Hi guys! This iz my first post and i juz wanna say sorry for procrastinating :( Hahaha... anyway, I juz wanna thank the cell for making my Tuesdays so enjoyable. Honestly, I really look forward to cell as this group of brethen is so vibrant and loving. *Brothers thanx for Sister's day! I still remember it really fondly, esp Boon's cute black and white shirt, the wonderful food and the super sincere powerpoint slide*
Anyway, i juz wanna thank God for teaching my a lesson today. Well I have been suffering from 'stinky thinking' meaning that I have been entertaining negative thoughts with regards to my work, my friends and campus ministry. Well during cell lesson, I was reminded once again that this is largely due to me seeing many 'giants' instead of seeing a positive picture like Caleb did when he spied the land. Well guys, thanx for creating such a honest and loving community to share my woes. Though it's tough sometimes, I hope to see all of us persevere together and continue to shower each other with crazie acts of love :)
Remember, this 'bunch of sheep' ain't no grasshopppers! * nice logo for shirt eh* Hehe
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
I told my mum I'm a christian, not a catholic. Amen.
My dear U2,
Just wanna share sumthing wonderful with you guys. Today i was calling my house phone using skype and my mum picked it up. I decided i had to call my parents thru the phone to talk to ehm personally.
Although i had been 'born again' as a christian and been attending Harvester services almost since 8th July, i never really told my parents about my rejection of the Catholic church's beliefs and that i had been 'born again' by the Spirit to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
I had lotsa EXCUSES that i thought were legitimate reasons. I thought i should not shake them since i was leaving for US, that i wld only tell them when i returned and had time to explain mself clearly. I thought somehow the Spirit would soften their hardened hearts and make them amaenable to my explanations when i returned. But maybe i was just scared, maybe i was hiding behind the badge of filial piety. God has called us to even leave our fathers and mothers and family, if need be, to take up our cross and follow him, without even saying goodbye, for that is the kingdom of heaven.
When i called my mum i planned to just tell her i'm fine and hang up after maybe 10 mins...BUT somehow this time when she asked whether i was going to (catholic) church, i cldnt take it anymore. See i was provoked by this lack of trust, and in a catholic way i understand. Sunday service is like ur only obligation, and most of the time some kind of mortal pressure forces you to go for it instead of free will that God so sweetly blessed us with.
I'm not sure how or why but suddenly i told my mum i have stopped believeing the catholic church and rejected their non-bible-based beliefs. i told her in 20 mins my life-changing journey these past 3 months. i suddenly found myself trying to evangelise my mum, and mind you all these was in mandarin. I'm not sure how or why, but the Spirit gave me the power of speech, iwas actually debating critical christain fundamental beliefs with her in mandarin...when i usually slept thru chinese services in my catholic church. Terms like redemption, salvation, bloodprice ransom,no condemnation in christ, the fellacy of purgatory, infallibility of the pope just came out of my mouth in mandarin, i dunt even think i can remember how to say them in mandarin now as i type this.
My mum was a bit shaken, reacted defensively like any catholic would, but was quite open to it surprisingly. She was comforted at least i was reading the bible for myself and understanding the truth. all these 22 years she just thought i was busy. but no, if i knew God for who He really was all these years, i would never be too busy for God. I just wanna thank God for my mum's open-ness.
For the lack of time i shall end here and continue my story later on. Pray for me and my family my bruddas n sistas in Christ.Amen.
Just wanna share sumthing wonderful with you guys. Today i was calling my house phone using skype and my mum picked it up. I decided i had to call my parents thru the phone to talk to ehm personally.
Although i had been 'born again' as a christian and been attending Harvester services almost since 8th July, i never really told my parents about my rejection of the Catholic church's beliefs and that i had been 'born again' by the Spirit to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
I had lotsa EXCUSES that i thought were legitimate reasons. I thought i should not shake them since i was leaving for US, that i wld only tell them when i returned and had time to explain mself clearly. I thought somehow the Spirit would soften their hardened hearts and make them amaenable to my explanations when i returned. But maybe i was just scared, maybe i was hiding behind the badge of filial piety. God has called us to even leave our fathers and mothers and family, if need be, to take up our cross and follow him, without even saying goodbye, for that is the kingdom of heaven.
When i called my mum i planned to just tell her i'm fine and hang up after maybe 10 mins...BUT somehow this time when she asked whether i was going to (catholic) church, i cldnt take it anymore. See i was provoked by this lack of trust, and in a catholic way i understand. Sunday service is like ur only obligation, and most of the time some kind of mortal pressure forces you to go for it instead of free will that God so sweetly blessed us with.
I'm not sure how or why but suddenly i told my mum i have stopped believeing the catholic church and rejected their non-bible-based beliefs. i told her in 20 mins my life-changing journey these past 3 months. i suddenly found myself trying to evangelise my mum, and mind you all these was in mandarin. I'm not sure how or why, but the Spirit gave me the power of speech, iwas actually debating critical christain fundamental beliefs with her in mandarin...when i usually slept thru chinese services in my catholic church. Terms like redemption, salvation, bloodprice ransom,no condemnation in christ, the fellacy of purgatory, infallibility of the pope just came out of my mouth in mandarin, i dunt even think i can remember how to say them in mandarin now as i type this.
My mum was a bit shaken, reacted defensively like any catholic would, but was quite open to it surprisingly. She was comforted at least i was reading the bible for myself and understanding the truth. all these 22 years she just thought i was busy. but no, if i knew God for who He really was all these years, i would never be too busy for God. I just wanna thank God for my mum's open-ness.
For the lack of time i shall end here and continue my story later on. Pray for me and my family my bruddas n sistas in Christ.Amen.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Remembrance of Sept 11
Dear friends,
let us also recall with grief how 6 years ago, a great act of madness by man had caused innumerous casualties, many families broken, friendships lost, even some to turn away from God and question his existence.
We pray that the Lord may send guidance and Wisdom upon man, that man will seek to learn from this catastrophe and learn to live with each other in peace instead of perpetuating such madness that will only result in mutual destruction everwhere.
We pray even for President G.W Bush & team, and the succeeding US presidential administrations, that they may be granted the wisdom to understand the true nature of such madness and perhaps stop the killing of so many other innoncents in their self-righteous War on Terrorism.
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
let us also recall with grief how 6 years ago, a great act of madness by man had caused innumerous casualties, many families broken, friendships lost, even some to turn away from God and question his existence.
We pray that the Lord may send guidance and Wisdom upon man, that man will seek to learn from this catastrophe and learn to live with each other in peace instead of perpetuating such madness that will only result in mutual destruction everwhere.
We pray even for President G.W Bush & team, and the succeeding US presidential administrations, that they may be granted the wisdom to understand the true nature of such madness and perhaps stop the killing of so many other innoncents in their self-righteous War on Terrorism.
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
SO sorry for my no-show!
Harlow there my beloved U2!
I'm so sorry i didn't turn up online for cell today despite the preparations....sheesh i had to settle some school admin stuff, which i didn't realise till very late...hence this very late notice and apology...boo
It kinda sux..after 3 weeks here the sch admin stuff still not fully settled yet..im also going for a tuberculosis skin test later..these people somehow still classify s'pore as a TB-prone area...lotsa education needs here man
I hope and i know you guys will still have fun at cell without me haha!
My testimonial: I'm just happy that the Lord did help Jeremy & I to soften the ground, by encouraging more people to go for sunday service, at least just to try it out (Taste & see that the Lord is good!), we didn't even have to encourage them much. SO yeah last sunday we were qte thankful that 3 seekers joined Jeremy, myself and Tingxu (wavering believer) for a party of 6 to our current favored church, Grace Church (International). Although it's non-denominational, it's probably the closest i can find to a Harvester service here haha, and i'm glad the majority of us prefer it to others in the area.
Initial Singaporean cell group
Jeremy and I are actually planning to seriously start our own singaporean cell group here, amazing that we individually prayed for it previously and it has now become almost a reality hallelujah! We're probably gonna start slow and build up a foundation through Old Testament bible study first. This is based on a system called the New Tribes Mission, where we both kinda agreed it's important to start from the right foundations of the Old Testament/covenant before we proceed to the 'sequel' of Jesus, redemtion and Revelations.
We really pray that the Lord will guide us through all these and i hope for your prayers in making this event a success, letting the Spirit convict the wavering believers and letting the Lord's love touch the hardened hearts of others. Amen.
I'm so sorry i didn't turn up online for cell today despite the preparations....sheesh i had to settle some school admin stuff, which i didn't realise till very late...hence this very late notice and apology...boo
It kinda sux..after 3 weeks here the sch admin stuff still not fully settled yet..im also going for a tuberculosis skin test later..these people somehow still classify s'pore as a TB-prone area...lotsa education needs here man
I hope and i know you guys will still have fun at cell without me haha!
My testimonial: I'm just happy that the Lord did help Jeremy & I to soften the ground, by encouraging more people to go for sunday service, at least just to try it out (Taste & see that the Lord is good!), we didn't even have to encourage them much. SO yeah last sunday we were qte thankful that 3 seekers joined Jeremy, myself and Tingxu (wavering believer) for a party of 6 to our current favored church, Grace Church (International). Although it's non-denominational, it's probably the closest i can find to a Harvester service here haha, and i'm glad the majority of us prefer it to others in the area.
Initial Singaporean cell group
Jeremy and I are actually planning to seriously start our own singaporean cell group here, amazing that we individually prayed for it previously and it has now become almost a reality hallelujah! We're probably gonna start slow and build up a foundation through Old Testament bible study first. This is based on a system called the New Tribes Mission, where we both kinda agreed it's important to start from the right foundations of the Old Testament/covenant before we proceed to the 'sequel' of Jesus, redemtion and Revelations.
We really pray that the Lord will guide us through all these and i hope for your prayers in making this event a success, letting the Spirit convict the wavering believers and letting the Lord's love touch the hardened hearts of others. Amen.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Mugathon In SMU
Hey John,
this is to dispel any rumours that both of us dont contribute to the blog. We are currently undergoing a very intensive mugathon in SMU library. All the ads u saw about SMU being the Movers and Shakers..MAking a difference.. DOnt Believe it! We are muggers!!!!!
I miss u John. YM too(ya right..)
Chit.
Heeyeee!!!!
How's everything going on your side? We are rather busy but, ya... still surviving. And we love you! Keep the flame going...
Yuenmun
Monday, September 3, 2007
The Planter's seed
My dear cell group,
Just wanted to share with you quite a great change in my life. I attended an inter-varsity worship session last thursday, and since then a little more of God's destiny for me has been revealed.
The worship session was much alike to our Saturday Youth service, except that it was not as charismatic (being a non-denominational fellowship). However, it was the first 'proper' service that i had actually managed to attend since i landed. I had tried another before that, but it was kinda methodist and very conservative, not moving at all.
So yeah the service was quite refreshing for me, just enjoying God filling up my life once again, praise & worship was great (albeit awfully short), and the sermon was very powerful. In fact, the sermon stirred up sumthing very strong in me. Through deep and intensice prayer i felt God was really calling out to me to get up and do sumthing more for His kingdom.
The message i received was that the greatest form of worship transcended denomination, human strength, thrones, powers, authorities, even human limitations. The greatest form of worship lay simply in living out our lives fully as godly men and women, so that we may be a testimony to the world, of the Lord's love and grace. However, it did not simply stop there, for no one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl. Our lives in emulation of Christ were to bring those around us to know God and to enjoy His agape love. It did not even necessitate active evangelization, for in our daily lives' sayings and doings, evangelism was already actively at work in the Spirit.
I felt so empowered with a sense of purpose, and just suddenly realised there were qte a few singaporeans around me who were seekers/doubters. And i must resolve to be the salt that encourages them to thirst for God. Amen.
Together with a christian brother i found in Jeremy (a full-time singaporean student here who has had experience leading inter-varsity cell grps), we hope to eventually bring those singaporeans around us to know God and to encourage these seekers/doubters to seek the ultimate answer, the alpha & the omega, the unchanging loving God.
Indeed i guess this revelation may shock you guys abit, and indeed i am lacking in experience and even my bible knowledge. I'm doubling up on my bible study, i implore you my brothers and sisters to pray for me, for God-given wisdom that i may find the best ways to befriend them and slowly expose them to God, for increasing fellowship with Jeremy (for whom we seem to be each other's god-sent).
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." This verse brings me alot of comfort and assurance, that though i'm a newly 'renewed' christian, that similarly i can still bring others to a mature and close walk with God. Hallelujah!
Just wanted to share with you quite a great change in my life. I attended an inter-varsity worship session last thursday, and since then a little more of God's destiny for me has been revealed.
The worship session was much alike to our Saturday Youth service, except that it was not as charismatic (being a non-denominational fellowship). However, it was the first 'proper' service that i had actually managed to attend since i landed. I had tried another before that, but it was kinda methodist and very conservative, not moving at all.
So yeah the service was quite refreshing for me, just enjoying God filling up my life once again, praise & worship was great (albeit awfully short), and the sermon was very powerful. In fact, the sermon stirred up sumthing very strong in me. Through deep and intensice prayer i felt God was really calling out to me to get up and do sumthing more for His kingdom.
The message i received was that the greatest form of worship transcended denomination, human strength, thrones, powers, authorities, even human limitations. The greatest form of worship lay simply in living out our lives fully as godly men and women, so that we may be a testimony to the world, of the Lord's love and grace. However, it did not simply stop there, for no one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl. Our lives in emulation of Christ were to bring those around us to know God and to enjoy His agape love. It did not even necessitate active evangelization, for in our daily lives' sayings and doings, evangelism was already actively at work in the Spirit.
I felt so empowered with a sense of purpose, and just suddenly realised there were qte a few singaporeans around me who were seekers/doubters. And i must resolve to be the salt that encourages them to thirst for God. Amen.
Together with a christian brother i found in Jeremy (a full-time singaporean student here who has had experience leading inter-varsity cell grps), we hope to eventually bring those singaporeans around us to know God and to encourage these seekers/doubters to seek the ultimate answer, the alpha & the omega, the unchanging loving God.
Indeed i guess this revelation may shock you guys abit, and indeed i am lacking in experience and even my bible knowledge. I'm doubling up on my bible study, i implore you my brothers and sisters to pray for me, for God-given wisdom that i may find the best ways to befriend them and slowly expose them to God, for increasing fellowship with Jeremy (for whom we seem to be each other's god-sent).
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." This verse brings me alot of comfort and assurance, that though i'm a newly 'renewed' christian, that similarly i can still bring others to a mature and close walk with God. Hallelujah!
Sunday, September 2, 2007
mooncakes motivation!
dear cell group,
i wanna share with u sth that i'm quite amazed at! recently i received a mail from a friend entitled "mooncakes". i thought 'wah, she also selling ar?' but actually she was asking me if our church is selling them again (she bought a box from me last year) and that she wants to buy. so i was very excited and sent her the forms. i just saw her reply, she ordered one box each from prima and goodwood and told me that she promoted to her aunts, so their orders might come along the way. another amazing thing is that she says her family wants to donate $50 in addition to the orders!
my jaw dropped. it was kinda unexpectedly as i have never approached her to donate any money or even asked her for the magazine donation booklet. though $50 seems small in the light of the amount we need to raise for the building, i believe it counts and it was a blessing God gave. with this though, i feel ashamed. ashamed that i have not been actively asking enough, that i have not even taken the mooncakes promotion with a sense of urgency to ask my friends and relatives. yet, God still blesses. how amazing!
so....just wanna spread this testimony and encouragement and motivation to you all! lets do this purposefully, knowing that all of it goes into building God's sanctuary :)
disclaimer: sorry i've posting so often...cant resist, and the rest, stop remaining silent readers!!!
i wanna share with u sth that i'm quite amazed at! recently i received a mail from a friend entitled "mooncakes". i thought 'wah, she also selling ar?' but actually she was asking me if our church is selling them again (she bought a box from me last year) and that she wants to buy. so i was very excited and sent her the forms. i just saw her reply, she ordered one box each from prima and goodwood and told me that she promoted to her aunts, so their orders might come along the way. another amazing thing is that she says her family wants to donate $50 in addition to the orders!
my jaw dropped. it was kinda unexpectedly as i have never approached her to donate any money or even asked her for the magazine donation booklet. though $50 seems small in the light of the amount we need to raise for the building, i believe it counts and it was a blessing God gave. with this though, i feel ashamed. ashamed that i have not been actively asking enough, that i have not even taken the mooncakes promotion with a sense of urgency to ask my friends and relatives. yet, God still blesses. how amazing!
so....just wanna spread this testimony and encouragement and motivation to you all! lets do this purposefully, knowing that all of it goes into building God's sanctuary :)
disclaimer: sorry i've posting so often...cant resist, and the rest, stop remaining silent readers!!!
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