Every Year Will Always Be A Good Year!

It is the last day of the old year; eve of the new year. I just read that this year has a leap second - an extra second added to 2008 to complete the cycle of the earth's rotational pattern. Glad I can enjoy this year a little longer. Haha. Just imagine at the countdown we have to say "3, 2, 1, 1... Happy New Year!!!" This is a first for me. :)

This year seems to fly by so fast that I am still lagging behind, wondering what have I actually done in the past 364 days.

First and foremost, all thanks and praise to God for bringing me thus far; for His grace and mercy; and for His sustenance.

I guess there are regrets of the "could haves" and "should haves" but they should not put me down since life is always a learning process. Every step taken in life, though sometimes may put us a few steps back, is still a progress when one does not give up. We always learn from our mistakes.

I am still learning and I am praying that God will continue to be my Teacher so that I can learn from the Best and live my life for His glory and be a blessing to those around me.

I have not really taken time off to reflect and evaluate the year 2008 but there have been some areas which I want to thank God for:-

1) For my family as in how God has sustained mum who is diabetic and how He is controlling her sugar level which went quite high two months ago; for helping grandma cope with old age (I guess she is going through "second childhood") and for allowing her to let go of some unpleasant events which she has experienced in the past; for helping my brother's business to expand even though the economy is not doing well and for allowing me to work quite closely with him in some areas of his work; for dad who is trying to play a bigger role in the family and to see that he can still be a contributing factor to the needs of every one at home. For a while I guess he has been feeling a little insecure now that he is retired and sometimes feels that he is not doing much to meet the needs of his loved ones.

2) For my work where God is opening new options for me but I have decided to put them aside for a moment to care for my family. I am still seeking Him as to the next step I should take in the new year. I am not burdened but excited to see where He will lead me.

3) For the missions ministry in church which I am serving in where I can see God moving powerfully in the lives of the members. I give thanks to Him that more and more individuals and small groups are interested to play a pro-active role in the Great Commission. This is a good sign that the church is moving on in the right way where she should not be too inward looking but more to meet the spiritual and physical needs of her neighbours in this island-nation and across the world!

4) For the relationships with my family and friends from and outside church. Being a human, I have failed some of them and I seek their forgiveness for my shortcomings. Sometimes I want to build closer ties and help those in need but my human ability can only last me that much and in the process, I have disappointed a few of my friends, some of whom I was closed with.

I am also learning to forgive some who have disappointed me. Every time when I struggle with that, I would just look at myself in the mirror and be reminded that we are all the same. Grace which God has shown to me must now be shown to my neighbours. If not, I have not experienced grace at all. It is tough, no doubt about that, but I have to put pride aside and do what is right in the eyes of my God.

Well, prayerfully in the new year, I will be a better friend to another.

Of course when I speak of relationships, another area which I have always been pressured to look into (by my parents, grandma, aunties, uncles and also friends) is that of a life-time partner. There is no doubt whatsoever that I want to settle down one day but as always I will not let pressure cause me to choose someone just out of no where.

There are one or two sisters-in-Christ in mind but I will continue to let God move me accordingly. If He so approves of one of these persons, He will make it happen. :)

Well, I guess that is all for now.

Resolutions I have for 2009 but I shall leave that to another day when I have given careful thoughts to them.

Here's giving all thanks, praise and glory to God for 2008 and here's also looking forward to another brand new year of adventure in my pilgrim's journey. I pulled through 2008 and the past 36 years of my life!

Whether there are more to come, I shall leave that in the hands of God and not take for granted that I still have many years to enjoy or toil (if some might see life that way). :)

Here's wishing everyone a Happy New Year! :)

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

The Light Of Christ Always Shines!

On Monday, I armed myself with my camera and headed for Orchard Road to take some shots of the Christmas light-up. From Tangs Shopping Centre I walked to Plaza Singapura Shopping Centre. Along the way, there were lots of events lined up for shoppers of all ages; people of different races and religions.

I was standing in front of Ngee Ann City Shopping Centre listening to some children carolling. Next to me were these two ladies. As they listened to the carols, they questioned what is there to celebrate when the economy is so bad? What is there to sing when there are many who are down and out?

Then came this afternoon and evening when I heard a couple of people commenting the wet and overcast weather depicting the current situation of the world where there is much doom and gloom.

It is true that there are many affected by the financial downturn; there is no doubt the next one year or two the economy may be gloomy. But all these should not stop Christians especially to celebrate the birth of Christ, who is the light of the world and to bring the message of hope to those affected.

I know it is tough for Christians to be optimistic during this period because we are humans too but we must not let our understanding and wisdom to blind us from the light at the end of the tunnel where Christ shines brightly. We need to hold His hand and in turn hold our neighbours' hands and walk together. If we can do that we know we will still stand when the storm clears.

It has been 23 years since I knew Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. Not too long but too short either. One thing I can testify in these years of my pilgrim's journey is this: God never fails even at times when we think He does.

From not doing well in my studies when I was younger to having to battle an injured kidney when I was a young man to having to deal with many struggles of role-reversal in my family as a middle-age man, I am still running the race.

It is not my doing and ability that this is happening but Christ my Lord who is in front of me to lead; behind me to encourage; beside me to support; and inside me to give me hope and peace. At times I fell into discouragement and frustration but at the end of it all, joy rests in my heart. Hallelujah!

Jesus is the reason for the season - not our finances; not the economy; not the weather; not the shopping; not our friends; etc.

So here's wishing all who come across my blog a joyous Christmas and a blessed new year! :)

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Young And Old, God Uses!

I just realised I have not blogged for close to two weeks already. It has been a busy period for me - having to prepare and attend the Youth Camp (4 to 7 December) and also going on a mission trip with the Children's Ministry (10 to 14 December). Both I enjoyed myself thoroughly. Praise God for that!

Interestingly, for both events, I had to take care of the physical welfare of my siblings-in-Christ. There were cases of minor injuries at the camp and food poisoning cases during the trip to Cambodia. At the end of it all, I praise God for being the Healer to the affected ones. :)

I am still recovering from the trip. I have to confess it is tiring to handle 10 children and 14 adults but it was all worth it especially when I have got to know them better from the fellowship we had in the 5 days together.

As I reflect on the above paragraph, I have to say it is amazing to see individuals of different ages and characteristics coming together as a unit to let God use us for His purpose to the Khmer people. It is the love of God, no doubt, which binds us all together. There could have been cases of bickering and clashes but these were put to a minimal because we knew the enemy is not within the group but that of the evil one.

Up till now, I cannot stop praising God for what the team did in Cambodia especially the children. We went to an orphanage and a slum and both places, the children did most of the programmes. As adults, we might think occasionally that these young ones may not be able to do much but from this trip, I can testify God can use these little ones to touch the hearts of many. The youngest in the team is a five-year old girl and in both occasions, she led in the actions of the songs the team members were presenting. Thanks be to God for this dear sister-in-Christ!

The faith factor came in several times during the trip. What do I mean by that? Take for example, the third day when I was informed in the morning that 8 of the members were down with food poisoning and we were supposed to go to the slum, I was contemplating whether we should even carry on with the plans. The team and I prayed and many felt that we should go.

Though 6 of the 24 members stayed in the hotel to recuperate, the rest were able to execute the plans well. One brother-in-Christ, who was one of the 8 affected, chose to go and he shared that what he saw and did at the slum made him well. This is a testimony that God can and will equip and prepare those who are ready to do His work even if there is a physical barrier. Oh yah, adding on to that, two families in the team are still going through a period of mourning but they still chose to go for the trip and I believe in the midst of the pain, God has healed them emotionally as they did His work. :)

Well, I shall stop here for now and attempt to blog more often.

God is always good and His love endures forever!

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

Saddened And Overwhelmed

I have just been informed in one evening that two members of the Children's Ministry Missions Team are now mourning the death of their loved ones - one lost her grandfather due to old age and the other lost his father after he collapsed suddenly at home.

My heart goes out to the two team members since these two incidents happen a week before the team leaves for Cambodia.

Whether all these will affect the trip is the least of my concern. I am praying that God will be with my two siblings-in-Christ and their families.

It has been a tiring day for me as I was out with the Youth Camp Committee to buy all the necessary items required for the four-day stay, beginning Thursday, in M.O.E. Adventure Centre.

Praise the Lord we managed to get most of the stuff needed. We headed back to church to drop off the items and also to discuss the camp groupings. I was quite troubled and burdened when the committee was cracking their brains trying to accommodate a difficult request made by a camper who wants to go for the camp but refuses to participate in the activities.

We all prayed for this dear sibling-in-Christ and hope we can be there for this individual.

I am tired but I am unable to sleep - burdened by all of the above-mentioned. I think the word should be "overwhelmed."

Anyway, I shall end here. I am still deciding how to schedule my time tomorrow, having to deal with my work, the matters of the camp and also being there for my two missions team members.

Trials = Praise!

I feel as if I am going to fall sick. I have been sniffing since coming home. I am praying that the Lord will sustain my health as I will be leading worship at the 11.15am service on Sunday. I just took some Vitamin C tablets, hoping to strengthen my immune system.

Anyway, this week has not been a great one for me. Almost everything I did did not turn out well - last week I won a third-generation iPod Nano from some StarHub contest. Yesterday I marked all the songs which I wanted to download onto the gadget. It took me quite a while to filter the two thousand songs in my collection. When I was all set to do the transfer, all the songs I had chosen got unmarked suddenly. That really frustrated me!

This afternoon I went to buy an external hard-disk and a RAM for my sister's notebook. The installation of the RAM was ok but when it came to the hard-disk, a simple process of just plug-and-play became two hours of trying to find where the drive had gone to though it has been detected by the computer and the driver installed. In the end I gave up. I called a brother-in-Christ and after some guidance, the gadget is now working.

On Tuesday, it felt as if the Singapore Bus Service was going against me. After getting some work done with my sister, I accompanied her to the bus-stop so that she could catch a bus home. The first bus came and it was packed. We waited for another 20 minutes and the next bus came. Same thing - it was packed.

I decided that we go to a different stop to catch another bus service. After walking a distant, we arrived at the stop. It was waiting time again - took another 20 minutes for the bus to arrive. My sister boarded while I walked to another location to catch my bus.

I waited and waited and waited and for almost 30 minutes, the bus did not arrive. I checked the information board. It was here I realised that particular bus service stops operation after a certain time of the evening. That almost caused the volcano in me to erupt.

I had no choice but to walk to the next road to catch yet another bus service. Guess what? While walking to the stop, the bus I had in mind zoomed past me. I had to confess I swore out of sheer frustration - not as in vulgarities but still not pleasant words I used.

That evening, it took me two hours to go home from Millennia Walk. :(

On Monday, I took a break from work and went to Malacca with two brothers-in-Christ from the MacRitchie Running Fellowship. We set off as early as 6.30am and we only came back to Singapore past midnight. It was a fun and productive trip as we ate and shopped.

On our way home which was already 9.30pm, I told myself to stay awake throughout the trip so that I could be the extra pair of eyes on the road as it was pitch-dark almost throughout the ride. During dinner time we prayed for journey mercy.

The journey home was ok except towards the end when we were nearing the exit to the Singapore Immigration Point. A Malaysian car overtook us and the brother who was driving just turned his head for a moment to look at that car. The other brother was sleeping in the front seat.

At that short span of time, out of nowhere a lorry came on sight, in front of the car. I shouted for the brother who was behind the wheels to brake. He did and for a distant, the car swerved quite a bit.

Thank God when that happened, there were no cars behind and beside us. I also praise God for the good driving skills of that dear brother of mine who reacted well.

Truly God is good. If not, I would not be able to blog now.

It is tough to focus on what I need to do for this Sunday's service when so many incidents had happened. Anyway, when I was in the train just now, God reminded me that yes, though this week thus far has not been pleasant, it does not mean that it would be so for the next few days. It is a matter of seeing all these as testimonies of how God has pulled me through them. Now I should turn my anger and frustration into praise because I am still here and all the problems I faced earlier have been resolved.

Well, time for me to sleep as I was up watching the Liverpool-Marseille Champions League match from 3.45 to 6.00am. The Reds managed to go into the last 16. Yay!

Good night, everyone!

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." James 1:2

Stop Being Indifferent; Start Caring

I was just reading the newspapers and found out that an article I wrote to the Forum page regarding the recent mauling of a staff at the Singapore Zoo has been printed. I was pleasantly surprised as it was a spur of the moment decision to bring to everyone's attention that it was not a security lapse which led to the death of the late Mr. Nordin but more so his intention to intrude which led to the tigers' attack.

Every one has been talking about the security aspect when what was missed out is the fact that Mr. Nordin was not referred to the management for counselling when he was behaving erratically on the day of the incident. If his mental state of mind had been dealt with, probably he will still be alive today.

I do not wish to generalise this statement which I am going to make but it is likely that many times we, as humans, choose to mind our business and not care about others who are in desperate need that suicide cases happen.

Sometimes we tell ourselves, "Nah! I don't think it is that bad though so and so is behaving this way." Well, this assumption at the end of the day will cause the loss of someone's life. It is hard to swallow but those of us who are guilty of being indifferent is partly responsible should there be a case of death.

Anyway, I hope I am not a pot calling a kettle black. I have to practise this in my life as well - basically to let my friends know that I am their friend. In turn, it is also my hope that when I am in need, my friends will help me too.

Today has been a day of mishaps for me - I fell down while climbing a flight of steps. One of my left fingers is slightly injured, around the nail area. Next, while I was taking a short cut across a field, I did not know I stepped on some poo. It was only brought to my attention when I was at a cafe - the stench was unbearable when I sat down with my God-sister. We checked the floor around us but could not see any poo. After a while, it occurred to me that I had some on the sole of my sandals. It took me a while to remove the yucky substance off. Haha.

Well, that sums up my day. Thanks be to God, no matter what. :)

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12

Fire At The Void-Deck

It is 1:17am and I am still wide awake. I am basically recovering from a pretty serious incident which happened about an hour ago at the void-deck of my block. A fire had broken out where some sofas were - those pieces of furniture were placed there for some elderly folks who usually congregate in the day to play Chinese chess.

Before the fire, my brother and I heard some Malay youths playing with sparklers which were making a lot of swooshing noises. We did not really pay much attention to them, thinking that they were just having some fun.

It went on for a while and I got a little more curious as to why these chaps were still up so late in the night. I went to the kitchen and that was when I saw the fire. My brother called the fire service hotline while I ran down to investigate the scene. Two sofa sets were blazing with some home-made chess boxes catching fire as well. The walls and ceiling are covered with soots.

My next concern was my neighbours who live on the second floor especially the apartment which is directly above the fire. I knocked on the door and woke the residents up. One of them ran down with a pail and tried to put out the fire. It took three pails to extinguish the flames.

Not long after, the firemen and police came. While waiting for them, I checked the vicinity and saw several burnt sparkler-rods. I showed them to the investigating officers. After taking down my particulars, I went up to my apartment.

I have some suspects in mind but I am not sure whether they are the ones. I walked around the block and went up to the second level to check whether there were any youths hiding but did not find any. I am sure they are still in the estate - hopefully the police will increase their patrol and bring these arsonists to justice.

My nose and throat are feeling uncomfortable due to the inhalation of smoke but after a quick bath and several gulps of water, they are better now.

The police is still investigating as I type.

Another interesting incident after the last one which I shared about involving some Malay youths breaking fluorescent tubes.

Okie, I think I should try to sleep now.

Thank God there was no injury.

Future Bleak Or Bright - Remember, God Provides!

I have been so busy with work that I do not have time to even blog lately. Though it has been up to my neck doing some research, I thank God that I am still surviving. Praise Him for that!

The economy has not been doing well as we all know by now. There are fears of loss of jobs; a bleak future at least for the next one to two years; salary cut and bonus freeze; etc. As I read the newspapers and listen to the news on the television, one part of me says I should be afraid of the uncertainties ahead but then another part assured me of God's peace - reminding me that no matter how bad situations may be around the world and in my homeland, the Lord will still provide as He has always been doing, even for the birds in the air and the grass of the fields.

Though I have to watch what I spend and not indulge too much in every area of my life, I think life ahead will still be fun and adventurous. In God's time, He will restore everything. I guess it is good sometimes for all to face a little difficulty so that it opens our eyes to see how human we are and how we need to depend on God for our daily needs.

Every morning when I wake up, I thank God that He allowed me to have my three meals the previous day and will do the same in the brand new day ahead.

Lately He has shown me a lot of His faithfulness - be it at what I do daily, at home and even in the ministries I am serving in church.

One very good testimony is that of the Children's Ministry Missions Team. As there will be 10 children and 14 adults going on this trip to minister to the Khmer people and spreading God's love during this Christmas season, one area we needed to work on is in raising a third of the funds needed - that amounts to S$10,000.

It seemed a daunting task especially when the trip is just three weeks away but as God has shown me how He had provided in previous trips, I encouraged the team to pray for this fund. I always tell myself and also the team that if what we are doing is that of God's purpose and for His people, He will surely provide regardless of how short time may be. That said, indeed our Jehoveh Jireh has provided!

In a short span of three weeks, we have raised about S$14,000! Through appeals on the pulpit, selling simple stuff like chocolates brought back from Frankfurt and some photographs which I took over the years as a photographer.

It is comforting to know how God provided us with more especially when a recent need was brought to our attention that some dwellers in a slum need help financially. Now this extra money can be used to feed these hungry souls and provide them some training in sewing skills so that they can make a living for themselves.

Hallelujah and all thanks and praise to God for His goodness! :)

Just now, my family celebrated our Australian Silky Terrier's second birthday! I have to confess that we all forgot about it until my God-sister reminded me. Hee. I felt bad after that and I decided to get my doggy some treats - Sasha had a main course of some turkey and lamb sausages plus some jellos for desserts.

She is now all bloated and satisfied - sleeping under the dining table. I shall play 'fetch' with her later so that she can burn off some of the food she had. Haha

Well, time to go!

God is light and He will brighten up our day always! When discouraged, do not shut your eyes in despair. Keep them open, look up and you will see Jesus - submit to Him your needs and if you have asked anything accordingly to His will, He will provide! :)

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him." 1 John 5:14-15

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Philippians 4:19-20

Once Bitten, Twice Shy

The National Environmental Agency (NEA) just sent me a notice to attend court on 23 December 2008 at 6.00pm to answer a charge of mosquito-breeding or have the offence compounded by paying a fine of S$200 before the date of hearing.

Early last month, a staff from NEA found some lavae on one of the plates holding grandma's flower-pots. As I was the only one at home then, I gave the gentleman my particulars. I did not know that the case is so serious that I have to be summoned to court.

After talking to my lawyer-friend about the options available, I decided to write a letter of appeal to NEA for them to reconsider the charge made. During the period when the offence was committed, grandma was recovering from a bout of asthmatic attack. As she was weak, she was unable to take care of the plants which she has all these while been faithful in doing so.

I hope with this reason, NEA will be lenient enough to let the family off with a warning since this is our first offence committed.

I have to admit that it is a scary thought to be served with a court order. I can picture myself standing before the judge (perspiring profusely) having to defend myself against the charge. An even scarier picture is that of Andy Chew fumbling while being queried and in the end given a more serious charge and sentence.

Well, this incident has taught the family a lesson that it should be a shared responsibility of every one at home to ensure that there are no mosquito-breeding grounds in the vicinity. I guess this is a "once bitten, twice shy" lesson for us. No pun intended.

Oh yah, it just dawned upon me about the earlier picture I gave of me standing before the judge, that one day I would have to stand before another JUDGE and account to Him everything that I have done here on earth. It is my prayer that I live my life in accordance to what God requires so that when I stand before His judgment seat, I would be able to account everything to Him confidently.

Thanks be to God for this reminder.

Okie, time for me to get back to my work.

Praise the Lord for this encounter. May He be merciful and gracious to me.

"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

"Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done." Revelation 20:11-13

Every Experience That God Gives Us, He Also Provides

Just now I was feeling very burdened over some matters concerning my family. It was so overwhelming that I had to speak to the Lord about these concerns. In the midst of my quietness before God, there was a complaining spirit in me - blabbing that life is bad! Life is full of problems! Life is no life at all!

I guess today is one day when I find it hard to be still before the Lord because of all these noises crying out for attention. Anyway, I am still thankful that I was able to resolve that life is still not bad.

So what are these matters I was talking about? Well, mum went for a check-up this morning and the doctor has confirmed that her kidneys are weak due to her diabetic condition. More tests were carried out and the results will be out next week to ascertain the kind of treatment needed.

Then a few days ago, grandma fell when she went out marketing. Thank God she is okay except for a few sores on her back. On top of that she has been troubled by mum's condition and also my cousin's hernia operation. Sometimes it is tough to stay at home and hear her keep mumbling that the family is full of problems. Though it is good for her to release her frustrations but it does not help me when I have concerns of my own concerning everything at home. Who is going to listen to my frustrations?

I think I have shared this before - it is tough to have to take care of three elderly family members.

How then is life still good? Well, for mum's case, at least there is an efficient medical facility in Singapore to take care of her health issues. I guess I just have to trust God to use the doctor who is treating my mum to advise her as to the best treatment she needs to overcome her weak kidneys.

As for grandma, yes, she had a fall but at least she is alright. Yes, she is complaining but if I am not there for her, who would? I guess releasing her burdens to me is better than not doing it at all - at least now I know how else to pray for her.

Many times I told God that it is tough for me to handle three old persons but as I look back, these are the three individuals who took care of me from infancy to what I am now. I guess it is my turn to repay their kindness and love.

God also assured me this when I was trying to be as quiet as I could - since He has preserved the lives of grandma, mum and dad till this age of theirs, surely He would also provide accordingly to meet their needs.

Well, I guess it is more beneficial to approach life's inconveniences with joy rather than being moody about it.

Oh yah, God also reminded me that I need not go through this alone. Having that in mind, I messaged my accountability group members about the above-mentioned so that they can pray with and for me. :)

I shall key off now.

All glory to God!

"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." Psalm 68:19

My Apologies

When I wrote my previous blog I knew I would have caused some friends to be offended by what I shared because I seemed to be judgmental. Part of me says I need not explain myself further but the other part does not wish to create any rifts or misunderstandings.

All I have to say is there are pockets of friends, who instead of affirming and encouraging, mocked me outrightly when I shared with them about what I have been doing for the people around me.

What I shared in my blog is what I am going through in my life's journey. It is not meant to judge (may the Lord forgive me if I had). Instead it is to cause the readers and myself to ponder on those thoughts jotted down.

I may have done it on someone else and for me, it is an evaluation and a decision I have to take to stop this once and for all, lest I hurt another person by my insensitivity.

That said, I apologised to those who have taken offence in what I published especially the part which I seemed to have generalised "a supposed like-minded company."

The past few days of reflection on this have caused me to make this statement - "Just because I do not practise what others are doing which may be out of ordinary, it does not give me the right to mock them. Instead I should learn from them."

Well, I guess I am going to sleep with a heavy heart tonight but I trust that God will help me through this.

Being A Weirdo For Christ!

Ever had this experience where you shared with your friends what you did for someone which may be out of the ordinary and in return you get this "are-you-sure?" reaction? It is a lousy feeling, I have to say, especially when you are with a supposed like-minded company.

Since last year, I resolved to live my life in a manner where I would want to involve myself in being a light to the people around me. That sometimes means being a weirdo in the sight of strangers especially when you start talking to them about the harmful effects of smoking; about the consequence in selling pirated DVDs; about informing and warning shops not to sell cigarettes to individuals below the age of 18; about encouraging youths not to drink alcohol at void-decks; etc.

In my growing up years I have been taught by my parents to always mind my own business and not get myself into unnecessary problems especially involving myself in other people's lives.

Well, then I was not a Christian but now being one who has known Jesus for more than 20 years, I feel that it is my responsibility to make a difference in this world. As an individual I may not be able to change the whole world but if I can bit by bit, person-by-person, minister as much as I can, then I should.

The results in attempting to transform lives are never encouraging. Out of ten persons you reach out to, probably only two will heed your advice and change. To me, it is better than not doing anything at all and obtain zero returns.

If even one life can be nurtured, thanks be to God for that!

Anyway, I am going to continue to live as a 'weirdo.' Not easy especially when I want to be accepted by the people around me. I guess I shall not be too bothered by this and let God use me accordingly.

It has been a tiring day for me, having made a foolish decision to stay up at 1:30 this morning to watch the Liverpool-Tottenham match. I only slept at 3:30am and had to wake up by 7am so that I could be in church by 8am.

No matter how exhausted I was, I am thankful for having gone through this day of adventure in church.

Okie, I have to go now as my eyes are shutting real soon.

Good night and have a blessed week ahead!

"As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him — you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone," and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." 1 Peter 2:4-12

Hey! Are You A Christian?

I have not been blogging for the past one week simply because I was struggling with something which I want to write but do not know how to. The main thing is I do not want to sound as if I am judging but at the same time, it is something which I have been observing for a while. This thought has also made me very frustrated.

Anyway, I have decided to jot these burdens down and hope those who are in agreement with me will pray with me. Whatever I will be sharing is not meant to point fingers at any one but to start us thinking what we should be doing from henceforth.

Ever heard of Christians sharing some of these issues: that there is no meaning in what they do; that one cannot differentiate between a Christian and non-Christian; that when they see something wrong with either a friend or a family member, they do not want to do anything about it lest they are branded a busybody or that these troubled individuals will leech on them; that they do not feel like praying for someone or something?

Coincidentally my accountability group and I were sharing about the above-mentioned and to me that was the last straw. I realised it is time for us to wake up and start getting used to our identity in Christ!

The above issues I mentioned above simply voice down to one thing - we are not living as salt of the earth and light of the world which God has called us to do so.

If we are, then there will be meaning in what we do especially when we are talking about the routines of life - we can break the norms and be different. We can be a counter-culture and not be mundane beings. Yes, the work we do may be the same after a while but what about the people around us - are we getting ourselves involved in their lives? Are we being a testimony to them? If someone is in need or doing something wrong, are we doing something about them? Yes, these are dirty jobs but that was precisely what Jesus did. He cared for those who needed care; He reached out to those who were lost. If we Christians are not doing anything about these, then who will?

Nowadays it is tough to differentiate a Christian from a non-Christian because the former is not behaving like one. We are to be in the world but not of the world. Because of our fears to let others know of our identity as Christians, we do things as the world would; we pursue the temporal and forgo the eternal; we go for the popular and conclude Christianity as something boring; we conform to the patterns of this world instead of being transformed by the renewing of our minds; we dare not change the world for fear that others might think we are mad.

Even in the church, Christians are not supporting Christians. We sometimes bring the world's teachings into the church instead of the opposite - Christians bicker; Christians judge one another; Christians holding grudges against another; Christians do not care for each other; Christians giving up!

How can the church grow if all these are happening? How can we be better beings when we are destroying one another? Instead of rebuking and correcting one another in love, we destroy with much hatred and bitterness. We are not even practising the basic disciplines like that of prayer. Instead we make remarks like I do not like to pray; it is no use praying; etc.

I was challenging myself this morning as I was praying and reading God's Word to start living! Only when I do that will I see the power of God moving in and through me. Only when I know the will of God will I then be able to find meaning in what I do. Only when I die to self, will my eyes then be opened to what eternity holds. Only when I see myself as a pilgrim, will I see this world as just a transit? If I get too comfortable in this earthly home which is only temporary, then my life simply ends here.

How to challenge Christians to start living? I guess it starts with me first, coupled with prayer and see how God moves me from here.

Many times the church is not growing is due to the fact that the people in there are not.

That said, I shared with my accountability group members that I am burning out. Thank God I have not burnt out yet! At least I am aware of this. The next thing which I need to do is to reorganise my life and see which areas need weeding. I also pray that the Lord will guide me through this period of reflection and action. I cannot wait to find more joy in what I do and soar higher like that of an eagle.

Well, I shall end here.

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:13-16

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:29-31

God Still Provides In Bad Times

The Children's Ministry Missions Team will be going to Cambodia in December to bring some Christmas cheers to the orphans, villagers and also members of the Khmer congregation that my church is supporting.

Every year in Singapore, many of us receive gifts from friends but frankly, these presents become excess stocks in our already abundant inventory. As for the Khmer people, especially the majority who are poor, a simple gift would be a great blessing to them because they have nothing in the first place.

I praise the Lord for the 10 children and their families who will be accompanying them. In all, including me, there are 24 in the team. I am excited as to what we will be doing at the orphanage, village and my sister-church.

One of the areas in which the team need to pray for is in raising one-third of the total cost for the trip. All these years, previous missions teams did not have much problems obtaining funds from the congregation but I am not sure about this year.

As we all know, the economy has not been doing well at all. The future seems uncertain and every one is trying to tighten their purse-strings.

I have to confess that there were some anxieties when the above thought came to mind. As I spoke to the Lord about this concern I had, I was challenged to place my full trust in Him. If the work that this team is doing is for God and His people, then the funds will pour in eventually. After I submitted those burdens to Him, there was peace and I praise the Lord for that. :)

At around 3pm, I went with two brothers-in-Christ to Changi Coast Adventure Camp to recce the site which the Youth Ministry will be using for the Youth Camp in December. I praise God we were able to gather all the information we need. As I will be planning the outdoor games on the third day with another brother-in-Christ, the above visit has allowed me to have a better idea as to what games we can play. I am excited and I pray the youths will have great fun! :)

Well, I shall end here for now. I am actually quite sleepy - stayed up to watch the Atletico Madrid-Liverpool match. The Reds were leading for 84 minutes of the game but 6 minutes before the whistle, they conceded a goal and the match ended in a draw. I almost died when that happened.

Anyway, praise God I am still alive! Haha. :)

Have a restful evening!

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

Gold In The Rut!

Ever had this situation where you found it hard to encourage someone in his struggles or rebuke him when you noticed the way he carried himself could be a stumbling block to others when your own walk with God has not been right?

I have been facing this lately and it can be frustrating! It just makes me feel like a hypocrite, yet my intention is genuine in wanting to help the person. There is basically this irritating voice in me that keeps taunting me with accusations like "Are you sure or not?"; "Come on! Quit that holy act of yours! You are no better!"; "A pot calling a kettle black!"

I guess that is the reason why I have not been blogging because I found it hard to share about my pilgrim's journey when I am basically stagnating.

Well, I have just had enough of letting the devil take a foothold in my life! Just now while I was praying, I concluded that all the above sliming from that fallen angel should not put me down but instead, it should encourage me to get back on track again.

It feels good to be taken out of the clutches of Satan's lies and be free again. So what if I had fallen down?! So what if I am down and out but I would like to encourage others still?!

I guess we need to always be mindful that the only way the devil can affect us is to challenge us to go back to THE WAY; THE TRUTH; and THE LIFE! Of course, we know who I am referring to here.

JESUS, of course! :)

Never ever go deeper into the rut should you face the same experience I shared in the opening few paragraphs. Many times Christians fall away because they have been cut down by the poisonous words of the devil.

It is alright to be down for a while.

I always like this reminder - when we are down, the only other way is to look up! That is where we see the hands of Jesus , helping us back to our feet so that we can move on with the adventures of life!

I praise the Lord for this liberation.

It is funny for me to say this but I sure look forward to the next time I fall again. There are probably precious lessons I can learn from there, just like this one I am sharing now.

To God be all glory and praise!

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:12

Fear Not!

Today is the third day that I have been exercising - basically to get myself in shape again after taking a long break due to injuries to my knees. It has been a good feeling having able to work out though I am taking it slow by doing brisk walking first. I will probably do this form of training for the next three months and review from there as to whether I can move on to jogging and after that running.

I took out the Polar Fitness watch which a dear brother-in-Christ gave me two years ago - it has been in the cupboard since the last time I ran which was almost a year ago. I had the batteries changed for both the watch and heart-rate transmitter. It is my prayer that I will be able to exercise regularly from now on.

Anyway, yesterday evening I was walking with my doggy Sasha at the park opposite my home. Towards the end of my exercise, I met an elderly gentleman and his wife. They were doing their stroll. When they saw Sasha, they played with her for a while.

I chatted with them as we walked along. It was good for me as I was cooling down. After a while, Aunty Poh Kim suggested to her husband, Uncle Joe, that they should head home since it was getting dark. She also commented that she does not like being in the ex-cemetery for too long.

I guess Uncle Joe knew that she was afraid of things like ghosts and chided her for being scared. It was here that I got to know they are Christians because Uncle Joe quoted a verse which read, "... the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." (1 John 4:4b)

Immediately, it reminded me of the same verse that a Lay Ministry Staff from my church quoted when she was conducting the missions training session on "The Khmers of Cambodia." She shared this verse to encourage the missions team not to be afraid of the spiritual forces at work in the land where atrocities were rampant!

Uncle Joe went on to share that if we worship a God who is so great, being the King above all kings and the Lord above all lords, why should we, Christians, be afraid of anything at all? He then added that we should be as fearless as Jet Li! Haha. I think he was referring to the movie which the kung-fu star acted in not long ago. It was quite comical when I heard that.

As I was walking home and pondering on the wise words of Uncle Joe, they did make lots of sense. Many times the fears we have are pointless because the God Almighty whom we worship can help us at all times and at all cost - so long as we call upon Him!

It brought a lot of peace in me as well because lately I have been reflecting on my life and considering what is the next lap in my pilgrim's journey. The uncertainties seem so scary and when I realised I cannot predict the future, I got frustrated and anxious.

It is just so amazing how God brings people whom I do not know at all into my life at the very point when I needed an answer from Him. How can I not testify that this God is real?! Thanks be to Him for that!

The muscles around my legs are beginning to tense up but it feels good. I guess I need to continue to condition them with more exercises and I should be fine after a while.

Oh yah, praise the Lord too that I was able to finish preparing the missions training session which I am conducting this Sunday. There was an inertia this afternoon when I was doing the slides but everything went smoothly after starting on the first slide! :)

Time to go. Just had dinner and have to walk around the house a little.

"I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears." Psalm 34:4

"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

Watch The Indulgences!

It has been a rather quiet Saturday for me. Initially I made plans to go out with my sister to do some work at the National Library - she was planning to do her assignment and studying for her test next week while I was going to do some stuff for the Missions Ministry.

All came to naught when something cropped up for my sister and the plans were cancelled. In the end I stayed at home and basically rested. I do not know why but lately I have been feeling very lethargic. I get tired and irritated easily - something that I am trying very hard to overcome but with very little result.

I have been praying about it as well. Probably I may have to go on a personal retreat somewhere and list down some of the issues in my life which may have caused this irritation in me. I want to overcome this as soon as possible as I do not like what I am going to through now to affect the people around me - as in them being my victims whom I vent my frustrations on. I think it is not fair.

Anyway, I think the lethargy is probably due to the unhealthy lifestyle that I have been indulging lately - too much eating and too little exercise. I have been putting on weight quite scarily the past few months and no desire whatsoever to work out that body. It is not out of vanity that I want to get something done about the weight gain but more so being a good steward of this body that God has given me. I think it is high time for me to start watching what kind of food I am eating as well.

Being at home today really helps me to reflect on some areas of my life. One other aspect I need to also be mindful of is the way I have been spending money lately. I realised I have been spending a lot lately - mainly on food. This is another area of stewardship which I need to work on. Some would tell me that it is okay to indulge but I think that is a worldly mindset that I must not entertain.

There are other ways to enjoy life!

I think I shall try to sleep early tonight as I have a long day tomorrow in church. The next few Sundays till before the Children's Ministry Missions Team leave for Cambodia will be packed with training and preparation. Sometimes it can be very tiring but it is something worth persevering for especially when you see God moving in the lives of the team members as they prepare and let God use them to touch the lives of the Khmer people.

A lot of things are still very sketchy but I am confident my God Almighty will make the picture clearer as the weeks draw nearer to the trip.

I shall end here. Praise the Lord for the weekends.

Good night to all and have a wonderful time worshipping the Lord tomorrow in your respective churches! :)

"Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." Luke 12:13-21

Everything In Life Should Not Be Taken For Granted!

I am now in conversation with a dear brother-in-Christ who was in the Qantas flight when it suddenly met with a mid-air mishap - the plane basically plunged 3000 feet in 20 seconds without any notice whatsoever.

He was just telling me how blessed he was to be alive. He was also sharing about a prompting he had 5 minutes before the plunge to put on his seat-belt. I believe that nudge was from God Himself and by adhering to it, my friend's life was spared from injuries. All thanks and praise to the Lord!

I was just pondering on the above account and I learnt three lessons from here:-

1) Life is fleeting.

We must not take for granted that we will live to a ripe old age and having that mindset, shove aside all the important things we need to do. We will never know when we will go - whatever we need to do, we should do it now.

2) Pray for one another.

I think it is important to keep one another in prayer regularly. Yes, there may be just too many people to pray for but I guess when we need to intercede for someone, like this brother of mine who was going back to Perth to finish his studies after a week's break back in Singapore, just do it.

I do not know whether you have this thought before - "nah, no need to pray for this or that matter because I doubt anything bad would happen." Well, next time when this thought comes again, we should just pray and not waste time rationalising.

I believe the prayers said for my brother-in-Christ by his family and friends have saved him. God has listened to their prayers! Hallelujah!

3) Fasten your seat-belt at all times!

For those of us who have been flying often, thinking that this is not important or get irritated when the announcement is made by the flight crew to fasten the seat-belt even when the sign is off... well, think again. It will probably save your life! Do not take things for granted.

Well, I am relieved all is well. I am praying that those who were injured will recover soon.

Anyway, it has been a rather frustrating day for me.

I have been trying to get some work done but just could not concentrate as I have been feeling tired the whole day.

It did not help when a personnel from the National Environment Agency found some mosquito larvae in one of the plates holding the flower pots which belong to grandma. I guess this is another area which we tend to take for granted though I have warned grandma and my parents before to check the areas along the corridor regularly. The staff took down my particulars . I am praying nothing will happen after the agency is done with the investigation.

Well, one of those days, I guess. I am trying not to get affected by the above paragraph - easier said than done though.

Time to end here!

"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

It Is Never Too Late!

Dance With My Father Again

Verse 1:
Back when I was a child,
before life removed all the innocence.
My father would lift me high
and dance with my mother and me and then
spin me around 'til I fell asleep.
Then up the stairs he would carry me
and I knew for sure I was loved.

If I could get another chance,
another walk, another dance with him,
I'd play a song that would never, ever end.
How I'd love, love, love
to dance with my father again.

Verse 2:
When I and my mother would disagree -
to get my way, I would run from her to him.
He'd make me laugh just to comfort me,
then finally make me do just what my mama said.
Later that night when I was asleep,
he left a dollar under my sheet.
Never dreamed that he would be gone from me.

If I could steal one final glance,
one final step, one final dance with him,
I'd play a song that would never, ever end
'Cause I'd love, love, love
to dance with my father again.

Bridge:
Sometimes I'd listen outside her door
and I'd hear how my mother cried for him.
I pray for her even more than me.
I pray for her even more than me.

Verse 3:
I know I'm praying for much too much
but could you send back the only man she loved?
I know you don't do it usually
but dear Lord she's dying
to dance with my father again.

Last Line:
Every night I fall asleep and this is all I ever dream.

Next week is dad's birthday. For his present, I am thinking of doing a compilation of photos taken of us together since I was a baby. It just dawned on me that dad is already 74 this year. Wow! How time flies!

When I was browsing through all my childhood photos, I never realised I had so many. All taken by dad who loved photography then. He has stopped this hobby altogether - probably because he is much older now. I thank God that this interest of his has passed on to me. Come to think of it, I still have that Kodak camera he was using whenever we go out.

Anyway, whenever I look at the old black and white photos, tears would just roll down my cheeks. These are basically tears of joy, pain and also regret.

Before I went to primary school, I remember dad would always bring me out to watch movies at the Capitol, the Odeon and Lido cinemas and this was a weekly affair. He would then bring me to eat at places like the old Satay Club or at the Taman Serasi hawker centre. Dad would also buy me lots and lots of toys at Yaohan - even at times when he refused to do so. Yups! That is because I would cry and cry till he was too embarrassed and had no choice but to purchase the toys I demanded for. Haha.

Since I was a baby, dad took care of me more than mum. Mum was more like the head of the household but of course, this does not mean that dad has no authority at home. Day and night he would be the one feeding me. Of course sometimes in the middle of the night as well when my tummy started rumbling. Nestum was my all-time favourite cereal! :)

The above are experiences I would cherish for the rest of life.

Then came primary education. This was the period when mum started pressurising me to excel in my studies. In school I started hanging out with the wrong company which then made me rebel against her by purposely doing the opposite of what she hoped me to be.

This was the beginning of the rift between my parents and I. I would create lots of problems. Though dad would always come to my rescue, I was not as grateful to him anymore because then I thought my gangster friends were the best! As much as I could, I would stay away from my parents though I know dad would always be near should I need him.

Now looking back, it was a stupid move on my part to rebel because the consequence was not excelling in my Primary School Leaving Examinations which then brought me to the Normal stream of my secondary education.

Though I have already accepted Jesus Christ then, there were still a lot of things which I needed to repent; there were still lots of grudges and hatred against my parents. Of course I did not do well for my 'O' Level examinations as well. Already having to do 5 years of secondary education because I was in the Normal stream, I had no choice but to repeat my 'O' Level exams again. Six years of secondary education altogether! Others finished in 4 years successfully and I finished in 6 unsuccessfully.

Well, I still failed to gain entry to a junior college or polytechnic. To give dad due credit, he was still trying to be there for me when I was in my pits but the rift was too wide and I basically declined his willingness to help.

Well, these are some experiences, if given a chance, I would love to right the wrongs.

All said, I still praise God for His amazing grace! My life took a turn for the better when I chose to do my 'A' Level as a private candidate after my pastor-in-charge woke my ideas up. He also reminded me to honour my parents.

I did well to be admitted into a local university and then graduated with a degree. My parents saw a change in me and a couple of years later they turned their lives to Christ. Our relationships have since improved tremendously!

After a long-winded sharing, my encouragement to us all is this - Don't Wait Till It's Too Late!

Dad is already old. What matters to me now is not about the past but the present. How am I going to spend my time now with dad? I have lost many precious years which I could have spent quality time with him but of course I chose the other way and 'wasted' those years. Now, I will not make such boo-boos anymore.

The song I shared above is one of reminiscing the past. Though it is a sad song, it is not about the unpleasant but instead the wonderful time the songwriter had with his dad. It is of no doubt that one day dad will be leaving me but it is my prayer when that happens, my heart would be filled with all the great experiences I had with him - of no regrets; pain, grudges; or hatred.

Okie, back to scanning some of the old photos. All thanks and praise to my Heavenly Father for my earthly father who is trying his best to be as great a parent to me as possible! I appreciate his perseverance and love.

Looking forward to the remaining days I will be having with him here on earth but setting my eyes even further ahead, I am glad I will be spending eternity with dad in heaven as well! Hallelujah! :)

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother" — which is the first commandment with a promise — "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." Ephesians 6:1-2

A Burdened Heart I Have

I came back not too long ago from a time of fellowship with my accountability group. We were in Ang Mo Kio for a time of catching up. It has been a month since we last met - though we have been absent from each other's lives for so long, I still thank God that we made an effort to meet up.

The time spent was refreshing (as always) but one issue a brother-in-Christ shared burdened my heart. I am not at liberty to share it in detail here but that particular topic has caused me to ponder on how relevant God is to even Christians of today. I wrote something about this in one of my previous blogs.

It has sparked in me whether being more educated, in general, has caused one to rationalise too much about the reality of God's presence in his or her life to the point that everything must be explained with evidences in order for he or she to believe; that we are trying to use our finite minds to understand something infinite.

I also wonder whether the lures and pleasures of this world (which are temporal) have made us consider that heaven may be a lousier place to be in because all one does in heaven is just singing and singing.

It is so ironic that when one goes through a trial in life that he or she prefers to be taken away from this earth so that there is no more suffering but when one considers heaven as just about singing, he or she has second thoughts.

I am not being judgmental here for those having these thoughts. It just baffles me, that's all. The next question is - what do we really want then?

I think every day from now onwards I will pray for all (both believers and pre-believers) that our eyes, ears and hearts are opened to the presence of God in their lives. I do not know how God will answer this prayer of mine but it is a burden I have for all.

Well, I hope the Lord will continue to speak to me on the above-mentioned.

I am tired. Time to sleep.

Good night, everyone! The weekend is near! Praise the Lord!

"After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, " 'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.' "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. "No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him." Luke 8:1-18

God Teaches; We Practice

Today has been an eventful day for me. Yesterday I learnt the need to pray in the midst of curiosity and just now I had to put the lesson to practice.

I was with my sister along Millennia Walk towards one of the entrances to the racing ground when we saw this tourist lying on the grass patch. His girlfriend was with him. As we were walking towards the couple, I could see blood dripping from his forehead. His shirt had bloodstains as well. The lady with the injured man did not know exactly what to do.

I decided to help since I have some knowledge in first aid when I was in the army. We had to use a stack of tissue papers (the best we could find then) for the lady to apply pressure on the gash. While she did that, I had to make sure the man remained conscious by talking to him. I also needed to dab some water on his lips to ensure that he does not dehydrate. I also asked the gentleman to wriggle his toes and fingers ensure better blood circulation.

Medical assistance arrived 15 minutes later. By this time, I was the one applying pressure on the man's wound as his girlfriend's legs were numbed from the squatting position she was in. The medic examined the wound which I could also see. It was deep.

The ambulance came a while later and the tourist from New York was sent to the hospital to have the gash stitched up. I stayed back to help supply the police with some information needed for further investigation.

After that, my sister followed me to the restroom to have my hands washed as there were blood on my fingers.

I am actually quite proud of my sister - though she is scared of the sight of blood, she was near enough to assist with the constant supplies of water and tissue papers when needed. I am glad that she did not faint. Hee. :)

Anyway, throughout she prayed for the man and his girlfriend. I also did that when I was attending to the tourist whom I could tell was drunk. He was reeked with alcohol.

This was just one incident we encountered. The other was when we were done with watching the race - we were in basement one of Raffles City when we witnessed a fight between three ladies and a couple. I guess it was over a staring incident. The three ladies threw containers of soft-drinks at the couple and an argument ensued.

I decided to report the incident to the shopping centre's receptionist who in turn got the securities to handle the case. I pointed the relevant parties to them and they took over from there.

Again, I prayed for the five individuals involved as my sister and I left the scene.

Wow! What a dramatic evening we had! :)

Anyway, I enjoyed the time spent in church the whole morning and early afternoon though I have to admit that I was exhausted after everything was over.

The Missions Ministry's Exhibition went well; the worship I led also went smoothly; and the first missions training session turned out fine in the end. All thanks and praise to God! Glory to Him as well.

Okie, I will share more in the next blog. I am tired and shall go and sleep now.

Have a blessed week ahead!

Pray In The Midst Of Curiosity

I was thinking of going for the Formula One qualifying rounds but in the end I decided against it. Tomorrow I need to be in church early to set up the Missions Ministry's Exhibition booth at the Plaza. I also need to prepare for the praise and worship session which I am leading at the contemporary service.

Well, yesterday's worship team rehearsal went pretty well. After taken a break from worship-leading for a couple of months, I have to confess that there were some inertia. I basically felt the need to be oiled as I sensed a bit of rust in me. Haha. :) Praise God though after the second run of the practice, the team members were able to find their momentum and the flow of the songs felt better.

I was telling the Lord just now that I have prepared all that I can. What I can do now is basically for Him to use me as He deems fit. I hope when I am in the midst of leading that I will not let my own wisdom come in the way. Sometimes I do fall into that and I pray I will just fix my eyes on God and nothing else.

I rested well in the afternoon after I went out with my sister in the morning for breakfast. We also went to the Animal Resort along Jalan Kayu and the Ericsson Pet Farm in Pasir Ris with her youngest sister and two nieces. It was fun as we fed the animals. The dogs were all so cute. I cannot deny that I was thinking of getting another doggy but of course it is easier said than done. :)

I was so tired that I slept from around 4 to 8pm. Haha. I know... I felt like a pig when I woke up. :(

I feel fresh now though. After dinner I ironed some clothes and also did some more preparations for the worship session. Praise the Lord for having guided me through this day.

Before I go, just a thought for all to consider. When we were driving along the East Coast Park Expressway (ECP), we saw an accident where this car was totally smashed up in the front - the worst part was where the passenger side is.

Prior to reaching the accident scene, we were informed about it by the digital display boards along the highway. Though we could have detoured to another route to get to our destination, I told my sister that we would still use the ECP so that we can catch sight of the crash.

I do not know whether it is right for me to generalise this but I think most of the time we are curious to see how bad an accident can be when we know that there is one ahead. The questions I had this morning were these - after seeing the accident, what then? Should I start commenting as to whose fault it is; as to how lousy the brand of the crashed car is; whether the driver or passengers died?

The lesson I learnt has got to do with prayer. I guess whenever we witness an accident scene, we should stop asking all the questions above. Instead we should pray for the victims and hope that the Lord will sustain their lives and also to comfort the families especially when there is a death involved.

Okie, I need to go and sleep now. Long day tomorrow!

"I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever." Psalm 145

God Is Always Full Of Surprises!

Half of the one-week varsity's recess is over. I thought I am able to find some time this week to catch a breather but from the look of my current situation, it does not seem to be so.

Since Monday, I have been typing countless reports (many more to go) and replying loads of emails concerning work; as for ministries in churches, I have been drafting pages upon pages of articles for the Missions Ministry Newsletter. I have also been pondering on what I need to do for the worship session for this Sunday's service.

So many things to handle and it does not help when certain plans did not turn out the way I want them to be. When I dwelled on them and tried to deal with the problems in my own strength, what came next were frustration and anger. Sadly, because of this, some of my closer friends became victims in whom I vented my frustrations on.

To make matters worse, my tongue has an ulcer and my lower gum is infected. It hurts each time I open my mouth to speak.

I guess this is one way God is helping me to be still. I guess He wants me to stop complaining and whining (shut up, that is!) and just be still and know that He is God; that He can help me with my problems.

Well, a reminder for me this week - no point getting affected by the obstacles and setbacks of life. Ultimately God will make a way and all will be well again.

There is truth in this because He surprises me once in a while by solving the problems for me without me doing anything at all.

The newsletter that I have to prepare is now short of one article only and I should be able to receive it by tonight; initially my Pastor-in-Charge told me she was unable to write an article I requested for but when I checked my email just now, she managed to do so in spite of her busyness and having to deal with some emergency matters at home.

My God Almighty is One who never fails to surprise His children. Each time I experience that, it brings a smile on my face and I could feel the heavy load being lifted off my shoulders.

Well, all thanks and praise to God!

I shall stop here and carry on with my work! Suddenly I feel a boost in me, like that of a Formula One racing car, ready to conquer the circuit of this week's schedules!

Vroom! Vroom! Time to go!

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16

Be Filled With The Correct Spirit!

I am very tired now. It is already past midnight and I have a long day ahead later in church. I needed to share something which I learnt last night. I do not want to procrastinate writing this lesson down for fear that I may forget. Anyway, this is a personal interpretation on my part so no need to subscribe to the way I see this issue I am bringing to light.

I think for those of us who read the Bible, there are many occasions where we come across verses warning about drunkenness. I have heard many (myself included) who have read about these passages, arguing and wondering when is it that one becomes drunk and where to draw the line.

Some would say just drink one glass of alcohol and that is enough; some others would say till they feel the tightness or the hotness felt on the face; there are yet others who would mention that one will not get drunk simply by drinking water to purge the alcohol out of our system; etc.

Well, when I was in a cab, heading for home, I had a revelation about the above-mentioned. This is it - instead of rationalising how much is enough or thinking of ways to stop one from being drunk, why not just not drink at all? If one does that, then there is no issue of having to battle with drunkenness; there is no need to waste time and effort wondering where to draw the line.

I guess that is what the Bible is trying to teach the readers as well! Not to get drunk means do not drink at all!

Anyway, now that I have shared this thought and being an occasional drinker of wine and beer, I want to consider stopping it once and for all! Not just because of the issue about getting drunk but being a good testimony and not being a stumbling block to others.

I am sorry to say this but I think as a Christian, I have to be harder on myself so that those who are younger or weaker in the faith; those who are not a believer; and those who are looking up to me as an older brother will not think that it is alright to get drunk once in a while or start compromising about drinking just because they see me doing it myself. For their sake, I would rather stop drinking altogether so that I do not have to struggle with this matter at all. It is also a lot easier to answer others when I am being queried.

I hope I make sense here.

Well, I am not trying to have this holier-than-thou attitude. What I have shared so far is a revelation to me which opened my eyes completely and clearly.

You know? I am burdened for those who are reaching the age where they are legally permitted to drink - it is my prayer, especially for my younger siblings-in-Christ, that they will not look forward to that day when all hell breaks loose and boozing happens on their birthdays!

Let us be filled with the correct Spirit - the One with the capital 'S'!

Alright, I feel better now having shared this thought. Time to sleep and get myself ready to worship God later with the rest of my family-in-Christ!

Good night to all!

"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." Luke 21:34-36

"The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." Romans 13:12-14

"Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:1-11

Bless The Unpopular!

I do not know whether I have shared this before. Even if I did, I guess I will share again. The encounter I had this afternoon stirred something in me which I thought it would be good to share in today's blog.

Ever been to a hawker centre or a foodcourt or a canteen and notice that some stalls are hardly patronised by customers? Most of the time we go for those stalls which have the longest queue or by word of mouth from those who have tried them before. I believe we have at least once commented on those stalls which are void of customers, citing reasons that their food is lousy or that there is probably something wrong with the vendors, etc.

Well, during lunch-time today I decided to buy something from a stall with no queue at all. When I made my order, I could see the smile on the vendor's face. I even chatted with him. When he was busy preparing my dish, I also said a prayer for him that God will bless him with more business. When my food was ready, I paid accordingly and bade the gentleman farewell.

I cannot deny that I had questions as to why other stalls' businesses are so brisk and his so lousy? I even had doubts about the standard and quality of his food. Though I had these thoughts in mind, I thank the Lord anyway and took my first bite. Well, it was not that bad afterall and I enjoyed my lunch tremendously.

After I had my fill, I went to one of the conference rooms to spend some time with the Lord. I needed to seek Him as to what songs I will be using for the worship session at the 11:15am service which I am leading two Sundays from now.

As I was praying, I was moved from then on to bless those stalls which are deprived of customers. I must confess it is not easy for a foodie like me to do that but I will try. If this little action can bless these vendors and make their day and give them a source of income, why not?

I hope those of you reading this blog will also do the same - those popular stalls will have enough income to last them through each month but the less popular ones may not. Consider helping them because they too need to survive. If you still have doubts, think about it further, will their food be that bad that it would kill you. I do not think so. Let us try and allow God to use us to brighten someone's day. :)

Anyway, I had a great time of worship as I played the guitar and worshipped the Lord. It was a time of refreshing for me. As I sought the Lord for directions and songs, they came one after another. Thanks be to Him for that!

I was so excited that I quickly shared my thoughts via email with the Worship Team members whom I will be serving with. I am looking forward to a great time of worship with them and also with the congregation when we come before the Lord in praise at the service! :)

Well, it has been a good day though it was packed with meetings.

Time for me to rest and look forward to another day of adventure tomorrow! :)

All glory to God!

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

"Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD." Psalm 150

Building And Strengthening Friendship

I had wanted to blog on Sunday after coming back from Melaka but in the end I did not. I do not know why - after my bath, I started sneezing. It went on and on till I had no choice but to take some medication and sleep it off. I had wanted to do some work that evening but could not.

Yesterday morning my flu was still bad. I took some more flu tablets. Towards the afternoon, it eased up and I feel better now. Praise the Lord! I have never sneezed so much in my life. At some point, it felt as if my nose was really going to fall off. Haha. Thank God it did not. :)

Anyway, the trip was fun though it was just two days away from Singapore. The MacRitchie Running Fellowship (MRF) gang have not done this kind of activity for quite a while already. It is rare that most of us could make it. It was sad that two of us could not make it otherwise it would have been the whole gang coming together for a time of reunion!

All of us have been to Melaka several times already but we still found new gems (new restaurants and shopping places) as we travelled around. The whole two days were spent shopping, eating and fellowshipping. We walked and walked from the moment we arrived. A couple of us love durian chendol so it was our quest to try all of this dessert.

I hardly have chendol in Singapore but in Melaka, I think in a day I had about three or four. The whole trip I had a total of about six different kinds. Haha.

Thanks be to God for His journey mercy as we travelled to and from Singapore. He has also been good in protecting all of us from falling sick during the trip.

I learnt a lesson when I was with my siblings-in-Christ whom I have been friends with for more than 15 years! The lesson was not to take each other for granted. Though we all had fun, there were also moments of tension. The main cause was miscommunication or communication breakdown. Taking each other for granted is also another factor.

When we all got back to Singapore, a few of us while having dinner made an evaluation of the trip. It was during this time of sharing that I felt the need to send everyone an email when I got home: first of all, to thank those who took the initiative to book the hotel and also planning the itineraries; to those who drove, enduring the couple of hours on the road and also ensuring the safety of every one in the cars; to all who brought about the fun and laughter!

I always believe in affirming one another first than to dwell on the negative aspects of a person. After doing that, I sought the forgiveness of every one if I had offended any along the way. Praise the Lord the rest followed suit and I believe all is well now! :)

When I went back to office, thank God the workload was not as heavy as expected. Still busy but not to the point of killing me. Yay! I am actually looking forward to the one-week varsity's break commencing this Saturday!

I hope to take one day off to go on a personal retreat. I am committing myself for another year as the Missions Committee's chairperson. I hope the time spent with the Lord will allow me to listen as to where He wants the ministry to go. I also hope God will show me where I should go in my own life, especially in some of my personal pursuits.

Okie, time to end here.

God is good all the time and all the time, God is good! :)

"How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore." Psalm 133

"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

"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. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." Colossians 3:13-15