Crown Him with Many Crowns

Short post!

Here's another link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhj_H1DRru4

Stumbled upon it, it's an old hymn. I like it, personal preference, hehe, tho it might not go well with today's consumers of contemporary music.

Warning:
1) Contains same tune repeated a few times
2) Contains words such as "thy" and "yonder"
3) Contains unknown words such as "potentate of time" (google to check it out)
4) Contains verses that actually rhyme
5) Contains slow background scenes (no frills)

You have been warned :p

- Ah Guan

From the inside out

For me, Chinese New Year was the same where we visit many relatives consecutively for 2 days. After the first day, at night, I really wanted to go home cos had a lot of things to settle, be it school or church . But then, my parents wanted us to go with them to their annual friends’ gathering. So I reluctantly agreed. I’m glad I went, because i learnt that one of my friends had been joining Hope Brisbane activities altho she is not yet a Christian and i told her i went to Hope SG. I also got to see thru a telescope that another friend brought n saw the supernova & seven sisters. I said sth abt how God created them n another younger guy, in sec sch, was like, ‘you’re a Christian ah’ and i nodded. Although these were just very small moments, probably forgettable by them 10 years down the road, but to me, it made CNY more meaningful just to be a witness and say i'm a Christian.

*

The same situation occured on e 2nd day of CNY. Parents wanted to go to aunt’s house for dinner and I wanted to go home. I went, but inside, emotionally stressed cos of the mounting load i was thinkin abt. When we reached, I went to rest in my cousin’s room cos was tired. She’s also a Christian and i was glad to have some time alone in her rm. Then while resting, I had this image, I think it’s from God. I don’t know where it came from or how it suddenly came into my mind… it was a picture of a lot of files that have not been cleared, like accounts not settled. And yet new files kept coming in. So there were more and more files accumulating…

*

Then it really struck me that this was the description of me. The files were my life. The old files were the finances I have not gotten in order, the mess on my table that has yet to be cleared, the proposal to be done, the concerns I want to pray about when my heart is tugged at during the past week. These accumulated because of procrastination, foolishly indulging in recreation (slacking!), the trap of busyness etc. And yet, new files kept coming in! Another group project presentation, more social work meetings, planning for DCLTP activities, a new book that I started etc. That’s why I was so stressed. But after having this image, I felt much lighter. It’s like a revelation from God.

*

At night, or only just now, I finally settled the most crucial file. The most important – re-aligning my relationship with God through worship and prayer! I prayed to God about all these. And His reminder to me was that all these are really just things on the outside which appear to need so much attention (and they do, not that they don’t), things like studies, family, care group, sheep etc. But then, to get things on the outside right and in order, it actually starts from the inside – the inner being where the real relationship with God lies. Am I surrendering all these to Him? Am I allowing Him more room to work in my life? Am I choosing to submit these areas of my life into His Lordship? What’s really most important is not all these external things, it’s really my relationship with God.

*

Pastor Jeff said this is going to be a year of spiritual preparation. And spiritual preparation starts from the inside. There’s a lot of dirt that God is going to dig out and a lot of work that God wants to do on the inside. And through all these, it is then His grace and glory which flows out to all that is on the outside and make things work out. Yup, so a v gd lesson learnt thru CNY. And here's a fellow sinner telling another -- how's ur inside? let God work in it. Anyway, here's an accompanying song to enjoy: From the Inside Out (Hillsongs) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwJEdo1FlMo

- Ah Guan

RE: Life is, fragile.

eh.. wanted to put in under the comments, but i wanna some participation points so i make it a post.

"it got me questioning - what will you do if you had a choice; would you rather know you're gonna die in 2 months (so you can do all that you want to do), or not know at all? " -quoted from juli


i thought about it long time ago, but my answer remains more or less the same. I would rather be told that i have this number of months left than to be kept in the dark.

Yes, of cuz i would be very upset and might even lose the will to fight the illness, but i want to do what i want to and have to do b4 i die.

If i am not bedridden, i want to:

1) tidy up and clear my room, donate all my clothes and stuffs (i don't want to leave a mess behind)

2) eat as much as i want and any food that i want (no need to care about fats and cholesterol)

3) spend more time with family, loved ones, close frens (prepare them that i am leaving and hope to see them know God if they haven't already known.)

4) write/say my last encouragement to the loved ones.

6) tell my crush that i like/love her.

6) prepare my own funeral


This is really something i seriously thought about it.

-yz-

My two spiritual threads at prayer meeting

Hello all,

Just wanted to share about my experience at the Corporate Prayer Meeting last Friday at Suntec. A little background, on that day, I was quite tired by back to back seminars and was also pondering on the issue of friendships in general, and biblical friendships as well. Admittedly, there were also feelings of discouragement by what I perceived was the spiritual condition of the care group when we met just before prayer meeting.

So I went in with a heavy heart and at the same time, also desiring for God to answer my request which was for spiritual direction. Through the time of praise and worship, prayer and prophecies, God lifted my heart. It took quite a while though, a lot of pouring out unto God, tension and surrender of thoughts, emotions and exchanging it with God. But when your inner being truly exalts God in song, then the heart really feels lighter and you are able to be fully present – in spirit and in truth -- to praise and worship Him with abandonment.

Perhaps that’s why sometimes we don’t experience God in praise and worship because we hold burdens and cannot worship in spirit, or have unconfessed sins and cannot worship in truth. But God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24) including the verse so that you know that it’s not based on random or own talk but biblical.

For myself, God reminded me of some things. He reminded me of faith. Where does my faith lie? Does it lie in the things that I see? Does it lie in the visible things such as people doing what seems right? Is that why I felt discouraged when I don’t see that, which further reveals that perhaps my faith then had been based on things that are seen? Sometimes, it’s good to go through rough patches then because you are required to put your faith in Christ alone. Faith not in yourself, for you know full well how fallible you are, not in the things you do or don’t do, faith not in people whose hearts are deceitful, but faith in Christ alone, clinging unto God or else you cling unto nothing.

The other thing He reminded me of was this: follow Jesus. I asked for spiritual direction because I’m about to graduate soon and wanted God to answer me like ‘go here, go there’. In geographic terms, it’s like hoping that God would tell me directly: go to Clementi MRT or go to Dhoby Ghaut MRT. But the reply was, ‘just take the MRT’. But I thank God for it. I think God answered me based on what I need, not based on what I want. Follow Jesus was actually the best answer to my seeking for spiritual direction. I needed to know that true spiritual direction was not about where I’m going to be but it’s about following our incarnational God – Jesus.

So I was glad for these two spiritual experiences that God had given to me, adding two more threads to this tapestry of my life that God is weaving. I pray that as you make sense of your own experiences with God and where He is leading you, it would be an exciting inner journey and of knowing God more and more!

Love,
Ah Guan

Life is, fragile.

it's mid week, lets hope all of you guys in nus are having a great time back to school.

projects have been slowly building up its pace in my schedule! i foresee this term to be really busy and tough to score because i have quite strict profs and i really haven't been speaking much in class for class participation ): all the students seem tooo smart to outsay them in anything! i really really need God's grace. speaking of which, i'm going to join Biz com - a cca in school so that i can do something different in campus too - not just mere academic studies. tomorrow is the orientation camp, let's hope it will be a great one (:

--

anyway, this afternoon i received a sms informing me that my sister's friend has passed away.

a couple of months ago, i remember sharing the story of this girl, anna, to guanzhen joyce and ivy at mark & spencer before service.

one fine day she just turned yellow (a day/week after her birthday) and she was admitted to the hospital. then a series of viral infection attacked her spine and her entire immune system went down the drain. her white blood cells count was almost zero (and we all know White blood cells are the crux to fighting our immune system). even the doctors couldnt diagnosed what was wrong. they could only tell it's some strong virus. she has been battling with this sickness for a few months. every time my sister share with me her condition, i cant help but to feel a really deep sense of sadness. maybe because i know who she is and seen her before (though not a personal friend to her).

you know, she's so young, so young. my sister visited her twice in the hospital and once, she came back and shared about how touched her friend was to see her. they were secondary school friends and havent met in years. it must be such joy. but behind that smile, she told my sister she's so tired of battling the cycle of jabs and pain, and she wants to go Home. her family related how she'll scream and yell because she has to go for jabs at her spinal area and blood tests every few hours. it must hurt so much.

at her condition, the doctor estimated for her to live for 2 months. her biological sister kept this fact from her mom, and her - so that she wont lose the will to live, and will continue to fight the virus. i cannot decide whether keeping the truth from her was a wise choice.
but again - imagine if she knew she only has two months to live, her physical body and mind would lose all motivation to fight on and sink in a "might as well.." mode.

it got me questioning - what will you do if you had a choice; would you rather know you're gonna die in 2 months (so you can do all that you want to do), or not know at all?

the sms i received this afternoon just caught me by surprise. it reminded me about how fragile human life is. it sounds really cliche but it really is. imagine turning yellow while having lunch one fine day, and the next moment you know - you're lying in the hospital bed. where you're destined to be for the next half a year, battling a unknown virus to the medical world, even. only God knows.

i figured that keeping the truth from her may be the right choice afterall. at least now we can say she has fought the good fight, she has finished the race & kept the faith. God has brought her home today.

- ah ju

a little update

hi guys.. this is the photo of our last service at kum yan before we continue our exodus to other places for worshipping God! i'm going to miss this nice place much. and it shall be RELC next week! maybe we could all meet at orchard to go there together? think a few of us including myself haven't been there before, so would need some directions!

anyway, hope you guys have been doing well in our Lord, growing and hearing from Him since the start of this year. for me, i've been feeling quite excited about this year because i feel that this year will be a year of growths. and by that it would mean a year of testings! though i wouldn't be looking forward to the testings, but i know it's for our good, and the result from that would definitely be something that moulds us to become more Christ-like, as what God has intended for us. so therefore, don't be surprised or discouraged when the testings come along our way, because they are planned by God to grow and stretch us! and as we encourage and keep each other in our prayers, we will see God's hands upon our lives more evidently as He works things out for His glory. may God be honoured in our lives yeah!

oh yes. and i've a testimony to share of God's providence! one day after cg on wed, ivy called me and told me about a tuition assignment, for 2 siblings sec 1 and sec 3, to teach english, math, science. and the rates are really good! it's $500 for 3 hours per week, 4 sessions per month. and so i've taken up the job, and it will start coming week. praise God for His providence! $500 is really beyond my expectation for any tuition jobs. this incident has increased my faith in His character, knowing that He is always in control, and He is above all things, including my financial situation. i hope this testimony will encourage you guys too, of God's sovereignty and Him being above everything in our lives - our hopes, our struggles, our desires.

okay.. hope to hear from the rest soon! especially from the bloggers.. *ahem* yizhong, mingxi and ivy..

love, joycee

Announcement!

16 January (Friday) Corporate Prayer Meeting 7.45 PM @ Suntec Convention Hall 603

The entire church (youth, tertiary, adults, family, chinese, indonesian, filipinos) is going to gather and pray. So be there and don't miss out on what God wants to say to our church!

Let us FAST from dinner for that day so have a good lunch too.

Meeting time & place: 6.30 PM at City Hall MRT (meeting earlier to prepare our hearts before the prayer meeting, buffer time for late comers)

Thanksgiving!

On a personal note, I'm really encouraged and thankful to see God working in our CG and how we are opening up further to each other. :-) I pray that we can support each other, spur each other and in His time, God will bring a spiritual harvest to us! Awaiting in faith :)


SHOULD BE BY GUAN.

Hello world!

this shall be the first (and hopefully not the last) entry for this journal (:

caregroup yesterday (wednesday, 7 January 09) was held at my place, and it was a good time of sharing and being open to each other. HTHT: heart to heart talk!

we talked about serious issues about the caregroup and addressed them truthfully with utmost openess. & so... this blog is up!



To help our caregroup grow relationally & spiritually, this blog is up! basically, we factored that one possible reason why our caregroup may not be as "close-knitted" relationally may be because we are really unsure about what is going on in each other's live at all. hence we can't support. what we do know, is just the surface of everyone base on what we hear/see every saturday. there is no real 'knowing' your caregroup member.

the purpose of this journal would be to continually keep each other updated on our lives, being open & honest with our struggles, share testimony, share what God implanted into your heart during QT, bless everyone and to just rant about your day! i think this blog shouldnt be confined to just sharing things in such a 'perfect' manner such that we filter only the good things to talk about only. then, there is no real deep sharing. let's not just use this blog to share what is great and up-beat in our life such that we dont talk about our real struggles. (PLEASE POST UP PHOTOGRAPHS TOO OK, SO THIS PAGE WONT LOOK SO MONO-COLOR, HAHA)

let's be united and support each other in this caregroup. Many a times we don't dare to share certain issues because we may be afraid of being judged. we all have this fear (: but let's try to do it differently in caregroup and share with trust that this group of brothers and sisters will support you no matter what. slowly but surely. & lets be doers of God's word by not judging other brothers & sisters because we all sin & fall short of the glory of God - all the time.

okay, i feel that i just blabbered so much! =]] let's start journaling ok!

password & username will be passed down via email. so start ranting about things here today!

love, AH JU.