Tag Archive for 'Faith'

1st year of work

Published
by
David
on September 4, 2007
in General
. 0 Comments

Whoa. Time sure flies, doesn’t it?

4th of September.

The day I joined my current company, exactly one year ago.

God’s been so good, this one year. Indeed, He has been my shepherd and I have not lacked. I have wanted, not really needed, but God in His grace has provided. He knew the desires of my heart, and held me to my word.

2007 : Year of Venture

It’s September! Soon it’ll be October, November, then December. I haven’t had much time to reflect on the past 8 months, but I sure have ventured to quite a bit. Not exactly ground breaking, or church planting, or evangelism explosion .. but just life in itself is quite the adventure!

Woohoo!

post-break-mortem

Published
by
David
on August 12, 2007
in Faith and Love
. 5 Comments

Going home for a good 6 days did me a lot of good. As I look back at the time spent in Penang, I didn’t think about work, nor ministry, nor a lot of things in my life. All I did was … be who I am.

I often say this .. that at work, people always expect you to behave professionally. Portray a mature, sharp, and bold front that will leave a good impression on others, especially clients. Somehow, after working for 11 months, this behavior has somewhat seeped into my being, and it hasn’t left a good taste with many of my friends. And with me too, if I might add.

Coming back to .. being who I really am. When you’re with family .. you cannot hide who you really are. Cause they know you so well, they know your inside out .. how you behave .. and if you try to be fake, you’ll really be really FAKE. I’m so thankful that I still have both my parents around, and that they accept me for who I really am. That really provided me a place where I can just be myself and not be judged or looked upon as an eye-sore.

As I think of this, it’s such an amazing display of love by my parents. They have never really said that they’re proud of me, which is something that I’ve longed to hear from them for the longest time now .. but … from their actions and unsaid words, I realize that they REALLY ARE proud, and love me for who I am. Just as Christ loves me for who I am. Who could ask for more?

Being at home, being myself helped to flush out all the world’s influence in my life. Sometimes … I’m sure we get a lot of worldly values, viewpoints, methodologies, influence that might not necessarily be good for us. If we’re not careful, and if we are not transformed by the renewing our minds daily, as Romans 12 puts it .. we will conform! And these worldly things will influence and affect the way we behave. If we don’t guard our hearts, these things will seep in and harden it.

Most of the time, we get caught up with so many things that we may not have the time to renew our minds .. because we’re bombarded with a gazillion things every single minute. After 11 months of it, I knew I needed a break. And this break has flushed all of it out.

How do I know it has? Because I have a renewed passion and perspective towards the major things in my life. Take work for example. I can’t wait to get back to work tomorrow. I’m excited .. for the things I have to pick up as I get back into my .. leather running shoes and run in the rat race once more.

My heart has also been renewed. My love for God, my parents, my girlfriend, and the people around me feels pure and unadulterated. It is not fabricated, but compelled by the love that Christ has showered upon me.

This break has done me so much good. Are you due for a much needed … flushing?

catalyst

Published
by
David
on July 31, 2007
in Faith and Love
. 2 Comments

From Dictionary.com,

“something that causes activity between two or more persons or forces without itself being affected”

This definition of the word catalyst is amazing. When I was describing how my relationship started, the word catalyst came to me and I gave it a bit of thought before I saved a draft of it.

You might be thinking: Someone caused an activity between this ah boy and ah girl (from nowforth, shall be known as!), without itself being affected .. Well, you’d be disappointed to know that you thought wrong. Hah.

Before this, I’ve always felt like I was CAPPED. Like there was a limit to what God could do with my life. I have tried to break through that persistent glass ceiling that has hovered above my relationship with God for the longest time with my own strength, but to no avail. I had full knowledge of what limited me, and knew the right steps to overcome it, but never could. The frustrations of having an invisible barrier that blocks God’s destiny, purpose and plan for my life has been getting the better of me for the longest time now.

Then ah girl came along.

She, without being affected by anything .. caused my relationship with God to leapfrog to a greater level beyond my very own reach, much like a catalyst.

sudden realization

Published
by
David
on July 18, 2007
in General
. 7 Comments

that I have been so blessed, so loved by God through her.

I was telling a friend about how I have not had a reaction to all these that’s happening and .. suddenly, as I sat at my desk and thought about her ..

I felt overwhelmed ..

..  and shed a tear of sheer joy.

second first time

Published
by
David
on July 17, 2007
in Love
. 7 Comments

What about the first time?

I remember when I was young and stupid, I fell into my first relationship. [It was a trap, I tell you.] There was this girl, who was just coming off a breakup and was happily looking for a rebound. Then I came along, and got shipped to coupleland.

2 months later, I called it off and she cried like .. the whole world was gonna end. 2 weeks after, she was with another dud.

I remember when I was young and stupid.

I thank God that He rescued me at the most essential time of my life where I truly discovered Him, and from there discovered my identity in Him. I recognized at that time, no relationship is worth keeping if it keeps me away from what God had for me at that very frame of time in my life. It was then that my calling of leadership was reinforced and my character was shaped.

Six and a half years later, I’m at my second first time.

This time, it really feels like a first time. Yesterday, as I referred to her as my girlfriend for the very first time, I froze and had goosebumps all over my body.

Ah, guess some things just takes getting used to.

Like holding hands. I have not touched her at all, actually. Interesting, aye? Never felt like I needed to. Was talking to someone about the physical and non-physical aspects of closeness, and I guess after the first very physical relationship [It was a trap, I tell you. She taught me all the bad stuff!], I’m just a bit wary with the physical side of things.

But just as long as we’re both comfortable and within the boundaries of a good Christian couple, right? Right.

I hope I get it right this first time.

I can only imagine - Mercy Me

Published
by
David
on July 12, 2007
in General
. 0 Comments

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By Your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When Your face
Is before me
I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for You Jesus or in awe of You be still
Will I stand in Your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son
I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You
I can only imagine

- Mercy Me

Indeed, I can only imagine.

I’m leading worship this weekend, and just sitting down and planning for it just makes me tremble in my pants. Coming off a busy week, with an impending deadline tomorrow .. I am super glad that I have completed my section of the proposal. Now, I am just the office boy who prints, compiles and binds.

In the midst of this .. at the back of my head .. I am still mindful of the great outpouring that I am expecting God to display this weekend. Here are the songs I’m using:

  • You, You Are God - C [by Gateway Worship]
  • For Who You Are - A [Hillsong]
  • Worthy to be Praised - E [Planet Shakers]
  • History Maker - C [Delirious]

Pray along!

closer to, or further away?

Published
by
David
on July 8, 2007
in Faith and Love
. 7 Comments

I think relationships that don’t draw you closer to God are NOT worth the effort. Pastor Michael Rowan slapped a very provoking challenge night before yesterday as he ended with the following words,

Some of you need to dump someone tonight.

Nicely done. Very noice.

On the contrary, I thank God that a recent venture into a relationship has drawn me closer to God, driving me to strive for the level of holiness that God has set apart specifically for me. The desire for purity in all aspects of my life is spurred on by the consideration of the one I am to one day cleave to.

If only she knew the depth of this fact.

One day.

church worship

Published
by
David
on July 7, 2007
in General
. 1 Comment

I was reading the book, “A Spiritual Guide to Thinking About Christian Worship Today” .. and a phrase caught my eye. It goes like this:

We are not going to church; YOU are the Church - and we go to worship so that we learn how to be Church.

It’s a sad moment when people have the perception that going to church makes them Christian. Beyond that, they think the acts of worship such as singing and dancing and the lifting of hands are ACTUALLY true acts of worship. A scripture that I hold close to my heart, and remember always is in Romans 12:1 which says,

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

Yeah, the lifting of hands and singing and dancing maybe the physical act of worship, but God seeks worshipers who worship in spirit and in truth, in John 4:23,

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

I guess the challenge is .. to not JUST appear like we are worshipping, but truly bring our lives to submission to the lordship of Jesus and honour Him not just in worship services but out in the world where it matters.

I’ll be leading worship in service this coming weekend and it’s tough. It’s particularly tough when you’ve got a deadline right smack in the middle of the week, possibly affecting my preparation time. But is leading worship just mere preparation? Of course not. Large bulk of it requires preparation .. but it’s in the consecration and offering of the body as a living sacrifice that makes the difference.

Suddenly it doesn’t seem as daunting anymore. Why?

Because if the daily consecration portion has been set in place, there wouldn’t be a need to put in the extra effort to “get up to speed” .. so to speak. I used to take a long time to prepare, and I end up really stressed because I just wasn’t “spiritually fit” enough. But things have changed since the “daily consecration” revelation dawned upon me.

I hope it’ll help you too.

imitate their faith

Published
by
David
on June 26, 2007
in General
. 7 Comments

Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.

- Hebrews 13:7 (NASB)

I thought I’d set the pace for this blog on the first entry.

When we were young, we used to imitate the older kor kors and che ches, do what they do, monkey see monkey do .. but as we grow older that trait somehow takes a back seat.

Yes, there are those who still follow what others do, like smoke and what other bad habits there be in the world, but where are the imitators of the examplary men and women today? The degeneration of values certainly has got something, if not everything to do with the lack of godly role models in our world today. While it is easy to look at the world and point out its shortcomings, I take a back seat and see how I, a mere mortal can help strengthen the value-system of the world.

I look back not-too-distant into my life from now, where my decisions were major ones that would determine my future such as what course I should take in college, uni, where I should find a job, what car to buy, what to spend my money on, where should I stay … were in one way or another, helped by the consultation of a more godly and mature Christian.

When I was in college, my Christian Fellowship advisor that has a fat cat told me to decide on a course, close my eyes .. and run on it until I was at the finish line.

When I was in university, I kept focus on the completion of my tertiary education through the consultation of a spiritual father who later, which I will share about in detail.

When I started work, I had spiritual brothers and sisters that walked beside me, teaching me values that I should keep at the workplace, encouraged me to be excellent at everything that I do for a living.

Even between the major junctures, I’ve had the priviledge to encounter great older friends who are willing to listen to my childish rants, and after, give me a greater perspective of their life for me to look forward to.

Mostly male, they’re either attached, or married. I suppose, at this moment in my life .. things seem to be moving in that direction where guidance is essential to ensure that things get off on the right foot.

God’s foot.

Coming back to my spiritual father. He is my spiritual father, because my earthly father made him to be. See, he and my dad used to work in the same bank, and my dad used to say to him,

“James, can you talk to my son?”
“About what?”
“His studies, and how much time he’s spending in church ..”
“Why can’t YOU talk to him?”
*pause
“*tsk* Just talk to him la.”

As I evaluate my own life, I begin to see traits that I have adopted [some even to the extent of their facial expressions, cause they do it so much when I talk to them that I also find myself doing it] from them. Some I pick up principles, some values, some attitudes .. you get my point. Why? Because I see the results of their conduct. And God’s blessings are obviously upon them.

And evidently, upon me too .. as I imitate them. That’s another story, for another day.

I thank God for the people He has placed in my life. Not only James, but the many that have attracted me to imitiate their faith.

So, consider the result of the conduct of the those that lead you, and imitate them.

draw near to me, and I will draw near to you

Published
by
David
on May 22, 2007
in General
. 4 Comments

This morning, as I spent some time with God .. a simple but fundamental truth came to me. It’s not something that I don’t know but after being on autopilot for sometime even the easiest, simplest truths slip off.

“Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.”
- James 4:8a

The verse doesn’t say,”God will draw near to you, if you draw near to Him.” It’s an active effort on our part where we are to draw near to God, consciously, purposely .. and He will then draw near to us. It’s such an easy truth.  Easy to sideline too, I must add.

Then I thought. He’s like a lover who waits patiently for his loved one to respond. He sings, dances, and woos her relentlessly, even though she doesn’t even respond to his gestures. When she wakes in the morning, he sits at her bed and waits for a greeting. She rushes off to get ready for the day, and he sits there, expectantly.

She goes off to work, settles down and starts on her paperwork. He comes alongside, and gently tugs at the string of her heart .. but busyness overcomes her conscience. She gets absorbed into the hustle and bustle of the day, and slowly, draw away from him.

She arrives home, all beaten up from the workload of the day and sits on her bed. He lays beside her, just waiting for a thought. Just a thought of him, would have brought a smile on his face.

I guess that’s what God does. He just waits for us to draw near to Him, even if it’s just a thought .. and He’ll respond so swiftly, with so much love you can never deny. Imagine how He feels.

Hmm..

I could relate too.

David[hmm]