How Great is He! :D

Hi dear reader and wonderful creation of the Almighty (=,

i’m Zhuo’er, your sister in Christ. This is the my first time posting an entry on the blog through which our Heavenly Father used to change the course of my life (upon reading this blog 2 years ago, i receive the calling & challenge to be enrolled in ACS(I) instead of my then dream school RJC, to serve and to encounter Him). i would like to share a portion of the vast amount of blessings that He has bestowed upon me in this little entry.

Have you ever struggled to hear from God’s? i did, still do, and probably will too. i find it difficult to hear from Him especially when i’m preoccupied and overwhelmed with the never-ending, ever-waiting, always pressing cornucopia of work. However, today i came to a deeper understanding of his love and faithfulness manifested in His ever-present messages to me (i believe His personal messages are always there for each of us, it’s up to us to recognize & receive).

After a long day, i boarded a bus and was ready to spend my time reading Bio notes. However, my eyes were drawn to the TV Mobile instead. The thing that caught my attention were the TMV Quotes in the following order:

1) The greatest virtues are ones that are most useful to other persons.
2) The one surest sign of knowledge is teaching.
3) Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.
4) Misfortune shows those who are not really friends.

Then the still small voice spoke clearly to my heart and mind. God actually used these quotes and brought to my remembrance relevant verses from the Bible to edify me! In essence, He challenged and encouraged me to be a blessing to others and warned me against falling into a state of self-serving propensity (Philippians 2:4) . He also reminded me to guard the joy of the Lord and do my work with good cheer knowing that it’s by His strength, for His glory and for the purpose of being a blessing to others now and in the near future. Through the last quote, God prompted me to treasure the true friendship i’ve gained in Him, and be a true friend to my friends, to be there for them when misfortunes fall upon them

Through this brief but impactful encounter, I once again realize how much God wants to speak, to fellowship and to edify me out of His loving-kindness, mercy and love. The ground is level at the foot of the Cross and we are all equal in His sight. The God Almighty who ordained the magnificent Universe at His Word is mindful of you, He cares for you (Psalm 8:3-4) !

Friedrich Nietzsche said, “God is dead”. i beg to differ, because God has shown Himself alive to me by speaking into my heart and soul with such intimacy and relevance. i sincerely pray that we’ll be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit and more attuned to His voice in our daily lives, keeping in mind that God is always available, always attentive, always waiting, for you and i. <3

In truth, love and humility,
Zhuo’er (:

p.s. Here’s a verse to meditate on:
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

God's Goodness

Life is so hard! No, i'm not whining or complaining, i'm stating a fact.

I, for one, have had a hard day - major discouragements, being upset with people; situations. I'm sure there are many others each of you have experienced at some point. But let us always remember to look to God for he loves us so! Today, on crosswalk.com, part of the devotions read:

"FROM THE FATHERS HEART:
My child, do you know how much I enjoy blessing My children? Do you understand that all I want for you are good things? But it is also My goodness that forgives and prods your heart when it needs changing. It is My goodness that allows tests to come your way. It is my goodness that holds you in the palm of My hand and will not let you go. I love you, My child."

Isn't it so wonderful to know that this is what we mean to God! He wants to give us all the good things. Even when things seem to be going all wrong, it is reassuring to know that God definitely has a better plan for us in mind. His goodness allows tests to come our way. God does not want us to be 'spoilt' Christians who get everything we ask for. Through the trials he allows us to endure, he wants us to grow stronger in Him, to learn to trust Him more, so that we may allow Him to do even bigger works in us; so that He can bless us even more. Ultimately, God loves us, and he wants us to be happy. He is good not because he makes us happy all the time by granting all our wishes, but because he does everything in our best interests. Thus we can find peace and joy in Him and His love at all times.

As i was doing QT this evening, God placed a song in my heart that really touched me. You could say He wanted to comfort me... It's quite a common one, At The Cross. For those who are unfamiliar:

O Lord, You searched me,
You know my way.
Even when i fail You,
I know You love me.

Your Holy presence,
Surrounding me.
In every season,
I know You love me.

At the cross i bow my knee
Where Your blood was shed for me.
There's no greater love than this.
You have overcome the grave,
Your glory fills the highest place.
What can separate me now?

You go before me,
You shield my way,
Your hand upholds me.
I know You love me.

You tore the veil,
You made a way
When You said that it is done.

And when the earth fades,
Falls from my eyes,
You stand before me.
I know You love me.

Yes, let us always remember that NO MATTER WHAT, God loves us. He is always good to us, even in difficult times.
Our dear sister Petrina once shared an email about remembering the positive things, and giving thanks for them.
Let us do this, in rememberance of God's goodness to us. If we would just take some time off our oh-so-busy lives each day to reflect on the blessings God's given to us so freely, we will really find that there's so much more to be thankful for, and that in itself can give us the strength to pull through the challenges in life, no matter how hard(: God bless you all!

Love,
Felicia.

John 15:12 "My command is this: Love one another as I have loved you."

1 Samuel 15: 22-3 "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry."

Hearing my pastor share on this passage in the Bible, the fall of King Saul due to his disobedience to God's word, brought to mind many things that had happened the past day. It is a difficult message to write on, but something I feel compelled nonetheless to share. 

For those who have read James 2, or were with us yesterday at Bible Study.. =) Sometimes in our christian walk, we may struggle with the concept of faith and deeds. Hebrews 11 explicitly says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God...", while in James 2 we find a strangely jarring statement "You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone." How can we define faith? Can we, and should we contrast the fiery evangelist and the so-called 'lukewarm' christians? The thief on the cross in Luke 23 certainly had done nothing, no good deeds in his life to redeem him in the eyes of Jesus, yet his simple profession of faith, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." gave Him the assurance of salvation, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

I believe the reading of James calls for a revision of what 'faith' and what 'deeds' are. And this is where obedience to God's will comes in. Reading 1 Samuel 15, Saul certainly appeared to have strong faith in the Lord, and deeds as well, intending to take the best of the enemy's sheep and cattle 'in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.' But the Lord's explicit commands to him were, "the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.", leading Samuel to reply "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams..."Despite Saul's faith, and the deeds that he had intended, his disobedience to God's will cost him his crown. 

Too often we try to rationalize our faith and our deeds, worrying whether we've done enough, passing judgment on other people's faith... When it all boils down to simple obedience to God's will. And what is this obedience? Jesus says in Luke 9: 23 "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Dying to our old selves, and coming to embrace the new self that Christ's sacrifice on the cross has freed us to become =) This I believe, are the deeds James speaks of, obedience to God's will, that natural expression of our faith.

And is this faith? I've heard of so-called practical atheists, who view christianity as some sort of 'marshmallow grace' (to quote Ben Sim), made of hypocrites who continue sinning, and only have to just say sorry and they will be resolved of their guilt, to continue sinning again. I'm not here to pass judgment on anyone, but to just simply state that no amount of apology on our part, or deeds for that matter, can reconcile us to God other than through the blood of Jesus Christ. And this I believe, is how the first section of James 2 comes in, "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it."The chasm between us and the Lord at the start is inevitable, given our sin and God's perfect and moral character, starting from the Fall at the Garden of Eden, where we stopped being fully human in the sense of separation from God. And so it is by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross alone that we can be reunited with our heavenly Father once again, and freed to be truly human in this reconciliation =) And that's the power of praying in Jesus' name, not just mere apologies, but true repentance and a commitment to a new way of life! "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." (James 5:20) And so faith is that combination of repentance and obedience, that make up true belief in Christ.

For this reason I believe that no one can make you feel 'unsaved', much less should we compare our faith against another's and feel more superior or inferior. After all, "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7) Jesus himself highlighted this in the parable of the two sons found in Matthew 21:28-32, the son who responded to father's command to work in the vineyard with "I will, sir" but did not go, while the other answer "I will not" and later changed his mind and went. The pharisees at the time professed their faith, but did not carry out what they preached, while the tax collectors and the prostitutes, initially resistant to the gospel, proved to be the true followers of Christ, obeying God's will. 

For that reason, I can only say on Fusion night 2009, to agree with Ted, in asking 'Lord, complete the work you have started today, if not tonight, then in your own time'. Truly, it was a deeply troubling night that has renewed once again my burden for the people, but nonetheless, I believe God's love alone enough to bear this burden for us all. For in the end "what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice." (Philippians 1:18). I'm guilty myself of judging others many times, struggling with pride and self-righteousness. May God's love alone give me strength to overcome this weakness, and I humbly ask the forgiveness of anyone I may have hurt or made to feel that way ._.

Fusion 2009, 'We LOVE our God.' As Nicole said, it definitely isn't just solely what we want people to see, but rather how we can answer that to God himself. I pray that this declaration will have come from hearts humble in obedience to the almighty God, true hearts of worship, a generation of God's people ready to take up the cross and lay down their lives for Him. And may we continue to look forward, with hope and joy in our hearts, to the day when Christ shall say, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." =)

Nevertheless, I thank the Lord for a truly wonderful event, Fusion, that has brought so many people, from all walks of life and from the many churches of Singapore, to come and celebrate the work He has done in this nation!  Thank you Lord, for the ACJC CF, Andrea, Jeannette and so many others, for the ACS(I) christian ministry, for your many other ministries in the churches and schools all over Singapore, brothers and sisters united as one body of Christ! Truly Lord, it was a wonderful time of worship, lifting hands in praise to you in the quiet lull of that Saturday afternoon =)

God bless,

Petrina

Forgiveness

Believe it or not, it is harder to receive an apology gracefully than to issue one. Over the last few weeks, God has been putting me through much conflict with certain friends, nearly over and over. Throughout the course of it, one thing that I really found out, which also surprised me greatly, was that it was easier to issue an apology than to accept one.

People have pride. Holding onto and bearing grudges against a person brings much misery and weariness. Sometimes during quarrels, many people choose to wait for the other person to apologize first, and many refuse to make the first move. One thing that I have discovered, was that although it may seem ‘satisfying’ to be the one keeping the pride while the other throws his or hers away for your sake, holding onto the anger and unhappiness while waiting for the first move to be made may prove to be painful and bitter. My life since the start of 2009 was filled with much bitterness due to a course of quarrels with several friends. I know that pride is my big weakness, and because of that, I have given Satan a foothold in my life.

Several friends have been immensely caring, noticing and asking me why I constantly look so emo and tired during the start of school this year. Yes true, I was perpetually unhappy and tired simply because I was nursing many grudges and bitterness towards friends with whom I fought. Thinking back, I realized that the root of all my misery and unhappiness is simple: unforgiveness. Have you ever realized how tiring it is to bear a grudge? You have to remember why you are unhappy with the person. I always refused to make the first move to apologize; I hated to admit that I was wrong no matter how ridiculous I sound. In this sense, I realized that I rated myself much higher than others, which ironically, had not made me happy but instead, bitter. By and by as time passed until about last week, I started to learn to make the first move to apologize. The lessons that came with it are amazing. It relieved me of my unhappiness and bitterness. When I made the first move, I realized how much courage it must have taken for the other person to do so. But after that I felt much happier, after I forgave and threw away all grudges I bore. Upon doing so, I grew to respect the other person so much more, when I reflected and realized that that person had been forgiving me and apologizing over and over so frequently, although many a time it was my mistake and willfulness that caused the disputes.
Learn to lay down pride. It is extremely difficult, I myself can account for that as it has always been a big weakness of mine. However, consider the way Jesus gave His pride up for us by allowing himself to be humiliated and crucified the way a thief would be. If Jesus can lay down all pride for our sake, shouldn’t we learn to do the same? Start with the people closest to your heart. As Christians, we know we have to forgive “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22 KJV “Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”)


God is still teaching me, and yes I have fallen over and over again, but each time, God reminded me why I have to learn to forgive by reminding me of the times when I chose to forgive and the feeling of peace and joy that accompanied it.

If you’re waiting for someone to realize that they owe you an apology, take some time to think of a response that reflects genuine forgiveness and allows the other person to feel that he or she has retained your respect. Making the first move is tough, but it is easier than taking the time and energy to harbor grudges. At the same time, show the person that you still care, which may really go a long way, whether you know it or not.


Samantha Wong

Love Love Love...it makes the world go round

Hello ma homies in Christ,

Well since I've been asked to blog, I shall then fulfill my duty. Apologies for failing to put up my sharing last time but I'll prolly share it in this post as well.

If you notice, everytime I share in FireAC, it seems to always boil down to the topic of loving your God will all your heart/mind/strength/soul and loving your neighbours as well. So why?

In essence, thats what I believe a Christian's life actually revolves around. Loving your God with everything and trusting Him with your whole life, what more can I say? In the end, we look to Him as a Father always there for us, willing to give us the comfort that we need when we're down, depressed and when life is in a mess. And as a Father, we try to make Him proud of us, that in everything that we do, we want to give all honour and glory to the One above. When one learns to love Him truly, you can fill your life with Him and you can see yourself transforming to His image closer and closer. 

After which, we come to loving our brothers and sisters, something that I believe in strongly. Many times we forget that we are God's hand here on Earth. Many times we forget that God works through us if we are willing. 

People complain where God is when poverty strikes and hunger follows. 

People complain where God is when people are lonely and crying in the heart. 

People complain where God is when life is just so terrible.

And so we blame God and the devil, but ever asked ourselves.

Where the church (us)was when poverty strikes and hunger follows.

Where the church (us) was when people are lonely and crying in the heart.

Where the church (us) was when life was so terrible for others.

So in the end, some things boil down to us whether we are willing to give that helping hand to a lonely stranger or a hurting friend. So my brothers and sisters, let us continue to love one another and help bear each other's burdens. The walk aint that easy but that shouldn't stop us from fighting together as a family. 

Love God. Love each other. 

Living life, with Christ as an example.

Father we ask of You this day, come and heal our land.     
Knit our hearts together,
That Your glory might be seen in us;
Then the world will know that Jesus Christ is Lord!
 
     Let us be one voice that glorifies Your name.
     Let us be one voice declaring that You reign.
     Let us be one voice in love and harmony,
     And we pray O God, grant us unity.

Now is the time for you and I to join our hearts in praise.
That the name of Jesus,will be life high above the earth,
Then the world will know, that Jesus Christ is Lord.

God bless you all homies

In His name
-Karlo

From the 6th, to the 7th

and so I received the sms from tina to blog today!

6 weeks into school has been well, tiring, and I'm sure many of you have been feeling this way. Regardless of whether it has been the after (and still going on) effects of that ever-growing stack of assignments that have been hounding you, relationship problems or struggles in your walk with Christ, it has left you tired and weary.

For those who have been tirelessly serving in ministries in school or church, and even trying to live your life as a good testimony for Christ by directly or indirectly reaching out to others, sometimes we question ourselves whether whatever we're doing is really worth it.

Enough of the scenarios. Whatever it is, let's press on in God's love! We'll stand in our baptismal identity, knowing God's worth in us, and that our strengths are celebrated and our weaknesses are accepted.

Continue to commit all your work, friendships, family, problems and ministry to God, because we know that it is only when we let go, and let God, that he can take over and grant us peace in our hearts.

Continue to pray and reach out to your loved ones, be it that enthusiastic guy in your OG, the classmate sitting 2 columns to your left that you have been praying for- for months, or the girl pal you have been speaking to about God. No matter how hard it may seem, 2 Corinthians 4:1 says that "therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart." Subsequently, it is repeated at 4:16-18 that:

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes on not what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal"

Continue to be glad and to treasure each day, for each day is a day that the Lord has made. Take each day to mean new opportunities to reach out, new things to learn from QT, and of course, new learning points that we can take home from our lessons!

7th week into the school term: make it one that's worth it for the Lord, and for yourself.

God bless!
Nicole

three hundred sixty five days ago, were we strong in our passion and love for Christ, or were we picking ourselves up... or were we perhaps sliding further away because of life's many other distractions?

three hundred sixty five days past that day, the past has perhaps now become irrelevant -- and our focus is on the here and now: this Valentine's Day 2009 heralds a day in the year set aside for celebrating love in our lives, not just among our significant others, but also for all our parents, family, friends, and so on.

my initial thoughts on this matter was to write something about 'what Jesus would recommend' in our daily dealings in love, within all these relationships that He has blessed us with, and which are ours to remember and treasure. certainly, this is important -- as is celebrating God and having Him at the centerpiece of each and everyone of these relationships. however, my thoughts swiveled to JESUS as our First Love, and how this is the place in our lives, in our hearts, that i reckon each of us Christians should hold Him in...

has your Love for God become perhaps, lukewarm or at least that bit colder in recent days? as an IB student, there's just so much work upon each of us now... and the same probably goes for our A-Level counterparts, and in our parents' occupations and the daily responsibilities we all face. with all these distractions we are faced with here on Earth, it is perhaps almost inevitable that some of the time and thoughts we accord to Christ daily are compromised somewhat

and then again, we live in a material world -- a great mix of things and possessions that could possibly become distractions as well, and even substitutes for God whenever we are cast down or weary. perhaps these lead us to feel more secure and confident, but are they really, truly able to do this? and as Christians, aren't we supposed to hold Christ first in every life perspective, in every situation?

how do you know when He is truly our first love? i think that's when we are able to find Him in each glum situation -- that when we feel discouraged, we are able to think of his infinite graces and seek refuge and strength from Him; i think that's when good has happened in our lives, and we rejoice but we hold it firmly in our hearts to accord Him all glory and praise, and thanksgiving for all that He's done and blessed us with; i think that's also when we feel so strongly that desire to just come to know Him better and better each day, and when we hold true to all that He taught us and consider Him (whether consciously or no) in each of our daily actions and let our behaviour, thoughts and deeds be reflective of just how greatly Christ's love has pervaded our lives.

think about someone significant to you in your life. surely there've been times when you wished that person were with you, and that you could just spend that day with that person and talk about just anything -- be it family, best friend, the "other", etc. in the same way, God would very much love if He could be so close, so near and dear to our hearts each moment, each day! this isn't to say that only the word "Jesus", and thoughts about Jesus pervade your mind 24/7/millions of seconds... rather, it means expressing your character in ways that Jesus would approve of, remembering Him once in a while in a day, giving Him that time of day (preferably at your freshest) for 100% concentration and communion with Him, and being able also to share this privilege of knowing Christ with others around us :)

a personal favorite verse of mine, one i sometimes (quite often) like signing off with, is: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Luke 12:34, TNIV) Think back to that day when we first surrendered our lives to Christ -- a day when our passion and awe from this new life and freedom in Christ was gifted to us (the treasure of a place with Him in Heaven, and a present like no other), and we felt such an indescribably powerful fire for Him! only remember that when Christ remains our first love in all things, we are able to direct all our thoughts and emotions towards Him, and experience Him ever more intensely on a daily basis.

often i find, this does not go wrong for me: where i was down and didn't allow myself to be close to Him, was when i felt ever more disconnected and sunk deeper into the "pit"; whereas when i knew in my heart that He is the ultimate refuge, or wished to celebrate something He had blessed me with, was when that elicited joy was further multiplied and made stronger, and i became ever increasingly thankful for all that He has done. 

this Valentine's Day 2009, i invite you to refresh your Love for Christ within your hearts and minds...  and i pray that as we continue with the year ahead and face all its works, trials, and challenges, that we will never lose sight of the great Love that Christ is to us, and which has been deeply embedded in our lives. i pray that each of us would remember that God knows the depths of our hearts and deepest desire, and hence that we may always avoid putting Him in second place by prioritizing other things over him -- such that our heart knows the need to include Him in all we do. 

Forsake Not Your First Love

"I know your deeds," my Lord commends
“You persevere in praise of men,
You lift a banner with My Name up high,
Hate evil deeds, snare of Satan.”

“But I hold this against you,” rebuke my Lord
“You prefer to run instead of walk,
You busy yourself come rain or shine,
Yet your motives are wrong, your love is gone.”

“Come, follow me,” my Lord commands
“For I am love personified.”
Christ’s promises stand tests of time
His words are pure, they’re true and tried.

It’s not about works that pleases Him,
Pride of service can be so vain
He delights in faith that birthed good deeds
A heart that pours love at its best.

It’s all about love that matters to Him,
True godliness, pure obedience,
Continue on and serve with joy
Let’s give our all to Christ alone.

We’re vehicles to change the world,
Let’s shine our light for Christ our Lord,
Let’s change our minds, repent of sins
Then all our works won’t be in vain.

"And Jesus answered him, the First of all commadments is...thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength" (Mark 12:29-30, KJV) here's wishing one and all, a very blessed and enriching Valentine's Day 2009! :D

xoxo, with Vee Day extras,

Jc

It's all about Jesus

It’s all about Jesus.

 

Enough said. Heh. Usually, the more we try to say things about how we feel, and how things should be, how difficult things can be, among other things in our relationship with God, we tend to lose focus. I say “usually” because sometimes God calls us to learn things, but ultimately, it is to grow closer to Him. However, sometimes we can tend to lose focus in unconsciously regarding ourselves to be first; when we say about the whys and whats and whos and hows and so on... we can easily lose focus on God, our Lord who deserves our worship and praise and our all.

 

Relationships can be tough to manage at times - turn your eyes upon Jesus. Schoolwork and commitments can be stressful at many many times – turn your eyes upon Jesus. Even God can sometimes seem very distant – turn your eyes upon Jesus; He’s just beside you, waiting for you to acknowledge and seek Him. Sometimes you may even feel that you’ve sinned waaayy too much, and are not worthy of God’s forgiveness and love – turn your eyes upon Jesus; He has already died for you and forgiven you, all He longs is for you to turn to Him.

 

Let’s keep our eyes fixed on the one who has loved us from the very beginning, and has promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us (Although times of silence make it seem so, look to God, He’s just beside you wherever you go).

 

God Bless!

~Ted~

Blog posting

Hi guys!
Just wanted to tell you guys about how the new blog system is going to work.
From today onwards, I'll be calling up one person every 2 days to have him/her to post on the blog.
So guys please pick up when you receive a call from me! :)

Tina

FireAC 9-13 February 2009

Hello all, for those interested, and just in case you have any questions in advance, here's the outline for this week's FireAC morning sharings =) Don't forget to join us daily by the IB fountain, 7am onwards! Do note that the sharing outline is not necessarily, laid in stone, but as the Spirit leads =) 

ATTENTION TO ALL YEAR FIVES: Y5s please take note that for this week only, there will be a separate sharing/worship/prayer session at the SpaceFrame on Tuesday and Wednesday, hope to see you there! =)

FireAC - 9-13 February 2009:

Keeping in line with the theme of Running the Race, as stated in the words of Paul in Hebrews 12, 

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Taking a closer look into this statement, we can see that it truly encapsulates all about the life of a disciple in Christ and what it means, and how it can be used to minister to the people around us and glorify the Lord =)

Monday - The Finish Line

Matthew 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and brought that field."

In running the race, always remember the sacrifice of the one who made running this race possible in the first place, and the Holy Spirit who gives us strength to run this race.

The greatest love that anyone could ever know
That overcame the cross and grave to find my soul
And till I see you face to face
And grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in you
With all I am I'll live to see your Kingdom come
And in my heart I pray you'd let your will be done
And till I see you face to face
And grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in you
I will live to love you
I will live to bring you praise
I will live a child in awe of you
You are the voice that called the universe to be
You are the whisper my heart that speaks to me
And till I see you face to face
And grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in you
You alone are God of all 
You alone are worthy Lord 
And with all I am my soul will bless your name 

Tuesday - Freedom in Christ

Wednesday - Fixing our eyes on Jesus

Thurday - Running the race together

Friday - Worship! =)

*Sharings will be updated as the week progresses.

Discovering God on a bus ride =)

As school work builds up, sometimes the little details of life threaten to drown out the peace and stability in us, and very often, God's quiet voice commanding us to just trust in Him. The list of work seems never-ending, the days never long enough, and when outlines and drafts get repeatedly criticized and returned, even just a moment's breather seems a long way off. 

Have you ever felt like this before?

I think as IB students, most of us certainly have. If there's one thing that could sum up our time here in IB, it would have to be the word "stress". 

But as Christians, we're called to trust in our heavenly Father who will provide.  "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

Yet reading this, some of us might still feel, where's God when I'm stressed? What's God got to do with it anyway? ... Or, I really have so much work to do, and you're asking me to stop and pray?? 

Exactly =)

I don't know how else to explain this other than by sharing what happened to me last Saturday. I'd spent a long time staying up attempting to work on my EE, only to meet mental blocks, restlessness and just overall stress. The next morning, going back to school for CCA, I got up first thing in the morning worrying how I was ever going to finish my work, rushed out.... and got on the wrong bus. Needless to say, I got off at the next stop, trudged back dejectedly and waited for the bus all over again. 

How often do we get so caught up with all the details in life, that we just rush headlong into things, not looking where we're going, and in the process get on the wrong "bus"? Just imagine if I had stopped in the midst of rushing out and paused for a moment. I'd have never gotten on the wrong bus, saving the needless rush after that. Oftentimes when encountering the trials and tribulations of life, we rush to try so many other methods, trying to do it all on our own, forgetting the simplest and most effective one of all: To just pray and trust in the Lord! 

I remember that in the midst of waiting and on the bus to school, I absentmindedly flipped open to Jeremiah, and found the highlighted verse, "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Let's trust in God's plans today =) Surely the one who made the whole universe so wonderfully has the perfect plan for each of our lives! With Jesus at the wheel, nothing can go wrong, we just have to trust in Him, no matter how bumpy the ride gets, and He will carry us through. Have you been travelling on the wrong bus? It's not too late to get off! =)

Taken from www.crosswalk.com:

Let’s Pray 
Dear Heavenly Father, there are many days when I get so anxious about the details of life.  Thank you for the reminder that You are in control.  Direct my path.  Help me rest in the assurance that no matter what happens today, it is no surprise to You.

In Jesus’ Name, 
Amen

"If you're too busy to pray, you're too busy." 

God bless ya'all,

Pet <3

Blog

Hey guys!
Sorry for the blog background, I accidentally deleted it x_x .
Will restore it by the end of this week, when I get the pictures back.
Anyway, I added a right column to the blog, had to consult some help sites before I could get this done :P
Not used to the new blogger html... :/


God bless! (:

Tina <3>

I'm A CHRISTIAN

When I say... "I'm a Christian" .....

When I say... "I'm a Christian"

I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin."

I'm whispering "I was lost,"

Now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say... "I'm a Christian"

I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble

And need CHRIST to be my guide

When I say... "I'm a Christian"

I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I'm weak

and need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say... "I'm a Christian"

I'm not bragging about success.

I'm admitting I have failed

And need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I'm a Christian"

I'm not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible but,

God believes I'm worth it.

When I say... "I'm a Christian"

I still feel the sting of pain,

I have my share of heartaches

So I call upon his name.

When I say... "I'm a Christian"

I'm not holier than thou,

I'm just a simple sinner

Who received God's good Grace, somehow.

I'm a Christian, and I am convinced that;

neither death nor life

neither angels nor demons

neither the present nor the future

nor any powers

neither height nor depth

nor anything else in all creation

will separate me from the love of God

that is in Christ Jesus my Lord

And in all things I am a conqueror through Jesus who loves me.

Seize the day for Jesus!

-Leb