Sensibles YSG

Contentment

2006-11-21T15:42:00.000+08:00

hello! i shall attempt to revive this blog.. and post about the lesson on contentment.

just a few things which i written down, may not be a comprehensive outline though!

Contentment - similar to satisfaction.

Opposite - Comparison, which steals our peace.

Scripture Reference: Philippians 4:10-13. Things to note.. Paul is imprisoned! He was actually someone who was not easily contented. Very focused on attaining his goals.. look at the way he persecuted the christians.

What's the secret of being content? Have to learn it step-by-step. (Philippians 1:9 growing in His knowledge.)

1. Trust God's goodness. 2 Cor 4:8-9

2. Extract meaning in times of difficulty. Rom 8:28, James 1:2-4.

Assurances: Rom 8:28, James1:2-4, Hebrews 13:5-6, Matthew 6:19-20

how's everyone.. any updates??

2006-03-21T17:56:00.000+08:00

hi sensibles,

its been really long since i blogged.. hehe anyay jus wanted to check how every one is doing. hope you guys are enjoying your new environment and making new friends.. i to am making new friends jus not in a very fun environment. jus so you know i jus started my medic course and it isn't fun at all.. too much stuff to study all the medical terminology, gosh it feels as if i am studying to become a half doctor. living conditions here aren't exactly good either.. to tell ya guys honestly my morale a is super low........ = (
i can't wait to go home and enjoy the comforts of home.. argh.. anyhow hope you guys pray for me and hey shouldn't we keep prayer request and prayers coming in again..
take care lots sensibles looking forward to seeing you guys this sunday..

agape
dom

The Depth and Width of Your Calling

2006-03-07T09:06:00.000+08:00

The Depth and Width of Your Calling
by Os Hillman, March 6, 2006

If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. - 2 Corinthians 1:6"God must love you a lot! He doesn't allow someone to go through the kinds of adversity you have experienced unless He has a special calling on your life." Those were the words said to me by two different mentors at two different times within a three-year period. Later I would learn another related truth from a respected man of God - a man who lives in another country, a man whom God uses throughout the globe. "The depth and width of your faith experiences are directly proportional to your calling." What were these men of God saying?They were describing a process of preparation that God takes each of His leaders through when He plans to use them in significant ways. A "faith experience" is an event or "spiritual marker" in your life about which you can say, "That is where I saw God personally moving in my life." It is an unmistakable event in which God showed Himself personally to you. It was the burning bush for Moses; the crossing of the Red Sea or the Jordan River for the nation of Israel; Jacob's encounter with the angel. It was the feeding of the 5,000 for the disciples. It was the time when you saw God face to face in your life.If God has plans of using you in the lives of many others, you can expect that He is going to allow certain faith experiences to come into your life in order to build a foundation that will be solid. That foundation is what you will be able to look back on to keep you faithful to Him in the times of testing. Each of us must have personal faith experiences in which we experience God personally so that we can move in faith to whatever He may call us. Do you need a personal faith experience right now in your life? Pray that God will reveal Himself to you. He delights in doing that.

Farewell

2006-03-06T12:56:00.000+08:00

Dear Sensibles,

thanks for giving Serene and me a chance to serve you all. We're really glad to have seen many of you grow in the Lord.

Continue to seek the Lord first. Continue to make Him your priority.

Serene and myself will come join you guys occasionally. Can call us if you need any prayer etc.

God bless.
Jinwei

Response to Shawn's blog

2006-01-23T08:18:00.000+08:00

hey,...
I will say that certain churches have different beliefs and some doctrines may seem strange. let's all go back to the word, and study it carefully for ourselves. I feel that when christians say that "my pastor said this..." and not " the bible says this", they do not really have a good grasp of the issues. listening to someone's interpretation (preaching) is fine if they are good teachers.
having attended NCC previously, as I've told shawn, that church has a special gifting to teach and preach mainly on the grace of God. And I would think that certain things taught by the pastor can be taken out of context. Let me give an example. From my memory, one example quoted from the bible is the robber who was crucified next to Jesus. He acknowledged Jesus and Jesus accepted him into the kingdom of heaven. The robber did not have time to work out his salvation or do any good works. He just believed and confessed with his mouth. Jesus saw his heart and knew about his repentence. However, this cannot be said for all of us, who are in an entirely different circumstance. The person who acknowledges God would also naturally do good work. THis is something even NCC preaches. One cant help but love his neighbours after having received the grace of God.
I find it unproductive to get into arguments with other believers on our faith. non-believers will see the disunity and think that there's so much fighting among believers. Learn to discern what is being said. using our swords (sword of the spirit, word of God) is not a piece of armour (Eph 6) we want to use unless someone is very off and needs correction.
In your case, your friend is very convinced about what his pastor says. Personally I wont get into this argument coz he doesnt appear to want to learn and to hear other truths. (side note - for all sensibles, PLS REMAIN TEACHABLE. Do not think that you know it all. )
Shawn, what you said is absolutely right. Faith comes first, then this will naturally be followed by good deeds.

Keep loving your neighbours. Keep loving God.

God bless.
jinwei

confusion over the word of God

2006-01-17T21:15:00.000+08:00

Hey guys...

Guess wat this is my 2nd time writing here... woooooooo

Hey something interesting happened on monda... while the pastor was talking abt the sheep and Goats ( Matthew 25: 31-46).. yes i pay attention... I was shocked that my friend did not believed it worse of all,was a christian from New Cr****on church( Names have been edited to protect the privacy).....

According to him... he did not really believe abt the part where u shld do good deeds in order to go to heaven.... and that since the goats aknowlege god they too shld be save...... I tried explaining the salvation eqn thingy where good deeds arise from our faith in God given grace to us.... To my dismay he shut me down.....and told a non-christian abt this.... was abt to agrue wif him till the teacher was staring at us...... Btw his church also said that since God has forgiven your sins, u do need to repent.....p.s jinwei pls ignore this qn since i already ask u......

Yes although u need not really do good deeds to go to heaven......but shldn't u still do it... or not wat makes us SO different from the sinners... Also didn't Dr James told us abt the part abt wat is faith wifout deeds.... anyway juz curious abt how u guys feel abt this...... so at least if anoth smart alex try to ask me that qn again then i have some ans at my hand

2006-01-12T09:14:00.000+08:00

Obedience by Os Hillman, January 11, 2006

Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and You have not rescued Your people at all. - Exodus 5:23Have you ever felt that the more obedient you are to following God, the more adversity there is? Moses had been instructed to go to Pharaoh and tell him to release the people of Israel. God had said He was going to deliver the people through Moses. The only problem is that God did not tell Moses at what point they actually would be released. When Moses complained to God, the Lord told Moses that He had to harden Pharaoh's heart in order to perform greater miracles. God was behind hardening Pharaoh's heart. We forget that the king's heart is in God's hand. God had a specific reason for each plague and each delay. God said to Moses,"I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of Mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord" (Exodus 10:1b-2).God has a reason for everything He does. These delays were designed to bring greater glory to God and were to be a lasting legacy of God's miracle-working power for generations to come.When the people were freed, God again hardened Pharaoh's heart to go after them. This action of God to harden Pharaoh's heart was to set the stage for an even greater miracle-the parting of the Red Sea. The people were angry with Moses for bringing them to the desert "to die." But God said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to move on" (Ex. 14:15b). There was only one place to go by this time-the Red Sea. God parted the Red Sea, and another greater miracle took place.Moses learned several lessons that each of us must learn. God's promises are true, but His timing is not the same as ours. God always wants greater glory than what we might be willing to give Him. God puts obstacles and adversity into our lives in order to build perseverance and faith. Why has God put the mountain in your life at this time? To demonstrate His power through your life. To show His glory.

2006-01-09T22:34:00.000+08:00

Hey sensibles! x) hope first week of school was great for you all, and I hope you guys are still doing the monday co-ordinated prayers =)

Anyway what Jin Wei said on sunday was right; be should be mindful of the friends we hang around with. At the same time we could bring some non-believers to church! Yayness! Anyway pray for God's guidance as we make some very important decisions in the year ahead.

God bless and see ya on sunday!

Kenneth

Rhema

2005-12-29T14:03:00.000+08:00

A Rhema Word by Os Hillman,
December 29, 2005
For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field. - Job 5:23aWhen I first met my wife, I was impressed to do something rather strange. I decided I would send her a rock in a box with a Scripture verse that describes how God used stones in the Bible. I was going to send it anonymously from a company called Significant Moments. I was going to do this for six months. The final month I planned to send the last rock with a note that said, "The most significant moment was the day I met you." I was going to sign my name on the last mailing. However, before this could happen, the plan was spoiled.I was helping my wife (just a friend at the time) move her furniture. We were exchanging stories about our lives. She began to tell me the story of how she got her name. Her father was an orphan in England, and in England they give orphans different names from their given names. They named her father "Staines." Staines means "place of stones." Not only that, he discovered later that his real name was Malcolm Stones. I nearly drove off the road when she told me this story. My plan was foiled! But my faith was advanced light years. I told her my plan since it would be too obvious now. We both looked at each other in amazement.A month later, I went on a trip. She sent a little gift package along with me with a card that quoted a Scripture from Job. "For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field" (Job 5:23a). It was a rhema word for both of us. God used these times to confirm our relationship.The Bible speaks of the Word of God as living. Rhema is a Greek word meaning "living." Sometimes the Holy Spirit speaks through the living Word regarding a specific situation in which we find ourselves. It is one of those mysteries that God does from time to time.As you read your Bible, be aware of the rhema Word of God. He may speak to you in specific ways you never thought possible.

jinwei

YM Camp 2005

2005-12-14T12:05:00.000+08:00

we see another move of the Holy Ghost this camp.

From people being slain, to youths being delivered from bondages.
Just want to say that I think experiences are not the bedrock of our Christian faith. What matters most is a changed life.
No point being slain and having wonderful visions / speaking in tongues if when we go back home, we're rude to our parents, or we dont put God first.
2006 will see many of you facing greater challenges.
I've sent an email earlier on the spiritual memorial I hope all of you will do (myself included). Besides a memorial, I hope the class will also come together to share 2006 aspirations.
It's hard to say whether we've grown spiritually over 2005. I remember some indicators my old church used.
Have our hearts grown closer to God in 2005? Has our relationship with God deepened?
Have we loved God more in 2005?
Have we loved our neighbours more in 2005?
For the various trials in 2005, how have we fared?

I pray that as 2005 has been a spiritual breakthrough year for many of you, that 2006 will be the year many of you become "young man / woman" in the faith. That each of you will rise up and lay hold of the destiny God has for you.

Jinwei

2005-12-03T21:12:00.000+08:00

Phew. This blog is a little dead, but I'm here to post! x)

Yeah I'm out of camp. I'll be at church tomorrow =) praise God. Course is tough but fun, and its amazing how I have friends sending me bible verses every night just to keep me going in this course. I didnt bring my bible 'cause i had absolutely no space :(

I miss sensibles a lot =) its a pity i cant be at camp >:( oh wells. continue praying for me eh.

from dom

2005-11-02T15:48:00.000+08:00

before i forget to tell u all on sun,

dom says this:

out till friday late noon then gotta book in for field camp for another week
so far so good but heard field camp is like a notch up
..ask class to pray for me too hehe..
help me wish all the best to O levelers! study hard!!
take care miss ya all!! =)

yepp.. so lets not forget dom in our prayers! and i think field camp=1 week of no bathing.?! haha. yupp anw jiayou everybody. n thks dom!

-denise

Well wishes

2005-10-06T18:49:00.000+08:00

Dom...
you're part of the Sensibles. You're EXPECTED to join the sensibles in our Christian journey. :) I'm sure I speak for all the sensibles when I say that you've been the "glue" in this comnunity.
We wish you God's protection even as you enter the army tomorrow.
Amen.
Jinwei

before i leave = )

2005-10-06T13:03:00.000+08:00

hiya'll sensibles,

i didnt really get to say much on sunday cos the food was all too good and at that time pretty much lost for words so before i leave thought i say ya know, my going away speech..

well i must thank all of ya for the cap and the wonderful photo album.. havent really had the time to read all the msgs yet, i've been busy packing and unpacking for army and from australia, will prob finish reading al your msgs by tonight. hope you guys like the gifts i got for ya, its the few individual things i remember bout ya.

i must say for the past 2 yrs or so you guys have changed me in big ways and small ways.. as you can see i've been able to teach class once in a while more often than in the past and credit def has to go to you guys cos you've given me lots of confidence over the past 1 year after perry left and i was the only aysgl left.

thank you jin wei for bringing the class forward and encuraging me along the way, it has been great working along side you which i really hope to continue whenever i can..

i guess most, if not all of us are going through a slight up hill climb,
jin wei and serene with their newborn baby lee-anne
val starting your term as an officer after a tough 1 yr
perry going through ocs
of course those going through o'levels
and those who have exams (ken and bel)
last but not least me going through a new phase in life.. haha = )

jus want to encourage all of ya to trust in the Lord and go to him in prayer with what ever difficulties we are facing. to tell you honestly i too at time find it hard to rely/depend on God but rely on my own strength. i really hope to be able to depend more on God in the army and to let him lead. study hard dun be discouraged with your prelim results, always remember God will never put a burden to heavy for us to carry or and obstacle that we cannot conquer.

ok i gotta get back to packing.. take care sensibles i know i will and i'll be praying for you guys as i know you would for me.. will miss ya loads

agape
dom

p.s : sorry nat i didnt get a chance to know ya but i'm sure God has put ya in the right place and that sensibles will have a great leader in the making. = )

[ a prayer ]

2005-10-02T16:17:00.000+08:00

hello! saw this at someone's blog. found it very true and challenging.. i pray tt all of us will have the courage and heart to pray this kind of prayer. =)

I commit to live a lifestyle of integrity and honor.
I will lay down my life daily to serve the Lord because it’s not about me.
I will choose to love people in spite of our differences and even when they are getting on my nerves.
I will live a selfless life and put others before myself.
I will lay down my pride and choose to be humble.
I will not whine and complain but strive for excellence and always do my best at whatever tasks I am doing.
I will depend on God to be my strength when times get hard and I feel like I can’t go on any longer.
I will be a leader and stand up for what is right.
I will glorify God in all that I do.
I will make God #1 in my life.
I will go out of my way to help others and show them the love of Christ.
I will encourage and help motivate people to keep pressing on.
I will meet with God daily.
I will get over my feelings and emotions and look at the reality of the situation.
I will lay all my worries and burdens at God’s feet because my life is in God’s hands.
I will trust in the Lord to provide and take care of me.
I will have self control and patience.
I will dress modestly and have respect for myself.
I will guard my heart and take my thoughts captive to Christ.
I will have healthy pure male and female friendships.
I will not hang out alone for long periods of time with the opposite gender.
I will make wise decisions and be smart.
I will have an accountability partner.
I will be real and honest with what I struggle with.
I will pray for my friends and family.
I will use my time wisely and not be a procrastinator.
I will continue to develop a habit of good time management.
I will discipline myself and die to my flesh daily.
I will eat healthy so I won’t become a glutton.
I will stay active so I won’t gain weight.
I will be a hard worker because laziness is not an option.
I will have a professional work ethic.
I will be responsible for my actions.
I will press on towards the goal and never give up.
I will step out in faith and accomplish the unthinkable.
I will dream big and be creative.
I will allow God to continue to mold me and shape into the pure strong woman of God that he wants me to be.
I will get excited about the things of God and crave the Holy Spirit as 1Peter 2:2-3 states.

may God grant us the strength and godly character to die to our flesh daily and accomplish all this! its better to work hard, shine and excel for God (the imperishable kingdom) than waste our lives away to achieve worldly standards of excellence. let's look beyond and catch the vision.. :)

tk care God bless! and rmb mon's sync prayer.. haha =)

denise

YSG this sunday 25 Sep!

2005-09-21T14:15:00.000+08:00

Dear sensibles,

for your information, there's praise services on sat night AS WELL AS youth small group on sunday. ie. No fellowship sunday, but instead, there's youth small group time. THere wont be praise and worship before class either.

I realise that many of you are going to have your exams very soon and having sufficient time to study is important.

Thus I'd like to suggest to you that sat night is optional and to just come for class this sunday.

it's going to be slightly different from normal class. we'd have some ice breakers, worship and some bible study.

pls let me know if you cannot make it for sunday.

God bless!!
jinwei

2005-09-17T19:15:00.000+08:00

helloo.. im back to post next week's schedule.. pls rmb to pray for us! thanks! =D

monday
shawn (tanudjaja), dee - Amath 2, Geog 2

tuesday
shawn, dee - Emath 1

wednesday
shawn, dee - Chem 1, Geog 1

friday
moses - Amath 2

btw chronicles of narnia is fantastic!! some parts are qt funny too. if ur free shd try readg it. hahaha. plus the movie for one of the books is coming out this dec! yea go read go read. lolx. =D tk care seeya all tmr!

love, denise

[ this week ]

2005-09-12T21:13:00.000+08:00

hello ppl. exam timetable for this week! many thanks for all ur support in prayer and smses, its really very encouraging. love ya peeps, tk care God bless =)

tuesday
dee - amaths, elit
moses - physics+chem

wednesday
dee - english P2, chemistry P2
moses - english P1, P2

thursday
dee - Emaths P2, Biology P1, P2
moses- biology P1, P2

friday
moses - combined humanities, amaths

[ sync prayer ]

2005-09-05T13:01:00.000+08:00

hi everybody.. reminder abt tonite's prayer at 9am!

pls pray for those mugging for prelims after hols.. eg. moses, shawn (not ang), denise

pray for our leaders!

and pray for one another..

tk care God bless. =)

Patience.

2005-09-01T10:03:00.000+08:00

Don't Settle for Second Best

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." -- (James 1:2-3)

I admit, it's tough to be enthusiastic about going through tests and trials. But can you get excited about being totally supplied in every way, in want of nothing? Well, according to the Word of God, if you'll use your trials to develop patience, you're going to be in precisely that position!

You see, patience doesn't mean what you thought it meant. It does not mean settling sweetly for second best. It does not mean standing meekly by while the devil romps all over you.

No, patience is a powerful word. The New Testament meaning of it as translated literally from the Greek is "to be consistently constant or to be the same way all the time, regardless of what happens."

To understand how much power is involved in that, you have to realize that it's one of the most outstanding attributes of God Himself. The Bible says He's the same yesterday, today and forever.

Think about that for a minute. The guy who absolutely cannot be changed by anyone or anything is an extremely powerful fellow, wouldn't you say? Obviously, God has that much power.

But you know what? You do too!

By the power of the Holy Ghost working within you, you can be the same every day no matter what happens. If you'll put your trust in the Word of God and let patience go to work, it won't matter what happens. You won't ever have to accept anything less than victory again.

Now that's something to get excited about.

Sensibles YSG photosite

2005-08-31T21:05:00.000+08:00

http://www.sensiblesysg.photosite.com/

Our Plans and God's Plans

2005-08-29T08:10:00.000+08:00

Friday, August 26, 2005 by Os Hillman

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. ~ Proverbs 19:21

Have you ever heard of someone who spent years of preparation for one vocation only to end up doing something completely different? Perhaps this could be said of you. Quite often we have in our minds what we believe we want to do only to have a course correction. Often the course correction comes through a major crisis that forces us into an area that we would never have considered.

Such was the case for Samuel Morse. Born in 1791, Morse grew up desiring to be an artist, and he eventually became very talented and internationally known. However, it was difficult to make a living as an artist in America during that time. A series of crises further complicated his vocational desire when his wife died; then his mother and father also died soon after. He went to Europe to paint and reflect on his life. On his return trip aboard a ship, he was captivated by discussions at dinner about new experiments in electromagnetism. During that important occasion, Morse made the following comment, "If the presence of electricity can be made visible in any part of the circuit, I see no reason why intelligence may not be transmitted by electricity." In the face of many difficulties and disappointments, he determinedly perfected a new invention, and, in 1837, applied for a patent that became what we know today as the telegraph. He also created Morse code. It was only later, after many more setbacks and disappointments, that his projects received funding.

Samuel Morse later commented, "The only gleam of hope, and I cannot underrate it, is from confidence in God. When I look upward it calms any apprehension for the future, and I seem to hear a voice saying: 'If I clothe the lilies of the field, shall I not also clothe you?' Here is my strong confidence, and I will wait patiently for the direction of Providence." Morse went on to create several other inventions and can be recognized today as the father of faxes, modems, e-mail, the internet and other electronic communication. ["Glimpses," Issue #99 (Worcester, Pennsylvania: Christian History Institute, 1998).]

God's plans may not always seem to follow our natural inclination. Perhaps God has you taking a path that may not lead to His ultimate destination for you. Trust in the Lord, lean not on your own understanding, acknowledge Him in all you do, and He shall direct your path (see Prov. 3:5-6).

[ sync prayer ]

2005-08-28T23:34:00.000+08:00

hello people! monday is here again how time flies...

please rmb our synchronised prayer at 9pm. and rmb P.U.S.H, don't be a pushover!

few things to keep in mind...

1) ongoing prelims

note keith+shawn's timetable in e tagboard

mon - mag A maths, Music 1 & 2
- bel chemistry

tues - bel physics, history

fri - mag biology 1&2
- dee EL HCL P1
- bel biology

2) our leaders

pls pray for jinwei and serene as they enter a new phase in life with their sweet daughter!
pray for valmond and perry who are in army!
domenyk as he prepares to enter army!

3) ourselves

spend the last few minutes waiting on God... enjoying the time an impt relationship to you deserves. =) revival starts on our knees.

love,
denise

prayer schedule

2005-08-22T22:19:00.000+08:00

hello peeps how's everybody? hope everything's fine and we're all depending on God.. =)

anyway, this is the exam schedule for this week. i still dont have keith and shawn and moses timetable.. so maybe you'll like to edit this post and post up ur timetable.

Tuesday, 23 Aug
mag - emaths paper 2

Wednesday, 24 Aug
mag - chemistry 1 & 2

Thursday, 25 Aug
mag - add maths 1&2, physics 2
bel - english paper 2
denise - biology practical

Friday, 26 Aug
mag - chinese 1&2
bel - maths, SS

when you see this post pls whisper a prayer to God for one another! every prayer matters.. =) lets rmb to P.U.S.H (pray until sth happens)! lets make our way to revival on our knees..

and btw, if anybody's interested.. there's GAP this fri on 26Aug at 8pm as usual..

tk care God bless!

in His love,
denise =)

2005-08-21T17:16:00.000+08:00

Blessed is he who blesses

anyway this whole community and spreading the word thing has made me wonder what's stopping us from going out to share His word. or maybe what is stopping non-christians from believing in Christ.

i guess before we ever try to tell someone about Christianity, we have to look in the mirror first. what kind of image are we portraying? one who truly believe in Christ, or just another hypocrite, going to church on sundays and acting all negatively on the other 6 days of the week.

people generally behave differently on sundays than on other days, because different environments call for different actions. so usually on sundays they are acting all holy, but when its back to school... yeah its a totally different story. and that's what turns people off; we claim to be Christians, yet we act unlike one.

in school you may be part of an influential or "cool group" because you fit in. fit in as in you look good, or your studies are good, or you play a particular sport exceptionally well. and you cant picture yourself talking about God to your group of friends, because you're scared they'll look down on you, or they'll think you're some weird kid... and in just that instant we "lose" our "status", or whatever u call it.

i think at the end of the day, we have to choose for ourselves which is more worthwhile; to stay on in this group of cool friends, or to try to spread God's word, as He has called us to.

-kenneth

Offering

2005-08-18T07:59:00.000+08:00

Dear sensibles,

we're going to start collecting an offering from our sensibles community.

Purpose of this offering?

To be faithful stewards of what God has blessed us with to be a blessing to our sensibles community and beyond.

Practically, we'd use the money for birthdays, for fellowship sundays etc.

This Sunday will be the first offering we take up. All I ask is that each of you pray and seek God for what the spirit moves you to give. It may be 50cents or $5. whatever the amount is, we want to trust God to multiply the seeds we've sown.

God bless.

jinwei

Our First Synchronized Prayer...

2005-08-15T18:37:00.000+08:00

Hi sensibles,

Hope the first day of your schooling week is going well. I’m like super stressed for my driving test tomorrow.. as some of you might know this is like my fourth time..

Well jus like to remind you that today, Monday 15th of Aug, is the start of our synchronized prayer together as a group organized and arranged by our prayer warrior and prayer in-charge Denise.. heehee = )

I know most of you guys will be busy but lets try to commit 5 to 15mins to God today at 9pm tonight and pray together. And of course if you have more time, God would definitely be more than happy to listen to us.

Some things to pray for:

Pray for serene and jin wei as they experience and go through life changes with their adorable daughter lee-anne.
Kenneth and Magdalene who was not with us in church but I’m sure was with us in spirit.
For those who are having English orals this week. (pray for a calmness when they take their orals)
For those who have test this week. (pray for time management and discipline to study)
Pray for the people in our “remembering” list that they would come back to church one day.
Pray for my driving test tomorrow
Not forgetting valmond who’s in camp. Pray that the lord watches over our brother in Christ.
Pray that all of us in Sensibles small group would hunger for God more each day.
Last but not least, pray for revival to happen in our church

I almost forgot, remember to thank God for the things he has done in our lives.
Oh yes its our Prayer IC, Denise’s Birthday Day this Sunday!!!!
Ok think I’ve got to think of ways to work off the stress and nervousness…
Take care guys and girls and have a blessed week ahead = )

Agape
Dom

Combined fellowship sunday?

2005-08-12T12:51:00.000+08:00

Hi ppl,

not sure when and if this wld materialise....

anyone for the idea of having a combined fellowship sunday with the other sec 4 class shepharded by ernest?

It's good to have fellowship not just within sensibles, but also with other youths.

heard from Ernest that there's some history to why the girls in his class did not see eye to eye with some girl (who's since left sensibles) previously.

anyway, thought that's in the past and thus would like to explore having a bigger fellowship sunday.

comments pls..

jinwei

miss small grp!

2005-08-11T21:05:00.000+08:00

heyy pple how's stuff?

life's so much abt studying nowadays.. haha.

can't wait for sunday! i miss small group can!!

lolx.

anyway i've chged blog to www.iced-gale.blogspot.com

yupp.. =)

love, denise

FOP

2005-08-09T13:31:00.000+08:00

hey sensibles! judging by the number of posts (or lack thereof), can tell that these few days have been supremely tiring for everyone, esp with the upcoming prelims, national day preparations, giving birth, etc. but press on! God is our Provider and He will be with us :) oh and just a little trivia.. don't ever buy oyster omelette from redhill!!! the oysters were literally swimming in oil. high cholesterol high fat high everything. anyway. went for FOP on saturday night. just thought i'd share a bit about the sermon preached by Pastor Colin Dye.

he had this very good friend called alfredo, who was very very enthusiastic about God. he had no fear of rejection, and would go out and just tell people on the street about Jesus... he evangelised to everyone, from the typical man on the street to gangsters, beggars, prostitutes, etc. he lived every day of his life for the Lord, and was one of the people most on fire for God.

one day, he saw one of the gangsters (whom he'd previously evangelised to) being caught in a gang fight. that guy was just about to be stabbed with a knife by another gangster, when alfredo stopped his car, got out and stood in between the guy and his attacker. the knife came right down on alfredo, piercing right through him and slashing through five of his internal organs. he was immediately rushed to hospital, and survived only long enough to say "Jesus, take me home with you." before he died.

so pastor colin was invited to go to brazil, alfredo's hometown, to attend his wake and meet alfredo's family. his mother and sister were extremely upset, and simply couldn't understand why alfredo had to die. "why him?" they asked, and pastor colin simply had no way of comforting them. then there were these christian conventions that he had to attend so everyday, he had to travel to and from his hotel to where these conventions were held. each time, the car would pass by this street filled with homosexuals, prostitutes and transsexuals, and the people in the car would tell him "how disgusting and immoral. don't look at them. look straight ahead." then on one of these trips, God suddenly spoke to the pastor and told him the name of one of the transsexual prostitutes on the street. and told him more about him. so the pastor told the driver to stop the car and he got out. everyone else in the car was asking him what he was doing and told him not to go near the people on the street cos they were dangerous and immoral. to which he was asking them why they were looking down on sinners whom Jesus had died for. that really really struck me. it's true, i confess i'm like the rest of the people in the car. who am i to judge and look down on people whom Jesus deemed worthy to die for for their salvation?

so anyway, the pastor went up to the group of people and asked one guy what his name was. the transsexual prostitute gave a female name, which was fake of course. then the pastor went "No, that's not your real name. your name is Mario." and the prostitute was astounded cos who on earth was this white guy who knew him? the pastor went on and said, "and every night, i know you go home and you cover your head with your sheet and cry and say that there has got to be something better than this." and the prostitute started crying immediately cos that was all
true and you can imagine yourself what it must have felt like. then the pastor told him about God and the prostitute and the two people beside him came to accept Christ. and all this time, the Alfredo's family had been watching this from opposite the street. then the sister of alfredo went up to the pastor and said "now i understand why my brother died."

then that sunday the pastor had finished preaching and asked the congregation if there were people who wanted God to be the One in their lives, if they wanted to be filled with God's spirit, if they wanted to commit themselves to God. and the whole church was quiet, everyone had their heads bent down, praying.. then suddenly "clop clop clop" and everyone looked up. and saw the three prositutes walking down the aisle to the front of the church. they were dressed in their skirts, heels, fishnet stockings.. when they reached the front, they turned to the church and said "Church, forgive us for we had nothing else to wear.." then the pastor said to the congregation "These were the people you spurned, these were the people you looked down upon. Now they have come to know God and accept Christ as their saviour. Will you all promise to look after them?" and the church promised.

there are so many people out there who haven't come to know God yet. They don't know what it's like to believe in a Savior who loves you immeasurably, who provides for your needs, who blesses you way beyond what you deserve, who gave you life. who created you. and i'm sure alot of them have ever wondered about what exactly they're living for. what the purpose of their own existence is. for without Christ, what in life really matters? it is then that they will find that their existence is empty. and it's not simply a Christian vs. non-Christian thing. cos i myself have felt that way before. other christians also experience that. No, it's a matter of your relationship with God. only when you truly see and acknowledge who He is through and through that everything falls into place and you know why you live.

how many people are there who go through this? crying, asking who they truly are, what they are living for. and not knowing. cos no one reaches out to them, no one truly cares for them. they have no way to find out about our Living God who cares about them. they aren't given that opportunity to choose to live for God cos we, we who think we are better than them, we who despise them, we who avoid them.. we choose to live in our own bubble of society. cutting off what we don't want to include. that is selfish, that is disgusting, that is despicable. i'm not saying about you, i am not one to judge anything about anyone but that's what i felt about myself right there and then. and instantly i'm reduced to nothing, cos i'm lower than those people themselves. cos they are not as privileged as i am. yet i snub them. but God loves them. God loves me. God judges all equivocally. so what is my standing?

and further revelation. there are so many people out there.. billions and billions who don't know Christ, billions who are struggling with confusion, emotions, survival.. people who really feel ostracized by society, people who haven't got what material riches we have. people in slums, people in poverty, people driven by desperation, people who live in areas cut off from the rest of the world.. why should God care about us when there are so many other people who live? here in Singapore, we are blessed with everything we could ever ask for.. house, warmth, love, family, friends, education, opportunities, sufficient wealth. on top of all these we have the freedom to worship God openly, we have independence, choice, luxury... face it, why bother about people who are so provided for already when there are so many others needing attention?? but no, God is omnipotent, loving, wonderful. we are so blessed that He should still care so intrinsically about us, all our trivial affairs.. for example. what is a mere softball title which i pray for in comparison to someone else's bleak, desolate looking (lack of) future? that's why i'm grateful beyond description.

what's worst is that i continue to sin so greatly, doing what i want.. it must be so hurting to see your child doing things you have decreed against, disobeying you, being insolent, strong-willed, feeling unloved and uncared for, as if everything in this world is screwed up when you have been providing, loving, caring for him/her constantly. some method of repaying huh. the ungrateful child ought to be slapped. ouch. what more can i say?

just some food for thought in the midst of all the work and monotone of everyday life. sorry for the lengthy post. have a great week and God bless :)

bel

Festival of Praise

2005-08-01T17:15:00.000+08:00

Hi sensibles...

do not have the details for FOP, but want to find out how many can make it?

pls rem this is NOT a YM thing or a church thing.

Am thinking of going on fri night but unsure whether can get in...

jinwei

Changes & Homework

2005-07-28T13:41:00.000+08:00

hi sensibles!!

It's only Tuesday (now thursday as I post this)....and I'm feeling so tired....

just wanted to write some of the things that's been happening in my life.

In approx a month (or less!), I'm going to be a father.

Not sure if I'm prepared at all !!! imagine caring for a "tiny" person who depends on you for her every need.

From bottle feeds to diaper changes to praying for patience as to why she doesnt stop crying.

Am I ready?

Ahhh....changes.

If you havent realised by now, change is a constant. From physical changes (growing taller in most your cases to growing sideways for me! :) to spiritual change (from strength to strength, glory to glory).

How do we cope with changes?

1. Trust God - Some changes we know we can face and overcome. Some are mountains which block our way. Only wise thing we can do is to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding, in all our ways to acknowledge Him and He will make our paths straight.

2. Enjoy the changes - Not all changes are bad. eg. When I was sent overseas for studies at the age of 15, I was quite homesick at first. Facing discrimination (becoz of my skin colour) for the first time was very sickening. Still....I learnt to love the country and the beautiful surroundings. Highly enjoyable!!

3. Find a support group - Have you ever realised that when you go through something with a friend, it doesnt seem so hard? With a support group cheering you on, suddenly the task at hand does not seem so undoable anymore!

4. Pray - Proverbs has quite a few verses on direction.

As I mentioned in class last week, there's some homework for all to do. Alas, I've not brought that sheet of paper with me.

Nonetheless, homework for this sunday is this :

To pretend the rest of the class does not know Christ and you're sharing why you believe in Christ.

I somehow think that it's easier to share from personal experience, but some may choose to go the doctrinal way...which is great as well.

See you guys on sunday.
agape
jinwei

2005-07-19T18:19:00.000+08:00

Hi guys,

Adriel is going to have a session on apologetics. For those not taking O Levels...you might be interested....

rgds
jinwei

Dear leaders,I am arranging to do a session on apologetics for those of you who might be interested. Date: 26 July 2005 (Tues)Time: 7.30pmVenue: To be confirmed.The focus is on examining how we can make an philosophical defence of the faith in the midst of competing philosophies. We will also be discussing questions like "Don't all religions lead to God?", "Isn't Christianity unscientific?" and "How can you be so sure Christianity is the right religion?" I don't pretend to have all the answers so we will need as many minds as possible.Aa the discussion level is likely to be quite deep, the target audience is leaders and older youths. Do inform your youths who might be interested.Please let caroline know if you or your youth will be attending so that we can prepare the materials.God bless,Adriel

2005-07-19T15:49:00.000+08:00

ahh. its been quite a while since i blogged =) thanks everyone for the prayers, support, encouragement and congrats =D

anyway i just wanted to share two verses that really spoke to me and i have started to meditate on. first is psalms 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. realize that it says "i shall not be in want" instead of "i shall not be in need" need is the basic level of possessions; the necessity level. want is a higher level; having what you desire but may not necessarily need. its truly amazing and touching that God loves us so much that He does not even let us be in want.

now of course when you want, it must not be for a wrong purpose. for example that new handphone to impress your friends, and you desperately pray for it, claiming this promise;of cuz you wont get it =) . what if you wanted a computer to play christian games or do bible quizzes all the time? hmmm =p

well the other verse is psalm 91:1-2 ( i know both are verse one but i DO read beyond the first verse of every chapter!) He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, " He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom i trust." this verse reminds me to acknowledge the fact that He will guard be from whatever problems or evil or temptations i might face, and its rather comforting to be conscious of that all the time =)

kenneth

[ FRPPS ]

2005-07-16T20:42:00.000+08:00

heyy sensibles.. hw has ur week been? =)

may nt b going to church tmr cos may be pei-ing my cousin to cityharvest. she's nt saved yet btw. pls kp her in prayer! for an open heart and all fears to be taken away.

btw.. this week has been interesting for me. abt 9 sec4 netballers in my sch are now meeting up to pray everyday. and it startd off from just 2 of us praying for God to grow our "weekly prayer meetings". and God is so faithful and good, He multiplied us and even increased our "weekly prayer meetings" to daily prayer meetings! [they call it FRPPS; first recess power prayer sessions] haha. i feel really blessed by the prayer meetings everyday. cos we share frm our hearts our deep struggles, and pray for one another. and can really feel God's love when i meet up with my dear sisters. =) 1 John 4:12 "No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."

yea so wanna encourage all of u to jus mayb find a fren to pray 2gether during recess. it really helps us keep focus on Kingdom matters instead of ourselves. =) be daring to ask God for more, cos He's blesses like.. abundantly! haha. =) prayer is power! =)

anyway one thing that really hit me this week is that i muz return to my first love. i don't want my quiet times and worship to become routine.. "when serving God becomes mechanical, and the thrill of being a child of God disappears. the sense of close, hour-by-hour joy in communing with Christ dissolves into a distant awareness of His presence." [john macarthur] its quite scary really. it happens gradually and subtly, and if God didn't remind me or made me stop and reflect. i wouldn't hv noticed tt i gradually am leaving my 1st love. yea but thank God for showing me b4 my love really grew cold.

jus sharing wads on my heart bah. and wanna ask all of us to stop n reflect on whether our zeal and passion for God is waning. is our love growing cold? is being a christian not that exciting for us anymore? are we nt as interested in how God can work in our grp (or around us) anymore? lets b painfully honest w God and ourselves.. see hw complacent we cld have became.. and meet God's grace in repentant prayer!

let's go to God and ask for a deeper hunger and passion for Him man. =)

love you peeps. =)

<3 denise

Meditation

2005-07-12T08:28:00.000+08:00

Psalm 91

14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

Hi sensibles...

if you've taken some time to meditate on Psalms 23 / 91, you'd have realised that these 2 Psalms contains many of God's promises.

For eg, take the above....do we love the Lord? You bet we do. As a result, God WILL rescue us. He WILL protect us. He WILL answer us and WILL be with us in trouble. He WILL deliver us and honour us.

Is He a willing God or what? I know and trust that as you meditate on the various verses... the Holy spirit WILL bring that insight / shine His light into your circumstances. Even in the darkest hour.....our God WILL deliver and protect us. God does not lie and His word is true.

Take comfort in knowing that your heavenly father is in control. Never too late, never too early.

May you have a blessed day.

Greatly blessed, highly favored, deeply loved,
jinwei

busybusybusy

2005-07-09T22:55:00.000+08:00

heyy! wow looking at the number of entries and prayer requests this week, everyone seems to be having a really busy and challenging time. but i'm just so thankful for this small group, where everyone is always there for each other, to help to pray, encourage and support each other through hard times! thanks for all the prayers, support and encouragement. really appreciate it :)

haha kenneth. rg isn't that hectic la. it's just that i couldn't bring myself to start on my work during the hols so had to squeeze one month's worth of work into two days >.< anyway just to share about my experience over the last two days, i must say that God is really amazingly incredibly wonderfully forgiving, supporting and loving. argh. words will never be able to fully describe His amazing grace.

i knew i really deserved it la. as in having to slog so hard. because i really should have started earlier. but God not only forgave me for my lethary, tardiness and procrastination, He also blessed me with strength, wisdom and guidance through the toughest points in those two days. when my brain was drained out, He would pop a few new ideas into my head. when i was feeling sleepy, He blessed me with the wonderful invention of nescafe 3-in-1 to keep me awake. (oh and it's even nicer and more effective when you mix nescafe with milo 3-in-1 haha) and best of all, He blessed me with this small group, that i can always rely on to support me, pray for me. yep.

oh and it was also very timely that jinwei asked us to choose a verse from psalms to meditate on this week. i chose psalms 23:4, and it really provided so much encouragement for me through this hellish week. so yeah meditating on verses is really good! we should choose a new verse each week to meditate on. really helps... especially in this horribly stressful sec four year :(

anyway dom. whatever it is, hope that you will be able to sort out your problems soon. we will all pray for you. don't worry... with God all things are possible. so He will make everything alright. :) and we will always be here for you too! all the best!

"Even though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, i will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
- Psalms 23:4

yay back to the house of God to worship Him tmr! see you guys :)

bel

Let me be on Sabbatical..... (time off)

2005-07-08T13:33:00.000+08:00

Hi sensibles,

Its been some time since I blogged.. anyway I’ve recently hit a major road block in my life and I jus ask of you to understand and give me a 2 week break.. I really need to sort things out and I very sure I’m not in the right frame of mind to teach in class or even go to church.. pls pray for me although I really don’t know what to ask for..

continue to meditate on either of the 2 psalms jin wei has asked us to meditate on, as I would too. Jus to let you guys know, I’m facing the same problem as the parable of the prodigal son in the bible. Only thing its gotten really worse....

Maybe now you know what to pray for.. lets communicate through the blog for the time being..

Dom

Announcement - Sunday 10 July 05

2005-07-08T08:17:00.000+08:00

Hi guys and gals,

this has been yet another very challenging week for most of us.

Nothing beats meeting up face to face to share and pray for each other.

Thus I'd like to ask that we come just slightly earlier this sunday (11.15 am)
and meet at the main church vending machine area next to the back of the sanctuary.
(we'd either pray in the prayer and praise hall or find somewhere)

It's just a short time of prayer for each other before service starts.

Prayer is our weapon against the enemy's plans to kill, steal and destroy.

Try to be on time. This will also help us to get read for service.

Take care.
jinwei

refreshed

2005-07-07T13:36:00.000+08:00

ah bel! you smsed at like 4:30am? gosh i din know rg was THAT hectic =)

ok haven't been blogging, 'cause been rushing holiday hw(as usual) and preparing for interviews and chi oral (gasp!) over the next few days. stresssss!

if we dont have enough time to help a friend, then you're one really busy bumble bee. and if you feel this way, perhaps you should slow down and take a deep breath. look around you. you'll notice many things that have passed you by while you were indulging in work. good oppurtunities have passed by you; your friend in need has been ignored... maybe even God has been ignored.

both schoolwork and rest are important. they are like lovers; walking hand in hand, overcoming conflicts that arise from their differences, and cannot live without each other. do you really think that studying 24/7 will make you do well? rest too is an important factor when it comes to studies. as you strive for excellence in all you do, do remember to slow down once in a while for a breather; you'll find yourself fully refreshed and energised to continue later on.

do cast all your anxieties on God. you'll find a peace so indescribable overwhelm you, and you will find that you are able to concentrate on your task at hand without worrying about anything else.

-kenneth

Resting

2005-07-07T11:53:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

do read Adriel's blog on entering God' rest / Jesus seated at the throne and not striving...coz the work of redemption is FINISHED!

Have received some prayer requests from you guys...

1. Denise - pray for Holy Spirit empowerment as she shares devotion on friday morning (tom)

2. Annabel - for strength, for rest,

3. Rest - For focus on what's important, and balance in terms of carrying out various priorities.

wanted to share my 2 cents on balance.

i realise that many of us lead very hectic lives, with emphasis on school, friends, family, computer, army, work, tuition, chuch etc. How we fill up our lives with activities is important.

If it's so full of stuff, do we have sufficient time to help out a friend in need? Think of the parable of the good samaritan. Think the rabbi was rushing off to somewhere and pretended not to see the hurt guy... I recall some pastor sharing with us previously on having sufficient resources so that we can be a blessing to others.

anyway, see you guys this sunday at the 11.30am prayer and praise service.

jinwei

If u have time to read...

2005-07-04T13:54:00.000+08:00

been reading this article on an amazing man of God....

what impacted me was his close relationship with God...

and how God spoke to him even about catholics....and other denominations.

No one denomination has the full revelation of God's word.

Unity comes in the form of JEsus Christ. and Him alone.

God bless.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/007/18.24.html

Acceptance

2005-07-03T01:20:00.000+08:00

hey guys, found some time and i just wanna comment on this. Its closely related to rejection or for me its more acceptance.

As u know, army is not exactly the ideal place to maintain a close relationship with God, and recently i've found myself lacking/ dropping from the Godly values i use to hold so dearly to my heart. My closest buddy in camp currently is a person i met in BMT, at that time our Christian values are close and thus we "clicked". He a good person, unfortuantely we went to different buildings and thus lost conatact till recently when we went into artillary together. Then i realised that such a drastic change happen to him. He changed to another parson altogether, his values has changed so much. God is not the center of his life anymore. He became what i call a Weekend christian. He tells me that he leaves his Sunday morning for church and the rest of the week to play. As u all know, this is not right as we should place God in our lives every moment in our lives.

So i continue. all my friends in camp know that i'm a christian. That friend i mention (lets call him X) should understand that more than anyone, but due to influences, all conversations together with him and other camp buddies all revolve around matters of the heart and the "ideal" girl. (BGR again huh!)

i usually stay silent when the topic drifts to this part, they understand the reason i refrain from the topic and because of this i'm not so "accepted" into the group.

This affected me as first, as friends are the people helps in making NS tolarable and to be accepted is pretty impt to me. Only recently when i found the answer in God to help me over come this, i realised God has given me so many more other Christian friends outside. Lets just say that i found peace after a long while.

Ok, to the point, as Christian our values are not of the World and we are different, we should be proud of that and not be angry or fustrated that we are not accepted. We are accepted amongst other Christians and most importantly with God. We can seek comfort in him.

i just want to encourage all of u not to sucumb to dropping / changing your values just to fit in. Be faithful to God. Know that this SG will always be there to support you in your times of trials. God bless

Valmond

Prayer

2005-06-30T23:11:00.000+08:00

Just wanna sidetrack from this topic a little.

Usually when i pray i pray for my basic needs like as if im asking god for favours. Too much favours. Is this wrong? How can i improve it. I pray for others too so can i have your opinion?

LOTS OF LAUGHTER KEITH

Rejection

2005-06-30T08:11:00.000+08:00

Hi guys & gals...

wanted to write on a topic that I've just experienced recently. (it's at work)

Rejection. its' exact definition I dont know, but I'm sure all of you know what it feels like.

And I'm not even talking about BGR issues here.

Rejection can take the common form of friends rejecting you because you are "different" from them. Even in the Christian community, rejection is experienced. Sounds familiar?

Painful? Sure. Do we have to fit in though?

If we were to examine Jesus life, we'd see that at times, He was the most popular guy, at wedding parties, feeding 5000 ppl, having hords of ppl following Him and declaring their loyalty. However, when He was arrested, everyone, EVERYONE fled. Did Jesus feel rejected? Sure. I mean....Peter had just sworn his loyalty to Jesus and Judas was one of His disciples.

Jesus' response....Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.

It's ok to be different. You do not have to fit in for the sake of fitting in. God created each and every one of us unique. Of course, that uniqueness does not give anyone the permission to not love his/her neighbours. Also, sometimes, the rejection is caused by our character flaws which God is trying to show us is not Christlike.

My hope is that the sensibles community will be a place where each one of you know that you're accepted, loved and known. And we love becoz He first loved us (1 John 4). Even when you think you've blown it big time, you know that no one in this small group will judge you. Also, the community is a place where we'd tell each other (in love and not malice) honest truths about each other character / life.

Ok...anyway, for myself, I've checked myself and know that I've not wronged anyone, thus conscience is clear. Psalm 91 was an encouragement to me and so was Serene. My identity is in Christ. (it is not I who live, but Christ who lives in me). Will still continue to plough ahead...and shine for Christ in the workplace. :)

God bless and it's almost the weekend! :)

jw

Honesty

2005-06-29T08:34:00.000+08:00

Hi guys & gals,

Sandy sent an email to the YSGLs yesterday telling us how she observed certain youths leaving service soon after it started last sat night.... as in they were heading off for a date after their parents dropped them off?

She reiterated YM's stand that sec 2 is too young to date.

Most appropriate part of the email I think for you guys is the honesty when a person dates.

If they cant tell their parents and ppl they are accountable to where they've been going, what they've been doing.... ie. no honesty, then the relationship is not too healthy.

Enough said. The Holy Spirit convicts.

God bless.
jw

Back to school / work / army

2005-06-27T08:12:00.000+08:00

Have you guys & gals realised how tough it is to go back to work on a monday?

Sigh... I'm back at my desk now typing out this blog and I wonder what's in store this week...

Kenneth, speaking out what you believe is important. It's like we dare to make a statement about the mountain being removed / gone while it's still there. Definitely by faith. Coz we can look real silly when the mountain is still there. Still....for me, I dont care about my face.... I can look silly to the world, but when it comes to claiming the promises of God (eg. healing for Serene...), I'm going to declare and believe His promises until they come to pass.

Yes, you have to believe too. Speaking and believing go hand in hand.

Think I'd like to have this vision for the sensibles

"We hunger to know God more...." John 17:3

Views anyone?

jinwei

ps. pls study hard.

pps. Annabel, will pass you the CD on faith so that you can listen to it. The rest of the guys & gals have listened to most of it....(save when we stopped it so that we could sing a bday song for Kenneth and Moses who so happened to be born on the same day! :)

In case you didnt know already, Dom has volunteered to be the birthday IC for the class, Denise to be the prayer IC, Keith to be the fellowship IC and lastly yourself to be the treasurer for the class. Will chat with each of you to explore to various tasks involved for that appointment... :)

fellowship

2005-06-27T00:30:00.000+08:00

ah thanks to jinwei and serene for opening up their house (again!) for us, and for a really delicious lunch(denise really enjoyed it). and for the rich chocolate cake =) and i hope moses n shawn like the toothpaste. hey now ur face smells nice too

anyway if ur wondering what im doing up so late, its because i cant sleep. ive been sleeping the whole afternoon through to evening.

so we heard the sermon on faith today. yes it was pretty good and insightful thanks =) however i dun totally agree that saying is in any way more important than believing. yeah correct me if im wrong, cuz there were some points in time shawn was bugging me =p

yes saying is mentioned 3 times in that passage, compared to believing. however they are both equally important because we can say one thing, but believe another. then faith would utterly break down. people can depend on their intellect to say things, while their heart remains focused on something else.

for me, i tink saying would be the more difficult obstacle to overcome, rather than being the more important element. its so natural for people to have negative comments flowing out of their mouth non-stop. as we continue saying them, our mind subconsciously starts to believe in them; so our faith will ultimately be affected in the end.

oh well have a blessed week ahead people! study hard yeah =) i've gotta get back to mugging mood soon. oh and the "i kissed dating goodbye" book is a really.. enlightening =p see ya'll on sunday! God bless

-kenneth

2005-06-24T08:49:00.000+08:00

http://www.joshharris.com/ikdg/summary.htm

Interested in the summary of the book Denise mentioned?

Can read it at the above weblink.

I refer you all to Adriel's blog on the lack of hunger in our lives for God's presence.

Call upon His name. Have we grown so hard hearted that we wont incline our ear to His voice?

Where's our focus?

jw

Ingredients in Healthy Relationships

2005-06-23T13:43:00.000+08:00

Found this in the Today newspaper in the Dr James Dobson column.

INGREDIENTS IN HEALTHY
RELATIONSHIPS (I)
If you're trying to determine if the person you're dating is the right one for you, you might be
interested in the 10 characteristics of a healthy relationship. According to psychologist Dr. Neil Clark Warren, the first indicator of a good fit, a good relationship, is that you are each other's best friend, and you genuinely like being together. A recent survey of over 300 successful, long-term marriages indicates that for both men and women, this matter of friendship is considered the most important ingredient of all. 2) Communication is easy, natural and free. You feel that you can tell each other anything without fear of judgment or being put down. 3) You have numerous values and ideals in common and have both demonstrated the depth of your commitment to them. 4) You both – and it's important to emphasise both – think of marriage as a lifetime commitment, and you're firmly devoted to a permanent relationship. 5) When you experience conflict and disagreement, you're able to work it out instead of leaving it to simmer beneath the surface. 6) You love to laugh together. You're entertained by each other and share a sense of humor about the things in life. 7) You feel thoroughly known by your partner, and deeply cared for. You're able to be yourself and still know that you are loved, faults and all. 8) Your family and friends seem to be genuinely supportive of the two of you as a couple. You have confirmation of those who know you best and whom you trust the most. 9) You feel romantic about each other much of the time, but you feel comfortable and content with each other almost all the time. And 10) You have a relationship that feels sane and safe and stable. You sense that there's a solid fit between both of you at many levels. If all these characteristics are present in the dating relationship, the chances for a healthy, happy marriage are great.

JinWei

the joy of intimacy is the reward of commitment

2005-06-23T10:21:00.000+08:00

hello sensibles! yup i said on sun i'll post the dating thing. sorry i took so long. it's from "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" by Joshua Harris. anyway i just copied some excerpts here and there. it's mainly the main points of what Joshua Harris is trying to say. he explains it more clearly in his book, but there's too much 4 me to write out everything here.

i really recommend this book. to better understand what the below really means, its best to read the book! yepps. lolx. if everybody is interested, we can each chip in a few dollars den buy the book and pass ard. cos the book i'm holding onto now is not mine, i borrowed it frm a fren. yupp.

"All of us want intimacy. It means being close to someone, being vulnerable, open, and dependent. It's giving to and receiving from another person the deepest parts of who we are - our hopes, our fears, our secrets, our affections. An intimate relationship in which we know and are known by another human is one of the most fulfilling and precious parts of life - it's a gift from God.

"The joy of intimacy is the reward of commitment."

...This little principle is a practical way to practice the Golden Rule in romance - it's deciding to do what's best for others by never asking for intimacy that you're not able to match with commitment. This is the reason I stopped dating. ... because I realised that I need to wait on romance until I can match my pursuit of intimacy with a pursuit of commitment.

What I hope you understand is that this concept transcends the issue of whether you're officially "dating" someone. Obviously, going on dates and placing yourself in romantically charged settings with someone will usually accelerate the intimacy of your relationship. But you don't have to go out on a date to become inappropriately intimate. You can do that over the phone, via e-mail, or on group dates. A guy and a girl meeting over lunch isn't the issue. The issue is whether the intimacy in your relationship is appropriate to your current level of commitment."

he also talks about true purity, and also how singlehood in our teenage years now is actually a gift from God, which frees us to do lots of stuff for Him. and a lot of other relevant issues..

tag ur comments..!

love, denise

What is our heartbeat?

2005-06-22T08:13:00.000+08:00

Everyday, we're faced with the pressures of life.

Study hard so that you can enter JC so that you can enter university, so that you can attain a degree, etc.

What then?

In our pursuit of human achievements, where does that leave our soul?

Who do we become in that process?

Are we simply walking along life's road obeying the instructions of the various signs given by our parents?

Or what?

God has birthed in each and every one of us a special destiny. something so special that He knows will fulfill us. And it's not that university degree or that high paying job. Dont get me wrong, these are good things too, but these ultimately DO NOT satisfy.

What satisfies then?

Following hard after His heartbeat. Being still in His presence and knowing His will for our lives.

What is that heartbeat?

Matt 6:33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

all these things include the things like the university degree and the job etc. The most important though....is to seek Him first. As God's friend, He'd show you what makes Him and you....glad.

God bless you.

jinwei

ps. Keith, there's bound to be conflicts in a relationship. And religion conflicts are extremely tough to resolve...and thus my view in the earlier blog...that how can 2 walk together unless they be agreed? Some catholics do become Christians. and some Christians become Catholics. There's diversity in the Kingdom of God. Some catholics do speak in tongues and there's a charismatic movement in the catholic church as well. Thus I would not say that God is not in those churches / parishes. Agree with you that asking Mary for blessings is kinda groundless. If we read the gospels, we'd note that the emphasis is definitely on Jesus and His love for us and how He blesses...and not Mary. Last point, do not go out and disagree with catholics over differences in our beliefs. God has called us as the Church of Christ to unity in the faith. Give grace. and more grace. Love is the answer. There's so many more ppl out there who need to hear the gospel than to hear us Christians and Catholics fighting over our differences.

Catholics

2005-06-21T13:15:00.000+08:00

About catholics, won't it be a problem when a catholic and a non catholic get married? I mean as a catholic you would want your children to be brought up in a catholic environment instead of a non catholic. Theres bound to be conflicts so i think we should aviod dating catholics.

Catholics also believe in the blessing of mary. My catholic friend said they do not pray to her but more like ask of her blessings. Which is wrong cause everything comes through Jesus Christ. Oh and can catholics speak in tongues?

Can we talk to God about anything?

2005-06-21T08:30:00.000+08:00

The issue Bel posed on whether is there any matter too trivial to ask / bother God....

My view is no. For the simple reason that He already knows our thoughts, and knows what pains us. Prayer is simply talking to God right...and since Jesus is our friend, we can talk to Him about anything.... from that ulcer in our mouth to not being able to sleep at night! For myself, I've always talked to God about the most inane things...like waking up in the morning and telling him what beautiful day it is....or like how I'm frustrated about some bits of work etc. God loves to hear from us.

On dating catholics.... I dont see major issues with that. There's a verse in the bible I learnt at Pre-marital Counselling - Amos 3:3 "How can two walk together unless they be agreed". This walking together is very important in the Christian faith coz the bible also tells us in Matthew 18:19"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven."

Thus agreement is a very important principle for the Christian faith.

If the Christian and Catholic are able to have agreement on their faith (which I believe is possible), then dating is no problem! Got to remember that there will always be various nuances that separate our faith from the Catholics. The unifying point is Jesus Christ. That he died and rose again. His blood has cleansed us of all our sins. We have eternal life as a result. Salvation by grace through faith. Not by works.

Had a very interesting discussion with my catholic colleague a few days ago on the holy communion. Coz quite a few catholic churches do not have the bread and the cup together. They just eat the bread. I think the meal is not complete as a result, and for me, that is a major thing.

Bottom line, if anyone from the sensibles want to date a catholic, pls dont drop out of small group to join the catholic church.... bring that guy/gal to YM instead!! :)

Last thing I want to blog.... start praying for Sensibles group and the vision God is giving us. I believe revival is coming to YM. We want to be ready for that.

God bless.
jinwei

can't concentrate :(

2005-06-20T23:20:00.000+08:00

argh so irritating. tried to post the quiz results then my whole com hang -.-

anyhow, i'm supposed to be researching on women in science and medicine for my history project now... hmm why in the world am i here =P oh yeah kenneth... no one heard anything at the lift okay? nothing happened at all :) and yep it was great to meet up with sensibles again after what 3 weeks of no small group? yeah thanks dom for the inspiring lesson on balcony people :) oh btw just sth to add... even if you're a basement person, it's always good to try to become a balcony person. cos in the process of TRYING to be a balcony person, you learn to pick out the good points in a situation, to see the optimistic side of things. so while encouraging others, you're also kind of "training" yourself to be optimistic. and this will certainly better your outlook on life :)

hmm was just wondering... is there ever anything too trivial to ask of God? okay maybe not trivial, but like one's reason for asking God for sth is for selfish/wrong reasons. for example i have a huge painful pussy swollen pimple on my nose (no i'm not having one now! thank God heh).. is it too trivial to ask God to take that pimple away? cos it's like. my motive for asking God to take it away would be because 1. it's really painful and 2. it's obviously very unsightly. yeah was just wondering...

okay sorry this is once again from quite awhile ago. heehee. on christians dating catholics... i'm afraid i don't really know enough about it to come to a definite conclusion. but from what i've heard from my catholic friends (no keith i don't have/not thinking of having a catholic boyfriend -.-), even though their practices and doctrines are slightly different from that of ours, they still do believe that Jesus Christ is their Saviour. that being said, as long as a couple (christian and catholic) is able to come to a consensus on the religious practices that they and their children are going to adopt (e.g. catholics have stuff like confirmation, they use rosaries, etc.), and they both put God first in their lives, there shouldn't be much of a problem.

disclaimer: i don't know much about this whole christian-catholic thing, so this opinion is entirely based on my own reasoning and assumptions. please don't hesitate to correct me or express your views... :)

oh and just a gentle reminder... fear God! because the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him (Ps 147:11) and it will be well for those who fear God (Eccl 8:12).

haha the holidays are starting real soon, so better not get distracted ;) must study (unlike kenneth haha). can't wait for fellowship sunday... we can play urm bridge! haha jk. anything la. oh and hey ANONYMOUS... could you please identify yourself? are you from our small group? hmm. okay gotta get back to my proj. take care and have a blessed week :)

bel

silence is golden... not

2005-06-19T17:29:00.000+08:00

ah its been fairly quiet around here. ladeda thanks for the quiz keith =) im romans. hmm

oh well. we havent met for 2 weeks so today felt great! haha lots of secrets came spilling out while we were waiting for the lift yeah? =p one relatively low key, one thats 3/4 in the open already, and one thats been around for a long time. keithlicia i tell you. gosh. how much more obvious can it get =) anyway this blog is private so dont worry keithlicia

it IS hard to give someone a second chance, esp when he/she has done something bad against you. for the record i have no problems with annabel, neither is she inept at organizing events. yeah it was just someone else who applied to this. nvm. but still even though its hard, we should give the person a second chance, especially if he/she is repentent, or it was an accident etc etc. after all, wouldn't you yourself want a second chance, when u happen to be in that situation?

"Jesus is coming; are you ready for Him?" well i heard in some sermon (not sure about this. maybe in my dreams =p) that when the second coming is here, not ALL christians will go up to heaven with Him; only those who are prepared. its like a parallel comparison to the parable of the ten virgins; those who had enough oil and were "prepared" got to meet their husbands, while the rest couldnt. is this true? cuz i always thought that as long as you believed, you had eternal life.

and yeah i wasnt rubbing salt into the wounds of the o levellers! haha it was more of a.. sympathetic look. well i'll be busy mugging for end of years and endless projects, but yeah you guys are gonna have a tough time! well its going to be a test of ur intellect as well as a test of faith; will you surrender everything to Jesus, or take it all in your own stride. =)

have a great week ahead. trying to think of some games 4 u guys next sunday.. anything in particular? no more cranium =p i think we can remember all the answers by now hehe

-kenneth

Which Book Are U?

2005-06-18T23:56:00.000+08:00

http://quizilla.com/users/reflectedgrace/quizzes/Whi

Check it out guys!!

Lots Of Laughter,
KEITH

-Im proverbs heh.

2005-06-14T21:13:00.000+08:00

lol yeah get yourself a girl! not a guy... tsktsk ;)

bel

2005-06-14T20:02:00.000+08:00

sensibles!

2005-06-14T20:01:00.000+08:00

lol +)

2005-06-14T19:59:00.000+08:00

bel..

DOM

2005-06-13T23:28:00.000+08:00

Dom it means that your the right age! Go get yourself a gal hahah. And dont forget to bring her to sensibles hahah. +)

LOTS OF LAUGHTER,
KEITH

tea and dating.....

2005-06-13T16:59:00.000+08:00

Hi Sensibles,
Yes this is my first time writing on the blog and I’m actually writing this during my tea break. So in case your wondering, yes the aroma of the tea beside me is fantastic.. = )
Well I thought maybe I should give my thoughts on dating before the blog goes private. First to start of, I’d like to share with you a little about my background during my sec sch days, or rather when I was your age. As most of you know, I come from a mix gender sch and majority of the people spoke “china”, and from what I remembered girlfriends and boyfriends started like way back in sec 1 and sec 2. As for myself, well I had my first girlfriend at the end of sec 3 going on to my o’level year. And boy was I absolutely sure that I didn’t set my priorities right then, and in the first half of my o’level year my studies suffered (not surprising). Also like all relationships at that age, or you guys put it as 90%, it (the “saga”/relationship) didn’t work out. The reason I use the word saga is because one thing leads to another. Ok back to my sharing, it (relationship) being my first, I had a really hard time getting over it.
But this I share with you from the bottom of my heart, I turned to God and prayed and lifted everything to Him. MIRACLE!! I tell you, he took all my pain, trauma, etc, all away. I felt peace. Peace that I up to this day still say it is indescribable. Calmness in my life/heart calmer than the calmest sea. Ok maybe I’m exaggerating a lil.. hehe (=
As far as that rest of the year went, I was pretty disappointed with my o’s results, but somehow in my heart I could never bring myself to blame God, but instead I felt like it was his mighty plans that I go poly and of course the story goes, I met you guys and became your AYSGL. See God’s wonderful plan unfolding part by part.
Now that I’ve shared something most of you probably don’t know or don’t ask me about, what are my views on dating?? Although I wouldn’t strongly object, neither would I strongly support the idea of dating at this period. At this junction of your lives, your utmost priorities should lie with your studies.
With that in mind, on lighter note, I think what I’m about to say is what most of you might have already heard and that is GROUP DATES are the best compared to 1 on 1 dates. First of all its always good to keep your options open. Pls do not misinterpret this as me telling you to be involve in polygamous relationships. MONOGAMY is what’s BEST. Ü another plus point about group dating is that you can learn more about they opposite gender or the person and here’s something I just come to realize, you can hear the views about that certain guy or girl from your friend and share views(compare notes) heheheh. But always bear in mind sharing views among the people involved is ok BUT GOSSIPING is not right. The bible says that gossiping IS A SIN. Can’t quote you the exact verse now cos my bible is not in the office, sorry.
Finally I think this is what I really have to say. To me the most ideal dating age is when you have completed the last A’level paper or your final poly paper. By then you would most likely have matured and have an idea of what kind date you want to have or find.
I hope I have not been contradictory or incoherent with my views and what I have said, if I have pls feel free to drop me a comment or come and approach me. Who knows maybe I would have gained a lil extra wisdom and share new views….
Oh gosh I think I’ve taken too long a tea break and yikes i wrote so much!!! =þ
dom

Going to camp....Army camp that is....

2005-06-13T08:13:00.000+08:00

Hi guys,

Serene and me had a very refreshing weekend last week at the leader's retreat. The Singapore sports school has excellent facilities. You guys are going to have an excellent Dec camp this year!

The retreat blessed me personally as God showed me areas in my life that He was concerned about. Dom Kenneth and myself had a personal sharing session too and as Kenneth pointed out, no leader is without failings. That's what accountability and responsibility is about. (refer to my previous blog on that). We hold one another accountable and provide that support for that brother / sister. Think we'd touch briefly on this topic in the coming Sunday's class. remind me if I forget.

Anyway, tomorrow is the day I'd be heading back to the army camp for my reservist training. Beyond the terrible heat (dunno why army camps always seem hotter than civilised air-conditioned building! :), I see this as an opportunity to share the gospel, but not with words. Let me explain, army time is one of the few rare opportunities we'd get to hang around with people whom we'd not normally be friends with. Thus it's a great opportunity to tell them about Christ. The truth is, this could be one of the few rare opportunities they get to hear about who Jesus is. As a Christian, we're called to make disciples of all nations. Here is as good an opportunity as any. It's about what Christians do or do not do that sets them apart. eg. no foul language even in the midst of crap (eg, told last minute one cannot book out but has to stay in..)

OK ok...back to subject of dating. We discussed this during one of the sessions in the retreat where the sec 4 to Pre-U 2 A/YSGLs met up with Joyce (head YSG). Hmmm....after hearing all the complicated issues with BGR (eg dating non Christians, after a relationship goes bad, one christian tends inevitably not to go church anymore etc), I want to urge the Sensibles to put in place strong Godly principles for your lives when it comes to dating. These are some princples to follow:

1. Do not date a non Christian. (bible is very clear on this. Do not do not do not, go down this path. no good looking guy/gal is worth that heartache.)

2. Do not engage in premarital sex. Watch the physical intimacy levels.

These are the 2 key principles I want Sensibles to be convicted about. Other guidelines Denise has espoused in her blog.

Seriously, following hard after God will save you heartaches.....especially in this area of finding your life partner.

God bless and see you guys are Sunday.
Pray for me that I'd pass my IPPT.... and survive the training! :)
But also that I'd shine for Christ in the camp.

Jinwei

response to dating qn

2005-06-12T17:44:00.000+08:00

hello guys i noe its my 1st time writing here (yes i noe caveman and lagggginggggg), but couldnt figure wat buttons to press as it was in chinese ahhh ( looks like i m goin to "pass" my chinese Os)

Anyway i believe that dating is ok juz as long its wif the right intentions, correct timing and u r responsible enuf

yup totally believe wat keith said abt dating. We shld date only when we r a bit older like 18-19, cos that is when we a more mature and responsible to handle the issues of the hearts. Furthermore for ppl like me taking the Os this year. we shld be concentrating more on our studies and not dating. I mean dating would not help u hav good grades right. (unless he or she is some student in a top sch). Besides that dating 4 the sake of marriage or showing off is WRONG, especially at our young age.

Also i tink dating shld not take over your top priority in life : god. If that happens, i tink u better take a step back and reconsider, as ultimately god shld be THE love of life

And if ones wan to date, he or she shld go 4 grp dates and not 1 to 1 dates. Cos u get to interact more and get to know more ppl as compared to 1 to 1.
And then once u tink u hav found your life long partner in life, then go ahead and hav a 1 to 1 date.

Well,other than that i tink dating is fine....k thats all i wan to say so byee.......

Shawn Ang

back!

2005-06-12T16:53:00.000+08:00

ah sensibles! haha i missed you guys yep i did.

anyway we're all back from leaders retreat, and i learnt many many things there, some perhaps irrelevant now. but firstly i just want to inform you guys that we'll put a password for this blog so it becomes more private yeah? and dun tell the password to anyone =) i'll get down to doing this soon.

nobody is perfect, not even the leaders. there are times when they themselves are feeling down and unable to lead. thats where the purpose of small grp comes in; we're supposed to uphold each other throught tough times and when we're feeling down. in fact a leader should only be a facilitator, in charge of bible study or whatever, more than a teacher. its the members that run the small grp yep =)

when most ppl come to church on sunday, they put up a front, a facade. they have problems, but they just smile and seem as if everything is alright. some people answer questions as if they aren't having problems in their spiritual walk, when they actually are; the answers came from their head, not from their hearts.

so even as we are afraid to share our problems to each other face to face, i hope that when this blog goes private, we would not hesitate to say out our problems. as a small grp, we will keep what u say confidential, and we definitely would not judge you. we are all in this together k =) yeah so there will probably be an email going out to tell u the password when its up

God bless your week ahead =D

kenneth

Just some catch up

2005-06-12T03:59:00.000+08:00

ok... this is my first post in the blog, its now 4 am in the morning so excuse me for spelling errors or if i begin to sound incoherent.

Dating
i suppose both arguements are valid in my book. its seems fine to me to date, go out, make friends and get to know that someone. BUT, you would have to set the guidelines yourself. Date by term does not mean that you have to be out on a 1 on 1 outing. Date can also mean group outings, maybe in 3 or more (i suppose 4 would be the best for conversations without getting too crowded/noisy).
well, reason y i like group outings is cause it leads me away from temptation. allow me to explain...

Most of my friends unwanted relationships start JUST because they just want to be friends with that cute girl in class. Some tell me that they have the determination and mindset not to get serious...have one date to get to know the person wouldn't hurt would it? Unfortunately sometimes all it take is 1 date to develop that "crush" feeling and you would be hooked. this problem may be avoided by having a third party in that date to hold you in check. Do not stay in the presence of temptation, but avoid it when possible.
(i hope u guys understand my point, ask me in class if u dont=))

i like denise's point about finding a person that has their piorties straightened out. the most impt is to love God more than anything else. i would like to add another pointer to that. I believe that in what ever relationship that anyone might have in the future, just put God in the center of that relationship and he will bless that union. (JW, correct me if i'm wrong)
to me, i want God to be the focus of the relationship, not just infatuation with with each other.

ok... that's all i can squeeze out of my mind at this time. i'll see u all back in class..

Valmond

Venessa

2005-06-10T23:27:00.000+08:00

You know she was actually really interested in that ruben morgan's thing at faith methodist church. And when i said interested i really meant interested. But i totally forgotten about it and so did she! lol! darn it.

Lots Of Laughter,
KEITH

Interested to know the Christian answer on why Evil exists?

2005-06-10T16:20:00.000+08:00

http://www.philbaker.net/blog/1932

The above blog gives a very good balanced view as to the various explanations for evil from a biblical perspective. Give it a read.

Phil Baker pastors the church I used to go to in Australia. Very very good teacher. very balanced too with a great sense of humour.

Serene and me will be off for our retreat tomorrow. Have a good weekend.

jw

Accountability

2005-06-10T08:43:00.000+08:00

many of you will have heard this term before. What does it mean?

accountability to me is closely linked to responsibility.

In the body of Christ, we are accountable for one another ( find bible verses).
In that same way, the sensibles class is accountable for one another.

That's what community is about. We love each other, encourage one another on (as in how we came in 2nd for the bowling gala), have fun together (missions quiz, BBQ at my place, cranium etc), and also correct one another.

How do we apply accountability? Well, simple stuff like if one of us is not able to make it for sunday class, to inform either me or your friend that you'd not be able to make it and why....eg sick, holiday etc. And the class will uphold you in prayer.

Another application is to also in relation to dating. When one is attached, priorities can shift from God / family, school work to boyfriend / girlfriend.

Thus I strongly encourage the couple to be accountable to the sensibles youth small group / local church. The partner will also come and learn of what is important to you as a Christian (supposing he / she is from another church / stopped attending church etc).

any views?
jw

dating

2005-06-09T23:51:00.000+08:00

to me, i guess its okay to date (by dating i mean get attached) provided:

1. you know the guy/girl quite well/are frends for awhile already, not only 2 or 3 mths, and you have a realistic view of his/her strengths AND weaknesses. not only see the good parts.

2. God is 1st priority. i.e partner doesn't matter as much as God/spending tym w God. and God is CLEARLY above partner in all decisions being made, even in my thought life.

yeahh. i tink point 2 very important. when i grow up and become somebody's wife, God's supposed 2 b more impt than my partner anyway. so by NOT dating, its a good way to train myself to love God more than the potential partner 1st, b4 dating him. also trains up self-control..? haha.

God will show me my tastes in guys, how i need to change, how to love and serve others, how to grow in inter-personal skills, and show me more abt other pple's character, etc through godly friendships, relationships with my brothers and sisters in Christ. i don't have to go on one-on-one dates with a guy to have these "benefits/lessons"..

to conclude, if i have no intention for marriage, don't date the guy/girl, cos the "benefits" can be found elsewhere. and the intimacy (emotionally) in a relationship is more beautiful when it is a by-product of commitment, not sparks from a short-term relationship.

haha okay on to my daydreaming! a guy who loves God totally and puts God above me would definitely attract me. +, he must lead in the relationship and take the initiative. and he must love me a lot lahh. and preferably isn't a couch potato. and shd b HUMBLE. haha. is it a difficult criteria list? hm.. just daydreaming abt the perfect guy! haha. =)

love, denise

AND ME

2005-06-09T21:56:00.000+08:00

Im gonne be that 10% of people hahah. and shes just around the corner. :D

Is there a right age to dating

2005-06-09T08:19:00.000+08:00

Thank you guys and gals for writing so openly about dating.

I am quite impressed with the maturity and honesty espoused in the views.

I like what Keith wrote, that the perfect age to date is 17 to 18 or when one has a car :)
A female friend in university commented to me last time that if I wanted to get attached, I had to have a car and couldnt expect the gal to drive me around! I'd caveat that advise that it is applicable mostly in Australia where the public transport is not so efficient as Spore and thus a car (which is not expensive there) is a basic form of transport. Enough said.

Wld like to discuss something Kenneth wrote - that dating SHOULD happen in JC and definitely in university!

Wow....that sounds like serious social pressure you know. Well.... I think we should go back to what dating means.

If dating means to go out one on one with someone of the opposite sex for any reason, then yup...dating will happen in JC.... Dating does not mean going steady. One can go for many dates but not get attached!

But if we think that dating means getting attached, then I would like to DISAGREE that ppl should get attached in JC.

Though I've not studied in a Spore JC, I think that as what Annabel said, priorities at that stage are still God, studies & family. sad as it seems, a relationship may become the top priority and be a hindrance than a help (esp if there is a breakup just before the A levels??)

hmmm...What I'm trying to say is that - do not feel pressured to get attached in JC.

what do you all think?

jinwei

just date la. don't be a sour prune!

2005-06-08T15:56:00.000+08:00

haha okay nvm that was such a bad joke. anyway haha high five kenneth i didnt exactly scrutinise the whole article, but got the gist of it... think what it says is very true. that people shouldn't just date to find their lifelong partner, but also to learn more about themselves, others, meet some great people, and to strengthen their interpersonal relationship skills.

also agree with mag and keith, that 90% of the people who date at our age break up. guess some youths date due to peer pressure, because it's seems "cool" to be attached.. it shows that you're "attractive" enough to be able to "attract" the opposite sex. some others date for the fun of it... because they're bored with life. perhaps they also want to boost their social life, and i guess that's good, cos in this way, it helps them to improve their people skills, and also gives them a break from the stressful hectic schedule in school. yet some others also date due to impulse. when they meet this guy/girl, all the usual sparks start flying, and they get that warm fuzzy feeling in their hearts when they see/talk to them. then, without knowing whether it's just lust, infatuation, or (this is really rare) love, they just get into the relationship at the heat of the moment.

i won't exactly encourage dating, but i definitely do not discourage it either. dating does have a good side to it, as can be seen from the points that Dr Henry Cloud raised in his article. guess it's all up to the individual, on whether he/she knows how to manage his/her time, so long as the relationship does not get in the way of God, studies and family, which should still be at a youth's topmost priority at this point in time.

cheers!
bel

2005-06-08T11:18:00.000+08:00

hey! it's my first time writing here! Anyway, I had a really good time reading that article!
'Date to have fun. Date to learn. Date to experience things. If you are only dating to marry, you are not experiencing life, and you are missing out on knowing a lot of good people along the way.'
First of all, you don't drive when you're 17 tsk... unless it's illegal lah! Too young, brother!
I guess people do have certain misconceptions about dating. I agree with what keith said that 90% of people dating our age break up. But I don't want to state that dating is really wrong our age.. It's all about the experience, learning more about yourself.. Ahah! People learn from mistakes right? I guess 90% of the time you can't expect the 1st one to be the right one.. So when you fall, you discover what your needs are and try not to make the same mistakes again! But, i guess if you let it affect you negatively (esp studies right now) i guess then that' s not too good! Then again, some people our age date for 'fun' rather than to 'have fun'. Wait is there a difference? Anyhows, let's just study now huh! O's coming eh! Let's put all these dating aside yea? heh (:

what's your say,
agape,
magged05

Responce to Dating

2005-06-07T21:44:00.000+08:00

I find dating at our age would be too early. Dating should be reserved only when you are serious about it and you are sure it would lead to your marriage. I find the perfect age would be maybe 17-18? or when you have a car.lol. zoom zoom.

Most couples dating at our age would most probably break up. I'll say about 90%. Wheres at 18, couples tend to be more matured and releastic about their relationship. People our age might be easily influenced by peer pressure seeing everyone around them attached.

Western dating like Kenneth said goes through many changes. unlike us asians. They tend to like, try out different people till they found the right one which is not totally wrong but it hurts your soulmate's feelings.

Lots Of Laughter,
KEITH

response to dating

2005-06-07T20:14:00.000+08:00

ok i admit i din read the WHOLE article, but i think i get the gist. before i write my perceptions and all, jinwei, what on earth are u doing at singlechristians.com? lol tsktsk

ah it depends on when you start dating. i do agree that western and eastern culture are totally different. we're more conservative, and even though we are "westernizing", we still believe in our principles. western ppl date and change dates lyk they're changing their underwear; look at the rates of divorces and all.

ok so lets start with sth more relevant- dating at our age. i would agree that it does help you find out what kind of person you are, learn gurls needs etc, but i still believe that if you're purely dating because of that, you're playing with feelings. and thats dangerous. i mean as much as relationships now wont last THAT long ( the longest would prob be 2 yrs?), ppl still go into one looking for love and companionship.

then theres the no-harm-done kind of dates. meeting for the first time, or just an ordinary fren-to-fren one-on-one dates. but these kind of dates will eventually lead to feelings being evolved, and u enter a relationship. you will, however, "learn" the most out of these kind of dates.

group outings are still the most recommended i guess =) safe, plus there is more interaction among everyone.

dating at our age- it will happen sooner or later. many of us have developed to diff phases, and yeah next yr will be JC year, it SHOULD happen. haha should. ive heard ppl tell me that when you're in uni you better get into a relationship, cuz when ur working, you prob wont find the time. but this leads back to the dating for marriage argument; you're dating so that when you start working and saving money you can get married.

i hope you guys dont feel that dating will naturally lead to marriage; do take your time to find the perfect one, or your marriage wont be a happy one =)

-kenneth

Dating

2005-06-07T09:15:00.000+08:00

http://www.christianitytoday.com/singles/newsletter/mind50601.html

I've been looking for articles on what is the right age to start dating and even wrote various bits and pieces but somehow the blog didnt have that sparkle to it.

Thus I've posted an article from Dr Henry Cloud who is kind of a subject expert in relationships.

Do note that the western culture for dating differs from our Asian one and thus not everything is applicable in our context. Nevertheless, there are nuggets of wisdom to gleam from the article and yes....your views are very welcome!

I for one always had the view that we should date with a purpose towards marriage, but on hindsight, I realise that indeed, dating with different people has taught me more about myself plus also the kind of gal I like, which was very different from the kind of girl I thought I liked!

Many of you will be entering JCs next year and yup... start dating.

What are your views on dating? What are your criteria lists? :)

Share your views:)
jinwei

heart of worship

2005-06-06T12:49:00.000+08:00

ah yes this has been repeated time and time again. everyone is conscious of it, yet sometimes they will unconsciously commit the same mistake over and over again.

worship. we have a great band on stage. the keyboardist and guitarist are going crazy, blaring crazy tones with multiple notes. the drummer decides to use many different beats at once.

as we continue to worship and sing the song, what are we feeling in our heart. for most people worship is abt the music; how nice, how crazy, how rock it is. they go to worship for the drumbeat, for the electric guitars.

but that isnt what worship is about. its abt singing praises to God, whom we adore. its about meditating and meaning the words coming out of our mouths. thats the true meaning of worship, and thats why i particularly like the song heart of worship, because it reminds us and calls us to "return to the heart of worship".

don't want to stand here and shout Your praise
and walk away and forget Your Name.

-kenneth

Perseverance

2005-06-03T08:20:00.000+08:00

ok...before we move onto the casino issue (who posted that btw.... appreciate if you can leave your name behind...)

I refer to the verse Kenneth quoted in James 1:2-4 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trails of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything"

This was the verse that I clung to in the last 2.5 years. Why?

As some of you know, I used to work as a policy analyst. When I was offered the position, I was challenged to join the organisation to make a difference. Of course... I believed so with all my heart coz I knew that policies influence a nation and hence being able to analyse and write policies that was best for Singapore was an important position....and so be able to serve God in that way.

However, I discovered that this sort of work did not suit my temperament / abilities. It was frustrating and daunting from day 1. My colleagues were really brilliant people (they still are) and the policy discussions we had really opened my mind as to how many issues are considered before a policy is made! I asked God why He placed me here, though I received no audible answer, I knew that He placed me here for a reason.

You can ask Serene. I moaned, groaned and pleaded countless times for God to bring me elsewhere, with the caveat that He bring me out only after He's completed what He wanted to do in me. It was a stressful period. I thank God for Serene who stood by me and supported me throughout.

James 1:4 talks about patience / perseverance (depending on which bible you use).

Patience will make the difference between success and failure. It undergirds and sustains faith until the result is manifested. After you have meditated on the promises of God and have htem in your spirit, patience will encourage you to hold steady. Patience is power. It has the courage to refuse the lie of satan that says the Word is not working for you. It knows that God's Word has never failed. Patience will not draw back in fear but will press forward in faith until you have the answer.

Thus that was what developed in me after working in that organisation for 2 plus years - patience. Patience to trust God in the most trying of times to deliver me. That He's not left me there to rot but has good things in store for me. Patience is a good fruit to develop!

My current place is definitely something more suited to my abilities. I do not find it painful to go work everyday or dread the thought of re-writing / re-drafting various pieces of work!

I pose the question to each one of you. What challenge is on your plate this year? When the answer from God to your challenge seems slow, know this....Our God is NOT in a hurry. He's never too early or too late. And He WILL come and save you.

in Christ
Jinwei

Lets Start A New Topic-CasiNO

2005-06-02T22:24:00.000+08:00

Lets start a new discussion to get everyone invlove in the postings. Write about what you thinking about the newly integrated resort.

trials, temptation and faith

2005-06-02T17:08:00.000+08:00

haha bel. i totally agree with your post, especially the part where you say that you're lagging lol j/k dont stress you up. have fun this sunday

ah yes God gives us strength to go through trials. but why does He put us through trials in the first place?

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trails of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:2-6 u might want to read 7 and 8 too.

we did this at ym camp(if you cant rem tsktsk) and yeah the verses are pretty much self explanatory. it matures you, gives you experience, but more importantly it strengthens your faith. faith is the essence and base of all religions, thats why it is emphasized again and again. Yes we will stray, we will find it hard to go to God all the time; the only way to go about it is to continue praying and seeking his word

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when hee has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12

-Kenneth

scroll down and read bel's post

nice song

2005-06-02T12:08:00.000+08:00

hey sensibles! haha i love the song on the blog! it's like so conducive listening to this song while reading all these insightful and inspiring entries :) in fact, this blog itself is such an inspiration to me. i remember coming here time and again while i was slogging away at my horrible physics project. cos all these wonderful entries never fail to remind me of God's immense power. they truly spurred me on to persevere in God's strength and rely on Him all the way. so thank you for all your posts... each and every one of them means a lot to me :)

okay i know i'm lagging, but i haven't responded to jinwei's post sometime back...

1. one should not go steady with that non-christian boy/girl. it is stated clearly in the Bible that God does not condone it. there may be temptations and perhaps even heartbreaks, but obeying God is never wrong, because He always has the best plan :)

2. i guess going to zouk is not really wrong, since it is not explicitly stated in the Bible that clubbing is not allowed. however, as Christians, we should let the Holy Spirit guard our thoughts, feelings and actions, and watch what we do when we go clubbing, lest we fall victim to the devil's ploy. haha so drama. urm basically don't do anything wrong like... yknow. dancing is fine, but nothing too intimate. i don't condone bartop dancing or pole dancing. what about you?

3. drinking isn't wrong when one is able to control the amount one drinks. research has proven that a little alcohol once in awhile is actually good for health. but one should also not use this excuse to drink away his troubles, or worse, develop addictions to it. i know people who are under 18 are not supposed to drink, but i drink... only with parent's consent. that's okay... right? =/

4. priorities: family, schoolwork, church, friends.

in response to some of kenneth's questions, guess if we want to keep our decisions the way God wants them to be, we would firstly have to have a close walk with God, and be filled with the Spirit. it is only then that our Spirit-filled hearts will guide us to make the decisions that God would want us to make. it is also important that we listen out for God. Rev Norman Wong told us during the recent saturday night service that the reason why we feel like God doesn't speak to us is not cos He doesn't speak to us, but cos we don't listen. so when we pray to God for
direction, on what decisions we should make, we should also open up our ears and listen out for God's voice. think about it... God has millions of people praying to Him, probably every second of every minute of every hour of everyday. yet He still takes the effort to listen to every single one of our prayers, and answer them with such wonder and grace. all WE have to do is to talk to Him, the one and only God, at least once every night, and simply open up our ears to hear what He has to say. our part is far easier, yet how often do we actually fulfil it?

it's the holidays now... a well-deserved break for all of us. sadly, we will also have to engage ourselves in intensive study, in preparation for the next stressful term/prelims/O levels. but at least we have God with us. in our weakness His strength is made perfect. so no matter how sick and tired you are of this life, always turn to God. He will make things better :)

bel

Perfection...

2005-06-01T15:24:00.000+08:00

Dear class,

we often wonder why we go through various trials. Why this, why that. Why does life seem so unfair. I love the verse below which I've bolded. God makes my way perfect. He gives me strength when I've none. In my weakness is when He's made strong. When I'm empty then will He fill me. I'm still being moulded by the master potter. God's not done with me yet. With confidence I can say that I'd be more Christ-like in 5 years than today if I continue to walk with Him. As we walk with Him, we get changed from glory to glory, being transformed more like Him. Not overnight, but slowly. He's in no hurry.

For those of you who wonder why God cant take out a magic wand and cause all your sins to disappear....read the below.

At this age, many of you will not be able to fathom what you'd be doing in 10 years time. Sure, everyone has his/her dreams. My advice. surrender these dreams to God and allow Him to mould you for His purposes. Your dreams could be God inspired. It could also be of the flesh. Trust Him to lead. After all, He knows what's best for you...isnt that so? ;)

Preparation for Greatness
He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. ~ 2 Samuel 22:35

David was a mighty warrior, and God described him as a man after His own heart. God took David through a training ground that could be looked on as cruel and unusual punishment by many a person. God chose him at a young age to be the next king, yet King Saul rejected him and hunted him down. David was a fugitive for many years. He had uprisings in his own family, and he had relationship problems. He had a life of extreme ups and downs. He certainly did not have a life free of problems; he made mistakes. He was human like all of us, yet he learned from his mistakes and repented when he failed. This was David's training ground; it made the man. Without these hardships, it is doubtful David would have accomplished what he did.
Toward the end of David's life, he recounted his relationship with God. It is a sermon on God's ways of dealing with a servant leader.

It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me Your shield of victory; You stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn (2 Samuel 22:33-37).
God was David's source for everything. God gave him the ability to achieve the many extraordinary things in his life. It was a lifelong training ground that moved him from one plateau to another, often dropping into a ravine of despair and hopelessness from time to time. These are God's ways. They drive us deeper and deeper into the heart of Him who has prepared a way for us. Let God take you to the heights or depths He desires for you. He never promised smooth sailing during the trip, but He did promise to be the captain and companion along the way.

Going Nuts!!

2005-05-31T17:47:00.000+08:00

Just discovered that the deadline for the SAJC direct admission appeal was today. Had to rush there like mad!! Mine was like 4 sheets of paper. Other ppl had a whole stack. damm!

2005-05-29T01:16:00.000+08:00

heyy pple..

if u all are free go adriel's blog.. [http://kaipneumatos.blogspot.com/] and read abt e post "You can't bring others higher than where you have gone yourself". i think its all rather sobering.. heh.

love,
denise

faith

2005-05-28T23:34:00.000+08:00

hm. i'll just blog cuz i dun want to study now =) k b4 i do anything, i just want to thank Jinwei for everything he's done for us. i mean, he juggles between a pregnant wife(which he is so loving towards xD), stressful work, preparing lessons for us, organising stuff (bowling bbq etc), joining us for dinner despite having stuff on. i take my hat off to you dude

what causes humans, all humans, to lose their faith? first we have tangebility(is there such a word). tangible means to be able to feel and see things. so based on our senses, we would believe things that we can see or touch. this is one factor that affects our faith in God; we pray everyday, we read the bible, yet we dont see or touch Him. so because of this, it is hard for EVERYONE to maintain that faith.

so how isit some people are so strong in their faith. we have feeling His presence. Pastor Norman went through this just now during service so i shant elaborate much. yep when we feel His presence in our lives we tend to grow stronger in our faith. ever wondered y ppl believe in ghosts? they can sense the presence of one. yep =)

experience is something like presence, but experience would probably be an event or a happening. so when sth goes wrong, like you din do well for an exam, everything in your life seems to be going wrong, it seems hard to trust and have faith in God. and i can tell u again and again to believe in Him, to have faith, but it will come to nought unless you experience His grace and mercy in the form of a miracle yourself.

ok i have to study, so i'll stop here and let you digest =D perhaps i'll talk abt the concerns non believers have abt Christianity. there's always two sides to a story; it'll be interesting to see the other side. just hope you guys wun take offence at the questions and doubts raised against our religion =)

God bless,
Kenneth

Chilli crabs....yummy!

2005-05-23T11:17:00.000+08:00

How do we know God's will? I think that's the issue Kenneth has raised.

The first and most important reference point - The Bible.

God has spoken throughout history and this has been recorded for us in the bible. Of course, when we are seeking GOd for some direction, one has to be discerning as to which verse the Holy Spirit is directing him/her to read. (I strongly disagree with the flipping open of the bible and taking the first verse that sounds sensible as God's will).

The second source of direction - people / animals.... God can use friends / family.... or even a whale to direct you to do His will. In a community (such as ours), we have accountability such that if one of us were to stray (eg. go to zouk and get pissed drunk), the others would try and counsel that such behaviour is not good for that person.

There are some issues which the bible does not explicitly discuss though....such as ....which JC should I go to, shall I go overseas to study etc. Here, if there is no right or wrong choice, then take the choice your heart desires and which you feel peace with. Coz it's His peace the leads us.

When I left for australia long ago (at the age of 15), was I sure this was the right choice? Frankly, I had no choice to begin with! My parents decided and next thing I knew, I was in a foreign land adapting to australians who didnt seem to like asians very much. Taken out of my school in Spore where I had been doing well to face racist taunts by virtue of skin colour, I found it quite tough at first. And God is real in such situations. He protects (I didnt get beaten up by the huge aussies), and yeah...I learnt how to see His will that He loves people who I find difficult to love!

Choices. Many of you will grapple with tougher choices as you grow up. And I want to urge you to start learning to listen to what God is saying to each and every one of you. Trust Him to lead you. Prov 3:5-6 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight".

Feel free to drop serene or myself emails / phone calls on any issues you want to talk about.

God bless!

jinwei

freedom to choose

2005-05-21T22:12:00.000+08:00

ok before i blog, heres something out of point. a heartless murder took place in my house today. his legs we chopped off and his shell was flipped open, before a knife was driven into his heart. if i had a choice i would have just dunked him in hot water. but it still didnt stop me from having chilli crab later on =) -yummy-

God made man from dust, and gave man the freedom to choose. He could have made ALL of us people of strong faith, worshipping Him and loving Him all the time. Yet He let us choose the life we want. why? to filter between the good and the bad? because heaven does not have enough places for all of us? hmm. lets think about it ( okok i dont have a definite answer. i'll leave it to you guys to come up with an answer)

we were called not to conform to the practices of this world, and to follow in God's commandments always. dont sin dont cheat dont lie dont murder... and the list goes on. of course it is hard to not sin (everyone can testify to that.. rite?). so how are we going to keep our decisions the way God wants it to be?

Jinwei said ask God, Keith said pray. ding ding ding! but what if you cannot hear God's voice? what do you do. keith said pray harder =) what do you guys think?

being in this world, we face temptations. this temptations affect our decisions. all my frens go clubbing, so i should i go too. all my frens are doing this, and its cool, so i should follow them. (a.k.a peer pressure). then theres practicality(is there such a word?) VS principles. should you be practical, or still follow God's command? i cant think of a really good situation. perhaps you desperately had to tell a white lie to protect your friend, to stop him from getting into trouble. but then lying is a sin. so what do you do? of cuz it isnt the best scenario i can throw at you, so you may not be able to feel the dilema. perhaps when i think of one i'll tell you =)

I've thrown many questions around without properly answering one of them =p just wanted you guys to think about everything. there is no definite answers, but there are many diff views, and i would like to hear from you guys =) God has allowed us to make our own decisions, so choose wisely =D

- kenneth

In response to Jinwei's post

2005-05-21T21:35:00.000+08:00

Well i find that we shouldn't go steady with a person from a different religion. However exceptions such as buddhistism which my friends said that converting to another religion from that is not breaking the law of buddhistism. However other races such as Catholics are adviced by their priest to go with only Catholics. That would cause conflict with each other and seldom would a couple of different beliefs be successfully together in my opinion.

Well talking about zouk, i haven't gone there..like of cos. hahah. but its sooner or later that we'll start going there. if we are invited to go there, its our own personal character and attitude towards that place. if we are easily influenced by peer pressure then i suppose we shouln't step near those grounds. But if our countions is clear, i doubt any obstables placed before us can really stop us. So its alright to go into zouk as long as u can a clear mind.

Drinking well.. drinking is cool as long as u dont drown your sorrows with it. To me, i think you shouln't drink to get your sorrows away. Its just not right. Drinking can be exceptional on occasions such as weddings or parties but just control it. If thats your max then stay there.

My opinion-Family,church,schoolwork,friends.
My current-Friends,church,schoolwork,family

With Lots Of Laughter,
KEITH

squashing the fly....

2005-05-19T12:52:00.000+08:00

In response to Kenneth's blog....

I disagree that the killing of a fly / pests is wrong!! In fact it's a good thing!

btw....I think what Kenneth wrote on perfectionists is very sound. Everyone....pls read!

Many of you will be facing a crossroad pretty soon....ie. Where should I study next year. Shall I go to JC / Poly or overseas etc?

This is probably the first major crossroad many of you will face. Other decisions you probably might be faced with include. .....

1. Should I go steady with that non-christian boy /girl?
2. My friends go to zouk and said that it's very happenin.... Shall I go along as well?
3. Is drinking wrong?
4. Which priority should come first .....school work, church, family, friends etc?

There's a clear cut answer to the first question. It's no. I'd appreciate your views if you have any...can blog it!

The other questions....the answer is...it depends.

As many of you have come to realise, some decisions are easier to make than others.
The guiding principle is.....Ask God.

We all have the holy spirit within us and the holy spirit will lead and guide us.

For myself, I've faced everyone of the above decisions and well.... some decisions turned out to be good ones (eg...I pulled back from going out with a non-christian gal .... ) and others were neutral....(eg. did go to zouk less than 5 times, I hardly drink (dont find pleasure in it), and for priority it's pretty simple. Relationship with God first, followed by wife (Serene), then family, then ministry & work tied. Having this priority list has helped me to know what is most crucial to me. Must be frank though that at your age, my priorities were slightly wonky... I put studies at the top, followed by family and then God.

shockingly....I even skipped church on sundays so as to study for tests! Somehow God was and still is so patiend with me. He showed me in Australia (where I studied for 6 yrs), that it's only by putting him first / honouring Him, then will my studies be ok. God does want us to do well in our studies. He wants us to achieve our potential. But it's only when He's our pursuit, not our ambitions, not our goals, then will we start to see His purposes for us.

See you guys @ the bowling alley on sat.

jinwei

Is He really someone you can turn to at all? Even in times of great personal crisis?

2005-05-19T00:40:00.000+08:00

Taken from a website.

The answer is a solid “Yes!” —God, the Creator of the universe, truly wants you to know Him. God wants us to rely on Him and experience His strength, love, holiness and compassion. In the Holy Scriptures, Jesus says to all who are willing, “Come to Me all who are heavy burdened.”(Matthew 11:28-30) Do you feel God like the weight of the world is on your shoulders? God tells us that He can be “our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.”(Psalm 46:1)

With lots of laughter,
KEITH

busy vs burnt out

2005-05-18T14:25:00.000+08:00

hello pple.. something to think about here!

"A busy Christian relies on his God. A burnt-out Christian relies on his strength."

the world tells us to be strong. but then.. let's learn to see that we're weak. and then rely on God. =)

1 Cor 12:9-10 - But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

take care you all! thanks very much for all ur prayers.. my exams are over. really appreciate it. *grins. bbye!

love,
denise

2005-05-18T12:39:00.000+08:00

today's society demands each and every one of us to be perfectionists, striving to be perfect at every single thing we do and we have conformed to this idea that perfect is the only way to survive. yet nobody can be perfect; we will always make a mistake somewhere along the way. so why set such an impossible target. just achieving the best we can should be good enough

but theres the snag. in a world where everyone tries to be perfect, good work and deeds are rarely recognized. instead ppl focus on where you have gone wrong, putting you down and hoping you learn from the mistake. if there is an infinite number of mistakes we can make, how are we going to learn all of them.

so our best may not be good enough for the world. we get demoralized as we see our achievements disappear into thin air, and our wrong doings emphasized to us. it only spurs us on to work harder, pushing beyond the limits, and at the end we might not have achieved anything but feel really worn out.

so in this world wat good we do more often than not goes unrecognized, and the bad will be harped upon

but it is different wif God. every little good act is recorded. yes you let the mosquito buzzing ard u go free instead of squashing it, or you gave up ur seat to someone who needed it more. it is recognized by God, even though everyone ard u doesnt notice. and thats all that really matters, cuz He will bless you!

and what about the wrong things. guess wat? He doesnt harp upon it, in fact He forgave you even before u committed that wrong! He sent His son to die for us on that cross, and in return all our sins are forgiven. ALL. isnt that wonderful?

so although at times you may feel disheartened at the fact that your best effort has gone unnoticed, remember that God sees it all, every little thing. and you'll get your credit =D

-kenneth =)

2005-05-17T21:40:00.000+08:00

today i watched coach carter! it was a show all abt determination, will power, self confidence and how winning isnt everything. yes a bit cliched, but still the plot and storyline was effective in bringing these out.

so what happens when you have confidence? u have a clear mind that is focused on your goal or the task at hand, and this helps boost your performance. having more confidence going into an exam hall helps you relax and concentrate on your exam. confidence makes you perform better in any area of your life; academically, physically, mentally.

having confidence in someone will boost he/her performance too in the same ways as mentioned above. having confidence = trusting = faith.

therefore the stronger ur faith in someone, the more confidence u have in that person, the greater the "results" produced.

how strong is your faith in God today? =D

-kenneth (i'm a great digresser eh? xD )

forgot to share something...

2005-05-17T21:37:00.000+08:00

heyhey! hahah this thingy happened kind of long ago but just wanted to share this with you guys...

well this year my life has kind of been revolving a lot around softball, and our whole team has been really fixated on winning the gold... all we could ever talk and think about was to win win win all the way. it got to some point where i even distanced from God a little cos this winning thing was kind of turning into some form of obsession.

i kept turning to God for strength during every match, but when it got to the semi-finals, i knew God was there but i guess it wasn't His will for us to win. that day after losing the semi-finals all of us were really REALLY heartbroken and i was kind of asking God why He couldn't just answer that simple prayer of mine... to just let us win the gold for once. but little did i realise that i was just being really ignorant and superficial, unable to see past the pain of these trials to experience God's greater plan.

two days after the semis we picked ourselves up once again to play our 3rd-4th placing match. and well it was really a superb game and God really showered His blessings on us that day. every single one of us played super well and yeah we were just totally elated after the game. the end of that game also signified the end of our season, and our time spent together as a team. it was only then that we really started appreciating each other as teammates and it finally dawned on us that winning isn't everything.

God presents us with trials to teach us valuable lessons in life. we may not be able to comprehend God's purpose for us during the course of that trial, because of our limited human understanding. but always remember and stick to the faith, that God always wants the best for us, and He always has the best plan.

"For i know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11

have a blessed week... see you on sunday :)

bel

Until He calls us on....we'd witness in "Jerusalem".

2005-05-16T19:04:00.000+08:00

Stuck in Jerusalem
"... you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8
For most of my life I have heard the term "the great commission". That's what we're supposed to do as believers, which is to share the good news ("gospel") with other people. It's based on a verse in the bible where Jesus was in Jerusalem (after God raised Him from the dead). Jesus was addressing his disciples just before He left the earth and went back to heaven.
I was thinking about this recently. I don't travel to other countries. I don't really even want to go away and do missionary work. So I wondered, "Can I be a "witness" if I never get to third world countries?
We have a large, immediate and extended, family. Not a huge family, but nice sized, and all living close by. We span four generations. Most of the family gatherings take place at our home and a lot of the family networking is done through me. Somehow, this seems to occupy the bulk of my time and I love it. Nothing in the whole world makes me happier than my wonderful family.
Of all the many blessings God has given me, my family is the greatest. And this is my "Jerusalem". The verse says first in Jerusalem - then (concentrically) to other places.
I'm pretty much stuck in "Jerusalem", and glad of it. What better place to share good news?!

sensibles..!

2005-05-15T22:47:00.000+08:00

Hey man sensible. U guys know how to do those stuff like the shoutbox? im a total newbie at these things. i know annabel knows so can u help me put it in? thanks a million yeah. oh btw, i found today's word of exhortation really useful and helpful. i think they should do these format in which they tell u what you are going to learn in the following months. its one of the few exhortations which really benefited me!! hahah

2005-05-11T15:59:00.000+08:00

heyy people. lolx.

thanks for praying for me for the exams.. and for the encouragement :) the toughest 1st 3 days are over. now i feel sort of blank and tired. haha.

but God's been really kind and awesome as usual. i was feeling discouraged and felt like giving up. but den so many pple smsed me in the morning to encourage me! haha sometimes God speaks in other ways when we're too tired to listen to Him.

and its really so sweet walking thru it with Him. for Him and to Him. when i'm tearing out my hair and on the verge of screaming, He reminds me that 6 points isn't as impt as Him. haha.

pls keep praying! everythings not over yet. haha. thanks!

love,
denise