January
An old Hasidic tale
The rabbi asked his students: "How can we determine the hour of dawn, when the night ends and the day begins?
One of the rabbi's students suggested: "When from a distance you can distinguish between a dog and a sheep?"
"No," was the answer of the rabbi.
"Is it when one can distinguish between a fig tree and a grapevine?" asked a second student.
"No," the rabbi said.
"Please tell us the answer then," said the students.
"It is, then," said the wise teacher , "when you can look into the face of another human being and you have enough light in you to recognise your brother or your sister. Until then, it is night, and darkness is still with us."
February
"As I get older, I place less emphasis on what people say and more on what they do."
- Andrew Carnegie
March
Walk with me, walk with me
Lest mine eyes no longer see
All the glory, all the story of Your love
Walk with me, walk with me
As You walked so lovingly
When You walked there and
You talked there by the sea
April
I cannot remember when this conviction in me about the power of words to curse and bless became very very real to me. I reached a point where I was unwilling to or would rather say nothing than say something that will tip the spiritual balance towards Satan. It was as if I could see the spiritual environment around me darken ever so slightly whenever I said something or heard something that was not Godly. I've become increasingly reticent through the years. I firmly believe in the power of words to transform lives - we either bless or curse people through the words we say. I fail, and fail badly sometimes. Thank God that when that happens, I am able to turn to Him and say "Lord, forgive me because I have sinned" and know that I have been forgiven because of His sacrifice at Calvary. Thank God for His grace and love for such a sinner as me.
Lord, sometimes I worry about my heart because I can feel the rocks. Pour out your Spirit into me that I may have a heart of flesh. Grant me that heart for peace-making, which encompasses wisdom, courage, sensitivity, love, devotion to truth and understanding. Amen.
C.S. Lewis:
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.
When you have reached your own room, be kind to those who have chosen different doors and to those who are still in the hall. If they are wrong, they need your prayers all the more, and if they are your enemies, then you are under orders to pray for them. That is one of the rules common to the whole house.
The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts.
May
John F. Kennedy
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.
We need men who can dream of things that never were.
June
Lord, thank You that You know how weak I am and You love me regardless. Enable me to always have that humility and that honesty to come to you with all my weaknesses and not just my strengths; with all my failures and not just my accomplishments; and with all my tears and not just my joy; with all my pain and not just my pleasures; and with all of me and not just a mask, a facade or a front. For Lord, when I am weak, then I am strong in You.
"A minister said.......You can tell how popular a church is by who comes on Sunday morning. You can tell how popular a pastor or evangelist is by who comes on Sunday night. But you can tell how popular Jesus is by who comes to the prayer meeting." - Jim Cymbala
July
"The church must be equipped to serve in the world precisely because it does not belong to the world. If we start with the world, the church will lose its mission. If we start with God, the church cannot refrain from giving its life for the world."
- R.Paul Stevens, professor at Regent College Vancouver
August
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW4AMgaUjJ4
I want to sing
Until I am lost in Your love
Till I'm found in Your presence
Worshipping before your throne
Moved by Your Spirit
Entering into Your flow
How precious this moment
Lord I want you to know
It's You
You who have won my heart
Taken me into Your arms
Comforted me like a friend
Your love
Surrounded me from the start
I never want to be apart
From You ever again
September
True grace comes to us by costly sacrifice. Costly grace changes us from the inside out. Neither law nor cheap grace can do that.
- Timothy J.Keller
October
Love that seeks no recompense. It is an affront to materialism and naturalism. And it is the sweetest joy that one can experience, according to C.S.Lewis.
November
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it." (Luke 9:23, NKJV)
December
Emmanuel, Emmanuel,
His name is called Emmanuel,
God with us,
Revealed in us,
His name is called Emmanuel
Truly, God came and dwelt among us and is still with us through the Holy Spirit which is present in every believer and follower of Christ.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Living water
John 4:13-14 (ESV)
13 Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him l will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
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In the beginning was the Word
My senior pastor gave his last sermon on 18 December. It was with both a tinge of sadness and joy as the man I've been listening to for almost all of the time I've spent in the church retires but consequently gains the freedom to move into even bigger things God has planned for him.
Significantly, for someone who has increasingly focused on the supernatural and prophetic with the focus of bringing the Kingdom of God down to earth, my pastor chose to focus on Hosea 4:6 as the main reference for his sermon.
Hosea 4:6 English Standard Version (ESV)
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
As God's people, we have a covenant with God. Deliberate ignorance of what this covenant relationship with God entails on our part will have devastating consequences for us. This is laid out very clearly in Hosea, where there is a warning of destruction for followers of God who have rejected knowledge or have not pursued knowledge, and where there is also a warning of rejection from God not only for ourselves but also for future generations if we forget the law of our God.
And where do we learn about God and His law? From His Word. That is where we begin and that is where we should end.
Significantly, for someone who has increasingly focused on the supernatural and prophetic with the focus of bringing the Kingdom of God down to earth, my pastor chose to focus on Hosea 4:6 as the main reference for his sermon.
Hosea 4:6 English Standard Version (ESV)
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
As God's people, we have a covenant with God. Deliberate ignorance of what this covenant relationship with God entails on our part will have devastating consequences for us. This is laid out very clearly in Hosea, where there is a warning of destruction for followers of God who have rejected knowledge or have not pursued knowledge, and where there is also a warning of rejection from God not only for ourselves but also for future generations if we forget the law of our God.
And where do we learn about God and His law? From His Word. That is where we begin and that is where we should end.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
He gave supremely that all men might see
Such an old song but what beautiful lyrics. The worship team sang this in church today. A reminder that we're to let Jesus shine through us so that all may see His love.
He is Lovely - Bob Fitts
I can see that you love Jesus first
It’s plain to see
And that you sit close
And hear His heartbeat
For in your eyes I see shinning love
That speaks so clear
And I can hear them saying
So sweetly
Chorus:
He is love - ly
He is ho - ly
He gave supremely
That all men might see
He is gen - tle
Tender-hearted
Risen Savior
He is God
Master Maker, Life Creator, come
And dwell in me
That my heart may know
Your tender mercy
Shine through me that all may see Your love
So full and free
And I’ll declare Your praise
Through endless ages
You are love - ly
You are ho - ly
You gave supremely
That all men might see
You are gen - tle
Tender-hearted
Risen Savior
You are God
You are God
You are God
He is Lovely - Bob Fitts
I can see that you love Jesus first
It’s plain to see
And that you sit close
And hear His heartbeat
For in your eyes I see shinning love
That speaks so clear
And I can hear them saying
So sweetly
Chorus:
He is love - ly
He is ho - ly
He gave supremely
That all men might see
He is gen - tle
Tender-hearted
Risen Savior
He is God
Master Maker, Life Creator, come
And dwell in me
That my heart may know
Your tender mercy
Shine through me that all may see Your love
So full and free
And I’ll declare Your praise
Through endless ages
You are love - ly
You are ho - ly
You gave supremely
That all men might see
You are gen - tle
Tender-hearted
Risen Savior
You are God
You are God
You are God
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
The essence of faith
"If there were no eternal consciousness in a man,
if at the bottom of everything
there were only a wild ferment,
a power that twisting in dark passions
produced everything great or consequential;
if an unfathomable insatiable emptiness
lay hid beneath everything,
what would life be but despair?"
- Søren Kierkegaard
Monday, December 5, 2011
Emmanuel, God with us
Just back from a counsellors' appreciation dinner. The ending song before the closing prayer was the most meaningful to me. Emmanuel, God with us. Truly, God came and dwelt among us and is still with us through the Holy Spirit which is present in every believer and follower of Christ.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
YWAM The Call - Wine and Wine-skins
The YWAM retreat also had a guest speaker in Dan Sneed, who is gifted in teaching about our identity in Christ. He taught on different topics through the days, and here are some excerpts from his sessions.
Matthew 9:17
English Standard Version (ESV)
17Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."
The process of re-using old wine-skins for new wine was used by Dan to explain how the Holy Spirit's work in us is a continual process (although the text above refers to new wine-skins for new wine).
Analogy: Old wine-skins are soaked > the crusty old bits are scraped off > the wine-skin is stretched > new wine is poured in > the process repeats itself
Application: The Holy Spirit softens our hearts during our time with Him - worship (soaking) > the Holy Spirit puts His hand on areas in our lives that we need to deal with (deliverance - scraping) > the Holy Spirit stretches and prepares us for a new season > we're ready for the new wine > the process repeats itself
* When the Holy Spirit puts His hand on an area in our lives, we need to deal with it. Our spiritual health is important to God.
* We have to be willing to keep allowing the Holy Spirit to continually work in us.
* Hurt people hurt people. The church is an excellent place to get hurt but we're to keep short accounts.
Matthew 9:17
English Standard Version (ESV)
17Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."
The process of re-using old wine-skins for new wine was used by Dan to explain how the Holy Spirit's work in us is a continual process (although the text above refers to new wine-skins for new wine).
Analogy: Old wine-skins are soaked > the crusty old bits are scraped off > the wine-skin is stretched > new wine is poured in > the process repeats itself
Application: The Holy Spirit softens our hearts during our time with Him - worship (soaking) > the Holy Spirit puts His hand on areas in our lives that we need to deal with (deliverance - scraping) > the Holy Spirit stretches and prepares us for a new season > we're ready for the new wine > the process repeats itself
* When the Holy Spirit puts His hand on an area in our lives, we need to deal with it. Our spiritual health is important to God.
* We have to be willing to keep allowing the Holy Spirit to continually work in us.
* Hurt people hurt people. The church is an excellent place to get hurt but we're to keep short accounts.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
YWAM The Call - Listening to God
YWAM The Call:
A call to His people
To return to the heart of worship
To wait on Him to hear His heart
To prepare a resting place for His presence and glory
Short notes from Donna Jordan's session on Listening to God. Quite wonderful. We were all seated in a circle and she said that she's going to talk to us as God leads her. Leaving this in the chronological manner in which she spoke.
* Four voices are always with us:
- God's voice
- Our voice
- Devil's voice
- Others' voice
* How do we test and discern that it's God voice that we're hearing?
By the witness in our Spirit; the witness in other people's spirit; the Word of the Lord. Just as we would always recognise our earthly fathers' voices, we would recognise God's voice more and more if we have a deep relationship with Him.
Also if we're hearing God speak to other people through us, we should ask: "I feel this is what God is saying. What do you think? Does it mean anything to you? Do you feel something in your spirit?"
* God wants to speak through our imagination but that, too, has to be committed to God.
* A prayer that Donna always starts her day with:
"Jesus, I love you. Father I submit all of me - my mind, body, spirit - to the Holy Spirit. What is on your heart today?"
* God wants to confide in friends
John 15:14-15
New International Version (NIV)
14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
* Listen to the Spirit's prompting. We will not be set free if we don't forgive. Choosing to forgive is important in allowing God to work through us. Keep short accounts.
Romans 12:1-2
A Living Sacrifice
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
* How do we break free?
James 4:7
New International Version (NIV)
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
* Relative statement »» Absolute truth = legalism
* Absolute truth »» Relative statement = liberalism
* Be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. This will show not through the gifts of the Spirit but rather through the fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23
New International Version (NIV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
* Unbelief and pride hinders us from listening to God.
* Donna asked us to ask God these questions:
- Lord, what do you think of me?
- What do you want to say through me to this person?
- Lord, what do you think of me in a certain situation?
- Lord, what is on your heart today?
- Lord, whom do you want me to help today?
- Lord, what do you want me to learn today?
A call to His people
To return to the heart of worship
To wait on Him to hear His heart
To prepare a resting place for His presence and glory
Short notes from Donna Jordan's session on Listening to God. Quite wonderful. We were all seated in a circle and she said that she's going to talk to us as God leads her. Leaving this in the chronological manner in which she spoke.
* Four voices are always with us:
- God's voice
- Our voice
- Devil's voice
- Others' voice
* How do we test and discern that it's God voice that we're hearing?
By the witness in our Spirit; the witness in other people's spirit; the Word of the Lord. Just as we would always recognise our earthly fathers' voices, we would recognise God's voice more and more if we have a deep relationship with Him.
Also if we're hearing God speak to other people through us, we should ask: "I feel this is what God is saying. What do you think? Does it mean anything to you? Do you feel something in your spirit?"
* God wants to speak through our imagination but that, too, has to be committed to God.
* A prayer that Donna always starts her day with:
"Jesus, I love you. Father I submit all of me - my mind, body, spirit - to the Holy Spirit. What is on your heart today?"
* God wants to confide in friends
John 15:14-15
New International Version (NIV)
14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
* Listen to the Spirit's prompting. We will not be set free if we don't forgive. Choosing to forgive is important in allowing God to work through us. Keep short accounts.
Romans 12:1-2
A Living Sacrifice
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
* How do we break free?
James 4:7
New International Version (NIV)
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
* Relative statement »» Absolute truth = legalism
* Absolute truth »» Relative statement = liberalism
* Be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. This will show not through the gifts of the Spirit but rather through the fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23
New International Version (NIV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
* Unbelief and pride hinders us from listening to God.
* Donna asked us to ask God these questions:
- Lord, what do you think of me?
- What do you want to say through me to this person?
- Lord, what do you think of me in a certain situation?
- Lord, what is on your heart today?
- Lord, whom do you want me to help today?
- Lord, what do you want me to learn today?
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
YWAM The Call - Worship
Had the tremendous privilege of going for a YWAM Associates' retreat/gathering even though I hadn't attended any DTS programme etc. As with previous gatherings, there was no agenda and the 60-70 of us were to spend the days just waiting on the Lord to lead us. I absolutely love such retreats precisely because God sets the agenda. We did have a guest speaker Dan Sneed as well as YWAM giants Peter and Donna Jordan, plus the current batch of the DTS students. I missed Day 1 because of work but tore myself away from work to go for for half of Day 2, Day 3 and Day 4.
The first session in the afternoon was for people involved in the worship ministry because we had an unusually large proportion of such people in the entire group. But the invitation was extended to those with a heart for worship so I went. We all individually shared about what worship meant to us. We then waited on the Lord and the circle was thrown open to those who wanted to share a song. So some felt led to lead with a song and we all followed. The session ended with us feeling the presence of God so strongly that all of us bowed down and wept. We also took off our shoes because we were literally on holy ground.
For me, I shared that when I was a new Christian, I looked at worship in terms of whether the worship team was playing my favourite songs, whether my favourite worship group was leading worship, etc. It seemed almost suicidal for me to share like that in front of so many worship ministry people but I felt the Lord wanted me to tell them what it was like for me in the congregation listening to them. Then I said that slowly I realised that worship was about God and that music was one of the most wondrous creations of God. I told them that sometimes, the worship was so good that if the service had ended there and then without even a sermon, that would have absolutely fine with me because that was all. I also shared that the best thing was that we could worship God in different languages. Like I could listen to a Kyrgyz Christian song and be moved by it. And I ended it with a question: Whom are we doing it for?
The session ended with someone saying that she longed for a worship session where different people/tribes could worship God using their languages and their culture. There were 23 countries represented during this retreat. Another shared a vision regarding the unfurling of different types of carpets to usher in the King. I was very moved because it reminded me of why to me, the taking of Holy Communion in the church was one of the best moments of a church service. It always warms my heart when I see people lining up and going to the front to take communion because I see people of different shapes and sizes and people of different races, underscoring the truth that God's grace is extended to all.
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
To the Lamb
Hallelujah hallelujah
By the blood of Christ we stand
Every tongue every tribe
Every people every land
Giving glory giving honor
Giving praise unto the Lamb of God
The leading of the first session set the tone for worship in the second session at night. We had dancing! :-) Four DTS students from Kona, Hawaii also felt led to perform the haka, which was deeply symbolic. It was not a performance but something they felt God had wanted them to do during the worship session. When they were doing the haka, the atmosphere was so moving - like there was the tearing down of spiritual strongholds and many breakthroughs. I could hardly pen down in words the awesomeness of that day, but am truly humbled and thankful to God that His presence was with us in such an amazing, holy and glorious way. I wanted to record it here so that I am always reminded that God showed Himself in a powerful way that day.
Lord, you are awesome, and I serve you. Wow. What an honour, what a privilege, what a life. Thank you, Lord.
The first session in the afternoon was for people involved in the worship ministry because we had an unusually large proportion of such people in the entire group. But the invitation was extended to those with a heart for worship so I went. We all individually shared about what worship meant to us. We then waited on the Lord and the circle was thrown open to those who wanted to share a song. So some felt led to lead with a song and we all followed. The session ended with us feeling the presence of God so strongly that all of us bowed down and wept. We also took off our shoes because we were literally on holy ground.
For me, I shared that when I was a new Christian, I looked at worship in terms of whether the worship team was playing my favourite songs, whether my favourite worship group was leading worship, etc. It seemed almost suicidal for me to share like that in front of so many worship ministry people but I felt the Lord wanted me to tell them what it was like for me in the congregation listening to them. Then I said that slowly I realised that worship was about God and that music was one of the most wondrous creations of God. I told them that sometimes, the worship was so good that if the service had ended there and then without even a sermon, that would have absolutely fine with me because that was all. I also shared that the best thing was that we could worship God in different languages. Like I could listen to a Kyrgyz Christian song and be moved by it. And I ended it with a question: Whom are we doing it for?
The session ended with someone saying that she longed for a worship session where different people/tribes could worship God using their languages and their culture. There were 23 countries represented during this retreat. Another shared a vision regarding the unfurling of different types of carpets to usher in the King. I was very moved because it reminded me of why to me, the taking of Holy Communion in the church was one of the best moments of a church service. It always warms my heart when I see people lining up and going to the front to take communion because I see people of different shapes and sizes and people of different races, underscoring the truth that God's grace is extended to all.
Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah
To the Lamb
Hallelujah hallelujah
By the blood of Christ we stand
Every tongue every tribe
Every people every land
Giving glory giving honor
Giving praise unto the Lamb of God
The leading of the first session set the tone for worship in the second session at night. We had dancing! :-) Four DTS students from Kona, Hawaii also felt led to perform the haka, which was deeply symbolic. It was not a performance but something they felt God had wanted them to do during the worship session. When they were doing the haka, the atmosphere was so moving - like there was the tearing down of spiritual strongholds and many breakthroughs. I could hardly pen down in words the awesomeness of that day, but am truly humbled and thankful to God that His presence was with us in such an amazing, holy and glorious way. I wanted to record it here so that I am always reminded that God showed Himself in a powerful way that day.
Lord, you are awesome, and I serve you. Wow. What an honour, what a privilege, what a life. Thank you, Lord.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Three different equations
Grace - Discipline = Indulgence
Discipline - Grace = Condemnation
Grace + Discipline = Love
Discipline - Grace = Condemnation
Grace + Discipline = Love
Sunday, November 13, 2011
What it takes to follow Jesus
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you
A card I received during the recent counselling retreat in Kuala Lumpur. Will meditate on it and memorise the verse.
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Friday, November 4, 2011
Trust in the Lord
"Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track."
- Proverbs 3:5-6 (The Message)
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Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Come close, listen to the story
True Love - Phil Wickham (With Matt Chandler and CJ Mahaney)
True Love - Phil Wickham Live
True Love - Phil Wickham Live
True Love - Phil Wickham
Come close
Listen to the story
About a love more faithful than the morning
The Father gave His only Son just to save us
The earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt the Father's broken heart
Tears were filling heavens eyes
The day that true love died, the day that true love died
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn't move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, The day that true love died
Search your heart
You know you can't deny it
C'mon lose your life just so you can find it
The Father gave His only Son just to save us
Jesus is alive
He rose again
Where the Spirit blows, we follow
I heard Peter Tsukahira of Mount Carmel speak in my church
on Sunday and felt blessed. Went up for altar call.
He said a few things which spoke to my heart:
"It is so important for us not to hang on to
the things of the past but to lay hold of
the new things that God has for us. God is moving on
and we need to be prepared to move on with Him."
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
The Language of God - Francis Collins
Recommended read. Collins is a geneticist and longtime leader of the Human Genome Project. He believes in evolution and in God. Here are some excerpts:
* The Moral Law - the concept of right and wrong that appears to be universal. But is this sense of right and wrong an intrinsic quality of being human or just a consequence of cultural traditions? Is the Moral Law simply a consequence of evolutionary pressures? What would evolutionists make of the force we feel from the Moral Law - the altruistic impulse, the voice of conscience calling us to help others even if nothing is received in return.
* Current post-modernist philosophy argues that there are no absolute rights or wrongs and that all ethical decisions are relative.... But this view faces a series of logical Catch-22s. If there is no absolute truth, can post-modernism itself be true? If there is no right or wrong, then there is no reason to argue for the discipline of ethics in the first place.
* Isn't the idea of God just humans' wish fulfillment? If it is, it does not accord with the character of God of the major religions. For example, such wish fulfillment would likely give rise to a very different kind of God than the one described in the Bible. If we are looking for benevolent coddling and indulgence, that's not what we find there.
* What about all the harm done in the name of religion? Yes. But two issues need to be considered. First a lot of good has been done in the name of religion. Second, the church is made up of fallen people. The pure clean water of spiritual truth is placed in rusty containers, and the subsequent failings of the church should not be projected onto the faith itself, as if the water had been the problem.
* Why would a loving God allow suffering in this world? No easy answers, although a significant portion of our suffering and that of our fellow human beings is brought about by what we do to one another. But C.S.Lewis has this to say: "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
You carried me, my Lord
Carried to the table - Leeland
Wounded and forsaken
I was shattered by the fall
Broken and forgotten
Feeling lost and all alone
Summoned by the King
Into the Master's courts
Lifted by the Savior
And cradled in His arms
I was carried to the table
Seated where I don't belong
Carried to the table
Swept away by His love
And I don't see my brokenness anymore
When I'm seated at the table of the Lord
I'm carried to the table
The table of the Lord
Fighting thoughts of fear
And wondering why He called my name
Am I good enough to share this cup
This world has left me lame
Even in my weakness
The Savior called my name
In His Holy presence
I'm healed and unashamed
You carried me, my God
You carried me
Wounded and forsaken
I was shattered by the fall
Broken and forgotten
Feeling lost and all alone
Summoned by the King
Into the Master's courts
Lifted by the Savior
And cradled in His arms
I was carried to the table
Seated where I don't belong
Carried to the table
Swept away by His love
And I don't see my brokenness anymore
When I'm seated at the table of the Lord
I'm carried to the table
The table of the Lord
Fighting thoughts of fear
And wondering why He called my name
Am I good enough to share this cup
This world has left me lame
Even in my weakness
The Savior called my name
In His Holy presence
I'm healed and unashamed
You carried me, my God
You carried me
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Light shining out of darkness
(William Cowper)
(William Cowper)
God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill,
He treasures up his bright designs,
And works his sov'reign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding ev'ry hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flow'r.
Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Costly grace
- Timothy J.Keller
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Saturday, October 1, 2011
Agape love
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Tuesday, August 30, 2011
It's You, You who have won my heart
I dug deep and managed to find this youtube video of a song that I had loved but forgotten until it was sung at a YWAM prayer meeting last Thursday. Surprise, it's City Harvest's Pastor Kong Hee leading a service in worship onto the Lord.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW4AMgaUjJ4
I want to sing
Until I am lost in Your love
Till I'm found in Your presence
Worshipping before your throne
Moved by Your Spirit
Entering into Your flow
How precious this moment
Lord I want you to know
It's You
You who have won my heart
Taken me into Your arms
Comforted me like a friend
Your love
Surrounded me from the start
I never want to be apart
From You ever again
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW4AMgaUjJ4
I want to sing
Until I am lost in Your love
Till I'm found in Your presence
Worshipping before your throne
Moved by Your Spirit
Entering into Your flow
How precious this moment
Lord I want you to know
It's You
You who have won my heart
Taken me into Your arms
Comforted me like a friend
Your love
Surrounded me from the start
I never want to be apart
From You ever again
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Rest in the Lord
"Believer, though all things are apparently against you, rest assured that God has made a reservation on your behalf... Somehow, He will deliver thee, and somewhere, He will provide for you. The quarter from which your rescue shall arise may be a very unexpected one, but help will assuredly come in your extremity, and you shall magnify the Name of the Lord... Therefore, be of good courage, and rest quietly in the Lord. God can make the sun rise in the West if He pleases, and make the source of distress the channel of delight."
- Charles H. Spurgeon
- Charles H. Spurgeon
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Saturday, August 6, 2011
Chagall's take
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Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Our mission
"The church must be equipped to serve in the world precisely because it does not belong to the world. If we start with the world, the church will lose its mission. If we start with God, the church cannot refrain from giving its life for the world."
- R.Paul Stevens, professor at Regent College Vancouver
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Sunday, July 24, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Bear fruit in keeping with repentance
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control; against such things there is no law.
- Galatians 5:22-23
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Thursday, July 14, 2011
Guarding Your Heart
I attended a talk by David Holdaway (an Elim minister since 1984 and currently based in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales earlier today on "Guarding Your Heart". I was tremendously blessed by it and felt led to share what he shared.
1. Why is it important to guard our hearts?
The Bible says the heart is deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9). We can justify everything in our lives if we look hard enough for a reason. "I couldn't help it" is often quoted as an excuse - a husband cheating on his wife or a wife cheating on her husband says "I couldn't help it. I've fallen in love with the other person". How can something that seems so right be so wrong? But the fact of the matter is that we can help it because it's a choice we make.
Reflection:
- When God says no, do we still go ahead regardless?
- Are we doing what we want to do or are we doing what God asks us to do?
2. What happens when we don't close the doors of sin to our hearts?
When we don't guard our hearts, we're subject to sin and the consequences that come with it.
Example: A man is sitting inside an airplane. He decided to press the "do not press" button and an exit door of the airplane is opened. He jumps and then says: "I can't help it - I'm falling because of the law of gravity!" Yes, at that point, he can't help it because he's now subject to the law of gravity but the important thing to note is that he should not have opened the exit door in the first place.
Life is about choices and consequences: good choices bring about good consequences. It's not the circumstances per se but how we respond to the circumstances and whether we let them take root in our hearts.
If we make good choices, we reap good consequences; if we make bad ones, there could be hell to pay.
The things that have captured our hearts determine our actions and our words, and ultimately, our lives. When our hearts are not aligned with God, everything else in our lives will also not be aligned with God's purposes.
The head determines what we think; the heart determines how we think. What we love influences what we think.
Reflection:
- What has captured the passion of ours hearts?
- Are there any idols that have replaced God's place in our hearts? Money? (1 Timothy 6:9)
- How do we go about making good choices?
3. What are the dangers of a divided heart?
The heart is the gateway to our spirit. It either pollutes or purifies our spirit; weakens or strengthens our spirit; and draws us away or draws us closer to God.
Character example: Solomon - his divided heart (lust of the flesh) led eventually to a divided kingdom.
Character example: Daniel - he purposed in his heart to follow God.
If we have a divided heart, we will have a divided mind.
The path back from a divided heart is repentance - being broken before God and seeking God again. Floyd McClung (author of The Father Heart of God) had this revelation at one stage when he was leading a mega-church with a successful ministry: "I had an evangelical mind with a Babylonian heart." He repented before God.
4. How do we cultivate an undivided heart for God? And how do we guard our hearts?
We can know God through a personal relationship with Him. God made Himself known through Christ. It's possible to be intellectually brilliant and yet spiritually ignorant.
We guard our hearts by dealing with our issues quickly, developing a thankful heart, learning to keep our hearts inspired through the Bible and testimonies as well as worship and praise, and spending time with God in prayer and meditation.
The renewing of our mind is not adding new information but changing how we think, that is, developing the mind of Christ. (Romans 12:2)
5. What does it mean to have a heart after God?
God would rather use a soldier who wants to fight rather than a general who wants to retire; it's not about the level but the direction and having the burning passion to be more and more like Christ.
The parable of the sower: the seed was the same; it was the soil that determined the harvest. Our heart determines the harvest in our lives; good soil is clean, pure and deep.
Reflection:
- Where are our hearts at? When you're tempted and you know you won't get caught, what you do next will be determined by your heart.
- The Devil thinks he can buy us at a price; he thought so of Jesus by tempting Him three times (Matthew 4:1-11). Would we say no to the Devil if he comes at us with a very attractive offer? Would we refuse to be bought at any price? (Luke 12:34)
6. Prayer points
- Lord, completely captivate our hearts. We are a work in progress. Let us pursue You with an undivided heart. Amen.
- Psalm 51
- 1 Peter 3:8
- Matthew 6:21
1. Why is it important to guard our hearts?
The Bible says the heart is deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9). We can justify everything in our lives if we look hard enough for a reason. "I couldn't help it" is often quoted as an excuse - a husband cheating on his wife or a wife cheating on her husband says "I couldn't help it. I've fallen in love with the other person". How can something that seems so right be so wrong? But the fact of the matter is that we can help it because it's a choice we make.
Reflection:
- When God says no, do we still go ahead regardless?
- Are we doing what we want to do or are we doing what God asks us to do?
2. What happens when we don't close the doors of sin to our hearts?
When we don't guard our hearts, we're subject to sin and the consequences that come with it.
Example: A man is sitting inside an airplane. He decided to press the "do not press" button and an exit door of the airplane is opened. He jumps and then says: "I can't help it - I'm falling because of the law of gravity!" Yes, at that point, he can't help it because he's now subject to the law of gravity but the important thing to note is that he should not have opened the exit door in the first place.
Life is about choices and consequences: good choices bring about good consequences. It's not the circumstances per se but how we respond to the circumstances and whether we let them take root in our hearts.
If we make good choices, we reap good consequences; if we make bad ones, there could be hell to pay.
The things that have captured our hearts determine our actions and our words, and ultimately, our lives. When our hearts are not aligned with God, everything else in our lives will also not be aligned with God's purposes.
The head determines what we think; the heart determines how we think. What we love influences what we think.
Reflection:
- What has captured the passion of ours hearts?
- Are there any idols that have replaced God's place in our hearts? Money? (1 Timothy 6:9)
- How do we go about making good choices?
3. What are the dangers of a divided heart?
The heart is the gateway to our spirit. It either pollutes or purifies our spirit; weakens or strengthens our spirit; and draws us away or draws us closer to God.
Character example: Solomon - his divided heart (lust of the flesh) led eventually to a divided kingdom.
Character example: Daniel - he purposed in his heart to follow God.
If we have a divided heart, we will have a divided mind.
The path back from a divided heart is repentance - being broken before God and seeking God again. Floyd McClung (author of The Father Heart of God) had this revelation at one stage when he was leading a mega-church with a successful ministry: "I had an evangelical mind with a Babylonian heart." He repented before God.
4. How do we cultivate an undivided heart for God? And how do we guard our hearts?
We can know God through a personal relationship with Him. God made Himself known through Christ. It's possible to be intellectually brilliant and yet spiritually ignorant.
We guard our hearts by dealing with our issues quickly, developing a thankful heart, learning to keep our hearts inspired through the Bible and testimonies as well as worship and praise, and spending time with God in prayer and meditation.
The renewing of our mind is not adding new information but changing how we think, that is, developing the mind of Christ. (Romans 12:2)
5. What does it mean to have a heart after God?
God would rather use a soldier who wants to fight rather than a general who wants to retire; it's not about the level but the direction and having the burning passion to be more and more like Christ.
The parable of the sower: the seed was the same; it was the soil that determined the harvest. Our heart determines the harvest in our lives; good soil is clean, pure and deep.
Reflection:
- Where are our hearts at? When you're tempted and you know you won't get caught, what you do next will be determined by your heart.
- The Devil thinks he can buy us at a price; he thought so of Jesus by tempting Him three times (Matthew 4:1-11). Would we say no to the Devil if he comes at us with a very attractive offer? Would we refuse to be bought at any price? (Luke 12:34)
6. Prayer points
- Lord, completely captivate our hearts. We are a work in progress. Let us pursue You with an undivided heart. Amen.
- Psalm 51
- 1 Peter 3:8
- Matthew 6:21
Monday, July 11, 2011
Contemplation
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Saturday, July 9, 2011
The Church of Christ
I attended a city@prayer session at the Arcade during lunch on Wednesday. The lady leading the session mentioned one of the prayer items - the need to pray for God's forgiveness on behalf of churches in Singapore. She mentioned the fact that some churches have discouraged or even banned foreign workers from their services because of their skin colour and body odour. This filled me with tremendous grief and anger because if that is the kind of church that Singapore is breeding, I want no part in it.
Through His blood shed on the cross and His resurrection, Jesus has thrown open heaven and offered eternal salvation and life to whoever shall repent of their sins, invite Him into their hearts as their personal Saviour and become a disciple by following Him all the days of their lives. How dare we, his believers, erect entry barriers to His church on earth!
Lord, forgive us, forgive us, forgive us.
Through His blood shed on the cross and His resurrection, Jesus has thrown open heaven and offered eternal salvation and life to whoever shall repent of their sins, invite Him into their hearts as their personal Saviour and become a disciple by following Him all the days of their lives. How dare we, his believers, erect entry barriers to His church on earth!
Lord, forgive us, forgive us, forgive us.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Their works follow them
I recently started reading the Revival Study Bible, starting from Genesis, and am already extremely edified by it. The Bible's general editors are William Pratney, Steve Hill and Tamara Winslow. It contains notes and articles about revivalists throughout history and has short biographies of them. These men and women of faith include Tozer, Spurgeon, Moody, Aimee McPherson, Evan Roberts, Heidi Baker, James Hudson Taylor, Jonathan Edwards, John Sung, John Wesley, Maria Woodworth-Etter, Smith Wigglesworth, Watchman Nee and many more.
Even when I was typing their names above, I felt a bit emotional. The current generation of Christians has seen further because we are standing on the shoulders of these giants. They cultivated the ground which we are now harvesting, and I pray that we will also do our part in cultivating new ground for future generations.
I will share some of their words as and when I feel led as I read this study bible over this year.
"Brethren it cannot be too strongly impressed on every mind that the decisive characteristic of true religion is energy, not apathy; that its vital essence is life, not death."
- Charles Grandison Finney
"Outside of the ark, all was ruin, but inside all was rest and peace. Without Christ, we perish, but in Christ Jesus, there is perfect safety."
- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
This is our God
Your presence in me
Jesus light the way
By the power of Your Word
I am restored
I am redeemed
By Your Spirit I am free
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Sunday, July 3, 2011
China: Christianity's best bet?
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Word of God.
Excerpts:
Officially atheist, Communist China is witnessing a massive rise in religiosity. Recent surveys have found that one in every three Chinese consider themselves to be religious.
According to China Aid, a US-based human rights group, the number of Christians in China has increased 100-fold since the PRC was founded. Current estimates range from 80 million to 130 million active Christians, including members of so-called house churches. In a country of 1.3 billion that figure may not seem too high, but its significance becomes more apparent when compared to the 78 million Chinese that China Daily reports were members of the Communist Party as of June 2010.
"The Cultural Revolution disillusioned Chinese people and the brainwashing atheist education made people thirsty [for] spirituality," says Mark Shan, the spokesperson for China Aid.
Some experts believe that China could soon be home to the largest Christian population in the world.
Excerpts:
Officially atheist, Communist China is witnessing a massive rise in religiosity. Recent surveys have found that one in every three Chinese consider themselves to be religious.
According to China Aid, a US-based human rights group, the number of Christians in China has increased 100-fold since the PRC was founded. Current estimates range from 80 million to 130 million active Christians, including members of so-called house churches. In a country of 1.3 billion that figure may not seem too high, but its significance becomes more apparent when compared to the 78 million Chinese that China Daily reports were members of the Communist Party as of June 2010.
"The Cultural Revolution disillusioned Chinese people and the brainwashing atheist education made people thirsty [for] spirituality," says Mark Shan, the spokesperson for China Aid.
Some experts believe that China could soon be home to the largest Christian population in the world.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Are you reading me?
During a recent sermon, my senior pastor said something obvious but that was so revelatory to me: "As we read the Word of God, the Word of God is also reading us."
Often than not, I tend to regard reading the Bible as a one-way flow. I read and then I reflect on what I've read. My pastor's comments reminded me that even as I read God's Word, God's Word is also reading me and convicting me through the Holy Spirit so that I am drawn closer and closer to Him.
Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
A life of faith
"Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell."
- Charles Thomas Studd
His life
As a British Protestant Christian missionary to China Studd was part of the Cambridge Seven, and later was responsible for setting up the Heart of Africa Mission which became the Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade (now WEC International).
- Charles Thomas Studd
His life
As a British Protestant Christian missionary to China Studd was part of the Cambridge Seven, and later was responsible for setting up the Heart of Africa Mission which became the Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade (now WEC International).
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Spiritual red tide in China
Christianity expands turf in Red China
Excerpts:
"After coming to know God, I now know that someone loves me and that the most important thing in life is not money or success, but the relationships I have with God, my family and friends," Wu says. "I'm not afraid of the future anymore."
"In the past, most of our worshippers were elderly people, women or people in poor health. These days, we are seeing more young people, as well as academics and professionals," he says.
China is one of the world's biggest publishers of the book, with approximately one-fourth of the world's Bibles printed in Nanjing. The Amity Printing Co. Ltd., the only authorized Bible-printing company in China, has turned out more than 90 million copies since it started its presses in 1987.
Excerpts:
"After coming to know God, I now know that someone loves me and that the most important thing in life is not money or success, but the relationships I have with God, my family and friends," Wu says. "I'm not afraid of the future anymore."
"In the past, most of our worshippers were elderly people, women or people in poor health. These days, we are seeing more young people, as well as academics and professionals," he says.
China is one of the world's biggest publishers of the book, with approximately one-fourth of the world's Bibles printed in Nanjing. The Amity Printing Co. Ltd., the only authorized Bible-printing company in China, has turned out more than 90 million copies since it started its presses in 1987.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Are you guilty of irrational beliefs?
- I must be outstandingly competent, or I am worthless.
- Others must treat me considerately, or they are absolutely rotten.
- The world should always give me happiness, or I will die.
- I am special or I am damned.
- I must be loved or cared for.
- I must be immortal.
- I am either good or bad.
- I must prove myself.
- I must have everything that I want.
Some Irrational Ideas That Cause and Sustain Neurosis (that is, a source of unhappiness)
(by clinical psychologist Albert Ellis)
1. The idea that it is a dire necessity for adults to be loved by significant others for almost everything they do -- instead of their concentrating on their own self-respect, on winning approval for practical purposes, and on loving rather than on being loved.
2. The idea that certain acts are awful or wicked, and that people who perform such acts should be severely damned -- instead of the idea that certain acts are self-defeating or antisocial, and that people who perform such acts are behaving stupidly, ignorantly, or neurotically, and would be better helped to change. People's poor behaviors do not make them rotten individuals.
3. The idea that it is horrible when things are not the way we like them to be -- instead of the idea that it is too bad, that we would better try to change or control bad conditions so that they become more satisfactory, and, if that is not possible, we had better temporarily accept and gracefully lump their exis tence.
4. The idea that human misery is invariably externally caused and is forced on us by outside people and events -- instead of the idea that neurosis is largely caused by the view that we take of unfortunate conditions.
5. The idea that if something is or may be dangerous or fearsome we should be terribly upset and endlessly obsess about it -- instead of the idea that one would better frankly face it and render it non-dangerous and, when that is not possible, accept the inevitable.
6. The idea that it is easier to avoid than to face life difficulties and self-responsibilities -- instead of the idea that the so-called easy way is usually much harder in the long run.
7. The idea that we absolutely need something other or stronger or greater than ourself on which to rely -- instead of the idea that it is better to take the risks of thinking and acting less dependently.
8. The idea that we should be thoroughly competent, intelligent, and achieving in all possible respects -- instead of the idea that we would better do rather than always need to do well and accept ourself as a quite imperfect creature, who has general human limitations and specific fallibilities.
9. The idea that because something once strongly affected our life, it should indefinitely affect it -- instead of the idea that we can learn from our past experiences but not be overly-attached to or prejudiced by them.
10. The idea that we must have certain and perfect control over things -- instead of the idea that the world is full of probability and chance and that we can still enjoy life despite this.
11. The idea that human happiness can be achieved by inertia and inaction -- instead of the idea that we tend to be happiest when we are vitally absorbed in creative pursuits, or when we are devoting ourselves to people or projects outside ourselves.
12. The idea that we have virtually no control over our emotions and that we cannot help feeling disturbed about things -- instead of the idea that we have real control over our destructive emotions if we choose to work at changing the musturbatory hypotheses which we often employ to create them.
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