25 December 2010
17 December 2010
23 April 2010
Thanks!
It was great for me to see you all again and I hope we can catch up again like that soon!
BTW Faith - Blessed belated birthday! :)
27 March 2010
Hope for the hopeless?
But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
There's always hope for those who trust in God. He never forsakes us, never abandons us!
23 January 2009
=)
Jeremiah 29:11-12
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
19 January 2009
bradon, deming, benjamin, ruoping, kumweng, joseph and isaiah, can we go east coast park to roller blade and laugh at those we fell on their butt? can we go ikea then push deming in a cart.can we go bradon house for cell and happily eat the pizza that his mum baked. can we?
20 December 2008
Joseph wrote this:
A New Journey.
As you all would know, Isaiah isn't our cell leader as of few days back.I would like to thank Isaiah for all his effort and sacrifice to disciple us into who we are today. This one year has been fun and fruitful, learnt a lot - and got scolded a lot too. But that's the whole idea right? Spare the rod and spoil the child.In my case, it would be the frequent "smacks" from Isaiah. I'm always so blessed to be at the receiving end. Now, it's gonna take some time for me to adapt to not being smacked during cell.
In our faith, people come and go. I can never forget our dear friend, Ivan Toh. Who would have thought he would go?Anyway, gotta go. Blessed Christmas.
30 April 2008
Let God Lead
whatever happens in life, wherever you want to go, plan to do, want to dream....
come first to the ONE who gives the dream, the ONE who gives life, the ONE who has that beautiful plan for your life.
Seek first to not just know what God's will is for you, but get deeper and stronger in your relationship with God.
He's a loving father who loves you no matter what.
You want to know what God is saying for your life? then walk closer and nearer, cos God whispers =)
21 April 2008
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matt 18)
22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[f]
23"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents[g] was brought to him. 25Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.[h] He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
29"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
30"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
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Will you forgive? Even when you have been hurt and disappointed? When those close to you betray your trust?
God forgave and still forgives us, will you extend that same mercy and forgiveness to those nearest to you?
Speak up to your leaders
Good team leaders never want yes-men. They need direct and honest communication from their people. I have always encouraged people on my team to speak openly and directly with me. Our meetings are often brainstorming sessions where the best idea wins. Often, a team member's remarks or observations really help the team. Sometimes we disagree. That's okay, because we've developed strong enough relationships that we can survive conflict. Getting everything out on the table always improves the team. The one thing I never want to hear from a teammate is, "I could have told you that wouldn't work." If you know it beforehand, that's the time to say it.
Besides directness, the other quality team members need to display when communicating with their leaders is respect. Leading a team isn't easy. It takes hard work. It demands personal sacrifice. It requires making tough and sometimes unpopular decisions. We should respect the people who take on leadership roles and show them loyalty.
09 April 2008
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
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2 Corinthians 11:1-11
1I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness; but you are already doing that. 2I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. 3But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. 5But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles." 6I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.7Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. 9And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 10As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. 11Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
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Jeremiah 23:1-4
1 "Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!" declares the LORD. 2 Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: "Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done," declares the LORD. 3 "I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. 4 I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the LORD.
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21 March 2008
Move on
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:12-14
05 March 2008
The Right Attitude Comes First
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it." But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." Numbers 13:30-31
How could there be such differing opinions on the same topic? Because there was a difference in attitude. And attitude makes all the difference. The development of a positive attitude is the first conscious step toward becoming an effective leader. Successful leadership cannot be constructed without this crucial building block.
Check out the following attitude axioms suggested by the words and actions of Joshua and Caleb:
1. Our attitude determines our approach to life.
2. Our attitude determines our relationships with people.
3. Our attitude is often the only difference between success and failure.
4. Our attitude at the beginning of a task will affect its outcome more than anything else.
5. Our attitude can turn problems into blessings.
7. Our attitude is not automatically good just because we belong to God.
12 February 2008
08 February 2008
24 January 2008
Seeing A Greater Purpose In Adversity
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Thursday, January 24 2008
But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" - Acts 16:28
Paul and Silas had just been thrown into prison. An earthquake erupted and the jail cell was opened. It's Paul and Silas' opportunity. "Deliverance! Praise God!" might be the appropriate response. But this is not what Paul and Silas did. In fact, rather than leave, they sat quietly in their cell area. The guard, in fear of his life, knew that it would be automatic death if prisoners escaped. Paul and Silas did not leave because they saw a higher purpose for which they were in prison. They were not looking at their circumstance; they were much more concerned about the unsaved guard. The story goes on to explain how Paul and Silas went home with the guard and his family. Not only did the guard get saved, but his entire household as well.
What a lesson this is for us. How often we are so busy looking for deliverance from our circumstance that we miss God completely. God is looking to do miracles in our circumstances if we will only look for them. Sometimes as workplace believers we become so obsessed with our goals we miss the process that God involves us in, which may be where the miracle lies. What if that bill collector who has been hounding you is unsaved and he is there for you to speak to? What if a problem account has arisen due to something God is doing beyond what you might see at this time? Our adverse situations can often be the door of spiritual opportunity for those who need it.
I saw this personally when God allowed me to go through a number of adversities. It took some time, but I saw some great miracles as a result of those adversities. When God said that "all things work together for good for those who are called according to His purposes" (see Rom. 8:28), He meant all things. It is up to us to find the "work together for good" part by being faithful to the process. In the next adversity you face, tune your spiritual antennae and ask God for discernment to see the real purpose for the adversity.
14 January 2008
Psalm of Comfort
1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
12 January 2008
Jesus is Lord!
5 In my anguish I cried to the LORD,
and He answered by setting me free.
6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
7 The LORD is with me; he is my helper.
I will look in triumph on my enemies.
8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.
10 All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.
11 They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.
12 They swarmed around me like bees,
but they died out as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the LORD I cut them off.
13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
People will fail us, it cannot be avoided. we must learn that God alone is our Saviour and Salvation. '
Call out to God and He will save you (v5). No matter the wrong that others do to us, no matter how much people don't care or misunderstand us - God is with us, don't be afraid (v6)!
In times of confusion and trouble, call out to God, run and hide under the shadow of His wings, under the shelter of His love.
God won't let you fall (v13).
When anything comes against you, cut it off in the name of Jesus! proclaim Christ is Lord over all, rebuke evil and the devil in the mighty name of Jesus!
Troubles and persecution are pushing me down - but in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
Darkness and confusion block my path - but in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
My family is in financial trouble - but in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
Laziness and spiritual indifference is pulling me away from God - but in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
Hurts and unforgiveness are stopping me from loving others - but in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
To Him be the Honour, Power, Glory and Blessing; Now and Forever!
Amen!
02 January 2008
LifeWords
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2 by Os Hillman
Tuesday, January 01 2008
May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us -- yes, establish the work of our hands (Ps 90:17).
Martin Luther brought the word of God back to the people. Today, God is bringing the work of God back to the people. God never intended the clergy to be the primary distribution channel of His Gospel. You and I are the distribution channel -- those of us in the workplace.
The local church is simply the franchise to equip and release His army into the world to effect every aspect of society. Today, God is establishing mini-franchises in the form of prayer groups and Bible studies in the workplace. He is igniting the silent remnant of workplace believers who have never realized, until now, that their work really is their ministry. It is a holy calling on par with vocational ministry.
Our local franchises (churches) should be viewed as mini battle ships designed to raise an army of qualified warriors who can pray, create, and influence their workplaces and industries with a biblical worldview. We must be reminded of God's perfect plan found in Ephesians 4:11-13.
"It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."
The next time you are tempted to pass ministry responsibility to your pastor, remember what Ephesians 4 says. After all, there are no part-time Christians in His Kingdom. We may get our checks in secular fields, but our ministry is full-time.
27 December 2007
memory loss
sometimes we wonder why life turns so dark, seems so meaningless. we lose hope, lose sight of our prize!
this psalm of David, offers the remedy, the cure - Praise God, don't forget all the good the Lord has done for you!
keep a list and watch it grow! NEVER forget that the Lord is Good and His mercies are new every morning!
