Been wanting to do this some 2-3 weeks ago...Finally, got down to start it...
In 2011,
I want to be 'liberated' from the constraints of age to do what i want to do! :)
I realised that being at 33 should be NO BARRIER at all to do what i want!
To do the things that young ones can do too!
Water-ski-ing? Horse-riding? Golf? (ok, perhaps golf is not just for the young...)
Pass my driving test by Feb 2011. 18 FEB 2011!!!!!!
Serving and ministering to the children in Prisons Fellowship?
I want to do what is IMPORTANT to God: loving God and trusting Him in transforming me to be more and more Christlike. Especially not forgetting the truths He deposited in my heart, and the experiences of journeying in God's Israel. I don't want it to be just another holiday memory. I want it propel me to want to spend even more more time in solitude, building deeper intimacy with God, reading God's Word, praying for missionaries and the lost.
I want to do what is IMPORTANT & LASTING: spending time and building relationships with my school kids whom God has placed in my hands and within my influence. Being there for them to help them and guide them as much as i can instead of doing so many other seemingly important things but actually doesn't matter one bit when this world passes away..
...and perhaps not even the last,
To Take Hold of what God wants me to TAKE HOLD of...and
To Let Go of what God wants me to LET GO of...
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
God's economy vs Man's economy
It's barely 10 days past 2011...already, God has shown me several reminders of God's economy of things is contrary to Man's economy of things. Perhaps this is the theme for 2011...Learning to see things through God's eyes. :)
It started with the Beautitudes reading on 31st Dec 2010...I think there was something else which i forgot...(still trying hard to recall...). Then this week, it was on the issue of weakness inspired by the inspirational calendar on 2 Cor 12:10. It makes me think 'indeed in human terms, when a person is deemed or seen as weak, he is often despised by men because of his weakness or flaw. But God does not laugh or mock at our weakness. Rather there's something in our weakness that He can use to empower us in His strength. It's only when we recognise that we are weak and cease to rely on ourselves and choose to rely on His that His power and strength can be perfected in us.
'For when I am weak, then I am strong.' ~ 2 Cor 12:10
It started with the Beautitudes reading on 31st Dec 2010...I think there was something else which i forgot...(still trying hard to recall...). Then this week, it was on the issue of weakness inspired by the inspirational calendar on 2 Cor 12:10. It makes me think 'indeed in human terms, when a person is deemed or seen as weak, he is often despised by men because of his weakness or flaw. But God does not laugh or mock at our weakness. Rather there's something in our weakness that He can use to empower us in His strength. It's only when we recognise that we are weak and cease to rely on ourselves and choose to rely on His that His power and strength can be perfected in us.
'For when I am weak, then I am strong.' ~ 2 Cor 12:10
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Realisations on the Israel & Jordan trip...
I kept wondering what this Israel & Jordan trip might bring...since there was no peace for going Capetown...and for Israel, somehow in some way, i managed to go.
One very, very, very precious word that God spoke to me on the trip was and is...
"I LOVE YOU, and I CHERISH YOU".
This very basic and simple truth that i should have known so well for the last 14 years is yet something that probably didn't really sink in. These words MELTED me. Deep inside, maybe I must have lacked alot of faith that i'm loved, or that i'm even worthy of any love. Once again, i see this great 'black hole' of emptiness inside of me...how much i have tried to fill it but it's not enough.
But God's words was enough and is enough. Simple as it is. Treading the places and having trod where Jesus used to walk in Jerusalem as He journeyed his way to bear the cross and showed His love for me and all, just simply demonstrates the very words God spoke to me.
Intro:
E2 Esus E2 Esus
Verse 1:
E Esus
You are so beautiful
E G#m7 A2 Bsus A2/C# B/D#
There is none that compares to You
E Esus E2
Who can take my brokenness
G#m7 A2
and make something new?
B A/C# B/D#
Only You
Chorus:
A B2 E2
You're beautiful to me
A2 B2 Esus E
You will be my song for all eternity
A2 B2 C#m B A
You're overtaking every part of me
A2 Bsus B E2 Esus E2 Esus E2
You're beautiful to me
Verse 2:
Merciful Father
There is none that compares to You
Who can take my bitterness
And make something sweet?
Only You
Tag:
A2 B2 E2
And I am left in awe of You (4x)
One very, very, very precious word that God spoke to me on the trip was and is...
"I LOVE YOU, and I CHERISH YOU".
This very basic and simple truth that i should have known so well for the last 14 years is yet something that probably didn't really sink in. These words MELTED me. Deep inside, maybe I must have lacked alot of faith that i'm loved, or that i'm even worthy of any love. Once again, i see this great 'black hole' of emptiness inside of me...how much i have tried to fill it but it's not enough.
But God's words was enough and is enough. Simple as it is. Treading the places and having trod where Jesus used to walk in Jerusalem as He journeyed his way to bear the cross and showed His love for me and all, just simply demonstrates the very words God spoke to me.
Intro:
E2 Esus E2 Esus
Verse 1:
E Esus
You are so beautiful
E G#m7 A2 Bsus A2/C# B/D#
There is none that compares to You
E Esus E2
Who can take my brokenness
G#m7 A2
and make something new?
B A/C# B/D#
Only You
Chorus:
A B2 E2
You're beautiful to me
A2 B2 Esus E
You will be my song for all eternity
A2 B2 C#m B A
You're overtaking every part of me
A2 Bsus B E2 Esus E2 Esus E2
You're beautiful to me
Verse 2:
Merciful Father
There is none that compares to You
Who can take my bitterness
And make something sweet?
Only You
Tag:
A2 B2 E2
And I am left in awe of You (4x)
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Letting go 2010...is it Taking hold 2011?
Reading Isaac's blog has prompted me to write again...somehow i just 'forgot' about blogging the last few months...indeed i want to remember what God has done for me in my life lest i forget the goodness of God in my life, lest i forget all the lessons He has taught me...i want to remember God and all of His love and goodness in my life.
This blog started with the journey to missions..and even though theological training didn't seemed to be part of God's plan at this point...the journey of missions continues...it will never stop till i cease to breathe...so this blog shall continue to document the wonderous works of God in my life...
It felt blissful when I sat at West Coast Park on the last day of 2010 to spend time alone...alone to reflect on 2010...to talk to God...to reflect what God has done in my life in 2010 and what He has taught me. One thing that stood out when I think about all the major happenings during 2010: Letting go...
I realised that God has been teaching me to let go in 2010. Letting go of my desire to escape and go into biblical studies, letting go of him that i shouldn't hold on to anymore, letting go of what i want and where i want to go.
Realising this 'trend' of letting go in 2010...it makes me wonder God has in mind for 2011? Is it more 'letting go'? or is it 'taking hold'? :) well, i'm excited at what He has in store...and whatever it is, i'm trusting Him and obeying Him...be it letting go or taking hold.
At the same time, I was reading Psalm 1 and felt led to read the Beautitudes in Matthew 5, as i was seeking to hear from God.
Matthew 5
The Sermon on the Mount
1Seeing the crowds,(A) he went up on the mountain, and when he(B) sat down, his disciples came to him.
The Beatitudes
2And(C) he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3(D) "Blessed are(E) the poor in spirit, for(F) theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4"Blessed are(G) those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5"Blessed are the(H) meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6"Blessed are those who hunger and(I) thirst(J) for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7"Blessed are(K) the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8"Blessed are(L) the pure in heart, for(M) they shall see God.
9"Blessed are(N) the peacemakers, for(O) they shall be called(P) sons[a] of God.
10(Q) "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for(R) theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11(S) "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely(T) on my account. 12(U) Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for(V) so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Salt and Light
13"You are the salt of the earth,(W) but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
14(X) "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15(Y) Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so(Z) that they may see your good works and(AA) give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
One thing struck me as i read the Beautitudes. There is such a contrast of things between the part before the comma (,) and the part after the comma (,) if you view it in the world's terms. From the worldly pt. of view, it will be a laughing stock. For how can one inherit the earth if one is meek? Doesn't the strong and mighty inherit the earth instead?
But not so, in God's economy of things. This reminds me about hearing this from Pastor Kay Kiong if i remembered correctly, that God's economy of things are different from the world's economy of things. So when God allows things that didn't seemed right or logical in this sense of the world, it probably make sense to consider and discern if this is God's workings indeed.
Isaiah 55: 8-9
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Another reminder was from verse 13 and 14. To remind myself that I AM the salt of the earth..I AM the light of the world. It's my identity. God did not say 'be' salt of the earth, nor did He say 'be' the light of the world. But "YOU ARE the salt of the earth...YOU ARE the light of the world"...hence did i live up to who i am? This is what i am going to live out in 2011. Not 'to be' but I already am when God says so. So...JUST DO IT!
This blog started with the journey to missions..and even though theological training didn't seemed to be part of God's plan at this point...the journey of missions continues...it will never stop till i cease to breathe...so this blog shall continue to document the wonderous works of God in my life...
It felt blissful when I sat at West Coast Park on the last day of 2010 to spend time alone...alone to reflect on 2010...to talk to God...to reflect what God has done in my life in 2010 and what He has taught me. One thing that stood out when I think about all the major happenings during 2010: Letting go...
I realised that God has been teaching me to let go in 2010. Letting go of my desire to escape and go into biblical studies, letting go of him that i shouldn't hold on to anymore, letting go of what i want and where i want to go.
Realising this 'trend' of letting go in 2010...it makes me wonder God has in mind for 2011? Is it more 'letting go'? or is it 'taking hold'? :) well, i'm excited at what He has in store...and whatever it is, i'm trusting Him and obeying Him...be it letting go or taking hold.
At the same time, I was reading Psalm 1 and felt led to read the Beautitudes in Matthew 5, as i was seeking to hear from God.
Matthew 5
The Sermon on the Mount
1Seeing the crowds,(A) he went up on the mountain, and when he(B) sat down, his disciples came to him.
The Beatitudes
2And(C) he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3(D) "Blessed are(E) the poor in spirit, for(F) theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4"Blessed are(G) those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5"Blessed are the(H) meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6"Blessed are those who hunger and(I) thirst(J) for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7"Blessed are(K) the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8"Blessed are(L) the pure in heart, for(M) they shall see God.
9"Blessed are(N) the peacemakers, for(O) they shall be called(P) sons[a] of God.
10(Q) "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for(R) theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11(S) "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely(T) on my account. 12(U) Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for(V) so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Salt and Light
13"You are the salt of the earth,(W) but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
14(X) "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15(Y) Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so(Z) that they may see your good works and(AA) give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
One thing struck me as i read the Beautitudes. There is such a contrast of things between the part before the comma (,) and the part after the comma (,) if you view it in the world's terms. From the worldly pt. of view, it will be a laughing stock. For how can one inherit the earth if one is meek? Doesn't the strong and mighty inherit the earth instead?
But not so, in God's economy of things. This reminds me about hearing this from Pastor Kay Kiong if i remembered correctly, that God's economy of things are different from the world's economy of things. So when God allows things that didn't seemed right or logical in this sense of the world, it probably make sense to consider and discern if this is God's workings indeed.
Isaiah 55: 8-9
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Another reminder was from verse 13 and 14. To remind myself that I AM the salt of the earth..I AM the light of the world. It's my identity. God did not say 'be' salt of the earth, nor did He say 'be' the light of the world. But "YOU ARE the salt of the earth...YOU ARE the light of the world"...hence did i live up to who i am? This is what i am going to live out in 2011. Not 'to be' but I already am when God says so. So...JUST DO IT!
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