God knows best! April 20, 2009
Posted by Lydia in Testimony.add a comment
For the past few months, I’m learning about trusting in God at a deeper level. Really, there’s no end in trusting God. Things happen and you get worried, then you realise that your anxiety or fear has a spiritual root that is waiting to be yanked out of your life, that your view of God needs to be aligned to who He really is.
I appreciate God really more these days. Prayers are no longer insisting on what you want, but a trusting attitude and action to say “God knows best!”
With the farewell we bade with 8-week old “Yeshua” on 20 February 2009, it was a time of grief, no doubt, but a time we brace ourselves in full submission and assurance of God’s grace and mercy. A colleague told me that it is through such times that the verse “His loving kindness is better than life” takes on a new and special meaning. I truly could appreciate this verse now. Nothing beats His loving kindness, not even life!
I remembered that my beloved hubby said a prayer after we found out that Yeshua had lost his heartbeat…
“… nothing can be compared with the price You paid on the Cross…”
Wow! That was enlightening and I must say, relieving. Yes, this experience IS painful and we cried lots. But indeed, such pain and grief pale in comparison when we ponder on His sacrifice on the Cross!!
And because He lives, I can face tomorrow…. Because He lives, all fear is gone… Because I know, I know He holds the future… And life is worth the living just because He lives!
TGIF Thanksgiving – Melvin’s clustered cell April 11, 2009
Posted by Ah Pao in Testimony.add a comment
We had our TGIF party yesterday (on Good Friday itself). It was great because although we didn’t have many guests, there was a fun and cozy atmosphere, so the guests weren’t intimidated by the overwhemling people who are already Christians. It was a good faith-building exercise for many of us, and I’ll like to share two thanksgivings:
1) Greater sense of ownership
This time round we decided not to cater food. Since one of my guys, Sheng, is working in a French restaurant and has a passion to cook, he was willing to handle the food part. The rest of my guys also chipped in and help. They were also involved in the planning and execution of the icebreakers and worship. Other members of the clustered cell were also helping to run the programme according to their talents. Some of them even stayed back to help clean my house after the party.
The leaders didn’t just sat on the bench, but helped in handholding the members in their roles as and when necessary. In short, EVERYONE was playing a part to make the party successful. A classic example of 100% man, 100% God.
2) Creative avenues of letting guests respond to the altar call
In addition to the feedback card that was given to the guests, Shiying thought of a brillant idea of using Post-it notes and a paper cross for everyone at the party to respond to the altar call. In such a small group setting, some may feel shy or intimidated to share their inner thoughts to people they don’t really know.
During the altar call, everyone had a Post-it note and were encouraged to write their prayer requests or anything they want to say to Jesus. We told them it was private talk between them and Jesus, so even I’m not suppose to read them. (On hindsight, we could have used plain paper and sticky tape to hold the prayers up onto the cross.)
I think is a very visual and symbolic way of conveying the message of the Cross, and it’s also an act of faith for everyone to write their prayers.
The party would not have been successful without everyone in the clustered cell doing their part and praying for their friends. Praise be to God!
(Now I’ve got to mop my floor again…)
James 2:1-7 Treat People Without Favouritism April 9, 2009
Posted by heeguan in Devotion on James, Hee Guan's Sharing.add a comment
I am a volunteer who sell flags for TCS. Often, those blue collars donate quite readiness. It is also common for me to meet white collar professionals who shun me. I learn that those with ‘rich’ dressing and ‘rich’ financial status do not necessarily mean ‘rich’ in compassion.
James 2:5-8 rightly say “ 5Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?”
Therefore, we should treat people without favouritism because the external often do not correlate to the internal, as taught in James 2:1-4 “ 1My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. 2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”
James 1:22-27 Authentic Religion: Look After Orphans & Widows April 2, 2009
Posted by heeguan in Devotion on James, Hee Guan's Sharing.add a comment
Recently, there was a group of foreigner workers who were cheated of their money. They paid their agent fee and came to Singapore but the job and agent was not to be found.
One of my 12 read the newspaper article, took initiative to meet and help the foreign workers. Wow, this is authentic religion according to James 1:26-27 “ 26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
Some people like to complain that they are not fed with enough bible teaching. But as I reflect further, I realised that they have at least heard about teaching to care for the orphans, widows, poor, needy and foreigners 30, 60 or 100 times as Christians. Yet when it is time for them to translate the truth into application, the same group of people simply turns away as if they are blind.
This is why James 1:22-25 caution us “ 22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”
James 1:19-21 Be Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak & Slow to Become Angry April 1, 2009
Posted by heeguan in Devotion on James, Hee Guan's Sharing.add a comment
I’ve conducted a Marriage Preparation Course for a couple and the lady said she felt condemned as stupid whenever the boyfriend said spontaneously “You’re wrong!”.
This is just an example of many of us who are not listening enough, are quick to make judgement and quick to react with how we feel. This attitude will destroy healthy relationship.
This is why James 1:19-21a say “ 19My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent “
Let us live out vs19 as we’re challenged by James 1:21b “ and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.“
