Who is there like You, O God?

just. a. rant.

2012-01-15T19:10:00.000+08:00

Maybe it's the lack of purpose.
maybe it's sin?

Why the chaos? Why the making of chaos as if it is my best friend.

Living with it all my life, does that mean that it is what it is meant to be?
If Chaos is normal, then is normal abnormal?

in the chaos, in the confusion. Uncle Muntoh told me two things i can do.
Focus on the sin, the chaos, the addictions, or focus on Christ.
Both are choices. Both are equally real. Both with pain still very much present.
but one with Hope.

In our Chaos, in our sinfulness, in our addictions, what do we, i see?

Am i a sinner? or am i forgiven?
I choose to see which one I am, and live that way.

Nicodemus of the bible had so much knowledge it jammed his actions.
in that whole episode in John 3,
Jesus mentions the word 'believe' 7x. Compare this to the next chapter in John 4, with the Samaritan woman.. 'Believe' was mentioned once, while 'worship', 7x.

The Pharisee Nicodemus was a leader of the pharisees.
And he was told to believe.
Here was a man who wanted to believe, wanted to be with Jesus.
But wanted more knowledge, more information, to make a learned choice.
Being a learner all his life, he learnt, and learnt. and taught sometimes.
Led committees, led this led that.

And he needed to believe.

He didnt' dare leave what he was comfortable with, and only spoke up in soft way in John 7.
The only time he gathered the courage to do something that makes a difference for Jesus, is AFTER he died.

how long must we wait before we do something for Jesus?

Living, is believing. Believing is not what you say you believe, but what you do.

So check our actions. what have you been doing already???
That's what you already believe.

Don't bluff ourselves, that weu are Christian, a follower of God, an imitator of Christ.
we probably are self worshippers, sex worshippers, or music worshipppers or whatever.

Pharisee Nicodemus kept asking questions, to diffuse the limelight and the searching light of Christ from His own personal belief.

Until we are able to say what 'i' believe just seeing what we do, it will be the Great I worshipping you, god. so give me face and let me have what i think is what i feel is right. then i say god has the glory.

have i really believed?
have i been living what i believed?

if i believe that Jesus is the Son of God, do i live like Jesus has all authority?
if I believe that Jesus came to redeem, do i live like so?
if i believe that Jesus brings about transformation, whose first words in His ministry was 'repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near', do i live like so?

If we all live like what we believe, we won't recognise ourselves.

Most often, we want to retain what we think is familiar, simply cuz thats who we think 'we are'.
or 'i grew up like that what'.

we usually grow up far from who we truly are.

In living like Jesus is true, we grow closer to who we are supposed to be.
We don't change to be some nicer, more level-up version of ourselves.

And in this loss of purpose, the stuff all come back.

the focus is all gone, the addictions rule, the chaos is normal again.

Maybe one day, with a real sense of purpose, with a real calling.I want this one day soon!
I will not be who i am now.
The so-called Nuacodemus as called by my army friends and... yes my socalled closest friends.
will not be nua anymore.

The reason why isolation happens to anyone is no one's fault but your own.
it's a consequence that you should bear, a real consequence of something, some law of the world, that was crossed.

And it's about time that we learn not to expect some kind soul to have 'compassion' on us and rescue us.

Pain is purifying.
We forget that we were punished when we were children, but the real times (amidst the not-rea timesl) we received proper discipline, we know that it caused us to be better.

In relieving someone of his discipline and consequence, is to not love him in the long run but to exhibit selfishness in quelling your own momentary emotional 'compassion' of ' i can't bear to see him suffer, so poor thing'.
This is true of children, no matter how old,
BGR,
and christian community amongst many other examples.

We have been so tolerant of each other's sin so often, we steer our churchy discussions away from our own sinfulness.
"its ok la. its ok to drink as long......."
"yea let's accept him, cuz Jesus told us to love, so we love and show that church is actually a nice smiley place" knowing he/she has been overtly living a antiGod lifestyle even in and out of church.
nothing against drinking. but it's just the most prevalent example i can think of.

and i don't really care about offending anyone now.

in my own life, if we were to ask ourselves these same qns, we'll probably change our own thoughts to something more cheery like reading our FB newsfeed.

and it is said that counsellors should go for at least 8 sessions of counselling. But most people who love helping others, forget they need help first. And because they do so much ministering, it will be harder to get ministered to, cuz they actually know what's going on!

Same like pharisee Nicodemus.
he led, he taught, but no one saw his heart.

questions was used as a defence, to throw back to the questioner cuz he didn't want sin to be made obvious.

There's an old song called, 'If you don't love Jesus, don't come to church'.
Church is a place for the redeemed, and those seeking salvation. It is a place where, we all are broken, and redeemed, and worshipping together. We know the dark pasts that we all had, but we all all use our brokenness, talents, in worship. As worship is the expression of being forgiven, and living that life of forgiven-ness. and choosing not to go back. if we falter, people warn u, love u, help u in your picking up, rescue u if necessary, and restore u back to community.

If after so long in church, we realised we don't love jesus.

Don't come to church.

i am a christian

2011-09-03T23:12:00.000+08:00

i am a christian.

i am a christian not because it is cool.
but because i saw the need to be forgiven.

I am a christian not because i can,
but because i can't.

i am a christian not because it is an easier way to go to heaven,
but because i was chosen.

i am a christian not because i deserve to go
but because, without Christ i am the worst and hardest sinner.

i am a christian not because i am holy moley
but because i am depraved by nature.

i am a christian not because i have a good moral compass
but because i don't even have one to begin with.

i am a christian not because i was brought up a christian

but because there's something real when i communicate to God.

i am a christian. saying all these nice words.
but at the end, will i survive?

i am a christian, spouting doctrine,

but at the end, does what i say matter?

i am a christian, doing bible study.
but at the end, where did the knowledge all go?

i am a christian, thinking i am always right.
but at the end, i'll be with a hoarde of others who do not qualify to enter the kingdom of heaven.

i am a christian, repenting each time i do something so depraved.

but at the end, it earns no respect from the non-religious who have done much more righteous acts.

i am a christian, thinking i have the answer.

but at the end, i realise that so does everyone else.

i am a christian, attending christian stuff all my life.

but at the end, i end up with a narrow view and vanished friend pool.

i am a christian, thinking everyone else is proud and needs to be 'taught' and 'mentored'.

but at the end, it is i who needs to be taught and humbled.

i am a christian, thinking that putting Jesus in my vocab would impress,

but at the end, there is no Jesus in my actions.

i am a christian, relishing the thought that i am working in a christian org with a nice noble discipline of study.
but it is always the non-religious who show me what it really meant to be compassionate.

i am a christian, proclaiming Jesus, but people can't see Jesus in my heart.

Lord help us to make a difference in our

doing video editing...

2011-07-16T02:42:00.000+08:00

is really tiring. i admire those who do this as a profession!

Thank God for the blessing of a mac. it really does reduce much more headaches compared to a windows machine.

But so what if there's a good machine?

the same old sin occurs, the same old procrastinating spirit.

And i lost my whole nite of sleep.

best thing is that now at 6:44am, since doing it from 11pm, it's only half done.

ArGH!

is it possible to ever be in sync and chiong efficiently? school is starting! and i doubt i will be able to handle it.

But since i am inside, He will enable me to handle it. and i better handle it well as it's stewardship.

Lord, am i still a small boy?

anyways, what is it about peer leadership that fails? Is it the fact that everyone is too familiar with each other and can't really respect the authority of a leader as everyone knows his flaws too much too many?

Why is it that though a leader has been selected, in effect someone else takes over? is it cuz he abdicated?

or is it just the fact that he CMI?

how to move on forward, when there's such a dearth of personal relationship and the stagnating conversations.

Even when a brother tells me that though we can lead as team, we all have different ideas. Can't there be one? Can't there be a decision maker? Must everything be democratic?

If only kindreds abounded more.

Lest you only be labelled weirdo.

Prayer unites our hearts to Him. When we are in Him, our hearts will be from Him, and together, we'll be for Him as one.

May we see that happening soon!

May we see lives transforms in community!

May the relationships be real and may our purpose be Yours.

This i ask in Jesus Name.

amen amen amen!

a brother says...

2011-06-14T20:49:00.000+08:00

don't bother packing up your bag. empty it.

so true of life.

we pack up our disorderliness and try to make messy things look okay.

but the point is that mess is not cuz they look untidy, but because there is just too many things.

so empty your life-bag.

things will definitely not be messy.

and things will be much clearer.

maybe thats why i am seldom clear.

the place im in externally and within is just messy.

time to empty.

two days to go to thailand trip

just came back from SU trek with uncle david leong as my partner.

LORD, create in me a pure heart. You only is my rock and my salvation. my fortress; i shall not be greatly shaken ps 62.2

i dont wish to compromise the whole trip with my own inconsistencies.

i love singapore

2011-04-23T22:21:00.000+08:00

and this is the only political candidate i can actually relate, and also being in the same generation (i'm 23).

i love singapore.

i love this show.

2011-04-08T01:31:00.000+08:00

<a href="http://video.xin.msn.com/?mkt=en-sg&vid=df93bfac-6ad9-4e4f-9c93-b7bd6ed58724&from=en-sg&fg=dest" target="_new" title="Episode 5">Video: Episode 5</a>

"I will wait for you" by Official P4CM Poet JANETTE...IKZ

2011-04-08T01:20:00.000+08:00

what are words. make a certain breakthru

2011-03-24T23:34:00.001+08:00

What are Words?by Chris Medina

Anywhere you are, I am near

Anywhere you go, I'll be there

Anytime you whisper my name, you'll see How every single promise I keep

Cuz what kind of guy would I be

If I was to leave when you need me most

What are words If you really don't mean them

When you say them What are words If they're only for good times

Then they don't

When it's love

Yeah, you say them out loud

Those words,

They never go away

They live on, even when we're gone

And I know an angel was sent just for me

And I know I'm meant to be where I am And I'm gonna be

Standing right beside her tonight

And I'm gonna be by your side

Make a Certain break thru

by Ann Chan and Ruth Ling

Verse 1
In my life of searching for the plain and simple way

Many paths were so winding The roads were never straight

Then the Spirit of God broke through And healed my broken wings

And showed me the way into His heart

Chorus
And I know that God is leading in a clear and certain way

My one life for your purpose, Jesus I offer up this day

To follow you completely To do all that you say

Cleanse my life, fill me up Use me this day

Make a certain breakthrough Make it today

Verse 2
In these days of danger Lord, we rest upon Your grace

With Your tender and skillful hands You shape this stubborn clay

Yes You calm my inmost being Giving courage to hope again

And to build this one life In power and faith

what are words. make a certain breakthru

2011-03-24T23:34:00.000+08:00

What are Words?

by Chris Medina

Anywhere you are, I am near
Anywhere you go, I'll be there
Anytime you whisper my name, you'll see
How every single promise I keep
Cuz what kind of guy would I be
If I was to leave when you need me most
What are words
If you really don't mean them
When you say them
What are words
If they're only for good times
Then they don't
When it's love
Yeah, you say them out loud
Those words, They never go away
They live on, even when we're gone
And I know an angel was sent just for me
And I know I'm meant to be where I am
And I'm gonna be
Standing right beside her tonight

And I'm gonna be by your side

Make a Certain Breakthru

In my life of searching for the plain and simple way

Many paths were so winding The roads were never straight

Then the Spirit of God broke through And healed my broken wings

And showed me the way into His heart

Chorus
And I know that God is leading in a clear and certain way

My one life for your purpose, Jesus I offer up this day

To follow you completely To do all that you say

Cleanse my life, fill me up Use me this day

Make a certain breakthrough Make it today

Verse 2
In these days of danger Lord, we rest upon Your grace

With Your tender and skillful hands You shape this stubborn clay

Yes You calm my inmost being Giving courage to hope again

And to build this one life In power and faith

sample prezi

2011-02-20T20:12:00.000+08:00

done for 12br awards camp 19feb2011. on passion. lifeskills badge.

i hope in years to come, there will be more depth.

.prezi-player { width: 550px; } .prezi-player-links { text-align: center; }

passion on Prezi

cool ppt alternative

2011-02-16T16:04:00.000+08:00

http://prezi.com/recyyolzxm3e/how-to-create-a-great-prezi/ :)

Brass, Bagpipes & Co - The Canon

2011-02-08T01:18:00.000+08:00

it's CNY again.

2011-02-03T02:25:00.000+08:00

all so familiar ritual.
The weather, the fake joyous occasion, the fake conversations, the fake harmony, the fake bondedness, as if the families have always been chummy and close.

Familiar as it is, it is a stark stark reminder of what it shouldn't have been. Relationships, family should be better, but often it ain't.

Much as there's a drudgery to cny, is it more than a ritual of small talk, and reunions? There must be something in cny, that people ARE actually willing to go through the drudgery, the motions and the awkwardness.

While cny is a dark reflection of what is not there, there can be hope for what can be.

In every culture, there is at least a feast festival where people have reunions with their family. Cny for chinese, hari raya puasa for malays, pongal/deepavali for the indians, thanksgiving for the angmohs, and the jews too! (tho i forgot what's it called).
Surely, some anthropologist might wanna tell me why such a trend exists in almost, if not all cultures of this world.
It's as if, reunions and joyful feasts were meant to be. Or it's meant to have.. erm.. Meaning?

Fractured families are platforms for the Lord to break thru. To us, it might represent over 100 ppl, and dozens of conflicts and fractures. But to God, it's just a family. He definitely can.

Then of course, what role should i do? Or rather, should i even want to chup my nose into others? Or do i even want to do anything in the first place? Cuz more often than not, we don't really bother, much less want to have a role.

Can there be hope? Can it be possible?
Families and relationships in the presence of the One who created them, is something that should and must be hoped for.

As time flows, even as a former AC Boy, i begin to see how chinese culture is really so profound. If you actually know some of festivals' actual meaning. As a christian moreover, many facets of chinese culture, or at least the old fashioned kind, make so much sense in light of the bible.

Thus there's much hope, cuz leading a family in the future with the Word as guide, you'll know that the culture that He put us in, actually comes to fullness in Christ.

新年恩满，主力充满。
I wonder if that is even correct or right to do. Hahaha.. Just thought there has to be something better than 新年快乐 or 恭喜发财。

:)

peer-mentoring

2011-01-29T20:59:00.000+08:00

often our idea of having a mentor is someone who will do bible study with us, some counselling session, and voila, we've level-ed up..

that's so naiive, and untrue, and usually happens in our minds.
even in the coporate world, mentors are usually ppl u observe, and people who have lived a life of experience, and processed it enough to be wise about it.

looking at this dg, God has put us here at this season, for this season.

it's the megachurch version of a cg. 30 ppl.

the kind of thing i used to comment when i was younger in YPM, when i hear megachurches' cg is 50 strong, where i'll comment how that's bigger than my whole youth ministry.

but now this time has come.

and for this season, God has blessed us with each other, and it's thoroughly an encouragement to do voices sst today with all of them.

worship in private devotion is God with Me. But usually when we come for service or cell/discipleship/bible study group (or whatever the nomenclature for whatever the function), we forget the We element.
it's hard also in the majority of singapore church services cuz of the limitations of the English Language, and the christiany songs are usually between God and i.

little wonder, as these songs were written in the private worship and devotion of the writers. With the best worship songs, most often coming out of despair. Cuz the writer wrote it in a real time of worship!

But back to the topic, dg really has encouraged me.
there's so many things to think about, but there are brothers and sisters who put this as an equal priority of our lives, serving God together, and this sense of loving God with the same heart together.
We had lots of fun doing ushering today. Yee and I will banter nonstop with our lame jokes and only we'll laugh at them. We did unexpected stuff today, since that was the tagline given.

Like writing "expect the unexpected" and with Kel's R2D2, where he actually joined us to have fun welcoming ppl.

such wonderful time worshipping God thru fun and lameness, and craziness and nuttiness. it is worship, as our hearts was right.

of cuz we may have gone overboard a little bit, but. overall.... yea! it was way unexpected for the ppl coming in. the oldest age dg grp so childish, scaring ppl in toilet on their sst, shocking them (and a parent) with hastily done "expect the unexpected" signs.

fortunately or unfortunately, we don't get excommunicated for doing this. :P

and with our international CNY steamboat coming up, wow. that's ownership. Kel wasnt at the discussion, but once it was up on fb, he juz initiated and told everyone!

this is YOUR heart on us LORD. it is the same!

the very thing that was the feeble thread that linked us together, is the very foundation that WILL link us forward too!

so encouraged.

yet, why is this called peer-mentoring?

cuz mentoring is observing someone's life and how we walks with Christ.

if its someone older and wiser, it's a great great blessing.

but with peer, we see each other's faithfulness and we emulate.

to my shame, im the lowest in this dg. but learning from people, they become my mentors in the details of life.

from Kel i learnt, organisation.

Jonq i learnt, not neglecting the details

Yee, i learnt how to be cheerful for ppl

Timmy, i learnt what ministry of presence really means.

Othniel, i learnt discipline is needed to achieve anything.

Gabe, i learnt what practice can produce.

Mark Lai, i learnt the art of knowing theology in this era.

Jo, i learnt how to love. and love others, finding and persevering in looking for the gem that they are deep within the surface.

and many more.

im the least talented among my friends. least disciplined, least understanding, most naiive.

and i Thank God for such ppl who are willing to accept me as their friend.

So thank God for friends. Cuz they could seriously just be that mentor that you have been praying for.

Lord, lead us together as one.

It's always such a pleasure to have high performing teams (after the forming-storming-norming stages of grp behabviour) that function so very well for God's kingdom.

nothing beats having a team together doing God's work, rather than 'earning money for my stakeholders, my ceo, who don't really care who u are anyways.'

nothing is more worthwhile. (nic from the future! hope this sounds true by then.)

Recently i read an article in Compass magazine, by Dr Tan Soo Inn, titled "Team Leadership: is There any Other Kind." Which confirms my observation that group and team leadership works greatly than a strongman leadership.

it hath been happening for eons, but i wonder if people really do observe or tasted it happening.

Maybe im blessed to both have seen it (SPO, and LKY's era of cabinet ministers) and been part of one. (musical).

He quoted this thing called " The 4 main Leadership Aptitudes"

-Executing / Operational Leaders : the ppl who are the ones who are gifted in structure and solutions to achieving the vision

- Influencing / Directing Leaders: the ppl who can cast vision kind, and they influence ppl in juz normal situations. Sometimes they dun get caught up in the details, so they can channel energy to vision-influencing.

- Relationship Biulding / team-building leaders: These are the glue kind of ppl who are the kind who makes the team feel warm, and builds the relationships between ppl, so that they become friends working together, not mere individuals. they hear, understand, and lurve everyone.

- Strategic thinking / Strategic Leaders: THese are the uncle Muntoh kind. or on a bigger scale, MM Lee. Where they can see problems and opportunities before it happens, and helps the group focus on what they're supposed to focus.

so here we are. continue in Your work Lord.

Hana (cover by Gabriel Jiang)

2011-01-24T23:40:00.000+08:00

awesome friends i have.
blessed to have brothers who show me it's possible.

real world experience?

2011-01-21T20:32:00.000+08:00

growing up in church culture all these years is both a privilege and a sheltered world. Privilege cuz growing up in God's house.. Of cuz privilege la!

But ultra sheltered and me being me, with my family shelter too, it stuns my growth in many other areas too.

Had dinner with kel, celest, kest. Closest church friends for the past 3years of this life's season. Thankful for kel who initiated. And the fellowship and the teaching tips and the insights.

Got home and thought... How much of the real working world experience should i experience? I've never done so, and now i'm going straight into social sector and still within the shelteredness of the christian industry.

Do i need some real working life experience before i'm able to understand the struggles?
Won't just being faithful be enough? Won't living the called life be enough? God i don't know. But i do want to be faithful and live your called life.
God in my sheltered life, always be my shelter, knowing that taking risks is not gonna sabo things, and my plans, but staying faithful is more important.

Even my thinking is not critical enough. I still can't think sharply. God if You called me here.. Help me to see you daily. Let my life be an outflow to kids and to ppl around. Cuz You have loved me so very much.

another thing i learnt

2011-01-03T06:09:00.001+08:00

Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.proverbs 23:17.too many times we have wished to lived their form of happening life. fantasies of drugs, sex, climbing and achieving corporate milestones.let's stay strong, doing what is right. Resilient men, let's be my bros.

another thing i learnt

2011-01-03T06:09:00.000+08:00

ownself kena.

2011-01-03T05:52:00.000+08:00

learnt this from my dear bro.

sometimes in life, when we sin, we ownself kena.
Being in His presence is such a joy, but when we get double minded, and do idiotic sins, we lose His presence. And that is torture.

Being away from His presence is really a bad bad punishment.

that is why so many families screw up when their fathers arent walking right with the Lord. why? as the head, when he sins, he brings sin to the whole family. hence the stories in the bible, where the whole family kena cuz of the lao peh's sin.

no joke man.

similarly, when we are leading christiany stuff like leading worship, doing DGL etc, or christiany events, when one member has sin, it spreads to the whole thing. cuz it allows the devil a door to come in and sabo the whole darn thing.

even in relationships too. sin sabos everything.

Ps Ed chu zhao on 2jan2011. the first sunday of this year. Nominal Christianity is not the killer to true discipleship, as proposed by countless books out there. Cultural Christianity is.

it's one of the 3 or all combined.
consumerism resulting in spectatorship (sit there and watch and gain),

Self-actualisation (do God's work but actually is to see whether i can achieve my potential)

or Double Mindedness (zealous for God but private life CMI)

i wonder if many in church fall under Double Mindedness? i know i do.

As we get older, the responsibility increases. Holiness no longer becomes a choice. It HAS to be.

this year started off with breakthru, DG thanksgiving, cycling, dawn prayer, and IMO a great voices service. But sin can come anytime.

so hopefully we don't forget who and what and why our Purpose is. JESUS.

when we play guit, JESUS.

when we lead DG, JESUS.

when we live our private life, JESUS. accountable to Him.

LORD help us.

I Just Want You - Planetshakers

2011-01-02T02:23:00.001+08:00

i just want YOU.

2011-01-01T21:27:00.000+08:00

being desperate for His presence is a good thing. tho being IN His presence is better.

27dec2010 breakthru retreat day 1 , BB yr 10

2010-12-27T20:11:00.001+08:00

one of the least confusing post, this will be.

today is breakthru retreat day one at ECP.

ultimate frisbees, 12oclock, getting mini potted plants to wish ppl a merry christmas but it's over now, castles for barbie and ken, rain rain rain, and the hide-marble-throw-frisbee game which represents how we hide our treasures and sin from God, even though it is obviously exposed.

a great learning day and long time since i saw matt chu this kind of zhao.

maybe cuz being reintegrated in to young ppl ministry after like 3 years, need so much adjustment. there's so much WE wanna serve, and maybe cuz i didnt serve in chruch for 3 years, i have all these zany ideas. tho integrating into the circle of ideas juz can't seem to work out yet.

Nevermind, these aren't important. What's important is serving the LORD, and pointing others too.

juz read a post of hypocrisy of a christian colleague MIA-ing and encouraging others too. that could have been any single one of my ex colleagues in army.

no one liked me. could it be because of an integrity issue at the heart?

what u so called believe is not lived out. duh.

and went out with the BB guys.

it's been 10 years 10 years! since we were sec 1, and since we knew each other in BB.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs774.ash1/166490_10150104504400498_740760497_7900287_2478944_n.jpg

sthe last time i met some of them was in 2008. and that was not all of them cuz i missed some gatherings over the years.

most of us graduated in 2004 and 2005. but everyone seems to be going somewhere, at least a job, or a direction, even in ndu. i thought i did, but it's all so fuzzy once again!

Kenneth's a paralegal, James' a Sailing Coach, Wayne.. studying?, JT at SMU, JLiew is going to Aus to study at feb6, Sam is in NDU, but gonna study overseas too after ORD, so is ben. LYO's life is juz beginning, and going up up man.

let's hope the next gathering wont be when we get married or kids.

friendship is minstry. uncle muntoh was saying yesterday at mich's bday at sazeirya, that our purpose is to shine shine shine....

break my heart for what breaks Yours, so goes that certain Brooke Fraser song.
but when u do feel the breaking heart of God, then? feel emo as can be possible?

why am i doing so much church work?

to be honest, i'm wondering too.

God, be my 2011. be my future.
be the one that i decide to be practical and get a well paying job or do full time. God You'll see me thru the seasons.

Seeing the image of lostness will be etched in my mind. Lostness so professional, holding a cig, and so much the stereotype.
lostness, hiding emotional pain, and being bitter at love, for that hurts too much.

"i wanna feel again" goes bagteria. Abstract as it is, it does make sense. (the first part of the guy waving the flag is harder to understand though)

Lord, help us love CHRIST together.

DG has the heart. HE expands it.

goodnite and time to prepare for breakthru day 2.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs560.ash2/148201_10150104500380498_740760497_7900156_6998587_n.jpg

In Whom i can trust

2010-12-23T19:53:00.001+08:00

In Whom i can trust

Steven Wee

You are the Lord

Dm7

in whom i can trust.

C/E F G

You are the rock I can stand upon
Am
Every step of the way,
E/C#
You take my hand and say

C/G D/F#

You will always be here right beside me

Dm7 F/G

When i call on you, i know You'll come to me

chorus:

G C G/B

You are my Lord

Am Em

in whom i can trust

You are my fortress

C/E

You're my deliverer

My shield,

F/G

My strength

G C G/B

For all of my days,

Am G D/F#

i place my hope in Jesus

Dm7

WHo loved me with His life

The ROCK of my salvation

In Whom i can trust

this answers my qn somewhat.

2010-12-17T18:38:00.001+08:00

http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/ask-pastor-john/what-made-it-ok-for-god-to-kill-women-and-children-in-the-old-testament

it's high time for some reflection

2010-12-17T18:02:00.000+08:00

the value of blogging is that there is an audience to read, imagined or not. compared to journalling, where its utter personal territory.

so there.. ppl be wise in what u type. it shows how wise or unwise u are...

anyways, i need to force myself to reflect. i begin to see how it's a 'discipline'.

how much am i willing to forgo for the sake of The Christ? Xinyi coming back from aussie, wow, so much reflections. of all places, she says in aussie, Christians are really persecuted. there is actually a cost involved to say u are a christian.

and could it be that our inaction as individual christians and corporately reflect our convictions? too many christians are stuck in this "know more than u do" syndrome. why is it we are the most significant grp of ppl who don't do what we know?

action action action.

christianity has alot of action involved.

but maybe we reflect too much.

and do too little.

ironically, in doing more, we have deeper reflections. a good thing.

so Lord help us do as much as we believe.

maybe there is no cost per se to believe in Christ here in SG. officially we can reach like 20% christianity.

but hey, this is like THE time to really believe, cuz there IS freedom. i'm not really into academic debates how little freedom there is here, but yea, maybe in my bubble, i think there is. good times are blessings. bad times are blessings if we do see it as so.

..."in the good times and bad times, i'll trust in Him, He is my strong protector and shelter. Power belongs to Him, my God, and my solid rock, my heavenly Father!
my hope it comes from God alone, in Him will i depend. His constant love will be my protection, i will never be shaken..."

song for SUPA camp this year. Solid rock was the theme, and this simple song with its actions is so ministering.

Kidz camp ministers so much

in the simplicity God is profound.

amazing thing that SUPA camp does is that it doesnt bother to dumb down the bible for the kids. they have to read and memorise ESV. thats solid stuff. but they contextualise they lesson so that they are engaged and they remember.

Maybe thats mission? Engaging, Contextualising so they will remember the Christ.
imagine preaching gospel using Santa Claus?

a mentor figure of mine did. MT says he only knows Christ and the bible. so contextualise. tell them what is true from what is familiar to them.

imagine in a mission field where that culture sacrifices pigs to the deities. imagine a missionary using that to explain Christ the sacrifice. Taboo? maybe? to Jews and Muslims definitely.
but what if Christ is preached? we don't know the work that The Sovereign can do.

so maybe, just maybe, pushing down stuff like "cuz the bible said so" doesnt make sense.

contextualising takes very much a whole lot of effort. it involves u knowing the bible.

but hey, it's high time for some action too.

all these ideas we always moot, never come to pass, cuz no one dares to step up and do it.

we end up focussing on admin stuff and managing ppl and church, rather than engaging.

oh well.

action + faith + The Word.

move on.

my buddy has been rebuking much about it for quite some time. years. "it's not what u think u can do, but what u can really offer and do."

only God can empower me.

Christabel, my co leader from SU youth camp was reflecting to me abt how during the ropes course, we were like shaking like jelly, but we still had to take that step. so faith comes as i step out

not juz praying bout it, highly necessary as that is.

God help us.