=p

Make Friends With Whatever’s Next by Max Lucado

2009-08-01T13:07:00.001+08:00

Embrace it. Accept it. Don’t resist it. Change is not only a part of life; change is a necessary part of God’s strategy. To use us to change the world, he alters our assignments. Gideon: from farmer to general; Mary: from peasant girl to the mother of Christ; Paul: from local rabbi to world evangelist. God transitioned Joseph from a baby brother to an Egyptian prince. He changed David from a a shepherd to a king. Peter wanted to fish the Sea of Galilee. God called him to lead the first church. God makes reassignments.

But, someone might ask, what about the tragic changes God permits? Some seasons make no sense…do such moments serve a purpose?

They do if we see them from an eternal perspective. What makes no sense in this lie will make perfect sense in the next. I have proof: you in the womb.

I know you don’t remember this prenatal season, so let me remind you what happened during it. Every gestation day equipped you for your earthly life. Your bones solidified, your eyes developed, the umbilical cord transported nutrients into your growing frame…for what reason? So you might remain enwombed? Quite the contrary. Womb time equipped you for earth time, suited you up for your postpartum existence.

Some prenatal features went unused before birth. You grew a nose but didn’t breathe. Eyes developed, but could you see? Your tongue, toenails, and crop of hair served no function in your mother’s belly. But aren’t you glad you have them now?

Certain chapters in this life seem so unnecessary, like nostrils on the preborn. Suffering. Loneliness. Disease. Holocausts. Martyrdom. Monsoons. If we assume this world exists just for pregrave happiness, these atrocities disqualify it from doing so. But what if this earth is the womb? Might these challenges, severe as they may be, serve to prepare us, equip us for the world to come? As Paul wrote, “These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing” (2 Cor. 4:17 CEV).

Restaurant City

2009-04-28T00:20:00.002+08:00

play restaurant city...its a nice game!!! =)

Men Conference

2009-03-28T00:31:00.004+08:00

Offering msg: We need to boycott the recession!!! Its funny how believe in the law of gravity but yet do not believe in the law of sowing. Gotta believe that the more we give, God is going to pour down his blessings over our lives. "the wealth of the wicked shall be transferred to the righteous", so right now there are currently people who are working for us!!!! They are thinking that they are amassing wealth for themselves, yet only to discover a change of events will allow us to reap the fruits of their labour...wow!!!

Sermon:
Joel 3:9-10

9 Proclaim this among the nations:

“ Prepare for war!
Wake up the mighty men,
Let all the men of war draw near,
Let them come up.
10 Beat your plowshares into swords
And your pruning hooks into spears;
Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’”

Been so encouraged after listening to the Men's conference. The church have been so used to being the bride, that the men seems to feel emasculated when they go to church. Imagine a man's head(Christ) with a female body(us, Christians), lol!!! Thats why, Pst Phil says that the worship songs in his church have more "hair"(that means more masculine), lol. David was able to synthesis worship with giant killing. Goliath brought out the giant-slayer in David. No Goliath, no giant killing by David. Problems are to awaken the men in us. Statistics have shown that most suicides in Australia are by men. If only they would have overcame their problems and awaken the men in them.

Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, but he used the word of God as His sword. really need to go on the offensive. Pst Phil talked about how the spirit of condemnation/guilt attacks him. One time, he locked the windows and doors of his room, and started screaming/shouting against the devil, holding on to God's word...hell really trembled and shook on that day.

Sometimes we believe what the newspapers about the church say rather than standing by the church pastors. People have no problems standing up for Jesus, but yet have problems standing up for the man God chooses.

The problem most men face is loneliness. Got to be more accountable to another man. We are really stronger together. Sometimes we find ourselves in the pit, like David, facing a giant (the lion), got to slay the giant and be a problem-solver.

Failing Forward By Dr. John C. Maxwell

2009-02-26T14:01:00.000+08:00

Vincent Van Gogh failed as an art dealer, flunked his entrance exam to theology school, and was fired by the church after an ill-fated attempt at missionary work. In fact, during his life, he seldom experienced anything other than failure as an artist. Although a single painting by Van Gogh would fetch in excess of $100 million today, in his lifetime Van Gogh sold only one painting, four months prior to his death.

Before developing his theory of relativity, Albert Einstein encountered academic failure. One headmaster expelled Einstein from school and another teacher predicted that he would never amount to anything. Einstein even failed his entrance exam into college.

Prior to dazzling the world with his athletic skill, Michael Jordan was cut from his sophomore basketball team. Even though he captured six championships, during his professional career, Jordan missed over 12,000 shots, lost nearly 400 games, and failed to make more than 25 would-be game-winning baskets.

Failure didn't stop Vincent Van Gogh from painting, Albert Einstein from theorizing, or Michael Jordan from playing basketball, but it has paralyzed countless leaders and prevented them from reaching their potential.

At some point, all great achievers are tempted to believe they are failures. But in spite of that, they persevere. In the face of adversity, shortcomings, and rejection, they hold onto self-believe and refuse to see themselves as failures. Here are seven abilities of achievers that enable them to rebound from failure and keep moving forward.

Seven Principles for Failing Forward

Reject Rejection

Achievers who persevere do not base their self-worth on their performance. On the contrary, they have a healthy self-image that's not dictated by external events. When they fall short, rather than labeling themselves a failure, they learn from mistakes in their judgment or behavior.

Don't Point Fingers

When people fail, they're often tempted to blame others for their lack of success. By pointing fingers, they sink into a victim mentality and cede their fate to outsiders. When playing the blame game, people rob themselves of learning from their failures and alienate others by refusing to take responsibility for mistakes.

See Failure as Temporary

People who personalize failure see a problem as a hole they're permanently stuck in, whereas achievers see any predicament as temporary. One mindset wallows in failure, the other looks forward to success. By putting mistakes into perspective, achievers are able to see failure as a momentary event, not a symptom of a lifelong epidemic.

Set Realistic Expectations

Unrealistic goals doom people to failure. For instance, if a person hasn't exercised for five years, then making it to a gym twice a week may be a better goal than running in next month's marathon. Also, some people insensibly expect to be perfect. Everyone fails, so expect setbacks and emotionally prepare to deal with them.

Focus on Strengths

Don't invest time shoring up non-character flaws at the exclusion of investing in your strengths. People operating from a position of strength enjoy a far lower rate of failure than those laboring in areas of weakness. You're built to give your talents to the world; be diligent about finding expressions for them in your career.

Vary Approaches to Achievement

In the Psychology of Achievement, Brian Tracy writes about four millionaires who made their fortunes by age 35. On average, these achievers were involved in 17 businesses before they finding the one that took them to the top. They kept trying and changing until they found something that worked.

Bounce Back

Rehashing missteps and blunders for too long sabotages concentration and eats away at self-confidence. When dealing with failure, achievers have short memories. They quickly forget the negative emotions of setbacks and press forward resiliently. While taking pause to learn from failures, achievers realize that the past cannot be altered.

Summary

I believe it's nearly impossible for any person to believe he or she is a failure and move forward at the same time. For those who have been downsized, let go, or bankrupted, the temptation may be to internalize failure. My hope is that anyone who has suffered setbacks recently will be able to separate life's unfortunate events from their self-worth. Failure, like death and taxes, will happen. Your response to failure holds the key to your future.

Speaking the truth in love, we will... grow up. (Ephesians 4:15 NIV)

2009-02-26T13:51:00.001+08:00

There are two ways to tell the truth. The 'give them a piece of your mind' style, which only drives the wedge deeper. Or the Bible way: "Speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15 NIV), which resolves conflict and strengthens relationships. Suppose a couple is fighting because he's habitually late. How can she speak "the truth in love" and get her message heard? Here's a five-step process that's effective in marriage, friendship or work.

She could say to him: (1) "I feel frustrated." No blame, no attack; just an honest expression of her own emotion. (2) "When you are late." No judging, name-calling or labelling; just a concrete description of his action. (3) "It seems to say to me that my time is not really important to you." No moralising; just honestly sharing her feelings. (4) "Please try to be on time, or call and let me know when you'll be here." Instead of focusing on past actions he can't change, she's telling him what she'd like him to do differently next time. (5) "Would you be willing to do that for me?" No demanding or taking for granted; just asking for consideration and cooperation. When he agrees, they have a 'contract'. She thanks him sincerely and rewards every effort he makes to keep his word. She has effectively realigned the couple by making him her ally, not her enemy, and redefined the focus as a shared one, not something she 'does to him!' The Bible says we can "walk together" when we have "agreed" to do so (Amos 3:3 NIV).

“Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread.” by Max Lucado

2009-02-25T14:29:00.001+08:00

What a statement of trust! Whatever you want me to have is all I want. Some days the plate runs over. God keeps bringing out more food and we keep loosening our belt. A promotion. A privilege. A friendship. A gift. A lifetime of grace. An eternity of joy. There are times when we literally push ourselves back from the table, amazed at God’s kindness. “You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup fills with blessing” (Ps. 23:5 MSG).

And then there are those days when, well, when we have to eat our broccoli. Our daily bread could be tears or sorrow or discipline. Our portion may include adversity as well as opportunity.

This verse was on my mind last night during family devotions. I called my daughters to the table and set a plate in front of each. In the center of the table I placed a collection of food: some fruit, some raw vegetables and some Oreo cookies. “Every day,” I explained, “God prepares for us a plate of experiences. What kind of plate do you most enjoy?”

The answer was easy. Sara put three cookies on her plate. Some days are like that, aren’t they? Some days are “three cookie days.” Many are not. Sometimes our plate has nothing but vegetables—twenty-four hours of celery, carrots, and squash. Apparently God knows we need some strength, and though the portion may be hard to swallow, isn’t it for our own good? Most days, however, have a bit of it all. Vegetables, which are healthy but dull. Fruit, which tastes better and we enjoy. And even an Oreo, which does little for our nutrition, but a lot for our attitude.

All are important and all are from God.

The next time your plate has more broccoli than apple pie, remember who prepared the meal. And the next time your plate has a portion you find hard to swallow, talk to God about it. Jesus did. In the garden of Gethsemane his Father handed him a cup of suffering so sour, so vile, that Jesus handed it back to heaven. “My Father,” he prayed, “if it is possible may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matt. 26:39).

Even Jesus was given a portion he found hard to swallow. But with God’s help, he did. And with God’s help, you can too.

Great House of God From
The Great House of God
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001) Max Lucado

The 5 Laws of Wealth Creation

2009-02-19T19:20:00.000+08:00

Regardless of the current circumstances or the state of the economy, the laws of wealth remain solid and unbreakable. You see, while the masses are driven by fear and are hoarding like the proverbial “sky is falling,” a few know what it takes to create more wealth than ever before. I believe you are one of those few.

When it comes to laws, we know that they work all the time. It may not seem like they do for the moment, but when the dust settles, one thing always remains true – the laws of life!

So here are the 5 Laws of Wealth Creation:

1. The Law of Giving – The more generous you are, the more generous life will be to you. What you are willing to let go of will always return in multiplied fashion to your life..

2. The Law of Value – When you add more value, you will always earn more money. It may take time, but continue to add more value to those you serve (your clients, your employees, your boss) and soon money will follow.

3. The Law of Compound Interest – Remember, money will always grow exponentially over time if you invest it wisely. Don’t rush this process. The longer you allow your money to grow, the more it will!

4. The Law of Problem Solving – The problems you solve determine the rewards you receive. What problems are you solving? The garbage man may make $25 per hour while the lawyer makes $150 per hour. They solve two different problems.

5. The Law of Attraction – Never forget… You attract WHO you are, not WHAT you desire.

If you put these laws into action, you will soon create the wealth you desire! Enjoy!

From Slot Machine to Stock Market: Investment Strategies for Relationships

2009-02-19T14:02:00.000+08:00

By Dr. John C. Maxwell

In the early years of my career, I did not have a correct view of life. I approached life as if it were a slot machine. I wanted to put as little as possible into it, and I always hoped to hit the jackpot. I'm embarrassed to say that I often had a similar approach in my interaction with people. I was more focused on what people could do for me than what I could do for them. As a result, I would try to make relational "withdrawals" without ever having made any deposits. Needless to say, I was not very successful.

As I matured, I begin to place a higher value on people. As I made this transition, I noticed a fascinating development: the more I gave to relationships, the more I seemed to gain from relationships. In my book, Winning With People, I named this phenomenon The Boomerang Principle. What you put into relationships has a way of coming back to you.

During my time in leadership, I've noticed that people fall into three broad categories with regards to how they view relationships.

1) Takers

Takers receive and never give. They are the people in life who have a me-first mentality. They try to extract as much as they can from the relationships in their lives, and they rarely, if ever, consider giving back.

2) Traders

Traders receive and then give. Traders will only send you a Christmas card, if you've mailed one to them. They picture relationships as an equation in need of balance. If someone helps them, they feel a debt of gratitude. If they aid another person, they expect a favor in return.

3) Investors

Investors give and then receive. These are the people who give purely for the joy of giving. They add value to others, not as part of a cold calculation, but as a habit. Although doing so may not earn them an instant return, in the long run they reap the gratitude and goodwill of those they have helped.
Investment Strategies for Relationships

Instead of viewing relationships as a slot machine, picture them like the stock market. To get rich, make regular deposits in people over an extended period of time. At first, you may feel like the value of what you're putting in isn't worth the investment. However, like the stock market, in the long run, you'll reap dividends and earn rewards.

1) Think "Others First"

Human nature tends to focus us on personal needs, but investing in relationships requires us to prioritize others. Instead of self-advancement, think others-enhancement. Like a responsible investor, resist the temptation to "time" the relational market, using someone only for short-term gain. That's a strategy doomed to fail. On the contrary, make a habit of adding value in relationships and trust that the long-term results will be in your favor.

2) Focus on the Investment, Not the Return

If you've ever purchased stocks personally, then you know the agony of watching the vicissitudes of the market. Like a roller coaster, your portfolio climbs up one day only to lurch down the next day. Instead of agonizing over returns, a shrewd investor focuses on making the investment. The same principle holds true in relationships. Don't expect specific and immediate benefit from your relational inputs. Through time, you'll be taken care of as long as you're willing to invest.

3) Make Educated Investments

Not all investments yield the same interest, and not all relationships produce the same reward. As a leader, make investing in others a general principle, but be deliberate about putting energy into low-risk, high-reward relationships. Seek out talented people with teachable dispositions, and offer your relational capital to those who will make the most of it.

4) Initiate the investment

A stockbroker won't hack into your bank account and invest money on your behalf. You have to be willing to take the first step. Don't be stingy with your relational investments, giving only to those who've first given to you. Rather, take responsibility for setting the tone of adding value in your relationships.

Are You Approachable?

2009-01-30T14:44:00.001+08:00

When the Holy Spirit controls our lives He will produce... kindness, goodness... gentleness.
Galatians 5:22-23 TLB

Approachable people exhibit the following characteristics:
(1) Personal warmth - they truly like people. In an old Peanuts cartoon, Charlie Brown says, "I love mankind, it's just people I can't stand." Hello! It's not enough to love people in theory, you have to generate personal warmth toward those you meet each day.
(2) Their moods are consistent. Have you ever worked with someone whose moods were constantly up and down? You never knew how they'd be. In contrast, approachable people are even-keeled and predictable. They're basically the same way every time you see them.
(3) Sensitivity toward people's feelings. Although approachable people are emotionally steady, that doesn't mean they expect others to be that way. They recognise that good people have bad days; consequently they tune their moods to the feelings of others and quickly adjust how they relate to them.
(4) Understanding of human weakness, and exposure of their own. Novelist Ed Howes said, "Express a mean opinion of yourself occasionally, it will show your friends that you know how to tell the truth." Approachable people are honest about their abilities - and shortcomings. They embrace the old proverb which says: "Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused." And because they can admit their own faults, they don't have a problem allowing other people to have faults as well.
(5) The ability to forgive and ask for forgiveness. Author David Augsburger wrote, "Since nothing… we attempt (Isaiah) ever without error, and nothing we achieve without some measure of the finitude and fallibility we call humanness, we are saved by forgiveness."

Where is God? by Max Lucado

2009-01-11T17:39:00.001+08:00

It is important to recognize that God dwells in a different realm. He occupies another dimension. “My thoughts are not like your thoughts. Your ways are not like my ways. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8–9).

Make special note of the word like. God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are they even like ours. We aren’t even in the same neighborhood. We’re thinking, Preserve the body; he’s thinking, Save the soul. We dream of a pay raise. He dreams of raising the dead. We avoid pain and seek peace. God uses pain to bring peace. “I’m going to live before I die,” we resolve. “Die so you can live,” he instructs. We love what rusts. He loves what endures. We rejoice at our successes. He rejoices at our confessions.

Our thoughts are not like God’s thoughts. Our ways are not like his ways. He has a different agenda. He dwells in a different dimension. He lives on another plane.

What controls you doesn’t control him. What troubles you doesn’t trouble him. What fatigues you doesn’t fatigue him. Is an eagle disturbed by traffic? No, he rises above it. Is the whale perturbed by a hurricane? Of course not; he plunges beneath it. Is the lion flustered by the mouse standing directly in his way? No, he steps over it.

How much more is God able to soar above, plunge beneath, and step over the troubles of the earth! “What is impossible with man is possible with God” (see Matt. 19:26). Our questions betray our lack of understanding:

How can God be everywhere at one time? (Who says God is bound by a body?)

How can God hear all the prayers that come to him? (Perhaps his ears are different from yours.)

How can God be the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? (Could it be that heaven has a different set of physics than earth?)

How vital that we pray, armed with the knowledge that God is in heaven. Pray with any lesser conviction, and our prayers are timid, shallow, and hollow. Look up and see what God has done, and watch how your prayers are energized.

This knowledge gives us confidence as we face the uncertain future. We know that he is in control of the universe, and so we can rest secure. But important also is the knowledge that this God in heaven has chosen to bend near toward earth to see our sorrow and hear our prayers. He is not so far above us that he is not touched by our tears.

Though we may not be able to see his purpose or his plan, the Lord of heaven is on his throne and in firm control of the universe and our lives. So we entrust him with our future. We entrust him with our very lives.

From
For These Tough Times:
Reaching Toward Heaven for Hope and Healing
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006) Max Lucado

THE FOUR CANDLE'S OF LIFE

2009-01-11T10:56:00.000+08:00

PEACE

FAITH

LOVE

HOPE

The Four Candles burned slowly.
Their ambiance was so soft you could hear them speak.

The first candle said, "I am PEACE, but these days, nobody wants to keep me lit." Then Peace's flame slowly diminishes and goes out completely.

The second candle says, "I am FAITH, but these days, I am no longer indispensable." Then Faith's flame slowly diminishes and goes out completely.

Sadly, the third candle spoke, "I am LOVE and I haven't the strength to stay lit any longer." "People put me aside and don't understand my importance. They even forget to love those who are nearest to them."And waiting no longer, Love goes out completely.

Suddenly . . . A child enters the room and sees the three candles no longer burning. The child begins to cry, "Why are you not burning? You are supposed to stay lit until the end."

Then the Fourth Candle spoke gently to the little boy, "Don't be afraid, for I Am HOPE, and while I still burn, we can re-light the other candles."

With Shining eyes the child took the Candle of Hope and lit the other three candles.

Never let the Flame of Hope go out of your life. With HOPE, no matter how bad things look and are, PEACE, FAITH and LOVE can Shine Brightly in our lives.

Don't let these candles go out in your life, And remember, as long as you have Hope burning, you can always relite your life!

Cao Ge

2008-12-31T16:03:00.005+08:00

Yesterday was the best day ever!!!!!Got to sit quite near to Cao Ge at Downtown East! I even got the chance to put my arm around him when taking the grp photo, lol. His voice is really good, and he is very funny too!

7 Things To Do Before Christmas by Pst. Mark Conner

2008-12-16T19:04:00.000+08:00

1. Evaluate Your Ministry or Career.

Take some time to think about how the various areas of life that you are involved in are going.

What's going well? What's not? Where are you heading?

Think about next year - 2009.

What needs to change? What do you need to do differently? What do you need to do more of ... or less of?

2. Evaluate Your Own Personal Effectiveness.

What are your priorities? Are you using your time to accomplish them?

How is the balance of your life? Consider areas such as your spiritual life, your family and friendships, your energy level, as well as your social and recreation life.

How is your joy? Your enthusiasm? Your love for people? Your vision?

How much are you growing personally? What new things would you like to learn? What training could you consider for next year?

Take some time to think about your life and plan any necessary changes or adjustments for the coming year.

3. Strengthen Your Team.

All of us do life, work, and ministry with other people. We are all part of some sort of team, maybe even as a leader of a team.

Spend some extra time with these important people before Christmas.

* Encourage them and express appreciation to them for who they are and how they have benefited your life. Remember, encouragement is like oxygen to the soul - we all need lots of it.
* Give them feedback on what they have done well.
* If you are a leader, coach people on your team a little by sharing some ways they can grow or improve.
* Talk about the future. What is the vision that you are passionate about seeing become a reality?

December is a busy time. Don't get caught up in only the things that YOU need to do. Be aware of the people around you. Connect and relate to them even more intentionally during this time. Finish the year well together.

4. Do Some Planning for 2009.

Think about some of your main events or activities for next year. What's happening with - your life, your family, your friends, your work, and your church?

Start doing some planning and organisation for the first quarter of the year.

Create some personal life goals for 2009. What would you be excited to have accomplished by the end of the year? What are you passionate about?

How about planning some holidays too! There's something energising about just planning some time off or away.

5. Do Some Pastoral Care.

If you are a leader of other people, take a few moments to reflect on the 'people flow' in your area.

Here are a few questions to ask:

* Who are the interested people who need hope and a vision?
* Who are the new people who need a welcome and some clear direction?
* Who are the core people who need some encouragement and affirmation at this time?
* Who are the disgruntled people who you need to take some time to listen to and help work through some issues that are important to them?
* Who are the people who have dropped out who you may need to go after and see how they are?

Are there any tensions or unresolved conflicts in your world? Make an effort to address and resolve them right away. Make it a priority. Tie up any loose ends before the year finishes so you can start with a clean slate.

6. Get Organised.

Clean your office. Make an appointment with yourself. Block out plenty of time for this.

Sort through any filing cabinets, shelves, or desk drawers.

Clean out your email folders.

Throw away as much as possible.

Get your 2009 diary or calendar up to date.

You'll feel much better for it!

7. Plan Your Holiday.

Hopefully, you're planning on taking some time off around Christmas and the New Year.

Do something different and make it your best holiday yet.

Shut down, turn off, and enjoy your God, your friends, and your family.

I'm sure you have lots to do before Christmas, but hopefully these seven suggestions will be of benefit to you as you finish this year. All the best!

The Arrival by Max Lucado

2008-12-16T17:58:00.001+08:00

God had entered the world as a baby.

Yet, were someone to chance upon the sheep stable on the outskirts of Bethlehem that morning, what a peculiar scene they would behold.

The stable stinks like all stables do. The stench of urine, dung, and sheep reeks pungently in the air. The ground is hard, the hay scarce. Cobwebs cling to the ceiling and a mouse scurries across the dirt floor.

A more lowly place of birth could not exist.

Off to one side sit a group of shepherds. They sit silently on the floor; perhaps perplexed, perhaps in awe, no doubt in amazement. Their night watch had been interrupted by an explosion of light from heaven and a symphony of angels. God goes to those who have time to hear him—so on this cloudless night he went to simple shepherds.

Near the young mother sits the weary father. If anyone is dozing, he is. He can’t remember the last time he sat down. And now that the excitement has subsided a bit, now that Mary and the baby are comfortable, he leans against the wall of the stable and feels his eyes grow heavy. He still hasn’t figured it all out. The mystery of the event puzzles him. But he hasn’t the energy to wrestle with the questions. What’s important is that the baby is fine and that Mary is safe. As sleep comes he remembers the name the angel told him to use … Jesus. “We will call him Jesus.”

Wide awake is Mary. My, how young she looks! Her head rests on the soft leather of Joseph’s saddle. The pain has been eclipsed by wonder. She looks into the face of the baby. Her son. Her Lord. His Majesty. At this point in history, the human being who best understands who God is and what he is doing is a teenage girl in a smelly stable. She can’t take her eyes off him. Somehow Mary knows she is holding God. So this is he. She remembers the words of the angel. “His kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:33)

He looks like anything but a king. His face is prunish and red. His cry, though strong and healthy, is still the helpless and piercing cry of a baby. And he is absolutely dependent upon Mary for his well-being.

Majesty in the midst of the mundane. Holiness in the filth of sheep manure and sweat. Divinity entering the world on the floor of a stable, through the womb of a teenager and in the presence of a carpenter.

She touches the face of the infant-God. How long was your journey!

This baby had overlooked the universe. These rags keeping him warm were the robes of eternity. His golden throne room had been abandoned in favor of a dirty sheep pen. And worshiping angels had been replaced with kind but bewildered shepherds.

Meanwhile, the city hums. The merchants are unaware that God has visited their planet. The innkeeper would never believe that he had just sent God into the cold. And the people would scoff at anyone who told them the Messiah lay in the arms of a teenager on the outskirts of their village. They were all too busy to consider the possibility.

Those who missed His Majesty’s arrival that night missed it not because of evil acts or malice; no, they missed it because they simply weren’t looking.

Little has changed in the last two thousand years, has it?

From
God Came Near
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006) Max Lucado

Usher Outing

2008-12-15T00:48:00.002+08:00

Came back from usher gathering in a condo's function room. The part that really touched me was the testimony part, how the usher team ics took the effort to talk to the boy to come back to usher ministry even though they were so busy in charge of the zone and handling the signal set. One usher even manage to convince the boy's parents to let him join usher ministry.

I realise that relationships really matter a lot, and that all things are possible if one believes. I think I really have to start thinking of ways to invest and pour more of myself into people's lives and learn to give gifts that will bless people's hearts and lives. Of course, this will take money, time, effort and most importantly, a willing heart. I think investing in people's lives is the best investment one can ever make, and this is my goal for 2009.

Another thing I liked about today's gathering was the part when people wrote their favourite ic. When u see the same name being written over and over again, it makes u amazed of the effort, the love and wonderful things that the ic has done to touch the lives of people around them. I think I want to set myself a new challenge to step into people's lives more, so much so that if there's a day of appreciation or thanksgiving, I will be mentioned lots of times, haha.

1 Corinthians 9:22 (The Message)

2008-12-07T22:40:00.000+08:00

19-23Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn't take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I've become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn't just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!

Taking Personal Responsibility (1)

2008-11-30T19:34:00.000+08:00

If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you.
Proverbs 9:12 NIV

To display the kind of responsibility that makes you successful in life: (1) Recognise that gaining success means practising self-discipline. Every time you stop yourself from doing what you shouldn't, and start doing what you should, you're increasing your capacity for responsibility and the rewards it brings. (2) What you start, finish. There are two kinds of people: those who will and those who might. Responsible people follow through. And that's how others evaluate them. (3) Don't expect others to do it for you. Paul writes: "Each one should carry his own load" (Galatians 6:5 NIV). Addressing students at the University of South Carolina, Chief Judge Alexander M. Saunders said, "As responsibility is passed to your hands it will not do… to assume that someone else will bear the major burdens, that someone else will demonstrate the key convictions, that someone else will run for office, take care of the poor, visit the sick, protect civil rights, enforce the law, transmit value, maintain civilisation and defend freedom… What you do not value will not be valued, what you do not remember will not be remembered, what you do not change will not be changed, what you do not do will not be done. You can, if you will, craft a society whose leaders… are less obsessed with the need for money. It's not a question of what to do, but simply the will to do it."

Sometimes we don't take responsibility because we believe others are more qualified. No, those who make a difference in life don't do so because they're the best qualified, but simply because they decided to try. Plus: God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called!

Taking Personal Responsibility (2)

2008-11-30T19:30:00.000+08:00

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.
1 Peter 4:10 NIV

Each time you make a responsible decision you become a more responsible person. Successful people don't blame others. They take responsibility for their actions and attitudes. They show response-ability - the ability to choose a correct response no matter what situation they face. Responsibility is always a choice, and only you can make it. If being responsible hasn't been one of your strengths, then start small. You can't start from any place other than where you are right now.

Which areas of responsibility are the toughest for you? (1) Following through - taking responsibility to finish what you start? If you've a tendency to quit, give yourself relatively small goals that require you to stretch. Start in areas you care about deeply. Then with a few wins under your belt, begin tackling other areas. (2) Taking care of the small stuff? How often do you forget small things - that are big things to others? Like forgetting anniversaries and birthdays, not picking up the dry cleaning or taking out the trash, missing your child's game or concert. "Let your light shine… that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven" (Matthew 5:16 NIV). (3) Stepping forward - not expecting someone else to do it for you? Most of us have a tough decision that's waiting to be made, and we keep putting it off. What's yours? Why aren't you taking action? Write down the reasons, so you understand clearly what they are. Now write down the advantages of making the decision. Once you know in your heart what you should do, ask God for strength, do it, and stand by it. That's taking personal responsibility!

Your Faith Gets God's Attention

2008-11-30T15:23:00.001+08:00

Your faith has healed you.
Luke 8:48 NIV

The Bible says: "A woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for 12 years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind Him and touched the edge of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 'Who touched Me?' Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, 'Master, the people are crowding and pressing against You.' But Jesus said, 'Someone touched Me; I know that power has gone out from Me.' Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and… told why she had touched Him and how she had been instantly healed. Then He said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace'" (Luke 8:43-48 NIV).

Notice three important things in this story: (1) She did something she'd never done before. She decided to try Jesus. Wise move! Faith means stepping into the unknown and the untried, finding God's grace at work in unexpected ways. (2) She recognised her moment. She knew that Jesus was visiting her town, and might not be back. There are 'God-moments' in life when you've got to overcome your fear and move out in faith. If you don't, you'll miss them. (3) She opened the door for others. Up until this time, no one in Scripture had been healed by touching Jesus' garment. So her act of faith opened the door for others. "People brought all their sick to Him and begged Him to let the sick just touch the edge of His cloak, and all who touched Him were healed" (Matthew 14:35-36 NIV). God's looking for people who are willing to break with tradition. When He finds them, He uses them to open doors and new dimensions of His power, so that others might be blessed and made whole.

The Word for Today by Bob Gass

2008-11-09T19:18:00.000+08:00

Learn To Make Better Decisions

A prudent man gives thought to his steps.
Proverbs 14:15 NIV
If you're still making the same mistakes at 50 that you were at 20, you need to ask God for wisdom. "The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out" (Proverbs 18:15 NIV). What you are in the present is determined by the decisions you made in the past. If you want to change your future, learn to make better decisions. Be wise; let these principles guide you:

(1) Never make permanent decisions based on temporary circumstances. If you do, you'll regret it. (2) Don't let your emotions blind you reasoning. Pray, weigh things carefully and base your decisions on mature judgment. (3) Surround yourself with sharp people and draw on their gifts, without being intimidated by their expertise. (4) Take the time to consider all options. What looks good to you today may not look so good tomorrow. (5) You can't fight successfully on every front, so choose your battles carefully. Simply stated: some things are not worth fighting for. (6) Take time to get all the facts; conjecture leads to crisis. (7) Consider the consequences of each action. Ask yourself, "Am I ready to handle this right now?" (8) Make sure your expectations don't exceed your potential and your resources. Be realistic. If you can't count, don't apply for a job in the finance office. If you can't sing, don't try to make an album. Focus on what God gifted you to do. That's where you'll succeed. (9) Time is your most limited and valuable resource. Don't waste it. (10) Allow yourself a 10% risk of being wrong, a 50% likelihood of betrayal, and a 100% commitment to trust God, go forward and survive it all.

Last Post before leaving for Australia

2008-10-20T07:48:00.002+08:00

This wk's sermon was really inspiring. Didn't know that water crystals could be affected by the words we say and even the thoughts we have! I was inspired to think bigger thoughts for my future after hearing how circumstances change after their thoughts change. Example: Bigger quantity of seats for our new location being proposed after Pastor Kong enlarged his vision, Dayan (Pastor Kong's son) being offered a place in a school after his parents thought, believed, speaked of him being in that school after initially being told there were no more vacancies. It also ties in with the short cell-group meeting message, that the spiritual atmosphere will change once we speak blessings and pray over our circumstances.

I think this is considered as forthtelling, prophesizing into the future. I remebered that in the Old Testament, prophesizing is foretelling, while in the New Testament, prophesizing is forthtelling, speaking into our circumstances. Well, I'm believing that Australia will be a fun and exciting place, especially in the two days R&R (Rest and relaxation). I feel that every overseas trip always seem to stretch me further, pushing me beyong my comfort zones. I remembered in Thailand, every Saturday night i will think of the cell group meetings, always wishing that i can show more care and concern to my friends. I will also think of the Expo church service, missing all the excitement of the masses of the people there, missing the wonderful praise and worship and the sermon. I'll be back on 5 Nov, then looking forward to ORD! hehe.

Be A Weed-Killer! by Bob Gass

2008-10-20T07:40:00.000+08:00

You must not give sin a vote.
Romans 6:12 TM
When it comes to dealing with sin in our lives, the Bible doesn't mince words: "Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life - no longer at sin's every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ's sin-conquering death, we also get included in His life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, He took sin down with Him, but alive He brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God… That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don't give it the time of day. Don't even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time - remember, you've been raised from the dead! - into God's way of doing things. Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the freedom of God" (Romans 6:6-14 TM).

Sin is like weeds. To love roses you must hate weeds, declare war on them and uproot them before they spring up. Why? Because left unchecked, they'll take over your garden and destroy every good thing that grows. So, the word for you today is - be a weed-killer!

Mary by Max Lucado

2008-10-20T07:30:00.000+08:00

Overseas dates

2008-10-18T00:42:00.002+08:00

Going to Australia frm 20th Oct to 5th Nov. What a great time to go, especially after the fall in Aussie dollars! Hope that it will be a fun-filled, exciting and eye-opening trip! =)

Abide by Bob Gass

2008-10-18T00:41:00.000+08:00

He who abides in Me... bears much fruit.
John 15:5 NAS
Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me… bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." As branches we bear fruit, but the life-giving substance required to do it flows to us from the vine. Any time we try to produce our own fruit it's going to be plastic fruit. When someone says, "I don't love my wife or my husband," that's not the issue. The issue is, can Christ love your wife or husband through you? The answer is yes, because love is a fruit that's produced in you by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). So, the question is, are you willing to allow Christ's love to flow through you?

Abiding in Christ is just another name for intimacy with Christ. He wants to express His life through you, which comes through your attachment to Him. If your prayer life is just a matter of shooting up an occasional SOS as emergencies arise, you're missing this intimacy. If you just have your devotions in the morning so you can "get them out of the way and get on with your day", you don't understand abiding.

After years of smoking, one lady decided to kick the habit. She tried every stop-smoking product on the market but nothing worked. Finally, she decided that instead of focusing on all the things she was doing to quit, she would just focus on being in God's presence and coming to really know Him. Within 30 days she had quit smoking - because of the power of the vine. So, the word for you today is 'abide'.

The God I Know

2008-10-16T22:12:00.001+08:00

Words and music by KC Gan, 2008

When the stage is bare tonight
There's no one else
Just You and me
When the curtains close behind
There's no pretense
I'm on my knees

I will lay down my all
For there's no greater cause
Than You my Lord
It's all because of You
It's all because of You

The God I know
Glorious and holy
The God I know
Is faithful and true
The God I know
A tower of refuge
Hearts are healed
Christ revealed

The God I know
Light of this city
The God I know
Strengthens the weak
The God I know
Is strong and mighty
As He is, so are we

Holy Holy
Is our God
Is our God

The church He knows
Glorious and holy
The church He knows
Is faithful and true
The church He knows
A tower of refuge
Hearts are healed
Christ revealed

The church He knows
Light of this city
The church He knows
Strengthens the weak
The church He knows
Is strong and mighty
As He is, so are we

The Word for Today with Bob Gass

2008-10-14T16:46:00.001+08:00

Conies
The conies are but a feeble folk, yet they make their houses in the rocks.
Proverbs 30:26 AMP
A coney looks like a rabbit but he can't run like one. He resembles a mole but he can't dig deep like one. So he moves to higher ground and positions himself in rocks, in a place of strength.

What's the message of the coney? Reposition yourself! How? (1) By realising who you are in Christ. When you accepted Jesus as your Saviour, your status in God's eyes changed completely. You're no longer an outsider but a fully accepted member of God's redeemed family, with direct access to your Heavenly Father and all the rights and privileges that go with it. Knowing that allows you to operate from a place of strength and not weakness, faith and not fear. When that happens you begin to pray for more, believe God for more, and enjoy more of His blessings. (2) By recognising that your limitations don't limit God. Who does God use? "Feeble folk" (v.26 AMP). How? By putting them in positions of strength. Sometimes that means putting extra support around them. When you have a bad leg, you don't put the brace on your good leg, you put it on the feeble one. And if He has to, God will put braces on you and get you there ahead of the people who sit around complacent and complaining.

"Feeble folk" praise God differently! Others praise Him because they have a feeling of entitlement, but not conies; they remember where they were when God found them and what He brought them through, and they say, "If it had not been the Lord who was on our side" (Psalm 124:1).

Martha by Max Lucado

2008-10-11T10:47:00.001+08:00

They had a dinner for Jesus. Martha served the food, and Lazarus was one of the people eating with Jesus. Mary brought in a pint of very expensive perfume made from pure nard. She poured the perfume on his feet, and then she wiped his feet with her hair. And the sweet smell from the perfume filled the whole house.
- JOHN 12:2–3

Every church needs a Martha. Change that. Every church needs a hundred Marthas. Sleeves rolled and ready, they keep the pace for the church. Because of Marthas, the church budget gets balanced, the church babies get bounced, and the church building gets built. You don’t appreciate Marthas until a Martha is missing, and then all the Marys and Lazaruses are scrambling around looking for the keys and the thermostats and the overhead projectors.

Marthas are the Energizer bunnies of the church. They keep going and going and going. They store strength like a camel stores water. Since they don’t seek the spotlight, they don’t live off the applause. That’s not to say they don’t need it. They just aren’t addicted to it.

Marthas have a mission. In fact, if Marthas have a weakness, it is their tendency to elevate the mission over the Master. Remember when Martha did that? A younger Martha invites a younger Jesus to come for dinner. Jesus accepts and brings his disciples.

The scene Luke describes has Mary seated and Martha fuming. Martha is angry because Mary is, horror of horrors, sitting at the feet of Jesus. How impractical! How irrelevant! How unnecessary! I mean, who has time to sit and listen when there is bread to be baked, tables to be set, and souls to be saved? So Martha complained, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me alone to do all the work? Tell her to help me” (Luke 10:40).

All of a sudden Martha has gone from serving Jesus to making demands of Jesus. The room falls silent. The disciples duck their eyes. Mary flushes red. And Jesus speaks.

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things. Only one thing is important. Mary has chosen the better thing, and it will never be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41–42).

Apparently Martha got the point, for later we find her serving again.

“Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:2–3 NIV).

Is Mary in the kitchen? No she is worshiping, for that is what she loves to do. But this time Martha doesn’t object. She has learned that there is a place for praise and worship, and that is what Mary is doing. And what is Mary’s part in the dinner? She brings a pint of very expensive perfume and pours it on Jesus’ feet, then wipes his feet with her hair. The smell of the perfume fills the house, just like the sound of praise can fill a church.

An earlier Martha would have objected. Such an act was too lavish, too extravagant, too generous. But this mature Martha has learned that just as there is a place in the kingdom of God for sacrificial service, there is also a place for extravagant praise.

From
Cast of Characters
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2008) Max Lucado

Your Place in God's Band by Max Lucado

2008-10-05T20:59:00.001+08:00

They had a dinner for Jesus. Martha served the food, and Lazarus was one of the people eating with Jesus. Mary brought in a pint of very expensive perfume made from pure nard. She poured the perfume on his feet, and then she wiped his feet with her hair. And the sweet smell from the perfume filled the whole house.
- JOHN 12:2–3

Two of my teenage years were spent carrying a tuba in my high school marching band. My mom wanted me to learn to read music, and the choir was full while the band was a tuba-tooter short, so I signed up. Not necessarily what you would describe as a call from God, but it wasn’t a wasted experience either.
I had a date with a twirler.

I learned to paint white shoe polish on school buses.

And I learned some facts about harmony that I’ll pass on to you.

I marched next to the bass-drum player. What a great sound. Boom. Boom. Boom. Deep, cavernous, thundering.

And at the end of my flank marched the flute section. Oh, how their music soared. Whispering, lifting, rising into the clouds.

Ahead of me, at the front of my line, was our first-chair trumpet. He could raise the spirit. He could raise the flag. He could have raised the roof on the stadium if we’d had one.

The soft flute
needs
the brash trumpet
needs
the steady drum
needs
the soft flute
needs
the brash trumpet.

Get the idea? The operative word is need. They need each other.

By themselves they make music. But together, they make magic.

Now, what I saw two decades ago in the band, I see today in the church. We need each other. Not all of us play the same instrument. Some believers are lofty, and others are solid. Some keep the pace while others lead the band. Not all of us make the same sound. Some are soft, and others are loud. And not all of us have the same ability. But each of us has a place.

Some play the drums (like Martha).

Some play the flute (like Mary).

And others sound the trumpet (like Lazarus).

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were like family to Jesus. After the Lord raised Lazarus from the dead, they decided to give a dinner for Jesus. They decided to honor him by having a party on his behalf (see John 12:2).

They didn’t argue over the best seat. They didn’t resent each other’s abilities. They didn’t try to outdo each other. All three worked together with one purpose. But each one fulfilled that purpose in his or her unique manner. Martha served; she always kept everyone in step. Mary worshiped; she anointed her Lord with an extravagant gift, and its aroma filled the air. Lazarus had a story to tell, and he was ready to tell it.

Three people, each one with a different skill, a different ability. But each one of equal value.

From
Cast of Characters
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2008) Max Lucado

Take Charge Of Your Life! by Bob Gass

2008-10-03T11:41:00.000+08:00

Don't let the world... squeeze you into its own mould.
Romans 12:2 PHP
Do you feel like you no longer control your own life? Like life's running you instead of you running it? That's because you're in the passenger seat, conforming to people, events and circumstances. They're in the driver seat, not you. No wonder your frustration level is high and your contentment level is low. "Don't let the world… squeeze you into its own mould." If you're feeling 'squeezed', you've two options:

(a) Remain a conformer, or become a transformer. Either choose to stay in the passenger seat, or get behind the wheel. The Bible says, "Do not be conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2). Instead be transformed into the proactive, faith-driven person God meant you to be. (b) Take charge of your life by "renewing your mind". Instead of struggling to change the people and circumstances around you, change how you think and what you tell yourself. The Greek word for renewing means 'to align your thoughts with God's'. Abandon those self-defeating thoughts that tell you "you're not, you can't, and you'll never be able to". God says: "You are, you can, and you certainly will be able to," because of His indwelling power! John writes, "This is the victory that conquers the world - our faith" (1 John 5:4 NCV).

Go to God's Word! Discover what He says about the things that intimidate and control you, then pull the plug on them. The Word for you today is: "Don't be afraid… I am your God. I will make you strong… I will support you" (Isaiah 41:10 NCV). Align your thoughts with God's thoughts. Get into the driver seat and take charge of your life!

Daily Success Key, October 2, 2008

2008-10-02T23:29:00.000+08:00

Live Every Day As Though You Have Something Good To Give.

"Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness."
2 Corinthians 9:10 (NIV)
Yesterday we talked about promotion, and how the priest Mattathias began the Feast of Hanukkah, which is still celebrated in Jewish homes today. But do you know the story behind the "Menorah," the nine-candled stand that sits in many Jewish homes during this celebratory time? While the Jews celebrated the return of their temple, they encountered a lamp with only a one-day supply of oil. Miraculously, God gave enough illumination to the candelabrum, allowing it to burn for eight extra days and nights.

During Hanukkah, one candle is lit each day to remember this miracle that God so wondrously gave. The Scriptures promise us that God gives seed to the person who desires to sow. Some may say that they have nothing to give, but that is never the case as far as God is concerned. Take a look around and think:

1. What do I have that can become a blessing for another?

2. Do I have something material like money, clothes, books, cookware, etc.?

3. What about intangible things like a great attitude, a thankful heart, or a helping hand?

You always have something you can sow. God would be a liar if you truly had nothing. Change your mind about how you see your life. Rather than looking for people to solve your problems, find out what you can do to solve theirs. As always, God is faithful to His Word, giving illumination, providing seed as you "enlarge the harvest of your righteousness."

Daily Confession:
Father, I thank You for providing me with seed to sow and for making me a blessing wherever I go.

One day at a time

2008-10-02T23:19:00.001+08:00

'DON'T GET WORKED UP ABOUT...TOMORROW.' MATTHEW 6:34 TM

Max Lucado says, 'Worry is to joy, what a vacuum cleaner is to dirt; you might as well attach your heart to a happiness-sucker and flip the switch.' Jesus said, 'Don't get worked up about...tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.' When it looks like things are falling apart, Paul reminds us, 'Every detail in our lives... is worked into something good' (Romans 8:28 TM). When it seems like the world's gone mad, don't forget God 'existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together' (Colossians 1:17 NLT). When worry whispers, 'God doesn't know what you need,' remember God promised to 'take care of everything you need' (Philippians 4:19 TM).

Jesus taught us to pray, 'Give us this day our daily bread.' You won't get the wisdom or resources to handle tomorrow's problems until you need them. When we 'go confidently to the throne... [We’ll] find kindness, which will help us at the right time' (Hebrews 4:16 GWT).

Over a century ago Charles Spurgeon said: 'Enough for today is all we can enjoy. We cannot eat, drink, or wear more than today's supply of food and clothing. The surplus gives us the care of storing it and the anxiety that someone might steal it. One staff aids a traveller; a bunch of staves is a heavy burden. Enough is as good as a feast, and more than gluttony can enjoy. Enough is all we should expect; a craving for more is ungratefulness. When our Father doesn't give you more, be content with your daily allowance

Bob Gass

Daily Success Key, September 16, 2008

2008-10-01T20:13:00.002+08:00

Self-control Begins By Exposing Every Thought To The Light Of God's Word.

"But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."
1 John 1:7 (NKJV)

It was through self-control that Jesus endured death upon a cross, a death which ultimately led to resurrection and manifestation of the light. Self-control begins when we decide to expose our thoughts and feelings to the Word of God before we ever put them in front of others.

If we walk in the light as God is in the light, we will have fellowship with Him. But that means we must continually expose our thoughts and feelings to the light of the Word of God. Once God's Word reveals the true nature of our thoughts and emotions, we have to decide whether or not we want to unload them on people. It becomes so much easier to exert self-control after spending time in the light. Therefore:

1.When we are full of the Word, why would we want to put our brothers and sisters in the Lord on red alert just so we can spend a few hours, days, or weeks in the flesh?

2.Why wouldn't we expose our bad attitudes to the Word of God and let the Word correct them before we ever unload those bad attitudes on other people?

It is important for us to be changed in God's presence. We must allow God to continually transform us by His Word, each and every day!

Daily Confession

Father, I walk in the light as You are in the light. I fellowship with my Lord and Savior, and with those who love You. I am cleansed and washed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Inner beauty

2008-10-01T20:13:00.001+08:00

'BEAUTY, THE...KIND...GOD DELIGHTS IN.' 1 PETER 3:4 TM

A lady was applying face cream when her little girl asked, 'What's that you're putting on, Mum?' 'Moisturiser,' she replied. 'The saleslady said it would make me beautiful.' With an honesty only children have, she replied, 'Mum, I don't think it's working.' There's nothing wrong with looking good but there's much more to you than your clothes and your hairstyle. Plus, you can go broke fixing up the outside because, 'What Mother Nature giveth, Father Time taketh away!' Ralph Waldo Emerson said, 'To find beauty we must carry it with us.'

It's a big mistake to focus on the outside and fail to appreciate the inner qualities God's given you. Solomon said, 'Beauty is...[not lasting]' (Proverbs 31:30 AMP). When God made you He didn't just decorate the outside, He gave you 'inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind...God delights in.' However, because Peter also talked about 'fancy hair, gold jewellery...fine clothes' (NCV), a few well-intentioned people have used that to create a legalistic standard by which to measure and judge others. Does the Bible teach us to dress appropriately? Absolutely. Paul writes: 'I...want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety...appropriate for women who profess to worship God' (1 Timothy 2:9-10 NIV). But when you focus on the wrong area you get the wrong results. 'Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart' (1 Samuel 16:7 NIV). Don't allow what you see on TV or in the mirror to define your worth. Work instead to develop the kind of inner beauty God commends.

Bob Gass

Restore with the right attitude

2008-10-01T20:03:00.000+08:00

'IF A MAN IS OVERTAKEN IN ANY TRESPASS...RESTORE SUCH A ONE IN A SPIRIT OF GENTLENESS.' GALATIANS 6:1 NKJV

When somebody messes up, God says; 'Restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.' But what if they've disgraced themselves and provided fodder for the sceptics who already think all Christians are hypocrites? Why bother with somebody like that?

Firstly: Because the Bible says, 'If a man is overtaken [caught by surprise]... [consider] yourself lest you also be tempted.' If it happened to you you'd want somebody to help you, right? And if you're thinking you would never embezzle money, have an affair or slap a child in anger, think again. When you're under financial pressure, sleep deprived, lonely and depressed, or your marriage is on shaky ground, you might be surprised what you'd do. Paul says, 'We are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don't be so...self-confident...You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else' (1 Corinthians 10:12 TM).

Secondly: Because Jesus is your example. While He had no time for Pharisees who hid their sins under a religious façade, not once did He condemn anybody who was 'overtaken' by temptation and failure. When they repented He forgave and restored them. Theologian Victor Shepherd writes: 'When we're face-to-face with someone who's been surprised because trespass overtook them, do we deflect their shame back into their face, or do we own it as ours? Do we rub their nose in it, or do we absorb it, put an arm around them and affirm our solidarity-in-sinnership? Do we regard ourselves as superior, or do we say, "Take my hand...I know the way to the cross?"'

Bob Gass

If You Do Not Live With Responsibility, You Will Die With Regrets.

2008-10-01T18:12:00.001+08:00

Did you know that every mineral in the world possesses certain hardness? Friedrich Mohs, a German geologist, invented a scale using ten minerals—the first or softest, talc, and the tenth or hardest, diamonds. Just one well-cut diamond is worth vastly more than a whole container of talc!

Eli was a man who refused to accept the responsibility God assigned to his life. He refused to stand for what was right, because that meant he would have to face off with his sons. God expects us to love our family, but love never means we tolerate evil.

Love often means we fight for what is true in the lives of others. Ignoring wrong when we know it is happening is not love—it's irresponsibility. Notice that God did not judge Eli for the things he did not know, but rather for the things he did know. Once we have knowledge of the truth, there is no excuse to not fulfill our responsibility.

Eli was just one among many who shirked his responsibility. David, Moses, Samson, Peter, and others all had moments when they overlooked their God-given responsibility and ended with regrets. God's grace is available to help us fulfill our responsibility—never to excuse us from it. Although it requires enormous pressure, wouldn't you rather accept responsibility and have a rare, glittering diamond on your finger than a hand full of loose, dusty talc?

From Daily Success Key, September 30, 2008

The 212-degree attitude by Bob Gass

2008-09-30T20:02:00.001+08:00

'FERVENT IN SPIRIT.' ROMANS 12:11

When a motivational products company interviewed Tim Dumler by phone for a sales job, he told them his goal was to become their number one employee. After meeting him in person they were shocked to discover he was legally blind. But he promised he'd buy a machine that magnifies letters. So despite serious misgivings, they hired him. And it's a good thing they did. He came in early, worked late and within six years became their top producer. His clients loved him because when you're blind you become a great listener and his associates loved him because of his caring, positive attitude. He said, 'It's unfortunate that I'm visually impaired but adversity made me a better person. I have a lot more than I don't have.' Tim has the 212-degree attitude!

What's the 212-degree attitude? Motivational speaker Mack Anderson explains: 'At 211 degrees Fahrenheit water is hot. At 212 degrees it boils. With boiling water comes steam. And steam can power a locomotive. One extra degree makes all the difference in business and in life; it separates the good from the great.'

Here's some straight talk for slackers, those with no ambition and those who see no purpose or value in this life: 'Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does' (Ephesians 6:7-8 NIV). The Bible tells us to be 'fervent in spirit.' This word fervent means 'bubbling or boiling.' In other words, having the 212-degree attitude! By the way, when God promises to reward such an attitude, you don't have to wait until you get to heaven to enjoy it.

He is Waiting in the Midst of the Storm by Max Lucado

2008-09-28T19:55:00.001+08:00

Peter knows he is in trouble.

The winds roar down onto the Sea of Galilee like a hawk on a rat. Lightning zigzags across the black sky. The clouds vibrate with thunder. The rain taps, then pops, then slaps against the deck of the boat until everyone aboard is soaked and shaking. Ten-foot waves pick them up and slam them down again with bonejarring force.

These drenched men don’t look like a team of apostles who are only a decade away from changing the world. And you can be sure of one thing. The one with the widest eyes is the one with the biggest biceps—Peter. He’s seen these storms before. He’s seen the wreckage and bloated bodies float to shore. He knows what the fury of wind and wave can do. And he knows that times like this are not times to make a name for yourself; they’re times to get some help.

That is why, when he sees Jesus walking on the water toward the boat, he is the first to say, “Lord, if it’s you … tell me to come to you on the water.” (Matthew 14:28)

He is aware of two facts: He’s going down, and Jesus is staying up. And it doesn’t take him too long to decide where he would rather be.

Perhaps a better interpretation of his request would be, “Jeeeeeeeesus. If that is you, then get me out of here!”

“Come on” is the invitation.

And Peter doesn’t have to be told twice. It’s not every day that you walk on water through waves that are taller than you are. But when faced with the alternative of sure death or possible life, Peter knows which one he wants.

The first few steps go well. But a few strides out onto the water, and he forgets to look to the One who got him there in the first place, and down he plunges.

Peter’s response may lack class—it probably wouldn’t get him on the cover of Gentleman’s Quarterly or even Sports Illustrated—but it gets him out of some deep water:
“Help me!”

And since Peter would rather swallow pride than water, a hand comes through the rain and pulls him up.

The message is clear.

As long as Jesus is one of many options, he is no option. As long as you can carry your burdens alone, you don’t need a burden bearer. As long as your situation brings you no grief, you will receive no comfort. And as long as you can take him or leave him, you might as well leave him, because he won’t be taken half-heartedly.

But when you mourn, when you get to the point of sorrow for your sins, when you admit that you have no other option but to cast all your cares on him, and when there is truly no other name that you can call, then cast all your cares on him, for he is waiting in the midst of the storm.

From
The Applause of Heaven
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999) Max Lucado

Starting - The First Step Toward Success By John C. Maxwell

2008-09-26T23:51:00.001+08:00

Salespersons are coached in the power of a first impression. Orators devote hours to opening statements. Journalists are admonished never to bury the lead. Sprinters practice racing out of the starting blocks. Interviewees are taught the importance of their initial handshake with a potential employer.

In leadership, as in many other areas of life, the beginning often determines the end. False starts and weak foundations can be ruinous. Here are five insights to help you start successfully.

HOW TO START SUCCESSFULLY

1. Start With Yourself

As Gandhi famously said, "Be the change you want to be in the world." By starting with yourself, you build the self-confidence needed to attract and inspire others. Leading yourself well is a precursor to accomplishment, and accomplishment earns respect. In order to make deposits in the lives of followers, you have to have a beginning balance in your leadership account. Start leading by proving your mettle - to yourself and to prospective followers.

2. Start early

Sadly, many leaders squander their early years and spend the rest of their careers trying to make up for lost time. In leadership, as with finances, decisions made early in life accrue the most interest. When we choose poorly or establish bad habits, we put ourselves in debt. Then, we must not only repay our loans, but the interest on them as well. On the flip side, when we invest our time and talent wisely from a young age, we reap the benefits of compounding interest on our leadership.

Specifically, where should leaders start? What areas should take precedence at the beginning? From my experience there are 10 things you should do as a leader prior to reaching age 40:

1. Know yourself
2. Settle your family life
3. Determine your priorities
4. Develop your philosophy of life
5. Get physically fit
6. Learn your trade
7. Pay the price
8. Develop solid relationships
9. Prepare for the future
10. Find purpose for your life

If you're over 40, it's never to late to make improvements. Unfortunately, an old dog doesn't easily learn new tricks. Undoing years of misplaced priorities and poor self-management will take extra effort.

3. Start Small

Don't expect to understand what it takes to get to the top, just take the next step.
Think big, but start small. Doing so encourages you to get started, and keeps you from being frozen by the magnitude of the vision in front of you. When you accomplish a small step, you gain confidence that you can accomplish the next step.

The success found in starting small comes when you diligently apply the lessons you learn. As my friend, Dick Biggs, has said, "The greatest gap is between knowing and doing." Commit to mastering the details under your control, and follow through when experience has given you instruction.

4. Start with the end in view

"Most people spend more time planning their grocery shopping than designing their future."
~ Tom James, Personal Development Coach

To start with the end in view, you need energy and direction. Let your passion pull you forward, and let your planning give you guidance. In order for passion to be a driving force in your life, you must identify a purpose for you life. To locate your purpose, consider your strengths, interests, and past successes. What roles do you find most enjoyable? What brings you the greatest sense of satisfaction? Examine the areas that make you feel strong and angle your career toward them. Also, find people who have been successful in the area of your interest. Listen to them and watch their lives.

For planning to give you direction, you need to write down goals. Goals lend structure to your purpose, and they keep you leading "within the lines." They focus your action and move you toward your overall vision.

5. Start Now

We exaggerate yesterday, overestimate tomorrow, and underestimate today. Embrace action daily. Don't wait until it's too late before you begin to pursue the visions implanted in your heart. Make each day your masterpiece; you'll be surprised where you end up after stringing together a few months of superb days.

I'll leave you with one final thought:

"How wonderful it is that we need not wait a single minute before starting to improve ourselves and our world." ~ Anne Frank

Review - Five Steps to Starting Successfully

1. Start Early
2. Start with Yourself
3. Start Small
4. Start with the End in View
5. Start Now

Starting

2008-09-26T23:50:00.000+08:00

"The secret to getting ahead is getting started."
~ Mark Twain

"One today is worth two tomorrows."
~ Ben Franklin

"If you can't feed 1,000 people, then feed one."
~ Mother Teresa

"Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it."
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Youth'em Event + Books I bought

2008-09-21T20:25:00.003+08:00

Today's preaching was great! I loved the part when Cherry QQ was compared with Ferrari. Actually Ferrari is quite selfish (only has room for one person), no vision (no headlights), and noisy (engine). The illustration of being able to tap into others' 10%(the percentage of the amount genius' use of their brains) which we have not thought of as a group, as compared to one person. I believe we can reach and fulfill our potential b4 getting to heaven.

After that I went Bugis Kinokuniya, cos there was 20% off storewide to celebrate its 6th anniversary, surprisingly its not very crowded. I bought this book "The Encore Effect" by Mark Sanborn cos it had a good review, and the title is quite catchy. Then after that I headed to AnBC to buy a new notebook for taking down sermons.I can't wait for next weekend to come so I can start reading this book and explore more into the new book "IF" by "Phil Pringle" which I bought yesterday at Attributes.

He Can Heal the Hurt by Max Lucado

2008-09-21T20:21:00.001+08:00

Grudge is one of those words that defines itself. Its very sound betrays its meaning.

Say it slowly: “Grr-uuuud-ge.”

It starts with a growl. “Grr …” Like a bear with bad breath coming out of hibernation or a mangy mongrel defending his bone in an alley. “Grrr …”

Remove a GR from the word grudge and replace it with SL and you have the junk that grudge bearers trudge through. Sludge. Black, thick, ankle-deep resentment that steals the bounce from the step. No joyful skips through the meadows. No healthy hikes up the mountain. Just day after day of walking into the storm, shoulders bent against the wind, and feet dragging through all the muck life has delivered.

Is this the way you are coping with your hurts? Are you allowing your hurts to turn into hates? If so, ask yourself: Is it working? Has your hatred done you any good? Has your resentment brought you any relief, any peace? Has it granted you any joy?

Let’s say you get even. Let’s say you get him back. Let’s say she gets what she deserves. Let’s say your fantasy of fury runs its ferocious course and you return all your pain with interest. Imagine yourself standing over the corpse of the one you have hated. Will you now be free?

The writer of the following letter thought she would be. She thought her revenge would bring release. But she learned otherwise.

I caught my husband making love to another woman. He swore it would never happen again. He begged me to forgive him, but I could not—would not. I was so bitter and so incapable of swallowing my pride that I could think of nothing but revenge. I was going to make him pay and pay dearly. I’d have my pound of flesh.

I filed for divorce, even though my children begged me not to.

Even after the divorce, my husband tried for two years to win me back. I refused to have anything to do with him. He had struck first; now I was striking back. All I wanted was to make him pay.

Finally he gave up and married a lovely young widow with a couple of small children. He began rebuilding his life—without me.

I see them occasionally, and he looks so happy. They all do. And here I am—a lonely, old, miserable woman who allowed her selfish pride and foolish stubbornness to ruin her life.

Unfaithfulness is wrong. Revenge is bad. But the worst part of all is that, without forgiveness, bitterness is all that is left.

The state of your heart dictates whether you harbor a grudge or give grace, seek self-pity or seek Christ, drink human misery or taste God’s mercy.

No wonder, then, the wise man begs, “Above all else, guard your heart.”

David’s prayer should be ours: “Create in me a pure heart, O God.”

book cover from
The Applause of Heaven
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999) Max Lucado

He Can Do The Impossible by Max Lucado

2008-09-21T20:00:00.000+08:00

The kingdom of heaven. Its citizens are drunk on wonder.

Consider the case of Sarai. She is in her golden years, but God promises her a son. She gets excited. She visits the maternity shop and buys a few dresses. She plans her shower and remodels her tent … but no son. She eats a few birthday cakes and blows out a lot of candles … still no son. She goes through a decade of wall calendars … still no son.

So Sarai decides to take matters into her own hands. (“Maybe God needs me to take care of this one.”)

She convinces Abram that time is running out. (“Face it, Abe, you ain’t getting any younger, either.”) She commands her maid, Hagar, to go into Abram’s tent and see if he needs anything. (“And I mean ‘anything’!”) Hagar goes in a maid. She comes out a mom. And the problems begin.

Hagar is haughty. Sarai is jealous. Abram is dizzy from the dilemma. And God calls the baby boy a “wild donkey”—an appropriate name for one born out of stubbornness and destined to kick his way into history.

It isn’t the cozy family Sarai expected. And it isn’t a topic Abram and Sarai bring up very often at dinner.

Finally, fourteen years later, when Abram is pushing a century of years and Sarai ninety … when Abram has stopped listening to Sarai’s advice, and Sarai has stopped giving it … when the wallpaper in the nursery is faded and the baby furniture is several seasons out of date … when the topic of the promised child brings sighs and tears and long looks into a silent sky … God pays them a visit and tells them they had better select a name for their new son.

Abram and Sarai have the same response: laughter. They laugh partly because it is too good to happen and partly because it might. They laugh because they have given up hope, and hope born anew is always funny before it is real.

They laugh at the lunacy of it all.

They laugh because that is what you do when someone says he can do the impossible. They laugh a little at God, and a lot with God—for God is laughing, too. Then, with the smile still on his face, he gets busy doing what he does best—the unbelievable.

He changes a few things—beginning with their names. Abram, the father of one, will now be Abraham, the father of a multitude. Sarai, the barren one, will now be Sarah, the mother.

But their names aren’t the only things God changes. He changes their minds. He changes their faith. He changes the number of their tax deductions. He changes the way they define the word impossible.

From
The Applause of Heaven
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999) Max Lucado

Personal Reflections

2008-09-14T17:35:00.002+08:00

Yesterday's sermon was great! Wad inspired me most was the comparison of the son and the servant, i.e. the son will do without being told while the servant will only do when he's told. I feel that the the message on sonship is a much higher calling than servanthood, that servanthood is only the basics. God will build His house (His church) on sons not servants. Sons will carry the Father's vision, His DNA, and that he is willing to follow his Father wherever He goes.

Been listening to Joel Osteen's and Phil Pringle's podcasts. Been reading the book "I Dare You" by Joyce Meyer too. An extract from the book goes like this: Stop asking why God let this happen, but ask what can I learn from this that will make me a better person. Don't ask why is there so much hurt in the world, but ask how can God use me to help the hurting.

I find all these resources refreshing to my soul, giving me the much needed revitalisation. Life has been quite hectic for me especially since now is the season of preparation for going to Australia, as the country requires a high standard of cleanliness for our items. But I believe the hopefully wonderful experience that lies ahead will going to overpower all the hard work, that all our effort is worth it.

Change

2008-09-14T14:05:00.000+08:00

"Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."
~ John F. Kennedy

"Every generation needs a new revolution."
~ Thomas Jefferson

"The most successful businessman is the man who holds onto the old just as long as it is good, and grabs the new just as soon as it is better."
~ Robert P. Vanderpoel

"If you want to make enemies, try to change something."
~ Woodrow Wilson

"Neither a wise man nor a brave man lies down on the tracks of history to wait for the train of the future to run over him."
~ Dwight D. Eisenhower

He Wants to Comfort You by Max Lucado

2008-09-07T19:57:00.001+08:00

My child’s feelings are hurt. I tell her she’s special. My child is injured. I do whatever it takes to make her feel better.

My child is afraid. I won’t go to sleep until she is secure.

I’m not a hero. I’m not a superstar. I’m not unusual. I’m a parent. When a child hurts, a parent does what comes naturally. He helps.

And after I help, I don’t charge a fee. I don’t ask for a favor in return. When my child cries, I don’t tell her to buck up, act tough, and keep a stiff upper lip. Nor do I consult a list and ask her why she is still scraping the same elbow or waking me up again.

I’m not a prophet, nor the son of one, but something tells me that in the whole scheme of things the tender moments described above are infinitely more valuable than anything I do in front of a computer screen or congregation. Something tells me that the moments of comfort I give my child are a small price to pay for the joy of someday seeing my daughter do for her daughter what her dad did for her.

Moments of comfort from a parent. As a father, I can tell you they are the sweetest moments in my day. They come naturally. They come willingly. They come joyfully.

If all of that is true, if I know that one of the privileges of fatherhood is to comfort a child, then why am I so reluctant to let my heavenly Father comfort me?

Why do I think he wouldn’t want to hear about my problems? (“They are puny compared to people starving in India.”)

Why do I think he is too busy for me? (“He’s got a whole universe to worry about.”)

Why do I think he’s tired of hearing the same old stuff?

Why do I think he groans when he sees me coming?

Why do I think he consults his list when I ask for forgiveness and asks, “Don’t you think you’re going to the well a few too many times on this one?”

Why do I think I have to speak a holy language around him that I don’t speak with anyone else?

Why do I not take him seriously when he questions, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11)

Why don’t I let my Father do for me what I am more than willing to do for my own children?

I’m learning, though. Being a parent is better than a course on theology. Being a father is teaching me that when I am criticized, injured, or afraid, there is a Father who is ready to comfort me. There is a Father who will hold me until I’m better, help me until I can live with the hurt, and who won’t go to sleep when I’m afraid of waking up and seeing the dark.

Ever. And that’s enough.

From
The Applause of Heaven
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999) Max Lucado

Starfish Story

2008-09-07T11:29:00.002+08:00

A father is on the beach with one of his sons and the son is just fascinated by shells so he just keeps loading them in his pockets and till there full.that's not enough he picks them up till he is walking around with hands full of shells..
and while this is happening his father spots what his son really wants that's floating on the top of the ocean...a starfish ....what his son really wanted in the first place so.. he tells his son that his starfish is floating not too far from where they are.so the son spots the starfish and goes after it.His father watches from a distance and sees his son go out in the ocean and gets close but the waves come in so he comes back and the father is cheering him on ''come on that's your starfish get it it's yours!!!''so the son tries again gets close again then comes back and the father is like ''come on your almost there !!!''so the son gets so close and looks like he can reach it but doesn't so the son runs back and the father says ''why didn't you get your starfish it was right there???'' and the son says ''i couldn't get it because my hands are full of shells''.....

in life we get distracted and busy..and life is hard but in the midst of the pain and problems and hurt there is always something good that God gives you..and we miss it all the time because our hands are full of shells!!

The boy must drop the shells in his hands to get the starfish. The seashells were not bad for the boy, they were good. But...they were not best. God wants best for his children, not just good. Each of us are made for greatness. Ask Him what the broken shells are that you are clenching on to. Ask Him to clarify, it is worth it.

Love Always Protects by Max Lucado

2008-08-23T17:37:00.001+08:00

Genesis 3:21 has been called the first gospel sermon. Preached not by preachers, but by God himself. Not with words, but with symbol and action.

“The LORD God made clothes from animal skins for the man and his wife and dressed them” (Gen. 3:21).

God covers them. He protects them.

Love always protects.

Hasn’t he done the same for us? We eat our share of forbidden fruit. We say what we shouldn’t say. Go where we shouldn’t go. Pluck fruit from trees we shouldn’t touch.

So what does God do? Exactly what he did for our parents in the garden. He sheds innocent blood. He offers the life of his Son. And from the scene of the sacrifice the Father takes a robe—not the skin of an animal—but the robe of righteousness. And does he throw it in our direction and tell us to shape up? No, he dresses us himself. He dresses us with himself. “You were all baptized into Christ, and so you were all clothed with Christ” (Gal. 3:26–27).

God has clothed us. He protects us with a cloak of love. Can you look back over your life and see instances of God’s protection? I can too. My junior year in college I was fascinated by a movement of Christians several thousand miles from my campus. Some of my friends decided to spend the summer at the movement’s largest church and be discipled. When I tried to do the same, every door closed. Problem after problem with finances, logistics, and travel.

A second opportunity surfaced: spending a summer in Brazil. In this case, every door I knocked on swung open. Two and one half decades later I see how God protected me. The movement has become a cult—dangerous and oppressive. Time in Brazil introduced me to grace—freeing and joyful. Did God protect me? Does God protect us?

And you? Did he keep you from a bad relationship? Protect you from the wrong job? Insulate you from _______________ (you fill in the blank)? “Like hovering birds, so will [the LORD Almighty] protect Jerusalem” (Isa. 31:5 JB). “He will strengthen and protect you” (2 Thess. 3:3 NIV). “He will command his angels … to guard you” (Ps. 91:11 NIV). God protects you with a cloak of love.

From
A Love Worth Giving
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2004) Max Lucado

Hand Delivered Bouquets by Max Lucado

2008-08-21T23:03:00.000+08:00

Through Christ, God has accepted you. Think about what this means. You cannot keep people from rejecting you. But you can keep rejections from enraging you.

Rejections are like speed bumps on the road. They come with the journey. You’re going to get cut, dished, dropped, and kicked around. You cannot keep people from rejecting you. But you can keep rejections from enraging you. How? By letting his acceptance compensate for their rejection.

Think of it this way. Suppose you dwell in a high-rise apartment. On the window sill of your room is a solitary daisy. This morning you picked the daisy and pinned it on your lapel. Since you have only one plant, this is a big event and a special daisy.

But as soon as you’re out the door, people start picking petals off your daisy. Someone snags your subway seat. Petal picked. You’re blamed for the bad report of a coworker. Three petals. The promotion is given to someone with less experience but USC water polo looks. More petals. By the end of the day, you’re down to one. Woe be to the soul who dares to draw near it. You’re only one petal-snatching away from a blowup.

What if the scenario was altered slightly? Let’s add one character. The kind man in the apartment next door runs a flower shop on the corner. Every night on the way home he stops at your place with a fresh, undeserved, yet irresistible bouquet. These are not leftover flowers. They are top-of-the-line arrangements. You don’t know why he thinks so highly of you, but you aren’t complaining. Because of him, your apartment has a sweet fragrance, and your step has a happy bounce. Let someone mess with your flower, and you’ve got a basketful to replace it!

The difference is huge. And the interpretation is obvious.

God will load your world with flowers. He hand-delivers a bouquet to your door every day. Open it! Take them! Then, when rejections come, you won’t be left short-petaled.

God can help you get rid of your anger. He made galaxies no one has ever seen and dug canyons we have yet to find. “The LORD … heals all your diseases” (Ps. 103:2–3 NIV). Do you think among those diseases might be the affliction of anger?

Do you think God could heal your angry heart?

Do you want him to? This is not a trick question. He asks the same question of you that he asked of the invalid: “Do you want to be well?” (John 5:6). Not everyone does. You may be addicted to anger. You may be a rage junkie. Anger may be part of your identity. But if you want him to, he can change your identity. Do you want him to do so?

Do you have a better option? Like moving to a rejection-free zone? If so, enjoy your life on your desert island.

Take the flowers. Receive from him so you can love or at least put up with others.

From
A Love Worth Giving
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2004) Max Lucado

Take Every Thought Captive by Max Lucado

2008-08-10T20:42:00.001+08:00

Today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions.
Today’s jealousy is tomorrow’s temper tantrum.
Today’s bigotry is tomorrow’s hate crime.
Today’s anger is tomorrow’s abuse.
Today’s lust is tomorrow’s adultery.
Today’s greed is tomorrow’s embezzlement.
Today’s guilt is tomorrow’s fear.

Could that be why Paul writes, “Love … keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Cor. 13:5 NIV)?

Some folks don’t know we have an option.

Paul says we do: “We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).

Do you hear some battlefield jargon in that passage—“capture every thought,” “make it give up” and “obey Christ”? You get the impression that we are the soldiers and the thoughts are the enemies.

It was for Jesus. Remember the thoughts that came his way courtesy of the mouth of Peter? Jesus had just prophesied his death, burial, and resurrection, but Peter couldn’t bear the thought of it. “Peter took Jesus aside and told him not to talk like that.… Jesus said to Peter, ‘Go away from me, Satan! You are not helping me! You don’t care about the things of God, but only about the things people think are important’” (Matt. 16:22–23).
See the decisiveness of Jesus?

What if you did that? What if you took every thought captive? What if you took the counsel of Solomon: “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life” (Prov. 4:23).

You are not a victim of your thoughts. You have a vote. You have a voice. You can exercise thought prevention. You can also exercise thought permission.

Change the thoughts, and you change the person. If today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions, what happens when we fill our minds with thoughts of God’s love? Will standing beneath the downpour of his grace change the way we feel about others?

Paul says absolutely! It’s not enough to keep the bad stuff out. We’ve got to let the good stuff in. It’s not enough to keep no list of wrongs. We have to cultivate a list of blessings. The same verb Paul uses for keeps in the phrase “keeps no list of wrongs” is used for think in Philippians 4:8: “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (RSV). Thinking conveys the idea of pondering—studying and focusing, allowing what is viewed to have an impact on us.

Rather than store up the sour, store up the sweet.

God Believes in You by Max Lucado

2008-08-03T18:27:00.000+08:00

The tale involves a wealthy father and a willful son. The boy prematurely takes his inheritance and moves to Las Vegas and there wastes the money on slot machines and call girls. As fast as you can say “blackjack,” he is broke. Too proud to go home, he gets a job sweeping horse stables at the racetrack. When he finds himself tasting some of their oats and thinking, H’m, a dash of salt and this wouldn’t be too bad, he realizes enough is enough. It’s time to go home. The gardener at his father’s house does better than this. So off he goes, rehearsing his repentance speech every step of the way.

But the father has other ideas. He “had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.”

We don’t expect such a response. We expect crossed arms and a furrowed brow. At best a guarded handshake. At least a stern lecture. But the father gives none of these. Instead he gives gifts. “Bring out the best robe … a ring … sandals.… And bring the fatted calf … and let us eat and be merry” (Luke 15:11–23 NKJV). Robe, sandals, calf, and … Did you see it? A ring.

Before the boy has a chance to wash his hands, he has a ring to put on his finger. In Christ’s day rings were more than gifts; they were symbols of delegated sovereignty. The bearer of the ring could speak on behalf of the giver. It was used to press a seal into soft wax to validate a transaction. The one who wore the ring conducted business in the name of the one who gave it.

Would you have done this? Would you have given this prodigal son power-of-attorney privileges over your affairs? Would you have entrusted him with a credit card? Would you have given him this ring?

Before you start questioning the wisdom of the father, remember, in this story you are the boy. When you came home to God, you were given authority to conduct business in your heavenly Father’s name.

When you speak truth, you are God’s ambassador.

As you steward the money he gives, you are his business manager.

When you declare forgiveness, you are his priest.

As you stir the healing of the body or the soul, you are his physician.

And when you pray, he listens to you as a father listens to a son. You have a voice in the household of God. He has given you his ring.

God believes in you. And, I wonder, could you take some of the belief that he has in you and share it with someone else?

You and I have the privilege to do for others what God does for us. How do we show people that we believe in them?

Do not withhold encouragement from the discouraged. Do not keep affirmation from the beaten down! Speak words that make people stronger. Believe in them as God has believed in you.

From
A Love Worth Giving
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2004) Max Lucado

His Wing Shelters You by Max Lucado

2008-07-27T20:34:00.002+08:00

“He will shield you with his wings. He will shelter you with his feathers.”
(Psalm 91:4)

My college friends and I barely escaped a West Texas storm before it pummeled the park where we were spending a Saturday afternoon. As we were leaving, my buddy brought the car to a sudden stop and gestured to a tender sight on the ground. A mother bird sat exposed to the rain, her wing extended over her baby who had fallen out of the nest. The fierce storm prohibited her from returning to the tree, so she covered her child until the wind passed.

From how many winds is God protecting you? His wing, at this moment, shields you. A slanderous critic heading toward your desk is interrupted by a phone call. A burglar en route to your house has a flat tire. A drunk driver runs out of gas before your car passes his. God, your guardian, protects you from

“every trap” (Ps. 91:3);
“the fatal plague” (Ps. 91:3);
“the plague that stalks in darkness” (Ps. 91:6);
“the terrors of the night…the dangers of the day” (Ps. 91:5).
One translation boldly promises: “Nothing bad will happen to you” (Ps. 91:10 NCV).

“Then why does it?” someone erupts. “Explain my job transfer. Or the bum who called himself my dad. Or the death of our child.” If God is our guardian, why do bad things happen to us?

Have they? Have bad things really happened to you? You and God may have different definitions for the word bad.

God views your life the way you view a movie after you’ve read the book. When something bad happens, you feel the air sucked out of the theater. Everyone else gasps at the crisis on the screen. Not you. Why? You’ve read the book. You know how the good guy gets out of the tight spot. God views your life with the same confidence. He’s not only read your story…he wrote it. His perspective is different, and his purpose is clear.

God uses struggles to toughen our spiritual skin.

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. (James 1:2–4)

Trust him. “But when I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Ps. 56:3). Join with Isaiah, who resolved, “I will trust in him and not be afraid” (Isa. 12:2).

God is directing your steps and delighting in every detail of your life (Ps. 37:23–24). In fact, that’s his car pulling over to the side of the road. That’s God opening the door. And that’s you climbing into the passenger seat.

There now, don’t you feel safer knowing he is in control?

From
Come Thirsty
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2004) Max Lucado

Improvising Your Approach to Improvement by Dr. John C. Maxwell

2008-07-20T11:43:00.000+08:00

Our well-being and happiness are tied to the notion that our lives can improve. We hope for a better future for our company, our kids, and ourselves. We dream of a tomorrow that's better and brighter than today.

Here are a few improvements many of us desire to see:

* We hope to lose weight and improve our fitness
* We hope to earn more money and improve our financial standing
* We hope to argue less with our spouse and improve our marriage

Over the next year, if we knew our health would deteriorate, our economic situation would worsen, and our closest relationships would unravel, then we'd be depressed. In fact, even if we knew our lives would stay the same, most of us would feel unsatisfied. We're always looking to improve the quality of our lives - it's human nature.

Unfortunately, many of us never go beyond hoping for improvements to actually making them. In this lesson, I'd like to share some insights to help you improvise your approach to improvement.

Develop Habits

The secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda. Leaders who make successful improvements share a common denominator: they form habits of daily action that those who fail to improve never develop. As my friend Andy Stanley says, "Your direction determines your destination." The steps you make each day, for good or ill, eventually chart the path of your life.

Consider the analogy of saving for retirement. Financial advisers counsel us to invest for retirement early in our careers and consistently throughout life. If we do, we can quit working at 65 with a sizeable nest egg. However, if we neglect funding our 401(k) each month, then we end up with nothing. We may still "hope" to win the lottery and secure our financial future, but we've lost the ability to control our fate.

Befriend Discipline

We live in the ultimate quick-fix culture. Everyone wants to be thin, but few people eat healthy and exercise. Everyone wants financial stability, but many refuse to be bothered by a budget. Rather than trouble ourselves with discipline, we opt for diet fads or speculate in the stock market. When we don't see long-term improvements, we discard one fad in favor of another.

In life, there are two kinds of pain: the pain of self-discipline and the pain of regret. The pain of self-discipline involves sacrifice, sweat, and delayed gratification. Thankfully, the reward of improvement softens the pain of self-discipline and makes it worthwhile. The pain of regret begins as a missed opportunity and ends up as squandered talent and an unfulfilled life. Once the pain of regret sets in, there's nothing you can do other than wonder, "What if?"

Admit Mistakes

When trying to improve, we not only risk failure, we guarantee it. The good news is that mistakes generally teach us far more than success. There's no sense pretending we're perfect. Even the best of the best have moments of weakness. That's why it's important to be honest when we fall short, learn from the mistake, and move forward with the knowledge gained.

Measure Progress

You cannot manage what you cannot measure. Identify the areas in which improvement is essential to your success and find a way to track your progress. Keeping score holds you accountable and gives you a clear indicator of whether or not you're actually improving.

Change Continually

Continual change is essential for improvement. One of the great paradoxes of success is that the skills and qualities that get you to the top are seldom the ones that keep you there. The quest to improve forces us to abandon assumptions, embrace innovation, and seek new relationships. If we're complacent for too long, we'll fall behind the learning curve. Once this happens, it's a steep, uphill climb to get back to the top.

The desire for improvement has a degree of discontent in it. Personal growth requires apparently contradictory mindsets: humility to realize you have room to grow but also confidence that improvement is possible.

SUMMARY

Tips for Attaining Improvement

1. Develop Habits
2. Befriend Discipline
3. Admit Mistakes
4. Measure Progress
5. Change Continually

Random Thots

2008-07-13T15:18:00.005+08:00

The message yesterday really inspired me alot. The part that captured my attention was the part when unsaved landlord who was in coma recounted that two devils brought him from graveyard to graveyard and then to a deep dark unending hole, and the devils cried out, "this is your destiny!". Then when the pastor called out his name, there was a huge force pulling him out of the hole. Suddenly a thought came to my mind, i wonder whether if we want all our unsaved friends and family members to go through the same fate. Its really not their destiny to go through that dark hole!

I believe that we can really do more to contribute to society. We should really live a cause, a purpose, that's much much bigger than myself. I try to tink of myself in the future like the bread of life, feeding a large portion of the community, serving societal needs in a big way, solving problems for others. I tink i would like to sign up for some volunteering stuffs after i ORD, cos i want to stir up faith in people's lives, wanting to give them a new vision and hope. It would really take the meaning of the phrase "loving God fervently and loving people wholeheartedly" to a whole new level!

Another part of the message was having self-dignity, that we can learn to speak with more class and less crude. We, being children of the Most High King, are prince and princesses. This really inspired me a lot, motivating me to change the way i speak and communicate.

Dalamnya kasihMu (CHINESE)

2008-07-13T11:08:00.001+08:00

我何等愛你阿爸天父
你無條件為我付出
犧牲愛子叫我得贖
你愛充滿我

主你寶血為我而流
洗淨我罪給我自由
你的愛是何等偉大
喔主耶穌

一生要讚美
我美好救主
你的愛是我生命全部
一生要敬拜
我親愛天父
你無條件的愛讓我心得滿足

Walau Seribu Rebah (English) - (Key F) Worship

2008-07-13T10:25:00.002+08:00

Verse

F Bb
Mercies that rise with the new morn
Gm F
Set me apart as a new born
Dm7 C
Each moment I live, by faith I believe
Am Bb
With You I'm never alone

F Bb
Darkness may come, trials seem so long
Gm F
You are the light I depend on
Dm7 C
Through valleys and storms, Your word keeps me strong
Am Bb
My shelter, refuge and song
Dm7
I trust in You

Chorus

F
Everyday I live
Am
I know You are my God
Bb C
I lift my face and look to you my God
Am
Even when the mountains tremble
Bb
And a thousand fall
F
I will stand with You
C
My Jesus
F
Take my all

EXAMPLES OF PERSEVERING PRAYER

2008-07-11T14:30:00.000+08:00

A. Charles Finney was a lawyer in New York in the mid-1800’s. He set aside his law practice in response to an anointing of the Holy Spirit that came upon Him. He began to go into extended times of prayer and fasting.

1. In 1857, Finney helped bring 500,000 people to the Lord in a period of eight weeks in the New York area. Later it was found that about 80% of the converts from that time were still walking with the Lord. This result was attributed to their prayer lives.

2. Two men, Daniel Nash and Abel Clary, would go ahead of Finney to the cities in which he was about to preach. They would labor and cry out for the breakthrough of God in those cities. It is notable that within three months of Nash’s death, Finney’s itinerant ministry stopped and he went into the pastorate. The revival power of God that was released during Finney’s travels was directly related to prayer.

B. John G. Lake lived in the late 1800’s. He was born and raised in the United States, but went to South Africa for about five years. While there, he took part in over 100,000 healings. He returned to the U.S. to live in Spokane, Washington. The healing ministry continued, and again over 100,000 healings were recorded.

1. He lived a life of fasting and prayer, asking for the Holy Spirit’s power to be released. He would set aside whole hours throughout the day for prayer and meditation. Almost every night he would preach on healing and then pray for the sick. He was determined to pray for the fullness of the Holy Spirit’s power.

2. He contended for even greater breakthroughs of the Spirit’s power even after he saw healings begin to take place. He has stated that at times he could actually feel the conscious flow of the Holy Spirit through his hands. Even then, every time God answered his prayers, God created even more intense longing for greater consciousness and intimacy with God.

Water for Your Soul by Max Lucado

2008-07-11T13:07:00.002+08:00

Where do you find water for the soul? Jesus gave an answer one October day in Jerusalem. People had packed the streets for the annual reenactment of the rock-giving-water miracle of Moses. Each morning a priest filled a golden pitcher with water from the Gihon spring and carried it down a people-lined path to the temple. He did this every day, once a day, for seven days. “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’ ” (John 7:37–38).

He “stood and shouted” (NLT). The traditional rabbinic teaching posture was sitting and speaking. But Jesus stood up and shouted out. Forget a kind clearing of the throat. God was pounding his gavel on heaven’s bench. Christ demanded attention.

He shouted because his time was short. The sand in the neck of his hourglass was down to measurable grains. In six months he’d be dragging a cross through these streets. And the people? The people thirsted. They needed water, not for their throats, but for their hearts. So Jesus invited: Are your insides starting to shrivel? Drink me.

Internalize him. Ingest him. Welcome him into the inner workings of your life. Let Christ be the water of your soul.

Toward this end, I give you this tool: a prayer for the thirsty heart. Carry it just as a cyclist carries a water bottle. The prayer outlines four essential fluids for soul hydration: God’s work, God’s energy, his lordship, and his love. You’ll find the prayer easy to remember. Just think of the word W-E-L-L.

Lord, I come thirsty. I come to drink, to receive. I receive your work on the cross and in your resurrection. My sins are pardoned, and my death is defeated. I receive your energy. Empowered by your Holy Spirit, I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength. I receive your lordship. I belong to you. Nothing comes to me that hasn’t passed through you. And I receive your love. Nothing can separate me from your love.

Don’t you need regular sips from God’s reservoir? I do. I’ve offered this prayer in countless situations: stressful meetings, dull days, long drives, demanding trips, character-testing decisions. Many times a day I step to the underground spring of God and receive anew his work for my sin and death, the energy of his Spirit, his lordship, and his love.

Drink with me from his bottomless well. You don’t have to live with a dehydrated heart.

Receive Christ’s work on the cross,
the energy of his Spirit,
his lordship over your life,
his unending, unfailing love.

Drink deeply and often. And out of you will flow rivers of living water.

'Give, and it shall be given unto you.' LUKE 6:38

2008-07-10T20:25:00.000+08:00

Legend has it that a man was lost in the desert, dying for water. He came upon a shack and saw a rusty old water pump. He stumbled over to it, grabbed the handle and began to pump up and down. But nothing came out. Then he noticed a nearby jug with these words, 'My friend, you have to prime the pump with the water in this jug. P.S. Be sure to fill the jug again before you leave.' As he popped the cork, suddenly he was faced with a decision. If he drank the water he could live. But if he poured it into the old rusty pump, maybe it would yield from down deep in the well all the water he wanted later. He studied his options. What should he do, pour it into the pump and take a chance on fresh, cool water, or drink what was in the jug and ignore its message? Reluctantly he poured all the water into the pump. Then he grabbed the handle and began to pump...squeak, squeak, squeak. Nothing came out! Squeak, squeak, squeak. A little bit began to dribble out, then a small stream, and finally it gushed! To his relief fresh, cool water poured out of the old rusty pump. Eagerly, he filled the jug and drank from it. He filled it another time and once again drank its refreshing contents. Then he filled the jug for the next traveller. He filled it to the top, popped the cork back on, and added this little note: 'Believe me, it really works.' Friend, don't ignore the message Jesus left: 'Give, and it shall be given unto you.'

TO GO UP, REACH OUT

2008-06-29T21:20:00.001+08:00

The World's Tallest Skyscraper

Upon its completion, the Burj Dubai will dwarf all other buildings in the world. Some have dubbed the architectural wonder a "cloudbuster" rather than a skyscraper in an effort to describe its height. When fully constructed, the immense structure will reach over 60 stories higher than the world's second tallest tower (Tapei 101), and it will stretch nearly a half-mile into the sky.

Climbing the Burj Dubai

For the sake of a leadership illustration, let's assume Burj Dubai's builders, as part of the grand opening celebration, chose me as a contestant to win a $1 million prize. The $1 million would be placed in a briefcase on the top floor (the 164th) of the skyscraper. To claim the prize, I would have to reach the briefcase in 30 minutes, without using the building's elevator.

Immediately, two constraints are apparent: time and ability.

With unlimited time, I'm sure I could climb all 163 staircases to reach the top of the Burj Dubai. I would need frequent rest breaks on the landings, time to saunter through halls to locate the nearest water fountain or restroom, and maybe even access to a comfy office chair to spend a night or two. Yet, however long it took me, at some point I would climb all the way to floor #164. Unfortunately, this contest only allows me 30 minutes, which brings us to my second constraint...

Ability. I'm sure there are Olympic athletes, marathon runners, and workout warriors in physical shape to race up 163 flights of stairs in 30 minutes. I, however, do not possess the speed, fitness, or insanity to risk a heart attack racing up an endless staircase.

Clearly, I could never reach the money on my own. To get it, I would have to rely on people. Maybe I could phone for a helicopter to drop me off on the roof. Perhaps I could clear a landing area, and convince someone on the top floor to drop the briefcase out the window (probably not a good idea). Whatever the case, by myself, there's no way I could get up the stairs to win the prize.

Three Leadership Truths

My hypothetical contest at the Burj Dubai points to three fundamental truths about leadership:

1. Time is limited to achieve the vision.
2. Our natural ability is likely too small to achieve the vision.
3. We cannot achieve the vision alone; we need others.

With these truths in mind, how can we improve our leadership capacity?

Moving from Doer to Developer

Early in our career path, we gravitate to the spotlight. We bust our tails in order to demonstrate our talents, position ourselves for promotion, or earn a pay raise. At this stage, it's common to approach extra assignments with a "bring it on" attitude. We welcome new tasks as a means of showcasing our responsibility and trustworthiness.

However, as we ascend the staircase of success, we bump into constraints. First, we recognize the limitations imposed on us by time. We cannot accomplish everything we desire - even by working nights and weekends. We juggle the demands of leadership to achieve as much as possible, but, at some point we can't put another ball in the air without dropping one.

Second, we reach the boundary of our natural giftedness. Our wisdom and inborn talent cannot take us everywhere we want to go. Regardless of our devotion to personal growth, in our own strength, we're powerless to fulfill the vision inside of us.

From Spotlight to Flashlight

When we trade the spotlight for a flashlight, we turn the corner in leadership. When this happens, our refrain changes from, "Look at me!" to, "Where are you?" Instead of proving ourselves, we search for proven partners.

We flip the switch from doing to developing as we shift focus from tasks to people. Rather than deluding ourselves into believing we can do it all, we recruit, equip, and motivate talented performers to link up with our vision. By reaching out, rather than digging within, we ultimately climb the highest.

Communicating With Character by Dr. John C. Maxwell

2008-06-29T21:14:00.000+08:00

A well-known proverb says the following about communication:

"It's not what you say, but how you say it."

The proverb is deservedly well known. Delivery has an enormous impact on our ability to connect with an audience. Authors Dan and Chip Heath have written a bestseller, Made to Stick, devoted to helping leaders land their ideas in the minds and memories of listeners. Applying tips such as simplicity, emotional appeal, and storytelling to our communication reaps huge dividends.

An extension to the communication proverb, says:

"It's not only what you say, and how you say it, but also when you say it."

True enough. Timing plays a vital role in the way we communicate. Awareness of emotions, mood, and context all factor into effective communication. Given the nature of their roles, salespeople have no choice but to understand this added dimension of communication. A sales pitch delivered at an opportune moment seals the deal, but the same appeal falls flat if inserted at the wrong time.

Even if we're not in sales, we know the value of timing from personal experience. In the emotional aftermath of failure, well-intentioned criticism feels like a punch in the mouth. However, the same criticism received after we've had a chance to cool down is readily welcomed.

Delivery impacts our communication, and so does timing, but in this edition of Leadership Wired, I'd like to take the communication proverb one step further.

"It's not just what you say, how you say it, and when you say it, but also who says it."

For a leader, communication involves more than presentations and speechmaking. It's not an event, but rather a skill. A leader's daily behavior screams to those he or she leads. Does the leader have a track record of honesty? If so, his words carry the weight of trust. Does a leader take the time to listen? If not, she will be tuned out—regardless of a silver tongue. Is a leader likeable? If so, he predisposes people to be open and receptive to communication.

In the remainder of this lesson, let's examine the communication benefits a leader wins day by day through consistency of character.

1) Honor Your Agreements - Communication Benefit: Trust

As a leader, never make promises lightly, and when you do, go the extra mile to honor your word. If your actions consistently match your words, you'll gain an incredible communication asset—trust. I guarantee that following through on your commitments will 1) Involve a high personal cost 2) Be inconvenient 3) Be worth every sacrifice.

2) Display Emotion - Communication Benefit: Authenticity

Don't be the Tin Man on the job. Have a heart. Try not to wear it on your sleeve, but allow it to infect your workdays with passion. People suspect an emotionless leader of being only partially invested in the mission. Allowing glimpses of your joys and sorrows will endow your communication with authenticity. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

3) Embody Values - Communication Benefit: Credibility

In the 21st century, cream-of-the-crop employees are not looking for a place to work; they're searching for a cause to join. They'll be attracted to strong values, but they'll be put off if they don't see you modeling them. Be purposeful in acting out your core values and giving them visibility. When people see you insist on values and fight for what you believe, they will find you credible. In communication, this credibility inclines your people to accept your words.

4) Be Generous with Praise - Communication Benefit: Likeability

Here's a foolproof way to measure your leadership: how do you make people feel? Being generous with praise is the best way to win others to your side. People naturally want to be appreciated, and they crave encouragement, so, by all means, don't withhold your praise from them.

Credit them when they do well. Appoint yourself as head cheerleader, chief supporter, and number one fan of your people. They'll admire you for it, and you'll gain the advantage of likeability when you communicate to them.

5) Listen - Communication Benefit: Respect

There's no quicker way to earn respect than being slow to speak. Give your people a forum to express their ideas, frustrations, and observations. Better yet, inquire of them. Solicit their input and feedback. When they speak, show you've heard them. Implement their ideas when possible, and candidly explain yourself when you cannot act upon their suggestions. Follow through, follow through, and follow through. Listening isn't passive. It requires you to take notice, take notes, and take action.

If you've proved to be a leader who listens, then your people will respect your words. If you've shown openness to them, they'll be infinitely more receptive to the messages you send and the guidance you give.

ZARA sale today!

2008-06-26T23:22:00.002+08:00

Went to ZARA sale today at VIVO! It was like a fashion wuuuunderland! Lurrrrve the stuffs there! But actually, there cater more to young working professionals. Actually wanted to buy more clothes from there but didn't. Like for example, got this shiny purple long sleeve shirt going for $59.90, wanted to buy it, but den decided not to cos i tink i will seldom wear it like my white long sleeve shirt bought frm Taiwan. Den oso got this grey green corduroy material pants for oso $59.90 if i rmb correctly, wanted to buy it also but den the length is abit long, lazy come back after the sales to alter it cos nw during sales period no alterations.

But the most funny part was going to Pull and Bear. Liked the mannequin cap, but can't find it elsewhere in the shop. The salesman say the one mannequin wearing is the last piece, den i just take it off, den i went to try it, really like it. But then when i saw the mannequin, i abit ashame of myself and oso hilarious of the mannequin, cos the mannequin so "ke lian", i make him look "botak"! hehe! =) After that proceeded to the counter to pay the cap! =) Overall, i must say i am proud of the stuffs i bought, cos it was on sale and really quite nice! =)

Criticism

2008-06-15T19:04:00.002+08:00

The following practical tips are intended to flesh out the ways we can begin to embrace and wisely employ criticism as leaders.

WHEN GIVING CRITICISM

Encouragement helps criticism to land.

Before a pilot lands an aircraft, she goes through a series of procedures to make the plane touch down as smoothly as possible. The pilot gently drops altitude, gradually cuts back on speed, and lowers landing gear at just the right moment. If these steps are handled incorrectly, the ride is certain to be turbulent and may end up in disaster.

For criticism to "land" well, it must be preceded by encouragement. Leaders deafen their people to criticism when they neglect to encourage them regularly. If leaders are silent after victory but outspoken during defeat, then team morale plummets. It's difficult to stay open to suggestions for improvement under what feels like a constant barrage of negativity.

Criticism should avoid being personal

Criticism should avoid being personal, but it should have the support of a personal relationship. To prevent personal insult, leaders should carefully pinpoint specific actions or ideas to criticize. People can accept negative feedback of their performance, but they bristle when they feel their personhood is under attack.

Leaders effectively deliver constructive criticism when they have taken the time to acquaint themselves with those they lead. Without relational connection, the person receiving criticism may feel their leader has a personal vendetta against them. However, if they are convinced their leader respects their efforts and values their growth, they are more likely to be receptive to tough words.

WHEN RECEIVING CRITICISM

Selectively filter criticism

The higher up a person goes in leadership, the more criticism he or she will receive—guaranteed. While some criticism builds up, other criticism tears down. Leaders must learn to distinguish between the two.

The acid test of criticism is made up of three questions:

1. Does the criticism have basis in fact?
2. Is the criticism offered constructively (in an effort to help)?
3. Does the critic have the insight and perspective to speak credibly?

When all three questions can be answered, "yes," then a leader should take the criticism seriously and weigh its meaning. If any question can be answered, "no," then a leader is best served to let the criticism go in one ear and out the other.

Avoid Extremes

A leader who routinely dismisses criticism chokes off vital feedback. When leaders ignore or suppress opposing views, they miss the opportunity to sharpen their ideas. Wise leaders want to be challenged, not coddled. They surround themselves with voices that speak what they need to hear instead of saying only what they want to hear.

On the other extreme, leaders with thin skin are rattled by all manner of criticism. They agonize over the opinions of people whose input is uninformed and unintended to be helpful. They allow second-guessing to cut into their confidence. Ultimately, such a leaders cede authority by subjecting their decision-making to the approval of outsiders.

Listen, Listen, Listen

Sincere criticism rarely comes without a morsel of truth. For a leader, the trick is to stay open when confronted with negative feedback. When criticized, people are tempted to react defensively, angrily, or from a place of hurt. With emotions swirling about inside, it can be difficult to keep listening and to absorb critical comments.

Those who gain the most out of criticism hold their tongue and control their emotions in order to gain access to hard truths. By listening and remaining objective, they grow increasingly self-aware and improve their leadership.

For more advice on addressing criticism, you can read Dr. Bruce Weinstein's BusinessWeek article, "How to Give and Receive Criticism."

THOUGHTS ABOUT THINKING by Dr. John C. Maxwell

2008-06-15T19:03:00.000+08:00

Thoughts never begin fully formed.

Have you ever looked through a microscope? At first glance, the image appears blurry and indistinct. However, after adjusting the lens, the image comes into focus, and you can see with remarkable clarity.

When thoughts enter my mind, they are hazy and disordered, much like the initial image seen through a microscope. I have to fine-tune my thoughts by dwelling upon them, and connecting them to other thoughts I've had. It takes awhile for me to wrestle with a thought before its merit becomes clear.

Thoughts take time to develop their potential.

I am not a naturally brilliant thinker. My mind doesn't overflow with out-of-the-box creativity. However, I do leverage experiences to stretch my thoughts. I have found that reflection turns my experience into insight. At the close of each day, I'll review important lessons I've learned. I'll mine failure until I've gained a nugget of wisdom, or I'll consider how the day's events validated or invalidated one of my ideas. Through time, evaluating my experiences helps my thoughts to expand and mature.

Thoughts take others to develop their potential.

Alone, my thoughts are shallow and unexceptional. However, I am able to polish and refine them through my interactions with other leaders. I enhance my own thinking by piggybacking on the wisdom of friend and colleagues. In conversations or observations of their behavior, I strengthen and confirm my own inklings about leadership and life.

Each of us is trapped inside our own perspective and limited by blind spots and prejudices. If we isolate ourselves, we diminish our minds, and our thoughts atrophy.

We are wise to seek out others to test our assumptions and sharpen our thinking.

Thoughts are very fragile in the beginning.

Gardeners know the delicate nature of a newly planted seedling. To survive, the plant must receive nourishment and be protected from harsh winds, weeds, or hungry animas. Until its roots take hold and its stem grows, the seedling is vulnerable.

Likewise, our thoughts are fragile at first. They are endangered by pessimism, busyness, insecurity, forgetfulness, and a host of other threats. In the words of Bob Biehl, "Ideas are like soap bubbles floating in the air close to jagged rocks on a windy day."

In order to grow, our thoughts need careful attention and cultivation.

THOUGHT BUSTERS

Thoughts only reach their potential in a healthy environment. During my time as a leader, I've encountered the following environmental hazards, or thought busters, which threaten to destroy good thinking.

Criticism

When leaders pay any cost to ward off criticism, they sacrifice their best thoughts. In the words of Elbert Hubbard, "If you have something others don't have, know something others don't know, or do something others aren't doing, then, rest assured, you will be criticized." In my opinion, thinking requires boldness, the courage to be second-guessed, and readiness to endure conflict.

Lack of personal commitment to thinking

Taking action is by no means a negative quality in a leader. However, when a leader is all action, it's only a matter of time until he or she falls behind, steers off course, and surrenders the reins of leadership. I like Gordon MacDonald's appeal to mental fitness:

"In our pressurized society, people who are out of shape mentally usually fall victim to ideas and systems that are destructive to the human spirit and to the human relationship. They are victimized because they have not taught themselves how to think, nor have they set themselves to the lifelong pursuit of growth of the mind. Not having the faculty of a strong mind, they grow dependent upon the thoughts and opinions of others."

As leaders, thinking keeps us in front. Before we shape the future, we must get our minds in shape.

Excuses

"I don't have enough time," has been my most common excuse to avoid thinking. However, blaming time constraints is not a legitimate excuse. After all, a great idea is one of the greatest commodities a person can own. Besides, by taking the time to think, we invent smarter ways to expend our energy and resources.

"I'm not creative," has been another excuse of mine. Of course, blaming my lack of creativity is actually a sorry excuse for being lazy. Thinking well isn't easy. It takes concentration, focus, and, most challenging of all, the discipline to stop moving for a few moments.

7 Unchangeable Laws of Differences:

2008-06-15T11:54:00.003+08:00

Your life is the product of your own construction.
Today's excellence is tommorrow;s mediocrity. Whatever you do something, is a building block for what you are going to become.
1. Law of pursuit
- You will only possess what you consistently pursue.
Phil 3:13-14
Prov 8:17-19
Matt 7:7-8
You got to be passionate with what you are pursuing.
2Cor 4:16

2. Law of Serving
-A servant is never defined by his willingness to serve but by the execution of his service.
Luke19:1-23
Matt23:11
Luke 22:26
Luke 16:11-12

3. Law of Character
-Whatever you compromise to keep you will certainly lose.
Gen 3:1-6, 23-24
2 Sam 11:1-4, 12:7-14
Jug 16:15-19, 28-30

4. Law of Attitudes
-The attitude of the servant determines the atmosphere of the place
Est 1:10-12, 2:13-17
Col 3:22-24

5. Law of Association
-Every relationship you have is either drawing you closer to or further away from God's will for your life
Prov 13:20
Ps1:1
1Cor 15:33

3 types of people in your life
a) Compromisers: Always trying to get you to compromise your standards.
"It's ok you don't have to be so stiff and rigid"
Isa 59:19
b) Companions: Those that are neither good nor bad for your future. It's nearly impossible to tell their effect.
c) Committed: Those who are undoubtedly committed to your success.
Every relationship is magnetic. Choose the relationship that has chosen you.

6) Law of problem solving
- Your value in life is directly linked to the problems you joyfully solve for others
eg. Joseph, David, Esther, Jesus, Timonthy
Phil 2:19-20

7) Law of the seed
Everything in your future is created by something in your present.
Gal6:7
2Cor 9:6
Prov 11:24-25
Gen 8:22
Everything that you'll become, God has given to you in seed form.
Deception finds its life in what people don't tell you.
A half truth is a whole lie.
Gen 8:22
Rom 1:21

Story

2008-06-15T11:48:00.000+08:00

A skinny young boy loved football with all his heart. Practice after practice, he eagerly gave everything he had. But being half the size of the other boys, he got absolutely nowhere. At all the games, this hopeful athlete sat on the bench and hardly ever played.

This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship. Even though the son was always on the bench, his father was always in the stands cheering. He never missed a game. This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high school. But his father continued to encourage him but also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn't want to.

But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he'd get to play when he became a senior. All through high school he never missed a practice nor a game but remained a bench-warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him. When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team as a "walk-on." Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did.

The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always puts his heart and soul to every practice, and at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed.

The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father. His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games. This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in a game.

It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the big playoff game, the coach met him with a telegram. The young man read the telegram and he became deathly silent. Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, "My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?" The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, "Take the rest of the week off, son. And don't even plan to come back to the game on Saturday."

Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon. "Coach, please let me play. I've just got to play today," said the young man.

The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his worst player in this close playoff game. But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in. "All right," he said. "You can go in." Before long, the coach, the players and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little unknown, who had never played before was doing everything right. The opposing team could not stop him. He ran, he passed, blocked, and tackled like a star. His team began to triumph. The score was soon tied.

In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown. The fans broke loose. His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders. Such cheering you never heard.

Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that this young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone The coach came to him and said, "Kid, I can't believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?"

He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?" The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile, "Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!"

Pastor Che Ahn's svc

2008-06-08T20:17:00.005+08:00

Went to Pastor Che Ahn's svc today, the presence of God was so strong, signs and wonders were many and many ppl were healed. The most memorable and funny one was the guy who said that his wrist has been healed, den can move abt like the Japanese boy dancers that were previously performing b4 the word was preached. HAHAHA! =) I tink the most wonderful part was when he stayed back aft svc to lay hands on the cell group, connect group and ministry leaders.

Den after that, I went to Raffles City Shopping Centre, bought a black shirt from River Island for $40(u.p $95), can't wait to wear it to church next wk. Actually, I was deciding between the shirt and another white plain t-shirt with tie going for $25. In the end, I decided the black one suits me more. Before that, at Attributes, I was deciding whether to buy the $40 financial increase book or the $35 Art of Distinction book, both by Robb Thompson. But in the end, I didn't buy, cos first I tot I wanted to save money, and secondly, I got so many Christian books at home liao, haven read finish yet.

Dunno why I was so willing to spend that same amount of money on clothes than on either of the books. It is like asking me to sing in k-box for abt 5 hrs(with many breaks in between of course), I tink I can do it, but if u ask me to pray for 1 hour, I dun tink I have the tenacity and discipline to pray through. I tink it can only be attributed to one word, PASSION! My passion for singing and clothes far exceeds my passion for prayer and reading books. I tink I really nid to change my attitude towards prayer and reading on God's word or other Christian books. Nid to be more positive towards both these things! Nid to be more SPIRITUAL! That's my new GOAL for 2008! =)

THE QUALITIES OF A CHARISMATIC LEADER

2008-05-25T20:05:00.001+08:00

Charisma is defined as, "The ability to inspire enthusiasm, interest, or affection in others by means of personal charm or influence." Leaders who have this special ability share four things in common:

1) They Love Life

Leaders who attract a following are passionate about life. They are celebrators, not complainers. They're characterized by joy and warmth. They're energetic and radiant in an infectious way.

Look no further than the smile to illustrate the power of charisma. When people see a smile, they respond with a smile. If you're skeptical, try it. Smile at cashiers, waiters, co-workers, etc. You'll find your smile earns a reciprocate smile almost every time. We are hardwired to take on the energy of those around us. Leaders who love life have charisma because they fill the room with positive energy.

2) They Value the Potential in People

To become an attractive leader, expect the best from your people. I describe this behavior as "putting a 10 on everyone's head." Leaders see people, not as they are, but as they could be. From this vantage point, they help others to build a bridge from the present to a preferred future.

Benjamin Disraeli understood and practiced this concept, and it was one of the secrets to his charisma. He once said, "The greatest good you can do for another is not to share your riches but to reveal to him his own." When you invest in people and lift them toward their potential, they will love you for it.

3) They Give Hope

People have an inner longing to improve their future and their fortunes. Charismatic leaders connect with people by painting tomorrow brighter than today. To them, the future is full of amazing opportunities and unrealized dreams.

Napoleon Bonaparte once said, "Leaders are dealers in hope." They infuse optimism into the culture around them, and they boost morale. While attentive to the current reality, they do not resign themselves to present circumstance.

4) They Share Themselves

Leaders with charisma add value to people by sharing wisdom, resources, and even special occasions. They embrace the power of inclusion, inviting others to join them for learning experiences, brainstorming sessions, or simply a cup of coffee. Such leaders embrace team spirit and value togetherness. As a result, charismatic leaders are not lonely at the top.

When it comes to charisma, the bottom line is othermindedness. For leaders, the greatest satisfaction is found by serving. They find great pleasure celebrating the successes of those around them, and the victory they enjoy the most is a team triumph.

SUMMARY

In closing, charisma has substance. It's not manipulative energy or a magical gift endowed upon select personalities. Rather, it's an attractive blend of learnable qualities.

Furthermore, charisma compounds a leader's influence. Without it, leaders have trouble inspiring passion and energizing their teams. With it, leaders draw out the best in their people, give the best of themselves, and find the greatest fulfillment.

Open Arms by Max Lucado

2008-05-25T19:36:00.000+08:00

If you ever wonder how in the world God could use you to change the world, look at the people God used to change history. A ragbag of ne’er-do-wells and has-beens who found hope, not in their performance, but in God’s proverbially open arms.

Abraham- God took what was good and forgave what was bad and used “old forked tongue” to start a nation. Moses- would you call upon a fugitive to carry the Ten Commandments? God did. David- his track record left little to be desired, but his repentant spirit was unquestionable. Jonah- God put him in a whale’s belly to bring him back to his senses. But even the whale couldn’t stomach this missionary for too long.

On and on the stories go: Elijah, the prophet who pouted; Solomon, the king who knew too much; Jacob, the wheeler-dealer; Gomer, the prostitute; Sarah, the woman who giggled at God. One story after another of God using man’s best and overcoming man’s worst.

The reassuring lesson is clear. God used (and uses!) people to change the world. People! Not saints or superhumans or geniuses, but people. Crooks, creeps, lovers, and liars—he uses them all. And what they may lack in perfection, God makes up for in love.

Jesus later summarized God’s stubborn love with a parable. He told about a teenager who decided that life at the farm was too slow for his tastes. So with pockets full of inheritance money, he set out to find the big time. What he found instead were hangovers, fair-weather friends, and long unemployment lines. When he had had just about as much of the pig’s life as he could take, he swallowed his pride, dug his hands deep into his empty pockets, and began the long walk home; all the while rehearsing a speech that he planned to give to his father.

He never used it. Just when he got to the top of the hill, his father, who’d been waiting at the gate, saw him. The boy’s words of apology were quickly muffled by the father’s words of forgiveness. And the boy’s weary body fell into his father’s opened arms.

The same open arms welcomed him that had welcomed Abraham, Moses, David, and Jonah. No wagging fingers. No clenched fists. No “I told you so!” slaps or “Where have you been?” interrogations. No crossed arms. No black eyes or fat lips. No. Only sweet, open arms. If you ever wonder how God can use you to make a difference in your world, just look at those he has already used and take heart. Look at the forgiveness found in those open arms and take courage.

And, by the way, never were those arms opened so wide as they were on the Roman cross. One arm extending back into history and the other reaching into the future. An embrace of forgiveness offered for anyone who’ll come. A hen gathering her chicks. A father receiving his own. A redeemer redeeming the world.

No wonder they call him the Savior.

From No Wonder They Call Him the Savior
© (W Publishing Group, 1986, 2004) Max Lucado

21 days of prayer

2008-05-25T19:10:00.004+08:00

Next sunday is the first day of the 21 day of prayer. I am so excited and enthusiastic about it. I believe that this 21 days will be the catalyst to a series of breakthroughs in my life! I pray that I will have the tenacity and discipline to focus on praying for this 21 days. I wanna hear from God during this period, seeing visions and dreams. This 21 days will make me become a more effective witness for Christ! =)

Today's prayer meeting! =)

2008-05-25T18:50:00.002+08:00

Went to today's prayer meeting after serving today as door usher. Thank God I stayed back for it. It was really wonderful and amazing.

I appreciate Pastor Ming's discipleship today. First, he prayed for those people who couldn't speak in tongues. Tongues is the language of angels. I believe those people who made the breakthrough today, must have been tremendously impacted.

Then, he also taught us what must we do when we pray, asking 3 ppl to act out what to do when they pray. He also says that we can minister to ourselves by laying one hand upon our head and the other at our heart or lifted up.

Then after that, there was mighty move of God, people began falling under the power of God, and breaking out in holy laughter. It was a really wonderful experience. There was an amazing atmosphere of peace after that.

I think he really renewed our mind towards prayer meeting, changing most people's belief system that prayer meeting is boring, into the fact that prayer meeting is one of the most important highlights of our church. I tink I will remember this prayer meeting for years to come as it was out of the ordinary and usual.

Fruitfulness

2008-05-19T11:55:00.002+08:00

Thank God for the long weekend! Yet, somehow I feel that I didn't make full use of this weekend as much as I would have liked. It wasn't really very fruitful. Suddenly, time seems to pass so fast, and nw its the last day of this long weekend. I tink next time, need to prepare a list of a "what-to-do" list for a long weekend. I don't want another long weekend to pass me by. The opportunity to do something great and fruitful during this weekend has slipped out of my hands. I tink i need to add "Seize the moment" to my goal list for 2008.

Been reading this week's Dr. Robb Thompson's Daily Success Keys. I find them very motivational and inspirational. An extract from one of them really strikes me:

"God has already given you everything you could ever need to achieve victory in your mind. Yet, here are two crucial questions:

1.How are you going to bring that victory into a real experience?

2.How do you accomplish mind renovation where, and when, it really counts?"

The first question really hits me hard. In the bible, Paul could rejoice in the Lord even when he was in prison and chains. He says "Rejoice, and again I say Rejoice!". Wow, a man of great faith leaning upon God! Yet so many people are miserable outside of prison, living according to their circumstances. Someone once said that the biggest prison in the world is between your ears. How true! The moment your thinking changes, your life changes. That's why we must constantly renew our minds through the reading of God's Word! =)

He Understands by Max Lucado

2008-05-19T11:42:00.000+08:00

Cries of loneliness. Tune out the traffic and turn down the TV. The cry is there. You can hear their cries. You can hear them in the convalescent home among the sighs and the shuffling feet. You can hear them in the prisons among the moans of shame and the calls for mercy. You can hear them if you walk the manicured streets of suburban America, among the aborted ambitions and aging homecoming queens. Listen for it in the halls of our high schools where peer pressure weeds out the “have-nots” from the “haves.”

Many of you have been spared this cruel cry. Oh, you have been homesick or upset a time or two. But despair? Far from it. Suicide? Of course not. Be thankful that it hasn’t knocked on your door. Pray that it never will. If you have yet to fight this battle, you are welcome to read on if you wish, but I’m really writing to someone else.

I am writing to those who know this cry firsthand. I’m writing to those of you whose days are bookended with broken hearts and long evenings. I’m writing to those of you who can find a lonely person simply by looking in the mirror.

For you, loneliness is a way of life. The sleepless nights. The lonely bed. The distrust. The fear of tomorrow. The unending hurt.

When did it begin? In your childhood? At the divorce? At retirement? At the cemetery? When the kids left home?

Maybe you have fooled everyone. No one knows that you are lonely. On the outside you are packaged perfectly. Your smile is quick. Your job is stable. Your clothes are sharp. Your waist is thin. Your calendar is full. Your walk brisk. Your talk impressive. But when you look in the mirror, you fool no one. When you are alone, the duplicity ceases and the pain surfaces.

Or maybe you don’t try to hide it. Maybe you have always been outside the circle looking in, and everyone knows it. Your conversation is a bit awkward. Your companionship is seldom requested. Your clothes are dull. Your looks are common. Ziggy is your hero and Charlie Brown is your mentor.

Am I striking a chord? If I am, if you have nodded or sighed in understanding, I have an important message for you.

The most gut-wrenching cry of loneliness in history came not from a prisoner or a widow or a patient. It came from a hill, from a cross, from a Messiah.

“My God, my God,” he screamed, “why did you abandon me!” (Matthew 27:46)

Never have words carried so much hurt. Never has one being been so lonely.

Out of the silent sky come the words screamed by all who walk in the desert of loneliness. “Why? Why did you abandon me?”

I keep thinking of all the people who cast despairing eyes toward the dark heavens and cry “Why?”

And I imagine him. I imagine him listening. I picture his eyes misting and a pierced hand brushing away a tear. And although he may offer no answer, although he may solve no dilemma, although the question may freeze painfully in midair, he who also was once alone, understands.

From No Wonder They Call Him the Savior
© (W Publishing Group, 1986, 2004) Max Lucado

He Understands by Max Lucado

2008-05-19T10:15:00.001+08:00

I know I’d read that passage a hundred times. But I’d never seen it. Maybe I’d passed over it in the excitement of the resurrection.

But I won’t miss it again. It’s highlighted in yellow and underlined in red. You might want to do the same. Look in Mark, chapter 16. Read the first five verses about the women’s surprise when they find the stone moved to the side. Then feast on that beautiful phrase spoken by the angel, “He is not here, he is risen,” but don’t pause for too long. Go a bit further. Get your pencil ready and enjoy this jewel in the seventh verse (here it comes). The verse reads like this: “But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee.

Did you see it? Read it again. (This time I italicized the words.)

“But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee.”

Now tell me if that’s not a hidden treasure.

What a line. It’s as if all of heaven had watched Peter fall—and it’s as if all of heaven wanted to help him back up again. “Be sure and tell Peter that he’s not left out. Tell him that one failure doesn’t make a flop.”

Whew!

No wonder they call it the gospel of the second chance.

Not many second chances exist in the world today. Just ask the kid who didn’t make the little league team or the fellow who got the pink slip or the mother of three who got dumped for a “pretty little thing.”

Not many second chances. Nowadays it’s more like, “It’s now or never.” “Around here we don’t tolerate incompetence.” “Not much room at the top.” “Three strikes and you’re out.” “It’s a dog-eat-dog world!”

Jesus has a simple answer to our masochistic mania. “It’s a dog-eat-dog world?” he would say. “Then don’t live with the dogs.” That makes sense doesn’t it? Why let a bunch of other failures tell you how much of a failure you are?

Sure you can have a second chance.

Just ask Peter. The message came loud and clear from the celestial Throne Room through the divine courier. “Be sure and tell Peter that he gets to bat again.”

It’s not every day that you get a second chance. Peter must have known that. The next time he saw Jesus, he got so excited that he barely got his britches on before he jumped into the cold water of the Sea of Galilee. It was also enough, so they say, to cause this backwoods Galilean to carry the gospel of the second chance all the way to Rome where they killed him. If you’ve ever wondered what would cause a man to be willing to be crucified upside down, maybe now you know.

It’s not every day that you find someone who will give you a second chance—much less someone who will give you a second chance every day.

But in Jesus, Peter found both.

From No Wonder They Call Him the Savior
© (W Publishing Group, 1986, 2004) Max Lucado

First Place Is Not An Easy Place To Stay

2008-05-11T13:21:00.001+08:00

Of the original Fortune 500 companies listed in 1955, only 71 remain on the list today. Companies once deemed indestructible have fallen by the wayside. Corporate titans of enormous influence have completely disappeared in the span of a few decades. Staying power has been rare atop the Fortune 500. Instead, the list has undergone a steady turnover from year to year. Reaching the top is a monumental achievement, but remaining there may be the most spectacular feat of all.

The fate of the Fortune 500 begs the question: Why haven't the best of the best been able to maintain success?

In this edition of Leadership Wired, we'll explore reasons why first place is not an easy place to stay, and we'll look at suggestions to help leaders keep hold of the top spot.

FIRST PLACE ERASERS

The biggest detriment to tomorrow's success is today's success. Winning carries with it a slate of temptations dangerous enough to topple the grandest of corporate CEO's. I call these temptations the first place erasers. Falling prey to them is a surefire ticket to the second tier.

The Momentum Myth - Leaders presiding over good times and high profits begins to relax. Comfort sets in, and the leaders lose their edge. Hard work and a sense of urgency are replaced by naive optimism and idleness. Falsely believing they can coast, leaders fall asleep at the wheel. The end of their vigilance coincides with the end of their time at the top.

The Reputation Factor - Leaders begin to place their position above their production. They live off of yesterday and their best moments. Having already notched big victories, they quit fighting to reach their potential. Consequently, they drive the organization downhill toward mediocrity.

The Entitlement Mindset - Leaders believe they have a right to be number one. Oftentimes these leaders have been given their position rather than having earned it. Expecting preferential treatment, they have an underdeveloped work ethic. As a result, they are unable or unwilling to make the sacrifices required to stay in first place.

The Revolving Door - Leaders quit attributing their success to talented performers at all levels of the organization. People tire of laboring in obscurity, and they move on to new opportunities. Leaders fail to patch the slow leak of talent leaving their teams, and they eventually sink from first place to the middle of the pack.

The Ego Issue - The ego issue trips up leaders who cannot face or admit failure. Since their identity is wrapped in their accomplishments, they do not take ownership of mistakes. To avoid taking responsibility for poor decisions, they may have remarkably high degrees of denial or self-deception. Out of touch, they cannot steer the ship to a first place finish.

Playing Not to Lose - Leaders become cautious and defensive of their perch at the top. They begin to be motivated by fear rather than purpose. Instead of playing to win, they play not to lose. Risk averse and small-minded, they are deficient of the boldness and courage necessary to command a first place team.

HOW TO STAY IN FIRST PLACE

To preserve their first place status, leaders should give extra attention to their passion, practices and people.

Passion
When passion fades, so does a leader's trustworthiness. Gallup conducted a poll in which passion ranked as the leading indicator of credibility within an organization. The results of the survey are hardly surprising. After all, if the leader isn't excited about the purpose of the organization, then why should he or she be trusted? On the flip side, when leaders passionately sacrifice, commit, and invest in their business, they earn the respect of followers and the good faith of constituents.

Passion creates energy. When a leader exudes joy and excitement, he or she magnetically pulls co-workers and customers into a shared vision. Passion is exceptionally strong when linked with a leader's values. When leaders demonstrate principled passion, they are able to appeal to the moral and emotional instincts of those around them.

Practices
Leaders don't rise to the pinnacle of success without developing the right set of attitudes and habits. Healthy habits, practiced consistently over time, will always reap dividends. On the contrary, occasional compromises of values eventually snowball into poor decisions with negative consequences. To keep hold on number one, a leader has to make every day a masterpiece.

People
The best leaders are humble enough to realize their victories depend upon their people. When finding themselves in first place, leaders recognize they are indebted to the ingenuity and talent of those they lead. To stay in first place, leaders have to hand out credit and shine the spotlight on the contributors all around them.

Taken from http://www.maximumimpact.com

Thots!

2008-05-04T16:23:00.003+08:00

The service yest was so awesome! It really stirred up my faith towards soul-winning. The part of the sermon that captured my heart most was about a son being brought back to life by Jesus cos his father will never let him go.

Pastor challenged us yesterday to fill the Alpha and Echo zone in hall 8. I believed in 3 mths time, we can do it! I tink this yr will be the yr of breakthru in terms of attendances. The time will come when we can finally say we have 30,000 members! As we move from glory to glory, strength to strength, more disciples will be raised! I tink the great commission will be so evident, that its not just 1 person being sent to his marketplace, but 2-3 people, cos the great commission is the great co-mission!

Of course, there can be no breakthru without the Holy Spirit. He is the Great councilor, a helper , a guide, a friend! No amount of human ingenuity can match God's wisdom! Cos in Isaiah 55:9, it says that "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts (higher) than your thoughts." Furthermore in Zech. 4:6, it says "'Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit', says the Lord"

Furthermore, the greek word "Ekballō" for the word "send" in the verses Matthew 9:37,38 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to sendout workers into His harvest.", means cast out, expel out. This shows the urgency we need to have for soul-winning.

Back from Taiwan!

2008-04-25T13:12:00.003+08:00

Came back from Taiwan on 23 April. It was a great sight-seeing trip, the fashion over there very upzzz. I lurrrve the shopping there, so so fun. In the end, bought quite lots of stuff, 1 ex T-shirt, 2 blue short sleeve shirts, 1 white long sleeve shirt, 1 jacket, 1 cheap blue Asics Tiger shoe. The service there is lots of times better than here, cos the ppl very friendly and nice.

Come to think of it, going overseas is really fun, can learn to be more independent, have more freedom, and escape from the stressful and busy life here. Can't wait to go back to Taiwan when I ORD, hehe! =)

Being Excellent

2008-04-06T13:57:00.000+08:00

A young nurse was assisting a surgeon in the operating theater for the first time. Although she was trembling a bit, she did her best. After the operation the surgeon said, 'Right, let's stitch him up!' The nurse said, 'Excuse me sir, you used twelve sponges and we only have eleven.' He answered, 'Nurse, I took out all the sponges. Stitch him up.' She insisted, 'Sorry Doctor, there is one sponge missing.' The doctor repeated the instruction to sew the patient up. The nurse said, 'Sir, you are putting this patient's life at risk.' With this the surgeon lifted his foot off the twelfth sponge saying, 'You've passed the test. You can work here!'

Sleep less, live longer?

2008-04-06T13:46:00.001+08:00

Increased Death Rate Associated
With Sleeping 8 Hours or More

Although it’s a common belief that 8 hours of sleep is required for optimal health, a six-year study of more than one million adults ages 30 to 102 has shown that people who get only 6 to 7 hours a night have a lower death rate. Individuals who sleep 8 hours or more, or less than 4 hours a night, were shown to have a significantly increased death rate compared to those who averaged 6 to 7 hours.

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine and the American Cancer Society collaborated on the study, which appeared in the February 15, 2002 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, a journal of the American Medical Association.

Although the data indicated the highest mortality rates with long-duration sleep, the study could not explain the causes or reasons for this association.

First author Daniel F. Kripke, M.D., a UCSD professor of psychiatry who specializes in sleep research, said “we don’t know if long sleep periods lead to death. Additional studies are needed to determine if setting your alarm clock earlier will actually improve your health.”

But, he added “individuals who now average 6.5 hours of sleep a night, can be reassured that this is a safe amount of sleep. From a health standpoint, there is no reason to sleep longer.”

Broken Window Hypothesis

2008-04-06T13:37:00.001+08:00

In 1982, two sociologists named James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling proposed a hypothesis about urban disintegration, and called it the “broken window theory.” The idea became the basis of policing efforts in many cities, most notably New York, where a dramatic, almost unbelievable drop in crime rates followed its implementation.
The sociologists observed that if a window on a building is broken and left unrepaired, other windows on the building will soon be broken. Disorder invites more disorder. If nothing is done about signs of negligence such as broken windows, graffiti, litter, or abandoned cars, then vandals are emboldened to commit acts that further add to the appearance of deterioration. This has a net effect of raising the anxiety of law-abiding citizens,who sense that such physical decline makes an area unsafe. Thus,good citizens stay away, and the area attracts unsavory businesses, criminality, and more visual chaos.

The Blacksmith's Shop by Max Lucado

2008-04-04T19:35:00.000+08:00

In the shop of a blacksmith, there are three types of tools. There are tools on the junk pile:
outdated, broken, dull, rusty.

They sit in the cobwebbed corner, useless to their master, oblivious to their calling.

There are tools on the anvil:
melted down, molten hot, moldable, changeable.

They lie on the anvil, being shaped by their master, accepting their calling.

There are tools of usefulness:
sharpened, primed, defined, mobile.

They lie ready in the blacksmith’s tool chest, available to their master, fulfilling their calling.

Some people lie useless:
lives broken, talents wasting, fires quenched, dreams dashed.

They are tossed in with the scrap iron, in desperate need of repair, with no notion of purpose.

Others lie on the anvil:
hearts open, hungry to change, wounds healing, visions clearing.

They welcome the painful pounding of the blacksmith’s hammer, longing to be rebuilt, begging to be called.

Others lie in their Master’s hands:
well tuned, uncompromising, polished, productive.

They respond to their Master’s forearm, demanding nothing, surrendering all.

We are all somewhere in the blacksmith’s shop. We are either on the scrap pile, in the Master’s hands on the anvil, or in the tool chest. (Some of us have been in all three.)

From the shelves to the workbench, from the water to the fire…I’m sure that somewhere you will see yourself.

Paul spoke of becoming “an instrument for noble purposes.” And what a becoming it is! The rubbish pile of broken tools, the anvil of recasting, the hands of the Master- it’s a simultaneously joyful and painful voyage.

And for you who make the journey—who leave the heap and enter the fire, dare to be pounded on God’s anvil, and doggedly seek to discover your own purpose—take courage, for you await the privilege of being called “God’s chosen instruments.”

From On the Anvil:
Stories On Being Shaped Into God’s Image

Trip in Thailand

2008-04-03T23:59:00.002+08:00

Hey guys sry 4 not posting this earlier, forgot abt blogging it, hehe. The SQ flight to Thailand was great, got to catch Juno on it. The movie was really really nice! In Thailand the food was rather cheap but fantastic! 5ppl share 5 dishes, each only pay abt $4-5! the bad thing was the irritating bed bugs and the super hot weather. Can really feel the heat. The trip to Thailand really made me appreciate more of my friends and family and kinda more independent too! Missed my home when I was there. Going to Taiwan from 7-23 April. Hope can buy many trendy and fashionable stuffs from there, hehe! =)

Feelings

2008-03-06T20:11:00.002+08:00

"Sky Of Love" was a wonderful movie to watch. Thank God I stepped out of my comfort zone and watched it alone at the Cathay. It was a touching movie, about unselfish love and also family being impt! The main characters acted really well. Even my tears began to flow down my cheeks towards the end!

Tmr I going to Thailand, Quite sad actually, it feels a bit like being confined for three wks. Thinking about not attending church services and being so far apart from my friends and family really saddens me. But thank God for the wonderful friends He placed around me. If nt, I think the trip will be really really boring. Thinking of the xiong work ahead of me, I hope that my character will be built up after this trip. I tink I will become more independent after experiencing my first overseas trip without my family members.

Prioritize

2008-03-06T09:16:00.002+08:00

Not many people say on their death bed that they wish they had spent more time at the office. Yet, many of us are working longer and longer hours while time spent with God and time spent with our families and friends is squeezed out. And time doing nothing – just idling in neutral doing not very much at all but enjoying the ride – well this disappears altogether. We do not think it is time spent wisely, but time thrown away.

Stopping is precisely what we must do. We must stop and appraise and evaluate how we use our time. For time itself is not the problem: it is what we choose to do with it. It was once put to me this way: your problem isn’t time management but Stephen management. Time is the given, Stephen is the variable. To do this we need to set
priorities.

Sorting priorities

So here’s a story to help. A time management consultant was once giving a lecture to a group of students. He placed a glass bowl on the table and filled it with large stones. ‘Is the bowl full?’ he asked them? ‘Yes’ they replied. He then pulled out a bag of pebbles from under the table and fitted them in around the large stones. ‘Is the bowl full?’ he asked again. ‘Yes’ they replied. He then pulled out a bag of sand and poured it into the bowl. ‘Is the bowl full now?’ he asked them. ‘Probably’ they cried, getting wise to his tricks. ‘No’, he shouted and poured a jug of water into the bowl. ‘What lesson can you learn from this demonstration?’ he asked them. The students started to discuss what they had seen. ‘Its amazing how much you can fit in if you really try’, was their suggested conclusion. ‘No’, said the time management consultant’ ‘the lesson is this: get your big stones in first or you won’t get them in at all’.

Hiding behind activity

So the lesson is simple: what are your big stones? For yourself, surely they are time for God; time for your family; time for the things that make you the person God has made you to be; time for rest and creativity. And in the church, surely they are time for worship and prayer; time for community and discipleship; time for evangelism and mission. But this is really hard to achieve. And what is one of the best ways of avoiding the painful discernment that is required? Well, being busy of course. But often busy with the wrong things, and often regretting the important things that are left undone. We are so busy climbing the ladder that we fail to see that it is leaning against the wrong wall. It is only by daring to stop, by discerning priorities, that we will get our big stones in place.

The Star Thrower

2008-02-26T11:31:00.000+08:00

Once upon a time, there was a wise man, who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had the habit of walking along the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore; as he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day, so he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead, he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.

As he got closer he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?" The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing Starfish into the ocean."

"I guess I should have asked; why are you throwing Starfish into the ocean?"

"The sun is up and the tide is going out and if I don't throw them in they'll die."

"But young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and Starfish all along it, you can't possibly make a difference!"

The young man listened politely, then bent down, picked up another Starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves. "It made a difference for that one."

His response surprised the man, he was upset, he didn't know how to reply, so instead he turned away and walked back to the cottage to begin his writings.

All day long as he wrote, the image of that young man haunted him; he tried to ignore it, but the vision persisted. Finally, late in the afternoon, he realized that he the scientist, he the poet, had missed the essential nature of the young man's actions. Because he realized that what the young man was doing was choosing not to be an observer in the universe and watch it pass by, but was choosing to be an actor in the universe and make a difference. He was embarrassed.

That night he went to bed, troubled. When morning came, he awoke knowing that he had to do something; so he got up, put on his clothes, went to the beach and found the young man; and with him spent the rest of the morning throwing Starfish into the ocean.

You see, what the young man's actions represent is something that is special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. And if we can, like the young man, become aware of that gift, we gain through the strength of our vision the power to shape the future.

And that is your challenge, and that is my challenge. We must find our Starfish, and if we throw our stars wisely and well, I have no question that the 21st century is going to be a wonderful place.

Remember:
Vision without action is merely a dream
Action without vision just passes time
Vision with action can change the world

10 good values

2008-02-24T23:31:00.001+08:00

1. Loyalty
2. Commitment
3. Respect
4. Accountability
5. Family
6. Love
7. Faithfulness
8. Hardwork
9. Integrity
10. Generosity

How to Win Your Friends to Christ

2008-02-24T23:12:00.000+08:00

Taken from http://www.ministrytodaymag.com/display.php?id=532

1. Serve one another (see Mark 9:35) Show love by helping people whenever you can. Look for opportunities to serve. Jesus said if anyone desires to be a leader, he must be willing to be a "servant of all." Remember the J.O.Y. acronym: Jesus, Others and then Yourself.

2. Give to others (see James 2:15-16) Love is the benefiting of others at the expense of self. Be generous with your time, gifts and money. When you give, give good gifts--not what you cannot use anymore. Also, never give with a catch. Manipulation is the surest way of destroying a relationship.

3. Esteem others better than yourself (see Phil. 2:3) Always honor people. Treat others with respect. And when you praise, be extravagant in your praise. Measured praise is no praise at all. Remember, it is not flattery as long as you are sincere in what you say.

4. Show interest in people's lives (see Phil. 2:4) In your conversation, don't just talk about yourself. Show interest in people's achievements, hobbies and the things they are excited about. Make everyone you meet feel important and significant.

5. Encourage others (see 1 Cor. 13:7) Love believes all things. So, believe in people. Build them up with your words and actions. When you do that, ordinary people are transformed into extraordinary members.

6. Appreciate and thank others (see Rom. 1:8) Be a thankful person. The apostle Paul always appreciated the people he related to, even when they were backslidden: "I thank my God always concerning you" (1 Cor. 1:4, NKJV).

7. Learn to smile (see Prov. 15:30) Church growth experts have said that if church members simply learn to smile, church attendance will automatically increase by 20 percent.

8. Love your neighbor as yourself (see Matt. 19:19) Jesus talks about it. Paul talks about it. James talks about it. This is Jesus' commandment: Whatever you like to do for yourself, do it for someone else.

Overseas Dates

2008-02-17T20:46:00.002+08:00

Btw, nxt month i going overseas liao. 7-27 march in thailand, 7-23 april in taiwan. Quite long period, gonna miss church, sianzz.

Blind Woman

2008-02-17T18:35:00.001+08:00

The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive young woman with the white cane made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver and, using her hands to feel the location of the seats, walked down the aisle and found the seat he’d told her was empty. Then she settled in, placed her briefcase on her lap and rested her cane against her leg.

It had been a year since Susan, 34, became blind. Due to a medical misdiagnosis she had been rendered sightless, and she was suddenly thrown into a world of darkness, anger, frustration and self-pity. And all she had to cling to was her husband, Mark.

Mark was an Air Force officer and he loved Susan with all his heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched her sink into despair and was determined to help his wife gain the strength and confidence she needed to become independent again.

Finally, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but was now too frightened to get around the city by herself. Mark volunteered to drive her to work each day, even though they worked at opposite ends of the city. At first, this comforted Susan, and fulfilled Mark’s need to protect his sightless wife who was so insecure about performing the slightest task. Soon, however, Mark realized the arrangement wasn’t working. Susan is going to have to start taking the bus again, he admitted to himself. But she was still so fragile, so angry—how would she react?

Just as he predicted, Susan was horrified at the idea of taking the bus again. “I’m blind!,” she responded bitterly. “How am I supposed to know where I am going? I feel like you’re abandoning me.”

Mark’s heart broke to hear these words, but he knew what had to be done. He promised Susan that each morning and evening he would ride the bus with her, for as long as it took, until she got the hang of it. And that is exactly what happened. For two solid weeks, Mark, military uniform and all, accompanied Susan to and from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other senses, specifically her hearing, to determine where she was and how to adapt her new environment. He helped her befriend the bus drivers who could watch out for her, and save her a seat.

Finally, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning arrived, and before she left, she threw her arms around Mark, her temporary bus-riding companion, her husband, and her best friend. Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, and his love. She said good-bye, and for the first time, they went their separate ways. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday... Each day on her own went perfectly, and Susan had never felt better. She was doing it! She was going to work all by herself.

On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was paying the fare to exit the bus, the driver said, “Boy, I sure do envy you.” Susan wasn’t sure if the driver was speaking to her or not. After all, who on earth would ever envy a blind woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live for the past year?

Curious, she asked the driver, “Why do you say that you envy me?” The driver responded, “It must feel good to be taken care of and protected like you are.”

Susan had no idea what the driver was talking about, and again asked, “What do you mean?”

The driver answered, “You know, every morning for the past week, a fine-looking gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across the corner watching you as you get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street safely and he watches until you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a little salute and walks away. You are one lucky lady.”

Tears of happiness poured down Susan’s cheeks. For although she couldn’t physically see him, she had always felt Mark’s presence. She was lucky, so lucky, for he had given her a gift more powerful than sight, a gift she didn’t need to see to believe—the gift of love that can bring light where there is darkness.

Strength of a Man

2008-02-17T10:26:00.000+08:00

The strength of a man isn't seen in the width of his shoulders.
It's in the width of his arms that encircle you.

The strength of a man isn't in the deep tone of his voice.
It's in the gentle words he whispers.

The strength of a man isn't how many buddies he has.
It's how good a buddy he is with his children.

The strength of a man isn't in how respected he is at work.
It's in how respected he is at home.

The strength of a man isn't in how hard he hits.
It's in how tender he touches.

The strength of a man isn't in the hair on his chest.
It's in his heart, that lies within his chest.

The strength of a man isn't how many women he's loved.
It's in being true to one woman.

The strength of a man isn't in the weight he can lift.
It's in the burdens he can carry.

K-box!

2008-01-20T21:31:00.000+08:00

Went to K-box last friday and i totally enjoyed it! Its been such a long long time since i went there, it really brought out the passion and excitement in me. U noe, everytime i go to kbox, i begin to feel more confident, more bold. Singing brings joy to my heart! lurrrve it lots! =)haha!

Busy wk ahead!

2008-01-06T21:30:00.000+08:00

Nxt wk is going to be quite a busy and hectic wk for me, but i am not gonna be distracted by the pain or tiredness which i may face. I tink its time I focus more on JESUS! and what He did on the cross, how He endured it until the very end. I pray that this wk I will be so focused on the tasks ahead and not be so distracted. I oso pray that I will be above my circumstances i.e., my attitudes will not be affected by my environment! =)

1st day in 2008!

2008-01-01T20:50:00.000+08:00

The first day of this yr was rather forgettable and boring, the hours gone by as i was lying on the bed resting while listening to yes 933. But i must say, the chinese songs today very nice as there was a countdown to top 100 songs of 2007. In the end the song "wo huai nian de" by stef sun was top followed by "zhuan shu tian shi" by tank. Actually i prefer the song "zhuan shu tian shi" though, it brings back quite a lot of memories of 2007, haha! =)

My New Year resolutions are to grow more in confidence and to be more fashionable in my dress sense! Oh yar, by the end of 2008 i hope to look like him! lol , just kidding! =)

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T00:39:00.000+08:00

New year! New dreams! New visions! New hope! As we welcome 2008 and say bye bye to 2007, can u believe that we are one year closer to fulfill our God-given destiny? Wow! May 2008 be the best year yet for all, a year of significant breakthroughs in our relationships between families and friends, breakthroughs in our finances and most importantly breakthroughs in our walk with God! =)

Change

2007-12-30T22:45:00.001+08:00

Nice pic! Only fools and the the dead do not change! lol. =)

Teamwork (Gd)
Teamwork (Bad)

I tink I am halfway between "the silent thinker" and "the poser", haha!

Interesting! Taken from http://www.wretch.cc/blog/wuchun10cool

2007-12-28T23:44:00.000+08:00

"A Good Habit to share – Ever since 15 years old, I have the habit of switching the TV on to CNN channel whenever I wake up. I think my father influenced me because he was always the one asking me to read the papers and learn more about what’s happening around this world! Well… I have to admit I am lazy when it comes to reading the papers so to solve the problem, WATCH CNN :-) What I have learnt all these while which I really like to share with you guys: Being aware of news around the world not only keeps us well informed about what’s going on but also teaches us so many things never could we imagine. I guess the reason that why I am optimistic in life is because I have watched too many unbelievable things going on around us and these include natural disasters, war, tragic accidents, murder to name a few! Imagine how all of these could influence the life of so many people! Therefore, we should really treasure everything we have now and BE CONTENTED!

Hardship is a challenge in life but it’s an experience whether you fail or succeed… The results are just results perceived by others but who cares! Most importantly, you did your best, right? Well, I have to admit that sometimes, I do complain and am really stressed with my work due to lack of rest but I do get over it very fast otherwise I will make my life more stressful… Next time, if you have a bad mood, learn to get over it ASAP and once you know how to control your emotions, your life will be a lot easier and happier. Well, one good way is to watch world news more often… Trust me :-) "

(Wow, maybe one of my 2008 New Year resolutions should include reading more newspaper and watching more news channels. Haha! =) )

Zecharias sermon + Run to You

2007-12-28T02:55:00.001+08:00

Zecharias
Run to You

Where will you be spending your last minutes of 2007 at?

2007-12-28T02:42:00.001+08:00

Nationwide poll: http://loudjeers.com/countdown08/

50 Ways to cook instant noodles

2007-12-28T02:31:00.001+08:00

http://www.stomp.com.sg/stfoodiesclub/oodlesofnoodles/noodle_all.html

Jokes: Church Signs

2007-12-28T01:35:00.000+08:00

1. CHURCH CAR PARK - FOR MEMBERS ONLY! Trespassers will be baptised!
2. "No God - No Peace. Know God - Know Peace."
3. "Free Trip to Heaven. Details Inside!"
4. "Try our Sundays. They are better than Baskin-Robbins."
5. An ad for one Church has a picture of two hands holding stone
tablets on which the Ten Commandments are inscribed and a
headline that reads, -"For Fast Relief, Take Two Tablets."
6. "People are like tea bags - you have to put them in hot water
before you know how strong they are."
7. "Come in and pray today. Beat the Christmas rush."
8. "Fight truth decay - study the Bible daily."
9. "How will you spend eternity - Smoking or Non-Smoking."
10. "Dusty Bibles lead to Dirty Lives."
11. "Come work for the Lord. The work is hard, the hours are long
and the pay is low. But the retirement benefits are out of this world."
12. "It is unlikely there'll be a reduction in the wages of sin."
13. "If you're headed in the wrong direction, God allows U-turns."
14. "If you don't like the way you were born, try being born again."
15. "Looking at the way some people live, they ought to obtain
eternal fire Insurance soon."
16. " A ch__ch is a church when (U R) in it.
17. "In the dark? Follow the Son."
18. "Running low on faith? Stop in for a fill-up."
19. "If you can't sleep, don't count sheep. Talk to the Shepherd."