There’s a land unseen by our mortal eyes, And its joys no tongue can tell;
Where in robes of white, in its vales of light, We shall meet, and forever dwell.
O Eden, dear Eden, Home bright and fair,
Soon our bark will land on thy golden stand, And our rest will be glorious there.
Monday, July 26, 2004
A Thot For Today
There are four essentials for victory in trials:
There are four essentials for victory in trials:
- a joyful attitude,
- an understanding mind,
- a surrendered will, and
- a heart that wants to believe.
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Thought for Today (from GLCC E-Service)
Sin has four characteristics
Sin has four characteristics
- self-sufficiency instead of faith
- self-will instead of submission
- self-seeking instead of benevolence
- self-righteousness instead of humility.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Speak Good Engrish??
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by itslef but the wrod as a wlohe.
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by itslef but the wrod as a wlohe.
Monday, July 19, 2004
Fruit from Last Year's YEP Trip to Dumaguete
Last year, I had the opportunity to go to Dumaguete with several others for a Youth Expedition Project. One of those who joined us on the trip was someone new by the name of Esther Mok. In yesterday's Sunday Times, there was an article of an interview with her.
I didn't know then, but Esther was the first SARS patient in Singapore (so much for not reading the papers). Her parents and pastor died from the disease that she spread to them. After all that she went through, the Lord brought her along our YEP trip to Dumaguete last December. He used that trip to turn her life around and back to Himself. Esther now attends GLCC and is serving in the Teenz Ministry. You can read her story here:
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4386,262105-1090187940,00.html
Last year, I had the opportunity to go to Dumaguete with several others for a Youth Expedition Project. One of those who joined us on the trip was someone new by the name of Esther Mok. In yesterday's Sunday Times, there was an article of an interview with her.
I didn't know then, but Esther was the first SARS patient in Singapore (so much for not reading the papers). Her parents and pastor died from the disease that she spread to them. After all that she went through, the Lord brought her along our YEP trip to Dumaguete last December. He used that trip to turn her life around and back to Himself. Esther now attends GLCC and is serving in the Teenz Ministry. You can read her story here:
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4386,262105-1090187940,00.html
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Blogging's been slow lately. I don't think it's a matter of having time to blog than knowing what to blog. I'm encouraged to see God's hand at work in the Campus Ministry, especially among the Hwa Chong hostelites. They have been bringing friends to church almost every week, some of whom are unsaved! Praise God! Praise God that they see their school and hostel as their mission field.
For those who are not in school anymore (like.. ahem.. myself), it's not game over for us. Our friends need help when they bring their friends to church or for our outreach activities. We can join in the work by actively building bridges and seeking for opportunities to share the Gospel with them. In that way we act as a body, each playing a part and supporting the other parts in the same work God has called us to.
For those who are not in school anymore (like.. ahem.. myself), it's not game over for us. Our friends need help when they bring their friends to church or for our outreach activities. We can join in the work by actively building bridges and seeking for opportunities to share the Gospel with them. In that way we act as a body, each playing a part and supporting the other parts in the same work God has called us to.
Thursday, July 08, 2004
When God Seems So Far Away
If you have been a Christian for a while, you may have known times when God just seems so far away. You do not sense Him. You do not feel that He is near. The excitement of having a sense of closeness to God that you once had is gone. It seems that God is silent and that He is not answering our prayers. And you may be asking what went wrong.
At times like these, there may be friends that come along us and, in their desire to encourage us, they may tell us that the reason for our current experience is because of sin, because sin separates us from God. We might be told to examine ourselves and confess our sins, and God will "return" to us. But sometimes when we examine ourselves and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any unconfessed sin, we find none; and such advice causes us to search ourselves all the more for some kind of hidden sin that is not present at all! The result is introspection and misery.
While it may be that sin is the cause, it may not always be the case. There are times when God withdraws the sense of His presence and conceals Himself, even when we are walking right with Him. Perhaps it is to draw us to seek Him more; perhaps it is to test us. But in times like these, our only cause of action is to wait till God should remove that darkness and reveal Himself once more.
You may ask if this is biblical. We need not look further than the man Job. Job was blameless, yet God withdrew His goodness from him and remained silent for a period while he cried out. His friends told him it was due to some hidden sin in Job's life, but Job knew that it was not. He was right with God, and he knew it. And God knew it too, for in the end He said that Job's friends had not spoken rightly of Him.
Listen to Job's own words:
If you have been a Christian for a while, you may have known times when God just seems so far away. You do not sense Him. You do not feel that He is near. The excitement of having a sense of closeness to God that you once had is gone. It seems that God is silent and that He is not answering our prayers. And you may be asking what went wrong.
At times like these, there may be friends that come along us and, in their desire to encourage us, they may tell us that the reason for our current experience is because of sin, because sin separates us from God. We might be told to examine ourselves and confess our sins, and God will "return" to us. But sometimes when we examine ourselves and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any unconfessed sin, we find none; and such advice causes us to search ourselves all the more for some kind of hidden sin that is not present at all! The result is introspection and misery.
While it may be that sin is the cause, it may not always be the case. There are times when God withdraws the sense of His presence and conceals Himself, even when we are walking right with Him. Perhaps it is to draw us to seek Him more; perhaps it is to test us. But in times like these, our only cause of action is to wait till God should remove that darkness and reveal Himself once more.
You may ask if this is biblical. We need not look further than the man Job. Job was blameless, yet God withdrew His goodness from him and remained silent for a period while he cried out. His friends told him it was due to some hidden sin in Job's life, but Job knew that it was not. He was right with God, and he knew it. And God knew it too, for in the end He said that Job's friends had not spoken rightly of Him.
Listen to Job's own words:
Behold, I go forward but He is not there,What are we to do in the meantime besides waiting? First, we need to continue to walk faithfully in God's ways, obeying His Word:
And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him;
He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.
But He knows the way I take;
When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
(Job 23: 8-10)
My foot has held fast to His path;Second, we must wait, as Madame Guyon rightly put:
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
I have not departed from the command of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
(Job 23:11,12)
During these seasons, you may begin to believe that the way to prove your faith is by a greater degree of affection or by an exertion of strength and activity. Surely, you may say this will induce God to visit you.
No, dear soul, believe me, this is not the way. You must await the return of the Beloved with patient love, humility, peace, and silent worship.
By doing these things, you demonstrate to the Father that it is Himself alone and His good pleasure that yo seek and not the selfish lights of our own satisfaction.
Don't be impatient in your ties of dryness. Wait patiently for God. In doing so, your prayer life will increase and be renewed.
(From Experiencing God through Prayer, by Madame Guyon)
He Cares For Me
Our God is far greater than words can make known,
Exalted and holy, He reigns on His throne.
In infinite splendor He rules over all;
Yet He feeds the poor sparrows, and He knows when they fall.
Chorus:
His power is great and will ever endure,
His wisdom is peaceable, gentle, and pure.
But greater than all these glories I see,
Is the glorious promise that He cares for me.
He rides the wild heavens, He strides thro’ the seas;
The high mountains tremble to hear His decrees.
His voice with great thundering sounds from above;
But to His own dear children He whispers His love.
Chorus
Our God is far greater than words can make known,
Exalted and holy, He reigns on His throne.
In infinite splendor He rules over all;
Yet He feeds the poor sparrows, and He knows when they fall.
Chorus:
His power is great and will ever endure,
His wisdom is peaceable, gentle, and pure.
But greater than all these glories I see,
Is the glorious promise that He cares for me.
He rides the wild heavens, He strides thro’ the seas;
The high mountains tremble to hear His decrees.
His voice with great thundering sounds from above;
But to His own dear children He whispers His love.
Chorus
Friday, July 02, 2004
Quotable Quotes
God's servant is immortal till his work is done.
~ From GLCC's TTB, Acts 27,28 ~
God's servant is immortal till his work is done.
~ From GLCC's TTB, Acts 27,28 ~
Thursday, July 01, 2004
My maid went to the hospital today because of breathing difficulties. She has been having a cough for a long time. I smsed a couple of brothers to request for prayer. I really want to thank the Lord that there are people that I know I can approach and count on for prayer. It really means a lot.
I really hope that the Campus Ministry can be the same. I pray the Lord will help us build a culture where each CMer knows that the others are praying for him/her, and he/she can turn to the others for prayer at any time and place. It might take some time, but if we make that personal commitment, this can soon be a reality. We need to uphold one another in the Lord, and we also need to know that others are upholding us in prayer.
I really hope that the Campus Ministry can be the same. I pray the Lord will help us build a culture where each CMer knows that the others are praying for him/her, and he/she can turn to the others for prayer at any time and place. It might take some time, but if we make that personal commitment, this can soon be a reality. We need to uphold one another in the Lord, and we also need to know that others are upholding us in prayer.
