R e v e l a t i o n

2008-07-22T21:05:00.003+08:00

I thought this was kinda inspirational so want to share with the rest of you guys. The one thing that I found really true is this -

"...when you see yourself doing something badly and nobody's bothering you to tell you anymore, that's a very bad place to be. Your critics are the ones telling you they still love you and care." - Randy Paush

Take care and have a blessed week!

-Eugene aka BHK

2008-07-17T15:19:00.003+08:00

Hi guys!

Have you been training these few days? Well, don't feel guilty cuz I haven't train too! Have been slacking for the past 1 1/2 months.. oh well.. hahaa!

Anyway, I'm posting to let you guys know that we have to collect the goodie bags ourselves. We need to collect it from SAFRA Toa Payoh and the collection date will be from August 15th - August 17th. I'm thinking of going on August 16th (Saturday), but not sure if you guys are ok with it. You can check out the details here. Do tag here or let me know to indicate if you wanna go yourself or go together to collect the goodie bags.

Lastly, I'm thinking of having a run at Ngee Ann Poly next thursday evening (24th July) to train up! I know its abit late to train, but anyhoo, it'll be fun! Again, do let me know if you are interested by tagging or sms.

In His extravagant Love,
Eugene LIM aka BHK

devotion31: Learn to laugh

2008-06-03T11:03:00.001+08:00

Did you know that people who laugh live longer? It’s true. Proverbs 14:30 says, “A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life.” (TLB)

Humor is an amazing thing. It’s a tension dissolver. It’s an antidote to anxiety. It’s just like a tranquilizer, but without any troublesome side effects. And it’s free! You don’t even need a prescription.

Laughter is life’s shock absorber. If you want to have less stress in your life, learn to laugh at your circumstances. Somehow, you must find the fun in the frustrating.

Someone once asked President Lincoln how he handled all the stresses of the Civil War. He said, “If it hadn’t been for laughter, I could not have made it.” Many famous comedians grew up in poor neighborhoods with lots of problems. They coped with their troubles by learning to laugh and making others laugh.

So learn to laugh. If you can laugh at it, you can live with it. And besides, if you learn to laugh at your troubles, you’ll never run out of anything to laugh at! Life is full of funny situations. Will Rogers once said, “I don’t know any jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.” Proverbs 17:22 says, “Being cheerful keeps you healthy.” (GNB) We all need to develop a sense of humor.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Psalm 2:4, “The One enthroned in heaven laughs.” Isn’t that a great verse? God has a sense of humor. God laughs! Have you ever seen the face of an orangutan? God thought that one up! That proves he has a sense of humor. Do you want to be more like God? Learn to laugh. A sense of humor can preserve your sanity.

Sometimes, one irritation follows another, and before you know it, our day is ruined. I read this account in the The Encyclopedia Britannica’s 1982 Yearbook, under the heading “Strange and Unusual Events.” It tells about a man named Brian Heise who had what you might call a “very irritating day”:

Brian Heise had more than his share of luck in July of that year, and most of it was bad. When his apartment in Provo, Utah, became flooded from a broken pipe in the upstairs apartment, the manager told him to go out and rent a water vacuum. That’s when he discovered his car had a flat tire. He changed it, then went inside again to phone a friend for help. The electric shock he got from the phone so startled him that he inadvertently ripped the instrument off the wall. Before he could leave the apartment a second time, a neighbor had to kick down the apartment door because water damage had jammed it tight. While all of this was going on, someone stole Heise’s car, but it was almost out of gas. He found it a few blocks away but had to push it to the gas station, where he filled up the tank. That evening Heise attended a military ceremony at Brigham Young University. He injured himself severely when he somehow sat on his bayonet, which had been tossed onto the front seat of his car. Doctors were able to stitch up the wound, but no one was able to resuscitate four of Heise’s canaries that were crushed to death by falling plaster. After Heise slipped on the wet carpet and badly injured his tailbone, he said he began to wonder if “God wanted me dead, but just kept missing.”

And you think you’ve had bad days! Sometimes, all you can do is laugh.

Take my advice: acquire a sense of humor. Learn to laugh. It’s relaxing and healing and a buffer to all the stress the world throws your way.

"If you want to have less stress in your life, learn to laugh at your circumstances. Somehow, you must find the fun in the frustrating."

2008-05-30T03:59:00.003+08:00

SLUMBER PARTY

movie marathon.dramas.desert party.fellowship.praying.worship.fun.relax.sleepover.and many more...

03.06.08

7.00p.m

Boonlay

(Myrtle's house)

Come join us for a fun-filled night with the coolest group in town (:

Planetshakers: 'Healer'

2008-05-30T03:57:00.001+08:00

Dedicate this great song to everyone who reads this post.

2008-05-30T03:37:00.002+08:00

I T ' S A L I V E A G A I N !

the blog's alive once again.

devotion30: Pears, Pears, Everywhere.

2008-05-30T03:34:00.001+08:00

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.John 15:5

My family had a tree in our backyard that provided two things: shade and countless jars of pear preserves. One day, I asked my mother why she made so many jars every year. Her response was, “If I don’t, they will start falling off the tree and go bad.” With that, I went outside to take a look for myself. There were pears everywhere—so many, in fact, that the tree branches were beginning to sag and snap under the immense weight of their fruit. It looked to me like my mother’s faithful picking was encouraging the tree to produce even more!

Jesus told his disciples that God acts as a gardener in the lives of those who claim him as Lord. He wants his followers to be abundant producers of good fruit, showing the world that they are children of God (see John 15:8). But this is not enough. Instead of simply harvesting the fruit that is produced, the Lord grabs a pair of pruning shears and begins to trim the branches. A little here, a little there, until he is satisfied with the end result.

This process of subtraction is a good thing. For it is in these times that God rids us of attitudes and actions that limit our effectiveness for the kingdom. In their place, he grants new opportunities to exhibit love, patience, kindness, and self-control (see Galatians 5:22-23). As these values are acted upon, what started out as subtraction becomes addition, and more fruit is produced than before the pruning.

If the branches are not pruned they may become weakened or stressed, and they will eventually snap. Once that occurs, the branches will wither and die because they are not attached to the tree, leaving wasted fruit behind. But the result of a life lived wholeheartedly for Christ will be an abundance of fruit—fruit that will last.

2008-05-10T01:15:00.000+08:00

Drooling already? HAHAH.
this is just the appetiser. anyway, i'm planning an event : SLEEPOVER at my house in June. Anyone interested? haha. can be open to cfers...but if the turnouts too BIG, then priority comes first to those who can confirm first! :P

It'll be movie night...so, if you have any nice movies to lend/rent, BRING IT alongggggg

Anyone going overseas in june? then we can do it earlier..Do tag if you can COME!(if you have any other ideas, do share!)

all the best for the exams! It'll be over anytime soon. Press on :)
Myrtle

2008-04-22T08:41:00.004+08:00

Devotion TWENTY-EIGHT: The Hungry & Thirsty

Psalm 34:8-10
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear Him have no lack! 10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

It has been said that human beings are what they eat. This principle is true not only for the body but also for the soul. The outer person depends upon food and water, and the inner person depends upon righteousness. If the inner person is not satisfied with the spiritual food that God provides, then that inner person becomes weak and sickly. If the inner person is to function well, it must be fed.

The sould has its hunger and thirsts; those desires were built into humans at creation. "He has also set eternity in the hearts of men" (Ecc 3:11)

Augustine said it perfectly: "Thou has made us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in Thee." As the deer thirst after water, so its natural for people to thirst after God. They may not know that their thirst is for God, and they'll probably try to satisfy that thirst with a substitute that will only leave them with more thirst.

I have learnt through setbacks in life, that God indeed cannot be replaced by any mere human or material goods. We may enjoy good relationships or luxurious living...but God must NEVER be taken out of our equation. Because in doing so, I realise we are just like running away in a circle, only to return at the same spot. God has put eternity in our hearts, and the temporal cannot satisfy.

He alone can satisfy! "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes on me will never be thirsty"
(John 6:35)

God, How Great is Your Love

That even when we go our own way

You still watch over us

Making sure we don't stray.

We seek you in our afflictions,

And find you when in need

But then we go on our own way

And forget what we should heed.

Father will we ever really know

The deepness of your love?

We see just a glimpse of it

And yet this seems enough.

Maybe to know your love complete

Would clearly blow my mind

And yet I can't help but seek

For all that I might find.

by: Kathie M. Thomas

2008-04-17T22:39:00.004+08:00

Hi guys!

As per communicated during CF meeting, I intend to organize a CF "outing" for..... AHM!!

Well, for those who still don't know what it means, it means Army Half Marathon. Its a yearly event open for the public. The date of the run this year is August 24th, and it falls on a sunday.

The flag off timings are:

Most importantly, the registration is now open! Early bird closes on 30th April. So be hasty if you want to save some cash. There will be goodie bags for participants and I'm sure it will be whole load of fun. =D

The application fees for the categories are:

For those who are interested, you will have 3 options:

1) Register yourself online here if you have credit card or debit card.

2) Sign up on the next CF meeting when I pass you the bulk registration form.

3) If you need more time to think, complete the form and sign up at the following safra clubs -

- SAFRA Mount Faber Club, 2 Telok Blangah Way. Tel: +65 6278 6011
- SAFRA Toa Payoh Club, 293 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh. Tel: +65 6259 4000
- SAFRA Tampines Club, 1/A Tampines St 92. Tel: +65 6785 8800
- SAFRA Yishun Country Club, 60 Yishun Ave 4. Tel: +65 6852 8200

Please indicate which category you are interested too! If you have any queries, please feel free to ask me thru msn or sms ya? My contact number is 90036260 and my msn is eugenelimkailun@hotmail.com

Take care, study hard, and God bless! =D

-JinLun

devotion28: The Oyster Man

2008-04-14T23:58:00.002+08:00

That the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. — 2 Corinthians 4:7

In the days of John Wesley, lay preachers with limited education would sometimes conduct the church services. One man used Luke 19:21 as his text: "Lord, I feared Thee, because Thou art an austere man" (KJV). Not knowing the word austere, he thought the text spoke of "an oyster man."

He explained how a diver must grope in dark, freezing water to retrieve oysters. In his attempt, he cuts his hands on the sharp edges of the shells. After he obtains an oyster, he rises to the surface, clutching it "in his torn and bleeding hands." The preacher added, "Christ descended from the glory of heaven into . . . sinful human society, in order to retrieve humans and bring them back up with Him to the glory of heaven. His torn and bleeding hands are a sign of the value He has placed on the object of His quest."

Afterward, 12 men received Christ. Later that night someone came to Wesley to complain about unschooled preachers who were too ignorant even to know the meaning of the texts they were preaching on. The Oxford-educated Wesley simply said, "Never mind. The Lord got a dozen oysters tonight."

Our best may not always measure up to the standards of others. But God takes our inadequacies and humble efforts and uses them for His glory. — Cindy Hess Kasper

The Master can use what you have to offer,Though you may consider it small;His work here on earth is done through His children,So give Him your best, give your all. — Hess

Do what you can where you are with what you have.

Hey REVS, hope you guys are doing just fine preparing for your exams! This is a good devotion as we're in the midst of busy-ness. Do not forget about God and put our books first alright? It will be dumb to do so. So do take some time to pray, to spend some time with God and to talk to Him won't you? Jiayou, and we'll be praying for you! Seeyou soon!

2008-04-04T08:20:00.002+08:00

DevotionTWENTY-SEVEN: Forgiveness is Costly

Forgiveness is free to the person who receives it but very costly for the person who dispenses it. The one who does the forgiving must absorb the cost and let the offender go free.

Paul said that christians should not take other believers to court because it is a poor testimony to the people of the world. Then he adds, "Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?" ( 1 Corinthians 6:7). To forgive someone who has chiseled you out out of your rightful inheritance is costly to you, but its better than going to court before unbelievers.

L. Gregory Jones: "Unfortunately, the cost of forgiveness is too high for many people. Consequently, they invent and turn to cheaper versions of forgiveness, ones that will enable them to 'feel' or 'think' better about themselves - or simply to 'cope' with their situation - without having to engage in struggles to change or transform the patterns of their relationships"

Christian forgiveness requires our death, understood in the specific form and shape of Jesus Christ's dying and rising. That our old selves may die to find a future not bound by past. If God paid our debt at high personal cost, what makes us think we can pay someone's debt without accepting some loss?

People may have wronged us, say or do hurtful things which they may / may not know could have impacted us so badly one way or another. But, havent we done countless things, say words in moment of anger that would have shattered our heavenly Father's heart? When we turn our back on Him, choose to confide in friends instead of our First Love, dont u think our Father up above feels hurt too? Or when we choose not to do the things He instruct us...we have done so many things to make Him tear. But still, Jesus took the first step to die on the cross that our sins may be forgiven.

Its hard when we look at situations and think how we could forgive someone who seem the least remorseful for the things they did to us. But, remember to always focus on Jesus. Lets take the first step to open up and forgive the person. He/she may not be willing to accept it or may still continue to hurt u. But surely, His grace is sufficient and through Him who gives u strength, would He enable you to look at the world/situations with a different perspective only if you would allow Him to.

In time, we'll learn that we have mych more to gain by forgiveness than we have to lose.

To forgive is difficult. To forgive is costly. Thats why Jesus had to die. - Erwin Lutzer

God our Amazing Creator

2008-04-01T01:58:00.001+08:00

Revs, pse tk 7.10mins of your time to watch this clip. Shows the greatness of God!

FES National Conference: Integral Missions

2008-04-01T01:18:00.002+08:00

2008-03-31T08:59:00.002+08:00

DevotionTWENTY-SIX: No Pretending

How are u in your walk with God? One sure way to check is to examine your prayer life. You can go to church and do all kinds of 'religious' things, but none ever goes behind closed doors and get on their knees to pretend. Why? Because in your room, you only have the audience of One. Its just you and God and there's no fooling Him!

Matthew 6:5-6
5 And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Isnt is just marvellous that we're able to converse with the King of kings, creator of heaven and Earth, anytime, anywhere without having to make an appointment through some secretary or whatsoever? It gets pretty hard at times to even talk to our lecturers yeah?

Prayer is the truest test of our genuine heart for the Lord. Some may say: "I cant think of enough stuff to pray about. I get alone with God and pray about almost the same things over and over again, like "Bless Uncle John" and "Help me at work today". If u think u're getting bored talking to God, do you think God might feel bored hearing the same things over and over again? :)

To help us remember the things to pray for, we can probably jot them down in our notebook. This may help us to focus.

Others may say, "My problem is that I'll be praying and my mind will wander." Maybe praying aloud then could help u stay focused.

Or some others may also say "I begin to pray, and then I start to doubt." When u experience this, confess to Him your areas of doubt and ask Him to increase your faith. And He will!

Personally, I have fallen into these categories over and over again, like running out of things to say to Him and my mind wandering away just as I begin my prayer. But when I understand that God, who wants us to treat Him as a friend, wants us to tell Him how we feel about the things we experienced each day, and how He wants us to share our problems just as a close friend would want to be there to ease our burdens, so does He! I begin to understand better that prayer isnt like a formal conversation with someone distant, but in fact a conversation with a friend, who is ever so near and present around us.

Have you sensed a growing distance from the Lord or the need to bring some burden before Him that you've been carrying yourself around? Get alone with God. Pour out your heart to Him in faith. If God is talking to you about this, dont wait another moment - James Macdonald.

devotion25 - World At War

2008-03-27T09:55:00.002+08:00

"Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring - those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus. " Rev 12:17

"Enemy occupied territory that is what this world is." - C.S. Lewis

"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist." - The Usual Suspects.

Western Christianity is, to some extent, a religion with a bit of an identity crisis. There are aspects of Jesus' teaching which have universal appeal and make for an easy sell. Who doesn't want more peace and love in their life? At the same time, there are elements of Christianity which are less pleasant and so we may have a tendency to hide them in the closet and focus on areas where we are more comfortable. We don't want to even think about spiritual warfare, much less do anything about it. Maybe if we pretend it is isn't real, it won't affect us.

That strategy rarely works. Few combatants in war ever wanted to fight but they could not shake off the conflict once it consumed them. Once the shooting starts, all you can do is choose sides. As Aragorn tells King Théoden in The Two Towers, "Whether you would risk it or not, open war is upon you."

There is a war raging all around you at this very moment. Those who oppose God are locked in fierce combat with those who remain ever loyal. We know that God and the forces of good triumph in the end, but that day has not yet come. In the meantime, no one is invulnerable to the effects of this war. We are all casualties and have all been tormented by the evil one's forces.

It would be a mistake to attribute every bad decision or selfish act to the influence of the forces of evil, but worse still would be a steadfast refusal to acknowledge their existence. As you grow in intimacy with God and succeed in doing His work on earth, the more Satan and his forces will rally against you. If you are oblivious to this opposition or its source, you will be ill-equipped to handle it.

The most common tactic the devil will use to torment us is to tell us lies and deceive us. Frequently, we will get the message that we are worthless or that our efforts to serve God are in vain. At its worst, it can sometimes leave you wondering if God even exists at all.

"You're not good enough to pull this off."

"You're nothing but a filthy sinner."

"You're wasting your time."

When you hear that denigrating voice, you must make no agreements with it! You must never allow that voice to lead you down the path of hopelessness and despair. Don't give your tormentor a foothold by thinking, "...maybe I am wasting my time." Recognize it for what it is and demand it to flee.

There is more to spiritual warfare than ignoring Satan's lies. There is an active role for you to play and your contributions are desperately needed. Paul gives us our marching orders in his letter to the Ephesians. He writes,

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Eph 6:11-17

Paul is not being metaphorical or figurative. Your best defense in this war is truth, righteousness and faith. Your best weapon is the Holy Word of God. How we live, according the principles Jesus taught, provides the best possible protection against the devil's schemes. How we witness and teach the Gospel - how we proclaim the good news of the Word - is a sword which pierces the enemy's heart.

2008-03-25T08:45:00.004+08:00

DevotionTWENTY-FOUR: Working Together

Have u read the book of Nehemiah (chapter3) before? It can be quite discouraging to come to a chapter like this because it consists largely of unpronounceable names and long-forgotten people! But this chapter tells of a story of the work of repairing the gates and walls of Jerusalem that Nehemiah had been sent to do.

Nehemiah 3:1-10
1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built...5 And next to them the Tekoited repaired, but their nobls would not stoop to serve their Lord...10 Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph repaired opposite their house.

Wow! Thats really quite a mouthful of names, isnt it?

All through this account, you would have noticed the phrase "next to him" worked so and so, and "next to him" worked others. The writer takes note not only the workers but also the shirkers (those who shirks their responsibility).

Did u know God records slackers too? When people will not take up their ministry, God puts their name down in that column as well.

Notice they also worked near their home. Verse 10: Jedaiah "made repairs opposite his house". Verse 23 tells of certain men who "made repairs in front of their house". So what does this mean?
God has placed us strategically where He wants us to be. Your neighbourhood, office or home is where your ministry should be. That is why God put you there. This is brought out beautifully as we watch these people labouring in their neighbourhood.

Finally each one completed his assigned task. They kept on until they had finished their work. Some had more work to do than the others, but no one failed - except the 'nobles' who would not dirty their hands.

Even as some of us take on certain ministries, we may encounter many difficulties. Like fitting in rehearsal time into our schedule, joining some extra courses to better enable ourselves in teaching / facilitating, working with people we may not feel comfortable with...

I remember sharing with you guys about me taking up this leader role, that I believe God may use it to help me become a more responsible person. Definitely, I had my struggles coming to accept this role as I know this would mean lesser me time.

Have u guys watched Evan Almighty? Morgan Freeman, acting as God, said something like this. If u prayed for family warmth / better relationship, do u think He just gives / bless u with that cozy, fuzzy feeling within your family members? No. He gives u opportunities (situations) that in these situations, the family may work together and so be more closely bonded with one another.
And when Evan prayed that he might be able to change the world, God gave him oppotunities to show / work towards how he may indeed change the world (in a manner Evan never thought or could imagine). That throughout, we notice how God (Morgan Freeman) equips Evan with the relevant tools and even help from the animals when no one was there to support him!

Keep on trusting in Him, and know that where He calls you to He will surely equip you.
Finally, lets continue doing our assigned task till its done, that we know then He is pleased.

I have learnt through the years that responsibility is always the mark of spiritual maturity. The most mature members in a congregation are those who stay with the work that has been assigned to them until it is done. - Ray Stedman

devotion25 - 寶貴十架

2008-03-23T05:12:00.003+08:00

Happy Easter Sunday Revs! xD
Today's devotion is simple. Take some time to listen to this song and ponder on the lyrics. Let's go back to the foot of the cross and thank God for all the goodness He has bless us with. Take some moment to thank God for sending His son to die on the cross for us and give us life.

主耶穌我感謝祢祢的身體為我而捨

帶我出黑暗進入光明國度使我再次能看見

主耶穌我感謝祢祢的寶血為我而流

寶貴十架上醫治恩典湧流使我完全得自由

寶貴十架的大能賜我生命主耶穌我俯伏敬拜祢

寶貴十架的救恩是祢所立的約祢的愛永遠不改變

goodnight,kev! xD

Happy Easter Sunday

2008-03-23T03:01:00.002+08:00

Dear brothers and sisters, I hope during this holiday you are refresh by our Lord and staying strong in your walk, dwelling in His goodness and blessings. Today, I was in church for the Easter drama that was put up by the youths. It was thought evoking - gospel made real.

Anyway the main thing was that my sister came to church with me. It was the second time she came to my church and it was a great encouragement to me. For the recent months I have seen God working in my family and the ministry that I'm in. I believe God have destined us to be loved by Him and if you have been praying and waiting for the Lord to give an answer for the salvation of your family, DOUBT no further! God will move. God will clear hinderances. God have saved and will continue to save! Our loved ones are in God's list =)

Let's encourage and spur one another to go forth into the world, into the campus, into families and into our love ones in bringing the love of our father into the world =)

devotion24: You Never Thoroughly Intended It

2008-03-19T03:05:00.002+08:00

I read quite a lot, both for pleasure and for my theological studies. Every so often, I read something that stops me dead in my tracks and affects me so deeply that I have to put the book down and consider what I've just read. No author has done that as powerfully and frequently as C.S. Lewis. Today, I want to share one of those moments with you and explore how we can apply it to our relationship with Jesus. (In fairness, these are not his own words - Lewis was quoting William Law). He wrote:

If you will stop here and ask yourselves why you are not as pious as the primitive Christians were, your own heart will tell you, that it is neither through ignorance nor inability, but purely because you never thoroughly intended it.

If we consider Christianity to be a life-long journey, then surely the destination is a perfect and complete union with Christ. We begin the journey by not knowing Christ at all and it is complete when we have surrendered to Christ so fully and completely that nothing of ourselves remains.

If we stop to take a look at the things which prevent us from reaching that goal, it will appear that there are hundreds of little things on the journey which block our way. Work, friends, community and family responsibilities all present obstacles. We're so busy!

The truth that Lewis brings to our attention is that there are not many reasons, but rather one simple reason which underlies it all. If you don't have the kind of passion and intimacy in your relationship with Christ that you should then you don't fully intend to. You see, the quality of your relationship with Christ is all in your hands and no one else's. This is not like a marriage where both husband and wife must work to achieve closeness. Christ is and has always been completely accessible and available. He waits patiently for us to take each next step toward Him. You either take the steps or you don't.

Every reason you can imagine for why you have not taken the next step on the journey can be distilled down to one simple fact - you don't want to. There is no secret or magic formula here. It's simple. We come closer to Christ by spending time with Him, reading His word, serving Him and praying. None of us are being physically prevented or restrained from doing these things and so the choice to do them or not to do them is ours alone.

Yet, we do other things instead. We watch TV, put in a little overtime at work, visit with friends or any other myriad of things that are more important to us at that given moment. It's a given that there are things we must do to survive such as eating and working in order to make money to pay for our food and shelter. Jesus understands this. Yet, there is so much that we do not need to do. All that time we could be working on our relationship with Jesus. But we don't.

I'm busy! I have work to do! I'm tired! Wrap the excuse any way you wish and surround it by any reason you like but when you unwrap it, what you will find inside every time is the same basic truth. You don't intend to have a better relationship with Jesus.

The relationship you have with Jesus is exactly the one you want to have. When you want to have a closer, deeper relationship with Him, you will. Nothing in this world can prevent it.

Goodnight Revs,
kev!(:

2008-03-18T08:59:00.002+08:00

Hey Revs! Should catch these 2 videos! Absolutely entertaining! :)

2008-03-18T08:22:00.003+08:00

DevotionTWENTY-THREE: 2-Way Traffic

Ever had a 1-way friendship? You know the drill - people who always need a favour but never give anything in return? Everytime they come close, you know they've brought a new set of demands and needs. Clearly there is something missing if you're looking for the joy of friendship.

Have you wondered if God feels that way about us? With all our constant barrage of questions, problems and prayer requests. Surely, He wants us to cast all our cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7), and thankfully He stand ready and willing to help (Hebrews 4:16). But if we aspire to be God's friend, we need to recognize that true friendship with God is a reciprocal deal!

When Jesus talked about friendship He told His disciples, "You are my friends if you do what I command" (John 15:14). Jesus made it clear that His true friends would be those who would show allegiance to Him by doing what He told them to do: "Love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12)

Jesus proved His friendship when He laid down His life for us. Now the question is, what will we do for Him? Although we can never out-give Him or come close to repaying Him, we can display our friendship with Him even in our everyday lives too! How? Its when we extend kindness to someone in need, forgive an offender, show compassion to the poor and oppressed... ...

Remember, friendship with God has to be 2-way traffic :)

FAVOURITE!: Wang Lee Hom

2008-03-18T01:40:00.003+08:00

HAHA! (: Hope you enjoyed listening to my FAVOURITE singer.(not idol, no worries! i don't idolise him) But he's a man with truckloads of talent, amazing and beautiful man. This is just a random post,HAHA! Just want to share my treasures with you guys.Touched?HAHA! Ah well, do continue to walk close with God and I'm sure you'll be a happy boy/girl! HAHA. Pse do come for this coming Wednesday's EXCO handover. Come and render your support to the incoming EXCO and to appreciate the outing EXCO shall we? See you there!

With love, kev (:

devotion22 - What Are You Afraid Of?

2008-03-17T00:34:00.001+08:00

When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son (Genesis 22:9-10)

Late last year, my father and I sat in a hotel room following a men's conference in Toronto. Though he had given his life to Christ months earlier, he was still struggling with what it means to put Jesus first in his life and to surrender himself completely to Christ. "Let me ask you this," I said. "Would you trust Jesus enough to let him take Mom from you, if that was required of you in order to follow him?" He pondered their thirty-eight years of marriage and all that she means to him, then finally replied, "I don't know."

I empathize with my father as surely as I empathize with Abraham, whose test of faith has become the example for us all. The question for most of us, including my father, is academic since few people ever have to make such a dramatic choice. However, it's a useful test of the depth of our trust in Christ to ask, "What would I give up to follow Him?"

If we will be honest, there is something which each of us fears losing so much that it strains the limits of our faith to contemplate trusting it to God. Our life is perhaps the least of these, for surely there are worse fates than dying. Perhaps it is losing our wife, husband or child. Perhaps it is losing our freedom, our health or our mind.

As I began to take this inventory for myself in my twenties, I came across one thing which I could never permit God to take from me and which I could not offer in sacrifice. It was my mind. I justified this by saying that if I lost my sanity or my ability to perceive the world around me, how could I serve Christ? How would I even know who He was? If that were the case, would I be lost forever? Does my salvation rest upon my ability to understand it? I concluded that I could stand any manner of pain and torture so long as I had clarity of mind, but I told God in no uncertain terms that my conscious mind was off limits.

Years later, I came to the conclusion which must have preceded Abraham's reluctant decision to sacrifice His son, and which every Christian must reach before they can sacrifice the last remaining sacred treasure they have been withholding. I thought, "God, if you take this from me, it's part of your amazing plan and I can trust you." It was part of the realization that if God is going to take something from me, He will remain faithful to me and see me through it. He will give me whatever strength, faith and endurance I require to make it through the loss. This is the promise Jesus gives to all who place their faith in Him.

I don't know how God would sustain me if I had brain injury and lost my ability to reason. I don't know how my father would make it through the pain if he lost his wife. The point is that we don't have to worry about any of that once we surrender to God. We simply trust in the Lord with everything we have and He will see us through. God never said it would be easy, but He did say He would sustain us through the hard times and welcome us with open arms into His kingdom when our time comes.

Search deep within yourself now and contemplate the one thing that you have not been able to surrender to God. Find that one thing about which you have silently, subconsciously said, "God, take anything you require but please don't take this." I know that it feels like you would be destroyed if God took that from you, but you have to trust him. If God takes this from you, He will sustain you. Whatever He takes from you will be given back to you tenfold in Heaven. Most importantly, if God takes it from you, it is part of His amazing plan. Trust God with it now and let your surrender to Jesus Christ be complete.

The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." (Genesis 22:15-18)

devotion21 - Listening To Each Other

2008-03-14T23:07:00.002+08:00

For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." But if instead of showing love among yourselves you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another." Gal 5:13-14

I overheard a conversation yesterday at lunch which began when a young woman noticed one of her co-workers looking downcast. She sat beside him at the lunch table and asked him if he wanted to discuss what was bothering him. He began to talk about the recent trouble he was having relating to his daughter, and it was obvious from his tone and his expression that this was a serious matter which was weighing heavily on him. He had barely begun to explain the essence of the problem when the young woman interrupted, exclaiming, "I know exactly what you mean! My daughter..." And just like that, the conversation shifted as she went on for several minutes describing her own situation. When she finally paused to take a bite of her meal, the man got up and walked away dejectedly. Without missing a beat, she turned to the next person at the table and continued talking about her daughter. I had a pretty strong reaction at the time. I remember thinking, "you don't care about his situation! You just wanted an excuse to start talking!"

It's easy to be critical of this young woman, but realistically, this kind of thing goes on all the time. I have done it to my wife and she has done it to me. I have seen pastors do it on many occasions. Few of us are immune. We are rarely listening; usually, we are just waiting impatiently for our turn to talk. We nod and agree in all the right places, but really we are pondering the next thing we are about to say.

It's a shame that so many of us are guilty of this offense, and it speaks volumes about how most people really feel about themselves and those around them. If you struggle with this as much as I do, then it ought to be very humbling when you realize just how difficult and rare it is to have a conversation with someone during which you are far more interested in what they are saying than what you are about to say. It's hard to clear our mind, offer our undivided attention and just listen.

If we dig deeper, we will discover that our egocentric conversations are just a symptom of a deeper problem, the most obvious and common of a whole litany of ways in which we fail to really love our neighbor. I could just as easily point to any of a long list of ways we fail to keep this commandment. I chose this one because it is so subtle and pervasive that for the most part, we've simply stopped noticing that we've stopped listening. I'm sure if you were to ask the young woman at the lunch table, she wouldn't have any idea that she had done anything wrong.

The next time you're speaking to someone, especially if they are hurting, make an effort to erase any thoughts of yourself. Instead, give them one hundred percent of your attention. Make a commitment to ensuring that they are able to get their point across, and don't worry about yours. It seems like such a small thing, but it will make a huge difference in not only how people perceive you, but how you perceive them.

You see, loving your neighbor is not like loving your spouse. It's not something you feel; it's something you do. It's the act of sacrificing your own needs and desires for the sake of someone else.

You can demonstrate that love in such a meaningful way by just listening.

Glory's Belated-birthday Celebration

2008-03-14T00:41:00.008+08:00

Happy Birthday Glory v1.0

Happy Birthday Glory v1.1

Babes posing after the "craft" work.

Happy people waiting v1.0 (5:30pm)

Happy people waiting v1.1 (5:45pm)

Finally, STAR of the day arrives... (6:45pm)

Touched to tears.

Here comes the "hero" with the 3 stalks of flowers.

Girls say "Hi".

Boys say "Bye" (:

Food time!

Royal feast v1.0

Royal feast v1.1

It's suppose to be candid, why are you looking Rich?

Surprise 2, Cake/Sing song ceremony.

Huuuu...Blow off the fire of 23!

Feels loved.

Beautiful isn't it?

Queen with the hunks!

Queen with the royal maids,Ha!

Sister love (:

Ka-wa-yi-neh (:

70% of Revelation gang.

ACS vs Fairfield.

Hmm...are you thinking what i'm thinking B1? Yes,B2 i am.

Roses for the Queen.

Creations by her majesty.

Just in case you're wondering, it's Cream Puffs!

Act-seh gang. We are cool.

Sisters.

Brothers.

Lovely girls.

Don't you think Maylan looks Korean in this pic? (:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GLORY

2008-03-13T07:50:00.004+08:00

DevotionTWENTY: Psalm 121

Good morning Revelations :)

Hope you all had a good nite rest and are looking forward to the makan gathering later! haha

Do take time to listen to this song by Paul Wilbur, an Isreali-American singer, while reading up today's devotion. Enjoy and while doing so, listen out for the words of the song too! :)

Psalm 121
1 I lift my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD, maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you - the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm - He will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

How comforting it is to know that the Lord, despite having so many prayer requests, prayer for Him to watch over someone somewhere everyday, yet He cares for each one of us as if there were only one. :)

We may encounter problems or setbacks, and wonder God "Why me?!" or "Why do I have to undergo all these problems!?". I like how this author puts it 'Often we stand at life's crossroads and view what we think is the end. But God has a much bigger vision and tells us its only a bend.'

With our own eyes, we sometimes magnify these problems and forget who is the One who is in control of all these.

As the song goes...In Your presence, thats where I am strong. In Your presence, O Lord my God. In Your presence, thats where I belong. Seeking Your face, touching Your grace...

Do not lose heart amidst all these, and know that God loves you more than what we can imagine and there are people around who are more than willing to walk alongside with you.

No day is too dark
And no burden too great
That God in His love
cannot penetrate. - Helen Steiner Rice
:)

2008-03-11T07:51:00.005+08:00

DEVOTION NINETEEN: NO COMPROMISE

Do you know the story about Daniel in the lions' den? Im sure most of you do and have heard about it in sunday school! Anyway, at the end, Daniel was rescued from death inspite of the plotting and scheming from his co-workers. Surprisingly, he passed the test with his faith and character beautifully intact. How? He refused to compromise.

In places where no one would know except the Lord, Daniel didnt waiver in his private actions. His model is a great one for us to follow.

Establish consistency in your walk with God. If you're not walking with God today, its only a matter of time you'll fail and fall. We will never stand consistently until we are walking consistently with God.

Exact Opposition. Following Christ doesnt mean fewer hassles and hardships. Sometimes it means more! Resistance from family, schoolmates, close friends...They may even say things like "When did u get so serious about following the Lord?" Dont worry about any of them, and take a stand for Christ.

Maintain Consistency. Keep praying and stay on in God's word. "When Daniel knew that the document - his death warrant - was signed, he went to his house....He got down on his knees three times a dayand prayed and gave thanks" (6:10)

Did u notice the subject of his prayers? "Thank You, God, for this opportunity. Thank You that You're gonna show Yourself strong in my life. Thank You that I can trust You even in this."

Consistency in our walk with Godand His word will strengthen us during times of crisis.

Daily Bread

2008-03-11T02:16:00.005+08:00

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (James 1:22-25, ESV)

People,just in case you miss the "DailyBreadCorner". Please read the verse of the day THRICE.Get it into your mind and think about it seriously.Are you a hearer only and not a doer? If you're a hearer only,are you thinking to be a doer too? Come on,lets' be doers and not just hearer shall we?

kev

devotionEIGHTEEN - Light Of The World

2008-03-11T02:06:00.004+08:00

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen not only because I see it but because by it I see everything else" - C.S Lewis

It would be a mistake to think that Christianity does nothing more than tell us what happens when we die. It does even more than simply tell us how to live. The Word of God is the lens through which every thing else comes into focus. We need to learn to adopt Christianity as both a philosophy and a world view. Just as we are called to become like Christ in our personal lives, we are called to shape the world into the Kingdom of God, but we cannot hope to do that unless we understand it.

While most Christian thinkers defend Christianity by presenting either some sort of evidence or by offering some logical proof, the late Cornelius Van Til proposed a subtler type of approach. He used to encourage people to investigate Christianity by first getting them to assume it was all false, and then challenging them to explain the universe without it. Why are we here? Where did we come from? What are good and evil? In doing so, Van Til helped people to see for themselves that without a foundation in Christ, nothing makes sense. Christianity doesn't just have the answers to salvation, it has the answers to everything.

For example, Christianity helps us to see why Communism was such a wicked and dismal failure. In the days following the resurrection, Christ's disciples practiced a kind of communism and it was successful because every member placed the will of God first. However, modern-day communism denies God and so there is nothing to keep the power and authority in check. The Bible teaches us that without God, man is inherently sinful and communism has been the ultimate and unfortunate demonstration of that fact. Democracy, though far from perfect, works because it understands that power has the tendency to corrupt and so there are check and balances in place to protect us.

The Bible does not provide solutions for every problem we face in the world. It cannot specifically tell us what to do about gun violence, broken marriages, sexual immortality or rampant famine. What it can do is provide principles and a framework by which we can arrive at the correct solution. Things will get better in our lives and community when we start to see every problem from a Biblical perspective and then apply these principles consistently in our lives, our families, our work, our home and our governments.

If you want to know more about the "Christian worldview", one of the finest books I've found is How Now Shall We Live? It's a long, challenging read, but well worth the effort.

kev

Daily Bread

2008-03-10T11:21:00.002+08:00

For "Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it." (1 Peter 3:10-11, ESV)

2008-03-09T22:01:00.002+08:00

The Passion of Christ

Some of you may not have caught Mel Gibson's 'Passion of Christ' movie. Anyway, I've just included a short snippet of the movie (how Jesus was tortured and crucified by the Romans to the point where He breathed His last). Do spare about 5mins for this movie :)

This movie is certainly meaningful as it reminds me of how we so often hear and talk about 'For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only begotten son...', that it doesnt seem to mean much, does it?

The price that Jesus had paid for us all didnt come cheap and while watching the movie, I couldnt help but feel much anger towards the Roman soldiers. How they tortured Him was almost beyond what any human being would be able to endure. Yet, Jesus uttered to the Father to 'Forgive them for they know not what they do.."

Do you also feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude knowing how Jesus, the Son of God, Kings of Kings, who has the power to command legions of angels to save Him from the cross, chose instead to complete the mission so that we might be saved?

Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,and by His wounds we are healed.

Thank You for the cross Lord
Thank You for the price You paid
Bearing all my sin and shame
In love You came
And gave amazing grace

Thank You for this love Lord
Thank You for the nail-pierced hands
Washed me in Your cleansing flow
Now all I know
Your forgiveness and embrace

Worthy is the Lamb
Seated on the throne
Crown You now with many crowns
You reign victorious

High and lifted up
Jesus, Son of God
The darling of heaven crucified
Worthy is the Lamb
Worthy is the Lamb

devotionSEVENTEEN - Almighty God

2008-03-09T20:53:00.003+08:00

As Christians, we love and worship God, but do we fear Him? Do we remember that He is all-powerful and sovereign? In this devotional, we look at Isaiah chapter 6, where Isaiah's encounter with God reminds us how mighty He is.

I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Isa 6:1-5

God is wonderfully complex and can never be fully defined by any single thought or idea. He has many natures and many sides which are all very different and all equally valid. For example, one of the most cherished images we have of Jesus is that of an accessible and compassionate friend and companion. Without a doubt, Jesus fulfills that role for his faithful. Yet at the same time, consider the image of Christ we get from the Book of Revelation.

"His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were bright like flames of fire. His feet were as bright as bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was as bright as the sun in all its brilliance." Rev 1:14-16.

The contrast is startling. Jesus is kind and loving, but He is also a fierce warrior. The Father is likewise loving and merciful, yet this very same God declares, "I will pour out my vengeance on all the nations that refuse to obey me." Micah 5:15.

We can be certain that any descriptive term we use for God, in isolation, will fall well short of elucidating all that He is. The best we can do is to continually appreciate and accept all his many qualities, without neglecting those we may not understand.

In this devotional, we want to take you to the other side of the spectrum and look at another aspect of God's nature which may be equally overlooked. If we are guilty of overlooking the fact that Jesus became a man, then perhaps we are sometimes guilty of failing to remember His awesome power, His supremacy and His authority.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with our cherished image of the peaceful and kind Jesus who calls children to Him and always turns the other cheek. It's a completely accurate albeit incomplete description of our Lord. As an extension of that image, we may have the idea that if we were to meet Jesus face to face, we would shake His hand, perhaps give Him a hug and then go grab a coffee.

This passage from Isaiah is a startling reminder of what would happen if we were to actually meet our God face to face, revealed to us in all His true glory. Like Isaiah, in the presence of the almighty God, seated on His throne, we would fall on our knees and proclaim "Woe is me - my eyes have seen the King!"

Let us never forget that God is to be feared. God is to be respected. He is the creator of everything seen and unseen, and deserves our worship and adoration. His power is limitless and without equal. His glory and holiness are beyond our measure.

Our purpose in this devotional is not to in any way diminish his human qualities or his love, mercy or compassion. Without those qualities, we would all be lost! Rather, our hope is that when you ponder Jesus Christ and all that He is, you might never forget His power and glory which completely fill the heavens and the earth. As you love and surrender to Christ, may you not forget to fear Him as well.

Health Awareness

2008-03-06T17:57:00.001+08:00

EFFECTS OF COLD WATER & SYMPTOMS OF A SILENT HEART ATTACK

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal. A serious note about heart attacks - You should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive.

2008-03-06T08:34:00.002+08:00

Just Some Thoughts (Part II) haha

Hi Revelations! Its me again :)
Anyway, I was just looking (just realised it existed) at the verse at the DailyBread Corner, and it really shook me.

I was thinking about live/cell groups and why is it actually even important for us to come together be it in your own cell in church or in CF. Relating to my last devotionSeventeen, our life on earth is not an easy one as we're thrown with temptations everywhere right from the moment we wake up in the morning. Just think about it...

1) In the morning - Quiet time or TV? But TV sounds more interesting and...my favourite program is on now!
2) Gathering with friends or church meeting? But...my friends are more interesting!
3) Church or sleep-in later? Im really tired and I dont think I'll be able to concentrate even if I go to church like this!
4) Money to get my new MP3 or for offering? MP3 does seem like a more worthwhile investment.

I think Jesus is like an anchor of the ship and brothers and sisters in Christ are like life-buoys. We need one another to remind us what we are here for and to pull us back when we've drifted far out into the sea.

We need God and one another in our lives as no man is infallible (in our walk with Him) :)

2008-03-06T08:02:00.002+08:00

Devotion SEVENTEEN: Ready For Heaven?

Heaven is a place in the future of every christian. Are u prepared? Are u really ready to go? And I dont just mean: Do u have the hope of heaven? Thats part of it. Trusting in Christ also means recognizing that our lives on earth should count for something, and we should lay up our treasures in heaven.

Matthew 6:19-24
19Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness...24...You cannot serve God and money.

Got to admit, more often than not, I can be so caught up with accumulating more treasures here on earth than I should for in heaven. A pastor who preached in my church once asked the congregation, 'Do u ever feel truly happy / joyful when you manage to earn your 1 million dollars, beat the rest of your classmates in an exam, taste the most expensive or delectable dish....? Well, the list could go on and on. But if we ask ourselves this, Im sure most answers would be a "YES!.....But it only lasted for that short while." Agree?

Everything we have on earth will be left behind. But Jesus told us if we were wise, we would "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal." As christians, this means we'll one day receive rewards for our faithful service to the Lord.

What are you doing for Christ? Are u using the gifts He has given you?

I can have the greatest life on this earth - not because Im trying to obtain happiness or fulfillment, but because Im trying to walk with God and please Him. The fringe benefit of living life for the next one is that I can have a happy, fulfilled life doing it. - Greg Laurie

Random

2008-03-06T01:44:00.005+08:00

Just a random picture to brighten up your day?

Cute right? See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.

We shld alwys b seeing,hearing and speaking things tt r nt evil,haha. (:(:(:

devotionSIXTEEN - WHAT CAN YOU HEAR?

2008-03-06T00:42:00.006+08:00

THINK ABOUT IT

A ringtone which prying elders can't hear -- if you think it is just a teen fantasy, step aside. Cellphones, which youngsters can hear but most adults can't, are now in vogue in American schools.The technology is based on the fact that most adults gradually lose the ability to hear high pitched sounds and was developed in Britain.But recently, it has spread to the US where schools are banning students from bringing cell phones to class rooms.The use of peculiar ring tones came to light recently in a school in New York where the cell phones must be turned off in class rooms, New York Times reported.

The Times said last week, a high pitched ring tone went off that set teeth on edge including their 28-year old teacher.

When she asked whose cell phone it was, the students were surprised and asked her how could she hear it when it should be inaudible to adults. But apparently her ears had not yet lost the sensitivity.

TAKE A LOOK

1 Corinthians 2:9-16 - (NLT)
9That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." 10But we know these things because God has revealed them to us by his Spirit, and his Spirit searches out everything and shows us even God's deep secrets. 11No one can know what anyone else is really thinking except that person alone, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. 12And God has actually given us his Spirit (not the world's spirit) so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. 13When we tell you this, we do not use words of human wisdom. We speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. 14But people who aren't Christians can't understand these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit can understand what the Spirit means. 15We who have the Spirit understand these things, but others can't understand us at all. 16How could they? For, "Who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who can give him counsel?"But we can understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

ACCORDING TO TODAY'S SCRIPTURE, WHO CAN HEAR WHAT GOD IS SAYING?

Here's some insight notes:
2:14-15 Non-Christians cannot understand spiritual truths, and they cannot grasp the concept that God's Spirit lives in believers. Don't expect most people to approve of or understand your decision to follow Christ. It all seems so silly to them. Just as a tone-deaf person cannot appreciate fine music, the person who rejects Christ cannot understand truths from God's Spirit. With the lines of communication broken, he or she won't be able to hear what God is saying to him or her.

If you know Christ as your Savior, you have ears to hear God. If you are not living in obedience to Christ every day, your spiritual ears will lose sensitivity to God's Spirit and you will not understand God's communication to you.

Listening to Jesus and obeying His commands will keep you hearing the ringtone of God's Spirit.

TALK ABOUT IT
Thank God for the presence, power and work of His Holy Spirit in you. Confess any way in which wanting your own way has dulled your spiritual hearing. Thank Jesus for always listening to you. Ask Him to help you listen to Him and obey His commands consistently. Praise Jesus for revealing His mind and truth to you as you respond to Him in love.

TRY IT

Read today's passage again and "listen" to God's Spirit.
Be consistent in a daily time with Jesus. Remember that intimacy with Jesus through time in God's Word and through prayer and worship. This will make your spiritual ears very sensitive to hearing God.
Whenever you hear your cell phone ring in the next few days, let God remind you that you can hear from Him through His Holy Spirit.

Have a blessed week ahead! God loves you and Revelation loves you!
kev

devotionFIFTEEN - Prayer: Our Bodies

2008-03-05T00:25:00.001+08:00

“[Jesus] walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed” (Luke 22:41).

In The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, an elder demon schooling a younger in deception says, “[humans] can be persuaded that the bodily position makes no difference to their prayers; for they constantly forget, what you must always remember, that they are animals and that whatever their bodies do affects their souls” (Screwtape, Letter IV).

Read it again: whatever our bodies do affects our souls.

While many of us pride ourselves in the fact that we may spontaneously pray to God whenever, wherever, and however we please, such freedom should not—must not—keep us from formally and intentionally praying before God. We must enter our closets. We must get on our knees. Or our faces.

Some of us do a bang-up job of disconnecting our bodies from our souls—but they are not separable. The body reflects the spirit. We are material as well as immaterial. We are not simply spirits and neither should we believe ourselves to be. God created us body and spirit. Our bodies are part of us, just as Christ’s body is part of Christ. Therefore we stand in reverence or kneel; we lift up our hands; we dance; we cover our faces and beat our chests. We adore God in spirit and in truth, with our bodies and our spirits. Love the Lord your God with . . . all that you are. And we are bodied.

When I love my wife in the future, I do more than simply speak my love (and even speaking to her is, in itself, a physical act). I hold her hand; I fold the laundry; I kiss her lips. I show my love and affection for her, body and soul.

We are wrong to believe that our relationship with God ought to be devoid of our bodies. That is the error of the Gnostics. The body is not evil; God made it. God himself now possesses a body, and has ever since Jesus was born some two thousand years ago. So when we are commanded to love our God with all our being, it includes loving him with our bodies.

The Scriptures speak of standing, raising our hands, beating our chests, falling on our faces, and kneeling in prayer (e.g., Acts 9:40; 20:36; 21:5; Eph. 3:14), but they do not speak of sitting or reclining in prayer. The biblical narrative is full of the stories of God’s people engaging their bodies in prayer.

We stand to honor a person—the President, or a woman who excuses herself from the table. We kneel to show reverence and fealty to royalty. And yet as we approach the throne of God—we sit? Our standing signifies something. Our kneeling signifies something. Our sitting signifies nothing. Or at least, our sitting signifies what we ought not to signify in the presence of the Almighty.

You can certainly pray spontaneously as you go—while walking, cooking, driving, working, diapering, or gardening. But when you are intentional in vocal prayer—voicing your heart in words, spoken or unspoken—show your intentions with your body. As you come before him in prayer today, kneel or stand in reverence. Open your hands to receive him. Raise your hands in adoration of your Creator, your Savior. Beat your chest, cover your face, and pray for mercy.

“To human animals on their knees [God] pours out self-knowledge in a quite shameless fashion” (Screwtape, Letter IV).

kev

devotionFOURTHTEEN - Prayer: A Beginning

2008-03-03T14:42:00.001+08:00

I am a beginner in the discipline of prayer. Perhaps I always will be. It is a discipline rich enough to fill our whole lives, because it is relationship with God. I grew up in a faith tradition that, while it thinks highly of prayer and sincerely affirms it, never taught me how to pray. And there is no question that prayer is difficult and mysterious. Many books on prayer that I find on bookstore shelves and in library stacks begin with the author’s concession about how much he does not know about prayer. There is always something of prayer that remains shrouded in mystery, because we’re communing with God, who is profoundly other, spectacularly higher than we are.

But at the same time, much of what is knowable about prayer remains a mystery to so many of us simply because we keep it at arm’s length. Some of us fear the intimacy, we fear the silence—we are utterly discomfited by the quietness. Some of us are faithless and no longer really believe in the efficacy of prayer—we have come to believe that prayer does nothing. Some of us are disappointed by prayer: We have asked God to act or move in a certain way and have been met only with silence, and our lives remain in a state of pain and turmoil.

I have been frightened by the silence of prayer—by communion with the Holy One, the Almighty. I have allowed sin to keep me from my Father. Maybe some of you are walking away from the very One who yearns to run to you and embrace you.

I have walked through periods of serious theological confusion about prayer. The reasoning was, “If God is sovereign and will do what he will do, is my prayer efficacious or even reasonable? In other words, if God is a theological juggernaut, then prayers of intercession and supplication are worthless, and I should only concern myself with prayers of thanksgiving and praise.” Maybe some of you are embracing that confusion.

I have been disappointed in prayer—prayed for healing and received none, prayed for relief and found none. I have misunderstood the purposes and person of God. Maybe some of you are losing hope just as I have.

There are many questions people have concerning prayer: What is it? What do I pray about? How do I pray? What is permissible, and impermissible, in prayer? Is there anything impermissible in prayer? Are there other kinds of prayer of which I should be aware, or is the spontaneous vocalization of my heart the extent of Christian prayer? Does prayer accomplish anything? When and how often should I pray? Where should I pray?

I want to struggle through some of these questions and begin to answer them for myself. I am not so foolish as to believe that I will be able to plumb the depths of prayer in these small articles or in my short lifetime. But come along with me anyway. Together we can extend our hands into the dark and slowly feel our way forward, using the lights that others have left for us in their exploration of this multifaceted and treasure-filled cavern. And we must pray—for that is the only way we will ever truly come to know how to pray.

We can begin. Try to commit to a discipline of prayer in your life. Maybe it will only be a moment or two before bed or as you rise, or five minutes during your lunch break. That is your decision, of course, but it is a decision that must be made.

Prayer is one of the most important things we fail to do. And it is not something we can set aside—it is at the heart of what it means to be a Christian.

kev

Prayer Request

2008-03-03T00:31:00.004+08:00

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. - Philippians 4:6

Eugene Lim: I need prayer for my assignments and also wisdom to guide my cell group members.

Lee Ling: That'll just be exams in May. Im definitely not prepared for mocks, so pray that I'll stay focussed and have that determination to study my best for the next 2 mths before finals.

Richard: Pray that I have wisdom, time management, sensitivity to hear God, in different areas in life.

Myrtle: Pray that I'm able to send out resumes soon! n take time to do my projects.(dont want it to be so last min..)

Christine: Please pray for more manageable exams in the upcoming weeks.

Kevin: Pray for directions of which church/cell group to settle in. Pray for my preparation for my upcoming prelims/final papers. I need to have more motivation and focus in my studies.

Glory: pray for God's guidance in preparing for g cube camp. lots of things to be done. need to prepare for scenarios, etc and we don't have much time. everyone's busy with exams. have to meet up this wkend to prepare and there's another paper next mon. yup. so keep me and my group in prayer!

Jessica/Gillian: All from UOL, so lets' keep them in prayer too as they are going through their mocks. Pray for good health and good spirit as they take time to prepare for exams.

Let us continue to keep one another in prayers daily. It can be a general pray to cover health, studies, family or anything. Prayer is a power weapon that God has given to us, so lets' use it to the fullest shall we? Lets' work hand-in-hand with our God in prayer and we will see wonders happening. Amen to that? Have a blessed week ahead guys!

2008-02-29T23:32:00.003+08:00

Just some Thoughts...

My friend shared this with me and I thought it was quite meaningful, hence, decided to jot it down here for everyone :)

Time is created by God and is given to us that we may use it anyway we want to.
When we devote time to attend cell or church meeting, to prepare for a youth camp etc, we are not doing God a favour by setting aside time amidst our busy schedule for such activities. In fact, we are returning to Him what was given to us.

If God hadnt blessed us with time, would we still be able to decide what we want to do with it?

Haha, just some food for thought :)

devotionTHIRTEEN - I'm Forever Yours

2008-02-29T02:51:00.005+08:00

A worship song by Planet Shakers. In Isaiah 6:8, the prophet Isaiah says in his vision, "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" Isaiah stood up and answered God's call. He was willing to go forth to bring God's message to the Jewish nation, even if it was one of judgment in Isaiah 6. However, the message doesn't end there because of their sin. The rest of Isaiah continues with the Good News of the promised Messiah who is to come (7:10-16), who will suffer for the sins of man, but in the process atone for our sins (53:10-12).

In essence, that is the Good News that we are to proclaim. But can we like Isaiah, say "Here am I. Send me!"? Lord, we are forever yours, a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that we may declare the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9). Help us to obey your commandments.

And,today's 29th Feb. Once in every 4 years,this date will appear in the calendar! Historical moments man! Maybe today's devotion will mark something in our life, marks a start of great things that is to come. Happy 29th feb!

kev

2008-02-28T08:37:00.002+08:00

DevotionTWELVE: Courtesies

We thank God for good food, for good friends and a good day. Yet on some other days, we dont feel like giving thanks at all. All too often we dont wake up every morning feeling overwhelmed by God's goodness. Got to admit, many a times I struggle with having to do my quiet time in the morning since there always 'seem' to be so many things to do - catching my daily dose of Oprah Winfrey at 9am, checking my email, pack my table, study......

Sometimes we get by each day or even days without talking to God or having Him in our thoughts. Havent then we slip into the presumption that God owes us something? Many a times, we act as if God owes us something (that we deserve what we get). Dont we deserve a good meal, school, meaningful work and friends to count on? Dont we deserve health and happiness and all the the good things that God gives me? Yes? No?

In fact, God owes us nothing. More accurately, we dont deserve what we've been given, let alone what He has witheld. We dont deserve another day, another meal, another laugh. God is not indebted to us. He has no obligations to make us happy by giving us what we want or what our heart demands.

Grace means "undeserved help"
Mercy means "undeserved relief"

What do we have that has not first been received as 'grace' and 'mercy'? Any good is an act of God's sheer, undeserved kindness.

In my presumption I have it all wrong. God owes me nothing. But I owe Him everything - Mart De Haan

Performance By: A Sunday School Girl

2008-02-27T14:12:00.003+08:00

This little girl is amazing, her voice is sweet! Totally melts my heart to the max! Pse enjoy this youtube post. Be us alway be still in the Lord and find rest in Him during this busy period of examination.

Love Quest 140208

2008-02-27T00:27:00.008+08:00

Start of our journey - Love Quest 140208 Prince of Beehoon + Prince of Tiramisu
Baking Queen sharing her good stuff
Sleepy leader dozing off - "Zzz..."

Destination 1: Local Delights (Indian Food @ Little India) Check out the "stuff" - Drooling?
Hungry monsters shall declare..."EAT!"
Destination 2: Rochor Yu-tiao & Beancurd - Singapore's Best!
Dish 1: Love in the air curd
Dish 2: Potion No.9
2 princess yutiao + 1 princess bean
We're the royal maids of the princesses. Satisfied customers after eating.

Destination 3: Mount Sophia - Old School

Powerpuff girls? PowerRanges?
Sinema @ OldSchool
Park's Logo - Does it look familar to you?
Childhood memories.
See-saw - Up and down!

Final Destination: Emily Hill

Chill-out @ Emily

Front-view of Chill-out @ Emily

Art.

2008-02-26T21:02:00.002+08:00

Just thought I would share this youtube with u guys.. got it from my youth pastor, dunno if u guys heard it before.. was quite touched... hope it encourages you guys as much as it encourages me! Enjoy and God bless!

-JinLun

devotionELEVEN - 1 day left.

2008-02-25T14:11:00.002+08:00

Hello people! How have you been? Coping well with all the deadlines and exams jumping around?

Today's devotion is simple. You just have to ponder on the question that I'm going to ask you in the following line. "How are you going to spend your time if you're left with ONE day to live?" or What are the last few things you'll do when you have ONE day to live?"

Do take sometime and ponder on this question ok? Haha! Write it down if you have to... it can be anything, there's no right or wrong answer over here. It's your life, you've got all the rights but you're limitation is ONE day and you're going to die. (:

Seeyou guys soon!
kev

2008-02-25T13:56:00.005+08:00

Parable of the 10 Virgins

Hey guys, how was your weekend? I hope it was good :)

Anyway, I was preparing for my own bible study on this topic - Parable of the Ten Virgins. And its been on my mind since the day I read it. So just thought I'd share with all of you :)

For those of you who may not know, this parable is from the book of Matthew

Matthew 25:1-13
1"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 2Five of them were foolish and five were sensible. 3When the foolish took their lamps, they didnt take oil with them. 4But the sensible ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. 5Since the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6In the middle of the night there was a shout: 'Here's the groom! Come out to meet him.'
7Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8But the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, 'Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.'

9The sensible ones answered, 'No, there wont be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell, and buy oil for yourselves.'

10When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived. Then those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.

11Later, the rest of the virgins also came and said, 'Master, master, open up for us!'

12But he replied, 'I assure you: I do not know you!'

13Therefore be alert, because you dont know either the day or the hour."

Basically, the groom symbolise God, oil symbolises our daily walk with God, and the bridesmaids refer to us christian converters.

I was shocked, when I read of how the groom replied the 5 foolish bridesmaids that "I do not know you!" though they were bridesmaids of the groom. That because of their lack of preparation for the groom's coming, that they missed out completely on the wedding banquet! Our God is a loving and merciful God, and such strong statements surely left me feeling worried. Am I prepared for the day when He comes to take us back?

Jesus' focus was on their unpreparedness and on engaging in secular pursuits at the moment of spiritual need. When Jesus returns to take his people to heaven, we must be ready. Spiritual preparation cannot be bought or borrowed at the last minute. No one can rely on anyone else. Our relationship with God must be our own.

Let this parable spur us on and encourage us all to become more devoted christians, not just by name, but by our acts too. Lest the day comes, when the doors are shut and Jesus say "I assure you: I do not know you!"

LLing :)

devotionTEN - Simple, but not easy!

2008-02-25T00:18:00.003+08:00

Sometimes I get hung up in my Christian walk, either because I complicate matters, or else I’m tempted to look for easy answers. Neither of those really have any place in the gospel or in my life as a disciple of Jesus. You see, the gospel is profound in its simplicity, and yet resists every effort to make it easy. This isn’t a contradiction in terms, even though it definitely seems that way at first glance.

But at second glance, it makes sense. It reminds me of a time in my life when the simple and the easy abruptly became polar opposites. I was about four years old, and my two-year-old brother had done something to annoy me, so I expressed my displeasure by chomping rather forcefully on his arm. He naturally started screaming his poor little head off, and my dad came in to see what was wrong.

Thinking quickly, I tried for the easy way out of certain punishment: “He bit himself.” My dad, wanting to believe me (I think this was my first lie!), tried to see if the teeth marks on my brother’s arm would match up to his mouth.

Unfortunately, I had grabbed the part of his arm that was easiest for me to reach—the outside of his upper arm—and there was physically no way that he could have bit himself. As young as I was, I remember thinking with a sinking feeling that I should have bit the other side (I was so wonderfully remorseful!).

The lie was the easiest thing to do, and in fact, if I had bitten him in a more plausible place, my dad might have believed me. But it wasn’t the simple thing to do. The lie could easily have become complicated had I bitten him somewhere that he could possibly have bitten himself. Then I would have had to come up with a whole believable narrative that would end in my younger brother choosing to inflict pain on himself.

The requirements of the gospel are remarkable simple, but not easy to do. We find this illustrated in an exchange between Jesus and a Jewish leader:

One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments”(Matthew 22:35-40).

How many of us love our neighbor anywhere near as much as ourselves? The leader was looking for something complex, perhaps an exposition on the finer points of the law of Moses, but Jesus cut straight to the heart of it. Later, he turned to an entire crowd of people who had been following him and laid out exactly what it means to follow him, saying:

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it” (Luke 9:23-24).

How often do we set down our cross and pick up our life simply because this is the easiest thing to do? Trying to follow Jesus and take up our cross sometimes seems hard. In fact, it is hard, it’s just not complicated.

devotionNINE - The Will of A Loving Father

2008-02-22T18:15:00.001+08:00

I don't what my life will be
I don't know all the ways of my God
I don't know what my eyes will see
I cannot know it all...

I feel such promises within my soul
that there's a world you might not understand
how can I know you if I can walk
all the ways with Him...

Give me faith when I cannot see the world
Peace when I cannot feel your heart
Give me faith to believe every step's been ordained
In the will of a loving father is good

Can you believe all the joy I feel
Knowing my life is taking it's shape
Who would believe that I believe
Facing the future now

Give me faith to when I cannot see the world
Peace when I cannot feel Your heart
Give me faith to believe every step's been ordained
In the will of a loving father is good

Prayer Request

2008-02-22T02:54:00.006+08:00

Prayer not only moves us in line with the will of God, but it invites God’s will to come and be done in our lives. The prayer of “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done” in our lives is necessary.

Leeling: Pray that God will grant me the wisdom and confidence in leading the Lifegroup. Pray that this won't be a temporal commitment. Pray for God's blessing, favour and strength to be with me.

Kevin: Exams are coming and I've still got quite a fair bit to study. Pray for discipline to study and be focus. Pray for proper time management, that I'll be productive and efficient.

Glory: Pray that I will praise God in good times and bad times. Pray that I will constantly stay close to Him even if times are smooth sailing. Pray that God will help me in my preparation for my upcoming mission trip to Mongolia.

Jessica: Pray that I can experience God in a special way.I want God to touch me and change my life.

Richard: Pray for my parents' salvation and that I'll never give up praying for them. Pray for encouragement that comes from God to see me through.

Myrtle: Thank God for all these years of blessings in my life. I want to get into a deeper level of knowing Him and being close to Him. Pray that I will not neglect him in anyways when life is good.

Gillian: I want to have a close relationship with God. Pray that I can be consistent in my QT with God and I want to glorify Him in all I do.

Christine: I'm not in talking terms with my parents. Please pray that reconciliation will take place and I will be able to talk to them nicely. Pray that I will be able to put God first again in my life. I want to have more of Him each day.

Eugene: Pray for my endless project that I'm doing. Pray for strength and wisdom.

Haha, these are compiled based on the sharing that we had on Wed. Pray as it makes wonders!

devotionEIGHT - Hearing God's Whisper.

2008-02-22T02:40:00.002+08:00

I was having coffee with a friend recently and he was sharing about how he had developed the practice of being ready to learn from any and every situation and person that he encounters. This willingness to learn from everyone requires opening oneself to what God would teach you at any given time. My friend’s thoughts struck me because if we are ready to see what God will teach us in any situation, then we may begin to realize just how active God is in our world every day.

Perhaps our eyes would become opened and we would see more and more of what he is doing all around us, all the time.

Perhaps . . .

I think a lot of times we want God to do something big—a neon sign in the sky would be helpful at times—and tell us exactly what his will is and where to go, what to do, and what it all means.
But God doesn’t work like that.

When God called Abraham out to start a new people, he simple asked him to “go to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). Um, thanks, God, that’s really specific instructions, can I get some more detail here? Go. Go where? To the land that I will show you. Where is this land? Start walking and I’ll show you . . .

God was with Abraham every step of the way—even through mistakes that Abraham made—in order to bring him safely to a new land where he would start a new nation. Was there a big golden road map dropped out of the sky? No. But Abraham ended up there safely nonetheless.

In 1 Kings 19, we find Elijah on a mountain asking a question of God, and God tells him to stand on the mountain and he will pass by. Elijah waits, and the wind picks up and becomes so violent that it shatters rocks. Now that’s impressive, lots of wind, rocks shattering. But God was not in the wind. Next comes an earthquake. Okay, I mean, earthquakes do happen, but they do get people’s attention . . . that might be a good way to announce yourself, God. But God wasn’t in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire. Well, fire’s a good metaphor, God, a big fire would really get people’s attention. But God wasn’t in the fire. “And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:12). It’s at the whisper that Elijah covers his head and goes to the mouth of the cave to hear God.

God was in the whisper.

In the quiet . . .

In the space . . .

See, God will not shout to get our attention; rather, he waits for us to become attuned to his whispers. To do that, we need space. We need stillness. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Be still . . .

Goodnight Revelation,
kev

We are praying for YOU!

2008-02-21T14:22:00.002+08:00

2008-02-21T09:03:00.004+08:00

DevotionSEVEN: Know your Father's Name

To the non-christians, He may just be known as Jesus. However, just as how we call our dads 'dad' and not by his name, our Father enables us to to know Him by a unique name too. And that is "Abba" (Meaning 'Dad' in Hebrew)

Romans 8:15-17
15For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16The spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.

To others, our dads may just be known as the guy who works at XXX or the one who cooks well. Addressing our dads 'dad' entails a unique relationship we have with this person we see almost everyday in our lives. The day we accept Christ into our lives, is the day when we are offered to enter into a new level of intimacy with God.

Isnt it so comforting to know that our Father above longs to have an intimate relationship with us? Not a master-servant relationship, as servants do not know the business of his master.
But how often do we chase and long after Him? When we're down and out? When exams are near?

Just as how you would want your friend to come to you not only in bad times but also in good times, how much more is He longing for you to share with Him your daily struggles and joy. I think our Father above must feel very hurt when we only remember Him when we need help.
And surely, we wouldnt our friends to know us just by our names, would we?

Lets, together as a cell, strive to have a closer walk with Him and not to just know Him as 'Jesus'. Even on days we feel so distant, let us utter to God "Draw me close to You, never let me go..."

devotionSIX - Psalm 37

2008-02-20T11:11:00.006+08:00

Morning, it is another brand new day filled with many excitement that is to come! Haha... UOL peeps, have you been studying or slacking? Time to put on your seat-belt and speed through your notes, else we need to have prayer meeting soon to intercede for prelims. (:

Today, we're going to look at Psalm 37. Recently, it has become my favourite psalm as there are many promises, encouragement from God. Read it and claim all that's in it in Jesus' name yeah? I pray that psalm37 will set into your hearts to walk you through the many days ahead. I particularly love 'The Message' version. Lets' take a good look at the psalm and be inspired to be good for God. We can do it together!

Psalm 37 (The Message)

1-2 Don't bother your head with braggarts or wish you could succeed like the wicked. In no time they'll shrivel like grass clippings and wilt like cut flowers in the sun.

3-4 Get insurance with God and do a good deed, settle down and stick to your last. Keep company with God, get in on the best.

5-6 Open up before God, keep nothing back; he'll do whatever needs to be done: He'll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon.

7 Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him. Don't bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top.

8-9 Bridle your anger, trash your wrath, cool your pipes—it only makes things worse. Before long the crooks will be bankrupt;God-investors will soon own the store.

10-11 Before you know it, the wicked will have had it;you'll stare at his once famous place and—nothing! Down-to-earth people will move in and take over, relishing a huge bonanza.

12-13 Bad guys have it in for the good guys, obsessed with doing them in. But God isn't losing any sleep; to him they're a joke with no punch line.

14-15 Bullies brandish their swords, pull back on their bows with a flourish. They're out to beat up on the harmless, or mug that nice man out walking his dog. A banana peel lands them flat on their faces—slapstick figures in a moral circus.

16-17 Less is more and more is less. One righteous will outclass fifty wicked, For the wicked are moral weaklings but the righteous are God-strong.

18-19 God keeps track of the decent folk;what they do won't soon be forgotten. In hard times, they'll hold their heads high;when the shelves are bare, they'll be full.

20 God-despisers have had it;God's enemies are finished—Stripped bare like vineyards at harvest time, vanished like smoke in thin air.

21-22 Wicked borrows and never returns;Righteous gives and gives. Generous gets it all in the end;Stingy is cut off at the pass.

23-24 Stalwart walks in step with God;his path blazed by God, he's happy. If he stumbles, he's not down for long;God has a grip on his hand.

25-26 I once was young, now I'm a graybeard—not once have I seen an abandoned believer, or his kids out roaming the streets. Every day he's out giving and lending, his children making him proud.

27-28 Turn your back on evil, work for the good and don't quit. God loves this kind of thing, never turns away from his friends.

28-29 Live this way and you've got it made, but bad eggs will be tossed out. The good get planted on good land and put down healthy roots.

30-31 Righteous chews on wisdom like a dog on a bone, rolls virtue around on his tongue. His heart pumps God's Word like blood through his veins;his feet are as sure as a cat's.

32-33 Wicked sets a watch for Righteous,he's out for the kill. God, alert, is also on watch—Wicked won't hurt a hair of his head.

34 Wait passionately for God,don't leave the path. He'll give you your place in the sun while you watch the wicked lose it.

35-36 I saw Wicked bloated like a toad, croaking pretentious nonsense. The next time I looked there was nothing—a punctured bladder, vapid and limp.

37-38 Keep your eye on the healthy soul, scrutinize the straight life;There's a future in strenuous wholeness. But the willful will soon be discarded;insolent souls are on a dead-end street.

39-40 The spacious, free life is from God, it's also protected and safe. God-strengthened, we're delivered from evil—when we run to him, he saves us.

How To Be A Good Christian

2008-02-20T04:43:00.007+08:00

Revelation 21:6

2008-02-20T02:00:00.005+08:00

devotionFIVE - WHO AM I?

2008-02-20T01:26:00.011+08:00

Before we can really understand who we are in Jesus, we have to understand who we are not. And when you start to get the picture of who we are not, His love just explodes and you'll start getting a better picture of who God is.

Today's devotion, we'll try out something new and fun. We'll watch this 5mins clip and I pray that the words of this song will minister to you in a very great deal.

I pray also that His love will empower you to overcome the many obstacles in life. His love is greater than any problem we face in this world. In Him, we will find rest. In Him, we can soar on wings like eagles. We do not need to do anything to prove that we are of worth because God loves us for who we are.

CF Meeting Tmr!

2008-02-19T18:10:00.002+08:00

Hello people! How have your week been? Haha! What happen to our tagboard? Some hungry monster ate it up?Lol!

Anyway,there will be Combine CF meeting tmr with the IM(Indonesian Ministry) people at the usual time,7:00pm and the usual room I think(Rm2.20). We can meet for dinner before CF starts. Lets' meet at the smelly canteen at 6.30 for dinner ok? There will be moving screening tmr. Lets' come with an excited heart? Expect that even through a simple movie, God will speak too? Yup!

One more thing,PLEASE insert you prayer request asap so that we can pray for you ok?

See you guys tmr!

2008-02-18T10:02:00.003+08:00

Devotion FOUR: Living With a Tattoo

Have we experienced hurts so deep that it has become like a tattoo on our souls? Or guilts, regrets and bitter heartache we wish we could put behind us?

One way or another, I believe we have experienced some kind of pain or regrets in our lives. But are they controlling our present and future?

Psalm 103:2-5
2Bless the Lord...forget not all His benefits, 3who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Some of us may have experienced abuse as a young child, went through struggles that most others may not have gone through. We may feel undignified as a result, and wished we could relive it in a better way.

Surely we cannot begin again in time. No one can go back to the starting line in the race of life and tell God "Lord, I pray this accident might not have happened."

Like holes life in the wall after nailes have been removed, the gaping wounds of sin often leave ugly sores. GOD wants to bandage our open wounds so that they might be healed. Our past need not control our present nor future. It is never too late to do what is right; never to late to live our remaining days for God.

The healing process may be long and wounds may never seemed to be healed. But, know that, our Father above is more than willing to bandage our open wounds so that they might be healed. Also, what have you gone through that our Jesus hadnt while He was on earth?

Prayer Request

2008-02-17T23:44:00.003+08:00

UOL prelims are just round the corner and I guess many are running through their own revision before the first paper hits. Can I ask that ALL students from UOL to submit their own set of prayer request for the upcoming prelim so that we can prayer together as a Lifegrp. We'll support one another in pray, shall we?

Today, Pastor Prince challenged the church to surrender 1/10 of our brain, the only usable part of it to God and in return God will honour us by making the rest of the 9/10 of it to function like never before. Do you understand what I'm saying over here? (: To put it in simple terms, basically we are to always give God FIRST in all that we do. We should always give him our firstfruit as an offering to God. In this case, by giving 1/10 of our usable brain to God. We're telling God that we are going to surrender our all to Him. So why don't you now say this little prayer now and I'm sure God will in cause the rest of the non-active 9/10 of the brain to work in a miraculous way. Our memory bank will increase, creative juice will increase and more wisdom of God can stay put inside!

So what are you waiting for? Simply just login into the blog's account and put your request in the 'Comments' area.

devtionTHREE - What Do You Seek?

2008-02-17T23:23:00.003+08:00

Hello 'Revelation'! How's church today? What did your pastor preach to you guys today? Today I visited New Creation Church and I thought was rather interesting. Pastor Prince is a dynamic speaker and today's sermon was not bad. Haha, walk around Suntec for awhile after services. There's SALE in FoxMen/Women. 50% + 15% for 2nd piece or something. Haha! Quite a good deal, saw my stuff with just 5sec glance as I passed it in the afternoon. We should go shopping together! Grab all the cheap and good deal stuff.Lol! Anyway, here's the devotion for today!

Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?" —John 1:38

How would you answer if Jesus were to ask you, "What do you seek?" (John 1:38).Would you ask Him for health and fitness? A better job? A happier marriage? Financial security? Vindication from a false accusation? Salvation for a wayward loved one? An explanation of some difficult theological concept?

For two disciples of John the Baptist, this situation was more than an exercise in imagination. One day while they were with John, Jesus walked by and John announced, "Behold the Lamb of God!" (v.36). Instead of continuing to follow John, his two disciples started following Jesus.

When Jesus saw them, He asked, "What do you seek?" (v.38).

Apparently John had taught them well, because their answer indicated that they were not seeking something for themselves but Jesus Himself. They wanted to know where Jesus was staying. Not only did Jesus show them the place, He spent the remainder of the day with them.

I wonder how often we miss an opportunity to spend time with Jesus because we're seeking something other than His presence. I know from experience that the more time I spend with Jesus, the less desire I have for a lot of things that once seemed very important.

To walk in fellowship with ChristAnd sense His love so deep and trueBrings to the soul its highest joyAs nothing in this world can do. —D. De Haan

Jesus longs for our fellowship even more than we long for His.

Goodnight folks,kev

Beach Fiesta - Picture paints a thousand words

2008-02-17T02:52:00.009+08:00

Just realised that we didn't take any group photo today! Oh well, but some pics really look bad man! The different angel and candid-shots. If you want to see all the pics just let me know, i'll send it to you thru msn. Hope you'll have a fruitful time in church today!

Well Done Revelation!

2008-02-16T23:54:00.003+08:00

Hey! I had lots of fun with you guys today. I was encouraged to see you guys come for this special outing. It was great worshipping with you, playing the crazy games with you, talking sessions, bbq(ing), bathing together in the open, haha and of course the company was simply great. We've set many personal goals and visions, let us work towards it yeah? Just want to let you guys know that I'm glad to be part of this wonderful lifegroup. I believed that God places us together for a reason and a common purpose. Lets' fulfil it together and continue to grow 'Revelation' in all that we do. We've got 10bucks of ice-cream voucher. Haha... When are we going to hit the ice-cream place?

This wednesday before CF, we're going to meet for dinner! We're going to have a special dinner menu by Chef Glory! Haha. We'll await for her instructions. Till then, remember to spend some time with God yeah? Read his word and reflect on it, love Him more as each day go by. I want to go to the Zoo after prelims! Haha, see monkeys, lions, tiger and my elephant!

Goodnight!
kev

2008-02-16T08:11:00.010+08:00

DevotionTWO: Paralyzed By People

Good morning everyone! :)

Im amazed that this blog is already up with posts in such a short while! I hope this will serve as another platform for us to testify and share how God has been so real and gracious in our lives, your prayer requests, how your week has been (whether its good or bad) or even tell us how you spent your Valentine's Day/ Birthday/Annivesary! :D

Anyway, this morning's short passage from Psalm 56: 3-11 has encouraged me alot. I hope it does for U too.

Psalm 56: 3-11
3When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?...10 In God, whose word I praise,... 11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?

Have you ever felt if decisions u made were affected by people around you? For the reason that you were afraid to face rejection or the lack of validation from others if you had done otherwise? Or try to please people more than God?

The psalmist acknowledges his source of direction and strength and the objective of his worship. Its not a person. Its GOD! He's not going to allow the fear of man to hinder him or to restrict him.

We should look beyond the individual and keep our eyes on Him. For isnt God greater than even the most powerful person in this world? HE is the one who holds our destiny, so dont give that power of our destiny and outcomes to people. Give that power and recognition to God :)

Fear God, not men.

d e v o t i o n O N E - The Best Companion.

2008-02-15T11:09:00.000+08:00

Morning! Have you done your QT (Quiet Time) for the day? If you have not, why don't you go pick up you bible and flip it to John 3:1-3

1 John 3:1-3 (New International Version)
1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears,we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

Some people looking for love have found help in an unusual place—a taxicab in New York City. Taxicab driver Ahmed Ibrahim loves to set up blind dates for his single passengers. His matchmaking services have been featured on the Fox News Channel, The Wall Street Journal, and NBC’s Today show. He doesn’t assist just anybody though; they have to be serious about looking to settle down with someone. Ahmed loves to help romance blossom, and he even hands out roses on Valentine’s Day.

The best place to find love is not in another person but in a book, the Bible. The Bible tells of God’s great love for us. This is expressed in what my friend called the best love note she had ever received. It’s found in John 3:16. When you combine all the yellow words, you'll get VALENTINE, isn't it amazing?

For God so loVed the world, that He gAve His onLy begottEn soN That whoever believes In Him should Not perish, but have Everlasting life.

God loves us like no one else ever could. He showed that love when He sent His Son, Jesus, to be our Savior. He’s also the best companion we’ll ever have.

Open your Bible and learn more about Him. —Anne Cetas

2008-02-15T03:16:00.000+08:00

HAPPY VALENTINES TO ALL

Dedicating this heart-warming song to all memebers of 'Revelation' & wishing you a Happy Valentine's day! Pray that as iron sharpens iron, our friendship will grow and we'll celebrate the many Valentine's day together as we grow old! Would you say a little prayer for all your loved ones as you enjoy the music? Prayers make wonders!

Annoucements

2008-02-15T02:29:00.000+08:00

Pse take note of the following event:

Beach Fiesta

Venue: East Coast Park, Pit No:D42 Date: 16th Feb 2008

Time: 2:30pm to 9:30pm

Attire: Beachwear

Cost: $3.00

Pse be at Paya Lebar MRT Control Station by 1:45pm to meet Myrtle.

Click on http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dqszhqc_0c64d2cfj for the "to bring list".

Life-group Meeting
Life-group meeting will commence after UOL-prelims. We'll be meeting on the 13th March 08, at Leeling's house. Please be at Redhill MRT control station at 6.30pm to meet Leeling. We're going to ta-pao some food and have dinner together before life-group. Bring your bible along with you and we're going to explore and study the book of Matthew together! Jot it down in your calendar as we're going to have a fruitful time of fellowship.

Be part of R E V E L A T I O N

2008-02-15T01:11:00.000+08:00

Welcome to the Family.

We are honoured to have YOU in 'Revelation'. It is going to be an exciting year ahead as 'Revelation' is going to grow in relationship, spiritually, numbers and of course not in size! Our prayer for 'Revelation' is that we will be able to reveal the goodness & love of God to our friends in campus. We want to be a lighthouse, a living testimony that will win many for Christ. We want to be both inward looking (the welfare of the cell) and outward looking (reaching out).

We are thrilled with the many fellowships that will come. Looking forward to the many bible studies and sharing. Expecting God to work greatly in our midst. We pray that 'Revelation' will bring you support, encouragement, love and strength in times of need.

We meet every alternate Thursday,7:00pm - 10:00pm. Join us if you're free,be part of the most happening group in town. Our expertise: Eating,eating and eating. Bakery course (Courtesy of Glory). Shopping Bargains (Courtesy of Leeling). Beehoon (Eugene). and many others. Haha! We are hot, irresistable, God-fearing, lovely, sweet and of course cute! So what are you waiting for? Come join us!

Email us @ simcf.revelation@gmail.com if you have any questions.