The Lord Protects!

Something happened when I was going through my driving lesson this afternoon. At around 1:45, while I was at the junction of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 9, Yio Chu Kang Road and Lentor Avenue, two cars behind mine banged into each other and narrowly missed the car I was in by about 5cm.

It was so loud that it gave me a scare. The boot of the car directly behind mine was bashed up quite badly and the bonnet of the other vehicle was equally bad. The lady driver in the car behind was very shaken but I thank the Lord both drivers seemed okay.

My instructor and I came out to see whether every one was fine. After he checked our car, he asked me to drive on. Since he was the instructor I just did what he said. As I drove on, I just said a quick prayer for the two drivers and hoped the Lord will help them in the settlement of the damages caused.

It was such a close shave. When I heard the bang, I instinctively gripped my steering wheel so tightly. I do not know why I did that though. Anyway, thanks be to God again.

After going back to the driving centre, I wanted to have my lunch but I was still quite shaken by the near-miss accident that I did not feel like eating anymore. I basically walked around Ang Mo Kio Hub, bought some groceries and headed home.

I guess that is all I have to share for today.

"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8

When Unsure, Seek God

I just finished ironing a basket-load of clothes. Though very tiring after a while, it felt good seeing all the nicely-pressed shirts and slacks. Coincidentally when I was messaging my dear friend to ask how she is feeling now, she was also doing some ironing. She said she is feeling better and was strong enough to do some housework rather than staring into blank space like yesterday when she was feeling weak. I am glad she went to see the doctor and was prescribed some medications for her tummy.

When I was doing the ironing, I was praying for some people and also the things that I will be doing this week. I am going to teach at the Youth Ministry again this Sunday. I have yet to plan the lesson and the approach to it. As many of the Youth Ministry Mentors will not be around as most of them will be away on holidays, I think I will most probably conduct a mass session instead.

My heart is still burdened for some siblings-in-Christ especially for their walk with God. One of them is specially closed to my heart but for the past few months things are not going well between us. This has been a burden for me but I find comfort each time I leave my dear sibling into God's care through prayer. This is the least I can do.

I also prayed for God's healing on my dear friend and others who are unwell. I know all of them will be healed in no time.

Though God has been teaching me many things this year, there are also areas where I am still seeking Him for counsel, wisdom and understanding. For example, the rift between my dear sibling-in-Christ and me. I still do not know exactly why we have drifted so far and why there is still no reconciliation. It hurts to see us like total strangers now. I desire to know what went wrong so that I can learn from it. I hope I will be given a chance to do so. For now, I cannot do much except to pray daily for God to make it happen one day. It is a heavy burden I am carrying on my shoulders and it will never be off-loaded till it is resolved.

Well, these were some thoughts I had while doing the housework. Time for me to end here as I need to go for my driving lesson.

Till I blog again, have a blessed day ahead!

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." Psalm 43:5

What Is God's Calling For Me?

Today has been a super-long and tiring one for me but thanks be to God for pulling me through all the hectic schedules.

There are just so many things to thank the Lord for:-

1) I attended the Youth Ministry session this morning where a missionary from Uruguay came to share her testimony. Her name is June Chua.

She was called to serve in the mission field when she was studying in the United Kingdom. She began to ask God about the purpose of life on earth when a dear friend of hers was murdered when she was running alone in MacRitchie Reservoir several years ago.

June married a man who was once a drug addict but God changed his life when he attended a Benny Hinn Rally. She was sharing that when the Holy Spirit falls upon the life of a person, he would be completely changed inside-out. Her husband never turned back to drugs again and they have been happily married for 17 years with two teenage kids.

In the course of sharing about her growing up years, June encouraged the youths that there are two major decisions that they should not compromise when they are at a stage in life where they are considering about marriage and their future: one is that their life-partner must be a God-fearing man or woman - a person after God's own heart; two is the need for the individual to seek the Lord as to what He really wants him or her to do with his or her life - a goal; a purpose. I hope I got them right. The two points she mentioned hit me hard because they are truly vital in one's life.

Anyway, when June and her husband were praying as to where the Lord might want them to serve as missionaries, they were prompted to go to Uruguay.

They rented a shop space and started inviting people living in the streets into their church. Many of them are HIV-positive. Though a couple of them died after a while, the couple were thankful that they left this world knowing God at least.

The above-mentioned were some of the points that spoke to me. I had to leave early for the Worship Team rehearsal so I did not get the chance to listen to the rest.

The thing that hit me about the life of our missionary-sister is that there is joy in all that she does though the tasks entrusted to the missionary couple can be very daunting at times. This was my conclusion as I reflected on the testimony shared - when one obeys God's call; He will provide for the person all the way.

2) The praise and worship session at the 11:15am service went well. Praise the Lord! I do not know about the rest but at one stage, I cried as I sang because I felt God healing my heart. During the Youth Ministry session, I became down-trodden suddenly. I asked God to heal me and not let this affect my service to Him as a worship-leader. Well, He truly answered my prayer and lifted my spirit. I want to give God all the glory for all that had happened during the service.

3) The mission training session immediately after the service was also an enriching one for me as I shared with the team about the history of missions in the Methodist Church and also in the local church. The team members were spontaneous in the sharing. I believe God will use each and every one of them powerfully when they go forth to the land of Cambodia that God has called the church to.

Well, these were the three things that I was involved in back to back from early in the morning to the later part of the afternoon. I thank God for the fish burger that was provided to me by a brother-in-Christ. Though I got to eat it only at 4pm, I was still thankful there was at least something to sustain me physically.

A dear friend of mine is down with stomach flu. I hope she will feel better after seeing the doctor tomorrow. For now I pray the Lord will sustain her physically tonight as I know the uncomfortable feeling of being sick - not really an experience one would want to go through.

Actually a couple of my other friends are also down: my dear friend's sister is having a bad tummy; my Pastor-in-Charge is down with food poisoning; another has rashes all over his body, another is feeling a little weak. I pray the Lord will heal each and every one of them real soon.

I went for a run in the evening with the MacRitchie Running Fellowship (MRF). We did about 8km but I did not finish the whole route. Sigh. In the halfway mark, my left knee was a little painful and I also felt kind of weak - maybe because I did not eat sufficiently. Anyway, I decided to brisk-walk instead and I thank the Lord I still managed to reach the finishing point.

It was dinner next. The MRFers celebrated a brother's birthday and we went to Thomson Plaza's Swensens. It was a great time of fellowship as we feasted.

Well, I am glad I am finally home. I am looking forward to a good sleep tonight. I hope the Lord will refresh me during my slumber.

Time to end here. God is good, all the time; all the time, God is good!

"Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:10-11

We Know Ourselves Better By The Day

I attended the Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School's (PLMGS') Kaleidoscope Concert in their new auditorium this afternoon at 3:30pm. It was one of the best school concerts I have ever attended. If there are any PLMGS girls reading this blog, well done! I could see the effort and pride in all the performers.

I enjoyed, most, the tribal dance segment performed by the Dance Club. It was energetic, full of colours and very well-choreographed movements.

I have never enjoyed Chinese Orchestra before but the Guzheng Duan performance was also great - such intensity! They have changed my impression of Chinese classical music.

I also learnt a couple of things about harps when another group of girls did a rendition. I realised it is not just about plucking the strings but having to adjust certain levers as well while playing. Wow!

I was there with a dear friend and two other youths. I must thank them for the invitation - if not, my Saturday would have been uneventful.

After the concert, I had dinner with my dear friend at a Japanese restaurant in a hotel near town. It was fun as we fellowshipped over food. The time spent also allowed us to understand each other better though we have been friends for a couple of years already.

I learnt from our conversation that one should not stereotype another in a relationship or take for granted that once you know a person, the knowledge of him stops there. I think developing a relationship is always ongoing. One may be surprised to know more about another friend as time goes by. Be it good or bad traits, both parties should affirm and correct one another along the journey.

I got to know my friend better tonight and I am grateful to her for telling me more about her impression of me. I cherish that because it allows me to know myself better and to overcome any shortcomings.

Anyway, I am not ashamed to share this - Andy Chew talks too much and I am learning when I should talk less and be sensitive to the people I am in contact with. I was telling my friend that when I was with her, I knew at certain times she wanted to be quiet and I managed to get myself to shut up. There were occasions when I failed though. Hee. :)

Since I am on the topic of relationship, I do regret those broken friendships I have experienced in my pilgrim's journey. I have shared this before in my previous blogs - I long for reconciliation but the other party must be willing to allow me to seek forgiveness from him or her and give me a chance to learn and change. Every day I pray about this and I hope in God's time, He will make them happen. I really do not wish to die one day and realise that I have unsettled business with my friends. It is regretful and painful and I guess this is one thorn I have to bear as I experience the adventures of life.

Okie, time to stop. Praise the Lord for this day. I pray my dear friend will feel better physically when she wakes up tomorrow. She was unwell during the meal.

Long day for me tomorrow but everything is going to be alright in Christ.

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." Ephesians 4:2

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

"Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise." Proverbs 19:20

What Should I Bring Before God In Worship?

I am very thankful to God today for all that He has done for me. I went to church in the late morning to prepare for the worship and mission training sessions for Sunday. It was truly by God's grace all these went smoothly because I still had a lot to do though I started yesterday.

The Worship Team rehearsal was refreshing. Usually we would rush into the practice but tonight we spent about 20 minutes sharing about the Word on sacrifices to God which are simply a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart. That is all the Lord asked for when we come before Him in worship and it was a good reminder for the team.

Sometimes we feel that we have to play sophisticatedly in order for the worship to be good. It is always a great thing to be creative but what is more fundamental is the need for all to know the reasons we are doing it. Sometimes we may fall into the trap of glorifying self than God. It is so easy to do that which was precisely the cause of Lucifer's (Satan's) fall when he wanted to take the glory away from God to himself.

We still ended the rehearsal on time. I could see every team member leaving the Worship Hall still joyful and refreshed. Thanks be to God! It was also encouraging to see a brother from the Youth Ministry team playing the drums. He struggled initially but at the end of it all, God guided him and he blended in well with the rest. Hallelujah! :)

I shall end here. Looking forward to the weekend though it is going to be a long one on Sunday. Tomorrow should be fun as I am going to attend a concert in Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School and then after have dinner with a dear friend.

To God be the glory for today!

"O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Psalm 51:15-17

When Down, Look Up

I wanted to run this morning but it was raining.

Anyway, I went for my driving lesson. While I was at the wheel, I was just wondering to myself whether all these effort of trying and trying and having spent so much money is worth it at all at the end of the day. An older sister-in-Christ failed her test yesterday and it was her second try.

Of course it is good to have that green-coloured card, which I believe is one of the most expensive plastic one can ever own in Singapore, but if I have to spend so much (be it effort or money) to obtain it, should I reconsider pursuing it and channel the resources to other purposes instead?

Anyway, I was sharing with the instructor the above-mentioned throughout the 100 minutes we were together. He was probably dying listening to my blabbing. Poor guy! It was quite funny when we arrived at the centre that he told me not to give up since I have already come so far. He asked me what were some of the problems I faced and told me to be "zai" ("calm"). Mr. Ong could have walked off after suffering in my presence for so long but he took the effort to help me. I appreciated that lots.

Next, I went to the Coffee Bean outlet in Ngee Ann City to prepare two things: the worship session that I am leading at the 11:15am service; and the mission training session that I am facilitating after that. This Sunday is going to be packed for me.

Anyway, I found it hard to focus initially. My mind was thinking of a few people and stuff. In the end I just spent some time in prayer. It was weird to pray in a crowded place but I needed to. I did not care whether people found me weird or not but at that time, I needed God to help me.

Well, it did help and I spent the next three hours writing my thoughts down. I have not finished the preparations but by tomorrow I should be able to, by God's grace.

I sensed the devil is going to use a few things that I am struggling with now to distract me from what I am to do this week especially Sunday. I guess I need to be on my guard. It is quite draining but for the sake of the ministries I am doing, I have to be extra careful.

I came back in the evening and since the weather was fine, I decided to go for a run. It was refreshing. I am working hard to exercise on a regular basis so that I can stay healthy and lose the extra pounds - I hope the Lord will help me press on because there is always this inertia to do so.

When I was done with that, I went up to my flat to bring my dog down for a walk. She was quite funny when she saw me entering the door. She basically went to the table, took the harness and dropped it where my feet were. This is the first time she is doing this and I was quite amused by her action.

Oh yah, yesterday was mum's birthday but since we celebrated on Monday already, there was nothing on except for dad spending time with her out somewhere. I did buy something for her though - I got her favourite mango cake and she was quite surprised when she saw it as she entered the flat. Glad she enjoyed it.

Okie, time for me to keep quiet. I talk a lot today. Pity Mr. Ong and all who will be reading today's blog. Sorry. One of those days! :)

Thanks be to God, anyway!

"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14

Drawing The Line

I am facing a dilemma at work where I find it hard to accept an approach by a colleague who is of the same gender. It has been going on for a while already but I have not been confrontational with him as I do not wish to put him down for his actions.

Just as much as I would like to accept his personality, I think a line needs to be drawn and I am that close to telling him my stand. Eventually I will and I hope he gets the message.

It is not easy to deal with this - just as much as I accept my colleague as who he is, that does not mean I accept his lifestyle. I have hinted to him before that I am not interested but obviously it was not clear enough.

I spoke to another colleague who was approached before and I think it is important to have another party around should there be a need to confront. It is a dirty job but if there is a need to, I guess I will.

I hesitate in blogging this but I decided to do so to make it clear that I do not condemn my colleague. Just that if it becomes too awkward a situation, I have to stand my ground and let him know my uneasiness.

I shall leave it as that for now. I guess I need a lot of grace here. I could have been blunt but it is a wrong thing to do. May the Lord be my help in dealing with this situation.

Anyway, this afternoon I met a dear sister-in-Christ for a late lunch in Marina Square. Though it was just an hour of fellowship, I praise the Lord for the time spent in catching up with her. She treated me to a complimentary dessert of two scoops of ice-cream at her work-place. They were delicious. After that, we went to have sushies. It has been a while since I had Japanese food so it was nice to chomp down all my favourite flavours.

I had to run some errands in the heart of the business district after the meal and in the evening I met another friend at my place. We needed to get some stuff done and I praise the Lord all went well.

I am actually very tired now but I will probably stay up all the way to watch the Chelsea-Liverpool Champions League semi-final match later at 2am. I wanted to watch this morning's Manchester United-AC Milan match but decided against it as I needed to work. I was disappointed the Red Devils won in the first leg and I am sure one of my younger sisters-in-Christ is very happy now that her favourite team won. If she is reading this blog, I think she would know I am referring to her. :) Congratulations, anyway! At least for now. Hee.

Alright, I guess that is all for now. An eventful day indeed for me - very draining though, physically, emotionally and mentally.

No matter what, thanks be to God!

The passage below may not necessarily be in line with what I shared in the opening paragraphs but I still find it appropriate. I basically need to be wise in the way I act toward outsiders and also to let them know about my beliefs as a Christian. Though they may not accept them, at least they know where I stand. They may question but this is where I need God to give me the grace to answer their doubts and not judge them for our differing views on certain matters.

"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:5-6

Got Problems? Go To God.

Last evening I went out for a walk with my doggy and I will usually pass Sennett Estate where there is this small like park. Over the months after passing the place several times, I have made friends with some of the children who usually play in the vicinity.

Yesterday I decided to take a seat on one of the benches and took the time to pray about some matters which concerned my heart. Then came Ping En, a 6-year old girl. She loves to play with Sasha. She is now in Kindergarten Year Two located in Calvary Baptist Church. She was on her bicycle when she came by.

After she greeted me, she surprised me by asking this question - "Uncle Andy, are you okay?" Then I asked her, "Do I not look okay?" She replied, "You are not smiling today." What she said next was really what it means to have a child-like faith - "Uncle, you should pray to Jesus when you are sad and He will listen to you." I was encouraged to hear that from her. I told her I would do that. She smiled and played with Sasha while I continued my communion with God.

Ping En lifted my spirit. I guess to overcome one's problems in life, it is sometimes as simple as just surrendering those burdens to Him. The little girl did not tell me anything else except to pray and I guess that is all I need to do.

Many times we complicate our faith by rationalising too much. If a child can look up to his father and knows in his heart his dad will not fail him, he will leave it as that and wait for his father to do what is appropriate without questions asked. I guess as a child of God, I also need to have that mentality.

Before I left, I cheekily asked Ping En whether she would pray for me. She replied, "Sure. I will pray for you when I go to church tomorrow." Then I went on, "But do you know what to pray for me?" She said, "I will just tell God you are sad and He will know what to do after that." I smiled, thanked her and bade her farewell as I went on my way with Sasha.

It is amazing how God used a child like Ping En to teach a man like Andy Chew how simple it is to live my Christian life. Thanks be to God for that.

Time for me to stop here. Got a couple of articles to clear up before I head for town to run some errands.

I wonder what God is going to teach me today as I go through this day. It is always refreshing to learn new things or be reminded of the old things which I sometimes have forgotten.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Ephesians 6:18

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven." James 5:13-15

Round-The-Clock Ministry

I went for a run in the morning. I needed to do that for two reasons: one is to burn away some of the fats I have accumulated over the weekend from the feasting in Malacca; two is to spend time with the Lord in prayer and also in silence as I allowed Him to speak.

Actually I was hesitant to run as my chest did not feel right even after a night's rest and still does not even as I write now. Well, I did not push myself hard during the exercise - just jogged round the park a couple of times.

I was just pondering on one main area of an individual's life - relationship. Some things I gathered as I was reflecting on this:-

1) Relationship cannot be taken for granted that once a certain bond is built, it will be so for life;
2) Relationship has to be constantly cultivated;
3) Relationship needs to be renewed occasionally;
4) Relationship needs to have the element of forgiveness because one will always fail the other due to our human shortcomings;
5) Relationship once broken will take a long time to mend but it is possible so long as both parties allow each other to do so;
6) Relationship requires effort;
7) Relationship has to be maintained regularly;
8) Relationship also needs to have the element of trust;
9) Relationship needs to be centered around love;
10) Relationship between two parties needs to have another to hold them together and that is God Himself.

I am sure there are other factors that I may have missed out but these were some thoughts I gathered as I was talking to God about it.

One thing I have to admit though - I always do not have confidence in relationships. I do not know why. Maybe I just do not wish to lose those that I have already built and when I feel this way, I just have this insecurity. I guess it is still a learning process for me in this area.

I was also speaking to God about the worship session that I am to lead this Sunday at the 11:15am service. The passage I was meditating on was taken from Mark 6:30-46 where Jesus fed the 5000 who were following Him.

Though He and disciples were tired from a day of ministry, He did not reject the crowd when they came to Him. Instead, He began to teach them. He did not stop there, Jesus also met their physical needs by providing them food. Of course it was here a miracle happened where 5 loaves of bread and two fish were multiplied to feed the multitudes. After the meal, Jesus instructed His disciples to go ahead first while He dismissed the people. Jesus basically went all the way in His service.

I guess this is what ministry is about. Yes, it is essential for God's servants to rest and be renewed but service to God should always be one where His servants are ever ready to reach out when a need arises. No one should be turned away.

This lesson has humbled me because there were occasions where I just did not feel like ministering and I shunned some people away by giving excuses. It might just be too late if I decide to reach out to them another day.

Well, a good reminder for me especially for this week when I have to serve the Lord and His people. Like I mentioned in the last blog, I have this hunch that some things may not turn out well leading to Friday when the team meets for the rehearsal and on Sunday for the service but I am not going to let this stop me from trusting the Lord to clear the obstacles ahead.

I just sent out the songs to the Worship Team. I hope as we keep each other in prayer, the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us accordingly. I also pray we will encourage one another in our service to the Lord and His people and at the end of it all, God's name be glorified.

I shall end here.

"The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. "This is a remote place," they said, "and it's already very late. Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat." But he answered, "You give them something to eat." They said to him, "That would take eight months of a man's wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?" "How many loaves do you have?" he asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five—and two fish." Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand. Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray." Mark 6:30-46

Acknowledge God At All Times

My chest feels congested now and it has been for the past one hour or so. I hope it will be okay by tomorrow after a night's sleep.

As I blog, my heart is feeling troubled over a matter but a dear friend reminded me to hope in the Lord. I will do just that. Before I came on this website, I spent some time in prayer and submitted my burden to Him. I guess when my human abilities cannot solve this issue then the only other way is to look up to God for help.

Actually the last sentence is wrong - Even if my human abilities allow me to overcome certain problems of my life, I still need God to help me. He should not be my last resort but instead He should always be my ever-present help in times of need.

Thanks be to God for that reminder.

This evening my family and I celebrated mum's birthday. We had international buffet at a hotel in Orchard Road. Though we had a small conflict last night, I am grateful to God that all went well as planned. It was a great time of feasting and celebration. Managed to get dad to serenade mum with the help of the restaurant's roving musicians.

Well, I am happy that my relationship with mum has improved over the years. I will continue to work on deepening our bond and may the Lord help me in this.

I went to church to pass my dear friend and the rest of the staff the pineapple tarts that I bought in Malacca. I am glad they liked the pastries.

I spent the rest of the afternoon preparing the songs for this Sunday's worship. Initially I really struggled to ponder on what the Lord wants me to do. I took some time to pray and worship Him. I borrowed a guitar and basically sang some songs of praise.

Well, in the end I managed to get the list out. I have yet to email it to the Worship Team. I shall wait till tomorrow afternoon to do so. I thought I take more time to seek the Lord as to whether the songs are appropriate. So far, I seem to have peace in the choices I have made.

Praise the Lord for prompting me accordingly and giving me a fruitful and refreshing time of worship.

I do not know why but I have this hunch that a couple of things this week may not run smoothly. I pray the Lord will go ahead of me and grant me wisdom and strength to overcome any obstacles that may come my way. I also pray that His name be glorified in all I do and say.

I shall end here.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." Psalm 46:1-3

The Flesh Is Weak

I wanted to blog last night but in the end I could not as I was trying to rectify a synchronisation problem between my computer and my Personal Digital Assistant (PDA).

I came home around 7:30pm from my Malaysia trip. I started working on the technical glitch around 8pm. Even till 12am, I was still unable to solve the fault. It irked me quite a bit.

I gave up after that and decided to go to bed. To a certain extent I was caught off-guard again and I have allowed a problem between two gadgets to affect my evening. It was not worth the while but I still fell into the devil's trap.

From being frustrated with two machines, another incident caused me to be agitated with humans next. As I was dealing with the above-mentioned, mum came into my room and told me that she wants to change her birthday celebration from Wednesday to today. As I had plans made regarding work and also reserved a table at the restaurant for the celebration already, I told her I could not and started kicking a fuss.

I could have controlled myself and see whether I can change my appointment for tonight, which in the end was possible, before I kind of snapped. So everything added up to the fire that was already raging in me.

Anyway, I explained to mum in the end why I was in a foul mood and she said it was okay. Well, hopefully tonight she will enjoy herself.

All I have mentioned so far, I knew I could have controlled them and I even reminded myself to be careful and yet I still failed. I guess my flesh is still weak. I pray the Lord will help me as I press on to overcome this area of my shortcoming.

The trip to Malacca was okay. We shopped quite a bit and ate a lot! I had a total of 5 bowls of chendol in that two days spent in the Malaysian state. We had chicken rice balls, mee suah with oysters, Peranakan food like Buah Keluak, pineapple tarts from a famous Peranakan shop (I also bought a couple of boxes home for my family and friends), other Peranakan desserts, etc.

Never have I felt so bloated after each meal but it was a good time spent as the running gang ate and fellowshipped. We did not run but we walked quite a lot. In all I think we covered about 15km. Well, at least that helped burn some of the food we ate.

Praise the Lord for the two days of break.

I am supposed to plan the songs for this Sunday's worship at the 11:15am service. I intend to send the list out to the Worship Team before Wednesday. Currently I do not have the desire to think of them yet. I pray the Lord will help me as I go through this day by prompting me what the church should sing and what I should do as I lead.

I shall get back to work now.

Thanks be to God for the weekend. Looking forward to yet another week of adventure.

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Matthew 26:41

When Will It Ever Be Good Enough?

This evening as I was going home from church, I was just pondering on this act that I have always been committing which I feel is wrong. I am trying to overcome it and hope the Lord will help me.

Sometimes I have a negative perception of a person to the point where whatever he or she does is never good enough for me. It reaches to an extent where I know the person whom I have prejudiced against may find me proud and judgmental. In the process, I become a stumbling block to him or her.

I share this with regards to the incident I had this morning with my colleague. Though she made it a point to find out from me the exact details, I was still impatient with her simply because I have this negative view of her pertaining to her work performance and efficiency.

In behaving the way I did, I allowed pride to get the better of me and in doing so, I have stumbled her.

I also know of people who have certain impression of me to the point where whatever I say or do, the words and actions are never good enough for them. It is discouraging to be treated this way and yet sometimes I commit this same mistake on others. Here I am trying to overcome the weaknesses and shortcomings of my life so that I do not become a repellent to others and yet I am not given the chance to change for the better.

When then will it ever be good enough? That is the question I am still pondering upon.

I guess seeing people with the eyes of God is the best solution.

Just some thoughts which I have not really concluded. I hope I made sense in what I wrote above.

Anyway, I gave a talk about Cambodia to the Girls' Brigade. I hope they enjoyed it and may the Lord spur some of them to go for the trip at the end of the year. May they be blessed richly.

I shall end here. A group of siblings-in-Christ just called to ask me to join them for supper at Geylang. They want to eat Frog Porridge and Beef Hor Fun.

Though I have to be up early for the Malacca trip with the running gang, I decided to join them for the sake of fellowship. It is always a joy to be in their company.

I guess I will write again when I come back from Malaysia on Sunday night. Have a great and blessed weekend, everyone!

"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." James 3:13-18

Be Sensitive To Others

This morning I went to church to attend the Unusual 24/7 Prayer session with my accountability group. Though I had to wake up very early and was very sleepy (still is), I decided not to let that put me down as I know I would have a refreshing time of communion with my Lord. I actually did and I praise Him for that.

But just a while ago I did something nasty to a colleague of mine. It is quite appalling for me to behave this way especially after a time of prayer earlier.

She basically called to ask me about some work matters. As I was sleepy and was not in the mood to talk about it, I just treated her very coldly during our conversation. A couple of times I kind of snapped at her for asking me to repeat some of the points. I just wanted to get her queries over and done with so that I could just catch a wink or two.

Well, naturally I could not sleep as I regretted my actions. I went out to my church's fire escape stairways and spent some time in prayer - seeking the Lord's forgiveness and also to give me the courage to apologise to my colleague for my rude behaviour.

I called and sought her forgiveness for my rudeness. I also explained why I reacted that way but they are by no means excuses for my childish and insensitive actions.

She told me it was okay and asked me to rest. The above incident is obviously one example of being not alert and in the process I have opened an avenue for the devil to lay a foothold in my life. I have also allowed selfish interest of wanting to have some sleep to overtake the opportunity to help a friend who is in need.

Though I did apologise to her, I believe the damage has been done and I know next time she would think twice before calling me to request for assistance.

Many times I wish others would not do this to me but now I am the one doing it to others.

Well, I hope I have learnt my lesson well and shall be careful next time.

I shall end here. Need to prepare for a talk to the Girls' Brigade.

Well, a good rebuke I received from the Lord today. I deserve it!

"It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall." Romans 14:21

"Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God..." 1 Corinthians 10:32

Pray First, Question Later

I just spent some time thanking God for today and also praying for a few people - some I have been praying for a while; some when I sense something may not be right with them at the time when I see or think of them.

I struggle quite a bit about the second group of people because I depend solely on my feelings. I admit sometimes I may be wrong but no matter what, whenever I am prompted to pray for those I am burdened for at a given time, I would just do so. I also struggle whenever I want to take a step further by asking them whether they are really alright. I fear they may give me this "huh?" reaction because my hunches may not be accurate.

Anyway, I guess I will still keep praying for others be it whether my guesses may be right or wrong. I think it is better to pray first and question later because it may be too late if I start rationalising.

I do ask the Lord occasionally to give me a heart of discernment so that I am certain of certain burdens I have for others. I am still learning and seeking. I hope one day the Lord will equip me accordingly.

I had a good run with a dear friend in the late morning at Bishan Park. Since the last run at Marina Bay, I have not been exercising. I am still quite ill-disciplined and also trying to get my momentum. I told my friend I intend to run every alternate days to strengthen my body but I realised saying is one thing, doing it is another.

After washing up, we had a rather late lunch at a Chinese restaurant. I forgot that my friend does not really like dim sum but I hope she enjoyed the food. This is also something I am learning because to be a friend to another, I guess it is important to know his or her likes and dislikes. I enjoyed our conversation though.

We went to Ngee Ann City next to collect a pair of shoes that my friend sent for repair. After that we took a bus to Bugis area where she went for a course while I headed to Sim Lim Square to check out some computer stuff.

As I did not want to lug all my running gears around especially to church which I was heading next, I detoured and headed for home first. I also changed to a more comfortable outfit.

I had to be a church as I needed to chair a missions meeting. As always, I praise the Lord for the unity of minds as we discussed about a couple of issues pertaining to the ministry. Though some may be very daunting, the committee members were still very joyful as we brainstormed together. I did not feel tired or discouraged whatsoever. Instead I am excited of what is ahead and I trust that the Lord will continue to lead and guide us accordingly.

Well, I guess that is all. I praise God for this day of fellowship with my dear friend and also with the Missions Committee members.

Thanks and glory be to God! :) I think I should sleep now as I have to be up by 5am to go for the Unusual 24/7 Prayer session. Looking forward to doing it with my accountability group partners.

"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load. Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." Galatians 6:1-10

Open My Eyes To The Surroundings

I went to the Blood Bank this afternoon to donate my blood. As I was lying down, having my blood drawn, I chanced upon an old man, probably in his late 50s or early 60s. He was ushered opposite where I was and I could hear his conversation with the nurse.

She was asking the man how he was and he answered by saying that life for him has not been good. No job and no money to get by. He remarked to the nurse that his reason for giving blood was to obtain the free food and drink voucher which he can claim after the donation. I thought he was just joking with the nurse.

I finished earlier than the man and I was at the cafeteria drinking my barley and eating my chocolate muffin. Not long later, the old man came to the cafeteria. The waiter asked him what he wanted for his complimentary food. Thinking that he could order anything, he asked for a plate of mee siam. The waiter told him that was not part of the deal for the food voucher and explained to the man that he could either have a bun or a muffin.

I could tell that he was disappointed. He took a muffin and a glass of chrysanthemum tea and walked slowly to an empty table next to mine. I think this poor man has not eaten much as he was very thin. My heart went out to him as I could tell that he was hungry and having just donated his blood, I knew he needed more than the muffin that was given to him.

As I was leaving the cafeteria, I instructed the waiter to serve the old man a plate of mee siam that he initially wanted and paid for the order. I went off after that. Though I did not get to see how the old man reacted when he saw the order, my prayer as I left the Blood Bank was that his stomach was filled for the day and that the Lord will provide for him through others who know of his plight.

I am sharing about the above-mentioned not to boast about my actions but to remind myself and others that there are people who are like the old man in this prosperous island-nation. It is sad to know of them being neglected. I just hope the Lord will be specially close to these poor souls.

Well, I hope the Lord will open my eyes to more of these persons as I walk along the streets - sometimes a small deed done would mean a lot to them. Sigh.

Anyway, to God be the glory for the above-mentioned. I headed for church after the donation and met some youths for the Unusual 24/7 Prayer Session. It was a fruitful time as I prayed with one of the youths and I am glad he told me he will keep doing it on his own. I could tell he was nervous and not used to praying aloud but the fact that he took up the courage to do so, I believe God will honour him by answering his prayers.

I think so far this event has been a good one especially in encouraging those who have not been praying often to do so regularly.

May the Lord make my church to be a house of prayer and may this be one of the pillars of the church.

I just finished preparing the slides for this Friday. I am supposed to do a presentation on missions to the Girls' Brigade. Initially I was telling my dear friend that there is a mental block - I just could not seem to let the preparations flow. After dinner, I spent some time in prayer and asked the Lord to help me. As always, He did and I just finished the presentation. Thanks be to God! :)

I shall end here. I am actually writing this blog now in church. I shall leave for home now.

"He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God." Proverbs 14:31

"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:1-4

How Deep The Father's Love For Us

I thought I could sleep in much later this morning but I woke up at 7:30am. Since I could not go back to bed again I went for a walk with my doggy.

I also did so in the evening and I chanced upon this Indian boy who is autistic. His father tried to get him to touch Sasha because he knows his son likes dogs but the little boy just did not dare.

I decided to spend some time with the boy since his dad did not seem to be in a rush to leave. I actually did not know what to do but I just tried my best to open the boy up. As I know an autistic child has a lack of response to people and limited ability to communicate, I basically used sound instead to get him to lighten up.

I basically did a barking sound to show him how a dog communicates. I pointed to Sasha each time I do that. I might have looked odd doing that at the bus-stop where there were quite a lot of people but I did not care as I wanted to reach out to this boy. After a while, I stopped using sound to associate it with Sasha and used words instead. I mentioned the word "dog" and pointed at Sasha. After repeating this a couple of times, I saw the boy pointing his finger at Sasha each time I mentioned "dog". I was so happy when I saw that.

Then I tried to get the boy to touch Sasha but I needed to affirm him that the doggy is friendly. So each time I said "touch dog", and actually did the action, I would use the next word "good" to assure him that all was well. I did that a few times too and in the end, the boy did touch Sasha.

I was moved when I saw the boy slowly opening himself to Sasha and I. As I did not want to hold them further, I waved my hands to bid them farewell and he responded. The father smiled and walked on with his son.

It must have been tough on the father but I could see that he loves his son lots. As they were leaving the bus-stop, I saw him giving his son a hug and held his hands gently as they strolled off.

It was a heartwarming encounter. I regretted not getting to know the boy and father's names. I hope to do so the next time I see them. The above-mentioned reminded me yet again of God's love as a Father to His children.

Well, I did not do much today except running some errands in the afternoon. I also went to Little India to buy some ingredients for a dish that I am intending to cook next week. It is a Peranakan specialty called Buah Keluak. :)

I guess that is all for today.

How Deep the Father's Love For Us

How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the man upon a cross
My sin upon His shoulder
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1a

Faith Moves Mountains

I just came back from the Unusual 24/7 Prayer session that I was talking about in my previous blog.

I was with two other brothers-in-Christ from the MacRitchie Running Fellowship (MRF). Initially I thought one hour of prayer for the world, the church and for ourselves is kind of long. Well, I was wrong. In fact I found it too short. By the time I realised it, 60 minutes have passed and the next group had already arrived to take over the next shift.

That said, I really praise God that the three of us got together to pray. We wished more from the team would come but probably they had something on. Though this group has been around for more than 15 years exercising our physical bodies, we realised, to a certain extent, we have failed to account to each other our spiritual bodies. The three of us were moved to pray for this area of concern.

Yes, there is always a time for this and that but I learnt after this time of prayer that sometimes we just cannot disconnect the spiritual from the other activities of our lives. Like it or not, it is always linked.

One of my brothers, while praying, felt that he has slackened in his walk with the Lord and that he has not carried out the responsibilities God has given him as the head of the household. He was convicted to overcome this complacency and to do something about it. He also felt that he wants to serve God in a ministry and that he will not let ill-discipline stop him from doing so.

It is very heartening to always see how God moves individuals to act when they chose to do the 'right' thing, even if it is not regularly practised in that person's life. My brother was sharing that he is probably the last person in the group to want to come to church at an unearthly hour to pray but he felt God prompting him to do so and he obeyed.

Well, all thanks be to God for the above-mentioned testimony. I remembered a few other people as I was praying. I basically lifted my hands to God and asked Him to preserve their souls and be there for them though some have chosen not to believe in Him anymore. Well, that is how much I can do for them and the rest I will leave it to His transforming power to bring about a revival in these lives. One day I know my prayers will be answered and I will continue to cling to that hope God has given me in Christ Jesus!

I was quite tired when I entered the Prayer Chapel but I left the place refreshed and renewed. I know the Lord will speak to the rest who have signed up to participate in this week-long prayer. In fact, I am sure God will move the church and make her into a house of prayer! I am looking forward to more time spent with Him on Wednesday and Friday.

I shall end here. Time to rest my physical body. Lord, into Your hands I commit my spirit.

"...... I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20-21

The Joy Experienced When God Answers Prayers

I just came home from church. I was there to pass my dear friend the running shoes I collected for her from my mum's ex-client's shop. I hope she will be able to run faster and enjoy it even more now that she has this new pair of top-of-the-range, state-of-the-art shoes. :)

I had a drink with my mum's ex-client after I made the payment. It was to thank him for giving my friend and I such a good deal. I enjoyed catching up with him after so many years of non-communication. Though we do not know each other that well, a common topic like soccer allowed us to talk so freely and candidly. By the way to all Manchester United, Chelsea and AC Milan fans, both of us agreed that Liverpool will once again win the Champions League Cup. And just to clear the air, my mum's ex-client is a Red Devil's fan.

Anyway, when my friend opened the shoe-box, I was surprised to see three pairs of Adidas socks next to the shoes. As they were neatly packed, I ruled out they were in there by accident. I called my mum's ex-client and he said they were complimentary. He also mentioned it was to thank me for paying for his drink. Haha.

This is just so comical. I treated him to a drink to thank him for the discount and then he gave me the socks to thank me for the treat. :)

Well, so much for this interesting encounter. I decided to walk from church to the main road to catch a bus home. As I was walking I talked to God about a couple of things. I was actually asking Him whether sometimes I need to keep telling Him through prayer what's in my heart when He actually knows the burdens in there. I was also enquiring whether there is such a thing as praying without ceasing for certain things and through this persistence in prayer, He knows that I am truly serious and sincere about the items I asked for and in His time He would answer my pleas.

Well, after doing that I kept quiet and walked on. I could hear Him speaking to me. The conclusion for the above-mentioned, to me, is this - yes, it is true that God knows every thought in my heart and He also knows my motives but it does not mean that I do not pray and ask Him for and about those burdens in me. This is basically putting my faith into action. Once I have presented my requests onto His throne of grace, the rest is up to Him to answer in His time and not based on demands, which sometimes our prayers can be.

I found peace and headed home.

Oh yah, a couple of weeks ago I shared about how empty and lost I felt as to how to stir the missions ministry so that the church can be more involved in this call that God has given to all Christians. Well, then when I was frustrated and drained, I thought there is no hope but lately God has been showing me that He has heard my cries.

Without me even communicating regularly with those whose hearts are for missions, God has been speaking to us all and we have been receiving the same message. Even just now when I was in church and happened to bum into my Pastor-in-charge, she shared with me some burdens she has for missions. When I was listening to her, I just smiled as it was exactly the same message that a few of us have been receiving lately.

All these served as a confirmation that God is still working and now we just have to listen to His leading and move along with it.

I was also talking to one of the Lay Ministry Staff (LMS) overseeing missions. While we were discussing about the mission trip in June, she was suggesting some things that the team can do when they are in Cambodia. Again as I was listening, I was smiling because what I told the participants on Sunday when I met them for a briefing regarding ideas were exactly what the LMS shared.

Wow! I just stand amazed as in how the Holy Spirit works in unison and never contradicts when God so desires for things to happen in a ministry or a church.

I shared all these with my dear friend and we just agreed that it is really wonderful to know how God is working in the midst of His people.

I actually have one more thing to share - as I was talking to the LMS, she was telling me that lately she has been thinking of a dear sister and she misses her. I guess God is prompting her to catch up with this sister and I hope something good will come forth from this.

Well, I have nothing else to say except these words, "Thanks and glory be to God Almighty for all that happened today!"

I shall end here. I am leaving for church again to pray with a few siblings-in-Christ between 12:00 to 1:00am. My church is currently committing herself to keep praying without ceasing the whole of this week. One group will hand over to the other and this will go on 24 hours a day; 7 days a week!

I will share the experience when I am done. For now, I shall look forward to it.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

"Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'" And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:1-8

God Is Always Present Anytime, Anywhere

I came back not too long ago from a time of shopping and dinner with a dear friend. It was a great time of fellowship with her as we looked around for a pair of running shoes at Queensway Shopping Centre and then feasting at Ikea.

Actually we did not plan to do the above-mentioned. She was supposed to go roller-blading while I was going to do my usual run with the MacRitchie Running Fellowship. Then when we were at a meeting, it started to rain and everything was cancelled.

While we were chatting after everything was over, we decided to shop and eat since we had nothing much to do for the evening.

Oh yah, we were sharing that even in shopping, we can trust God to provide for us the best deal. The reason we mentioned this was due to the fact that we were hoping to get a relatively good pair of shoes at a reasonable price. My friend saw a pair that fits her type of feet and the colour was wonderful but the price was a little expensive.

I was prompted to pray - hoping that God would provide an avenue in which we could still get that pair of shoes but at a lower price. Well, I did pray and guess what? He did answer!

I was reminded of mum's ex-client whom she used to supply some sports equipment to. I called mum and then after that she channelled me to her ex-client. I gave him the model number of the shoes, the size and the colour. After checking with his staff, he told me he had the stocks. He even gave my friend and I a good price which amazingly was close to the budget we initially set when we left church.

I praise the Lord that even in shopping He is there to provide. I am also happy for my dear friend that she managed to buy a pair of shoes that she likes and still within her budget. Thanks be to God! He is truly gracious! :)

We also shared a lot about how God has been great in many ways in the lives of some of our friends and also in ministries. We also talked about some struggles. It was to me a time of refreshing and affirmation.

Today God has been good in giving me the strength to go through a hectic day in church. In the morning I had to teach at the Youth Ministry. I praise the Lord that many of the youths dedicated their lives to allow the Holy Spirit to control their actions when they are in a trying situation. I was ministered by God Himself too as I saw how He moved. Glory be to Him!

After that I had two others meetings pertaining to mission trips for this year by three different ministries. It is great to know how God has prompted these groups to take a step of faith to go forth to a land unknown to them but yet trusting that He would use them to minister! I enjoyed the time of meet and I looked forward to what is ahead though there are a lot of work to be done.

Well, I guess I shall end here. I am actually quite tired now. I am feeling good though especially when I have experienced how God worked today in both big and small ways. :)

Have a blessed week ahead!

"Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." Hosea 6:3

Be A Lifestyle-Based Minister

I came back not too long ago from my God-sister's drama presentation at her school. I am very proud that she gave a great performance, both as an actress and also a musician. I hope she enjoyed herself tremendously on stage.

After everything was over, I left the hall with some thoughts as in why sometimes the things I am supposed to do, I do not do; and those things that I am not supposed to do, I do. Then when this realisation comes to mind, what follows are frustrations and disappointments with myself.

I shall dwell on the above paragraph further as I seek the Lord for His guidance and counsel.

Anyway, prior to attending the play, I was in church for two meetings: one with the Worship Team; and the other with the Youth Ministry Mentors. To a certain extent, members of both ministries are trying to see how they can be more effective in their service to God and also to the people.

I could see the good intention of those who attended the meetings as to their desires to be used by God. I also see their burdens for the things they are doing. Some of the suggestions were made as means to minister to the people more pro-actively.

Interestingly when I was listening, I got this prompting that these groups of leaders and members (myself included) need to, first of all, be practising these ideas in their lives in order for others to see and understand why certain things are being carried out in the respective ministries.

But above all, every one needs to pray and seek the Lord so that at the end of the day it is not by our own effort that we are trying to minister but through the Lord's blessings and power.

I was also challenged to consider everything I do as lifestyle-based. This then makes my ministry as real as it can be; to be also more effective as I give counsel or encouragement.

Well, so much for that. I had dinner with those who attended the play and it was great fellowshipping with my brothers and sisters-in-Christ.

I also thank the Lord that my dear friend wore the T-shirt I gave her and that it fits. I was afraid it could not but I can now rest assured. Thanks be to Him.

I shall stop here. I am going to take some time after this to pray for tomorrow's teaching session at the Youth Ministry; for some people; and also for some ministries.

"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin." Romans 7:14-25

"To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue. Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." Proverbs 16:1, 3 & 9

Do Not Be A Hypocrite!

Tomorrow my God-sister is going to perform in a play at her school. I wish her all the best. I pray that she will not have any jitters when on stage and in front of the audience. I am sure she will have all the fun with the rest of the cast members.

This evening I had dinner with a dear friend in church. I bought some food from Lavender Food Centre. I was watching the Gurmit Singh and Michelle Chia's Lost & Found programme the other night and they featured some yummy dishes from there.

Anyway, during the meal I was sharing with her that this whole week I was learning self-control as I am going to teach this topic on Sunday at the Youth Ministry (YM). I was saying that I did not want to be a hypocrite telling the youths to practise it while I myself am not.

Just now while on my way home, I was just pondering on what I have shared with her. I realised I should not just be practising certain attributes of the Christian faith only when I am teaching them. Instead they should be part and parcel of my life that it becomes natural for me to instruct others who are younger in the faith without having to feel hypocritical.

It was a rebuke to me and I will hold this reminder close to my heart from now onwards. :)

Anyway, this brings me to the next topic related to hypocrisy. I was prompted just now not to be quick to point other people's weaknesses if my motive is not to help these persons overcome them. I was also reminded to look at my own shortcomings and see whether I myself am overcoming them first before actually trying to correct others. It is just so easy to fall into this trap and I thank God for sounding this off.

Oh yah, I am glad my friend likes the Adidas Polo-Tee that I changed for her on the day I left for my oversea assignment. Thanks be to God for that!

I spent some time this afternoon preparing for the YM lesson that I was talking about in the earlier paragraphs. I am grateful to God for prompting me to omit or add certain points to what I am to share. I do not know why but I am actually excited about this Sunday as I know in my heart God is going to minister to the youths and I as we learn about His Word together. May the Lord convict us as we listen to His teachings.

Okay, time for me to key off now. It is going to be a busy weekend but I know it is going to be a fun one as well. :)

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." Matthew 7:1-5

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." Matthew 7:24-27

When Will I Ever Be Satisfied?

I arrived this morning after being away since Monday night. First of all, I praise the Lord for His journey mercy upon me throughout the trip. Though I left with jitters, I am now back home safely. Thanks be to God for that.

I have always thought I have seen the worst especially after visiting countries like Cambodia and Vietnam but God opened my eyes to far more atrocities of this fallen world from this trip alone.

Never will I ever complain that I am unfortunate; that life is unfair; that God is so far away; that I want more than what I have now; etc. I will never complain again. Period. If a person like me living in a peaceful and prosperous country like Singapore complains that life is lousy, I really do not know what kind of life it is then for those who come from war-torn countries or from regions where there are drought and famine.

In this life I am given, I am blessed with a family who is always near me; varieties of food to eat; countless amount of clothes to wear; many opportunities to further my education; clean water to drink; many places to shop for new things though Singapore may just be a little red dot on the map; freedom for me to attend church to worship God without persecution; the luxury of being able to bathe more than once daily; a humble flat to call my home (a shelter over my head basically); readily available transportation network for me to commute from one place to another; medication to be administered upon me each time I fall sick; monthly salary for me to draw to sustain me through each month; a computer for me to write this blog. I am so blest to the point where I even have abundant rolls of toilet papers to clean my butt each time I needed to answer nature's call.

It sounds gross in the last point I mentioned but this is truly how blessed I am as an individual - to the extent where even my toilet needs are met. What more do I want to life when it is already so good?

I think it is time for me to wake up, smell the roses around me and count the blessings in my life. Others may not be as fortunate as I am - they usually wake up to the smell of burnt fleshes of their fellow countrymen and count the bodies that are sprawled all over the streets.

Whatever happened to this word called "contentment"? Whatever happened to this word called "grateful"?

Coming back to Singapore seems so unreal but I come back with a grateful heart.

Well, nothing else for me to share except the above-mentioned. It is time for me to re-evaluate my view on life. If I do not learn to cherish all that I have now, then I will never be able to do so even till the day I die. If I am not contented with what I have now, then my life will always be full of strife trying to meet the material wants of this world. If I am not grateful to God for His blessings upon me, then He will never ever truly be my God because I am not trusting Him fully to give me just enough to sustain me through this life I live.

A couple of days ago, a dear friend messaged me to ask whether I am still alive. Well, thanks be to God that I am. I want to thank the Lord for her and also others who have been keeping me in their prayers while I am away. This brought about peace in me as I knew through their intercession I was covered in the blood of Christ at all times. :)

Okie, I shall end here for now. To God be the glory for everything!

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:12-13

"For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:7-10

Till We Meet Again

I have just checked in and am waiting to board the aircraft. I thought I take this time to blog. I am feeling a little tired now - hopefully the Lord will sustain me throughout the flight. I doubt I will have much time to rest even after landing. Tomorrow morning there will be the second part of my assignment which involves flying again. Hopefully in between there will be pockets of time for me to catch a wink or two.

Before heading for the airport, I went to Vivocity to help a dear friend change her Adidas Polo-Tee. After a couple of washes, the colour started to fade on some parts of the clothing. I was worried that the staff would not replace the top for a new one as it has been almost one and a half months since it was bought. I prayed while on my way to the Mega-Mall - asking the Lord to help the staff understand the cause of the defect.

As I entered the store, I recognised a familiar face. A staff who has attended to me a couple of times before when I was there to buy other products was on duty then. I went and explained to him about the Polo-Tee. He also spoke to my friend on the phone to enquire more about the defect. After doing all that, he went to speak to his supervisor for advice.

Well, three things I want to thank God for: one was the store's willingness to change the Polo-Tee; two was their willingness to allow me to exchange the Polo-Tee for another of a lower price and using the remaining amount to buy another item; three was the discovery of another product of the same material having the same colour-fade problem. It was found out when the staff was filling up a "Goods Returned" form and he happened to chance upon a previous form indicating the same defect.

I hope my friend will like the new Polo-Tee I changed for her. I can only pass it to her when I come back. I wanted to do so after the exchange but had insufficient time. Actually she planned to go with me to the store but I was afraid if we do so after my trip, the store may not allow any exchange to be made due to the purchase date which was in February.

Talking about coming back, I still have this uneasiness about the trip. It is the first time I have this jitter in the many I have gone and I really do not know why. Anyway this morning when I was having fellowship wtih my accountability group partners, all of them prayed for my safety. I believe God has heard their prayers - all should be well.

I praise the Lord for taking care all of my needs today. I hope to blog again soon when I have the chance.

To God be the glory!

Bye!

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

Right The Wrong

I have no qualms sharing this because it is something I have been constantly battling with lately. Have you ever had a struggle with a brother or sister that when you see each other, you just do not know how to carry yourself before the person? In your heart you know you should not avoid him or her but in the end, when you happened to see that individual, you just stayed clear.

Well, this is what I am experiencing now. It is a lousy feeling because I know what is the right thing to do but in the end my action does the opposite.

In my prayer on the above-mentioned, I asked God why this is so. My conclusion is basically these two words called "grudge" and "pride". Grudge as in I still find it hard to release the pain in me and always wondering why there is this unfairness. You know, the "What have I done so wrong to deserve this kind of treatment?" feeling. Pride as in "Why must I be the first to give in?" thought.

After I prayed, I was prompted to do something about it. I sent a short message to this particular individual and basically apologised for the way I behaved and also explained why I acted the way I did. I felt much better after that.

Tomorrow I will be leaving for an oversea assignment for four days, three nights. It is a task that I wish I need not have to carry out but I have to.

I have been to other assignments before but this is one trip that I have to prepare myself for the worst. I had to ensure that should anything happen to me, the insurance company and law firm will take care of my family and some people/organisations I am affiliated with.

I struggled initially whether I have to do all the above-mentioned. It felt as if I do not trust the Lord enough to take care of my family and others I love and care should there be an unforseen circumstance in the course of my assignment.

But as I prayed, I felt at peace. I reckoned it is my duty/responsibility as a son and as a friend that I needed to prepare the above administrative matters.

Well, I shall go for this trip by faith and trust that God will take care of the needs of every one back home and also my needs wherever I go. At the end of all, He is still in charge!

I hope I will have the opportunity to continue blogging when I am away. This coming Sunday I have to teach at the Youth Ministry. I hope the Lord will guide me in my preparations. A bit anxious that I may not have the time or the right frame of mind to do so.

Oh yah, I started the day in the wrong note. I dropped my coin pouch (with my keys in it) in the taxi when I was rushing for the Easter Sunrise Service. When I only knew about it after I went to the Plaza of the church, I was angry with myself for not checking before alighting. Then I was reminded of what Rev. Wee Boon Hup shared during one of the Holy Week services to give thanks in all circumstances. I did just that and realised that the frustration in me just went away. Thanks be to God for that. :)

Okie, I shall end here. Till I blog again, the Lord bless and keep you all!

"'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD." Leviticus 19:18

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:2-3

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Colossians 3:12-14

Maintaining A Regular Spiritual Exercise Regime

After almost three months of break from serious running, I went for my first with the running gang. As my left knee and surgical wound are better now, I thought it is time to start exercising again. I put on a couple of kilos during this period and I do not wish to gain back what I burnt off during my strict exercise regime last year.

I did not expect to run too long a distance this evening but in the end, I was told the gang covered 9.5km altogether. We started at Marina Square, to Shenton Way, to Marina South, to the new jetty at the corner of Marina South, to ECP, to Sheares Bridge, to Marina Bay area and then back to Marina Square.

As my stamina was not up to par, I had to walk a couple of times. My right middle toe kept cramping up so I had no choice but to stop. I guess I did not warm up properly and also have the determination to press on. I stopped a couple of times and due to that, probably there was an acid build-up.

I felt great when we reached the finishing point. I praise God for sustaining me through the run. I hope He will continue to take care of my left knee so that I can resume regular exercises again.

Anyway, I learnt something spiritual from today's run. If we take too long a break from our communion with God daily in reading His Word, in prayer and other aspects of our spiritual lives, we will surely lose our momentum and stamina in keeping up with our walk with Him. We may even fall away and give up totally.

In order for us to get back on track again, we must resume our spiritual training. The beginning stage of having to start all over again may be tough but so long as we press on and not give up, eventually we will gain back our ability to keep pace with our fellowship with God and also growth in our spiritual life.

It is my prayer for my siblings-in-Christ and myself that we continue to exercise spiritually on a regular basis. It is okay should we lose momentum at certain points of our lives because of our human weaknesses and shortcomings. Take some time to do some self-evaluation and stock-check of our lives. What matters is that we make an attempt to resume our walk again after those breaks.

A couple of times during my run, when I knew my physical strength was depleting soon, I just prayed and asked the Lord to help me. It felt good and assuring to be able to do that. In a couple of occasions I could not feel God assisting me. I even wondered whether He had heard my prayers. Then something dawned upon me when I reached the finishing point - the fact that I completed my run showed that God had always been there at every step I took. If not, I probably would have given up long time ago. Thanks be to Him for that.

I guess our walk with God should always be covered in prayer. Just like He had looked after me during the run, He will surely take care of us in our pilgrim's journey ahead. I know He is a God who never fails. Sometimes we feel He does but think again of those times when He had taken care of our needs and responded to our cries for help. Think again of where we are now, is it because of our own doings that we are at this juncture of our lives?

During the run when I found the going was tough, my brothers-in-Christ all spurred me on and that helped. Likewise for our walk, I guess we cannot do it alone. We should and must engage our siblings-in-Christ to run alongside us so that when one wants to give up, the others will hold his hands and encourage him on.

Tomorrow is Easter. The day Christ rose from the dead - having conquered death and the sins of mankind. The fact that Christ went through all these sufferings for us shows clearly that He loves us as His children and that He will never leave nor forsake us.

The question is "Are we willing to go by faith and let Him handle every area of our lives and trust that He is doing it for our good?" It is difficult to fathom at times what God's will is for our lives. If we trust that He is a Father who does not give us bad things and do us harm, then we should give God a chance to work in our lives.

He had no servant, but they called Him Master.
No degree, but they called Him Teacher.
No medicines, but they called Him Healer.
No army, but kings feared Him.
He won no military battles, but He conquered the world.
He committed no crime, but they crucified Him.
He was buried in a tomb, but is alive today.
He is humble, but will always be exalted.
His name is Jesus, our Hope and Guide.

Time for me to go and sleep. I have to wake up early for the Easter Sunrise Service.

Thanks be to the Risen Saviour for everything today!

"Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." 1 Timothy 4:7-12; 15-16

Jesus Kept His Word

Today is the day when Jesus Christ did something for you and I - He died on the cross for the sins of mankind. Good Friday happens every year. Sometimes I wonder whether it means anything to us Christians anymore; whether man is still moved by what He did, though many may not be able to grasp this fact because they do not know Him personally.

If not for that sacrifice Jesus did, I would not be able to even share this blog about my thoughts on His crucifixion. His death for my sins gave me a second chance to live my life right.

I went for the Good Friday service this morning and during the sermon I was touched by the fact that Jesus went through something that He could have said no to. He obediently carried out what His Father has tasked Him because it is only through this act of love that man will be able to live again.

I do not know why but this particular scene in my mind touched my heart lots - "Jesus, after His birth, took His first breath and cried as a baby. Jesus, before His death, took His last breath and died as a Redeemer."

I guess I was ministered by the above-mentioned because it showed me Jesus knew His purpose on earth since birth and stuck to it till death. He did not back out. He kept His promise, His Word. Not many would do something like this for me and if I am not touched by this, I do not know what else would.

This then caused me to reflect whether Andy Chew here has kept his promises that he has made with God in living a life pleasing in His sight since the day He accepted Christ as His Lord and Saviour. I guess I can never be like Jesus who is a man of His words but I will never give up striving to live a life of godliness and holiness - of course with the help of the Holy Spirit living in me.

The whole of this afternoon I was struggling with something which I had no idea how to deal with. I was in a dilemma. I prayed about it and I was moved to shared this with a dear friend. I am glad I felt better after that as my heart feels more at peace now.

Anyway, I was in town for a short while with the running gang and as we were walking along Hyatt Hotel, I noticed an old lady sitting by the pavement. She was dozing off and with her she had a bag of tissue papers.

My heart went out to her as I was concerned for her safety since there were some vehicles driving passed her where she was seated. I bought some packets of tissue papers from her. When I was doing that, I was moved to buy something for her to eat and drink. I excused myself from the running gang to buy some food and water.

I gave the lady the foodstuff and she thanked me profusely. Before I left, I advised her to sit somewhere safer. She smiled.

Whenever I thought of her, there was this sense of anger and sadness in me. Sadness as to why she has to sit under the sun and having to slog to sell those packets of tissue papers. She was so tired that she actually dozed off. She may have her reasons for having to do those sale but I just could not contain the pain I felt in me for her. :(

There was anger because I do not know whether she is part of a syndicate and whether she is being exploited. I hope she is being paid reasonably for the effort she put in.

As I walked away, I said a word of prayer for her and hope the Lord will take care of her needs regardless of the circumstances she may be in.

Well, time for me to stop here. By the way, the story of the cross does not end here. Watch out for the next episode on Sunday. I promise it will be something that even the movies can never ever duplicate.

Thanks be to God for the cross!

"At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah." One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!" Mark 15:33-39

Washing Each Other's Feet

This whole week has been a thought-provoking one - challenging me to do a lot of things and humbling me in a couple of ways. Many of these lessons I have known and learnt in all these years of being a Christian but still the reminders were just so refreshing in the past four nights of purely listening to the Word of God.

On Monday God taught me to love, regardless of people and/or circumstances. In loving, He also taught me to forgive those who had wronged me and to continue giving to all.

On Tuesday I was challenged to let God use me to do His work, no matter how tough they may be at times. I was also reminded to use the gifts He has given me not for personal glorification but for the edification of the people around me.

Yesterday I was warned not to do things in my own strength but to depend on the Holy Spirit to guide me. I was challenged also to keep on praying for the people around me and for myself because of the devil's constant warfare against God's disciples. I have lost a couple of brothers and sisters-in-Christ in my journey simply because I did not pray for them. I do not wish to commit this same mistake of being complacent anymore. I will intercede for them regularly; I will plead for God to guard the hearts of my siblings-in-Christ and to bring back those who have left the faith.

At the Maundy Thursday service just now I was urged to humble myself before God and the people around me, be it young or old. As His disciple, I should not think of myself higher than those around me but instead it should be the opposite - to learn to look at others higher than I am.

I was basically challenged to wash the feet of others - fundamentally putting aside pride and humbling myself to be a servant to others. Rev. Wee Boon Hup mentioned that pride is the root of rebellion and rebellion is a trademark of the devil.

It is indeed true. In my interaction with my non-Christian friends and fellowship with my siblings-in-Christ, there were many occasions where I allowed pride to come into play. In so doing, I believe I have put several people off. Tonight I was prompted to be careful so that I do not stumble anyone else. I was also moved to put a stop to it - though it is easier said than done.

Well, I will keep trying to do things right in the eyes of God and also in the eyes of man. I know my human shortcomings will fail God and the people around me at times but I will try my best, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to change to be a better friend and brother to another.

I hope those I have stumbled will forgive me and allow me to learn from my weaknesses.

When I went forward to partake the Holy Communion, I surrendered all of the above-mentioned to Him. I left the service renewed and rejuvenated. Hallelujah!

Well, so much for that. Tomorrow will be the day Jesus Christ would be crucified. What does it mean to me? How will this impact me? Am I going to be indifferent since this has been carried out year and year?

I shall let the Lord speak to me as I go along.

To God be the glory for this day and the past few.

"It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!" Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." John 13:1-17

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35

"Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." Ephesians 5:17-21