"What are YOU looking at???" - Fluffy Khoo...Saturday, September 24, 2005
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Mini-zoo
Apparently, mom is proud of the animals we have in the house. My first reaction when they came in was that they were a nuisance and though cute, but high in maintenance. But after a while, I find these pets comforting. It's sort of like you can go to them and they will always be there. Their reactions are always consistent. Hmmm.. I think these animals are getting the best of the "soft-side" of me....
Anyway, I just thought putting their pictures up will be fun, so here they are:
This is Fluffy Khoo, queen of the house. No one supersedes her in authority. She roams her territory like a roaring Saharan lion. All the other animals are alive because she allows them to live.
This is Mr Smith. I don't even know which generation he is from. Our hamster population exploded since the day mom decided to start the hamster factory. So like the movie Matrix, Mr Smith has cloned himself so many times, that he himself doesn't know which is the original anymore. But beware, this one bites.
This is Harriet the bunny. Latest edition to our mini-zoo. I never knew you could train rabbits. Apparently, I can get this one to come to me when I call. Next on the list would be roll-overs, jumping thru a ring of fire and fixing the broken Astro dish.
This is Oreo. This wabbit came in sometime early this year. Unwanted by her previous owner, my mom, aka Dr Doo Little, took it in and gave it shelter, plus a whole lot of other benefits. At first this one had access to roam inside our house, but Fluffy wasn't too happy, so for her majesty's sake, we keep it outside now.
These are Mr Smiths in production. Soon, it will grow and will start their conquest to take over the world. Our hamster factory seems to have a very high efficiency rate.
This is Mr Smith's neighbor, Mrs Smith. Apparently, you can't put them together once Mrs Smith have kids. Mrs Smith turns quite defensive and violent...
All in all, I give names like Dr Doo Little and Noah to mom. Taking care of all these animals is tedious and sometimes tiring. But it brings mom relief, and when the house is empty, these pets becomes my chat buddies...
Anyway, I just thought putting their pictures up will be fun, so here they are:
This is Fluffy Khoo, queen of the house. No one supersedes her in authority. She roams her territory like a roaring Saharan lion. All the other animals are alive because she allows them to live.
This is Mr Smith. I don't even know which generation he is from. Our hamster population exploded since the day mom decided to start the hamster factory. So like the movie Matrix, Mr Smith has cloned himself so many times, that he himself doesn't know which is the original anymore. But beware, this one bites.
This is Harriet the bunny. Latest edition to our mini-zoo. I never knew you could train rabbits. Apparently, I can get this one to come to me when I call. Next on the list would be roll-overs, jumping thru a ring of fire and fixing the broken Astro dish.
This is Oreo. This wabbit came in sometime early this year. Unwanted by her previous owner, my mom, aka Dr Doo Little, took it in and gave it shelter, plus a whole lot of other benefits. At first this one had access to roam inside our house, but Fluffy wasn't too happy, so for her majesty's sake, we keep it outside now.
These are Mr Smiths in production. Soon, it will grow and will start their conquest to take over the world. Our hamster factory seems to have a very high efficiency rate.
This is Mr Smith's neighbor, Mrs Smith. Apparently, you can't put them together once Mrs Smith have kids. Mrs Smith turns quite defensive and violent...All in all, I give names like Dr Doo Little and Noah to mom. Taking care of all these animals is tedious and sometimes tiring. But it brings mom relief, and when the house is empty, these pets becomes my chat buddies...
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Second Chances - Second Posting...
There are some things in life, in which once its done, its done. No turning back, no more "I wish I had... " We just count our losses, and move on. And yet, there are some things there are not so easy to let go, forget, and move on...
These are the things that constantly haunts us. These are the things that propogates and echoes the resounding "I wish I had.." longings in our hearts. I wish I had. I wish I had.
From where I stand, I wish I had been a kinder person. I wish I had more humility in me. I wish had more love. Memories of the past comes to remind me. Words that I've spoken, I wish I could've taken it back. People that I've hurt, I wished I could've told them I'm sorry. People that I've neglected, I wished I could have loved them more. Relationships that I've screwed up, I wish I could have a second chance to make things right. Have I repented? I don't know. I know I need to. I can't promise myself that I won't repeat this foolishness.
Driving to work today, these thoughts ran in my head. As the faces of these people that I've hurt flashed in my mind, tears streamed down my face. I cried out, "Lord, I'm sorry... I'm sorry. Please give me one more chance. Please help me make it right. Please help me."
Then came silence. Stillness filled the car eventhough motion was everywhere. Peace came, and out of the quietness of the moment, God spoke. But there were no comprehensible words. Not audibly, nor in my thoughts. But I understood it. Words that goes beyond human expression. It brought relief as my chest stopped hurting.
I reached my work place. I wiped my face dry. God has spoken. And I know, that I've been already given a second chance, if not third, fourth, fifth...
These are the things that constantly haunts us. These are the things that propogates and echoes the resounding "I wish I had.." longings in our hearts. I wish I had. I wish I had.
From where I stand, I wish I had been a kinder person. I wish I had more humility in me. I wish had more love. Memories of the past comes to remind me. Words that I've spoken, I wish I could've taken it back. People that I've hurt, I wished I could've told them I'm sorry. People that I've neglected, I wished I could have loved them more. Relationships that I've screwed up, I wish I could have a second chance to make things right. Have I repented? I don't know. I know I need to. I can't promise myself that I won't repeat this foolishness.
Driving to work today, these thoughts ran in my head. As the faces of these people that I've hurt flashed in my mind, tears streamed down my face. I cried out, "Lord, I'm sorry... I'm sorry. Please give me one more chance. Please help me make it right. Please help me."
Then came silence. Stillness filled the car eventhough motion was everywhere. Peace came, and out of the quietness of the moment, God spoke. But there were no comprehensible words. Not audibly, nor in my thoughts. But I understood it. Words that goes beyond human expression. It brought relief as my chest stopped hurting.
I reached my work place. I wiped my face dry. God has spoken. And I know, that I've been already given a second chance, if not third, fourth, fifth...
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Second Chances
I visited Chun Yian yesterday in the hospital after receiving a SMS from his uncle (Lawrence). Apparently, Chun Yian's car lost control while he was heading home to change his clothes for a wedding that he was attending and of all the places, he lost control while on a flyover. His car hit and broke thru the barricade, defied gravity for a brief moment before landing on the road below. It's a good thing he was driving his Benz. Can't imagine how it would be if it was a Proton or something else.
Seeing him on the hospital bed with his right part of his face swollen, I was relieved that he could at least talk, and more because the hospital told him that from the initial X-Rays and diagnosis that he suffered no major concussions, nor any broken bones. His parents came in later, and they filled us (me and Vai Seng) with the rest of the accident details. The Benz was totalled, and the stuff of in his car was apparently stolen by the tow-truck drivers. But yet, all in all, we were all glad that Chun Yian's alive.
Driving home from the hospital, the scene from the "Dukes of Hazards" kept flashing in my mind. I keep seeing a car flying in mid-air. Then later came the flying bus scene from "Speed". However, a thought from all these kept resounding in my head: "Second Chances".
I told Chun Yian that what he had today was a second chance. Though recovering from pain of bruises and cuts, yet, there's probably the unspoken sense of joy that's ringing in his heart because he's alive. I bet like from the movie "Fight Club", his breakfast today would taste more glorious than any of our breakfast we've ever had in our lives. Why? Because he's just received a second chance.
And I ask myself, how many times have I been given second chances, and yet screw everyone of them. I look back right now and wished so hard that I could have undo what I've done, and unsay what I've said. From broken relationships to bad financial choices, God has been gracious to me by giving me second chances. And yet, I question myself, am I grateful? Did I learn something from these events?
I guess second chance is a gift from God. He knows we will screw up. And we prove Him right. Everyday. But I pray that we use second chances to redeem ourselves, not to go screw it up one more time.
Seeing him on the hospital bed with his right part of his face swollen, I was relieved that he could at least talk, and more because the hospital told him that from the initial X-Rays and diagnosis that he suffered no major concussions, nor any broken bones. His parents came in later, and they filled us (me and Vai Seng) with the rest of the accident details. The Benz was totalled, and the stuff of in his car was apparently stolen by the tow-truck drivers. But yet, all in all, we were all glad that Chun Yian's alive.
Driving home from the hospital, the scene from the "Dukes of Hazards" kept flashing in my mind. I keep seeing a car flying in mid-air. Then later came the flying bus scene from "Speed". However, a thought from all these kept resounding in my head: "Second Chances".
I told Chun Yian that what he had today was a second chance. Though recovering from pain of bruises and cuts, yet, there's probably the unspoken sense of joy that's ringing in his heart because he's alive. I bet like from the movie "Fight Club", his breakfast today would taste more glorious than any of our breakfast we've ever had in our lives. Why? Because he's just received a second chance.
And I ask myself, how many times have I been given second chances, and yet screw everyone of them. I look back right now and wished so hard that I could have undo what I've done, and unsay what I've said. From broken relationships to bad financial choices, God has been gracious to me by giving me second chances. And yet, I question myself, am I grateful? Did I learn something from these events?
I guess second chance is a gift from God. He knows we will screw up. And we prove Him right. Everyday. But I pray that we use second chances to redeem ourselves, not to go screw it up one more time.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Giving our all...
"Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God." When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened." - Acts of The Apostles 5:3-5
Taking a look at this verse, often the first thing that comes to our mind when we try to reason out why Ananias dies in that manner was because he lied to the Holy Spirit. And indeed, it was true. However, was his sin so terrible that he deserved instant death?
What was his lie? Peter emphasized that first of all, Ananias had very little reason to lie. He told Ananias that no one expected of him to give everything. He owned that very land, and giving of profits from the land that was sold was solely voluntary. There was no set standard, nor any expectation of giving.
However, I could imagine a little of what might have taken place... My guess would be that Ananias had sort of imposed that standard upon himself, in the sense that he didn't want others to think that he was a cheapskate, nor any 'less' of a believer because he didn't give his all. He wanted to portray himself as an all out Christian who would give everything for the sake of the gospel. Eventually, his act of giving, which was supposed to be a result of conviction, took its motivation from pride. And this pride cost his life, and the life of his wife.
I wonder how many of us realize that week after week when we attend church, we commit the very same sin that Ananias committed. The songs that we sing, the prayers that we pray, the commitments that we make and the offerings that we give. Worship songs today seems to move closer and closer to the trend of intimacy with God. From songs such as "This is my desire" to "Jesus Lover of my soul" and so on, we sing this songs, and yet, how often are we sincerely moved in our hearts? We respond to altar calls and pulpit invitations to recommitments and repentance, but never seem to carry those proclamation out of church with us. It is amazing that we can still find ourselves alive. Our attitude should have brought forth the wrath of God because indeed, we are not sinning to men, but to the Holy Spirit.
But I believe that God is merciful, and He desires that none perish, but all come to repentance. Indeed, this is the year of God's favor, and He in His grace and mercy are allowing us to learn. However, time and tide waits for no men, and soon enough, His judgement will return.
My conviction? Don't sing if I don't mean it. I pray that I will not succumb to other's view of my walk with God. It's better to be cold than luke warm. More than that, I'm asking God to show me my heart. I'm asking Him to teach me about sincerity, towards Him as well as others.
Am I a faker? I guess to some extend, I am. But I thank God that He is showing mercy to me by not allowing me to fall down dead. And better than that, He's teaching me how to repent and move towards Him.
"Lord Jesus, thank You."
Taking a look at this verse, often the first thing that comes to our mind when we try to reason out why Ananias dies in that manner was because he lied to the Holy Spirit. And indeed, it was true. However, was his sin so terrible that he deserved instant death?
What was his lie? Peter emphasized that first of all, Ananias had very little reason to lie. He told Ananias that no one expected of him to give everything. He owned that very land, and giving of profits from the land that was sold was solely voluntary. There was no set standard, nor any expectation of giving.
However, I could imagine a little of what might have taken place... My guess would be that Ananias had sort of imposed that standard upon himself, in the sense that he didn't want others to think that he was a cheapskate, nor any 'less' of a believer because he didn't give his all. He wanted to portray himself as an all out Christian who would give everything for the sake of the gospel. Eventually, his act of giving, which was supposed to be a result of conviction, took its motivation from pride. And this pride cost his life, and the life of his wife.
I wonder how many of us realize that week after week when we attend church, we commit the very same sin that Ananias committed. The songs that we sing, the prayers that we pray, the commitments that we make and the offerings that we give. Worship songs today seems to move closer and closer to the trend of intimacy with God. From songs such as "This is my desire" to "Jesus Lover of my soul" and so on, we sing this songs, and yet, how often are we sincerely moved in our hearts? We respond to altar calls and pulpit invitations to recommitments and repentance, but never seem to carry those proclamation out of church with us. It is amazing that we can still find ourselves alive. Our attitude should have brought forth the wrath of God because indeed, we are not sinning to men, but to the Holy Spirit.
But I believe that God is merciful, and He desires that none perish, but all come to repentance. Indeed, this is the year of God's favor, and He in His grace and mercy are allowing us to learn. However, time and tide waits for no men, and soon enough, His judgement will return.
My conviction? Don't sing if I don't mean it. I pray that I will not succumb to other's view of my walk with God. It's better to be cold than luke warm. More than that, I'm asking God to show me my heart. I'm asking Him to teach me about sincerity, towards Him as well as others.
Am I a faker? I guess to some extend, I am. But I thank God that He is showing mercy to me by not allowing me to fall down dead. And better than that, He's teaching me how to repent and move towards Him.
"Lord Jesus, thank You."
Monday, September 12, 2005
A dream
Pastor Benny Ho in one of his message series titled "The Parables of Jesus" ended with this illustration which touched my heart and literally brought my heart to its knees. He starts with him describing himself in a dream, where he found himself standing in front of the Pearly Gates. There, an angel greeted him, and welcomed him to the '72nd' level of heaven. Surprised, he asked the angels about these 'levels' and the angel told him that there are 77 levels in heaven, and for him to reach Level 72 was a good achievement already. However, when the angel was flipping thru his records, he paused and said, "Ermmm, there seem to be a slight problem here, let me look into it, and I'll be right back with you."
Pastor Benny then began to worry a little about that slight problem and start to enquire the angel about it. The angel reassured him that it's only a slight issue, and he need not worry about it, but that wasn't enough for Pastor Benny. He continue to plead with the angel, but the angel was leaving anyway to go 'settle' this issue and Pastor Benny grabbed onto him, pleading for the angel to reveal what the issue was. The angel then told him, "Just wait, and I'll be back." Left with no choice, Pastor Benny let the angel go. The angel then went ahead and dissapeared.
For the next 30 minutes or so, Pastor Benny was in a frantic state, trying to figure out what could the slight problem be, and soon enough, the angel returned. Hurriedly, he asked the angel. The angel then said to him: "It seems that you've actually accomplished much in your life on earth. You not only preached many sermons, but you've also written books, produced CDs and so on. But it also seems that because of your busy schedule that you could find time to pray for 20 minutes a day. And with that amount, it's amazing that you've even reached Level 72.
Pastor Benny then was beginning to sweat when he heard that as he begin to realize what was said was true, and he didn't know that it was such a 'big' issue then. But the angel continued and say, "However, you are truly blessed because your short prayer time was dramtically compensated by the people who knew you, and kept you in their prayers regularly. These people not only supported your ministry, but covered you in their prayers constantly. And with their prayers, you've made it to where you are today."
In tears, Pastor Benny was then reminded of all these people. They were the old ladies who never said much in church, but yet spoke so much in their prayer closet. They were the one time strangers that he met in various meetings, with people who believe enough to pray for him. They were his church members who even in their lack of professional theological training, and yet were faithful enough to lift him up daily in prayer. And they were his family, his wife, sons and daughters who constantly remembered him in prayer when he's away to speak at various events.
He suddenly realized that he could never have gotten to where he was if everything was dependent on his own effort. It was the support and prayers of the people that God has placed in his life, that made it possible. And with this, he was humbled.
He then asked the angel, is there anything that I can do to thank all these intercessors and faithful prayer warrior? The angel looked at him and smiled, saying, "Don't worry, when they come here, they will arrive at Level 76..."
"Lord Jesus, I ask of You today to humble me to the point that I consider all my talents, giftings, abilities and skills to be nothing before You, for it was Your mercy that allowed to even live this very life that I have. I ask that may I in everything that I do, do it as an offering to You. And Lord, may I not belittle the people around me. May I not consider myself more highly than them, for I know of aunties and uncles who may not sing very well, know much about computers or even speak very good English, but yet, they are faithful to the little things that You've called them to. Humble me Lord. Open my eyes to see You working in the life others. Teach me how to receive wisdom from others. With this Lord, I commit everything onto You. In Jesus' name I ask and pray, Amen."
Pastor Benny then began to worry a little about that slight problem and start to enquire the angel about it. The angel reassured him that it's only a slight issue, and he need not worry about it, but that wasn't enough for Pastor Benny. He continue to plead with the angel, but the angel was leaving anyway to go 'settle' this issue and Pastor Benny grabbed onto him, pleading for the angel to reveal what the issue was. The angel then told him, "Just wait, and I'll be back." Left with no choice, Pastor Benny let the angel go. The angel then went ahead and dissapeared.
For the next 30 minutes or so, Pastor Benny was in a frantic state, trying to figure out what could the slight problem be, and soon enough, the angel returned. Hurriedly, he asked the angel. The angel then said to him: "It seems that you've actually accomplished much in your life on earth. You not only preached many sermons, but you've also written books, produced CDs and so on. But it also seems that because of your busy schedule that you could find time to pray for 20 minutes a day. And with that amount, it's amazing that you've even reached Level 72.
Pastor Benny then was beginning to sweat when he heard that as he begin to realize what was said was true, and he didn't know that it was such a 'big' issue then. But the angel continued and say, "However, you are truly blessed because your short prayer time was dramtically compensated by the people who knew you, and kept you in their prayers regularly. These people not only supported your ministry, but covered you in their prayers constantly. And with their prayers, you've made it to where you are today."
In tears, Pastor Benny was then reminded of all these people. They were the old ladies who never said much in church, but yet spoke so much in their prayer closet. They were the one time strangers that he met in various meetings, with people who believe enough to pray for him. They were his church members who even in their lack of professional theological training, and yet were faithful enough to lift him up daily in prayer. And they were his family, his wife, sons and daughters who constantly remembered him in prayer when he's away to speak at various events.
He suddenly realized that he could never have gotten to where he was if everything was dependent on his own effort. It was the support and prayers of the people that God has placed in his life, that made it possible. And with this, he was humbled.
He then asked the angel, is there anything that I can do to thank all these intercessors and faithful prayer warrior? The angel looked at him and smiled, saying, "Don't worry, when they come here, they will arrive at Level 76..."
"Lord Jesus, I ask of You today to humble me to the point that I consider all my talents, giftings, abilities and skills to be nothing before You, for it was Your mercy that allowed to even live this very life that I have. I ask that may I in everything that I do, do it as an offering to You. And Lord, may I not belittle the people around me. May I not consider myself more highly than them, for I know of aunties and uncles who may not sing very well, know much about computers or even speak very good English, but yet, they are faithful to the little things that You've called them to. Humble me Lord. Open my eyes to see You working in the life others. Teach me how to receive wisdom from others. With this Lord, I commit everything onto You. In Jesus' name I ask and pray, Amen."
Sunday, September 11, 2005
9/11
4 years have come and gone since the towers fell. Even so, I recalled the events of that dreadful day so vividly. I remembered I was at work when it happened, when news of a plane crash was broadcast over the radio. Me and my colleagues didn't pay much attention to it and until when we heard that a second plane had crashed into the other tower. We rushed over to the break room's TV, and there on CNN, reporters were showing us how the both the towers were on fire. Suddenly, one of the towers was engulfed with smoke and dust, and later, reports came in to confirm that the tower has collapsed. And a few moments later, the other tower followed with the same fate.
I recalled standing there in horror. It was only 4 months ago when I was 'touring' New York with my parents. And not too long later, news came stating that these atrocities were carried out by terrorists. Speechless, my mind was confused on what was really happening. All I remembered at that point of time was I needed to make sure that my buddy Vai Seng was doing ok. Vai Seng had left Lincoln for NYC in hope of getting a job there and all. And I knew he was somewhere in the city. Francticlly, I tried dialing his number but the lines were busy. It seemed that I'm among the other few million people trying to call in to that island. Suddenly, after trying for a few times, a dialing tone! I got thru, and better than that, Vai Seng picked up the phone to tell me that he was doing ok. There was never a greater sense of relief.
In days to come, I stuck to the news like glue, trying to find some resolution in all this chaos. Clips of the plane flying into the towers were played over and over again over the news. Funerals and memorial services of victims, firemen, policemen and other rescuers who lost their lives were covered in detail by the networks. TV shows such as 'The Night Show with Jay Leno' and other comedy based productions were halted at least for a couple weeks as I guess it's kinda hard to joke in times like these. And in months to come, we were to hear stories of war in Afghanistan, Iraq, and not only that, of more bombings in Spain, Bali, Jakarta, and recently, in London.
What have these 4 years accomplished? Not much. Many still live in fear. Osama is still somewhere around plotting to strike again. If the bombers don't come, then there's the force of nature that we gotta reckon with. By now, Katrina would have taken away few thousand lives. The tsunami in Acheh wiped out more than 300,000 lives in Dec of 2004. And there are also the less covered tragedies in Russia, Philipines, and so on.
For the days that are coming, many of us are wishing to see peace and prosperity to flourish in the world. And yet, in the back of our mind, that seems quite impossible. With fuel prices rising like bread with yeast, and with war so likely to happen, most of us try to find the sense of security either by keeping ourselves busy with our work so that we don't think too much of these things, or by thinking 'less seriously' about the outcome of the events.
All I know is that we can only find security in Jesus. He still remains the peace that's able to take us thru the next calamity. With news flooding in everyday with reports that trouble my soul, Jesus shines out with such peace and calmness and reminds me that all I need is Him.
What's to come? I don't know. I wished the world was a little more predictable.But it's not. And maybe, that's a good thing, for if it was, then I would have trusted in 'that' security. God help us all...
I recalled standing there in horror. It was only 4 months ago when I was 'touring' New York with my parents. And not too long later, news came stating that these atrocities were carried out by terrorists. Speechless, my mind was confused on what was really happening. All I remembered at that point of time was I needed to make sure that my buddy Vai Seng was doing ok. Vai Seng had left Lincoln for NYC in hope of getting a job there and all. And I knew he was somewhere in the city. Francticlly, I tried dialing his number but the lines were busy. It seemed that I'm among the other few million people trying to call in to that island. Suddenly, after trying for a few times, a dialing tone! I got thru, and better than that, Vai Seng picked up the phone to tell me that he was doing ok. There was never a greater sense of relief.
In days to come, I stuck to the news like glue, trying to find some resolution in all this chaos. Clips of the plane flying into the towers were played over and over again over the news. Funerals and memorial services of victims, firemen, policemen and other rescuers who lost their lives were covered in detail by the networks. TV shows such as 'The Night Show with Jay Leno' and other comedy based productions were halted at least for a couple weeks as I guess it's kinda hard to joke in times like these. And in months to come, we were to hear stories of war in Afghanistan, Iraq, and not only that, of more bombings in Spain, Bali, Jakarta, and recently, in London.
What have these 4 years accomplished? Not much. Many still live in fear. Osama is still somewhere around plotting to strike again. If the bombers don't come, then there's the force of nature that we gotta reckon with. By now, Katrina would have taken away few thousand lives. The tsunami in Acheh wiped out more than 300,000 lives in Dec of 2004. And there are also the less covered tragedies in Russia, Philipines, and so on.
For the days that are coming, many of us are wishing to see peace and prosperity to flourish in the world. And yet, in the back of our mind, that seems quite impossible. With fuel prices rising like bread with yeast, and with war so likely to happen, most of us try to find the sense of security either by keeping ourselves busy with our work so that we don't think too much of these things, or by thinking 'less seriously' about the outcome of the events.
All I know is that we can only find security in Jesus. He still remains the peace that's able to take us thru the next calamity. With news flooding in everyday with reports that trouble my soul, Jesus shines out with such peace and calmness and reminds me that all I need is Him.
What's to come? I don't know. I wished the world was a little more predictable.But it's not. And maybe, that's a good thing, for if it was, then I would have trusted in 'that' security. God help us all...
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Ever So Gently
Ever so gently
Ever so gently, Your Spirit calls, to all who hear
Ever so gently, the sound of your voice, quiet yet clear
Day and night, to the ends of the earth
The skies pour forth speech
There’s no place, Your voice isn’t heard
Your patience astounds me
Your voice is the sweetest of sounds
it’s the purest of life giving rain
Your voice is the calm in the storm
it’s the whisper of love that remains . . . .
Ever so gently, I hear Your voice, pulling me near
Ever so gently, Your word of life, stronger than fear
If I turn away from your heart
to hide in my shame
You speak truth in love’s patient way
Your gentleness breaks me
Brian Doerksen & Cindy Rethmeier
©2000 Vineyard Songs Canada
Ever so gently, Your Spirit calls, to all who hear
Ever so gently, the sound of your voice, quiet yet clear
Day and night, to the ends of the earth
The skies pour forth speech
There’s no place, Your voice isn’t heard
Your patience astounds me
Your voice is the sweetest of sounds
it’s the purest of life giving rain
Your voice is the calm in the storm
it’s the whisper of love that remains . . . .
Ever so gently, I hear Your voice, pulling me near
Ever so gently, Your word of life, stronger than fear
If I turn away from your heart
to hide in my shame
You speak truth in love’s patient way
Your gentleness breaks me
Brian Doerksen & Cindy Rethmeier
©2000 Vineyard Songs Canada
Friday, September 09, 2005
"Surrender"
Surrender
Written by Marc James
I'm giving you all my heart, and all that is within
I lay it all down for the sake of you my King
I'm giving you my dreams, I'm laying down my rights
I'm giving up my pride for the promise of new life
(chorus)
And I surr-ender all to you, all to you
And I surr-ender all to you, all to you
I'm singing you this song, I'm singing at the cross
And all the world holds dear, I count it all as loss
For the sake of knowing you the glory of your name
To know the lasting joy even sharing in your pain
© 2000 Vineyard Songs (UK/Eire)
Album: Surrender/Vineyard
Written by Marc James
I'm giving you all my heart, and all that is within
I lay it all down for the sake of you my King
I'm giving you my dreams, I'm laying down my rights
I'm giving up my pride for the promise of new life
(chorus)
And I surr-ender all to you, all to you
And I surr-ender all to you, all to you
I'm singing you this song, I'm singing at the cross
And all the world holds dear, I count it all as loss
For the sake of knowing you the glory of your name
To know the lasting joy even sharing in your pain
© 2000 Vineyard Songs (UK/Eire)
Album: Surrender/Vineyard
Meaning of Life
Something I wrote a year ago....
Meaning of Life...
What does life promise? Seeing all the things that we have in the world, we often question the “goodness” of life. We ask questions such as “what is the point?” or “what good will come out of this?”, and time and time again, we are left unanswered, only to be posed with even more similar questions. At least that’s one thing that life definitely promises, a constant and perpetual cycle of endless uncertainties and that is the truth; at least in our eyes, is the only thing that we can certain about.
I on my part keep seeing my own peers from time to time chasing after what Solomon calls “the things of this world”, and for some of them, it even seem to them that these things are the only things that are worth running after for. Yes, we know what the things of the world are, and even sometimes, the secular world tells us to not run after these things as they often only promise insatiable fulfillment, which in most times leaves you in even a worse state than before. But yet, we keep running, we keep chasing, we keep telling ourselves that it would be different this time, only to be left hanging again after we’ve reached there.
The “good” part of the world tells us that we need stop and smell the roses sometimes. It reminds us about family values and about friendship and the other “good” things of life. Well that remains true, but it’s only half true, cause often we’ve heard, if not experience the dark side when we put all these things first. We’ve heard stories of how a son, because of the father’s own expectations for his life, gave up his own dreams and desires so that he can fulfill his father’s dream for him. Or on a darker note, we’ve come to know how a father betrays his children by raping or abusing them physically and mentally. We’ve probably also experienced the sadness when our friends, if not best friends betray our trust, by revealing some things that we thought was supposed to be only shared between 2 people, and to some, not meeting the expectations of what we’ve presupposed “best friends” to be. Thus, we’ve come back to square one, only to be left without any answers or any hope of what this life is supposed to be.
Some parties keep telling us to not take life for granted, that having food on the table means that we are enjoying what maybe the 2/3 of the world would consider a privilege. That having a roof over our heads means that we are better off than the 3 million people who are suffering in tents in Sudan or Palestine. So, are we supposed to keep reminding ourselves that just because there are some poorer people in the world that we are not allowed to complain about our present condition? What nonsense, because just as there are poorer people, there are also richer neighbors, in-laws or other family members who we know with all our hearts that we complain way less than them. And while they are talking about the color of their yacht or the Roman pillars they would like to decorate their houses with, we are only asking for a steady pay, an understanding employer who would appreciate his or her employee or maybe just a chance to experience the “good” things in life.
Where then do we stop? Or maybe the more accurate question would be where then do we start? Why is it that we keep living a life that causes us to long for only things that we don’t have? Why is it that we would never consider our present condition good enough, or better yet, perfect? So then comes the question that philosophers have asked for thousands of years, “What is the meaning of life?”
When I look back in history, I see great people who have changed the course of mankind, some for the better, and some, unfortunately, for the worse. People like Louis Pasteur, who invented the Penicillin has managed to allow thousands, if not millions people to avoid the need to suffer the ill effects of flu or other mild sicknesses. When I read about the founding fathers of America, I’m encouraged by their nobleness, that they were willing to remain true to what they believe, a nation that would continue to preach freedom, even when they had an opportunity to construct a government that could benefit them and make themselves powerful. But I also read of people like Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini, that in their rise to power, turn what could be good into great evil, causing the unnecessary death of millions and the destruction of their own governments and people. But the question that keeps ringing in my head asks, “what is the point?” What mattered of Pasteur’s contribution or George Washington’s nobleness if the world ended in say one year from now? If at the end of life’s journey is only nothingness, what is the point then of doing anything, whether “good” or “evil’? Would we consider Mother Theresa’s sacrifice, of giving her entire life to bring hope to the children in Calcutta a waste if a meteorite the size of Jupiter rammed into earth and destroyed everything? Would it matter if Hitler killed 6 million people in his reign of 4 years? This is what nothingness promise: hopelessness. If life promises only the things that we can see, then the hedonists should be our king, as their belief of “enjoying life what it lasts” would be the only worthwhile thing to do in our living years. Therefore we should work with all our hearts so that we can afford to indulge ourselves in the pleasures of life. Family values are only important if they bring happiness to us. Life should only be protected if it is convenient. There is no such thing as right or wrong, as what is important is “now” and let the future take care of itself. We should protect the environment, only if it can promise us a more beautiful vacationing venue in the future. We should only be friends with those who are willing to be our friends, and of course, only if it is convenient. Sex should be the ultimate aim in our life, and it should serve us, thus it not who we share it with, but rather, we need to make the best of every “opportunity” that we have because “opportunity waits for no men”. Marriage, hah, of course, is so that we can show the world how noble we are that we are willing to share our lives with only one person in the whole world, and the one day that we spend during the wedding ritual should suffice. After that, it’s every man for their own….
Sad isn’t it? And sadder still because what I’ve just describe has truth in it, because from the news that we read in papers and hear on the TV undeniably reveals that. “But we are not crooks!” Of course you are not, compared to Hitler, Stalin, and Manson. In the eyes of our own, we are only doing things that we “deem” best for that situation, and time after time, we would have the perfect reason to justify it.
So we come back again to the question “what is the point?” The way I see it, if nothing is eternal, in which I’m pretty confident that this world is one of them, lets then get busy choosing our hedonistic king. But rest assured, that in fact, there is one thing that is eternal, and lo and behold, its no other than God. “God? Bah… give me something else” Something else? You mean someone else? Well, the truth is, there is no one else. There is no one else who can give us hope. Let me introduce this God to you. His name, well, is God. I’m not quite sure if He has a last name, or whether it is His first name, but I’m pretty sure He has plenty of other names, such as Lord, Almighty, The Great I am, and so on. The good news is that this Almighty God is a “good” God. Why is this good news you say? Well, it would be bad news if this God was an “evil” God. Now, this is a very important point. Because it He was an evil God, then we would be back at square one. However, it’s good news because He is a “good” God. In fact, there’s no other that’s as good as him. There’s no other like Him. And the best part is that, He’s on our side. He is for us, and He is with us.
I know some of you who are reading this are probably going “Hmmph! That’s the best you got?” Well, the truth is there is more. Deep inside our soul, there’s always the longing for the “perfect” situation, meaning that “life is NOT supposed to be this way!” For some reason, is as though there is this “standard” that is built in us telling us that suffering, hurt, sickness, sadness, depression, and we would coin as evil is not “supposed” to be. Why is that? Why is it that we keep telling ourselves that “life can be better than this”? Why is it that for some of us, we continue to remain stubborn, not wanting to accept the fact that that’s all life has to offer. It seems that life holds something greater and much more beautiful than what we can see with our earthly eyes. Well, the good news is that this is because the bible says that we are created in the image of God. This means that we were formed by Him, and when He made us, he instilled a little of Himself in us, giving us a “sense” of His ways and attributes. He gave us a conscience, so that when we see injustice, we would shudder in our soul, and when we see evil, we would desire for justice.
But our human race has gotten to the stage that we are trying to “overwrite” that built-in program. It’s as though we are trying to rewrite the truth table in our mental circuits, that when we see something evil, we would say that it is good, and when we see something good, we will call it evil. Some theologists call this “deception”, which means that we are trying to deceive ourselves. The apostle Paul mentioned in his letters to the Romans that it is “the searing” of the conscience, so that they would be able to overcome what they felt. Society, thru the influencing of the media has come where there is no more such thing as good or evil. Abortion, homosexual marriages, adultery is considered as a “norm” these days, and if you’re still questioning these issues, it shows that you’re “outdated” or “backward” or worse “prejudice”. What if in 5 years time, murder would be also considered as a “norm”, just as long as we have enough reason to justify it. What if nations begin to legalize marriages between human and animals or anything else they can imagine? What if there’s no such thing as rape? What if animal’s lives are place as equal with lives of humans? What if there’s no such thing as God – wait, I think that’s already done…
The issue here is that there needs to be a foundation for all things. If we own houses that are not properly fixed to the ground, then every time when the wind blows, we would have a different address, or every time when somebody plays a prank and move our houses in the night to a different location, we would have to figure out which state we are in. But God has laid the foundation of this earth, and with that, He instilled what we would call today “order”. When He designed the cosmos, He made sure that the earth would not be too far way from the Sun, or else all life would cease, not being too close to it, or all of His creation would burn up. He made sure that the earth would orbit the sun in such a way that there would be 4 seasons for some, and while others would enjoy the hot or the cold the place could offer. He looked into the details of creating ground that could bear food for us so that we do not have to create food on our own, that we would only need to work the ground, and then would be able to enjoy its return. But of course, there’s also the dark side of His creation, at least in our own eyes. Earthquakes, storms, tornados, drought, famine, wars, human being’s shortcomings are all part of His perfect plan. He never intended for human beings to fall, but He definitely did not abandon us when we fell. He gave the law to us so that we might be able to see that we need Him, not so that we can be independent of Him.
Without God, there’s no hope. And without hope, there’s no point of anything. Everything is just a spur of the moment. However, there’s a God, and because of that, there’s hope. And with hope bring meaning to the things that we fight for, to the people that we love and protect and cherish, to the ideals that we strive for, and definitely to the dreams and desires that God have given us, knowing that one day, all these will be fulfilled in the life to come, if not now. God is calling us to love Him, He is calling us to turn back to Him, to give Him a chance to love us back by being able to walk with us, talk to us, and even be in love with us. What’s your point of doing things in this life? What are your aspirations? What are your dreams and desires? God is calling us back to him so that He can fulfill all that He has given us – that perfection that causes to long and desire for what remains unseen.
The meaning of life – well, get to know God, and you shall soon find out.
Kah-Kheng
August 15, 2004
1:08pm
Starbucks – Midvalley Shopping Mall, Malaysia.
Meaning of Life...
What does life promise? Seeing all the things that we have in the world, we often question the “goodness” of life. We ask questions such as “what is the point?” or “what good will come out of this?”, and time and time again, we are left unanswered, only to be posed with even more similar questions. At least that’s one thing that life definitely promises, a constant and perpetual cycle of endless uncertainties and that is the truth; at least in our eyes, is the only thing that we can certain about.
I on my part keep seeing my own peers from time to time chasing after what Solomon calls “the things of this world”, and for some of them, it even seem to them that these things are the only things that are worth running after for. Yes, we know what the things of the world are, and even sometimes, the secular world tells us to not run after these things as they often only promise insatiable fulfillment, which in most times leaves you in even a worse state than before. But yet, we keep running, we keep chasing, we keep telling ourselves that it would be different this time, only to be left hanging again after we’ve reached there.
The “good” part of the world tells us that we need stop and smell the roses sometimes. It reminds us about family values and about friendship and the other “good” things of life. Well that remains true, but it’s only half true, cause often we’ve heard, if not experience the dark side when we put all these things first. We’ve heard stories of how a son, because of the father’s own expectations for his life, gave up his own dreams and desires so that he can fulfill his father’s dream for him. Or on a darker note, we’ve come to know how a father betrays his children by raping or abusing them physically and mentally. We’ve probably also experienced the sadness when our friends, if not best friends betray our trust, by revealing some things that we thought was supposed to be only shared between 2 people, and to some, not meeting the expectations of what we’ve presupposed “best friends” to be. Thus, we’ve come back to square one, only to be left without any answers or any hope of what this life is supposed to be.
Some parties keep telling us to not take life for granted, that having food on the table means that we are enjoying what maybe the 2/3 of the world would consider a privilege. That having a roof over our heads means that we are better off than the 3 million people who are suffering in tents in Sudan or Palestine. So, are we supposed to keep reminding ourselves that just because there are some poorer people in the world that we are not allowed to complain about our present condition? What nonsense, because just as there are poorer people, there are also richer neighbors, in-laws or other family members who we know with all our hearts that we complain way less than them. And while they are talking about the color of their yacht or the Roman pillars they would like to decorate their houses with, we are only asking for a steady pay, an understanding employer who would appreciate his or her employee or maybe just a chance to experience the “good” things in life.
Where then do we stop? Or maybe the more accurate question would be where then do we start? Why is it that we keep living a life that causes us to long for only things that we don’t have? Why is it that we would never consider our present condition good enough, or better yet, perfect? So then comes the question that philosophers have asked for thousands of years, “What is the meaning of life?”
When I look back in history, I see great people who have changed the course of mankind, some for the better, and some, unfortunately, for the worse. People like Louis Pasteur, who invented the Penicillin has managed to allow thousands, if not millions people to avoid the need to suffer the ill effects of flu or other mild sicknesses. When I read about the founding fathers of America, I’m encouraged by their nobleness, that they were willing to remain true to what they believe, a nation that would continue to preach freedom, even when they had an opportunity to construct a government that could benefit them and make themselves powerful. But I also read of people like Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini, that in their rise to power, turn what could be good into great evil, causing the unnecessary death of millions and the destruction of their own governments and people. But the question that keeps ringing in my head asks, “what is the point?” What mattered of Pasteur’s contribution or George Washington’s nobleness if the world ended in say one year from now? If at the end of life’s journey is only nothingness, what is the point then of doing anything, whether “good” or “evil’? Would we consider Mother Theresa’s sacrifice, of giving her entire life to bring hope to the children in Calcutta a waste if a meteorite the size of Jupiter rammed into earth and destroyed everything? Would it matter if Hitler killed 6 million people in his reign of 4 years? This is what nothingness promise: hopelessness. If life promises only the things that we can see, then the hedonists should be our king, as their belief of “enjoying life what it lasts” would be the only worthwhile thing to do in our living years. Therefore we should work with all our hearts so that we can afford to indulge ourselves in the pleasures of life. Family values are only important if they bring happiness to us. Life should only be protected if it is convenient. There is no such thing as right or wrong, as what is important is “now” and let the future take care of itself. We should protect the environment, only if it can promise us a more beautiful vacationing venue in the future. We should only be friends with those who are willing to be our friends, and of course, only if it is convenient. Sex should be the ultimate aim in our life, and it should serve us, thus it not who we share it with, but rather, we need to make the best of every “opportunity” that we have because “opportunity waits for no men”. Marriage, hah, of course, is so that we can show the world how noble we are that we are willing to share our lives with only one person in the whole world, and the one day that we spend during the wedding ritual should suffice. After that, it’s every man for their own….
Sad isn’t it? And sadder still because what I’ve just describe has truth in it, because from the news that we read in papers and hear on the TV undeniably reveals that. “But we are not crooks!” Of course you are not, compared to Hitler, Stalin, and Manson. In the eyes of our own, we are only doing things that we “deem” best for that situation, and time after time, we would have the perfect reason to justify it.
So we come back again to the question “what is the point?” The way I see it, if nothing is eternal, in which I’m pretty confident that this world is one of them, lets then get busy choosing our hedonistic king. But rest assured, that in fact, there is one thing that is eternal, and lo and behold, its no other than God. “God? Bah… give me something else” Something else? You mean someone else? Well, the truth is, there is no one else. There is no one else who can give us hope. Let me introduce this God to you. His name, well, is God. I’m not quite sure if He has a last name, or whether it is His first name, but I’m pretty sure He has plenty of other names, such as Lord, Almighty, The Great I am, and so on. The good news is that this Almighty God is a “good” God. Why is this good news you say? Well, it would be bad news if this God was an “evil” God. Now, this is a very important point. Because it He was an evil God, then we would be back at square one. However, it’s good news because He is a “good” God. In fact, there’s no other that’s as good as him. There’s no other like Him. And the best part is that, He’s on our side. He is for us, and He is with us.
I know some of you who are reading this are probably going “Hmmph! That’s the best you got?” Well, the truth is there is more. Deep inside our soul, there’s always the longing for the “perfect” situation, meaning that “life is NOT supposed to be this way!” For some reason, is as though there is this “standard” that is built in us telling us that suffering, hurt, sickness, sadness, depression, and we would coin as evil is not “supposed” to be. Why is that? Why is it that we keep telling ourselves that “life can be better than this”? Why is it that for some of us, we continue to remain stubborn, not wanting to accept the fact that that’s all life has to offer. It seems that life holds something greater and much more beautiful than what we can see with our earthly eyes. Well, the good news is that this is because the bible says that we are created in the image of God. This means that we were formed by Him, and when He made us, he instilled a little of Himself in us, giving us a “sense” of His ways and attributes. He gave us a conscience, so that when we see injustice, we would shudder in our soul, and when we see evil, we would desire for justice.
But our human race has gotten to the stage that we are trying to “overwrite” that built-in program. It’s as though we are trying to rewrite the truth table in our mental circuits, that when we see something evil, we would say that it is good, and when we see something good, we will call it evil. Some theologists call this “deception”, which means that we are trying to deceive ourselves. The apostle Paul mentioned in his letters to the Romans that it is “the searing” of the conscience, so that they would be able to overcome what they felt. Society, thru the influencing of the media has come where there is no more such thing as good or evil. Abortion, homosexual marriages, adultery is considered as a “norm” these days, and if you’re still questioning these issues, it shows that you’re “outdated” or “backward” or worse “prejudice”. What if in 5 years time, murder would be also considered as a “norm”, just as long as we have enough reason to justify it. What if nations begin to legalize marriages between human and animals or anything else they can imagine? What if there’s no such thing as rape? What if animal’s lives are place as equal with lives of humans? What if there’s no such thing as God – wait, I think that’s already done…
The issue here is that there needs to be a foundation for all things. If we own houses that are not properly fixed to the ground, then every time when the wind blows, we would have a different address, or every time when somebody plays a prank and move our houses in the night to a different location, we would have to figure out which state we are in. But God has laid the foundation of this earth, and with that, He instilled what we would call today “order”. When He designed the cosmos, He made sure that the earth would not be too far way from the Sun, or else all life would cease, not being too close to it, or all of His creation would burn up. He made sure that the earth would orbit the sun in such a way that there would be 4 seasons for some, and while others would enjoy the hot or the cold the place could offer. He looked into the details of creating ground that could bear food for us so that we do not have to create food on our own, that we would only need to work the ground, and then would be able to enjoy its return. But of course, there’s also the dark side of His creation, at least in our own eyes. Earthquakes, storms, tornados, drought, famine, wars, human being’s shortcomings are all part of His perfect plan. He never intended for human beings to fall, but He definitely did not abandon us when we fell. He gave the law to us so that we might be able to see that we need Him, not so that we can be independent of Him.
Without God, there’s no hope. And without hope, there’s no point of anything. Everything is just a spur of the moment. However, there’s a God, and because of that, there’s hope. And with hope bring meaning to the things that we fight for, to the people that we love and protect and cherish, to the ideals that we strive for, and definitely to the dreams and desires that God have given us, knowing that one day, all these will be fulfilled in the life to come, if not now. God is calling us to love Him, He is calling us to turn back to Him, to give Him a chance to love us back by being able to walk with us, talk to us, and even be in love with us. What’s your point of doing things in this life? What are your aspirations? What are your dreams and desires? God is calling us back to him so that He can fulfill all that He has given us – that perfection that causes to long and desire for what remains unseen.
The meaning of life – well, get to know God, and you shall soon find out.
Kah-Kheng
August 15, 2004
1:08pm
Starbucks – Midvalley Shopping Mall, Malaysia.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
An Ode To Jesus
An Ode To Jesus
My Jesus, Oh Sweet Jesus,
Blessed are You who sits on the throne,
Though you reign high and mighty,
Yet You came for those who are lowly.
Jesus oh Precious Jesus,
My mind cannot comprehend nor imagine,
For how sinners such as us You would care,
And take our sins upon Yourself.
Where is Justice? Where is fairness?
The heaven cried out,
As the angels watched in distress,
The Darling of heaven now on the cross
Thirst was in Your mouth,
Fatigue tiring every muscle,
Pain inconceivable on every part,
And sorrows of a broken heart.
With Your last ounce of strength,
You cried out "It's finished!",
Signaled by a bowed head,
My Jesus is now dead.
Yet in the silence of the graves,
Unheard echoes of hope began to resound,
As the stone is rolled away,
My Jesus who was dead is alive Today!
Lord Jesus I'm unworthy,
For such a gift, for such a sacrifice,
Yet it was for me that You died to give,
A chance to live a life worthy of Your name.
For if I were to lose all that I possess,
And get sent to places unheard to me,
Even to lose my life in the process,
I count it all as gain for Thee.
For to follow You I must carry my cross,
To live this life, I must choose to die,
To gain heavenly riches, earthly ones I must rid,
Only then can I walk on Your victory path.
Generations after generations shall hear of You,
Make choices to live life worthy of You,
Until You return we must then wait,
Not in vain, but in obedience.
Trusting You is the best choice I've ever made,
Even this choice was helped made by You.
Thank You so much for everything,
and help me to walk closer with You.
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Thy Will Be Done
"Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." - Mark 14:36 (NIV)
For some reason, these past few weeks have proven to be really weary on my spirit and body. Not only was I tired physically, but I constantly felt a great deal of depression in my spirit. And I found myself to be easily agitated as well as irritated. To some extent, I have even 'barked' at a few people that have stepped on my tail (unintentionally), and now when I think back, I kinda regret for not my keeping my cool.
There were also times when I just felt like giving up. This 'Christian' walk proved to be much more difficult than I imagined. Even after so many years of walking this path, yet, it doesn't seem to get any easier. And I'm begining to learn, that maybe, it's not meant to progress us to ease, but rather, to challenge us with greater trials.
Many years ago, I recalled during my Uni days, I constantly preached a message of "Christian Joy", testifying of what God has done thru several incidences in my life then. I remembered telling people to "protect your joy" because that's the "gift" of God to us. "Do not be robbed of your joy" and "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say Rejoice!" were words that I've used to encourage others of the same faith. And yet, after at least 5 years have past, and I have to preach this message to myself again. This is because it is so easy to let your joy be robbed of you. All it needs is a single word, or incident, and we can be so downcast in our Spirits. And if we let it perpetuate, this 'depression' will turn into hatred and rage.
My own journey during these past weeks proved to be more than I could handle. And honestly, I would have to confess that there were times in my heart that I cried out to God saying, Lord, I can't do this anymore. And yet, even in my failure to keep His statutes, God, in His mercy turned my heart towards the event that took place in the Garden of Gethsemane, where there, our Lord, in anguish and fear cried out to the Father, "Abba, everything is possible with you. Take this cup from me..." (Jesus acknowledged that God could do anything, which include rescuing Him from this painful event). "...Yet not what I will, but Your will be done..."
Jesus understood the sovereignty and the heart of God the Father. In His (Jesus) plea for escape from pain, Jesus continued to put the Father's will as a greater priority than His own desires. This revelation came (though not new, but yet, act as a good reminder) to me during yesterday's prayer meeting, when I was just taking time to reflect on what's happened in the past weeks. Tears rolled down as images from "The Passion of the Christ" begin to play in my mind. And I wondered just for a moment, whether, would Jesus have made a different decision if He knew how I would fail Him time after time. I pause to ponder whether I have live a life that's worthy of His calling. Then came the Holy Spirit who brings not only comfort, but understanding thru the word of God. He brought me to the passage in Romans where it says, "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." I wept.
Jesus never promised "easiness" nor a "trouble-free" life. In fact, when He said that He has come to give us life, and life abundantly, He meant the abundance of God's blessings, as well as the abundance of the challenges of life. And yet, all these has a cause, a reason. James mentioned in his epistle: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
Paul puts it this way: "'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
My conviction? I'm learning to put myself to death (not literally), that is my desires, dreams, my 'wants', my accomplishments, my failures, and my sins. And it's a journey. I acknowledge that. I'm 27 years old this year. By God's grace, I have a good 50 years more in this journey. I pray for the days to come that God continues to increase in me, as I decrease in myself.
"Lord Jesus, in You and You alone, can I ever find meaning to this restlessness in my Spirit. Lord, I ask that you establish Your will in my heart, that may I be so taken by Your beauty, and find nothing else in this world worthier than You. Continue to work Your Spirit in me. Forgive me of my weaknesses and sins, and I pray that You will not pass over me, but use me any way you choose, to the proclaming of Your fame and renown. Let Your glory be made known thru this earth, and Lord, start with me. In Your name I pray, Amen."
For some reason, these past few weeks have proven to be really weary on my spirit and body. Not only was I tired physically, but I constantly felt a great deal of depression in my spirit. And I found myself to be easily agitated as well as irritated. To some extent, I have even 'barked' at a few people that have stepped on my tail (unintentionally), and now when I think back, I kinda regret for not my keeping my cool.
There were also times when I just felt like giving up. This 'Christian' walk proved to be much more difficult than I imagined. Even after so many years of walking this path, yet, it doesn't seem to get any easier. And I'm begining to learn, that maybe, it's not meant to progress us to ease, but rather, to challenge us with greater trials.
Many years ago, I recalled during my Uni days, I constantly preached a message of "Christian Joy", testifying of what God has done thru several incidences in my life then. I remembered telling people to "protect your joy" because that's the "gift" of God to us. "Do not be robbed of your joy" and "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say Rejoice!" were words that I've used to encourage others of the same faith. And yet, after at least 5 years have past, and I have to preach this message to myself again. This is because it is so easy to let your joy be robbed of you. All it needs is a single word, or incident, and we can be so downcast in our Spirits. And if we let it perpetuate, this 'depression' will turn into hatred and rage.
My own journey during these past weeks proved to be more than I could handle. And honestly, I would have to confess that there were times in my heart that I cried out to God saying, Lord, I can't do this anymore. And yet, even in my failure to keep His statutes, God, in His mercy turned my heart towards the event that took place in the Garden of Gethsemane, where there, our Lord, in anguish and fear cried out to the Father, "Abba, everything is possible with you. Take this cup from me..." (Jesus acknowledged that God could do anything, which include rescuing Him from this painful event). "...Yet not what I will, but Your will be done..."
Jesus understood the sovereignty and the heart of God the Father. In His (Jesus) plea for escape from pain, Jesus continued to put the Father's will as a greater priority than His own desires. This revelation came (though not new, but yet, act as a good reminder) to me during yesterday's prayer meeting, when I was just taking time to reflect on what's happened in the past weeks. Tears rolled down as images from "The Passion of the Christ" begin to play in my mind. And I wondered just for a moment, whether, would Jesus have made a different decision if He knew how I would fail Him time after time. I pause to ponder whether I have live a life that's worthy of His calling. Then came the Holy Spirit who brings not only comfort, but understanding thru the word of God. He brought me to the passage in Romans where it says, "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." I wept.
Jesus never promised "easiness" nor a "trouble-free" life. In fact, when He said that He has come to give us life, and life abundantly, He meant the abundance of God's blessings, as well as the abundance of the challenges of life. And yet, all these has a cause, a reason. James mentioned in his epistle: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
Paul puts it this way: "'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
My conviction? I'm learning to put myself to death (not literally), that is my desires, dreams, my 'wants', my accomplishments, my failures, and my sins. And it's a journey. I acknowledge that. I'm 27 years old this year. By God's grace, I have a good 50 years more in this journey. I pray for the days to come that God continues to increase in me, as I decrease in myself.
"Lord Jesus, in You and You alone, can I ever find meaning to this restlessness in my Spirit. Lord, I ask that you establish Your will in my heart, that may I be so taken by Your beauty, and find nothing else in this world worthier than You. Continue to work Your Spirit in me. Forgive me of my weaknesses and sins, and I pray that You will not pass over me, but use me any way you choose, to the proclaming of Your fame and renown. Let Your glory be made known thru this earth, and Lord, start with me. In Your name I pray, Amen."
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Some Questions To Ask When Considering A Job
Taken from "40 Days with John Piper" - Selected readings from 'A Godward Life' - Book I & II
Pondering Vocation as Service to Christ
The freedom to choose your vocation is a historical novelty. Until recent times, if you were a son and your father was a farmer or a blacksmith or shoemaker or a baker, it was almost certain you would be too. If you were a daughter, you would almost certainly be a hardworking homemaker and partner in the home-based family business. Choices were few. And a reading like this one would have been almost unintelligible.
But today, very few sons assume that they will follow in their father's vocation. And daughters have a wide scope of career paths they can follow instead of, or alongside, a more traditional homemaking career. Not only that, mid-career changes are not unusual. Which means that the crisis of choosing a vocation happens not just once, but several times for many people.
One of the things I love to do as a pastor is sow seeds of kingdom restlessness. I picture my preaching as taking trees by the trunk and working them back and forth to loosen the roots. My idea is that this will result in the roots of people's lives going down deeper into God's will where they are, or it will result in the roots being plucked up and planted in a different calling for even greater kingdom fruitfulness. Whatever else, I don't want my people to simply drift into a job or coast along in it with little sense of calling or significance for the supremacy of God in what they do.
So I prepared some questions for them in the hopes that they would be stirred to find jobs and do their jobs, as Paul said, "not in the way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart" (Ephesians 6:6, RSV).
Can I earnestly do all the parts of this job "to the glory of God," that is, in a way that highlights his superior value over all other things? "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Is taking this job part of a strategy to grow in personal holiness? "For this is the will of God, your sanctification" (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
Will this job help or hinder my progress in esteeming the value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord? "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:8).
Will this job result in inappropriate pressures to think or feel or act against my King, Jesus? "You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men" (1 Corinthians 7:23).
Will this job help establish an overall life pattern that will yield a significant involvement in fulfilling God's great purpose of exalting Christ among all the unreached peoples of the world? "Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to My in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age'" (Matthew 28:18-20).
Will this job be worthy of my best energies? "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might" (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
Will the activities and environment of this job tend to shape me, or will I be able to shape it for the Christ-magnifying purposes of God? "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2).
Will this job provide an occasion for me to be radically Christian so as to let my light shine for my Father's sake, or will my participation in the vision of the firm tend to snuff out my wick? "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).
Does the aim of this job cohere with a growing intensity in my life to be radically, publicly, fruitfully devoted to Christ at any cost? "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Mark 8:34).
Will the job feel like a good investment of my life when this vapor's breath of preparation for eternity is over? "You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away" (James 4:14).
Does this job fit with why I believe I was created and purchased by Christ? "Everyone who is called by My name... I have created for My glory" (Isaiah 43:7). "You have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:20).
Does this job fit together with the ultimate truth that all things exist for Christ? "For by Him all... have been created through [Christ] and for Him" (Colossians 1:16).
Pondering Vocation as Service to Christ
The freedom to choose your vocation is a historical novelty. Until recent times, if you were a son and your father was a farmer or a blacksmith or shoemaker or a baker, it was almost certain you would be too. If you were a daughter, you would almost certainly be a hardworking homemaker and partner in the home-based family business. Choices were few. And a reading like this one would have been almost unintelligible.
But today, very few sons assume that they will follow in their father's vocation. And daughters have a wide scope of career paths they can follow instead of, or alongside, a more traditional homemaking career. Not only that, mid-career changes are not unusual. Which means that the crisis of choosing a vocation happens not just once, but several times for many people.
One of the things I love to do as a pastor is sow seeds of kingdom restlessness. I picture my preaching as taking trees by the trunk and working them back and forth to loosen the roots. My idea is that this will result in the roots of people's lives going down deeper into God's will where they are, or it will result in the roots being plucked up and planted in a different calling for even greater kingdom fruitfulness. Whatever else, I don't want my people to simply drift into a job or coast along in it with little sense of calling or significance for the supremacy of God in what they do.
So I prepared some questions for them in the hopes that they would be stirred to find jobs and do their jobs, as Paul said, "not in the way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart" (Ephesians 6:6, RSV).
Can I earnestly do all the parts of this job "to the glory of God," that is, in a way that highlights his superior value over all other things? "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Is taking this job part of a strategy to grow in personal holiness? "For this is the will of God, your sanctification" (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
Will this job help or hinder my progress in esteeming the value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord? "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:8).
Will this job result in inappropriate pressures to think or feel or act against my King, Jesus? "You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men" (1 Corinthians 7:23).
Will this job help establish an overall life pattern that will yield a significant involvement in fulfilling God's great purpose of exalting Christ among all the unreached peoples of the world? "Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to My in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age'" (Matthew 28:18-20).
Will this job be worthy of my best energies? "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might" (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
Will the activities and environment of this job tend to shape me, or will I be able to shape it for the Christ-magnifying purposes of God? "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2).
Will this job provide an occasion for me to be radically Christian so as to let my light shine for my Father's sake, or will my participation in the vision of the firm tend to snuff out my wick? "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).
Does the aim of this job cohere with a growing intensity in my life to be radically, publicly, fruitfully devoted to Christ at any cost? "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Mark 8:34).
Will the job feel like a good investment of my life when this vapor's breath of preparation for eternity is over? "You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away" (James 4:14).
Does this job fit with why I believe I was created and purchased by Christ? "Everyone who is called by My name... I have created for My glory" (Isaiah 43:7). "You have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:20).
Does this job fit together with the ultimate truth that all things exist for Christ? "For by Him all... have been created through [Christ] and for Him" (Colossians 1:16).
"Home"
What are emotions,
but feeling of winds on our skin.
One moment they comfort,
and in another, they're gone.
but feeling of winds on our skin.
One moment they comfort,
and in another, they're gone.
And yet we persevere,
as climbers of this 'glorious' mountain,
as though conquerers of a great quest,
only to find ourselves confused at the peak.
as climbers of this 'glorious' mountain,
as though conquerers of a great quest,
only to find ourselves confused at the peak.
From love to hate,
from joy to sorrow.
Everything seems too late,
Yet our journey is so slow.
from joy to sorrow.
Everything seems too late,
Yet our journey is so slow.
As travellers we travel this winding path,
with emotional hearts as our compasses.
But our hearts are like wind,
taking us further from our destinations.
with emotional hearts as our compasses.
But our hearts are like wind,
taking us further from our destinations.
Yet with every great quest,
there's always a treasure, always a goal.
And only when we ask where to go,
will we find our way back home.
there's always a treasure, always a goal.
And only when we ask where to go,
will we find our way back home.
Ah, home sweet home,
nothing more comforting, nothing more satisfying.
Sweat as we may, and toil we shall,
but let us not stop till we're back home.
nothing more comforting, nothing more satisfying.
Sweat as we may, and toil we shall,
but let us not stop till we're back home.
My home is heaven,
nothing less, nothing more.
To stop walking would be stupidity,
and yet to die trying is the only way.
nothing less, nothing more.
To stop walking would be stupidity,
and yet to die trying is the only way.
May we continually open our ears,
to the cry that seem so distant.
The call of heaven to go home,
ah, home sweet home.
to the cry that seem so distant.
The call of heaven to go home,
ah, home sweet home.
Let's gather the nations,
from the east to the west.
Let's join the cry of our pilgrimage,
the cry of our hearts.
from the east to the west.
Let's join the cry of our pilgrimage,
the cry of our hearts.
Heaven is in my heart,
and heaven is my home.
Jesus is my lover,
and I'm his, forever.
and heaven is my home.
Jesus is my lover,
and I'm his, forever.
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Land for Methodist Churches
Praise God for His faithfulness to answering prayers!
Taken from The Star Paper Wednesday August 17, 2005
Land for Methodist churches
SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government has approved two sites – one here and another in Pandamaran, Klang – for two Methodist churches in recognition of their good community service.
“The state government recognises the importance of faith organisations in promoting a morally-strong and caring society. Both churches have contributed well to the community,” said state executive councillor Datuk Tang See Hang, a member of the state's non-Muslim religious bodies committee.
Tang said the state recognised religious bodies as a crucial pillar in helping to maintain a strong and healthy society. However, he said, these religious bodies, numbering thousands, must understand there was not enough land to accommodate all the requests.
WISH COME TRUE: Tang (centre) handing over the letters of approval to Rev Ooi (right) and Bishop Hwa, the representatives of the two churches Tuesday.Bishop Dr Hwa Yung, from the Methodist Church, thanked the state government for allocating the 0.48ha site in Kota Kemuning, Section 31 here.
“We will support your call to fulfil the human development aspect of the Selangor Developed State 2005 agenda, where the face of faith, kindness, compassion and generosity is not lost in
the rapid physical development,” he said.
The Methodist Church’s struggle to have its own premises started over a decade ago. It had initially been granted a piece of land in Section 24 here in 1992, but the land was withdrawn by the state government three years later.
Since then, the church had been appealing for a replacement site. Tang said the Pandamaran Chinese Methodist Church was granted a 1,216 sq m piece of reserve land in Pandamaran, adding that Klang MP Datin Paduka Dr Tan Yee Kew had brought the church's appeal to his attention.
Rev Ooi Liang Hung, who accepted the approval letter yesterday, thanked the state for its generosity.
Taken from The Star Paper Wednesday August 17, 2005
Land for Methodist churches
SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government has approved two sites – one here and another in Pandamaran, Klang – for two Methodist churches in recognition of their good community service.
“The state government recognises the importance of faith organisations in promoting a morally-strong and caring society. Both churches have contributed well to the community,” said state executive councillor Datuk Tang See Hang, a member of the state's non-Muslim religious bodies committee.
Tang said the state recognised religious bodies as a crucial pillar in helping to maintain a strong and healthy society. However, he said, these religious bodies, numbering thousands, must understand there was not enough land to accommodate all the requests.
WISH COME TRUE: Tang (centre) handing over the letters of approval to Rev Ooi (right) and Bishop Hwa, the representatives of the two churches Tuesday.Bishop Dr Hwa Yung, from the Methodist Church, thanked the state government for allocating the 0.48ha site in Kota Kemuning, Section 31 here.
“We will support your call to fulfil the human development aspect of the Selangor Developed State 2005 agenda, where the face of faith, kindness, compassion and generosity is not lost in
the rapid physical development,” he said.
The Methodist Church’s struggle to have its own premises started over a decade ago. It had initially been granted a piece of land in Section 24 here in 1992, but the land was withdrawn by the state government three years later.
Since then, the church had been appealing for a replacement site. Tang said the Pandamaran Chinese Methodist Church was granted a 1,216 sq m piece of reserve land in Pandamaran, adding that Klang MP Datin Paduka Dr Tan Yee Kew had brought the church's appeal to his attention.
Rev Ooi Liang Hung, who accepted the approval letter yesterday, thanked the state for its generosity.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Christ in me
This thought has been lingering in my head for the past couple of days now. What Louie Giglio said in his message that was included in the "How Great Is Our God" DVD. He picked out his message from Colossians 1:27, which reads "To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."
Louie pointed out that the Christian walk is not hard, nor difficult but rather impossible. We make promises after promises to God to "get it right" with our life. We tell God: "This will be my last time God", only to commit the very same sin we vowed to repent from. That's why many Christians lead defeated lives. We continue to walk in shame. And Louie made it clear that no sermon, gathering, conference, book, self-discipline can get us out of our bondages. No matter how sincere we were when we made that promise to God, it still doesn't cut it, because here's the point: It's not about our efforts. It never was, and never will be.
That's why this "mystery" that Paul is talking about, which even patriachs such as Abraham, Moses and David not know about it, will set us free. This mystery? Christ in us. When we start to realize that the day when we invite Christ into our hearts, we are literally inviting Him to come in to our body, this temple of the Holy Spirit, to dwell, and ultimately, to take full control of it. Louie pointed out that it is not inviting Christ into our hearts, and they try to live the Christian life. If we could that in the first place, that Christ dying on the cross would be pointless.
Anyway, instead of spilling the whole sermon out, how it affected me is that I now walk with a new confidence, that is, I put my trust not in the knowledge of Christ, nor in the identity of Christ, nor in the fact that I'm his friend but rather, I put my trust in Christ that is living in me. With this, when I walk in the world, I have Christ with me all the time, and as long as He is in me, I am a saint. Oh yes, I can still sin. No doubt about it. But sinning won't make me a sinner because I'm a saint. Just as doing good won't make a sinner a saint. However, it's Christ in me that's gonna sustain my faith, not my will power, not my discipline, and definitely not my efforts.
These 2 days has been incredible as I confessed this truth in my heart. I got stuck in a traffic jam for 1.5 hours today. Imagine after an hour and a half, and you're just 1 kilometer away from where you started. And yet, there was an incredible sense of peace in me. I didn't get agitated. I used to get annoyed pretty fast with jams, but having my music turned on and having this truth in my heart, I just took the time to praise God. I've tried doing that before, but it felt like I was "forcing" myself, but this time, it came naturally. I wonder how long this will last...
Anyhow, if you're reading this, I hope that in your own issues, trials, bondage, and sins, that you will find this truth liberating. Read and meditate the first 2 chapters of Colossians, and try to understand it. This is definitely not the "ultimate fix" for all your spiritual problems, but it's a start. I pray that in your struggles, you will ultimately find Christ as your savior.
"Jesus, I thank You that You're the Lord of all. Above my trials and fears, above my hopes and dreams, You triumph gloriously by destroying the works of the enemy with Your truth. Lord, I know that many of my brothers and sisters are going thru some difficult times right now in their spiritual walk. Many of them find themselves alone, even when you're right there with them. I pray that You will open their spiritual eyes so that they can see You in all Your glory, and have their faith and hope renewed in Your presence. Father, shower them with Your mercy. Let them know how much You love them, even in their brokenness and weaknesses. Break whatever sin that's in their lives and give them the victory that they so desperately desire. In this I pray, that Your kingdom will continue to be established in their hearts just as Your will be manisfested in their lives. In Jesus' name I ask and pray, amen."
Louie pointed out that the Christian walk is not hard, nor difficult but rather impossible. We make promises after promises to God to "get it right" with our life. We tell God: "This will be my last time God", only to commit the very same sin we vowed to repent from. That's why many Christians lead defeated lives. We continue to walk in shame. And Louie made it clear that no sermon, gathering, conference, book, self-discipline can get us out of our bondages. No matter how sincere we were when we made that promise to God, it still doesn't cut it, because here's the point: It's not about our efforts. It never was, and never will be.
That's why this "mystery" that Paul is talking about, which even patriachs such as Abraham, Moses and David not know about it, will set us free. This mystery? Christ in us. When we start to realize that the day when we invite Christ into our hearts, we are literally inviting Him to come in to our body, this temple of the Holy Spirit, to dwell, and ultimately, to take full control of it. Louie pointed out that it is not inviting Christ into our hearts, and they try to live the Christian life. If we could that in the first place, that Christ dying on the cross would be pointless.
Anyway, instead of spilling the whole sermon out, how it affected me is that I now walk with a new confidence, that is, I put my trust not in the knowledge of Christ, nor in the identity of Christ, nor in the fact that I'm his friend but rather, I put my trust in Christ that is living in me. With this, when I walk in the world, I have Christ with me all the time, and as long as He is in me, I am a saint. Oh yes, I can still sin. No doubt about it. But sinning won't make me a sinner because I'm a saint. Just as doing good won't make a sinner a saint. However, it's Christ in me that's gonna sustain my faith, not my will power, not my discipline, and definitely not my efforts.
These 2 days has been incredible as I confessed this truth in my heart. I got stuck in a traffic jam for 1.5 hours today. Imagine after an hour and a half, and you're just 1 kilometer away from where you started. And yet, there was an incredible sense of peace in me. I didn't get agitated. I used to get annoyed pretty fast with jams, but having my music turned on and having this truth in my heart, I just took the time to praise God. I've tried doing that before, but it felt like I was "forcing" myself, but this time, it came naturally. I wonder how long this will last...
Anyhow, if you're reading this, I hope that in your own issues, trials, bondage, and sins, that you will find this truth liberating. Read and meditate the first 2 chapters of Colossians, and try to understand it. This is definitely not the "ultimate fix" for all your spiritual problems, but it's a start. I pray that in your struggles, you will ultimately find Christ as your savior.
"Jesus, I thank You that You're the Lord of all. Above my trials and fears, above my hopes and dreams, You triumph gloriously by destroying the works of the enemy with Your truth. Lord, I know that many of my brothers and sisters are going thru some difficult times right now in their spiritual walk. Many of them find themselves alone, even when you're right there with them. I pray that You will open their spiritual eyes so that they can see You in all Your glory, and have their faith and hope renewed in Your presence. Father, shower them with Your mercy. Let them know how much You love them, even in their brokenness and weaknesses. Break whatever sin that's in their lives and give them the victory that they so desperately desire. In this I pray, that Your kingdom will continue to be established in their hearts just as Your will be manisfested in their lives. In Jesus' name I ask and pray, amen."
Saturday, August 13, 2005
True Love
Jason (Ah Loong): Orkid, how long do you think it takes for 2 people to fall in love?
Orkid: A minute
Jason: It took me less than that to fall in love with you...
"...You don't have to understand people to love them..."
-Sepet (2005)
"Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken"
-Tina Turner (What's Love Got To Do With It)
What is love but a word, or when it involves 2 people, many words. From the timeless portrayal of love from classics such as Romeo and Juliet or maybe even Jerry MacGuire ("..you, you complete me...") I see how at many times, love is but an expression of words. And of many words.
But love, as I believe it, has to be "more than words". Anyone can say "I love you". However, it takes more to live out that love. Poetry and songs are not sufficient to sustain love. Oh yes, it may enhance it, give is some "flava"... but to sustain it, it takes more than that. As I see it, a single act of selflessness can make up for a thousand words. But the cost for that one selfless act.. ah.. it may cost us our lives...
Even as I type right now, I know that in some corner of the world, there are thousands, if not millions of people who are going thru some trying times of figuring out what love is. In the course of wanting to be understood, many at times, we forget what it means to understand. And yet, love endures. I figured if something can be so hurting, humanity in her right mind who have at least be smart enough to stop and move on to something that's more sane. With heart brokens every minute, why is it, in spite of the tremendous emotional turmoil and grief that one has to go thru, we continue to put hope in love?
And so, love endures. As I blogged earlier, I believe love endures because this is part of "eternity". It's an essential part of eternity. Without, eternity would be meaningless. What's the point of having eternal life, alone?
Thus, humanity continues to persevere. We continue to believe in one way or another that "it is better to love and lost, than to never to have loved at all". We perpetuate in taking risks with our most precious parts of our lives, and even when the stakes are high, some of us still believe that it is worthwhile.
I believe, that loves never fail. When two people decides to break-up, that's not love failing. That's two people failing love. And I say this because God is love. Even when he saw that giving us this chance to love was like giving a 5 year old child a 20 tonne truck to drive, he took that risk, so that in all the possiblility of foul-ups and hurts, we can experience the greatest thing in this universe. And love was never meant to be understood. Just like God. We can't possibly understand God and His ways. Its not that God doesn't want us to, but we are unable in our limited and carnal mind. But He has given us enough. Enough to believe, and enough to trust that He is good, and His love is good. And more than that, that He loves us.
I believe also, that until we can experience God's love, without so much the need to "understand it", but so as much to believe it with all our hearts that God loves us, we can never truly love. We can never in our lifetime understand why God would send Christ to die for wretched people such as us. And I guess we were never meant to understand it. However, it is thru that sacrifice, that God hopes that we will believe and trust in Him, even when our eyes and understanding fails us. That to me, is true love. God knew how many would reject His precious gift, which is Christ. And yet, out of some cosmic insanity, He still saw it was worthwhile for Christ to be mocked, beaten, humiliated, broken, spat on, whipped, and finally, crucified. For us. But oh wait, I believe, that it not us that He finds worthy, for who are we. I believe however, that God found that for His love to be shown, and for the chance that it is received, the cross was still worthwhile this risk. And so, we love not because we understand, but love because we believe.
Even with books such as "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" (I've never read it though)... it may enhance our understanding, but it's not sufficient to sustain true love. Like I said, we don't love because we understand a person, but because we believe. And believe in what? Believe in hope. Believe in eternal love. Believe in the cost of eternal love. And ultimately, believe that no one is worthy of true love, but God alone, and God has commanded us even in spite of this, to love. To love like we love ourselves.
"Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all"
Orkid: A minute
Jason: It took me less than that to fall in love with you...
"...You don't have to understand people to love them..."
-Sepet (2005)
"Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken"
-Tina Turner (What's Love Got To Do With It)
What is love but a word, or when it involves 2 people, many words. From the timeless portrayal of love from classics such as Romeo and Juliet or maybe even Jerry MacGuire ("..you, you complete me...") I see how at many times, love is but an expression of words. And of many words.
But love, as I believe it, has to be "more than words". Anyone can say "I love you". However, it takes more to live out that love. Poetry and songs are not sufficient to sustain love. Oh yes, it may enhance it, give is some "flava"... but to sustain it, it takes more than that. As I see it, a single act of selflessness can make up for a thousand words. But the cost for that one selfless act.. ah.. it may cost us our lives...
Even as I type right now, I know that in some corner of the world, there are thousands, if not millions of people who are going thru some trying times of figuring out what love is. In the course of wanting to be understood, many at times, we forget what it means to understand. And yet, love endures. I figured if something can be so hurting, humanity in her right mind who have at least be smart enough to stop and move on to something that's more sane. With heart brokens every minute, why is it, in spite of the tremendous emotional turmoil and grief that one has to go thru, we continue to put hope in love?
And so, love endures. As I blogged earlier, I believe love endures because this is part of "eternity". It's an essential part of eternity. Without, eternity would be meaningless. What's the point of having eternal life, alone?
Thus, humanity continues to persevere. We continue to believe in one way or another that "it is better to love and lost, than to never to have loved at all". We perpetuate in taking risks with our most precious parts of our lives, and even when the stakes are high, some of us still believe that it is worthwhile.
I believe, that loves never fail. When two people decides to break-up, that's not love failing. That's two people failing love. And I say this because God is love. Even when he saw that giving us this chance to love was like giving a 5 year old child a 20 tonne truck to drive, he took that risk, so that in all the possiblility of foul-ups and hurts, we can experience the greatest thing in this universe. And love was never meant to be understood. Just like God. We can't possibly understand God and His ways. Its not that God doesn't want us to, but we are unable in our limited and carnal mind. But He has given us enough. Enough to believe, and enough to trust that He is good, and His love is good. And more than that, that He loves us.
I believe also, that until we can experience God's love, without so much the need to "understand it", but so as much to believe it with all our hearts that God loves us, we can never truly love. We can never in our lifetime understand why God would send Christ to die for wretched people such as us. And I guess we were never meant to understand it. However, it is thru that sacrifice, that God hopes that we will believe and trust in Him, even when our eyes and understanding fails us. That to me, is true love. God knew how many would reject His precious gift, which is Christ. And yet, out of some cosmic insanity, He still saw it was worthwhile for Christ to be mocked, beaten, humiliated, broken, spat on, whipped, and finally, crucified. For us. But oh wait, I believe, that it not us that He finds worthy, for who are we. I believe however, that God found that for His love to be shown, and for the chance that it is received, the cross was still worthwhile this risk. And so, we love not because we understand, but love because we believe.
Even with books such as "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" (I've never read it though)... it may enhance our understanding, but it's not sufficient to sustain true love. Like I said, we don't love because we understand a person, but because we believe. And believe in what? Believe in hope. Believe in eternal love. Believe in the cost of eternal love. And ultimately, believe that no one is worthy of true love, but God alone, and God has commanded us even in spite of this, to love. To love like we love ourselves.
"Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all"
Monday, August 08, 2005
Created for eternity
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." - Ecclesiastes 3:11
Here's a thought. God has set eternity in our hearts. To me, I guess what this means is that's our standard. So by right, we should not lose sleep (or worry) bout anything that has an expiry date, which, pretty much covers everything here on earth, but rather, pay more attention on eternal things.
"Lord, give me heavenly eyes to be able to see what you see, that I might not squander my time and resources on things that don't last. Help me to understand the important things in life, such as people, people and people. May my heart be gripped as much as your heart is gripped, knowing that some of them are walking on to perishing destinies, and give me courage and boldness to obey You in bringing light to them. Your kingdom come, your will be done. In Jesus' name, Amen."
Sunday, August 07, 2005
"A Prayer..."
Father,
Today I thank You for another wonderful day. Thank you that I could rejoice in it, because this is the day that You've made. No matter what happens, I could still rejoice. Thank you Lord.
Lord, I ask today that You give me strength to persevere. Only You know what the hurts and wounds are in my heart. And even though I know I deserve them, yet in Your infinite mercy, I ask for Your healing. I ask for Your Spirit to come and restore my heart. Lord, forgive me. I need the blood of Jesus to come and wash me clean again. Oh Lord, please come. Come and lift me up from this miry clay. Take me and set me upon the solid ground, which is Your word. Father, in my unrighteousness and unfaithfulness, I ask for Your love that surpasses my understanding, and that peace that only you can give, to fill my life. Create in me again Oh Lord, a clean heart. Renew a right spirit within me. Jesus, cast me not away from Your presence, and Lord I cry out, please do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me. But instead, I ask of You to restore the joy of my salvation, and again Lord, renew a right Spirit within me.
Father, I ask You to right now lift my face. Cause Your countenance to shine upon me. I thank you Father that Your word is ever true. In Your faithfulness, Lord I can come to You and have my hope renewed and my faith restored. Thank you Jesus for making this possible by giving Yourself on the cross.
Lord, I pray now that my Spirit be set free, and cause me to not just look at myself, but instead Oh Lord, let me intercede for brothers and sisters around me and around the world. The persecution and worldly troubles that they have to face, Lord, I ask that may You continue to strengthen them! Let Your Spirit reign victoriously in their lives Lord. Cause them to look to You no matter what their situation may be. I thank you Jesus that I count on You on times like this! Thank you Jesus!
Above all Lord, I ask for Your kingdom to come and You will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Thank you Lord! Thank you for all You've done!
Lord, You said that if I've asked, You would give me the nations as an inheritance to me. I ask now Oh Lord for the nations. I ask for more souls to be added to Your kingdom. I ask that Lord you will cause Your army to rise up and crush the work of the enemy. Thank you Jesus!
In Your will O Lord, I pray for more love in my life. May I seek to love more in this life, as how Jesus've loved all those around Him. Thank you Father for promises that I can count on!
In Jesus most precious name I pray, AMEN...
Today I thank You for another wonderful day. Thank you that I could rejoice in it, because this is the day that You've made. No matter what happens, I could still rejoice. Thank you Lord.
Lord, I ask today that You give me strength to persevere. Only You know what the hurts and wounds are in my heart. And even though I know I deserve them, yet in Your infinite mercy, I ask for Your healing. I ask for Your Spirit to come and restore my heart. Lord, forgive me. I need the blood of Jesus to come and wash me clean again. Oh Lord, please come. Come and lift me up from this miry clay. Take me and set me upon the solid ground, which is Your word. Father, in my unrighteousness and unfaithfulness, I ask for Your love that surpasses my understanding, and that peace that only you can give, to fill my life. Create in me again Oh Lord, a clean heart. Renew a right spirit within me. Jesus, cast me not away from Your presence, and Lord I cry out, please do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me. But instead, I ask of You to restore the joy of my salvation, and again Lord, renew a right Spirit within me.
Father, I ask You to right now lift my face. Cause Your countenance to shine upon me. I thank you Father that Your word is ever true. In Your faithfulness, Lord I can come to You and have my hope renewed and my faith restored. Thank you Jesus for making this possible by giving Yourself on the cross.
Lord, I pray now that my Spirit be set free, and cause me to not just look at myself, but instead Oh Lord, let me intercede for brothers and sisters around me and around the world. The persecution and worldly troubles that they have to face, Lord, I ask that may You continue to strengthen them! Let Your Spirit reign victoriously in their lives Lord. Cause them to look to You no matter what their situation may be. I thank you Jesus that I count on You on times like this! Thank you Jesus!
Above all Lord, I ask for Your kingdom to come and You will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Thank you Lord! Thank you for all You've done!
Lord, You said that if I've asked, You would give me the nations as an inheritance to me. I ask now Oh Lord for the nations. I ask for more souls to be added to Your kingdom. I ask that Lord you will cause Your army to rise up and crush the work of the enemy. Thank you Jesus!
In Your will O Lord, I pray for more love in my life. May I seek to love more in this life, as how Jesus've loved all those around Him. Thank you Father for promises that I can count on!
In Jesus most precious name I pray, AMEN...
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