Youth of TTDIGC

Remember the Lord

2012-01-30T23:34:00.004+08:00

Another year has come and gone so quickly and now its 2012. We are getting older, moving up the ladder of life. Primary school to secondary school to college to uni to work. Things are changing.

The emergence of technology especially social network, political turmoil, economical shifts and ideas of new bills. Our world is changing and moving along at a rather, face pace. It is easy to get caught in the motion of things and just “go with the flow”. Before you know it, life has come and gone and you ask yourself, where has God been?

In Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the Israelites that man does NOT live on bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. True that the bread meant food to them during that time when they were starving in the desert, but let me interpret it slightly differently - since most of us NEVER have to starve, it is things that "keep us going". Such as Facebook, friends, clothes, family, education, money, twitter, partner etc etc etc.

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not like on “bread” alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD Deuteronomy 8:3

God sent them to wander in the desert. Why? They rebelled and sinned against God. They forgot Him. They lived their own lives and complained how they wanted to go back into Egypt. They lost sight of God and His power. God took away their “bread”, causing them to hunger and turn to Him for hope. When they came back to God, He gave them His “bread” instead.

Often when going through life, it becomes easy to lose sight of God. “Yeaaa I'm a Christian, I go to church, but I think I'm going to do my own thing for now”, sounds familiar right? God loves us so much. So much that He sent His son to die on the cross so that you may live. That is how much He loves us. So much so that He would not let us stray away, and thus He would bring us back.

Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you Deuteronomy 8:5

Do not wait until your desert experience takes place and to be broken down only to come back to Him. Live your eternal life NOW. So think about the state of your life now and all that has happened, is God the center of it or are you just wandering in the desert of life?

- Alex Tan

Images taken from:
http://www.mylot.com/w/photokeywords/busy+traffic.aspx?googleimgr=&kw=busy%20traffic
http://www.cv.nrao.edu/course/astr534/Introradastro.html

A Love so Amazing

2012-01-27T06:09:00.004+08:00

For those who already seen this commercial from Bernas, would more or less agree that it leaves a certain impact to each of us in a very special way.

I'm glad that for once, there's a CNY commercial that really speaks of real family issues instead of the "superficial" warm and "all is well" impression. That there are families who go through real struggles of not seeing eye-to-eye, a total lack of filial piety (not knowing what that is? It's time you go search it up guys!) and how we often hurt the ones that love us the most.

To me, it kind of showed how much the son is not repentant in many ways, especially after the fact that he has wronged his father and left the family in such a manner. Despite going through hard labour in a construction site, I thought he would had tasted hardship and realize how much his father had to work to feed the family.. but he didn't.

And for a Chinese family, it means so much to see a father of such stature to cry in tears. As I watch through this scene, it moves my heart so much to know how much pain this father must have felt to see his own beloved son to be in this state - torn and crippled.

But what made it even more moving was the fact that how the son wronged him first and utmost where the father had all "rights" to disown him as son but, he didn't. He in fact went all out and ensure that his son could walk back on his 2 feet once more.

As I was talking to Gary about this commercial, at first it felt like it was showing of the parable of the prodigal son but then Gary then told me, "Nope, the son didn't repent and came back to his father in tears."

"True."

Then it quickly dawn upon me that it's in fact speaking directly about the Father's love on the Cross for us, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8"

And hence forth, this commercial is in fact.. an universal one. A love that we all can relate to, a love that we know is entirely undeserving. Likewise, may it be a reminder to us as followers and beloved children of Christ to always love others - as how He loved us!

Have a blessed time of CNY, for the remaining days of it! CNY isn't essentially about red packets, gambling or fireworks for the matter - it's the family. :)

- daryl 's u n d a e' heng

Video take from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OqOHxwRy04
(BERNAS | Chinese New Year Commercial - Family Reunion Dinner "Sek Fan" English)

A Revering Encounter

2012-01-11T11:16:00.004+08:00

Recently, a sister has been sharing her issues to me. She has finally decided to work out her faith with all seriousness; she knew she has been carrying a baggage that has been eating up her faith inside out. She also told me that she never realize it has been that way because normally, she waits for God to use someone to tell her what’s going wrong in her spiritual walk with Him.

In the book of Exodus when Moses was leading the Israelites, everyone knew Moses talked to God face to face, but as we read in Exodus 20 : 18-19 :

“And all the people saw the thundering, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak to us, lest we die.”

That sister never knew she could face God face to face as Moses did, she always thought God will always speak to her in mysterious ways that she can never understand. That’s not true at all, we have not come to call our Heavenly Father as our personal Saviour for no reason. Some of us do not know because we either lack the initiation to find out or is still very young in the faith. In her case, she was never even exposed to such possibility. For some, its exactly where the Israelites stand, they know God is there but is too afraid, “lest we die”!

Why? Because we fear change. We are only willing to change when the cost is affordable and convenient, but when it starts to cost us a lot, we’ll stop. We hate to be in corners in our lives, we want “freedom” to roam, to stop and go as we wish and live comfortably without boundaries in the name of the 3 best friends (me, myself and I ). Sometimes we rationalize and say, “It’s not like I’m entirely living my life without God, I don’t curse, I do go to church, I don’t steal and I still care for my brothers and sisters in Christ. Can you start to see the “do’s and don’t’s”?

Because we start to feel the cornering, facing God directly ourselves is not what the fear wants to work with. We want someone else to filter that for us and tell us things we hope to hear like “you’re fine, you’re doing okay etc.”

1 Peter 4 : 1

“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for He hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that He no longer should live the rest of His time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.”

Here we need to remind ourselves the renewing of our mind. Don’t just see the process, see the objective why God put us through such “cornering” in our lives.

Allow me to put it in a different perspective. If you want something so badly - for example being the best badminton player, do you honestly think you will mind all that pain and commitment in the practices, routines and time spent?

You wont. Why? Because the motivation to be the best, to be acknowledged by your peers, parents and relative, the feeling of satisfaction in achievement in your life pushes you through all the way.

And then when we come to know our sinfulness and how much it destroys us and making us inevitably the object of wrath without any hope, we come to know the amazing grace of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. We told Him our lives is Yours, Your glory and Your name I do my best to live my life to it.

Sadly, as young Christians, we don’t exactly understand what it really means to surrender our entire lives to Him. Thankfully, God is full of mercy and love (That’s how we come to understand how rich it is as well, though obviously it’s not an excuse to keep failing Him).

Facing God and allowing Him to change us even though its going to be very difficult and often very painful is necessary. But let our motivation be focused, we do it because we love Him. We do it because we are reminded where we were before we met the Lord. We do it because we understand and is convicted fully, that God loves us . And when you’re finally back to business with our Father, well guess what?

You’re living the faith.

No more religion, no more do’s and don’ts. If you do not understand what it means to face God in such a personal direct manner, do come for our youth retreat this March! We will be dwelling on a longer session on the spiritual discipline of meditation. If you can’t wait that long and want to be serious with God right now, you’re more than welcome to approach me directly (I’m not a guru yet so don’t expect that much out of me!)

If you’re currently stuck at where the Israelites at, I hope this post may remind you why you’re doing what you’re doing. Don’t take it the wrong way, I’ve been where the Israelites were so many times myself but I continue to strive, two steps front, one step back.

Phil 4 : 13

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Images are taken from :

http://www.handofgod.com.au/page133.php
http://www.freefoto.com/preview/05-08-5/Cross-on-a-Hill
http://h3sean.com/subtle-compromise/
http://footstepsacademy.org/

2012?

2011-12-31T09:57:00.006+08:00

While many people on my Facebook wall are busy dying even before the Mayans predicted the end of the world by 2012 (quoting from one of my friends), how many of us are actually conscious about the Lord's 2nd coming?

Luke 21:25-28

There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.

I admit that often time than not, I'm more concerned about issues yet to be resolved and selfish objectives to be met than consciously reminding myself that He will be returning soon. That includes during my nightly prayers to Him before I close my eyes after beating myself up over the agendas done throughout the day!

Perhaps, subconsciously after all the drumming and influence from the movies about the countless ways how humanity will be extinct, I might had just allowed it to make me shrug off the idea that any moment, we would all be facing the Lord directly face-to-face and be held accountable for all our actions done on earth.

Now you might be thinking twice whether to continue reading on this post, but I'd like to question - why is this so?

Perhaps, we allow a lot of our friends to tell us that what we believe in is a religion. A religion to once in a while remind us that we should love another person and if you fail to do so, it's okay, we still go to Heaven.

Perhaps we allow the media to tell us that it's undeniably cool to make fun of our own religion and since no one's getting angry over it, why not cultivate this lifestyle to join in the bandwagon along with the world? (such as helplessly saying "oh my God" in vanity)

Perhaps we keep telling ourselves that we have a lot more time to seriously sit down and think about repentance and be a goodie boy/girl when we feel like it but until then .. it's better to live life the way we think it's best?

Perhaps, we have not actually believed that the Lord has conquered death and now, we ourselves are fearful of the unknown, and only want to focus on what we can see, touch and smell right now on earth?

As we enter the year 2012, TTDIGC Youth will be introducing a brand new theme, known as -

I am His and He is mine.

I cannot emphasize any further on how crucial we view and understand the faith we believe in. If I ask you that you're on a relationship with the dearest person you could ever love and have been consistently communicating to one another via skype, e-mails and facebook .. wouldn't you long for the day that you can be together, face-to-face, finally?

John 14:6

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

But Christ is more than just a lover and that's what makes our faith more beautiful and perfect than anything else in the world can offer! Christianity isn't about restricting your freedom or forcing us to live life against our will, but it's about an intimate relationship with a Heavenly Father who truly empower us to be who we're REALLY made for!

So be sure to join us to press on heavenward week by week as to eagerly seek His return as once we've encountered the love of Christ, we can only say -

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

- daryl 's u n d a e' heng

Images taken from:
http://mapawatt.com/2011/12/18/what-will-2012-have-in-store-for-energy-conservation/
http://beafreakgotohollywood.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html

Family in Prayer

2011-12-21T06:41:00.005+08:00

As most of you know, I will be graduating soon. If you have read some of my previous blogposts, you would know that my college years have been relatively bumpy. Well to no surprise the last leg of my journey in college was bumpy as well. So this was the situation, when I returned from Singapore to continue my studies in Kuala Lumpur, I found out during the first day of class that I had to conceptualize and start up my own fashion related brand for my final assignment.

That means that after all the money my parents spent on my college fees, they now have to be investors for a business I have to create in order for me to graduate. I immediately thought that this was outrageous! I understand the fact that the best way to learn is to have hands on experience. But I really felt forced into doing something I did not want to do. Doing this was a real gamble because I felt that my parents would have to invest in something that I had no experience in doing and I feared that it would fail miserably. As usual, I was angry and bitter about everything concerning my college.

Throughout this whole situation, my parents remained very supportive. My father even told me to not worry about it and just do what I needed to do in order to graduate. Hence, I reluctantly came out with a brand concept for my assignment. Drawing inspiration from my niece and my sister-in-law, I decided that my brand will specialize in providing stylish nursing covers for mothers.

As I worked on my assignment, I was still feeling angry and honestly very worried about how I was going to accomplish creating my own brand and running a business. So I started praying and asking God to really help me with this. I even asked my Bible Study group to pray for me. Today, as I am about to complete my assignment; I can tell you that everything that has happened during these few months of working on my assignment is nothing short of divine intervention.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (NIV)

I truly experienced God’s faithfulness as to the way He turns something that started off negative into something beautiful. Many lessons have been learned through this experience and I can say that this experience has brought me closer to God. The amazing thing about this is that God sent His children to help me in completing my assignment.

Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.(NIV)

Let me start with the production of the products. I have a second cousin who is a tent maker in Cambodia and has been living there with her family for over 10 years. We rarely get a chance to meet up but amazingly we met up with her family when they visited KL in June. During that meet up, I found out that she was involved in a social enterprise in Cambodia that teaches disadvantaged women to sew so that this life-skill would help them develop meaningful careers and earn a living. I told her about my business idea and she responded by saying that they made nursing covers too and they would love to produce some for me. I was so happy and thankful. Having them make the nursing covers made creating this business so much more meaningful for me.

Besides that, from the design of the website to the buying of the web domain name God sent my friends from other churches to help me. As for the costs and numbers I had to work out for my assignment, a brother in church willingly helped me with that numerous times. Even the video that I needed to create for my assignment was produced by another brother in church. God truly answered my prayers even when I was feeling so negative about the whole situation. I would have never imagined that doing this assignment would bring me the joy of experiencing God in such a way.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (NIV)

So, are you feeling down or angry about something today? Bring it to the Lord in prayer and you will soon realize that everything good or bad that has happened in your life happens for a reason. It would also be great if you have brothers and sisters in Christ that can support you in prayer. Trust me it makes a difference.

Matthew 18:19-20 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (NIV)

- Xin-Yi

Images are taken from:
http://www.14ushop.com/haverlock/jim-journey.html
http://inewp.com/?tag=depressed-and-angry
http://www.copticbiblestudy.org/our-fellowship

Not to be served but to serve

2011-12-12T00:50:00.003+08:00

In Philippians 1:1 , Paul introduces both he himself as well as Timothy as servants of Christ Jesus and addresses the Philippi Church as saints.

This year, I was blessed to have gotten the chance to attend this year’s National School Christian Fellowship Leadership Camp organized by Scripture Union, where I learnt what the word saint actually meant. Saints, as Paul addressed the Philippi Church, means holy people who were set part for God’s purposes. As for servants, we are called to be servants of God, that is slaves to righteousness and not sin.

Through the said camp, I am reminded once again about how we, children of God, are actually saints and servants of Christ. In other words, our whole lives are set apart for service to God for His glory and not our own. Not forgetting the fact that we are only enabled to serve because He has placed that righteousness on us and not because of anything we’ve done or will/can ever do.

This leads us to another point, how then do we serve a God who needs nothing of us? We are to serve His people (one another).

Philippians 2:3-4 says: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”.

Then again, how often do we think about God and what He wants of us in the first place. We’re often so busy with our earthly lives that we forget what being a Christian actually is all about.

We are called to live Gospel driven lives!!

Philippians 1:12-26
Despite the rivalries and the hardships Paul faced, (being in prison and persecuted) his passion to share the Gospel never died.

Philippians 1: 12-18 This great example reminds us to not allow the difficulties nor comforts in our lives hinder us from being passionate for Christ.

Being called to live Gospel-driven lives brings forth the point that we, the Church, the body of Christ, are Gospel-partners! Therefore, it is our responsibility to work in unity and in love toward the same goal and purpose. Being accountable to one another is necessary too.

I would like to end by sharing the lyrics to the chorus of the song “Servant King”:

This is our God, the Servant King
He calls us now to follow him
To bring our lives as daily offering
Of worship to the Servant King

God bless!!!

- Allyna Goh

Images taken from:
http://blog.beba-anas.com/borak-kosong/busy-sangat-ke
http://edharewood.hubpages.com/hub/Background-on-Episitle-to-the-Philippians
http://new-wood.blogspot.com/2011/11/servant-king.html

A personal testimony – Part 1 (Laziness)

2011-12-05T16:10:00.004+08:00

Further to my sharing on 7 Nov 2011 titled, “A personal testimony – An introduction”. I would like to say that

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5, New King James Version (NKJV) When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed— Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.

I have vowed to God to take me, break me and mould me sometime back last year and that vow remains the same until today [p.s. I must say that we have to be mindful when we sing song that goes like this as there are real costs accompanying it]

Approved In Every Way
by Ng Wah Lok

I want to be Your servant Lord,
To serve You each and every day
I want to give my best to You
Approved in every way

CHORUS:
Make my life a living sacrifice
The way you want me to be
To serve You with all my heart
Whatever the cost to me
Take me, break me, mold me, Lord
As the Potter shapes the clay
Pleasing You in all I do
Approved in every way.

I'll stand before Your righteous throne
To hear "Thou good and faithful one"
"Well done" from the Master's lips
Approved in every way.

I found that God has begun tackling my laziness issue from the day I made the vow. In actual fact, my laziness has caused me to be undisciplined, procrastinate, disorganized, complacent, forgetful, depend on others and expect to get spoon fed!

As I reflect on my life, I began to think…If only I study hard during my primary and secondary school days, I would have built a strong foundation for my tertiary education and my life. Now my life is in a mess as I have to learn many things from scratch, including managing my time.

Believe me or not, that I use reminders to help me to remember things and this has caused my brain to fail me many times when I want to remember important things.

Also, as I use more of my brain to think, instead of asking for an answer, I realized my brain has so much capacity that I never tapped it and got it rusty. In result, I have to work extra hard to rescue the situations. At the same time, I am excited that my learning curve has somewhat began, though staggering.

After admitting my sins (laziness is a sin too!) before God and seeking advice from spiritually more matured individuals, I felt God is again touching my life and has allowed me to turn a new leaf. It is exactly what 1 John 1:9, New King James Version (NKJV) says:

If we [I] confess our [my] sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our [my] sins and to cleanse us [me] from all unrighteousness.

I am thankful to God, though the breaking and moulding process was extremely painful but I know good things will come as what was said in Philippians 1:6, New King James Version (NKJV)

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you [me] will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

Yit Mun
a.k.a IP Man

Note: words in [] are the words I personalized in my context.

Images taken from:
http://cog-ff.com/html/Should%20You%20VOW.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1232582/Government-guarantee-mortgage-childrens-future.html
http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/laziness/

It's not just a feeling

2011-11-29T00:46:00.004+08:00

Being a Christian after almost 1 year and a half now, it just dawned upon me, there isn’t such a thing as "stagnant" days of being a Christian. Its either you're growing closer to the Lord, or going further away from Him. There's no "I'm stable now and i will keep things this way where I'm comfortable." sort of phase in your walk with Him.

Does that surprise you?

Allow me to put it this way. If you ever had a super close bestie friend in your life, can you imagine yourself being distant from that person for a stretch of time? Obviously, you'll either miss that person or actually spend some quality time with that person, or just simply be with that person.

And if for some reason, you can't meet or even interact with that person for a long period of time, you'll realize it's just not the same anymore.

But if it’s someone who you always say hi and bye - an acquaintance, frankly, it doesn't matter if you didn't even see that person for the next 10 years. It may even not cross your mind that it has already been 10 years since you last saw this friend.

Because the depth of the bonds between your bestie and that acquaintance is different. Deeper bonds, deeper meaning, deeper commitment.

Romans 5:8

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Of course, to compare a human to human relationship and ours to God is a far cry. God is first your saviour, then yes, He is also your best friend. Thankfully, He is also an awesome extremely loving God that could bear with our nonsense all the time. What nonsense? The "when i feel like being closer to You, then i will, if not, I will stay invisible as You've always been."

But how do we stop being that way? I caught myself doing that so many times, again and again, I end up coming to Him begging to let me start over. Trust me, its not a great feeling at all! (With a lot of consequences to deal with at the same time due to that)

There's no other way than being committed to the relationship you have with Him. True love between a relationship may start with a feeling, but never sustained by it. Sincerity is not about getting the mood to do it, true sincerity is doing regardless how you feel, in fact, even when you don't feel like doing it.

But how do we commit? (Some of you might be thinking, "just commit lah duh")

It's not that easy. I don't even know if any of you reading this have actually committed to anything before. In today's time, there isn’t such a thing existing anymore, it also explains why there are so much nonsense going on also. Committing to something doesn’t mean someone forcing you like how your parents may force you to go school, tuition or your piano class. It has to be made by your own personal choice.

So may i suggest taking it one day at a time? In fact one day maybe too hard, why not one moment at a time?

By the way, committing your relationship with God is not equal to "reading the Bible" daily or even going to church every Sunday. There are many people who knows the entire Bible inside out and goes church every Sunday and yet, has never followed Him in any part of their lives.

I was once there few years back and always wondered why this God never spoke to me, today I finally know why. Its because I was spending so much time knowing about Him, but never submit my life in having this beautiful relationship with Him!

If you're going to commit your relationship to a lover and if this lover writes a letter to you everyday, do you just merely read it and then put it away? Or do you excitedly read through the lines, dwell on it the entire day and wonder, if this is what He meant? I mean come on! It's for you! And of course after understanding what He meant, you do your part by learning to trust what He is telling you to do or to listen.

So one moment at a time, one thought at a time, one action at a time. Do it all for the love for God, your Saviour.

If God asked you to love this friend of yours in school and you find it very hard because maybe your friends will laugh at you or even despise you, you take it one step at a time. Start by saying hi to that person and then submitting the cost of your "accompaniment" to God. And to also start to accept that you may end up losing this bunch of friends but also realize that you are finally having the joy of having true freedom in obeying God.

Leviticus 19:34

"But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God."

If its about you spending too much time on youtube or facebook, cut it down slowly. Maybe put a time limit you wish to spend on it and start cutting it down from there, and then submitting the cost of your "leisure time" to God. But also realize that you maybe finally on a journey to realize the joy of "depths of Jesus Christ" in using the time cut down to spend more time in prayer and meditation. (Or quiet time for that matter)

Lastly, have an accountable partner. When i say accountable partner, i don't mean a mere friend that often calls you to just play sports, computer games and crack jokes all day long. I mean by someone who sincerely and seriously takes your relationship with God as important as his/her relationship to God, so get someone whom you know is more mature than you or at least of equal maturity. I personally have a person who is my accountable partner and that person really commits to making sure my relationship with God is always well and going. I know that person will be praying for me even if i don't ask everyday or every week and that person really take time out to commit in doing all that.

I pray that whoever is reading this may have such a blessing from God too. Building a relationship with God is pure hard work, that's something definite. But thankfully, if you have always been depending on God to build this relationship, you'll realize that you are strengthen by His grace. No, i don't mean that it becomes suddenly easier, i know a lot of people get the concept of "strengthening by God" as though their burden gets lighter. It normally doesn't. What it means is actually being able to do it, with His strength!

2 Corinthians 12:9

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Yes, you'll feel the same tough going, but you also know you'll make it in the end, because you're enabled by His grace. If you're not strengthen by His grace, you can try all you want and i can guarantee you, you'll never make it.

-Gary Heng

Images are taken from :

http://doctorbutterfly.xanga.com/
http://im-realize.blogspot.com/2009/09/im-upset.html
http://www.howtowriteaformalletter.com/
http://www.dianasimon.com/my-accountability-partner-may-9th/1312

Responsibility

2011-11-22T03:01:00.009+08:00

Luke 10: 38-42
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

The story of Jesus at the home of Martha and Mary. I am quite sure most of you know how this story goes. If you do not, you can find it from the verses listed above. Most of the time when a guest comes to our home, we will do our best to make them feel welcomed. Prepare them drinks, food, talk to them and what not. It is almost expected of us to do such things. But where did this expectation come from? Who taught us we must do these things? Well the most common answer would be our parents. Whether verbally or by example, it is just something that is done in our “culture”.

For Martha, it was in her “culture” to ensure the guest of the house has a good impression of her hospitality. Okay let us see what happens next. Martha complains about her sister being “lazy” and stresses out about the preparations. Jesus in reply tells her that she is placing too much importance on the wrong things.

YOU might be wondering, “why are you telling us this maaaaaaaaaaaaan ._.”. The question is this, is there anything in your “culture” that is distracting you from God? Alright this part of the post will seem a bit stereotypical, but to a certain degree has a great sense of truth in it. As ASIANS, parents most of the time say to us “you study hard, you do well in school, do well in school then get a good job, get a good job then make the family proud and please your parents as a ‘responsible’ child”. Now that is just our culture cause from my experience in uk, that doesn’t seem to be the ‘norm’. I am very sure it is not a biblical thing as well cause I am quite sure if you do not continue to a higher education, it is not a “sin”. So I guess we can deem it as worldly expectation?

Alright now to the chunky bits. What I mentioned about above is just one of the worldly expectations that many of us are expected to meet. There are many others and it is different for each individual depending on your social surrounding. To what extent are you willing to meet these expectations? Should meeting these expectations even be something important? So most of us grow up spending a lot of time meeting those expectations. All the little left over bits of time that we have or when we are “free”, we slot God in.

Going back to the story, so we stopped where Martha asked Jesus to reprimand Mary. But wait, He did not. Instead He says to her that Mary has chosen the right thing. You would imagine Jesus to say to Mary, “go be a responsible sister and a ‘good’ testimony and help her out” but He did not. SOMETIMES the “responsibilities” we have in this world are not important and we need to be in tune with the Holy Spirit to discern well in this. In the situation of Martha and Mary, it was spiritual nurturing against household responsibilities. It was okay that the food came out later, or that the guest had to be a bit thirsty.

We need to have ourselves checked that the reason we strive our best in our "responsibilities as students" is done as an act of honouring God and offered up to Him as a sweet and fragrant offering - done in obedience. If we fail to do that, it won't be suprising that we end up being Martha, where we totally fail to prioritize our responsibilities in recognizing which act would have substantial spiritual nourishment! (Especially when it comes to acts that ask you to choose between studying or not)

To end it all, I would just like to stress the importance of seeking God’s will out in all things. I am NOT implying that we should not study at all nor am I saying education is not important but rather WHY is it important? Would you give up listening to God to fulfill those responsibilities and worldly expectations like Martha? Or would you be like Mary and listen first then work it out?

Peace out peeps!

- Alex Tan

Images taken from:
http://www.wpclipart.com/religion_mythology/new_testament/illustrations_2/Jesus_Christ_with_Mary_and_Martha.png.html
http://onproductmanagement.net/2011/07/13/expectations-and-product-leadership/
http://gratiafied.blogspot.com/2011/04/gods-will-is-that-you-stop-trying-to.html

Exams?

2011-11-10T21:01:00.007+08:00

Being a mass comm graduate myself, it does help me to realize how the media plays such a huge way of affecting the way we understand things. It's not an immediate effect, it's something that slowly drums into your mind - the moment you wake up from your bed, advertisements ARE everywhere around you. Try observing and see, you'll know what I mean!

The ways of the world tells not only you but the people around you that becoming rich and successful, appearing famous and good looking is a NEED and not a "bonus" anymore. And one assured way to get there would be to score flying colours in your exams.. and then life will be pretty smooth-sailing from there!

So what happens next naturally?

"EXAMS IS HERE!"

Now the very natural response to that would be, "I'll hide at home and study until I drop dead." Even I myself was a victim to that mentality - frankly speaking!

But the real problem is, life isn't going to come in a period where it tells you "Exams are coming, start studying!" It comes in times where you least expect it and the bigger question would be - "How have you been preparing for times like these?"

We think that by doing fantastically well in our exams when we hid in our rooms to study hard.. when our parents nod their heads in approval.. we think that we're on our way there to be that successful looking guy or girl on that billboard at the huge highway. But the stark reality actually speaks otherwise.

The point here is this - a genuine exam results is not based on last minute cramming and memorization of academic notes. It's merely a test done to see how your previous ways of studying methods has been proven to be effective.. or not. Like how Gary always tell me, "It just indicates something."

If there's ever a time that exams "excuses" us to give the Lord the worship due to His honour and name, to serve others during their time of need or even encouraging others by being at Youth for instance - that too, strongly indicates something. Let's be honest with ourselves, can a total of 10 hours at most out of your 100 waking hours throughout the week really affect your results during examination period?

No doubt we ought to start shifting/sacrificing certain amount of hours to dedicate more focus on studying just as a certain crisis in life would naturally demand more of our time and attention to it at that period but it should never ever replace God's position in our hearts! The sooner you start preparing yourselves to manage your priorities and time in the perspective of how God would want you to do it - the sooner your foundation is set on the right track.

In a certain sense, it's an exam to our faith as the verse goes in 1 Peter 1: 6b -7:-

.. though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Do you compromise your worship for God during times of examinations?

Because once you let that sinful mentality fester into your relationship with God, it's only a matter of time where it grows bigger and eventually, you just put God in a small little box. Everything else would be widely displayed to grab your attention - Scholarships to overseas, job offers, salary raise, travel bonuses and a whole long list "awesome" deals that the world tells you - "You're living the ideal life!" It's worth sacrificing everything else (obviously including your love and worship for God) to achieve it!

"How then? You want me to fail my exams ah? My parents will first kill you, then kill me!"

Well, I'd say, pray and ask God - "How would you want me to obey you as your child, a child to my own family, a youth, a friend to my friends and a student in this school?" Because once you set God as your foundation, even though refined through the hot burning furnace, your faith would prove to be genuine and real, even at times of crisis.

- daryl 's u n d a e' heng

Images taken from:
http://www.gtburlington.org/media.php?we=we&med=s
http://www.braintrack.com/college-and-work-news/articles/colleges-ease-stress-of-final-exams-10121301
http://www.marieclaire.com/career-money/advice/are-you-underpaid

A personal testimony - an introduction

2011-11-07T18:56:00.008+08:00

As I journey with the Lord, I started to come to a realisation that I am still very much a wretched person. Those who know me personally for some time will know this very well.

My shortcomings, including and not limited to those behavioural patterns I have are not matching with my age, making decision based on my own assumptions without checking more details and being lazy.

I must admit that I know I have to be a matured person but yet I crave to be a child/ teenage still. I must also admit that I bought some very good books and Church has numerous resources for the building up of my spiritual life but I chuck it at a corner somewhere hoping someday I will pick it up and read it. Many a times, the Bible and books that I have could give me the answers but I chose to get spoon-fed…

The recent years, especially last year and now I was constantly being challenged to allow God to take me, break me and mould me [19 Apr 2011 sharing, last paragraph]. I could see that after making those prayers, I am still the same me. Today, I could sense God’s hands are getting heavier and heavier on me and I plead God for mercy and gentleness as He embarks on a renewal and transforming process in me. Seriously, it’s no joke for someone to make the prayer(s) as God will really act upon the prayer(s).

Yes, it is indeed now my desire to allow God to take me and mould me as I do not want to continue sinning against Him. “The parable of the talents” does not only talks about we Christians hiding our talents like music / speaking / sharing / writing talent but also in my case, using my brain power rather than limiting it, using my brain and brawns (again, in my case, is my brain and physical strength to do things, hehe ;P).

Matthew 25:14-30, New King James Version (NKJV)

The Parable of the Talents

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

“So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’

His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Hi fellow brothers and sisters-in-Christ, please correct me if indeed you find that I did not do things rightly. I also seek your forgiveness for those of you offended by me because of something I said/did which are not appropriate.

In Him,

Yit Mun
Aka IP Man

Images taken from:
http://im-realize.blogspot.com/2009/09/im-upset.html
http://regansravings.blogspot.com/2010/09/discerning-gods-will-part-three.html

Depravity of sin

2011-11-02T05:49:00.004+08:00

Lately God has been giving me a lot of the moments of "David realizing how serious sin was". Remember the encounter he had with the prophet Nathan?

The story went by where David sin against the Lord by taking Bathsheba as his wife and plotting Uriah (her husband) to be killed in battle.

2 Samuel 12:7a

"And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man.."

2 Samuel 12:13a

"And David said unto Nathan, i have sinned against the LORD.."

Of course I've not commit a sin as serious as David, but to God, regardless the degree of sin - it is still sin to Him. And sin is serious business for the wages of sin is death (Separation from God!)

The thing is, just like David, I didn't think I was sinning. I just figured it was just another moment I wasn't that close to God and I'll just have to keep trying my best to work this out. I thank God by His grace that I continue to struggle with it because He really stay with the low and contrite (Isaiah 57:15). He revealed to me towards my attitude of the spiritual discipline I've been learning from Bible class lately.

When I meditated about how the pharisee commended himself over the fact that he fasted twice a week and tithe everything he had to God compared to the publican in the temple, I always thought i could see myself as the publican, for who can ever be like the arrogant, self conceited pharisee?

Then God told me right in my face, "YOU are the pharisee!" (Can you see how is this connected when Nathan told David "THOU art the man" when he was telling the story to him?)

You see, I always try to make sure i wouldn't fall into this trap. Because during bible class, we were already taught and warned that a lot of people feel that they are very self righteous and "holy" just because they were practising the spiritual disciplines. (Just incase you're very puzzled with what are the spiritual disciplines, to name a few would be like fasting, meditation, scripture study etc.)

But the more I tried to make sure I didn't, the more I got myself into that trap. Instead of focusing on the journey where God is trying to take me through those spiritual disciplines, I was more focus on guarding and making sure I'm doing everything right. That in itself got me spending a lot of my focus and time on the disciplines rather on God which in the first place, He has designed those disciplines for Himself. Not for us or any other reason you can ever think of. Remember what Mark 2:27 said?

"And He(Jesus) said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath."

In this context of scripture, Jesus was trying to correct the pharisees idea of what sabbath was created for, but they worshiped the sabbath that they totally overlooked the fact that God has made it for men!

Subconsciously, I started to feel more self righteous. I started to "praise" myself for doing a good job to keep up with all the disciplines. I was more focused on how long I could do my meditation and prayer rather than sincerely asking God, "Speak to me, i yearn to listen from You". Eventually, my spiritual journey throughout the days got more dry. I didn't feel like talking to God as much as I used to or even trying to listen throughout the days.

But God so loving and gracious, He never left me to run astray all on my own, for He knows how much I do not understand and know Him still. Just as I have faith that He always brings me back to Him, up until now, He has always been faithful. And as He brought me back, I looked back and realized how close I was in walking back into that darkness, the darkness where I once belong where light is purely absent. I could only tear and "would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner."! (Luke 18:13) It was then only I realize, now I'm the publican instead of the pharisee.

If you're a youth leader, CG leader or even just a Christian, remember never let any of your works get up to you. For there is nothing you can ever do, or any works you can ever boast because it is by His grace, you have it all. It is by His grace, it is all made possible. The only appropriate response would be pure gratefulness to the One who has richly and abundantly bless us.
- Gary Heng

Images are taken from :

http://beingisgood.blogspot.com/2010/06/upside-down-world-more-signs.html
http://worldwidepastor.blogspot.com/2011/09/pharisee-tax-collector.html
http://thegodbuzz.blogspot.com/2010/05/humility-before-god.html
http://notquitejuno.blogspot.com/2011/01/silence-is-golden-but-duct-tape-is.html

God's Blessings

2011-10-28T19:56:00.003+08:00

God has blessed us in so many ways. He has blessed us with a great family, a nice and comfortable home to live in, food to eat, water to drink, great friends. In many countries like Ethiopia, Africa and India, many people have to suffer everyday just to get food to fill their stomachs.

And yet, so many people are still not happy with what they have. Most of us constantly complain about how we had a bad hair day, how boring life is, or even complaining how terrible the food being served is.

I was inspired to write this article because 2 weeks ago or so my brother told me that he was going to Taylors College Sri Hartamas to pack food for families who are suffering from starvation. Every volunteer is given a specific task to do, which could involve funneling, measuring, sealing, or boxing. Each finished package contains 6 highly nutritious meals containing rice, soy protein, dried vegetables, flavouring and 21 essential vitamins and minerals. They managed to pack 1 million packs of food.

Even in Malaysia, many families are having trouble earning enough money to feed their starving kids at home or even find shelter for their kids. Some parents can't even afford to buy a school uniform for their kids.

Therefore, we should really appreciate what God has given us. I often forget the fact that God has blessed me so much and provided me with everything I ever needed. I often complain because of luxuries I don't have.

In Philippians 4:11-13, the apostle Paul says:

I'm not saying that because I need anything. I have learned to be content no matter what happens to me. I know what it's like not to have what I need. I also know what it's like to have more than I need. I have learned the secret of being content no matter what happens. I am content whether I am well fed or hungry. I am content whether I have more than enough or not enough. I can do everything by the power of Christ. He gives me strength.

We should always give thanks to the Lord for all He has done for us. He has blessed in so many ways. Psalm 118: 28-29 says:

You are my God , and I will give thanks to You, You are My God, and I will honour you. Give thanks to the Lord, because He is good, His faithful love continues forever.

-serena lee-

A God who calms the Storm

2011-10-24T16:46:00.005+08:00

It was a cool evening and I decided to take a nap after returning from college. Halfway through my nap, I was awakened by panic stricken shouts calling out my name. The first thing that came to my mind was “ Oh no! The house is burning down! ”. I shouted from my room and asked what is happening. My mum replied and shouted “ Rae Anne is unconscious! ”. I immediately panicked and ran out of my room still wondering in my mind about how my niece who was perfectly fine before I went for my nap could be unconscious.

When I got downstairs and saw my sister-in-law anxiously running to the car with the baby in her arms, I froze up for a minute because the baby looked lifeless. Without any knowledge about what had transpired, I ran up to my sister-in-law who was now in tears to pray for healing for her baby. During times like this, there is really no one to look to but to seek the Lord.

We immediately rushed my niece to the hospital and while we were in the car I could see her moving her hands and struggling to open her eyes. When we arrived at the hospital we ran into the emergency room to seek help. As the nurses were checking the baby’s vitals, she started crying and at that point we were relieved to hear her cry. Even though we were at the hospital and had medical help, I knew that we were still not out of the woods. All of us were in tears when we were in the hospital because we still did not know how serious the baby’s injury was.

I only found out that my niece had a bad fall in the bathroom when my sister-in-law explained to the nurses and doctor about what had happened. The doctor immediately called for a CT scan so that we could see if the baby suffered any serious head injury. The CT scan revealed that the baby suffered a hematoma in her brain as a result of the fall. Hematoma can also be explained as a bruise so the doctor said that she had to be admitted to ICU for observation and hopefully her hematoma would heal on its own.

After getting the diagnosis, we knew that only God could heal Rae and give her a speedy recovery. As a family, we prayed for healing for Rae and trusted that the Lord would heal her. After staying in the hospital for three days, the second CT scan revealed that the hematoma in Rae’s brain had healed significantly and the doctor was very happy with her recovery. Rae was discharged from the hospital the Monday.

This experience has allowed our family to learn first hand that our lives are not in our hands but in God’s and that we must always depend on God no matter what. Having gone through something like that helps us to put life in perspective and appreciate the people in our lives. Beyond that, we were able to truly cherish the many blessings and support that our church family showed to us during this experience. We really appreciate the prayers, the visitations as well as the physical help extended to us. Knowing that we had our church family supporting us during this time was very comforting and revealed a glimpse of God’s love for us.

Psalm 107:28-30 (NIV)

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.

- Xin-Yi

Images taken from:
http://photo.accuweather.com/photogallery/details/photo/49488/Cool+Evening
http://news.eastvillagers.org/2011/03/13/my-hospital-volunteer-experience/

Over the Mountains and the Seas

2011-10-20T04:24:00.004+08:00

Hi guys!! Yes, I have been missing for a while thus the update! For you guys out there who do not know, I am currently studying in the UK. I shall skip the “how’s UK” part in the post as any of you who are interested to know can always drop me a message on Facebook.

So why the UK? As an A levels student, it is only normal you apply for the UK since you are doing a UK equivalent of form 6. Moreover, i was going to study economics, so UK was a suitable place. I just applied and left it there. No real decision was made yet, just the application form handed in. Many months down the road, I graduated from college and the time for university intakes were around the corner. It was either study locally for a year and then transfer or go overseas straightaway. Typical me, I barely spent anytime during my post-A levels period to seriously consider about my further education. So when the time came to decide, I was obviously not mentally prepared to go and was feeling a wee bit comfortable here. I checked out Nottingham's transfer programme and it looked good with the 1+2 thing. My plan seemed almost set.

So why go? A few days before the deadline for my decision, I decided it was time to seek God as this was an important and heavy decision. As I prayed, the thought kept coming to me, “Go”. My reaction was, “WHAT?! You can’t be serious. There are so many things I can do here for You”. I continued praying that day and the same answer came. I ended that day with telling myself that it cannot be true and I shall continue seeking tomorrow. The next day, I got the same answer but a little more expounded. The answer told me I must leave my comfort zone, my friends and family, and learn to depend on Him. After that day, I was terribly depressed. The depression lasted a few days. I had many thoughts about just forgetting what I heard and stick with my original plan. It would have been so much easier, in a sense of mental and physical preparation to stay, but I decided to go in the end.

Reaching and settling here was not the easiest of task. I was literally friendless for a few days. Never before have had I felt such a feeling, discounting my first day in primary school that is. Being a people centered guy, that sucked. From time to time, I would ask God why I was sent here. Fast forward to today, I DO have friends now, yaaaaaaay! Almost all of them are non-Christians so their perception of most things are very different from the bunch of friends I use to hang out with back home. I guess another reason I am here too is to be out of the salt shaker. Looking back in hindsight, I spent a wee bit too much time back home with my Christian friends. It is always more comfortable to hang out with like minded people. As our call for us to be salt for the earth, we have to be first sprinkled out of our little salt shaker.

To conclude, I am quite sure God has a bigger reason for me being here than the few things mentioned, I just do not know what it is yet. All I can do is to seek His will and have faith that it will be revealed in due time. Yes, I have found a church here. It is a free denomination church. So far so good from a theological point of view. It is a small church like back home with friendly people.

Big chunk of the church consists of students. Keep me in your prayers that will not give fall to the temptations of the world and that my focus is set on God to keep up in this race we have been called to.

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well” Matthew 6 : 33

Cheers!! \/

- Alex Tan
Image taken from: http://lavirtuosity.com/?p=139

Emo much?

2011-10-13T17:18:00.005+08:00

Another thought came to mind as well while sitting there listening to C.L Goh's talk during the youth and parent forum for some time back now, many points that he brought up did make a lot of sense to me when I look back at my life in hindsight.

Believe it or not, I was one really bitter and sulky kid when I was 13. Many people didn't like me and likewise, I didn't like many people as well. I'd glared at people who picked on me, including my teachers and was really angry and confused with my life then. It felt really pointless.. so meaninglessly bitter.

And so it dawned upon me what Dr.Goh said. That if it's anything that needs more focus during the teen years would be sharpening of social skills.

All the "popular" guys and girls always had the best time ever then. Everyone talked about them, praised them and find it such a huge privilege to just even hang out with them. They were the richer ones, the more outspoken ones and had ranks of all sorts in the clubs and societies. While I look at myself, I was the sulky and bitter kid that no one wants to even go near.

But that's where I realized that God really wanted me to observe and understand how the mini society in school works and empathize with those who are quietly suffering in the "dark". Remember about the "identity crisis"? I can really agree to that as I've witnessed numerous people who are going through that right now among my circle of people I know of! They can't seem to grasp the do's and don'ts of social graces and they get so confused wondering where they went wrong to have so few friends in their midst.

More importantly right now is that as fellow followers of Christ, are we making that effort to make our fellowship attractive to those who seeks for love and acceptance?

CF didn't reach out to me.. not at all. In fact, quite a group of them were the popular ones. No doubt, it's a struggle for them to think "is it worth hurting my reputation to reach out to the "losers"?" But that's where our faith becomes real. Youth or CF is not a social club.. not at all.

Mark 2:17b .. Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

And that's where I do hope as well that as Youth of TTDIGC, we too can strive to welcome all who needs Christ in their lives. That we help others to work out in a phase of "surge of emotions" and not go through a difficult setback on their own! If there's any ways to make the "best" out of your school life - it's the way with Christ :)

For,

He teaches me to love and be compassionate unto others. So that when I speak and listen, I do with a heart to sincerely care and listen, not to show off and make insensitive statements.

He comforts me first even before I realize it. So that I don't go around expecting others to make my day and that I'll make a scene if they don't.

He guides me to guide others to Him. So that when people seek me for help, I rely not on human strength and wisdom but His.. and that ultimately, that they too will turn to Him. Forbid me not on being proud and think that I am where I am today because of my own efforts.

And always reminds me that no matter what I've done, I cannot make Him love me less or more. So that for all of my days, I know He will be there in my ways!

Otherwise, I'll be living a life of self-indulgence, pity and empty ambitions right now! D:

- daryl 's u n d a e' heng

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CornerOfWoe
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/nov/24/michael-gove-tough-targets-secondary-schools
http://www.garlandsofhosannas.com/2011/03/way-of-christ.html

Parents?

2011-09-29T22:56:00.004+08:00

After going through the session with C.L. Goh last Sunday, the final part of his talk really struck me as he went to share on about how his father had such strong filial piety compared to today's standards:- that he gathered his entire first month's salary job after graduation, traveled all the way back to his hometown, just to offer it as a gratitude offering to his own beloved father - only to know that he just passed away earlier that day due to diabetes.

Couldn't feel anymore ashamed of myself, of the times fighting with my own dad about having more freedom and being so stubborn listening to his constant lectures of striving to be more serious in my studies. To think about all the hurts I've done to him, even though he doesn't even show a hint of it on his face. No doubt it's true that he really sacrificed so much to raise each and everyone of us the best he can - in the best he believed it would be. I felt as if I'm one of the most horrible son one could ever had after listening such a testimony.

The visit to Shelter this Saturday actually do speak a lot in many ways and I do hope that I can encourage the Youth to go in the perspective of compassion and empathy - to constantly seek to show them the love of Christ. They did not ask for many things that happened in their lives and it really bothers me, frankly speaking to hear people say - "So sad/ Poor thing/ thankfully it didn't happen to me."

"Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."
Hebrews 13:3

Help them to trust in the Lord that their parents need Christ in their lives, to see beyond the fault and see the need. Allow them to meet Christ through the conduct of our lives and not treat the whole thing as a "visit" to get done and over with. Youth was never about the activities, it's all about bringing souls closer to Christ!

Pray for wisdom and to be sensitive towards the Spirit's prompting. It's time to open your horizon.. more than just "Me, myself & I". What C.L. Goh said is true, that the maturity rate of today is way behind compared to those from many years ago. That would mean as a 13 year old, you're pretty old enough to see more than just your own needs but also the needs of others.

After visiting the Shelter a few times myself, they know whether you're visiting with a sincere heart or not. They know whether you really care or you're just there because you "had" to be there. Without having the idea of parents taking care to the best of their welfare and providing them all the love they deserve as a child, it's not surprising they'd be easily offended when you just go there to fool around and treat the whole thing as a joke. They'd rather not have us around then!

But once you show them that you're sincere, they'll open up to you. They show you things that you never thought they would and they'd seek you for help when they feel that there's no one else to turn to - precisely show them the way to who our Lord and Saviour is.

- daryl 's u n d a e' heng

Images taken from:
http://blackandwhite999.blogspot.com/2010/03/filial-piety.html
http://piersdy.wordpress.com/2011/04/22/anointing-of-compassion/
http://www.shelterhome.org/

Jesus to you I cling

2011-09-22T18:49:00.003+08:00

“Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.” Mark 14 : 29

Does this line seem very familiar to you?

Remember Simon Peter? One of Jesus closer disciples who is always the first to speak and in this incident, he was proudly proclaiming to Jesus that even if everyone were to deny you, I, Simon Peter will never deny you.

There are times in my life that I’ve prayed to God, made promises and telling Him that I’ll be closer to Him by upping my spiritual standards - be it the duration of time I decided to spend praying to Him, fasting or studying Scripture. Or maybe something different like I once shared before in the blog, to eat simple by spending not more than Rm10 a day on food.

As for the others, it could be something like, “I’ll pray before youth committedly.” Or “Making sure I give thanks before my meals”.

And just like how Simon peter fell hard on his face as Jesus told him right after ,

“ And Jesus saith unto him, verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.”

Imagine, Jesus even stressed

“That this day” He didn’t just stop there, he went to add again

“even in this night..”

He knows how quick sometimes we make our promises without understanding the full weight of its cost. I personally don’t think God wants to put our zeal for Him down.

Just so you know, Peter wasn’t lying or exaggerating when he told Jesus he wouldn’t deny Him. If you understand his temperament (he's a sanguine) and the context of it, he really meant it but he was overconfident that he could do it regardless the situation may turn out. Just like how Peter meant when he answered Jesus’ question :

“And He saith unto them, But whom say ye I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto Him, Thou art the Christ.” Mark 8 : 29

Peter answered because he truly worshipped Jesus and had no doubt about it despite many rumors that were already heavily spreading around. That either Jesus was Elijah (the people then were expecting the spirit of Elijah to appear before the Messiah, look into Malachi 4 : 5-6, or that the spirit of John the Baptist was risen in Jesus, or that He is a fraud, a man who uses the power of belzebub as claimed by the noted and well “respected” Pharisees then)

And so I caught myself in the similar situation. I really meant what I told God I would do, but I end up failing Him, not only failing Him but failing Him miserably!

And I felt what Peter felt right after he realized Jesus words came to pass.

“And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.” Matthew 26 : 75

The reason I didn’t quote from Mark is because I felt Matthew describe the sorrow more detailed, the word “bitterly” wasn’t in Mark. Have you ever cried bitterly? It’s very different from your usual petty cry over some small squabbles or silly arguments.

It’s a deep sense of shame, guilt and remorse.

And worse of all being to be guilty of, God Himself.

Sometimes I’ll be so ashamed and sorrowful about it, I just don’t how to face God again up to a few days long. But I realize that I need to return to my Heavenly Father in all boldness and in tears to ask for forgiveness, and that He would let me try again and again until I’ve grown.

I hope by sharing this, those of you who are reading this who once on a spiritual high has come to a slump due to certain failures may be encouraged. Don’t turn back just because you may think either it’s so tiring to keep failing over or the fight is just not worth it. Even in the darkest moments, keep clinging onto Jesus and never let Him go.

“ And Jesus said unto him, No man , having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” Luke 9 : 62

If Peter had decided to wail in deep sorrow and walk away from Jesus ever since that day, he wouldn’t have been the one of the great twelve who wrote 2 doctrinal epistles of 1 Peter & 2 Peter.

The transformed Peter who was once spoke foolishly at times, expressed his zeal without weight has been the now the person who has convert thousands and even people who went under his shadow was healed!

Likewise, I am also encouraged that besides my failure to keep my promises and prayers to Him, as I walk my spiritual journey from day to day, I know at the end of it, the many great abundant blessings God has kept installed for me shall come as I strain on forward, clinging unto God.

-Gary Heng

Image taken from :

http://www.ttstm.com/2011/06/june-29-peter-martyr-apostle-rock.html
https://www.facebook.com/pages/I-WILL-PUT-YOU-DOWN/106279156071848
http://www.exposingsatanism.org/pharisees-sadducees.htm
http://www.pravmir.com/growing-spiritually/
http://wisdomthroughmindfulness.blogspot.com/2011/06/what-is-clinging-buddhist-take-on-it.html
http://www.encore-editions.com/simply-to-thy-cross-i-cling

A Refined Perspective of Change

2011-09-14T13:59:00.007+08:00

Change is inevitable in our lives. Of course there are changes that we welcome with open arms and changes that we struggle to accept. Why do we struggle to accept change? I think it’s because we are habitual beings. When we become accustomed to our surroundings, we tend to become comfortable and most of the time complacent. Complacency can sometimes be dangerous because we tend to not strive for better things and higher standards in our lives. The same can be said of our Spiritual lives.

God places changes and different experiences in our lives so that we may grow spiritually and grow closer to Him. As I said, we sometimes embrace the change but I think most of the time we resist the change. I once shared on my blogpost that I was really eager to go overseas for my studies but to my dismay I ended up going to Singapore which was not my first choice. As most of you know, after being disappointed by the college in Singapore, I returned after only three months.

The three months I was there was such a whirlwind for me. I was really excited and hopeful to gain better education in Singapore because I was fed up with my college in Kuala Lumpur. However, ironically after only three months I found myself contemplating returning to KL to be back at the college which I desperately wanted to get out of. The whole time I was going through this I asked God “What are you teaching me?” “ Am I missing the big picture?”

Romans 5:3-5 King James Version (KJV) And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

When I decided to return, I realize that I had become a lot more matured and that my life is in God’s hands. A spiritual mentor once told me that we must always challenge ourselves to get out of our comfort zone so that we may experience growth in our spiritual lives. On hindsight, I think the stay in Singapore helped me depend on Him more. I found myself praying more regularly and spending more quality time with God. When you are out of the comfort of your home, you will tend to feel very lonely and that is the time you truly learn to depend on God because there is no on else around you that you can depend on. I also learned to be more independent and found that I could do things I thought I could not, with God’s strength.

Romans 8:28 King James Version (KJV) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Having said all these, we should learn to rest in the knowledge that even though there are always changes in our lives there is one constant that is God’s love for us. Regardless of good or bad changes, we can always depend on our Lord because everything is in His control.

Hebrews 13:8 King James Version (KJV) Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

- Xin-Yi

Images taken from:
http://blog.malaysia-asia.my/2010/05/sabah-sunset-travel-photo-of-week.html

Wake Up Call?

2011-09-07T23:10:00.014+08:00

Once in a while, through the weariness and strenuous Youth work, I'm reminded of how much the previous batch of Youth Committee members put in their effort to build His Youth and that how much I've taken for granted.. although not entirely. Much of the fruition today is partially from their efforts!

However, I do constantly hope to see God's TTDIGC Youth to strive in furthering His Kingdom and always remind each other to not head towards the dangerous state of "Luke-warmness". One way to know is that - when was the last time you ask or were asked to be in prayer for one another? Or maybe perhaps, to encourage one another to gather and sing praises to Him? To share the good news that souls are saved?

Matthew 9:37

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

And so we're questioned as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, are we really putting our hands to the plow and collect the harvest the Lord has intended?

A while back John wrote his post A Call to serve and it's really true, the Lord does command us to serve! He isn't requesting, suggesting or begging -

Matthew 16:24

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

This war calls for more soldiers to the field and each of us are accountable to that Call of Duty. No doubt God doesn't need us to do His will but it is His blessing to us that we helm up that very task in our spiritual journey!

So 5 years from now, where do you see yourself in TTDIGC Youth?

- daryl 's u n d a e' heng

Images taken from:
http://raisetherisk.wordpress.com/2011/03/14/the-cheerful-giver/
http://letdownyournets.blogspot.com/2010/09/labor-day-every-day.html
http://www.depaginas.com.mx/fotosde_Militar

The love that never let me go

2011-08-31T23:57:00.004+08:00

Romans 8:38-39, New King James Version (NKJV)
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Believe me or not that at some points in my life, I did consider to cease being a Christian or sort to really desperate measures in solving issues.

Facing tension from my family and personal struggles, I was seriously considering the options above but it is the love of God that held me back. Today, His love has held me close that I would not trade that for anything.

It is true of what was said by a young adult over Bible Study that fighting spiritual battle(s) over a prolonged time might cause us to lose focus. I count myself in such a situation too.

Spiritual battle is real though we can’t see it. For it is said in Daniel 10:12-13, NKJV that

Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.

When I pray, sometimes it is as if it's like hitting a wall. After struggling some years with several
unsolved and even worsened issue(s), I was reminded of the above that says when we pray, God did not left it unanswered. Sometimes the delay was caused by Satan attempt to obstruct God’s doing and we just have to wait.

I must admit that I could not fully comprehend the will of God in allowing me to be placed in my family / situation but I am sure that one day I shall know just as I also am known (1 Corinthians 13:12, NKJV) and I know who holds my tomorrow.

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow
I don't know about tomorrow,
I just live from day to day.
I don't borrow from it's sunshine,
For it's skies may turn to gray.

I don't worry o'er the future,
For I know what Jesus said,
And today I'll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.
Many things about tomorrow,
I don't seem to understand;

But I know Who holds tomorrow,
And I know Who holds my hand.
Ev'ry step is getting brighter,
As the golden stairs I climb;
Ev'ry burden's getting lighter;

Ev'ry cloud is silver lined.
There the sun is always shining,
There no tear will dim the eyes,
At the ending of the rainbow,
Where the mountains touch the sky.
Many things about tomorrow,
I don't seem to understand;

But I know Who holds tomorrow,
And I know Who holds my hand.
I don't know about tomorrow,
It may bring me poverty;

But the One Who feeds the sparrow,
Is the One Who stands by me.
And the path that be my portion,
May be through the flame or flood,
But His presence goes before me,
And I'm covered with His blood.
Many things about tomorrow,
I don't seem to understand;

But I know Who holds tomorrow,
And I know Who holds my hand.

It really takes faith to continue to trust God in all circumstances. Faith = the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1, NKJV).

May you stay on course too!

This writing was inspired by Tuesday Bible Study & “beyond belief to convictions” by Josh McDowell & Bob Hostetler.

-Yit Mun

Images taken from:
http://amishamerica.com/favorite-amish-dessert/?cid=20615
http://www.bloggersbase.com/self-management/30-days-of-character-development-patience/

Beep

2011-08-28T23:02:00.003+08:00

We live in a fast paced world. Always moving, ever changing. The emergence of technology has transformed our world, and in many ways, our lives. Information moves so quickly now. Everything is instant, from facebook to tweeter to whatsapp and even to Sms-ing. How many times have you felt frustrated when reading a long winded article? Screaming in your head "GET TO THE POINT!" often right?

Well sometimes, we let this attitude of immediacy to seep into our relationship with God. I used to pray, especially during the crossroads of my life, expecting God to answer immediately. If He did not, then it was either a no or a 'He agrees with the current decision' kind of thing. I never actually sat down, be still and seek His will. Prayer was, and sometimes now is still a 5 minute touch and go kind of thing. I actually wished God could just reveal His will to us immediately just like receiving a SMS or an email, just like hearing a beep on our phones but obviously, that's just not His standard of operation.

Life, as mentioned, is super fast paced. Going from one thing to another, life just flies by. If it's not studies, it's family. If not then it's leisure and the list goes on. Jesus, as recorded in the gospels, was also a very busy man. Crowds approached him to be healed, the Pharisees often questioned him and his disciples always looking to him to lead the ministry. Yet, Jesus took time off. He would often withdraw himself and prayed alone quietly. He spent hours seeking God's will - being still before Him.

I know how difficult it is to be still nowadays. We are so accustomed to doing something until doing nothing becomes so frustrating. God voice is often soft and unless we quieten down our minds and hearts and be still, we aren't going to hear it. There are times when God sends "beeps" in our lives but we don't want that to happen before we do the right thing. The next time your phone goes beep when you received a text, be reminded not to assume God works that way. So my challenge to you is this, can you do "nothing" for God? PEACE \/

*PS: the challenge should be read in context*

-Alex Tan

Images taken from:-
http://www.rylanclayne.com/mobile-marketing/sms-advertising-the-future-of-mobile-marketing-today
http://www.redtag.com.ph/

Do you know Me?

2011-08-22T18:21:00.004+08:00

Exodus 3: 13-14a

“Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM.”

I started to realize that this is something real, that some of the youth knows a lot about the Lord.
But do not know the Lord.

If you’re wondering what is the difference between the first and the second line, there’s a huge difference with just one word. Knowing someone and knowing about someone has the big difference of a personal relationship built.

When I was much younger at Sunday school, I experienced the exact same thing. I was told that there is a God, I am actually “forced” to sing and dance along during worship but deep down, I do not feel this God, I do not hear His voice and He is something that is totally alien to me.

But that was back then; my mind was only like a child, how could I reason? How could I possibly fathom the deep and profound truths about this God that life could get an answer from?

Then came a time when I was in form 4, life biggest issues flooding my mind. What is life all about? Why do we live in pain and suffering, injustice and the social imbalance in societies?

Why am I not as talented or as physically attractive like the most popular guy in class A? Why can’t I study as well as the my childhood friend who only tries barely half as hard?

These are things not books, computer games and television programmes could answer. It’s a void of self discovering and also discovering the totality of the world. I was no longer interested in the hows or whats, but simply whys!

And then suddenly, the knowledge of all that I’ve learned from Sunday school about this God who is so great and so Almighty came back. And I was thinking could this be, the answer I was looking for? The answer that not only answers my life, but answers life.

But I was afraid to believe in such a thing. To me, it’s stupidity, it’s blind, it’s foreign.

So I kept asking questions, questions after questions about this God. From my classmates to schoolmates to youth leaders to even elders from church! Daryl who is my twin brother has already committed his life to the Lord then, I “followed” thinking that I didn’t want to be separated from my twin brother then. Little did I realize, I hadn’t even commit my life at all. I only abided the Christian biblical principles of “Thou shall nots..”.

But I have completely no idea what God wants me to do, where He wants me to go and who must I meet.

But came one day, God spoke about something I must let go through a youth leader, and that point of time, I was with my girlfriend then but we were definitely on the wrong path because her parents were against us being together, and obviously, I was way too young and immature to start one.

I refused to listen; I refused to think that God would want that - I wanted my way. Deep down, I knew it was wrong, but I covered with so much excuses and justification, I just needed to live with conscience of me going the right path.

True enough, we ended up broken and I’ve wrecked so much damage in so many individuals. I was in a mess and my life was somewhere I thought I could never go on. I placed so much of myself in that relationship, I just don’t know how go on anymore. But the greatest thing happened, and God told me this, “while you were a sinner, I died for you.”

Romans 5:8

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

And He did, He sent my twin brother then to support me all the way through, emotionally and prayerfully. He sent many individuals to listen out to my deepest pain and suffering to keep cheering me on and again, to pray for me. And then finally, God’s voice became clear ever since that day. I knew what He wanted me to do, I knew where He wanted me to go and He has been my shepherd ever since.

Yes, I still have my arguments with Him, I wrestled with Him like how Jacob did but many are the times I also learnt to submit and remember, His ways and His thoughts are far superior and far greater than mine.

Isaiah 55:8

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.”

I want to ask you who is reading this, do you know God? Or do you know about God?

If you’re still doing things because you “should”, you may be dangerously on the line of knowing about Him. The problem about that is, you may drop out of your faith eventually because you’re not living your life for someone, you’re living your life based for your own conscience sake like I did once.

If you’re still going to church and have completely no idea why you’re doing there, please I urge you, don’t waste your time by continuing that. Ask questions, start thinking about whys, get to know Him and stop knowing about Him. Why is it that you’re suffering privately at your own home or room, or even at school and you’re wondering why this happening to you, why no one cares and then here you are at a place where people are singing to you, God cares, God cares so much that He died for you!

It is as though you’re so hungry and there’s a plate of a superbly sumptuous meal right in front of your eyes and yet, you are more bothered to whine and complain about how hungry you are than to lift your hands to start gobbling down that plate of meal!

I’m challenging you to take the leap of faith, to pray to this God that you want to live your life according to His ways, that you understand that life has no meaning if its only all about you.

Why do you think the world is such a tough place to live anyway? Because everyone thinks life is about themselves!

- Gary Heng

http://www.earthlight.org/library/vision_stmt_2005.html
http://www.fredvanlente.com/cthulhutract/
http://yourchosenpath.blogspot.com/
http://nhop.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/right-belief-clear-conscience/
http://www.bestasianfood.net/2011/06/lunch-at-food-gallery.html

REVAMP! Sort of.

2011-08-18T19:26:00.002+08:00

After much thought and fiddling around.. I decided to go with this layout for now.

What I intended for the wooden-ish design sort of symbolizes the "tree" which is then reminds us of how all of us are rooted together in the name of Christ! :)

The blue colours would then be related to our current official logo so the page design is mainly dominated by these factors.

I hope it gives a fresh look to the whole blog.. it's nothing really drastic or flashy (flash designs is not on my league yet!) so if there is any suggestions you'd like to give, just let me or the committee members know!

Oh and yes, I've heard that some of you guys voiced out about having our official T-shirt for the youth and I agree with that too! (After seeing how the other youths had theirs during our IBA gatherings :P)

Any suggestions for that? :o

- daryl 's u n d a e' heng

Turning the Table

2011-08-13T23:58:00.004+08:00

Often time in life, we ourselves are in helpless situations. We find ourselves struggling with piles and piles of homework, difficult or even irreconcilable relationships which leads us to a situation that is desperate and impossible.

At times like these, giving up sounds like a better option - I don’t know about you but I get that a lot simply because it is easier to stop and just let it pass.

Today I would like to share with you an example that made a lot of sense to me. I would take my reading in the story of Judges, the story of Samson.

Samson was once a Judge chosen and appointed by God to be the light of the people at that time when the Israelites were captives to the Philistines. He performed many extraordinary miracles such as killing a lion, killing 30 people just to get 30 sheets of garments, with the jawbone of a donkey he killed even 1000 people! But just like many, Samson had also a questionable lifestyle. The Book of Judges clearly mentioned he married a foreign wife, where God commanded specifically the nation of Israel not to do and he even looked for a prostitute with the name of Delilah. One good question you will ask is.. can God use someone like that? How can a Prostitute – be used by God?

As a result of all these actions, one day, Samson was betrayed by Delilah. Delilah had his hair shaved off! As we know, Samson’s strength came from his hair on his heada and with this gone, so did his powers. What appeared to be a hope of the nations soon became someone who is forced to do grinding work and adding on, Samson was blinded and taken captive. Can you imagine the humiliation? Imagine you took a bet with someone in arm wrestling and if you lost, you are to sniff their armpit, someone video tape it and put in on youtube.

Within hours the world knows of this. Try imagining, then you can have a rough picture of what Samson had undergone.

But you see, there is one thing very commendable about Samson and I also like to draw to you this. Even when Samson was blind, at the very end of his life when he was brought to temple of Dagon to perform strong man acts (basically to show of his muscles and to make fun of himself), he cried out to the LORD - "Remember Me."

He still remembered the LORD and as he placed his hands on the pillars of the temple and he pushed it, the LORD slay through him more Philistines than he has ever slained in his life. That was a great act of turnaround the LORD did in Samson’s life, from a complete slave to a complete deliverer again.

In due time, just as Samson's hair grows, God uses the circumstances in our lives to teach us and to train us that we will clearly see.
1) True faith endures time.
2) True training is difficult.
3) True Disciples Perseveres.

When the circumstances turn wrong, we ought to remember God is LORD over all and no matter how hopeless sometimes the situation can be - God can turn it for the better. Perhaps it may not the situation always but it can no doubt turn us into a better man / woman. Samson probably relied a lot on his own strength before he was blind but only when he was truly blind, he realized the only person that is capable of delivering him is the LORD. Sometimes we are blind to the fact that it is the LORD who has given us the good times but certainly it will also be the LORD, only the LORD who is able to deliver us from the bad times.

May we learn to apply this today, not to give up but rather, persist for the LORD.

Be Thou My Vision, O LORD of my heart.

-Johnson Khor

Images taken from:
http://fmyownland.blogspot.com/2011/01/helpless.html
http://rebeccamossart.blogspot.com/2011/02/samson-and-delilah.html
http://knowgodknowlove.wordpress.com/page/8/

Sincere Prayer

2011-08-10T22:11:00.005+08:00

I think most of us pray on a daily basis, be it a prayer request or prayer of thanksgiving. We all know that prayer is a crucial part of our relationship with God. In times of trouble, we will earnestly pray and seek God and in joyful times we give thanks. But how often are our prayers insincere and filled with doubt?

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

I do not know about you but I sometimes find myself praying at night before I go to bed for the sake of praying. It has become a routine for me and I start saying the same prayer repeatedly. When things are good in my life, I find myself rarely praying sincerely which is incredibly sad because this means that I tend to take God for granted. I only come to Him when I need Him to help me with a struggle and after everything is alright I give thanks to God. Then after a while I forget what God has done for me and I start praying less.

We should be wanting to talk and pray to God from day to night. We should not only come to Him when we want something or need something. Although God does use struggles in our lives to bring us back to Him but I think as a child of God we ought to pray to Him sincerely in good times and in bad times because it is an absolute privilege that we are able to come to Him in prayer.

Besides having a prayer life that has its ups and downs, I find that sometimes I am doubtful that God will ever answer my prayer requests especially when you have a been praying for that request for some time. It is so easy for us to forget the power of our Almighty God that we think that He cannot move mountains for us. So let us be reminded again that the Lord makes all things beautiful in His time (not ours!) and have faith that He only wants what’s best for us.
Hopefully the Bible verses below will serve as an encouragement that will strengthen our prayer life.

Mark 11:22-25

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (NIV)

Matthew 7:11

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (NIV)

-Xin-Yi

Images taken from:

http://www.campusforchrist.org/alumni/prayer/
http://wallpapersweb.com/dlwall.php?image_id=24796

IBA Unplugged 2011 Review!

2011-08-04T09:17:00.007+08:00

I know it's been a while since IBA Unplugged 2011 (actually it's just like 4 days ago?) but yup, here's the review!

Winners:

Champion - SSGC Youth: Undecided
1st Runner Up - SJGC Youth: Undignified
2nd Runner Up - SAGC Youth: The 3rd Band

Highlights!

- 5 assemblies participated this year! SSGC, SAGC, SJGC, PJGH & TTDIGC.

- God worked His wonders through the creativity of the musicians for many heart moving and edifying melodies, which ultimately glorifies His name.

- Networks between the assemblies were further strengthened and forged.

- Fantastic job on emceeing and planning for games to buy time for bands to setup.

- Great message which speaks of how our talents are useless even though having all fame and riches but having no relationship with Jesus Christ.

- Pretty much everything that summarizes the event is in the music video above! :)

credits to yun tyng from SSGC for the photo!

Personally proud of our own team - The Sessions, that despite the fact of many circumstances that came their way, they embraced it through and performed all they could on that day. TTDIGC Youth sees the best in your hearts, not in the outcome of the performance! :)

For those who still have not yet to watch the performances, click the link below to watch them in the play list!

IBA Unplugged 2011 Performances

We pray and hope that more and more great talents will come forth and create many wonderful melodies to praise our Father in Heaven.

Psalm 47:6 - Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.

- daryl 's u n d a e' heng

Peer Pressure

2011-08-01T03:39:00.004+08:00

Situations:
Your friends ask you out for mamak / movie / window-shopping while you are not prepared for the major exam tomorrow.

Your friends have the latest gadgets in town and you don’t.

Your classmates were all attending prom night and yanking about it but only you have not registered for it.

The list can go on & on…

Sounds familiar?

If you have faced or facing such situation(s), how have you responded?
Will you give in to the temptation or say “no” as it does not please the Lord? The Bible says:

For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bond servant of Christ. (Galatians 1: 10, New King James Version)

Without exception, I too experience many peer pressures but by the Grace of
God, I managed to overcome most of them. However, as now I am at a low point of my
spiritual life, I found that I am trapped by one of the incident which previously, does not affect me.

In a recent gathering at my best friend’s daughter birthday party, I was being asked to share a gift for my best friend while I have already prepared some gifts for her baby girl. Seeing everyone was chipping in, my heart was also puzzled whether or not to share with them. Under pressure, I agreed to pay and it is really the most expensive present I have ever bought/share. Seriously, this has caught me off guard as I did not consider that they are all well-to-do and from professional bodies while I was tied down with many responsibilities with a fixed income. In a way, I also conformed to the standards and protocols set by men and did not heed God’s advice in Romans 12:1-2, New King James Version

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

After the event, I regretted as I personally struggle with the financial state that I am now in and found that God wanting to teach me a lesson. It is my hope that in your own circumstances like this, you would also ponder and allow God to speak to you, no matter how urgent the circumstances may be and do not repeat the same mistake I did.

On another note, also be alert that if your so-called “friends” directly or indirectly caused you to play truant, cheat at exams, vandalize, smoke etc.

In Him,
Yit Mun, a.k.a. IP Man :D

Images taken from:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2008/mar/26/catchofthedayhellisother
http://pastorrobbadger.com/category/life-lessons/

In Christ Alone

2011-07-27T02:01:00.006+08:00

Things so often do not go our way. People often disappoint and more often than not, things don’t quite work out the way we want them to. Invariably, we find ourselves complaining about such things. We are constantly absorbed in our personal issues and lives. Every day we hear of people complaining or ranting about their lives in some way, whether it has something to do with their family, friends, studies, personal issues – the list goes on and on.

Personally, I have become so accustomed to complaining and ranting about my personal issues that it has become absolutely normal. It has become a thing that I do every day. For instance, today itself I complained about my room being really dusty, the terrible traffic jam and the police road block on the way to uni, the lack of parking spaces when I reached uni, the jam on the way back from uni etc. I have become so preoccupied with myself that I have completely forgotten to be thankful for what God has blessed me with. Every day is a blessing and I take all He has given me for granted.

Last Sunday, the speaker spoke about the oppression of the people in Pakistan and how Barnabus fund was helping these people. I realized then how completely shallow I am. I felt more and more ashamed with every picture shown and story told. Here I am whining about my own petty problems when people are dying. Christians there are getting killed every day for what they believe in. They are getting jailed, shot and even burned alive. The speaker even showed us a map of “the United States of Islam”. The Muslims there have a World Islamic Mission in which they plan for the whole world to be Islamized within the 21st century!

The speaker also told us the story of Shahbaz Bhatti, Islamabad's minister for minorities, who was assassinated outside his home. Bhatti was a Christian and he was speaking out for what he believed in. This is a video of him hours before he was assassinated.

The Armor of God

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

10

In Christ alone
I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory
Let it be said of me
My source of strength
My source of hope
Is Christ alone

There are so many things happening around us that we sometimes don’t notice because we are too busy with ourselves. So, just a reminder for us to keep persevering.

Let’s run this race and keep our focus on what matters most. God bless!

- Phoebe Lim

Image taken from:
http://bigthink.com/ideas/21246
http://www.menscosmo.com/tips-on-overcoming-a-breakup/

Who comes first?

2011-07-21T19:06:00.005+08:00

“The other day when she was talking to that guy, they seem really close to each other. Seems like he stands a higher chance compared to me..”

“Why hasn’t he texted me today?”

“She doesn’t seem to care to ask what’s wrong with me even though I’m down..”

Familiar thoughts?

We all go through this phase one point in our lives and some of us might still be going through it..

Is it something wrong? No, it’s natural.

Do we feel like our feelings are at the mercy of this person’s behavior and you feel desperate to know every single thing this person does in relation to whether this person has feelings towards you? Maybe, but I’m pretty certain we don’t like it, unless except of course it goes “our” way where this person is responding well.

Should we do something about it? Yes, by not encouraging it further!

Because when we spend all our time over thinking or over reacting about this person, it could be dangerously close to idolatry. Eventually, this person may even take over God’s no.1 place in your life.

Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.”

Why? Do you notice yourself texting 24/7 with this person, like seriously, every moment? Regardless whether you’re out with your family, with your friends or even at home doing your homework?

And when it stops, you feel like you can’t go on the day as usual? What happened to your dependency towards God? Could you even focus on listening to God in that state?

How do your friends and family view you? How would you feel every time you ask your friend out and all this person does is texting away without giving a proper amount of attention due to the occasion? (Especially if this person actually needs your help/care & the Holy spirit could be prompting you but your mind is too filled about the other person!)

Ecclesiates 3 : 1 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven”

But then you cry inside, “I can’t help it!”

The first step you need to take is to pray “I can because God is with me.”

I’m saying this with caution - it takes time. It is indeed good if God delivers you immediately but it often takes time to build your security in God. What sort of security?

The fact that all things are in His plan and all you need to is listen! Sounds easy but it takes a lot of discipline to obey than to obey the rumblings of your heart. You don’t need to know whether this person likes you or not, Why? Because you just allow the Spirit to take control and focus on being friends first. If God has planned to blossom your relationship from friends to something more, be certain that it will surely happen.

Because inquiring of the Lord whether this person is someone He has placed takes time to discern. It is not based by how much and how long you know about this person alone, a lot of relationships were based on that and still failed eventually. Ultimately, it is based more importantly whether God said “Yes, this is the person.”!

A more important question would be, are you even prepared for a relationship? Most of us take it lightly by thinking “We can always experiment first and then talk about the results later”. Can we take the cost of hearts in exchange of our selfish desires? If there is any price to pay for, hearts are the most costly ones. When it is broken, you can never reverse the scars.

“But it could be mutual! We will control and we will promise not to step too deep.”

Heard that too often and too often see that being a total huge lie. If you ever noticed, the best liars are most often not others but yourself. We love to lie to ourselves so that we could get our conscience to shut up and end up getting a huge deep cut on either yourself or others.

Always remember your ultimate and only security comes from God first and everything else will fall into its respective place. Whenever I struggle with this problem, I always tell myself this, “Can’t God provide my partner?” and even if He doesn’t eventually, I still know it is for the best!

Psalms 62:7 “My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.”

Recently, God has been helping me “re-learn” these old ways (Before I came to know Christ) and coming to know His way.

John 14:6 “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

And it took me 3 hearts (Or more maybe) broken before I repent and truly learn what it means to respect one’s feelings and doing my utmost best to not mislead and just focus on being friends first. Trust me, I regret every heart that was broken due to my foolishness and I can pray that no one else have to go through what I did just to learn what is God’s way in BGRs. (Boy-Girl Relationship).

Guys, don’t obsessively text and call the girl you like everyday unless you are certain God has led you to. Even then, do it with great caution and move in step by step.

Girls, don’t just blame the guys because they “led” you into it. It takes two to clap. You can always tell the guy that you don’t think it is too healthy for two friends to be spending this much time texting and calling each other. Again, respond only if God has prompt you to and also, don’t rush it!

If you have problem listening to God about this certain person, then by all means, take your sweetest time to go about it. Remember, it’s not worth a heart broken just to find out and it is definitely not God’s way.

John 14:15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”

Matthew 22:39 “ And the second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself"

- Gary Heng

Images taken from:
http://leileileileilei.blogspot.com/
http://butwhatnow.com/why-are-we-so-dissatisfied/
http://thankgoditsanday.tumblr.com/post/5508742909
http://brownblog.wordpress.com/2007/02/27/god-talks-to-me/

The Joy

2011-07-19T00:15:00.004+08:00

The joy of knowing that no matter how I feel, think and sometimes doubt - I'm never alone.

The joy of knowing that no matter how many mistakes, transgressions and hurtful doings I've done - He always forgives as long as I truly repent.

The joy of knowing that even though everything seems to be crumbling down and that as if "life sucks" - God only gives the best to me as His child and it was me who asked for trouble in the first place by disobeying.

The joy of knowing that my actions and deeds are not done for man's praises - just simply a way of telling others how much God loves me.

The joy of knowing that I never need to be hurt again by empty promises and happiness that doesn't last - I have found a deep joy that literally last forever and nothing can separate it away from me.

The joy of knowing that there are others who identify in Christ with me - despite of their race, age or gender. An universal love for all who fall short the glory of God.

The joy of knowing that my sisters and brothers in the same faith would had lay down their lives for me - to listen, to share and to pray for me.

The joy of knowing that I can fully explore my capabilities and true self through God - and not subscribe to the lies of the media about "Being Yourself" and end up being a burden on the expense of others.

The joy of knowing that it's in the personal choice of faith I have come to know Him as my Father in Heaven - not by human knowledge which impairs my judgment of His reality.

The joy of knowing why I'm here - and to share with others that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life!

- daryl 's u n d a e' heng

Images taken from:
http://arkay-b.blogspot.com/2011/04/beautiful-sunrise.html

A Call to Serve

2011-07-15T19:45:00.004+08:00

Hallo there everyone. Today I will like to share with you a few things about my life experience when I was first called to serve God.

To begin with, I want to share with you this one word - Availability. So often, we feel we must have this and that, we must be good looking or skillful to serve. Take the music ministry for instance, we always feel, oh, I must have this before I can do this. But friends, let me share with you what did the LORD says in the Bible.

1 Samuel 16 v 7. 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

God wants you to make the space in your heart, to do things for Him, and not find a million excuses out when He calls us.

Why is God asking us to serve today?

1) God is asking us to serve today, because, He wants to train us and equip us gradually to be effective witness and servants.

2) He has actually a lot of gifts He wants to give to us. Let me share with you something, when I was just 12 years old, I was never able to speak in public. I was talkative no doubt but it was all channeled to poor use (gossip / tell crude jokes etc.) But when God has called me to serve in Ushering in Christian Fellowship, only did I realized I can use this gift for the Glory of God as He wants me to use this gift to speak words of encouragement and even to make people happy and smile. Afterwards, when I begin tapping into music, I started playing the guitar. Few years later, it was so clear to me as well I can use music as a tool to sing about God, to the people around me, and to point out as well that music for God is a fun thing and an honorable thing to do.

Everyone, I would like to share with You today, how is God asking us to serve.

1) When I was in Form 1, I was called to serve the LORD. I could remember, The LORD only called me to come to church / CF, He wants me to first serve Him by my attendance. Let’s face it, how can one possibly serve the LORD, when He / She does not come to church / YTM? How can one possibly serve the country, if let say he / she is not the citizen of the country?

2) God instructed us to LOVE Him. It is to follow Him, it is to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him. To simplify this, we can only be God’s servants and children, when we choose to obey Him. Now, is there something today God is asking you to do?

3) When God calls us to serve, He actually wants us to engage with other people. You see, when we serve in everything we do in Church / Christian Fellowship / YTM, it’s all about people and caring for them - fellowship and doing things out of LOVE. Part of loving God is to love people, think about it for a moment, if we say we love God and just stay at home - does nothing. Is that true LOVE? When God ask us to LOVE, the simple things we can at least start by doing is to learn to obey and respect our parents, give thanks to God, care and be nice to our friends and the list goes on. But friends, until and unless we know how to do these, we will not be effective in serving God in another level.

4) God wants you to serve by volunteering. When there is a particular ministry in church that needs help and you are moved by the Spirit, will you do it? When you have the skills to serve in ministry, will you volunteer to be a servant and serve? Servant might sound like a degrading word but certainly not when it refers to the LORD we trust in and LOVE - who is in fact, our servant King.

As far we are concerned, God wants us to serve and He is more concern with the input rather than the output, for the output is never our job but the work of God. Will you trust God today as You make a decision to serve the LORD? The call to be a Christian is the call to be a servant, will you heed this call today?

- Johnson Khor

Image taken from:
http://adetelur.blogdetik.com/2010/07/21/82/
http://www.fteleaders.org/pages/prospective-students
http://caravanofdreams.wordpress.com/2011/04/08/whisperings-of-the-heart-by-stewart-bitkoff/

Change

2011-07-11T15:49:00.003+08:00

It has been a long and memorable week for Malaysians. As you all know, the BERSIH rally was held last Saturday. Pictures, videos and testimonies are all over the media. One thing that has been made known through this, is the rakyat’s desire for justice and ultimately change in this country.

We all want change. The question is what are we doing about it? From most of my conversations with friends, they all want a more just and fair Malaysia but no one is willing to do anything about it. Most of them are hoping somehow that a miracle happens overnight and somehow the situation changes.These conversations usually end with “I can’t wait to leave this country”.

Change never comes easy. For something to change, it has to leave the old and become something new. There is always a cost associated with change. A trade-off in other words. Change, especially in a country, never just happens on its own. Someone has to make a move. If you want to see the change, you have to be the change first. In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus STATES that we ARE the light of the world, to change this dark world with our light.

It all starts with us. We are to spur others to change by being the difference. Jesus touched the lives of many through his difference. One way in which we can contribute to this country is to come back and work here. How many do we know who have studied overseas and left us. Malaysia really needs people who are willing to bring the change. People who are conscious of the problem and are willing to stand up for what is right, though it may mean a lower paying job, or longer hours, or unfair treatment.

Waiting for change is just not going to cut it. We have to make a move. Lets not wait for BERSIH 3.0 to act but act NOW. So what can you do today to be a change? Start with small, practical, achievable steps. PEACE!!

-Alex 'cophy' Tan

Images taken from:
http://fabm.wordpress.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tin2ann/

Copa Iba Review

2011-07-06T18:08:00.005+08:00

Yet another year at Copa Iba has come and passed. Overall, it was a good day of fellowship and fun. Most of us may have felt extremely tired after the games but I think we all walked away from this day with fond memories. It was of course exciting that our Junior Captainball team came out as champions and our Junior Futsal team came in third. The best part about taking part in Copa Iba this year is that friendships have been built and seeds have been sewn to many of our friends that came along with us.

I am glad that everyone took initiative to get to know one another better. We also have to thank God for answering our prayers because no one got seriously injured and we were able to bond with one another very well. The highlight for me on that day was observing the way all of us carried ourselves. We really did not loose sight of the purpose of the day that is to fellowship and reach out to our non-believing friends through sports. We practiced restraint and were not overly competitive that it affected our testimony.

For it says in 1 John 2:10: Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. (NIV)

Besides that, we also made TTDIGC history by being on time for Copa Iba in a very long while. I know it was a stretch to make everyone wake up before the break of dawn but I am proud that everyone did their best to make it on time. Besides the sports, it is also important that we are able to be there on time to listen to the sermon because we are there with a purpose.

I know that at some points during the games some of us became a little frustrated but I think we did a good job encouraging one another and we still had a great time. I think all of us are also proud of our Junior Captainball team. I think it was a good testimony and show of good sportsmanship when our junior team restraint from scoring too many points to avoid discouraging their competitors. Good job guys!! :)

After an overall good experience at Copa Iba, I think we all have to put in effort to continue building the relationships we made through Copa Iba. To kick things off, we’ll be having a Copa Iba Reunion so that we can fellowship with one another again and relive the memories we created at Copa Iba. So be sure to come for the reunion!

-Xin-Yi

Images taken from:
http://www.behance.net/jasonlwe/frame/1392555
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/encouraging-sayings.html

Stolen Thoughts

2011-07-01T00:10:00.004+08:00

My friends and I visit a special-needs centre almost every week. It is part of our group assignment for our university course. Today, we met a volunteer who was about my age. He was extremely friendly and confident. He was also completely open about his life and seemed to be a very positive and happy person. After talking to him for a bit, we found out that he scored very well in his STPM examination, plays the piano and finished grade 8, plays the guitar, has appeared in the newspaper numerous times because of his academic achievements and is currently a top student in his interior design course in USM.

These achievements might seem normal for most people but for him it is different because he is deaf.

I was reminded of my struggles a few weeks back. There was an upcoming exam that I was nowhere near prepared for and I had already done horribly on the previous exam. In my course, if you do not pass a certain score at the end of the year, you have to repeat the ENTIRE year. The amount of money and effort and time that would be wasted is just not worth it and it would be really embarrassing. The people who failed the previous years are actually quite hardworking and smart which made me even more scared because that shows how difficult it is to pass. I was really really stressed out but I couldn’t focus because I kept thinking that this was not what I wanted to do as a career. I had no motivation whatsoever to push myself and I just caved in. I wanted out. It just did not seem worth it.

I talked to various people ranging from my uni counselor to my parents to my friends. But the fear in me, I had to handle myself. God didn’t seem to be listening either and people didn’t seem to understand. I felt like giving up. Then a few days before my exam, I was doing my quiet time using a devotional book and it was based on this verse:

Psalm 13[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David. How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?   How long will you hide your face from me?   How long must I wrestle with my thoughts   and day after day have sorrow in my heart?   How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, LORD my God.   Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,   and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”   and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love;   my heart rejoices in your salvation.   I will sing the LORD’s praise,   for he has been good to me.

The devotional said:

Sometimes, in the emotion of the moment, our minds play tricks on us. We think our loss is worse than it is. We may feel like the songwriter David who, in the confusion of the moment, thought God had forgotten him.

When David later recalled what he knew rather than what he feared, his sense of loss turned into a song of praise (Ps. 13:5-6). His renewed joy foreshadowed what is now ours to recall: Nothing can rob us of what is most important if our life is “hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3).

Rest your assurance on God’s love in your heart— not on the fear in your mind.

It spoke straight to where I was at that moment and I was reminded of God’s amazing love. Why should I fear when my life is hidden with Christ in God? I realized then that it was fear that was binding me and that was just ridiculous because that would mean that I didn’t trust God.

Today after meeting that volunteer – a complete and total stranger, I was suddenly reminded of that incident when fear bound me.

Colossians 3

Living as Those Made Alive in Christ Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

So, just an encouragement to set your heart on things above. Trust God, He has a plan and He loves you ;)

-Phoebe Lim

http://eu.fotolia.com/id/12376834
http://combemartin.blogspot.com/2008/11/light.html
http://realmofgod-parable.blogspot.com/2007/06/god-longing-for-you-gods-amazing-love.html

Where is our respect due to God?

2011-06-26T23:56:00.003+08:00

It’s been a while on my mind and sometimes I’m very disappointed in myself, because I always miss out the true joy of worshiping God on a Sunday morning.

Why is Sunday morning’s worship so important?

Because it is the pinnacle of an overt worship to the Lord our God. It is the time to truly reflect of His grace, His love and His mercy throughout the week. It is the time where we gather to break bread and drink the cup as often as we can. To be reminded over and over every week, because He died for us whilst we’re still sinners that we may live and enjoy the wonderful and depthless joy of Eternal life!Romans 5 : 8
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
I know sometimes we think, we worship God through our entire life, so why is a Sunday morning that different anyway? As long as I’ve been glorifying Him, is it that bad to be not giving the appropriate attention and love due on a Sunday morning to our Lord?

How? Well, maybe sleeping late on a Saturday night watching football or playing games. Or maybe something more responsible like doing homework/assignment and studying for exams. But honestly, is the Saturday night the only time slot possible to do all of that instead of every other time throughout the week?

I confess I am still struggling with it. I always aim to sleep at 10p.m but often than not, it always almost reaches 12am. I’m not saying that we all must strictly sleep at 10p.m, but you know yourself, get the proper amount of rest so that you can wake up early with a great state of mind and a heart ready to worship the Lord!

What about during the worship itself?

I sometimes catch myself off guard chatting away with the others before worship.

I find that strange because we sometimes justify that we should fellowship and maybe even talk to a stranger so that we can reach out but isn’t there a more appropriate time to do all of that (or should I say abundant time to do so). Shouldn’t we be trying to reach the inner quiet sanctuary of our hearts to be in prayer, to be fully conscious that the Lord is in the midst of us and that we bow in worship?
Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,”
How about during the singing and prayer?

I like to picture our worship to the Lord like this.

Imagine a King, a Glorious, wonderful, Almighty King is sitting on a splendorous throne. With one lift of his finger, he could demand your life to be taken away for any misconduct. You can try to shout or try to scare him with your social status and wealth, but nothing can stop him doing so. And in this time that you’re facing him, you’re told to worship him.

And here we go everyone in the huge room singing their lungs out in reverence for the king. And then suddenly, you can see a few persons yawning, some walking off to the toilet and some of them talking to one another.

If you watch those drama series that are based on the medieval times or even during the emperor days in China, you can already see the outcome of that sort of conduct.

Thankfully, and I must stress it again, with all my heart thankfully, The Lord is SO patient, SO loving and SO merciful that He doesn’t choose to do so.

But instead of us learning to be better and strive harder, we take it for granted thinking that whatever we’re doing is normal traditional ritual week after week. I won’t take that stand any longer and I plan to continue striving the best I can, I hope whoever you are that is reading this, would follow my lead as well.

While some people want to argue that it is the heart of worship that counts the most during the Sunday morning, then I must question, how is it then while it is so much harder to obtain a heart that worship God, you can’t even express it outwardly? Is making sure that your body is in a best of state to worship God that hard to do?

Wouldn’t you do so if you’re going to meet the president of a country? What is a man then compared to God?

The irony above it all is, even our neighbor religion could do so. With their body prostrate and none of them randomly walking away to the toilet, handphones ringing and some even chatting amongst themselves. What a shame! And we’re even told to reach out to them and yet they see us treating our God in such a manner compared to them.

So the question I would like to end with this article is, Where is our respect due to God on a Sunday worship?

Do think and reflect on it!
I Chron 16:27-29

“Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength, ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name. Bring an offering and come before him; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.”

-Gary Heng

Images are taken from :

http://www.itsablackthang.com/Ted-Ellis-art-work.htm
http://www.newziononline.org/index.html?menu_id=40
http://equilibrios.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/ate-o-wc-educa/
http://www.declarepeace.org.uk/captain/murder_inc/site/masons.html

Sharing Christ’s Love & Shining for Him

2011-06-23T23:31:00.008+08:00

Are you excited about God today? Is there anything that hinders you to be excited about God and tell the good news? Was it the fear of rejection / don’t know what to say / don’t have adequate knowledge about Christianity hinder all that?

Frankly speaking, I too have a certain kind of fear when there’s an opportunity to share about Christ. However, as I take the courage to share even a testimony of how God works in my life, I find that God really gave me the right words to speak, just like how God enable Peter to speak in front of the Sanhedrin in Acts 4:1-10, New King James Version (NKJV).

Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.

Just naming a recent incident that God used me to make known the Gospel and the person has started to go to Church and read the Bible. Some, if not most of you would know that I just changed my job recently. Prior to applying to this new job, I was diligently seeking God’s will for the next job that He places me in as I do not want to simply pick another job because the current working conditions were unbearable for me.

One of the key prayer items I made then was that I could be a light that lead others to God. Me of little faith really did not think that God will answer my prayer so speedily.

After just about 2 months working at my new company, God has opened a doorway for me to reach out to my colleague after she shares her personal struggle with me. In this short span of time, she actually trusted me and Christians as a whole and open enough to read the Christian tracts by the 4th month I work there.

To my amazement, she even mentioned “because of your God, I am so patient with you”. For your information, my colleague has never taught any of her “new colleagues” work-related and interpersonal skill and I am rather weak at these aspects. Yet, again and again, she taught me those tactics or good practice at work which usually she does not (It is a common practice that people at work are reluctant to share their expertise or soft skill as they might feel threatened to do so).

I am grateful to the Lord who allows me – an in-eloquent and somehow “blur” person to share Christ’s love & message of the cross to my colleague, someone who is one the top employee. It is indeed real when comes to this verse:- Matthew 5:16, New King James Version (NKJV)

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

I strongly urge you to be bold enough to take the challenge to shine forth Christ’s light to those who are perishing spiritually and have a willing heart to allow Christ to work through you for there’s nothing to lose.

Beside reading His word and serving, our spiritual responsibilities are also to pray, share the Gospel and leave the rest to God as He will take care of it. We just have to be God’s ambassador to show the way and reflect His light in everything we do.

If your problem gotta do with “I don’t know the Bible well to tell the gospel”, then I suggest that you spend time studying His word more so you will be ready in season and out of season to preach the word (rephrased from 2 Timothy 4:2, New King James Version (NKJV)).

Are you willing to be used by Him? You and I need to get out of our comfort zone if we indeed have known Him as our personal Savior and Lord. How can one be so selfish to keep his / her faith by himself / herself? Let’s not be ignorant of this and fall prey to Satan.

In closing, I wish to use these verses:-
Matthew 28:19-20
New King James Version (NKJV)

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

-Yit Mun

Images taken from:
http://jesuszonejohndy.wordpress.com/
http://www.gatewaytoeternity.com/gpage.html
http://mblordi.com/2011/02/22/god-hears-your-prayers/
http://www.oneyearbibleblog.com/2005/07/july_28th_readi.html

A reflection of Song Fest

2011-06-13T02:56:00.008+08:00

Hearing the title of this event - Song Fest, sure does bring back memories. Well you see, many years back at my younger days (sure makes me sound old right?) when I was 15 or 14, we had a Song Fest too. And after much persuasion from my group leader then, I finally gather up all my courage and thought, "okay lah, let's just give it a try and see what happens."

Forget not, at that point of time, I had not personally encountered the Lord in my life yet and singing these songs is merely like singing any other secular songs out there to me. I was paired with my good ol' buddy - Jason Ang Kah Wai. The song we sang? Jesus, lover of my soul.

We practised and tried to harmonize but with our very limited singing skills (sorry for speaking on your behalf yeah Jason but I'm sure you'd agree too :P) we could only come up with a really decent or "okay-okay" tune to present to our audience. And due to that, it made the both of us even more nervous and obviously, that'll affect our performance. But soon after our performance, I felt totally crushed by the other group's performance, a duet so great that I can remember every detail of how it went until today. Oh boy, can you imagine would I ever want to participate in the event like this ever again?

BACK TO PRESENT

After journeying with the Lord this far, watching all the bands that performed for the night sure did moved my heart. If only I knew and understood the real meaning of why Song Fest was organized in the first place only then would I knew how much joy would I have gotten then. God sure did put His mighty hands at that night and I believed that the event went up to His ears as an awesome sweet tune.

It wasn't a night about competing who can sing or play better.

It was a night where God is first and foremost praised above all Heavens and Earth , a night where bonds were made and miracles were shown of how one soul can lift up his voice and sang - Amazing Grace that saved a wretched soul like me.

Psalm 100:2
Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Shout out to the many leaders and members who put their hearts into this. I really do hope and pray that this event also help sharpen and set the perspective of worship on a much deeper and serious level.

Ian Fan shared with me about his story back at RBS where when they were deciding which members should go up to be the musicians for worship and when the camp committee realized that many talented followers did not offer to play as they wanted to give opportunities for other to perform - they were given a lecture about how they should ought to give their best and talents to worship God! And I would agree that indeed, worship is no light matter at all.

May this further prompt all of us as well, at every session of worship, should we not give all our hearts, minds and souls into praising our Lord? He's very real and trust me, He's watching and listening. Don't you think it'll be really offensive and disrespectful when your whole family is singing a birthday song to your grandfather and you totally ignore and make a commotion in the midst of the singing? What more of our God?

I'll be looking forward to the next Song Fest and I believe too, it's the same for many of us!

If you want to watch the videos recorded for the night, kindly head over to our youtube channel at this link: - http://www.youtube.com/my_playlists?p=DC0159D040F93E14

Soli deo gloria,
daryl 's u n d a e' heng

Images taken from:
http://casadediospc.webs.com/apps/calendar/showEvent?calID=4122238&eventID=62932272

Forgiveness

2011-06-03T21:14:00.003+08:00

Forgiveness. The Oxford dictionary describes forgiveness as the action or process of forgiving or being forgiven. I am sure all of us know that this is easier said than done. The Bible is very clear about the fact that we must always forgive others but often times it is so difficult for us to forgive others that bitterness starts to grow in us.

Matthew 6:14-15 says: For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (NIV)

A few years back, I had a very close friend that I would always hang out with every week but as the years went by our friendship started to go sour. Our friendship had deteriorated to the point that we totally stopped speaking to one another because I was so angry at that person. I was so angry at that friend to the point that I did not wish my friend well and did not want good things to happen to him/her.

I was so angry and unwilling to forgive my friend that bitterness started to fester in my heart. The worst thing about having bitterness in you heart is that the bitterness will start to affect your life and eat you up inside. Of course, my walk with God was also affected because how could I go before God and ask Him for forgiveness when I am so unwilling to forgive someone who has wronged me.

Matthew 5:23-24 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. (NIV)

When I moved to Singapore, I was still very angry at that friend. By this time, I have already been angry at this friend for two years. Somehow in my heart I knew that I have to forgive this friend but as I said I was so stubborn and egoistic that I felt that I had every right to be angry at this friend. I truly struggled to forgive my friend.

The turning point for me was when I came back for a short break and had to attend the funeral of a friend’s mum. This friend of mine did not have a good relationship with his/her mum but just before his/her mum passed away they were able to reconcile and forgive one another. When I heard about that during the memorial service it suddenly hit me that whatever my other friend did to me was such a small thing that it was quite ridiculous that I held a grudge against him/her for such a long time.

Colossians 3:13 says: Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (NIV)

So when I went back to Singapore and read God’s word and journaled about my thoughts. I prayed and asked God to help me forgive the friend which I had held a grudge against. While I was praying I felt God’s prompting me to reach out to that friend and ask for his/her forgiveness for what I have done that contributed to the breakdown of our friendship.

If you told me two years ago that I would ask this friend for forgiveness, I would have thought that you were crazy because I did not think that I did anything wrong. I was so self righteous that I felt that my friend should be the one asking me for my forgiveness. The moment I decided to release my anger and forgive this friend, I reached out to him/her to ask for forgiveness. My friend replied and told me that he/she has forgiven me and apologized to me as well. Now, we are on good terms and have spoken to each other a few times.

God truly gave me the strength to do what I did. The thing I learned through this experience is that forgiveness is for yourself as much as it is for the other person. Letting your anger and bitterness about another person fester in your heart is a huge disfavor you are doing to yourself. As believers, we are called to forgive one another and there is no two ways about it.

Are you angry and holding a grudge against a person today? Present this struggle to the Lord and He will guide you.

- Xin-Yi

Images taken from:
http://dandelion6oclock.wordpress.com/2010/12/27/forgiveness-is-our-only-hope/
http://bookbuilder.cast.org/view_glossary.php?book=30370&word=20467
http://saturnslady.blogspot.com/2011/03/true-forgiveness.html

Where is your faith?

2011-05-30T22:11:00.004+08:00

Have you ever felt like God is very far away? Like God never helps you in extremely bad situations? You feel that when you need help at a critical point like hanging off a cliff and about to die, God still doesn't answer your prayers? I don't know about you, but this is a problem I sometimes face. I feel that God is never there sometimes, or he doesn't answer my prayers, or he just doesn't seem to be listening to me at all. He seems non-existent. I was thinking about it quite a lot lately, due to problems and unwanted circumstances. I start to doubt. Start to question, start to wonder. Until one morning, in chapel, the speaker answered all my questions.

Luke 8:22-25
Jesus Calms the Storm

One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.

The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.

In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

The part where Jesus said "Where is your faith?" really hit me. In other words, during troubles, during storms in our lives, we tend to start questioning, start doubting, start wondering where God is during hard times. Our faith is shaken.

Secondly, I was struck with the question, "Do we truly know who our God is?" Cause the disciples were with Jesus wherever he went, and they still were so amazed at what he had done, they actually asked "Who is this?" Imagine spending time with someone and ending up asking "Who is this?" And this is the most comforting part. God is ALWAYS there. He may seem asleep, in the boat, where the storm will rage all around you and try to throw you off course, but he has never left the boat. He didn't promise that problems would not arise. He promised never to abandon you. So if we truly know God, if we truly truly believe in him, he will be real in our lives. I'd like to leave you with this one last verse.

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

God bless :)

- Aaron Lim

Honor God, Honor parents

2011-05-25T12:39:00.009+08:00

Just want to share with you in how God is breaking me and moulding me into His Sovereign will.

Every family is bound to have problems and that is the case for my family as well. I also struggle with many other issues in my life. One of it is that I was unable to honor my parents. In a very familiar passage from Exodus 20:12 (New King James Version) says

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you”.

Year in and year out I’ll come across this verse and often time I chose to sweep it under the carpet.

As I was cleaning up my stuffs one day, I discovered my pledge during one of the camp session about 9 years ago. It mentioned how I wanted to honor God by honoring my parents. To my embarrassment, this was also one of the resolutions for some of the current and previous years which also mean that I did not take my yearly resolution seriously…

I began to consider those hymns that we used to sing about how we love the Lord. Do we mean it? It causes me to ponder is my love for the Lord real or genuine? If I love the Lord, I must also have love my family members which is in sync with what was told in 1 John 4:20-21 (New King James Version)

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

With much encouragement from my accountability partner and God’s working in my life, I wanted to change and ask God to help me to cope with my parents. At the back of my head, I know God placed me in my family for a purpose. I have no excuse not to change regardless how problematic things are in my family. I also realized that I can’t change my family members but at least I could allow God to change me (and prayerfully as I was changed to be more and more like Him, it could impact my family positively).

When I confessed this particular sin in my life, this was the verse that struck me the most
- Ephesians 4:22-24 (New King James Version)

that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

It implies that we (I) got to deny ourselves (myself) and follow Him. If we (I) do not want to follow Him, it would mean we (I) do not want to be a Christian.

Christian life did not stop when you say a sinner’s prayer. It’s just a beginning of your spiritual journey at the narrow way. You and I need to go through lots of thorns and thistles, experience dark valleys and dangers from lion etc. until we have gain the victory in Christ.

- Yit Mun

Images taken from:
http://www.learkentfool.com/?p=24
http://matteroffactsite.blogspot.com/2009/05/must-i-really-honor-my-parents-when.html
http://whenyouwalkalongtheway.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/what-not-to-wear/

Acceptance?

2011-05-20T16:52:00.006+08:00

How interesting, I made a video with Evelyn, talking about the mentally retarded. The video's message was remind society that we should be sensitive and mindful of the handicapped and not be reckless with the words we use.

Just yesterday, a friend of mine got me a free ticket to a comedy night down in KL. While I was thinking it will be one of my usual local comedians like Harith Iskandar or Douglas Lim, apparently it was a night of Caucasian comedians.

Feeling really out of place with their dirty jokes and totally unprepared for that sort of God-forbidding humour, what really caught my attention for that night was this particular female comedian. The emcee told the audience that she's really special and I was wondering, "A special female comedian? How special woh. (cause most comedians are usually guys, statistically speaking)."

And there she was, a guy helping her up the stage and she climbs the steps in a very awkward manner. Thinking whether she's making it up just to entertain the crowd or.. "I'm brain damaged" she said.

The fact that she has a thick accent made it rather difficult to grasp what she's saying but her speech was rather handicapped too due to her condition, which made it even more difficult to listen. But nonetheless, I could still get a gist of she's trying to get at.

While she took advantage of her condition to come up with jokes like asking people what are they bad at and that particular audience took a really long time to reply, she said "Oh... do... you ... want... me ...to .. speak.. slower.. for.. you..?" Yet, that one thing that really got me pondering was, she made fun of our Lord and Saviour as well - our Lord Jesus Christ.

To me, I always had the idea that individuals who go through life with more challenges and obstacles, who tasted a lot more hardship than most people would have in their comfortable lives would have a higher possibility to ponder upon the meaning of life because of the injustice and ordeal they have to face through compared to others. But this particular lady decides to take it the other way and conform entirely to the world's standards - mocking the only greatest love giver to all humanity.

Funny thing is, though she may think and struggle to be "accepted", truth is, we're all handicapped and have fallen short. Rings a bell?

Romans 3:23
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

In some sense, yes, you may say that the contrast is rather huge between us and the handicapped individuals but really, what difference would it make if there's still a huge dark void in your soul? Even the most richest and healthiest person on earth will discover this at the end of his life,

Matthew 16:26
"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"

I pray and hope that she encounters the very Lord and Saviour that she mocked and joked about and to know, she doesn't have to resolve to that to be "accepted".

- daryl 's u n d a e' heng

Images taken from:
http://laurafday.wordpress.com/2007/07/29/the-unsung-heroes-of-music/
http://theheartofapastorswife.blogspot.com/

In Him I Trust

2011-05-19T01:54:00.004+08:00

Hey guys. I decided to write something for the blog because of many recent events in my life that reminded me so much about how God is so real to me.

I know I'm not the most Biblically sound person with lots of theological knowledge so I feel that the safest way to go would be just writing about my experience as it is. :)

There's a lot going on and I had many things on my mind. In April alone, I had lots to do with piano exam, basketball tournament, debate tournaments, sports day (training and making the mascot), etc... (cant remember the rest lol.) What worried me the most was not about losing or failing the exam, but more of how I was going to juggle all of them at one go. See, all these things need constant practise and training, and honestly, there's only so much you can do in school. There was two whole weeks where every day I was alternating between basketball practice and debate training because of the clashes. So at the end of the day, not only did I 'ponteng' trainings, I was completely exhausted and this affected my piano practices as well. Because seriously, after tuitions and all, who in their right mind would be so 'semangat' to practise piano for the next 3 hours?

With all these things bugging me, slowly I forgot about God and actually prayed less frequently as I should. Every night I would just crash in bed and sleep without even thinking of praying and thanking the Lord for the day.

So.. when I DID remember to pray, (FINALLY!) I prayed that He'd give me strength to get through this. Sure enough, it's May now and I'm actually alive. Because one thing I learned is that all things will come to past.

When the time came for me to go through these major events one at the time, every time before it started I'd say a prayer. First up was my piano exam which I wasn't very prepared for. I knew there was a chance I'd fail. But after that, it didn't matter anymore because I knew at least I tried and did what I could. (Results come out in a few months..!)

After that was the basketball tournament followed by the National debate championships at HELP UC. My debate team and I weren't very prepared either and I knew unless God wasn't with us, we wouldn't have done so well. In fact, I was told by one of our church friends that one of our opponents from Sri KL won some International tournament.. And I freaked out. It was scary wei! Before every round I'd run to the toilet (nervous!) and pray. Hoping He'd be with us despite our "not-preparedness" and placed my trust in Him, knowing that everything is in His hands. So it was definitely, insanely awesome cos we went on and won all four rounds, beating every school and ranked 2nd in the whole championship. It was crazyyyy but this time I did not forget to thank the Lord once more.

So I realised that relying on Him is the best thing to do in every circumstance. Despite the fact that we didn't win the Cup, (I actually cried...) we knew that we wouldn't have gone this far without God. And as disappointed as I was, I felt okay after that, and began to believe once more that all things ARE possible with him.

Isaiah 41:10 says "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

After all that was our school annual sports day which was a PAIN. I was put in charge of the school mascot and I agreed because the pengerusi promised that it'll be JUST the mascot and nothing else. But I should've known that whatever is said is pure nonsense. haha. Cos I ended up helping with the banners and cards and whatnot. Every single day I skip school (the whole day..) and stay in the Art room painting and painting. And because of this I couldn't train at all for the long-distance races I took part in while the other athletes are busy training every day. There was no way I could train after school either because of several other commitments.

So it was a relief to see BUBBLES (fr Powerpuff girls) turn out perfectly and walk around the stadium. But the nerve-wrecking part was the races. I knew my stamina was long gone since the road run and I could only look to God for help. The first one was 800m open (terbuka), I was worried that I'd do real bad cos it's very short for a long-distance race and most of them will probably run real fast. Before the race, as I stood there with 20 other athletes, crapping my pants, I prayed, not that the Lord will help me win, but be strong and outdo myself. so after both races, it was clearly evident that He was there because even I myself was surprised at the result. I don't know how to put this, but it feels as though he gave me extra strength or something to be better than how i usually am. Even though i used wrong strategies for both races (which cost me gold, stupid me, had to settle for silver), it's heartwarming and awesome to know that we can do anything with God's help.

This isn't some random post just telling and ranting all the stories of my life. i don't know if you guys thinks it's just a show-off. It's not. Honestly, none of this would have happened without Him. If this were last year or something and I was looking at these stuff, I wouldn't believe myself at all because this is NOT me. I can't do this alone. I'd be like, "yeah right, are you kidding me?!" So, all credits to the Lord.

So, what I've learned, I think is a valuable lesson to us all. Every single one of us. How often do we actually commit everything we do to the Lord? Even the smallest things matter.
I don't know what exactly happens in your lives, but whether it's another assignment, an exam, an upcoming gig, going for a trip... We should all live our lives according to Christ and always be reminded of how He needs to be, and is, the center of everything. Even if we forget about Him often (like I did), the Lord is so gracious and kind to forgive and always shows mercy. BUT we should NEVER take that for granted.

Everything that goes on in our lives, the Lord wants to be included and involved. He wants to be a part of it. But do we let Him? Even if at the end of the day, things don't work out exactly the way you want to, (nothing ever does) it's who you place your trust on that matters.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says “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. ”

So, do you trust in yourself and your own capabilities alone, or God's?

Everything that goes on in our lives, the Lord wants to be included and involved. He wants to be a part of it. But do we let Him? Even if at the end of the day, things don't work out exactly the way you want to, (nothing ever does) it's who you place your trust on that matters. *Because if you start to trust the Lord and look to Him in all things, you'll see Him work wonders in your life like you could never imagine. And that's awesome, right? :)

- Jeana Joy

Images taken from:
http://www.toonzone.net/forums/showthread.php?t=236527&page=51
http://www.4catholiceducators.com/graphics/new_mark_10-27.jpg
http://kswpgoodfriends.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/trust.jpg

Jesus or Judas?

2011-05-14T03:50:00.004+08:00

Lady GaGa: Judas Lyrics

Oh-oh-oh-ohoo I'm in love with Juda-as,
Juda-as Oh-oh-oh-ohoo I'm in love with Juda-as,
Juda-as Judas Juda-a-a, Judas Juda-a-a,
Judas Juda-a-a, Judas GaGa Judas Juda-a-a,
Judas Juda-a-a, Judas Juda-a-a, Judas GaGa

[Lady Gaga - Verse 1]
When he comes to me, I am ready
I'll wash his feet with my hair if he needs
Forgive him when his tongue lies through his brain
Even after three times, he betrays me I'll bring him down, bring him down, down
A king with no crown, king with no crown

[Chorus]
I'm just a Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel
But I'm still in love with Judas, baby I'm just a
Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel
But I'm still in love with Judas, baby Oh-oh-oh-ohoo
I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as Oh-oh-oh-ohoo
I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as Judas Juda-a-a,
Judas Juda-a-a, Judas Juda-a-a, Judas GaGa

[Lady Gaga - Verse 2]
I couldn't love a man so purely
Even darkness forgave his crooked way
I've learned love is like a brick, you can
Build a house or sink a dead body
I'll bring him down, bring him down, down
A king with no crown, king with no crown

[Chorus]
I'm just a Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel
But I'm still in love with Judas, baby I'm just a
Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel
But I'm still in love with Judas, baby
Oh-oh-oh-ohoo I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as Oh-oh-oh-ohoo
I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as

EW

[Bridge]
In the most Biblical sense, I am beyond repentance
Fame hooker, prostitute wench, vomits her mind
But in the cultural sense I just speak in future tense
Judas kiss me if offensed,
Or wear ear condom next time I wanna love you,
But something's pulling me away from you

Jesus is my virtue,
Judas is the demon
I cling to I cling to

[Chorus]
I'm just a Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel
But I'm still in love with Judas, baby I'm just a
Holy fool, oh baby he's so cruel
But I'm still in love with Judas, baby Oh-oh-oh-ohoo
I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as Oh-oh-oh-ohoo
I'm in love with Juda-as, Juda-as Judas Juda-a-a,
Judas Juda-a-a, Judas Juda-a-a, Judas GAGA

Fellow brothers & sisters in Christ, I'm appalled to see how the evil one has taken another step in his plans but by ALL means, please do not support this video and also use this opportunity to educate your friends what this video means and how it directly attacks our faith.

This video talks about how lady gaga worships Judas by saying "i cling to him" & "I'm in love with Judas", it also heavily implies that she is encouraging what he did to Christ.

I'm not advocating that we as Christians should hate Judas neither he obviously do not deserve worship as such in this video either due to what he has done. So just bear in mind the implication(s) your friends maybe giving by "liking" or "sharing" this video when their other Christian friends see this.

Please STOP this. The media has propagated homosexuality as a norm with katy perry as well as sex and violence with plenty other videos by other bands/artists.

- Gary Heng

Image taken from a screenshot of the music video.

Weeds

2011-05-10T15:36:00.002+08:00

There was once a very young boy. He was given an assignment by his primary school teacher to grow a sunflower for a science project. The teacher gave each of them a few sunflower seeds and off they went. Excited, as this was his first time, he watched the little pot that he planted his seeds in everyday. Not before long, he began to see some weeds growing in it. Now the little boy had learn about weeds in class and the dangers they brought to the plants surrounding them. His teacher had already warned the class to pull them out if seen, but the little boy thought to himself, "Ah, they're so small. I'm quite sure nothing will happen. Besides, they make the pot look cooler. How much damage could these little things do?".

And so he left them there to grow alongside the sunflower. The time finally came for everyone to present their sunflowers. All the students displayed their sunflowers with big smiles on their faces. All, except the little boy. He noticed his sunflower was smaller and duller looking compared to the rest and then only did he realise his mistake. The weeds.

Our role here on Earth is like that sunflower in the pot. Often times we sprout weeds in our life without even knowing it. These weeds could come in the form of anything ranging from a relationship, to a new gaffer, to even work/studies. These things are not weeds themselves but have potential to become them. Basically anything that robbed the sunflower of it's needs were considered weeds, whether they were other small flowers or grass, because they were not what was suppose to be grown in that pot. Paying too much attention to these things turn them into weeds which rob us of our time, energy and focus on the race that we have been called out for. Christ died for so much more than us getting distracted by the world. He died so that we may live! It is our responsibility to always be on the lookout for weeds, so that they can be removed. The longer they are left there, the harder they are to remove as it already has a deep hold in our lives.

So what are the weeds that need to be removes in your life today?

- Alex Tan

Images taken from:
http://s378.photobucket.com/albums/oo230/ceekayfun2008/?action=view&current=Sunflower.jpg&newest=1
http://keanl.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/distrations-in-college-life/

Tracting - For the Kingdom of God

2011-05-03T00:25:00.004+08:00

Hey everyone, how have you all been? It's been a while since I wrote something and this time around, this post is very relevant to me recently. I would like to share about the purpose of tracting.

A few of the reasons why I have suggested that the youth to undergo something as such as tracting is solely because sometimes we proclaim we are Christians but we sometimes don’t live a life that is worthy of Christ. Even when we live a life that is seemingly goodie goodie and all, sometimes what really set us apart then from the nice people we see in our classrooms or even workplace? The answer to this question, is Jesus Christ.

You see sometimes we don’t share about the Gospel, sometimes, we want to but we don’t know how. And to make things worse, instead of sharing the Gospel, sometimes we use the wrong choice of words and we end up giving our friends the wrong impression of who God truly is and what Christianity is all about. That was why the youth of TTDIGC would like to give the youth a brief exposure of what it is like to tell the world or maybe just the visitors to the curve what it is like to share the gospel using a the tract - CAN YOU SURVIVE AN EARTHQUAKE?!

You see we sometimes as Christians, we get complacent and we like to think that church is only for Christians. That my friends is when we get very wrong. You see, when Jesus Christ gave us the Great Commission, He told us in Matthew 28 v 18 - 20. 18:

"Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus tells us today, that people of all races, nation, should come to know the LORD, and we
should be God’s messengers, to tell them about the Good News of Jesus Christ.

I believe only a few will turn out for the tracting but I truly believe God will transform and God will move in our hearts. Even if you are not joining tracting or even the briefing, what is truly important is that you do not limit God to a Sunday. I encourage you all to be salt and light to the world everyday and constantly look for ways to stand out for Christ. Being a Christian does not necessarily mean you have to tell people about Jesus Christ, surely, that must come but it starts from yourself living a life that is somehow different and when your friends notice that there is a difference within you they will somehow see the Holy Spirit - God working in you. In Matthew 5:16, it is written,

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

And if today, you have a desire to tell your friend about the Gospel but you don’t know how, you can always approach any of the Uncles or even Aunties in church or the older youths - we are always ready to help.

The gospel must be preached, because there is never a limit to the Love of God who wants to reach out to His beloved people.

- John Khor

Images taken from:
http://www.thewordstreetjournal.com/2010/05/tract-handing-101.html
http://trevinwax.com/2010/06/02/gcr-in-a-nutshell/
http://samandmariootero.blogspot.com/

Love - Reminded, Rekindled and to be moulded

2011-04-19T14:09:00.005+08:00

Revelation 2:1-7 (New King James Version)The Loveless Church

1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:

2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;

3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.

4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.

6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’

2 years back, I embarked on a Sabbatical leave for 3 months. I only attended the Church Services and totally did not get myself involved in serving as my mentor realized that I was actually not growing and am struggling with lots of issues. It is true that with the 3 months of praying, meditation and even fasting helped me to go closer to the Lord.

The passage above was one of the three sets of Scriptures given to help me face the many issues in my life which impeded my growth in the Lord. Indeed if our spiritual life is not right with God, how can we serve effectively? I treasure the mountain-top experience with the Lord especially at that time but it should not have stopped me from continuing seeking Him despite my many responsibilities and hectic schedule from time to time.

During that time and recently, God is still the One who knows all my hard work and learning to be more tolerant towards people and many issues I came across at Church and Christendom. Yes, I have also realized some of the Church-goers are not true believers and found them to be hypocrites (forgive me for me using such a strong word).

Sad enough, in the hustle and bustle of life, on and off I still ignore my first love - the Lord Jesus. I wonder how I could forget those days when I was yet to get my driving license, I faithfully walked to Church and punctually reach Church, and even much earlier than now! It is true what was expound in Deuteronomy 8:11 (New King James Version)

Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today...

After believing in Christ for some years, I somewhat forget Him! Even though weeks after weeks I come to Church to worship the Lord but my heart might not be there! I must admit that sometimes I am just going through the motions and made it a habit…

Through the Sabbatical leave, I remembered that how previously I was fervent and passionate after God. Believe me when I was still at high school, I was not interested to study. However, ever since I came to the Lord, I am so fascinated by the word of God and spent hours and hours to study it, even when it’s already midnight. My dad would chase me to sleep and I would pretend that I fell asleep. After that, when my dad was asleep, I’ll “wake” up and continue reading it till 3 or 4 am perhaps (if I’m not mistaken). At that time, I almost finished reading the whole Bible, except for the book of Psalms and Proverbs. Not only that, I remembered how fervently I shared Christ with those around me!

Lately I found myself again in the danger of using my own strength to work for the Lord. Yes, Lord, I want to spend my precious waking hours to study Your word and be transformed by Your word. May You revive my love for You and take me, break me and mould me to be the person that You want me to be. Amen.

Footnote: May it be your desire to be close with the Lord, daily spending quality moments with Him and repent from sins too! It is difficult but worth it =D

- Yit Mun

Images taken from:
http://raebear.net/faith/biblestudy/revelation/7churches.php
http://pastorjuan.com/
http://www.tvsa.co.za/default.asp?blogname=JehovaNisiTVSAHomeCellBibleStudyGroup&articleID=11274
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hosanna77/page2/

He is the Way, the Truth and the Life

2011-04-13T07:35:00.003+08:00

I was reading a “note” on facebook about a friend who has been writing over a sci-fi story on how his story talks about possibilities of the after-life, whilst suggesting that we could live however as we wish due to various possibilities.

He explained that there is no point trying to save this planet because everything dies anyway, there is no point trying to live as though you know what comes after-life because science has no proof over it.

He is not the only friend who has such a perception and perspective towards living in this life we have right now.

But sadly, those perspectives and perceptions are blind.

Blind to what? Reality.

They live in a life full of comfort and selfishness - expensive cars, fully paid tertiary education (which some them even flung it), expensive clothing, changing phones as though they were accessories, burning hundreds (even thousands) over a night of clubbing & the list goes on.

They talk about living life in a philosophy with such weak substance and somewhat “fantasy” like, but do they dare look in the eyes of a girl who has been raped, abused and poorly fed for months and share their idea of how life should be lived?

If there is a meaningful, worthy life philosophy worth living, it has to be one that applies to all.

I always share that to my brother daryl whenever I read any articles, watch any videos or come to ears to any philosophy of life when it ignores hardship and pain. (Because most of it always stems out from one and only one thing – selfishness. )

It’s either about reaching your fullest potential, or living your “dreams”, or travel the whole world and experience different things (What? Now these people are objects of exhibition for your experience?), everything that has to be beneficial for your own gain, but none of them tells you “live so that others may live”.

None but Christ.

James 10:10 b

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Ought we to live in a manner that goes with the worldly philosophy?

We pick certain subjects to study because we like it. We pick jobs that we only enjoy working with. We aim for materialism because we don’t want to be the “odd” one out. We take extra classes (singing, guitar or art etc) that we don’t need but we enjoy it anyway.

But they are all done for the infamous 3 best friends : me, myself and I.

Have you ever consider before entering tertiary education, where would God want you to be or in what way He wants you to live for Him? If it’s studying, what subject and why?

When you have an option to study overboard or locally, why do you study overboard? Is it because you want to have the “experience”? Most importantly, does your local church needs you to stay?

How about being a full time worker or a missionary?

When you purchase the next latest iphone100, do you actually need it?

If you have extra cash enough to start learning something that you don’t need, why do you go for that class for? Is it so that you could help use it as an avenue to spread the gospel?

When you start doing all of the things for yourself, you are burying yourself with selfishness. Selfishness only does one thing to you, it blinds you.

It blinds you from the cries of this world that desperately needs the Lord. It blinds you to think that life is perfectly fine with the way it is because YOUR life is fine (not life mind you). But, if you push every ounce of your strength, every bit of your soul, every pump of your heart and every waking moments of your mind to love God,

You are now living eternal life that Christ Jesus has given you when you believe Him to be your Lord and Saviour.

Suddenly you realize there is so much loving to do but no one is doing anything about it.

Luke 10:2

“He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

When I devote my habit of eating luxurious food to God, I realize how much God has blessed me. I made sure I wouldn’t spend more than RM10 on food a day, everyday.
Yes, that includes going out with my friends. Yes, that includes the snacks and drinks. And mind you, I’m not living in a kampung , I’m living in a modern city of Petaling Jaya where Teh ais alone now easily costs you Rm 1.50.

It was extremely hard at first, making all the excuses and justifications and often failing. But today, God has strengthened me to keep a clean record for more than a month now and I realized I had so much extra money to bless others who really, seriously need it.

Today I’m able to eat just rice and vegetables for lunch almost every day without any problem. The best part is, I know I’m prepared to make sacrifices and not being a burden when hard times come. I also never realize how much my mum’s cooking was such an abundant of blessing when that’s the only time I actually get to eat meat during the whole day. God taught me to be thankful while I was so immature and selfish previously to be complaining over the things she cook for dinner.

How are you losing your life for God’s sake today? How are you bearing fruit for Him today?

Mark 8 : 35

“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.”

Live your life worthy of the gospel that in hope, our friends who are still in darkness and blind may see the light and come to know the saving grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour!

- Gary Heng

Images taken from :

http://sjv-science-sense.wikispaces.com/space/blog?responseToken=098db64fa45b8b926d2cbbb6578d09424
http://breakspace.co.uk/gamma-atlanta-greyhound-races/
http://girlfromthehills.wordpress.com/2010/07/30/that-friday-feeling-singing/
http://logenauthorbeastly.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html
http://budaktechnician.blogspot.com/2011_01_11_archive.html
http://www.engagecitychurch.com/blog/?p=168

Emotional Immaturity

2011-04-07T13:52:00.005+08:00

"One of the signs of emotional immaturity is that we are not able to distinguish between genuine difficulty and suffering and the vicissitudes of life. Bad weather is not suffering; traffic delays are not suffering. These are just part of life. On the whole, emotionally immature people are irritated or frustrated with those things that we merely need to take in stride as part of life on planet earth. They find minor inconveniences to be signs of great injustice against them. When it comes to these elements of our lives we merely need to bear with one another, bear with the weather and live in a fundamental posture of gratitude, humility and patience."

Quoted from Courage and Calling by Gordon T.Smith

A great wake up call to myself as I was stuck at major traffic jam. As if only I had plan the activities better, I wouldn't get myself in such a situation to begin with - should I be seriously be emotionally affected by such a trivial matter?

As spiritual growth is the main factor that allows God to mould our character and maturity, I believe we ought to ask ourselves have we been really working our salvation with fear and trembling?

Phil 2:12 -

"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,.."

Should I be making a scene over how I missed a concert last night when children in Japan became orphans over a few seconds of earthquake?

Should I be deeply upset that my friends has an Iphone 4 when a man set himself on fire as he was pushed to the brink of desperation when his only source of living was taken away by corrupted authorities in Egypt?

Should I put a long and sour face over a girl who doesn't even know what true love is all when Penan girls in Sarawak are being raped and the rapists walk away Scott free?

Let us not thicken our bubbles anymore. Choosing to shy away these matters not only harm people around you, it ultimately harms yourself! If you're being so easily bothered over such trivial matters, what more about bigger ones? Let us identify the real suffering that Christ meant in His words.

So by all means, in obedience to the Lord, do know what our faith is capable of -

1 John 5:4

"..for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith."

God bless,
daryl 's u n d a e' heng

Images taken from:
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/11/14/are-rss-subscribers-worthwhile-if-they-dont-visit-your-blog/
http://ylovephoto.com/en/2009/11/25/bursting-the-bubble/

Jesus takes the wheel

2011-04-06T00:27:00.007+08:00

With the earthquakes and everything that’s been happening in the world lately, we have been reminded to share the gospel and reach out to the people around us.

Personally, I struggle when trying to share the gospel with my friends. I worry about whether or not I said the right thing, whether or not I said it the right way, the right time etc. As we are supposed to be the salt and light of the world, I keep thinking that I am not “good enough” and might disgrace Christ’s name when I share.

However, I was reminded that it is not about me at all. I was complaining recently to my dad about certain circumstances in my uni. I ranted about how I would be able to accomplish so much more if things were different and how it was all so unfair.

My dad told me this quote from Edward Everett Hale: “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do and, by the grace of God, I shall do”.

It was a strong reminder to me that God can use me as I am and in whatever circumstances. He places us where we are for a reason. He is always in control and we just have to trust Him. We don’t have to be perfect for God to use us. After all, if only perfect people qualified to serve Him, then none of us would be able to meet that criteria.

A verse from the song “People Need the Lord” goes:

We are called to take His light
To a world where wrong seems right
What could be too great a cost
For sharing Life with one who’s lost?

Matthew 10:19-20

But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

We don’t need to worry about what to say or how to say it. God is in control and we just need
to trust Him. It is not about us after all; it is about Him.

- Phoebe Lim

Images taken from:
http://www.republicreport.com/libya-why-not-yemen-tunisia-egypt-bahrain-jordan-syria-saudi-arabia-etc-written-by-paul-i-adujie/
http://jasondevoll.com/2011/01/31/god-helps-those-who-help-themselves/

Time To Wake Up

2011-03-31T02:05:00.003+08:00

Tensions in the Middle East. Earthquakes in Asia. Is the end nearing?

Well, the Bible does say we are living in the end times. Whether or not the end is now or in the next 1000 years is still a mystery. We however as Christians, are called to be the light of the world. To reach out, to lead. If this is the end, have we done enough? Have we lived out our faith?

Just the other day I was going through facebook. Tons of people were posting about how we should pray for all the people who were victims in these events. Im not sure how many of them actually prayed themselves, but the question is are we like that? Our calling is much greater than just praying alone. We need to take action. Maybe we can’t help those affected, but we can love those around us. Schoolmates, family members, teachers, friends. The harvest is plentiful, you just have to open your eyes and reach out.

Matthew 25:41-45

Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least among you, you did not do for me.'

So my friends, we have to work out our faith. No point just saying we care and ‘praying’ with no action. These events should be a good reminder to keep on track as you never know when the time is up so keep pressing guys!!

- Alex Tan

Images taken from:
http://www.himho.com/japan-earthquake-and-tsunami/
http://talesfromthelou.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/food-prices-at-dangerous-levels-says-world-bank/

Jesus Christ Our Sacrifice

2011-03-29T00:41:00.003+08:00

Hallo everyone, today I want to share about Jesus Christ Our Sacrifice - why does God have to send Jesus Christ to die for Our sins. First of all, before we begin, we ought to ask ourselves why does God want to go through all the hassle of sending His Son to die for us? Why cant He take any other way? Ever pondered upon it?

Well, we have to know when we ask something like this, to wonder why God couldn’t find “another way”, it implies as if we know better than what needs to be done. Tell me then, what can we actually do to save ourselves? Every religion teaches us good things but Christianity teaches us what is truly good, Jesus Himself have said when the Rich Young Man asked him, “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. Now, Jesus is telling us, to change our perception of good, good does not necessarily depict something nice or even pleasant. TRUE goodness talks about perfection, and no one is perfect, no one but God alone that is truly good.

Deuteronomy 32:4reminds us that

“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”

His (God’s) thoughts are not our thoughts—they are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8).

Now that we have a glimpse of what is truly good, let us then look a little at God’s Character. As a Good God, He cannot tolerate the sins that we have in our lives, the Bible clearly dictates, Romans 3 : 23, that all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. In the Old Testament, God has prepared the hearts of the Israel nation in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah, this is when God instituted that sacrifices of lambs and rams for the atonement of the sinner.

Howsoever, there would be endless bloodshed and even sacrifices, for people will sin over and over again, and sacrifice merely serves as a reminder. But this symbolic act would one day reveal itself in the Form of Our LORD Jesus Christ, when John The Baptist proclaimed in John 1 v 29, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), history is written.

Why did Jesus have to die?
1) Remember, the holy God cannot let sin go unpunished. Our own sins would drag us to a life of suffering in a dreadful place call hell. But thanks be to GOD, He kept His promise and send the perfect Lamb (His Only Son) to bear the sins of those who trust in Him. Jesus had to die because He is the only one who can pay the penalty for our sins. Sin requires a punishment, that is why when Jesus came.

He said in Matthew 5 v 17, “

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. "

2) Only Jesus Christ, can give us this fellowship again with God. This is what the blood of animals cannot do. In Hebrews 10 v 1- 4, it says, The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Only with Jesus Christ, can we enjoy fellowship again with God. because, it is God, not man, who offers the appeasing sacrifice - cf. 1Jn 4:10 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Through His death on the cross, Jesus is the way by which God can show mercy, grace, and love to the sinner. This wonderful "propitiation" was given to the whole world but is accessed only by those who believe in Jesus. 1Jn 2:2 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. Only when God cleanse us, we can be clean and now freely communicate with Him, because we have now a High Priest that is intercessing for us, God’s Only Son, Jesus Christ. And also, “God made Him (Christ), who knew no sin, to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

3) The 3rd reason as to why Jesus Christ have to die, God wants to show us how much He loves us, and also to let us know, we, humans are incapable of writing our own salvation, like I have asked earlier, we think we know how to go to Heavens, we think we got what it takes but what do we have actually? Can we buy our way into Heaven? If we can, please answer me, where is the booth for the ticket sales? The road to Heaven, can only be given by God. About Heaven, it does not necessarily have to begin when we die, it begins right here, as written in John 17 v 3,

Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. Eternal life truly begins, when we have Jesus Christ, because we are now living in the full knowledge of God’s Goodness. Through Jesus Christ, God wants to teach us, how to live.

Because God is a God of LOVE, He provided God Himself provided the only sacrifice (Jesus) who could atone for the sins of His people, Our LORD Jesus Christ.

- Johnson Khor

Images taken from: http://willohroots.wordpress.com/2009/11/ http://callmejacob.blogspot.com/2010_08_29_archive.html http://pemilikhidupku.blogspot.com/

Dating, at God's will.

2011-03-22T13:50:00.006+08:00

For these recent years, many people have approached me to inquire whether I have court/date/“pak-toh” before. The answer is no. Then people will start probing the criteria of me choosing my life-partner or trying to match-make me with someone else (for fun) or ask me to change Church for ”better chances” to get to know people who are about the same age as me.

Waiting for the right one is always hard for most of us, especially in this world that progresses so rapidly. Many of my peers have chosen what they seem best but might not be in sync with God’s will. If you are courting someone, would not you intent to marry that person? If so, why should we court someone whom we do not want to marry? Some years ago, I read a book by Debby Jones & Jackie Kendall entitled “Lady in Waiting”. Until today, if I face with doubts or tests pertaining to boy-girl relationship (BGR), I’ll re-read this book. There’s also “I kissed dating goodbye” and many other good books in libraries or Christian bookstores. I suggest those of you who are also struggling with these issues to grab one of these books and let God speak to you!

When comes to the topic of BGR, some of us might just shy away. However, I find that it is essential for me to share how I go through these years of peer pressure and temptations. I must say that all these are real and we have to rely on God’s word and strength to resist the culture, peer pressure and temptation that meet us daily.

From childhood till adulthood, I have lots of crushes on someone and vice versa. Ever since I came to the Lord, I have determined to please God and thus I’ll pray to God every time I face such peer pressure and the attractive someone. Sometimes I would just awake from cold sweat after having a dream of that person and there I quickly grab the Bible or the BGR book that I used to read. Then, I will enquire of the Lord, whether he’s the right one or shall I wait for the right one still…Seriously, many years have passed and I am still waiting for the right one while busy serving at Church with no regrets :)

I did have questions, for example, what if my right one did not come (in view that I have gotten older and older each year ;P)? If indeed God wants me to remain single for the rest of my life, may God give me the courage and I respond like Mary (Luke 1:38, New King James Version) –

Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word. I still trust that God has a plan for me, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give me a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11, New King James Version)

It is also amazing how God want to keep me from sinning against Him! Just lately the test came again and God has so graciously forewarn me even before I was and still being tested. God’s word is very clear in Joshua 23:11-13 (New King James Version)

Therefore take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the Lord your God. Or else, if indeed you do go back, and cling to the remnant of these nations (people who are not believer of our God) – these that remain among you – and make marriages with them, and go in to them and they to you….. But they shall be snares and traps to you, and scourges on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the Lord your God has given you.

Seeing the impact of Christian unequally yoked with non-believer, I am sure you would not want to be one of them! I encourage you to ponder and bring it to God even before you step into any BGR. Fret not, God is forever faithful and He will not short-change us. :)

- Yit Mun

Images taken from:
http://datingsitesnz.net/
http://myreverence.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/i-kissed-dating-goodbye/
http://americanvision.org/4068/the-time-is-short/

Despite it all, He still loved me

2011-03-20T18:43:00.009+08:00

“I’m gonna make sure I’ll ride a sports car right in front of the school gate, and then everyone is gonna stare at us in awe.” I said excitedly and with full of pride.

“Yeah wei, we’ll make sure we’ll prove them wrong in their face!” Daryl responded.

We were walking up the pedestrian bridge over to uptown as we were having a conversation about how rich we were gonna get, thinking about earning Rm60k in our first month and then subsequently our first million in less than a year by the age of 17 thrilled us beyond words.

Everything seem so promising, the business set up, the people we’re working with, the office and the compensation plan. We thought we were on the right track, money and fame await us as we were told to not only traditionally work hard, but to work smart too. We just got to buy their products and then expand your network, and these people will be earning money for you while you shake your leg at home eating roti canai. (okay this is random)

And that night, we were walking to their “mini” office for our usual meeting.

They were also keeping the hype by repeating the upcoming news of moving into a huge office at Berjaya Times Square and having a grand opening right at the entrance at the ground floor. We were thinking if this is a scam, it wouldn’t be this big!

True enough, it wasn’t a scam. But we still didn’t make it.

Reason? We realized it’s more than just the business, the key to “MLM” (Multi level marketing) was the network. It’s the people in the business that matters ultimately. Regardless of how much their pay out is, how great their product could be, the business can’t go far without great team leaders and team mates spurring and working together.

We emptied all our bank account, Daryl got into quite a debt. We ended with nothing. But that didn’t break our spirit. Figures like Ray Kroc (The father of franchising & the person who made McDonalds the fastfood icon today), Howard Schultz (The person who made Starbucks the icon of coffee today), Sam Walton (Founder of Walmart, the largest and most powerful hypermarket in the world) inspired us to go on .

Al l their stories come with the similar tale, never give up. Trust me, they all tried very hard and failed so many times to reach wherever they are today.

We knew it ourselves, inspiration alone won’t get you there, with aspiration, you would. Or so we thought.

We tried from researching our own recipes to sell high end biscuits, branding it as “Irisdae”, to opening our own float store right in front of our secondary school to learn things from scratch, and ultimately “ESPGL.com” the online gaming community for the famous game, Call of Duty 4.

We sweat it out, we spent our money, we had countless sleepless nights, we were mocked, laughed, ridiculed by our friends and even relatives. But that only made us stronger, we wanted to proved them wrong even harder. But, eventually it all came to an end. (There are many reasons why but let’s not dwell on that now)

Because through it all, we knew deep down we have left God far, far, far, far, far, far away in a place that we will never visit again. But God loved me so much, that He couldn’t bear to see me go any further and He had to take the rod and tell me, “it’s enough, don’t be foolish any longer.”

Through the adventure, I’ve upset my parents countless times, embarrassed them to their other relatives whenever they asked what we were doing, never finished my studies properly thinking that I would be earning millions anyway, so does the certificate even matter?

I’ve also lost my girlfriend whom I loved so deeply over 4 years because I was just too busy trying to keep the business going.

Made so many empty promises to so many people, building false hope and broken dreams. We also made plenty of enemies in the process.

And then God helped me realized, I’m really starting to lose it all.

You know what’s the best part? He told me this.

“And yet, I still Love you.”

Despite all the things I’ve done against everyone and most of all to Him. Despite how much I should deserve to be left somewhere to be labeled as a “failure” and a “very selfish person”. Despite how arrogant I thought I knew how life should be lived and God can stay out of it, He was always there waiting and waiting, just bearing it all watching His own child going deeper into darkness.

Why this story? Well I was watching “The Social Network” the other night and seeing how “Mark Zuckerberg” found Facebook and becoming the youngest billionaire and also entering into Time’s magazine. It reminded of those days, if God hadn’t showed me the way of life, he would have been my next biggest inspiration, my biggest hero maybe.

But today, I watch the show and thought to myself “oh okay, so this is how facebook was found, it’s good to know =) “

That’s it. It only meant that much to me, or should I say, “little”?

Because to everyone in this world, who can be compared to our Almighty Loving God? I’m already His precious child, should I need to achieve fame and fortune? What could mean more than living eternal life? =)

“You are my strength when I am weak
You are the treasure that I seek
You are my all in all
I'm seeking You like a precious jewel
Lord, to give up I'd be a fool
You are my all in all

Jesus, Lamb of God
Holy is Your name
Jesus, Lamb of God
Holy is Your name

Taking my cross my sin my shame
Raising again I praise Your name
You are my all in all
When I fall down You pick me up
When I run dry You fill my cup
You are my all in all”

-Gary Heng

Images were taken from

http://malaysia-cuti.com/
http://www.hdap.com/professional.html
http://halo2and34u.com/call_of_duty_4.aspx
http://www.documentic.com/diploma/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/6196827/Facebook-faces-Arab-boycott-for-putting-the-Golan-Heights-in-Israel.html
http://www.kandle.ie/2008/09/17/the-cross-a-sign-of-hope/

The Scientist and the Chauffeur

2011-03-16T01:13:00.003+08:00

Here’s something I got in my mail the other day which I thought I’d like to share with the rest of you.

An old scientist supplemented his retirement income by traveling from university to university with his chauffeur, Bob, and delivering a lecture on his field of expertise. Over the long weeks of travel, the scientist and Bob became friends.

One day as they drove to the next lecture, the scientist said, “I’m getting tired of giving the same lecture every day. You give the lecture this time, Bob.”

“Are you kidding?” Bob protested. “I’m no scientist.”

“These people don’t know that,” the scientist explained. “They have never seen either of us before. Besides, you’ve heard the lecture so many times you practically know it by heart. So you be the scientist, and I’ll be the chauffeur.”

“Bet the audience always asks questions after the lecture,” Bob argues.

“They ask the same old questions every time, and you have heard me answer them all. Just answer the way I do.”

After thinking about it for a moment, Bob smiled. “Okay, I’ll do it.”

The lecture went off perfectly, and nobody suspected that the ‘scientist’ addressing the audience was really a chauffeur. And during the question-and-answer period, Bob sounded like an expert. He had heard the scientist answer the same questions many times before.

Then someone asked a new question-the most difficult and complex question the chauffeur had ever heard. “That’s a great question,” Bob said. “It’s so simple, in fact, that even my chauffeur can answer it.” Nodding toward the front row, he added, “Take it away, Bob.”

Bob was a wise man not because of what he knew, but who he knew. As long as the scientist was close by, Bob had nothing to worry about. But if he ever tried to do a lecture without the scientist, Bob would be in trouble.

As Christians, we may not look wise or powerful to our non-Christian friends around us. In fact, we might choke on some of the tough questions about our faith that they throw at us. But we are intimately involved with someone who doesn’t just know the answers; but is the answer. And as long as we live in a close, daily relationship with Him, we can count on His power and wisdom to be ours. When the tough questions fly at us, we can always look His way and say,

“Take it away, Jesus.”

- Jo-Yi

Newspaper Charity Drive!

2011-03-06T14:42:00.006+08:00

Finally, TTDIGC Youth made the first move to make some impact to the community of TTDI!

There were around 11 or 12 of us in total (I expected a little more honestly :o) and we just head out to go door-by-door to ask for old newspapers. Was very encouraged to see how it all turned out, especially when the rain came and everyone was still determined to finish up our quota of 100 houses!

Here are some of the photos of it:-

Feel free to check out the other photos at the top over at Facebook! :)

We were informed that the van just collected their papers, otherwise we would had more! Well, will just have to get a better timing - next time.

May we continue to serve - in His name.

God bless,
daryl 's u n d a e' heng

Our Calling

2011-03-02T00:43:00.003+08:00

I was walking out from the lecture hall today with a group of friends when we saw a huge crowd of people gathered in front of the library. Curious, we all stopped to see what was going on. To my amazement, a guy about my age was standing on a chair, proclaiming the gospel at the top of his voice. People actually stopped and listened to what he was saying. He told the huge and growing crowd how much God loved them and urged them to get to know Him. At the end, he encouraged them to come for our university's Christian Fellowship to learn more.

I was really, really moved by his passion for Christ. I was very encouraged and was greatly reminded of our place here in this world. More often than not, we are very selfish and want to do whatever we are comfortable with. We develop this 'tidak apa' attitude and often complain about our life, our studies, our parents etc. Our calling is to deny ourselves and follow Christ. He has given us so much, blessed us so abundantly but yet we often take everything for granted and completely forget what we are here for.

Every day that God gives us is a blessing. He gives us so much more than we deserve. What do we do with the life God has blessed us with? Do we use it to tell others about Him? To be the salt and light of the world? Or are we selfish and complain about our lives and refuse to move out of our comfort zones?

Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Luke 9:23

- Phoebe Lim

Images taken from:

http://www.zazzle.com/be_bold_share_the_gospel_tshirt-235849556164223157
http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_steady64/168152772/

A God of Faithfulness and Justice

2011-02-26T02:51:00.004+08:00

If you could recall my writings on the 9th of November and 9th of December 2010, you will know that I went through some troubles at work. I just want to say our God is forever good, just and faithful.

For the one month that I prayed for justice, God has indeed answered the cry of my heart. At the same time, I also have got a better job offer and won a competition before I leave my current company. It is true what was sung by Moses in Deuteronomy 32:3-4 (New King James Version), which also are the lyrics from the song 38 from Spectrum of Praise Songbook.

Deuteronomy 32:3-4 (New King James Version)

3 For I proclaim the name of the LORD:
Ascribe greatness to our God.
4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect;
For all His ways are justice,
A God of truth and without injustice;
Righteous and upright is He.
Song 38 Ascribe Greatness
Ascribe Greatness to our God, the Rock,
His work is perfect and all His ways are just.
Ascribe greatness to our God, the Rock,
His work is perfect and all His ways are just.

A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
Good and upright is He;
A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
Good and upright is He.

I thank God for bringing my mentor to help me with the mock interview questions that gave me enough confidence in my interviews. I thank God that brothers & sisters-in-Christ were praying and helping me to cope with stress before I went for interviews. I also thank God that this coming job came to me so speedily and met my requirements after just 4 or 5 interviews AND guess what? My new direct superior has also allowed me to get unpaid leave from work to go to March retreat!

However, there’s many more challenges will come my way as I start work next month. Of course, I will need to continue to pray that God’s protection and wisdom as God promised in James 1:5 (New King James Version)

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

In closing, I just want to present this song to our Saviour who is our life, strength and hope.

My life is in You, Lord My strength is in You, Lord My hope is in You, Lord In You, it's in You My life is in You, Lord My strength is in You, Lord My hope is in You, Lord In You, it's in You I will praise You with all of my life I will praise You with all of my strength With all of my life With all of my strength All of my hope is in You My life is in You, Lord My strength is in You, Lord My hope is in You, Lord In You, it's in You My life is in You, Lord My strength is in You, Lord My hope is in You, Lord In You, it's in You In You, it is in You!

May I shine for Christ even at my coming workplace and May God aid me. Cheers

- Yit Mun

Images taken from:
http://chewningjourney.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html
http://mapledreamsindia.blogspot.com/

A Change In Me

2011-02-19T18:49:00.010+08:00

Why don't i see a change in me?

Sometimes some Christians wonder why there is no change or maybe very little change in them. The testimonies they hear from other Christians sound so touching and powerful like how much Christ changed their lives totally and renewed them. They even wonder has Christ even entered their lives when they prayed the sinner's prayer!

I came across someone really dear to me who said the same thing and all i asked her was this question,

"have you been obeying?"

She was speechless.

She does all the routine of what a "basic" Christian normally do. She goes to prayer meetings, Sunday morning worship and even her own cell group. But she said she sees no change in herself at all compared to who she was before she accepted Christ.

"But how do you hear God's will and command to follow and obey?" she gently protested.

"Well, it goes by in several ways, where has God placed you? Who do you come across? Do you feel promptings and urges in your heart? If you do, have you ever asked God, is that you?" I questioned in return.

She started thinking and she said "Well..there is this lady..."

And then she started to tell stories about people around her who were unaccepted, rejected and even hated because of their undesirable behaviour.

I decided to allow her to answer herself what God would've wanted her to do and what His will would've been by asking,

"What did God says about us treating our enemies?"

Her face immediately told me that she knew what i meant and it was to "love them". And that was her part to find out how God wants her to love them. Most Christians stop at noticing but never acted upon it with obedience and hence leading their spiritual life to death.

"Faith is taking God's at His word and acting upon His promises"

quoted from the book "transformed temperaments" by Tim Lahaye

Yes, you act upon in full obedience, it's not the question of whether you feel like you can't do it or you're afraid. You do it in faith that God will keep His promises as you do your part in His calling and command for you.

Do you think there will be a change now?

Though don't expect a disparity overnight because some people take a longer time to place their trust and faith in God while some can do it within a shorter time due to their spiritual maturity. But the following steps are extremely important and it's to feed yourself with spiritual food - God's word.

Have you ever complained that you hate going to the table 3 times a day to feed your growling stomach?

Now let me rephrase the question.

How many times have you complained that you need to do quiet time every morning and being forced to fast and meditate when it's organized by the church? (noticed that i already assumed that you've complained)

Just like when you refuse to eat, you'll die out of starvation.

Likewise when you refuse to feed your spiritual life with God's word and spend time building an intimate relationship with Him, your spiritual life dies as well. And you'll find yourself harder to obey His commands and calling and you'll eventually give up and burn out.

Why?

John 15:5

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

" apart from me you can do nothing."

I know that sometimes we have been studying for long hours, been to many tuitions, spent countless hours on homework and assignments and the next logical step on a free time is to be relaxing with entertainment and hang outs with friends.

While those things may be very attractive and fun to do, but can those things be compared to the joy of witnessing your friend to the saving knowledge of who Christ is and how much Christ will be changing your friend?

Can it be compared to the fact that your life is now full of eternal purpose, without meaningless frustration, anger and bitterness to one another and ultimately to yourself?

Can it be compared witnessing a miracle happening right in your own life?

The change in you can only start with one and only way, which is the choice of obeying His word. And of course, making Him your number one priority :)

- Gary Heng

Pictures are taken from :

http://william-suppressedtruth.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_archive.html
http://udleditions.cast.org/GLOSSARY,how_coyote_stole_fire,speechless.html#S
http://indradestianaputra.blogspot.com/2009/11/alone-18november2009-0125-am.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spursfan_ace/2328879637/
http://www.eyesofenhance.com/index/manifesto-38-why-complain-
http://faznaamat.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html

Wisdom

2011-02-15T16:12:00.005+08:00

"Wisdom is not the comprehension of abstract principles or profound truths so much as it is the capacity to respond to the developments around us with strength, to have the skills to embrace change and new challenges with ingenuity and to become mature emotionally through difficult setbacks and disappointments."

Quoted from Courage & Calling by Gordon T.Smith.

Let's not be reckless in seeking wisdom as some of us has the tendency of picking up quotes from random public figures to suit our liking and float our boats. Forget not, who can compare their wisdom to the Lord?

For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,
guarding the paths of justice
and preserving the way of his faithful ones.

Then you will understand righteousness and justice
and equity, every good path;
for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
prudence will watch over you;
and understanding will guard you

Proverbs 2:6-11

How do you deal with setbacks and disappointments? How do you deal with conflicts and friction with others?

Think about your current life. Whether you're a student in school, or the oldest in the family. Reflect on the relationships you have or problems and challenges still not being solved.

When things go wrong and you become all bitter and upset, be honest, have you seek the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul for wisdom? In His Word and prayer? Or do we turn to wordly songs and quotes, just to make ourselves "feel" better about it and have a "I don't wanna care anymore" attitude?

Wisdom can also be obtained from those who are more spiritually mature as the Lord may speak through them. But you've got to be sure who you're speaking to as to know how grounded they are in the Word as well as the fruits they produced for the Lord!

This is where it makes the difference. If we ought to be salt and light to the world - do ponder carefully about this.

God bless,
daryl 's u n d a e' heng

Images taken from:
http://franklinchurchofchrist.com/?p=3315

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

2011-02-11T08:00:00.003+08:00

Many of my friends have asked me about my Christian faith as a religion. I always correct them by telling them how it’s a relationship with God and how I now live for Him. But when I look back at my life, it does not always seem to be that way.

I feel complacency, or in my case procrastination, is the main cause of stagnant-ness in our walk. We keep putting things off or tell ourselves “its only a small thing what” or “once in a while won’t hurt much”. And then we go around telling people how we live for God and how they should too. We live as though Christ does not.

I just want to urge you guys to take a step back to ponder upon your walk with God. Has it been silent for a while? Has it been getting warmer? Colder maybe? Life in the city often is fast paced and going with the flow of things often happens. So just a reminder to stay focused in this race that you have been called out to.

Philipians 3:12b - 14:

.. but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Peace =)

- Alex Tan

Images taken from:
http://davidwarkentin.blogspot.com/2010/09/last-thing-in-world-id-want-is-personal.html
http://tha-come-up.blogspot.com/2011/01/stay-focused.html

Chinese New Year

2011-01-27T01:33:00.004+08:00

Gong Xi Fa Cai - these words we hear every time Chinese New Year is near. As Chinese New Year draws around the corner, as Chinese, it is a period of times in our lives the kids will rejoice, the adults will “mourn” as Ang paus were to be given, the time in which families and relatives gather together. Chinese New Year has always been Chinese New year, but as Christians, does Chinese New Year mean anything to us?

To start off, Chinese New Year is a time in which people gather, it is a time in which they come together, make merry, feast and even talk about the lives that has passed, catching up with relatives, and showing off each others' children. These are the events that a typical Chinese family will do, but now, besides gathering, we have an even more important mission, that is to be the salt and light to the relatives we rarely meet.

I take my sharing today from Matthew 5 v 13 – 16

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

First stop at every Chinese New Year in my hometown, at least there will always be food. Like Duh, who celebrates Chinese New Year without food? But because everybody wants to eat but nobody wants to clean, dishes will always be lying around the place. When I was young, my mum and my grandmother will do it. After all, if we want to look at it, washing and cooking is the work of the women. But as I grew in age, I began to realize, the most effective way of evangelizing to our grandparents or even our relatives begins if they see a change in our conduct. To start the ball rolling, I started washing dishes after meals, to ease the burdens of the womenfolk of the KHOR Family.

Secondly, Chinese New Year is also a good time in which salt and light can happen when we practise proper table manners. One thing that stands out in Chinese New Year is that when we eat, we will always eat at a round table. When we eat, we should always remember to wish our grandparents, to eat as well, for instance, Gong gong lets eat(爷爷吃饭). The bad thing to do would be to eat without waiting. To go a further mile would be, taking food for the elderly. I strongly encourage you all to do so, especially to your grandparents, that they know, there is something different in their grandchildren, and that is the 4th Commandment (Exodus 20 v 12), that we honor our parent’s parents, putting their interest above ours. When eating, may we not forget to give thanks for the food as well, that is to indirectly tell them, all food is provided by the LORD, and as partakers, we should always remember to give thanks.

Thirdly, when we receive Ang paus, we ought to receive with a thankful heart. An Attitude of Gratitude, certainly we should not always complain or even lament among each other, oh I only got RM2 from that uncle. Simply because, when adults give Ang pau, they give with a good intention, that children or even kids will mature and grow up to be a healthy and even happy adult, in Chinese Words - 快高张大. In any way, we should appreciate their good intentions. When we wish, we should not only say, 恭喜发财, Gong Xi Fa Cai, because this term is for businessmen, that their business blooms, but also Shen Ti Jian Kang (身体健康) to tell them, we wish them good health.

Fourth and Finally, Chinese New Year also presents us an opportunity to give people the most important 'Ang paus' in their lives, that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This Chinese New Year, when we spend time talking with our relatives, it is actually the Golden Opportunity in which we can come and tell them about Jesus Christ. To tell them, God is the reason that families exist today and Jesus Christ is the reason why we can and we will always be a family and to let them know God wants them in His Kingdom as well. This howsoever, can be only be achieve, if we live our lives in becoming Salt and Light to the LOVE and the knowledge of God and alongside living a righteous life to actually begin talking to them about them Gospel.

Last of all guys, as we draw closer to this festive season, may we always be reminded that God is always good and we should thank God that above all, this is a cultural event and that as Christian Chinese we can celebrate and also be salt and light to our relatives - simply because everyday in life, People need the LORD.

May this festive season be a different one this year, with the knowledge that God wants our families to be close together and all God wanted since the beginning of creation is to have a family with us, simply because everything is temporary, but family in Christ, is forever.

- John Khor

Images taken from:

http://yeinjee.com/asianpop/chinese-new-year-worldwide-celebration-2008/
http://rasamalaysia.com/happy-chinese-new-year/
http://inxomnia.wordpress.com/page/5/
http://blog.beliefnet.com/stuffchristianculturelikes/2009/09/98-people-need-the-lord.html

Knowing is not enough

2011-01-25T01:08:00.004+08:00

I was talking to a non-Christian friend the other day and she made a statement that gave me a lot to think about. She said:

“I see no difference between Christians and non-Christians.”

I thought a lot about my life and how I portrayed myself to the people around me. Does Jesus really show in my life? Personally, I’ve been going to church since I was a kid and I know. I know that Jesus saved me. I know that He loves me. I know that I should live for Him and Him alone. I know; but is that enough? I know it in my mind but am I truly convicted in my heart?

Does His word show to the people around me?

In 2 Corinthians 3:3, Paul says:

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

We are a like an open book for everyone around us to read. We are a letter from Christ Himself. The best way to tell our friends about God is by example. Live for Him alone, so that when they read us like an open book, we can be like a letter from Christ with the Spirit of God written on our hearts.

If someone were to read your life like a book, would they find Jesus in its pages?

- Phoebe Lim

Welcome to the Family

2011-01-14T00:33:00.004+08:00

Welcome to the family
We’re glad that you have come
To share your life with us
As we grow in love
And may we always be to you
What God would have us be
A family always there
To be strong and to lean on
May we learn to love each other
More with each new day
May words of love be on our lips
In everything we say
May the Spirit melt our hearts
And teach us how to pray
That we might be, a true family

The melody is probably ringing along as you read the lyrics above I suppose. We all know this song - it’s a Sunday school song after all.

But it’s always peculiar how when we think these lyrics are just something nice to sing along though when asked to obey, it’s just so difficult.

“Welcome to the family
We’re glad that you have come”

Honestly, how often do we welcome new family members well? And how about new comers “coming” to us in a manner that they are ready to commit in being part of the family? As for myself, I remembered doing both ways horribly when I first entered TTDI. Today, after many years disappearing and then returning to church, God has placed His hands upon me into this church and finally felt the joy of being welcomed and to welcome others.

“To share your life with us
As we grow in love”

Share, wow, that’s a big word! Obviously I don’t mean just sharing with where are you studying and that you like playing HoN and all that. When we’re talking about “sharing your life” in Christian family context, we’re talking about your joy and dreams as well as your deep pain and struggles. That’s a lot of trust and vulnerability we’re talking about. Until today, only one person knows much more of my deep struggles compared to the rest. But I also realize that I’m only close to that one person and I’m losing the joy of being close to others as well.

Grow, yet another huge word. If you ever tried rearing a pet or do gardening, I’m sure you understand what it means to commit in growing that life and not letting it die. Then again, you could grow them in any manner you want, whether you’re lazy and you’ll simply treat it and when you’re in a good mood, you’ll treat it well. The lyric says “as we grow in LOVE” ! That’s both parties working on a committed, loving relationship. I admit that sometimes, I do feel really tired from work and often excuse myself from committing in caring for my other brothers and sisters. But, I need to remember that commitment is never about feelings, commitment is about doing it regardless of feelings.

“What God would have us be
A family always there
To be strong and to lean on”

“A family always there” I think sometimes we often think that being there means just waiting for someone to find you when they’re at trouble. But have we ever wondered that sometimes people may be too afraid to reach out when they’re down or wondered anyone would ever know they’re down because no one ever asked first? Let’s not just attend YF & Sunday service only, go that extra mile and make a call, drop a text and just say “Just dropping by to say hi  “ Don’t you like to know that people actually made the effort to let you know that they are thinking of you despite of their crazy schedule?

“To be strong and to lean on”

Being “strong” means you got to be the one giving more than you should be receiving! Don’t be a dead weight in the family and just keep expecting people to care. You should be wondering which family members’ need can I meet today? I remembered once depending on a sister too much, it really affected our relationship because she’s afraid I’m leaning on her more than I should be leaning on God! I should be strong enough to remember that God’s Grace is sufficient, for His strength is made perfect in my weaknesses (2 Corinth 12:9)

“May we learn to love each other
More with each new day”

Learning to love one another is really a challenge. Do you stop learning to love someone just because you may have hurt the person (or got hurt) unintentionally in the process? Or did you stop learning because we have strayed away from God? Sometimes we fail to understand that learning to love is not about us feeling good about it. That’s the reason why people stop “loving”- they expect a nice, grateful, warm and loving response from the other party. Love comes the greatest when it is least deserving, where the greatest example, “Amazing Grace”! Learn to love, come what may.
There was once whilst I’m learning to love a person, we got into a huge deep conflict that got both of us cut real deep. But I told God that I love this person genuinely and I refuse to allow either my pride, fear or selfishness to stop me from continue loving this person. It took months before we finally patched up, but it was so worth it because I’ve truly learnt to love this person even better now!

“May words of love be on our lips
In everything we say”

Gossips, dirty jokes and cynical remarks. If all of these are very common to your lips then it is time to ask yourself honestly, have you been a good family member to your family?

“In everything (love) we say”

Don’t just stop with not saying those negative words, when is the last time you sincerely praise and encourage a family member in church?

“May the Spirit melt our hearts
And teach us how to pray
That we might be, a true family”

Last but not least, Christ as our head as He left us with the Holy spirit. Together as one body we come in prayer and to finish the race together – “That we might be, a true family”

In this year’s youth theme – The amazing race, family edition. Let’s go through this race with this simple yet meaningful song kept in our minds. Remember that the joy we can have in the family can only go as far as we are willing to give, not take!

- Gary Heng

Images are taken from :
http://www.messiahroseau.net/
http://markosullivan.ca/category/uncategorized/
http://www.cackaloo.com/2007/11/
http://filipspagnoli.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/limiting-free-speech-4-derogatory-speech/
http://my.ydjesus.org/