hmm.
thank God for the end of exams!
uh it's quite random that i clicked on this blog.
well,
i guess for the second half of the year,
i must really thank God for my friends.
who somehow pulled me out of my spiritual valley
and make me stand up again.
and of course God,
who never gave me up.
and i learnt small lessons of faith each day
to strengthen me on.
yet i still can doubt now,
i can doubt ur faithfulness.
just how weak is mankind really.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Psalm 107:1, "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."
Today's message was on Luke 15, the parables of the lost sheep,coin,and son.
i guess whatever i learnt during vcf through reflecting had a greater impact than today's message on man's responsibility to return back to our heavenly Father.
but i've learnt from a sidetrack to the Lord's prayer.
How?How do you actually pray?What should you actually pray about?
I always thought that the Lord's prayer sounds very nice in chinese.
But now i know.
Seek ye 1st the kingdom of God,
and His righteousness.
and all these things should be added onto you.
Therefore Jesus said, this is how you should pray.
Our father in heaven,
Holy be your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Always wait in anticipation for His kingdom,
always trust that His good will is always done and will always be good.
and all these things will be added unto you,
because the next line says
give us today our daily bread.
only when you seek God's kingdom,
then ask for your own needs.
and God will give them to you.
Then ask God to preserve us.
Because in this world,
we will never be able to triumph over sin without God's help.
Forgive us our sins,
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not put us to the test,
but deliver us from the evil one.
With so much care and protection and love from God,
don't we all sing in praise!
For Yours is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory,
forever and ever amen!
Today's message was on Luke 15, the parables of the lost sheep,coin,and son.
i guess whatever i learnt during vcf through reflecting had a greater impact than today's message on man's responsibility to return back to our heavenly Father.
but i've learnt from a sidetrack to the Lord's prayer.
How?How do you actually pray?What should you actually pray about?
I always thought that the Lord's prayer sounds very nice in chinese.
But now i know.
Seek ye 1st the kingdom of God,
and His righteousness.
and all these things should be added onto you.
Therefore Jesus said, this is how you should pray.
Our father in heaven,
Holy be your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Always wait in anticipation for His kingdom,
always trust that His good will is always done and will always be good.
and all these things will be added unto you,
because the next line says
give us today our daily bread.
only when you seek God's kingdom,
then ask for your own needs.
and God will give them to you.
Then ask God to preserve us.
Because in this world,
we will never be able to triumph over sin without God's help.
Forgive us our sins,
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not put us to the test,
but deliver us from the evil one.
With so much care and protection and love from God,
don't we all sing in praise!
For Yours is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory,
forever and ever amen!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Through a small thing,
You made me understand what complete trust in You meant.
I was very worried that i couldnt get a plug in the library for gavan.
and the panel of 5plugs that i was sitting by,
within an hours time,4 were filled up.
with only the one nearest to me empty.
and with an earnest heart,
i prayed to You.
There was nothing else i could do really.
but to hold my trust in You that it would still be empty when he comes.
and it was a whole 5 hours.
and You dear Lord,kept the plug for him.
if such a small thing, You were faithful.
if i dont entrust my life and my every decision to You,
im not worthy to be called Your children.
and so,dear Lord,
You know my needs.
You prepared me to be a giving person,
for whoever will come my way.
please keep me this way.
and trust in You no matter what.
because You and only You,
knows what's best for me(:
You made me understand what complete trust in You meant.
I was very worried that i couldnt get a plug in the library for gavan.
and the panel of 5plugs that i was sitting by,
within an hours time,4 were filled up.
with only the one nearest to me empty.
and with an earnest heart,
i prayed to You.
There was nothing else i could do really.
but to hold my trust in You that it would still be empty when he comes.
and it was a whole 5 hours.
and You dear Lord,kept the plug for him.
if such a small thing, You were faithful.
if i dont entrust my life and my every decision to You,
im not worthy to be called Your children.
and so,dear Lord,
You know my needs.
You prepared me to be a giving person,
for whoever will come my way.
please keep me this way.
and trust in You no matter what.
because You and only You,
knows what's best for me(:
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Dear Lord,
thank you for all the showers of blessing you've poured unto me this sem.
i can't thank you enough for all the grace and mercy you've shown to a sinner like me.
thank you for teaching me how to love with your love.
thank you for giving me a heart that goes out to all my friends.
although i may not know how to encourage them.
but dear Lord, you always teach me to just love them.
and that the best encouragement i can give anyone, are Your words Lord.
i think,im becoming a person,
who's more encouraging,more patient,and hopefully less hot-tempered.
less competitive,less arguments,is what i need to strive for.
dear Lord,
thank you for all the angels you've sent into my life.
without them i will not be able to survive life.
or rather,they make life more tolerable
when im feeling miserable.
they motivated me to love you more,
to seek you more, to serve you more.
and im grateful.
im happy with my life.
because it couldnt be happier
if it was without you.
and for that i will follow you forever and ever.
and help me to trust in You
ever step that i take in life.
thank You.
thank you for all the showers of blessing you've poured unto me this sem.
i can't thank you enough for all the grace and mercy you've shown to a sinner like me.
thank you for teaching me how to love with your love.
thank you for giving me a heart that goes out to all my friends.
although i may not know how to encourage them.
but dear Lord, you always teach me to just love them.
and that the best encouragement i can give anyone, are Your words Lord.
i think,im becoming a person,
who's more encouraging,more patient,and hopefully less hot-tempered.
less competitive,less arguments,is what i need to strive for.
dear Lord,
thank you for all the angels you've sent into my life.
without them i will not be able to survive life.
or rather,they make life more tolerable
when im feeling miserable.
they motivated me to love you more,
to seek you more, to serve you more.
and im grateful.
im happy with my life.
because it couldnt be happier
if it was without you.
and for that i will follow you forever and ever.
and help me to trust in You
ever step that i take in life.
thank You.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
As I lie down, close my eyes, pray, and slip from consciousness, I do so with the understanding that it is God who holds everything together during my temporary absence from the world. And it's Him who will continue to hold everything together when I rise and work in the coming daylight. At no point – day or night – am I independent of Him.
Receive God grace with a humble heart
and be filled with strength to walk each new day faithfully in trust.
Receive God grace with a humble heart
and be filled with strength to walk each new day faithfully in trust.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Im glad i went for the Q&A session.
1) Why did God creat Man when He already knew that Man will sin?
God created Man out of LOVE.according to His love. Love itself is a kind of risk.it's like when you give birth to your child, you won't know if your child will be good or bad when he/she grows up.
God won't create a 100% good man as well. He gave Man free will. We can choose to love or not to love God. If we choose to love God, we manifest His love even more, then love becomes more meaningful. If we were forced to love God then it's meaningless as it does not come from the heart.
We had free will to choose between sin and life before we were created. But Man chose sin. Due to sin and our fallen nature, we cannot find God/do not search for Him. So God actively came to find us, He's the one who seek us out and deliver us from the evil one.
Instead of being trapped in the past, we should reflect on the future - How can we live more fervently for God? We can't choose not to be born to this earth, but we can choose to live a more fulfilling life.
Always remember that God is love, it's inherently so. Hence everything He does is out of love(:
2) Our God is a 3-in-1 God. How can we explain this?
First, it's really hard to explain. Even Augustine (great philosopher and theologian) can't really full comprehend it. It can't be understood using rationale because it's not mathematics - how can 1 + 1 + 1 = 1?!
Hence it required faith to understand. Understanding of this issue grows with time with being a christian. By faith, we bring our friends to church such that they may believe. By faith, they will understand better after believing.
You can explain the basics - God the Father prepares salvation, God the Son accomplishes salvation, God the Holy Spirit implements salvation. Each role plays a different part in the covenant of salvation, all of which are focused on completing the will of God because of His love for us.(more on their roles in convenant of salvation: http://einquisitive.com/blog/the-covenant-of-salvation-according-to-god-the-father-god-the-son-and-god-the-holy-spirit/)
So when do we use rationales and when do we use faith?
It's difficult to draw a distinction, but if God wants us to understand something, He'll find some means to allow us to understand or for someone to enlighten us. Because we are limited beings while God is unlimited, we require faith for some aspects. Everyday we live in faith. Small things like whether the taxi driver really has a licence or whether your food is really poison-free requires faith. We wouldn't question unnecessarily.
What's important is that we know that the object of our faith is God the creator and the basis is the bible(:
3)Why does the Just God allow sin to be present?
There's always a start and end to sin. For christians it's salvation. Non-christians - judgement comes. 罪是产生的，不是创造的。Sin occurred, it is not a creation. Humans are created for them to realise their good potential, not to abuse their potential.
God allowed sin to be present because when there's sin (and consequentially suffering), will humans then start to think why is their plight so? why is life so bitter and hopeless? Only then will they seek for ways to escape from all these. This is how religions are formed. All these sin and suffering will manifest God's love even more.
Every descriptor requires a contrast. If there isn't ugliness, who knows what is beauty? No darkness, what is light? Similarly if there isn't sin, who knows what is goodness? Ethics are inherently bestowed upon us by God, which is why we would even think about this question in the 1st place.
By faith we believe that everything that occurred is according to God's GOOD will. We with our limited minds are confined in time and space, but God knows better(:
4) How to share the gospel with those who are living in extremely poor conditions?
The key is to have a 怜悯的心. A heart of empathy. NOT sympathy. Be charitable with wisdom. To teach them how to fish is better than giving them fish. You can't do it forever.
and if it's God's will for you to go, just go and share the gospel! help them with their needs in love and good will. We may not meet their current needs but the greatest help is to give them the comfort of eternal hope and life. The nature of the gospel is inherently good, and it applies to everyone.
5) Challenges that teenagers face and how they can face them
1. moral standards declined.
2. increasing needs.
Main method: GOD'S WORDS, no other way. if not church will start to secularize. Require an all-rounded education.
Should also cut down on the number of ministries. if not the energy will be dispersed, won't be optimal. Necessary ministries - the ones that there's a calling for us. main ones are to evangelise and to teach. There should be a balance between the two. To evangelise and not teach, would result in many believers who don't know what they're truly believing in.
If there isn't a calling, we're mainly doing the ministries because of tradition and other reasons. We may be bound by history, and do things without passion and truly feeling for it.
Satan makes use of human ambitions for fame and pride to tweek the gospel, misleading many. As we walk along the truth, the path gets lonelier but never give up! Proper nurturing is important.
1) Why did God creat Man when He already knew that Man will sin?
God created Man out of LOVE.according to His love. Love itself is a kind of risk.it's like when you give birth to your child, you won't know if your child will be good or bad when he/she grows up.
God won't create a 100% good man as well. He gave Man free will. We can choose to love or not to love God. If we choose to love God, we manifest His love even more, then love becomes more meaningful. If we were forced to love God then it's meaningless as it does not come from the heart.
We had free will to choose between sin and life before we were created. But Man chose sin. Due to sin and our fallen nature, we cannot find God/do not search for Him. So God actively came to find us, He's the one who seek us out and deliver us from the evil one.
Instead of being trapped in the past, we should reflect on the future - How can we live more fervently for God? We can't choose not to be born to this earth, but we can choose to live a more fulfilling life.
Always remember that God is love, it's inherently so. Hence everything He does is out of love(:
2) Our God is a 3-in-1 God. How can we explain this?
First, it's really hard to explain. Even Augustine (great philosopher and theologian) can't really full comprehend it. It can't be understood using rationale because it's not mathematics - how can 1 + 1 + 1 = 1?!
Hence it required faith to understand. Understanding of this issue grows with time with being a christian. By faith, we bring our friends to church such that they may believe. By faith, they will understand better after believing.
You can explain the basics - God the Father prepares salvation, God the Son accomplishes salvation, God the Holy Spirit implements salvation. Each role plays a different part in the covenant of salvation, all of which are focused on completing the will of God because of His love for us.(more on their roles in convenant of salvation: http://einquisitive.com/blog/the-covenant-of-salvation-according-to-god-the-father-god-the-son-and-god-the-holy-spirit/)
So when do we use rationales and when do we use faith?
It's difficult to draw a distinction, but if God wants us to understand something, He'll find some means to allow us to understand or for someone to enlighten us. Because we are limited beings while God is unlimited, we require faith for some aspects. Everyday we live in faith. Small things like whether the taxi driver really has a licence or whether your food is really poison-free requires faith. We wouldn't question unnecessarily.
What's important is that we know that the object of our faith is God the creator and the basis is the bible(:
3)Why does the Just God allow sin to be present?
There's always a start and end to sin. For christians it's salvation. Non-christians - judgement comes. 罪是产生的，不是创造的。Sin occurred, it is not a creation. Humans are created for them to realise their good potential, not to abuse their potential.
God allowed sin to be present because when there's sin (and consequentially suffering), will humans then start to think why is their plight so? why is life so bitter and hopeless? Only then will they seek for ways to escape from all these. This is how religions are formed. All these sin and suffering will manifest God's love even more.
Every descriptor requires a contrast. If there isn't ugliness, who knows what is beauty? No darkness, what is light? Similarly if there isn't sin, who knows what is goodness? Ethics are inherently bestowed upon us by God, which is why we would even think about this question in the 1st place.
By faith we believe that everything that occurred is according to God's GOOD will. We with our limited minds are confined in time and space, but God knows better(:
4) How to share the gospel with those who are living in extremely poor conditions?
The key is to have a 怜悯的心. A heart of empathy. NOT sympathy. Be charitable with wisdom. To teach them how to fish is better than giving them fish. You can't do it forever.
and if it's God's will for you to go, just go and share the gospel! help them with their needs in love and good will. We may not meet their current needs but the greatest help is to give them the comfort of eternal hope and life. The nature of the gospel is inherently good, and it applies to everyone.
5) Challenges that teenagers face and how they can face them
1. moral standards declined.
2. increasing needs.
Main method: GOD'S WORDS, no other way. if not church will start to secularize. Require an all-rounded education.
Should also cut down on the number of ministries. if not the energy will be dispersed, won't be optimal. Necessary ministries - the ones that there's a calling for us. main ones are to evangelise and to teach. There should be a balance between the two. To evangelise and not teach, would result in many believers who don't know what they're truly believing in.
If there isn't a calling, we're mainly doing the ministries because of tradition and other reasons. We may be bound by history, and do things without passion and truly feeling for it.
Satan makes use of human ambitions for fame and pride to tweek the gospel, misleading many. As we walk along the truth, the path gets lonelier but never give up! Proper nurturing is important.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
one smiley for today (:
i dont know why but i think i haven't felt so happy for a long long time.
on friday after serving,
i was feeling very dejected and disappointed with myself and my poor performance.
after losing oppotunities
after falling back in faith
i was given one FINALLY
and i screwed up.
everyday of the wk,
of months,
i've been waiting just for that day.
but i've no one to blame but myself.
i dont think i should give it up,
and my second chance is coming soon in 3 weeks
i'll cherrish it this time.
but things will never be the same again.
they always say,
dont compare urself with others when u serve.
but it's difficult not to when everyone else compares you with others.
then today came.
and i found inspiration in whatever step im going to take next.
i have a BIG DREAM.
it may not realise soon
it may not even realise if i dont have the perserverence.
divine intervention indeed.
after walking into the deep valleys again and again,
i think im finally climbing back uphill.
like finally.
the initial steps are always difficult
and i find myself slipping back to square one again and again.
but as long as i dont give up
the Lord won't give up on me.
so another BEEG SMILEY to my upward climb!=D
for the glory God is really and truly yours indeed(:
i dont know why but i think i haven't felt so happy for a long long time.
on friday after serving,
i was feeling very dejected and disappointed with myself and my poor performance.
after losing oppotunities
after falling back in faith
i was given one FINALLY
and i screwed up.
everyday of the wk,
of months,
i've been waiting just for that day.
but i've no one to blame but myself.
i dont think i should give it up,
and my second chance is coming soon in 3 weeks
i'll cherrish it this time.
but things will never be the same again.
they always say,
dont compare urself with others when u serve.
but it's difficult not to when everyone else compares you with others.
then today came.
and i found inspiration in whatever step im going to take next.
i have a BIG DREAM.
it may not realise soon
it may not even realise if i dont have the perserverence.
divine intervention indeed.
after walking into the deep valleys again and again,
i think im finally climbing back uphill.
like finally.
the initial steps are always difficult
and i find myself slipping back to square one again and again.
but as long as i dont give up
the Lord won't give up on me.
so another BEEG SMILEY to my upward climb!=D
for the glory God is really and truly yours indeed(:
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Dear Lord,
I'm so thankful that when it feels like no one else understands,
You do.
You understand about being disappointed in people
but You loved them in the midst of that.
Lord, I want to follow Your example.
I'm thankful You know this sadness
is a part of healing from the pain of disappointment.
Give me guidance in handling this
-I trust that You can bring good out of this.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
I'm so thankful that when it feels like no one else understands,
You do.
You understand about being disappointed in people
but You loved them in the midst of that.
Lord, I want to follow Your example.
I'm thankful You know this sadness
is a part of healing from the pain of disappointment.
Give me guidance in handling this
-I trust that You can bring good out of this.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Genesis 19.
A harsh chapter indeed.
where God rained punishment onto Sodom and Gomorrah.
it's also where we see:
Total depravity - all men are evil. even though Abraham pleaded with God not to destroy if only there were 10 righteous men in the city,the condition could not be fulfilled.
Unconditional election - God chose to save Lot without demanding him to do anything. not by his works, but by God alone.
Limited atonement - not everyone in S & G were saved. only Lot's family was chosen.
Irresistable grace - no matter how reluctant Lot was to leave and how he delayed his leaving he was still saved.effective call of the spirit.
Perserverence of the saints - God preserved Lot to the end.
many lessons to be learnt from this chpt.
how parents should teach their child and bring them up in God's words.
how we should escape without hesitation and immediately (from worldly desires and things)
how we should trust God in everything we do and obey Him
etcetc.
am forever glad about tulip.eternally grateful to this wonderful God who saved a hopeless girl like me out of so many people, by His wonderful grace and mercy and preserved me to the end.
eternally grateful;
A harsh chapter indeed.
where God rained punishment onto Sodom and Gomorrah.
it's also where we see:
Total depravity - all men are evil. even though Abraham pleaded with God not to destroy if only there were 10 righteous men in the city,the condition could not be fulfilled.
Unconditional election - God chose to save Lot without demanding him to do anything. not by his works, but by God alone.
Limited atonement - not everyone in S & G were saved. only Lot's family was chosen.
Irresistable grace - no matter how reluctant Lot was to leave and how he delayed his leaving he was still saved.effective call of the spirit.
Perserverence of the saints - God preserved Lot to the end.
many lessons to be learnt from this chpt.
how parents should teach their child and bring them up in God's words.
how we should escape without hesitation and immediately (from worldly desires and things)
how we should trust God in everything we do and obey Him
etcetc.
am forever glad about tulip.eternally grateful to this wonderful God who saved a hopeless girl like me out of so many people, by His wonderful grace and mercy and preserved me to the end.
eternally grateful;
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