I wanted to save a draft of this entry and continue it later, but apparently it wasn't saved, so I've to rewrite it.
The first thing I see is that God is powerful and mighty, Lord over all, completely impervious to the ways of men yet not unaware of them (verses 1-6). Yet He is also exceedingly loving and generous (verses 7-9). I am amused at the contrasts the psalmist presents - the God who rebukes and scoffs at people in power who plot against Him and rebel against His decrees, is the same God who says He would give us the nations if we asked Him.
When you think about these people in power as described in the psalm - all those kings and rulers, right? Aren't they the same people who would want nations to conquer and rule?
Simply put, everything in this world rightfully belongs to God. He created it and rules over everything in it, and the reason why man gets to decide anything at all is because He allows it. If God is happy to grant us the nations when we ask of Him, it means we are allowed to desire the nations! He is not pleased however, when we resort to scheming and conspiracies to fulfil our desires like the kings and rulers described earlier, because then we completely disregard who He is, and His relation to us / our relation to Him.
My interpretation of verses 10-12 for life application is never lose sight of the greatness of God.
There are a few ways to look at it. One is that nothing is impossible with God. We may present God with our bold, even crazy "are-you-insane??" requests, and have faith that He will grant us all that we ask for. After all, they're probably nothing compared to the nations, right?
Another perspective is one of reverence and awe of God. Even respect, yes that might be appropriate too. He is above us in every way, even our lives and our deaths are set by Him, our own character and personality were all His ideas. So really, who are we to turn against Him or away from Him? Even if He has given us the free will to do so, should we still do it?
Lastly, it is also a personal reminder for myself, that immense joy and fulfilment may be found in submitting to His ways and His desires. I've found that out at least once. After all, He's got me all figured out (so to speak), and He loves me, so things do work out, sometimes better than expected. Along the way, I may have gone through many things I would've rather not experienced in doing so, and it's probably my own subjective and short-sighted opinion as to whether or not they were necessary. But I definitely wouldn't want to change anything God's already done in me, and I'm pretty sure I can continue saying that. Even if I don't feel like it at times.
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Monday, 14 July 2008
Psalm 2
The Messiah’s Triumph and Kingdom
In this psalm, it shows that no matter how chaotic the world can be with wars, destruction, hypocrisy, deception and all the negative likes of it, (Psalm 2: 2 – 3) God is still in control of the situation. (Psalm 2: 4 -6) Even though we as His children may be in the midst of all these chaos, God still watches over us, protecting us from harm.
As His children, we have the privilege of being able to come to Him without fear as He always loves us. Anything that we ask of Him, it will be given to us.
Character of God: He is always in control no matter the circumstance, regardless of the situation
Application:
How does this aspect of God’s character affect me in my life?
Knowing that God is in control of my life helps me to be able to trust him in all my circumstance. When all hope seems to be gone, at least I know that I can trust and count on God to help and see me through in every single aspect of my life such as relationship with my parents, friends, colleagues, in my studies, and many more. He will always be there to watch over me.
Posted By: Nat
In this psalm, it shows that no matter how chaotic the world can be with wars, destruction, hypocrisy, deception and all the negative likes of it, (Psalm 2: 2 – 3) God is still in control of the situation. (Psalm 2: 4 -6) Even though we as His children may be in the midst of all these chaos, God still watches over us, protecting us from harm.
As His children, we have the privilege of being able to come to Him without fear as He always loves us. Anything that we ask of Him, it will be given to us.
Character of God: He is always in control no matter the circumstance, regardless of the situation
Application:
How does this aspect of God’s character affect me in my life?
Knowing that God is in control of my life helps me to be able to trust him in all my circumstance. When all hope seems to be gone, at least I know that I can trust and count on God to help and see me through in every single aspect of my life such as relationship with my parents, friends, colleagues, in my studies, and many more. He will always be there to watch over me.
Posted By: Nat
Saturday, 12 July 2008
Psalm 3 - Marcus
But you are a shield around me, O Lord
A traditional shield can only cover one side of the person, and only to a limited extent. But the Word says that God is a shield around me - that means that His protection is complete, and encircles me, hedges me in. what a beautiful promise, that God offers complete and holistic protection. He looks out for my complete being. He sees things that I don't see, He perceives things that I can't perceive. Even whilst David, the psalmist, was facing a popular uprising against him led by his own son, he could still walk without fear because he knew that the Lord protected him completely. Therefore I too can live without fear or worry that the challenges i face in life will overwhelm me - I can trust in the Lord to protect me and guard me in all circumstances.
you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
Even as David was being shamed and ridiculed by his opponents, he knew that the Lord's glory rested on him, and that he did not have to live in shame for the things he has done, or in shame for the things that people say he has done. His glory and pride is in the Lord, who washes him clean and is his righteousness and strength. Likewise, I need not live in fear of what falsehoods others may say about me, or may think about me, neither do I have to live in shame from my mistakes. I can live completely free because Jesus has set me free to lift my head and look upon the Lord's face in awe and wonder. I can live completely free because Jesus is my righteousness - Jesus has won my righteousness on the cross. I can worship and sing and dance in the presence of the Lord because He has set me free!
To the Lord i cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill
God is a God who answers prayer - He does not remain silent. And even if i perceive Him to be silent, it is because He has already spoken and I did not listen. I know that when I take my prayers, my fear, my joy, my anxieties, my praise to God, He responds. Likewise, when we worship Him, He responds as well!
I lie down and sleep; i wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
There are so many mornings that I don't feel like waking up - either because I'm not looking forward to work, or because I'm just so tired, drained and exhausted that I just don't have the strength to get out of bed. But somehow I find the strength to get up and go out - and that is completely because the Lord sustains me. Just as He sustained David during his time of trial, He sustained me during mine - and He continues to sustain me every morning when I wake. He is my strength and my shield, He gives me hope for a better today and a brighter tomorrow. And because He has set me free, He has loved me so, I am able to wake again!
A traditional shield can only cover one side of the person, and only to a limited extent. But the Word says that God is a shield around me - that means that His protection is complete, and encircles me, hedges me in. what a beautiful promise, that God offers complete and holistic protection. He looks out for my complete being. He sees things that I don't see, He perceives things that I can't perceive. Even whilst David, the psalmist, was facing a popular uprising against him led by his own son, he could still walk without fear because he knew that the Lord protected him completely. Therefore I too can live without fear or worry that the challenges i face in life will overwhelm me - I can trust in the Lord to protect me and guard me in all circumstances.
you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
Even as David was being shamed and ridiculed by his opponents, he knew that the Lord's glory rested on him, and that he did not have to live in shame for the things he has done, or in shame for the things that people say he has done. His glory and pride is in the Lord, who washes him clean and is his righteousness and strength. Likewise, I need not live in fear of what falsehoods others may say about me, or may think about me, neither do I have to live in shame from my mistakes. I can live completely free because Jesus has set me free to lift my head and look upon the Lord's face in awe and wonder. I can live completely free because Jesus is my righteousness - Jesus has won my righteousness on the cross. I can worship and sing and dance in the presence of the Lord because He has set me free!
To the Lord i cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill
God is a God who answers prayer - He does not remain silent. And even if i perceive Him to be silent, it is because He has already spoken and I did not listen. I know that when I take my prayers, my fear, my joy, my anxieties, my praise to God, He responds. Likewise, when we worship Him, He responds as well!
I lie down and sleep; i wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
There are so many mornings that I don't feel like waking up - either because I'm not looking forward to work, or because I'm just so tired, drained and exhausted that I just don't have the strength to get out of bed. But somehow I find the strength to get up and go out - and that is completely because the Lord sustains me. Just as He sustained David during his time of trial, He sustained me during mine - and He continues to sustain me every morning when I wake. He is my strength and my shield, He gives me hope for a better today and a brighter tomorrow. And because He has set me free, He has loved me so, I am able to wake again!
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
God gives and takes away.....
This 1 whole week - I was reminded by God abt this..... that He gives and takes away. Last Friday, at SMU cell, when Bob shared and this statement came by, it was as though the entire earth paused and all I felt was..... God's assurance that when He give, He really gives..... but when He takes it away, will I still praise Him as usual?
I came to the point that I had to surrender my rights. Yes, my entire rights to my everything. On Saturday, when Chris shared from Job..... God spoke thru my heart again. This time, I simply fell to my knees knowing that I just needed God to take away all my rights. Still, it's tough but yes, it's easier when we are a step nearer to the end of the race.
What comforts me most is that He gives the best (to His knowledge of coz) and takes what is not good for us (which we sometimes think is good)..... I just want to thank God for the wonderful practice we had, the wonderful job He has provided, the wonderful life He created me to be.
Be Blessed!
I came to the point that I had to surrender my rights. Yes, my entire rights to my everything. On Saturday, when Chris shared from Job..... God spoke thru my heart again. This time, I simply fell to my knees knowing that I just needed God to take away all my rights. Still, it's tough but yes, it's easier when we are a step nearer to the end of the race.
What comforts me most is that He gives the best (to His knowledge of coz) and takes what is not good for us (which we sometimes think is good)..... I just want to thank God for the wonderful practice we had, the wonderful job He has provided, the wonderful life He created me to be.
Be Blessed!
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Psalm 2 - Marcus
Hey folks, I know this one is a bit overdue. Was somewhat overtaken by events over the weekend so couldn't get this up till now. Anyway, my brief thoughts on Psalm 2:
God is a God of Power and Might. He has the power to give and the power to take. He also loves his children - so much so that He has made the world their inheritance if they so choose it. He has a plan for the world, and He has already installed the King of Kings in the place of power and sovereignty over all the earth.
I am reminded not to take Him for granted - to be like the rulers of the earth who serve Him with fear and rejoice with trembling. What an image! But I am reminded that I should not take His Character for granted, that He is everything the Bible says He is. And if He so deigns to give me the world as my inheritance, I should live a life that expresses a worthy response to God's first act of love, salvation and blessing.
God is a God of Power and Might. He has the power to give and the power to take. He also loves his children - so much so that He has made the world their inheritance if they so choose it. He has a plan for the world, and He has already installed the King of Kings in the place of power and sovereignty over all the earth.
I am reminded not to take Him for granted - to be like the rulers of the earth who serve Him with fear and rejoice with trembling. What an image! But I am reminded that I should not take His Character for granted, that He is everything the Bible says He is. And if He so deigns to give me the world as my inheritance, I should live a life that expresses a worthy response to God's first act of love, salvation and blessing.
Friday, 4 July 2008
Psalm 2 reflection - Josh
This is an awesome psalm of promise as well as warning.
For me, God shows up as first being a God of promises. And BIG promises! He's gonna give us the nations! And nothing! Not even the kings of the earth, are going to stand in His way. He has promised us good things, and will also at the same time protect us.
However, I was reminded of the fact that we have to be careful that we do not turn into those kings. Verses 10 & 11 were stark reminders for me, that even as we have been given much, much is expected of us. Being given the title of Pastor, Worship Leader or Musician does not automatically equate to me doing the job well. I have to continue to work at it "with fear and trembling", always remembering why I do what I do and who I am doing it for. And we have to WANT it! Verse 8 says that we must "ask of Him".
Do we desire it? Do I desire it? It comes with consequences too.
*NOTE* Chris, this is where i find one way to help you with your struggle with verse 11. The trembling refers to reverence and awe. The Message translates it as "trembling awe". The NASB cross references it with "reverence". So perhaps the idea is that while we rejoice in Him, the manner and posture that we are to do it in is still one of reverence and awe. I think it is an important point, especially in our season in the Youth Ministry, where rejoicing can sometimes be done in a flippant manner?
For me, God shows up as first being a God of promises. And BIG promises! He's gonna give us the nations! And nothing! Not even the kings of the earth, are going to stand in His way. He has promised us good things, and will also at the same time protect us.
However, I was reminded of the fact that we have to be careful that we do not turn into those kings. Verses 10 & 11 were stark reminders for me, that even as we have been given much, much is expected of us. Being given the title of Pastor, Worship Leader or Musician does not automatically equate to me doing the job well. I have to continue to work at it "with fear and trembling", always remembering why I do what I do and who I am doing it for. And we have to WANT it! Verse 8 says that we must "ask of Him".
Do we desire it? Do I desire it? It comes with consequences too.
*NOTE* Chris, this is where i find one way to help you with your struggle with verse 11. The trembling refers to reverence and awe. The Message translates it as "trembling awe". The NASB cross references it with "reverence". So perhaps the idea is that while we rejoice in Him, the manner and posture that we are to do it in is still one of reverence and awe. I think it is an important point, especially in our season in the Youth Ministry, where rejoicing can sometimes be done in a flippant manner?
Thursday, 3 July 2008
Psalm 2
One character of God that really jumps up at me in the first part of this Psalm would be Justice.
As revealed in Psalm 1, God is fair in His judgement.
"For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous but the way of the wicked will perish." (Psalm 1: 6)
This is most prevalent in verse 4 of Psalm 2, where He expresses His wrath on those who go against Him.
Yet He extends his love, grace and blessing in verses 7-9.
In verse 8, it says, "Ask of me, and i will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession."
Verses 8 to 12 really showed me specifically how this is relevant and applicable to my life.
This is further explained in verses 11 & 12, "Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling (not sure also, but Kenny's explanation does make sense :) any one with a different explanation?). Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him."
I think to 'ask of Him' is not to just call his name when we need His help, or just ask of Him to come into our hearts to be born again (not that we shouldnt). But rather, as highlighted above, to serve Him with reverent fear, to allow Him to be Lord of our lives and to take refuge in Him. For Him to be first in our lives. Having that intimate relationship with Him. To make that choice.
Additionally, in verse 12 it says, "... for his wrath can flare up in a moment..."
I don't think the purpose of this line in verse 12 is to SCARE us, but i think its to encourage us to have that sense of urgency- to ask of Him.
As revealed in Psalm 1, God is fair in His judgement.
"For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous but the way of the wicked will perish." (Psalm 1: 6)
This is most prevalent in verse 4 of Psalm 2, where He expresses His wrath on those who go against Him.
Yet He extends his love, grace and blessing in verses 7-9.
In verse 8, it says, "Ask of me, and i will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession."
Verses 8 to 12 really showed me specifically how this is relevant and applicable to my life.
This is further explained in verses 11 & 12, "Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling (not sure also, but Kenny's explanation does make sense :) any one with a different explanation?). Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him."
I think to 'ask of Him' is not to just call his name when we need His help, or just ask of Him to come into our hearts to be born again (not that we shouldnt). But rather, as highlighted above, to serve Him with reverent fear, to allow Him to be Lord of our lives and to take refuge in Him. For Him to be first in our lives. Having that intimate relationship with Him. To make that choice.
Additionally, in verse 12 it says, "... for his wrath can flare up in a moment..."
I don't think the purpose of this line in verse 12 is to SCARE us, but i think its to encourage us to have that sense of urgency- to ask of Him.
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
Reflections on Psalm 2
Verse 1: Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
Verse 2: The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.
From these 2 verses, it showed me that the very people that God had come to save are the ones that turned against Him. However, from verse 1, it has shown me that all the kings and the nations and its people have plotted in vain against Our Sovereign King. The two words "in vain" in verse 1 sums it all. The world we live in is the place where Satan operates. Satan does not operate in Heaven because he does not belong there. However, he works on this world. The kings of the earth gathered against the Lord and His Anointed One, who is Jesus Christ.
However, the Sovereignty and great power of our Lord is revealed to me from verse 4 and 5. He is a Just God. His character incorporates the element of Just and Wrath. God is love. That is truth. He is merciful and full of grace, yet we must also remember that He is a God of justice as well.
Verse 4: The One enthroned in heaven laughs, the Lord scoffs at them.
Verse 5: Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath saying . . .
Our God is a Just God.
Yet in His wrath against those who oppose Him, God's love and mercy is also showed in this Psalm.
Verse 7: He said to me, "You are my Son, today I have become your Father.
Verse 8: Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.
Verse 9: You will rule them with an iron scepter
From verse 7 to 9, it showed what He has install for us. What He wants to give us. He will make the nations our inheritance. That to me is a GREAT prize and it just shows the amount of love He has for me. All i need to do is ask Him. I will get the nations as my inheritance and the ends of the earth my possession. He simple said, "Ask of me". WOW. He is so full of grace and SO SO generous.
Verse 11: Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.
Verse 12: Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. You will dash them to pieces like pottery."
To me, God is a great gentleman. He gives us a choice. He will never force us. In this Psalm, He has showed us both sides. One, where we can get nations as our inheritance and the ends of the earth our possession. The other side, be destroyed.
God is both a loving AND a just God. We have to understand both sides of His character and not just one side.
For me, these characters of God reminds me in my daily life, that I have to constantly make a choice. He will tell me something that He wants me to do, but I have to partner Him by obeying Him. That is why Obedience is better than sacrifice. It is a partnership with Him. And He has showed both sides of the outcome I will get. He has provided very clearly, the outcomes and answers. The ball is now in my court.
Will I take refuge in Him and be blessed and proclaim the Lord's decree, or will I go on my own ways?
P.S: One thing I am still asking the Holy Spirit --> In verse 11, it says "rejoice with trembling". How do we rejoice and yet tremble? What does this mean? I am still processing and asking Him. If any of you have any insights, do share ok?
Chris
Verse 2: The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.
From these 2 verses, it showed me that the very people that God had come to save are the ones that turned against Him. However, from verse 1, it has shown me that all the kings and the nations and its people have plotted in vain against Our Sovereign King. The two words "in vain" in verse 1 sums it all. The world we live in is the place where Satan operates. Satan does not operate in Heaven because he does not belong there. However, he works on this world. The kings of the earth gathered against the Lord and His Anointed One, who is Jesus Christ.
However, the Sovereignty and great power of our Lord is revealed to me from verse 4 and 5. He is a Just God. His character incorporates the element of Just and Wrath. God is love. That is truth. He is merciful and full of grace, yet we must also remember that He is a God of justice as well.
Verse 4: The One enthroned in heaven laughs, the Lord scoffs at them.
Verse 5: Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath saying . . .
Our God is a Just God.
Yet in His wrath against those who oppose Him, God's love and mercy is also showed in this Psalm.
Verse 7: He said to me, "You are my Son, today I have become your Father.
Verse 8: Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.
Verse 9: You will rule them with an iron scepter
From verse 7 to 9, it showed what He has install for us. What He wants to give us. He will make the nations our inheritance. That to me is a GREAT prize and it just shows the amount of love He has for me. All i need to do is ask Him. I will get the nations as my inheritance and the ends of the earth my possession. He simple said, "Ask of me". WOW. He is so full of grace and SO SO generous.
Verse 11: Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.
Verse 12: Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. You will dash them to pieces like pottery."
To me, God is a great gentleman. He gives us a choice. He will never force us. In this Psalm, He has showed us both sides. One, where we can get nations as our inheritance and the ends of the earth our possession. The other side, be destroyed.
God is both a loving AND a just God. We have to understand both sides of His character and not just one side.
For me, these characters of God reminds me in my daily life, that I have to constantly make a choice. He will tell me something that He wants me to do, but I have to partner Him by obeying Him. That is why Obedience is better than sacrifice. It is a partnership with Him. And He has showed both sides of the outcome I will get. He has provided very clearly, the outcomes and answers. The ball is now in my court.
Will I take refuge in Him and be blessed and proclaim the Lord's decree, or will I go on my own ways?
P.S: One thing I am still asking the Holy Spirit --> In verse 11, it says "rejoice with trembling". How do we rejoice and yet tremble? What does this mean? I am still processing and asking Him. If any of you have any insights, do share ok?
Chris
Sunday, 29 June 2008
Reflection on Psalm 1
Reflection on Psalm 1:
1. What does this psalm show me about God’s character?
I think verse 6 truly sums up God's character that is revealed in this Psalm. It says, " For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish."
God delights in righteousness.
In verses 2-4 it also talks about His faithfulness that comes out of that righteousness. Verse 3, "He is like the tree planted by steams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."
Whereas the wicked will be like chaff, that will be blown away.
He is faithful. He will bless the righteous but punish the wicked.
2. How does this aspect of God’s character affect me in my life?
I think, based on the above, knowing that God delights in righteousness, I need to choose to be on the path of righteousness. Knowing that through this, I will grow (yielding fruit & prosperity) & I will delight Him.
This links back to another verse in Psalm 37. Verse 4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Of course, this choice should not be one that is selfish and self centered. Where we are seeking for prosperity.
Rather, it should come from a heart where we we want to delight in the Lord because we love Him and long to please Him because He is worthy!
(i could go on and on about why he's worthy and thats where the attributes will all come out and it'll boil down to love and it'll go on and on and on!)
I believe and trust that you get what I mean :)
1. What does this psalm show me about God’s character?
I think verse 6 truly sums up God's character that is revealed in this Psalm. It says, " For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish."
God delights in righteousness.
In verses 2-4 it also talks about His faithfulness that comes out of that righteousness. Verse 3, "He is like the tree planted by steams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."
Whereas the wicked will be like chaff, that will be blown away.
He is faithful. He will bless the righteous but punish the wicked.
2. How does this aspect of God’s character affect me in my life?
I think, based on the above, knowing that God delights in righteousness, I need to choose to be on the path of righteousness. Knowing that through this, I will grow (yielding fruit & prosperity) & I will delight Him.
This links back to another verse in Psalm 37. Verse 4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Of course, this choice should not be one that is selfish and self centered. Where we are seeking for prosperity.
Rather, it should come from a heart where we we want to delight in the Lord because we love Him and long to please Him because He is worthy!
(i could go on and on about why he's worthy and thats where the attributes will all come out and it'll boil down to love and it'll go on and on and on!)
I believe and trust that you get what I mean :)
Friday, 27 June 2008
Reflections on Psalm 1
In the mere 6 verses of this Psalm, verse 2 is the line which is most revealing about God's character - "But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." It brought up a few questions - What is law? Why does God value someone who delights / abides by His laws? - and in finding answers to them, some light was shed on a few aspects of God's character.
Firstly, to understand what is law, we must start from justice. The best definition of justice I found which links with law is this - "Justice is love built into structures". Thus, law is the structure by which love prevails.
What does this then, coupled with the contents of the Psalm, tell us about God's character?
1) God is loving. For instance, look at the ten commandments as an example of His laws. If we put ourselves in the shoes of those who have been sinned against as such, we can see that they are designed out of love for both ourselves and others.
2) He is just, as revealed by the psalm's example, that He blesses the righteous and punishes the wicked.
3) Surprise surprise... God values order (and by that I mean, "a condition in which each thing is properly disposed with reference to other things and to its purpose; methodical or harmonious arrangement"). Why? Because He creates things with purpose. Since He created us out of love, He gave us His laws so that we may act according to His purpose, ie. to choose to love and to make the choice freely, not merely loving because He designed (or programmed, for a better contrast) us to love.
How do these aspects of God’s character affect me in my life?
On the one hand, knowing that God is loving and that we are created to love and be loved, has given me a lot more security and/or confidence since I first came to Christ. It's also helped a lot in the way I relate to other people, and is in a way much less of a struggle than before, however it's still not over.
Personally, after having reflected on this psalm, I find that it is harder to ignore the consequences of not choosing the (most?) loving option in anything I do, or regarding anyone I deal with. (If this seems off-tangent to the above conclusions on God's character and how all the law stuff ties in, let's just say that I'm thinking about the simplified version of God's laws - "Love the Lord your God etc" and "Love your neighbour as yourself".) It's so easy to choose not to love or be loving if it will cost me more than what I am willing to give. And I have been selfish, too many times to count, without giving any thought to the consequences. It is indeed a sobering thought when you know that God is will judge everything we have done. Like Bao Qing Tian.
In view of that blessing God grants to those who love Him and abide by His laws accordingly (as described in verse 3), perhaps every time I have to think about what would the most loving thing to do, I should seriously consider whether or not I would like to receive such blessing.
Firstly, to understand what is law, we must start from justice. The best definition of justice I found which links with law is this - "Justice is love built into structures". Thus, law is the structure by which love prevails.
What does this then, coupled with the contents of the Psalm, tell us about God's character?
1) God is loving. For instance, look at the ten commandments as an example of His laws. If we put ourselves in the shoes of those who have been sinned against as such, we can see that they are designed out of love for both ourselves and others.
2) He is just, as revealed by the psalm's example, that He blesses the righteous and punishes the wicked.
3) Surprise surprise... God values order (and by that I mean, "a condition in which each thing is properly disposed with reference to other things and to its purpose; methodical or harmonious arrangement"). Why? Because He creates things with purpose. Since He created us out of love, He gave us His laws so that we may act according to His purpose, ie. to choose to love and to make the choice freely, not merely loving because He designed (or programmed, for a better contrast) us to love.
How do these aspects of God’s character affect me in my life?
On the one hand, knowing that God is loving and that we are created to love and be loved, has given me a lot more security and/or confidence since I first came to Christ. It's also helped a lot in the way I relate to other people, and is in a way much less of a struggle than before, however it's still not over.
Personally, after having reflected on this psalm, I find that it is harder to ignore the consequences of not choosing the (most?) loving option in anything I do, or regarding anyone I deal with. (If this seems off-tangent to the above conclusions on God's character and how all the law stuff ties in, let's just say that I'm thinking about the simplified version of God's laws - "Love the Lord your God etc" and "Love your neighbour as yourself".) It's so easy to choose not to love or be loving if it will cost me more than what I am willing to give. And I have been selfish, too many times to count, without giving any thought to the consequences. It is indeed a sobering thought when you know that God is will judge everything we have done. Like Bao Qing Tian.
In view of that blessing God grants to those who love Him and abide by His laws accordingly (as described in verse 3), perhaps every time I have to think about what would the most loving thing to do, I should seriously consider whether or not I would like to receive such blessing.
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
A series of Blessed events
This is a post that i published on my own blog, and because i cannot keep silent about the good things God has done, i shall put it here too. It's SUPER long lah and unedited, but aiya, God is so good. The longer the better!
***
Hi folks! Hey, you know, i'm pretty much brimming with shorts stories here and there about how God has really just shown himself to me in such cool ways. I think that there's no better time to do it then now, otherwise i'd simply forget and all of it would fade into the deep depths of my memory. So, without further babbling, here is my truckload of testimonies!
1. The exam grades
Last semester was a busy one for me because i was juggling schoolwork, workplace work and project, church and mission trip stuff and my own running training. Remember that terrible paper i had last year, the module called Acculturation Psychology? I studied for it, but i studied all the "wrong" things! Whatever that came out in the exam were stuff i did not study for. I left the exam hall 30minutes earlier, and that is something i've never done in my entire schooling life.
So i pretty much felt that i messed up my whole paper, and i began preparing myself mentally to redo that module. The only complication with that would be: if that module is only available in the july semester, then i'd be wasting the first 6 months (Jan to June), and effectively, one whole year!
I went about my holidays trying not to think about the possibility of what might happen. I just told myself that whatever happens, God has a reason for it and that i trust him for whatever that may come. I had to ready my folks mentally too should i really have to repeat. But nothing could erase that feeling of dread that made my heart sink to my stomach just thinking about seeing a red mark on my transcript.
When i returned from my mission trip on the 23rd of december, i immediately checked for my exams results when i came home after dinner. And you know, God is good... I had gotten a B- for that terrible module. I had procured a B-! Like, WOOOOOWWWWWWW!
Knowing the state of my exam script, with the contents being either big blanks, general knowledge, and scanty bits of hazily recalled information, and having left early, it is only by a PURE MIRACLE that i passed, let alone obtain a B-.
***PRAISE GOD!***
2. Overcoming Sickness
2A. (prior and during the mission trip)
Apparently, a few weeks before leaving on my mission trip to East Timor, my bloating from IBS starting acting up again, and the day before my departure, i started experiencing sharp pains in my left ear. The pain just came out from the blue, and i don't remember having ever felt them before and i sure didn't have any prior injury to warrant the pain.
My folks suggested that these may be signs of anxiety, but since i didn't feel anxious, i had a feeling that these obstacles coming my way could be something more spiritual in nature (when we are bent on doing God's will and work, the enemy would want to get us down!). Knowing the possibility of that, I refused to be discouraged and i asked my parents to pray for me.
In addition, i kept having these persistent and disturbing thoughts that i was going to be sick on the trip, and that i will surely be bogged down by it. The thoughts kept bugging me and in some ways, the mental happenings manifested a bit into the physical and i began to feel a little headachey and nauseous. I had to keep rejecting those thoughts.
When my team and i arrived in Kupang, they celebrated my birthday! HAH, with a really cool doughnut with a candle on top. So cute lah, i wonder who brought the doughnut all the way from Singapore. So i told them about the health related struggles i was having and they prayed for me.
Suffice to say, i was NOT SICK throughout my trip. The only time when i got motion sickness was after a 12 hour long van ride, which i recovered from after a night's rest. And yes, NO BLOATING from IBS during my trip! AND, NO EAR PAIN either! HAH!
2B. (during my Worship Team Advance, aka, camp.)
A few days before going for camp, i went shopping at Jurong Point, and i think i caught some bug. My nose became really itchy, stuck AND runny, and i would sneeze ever so often. It was uncomfortable and i know i wasn't exactly sick. This uncomfortable respiratory problem prolonged for close to one week.
I slept through one night at camp with a clogged and itchy nose. But the next morning, something amazing happened.
During the worship session, Pastor Jenn told us about how God had given her an annointing on her hands. It had happened some time ago when a visitor speaker had visited our church (Kobush? i think.) and had prayed for her. And when the speaker had prayed for her, she felt a supernatural sensation in her hands and she has been able to recognise the same sensation which signified that God has his annointing on her to do His work. Meaning that He will work with and through her whenever she uses her hands to pray for and bless others (correct anot?).
So, she told us that after asking God if she could, she said that she wanted to symbolically pray for each of us so that we could receive this same annointing. She did, and prayed for pretty much everyone. When she came and prayed for me, i didn't feel anything significant, but i believed in whatever God can do anyway, whether or not i can see or feel.
After she prayed for me, i sat down thinking about my stuffy nose. I realized that: hey, it's NOT normal for me to have this stuffy nose. I'm NOT sick, and i know that for a fact because my condition wasn't getting worse, it was just stagnant, as if i had a perpetual allergy to something. Even in air conditioned rooms, i don't have this kind of problem. I missed my freed air passageways!
So, i thought to myself, since my hands have been prayed for, i shall use them!
I laid both my hands around my neck and prayed. I asked God: Ok, God, i pray that you will clear out my air ways, and that i'll be able to breathe freely again like i've always been able to. I don't normally have sinus issues, so Lord, i pray against this problem. (end)
I did not experience anything SUPER INSTANT or like thunder and lightning or anything moving through my body.... But you know what. In the next few minutes, i actually felt my air ways clearing. First it was one nostril that cleared up, and then the next one also cleared up. And suddenly, i could breathe freely again! As in, seriously! It was like, my nose moved from being totally blocked and dripping to completely clear.
Isn't GOD AWESOME?!
***YEAY! THANK GOD!***
3. Hearing His Voice of Love (happened during the Timor trip)
Although i've been a Christian pretty much all my life (second generation Christian), there're times when i struggle with knowing whether God loves me. You know, you hear the same line: Jesus Loves You, so many times but yet you don't FEEL it like the way you would when someone says it to you personally or hugs you or something.
But during one morning worship session in East Timor with my team, the Lord spoke to one of us about how much he loved us, and that team member shared it. In confirmation, another team member also felt God tell her that he loved her.
For myself, during worship i was singing really loudly but something inside said: stop singing so loudly, just be still. So i stopped and sat down and asked God, "God, what do you want to tell me or the team?"
And i thought i heard Him say so tenderly: I just love you.
Even as i am typing this, my eyes fill with tears remembering His insistent and gentle reminder.
After worship was over, the team shared their experience during worship, and i shared mine... And i tell you. I DON'T KNOW WHY AND HOW, but when i narrated to them what i had heard, i started to tear, and then all of a sudden, i started to BAWL. YES, BAWL. Like, the kind of crying which involves -wailing- and a lot of tears. I mean, like, hello, i COULD NOT CONTROL IT, it just came out so strong from the depths of my subconscious being and i had to HIDE my embarrassment by laughing with a "hee hee hee" in the midst of my crying. HAHAHAHA. I bet i scared my team mates a bit. I was really fighting to suppress whatever sound that was coming out through my lips.
I've NEVER cried like that in front of strangers (yes, i love my team, but they are not super close to me that i would cry in front of them, except for maybe one or two) as an adult.
I was quite shocked by what was happening. I'm no stranger to the notion of crying when God touches me or someone, but wailing? And in front of others? NO WAY! That kind of crying, i do only in privacy, and even then, it is very rare.
One of my team mates rallied the others to pray for me during that extraordinary moment and i felt so odd. HAHA. So yes... God really surprised me that morning, and it's an experience i won't be forgetting.
4. Repairing the broken areas (during the Timor trip)
Just a bit of background information:
As a child, i've always been jealous and starved of attention and affection. It's not that my parents never gave me any. I just wanted to be treated with devotion ALL the time. So you can imagine what kind of horror breaks loose when there was even a tiny mention of having another sibling. Finding that out was the most horrifying thing to me because to me at that time, if my mom had another kid, i would no longer be loved as much and i was not going to allow that to happen.
It did not help that in the presence of babies and young children, my mom would coo over and cuddle them and "forget" all about me. And because of what i saw and felt, it did not assure me that she would still love me if another sibling arrived.
Ever since, i had hated young children because of what they represented. I had the notion that they were irritating, troublesome and that i'd be far better off without children. And i always thought that young children did not take to me well like they would to my other peers.
Another one of my struggles is related to how i look. I'm part confident of myself, but a part is also always seeking man's approval and praise. So when i went to East Timor (now don't you laugh ok!) i craved the admiration and approval of the people.
Sounds stupid i know, but you know how as locals, we might find foreigners interesting? Yeah, same concept here. As a foreigner, i had also wanted some form of attention.
But on one of the days on a visit to a secondary school, i felt rather rejected and insignificant in comparison to my team mates, and though i was smiling, laughing and looking like i was enjoying myself, i felt a wound inside festering.
But let me tell you... GOD WORKS IN REALLY FUNNY WAYS. Listen to this:
Our Timor co-ordinator, Dick, who is also a member from my church who helped us with the arranging of transport and everything else, was hanging out with the neighbours' kids next door. I was hanging around outside our house (which is next door to Dick and the kids) when
Dick yelled over to me: JOLINE!!!
J: (turns to look over the fence to the house next door) Yeah?
D: You've got a FAN CLUB! (gestures to the children)
J: HUH?!
(then suddenly, ALL the children yelled, "HI JOLINE!!!!!!!")
D: (says something i could not hear)
J: Huh?!?
D: Never mind!
Later on, i popped over to the neighbour's house with my team leader and i found out from Dick that, the children became my "fans" because....... HAH, AIYO, this is so weird! Apparently, one of the kids was from the secondary school we had visited earlier and she saw me. So when i got to meet her at her home, she told me in Tetun (the language used there), "You, Bonita.". "Bonita" means "beautiful" in Tetun.
I was quite astounded by all this because never in my life have i been told by anyone so unabashedly and with so much admiration that i was beautiful. And the more i thought about it, the more i was beginning to see God's hand in it. You see, God did two things through this situation.
He had brought and used his innocent little children to touch and soften my heart (my first problem) and at the same time, he was assuring me that i was already beautiful (my second problem).
I then knew that i was hearing God, through his little children (that i found so hard to love for so many years), and that I was hearing and receiving his love for me.
I brought a camera over and took pictures with them, kind of like an unspoken way to tell them that i will remember this moment and that they were important enough for me to remember them. And the girl who spoke to me hugged me so tightly during the phototaking!
Isn't God cute? :-D
I certainly think so!
**************************************************
Ok, that was a REALLY long post lah. But i KNOW that for God's glory, i shall speak of His goodness in my life! And here it is!
I just realized that the testimonies cover areas of inner (emotional and mental) as well as physical healing. AHAHAHA! I so happy man.
Think the post is too long to edit now lah, so i won't bother to for now. I am just too excited to let it sit in my draft box! So, here it is! (will update if i can remember more that happened to me in the past months)
***
Hi folks! Hey, you know, i'm pretty much brimming with shorts stories here and there about how God has really just shown himself to me in such cool ways. I think that there's no better time to do it then now, otherwise i'd simply forget and all of it would fade into the deep depths of my memory. So, without further babbling, here is my truckload of testimonies!
1. The exam grades
Last semester was a busy one for me because i was juggling schoolwork, workplace work and project, church and mission trip stuff and my own running training. Remember that terrible paper i had last year, the module called Acculturation Psychology? I studied for it, but i studied all the "wrong" things! Whatever that came out in the exam were stuff i did not study for. I left the exam hall 30minutes earlier, and that is something i've never done in my entire schooling life.
So i pretty much felt that i messed up my whole paper, and i began preparing myself mentally to redo that module. The only complication with that would be: if that module is only available in the july semester, then i'd be wasting the first 6 months (Jan to June), and effectively, one whole year!
I went about my holidays trying not to think about the possibility of what might happen. I just told myself that whatever happens, God has a reason for it and that i trust him for whatever that may come. I had to ready my folks mentally too should i really have to repeat. But nothing could erase that feeling of dread that made my heart sink to my stomach just thinking about seeing a red mark on my transcript.
When i returned from my mission trip on the 23rd of december, i immediately checked for my exams results when i came home after dinner. And you know, God is good... I had gotten a B- for that terrible module. I had procured a B-! Like, WOOOOOWWWWWWW!
Knowing the state of my exam script, with the contents being either big blanks, general knowledge, and scanty bits of hazily recalled information, and having left early, it is only by a PURE MIRACLE that i passed, let alone obtain a B-.
***PRAISE GOD!***
2. Overcoming Sickness
2A. (prior and during the mission trip)
Apparently, a few weeks before leaving on my mission trip to East Timor, my bloating from IBS starting acting up again, and the day before my departure, i started experiencing sharp pains in my left ear. The pain just came out from the blue, and i don't remember having ever felt them before and i sure didn't have any prior injury to warrant the pain.
My folks suggested that these may be signs of anxiety, but since i didn't feel anxious, i had a feeling that these obstacles coming my way could be something more spiritual in nature (when we are bent on doing God's will and work, the enemy would want to get us down!). Knowing the possibility of that, I refused to be discouraged and i asked my parents to pray for me.
In addition, i kept having these persistent and disturbing thoughts that i was going to be sick on the trip, and that i will surely be bogged down by it. The thoughts kept bugging me and in some ways, the mental happenings manifested a bit into the physical and i began to feel a little headachey and nauseous. I had to keep rejecting those thoughts.
When my team and i arrived in Kupang, they celebrated my birthday! HAH, with a really cool doughnut with a candle on top. So cute lah, i wonder who brought the doughnut all the way from Singapore. So i told them about the health related struggles i was having and they prayed for me.
Suffice to say, i was NOT SICK throughout my trip. The only time when i got motion sickness was after a 12 hour long van ride, which i recovered from after a night's rest. And yes, NO BLOATING from IBS during my trip! AND, NO EAR PAIN either! HAH!
2B. (during my Worship Team Advance, aka, camp.)
A few days before going for camp, i went shopping at Jurong Point, and i think i caught some bug. My nose became really itchy, stuck AND runny, and i would sneeze ever so often. It was uncomfortable and i know i wasn't exactly sick. This uncomfortable respiratory problem prolonged for close to one week.
I slept through one night at camp with a clogged and itchy nose. But the next morning, something amazing happened.
During the worship session, Pastor Jenn told us about how God had given her an annointing on her hands. It had happened some time ago when a visitor speaker had visited our church (Kobush? i think.) and had prayed for her. And when the speaker had prayed for her, she felt a supernatural sensation in her hands and she has been able to recognise the same sensation which signified that God has his annointing on her to do His work. Meaning that He will work with and through her whenever she uses her hands to pray for and bless others (correct anot?).
So, she told us that after asking God if she could, she said that she wanted to symbolically pray for each of us so that we could receive this same annointing. She did, and prayed for pretty much everyone. When she came and prayed for me, i didn't feel anything significant, but i believed in whatever God can do anyway, whether or not i can see or feel.
After she prayed for me, i sat down thinking about my stuffy nose. I realized that: hey, it's NOT normal for me to have this stuffy nose. I'm NOT sick, and i know that for a fact because my condition wasn't getting worse, it was just stagnant, as if i had a perpetual allergy to something. Even in air conditioned rooms, i don't have this kind of problem. I missed my freed air passageways!
So, i thought to myself, since my hands have been prayed for, i shall use them!
I laid both my hands around my neck and prayed. I asked God: Ok, God, i pray that you will clear out my air ways, and that i'll be able to breathe freely again like i've always been able to. I don't normally have sinus issues, so Lord, i pray against this problem. (end)
I did not experience anything SUPER INSTANT or like thunder and lightning or anything moving through my body.... But you know what. In the next few minutes, i actually felt my air ways clearing. First it was one nostril that cleared up, and then the next one also cleared up. And suddenly, i could breathe freely again! As in, seriously! It was like, my nose moved from being totally blocked and dripping to completely clear.
Isn't GOD AWESOME?!
***YEAY! THANK GOD!***
3. Hearing His Voice of Love (happened during the Timor trip)
Although i've been a Christian pretty much all my life (second generation Christian), there're times when i struggle with knowing whether God loves me. You know, you hear the same line: Jesus Loves You, so many times but yet you don't FEEL it like the way you would when someone says it to you personally or hugs you or something.
But during one morning worship session in East Timor with my team, the Lord spoke to one of us about how much he loved us, and that team member shared it. In confirmation, another team member also felt God tell her that he loved her.
For myself, during worship i was singing really loudly but something inside said: stop singing so loudly, just be still. So i stopped and sat down and asked God, "God, what do you want to tell me or the team?"
And i thought i heard Him say so tenderly: I just love you.
Even as i am typing this, my eyes fill with tears remembering His insistent and gentle reminder.
After worship was over, the team shared their experience during worship, and i shared mine... And i tell you. I DON'T KNOW WHY AND HOW, but when i narrated to them what i had heard, i started to tear, and then all of a sudden, i started to BAWL. YES, BAWL. Like, the kind of crying which involves -wailing- and a lot of tears. I mean, like, hello, i COULD NOT CONTROL IT, it just came out so strong from the depths of my subconscious being and i had to HIDE my embarrassment by laughing with a "hee hee hee" in the midst of my crying. HAHAHAHA. I bet i scared my team mates a bit. I was really fighting to suppress whatever sound that was coming out through my lips.
I've NEVER cried like that in front of strangers (yes, i love my team, but they are not super close to me that i would cry in front of them, except for maybe one or two) as an adult.
I was quite shocked by what was happening. I'm no stranger to the notion of crying when God touches me or someone, but wailing? And in front of others? NO WAY! That kind of crying, i do only in privacy, and even then, it is very rare.
One of my team mates rallied the others to pray for me during that extraordinary moment and i felt so odd. HAHA. So yes... God really surprised me that morning, and it's an experience i won't be forgetting.
4. Repairing the broken areas (during the Timor trip)
Just a bit of background information:
As a child, i've always been jealous and starved of attention and affection. It's not that my parents never gave me any. I just wanted to be treated with devotion ALL the time. So you can imagine what kind of horror breaks loose when there was even a tiny mention of having another sibling. Finding that out was the most horrifying thing to me because to me at that time, if my mom had another kid, i would no longer be loved as much and i was not going to allow that to happen.
It did not help that in the presence of babies and young children, my mom would coo over and cuddle them and "forget" all about me. And because of what i saw and felt, it did not assure me that she would still love me if another sibling arrived.
Ever since, i had hated young children because of what they represented. I had the notion that they were irritating, troublesome and that i'd be far better off without children. And i always thought that young children did not take to me well like they would to my other peers.
Another one of my struggles is related to how i look. I'm part confident of myself, but a part is also always seeking man's approval and praise. So when i went to East Timor (now don't you laugh ok!) i craved the admiration and approval of the people.
Sounds stupid i know, but you know how as locals, we might find foreigners interesting? Yeah, same concept here. As a foreigner, i had also wanted some form of attention.
But on one of the days on a visit to a secondary school, i felt rather rejected and insignificant in comparison to my team mates, and though i was smiling, laughing and looking like i was enjoying myself, i felt a wound inside festering.
But let me tell you... GOD WORKS IN REALLY FUNNY WAYS. Listen to this:
Our Timor co-ordinator, Dick, who is also a member from my church who helped us with the arranging of transport and everything else, was hanging out with the neighbours' kids next door. I was hanging around outside our house (which is next door to Dick and the kids) when
Dick yelled over to me: JOLINE!!!
J: (turns to look over the fence to the house next door) Yeah?
D: You've got a FAN CLUB! (gestures to the children)
J: HUH?!
(then suddenly, ALL the children yelled, "HI JOLINE!!!!!!!")
D: (says something i could not hear)
J: Huh?!?
D: Never mind!
Later on, i popped over to the neighbour's house with my team leader and i found out from Dick that, the children became my "fans" because....... HAH, AIYO, this is so weird! Apparently, one of the kids was from the secondary school we had visited earlier and she saw me. So when i got to meet her at her home, she told me in Tetun (the language used there), "You, Bonita.". "Bonita" means "beautiful" in Tetun.
I was quite astounded by all this because never in my life have i been told by anyone so unabashedly and with so much admiration that i was beautiful. And the more i thought about it, the more i was beginning to see God's hand in it. You see, God did two things through this situation.
He had brought and used his innocent little children to touch and soften my heart (my first problem) and at the same time, he was assuring me that i was already beautiful (my second problem).
I then knew that i was hearing God, through his little children (that i found so hard to love for so many years), and that I was hearing and receiving his love for me.
I brought a camera over and took pictures with them, kind of like an unspoken way to tell them that i will remember this moment and that they were important enough for me to remember them. And the girl who spoke to me hugged me so tightly during the phototaking!
Isn't God cute? :-D
I certainly think so!
**************************************************
Ok, that was a REALLY long post lah. But i KNOW that for God's glory, i shall speak of His goodness in my life! And here it is!
I just realized that the testimonies cover areas of inner (emotional and mental) as well as physical healing. AHAHAHA! I so happy man.
Think the post is too long to edit now lah, so i won't bother to for now. I am just too excited to let it sit in my draft box! So, here it is! (will update if i can remember more that happened to me in the past months)
Sunday, 6 January 2008
Worship Ministry Advance 2008
Yes! We are back from Worship Advance 2008! I believe we had a life transformation experience. Let's post our experiences and honour God here if possible.
Updated my blog and here's it - http://historymakerforchrist.blogspot.com/
Choose 'Edit post' to add our experiences in this post. =)
Updated my blog and here's it - http://historymakerforchrist.blogspot.com/
Choose 'Edit post' to add our experiences in this post. =)
Tuesday, 1 January 2008
A Brand New Year
Welcome to 2008. The year of Supernatural and of course a year of refreshing. As we start this new year, I hope we are excited about it especially that the Music Advance is this coming weekend and we're coming as a ministry to get to know each other better, build trust and build stronger bonds.
Thinking back from 2005 till now, we've come a long way. Each transition reminds me of God's faithfulness in each of our lives. Relationships have strengthened and we've grown spiritually and physically over the past 3 years!
At Fuel Up Camp, Shan Yu and I have experienced God and met new friends and seen a change in the youth itself. It was an experience for us, facilitating worship and learning from each other. For those who were at Youth Service last Saturday, you've seen what God has done to our youths and transformed them through His Holy Spirit.
And from now till our Advance, let's open our hearts to God and allow Him to work within us. This year will be a year of revival for us. So, let's chill-lax with the Audience of One this weekend.
Happy New Year and blessed 2008.
Thinking back from 2005 till now, we've come a long way. Each transition reminds me of God's faithfulness in each of our lives. Relationships have strengthened and we've grown spiritually and physically over the past 3 years!
At Fuel Up Camp, Shan Yu and I have experienced God and met new friends and seen a change in the youth itself. It was an experience for us, facilitating worship and learning from each other. For those who were at Youth Service last Saturday, you've seen what God has done to our youths and transformed them through His Holy Spirit.
And from now till our Advance, let's open our hearts to God and allow Him to work within us. This year will be a year of revival for us. So, let's chill-lax with the Audience of One this weekend.
Happy New Year and blessed 2008.
Tuesday, 18 September 2007
Thoughts on leading worship... 5 years ago
Dear all,
I discovered this article I wrote in Oct 2002 on leading worship. It was interesting to see my thought processes then...
=============================================================
I had been pondering a long time about this thing called “leading worship”. What exactly does it mean? I remember years ago, when I first became a Christian, worship leaders were known as “songleaders”, which most would agree is a much easier call to live up to. However somewhere down the road there was a paradigm shift. Or was it a revelation? Someone decided to change “songleader” into “worship-leader”.
I’ve been reading books, talking to people, even asking God many many times, to show me what this “worship” was. Beginning with baby steps, I discovered, to the amazement of my immature heart, that worship was not the singing or the music. It wouldn’t be so difficult if it was just that! I listened to celebrated worship leaders like Darlene Zschech, Bob Fitts and Paul Baloche speak about their experiences as worship leaders, and they almost NEVER spoke about the music! They expounded on sacrifice, relationships with God and man, surrender, humilty, servanthood, unity, but never gave significant mention to the “gifts and talents” that I’d so coveted.
So how was I to lead worship when I didn’t really know what it was? True, now I had a vague idea that it was a lifestyle, something more than song and dance, ushering people into God’s presence etc, but that was all head knowledge. The reality of the matter hadn’t set in.
It is true that God pursues us – He pursued me. My Daddy God wanted to teach me something, and He taught me through my time in Bethesda Cathedral. All my pre-conceived ideas of wonderful music and even dreams of producing chart-topping albums were dashed in the short 2-half years I was there. My struggle to discover MY worship to Him had only just begun. God had only just begun to speak to me about what it means to truly worship Him. From the time I stepped up the platform with the controversial label of “first female worship leader in BC” to the time I realised I had been doing it all wrong, God was always faithful and patient in teaching me His ways. I tried to introduce “excellence” to the musicians, not realising that they could not even worship God with their hearts, much less worship with skillful hands. I tried to inspire the team with promises of God’s mighty move during church services, but overlooked that many of them did not even experience God in their own personal lives. I moved ahead of God, trying to be everything and yet achieving nothing. It was a humbling, yet vital learning period of my life.
I could relate stories of what other “famous” worship leaders have had to go through for their ministries, but didn’t have a personal account myself to speak. It disturbed me to think that I was up there on the platform, supposedly leading others into worship, when I didn’t truly understand what it was all about.
I’ve always been fascinated by the story of Mary and her alabastar jar. In the song “Alabastar”, there’s a line that says “you don’t know the cost of my alabastar box”. What WAS the cost of my alabastar oil? Was it the costliest, the most precious? The song says it “I will not offer anything to Him that costs me nothing”. Oh what conviction! It pierces my very being! How could I have been singing empty songs, making empty music, devoid of any true worship to God, while all the time claiming to be “leading worship”? It’s true – how can you lead others in worship when you can’t even worship God yourself?
I have also discovered that many examples of worship that touched God’s heart hardly featured any singing or music. Mary poured the costly oil on Jesus’ feet, washing them with her tears and wiping them with her hair. David “worshipped God’ when his son was killed. Mary worshipped Jesus by sitting at his feet listening to what He had to say while Martha busied herself with chores. None of them were singing pretty songs nor jamming in a band and yet theirs were examples of worship which God smiled upon.
An article by Paul Woodburn entitled “Worship or What?: Worship Defined” says this:
“Worship is indefinable and in reality it is the one thing that we do not need to be taught. Like a cherry tree produces apples and rose bush roses, humanity worships. It is what we are designed to do… programmed if you will. So really… worship is life… life is worship. The question is not "What is worship?" or "How does one worship?" If you are breathing… you're worshipping. The real question is "Who (or what) are you giving your worship to?"
That is so true! As long as I’m breathing, I should be worshipping God. That’s why it’s called a “life-style” – breathing keeps me alive, so since I have life, I should be worshipping like I’m breathing. And the issue is who I worship, not how or where or when.
Often times as I prepare to lead worship for church, sometimes I get this disturbing, nagging feeling that something is not right. I get down on my knees, I cry to God to show me what He has in store for the service but sometimes I don’t hear from Him. I start to wonder what’s wrong with me. Why am I not hearing God? Why is God not giving me the “right songs” for the service?
It is then, when I’m most distressed and upset, that the Holy Spirit gently reminds me, that it is about the object and not the method of my worship that pleases God. Yes God uses songs to minister to us, but at the end of the day, it’s all about our offering to Him. It’s all about our lives saying Thank You Father, Thank You Jesus, Thank You Holy Spirit. It’s about focusing on the Giver instead of the Gift. It’s about knowing Him and allowing Him to have His will done in your life. It’s about bringing a smile to the Father’s heart. It’s about offering up an irresistible incense of worship made up of lives which are transparent, grateful, yielded and completely at peace with their Creator.
In my journey so far, I’m gradually discovering truths through God’s Word which reveal God’s heart towards me, and that helps me understand the whole “worship” thing. For now, worship, to me, is life. On stage, I use the abilities which God has given me to help better express myself to Him, and I encourage and edify and exhort my brothers and sisters to look unto God who’s the Giver of all good things. Off-stage, I’m only me – in my personal moments with Him, what He sees (in my heart) is what He gets.
And I know that’s all He requires of me.
I discovered this article I wrote in Oct 2002 on leading worship. It was interesting to see my thought processes then...
=============================================================
I had been pondering a long time about this thing called “leading worship”. What exactly does it mean? I remember years ago, when I first became a Christian, worship leaders were known as “songleaders”, which most would agree is a much easier call to live up to. However somewhere down the road there was a paradigm shift. Or was it a revelation? Someone decided to change “songleader” into “worship-leader”.
I’ve been reading books, talking to people, even asking God many many times, to show me what this “worship” was. Beginning with baby steps, I discovered, to the amazement of my immature heart, that worship was not the singing or the music. It wouldn’t be so difficult if it was just that! I listened to celebrated worship leaders like Darlene Zschech, Bob Fitts and Paul Baloche speak about their experiences as worship leaders, and they almost NEVER spoke about the music! They expounded on sacrifice, relationships with God and man, surrender, humilty, servanthood, unity, but never gave significant mention to the “gifts and talents” that I’d so coveted.
So how was I to lead worship when I didn’t really know what it was? True, now I had a vague idea that it was a lifestyle, something more than song and dance, ushering people into God’s presence etc, but that was all head knowledge. The reality of the matter hadn’t set in.
It is true that God pursues us – He pursued me. My Daddy God wanted to teach me something, and He taught me through my time in Bethesda Cathedral. All my pre-conceived ideas of wonderful music and even dreams of producing chart-topping albums were dashed in the short 2-half years I was there. My struggle to discover MY worship to Him had only just begun. God had only just begun to speak to me about what it means to truly worship Him. From the time I stepped up the platform with the controversial label of “first female worship leader in BC” to the time I realised I had been doing it all wrong, God was always faithful and patient in teaching me His ways. I tried to introduce “excellence” to the musicians, not realising that they could not even worship God with their hearts, much less worship with skillful hands. I tried to inspire the team with promises of God’s mighty move during church services, but overlooked that many of them did not even experience God in their own personal lives. I moved ahead of God, trying to be everything and yet achieving nothing. It was a humbling, yet vital learning period of my life.
I could relate stories of what other “famous” worship leaders have had to go through for their ministries, but didn’t have a personal account myself to speak. It disturbed me to think that I was up there on the platform, supposedly leading others into worship, when I didn’t truly understand what it was all about.
I’ve always been fascinated by the story of Mary and her alabastar jar. In the song “Alabastar”, there’s a line that says “you don’t know the cost of my alabastar box”. What WAS the cost of my alabastar oil? Was it the costliest, the most precious? The song says it “I will not offer anything to Him that costs me nothing”. Oh what conviction! It pierces my very being! How could I have been singing empty songs, making empty music, devoid of any true worship to God, while all the time claiming to be “leading worship”? It’s true – how can you lead others in worship when you can’t even worship God yourself?
I have also discovered that many examples of worship that touched God’s heart hardly featured any singing or music. Mary poured the costly oil on Jesus’ feet, washing them with her tears and wiping them with her hair. David “worshipped God’ when his son was killed. Mary worshipped Jesus by sitting at his feet listening to what He had to say while Martha busied herself with chores. None of them were singing pretty songs nor jamming in a band and yet theirs were examples of worship which God smiled upon.
An article by Paul Woodburn entitled “Worship or What?: Worship Defined” says this:
“Worship is indefinable and in reality it is the one thing that we do not need to be taught. Like a cherry tree produces apples and rose bush roses, humanity worships. It is what we are designed to do… programmed if you will. So really… worship is life… life is worship. The question is not "What is worship?" or "How does one worship?" If you are breathing… you're worshipping. The real question is "Who (or what) are you giving your worship to?"
That is so true! As long as I’m breathing, I should be worshipping God. That’s why it’s called a “life-style” – breathing keeps me alive, so since I have life, I should be worshipping like I’m breathing. And the issue is who I worship, not how or where or when.
Often times as I prepare to lead worship for church, sometimes I get this disturbing, nagging feeling that something is not right. I get down on my knees, I cry to God to show me what He has in store for the service but sometimes I don’t hear from Him. I start to wonder what’s wrong with me. Why am I not hearing God? Why is God not giving me the “right songs” for the service?
It is then, when I’m most distressed and upset, that the Holy Spirit gently reminds me, that it is about the object and not the method of my worship that pleases God. Yes God uses songs to minister to us, but at the end of the day, it’s all about our offering to Him. It’s all about our lives saying Thank You Father, Thank You Jesus, Thank You Holy Spirit. It’s about focusing on the Giver instead of the Gift. It’s about knowing Him and allowing Him to have His will done in your life. It’s about bringing a smile to the Father’s heart. It’s about offering up an irresistible incense of worship made up of lives which are transparent, grateful, yielded and completely at peace with their Creator.
In my journey so far, I’m gradually discovering truths through God’s Word which reveal God’s heart towards me, and that helps me understand the whole “worship” thing. For now, worship, to me, is life. On stage, I use the abilities which God has given me to help better express myself to Him, and I encourage and edify and exhort my brothers and sisters to look unto God who’s the Giver of all good things. Off-stage, I’m only me – in my personal moments with Him, what He sees (in my heart) is what He gets.
And I know that’s all He requires of me.
Monday, 17 September 2007
Psalm 127
A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labour in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.
3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.
5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.
King Solomon – reputably the wisest man on earth besides Jesus – wrote this psalm. I love it that he addresses the most basic needs of humans – to have family and work.
The first part of the psalm addresses work. I see the parallel with Ecclesiastes where he spent a considerable amount of time talking about how futile and meaningless work and toil can be when we do not have the right motivations. Working “in vain” is when we think we can do better than God. The key word in verse 1 “unless” is to be pondered. Unless the Lord does it, we labour in vain. All our works and efforts are temporary and futile. Unless we acknowledge His sovereignty over all things, what we do is “in vain”. Let’s be reminded not to make the mistake of leaving God out in our lives. We should make God our highest priority – and He will do the building.
I’d just like to add that God is not against hard work. Hard work honours God (Proverbs 31:10-29). The key thing here is knowing that our primary purpose is to worship Him, and if we think we can make Him love us more by working, we are wrong. Trust Him both in your work and your rest.
The second part of the psalm talks about the gift of children. None of us have our own children (yet) but we are all children. We are a “reward” from Him to our parents! (v.3) Sometimes we might feel like we’re a burden or liability to our parents. But remember that the Lord sees us as a heritage and reward from Him. We matter to Him.
To end off this short devotion, I’d like to add an additional point from verse 2. This is normally not something that’s highlighted when studying this psalm but I felt I need to bring this up because some of you will find freedom and rest in this.
Verse 2 says “he grants sleep to those he loves.” The New King James version translates this as “He gives His beloved sleep.” If you have been experiencing difficulty in sleeping or resting, meditate on this verse. Every time you lie in bed restless, pray this verse and speak it into your spirit. Some years ago I suffered from serious insomnia, often going 3 straight days without sleep. I was stressed out and anxious about things. Someone highlighted this verse to me and I have prayed it ever since. Nowadays I seldom have insomnia (mine’s the opposite… I love to sleep!!) but if I do ever feel restless, I will pray this verse and the Holy Spirit ALWAYS ministers and grants me sleep and rest. I use this verse as ammunition against the enemy who tries to steal my rest.
So, have a good night’s rest and remember that our labour is not in vain when it’s for the Lord.
Love you all incredibly much,
jenn
1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labour in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.
3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.
5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.
King Solomon – reputably the wisest man on earth besides Jesus – wrote this psalm. I love it that he addresses the most basic needs of humans – to have family and work.
The first part of the psalm addresses work. I see the parallel with Ecclesiastes where he spent a considerable amount of time talking about how futile and meaningless work and toil can be when we do not have the right motivations. Working “in vain” is when we think we can do better than God. The key word in verse 1 “unless” is to be pondered. Unless the Lord does it, we labour in vain. All our works and efforts are temporary and futile. Unless we acknowledge His sovereignty over all things, what we do is “in vain”. Let’s be reminded not to make the mistake of leaving God out in our lives. We should make God our highest priority – and He will do the building.
I’d just like to add that God is not against hard work. Hard work honours God (Proverbs 31:10-29). The key thing here is knowing that our primary purpose is to worship Him, and if we think we can make Him love us more by working, we are wrong. Trust Him both in your work and your rest.
The second part of the psalm talks about the gift of children. None of us have our own children (yet) but we are all children. We are a “reward” from Him to our parents! (v.3) Sometimes we might feel like we’re a burden or liability to our parents. But remember that the Lord sees us as a heritage and reward from Him. We matter to Him.
To end off this short devotion, I’d like to add an additional point from verse 2. This is normally not something that’s highlighted when studying this psalm but I felt I need to bring this up because some of you will find freedom and rest in this.
Verse 2 says “he grants sleep to those he loves.” The New King James version translates this as “He gives His beloved sleep.” If you have been experiencing difficulty in sleeping or resting, meditate on this verse. Every time you lie in bed restless, pray this verse and speak it into your spirit. Some years ago I suffered from serious insomnia, often going 3 straight days without sleep. I was stressed out and anxious about things. Someone highlighted this verse to me and I have prayed it ever since. Nowadays I seldom have insomnia (mine’s the opposite… I love to sleep!!) but if I do ever feel restless, I will pray this verse and the Holy Spirit ALWAYS ministers and grants me sleep and rest. I use this verse as ammunition against the enemy who tries to steal my rest.
So, have a good night’s rest and remember that our labour is not in vain when it’s for the Lord.
Love you all incredibly much,
jenn
Wednesday, 29 August 2007
Psalm 126
Psalm 126 (NLT)
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
Author: Anonymous
1 When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem,
it was like a dream!
2 We were filled with laughter,
and we sang for joy.
And the other nations said,
“What amazing things the Lord has done for them.”
3 Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!
What joy!
4 Restore our fortunes, Lord,
as streams renew the desert.
5 Those who plant in tears
will harvest with shouts of joy.
6 They weep as they go to plant their seed,
but they sing as they return with the harvest.
This psalm is believed to be referring to Ezra chapter 1 where those who were exiled from Judah (Israel) returned to their homeland – about 50,000 of them made the journey. Verses 1 to 3 express the exceeding joy of those who made it back. “It was like a dream!” they sang. Even the other nations exclaimed that the Lord has done amazing things for them. “Amazing things…!” Sense the excitement and joy!
Verses 4 to 6 go on as a prayer of faith and restoration. As an exiled people, they have lost much and wept much while being kept away from their homeland. But now that they are back, they are able to sing and recognise that even though it seemed like much tears and sorrow were experienced, at some point, the Lord is faithful and will restore what was taken from His people.
I see many relevant applications of this psalm in our lives.
Whether it’s on a personal or corporate level, when God begins to move in His amazing ways, it’s hard to keep it a secret. When you experience something wonderful from God, don’t you just have to tell someone? More often than not, people already can see God’s amazing work in your life and praise God for it!
For the past few months, God has showed up in amazing ways in youth service. How amazing! I have been really joyful and excited when I see what God is doing. I tell everyone about it!
It is especially key to note that the whole theme of this psalm focuses on restoration. We may have experienced some kind of loss in our lives – perhaps sin has drawn us far from God. But when we are restored by God in His mercy, don’t we feel so happy and alive?
The use of contrast is important to note as well:
Streams and the desert – deserts represent dry, lifeless places. To have streams flow in deserts is firstly a miracle, and secondly a sign that there is a source of life deeper than the surface. Do you have dry and lifeless areas in your life? Will you pray for streams in the desert? God is a God of miracles. He can provide life in areas where you seem to be dry and fruitless. Jesus is the Source of Life.
Tears and joy / Weeping and singing – From crying to joy. From heartbreak to hope. Personally, I relate this very much to my own life often. Many times, when I “plant”, sow and invest in people out of love for God, it can be accompanied by lots of tears and heartbreak because I don’t see the fruit for a long time. The sowing can be painful because it requires sacrifice, pain and setting aside my own agenda. However there is always a time of harvesting with joy. When I see the seeds that I have planted in people begin to bear fruit, it is all worth it. I have learnt that God is the one who causes growth. I’m only in charge of sowing and harvesting.
“God’s ability to restore life is beyond our understanding. Forests burn down and are able to grow back. Broken bones heal. Even grief is not a permanent condition. Our tears can be seeds that will grow into a harvest of joy because God is able to bring good out of tragedy. When burdened by sorrow, know that your times of grief will end and that you will again find joy. We must be patient as we wait. God’s great harvest of joy is coming!”
- Commentary on Psalm 126 (Life Application Bible)
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
Author: Anonymous
1 When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem,
it was like a dream!
2 We were filled with laughter,
and we sang for joy.
And the other nations said,
“What amazing things the Lord has done for them.”
3 Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!
What joy!
4 Restore our fortunes, Lord,
as streams renew the desert.
5 Those who plant in tears
will harvest with shouts of joy.
6 They weep as they go to plant their seed,
but they sing as they return with the harvest.
This psalm is believed to be referring to Ezra chapter 1 where those who were exiled from Judah (Israel) returned to their homeland – about 50,000 of them made the journey. Verses 1 to 3 express the exceeding joy of those who made it back. “It was like a dream!” they sang. Even the other nations exclaimed that the Lord has done amazing things for them. “Amazing things…!” Sense the excitement and joy!
Verses 4 to 6 go on as a prayer of faith and restoration. As an exiled people, they have lost much and wept much while being kept away from their homeland. But now that they are back, they are able to sing and recognise that even though it seemed like much tears and sorrow were experienced, at some point, the Lord is faithful and will restore what was taken from His people.
I see many relevant applications of this psalm in our lives.
Whether it’s on a personal or corporate level, when God begins to move in His amazing ways, it’s hard to keep it a secret. When you experience something wonderful from God, don’t you just have to tell someone? More often than not, people already can see God’s amazing work in your life and praise God for it!
For the past few months, God has showed up in amazing ways in youth service. How amazing! I have been really joyful and excited when I see what God is doing. I tell everyone about it!
It is especially key to note that the whole theme of this psalm focuses on restoration. We may have experienced some kind of loss in our lives – perhaps sin has drawn us far from God. But when we are restored by God in His mercy, don’t we feel so happy and alive?
The use of contrast is important to note as well:
Streams and the desert – deserts represent dry, lifeless places. To have streams flow in deserts is firstly a miracle, and secondly a sign that there is a source of life deeper than the surface. Do you have dry and lifeless areas in your life? Will you pray for streams in the desert? God is a God of miracles. He can provide life in areas where you seem to be dry and fruitless. Jesus is the Source of Life.
Tears and joy / Weeping and singing – From crying to joy. From heartbreak to hope. Personally, I relate this very much to my own life often. Many times, when I “plant”, sow and invest in people out of love for God, it can be accompanied by lots of tears and heartbreak because I don’t see the fruit for a long time. The sowing can be painful because it requires sacrifice, pain and setting aside my own agenda. However there is always a time of harvesting with joy. When I see the seeds that I have planted in people begin to bear fruit, it is all worth it. I have learnt that God is the one who causes growth. I’m only in charge of sowing and harvesting.
“God’s ability to restore life is beyond our understanding. Forests burn down and are able to grow back. Broken bones heal. Even grief is not a permanent condition. Our tears can be seeds that will grow into a harvest of joy because God is able to bring good out of tragedy. When burdened by sorrow, know that your times of grief will end and that you will again find joy. We must be patient as we wait. God’s great harvest of joy is coming!”
- Commentary on Psalm 126 (Life Application Bible)
Saturday, 25 August 2007
No sound no picture...
It's been awfully quiet around here theses days... I hope it's because everyone's just flocking to the forum. Hey if you are wondering, har? got forum ah? Then go check it out at:
http://amphillah.30.forumer.com/index.php?act=idx
Had a really intense time with Jesus this afternoon. I love Him so much. =)
http://amphillah.30.forumer.com/index.php?act=idx
Had a really intense time with Jesus this afternoon. I love Him so much. =)
Wednesday, 4 July 2007
Thursday, 21 June 2007
Week 2 in Redding
Dear all,
I'm writing this while sitting in line for the "On Earth as it is in Heaven" conference which starts tonight till Friday. It's in the middle of our school term so the conference is part of our school - 2 in 1! This conference will have speakers like Tommy Tenney, Ray Hughes and Shawn Bolz, and an amazing worship leader and pastor called Lindell Cooley. We've had Lindell for the past 2 days in school leading us in worship and teaching us and words escape me... I can't describe the experience except that it's truly of the Holy Spirit and I'm drenched!
Sitting in line with laptops. The line goes round the sanctuary and the service starts in 2 hours time. How fun.
Yesterday, the moment Lindell sang the first line of his song, it was like electricity ran through my body and I just felt like my heart was going to burst with praise, love, excitement, delirium and I was just enjoying every moment of the Holy Spirit's presence. It was so easy to enter into His presence - it was pure magnetism. Wow... this same access is available for us every day if only we would pay attention to His abiding presence in our lives! It felt like heaven opened and POURED out rain like never before. We all swam in the river and no one wanted to come out and we didn't have to either! Woohoo.....!
Week 2 is just beginning and I must say I'm expecting more and more of Him each day. It's more than the amazing worship times or the inspiring teaching or the fun activities we get to do. All these things are wonderful and I'm enjoying every moment of this mountain-top experience. But the more important thing is God is affirming His works and creation on earth, and I'm a part of that. How awesome to be a child of God.
There is more to come, more to learn. What is God doing in and to my heart? A renewed call to intimacy and out of that, power and authority to speak things on His heart to being. I'm so enjoying this time of rest in Him. Not a passive, do-nothing kind of rest (although that's been nice too :)) but a rest and hope in Him that results in renewed strength as described in Isa 40.
Hey worshippers, don't ever compromise on your standards of obedience to God. Love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. We love because He first loved us.
luv,
jenn
I'm writing this while sitting in line for the "On Earth as it is in Heaven" conference which starts tonight till Friday. It's in the middle of our school term so the conference is part of our school - 2 in 1! This conference will have speakers like Tommy Tenney, Ray Hughes and Shawn Bolz, and an amazing worship leader and pastor called Lindell Cooley. We've had Lindell for the past 2 days in school leading us in worship and teaching us and words escape me... I can't describe the experience except that it's truly of the Holy Spirit and I'm drenched!
Sitting in line with laptops. The line goes round the sanctuary and the service starts in 2 hours time. How fun.Yesterday, the moment Lindell sang the first line of his song, it was like electricity ran through my body and I just felt like my heart was going to burst with praise, love, excitement, delirium and I was just enjoying every moment of the Holy Spirit's presence. It was so easy to enter into His presence - it was pure magnetism. Wow... this same access is available for us every day if only we would pay attention to His abiding presence in our lives! It felt like heaven opened and POURED out rain like never before. We all swam in the river and no one wanted to come out and we didn't have to either! Woohoo.....!
Week 2 is just beginning and I must say I'm expecting more and more of Him each day. It's more than the amazing worship times or the inspiring teaching or the fun activities we get to do. All these things are wonderful and I'm enjoying every moment of this mountain-top experience. But the more important thing is God is affirming His works and creation on earth, and I'm a part of that. How awesome to be a child of God.
There is more to come, more to learn. What is God doing in and to my heart? A renewed call to intimacy and out of that, power and authority to speak things on His heart to being. I'm so enjoying this time of rest in Him. Not a passive, do-nothing kind of rest (although that's been nice too :)) but a rest and hope in Him that results in renewed strength as described in Isa 40.
Hey worshippers, don't ever compromise on your standards of obedience to God. Love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. We love because He first loved us.
luv,
jenn
Friday, 15 June 2007
Children Ministry Music Workshop
On Wednesday (13th) and Thursday (14th), some of the musicians from Adults, Youth and Children ministry collectively conducted the workshop and it's a success! Through the workshop, I've learned more than I teach. In fact, this started out in my dream and then Pastor Jenn asked some of us to help out.
1, 2, 3, 4! Rock the House!
We can show the adults - We can do it!
Wanna know what instrument is that?
*Will post up a video shortly*
One of the groups.
That's Seth for you.
Gerald
Auntie Serena sharing about worship
The Future Warriors!
It's really a joy to serve the kids. In fact, Gerald and I were supporting Auntie Serena in vocals and Gerald said it was his first time in a way. LOL! For me, it was really a challenge too. As we shared all that we could, we really feel blessed by the kids, each and everyone of them. What really draws me to them would be their childlikeness.
Don't worry! I'm ready!
Wait! Wait! I'm preparing!
Preparing for Practice!
Rebecca
Joy
Jonathan
Timothy
Kenny with the guitarists
Uncle Steven with the guitarists
The most surprising thing is the love gift I received. I believe each of us received it too. It's really amazing. Shall not spoil any markets here. Anyway, all the glory goes to Jesus. He made it happen and best of all, we have them worshiping and leading us into worship.
Get Ready!
I'm all ready! Don't worry, I'm not stoning!
Uncle Steven said..... worship like a blind man!
*Feeling!*
The Ensemble Song: Lord I Lift Your Name On High
Girl Power!
Johan leading the team.
Good Job, Children of God!
Auntie Belinda in action!
It will come to pass! =) Thanks Pastor Jenn for giving us this opportunity to learn and to facilitate. We sure had fun! =)
Be Blessed!
1, 2, 3, 4! Rock the House!
We can show the adults - We can do it!
Wanna know what instrument is that?*Will post up a video shortly*
One of the groups.
That's Seth for you.
Gerald
Auntie Serena sharing about worship
The Future Warriors!It's really a joy to serve the kids. In fact, Gerald and I were supporting Auntie Serena in vocals and Gerald said it was his first time in a way. LOL! For me, it was really a challenge too. As we shared all that we could, we really feel blessed by the kids, each and everyone of them. What really draws me to them would be their childlikeness.
Don't worry! I'm ready!
Wait! Wait! I'm preparing!
Preparing for Practice!
Rebecca
Joy
Jonathan
Timothy
Kenny with the guitarists
Uncle Steven with the guitarists
Get Ready!
I'm all ready! Don't worry, I'm not stoning!
Uncle Steven said..... worship like a blind man!*Feeling!*
The Ensemble Song: Lord I Lift Your Name On High
Girl Power!
Johan leading the team.
Good Job, Children of God!
Auntie Belinda in action!It will come to pass! =) Thanks Pastor Jenn for giving us this opportunity to learn and to facilitate. We sure had fun! =)
Be Blessed!
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