Shining For Jesus

Have you done your devotion?

2012-01-08T16:52:00.000+08:00

Devotion is truly an important necessity in our walk with God.

It helps us grow closer to God and be constantly reminded to fear God.

Psalms 5:1-3 - Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation.

How do we do devotions?
1. Fix a time for daily devotions
2. Meditate on God's word
3. Pray

benefits of doing devotions.

-Joy (v.11)

-Blessings (v.11)

-Favour (v.12)

These are a few tools that can help you in doing daily devotions.

In this new year, I strongly urge all you christians out there to do your daily devotions.

If you have time for chill-axing in front of the computer playing games or facebooking, why not take some time to read God's word?

Do your devotions and you will surely feel the change in your life!

Happy new year

2012-01-01T12:57:00.000+08:00

It's a new year everyone! Let's keep our faith strong and grow closer in our walk with Him in this new year.

Let's keep shining for Jesus!!!

Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Merry Christmas!!!

2011-12-25T23:22:00.000+08:00

'Tis a season to be jolly! Christmas is here and don't you just feel happy and and joyful?

This is because Christmas is not just a holiday, it's the day where we remember that our Savior came down as a little baby boy in a manger.

What child is this?

He's the Child of David for He would be a King.
He's the child of Mary for he is a supernatural child that will define history.
He's the child of man as he was born in a stable and placed in a manger.
He's the child of God for he is the Savior child.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

Hope you all enjoy the snowfall on this bloggie XD

love

2011-11-07T13:48:00.003+08:00

Now Hollywood wants to make you think they know what love is.
But I'm a tell you what true love is.
Love is not what you see in the movies.
Its not the ecstasy, its not what you see in that scene
you know what I mean? I'm telling you right now, true love is sacrifice.
Love is thinking about others before you think about yourself
Love is selfless not selfish. Love is God and God is love.
Love is when you lay down your life for another
Whether for your brother, your mother, your father or your sister
Its even laying down your life for your enemies,
That's unthinkable, but think about that
Love is true
Think.

Chorus
I'll put you in front of me
So everybody can see
My love, this is my love
I know that I'll be alright
As long as you are my guide
My love, this is my love

Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast
It is not proud. Love is not rude, it is not self-seeking
It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs
You see love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, it always perseveres
Love never fails. Love is everlasting
Its eternal, it goes on and on, it goes beyond time
Love is the only thing that will last when you die
But ask the question why? Do you have love?

Chorus
I'll put you in front of me
So everybody can see
My love, this is my love
I know that I'll be alright
As long as you are my guide
My love, this is my love

There is no greater love than this than he who lays down his life for his friends
Now are you willing to lay down your life for your friends?
You're probably willing to lay down your life for your mother
your father, or your best friends
But are you willing to lay down your life for even those that hate you?
I'm going to tell you who did that
The definition of love is Jesus Christ. He is love
The nails in his hands, the thorns in his brow
Hanging on a cross for your sin my sins
That is love he died for you and me while we still hated him
That is love
God is true love, and if you don't know this love
Now is the time to know, perfect love

Chorus
I'll put you in front of me
So everybody can see
My love, this is my love
I know that I'll be alright
As long as you are my guide
My love, this is my love
(repeat)

Daily Inspiration

2011-11-07T13:34:00.000+08:00

Why College?

2011-10-08T00:23:00.001+08:00

Before I decided what I wanted to study, I remember wondering what my choice should be based upon. I wondered how what I chose would eventually fall into the bigger picture of glorifying my Creator. I wondered why I would have to go through college and then many many more years of medical school. I wondered if I would regret my choice later on and grow to dislike medical studies. I wondered if my decision would also fall into God's personal plan for my life. I wondered how studying about bones and grey matter and minute internal structures would help me shine for Jesus.

I don't know if you've ever thought about things similar to that, but regardless of your thoughts and questions, I thought it'd be good to watch this sermon on how going to college needn't be a burdensome thing.

It might not answer all your questions, but have a look anyway. :)

Why College? from Breakaway Ministries on Vimeo.

I Am Angry At You (And Everyone Else)

2011-10-01T23:02:00.000+08:00

I forced myself to look him straight in the eye, straining every facial nerve to maintain a neutral expression. All the while, blood was rushing to my ears with such intensity that I could literally hear my own heartbeat. Rage-infested thoughts were already breeding inside my head. Under the table, my fingers were clenched so tightly that my nails had punched little pale white lines on my palm. All the while, I concentrated. Breathe. I inhaled. Maintain control.

Anger is an interesting feeling. It's a frustrating paradox in making you feel invincible and miserable at the same time. And while you might feel empowered by the things you did while you were angry (Yes! Did you see his face? Take that!), after some time you impotently reflect on your actions (Alright, I suppose that was unnecessary. Why did I do that?), which almost always leave a bitter taste in your mouth and lasting consequences in your world (Now he won't talk to me. Neither will anyone else.) As a general rule, anger makes people do stupid things.

Jesus spoke about this in the Sermon on the Mount, when He said,

You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'Do not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgement. But I say, if you are angry with someone, you are subject to judgement!' (Matthew 5:21-22a)

Jesus considered anger or resentment to be as dangerous as murder. In the case of anger, the injury is done to the person who harbours anger in his or her heart. Someone once wrote that anger is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. Robert Green Ingersoll remarked, that 'anger is a wind that blows out the lamp of the mind.' King Solomon wrote along the same lines. Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control. (Proverbs 25:28)

Anger is damaging. Careers have been ruined, relationships destroyed, families broken, friends alienated, property decimated, rights abused, laws violated--and lives lost--because one string too many snapped in the heat of the moment. I had a bad experience once with a friend who came to me with an axe to grind and the intention of using me as the grindstone. He started shouting and gesturing wildly. I kept a cool head, but anger is infectious, and soon I was yelling my own head off and gesticulating like a traffic policeman at rush hour. The encounter ended badly for both of us. I learned that day that a short fuse and a long memory is a bad combination. A very bad combination.

However, in his letter to fellow Christians, James counselled another approach. Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Your anger can never make things right in God's sight. (1 James 1:19-20) He saw through the nonsense we often parade when we are angry. 'Come on! Admit I'm right, I'm the good guy here! He's just unreasonable.' But James warned that just being angry already means we lose the moral high ground. Instead, he advises that we listen first before we speak at all during a heated confrontation. It's a great way to defuse situations before they start. I know a friend who was confronted by someone who was not in the best mood. He completely blew his top and ranted for minutes on end while my friend simply nodded patiently, not saying a word. Eventually, things cooled down, the blood receded from the person's face, and he apologised profusely and admitted that he just needed to let off steam. Problem solved, and my friend never even spoke.

When speaking, our first words should be of reconciliation. Oh my goodness if this isn't just tough. My years of expertise and mental acuity are just handing me verbal weapons of mass destruction that will crush this guy's ego so badly he will weep blood as soon as I open my mouth. But words spoken in anger never make things better. A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1) Maybe the person is accusing you of something you find extremely offensive. Maybe he or she even has a bone to pick with you about your character, your friends, your actions, habits or words, any of a myriad of things. The best thing to do is deflect the blows with a quiet word that you understand how he or she is feeling and that you will not hold him or her responsible. Lash out in self-defense and you may win a victory of ego. But, as Ambrose Bierce commented, speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.

So let anger out. It is a natural human response of indignation, and it is not a sin to be angry. But it is the way we deal with the burning coal we juggle in our hand, that shows the depth of our character. Love is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs. ( 1 Corinthians 13:4-5) So let our God, the God of love and peace, handle the anger. The moment we surrender it to Him, we have already won our victory over sin. And that is better than any 'victory' you can get from a fight with a friend.

Not a Palindrome

2011-09-26T16:37:00.009+08:00

Losing Hope

It's impossible

Being what God wants me to be

I will fail trying

Never do I believe that

The Lord shall save me

From all my troubles and doubts

At the time I need him most

Steve Jobs most inspiring speech

2011-09-18T01:27:00.005+08:00

'You've got to find what you love,' Jobs says

This is a prepared text of the Commencement address delivered by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, on June 12, 2005.

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it's likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation — the Macintosh — a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.

I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me — I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.

I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.

This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope it's the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much.

He is always there

2011-09-16T18:48:00.004+08:00

For those who didn't quite get the meaning of this video,

At the beginning of the skit, the girl finds pure joy and innocence of finding her first love in Jesus.

However, distractions and temptations attacks the girl and she finds herself overcome by sexual impurity, greed for money, drinking, bulimia and cutting.

Only after she hits rock bottom, does she remember the true source of her joy - a relationship with Christ.
She turns to Jesus who is waiting for her call of help. Jesus steps in and fends off the demons who are after her soul.

I think that this video reminds us that God is always there for us. Though we may drift away from him, He still loves us so much and waits for us to come back into his arms. We are blessed to have such a great God and we should give our all to serve him and honour him.

Hebrews 13:5 -- " ......... I will never leave you and I will never abandon you."

Reflections

2011-09-09T00:10:00.005+08:00

i wash your feet,
because you,
need to stand again,
all day in anothers needs

(John 13:1-15)

The 5th Generation!

2011-08-25T00:58:00.007+08:00

Congratulations to all 5th generation of KTT Christian Fellowship leaders!

President : Ginsky Daniel Chan

Vice President 1 : Cyndl Matheus Jimi

Vice President 2 : Aldrin Chong

Secretary : Hilda Anak Michael Pawing

Treasurer : Peter Lee Sue Hong

Praise and Worship Coordinator : Joshua Wong Shii

Prayer Group Coordinator 1 : Jonathan Chieng

Prayer Group Coordinator 2 : Tan Chuan Jin

Event Coordinator : Allan Jonis

Music Coordinator : Eunice Lim

Sports Coordinator : Cornelius Anak Benet

Media and Publicity Coordinator : Jeffrey Agnes

As we have shared together, we pray that all twelve of you will run this race with a mighty heart, and God is always ready to pour out His anointing upon you.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.

1 Timothy 4:12

It's an amazing journey! You will mature greatly in faith, wisdom and life.

Keep burning on for Jesus! =)

A Child's Prayer

2011-07-30T01:09:00.005+08:00

A small boy gets down on his knees beside his bed one night, to pray for the first time in his life. The boy had been hearing about this man that lived a long time ago named Jesus, the son of God. He heard about Jesus from another little boy in school, named Jimmy. From the stories he heard Jimmy tell, this Jesus person is in heaven now and he can heal people and save people if you ask him too. The small boy starts to pray, he says - I want to talk to Jesus, if it’s OK with you God, for me to talk to your son. I don’t know the rules of how you are suppose to pray, so If I mess up God, please don’t get mad.

I just want Jesus to help my dad, he has been sick for a long time, and he has to take a lot medicine. The medicine costs a lot of money, so sometimes we have to go hungry so mom can buy the medicine dad needs, but I don’t mind that, they give us a nice lunch at school. Sometimes the other kids in school make fun of the clothes I wear, because they are not new and my mom gets them at yard sales for a dime, but that doesn’t bother me either.

My mom works real hard for every dime she makes. She gets paid a dime more than minimum wage, what ever that is? My mom works in a nursing home. Mom says the big shots that run the place really rake in the money for the people that have to live there. But they won’t spend it to make sure people can afford to work there, they spend the money to go on conventions, like to Las Vegas, and gamble the money away, while there is only half enough people working at the nursing home, that is needed to give decent care.

She works as a nurse aid, cleaning beds for the old people that can’t walk anymore, and can’t go to the bath room, when they have to use it. Sometimes my dad can’t walk because he gets so sick. He can’t make it to the bathroom and he wets himself. Sometimes he can’t even get out of bed so he throws up in bed and has to lay in it until mom gets home from work to clean him up and change the bed, like she does at work. She works a lot, so sometimes I have to carry dad's medicine to him in bed, Mom leaves him a bottle of medicine on the table beside of his bed before she leaves to go to work. If she has to stay over and work another shift, then I have to go get another bottle of medicine out of the cabinet for him.

Mom keeps a lot of extra bottles there for him. I play with the empty bottles because she can’t afford to buy me any toys, this makes her cry when she see’s me playing with only bottles. I tell her it’s OK, I pretend real good, I show her the empty bottles and say this one is a dump truck and this one is a fire truck. Other kids don’t want to play with me because I don’t have any toys and their moms won’t let them come to my house and they don’t want me to come to theirs. I think they are afraid they will catch the disease that my dad has, if I am around them, but it’s not catching, me and mom doesn’t have the disease and we are around dad all the time.

Jesus if you would just heal my dad, everything else would be OK. My mom wouldn’t have to work so may extra shifts, my dad could get a job like he use to have when I was first born. We would have money to buy food and everything, instead of buying so much medicine all of the time. I think it’s our fault my dad got this disease, he tells us all the time when he takes his medicine, that he has to take it because of us, my mom and me, and that it’s not his fault he has to take it.

Whatever we have done Jesus tell us what it was, so we will know and we won’t do it any more, because I can’t think of anything we did wrong. If you tell us, I know we won’t ever do it again, because we both love dad and we would do anything so he wouldn’t be sick anymore. I don’t know what the name of the sickness is that my dad has, but the medicine he takes for it, is called whiskey. Dad says it taste awful and burns all the way down, he drinks a sip of water after each dose.

If someone in our family has to be sick, then take the sickness away from my dad and give it to me. If it makes me die, thats OK, because Jimmy said, If I believe in Jesus, I would be able to go to heaven when I die, and I believe in you. My mom and dad don’t, so I don’t want them to die, because they would have to go to that place where you burn all the time. I tried to tell my dad about you today, but he said for me to get away, he wanted to be left alone.

I tried to tell my mom too, but she said her back was hurting too much to talk to me right now. So I’m the only one who knows about you here. Jimmy said we must all do God's work. If you will give me a list of chores to do, like my mom does, I will do them everyone. I don’t care how hard I have to work to save my dad, and mom. I’ll do it without complaining, not even once. I hope I didn’t break any of the rules on how to pray. I think this is where I am suppose to say Amen at.

Sometimes it’s hard to go to sleep at night, when your stomach is growling because it is empty. If I can’t sleep tonight, is it OK if I talk to you again later? If it won’t bother you too much that is? Because I really like talking to you Jesus. Will you be my friend?

The little boy didn’t have to hear the words with his ears, he could feel them in his heart, what Jesus said back to him. Jesus said: I’ll be with you always, I’ll never leave your side, what ever you ask of me, I will do for you. The prayer you said was just fine, it came from your heart, and spoken with faith, you can talk to me any time you like, I stay up all night too. The more you talk to me the better I like it. Tell me every thing and let me help you with it all, not just the big things, even the small ones too. I will be your best friend, because I have always loved you, and I always will.

The story is by Johnny Lee Hall. I find it very inspiring. This child has every single excuse to hate his life, and yet he doesn't. The most amazing thing about children is their innocence, their ability to believe with all their heart. Their faith is almost unshakable, and that's really something.

This child had only just heard about Jesus, but he believed immediately and he started trying to spread the love to his family, without procrastinating. And I truly admire that. Even grown people such as ourselves are wary of how to approach others when we decided to share His love.

God bless (:

Facing The Giants

2011-07-20T09:59:00.001+08:00

It is MOVIE NIGHT tonight at CF =)
Do come and you will be blessed!

Time: 8pm
Place: Lecture Hall 3

See you tonight! =)

An Ordinary Person

2011-07-13T15:41:00.000+08:00

I read this once in a Chinese-language essay compilation. Its power to convict remains strong in my memory to this day. Though I've forgotten the original text, here is a rough approximation of the story.

It was a brutally cold winter. Five people were on a small bus heading through the town. There was a businessman on his way home from work; a mother and child on their way to the tuition center; a man in a large leather coat, sucking on a cigar; and a small old lady, shivering against the cold, her bare feet white with frostbite.

The young boy cried out first. "Mummy, look! That old lady doesn't have shoes!"

The mother glared at him and gave him a smack to the side of his head. She looked at the old woman as well. "The state of senior citizen welfare in our country has gone to the dogs. Look at her, without even a decent pair of shoes."

From the back of the bus, the man smoked on his cigarette, oblivious to the other passengers. The businessman glanced around, then got up angrily. "None of you will even lift a finger to help that old woman! Shame on you!" He walked up to the small elderly lady, and handed her one hundred dollars. "Here, buy some shoes for yourself." She thanked him, but her smile was forced, and the creases around her eyes never relaxed. He sat down again, content that 'he did something.'

A young teenager got on at the next stop. As soon as he got on the bus, he saw the old woman and began staring at her feet--little but skin and bone, white from lack of blood, with a few toes missing from previous run-ins with the relentless weather. The bus was silent. The businessman and the younger woman glared at him, shocked at his rudeness.

Then the young man lifted his feet up, exposing the brand-new pair of sneakers, and pulled them off his feet, socks and all. "Here, ma'am," he spoke respectfully. "Take these. It's really cold out here." The old woman looked at him, tears swimming in her eyes, and put the socks and shoes on with the utmost gratitude.

At the next stop, the teenager jumped off, hopping across the pavement in his bare feet to stem the cold, his feet white but his face beaming red with joy. The other passengers stared through the window at this unexpected interloper.

"He must be an angel from God." The mother whispered in awe.

"He must be a prophet," remarked the businessman.

But the young boy, being young, simply spoke at the top of his voice. "No mummy, mummy, you are both wrong. I saw the whole thing. He was an ordinary person. Just an ordinary person like us."

The Power of A Prayer

2011-07-08T19:03:00.001+08:00

I got this story via email, and I thought that it’d be worth sharing. I do not know if the story is true, but basically it tells us this very simple but often forgotten part of Christian living: the importance of prayer and faith. We often ‘forget’ to pray because we don’t have time, or we’re too tired. And when we do pray, we tend to doubt that God will answer our prayers. It is crucial that we have absolute faith in God when we pray.

Even if God doesn’t give you what you ask for, He still knows your needs, and He’ll meet them in due time. All we have to do in persevere in prayer and have faith. =)

The story (Read it carefully) :

I do believe that there is something to this " Power of Prayer"

"There are a hundred reasons to cry but a thousand reasons to smile!"

Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store.

She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries.

She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.

John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store at once.

Visualizing the family needs, she said: 'Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can.'

John told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at his store.

Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he
would stand good for whatever she needed for her family. The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, 'Do you have a grocery list?'

Louise replied, 'Yes sir.'

'O.K' he said, 'put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries.'

Louise hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still
bowed.

The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down.

The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, 'I can't believe it.'

The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.

The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement.

It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said:

'Dear Lord, You know my needs and I am leaving this in Your hands.'

The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence.

Louise thanked him and left the store.

The other customer handed a
fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said; 'It was worth every penny of it. Only God knows how much a prayer weighs..'

God bless, and do say a prayer. =)

Looking For A Church? =)

2011-07-01T23:16:00.004+08:00

Helloo fellow juniors!

We know it has been a long week for you, but I believe it was incredibly fun and fulfilling as you adjust to your new life, meet new people and make new connections =)

We were very blessed by your presence during CF last Thursday, and we really hope that you were ministered by God, and that God will take care of you all the way through!

We understand you are looking for a church to attend.

And as stated in the bulletin you've received, you could call the specific contacts to attend the church this Sunday:

St. Theresa Church - Wayne : 0148989038

Chinese Methodist Church - James Sia : 0138329535

(FYI, they have their services in both English and Chinese)

Nilai Gospel Chapel - Esther Tan : 0164879181

Baptist Church - Lynton : 0146000155

Grace, Puchong - Jacinta : 0145633125

ACTS Church - Bro Ronson : 0162508214

All transport are provided by the church, as long as you inform the representatives beforehand :)

God bless you heaps, have a great weekend! =)

Do You Love Him?

2011-06-27T19:22:00.002+08:00

It's so easy for us to tell our family and friends we love them.

But how many times a day do you actually tell God you love Him?

Yes, you thank Him everyday, but do you remind Him of how much you love Him?

It is stated in Exodus 34:14 that our God is a jealous God. Think about it for a moment. If you were in a relationship and you knew your significant other was saying "I love you" to someone else, but not to you, wouldn't you be jealous?

Take the time to tell Him you love Him each day (:

Strong Enough

2011-06-25T15:48:00.002+08:00

I can do all things, through Christ who gives me strength

Nothing is impossible, for what God can do for you =)

When It Rains Lemons

2011-06-04T22:54:00.002+08:00

There's a Chinese proverb that speaks plainly: 'Misfortune never travels alone.' This time around however, not only did it not travel alone, it brought friends and family and ran over you like a freight train, demolishing your hopes and ambitions for the future. You are flat on your back, and not necessarily in metaphor.

Following Christ does not exempt you from the troubles and trials of ordinary life. The path through the green meadows and by peaceful streams sometimes also passes through the dark valley of death. The bed of roses we lie on also comes with thorns. Worst of all, sometimes we do not feel God's presence. We echo the Psalmist's cry: 'My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?' (Psalms 22:1)

Well, know this. Despite the failure that has crushed you, God is still with you. While we might not feel His presence all the time, clouded as we are by depression and anxiety, faith whispers to our hearts that this failure will not be the end of us. God has promised that He will not break a bruised wick or snuff out a smoldering wick. (Isaiah 42:3) Fragile as we may be in our hour of helplessness, God will not let us be crushed.

Trouble sometimes happens with God's permission, to test and refine us. This sounds all well and good when you hear it from the pulpit while sitting in the pews, but when problems actually hit you in the face, you might catch yourself muttering, "Gee, thanks." No sane person likes trouble and difficulty, unless you're a masochist. Such trials, however, may be God's way of waking you up. I went through a tough time once, where well-laid plans and months of preparation culminated in one mistake that ruined everything. I felt terrible and shut myself in my room. But following a conversation with a close friend and my mother (thank God for both!) I realised that I had taken my efforts for granted. God was teaching me that 'we can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.' (Proverbs 16:9) Man may propose, but only God can dispose. No plan or good effort will produce anything without God's help. Jesus said it: "Apart from Me, you can do nothing." (John 15:5) I was arrogant, thinking I could make it on my own without God. He was proving me wrong.

As a believer, how we handle the lemons that life throws at us is often more important than the crisis itself. It isn't hard to be at least passably good in everyday life. The true test comes when everything is going south. King Solomon wrote, 'If you are weak in a crisis, you are weak indeed.' (Proverbs 24:10) We need to take a good hard look at ourselves and see if we are reacting to failure or responding to it. Perhaps we can take a good lesson from Paul the Apostle. After casting out a demon from a slave girl in the city of Philippi in Macedonia, he and his companion Silas were mobbed, flogged, and thrown into prison. (Acts 16:16-24) With bleeding wounds and smarting bruises, and their rights clearly violated (Acts 16:37), they chose to open their mouths, and instead of violent curses, they sang praises to God! What happens next is well-known. The prison was broken open by a violent earthquake and they were set free. The jailer, who previously manhandled and bound them, fell at their feet and asked to be saved. When morning dawned, Paul and Silas were free, a public apology had provided a measure of security to the fledgling church (Acts 16:39), and a very happy man and his family had joined God's Kingdom.

Paul probably had this among many incidents in mind when he wrote:
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good to us--they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. (Romans 5:3-4)

So take time to acknowledge the problem. If it was your fault, recognise that you made a mistake, and accept the consequences. If it wasn't, realise that troubles will sometimes come your way without reason. But remember that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. (Romans 8:27) We need to be reminded of this every day and every time we face trouble. I might even be coming back to this page and reading my own words when life turns sour. But one thing we must know: God is always faithful.

And I'm sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again. (Philippians 1:6)

Keep the faith and God bless!

Faith

2011-05-28T12:11:00.004+08:00

What Faith Can Do - Kutless

Maegyvear and Edwin presented this song last CF, and the anointing that this song contains simply just moves hearts.

Do you know how powerful timidity can be? The devil can use it to make you do nothing, and in fact, make you feel the smallest you can be, that any average Joe is better than you, and that you can accomplish absolutely nothing.

Timidity comes with fear.

A fear to make mistakes;

fear to face the world.

Perhaps you're ashamed by your past, by the things you've shattered in your life, people you've disappointed. But be assured that when you've decided to put your FAITH in Him, He has cleansed you completely, from the inside out, and no matter how people around you perceive you to be, it's how God looks at you that truly counts.

I was studying for a Chemistry exam, and my friend borrowed my Organic Chemistry notes. I managed to compile everything into one sheet of paper, which is an entire myriad of mindmaps. And, my friend borrowed it to study, but after 10 minutes, she returned it to me, and said, "I can't understand it, because you're the one who made it, and I'm really not familiar with it."

Such a simple gesture reminded me of something, that only the maker and creator will know their creations best. In the same way, only God formed and made you, and only He knows you through the depths of your soul, and if He says that you can actually do and accomplish something, even if it's your weakness, you CAN do it, because,

your Maker said so.

Other people are mere souls that are carrying on this life journey WITH you, but they only know so much about you, and human nature makes them judge quickly, and some have influential powers to suppress you and make you think you can't.

But, God uses simple people to do great things.

God changes your weaknesses into strengths.

He is ready to transform and change you to reach further than your potentials, higher than your grounds. Potentials don't have to be natural born talents, or something you have a strong affinity for by birth, but they can be developed as you grow and mature. And as God can work through you and raise you up to be great children of His. His power is never limited by age, gender, circumstances, backgrounds.

The only limit you have is the one you put for yourself, because God goes way beyond boundaries, norms, and horizons.

God has been very real in my life in changing my fears into confidence, and in making me accomplishing something I could never do all my life.

He changed a drug addict and gang leader into a pastor;

He mended a broken family;

He gave hope to the lost;

He can do anything.

Tell me,

what can faith not do?

Somewhere In The Middle

2011-05-15T20:05:00.003+08:00

Based on the song ’Somewhere In The Middle’ by Casting Crowns

Somewhere between the hot and the cold
Somewhere between the new and the old
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Somewhere between the wrong and the right
Somewhere between the darkness and the light
Somewhere between who I was and who You're making me
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

We’ve all been there, that one time when you are caught in the middle, between what you know is right and the curiosity within you which urges you to do what your heart knows you shouldn’t.

Sometimes, being the good guy just doesn’t seem to pay. Everyone calls you a goody two shoes, their scornful laughter piercing your very being. And so, even though you know what they do is wrong, you feel extremely tempted to join them just to be accepted, because when you came to Christ and He took over, your life changed and your friends couldn’t deal with it.

This is when we find ourselves torn between wanting to please man, and wanting to let the Potter mould us into beautiful vases.

Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves
Somewhere between a whisper and a roar
Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle You'll find me

We tend to find ourselves longing for more. We want what others have, and we constantly forget that what God has given us is the very best for us.

We say, “Lord, I trust in You to map out my future”, but then we go ahead with whatever plan seems best at the moment without looking to Him for guidance.

We hear the soft still voice of the Holy Spirit nudging us along the straight and narrow path, but there’s a louder voice speaking inside of us, telling us it’s okay to ignore God just this once. And for a moment, we hesitate, not knowing which voice to listen to.

We go to the altar of God in church once a week, and there we seek forgiveness. There we put on a mask and be truly repentant for the week that passed. But when we step out the doors of the church, do we go back to square one? Do we turn back to our old nature? Where did that repentant heart go?

The blessings of the Lord are sufficient to give us peace and calm and true joy. The love of God is sufficient to sustain us and to give us a reason for living. We look around us, and everything seems safe and nice. Then we look outside at everyone else, and even though we know that their activities are dangerous, they look like they are having fun. We want the luxury that others have. We want the kind of material comfort they enjoy. We want the excitement and exhilaration that they experience, even if we probably shouldn’t take part in it. Somehow, having the peace and joy of God just doesn’t seem to be enough.

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control
Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle

We want to be in control of our circumstances. We want a God whom we can keep in a box and take Him out when we need Him, the same way you would treat a magic lamp holding a genie. And yet, we know full well that God doesn’t work that way. God wants so much to be the most significant part of our lives.

Our mouths say we surrender all to Him and we lay our lives at His feet, but our hearts tell a different story. Our minds limit the work of God in our lives by placing mortal limitations in front of an infinite God.

We say “Let Your will be done”, but we cling stubbornly to our own vision of how our future must look like. We say “You know what’s best for me”, but we go around telling God what we want Him to do for us.

Lord, I feel You in this place and I know You're by my side
Loving me even on these nights when I'm caught in the middle

Even through all those times, God proves time and time again that He is a faithful God, that He will never abandon us. He understands how confused we are and He knows that it is at times like that, that we need Him even more.

God is good, and He will never forsake us.

The question is, will we make a stand for Him? Or will we choose to leave Him?

The Broken Bridge

2011-05-11T20:59:00.003+08:00

Because everything we're going through, both the good times and the bad times, have already been planned in advance by God. You may not understand why now, but you will come to eventually.

At the end of the day, you just have to trust in Him, and know that if it seems like He isn't by your side, or if things don't work out the way you want them to, it's because He has something better planned for you. God's ways are always better.

To those just starting the exams today, all the best (: And to those who started since Monday or Tuesday, remember that He will always be there for you, especially in those moments where you feel tired or weak. God bless!

S.O.S.!

2011-05-07T17:29:00.004+08:00

You probably know that S.O.S. is a distress signal used to seek attention and to call for help. You probably would have heard that it is thought to stand for ‘Save Our Souls’, too.

We’ve all cried out for help and some point in our lives. Maybe you shrieked when you tripped, ripped your jeans and caused a bloody gash in your knee. Maybe you couldn’t answer a Mathematics question which you’ve pondered over for an hour, so you look to your class brain for help. Maybe you simply ran out of cash, and so you had to go to your parents, put on a pitiful look and ask them for extra cash, even though they just gave you your monthly allowance the week before.

And maybe, you’ve turned to God for help. Once, maybe twice, when you had nowhere else left to turn to. Maybe it was when your mum went for that test to see if she had cancer, and no one else could help you, so you turned to God with an S.O.S., for both your mother and yourself. Maybe it was when you went for that interview, and you didn’t know what else to prepare, because try as you might, you have no way of telling what you would be asked the next day, so you send an S.O.S. to God, asking for wisdom and peace, and for nice interviewers.

But apart from that occasional S.O.S. for the times when you’ve lost control of everything, when do you actually seek God? When did you last say "Hi" to God and talk to Him, just because you wanted to? When was the last time you loved Him, not because of what He can bless you with, but for who He is?

For some of you, being far away from home is difficult and trying, because the people you love aren’t there with you, and sometimes all you want to do is sit and talk with them. And so you get homesick, missing everything from your favourite blanket to your Mom’s cooking to that shopping mall which you are oh-so-familiar with, When was the last time you ever felt that way with God? When was the last time you felt the need to just talk to God because you love Him?

How often do you remember Him? On Sundays? On Christmas Day? When your exams are around the corner, and you feel like the weight of the world is upon your shoulder?

In contrast to our fickle nature and transient love for God, He loves us all the time, regardless of what we have done and where we are in life. You could be a drug addict who’s mind is constantly in another dimension, and He’ll still love you as much as He loves the pastor from the church down the road.

You might have just failed your exams, and you feel bitter, frustrated, thinking that you are the biggest failure in town, but He’ll still love you as much as He loves the smartest, most talented boy in town.

You could be dressed in clothes from the nearby pasar malam, and He’ll still love you as much as He loves the girl who sashays around in the latest Gucci outfit.

All He asks for, is that we love Him as our first love, and that we don’t just seek Him when we want His help, but that we seek Him all the time. Like a doting father who yearns for a good relationship with his children, so does God want to build a relationship with us which is based on love, and not our needs. Yes, He’s our God and He’s the King of Kings, but we don’t have to go through all the formalities to seek an audience with Him. We can simply come the way we are, devoting our hearts and lives unto Him.

You can talk about the simple things, like that crush that won’t go away, or a fear that you can’t seem to lose. You can bring your biggest troubles, and stutter your way through your prayer, but He’ll patiently listen to it all. He just loves you that much!

I Want It Now.

2011-04-26T11:15:00.000+08:00

How many of us have actually said that sentence or something like it before?
I'm sure you would've especially when you were in your younger days.

'I want my candy now! '

to

'I want that toy now! '

to

'I want to go out with my friends now!'

to

'I want you to be my girlfriend now. It's now or never'

to

'I want my pizza to be delivered to my place this instant!'

to

'You better get out of the toilet because i wanna use it now! '

We are a generation of NOW.
We barely want to wait for anything we want. If we ask for something, we expect it to appear right in front of us the moment we want it to be there.
We hardly have the time to wait for anything, since we are so busy in our lives that even a few minutes spent in a traffic jam is enough to make us go bananas.

Would you call yourself a patient person?
What kind of patient are you?
The enduring kind?
The waiting kind?

If your friend turns up late for more than 15 minutes, would you blow up at her?
If you are constantly faced with the same difficult situation over and over again, is there a time where you just felt like giving up?

In Galatians 5:22, Patience is a fruit of the Spirit, along with many others like self-control, kindness , love, joy, peace etc.

Do you have it?

I'm sure we all do once we have the Holy Spirit in us.
But we differ in our level of patience.

As much as we love the promise Pizza Hut has to offer to make our pizzas and place it right on our tables in exactly 15 minutes ,
we should NEVER expect the same thing with God.

God is not a vending machine or a fairy godmother. He is so MUCH MORE.

When you can't have something you asked from God ,something you've been waiting for from Him, an answer from Him perhaps, and you don't get what you expect,
it doesn't mean He isn't there to listen.
It doesn't mean He doesn't care.
On the contrary, He does care so much that He was willing to die for you.
If He was willing to die for you,why wouldn't He be listening to your prayers?
And when He listens, He does respond.
The question is when.

If you're going through a hard time, waiting for deliverance from it, make use of the gift of patience which the Holy Spirit has given you.
Patience is being able to wait calmly,even through the hard or boring times. God allows hard times to happen to his children to help them to learn to be patient.

'Consider i t pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

because you know that the testing of your faih develops perseverance (patience)'.

James 1:2-3

As Christians ,we can wait patiently on the Lord knowing our life is in God's control.

Psalms 27 :14

Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

A character in the bible, Job had the worst of it all. Probably what we've been through was only 10% of what he had to suffer.

Before the bad things happened, he had everything any man could ever want in those days.

~7000 sheep
~3000 camels
~500 oxen
~500 donkeys
~ 7 sons and 3 daughters

The most important of all, he had ...............

A. his wife

B. his house

C. his faith in God

D. his good looks

You've got it right if you answered C !!! * round of applause*

He places his relationship with God was more important than anything he owned.
Then the hard times came.

~All the mentioned animals were stolen
~Except the sheep, which were killed by the fire.
~Worser still, all his children were killed in the house when a strong wind blew the house down.

Think you've had a bad day ? What about Job?

Despite his unimaginable sorrow, ( probably sorrow couldn't even used in this context )

Naked i came from my mother's womb, and naked will i depart.

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away,

May the name of the Lord be praised'

Job 1:21-22

He praised GOD!!!!!!!!
He did not blame God for his condition.
The bad things did not stop there. If you continue to read Job,
he had painful sores and
his wife,friends discouraged him about his faith in God.
Yet, he was patient because he believed God is in control.

Most of us would be questioning God by then but yet, he didn't.Moreover, he had it worse than us.

And did God just stand by and let him continue to suffer?

No, God rewarded him!

'The Lord blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first.'

Job 42:12

He had twice of everything he used to have!

Today, we might be asking for a salvation of a friend or family member,
or someone's recovery from an illness, family problems, financial crisis,
enduring is difficult and patience will hardly be there.

But always keep in mind that

God knows and holds the future in the palm of His hands.
Part of being patient is knowing God will do what is best for you.
Patience is trusting God to do what is best in His time.
Patience is having faith in His timing, omnipotence and love for us.
God is never too early or too late. He is always on time.

God bless ya'll and have a nice day!

Lest We Forget.

2011-04-22T10:28:00.005+08:00

A few years back, this was the theme of the Easter conference in my church, 'Lest We Forget'.

The theme came from a song entitled "Lest I Forget", and the chorus went something like this:

Lest I forget Gethsemane,

Lest I forget Thy agony,

Lest I forget Thy love for me,

Lead me to Calvary.

It's so easy to forget. We're so used to hearing it over and over again, we become complacent and never truly remember the weight of such a sacrifice.

The Son of God Himself, came down as a man, and gave His life up for us sinners. He didn't have to, but He did it because He loved us so much. Not just today, because it's Good Friday, but every day of our lives, every moment we have breath.

Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but He lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Are we living for Jesus?

Do we remember what He did for us and what it means?

Or is it just the same old story?

Romans 5:6-8

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Easter!

2011-04-10T22:48:00.002+08:00

EASTER is around the corner!

KTT Christian Fellowship has planned something up for this occasion.

We are going to make something special, and we invite you, our Christian Fellowship members to join us this Friday, after CF at 2.30pm onwards to make them together.

What are they? All I know is they are cute!

It'll be fun to do this together, as a family of Christ, here in our college, to bless others.

Come to CF this Friday for more info and updates!

Have a very wonderful week ahead, God bless you heaps! =)

Something In You

2011-04-08T20:14:00.003+08:00

YOU have something special in you. There is something about YOU that's different. Do YOU know that? From the time you were in your mother's womb, God has ordained your life and specially designed you to be different. He gave you a heart, a personality, a mind, and gifts. Some people have a gift of knowledge. I've heard that popularity is a gift too. Some people just have a high tendency to be popular, even if they don't do anything. Of course, popular for a good cause. Using your talents for the right purposes enables you to impact many lives. Most of all, you were given a talent so that you can use it to help others or touch their lives in a way no others can. And that is through the mighty power of God, who has designed you from your inside out, and custom made you. It's amazing that God purposefully placed in you certain talents, and when you use them during occasions in your life, or throughout your life, the feeling of gratitude that comes out of it really surpasses anything else, because you know that God has thought about ALL of these events where you can use your talent mightily, and He has thoughtfully given it to You, so as to use You as an instrument. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Touching people's lives demands sacrifice, effort, belief in others, but the fruits you reap at the end of the day is more than all that you've put in. Similar to giving birth - they say, even a man can't endure labor pain; but the child God has given you to raise, is a lifetime reward and fulfillment, to watch your child grow and mature, to be somebody, a man after God's own heart. Expand your gifts, and use it for others, because it goes a long way =)

Beauty of the Lord

2011-04-06T17:28:00.001+08:00

How do you measure the beauty of something, or of someone?

What makes you say, “Hey, that’s really beautiful”, or “Aw, so pretty!”?

Chances are, you find beauty first of all from external appearances. First impressions are lasting, and this is mostly because our brain chooses to interpret and remember striking external features, and we will subconsciously (or consciously) categorise them as either aesthetically pleasing or otherwise.

By and large, there is nothing very wrong about measuring beauty using that approach. And yet, if you look at the Bible, you’ll find that the Scripture does describe God Almighty as being ‘beautiful’, and many hymns and songs attest to the wonder of His beauty.

One thing I ask of the LORD,

      This is what I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD

      all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD

      and to seek Him in His temple.

Psalm 27:4

In the verse above, King David writes about his longing to see the Lord in His beauty. The odd thing is, if we apply our method of judging a person’s beauty by their physical appearance, then how could King David, along with other men and women of God, declare that the Lord is beautiful? It is highly unlikely that these people have seen God face to face. It is also very much improbable that they were merely throwing in adjectives to describe God.

The beauty of the Lord that is widely described by most people is in reference to His nature. Our Yahweh is the best Father we could ever have. There is not a single living soul who can compare to Him.

His heart overflows with compassion and grace. His mercy is never-ending, even for sinners such as us. He is just and righteous. He upholds His people with His unfailing love, and leads us through all things, big and small. Being a just God, He punishes the wicked in His time, and yet we know that in His compassion, He is slow to anger.

He will never turn anyone away; all we have to do is seek Him wholeheartedly, and we will find the fullness of His grace, renewed each morning like the dew of dawn. He forgives us of our sin, washing us whiter than the snow with His Word. He holds true to His promises.

And the greatest evidence of His beauty can be found in the source of our salvation: His love for us, so strong and everlasting, that He gave His only Son to die for us, that we may be reconciled to Him. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and His resurrection three days after His crucifixion, we are now called heirs with Jesus.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13

‘Beautiful’ doesn’t even begin to describe a God who would do all that – and so much more – for His people. No words known to mortal men is sufficient to describe the splendour that rightfully belongs to the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

I will declare the beauty of the Lord, for nothing compares to the beauty of the Lord.

Beauty of the Lord – Desperation Band

The Bell

2011-04-02T15:25:00.001+08:00

I received this through email some time in 2008, and I’ve kept it since, because I like it.

So I thought I’d reproduce it and share it with you.

I’m sorry if the words are too small. You can always press Ctrl + to zoom.

God bless! =)

Everything To Me.

2011-03-17T20:21:00.002+08:00

Remember that we're here to make a difference.

Why? Because Jesus called us out of the world to be the salt and light.

His love will always inspire us to strive to make a difference. It doesn't have to be something big, it just has to come from a heart full of a greater love, God's love. :)

Prayer Changes Things

2011-03-11T23:52:00.002+08:00

Let's pray for the nations of the world. For all the damages and lives it has taken away.

Japan, West US, surrounding countries.

God is in control.

Keep Singing

2011-03-06T16:14:00.001+08:00

I was in the library, thinking about how busy everyone is, what with FESNI and FESKOTT. And I remembered how some people told me that they feel so down, so disappointed with what was happening, so on and so forth.

It reminded me of a song by a Christian band, MercyMe and their song “Keep Singing”.

We all go through ups and downs in life. It is easy to live life when we are at the peaks, but when we go through the valleys, all we want to do is give up, because the door to a brighter tomorrow seems so far away.

But think about it, why give up? Our dear Father will never give up on us. He’s always there, walking right next to us, lifting us up above our troubles. Just look to Him for strength. Walk with Him. Let Him hold your hand and guide you.

Keep singing to Him. Bring your troubles and lay them at His feet. Draw near to Him, even in times of difficulty. You will not regret it.

When the going gets tough, go to Jesus. =)

Another rainy day
I can't recall having sunshine on my face
All I feel is pain
All I wanna do is walk out of this place

But when I am stuck and I can't move
When I don't know what I should do
When I wonder if I'll ever make it through

I gotta keep singing
I gotta keep praising Your name
You’re the one that's keeping my heart beating
I gotta keep singing
I gotta keep praising Your name
That's the only way that I'll find healing

Can I climb up in Your lap
I don't wanna leave
Jesus sing over me
I gotta keep singing

Can I climb up in Your lap
I don't wanna leave
Jesus sing over me

Oh You're everything I need
And I gotta keep singing

Good Advice.

2011-02-17T00:04:00.004+08:00

Many a time, life may overwhelm us, swallow us up in fear, in remorse, in a million emotions at a time. Sometimes, you might not know where to turn to when you yourself are confused about how you feel.

When you do, look up into the sky, think of the one who'll always be there. He loves you every moment, every time you think that no one cares. It's funny how we often look for love in people, expecting that love to satisfy us, but the truth is, we're hungry for more. We're hungry for God's love, something so beautiful, no one could ever explain it. Remember that everyday, God is waiting with open arms, waiting for you to spend time with Him, waiting for you to love Him.

That's The Love Of God

What made God take so much care

To make creation glow?

He could have made it black and white

And we would never know.

And what made God send Jesus

To die on Calvary?

Of course it was this joyous thing I feel inside of me

Chorus:

That's the love of God

It's never ending

That's the love of God

Always forgiving

He's always there, he never fails, all he will do is love forever

And he loves to share it

That's the love of God

He can change a family

He's already changed the world

When Jesus brings it to a heart

Heaven's banner is unfurled

And once you start to share it

In His precious name

You're glad to see your view of life

Will never be the same

Love Is In The Air. . .

2011-02-13T19:18:00.002+08:00

Valentine’s Day is here again!

This is the day when lovers all around the world express their love for each other through gifts and cheesy self-authored poems. Roses and various other flowers go around, handmade cards are presented with a flourish, candy and chocolates are exchanged, and essentially, money is spent.

No one really knows exactly how Valentine’s Day came about. There have been many myths and legends relating to this day, and the most popular legend revolves around St. Valentine. You can read about a brief history of Valentine’s Day here.

Contrary to very popular belief, Valentine’s Day is not a Christian celebration.

It is very much a secular observance, and most likely originated from the West. Western celebrations are not equal to Christian celebrations, and as such, Valentine’s Day is not celebrated religiously in churches worldwide. Neither does the Church encourage any activity that goes against the norm of the people and the teachings of Christianity.

Love, however, is a very prominent theme in the Bible. In fact, the most important commandments are about Love.

³⁷ Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.⁴⁰ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:36-38

God sent his one and only Son to Earth to suffer and die for us, because He loves us. [John 3:16]

Jesus, who was wholly man and could feel mortal pain as acutely as you and I can, prayed that God would take away the potential suffering that he would have to go through by being crucified. Yet, out of love, he said “May Your will be done”, and was crucified for our sins. [Luke 22:41-43]

Jesus, while suffering from the pain of crucifixion and separation from God, was mocked and abused by the Jews. And yet, out of love, He prayed “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” [Luke 22:34]

Love is such a central message in the Bible, that it is almost impossible to ignore. From the beginning of creation, God has done so many things out of love for us.

And yet, we, His children, fail to see it. Like naughty, ignorant kids, our hearts wander to various other eye-catching attractions of the world. We fall for the sugar and spice that the secular world has to offer, and we are entrapped by the excitement that accompanies it.

We break His heart again and again with our actions. And we barely even realise it.

Valentine's Day is not something that Christians practice religiously, because it isn't a Christian celebration to start with.

Instead, I encourage you to show love to the people around you on a regular basis. Don't just use secular events like Valentine's Day to celebrate love.

Tell your parents and your siblings that you love them, and let them know how much they mean to you.

Tell your friends that you appreciate their presence in your life.

And above all, remember how much God loves each person on Earth, and thank Him for His overflowing love. Because without that love, we would not have salvation and hope.

Where Else Can I Go?

2011-02-02T12:04:00.003+08:00

You are the source of life
I can't be left behind
No one else will do
I will take hold of You

Cause I need You Jesus
Come to my rescue
Where else can I go?
There's no other name by
Which I am saved
Capture me with grace

I will follow You

As youths approaching the edge of teenhood, we are perhaps going through the stage of finding our own identity, learning and discovering about ourselves as we become more independant and are shoved with responsibilities. Heavy ones. There are many things that used to be our parents' responsibilites for us, but now, it seems like we took it off them, and they now become OUR jobs, entirely.

It's very easy to get distracted by the things of this world. Our attention is easily taken away by the satisfaction that the culture of our world has taught us to appreciate, and are believed to make us "hip and cool". This age, we want to see new things, try new things, and we become so easily impured. Even looking at a person with lust is a huge sin by itself. Although only you yourself and God knows what you did, it's still a huge sin, and it can pull you to deeper immoralities.

But, we all probably went through this period where we abandon God, and search for happiness in other things. It makes us feel empty, yet through that period, we keep telling ourselves, "There's definitely something I can find here." But in the end, you come back messed up, confused, lost, scatterbrained.

That's when this song relates to you, where it says, "Where else can I go?"

Do not be yoked with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
2 Corinthians 6:14

You may take it as "missionary dating", where you try to get your other half believe God, AFTER you become a couple. But, truth is, how sure are you that he/she WILL believe? That's not your part to play, but theirs. This is one of the main temptations and is part of "trying new things" as growing youths with raging hormones, and mounting curiosities.

Hence, look to God, and ask for His wisdom in every decision that you make, whether big or small, because we want to walk in the best path of life, so that at the end of your life, you can be satisfied with what you have accomplished, as you have made your journey with your Creator, who knows you better than you know yourself =)

Do you like Maths?

2011-01-23T14:57:00.000+08:00

Because if you do, I have something for you to count.

This post is inspired by what a brother from Nilai Gospel Chapel shared today.

If you have read Genesis 5, you will know that the whole chapter is basically a genealogy of Adam, all the way to Noah. One of Adam’s descendants was named Enoch. When Enoch was 65 years old, he had his own son, whom he named Methuselah.

Methuselah means ‘his death will bring it’. But what is this “it” that Methuselah’s death will bring? And why did his father give him such an ominous name? Can you imagine raising a child like that? Every time he catches a cold, the whole village would probably panic and worry that he will die, and then “it” will come!

Now, Enoch was a man who walked with God. He was so close to God, that he was the only one in the genealogy who did not experience death – God took him away.

Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

Genesis 5:24

Since he walked with God, the name Methuselah must have come from God. In fact, the “it” that was brought about by Methuselah’s death was the Great Flood during Noah’s time [read Genesis 7]. The year that Methuselah died was the year that the whole earth was flooded. Methuselah is the longest living man in records – he lived 969 years! And the floods came exactly 969 years after his birth.

Don’t believe this? Well, do the maths!

²¹ When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah.

²⁵ When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech.

²⁷Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died.

²⁸ When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. ²⁹ He named him Noah and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed.”

⁶ Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth.

Genesis 5:21, 25, 27, 28 & Genesis 7:6

God was using Enoch to warn the people of the Great Flood that would befall them. Amazing, eh?

Here’s another one for you (this time without the maths):

Earlier, I mentioned that Genesis 5 is a genealogy from Adam to Noah. If you didn’t know, all those names are actually Hebrew names. And like your name and my name, they have their own meaning.

Now I will tell you what the names of Adam’s descendants are, and their meanings, according to the order of their birth.

Adam – Man
Seth – Appointed
Enosh – Mortal
Kenan – Sorrow
Mahalalel – The Blessed God
Jared – Shall Come Down
Enoch – Teaching
Methuselah – His Death Shall Bring
Lamech – The Despairing
Noah – Rest, or Comfort

Now, lets string the meanings of the names together in a sentence:

Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the Blessed God shall come down, teaching. His death shall bring the despairing rest (or comfort).

And that is what the Christian Gospel is about! Long before the prophets even wrote about it, God had already set in motion His divine plan to send his Son, Jesus, to die for us, that we may attain rest and eternal life in Him!

This just goes to show just how much God really does love us. He was well aware of the suffering that we go through everyday, and now through Christ Jesus, we can come to the Father and just lay down our burdens before Him. Let him take care of it all.

²⁷ “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. ²⁸ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! ²⁹ And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. ³⁰ For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹ But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Luke 12:27-31

Hope you were blessed! =)

Guard Your Heart.

2011-01-23T08:50:00.006+08:00

In the NIV version Proverbs 4:23 reads:

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Here's a song by Steve Green entitled "Guard Your Heart".

Oh, be careful little eyes what you see

Oh, be careful little eyes what you see

For the Father up above Is looking down in love

Oh, be careful little eyes what you see

What appears to be harmless glance?

Can turn to romance

And homes are divided

Feelings that should never have been

Awakened within

Tearing the heart in two

Listen, I beg of you

Guard your Heart

Guard your Heart

Don't trade it for treasure

Don't give it away

Guard your Heart

Guard your Heart

As a payment for pleasure

It's high price to pay

For a soul that remains sincere with conscience clear

Guard your Heart

The human heart is easily swayed

And often betrayed at the hand of emotion

You dare not leave the outcome to chance

You must choose in advance

Or live with the agony

Such needless tragedy

Guard your Heart

Guard your Heart

Don't trade it for treasure

Don't give it away

Guard your Heart

Guard your Heart

As a payment for pleasure It's high price to pay

Guard your Heart

Guard your Heart

Don't trade it for treasure

Don't give it away

Guard your Heart

Guard your Heart

As a payment for pleasure It's high price to pay

For a soul that remains sincere with conscience clear

Guard your Heart.

Rich or Poor?

2011-01-16T10:54:00.001+08:00

As a child in primary school, I remember playing a game with my fellow friends called ‘Orang kaya, Orang miskin’ [directly translated as ‘Rich man, Poor man’]. One person would stand apart from the rest. That lone person was the Orang kaya, and we were the poor ones. Basically, we would chant a song which would require the Orang kaya to choose people to join him and become fellow Orang kaya. The last one left as the Orang miskin would be declared the loser.

I remember how we thoroughly enjoyed that game, and how we fervently hoped that we wouldn’t be left as the last Orang miskin. And now that I consider it, it is very obvious that even in the real world, we still play this game.

No one wants to be the poor man. We all want to cross over to the rich man’s playground. We want to be rich. We want to have the spending power to buy whatever our hearts’ desire is. Frankly, there are very few of us who would not want to be as rich as, say, the billionaire, Bill Gates, if we were given the opportunity.

Among the students in Kolej Teknologi Timur, I trust that many will go on to become successful dentists and doctors, and if you go into the private sector, you might be able to make a lot of money. And I believe that it is common knowledge that there are some of us who chose this profession for its monetary benefits, above all else.

But ask yourself, is it really worth it to slog day and night just so that you can see the figures in your bank account multiply? Is it really necessary to own that dream Ferrari that you have always wanted, just so that you can show off to others? Is this what life really is about? If it is, then what else is there left to live for once you have accomplished it all?

There certainly is nothing wrong with being wealthy. In fact, God Himself wants to ensure that we live our lives comfortably. But what are our motives?

Jesus gave us a parable concerning a rich man who stored up treasures for himself:

¹⁶ And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.¹⁷ He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
¹⁸ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. ¹⁹ And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

²¹ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Luke 12:16-21 [NIV]

The rich man in the parable did not have the right motives, and his heart was chasing after something that was material. He was chasing after riches for the sake of it. What he did not realise was that the very day that he gathered those riches would be his last day on earth. How then would he enjoy those riches?

Jesus teaches us that it would be far better to store our riches somewhere where ‘moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal’ [Matthew 6:20].

And that place is Heaven.

Being rich in material things will get you nowhere. It will only serve to gain you the attention of robbers, the envy of others, the awe of the public, and the headache of having to maintain that rich lifestyle and reputation.

But storing treasures in heaven works on a different plane. Storing treasures in heaven gains you eternal life. It takes you so much closer to God. It gives you so much more joy and completion than the things of the world can give you. The things and people in this world can hurt you and break you and tear you apart, but God will never ever do that to you, because He loves you too much to hurt you.

So where will you store your treasures? What riches are you chasing after?

It’s your call.

Rich and poor have this in common:
The LORD is the Maker of them all.

Proverbs 22:2 [NIV]

Pick-me-up For A Bad Day

2011-01-10T23:20:00.000+08:00

If you've ever felt depressed or seriously considered throwing in the towel, watch this video. It put a smile on my face. It will put one on yours.

New Year Resolutions! Again.

2011-01-03T15:16:00.003+08:00

I challenge all of you to do something now. Go and dig up the half-shredded piece of notebook paper (provided you still keep it) with all your new year resolutions for the year 2010. Go down the list and be honest with yourself. How many of those resolutions did you accomplish?

The famous motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar, once wrote in his excellent book 'Over The Top' of a time when he visited a gym to in January, shortly after New Year's Day. He had been going regularly to get in shape and had made this one of his long-term goals. On that day, however, the gym was packed with people, which was a rare sight. He asked the worker at the desk what was going on. The man smiled and told him to come back in a few weeks. 'These are the 'new year's resolution' people.' In a few weeks the gym would be back to normal.

Tragically, it's often far easier to set a goal than to diligently pursue it, much less finish it. Even more saddening is that this happens in the Christian life as well. How many of us have grown cold over the years, our commitment to God's cause having become nothing more than a distant memory? God's heart is grieved when we become like the seeds that fall on rocky ground or among bushes, and do not bear fruit. (Luke 8: 13-14)

Jesus said:
I am the vine, and you are the branches. Those that remain in Me, and I in them, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without Me. (John 15:5)

The foundation for persevering in our walk with Christ lies with Christ Himself. And we need to anchor ourselves to Him, and renew our commitment daily. One of the best daily habits to cultivate is that of Bible journalling, to study the Bible and write down our reflections on God's Word. You can do it in a blank notebook, or even better, there are several journals at Christian bookshops specifically for this purpose. A systematic Bible reading plan would be invaluable as well. I just started this habit not long ago, and am beginning to see the benefits: peace of mind, a deeper understanding of God's Word, and a clearer picture of God and His Truths.

Ultimately, it comes down to trusting in Jesus, and committing our lives to Him. It is like training to be an athlete; every day, the commitment must be renewed, and training must be conducted. Paul writes,
That is why I run straight for the finishing line; that is why I am like a boxer who does not waste his punches. I harden my body with blows and bring it under complete control, to keep myself from being disqualified after having called others to the contest. (1 Corinthians 9: 26-27)

So what are your resolutions for the year 2011? May you go forward and accomplish them for the glory of God. At the same time, always trust in Jesus as you run the most important race of your life--your life itself! Work hard so that at the end of December 2011, you can proudly bring out your old piece of paper, tick off every item, and mark the list COMPLETED.

More importantly, may we run the race, fight the good fight and keep the faith, so that at the end of our life when we stand before God, He says to us: 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant!'

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011!

‘Tis The Season?

2010-12-25T03:07:00.001+08:00

It’s Christmas! Whee! It is the time of the year for ‘goodwill to man’, giving, and forgiving. The season when we remember the greatest gift of all – the birth of the Lord Jesus in a humble manger.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

John 3:16-17 [NIV]

It is often at this time of the year that we truly make time to thank God for giving us a Saviour so that we will not have to face eternal damnation. It is also at this time of the year that we decide that we should be nice to people, and we would go around with good wishes to friends and foes alike. We would forgive the mistakes of our acquaintances and declare our love for practically everyone we know.

The question is: Do we only do this during Christmas? Or do we also do all that for the rest of the 364 days in the year?

I was watching a Christmas-themed episode of the kids’ cartoon Kim Possible with my younger sister when the arch nemesis of Kim Possible, Dr Draken unexpectedly invited her to celebrate Christmas with him, declaring that “ ‘Tis the season for goodwill. I will declare a truce for the season and get my freak on after Christmas”.

As innocent as it may seem, it got me thinking: Are we, too, like Dr Draken, forgiving and making peace only during Christmas?

Forgiving people is an extremely difficult task for most people to do. It might be even harder than asking for forgiveness, especially when the hurt runs deep. Often we think that we have forgiven, but when the issue is brought up again, we can’t help but feel that prick of pain stabbing at our hearts again.

To forgive isn’t as simple as saying ‘It’s alright. I accept your apology. No big deal.” To forgive is to not be filled with hurt and rage each time you think about the incident. To forgive is to not hold anything against the person or persons involved. To forgive is to be able to call that person “friend” and truly care for him or her. To forgive is being able to look past the mistakes that were made and the hurt that was caused.

As impossible as it may seem, it is imperative that we learn to forgive, no matter what time of the year it is. The Bible too records Jesus teaching His disciples to forgive:

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Matthew 18:21-22 [NIV]

Jesus Himself forgave the very people who persecuted Him as He hung dying on the cross. Overflowing with mercy and love, He asked the Father to not hold their sins against them, ‘for they do not know what they are doing’. If the Almighty God can forgive us of our sins, who are we to deny forgiveness to another, when we are nowhere near perfect ourselves?

It may not always be easy to sincerely say “I forgive you”, but then again, neither is it impossible. Ask the Lord to teach you and help you forgive others. Also ask Him to help you to do it all year round, not just during Christmas, for forgiveness should not and must not be confined to a short period of time each year. You will soon find that forgiving isn’t such a difficult thing to do after all. All it takes is the perfect love of God within us to guide and lead us.

Have a blessed Christmas as you remember and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. :)

Christmas Celebration!

2010-12-24T12:50:00.034+08:00

22nd December 2010 : Christmas Celebration in KTT was fantastic! =D

Praise and Worship!

Emceeeess

Pastor Dave Yeoh

Awesome choir!

Beautiful Christmas kolam by ICS!

Deco preparations

Mr. and Ms. Snowman

30 seconds dating :)

Awww..... =)

Praise God for such a wonderful celebration!

Thank you to everyone who had a part to play in this event :

- All the committee members for planning, preparing and sacrificing time to make things work! I know we did many things behind the scenes, sacrificing our study time to get things done properly. Thank you for setting up the DU, and taking initiative to set up the place, despite how much tiredness it brings. It really amazed me to see you to be the first to move, and do everything without complaining. Like the Bible says, in that way, "We may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which we shine like stars in the universe." I love eleven of you!

- The performers! You guys did a wonderful job! Thank you for giving your utmost commitment to practice almost everyday and putting all your effort into your singing, acting, playing music!

a) Choir - I remember being in DU right before the event, and you guys had one of your last practices in the LH above. Your voices rang throughout the whole college. It was so powerful and rich!

b) Lifehouse Skit - For all our practices, and bringing this precious message throughout the skit, and all the spontaneous moments that came out of our practices, and the bonding time through the "girl talks" and "guy talks", and Ben being soo spontaneous, etc etc.

c) Duet - Rachel, Esther, and Riss - The talent God blessed each of you with was so outstanding, and it really made my heart rejoice to watch three of you using your great God-given talents with this beautiful song, and giving God back all the honour and love He is worth of! =)

- Indian Cultural Society (ICS) for spending many hours to produce such a beautiful Christmas kolam! Thank you for volunteering to make this effort!

- Every person who came! We are really very glad to see all of you come and just have fun to celebrate Christmas with us!

And most of all, we have to thank JESUS for being our reason to celebrate Christmas!

You are the reason for this season.

Thank You for filling our hearts with so much joy and love, that everything we did was for You, and no one else. Not even ourselves. You have taught us to be selfless, and now, we use all our talents, time and energy to celebrate Your birth this great season!

"Christmas isn't Christmas til' it happens in your heart..."

Merry Christmas! XD

Just Remember

2010-12-17T00:20:00.001+08:00

Hey you.

Yes, YOU.

The one who just got their exam results. The one who may or may not be happy with that score that was scrawled on your paper. The one who either wore a brilliant smile or put on a frown or even shed more than a few tears. Here’s something for YOU.

If you are one of those people who have been so blessed with satisfactory or amazing results, remember this:

You couldn’t have done it without God, without His blessings of wisdom, knowledge and understanding.

If you feel that your academic excellence is because you have a mind that is so sharp, so capable of absorbing and understanding your studies with ease, remember this:

Your intellectual ability was a gift from God. You couldn’t have created that mind of yours on your own.

If you think that you achieved what you got solely because you put in so much effort, remember this:

You were only able because God made it possible for you, and that He gave you the strength to do it. Otherwise, you might have faltered along the way.

If you are one of those people who did not achieve the mark that was set for you, and you are upset about it. remember this:

You have many more chances, and that God did not and will never abandon you. There is something to learn from every mistake and error.

If you feel that there is no way that you would ever be as good as the next person, remember this:

You are special – gifted in your own way. Do not be discouraged or disheartened. Do not give up, because He has not and will never give up on you. He is always there to pick you up when you fall, and to nurture you towards excellence.

If you think that failure is a sign that God is no longer with you, and you want to blame God for it all, remember this:

You were made in the image of God. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He will never give you a burden and leave you to stumble around in the darkness with it., all alone. He is always right next to you to offer you His guiding hand.

Through every storm in life, through every painful journey you take, through the times of rejoicing, and through the celebrations of life, remember this:

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 [NIV]

“But BLESSED is the man…

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…who trusts in the LORD,

whose confidence is in Him.

He will be like a tree planted by the water

that sends out its roots by the stream;

It does not fear when heat comes;

its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8

We all want to be blessed. I suppose it is part of human nature to want the good in life, and there is hardly any wrong in that. We loathe it when things get bad, and we look for a way to blame someone else for our predicaments. More often than not, when we can find no mortal man to blame, we turn to God and say, “You did this to me!” in our most irrational state of mind.

But what does the Lord say? Believe it or not, He wants to bless us, to keep us with Him at all times. He wants so much for us to be like the ‘tree planted by the water’ – the one that will not wither in the scorching heat, the one that will not cease to bear fruit.

And there IS a way to attain that blessing. In Deuteronomy 10:12, He tells us just what to do:

…what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul

It is not always easy to walk in His ways, and sometimes we wander off the straight and narrow path, but He has given us His Holy Spirit to be our Counsellor and Friend. If we are willing to live our lives wholeheartedly for Him, and if we are willing to surrender even the smallest area of our lives to Him, then serving the LORD ‘with all your heart and with all your soul’ will not be so impossible anymore.

The ‘year of drought’ can be equated to the hard times that we have, all those things that we would categorize as “Bad Things That Should Not Happen To Good People Like Me”. Notice how God does not promise us a problem-free life. What He does tell us is that, even in the face of trouble, we will still be able to stand tall and continue to ‘bear fruit’. This can and will happen when we decide to place our full confidence and faith in God, because He will be in absolute control, and everything He does will be for our good, although we may not realise it immediately.

So when the heat comes and burns you, what will you do?

Will you blame God for it, or will you trust in Him with unwavering faith and confidence?

It is YOUR choice.

God bless! (:

The Will of God

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I was leafing through some things of mine when I found a bulletin from the first time I attended Nilai Gospel Chapel. There was a poem on the cover, and I remember I smiled the first time I read it. I’m sharing this, in hope that it may inspire, comfort, touch, or simply bring a smile to you the way it did for me. Enjoy. =)

Christmas!

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Christmas plannings are underway!

As we've announced last week (17th Nov 2010), we have come up with a mime and a choir for Christmas. It's going to be exciting and FUN! Please give your names to Rachel Ling by Wednesday (24th Nov 2010) to join.

Don't worry if you're camera shy. We have many roles involved :
a) Actors and actresses
b) Stage manager
c) Lighting
d) Props

We definitely have a place for you!

Christmas Captain Ball!
Date : 14th December 2010
Time : Evening (to be confirmed)
Teams : 6 guys, 4 girls in one team

Just submit your names to Jacinta aka Boy by this Friday (26th Nov 2010). We can arrange the teams for you. This is open to any and every student in KTT.

Don't worry if you can't play sports.
It's all about the FUN! =D

So many fun and exciting activities coming up;
don't miss out,
be A PART of them! =)

From No Limbs, to No Limits

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Nick Vujicic is a 24 year old man with a BIG heart :)

The 2010 KTT CF Shirt is here!

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Hey everyone! Good news. The KTT CF Shirt is here already.

You can come pick it up from me, Corine, starting tomorrow (:

Oh yeah, and if we can get about a dozen more orders, we can actually do a reprint. So if you're still interested, you can always come look for me.

Have a blessed weekend everyone!

The 2010 KTT CF Shirt (:

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Hey guys. If you didn't come to CF last week, then you probably have no idea that you can now place orders for your very own KTT CF shirt.

You can send in your orders to me, Corine, latest by Wednesday.

The price quota we have so far should be less than RM20.

We have sizes XS, S, M and L.

If you guys hurry, we should get then by 10th November.

So please. Place your orders as soon as possible.

Front.

Back

God bless (: Tell your friends about the shirt too!

Exams!

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Exams are looming, and anxiety sets in. Cut-off points to pass, expectations to meet, scores to improve on. The prospect of entering the examination hall grips you like a fever, prompting you to study, to push yourself that extra mile.

Mental fatigue sets in, but you persevere, wading through, looking for the proverbial ‘light at the end of the tunnel’. And when you turn to the person next to you, and you see them diving intensely into their great pile of books, you will yourself to do the same.

It is so easy to give up. So easy to say “I can’t do this”. So easy to sigh and proclaim “I’m just not good enough”.

But we tend to forget, that when we give up, there is always someone who won’t. When we let go, there’s still someone who will hold on and pull you back up.

And that person is our Abba, Father.

From the very beginning, He has always been there, to hold us gently as He leads us and walks beside us. He’s not only present when things are going great, He’s also there when we go through all those ‘downs’.

If the God who named each star in the universe (which has about 3 to 7x10²² stars!) is also the God who knows the very number of hairs on your head, then surely He will never leave you nor forsake you. And think about it, if He spent time creating you in His image, then you must be worth a whole lot.

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 [NIV]

So when you feel discouraged, and you feel like giving up, remember that God is always there for you, and that His promises stand through the ages. Look to Him, and you will never be disappointed. He loves you more than you could ever fathom.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7 [NLT]

Face your exams with courage, giving all glory to the One who deserves it. Do your very best, sit back and let God take His rightful place in the driver’s seat.

God bless, and all the best! :)

Hope

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But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 41:20

Do you have any idea how powerful this verse is? There are many things we put our hopes in, with a self-assurance that it will not fail us. We put our hopes in our studies, career, certain people, maybe some of us, money. The norm believes that money is the license to fulfill your desires. Maybe to go on an expensive holiday, buy a brand new car, shopping, etc. In reality, it is true that money does enable us to have possessions others may not have, or perhaps a top-notch quality of something.

But the love of these things are only temporary. On the frank side, you will never be satisfied with what you have. These hopes are fallacious, they make you, and then break you.

But hope in the Almighty Creator, whose description is beyond explication, who created the heavens and the earth, is unfailing.

The ultimate unfailing love that we can ever have. A relationship that grows through intimacy and trust, that will fill your life with an acceleration of hope and love.

God bless you heaps!

KTT Soup Kitchen- October 9, 2010

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It was late on a sleepy Saturday morning when a handful of young gentlemen made a somewhat surreptitious trek to the female living quarters. No, not what you think. They were loaning their strength to help carry trays of rice, peanuts, and sambal, as well as a huge pot of steaming hot mushroom soup, down to the Bintang Walk of our college. Earlier, the industrious ladies of the CF had been cooking through the night (and in some cases well into the morning) in order to produce the food now being transported to the Bintang Walk. The guys, on the other hand, had been carrying tables and chairs to the same location, getting everything ready for the big event.

It all started a couple of weeks before that, seeking the Holy Spirit during our morning prayer at Campus Revolution, when we sensed that God was showing us that we should have a soup kitchen, or a distribution of free meals. Taking time, manpower and budget allocation into consideration, we decided to cook free nasi lemak for the entire college that day. The idea was consolidated through several meetings and continuous prayer, and eventually took form as we prepared for the event during the week up to the 9th of October.

Now, the whole CF committee was mobilised to get everything ready. Tables were arranged, chairs were placed, servers took their stations beside the hot steaming food, and the rest of the workforce placed themselves to welcome the hungry guests.

The steady trickle of people began to build into a real crowd as afternoon approached. The small tables were quickly filled. Conversations started, jokes were exchanged, new friends were made. It was a great time of fellowship--a golden opportunity to share the love of God through a simple act of kindness.

The event ended after 2.30pm, and the tables and chairs were returned, the rubbish was packed up and promptly disposed of, and the excited team of dedicated KTTians gathered for a quick debriefing. We left with high spirits. It was our CF's first major event since we inherited the baton from our seniors. We prayed for lives to be blessed, and for the effects of our small act of kindness to snowball into something bigger in the lives of others. More than anything, we prayed for people to come to know the source of the true joy that resides in the heart of every true worshipper. May God bless KTT, and may we keep loving our college until it loves Jesus back! Amen and amen!

Welcome To Our New Website!

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Hey everyone! Greetings in Jesus’ name!

Welcome to Kolej Teknologi Timur (KTT) Christian Fellowship’s new website! For the first time, our Christian Fellowship has its own home on the web. And we’re excited about it!

For those of you who are still in doubt, we are the new committee of the Christian Fellowship. After the seniors officially retired from active service, the baton is in our hands now. We pray that God will continue to lead us and that we will achieve even greater things in His name, both this year and the years to come!

CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP COMMITTEE

President- I-vonne Lim
Vice President 1- Benjamin Oh
Vice President 2- Loo Xiu Jing
Secretary- Geraldine Una Jetony
Treasurer- Joseph Lim Yong Kee
Praise and Worship Coordinator- Lynton Edviano Loo
Prayer Group 1 Coordinator (Campus Revo)- Jude Raphael Bajagap
Prayer Group 2 Coordinator (Campus Revo)- Esther Tan
Event Coordinator- Corine Tangau
Music Coordinator- Rachel
Sports Coordinator- Jacinta Toimin
Media and Publicity Coordinator- Chia Yong Kuang

Remember guys, our website does not belong only to us, it belongs to you! So feel free to contribute and add colour to this little niche in cyberspace. We welcome testimonies, devotionals, wholesome jokes or even your musings for the day. If you have any comments, feel free to drop in your two cents’ worth—any constructive comments are greatly appreciated.
Have a great day, and see you around!