thank God for the tue Bible Study that recently passed. Matthew 9:35-38

The King's Service
The King's Sympathy
The King's Strategy

learning about how Jesus went to the cities and villages surrounding Galilee truly challenged me. it is estimated a total of about 200 cities and villages there were surrounding Galilee. and Jesus went to each one of them, on foot. no car, no aeroplane, no bus. walk, walk, walk.

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. " Mark 16:15

i heard this song some time ago, it still sticks with me -- the picture is painted so clear.
I do not want to be found having the blood of my loved ones and friends to be upon me.
what am i waiting for? what are you waiting for?

To Every Creature

The blood of men and nations is upon us,
As the church remains distracted from the call.
The Saviour’s great commission still unheeded,
To take His Word of redemption unto all.

To every creature I’ll preach the gospel,
In season out of season I would faithful be
This was our Saviour’s consuming passion
In every hour, it’s still God’s power,
Unto salvation for the world,
Unto all who will believe.

Oh, how then shall they hear without a preacher,
That our gracious Lord is ready to forgive?
To us it’s been committed as His stewards,
That light to shine every moment that we live!


"And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." Matthew 9:35-38

Thank God for a great time going door to door tonight with Jeremy, asking parents if they would like to allow their kids to come for Children's Camp.
Let's pray for one family in particular. Mr Kalek(i think that's how you spell it) despite hearing that this camp is organised by a church and there will be preaching, is still quite keen on sending his two muslim daughters to camp. Let's pray for God to keep this door open.
I thank God for challenging my faith, my mindset about how some people groups are 'harder' then other people groups. nonsance! With God all things are possible! Amen? amen!

Had a great time of fellowship with Jeremy along the way. He shared this quote on faith which he read from a book, "The greatness of your faith is shown in proportion to how long you can wait for the fulfillment of a promise." amazing quote! faith is not measured by result, but by faithfulness. by waiting on God in quiet confidence and trust that He will be faithful to what He said.

Hmm, before I met up with Jeremy, i was supposed to meet Glenda at 5 at Dover MRT. Waiting there, the Lord just gave me His eyes to the people. the multitudes, as sheep having no shepherd. it was the time of the day that all the students from SP finished sch and were gng home. oh how they walked by, group after group, pair after pair all engaged in their own conversations, obvlious to their eternal destiny. I wished i could stop them, grab all of them, bring them to a room and share the Gospel with them, tell them that God loves them and has a plan for them. oh, the masses. so many. and that is only one poly. one school.

"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" Romans 10:14-15

Oh may the Lord of the Harvest Thrust forth His labourers! Thrust us forth, Lord.

Critical thinking. this is something i needa develop. Having grew up in a society and environment where everything has been thought through for me, my mind has become so lazy to think, to analyse. Of course, not the extreme of being overly critical, but just -i would say- evaluation. Why do we do what we do? is it cos we've been doing it all along? or what can we learn from things happening around us? The world is our classroom and the Holy Spirit is our teacher.

So, the session tonight. How can we improve? Why Bishan? What sort of blocks should we target? How do we approach the parents, what is the best way? Hmm.. is going door to door the best way to reach the children? We need to think, we needa evaluate. Not just do something and then say - okay, i've done my best. is this really my best? i'm not just saying this Children's camp going out on the street thingy. but this applies to anything and everything. Lord, help.

yummy! (: i just shared 3 boxes of durian with my dad. ahhh.. durian, been a long time since i had you. okay, but that's not what i'm here to post abt. i've been wanting to post since Sunday but haven't got the time till now.

wow. imagine. i'm all of 17 now. seventeen.
my birthday, which just past, was a sweet one. (: no sabos! haha. yay! anyway, i don't really participate in otrs sabos so..

this birthday that just past was a different one. differently in,

firstly, it was celebrated over 4 days!? hahah. the longest ever.
thurs night, my family together with my grandma had chilli and pepper crab at my house. we celebrated in advance cos my mum would be flying on Sat and hence, would not be ard for my bdae. i killed two crabs! my grandma helped me to hold them down though. it was chilly, i didn't quite like killing those poor crabs.
fri morn at Bible Sch coffee talk, had 3 cakes. haha. all thanks to..Ray! (: but i appreciate it.
sat at Vibe, Yvonne and some runners went to island creamy to get a tub of reverso with relightable candles to celebrate Guo Pei and my bdae. we had a fun time blowing out the candles.
sun, went out in the aftrn with my da ges and da jies to eat chicken rice at chinatown. ministry to one of Ian's armymates. then we had desert somewhere in the same vicinity.
had my favourite cake at ccwo when Dawn and Ray bought my favourite cheesecake from Pine's Bakery. haha. (: and at my voiddeck had yet another two slices of cake from Jia Hao. so - a grand total of 6 cakes this bdae!

it sure was a really sweet bdae.

secondly, i had a different mindset approaching my bdae. in the past, what happened on my bdae meant alot to me. not saying that it doesn't now, but in a different sense. after e exchange life course, i saw that i needn't seek my identity in anything apart from Christ, since I am already accepted in Him! (: last time, i saw my 'self-worth' in a sense, from how many people wished me happy birthday, how many smses, how many cards, how many presents. but this birthday, my self worth was not found in the wishes, or presents or cards. i know i am accepted in Christ. those wishes and presents were only affirmations that i had brothers and sisters in Christ who loved me, friends who remembered. talking about identity and self-worth, i also used to find that alot in running. I remember how i used to beat myself up over doing really badly for a race. it was as though how i performed in my races determined who i was. it is no more the case now, i would gladly say. I know i am accepted in Christ, and that is enough.
i'm not down playing presents or birthday wishes -
in fact, i'd like to thank all for making my birthday so so special.
thanks for the smses.
thanks for the facebook wishes.
thanks for the hugs.
thanks for the handshakes.
thanks for the green mushroom and dolphin bookmark.
thanks for the yummy chewy junior cream puffs.
thanks for the brown shawl and the cool card that emits music.
thanks for the rose and the card.
thanks for the cookies, the card, the ice cream, the friends, the vibe.
thanks for the sweet dress.
thanks for the watch that i would have never ever dreamed of owning. (:
thanks for the thought, the my melody, the lunch.
thanks for the gebera, the amt of work for the photo frame, the kitkat.
thanks for the book.
thanks for the lovely Christian coasters.
thanks for the shirt.
thanks. :D
really, thanks. You've showered me with love. God's love.

________
oh, one thing that i was really disappointed with was that i spend the day with many people, but did not spend it with my Lord. I woke up just in time to prepare to go to church. then rush, rush, rush, and i did not make the effort to set aside time for my Best Friend. i get really angry and upset with myself when i wake up late, or later than planned. cos then i feel as though i go though the day unprepared, unarmed, without meeting my Heavenly Father first. It's like i left Him waiting while i laid in bed fast asleep. aiyah, mel. cannot liketat. cannot liketat.

even this past two days, i overslept. late for prayer. argghh. i feel so..arggh with myself. its like the whole rythm of my day is spoilt. cos now in Bible sch and having to do homeschooling, its like, if i dun spend time alone with God before i leave the house, when can i? prayer, coffee talk, bs lesson, lunch, homeshooling, dinner... the whole day is packed.

but being late these past few days, i've also learnt some lessons.
who am I living for? I find myself thinking thoughts like "what will so and so think of me being late". i think of my reputation before men. what will he think? but i realise that i should be living for the audience of One - God. being late, what would God think? looks like i haven't had my roof off and walls down, if not i wouldn't be caring so much about what others think about me.

Lord, help me to live for You, and to only be concerned about what You would think of me.

------
recently, i've been having quite abit of questions when reading the Bible. and there's this struggle whether i should ask adults ard me (Ian, a.Lisa...others) the questions, but yet, i want to find the answers from the Bible. i think i should search out the Scriptures and let the Holy Spirit be my teacher, but of course, there is the tempatation to take the easier path in asking those around me. questions like what does cornerstone mean? and what does it mean to be perfect in 2 Chron 16:9? is this the same perfect as Matt 5 :48 - be ye perfect even as your Father...is perfect. how do i compare root words from the O.T and N.T when one is in Hebrew and the other Greek? deeper questions like from the passage 2 Peter 1:3-11 - how do i find the balance between depending upon God and "besides this, adding to my faith all those virtues"? and lots more questions. i've written em down, but i think i needa purpose to find time to answer em. :D

okaay, i can't really believe i'll be flying this fri night alrdy. so fast!
i believe that God is teaching me things even through this trip. most of all is that i am not indispensable, and that it is not that God needs me, but that it is a privilege to be able to serve the King of kings. i wouldn't be ard for 2 weekends, and im tempted to think who will take care of the younger gals? who will look out for them? then God reminds me that i am not indispensable and that the gals are HIS and He will see to it that they are taken care of, not to worry. then i think of all the things i'll be missin out on. the welcome thing at ian's place and the meeting on the Cambodia trip and God reminds me that don't think the whole world revolves around you!

Life still goes on even if u're around or not. I think this time of going away will be a good one. one to refresh, recharge, prepare my heart for church camp, prioritise things in my life. figure out why i do what i do, not just to go through the motion week after week.
why do i attend Fri evening prayer? for others to see? or to talk to God?
why attend Uth Worship? cos its a habit already? or to meet with God?
why go to Sat morn prayer? so that i can have lunch with the rest after prayer? or to interceed for the ministry?
why go to church on Sunday? cos my family goes so i go? cos I love God and want to meet with Him?
why serve in Children's Ministry? cos all the youths are serving there? or cos i believe that children are full of potential and have the capacity to make decisions for God?

Lord, please save me from going though the motion. it is so easy to do so. may everything i do be done out of an overflow of love for You. i love You, i really do.

___
this has been a ultra long post, thanks for bearing with me. last thing.
i just want to thank God for how in the past few days, He has drawn me and my sister, Christine, closer together. my bro, Caleb, and I are close cos we played alot growing up and our age gap is just 3 years. me and my sis are on good terms, but our age gap is 7 years and so not as close. but recently, our hearts have been knitted together. Thank God for her smsing me really sweet messages that never fail to warm my heart, telling me about how she's thinking of me even as she is on a bus. or even while having lunch at a Jap restraunt, msging me to arrange for lunch together. (: on mon, we went to the Jap restraunt together for lunch and it was on her. :D hehe. oh course, she's getting a pay check. ahah. so. yep. but it's great to be close to my da jie.

thank You, God. (:

my heart over flows with praise to the Lord! :D

I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
Psalm 86:12

wow. i thank the Lord for all that He is doing in my life. many lessons He has been teaching me in the past week or so, this is just a gist:

- He has been teaching me the joy of prayer. The joy of communing with Him as friend to friend. He is giving me the assurance that nothing, yes nothing, is too small in His sight. That the slightest concern i may have is precious and valuable to Him and that He loves for me to talk to Him. He is teaching me a little more on waiting on Him in prayer. On waiting for His answer, not just to bring my prayer requests before the Throne and scurry off in life. I am to wait at His feet for the answer, for He never fails to give an answer. The best answer, be it - go, wait or no. His will is best

-He has been showing me that this Christian Life is one of progressive growth and change. It is not like i will totally change completely to become Christ-like over one night. It is a life long process of His Spirit working in me to mould and shape me to be more like Christ. and this my friend, requires patience. Much patience. At times it may seem like nothing is happening, or even worst, i seem to be going backwards! but take heart, His child, for He is faithful to fufill His promise in Phil 1:6 that "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:"

-God has been teaching me that just when i think i've got it - when i think i've understood the exhange life, or when i think that i have learnt all there is in the Christian life - that i've got to stop, take a step back and realise that all i know is only the tip of an ice berg. It is only a little of the deep and intimate relationship God wants to have with me. Not so fast mel, your head is puffing up, YOU DON'T KNOW IT ALL!

-God has been showing me that it's not what i can do for Him that matters, but what i let Him do through me. It's not me (in my own energy and strength) living for God, it's God living His life through me! It makes a whole lot of a difference! Dependence on self vs Dependence on Christ! in my own strength and energy, or in His stregth.

and that's not all...i know there's still more. but i can't really think of em now cos something excites my heart so so much more!

Children's Camp '09! - We are preparing for rain! Are you ready?

Where do i start? I am just simply so so so excited at what God is going to do! :D
i thank and praise God for the vision that He has given Jeremy and i am very sure it is one from God. it is not some idea creative idea crafted out by man, but it is God, it is God's will and His will has to be done! Because it is HIS will, we can go forth in God confidence!

When Jeremy first shared this vision on Sunday with the carebears, it so excited my heart!
There was just convicion, passion, fire and energy in all that Jeremy shared and most of all faith in the never failing Word of God. It has to be God.

and you know various things that were shared then and even in the conversation that followed with him still lingers in my mind:

+ The Children's Ministry is God's ministry! Children's Camp is God's camp! and with God we do not need to care about success or failure bcos with God in it, there is no failure! we are on victory ground! and everything with God is success. It is His work, we are merly His vessels and He will see this camp to past.

+ We are preparing for rain! We are preparing for an outpouring of His Spirit! and it is only right if we are expecting rain to really go about preaparing full fledge for it.

+ It is interesting something Jem mentioned. That even if God takes away our feeling, even if God takes away our excitment about camp, are we still able to trust in God by faith resting upon His Word? Will we walk by faith, even when we cannot see?

Here are some facts from God's Word which we can claim, irregardless of feelings or not:

Matthew 21:22 - And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Wow! look at this promise from God's Word! All things, whatsover, ask in prayer, believing - you shall receive! May we claim this promise and fall on our knees pleading with God for the salvation of the many unsaved souls He will bring in, and also the spiritual awakening that will come upon the believers.

Jeremiah 33:3 - Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
This verse speaks for itself.Call, God will answer. Not only answer, but more than answer, He will show us great and mighty things which we do not know. Great and mighty things which we have never seen before.

Psalm 81:10 - I [am] the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
In the beginning of this verse, God is establishing Himself. Who is this God whom we love and serve? He is the God who is powerful, strong and mighty, bringing his people in time past out of bondage into freedom. He is the great I AM. He is the God who today is sill that same God. He never changes and the power which He displayed in Egypt, the 10 plauges He brought upon that land, simply goes to show us His mighty power. Open wide your mouth, and God will fill it.

May we stand upon the Word as camp approaches nearer and nearer. Standing on the promises I cannot fall, listening every moment to the Spirit's call. Resting in my Saviour as my all in all, standing on the promises of God!

+ and what then may be one thing that will prevent God from working mightly? - it is unbelief. Scripture says in Matthew 13:58 that "And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief." Look at this. What hindered Jesus from doing many mighty miracles in His own country? -- unbelief. May every bit of unbelief in our lives be purged that Christ may be free to do many mighty works in our midst. :)

but wait. look at this, the mercy and grace of God:
He says in 2 Tim 2:13 that even "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself."

What does this verse mean? This is a short excerpt from Matthew Henry's commentry on this verse:
He is faithful to his promises; neither one nor the other shall fall to the ground, no, not the least, jot nor tittle of them. If we be faithful to Christ, he will certainly be faithful to us: he cannot deny himself, cannot recede from (withdraw) any word that he hath spoken, for he is yea, and amen, the faithful witness.

Even if we don't believe, God still abides faithful. He is still faithful to fufill His promises. Only, with unbelief, we will miss out on the great things God wants to and can do.

+ and I believe that this is a Spiritual Battle! we can expect attacks from the evil one if we are doing the Lord's work. Hence, we must -- as Ephesians 6:11 put it -- "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." and also we must be "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints" (Eph 6:18)

+ Hence, we must Pray, Pray, PRAY! This is a spiritual battle, and this battle can only be fought on out knees!

i know this has been a lengthy post (: but nevertheless, important and vital nuggets.

A note to all serving in Children's Camp:
Let us go forth in prayer, bathing this camp in prayer. We have a great God and He wants to do mighty things. The quesion Jesus puts forth to you today is: Believe ye that I am able to do this? Believe thou that I have the power to do this?
May we be able to say, be it with fear and trembling or with full assurance in our hearts -- yes, Lord. I do believe.

A last note to all who are not serving in this Children's Camp or who are not in Children's Ministry:
Please also do keep us and this camp in prayer. (: we will appreciate your prayer very much. :D and if you are keen or have a burden to serve or help out in this camp in any way, pls do let Jeremy know. (:

thanks for bearing with me. (: haha. God bless and good night!

Lord, High and Holy, meek and lowly,
Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold
thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter
thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty
thy glory in my valley.

--from The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

Breathe On Me Now

When my soul has cried its tears
And my heart begins to faint
Will You draw near
Will You meet with me
When my days are filled with longing
And my spirit groans and waits
Will You draw near
Will You meet with me
I'm calling and waiting
Your presence Lord is life to me

Breathe on me now as I bow down
I'm desperate Lord for more of You
Come satisfy until I
Am even more in need of You

When my dreams have been forgotten
And my hope begins to fade
Will You draw near
Will You meet with me
When my days are filled with searching
And my strength has given way
Will You draw near
Will You meet with me




--
i know i said that i'll post on what i've learnt in the exchange life, well..maybe i'll do that soon.
but now its not really a right time for me to do so.
pray for me, though I understand the exchange life, i still have some stuff preventing me from really making the exchange.
sorry my thoughts are all jumbled up.
maybe im just at this point --confused.
and i dun know when i can be un-confused.
well, well. will appreciate ur prayers. thanks. (:


Your presence Lord is life to me...

today is Mother's Day.
funny how we set aside one pathetic day to remember our mums when we should actually be grateful and thankful for them everyday of our lives. why? cos who are we to say that we will live to see tomorrow? Our lives are in God hands and it is He who decides our time.

this post is dedicated to my dearest mum, whom i love so dearly.
though she may not get to she this, i want to give a public testimony to thank my mum. :)

dearest mum,
i have so much to say to you.
so where do i start?
firstly, a very Blessed Mothers Day to you!
i have two songs and two verses for you and after that im going to say more stuff.
enjoy.

I Love You a song paraphased from We Love You by the Herbster Trio
From the day that I was born,
I felt the love within your heart.
You have led in so many godly ways,
and helped to cleanse the inward parts.
You have taught me from God's Word
and soon I made Him Lord of all.
And now with a very grateful heart,
sweet memories I'll recall.

O Mum I love you.
I rise up and call you blessed.
You've taught me in the way to go
and I will not depart.
There's never been a day,
when I wondered if you loved me.

As the Lord moves me on,
O the blessings we will share.
You have reared me on God's Word,
and you have bathed me much in prayer.
May my life be a shining light,
to this world in darkness, lost.
And I will serve the Lord my God,
no matter what the cost.


It Was Your Life by Mac Lynch (i think)
Before I took a breath,
before I took a step.
Unnumbered prayers were spoken,
were spoken just for me.
And as I rested peacefully,
there in your loving arms.
You dreamed of what tomorrow would bring,
and what my future could be.

You watched me as each tiny step grew stronger,
you guided me, through choices I would make.
And though I didn't know the road that i'll embark,
your prayers would always light the path I take.

Your hands reached out to lift me when I falter,
your arms would hold me when I was afraid.
Your eyes would see right through the dark and stormy clouds,
and point me to a brighter day.
Your steps would set the path that I would follow.
Your words of hope, my broken dreams could mend.
You heart of love would always show me -- Jesus.
But, it was your life, that led me to Him.

My childhood days are gone,
and time keeps moving on.
It seems as though the months, the years,
quickly slip away.
The life of faith you offered,
examples of God's love.
Is the life I long to share,
with my children in the future.

Your hands reached out to lift me when I falter,
your arms would hold me when I was afraid.
Your eyes would see right through the dark and stormy clouds,
and point me to a brighter day.
Your steps would set the path that I would follow.
Your words of hope, my broken dreams could mend.
You heart of love would always show me -- Jesus.
But, it was your life, that led me to Him.

and its still your life, that leads me to Him.
-- to Jesus.

:) i love you so much mum, and actucally there's not much i can say after these two songs cos they really sum up what i want to tell you. Especially, the second one. it was your life that led me to Him, and its still your life that leads me to Him.

thank you for--
loving me just as i am.
loving all of us (Christine, Caleb & me) equally.
being such a wonderful wonderful godly example for me.
showing me that the Holy Spirit can change my melancholic temperament beyond recgonition, just as He did with you.
praying for me even when i was still in your tummy.
allowing all of us siblings to love each other. :) [i love you, Christine & Caleb]
teaching me my p's and my q's.
always being so supportive of me in whatever i am embark on.
encouraging me in my talents of music, art and running.
your hugs and kisses. <3!

the list can go on and on, but i'd like to thank someone else too.
I'd like to thank God for you.
for deeming me worthy to receive a mum like you. :)
to be place in a family with love.

and i have to say that growing up hasn't been easy for me.
the revellious spirit kicks in.
and i want to say that im sorry for the times i've been rude to you or even questioned what you had in mind for me.
i don't know why, but i find it harder to talk to you and share as im growing up, but maybe in time to come, times will go back like they used to and how i used to pour out my heart with you on your bed.
its not really that i dun wanna share whats going on in my life with you.
but maybe..its wierd? ahaha. but i do hope to share more with you. :)

and even though i question the curfew of 10.30 you and dad set for me, and how u dun really allow me to stay overr at my friends place.. how you always want to know where am i going, what will i be doing....i know, i know you and dad do it for my own good. for my own good. you do it out of love and want to protect me from any things that may happen so unexpectedly that would leave me nightmares for the rest of my life. no, i don't want those to happen to me either.
but i hope you realise that i'm growing up too. :) and im going to be all of 17 in about 14 days time. could i have a little request, to have more freedom? haha. its not like im not having freedom now. yes, i do have. but i still feel a lil kind of restricted, a kind of a lil still trapped in a box with a little room.

ha. forget what i just said, today is YOUR day. :)
enjoy it.
rem, i love you! (:

you dear sweet little (still little) daughter,
melody joy.

"Her children arise up, and call her blessed...Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised." Proverbs 31:28a, 30

I've just come from the Throne Room.

down from the mountain, to live in the valley. :)

wow wow wow. where do i start?
God is so so amazing! :D
i thank Him for the work that He is doing in my heart, in my life.
so much from the exchange life has got me thinking...

i wish i could shoutout and tell all christians about this Christ Life!
cos its the normal Christian Life! (:
its like, taking it in today's terms,
we are offered an iPhone. but we reject it and want to carry on using our Nokia 3310!
*Nokia 3310 is a really really old model.
haha. getting the picture a little?

okayy, let me try to describe life for most Christians (including me)
this is from my experience growing up from a Christain background...
we come into this world, for those of us who have Christian families,
we are made familar to the things of God from a young age.
we go to church every Sunday, sometimes we may tag along for the mid-week prayer meeting.
our parents may have family devotions with us everyday.
they teach us good Christian moral values.
we learn that a 'good person', a 'spiritual' person looks like this.
and so we grow up striving to be this person. the person everyone is pleased with. who looks soo good from the outside.

as we grow up...
some may succeed at becoming the 'good/spiritual' person others may not be too good at it.
but nevertheless, we all try..
and as we grow up, we start to be introduced to the things of this world, we start to be influenced to think the way the world thinks. and subtly, without knowing, we are no more the 'good' person that we once were. or for those who still succeed at being 'good', the outside is good, but the inside is rotting.

and we all wonder what on earth are we here for?
whats the meaning of life with all this pain and all?
why am i so lonely, so miserable?
why am i feeling so empty!!!? (though i am a Christian, and i thought Christians aren't supposed to feel empty..so why the emptiness?)

ah, ever felt like that?
i have. and the worst part is, my outside looked so good, but on the inside, i was dying. dying.
i always asked God, where is this abundant life that you promised?
how come i don't have it? how come so empty?

but my heart is so proud. you wouldn't beleive this, but i was so self-righteous that i thought i did not have sin! imagine that. or even if i had sin, it wasn't alot.
i thought that way cos i only looked on the outside.
outwardly, i was not rude, not angry, not rebellious....
so that equated to = good?
nah!
inside was stinking! yucks! so much pride, jealously, comparision...pride was the biggest. it blinded me to think that i was somebody. that i had it.
awful right?
welcome, please meet - the FLESH.
that is the FLESH.
im just so disgusted at my flesh! eeeee!

okay back to the iPhone and Nokia 3310 thing..
you see, before I got saved(accepted Jesus to save me from sin) i was a Nokia 3310 model. everyone starts out as a Nokia 3310 model. in this model, we are dead. spiritually dead i mean. and sin's penalty and power still has control over the Nokia 3310.

but.. when I put my trust in Jesus Chirst,

He makes me a new creation! :) praise God!
do you believe so?
you may not feel it, you may not think it,
but it is true!
why? cos God said it, and God can't lie.
He said in 2 Cor 5:17
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new."
yupp, the analogy is limited and cannot expressed all that happened at Salvation, but think with me.. when we trusted in Christ, the model of our phone, from being a lau pok pok Nokia 3310 we become an iPhone! (: we become a totally new creature. new on the inside(smth this analogy cannot express)

so..
we are the iPhone right?
being an iPhone we have become alive and sin's penalty and power has no more rule over us.
but then many of us, yeah we are the iPhone on the outside right, but we don't like the inside of the iPhone, we don't like the functions...so, we go and get the inside changed back to the old Nokia 3310 functions. and we go on though life like that...

im sorry this analogy does not totally signify the spiritual truth here, but this is the best i can think of for now. :p will try to think of a better one soon.

ya, but basically the point is this:
many of us are given a new life in Chirst, but what does that mean to us? how does it change the way we live? it is sad that many of us go on living the same way..go on living in the flesh, and giving in to all our fleshy desires. oh, at this point, i'd like to define the flesh - the flesh is everything i am apart from Christ. yeah, so we were saying, we go on living in the flesh, and then we ask, why so empty? why no peace and joy?

and the scary thing is that we can do seemingly good things in the flesh. things like even ministry or serving God... something i fell victim to.

so you may ask, so how do we know what is done in the flesh and what is done in the Spirit?

Its not about what we do or do not do, but rather, why we do it and on whom are we depending on to do it.

take some time to think about it...
Its not about what we do or do not do, but rather, why we do it and on whom are we depending on to do it.
it all boils down to what is our functional source of life? what are we depending on to be successful in life?

and just one more point and i'm done. haha. (: thanks for bearing with me.
it's this.

so you may ask, how do i know if i'm in the Spirit?
one good way is this.
have you, today, yesterday, in the past week, been esteeming others better than yourself?
When you're in the Spirit, you'll esteem others better than themselves.
and this is somthing i've been not able to do. cos of my pride. so i was thinking about it, issn't it so hard to esteem others better than myself..then, euerka! when i am depending on Jesus to live His life through me, He will allow me to esteem others better than myself. and it issn't a tiring thing, cos hey, its not me! its Jesus living through me! :) anyway, here it says in Philppians 2 that this humility is one that Chirst had...and if Christ lives through me, then its possible! :D

3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

well, i know this has been a lllooongg post, but theres just so much cool stuff im learning! and i can't help but to share it! (: cos think of it, how revolutionary it will be if we applied what we learnt to our lives? living life in the Spirit, moment by moment, situation by situation.. what a joy life will be! :D

something to think abt as i finally end off (haha!)

It is not about me living my life for God. It is about Jesus Christ living His life through me.

not me living my life for God.
it is about Jesus Chist living His life through me... through me.
what have i to do then? simply, let Him.
let Him live His life through me.

May we let Him live His life through us! (: God, may you be glorified in our lives.

"I am Thine, O Lord and I have heard Thy voice and it told Thy love to me...draw me nearer, nearer Blessed Lord to Thee..to Thee. Take my heart, and make it Thine."

i wanted to do a post, but after finding this song on YouTube, i decided to post it.
i first heard this song when Beverly sang it at Martha's wedding. then i saw the lyrics on Chia Wen's blog.

Grace:



GRACE

here are the lyrics, though its also in the video...

My heart is so proud.
My mind is so unfocused.
I see the things You do through me
as great things I have done.
And now You gently break me,
then lovingly You take me
and hold me as my Father
and mold me as my Maker.

I ask you:
"How many times will you pick me up,
when I keep on letting you down?
And each time I will fall short of Your glory,
how far will forgiveness abound?"
And you answer:
"My child, I love you.
And as long as you're seeking My face,
You'll walk in the pow'r of My daily sufficient grace."

At times I may grow weak
and feel a bit discouraged,
knowing that someone,
somewhere could do a better job.
For who am I to serve You?
I know I don't deserve You.
And that's the part that burns in my heart
and keeps me hanging on.

I ask you:
"How many times will you pick me up,
when I keep on letting you down?
And each time I will fall short of Your glory,
how far will forgiveness abounds?"
And you answer:
"My child, I love you.
And as long as you're seeking My face,
You'll walk in the pow'r of My daily sufficient grace."
You are so patient with me, Lord.

As I walk with You,
I'm learning what Your grace really means.
The price that I could never pay
was paid at Calvary.
So, instead of trying to repay You,
I'm learning to simply obey You
by giving up my life to You
For all that You've given to me.

I ask you:
"How many times will you pick me up,
when I keep on letting you down?
And each time I will fall short of Your glory,
how far will forgiveness abounds?"
And you answer: " My child, I love you.
And as long as you're seeking My face,
You'll walk in the pow'r of My daily sufficient grace."

today marks the start of a very exciting Journey! (: and im excited!
today was the first day of "The Exchange Life" course with a.Lisa. and im so looking forward to the days to come. Its just amazing how God has prepared my heart for this. Without knowing whatever text she's gonna use, somehow, i started listening to the audio version of the Bible - Romans 6-8. I came across these chapters one day when i was very down and decided to go to botanics to spend some time with God. There, I knew i had to read God's Word, but I didn't know where to start and what to read. I decided to read the book of Romans. I read form the 1st Chapter to Chapter 8. I felt that there was something special abt chapters 6-8. and rightly so. today I learnt that Romans 6-8 address the issue of after becoming a Christian, now what? now how do i live that Christ life?

I hope to share my experiences from 'the exchanged life' and what i've learnt, here so you too may be blessed. rest assured, all that is shared in class among all my classmates is confidental, i'll only share here nugguts of truth gleamed and my own personal sharing. (:

here goes!

have you ever wondered if that abundant life that Jesus talked about in John 10:10 is really available for the Christian today? I have and many times, the devil will come and whisper in my ear.."no, its not possible".. what rubbish! IT IS POSSIBLE. what makes it possible? I tell you. It's the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ that makes it possible. For me, growing up in a Christian enviroment, sadly to say, i've never taken the death, burial and resurrection of my dear Lord Jesus to heart. Maybe like me, you've heard it countless times that you can even repeat the whole gospel message from memory. but i'd like to ask you, do you actually understand the fulness of the message? what the death, burial and resurrection of Christ means to me today? i don't think i do. but i would like to, and i pray that God will make all these so real to me in the days ahead as I think about and study more about His work on the cross and how it affects my life today.

well, in today's reading, i gleamed many truths, some of which i have not fully grasped yet. but well, here are some.

As taken from "Victory in Christ by Charles Trumpbull:
What are the conditions for a Victorious Life?
Surrender and Faith
but you may say, i've surrendered already. Why is there still no victory? The reason is that while there is no victory without surrender, there may be surrender without victory. Sometimes we may have "let go" but we may not have "let God". We may have surrendered our sins to Christ, but not our wills. Every habit of our lives, every ambition, dream, loved one, possession and our very self- He must have all these if He is to make Himself not only our Savior, but our life.


Many times when sharing the gospel with an unsaved one, we talk about how Jesus' death on the cross has freed us from the penalty of sin. Yes, that's true. But do we not know too that His death has freed us from the Power of Sin. and even if we know it, do we live like we know it?
what does it mean to be freed from the power of sin? simply put, sin has no more control over us. we are now able not to have to sin any longer. This truth should be absolutely revolutionary for the believer! (: Praise God, I am free from the power of sin!

How then can and does this being freed from the power of sin take effect in my life?
Jesus offers to set us free not only from the penalty of out sin, but also from its power. Each of these two gifts are offered on the same terms: We accept only by letting Him do it all, as an outright gift. Every Christian has accepted the first offer. But many have failed to accept the second. Why is that so? I think it's because like me, many times, I believe that my own effort, and will and determination-with Christ's help, of course-is the way to victory. This just blew my mind. You mean i can't do anything? I have to simply accept that Jesus has done it all? Yes, Christ's offer to us here and now is immediate and complete freedom from the power of known sin. Praise God! Therefore, let us start praising Him for victory, instead of praying for it. He already has given us the Victory! (:

this has been a lengthy and heavy post. There still is more, but we'll probably save it for another time. ;) for now, if you don't like to read and skipped through everything written above, I hope you walk away with one thought, that is - the Victorous Christian Life IS POSSIBLE for all Christians today! Possible because we have been freed from the power of sin if we but accept Christ's offer. Possible too cos of other reasons which have yet to be addressed. :D

__
okay, on a side note, there has been something else that has been on my mind.

To her who is in love with him;
To him who is in love with her.

We all have special people in our hearts, don't we?
People who have made a difference in our lives, somehow.
For the married, it may be your spouse, your kids.
For the single, the apple of you eye of another gender?
For youth, it could be anybody? haha.

I too have someone. Someone who has made a huge impact on my life. Someone whom I really thank God for.

Well, I've been thinking...

If only I could love to talk to God as much as I love to talk to him/her.
What would our prayer life be like, i wonder?
Wouldn't we not be talking to God 24/7?

If only we could love to spend time with God as much as we love to spend time with him/her.
If only we could love to be in God's presence as much as we love to be in the presence of the one we love.
Will we not then go into the presence of our Creator King whenever we can?
Will we not run to His presence just to feel the warm of His glow and smell the sweet fragrace of Christ?

If only we could love to go to God's House as much as we love to go to the house of him/her.
Will we not be found in the House of God as often as we can go there?

If only we could love to hear what God has to say to us as much as we love to hear him/her talk to us.
Will not the Bible become our favourite and most well read book?

If only we could...love God for who He is, putting all else this world could afford aside.
If only... it is not an if! It is a can. Yes, we can. May we this day purpose in our heart to love Jesus with a love so strong that no love for any other in this world could compete. Let us love Jesus, for who He is, for all He has done.

Love demands love.
God commendeth His love towards us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
How much do you love me, Jesus?
"This much" replied Jesus, and with that we see His arms outstreched on that cruel cross.
Every drop of blood shed, every strip He bore for you and me cries out in love.
Oh, it was all out of love, for love. For you and me.

Friend, if you have not, why not pause and take some time now to thank God for His love and let Him know your heart. That you want to love Him supremely above everything else this world may offer.

Jesus, my heart has grown so so cold. Please warm my heart again, to You, to Your love. I thank you love me the way I am. Please be real to me, dear Jesus. I desire You, I long for You, and yet, my heart is so cold. Please melt my heart. I want to love you as I should. Know You as I should. Draw me to an ever deeper relationship with You. You have my heart, here it is; make it Yours. I love You.