intransition|n312

Dear N312

2008-10-31T12:32:00.000-07:00

Dear N312,

How are all of you! Some having exams, some birthday coming, some exams soon, some rushing project, some gone through operation somemore, and the rest enjoying holidays right! haha.. I'm doing great and adapting to my new cell group. Anyway if you guys are praying for Naresh, keep praying! I'm meeting him in school and reaching out to him. He's really busy with school so let's trust God that he will be able to handle and be strengthened in God.

Anyway, I'm here to share with you a link as well =)
http://store.attributes.com.sg/tv.php

Some of you might already know about this but for those who don't, that's how I spend my quiet time sometimes. I'll just play the video service praise and worship, and praise and worship in my room! It's good for quiet time. Try it!

Next week's the one-week of prayer... I'll be there everyday from monday to friday at Jurong West. Those no school no excuse not to go! haha... let's go pray together!!

Miss you guys already.

Study hard, play hard, pray even harder.

Cheers!
Jeremy

N312 blog is migrating!

2008-10-27T00:22:00.001-07:00

N312 blog will be migrating. The new link is http://nthreeonetwo.wordpress.com.

food for thoughts

2008-10-07T03:39:00.000-07:00

My friend sent me this email and I felt this is really encouraging. :))
___
Obedience Without Logic or "The Ant and the Contact Lens"
From the book Keep a Quiet Heart by Elizabeth Elliot

Brenda Foltz was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. It was her first experience at rock-climbing, but although she was scared to death, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In spite of her fear she put on the gear, took a hold on the rope, and started up the face of that rock.She got to a ledge where she could take a breather. As she was hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda's eye and knocked out her contact lens. Here she is on a rock ledge, with hundreds of feet below her and hundreds of feet above her. Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping it had landed on the ledge, but it just wasn't there. Here she was, far from home, her sight now blurry.

She was desperate and began to get upset, so she prayed to the Lord to help her to find it. When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but there was no contact lens to be found. She sat down, despondent, with the rest of the party, waiting for the rest of them to make it up the face of the cliff. She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of the Bible verse that says, "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth." She thought, "Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is." "Please help me." Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom. At the bottom there was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys, anybody lose a contact lens?"

Now, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it!

Brenda's father was a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a picture of an ant lugging that contact lens with the words, "Lord, I
don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy.But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for You."

I think it would probably do some of us good to occasionally say, "God, I don't know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if you want me to carry it, I will."

1 Samuel 15:22 - And Samuel said, "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Surely, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams."

From, Dr. Gautsch
____

Be wise...

2008-09-24T22:42:00.001-07:00

In Straits Times today:

Six teenagers were arrested for bundling sparklers together and settling them alight. The teens face up to a year in jail and $5,000 fine if they are found guilty of being negligent in respect to an explosive substance.

To live is Christ, to die is gain

2008-09-22T19:43:00.000-07:00

Philippians 1:18-26

...The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

To live is Christ, and to die is gain. Heaven awaits us when we die. There is certainly much that awaits us after death. But the Bible says that to live is Christ. And how shall we live? In verse 22 it says that we are to go on living, with fruitful labour. Earlier on in verse 18, it mentioned that Christ must be preached. There is much to live for in the present life.

What purpose do you have on this earth before you depart? How are you spending your days and years before you finally breathe your last? We need to live like Christ lived, proclaiming the gospel, living for a cause; the cause of the Kingdom. What are you passionate about? What are the things you do that bring about a certain energy within you? What do you feel you are born for?

It's time to step out and do it.

SOT PHOTO

2008-08-26T02:10:00.001-07:00

Jeremy and Guanzheng graduate from SOT 2008!

2008-08-23T12:54:00.001-07:00

*Photos up soon...

Congratulations to Jeremy and Guanzheng for having finished the race! After 5 grueling months of bible study, lessons, and cleaning up of the church compound, they have done it! Having gone through SOT myself, it is definitely not easy, especially when you have so many other things to juggle. May the both of you continue to catch and fire and run the marathon!

Additional messages from the members, that did not make it onto the card:

From Winny (to both):
"Hey, finally the day has arrived!! Congratulations on your graduation day...May u grow to another level :) God bless!"

From Naresh (to both):
"Hey babes I love you guys and I wish you guys all the best. Now that you know a little more go do a lot more! Cheers!"

From Wenhan (to Jeremy):
"Congratulations that you graduate from SOT. I am very happy that you are my cell-group leader. I'm flad that I'm in your cell group. God will continue to bvless you..."

From Asal (to Jeremy):
"Congrats on your graduation from SOT. The journey must have been exciting and fulfilling. I'm suree (sic) you will grow much much more in the Lord. Thank you for everything!
God bless!"

Hate Religion...but love thy God

2008-08-10T22:06:00.001-07:00

It's in the news: Taoism is fast losing traction among the Chinese here, but Buddhism and Christianity are on the rise.

The Straits Times reported how Taoism has lost many believers - from 30 per cent of the Chinese population in the 80s to 8.5 per cent in 2000. On the other hand, Christianity represents 17 per cent and Buddhism 54 per cent of the Chinese population, according to the population census.

However, in the midst of these religious tectonic shifts, tremours of unhappiness are brewing within the homes of many traditional Chinese families. A typical scenario: a Buddhist mother grieves over how her children have converted to Christianity, and worries over how there will be no one to perform her funeral rites.

Baptism has also been a contentious issue: it represents a total abandonment of old religious traditions in favour of the 'new-fangled thing'.

So what is this new-fangled thing? It is the result of the reevaluation of our purpose in life - leading to a drastic change of beliefs.

The Straits Times report has revealed a common understanding among many religious adherents and seekers: there is no use for old religious rites that bare no meaning upon one's lives.

But the search for meaning is often a rocky path. While many youths yearn for parents who are open-minded, they will find instead their desire to convert met with unhappiness from them instead.

This brings us to the bugbear of religion: emotionalism. Like it or not, a religious debate will often be heated up and quite emotional. Yes, you have your euphoric religious experiences of how 'God is Love' and how you have achieved a sense of wholeness, but many of the emotions that are tagged with religion is negative.

The abandonment of old traditional rites is one, and seems to strike great fear within parents. Other contentious issues include extremism and fundamentalism, which include terrorism and the notion of church versus the state. In Singapore, where the situation is rather calm, you have the gripes against over-zealous evangelising and seemingly over-extravagant spending on religious buildings.

In forums and blogs, it is hard to find a religious discussion that stays calm. Yes, discussions about politics will occasionally heat up to boiling point, but religious discussions are volcanoes waiting to erupt.

So it is quite understandable why parents react the way they do: religion represents a certain identity. Many of us cling on to it when we were young and for some of us, they form integral parts of our past memories.

But in order to gain happiness and a sense of purpose, shouldn't old mindsets and traditions be abandoned, even if it means upsetting the old institutions? Nevertheless, a conversion should be done with great care and love: it's about showing that despite a change in beliefs, your concern for your parents would be intact, if not enhanced.

I'm not saying that any religion is bad, but if we merely perform the traditional rites for the sake of doing it, then it becomes nothing more than 'Religion' - a set of practices and traditions that hold no purpose or value in the present context. In other words, a wayang.

We should strive to hate Religion: abandoning old practices that no longer hold meaning to our lives, yet at the same time to love thy God - realising that there is a spiritual dimension in all of us that needs to be fulfilled.

Therefore, if Taoists want to regain a foothold in Singapore society once again, then they need to address this question: what does the religion have to offer modern-day Singaporeans?

a great reminder

2008-08-07T00:38:00.000-07:00

received this in my mailbox.
___
Death is certain but the Bible speaks about untimely death!

Make a personal reflection about this.....

Very interesting, read until the end.....

It is written in the Bible (Galatians 6:7):

'Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sow, that
shall he also reap.

Here are some men and women who mocked God :

John Lennon (Singer):
Some years before, during his interview with an American Magazine, he
said: 'Christianity will end, it will disappear. I do not have to
argue about that. I am certain.

Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too simple, today we are more
famous than Him' (1966).

Lennon, after saying that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus
Christ, was shot six times.

Tancredo Neves (President of Brazil ):

During the Presidential campaign, he said if he got 500,000 votes from
his party, not even God would remove him from Presidency.

Sure he got the votes, but he got sick a day before being made
President, then he died.

Cazuza (Bi-sexual Brazilian composer, singer and poet):

During A show in Canecio ( Rio de Janeiro ), while smoking his
cigarette, he puffed out some smoke into the air and said:'God, that's
for you.'

He died at the age of 32 of LUNG CANCER in a horrible manner.

The man who built the Titanic:

After the construction of Titanic, a reporter asked him how safe the
Titanic would be.

With an ironic tone he said: 'Not even God can sink it'

The result: I think you all know what happened to the Titanic

Marilyn Monroe (Actress)

She was visited by Billy Graham during a presentation of a show.

He said the Spirit of God had sent him to preach to her.

After hearing what the Preacher had to say, she said:

'I don't need your Jesus'.

A week later, she was found dead in her apartment

Bon Scott (Singer)

The ex-vocalist of the AC/DC. On one of his 1979 songs he sang:

'Don't stop me; I'm going down all the way, down the highway to hell'.

On the 19th of February 1980, Bon Scott was found dead, he had been
choked by his own vomit.

Campinas (IN 2005)

In Campinas , Brazil a group of friends, drunk, went to pick up a friend.....

The mother accompanied her to the car and was so worried about the
drunkenness of her friends and she said to the daughter holding her
hand, who was already seated in the car:

'My Daughter, Go With God And May He Protect You.'

She responded: 'Only If He (God) Travels In The Trunk, Cause Inside
Here...It's Already Full '

Hours later, news came by that they had been involved in a fatal
accident, everyone had died, the car could not be recognized what
type of car it had been, but surprisingly, the trunk was intact.

The police said there was no way the trunk could have remained intact.
To their surprise, inside the trunk was a crate of eggs, none was
broken.

Christine Hewitt (Jamaican Journalist and entertainer)

said the Bible (Word of God) was the worst book ever written.

In June 2006 she was found burnt beyond recognition in her motor vehicle.

Many more important people have forgotten that there is no other name
that was given so much authority as the name of Jesus.

Many have died, but only Jesus died and rose again, and he is still alive.

:-)

2008-07-21T00:42:00.001-07:00

I've made a decision to be happy :):):)

I don't know if you know this about me, but I'm actually a pretty ambitious, driven, obsessive-compulsive person.

As a result, I can be too hard on myself, and people have said that I do need to cut myself some slack at times.

From now on, I will made a conscious effort to enjoy life more.

A few things have led to this change in mindset.

1) Recent news reports about the plummeting birth rates and how an unbalanced work culture is the cause of it.

2) This Bible verse:
Ecclesiastes 5:5 (The Message Bible)
After looking at the way things are on this earth, here's what I've decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that's about it. That's the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what's given and delighting in the work. It's God's gift! God deals out joy in the present, the now. It's useless to brood over how long we might live.

I realise I must be a bit careful at this point: I don't want to sound like some self-proclaimed guru of happiness. But I think certain things can, and does lead to more happy living:

1) Finding a career that you enjoy, or if you are a student: studying something you are interested in.

2) Have a life goal/vision/purpose to live/die for. Basically, its about finding meaning in the things that you do.

3) Building strong meaningful relationships with people, and with your family.

4) Making an effort towards personal growth.

5) Cutting yourself some slack, and not be over-driven.

6) Making a decision to be happy and optimistic, even when situations seem bad.

In essence, have a balanced lifestyle!

Logos. Literally.

2008-07-15T06:31:00.000-07:00

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." - Genesis 1:1

Created: bara' (bah-rah) [Heb]

"God created the heavens and the earth." This establishes one of the most important facts in life: the universe and mankind are not here by accident! They are here by the specific design and plan of God. This verse tells it like it is, that the created universe, with all its stars and planets, is the unique creation of God. This means that mankind and the universe are not here by some kind of cosmic accident. There is a purpose for your life, and there is a master plan behind the universe.

The word bara' means "to form", "to fashion", "to produce" or "to create". Originally, this verb carried the idea of carving or cutting out, not unlike the making of pottery and such-like. This suggests that creating is similar to sculpting. God is therefore portrayed as the Master Artist of all creation and the Great Sculptor who carved out the universe, the planets and mankind. Thus, bara' is a fitting word to describe both creating and bringing into existence something out of nothing, as well as forming something out of existing matter.

Although scientists have come up with the Big Bang Theory and other explanations for the creation of the universe, the Bible teaches us that God is the Creator of everything. We need to remember that the Bible is true regarding spiritual matters, but it is also true regarding the physical disciplines of our earthly world, like science, maths, history e.t.c. Thus, if the Bible teaches that God is the Creator of everything, that goes for the laws of science and everything humans think are the rules of existence. Our God cannot be explained away by some scientific theory, why, He created the laws of science! Our God is all powerful!

And you know what the best part is? We serve Him. What an honour indeed. What would your friends and relatives say if you told them you got accepted under the tutelage of a world-renowned professor of something? Well, we serve an omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent God! That alone, if anything, should give us energy and motivation for the day.

Hallelujah, and AMEN!

An Ecclesiastes Moment

2008-07-14T02:56:00.000-07:00

Just a short blog post while I'm working:

Ecclesiastes 1:1-4
The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
"Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless."
What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?
Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.

I'm having an ecclesiastes moment right now.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, the author laments about the meaning of life, and how despite all his wisdom he finds things meaningless. He questions everything: the existance of God, the futility of man, and everything in between.

Right now, I have a thousand doubts in my head. I'm having doubts about everything: about God, about Church, and about Life. You may ask: what happened to your childlike faith? What happened to Obedience? What happened to your unwavering faith in God?

It is gone, missing, thrown out the window. Or not quite. Rather, this phrase sums up what I'm feeling right now: Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!

As Christians, we are often taught to believe without questioning, and to quote the famous phrase: "The Bible says it, I believe it, and that settles it."

It is not as simple as that. Faith is a journey, and in that journey is a road full of doubt. To say that "I believe and I believe" but having not questioned anything is utter folly. Faith matures when doubts are thrown at you, but you come out of it stronger than ever.

I find a thousand questions bombarding me right now: Why does a good God allow suffering? How do we know eternity is real? Is there heaven and hell?

Friends, how would YOU answer these questions?

I asked myself that, and I find I do not have adequate answers. Recently, a blogger questioned why the church has invited Benny Hinn. And I didn't have good answers. It irks me, irritates me.
I'm not saying that I've never asked myself those questions before, but it's just that the answers I had no longer satisfied me. So for the next few months, an urgent task for me will be to read and write on these existentialistic topics. How can we reach out if we ourselves aren't sure of our faith?

The bible says that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God". But the Word must also "be like a seed sown on good ground." Yes, we may have a measure of faith given by God, but we must nurture it, and guard it. We must seek out the answers ourselves, be it from the Bible or from other sources.

God is not stupid. He made us to be inquisitive by nature. We are not made for blind obedience. We have a yearning to know the unknown, to seek out the truth. He said, "Let us reason together." The Bible says: "Let us seek Him where he may be found." The answers are out there for us to find.

So let us seek out the answers. Let us ask tough questions. Faith is not blind obedience, but it is believing that in the midst of asking those tough questions, God will show us the right answers. Read, write, ask, do whatever it takes.

Faith is believing that God controls all knowledge, and that He will lead us in the right way.

My Kuching Mission Trip with Guanzheng & Team

2008-07-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

Quite a team of people... I love the team that went over for the mission trip! These people are so hungry to do the work of the Lord.

I know that it is already a few weeks but I thought I should write more about the mission trip so that all of you would be inspired to go for it too!

When we reach there, Guanzheng really put in his entire focus to do up this children church drama. the team that went there had so many people who were more than twice, some even thrice our age but yet these people are very willing to serve and take instructions from Guanzheng. Everyone was very cooperative and in spite of having so little sleep, every one just moved along to make things happen!

here's a picture about the children church drama!

Guanzheng is standing in front leading them! =)

and during the praise and worship everyone was sooooooooo excited, leaping and whirling, praising God with all their heart and soul. No wonder God is blessing their church. Let's be passionate about the things of the Lord!

i don't have the photos for the actual service.. if i could get it I would upload it here. but more than 20 people got saved! It's phenomenal. Praise God! For a service with only 172 people, that is more than 10% of the people coming! But the pastor said that some of them have been coming for several weeks through they using the caring system and constantly reaching out to these people.

one of the people that I'm most impressed with is the sound guy - 15 years old. AMAZING!
Here's his picture...

=) and he even has an assistant!

so guys........not excuse not to serve =) haha. Let's really be people who do something great for God, to build His kingdom and serve in City Harvest. It's fun serving the Lord!

And to Guanzheng... you're a wonderful help! Great serving with you!

Go for mission trip! You'll see the power of God moving mightily and you'll really feel Him empowering you to minister to others. And you can also see the love of God in other countries and communities.

Encouraging!

2008-07-13T03:08:00.000-07:00

on faith

2008-07-09T23:02:00.000-07:00

E.R. McManus on Faith

A casual listener to Christian teaching over the airwaves would
conclude the solution to every problem is to have more faith. If you
have a problem, all you have to do is believe. If you can't overcome
the problem, you're just not believing big enough. The metaphor of the
mustard seed is thrown into this mix of faith talk. We are told that
Jesus said all we need was faith the size of a mustard seed and we
could speak to the mountain, "Be removed," and it would be cast into
the sea. Jesus' words are interpreted to mean that what we have is a
faith problem-- we just dont believe enough. This spiritual journey
becomes an endless cycle of trying to muster up more belief, bigger
faith. But Jesus is pointing us to the very opposite conclusion. He's
not saying we need to have more faith; He's actually telling us we
just need to have some. It's not about making your faith bigger. All
you need is mustard seed-sized faith. The implication is any less is
none at all. Jesus was not calling us to work up our faith. He was
calling us simply to put our faith in God. It is not our faith in an
event that is critical, but our faith in God himself. It is not about
believing in a miracle or believing for a miracle; it is about an
unshakable confidence in the character of God.

In Matthew 11, John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus a
question: "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect
someone else?" Jesus sent back this response: "Go back and report to
John what you see and here: The blind receive sight, the lame walk,
those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised,
and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does
not fall away on account of me" (11:3-6). It is curious that John, who
was the cousin of Jesus, was doubting who Jesus was. If anyone should
have been sure, it was John. The Bible tells us he leaped in his
mother Elizabeth's womb when she was in the presence of Mary, who was
pregnant with Jesus. Interesting that while in the womb, John was
convinced Jesus was the one but was confused about it later.

On another occasion, John saw Jesus walking in a crowd and boldly
declared, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the
world!" (John 1:29). Even in the midst of a crowd, John knew who He
was. While John was baptizing in the Jordan, Jesus came to him asking
to be baptized, and John insisted that it was Jesus who should be
baptizing him (Matt 3:14). Once again John had absolute clarity that
Jesus was the one. But when John acquiesced and baptized Jesus, John
saw the heavens open, witnessed the Spirit of God descending on Jesus
like a dove and heard a voice from heaven declaring, "This is my Son,
whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (vv 16-17).

In this situation, like the rest, John didn't pause and ask, "Now, I
was wondering, are you the One that we are waiting for or should we
look for another?" There is only one reason John asked this question
when he did. He was in prison, and Herod was about to have him
beheaded. If you are about to lose your head over God, you want to
make sure He's the right one. Yet even in this crisis, John's doubts
came as a result of Jesus' inactivity on his behalf. He was the one
preparing the way for Christ. While everyone else wondered who He was,
John was declaring who He was. Yet this moment was different. His life
was at stake. It was becoming clear to John that Jesus would not
intervene on his behalf.

What John needed was not the faith to be released from prison, but the
faithfulness to see God's mission for him fulfilled. Jesus' response
was one of astonishing credentials-- The blind were made to see, the
lame were made to walk, lepers were cured, the deaf could hear, and
even the dead were raised. What's more, the good news was proclaimed
to the poor. All this John already knew. Jesus' resume brought no
surprised to John except for His final statement, "Blessed is the man
who does not fall away on account of me."

This is an odd saying at the end of such a miraculous description.
Why would anyone be tempted to fall away from a God through which
there was so much miraculous intervention? Because though He is the
God who can do all that was described, He is also the God who calls
you to the highest level of sacrifice. There are moments when our
greatest act of faith is to remain faithful. There will be times when
no level of faith will change our circumstance. Faith is not always a
way out of a crisis. In fact I am convinced it rarely is. Faith gives
us the strength and confidence to see every challenge and crisis
through the end. There is a resilience that erupts out of faithfulness
where you just won't quit! You learn to never give up. Faith is a
confidence in God that results in faithfulness. That faithfulness
gives us the power to perservere. In the midst of our perserverance,
we find the wisdom of God to help us understand and see our way
through. When Jesus calls us to be faithful and even to endure great
things, we are blessed when we do not fall away from Him but continue
to follow closely at His side.

Taken from Uprising

LIFE

2008-07-06T08:56:00.001-07:00

The Apologist's First Question

2008-07-03T17:06:00.000-07:00

07/3/08 The Apologist's First Question
Ravi Zacharias

I have little doubt that the single greatest obstacle to the impact ofthe Gospel has not been its inability to provide answers, but the failure on our part to live it out. I remember well in the early days of my Christian faith talking to a close Hindu friend. He was questioning the experience of conversion as being supernatural. He absolutely insisted that conversion was nothing more than a decisionto lead a more ethical life and that, in most cases, it was not any different from other ethical religions. I had heard his argument before.

After lecturing at a major American university, I was driven to the airport by the organizer of the event. I was quite jolted by what he told me. He said, "My wife brought our neighbor last night. She is a
medical doctor and had not been to anything like this before. On their way home, my wife asked her what she thought of it all." He paused and then continued, "Do you know what she said?" Rather reluctantly, I shook my head. "She said, 'That was a very powerful evening. The arguments were very persuasive. I wonder what he is like in his private life.'"

Because my Hindu friend had not witnessed spiritual transformation inthe life of Christians, whatever answers he received were nullified.In the doctor's case, the answers were intellectually and existentially satisfying, but she still needed to know, did they really make a difference in the life of the one proclaiming them? The Irish evangelist Gypsy Smith once said, "There are five Gospels.Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the Christian, and some people willnever read the first four." In other words, the message is seen before it is heard. For both the Hindu questioner and the American doctor,the answers to their questions were not enough; they depended upon the visible transformation of the one offering them.

1 Peter 3:15 gives us the gives us the defining statement: "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer (apologia) to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." Notice that before the answer is given, the one giving the answer is called to a certain prerequisite. The lordship of Christ over the life of the apologist is foundational to all answers given. Peter, of all the disciples, knew well how to ask questions and also how fickle the human heart is. He knew the seductive power of the spectacular inmomentary enthrallment. He knew what it was to betray someone and to fail. He knew what it was to try to explain the Gospel--as he did at
Pentecost. Peter's strong reminder of the heart of the apologist is the basis of all apologetic attempts.

With character in mind, there follow two immediate imperatives: the quality of life lived and the clarity of answers given. The way theChristian's life is lived will determine the impact upon believers and skeptics alike. This is a defining line because the claim by the believer is unique. The claim is that of a "new birth." After all, no Buddhist or Hindu or Muslim claims his or her life of devotion to be supernatural, yet they often live a more consistent life. And how often does the so-called Christian, even while teaching some of the loftiest truths one could ever teach, live a life bereft of that beauty and character. In apologetics the question is often asked, "If there is only one way, how is it that there are few in all of creation who qualify?" That question is actually more potent than the questioner realizes. It should further be raised, "Out of the few who actually qualify, why are even fewer living it out?"

The spiritual condition and character of the apologist are of immense importance. This call to a life reflecting the person of Christ is the ultimate call of everyone who wishes to do apologetics.

When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well (John 4:1–26) she raised one question after another as if that were really her problem. It would have been very easy for the Lord to call her bluff with some castigating words. Instead, like a gentle and nimble-handed goldsmith he rubbed away the markings of sin and pain in her life until she was amazed at how much true gold he brought out in her. He gave her hope,knowing all along who she was on the inside. Likewise, we cannot simply vanquish the person in an attempt to rescue the message. The value of the person is an essential part of the message.

This means the apologist's task begins with a godly walk. One ought to take time to reflect seriously upon the question, Has God truly wrought a miracle in my life? Is my own heart proof of the supernatural intervention of God? That is the apologist's first question.

Excerpted from Beyond Opinion: Living the Faith We Defend (ThomasNelson, 2007), ed. by Ravi Zacharias.

Ravi Zacharias is founder and president of Ravi ZachariasInternational Ministries.

Jesus is Alive

2008-07-02T07:36:00.000-07:00

A muslim man in Egypt killed his wife because she was reading the
Bible and then buried her with their infant baby and 8 year old
daughter. The girls were buried alive! He then reported to the police
that an uncle killed the kids. 15 days later, another family member
died. When they went to bury him, they found the 2 little girls under
the sand ALIVE!! The country is outraged over the incident and the man
will be executed. The older girl was asked how she had survived. "A
man wearing shiny white clothes, with bleeding wounds in his hands,
came everyday to feed us. He woke up my mom so she can nurse my
sister." she said. She was interviewed on Egyptian national TV, by
availed muslim woman news anchor. She said on public TV, "This was
none other than Jesus, because nobody else does things like this!"
Muslims believe Isa (Jesus) would do this, but the wounds mean He
really was crucified, and it;s clear also that he is alive! But, it's
also clear that the child could not make up a story like this, and
there is no way these children could have survived without a true
miracle. Muslim leaders are going to have a hard time to figure out
what to do with this, and the popularity of the Passion movie doesn't
help! With Egypt in the center of the media and education in the
Middle East, you can be sure this story will spread. Jesus is still
turning the world upside down! Please let this story be shared! Jesus
said, "I will bless the person who puts his trust on me." Jeremiah 1:7

___________________________

Vote for me, Everyday!

2008-07-02T02:59:00.000-07:00

Hello fellow brothers and sisters in Christ,

I'm Terence Lee, a member from cell group N312 under AZ2 zone.

I'm an aspiring journalist and author, a year 2 university student at the School of Communication & Information, NTU. Recently, my blog has been selected as one of the Top 10 'Most Insightful' blogs in Singapore by Omy.sg, a chinese citizen journalism website.

To cut the long story short: I need your support.

This is exciting news. While blogging is a relatively new phenomenon, it's impact has already been felt worldwide. Where else in history has there been a medium that can allow your thoughts to be published on a global scale, to a potential audience of millions, and at the click of the mouse?
Even when I started blogging, I immediately recognised it's potential and how it can impact the world for Christ. Being an aspiring writer, I want to write as much as I can, and my blog is an avenue for me to do just that.

Currently, I am rallying support for my blog, where 30% of the score would be decided by votes, and 70% by a panel of three judges.

You can help me in three ways:

1) You can visit my blog at http://extrascoop.blogspot.com, and click on the S'pore Blog Awards icon on the left to vote. Alternatively, click here to proceed to the voting page. You can vote UP TO ONCE EVERY DAY, all the way until voting closes (So vote for me everyday, lah).

2) Forward this email to as many people as possible, and get them to support me.

3) Link me up on your own personal blog.

By voting for me, you stand with me on these three issues:

1) The relevance of God in modern society.
2) The need to protect the environment and be good stewards of God's resources.
3) The need for a freer society and greater enforcement of civil rights in Singapore.

Thanks for your support!
Best Regards,

Terence

Thoughts

2008-06-29T21:31:00.001-07:00

Hi it's me, blogging here again. Anyway, I just want to give a bit of an update on my life.

Work's been awesome, and I feel like throughout this short two months, I've become more mature. My job requires me to deal with people, to think quick on my feet, and to be creative. It is a challenging job, with long hours sometimes and some surprises. But I think that's what life should be all about.

We often ask ourselves: how do we rise up to the next level? How do we become more spiritual, confident, and capable? How do we increase in our capacity to handle more two things?

Two Ses: Stretching Yourself and Spirituality.

1) Stretching Yourself: To grow, we must always challenge ourselves. After my stint at The Straits Times, I will never want to do admin or sales job again. I want to constantly do something that will require MORE from me: more wisdom, more courage, more efficiency, more creativity, and more energy. Whatever it is, be it in school and even during holidays, challenge yourself. We may think that holidays is a good time to slack, but in fact it is a time to GROW even more.

2) Spirituality: the Bible says that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Even as all the challenges come, even as we stretch ourselves, we cannot have our breakthrough if we don't pray or read the Word. With the Word, we are given the courage and faith to take on and conquer our challenges. Without it, we crumble and fall.

I can't wait for school to start. I can't wait to be back at CGM.

Also, I want to encourage all you guys to blog at well. Instead of complaining: "eh why no one update the blog one," why not you be the one to update it? It's very simple: write about what's been going on in your life, and what you've learnt from it. I'm sure you can be a blessing to the rest!

2008-06-26T09:41:00.000-07:00

hi my first time posting, here's the site link with a true story about jesus.
i hope to share cus i think it's really inspiring. (=

www.xanga.com/closertothelight

hope the story inspired you too..

2008-06-19T09:56:00.001-07:00

i DAY i pray, i play, i study

Let no one despise your youth, but be
an example to the believers in word, in
conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
- 1 TIMOTHY 4:12

CHURCH CAMP. COMING IN JUNE.

2008-05-15T05:59:00.000-07:00

Neos (Greek) [neh'-os]

adjective

1. recently born, young, youthful
2. new

This coming holidays, its time to be renewed.

Bored at home with nothing to do? Want a break from your holiday assignments and endless remedials? Desiring for something that will fire you up?

Then Sign up for Neos Camp - the annual YOUTH camp of AZ Zone! Filled with a mixture of fun and spiritual renewal, expect fun and exciting activities from the 7th-9th June 2008 and get ready to be blown away!

Here is the list of activities:

- Sweat under the sun and swim in the mud with telematches that will get you raring to go.
- Listen to the Word with the daily devotion by Pastor Aries himself.
- Rock the house down with your friends and party away at the evangelistic concert.
- Build up your Spirit Man with the overnight prayer meeting
- Bask under the moonlight as you watch the fire burn brighter at the campfire
- Cap it off with a surprise FINALE!

Here are more details to whet your appetite:

Place: Jurong JC
Date: 7- 9 June, (right after saturday service to monday 4pm)
Price: $15/member, FREE for friends.

What's a zone camp without all your friends? Do invite all your friends to this camp and lets enjoy a time of fun TOGETHER!

START INVITING THEM NOW!

Videocard...late but still not too late :X

2008-05-08T07:40:00.000-07:00

Naresh plssss update all of us about ur whereabouts ..... u can even upload some pics... we all miss u dearly!!!

sorry tat tis videocard came in so late.. i had it done a week before u left but the file was too big so i kept postponing uploading it....

hope u enjoy this and tat it'd add some nostalgia to life here in singapore. and it'd entice u to come back soon. =)

haf fun yep! do watch the online services... these weeks are really good. on prayer. amazing!

Mother's Day Weekend

2008-05-06T10:04:00.000-07:00

It's this weekend!!

Hmmm u can't click the picture.... u have to go to church website for more details.... that's www.chc.org.sg.... There's drama, free gifts for all mums, free photo-taking sessions, all services will be in English and Chinese..., plus all the various contests! if you wanna thank your mum, go write a testimony for her and submit by Thursday!

make this a special Mother's Day.

Gonna b cool :)

All the best for Exams!!!

2008-05-06T10:02:00.002-07:00

hey to all of u who are having exams.... all the best! just hang in there awhile more and den u can enjoy alr! will be praying for u........

Phi 4:13 "I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me."

加油吧！

For such a time as this

2008-05-04T18:32:00.001-07:00

Joseph was born with a gift that often got him into trouble: the ability to interpret dreams. He announced to his brothers that he would soon rule over them. That was the truth; Joseph had dreamt it. But he gloated over his God-given gift, and did not realise that he was only fuelling their jealousy further.

Perhaps it wasn't his gift that set him up. Rather, it was how he used it. In the end, he was sold to the Egyptians as a slave. Fuelled by resentment, his brothers cast him out and banished him into the unknown.

But Joseph had another talent. The ability to manage. He was placed in charge of Portiphar's house, but Portiphar's wife lusted after him. Besides being handsome, Joseph excelled in what he did. Everyone liked him, and he was entrusted with the entire household. He made sure that he kept their trust, and resisted the wife's advances.

Yet he was framed yet again, this time by Portiphar's wife. He had learnt his lesson, used his gift wisely, and yet again he fell into the same predicament. It wasn't his fault this time. Angered, Portiphar threw him into the dungeon.

Eventually, he got to know the Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker, who were thrown in prison for offending him. They had troubling dreams, which haunted them ceaselessly. Joseph, using his gift once again, interpreted the dreams for them. It turned out that he was correct. The baker was executed, and the cupbearer freed to serve Pharaoh once more.

Joseph's fame was spreading, and soon Pharaoh got wind of him. He has had disturbing dreams for many nights, but none of the magicians could make sense of them. Joseph was his only hope.

As Joseph languished in the dark prison, he heard the heavy footsteps of the guards. It was late at night. In the dim, flickering light several shadows could be seen forming on the walls. Are they out to get him? Would he be executed? His eyes trailed the two figures as they stood in front of him, their faces hidden in the darkness.

Clank. It was a sound all too familiar to him, one that he has heard many times before. The guard slid open the prison door. What he heard next was something he had been waiting many years for.

"You're wanted by the Pharaoh. He needs you."

He was ushered into a room. The Pharaoh was seated by his bed, a look of deep distress in his eyes. He scanned Joseph from head to toe, studying the man that he had heard so much about.

"So, you're the interpreter of dreams," he said, voice weary with burden. He didn't sound like the Pharoah Joseph imagined him to be. Here was a man deeply troubled, scared even, totally unlike the all-powerful demi-god in the public square.

He considered carefully what he was about to say next. He knew the escalation of events that would happen. He knew that his gifts would come under scrutiny again. How would pharaoh react to his interpretation? His gift has already gotten him into trouble. How should he respond to the Pharaoh? With a measure of modesty? Or unbridled confidence?

In the end the answer was simple. God had given him a gift, and he had to use it.

"It is not I who can interpret dreams, but God. He will put your mind at ease," he said.

That was his breakthrough. Unfettered by his past setbacks, he knew God had a mission for him. Joseph could interpret his gift as either a curse or a blessing, but he chose to see it as God does. What are the gifts that you have? Where does your passion lie? What kind of person are you?

Whoever you are, God has a purpose for you. Never despise yourself, because there will come a point of time where a person of your character, personality and talent would be needed for a particular situation.

Just be yourself, and discover your gifts. You'll never go wrong with that.

My God Is...

2008-04-29T17:56:00.000-07:00

Warning: Incredibly long post ahead. Dictionary recommended.

I love reading. And while I was on one of my reading frenzies, I happened to stumble across this excerpt from a sermon by Dr. Shadrach Meshach Lockridge, which is entitled ‘My King Is…’ which summarizes everything anyone needs to know about the saviour of souls, Jesus Christ.

The Bible says my king is a seven-way king. He’s the king of the Jews; that’s a racial king. He’s the king of Israel; that’s a national king. He’s the king of righteousness. He’s the king of ages. He’s the king of heaven. He’s the king of glory. He’s the king of kings. Besides being a seven-way king, He’s the Lords of lords. That’s my king. Well, I wonder, do you know Him?

King David, one of the greatest kings of Israel in that time period, had this to say, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” My king is a sovereign king. No means of measure can define His limitless love. No far-seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply. No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings.

He’s enduringly strong. He’s entirely sincere. He’s eternally steadfast. He’s immortally graceful. He’s infinitely powerful. He’s impartially merciful. Do you know Him?

He’s the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world. He’s God’s Son. He’s the sinner’s Saviour. He’s the centrepiece of civilization. He stands in the solitude of Himself. He’s honest and He’s unique. He’s unparalleled. He’s unprecedented.

He is the loftiest idea in literature. He’s the highest personality in philosophy. He is the supreme problem in higher criticism. He’s the fundamental doctrine of true theology. He’s the core, the necessity for spiritual religion. He’s the miracle of the ages. Yes, He is. And not only that, He IS! Without beginning, without end. He’s the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him. He’s the only one qualified to be our all-sufficiency. I wonder if you know Him today.

He supplies strength for the weak. He’s available for the tempted and tried. He sympathizes and he saves. He strengthens and sustains. He guards and He guides. He heals the sick. He cleanses the leper. He forgives the sinner. He discharges debtors. He delivers the captive. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent. And He beautifies the meek. I wonder if you know Him.

Well, this is my king. He’s the key to knowledge. He’s the wellspring of wisdom. He’s the doorway of deliverance. He’s the pathway of peace. He’s the roadway of righteousness. He’s the highway of holiness. He’s the gateway of glory. Do you know Him?

Well, His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His life is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you.

He’s indescribable. He’s incomprehensible. He’s invincible. He’s irresistible. Well, you can’t get Him out of your mind. You can’t get Him off of your hand. You can’t outlive Him and you can’t live without Him. The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but found they couldn’t stop Him. Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him. Herod couldn’t kill Him. Death couldn’t handle Him, and the grave couldn’t hold Him. That’s my king!

And Thine is the kingdom and power and glory forever and ever and ever and ever! How long is that? And ever and ever! And when you get through with all the forevers, then amen! Good God Almighty! Amen!

I share this excerpt with you because I want people to know exactly who it is I serve. And here’s something you should know: when I read this, once I reached the end of the excerpt, what else could I say but:

AMEN!

The LIFE Page

2008-04-26T22:34:00.000-07:00

LIFE is a connect group in N312. The leader is Guanzheng and the members are: Brandon Png, Brandon Koh, Shueling, Naresh, and Huimin.

LIFE members, you are welcome to edit this post.

The Incredibles Page

2008-04-26T22:14:00.001-07:00

Here at The Incredibles, we have a simple belief: that everyone is great, not because Freddy said so, but because God said it.

Here at The Incredibles, we are a family. We believe that no matter who you are, you can do great things for God and be the salt and light of this earth. It doesn't matter what kind of past you have, what matters the most is your future.

This connect group believes in loving people first, inviting them to church second. We believe that we are called to impact society and the lives of the people around us.

Impacting lives is something that's in our blood, and it is what makes us truly incredible. And we want to impact lives with as much creativity, fun, and passion as we can.

Currently, here are the members of The Incredibles:

1) Terence aka The Journalist: Leader of The Incredibles. He believes that every member counts, and that every member has something valuable to contribute to the cell group. He's currently undergoing a love revolution right now, and has decided that impacting lives should be something that is on the top of his mind.

2) Matthew aka The Scholar. The most friendly and outgoing person in the connect group. Smart but at the same time spiritual, a deadly combination indeed. Matthew currently resides in Dunman High hostel, enjoying the sea breeze. A passionate actor too.

3) Fabian aka Wassup?: The coooolest member of The Incredibles. Loves to dance, sing, and get on stage. Performing is something that's in his blood, and any mention of hip hop is enough to get him going. Breaks into random popping on the MRT train. Silent but suave indeed.

(Btw guys, you are free to edit this post as you like.)

To view The Incredibles Blog, click here.

I've been taking things for granted

2008-04-22T23:07:00.000-07:00

I realise that...after being in church for too long...one tends to take for granted the blessings that we have in our lives. We forget who we were before we became Christians, and instead we start to doubt, we start to think: "is the grass greener on the other side?"

Since my days in army, I've always had the assurance that things will always work out fine for me. Even though the situation doesn't seem like it, there's this voice always egging me on...telling me: "Terence, you can do it. Everything's gonna be alright. Everything's gonna work out fine. All things will work good towards those who love Me."

That has been God's voice all along. And there were times when I started to doubt. So I prayed: "God, let me know how real you are once more."

Who else on earth can have the assurance, this voice only inside of us telling us everything is going to work out fine? Where else can we find the peace in our hearts that many others find elusive? Where can we find a friend who will always be there for us, who will always listen to us complain and throw a tantram?

There's only one person: and his name is Jesus.

ZONE MOVIE OUTREACH!

2008-04-22T22:21:00.000-07:00

Hi y'all!

There's gonna be a ZONE MOVIE OUTREACH this weekend right after service! Invite all your friends to come! Friends can watch for FREE while members who have brought friends will get 1/2 price off!

Details as follows:

Movie: Fobidden Kingdom
Venue: Tampines GV
Time: 9pm (tentative)

We'll be busing there from EXPO after service! Invite all your friends to come!

Note: Only friends who have attended service will get the offer.

Dying to live

2008-04-09T08:13:00.000-07:00

Luke 9:23 (Amplified)
And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].

We often hear it in church: that we must die to ourselves so that we may live. But what does it really mean? Jesus exemplified it very well. On the earth, He died so that others may have the gift of salvation. Not only must He suffer death, He must go through a whole host of other things as well.

He died to His own desires, and came down to earth. He died to His own comfort, and ministered to the people despite being tired. He died to his own ambition, suffering humiliation in front of many. He died to physical pain, willingly letting the nail go through his palm. He died to hatred, washing Judas' feet and forgiving His captors. He died to pride, becoming a servant of all.

Likewise, we must die, so that we might live the life God intended for us. This is a struggle. We must love even when we don't feel like loving. We must press on even when we feel like giving up. When we have our own ambitions and agenda, when all we seek is to fulfil our lusts, we become proud and selfish.

Worse, when all we see are our own needs, we fail to look at the bigger picture. We fail to see the needs of others. We fail to look at God's plan for us, which is even grander than our own selfish dreams. For he says: "my thoughts are higher than your thoughts, and my ways higher than your ways."

When we haven't die to ourselves, our vision becomes blurred. We fail to see past ourselves, and we worship the great big altar of 'me' in our hearts. We need to get ourselves out of the way. Get it out!

Even when we want to meet our own needs, we do it so that we can become more effective at meeting other's needs.

I'm so dying to live right now.

The Zeal of 40, 50 Year-Old's - Where's ours?

2008-04-08T08:35:00.000-07:00

yesterday was really really tiring for me. it was the sot orientation day so we ran around the whole of singapore from JW to chinese garden to kembangan, expo, paya lebar and finally boon keng. 27 teams of around 20 people each fumbling and keeping chase... from 11am all the way till 6p.m. -wat a day!

i received a call a few days back telling me that i'm a team leader in SOT. No news of who my teammates're gonna be. Turned out that my team comprised of 4 from Ian's zone and the other 17 or so are from China, Taiwan and our very own Chinese service!!

many of them are observably above 40! but they were so enthusiastic! they kept running. when playing games, they were so aggressive. and they are so humble! The man in the white cap is actually a pastor back in his church and he kept offering to carry my bag for me. and they were really kind to me. they respect me alot as their team leader, calling me 组长组长！their zeal and love for God is written all over them.

let's not stay comfortable...be on fire!

and God is good...our team won first prize! =)

"God is in the clouds"

2008-04-07T08:16:00.001-07:00

A man looked up at the sky, his palm shielding his eyes from the intense sunlight. He stood at the edge of an immense cliff, overlooking the construction of a gleaming white tower.

Like a sleeping sentinal guarding the plains, the Tower of Babel was a magnificant structure indeed. It was a sight to behold - thousands of workers traversed the spiralling footsteps leading up to the pinnacle, carrying loads on their backs. There wasn't a structure like this before; the top of the tower seemed to peer over the clouds like a child tip-toeing and peeking over a table.

"Is God up there, in the clouds?"

The question came almost out of the blue, and the man realised his son had been beside him all this while. He wrapped his huge arms around the child.

"Yes son, God is out there in the clouds."

The above description is an illustration of the popular Tower of Babel story, which talks about he pride of man and the folly of human intellect - a common theme throughout the pages of the Bible. In his fallen state, man has tried many ways and means to reach God. The tower of Babel symbolises man's prideful attempts to reach God, thinking that they can do it by their own ways and means.

The ignorance of man was pretty obvious: by building a skyscraper, could a man reach God? History has shone that man has tried that and failed. A 12-year-old will easily tell you that it is impossible. Today, skyscrapers are hardly used as a means to reach God. Instead, they serve more practical reasons - to save space and maximise land use.

But despite technological and societal advancements, the pride of man has not changed. This is explained in Job 11:7-12 (The Message):

"Do you think you can explain the mystery of God?
Do you think you can diagram God Almighty?
God is far higher than you can imagine, far deeper than you can comprehend,
Stretching farther than earth's horizons, far wider than the endless ocean.
If he happens along, throws you in jail then hauls you into court, can you do anything about it?
He sees through vain pretensions, spots evil a long way off— no one pulls the wool over his eyes! Hollow men, hollow women, will wise up about the same time mules learn to talk.

The pride of men never changes, and the Bible captures it very well. God is the creator of the heavens and the earth; His being goes beyond the known universe. By devising their own methods and religions, mankind thinks it can reach God.

However, the only true way to God is when we realise there is no way we can touch God by ourselves, and yet we maintain a genuine desire to want to find Him. God is the rewarder of such people.

God is definitely way above the clouds. But He is definitely watching.

The feet of the betrayer

2008-04-03T23:21:00.000-07:00

The most amazing thing ever.

John 13:5-11
After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”
Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”
Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”
Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”

Jesus knew who would betray him. And yet He washed his feet. How hard was it for Him?

John 13:21
When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”

This is the extent of Jesus' love. He loved the very one who would betray Him. What a lesson for us indeed.

30th March 2008 - Dedicated to Naresh

2008-04-01T18:23:00.001-07:00

hey guys.... as promised. cheers :)

Maslow's hierarchy of needs

2008-04-01T04:32:00.001-07:00

Philippians 4:19

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

God is here to fulfill all your needs. What is it that you lack? Is it morality? Is it self-esteem? Or confidence? When your with God, all these needs, whatever it is, will be met.

Morality - God gave us the Ten Commandments. The Holy Spirit guides us into doing what is right. God is a God of justice.

Creativity - God is Jehovah Elohim - the Creator God.

Spontaneity - Life in the Spirit is an adventure!

Problem-solving - God solved the problem of sin by sending Jesus to die for us!

Lack of prejudice - The Great Commission says to preach the gospel to ALL nations.

And so on and so forth. You get the picture folks!

Simplicity

2008-03-31T05:57:00.000-07:00

I guess people are really more simple than they make themselves out to be. It seems that the more educated we are, the more we like to put on the appearance of being complicated. We thrive on being exclusivist, being unique, being different. We swear to Prada and Salvatore Ferragamo, we dine at restaurants nobody eats at, we listen to bands and watch arthouse films nobody watches, thinking we're so much more complicated.

I certainly have been guilty of that. Well, not that I've done all the above-mentioned things (I'm too poor for that), but it seems that I am beginning to adopt a rather exclusivist mindset of my own.

And I realise that we people are simple creatures after all. We have simple needs: such as the need to love and be loved, the need for meaning and purpose, the need for hope, the need for a sense of self, and the need for spirituality.

Peer behind all the isms and the complexologies of this world, and you'll begin to see that we're nothing more than simple creatures. Really.

That's why Barack Obama is so popular, despite him being apparently less qualified, less experienced, and perhaps less ready to lead. He preaches a simple message of hope. He endorses a new era of change. His speeches gives us an emotional high. He has charisma. That is all there is to it.

I will be dwelling on this simplicity theme for a while, because I think I'm onto something really compelling here. And while I'm at it, I might as well touch on this concept: simple faith.

What is faith, really? It refers to a simple trust in God.

Here's Matthew 8 from The Message Bible:

"Oh, no," said the captain. "I don't want to put you to all that trouble. Just give the order and my servant will be fine. I'm a man who takes orders and gives orders. I tell one soldier, 'Go,' and he goes; to another, 'Come,' and he comes; to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."

Taken aback, Jesus said, "I've yet to come across this kind of simple trust in Israel, the very people who are supposed to know all about God and how he works.

Faith is simply believing in God's Word, and acting on it. The Pharisees of Israel, perhaps comparable to the religious right-wing in today's society, thrived on complicated laws no one could obey. They thrived on isms and complexologies; becoming part of an exclusive club.

But God wants those who will trust in his Word simply, with no preconditions, with no buts and what ifs. Here's a familiar quote I'll throw at you: God said it, I believe it, and that settles it.

And that's all there is to it, really.

White is sexy

2008-03-26T23:43:00.001-07:00

White is the new black.

Like it? Loathe it? Shout it out in the tagboard.

Keep on blogging people! You guys are doing great!

P.s. For those who are blessed with fine english writing skills, please keep your entries terse and simple so that the rest of the members can be blessed ;-)

Memorial stones

2008-03-24T23:38:00.000-07:00

They always say life is short. Well, that is true only when you look back, not when you're in it. Bad moments seem to last excruciatingly long, while good moments fly past rather quickly.

So what do you do when within the space of one week, you got a 'F' grade, you missed a test, you fell sick, and you broke up with your girlfriend?

Well, you can always look back at your memorial stones. Memorial stones are your defining moments in life. They are the times where you’ve gone through a bad patch, and yet have managed to come out of it – faster, stronger, wiser. Memorial stones remind you that you have been through worse, that you are more capable than you think you are. They are the events, circumstances, and epiphanies that have shaped you into who you are today.

I am the sum of my memories.

For me, memorial stones have an added meaning as well. They represent the Words God has spoken to me, and the times where He lifted me out of my troubles. Memorial stones represent a future that is yet to be, and promises that God is sure to fulfil.

Today, as I look back at these memorial stones, I am reminded that things will always work out fine for those who love God.

My Memorial Stones:

26 January 2008 - God reminding me of my purpose in NTU

9 January 2008 - "You are what you love, not what loves you."

13 November 2007 - My struggle with jealousy

11 November 2007 - Moving away from bloated-headedness

10 November 2007 - Exorcising some old demons

28 October 2007 - Walking by faith and not by sight (God calls me to be a cell group leader)

28 October 2007 - Should I be a cell group leader?

4 July 2007 - Obeying God, and getting into NTU

11 June 2007 - Finding self-love

4 June 2007 - "Your vision is incomplete without love."

18 March 2007 - The audacity of dreams

21 December 2006 - The day I broke down

18 June 2006 - God speaks about my calling to be a writer

15 June 2006 - My struggle with tempation

3 April 2006 - Serving suspension of leave

20 March 2006 - The cry of the nobody

Forgiveness

2008-03-23T17:07:00.000-07:00

I do not claim to be an expert on hurts. I may have had my own share of hurts, but I do realise that there are many who have felt much worse hurts than I have, and I even know one such person personally. But for the sake of this person, and the random people who may stumble upon this humble blog, I offer these thoughts.

No matter the seriousness, we all have been hurt by somebody down the line. If you have not, I'm sorry, but you are a robot. The difference between an emotionally healthy person and one who is not is that the emotionally healthy one is willing to forgive and forget the wrong done to him/her. Easier said than done.

Whether any of us realise it or not, what society has influenced humanity to think is that when one is wronged, one must seek revenge, act upon a vengeful spirit. The social stigma is that to forgive someone is seen as a 'cowardly' act and even if we do not personally think it is true, we fear the disapproval of those who think it IS true. And thus it takes an unbelievable load of courage to forgive all the ways one has hurt you, and sometimes it may even be yourself. Many's the time someone has jumped off a building, shot himself, ingested a whole bottle of sleeping pills, or misused his creativity to think up unique and unbelievably imaginative ways to kill himself, all because he was unable to forgive.

"It's impossible to forget!"

"How can I forgive such a wrong?"

"You don't know how much it hurts!"
Any of these sound familiar?

Five years ago, once. Four years ago, twice. Three years ago, once. On all four occasions, I was hurt deeply or I hurt myself and lost all my self-esteem. The above three statements I did whisper to myself every night. I thought no one understood. Surely, everyone knew I was hurting, but no one knew the extent of it, how much my anger and bitterness threatened to pull me apart. I had no one I could turn to. Or at least, that's what I thought.

Five years ago, once. Four years ago, twice. Three years ago, once. Each time, when I could not stand it anymore, when my tears were so numerous they threatened to drown me, when I was ready to give up hope, I found someone who understood. Because I met him, and kept on meeting him in my darkest moments, I can type this today. If not for him, three years ago I might have really considered ending it all. (Bet you didn't know, eh, mum and dad? Sorry for the shock.) But who was this person I met? Let me tell you.

Jesus Christ.

I can sense it already. Some of you are already thinking: "Aw, nuts, one of THOSE people. Let's surf something else". I know there are such people. But please, I beg you to read further.

You say God does not exist? I beg to differ. I felt Him.

You say God does not care? I beg to differ. I live because He died for me.

You say God is not such a big deal? I beg to differ. Life is so much more fun with Him around.

Approximately 2000 years ago, God himself took human form, and came down to this very planet. For what purpose, you may ask? Jesus Christ came, pure, innocent, the only person alive who had NEVER done anything wrong. He came to be declared guilty of every crime man had committed, was committing, and would commit, and to receive our death penalty. Such was His love for us. While he was being killed, what did he say?

"Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." D'uh. How could anyone understand, at that point, what indeed Jesus was doing? After all, he could have just whistled, and angels could have come to set Him free. No, He had to die, so we wouldn't need to. He came back to life, three days after, on the very first Easter, after finishing his three day stint in Death, claiming mastery over Death. Claim it He did.

If you ever think you cannot forgive anyone what they did to you, remember this: You deserved to die. I'm sorry, it's true. You may say you're not SO bad, but to God, wrong is wrong. You deserved to die, but God came down in human form and took that penalty for himself. And you know what? He doesn't hold the slightest grudge towards you for that! Wow.

This Easter, if there is anyone you have yet to forgive, remember Jesus forgave you, and if you ask, He will only be too glad to help you forgive. I could not forgive the people who wronged me, nor myself for doing such a thing to myself, but once I found God, it became easy. When you know how much God loves you, you feel great and you can't help but love everyone in return.

For the random person reading this, I may not know you, but God does. I may not know your hurts, but God does. I may not have felt your pain, but God has felt worse. Take the step today, to let Jesus into your life, and see how powerful forgiveness really is. You may have rejected similar invitations before, and I ask, why not try it today? After all, you have nothing to lose, but everything to gain. If you take even one step towards God, I promise God will definitely take the rest of the steps to you.

Don't nurse a hurt, nor curse it, but disperse it to God, and I promise you with 100% confidence, He will reverse it. That, if anything, will give ANYONE strength to smile at each sunrise, rather than frown till sundown. Let God show you how not to be bitter, but a better person. Because I let Him in, I forgave the one who hurt me, I forgave myself, and now, because of this, I enjoyed yesterday, I'm loving living today, and I can't wait for tomorrow.

"Presence" Cell Group & Expo Service @ Hall 8

2008-03-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

hey guys.. wanna acknowledge Naresh's efforts in designing a pamphlet for our supposed "Good Morning, East Coast" and our upcoming "Presence"... he designed for these two events... Kudos to you, naresh.

too bad we can't haf our Good Morning, East Coast event because of some legal issues. No worries... next week we still have a wonderful service on sat BACK AT HALL 8! =)

"Presence" Cell Group will still be on...it'd start @ 7.30p.m. sharp but let's be there early to fellowship. There will be a Tea Party with some pastries, tarts and light refreshments. okay, the Delifrance items in the advert is exaggerating but the refreshments will still be good.. and there'll be games and a time to really experience the Presence of God! TREMENDOUS!

turn to ur neighbour and say... "See you at Terence hse this Friday c",) and dun be late!"

Not Yet

2008-03-23T01:44:00.000-07:00

(this is a rare occurrence because i don't blog here....)
anyway, i was rummaging through my stuff when i saw this little poem that really encouraged me when i was down.
so here it is...

Author Unknown

Sometimes i ask the question,
"My Lord, is this Your will?"
It's then i hear You answer me,
"My precious Child... be still,"
Sometimes i feel frustrated,
Cause i think i know what's best
It's then i hear You say to me,
"My busy Child.. just rest!"
Sometimes i feel so lonely and
I'd like a mate
Your still small voice gets oh so clear and says,
"My Child... please wait!"
"I know the plans i have for you,
The wondrous things you'll see;
If you can just be patient, Child,
And put your trust in Me...
I've plans to draw you closer,
I've plans to help you grow;
There's much I do
you cannot see
And much you do not know..
But know this, Child.. I love you
You are precious unto Me
Before i formed you in the womb,
I planned your destiny
I've something very special
I hope for you to learn
The gifts i wish to give to you
Are gifts you cannot earn
They come without a price tag
But not without a cost
At Calvary, I gave My Son,
So you would not be lost...
Rest Child, and do not weary of doing what is good
I promise I'll come back for you
Just like i said i would
Your name is written on My palm
I could never forget
Therefore, do not be discouraged when
My answer is
'Not Yet'."

Personality Types

2008-03-13T05:26:00.000-07:00

Want to know what personality you have? Are you a 'Dreamer', an 'Engineer', a 'Craftsman' or 'Mentor'?

Take this personality test to know who you are! Somebody introduced this to me (I think it was Matthew?) and now I want to share it with you all! I've sent out invitations to you guys to take the test.

Psst..it's better than the one on facebook ;-)

Anyway, to give you an idea, I'll show you guys my personality type:

http://shoxtl.mypersonality.info/

The cell group personality page is up at: http://nthreeonetwo.mypersonality.info/

Cool eh? You can even know what careers you're suitable for, and which famous person in history you are most like! How awesome is that!

So what are you waiting for?? Check your mail and start doing the test! Let your cell group members know what kind of personality you have as well! For those who may feel uncomfortable with sharing...well, it sure is better if others know more about you!

Cheers!

Google - Best Place to Work For

2008-03-12T16:21:00.001-07:00

hey guys...i preached about this in cell group before. but nothing beats watching the video urself =) expose u guys to this phenomenal thg abt Google ;) enjoy and drool.

Something Interesting

2008-03-11T20:08:00.000-07:00

Seen on a church's billboard:

"7 days without God makes one weak."

And that, my friends, is so true. Put God first in your life, and you will soon see that:

"7 days with God makes your week."

On Faith.

2008-03-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

How do we know God is real? How do we know we're not 'psycho'ing ourselves into believing God exists?

In the Bible, the existence of God is never doubted.

Heb 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

The Bible says that faith comes because of us seeking Him.

Or is it all just wishful thinking? Is faith a self-induced conviction of things not seen? Or does it come from God? Are we so desperate to ‘know’ Him that we end up convincing ourselves that He is real? (Heb 11:1 says “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”)

The answer to this question can be found in Heb 11:3:

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

While wishful thinking will forever remain in the realm of fantasy, faith turns dreams into reality. That’s what makes it real!

Acting on your faith produces reality – framed by the word of God.

City Harvest Church existed because Pastor Kong and Sun acted on their faith.

I got into NTU because of faith.

By faith I believe that I’m going to be a cell group leader.

Let us learn to live by faith =)

Prayer Focus

2008-03-11T05:58:00.000-07:00

For your convenience the Prayer Focus has been put up on the blog. You are considered to have done your prayer focus when you've prayed these 5 items. Let this blog be your wonderful prayer companion! =)

1) Pastor Kong: Pray for strength, wisdom & anointing as he preaches around the world and as he plans for growth.

2) Sun: Pray for health and anointing as she ministers in China and that she will find favor with people and the media. Pray for Dayan as well.

3) CHC: Pray that CHC members will be a greter blessing to society and the marketplace and that the church will breakthrough 30,000 this year.

4) IC Zone: Pray for anointing upon Ian as he plans and ministers to the zone leaders. Pray that IC zone will cross 300 this year and that more leaders will be raised up.

5) N312: Pray for anointing upon Jeremy as he leads and plans for the cell group. Pray that N312 will grow spiritually and in numbers to be a bigger blessing. Pray for unity and love in the cell group. Pray for your connect group leader: that he/she will have the capacity and creativity to grow the connect group.

The Mississippi Squirrel Revival

2008-03-05T09:07:00.001-08:00

Hey guys, was intro-ed to this video by my prof... loved it...
sharing it with you all... hear the lyrics k... got meaning one.

cheers!

Control

2008-02-29T18:52:00.000-08:00

Ever hear of the phrase 'control-freak'? For the benefit of those who have not, a control-freak is one who flaunts his authority and power and forces it on others, and more often than not, he tries to make himself seem like he has more power than he really has.

I don't claim to be an expert in psychology, but this is the mark of the insecure, those who are unsure how long their power will last, before it is swept away like the temporary bodies our souls reside in. Even I myself am guilty of trying to control my whole environment and life, to prove to myself that I am able to dictate my life and force it to flow the way I want it to.

But how many know that there is no way a mere one human could hold back the crashing tsunamis of life? Circumstances flow following unpredictable currents we cannot see. Events are usually beyond our control. Why, just two hours ago I found out that my MSN Messenger was infected with a virus, and because of me at least 3 others had their Messengers infected too. Did I ask for it? No. Did I deserve it? Even if I did, who punishes with a virus that limits itself to MSN Messenger *rolls eyes*?

But the fact of the matter is, it was beyond my control. A mere virus is only the tip of the iceberg. Many things happen which are far more damaging, and we have no say in whether they SHOULD happen or not. Still, in the midst of the raging storms of life, the winds, waves and thunder are not what we should worry about. After all, we know a person who can calm the weather by just saying, "Peace, be still."

Rather, what we should do is to seek to bring others out of the storm into that shelter we know for sure exists. The shelter that has infinite capacity and no exclusive membership. The shelter whose staff, the ministers of God, never stay inside where it is safe but go out into the storm to bring the helpless in.

- But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God; in much patience, in tribulation, in needs, in distresses... - 2 Corinthians 6:4

The shelter has been running for a very long time now, founded by God himself, and he has hired us to be his staff. In our job description, though, we are warned that being part of his staff is not easy. We too, would be subject to things beyond our control. In fact, the staff of the shelter run under the assumption that things will definitely NOT be under our control. Paul, one of the executive directors of the shelter, himself said that there would be 'tribulation', 'needs' and 'distress'. Paul was jailed for running the shelter. Peter, another executive director, was crucified upside-down because he was running the shelter under the orders of the resurrected founder. Still, we must perservere, because the price is great, but the rewards are so much greater no human could wrap their minds around it. Things may be out of our control, and we may never be able to bring it under control, but we must remember that God has control.

God hath not promised

Skies always blue,

Flower-strewn pathways

All our lives through;

God hath not promised

Sun without rain,

Joy without sorrow,

Peace without pain.

But God hath promised

Strength for the day,

Rest for the labour,

Light for the way,

Grace for the trials,

Help from above,

Unfailing sympathy,

Undying love.

-Annie Johnson Flint-

" But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." - Matthew 6:33

Hallelujah, and Amen!

You Know What???

2008-02-26T23:36:00.001-08:00

It's become the question of my life. I can walk into a conversation now, and when I open my mouth, they ask along with me. You know what?

You know what? No, I do not. I do not know what. Therefore, obviously, I'm counting on you, Matthew Yee, to tell me.
It's interesting, really. I have only just realized exactly how I would not have 93% of my conversations if I never had a story to share everytime I saw somebody.

It's also very interesting that my life is so interesting. It's taken a long long long long loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time, but with the aid of friends, I have come to the realisation that my life is a wonderful life. A lot of things happen around me. Or I find everything around me interesting. However it is, there's always some story to tell. And eventually, I would be really happy and touched if I ever found out at the end of it all that someone out there has managed to see life in a better light after I came into their story.

I thank God, really. My God who always takes me out of depression because He is my Joy. My God who removes my stress because He is my Peace. My God who always takes me out of loneliness because He is my Best Friend. My God who tells me what to do because He is my Heavenly Father. My God who enables me to see everything as interesting because He is the imaginative Creator. My God who inspires me to love people because He loved me so much He took the penalty for my wrongs and died in my place.

You know what? When you just want to sit down and cry, God wipes your tears and makes you laugh. When you can only do 10 things and have to do 50, God helps you do 51. When it seems like you have no friends, God invites you to the movies. When you make a mistake, God says "How fascinating!" and teaches you the correct way. When life seems drab and monochromatic, God drops a heavenly paint bucket on it. When everyone is just so easy to hate, God reminds you that He loved you, He loves you, and shows you how to love everyone.

And you know what? God touches, helps and loves, so we ourselves can touch, help and love. I may not be God, or even come close at all in my wildest dreams, but I surely can show someone how wonderful life can be. And that's what I hope to do, by asking everytime I meet someone:

"You know what?"

I love N312!

2008-02-26T10:41:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day may be over, but it sure ain't to late to declare one's love for something! It's 3:05am in the morning, I'm wide awake, and I'm thinking of what to say.

The first thing that came to my mind is: I love N312!

What will your life be without N312? Hah! Have you ever thought of that? Boo hoo time for me to start emoing :-(

Anyway, I've never known a more crazy, diverse, entertaining bunch of monkeys in my whole life! And not to mention good-looking, spiritual, God-loving, and smart too!

(Random I know)

Anyway, on a more serious note (clears throat), I just think you guys are really awesome lah. We have gone through thick and thin together, and out of it all we have emerged stronger and more united! I just know 2008 is gonna be awesome!

Faye and Ah Qing will be coming over to our church this weekend so let's go all out to invite our friends! They will be blessed!

Stay strong and keep up the good work guys!

Okay, I'll try... .....to blog

2008-02-24T08:55:00.000-08:00

ok, not very used to blogging... dunno if i shld type this as a letter addressed to the cell group or just like a diary of some sort. guess i shall just talk randomly and put in my very first entry into the cell group blog....

saturday was great. enjoyed pst ulf's msg, even tho i felt sunday was better. nonetheless, his message about stepping out and cast fear aside really impacted me. hope it did to you guys as well...

i was quite tired after the case competition. guess only kezia would truly understand the turmoil i went thru... here's a picture of the team... look smart eh. thx ah kezia.. for not changing. tho didn't make it to the finals but it was quite an experience. must admit i was disappointed but no choice.. just got to move on... still have lots of revision to catch up with.

this week pst really emphasized on prayer. for those of you who never attended a single prayer meeting, really missed it man... i attended the full sunday prayer meeting and it was awesome. felt so good after the prayer meeting and could understand pastor's heart.

tis wk really enjoyed having everyone around for fellowship. it was fun time. in future make it a point to fellowship together alright... ya, and during fellowship we talked about the cg blog.. since u guys say i must lead by example... so here i am creating a post. dun just write on the tagboard... create posts as well! encourage one another etc... eh i've led by example le.... at minimum all those who say "lead by example" to me shld create one post... need not b as long s mine lah..

train ride home was the ultimate. laughed like nuts. uploaded some videos...enjoy!

love this verse:

Isaiah 41: 9-10
"You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its farthest regions, And said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away: Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' "

sorry...nxt time i wun record frm this angle...

Dark days now

2008-02-18T21:35:00.000-08:00

What do you when you are discouraged? When you feel like you're not good enough, and things around you seem to be crumbling?

Would you sulk and lament, would you stop in your tracks and do a U-turn, or would you keep walking on, biting the bullet, silencing the voice that says, "you can't do it?"

I deal with it by blogging about it, talking about it, and praying through it. I study the Word, allowing God to speak into my life.

The worst thing you can do is to stop dreaming.

People who don't get discouraged don't dream; they have no expectations and no ambition. So when you're discouraged, it shows that at least you're on the right track :-)

Anyway, if you feel discouraged, here's something to cheer you up. It's a song called "happy working song" from the movie Enchanted. Enjoy!

To Fabian - Happy Birthday!

2008-02-13T06:39:00.000-08:00

This blog post is dedicated to Fabian. The most shuai~ member in the cell group. Quiet and unassuming, here is the man who is faithful to God, and in all the things that he do.

Girls swoon at his dance moves, a reportoire of street jazz, hip-hop, and popping. Watch out peeps, here comes the man!

Fabian, I just want to say that I'm really proud of you! Continue to be faithful in all that God has called you to do. Be the leader that God wants you to be!

With love,

Terence

Are you on board?

2008-02-08T12:38:00.000-08:00

N312 has a blog. Again.

And I believe it couldn't have come at a better time than this.

We're in the midst of exciting times. With renewed focus, we push on into 2008, filled with hope, dreams, visions, and even fear. Welcome to the great unknown. 2008 brings with it great uncertainties, but also great possibilities. It is for the possibilities that this blog exists, and it is for hope that this cell group thrives.

Why did I choose the above picture? Why the subway, and why that title? Because it describes the status of our cell group very well.

We're indeed a cell group in transition. The momentum has been building for 2008, and it is going to go faster.

The three of us: Jeremy, myself, and Guanzheng have fought hard to carry the cell group all the way to where it is today. We have come far. But we can't continue to do it alone. A cell group is not meant to be supported on the shoulders of three men. The whole cell group needs to move together, and grow together.

The connect group system couldn't have come at a better time. I believe God is in the midst of doing great things not just in this cell group, but in the whole church. The train towards revival has come. It's doors have opened, but only for a while.

Imagine this: Jesus looks out from within the carriage, and sees you there. He waves at you, and with urgency in his voice, he says, "are you coming on board?"

Members of N312, please don't be left behind.