I have more than 1 thanksgiving so I shall give a summarized sentence..
Thank God for growing closer to my family over the year.
Thank God that my sister is pregnant.
Thank God for my girls in Gkidz ministry.
Thank God for His perfect timing in all seasons of my life.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
加油 Pastor！
Just did a quick calculation after Singapore's lost to Malaysia (in polo) today.
Malaysia's Goal Difference is +33
Singapore's Goal Difference is +1.5 with one match in hand
The weird thing is that I do not see Pastor Khong's name in any of the Singapore's match reports. Let's continue to pray for him...and the team and that the team will win whenever he plays!
Yay! Go Team Singapore! Go Go Ps Khong!
Malaysia's Goal Difference is +33
Singapore's Goal Difference is +1.5 with one match in hand
The weird thing is that I do not see Pastor Khong's name in any of the Singapore's match reports. Let's continue to pray for him...and the team and that the team will win whenever he plays!
Yay! Go Team Singapore! Go Go Ps Khong!
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Keep pastor in prayer!
Singapore's Polo team made it to the next round!! This is exciting.. May it indeed be a Year of Victory!!
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Hannah Tan Jing En...
More pictures of Hannah!!! Managed to capture one of her precious smiles.. Check out her dimples!!! She was sleeping most of the time though.. but that's what babies are supposed to do.. SLEEP!!!
FS looks kinda tired.. pray for strength as she nurses herself and Hannah.. :-)
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Let's welcome a new addition to the family!!
Ms Hannah Tan Jing En
Safely entered this world on 5 December 2007 @ Mt Alvernia Hospital
Weighs 3.85 kg
Congrats to Seth and FS!!! Let's keep them all in prayer! For protection over the family. For strength and wisdom for the new parents!
More pictures tomorrow!! :-)
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Cluster camp pics..
Dear all,
Pls click on the link to view some of the pics... Look out for the remaining pics from our cluster's blog.. coming soon (i think.. hehe)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ah_pao/sets/72157603235805068/show/with/2046783397/
Pls click on the link to view some of the pics... Look out for the remaining pics from our cluster's blog.. coming soon (i think.. hehe)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ah_pao/sets/72157603235805068/show/with/2046783397/
Saturday, November 03, 2007
ESTHER
Heya! For the benefit of those who couldn't make it on Thur, i've uploaded the lesson here. (Sorry, a bit long as i dunno how to put attachments.) The last question in red is our reflection for this week. Please post your reflection as a comment to this post.
luv,
choi.
Outline
Royal Banquet
-The story opens with a royal banquet by the Persian King Ahasuerus (v 1-9).
- Queen Vashti refused the request of the king to attend his banquet and thus forfeited her claim to the throne (v10-22).
Esther becomes Queen
- Esther found favor in the eyes of Hegai and eventually became Queen.
The Moment of Crisis
- Mordecai’s refusal to bow before Haman incited him against the Jews.
Notes
The story of Esther is similar to other stories in the Bible, e.g. Joseph ( Gen 37-50), Moses( Ex 2), David (1 Sam 29-30), Daniel etc. Can you tell what is common among them?
In each of these stories, a gifted Israelite is taken into the palace of a foreign king and there is granted an opportunity to preserve the life of God’s people.
The unique feature about the story of Esther is that it teaches about God’s provision for his people without ever mentioning God in the book.
God is like the author of the script of the drama which unfolds in the story. Given the “coincidences” at key moments in the story, there is no room for doubt that the events happened as they did because they were planned that way by God.
God’s Sovereign Grace and Divine Providence
The situations in our lives are not always the way we want them to turn out. E.g. the place we live, the people we must associate with everyday, the problems we encounter. And these things may not be our fault. We may be the victim of circumstances, or we may have made decisions we thought were right but did not work out as expected.
Mordecai understood God’s sovereign grace and divine providence. He said to Esther, “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14)
Esther is no safer than any other Jew. When it is known that she is Jewish, her life will be endangered too. Mordecai is convinced that God cares for his people, and if He doesn’t use Esther to deliver them, He will use some other means. He is a sovereign God.
Application
- God is sovereign and He is able to turn difficult circumstances round to work for our good. This includes the wrong decisions we have made.
- This, however, does not mean we should live our lives in total disregard for the will of God, and then expect Him to clear up our mess. The result is unhappiness, sorrow and regret, as many Christians can testify. The consequences of willful sin can be unbearable.
- The sovereignty of God simply means that when we put our lives in Christ’s hands and yield ourselves unreservedly to Him, we can be certain that He has a great plan for us. He can use everything that has happened to us in the past and every circumstance in our present experience to help carry out his plan.
- God has a purpose for you, right now, right where you are, no matter who you are, where you live, to whom you are married, what you have experienced in the past, or what you are facing in the future. In fact, He has allowed you to come to this place in your life for a specific purpose, “for such a time as this”. He has something specific for you to accomplish in your present situation, and He wants you to look for the opportunities in that sphere of influence.
- As believers, we are a part of God’s great program on earth. We have a destiny. God does not want us to moan our plight and look for a way out. He will be honored if we claim His Grace to be what He wants us to be and do what He wants us to do in our present circumstances. We must take advantage of the opportunities He has made available to us in the here and now. He may later open up wider spheres of opportunity if that suits His purpose, but that is in His Hands. Our responsibility is to let Him use us where we are.
- God is at work in our lives just as definitely as in Esther’s. Our circumstances may not be all we would like them to be. But we can thank God for them anyway. They provide Him with the opportunity to demonstrate His sovereign love and care, and for us to glorify Him. Rom 8:28- And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose”.
Q: Recount some of the problems or circumstances you have faced in the past that you now realize God has worked out for good.
Q: What are the present circumstances in your life that you wish were different? What opportunities to glorify the Lord are provided by these circumstances? How can you serve the Lord in them?
luv,
choi.
Outline
Royal Banquet
-The story opens with a royal banquet by the Persian King Ahasuerus (v 1-9).
- Queen Vashti refused the request of the king to attend his banquet and thus forfeited her claim to the throne (v10-22).
Esther becomes Queen
- Esther found favor in the eyes of Hegai and eventually became Queen.
The Moment of Crisis
- Mordecai’s refusal to bow before Haman incited him against the Jews.
Notes
The story of Esther is similar to other stories in the Bible, e.g. Joseph ( Gen 37-50), Moses( Ex 2), David (1 Sam 29-30), Daniel etc. Can you tell what is common among them?
In each of these stories, a gifted Israelite is taken into the palace of a foreign king and there is granted an opportunity to preserve the life of God’s people.
The unique feature about the story of Esther is that it teaches about God’s provision for his people without ever mentioning God in the book.
God is like the author of the script of the drama which unfolds in the story. Given the “coincidences” at key moments in the story, there is no room for doubt that the events happened as they did because they were planned that way by God.
God’s Sovereign Grace and Divine Providence
The situations in our lives are not always the way we want them to turn out. E.g. the place we live, the people we must associate with everyday, the problems we encounter. And these things may not be our fault. We may be the victim of circumstances, or we may have made decisions we thought were right but did not work out as expected.
Mordecai understood God’s sovereign grace and divine providence. He said to Esther, “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14)
Esther is no safer than any other Jew. When it is known that she is Jewish, her life will be endangered too. Mordecai is convinced that God cares for his people, and if He doesn’t use Esther to deliver them, He will use some other means. He is a sovereign God.
Application
- God is sovereign and He is able to turn difficult circumstances round to work for our good. This includes the wrong decisions we have made.
- This, however, does not mean we should live our lives in total disregard for the will of God, and then expect Him to clear up our mess. The result is unhappiness, sorrow and regret, as many Christians can testify. The consequences of willful sin can be unbearable.
- The sovereignty of God simply means that when we put our lives in Christ’s hands and yield ourselves unreservedly to Him, we can be certain that He has a great plan for us. He can use everything that has happened to us in the past and every circumstance in our present experience to help carry out his plan.
- God has a purpose for you, right now, right where you are, no matter who you are, where you live, to whom you are married, what you have experienced in the past, or what you are facing in the future. In fact, He has allowed you to come to this place in your life for a specific purpose, “for such a time as this”. He has something specific for you to accomplish in your present situation, and He wants you to look for the opportunities in that sphere of influence.
- As believers, we are a part of God’s great program on earth. We have a destiny. God does not want us to moan our plight and look for a way out. He will be honored if we claim His Grace to be what He wants us to be and do what He wants us to do in our present circumstances. We must take advantage of the opportunities He has made available to us in the here and now. He may later open up wider spheres of opportunity if that suits His purpose, but that is in His Hands. Our responsibility is to let Him use us where we are.
- God is at work in our lives just as definitely as in Esther’s. Our circumstances may not be all we would like them to be. But we can thank God for them anyway. They provide Him with the opportunity to demonstrate His sovereign love and care, and for us to glorify Him. Rom 8:28- And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose”.
Q: Recount some of the problems or circumstances you have faced in the past that you now realize God has worked out for good.
Q: What are the present circumstances in your life that you wish were different? What opportunities to glorify the Lord are provided by these circumstances? How can you serve the Lord in them?
Monday, October 22, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
God is.....
Compassionate
Persistent
A God Of Second Chance
A Miracle Performer
Commander
Powerful
Disciplinarian
Teacher
Healer
Environmentalist
Giver & Taker Of Life
Love
Source: Funny Pictures (2003)
Persistent
A God Of Second Chance
A Miracle Performer
Commander
Powerful
Disciplinarian
Teacher
Healer
Environmentalist
Giver & Taker Of Life
Love
Source: Funny Pictures (2003)
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Book of Jonah
(Permission of use obtained from author)No time to read the book of Jonah?
Need some pictorial help in visualising the story of Jonah?
Click on the picture to read the Jonah comics!
Need some pictorial help in visualising the story of Jonah?
Click on the picture to read the Jonah comics!
Monday, October 08, 2007
The Steward Exercise
We have an ultra-interesting application this week, I want to invite all of you to join in! And in case those who were at processing thought I wasn't serious about it...well, this entry shows that I am, so, please do homework hor! Here goes...
Consciously note your week's expenditure for 8 Oct-13 Oct.
While doing this exercise, remember that we're assuming that this is a typical week. So don't try to deliberately curb your spending. If you are giving tithe this week, divide your tithe amount by 4 and add on to your week's total expenditure.
After you have done your recordings of expenditure at the end of Sat, observe from your spendings the following:
1. Are you content with what you have? (i.e. are you content with what you've spent on...or do you want more?)
2. Do you give to God first?
3. What are the things we spend on?
4. Do you give to the poor?
We are to be good stewards!
Consciously note your week's expenditure for 8 Oct-13 Oct.
While doing this exercise, remember that we're assuming that this is a typical week. So don't try to deliberately curb your spending. If you are giving tithe this week, divide your tithe amount by 4 and add on to your week's total expenditure.
After you have done your recordings of expenditure at the end of Sat, observe from your spendings the following:
1. Are you content with what you have? (i.e. are you content with what you've spent on...or do you want more?)
2. Do you give to God first?
3. What are the things we spend on?
4. Do you give to the poor?
We are to be good stewards!
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
3-Step Bible Study Process
(Taken from "Living by the Book" by Howard G. Hendricks & William D. Hendricks)
(1) Observation: What do I see? (TSLA)
a. Terms: key words (e.g. "but")
b. Structure: grammatical (e.g. what is the Subject/Object), literary (e.g. cause &
effect, question & answer)
c. Literary form (e.g. poetry, epistle, narrative)
d. Atmosphere: setting, author’s feelings
(2) Interpretation: What does it mean?
a. Questions: keep asking
b. Answers: find answers from observation process
c. Integration: put answers together into a meaningful whole
(Tip: The longer time you spend on making observations, the shorter time you take to interpret the passage and the more accurate your interpretation.)
(3) Application: How does it work?
a. For me: personal application for credibility & authority before you teach the Word
b. For others: for effective ministry
(1) Observation: What do I see? (TSLA)
a. Terms: key words (e.g. "but")
b. Structure: grammatical (e.g. what is the Subject/Object), literary (e.g. cause &
effect, question & answer)
c. Literary form (e.g. poetry, epistle, narrative)
d. Atmosphere: setting, author’s feelings
(2) Interpretation: What does it mean?
a. Questions: keep asking
b. Answers: find answers from observation process
c. Integration: put answers together into a meaningful whole
(Tip: The longer time you spend on making observations, the shorter time you take to interpret the passage and the more accurate your interpretation.)
(3) Application: How does it work?
a. For me: personal application for credibility & authority before you teach the Word
b. For others: for effective ministry
Monday, October 01, 2007
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Reflections on Daniel 6:10-23
Reflections on Daniel 6:10-23
How can we grow in doing what is right no matter what's the cost?
1. Foster a close relationship with God
2. Always Pray
3. Always be thankful
4. Always trust God
Daniel is one of my favourite character in the bible because like David, he has a very close walk with God and is called the highly esteemed by God.
In passage 6:10-23, we see Daniel's actions in work with his faith. Regardless of the harsh decree issued by the king, he fearlessly continue his daily routine, that is to pray 3 times a day. Obedience to God is better than sacrifice. And God honors him and save him from the seemingly hopeless situation of death.
For me, what I want to catch from Daniel is his admirable trust in God.
"And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God." (Daniel 6:23)
Sometimes, we may be weighed down by many wordly worries in our lives but when we turned our eyes to God and trust Him to help us, it's then that we truly live out what we believe in - that Jesus Christ is Lord.
So just want to encourage all of you, no matter what circumstances we are in, let us always pray to God and trust in Him in everything.
Amen!
~ Posting on behalf of Huili
How can we grow in doing what is right no matter what's the cost?
1. Foster a close relationship with God
2. Always Pray
3. Always be thankful
4. Always trust God
Daniel is one of my favourite character in the bible because like David, he has a very close walk with God and is called the highly esteemed by God.
In passage 6:10-23, we see Daniel's actions in work with his faith. Regardless of the harsh decree issued by the king, he fearlessly continue his daily routine, that is to pray 3 times a day. Obedience to God is better than sacrifice. And God honors him and save him from the seemingly hopeless situation of death.
For me, what I want to catch from Daniel is his admirable trust in God.
"And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God." (Daniel 6:23)
Sometimes, we may be weighed down by many wordly worries in our lives but when we turned our eyes to God and trust Him to help us, it's then that we truly live out what we believe in - that Jesus Christ is Lord.
So just want to encourage all of you, no matter what circumstances we are in, let us always pray to God and trust in Him in everything.
Amen!
~ Posting on behalf of Huili
blog layout
hehe, i dunno what u all want leh :/
so i shall leave the blog like this first...
at least it looks more decent... o.O compared to the one where everything was squashed to one side...
so i shall leave the blog like this first...
at least it looks more decent... o.O compared to the one where everything was squashed to one side...
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Reflection on Nahum
Nahum
1) God is Awesome
2) Remember God is Awesome
3) Return to the Awesome God
4) Reveal/ Reflect/ Represent the Awesome God
1) God is Awesome
2) Remember God is Awesome
3) Return to the Awesome God
4) Reveal/ Reflect/ Represent the Awesome God
In Nahum, God chose to afflict Israel no more. I was reminded of God's love. He chose me just as he chose Israel. I could have been destroyed just like Nineveh but God included me in His sovereign plan.
"The clouds are the dust of His feet" Nahum 1:3. God has been awesome to me and I want to be used by God to do awesome things. I want to hear Him, see Him, and know Him more intimately. I want people to know this awesome God such that their lives will be transformed in awesome ways.
I was reminded that God is not only a God of love, but also a God of power - power to save, vindicate, punish and destroy. Lets return to our Awesome God.
New Updates - Our Family Devotion Time Schedule
After discussion during last meeting, here's the new schedule....
20 Sep: Nahum (by Sharon)
27 Sep: Daniel (by Huili)
4 Oct: Jonah (by Grace)
11 Oct: Ecclesiates (by Jess)
18 Oct: Esther (by Choi)
25 Oct: ?
1 Nov: Malachi (by Joan)
8 Nov: Zechariah (by Yating)
15 Nov: Ruth (by Sharmaine)
22 Nov: Joel (by Eunice)
29 Nov: Isaiah (by Weiqing)
6 Dec: ?
Let's immerse ourselves in the Word of God, nourishing our souls.
20 Sep: Nahum (by Sharon)
27 Sep: Daniel (by Huili)
4 Oct: Jonah (by Grace)
11 Oct: Ecclesiates (by Jess)
18 Oct: Esther (by Choi)
25 Oct: ?
1 Nov: Malachi (by Joan)
8 Nov: Zechariah (by Yating)
15 Nov: Ruth (by Sharmaine)
22 Nov: Joel (by Eunice)
29 Nov: Isaiah (by Weiqing)
6 Dec: ?
Let's immerse ourselves in the Word of God, nourishing our souls.
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