21.1.09
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 8:00 PM
23.6.07
Devotions 23 June
My devotions today comes from 2 Chronicles 20.The protagonist in this chapter is the King of Israel Jehoshaphat, and his nation is faced by an overwhelming horde of invaders. (think Helm's Deep in LOTR)
The main point that we can take away from this chapter is, 'What to do when we dont know what to do'.
Right at the start, the FIRST thing Jehoshaphat does is to PRAY and he declares to God, v12 "...For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."
So the first thing we can when faced with a problem of 'what to do', is to pray! commiting the problem to God and confessing of our human impotence humbly, relying on God instead of ourselves.
After Jehoshaphat did this, the Spirit of the Lord replied through Jahaziel saying v17 "You will not need to fight this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf..."
Being comforted by God, the next thing we must do is to trust in His promises and face the problem boldly and confidently. We can praise and worship Him though we do not know the final outcome, because we can be assured that the Lord is faithful!
Jehoshaphat displayed this by going out to meet the great horde, and in a very unusual and untactical fashion, he sent out priests in holy attire to sing to the Lord and praise Him, and these worshippers went before the army as the first line!
God was faithful to them and made the invaders fight among themselves, and by the time Jehoshaphat arrived at the battlefield, the invaders had killed themselves and "none had escaped". Instead of fighting, Jehoshaphat's army reaped the spoils of war "until they could carry no more". Such is the providence and deliverance of the Lord!
Therefore Brothers, we can rely on God throughout our problems. Lastly, once God has shown us His miracles, we must never forget to honour Him. Jehoshaphat did this by naming the place "The Valley of Beracah", which means 'The Valley of Blessing'.
May you be blessed with this devotions. :)
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 11:33 PM
10.6.07
Devotions 9th June
this devotions is on Psalm 46.this psalm can be called a "Zion Song", though Zion is not specifically mentioned, it certainly is alluded to. Martin Luther was moved by this psalm to write the famous hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God".
the title of the hymn is most appropriate as it sums up the main theme of the psalm, as it depicts solace and refuge in God as eternally and absolutely secure and triumphant. Therefore even if 'the earth gives way' and 'mountains be moved', 'waters roar and foam', we can be confident and fearless!
these imagery invoke in my mind thoughts of earthquakes and volcanoes and tsunamis that we so often read abt in the papers. in our modern society, we have this belief that with improving technology, we can control more aspects of life here on earth.. but God often dispells our disillusionment with such terrifying disasters that we are powerless to fend off.
therefore isnt it so wonderful and comforting to know that in spite of these terrible elements, 'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble'? God reigns over everything on earth, including all of Nature.
With this sovereignty He can boldy declare:
' "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" '
Similarly, we can take comfort and draw confidence in this declaration, that our God is Lord and King over all, and i hope this gives you boldness and courage in the week ahead! :)
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 6:00 PM
QT continued...
today I was reading 1 Thessolonians and i thought it ties in nicely with the studies we've been doing, with regards to waiting on the Lord and meditation.the key verse (which wld also be today's memory verse) that struck me is:
1 Thessolonians 5:16-18 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
I prefer the ESV version which reads 'REJOICE always, pray without ceasing...'. So basically this verse tells us that to 'be joyful' and to 'rejoice' is 'God's will for [us] in Christ Jesus'.
but i ask myself, how can i rejoice always and give thanks in all circumstances? not withstanding the crisis that sometimes rock our lives, even our day to day routine can sometimes get so frustrating and depressing that we forget to give thanks to our Lord and Savior. and no one would blame us for have such feelings can they? because after all we are humans.
but what the Lord teaches us is that to be filled with the everlasting and enduring Joy that comes from Him, we have to break away from being focused on ourselves and instead look to God. Just like in psalm 77, the psalmist was downcast and desperate because he saw the troubles that overwhelmed and knew that he was powerless to do anything.
but the psalmist drew confidence as he turned his focus on the Lord, knowing that the Lord is good and can deliver him from anything. this reminded me of a saying 'Small Faith, Big God'. in short this means that we are always men of little faith who like to depend on our own strengths, but just a little faith and trust in God can go a long way.. because we have a BIG God who can do wonders!
so how can we be joyful always and give thanks in all circumstances? the first step is to 'know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him' (Rom 8:28) and everything is according to will.
So we simply have to submit to His will!
of course this does not spare us from the heartaches and frustrations of the situations we're in and so we must set our focus on Christ Jesus.
The verse tells us that to do so, we can 'pray without ceasing'. while this has been exaggerated, nonetheless the message is clear.. we set our focus on God from the spiritual disciplines that we instill for ourselves.
So Brothers, pray as often as you can, continue with these daily devotions as well as reading them, come for small group, etc.. so that we can experience the joy of the Lord today and everyday, for this is the will of God for us in Christ Jesus! :)
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 12:16 AM
A Quiet Time with God
wahhh... i've hardly blogged here in a long while, but oh wells i've decided to revive this blog with my QT reflections. our small group implemented this weekly routine of sharing our QT which other and so we get one day allocated to each of us.. so heres goes, some past reflections! :)~*~
today my daily devotions will be on Psalm 51.
the background to this psalm is that it was written by David, after he had gone in to Bathsheba, sinning against God in the matter of Uriah, her husband.
this psalm is a powerful statement of the depths of sinand repentance, making it the most striking of the 'prayers of penitence'; one of the most moving prayers filled with lament.
on one level, an initial reading of the text fills me with the same recognition of David, tt im totally depraved and in need of God's saving grace.
David pleads God to 'blot out [his] tansgressions.. wash [him] thoroughly from [his] iniquity, and cleanse [him] from [his] sin', for he understands God's 'steadfast love' and 'abundant mercy'.
I am sure that there are times in our life, when we did silly and horrible stuff, that we felt the same way David did.
But as always, we can take heart that our God is slower to anger but quick to forgive, if we repent and approach Him in the right attitude.
David recognises this too, and despite the prevailing tradition of offering animal sacrifices den, it is significant tt David says God 'will not delight in sacrifice' or 'a burnt offering', but 'the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart'.
Contrite means feeling sorry or repentent and thus clearly tells us how we shld approach God when we've done something wrong. :)
On a second level, this psalm is a rich and meaning cross reference to the account of David's sin with Bathseba. this psalm helps us understand that while David is like all of us, falling short of God's glory daily, is still an apple in God's eye because he is a man after God's heart.
It is not so much that David is hypocritical or have dual personalities, but rather him regretting his actions after letting sin get the better of him.
So brothers, may this hymn remind us of our fallen nature and humble us, as well as remind us that we shld always approach God with 'a broken and contrite spirit'.
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 12:09 AM
28.4.07
sitting in my freezer are..
these are the three lovely tubs of B&J's sitting in my freezer now, i feel so spoiled for choice! but den again.. i've been eating far too much.. think i'll just leave them for my parents to take in all the calories, lol!! :)
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 2:03 AM
Funny!
Something i got from newpaper...REAL meanings of terms used in performance appraisals:
1. Good communication skills -- spends alot of time on the phone,
2. Average employee -- Not too bright,
3. Exceptionally well qualified -- Made no major blunders yet,
4. Work is first priority -- Too ugly to get a date,
5. Active socially -- Drinks alot,
6. Family is active socially -- Spouse drinks too,
7. Independent worker -- Nobody knows what she does,
8. Quick thinking -- Offers plausible excuses,
9. Careful thinker -- Won't make a decision,
10. Uses logic on difficult jobs -- Gets someone else to do it,
11. Meticulous attention to detail -- A nit-picker,
12. Has leadership qualities -- Is tall or has a loud voice,
13. Exceptionally good judgment -- Lucky,
14. Career-minded -- Backstabber,
15. Loyal -- Can't get a job anywhere else.
~*~
a really funny read in quite a while! :D anyway i havent been blogging in ages so for those few souls who bother to visit, thank you very much! lately i've been very busy in camp and social life so i've been hardly on the comp...
today was an interesting day, was feeling super sian abt the 8km route march,. it wasnt the distance, cos i've done 28km before already.. but just the sian-ness of going outfield and walking. but it turned out quite fun cos of the rain! we ended up marching through the thunderstorm and though we were drenched.. it was quite an enjoyable experience! ahh how things can surprise us sometimes.. :)
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 1:57 AM
6.4.07
worlds apart
I am the only one to blame for thisSomehow it all ends up the same
Soaring on the wings of selfish pride
I flew too high and like Icarus I collide
With a world I try so hard to leave behind
To rid myself of all but love
to give and die
To turn away and not become
Another nail to pierce the skin of one who loves
more deeply than the oceans,
more abundant than the tear
Of a world embracing every heartache
Can I be the one to sacrifice
Or grip the spear and watch the blood and water flow
To want you - take my world apart
To need you - I am on my knees
To love you - take my world apart
To need you - broken on my knees
All said and done I stand alone
Amongst remains of a life I should not own
It takes all I am to believe
In the mercy that covers me
Did you really have to die for me?
All I am for all you are
Because what I need and what I believe are worlds apart
To want you - take my world apart
To need you - I am on my knees
To love you - take my world apart
To need you - broken on my knees
I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
and wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain
More and more I need you now,
I owe you more each passing hour
the battle between grace and pride
I gave up not so long ago
So steal my heart and take the pain
and wash the feet and cleanse my pride
take the selfish, take the weak,
and all the things I cannot hide
take the beauty, take my tears
the sin-soaked heart and make it yours
take my world all apart
take it now, take it now
and serve the ones that I despise
speak the words I can't deny
watch the world I used to love
fall to dust and thrown away
I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
so wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain
so steal my heart and take the pain
take the selfish, take the weak
and all the things I cannot hide
take the beauty, take my tears
take my world apart, take my world apart
I pray, I pray, I pray
take my world apart
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 9:39 PM
25.3.07
oaks!
whee the time is coming for a change of oakleys! i can feel it! any day now.. :)Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 10:48 PM
from down under
a phone call really made my day, it was so unexpected that i paused for a long while after hearing 'hello kor, its me!'.. haha! oh man it was seriously such a lovely surprise cos just last night i was thinking abt her and how she was doing and why hasnt contacted me since!? and apparently she was thinking the exact same thing and she called me with such great news! *grin*come back soon alrights? dont keep me waiting cos theres lots to share! :)
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 10:41 PM
21.3.07
hmm..
hmm... i really must stop doing 'this', sighh seems like a bad habit.. but the strange thing is tt everytime i do it, i learn valuable insights that i would never have known abt. so the question is, how do i resolve this?anyway its been mid season for my inter-formation rugby tournament and im really pleased with how we're doing! we started off as a team with barely 15 players and with no support whatsoever but after our stunning win over navy, things have really changed! more publicity, and for today's match we had supporters for once! many big shots i dont recognise, but my whole battalion's command team was down to cheer us on, right from the CO to S1-S4.. very touching can? haha!
its all the ways to the finals, i know we can do it! :)
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 10:01 PM
17.3.07
felines
heres an interesting thought, has anyone actually seen a cat die of natural death?i mean sure i've seen a bodies of cats ran over by cars.. but has anyone seen the body of a cat that has died of old age?
if someone clears away the bodies, they cant possibly do it so immediately every time that i dont see any in my whole life right?
or do cats like hide in an obscure place before they die?
please enlighten me on this.. haha! :)
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 11:55 PM
Everybody's Gone To War
this is a really nice and meaningful song from nerina pallot :)~*~
I've got a friend, he's a pure-bred killing machine,
He says he's waited his whole damn life for this,
I knew him well when he was seventeen,
Now he's a man; he'll be dead by Christmas.
So...
Everybody's gone to war,
But we don't know what we're fighting for,
Don't tell me it's a worthy cause,
No cause could be so worthy.
If love is a drug, then I guess we're all sober,
If hope is a song then I guess it's all over,
How to have faith, when faith is a crime?
I don't want to die...
If God's on our side, then God is a joker,
Asleep on the job, his children fall over,
Out through the door and straight to the sky,
I don't want to die...!
For every man who wants to rule the world,
There'll be a man who just wants to be free,
What do we learn but what should not be learnt?
Too late to find a cure for this disease.
So...
Everybody's gone to war,
But we don't know what we're fighting for,
Don't tell me it's a worthy cause,
No cause could be so worthy.
If love is a drug, I guess we're all sober,
If hope is a song, I guess it's all over,
How to have faith, when faith is a crime?
I don't want to die...
If God's on our side, then God is a joker,
Asleep on the job, his children fall over,
Out through the door, and straight to the sky,
I don't want to die...
I-I-I-I don't want to die,
I-I don't want to die...
So...
Everybody's gone to war,
But we don't know what we're fighting for,
Don't tell me it's a worthy cause,
No cause could be so worthy.
If love is a drug, I guess we're all sober,
If hope is a song, I guess it's all over,
How to have faith, when faith is a crime?
I don't want to die...
If God's on our side, then God is a joker,
Asleep on the job, his children fall over,
Out through the door, and straight to the sky,
I don't want to die...
I-I-I-I don't want to die,
I-I don't want to die...
I've got a friend, he's a pure-bred killing machine,
I think he might be dead by Christmas...
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 11:46 PM
2.3.07
For we have been born again!
Agapetoi, we being parepidemoi, in peirasmoi & thlipseis agalliasthe always, anagegennemenoi!thats mostly in the original greek text which translates to:
Dear friends/ beloved, we being strangers in the world, in trials & tribulations rejoice always, for we have been born again!
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 6:34 PM
a fairy tale story
there once lived a dreamer, who dreamt of big things beyond himself.the common saying went that it was good to dream, and so it was..
but to dream unrealistically would only lead to happy never after.
his teddy bear tried telling him that, but perhaps thats how he will always be.
so the day came and the dreamer's dream never came true.
the dreamer was very disappointed and thats how the story ends..
for now.
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 5:39 PM
22.2.07
life is like a rose
i read a very meaningful letter recently and what struck me was this.."We constantly need to remind ourselves that God has a macro view of events that happen and that will shape us for His glory, and that ours is only a micro one.
For the God who created the roses is the same God who in His wisdom also created their thorns; only He alone would know why they are put together on the same stem.
Our response is to thank Him in everything; yes even their thorns."
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 1:37 AM
18.2.07
happy chinese new year!!
the occasional blogger returns! and its the time of the year where parents lose lots of money and children help them get some back! lol!anyway just gonna leave some random photos here, shall have to get myself to blog properly sometime this week... haha! :)
~*~
the lovely couple of daniel&jane! :)
lydd*
AC Open House - the QUEKs unite!!
steph & jamie*
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 8:33 PM
10.2.07
heres a random shout out!~*~
God is Great!
and his Praise
fills the Earth
fills the Heavens
for Eternity!!
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 11:18 AM
deception
as i just ponder.. i really dislike myself. i dislike what i did, but den again maybe thats me? am i like that? i dont doubt what was said was true and i suppose that will always taint the beautiful memories.this is my one regret, if i could turn back time.
if only i could, i'd have treated u differently.
flamboyance.
deception.
facade.
at least i can see ur happy again, that is my one comfort and envy.
if i shld get another chance with someone else, i'd treat her differently.
would i?
Posted by ..::spawn::.. at 3:12 AM
2.2.07
Tribute to a very dear friend
felyna! haha this is totally random.. but heres to 5+ years of solid friendship! thanks for always always being there even though you're always so busy and thanks always listening to silly me! :)i rmb how we first met and what a funny impression you had of me :D and den i repeated what i did to lynn on you! lol! anyway i hope ur coping well in uni and having a blast of a time!
you're one irreplaceable friend and heres to many years ahead! (+ pigging out sessions!)
~*~
chocolatey delight!
happy and contented afterwards! :)
fun-0-rama
the original 3
reunion! :)
at the club*
nice background!
dont we look alike?
esplanade view*
my dream car at fullerton.. sponsors?
you're my bridge over troubled waters :)