DEAD and ALIVE

2009-10-26T10:19:00.002+08:00

"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."
1 John 2:1-2

Grace of God consists of 2 parts: 1. Keep us from sin, 2. Relieve us against sin.
When we come to believe God, it would be pressing the first part, of being free from sin, while the it also proposes the second part to pardon our sin for our encouragement.
However, many of us fall into a mindset that we only emphasis on the latter part of pardoning sin while forgetting the former part of keeping us from sin.

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? " Romans 6:1-2

How to Know that God exist?

2009-08-25T09:36:00.002+08:00

Reading John Piper's QT. Came across this verse "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." Hebrew 11:6

Bible too mention that in order know that GOd exist, there must be faith first.

God is the Lord of science, therefore science couldn't proof Him.

罪的禁欲 - 第一部：禁欲的必要

2009-08-12T18:43:00.002+08:00

第一章
第一本书的基础是建立于罗马书八章十三节：“如果随着肉体而活，你们必定死；如果靠着圣灵治死身体的恶行，你们就必定活着。”
一）受条件的限制性：一定性的关联
经文中所用的关联词有‘如果’及‘必定’。这两个词语告诉我们之间的关联性，而这个关联性是必然的。就如，如果我们喝这瓶毒药，我们必定会死。

二）对象：信徒
这节经文只合乎信徒。所以，我们有需要确认我们的信仰。

三）起因和方法：圣灵
除了依靠圣灵以外，没有别的方法可以成功。

四）我们的责任：灵治死身体的恶行
在这责任当中，我们必须清楚三点：1）‘肉体’的定义，2）何谓‘身体的恶性’及3）什么又是‘治死’的定义。
1）‘身体’与‘肉体’的定义相同，指的是会锈坏的肉身。
2）Praxeis tou somatos 指的是肉体外表上的行为 [加拉太书五章十九节]；phronema tes sarkos指的是肉体上的思想 [罗马书八章六节]

3）杀死内在的老我，断绝它的能力、生命、精力及力气，它就无法在肉体上彰显。这是信徒的职责。

禁止肉体内在的罪，以致它得不到生命和力量
就不能长出肉体的果效和行为。
这是每个信徒的职责。

五）神的应许：你必定活
这指的不只是永生，并包括在主基督里的属灵生命。

我们灵命的能力、力量和舒适在乎于肉体的禁欲。

克服罪与试探（一）：序言

2009-08-05T17:42:00.002+08:00

认识你的神
一）当我们正确地了解顺服时，就是对神的正确回应。
一个在信心中，为着未来恩典的顺服，相信没有好处不在神以外。

二）与神一起思想神
邀请神一同地阅读、反思神的话。

三）神保守他所拣选的。
当面对试探时。牢记这一点。

四）如何与私欲征战？不是试着清除错误的观念和想法，反而要以正确、纯真的思想代替。

克服罪与试探（一）：序言

2009-07-25T19:01:00.003+08:00

认识自己
一）神要我们与他同行的主要必要条件：由心所想，由意愿所拥护的一颗热爱神的心。扩张我们对神的感情，而不是减少它。
当对神的爱增多，我们就会少犯罪，因为罪是神所憎恨的。这就如我们对待我们所爱的人一般，我们不会做一些伤害他们，或是让他们生气的事。
二）不要试着寻找方法倒清我们的杯来避免罪。反而，我们要试着让我们的杯被生命的圣灵充满。这样，罪就无地可容。
让神的热诚烧尽我们的欲望。
三）学习了解我们自己的体质，并清楚地察觉一些容易被忽略的威胁。
四）不要为自己的罪辩护。反而，应当承认它，认知它才能全力以赴地打击它。
不要当一个伪君子。面对现实，并依靠神解决罪。寻求神大能，打开我们的眼，看清楚事实。

克服罪与试探（一）

2009-07-23T14:58:00.002+08:00

这本书是由约翰欧文（John Owen）所写。主要有三大章：
一、信徒对罪的禁欲
二、试探的本质与能力
三、内在的罪
在由约翰派普牧师（John Piper）的前提中，提出了一些重要的观点：
1）罪不是受伤的症状，而是败坏的症状。
我必须以圣经的真确角度看待罪恶，它是严重而且致命的。
罪不是由人类所定的道德标准所产生的精神症状。它是真实的，如毒药般的有害。
2）一些让派普牧师惊讶的观点：
i）如果主耶稣基督没有死，最就不会死。
禁止罪恶不是靠着自己的努力。没有主耶稣和圣灵的工作，我们是不可能禁欲的。
ii) 杀死罪恶是活人的工作，但是死人会因着罪的存活而活着。
只要我们不断与罪恶征战，我们就是活人。
iii)神说：要是这个人去除了他的软弱，我就再也听不到他依赖我的声音了。就让他继续挣扎，不然他就会迷失了。
神让我继续与罪恶征战，磨造我成为一个寻求神的信心勇士。神了解何时我们担当恩典的胜利！
iv)在我心里，是否有任何尚未悔改的罪呢？
神可能会让新的罪恶或折磨来提醒我现有的罪恶。神以罪克罪。
v)信徒与非信徒最大的不同就在于他们所知道的事和认知的态度。
信徒靠着圣灵的光照明白事情，使我们与神交流。

Ping and Heidi

2009-07-12T22:09:00.005+08:00

Prayer request for Ping and Heidi
Please use your google account to view them.

There are 2 Slides

thanksgiving & prayer request (:

2009-05-16T01:35:00.002+08:00

hi people!
here are my thanksgiving & prayer requests!

1. Thank God that my Q.T is much better recently, esp these few days.(I've actually stopped doing Q.T regularly for quite long.) I've also learnt much from the Q.T material that I'm using now - Be Satisfied (old testament study - Ecclesiastes) by Warren W.Wiersbe. I'll try to post some of my Q.T reflections after my midyear exam k(:

2. Pray 4 my midyear exam please. Feeling very stressed as the exam is approaching and it seems I can never finish my revision, not even half.
Here is the exam-time table:
18/5 - H1 GP Paper 1 [8-930am] H1 GP Paper 2 [1015-1145am] H2 ECON Paper 2(essay!!!) [1-315pm]
19/5 - H1 MATH [8-11am]
21/5 - H2 GEOG Paper 1 [1-4pm]
25/5 - H2 CHINESE (language) Paper 1 [1-415pm]
26/5 - H2 ECON Paper 1 [8-1015am] H2 GEOG Paper 2 [1-4pm]
27/5 - H2 CHINESE (literature) Paper 2 [1-4pm]

PS: Those that in bold are the tough papers for me, which is highly content-based & lots of writing.

3. Pray that I won't fall sick during this exam period and I'll continue to spend time with God & rely on Him. (:

4. Also thank God that my A'level exam fees is settled now & my mum's health is better recently. Pray 4 my grandpa, having some family matters to settle.

thankyou everyone(:

Faith in Future Grace VS Coverousness

2009-04-14T15:27:00.002+08:00

By Pastor John Piper

The reasosn for us to start or continue the fight for our faith in future grace is that we will not see the Lord without the practical holiness. "Strive for peace with all men and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). However, many Christians live in a way that neglect it totally in an unholy way. We are not saved just because we once prayed to receive Jesus, but the genuineness of this experience has to be proven by endurance: "He who endures to the end will be saved" (Matthew 24:13). "If we live according to flesh we will die" (Romans 8:13)
Second reason is that we pursue it the holiness so hard by the works without faith that it backfires and leads to death.
So, what is covetousness?
"It is desiring something so much that you lose your contentment in God. Or losing your contentment in God so that you start seek it elsewhere." It is well-defined by Pastor Piper.
He lists 7 warning to the covetousness-destroying promises:
1. Couvetousness never brings satisfaction
"He whi kives money will not be satisfied with money; nor he who loves abundance with its income: this is also vanity" (Ecclesiastes 5:10)
Jesus warns," Beware of all covetousness; for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.: (Luke 12:15)

2. Covetousness chokes off spiritual life
"The seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it... thw worries of the world, and the decietfulness of riches, and the desires for other things." (Mark 4;1-20)

3. Covetousness spawns many other sins
"The love of money is the root of all evils" (1Timothy 6:10)

4. Covetousness lets you down when you need help most
"We brought nothing into the world and we cannot take anything out of the world." (1Timothy 6:7)

5. In the end covetousness destroys the soul
"Thos who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction." (1Timothy 6:9)

Therefore, Pastor Piper teaches to see it as a roaring, starving lion escaped from the zoo, and do what we normally do, to flee from it.
If it continues the pursue, preach to yourself the mantle of prayer: "[O Lord], incline my heart to Thy testimonies and not to dishonest gain." Psalm 119:36
Then, took two cutlasses from the armory of God:
A short one,
"There is great gain in godliness with contentment." 1Timothy 6:6
and a long one,
"Let your character be free from the love of moey, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,' so that we confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?'" Hebrews 13:5-6
Use these to preach to our souls and thrust them at the attacking greed!

Jesus death medically explained

2009-04-12T17:02:00.002+08:00

Since its Good Friday i thought it would be apt to share this article with you all. Its too long to post on the blog so i'll just put the link here. Do go read it if you have time. Basically this article is approached from the perspective of how a physician would assess the injuries of Jesus if he were there to see the actual physical trauma he experienced. We all know how Jesus died on the cross for our sins. But exactly how did he die and what suffering he had to go through? After reading it i gained a greater understanding of what Christ actually went through for me. I hope it will touch you as much as it did to me.

Blessed easter,
Jon

http://www.antioch.com.sg/article.php/20050202083844249

Faith in Future Grace V.S. Pride

2009-04-06T20:12:00.004+08:00

God has used this chapter to reveal a long deep problem that hides in me for past 23 years, it is pride.

By Pastor John Piper
'Pride is a turning away from God specifically to take satisfaction in self... its antidote is the wakening and strengthening of faith in future grace.'
Therefore, it is not just a normal battle, but fight to severe the root of unbelief!

G. K. Chesterton, the British Catholic journalist-author warned us,

'What we suffer from... is humility in the wrong place. Modesty has moved from the organ of ambition. Modesty has settled upon the organ of conviction; where it was never meant to be. A man was meant to be doubtful about himself, but undoubting about truth; this has been exactly reversed. Nowadays the part of a man that a man does assert is exactly the part he ought not to assert - himself. The part he doubts is exactly the part he ought not to doubt - the Divine Reason.'

'Pride is an issue of where your satisfaction is... So the trust that looks away from our own resources and rests in God is what I mean by faith in future grace. This is the remedy for pride.'
And pride comes in strong and also in weak. Boasting is the response of a pride of success while self-pity is the response of pride to suffering. Boasting says, "I deserve admiration because i have achieved so much." Self-pity says, 'I deserve admiration because i have sacrificed so much."

Finally, in the grace of God that He opens my eyes to see the stronghold of pride that has built in me for such a long time. God has been given me so much blessings that i took it as products of mine.
I am proud of my smartness: I can understand many things much faster than my classmates. I find short-cut to get things done. Therefore, i spent much time to slack, to play and to waste.
I am proud of my effort: I think i can, so i do what i want to do. Therefore, i make my plan rather than God's.
It is specially bad if it happens in my attitude to God and serving. I think i know the sermon so that i will not listen. I think how the things work, so i do not like advices from others.
Lord, thank you for letting me to see the unbelief in me. Help me, as i know i cant do it by myself! Your grace is sufficient!

Future Grace - The Debtor's Ethic: Why should we try to pay God back?

2009-04-04T22:10:00.002+08:00

By Pastor John Piper.

Gratitude corresponds to grace, "gratis".
It is the emotion that rises joyfully in response to something "gratis".
Debtor's ethic is produced when the gratitude is twisted into a sense of debt, the effect will nullify grace.
It is not wrong to feel grateful for receiving a gift, but it is wrong if we owe a 'gift' to return favor.
We do not owe anything to God as all things are given to us in grace.
However, ingratitude is a problem as we are not moved by God's past grace to trust more in God's future grace!
Future grace is the key power in overcoming rebellion and motivate obedience, not gratitude.
'True gratitude exults in the riches of God's grace as it looks back on the benefits it has received. By cherishing past grace in this way, it inclines the heart to trust in future grace....therefore, gratitude sends its impulses of delight into faith in future grace.'
Much are given to us by God and the greatest grace is His Son Jesus Christ to us.
However, do we really treasure and feel grateful in the gift?
Or we continue our own way such as study and career, so to neglect the precious gift from God that holds all the promise for us.
Wake up your ideas please! What kind of Christian have you been?
Do you really know what is the point of spending so much time to study, even sacrifice the sleep and health, yet you use time on Sun to rest by skipping service or fellowship. Hello! What kind of excuse are you giving? You are a Christian student, nothing else!
Yes, study is important! But how much time you spend with God everyday? Is He still the Lord and Master of your life? If it is not His grace, i think i will have attended your wake service not long ago.
All the excuse for study, but you can spend time to read manga, to watch soccer and play computer games! What the heck are you thinking?
Do not dishonor the name of Christians!
Spend time and reflect in God.

Be Humble

2009-04-04T22:02:00.002+08:00

A proud heart is like a cup of water,
It is left there and stale.
Never can it take any more fresh water.
We never renew in God,
Who is the only ongoing, refreshing living water
That provides us eternal joy forever!

Food for Life

2009-03-08T23:18:00.006+08:00

There is certain fact that we cant deny that we love every much! FOOD!!!!!! SLURPS...!!! YUMMY!!!

(*Please read the above statment very loudly to enhance the excitment abit)

I remember the very very very first things we do during CYYAM mission trip to taiwan, beside chopping our passport. We eat FOOD!!!!!

(* please read loudly again.. like FOOD!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHH~!!!)

After prayer meeting? What we do? WE EAT FOOODD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After Service? What we do? WE EAT!!! ... Come Shout with me!

FOOODDDD!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

We love FOOD!!!!! Everywhere we look, we look for FOOOOOODDDDDDD!!!!!!

We also go for FREE????? FOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We will go for GOOD??? FFFFFOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!DD

We will WEAR??? Clothes... to eat FOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, you get the point. I myself also like to eat. I just love to try good food...

I am sure, when we see a pile of FOOD right in front of us, I am very sure you guys will jump right in and swim in it... We just cant live without them..

When lovers are together, the sure must do thing is EAT, the sure must ask question, what you like to EAT? The sure must comment on food is.. WAHH so Ex...

I don't think a couple will never go without these.

When they are free, I am sure you will ask each other your favorite food... Well at least I do.. Hehehe...

BUT BUT BUT!!!

There is a lover in our heart that we never ask what he like to eat. Jesus! Do you know what he like to eat? Fish? Bread? Locusts and wild honey? What do he like to eat?

Jesus says... "My FOOD is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work."Joh 4:34

I am sure you know this verse very well, its on the discipleship card. There is a small thought when I saw this verse on the dicipleship card. Notice the verse is for the word COMMITTED!

When we see food, we get all cite up by it, at least for me...

Jesus's food is do the will of God and accomplish his work... thats his FOOD? What does food give? It gives us the will and energy to live on. Doing the will of God and accomplish his work give Jesus energy and will to live on...

When we go out and work, there is a commitment to our life. Not to the work itself but to buying of food. We are committed unconsiciously to buying of food to live..

Two thoughts:

1. Will you be as excited when you eat Jesus's Food as when you go for good food?

2. Will you essentially be committed to Jesus's Food to live?

Suffering for Christ

2009-03-07T22:41:00.004+08:00

"I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 2:10

According to Josef Tson, who used to be a pastor of the Second Baptist Church of Oradea, Romania, interprets this verse in his book, A Theology of Martyrdom:

If I had remained a pastor in Antioch, in that affluent and peaceful city, in that wonderful church with so many prophets and such great blessings, nobody in Asia Minor or Europe would have been saved. In order for them to be saved, I have to accept being beaten with rods, scourged, stoned, treated as the scum of the earth, becoming a walking death. But when i walk like this, wounded and bleeding, people see the love of God, people hear the message of the cross, and they are saved. If we stay in the safety of our affluent churches and wedo not accept the cross, others may not be saved. How many are not saved because we do not accept the cross?

What am i doing?

Desiring God - Money

2009-02-26T12:05:00.001+08:00

Money is the currency of Christian Hedonism.

In Bible, it is clear of 2 consequences that the money can bring you to:
1. To destroy you.
“Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” 1 Timothy 6:9

2. To secure eternal life.
“They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may make hold of that which is truly life.” 1 Timothy 6:18-19

The root of all evil is not the money but us, who settle for the love of money instead of the love of God. We should live for greater gain than the slick money lovers do.
“Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment,” 1 Timothy 6:7

What kind of mentality shall we have towards money, our currency as Christian?
However, it is different to work hard for earning more money for God to meet our needs and other’s needs, but it is wrong to desire for more to have material luxuries.

My definition of needs is things that are necessary. If you need a car, a normal Toyota may do. But some people buy a Porsche with number plate like 8888, which cost a large sum of money with personal purpose. This is an extreme example, but we know clearly what our motives are when we purchase food, shoes, bags…etc.

“If we have food and clothing, with these we will e content.” 1 Timothy 6:8
When we have God near us and for us, we don’t need extra money or things to give us peace and security.

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6

According to the website of Mission Frontiers:
(www.missionfrontiers.org/newslinks/statewe.htm)
1. The total global church member annual income is US$12.3 trillion.
2. Of this, $213 billion (1.73%) is given to Christian causes.
3. Of this, $11.4 billion (5.4% of 1.73%) goes to Foreign Missions.
4. Of this, 87% goes for work among those already Christian; 12% goes for work among already evangelized non-Christians, and 1%, $114 million, goes to the unreached.

Yet, according to the “Annual Statistical Table on Global Mission 2002”, there are still 1,645,685,000 people are not evangelized, which is 26.5% of world population.
How much do we really invest in the heavenly treasure that will not rust and no thief to steal? Where does our money go?

Our calling: A Wartime Lifestyle
Our life should be simple necessities of life. The criterion for essential should not be primitive “simplicity,” but wartime effectiveness.
There is a war going on! We don’t have the right to live a life as a child of King since King Himself is stripped for battle. It is more helpful to think of a wartime lifestyle than a merely simple lifestyle.

"Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” Ephesians 4:28

There are 3 levels of how to live with things:
1. Steal to get
2. Work to get
3. Work to get in order to give

Why does God bless us with abundance? So we can have enough to live on, and then use the rest for all manner of good works that alleviate spiritual and physical misery. Enough for us; abundance for others.

Living on the brink of eternity
Our final summary emphasis should be this: In 1 Timothy 6, Paul’s purpose is to help us lay hold of eternal life and not lose it. Paul never dabbles in unessentials. He lives on the brink of eternity. That’s why he sees things so clearly. He stands there like God’s gatekeeper and treats us like reasonable Christian Hedonists: You want life that is life indeed, don’t you (v.19)? You don’t want ruin, destruction, and pangs of heart, do you (vv. 9-10)? You want all the gain that godliness can bring, don’t you (v.6)? Then use the currency of Christian Hedonism wisely: Do not desire to be rich, be content with the wartime necessities of life, set your hope fully on God, guard yourself from pride, and let your joy in God overflow in a wealth of liberality to a lost and needy world.

Desiring God - Prayer

2009-02-24T11:31:00.006+08:00

"Whatever you ask in my name, this i will do, that th Father may be glorified in the Son." John 14:13

"Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." John 16:24

The two verses above tell us what we should pursue in our life. First verse shows that prayer is the pursuit of God's glory while the second verse shows that prayer is the pursuit of our joy.

These pursuits are shown through our prayer to God.

So, what is prayer?

Prayer is an open admission that we can do nothing without Christ. When we pray, we turn away from ourselves to God with the confidence that He, as the provider, meets our need. Prayer humbles us s needy and exalts God as wealthy.

When we truly know who Jesus is, we would ask from God. As we gets delight in having our need met, God gets the glory. We do not glorify God by providing His needs but by praying that He would provide our needs and trusting Him to answer.

In this way, we achieve the both pursuits as stated above. However, some will think that it is selfish to pursue for one's own happiness.

Prayer is not self-centred but God-centred if we pray with right motive. For everything comes from God and glory goes back to God. There is nothing that we can boast.

But, there is wrong kind of prayer. In James 4:3-5, he calls certain people as adulteress, who use husband's generosity to hire prostitutes for private pleasures. If we ask God for resources such as health, wealth and time to seek pleasures from the world instead of God, we are unfaithful to God.

However, there is way of enjoying creation without committing idolatry. It is when our delight does not stop at the gift itself, but extend to the Giver or Maker Himself.

The second main point is on serving.

We must beware of serving God and take special care to let Him serve us, lest we rob Him of His glory.

"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything." Acts 17:24-25

"The Son of Man came not to be served" Mark 10:45

Let's pause and consider all that we do busyly. Is it really serving? What is the centre of doing all these works? Is it really for God or ourselves? Yet, if it is really for God, how much we rely on Him in serving or we make our own choice in our effort.

God will gladly receive anything from us that shows our dependence and His all-sufficiency. Workmen get no gifts but their due.

But, does it mean we do not serve God? No. For it is commanded: "Serve the Lord" Romans 12:11

Therefore, prayer plays an important role in our serving. It prevents us service from being an expression of pride. It provides power to do what we love to do but can't do without God's help.

It is a wartime walkie-talkie but not a domestic intercom

We all get up day after day and realise that significant times of prayer should be a part of our life, but nothing is ever ready. It is because we have not planned anything!

If you want a renewal of your life in prayer, you must plan it!

Set a time, set a place and choose a portion of Scripture to guide you. Don't be tyrannized by the press of busy days. We need prayer!

2009-02-24T10:48:00.005+08:00

Quote from George Muller (taken from Desiring God):

While i was staying at Nailsworth, it pleased the Lord to teach me a truth irrespective of human instrumentality, as far as i know, the benefit of which i have not lost, though now... more than forty years have since passed away.

The point is this: i saw more clearly than ever, that the first great and primary business to which i ought to attend every day was, to have my soul happy in the Lord. The first thing to be concernedabout as not, how much i might sere the Lord, how i might glorify the Lord; but how i might be nourished. For i might seek to set the truth before the unconverted, i might seek to benefit believers, i might seek to relieve the disstressed, i might in other ways seek to behave myself as it become a child of God in this world; and yet, not being happy in the Lord, and not being nourished and strengthened in my inner man day by day, all this might not be attended to in a right spirit.

Before this time my practice had been, at least for ten years previously, as an habitual thins, to give myself to prayer, after having dressed in the morning. Now i saw, that the most important thing i had to do was to give myself to the reading of the Word of God and to meditation on it, that thus my heart might be comforted, encouraged, warned, reproved, instructed; and that thus, whilst meditating, my heart might be brought into experimental, communion with the Lord. i began therefore, to meditate on the New Testament, from the beginning, early in the morning.

The first thing i did, after having asked in a few words the Lord's belssing upon His precious Word, was to begin to meditate on the Word of God; searching, as it were, into every verse, to get blessing out of it; not for the sake of the public ministry of the Wordl not for the sake of preaching on what i had meditated upon; but for the sake of obtaining food for my own soul. The result i have found to be almost invariably this, that after a very few minutes my soul has been led to confession, or to thanksgiving, or to intercession, or to supplication; so that though i did not, as it were, give myself to prayer, but to meditation, yet it turned almost imeediately more or less into prayer.

Geroge Muller

If you desire to read more, you can buy the book or borrow it from me.
What is the first thing we do when we wake up in our life? Is it our homework? Is it our family chores? Or is it a time with the Lord?
We see clearly from the previous post on God's promise of His word and the value of His word in our life.
When we are busy, we think God will understand so that we attend our own tasks first.
When we are free, we think God will understand so that we go on to relax and entertain ourselves.
Is it wrong to think so? Maybe and maybe not.

We all face struggles in everyday. It is really not easy as everything else seem so important that we cannot spend time to stop and carefully think through to weigh the values.
Do our career, work, social activities, entertainment really that important? When we come before God after death, which of that we can use to prove our loyalty to His lordship?

You decide.

Desiring God - Scripture

2009-02-23T12:01:00.007+08:00

This is a post that i suppose to pose quite a long time back. However, due to the busy time schedule and ill-discipline of management, i have delayed till now, the study break.

Desiring God is a book by Pastor John Piper on how we pursue the joy in God by desiring Him as a Christian Hedonist.
The post will be the lesson i have learned from Chapter of "Scripture" and " Prayer". These are the two basic practices that all Christians should do daily just like how human relies on food and oxygen.

The chief end of God is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

The benefits and power if Holy Scripture:
1. The Bible is your life
"Take to heart all the words by which i am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life." Deuteronomy 32:46-47
Our creation and our preservation are all owing to the Word of God's power.

2. Faith comes by Hearing
"These are written, so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name." John 20:31
The Word of God begets and sustains spiritual life because it begets and sustains faith.

3. God supplies the Spirit through the Hearing of Faith
"Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?" Galatians 3:2
Set our minds on the things of the Spirit as all the teachings of Scripture are the things of the Spirit.

4. The Scripture give Hope
"Faith is the assurance of thins hoped for" Hebrews 11:1

5. The truth shall make you Free
"I shall walk in freedom, for i sought your precepts" Psalm 119:45
"You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" John 8:32
When we trust the promises of God, we sever the root of corruption by the power of a superior promise.

6. The Testimony of the Lord makes Wise the Simple
" The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple... The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes." Psalm 19:7-8
"Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gets understanding" Proverbs 3:13

7. Written that you might have Assurance
"This is my comfort in my affliction that thy promise gives me life... When i think of thy ordinances from of old, i take comfort, O Lord" Psalm 119:50

8. The evil one is overcome by the Word of God
"Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." Ephesians 6:17
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you." John 15:7
If we don't wear it, we can't wield it. If the Word of God does not abide in us, we will reach for it in vain when the enemy strikes. But if we do wear it, if it lives within us, what mighty warriors we can be!

9. An Earnest Exhortation
The Word of God is no trifle. It is the source of life and faith and power and hope and freedom and wisdom and comfort and assurance and victory over our greatest enemy.
"The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart" Psalm 19:8
"I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word" Psalm 119:16
"Oh how i love your law! It is my meditation all the day" Psalm 119:97
Not to pursue our joy everyday in the Word of God is to abandon the revealed will of God. It is sin!

On the next post, there is a sharing by Pastor Piper on George Muller's practice in his life that kindle his joy and faith.

Concerning Baptism

2009-02-03T22:58:00.003+08:00

*Since baptism class is opening up for registration, let me start a topic on this.

Key factor about baptism

1. Baptism is not necessary for salvation

"Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." Mark 16:16

If we say that baptism is necessary for salvation, then the very evident answer to this is simply to say that the verse says nothing about those who believe and are not baptized. The verse is simply talking about general cases without making a pedantic qualification for the unusual case of someone who believes and is not baptized. But certainly the verse should not be pressed into service and made to speak of something it is not talking about. Baptism, then, is not necessary for salvation. But it is neccessary if we are to be obedient to Christ, for he commanded baptism for all who believe in him.

2. Baptism is a command

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," Matt 28:19

"Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 2:38

Jesus commanded baptism in Matt 28:19, as did the apostles (Acts 2:38)

3. Baptism is not only Symbolic

Baptism symbolizes regeneration and spirtual rebirth. But it is not only symbolize. There is the blessing of God's favor that comes with all obedience, as well as the joy that comes through public profession of one's faith, and the reasurance of having a clear physical picture of dying and rising with Christ and of washing away sins. Certainly the Lord gave us baptism to strengthen and encoourage our faith - and it should do so for everyone who is baptized and for every believer who witness a baptism.

Grace?? Did you recongise the source of it?

2009-01-27T09:34:00.011+08:00

There was a king, eager to know what's beyong the palace.

One day, he set fore his journey out of palace and brought along a servant with him to take a peak at the commoner's life.

Disgusing themselves as a commoner.

The king came to a tea house, sat down and tried to get attention of the waiter to order some food. Nobody came and attend to him. Then he saw a sign board saying, (For offical only, not for commoners) . The servant said to him, "tell them you are the king!"

The King kept quiet, stand up and left the tea house.

Then the king came to a market place. Went up to a fish stall, because he saw that the fish was good. While browsing through the wide variety of fish, he saw a Bluefin Tuna and it was the most expensive fish among all. The king wanted it and ordered it from the fish mongor. In reply, the fish mongor said, "I don't think you have the money to buy it." The servant said, "we have not brought our money out today, but tomorrow we will give you twice as much as it cost today." The fishmongor laugh and said, "Look at the clothes you wear. You can't even get yourself a decent clothes to wear. This fish cost ten times the price of your clothes. Go away from my store, this fish is for the king!" Halfway through the fishmongor's reply, the King kept quiet and leave the stall. The servant came running behind him very frustrated and said, "Tell them you are the king!"

Then the king came to a village, while strolling through it, he came pass a backyard. There he saw a man, forcefully grabbing on to a girl's hand and kicking her. While the girl tried to struggles away from him. It was a robbery. The king and the servant saw that things was not right, and came running towards the scene. As they came nearer, there was not one man but four man. Nevertheless, the king and servant went up and defended the girl and tried to chase away the robbers. The robbers in turn, turn towards the king and his servant and held a fight. Being out numbered, the king and his servant could not hold up the fight. The servant shouted to the king three times,"Tell them you are the king! Tell them you are the king! Tell them you are the king! Sent your troops here and take them!" The robbers laugh and mock at them, "King? You are the King? I guess you are the King of the losers." The servant said, "Don't you know that, by a command of my Lord, you will see a legion of army come and protect us.?" The robbers laugh even harder, and they took what they want and left. The king kept quiet through out.

The servant cried, "My Lord, my heart so wish to bring them to the place where you live. Show them your power, that they may bow down. Show them your wealth that they may see and not lay a single touch on it. Show them your justice that they be put in prison."

This Story was inspired by myself.

Being a Christian, have we ever truely know who we really believing in?
Have we ever regconize who our God really is?

Have you ever be so proud that you are His Servant and His Children?

Did you ever feel and understand how powerful He can be??

The Bible says, "Jesus said to him..., Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" Matthew 26:52-53 (NIV)

"Jesus told him.... Don't you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? Matthew 26:52-53 (NTL)

So what say you?

Strugglers?? Definately....

2009-01-21T00:06:00.003+08:00

People says....Life is a struggle.

Struggle to get the things we want.

Struggle to break free from control of others.

Struggle to take control of our own life.

Struggle to preserve our own life in times of crisis

Struggle to bring the best for our children.

Struggle to live life to the fullest

Struggle to stay Alife.

But the bible says...

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. " Eph 6:12

So what do you struggle for in your life?

Life is just like taking an Examination without a Clock/watch in the Exam hall.

You never know when the time is up. You only have one time to do it right!

And NOW is the time!!!!

A question to puzzle upon Part II

2009-01-20T19:23:00.002+08:00

Throughout the Bible, the overarching sovereignty if God concerning the details of their lives and ministry are shown clearly.
"The plans of the mind belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord." Proverbs 16:1 (RSV)
"A man's mind plans his wat, but the Lord directs his steps." Proverbs 16:9 (RSV)
"The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is wholly from the Lord." Proverbs 16:33 (RSV)
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established." Proverbs 19:21 (RSV)
"I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps." Jeremiah 10:23 (RSV)
"I will return to you again if God wills." Acts 18:21
"I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills" 1 Corinthians 4:19
"I do not wish to see you now just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits" ! Corinthians 16:7
"And this we will do, if God permits" Hebrews 6:3
"You ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that'" James 4:15

In the book, Pastor Piper says: "The very first thing to affirm is that God does not sin. God can will that a sinful act come to pass without willing it as an act of sin in Himself."

However, when i read about the following footnotes, many questions arises:
"God commissions an "evil spirit" between Abimelech and the men of Shechem to bring about His will (Judges 9:22-24).
Satan leads Judas to do (Luke 22:3) what Acts 2:23 says God brought about.
Paul says that Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4) but also says that God sends a blinding spirit of stupor (Romans 11:8-10)
Satan stirs up David to take a census (1 Chronicles 21:1) which proved to be sin (2 Samuel 24:10), and yet it is written that God was in some sense the cause behind Satan (2 Samuel 24:1)
Satan gets permission from God to torment Job (Job 1:12; 2:6) but when Satan had taken Job's family and made him sick, Job said, 'The Lord has taken,' (job 1:21), and , "Shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord and shall we not receive evil" (2:10)"
Does it mean what evil acts or the sin that we have in our lives are caused by God to accomplish some wills of His in our lives? If it is so, are we still held responsible for the sins that we have done?

Conclusion:
God has the capacity to look at the world through two lenses, a narrow lens or a wide-angle lens.
When God looks at a painful or wicked event through His narrow lens, He sees the tragedy or the sin for what it is in itself and He is angered and grieved.
But when God looks at a painful or wicked event through His wide-angle lens, He sees the tragedy or the sin in relation to everything leading up to it and everything flowing out from it.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31
From these two verses, we know that we cannot comprehend the mind of God, not even about the plans that He have for us. When we face a choice, a decision or a struggle, we know that we have to follow the decrees of the Lord.
"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8
It is not God that causes us to sin but our own selfish desire. "but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." James 1:14-15 We cannot blame God for what sin we have committed for God never tempts.
Therefore, God has clearly shown us what we should do. At the beginning of the book, Pastor Piper shows through Scripture the pleasures of God and these are what we have to seek for and obey in faith!
(For those who want to know more, can borrow the book from me or buy one yourself)

Humorous but true

2009-01-17T23:31:00.003+08:00

Who is the most famous actor in Bible?
Samson, as he brought down the house.

Who was the first tennis player in the Bible?
Joseph. He served in Pharaoh's court.

Church signs:
"Free trip to Heaven. Details inside."
"People are like tea bags - You have to put them in hot water before you know how strong they are."
"Running low on faith? Stop in for a fill-up"
"No God- no peace. Know God - know peace"
"Fight truth decay - Read the Bible"
"If you are headed in the wrong direction, God allows for U-turn."
"If you don't like the way you were born, try being born again."
"The best vitamin for a Christian is B1 (be one)"
"Soul food served here"
"Don't give up. Moses was once a basket case!"
"To belittle is to be little"
"After tow thousand years, we are still under the same management"
" It is unlikely there will be a reduction in the wages of sin"

Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?
Noah. He was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.

Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible?
Pharaoh's daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet."

A question to puzzle upon Part I

2009-01-17T22:29:00.003+08:00

Thank God for the gathering today that i am so glad to see so many people!
Thank you, Pei En, for your hard work as a group leader to organize.
Thank every brothers and sisters in our group to make an effort to come, although some cannot due to personal reasons.

I am reading an article on the wills of God by pastor John Piper. I have not completed but there are some points that i am puzzled. I hope that i can gain more understanding once i have finished reading it.

Are There Two Wills In God? - Divine election and God's desire for all to be saved.

The main argument is on the simultaneous existence of God's will for "all men to be saved" (1 Tim. 2:4) and His will to elect unconditionally those who will actually be saved (Matt 22:14; John 6:37, 44, 65; 8:47; 10:26-29; Rom 8:29-30; 9:6-23; 11:5-10; 1 Cor 1:26-30; Eph 1:4-5; 1 Thes 1:4; 2 Thes 2:13; Jam 2:5).
For these Scriptures affirms the will of God to save all, while also affirming the unconditional election of some, implies that there are at least "two wills" in God, or, better, two ways of willing. It implies that God decrees one state of affairs while also willing and teaching that a different state of affairs should come to pass.
Some illustrations of two wills of God:
A. The death of Christ
God plans for something to come to pass which necessarily involved great sin, while at the same time disapproving of the sin involved.
the betrayal of Jesus by Judas was a morally evil act inspored immediately bu Satan. (Luke 22:3)
"This Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God." Acts 2:23

B. The war against the Lamb
In Rev 17:16-17, the war against the Son of God reached its sinful climax at the cross comes to final consummation in a way that confirms what we have seen about the will of God. It also reveals John's understanding of God's active involvement in fulfilling prophecies whose fulfillment involve sins.

C. The hardening work of God
Most famous example will be the hardening of Pharaoh's heart. (Exo 4:21; 7:3, 13, 14, 21 22; 8:11, 15 19, 28, 32: 9:7, 12, 34, 35: 10:1, 20, 27,: 11:10; 13:15; 14:4, 8, 17)
God's command is his will that Pharaoh let the Israelites go. Nevertheless, from the start He also willed that Pharaoh not let the Israelites go.
Another is in Romans 11:7-9 that Paul speaks of Israel's failure to obtain what it sought. Their hearts were hardened, yet it allows the Gentiles, us, to go to God. He wills a condition which He commands people to strive against. Heb 3:8, 15; 4:7

D. God's right to restrain evil and His will not to
Prov 21:1, " The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes."
A story of Abraham in Gen 20:6 also shows the point.
What is apparent here is that God has the right and the power to restrain the sins of secular rules. When he does, it is his will to do it. And when he does not, it is his will not to.

E. Does God delight in the punishment of the wicked?
In some sense God does not delight in the death of the wicked (Ezek 18) and in some sense he does (Deut 28:63; 2 Sam 2:25).

This is what i have read up to now. So far, i understand that God in one sense wills what he does not will in another sense.
I. Howard Marshall:"We must certainly distinguish between what God would like to see happen and what He actually does will to happen."

Are you SPIRITUALLY fit?

2009-01-09T13:22:00.004+08:00

some of you might have heard me complaining how December has been relatively barren for me in terms of gyming. first half of the month was taken up by national interests (read: reservist ICT) and the latter part with the flurry of CYYAM events, punctuated by an not-too-undramatic accident along the AYE from which i emerged relatively unscathed to handle the nitty-gritty of insurance claims.

and so when my neck got better, i tried to restart the routine of going to the gym every week, and hopefully running as well. heard a few other guys also talking about how they want to get fitter this year.. all well and good.. but for the past week it seems that God has been trying to remind me, from QT and other events, of the importance of another kind of fitness - the spiritual kind.

as Paul says, "train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." (1 Tim 4:7-8)

Another version puts v.7 this way: "Take time and trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit." (PHILLIPS)

What exactly is spiritual fitness? And are we in a position to do something about it? The answer to the 2nd question must be a resounding YES, or Paul wouldn't have told us to keep ourselves fit. By using the language of fitness and training, Paul is telling us that we need to adopt some spiritual disciplines as part of our lifestyle. The simplest of them are simply to read His Word daily and have a consistent and balanced prayer life.

And everyone knows this. So why am i posting it again? The reason is that everyone knows and everyone keeps failing to keep these simple habits (including myself). But then again, how are we supposed to keep to these habits if we don't truly resolve with a strong will, grit our teeth and set our determination to do them this year?

My hope is that I myself can have the right priorities and focus - keeping spiritually fit is far more important than some physical fitness, academic achievement or career advancement. Why? Because it "holds promise for both the present life and the life to come." Do you really believe this? If you do, what things do you need to resolve and change?

So i thought that at the start of the new year, it would be good for us to ponder on a few questions: Have you ever thought why some people react with faith and trust towards God even in the midst a personal crisis while some others turn away? Why are some people able to keep to their principles while being surrounded by a dog-eat-dog world of cut-throat competition in their work (and maybe even in school)? Why are people able to give testimonies of the comfort and strength from God's Word in the midst of difficulties and sorrow, of how God spoke to them?

I'm sure there are many reasons, some of them more profound than others, but I believe that one very important factor is how well these people have been training themselves spiritually. This is an unseen factor to many in public, and thus much underrated in our evaluation what influences how people react to things.

Whether your muscles of faith can handle the unexpected turn of events depends on whether you have been consuming the right kind of stuff - good protein and the right balance of other nutrients (God's Word, prayer, edifying fellowship with other believers) or just plain fats and fried food (read: banal television programs, endless drama serials, manga addition, wasteful conversations, time-consuming habits)?

That's why we need to "Take time and trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit." It does not happen naturally.

So then, i made a resolution to do QT every morning and to sleep early at night (trust me, it's a big step!). Hopefully, we'll all get spiritually lean and fit this year... :)

The Pleasure of God in Personal Obedience and Public Justice

2008-12-31T10:28:00.002+08:00

I have never expected myself to post on this blog.
However, Pei En has encouraged me for quite long that i decided to share a short article from my Quiet Time.
I will just post the summary of the personal obedience as this chapter from Pleasure of God by John Piper is really long.
Here we go:

'Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.' 1 Sam 15:22

God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.
Why is God so displeased with disobedience?
1. It shows a misplacement of fear.
2. It shows a misplacement of pleasure.
3. It shows a misplacement of praise.
4. Disobedience is as the sin of divination.
5. Disobedience is idolatry.

Is it good news to hear that God is pleased by obedience? Yes.
1. It means He is praiseworthy and reliable.
2. Everything God commands is for our good.
3. His commandments are not too hard for us.
4. The obedience He loves is the obedience of faith.

It is indeed tiring if we try to live the obedience from our own effort. For salvation is not a one stage process where we transit to the stage of obedience. Salvation is an on-going process till the day we meet God again. Therefore, we are sanctified to learn to obey.
Obedience is the fruit of faith.
"In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything but faith working through love." Galatian 5:6
"Even so faithm if it has no works, is dead being by itself." James 2:17
Grace is the power that pushes us through faith to obey.
Therefore, faith is defined: The satisfied assurance that God will work things out in the future better than i could work them out by relying on myself or be departing from the path of obedience.
God is happy with our obedience when our obedience is the overflow of out happiness with God.
God is delighted with our obedience when it is the fruit of our delight in Him.
Our obedience is God's pleasure when it proves that God is our treasure.
This is good news, because it means very simply that the command to obey is the command to be happy in God.

VCF AnnTiC

2008-12-20T21:33:00.003+08:00

Hey! Just thought i'd put a short post to share a bit about the camp i went for in cameron highlands last week from 7-13th dec. Its a vcf annual teach-in camp and for those of you who don't know vcf stands for varsity christian fellowship. Yup i thank god i learnt so much during that time. Not only from all the theme talks and workshops but also from my peers as well. Its hard to find so many christians of various denominations coming together to worship and all of them have so much more passion and desire to study God's word than i do. Yeah so this is my anntic group and we had quite a good time of sharing and bible study over the 5 days. The theme for this camp was "Quest for the answer", studying the book of ecclesiastes. Its a strange book cos if you read it, it seems almost like a journal, or a professional blog entry. And its pretty confusing to try to understand the author's chain of thought cos he just keeps saying that everything is meaningless. Haha so we were kindda stumped at first but tried to draw some lessons from the book esp to how we wanna live our life. Well hopefully i can put some of it into practice. During the camp, i attended 2 workshops- science vs religion and denominations, both of which were pretty info heavy but at least now i'm not so ignorant about it anymore. haha. I felt really refreshed after the camp and hopefully it'll last me thru the new year. Pity i can't go for it again next year cos i won't have a one month break anymore in dec but thank god for the opportunity to go this time round. Its been pretty awesome!

thanksgiving & prayer request (:

2008-12-10T12:24:00.006+08:00

Hi folks!
heh, I'm proud to be the 2nd members of the grp to post! Well, I actually told Pei En that I'll post my Q.T since last mth, but I'm very sorry I still hav not done it yet as I've been procrastinating.HAHA. So now I shall post abt my thanksgiving & prayer request here first.

As all of you know, I went to Japan last wk. I was shock to see some of the bro & sis-in-Christ came to the airport & send me off last sunday, and I truly appreciate it! (including those who cant make it but smsed me)
PS: Uncle James is taking the photo. (I noticed him from far when they are still looking for me.HAHA)

Really thank God that all of us are able to go to Japan even though our SIA flight was cancelled due to the thailand situation, however we managed to change to JAL. Thank God that everyone is back to Singapore safely on sunday night.(Even though none of us want to come back=P)

Also, thank God that the weather through out the whole trip was good, everyday is sunny except the day when we visit Kyoto(a place with the nicest scenery.T__T), it was raining almost the whole day, so I was freezing with my wet shoes & socks=( Although it was cold in Japan, the temperature was kind of fluctuating, I managed to survive without falling sick, really thank God for the good health. Of course, I also thank God for the GOOD FOOD we had! Almost every meal is different kind of Japanese food.(Don't be jealous as I believed I've put on weights.)

Thank God for the whole trip, it was an eye open with many great experiences, good time with my schoolmates & many lessons learnt. No worry, I'll share more in details and show all of you our photos taken in Japan soon(:

Hmmm. please pray for my internship, it'll start on 17/12, next wed until next yr 9/1, from 9:30am to 6pm. My workplace is really far, it is at Bukit Batok, so I'll have to travel at least 1.5 hrs there. I've been complaining abt the internship actually, as it takes up almost my whole "holiday". I'm worried that I'll not have time to finish my homework & revise my J1 work since I need to travel so far everyday, and by the time back home it would be very late. This is a test of time-management for me, so pray that I'll really use my time wisely EVERYDAY. Also pray for good health, I am not sure whether the work will be demanding, hope that I won't be very tired after work. Please also pray for the Night trail, for the planning, weather and responses. Pray that I will have enough energy to go for Night trail as I've internship that day and I won't have time to go home and rest before I come.

Yup, I guess that's all for now as I need to restrain myself from posting too much personal stuff. HAHA. Now off to chalet! CYA:D

my update and prayer request

2008-12-08T22:56:00.003+08:00

hello folks! as mentioned in the 1st post, we can post our prayer requests here as well, especially if we want to elaborate a little more... i noticed that no one has done so yet.. so well, i'll start it then..

last week was tiring and boring to the max in reservist.. but thank God for His grace and providence, for those encouraging msges i received and for reminding me to be thankful for much. in particular, want to give thanks for that i went through the platoon live firing safely.. the weather was terrible though, extremely humid and with a MDI (mosquito density index) of 10 per square metre. even after applying three types of insect repellent, i ended up with multiple bites here and there...

also want to thank God for the break of two days - although sunday and today passed by real fast, and im still very tired - at least i got some time out with brothers and sisters in Christ, and time to lie on my comfy and cosy bed rather than the dusty old mattress in camp..

as for the rest of the week, do pray that i'll go through everything with a positive attitude and good testimony.. am trying to share to a friend inside, so pray for opportunities.. i'll be having training outfield and a field camp, so it'll be pretty sian again: hot, sticky, maybe wet, humid, tired, hungry, and seemingly pointless waiting and waiting - another week of these to go. pray i'll depend on His strength throughout.

cant wait to get out by sat evening and see everyone again! and to those from my group who're reading this - it's ur turn to post!!

study fellowship @ hengwei's

2008-11-19T14:10:00.006+08:00

nestled between the coast and hilly greenery, we spent last sat afternoon and evening at hengwei's cosy abode for a bout of serious studying and dinner fellowship. although the group was small, there was a nice homely atmosphere, thanks to aunty lu yi's kind provision of food for us..

here are a few photos taken from my lousy phone camera! (hengwei has more, i'm still waiting! :))

Exam Timetables: Pray!

2008-11-15T11:58:00.011+08:00

hello folks, I've decided to put up the exam timetables of those in our group. So far I've only got some, so I'll keep updating this post. Let's keep them in prayer!

17/11 Cheng Hung - Material & Manufacturing, morning
Yanheng - Maths 2, 1-3pm

19/11 Yanheng - Digital Design, 9-11am
Cheng Hung - Maths 3, afternoon
Yanheng - Popular Culture 5-7pm

20/11 Yanheng - Operating System 1-3pm

21/11 Hengwei - Quality Control
Cheng Hung - Thermodynamics, morning

24/11 Cheng Hung - Essential Physics
(Mon) Joanna - Biodiversity, 1pm
Ying Qian - Business, Govt, Society

25/11 Yanheng - Software Engineering 9-11am
(Tues) Joanna - Statistics, 1pm

26/11 Hengwei - Materials and Energy
(Wed) Joanna - Organic Chem, 1pm
Ying Qian - Statistics

27/11 Ying Qian - Financial Accounting
(Thurs)

28/11 Hengwei - Engineers and Society
(Fri) Cheng Hung - Essential Maths, afternoon

29/11 Joanna - Popular Culture in Southeast Asia, 9am
(Sat)

1/12 Desmond - Accounting, 2pm (incidentally, Ziling's having e same papers as Desmond)

2/12 Desmond - Management, 2pm

4/12 Desmond - Econs, 930am

5/12 Desmond - Statistics, 930am

Jia you everyone!

Exam Verse :):)
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Dead and ALIVE? Reflections on the title

2008-11-04T18:52:00.012+08:00

We're all dead and alive, if we're truly Christians. and of course, we know the verse in the title: dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11). But what does this really mean? And why choose it as the title?

Well there's a short explanation to this. We came up with a few titles during sharing time, voted, and there was a tie between this title and "The End" (graciously offered by Heng Wei). Sad to say (for Heng Wei), I voted for "Dead and Alive" to break the tie. But why did I vote as such?

That's the longer explanation. Which is, I feel that it expresses well the tension and condition of our lives as Christians living in the real world. It is both an affirmation, and a challenge. [Take note: Below are my thoughts on how to interpret the verse and the passage following, but don't just take my word for it. Read up, pray, look at commentaries.]

The AFFIRMATION: If we have truly seen our own sinfulness, and we believe in the love of Christ who paid for our sins, and we are willing to accept Him as our Lord and Savior, then - we are well and truly dead to sin and alive to God. But what does this mean? This means that objectively speaking, God counts us as righteous. Not only is our sin paid for by Christ, we have been clothed with the righteousness of Christ. That is the reality. THE reality. But often we know it only in our heads, because in our daily lives, we still sin - we still get angry at the wrong things, we are still proud, conceited, selfish, lustful, jealous, greedy.

But don't miss the point here. What does Paul tell us? After 5 1/2 chapters of talking about the glorious gospel (if you've never read Romans once through, it's probably one of the best things you can do), he tells us to "consider ourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." (6:11) He tells us to bring our vision of ourselves in line with that of the reality of what Christ has accomplished in us. The point is very profound here: we have to live in the light of what Christ has accomplished objectively, in order to start living it out subjectively in our own lives. So, first, affirm to yourself your status before God. Justified and righteous, dead to sin.

The CHALLENGE: How are we going to live in the light of this fact? Paul goes on:

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

This is obviously another very deep and profound passage, and I'll admit I haven't gotten hold of it entirely. But there are clues. Look at v. 12-13: these are instructions - let God reign in you, not sin. Choose God, not sin. This is an attitude and a decision. We can't control the desires presently occuring in us, but we can choose whether to give in to them, and we can choose overall, to let God reign in us. This choosing involves (cf John Piper) preferring. Don't fall prey to the lies of sin - the false promises of pleasure. Know that God is infinitely more valuable and precious. If we truly believed this, and chose God (and righteousness), then I think slowly but surely, our desires will follow. Perhaps not immediately, but with time.

And why will that be effective? v. 14 tells us - for sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Remember the first point - we are justified and made righteous. That is a fact, not just a theory. So in our efforts to stop sinning and be righteous, we don't treat it as a way to be right with God. If we have accepted Christ, we already are. Don't rely on yourself, rely on Christ. "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Rom 8:1) If we read on to chapter 7, Paul talks about how sin (the sinful nature), making use of the law, makes us sin more.

As I see it, we need to constantly remind ourselves that we have been made righteous. We don't try to be good so that God will like us a bit more. Remember that He showed His love to us while we were sinners. And it's Christ alone that bought us back. Rather, it is because of God's goodness that we want to follow Him. It is His kindness that leads us to repentance. It is because of His amazing grace and goodness to us - totally unworthy creatures - that we must respond in the kind of gratitude and faith that leads to obedience.

And as we, as a group, share our lives and try to follow Christ together, let's keep this in mind. What Christ has done for us, and how we should see one another as well. Let's encourage one another to work out what God has already worked in us - to live out the righteous life that He has already secured for us.

So then, dead to sin, alive to God. Here we go! :)

our online baby is born

2008-11-04T18:12:00.010+08:00

hello boys and girls, we're up and running!

And what have we in store in this long-awaited group blog? Nice colours, for one, thanks to our very own technical support officer, Jia Xin! Thanks to her for the time and effort put into this wonderful design and coding in the midst of preparing her PW stuff..

Now to the uninitiatied - those who have not heard about what this blog is all about: well, here's what this is all about. for those in Pei-En's group (I is Pei En!), anyone of us can post our thoughts, reflections and musings on this blog. but what type of content to post? Let's take a look at the guidelines!

Reflections on our Quiet Time/any spiritual readings (take a look at Wei En's blog for example. But don't copy and paste entire sermons here. If u want to recommend, just add a link.)
Reflections on our sermon application
Reflections on our book study (yet to begin)
Prayer requests and thanksgiving, elaborations and updates on things you've listed down for prayer. E.g. more on how your exams went, whether someone who's sick is getting better, what difficulties you face in your projects, friendships and so on.
Info on official group outings and post-outing thoughts. (note: what is an official group outing? Ans: something endorsed by the group leader and with a clear spiritual purpose.)
Info on CYYAM events and post-event reflections.
Encouragements to others and generally edifying (spiritually beneficial) stuff. (See Phil 4:8)

Now that's many different kinds of posts. So how to organise? We'll be putting LABELS for each post. For example, I have posted some prayer requests. At the bottom of the space for typing the post, there's a small box with the description "Labels for this post". So I'll type in the label: 'prayer'. Of course, one post can have more than 1 label, e.g. I can also put the label 'update' if that post includes some update. So essentially, people can access all posts relating to prayer by clicking on the relevant label on the right side of the blog. [NOTE: As of now, this function has not been added yet. But it will soon. Exciting times!]

It goes without saying (no, actually not, since I'm saying it) that we should not post private info about others on this blog. What counts as private info? You should know. But when in doubt, don't post it. Ask for permission first. Remember that this is a public blog. Ok?

But enough of these guidelines. We'll go into more detail as we go along. The main thing is, start posting, guys! Look at the tagboard - pp like Wei En and Cheng Hung have already started the ball rolling. So do it. Make this our blog. Make this blog a place of sharing, encouragement, fellowship. Make this our connection to one another during the week. Make this a place for spiritual refreshment.

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