r e n e w a l

New Beginnings Begin with Glorious Endings

2009-12-07T01:37:00.001+08:00

I am renewed.

Its coming to the end of my seventh year on this blog. The renewal doesn't end. It is constant, always changing, always growing. Like a living thing. A Life-giving thing.

But we're always looking forward to the new. A new day, a new direction, a fresh start. My life has been sculpted by my fears. The contradiction in which I so much feared failing that I kept failing. I never put in effort in my undertakings so that even though I failed, I was somehow detached from it.

This is the end of fear.
This is where I embrace who I am and all that He has called me to be.

Writings & Musings

Sent With Love

2009-11-19T00:57:00.000+08:00

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth.

Colossians 3:3-6

There are some things that people are naturally good at. For example, if you wanted to learn about drums, you would head to the best drummer, Gerald. If you wanted to learn about design, you would go to Tom or Natt or Persie. If you weren't sure about legal matters, you would talk to someone who was a lawyer, or studying to be a lawyer like Keith or Si En. They all have their callings, their niche or talents.

We see here that Paul, was called to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ. We see that he is in this position by the will of God. Its safe to say that he knew some things about Jesus. Paul begins most of his letters in the same way. He says this in almost all his letters. We always thank God...when we pray for you. Every prayer that they prayed for the church of Colossae always included thanksgiving. Just flip to the beginning of the letter to the Romans, the first letter to the church of Corinth, letters to Ephesus, Philippi and Thessalonica. They all mentioned constant prayer which included thanksgiving. Philippians 4:6 says that we are to pray with thanksgiving. This makes me wonder, have I prayed for my church with thanksgiving?

It is interesting to note that the only exception where Paul didn't include a thanksgiving was in his letter to the church in Galatia. We should also take note from the way Paul phrased this letter, it seemed that the Galatians were returning back to the works of the Law. Paul goes on to reestablish the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ. He reminds the Galatians that by faith they are redeemed and made righteous, that they are now sons and heirs according to the promise. He asks questions like "who bewitched you?" and "who hindered you from obeying the truth? He challenged their custom of circumcision, which was a good practice set in motion by God. But God now had something better. Jesus.

Faith can be heard
How can faith be heard? What is the sound of faith? Romans 10:14b asks the same thing. How can faith be heard without someone preaching? Faith needs a preacher! I'm not talking about the person who speaks behind the pulpit every Sunday. The Greek word for preaching is Kerusso. It means to proclaim openly, to talk openly with authority.

So how is faith heard? Its heard when we talk about it!
What is faith? Hebrews 11:1 says Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Have people been talking about your assurance? Has your conviction been causing a stir? If people aren't talking about you, it means your faith is TOO QUIET! It is time to get a bit louder. Time to pair your faith with Love and make your faith famous!

Love sends
We are to preach! Romans 10:15 asks How are they to preach unless they are sent?
Love is the loudhailer of your faith. It amplifies the volume of faith. If you want to be heard, you've got to have Love. Pastor Andy shared this brilliant passage during November's combined cell.

When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.
Mark 6:34

When Jesus sees, He sees more than what meets the eye. He saw people, but He also saw needs, He saw that there was neglect, He saw lack of knowlege. And because He saw, Love and compassion flowed. Love flows when we see needs. People talk when needs are met and when people talk, others hear. You are not expected to be the one to fulfill every need. But you can ensure that every need is fulfilled.

A hope laid out
Love and faith could not exist if we didn't have a hope laid up in heaven. That hope is Jesus. In Acts 7:55, Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father. In Ephesians 2:6, Colossians 3:1 and Hebrews 8:1, Paul says that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. But here in Colossians 1:5, Paul says that we have a hope, Jesus, who is lying in wait for us to make that faith famous.

In the letter to the Colossians alone, Paul describes Jesus in so many ways. He is Grace and Peace. He is the Word of Truth, the Gospel. He is the knowlege of God's will in spiritual wisdom and understanding. He is Power, Glorious Might. He is our Joy. He is our qualification, our inheritence. He is our Deliverer, King of the Kingdom of Light. He is Redeemer, Forgiver. He is God made visible, the firstborn of all creation. He is Creator, the raw material, the process and the processed. He is the artist and the admirer, the performer and the audience. He is the Head of us all. he is the Beginning, the firstborn from the dead. He is first in all things. He is the fullness of God in man. He is reconciliation, the intimacy between God and man, heaven and earth. He is our lawyer, our vindicator. He is purpose discovered, the mystery revealed, the revelation, the riches of glory, the revolution which energises us within. He is encouragement, the knot that holds us together. He is our path, our foundation, our firmness, our structure and what fills us. He is our final authority, the baptism, burial and resurrection. He is our Life, our payment. He is Law fulfilled, He is the disarmer of rulers and authorities, He is our triumph. He is our nourishment, our growth. He is our focus, our hiding place. He is compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience and Love. He is our Glory and He is our Song. He is obedience, respect and sincerity. He is our master. He is Jesus and He is the Hope that started it all.

I pray that as you hear of Jesus and discover Him, you will develop a love that sends and a faith that is famous.

Did You Enjoy...

2009-11-12T22:50:00.001+08:00

I haven't worshipped in a while. I've led worship and I've had conversations about worship, almost boasting about how I don't even need a full band to lead worship in church. If I had to lead worship alone, just me and my acoustic guitar, I could.

I stank of pride.

Pride is a sneaky thing. It creeps up on you like a hyena stalking its prey. Always in the shadows but never daring to meet face to face. Waiting for the precise moment when the prey is most unaware of itself and it's surroundings. We are like that prey. Before we realise it, pride is all over us along with its awful smell.

Tonight, God asked me if I could worship Him without an instrument. I don't know why I insisted on picking up the guitar and playing it with the remaining three healthy fingers. It was awkward and uncomfortable like I was trying to play it for the first time. I put the guitar down and started to sing about His goodness, about how I was healed by His blood. I sang for about 10 minutes. And then I stopped. I couldn't help thinking about how badly I wanted to play again. I wanted to feel my fingers breeze over the frets of the guitar, to touch the strings to make them sing. I told God how much I wanted to recover really soon so that I could make music and write songs again. I did not expect Him to answer me. He said, "I enjoyed your playing and your singing. Did you enjoy Me?"

Did you enjoy Me?

Worship isn't just a song we sing or a performance we bring. Worship begins when we encounter Jesus. How we react to Him is our worship. There's no requirement for a song or music. It is a connection, a conversation with God. His Spirit and us.

So I laid down, and just enjoyed His presence in my room. And I slept. And worshipped. And slept. And when morning arrived, Hope came along.

I Just Wanna Say I'm Not Afraid... Anymore

2009-11-01T23:29:00.003+08:00

This week has not been the best week for me. During the last futsal session on tuesday, I was playing goalkeeper. Just a few minutes into that round, I was left with a one-on-one with the opposing striker. I moved forward to cover the angle of the shot and reduce his chances of scoring. The next events happened so quickly that I was lying on the ground in a matter of seconds.

According to Dennis, the striker, had booted the ball towards goal with his toe. Being a goalkeeper in my secondary school days, the natural reaction was to dive towards the ball while swinging my arms. I think I had covered my angle well because although I did not block the shot, it hit the post and bounced back towards my hand. My left hand was already opening up to brace my fall on the synthetic turf when the ball came crashing into my straightened fingers. The first thought that came into my mind was that the ball was going to bounce off me and into the goal and our team would be out. Dennis says I'm crazy.

Thats when everything in my body started screaming in discomfort. Before I realised it, I was on my back clutching my left hand, eyes clenched shut as if the light would make it worse. Usually it would take 10 seconds, or less, for any knock that I received on the pitch to subside. This lasted 20... 30 seconds... a minute... 3 minutes... I didn't realise how much time had passed because I was fighting off wave after wave of the pounding pain. I could hear the guys around me telling me to get off the pitch so that they could continue with the game. I somehow found myself sitting outside the pitch nursing my fingers which seemed to be keeping straight on their own, almost in rebellion to the instructions of my body, after the trauma they received.

It is interesting to note that even through the dizzy haze of discomfort, dread and fear were still vivid and clear. What would happen to my fingers? Would I be able to play an instrument ever again? What good am I to God if He's called me to music and I can't play?

The line separating my talent and my self-worth became a blur.

I guess this is the reminder that I needed. That even if I lost every talent and anointing that He gave me, I would still be alright. He's convinced me that it is not the end of my calling. That my worth is not tied to what I have to give. That I always have Jesus. We are all looking for Love, Acceptance and Purpose, and when things look like we've lost our way, we start to panic. The needle of our compass goes beserk, and it drives us nuts. We try so hard to make it right. We forget that we can navigate by the stars.

Pastor Prince spoke yesterday about making Jesus the centre of every situation. He made me cry. Because God was speaking to me through him. Telling me to put Jesus in the middle of my crisis. About keeping my heart right in the area of worship, remembering that it is about Jesus and His people. About talents that cannot stop growing when we invest it in His Kingdom. So broken finger or not... I'm fulfilling my calling! I've got the stars.

I'm Growing Fond Of Broken People...

2009-10-13T09:28:00.001+08:00

It is amazing how many broken people there are in the church. People who have been lied to and expected to portray perfection because they are Christian.

I saw a woman at yesterday's service. She was tall. Lush. Just beautiful. The speaker had just called for those who were like those mentioned in the Amplified version of Luke 4:19. Oppressed, downtrodden, bruised, crushed, or broken down by calamity. The beautiful woman shuffled forward as if afraid to be seen, afraid to wander too far away from her husband's side. Probably thinking that her heart would be laid bare for all to see. And condemn. Probably because of the dirty filthy lies fed to her from a young age.

I saw her crying. Tears stained with shame as she moved to the front to be prayed for. She behaved as if the whole room was staring her down, but in reality, no one really noticed. The speaker prayed for her, laid hands on her head and the Holy Spirit knocked her over and must have started dealing with her heart.

Dealings with the Holy Spirit are always a sight to behold. Even though it is a messy, disorganised business, with arms flailing and people making strange sounds, it is still an enchanting exchange between God and man. It was intimate time but it seemed like she couldn't handle it. I could see her sit up after awhile and try to stand but she couldn't. Even where I was standing, I could tell that God was telling her not to rush things. Her husband tried to help her up but it seemed like God had fixed her firmly to the ground.

It seemed that the presence of the Holy Spirit was gently coming around her. But her feeble defence, the shield of shame that she tried to wield, was being overcome. It was as if she didn't like the sensation of getting wet while sitting on a beach as the waves came up around her.

Just then, God said, "Go sing to her, calm her down."
And these thoughts came rushing in.

"Daryl, you bloody show off! Do you really think you have such a nice voice that you have the right to sing to anyone you like? Why don't you take it one further and join Nate and Clement at the drums, do a drum solo and say the Holy Spirit told you to do it?"

On and on the struggle went. And while I was busy in debate with my insecurity, the woman and her husband had come back to their seats which were just behind me. While I was contemplating how foolish it would look to turn around and sing facing them, my friend, Samuel, who had been sitting beside me leant over and asked whether he should go up to the front for prayer. His eyes, full of determined desperation, showed me that it wasn't a request.

While he slipped out to go to the front, I went over to my sister, who was standing nearby and tried to pass the baton. I told her to go over to sing to the woman. She started to move towards her but stopped after a single step. She said God had dealt with her already. She was right. He had already asked me to do it. She pointed out something about her appearance which made me even more sure that I was supposed to sing to her.

I made my way down the aisle and stood behind her and slightly to the right. Then I began to worship God as best I could. Nate and Megan were singing 'Majesty' by Delirious?. I began to harmonise with Nate, singing in the Spirit, trying to match the intensity of the Holy Spirit as I felt Him.

We're singing Majesty, Majesty.

Your grace has found me just as I am,

And I'm nothing but alive in Your hands.

We're singing Majesty, Majesty.

Forever I am changed by Your love,

In the presence of Your Majesty.

Majesty.

As I sang, her hands rushed to cover her face again. To try to stop the tears again. But I noticed that her sobbing had changed. From that of a struggle, to one of surrender. She sat down and began to bask in His peace. I may not have been the speaker that night. I may not have been the worship leader or in the worship band. But I can still be obedient to the Holy Spirit. I can still minister.

Why are there so many broken people? Maybe we haven't been who we are meant to be. Maybe we have been misrepresenting Jesus and the church for so long that we come across as moral police and behavioural judges. Maybe it is just time to stop pretending like we have it all figured out.

I hope the world forgives us.

Sometimes I get tired of pins and needles, Facades are a fire on the skin.
And I'm growing fond of broken people, As I see that I am one of them.
Oh, why must I work so hard, Just so I can feel like the nobles ones?
Obligations to my heart are gone, Superficial lines explain it all.
| Mutemath - Pins & Needles |

I started to realise that there was a great hunger and thirst for regular, cynical, ragbag people to talk about God and goodness and virtue in a tone that didn't frighten and upset you, or make you feel that you were doing even more poorly than you'd thought.
| Anne Lamott on her book Travelling Mercies |

End Of The Selah, Start Of The Song

2009-09-19T11:22:00.003+08:00

I return home tonight. They say home is where the heart is. But I feel that my heart has been spread so wide and so thin. Ten days away from home has helped somewhat. I've had loads of time to pray and read and meditate on the future. I've learnt a lot from the books by Rob Bell, the teachings by Rachel and Daniel at Revo, the giddy antics of Reggie Dabs and raw anointing on his testimony. Seeing hundreds of kids coming forward to give their lives to Jesus makes you wish you could somehow be part of that.

Maybe I didn't get the direction that I desired. But I know, I caught something here in Perth. Maybe its when the Holy Spirit crashed into me like a ton of bricks after Daniel prayed for me at Revolution. It was wave after wave of pure strong love. Its like God had punctuated the last sentence of the chapter. It was like the turning of the page.

I hope that me being here has touched some lives.

I hope I represented Agape to Eileen. The Love that expects nothing in return. No agenda, no ulterior motive. That she deserves better than what she's received so far. That she is beautiful no matter what the situation. Brokenness is a bad thing. But when out of it flows a song, it brings healing. Keep singing, nightingale...

I pray that Daniel keeps preaching and preaching the Word. So that all around him are built up in Faith by hearing and hearing. I pray for more opportunities for Kingdom talk.

I hope Kenny saw me giving 10 dollars to the homeless man outside Miss Maud's. I hope Kenny understands that it wasn't to shut the man's drunken babble and chase him away. But an excuse to touch him, overwhelm him and heal him with the presence of God and a prayer. This is bring the baptism of God to the world. You know. Like Jesus said. Bringing the Word to reality.

I haven't mentioned Cheryl who I can't believe only just turned 18. Jessica, the Bible freak, who manage to share deep revelations during lifegroup to end any chance of discussion and yet remain as ditsy as ever. Jonathan who is as funny as heck. Liane who taught me how to use the flash on the EOS 500D. Raymond who looks like he'll fit into the hardcore scene in Singapore but sings boyband songs during Karaoke. Petrina, who is always full of Grace and Beauty.

It is so nice to come to a place and belong. I may be going home. But I feel like I'm leaving home too. All of you made it worth it.

Justice, Mercy, Compassion

2009-09-11T00:40:00.002+08:00

Do we even know what those words really mean? Or have they just become part of the Christian's vocabulary? Piled together with words like Faith, Evangelism, Righteousness?

In Zechariah 7:9 it says, "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another."

I believe that most of us, deep down in our hearts, desire to do what is right. We have heard the inspiration of the pioneers of the cause, seen the videos that made us cry, read the testimonies and reflected on what we should do.

But the truth is, we're all too busy to care. I do not say this to condemn. There's nothing wrong with being busy. We have our school, our work, our friends and family. They require our time too. I sometimes have no time to pray or even think about the unsheltered, the sick and the dying in my own country. There are needs. Too many. Each crying out like a wounded man on side of the road. I simply do not do enough. As if to prove my point, Michelle just gave me a link to a trailer for part 2 of Hillsong United's I-Heart Revolution, "We're All In This Together". In it, Joel Houston, in his usual haunting, soul-rending monologue asks, "...and you see these streets, you see people going about their lives. If what is going on in these four walls is having no effect on the streets that we travel to get there, then maybe we are missing the point?"

I guess this is what this trip is all about. To find the point.

Worship. Youth. Missions.

I have been formed for these.

I think often of the passage in Matthew 6:25-34. It starts off like this, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear."

I think often of how I hardly know any Christian who lives it out or even comes near to doing so. It’s simply too radical.

Do not worry? Don’t worry about what we shall eat or drink or wear? Just seek first God’s kingdom and everything will be OK?

That is faith in God’s providence. Isn’t it the worry of what people would eat, drink and wear in future that motivates people to save and invest for the future? Isn’t it simply the lack of trust that God will provide in every way that makes us just focus on accumulating and investing money for ourselves and our future, rather than using it to help those who need it more than us right now?

I do not have the answers to those questions. What I do know is that I want to have a lifestyle where I can give abundantly like God does. If anything, I want to be known for taking things to the extreme. For extreme generosity, for extreme gentleness, for extreme Love. That would be how Jesus would do it, I believe.

Could that be the one thing? Love?

What if you could choose to Love wholeheartedly and expect nothing in return?
What if we really could Love till a person's worth is unveiled?

1 Peter 4:8 says, "keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins."

Earnestly... Fervently... The word here in the Greek means with an intent to be stretched out for someone.

Just like Jesus on the Cross.

Reasons To Leave....

2009-09-08T22:58:00.003+08:00

Sometimes, I make decisions which can shock people. Or at least cause some eyebrows to be raised. I won't say that God made me this way because it wouldn't do God justice. As if He did something wrong. No. I would say He is still forming me. I don't intend to offend. I would apologise if that helps.

But it doesn't. In fact, I am not sorry.

Joshua came back from the UK to have a wedding reception for his friends in Singapore. I had the privilege of meeting his wife, Hannah. I can't believe I told Michelle that she wasn't pretty. I think I was in some sort of denial. It took just 5 seconds for me to realise that I was sincerely wrong. Joshua found someone that exuded beauty both inside and out.

That man inspires me like music... or poetry. I really loved the conversations that we had, as short as they were. I love the selfless belief. The faith in the Gift that God has placed in me. It takes an extremely Godly man to 'consider others better than yourselves'. (Philippians 2:3)
It was like a change of batteries. A jolt back into the reality of God's purpose for me. Suddenly, I have been feeling like I have to get away from this place. To escape to a place where I can breathe. Where I last felt alive.

I am going to Australia.

This is a new story. About dropping everything for what is important. Friendship, Faith and the fun of finding out whether it is possible to actually walk on eggshells. This is about the changing of mindsets, the renewing of convenants and the discovering of new direction.

This is not an apology...
This is me speaking Life into my purpose. This is me calling Light into my vision.

Maybe you might not understand.

I don't blame you.

Dining With God

2009-08-07T23:38:00.004+08:00

Before I left for Australia, Pastor Lay Suan preached a sermon based on Exodus 24. But it wasn't really a sermon. It was really a wake up call and an invitation.

Come up here to me…
Of all the words in the first two verses, the thing that bothers me the most are the words 'worship from afar'. It is the fact that God wants to keep His people away that shocks me. God says, "...the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him." Elissa also mentions this point in her blog post titled "In This Chaos We Find Safety". There was to be no touching the mountain that God was on. There was no way they could come close even after washing and consecrating themselves for 3 days.

I think, being in the new covenant, we sometimes forget the privilege of coming to God. We are so pampered at the ease by which we approach God that we mistakenly devalue it.

We see here in Chapter 24 that God wants Moses alone to come near to God. He desires the close relationship of His people. God desires intimacy! The Hebrew word for "come near" is Nagash, the same word used to describe sexual intercourse, or sexual intimacy, the closest physical relationship between a man and a woman. God wants to be closer than that.
In John 15, Jesus attempts to communicate that desire to the disciples, and to us. He says, "Abide in Me, and I in you" and "Abide in My Love".
In John 17, He prays "that they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You..."

Intimacy comes at a price
As I read through verse 3 to verse 8, it details what it took to prepare themselves to come close to God.

Telling everyone the requirements of this intimacy.
Getting them to agree and be like-minded.
Writing down what had been instructed.
Waking up early.
Building an altar at the foot of the mountain.
Building 12 pillars to represent each tribe.
Sending youth to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace offerings of oxen (which is a long tedious process of selecting an appropriate animal, killing it, collecting the blood, carving up the carcass, burning the parts of the animal).
Throwing half the blood collected on the altar.
Reading the Covenant to the people.
Throwing the blood on the people.

It is a long list that started early in the morning and probably required much preparation before it could be carried out. All that work can be summarised into one Name.

JESUS

Formerly, the leaders were unable to even touch the mountain. The bible says that God "did not lay His hand on the chief men of the people of Israel". In Exodus 19:12 & 13, God clearly stated that whoever touched the mountain would die. In Exodus 19:21, God told Moses to warn the people in case they came through and saw God and died. No looking, no touching, no intimate relationship. But when those requirements were fulfilled, the leaders able to climb up to see God. They were able to eat and drink with the God of the universe. Something not done since before Adam & Eve's sin.

I believe that through the consecration, the altars set up, the sacrifices offered, the blood sprinkled and the terms of the Covenant read out allowed for a moment, this intimacy that God was longing for. I believe this is just a snapshot of what Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice, the perfect high priest, did for us. What the men of the old covenant enjoyed briefly, we have for eternity!

And yet, that is not all there is to be said. There is a higher call that Moses received. A call for an intimacy deeper and purer than the sexual union between a man and his woman. A call that is not reserved only for Moses and Aaron, but for every believer now. A call to come close to receive what is necessary for your life's work. There is no other option if the church is to fulfill her responsibility to the world.

My Walkabout - Port Campbell

2009-07-20T23:07:00.008+08:00

When I was little, an overseas vacation meant a trip with my parents. They would be the ones handling meals, transport, accommodation, tickets, timing and procedure. I realised recently that my parents have a very unique style of touring. Very laid back, very relaxed, very unplanned. You could say I haven't been on a vacation with them for a really long time. When we were checking in to our flight in Singapore, there was some problem with immigration that needed to be cleared. According to their records, they thought I was still travelling under my mom's passport.

The trip was fantastic. It was a brilliant conversation with Jesus. I loved the long drive from Melbourne Airport to the Great Ocean Road. My breath would be taken away at every corner. Whether it would be the sunlight shy through the trees, or the vast expanse of sky, boldly crying for attention. What I really liked was the lazy fog trying to hide the landscape. As if it could.

Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,

ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;

worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters;

the God of glory thunders,

the LORD, over many waters.
The voice of the LORD is powerful;

the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.

The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;

the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth
and strips the forests bare,
and in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
May the LORD give strength to his people!
May the LORD bless his people with peace!

Psalm 29 (ESV)

My Walkabout - Last Night In Sydney

2009-07-14T20:18:00.001+08:00

I became ill after the conference. Flu on Saturday, followed by cough on Sunday, followed by fever on Monday. The devil is such a liar, I cannot even begin to describe how cheap his tactics were. All I remember was dark fear planted in my mind, and constant reminders of death and disease. My strength kept draining away while the devil kept bombarding my mind with blatant lies like, "Not only are you sick with H1N1, you're going to infect the whole family too!"

I had to turn to my Bible and read the Psalms and the Proverbs. I had to remind myself constantly of the Blood of Jesus and victory won on the cross. All the prayer and the Word of God made a difference. The fever broke this morning and I woke up feeling slightly dizzy but much stronger. It helps to be in a environment of the Love of Jesus.

I was able to go out to Piermont Fish Market, Darling Harbour, and Manly Island. There were my parents, Uncle Ron & Aunt Heong, Uncle Lionel & Aunt Pat, and my nephews, Thomas & Patrick. Its different when you are the only one in your generation in the group. I felt somewhat detached. I know my parents enjoyed themselves a lot.

You know what I want to learn?
How to never turn away from a person who has an infectious disease and needs the Love of Jesus.

Take that, devil.

My Walkabout - Day 2 - Hillsong 1st Night

2009-07-08T20:17:00.007+08:00

I recognise Sydney like an old friend. The colours, the smells, the food, the people, and the architecture, all remind me how much I have missed her. We went to Circular Quay today for a walkabout. I enjoyed the aimless stroll we had, making decisions as we went along.

His Grace leads us so effortlessly.
Here is one instance of how He handles things. Mom had wanted to take a ride on the ferry ever since we bought the daytripper pass. (A transportation ticket that allows for unlimited rides on the train, bus and ferry services) I was against the idea because I thought that we wouldn’t have enough time to get back to Circular Quay and travel to Olympic Park station where the conference is held. So I kept refusing to go for the ferry ride. My mom went silent in disappointment. I think she was praying. I think it is true when God says He can meet all our needs. While looking at the map, my attention was diverted to the ferry services map. The words Olympic Park caught my eye. It turns out that there’s a ferry from Circular Quay to the Olympic Park. We went enquire about it at the ticket booth and found out that the next ferry would be 15 minutes later. There wouldn’t be another ferry service for at least another hour. God answered both our desires in His special way. It was a beautiful journey. The cold wind and light drops of rain were so refreshing.

His Grace stopped the rain
After the conference, we met up with Eileen and her friends and decided to all have dinner together at a restaurant near the Rocks. To make a long frustrating story short, we ended up eating at Hungry Jacks (Burger King) in Town Hall. While we were eating, it started to rain, and I mean it was pouring. We were so far from the station and it was late at night. I could feel their eyes on me, analyzing my reaction. I could feel the irritation welling up inside me as the rain came down harder and harder. It started just above my tummy, past my heart, up my chest into my throat and in my mouth, the words, “Thank You, Jesus” surfaced. I was surprised at those gracious words. But I knew at once it was right. So I repeated it over and over again. I said to my parents, “It is real.”
I was referring to His power over the weather being real. I spoke to Father God, “You have to stop it, God. We need to get back to the hotel.”

And it did.
Craig Groeschel spoke about it tonight. He was speaking about the Power of God. The thing that separates churches that thrive and grow, from the churches that simply exist. He defined it as a hunger or passion that believers have. Immediately, I was reminded of the team of young poietes, the doers, in our church and it made me excited. He could not really define it but he knew what it did to the early church in Acts 2:42-27. People could see it in operation as needs were being met.

The bible uses extreme words:
o everyone filled with awe
o all who believed were together
o they had all things in common
o giving to all who were poor
o had favour with all the people
o daily increase of those saved

This was the result of having it.

Churches and Ministries who have it have a LASER FOCUS
- They know their calling. What to do and what NOT to do.
- They reach people no one else is reaching by doing what no one else is doing.
- They don’t duplicate what others are doing. When we start to compete with other churches or imitate blindly, we’ve lost the plot
- If we are not making a difference, its time to re-examine why we are doing it.
- Just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should do it
- What are we doing that we need to stop doing?
Churches and Ministries who have it see OPPORTUNITIES where others see obstacles.
- They are so passionate that they find a way for it to be done. They are not thrown off by hindrances or lack.
- We must realise that God has provided everything that is needed for us to achieve what He has called us to do
- The reason why we can’t is not because of what we lack materially or physically but because of what we lack in passion!
- God doesn’t just guide by what He provides, He also guides by what He withholds. Acts 3:36 shows what Peter didn’t have and using what He had. The name of Jesus. Or limitations can become our greatest innovation!
Churches and Ministries that have it are willing to fail.
- Those who play it safe will never get it. There cannot be increase without taking chances The person who plays it safe doesn’t fail but also achieves NOTHING. (Matthew 25:14-30 -> parable of the talents)
- If we do fail, shake off failure and condemnation, sin and shame. Step up and keep going.
- The greatest failure of the new testament, Peter, became a great preacher at Pentecost. (Acts 2:14-41)
Churches and Ministries that have it are led by people who have it.
- You cannot copy what others have. Learn & discover it for yourself!
- If you have it in your heart, you will start to see it in reality.

More updates coming soon!

My Walkabout - Day 1

2009-07-06T23:05:00.000+08:00

I don’t remember half my flight. I know we were delayed for almost 2 hours in Singapore because of technical faults. I know I watched the movie ‘watchmen’ and didn’t understand much of it because I kept nodding off. I slept almost entirely after that movie. After a brief stopover in Adelaide, we arrived in Sydney almost 4 hours behind schedule. Uncle Ronnie had waited for that amount of time in the airport. He was still plenty cheerful. He’s an amazing man.

It was good to see Uncle Ronnie and Aunt Heong again. There are two things that I really admire about them. The first being their hospitality. I have never remembered being to their house without having some sort of feast. Today the food was comforting. Chicken macaroni – I had two servings, and sponge cake with coffee to top it off. They always remind me of the Love of God and I responded to it by washing the dishes. =)

The other thing that amazes me is their amazing memory. They remember places and things people said more that 25 years ago. I won’t say I have a poor memory because I think God wants me to write them down instead of just having it in my head, where it could become forgotten. Donald Miller was writing about his friend’s unusual habit of journaling everything. Donald Miller asked his friend about it and the answer really struck me.

If you don’t remember it, it is as if you never lived it.
I want to remember everything!

We’re staying in a serviced apartment in Parramatta. The place is quite amazing. I get my own room with an attached bathroom, kitchenette, balcony, washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, flatscreen tv and queensized bed. My parents’ apartment is slightly bigger with everything I have but they have a living room. We get both rooms for a total of $200 a night. We’re so blessed. Tomorrow, we head to Sydney harbour for a walkabout before heading to the Olympic park. Father, make it come alive for me!

Exactly One Year Ago...

2009-07-05T17:21:00.004+08:00

Tonight I leave for Sydney, Australia. Tonight I leave to immerse myself with a stadium full of worshippers. Some people have asked me, "Why travel all the way there?" or "Is God in Sydney?"

John chapter 4, the passage on worship says it doesn't matter where we worship. I agree wholeheartedly. I'm not going for this conference just to meet God, although I know I definitely will. I meet up with Him constantly in places like Bakers' Inn @ Tampines One or Burger King @ Raffles City. And if I don't have the time, I invite Him to accompany me on the walks home from the MRT.

It isn't about where we worship. No.
The fact is I want to be where the worshippers are. That is where God moves and transforms people. I feel a tinge of sadness that the band of believers that have rallied together in Charis cannot join me for this. I experience God whenever we're meeting to have 'Kingdom Talk' over tao hui and you char kui. Or when we bring the unsheltered for tea.

I have seen the effects of the revelation of Jesus in the lives of some of us. We've gotten started. But there is something more to learn here. Pastor Tan-Yeo spoke this morning about an invitation given by God to the Israelite leaders to come up higher. I have been saying, "Give me a destination and a purpose!" Today she invited us to run with her and come with her closer to God. I won't be at the starting line but this is a run I will definitely join.

I wrote this on 5 July 2008. Exactly one year ago, when I was waiting for the Barney, Michelle, Elissa and Cheryl to arrive from Melbourne.

"... and now, here in Sydney, new circumstances seem to be forming. Father, teach me to see true beauty. As always, I enjoy your sweet presence, Spirit of Jesus. Let me be constantly aware of your attendance. I love you, precious Holy Spirit. Sustainer, Guide, Comfort, Teacher, Advocate, Vindicator, Defender, Giver, Entertainer, Empowerer, Counsellor, Life-changer..."

Cheesecake & Coffee With Jesus...

2009-06-27T01:19:00.005+08:00

It has been ages since I did this. At least, it really feels that way. Jesus has been calling for a date and I haven't had the time to respond. I have been learning, receiving, listening, giving, doing and ministering. In fact, it seems like I've been doing so more intensely these few weeks. Ever since the XS leaders starting catching some sort of passion. This absurd hunger for Jesus and the Word. The inevitable is happening. Some might call it a fad, some might call it hype. I think it is a revolution.

There are many things that amaze me but few as much as seeing youth on fire for God. The very thing that God has been preparing me for is starting to happen. No amount of resistance or inertia can withhold such a move of God. I find myself being a part of this revival even though I hold no official role in the XS ministry. By being obedient to the calling of God, I see the 3 areas of my calling coming to fruition.

Worship leading and ministering with music.

Being an inspiration to the youth and helping them develop sustainable passion.

Bringing the experience of God to the world. Constant missions.

I look forward to seeing greater increase in these areas. The increase in anointing and influence in worship and youth has been astounding and very much unexpected. I want to come to a point where I'm no longer surprised that God is blessing me but at how much He's blessing me with. I trust that it will always be more than what I can ask or imagine. My faith stands because He is faithful to fulfill what He has promised. The anointing will develop as I remain in the presence of God.

I don't speak of the anointing so as to justify my shortcomings. Neither do I wish to boast of talents given to me. The anointing is meant to glorify Jesus.

...whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
- 1 Corinthians 10:31 -

And if I do boast, I will boast like Paul did. I will boast of the areas of my life that were not surrendered to God. I will boast of a lousy lifestyle and a stinking attitude, my weaknesses. I will boast of a loving, patient God who chose to direct His anger and wrath towards Jesus so that I would have chances at Abundant Living. Coffee and Cheesecake with Jesus is always so refreshing. He is so gentle and loving. Always firm, never harsh. Bringing correction without condemnation. Has the church forgotten the character of God?

I recall a recent prayer meeting that I attended. I was there early that evening, all excited because the focus would be on the youth ministry. I had helped to set up the microphones, laid out the wires, and prepped the sound system and projector. I was a bit thirsty after all that work so I decided to get a coke from the dispenser. I sat at the back row of the chapel, relaxed, enjoying the presence of God while sipping the cold beverage. There was a lady seated beside me so, trying to be friendly, I turned to her a flashed a big, warm smile. Nothing prepared me for the tone of what she said next. With an unwavering expression, she remarked, "This is a sanctuary!"
I was almost about to say AMEN and begin sharing about the presence of God when I realised that she was not looking at me but at the red can that I held. My ears burned. I quickly got up and walked out. I felt lousy.

Maybe the real reason is to keep the chapel free of ants or rubbish. I don't think God really minds us eating and drinking in His presence. Maybe I should have mentioned Psalm 23 where it says that God prepares a feast for me in heaven. Or that we are meant to partake of the feasting table of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 10:21)
I don't think God was offended by my drinking in the chapel. I know it offended her. Maybe 1 Corinthians 10:32 applies to me.

Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

I know Jesus didn't overlook my service to Him. That is all that really matters.

You Did It For Me...

2009-05-22T01:07:00.008+08:00

"How can I stay here with you and not be moved by you?"

| Lifehouse - Everything |

I couldn't help myself. I had to go back to them. I had to see them again and be with them. I had to baptise them with His Love because I felt I might drown in it otherwise. I had to release the thickness of His presence or I would suffocate. Is there such a thing as too much of God?

Sani became introspective today... He asked questions that many of us have struggled with. Why am I like this? How did I come to this state?

I kept silent. Some questions sound better if they are left to linger.

My heart was so full, I had to remind him of how we met. I tried to suggest that we were God's Love showing Him that he was remembered... and treasured. I was hoping with every fibre of my being, willing the words I spoke to take root in his heart. He needs it. He deserved better.

I admired the relationship that he and his Chinese friend had. They had a world of difference between the both of them, I wondered how they managed to stay friends for so long. God reminded me, you know very well about friendships that should have disintergrated but didn't. He was right. There are friendships that were built to withstand even the worst of people. The worst of me.

We all need relationships to keep us going. We all need to be around people that challenge us. In ways that keeps us fresh and relevant. It surprises me how much we depend on the people that we place importance in.

Sani has unwittingly become my teacher, my Jesus. And yet, its time to look out further.

Just What Did We Do?

2009-05-21T00:32:00.002+08:00

"If everyone could do what you do, there wouldn't be need for jail..."

| Sani* - Unsheltered |

Such weighty words! Such high praise! But what was it that we did? What were the selfless acts of kindness? What sort of generousity deserved such thick gratitude? Was it salvation? Was it redemption? Reminders of righteousness? Or Grace? Did we clothe them? Or feed them? Or break their chains of bondage? Did we preach to them or heal them?

No...

It was one bloody dollar spent. A cup of tea.

We should all be amazed at how simple it is. Tea with the unsheltered helped the conversation along. From loneliness to relationships, cigarettes to lifelines, jails and families. We made them curious just because we listened to them. They didn't say it but you could see it in their eyes. I'm guessing it made them question. Why were we so confident and assured? People don't normally slow down to talk to us.

I was surprised at how quickly we found our groove. It made men, wise and authoritative, out of the boys. Strength & beauty were revealed in the girls. All bold, all brave. We began to see a depth of His power & the fidelity of His Word. I saw believers raring to become doers. The Greek word, Poietes, doesn't just mean a doer. It also means producer, author, maker, and my favourite, poet. There is creativity, authenticity, originality, beauty when believers become doers and not just hearers. What good is our doctrine and theology if it doesn't inspire or benefit? What good is it learning about Jesus if we don't recognise that He is the white-haired Chinese man who speaks in broken English. Or is the light of Jesus so dim and His voice so feeble that we can't see or hear Him through the dark skin and Malay accent of Sani?

I know this. The Love of God is unstoppable. No amount of bad decisions, or bad attitudes or sin can stop His Love. It will find a way even through the lethargy and ignorance, the prejudice and procrastination of the church. I know this. Because He found the most unlikely. He found me.

* Not his real name

Tea In A Takeaway Cup...

2009-05-15T01:05:00.007+08:00

I found it interesting how often he brought up the topics about the Catholic and the Christian Church. It was interesting how he noticed that Christians were the only ones who bothered to visit the unsheltered. Tonight, he seemed genuinely pleased and more comfortable with us. He spoke about the same topics and repeated stories that became clearer each time he told it. The years lined in his face seemed to fade away as he sipped his sweetened tea.

He spoke of his 13 years unsheltered. Most would blame it on their bad luck. But he was thankful. Thankful for coincidences. He remembered the times when hunger pangs would steal his sleep, but somehow his needs would be met. Someone would leave Nasi Lemak with him. Or a packet of Kopi. I think God loves him more than he knows.

He was conflicted when it came to religion. He praised Christianity and its good works. And yet spoke of those who converted from his religion to Christianity as weak and foolish. They were usually drug addicts and ex-convicts. He spoke of the generosity of pastors and priests in the respective churches. He often brought other unsheltered friends to get handouts. But he himself could not step into a church. Was it fear? Or tradition? I think it was the awe of God. I think he could not bring himself to come close to God.

I believe we are God's response. We are to bring Love to him. The presence of God in the form of tea in a takeaway cup. He was smiling when we walked back to his regular spot. I could see peace on his face. This may not be evangelism as we know it. This is baptism into the presence of God.

First Things First!

2009-05-02T22:39:00.002+08:00

Its been quite awhile since I've preached and I'm grateful to Pastor Andy and the XS committee for giving me the opportunity to speak at combined cell. I spoke on the Great Commission.

What do you understand by The Great Commission?
The common answers will be “BRINGING PEOPLE TO CHURCH”, “EVANGELISM”, “ SPREADING THE GOSPEL”, “GETTING PEOPLE TO BECOME CHRISTIANS”, “MISSION TRIPS!”

Let’s take a close look at the passage today. I want us to read this together in just a moment.

Matthew 28
16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

THE LEAD UP TO THE GREAT COMMISSION.
They went to Galilee…
You know… sometimes, as Christians, we tend to overcomplicate things. When we think of evangelism, we think it is some difficult, complex debate that we have to win when we share the gospel.
But the lead up to the great commission starts off with a simple act. They went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. They simply did what Jesus told them to do. Obedience.
When I say obedience, I’m not talking about having to be perfect. Always making the correct decision. I’m talking about just being faithful with what God has told you to do. The bible says that if you’re faithful with the small things, he will reward you with much. Obedience is the starting point for greatness. I see this occurring consistently in the bible and it can also be true in your life.
Abraham, Moses, Joseph, David, Jesus, The Disciples, Paul,

When you are obedient, Jesus will reveal Himself to you! Not the ‘peekaboo’ kind of revealing but an understanding of His Word, or a discovery of His character, a show of His Power in healing or miracles.

Matthew 11:25 -> Revealed them to children.
Luke 17:11-19 -> Ten Lepers get healed AS they went…. Only the samaritan worshipped

The Jews of Judea and Galilee disliked the Samaritans because they were not true Jews.

As a religious sect, the Samaritans are a strict, Torah-observing party with a resolute pride in their religious heritage. They maintain that they and not the Jews are the bearers of the true faith of ancient Israel as expounded by Moses and as practiced at Mt. Gerizim in ancient times.

Which brings me to my next point.
When they saw him…
When you have a revelation of Jesus Christ, you will Worship.
What is worship? What has it got to do with The Great Commission? EVERYTHING!!!
John Piper, theologian, preacher, and author, once said that Missions exists because worship doesn’t.

Proskuneo
1. to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence
2. among the Orientals, esp. the Persians, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence
3. in the NT by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication

Luke 5:6-8 -> Peter gets a revelation of Jesus Christ and confesses Him in Luke 9:18-20
Exodus 3:10,12 -> God redeemed the nation of Israel so that they might serve or worship God on this mountain. God wants worshippers!!
John 4:21-24 -> Worship in Spirit and in Truth. But He still wants worshippers!

We have the awesome-mest God
Jesus says one of the most amazing, controversial statements ever recorded in the bible. Sometimes I feel that our reading of the verse doesn’t do it justice.
“All authority in heaven and on earth HAS BEEN GIVEN to me!”

How powerful is your God? Is he the same one we sing about in Sunday School song, “My God is so big, so strong and so mighty. There nothing my God cannot do!”

Sometimes, I feel that we are rushing into evangelism before we ourselves get to know how great our God is. We try to tell people before we are convinced! We start telling other people’s testimonies!
“You know my Mother’s colleague’s daughter prayed before she took her piano exam and she got a distinction! Praise God!”
What has God done for you! Tell me YOUR encounter. Tell me YOUR experience. YOUR healing, miracle, breakthrough!

Do we know our In-Christ Position? (Eph 1:3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

THEREFORE!!!!
Go and make disciples - Matheteuo
1. to be a disciple of one
a. to follow his precepts and instructions
2. to make a disciple
a. to teach, instruct
Have we forgotten how to learn from the nations?
I think we should be listening to them and observing them and learning from them so that we can become relevant… And that’s what our missionaries are doing. They have cultural exchanges, where they learn to speak the language, the activities, the behaviour and character of people in a foreign land.

Shouldn’t we be doing that with our own groups of friends? Shouldn’t we learn about them too? Shouldn’t we present our Jesus in a way that they will accept instead of the typical “You’re a sinner, you need Jesus” method?

Baptizing them - Baptizo
1. to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk)
2. to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one's self, bathe
3. to overwhelm

Bapto (Dip) Baptizo (Immerse)

I believe in baptism. I believe that when confess Jesus as Lord, we’re immersed and mixed up all together with Him. And God sees us as His own children.
But before people are ready to be accept Christ, I believe they need to be Baptoed first. Its like swimming. You can’t throw a young child into the deep end of the pool and expect him to enjoy swimming immediately! You have to let him get used to the temperature of the water, let him wade about before he is comfortable with it.

That’s what we as Christians should be doing. We carry around the presence of God. We are the ones who give them the taste of the presence of God.
2 Corinthians 2:14 àBut thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

Teaching them - Didasko
1. to teach
· to hold discourse with others in order to instruct them, deliver didactic discourses (communication of thought by words; talk; conversation: earnest and intelligent discourse. From dictionary.com)

Teaching makes it sound as if we have to know a lot. I prefer the word conversation. Its less threatening for both sides.

Recently, a small group of us decided to visit the homeless in Singapore… And I loved the fact that we didn’t have an agenda for them. We weren’t there to talk about Jesus or to convert them. We just sat at their feet and listened… We became a disciple so that we could find out what they needed, what they were concerned about. I learnt a lot of new perspectives from them. Some skewed, some true, but all interesting.

They were wary at first, and they kept asking where we were from. But about 5-10 minutes after we introduced ourselves, I think they started enjoying the company. I believe God Is concerned about the well being of people. And if we would just learn to show love instead of practicing the 4 spiritual laws, we could actually create some change.

Some of you might be asking God, how can I serve you more, how can I reach more people? As the musicians come up, I want to ask you, have you been immersed together with Christ? Have you experienced and enjoyed His presence? I believe God is telling you today , “Will you just come into my presence and enjoy me? Let me fill you up? Let me show you abundant life!”

He Did It Himself...

2009-04-26T23:15:00.003+08:00

Setting The Standard

I've been reading Chapters 58 - 61 of the book of Isaiah. I see a progression that was not apparent to me before. In chapter 58, we see God rebuking the nation of Israel. He points out the obvious flaws in their attempts to please God. Their feeble attempts at fasting and drawing near to God.

God saw that it was a hopeless situation. He says fasting like that will not make your voice heard up here. Your religious deeds are unseen and unheard because there is a louder cry. Your pitiful attempts are drowned out by the wickedness that is allowed. The unjust situations where the cry of the oppressed, the hungry, the homeless and the naked are louder. They get My attention.

You want to be heard? Meet their needs! Verses 9 and 10 state the requirements for salvation. Remove the burdens, the blaming and the flaming. Pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted. Honour the Sabbath and use it to serve others. Matthew 2:7 clearly state that God desires mercy. He desires steadfast love to be shown.

Highlighting the Separation

The more I read this passage, the more I see that God knew that we could never accomplish the standards that were set. God mentions in Isaiah 59 that our filthiness have made a separation between God and us. It also says that it is our sins that hide God's face from us. Its funny how we've portrayed God to be some clean freak who cannot stand the dirt. That He leaves at the slightest sign of sin or cannot bear to look at us if we've done wrong.

When I read verse 9 to 15, I picture a man standing outdoors in the bright sunshine. This man, just by living his life, releases pollutants into the atmosphere. Similar to the exhaust from cars or the smell from the waste we produce. These pollutants, over time, block out the sun and soon, we are in darkness. That's just the way it is. It didn't matter if we had good or bad intentions. Our life produced pollutants which blocked us from God!

The more we remained in it, the more difficult it became to fulfill the requirements that God stated earlier. It became impossible to meet the standard, because we couldn't even see where we were going. Salvation was far from us.

Destroying The Wall

HE saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede;
then HIS own arm brought him salvation, and HIS righteousness upheld him.
So they shall fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun.
| Isaiah the prophet - Isaiah 59:16, 19a |

That is how amazing God is. He saw that the separation could never be bridged through the efforts of man. He saw that intimacy would be impossible if things stayed the way they were.
Even way back here in the Old Testament, God is giving a glimpse of Jesus. When no man could accomplish the requirements for salvation, or put on righteousness, or uphold justice, God did it Himself

Ephesians 2:14 says that "...He himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility..."
Jesus did that for us so that we might come close to Him. So that we might experience the blessings and favour of God.

If I could through myself
Set your spirit free
I'd lead your heart away
See you break, break away
Into the light
And to the day
| U2's Bono - Bad : The Unforgettable Fire |

Giving Us Purpose
It doesn't end there. It goes on into chapter 61 which start with the words immortalised by Jesus. We should all burn these words into our hearts. I hope that as you read this, God sparks off the same passion and excitement that He did in me.

Remember the standards stated earlier in chapter 58? The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me.....

To bring good news to the poor
To bind up the brokenhearted
To proclaim liberty to the captives the opening of the prison to those who are bound,
To proclaim the year of the Lord's favour and the day of vengeance of our God
To comfort those who mourn and give them something beautiful for their ashes
To give them reasons to be glad and reasons to praise
To clothe them with righteousness

There is a strong word here. What started off as requirements for salvation has now transformed into the result of salvation.
James states it unabashedly in James 2:15,16,18,22... "If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
I will show you my faith by my works. You see that faith was active along with works, and faith was completed by works."

This is what He did it for...

I Hear His Song... And I'm Singing...

2009-03-31T12:24:00.005+08:00

This is so beautiful...

His Heart... It Beats For Only Me...

2009-03-29T23:14:00.009+08:00

God speaks to me through songs. He uses songs that I like to communicate His feelings towards me. During the week, we were planning what songs to prepare for our jamming session and Elissa suggested one of her favourites. My heart, by Paramore. (see video below.)

I am finding out that maybe I was wrong
That I've fallen down and I can't do this alone
Stay with me, this is what I need, please?
The song is like a prayer. The prayer starts off with a confession, a request from a repentant heart that realises the futility of trying to live right or do good without God. This is where I've been so many times, living as if I have got it all under control. That is, until I start messing up.

Sing us a song and we'll sing it back to you
We could sing our own but what would it be without you?

I am nothing now and it's been so long
Since I've heard the sound, the sound of my only hope
This time I will be listening.

Sing us a song and we'll sing it back to you
We could sing our own but what would it be without you?
This is the line that I truly identify with. I often long to hear from God. I often ask God to speak to me but I'm usually listening out only for what I want to hear. This time, Hayley Williams, the lead singer of Paramore, listens before making the request again. It amazes me how honest these lyrics are. I could do things on my own, but it would be meaningless without including God.
This heart, it beats, beats for only you
This heart, it beats, beats for only you
My heart is yours
This is the part that gets to me. I've heard this song many times before. I've seen Hayley singing her heart out in that song. Pointing to God when she sings. It is intense. It is passionate.

But in the last week, when I was listening to the arrangement, God just whispered to me. "You asked for my song? This IS my song to you."
And God started singing this to me over the singing of Hayley and the screaming of Josh Farro. I could see Jesus beating His chest with one fist as He sang.

"This heart? It beats, beats for only you. My heart is yours!
These hands, were pierced, pierced for only you. My blood is yours!
My Blood was shed, shed for only you. My Life is yours!"

And the intensity that God was screaming it brought me to tears even as I was walking home from the MRT. And I began to understand what Psalms 40:3 means.

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.

It is only when we understand what God's heart is for us, that we are able to sing a new song of praise back to Him. The consequence is that many will see and fear (be in awe of) and put their trust in the Lord.

How Is Your Heart?

2009-03-27T21:56:00.003+08:00

I've been thinking about the expectations and standards that we have here in Singapore and how it relates to people like myself. I had a conversation with a friend which left me confused about the way I'm living my life. Its been pretty obvious for quite awhile that I'm different. I have a different way of thinking and behaving which sometimes makes me feel like I stick out. I feel that I sometimes rub those I consider close friends the wrong way. Even when I don't intend to.

I felt that I've never fit in during my school days. Its strange that my route in the education system would be influenced by my Chinese results and not by my character and the way I learnt. Ever since primary four, my Chinese results began to drop steadily. From A's in primary three to C's in primary six. Because of my PSLE results, I could not go to the first school of my choice and ended up in another neighbourhood school. There, I always stood out as the Chinese boy who could not speak Mandarin.
I was a rarity.

The teacher would call on me to read aloud in class. I would be embarrassed to do so. Sometimes, I would get my classmates to read the text to me before class and I would write down the Hanyu Pinyin (the romanisation of Chinese characters). The words would sound correct but the phrasing would naturally be atrocious because I hadn't a clue what I was reading.
They would laugh.

And it would reinforce my dislike for the subject. For four years, The steady decline continued till the final O' Level Examinations where I bottomed out, getting the lowest possible grades for oral and written examination. This again affected my path of education. I went to polytechnic, which at that time was only beginning to change from its image as a school for those who could not get into Junior College, into a respected education path.

In church, I often feel that I am unwanted because I don't fit in. Whether it was because I dyed my hair or pierced my ears, it seemed like there weren't any that thought, spoke, or acted like me. I believe that I have learnt to embrace the difference. Till today, I still remember my brother's words.
God looks at the heart.

I may have been trying to hard to impress the wrong people. I may have wasted too much of my life feeling bad that I could not meet the requirements of the education system or even my own religion. But when I see myself as who God sees me, I see Jesus in me. I start to understand that the experiences I've had has made me the person I am today. I see my talents swell and put to good use. God has blessed me in the area of music and I will use that to serve Him.

Recently, when I led worship for the Earthwired event, there were those who would rather comment on the unfamiliarity of the songs rather than acknowlege the presence of God. I was bothered by that. I was bothered that there were those who didn't enjoy it. But reminders have been coming in through friends and family that I should focus on doing what is right.
There will always be critics.

"...and some will criticise. Pay no attention. Pay no attention.
For greater shall be the company
of those who give thanks and who praise God for your obedience... "
| Simon Potter - November 2007 |

The greatest satisfaction is being able to let God work through me to reach those who are searching for Him. I was encouraged by those who were lost in worship. There was a girl in the first row who was crying and I could sense God saying, "If she was the only one who was touched by me, that is enough."

Focus on the good.

I Give You Back My Voice...

2009-03-15T21:44:00.004+08:00

I've had a change of perspective in the last 4 weeks. I've had the privilege of working with some of the most awesome youth. Both in work and in worship.

I've been seeing youth from the SERVE 2009 programme coming to volunteer at COH. Its amazing how they respond to our clients, playing and interacting with them. I know for a fact that the Emmanual Day Activity Centre is a happier place for both instructors and clients because they came.

The beginning of March has been all about preparing for Earthwired - CAC Youth Event 2009. The committee initially approached me to be one of the instrumentalists. But after some changes, they asked me to lead worship instead.

I believe in the Grace of God. More so after this experience. I had almost completely lost my voice the day before Earthwired. My parents will say I was croaking rather than speaking. I was piling on "pi pa kao" and lozanges. But the thing that turned the whole thing around was coming across Proverbs 4:22 again.

For they (Your Word) are life to those who find them,
and healing to all their flesh.

On the morning of Earthwired, my voice was still hoarse and frog-like. I could not sing any of the songs. But with the encouragements of friends and the band, I kept believing that something miraculous was about to happen.... and it did! As we worshipped during the rehearsal just 45 minutes before the actual praise session, I could feel my voice opening up. And during the worship, I was able to give my all in worship!

I must say, it was the most exciting thing I've had to do this year! It was so encouraging to see the youth jumping in praise, to see the hands lifted in worship, to see the tears on the faces of the youth as God encounters them. God gave me back my voice so that I could sing and minister to His people.

I was born
I was born to sing for you
I didn't have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise...

Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
The Magnificent
| U2 - Magnificent |

Get Insurance With God And Do A Good Deed...

2009-02-13T20:29:00.002+08:00

A girl stopped me today while I was walking around Toa Payoh Hub. She was nice and seemed genuine. She gave me compliments and was interested to get to know me more. She asked me about my family background and wanted to know my dreams. It seemed like every piece of information I divulged was extraordinary. She asked. She listened. And listened... and listened. I felt special. Her acceptance made me powerful.

She was an insurance agent.

I was just looking for a place to sit and write when she popped up. I don't know whether I was glad that I had someone to talk to or not. I guess I didn't really mind the interruption. But that interruption took about 2 hours. I never really liked insurance agents who use fear to influence the buying of policies.

The conversation made me think about my beliefs. Insurance has never been my top priority because first of all, I believe that the believer's life should be one constantly lived in health. My reason for getting a policy cannot be one done in fear or faithlessness.

Does that mean you will never get ill or have to go to the hospital?
I don't think I would even answer that because I will never ask myself that question. Rather, my statement of faith will always be that my insurance policy comes from heaven. My Father God is the one who provides the best coverage against death, disability and disease.

I am immortal until my work is accomplished.
- David Livingstone -

It is only from this foundation of faith that we can make wise choices about insurance policies or health plans. The Bible says to seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and everything else will be taken care of.

Get insurance with God and do a good deed...
Psalms 37:3 (The Message)

I like how The Message interprets this verse. It speaks of trusting in God and being active at the same time. We can only do good if we are fully aware of the benefits and the coverage of the most amazing insurance policy ever created. The premium is only to believe and the rewards are limitless.

The Christina Noble Children's Foundation

2009-02-05T13:44:00.002+08:00

Prepare, Get Ready, Build

2009-01-29T12:22:00.004+08:00

I must be honest. I have been distracted lately. But the thing is, I haven't realised what I've been distracted by. I have not been as passionate about my dreams and my goals as I used to be. There is always something to be done. Chinese New Year means little to me, but it seems to provide the most life-changing thoughts. Maybe I am more traditional at heart than I realise. Chatting with Pat on MSN stirred up the dream again. The dream that would raise eyebrows and make people think that I am still... dreaming?

There must always be a passion to drive you towards a goal. Contentment in Christianity is despicable and selfish. I'm not talking about contentment of material things. Paul shared that when it comes to our needs, we're to be content. But Paul was never content to stay in one place for very long. He was never content to sit in an office in front of a computer. He went places. Because there were always needs. Paul had a passion that could not be taken from him. He remembered Jesus in 1 Timothy 6 11, 13 & 14. When you take out the connecting words in that passage. Paul says, "But as for you, O man of God... ...I charge you in the presence of God... ...and of Jesus Christ... ... to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach..."

Paul was not talking about the instructions of the letter to Timothy's congregation. Commandment is singular. The commandment Paul was referring to can be found in Mark 16:15-18. That is the commandment. That is Paul's vision, Jesus' instruction and God's heart.

Prepare your work outside;
get everything ready for yourself in the field,
and after that build your house.
Proverbs 24:27

Am I prepared? Am I ready? Changes were put in place in 2008 so that in 2009 we can Look Out.
This is the year we prepare our work outside.
I want to go outside.

Travel Is Fatal...

2009-01-20T21:36:00.002+08:00

I'm 26 years old and I want to travel. Not just to holiday or to see the world, but to give something of myself to people. To leave an imprint of Christ with the people I meet. I've visited a few countries in the first quarter century of my life, but being young and ignorant, there were so many things that I did not take note of.

I've been to Israel when I was in primary school, but at that age, I was more interested in practicing my football techniques with pebbles along the roads than learning about the rich history and culture of God's chosen people. I've been to New York but being there with my parents visiting relatives seemed a little boring to me. I was too preoccupied with disguising my inferiority complex with vices.

I've been to the United Kingdom, to Finland and Sweden, to France, and to Australia. To Myanmar, Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand and China. And the issue that keeps resurfacing is how come I've not seen so much? Questions like "Why didn't you know about this?" and "How can you not be moved?", come to mind.

How can you even attempt to change the world when you know so little about it? I think Mother Teresa best describes it when she reminded us that "Jesus said love one another. He didn't say love the whole world."
I pray for opportunities.

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."
| Mark Twain |

Her Name Is Grace...

2009-01-13T18:08:00.007+08:00

She cannot stay still. She always looks out. She looks at who She can help. She is beautiful and free. Her moves, eternally intimate, capture my fascination. Dancing lightly out of the reach of the proud and envious. She is close to those who never expected Her. I never did.

Meeting the flaws of those who search, covering the gaps, smoothing over the mistakes. Turning them into lessons, easy to swallow. She's been taught to inspire those She's helped to care for others. She wants to move you. She is the Gift and She wants you to see the Giver. Its time to stop seeing Her and I as separate. Maybe then We will begin to recognise those who have not received.

No longer about your past, the mistakes, the wrong choices... That is over.
No longer about your present, they are just decisions for you to make...
No longer about your future, the possibilities, the dreams. That is selfish.
There comes a point in time where it is no longer how you look with or without Her. You've been dealt with. You are loved, clean, whole. Your life is settled.

We think that we know Her. We think we've got Her figured out. We claim that She has transformed our lives. We testify that we've been moved. But if She's moved you, why are you standing still?

~~~ Where the streets have no name ~~~
I want to run
I want to hide
I want to tear down the walls
That hold me inside
I want to reach out
And touch the flame
Where the streets have no name

I want to feel sunlight on my face
I see the dust cloud disappear
Without a trace
I want to take shelter from the poison rain
Where the streets have no name

The city's aflood
And our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind
Trampled in dust
I'll show you a place
High on a desert plain
Where the streets have no name

Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
We're still building
Then burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there
I go there with you
It's all I can do
| U2 - Joshua Tree |

It Is Two Thousand and Nine!!!

2008-12-30T11:00:00.006+08:00

Written 23 March 2003
Anyway, the worship on Sunday was wonderful... I prepared myself before the service started. I knelt down at the drums and prayed to ask God to keep my mind free from distractions. I told Him that I wanted to play for Him and not to impress anyone else. I wanted it to be a worship to Him. I wanted the worship help the congregation to experience God's presence. And guess what? His presence was undeniable. I don't claim to be the reason why God's presence was so strong but I believe that factors like how right the worship leader and the musicians are with God play a huge part in ushering in the presence of God.

These are exciting times. I think God is calling certain people to be on fire for Him. Then others will want to catch this fire too! God is great!!! Something great and miraculous is going to happen and I want to be part of it when it does.

Almost 6 years ago, it seemed like there was going to be a breakthrough. Father, its time for another. I haven't had time to reflect on 2008. Have I done all that He has planned for me? Have I impacted people's lives? I certainly hope so.

I've been praying for 2009. What will this year bring? I've heard some say that it will be a year of greater things. I've heard some say it will be a year of breakthrough. Luke 4 says it is the year of the Lord's Favour. All I heard God say is Look Out!

Look out because you haven't seen anything yet. Look out because greater things are coming. Look out because its a year of break through. But most importantly, look out because it is time to stop being so darn selfish. Look out because it is time to stop neglecting the Justice and Love of God.

I Will Not Be Quiet

2008-12-29T10:33:00.003+08:00

Isaiah 61:10 – 62:3
Salvation is like clothes that can be put on. Righteousness is like a jacket. Isaiah compares salvation and righteousness to stylish clothes and precious jewellery. Like clothes, what we wear can influence the way we behave. Put on an G-Star jacket and watch how the wearer starts to walk differently.

Take any beggar off the streets and clothe him with the latest fashion and the trendiest accessories and he is no longer seen and treated as a beggar. The same way it is with the believer. When God rescued us from the depths of hell, he clothed us with salvation and righteousness. And He no longer sees us as what we used to be. Isaiah says it is like a Bridegroom dressing like PRIEST with a beautiful headdress. A BRIDE with her jewels. When we are dressed by God, our identity is also changed. He no longer treats us like beggars, sinners or scum. But we are now seen BY GOD as pure, clean, like royalty.

A garment is no good if we keep it in the cupboard. Garments are meant to be put on. We cannot be ashamed of God’s righteousness and salvation. We cannot be afraid to put it on. Many of us have been brought up in a meritocratic society and we have been taught to put our best effort into what we do. And we have tried to bring it into our relationship with God. The truth is that we cannot handle the fact that we’re getting something for nothing. That our value is suddenly not based on what we do but what we’ve received. Many of us still try to put on our own righteousness and we try to do things to justify ourselves.

The bible says that our righteousness is like filthy rags. All our efforts to please Him cannot compare to the genuine, authentic forgiveness, the free gift of righteousness that He has provided.
Isaiah 64:6 => All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

See the comparison? Our efforts? Filthy rags
His Free Gift of Jesus? Cool clothes and jewellery!
Its not a difficult decision.

I Like Christmas Sermons.

God Says "If You Love Me, You'll Obey Me"

2008-12-28T06:20:00.010+08:00

Flyleaf's World Vision Trip To Rwanda

My Life Is Like A Drawn Out Season Of Heroes

2008-12-05T00:23:00.003+08:00

I am really into season 3 of Heroes. (Click here to read up about it on IMDB.com) The thing I love the most is how the story unravels, the confusion is cleared and things start to make sense when all the characters come together.

I think there's a similarity to real life situations. Many times, at any one given point of time, we don't know all there is to know. We don't know the reason why we're in certain situations until much later when we start to see the results of it. It could be in the form of difficult choices, packed schedules, or difficult people to work with. I just love it when God gives me a glimpse of the future. As if He's saying, "Cheer up! You need to learn how to handle this so that you can do more in the future I have for you."

Wild International
I actually got the name from a song that Zack De La Rocha's new band wrote. That name really sparked my imagination. It brought back the dreams of travelling again. This week, I met a Japanese girl, born in Brazil, who lives in Canada. She needed directions to the MRT and I said I'd walk with her. Had a nice time chatting with her on the MRT. A nurse by profession, in a home for the elderly, she was supposed to be on a solo mission trip to Thailand. She had to redirected to Singapore because of the demonstrations there. She said, "I thank God for letting me meet you."

On Tuesday, after the megapraise meeting at Gerald's place, we met an exchange student from China. He was struggling with 2 luggage bags so we offered to help him carry it up to the train platform. Turns out he's an exchange student going back to China. Samuel was chatting with him in Mandarin and talking to him about church and God. But after Thomson and him got down at Aljunied, I spoke to him about my experience with God.
His reply, really humbled me. "Hearing what you've shared with me, I really want to go back and find out more."

What I had thought were my limitations. What I had thought was my lack of ability to speak other languages, my lack of time and finances to travel. What I had thought were obstacles to me achieving God's purpose were vapourised when God's Grace took over.

God says, "For now, I'll bring the nations to you."

Passion Is A Starting Point

2008-11-29T03:28:00.002+08:00

We all know that to produce energy, fuel is required. You have stored or potential energy in fuel being transformed through a process like combustion into other forms of energy. (eg. heat, light, sound, kinetic)
Fuel does nothing on its own. You can have a car full of fuel, but it will not move. But when you turn the ignition. Something is sparked off and what was in the car all along starts to burn and the car is moved when gears are in place.

I think God put in every single one of us some fuel. It could be some talent that you have, an interest in a hobby or a desire to do something no one else likes. But these things don't achieve anything if left by themselves. They are just like a full tank of fuel. Sitting there. Achieving nothing!

On the other hand, passion is like a fire. It burns where there is an abundance of fuel. There are different levels of burn. There is explosive, slow burn, glow, flare, or the simple spark. But you notice one thing that is consistent with ALL forms of burning. There is always light. When something burns, light is always produced.

I've heard this preached many times. We are the salt and the light. As light, we are not to light places that are already bright but to be light in places that are dark. The idea is not to make the bright places brighter. Where do we go to shine then? What can I do? Where can I be effective? These are question many of us ask but few find the answer to.

I believe Jesus asked the same question when He began His ministry in His thirties. In Luke chapter 4, verse 1 & 14 tells us that Jesus had been baptised in the Holy Spirit and that He was had power of the Holy Spirit. The passage says that He went to teach in synagogues and it became his custom.

I'm very sure that Jesus, as He served in the the synagogues, was praying and seeking for answers. I bet He was thinking to Himself, "Father, is this it? Is going to the synagogue all you have baptised me for?"
I'm sure He was wondering what that whole ordeal in the desert with the devil was for, if all He was to do was to go to synagogue every sabbath. Picture this. He was in His hometown of Nazareth where He had been brought up. He went to church as He had always been going, saw the same people, did the same thing week after week after week. Doesn't this situation sound familiar?

This is when God sparks off a scripture that would shape His whole ministry. In verse 17 of Luke 4, imagine what Jesus was thinking as he stood up to read the scripture.
"Why do I always have to read the scripture?!?"
You can almost hear Him giving the softest sigh as He unrolled the mundane looking scroll and just as He is about to read, Father God asks Him, "You wanna know what is it you're baptised for?"

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

And then it clicks. And you can sense His expression changing. You can picture a smile creeping across His face and a twinkle in His eyes as He rolls the old scroll up. There is a huge grin as He gives the scroll back to the attendant and everyone is bursting with curiousity as He returns to His spot on the synagogue floor. Just as an over-inquisitive man takes a breath to ask, Jesus announces, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

That is the confidence and boldness of the Holy Spirit talking and that is History made. Don't be stuck in verses 14 - 17. Many of us think there's no future in what we're doing. But the truth is, God has not forgotten! Fuel up on the Word of God and the spark will come when you're ready.

The Weapon Of Worship

2008-11-05T23:41:00.005+08:00

Someone once asked me why we sing songs in church. And the honesty of his question surprised me. I had never really thought about how people would feel about the worship of God in song. The more I thought about it, the more I realised that there is a big difference between worship and singing. We sing songs in the shower, you sing songs in karaoke bars, at gigs, at campfires, and at football matches. There is a difference between singing and worship but have we reduced worship to singing songs? Then its no wonder that lives are not being transformed.

So anyway, I tried my best to answer him by saying something about how singing is a form of expression of our love towards God. About how its one of the many forms of expression, like dancing or serving in church. I distinctly remember feeling pretty good about myself. Giving myself a pat on the back for a seemingly religious answer. But it wasn't till I was in bed that night, that I heard God ask. "Expression...?"
And I slapped my head in amazement of how pathetically shallow my answer was.

Worship is not simply an expression. It is a reminder to ourselves of Who we believe in and why we believe. It is a declaration of who God is and who we are in Light of Him. It is a battle call to build our faith before the battle. It is a cry for refreshing through His Strength and His Grace. The fact remains. Our words are the key to access His Power. Our words can contain the power.

One analogy I have is way back from army. Words are like bullets which are practically harmless when they are lying around or in a magazine. The most damage it can do is to bruise or scratch someone. That is the level that many Christians seem to be at. Just throwing verses at one another and bruising one another with it. What a shame! What a waste of ammunition. Wrong use and wrong target! The Word should be meditated on, pondered over, loaded or fed into your Spirit. Load that ammunition into your weapon.

What is your weapon?
James 3:1-12 is a passage that talks about the weapon that God has given to us. (See Untame your tongue) This passage refers to a dangerous weapon, powerful, but perverted by evil & having its power used as poison. But when used the way it was intended by God, the tongue is a weapon & the Word is ammunition! Again, we have many Christians pulling the trigger, quoting verses like crazy but nothing happens. They ask, "Why doesn't it work? Why isn't my gun firing? Why doesn't God answer my prayers?"

This is one area where I think is so important to believers. Revelation.
Revelation is the Word becoming real to you. It is the Word making sense in your situation and it lifts you, encourages you and drives you forward. Revelation is akin to the cocking of the weapon. What happens is when the mechanism of the gun or rifle pushes the bullet into the chamber of the weapon. Now it is ready to be fired. This should be the mode that the believer is in. This is the stance of the Christian ready to overcome. Being ready with a Word as what Paul taught Timothy to do in 2 Timothy 4:2.

When you worship God with the Word, singing songs that declare the Word of God, the promises of God, the truth of God, it is an upgrade of firepower. The M-16 is a rifle that has been used for more than 40 years. On this rifle there is a switch where you can select from 3 modes. Safe, Semi, and Automatic. Just like on a rifle, a believer also has these 3 modes.

When a believer is on Safe, no Words are spoken. Believers who are quiet when it comes to the Word are safe to the devil. Because although they read their bible and are loaded with scripture, they do not speak it out. They don't call those things which do not exist as though they did. (Romans 4:17 [NKJV])

Believers who are on Semi are those who try to face enemies by firing a warning shot in the air. Or they fire a single shot and wait to see the results. Then when it doesn't work, or when the situation remains unchanged, or the enemies are still there, they complain that it doesn't work and they switch back to safe. They give up.

What we should be doing is going fully automatic with the Grace of God. I want to be fully loaded with the Word of God! I want to do what Jesus did to resist the devil in the wilderness. Let the devil know that the more he surrounds me with enemies to my peace and wellbeing, the more the situation seems to come against me, the more trouble seems to try to squeeze me and get me to give up, the more I'm going to keep the trigger squeezed. I'm going to keep speaking the Word of God into the situation!

Hebrews 4:12 says, "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."

In the light of modern day weaponry, we could read Hebrews 4:12 this way.
For the Word of God is responsive and reactive, faster, sharper, and fiercer than any bullet or weapon of mass destruction. It penetrates and separates soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It lays bare even the deepest thoughts and intentions of the heart.

God has given us the weapon of worship. So don't be afraid of the difficult times. Don't be afraid of tough situations. These are just opportunities to practice your aim. Practice worship and praising God. Practice using the power of the Word that is available to us. Worship God.

There's A Pattern Appearing...

2008-10-22T11:13:00.005+08:00

I think I now know.

Everlasting

2008-10-21T00:01:00.001+08:00

How lovely You are
Heaven’s light surrounding me
How lovely Your song
Heaven’s perfect melody

My strength my Rock

To the everlasting
Hallelu hallelujah
Hear our voices rising
Hallelu hallelujah

Worlds cannot contain all the glory of Your name
My heart now contains my delight
The Saviour’s name

Look at the stars look at the earth
The universe surrounding
You shape the stars You shake the earth
The universe resounding
| Parachute Band - Technicolor |

Daryl Go Your Way....

2008-10-19T22:16:00.004+08:00

Mark my words,
you can't find comfort in the arms of constrictors.
Lift back the scabs of content and prepare for change.

There is a dream that stirs within me. A dream that threatened to become buried under the busyness of a job and service in church. A dream that could quietly become overwhelmed by the tasks at hand that shout their importance. I have not been fueling this dream. I haven't taken time to imagine and develop this. I haven't had time to study the Word and feed my spirit. I've not prayed like I must and ministered as I should. And yet, God causes this desire within me to burn like a thousand candles. Still, He invites me to shatter my limits with His infinite power.

What are my limits?
They are my sinfulness, my pride, my laziness, my unworthiness, lack of ability and finances, and my taking God for granted. Someone told me very concisely that I've been given more opportunities & second chances then most people can dream of. That is precisely my point. When I present my limitations to God, His Grace comes and covers my limitations.

So what is the next step?
Luke 10 documents Jesus sending out the 72 disciples. (some translations 70)
Jesus' specific instructions can be summarised in verse 3 & 9. He says, "Go your way! Heal the sick and say to them, 'The Kingdom of God has come near to you.' "
In fact, much of Jesus instructions to the disciples made them become more outward looking. Never once in the gospel that says that Christians are to sit in church every Sunday listening to a sermon. Almost every teaching of Jesus was meant for believers to take and bring to the world. It is time to make it right.

You are my Strength

2008-10-15T22:36:00.001+08:00

Physically, I am drained. Since the beginning of the week, I've been dreading this weekend because of how many things there was to do. But God is just so amazing. Not only did His Grace shine through spectacularly, He even allowed me to do more than what was planned. He's just amazing.

I was talking about travelling and dreams with friends during a dinner yesterday. Meeting with different people this week has reinforced my desire to travel. But God seems to be reminding me about my relationship with Him first. I went to a seminar this morning and something that Rebecca Sundholm said about her son-in-law, Nathan, really struck me. At 12 years of age, he would spend an hour in prayer everyday. I believe she mentioned it before last year. But God really hammered it in today.

God has been sustaining me in terms of service. I'm doing things I never thought I was able to do. But in terms of direction. I need to seek Him. 2008 has definitely been a year of change my church, my workplace and myself. I want to know what 2009 will be like.

There are babies in church.

In every season, there You are.

2008-09-26T19:55:00.003+08:00

I don't know whether to be glad that September is coming to an end. The end of the month marks the arrival of pay day for me. A good thing, considering the fact that I made a heavy duty expenditure this month with the purchase of my Taylor.

September has been hectic so I'm glad that its coming to an end. But with events stacked up in the last quarter, it seems like I've overloaded myself. I really thank God for the amazing people He has put around me to help me with all these responsibilities. People like Julius, my colleague and Programme Manager at work. Keith, friend, XScapade Commandant and superman in church. I really don't know what I'll do without them. These responsibilities have made me realise how far short I am to the standards. I rely on the Grace of God to complete and succeed.

But the thing is, I haven't really been relying on the Grace of God lately. I have been relying on my own ideas and strength. What this means is that I am shortchanging those I am working for. The fact that I am trying my best without the empowerment of God means that the fruits of my labour is second rate and simply not good enough.

I know how to come back though. I know how to get close to God through Jesus Christ. I know how to enjoy the presence of God. I know how to sing to Him, praise Him and honour Him. Its not difficult. I just need to adjust. Too much depends on this. My dream is at stake. Lives are at stake.

Dear Lord, I don't want to be jaded.

My new guitar...

2008-09-21T23:26:00.006+08:00

I bought a guitar. This is a picture of what she looks like which I took from the Official Taylor Website.She comes from the 400 Series of Taylor's Acoustic Electrics. More specifically, she is a 414ce, which means she is made of a wood called Ovangkol and has a Grand Auditorium body. This shape means that the sound produced is clearer and brighter. She's nicknamed the performer for her versatility.

She is the first guitar that I have ever owned. Its probably because for many years, my primary instrument was the drums. Well, all that has changed. Maybe because now, I have a song... And when you have a song, it helps to have an instrument that can sing with you. I'm looking forward to bringing her around. She and I are going to see the world.

Your Song for my lips...

2008-09-16T22:15:00.005+08:00

"Give justice to the poor and the orphan;
Uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.
Rescue the poor and helpless;
Deliver them from the grasp of evil people."
Psalm 82:3-4 (NLT)

It takes a hardcore band like Underoath to really teach us the bible. This is my interpretation of the message in the song 'Too Bright to See, Too Loud to Hear'.

Psalm 82 is Your Song for my lips. This is Your Work for my hands. So why are we not singing? Why are we not doing? Why have we overlooked the useless, the disgusting, and the unlovable? The reason why the world points and ridicules us is because we look like fools. They stare because the 'freedom' we proclaim has been twisted into chains that adorn our necks, our hands, our feet. The Life we proclaim that Jesus bought for us seems more like death than anything else.

When Paul talked about the Communion or the Last Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:30, he said that is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. (fallen asleep)
The cause? We can find it at the start of the paragraph in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29.
"Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself."
Many of us examine ourselves very thoroughly. We confess and repent before taking our communion. But Paul states very clearly the 3 words that many of us leave out.

Discerning the Body...
The Greek word here 'soma' is translated as body, but the word is also used to describe a group of men closely united into one society or family. It is also used in the New Testament to describe the church. It is my strong belief that Paul was not simply asking believers to examine themselves. But to discern is to make separate or make distinct. As the body of Christ, we are to make distinct the body of Christ; we are to stand out as believers!

Isn't that what the early church, the body of Christ did in the Acts? In teaching & preaching, fellowship & feasting, signs and miraculous healings, giving to those in need, praise and worship. This was the body of Christ in action and it was a body that grew! Is there something in that list that we might have left out? Will we remain cold and ignorant? Will our eyes and ears remain closed to the damned and condemned?

~ Too Bright to See, Too Loud to Hear ~

2008-09-13T20:00:00.001+08:00

Good God, if your song leaves our lips
If your work leaves our hands
Then we will be wanderers and vagabonds

They will stare and say how empty we are
How the freedom we had turned us up as dead men

Let us be cold, make us weak
Let us, because we all have ears
Let us, because we all have eyes
Good God

How they knew that this would happen
They knew they knew that this would
(We’re so run down)

Good God! Can you still get us home…
How can we still get home
I’m not dreaming
We’re forgetting our forgiveness
Underoath - Lost in the Sound of Separation

Fascinate...

2008-09-03T22:51:00.003+08:00

to attract and hold attentively by a unique power, personal charm, unusual nature, or some other special quality; enthrall: a vivacity that fascinated the audience.

to arouse the interest or curiosity of; allure.

to transfix or deprive of the power of resistance,

I've been thinking of going for Lasik surgery for quite sometime now. It'll probably be done next year when I've saved up enough money. The idea of seeing clearly without glasses intrigues me. I can only imagine being able to see clearly once I open my eyes in the morning. Being able to play soccer without putting on contact lenses. I'm sure many of us who wear glasses have forgotten what its like to live without them. I've had them since I was in Primary 2. I think this rings true especially in Singapore where there is a high rate of myopia.

The problem with myopia, or short-sightedness, is that everything that you look at is a blur unless you hold it up really close to your eyes. But do you ever notice, when you do that, thats the only thing you see. There's really no way to admire an object or picture in light of its surroundings; in the context of its environment.

I think many people, including myself, make judgements based on myopic views. Opinions that are only based on what we've seen and heard when we were holding a person's flaws 10 centimetres from our face. We focus on the bad and the ugly and we forget that a person is still a person.

But I digress... My point is this. Clarity causes me to be fascinated.
1 Corinthians 13:12 --> For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

Paul was talking in this chapter about Love and he said that Love is eternal. Even knowledge will pass away. My take is this; if we are walking in Love, that's when we see the clearest. This chapter on Love is talking about Perfect Love. Verse 10 says, "When the perfect comes, the partial will pass away."

Why does Paul compares prophecy, tongues and knowledge to childish ways? There is nothing wrong with prophecy, tongues or knowledge. These are noble, Godly characteristics we should strive after. But when compared to Love, these gifts are likened to looking at the world through a stained window. The emphasis here is Love. When we act in Love or show Love to those undeserving, that's when we see clearly. As if we were seeing Him face to face. That's when we have clarity.

And with clarity, we are able to pick out beauty. I don't want to be short-sighted. I want to challenge the world's thinking and the world's way. That is what Jesus was trying to do when he told us to 'turn the other cheek', 'love our enemies', and 'forgive 70 times 7'. Focus on improving any one of these things and you will see the results very soon. It gets easier to see Jesus in our church friends and in our lives. Most importantly, we see Jesus in people who need Him most. That is what fascinates me. The more I choose to Love the unlovable, the more I see Jesus in them. And ultimately, it is Jesus that draws more and more Love from me.

Singaporeans can worship...

2008-08-19T23:02:00.010+08:00

An Excerpt from Sam de Jong, Drummer of the Parachute Band on Festival of Praise 2008
We headed to Singapore for the final week of our trip and man, God is doing something huge in that place!! We were there for festival of praise, a 3 day event which sees 30,000 people come out to praise and worship God in the biggest indoor venue in Singapore. Along with the Hillsong team, we led worship all three nights and the people there would have to be some of the most passionate, hungry people we have ever come across. I looked around the stadium from the kit and saw 99.999999% of people’s arms in the air, crying out to their maker the whole time during worship. It was surreal.

The part that really got to me was each night when the pastors led the crowd in a time of praying for their nation. For around 10 mins solid, the people prayed out loud for the salvation and future of their country. This gave me goosebumps.

So thanks to everyone in Singapore who came out to worship with us and we hope to get back there next year!!

Bring on the durian!!!

Maybe I'm just rebellious...

2008-08-18T14:59:00.002+08:00

I don't know why I seem to be disagreeing with people quite often. Yesterday, I felt rebellious. I felt like I was the bad apple that was going to spoil the barrel. I felt like I was being asked to do things that I could not ever do.

It started with the article written by one of our church members about worship. It was about how it has become a form of entertainment, influenced by consumerism. He went on to quote some Reverend Doctor Ben Witherington, “Worship creates a communion which maintains a separation between us and God.”

I don’t know whether he was quoting the Reverend Doctor in context or not. A search on google showed that Reverend Doctor Ben Witherington is a scholar / theologian. And I am not. But I remember thinking, “How can that be true?”
In Ephesians 2:14-16, it says that Jesus has made us one in Him, so that we might be reconciled to God in one body through the cross.
In Romans 6:4, Ephesians 2:6 and Colossians 3:1, it seems to me that Paul was emphasising that we have been buried AND raised with Christ. How can there be a gulf or a gap if Jesus already bridged that gap?

You see, we are stuck in a rut where we’re telling people not to do certain things because of the consequences, we’re trying to prevent people from doing wrong things. But if I’m not to sin, then what do you expect me to do? Since forever, Pastors and church leaders have wanted to inspire people to come into church because it was in church where they would hear the Word, have a chance to receive into their hearts and be inspired to live it out and serve.

Again on the topic of hymns. The purpose of John Wesley’s songs was to inspire non-religious unchristian people to come to Jesus. He used hymns because the unchristian people recognised the tunes as pub songs. It was the new and fresh which inspired the lost to come. They were willing to listen. Music itself does nothing. The presentation of the gospel contained the power.

So now, worship music is done with the same intention. Maybe not all of it, but I know many have the intention to reach the lost with their music and lights. So why criticise? Why question young believers about whether they are coming to worship or to consume when all they know is that they have been transformed by encountering God?

How come we remember Isaiah 6:5 which says, ”And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"
We remember the prophet Isaiah’s guilt and depravity. He was sinful and unclean. Why do we fail to mention the marvellous work of God? The Mercy & Grace that brought us to Him? Have we forgotten the burning coal, the Christ? It was He who took away our guilt and atoned our sins!

And from that moment, Isaiah did not dare speak of uncleanness or guilt. Why do we do so? There is no more separation because of Jesus Christ. The dividing wall has been destroyed. The gulf / gap has been bridged.
Romans 8:38-39 says that nothing in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God. Are we the ones who are separating ourselves?

I come to consume Jesus. Because only then will rivers of living water be able to flow out from me. Isn’t this what salvation is about? Isn’t this what the Holy Sacraments represent. Jesus’ body and blood, given and poured out for us?

~~~ On Fire ~~~
And you're on fire
When He's near you
You're on fire
When He speaks
You're on fire
Burning at these mysteries
| Performed by Parachute Band | Written by Switchfoot |

Did not our hearts burn within us...

2008-08-13T23:10:00.002+08:00

I felt so privileged to be part of such a uplifting service on Sunday. To see people touched and ministered by the presence of God made it all worthwhile. Such an honour!

Pastor Wilfred shared something that I've not seen before in the bible. About how Peter, one of the 3 disciples closest to Jesus was so close to giving up. He had talked the most and boasted of his love for Jesus but denied Him 3 times. He had heard of Jesus predicting His death and resurrection so that the scriptures might be fulfilled, but he didn't understand. Peter heard the testimony of the women who had gone to visit the tomb but found it empty, but he didn't believe. He had run to the tomb and seen with his own eyes the fulfilling of prophecy but he became discouraged and afraid.

He left with another disciple and headed for home. About 7 miles away. The explanation that Pastor gave was that Peter and Cleopas had given up hope. Their situation overshadowed the truth which was the Word of Jesus. They wanted to return to the only 'safe' place that they knew.

But Jesus chased them down. It is such a liberating thing to know that after Jesus, Son of God, Saviour of the world, died for our sins on the cross, still bothered to chase down Peter and Cleopas to explain things again to them. He re-inspired them with His words, with the enthusiasm in His voice, with the excitement of His actions and the passion of His heart. We know they were convinced, they begged Him to stay!

Does your situation look hopeless like an empty tomb? Are you giving up and heading home to Emmaus? Why not let the Spirit of Jesus open up the scriptures to you so that you may burn again!

I've been at the place where my heart burns for more. Where it burns for something to be done! And it doesn't matter if your situation seems like an empty tomb because all it proves is that Jesus is alive! When your heart burns, it means you have a message. You have to tell someone. Peter and Cleopas ran back immediately to Jerusalem to tell the others. We must talk about Jesus! Verse 36 says, as they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you!"
There are two things we can learn from this verse.
One, when we talk about God and His promises, Jesus reveals Himself to us.
Two, the discussion and revelation of Jesus brings peace. Never strife.

Burn....!

The start of the rest of my life....

2008-08-11T21:04:00.004+08:00

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
You were in the driver's seat
always in charge, always in control
Outside, the light diffused by raindrops
clinging for their existence on the glass
Holding on. Did you feel safe?
Alone with a stranger you've known for years...

The shadows wrapped around you like a shawl
Yet I saw you clearer than day
I knew you deeper than any friend
I had it figured out, my game plan ready
Tonight I would make my stand
But you did not recognise me

The rain came down like an emphasis
I had to turn away
It could not hide the carousal in my mind
Thoughts spinning, dizzying, crashing
I would be fainting at high altitude
I saw you and then I turned to face you
You are my playground in the rain
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

More than Words...

2008-08-02T00:45:00.001+08:00

Recently, I've been letting words get the better of me. Actually, it isn't so much the words that I use. It is more of the way I said those words. Plus, I think when I'm being serious, I have a pretty mean look on my face. I think it is a frustration that presents itself whenever I start speaking about an area I'm passionate about.

Today I yelled at someone because I felt unfairly treated. I'm adamant when it comes to fairness. Or at least I try to be. But I learnt one thing today. There's no point demanding for an apology from someone who isn't sorry. The best thing to do is to forgive and leave it be. I'm glad for the walk to Jeremy's house that made me calm down. I thank God that it didn't affect the worship session but God allowed it to be used as an example of how the love of God can overcome the obstacles that come against us. I thank God that the 12 bucks spent on cab fare is money that I can afford because He has blessed me so much! Its not worth sweating the small stuff.

The more I think and meditate about it, the more it seems to make sense. God has this way of getting me to notice certain things that He's emphasising on. He lets me see a glimpse of it in His Word and then He emphasises it through different people for a period of time until I get it.

Well, the recent teaching is on the importance of our words. The more I read the verses that talk about not letting corrupt talk come out of our mouths, but only what is useful for building up, the more I believe that Paul was talking about prophecy. In James, Paul calls the tongue dangerous and powerful, and I believe that when used for the right purpose, it makes us most like God. Thats why this song means so much to me. It speaks of worship in the nations. It speaks of Christ revealed. And it starts with my words... My singing... My song...

~~~ With Everything ~~~
Open our eyes
To see the things that make Your heart cry
To be the church that You would desire
Your light to be seen

Break down our pride
And all the walls we’ve built up inside
Our earthly crowns and all our desires
We lay at Your feet

Let hope rise
And darkness tremble
In Your holy light
That every eye will see
Jesus our God
Great and mighty to be praised

God of all days
Glorious in all of Your ways
Oh the majesty the wonder and grace
In the light of Your Name

With everything
With everything
We will shout for Your glory
With everything
With everything
We will shout forth Your praise

Our hearts they cry
Be glorified
Be lifted high above all names
For You our King
With everything
We will shout forth Your praise
| Hillsong - This Is Our God |

Worshipper. Prophesy!

2008-07-26T13:15:00.008+08:00

The nations will realize that I, God, make my church holy when worship is established at the center of their lives forever.'"

God grabbed me. God's Spirit took me up and set me down in the middle of an open plain strewn with bones. He led me around and among them—a lot of bones! There were bones all over the plain—dry bones, bleached by the sun. He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

I said, "Master God, only you know that."

Then God said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the church. Listen to what they're saying: 'Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone, there's nothing left of us.'

He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones: 'Church, listen to the Message of God!'"
God, the Master, told the dry bones, "Watch this: I'm bringing the breath of life to you and you'll come to life. I'll attach sinews to you, put meat on your bones, cover you with skin, and breathe life into you. You'll come alive and you'll realize that I am God!"

He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man. Tell the breath, 'God, the Master, says, Come from the four winds. Come, breath. Breathe on these slain bodies. Breathe life!'"

Therefore, prophesy. Tell them, 'God, the Master, says: I'll dig up your graves and bring you out alive—O my people! Then I'll take you straight to your rightful place. When I dig up graves and bring you out as my people, you'll realize that I am God. I'll breathe my life into you and you'll live. Then I'll lead you straight back to your rightful place and you'll realize that I am God. I've said it and I'll do it. God's Decree.'"

I prophesied just as I'd been commanded. As I prophesied, there was a sound and, oh, rustling! The bones moved and came together, bone to bone. I kept watching. Sinews formed, then muscles on the bones, then skin stretched over them. But they had no breath in them.
So I prophesied, just as he commanded me. The breath entered them and they came alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army.

I'll make a covenant of peace with them that will hold everything together, an everlasting covenant. I'll make them secure and place my holy place of worship at the center of their lives forever. I'll live right there with them. I'll be their God! They'll be my people!

Ezekiel 37.The Message.Rearranged.Italics Mine.

Embrace Grace!

2008-07-23T17:45:00.006+08:00

I received my Hillsong DVDs last night. I guzzled down the first two sessions by Robert Barriager and Judah Smith. Although it was the 2nd time I heard Judah's preaching, it still blew me away. It simply convinced me about my standing as a child of God and inspired me to keep serving Him.

You were never son by worth. You are son by Birth!
Today, Elissa told me of the comments that someone put in her tagboard. Someone was trying to plant condemnation in her mind. But praise God for His Grace!! His sacrifice on the cross means that we can leave all that rubbish behind and run towards the goal. Praise God that perfection is placed on us. Praise God that when God looks at us, all He sees is the blood of Jesus spilt for our shortcomings and flaws. Oh isn't it true that those who have been forgiven much will love much!

Why have we painted such an ideal picture of Christians? What is the difference between Believers and Non-Believers? Simply acceptance of Grace? Simply accepting the invitation to approach God. My desire to serve my God does not come from self-discipline or self-sacrifice. My character is far from those traits. My character is laid-back and non-chalent. Yet when I see love poured out for me, when I see such compassion despite my ugliness and my darkness, I long to have more of the Light. I become passionate for His cause and I become desperate for His presence. And in His presence, I have all I need. Literally.

There are 3 types of people. Those who ridicule Grace, those who misuse Grace, and those who embrace Grace. I think those who misuse Grace and those who embrace Grace appear to be similar at first. Both of these people take advantage of Grace. But in the long run, those who embrace Grace will start to bring forth fruit because they allow change to come in their lives and because they focus on Jesus, not on the number of chances they've been given.

Grace is not about the number of chances you have. Jesus taught his disciples to keep forgiving because they would be imitating perfection in doing so. They would be imitating God's infinite forgiveness. Grace is infinite opportunity to learn. Grace is Jesus calling out, "Forgive them, Father!" (Luke 23:34) and then stating the reply that He heard from the Father, "It is finished!" (John 19:30)

Do Something!

2008-07-17T21:15:00.002+08:00

If I could summarise Hillsong Conference 2008 into 2 words, it would be DO SOMETHING.
It has been a call, stronger than ever, for the church to start acting like the church. A reminder that the church is made up of people and not of bricks and concrete. I received a Word at the beginning of the year that this year would be a year of change. Changes would happen to allow a hunger and a passion for God to arise.

This is a year of change. But the change doesn't only come from the Father. This is not just a year where we allow change to come. This is a year where we are empowered to make change happen.

When a woman came to anoint Jesus with expensive fragrant oil, some commented that it was a waste and the money could have been better used to help the poor. Jesus replied by saying that she had done a beautiful thing. We often highlight the extravagance of worship, and pouring out costly thing as a form of worship. But we often miss out the brilliance of Jesus when he said in Mark 14:7, "You always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them."

Whenever you want, you can do something! For too long, we've been waiting for God to make something happen. But God has given us the authority and the means to better the lives of others. Why are we waiting?

Six Days

2008-06-18T21:14:00.003+08:00

Only six days more till I fly to Australia! Its interesting how anticipation makes your senses seem heightened. As if your body is trying to absorb every experience it can. It has made me more aware of things at work. Especially since God has been so good. Its really at a ministry like COH, where God's love touches the less fortunate, that you see God working. You see the strengths of people being developed and their limitations covered by His grace.

This week there was no food being prepared for our clients because the cook's parent had passed away. So the clients had to be brought out for lunch. The teachers had to buy food for those who couldn't leave the centre due to physical handicap.

So anyway, according to my colleague, a stranger just called up intending to donate rice and biscuits to our centre. He was asking if we needed any other supplies. My colleague then explained the situation to him and he offered to sponsor lunch for the activity centre for the rest of the week! The generosity of people still continues to inspire me. God still continues to amaze me,

I've been seeing generosity and the character of God reflected in many people this week. I've been put in many new situations and I'm amazed at how Christ in me handles it. The Grace of God with me.

~ Love Song ~

2008-06-17T11:23:00.002+08:00

Where can I go where can I run from You
You’re everywhere
You know all my thoughts You see through my ways
And still You come to me

So I sing a love song to You
From Heaven above on earth down beneath
Your love rains down on me
You know all my thoughts

You see through my skin
And still You come to me
So I sing a love song to You

You walk on waves
You run with clouds
You paint the sky for me to see

Your majesty, Your majesty is why I sing
This is a love song to You
My life’s a love song to You
| MuteMath - Elevator Music |
| Written by Jason Morant |

Our Greatest Fear

2008-06-10T00:12:00.002+08:00

Graduation on Saturday made me ask this question...
How in the world did God get me to where I am today?
People say that hindsight is 20/20. But to me, I'm still amazed regularly by God. I still can't see how He did it. I still don't understand how its possible that I'm here serving Him in church and in COH. People say, "Daryl, you've grown up! You've sacrificed so much! You've changed!"

And I say, "I have?"
In my own eyes, I am still an 18 year old who decided to serve God. I decided to because of how amazingly nice He's been to me. People like me don't change... We are transformed. Simply by hanging around in God's presence, we are renewed. I'm just loving Him. Sacrifices? What sacrifices? I just followed Jesus.

Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,
but that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.
We ask ourselves,
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some, it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
| Marianne Williamson |

Have We Forgotten?

2008-05-24T23:20:00.002+08:00

"You know what I would do if I were in your place?
I'd drink from the milk basin of the Milky Way; I'd swallow comets; I'd lunch on dawn; I'd dine on day and I'd sup on night;
I'd invite myself, splendid table-companion that I am, to the banquet of all the glories, and I'd salute God as my host!
I'd work up a magnificent hunger, an enormous thirst, and I'd race through the drunken spaces between the spheres singing the fearsome drinking song of eternity."
victor hugo

I was at the alpha6 thanksgiving dinner just now. Didn't intend to sit through the sharing sessions but I'm glad I did. I heard the testimonies of some new believers and I think they've received and understood revelations of God that took me 5 years to grasp. I pray that their zeal in finding Christ isn't dampened by 'experienced' Christians.

Sometimes I wonder. Have we forgotten how to praise God? Have we lost fire and passion of knowing Jesus. Have we lost the impact of simple praise songs that spoke of the greatness of God. Have we left those songs in sunday school and dismissed them like we've dismissed the tooth fairy and Santa Claus? When was the last time you've gotten excited about God?

I got excited when Manchester United beat Chelsea in penelties this week and I was throwing punches in the air and shouting "Yeah!". (I didn't literally shout because it was about 5am.) But you understand what it means to get excited! Your heart begins to pump faster and you feel a rush! Is that only reserved for football or whatever things you get excited about? We've always talked about having a passion for Christ. Shouldn't we be making some noise when we praise?

Must we really be reminded by new believers? I mean, its good that they remind us! But shouldn't we, the experienced ones be showing them. THIS IS HOW ITS DONE! Although the quote by Victor Hugo was apparently spoken during a seance with the spirit of Galileo, I think it phrases the experience that a believer should have in being a child of God. It also brings to mind Psalm 23.

Do we have reason to rejoice? I just visited some other blogs and I'm just amazed at the goodness of God to all of us.

Benjamin: "I rejoice that i have this stunning relationship with God..:D"
Charmaine: "OH YES! THE DOCTOR SAYS I AM WELL! (:"
Eileen: "His presence is so soothing, it wipes away every last streak of weariness."
Elissa: "He is a God who gives and gives and gives and gives."
Georgina: "...in the evening, money flew into my letter box."
Michelle: "Yay my exams are over!"
Patricia: "Thank God for providing the venue for us, Meritus Mandarin..."
Wendy: "Thanks for your lovessss... I am doing much better now."

What is my reason to rejoice? I rejoice that God's will for me is not restricted by my shortcomings! I rejoice that I am always able to pick myself up carry on. Tomorrow I'm playing the drums for worship service. I'm going to show God just what I think of Him; I'm going to play my heart out. Won't you praise Him with me?

To Write Love On Her Arms

2008-05-14T21:29:00.003+08:00

by jamie tworkowski

Pedro the Lion is loud in the speakers, and the city waits just outside our open windows. She sits and sings, legs crossed in the passenger seat, her pretty voice hiding in the volume. Music is a safe place and Pedro is her favorite. It hits me that she won't see this skyline for several weeks, and we will be without her. I lean forward, knowing this will be written, and I ask what she'd say if her story had an audience. She smiles. "Tell them to look up. Tell them to remember the stars."

I would rather write her a song, because songs don't wait to resolve, and because songs mean so much to her. Stories wait for endings, but songs are brave things bold enough to sing when all they know is darkness. These words, like most words, will be written next to midnight, between hurricane and harbor, as both claim to save her.

Renee is 19. When I meet her, cocaine is fresh in her system. She hasn't slept in 36 hours and she won't for another 24. It is a familiar blur of coke, pot, pills and alcohol. She has agreed to meet us, to listen and to let us pray. We ask Renee to come with us, to leave this broken night. She says she'll go to rehab tomorrow, but she isn't ready now. It is too great a change. We pray and say goodbye and it is hard to leave without her.

She has known such great pain; haunted dreams as a child, the near-constant presence of evil ever since. She has felt the touch of awful naked men, battled depression and addiction, and attempted suicide. Her arms remember razor blades, fifty scars that speak of self-inflicted wounds. Six hours after I meet her, she is feeling trapped, two groups of "friends" offering opposite ideas. Everyone is asleep. The sun is rising. She drinks long from a bottle of liquor, takes a razor blade from the table and locks herself in the bathroom. She cuts herself, using the blade to write "FUCK UP" large across her left forearm.

The nurse at the treatment center finds the wound several hours later. The center has no detox, names her too great a risk, and does not accept her. For the next five days, she is ours to love. We become her hospital and the possibility of healing fills our living room with life. It is unspoken and there are only a few of us, but we will be her church, the body of Christ coming alive to meet her needs, to write love on her arms.

She is full of contrast, more alive and closer to death than anyone I've known, like a Johnny Cash song or some theatre star. She owns attitude and humor beyond her 19 years, and when she tells me her story, she is humble and quiet and kind, shaped by the pain of a hundred lifetimes. I sit privileged but breaking as she shares. Her life has been so dark yet there is some soft hope in her words, and on consecutive evenings, I watch the prettiest girls in the room tell her that she's beautiful. I think it's God reminding her.

I've never walked this road, but I decide that if we're going to run a five-day rehab, it is going to be the coolest in the country. It is going to be rock and roll. We start with the basics; lots of fun, too much Starbucks and way too many cigarettes.

Thursday night she is in the balcony for Band Marino, Orlando's finest. They are indie-folk-fabulous, a movement disguised as a circus. She loves them and she smiles when I point out the A&R man from Atlantic Europe, in town from London just to catch this show.

She is in good seats when the Magic beat the Sonics the next night, screaming like a lifelong fan with every Dwight Howard dunk. On the way home, we stop for more coffee and books, Blue Like Jazz and (Anne Lamott's) Travelling Mercies.

On Saturday, the Taste of Chaos tour is in town and I'm not even sure we can get in, but doors do open and minutes after parking, we are on stage for Thrice, one of her favorite bands. She stands ten feet from the drummer, smiling constantly. It is a bright moment there in the music, as light and rain collide above the stage. It feels like healing. It is certainly hope.

Sunday night is church and many gather after the service to pray for Renee, this her last night before entering rehab. Some are strangers but all are friends tonight. The prayers move from broken to bold, all encouraging. We're talking to God but I think as much, we're talking to her, telling her she's loved, saying she does not go alone. One among us knows her best. Ryan sits in the corner strumming an acoustic guitar, singing songs she's inspired.

After church our house fills with friends, there for a few more moments before goodbye. Everyone has some gift for her, some note or hug or piece of encouragement. She pulls me aside and tells me she would like to give me something. I smile surprised, wondering what it could be. We walk through the crowded living room, to the garage and her stuff.

She hands me her last razor blade, tells me it is the one she used to cut her arm and her last lines of cocaine five nights before. She's had it with her ever since, shares that tonight will be the hardest night and she shouldn't have it. I hold it carefully, thank her and know instantly that this moment, this gift, will stay with me. It hits me to wonder if this great feeling is what Christ knows when we surrender our broken hearts, when we trade death for life.

As we arrive at the treatment center, she finishes: "The stars are always there but we miss them in the dirt and clouds. We miss them in the storms. Tell them to remember hope. We have hope."

I have watched life come back to her, and it has been a privilege. When our time with her began, someone suggested shifts but that is the language of business. Love is something better. I have been challenged and changed, reminded that love is that simple answer to so many of our hardest questions. Don Miller says we're called to hold our hands against the wounds of a broken world, to stop the bleeding. I agree so greatly.

We often ask God to show up. We pray prayers of rescue. Perhaps God would ask us to be that rescue, to be His body, to move for things that matter. He is not invisible when we come alive. I might be simple but more and more, I believe God works in love, speaks in love, is revealed in our love. I have seen that this week and honestly, it has been simple: Take a broken girl, treat her like a famous princess, give her the best seats in the house. Buy her coffee and cigarettes for the coming down, books and bathroom things for the days ahead. Tell her something true when all she's known are lies. Tell her God loves her. Tell her about forgiveness, the possibility of freedom, tell her she was made to dance in white dresses. All these things are true.

We are only asked to love, to offer hope to the many hopeless. We don't get to choose all the endings, but we are asked to play the rescuers. We won't solve all mysteries and our hearts will certainly break in such a vulnerable life, but it is the best way. We were made to be lovers bold in broken places, pouring ourselves out again and again until we're called home.

I have learned so much in one week with one brave girl. She is alive now, in the patience and safety of rehab, covered in marks of madness but choosing to believe that God makes things new, that He meant hope and healing in the stars. She would ask you to remember.

Feeling Vs. Faith

2008-04-28T22:51:00.005+08:00

I mentioned in my last post that as believers, we should not be affected by the way we feel. Sometimes emotions might go haywire because of lack of sleep, lack of sugar, lack of adrenalin, unfairness, anger and so on, but thats ok because we are not dependant on them. We need to recognise that the body feels certain ways because thats the way it was designed to respond. Deal with the problem the best you can and keep on praising God. You may not realise it but sometimes praising God is the best way to deal with the problem!

I believe that was what Paul was trying to say when He was writing the letter to the Roman believers. He repeats quite a few times in these few paragraphs.

Verse 4 "... who walk NOT according to the flesh but according to the spirit.
Verse 6 "To set the mind on the flesh is death..."
Verse 7 "For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; INDEED, IT CANNOT!"
Verse 8 "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God"
Verse 13 "For if you live according to the flesh you will die..."

So simply from these verses stated here, we can draw the conclusion that FLESH = BAD! When we are dependant on our emotions, we also tend to give in to our flesh.
So how? (Pardon my Singaporean)

The typical response that most Christians would be to live right! Don't live according to the flesh! Abstain from evil, resist the devil, love one another, wash your hands, and a 101 other ways to live a victorious Christian life! That sounds good. It really does! But unfortunately, that is not the key. Sorry to burst your bubble. Because it doesn't last.

Daryl, are you refuting basic bible truths? No I'm not.

Paul himself said it! If we are in the flesh, we cannot please God. We cannot or are unable to obey the law! Where else does the bible talk about being unable to please God?
In Hebrews 11:6 "...And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."
Here we can draw another equation! Just like in Maths.
Flesh != Faith (Being in the flesh is NOT being in faith!)

Do you know that it is possible to do good things without being in faith? Another way of putting it is that we do good in the flesh? We do it because it is a requirement. Or we do it so that it adds a point to our resume of good works. Or we are like Job who offered sacrifices daily just in case his children sinned.
Many of us believe that God exists but we don't believe He rewards those who seek Him. Or we believe He is a lousy rewarder! Do we have a lousy god? No way!

Anyway, here lies the secret to a successful life. If we don't want to live according to the flesh and fail everytime we attempt to live right, then the secret is to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:10 says "But if Christ is in you... ... the spirit is life because of righteousness"
Verse 11 "If the Spirit of the him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He... ...will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you."

Lets look at this logically. If flesh is bad, spirit is good! If flesh leads to death, spirit leads to life. So to live according to the spirit means to live in faith. And to live in faith, according to Hebrews 11:6 is to believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. This is faith in action. This means that living according to the spirit is not dependant on how we feel or the circumstances around us.

This is part of drawing near to God. Service to God must always come after we know what it is to draw near to Him. It has to start from the basis of a relationship with Jesus. Some people might misinterpret what I'm going to say here but I'll say it anyway. No believer should be begged to serve. Excellent service is always the result of an attitude of gratitude and a heart of love.

Unfortunately, because of the needs of churches, people are thrust into positions of service before they have had a time to develop such a relationship. But that is another issue for another day.

~~~ Fire ~~~
There's a fire that burns in me
That the world will never change
There's a fire that burns in me
His name is Jesus

Brighter and brighter
Consume my whole life
So I burn
Brighter and brighter for you
Abundant Life Church - Send Me

Apple Of Your Eye

2008-04-27T21:52:00.004+08:00

He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne He sets them forever, and they are exalted.
- Job 36:7 -

Life can sometimes be strange. Most of the time, after a busy day in church, I would feel satisfied. I would feel content because I'm serving God. But today i just feel tired. No surprise since I've been up since 7:30AM. Led worship for Sunday School, then led worship for 2nd Service. Played futsal at East Coast after lunch. Usually, I would feel as if I had achieved something. But today, despite some good testimonies, I feel drained. I think its because of futsal with Larry's friends and then walking all the way home from East Coast Park.

I am thankful that God doesn't come and go according to my emotions and how I feel. Because right now, I feel tired and empty. Our relationship with God or with other people should never be based on emotions. I couldn't feel further from God right now. Yet I know for a fact that He loves me despite my lousy mood.

I thank God that He showed me this verse from Job 36:7.
Father God... Thank You that I'm still the apple of your eye. Even when I feel ineffective, I know that I'm set with the King on the throne and I'm exalted together with You. I will not waver, I will not be diverted. I believe that you are proud of me and I choose to praise You. Amen!

2008-03-28T13:52:00.003+08:00

I am awestruck by the poignant imagery in the lyrics of Oh, Sleeper. Forgive me if I've been talking too much about them. Their lyrics and music inspire me so much. I would like to explain more about what the lyrics mean to me. Refer to the last post to see the lyrics. You might even want to open it in another window by clicking here.

The first verse talks about having a life run by an oppressive, harsh ruler. The singer portrays this with many repeating vocals. It signifies confusion and disorder. Just like the life that doesn't have the one true God on the throne. The 'god' that most people have, takes away from people. He claims their joy, their money, their family, their dreams, their life.

The first chorus is a like a war cry to look at the big picture. It is a war cry to destroy the works of the devil's hold over our lives. This single line in the song made me look up the role of our God as the destroyer.

JESUS THE DESTROYER
Get To Know Him
Psalm 143:12*
And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies, and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, for I am your servant.

Psalm 145:20
The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

1 Corinthians 15:24-26
Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Ephesians 2:14-16
For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

Hebrews 2:14-15
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewisepartook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

James 4:12
There is onlyone lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy.

1 John 3:8
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

Revelations 17:17-18
"We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.
The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth."

I am a big football fan and I love how football is able to bring strangers together onto a pitch and unite people to a single purpose. Sometimes in the process of meeting new people, you may chance across a few people who are so skilful, fast or strong that you can't help but think to yourself, "I'm glad he's on my side!"
Can you see the Wrath of God in these verses? Can you see that His Wrath is not directed at us anymore? He uses it against those who come against us. I'm glad I'm on the same side as Him!

The chorus goes on to say, "plant the seeds to reclaim victory." Can you see the symbolism here?

Mark 4:26
And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.

Mark 4:30-31
And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth…”

In verse 14 of this same chapter, Jesus says that a sower sows the Word. The seed is the Word.
Plant the seeds to reclaim victory! That is the rebuilding process!

The next phrase catches my attention. You cannot find content in the arms of constrictors. Growth cannot occur in an environment of doubt, disbelief or condemnation. Have we become constrictors to younger believers? Are we people who facilitate growth?
Are we so content with what we have that change cannot occur?
God has given us His image imprinted on a heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 36:26-27
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (27) And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Obedience sparks off miracles. When you obey what the LORD says. The way to achieve it is opened. You made the waves to meet my foot. Just like Jesus did for Peter.
The reference to the bishop is made in a previous song, "His Name Was Bishop", in the album. About how greed, pride and lust cause him to fall.
The archers are also referenced in another song. "We Are The Archers"
They are portrayed as reinforcements from the Captain (God).

2008-03-18T11:07:00.003+08:00

~~~Building the Nations~~~
I've found the pit to find yourself surrounded.
To the husbands and daughters, brides and sons,
You put a tyrannic terror up on his throne.
He's collecting blood like diamonds from all.
Behind this door we face a war... its claiming more.

Step back and take a look around you because we will...
DESTROY! REBUILD! Plant the seeds to reclaim victory!
On this day we will...
DESTROY! REBUILD! Plant the seeds to reclaim victory!

Though struggle we'll press on.
Mark my words, you cant find comfort in the arms of constrictors.
Lift back the scabs of content and prepare for change.
The doors swing wide, and we're drawn inside.
The gold stained bones give off the light.

Oh, I found your prints on a fleshy pulse.
You made the waves to meet my foot
And all the siren songs that ring on and on and on.
I watched your vipers bring down the bishop and bait the chains to leave me hit.

Well I've brought all the archers, we lit all the pyres, and we've come to...
DESTROY! REBUILD! Plant the seeds to reclaim victory!
On this day we will...
DESTROY! REBUILD! Plant the seeds to reclaim victory!

Through struggle we press on...
We are the army of the far from perfect.
This is the call to tear down and rebuild this world.
| Oh, Sleeper - When I am God |

2008-03-10T23:12:00.004+08:00

Today is the first monday out of school. Although its the term break for the rest of the Rhema, I still miss school and my classmates. My 2nd year has been definitely more enjoyable because of the dynamics of the class. There are more people in the room because they've combined the 1st and 2nd year students into one class.

There are so many things to think about and consider when doing life. Its getting slightly overwhelming. If I cannot rely on God totally, then I would simply crash and burn. If my relying on Him signifies laziness then I'm lost already. My life belongs to Him and is devoted to Him because I know no other way.

Daryl, don't try to piece everything together. You'll just make a mess of things. The way I gave you the glimpses of the different fragments of your life to come. The same way will I bring them into fruition. I will bring them to pass.
Keep your heart right, Keep your heart after me.

Untame Your Tongue

2008-03-01T12:31:00.003+08:00

JAMES 3:1-13
I’ve always heard James 3:1-13 being preached or taught as taming the tongue. Most of the people that I’ve talked to seem to agree with this stand. Even the heading of this passage in my bible states "Taming the Tongue".

I was just meditating on the words during a teaching session. While reading the passage, it began to dawn on me. Where does it actually say to 'tame the tongue'? James doesn't ever use the words 'taming the tongue'. In fact, in verse 8, he states that "...no human being can tame the tongue."

People would then reply, "no man can, but God can!"
My question is then, why would He want to? When God created man in the beginning, He gave Himself a pat on the back! The whole man was good.
"And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good." Genesis 1:31

So why does James say such negative things about the tongue? Is he really speaking negatives about the tongue? In verse 2, he says that the Perfect (mature) Man does not stumble in what He says and is also able to bridle His whole body. To me, this is a picture of Jesus. Only Jesus was faultless with His words. James seems to be setting the benchmark here in his half-brother, Jesus.
"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ," Ephesians 4:15
Paul also seems to agree with James that the tongue should be used to speak the truth in love and thus result in us becoming more like Christ.

In verse 3-5, James is making the point that the size of the tongue in relation to the rest of the body does not determine the power which it holds. He does say that bits and rudders do direct the power.

Lets jump to verse 9-11. James says that a 2 different things cannot come from one source. Fresh water and bitter water can come from the same source. Fig trees cannot bear olives, grapevines cannot bear figs. What does this mean? Get rid of the bitter water! Bear the fruit which you were meant to bear! Do what you were meant to do.

Lets look through the passage again. This time taking out the negatives of the tongue and using it to do what it was meant to.

So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire and no one can tame the tongue. With it we bless our Lord and Father. From the mouth comes blessing.

No one can tame the tongue. It remains wild and powerful. Its power cannot be lost but it can be directed. By speaking forth the Word, the tongue remains powerful and achieves something. It remains wild for His use. The great things in verse 5 refer to grand things, things that are done on a grand scale. It also refers to God's preeminent blessings.

Let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:25,29

The Truth, with love builds up.

2008-02-17T20:58:00.003+08:00

It does not make any sense to me how the clarity of the Word of God can be disputed.
If you take away the goodness of God, then I have to admit that I don't really know Him.
If what I've heard today is true, then it takes away my desire to serve Him.
I cannot serve a God like that. It actually hurt me physically to hear such lies about my Jesus.

But He isn't like that.
So I will not stop serving Him.
I must worship.

2008-02-16T11:19:00.002+08:00

I cannot help but want to know Jesus. Not because He suffered the same things AS me but because He suffered them FOR me. We've been learning about Jesus, the man of sorrows who travelled Via Dolorosa, the road of suffering. He suffered for my sake. That is what makes Him different from any other god. Not because He merely identifies with us, but because He has invested ALL He had in us. He has imputed power and grace to us.

I want to know the Jesus who overcame the things I go through and through the Holy Spirit, teaches me to do the same. The God who compelled wise men to travel miles to bow and offer gifts. The Jesus whom shepherds came to pay homage to, to marvel at and praise God because they saw the example of the angels. The Jesus whom the prophets in the temple recognised when He was a baby, gave thanks for and boasted of to the rest of Jerusalem.

The young boy, Jesus, who grew and became strong and wise in the favour of the Lord. So wise that He went on to amaze the teachers in the temple with His questions. After which He continued to grow in wisdom and favour with God and men.

I want to know the Jesus whom John the baptist preached about. The Jesus who would fill the valleys and make the mountains low. The Jesus who would straighten the crooked places and level out the rough ones. The Jesus who would suffer in the wilderness only to come out stronger because He was holding on to the Word, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

The Jesus who was anointed with Holy Spirit to heal the sick, restore limbs, cast out evil spirits, cleanse the lepers, make the blind see, and the deaf hear. The Jesus who preached good news to the poor. The Jesus who spoke with authority, healed with authority, and had authority to give when He sent out His disciples. Jesus who came to seek and save the Lost.

Jesus who was persecuted because attention seeking Jews could not keep up with Him or the miracles He wrought. Persecuted by those who knew the law but not the power. Rejected by those who were waiting for the Messiah but did not recognise Him.

This Jesus who taught moral absolutes, Who looked at the heart rather than mere actions. Who cared for people more than customs. Who would rebuke the winds and waves and have them be silent. Jesus who knew the Father and introduced us to Him.

Jesus who flourished in life as the First Minister of the Good News, yet gave it all up only on the cross. But only for 3 days because He was an overcomer of death, poverty, sickness and sin. Because He took back all that Satan stole and made it available again to us. Praise God!!!

2008-02-13T01:01:00.000+08:00

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5

~~~ (That) Hideous Strength ~~~
Oh, that I could scream
And the world would stop and listen
And these scars could speak in volumes
But who has ears to hear
Or eyes to see
Again I scream
But my voice is buried in an unearthly silence
Like in nightmares when ghosts steal your breath.
I pray that power be not in my words
But in truth that supercedes the mind of man,
and our dead hope, and our blind faith in means that
look to justify the ends.
With out you I am lost.
Let mine eyes not fail with looking upward
| Thrice - If We Could Only See Us Now |

2008-02-10T00:42:00.001+08:00

OH YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES !!!!!!!!!!!!
Praise God!!!

2008-02-07T19:50:00.000+08:00

I don't know how many of you actually like the video I posted previously. I'm getting so much out of their lyrics! It may or may not be the actual meaning of the songs but I love how God speaks to me from the lyrics. The lyrics from this song remind me of Paul. His experience with Jesus on the road to Damascus. The 2nd part also reminds me of Ananias questioning God's choice. The 3rd part is simply a revelation of Grace from God to us.

There's nothing like hardcore music screaming scripture to you. Click here to check out more songs from Oh, Sleeper at their myspace page.

~~~ Charlatan's Host ~~~
Sleep takes its hold with a sinking pull. And now that I'm alone, this burst of light
fills my lids and I'm awake to the songs of horror. Your ill-bought greatness, he's seen it all from the frame.
One day you'll reap the seeds of a shadowed past, and I can only hope I'm there.
You tried to satisfy the thirst of a thousand ages,
But built a stack of bones as your monument to dead vanity.
It's just a shrine to the words you use to wreck.

Tell me, How can you sleep?
How can you just welcome the wine and throw out your nets?
You throw out your nets and set fame to bait the noose. Set fame to derail what's innocent.
Why spare the life of inglorious waste? Why let him live?
He's just hunting your own! How can you just sit there and watch?

"Because i love you more than you know. Look again and tell me what you see!"

In the window was me. The massacres were all me!
Oh God, please! Please! deliver the penalties for all of this from me.
I'm not finding justice, no warrant for mercy...
Don't give up on me. Don't give up on me!
What happens when I turn and run again? And again, and again?
"I will forgive you."
And what happens when I lie to your face?
"I will forgive you."
Oh my God, I can be so defiant to some one who's arms stretch to me.
"I will forgive."
Don't give up on me! Don't give up on me!
"I have forgiven you!"

I'll awake to new purpose to fight this body.
No longer will I play the dark shepherd.
Let not my words be ripped from the throat of a horror.
Oh, forgiver! Where is justice in letting me live?
| Oh, Sleeper - When I Am God |

2008-02-06T13:25:00.000+08:00

Let me first warn you guys... This video is noisy. A Christian hardcore band that I just discovered. I love it.

Vices Like Vipers

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Your scarlet soaked and bold
and the sheep's eyes locked to mine, sink to my bones.
Though your lips still drip, intentions, they keep me wanting more...

It's rising against all the walls we built for falling.
All the walls we built just stand in vain to draw you near.
It's the wool to hide the wolves.
And under these toes from where we last spoke, Your words laid so firm.
But I did not shed that skin like You said.
When the mason neglects the mortar, looks become deceiving
and when the bricks start to fall,
I'll be the one crawling down this road so dark.

Vices like vipers
Speak in whispers.
My heel's the meat to sink their teeth,
Like the viper I kept when You said, "Let go!"
This is what it took for me to see.

WHEN I AM GOD this church is unsound.
Slithering in the shade of a sinking church,
Surprise is no excuse for the traps that you left in the wake of warning.
So this is the warning, You fall to learn.

And to the girls,
You're worth more than the cheap words.
You see your body as beauty, but your pulse is worth more.

Hear me, it's not what it seems, though the feeding tastes of honesty.
This is the warning, you're just a hit to coax my urgency.

Why do we keep what holds us? Why do I keep what holds me down?
Lose the weight of defeat. It's time to stand your ground!

Vices like vipers
Speak in whispers.
My heel's the meat to sink their teeth,
Like the viper
I kept when You said, "Let go!"

Since all the alibis of ignorance are void...
This, my lust, the pornos and the sluts.
Take, my lust, this world's Love.
Great Counselor, take what's left.
Great Counselor, take what's left of me

2008-02-05T00:21:00.000+08:00

Praise God! Just got back from a wonderful session with Reverend Mark Hankins. I really needed that time of refreshing! There's nothing like someone catching your attention and then directing it on God Himself! Everything else simply pales in comparison.

I was getting slightly disillusioned this past week. Last night, I had the weirdest experience. I was about to go into my room to read my bible when I suddenly had a sickeningly claustrophobic nauseating feeling. I felt that I had to get out of the house. So in less than 15 minutes, I washed up, changed, packed my bible into my sling bag and walked out of the house. Went to the esplanade to watch Sky In Euphoria and A Vacant Affair. Spent just under 2 hours at Mac's reading 1 Peter 1:1-12.

I received a T-shirt and an Ang Pow that my mom's friend dropped off outside our house when I got home just now. Its amazing how God surprises you with gifts. He even provides clothing. :) Mom paid for some facial products that I bought at marine parade today. God bless her!

Had a scrape with a lorry today too. The silly driver tried to squeeze past our Toyota Wish at the entrance of the carpark. Because of other vehicles parked along the road, we had to manoeuvre our vehicles to allow each other to pass. But because of his impatience / recklessness, he scraped the end of my bumper while passing. It was amazing how fast I got out of the car. I was angry that he had marred my 'driving record'. Thankfully, there was no serious damage done.

This incident reminds me of the football match we had 2 Sundays ago. It seems there maybe many different opinions regarding this topic. It is my habit in any football match to make an impression on the opponent by being aggressive early in the game so that the opponents don't take advantage of you through the rest of the match. So anyway, there was this instance where I was charging goalwards with the ball and I got tackled from behind. The referee had blown for a freekick to be given but I wanted the defender to know I wasn't pleased so I walked towards him, asking what was his problem and nudged him with my knee. I admit that I overreacted slightly with that. Later on, there was another instance with the same defender. This time he had the ball and was running towards our goal. I noticed that we were almost outnumbered in defence so I tugged his shirt to get the foul so that our team could get back to defend.

During the half-time break, one of my elder teammates said that when he saw me tugging the jersey, he was hoping that I'd be sent off. He was trying to make a point and he went on to say that as salt and light of the world, we have to be an example to others. I agree with him totally. My question is whether Christians can show displeasure or disapproval? Can Christians make intentional tactical fouls?

2008-01-15T22:19:00.000+08:00

I love being in the midst of believers. I love being with worshippers who have a desire for more of God. I love talking about the Word and discussing about God exploits. During my chat with Joshua today, we were going through Ephesians. My eyes were skimming over the words and rested on verse 25 of chapter 4.

Therefore, having put away falsehood,
let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor,
for we are members one of another

I used to think that the purpose of this verse was simply to teach children or new believers the importance of not telling lies. But doing that would be to insult the apostle Paul's intelligence. Paul had just finished exhorting the Ephesians to put off the old ways of life. In verse 23, He talks about being renewed in the spirit of your minds. How to be renewed in the mind? Verse 25 says "THEREFORE put away falsehood". Put away thoughts and keep yourself from saying things like "I can't do it", "I'm not good enough", "I'll never amount to anything great".

Instead, speak the truth! Do it with your neighbour. Members of the body of Christ have to encourage and edify one another right? What better way than to speak truth? What greater truth is there than the word of God? What is the truth?
Verse 21 says,

...assuming you have heard about Him and were taught in Him,
as the truth is IN JESUS.

The truth is knowing who you are in Jesus, what we have in Jesus and what we can do in Jesus. These things, when we talk about them often will strengthen us. Verse 29 says that such is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Why did I emphasise the words "as fits the occasion"? Why are these words so important?
Truth is not meant spoken AT one another. The right word is to be spoken at the right time.

When I was doing my reservist training, there was a period of time where we were waiting for our turn to practice with some equipment. The area was full of gravel and one of my friends challenged me to hit a red rock a few metres away with a stone. We tried for a few minutes but couldn't hit it. In mock frustration, I scooped up a handful of stones and hurled it towards the red rock. To my amazement and their amusement, none of the stones made contact with the red rock.

In the same way, many believers are counselling in this way. When a person comes to them with a problem, we start quoting verse after verse at them hoping that one of the verses would 'make contact.' God revealed to me that He works differently. God is precise. A single word can minister healing and deliverance. A single word can encourage and break bondage.

God knows exactly whats wrong and He deals with the problem the way an experienced surgeon with a sharp instrument does. How do we become effective instruments? By looking at Him and listening to Him and obeying the Word. Jesus was the most effective minister ever and yet He said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise."

Shouldn't we be keeping our eyes peeled on the Father? Following the instructions stated in the Word of God? Imitating the nature of God and His Son?

2008-01-14T21:39:00.000+08:00

Yes! I'm back in school! Its such a joy to be with believers who want to learn more. Such a joy, such a joy! The last week was spent at having "reservist" training. Such a waste of time that I almost doubted my decision to take leave of absence from the first week of school. Well, I praise God for His faithfulness during the week. Being back in the same camp reminded me of the listlessness and boredom. It reminded me of how great His outpouring of grace was during the 2 years of National Service. I almost couldn't handle being in camp for the first 2 days.

Thank God that I managed to get a half day off on Wednesday to return to school. It was so timely and being in school and in His presence made me confident that I had made the right decision. Better is one day in His courts! Better to be in His presence than to be anywhere else. He reminded me that I never need to be out of His presence. Time spent in His presence is NEVER wasted time.

2007-12-22T15:45:00.000+08:00

Nepal has left me speechless. The Nepalese are quite a beautiful people. They are decent and polite to foreigners. Their eyes, deep and intense. They need to know Jesus. I think everyone from the group could sense it as well. Charmaine brought up a good point when she said that there was so much more for them than just living and working to survive. Nothing much bad about them other than their devilish driving and the incessant horning on the roads.

I think I'm beginning to understand being in the grace of God and relying totally on His strength. There were things that could never have been done without Him. So many things that could have gone wrong, people who could have gotten hurt and people who could have gotten lost. But He made everything turn out right.

On the first night, after shopping for sleeping bags, some of us wanted to go to buy some bottles of water and snacks. So there were 8 of us who split into 2 taxis to go to the supermarket. But when we reached the supermarket, the taxi with Keith, Elissa, Georgina and Nathalie had not arrived. Gloria and I were slightly panicky and we were praying individually that nothing would go wrong. After 30 minutes of waiting, walking and searching, we saw them trudging up to us holding grocery bags in their hands. Their taxi driver had dropped them at the wrong supermarket. Thank God that before we got on the taxis, we were joking about the the location of the supermarket and it made them remember the name. God is good!

On the 2nd day, we were on the bus up to Phulbari and we ran out of fuel. So we were stranded in the middle of the road halfway up. We could have gotten frustrated and irritated at the bus drivers but I really praise God that the team stayed positive. We had our first glimpse of the Himalyan skyline because of that incident. We climbed up onto a plateau where we could enjoy the scenery while waiting for the driver's assistant to fetch petrol. I believe that even when things go wrong because of man's foolishness, God turns it around for our benefit.

They had a church service on Thursday because that was their day off. Church was just a small dark room at the back of their store / cooking area. We could not all fit in. I loved it when they started to worship God. It was like tribal rhythmic singing. Just voices with a single percussion instrument. But the presence of God was fantastic. There was this one little boy, the evangelist's son singing his heart out. A beautiful passionate voice.

The times of worship in Nepal were heavenly. Peter put it the best in Acts 10:34.

Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,
but in every nation anyone who fears him
and does what is right is acceptable to him.

The word fear means to be in awe, to show heartfelt respect or in modern day terms, it simply means to worship. There was such a strong anointing for renewal and for the nation of Nepal in our prayers and worship. I remember Georgina leading us in a fantastic time in His presence. God showed us in verses like Psalms 95:1-5 and Isaiah 40:28-31 the depth of His grace and strength. It would be the recurring theme for the entire trip. It is my prayer that the grace and strength of God be visible constantly in my life. That means never again relying on my own efforts. Never again trying to achieve but always accomplishing for His Glory.

I pray that just like the sunrise in the mountains. The glory of God will shine through me and many others into the full glory of His return. I pray that His glory will illuminate the beauty in others and in me. Beauty is seen when things around reflect the sunlight. Father in all I do, it is your light that has to be seen. That is utmost.

~~~ You are faithful ~~~
Lord of all the earth
how You care for me
You have made me
You will save and carry me always

You are faithful
Your joy is my strength

Lord You are my God
I rely on You
I put my hope in things not seen
Your promises all true

Always You’re with me
Your hand will lift me
My trust is in Your hands
| Hillsong - Saviour King |

2007-11-19T16:54:00.000+08:00

I meant to blog about this sooner but the Nepal fundraising event in church and Facebook have been taking up much of my time. Poor excuses, I know.

I wanted to go into more detail about what the Lord showed me about Psalms 63 almost a month ago in prayer school. It occurred to me that by grouping verse 1 & verse 5, verses 2 & 6, verses 3 & 7, verses 4 & 8, we would get a clearer picture of what the Holy Spirit was trying to communicate. Written by David in the wilderness of Judah, you can hear the cry in his words.

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Look at the words used to communicate his desire. The word translated as "Earnestly" or "Early" seems to describe a desperate need that can only be satisfied by constant, relentless waiting on Him. The closest I may have come to that feeling is after a soccer match in the heat of the afternoon. Where you feel that every cell in your body is screaming for hydration. Lynette asked a valid question during prayer meeting on Friday. She talked about being hungry for more of God. How many of us have experienced something like that? How many can truly say that we've thirsted till we've almost fainted?

Which brings me to the point.
My God is irresistible. More desirable than any treasure or jewellery.
Why is desire for God on such a low?
My God is limitless. He cannot be overdrawn, overtaxed, overwhelmed.
If you don't see a need for God, then you must not know God very well.
My God is huge. Bigger than any disaster, mishap, natural or otherwise.
If you knew my God, you would desire for more Him.

Its as logical as can be. Thats why movies have trailers, products have advertisements and superstars have posters. To inform about SOME of the things that we should expect. To give us a taste of things to come so as to WHET our appetite.

What is this dry and weary land with no water? Some people might answer, "Oh its when we're going through difficult times," or "When we're having the 'wilderness' experience," or some smarter people might try to say, "Any time that we're not in church."
To me, it is any moment apart from God. Any moment that we're not in His presence is a dry and weary place.

As I've mentioned before in the last post, verse 5 is like an immediate result of being in that position. When you earnestly desire Him it says that:

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

I don' t know about you, but I like seeing and being assured of the outcome. I will be satisfied and I will praise! Fat and rich food actually carries the meaning of abundance, to be blessed or to have the best of the land. There is a new testament equivalent in Matthew 5:6 which says:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.

Verses 2 & 6 can be read together and would look like this:

So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
When I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;

We see here one of the keys of tapping on the promise of satisfaction. Notice here that looking, beholding, remembering, meditating are basically the same thing. Immerse yourself in knowledge about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Think about the things you learnt in prayer meeting, speak freely with Him throughout the day, ponder about the things of God during your meal times, thank Him for His promises before you sleep. I used to think that doing so would render one irrelevant to the world. But nothing could be further from the truth! This is what the world needs! The world is crying out for people who truly know God and can guide them into His presence.

We know from 1 John 4:8, 16 that God is Love. 1 John 4:9 says that through Jesus Christ, love was made manifest, or love appeared! So when verse 3 & 6 speaks about God's steadfast love, it is actually speaking about Jesus.

Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

His steadfast love is better than life! His steadfast love, Jesus, has been my help! My lips will praise Jesus and in the shadow of his wings, I will sing for joy. Why? Because Jesus is better than life. As Jesus says in John 10:10(KJV), "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." Jesus is life.
What prevents us from drawing closer to Him?

So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.

Verse 8 talks about clinging to Jesus. I feel that this English word doesn't do the original justice. The same word is used to describe the relationship between a man and his wife in Genesis 2:24. Some translations use the word "cleave to". This verse is then quoted 4 times in the New Testament by Jesus and Paul. (Matthew 19:5; Mark 10:7; 1 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 5:31)
It would mean that our relationship with God could be compared to a loving, pure, healthy, sexual union between a man and a woman.
There is also a sweet connection between the second lines of both verses. As I lift up my hands in His Name, He upholds me in His right hand! Isn't that beautiful?

If we want to be satisfied more deeply, we must desire Him so much more.
If we want to desire Him more, we must know Him so much more.
If we want to know Him more, we must be carried away by His Word.

2007-11-04T22:54:00.000+08:00

And Daryl entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of his fathers, with all his heart and with all his soul, and Daryl rejoiced over the oath, for he had sworn with all his heart and had sought Him with his whole desire, and He was found by Daryl, and the LORD gave him rest all around.
| 2 Chronicles 15:12,14,15 |

This verse is encouraging me so much. This weekend has been spiritually and physically draining. Its not that I can't take the pressure. I've not been given anything new to handle. Its more like I'm not used to being challenged on so many fronts. I'm not doubting the Word of God and I don't think I'm lacking in faith. Its times like this, you just wish that Jesus would show up. If you spend the whole week 'serving' and then feel so far from Him, you begin to wonder. Am I really serving Him in the first place?

Maybe this is where the training really starts. This is where the rubber hits the road. Putting into practice the things that I've learnt. Its not the activities that I need to focus on completing, lessons that i need to focus on teaching, points and ideas which I need to get across. The focus should be to search after God with all my desire. Only then is there a true rest.

Psalms 63:1 --> O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Do you see the level of desire? As if I would die without it.

Psalms 63:5 --> My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips.

This is the result of that desire. Satisfaction.
I don't mean to be disrespectful to God in any way. But honestly? I am not satisfied yet.

2007-10-09T23:45:00.000+08:00

Don't waste time. Don't waste time! These words echo within me almost everyday now. Ephesians 5:16 says:
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (ESV)

There is a sense of urgency that stirred up within me when I read that. How does one not waste time? Ephesians 5:8 says that we are the light of the Lord. Paul asks us to walk as children of light!

Sounds simple enough doesn't it? But what does it mean to walk as a child of the light? Verse 1 and 2 of chapter 5 puts it simply enough. Like beloved children, be imitators of God AND walk in love the way Jesus loves us. How does one imitate God? Imitate means to follow, or to copy in action. So it simply means to act like Jesus!

The previous chapter (ch 4) and verse 22-23 talks about the proper way to behave as a child of light. Get rid of the old self and all its nastiness! PUT ON YOUR NEW SELF, which is the very image and likeness of God! Righteous and Holy! Act it out, play the part, fit the role. Don't let the devil deceive you into feeling as if it was hypocritical! Thats my God! Beaming with pride like a father seeing his son, the groom, walking confidently down the aisle in a sharp new suit. Thats what God sees in us when we put on His gift of righteousness and redemption.

What do the words, "Don't waste time" mean to me?
It means learning as much as I can about Him through His Word. It means finding out as much as I can about Him. Not just to know for the sake of knowledge. But so that I can worship Him all the more. For example, the more I find out about His love, the more amazed I am because of that love. And the more amazed I am, the more I want my life to be an ongoing worship to Him. The opposite is true. You cannot worship who you don't know.

~~~ You are awesome ~~~
You are awesome in this place, Mighty God
You are awesome in this place, Abba Father
You are worthy of our praise
to You our lives we raise
You are awesome in this place, Mighty God

2007-10-03T23:00:00.000+08:00

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (NKJV)

Confess Your Sins And Be Saved
I’ve often heard this verse being quoted whenever we were leading people to the Lord. I was taught to share this verse with unbelievers during street evangelism. The aim was to get them to confess all their sins before they could be saved. This was what I understood about salvation. I used to hold to the belief that I had to confess my sins constantly to stay forgiven.

This verse has been the topic of much debate in my cell group and among my friends. It stems from the interpreting the phrase “If we confess our sins,” as a qualifier for God’s forgiveness and cleansing.

However, if we look at other scriptures from the bible, we see that there is no requirement for an unbeliever to confess their sins before salvation can take place. There seems to be no New Testament scripture which supports confessing sins as a means to stay saved.

According to Romans 10:9-10, 13
…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

It is clearly stated that salvation requires confession of Jesus as Lord and believing that God has raised Him from the dead. The confession stated here is not confession of sin but a confession of Jesus. We can also see another example from when Paul and Silas were talking to the Philippian Jailer.

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Acts 16:30-31

Who Does 1 John 1:9 Apply To?
First of all, from the context of the epistle, we can see that 1 John was addressed to believers. John refers to the recipients of the letter as “my little children” and teaches them to walk in the light and to beware of anti-christs. According to Merrill C. Tenney in the book New Testament Survey, "…the most acceptable view is that these documents were written by John for the Asian churches in the middle of the last third of the century."

The question which then arises, is there a need for Christians to keep confessing their sins? What happens to unconfessed sin? Do we become unforgiven or unrighteous again?

For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:17 (NLT)

But when Christhad offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, hesat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that timeuntil his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
Hebrews 10:11-14 (NKJV)

These scripture do not seem to agree with that stand.

The book of 1 John seems to carry a paternal tone to it and the tone of this verse is constant with the rest of the book. It seems that John is trying to reassure and advise the readers of the forgiveness and their righteousness. The Amplified Version seems to bring across this reassurance.

But if we really are living and walking in the Light, as He Himself is in the Light, we have true, unbroken fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses or removes us from all sin and guilt. He keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations. (AMP)
1 John 1:9

We see here how a wrong interpretation of scripture and taking things out of context of the rest of the bible can cause wrong teachings to surface.

2007-09-18T00:08:00.000+08:00

Praise God!! After about a year and about S$1,300, I have passed my driving test. By many people's standards, this is about 6 years too late. But I believe this is just a step in God's plan of unleashing many more blessings in my life.

I led worship during church service for the first time on Sunday. It was quite an experience. There was definitely God's grace present during the worship. Still trying to figure out the finer details like flowing specifically with His direction during the praise and worship, as well as other technical and musical things. It has definitely been a fantastic experience. Most importantly, God did show up!

G . R . A . C . E

2007-09-14T00:32:00.000+08:00

"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
| John 4:23-24 |

This scripture has been hitting me over and over in ways that I've never seen before. I've heard this verse quoted so often and so pointlessly that it seems that we've lost the impact of it. The Greek word translated as 'worship' in this verse is 'proskuneo'. And it means to prostrate, or to revere, or to adore. This brings to mind the scene of Mary at the feet of Jesus, anointing them with perfume. This is adoration, this is worship.

Who are those who worship him?
I am.

The simplicity of the verse hit me during prayer school today. God is spirit and I MUST worship Him. Not an obligation... but a yearning. Not because its a requirement, but because I love to. I just have to worship Him simply because God is. Israel Houghton put is best when he said, "Birds fly... fishes swim... I worship..."

Its a given that true worshippers must worship and spirit and in truth. So the way I see the verse is "God is... (amazing, awesome, fantastic) And I just have to worship..."

Another verse that hit me, also on the area of worship is Romans 4:20.
"No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God"

'Glory' is translated 'doxa'
A Greek lexicon defines it as dignity, glory(-ious), honour, praise, worship.

This was referring to Abraham and the promise that he would be "Father of Many Nations". Worship is what helped him. As we glorify God, it helps us magnify Him. Our worship strengthens our faith. It strengthens our belief in the promises of God and causes us to be stable.

2007-09-05T14:41:00.000+08:00

This term has been a hectic one. And it has made me realise the possibility of letting the depth of the teaching at bible school just pass me by. I've been seriously contemplating quitting my job at Kumon so as to free up more time to study the Word and to serve in church. But then, all sorts of questions pop up in my mind. How am I going to support myself? How can I afford to stop work?
And the most important question of all or rather the only question that really matters...
Is this what God wants me to do?
If it is, then the other questions don't matter any more.

Another first for me this school term attending two funerals. It gave me a lot of things to contemplate. But I praise God for opportunities to be there for friends and family.

School has been fun. I'm really enjoying my time there especially during prayer school. I've been heavily involved in worship for this semester, but it seems i'm scheduled to play percussions on most days. I would really love to lead worship more often but at the end of the day, its the needs of the school which outweigh my desires. Its through times in worship that I sense an anointing and a grace to serve in this area. This is an area which I really wanna learn and improve in.

~~~ You Are ~~~
You are my light and salvation,whom shall i fear?
You are the strength of all my days, of whom shall i be afraid?
Though war may rise against me, of this i will be sure.

CHORUS
That i shall bless the lord for ever,
I'll bless your holy name
Yes I will bless the lord for ever ,
I'll bless your holy name.
Hillsong - Hope

2007-08-26T18:55:00.000+08:00

These two weeks of school have just whizzed by like a bullet. Classes have been beneficial but I still feel that there's something deeper that I'm not getting or understanding. I'm not talking about the lessons... I'm talking about an underlying thought or purpose which I know I have but just doesn't seem to emerge. But then again, the reason why its not clear could be due to the my busyness or simply my lack of discipline to "just sit at the feet of Jesus".

There have been certain issues weighing on my mind recently.
Been praying for Uncle Jimmy and his family.
I thank God, who always leads us to triumph.

The 40DOP campaign in church and the cell group is now in full swing.
I thank God for deeper relationships forged with God through Christ Jesus.

My driving test is in 2 weeks time.
I thank God for the ability given to me to drive well. I thank God for the grace and favour shown to me from instructors, the tester, and motorists.

I'm leading the praise & worship session in church service for the first time in 2 weeks time.
Praise God for helping me and granting me the opportunity to realise a dream even without my asking for it. Once again, I praise God for the ability and the anointing to lead His people.

I praise God for providing ALL that I need to achieve His purpose in my life. I have the grace to go through bible school receiving the FULLEST possible impartation. I have the ability to serve with my entire being in places where I have been called. I thank God for the wisdom to understand truth from the Word of God and for the ability to recognise Him at work.

2007-08-14T23:59:00.000+08:00

Its probably because I fell sick the night before school restarted, but it feels as if I barely made it through the school break. Did I fully utilise my time away from bible school? Did I serve Him with the best of my ability? What good have I actually done? And my oft-repeated reminders to myself, What have I learnt?

I'm quickly recovering from all symptoms of the sickness. I intend to be fully well tomorrow morning. Its time to stop wasting time. One thing I want to get from God this semester is a specific direction for 2008. Its time for doors to be opened.

~~~ To Worship You I Live ~~~
Away away from the noise
alone with you
away away to hear your voice
and meet with you
nothing else matters my one desire is

To worship you I live
I live to worship you
| Israel and New Breed - Live in South Africa |

2007-08-01T22:31:00.000+08:00

I was in pretty high spirits when I went to visit my Uncle Jimmy today. I thought it would be a simple time of praying and encouraging. But when I looked into the room where he was in, I thought it was another person. The person I saw looked nothing like my uncle whom I had visited a couple of weeks before. His frame was thin and dishevelled, his cheeks sunken, his eyes showing disorientation. And I was stunned. Honestly, I was frightened... and fear kept trying to creep into my thoughts. Thoughts of my parents, my life, my beliefs shot through my mind.

It was a few minutes before I managed to pull myself together and my family and I began to pray in the spirit for him. I couldn't have prayed any other way. Words fail you in situations like these. Thank God for the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Thank God for my family who each began to speak Scripture to Uncle Jimmy. Lynette was praying God's promises for him and claiming victory for the whole situation and we were agreeing together as a family.

It was at this point when I felt God speaking to me to lay hands on Uncle Jimmy. God brought to my remembrance Luke 4:18-19
The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind
To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD

To set free those who are oppressed. Those who are suffering and those in need of healing. Thats when I saw in my mind, Uncle Jimmy's head being held in hands. I saw his brain being filled out and restored. I felt my hands grow warm and I knew that I had to go over and touch him. And when I did, I felt God's healing compassion and love simply rush through me and into Uncle Jimmy. Tears began to roll down and I knew again that his time was not up, his work was not done. I saw every fibre of his being restored. And after we finished praying, there was a sense of peace in the room. There was even a change in the countenance of Uncle Jimmy as he fell asleep soundly once we starting praying. I could recognise him again.

"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

This victory is not only reserved for heaven but here on earth as well. Uncle Jimmy, I look forward to seeing you preach again.

2007-07-25T21:47:00.000+08:00

Let me start off with a quote from a book I'm currently reading. "The HEART of the ARTIST" by Rory Noland.

... this is one of the biggest differences between performing and ministry. I've seen many professional entertainers try to approach ministry the same way they've always approached performing.

Performance is entertainment. You have to own the stage. You have to appear self-confident and enthusiastic. It doesn't matter if you're going through a deep personal crisis. The show must go on. You have to put it all behind you and step onstage and wow everybody one more time.

Ministry, on the other hand, is not entertainment. Instead of pretence, there is authenticity -- we need to be real onstage. Instead of working hard to whip up confidence, we need to be humble. Ministry demands that we allow the Holy Spirit to own the stage.

It is not easy to keep checking your heart to see what our attitude or intentions are but that is exactly what we have to do. And this doesn't just involve our attitude towards worship but towards everything that we do in life. Worship, as we so often hear, is more than just singing or getting everyone stirred up. Its not about putting a tear in congregation's eye. Its a form of expressing a lifestyle.
It is what happens when you really realise how BIG God is, how much He LOVES you and how much He has given.

Every attempt to worship has to begin from this understanding. There needs to be a capacity to recognise God's Love before we can receive God's Love. That is why John says in 1 John 4:7-12:
We -- we love him, because He -- He first loved us;

This is taken from Young's Literal Translation. You can almost imagine the way John would verbalise this. He pauses as if his breath is taken away by remembering the Love of Jesus. As if He had to compose himself before saying it. He had that understanding of Love. He realised that he was the disciple whom Jesus loved. This is the basis for all worship.

2007-07-06T14:58:00.000+08:00

And my God will supply every need of mine according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
To our God and Father be glory forever and ever.
Amen.
:: Philippians 4:19-20 ::

And He does it again. Thank you God.

2007-07-01T23:06:00.000+08:00

Hello dear blog... Hello old friend. What have I learnt in my absence from the world of journalling? If anything, I've learnt the importance of journalling and its significance in my life. Life is far too complicated, too detailed, too romantic to simply experience in one shot. Its too brilliant, too rich in content, too intense to handle and process at any one time. That is why we have different forms of capturing media. The digital camera, the mp3 recorder, or even in the more primitive forms. The pencil and paper.

Why has mankind come up with all these devices? My opinion is that mankind has been looking for a way to extend life ever since man got separated from God. We've been searching for the "fountain of youth". And media provides a way to capture the instances in life which take our breath away. The moments which we enjoy. We try to prolong these moments by talking about them, by reminiscing or critiquing them. Why do we do it? Because these are the moments which make time stop for us. Praise God for these moments... It is as if He places these things just for us to enjoy and just to give life and strength to our souls. I just need to take time to think about His love and it just amazes me. It takes my breath away. That is is why I worship Him. Because He gives me so much to experience, so much to learn.

Recently, we've been learning a lot about the book of Jonah during cell group and one key characteristic I've learnt about God is His grace. Whenever you turn back to Him, He's still willing to use you. Even when you feel that you are not deserving of His blessings, He continues to bless.

One of the things I hear Him saying to me whenever I feel unworthy.
"Get over yourself!!! Get up from that pit of self-pity and get to work on what I've intended for you. Self-abasement is just a waste of time. It gives Me no glory for you to remain in that state. Encourage yourself in Me."

Indeed, God has been opening doors for me. Choices laid before me that excite me. Naturally, I would shy away from things which I don't have a clue on how to achieve. But things that God shows me, He puts in me the desire to learn and do. God amazes me.

2007-05-01T23:01:00.000+08:00

These past few weeks have been an immense learning experience for me. Learning from God and about God. It wouldn't be humanly possible to learn so much in so many areas in such a short time, but with God, all things are possible. Its true! He just made the "impossibles" happen in mine! Just being in obedience unlocks new learning material! The blessings just come when I act out what I have learnt. Whether it is regarding believing God for finances, walking in divine health or simply practising righteousness, it just amazes me how good God is.

Recently I've been troubled with a stiff back and it didn't go away with after praying what I would call regular prayer. So while I was on the MRT to city hall, I decided to meditate on Isaiah 53:4-5 (ESV) and get it into my spirit.

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.

In my bible, I had written beside the words griefs and sorrow, the words pains and sickness, respectively. These words are closer to the original Hebrew meanings. I also began reading 1 Peter 2:24 (ESV)

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

When I was reading this verse, I began to take notice of the phrase "that we might die to sin and live to righteousness". It brought to mind the theme for our church's youth camp.
"Dead to Sin. Alive in Christ".
Jesus died that we might die to sin. Why do translators use the word "might"? It brought across the impression that Jesus death is not final. It seems as if there is an uncertainty in that phrase.

But looking at other scripture like Romans 6:6-11 says that our old selves have died with Christ and that sin has been brought to nothing. We're dead to sin, once and for all.
2 Corinthians 5:21 says that God made Jesus to be sin so that we might become the righteousness of God.
Its all very clear and distinct. No confusion there. So back to 1 Peter 2:24. Why the use of the word "might"?

The answer that came to me was "choice". Jesus died so that we might die to sin. Jesus came that we may have life and have it abundantly. Jesus came to give us the option. Does that mean that all in church have taken hold of the abundant life? Or that all those in church have all died to sin? But we have it! If we would only take hold of what we have.

Romans 3:22 says that the righteousness of God is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. Choose!
1 Timothy says that all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. We are righteous! But there needs to be a training of righteousness by using the the Word of God.

I started off with Isaiah 53 and got carried away into the study of righteousness. I was so blessed by this reminder and praise God, by the time I reached city hall, my back was healed. Just another example of the 'multi-purpose' power of the Word.

2007-04-13T22:15:00.000+08:00

As I was walking to Bukit Merah interchange, feeling good that I had gotten the evening off from work to go home to complete my readings, I met one of the Kumon students on the his way to class. He was just the tiniest boy, maybe about 4 years old. He was walking with his mother and carrying the Kumon 'fish' folder in his hand. It was at that moment that he recognised me and loudly exclaimed, "Mummy, ni(2) kan(4) Kumon lao(3) shi(1)!" which means "Mummy, Look at the Kumon teacher!"
And that put a big smile on my face. He said it with such enthusiasm and happiness that joy just filled my soul. I don't care who you are, recognition like that is always welcome. It feels good to be an influencing factor in the lives of these children.

But on to spiritual things. I praise God for the finished work of the cross! Praise God for my righteousness in Jesus Christ. But I know there is something deeper than this. Lord, open my eyes. Give me greater understanding!

~~~ Open My Eyes ~~~
Saviour of my soul
I worship You as God alone
Greater love has made a way to You

I could not forget
The moment I in faith confessed
For my sin You died and rose again

I believe every word You say
Father God with all my heart I sing

Open my eyes
I want to see Your glory, Your glory Lord
I open my ears
I want to be closer, closer to You

Here I am again
I find my strength in drawing near
You have heard the desperate cry in me

And as I wait on You my God
I’ll know the voice of truth
In quietness I am in awe
And as I worship You my Lord
I understand the cross
The sacrifice of God
| Hillsong - Mighty To Save |

2007-04-06T21:57:00.000+08:00

If I really think hard about it, I can remember the whole atmosphere that the church was in. Back in those days, I remember how the entire environment was changed because of the presence of God. You couldn't say that I had any understanding whatsoever of spiritual things. I had no knowledge or ability to express how I felt. But as a little boy, I vividly remember experiencing His presence. I recall the feel of the cheap, rough carpet under my body. I remember the way it felt as I lay there in some hotel conference room. The rest of the adults oblivious to what I was going through.

As I traced the patterns of the carpet with my fingers, little did I realise what God was doing for me. He was tracing His plan and fusing His character with mine. Formed even before there was any trace or thought of my existence. Oh yes! Even without my understanding, He was filling me with His Spirit. Waiting for the time where my understanding would catch up with my spirit. Waiting for me to take hold of what I had.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10

I like the phrasing in the English Standard Version of Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
The Amplified version says God being a partner in their labor all things work together and are fitting into a plan for good to and for those who love God and are called according to His design and purpose.

I think many of us love God. The question that remains is, how do we know if we're called? How do we know whether God has a purpose for me?
The bible says in Jeremiah 29:11. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
In Ephesians 4, Paul speaks about each person in the body of Christ having a role to play.

I was reading Exodus 35:31-35 last week. And the Words of God through Moses really hit me hard. I will retell it as it spoke to me.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
God has filled me with the Spirit of God. The power of the Holy Spirit! He has anointed me with skill, intelligence, with knowledge. With all that is necessary for the job thats laid before me. Not just the minimum requirements but the ability to do an excellent job. To make beautiful work, music or words with high quality.

For the work that He has called me into, He has inspired me to learn and teach. HE has filled me with skill, artistic talent, imagination, words, ideas, plans, details to fulfill my calling. He has given me the ability to inspire others to find and carry out their plans as well.

As easily as I have received the Holy Spirit through salvation. As easily as I have been filled to the overflowing, with power of the Holy Spirit, I am just as easily anointed to do His will. With boldness and conviction, confidence and strength.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

2007-03-16T12:34:00.000+08:00

Retreat (noun)
A place affording peace, quiet, privacy, or security.
A period of seclusion, retirement, or solitude.
A period of group withdrawal for prayer, meditation, or study: a religious retreat.

I am so refreshed from the wonderful 3 days at Desaru. We stayed at Pulai Springs Beach Resort, a beautiful hotel with its own beach. It was 3 fulfilling days spent in the presence of God. I don't just mean when we entered the conference room for the sessions. But I think all of us had an awareness of how the presence of God simply infiltrated the entire hotel. Samuel, one of my year 2 schoolmates, captured the feeling best when we were praying together as a group beside the beach. He said that it was a privilege to be praying beside the sea with the sound of its crashing waves. And so we sat there praying for an hour in the spirit. Beautiful.

Psalms 29:3-4
The voice of the LORD is over the waters; The God of glory thunders; The LORD is over many waters.
The voice of the LORD is powerful; The voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

I think the next best part was being able to play and worship God. In my mind, I was thinking, what an honour to be serving in this ministry and worshiping with all these "spiritual heavyweights". Of course, God quickly got my attention off them and back on Him. Its such a joy to worship Him.

All throughout the first 2 days, I was telling God that I wanted a Word from Him through the Coopers. (They were a couple, the guest speakers for the retreat) God was telling me that I didn't need a Word, that I already have the battle plan. But I told Him that I wanted an confirmation, or rather an encouragement that I was on the right track. So when it was my turn to be prayed for, it didn't surprise me that all that was mentioned were the same things that I've gotten from God before. There were 2 things however, that were new to me. These were regarding anointing and restoration. Such words of comfort. I had been hearing people saying that I was anointed before but I never really accepted it. Having heard it from God makes it so much more believable.

And so the key topic for this retreat is praying in the spirit. For a greater anointing and greater power. Oh the number of things that can be achieved when we let God use us even when we pray.

2007-03-11T02:01:00.000+08:00

A prayer from the Heart
Father I want to bring Daryl before you. I ask that You grant him Your spirit of wisdom and revelation every day, every time he reads Your Word, I pray that he will learn something new and You will give him a a fresh revelation.

Lord, I thank You that he has a teachable heart, and I know that You are gonna use that and teach him many things because his heart is so open to you, and I know that you will also use him to impart all the wonderful things he has learnt to others who need to hear it. I know and I declare that he will do great things for you, and I pray that you continue to grant him enough light for every single step that he takes with you, as he follows your leading and as you take him to higher levels, one at a time.

Father I also pray that you will increase his boldness. You know that he has a desire to reach out to the lost, to share the gospel and bring people to You. I ask that you will really help him to step out of his personality! That he will be filled with boldness and declare your gospel aloud!

We know that Your Word is powerful and speaks for itself, it's not the words we use or how well we speak but Your word is living and it transforms people and so we thank you that we dont have to rely on ourselves to reach out to other people and be afraid of saying the wrong things or looking stupid, but we can rely on you as your Holy Spirit gives us the words to say.

I pray that Daryl will be so in tune with the Holy Spirit, every single second of his life, in all the decisions he makes, the situations he faces. He will do as you guide him. I also pray that you keep Daryl from temptation and protect him from any accidents or harm that the devil might want to put in his way as he goes to Desaru until Wednesday. I ask that it will be a time of refreshing for him. During this time he will learn so much from you and have such intimate times with you. I pray that he will come back different! Changed and convicted by the Holy Spirit in new areas of his life no longer the same but changed forever for you!

We thank you in advance for all our prayers , that although we cant see them by our eyes, we believe by faith that you have heard and have answered! We rejoice in advance for all the wonderful things you are doing and are going to do in Daryl's life and we pray all these in Jesus' mighty name. Amen.

2007-03-08T23:11:00.000+08:00

I seem to have had a revelation today while I was walking home from the MRT and it makes me happy! I think I'm going to shock some people in the near future. I've had some setbacks regarding the last post where I mentioned my desire to become bolder and more radical for the Lord. Isn't it just like the devil to come and try to discourage and disappoint you when you're making a decision to glorify God? Isn't it just like the devil to come and try to condemn you for not being able to carry out that decision?

So often we're being deceived into thinking that our actions are bad because they don't fit into the culture that we're in. I think I'm tired of having people dictate what I am and what I'm permitted to do. And very often, condemnation comes because we fail to live up to people's expectations. In 1 Corinthians 10:29, Paul asks For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience?" I'm not saying that we lower the standards. I'm saying that we raise them to please the only One whose opinion matters. When you follow after Christ, you're bound to step on some people's toes. Again I'm not saying that you go out of your way to offend others. But I just realised tonight that I've been trapped in people's opinions and judgements. Fear of condemnation. No more of that for me.

Luke 4:18-19
The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind.
To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.

Jesus purchased my freedom on the cross. Romans 8:1 says "...no more condemnation to those who are IN CHRIST JESUS!"
2 Corinthians 3:17 says "...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty!"

In Proverbs 19:12 and 20:2, it says "The wrath of a King is like a roaring lion."
We all know that God is the "Lion of Judah" and the "King of Kings". And many of us think that God rebukes or disciplines us by condemning us. But that is not the case!

1 Peter 5:8 says "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."
The devil prowls around like a roaring lion. The father of lies tries to imitate the only true and living God. He tries to mislead people into thinking that God's anger is on them. In short, the devil tries to bring condemnation where there should be none. If the devil cannot stop us from getting saved, he's going to try to get us to become ineffective. What better way for him to do that than making the Christian feel sinful and unworthy?

The truth is, God does not condemn us anymore. There are no consequences of sin to bear from God. The wrath of God has already been exhausted on the glorious Jesus Christ. The consequences of sin have been paid for in full. Thats the beauty of the gospel.

John 3:17-18
"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned..."

2007-02-22T11:27:00.000+08:00

There's an awkwardness when I come to blog now. I'm in the process of changing and trying to incorporate something into my lifestyle. Its something that I have been trying to do for years but so far it hasn't been successful. I'm talking about evangelism.

I've never been the type who would go up to strangers and start talking openly about Christ. There are people who can do it and I marvel at them. My mind cannot comprehend how they are able to speak with such authority and boldness. I seem to come up with more reasons why they shouldn't accept Christ instead. Thats my problem, see? Again, I try to reason out Salvation logically. There's no way to reason it out!

I think the problem I'm experiencing is that subconsciously, I'm making it my responsibility to convert the people I'm speaking to. Same with when I lay hands on people to be healed. Its like I'm trying to heal them or change them. Many of us are familiar with the verse in Romans 1:16.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

We often heard it said that we should not be ashamed of the Gospel but don't you think that it is weird that there is anything to be ashamed of at all? Why are we ashamed? When we look at the verse in Paul's context, we can see that he had reason to be ashamed! Persecution, ridicule from fellow Jews. Christianity was viewed as second rate. But in this day and age, in our multi-racial society of Singapore. What is there to be ashamed of? The Gospel or Good News is the Power of God to salvation. We should be proud of it!

Lets look at how Paul utilised this power in his ministry in the previous verse.
Romans 1:15
So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.

We simply preach or to put it in a less threatening word, we speak of the Gospel. We don't have to spice it up or dilute it to "suit" the audience.
Romans 1:17
For in it (the gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed...

The Gospel. I so often have a hunger to see people coming to God. I long for the honor of being part of the miracle of 'Spiritual Rebirth'. But sometimes there are hindrances. Sometimes I feel as if I don't have the ability or the right to speak the gospel. But that right is given to every believer. So what other excuse can we give for not doing more?

God's righteousness is revealed when we speak. The pressure should not be on us to make our words powerful. The Gospel IS the Power of God! If we are truly convinced of what salvation means to us, then that alone is enough to speak of it to others. What is this fear that stops us from sharing? Is it personality? Our environment or society? Our upbringing? Culture?
This challenges me in my spirit. Do I really really REALLY know Christ? Isn't Jesus greater than all we lack? Do we need to script out the wonder of God's grace and mercy? I've all but started praying for God to bring me souls. I know what a heavy responsibility it is. I know if I simply ask for the opportunity to evangelise, God will be faithful and create them. But asking for opportunities means being able to step out of your personality and obeying Him. It may mean looking foolish for Him. Am I radical enough?

2007-02-15T23:32:00.000+08:00

I want to be able to come to a point in life where I can look back and say, "I think I made a difference, I think I made an impact in people's lives."
Where people would exclaim that it MUST have been God working in my life. It is not possible that you did it on your own. Of course, one must ALWAYS be wary not to fall into the trap where you're striving for the honor and recognition of being used by God rather than simply being the instrument.

Patience and Perserverance, Daryl

2007-01-25T23:45:00.000+08:00

Its good to be made to think. But its not good to be made to worry. There are things which I have to pray about. Not worry about. Because worrying will only cause white hairs. There are some issues that are valid. I have to take them into my prayer room. Different people have different callings. People specialise in different areas and prosper in different areas as God blesses their abilities. There are abilities which I should learn and develop. But just because someone isn't blessed in certain areas doesn't make them any less special or less 'called'.

I will not let myself be looked down upon just because I'm not as highly educated, highly qualified, well-mannered, intelligent or well-spoken. Thank God that He is my qualification.
Daryl, Servant of the Most High God.

I shudder to even think myself worthy of such a title. But the Word says I am made righteous! Its by His grace alone that I even have a chance in life. Not just a chance, but a opportunity to reign! (Romans 5:17-21)
To reign! I rule over the things in life because God has given me authority, through Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. I obey, I study the Word, I do not falter and He makes me the head and not the tail. It means I am on top of things! Above and not beneath.
Lord... I earnestly desire!!!

to burn with zeal

to desire one earnestly, to strive after, busy one's self about him
to exert one's self for one (that he may not be torn from me)
to be the object of the zeal of others, to be zealously sought after

2007-01-21T23:29:00.000+08:00

Jeremiah 1:17-19
But YOU, daryl, dress yourself for work. My work! Gird up your loins, prepare yourself, build yourself up! Arise and say to them everything that I tell you. Speak when "I tell you to speak. Obey when I tell you. Your obedient response sparks off the power.

Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them!

Will you be affected by Me, influenced by Me, reliant on Me? Then forget them? My Word will prove itself. And I will make you strong, give you the ability to withstand and defend. Where ordinary people would normally be struck down, you will stand firm, unshakable. And you will be a pillar for others to lean on, to hide behind. Against ALL who come against you, against all who will fight you and try to prove you wrong. They will try to tear you down. But I am with you, to carry you out of harms way and to prove my Word to be true.

Jeremiah 5:14
Because you have spoken this Word, I am making my Words in your mouth a fire, a consuming fire

2007-01-07T23:18:00.000+08:00

I'm so grateful for the sheer number of chances that God has given me to be encouraged and to minister to others. I just pray that I'll be able to speak the words of God and not my own opinions. Its seems so easy to speak from experience and distort what God says.

Here's what happened on the second day of the house visitation in Myanmar.

DAY 2
The amount of walking that we had done the previous day left me surprisingly tired out at the end of the day. I recognised it as signs of dehydration. It is equally as hot in Myanmar as it is here, but the difference is how dry the climate is. Thankfully, there wasn't as much walking in sun.

We made our way by taxi and trishaw to a house church located in the dried up fields. The sun was shining brightly but the air still maintained its morning coolness. We reached the house about an hour before they were scheduled to start. The family, made up of a couple and their 3 children, were all busy preparing in one form or another. The man, squatting beside a clay stove, was putting the finishing touches to the meal he had prepared for us visitors. His wife, having laid out the mat in the middle of the hut, had gone out to inform the neighbours that we had arrived. There was a child with a physical handicap in her legs and a speech impediment. But she was so cheerful and scooting around the hut giving us "massages" on our arms. There was another small girl who had just taken her shower and was changing in front of us. The 3rd child was an infant lying on the floor making cute sounds.

And so the 6 of us (3 from the Rhema team & 3 from the AoG church) sat down for lunch at the makeshift dining table, the rest of the family looked quizzically at us. The custom in Myanmar is for the guests to eat their fill before the hosts even start eating. Also because the table could not sit all of us at the same time. The food was quite good but I was having a slight tummy problem so I was eating as little as my conscience would permit and as much as my digestive system would allow.

We finally got started with the service almost 2 hours after arriving. We only found out at that moment that they desired us to speak to them. So we got the most senior of us to do the job, the only Rhema Alumni in the team, to do the job for us. Thank God for her because I wouldn't have any clue as to what to speak about. At the end of that session, there were 4 people who wanted to receive Christ.

Just at we thought that we could breathe a word of thanksgiving for the 4 souls added to the Kingdom of God, we were informed that the sunday school teacher was on the way to the house church and there was still a sunday school session. But the thing was, it wasn't sunday and the sunday school teacher would not be teaching. She was coming to hear us. So we had to frantically come up with another evangelistic topic to speak on. I got assigned to speak on the importance of the blood of Jesus.

Before we knew it, 3 more youths were added to the Kingdom and I was left speechless at how desperate God must have been to reach these people that He worked in spite of my limitations and unpreparedness. 7 souls added to the Kingdom that day. We were also asked to pray for the healing of several of them. I believe that they were blessed just by our being there. He really showed Himself to be faithful to His Word. All Glory to God!

2007-01-01T04:01:00.000+08:00

Welcome to 2007. I'm really behind time in my journaling. I haven't even blogged about Youth Camp. I should catch up by this week. Should have my newsletter up soon too.

People have been asking me about resolutions, plans, paths and ideas. I answer these in typical fashion. I don't know. I don't have the specifics yet. All I know is that there is so much more to learn. So much to prepare for. I know that I need to continue in my focus on Him.

I need to read and study more. My current reading project is the "Autobiography of George Mueller". I'm also studying Jeremiah and Ezekiel in the bible. I pray that I'll be able to continue with this when the added load of school readings come in. Something good is happening though. Something exciting will happen this year. I know it!

2006-12-26T23:32:00.000+08:00

During the trip, we had opportunities to go visit the villagers in their homes and attend the house churches. As usual, not knowing what to expect, I just went along believing that God would do his thing.

Mark 16:20 says “And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.”
He confirms the message, He confirms His Word. I don’t have to try to make it happen.

DAY 1
And so we went out on the first of two trips to the villages. I fell asleep on the drive to the villages and when I awoke, I was surrounded by land as far as the eye could see. I was awed by how vast it was. It made me feel small, dazed and intimidated. The simplicity of the living conditions was astounding. A family would be staying in a hut, half the size of most people’s bedrooms. My attention was pulled to the sight of 4 little children, 2 guys and 2 girls standing in the little plot of land outside their hut. They were naked.

As we made our way into the village, I quickly realised that the house at the entrance of the village was the biggest one, probably belonging to the village head. The huts in the village were much smaller and stood side by side along the road. The entrance was about 1.4 metres high. There were a lot of children around as well. These were the ones who were still too young to go to school. They were running around and playing amidst the pigs that weren’t tied to posts beside the entrances. Our guide and translator, Hau, had mentioned earlier that there were many children in the village and she wasn’t kidding. It occurred to me that they had no knowledge of birth control or contraceptives.

Later on when we walked quite a distance to another part of the village, about 15 minutes away, we arrived at an orphanage. Here I discovered that there were about 24 children being taken care of by a Christian lady. Here I learnt that if families got too large for the man to support, children had to be given away. The lady shared about how her husband, who recently passed away, had started the orphanage. When they first started, they only had 3 cups of rice for themselves and a child. But as they trusted in God and more and more children came into the orphanage, she testified that they had never gone hungry.

As I glanced around the room, I noticed scripture verses pasted all over the walls. They were written side by side in Burmese and English. These were the promises of God that they were claiming. At that moment, she gestured towards the space between the staircase and the prayer corner. There lay 4 large sacks of rice. Her faith produced more than a 1000% increase in rice.

John 6:35 says “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”

Isaiah 49:10 says “They shall neither hunger nor thirst, neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them.”

2006-12-23T22:22:00.000+08:00

Life in December is so packed. After coming back from a wonderful trip from Myanmar, I had to immediately prepare myself for youth camp. The more I think about it, the more I realise how much I still have to learn about the ministry. Sometimes it seems as if I'll never be able to reach the standard or the proficiency that we see many well-known evangelists or preachers. But thats not the point right? I really thank God for the things He's showing me and revealing to me.

Training takes time and I praise God that He has giving me the ability to learn by observation. I realise that even with learning music, I'm the kind of person that needs to watch and listen. Then I need to try it out to get the hang of it. Principles and theories do very little to convince me. Thats why I feel that having the opportunity to teach and minister in Myanmar did a lot to educate me. I keep getting comments from people that I am a "teacher". Maybe its the way I present the topics or explain things but I don't feel as if I am special in that area. My session with the students from the Church Planting Institute went pretty well. I was slightly nervous before I started but praise God that I was able to keep my focus. I did waver somewhere in the middle when I couldn't find my place in the notes. But I felt that I was able to come back. The time that the translator took also helped me to think before every sentence.

I was really encouraged by what Pastor 'V' said to the students after my session. I had mentioned during my introduction that I was halfway through my first year in bible school. He told them that they should be able to preach like I did because they have already been in training for almost 3 years. It really puzzled me. It must have been God working through me because I felt like I was nowhere near being a benchmark for the students.

While preparing for the teaching, God showed me Jeremiah 1:7-9
“Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, “Look, I have put my words in your mouth!”(NLT)

It made me realise that God was more concerned about the people than my shortcomings. In Jeremiah 1:12.
Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it."(ESV)