The other side

When the time has frozen in moments of pain, the reflection of the sinless Lamb grazed through the shattered world, in the brokenness, the love of a Father was hung on the Cross, rung the message of Man’s redemption.

The inner reflection of the weekend passed through the commemoration of the Lord’s crucifixion and resurrection, the world passed by without much notice for their hope they have been fighting for.

The Church needs to arise, through the grips of materialism and greed and lust for the things of this world, let the young generation arise, and there will be, an undying fiery passion of Christ, that soars through this broken world to bring healing to a world that’s lost and broken.

For the last one week, a group of us came up with an idea that we believe strongly that God will use the movement to go into the world to change lives, through the hope of caring for the poor, the widow, clothed the downtrodden, to bring healing through medical care, through love in the last stage of lives, and to bring the message of our Lord to the people who are ignored by the organized religion! I pray for God to open doors for this movement to be established.

27 March morning

There is a man singing on the bus. This is the second time i’ve seen him doing that. My initial response is wondering if he is mad and has half a mind to ask him to shut up. Oh he just answered the phone and shouted into it. Why is everyone oblivious to his behaviour? Guess everyone else is plugged into the world of their own like listening to their radio or ipod, or playing PSP or are they just ignoring him? Is this numbness in how we relate to each other the result of each of us distancing ourselves in the society? The more connected we are in terms of technology has caused a breakdown in our people to people interaction. Ok he has got off the bus now. I wonder do i envy him for the free spiritedness or annoyed at this intrusion into our serenity ride to another day of meaninglessness of work?

Indifference to accountability and responsibility

Someone wrote in the comment with regards to Kim Clement’s false prophecy

I highly doubt any of you are prophets, because, obviously, very few of you know the workings of the prophets. God has designed the giftings of the prophets to only be truly understood by the prophets. If you have never truly prophesied then you have no right to say anything, good or bad, because you have no experience in the area.

Is the person who wrote this a prophet? I do not know. But God designed the giftings of the prophets for HIMSELF, and it is understood through HIS WORD, therefore the test of a prophet is ON HIS WORD. For that very deluded person who wrote the comment, i shall quote this from GOD’S WORDS

Jeremiah 23:21-23 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in My counsel, and had caused My people to hear My words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off?

The chief duty of a prophet is to speak what God says (His Counsel), and the end result of that message is they will turn from their evil ways and of their doings (Repentance and Salvation). Yet many, indeed, many prophets will come in His name, are not of His own.

2^nd Peter 2:1-9 But there were False Prophets also among the people, even as there shall be False Teachers among you, who privily (in secret) shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the Way of Truth shall be evil spoken of .. (remember) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the Day of Judgment to be punished:

Therefore, to that person who wrote the comment, do not rest your faith in these prophets blindly, but let your faith be rested on the Word of God, that YOU can test the prophet, not in judgment but in love, gentle rebuke, and as a worker who is approved and diligent in studying of His Word, not just by hearing but putting into practice.

A crazy feel of order

Imagine a world without chaos, without order, life wouldn’t be life as it is. No more striving, no more endless pursuit of meaninglessness in objects that consumes without feel nor mercy. All of the senses are in conflict with what matters more in eternity than the physical, and as if the very energy is being drained on the frivolity of the rat race in the endless maze after a piece of cheese.

One of my favourite books in the bible, was written by a wise man in his closing years, perhaps after a life long of rebellion, and pride, that he left his thoughts on these eternal pages that can only be inspired by the Holy Spirit.

In my futile life I have seen everything; there is a righteous man who perishes in spite of his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in spite of his evil. Do not be excessively righteous, and do not be overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself? Don’t be excessively wicked, and don’t be foolish. Why should you die before your time? It is good that you grasp the one and do not let the other slip from your hand. For the one who fears God will end up with both of them. Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers of a city. There is certainly no righteous man on the earth who does good and never sins.  Ecclesiastes 7:15-20

In this short passage of my morning devotion, is the answer to the many questions I’ve asked God. Why does He allow good people to die when the wicked lives long? Is there justice to when old people being abandoned on the street begging for food when the rich merely walked past? I know now, the anger came from my own righteousness, which this passage speaks about, do not be overly righteous. Am i more righteous than God that i think my anger of this injustice over-rides His? Certainly who am i to assume i am wiser than Him? It is about achieving a balance, and it is good to say, live as He lived. Too many times have we look at the world through our own eyes, and chasing after what that will perish, but have forgotten what’s the eternal that we ought to pursue and chase. Lord help me look at the world and the people around me with your eyes.

The breed of evil

The truth is that so often, Christians are numbed to wrong doctrines and teachings. As my eyes caught the title of the Elijah List newsletter this morning, which reads two articles

Kingdom Wealth
Ahwatukee (Phoenix), Arizona
With Patricia King and Joshua Mills
Worship with Steve Swanson
God’s promise is to meet all our needs exceedingly and abundantly beyond our ability to ask or imagine! He is a God without limit, and in Him there is provision and blessing that we have not even begun to tap into. Join Patricia King and Joshua Mills as they teach, preach, and prophesy the bounty of God into your life. You will learn to position yourself to see ever-increasing manifestations of the Lord’s plenty not only in finances, but in every are of your life. Come and learn to grab hold of Kingdom Wealth as you never have before!

and

The New Mystics
Phoenix (Mesa), Arizona
With Patricia King, John Crowder, Jamie Galloway, Jason Westerfield, and worship with Steve Swanson
There is a new breed of believer being raised up in this hour. One who is willing to embrace the mysteries of the Christian walk to wander deep into the heart of God and the power of the cross. This new breed is a generation of seekers who have said yes to all God has, no matter what the cost. It is not a generation based on age or experience, but one based on hunger. Do you long to be a member of this new breed God is establishing? If so, join this gathering of prophets, preachers and teachers as they delve into the secrets of God and see the Kingdom revealed to us all.

The two very teachings that have subverted the churches today with Lust of Greed, New Age teachings that on the surface, seems all godly and right, but ask the question. Is the Kingdom of God about wealth? And what about Mystics? Are we to go back to Merton’s Catholic mysticism that is enwtined with Eastern paganism?

Question is, what is the Gospel? Can the above two teachings co-exist with the Gospel of Jesus. In very short summary, can wealth and mysticism, be part of a gospel that is Christ-centred, NOT man, and the ultimate fulfillment of our being can only be found in Christ, not wealth. When preachers and teachers twisted the Word of God to words that people want to hear, they diluted the very central teachings of the Gospel. It is a message of God’s Love for us that He sent Christ to die for our sins, and through that we might find Salvation through Christ’s substitutionary death on the Cross and through His resurrection, a Hope that we will be too, be resurrected in glory with Him. It is all about the message, and let’s not divert from it.

I have put here a video, and which Mercy and I had a rather huge disagreement about his overly emotional outbursts.

Tell me what’s wrong?

Water’s Wedding Dinner @ Marriot Hotel

Went to the first wedding of 2008 of a friend – Water Tay,I knew about 7 years. At the wedding dinner, met up with some old faces mainly nick “Wildcat, Reality, Moi, and Snowman”. Well they are the group I used to hang out from the Pacific Internet Forum. It was a good dinner, except for a minor incident I was quite disgusted about a really rude and immature reply from someone when i asked what he is working as, and the reply was “I am a drug pusher”. I was like “Whadda hell, what kind of !@#$%abcde reply is that?” Anyway other than that, the overall experience of sharing the joy of a friend’s wedding is immensely enjoyable.

The food was so-so in my opinion, but the company was priceless, and looking back from the days we used to hang out, everyone has changed, except for that particular immature fella, and of course Moi, who has not changed except that in the short period of months, he married twice, and divorced twice. I feel sorry for him, that he has a good heart, but misfortunes and Jesus eluded his life too many times. Maybe Mercy and I should go and visit him more often. He is always the most misunderstood bloke and frankly despite his obvious shortcomings and flaws, he is pretty amicable chap with the usual attitude.

The Weekend knots

Visited Cornerstone Community Church on Sunday, and as I missed the 10.30am service, i went to the Youth / Young Adult Service at 1pm. It was a good service, not that I feel extraordinarily old and out of place, but the vibrant youth in their abundance of energy. Not to mention the fair share of ‘childish’ behaviour of some of the youths, reminded me I was once like that.

Pastor Daniel, the Youth pastor for Cornerstone, preached on Nehemiah 2. It was a good sermon especially when it comes to building a firm foundation for the youth ministry in years to come. The key is gaining favour from God, and through the tests God set us up, is not to fail us, but to promote us. There was so much to take away from that service, and I really learned lots of things.

After that, went over to Eagle’s nest and meet Mercy. Had a long chat with Pastor Sally, till about 11pm and about marriage, about rock music and many many more. Guess overall, this Sunday was especially great, and i thoroughly enjoyed it.

Nostalgic times.

I joined the Facebook group for 19/95 OCC in my OCS days, ah I am getting nostalgic from looking at some of the photos of me in it. I was so goffy, thin and dark! My gosh……

I am the only one in “Smart 4”. Think i am alot thinner then…….

When we were about to book out. Guess it is one of those emotional book out after a long week?

Guess this is where we are waiting for PC to clear us to book out. See all the eager faces….

Ok this is my first Taiwan trip in our Professional term in the OCS. How did I ever get through those times?

Ok. This is 19/95 OCC, the first batch of OCS Cadets in the new SAFTI MI.

Snipplets of Life – 7 March

Nothing much happened today except that it is a really warm day! Bah. It was cold and wet yesterday, and hot and humid today, the weather is getting to me, especially hate it when i perspire so much.

Anyway lunch was a quick bite at some Hainanese chicken rice, and it was so-so but it came with nice soup! Walallalaaa nice. Anyway as i was walking around after lunch, saw one familiar face from Grace Assembly, and i can’t remember her name.

Neck’s aching with shoulder in pain, and wow, the week passes so fast and i was still thinking it is Thursday today, but it is now at the weekend, that Samuel’s daughter is having her 1-month celebration and not sure what i will be getting her my little niece. Ah feel so darn old now that i am official an uncle. Bah, old man Dan.

Embarrassing or Innocent mistake?

This is a COFFEE seminar organized by STARBUCKS. Note: COFEE, repeated at the next line Cofee Tasting. I wonder, is this embarrassing or just merely an innocent mistake?

Snipplets of Life – 6th March

It is a rainy Thursday. Almost woke up late for work from the good sleep I had, I simply love this weather to sleep in, but Oh well. Got on the bus and realized it is packed and I have no idea why SBS Transit has to plan for a single deck bus to come at the peak hour where they have tons of double deck buses, and as a result, the bus is packed. I have to go all the way to the back as some just refuses to move in.

There is this man who pushes his way to the back and I was wondering why, and until he found the seat to sit down, he has a handicap problem. WOW, I was kinda asking why no one bothers to give up the seat for him. Anyway he seems like the sort that won’t appreciate such help, as such showing of concern could only be seen as a sign of pity.

Thereafter, i’ve to walk a short distance to the office in the rain, and got into a heated conversation with Mercy. Then again, I love that girl, what can I do? I mean which couple never fought in their lifestyle? No right? Duh.

Boss treated lunch at Harrys and it was good. At least hey free lunch is always good. Got a place to go to now for our 2nd year anniversary with Mercy and since I am not the kind to keep surprises, I told her about it.

Having a terrible headache after a short but totally irrelevant phone conversation with Mercy, (YES, again, another heated conversation of blaming me for something she apparently should have taken more responsibility for!). Ok, this is not the usual “Blame the girl”tactic, alright?

Little Snipplets of Life – 5th March

While having lunch today, I overheard two ladies sitting near me in a conversation of their colleague who took MC from her Maternity Leave.

“You know, there are 700 babies aborted last year….”

Ok I was wondering how they got the statistics and I was tempted to ask them that, but i did not.

Typing on a clicky clickly keyboard without the rubber cover is getting irritating, and i love the silence in punching the keys on the macbook. Sigh, i hope that rubber cover is still lying somewhere in church. Now how did i miss that last Sunday?

Had the talk on the Evolution, and as much as I am eager to get feedback, a warning from the Holy Spirit to keep that pride down. I must say, I am shocked at how it went, and definitely not me. Even i did not follow my own notes, but allow it to go along. I pray that Josiah’s friend did get the message about the need for a Saviour.

Pastor Chong Yew sent a message from Korea today that there will be a breakthrough this year, and Amen, Mercy and I are looking forward to that breakthrough. But before that happens, what do we need to do as we see a huge insurmountable mountain remains before us. We are exhausted to the point of despair.

Got an email from a dear brother this morning 7am! (Geesh, he is an early riser) about my duties this month for the Music Ministry, and I must say, I am rather concerned that there remains a certain lack of understanding when I emailed him that I needed a month off to visit the few churches I have planned for the month of March to decide which church to attend. And then as I remember this….

I have not spent as much time as I should have with God this few weeks. Every single thing in this few weeks are vying for my attention and left me pretty much exhausted especially in the area of finances and work. Determining which career path to go, weighing the various options, counting the cost have been some of the things in my mind, and I confessed I have not spent time with Him to give God the lead in these areas of my life now, and I must, soon, to go to Him for direction and leading rather than relying on my own understanding….

Then… the verse came back “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, and He shall direct your path” in Proverbs. A simple verse only requires a simple obedience, but me, a bonafide numbskull has made it so complicated, and why can’t human just simply obey, instead of rationalizing in their head, and let the heart rules for once. Oh i am so guilty of these intellectual-bollocks.