the olive and the grape

It's the last day of the year again. Each year seem to pass faster than the year before.

And if you were looking for the thanksgiving turkey, no, it's not here. Haha...
But here's something else for you to chew on:

Gratitude is the echo of grace as it reverberates through the hollows of the human heart. Gratitude is the unashamed acceptance of a free gift and the heartfelt declaration that we cherish what we cannot buy. Therefore gratitude glorifies the free grace of God and signifies the humility of a needy and receptive heart.
– John Piper

For the light that shines through my dark side, I thank God.
For the pain that brings healing, I thank God.
For the sorrow that brings joy, I thank God.
For the bankruptcy that brings about indescribable fullness, I thank God.

Christmas photos!!

Our crazy skit team, who have endured many hours of gruelling training to emote properly!

Now they can finally do their act properly. You can see it on their faces!

The even crazier dance team, who in their unsound state of minds, allowed their choreographer to style their hair!

Bright smiles! Joy to the World 2000 (a.k.a. Joy 2k) - a few more years and we can produce a 'live' Christmas dance album. HAHA!

A heart after Christ

After celebrating 18 Christmases, I thought the 19th one would not be very different from the rest. But I was wrong. Despite having the knowledge of Christ’s birth, I realized I was stuck at a stage, one without much meditation.

I know that the centre of attention of Christmas is Jesus, but this year what probed my mind was the attitude of the Magi from the east. I believe they have come a long way to seek Jesus. They didn’t go on a journey empty handed. They traveled with ‘gifts of gold, incense and myrrh’. Quite a lot of weight isn’t it? (I seem to be more sensitive to weight after my fast marches). So, if we were the Magi from the east will we continue to march towards Christ the Lord even if we do not know when we will reach there? Are we willing to go the extra mile to seek the Lord?

Let this post be a reminder for us to seek the Lord despite the trials and challenges in life.

Who would send a baby?

Words & Music by Mary Kay Beall

Who would send a baby to heal a world in pain?
Who would send a baby, a tiny child?
When the world is crying for the Promised One,
Who would send His only Son?

Who would send a baby, to light a world with love?
Who would send a baby, a tiny child?
When the world is hoping for the Promised One;
Who would send His only Son?

Who would choose a manger to cradle a King?
Who would send angels to sing?
Who would hang a star in the sky above,
To shine on the gift of His infinite love?

Who would send a baby to bless a world with peace?
Who would send a baby, a tiny child?
When the world is yearning for the Promised One,
Who would send a baby?
Who would send a baby?

Who would send His only begotten Son?

http://mp3s.sheetmusicplus.com/soundclips/489670_00.mp3?cart=343907155617731732

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas..."

I think our dear brother Yi Le doesn't have to dream of one. Huge blizzards happening up north where he is.

The Western conception of Christmas often conjures up the image of snow and long nights. Yes, winter can get really cold and dreary.


But the whiteness of such an image overwhelms me. Snow falls and blankets the entire earth, whitewashing the dirt everywhere. As I hummed "White Christmas", my brain had a chain reaction that produced an unexpected search result - a hymn, Whiter Than Snow.
_________________________________________________

Whiter Than Snow
by James L.Nicholson (1872)

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul.
Break down every idol, cast out every foe;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, let nothing unholy remain,
Apply Thine own blood and extract ev’ry stain;
To get this blest cleansing, I all things forego—
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, look down from Thy throne in the skies,
And help me to make a complete sacrifice.
I give up myself, and whatever I know,
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, for this I most humbly entreat,
I wait, blessèd Lord, at Thy crucified feet.
By faith, for my cleansing, I see Thy blood flow,
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, Thou seest I patiently wait,
Come now, and within me a new heart create;
To those who have sought Thee, Thou never saidst “No,”
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

The blessing by faith, I receive from above;
O glory! my soul is made perfect in love;
My prayer has prevailed, and this moment I know,
The blood is applied, I am whiter than snow.
_____________________________________________

His blood flows and covers me, washes me and I am whiter than snow!

Awake, my soul! Dream no more!

Christmas Performance

Hey, we haven't blogged for a while 'cos everyone's been very swarmed with rehearsals, chalets, school commitments etc.

Well friends, if you've been wondering what we've been up to, there's a performance this evening, details are as follows:

星光闪耀庆圣诞
Date: 22nd Dec 2008
Time: 7:30pm
Venue: the stage outside Sheng Siong Supermarket
(next to Commonwealth MRT station)

Come and discover for yourself the true meaning of Christmas!
May the joy of the Lord be with you!

(in)sane ppl

I was just thinking about people passing through this choir (former Qing Shao and now Dominant 7th) when my friend showed me this inscription on a mug:

All the sane people quit here years ago.

Haha, how true.

creation

Gen 1:3-5 And God said,"let there be light," and there was light.
God saw that the light was good, and he separated it from the darkness.
God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning- the second day.

As I looked through my photos and saw this one, I remembered a sharing by Zhong Jie.
Apparently, in the original text, the words for light and darkness were "order" and "chaos" respectively.
Hm.. before order, there was chaos. Curious. Order was created by God.


I liked this photo because of the way dark clouds nearly frame the photo.
Trying to strangulate, to snuff out the light, the hope.
But they outline the lightsource, in a pretty counter-productive fashion.
Indeed, a light at the end of the tunnel never looked that significant from outside the tunnel.

Well, what an opportunity to look at the bible again. Paul explained this picture nearly 2000 years ago.
5But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.)
6May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?
7But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner?
8And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), "Let us do evil that good may come"? Their condemnation is just.

Consider!

细细品尝生活的酸甜苦辣

I like to spend time observing people. Just go sit at a café, on the bus, on the train. Look at the people around you, eavesdrop on phone conversations, make up stories about their lives – it’s entertainment on the go.

And to some extent indulging in such activity has helped me understand myself better. Why do I make these assumptions about so-and-so? Have I had a similar experience before? When did I meet someone like this? Was I ever like this before? Will I be in the future?

Actors, you know what I’m driving at. I think we spend far too much time on the absolutes, the black and whites than on the little nuanced moments that make up most of life. Life isn’t just happy/sad but ecstatic, joyful, pleased, mournful, pained, remorseful etc.

(Plato wrote) Socrates said: The unexamined life is not worth living. Yes, he must have been talking about looking into our own belief systems, to be critical of the things we hold true. Let me just apply that to our emotions too: Learn to recognize the different shades of colours on your palette, then learn to paint with all of them.

You’ll see that life is much more interesting that you thought it out to be. Have fun!!

Reminiscing the past...

This was what one of us wrote a year ago.

Sunday, December 2, 2007

i'm leaving for mission trip on WEDNESDAY!AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.i'm pretty nervous i must say.not because it's my first time but i'm just afraid thatin the course of spreading the gospel, my faith in Him might sway.AHHHH.anyways,before i played for the xian chang today,i was reallyreallyreally nervous & scared because-i had sweaty palms & i was afraid my fingers would slip.-i was afraid that i'll go faster & faster- i couldn't see yibin, which means i don't know when to enter after the cut.- i was afraid i would play the wrong notes.i decided to pray & leave everything in Him& HEY!i didn't feel nervous at all when i played!& i didn't make too many mistakes!:Dthis really reminded me to trust in Him & to leave all worries to him.the concert's nearing & i'm sure we'll all be scared & all but well,trust in Him for all things will go well when we have faith(:alright I'LL MISS DOM7TH WHEN I'M AWAY!BYEBYE.

Posted by mab at 10:59 PM 0 comments

Haha Mabel, I hope your faith in Him has grown and I believe it definitely has :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As I was reading the Confessions of Augustine last night before sleep, this line struck me.

'And, when thou art poured out on us, thou are
not thereby brought down ; rather, we are uplifted.'

This echoed in my head what Martyn Lloyd Jones said in 'The Cross': "Our whole notion of love is so abased, so unworthy, that we do not know what love means." Before that he wrote that the trouble we all have, even Christians, is that we do not know God. "We think in sentimental terms." You might not directly see the relevance but indeed, the more I know myself, the more I realise I do not know God. God and his holiness, God and his loveliness. The former that I know less of.

Sometimes, do we truly believe that 'I' am the 'wretched man that I am!'?

Guard your heart, don't suffocate it

"Guard your heart" is a good command. That’s because it’s biblical:
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23)

In its context, this verse suggests that keeping—or guarding—your heart means to retain wise words and resist wicked desires. But I’m afraid some people—ahem, me, too often—use it to justify being cowardly or cold instead of loving others, because we think that “guard your heart” means “don’t get hurt.”

C. S. Lewis provides the necessary rebuke:
Of all arguments against love none makes so strong an appeal to my nature as “Careful! This might lead you to suffering.”
To my nature, my temperament, yes. Not to my conscience. When I respond to that appeal I seem to myself to be a thousand miles away from Christ. If I am sure of anything I am sure that His teaching was never meant to confirm my congenital preference for safe investments and limited liabilities.…
There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket—safe, dark, motionless, airless—it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell. (From The Four Loves, as found in The Inspirational Writings of C.S. Lewis, 278-279.)

Taken from http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1467_guard_your_heart_dont_suffocate_it/
Written by Tyler Kenney

My dear C.S. Lewis (pardon my audacity) has written right to the heart of the human heart.
Jesus loved with all and hence, he was all vulnerable.
Any ounce of holding back will not result in His death on the cross. He knew fully the joy that comes with loving, even at an enormous cost. (Heb 12:2)
And yes, it is the cost that deters us.
Sometimes, the greatest struggle within our hearts is deciding between the cost and the joy that comes after. It could be because we do not yet fully understand the joy or have the capacity to take it all in or it could be we are afraid that paying the price doesn't necessarily deliver the goods (even though the word tells us contrary) but it is ultimately the heart that wrestles with that thought.
It all comes down to sacrifice doesn't it? I guess as Christians, its either all or nothing when it comes to Love.
The whole Bible tells of a love story, which has no beginning and knows no end.
'Amazing pity! Grace unknown! And love beyond degree!'

Are you suffocating your heart?

Upon that cross of Jesus
Mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One
Who suffered there for me;
And from my smitten heart with tears
Two wonders I confess-
The wonders of redeeming love
And my unworthiness.
Elizabeth C. Clephane

snow white

Neutrogena one week, Listerine the next.

Yes, I think there’s no better way to bring out the importance of cleansing and purification. If we take time to clean ourselves up every day – bathing, brushing our teeth, washing our face, putting on fresh clean clothes, even the occasional perfume or deodorant – to appear socially acceptable before men, we have even more reason to cleanse and purify ourselves to appear before God.

Leviticus 11: 44a
44 I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.

God, both righteous and loving, gave His only Son as the perfect and unblemished sacrifice through whom His wrath is satisfied and we are cleansed and redeemed.

Hebrews 9: 13 – 14
13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.
14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

Having our conscience cleansed, having undeservedly spared from spiritual death doesn’t mean that we won’t stumble again. Paul reminds us to stay away from the things that corrupt the body and spirit, to be holy in our actions to honour God.

2 Corinthians 7: 1
1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

And what are these promises? If we read the verses that come before:

2 Corinthians 6: 16b – 18
16b God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
17 “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
18 “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

Here, Paul is urging us to live a life that is befitting of our identity: as sons and daughters of God. So, how do we purify ourselves and keep our ways pure?

Psalms 119: 9
9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.

So let us be diligent in the study of His Word. May His Spirit continue to work in us and help us in our weakness.

HE

by Denis Walter

He can turn the tide and calm the angry sea
He alone decides who writes a symphony
He lights every star that makes our darkness bright
He keeps watch all through each long and lonely night
He still finds a way to hear a child's first prayer
Saint or sinner calls and always finds him there

Though it makes him sad to see the way we live
He'll always say - I forgive

He can grant a wish or make a dream come true
He can paint the clouds and turn the grey to blue
He alone knows where to find the rainbows end
He alone can see what lies beyond the bend
He can touch a tree and turn the leaves to gold
He knows every lie that you and I have told
________________________________________

I chanced upon this song at the Emmaus gathering last evening and I thought, "Wow, how nice! It matches quite nicely with I Know Where I'm Going!!"

At the same gathering, the pastor-in-charge shared about the 4 times Jesus called Simon Peter to follow Him. Out of these 4 times, this one struck me the most: John 6:66 - 69

Chapter 6 saw Jesus finish feeding five thousand people, walking on water and telling the Jews that He's the Bread of Life. The last, being a radically different message to the Jews, drove many people to desert Jesus.

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.
68 Simon Peter answered him,"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

This reminded me of another incident, involving another disciple, Thomas: John 14: 2 - 6

2 "...In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I'm going there to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you may also know where I am.
4 You know the way to the place where I am going."
5 Thomas said to him,"Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me..."

If not to You, Lord, to whom shall we go?
If it's not through You, Lord, how are we going to get Home?
_________________________________________

On a side note, I'm greatly humbled by the fact that God has worked through this incredibly simple set of lyrics (I Know Where I'm Going) to remind us of life's BIG and IMPORTANT issues.

I hope the song has edified the rest of you in Dom 7th. May the Lord use us, this group of unworthy youths, to edify the others this Sunday.

The Test

Yesterday we shared about the things we cannot do without. Generally, they are God, our family members, friends, music and our senses. We were reminded not to take things for granted.

I was thinking of a particular bible passage - Genesis 22.
It narrated the moment when Abraham was tested.

(1) Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
(2) Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."
(3) Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.
(4) On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.
(5) He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."
(6) Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, (7) Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?"
"Yes, my son?" Abraham replied.
"The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
(8) Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.
(9) 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. (10) Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. (11) But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied.
(12) "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."
(13) Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.


I guess one day the Lord may test us if we love him more than we love the things/ppl he gave us. Let's hope when that day comes, we would be ready for it.

- if your treasures are in heaven, then your heart must be there too -

Fluttering hearts

I saw this quote on a bumper sticker on Facebook:
A woman's heart should be so lost in God that a man needs to seek Him in order to find her.

Yes, it works the other way too.
A man's heart should be so lost in God that a woman needs to seek Him in order to find him.

I think this is a beautiful and timely reminder for all of us, especially the younger ones, who are so eager to love and be loved.

Getting scars searching for that SPECIAL one? Maybe we've skipped a step or two =p

Finish then thy new creation,
Pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in thee,
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heav'n we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
LOST in wonder, love and praise
- Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (Charles Wesley)

happiness

HAHA IM BACKK!
At quite the time too, amidst my J1 promos, i know i shouldnt be here.
Studying the whole morning has taken its toll on me, so i blog in protest here.

nawh, Im not that kinda person, im very guai one...
Anyway, been lamenting over not being able to attend worship practice this wednesday.
So i guess i'll share something i saw in my gp promo paper!

(hurray!..)

It was an article about happiness. About consumerism, or to christians materialism, stealing away true genuine happiness.
The thing is, both are opposites and cannot exist at the same time. So in this sense, so long as we indulge in materialism, we can say byebye to genuine happiness.

So whats the difference? Materialism creates people of today. People who live for the present and indulge in the glory of past successes as well as present material comfort.
True happiness however, is a journey.

A seeker of true happiness might find himself "less happier" in some sense because happiness to him will come progressively. An indulger in consumerism on the other hand, is already living in the full glory, at the pinnacle of materialism which is the world today.

to obtain true happiness, the article continues, one must learn that the society is fatally flawed and one should prepare to go against the norms that, when investigated, makes no sense.
In summary, to seek true happiness today, is to rebel.


Oddly, a secular argument sounded pretty christian to me.
Happiness to christians is? Is it not waiting for the "hope" to manifest?
Is christianity not a journey? Indeed then, christianity is genuine happiness!

Do we not learn to be discerning and go against even the societal norms?
Sure there is a tendency to be ostracised.
Sure there are times when we look at others and ask "I'm a christian, why am I not living happier lives than them?"

Happiness is progressive, you'll know when finally God brings us to him and make our joy complete. How much happiness, how much glory when we meet God face to face!

Can't wait?

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort
from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and
compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same
love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or
vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."
(Philippians 2:1 -3)

Your unity, your humility, your love, your sense of purpose will make my joy complete.
So will mine make yours.

Happiness in christianity, finally, is never individualistic.
Study hard.
haha

Post of the week

Lots of things have been going on in my mind these few days.
2 Cor 4:10, the evangelical event coming up this saturday, the two siblings who are leaving us for quite some time and the unknown future that awaits us.

Here are my responses to those thoughts...
2 Cor 4:10 - He's the only one I'd live for!
The evangelical event coming up this saturday - yi si to lor jing li ga wa mia!
To all of you out there, esp Yi Xin and Yi Le - Live by faith and not by sight!

My trail of thought led me to this song, One Way by Hillsong United.

Verse1
I lay my life down at your feet
You're the only one i need
I turn to you and you are always there

In troubled times its you i seek
I put you first thats all i need
I humble all i am, All to you

Verse2.
You are always, always there
Every how and everywhere
Your grace abounds so deeply within me

You wil never ever change
Yesterday today the same
Forever till forever meets no end

Chorus
One way Jesus
You're the only one that i could live for(X2)

Bridge
You are the way the truth and the life
We live by faith and not by sight...for you
We're living all for you




I thought I should find a pic for this post. TADA!
It's relevance to this song?

As I look at this picture, it reminded me of how Peter walked on water and sank because he lacked faith. Maybe some of us are sinking this very moment and God just wants to tell you: You of little faith, why did you doubt?

I guess our road of life is pretty much like walking on water. We walk, we sink and we rise again. But that's where we learnt to live by faith and not by sight isn't it? It's kind of scary when you think about it but HEY, you are not alone! You have a Lord who won't forsake you and you still have us!

人生的旅途中让我们互相扶持！
十架的道路上让我们彼此鼓励 我们彼此鼓励 我们彼此鼓励 我们彼此鼓励！＝P

Let's have faith in Him and press on!
Have a blessed journey ahead.

静止 Still

music / lyrics by Reuben Morgan
中文译词：苏恒

以翅膀__把我隐藏
保护我__在祢大能手中

当狂风怒吼巨浪咆哮
我随祢翱翔俯视风暴
天地大君王我今知道
我要静止__祢是真神

我避难所__在救主里
多稳妥__倚靠祢大能力




















Hide me now under Your wings
Cover me within Your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father You are king over the flood
I will be still (and) know You are God

Find rest my soul in Christ alone
Know His power in quietness and trust

Matthew 14:17 - 18

"We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered.

"Bring them here to me," he said.

Gloomy August...

This is a gloomy August.


这几天的天气不是很好。

细雨绵绵、雷电交加，乌云密布......


天气凉的时候，很多人想睡觉，想休息。
卧在暖暖的被窝里好过在外面挨冷、挨风、挨雨淋。

休息是好的。

每一个人都需要休息。那些太过劳累的，更是需要。
休息不只是为了走更长远的路，休息也可以是为了等待外面的雨停息。　
等待：期待乌云散去，期盼风和日丽；在大雨还没停息之前，心里会开始暖和起来了。

艳阳高照的时候就出去玩闹。
谁会要在天气晴朗、处处好风光的时候躲起来呢？
过后玩累了，可能差不多又是雨季要来的时候了......

啊，又是休息的时候了。　

谢谢天父让我们有雨天也有晴天！

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

希望这八月的雨不会使大家的心着凉......

记得休息的时候盖好被子。

Make Me A Captive, Lord

by George Matheson

Make me a captive, Lord,
and then I shall be free.
Force me to render up my sword,
and I shall conqueror be.
I sink in life's alarms
when by myself I stand;
imprison me within thine arms,
and strong shall be my hand.

My heart is weak and poor
until it master find;
it has no spring of action sure,
it varies with the wind.
It cannot freely move
till thou hast wrought its chain;
enslave it with thy matchless love,
and deathless it shall reign.

My power is faint and low
till I have learned to serve;
it lacks the needed fire to glow,
it lacks the breeze to nerve.
It cannot drive the world
until itself be driven;
its flag can only be unfurled
when thou shalt breathe from heaven.

My will is not my own
till thou hast made it thine;
if it would reach a monarch's throne,
it must its crown resign.
It only stands unbent
amid the clashing strife,
when on thy bosom it has leant,
and found in thee its life.
________________________________________________

I was at the worship practice this evening and had the chance to browse through one of the new hymnals that Faith had bought for her congregation. This song caught my eye: in its seemingly paradoxical way, it encapsulates our relationship with God, that we are not free unless enslaved by His love; that our will is not found unless it is lost in His.

Read it. Savour it. Read it, again, aloud. Meditate upon it.

What makes you His captive? What does it mean to be another's captive? What compels you to do His bidding? What stands between you and His throne?

Passion of Christ

Passages to read: Isaiah 53, John 17

When we speak of passion, we always refer to our strong, deep and overwhelming emotion towards something or someone. “Oh, I am really passionate about dancing” or “My passion towards singing will never die!!!” Such exclamations and promises we often make without understanding what exactly it means to be passionate about doing something or towards someone.

Passion can also mean, and always does to the world, intense sexual desire or love, very often self-driven and not so often possessive. There are many examples of passion being used negatively in the bible to refer to our fleshly passions. (Roms 1:24-27, 7:5, Gal 5:24, Titus 3:3)

We have deviated a far distance from the original meaning attached to the word-Passion.

*‘Origin: 1125–75; ME (<> late OE passiōn), special use of LL passiō suffering, submission, deriv. of L passus, ptp. of patī to suffer, submit;’
The more archaic meaning or usage of the word is to refer to martyrdom.

In Isaiah 53, we read of the suffering servant, Jesus, who was ‘Smitten of God, and afflicted. ‘(v4) and ‘pierced’ and ‘crushed’ (v5) for whose sake? For ‘us like sheep have gone astray’ (v6). We chose to walk away from him and abandon him and mock him and oppress him but yet, he suffered willingly ‘like a lamb that is led to slaughter’ (v7) because by doing so He knew that the LORD will be pleased and the flock that he so loved will be justified and be good with God. That was His Passion.

Read v11, ‘As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied’. See what? See that the sins of His offspring are forgiven and the sin problem satisfied. I believe this satisfaction also means that He is happy, He is joyful that His suffering has brought eternal redemption for those He loved.

Therefore, having passion, as a pastor once summarized, is suffering for what you derive joy from. That is why it is called ‘The Passion of Christ’ and not simply the ‘Love of Christ’ because loving without passion does not pay the price.

Oh, how gullible and naïve we have been in thinking that the “passion” that we speak of is enough to drive us and motivate us to achieve some sort of result or happiness. ‘As long as I am passionate about this or that, I can make something good out of it and it will never die down! ‘. But, once suffering or setback comes our way, we retreat and surrender and say, ‘Maybe that is not really my passion after all…’

Let us not go on deceiving ourselves by thinking that mere deep, intense emotion can fuel our zeal to serve Christ. If we are not willing to suffer for Him (ref. 1 Peter 3-4) how are we fit to even call ourselves ‘Servants of God’, our service has no credit or guarantee at all! Once someone criticizes us or mocks us, we take pity on ourselves and give up.

When we read John 17, we see that when Jesus prayed for Himself and for His disciples, undoubtedly, He is filled with anguish and sorrow. But, amidst His anguish and sorrow arises the deep-seated joy that percolates through the lines of intimacy (v24) that Jesus enjoys with His Father and joy from knowing that He is doing the will of His Father, for the good of His disciples and the world. We can have joy in affliction! This joy is derived from knowing that God is glorified ultimately when we submit to His will even when His will encompasses suffering.

On the other hand, please do not walk down the path of misguided zeal.
Paul before he was saved by God was a zealous persecutor of the Church of Christ. (Philippians 3: 6) As you know, zeal is a synonym of passion, Paul had exceeding zeal! But it was for the wrong purpose and if not for grace, his misguided zeal would have brought him eternal self-destruction. After his conversion, what did he say he will do?

‘I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death’ (Philippians 3:10) What a beautiful expression! To experience fellowship with Christ by suffering with Him.

Dear brothers and sisters of dom7th, I urge you, may you think seriously about why you are serving in this ministry. Is it because you love music? Music is your life and ‘I will die without music man…’ Or because you have got a pleasant voice and you think that should mean that you are passionate about singing? Not too long ago, till I found out what passion actually means, I thought that way. However, it is never too late to realign your heart to think about whether you are willing (not ready) to suffer for this passion, this love you have for the ministry that you are in. And above all, Question yourself and ask whether you are willing to suffer for Christ joyfully and serve brothers and sisters with a truly passionate heart for them. Amen.

‘When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.’ - Matthew 9:36

________________________________________________________________

With regard to the content above, I think I should clarify certain things if some of you were confused. Sorry about that.

Firstly, I do not mean that if you do not suffer you do not have passion for whatever you are doing. I meant that when the suffering/trial comes are you willing to go through it with no complains/grumbles (in fact I think this is the hardest) or unwillingness?

Secondly, what I hoped to do was prompt ourselves to think whether what we profess in words, matches what we perform in deeds. For example, if we profess that we have a passion for the youths among us but yet we are not willing to make the extra effort or use extra time to teach them the word, do I really have a passion for them? This is just one of the many scenarios I can think of...

So in all, just think carefully before you say you are passionate about something if now you know what it requires of you. This came out of some personal reflection when I realised that for some time, I thought that I was passionate about a certain ministry and that thought was enough to keep me going but along the way, I was losing heart over it and grumbling yet I was not fully aware of it because I kept thinking that I "loved" it.

And lastly, Yes, I think suffering can mean sacrifice too if you want to think of it that way. It is mutually inclusive.

Start the day right!

Whether you are schooling, working or in the army, let's start the day right, not by thinking about the seemingly endless tasks that awaits you but think about the Lord. Every new morning springs from God's grace!

Here's something for you all.

It's six A.M. I'm so tired.
The alarm sounds, a new day begins.
Before I go and disturb this peaceful moment I look to You
I'm amazed
How You forgive me
Yesterday seems so far behind
It's a brand new day
And every day's a new beginning
I look to You I want to say a prayer
Before my feet can hit the ground
Lord, I give this day to You

Give each day to the Lord for 'his mercies are new every morning; great is his faithfulness'. Lamentations 3:23

Have a blessed week! =)

暂别夏季

在热带岛屿成长，没有机会、更没有本钱走出亚洲的我，只能在电视旅游节目、名姓片、朋友旅游的照片和游记里看到四季的景色。我多次想像自己身立其境，体验冬天雪白的等待、春天翠绿的希望、夏天艳丽的奔放……

我最喜欢的就是秋天。

秋天是离别的季节，凄美就是她魅力所在。绿叶慢慢转金黄色，与孕育它的母树告别；鸟群往温暖的地方飞去，与滋育它们多日的土地告别。

接下来的三个月，我们有三位团员将陆续出国深造。七月还没有过半，我却已感到阵阵寒意。

说实在的，我不算是他们促膝谈心、患难之交的那种朋友。他们短暂的离去也可能不足以在我的生命挖去巨大的缺口，但淡淡甜甜的思念总会有的。毕竟我们曾经走过同一段路，习惯了彼此的笑声、言谈、举止，若不见三人，一时之间也很难适应过来。

出国的人是满怀期待，送行的人是依依不舍。

期待寂寞冬天过后的读书香，留恋夏天盛开的友谊花。

这只是暂别，我们会在主里再相聚的！

Remember: If our hearts are tuned to God, we will all be in tune with one another!
Keep singing =)

the video =)

I can see the hand!

I can see the hand...










The wind is blowing














The HAPPIE :):):) pose!

In His beautiful Creation!

Do Not Grieve the Holy Spirit

One Saturday during practice (10/5), we talked about grieving the Holy Spirit. I prayed that God will use those verses from the Bible to prick our hearts and enlighten us to see how very often, and unknowingly, we grieve the tender, gentle person that resides within us. (To people who do not understand who this "person" is, do not be afraid, by person I refer to the Holy Spirit that is given to each and every child of God)

Well it seems very out of norm to talk about the Holy Spirit as I personally feel that in our church and less so do we talk about this Person in the trinity, much less are aware of how we grieve Him. And neither do I dare to share on something which I only have a fraction of understanding about.

But there was one very crucial and awakening point that I did not have the chance to bring up and hence would really love to share it here, if it benefits one and all, but if you think otherwise, please disregard it.

It stemmed from my impatient frustration (eagerness?) with the process of sanctification, and like all processes, the due results and rewards are in the distant, far off place where one has to get through first to get there. Urgh. All the frustration then just begets a vicious cycle landing one in a painful conciousness of: "For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do (!)"

(Or do we even struggle enough with that...)

So, I would just like to share one thing that Martyn Lloyd – Jones said...

He mentioned that we often think of a particular sin as “a sin”, whereas we should be thinking of it as being incompatible with the Spirit within us. If we have any idea how much we grieve the Holy Spirit when we ignore his stirrings and go ahead into sinning; it is not so much a matter of doing wrong anymore, as of hurting a person. Once we begin to start thinking of it this way, “we are 75% on the way to victory over it.”
I think this makes a whole lot of sense as it never occurred to me this way... This really boils down to the practicality of being sensitive to the gentle Spirit within you.

Therefore, before you get angry and spout hurtful words, before you disobey out of of rebellion, before you let pride take over you, stop and think. Think of who is watching and grieving for you?

Start from today my dear friends, wake up every morning and preach to yourself this message: ‘And grieve not the holy Spirit of God.’ Eph 4:30

Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Gal 5:16

May we desire to be made holy for our Lord Jesus Christ is holy.

I Can See The Hand!

Here's a fraction of our God-given creativity. We were asked to use our clumsy hands to mold a mound of clay. I'm so glad God is perfect, has very very sound aesthetics and delicate, loving hands.

Okay, I kinda promised I won't reveal who made what. So if you want to self-declare or comment on these artifacts, there's the TAGBOARD!

And remember what the point of the activity was?

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:"Go down to
the potter's house, and there I will give you my message. So I went down to
the potter's house, and I saw him workng at the wheel. But the pot he was
shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into
another pot, shaping it as it seemed best to him.

Then the word of the Lord came to me:"O house of Israel, can I not
do with you as this potter does?" declares the Lord. "Like clay in the hand of
the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel."

(Jeremiah 18:1-6, NIV)

Can you see the potter's hand shaping your life?

Made for Perfection

Humans are on a search their entire lives.

A search for this thing called Love.

Oh love.

Whatever that word means and encompasses. But the stark truth of it is that no matter what hills we climb or how many valleys we wander through, we just cannot seem to find that ONE. At the end of the search, we reluctantly concede defeat and admit that yes, there is just no perfect love. Imperfect people attempting to love other imperfect people produces imperfection: friction, hurt, regret, disappointment, sadness, guilt etc.

Augustine in his (brutally honest) confessions said "Thou hath made us for thyself; Our heart is made restless until it repose in thee"

No wonder.
Our hearts were made for P-E-R-F-E-C-T-I-O-N. To receive perfection and embrace perfection, for all its beauty and awesomeness. And by now we all know that no one meets that standard but God Himself.
No wonder.
Our hearts just get more restless as we keep searching to satisfy that longing by expecting so much more than what other fellow beings can give.

Was just thinking if we can't even love a perfect person with our heart, soul and mind, whats more an imperfect one?

To those who are searching, hurting, waiting, take heart for we have a perfect love exemplified for us way before we existed and we were planned for it. Embrace it :)

God is love. 1John4:16

Lord, In The Strength Of Grace

Lyrics: Charles Wesley
Music: So Heng (2007)

Lord, in the strength of grace,
With a glad heart and free,
Myself, my residue of days,
I consecrate to Thee.

Thy ransomed servant, I
Restore to Thee Thy own,
And from this moment, live or die
To serve my God alone.


在恩典的大能中
译词：苏恒、蔡以昕

主啊 在恩典的大能中
获释放的我带着欣喜的心
把自己和我仅存的岁月
分别为圣归祢

祢的仆人 被赎的我
将属祢的归还
而从此刻起 生或死
都单为事奉我主

I’m completely humbled. What transpired over the entire weekend, was definitely of divine power. Just when I thought I had understood the lyrics of this song perfectly, He put us to the test and made us see what it means to restore to Him what belongs to Him, what it means to serve Him alone, what it means to serve in the strength of His grace.

We were asked for a perfect, unblemished lamb for sacrifice and we had none to offer. Many a times, our best just isn’t THE best. We despair, we grieve, we hesitate to put it on the altar. What would God do with such an offering? Why would He want it? Torsten gave me timely reminder: remember the widow with the 2 copper coins. It wasn’t a lot in terms of quantity but it was her all. All that she possessed, she placed it in that offering box and offered it up to God. Can you imagine the courage she had to put the 2 coins into the box? Can you even fathom the reverence she had for God?

Then it hit me: everything I have isn’t mine. But when asked for our all, we cling on to some things like our life depends on it. It reminds me of Abraham. He had a son, Isaac. Isaac was a promise from God, a blessed possession for Abraham. A son, coming so late in Abraham’s life, Abraham must have love Isaac a lot. Then one fine day, God dropped the bomb on Abraham: he was to offer Isaac up as a burnt sacrifice.

Why did God do that? Perhaps God knew Abraham loved Isaac more than he loved Him. Isaac was something that stood between God and Abraham, and unless Abraham learnt to part with his beloved possession, he cannot love God above everything else. Our love for one another may exceed that of our love for God. What are the “Isaacs” in our life today? Academic results? Family? Some sister or brother-in-Christ? Dominant 7th?

“Restore to Thee Thy own”: are you ready to give them all up and return to God what really belongs to Him?

Frankly, when faced with the choices, I only saw my accountability to men: how not to let people down, how one’s efforts must somehow be proportionate to the outcome. When none of the choices can please both God and men at the same time, what do we do? “To serve my God alone” means to pit oneself against the world’s charms. Yes, surely you’ll let some people down. Our deepest concerns will show us who we serve, our Master: so is it going to be men, or God?

In making my final decision, I have let a few people down, seen the “Isaac” of my life and my inability and unworthiness to serve if not for His strong, unwavering grace. The anthem was no longer just a song but a part of my life.

I thank God for the painful experience for I have seen His power and sovereignty through it all!

100th!

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm the first! I'm the first! Yeh yeh yeh :)

I get the honour to publish the 100th post!

Okay sorry for the nuisance.

Dom7th-ers can you believe we made it to the 100th post?! Wow, 100 ways in which God has led us and touched us to share with one and all. Not just through our voice but through words! Amazing!
I was just looking through the older postings and aww man, its so, so heart twisting... From the very 1st when Aiping first started this blog and then the period leading up to the concert where there were silly, sad, encouraging, heartwarming sharings coming from everyone to now where its peace and quiet...

Time really flies. But one thing remains, our dear Heavenly Father was there to witness every step of the way.

To many more 100ths to come!

Oh, and to all those who visit this place often, reveal thyself so we know who you are *Ahem Mag ahem* Haha kidding... Thank you for reading and growing with us :)

Alrightoes! tomorrow I shall talk about something serious. Serious stuff.

Goodnight :)

Hey Brothers and Sisters!

Yepp haven't written in a long while.

Recently my friend lent me a CD by Stuart Townend of In Christ Alone, How Deep the Father's Love for Us, Beautiful Saviour fame.
I'm falling in love with his compositions. Rich in meaning and powerful in theology.
This entire week this song has been ringing in my head, called See What A Morning (Resurrection Hymn). Woah really must sing it for Easter someday man... I found a rendition on youtube, and discovered there is this channel on BBC called Songs of Praise that features programmes worship in a national day-like setting singing nice hymns and praise songs, with full orchestras. So grand really nice! Go see it for yourself! (Especially good for exam-laden tots!~)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNLT_WUQqXE&feature=related

See God's Salvation Plan
Wrought in love
borne in pain
paid in sacrifice
Fulfilled in Christ the Man
For He lives Christ is risen from the dead!

And we are raised with Him
Death is dead
love has won
Christ has conquered!
And we shall reign with Him
For He lives Christ is risen from the dead!

Another one, a wonderful rendition, not Townend's composition, of Be Thou My Vision. People we've gotta learn to sing like that man... haha! Girls match the fullness yah?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idu2_uV4QB0&feature=related

And Great is Thy Faithfulness!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0oxobAZGfE&feature=related

Guys drop your jaws and sing like that guy man...

ok Cheers and continue training for Praise and Glory of our God who gives us the reason to Sing!

God be in me.

'God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in mine eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at mine end, and at my departing.'

~Sir Henry Walford-Davies

I remember hearing this song sung the first time by a choir a few years back.
They sang it beautifully...

How could any soul that has been touched by God not be moved by such an earnest plea;
and be moved to pray it every day.

For we,
Whose mind is quick to judge;
For we,
Whose eyes love to lust;
For we,
Whose mouth is quick to slander, curse and gossip;
For we,
Whose heart is prone to wander;
Whose thoughts are full of evil;
But God,
Whose Love from beginning --
Knows no end.


Hopefully, dom7th will be able to sing this piece soon too!

Lost.

I'm lost. Very lost.

I am 'Lost in Wonder, Love and Praise. '

As Charles Wesley himself expressed it very endearingly in 'Love Divine, All Loves Excelling'; hymn no. 44, 'Hymns of Life', categorized under 'GOD-HIS LOVE AND GRACE.'

Indeed, I have been experiencing God's immeasurable love and grace upon me for such a period as this that I am literally lost. Yeh, lost for words, (pun intended) So, I can only sing and pray and meditate and it is still not enough to express it all!

Have you ever been so overwhelmed by such a a HUGE downpour of mercy, grace and love? It is overwhelming to the extent that you get lost in its vastness.

How vast is your ocean O Lord, how small is my boat.

If my boat is lost in His wonder, love and praise; Ah, May it never find its way out...

I will willingly and indulgingly row about in the peaceful, still waters.

Of course, God's goodness never ceases so you might be asking why is it only now that I experience it. I think it is only when one knows the dangers, feels the fear, expects the unexpected, understands self-helplessness will one be empty and broken before being filled to the brim and all the goodness just keeps on overflowing and flowing and flowing... Then ta-da! one ends up in the light of:

'Lost in wonder, love and praise'

Dear friends,

Stop and meditate on His wonder, love, mercy and grace and may you then exclaim:

"Changed from glory into glory

Till in heav'n we take our place,

Till we cast our crowns before Thee,

Lost in wonder, love and praise."

I bet you you can't stop singing it.

Awaken our senses.

28 Have you never heard?

Have you never understood?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of all the earth.

He never grows weak or weary.

No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

29 He gives power to the weak

and strength to the powerless.

30 Even youths will become weak and tired,

and young men will fall in exhaustion.

31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.

They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not faint.

- Isaiah 40:28-31



I am weak but He is strong!
I am clueless but He is omniscient!
I am powerless but He is omnipotent!
I am created, He is the Creator!


Maybe the reason why we so often waver in faith, worry about small and big things (size doesn't matter) is because we just "never understood" even though we have "heard".



Why are we just so dumb and dull sometimes or all the time, to what God says to us?



Hearing and processing it mentally does not equate to understanding.
Understanding the height, depth, breadth of Who God is.



He is the everlasting God.



Can you sense that? The power in those words that God speaks of himself?



Dear God,
please awaken our senses that have been so dull to your teachings, to your revelations, to
YOU, yourself.
Help us to understand, to know who you are so that we might not sin against you by disbelieving or doubting your providence and your majesty.
In Your Son's name,
Amen.










He holds my hand.

What we did on 22.3.08

(photos mildly edited)

Stretching!

恒久忍耐!(It just happened that I wore the shirt with those words. Ha.)

I felt kind of bad not participating in the workout. So I made this one in that ‘holding’ position.

Now, the main thing…feet-washing!

Enjoying it?

Oh...The cute one-on-one wash!

In the midst of all the fun, laughter, screaming and enjoyment (or torture), the significance of this act stays in our mind.

He was the teacher of the 12 disciples, but he was willing to do this lowly task.
Jesus is above all, yet he chose to be the servant of man.
All that he did for us was…because of love. Because of love.

Let us continue to serve one another out of love. =)