Peer Pressure

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

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?

“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

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