Monday, April 30, 2007

the power of perseverance

as you continue to seek God's purpose for your life, you will undoubtedly experience your fair share of disappointments, detours, false starts, and failures (it happened to me as well and i believe to you too) but when you do, don't become discouraged: God's not finished with you yet. (isn't that nice to hear)

there's this old saying about life that i really agree with: "life is a marathon, not a sprint". that's why wise travelers (like you and me) select a travelling companion who never tires and falters. that partner, of course, is none other than our Heavenly Father.

the next time you find your courage tested to the limit, remember that God is as near as your next breath, and remember that HE offers strength and comfort to HIS children (which is us lah). HE is your shield and your strength; HE is your protector and your deliverer. call upon HIM in your hour of need and then be comforted. whatever your challenge, whatever your trouble, God can help you persevere. and that's precisely what HE'LL do if you ask HIM. just remember, nothing is above God and we need to have total trust in HIM.

maybe you think that you're in a hurry for God to help you resolve your difficulties. maybe you're anxious to earn the rewards that you feel you've already earned from life. maybe you're drumming your fingers, impatiently waiting for God to act. if that's that cause, be forewarned: God operates on HIS own timetable, not yours or mine. sometimes, God may answer your prayers with silence, and when HE does, you must patiently persevere. in times of trouble, you must remain steadfast and trust in the merciful goodness of your Heavenly Father. (that's why people say true friends are found in times of trouble, so this is where God and us find each other) so....whatever your problem, HE can handle it, your job is basically just to keep persevering until HE handles your problems. good day all of you !!

quote of the day :

"In the Bible, patience is not a passive acceptance of circumstances. It is a courageous perseverance in the face of suffering and difficulty." by Warren Wiersbe

Sunday, April 29, 2007

the modern church

hi all.....happy weekend to all of you and also to the Malaysians out there, happy hols for the coming week (got 2 public holidays) ....hehehehehe.....as usual....i dun really share much over the weekend.....so here are 2 comic for this week that i find interesting......it kinda reminds me that as the world evolves around technology and if the church were to follow suit....what is drawn in the comic would probably be how the church would look like.....so please enjoy:



here's another one:



imagine if church was this modern, would there be more attenders or would the church just get more complicated...i personally think that we need just the right amount of technology and try to keep things as simple as it can...how complicated is God's call in our lives anyways ? it is actually pretty simple (Matt 28:18-20).....so simplicity is the simply the best......good day all !!!

Friday, April 27, 2007

God's perfect love





yesterday afternoon, before i went about doing my own stuff, i took my 16 months old son for a short ride in my car to a train station nearby my place to pick up my sis-in-law and then send them back. now....as i dropped them off, my sis-in-law was carrying my son and they were walking away from the car and slowly walking up the stairs....as all this was happening my son kept looking at me....saying goodbye and giving me tons of fly kisses....he didn't cry though.....he just eargerly kept his eye on me as i drove off (he was like telling me that i could go but he misses me & loves me). at that moment, tears begin to flow in my eyes and i realise that my son really loves and i really love him too. this is what i call a father's and son's bond of love.

but guess what, God's love for you and I is bigger and better than we can imagine, even bigger than the love story i just told you between me and my son. in fact, God's love is far too big to comprehend (in this lifetime). but this much we know: God loves us so much that HE sent HIS SON JESUS to come to this earth and to die for us. and, when we accepted JESUS into our heart, God gave us a gift that is more precious than gold: the gift of eternal life. now.....precisely becoz we are a wonderful creation treasured by God, a question presents itself: what will you do in response to God's love ? will you ignore it or embrace it ? will you return it ir neglect it ? the decision, of course, is yours and yours alone....just like the Bible says....God gives us the freedom to choose

anyways......when you embrace God's love, you are forever changed. when you embrace God's love, you feel differently about yourself, your neighbours, and your world. when you embrace God's love, you share HIS message and you obey HIS commandments.

you see......when you accept the Father's gift of grace, you are blessed here on earth and throughout eternity. so, do yourself a favour right now: accept God's love with open arms and welcome HIS SON JESUS into your heart. when you do, your life would be changed today, tomorrow and forever. good day all of you !!!

quote of the day:

"God preoved his love on the cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died it was God saying to the world-I Love You." by Billy Graham

Thursday, April 26, 2007

living with the Living Word

hope that all is fine so far for all of you out there, seems to be a lot of things happening in our country, some are positive and some towards the negative side....but guess what...life goes on and we need to move on. however, if at anytime anyone of you feel down or depressed, there is one source that you can go to. this source never changes, IT is always on the positive side and IT is fully dependable and reliable. even all of God's promises are found in IT. this is none other than the Holy Bible.

the Bible is a road map for life here on earth and for life eternal. as christians, we are called upon to trust its promises, to follow its commandments, and to share its good news.

as believers, we must study the Bible each day and meditate upon its meaning for our lives. otherwise, we deprive ourselves of a priceless gift from our Creator. God's Holy Word is, indeed, a transforming, life-changing, one-of-a-kind treasure. trust me, there is no book on earth that comes anywhere near to this Book.

God has made promises to mankind and to you. God's promises never fail and they never grow old. you must trust those promises and share them with your family, with your friends, and with the whole world.

so....are you standing on the promises of God? are you expecting God to do wonderful things, or are you living beneath a cloud of apprehension and doubt? u know....somewhere in the Bible in the book of Psalms (118:24), it reminds us of a profound yet simple truth: "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (KJV) do you trust that promise, and do you live according to that promise? if so, you are living the passionate life that God intends. if not, then you really got to go to God and HIS Word and ask for revelation and conviction in your life.

for passionate believers, everyday begins and ends with God's Son and God's promises. when we accept Christ into our hearts, God promises us the opportunity for earthly peace and spiritual abundance. but more importantly, God promises us the priceless gift of eternal life.

as we face the inevitable challenges of life here on earth. we must arm ourselves with the promises of God's Holy Word. when we do, we can expect the best, not only for the day ahead, but also for all eternity. good day all of you !!

quote of the day:

"To say the Bible is infallible and inerrant is to declare that Scripture is totally trustworthy. Consequently, we must approach the text humbly and expectantly, open to being taught by the Spirit." by Stanley Grenz

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

doing what needs to be done

there's this old saying that will sound all too familiar to all of you but it is true: actions speak louder than words. most of us in today's society seems to be doing it the other way round where words speak louder than actions, and that's why a lot of things in our lives have yet to be done or accomplished.

as believers in Christ, we must beware: our actions should always give credence to the changes that Christ can make in the lives of those who walk with HIM.

u know....God calls upon each of us to act in accordance with HIS will and with respect for HIS commandments. if we are to be responsible believers, we must realize that it is never enough to hear the instructions of God; we must also live by them. and it is never enough to wait idly by while others do God's work here on earth; we, too, must act. doing God's work is a responsibility that each of us must bear, and when we do, our Heavenly Father rewards our efforts with a bountiful harvest. but make sure that we do not act becoz of rewards, it must be from our hearts, let the reward part be a natural thing that happens rather than expecting it to be fulfilled.


so.....are you in the habit of doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done, or are you a dues-paying member of the Procrastinator's Club ? if you've acquired the habit of doing things sooner rather than later, congratulations ! but, if you find yourself putting off all those unpleasant tasks until later (or never), it's time to think about the consequences of your behavior.

one way that you can learn to defeat procrastination is by paying less attention to your fears and more attention to your responsibilities. so....when you've faced with a difficult choice or an unpleasant responsibility, don't spend endless hours fretting over your face. simply seek God's counsel and get busy. when you do, you will be richly rewarded becoz of your willingness to act. by the way, when i say unpleasant responsibilities, i am not toking about house chores or school work or office work. i am toking about the calling of God in your life and what HE wants you to do. also be sure to know that family, school or work is also important, but God comes first, you just need to get your priorities into the right perspective. good day all !!

quote of the day:

"From the very moment one feels called to act is born the strength to bear whatever horror one will face or see. In some inexplicable way, terror loses its overwhelming power when it becomes a task that must be faced." by Emmi Bonhoeffer

got tagged by Becky again !

these is what i have to say about young ppl nowadays.....their tagging thingie is really getting very very long....it scares me just to look at the amount of answers i need to come up with....i am thinking that probably i also dunno myself that well afterall after i looked at all the questions that i need to answer.....anyways....hopefully i will survive thru this thing...may God Bless me man.....here i go:

[Seven Things I'm Experiencing Now]

1. i feel like i won't make it thru this tag thing
2. frustrated that i can't trap a particular fish in my aquarium even after a few days of trying
3. i am also frustrated with this new windows vista of mine, can't seem to install a lot of stuff
4. happy that i finally managed to install 1 of 5 softwares for my stupid vista
5. anxious to know the result for Man Utd tonite
6. a bit hungry but dun wanna eat, trying to lose weight
7. seriously in need of a massage

[Seven Things I'm Thinking About Now]
1. how am i going to complete this tag
2. how long will it take to complete this tag
3. will Man Utd manage to beat AC Milan tonite
4. wat song to sing for worship tomolo in prayer meet
5. wat time should i make milk for my son tonite
6. wat is astro going to show later
7. when should i meet a particular client of mine

[Seven Things I'm Worrying About]
1. not much worries, since i leave it all to God
2. why worry when we can be happy in God
3. same as above 1&2
4. same as above 1&2
5. same as above 1&2
6. same as above 1&2
7. same as above 1&2

[Seven Things I'm Happy About]
1. i've got a healthy and happy family
2. God is in my life
3. God's blessings over my life
4. i am expecting a new son soon
5. business is going smoothly
6. i am happy that i am living a happy life
7. my walk with God is close and growing

[Seven People I Treasure]
1. God (Father, Son & Spirit)
2. my wife
3. my son
4. my second son (coming on the way)
5. my mum
6. my bro
7. and all my bros and sis in Christ and also all my other friends


[Seven Things I Always Touch or Come In Contact With]
1. my son
2. my computer
3. my tv controller
4. my Bible
5. my handphone
6. my wallet
7. my car

[Seven Things I Want to Improve]
1. my bible knowledge
2. my walk with God
3. my musical skills (drums & guitar)
4. my worship leading
5. my leadership with the young ppl
6. trying to be a rational shopper rather than an impulsive one
7. eat less and lose weight

[Seven Things I'm Strong In]
1. friendly
2. generous
3. caring
4. optimistic
5. energetic
6. leading ppl
7. STAYING YOUNG !!!!

[Seven Things I'm Weak In]
1. art
2. sitting still for a long time
3. looking into small refined details
4. maths (except for counting money)
5. doing one thing at a time (i must multi-task one)
6. listening to old man talk
7. i hate traffic jams !!!

[Seven Things I Adore Eating]
1. Chicken
2. Seafood
3. steak
4. western cuisine
5. chinese cuisine
6. ice-cream
7. watermelon

[Seven Things I Adore Drinking]
1. ice lemon tea
2. chinese tea
3. english tea
4. water
5. watermelon juice
6. red wine
7. orange juice


[Seven Things I Detest]
1. road hoggers
2. back stabbing friends
3. irresponsible people
4. snakes
5. when man utd loses a game unfairly
6. ppl who mock Jesus
7. mosquitos

[Seven Things I Cannot Live Without]
1. God
2. my family
3. my friends
4. food
5. water
6. love
7. a purpose

[Seven Things I Fear to Show]
1. nothing much really
2. same as point 1
3. same as point 1
4. same as point 1
5. same as point 1
6. same as point 1
7. same as point 1

[Seven Things I'll Never Want to Talk About]
1. not that i know of
2. same as point 1
3. same as point 1
4. same as point 1
5. same as point 1
6. same as point 1
7. same as point 1

[Seven Things I Will Want to Do]
1. go to heaven
2. be the person that God wants me to
3. to host a mega christian concert
4. lose weight
5. reach out and touch as many lives as i can
6. be a blessing to the church
7. be a blessing to the young ppl

[Seven Things I Will Never Play Around When/With]
1. when meeting clients
2. business meeting
3. worship leading
4. proper meetings (in church)
5. when God is speaking
6. when ppl are crying
7. during a tragedy

[Seven Things I Wonder About]
1. how does heaven look like
2. how does Jesus look like
3. when will God's Will be complete in me
4. am i living life according to what God wants me to
5. how will my children be when they grow up
6. how many people's life can i touch
7. how life is like in heaven

[Seven Questions I Hope My Friends Would Respond To]
1. if I die, what you will remember me as
2. am I a good friend
3. what do you hate most in me
4. what do you like most in me
5. why choose me as a friend
6. would you accept Christ like i do
7. have i ever disappointed or hurt anyone

[Seven Things (or People) I Would Love to See]
1. God
2. my children grown up
3. God's complete plan for my life
4. heaven
5. the wonderful sceneries in China
6. the seven wonders of the earth
7. the coming of Christ

[Seven People I Wanna Tag]
1. Jonathan Ong
2. Wai Wai
3. Rebecca Cham
4. Susana
5. Rebecca Wong (dun care, re-tag)
6.
7.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

too quick to judge ?

u know....there is this thing about mankind where we are all called natural-born judges. it seems like we can easily come into conclusions of our own when something or someone is a sore in our eyes. without even thinking much or learning about the art of judging (is there such a thing? i dun think so coz God is the only Judge), most of us seem to have no problems in judging events or people that is not up to our liking. and most of the time it is not something nice that we talk about. isn't it peculiar in a sense? coz God told us not to judge and the more we love to judge. when it comes to judging, we tend to act like kids, the more the parents say no, the more they want to do.

even the most devoted christians may fall prey to this powerful yet subtle temptation: judging ! but as believers, we are commanded to refrain from such behavior. the warning of Matthew 7:1 is clear "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (KJV)

are you one of those guys who finds it easy to judge others ? if so, it's time to make radical changes in the way you view the world and the people who inhabit it.

u know....when considering the shortcomings of others, you must remember this: in matters of judgement, God does not need (or want) our help. why ? coz God is perfectly capable of judging the human heart....while we are not. this message is made clear by the teachings of Jesus.

as Jesus came upon a young woman who had been condemned by the pharisees, HE spoke not only to the crowd that was gathered there, but also to all generations, when HE warned, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her" (John 8:7 KJV) Christ's message is clear : because we are all sinners, we are commanded to refrain from judging others. yet the irony is this: it is precisely because we are sinners that we are so quick to judge.

all of us have fallen short of God's laws, and none of us, therefore, are qualified to "cast the first stone." thankfully, God is merciful and HE has forgiven us, and we too, must forgive others. let us refrain, then, from judging our family members, our friends, our loved ones and also those we don't know. instead, let us forgive them and love them in the same way God has forgiven us and loved us.

just remember, the ability to judge others requires a divine insight that we simply don't have. so do everybody (including ourselves) a favor: don't judge ! Have a nice day all of you and God Bless !!

quote of the day:

"Christians think they are prosecuting attorneys and judges, when, in reality, God has called all of us to be witnesses." by Warren Wiersbe

Monday, April 23, 2007

keeping money in perspective

ah ha.....when it comes to toking about money....things get a bit more serious rite ? anyways...i hope you will find my post today about money helpful coz i realise this is something that many people struggle with in our society today...and i'm not just toking about the non-christians, even christians are also struggling with this.

there's this guy called Thomas Carlyle who observed this: "Man is a tool-using animal; without tools he is nothing, with tools he is all." anyone disagree? u know wat...this Thomas guy understood that mankind depends upon a wide assortment of material goods to provide ease, comfort, security, and entertainment. our material possessions improve our lives in countless ways, but when those possessions begin to assert control over our daily affairs, then it's time to declare "enough stuff!!!" there's nothing wrong with having possessions, it is the attitude and heart condition that we need to guard. God has all to give, but do we have enough self-discipline to receive all ?

when a person becomes absorbed with acquisition of things, complications arise. each new acquisition costs more money or time, or often both. to further complicate matters, many items can be purchased, not with real money, but with something much worse: debt. debt-especially consumer debt used to purchase depreciating assets-is a modern day form of buying attitude.

if you're looking for a sure fire, time tested way to simplify your life and thereby improve your world, learn to to control your possessions before they control you. purchase only those things that make a significant contribution to your well-being and the well-being of your family. never spend more than you make. understand the folly in buying consumer goods on credit. never use credit cards as a way of financing your lifestyle.

ask yourself this simple question: "do i own my possessions, or do they own me?" if you don't like the answer you receive, make an iron-clad promise to stop acquiring and start divesting. as you simplify your life, you'll be amazed at the things you can do without. you'd be pleasantly surprised at the sense of satisfaction that accompanies your new found moderation. and you'll understand first hand that when it comes to material possessions, less is truly more. (this is something that took me a long time to learn even until now, and i am slowly improving, i hope all of you will be able to do this together with me)

how important are our material possessions? not as important as we might think. in the lives of commited christians, material possessions should play a rather small role. of course, we all need basic necessities of life, but once we meet those needs for ourselves and for our families, the piling up of possessions creates more problems than it solves. our real riches, of course,are not of this world. we are never really rich until we are rich in spirit.

do you find yourself wrapped up in the concern of the material world? if so, it's time to reorder your priorities by turning your thoughts and your prayers to more important matters. and, it's time to begin storing up riches that will endure throughout eternity: the spiritual kind.

just remember this: the world wants you to believe that "money & stuff" can buy happiness. don't believe it ! genuine happiness comes not from money, but from the things that money can't buy-starting, of course, with your relationship with God and HIS Son JESUS. good day to all of you !!

quote of the day:

"No man can stand in front of Jesus Christ and say (I want to make money)
" by Oswald Chambers

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Church without walls

as usual, i won't be sharing much during the weekends coz i need my brains to rest and be refreshed for the week ahead. anyways....God has always said that when 2 or 3 come together and pray...He will hear them...this is what basically church is about....a small group of people coming together to praise, worship and share about God. it's not just about a physical building that we meet in, it is the spiritual that matters

therefore, i do find the below comic quite interesting in a sense that we really need to look into building a church without walls where we can reach out and minister to more. please enjoy :



like it ? i hope you do ....anyways....here is another one for all of you to enjoy:



some church people might know that on certain days of the week (eg.prayer meeting nite, etc etc)....the church really does look like this...it's so sad isn't it....sometimes it makes me wonder why the church is full on sundays but empty on other days....are those that are coming on sundays just doing it for religious sake, or family sake, or routine sake or what ? maybe they just like to enjoy on sundays and not want to do anymore on other days. but guess what? God's calling on our lives is for life and it happens daily not just sundayly. anyways....like i said, weekend i wanna relax...so that's it for today....have a nice day all of you !!!

Friday, April 20, 2007

the directions of your thoughts

i dunno about the rest of you.....but i tend to day dream a lot....my mind keeps moving all over the place...and i think this is one of the reason why i can't sit still and do one thing at a time...i need to be multi-tasking in order to keep my mind focused....otherwise my mind would be wondering around all over the place. but i do know one thing....wondering around is ok...but we must make sure that our thoughts are not wondering into the wrong thing or anything evil.

so....how will you direct your thoughts today ? will you be an upbeat believer ? (fyi, though i like to let my thoughts wonder....it is mostly happy and upbeat ones) will you be a person whose hopes and dreams are alive and well ? will you put a smile on your face and a song in your heart ? i do and hopefully so for you. but here's a word of advise i would like to give you: sometimes, when pessimism, anger, or doubt threaten to hijack your emotions, you won't feel much like celebrating. that's why you must always strive to keep your thoughts headed in the right direction.

you know....your thoughts have the power to lift you up or drag you down; they have the power to energize you or deplete you, to inspire you to greater accomplishments or to make those accomplishments impossible.

now.....what kind of attitude will you select today ? will you obey the words that were written in Phil 4:7-8 by dwelling upon those things that are "true and honourable and right?" or will you allow yourself to be swayed by the negativity that seems to dominate our troubled world?

God intends that we experience joy and abundance, but HE will not force HIS joy on us; we must claim it for ourselves. basically, it's up to you to celebrate the life that God has given you by focusing your mind on "things that are excellent and worthy of praise" so from today onwards, spend more time thinking about your blessings and less time fretting about your hardships. then take time to thank the Giver of all these good things in our lives that are, in truth, far too numerous to count.

just remember...watch what you think: if your inner voice is, in reality, your inner critic, then you need to tone down the criticism now. and while you're at it, train yourself to begin thinking thoughts that are more rational, more accepting, and less judgemental....(go read Phil 4:8)

quote of the day:

"The things we think are the things that feed our souls. If we think on pure and lovely things, we shall grow pure and lovely like them; and the converse is equally true." by Hannah W.Smith

Thursday, April 19, 2007

pleasing God first

with our hectic lifestyle nowadays especially with city living people, pleasing everyone around us seems to be an impossible task, it just never ends. we've got our bosses, our clients, our colleagues, our friends, our family, ourselves and God. most of us as we start our day at work, the cycle of pleasing people begins and it just keeps repeating itself. now....i am not saying that pleasing people is wrong but probably we got our priorities in pleasing wrong.....you see....we become so indulged in this cycle of pleasing that sometimes we forget to please our God at the end of the day (something that we need to do first b4 pleasing anybody else)

when God made us, he equipped us with an array of talents and abilities that are uniquely ours. it's up to us to discover those talents and to use them, but sometimes the world seems to encourage us to do otherwise. at times, society will attempt to corner us down, standardize us and make us fit in a particular, pre-formed mould. but guess what ? maybe God has other plans that we have kinda forgotten coz all these society stuff is just making us neglect HIM.

sometimes, becoz we're not perfect, we may become so wrapped up in meeting society's expectations that we fail to focus on God's expectations. to do so is a big mistake...so please don't make this mistake. instead, you should focus your energies on becoming the best "you" that you can possibly be. and when it comes to matters of conscience, seek approval not from men but from God.

so....who will you try to please today: God or man ? our primary obligation is not to please imperfect men and women. our obligation is to strive diligently to meet the expectations of an all-knowing and perfect God. Trust HIM always, love HIM always, praise HIM always, and seek to please HIM always

if you are burdened with a "people-pleasing" personality, outgrow it through the strength from God. realize that you can't please all the people all the time, nor should you attempt to. have a nice day and God Bless !!

Quote of the day:

"Make God's will the focus of your life day by day. If you seek to please Him and Him alone, you'll find yourself satisfied with life." by Kay Arthur

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

use your gifts to serve

before i share today...i just wanna share with you a small little verse from Philippians 2:5-8....here it goes....

think of yourselves the way Christ thought of HIMSELF. u know wat....HE had equal status with God but HE didn't think so much of HIMSELF that HE had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. not at all u know. when the time came, HE set aside the privilege of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human ! having become human, HE stayed human. it was an incredibly humbling process which i think that many of us can't do. He didn't claim special privileges. instead HE lived a selfless, obedient life and the died a selfless, obedient death, and the death was the worst of its kind, a crucifixion.

i hope by now you would know why i put my title as it is for today.......we live in a world that glorifies power, prestige, fame and money. but the words of Jesus teaches us that the most esteemed men and women are not the widely acclaimed leaders of the society; instead they are the humble servants of the society....confusing ? read on then...

u know....when we experience success, it's easy to puff our chest and proclaim "I did that!" but guess what? it's actually wrong to do so....whatever "it" is, God did it and HE deserves the credit more than we do. as christians, we have been refashioned and saved by Jesus, and that salvation came not becoz of our own good works but becoz of God's grace.

there's this guy called Dietrich Bonhoeffer that says "It is very easy to overestimate the importance of our own achievements in comparison with what we owe others." i kinda agree with what he says, what this guy is basically trying to say is that reality breeds humility.

are you willing to become a humble servant for Christ ? are you willing to pitch in and make the world a better place? or are you just determined to keep all your blessings to yourself. the answer to these questions will basically determine the quantity and quality of the service you render to God- and to HIS children (the rest of the world lah), i myself am trying very hard to do what i am saying....u know lah ....sometimes saying is so much easier than putting it into action, but i do hope that we will all be able to do this together coz i really think it is what God wants.

most of the time, we may feel the temptation to take more than we give. we may be tempted to withhold our generosity, or we may be tempted to build ourselves up in the eyes of our friends, family...etc etc. well.....guess what ? we got to resist these temptations, instead serve the people around us quietly and without fanfare(nice word ler) find a need and fill it....huuuuummmbly !!!lend a helping hand....anonymously. share a word of kindness....with quiet sincerity. as we go about our daily activities, remember that the Saviour of all humanity made HIMSELF a servant, and we as HIS follower, must do no less.....dun say that you dun have a gift....examples i just gave you right above requires no superman to do it.....so go and use your gifts and start serving the people around you.....good day and God Bless !!

Quote of the day:

"Christians are life flowers in a garden: they have upon them the dew of heaven, which, being shaken by the wind, they let fall at each others root, whereby they are jointly nourished." by John Bunyan

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Success according to God

hi all, hoped all of you had a nice blue monday yesterday, i believe by now you should be warmed up already for this new week. anyways....today, let's tok about success....not only success but success according to God, some of you might ask.....wat's the difference? but let me assure you, there is definitely a difference....worldly success and Godly success come from 2 different worlds so let's start.

wouldn't it be nice if we could uncover a few "secrets" to success ? (most of us would love to).....but guess wat ? we can't. why ? becoz the keys to success are simply those good, old-fashioned, common sense principles that we've heard of since we were kids. and the good news is this: those principles really do work.

so....who wants to be successful? then here are a few things that we should do:

1. put God first......in every aspect of our lives, including our career

2. wherever you happen to be, be the best you can be: giving our best is a habit-forming, so give our best everytime we go to work

3. keep learning: the future belongs to those who are willing to do the work that's required to prepare for it

4. have patience and perseverance....rome wasn't built in a day, and the same goes for our lives

5. when we make a wrong turn and find ourselves at the end of a dead end street.....turn around sooner rather than later

and above all, remember this : genuine success has little to do with fame or fortune, it has everything to do with God's gift of love and HIS promise of salvation...so dun try and imitate wat those famed people are doing or sit there and pray for luck to come.....coz it is not gonna work.

if you have accepted Christ as your personal Saviour, you are already a towering success in the eyes of God (that's how much HE loves us man), but of course there is still more that you can do. so....your task- as a believer who has been touched by God's grace - is to accept the spiritual abundance and peace that HE offers through the person of HIS SON (JESUS). then, you can share the healing message of God's love and HIS abundance with a world that desperately needs both. when you do, you would have reached the pinnacle of success....becoz this is wat exactly God wants us to do (Matt 28: 18-20)

so wat are you waiting for?.....have faith in God and get busy now no matter where you are....whether at home, in school, uni, college, or work place....excel as children of God wherever you are and on top of that do what HE has in plan for us all......good day !!!

quote of the day:

"There is nothing more important in any life than the constantly enjoyed presence of the Lord. There is nothing more vital, for without it we shall make mistakes, and without it we shall be defeated." by Alan Redpath

Sunday, April 15, 2007

the problem with church nowadays....

hi again, just in case you found the previous post boring or you didn't understand it....here is another more simpler one for you.....basically it also toks about what some of the modern christianity problems are.....enjoy :

How to make church brilliant

hi all, today i won't be writing much as i think that most of you have already had a lot to ready from my posts last week, so please enjoy this nice little cartoon or comic or whatever you call it. i actually find it kind of interesting coz u know lah .....nowadays ah.....even christians are hard to please. church members are getting more and more fussy and sometimes i just wonder how a church can actually cater to all the request that the members put up.


please enjoy : by the way for the benefit of those who can't read what is written, i'll just type it out for you...it is on the same order and side as the picture has it....

make the preaching dynamic encourage kids to participate

have some comfortable seating serve drinks and snacks

make allowances for those who play some good tunes perhaps over
find the service time a bit early some sort of headphone system

place a nice plant here oh yes, generally be nice to one
another and that sort of thing


so wat do you all think about this picture here ? funny right....sometimes we do really feel like having all these luxuries in church right ? but u know what .... i think no matter how the world changes and improves, which in turn makes us more greedy and having more unneccessary "wants" in our lives; we should actually just keep things simple and concentrate on what God has to say to us and what HE really wants us to do. Go read Matt 28: 18-20 if you dunno what God wants you to do with your life. anyways....like i said...i wanna keep it short today so good day all and God Bless !!

Friday, April 13, 2007

Discovering God's purpose....and doing it

did u know that life is best lived with a purpose. and purpose, like everything else in the whole of the universe, begins in the heart of God. whether you realise it or not, God has a direction for your life, a divine calling, a path that HE intends to lead you on. so... what you need to do is to welcome God into your heart and establish a genuine relationship with HIM. HE will then begin and will continue to lead you and make HIS purpose known to you.

each morning, as the sun rises from the east, we welcome a new day right.....one that is filled to the brim with oppurtunities, possibilities, etc etc and it is also with God as the centre of everything. as we contemplate God's blessings in our own lives, we should prayerfully seek HIS guidance for the day ahead.

u know.....discovering God's unfolding purpose in our lives is a daily journey, a journey guided by the teachings of God's Holy Word. as we reflect upon God's promises and upon the meaning that those promises hold for us, we need to ask God to lead us throughout the coming day. the most important thing is that we go to let go and let God direct our steps. we need to concentrate on what God wants us to do now and leave the future in hands that are far more capable that our own, and guess whose hands are those ? HIS Hands.

sometimes, God's intentions will be clear to us but sometimes HIS plan will seem uncertain, just to let you know....it's all the human mind that is playing games. so.....what we need to do when we bump into one of those difficult days where we are unsure of which way to turn, is that we must never lose sight of these over-riding facts: God created us for a reason; HE has important work for us to do; and HE's waiting patiently for us to do it. So why not begin today ? Good day to all of you and may be this a new and good beginning of great things to come....God Bless !!

Quote of the day:

"The born-again Christians sees life not as a blurred, confused, meaningless mass, but as something planned and purposeful." by Billy Graham

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

God's priorities for your life

did u know that on ur daily to-do list, all items are not created equal: certain task are extremely important while other are not. therefore, it is imperative that we got to prioritize our daily activities and complete each task according to the order of importance.

the principle of doing first things first is simple in theory but more complicated when we put it into practise. u know lah, there are certain things that can come in our way unexpectedly, eg. family, friends, colleagues, etc etc. furthermore, each day has its own share of minor emergencies that tend to draw our attention away from the more important task we have. on paper, prioritizing is simple, but to act on it in the real world requires maturity, patience, determination and balance.

if we fail to do so, guess what ? life will automatically do the job for us. it is simple: either we prioritize or we are gonna be prioritized. it's a choice that will help determine the quality of our lives.

u know, if you are having trouble balancing the many demands of everyday living, maybe you've been trying to organise your life according to your own priorities and not God's. personally i encounter this b4 and trust me, without God in the picture. things can get a bit messy. a better strategy is to take our obligations and place them in the hands of the ONE who created us.

well....for it to happen, we must prioritize our day according to God's commandments, and we must seek HIS will and HIS wisdom in all matters. then...we can face our day with assurance that the same God who created the universe out of nothing will help us place first things first in our lives.

and so i am thinking....the next question that we should ask ourselves is whether we are all living a balance life that allows time for worship, for family, for work, for exercise and a little bit of personal time ourselves. i guess it is something that is not easy to accomplish coz i am sure a lot of people are feeling, overworked, under-appreciated, overwhelmed, underpaid, etc etc.

well....what i can say is, if we think that we are "maxed out" and our energy is on the wane, then i guess it is time to restore a sense of balance in our lives. what we can do is, to surrender our priorities to God prayerfully, earnestly and regularly. then we listen to God and see what HIS answer is or what HE has to say (something that a lot of busy ppl dun have time to do) and the next thing is.....TRUST the answers HE gives (something that a lot of us find hard coz our faith not big enuf)

our days are filled with obligations and task that we have to complete. but no priority is greater than our obligation to the ONE who created us. so we must make sure that we give HIM the time HE deserves, not only on Sundays, but also on everyday other day of the week.

what i can say is if we just spend that little bit of extra time with HIM waiting for HIS answers. no matter how busy our day, somehow or rather, all the busyness will shorten by itself and we will end up having the extra time and balance life that we want. trust me. God Bless.

Quote of the day :

"the most important business that I'm engaged in ought to be the Lord's business. If it ain't, I need to get off and classify myself and see whose side I'm on. " by Jerry Clower

Monday, April 9, 2007

got tagged by Becky

aiyah....all these young ppl with all these tag tag thing....so wat to do...reply lor...anyways...here are 5 things u never knew about me:

1) a lot of ppl doesn't know this, i used to stay with my family in Istana (Palace of Sabah) for 1-2 years when i was young. the palace guards would chaffeur us to school and back. we also have our meals with the Head of State everyday (since i was young, i get to call him grandpa even though he wasn't my real grandpa) on a very long table. and i even got lost once in the palace while playing hide and seek with the other kids.

2) i used to very naughty b4 in my uni days, there were a few times the police tried to catch me when i was racing illegally, by right, u shouldn't run away, but everytime i also speed as fast as i can and try to run away, and everytime i also managed to escape. there was one time where i had to drive into the jungle and hide for 2 hours.

3) me and my fren ever pretended to be fake police....u know lah...the CID police drive normal car and just put the magnet siren when they are chasing people one mah. so me and my fren bought a magnet siren and chased a few people b4. after they stop we would usually just drive away, but it was fun making ppl panic and think that the police was after them.

4) i ever went into a ladies toilet b4 to do big business in a hotel restaurant. that time i had stomach ache and the male toilet was full and i couldn't tahan. so i just sneaked in the ladies toilet and sneaked back out after i finished doing my big business.

5) when i was young, i used to sleep walk one...sometimes i wake up in the toilet, sometimes i wake up in the living room or kitchen. the worse was i ended up underneath my dad's car in the car porch, i also dunno how i managed to open the door and go out one.

now i wanna tagg:

Susuana
Rebecca Wong
Jonathan
Rebecca Cham

Sunday, April 8, 2007

Happy Easter

Happy Easter Everyone ! i hope all of you had an enjoyable easter this year.

the only thing i dun like about easter where i am staying is that it doesn't have a public holiday...something i really dun understand...coz we've got a public holiday for christmas but not easter...i wonder why ? maybe becoz christmas is more of a commercialized event and easter is a more religious one.

did u know that most of the western countries have extra public holidays for easter compared to christmas....even some casino's in western countries that never closes throughout the year will actually close half a day in respect of easter.

so actually i think that easter is really something important for the christians to remember and celebrate. afterall....if we really understand the meaning of easter...then the more we would be celebrating it.

so wat is easter ? to make it simple....easter is about remembering a series of events that happened in 3 days some 2000 years ago and why it happened. basically it is 3 simple things we need to know...CRUCIFICATION+DEATH, RESURRECTION & VICTORY. Jesus was given an unfair trial (well...u can say it is part of God's plan), given the death sentence (to be hung on the cross), went thru that path of suffering while being brutally beaten, eventually died and was laid in a tomb.

it all happened on FRIDAY....but nothing to worry....coz SUNDAY was on its way and Jesus rose from the dead...and the prophecy was fulfilled. so...in a short span of 3 days....Jesus from death came alive again. there are so many things to say about these 3 days....prophecy fulfilled, miracle happening (rising from the dead is definitely one big miracle man), our SINS were paid for (enabling us to enjoy eternal life with God), sorrows become joy, a testament that we truly serve a REAL GOD, victory of satan, etc etc.

but one thing i would like to mention b4 we move on is something about saturday. most preachers would tell you about friday (the death) and sunday (the resurrection), some does mention a bit about saturday and some dun. wat is usually mentioned about saturday was that it was a time of mourning for those who were close to Jesus: Mary, some of the disciples, so on and so forth.

but something else happened, did u know that b4 Christ died, he had amassed a huge amount of followers and believers. but when HE died on friday, MOST of HIS followers and believers had ran away or gone into hiding by saturday. this is something that is very sad and i think it somehow applies to certain christians in the modern era today. u see..we are usually on fire when we first accept Christ, knowing HE died for us, we were grateful to HIM. but somehow along the line when we suddenly dun see and feel Jesus anymore (it's like the saturday i am toking about, Jesus was gone) we kinda backslide and turn away from God. then we sort of rekindle our fire again when Jesus appears in our life again(sounds like Sunday when Jesus arose, right ?)

that's why i am saying sometimes i think that easter is a resemblance of our christian walk. we believe, we get lost a bit, and we come back victorious. God is really smart you know....HE planned for all this to happen in such a short span of time...just 3 days man. if it was any longer...i think more believers would have lost their way. what worries me though is that in the new era today....there are some christians who are still lost (just like those that fled on saturday and never came back to know about the resurrection) and haven't found their way back yet. i hope and pray that all of you will see that 3rd day(resurrection & victory) in your life again. for those of you out there reading this and u think you're lost, please do come back again, coz Jesus really loves you very much.

it is written in the bible that for every new salvation, Heaven celebrates...but i also believe that for every lost sheep, heaven mourns. so let's use this day of easter to remind ourselves that we need to continue our walk with HIM faithfully, never letting HIM out of our sight and trying our very best not to be lost. Happy Easter everyone !!!

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

a simple life

i wonder how many of us can actually live a simple life until the day we die(this excludes those who already >60 and retired, i am toking to the younger ones) . i for one find it difficult but over the last few years....there are certain things inside me that has begun to change and make me think otherwise. anyways....does anyone know the actual meaning of a simple life ? well....i think there are 2 aspects to this...physically simple life and spiritually simple life.

what a lot of people is doing right now is trying to balance between this 2...below is a few scenarios of what is happening in the real world:

A) physically complex life and spiritually simple life (i believe many of us fall in this category)
B) physically complex life and spiritually complex life (you got to be a robot to do this)
C) physically simple life and spiritually complex life (ah ha...how many of us wanna be here?)

here is the definition of simple and complex:

simple means you live a nice, peaceful and quiet life. everything is down to the very basic needs for you to survive and you're happy staying that way for the rest of your life

complex means you live an exciting life that is ever changing, ever improving, always wanting something more, never satisfied with what you have etc etc ( you know what i mean lah)

i started my early christian life in category B, i was young, plenty of energy and i thought i could have the best of both worlds. before u know it, i fell and went into category A. now that i come back stronger in God and begin to walk closer than ever b4 with HIM, i find myself slowly shifting towards category C (for those of you out there, this doesn't mean i am getting old, ok ? i'm still young and i will stay like that for a very long time)

does this mean that i becoming a saint ? nope...it is just a shift of perspective as God begins to work in my life. i still have bad habits where i always like to buy new stuff (especially gadgets) but my other big dreams for myself is now beginning to shift towards God. i used to dream big, i want big house, big car, big this, big that. now i want big things for God, big ministry, big harvest field etc etc. i still have my urges of rewarding myself every now & then with things i like but i am only human and that is a weakness i will slowly have to work on, but things are definitely changing and God has really changed my perspective of life.

you know....if you look at during the bible days, people were just living normal & simple lives, it was only the christians that were living extra-ordinary lives (coz they were so busy preaching and spreading the gospel in POWER). that's why during those times, people either like you or hate you..simple. they like you, they believe you; they hate you, they stone you. in our times now, people invent and find tons of ways to like you or hate you. even after they like you....it can turn sour and if they hate you...it can turn good. isn't this world getting crazier ?

life is so complicated now, education's getting tougher, everyone wants to compete, every wanna be the best, everyone wanna have the best for THEMSELVES. but wat about God ? wat about the church of God ? what about the lost ? i leave it to you to think and ponder about this.

one thing i know for sure, i am working towards achieving a physically simple life and spiritually complex life now on earth coz i know when i go heaven one day everything will become simple, plain simple and that's where i being to live a simple life. Good day all !!

Monday, April 2, 2007

why must people be so revengeful ?

i was driving along jln kuching today and noticed a small incident in front of me...something that caused me to write about today's topic

u see, there was this motorist in front of me that was basically riding in his motor lah...then the road was connected to another incoming junction and a car was trying to cut into our lane...so there we were...the car, the motor and me(in my car) ...hahahaha....the road was sort of clear for the car to cut in with the exception that the motor was quite near the blind spot of this car....however, from what i see...it was actually quite safe for the car to cut in (me & the motor wasn't driving that fast anyways)

so the car cut in lah, lo and behold....the motor din really slow down to let the car cut in when he could have done so becoz any blind man would have seen that car cutting in. so the motor ended up in the blind spot of that car and the fella had to swerve a bit on the road...no accidents though.

next thing u know is....the motor was trying to chase the car and he gave a stare to the driver when he managed to do so...to end it off...he also spitted at the car and they both went seperate ways eventually.

after witnessing this whole event.....i was telling myself....y so revengeful lah .....it's not like an accident happen, furthermore you could have slowed down coz we all saw the car cutting in anyways....some more wanna spit at peoples car (like it makes any difference at all to the exterior of the car, it's not like ur spit got poison that can harm the car anyways)

so why are humans so revengeful ? is it in our nature to be revengeful ? maybe it is...otherwise the bible wouldn't have talked about it in both OT & NT. naturally...when anyone comes under any threat at any time...he/she would first want to self defend...in the event harm is caused...he/she would naturally want to revenge. there are many ways of revenge....it can be physical where you take your own actions, it can be reported, it can be prayed about, etc etc.

the spirit of revenge is noted and can be seen in people as young as toddlers.....example: bro disturbs sis...what does sis do ? either the sis will take her own revenge or sis will tell parents and wait for parents to scold or punish. this type of attitude is carried thru our adulthood and we end up inventing more ways of revenge than ever. some might say i am using the word revenge too strongly...but u know wat ? revenge is revenge...there is no such thing as soft revenge or hard revenge...as long as it is getting equality out of a situation...it is a form of revenge.

the bible in the OT has time & time again asked us not to revenge....stating that vengeance is in God's Hands. Let God take care of it. in the NT, Christ was telling us to be patient & loving...give the right cheek when the left is slapped.

i personally find it difficult and it is only through the strength of God that i can be so forgiving...but i am still not perfect though....i still dun like it when i am put into a disadvantage position....but most of the time nowadays...i would just complain and nag about it through words rather than thru action...something i learned thru the years by the grace of God.

so wat i am trying to say is....all of us out there....if we wanna be more Christ-like in our christian walk....one of the attributes would be patient and being UNrevengeful (is there such an english word?)......i believe it is one hard thing to learn...it is all part of love and let us all learn it together through HIM Who gives us strength. God Bless

Sunday, April 1, 2007

good girls like bad boys...so does God

there's this saying that bad boys usually attract good girls (good can mean a lot of things: good character, good looks, good attitude, as long as good lah) and i tend to agree to a certain extent...i think it depends on the age range you are in, the background you were brought up in, the environment around you and also religion.

you know...i came from a funny history where i wasn't brought up in the best of environment during my much younger days...then everything was ok...suddenly it wasn't so good, then good, then bad....u know the routine lah....it's like a roller coaster ride man

and so all these events shaped me to what i am today...i didn't know Christ till i was 12....now i am 19+10= 19yrs old (like i said in my earlier post, i hate maths) but it wasn't all smooth sailing...i had a few dark years of my life that wasn't so interesting...but now that i think of it ....maybe God put me thru it. (now, why am i talking about my self, oh ya...i'm supposed to tok about the good girl bad boy thing)

this good girl bad boy thing i am toking about, it is very much true during my dark years. i realised that good girls had something within them that they dare not reveal in fear that they might lose control and turn really really bad. while boys dun really use their brains when they are younger and therefore would let this dark side come out of them. sometimes we can control it...but sometimes we totally lose control...and only the power of God could help

i let the dark side rule for a few years....and thanks to my deep rooted foundation of God's word during my much younger years....i managed to come out of it....but many is still stuck and many has yet to try. i think i will know what to say to those who are stuck...but i'm not too sure about those who has yet to try. i think it all depends on ur personal character.

anyways....back to the good girl thing....there was plenty of good girls around me during my dark years and i come to realise the reason they liked to hang around me was becoz i reflected their dark side that was in them (u know lah...young ppl just wanna have some fun b4 they grow too old). the other reason was becoz they are totally bored of good ppl around them coz some how or rather in the society of young ppl, we tend to find charming, attractive, naturally funny guys & girls in the darker side of the world...and those in the good side tends to be slightly more serious (boooooring)

but you know wat ? God is also attracted to these ppl from the dark side (why you think he sent HIS SON to die for our sins) becoz if u turn someone from the dark side to the good side, not only does heaven rejoice....but the church has one more weapon of preaching the Gospel (TESTIMONY)...it is actually testimonies of real life ppl that touches others....on top of that ....experience from the dark side is an added advantage in helping to find prevention or solutions.

let me give u a scenario: trying to tok someone out of maybe let's say smoking
Scenario A
Dark side ppl : u dun even know how it feels, who r u to tell me to quit
good ppl : i may not know the feeling...i just know it kills....pls stop
dark side ppl : nvm....u won't understand anyways...can we tok about something else

u see....u lose their attention to listen to u

Scenario B
dark side ppl : u dun even know how it feels, who r u to tell me to quit
ex-dark side : who says i dunno ?
dark side : u know meh ?
ex-dark side : of course i know...i did it b4 but i managed to quit
dark side : sure or not ?
ex-dark side : yeh man, y would i lie...i could even make circles thru my puffs
dark side : walau eh....chun one or not wat u say ?
and it continues...

so u see....this is why former bad people can be very useful

now, by saying these stuff here....i am not trying to tell all of you to go and be bad, let God turn you around, and then be a powerful testimony...NO NO NO !!! dun be silly (pastor would come after me if i asked all of u to do this)

what i am saying is....God has HIS purpose for everyone, some people are meant to be good all the way, some are meant to stray off and come back but none is meant to be loss. coz Christ died for everyone and i mean EVERYONE whether you are good, not so good, quite bad, bad or very bad.

so... it is not just good girls that like bad boys after all....coz God loves them too and HE wants to use them all. i am not proud of once being bad....but i am glad that God took me out of it and is using my experiences from the past to help those in need now. i hope u find your purpose in God too. God Bless

p/s - anyone of you out there who needs help or advise regarding BGR, Drugs, Alcohol, Gambling...pls do not hesitate to contact me or the necessary bodies that can help u out. come out b4 it is too late.

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