I do not know why but after leading worship yesterday at the service, I felt so exhausted that I did not have anymore energy to do anything else. After lunch, I went home and basically rested. This is the first time I experienced this.
I want to thank God for leading and guiding me throughout the service. Even just before it commenced I was still battling with this motive of winning the favours of man, as I have shared in my previous blog. The temptation was so great that I just did not feel like leading at all.
As I stood in front of the congregation, I whispered a prayer to ask God to transform my thoughts. In the file in front of me were the words I wanted to share. I basically ignored those scripts I prepared and told the Lord I would just let Him speak through me as the service progressed. I did that so that I could remind myself that I had no other choice then but to trust fully in Him to lead me along.
This is the drastic measure I had to take just so that all glory went to my God Almighty and also to not let my pride got the better of me. I asked a few dear friends to pray for me in this struggle and I want to thank them for interceding for me throughout.
I enjoyed the worship so much that even though I stood in front of the church, I was oblivious to their presence but just praised God with all that I had. I was soaked in the very presence of my Lord and I hope the congregation experienced that too. I shared a thanksgiving with the church about mum's healing. Even before I could finished my first sentence, I was choked with emotions as I was overwhelmed by God's goodness in my life. Thank God I managed to compose myself and testified His faithfulness and mercy upon mum to my siblings-in-Christ! Hallelujah!
Yesterday's sermon was on "The Consequences of Uncompromised Living." Usually when the word "consequence" is being used, it refers to a result or effect that someone had to bear for something he did. Usually it has a bad or negative connotation but the message delivered at the service showed us that there is also a result and effect in living an uncompromised life but something good instead will come out of it.
The church was challenged to know God deeper and to find our identity in Him. In doing so, we will then know what God has to say on issues we struggle with and as His children, we would choose to please Him and obey what He tells us. In knowing who God is also assures in us that what He wants of us is always for our good and benefit. Basically we were urged to say "yes" to godliness and holiness and "no" to sin! The message also caused the people to consider the way we carry ourselves as Christians in this world we live in - are we being a good testimony to the people around us or are we stumbling them by the constant compromises we make?
As I was praying before I went to bed last night, it brought to my realisation that what I struggled with in terms of winning glory to self in my role as a worship leader prior to the service was exactly what the sermon was trying to hit on. If I had compromised, probably I would not have been able to share about the above-mentioned, as in the Lord's goodness. I would continue to feel lousy and guilty but now that I know I did the right thing, there is no fear in me of anyone accusing me of doing anything wrong. Thanks be to God for allowing me to experience literally the consequence of uncompromised living.
On Saturday I wrote I wanted to share the "Manifesto of a Lion-Slayer" once I have obtained the powerpoint file from my senior pastor. Well, here goes:-
1) Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death.
2) Grab life by the mane.
3) Set God-sized goals
4) Pursue God-ordained passions.
5) Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God.
6) Stop pointing out the problems and become part of the solution.
7) Stop repeating the past and start creating the future.
8) Consider the sparrows and the lilies.
9) Don’t let what is wrong with you keep you from worshipping what is right with God.
10) Blaze a new trail.
11) Criticize by creating.
12) Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks.
13) Laugh at ourselves
14) Don’t try to be who you are not.
15) Quit running away.
16) Chase the lion!
Food for thought as we ponder on each of the above 16 points. Yesterday evening I went to a birthday cum farewell party for a brother-in-Christ. There was a band engaged by my friend's father and during the gig, a few of us were invited to play the instruments with the professionals. I played the drums when the song "La Bamba" was being sung and it was fun to just jam along. It was stressful though - playing with a band that has been in the music business for so many years and also doing so in front of 30 over people. :) Fumbled here and there but enjoyed myself thoroughly.
Well, time to stop. Can write more but shall leave that to some other time.
To God be all thanks and glory!
“I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:8
I want to thank God for leading and guiding me throughout the service. Even just before it commenced I was still battling with this motive of winning the favours of man, as I have shared in my previous blog. The temptation was so great that I just did not feel like leading at all.
As I stood in front of the congregation, I whispered a prayer to ask God to transform my thoughts. In the file in front of me were the words I wanted to share. I basically ignored those scripts I prepared and told the Lord I would just let Him speak through me as the service progressed. I did that so that I could remind myself that I had no other choice then but to trust fully in Him to lead me along.
This is the drastic measure I had to take just so that all glory went to my God Almighty and also to not let my pride got the better of me. I asked a few dear friends to pray for me in this struggle and I want to thank them for interceding for me throughout.
I enjoyed the worship so much that even though I stood in front of the church, I was oblivious to their presence but just praised God with all that I had. I was soaked in the very presence of my Lord and I hope the congregation experienced that too. I shared a thanksgiving with the church about mum's healing. Even before I could finished my first sentence, I was choked with emotions as I was overwhelmed by God's goodness in my life. Thank God I managed to compose myself and testified His faithfulness and mercy upon mum to my siblings-in-Christ! Hallelujah!
Yesterday's sermon was on "The Consequences of Uncompromised Living." Usually when the word "consequence" is being used, it refers to a result or effect that someone had to bear for something he did. Usually it has a bad or negative connotation but the message delivered at the service showed us that there is also a result and effect in living an uncompromised life but something good instead will come out of it.
The church was challenged to know God deeper and to find our identity in Him. In doing so, we will then know what God has to say on issues we struggle with and as His children, we would choose to please Him and obey what He tells us. In knowing who God is also assures in us that what He wants of us is always for our good and benefit. Basically we were urged to say "yes" to godliness and holiness and "no" to sin! The message also caused the people to consider the way we carry ourselves as Christians in this world we live in - are we being a good testimony to the people around us or are we stumbling them by the constant compromises we make?
As I was praying before I went to bed last night, it brought to my realisation that what I struggled with in terms of winning glory to self in my role as a worship leader prior to the service was exactly what the sermon was trying to hit on. If I had compromised, probably I would not have been able to share about the above-mentioned, as in the Lord's goodness. I would continue to feel lousy and guilty but now that I know I did the right thing, there is no fear in me of anyone accusing me of doing anything wrong. Thanks be to God for allowing me to experience literally the consequence of uncompromised living.
On Saturday I wrote I wanted to share the "Manifesto of a Lion-Slayer" once I have obtained the powerpoint file from my senior pastor. Well, here goes:-
1) Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death.
2) Grab life by the mane.
3) Set God-sized goals
4) Pursue God-ordained passions.
5) Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God.
6) Stop pointing out the problems and become part of the solution.
7) Stop repeating the past and start creating the future.
8) Consider the sparrows and the lilies.
9) Don’t let what is wrong with you keep you from worshipping what is right with God.
10) Blaze a new trail.
11) Criticize by creating.
12) Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks.
13) Laugh at ourselves
14) Don’t try to be who you are not.
15) Quit running away.
16) Chase the lion!
Food for thought as we ponder on each of the above 16 points. Yesterday evening I went to a birthday cum farewell party for a brother-in-Christ. There was a band engaged by my friend's father and during the gig, a few of us were invited to play the instruments with the professionals. I played the drums when the song "La Bamba" was being sung and it was fun to just jam along. It was stressful though - playing with a band that has been in the music business for so many years and also doing so in front of 30 over people. :) Fumbled here and there but enjoyed myself thoroughly.
Well, time to stop. Can write more but shall leave that to some other time.
To God be all thanks and glory!
“I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:8
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