Sera speaks: "How can defeat encourage you."

Sera is a theatre production student from La'Salle, she never fails to inspire others around her with her deep convictions and carefree expression of God's love. She's blessed with a beautiful singing voice too!

Leviticus 26:17 NLT

"I will turn against you, and you will be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you, and you will run even when no one is chasing you."

This was exactly how I felt today. Defeated and running away from something that may or may not be chasing me.

Many things have been happening in school lately and I've been trying to figure out my discouragements.

....................................................................................................................................................................

Defeat in the world is only temporary. It hurts but it goes away. God would never allow me to be hurt by the world. But yet again, would He? In a way, I feel like, does defeat come from God or does it come from the devil? I guess with a spiritual heart and mind, I'm able to deal with it both ways.

The situation I was in could work both ways. Sometimes I wonder if God and the devil works together in these kinda things to see which way I turn to. But what comforts me is, whenever I feel that I am defeated, I'm always learning from them. And that I can garantee, is from God. =)

With my insecurity with how people view me, I got defeated because I cowered away when I couldn't live up to the standard of my director. I was confused because she was so nice to me but spoke badly about me behind my back. In a way I really do feel like im running from something that may or may not be chasing me.

I felt defeated. I felt lousy about myself and I didn't want to show my face. I didn't want to deal with the situation because I didn't want to risk being hurt again. It takes up too much emotion in my to deal with something like that.

We feel defeat when it is our weakness that is put to the test. Sometimes we blame God for attacking our weaknesses when maybe it was for us to see something about ourselves. Maybe reveal a strength that we have.

Something that I got out of this was....

-God created me.

-He is far more powerful than the devil.

-He can either stop the devil from hurting me or show His might by letting me be tempted and and seeing me overcome it.

It is up to me how I want to view my defeats. When I choose to see it as something that would help me grow when I overcome it, I'm one step closer to God and I gain a point for giving the devil a punch. "In your face!!!" =)

So how can defeat encourage me?

I think its so that God can show His might when I overcome it by going to Him. =) We glorify God when we pick ourselves up.

Romans 8:31

"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us."

Amen.... =)

Love!

Sera speaks: "Do we remember each other?"

Sera is a theatre production student from La'Salle, she never fails to inspire others around her with her deep convictions and carefree expression of God's love. She's blessed with a beautiful singing voice too!

Philippians 1:7-8

"It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Jesus Christ."

How much do we long for each others presence?

Paul says, "...whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel..." He still thinks about the people in Philippi. People he never really knew closely and personally and yet he loves them with the affection of Jesus. =)

How much more should we love each other in the ministry, or our small groups even. =)

It is very difficult to constantly love each other when we're so close because we tend to assume everyone is ok. We can't wait around for a problem before we, then, share our love. It has to be a constant thing. How much of the ministry is really in our hearts? =)

Paul had a prayer for the Philippi church and it is a prayer for us to.

Philippians 1:9-11

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God."

How much do we want this for each other? To keep each others hearts close to God and on a righteous path.

I know I do. =)

Who's with me?

Love.

Alex from the East speaks: "Mockers or Weepers."

A big guy with an even bigger heart, Alex is a brother who is very contented and happy. He finds joy in the little encouragements God places in his life.

“Is it worth it?” This phrase/question has been used several times in many ways of our society, especially when we want to purchase something. For example, a car, a house, or even daily necessities.

But has anyone ever asked “Is it worth it for Jesus to have died on the cross for me?”

I came across this over a few months ago when my group was doing a study on Jesus. We had freedom of just reading any passages in the Bible related to Jesus. So I was going through all the miracles he performed and then I noticed something. There were 2 distinct groups of people witnessing his death. The MOCKERS and the WEEPERS.

Definition:
“Mocker” (Thanks to dictionary.com)
– Noun
-someone who jeers or mocks or treats something with contempt or calls out in derision

“Weeper” (Thanks to dictionary .com)
- Noun
-a person who weeps.

I’m sure somewhere along our life we have been a mocker and a weeper. But as disciples of God, where do we stand in our spiritual life?

In the bible, there were several accounts of Jesus being mocked at by different people.
Matthew 26:57-67 [Mocked by the Sanhedrin]
Matthew 27:20-26, Mark 15:1-15, Luke 23:1-23 [Mocked by the crowds in front of Pilate]
Matthew 27:27-31, Mark 15:16-20, Luke 23:36 [Mocked by the soldiers]
Luke 23:39 [Mocked and insulted by the criminal next to him]

I know that there is a lot to read but all these contributed to Jesus still wanting to die for us. How does he do it? All I can is the ultimate example of LOVE! Loving us enough to die for us no matter what.

Now for the passages that mentioned the weepers:
Like 23:26-31 [Followers who mourned and wailed for him]

Yes! I kid you not, there was only 1 verse mentioning some followers who were weeping for him en route to the crucifixion! Notice the contrast of the ratio to the previously mentioned mockers!

Now imagine this scenario. Jesus from the beginning was preaching the good word of God to thousands and they responded. Then within a matter of hours, you see a drastic change of attitude! The same people who responded ended up mocking him and calling him names and telling of crimes he was innocent of! How do you think Jesus felt if you were in his shoes? So was it worth it?

I personally think that it was worth it! He spread the word far and wide! Amongst all those discouraging moments, there was that one short moment of seeing that group of weepers! In today’s context, it is almost equivalent to finding a Sugar Cane Drink stall in the middle of the Gobi desert! The moment of happiness and satisfaction that all those things were worth it!

So how do I apply to my life now? Well the fact is, as disciples we are both a mocker and a weeper! At times of sin, we mock while at times of repentance, we weep! The whole beauty of it is that when we are broken about those moments of pride and sin that is when God truly weeps for joy!

We can learn from Peter, he too was a mocker when he denied Jesus 3 times before the rooster crowed. But after that he wept and did repent. BUT don’t get me wrong! I’m not saying that gives us license to start sinning! It all starts from you attitude! Hope this sharing does help!

Cheers to all!

Stefanie speaks: "Reformation."

Stefanie, our dear sister from Indonesia, is currently doing her Masters in Civil Engineering at NUS. She's full of life and also full of child-like wisdom!

Dear all,

just wanna share my QT from II Chronicles 29-30, now that I have the time to write a proper email to u. Since the passage is quite long to attach here, I'll go
straight to what I got.



I read about Hezekiah and how he purified the Temple and planned to have a Passover which hadn't been done for centuries, since the time Solomon died. In this passage there're some characters who responded differently to the reformation Hezekiah did.

1. Hezekiah himself
I appreciate his heart. He did what was right as soon as he knew the truth, not wasting time. It takes courage to do something that hadn't been done for a long time, and insisted to have the Passover though they couldn't make it on the designated time. He even invited people from Israel to join the celebration, because he knew despite of the separation that happened, Israel was still their brother. He prepared everything he could, divided responsibilities to his leaders and people, and his key of success was said in ch 31.


II Chr 31:21 In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.

2. The Priests
Priests supposed to have more honored position than the Levites, they're in charge of everything in the temple and that honor had not been kept by themselves. They were unprepared during the time Hezekiah purified the temple because they're not wholehearted. They supposed to lead and give examples but they failed to do that.


29:34 The priests, however, were too few to skin all the burnt offerings; so their kinsmen the Levites helped them until the task was finished and until other priests had been consecrated, for the Levites had been more conscientious in consecrating themselves than the priests had been.

One of the reason why the Passover was postponed was also because of the unreadiness of the priests.

30:3 They had not been able to celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem.

But then when they saw how the people of Judah and Israel were moved by God and the celebration, they were ashamed and change.

30: 15 They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the temple of the LORD.Maybe they half believe that the people would believe in God anymore, after forsook him for so long. They didn't even have the faith to keep themselves pure for God. But there is always time to change,and God will still accept it.

3. The wholehearted Levites
Their job is to maintain the temple, helping the priests, but they were more conscientious (in NKJV: more diligent) than the priests. We may not have a big role or have a great position in a reformation, but it makes a difference when we work hard for it, even more than others. Though their priests didn't set a good example, they still did it for God.

4. The unprepared Israelites
They might be unprepared by the normal standard God set, but at least they had the heart to come, and Hezekiah tried the best to made everyone eligible for the celebration, either by giving offering and the most powerful one was his prayer. God knew their hearts, so they didn't die when they ate the Passover meal.


30:17 Since many in the crowd had not consecrated themselves, the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all those who were not ceremonially clean and could not consecrate their lambs to the LORD. 18 Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone 19 who sets his heart on seeking God—the LORD, the God of his fathers—even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary." 20 And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people.


5. The people who mocked them
A lot of Israelites mocked that idea, I think the messenger to Israel must have felt very discouraged. They ran through the whole country and found a lot of rejection.

30:6 At the king's command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read:

"People of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 Do not be like your fathers and brothers, who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their fathers, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see. 8 Do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were; submit to the LORD. Come to the sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. 9 If you return to the LORD, then your brothers and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will come back to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him." 10

The couriers went from town to town in Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, but the people scorned and ridiculed them.

They were the one who missed all the celebration, the joy, and the relationship with God.

Well, reformation can start from one person, inspires the others and God will bless it if the goal is to glorify Him. Obstacles and rejection is a part of it, but not to let us give up.

Whatever you want to change, have faith in it.


Luv y'all

Stefanie C.

Sera speaks: "I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

Sera is a theatre production student from La'Salle, she never fails to inspire others around her with her deep convictions and carefree expression of God's love. She's blessed with a beautiful singing voice too!


Psalms 139:13-16

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

God created my inmost being. My heart, the way I think, the way I feel. It's special and unique. There's only one of me and only one of you. =)

My mother carried me like a basket. A basket of God's creation. He knitted me into who I am today. With every twist and turn I was woven into a beautiful girl. A masterpiece who is of His refelction. Because I was made by God and in His image, I dare not say that I am worthless. I dare not say that I am not capable.

I can be secure in my God. Because He made me to be like Him. He made me to have His love, His righteousness and His wisdom. In a secret place I was made. Just like a doll maker makes his dolls in secret and only reveals them when they are just perfect.

God revealed me the day I was conceived. I was a perfect little being in His eyes. He even loved me when He was planning for me. He loved me when I was growing in that secret place. He loved me enough to see me grow and be revealed to the world. A perfect little being.

God saw my unformed body and had a plan for me. He made me because He believed in me.

My life was written out in a little book in your left pocket. You constantly take it out to re-adjust my life. You write in that book with a pen because what you have written is final. Before I came to be, you knew how I was going to go back to you. Before I came to be, you knew who my friends would be. Before I came to be, you knew you would love me. =)

I can't run away from my God. No matter where I run I will still end up in His heart, where He placed me safely in the beginning. =)

Vivian from the west speaks: "Seeing Differently."

Seeing Differently

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.
A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.
Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"
The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way."
What he had written was: "Today is a beautiful day & I cannot see it."
Do you think the first sign & the second sign were saying the same thing? Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral of the Story:
Be thankful for what you have.
Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively.
Invite the people towards good with wisdom.

Sera speaks: "Embrace Suffering"

Sera is a theatre production student from La'Salle, she never fails to inspire others around her with her deep convictions and carefree expression of God's love. She's blessed with a beautiful singing voice too!


1 Peter 1:6-7
"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed."

Was feeling a lot the past few weeks about school and knowing that I needed to persevere through these last 2 years. Thinking about it worries me alot and also frustrates me.

Deep down in my heart I know it's God's plan when I'm put into situations. But the other side of me just doesn't want God's plan in my life. It's too difficult! The part which is battling in me is that I KNOW God is real and I KNOW that my life is a journey that will always be facing struggles and suffering in many forms. And I also know that in the end.... after I persevere through it.... I reap a beautiful harvest for God. My growth. =)

Tonight, I spoke with Marilyn and Vanessa about the things I've been going through and how I wanted to just get out of this rut that I've been in for too long.

I was told, I needed to come to a point where I realised life is difficult. And it will always be. There will always be challenges and my heart needed to be prepared for the worst.

I needed to embrace that fact that I will always suffer in any situation. It's when I expect it, that's when I'll be ready for it. And somehow it wouldn't seem so tough. =)

Peter was told by Jesus that he was "Satan" for telling Jesus not to go on with what was willed by God to be crucified. He was afraid of suffering and always shunned from it. But if you read in the whole of 1 Peter, it talks about suffering - Suffering for doing Good, Suffering for being a Christian.

Peter didn't like to be in situations where he'd struggle and suffer. But later he embraced it and rejoiced over his own suffering. =)

Here's something Mari told me that really moved me to tears. =)

"Nobody trips over mountains
it is the pebbles that cause us to stumble.
Cross all the pebbles in your path
and you'll realise you've crossed over that mountain."

I guess if I don't embrace it, I'll never know how to deal with it. =)

Amen

Love you all...

Victoria speaks: "Where do you aim your faith?"

Victoria, a psychology grad from NUS, is a full-time teacher in a secondary school. She enjoys cooking and that makes many of us in Campus very happy indeed!

Hi dear sisters and brothers,

just wanna share a short one as I dug out my old quiet times.

Jeremiah 26:8-15 Questions to ask ourselves: Where do we aim our faith? Do we aim our faith at Jesus or something else? Let's think about this when we are in shooting practice. During shooting practice, it takes some practice to aim and make sure our scope is aimed at the target before we shoot. Generally, with some practice, it's not too hard to shoot the target. Yet, when we are out on the REAL battlefield, aiming for the target is much harder. There will be many distractions ie, bombings, other machine guns' sounds, your friends getting hurt, etc. You might also be pushed around you might be lying or sitting in an awkward position. How is our aim then? It's the same for our faith. In reality the scope of our faith is daily being batted about, so that we constantly need to take the time to sit down and recalibrate our sights. If God's people and religious leaders can be distracted during Jeremiah's time, let's take Jeremiah's advice and always stay focused on God. Once we lose sight, it's easy to be led astray... :)

I know right now, everyone is very busy with projects la, assignments la, term papers la, coming exams la... remember to stay focused on the Lord as well k?

Love, Vic da Queen

Mari speaks: "Art of Evangelism"

Marilyn is a full-time business student in SIM; she loves making new friends and sharing her life and walk with God with them.

Jiayou Campus for the harvest month! Let's take it higher :)

Guy Kawasaki, a former evangelist for Apple computers, talks about the art of evangelism. In a nutshell, what used to be a religious term has been borrowed by business.

In a quirky step farther, let's take evangelism back to the church and reapply Kawasaki's art of evangelism on churches. Obviously we're a couple steps removed from the original concept of evangelism so not everything fits, but it's an interesting exercise.

1.) Create a cause.
Thankfully for the church, we already have a cause. No need to sweat this one.

2.) Love the cause.
Kawasaki says 'evangelist' isn't a job title, it's a way of life. Sound familiar? He also says, "No matter how great the person, if he doesn't love the cause, he cannot be a good evangelist for it," which might be a useful point in the debate over Christian/non-Christian marketers.

3.) Look for agnostics.
Basically it's more productive to go for those who are more likely to buy in. That makes sense for business, and is a worthy reminder for the church, BUT we're also called to go after those least likely to buy in, whether it's productive or not.

4.) Localize the pain.
Christianese and revolutionary language aren't helpful--how is faith practical? Our faith may also be revolutionary, but that may not be the best way in.

5.) Let people test drive the cause.
It's hard to imagine test-driving a faith and in some ways it's very contrary to the way Christians think, but letting someone tag along and "try out" church without making a commitment can be huge. Does your church leave room for people to test drive Christianity.

6.) Learn to give a demo.
is one where many Christians, myself included, flounder. Can I explain my faith in a way that makes people excited? Can my church explain it in a way that gets people interested?

7.) Provide a safe first step.
Goes back to the idea of a demo. Is the "safe" first step an alter call in front of a thousand people? Are there too many expectations on a new Christian?

8.) Ignore pedigrees.
The church so easily panders to those with power. But Jesus wanted the masses.

9.) Never tell a lie.
This should be a no-brainer for the church, but sadly many of us are hypocrites, and that never helps the cause.

10.) Remember your friends.
New convert begats new convert. That's how the church started.

Take a moment

"Take a moment

Say a prayer

For those who's lives, were not spared."

September 11th 2001

Remember and take a moment with our American friends. =)

Sera speaks: "Pride blinds you."

Sera is a theatre production student from La'Salle, she never fails to inspire others around her with her deep convictions and carefree expression of God's love. She's blessed with a beautiful singing voice too!

Hey there everyone! =)

I'm back from awhile of absence. Nothing technical went wrong, just that my heart was facing a bit of turbulance.

Want to share with you my quiet-time that I planned to do for my heart to change, which really inspired me and got me back on track.

After 6 months of consistancy to not fall into an emotional spiral, I finally crashed and burned. Many tiny little battles I was fighting was getting a little too overwhelming for me. And it took just one more tiny little thing to tip the scale. My Pride. Which has nowadays become an extremely obvious sin to notice.

Took out my TouchPoints and searched humility. Read these, and they really made me think...

Daniel 10:12 NLT

"Then he said, 'Don't be afraid Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard from heaven. I have come to answer your prayer."

God Acknowledges the prayer of the Humble.

My pride stopped me from that. It stopped me from seeking and requesting from God. And even when I did pray and have requests from God, they weren't acknowledges because I was in this state of pride and God doesn't acknowledge sin.

Isaiah 57:15

"I refresh the humble."

God gives Joy and Refreshment to the Humble.

My pride blinded me from seeing, feeling, hearing anything that was joyful or refreshing. it stopped me from seeing God and seeing what God wanted to give me. Freely. God is not seen because I wore sin as a bilndfold.

Psalm 138:6

"Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but He keeps His distant from the proud."

God takes care of the Humble.

When I choose to walk on my own and deal with situations by myself, I fall. I hurt myself. I feel insecure. I feel angered. I feel frustrated. I don't feel taken care of. Because God only takes care of those who know they can't take care of themselves.

Psalm 147:6

"The Lord supports the humble, but He brings the wicked down into the dust."

God Supports the Humble.

I felt like I was in the dust. I just felt so lost and so prone to feeling so irrational and emotional. I was very unstable because of this pride I had. The lack of humility to say, "God you are proud of me for who I am, I don't need to worry about that and feel threatened by anyone."

I couldn't bring myself to say that because I didn't trust that God had the control. I relied on my own control of my life.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It wasn't like I had a revelation. I just needed to put in a little effort to pull myself back onto the right path. And once I start thinking of wanting to pull myself together, God comes to the rescue and swoops me off my feet and He throws me with encouragement. =)

Pride blinded me from my vulnerability to temptation and led me to repeat the sins of my past.

I was so blind to what I was doing, feeling and saying. And all I want to do now is be humble. And have the joy of knowing that God wants me to be humble so He can lavish me with love. =)

Isn't that great? To have confidence that when you let go, someone so real is right there waiting to catch you and carry you through a journey.

All He asks for is humility... =)

Love you so much....

Sera

Sandy from West speaks: "Being Grateful"

I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel Was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled With angels.

My angel guide stopped in front of The first section and said, "This is the Receiving Section. Here, All petitions to God said in prayer are received." I looked around in this area, and it was Terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world. Then we moved on down a long corridor until We reached the second section.

The angel then said to me, "This Is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them." I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.

Finally at the farthest end of the Long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. "This is the Acknowledgment Section," My angel friend quietly admitted to me. He Seemed embarrassed "How is it that? There's no work going on here?" I asked.

"So sad," the angel sighed. "After people Receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments. "How does one acknowledge God's Blessings?" I asked. "Simple," the angel answered. "Just say, "Thank you, God."

"What blessings should they acknowledge? " I asked.

"If you have food in the refrigerator, Clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer Than 75% of this world. "If you have money in The bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

"And if you get this on your Own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity. "
Also .....
"If you woke up this morning With more health than illness .... You are more blessed than the many who Will not even survive this day. "If you have never experienced The fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, Or the pangs of starvation .. You are ahead Of 700 million people in the world. "If you can attend a prayer meeting Without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world.

"If your parents are still alive And still married... You are very rare. If you can hold your head up and smile, You are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair."

Ok, what now? How can I start?

If you can read this message, you Just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as Very special and you are more blessed than Over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, And if you want, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

Sera responds.

Sera is a theatre production student from La'Salle, she never fails to inspire others around her with her deep convictions and carefree expression of God's love. She's blessed with a beautiful singing voice too!

Hey Lingpin and the rest... =)

I personally feel very convicted that this was shared so bluntly. What's the point of sugar coating it right? Anyway, yea in the area of mission you all know I'm like not the best in... wooooo faaarrr from it. But it really made me think about my priorities. Once my productions start, meaning tmr, what am I going to do to keep to the right priorities? Am I going to bury myself in productions and tell myself it's too difficult to balance? Am I going to run away from doing what is right? If I had a choice, I would bury myself in school and not come to church. But I don't have a choice do I? I am a christian... And I declare it LOUD and PROUD!

I've come to terms with my schedule and the things I die die have to do in school. I've come to terms with the fact that I may not see you guys as much as when I was on holiday. And I've also come to terms that I can take time off to pray to God and hang out with Him when i cant see you guys. I can squeeze in dinner with those who want to have dinner... I can squeeze in lunch with those who want to have lunch. Come to think about it, I have all the time in the world right now while Im still a student. Yes I complain my schedule is tough. But you have breaks inbetween don't you? The world ain't that evil when you know God first created it. =)

I'm gonna try to live up to what I've said here. Which are what God commands of us. If we all just do this together.... The journey through this life won't be that difficult.

Do what's right k? Put God first. As students it's tough because there are things in school we do that tempts us to compromise.... But put God first... Maybe not in your actions, but in your hearts. Maybe not in your hearts, but in your thoughts. God sees us inside out. Not how the world sees us. which > do you treasure more? =)

Hope we start our weeks off with this as a boost in our urgency and our faith... =)

Thanks lingpin for sharing your thoughts and your heart with us. I saw it as a 'something encouraging about balance' rather than not so encouraging. =)

Love you all so much... Although Im busy. my phone's 24/7..... call alright?

Sera

Lingpin speaks: "Something not so encouraging about balance"

Lingpin works for the Army and is a full-time servant for God. He serves in many areas in church, including playing the drums for the church band and editing videos and taking photographs. He inspires many with his sacrificial heart.

Hi guys,

I just wanted to share about the midweek lesson that Wee Keong did for the East, with a campus twist. Its campaign month as you know and everyone is getting ready to reach out and help others to know God. What can some of our reactions be? What should be our attitude during this time of out reach? What is applicable to our daily life as campus students?

First , Make Every Effort.

in 2 Peter 1:3 - 10 it reads;

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is near sightedand blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

What's this all about? it's about encouraging one another to go forward, and making every effort to increase our knowledge, increase our love, increase our focus on God and all things necessary to grow spiritually. It's about making every effort. Like panting, sweating, painful, you-can-do-it, uncomfortable effort. That kind.

How many times in our daily life have we made decisions that simply do not reflect this? How many times have we devoted out time and money into things that dont really matter in the long run (eternity)? Sometimes, it could be hostel activities, sometimes it's work, some times its insecurity in wanting to shine in school... sometimes it's selfish ambition.

Brothers and sisters, i want to strongly encourage you to make spiritual choices in the way you spend your time and effort, dont dig the wrong wells. Make every effort in the correct things, in the things which really matter. Be bold and courageous to tear yourself away from the worldy things you love most because it will be your downfall. Spend your effort in the things that matter for eternity. No, your degree doesnt count for anything in heaven. Or in hell for that matter.

Would God say at the end of the day "Im proud of you because you spent your whole university life chasing good results. But you only gave token effort in your mission, in your evangelism. Its ok. I understand youhave no time for Me. I wont blame you." Indeed it saysin verse 9, " You are nearsighted and blind"! Dont just remember the good things, also remember that God promises to spit us out if we are lukewarm.

Go through your priority lists and your timetable and ask yourself the hard questions about where you stand before God. The priorities of a disciple are as follows:

1. God.

2. Church.

3. Family.

4. Yourself.

5. Friends. (and what they think)

Are you making every effort? Be sober about yourself and think carefully, maybe rethink some of your convictions. That said, please continue to study hard and shine in school. Just get your priorities straight. You dont want to have a rude shock at then arrow door. (Luke 13:22-28) "No, it couldnt be me!" You might want to think twice before you say that.

Secondly, Business Is Not Godliness.

in Luke 10:38-41 it reads,

"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he cameto a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord,don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

I guess i dont have to explain this verse too much.

What are you busy with busy little bee? Where is God in your life and efforts? Are you joyful in your burdens?

Sera shared about having a balance in life.. indeed itcan be a precarious juggling act. Seek advice if you're not sure how to juggle it. Dont let Satan trick you into thinking that "I can handle it". Be open, behumble, seek advice from wee keong and joyce, seek advice from graduates, and seek advice from your other disciple peers. Really listen, because we can do it together, with numbers as our strength. We were never made to live in isolation, where savage wolves prowl.

Satan (and even wicked people) has always been described as a wolf or a lion. Satan can even lure you out with the things which seem harmless, or even misdirect you so that you lose your way with the "good to do" things, before he rips your spiritual life apart. Things like courses, seminars, programs, activities, even serving in the church! Be wise with your use of time. Dont focus on the acts of worship like merely coming to church and all that. Focus instead on worship itself. Do you know God? Or is He astranger?

Brothers and sisters, listen carefully to these words of warning. Pay heed to what the bible says and hold it close to your heart, for it will save you.

Our motto is "where young lives are changed and spiritual leaders are born".

So go and change your life. And conform no longer with the patterns of this world.

Love you always (enough to say all this),

Ling pin.

Tong Wei speaks: "Another side of Mother Teresa"

Tongwei is a business student in NUS, she works hard to glorify God through her studies by always giving her best and no matter how busy she may be, she makes time to serve and love disciples.

Hi guys!

I came across a really interesting article that talks about a side of Mother Teresa whom the world does not know, a Teresa who was spiritually dry and struggling.

"On Dec. 11, 1979, Mother Teresa, the "Saint of the Gutters," went to Oslo. Dressed in her signature blue-bordered sari and shod in sandals despite below-zero temperatures, the former Agnes Bojaxhiu received that ultimate worldly accolade, the Nobel Peace Prize. In her acceptance lecture, Teresa, whose Missionaries of Charity had grown from a one-woman folly in Calcutta in 1948 into a global beacon of self-abnegating care, delivered the kind of message the world had come to expect from her. "It is not enough for us to say, 'I love God, but I do not love my neighbor,'" she said, since in dying on the Cross, God had "[made] himself the hungry one — the naked one — the homeless one." Jesus' hunger, she said, is what "you and I must find" and alleviate. She condemned abortion and bemoaned youthful drug addiction in the West. Finally, she suggested that the upcoming Christmas holiday should remind the world "that radiating joy is real" because Christ is everywhere — "Christ in our hearts, Christ in the poor we meet, Christ in the smile we give and in the smile that we receive."

Yet less than three months earlier, in a letter to a spiritual confidant, the Rev. Michael van der Peet, that is only now being made public, she wrote with weary familiarity of a different Christ, an absent one. "Jesus has a very special love for you," she assured Van der Peet. "[But] as for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great, that I look and do not see, — Listen and do not hear — the tongue moves [in prayer] but does not speak ... I want you to pray for me — that I let Him have [a] free hand."

The two statements, 11 weeks apart, are extravagantly dissonant. The first is typical of the woman the world thought it knew. The second sounds as though it had wandered in from some 1950s existentialist drama. Together they suggest a startling portrait in self-contradiction — that one of the great human icons of the past 100 years, whose remarkable deeds seemed inextricably connected to her closeness to God and who was routinely observed in silent and seemingly peaceful prayer by her associates as well as the television camera, was living out a very different spiritual reality privately, an arid landscape from which the deity had disappeared."

(You can read the full article at http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1655415,00.html Copyright, Time Magazine)

Is this beginning to sound discouraging? Yeah, that's what I thought at first as well...But reading on, it's clear that Mother Teresa had the ability to do what she did because of God. To have such a heart for the poor and suffering and the to carry out her love with physical sacrifices - this is the divine at work.

I was really impacted by the article, because it just shows the enormous amount of faith Mother Teresa had. To continue with her work in the order even though she wasn't "feeling inspired", or "seeing God in her life". That, to me, is the ultimate testament of faith - clinging on to God even when it seems infinitely bleak.

Let's question ourselves, are we disciples only when life is rosy? Basing our faith on volatile feelings about God. For Mother Teresa, the cross was real, and was never discounted by the fact that she faced devastating agony every single day for 50 years. I can imagine myself in her shoes, feeling bitter that God didn't show Himself to me or make my path smoother (Hello!? I'm working for you, I've devoted my life to your cause , where are youuuuu?!?!), but Mother Teresa humbly and faithfully stuck close to God.

We can all take a leaf out her book.

Love,

Tong Wei

Victoria speaks: "Preparing my heart"

Victoria, a fresh psychology grad from NUS, is a full-time teacher in a secondary school. She enjoys cooking and that makes many of us in Campus very happy indeed!

Ezekiel 14

Idolaters Condemned

1 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me. 2 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 3 "Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all? 4 Therefore speak to them and tell them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face and then goes to a prophet, I the LORD will answer him myself in keeping with his great idolatry. 5 I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.'

6 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!

7 " 'When any Israelite or any alien living in Israel separates himself from me and sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face and then goes to a prophet to inquire of me, I the LORD will answer him myself. 8 I will set my face against that man and make him an example and a byword. I will cut him off from my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

9 " 'And if the prophet is enticed to utter a prophecy, I the LORD have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel. 10 They will bear their guilt—the prophet will be as guilty as the one who consults him. 11 Then the people of Israel will no longer stray from me, nor will they defile themselves anymore with all their sins. They will be my people, and I will be their God, declares the Sovereign LORD.' "

Judgment Inescapable

12 The word of the LORD came to me: 13 "Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its men and their animals, 14 even if these three men—Noah, Daniel [ a] and Job—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign LORD.

Dear brudders and sisters,

I just wish to share something I learnt today from the Bible. It's what Sandy shared during the mini-dgrp after the West midweek on Tuesday to prepare our hearts for the campaign month. As I was reflected on this this morning, I was asking the question why God wanted to keep scolding the Israelites again and again AND punish them again and again. I was thinking why? Won't the Israelites be even more rebellious? And today, when I was teaching English in my Normal Technical class, something dawned on me. I was having a especially hard time today with them as they were consistently noisy and disruptive throughout the lesson. I was feeling very tired and was a bit grounchy so noise was not a good addition to my negative state already. After different bouts of shouting, promising them treats as the lesson I planned involved them eating something in class, etc, I was feeling rather defeated when most of the class continued to make their noise and refused to listen to my instructions.

I sat down at the teacher's table and felt my tears threatening to come out. As my HUGE ego continued their hardest to suppress the tears, I looked at them and suddenly stood up. I shouted... or rather ROARED at them and suddenly they were very quiet. I then spoke in a rather quiet tone about how I am very close of giving up on them. How I could bloody well (yes I used the word 'bloody') just throw them worksheets and did not care whether they learnt or not. How I could just heck care whether they hand in their work or do their work with their heart. They could fail their English and it would not affect badly on me AT ALL cos they ARE expected to FAIL any way (NT students get promoted hether they pass or not). Then I told them that if a teacher refuses to even shout and scold them, they should not be happy. Cos it means the teacher has given up on them and is no longer caring whether they learn anything or not. The students kept quiet for about 10minutes and they continued their noise-making albeit at a softer volume later. Most of them did finished the work I planned but I hope they got the message which I seriously doubt. :P

When I went back to the office, I remembered the questions I asked. God punished and shouted at us because He cared enough to keep scolding us. He loves us so much that despite of the heartache and headaches and sore throats He might have, He continued to scold and warn the Isarelites of the consequences. God punished severely in the hope that others would learn. He sacrificed His son for us so that we no longer need to pay a price. Let's remember that as we reach out to the lost and try our best to love them. Our friends may refuse to listen and be rebellious but let's not lose heart. God will be scolding them in LOVE consistently and He will not give up.

Hope my sharing is not too confusing.

Love, Vic