hey! anyone of you wanna go for the SYNERGIZE Youth Conference 05? It's from 17th to 19th March at downtown east (pasir ris). I think Joyce and i will be going for the one day conference on sat, 19th March, from 9am to 10pm. oh, its $20 for the one day conference and $50 (if you sign up in our church) for the full day conference. So if any of you interested, let me know k, we can go together!!! Esp, Grace, Su Yin, Jennifer, Esther, Nicole, Weiyu, Siming and Johan!!! It'd be cool to go together!!! Shall we?
at times when i'm spiritually dry, (that means i don't read the bible, i don't pray, i don't sense God's presence, or when i'm very suay the whole day), I see God in others.
You wonder how.
It's amazing.
Just a few weeks ago, i was praying for two of my filipino colleagues, praying for open doors for them to go church, praying for them to find God. As i prayed, i doubted cos as attachment students here on training, they SELDOM have weekends off and church services are only available on weekends. So i doubted the possiblity of that happening, but i prayed anyway. though i wondered how God was going to accomplish that.
Then 2 weeks later, i found out from one of my filipino colleagues that he and the other filipino colleague were off the coming sun. When he told me, i couldn't believe what he said! "incredible!" i shouted. How could it be possible? So i went to check the schedule and there, in ink and highlight, i saw their names and their days off marked 'SUNDAY'.
I was so so delighted! Hey, God answered my prayer! Most importantly, God showed that He loves His people!!! Praise God. That really made my day. I was literally jumping for joy, except that no one really knew that i prayed for it.
Another spiritual dry moment was when i visited my couz in hosp. I guess i didn't like the atmosphere of the hosp and i couldn't understand why nice people like my couz had to be sick, when i know well that it would be a trying time for her family. I don't understand why such unfortunate things have to happen to my couz. But as i visited her in the hosp the second day, as i found the courage to pray for her, as i struggled to call upon the name of the Lord to bless her at a time when i was spiritually unsure, i once again found Him. As soon i started to pray, a sense of peace began to come over me and the words just flowed. Steady and calm and soft.
When i saw the tears in her eyes after praying, i knew God never left me. God was there. God was speaking.
Yet, another spiritually dry moment came one Sunday as i brought my friend to church. Prior to that, her insecurities manifested by the many questions she asked me; about God, the bible, about relationships, about her dreams. As she began to bombard me with her questions, i discovered my insecurities as well! i've never read the bible chapters she mentioned, didn't know how to quote her suitable bible references, didn't know my God and how He works. To receive her msgs and not knowing how to reply really bothered me. I felt so unsure, so frustrated. so much so i didn't even bother replying.
Till after the service on sun, i decided to pray for her cos i felt that she was burdened with alot of things and i hope that God will provide her with the answers i'm unable to give. Strangely, we began a heart-to-heart talk and as she revealed, i began to see the purpose of that conversation. She was telling me things which were causing her so much pain and insecurity. I thank God that he used me to talk to her, to just listen to her. As i listened, i was overcomed by sadness. but clearly, the hand of God in her life is so evident. Listening to her makes me realise
how great a God i have, He hears and knows the cries of His people. He saves and protects. Praise God. In that brief conversation, i knew God like never before. I was once again awed by his great love, compassion and divine intervention.
I really thank God for all that he has shown and given me through other people.
cos i know
He's not only a God who loves me but above all, He's a God who loves his people.
sometimes i hate the way this world works.
how i have to compete for a place to study
how i have to rush for assignments and projects, from one place to another
how i need money in order to survive
how i need to do exactly what the school dictates
"check the ivle regularly."
"sign up for your visits on the ivle."
"remember to bid for your tutorials on this day and this day."
how i have to get everything done by an assigned date
how i have to stay at the library to print the seemingly endless notes
how i have to study at a time where circumstances are so unfavourable
how i have to be nice to people who are not that nice
how i have to face the people who hurt me the most
how come relatives can be so heartless, i question the ties
how come everyone seems to be running after things, competing for things
how come i feel so left out in the race, so breathless, so lost
how come it seems that i'm missing out if i don't give chase, don't compete
how come it seems people around me are running faster and faster and i find myself slowing down, losing pace?
I ask myself
what am i running for?
what am i competing for?
Fame, wealth, status, qualifications, attention, popularity, acceptance?
i want none of that
I only want to run after my Lord
whom in Him i find all that i'll ever need.
If i run, i wanna run, run after You.
"Yup. pls pray for my driving on the 31st jan. tks a lot."
-Su Yin
"tell you this if you love someone, set him/her free. But this you have to have very great love for him/her. Love someone is not easy but someone love you also not easy too... Although my experience is i love the person, dont really get his full love, i also never have anyone to love me as i love him but i found someone loves me more than i love the person, my Heavenly Father's love. He also opened my eyes to let me see in the earth, there's still true love, although i waiting for someone but at the same time i have someone to love me."
- ex-colleague, a believer of 9 mths
i'm who i am and where i am today because of prayers. bcos people prayed for me. if you have prayed for me and you're reading this, thank you so much! thank God! let me know if your prayer for me has been answered!
let's give God all the glory, praise and honour!
help others to be the people God has called them to be. PRAY. Let us not stop praying for our friends, family, colleagues, school mates, cell, church, the world, aquaintances and even pre-believers.
I'm reminded that i've stopped praying for my cell, for certain things in my life, that have not been answered. i gave up praying for these things, although i've not seen them being answered yet. then, i thought about it and i think God's telling me that prayer is not a one time or two time event, but a continuous process! instead of praying about one thing once or twice, i should never stop praying, till i see them answered. that i should keep on praying!
and how much R-age have grown spiritually, if not for the leaders'
fervent and
persistent prayers,
every sun, every week. How youth camp had such a great impact in the lives of the youths, if not for the
one hour,
intensive, saliva spitting prayer session, and the prayer sessions
prior, during and after the youth camp.How grace missions have achieved success in its church planting all over Asia, if not for the
faithful group who gathers to pray
non-stop for a few hours, every once a month, every power and prayer night.
that i might not even be the person i am today, if not for the people who prayed for me. most importantly, let us learn to pray incessantly. let us learn to pray, knowing that we have a God who hears and answers our prayers.
if God cared enough to have people praying for you, do you care enough to pray for someone God is asking you to pray for today?
you'll never know how much your prayer means to someone, somewhere out there....
i'm not a superwoman.
If i can, i'd like to sit alone under a tree, look out at the sea all day long and do nothing.
i'm not a superwoman.
a few of you may wonder how i can manage so many things, do so many things, cope with so one problem after another, juggle my uni workload, wk at black angus, attend church services, fulfill family obligations, finding time to talk to people, and still, wanting to join the youth ministry this year.
i'm coping with a lot of responsibilities, yes. I miss my dad, yes. I think abt my own bgr, yes. I struggle a lot financially, physically and mentally, yes. I struggle, just like anyone of you. I feel pain, hurt, exhaustion, worry, tiredness, anger, irritated, just like you. I'm only human. I too can fall sick and let emotions get the better of me. i too have times where i just feel i cant cope anymore. i too have my fair share of problems and worries and anxieties, just like you.
i too have unanswered prayers. I too have cried out to God and yet fallen into the Devil's trap. I too, cant seem to sense God's presence when i worship him. I too wished i wouldn't have to go through all this. i too find myself envious of people's lives, envious of the material things they have and i don't have. I too find it hard to love people. I too find it hard to really fogive and forget.
i'm not a superwoman.
A few times, the problems got so bad that i was on the verge of breaking down, i was almost crying every night. and crying for so long. not eating much either. not in the right frame of mind to think. i told God i cant carry on anymore. I cant take it anymore. i was afraid i would go crazy.
all this, not many of you know. but the fact that i didn't say was bcos i didn't want sympathy, i didn't want concern. i didn't want help from anyone of you. I didn't want to burden you all with stuff when i couldn't even verbalise how i was feeling. I didn't want people, friends to feel sorry for me.
the only reason i chose to write this down, is that i want those who think that i'm a superwoman, a strong person, to know that i'm not. I'm not a strong person. in fact, i always want to take the easy way out!
if you've wondered how i've managed to come this far, be this strong, have so much faith, and still manage to keep the smile, it's because God made me strong. It's not that i'm strong, it's bcos i know i have a God who is able to make me strong. So i chose to be strong, for His glory.
I'm not a superwoman.
Joyce, testimony. everyone of us will have different testimonies. Testimonies are witnesses, pointing to and affirming God's power and faithfulness, revealing His glory. above all, a testimony is between you and God. He shows his power to you and his love for you. it may not be a drama mama testimony like mine, but it's what God is showing you, through the testimonies that's important. little things like reaching the bus stop and the bus comes, meeting someone who's able to have lunch with you etc are also testimonies of God's goodness and faithfulness.
hmm.. actually i can name a few for you, let's see;
-getting ur driving license
-your dad's safety
-mal's sister's health
-mal's results
-ur mum's health
-ur results
-ur family members who provides ur financial needs
and so much more. think abt your answered prayers. think about how God has worked in your life.
let us always rem:
My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in. -Pro 3:11-12
it has been a long time since i last sat down and watched through a one hour TV drama.. i think at least for 2 months? yup..being a self-professed TV addict, there are many times when i wished i could sit down and watch through a ONE hour Tv drama but it seems that with so many "time- consuming" tasks that i have on hand make that seems like a luxury, a much desired one.
anyway, a few days ago, i happened to watch the channel 8 nine o'clock drama, is it "My Lucky Star"? anyway, one scene showed Meiya lose her footing and fall into the pool. Then she decided to let herself drown bcos she sees no pt in living when her sister has already died. At that moment, JK (her colleague), Ou Xuan (her best friend) and Paul( suitor and proclaimed lover) were present. Sensing that things were not right, JK jumped into the pool and brought Meiya up. Ou Xuan resusitated her, and when she had regained consciousness and started crying; Paul held her face and stroked her hair and told her: "dont cry, its ok.. dont cry.."
HECK. oh... so the man who professed to love that gal and promised to love and take care of her no matter what, was the one who stroked her hair after she was saved by somebody else? oh.. so.. HYPOCRITICAL!!!!!!!!!
ya, i know it's a drama.. but it reminded me of the 2 times when i almost drowned and the ones who came to save me.. so, i know it happens in REAL life as well! though i din have a guy who claimed to love me present at that time when i was drowning, the idea is the same. It makes me
REALLY think about what guys
REALLY mean when they say they
LOVE a girl. is it;
"i really love you, i will take care of you no matter what. Trust me." and then when the girl is in need, they are not the first to help. worst, they can stand by doing nothing!! and attempt to comfort the gal only when she's helped by someone else!
GUYS... If you really say that you love a girl, how could you stand by and do nothing when you see her drowning? You mean you love her but but... BUT what? That's no but! Just like there's no reason for you not to save a drowning person whom u don't know, what more the girl you claim to love?????
Ok, to be fair... the only reason that is excusable to me is that you tell me you cannot swim. Fine. but hello... unless u're not a SINGAPOREAN guy who has not been through NS, you should know how to swim!
Pls, if you do not see yourself jumping into the pool to save the girl you say you love, pls don't tell the girl you love her. Dont give promises you cannot keep. Dont profess to love if you're not sure you love her so much that you will do anything to save her.
and girls, of course i hope that we wont bump into hypocrites like that! but i have to say that, they are very difficult to spot. Like i always tell my girlfriends, a guy is always nice to the girl they like! And that makes it hard for us sometimes to know whether they truly love us, even when they profess to. However, i think that unless you are so sure that your guy wont be the next Paul, dont commit so readily to guys who say they love you. I'm not asking you to be cycnical about guys, i just want you to open your eyes. Take time to really know him first, discover him as a person, a friend, a son.
and always rem that the guy who really love you will take care of you. He should never leave you nor forsake you. He should be one who keep all his promises to you. and ideally he should be able to say, "till death doeth us part". and... it's cliche i know but find one who would say, "you jump, i jump". ALTHOUGH, Of cos, i don't want anyone of you to jump!!!!
and girls, just as we hope to find a guy like that, although we always say guys like that are EXTINCT... haha, i'm sure guys would want the girls they love to be able to reciprocate as well. Now, it's your turn to think about how much would you do for the guy you really love. actually, i'm not so worried abt the girls cos i know many will actually give up everything to be with the guy they love, not to mention save! but alas if they cant swim and see their guy drowning , i bet you they will be screaming for help.
but above all, dear guys and girls, we have to bear in mind too that none of us are perfect and we cant expect others to be perfect as well.
there will be times when people will let you down, hurt you, betray you, not keep to their promises and not do the things they say they will do.afterall, we do make mistakes and we do fault.
The love that man offers can never be as perfect, as good, as unconditional as God's. If we can love each other the way they should be loved, we won't need God. i think we cannot really depend on man's love but we can certainly depend on God's!!!
As it was recorded 2000 years ago,
"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends" -John 15:13
"For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that WHOEVER believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." -John 3:16-17
"Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." -Rom 5:7-8
The ultimate expression of love is that of Jesus, God's only son, dying on the cross for your sins and my sins, even when we did not accept him.
It was the ultimate expression of love 2000 years ago and still is today and will ever be.
so...Dont talk about love too soon when you can't afford to.
“As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now remain in my love.If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.”
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘ No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason’.”
“When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”
“All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you.”
“Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of asks me, ‘Where are you going? Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgement: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgement, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.”
“In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”
Some of his disciples said to one another, “ What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”
Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grieve will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”
“Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day, you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone asks you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.
“You believe at last!” Jesus answered. “But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
----John 15:9- 16:1-33
15th jan
work today was quite unexpected. I was late for almost an hour, thank God i informed one of my managers beforehand! but the unexpected thing was not this. when i reached my workplace, i felt hungry but i couldn't really find anything to eat, so i settled on a can of NESCAFE. Then when i reached the restaurant, I started to experience abnominal pains. So suspiciously familiar.
then i realised i've got indigestion! man, i know cos i've experienced that too many a time that i've learnt to differentiate it from OTHER kinds of abnominal pains that a gal has to go through. sigh..
anyway, ya, so i was like panicking cos like OTHER abnominal pains, my indigestion can last the whole day. I was like pressing down on my stomach every now and then but tried not to let it affect my work. I went about my usual work, trying to bear with it and get the job done. Din tell my managers cos i know they'll be shorthanded and i don't really want to leave my job and go home when i know they need people. So i bore with the pain.
After a while, as i began to busy myself with work, i find that the pain actually subsided. and i did not realise it till i had time to think about it. In btw, other than the routine stuff, my colleagues and i got so excited about the children who were dining there. First it was the little girl with the short curly hair and later the little gal who had the "bugs bunny" teeth who was so vocal and shy at the same time! haha.. reminds me of myself when i was her age.. hmmm.. a lot like me.. =)
we had a good time entertaining them as they had a good time being entertained by us. man, never underestimate the power of BALLOONS to young children. It can make them chuckle like nobody..! Good alternative to "ang gu gu..". hehe..
brings me to think about my feelings towards children. I used to think that i adore kids, when i see one smile, my heart just melts. but somehow, the adult cycnism seems to have gotta into me as i grow older. I find myself not being able to relate to them as well as i want to and with the magnitude of love that i used to.
I wonder why.
Have the thinking of those woman who hate or dislike children gotta into me tooo? I was telling this change in intensity of adoration for the kids to some of friends and Joyce was like:
"How would you feel if you found out one day that you can't have children? how would you feel?"
i thought about it and i felt sad but not agony.
I hate to think that i dont like kids anymore but i feel that way. now, it seems to me, they are just "very cute!!!", period. sure, i think i can take care of them but i dunno how to pamper them.
and knowing that God loves little children, why then, do i find myself loving them any lesser?
hmmm.. really wish people are reading my blog.. esp the back to basics and the bible chpts. right now, i dunno who are reading my blog and it SEEMS to me that not many read it, if i go by comments lah. but i know there're some who read and not leave comments. i'm ok with it, but if u really have some thoughts about what i've typed, pls dont keep it to urself, do let me know. By call (like yin. hehe..), or just leave it in the comments, or tag board if u dont mind the lack of privacy.
feelong tired now.. so just a routine update ya.. had a tiring day yest! i mean, just a few hrs ago. and my restaurant actually had a 10k sales!!!! MAN! This is so unbelievable!!! well, cos we informed the customers that all proceeds (other than GST and service charge) will go to the RED CROSS for the tsunami victims. And Singaporeans and foreigners alike, were so encouraging! Esp when one customer, when told about it after the main course, said "oh really? i should have ordered more then! your restaurant so good ah?". but in the end, they still ordered a mud pie and strawberry delight after i sorta recommended to them! so ya, so encouraging! so even though, all of us were dead beat after the whole thing, most of us ended wk around 11pm, we did not really complain lah. except me... hehe.. who keep saying "tired, tired...!!"
Our boss, Mr Lau and his wife also came, think he wont be very happy, cos the sales actually so much more than normal, but he wont get to keep it! haha, that's belittling him actually, well, on a good note, he approved of the whole thing, so ya. He and his wife quite charitable also lah!!! haha.. encouraging...yup.
dun wanna talk abt studies actually but it seems like a huge part of my life leh, what to do? hmm.. it will be stress lah, as for everybody in NTU, NUS and SMU but basically every schooling institution in Sg but it's gonna be exciting. will be going to Kaki Bukit Centre (youth prison school) and be working with the police on a youth programme! Definitely a challenge. A good one nevertheless. i'm actually excited about this sem!
Yes! if scratch ur head or go "huh?" now, hmm.. dont blame you. Jess also dont belive when i told her i was reading hist lect notes in the lib! well, she thought i would be ZzzzZZ-ing, which is what i normally do lah! but i guess its time i get excited about studying while I'm STILL a STUDENT!! so ya, i hope you'll get excited about it too!!!
Like what my ex-colleague said,
你一 生 中 可 能 只有那 么 一 次机 会 读 书， 现在有机会
你不要读，以后很难有机会在读了。
(it means: in ur life, you'll most prob only get ONE chance to study, if u dont study now, it'll be very hard for u to have a chance to study later on in life.)
so ya, study.... ..................................
*smiles*
A- Abraham = Israel's first great patriarch or leader. Through faith in God's promise to make of him a great nation, he is led from Ur to Canaan (Gen 11:31-15:7). God makes a covenant with him Gen 15:7-21); an angel of God promises that Sarah shall give birth to a son (Gen 18:10); God tests Abraham's faith (Gen 22:1-19). He stands as the father of all the faithful (Gal 3:7).
B- Bethlehem = a very old town about six mi. SSW of Jerusalem; the birthplace of Jesus (Matt 2:1-16; Luke 2:4-15;John 7:24); alos associated from David (1 Sam 16:1-13; 17:12, 15; 20:6, 28), ruth (1:1, 2, 19, 22; 2:4; 4:11), and other persons of the OT(old testament).
C- Confess = To admit to a fault or sin, particularly as a sign of repentence; to acknowledge God's redeeming acts and openly acknowledge that Jesus is the Messiah, Lord, and Son of God (as Peter's great confession in Matt 16:16; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20); to offer praise and thanksgiving to God.
D- Day of the Lord = In the OT, the day God punishes evil (Amos 5:18-20); a day of universal disaster (Isa 2;13;24;Zeph 1:7-18; 2:2, 3, 3:8). In the NT, the day of the last judgement and the end of the world (1 Cor 4;5; 5:5; 1 Thess 5:2; Rev 16:14).
E- Eden, Garden of = A garden of trees planted by the Lord (Gen 2:8) in which Adam and Eve first lived; actual site unknown; symbolically identified with paradise.
F- Face = The front of the head; the surface or top side; frequently used to indicate the presence of God. Among the Hebrews, "seeking the face of God" referred to attendance at public worship (Ps 27:8)
G- Grace = OT usage: "favor" in the expression "found g(grace) in the eyes or sight" (Gen 6:8). In NT usage: "the unmerited and abundant gift of God's love and favor to man," particularly made effective in Jesus Christ for the Christian. Used by Paul as an opening and farewell greeting.
H- Hallelujah = "praise the Lord" (not used in NKJV).
I- Idol = A false god; an image or figure regarded as an object of worship.
J- Jesus Christ = The personal name of the One whose title gave its name to the Christian religion. Since "Jesus" was a fairly common name in the first century, distinguishing phrases were used when referring to Him (Jesus of Nazareth; Jesus, Son of David; Christ Jesus; the Messiah Jesus; and Jesus Christ).
K- Kingdom Of God = The eternal sovereignty or kingly rule of God, manifested in its acceptance by men on earth and the hope for the future; the central theme of Jesus' teeaching. The phrase does not occur in the OT, but the idea is present in "Your Kingdom," "My kingdom," etc, which are also sometimes used in the NT(new testament). "Kingdom of heaven" is used in Matthew's gospel; "kingdom of the Son of His love" (Col 1:13); "kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Pet 1:11).
L- Lamb of God = Christ, whose sacrificial death removed the sins of the world. By extension of "lamb" as the most common victim of OT sacrifices, particularly the "Passover" (Christ our Passover, 1 Cor 5:7)
M- Messiah = Literally, "anointed one"; one sent by God to save others. In Hebrew belief, the coming saviour of the Jewish people; in Christianity, Jesus.
N- Nazareth = The town in Lower Galilee where Jesus was brought up (Luke 2:39, 51).
P- Passover = A seven-day Jewish festival held in March or Apr, commemorating the slaying of the firstborn just before the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt (Ex 12); combined with the Feast of Unleavened Bread which commemorates the actual Exodus flight (Ex 13:3-16).
R- Redeemer = One who buys back, rescues (as from sin, or ransoms. Jesus is called "the Redeemer," through his sacrificial death, although the word does not appear in the NT.
S- Sin = An offence or revolt against God ( as Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden); delibrate defiance; wickedness; iniquity; ungodliness.
T- Ten Commandments = The ten laws given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai (Ex 20:1-17; Deut 5:6-21). (which are ;
1- Shall have no gods other than the Lord.
2- Shall not make for yourselves any carved image or bow to any carved images, for your God is a jealous God.
3- Shall not take the name of the Lord in vain
4- Observe the Sabbath day, keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.
5- Honour your father and mother
6- Shall not murder
7- Shall not commit adultery
8- Shall not steal
9- Shalll not bear false witness against your neighbour
10- Shall not covet your neighbour's wife or anything that is your neighbour's.
U- Ur = An ancient city on the Euphrates, called "Ur of the Chaldeans"; home of Abraham (Gen 11:28).
V- Vision = Something seen other than by ordinary sight, as in a dream. God's revelations to the prophets were usually by visions.
W- Worship = To honour, to show reverence for. you shall worship no other god, Ex 34:14.
Y- Yahweh = The convenant God of Israel, YHWH in the original Hebrew. According to Jewish custom, because of reverence the divine name was not to be spoken, so the Hebrew words for Lord and God were substituted. Whenever the words LORD and GOD appear in large and small capital letters, the original Hebrew reads YHWH.
Z- Zion = Originally the name of the fortified hill of pre-Israelite Jerusalem; poetically extended to refer to the religious capital of Israel.
-NKJV (New King James Version) bible
(subjected to human typo error...hehe..pardon k.)
read Luke 21, Revelation 12, Isaiah 59
bcos i had quite a number of links to my friends blogs and being an avid blog reader, i make it a point to read their blogs on a regular basis, one to satisfy my curiousity but basically to see how they are doing, what they are doing etc. And after reading all of them for quite some time now, SOMEHOW, SOMEWHERE and SOMEWHAT, i find all the blogs to bear an uncanny but rather obvious resemblance.
The fact that most of them do not have the urgency! I see blog after blog. Day after day. Night after night. Year after year.
It seems that to most of them, a day passes, another comes. To them, a day's just a day! With today comes tomorrow and with tomorrow comes next week, next month and next yr!
I'm not trying to say that what u're blogging is wrong or what, but i find that it's quite disturbing for me to see that people actually assume TOMORROW COMES!
WHAT IF TOMORROW DOESN'T COME? and it doesn't sometimes!! how many of the people who die actually know when they will die??!!
i find that a lot of times, i do that too. i forget that tomorrow may not come! i make plans, i procrastinate. I don't do the things i have set out to do. I leave it till tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. the bible says that we should not leave to tomorrow what we can do today and its true! it doesn't says tomorrow will come, but tells us not to worry about tomorrow. (maybe bcos it will not come?)
Is it bcos we're living on safe grounds that we've forgotten what it is like to die? what it feels like to be in pain, what it feels like to struggle for life, what it feels like to have our houses devastated by waves, what it feels like to find our loved ones dead, what it feels like to be living hell.
the Tsunami tragedgy. the biggest in Asia, and possibly in the world. surely, the past weeks of constant reports would have shocked many of you. Dead bodies, open cuts, devastation, desperation, despair, disappearance of places, of people, of destitutes, of orphans.... gone in a matter of hours, days.
What makes you think what happens to them will not happen to you?
They did not expect to die too.
It's only when you learn how to die that you learn how to live.
-adapted from Joey's blog
9th Jan
went city harvest with Joyce and Romel. Nice experience! Got to know some friendly and SINCERE people like Yuxing, Lester, Daniel, Angeline and Li Wei! joined them for drinks though it was the first time we met. felt so like a fun cell to be with! so tempted to join their church, haha! If only our church youths are like them!
i'm not saying that our youths are not good or the like, but i guess to reach the level of faith that the CHC youths really possess, we still have a long way to go. Their level of faith is so evident in their actions. it's really like what Ps Ron said, how much we desire shows forth in our actions! It's not so much the bursting energy and enthusiasm that the youths show when jumping or clapping that i'm touched by. But more of their ACTIONS. Like they invite us to join their cell for lunch, they help us to find seats at the expense of disrupting others, they try to strike up conversation with my very shy colleague, Romel, and the fact that i actually ENJOYED (for the first time i think) myself in the company of people i barely know! I thought to myself.. "wow, this is cool!" I dont feel like an outsider at all, i dont feel like a newcomer to their church!
Faith work wonders man!!
I really hope to see that one day, our church youths will rise up to be like them. Youths of such strong faith and worship. Youths who are HISTORY MAKERS, PLANETSHAKERS. Youths who worship in spirit and in truth. Youths who start small but end big, by the grace of God. Youths who are filled by the Holy Spirit each and every time they come to the house of God. Youths who possess the very PRESENCE of GOD.
That's a big goal. but that's not impossible. hmmm... but like what the pastors said, all big things start small. so i hope our small improvements in the youth services will end BIG. Let us be faithful servants so that God will use us, for His Glory.
I thank God for moving in our church and i hope he continues to do so!
Let us pray!!
Put God at the beginning of everything you do (the start of this yr, 2005, studies, work, r/s, ur life etc), knowing well that he finishes what he begins.
-revised from Ps Kong
went to vist my couz, Tina, in Nuh today. She was admitted for fever and vomiting but had her appendix removed! told me the doctors suspected appendicitis but in the end it wasnt. but before she had time to figure out what was happening, she was wheeled to the operating theatre.
Now, she has to withstand the excruciating pain of 3 open wounds. Blood tests and more blood tests, swollen limbs and drips. She struggles to eat, to excrete and to even move.
Is there a need for all that?
And it seems like she's not the only one.
Seeing her pained face and state, i felt so helpless, and scared. It's not the first time i visit a loved one in the hospital but everytime, i still dunno what to say or do. How to comfort, how to help,how to instill hope. I think even the most hopeful person can lose hope when they see their loved ones suffering and yet they are unable to do anything to ease their pain. i understand and really do.
And i really thank God for health. I know it comes from Him. and i thank Him for my loved ones' health. By His grace, they recover and are kept well. I 've learnt to give thanks for my health and not to take it for granted. It's real scary to lose health.
today,before i left,i prayed for my couz, asking God to bless her and her family. When i've finished and looked up, there were tears in her eyes! and i'm shocked, cos she has not accepted Christ so i was thinking why she was tearing... as i wondered in amazement and asked her not to cry, i realised one thing.
That, it's not me who's speaking anymore, it's God.
I cried out to God for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.
When i was in distress, i sought the Lord;
at night i stretched out untiring hands,
and my soul refused to be comforted.
I remembered you, O God, and i groaned;
I mused, and my spirit grew faint.
You kept my eyes from closing;
I was too troubled to speak
I thought about the former days,
I remembered my songs in the night.
My heart mused and my spirit inquired:
"Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger witheld his compassion?
Then i thought, "To this i will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High."
I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, i will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.
Your ways, O God, are holy.
What god is so great as our God?
You are the God who performs miracles;
You display your power among the peoples.
With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
The waters saw you, O God,
the waters saw you and writhed;
the very depths were convulsed.
The clouds poured down water,
the skies resounded with thunder;
your arrows flashed back and forth.
Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
your lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and quaked.
Your path led through the sea,
your way through the mighty waters,
though your footprints were not seen.
You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
-Psalm 77
It's the year 2005.
Yet another year.
It's new.
It'a beginnning of?
Many things.
For some, a new start
For some, an ending
For some, anticipation
For others, expectation
To me, just hope that it will be better than the last.
It's all in God's hands.
really gotta thank God for Singapore. Thank God YOU are born in Singapore. Thank God YOU live in Singapore. Thank God HE spared Singapore and her people. Thank God for life. Thank God for making us realise how fragile life is. Thank God for letting us know His favour is on us. Thank God.
i think God spared our lives not for nothing, HE wants us to do something. Let's keep on praying and hear what HE wants us to do.
Dont take life for granted anymore. Do what you have to do.
Tmr may not come.
