I have not slept so early for a couple of months already but last night after I came back from the Young Methodist Leaders' Conference (YMLC), I knocked out like a dead log at around 11pm. Usually I can only sleep after 2am. I woke up this morning feeling very fresh and all ready for a beautiful week ahead. :)
Those who knew I came back from the conference last night messaged to ask how it was. What can I say? With God's unlimited power always flowing into the lives of the youth leaders, how can it not be good?! It was wonderful!
I must warn that this blog will be very long because there are so many of God's goodness that I would like to share. Where should I start?
I think I will start with the group that I was assigned to - Group 13. It was a blessing to have known 9 new siblings-in-Christ from other churches. Initially I was worried as to how I could gel the group together but God was gracious. He brought together this gang of young leaders who are in their twenties who were so open to one another that it felt as if we have known each other for years. :) I was specially ministered to by their passion for the Lord and their willingness to share their desires to grow deeper in Him. I am also touched by the transparency in sharing their weaknesses and shortcomings. I cannot deny this but I am already missing the fellowship with them though we have known each other for only three days. Well, we have departed to our separate churches but I guess the bond has been built and the love of Christ will always bind us together. May the Lord continue to bless and keep every single one of them and may His Kingdom be expanded as they carry His light to wherever they may go.
The other joyful thing I need to share is about my knees which have been giving me a lot of pain and discomfort for a couple of months already. On the first night of the conference when everyone came together (all 350 of us), there was a ministry time and it was specifically for the healing of our physical bodies. The speaker invited all who had any physical struggles to ask God to heal them. I was skeptical initially but since we were challenged to take that time of healing ministry by faith, I decided to place my hands on both knees and prayed for the pain to go away. My hands felt warm when we began to pray and the knees felt better as time went by. I must say that the pain did not go away immediately as it was only the next morning when I woke up that it was completely gone.
Then on the second night which was also the last night, the pastor in charge of organising the conference invited those who were healed to share their testimonies. I hesitated. More than 15 persons went forward to share but I was still glued to my seat doing a few weird actions which I believe those sitting behind me had observed and wondered what I was doing. What exactly did I do? I was basically stretching my legs; twisting them around, bending and straightening them. There was a point where I went out of the hall to jump up and down. Why did I do all these funny stuff? Well, I wanted to be sure I was completely healed and healed I was. When a sister from my church went forth to share, I told myself I had to also. After she was done, I went to the front and shared with all about God's healing upon my knees. Till now, I can walk with ease and no limp at all. I am eager to start running again but I shall wait for a while before doing that. I will probably see the specialist first to see whether all is well. Thanks be to God for His healing grace. :)
The other experience I would like to share is also related to the ministry time (the one on the first day). After the healing ministry, there was also a challenge issued for those who would like to be prayed for to come forward. As there was an overwhelming response, the mentors were asked to pray instead of being catchers. The role of the catchers was basically to support those who might be slained in the Spirit to fall comfortably onto the ground. I was not prepared to pray when the instruction was issued to the mentors as all this while I was only preparing myself to catch anyone who fell. Prayed for others I did not do and I basically just stuck to my role as a catcher. :(
I did not feel good after everything was over but I basically did not think much about it and went to bed as I was tired. The next morning when I was in the toilet, I looked at myself in the mirror and wondered why I behaved the way I did the previous night. I knew I had love for all my brothers and sisters-in-Christ but I did not combine it with faith as both need to come together for God to work effectively through me. I said a prayer to Him and availed myself to be used by the Lord should there be another ministry time that day.
Of course there was and when people came forward to be prayed for, I went forth and interceded for the youth leaders. Initially I was a little guarded and started asking the person I was about to pray for, their names and the ministries they are serving in. When it came to the third person, I decided to not use my own strength and understanding to do the intercession and as I was walking to the next brother, I told the Lord to speak through me. I only asked for his name and started praying. Words came out of my mouth and I also broke out in tongues in between. After that prayer I asked the brother whether he was in the ministry I mentioned during the intercession and he said it was. I was amazed myself but all glory to God. From then on I was assured I was not ministering with my own abilities but His. I prayed further for another 5 brothers. None got slained but that was not my concern.
That same night the prayer was focused on God's anointing upon the youth leaders. When the pastors and mentors have prayed for the leaders, it was now their turn to be prayed for. When it came to my turn, a pastor whom I knew and used to be from my church, interceded for me. He basically asked the Lord to continue to show me more of Him in the new things that I am doing and about to do and before he could finish, I was already on the ground. I could feel my body trembling throughout but it was a refreshing experience.
That was not the end. The preacher invited all the pastors and mentors to stand in front of the conference hall and encouraged some of the mentor group members to stand behind their mentors. I was wondering whether I needed to be prayed for again since someone had done it for me already. Anyway, it was the preacher who prayed for me. He basically asked the Spirit of the living God to fall afresh upon me and I just dropped. Same experience as I had the first time round. When I stood back up, some youth leaders and pastors around me asked whether I was okay as I fell quite hard onto the ground as the catchers did not catch me properly. Haha. I told them I was okay. I had to be fine because in my heart I believe that if God wants me to be slained, then surely He would not want me to be hurt as I fell. :)
It was so apt that the sermon preached that night was on Elisha's double anointing. Did I receive the same thing? Perhaps and I want to thank God for allowing me to be blest with that.
Well, I was supposed to be giving in my role as a mentor but instead I received more. Thanks and all praise to God. I also give glory to Him for all that He had done through me.
I am now in Ngee Ann City Coffee Bean. Haha. I have been visiting this joint and the one in Millennia Walk so many times that I actually missed them while I was away. Guess what? After I ordered my drink and sandwiches, Chin Chuan came by and greeted me and asked how come I have not visited the cafe for a while. He also asked whether I am working today. We spoke for a while. He told me he is working on an 8-hour shift today. I really like this gentleman's smile. Hope God will continue to bless his life.
Before I end, I would like to share that God's unlimited power is always available to us. Are we tapping on it daily is the question we need to ask ourselves. I thank God that He allowed me to experience some things I hardly practise in my life at the conference and it is my desire to keep practising them throughout this life I live.
“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Those who knew I came back from the conference last night messaged to ask how it was. What can I say? With God's unlimited power always flowing into the lives of the youth leaders, how can it not be good?! It was wonderful!
I must warn that this blog will be very long because there are so many of God's goodness that I would like to share. Where should I start?
I think I will start with the group that I was assigned to - Group 13. It was a blessing to have known 9 new siblings-in-Christ from other churches. Initially I was worried as to how I could gel the group together but God was gracious. He brought together this gang of young leaders who are in their twenties who were so open to one another that it felt as if we have known each other for years. :) I was specially ministered to by their passion for the Lord and their willingness to share their desires to grow deeper in Him. I am also touched by the transparency in sharing their weaknesses and shortcomings. I cannot deny this but I am already missing the fellowship with them though we have known each other for only three days. Well, we have departed to our separate churches but I guess the bond has been built and the love of Christ will always bind us together. May the Lord continue to bless and keep every single one of them and may His Kingdom be expanded as they carry His light to wherever they may go.
The other joyful thing I need to share is about my knees which have been giving me a lot of pain and discomfort for a couple of months already. On the first night of the conference when everyone came together (all 350 of us), there was a ministry time and it was specifically for the healing of our physical bodies. The speaker invited all who had any physical struggles to ask God to heal them. I was skeptical initially but since we were challenged to take that time of healing ministry by faith, I decided to place my hands on both knees and prayed for the pain to go away. My hands felt warm when we began to pray and the knees felt better as time went by. I must say that the pain did not go away immediately as it was only the next morning when I woke up that it was completely gone.
Then on the second night which was also the last night, the pastor in charge of organising the conference invited those who were healed to share their testimonies. I hesitated. More than 15 persons went forward to share but I was still glued to my seat doing a few weird actions which I believe those sitting behind me had observed and wondered what I was doing. What exactly did I do? I was basically stretching my legs; twisting them around, bending and straightening them. There was a point where I went out of the hall to jump up and down. Why did I do all these funny stuff? Well, I wanted to be sure I was completely healed and healed I was. When a sister from my church went forth to share, I told myself I had to also. After she was done, I went to the front and shared with all about God's healing upon my knees. Till now, I can walk with ease and no limp at all. I am eager to start running again but I shall wait for a while before doing that. I will probably see the specialist first to see whether all is well. Thanks be to God for His healing grace. :)
The other experience I would like to share is also related to the ministry time (the one on the first day). After the healing ministry, there was also a challenge issued for those who would like to be prayed for to come forward. As there was an overwhelming response, the mentors were asked to pray instead of being catchers. The role of the catchers was basically to support those who might be slained in the Spirit to fall comfortably onto the ground. I was not prepared to pray when the instruction was issued to the mentors as all this while I was only preparing myself to catch anyone who fell. Prayed for others I did not do and I basically just stuck to my role as a catcher. :(
I did not feel good after everything was over but I basically did not think much about it and went to bed as I was tired. The next morning when I was in the toilet, I looked at myself in the mirror and wondered why I behaved the way I did the previous night. I knew I had love for all my brothers and sisters-in-Christ but I did not combine it with faith as both need to come together for God to work effectively through me. I said a prayer to Him and availed myself to be used by the Lord should there be another ministry time that day.
Of course there was and when people came forward to be prayed for, I went forth and interceded for the youth leaders. Initially I was a little guarded and started asking the person I was about to pray for, their names and the ministries they are serving in. When it came to the third person, I decided to not use my own strength and understanding to do the intercession and as I was walking to the next brother, I told the Lord to speak through me. I only asked for his name and started praying. Words came out of my mouth and I also broke out in tongues in between. After that prayer I asked the brother whether he was in the ministry I mentioned during the intercession and he said it was. I was amazed myself but all glory to God. From then on I was assured I was not ministering with my own abilities but His. I prayed further for another 5 brothers. None got slained but that was not my concern.
That same night the prayer was focused on God's anointing upon the youth leaders. When the pastors and mentors have prayed for the leaders, it was now their turn to be prayed for. When it came to my turn, a pastor whom I knew and used to be from my church, interceded for me. He basically asked the Lord to continue to show me more of Him in the new things that I am doing and about to do and before he could finish, I was already on the ground. I could feel my body trembling throughout but it was a refreshing experience.
That was not the end. The preacher invited all the pastors and mentors to stand in front of the conference hall and encouraged some of the mentor group members to stand behind their mentors. I was wondering whether I needed to be prayed for again since someone had done it for me already. Anyway, it was the preacher who prayed for me. He basically asked the Spirit of the living God to fall afresh upon me and I just dropped. Same experience as I had the first time round. When I stood back up, some youth leaders and pastors around me asked whether I was okay as I fell quite hard onto the ground as the catchers did not catch me properly. Haha. I told them I was okay. I had to be fine because in my heart I believe that if God wants me to be slained, then surely He would not want me to be hurt as I fell. :)
It was so apt that the sermon preached that night was on Elisha's double anointing. Did I receive the same thing? Perhaps and I want to thank God for allowing me to be blest with that.
Well, I was supposed to be giving in my role as a mentor but instead I received more. Thanks and all praise to God. I also give glory to Him for all that He had done through me.
I am now in Ngee Ann City Coffee Bean. Haha. I have been visiting this joint and the one in Millennia Walk so many times that I actually missed them while I was away. Guess what? After I ordered my drink and sandwiches, Chin Chuan came by and greeted me and asked how come I have not visited the cafe for a while. He also asked whether I am working today. We spoke for a while. He told me he is working on an 8-hour shift today. I really like this gentleman's smile. Hope God will continue to bless his life.
Before I end, I would like to share that God's unlimited power is always available to us. Are we tapping on it daily is the question we need to ask ourselves. I thank God that He allowed me to experience some things I hardly practise in my life at the conference and it is my desire to keep practising them throughout this life I live.
“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
4 comments:
Andy,
I stumbled across your blog and was moved reading about the experiences you had at the conference. I pray that God continues to work in and through your life in an increasing way. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Andy! Very encouraging blog. Thank God for your sharing about how he works in your life.
Thanks for being our mentor at the YMLC, I never would have realised that you had qualms getting to know new people :p You were really good at facilitating, and I really enjoyed all the group sessions :)
I'm touched by your reaching out to everyone around you. It's an example to follow!
Can i link your blog on mine? So that my friends will be able to read your blog too :)
Hi Brother Marty.
Greetings to you in the blessed name of Jesus Christ! Thank you for your affirmation and encouragement. All thanks and praise be to our God!
I will continue to press on and yes, it is my prayer that the Lord will continue to work in and through my life.
Where are you from? May the Lord bless and keep you always. :)
Hi Ru-Tian.
Yes, you can link my blog to yours.
Thank you for your affirmation and encouragement. It was a great joy and honour to have led the mentor group and I give thank to God for each and every one of you. (Ephesians 1:16).
Thanks be to God for His goodness in my life. :)
May the Lord continue to bless and keep you always, sister.
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