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

Patient, I Say!

On Monday I had to help my brother collect some freebies which came along with his newly-acquired notebook. When I reached the shop, there was a long queue. The whole place was a mess actually - the queue system was in disarray; the floor space was small with every one cramped in it; people were shouting everywhere and the staff were being scolded left, right and center because the items which they were entitled to were not available. It did not help that it was raining heavily and many of the customers coming into the shops were drenched. The staff basically experienced hell that day!

On Tuesday when I got a ride home from a colleague, we were stuck in a jam. It was a crawl for all the cars. From one honk, I heard two and then three and then suddenly there was a symphony of honkings. Though speculative but I won't be surprised there were many cursings at that time.

Then came yesterday. I alighted at Jurong Point from campus and decided to head for the supermarket to do grocery-shopping. After getting all the items I needed, I went to the cashier-counters and man, there were long queues everywhere. This time round, the customers were orderly and patient but in front of me, there were these four housewives talking to each other. They were complaining about the foreign workers in Singapore, namely the construction workers and maids. They were making lots of unfounded comments like there were many maids being made pregnant because of their hanky-panky activities with the construction workers. They even remarked that crimes in Singapore have increased because of them.

What topped it off was my encounter along the travelator at Dhoby Ghuat MRT. In front of me were a group of elderly folks. Behind me were a group of undergraduates who were making comments about the old folks blocking their way and all. One of the chaps even shouted at them to make way.

That was the last straw for me. I turned and glared at the young man who shouted. I basically asked him and his friends to be considerate and perhaps not taking the travelator (which is for the sole purpose of transporting commuters from one end of the station to the other without the need to walk) in future if they are that impatient. They kept quiet after that and allowed the travelator to bring them to the end point.

All of the above-mentioned basically hit one negative point in all humans. We are impatient beings, be it towards circumstances or people. Though I am writing about this, I am no angel myself. My friends have seen the dark side of me when it comes to this.

This is not the end. When one becomes impatient, it leads to anger and then to judging and then occasionally violence. At the end of the day by reacting negatively to a circumstance or a person, no one becomes happier. Every one is affected!

Frankly, we all know the consequence but we still allow ourselves to be impatient.

Well, this is one area of my life which I am relentlessly learning to overcome with the help of the Lord.

Back to the incident on Monday at the shop. Amidst all the scuffles, I saw a scene of peace in one section of the shop. There was this lady who was also unable to collect her freebies too. Angry she was not. Patient she was! I basically saw a smile on her face and I was close enough to hear what she said - she told the staff she understood their explanation and since they were unable to do anything about it at that point of time, she would come again another day. The staff smiled back. Both parties were happy. She left, unperturbed by all the noises around her.

I guess we all need to learn to spare a thought for others and not always look at the 'rights' we are so-called entitled to. When we put selfish motives and gains aside, perhaps this world would be a better place to live in; perhaps we would also live longer.

Well, something which I am learning myself.

"A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly. A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones." Proverbs 14:29-30

"A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel." Proverbs 15:18

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." Galatians 5:16-26

Discernment Vs Legalism

A conversation with a sister-in-Christ, who is the leader of the mission team, made me realised how insensitive I had been when a request was being made regarding the missions training sessions.

I was told by her that a member requested to miss the first two training sessions as the dear individual has been overwhelmed with her commitments in church. I was more concerned on the compulsory attendance at these sessions which in the end made me overlooked the spiritual, emotional, mental and physical needs of this team member.

I guess I need to be discerning in future and not be too legalistic. Though this was a lesson learnt for me, I also sense the evil one at work. The preparations of the mission trip have barely started and the above-mentioned are already happening.

It is vital now that all involved in the mission team begin to intercede for one another. I guess we should not take anything for granted and allow God to lead us accordingly.

Well, what a wake-up call for me! Praise the Lord though for sounding it off.

I left work early as I was feeling quite tired. I will try to sleep early tonight too.

That is all for now. God will make a way!

"The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction." Proverbs 16:21

Being A Relentless Disciple!

I came back from the Young Methodist Leaders' Conference (YMLC) yesterday. I wanted to blog last night but I was so tired that I had to turn in early after checking and replying some emails from work.

All thanks and praise to God for the 4 days spent in Pulai Springs Resort. I went to the conference feeling a little dry but I left having my cup filled and overflowing.

When I was pondering on all the teaching sessions and workshops I attended, I was challenged to constantly let God water me by reading His Word, praying, being still and fellowshipping with my siblings-in-Christ - being accountable to them, that is. I guess it is true, as mentioned by one of the guest speakers, that one has to constantly feed and fan the flame in the life of a leader-disciple.

I also had a great time of fellowship with my mentor-group. There were ten of them altogether and I praise God for each and every one of these my siblings-in-Christ! Though we did not have much time together as compared to last year's, I still enjoyed the sharing and discussions. We only got to know one another for a short while but we were opened to one another! Praise the Lord!

I guess when people who are like-minded congregate together, two things will happen - God's name being glorified and His people edified! Hallelujah!

Well, though the YMLC has ended, I told my group that my commitment to them will be for one year. I look forward to more fellowship with them over the MSN or Facebook or other means of communications. :)

On the first night of the conference which was Friday (Thursday is not counted as that was for the pastors and mentors to come together for a time of prayer and preparation), the Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Community Church spoke about "Renewing the Wesleyan Flame." At the end of the session, he prayed for the many (about 3/4 of the participants) who came forward to receive the anointing of fire. I was one of them.

I did not get a chance to share this with many but after that night, my body has been feeling warm. It came to a point where I had to ask a dear brother-in-Christ for two panadols which I knew he was carrying in his bag as he was unwell.

Even after taking them, I still felt warm. Though I took the medication as a precautionary measure, the feeling I had was not the kind where I am going to fall sick. There were no other symptoms suggesting that. Anyway, even till now the crown of my head still feel that way but I feel perfectly well. Haha. :)

Well, I would love to conclude that God's anointing of fire is upon me now. I shall take it by faith. :)

On the last night, which was on Saturday, the pastors and mentors had to do a time of ministry for those who were called to full-time ministry, to be consecrated from certain struggles of their lives and also for those who want to be more active in the market-place.

As I had prepared myself for the ministry time, I prayed for a few of the youth leaders. As I went forward to the first person, my body began to tremble and I broke out in tongues. As I went from one to another; as I saw some falling to the ground crying and laughing, tears started rolling down my cheeks. It was not the kind where it felt burdensome - in fact, I felt released! All glory to God for all that He has done!

After everything was over, I felt very drained as I left the conference hall. I had initially planned to fellowship with my room-mates but after washing up and laying on my bed, the next thing I knew it was already morning. That was how tired I was.

The next day, one of my room-mates (who is a second-year theological student) shared with me that doing ministry time can be that exhausting.

Well, I will probably commit myself to be a mentor for the next two years, basically to go through the three-year cycle - this year being the first. I will speak to my pastors about this.

I was tempted to take one more day of leave today but in the end, I still went to work. I was expecting to have a lot to do but in the end it was not that bad. I guess the Lord knows that I am still recovering from the conference. :)

I guess that is all I want to share for now! :) Before I key off, I would like to share the words of this song I fell in love with since last year's YMLC.

One Pure and Holy Passion

Verse:
Give me one pure and holy passion
Give me one magnificent obsession
Give me one glorious ambition for my life
To know and follow hard after You

(Repeat Verse)

Chorus:
To know and follow hard after you
To grow as your dicsiple in your truth
This world is empty, pale, and poor
Compared to knowing you, my Lord
Lead me on and I will run after you
Lead me on and I will run after you

Give me one pure and holy passion
Give me one magnificent obsession
Give me one glorious ambition for my life
To know and follow hard after you

Lord to know and follow hard after you
And to grow as your disciple in your truth
This world is empty, pale, and poor
Compared to knowing you my Lord
Lead me on and I will run after you
Lead me on and I will run after you
Lead me on and I will run after you

Have a blessed week everyone! Live as a relentless disciple of God! :)

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8

I Am Just An Instrument

I just finished packing for tomorrow's Young Methodist Leaders' Conference. Actually tomorrow is not the commencement of the conference - the pastors and mentors are going a day earlier to prepare. The youth leaders will only arrive on Friday.

As I was packing, I was also praying for the Lord to equip me accordingly. Frankly I am not as prepared as compared to last year's. No matter what, I trust that the Lord will still use me to be a blessing to my siblings-in-Christ. I feel that my walk with Him is still not up to par. I pray my inconsistency this time round will not cause me to stumble any one at the conference.

Well, I guess that is all I can do for now. It has been a hectic week - I have been trying to clear as much work as possible before I go on leave. I had to rush a few reports and also conduct a couple of meetings - thanks be to God that all went pretty well.

The above-mentioned have taken a toll on my body though - I get tired easily and my mind has not been functioning as effectively as I would like it to be. I hope the conference will allow me to find times of refreshing though I have to mentor a group of 10 leaders.

I guess that is all I want to share for now. I am looking forward to the conference. I pray it will be a wonderful time spent as a body - worshipping the Lord through prayer, studying of His Word and fellowship.

Till I blog again, here's wishing all of you God's blessings and a restful weekend ahead!

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."Hebrews 10:19-25

Relevance Of The Gospel In The Present Times

I have been procrastinating blogging my thoughts. It has been a hectic day in office but thanks be to God for pulling me through the Monday blues and allowing me to now change to a lower gear to unwind. :)

A lot of thoughts ran through my mind today and they kind of made my heart heavy and sad. As the title of my blog states, I question the relevance of the Gospel in the present times which we are all living in.

Why this thought? I was basically looking at the people around me especially individuals whom I know. I was also reflecting on my own life. All these persons, including myself, are Christians but I wonder how often God is ever in our lives - be it in thoughts, words or deeds.

Lately my patience has been rather short and naturally people around me got the brunt of my outbursts. Besides me, I know of someone who is at odds with her family; a few indulging in gambling, heavy drinking and smoking; one in a gay relationship; some overly anxious about their future (as in not securing a job even before graduation) till they are so paranoid and driven that they even skip church; many using expletives each time they open their mouths; one whose mindset is so pessimistic and negative; a few who are always complaining and never contented; many who are glued to playing PSP games and giving excuses they do not have time for daily devotions; etc.

All of the above-mentioned still attend church on Sundays and many know the Word of God (through worship services, cell groups; youth groups; various ministries in the church) but on other days, our identity as Christians is covered with a paper-bag - we are all being in and at the same time, of the world.

Whatever happened to Jesus whom we professed to be our Lord and Saviour? Whatever happened to all that we have been taught? Due to all the distractions and frustrations of the world, is the Gospel of no relevance anymore because other things around us are more enticing?

Yesterday during service, the assistant pastor of the church reminded all in the congregation to reflect on this word, "JOY." Is there joy in our lives? If not, is it because God is no more real? Are we being lured away by other persons and/or things?

He urged all to let the joy of the Lord be our strength - to run back to the loving Father whose arms are always opened to receive us. My pastor sang the words of this song...

Joy is the flag flown high
from the castle of my heart
from the castle of my heart
from the castle of my heart.

Joy is the flag flown high
from the castle of my heart
when the King is in residence there.

So let it fly in the sky,
let the whole world know
let the whole world know
let the whole world know

So let it fly in the sky,
let the whole world know
that the King is in residence there.

The above words speak so true of one whose life has Christ in him or her. J.O.Y. - Jesus Occupies You! If Jesus occupies our lives 24 hours a day, then there will always be joy in us. The challenge is - are we willing to let Him fill us all the time?

My answer is I want to. I know I will fail occasionally but I still want Jesus to be in me always!

I guess the above evaluation is timely. On Friday I will be mentoring a group of youth leaders at the Young Methodist Leaders' Conference. If I am not right with God, who am I to lead others? Well, may the Lord be my joy and my salvation!

Time to stop here.

Good night to all and have a blessed week ahead!

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." Psalm 51:10-12

Missions Still Accomplishing

I have been down with food poisoning since Sunday. I do not know what caused it and I shall not point fingers. Yesterday I went to see the doctor. As my fever was high and my diarrhoea was bad, I was given two days of medical leave.

Sunday was really a torture for me - I went to church in the morning but upon arriving, my tummy was churning; bones were aching and I was feeling lethargic. I also needed to purge. In the end, I had no choice but to grab a cab home. It was from then on that I was bedridden. Temperature went up to a high of 38.5 degrees Celsius and I visited the toilet countless times. I also felt dehydrated. Throughout the day I felt weak.

Thanks be to God for His healing power! Though my tummy is still a little unwell, my fever has subsided and I am up and about! :)

The remaining part of this week will be quite busy for me - I have to write the Last Local Conference report for my role as the Missions Committee chairperson in the church. I struggle as I consider what I should include in the report. It is so easy to jot all the accomplishments for the year and make the report looks good but are these the things which matter? There are a lot of burdens but I just do not know where to start. Anyway, the deadline is Friday and I shall pray that the Lord will just guide my heart as I write.

In my four years as the chairperson of this area of ministry, I learnt that the missions ministry is not about accomplishing tasks but winning lives. The question is are we doing more of the latter? Sometimes I feel the church is not. Yes, teams are being sent out each year; funds are being disbursed; and meetings are held to consider what other areas of assistance we may offer but are these enough?

Anyway, I still have a lot to learn in this ministry. For those of you reading this blog and are my fellow siblings-in-Christ, pray for me. :) One comfort I hold in my heart is that I know I have a great God whose mind and wisdom and plans are far better than mine! I am sure He had all these figured out and I look forward to learning more from Him.

The next few days I have a couple of meetings to chair and attend at work. I won't be surprised when I go back to office tomorrow, there will be a backlog of work on my desk. Well, though it sounds daunting, I shall try to deal with them joyfully. Haha.

I just realised after this weekend, the following two weekends I will be away in Malaysia. One in Pulai Springs from 4 to 7 September where I will be attending the Young Methodist Leaders' Conference as a mentor. Then on 13 and 14 September, I will be in Malacca with the running gang for a getaway - pigging out and fellowshipping with one another!

Well, time to end here.

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21

Christ's Name Glorified; His People Edified!

Just finished writing an article and since it is going to be lunch-time, I decided to take a break and blog something that has been bothering me. It burdens me because it has got to do with my fellow siblings-in-Christ. It is my prayer that the Lord will show me more of what I should do and at the end of day, the name of Christ glorified and His people edified.

Last night I met my accountability group consisting of three other younger brothers-in-Christ. We were sharing about our Encounters with God and people; Struggles that we are currently going through; and our Desires.

During our fellowship, we shared about our burdens for a particular sibling-in-Christ especially the individual's behaviour - the cold treatment towards others; the judgmental attitude; the pessimism; the constant ranting of the "I, me and myself". Because of all these, many have shunned this dear individual.

Though the usual way is to avoid the person since many are turned off, we reminded each other that we should not react as the world would. We told each other that we should not shun anyone but instead we should always pray and seek the Lord to bridge the gap. Though it will be a dirty job and probably awkward and tense, we are now praying that the Lord will show us how we can actually approach this dear friend of ours and share about our burdens.

I think it is important to remind ourselves that the love of God in us does not teach us to distant ourselves away when someone has done something wrong to us. Instead it should compel us to do what the world does not want to do - that is to confront, rebuke, and make up (reconciliation, that is).

Well, I am already praying for the individual and I hope situation will get better soon. May the Lord be our help and guide.

Last night, I had to confront a 13-year old boy who was smoking freely with two of his friends who are 18 years old. As I did not want the situation to turn ugly, I asked his two friends to stay away while I had a talk with the youth. I was burdened as to why at such a young age, he was already learning to smoke.

Well, he shared it was due to peer pressure. Though he said he will not smoke again, I hope he will not say it to get out of the situation he was in. I advised him to use the money meant to buy cigarettes for other items which may be more beneficial. He nodded. Before I let him go, I asked him to throw away the stick and whatever were in his possession. I hope the Lord will help this young individual to kick his habit.

I won't be surprised if one day I get beaten up for being a busybody but I shall trust the Lord's protection to be upon me as I confront individuals like the youth above.

Anyway, time to end here. Thanks be to God for encounters, struggles and desires! :)

"Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Break Walls; Build Friendship

I wanted to blog last night but I was too tired to do so after coming back from a friend's 21st birthday celebration. Anyway, now that I am taking a break from reading some articles, I thought I jot a line or two.

Yesterday was my sister's eldest sister's 21st birthday. I knocked off from work earlier so that I can join the both of them plus another of their guy-friend for shopping and also doing some other interesting activities.

We met at Wisma Atria since the birthday-girl wanted to use her gift vouchers at one of the shops. We found out that it was closed for renovation. We then headed for Ngee Ann City where the princess of the day bought a couple of stuff while her entourage followed. :)

Last Saturday my sister and I went to Little India as she wanted to have some henna-painting done on her hand. We also wanted to have eye-brow threading done so as to shape and neaten them. This is my first time. I was a little apprhensive but after much coaxing from my sister and the friendly beautician, I decided to go ahead. It was interesting - not painful and at the end of it all, my eye-brows are nicer now. Haha.

As we really enjoyed the excellent service from the shop, my sister and I decided to bring her sister and the guy-friend to this lady again. She was so happy to see us. Eye-brow threading was done on the birthday girl and her friend. In the end both of them loved it. Henna-painting was also done on the birthday lady's shoulder-blade and hand. The beautician did the henna-painting on the hand free since she knew about the 21st birthday celebration that we were having. Very kind of her!

I am happy to have known this lady - very friendly and motherly. I guess friendship can be forged just by merely removing walls of pride and prejudice. I forsee all of us going to her regularly and I look forward to it as I am interested to know this lady more. In fact, my sister and I are going to meet her again soon. We have made appointments with her for facial treatments on Thursday evening. Haha.

We also did some shopping and bought a couple of bags. Oh yah, if ever you want to buy stuff from Little India, do BARGAIN! Do also check prices from a few shops first before buying. We wanted to purchase a bag from one of the shops but since we felt that the quote was a little too high, we gave it a miss and moved on. Guess what? At one of the alleys where the push-carts were, the price for the same bag was almost 40 percent cheaper. Well, there you go!

Anyway, praise God! After Little India it was off to Haji Lane where we ate at Blue Jazz and played some games. We had fun as we talked and joked about school, friends and also families. We also made the birthday girl eat the cake and ice-cream without using her hands. She had to also eat a strawberry using the dessert spoon but without her hands. Haha.

It was home after that. I was so exhausted that I actually slept quite early. :)

Anyway, here's praising God for old and new friends! They really lighten up my day in many ways all the time!

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Go With The Beat!

When I was in church in the earlier part of the day, I had one meeting with the leaders of the mission teams. We were basically discussing the preliminary aspects of the trip and I was very encouraged to see the enthusiasm in them. Praise the Lord!

Two teams will be sent out this year - one from the Children's Ministry and the other from the Youth Ministry. Thanks be to God that 10 children will be going and accompanying them are their parents. I am looking forward to how God can use the families to touch the lives of the Khmer people, mainly the children from the orphanages and villages.

I hope after the trip, I can testify to the church that if God can use these young ones to minister, surely He can also use the adults to make a difference in the lives of others, both locally and overseas!

While I was heading for the 11:15am service, I met a brother-in-Christ. As we fellowshipped, he shared with me his burdens for the missionaries from my church. In the end, I sat down with him and we spoke about how else we can support these servants of God in the areas of finance and prayer. I enjoyed the time spent with this dear brother and I look forward to more members of the church approaching me to share about their concerns for the work of missions. It should be that way - missions is the heartbeat of God! Every Christian must be involved in this work. Every Christian should contribute in all aspects! I pray there will be more awakenings and it is my desire that one day every member of my church will be involved in the Great Commission.

I hope that "one day" I mentioned above will come soon because there are so many souls and so much work yet to save and to be done respectively.

Singapore won the Olympics silver medal for table tennis - after 48 years! Congratulations! I hope this would be the beginning of more medals in subsequent Olympics.

Anyway, I shall stop here for now.

Looking forward to the brand new week ahead. No idea how it would turn out but I shall anticipate the many adventures I would be encountering. :)

Good night, everyone!

"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

Tending Your Inner Garden

It is lunch-time now. I decided to pack in this afternoon. I basically did my favourite smoked salmon sandwiches. Four slices of bread in all. Haha. I did not have breakfast so decided to have a heavier lunch. I know it does not work that way. Just feel like being a pig today. Actually I am beginning to look like one - the varsity holidays have caused me to balloon quite a bit from all the pig-out sessions with friends and all.

Anyway, this morning before I went to office, I decided to go for a walk with my doggy. I needed to spend some time with the Lord because lately I have been feeling that I am drifting away from Him and needed to get back on track again.

I have not been reading His Word and praying enough. Perhaps I am trying to get back to the momentum of work as well as balancing it with family commitments, ministries and time spent with friends.

The above paragraph is probably an excuse because if God is pre-eminent in my life then I will not be struggling with setting time daily to commune with Him.

Anyway, during the walk, I told the Lord that He will still come first in my life and that nothing will cause me to compromise! It may be a struggle initially but with His help, I am sure I will be able to prioritise my time accordingly.

It is scary to know that one's behaviour is directly linked to one's closeness with God. I say this because in the past two weeks or so, my attitude towards life and people have been rather negative. I lose my temper easily. I tend to be more materialistic. I have not been as compassionate as before. I have been very self-centered and egoistic. I have been very laid-back. I have slackened in my ministries. I have also been rather disorganised.

This reminded me of what Gordon MacDonald said in his book, "Ordering Your Private World" - he mentioned that our lives is like that of a garden. If one is closed to God, then the garden is in good order but if one is not, then the whole garden will be in a mess. How true that is!

Well, thanks be to God for reminding me to order my life again. It is time and I have to - for the sake of others around me and for myself.

I guess that is all I want to share for now.

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:1-17

Puppies Looking For Homes

Two Mixed Breed Puppies Up For Adoption

The photos above are the puppies I was talking about. The right one is now at a brother-in-Christ's home and the other is at the groomer's. They are mixed breed and 6 to 8 weeks old. They will probably grow to mid-size. Mild tempered and playful.

They are just so adorable. :)

Well, feel free to drop me a note if you know of anyone who may be interested to adopt these cute doggies.

Dogs Need Home!

I was with my sister this evening at Vivocity. Before that we went to Pet Lovers Centre to look at all the dogs and hamsters on display. We also went to the grooming section. It was here where the both of us were drawn to two puppies. The groomer was playing with them. Then we saw this sign requesting for customers to adopt these puppies (mixed breed). We started talking to the groomer about them. When I was told that should these puppies are not adopted in the next one week, they would be sent to SPCA where they will be put down.

When I heard that, I just had to do something. I called a brother-in-Christ to ask whether he wants to first foster one of the pups and then consider adopting it after a week. He said he needed to discuss with his wife.

While my sister and I were having dinner, I got a message that they were willing to foster one of them. We were so elated to hear that. After our meal, we headed back to the pet shop and waited for my brother-in-Christ and his family to come over. They seemed to love the puppy and my friend's wife might even want to adopt it. Well, I sure hope they would.

Another brother-in-Christ is also interested. Well, should any of you reading this blog want to adopt the puppies, feel free to drop me a message and I will channel you to the groomer. :) The doggies are both light brown in colour, 6 to 8 weeks old, very good nature and healthy. They will probably grow to mid-size.

My sister and I left the shop with great joy knowing that both puppies have a home to sleep in tonight - one will be at the groomer's home and the other my friend's. Praise the Lord!

Time for me to go and sleep now - waking up later to watch the Champions' League qualifying rounds where Liverpool will be playing. I hope I can wake up though. :)

Good night, every one!

We Are All Equal!

Today has been a busy day for me - had two meetings in the morning and in the afternoon I had to read loads of reports. By the time I was done, I was mentally drained. I headed home from work quite early. I just needed to get away from all the busyness and just spend some time with God in prayer and reading of His Word.

Though I have not blogged for almost a week, I learnt a couple of things these few days. Last Friday I followed my sister to Max Pavilion at Singapore Expo to attend the Love Singapore rally. It was a time of prayer for the nation since that day was the eve of National Day. This event is held annually.

The speaker reminded the thousands of Christians at the rally to show love for all the foreign workers in Singapore. They amount to about a million in this island-nation. It never occurred to me that there are so many of them.

I thought the message was very appropriate - these individuals have come here to earn a living for themselves and also to provide for their families back in their respective homelands and yet they have been abused physically, emotionally and mentally by Singaporeans. Some have even lost their lives here and yet we do not give much thoughts to their overall needs. I dare to even say that many times we do not treat them as fellow humans - as equals. We are no different to those slave-drivers in the days of old!

There was a segment where all the foreign workers who are working here were asked to come forward so that they would be prayed for. There was another invitation for those who would like to pray for these individuals to come forward. I decided to go forward.

I prayed for a brother from Myanmar. I put my hand over his shoulders as I interceded for him. In the midst of the intercession, he began to weep. When I ended my prayer, I just kept quiet and continued to be with Yorng. After a while, he looked up and thanked me for the prayers. We shook hands and went back to our respective seats.

Since last Friday, I made it a point to say a short prayer for all foreign workers whom I would cross path with. I hope this will remind me that they too are God's created beings and that I should respect and treat them as I would for my fellow Singaporeans.

In fact, I was convicted to see every one with the eyes of God - there should not be pride and prejudice. There is no such thing as a caste system.

Oh yah, another point to add - we will be accountable to God one day for what we do here on earth. It is not too late for all of us to repent now! It is not that difficult to do so - just love as God loves. There is also less strife in loving than abusing. :)

Well, I have to confess it is not easy since we are all humans but it is also not impossible. I pray the Lord will help me as I persevere in this area of my pilgrim's journey - whatever that is left of it.

I have a lot more to share but shall do so another day! :) Oh yah, the varsity's break has caused my waistline to expand - since my knees are better now, I shall run again. I basically need to exercise. Inertia is there but for the sake of being a good steward to this body God has given me, I shall press on! Haha.

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Matthew 25:31-46

We Are Either Light Or Darkness. Please Choose

I was in the East this evening. I had initially planned to go Chinatown to buy some toiletries. In the end, I decided to spend some time with God by the beach. Well, my outfit of a pair of jeans and Polo-Tee were not really that suitable but I decided to put discomfort aside and commune with God by the breakwater.

My heart was troubled. That was why I needed to go somewhere quiet to be with my Heavenly Father. I was basically very fed-up and angry at how weak Christians (myself included) can be at times though we have an Almighty God by our side. Just so ironic that in church we worship and praise a God who is great and yet when we are in the world, we become turtles with our heads always hidden in our shells and allowing others to kick us around.

Where is God exactly in our lives?

Lately I have been struggling with people's impression of me. Deep down in my heart I know I have not done anything wrong in the sight of God and yet because of my fear of what people might say or misunderstand, I become uneasy and troubled.

I have also come across other siblings-in-Christ sharing with me about their fears for the future - listening to what the world says that in order to survive they have to work super hard and to be doubly sure of what their goals are in life. In the process they take things into their own hands - building treasures on earth and not in heaven.

There were other cases where Christians have to lie because of others - could be their bosses, parents, siblings, friends, pastors/mentors/leaders, etc. It is not that these people asked them to lie (though it can happen sometimes by certain of these persons mentioned) but it is more so because of these people that they had to lie! It could be out of fear that the bosses might scold them; it could because parents are over-protective; it could be friends showing concern in the wrong way which in the end leads to cases of gossiping; it could be pastors/mentors/leaders laying out too much rules and instilling fear; etc.

There were yet other incidents where we know of others committing something wrong and yet we do not have the guts to tell them so - cheating when tearing parking coupons, tapping the EZ-Link card earlier than they are supposed to, pocketing the extra change when buying some stuff in a supermarket, etc.

The above-mentioned are just some examples of how coward Christians can be at times. We were supposed to be living in the light, yet so many of us still live in darkness or in the shadows of others. Have we been truly set free? I really do not know.

I sought the Lord's forgiveness for having undermined Him; for not being His ambassador in this world I live in; for not being courageous; and above all, for not regarding Him 100% as my Lord and Saviour.

I know this will be a constant struggle as I continue with my pilgrim's journey. As Christians, we must remember that God has set us free from the slavery of sin and death once and for all. We are no longer slaves to others or to the patterns of this world. God has given us a mind of our own and if we can align that with His Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in us, we can do the right thing and always be a light everywhere we go. Darkness can never consume us anymore!

Well, that was what I was reminded of when I stood before God in quiet and reading His Word.

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." Ephesians 5:1-21

Anxiety Is Hazardous To One's Health

It has been a week since I last blogged. Well, the whole of last week has been filled with activities. I was busy preparing for the Missions Ministry's Exhibition at my church's fundraising dinner. I had to also help my sister plan and prepare for her sister's 21st birthday party. I was also engrossed with work matters - having to file and submit reports before the semester commences.

Busyness has been the word for the week. Another word which I had to battle with was "anxiety"! I was reminded from the these few days of manic that if God is not included in what I do, then surely I will begin to panic because my human wisdom can only last me that long.

It also affected my health because the past week, I had been experiencing consistent headaches and my tummy had this churning effect. I know God has been with me all these while though as I had been prompted time and again to slow down, to be quiet before Him and to submit everything I was doing to Him. When I did that, there was a sense of peace in my heart. Praise the Lord for that!

As I look back now, I am also thankful that all have come to past. Everything went smoothly and successfully!

I managed to get all the posters out in time for the exhibition. I am grateful to God that those who visited the Missions Ministry's booth were blest. Some of them have expressed interested to support this area of God's work. Glory to God for that!

The 21st birthday party for my sister's sister also went pretty well. It was quite hilarious when it came to the part where we brought out the birthday cake. My sister's sister was blindfolded. Every one was given a sparkler but what was not considered was the smoke that these sparklers would create.

Every one lighted it and the next thing we knew - there was a smoke-out!!! The best and funny thing was this - every one ran out choking but the poor birthday girl was still standing in the smoke-filled room wondering what was going it. The smoke got too overwhelming for her that she took out her blindfold, was stunned for a moment (probably thinking she was in heaven since the room was as white as snow), and then she ran out choking, with her eyes tearing - guess she was touched by what her friends had done for her. Haha.

It was a photographer's nightmare for me. I was all ready to capture the moment when every one would sing the birthday song; when the birthday girl would make a wish and blow out the candles; when she would make a thank-you speech; etc. Of course none of these happened! When I looked through the viewfinder, all I got was white smoke. Hee.

Though the above-mentioned was funny, I was also concerned that the sparklers would set fire to the mattresses which were placed near the birthday cake. I was also concerned that the water-sprinklers would be activated but thank God there was none of that in the room.

Well, I guess the party has been a memorable one for guests and host alike. Haha. My sister and I are also happy that the birthday girl loved the gifts we got for her. There was a total of 14 presents, wrapped individually and had a riddle on each one of them. The birthday girl had to solve the riddle first before opening it. Well, the both of us had fun torturing her. :)

I shall stopped her for now as I have a couple of stuff to submit pertaining to work. God has been good always. Looking forward to experiencing more of Him as I journey on!

“The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130