That's refreshment

he restores my soul.
- That's healing

He guides me in paths of righteousness
- That's guidance

for his name's sake.
- That's purpose

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
- That's testing

I will fear no evil,
- That's protection

for you are with me;
- That's faithfulness

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
- That's discipline

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
- That's hope

You anoint my head with oil;
- That's consecration

my cup overflows.
- That's abundance

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
- That's blessing

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
- That's security

forever.
- That's eternity

Revolution Camp. woohoo! =p

Three days. One weekend. One revolutionary camp. The beginning of a new chapter. One step of clarity. Absolutely mindblowing. Absolutely ballistic.

And the adjectives could go on and on. But no words can ever describe the way God moved, the way this camp has surpassed the level that was set last year. For this is a new season, a year of increase, and our God is a God of ever-increasing abundance, who only ever wants to pour out more and more of His Spirit, of His blessing, of His love.

And no, this isn't gonna be a blog entry describing camp. I'm too lazy for that. =p I'm just gonna share what was preached, and what was spoken during the 4 sessions we had.

Session 1: Holy and happy
Ps James Murray

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

- God is saying that ALL of us need to be holy
- Stop having the misconception that holiness is something we as humans can never attain
- Some of us think that holiness is a burden you have to push around with you for the rest of your life, that it's something as burdensome as having to push your mother in law around in a wheelchair while everyone else is out having fun i.e. we tend to think that being holy means having to lead a boring, boring life
- Some of us even envy sinners, thinking that they're the ones having all the fun and enjoying life, while we, as little perfect Christians, are stuck being prissy and uptight
- If that is you, realise that what the world is saying is "Haha, I've got a bmx, you've got a Hummer"; and you're actually envying the world for that???
- Holiness is being full of it
- Remember that temptation is a voice in your life that will never go away. Even Jesus got tempted, why do you think you won't?
- The only two things that temptation says:
"once won't hurt"
"you've already done it once, messed up once. might as well do it again"
- The reason that being full of "it" enables you to be holy, is that when you give yourself wholly to God, you'll be so full that there's no room for anything else
- Many of us don't dare to trust God with everything, and therefore give pieces of our life away to other people/to things that will ultimately leave us empty. (note that the satisfaction will be there for a moment, but emtpiness will always sink back in)
- Remember that while you try to handle holiness, grace is handling you, because His grace is sufficient. When you screw up, grace is there to stand in the gap for you.

Session 2: More than knowledge
Ps James Murray

Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him

Psalm 34:8

• Our whole life is full of experiences (things that we’ll never forget)
• An experience can be described but can never be fully explained
• Most people go through their Christian life hearing and learning/knowing about God’s love, but how many have fully experienced it?
• Knowledge is important, but it’s only the beginning

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge

Ephesians 3:17-18

• A touch of heaven surpasses all knowledge and explanation
• Your role is not to explain to anyone the extent and depth of God’s love, but to help bring them to a place where they can experience it for themselves
• You can be defeated in a debate, but an experience is something that no one can ever talk you out of

When’s the last time you got a touch from God?
When’s the last time you felt Him move so powerfully in your life?
When’s the last time you felt His Presence so tangibly, so strongly?

Session 3: Whispers - hearing the voice of God
Ps Corey Turner

¹ The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.

² One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. ³ The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. ⁴ Then the LORD called Samuel.
Samuel answered, "Here I am." ⁵ And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down.

⁶ Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
"My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down."

⁷ Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD : The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

⁸ The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. ⁹ So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

¹⁰ The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!"
Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

1 Samuel 3:1-10

• Note that Samuel was lying in the temple of the Lord
• If being physically deaf makes it difficult for us to relate to people and hinder us in what we can do, think about the consequences of not being able to hear in the supernatural - not hearing those whispers from God and having a heart that is hardened results in a spiritual walk that is dry and barren
• Our lives are shaped by our responses to what God whispers to us
• Remember that we are communicators, just as the Godhead is in perfect communion and covenant communication

The "doctrine of revelation"

• A fundamental doctrine of Christianity, which asserts that God has chosen to reveal Himself to His creation
• Remember that you DID NOT find God. God was NOT lost! God did not need any finding!
• All revelation and communication was initiated by God

1) General revelation (available to ALL)

- Through creation

• Rom 1:19-20 - "...what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine anture - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse"
• Intelligent design implies and intelligent designer

- Through our conscience

• An inward knowledge of good and evil
• Before Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they were in he state of sinless perfection, where they knew only good
• Rom 2:14-15: "Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them."

- Through human history

• Acts 17:26: "From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live."

2) Special revelation: communication from God available to some

- Through miracles

- Through prophecy

- Through Jesus

• Jesus is the Word (John 1:14)
• God came out of His comfort zone to relate to us, by becoming flesh and blood
• Application: stop being wierd, diconnected and super-spiritual. Start being out there, be real, engage, because there's a world out there asking how you are relevant to them. Jesus was REAL. Jesus was LOVED by sinners. Be flesh to the world!

- Through Scripture, the Word of Life

• Stop equalizing personal revelation with revelation from Scripture
• Remember that the majority of what you hear from God will be from the Bible
• If you operate by your own revelation -> own ideology -> half truths -> cult
• The Bible is completely the Word of God, but you need to interpret it right, live it, and embrace it. Read more of it; it's where all the power of God in your life comes from, not from some other Christian book written by some other person
• Stop feeding on spiritual milk and move into the meat of God's Word and live it out

• Only 3 voices in your life: God, devil, your own
• All you need to do is check your motives to know if it's from God or you.
• And the devil isn't gonna be the one telling you to do more good, to serve more etc, so it isn't that hard to figure out!
• Everything is to lead us to a personal relationship, through personal experience
• God already knows everything that you're thinking, but so often we talk and ask so much that we forget to hear what He has to say
• In 1 Sam, the reason or God's voice being rare was because all the leaders were so busy doing. You won't hear if you don't position yourself
• Remember that God is hiding your call FOR you, not FROM you
• Do you honestly expect God to speak if you only go to Him for guidance rather than a relationship? Stop treating Him as a genie in a bottle if you want Him to move specifically in your life

4 points on hearing God's whispers

1) When God's voice is distant, you're the one who's moved away from Him, not the other way round

• It's time to crawl back into the prayer closet
• Take responsiblity for your own spiritual walk and stop waiting for another sermon, another pep-me-up

2) Don't despise the Eli in your life. You'll need them one day

• If you were fit to lead, God would've called you. But guess what? He didn't! He put that person there to lead and guide you

3) Needs a willingness to obey

• God sometimes refrains from revealing things because we aren't ready to receive it
• He'll reveal enough to let you know just the next step to take
• Remember that fruitfulness comes from obedience and remaining in Christ
• Stop asking God to reveal more if you haven't already obeyed what He has already revealed and asked you to do!

4) Stop looking for God to only speak in the spectacular

• Life ain't gonna be exciting all the time! =p
• If you think God only speaks in the spectacular, you'll miss 90% of what God is speaking
• Remember 1 Kings 19: the wind, earthquake, and fire. Wow! But it wasn't God. God came in the still small voice and spoke to Elisha, and this set up his entire ministry
• God mainly speaks in the mundane and routine of your life

Session 4: Sexuality
Ps Corey Turner

- You need to understand your sexuality from God's perspective

¹²"Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything. ¹³"Food for the stomach and the stomach for food"—but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. ¹⁴By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. ¹⁵Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! ¹⁶Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh."¹⁷But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

¹⁸Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. ¹⁹Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

1 Co 6:12-20

-We should only be mastered by the Holy Spirit

- Note in v19, that we are not our own. We belong to God, as He has bought us with His life

- When animals mate, there is nothing more than pure instinct. They do not have a spirit

- Yet the world thinks that we can't stop ourselves from having sex because that's what we were programmed to be; that we can't transcend our physical instinct
- eg. schoolies week - full vent to those 'deep dark primal instincts'

- Who decided that we can't restrain ourselves?
- Society's world view is not the voice of realism, it's the voice of despair

- The other extreme of human instinct is angel impulse

• Just as destructive and negative
• The "just don't, just don't" mentality
• Fails to address that sexuality is an important part of our life
• Leads to sexual indulgences and sexual dysfunction

- There needs to be a balanced, God-centred example of the right temperature and level of intimacy and affection

- To act like an angel is to reject your sexuality

- Paul in the passage was trying to elevate our understanding of our sexuality - that it is connected to our spirituality

• Paul is challenging the dominant world view at that time by saying that our body is a temple i.e. sacred
• renewing the Corinthian's ideologies - that God is involved in our sexuality
• sex is meant for an appropriate time/moment

- Genesis: the earth was a wild wasteland before man set upon it

• every day that passed led to a departure from chaos and disorder
• God made Man His crowning glory
• an angel can manifest in physical form for a time, but is only a spirit. Animals are physical beings without spirit. If we act like either, we are not acting the way God intended, for we were made in God's image with body and spirit. So stop acting like an angel, cos you ain't one!

- Often, the church thinks that something's too difficult to understnad and so just prohibits them. Too often, the world only knows us by what we are against, not what we are for

- Paul is saying that if God created something, it is not to be denied: God created sex for our enjoyment, but Satan came to use it to destroy that which was pure

- Because God is holy, sex is holy

- It isn't a question of how far, but it's a question of the right time - we are all capable of self restraint

- God never intended any guilt to be attached to sexuality

- 1Co6 tells us that sexual sin is different from other sin and carries different consequences

• you are involving Jesus in it because He lives in your body
• but Jesus is holy and pure, and therefore cannot be there -> hence He will distance Himself
• therefore sex outside what God intended makes us feel more disconnected, alone, meaningless, further away from God than ever
  

- When you sleep with someone, you're with them as one in spirit

- Sexual sin therefore doesn't only require forgiveness, it requires healing

- Understanding sexuality is an understanding of relationships

As leaders, stop justifying and excusing your sin. How you relate, how you act, acts as the litmus test for others to see. We'll never be healed and whole until God is in the centre of all relationships.

to ponder on

Christian right causing rest of us to lose faith
Oct. 25, 2007
from: The Lariat Online

I believe it was Gandhi that once said, "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

I've always thought about those words and what they meant to me in my own experiences with other Christians.

Then when I read a survey by the Barna Group, a Christian research organization, my worst suspicions were confirmed.

The survey was about how young people view Christianity, and it showed that among 16-29-year-olds, young people have never been more critical and skeptical of Christianity.

When asked to choose their perceptions of Christians from a list of 10 positive and 10 negative, nine out of the top 12 perceptions were negative.

The survey cited feelings of disengagement and disillusionment among young people as a primary reason for this.

Whereas a decade ago, the majority of non-Christians had a favorable view of Christians, that rate now sits at 16 percent.

Which group draws most of the ire from non-Christians?

Well, if you are the average Baylor student, you need only look in the mirror -- only 3 percent of people expressed positive views of evangelicals.

But don't use this as an excuse to get all high and mighty and cry about how our society is hostile toward Christianity, and that increased persecution is a sign of the end times and that if prayer would not have ever been taken out of schools and blah blah blah... .

Just consider this: Half of young Christians themselves echoed the same sentiments -- that they "perceive Christianity to be judgmental, hypocritical and too political."

I often find myself within this camp.

Simply put, I think the church as an institution, our leaders -- perhaps even some of our parents -- have failed us.

Over the past few decades, while mainline Protestantism was growing out of touch with modernity, evangelicals became too radicalized and began to turn many people off. Suddenly, seeking people were forced to choose. Well, many young people have chosen now, and they choose neither.

Respondents to this poll gave deeply intimate stories of experiences that have turned them off to Christianity -- not broad, sweeping generalizations. Finally, there is statistical evidence for what we have already known all along but were just afraid to admit to ourselves.

This shouldn't be too surprising. Yes, we live in a post-modern society, and it shouldn't be a shock that young people are so detached.

But supposing you are a Christian, the fact of the matter is that what's being done in our name (particularly by the Christian far right) is killing Christianity. Since they are often the people who hijack the dialogue and speak loudest, they are the ones the public most often sees.

Consider this a plea to those so-called Christians. The next time you malevolently condemn homosexuals, try to get creationism into classrooms or join the cries for war, just remember: The rest of us are watching.

For the rest of us, we should make it a fundamental aspect of our faith to oppose these markedly un-Christian actions that turn people off to Christianity.

It's good to know the observations of someone outside the faith. We must always be looking for the plank in our own eye, before we look for the splinter in others.

It helps us to take inventory of ourselves and learn what we can be doing better to let the world know what we are really about.

Gandhi also said that what passes as Christianity these days is a negation of the Sermon on the Mount.

I think he was right.

Brad Briggs is a senior journalism major from Mesquite.

Deuteronomy 33:12

"Rest" is probably not something many of us are getting enough of,

especially this busy time of the year.

--
Deut 33:12

About Benjamin he said:

"Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him,

for he shields him all day long,

and the one the LORD loves

rests between His shoulders."

--

-Very quickly want to share:

3 take home messages from the verse above:

1. God shields us "all day long"

(even whilst rushing AMS deadlines, assignments, and exam prep!)

2. We can rest secure in Him, as His beloved.

3. Our position in God: "Between His shoulders" (like a Daddy giving his kid a PIGGY BACK ride!^^)

Food for thought

I know there are people out there who say, “My life was such a mess. I was drinking, partying, sleeping around... and then I met Jesus and my whole life came together.” God bless those people. But me, I had it together. I used to be cool. And then I met Jesus and he wrecked my life. The more I read the gospel, the more it messed me up, turning everything I believed in, valued, and hoped for upside-down. I'm still recovering from my conversion.

~Shane Claiborne~

My hello from Malaysia!

Have you ever had one of those days where you feel 'dry' spiritually? Those days when everything seems ordinary, boring and mundane? Or have you ever felt so low or broken, that you have no words to express how you truly feel before God? Sometimes, I find myself so dry spiritually that spending time with God meant nothing to me. Sometimes, when I'm so broken and low in my spirit, I couldn't find the strength to crawl into His arms of love. Sometimes, when I get too busy with life and have unconsciously pushed God aside, I find it hard to want to fall back into intimacy with Him.

I came across this short devotional guide tonight. Though it's simple, I think it captures the essence of our intimacy and devotion to the Lord very accurately and beautifully. I pray that as you read this, you will be encouraged and the Spirit will speak to you. Perhaps, this short verse may be your entree. Go on.... get a main meal tonight. Open your Bible. Read the whole of psalm 27. Meditate on it (disect the Word, crunch it into pieces, chew on every bit, draw out every meaning in every word of the psalm!). And be blessed!!

With lots of love (I miss you all HEAPS!!),
Wengie Yanie :)

********** ********** **********

Psalm 27 : 8 [NLT]
My heart has heard you say, 'Come and talk with me.' And my heart responds, 'LORD, I am coming.'

It is in the heart that we hear God's invitation, and it's the heart that responds. The psalmist (David) knew God had invited him to come and talk with him. Yet the context is that David has not felt God's presence. The surrounding verses speak of the fear of abandonment. So this is faith speaking, faith originating from the heart's reception of God's invitation. Faith believes that God is inviting us to come to Him, and that He will receive us. Talk with God today in faith, in response to God's invitation … whether you feel His presence or not.

Jokes to lighten your heart

Here some jokes to lighten your heart. Especially for those who are stressing over their multiple upcoming tests and AMS. Take a break and take a step back. Take time off for GOD and not take time-off from GOD. :)
Don't bury yourself under the busy schedule. With that, new revelation will come... And I believe that these revelation will benefit you in your studies and time management as well :)

1)Teaching the Teacher
One day a 6 year old girl was sitting in a classroom. The teacher was going to explain evolution to the children. The teacher asked a little boy.

TEACHER: Tommy do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Tommy, do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Go outside and look up and see if you can see the sky.
TOMMY: Okay.(He returned a few minutes later) Yes, I saw the sky.
TEACHER: Did you see God?
TOMMY: No.
TEACHER: That's my point. We can't see God because he isn't there! He doesn't exist.

A little girl spoke up and wanted to ask the boy some questions. The teacher agreed and the little girl asked:

LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yessssss (getting tired of the questions by this time).
LITTLE GIRL: Did you see the sky?
TOMMY: Yessssss
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the teacher?
TOMMY: Yes
LITTLE GIRL: Do you see her brain?
TOMMY: No
LITTLE GIRL: Then according to what we were taught today in school, she must not have one!

2)How to Get Into Heaven

A man dies and mets St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. Peter says to the man, "Here's how it works. You need to have one hundred points to get into heaven. You tell me about all the good things you've done. They are all worth a certain number of points. If your total is one hundred or more, you can come in."

"Well," says the man. "I was happily married to the same woman for 52 years. I never looked at another woman. I was attentive and loved her dearly."

"That's great," says St. Peter. "That'll be two points."

"Hmmm," says the man. "This is going to be harder than I thought. Well, I attended church regularly, volunteered my time and tithed faithfully."

"Wonderful," says St. Peter, "That's worth another point."

"One point!" says the man. "Okay, okay. I was involved with a prison ministry for twenty-five years. I went into the prison, at least monthly, and shared Jesus with them."

"Wow!" says St. Peter. "That's another two points!"

"Only two points!" says the man. "At this rate, it'll be by the grace of God that'll I'll ever get into this place."

"Bingo!" says St. Peter. "That's one hundred points! Come on in."

Recruiting Ushers!

If you have a tireless smile, love working with people, and have a heart to serve God by getting involved in the church life, consider:

JOINING THE USHERING TEAM THIS SEMESTER!

For more information, just contact your cell leader or get an usher in cell(Kitty, Janice, myself) to sign you up! We welcome you to join us on the team!^^

WHEN I SAY I AM A CHRISTIAN

WHEN I SAY I AM A CHRISTIAN

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I am saved."
I'm whispering "I was lost!"
That is why I chose this way.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need someone to be my guide.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
and pray for strength to carry on.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
and cannot ever pay the debt.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
my flaws are all too visible
but God believes I'm worth it.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartaches
which is why I seek His name.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I do not wish to judge.
I have no authority.
I only know I'm loved.

Here is your regular feed of poems.... This time by Mr. Grumbly a.k.a Mr. Mean

[10.04.2009] Good Friday

Note: If you read my blog, it's exactly the same post, so don't waste time reading it for a second time, unless it was sooo good haha. :)


Happy Good Friday everyone! :)

Today marks the day that Jesus died for all of us, many many years ago. It also marks the start of a week-long holiday! Hahah.

Anyway! Today after church service (where they gave free hot-cross buns, woohoo! I was so happy hehe), we headed off for the famous fish and chips in Port Melbourne. I was pretty excited, considering I've heard so much about it. Supposedly there's a tradition about fish & chips and Easter, but no idea what that's about. *shrugs*

So off we went!

The place.

We shared a set for 4 people between 5 of us (Pammie, Jilly, Bianca, Venxhin and I), and we ended up not being able to finish it anyway. Haha.

Chips and potato cake.
Didn't manage to take pics of the fish, prawns and calamari
cause I forgot in my hunger. Haha.

Sat by the sea because there weren't enough seats at the shop.

The view.

Started throwing chips to the seagulls.

The, uh, seagulls.
Not pelicans. Hahaha. *winks to Kitmun*


Can you see the chips in two of the seagulls' beaks?

Then began to feed them in the strangest ways.

On his head, my friends, are chips on a tissue.

And finally, you guessed it, posed and took pictures like there was no tomorrow :)

Ah, I take such pretty pics. :p


Group pic.
Ok I know this one is pretty off, but I didn't know the back would be so bright.


Pammie and Jilly!


Stasha with her awesome posing skills! Hahah.
Was trying out the continuous shots and she totally killed it. Haha :p


Us: "ACT CUTE!"


Us: "Seagulls!"
From the looks of it, the first thing in Cheng Joon's (right) head
was the fear of seagulls pooping.

More continuous shots. Only, this time, watch the two guys at the back. The 3 girls in front are just to attract attention. Hahah. :p

Then Eric wanted to learn how girls sit cross-legged.

Learning from the sifu, Su Li.


He doesn't seem to be doing very well.


Nick, the pro.


Finally masters the art. Haha.


"Emo boyband group" pic.
Apparently the way Eric emo-s is to blow kisses. Hahaha.


The gay/act cute pic.


To salvage their ego, they did a macho pose.


Girl pic!


Pouting pic!
With a... um... nvm. Hahah.


1 to 10 rule!


Nick: "ATTACK HOT CHIC!"


Eric doing his levitation act.

Later Stasha, Kitmun, Mavarick, Nick, Cheng Joon and I walked around a little while the rest went back first. Then we sat around and talked and the girls (except me) dog-watched. At one point, two cute dogs pass by, and Mavarick goes, "The first one looks like Nastasha, and the second one looks like Kitmun."

Later, as I watch the dogs go on their way, suddenly I go, "Oh. Nastasha just pee-ed."

A random sign on the floor.

Easter in 2 days! :)

Facebook of Genesis

Click here for Genesis' facebook!

In fact, check out Earth's facebook too while you're at it.

So, so good. Hahah. :p

Trust His Heart

by Babbie Mason
Youtube link.


All things work for our good
Though sometimes we can't see how they could
Struggles that break our hearts in two
Sometimes blinds us to the truth

Our Father knows what's best for us
His ways are not our own
So when your pathway grows dim, and you just can't see Him
Remember you're never alone

God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart

He sees the master plan
And He holds our future in His hands
So don't live as those who have no hope
All our hope is found in Him

We see the present clearly
But He sees the first and the last
And like a tapestry He's weaving you and me to someday be just like Him

God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart

He alone is faithful and true
He alone knows what is best for you
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand trust His heart


With love from Wengyan, in a way. Hehe. :)

The following is a list of potential candidates to take over as senior pastor for our church:

Adam: Good man but problems with wife. However, one reference mentions how he and his wife enjoy walking naked in the woods.

Noah: Held a prior pastoral position for 120 years without even one convert. Also prone to unrealistic building projects.

Abraham: Though the references reported wife-swapping, the facts seem to show he never slept with another man's wife, but did offer to share his own wife with another man.

Joseph: A big thinker, but liked to brag. Believes in dream-interpreting, and has a prison record.

Moses: A modest and meek man, but poor communication skills, even stuttering at times. Prone to rash and reckless behaviour on occasions. Some say he left an earlier church over a murder charge.

David: The most promising leader of all until news of the affair he had with his neighbour's wife broke.

Solomon: Greatest and wisest preacher, but our church would never hold all those wives.

Elijah: Prone to depression. Collapses under pressure.

Elisha: Reported to have lived with a single widow while at his former church.

Hosea: A loving and patient pastor but our people could never handle his wife's occupation.

Deborah: Strong leader and seems to be anointed, but is female.

Jeremiah: Emotionally unstable, negative, always lamenting things, reported to have taken a long trip to bury his underwear on the bank of a foreign river.

Isaiah: Claims to have seen angels in church. Has trouble with his language.

Jonah: Refused God's call into ministry until he was forced to obey by getting swallowed up by a great fish. He told us the fish later spit him out on the shore near here. We sent him for psychiatric evaluation.

Amos: Too unpolished. With some seminary training he might have promise, but has a hang-up against wealthy people - might fit in better in a poor congregation. Doesn't seem to believe that God may want to bless some financially.

Melchizedek: Great credentials at current work place, no information on his resume about former work records available. Every line about parents was left blank and he refuses to supply a birth date. Ancient Jewish tradition has it that Melchizedek is really Shem. If you check out the lifespan of Shem in the Bible, it seems to be true!

John: Claims he is a Baptist, but definitely doesn't dress like one. Has slept outdoors for months on end, has a weird diet, and provokes denominational leaders.

Peter: Has a bad temper - has been known to curse. Had a big run-in with Paul in Antioch. Aggressive, but rash.

Paul: Powerful CEO type leader and fascinating preacher. However, short on tact, unforgiving with younger ministers, harsh and has been known to preach all night.

James & John: Package deal preacher & associate seemed good at first, but found out they have an ego problem regarding other fellow workers and seating positions. Threatened an entire town after an insult. Also known to try to discourage workers who didn't follow along with them.

Timothy: Too young

Methuselah: Too old

Jesus: Has had popular times, but once his church grew to 5000 he managed to offend them all, and then this church dwindled down to twelve people. Seldom stays in one place very long. And, of course, he's still single.

Hotter than Hell

The temperature of Heaven can be rather accurately computed. Our authority is Isaiah 30:26, "Moreover, the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days." Thus Heaven receives from the Moon as much radiation as we do from the Sun, and in addition 7*7 (49) times as much as the Earth does from the Sun, or 50 times in all. The light we receive from the Moon is one 1/10,000 of the light we receive from the Sun, so we can ignore that ... The radiation falling on Heaven will heat it to the point where the heat lost by radiation is just equal to the heat received by radiation, i.e., Heaven loses 50 times as much heat as the Earth by radiation. Using the Stefan-Boltzmann law for radiation, (H/E)^4 = 50, where E is the absolute temperature of the earth (-300K), gives H as 798K (525C). The exact temperature of Hell cannot be computed ... [However] Revelations 21:8 says "But the fearful, and unbelieving ... shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone." A lake of molten brimstone means that its temperature must be at or below the boiling point, 444.6C. We have, then, that Heaven, at 525C is hotter than Hell at 445C.

-- From "Applied Optics" vol. 11, A14, 1972

How to summarize the bible in 50 words:

God made
Adam bit
Noah arked
Abraham split
Joseph ruled
Jacob fooled
Bush talked
Moses balked
Pharaoh plagued
People walked
Sea divided
Tablets guided
Promise landed
Saul freaked
David peeked
Prophets warned
Jesus born
God walked
Love talked
Anger crucified
Hope died
Love rose
Spirit flamed
Word spread
God remained.

Food for thought

PROVERBS 4:23

Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.

--

JOHN 6:37
All that the Father gives me will come to me,

and whoever comes to me

I will never drive away.

When Jesus Looks

* Edit: I didn't write this, and I don't know who did. Found it off a friend's blog some time ago. :)

When Jesus looks upon my life,
What picture does He see.
Does He see His own reflection,
Or does He just see me.

Does He see His likeness,
The product of His hand.
Or just another Christian,
Who never took a stand.

Does He see a child of God,
A child that He set free.
Living life to honor Him,
Or does He just see me.

What about the other folks,
I meet along the way.
Do I show them Jesus,
To brighten up their day.

When someone looks into my eyes,
Can they truly see;
That calm and gentle peace of God,
That dwells inside of me.

When I reach out and shake a hand,
Is He right there in my grip.
Can they feel that strength from God,
That steadies when I slip.

When folks are in my presence,
Do they know His Spirit's there.
Can they see that He's the one,
Who guides me everywhere.

When other people think of me,
What is on their mind.
Do they think of Jesus Christ,
So gentle and so kind.

I try to be like Jesus,
Every single day.
Spreading love and kindness,
All along my way.

I'm afraid that I have failed,
I could not pass the test.
Deep inside my heart I know,
I haven't done my best.

I have had to fight my flesh,
Since the day that I was born.
It's always causing trouble,
And being such a thorn.

That's why His Spirit dwells in me,
He's helping me to learn.
In every situation,
Where I need to turn.

He knew I'd never pass the test,
That's why He took my place.
He gave His life to save my soul,
He suffered my disgrace.

Now I try to be like Him,
I must present Him well.
So other folks will want His gift,
And turn their backs on hell.

Other folks should see the joy,
That Christ has given me.
They should want to have it too,
Especially since it's free.

They should begin to ask me,
What is it they must do.
Just how it is they go about,
Getting Jesus too.

Then I get to tell them,
This wondrous gift is free.
It only takes a humble heart,
A prayer on bended knee.

Someday when I'm face to face,
With the Lord who set me free.
Will He see His own reflection,
Or will He just see me.

[25.03.2009] First Cell

The first cell for the year started off with everyone waiting for the two ice-breaker people, namely Kitmun and the hot chic, yours truly. Haha. We played the blanket game! Again. Only without a certain crazy person who screamed to scare the other side. Hehe! :p

Worship by Stasha, followed by word from Pammie. She spoke about why God allows us to face hardships and all, and I found this line from her particularly good:

"We like sunshine and rainbows but God knows the importance of rain."

And I was like, wow! It sounds like that wave-upon-the-shore thing that she said last sem, which I've already forgotten, but I remember all of us were like "WOWWWW". Hahaha. And it's true because rain is important. Though people refer to it as dreadful weather and stuff (yes I am one of those people, especially during winter >.<), but hey, without rain, there would be no rainbows! :)

Then prayer groups, and since Venxhin had to make her baked nachos (which was yum btw), Hannah and I went to help her. And because the three of us don't usually use ovens, I swear, we sat there in front of the glass door and watched until the cheese melted and started to bubble, to which we (or, well, I) pointed excitedly and squealed, "Look! Look! The cheese is bubbling!"

Yes, I'm sorry, I'm jakun (or weird) that way. -.-

Hahah. And Meliza's banana chocolate chip muffin which she made from scratch... Mmmm hmm. :)

So that was our first cell of the year. I don't know why I'm blogging about it when most of you were there to experience it, but I thought it'd be nice to write down so we can read it sometime in the future and go, OHH this is what we did last time. Hehe.

Until the next post (I still remember the poem I promised, don't worry :p), miss me!

One Body

Note: I apologise in advance if I have interpreted or said anything wrongly. >.<

"(14) For the body itself is not made up of only one part, but of many parts... (18) As it is, however, God put every different part in the body just as he wanted it to be. (19) There would not be a body if it were all only one part! (20) As it is, there are many parts but one body."
~ 1 Corinthians 12:14, 18-20

Isn't it amazing to know that we are placed exactly where He wanted us to be, that together we are functional as a body, and that we each have our own important part to play in this body to keep it functioning?

I believe that we weren't put here together in this cell by mistake. God has a purpose for each and every one of us, whether as individuals or as a cell. And you know what, the best part is that He doesn't expect us to do it alone. :)

So I ask you, who's excited for cell this Wednesday? I sure am! :)

Time

Hey all,

It's me once again! :) I got this in an email and I thought I'd share it with you guys. No idea what the title is, it's just called "The Poem".


I knelt to pray, but not for long,
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.

So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done,
My soul could rest at ease.

All day long I had no time,
To spread a word of cheer.
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.

No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need,
But at last the time, the time to die.

I went before the Lord, I came,
I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book;
It was the book of life.

God looked into his book and said,
"Your name I cannot find.
I once was going to write it down,
But never found the time."


Kind of makes you go o.O right. Hahah. I guess the poem speaks for itself. So yeah. :)

And I have another poem I remembered that I will share with you all another time. Until then, if you haven't taken the time to talk to God today, stop everything you're doing now and say hi. :)

[14.03.2009] Social - Picnic

Hello all once again!

Because Mavarick wonderfully poked us for not doing a good job (dunno what to updateee), I decided to write about the picnic we had on Saturday.

So let me tell it from my point of view. Anyone else is welcome to blog from their point too. :)

I woke up that Saturday morning and was very delighted to see that it was bright and sunny. But the moment I stepped out of the bathroom after brushing up, it was gloomy and raining. -.-

So like Nastasha so aptly put it on her blog, we ended up having a "Pick-Nick" instead. We spread out the picnic mat on Nick's living room floor as though we were still picnic-ing. And as usual, the food was awesome! Not to mention a certain potato salad hmm? *wink*

Pammie's yummy muffins
- peanutbutter & jelly and er chocolate I think?

24 people turned up, which made me worry that we wouldn't have enough food. But somehow it was enough, and I remembered the story of Jesus feeding the multitude. No joke! Hahah.

Had two rounds of introduction. Went around talking and eating, listening to stories of NS and guns and bombs (so fun!), trying to ignore Mavarick who kept saying I put on weight (the evil guy), and eating again. Hehe.

All in all, it was a fun indoor picnic, which we should try doing again, preferably outdoors this time. :p

I have only one picture! Sorry, I was busy eating, sob sob. But if you guys have any pictures, please let me know or edit my post and add them k.

Also, those who went for the International Student lunch, this is your chance to blog about it! :)


Signing off,
The hot chic

Itchy Hands

Hi all! :)

I've very itchy-handedly updated the Itinerary and About Us on the side according to the flyer they gave out during the first Ignite. Hope the infos are correct and hope that you all don't mind. I was too free. >.<

Haha. Also, Jillian has sent out an email to all of us to vote on what we want to do for our social event. So if you haven't already, go vote here! Vote only once k. :)

Other than that, looking forward to a great sem with you guys!

New Year, New Vision!

I took the liberty of putting something up here so that when everyone (finally) returns, it won't be last year's posts that greet you^^
--

H A P P Y. N E W. Y E A R

AND

W E L C O M E. B A C K!

--

So, very quickly...A FEW UPDATES!=D


1. CHURCH NAME CHANGE
Richmond AOG is changing its name! One of the reasons being that branches outside the Richmond area might be established=) I believe they were open to name suggestions, but the deadline's apparently over now!


2. READING THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Two chapters a day, from both the old and new testaments, beginning Feb 1 should see us completing reading the entire Bible, this time, next year!=)


3. WEATHER
The weather here has been rather erratic. There was this massive heat wave last week, which I am thankful to have missed. It caused some electricity cuts and botched up the transport systems too. Yesterday was 46 degrees and insanely hot. Following week looks more forgiving though=)


4. CHURCH VISION
A NEW YEAR, so there's a NEW VISION!

This is The Year Of INCREASE.

--
As you come back, pray for God to open MORE opportunities and for MORE breakthroughs. Come back refreshed to start the year with a BIGGER fire and passion for God and people=)

It's as easy as A B C D

A. Attend a weekend church service regularly

B. Be part of the church
-The best way to feel belonged to the church, is to be INVOLVED in the church (volunteer!)

C. Connect!
- Connect groups are mid week small group meetings

D. Make a Difference
- Make that difference in your world; to the people and environment God has placed you in