Be Thankful.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 

 In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Everything in our life happens for a reason, good things and bad. God planned it all whether we may like it or not. Sometimes it is not the easiest thing to give thanks for whatever that is happening to us right now. But we cannot enter into the holies of holies unless we give thanks. Like what is written in Psalm 100:4 "Enter His gates with Thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise..." Like what most of us have learnt in bible study, you know that the first thing you have to do is to give thanks to God.

But for what?

Well, for everything that could possible be worse in your life. You have a home? Give thanks for it. Have food on the table? Give thanks for it. You have someone that cares about you? Give thanks for him/her.

The list is endless. Start each new day with thanksgiving, you will be amazed at how much of a difference it will make. Personally I sometimes 'forget' to do it, because I'm rushing out for something or things like that. But as much as I can, I will try to do it. Most of the time it is just in my heart I say it. Also, I've recently been trying to be thankful for THIS MOMENT. Meaning that as things are happening, I thank God for it. I've come to realize that though it is not the easiest thing to do, it is that one thing that will really make you happy, to really appreciate how blessed I am as a child of God. 

Today, I thank God for a smooth first day at practicum. Thank God for the good school and friendly teachers. I thank God for the good afternoon rest. I thank God that He put me in a place I am reminded of His grace every day. I thank God for the food.. Thank God for even this quiet time to type this whole post out and (probably) blessing someone as they read this.

There is power in thanksgiving.

Building your house on a ROCK.

24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:" (Matthew 7:24-26) 

Yesterday I was at JOL meeting and Jo shared an amazing word, I wish that I could type it out here, but I decided not to because this blog is for my own revelation and word that I God spoke to me. So throughout yesterday's meeting, God spoke to me 2 things. Of which, 1 requires GREAT SACRIFICE and FAITH.

Firstly, Jo shared about how we should be a DOer of the Word and not just listen and listen. She said that "you have heard enough, now it is time to apply what you have done!" This kind of reminds me of what I've learn in school. It is a learning cycle. (How a person learns) And I feel that it applies to our walk with Christ also. Everything should be in a cycle so that it doesn't stop. Once it stop, we will feel dry.. We will stumble and fall out.

1) Awareness
When we first come to church, we become aware of a God, of His grace and everything.

2) Exploration (Experience)
Then, we start to explore & experience God through the different encounter during cell group, service and various camps and meetings.

3) Acquisition
Through all the experience, we acquire a brand new revelation and knowledge about God. Bad sadly, most people stop at this stage. We should move on to the next stage which is...

4) Application
This is the part where we put all that we have heard, all that we have learnt into actions. To serve others, to share the gospel, etc. Just like what the verse above said, whoever that hears the Lord and DOES what He says, he is a wise man. So if you hear the word of God and you don't do it, you're like a foolish man that built his house on the sand.

This cycle should not stop, I mean it is a CYCLE. If we stop at a certain stage we will feel dry like "oh, okay lor.. I know there's a God. Yes, God loves me." and that's all you know, then you don't have a real relationship with God, you don't know Him on a personal level. Let's say if you hear God speaking to you "Go into campus ministry!" which is somewhere along the 3rd step but you keep giving excuses that you have no time and everything, then it is stopping you from going to the 4th step of application! And I believe that most of the time, it is when you reach APPLICATION that the breakthrough will come. You will have a brand new awareness, experience.... so on and so fourth.

Also, Jo shared that we cannot experience God and hear from Him unless we stay still and listen to Him. A few days ago, I started this bible reading plan. I wanted to read the bible but I have no idea where to start from so I randomly picked out 2 plans and I started reading them. The first one is called 'She Reads Truth' and the second one is just 'Dating'. They're really quick to read as it is only a few verses each day, that's how I end up doing 2 plans instead of only 1.

So I was saying, yesterday God spoke to me something that requires great sacrifice.. He told me to go to Children's home and bless the children there. By using the talents I have. Singing songs with them and everything. I want to do it, but I don't know how to start. Now I really need to pray that God will guide me to do what He has called me to do.

Victor's Crown // Blessings

Hello, I know I haven't been posting much on this blog so I shall do it now. This time, I'm going to share two song that really touched me.

Song #1: Blessings by Laura Story



I'm extremely touched by the chorus. I still remember Merilyn was the one who introduced it to me while we were on the bus back home. I hear the chorus I almost cried.. And this is how the chorus goes:

So what if your blessings comes through raindrops?
What if your healing comes through tears?
What is a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near?
What if the trials of this life are Your blessings in disguise?

I just felt that this song really is like the reality of life and our walk with Christ. Like sometimes it is those trials that we faced that brings us closer to God. Sometimes it is those trials that we realized we cannot use our own human strength and that we need to rely on Him. There are also instances that I feel trials are really blessings in disguise.

Journey with Christ isn't the easiest thing to do. But I believe that even if you have little on earth, as long as you keep doing what God has called you to do, you will be rich in heaven! The blessing and prize is waiting for you.

Song #2: Victor's Crown - Darlene Zschech



Whenever I sing this song, whether it is in cell group, or service, it just gives me this assurance. It is like I find comfort in this song because I know that Jesus has the victor's crown and that He is above anything in this world. My favourite part in this song would definitely be the bridge..

Every high thing must come down
Every stronghold shall be broken
For You wear the victor's crown
You've overcome, You've overcome

I could sing this over and over again.

Friend.

So yesterday just before I slept (I was having trouble sleeping) I was asking God is He will just give me a word. Whether it applies to my life right now or not, it doesn't matter. I want to hear from Him again. So God gave me this word about FRIEND.

Everyone have friends, at least ONE. And the thing about friends is this: you always talk to them, they influence you, and you sometimes just wanna be just like them. People that you hang around with will affect you, in a good way or a bad way. And if you say that Jesus is your friend, then likewise He will influence us too. When we take Jesus as our friend, we will become more like Him. You will like what your friend likes, you will behave like how your friends behave. If Jesus has a lifestyle of prayer and fasting, then we too should also learn to have a lifestyle of prayer and fasting.

A friend is someone you can confide in, someone you can seek refuge under, someone that means something to you. I'm not perfect but I'm still learning to try to talk to Jesus in my heart every moment of the day. As you spend more time with Him, you will naturally also become more Christ-like. It is synonymous.

Will you befriend Jesus today?
I am a friend of God, He calls me friend.

BURNT.

Sometimes as we go on with life, we might get burnt out. Or simply get hurt by people's word, actions, or our own failures. Being hurt creates this hole, this scar in our heart. Probably it adds fear into our heart, fear that the same thing might repeat itself again. But today, God told me to not worry. Know that God is our healer, He is Jehova Rapha, God our healer. But it is not use if we just KNOW, we need to claim it! 

How do we claim this gift?
We need to confess it out! Claim it! There is power in confession.

The promises of God are there, all we need to do is to claim them.

Bible.
(Or what is known as Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.)

I was talking to Merilyn after our work and she told me that she hadn't gone to bible school. But to me she's like knowledgeable and wise about the things of God. Then I wonder why. Before I could ask the question Merilyn replied "I read the word of God!". It almost came like a lightbulb moment to me. This book. THIS ONE BOOK. It contains so much things that is important to us. It is the weapon that we use when we are faced with trials.

Going to every church service and every cell group meeting not necessary make you more knowledgeable and wise, it is about the relationship with God. To me, the bible is like what God wants to say to you, the lessons that we can learn, His promises. It is the one book that is always filled with endless revelations, will cause you to have new encounter with Jesus, a rhema word in season, and probably that one confirmation you need before you make a big decision in your life. The possibilities are endless.

One Bible.
Two Testament.
66 Books.

1 June 2013

"Use me.."

Many times, in church we always learn to ask God to use us. To let us be the salt and light in the marketplace and school. More often than never, people forget what happens BEFORE God can use you. Just like how we pick the ripe fruits at the supermarket, God also chooses us. And God only choose us when we are ready or ripe.

In the context of the potter and the clay.

We all start out as a block of clay, without form. Or probably just one random slab of clay.. Then we call out to God "use me.. to be the salt of the earth and light of the world" but how can God use us when we are just a slab of unformed clay? This is when God need to mold us.. into a cup/vase/etc so that we can be 'used by Him'. Many people give up when God is molding us because it is painful and the final product is nowhere to be seen. This is the time when you must hang on even closer to the potter! 

A cup/vase/etc can only be hard and utilized properly when it has gone through molding and the fiery furnace. If we want God to use us, we similarly have to go through the painful process of molding and the furnace that seem like hell. We have to keep our eyes locked on the final 'prize'.

Philippians 3:14
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

The process might not be quick, but if we really want God to use us, it will be worth it.