Approaching 2007...

Hmmm.. as we all reflect upon 2006, i believe many are also planning for 2007...

For me, well, indicated to my boss that i'm interested in taking up a diploma course in counseling practise.. that would take up about a year..
But dunno whether it'll be approved or not cos of some changes in HR policy..

Keyboard class is also coming to an end.. today, we each presented a song.. and the coach feedback was that we can all move on to the next level.. but i was wondering to myself if i would be able to commit cos i need to practise.. and on top of that if i do the diploma course, i doubt i'd have the time.. but yet, i wanna learn more, going there weekly for classes is like therapy for me.. and i enjoy the classes run by the coach..

Next year.. so near yet so far... maybe Jesus will be back by then? hehe..

indifference to the poor?

Hallo all,

a post before I 'disappear' for the month. :)

I think God has really been giving my life meaning in the past month or so and though there are so many things I still need to learn, I'm grateful for the chance to do something that I really believe in. Since 2004, I've been thinking that eventually I might want to be a missionary and my trip to Germany and all the things I learnt on that trip further fuelled that desire. Though I knew at that time that this was my heart's desire, I didn't yet know the place and I am still seeking. (But increasingly, it's being revealed to me that my heart is more for the 3rd world).

When I hear the stories of East Timor and see the photographs, I am overwhelmed by a deep sense of shame. What a debt we owe to this neighbour of ours, who has remained afflicted while we kept moving forward and how unjustly I have been caught up in my petty little struggles when not so far away lies a nation stricken with poverty. Consistently God speaks out against indifference to the poor and my heart bleeds that I am precisely that, indifferent.

In church I sing such glorious songs and hear so much and say so much about the goodness and grace of God without really making that connection sometimes. I am so bogged down by my personal struggles and though I promise so much in my speech, I do so little. What is that point of all that talking, if we will not do?

There is this song called Lifesong, by Casting Crowns that always stirs my heart. It says "Empty hands held high, such small sacrifice, if not joined with my life, I sing in vain tonight."When I look at my life, how much of it really, is dedicated to improving the life of someone else in need? I want to give to my Lord an offering that pleases Him and I'm so thankful that with this new appointment at work, God is opening the door wide so that I can no longer have any excuses about lack of time or resources.

A verse that spoke to me this morning. Be blessed. :)

6 “ Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

Isaiah 58: 6-9

A Call to Persevere

While packing my stuff, I came across this article which I felt is an encouragement for us as we run the next lap into 2007.

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River of Life Weekly Summary (Nov 10, 2000)
Pastor Francis Frangipane
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IF WE DON'T LOSE HEART
Worn Out Saints

"And he will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time" (Dan 7:25). (NAS)

The prophet Daniel warns of a time when Satan, through the antichrist, will wear down the strength of God's saints. This end time battle reveals a pattern that is actually occurring today: Satan seeks to wear us out through delays ("alterations in times") and in compromise to God's word ("alterations ... in law").

The final effect of what seems like never ending delays is that the believers are worn out.

Do you know anyone who is weary with their battle? Are you yourself weary?

I know many who seem trapped in situations which should have been remedied months and even years ago. Yet, the battle continues against them. Situations and people, often empowered by demonic resistance, stand in opposition to the forward progress of God's people. As a result, many Christians imperceptibly make incremental adjustments to this resistance until a quiet oppression weighs heavily upon their souls.

This battle to wear out the saints may be rooted in conflicts with children or spouses; perhaps it is a health issue or some unresolved division within their church, yet on and on it goes. Like a skilled and masterful thief, the enemy daily erodes the joy, the strength and passion of many Christians. Yet the scale is larger than our personal struggles.

Consider the conflict in Israel or the elections in the USA. How long will these things drag on?

Satan's plan is to drag them on until Christians grow weary and stop praying. Satan is the dragon whose goal is to "drag-on" the battle with draining, wearying delays. He persists until we wear out, give up and quit praying. Without our intercession, he then releases hellish consequences into their unhindered course.

Additionally, as situations stretch beyond reasonably expected conclusions, weariness of soul can also exacerbate the original situation, leading to fleshly reactions or just over-reactions, which also further resolution. We lose patience, eventually seeking relief rather than victory, thus compromising the standards of God and conscience.

PERSEVERANCE
There is a reason the Book of Revelations mentions the word "perseverance" seven times. Over and again we see those who persevered, overcame. It is one thing to have vision, another to have godly motives, but neither will carry us to our objective: we must also be prepared to persevere.

The root of the word "persevere" is the word "severe." We must face the fact that, en route to our victory, things may get severe. It is with severe faith, severe or extreme steadfastness, that we inherit the promises of God (Heb 10).

James tell us, "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have {its} perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (Ja 1.2-4).

Endurance. Perseverance. Steadfastness. These are the qualities that breed character, that transform the doctrine of Christlikeness into a way of life. "Let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect. . ." The key to perfection, to a life "lacking in nothing," is perseverance.

WEARINESS OF THE MIND
"But I'm weary," you argue. Yes. Part of the weariness is from faulty thinking in our thought life. If we knew the battle was going o take as long as it has, we would have prepared for more realistically. Every building plan will probably take twice as long as we assumed; every virtue, will take a year not a month to be worked in us. It may take twenty years for our loved ones to be saved. If things happen sooner, we can rejoice, but we have only prepared ourselves for the easiest of breakthroughs, not the ones that cost us time and tears. Satan manipulates our unrealistic expectations, which he then uses to wear us out.

When I travel, I pray and trust God for divine help and often I am rewarded with perfect flights with no delays. Yet, I have also learned to accept that I will occasionally arrive later than I expected. I am not shocked when there are flight cancellations and delays; I anticipate them. While others are anxious, I'm more calm, trusting God. My peace enhances my witness of Christ when I speak to people who, standing near me, are anxiously waiting.

Some may argue, "Isn't that unbelief to expect delays on flights?" I don't think so. I think it's wisdom. Wisdom is not the enemy of faith. I have found that if I don't trust God and relax, I become anxious, fretful and distracted. Worse, I have found that the Holy Spirit will not descend and rest in power upon a man controlled by circumstances.

Jesus' spirit stayed in abiding peace, yet still He accommodated delays as part of life's package. He was often delayed by the huge crowds or urgent needs of the people around Him. People died waiting for Jesus to show up. Did He become anxious? No, He stayed focused on the Father and, without losing His trust in God, simply raised the dead, even when He arrived late.

At some point we must accept that God knows when we are being delayed and that He has a miracle conclusion waiting, in spite of the extra time we've spent getting to our destinations.

One dear pastor I know had labored long and hard with a new building project, but it was constantly being delayed. It was scheduled for completion in September, then rescheduled for December, then January, and then February. Finally, with weariness in his voice, he called and asked if I could join him for their dedication.

It was set for the first week of March.

"When exactly do you need me?" I asked. He answered, "March fourth."

Suddenly, the Holy Spirit illuminated my heart. God had chosen this date prophetically, 1 told him. The Lord wanted that church, as an army, to "march forth" into their destiny. In a flash, the weariness weighing upon him was gone and joy and a sense of destiny swept his soul. The delay wore him out, but the delay had a purpose.

Dear ones, let us persevere. We just don't know what the victory will look like when we finally break through.

Consider Joseph.

Betrayed, enslaved, slandered and forgotten, he had to endure to reach his destiny. But when the time finally arrived, never in his most wild dreams did he imagine the outcome would be so great or wonderful.

What we become to God is more important that what we do for Him. Our struggling, praying though we have been delayed time and again, deepens our character. Maintaining our standards when pressed, finding grace when stretched, makes us true men and women of God.

The Almighty One is in control. He knows how to take what was meant for evil and transform it
into something good, even using the devil's own devices to bring him down. God has something wonderful in store for us otherwise the enemy would not be fighting so intensely. Indeed, scriptures tell us that Satan rages worst when he knows his time is short (Rev 12:12).

CHARACTER BEFORE BREAKTHROUGH
Returning to Daniel, God gave him another vision of the end of the age.

Here's what he wrote, "I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them ..." (Dan 7:21).

This is the battle: we feel war storming against our souls and we feel overpowered. But the prophet said the overpowering continued only, "... until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom (Dan 7:22).

There is a principle here that, understanding it, will lead to victory in your battle. There will be a time, inevitably, when we feel overpowered. Yet, if we endure, if we climb higher into God, if we refuse to lose our trust in God, a time will come when the "Ancient of Days" enters our circumstances. Looking at our newly developed character, He will pass judgment in favor of our cause. God looks at our character, forged in the fire of overpowering delays and battle, and says, "Good, this is what I was waiting for."

So, whether you are praying for this country or standing for your children; whether your cry is for the lost or for simply the end of some local or national conflict, remember the words of Paul: "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary" (Gal 6:9).

Jogging

How do you find the jog? I think more sharing can be done upon reflection. Really want to hear from all of you what reflections you had from the jog....

For me, I learnt that in a race, I would start slow. Perhaps, for the fear that I would have no more steam left towards the end. However, as I start slow, I am able to observe the people around me and learn from them. Just now, I was encouraged by Choi who kept running. It made me want to keep running. That's why I ran 1 more round. But as I continue to run in a race, I'll pick up speed, especially when I'm almost done. The nearing goal gives me the energy to run faster. Almost, that's when my whole body has been tuned to a jogging mode.

This is so true for me. At work, I start slow to find my bearing. I would not be a recognisable high-flyer, as I'll keep a low key to find my way around. But, slowly, people will realise the potential in me and then I'll pick up speed. In the ministry, that's true as well. I'll be slow and steady, learning from others. As I learn and apply more, fruits become more evident. I thank God for such a momentum He gives me. I trust and know that this is the best kind of momentum for me in any race I'm in!

intellectual jokes

shar was asking me if i got any interesting ideas to make the blog more interesting, ...
haha, do take time to look at the side bar.
i created a "level 5010 joke" category.
of course i'm pretty sure none of our jokes are of that complex and high intellectual level...except :)
i think such sophisticated jokes that require wits deserve its recognition.

so now we can all ._. or -_-" at the jokes...

sfsa tribe meeting on 17 nov

*what I am about to blog is largely based on the memory that God has blessed me with :) and i really thank God for it!!

before that, who sabo me do this?? >=/
(i know shar, ady and i think fs also gang up with them to bully me)
and i dumped the notes i wrote on that day just this morning...(someone please help me~)
but i guess it doesnt matter cause there's only 12 words that i scribbled on that piece of paper which i'm proud to say, I still remember:

1. Go Deep in God
2. Look Far in Vision
3. Ask Big in Faith

ok, i shall talk about some other stuffs first...

Pastor Serene shared with us on Mark 4:30-34, The Parable of the Mustard Seed

"30Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. 32Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade."
33With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything."

ok basically i have no idea what's a mustard seed... or how big is the tree. Ps Serene said the seed is about sesame seed size.

FYI: mustard seeds are about 1 mm in diameter and the black mustard seed in Israel will typically grow to heights of 3.7 meters

And basically she just said it's so small that if u throw it in the soil, u cant find it and u can only see it when it grows. ok i dont really see what she means here... (someone please explain?)

but basically the second part is about Jesus speaking in parables. "34He did not say anything to them without using a parable." Similarly, in our daily lives, Jesus speaks to us in parables too! "But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything." So we need to pray to God and have our quiet time Him so that God will explain to us everything and we will understand what He is trying to show us in our lives otherwise our whole lives will just be a parable that we cannot understand.

Well, she gave an example that she saw this street performance by two men from Eastern Europe, one look like Jackie Chan and the other a tall guy . They were balancing on their heads and she said that when she watched them she feels scared for them...cause it's a dangerous act. Then God impressed on her heart that what these 2 guys were doing was a humble act, it's their way of earning a living. And almost immediately she was reminded of our Senior Pastor doing the Magic of Love. It was a humble act which he did to win the pple for Christ and she felt that she was somewhat able to relate to how he felt.

So bottom line is i think, we should pray so that we understand what God wants to tell and teach us. Also, we must be sensitive to God's words and we should not ignore it... (oh is this covered during the meeting, or is this from my post encounter??)

Ok then she went into telling us about plans for year 2007. It will be the year of VICTORY!

FCBC's vision is "We will serve the nations by planting and building apostolic faith communities of disciple-makers for Jesus through the establishment of cutting-edge ministeries in gateway cities"

And the word for youthnet is "breakout". breakout as in not the breakout of pimples... but rather it's a manifestation, surpassing previous achievement!!

Also, we'll be reading 39 books of old testaments next year!

And she went further elaborating about those plans which brings me back to the 12 words i wrote on the piece of paper.

1. Go Deep in God (personal spiritual goal)

2. Look Far in Vision

eg. Presence meetings... invite the Holy Spirit during our G12 meetings.

and we're going to have like at least 6 meetings where the sisters and brothers in Christ in the same cluster would meet.

3. Ask Big in Faith

eg. Ask for open doors or open doors to China... (there'll be 2 trips. one in july 07 and the other in july 08, those can go please go)

[and one whole big chunk that i forgot]

then fs presented the ethnos emmanuel blog with some dummy proof powerpoint (please visit the blog and comment there!) btw, this name means "we serve all nations and every tribe and God with us"

and later we break into our own groups...and fs shared something the pastors said - the matrix basically it's back to the 3 points. we can apply all 3 points in our Personal, Family (biological + spiritual), Work. so it's like 3 by 3! So we should come up with our goals for year 2007 using that as a guide. oh and fs ask about what are our thoughts about what Pastor Serene shared.

Grace said plans are always exciting but somehow around March, the plans will just disappear... which actually i totally agree! i can't rmb what the others said, probably cause i cant relate to them. oops.

ok then fs said everyone should try and blog at least once a month and also post a comment to encourage because when you post online it allows people to read at their own time, so it's a good way of sharing. next she said that the nurses are a special group of people. and they should come together and reach out to a group of people (juniors/patients) . ok while the rest of us, pray for an area where we can all reach out to next year... so from today onwards to end of year, everyone pray everyday and ask God which area we'll reach out to ^_^ cause fs claims that she really dont know and that she's also desperately asking God.

ok i think this was all that happen during the meeting.

personally, i always break every single resolution i set every year... (http://sugarush90.blogspot.com/2005_12_01_sugarush90_archive.html) if u bother to visit my blog, u'll realise i broke all 30 goals. oh nevermind, 2007 will be a new year... and hopefully for the first time in my life, relying on God's strength, i'll keep to whatever goals i set. i havent really thought about what goals to set for the coming year but basically my first goal is set. it's to grow deep in God cause i think that's the foundation of everything. and i will try to pray to God every night so that He can explain to me stuffs (eg. why am i always being bullied by you guys? hehe, just kidding) ok so that i can have a closer relationship with Him :) as for the rest, i havent thought much about them...i take a long time to think.

ok i shall end with an encouragement. let's look forward to this thurs...cause we'll be at toa payoh stadium for healthy lifestyle and to grow in endurance spiritually! haha really looking forward to that!!!! :)

Reflecting ...

How has this year been for you?

I know Shar has been reflecting. What about the rest of you? I have been reflecting and this is only the beginning for me. Perhaps, this year is not one when I jump with hoorays but certainly this is a year when I learnt to simply depend on God, trusting in Him.

"Tell the world that Jesus lives..." Are we telling the world that Jesus lives? How is our life reflecting the truth in God's Word?

2 months to go before we enter 2007. I pray that I can make full use of the time left in 2006 to really grow in the Lord, to prepare myself for a year of victory. I want to grow more and more and more...