Prince Caspian's a really great show! :D Loved it. I want to buy the complete Narnia series! :D
Had a good Sunday service today too. :) Topic was: "How to avoid being a spiritual counterfeit?"
A few application points I want to jot down for myself to work on:
1. As a spiritual mentor, I need to prepare myself to teach the Word of God well! We are not merely called to be nice... we are called to be biblical.
2. Something tt struck me: Our Hope movement's president, Pastor PN, shared his concern that as the number of churches being planted increases, there is a real possibility of some of us deviating from the truth of the Word of God, that some churches might fall into false teachings.
3. For the young, to learn is an expression of curiosity. For the old, to learn is an expression of humility. I was reflecting, and yeah, though someone affirmed me for being very hungry to learn, I realise I really need to grow in a teachable heart. Instead of arguing so often with my CL... do I really have to argue anyway? Can't I just swallow my stupid pride and joyfully accept the gentle feedback he gives me?
4. What is my obsession? What is the vision God has given me?
For me... I think, to be honest, it's my desire to be in a relationship. I find waiting such a hard thing to do. But as the hymn goes,
Tell me and I'll obey
This is greater than sacrifice
Trusting in You and not myself
Will always lead to blessing...
Ha. But yup, am praying to God for strength to keep walking with Him. After all, only Jesus can truly satisfy my heart like no one or nothing else can. For he is the real food and drink for my soul.
Vision! I told HQ God gave me a vision to reach out to the children. But to be honest, I think... it's simply more than that. It's the Great Commission as shown in Revelation ... people from every nation, every tribe,
This stirred a question in me: What really makes the Good News so good? How does the gospel of Jesus Christ answer the problems of humanity?
'Cos one of my colleagues told me that he believes that education is the answer to humanity's problems.
I replied, "How about the Nazis? They were from one of the most developed and educated and most industrialized countries... and they made the concentration camps too!"
He paused for a while, and said, "I think you have an interesting point there."
Yeah. So education alone is not sufficient to solve humanity's problem. As I shared with my colleague, humanity's problem is that of a desperately sick nature - only God its creator can make it whole again. 'Cos our hearts were made for Him, and unless we have a relationship with the One who made us in love... we can never ever be whole again.
And it's so true. BGR relationships will come and go... there's a friend who had a very long time of courtship... and was supposed to get married... but the wedding got called off.
I was thinking, wow. my friend's really very strong, from how s/he looks. i know that for me, i'd be very heartbroken. but still, it was obvious that my friend was struggling a lot still.
*pause*
you know, i realise something just now. i realised that God has actually given me strength - and not just that - JOY! during some of the most difficult moments in my life. =) and i didn't remember it!
'cos there was a period many years ago, during NS times, when my parents' marriage went thru such a stressful time, that they even talked about divorce.
i was terrified, to be honest... but as i prayed (and wept over the phone talking to Weizhu, who prayed for me too)... i gradually received joy and peace in my heart. i don't understand how this peace came about, but it was really there.
as i went out for a walk in the park in the next few nights, i burst out singing to God:
"How good it is
To give thanks unto the LORD!
How good it is
To give thanks unto our God!
Oh He heals the broken-hearted
Binding up their wounds
It is good to bless His holy name
I'm gonna bless His name...
I'm gonna bless His name..."
I was walking and yelling out this song at the top of my lungs... haha... thank God no one was around (as far as i could see) at that time of the night.
Thank God also for the brothers in the NS CG then (Shenteng was my UL then), how they supported me then. :)
And praise God for His faithfulness indeed! my parents stuck together, and nowadays, i see how my dad really cares for my mum, tenderly caring for her and giving her massages from time to time... just spending quality time with her. it's not easy, there are conflicts here and there, but i'm proud of my parents. =) together all the way, for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness or in health, by God's mercy and grace, till death do them part.
Life is hard. But God is always good. :D
To live is Christ, to die is gain! =D
Oh we give thanks unto our Saviour
And with a heart of gratitude
We give Him praise
His mercy shall endure forever
And I will praise Him all of my days!
5. Not devoting myself to selfish gains.
This part really made me think. Will I stay true to the Lord Jesus all the days of my life? Or will I begin to think, "I've served so much... given so much... now can't I just rest and enjoy life? It was: God, Others, then Me. But it shall now be: I, Myself, Me!"
To be honest, I've thought this kind of thought before... subtly, such as... my brothers and sisters aren't loving enough to me... not understanding... they don't meet my expectations, talk with me about my interests...
And to be honest, those times were some of the darkest times in my life. I think it's no coincidence that I felt farthest away from God.
But God is so good. I remember whenever I turned back in repentance to Him, deciding to live for Him fully again... wow, those are some of the sweetest moments in my life! :) Relationship with God, relationships with people, all restored... it's such joy beyond comprehension!
So how can I complain? if He gave His life in love for me... then what can I say? If He DIED for me... then what right do I ever have to complain? who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?
Love beyond all reason.
Caught in the mercy fallout.
It's moments like these when you really, really long to prostrate yourself before God in absolute adoration, amazement and awe.
Still, I need to grow in obedience to God. There are so much of my life that is yet to be fully surrendered to the Lord's control. I don't want to keep on resisting the Holy Spirit (as I shared with Jonathan over Bible reading today).
To remind myself:
A genuine faith seeks to bless,
But a fake faith seeks to be blessed!
Mark 10:45
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
No comments:
Post a Comment