Another chapter begins

it's time again, to pack the bags and move on again

it's been an incredible year and i must say i'm excited to be going back!

all the lessons, all of God's big & small blessings, His mercy and grace; Life's never been boring with God around! :)

now i'm 1 year older, 1 year wiser (hopefully), and there's still time to take charge of my life and be accountable for the things God has given me.

back to study, back to all the other great things God has in store for me...

thankfully (because i believe i can never depart from God's plan for me) i'm still secure within His presence... and while my situation and circumstances do change constantly... He never does.

Amen to that!

something serious

I read this in a bible study class and it makes loads of sense to me. With regards to prophecy in the bible, more accurately, interpretation of prophecy:

"a popular phrase heard in Christian circles, seen in Christian publications and spoken in church pulpits is: " It depends on how you interpret prophecy."

Bible teaching does not stand or fall upong the "interpretation" of prophetic Scripture. Prophecies should not be interpreted. The question is not one of "interpretation;" the question, when it comes to prophecy is "Has there been fulfillment?"

The church ought not to have been trying to predict or determin future events. The consistency in which she has been wrong has undermined, even further, her credibility with an unbelieving world. Predictions are made concerning future events based on "interpretations" of prophetic Scriptures. Multitudes of books have been written concerning " End Times" and how and when prophecy will be fulfilled. Sadly, most of those books quickly proved to be dismally wrong in their predictions. Yes, God is certainly able give revelation on future prophetic events, but results thus far show God has not been the author of "interpretations," and a famine in revelation is all too apparent. Every Christian has a mandate to discern the times he lives in, but interpreting the future is an area in which Christians should fear to tread.

As a general rule Biblical prophecy is not recognised until after the fulfillment has taken place, or during the actual fulfilling itself.

I can't help but agree with this because i feel people are so often preoccupied with looking and trying to predict the future that they hardly take time to realise what IS going on right now around us.

something fun

i saw this on the tag of a shirt i got

" DEAR CUSTOMERS,
THANK YOU TO BUY THE
XXXXXXXX XXX
FASHION PRODUCT.THIS
FASHIONIS MADE OF HIGH M
ATERIAL AND DESIGNED BY TH
EFAMOUS MASRTERS. TO APP
RECIATE YOUR SUPPORTING.
WE WILL KEEP ON MAKE THE BEST
FOR YOU
THANK YOU!

fellowship

ahh... i love it when i meet up with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ

sure i know there's usually no big diff between a gathering of Christ followers and secular friends... we sit around and talk about what everyone else talks about: life, love, problems with the world, our struggles etc... sometimes we really do grumble a lot too, to one another, or we pour our hearts out with even more gusto, coz, in general 'Christians' are nice people right? People who won't backstab us or make use of the info we've divulged to blackmail us in the future. hmmmm

But having said that, there's something fundamentally different about a Christ follower... a faith-believer and doer.

He/She knows that a holy and mighty God, out of love for all mankind, sent His most precious Son to die for all a most cruel death. So that we might be able to be reconciled to Him and be called children of God. And everything we go through in life can be measured against that act.

A life has been given, blood spilt cruelly for us, that we might be free... how then do we go into the world and still tussle over such small things, the insignificant things that bind us up?

And that's the thing that tempers our conversations as brothers and sisters... united in the common knowledge of what our Lord has done for us. And there's a great joy that we share, something so focused and so intensely illuminating that it gives us peace in the darkest nights and fiercest storms. A joy that must be shared with the world and all who would seek the Lord sincerely.

there's is great joy in meeting with friends, but when there is something more eternal and more beautiful that binds the friendship and blesses the gathering - that is what sets us apart. To be united in praise for our God and growing in faith as one body... surely that is a glimpse of heaven.

Here's a map of the places that i've been to in the world. (marked in red)
and it's only the beginning!

I want to go to so many other places...
Alaska, the USA, Canada, South America, South Africa, Nepal, Norway, Iceland, Italy, Ireland, Czech Republic, Poland, Mongolia, Japan, Vietnam, Hawaii, the list is endless.


create your own visited country map
or check our Venice travel guide

being thankful for both

thank you oh Lord, for your generosity

but also, thank you for the reminder that indeed

for granting wishes

without you all things can spiral out of control and

like relief from the rain

that we need to remember our priorities

like little things that count

never forgetting that You control all things

like hugs and smiles

and nothing occurs that is beyond your control

that while the world is imperfect

or without your grace and love

there are moments of pure perfection

because You are perfect

Is there more to be done?

i've done all that i can for the moment...

everything else is beyond my control.

but my restless spirit is frustrated and asks,

'is there more i could do?

i can't just sit here letting it all happen...

i've gotta take charge!'

but that's exactly what i cannot do right now

and i have to have faith

and trust

and believe that it's in God's hands now

His able and secure hands

questions for the future

i'm feeling a little frustrated... having trouble with my visa application (waited too long to check up on it), now looking for accomodation and feeling a little sad about leaving home to go to continue my studies.

there's so much unknown and uncertainty and i'm not sure what to do.

it's times like this i really really need a sign from God, or even just a reassuring pat on the shoulder just to know that everything's going to be okay.

but having said that i don't want to just sit around and foolishly say 'Everything'll be alright, God's handling everything...' coz i'm just not sure how much i should be doing in the first place.

suddenly James 2:17 leaps into my mind... "faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

So i've gotta have faith and trust that what i'm doing is the right thing... that God is guiding me bit by bit and He's not going to leave me high and dry.

Amen to that

Marvellous Light

Matthew 5:14-15
You are the light to the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

often in a world that's so caught up in it's ideals and grand schemes it's hard to think of it as 'dark'. We're all just trying hard to do what's 'right', right? And yet it's this concept that we can do it on our own and get there by our own means that's just a shadow of the real problem.

We are steeped in darkness and so lost that we don't know it. In a world that sees immorality and condones it, we have indeed lost our ability to judge right from wrong. How then do we get out of it?

But like in Matthew 4:15-16, where the people of the area were living in darkness, when Jesus went there to preach, they were witnesses to His great light. The light of His word, His commands and His teachings.

Likewise we as christians, are witnesses to His light... and we can't hide this to ourselves, we have to shine brightly, by living the way Christ told us to. To shun the ways of the world, to 'not store up for ourselves, treasure on earth', but treasures in heaven instead! (Matthew 6:19-24).

Matthew 5:16
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

But we don't do this to bring praise to ourselves but to point those honours back to God! Our bodies are but weak and vulnerable 'vessels' of God's light, (2Cor 4:4-7) jars of clay, containing a most wonderful treasure... a tremendously valuable commission given us by God to spread His message of love and peace to all those around us.

But we know that the world does not love this message that we have to tell them. And when others see us living 'goody-two-shoe' lives, they will be resentful and will try to engulf the light that is in us.

Indeed 'the light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it' (John 1:5). Neither has the darkness overcome it!

We serve a master far greater than the master of this world. And therefore we should live lives worthy of Christ, shining boldly in the darkness!

joy in confusion/uncertainty

it's not easy dealing with the unknown...

in fact it's downright painful not knowing at all what's going to happen in the immediate future.

yet all my best laid plans have always been for naught... and i know why. in the bid to reach my own peace of mind, i've not persevered... i've ignored God's choices for me and his wisdom in making choices.

and as a result it's brought me less peace of mind (in retrospect) than if i had trusted Him in the first place.

But all praise to God for being a) a merciful & loving God and b) a God who is always calling me back to Him.

And i have to admit, there has been no greater desire to follow God and no greater assurance than when i trusted entirely in Him to deliver me from danger or uncertainty.

And that's why, there is no greater Joy than the joy of knowing Him... and trusting in Him... coz He's never failed me once.

'confused' spirit

sometimes i feel confused, like there are so many ways of seeing things, so many points of view that i have to take into consideration and so many people who's opinions matter.

and i wonder...

Is it possible for the Spirit of God to give different advice to two people on the same matter?

i don't think so... since the Spirt of God can only speak the truth and lead us to what God wants, therefore one person is right and the other wrong. Such a fitting testimony since it reveals again man's eagerness to believe whatever he wants to.

How to know whether you're the right or the wrong person? That's the trick.

Pray, pray and pray. And wait for God's answer and be prepared for Him to surprise and astond you with His wisdom. But also be prepared to humble yourself in response to His answer.

The Gathering...

was reminded at church this week how important it is to
keep meeting up with Christians

Hebrews 10: 24-25
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching

that's my favourite verse on gathering as a body of Christ...
on reflection i do agree that the people you meet up regularly
with can have a strong impact on the way one lives his/her
life. I thank God that for someone as impressionable as
myself, He's always blessed me with godly and upright
friends no matter where i've been.

And it helps to to be able to sit down and spend time
encouraging and being encouraged to trust God and grow
in faith. When we're down that's the most important thing to
hear! Walking this straight and narrow path on one's own is
really really not advisable... too often we fall pray to the
deceitfulness of one's own heart and the pride that does not
acknowledge our own shortcomings.

Praise God for His daily mercies and provision for us and a
love that transcends all human understanding!

Rainy days...

...just make me feel gloomy

they remind me of winter weather overseas, albeit also with the inconvenience of getting drenched. I remember those days, being curled up under the sheets in bed, with a warm drink at hand and a good book to keep me company. But there was very little desire to go outside because all the colours look so muted in the grey sunlight. Sunny days, though hot, make me feel cheerful. All the world seems to be alive and the colours and shadows become more contrasted and brilliant. The world seems like a happier place and anything you want to do seems possible.

Already after just 1 week of gloomy weather
I'm feeling the effects as my spirits dip
But this rain has reminded me of another adventure
Of animal pairs confined aboard a ship
of biblical proportions tossed by the waves
And rain that never seemed to end
A loving testimony of a God who saves
Both awesome Lord and gentle friend.

Thoughts in the night

woke up in the middle of the night to a scary image buried in my mind... this happens often coz of my hyperactive imagination. Takes me all of 1 night to recover from scary movies, stories etc. By the 2nd night i'm fine coz i'm usually too tired to care whether anything gets me at night.

Prayed hard for a way out of this fear, for God to take away the horrible thoughts and just help me to sleep peacefully... really wanted to let go of it and be free again from the fear that grips. So i started singing some hymns in my head (Be thou my vision, usually helps) and then i started to fill my mind with the good things that have been happening recently and the warm happy thoughts of the evening before.

There's no real formula to how God works but thankfully... He does. And before i knew it i was back in the arms of slumber

Something to revive one's spirit

Jesus went to the Garden - Lyrics
Jesus went to the garden,
And fell down on His knees
Jesus prayed in the garden
Of Gethsemane
Not my will but Yours be done
Father, not my will but Yours be done

Jesus went to the mountain
To bleed for you and me
Jesus died on the mountain
Called Calvary
Why have You forsaken me?
My God, why have You forsaken me?

Jesus rose on the third day
Triumphant over sin
Jesus spoke on the third day
To Mary Magdeline
Woman why are you crying?
He said, woman why are you crying?

Hallelujah, our Saviour is alive
Hallelujah, He is alive
Hallelujah, our Saviour is alive

Jesus entered the heavens
Christ alone be praised
Jesus entered the heavens
Christ alone be praised
I will be with you always
Beloved, I will be with you always

Hallelujah, our Saviour is alive
Hallelujah, He is alive
Hallelujah, He's coming back for us
Hallelujah, victorious
Lord of Heaven and earth
(Lord of all creation)
Lord of Heaven and earth

Jesus went to the garden
And fell down on His knees

tired to the bone

it's funny how your body alerts you that it's not getting enough rest

aches and pains, headaches, upset stomachs, running noses and dizziness... among others

good that God should put so many helpful signs in our way... coz i think we're a really stubborn lot and sometimes unless we're completely incapacitated we'll never get the point.

The body is the temple of God, it's our responsibility to keep it healthy and running properly. Funny how it's so easy to fall sick when you don't want to, hard to fall sick when you do want it.

Also i've not been spending much time with my Father... think He's calling me tonight to speak to Him.

o what a sight...

i saw something that touched me deeply today at church

i saw a guy on crutches making his way to the altar to take the communion bread and cup.

i saw a warm embrace of a pastor as he said a personal prayer for him

and i wanted to weep because i saw myself

Ushering in a new year

Today's message at church was excellent... as usual.
Plus a good reminder of how to start things off this year, on the right foot!

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

2 points come to mind:
1) To not be aimless
2) To let the Spirit be the master of my body, and not the body the master of the spirit.

Our pastor emphasised how the Apostle Paul uses the imagery of a runner, running to win the prize (v24), Run in such a way as to get the prize... that if you're in the race, you should be running like you want to win! and not running like it doesn't matter what you do.

And when we run we do so to win a crown that lasts forever (v25) not a temporary one that will fade. That to me was a timely reminder that what we are seeking, as Christians, isn't man's praise or the treasures that we reap on this earth, but indeed the far more eternal reward of a place in Heaven!

What then is the aim that i have to seek? the one that i must train and run for with all my strength? I'm not quite sure what it is that God's intended of me, but I know for certain what it'll be like. It'll be something that is done for the glory of God, not something selfish for my own goals but something selfless so that others know how much i want to share God's word and i'm doing it because I love Him so.

So i'm looking forward to 2006 and all the plans that God has before me... can't wait to exercise all the new gifts that He's given me!