Thoughts..

Perhaps a little time for myself and some space for my thoughts..

Today’s sharing from Rev Ong from NTUCCF was really great. It’s been a long time since my thoughts is triggered into thinking for things that perhaps I have been missing..

Or should I say that I have been missing a lot of things that I should be thinking in depth with regards to my daily life. Perhaps I have taken too much for granted? Think about it..

Towards the end of Rev Ong’s sermon, he asked –

1. ‘Are you a happy Christian?’

If not, what is the reason why we aren’t? Are we doing things for the sake of doing? Are we doing things just to please others? Are we doing it to ‘show off’ ourselves?
If we are not doing it for Christ regardless of anything and everything, we wouldn’t be happy and sooner or later find it to be like a chore of doing and thus losing the joy in it and gradually stop doing. There are lots more to it than what is mentioned.

2. ‘Is your prayer being answered?’

There are a few reasons why prayers are not answered in the first place (Yet).

First, Not for you. We wouldn’t know what is good or bad for us in the beginning. And that is why God make the decision for us by giving, withholding or preventing us from having certain things we are asking in prayers. A child wouldn’t know sweets will cause tooth decay if he/she eats too much, but the parents know and prevent them. Likewise for the opposite, we might not like what we are going through but God sees it good when it is over – rainbow after a rain, spiritual growth after trials or suffering may illustrates this.

Second, God’s timing. We have to understand and eventually (due to our weakness) acknowledge that God’s timing is Perfect. Anytime before or after isn’t His will for anyone of us. Therefore, there wouldn’t be any benefit in receiving it. For example choosing a partner isn’t like changing clothes. We need to see (inwardly,spiritually and with God’s view), choose (wisely and God-ordained), try out (through fellowship and sharing) than pay the price to buy it. It’s definitely not as easy as abc.

Third, Attitude. Is our attitude sincere? Why would God answer your prayers if its a selfish prayer? Of course I am not saying God wouldn’t answer it totally but our attitude should be right before God. In this way, we will create a pathway for God to work in.

Fourth, Willingness. Are we willing enough? We have been asking this and that, but having an unwilling heart does not get you anywhere. Praying for a good result without putting in effort in studies is an example. Be willing to be willing is a good attitude.

Agape
Eugene

Psalms 118

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

2 Let Israel say:
"His love endures forever."

3 Let the house of Aaron say:
"His love endures forever."

4 Let those who fear the LORD say:
"His love endures forever."

5 In my anguish I cried to the LORD,
and he answered by setting me free.

6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

7 The LORD is with me; he is my helper.
I will look in triumph on my enemies.

8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.

9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.

10 All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

11 They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

12 They swarmed around me like bees,
but they died out as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the LORD helped me.

14 The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.

15 Shouts of joy and victory
resound in the tents of the righteous:
"The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!

16 The LORD's right hand is lifted high;
the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!"

17 I will not die but live,
and will proclaim what the LORD has done.

18 The LORD has chastened me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.

19 Open for me the gates of righteousness;
I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.

20 This is the gate of the LORD
through which the righteous may enter.

21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.

22 The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone;

23 the LORD has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.

24 This is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25 O LORD, save us;
O LORD, grant us success.

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.
From the house of the LORD we bless you. [a]

27 The LORD is God,
and he has made his light shine upon us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up [b] to the horns of the altar.

28 You are my God, and I will give you thanks;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.

29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

Some Reflections

Just today, I saw this little girl of age about 4 years old when I was taking the same train as her while I was heading home. She sat with her mother at the reserved seat in one of the cabin while I stood in front of her beside the opposite door. She caught my attention. Her smile especially. She’s just so cheerful and cute. Hugging her mum’s hand and just smile for no apparent reasons. She shook her legs on the seat like any other normal child would do…

…but she’s blind.

I felt for her and ask God why He allowed this in the first place. She’s just a child and so cheerful. Can you imagine not knowing how your parents and yourself look like since born?

Looking at her in the train really trigger my thoughts into this reflection. This little girl does not have one of the most important senses that God gave everyone and Yet she is smiling and laughing. Her smile are smiles from within – no string attached – just plain happiness and cheerfulness. Her smiles also tells me she is satisfied with what she has.

If she is satisfied at her level (from what I saw), why wouldn’t we be satisfied even the more? So many complains in our daily lives only to mean that sometimes we are like a spoilt child who never satisfies.

I thank God for her condition that she is in. She might be blind, but her heart isn’t. God has wonderful plan for her just like He has for us. Praise Him for everything.

All things happen for a reason. No doubt it for His purpose. And indeed it’s good one.

Agape
eugene

One Love Got Talent (Champion!)

Title: Cho Bi Bi (in Hokkien) from En Community Church

Phillip Mantofa - A Trip to Hell

For those who do not know who is this person, He's one of the most famous pastor in the Indonesia who had recently came to Singapore for an event proudly organized by 17 Churches on the 18th - 20th June 2009.

For those who came for this event at Bethesda Church, you have gained much. For those who didn't, there will be more events coming up subsequently which the guest of honour would none other than pastor Phillip Mantofa.

The following video features his experience in hell when he was being revealed by the annointing of Jesus.

13th June 2009, Saturday

The day I have been waiting for has finally came. We jumped and threw our peak caps for the first and the last time of our lives.

We hugged, shouted in joy and running around aimlessly like never before.
I was happy. Too Happy. Its the joy that comes from within. Almost expressed in tears when we were at the formed up point before the parade started.

He knows that I can't thank Him enough for what He has done. And I have proclaimed countless time that getting the rank on my shoulder wasn't a coincidence nor my good conduct. For it is His goodness and flavor He has for me.

No sword of honour, or even the merits but I thank Him nevertheless.
Yes, feelings of disappointment was haunting me since the day the results were made known. I have blamed for the final exercise in Thailand that I did not do well and of my incompetency.
In the midst of it, He told me gently that He wants me to be an Normal officer who leads by His footsteps so that the glory I give will be more.

When I shared about how His grace is magnified in the parade square, a dear fellow Christian cadet of mine reminded me of how God wanted to give Abram the promise Land in Genesis 12:1-3. How amazing.

I have cherished every step I took in the camp and can't be thankful enough. Its only when I realized how limited human is when giving thanks and praise to the Lord is never enough. Its beyond words.

Perhaps the simplest word that can expressed the most gratitude is...

Thank You.


For those who have came down to my parade, you have my most sincere gratitude for you have witnessed His grace magnified in the parade square of SAF MI, OCS.

Most popular in camp (As deemed by EOCC only!)

Perhaps this is the latest 'in' thing in camp especially for the Engineer cadets.. I was curious why suddenly people around the bunk area started singing this song by themselves. When I asked my buddy who shared the same bunk as me and he showed me this (Youtube) video via his PSP.

During the PT Excellence challenge organized by the OCS school appointment cadets, we had a showdown to see who was the best for that particular IPPT station. And when it comes to the 2.4km station, two cadets from Combat Engineer formation ran in the first wave. They managed to take the lead till the 3rd round...

Upon running past the crowd, the PA system happen to play this song and the 2 leading jokers 'danced' (not bad la, as we the Engineers were thought how to multi task and do concurrent activities..) as what the 'Wondergirls' did in the video and were Disqualified. Reason being - inappropriate behavior.

That is why how this song ('Nobody' by wondergirls) became so popular among us.

It was memorable and funny though..

NOBODY, NOBODY BUT YOU! (EOCC, you rock my life!)

Phillip Mantofa

5cm/s - Poem of sky & sea

Living Without Limbs

Dating and Commitment

Have you ever heard your friends telling you how handsome / pretty they want for their future partner to be? What they have? How they dress? What they want their partners to do for them.. And tons of it – mainly the outlooks, expressions and worldly views.

In today’s context, the media is showing us the wrong concept of dating and how a person can fall in love in the wrong way. Often we watch drama, we see how a guy and a girl fall in love – love at first sight, a guy save a girl from trouble and fall in love, one night stand, a woman got pregnant but don’t know whose child is it, strangers revealing themselves as ‘true parents’ after 20 years due to untold secrets, and many complicated storylines, only to grab the high viewership for a particular show as their purpose.

If you have realized, worldly dating don’t and won't last. For a relationship based solely on physical attraction and romantic feelings will last only as long as the feeling last. Too often in my daily life, I have seen too many examples of such cases and in addition to that, people tend to isolate themselves from vital relationships.

Having a desire to be attracted and attached to the opposite gender isn’t wrong. For God made each of us with a desire for intimacy and He intend to fulfill it (His way, if we choose to follow it). While we are still single, God doesn’t expect these longings to disappear, but it’s the patience to wait for the Lord. In the meantime, seek close relationships family and deep nonromantic relationships with the brothers and sisters in Christ.

What about being single? It is also a gift from God. Perhaps many don’t realize the incredible opportunity it holds. As a single, we have the freedom right now to explore, study, and tackle the world. No other time in our life will offer these chances.

For Christian dating, Joshua Harris – famous author for Christian BGR topics says that one is not ready to be attached until he or she is ready to consider marriage. Yes it might seem far but this is how a True relationship should work in Christ – Love founded in Faithfulness and rooted in Commitment.

Subsequently, the joy of intimacy is the reward of Commitment. In another word, I say that intimacy is proportional to Commitment. And to simplify further, it is deciding to do what is best for others by never asking for intimacy that we are unable to match with commitment.

This Commitment is not really the commitment to one another but the Commitment of one another in relation to Christ – for the world will know we follow Christ by the way we love others. For this reason, we must practice love as God defines it – sincere, servant-hearted, and selfless – not the world’s brand of selfish and sensual love based on what feels good.

Set your priorities well and wait for the Lord.

Agape
eugene

Testimony

This is a Changed person. 180 degree changed.

When His will is Done

Have you ever pray to God your prayer requests and tell Him how you want certain things to happen? But of course, may His will be done – that’s the first and foremost we must state in our prayers.

For me, I often pray to God of the things I want and need and provide God with ‘solutions’ in telling Him how the situation may turn out eventually. In the end, as you know – your will might not be God’s will anyway. And that is why we say ‘His will be done in His way and His time’. So that in this way, we may give thanks and praises to Him even when things don’t happen according to what we want. This is obedience – spiritual obedience.

I can say that all the prayer requests that God answered is always through a situation and circumstance such that I would have never (ever) thought of. For example, I have made a prayer to God and state all the possible means I could thought of in accomplishing certain task. In other words, I couldn’t think of how this specific task can be accomplished without going through the means I have thought of. But the amazing thing is, when the task was accomplished and I thought back, it wasn’t through ANY of the means that I have told God about. Instead, God made it possible through a way and means that I never could have thought of or imagine.

God can perform all things that far exceed our imaginations. Therefore, it is only to our imagination if we limit God of what He can do.

For we are limited. Far too limited. Perhaps limited to the extent that is far greater than we can imagine.

In retrospect, understand First His ability – not even the word ‘infinity’ can define. For there is no words that can be used to describe His fullness. For anything is describable by words is limited afterall.

Second, keep the right attitude by not limiting God by stating how things, situations or circumstances is ‘going’ to happen. For its going to happen the ‘Extraordinary’ way – a way that we never dare dream or imagine about.

agape

Parody

Mid-Course Gathering > Paint ('Pain') Ball Challenge

This gathering marks the end of our Basic phase of Engineer Officer Cadet Course (EOCC).
The end of one chapter leads to the begining of the other - the specialized phase.
Though seperating, the memories will stay on.
The day awaits, when we will meet again in the consolidation phase before the Parade.

The officers' creed
"I am the officer of the singapore armed forces
my duty is to lead, to excel and to overcome
I lead my men by example
I answer for their training, morale and discipline
I must excel in everything I do
I serve with pride, honor and integrity
I will over adversity with courage, fortitude and determination
I will delicate my life to singapore"

With respect to the creed, I shall fulfill it with Your grace.

agape

Honoring God in Dating

1. Master

2. Mission

3. Mate

HAPPY VALENTINES' DAY TO ALL!!

agape

Leaders vs. Followers

When leaders make a mistake, they say, "I was wrong."
When followers make mistakes, they say, "It wasn't my fault."

A leader works harder than a follower and has more time;
a follower is always "too busy" to do what is necessary.

A leader goes through a problem;
a follower goes around it and never gets past it.

A leader makes and keeps commitments;
a follower makes and forgets promises.

A leader says, "I'm good, but not as good as I ought to be;
"a follower says, "I'm not as bad as a lot of other people."

Leaders listen;
followers just wait until it's their turn to talk.

Leaders respect those who are superior to them and tries to learn something from them;
followers resent those who are superior to them and try to find chinks in their armor.

Leaders feel responsibile for more than their job;
followers say, "I only work here."

A leader says, "There ought to be a better way to do this;"
followers say, "That's the way it's always been done here."

Adapted from: http://www.inspirationalarchive.com/texts/topics/leadership/leadfol.shtml

Powerful!

Chang Quan (20 yrs old!)



Standard Jumping methods

Moulding process

Tough.
Tougher than I thought.
Toughest of all trainings.

Busy.
Busier than before.
Busiest of all time.

Sometimes I feel like giving up, just throwing in the towel,
When all I feel is pain and doubt, and start to wonder how I'll ever make it through the day,
and through the long, dark night.

But somehow, Lord, You come along, and make everything all right.

Perhaps the moulding process before the final product.
How gracious He is.
Praise the LORD!

Replacing fear with Hope!

agape

The Bible in Fifty Words

God made
Adam bit
Noah arked
Abraham split
Joseph ruled
Jacob fooled
Bush talked
Moses balked
Pharaoh plagued
People walked
Sea divided
Tablets guided
Promise landed
Saul freaked
David peeked
Prophets warned
Jesus born
God walked
Love talked
Anger crucified
Hope died
Love rose
Spirit flamed
Word spread
God remained.

I am alive.
Thank You.
I love You.

Your beloved son,
eugene =)

新酒

新酒 - 異象工場音樂製作