tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64703925409406072212024-03-06T03:59:07.780+08:00hullo! 'sup? =Pstuff i'm/'v been/'ll be up to... and random thoughts, just in case i have any. =)siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.comBlogger126125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-80011402821886220002013-08-09T15:39:00.003+08:002013-08-09T15:39:39.007+08:00You are Lovedsong composed for Kiew Chao Zhen =)<br /><br /><u><b>Verse 1:</b></u><br />
<br />
Your joyful smile<br />
no guilt, no guile<br />
as you discover<br />
this world of wonder<br />
<br />
You've learnt to stand<br />
to use your hands<br />
to crawl and creep;<br />
soon, run and leap<br />
<br />
and i pray that as you grow<br />
each passing day, you'll come to know<br />
<br />
<u style="font-weight: bold;">Chorus 1:</u><br />
<u style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></u>
<i>That you are loved, you are dear</i><br />
<i>you are precious, without peer</i><br />
<i>you are worth, much more than gold</i><br />
<i>far beyond things bought or sold</i><br />
<i>yes, you are loved!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b><u>Verse 2:</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
soon, words you'll wield<br />
i hope they'll yield<br />
to you great pleasure<br />
tomes full of treasure<br />
<br />
there's this one Book<br />
i hope you'll look<br />
beyond the words<br />
to find the Word<br />
<br />
and i pray that as you grow<br />
each passing day, you'll come to know<br /><br /><u><b>Chor</b></u><u><b>us 2</b>:</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
<i>that you are loved, you are dear</i><br />
<i>He braved the Cross to draw you near</i><br />
<i>your are worth, much more than gold</i><br />
<i>He shed His blood, a price untold</i><br />
<i>yes, you are loved!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b><u>Bridge:</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
you'll face bouts of storms and rain<br />
walls of doubt, fear, and pain<br />
but if you're His, and He's yours too<br />
in all of this, He'll see you through<br />
<br />
<b><u>Finale:</u></b><br />
Repeat Chorus 1, beginning with 'for' instead of 'that'<br />
Repeat Chorus 2, beginning with 'yes' instead of 'that'siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-84703828132474798122013-05-13T01:53:00.002+08:002013-05-13T01:53:20.060+08:00titik hitam dalam sejarah negaraku: adakah ia akan berulang?<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 18px;">salam sejahtera kepada semua.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 18px;">hari ini adalah 13 Mei 2013. tarikh tersebut mengingati semua warganegara malaysia tentang satu titik hitam dalam sejarah negara kita, iaitu rusuhan 13 Mei 1969. =(</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 18px;">kebelakangan ini, dalam beberapa perbualan </span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333015441895px; line-height: 18px;">online, saya mendapati bahawa ada segelintir orang yang cenderung membangkit-bangkitkan 13 Mei sebagai sesuatu yang menakutkan. lazimnya, orang yang sedemikian mengutarakan pendapat-pendapat berikut:<br />1. orang cina dan DAP adalah dalang di belakang tragedi 13 Mei.<br />2. sekiranya rakyat Malaysia yang berketurunan cina terus menyokong pihak pembangkang dan tidak mengembalikan sokongan mereka kepada BN dan MCA, maka ada risiko bahawa tragedi 13 Mei akan berulang sekali lagi.<br /><br />adakah ini benar?<br /><br />saya amat menghormati Tunku Abdul Rahman sebagai Bapa Kemerdekaan kita. dengarlah suara beliau, menjelaskan tentang peristiwa hitam 13 mei 1969 dalam video ini: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Ffeature%3Dplayer_embedded%26v%3DXfrD4wVRTc8&h=nAQHbn_q9&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XfrD4wVRTc8</a><br /><br />beliau berkata bahawa rusuhan tersebut telah digunakan oleh pihak-pihak tertentu dalam UMNO untuk menjatuhkan beliau!<br /><br />dari <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fnoto513.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F06%2F21%2Fthe-real-story-behind-may-13-by-tunku-abdul-rahman%2F&h=YAQHWo3E5&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://noto513.wordpress.com/2008/06/21/the-real-story-behind-may-13-by-tunku-abdul-rahman/</a>, beliau berkata bahawa beliau enggan memberikan permit polis bagi pihak pembangkang membuat perarakan mereka, kerana beliau mengetahui bahawa 'racial tension' pada masa itu amat tinggi dan perarakan sedemikian berpotensi mencetuskan perusuhan. namun, Tun Razak telah mengizinkan permit tersebut tanpa pengetahuan beliau!<br /><br />tambahan lagi, lihatlah apa yang ditulis oleh Dr. Mahathir dalam suratnya kepada Tunku pada 17 Jun 1969. surat tersebut dapat dibaca di sini:<a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmalaysiansmustknowthetruth.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F03%2Fmay-13-riots-mahathirs-open-letter-to.html&h=tAQGa4sP-&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://malaysiansmustknowthetruth.blogspot.com/2012/03/may-13-riots-mahathirs-open-letter-to.html</a><br /><br />daripada surat tersebut, jelas sekali bahawa Dr. Mahathir menyalahkan Tunku dan berpendapat bahawa polisi dan keputusan-keputusan Tunku telah mencetuskan rusuhan Mei 1969.<br /><br />semua ini bukannya bertujuan berkata bahawa orang cina dan DAP tidak bersalah. memang ada di kalangan mereka pada masa itu yang berfikiran rasis. mereka telah meraikan kemenangan mereka dalam cara yang tidak dapat diterima, bukan sahaja oleh orang melayu, tetapi juga tidak dapat diterima oleh saya sebagai seorang anak bangsa malaysia.<br /><br />namun demikian, jelas sekali bahawa apa yang telah berlaku jauh lebih kompleks daripada "semuanya salah cina dan DAP". terdapat juga politik dalaman UMNO yang perlu diambil kira. dalam perkara ini, mungkin semua pihak juga memikul sebahagian daripada kesalahannya.<br /><br />tambahan lagi, DAP pada hari ini tidak sama dengan DAP pada zaman itu. saya sendiri bukan ahli mana-mana parti politik, tetapi saya ada ramai sahabat karib dalam DAP (dua contoh: <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=862695523&extragetparams=%7B%22directed_target_id%22%3A0%7D" href="http://www.facebook.com/edwardlingsm?directed_target_id=0" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Edward Ling</a> dan <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=587582048&extragetparams=%7B%22directed_target_id%22%3A0%7D" href="http://www.facebook.com/jamesyeang?directed_target_id=0" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">James Yeang</a>). mereka tidak bertujuan mengambil alih kuasa dari orang melayu. mereka akur dengan kedudukan khas dan hak-hak istimewa orang melayu. mereka cuma ingin membetulkan masalah ketidakcekapan, korupsi, dan ketamakan dalam pemerintahan malaysia yang menyebabkan negara kita ini mengalami hutang yang semakin meningkat dan menghadapi bahaya menjadi negara yang muflis sebelum 2019! (tak percaya? lihatlah <a href="http://www.mstar.com.my/berita/cerita.asp?file=%2F2010%2F5%2F28%2Fmstar_berita%2F20100527203431&sec=mstar_berita" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.mstar.com.my/berita/cerita.asp?file=%2F2010%2F5%2F28%2Fmstar_berita%2F20100527203431&sec=mstar_berita</a>)<br /><br />terima kasih kerana membaca 'status update' saya yang terlalu panjang ini sehingga takat ini. kalau ada apa-apa yang telah saya katakan yang tersilap atau salah, maafkanlah saya. marilah kita bawa berbincang; marilah kita sama-sama mencari kebenaran.</span>siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-80298492554631942242013-02-07T14:57:00.002+08:002013-02-07T15:41:26.728+08:00The Milk ChantAre you hungry? <i style="text-align: left;">Your cries I heed!</i><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
If you're hungry then it's milk you'll need!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Are you hungry? <i>Oh, yes, indeed!</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
If you're hungry then I'll give you a feed!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Take out the bottle and place it upright!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Open the thermos, screwed so tight!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Mix water hot and cold, yes that's right</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So the temperature will be just right!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Now add in the powder, don't be rough!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
One scoops, two scoops, just enough!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Screw on the teat, but not too tough!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Shake it and stir it, that's the stuff!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Now the milk is ready, to the cot we go!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Pick you up and put you down, don't start crying, no!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Put the hanky at your chin, tuck it there just so!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Open up, cause here it comes, the milk is here, yo-ho!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-4749600592645748842013-02-05T21:48:00.004+08:002013-02-05T21:48:36.786+08:00My Precious Son<u>Verse 1:</u><br />
My boy, i see you now<br />
so cute and cuddly, lying there<br />
my heart just exclaims, "wow!"<br />
at your tiny fingers, your bright-eyed stare<br />
<br />
but i know, things will not stay this way<br />
you will grow, you're changing everyday<br />
<br />
<u>Chorus:</u><br />
and i want to remember<br />
each moment, to treasure<br />
the time spent with you, my precious one<br />
gladly i'll hold you<br />
and feed you and change you<br />
i thank God for you, my precious son.<br />
<br />
<u>Verse 2:</u><br />
my boy, i see you soon<br />
you will grow big and strong and you'll stand on your own<br />
find your voice, sing your own tune<br />
first you'll walk, then you'll run, then this nest you've flown<br />
<br />
but for now, that day's still far away<br />
so i'll hold you and kiss you and smile and say:<br />
<br />
(<i>to the Chorus!</i>)<br /><br /><u>Bridge:</u><br />and i pray, that you will walk His way<br />
you will love Him and follow Him everyday...<br />
<br />siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-60439928182128934322012-09-10T15:44:00.001+08:002012-09-10T15:44:15.017+08:00Welcome to the World! =D<u>Verse 1:</u><br />Welcome to the world<br />
Welcome to existence<br />
We eagerly await your arrival<br />
Into our lives, beloved son<br />
<br />
For five years, we have dwelt in love<br />
Enjoyed each others' company<br />
But finally the day draws near<br />
You'll complete our love and joy<br />
<br />
<u>Chorus:</u><br />
So come, come into the world<br />
This miracle of life, God has given to us<br />
Come see, the beauty He has made<br />
Of which you are a part<br />
Even as your lifetime starts<br />
Welcome to the world!<br />
<br />
<u>Verse 2:</u><br />
We pray you'll grow up strong and fine<br />
In body, spirit, soul, and mind<br />
Maturing to fulfill your potential<br />
and be all God intends for you<br />
<br />
But most of all we pray<br />
That you will know and love the Lord<br />
Seeking after Truth, as we have named you*<br />
for the Truth will set you free<br />
<br />
(go to chorus)<br />
<br />
*written for Kiew Chao Zhen, September 2012. our son is due to be born at the end of next month. his name means "towards Truth". =Dsiehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-87383259757080458892012-02-15T13:08:00.002+08:002012-02-15T14:22:45.538+08:00Psalm 86:2b - TrustBack to Psalm 86 again... to the second half of the second verse, which says: "You are my God; save Your servant, who <b>trusts</b> in you."<div><br /></div><div>what does it mean to <b>trust</b>? the classic illustration is that of the man pushing a wheelbarrow on a tightrope across the niagra falls. trusting that he can do it isn't just clapping my hands and saying, "yeah, you can do it!". if i really trust that he can do it, i'll get into that wheelbarrow and let him push me across in it. </div><div><br /></div><div>in other words, <b>trust</b> is more than just intellectual assent or lip service. it is a choice, an internal attitude of the heart that will be shown in external actions. it is having full confidence in God; as David says, "<i>you are <b>my</b> God</i>." </div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>There are some situations in which we can do nothing, and we just have to be still and trust in God. then there are other situations in which we can and should take action, but our trust must be in God and not in our own efforts. He alone is <b>my</b> God who saves me.</div><div><br /></div><div>so, as we go through today (or tomorrow, if you're reading this at night) let us ask ourselves: </div><div><ol><li><i> Do i really trust in God?</i>... think about it, ponder over it, and then make your choice - in whom or what will you place your trust? in your own intellect, wisdom, skills and abilities? in other human beings, who are bound to fail you sooner or later? in wealth and riches, which slip through your fingers like sand? or in God, the Solid Rock of Ages, the Ancient of Days, the Faithful One?</li><li><i>if i really trusted in God, how would it show in my daily life? </i>... think about it, ponder over it, and then if you have chosen to trust in God, make the necessary changes. start small - perhaps with a whispered prayer before delving into work tasks, or a pause for self-reflection when you find yourself worried and bothered about household financial issues.</li></ol><div>but again, remember, even as we think about it, ponder on it, and try to apply this truth to our lives - our trust mustn't be on our thinking, our pondering, and our efforts! we must keep our focus on God - He is the one in whom we trust. it is only by His grace and with His help that we can grow in trusting Him. may He so lead and guide every person who reads this today. =)</div></div>siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-33424512100109083582012-02-11T12:02:00.005+08:002012-02-11T12:24:16.474+08:00Look at the World!haven't written a song in a while... but got the creative urge yesterday, and let it brew... what inspired me was this beautiful pic of Lake Matheson in New Zealand, which is now my desktop pic.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswQ2AU75CR4jkf6KwuSukLiYL0UT1CBfOcRw6ls-JzhOxUHoU_YaZfVETBSfXMIiXvli-mmWDrLrHLkZNIKwJMvQVs8oqKXckNtmfS0EL6NohKpUeiRuhoSpO0GdwfGVr-JQIblG1P_8R/s1600/Lake+Matheson%252C+NZ.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswQ2AU75CR4jkf6KwuSukLiYL0UT1CBfOcRw6ls-JzhOxUHoU_YaZfVETBSfXMIiXvli-mmWDrLrHLkZNIKwJMvQVs8oqKXckNtmfS0EL6NohKpUeiRuhoSpO0GdwfGVr-JQIblG1P_8R/s400/Lake+Matheson%252C+NZ.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707727539359388594" /></a><br />so this morning, i wrote this song. it's title is the title of this post. =)<div><br /></div><div><i>Verse 1:</i></div><div>Just look at the world all around us</div><div>Its beauty enchants and astounds us</div><div>Majestic mountain's grandeur</div><div>The golden sunset's splendour</div><div><br /></div><div>How did all this beauty ever come to be?</div><div>Could it just have happened, accidentally?</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Chorus 1:</i></div><div>Or maybe there's a Master Artist</div><div>Who thought up these designs</div><div>And gave each of us wondering hearts </div><div>To recognise His signs</div><div>And maybe all this wondrous beauty's </div><div>Meant for us to see</div><div>Clues that there's a loving God</div><div>Who cares for you and me!</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Verse 2</i>:</div><div>But look at the world a little closer</div><div>It isn't all beauty and wonder</div><div>Savage predators devour</div><div>Suffering and death every hour</div><div><br /></div><div>If there's a God, then pain is not an accident</div><div>Are we subjects in some cruel experiment?</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Chorus 2:</i></div><div>Or maybe we're the ones who've turned</div><div>Away His good design</div><div>Rebelling with our wandering hearts</div><div>Our eyes blind to His signs</div><div>And truly, in our proud rebellion</div><div>He could have let us be</div><div>But on the Cross, the loving God</div><div>He died for you and me.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Bridge:</i></div><div>Jesus Christ, both God and Man</div><div>Lived and died to show us God's salvation plan</div><div>Suffered death upon that cross, so that</div><div>We could be forgiven, and so we would know that:</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Chorus 3:</i></div><div><div>Truly there's a Master Artist</div><div>Who thought up these designs</div><div>And gave each of us wondering hearts </div><div>To recognise His signs</div><div>And truly, all this wondrous beauty's </div><div>Meant for us to see</div><div>Clues that there's a loving God</div><div>Who cares for you and me:</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Though sadly, we're the ones who've turned</div><div>Away His good design</div><div>Rebelling with our wandering hearts</div><div>Our eyes blind to His signs</div><div>And truly, in our proud rebellion</div><div>He could have let us be</div><div>But on the Cross, the loving God</div><div>He died for you and me!</div></div>siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-10925121113880687592012-02-08T10:23:00.003+08:002012-02-15T13:08:31.308+08:00Psalm 86:2a - DevotionPsalm 86:2 says, "Guard my life, for i am <span style="font-weight: bold;">devoted</span> to You."<br /><br />what does it mean to be <span style="font-weight: bold;">devoted</span>? it means being fully committed to someone, wholly belonging to him or her. if i say, "i'm devoted to you", it means that you are the focal point of my entire being. my thoughts, words, and deeds are all with you in mind, centred on you.<br /><br />if we are truly devoted to the Lord, it means all these, with Him as the object of devotion. it also means that we are secure in Him. it is from this position of security and safety that David asks God to "Guard my life". if you are under attack, what you need is soldiers, not guards. if you are in trouble, you need someone to help you or save you, not guard you. you only need a guard when you are already in a secure position.<br /><br />so this is a reminder to me, not to forget God when things seem to be going well. for if or when we think we are secure, we still need to remain devoted to Him, and we still need Him to guard our lives.<br /><br />so, let's all go through the rest of this day (or tomorrow, if you're reading this at night) pondering over what it means to be devoted to God, and seeking to grow in our devotion to Him. perhaps we cannot say as confidently or as matter-of-factly as David, "i am devoted to You". but that's ok; we are on a journey, we are works in progress. if we think are just 50% devoted, for example, then let's ask the Holy Spirit to help us move on to be 51% or 52% devoted.<br /><br />and for those of us who already are devoted to God (or at least, are devoted to Him most of the time!), as we meditate on Psalm 86:2 throughout this day (or tomorrow), let us continue to enthrone Him in our hearts.<br /><br />may He guard our lives today and every day. Amen! =)siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-37832180977091248362012-02-02T11:03:00.003+08:002012-02-02T11:45:05.492+08:00Psalm 86:1 - Humilityhullo! =)<br /><br />my blog has been dormant for ages... well, this morning for my Quiet Time i was meditating on <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2086:1-4&version=NIV1984">Psalm 86:1-4</a>, and it is just amazing to me how rich in meaning these 4 short verses are. so i decided to share my thoughts on it here, for the few who may read it.<br /><br />for today, i will just share my thoughts on the first verse... it says, "Hear, O Lord, and answer me; for i am poor and needy." as i read this first verse of Psalm 86, it seems to me that David's attitude to God here, is an attitude of humility in spiritual poverty.<br /><br />What does it mean to be <span style="font-weight: bold;">humble</span>? it means having a realistic view of oneself. to think too highly of self is pride; we are familiar with this. but to think too lowly of self is also an inverted form of pride. for example, people often think that they are "not good enough" to serve God. at the face of it, this sounds good and humble. but consider the fact that God does consider us good enough to serve Him; in the Bible, we find Him graciously working with less-than-perfect people all the time. see for example, Noah the drunkard; Abraham the liar; Jacob the conman; Moses the murderer; David the adulterer; and the list goes on. with that in mind, when we consider ourselves "not good enough", we are in effect placing ourselves higher than God. by God's standard, we <span style="font-style: italic;">are</span> good enough; but our standard is <span style="font-style: italic;">higher</span> than God's, and we think we are "not good enough". when you look at it that way, it doesn't seem humble anymore, does it? rather, it is a kind of horribly inverted pride.<br /><br />if we have a realistic view of ourselves, we will realise that we really need God. we are nothing and can do nothing apart from Him (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2015:5&version=NIV1984">John 15:5</a>). sure, we may be able to make lots of money, build towering skyscrapers, have all kinds of seemingly impressive successes and achievements - but without God, on the scale of Eternity, all that is simply nothing.<br /><br />this realisation is a realisation of our spiritual poverty. even if i had a gazillion dollars (i wish! =P), i would still need God desperately. when we realise this truth, then we will say together with David, "Hear, O Lord, and answer me; for i am poor and needy."<br /><br />so, let's all go through the rest of this day (or tomorrow, if you're reading this at night) remembering how much we need God, and seeking Him in humility. we tend to rush through the day, depending on our own strength and wits to get us through the day (or at least, i do!). as we ponder Psalm 86:1 throughout this day (or tomorrow), let us remember God, remain connected to Him in prayer, be aware of His presence with us, and learn to be humbly dependent on Him in all that we do.<br /><br />Amen! =)siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-33579017885663522872011-11-17T20:08:00.002+08:002011-11-17T23:00:16.271+08:00Adam, Eve, and Evolutionthe other day one of my church youths asked me a question that stumped me - "if evolution is true, were adam and eve neanderthals, or modern humans like us?"<br /><br />to be honest, i had no idea how to answer him! =P<br /><br />then a few days later, i was in my uncle's office. he is clearing it out because he will be retiring soon, and he has all sorts of interesting stuff in there. one of his books caught my eye - "Creation or Evolution: Do we Have to Choose?" by Dr. Denis Alexander. i thought it looked interesting, and wondered how the author would handle that youth's question.<br /><br />so i flipped through the book to find out what he had to say about it. this is a summary of what i found. he presented 5 possible models of understanding and connecting Genesis and Evolution:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Model A</span><br /><ul><li>there is no connection at all between Genesis and Evolution.</li><li>Genesis is a theological account, a story or a parable which teaches us about the role and importance of humanity in God's purposes; whereas Evolution is a scientific account, and the two are disconnected.</li><li>in this model, adam and eve did not really exist - they are just characters in the myth of creation.</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Model B</span><br /><ul><li>Genesis is not fully historical, but refers to events that took place in particular times and locations.</li><li>Suggests that as anatomically modern humans evolved, or during some period of linguistic and cultural evolution since then, there was a gradual growing awareness of God's presence and calling to which they responded in obedience and worship.</li><li>Therefore Genesis is a story/parable (like in Model A), but one that refers to real events that took place over a prolonged period of time during the early history of humanity.</li><li>in this model, adam and eve also did not really exist. they are symbolically representative of all humans - everyman and everywoman.</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Model C</span><br /><ul><li>Very much like Model B, Genesis is not fully historical, but refers to events that took place in particular times and locations.</li><li>Unlike Model B, however, this model locates these events within the culture and geography that the Genesis text provides.</li><li>In this model, Adam and Eve were two Neolithic farmers in the Ancient Near East to whom God revealed Himself in a special way.</li><li>Religions may have existed before that, but Adam and Eve ('homo divinus') marked the time that God chose to reveal Himself and His purposes to man for the first time.</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Model D</span><br /><ul><li>This model is known as 'old-earth creationism' or 'episodic creationism'.</li><li>According to this model, the earth is very old as per scientific data, but God has intervened at various points in evolutionary history, particularly:</li></ul><ol><li>creation of the genetic code</li><li>formation of the first living cells</li><li>evolution of the main 'kinds' of animal</li><li>creation of man</li></ol><ul><li>in this model, Adam and Eve were the first anatomically modern man and woman, and they were created directly by God, not evolved.</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Model E</span><br /><ul><li>This model is known as 'young-earth creationism'.</li><li>In this model, scientific data on the age of the earth is disputed or discounted; the earth was created by God around 6-10 thousand years ago.</li><li>All living things were created within 6 literal 24-hour days.</li><li>In this model, Adam and Eve were the first anatomically modern man and woman, created by God on the 6th day.</li></ul>None of the models are perfect. Models A-C run into serious theological problems. for example, what does the Fall mean if we hold to those models? the author favours Model C, but in that model adam and eve were just two humans chosen out of a large existing population. how then can it be that "sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— " (Romans 5:12) ?<br /><br />Model E is problematic because it disputes or discounts scientific data. the only reply i can think of that can deal with the discrepancy between the scientific data and the young-earth creationist understanding of genesis, is that God could have created the world with an appearance of great age. but the problem with this view is that it makes God appear to be a deceiver - he tricks scientists into thinking the world is old, which then becomes an obstruction that keeps them from coming to faith.<br /><br />personally i think i favour Model D. however, it meets a problem very similar to that of Model E; namely, man has every appearance of having evolved, so why did God create him that way? isn't that deceptive as well? off the top of my head, i suppose we could say that God was keeping a kind of thematic harmony; as every other living being was evolved, it might have been aesthetically pleasing to Him that Man also appeared that way. atheists would probably find this suggestion silly, though.<br /><br />in any case those are the 5 models that Dr. Denis Alexander presented in his book. let us continue to think and ponder over questions that matter. the question of whether adam and eve were neanderthals doesn't really matter, as it has no practical effect on us today. but the question of how we understand genesis and what relationship it has with present-day scientific discoveries is an important one, and one worth thinking over.<br /><br />feel free to respond or to think out loud in the comments section. =)siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-14401012655977746452011-10-19T10:44:00.002+08:002011-10-19T11:38:38.150+08:00When i was a young warthog...this morning while looking at my bookshelves, i found a diary that i kept when i was 14 years old. i was quite amused to be reminded of what my 14-year-old self had been like; and i thought it might be fun to share some excerpts here. =)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">31 December 1995, Sunday</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">1. Church - 8.30 am (done!)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">2. Lace shoes (done!)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">3. Wash plates (done!)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">4. Piano Theory class - 2.00 pm (done!)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Friend 1 came to IMYF yesterday and church today. i pray that he'll start coming every week. i've witnessed to Friend 2. praying that he will accept Christ. signed up for Baptism/Membership classes today. went to Church watchnight service tonight. gave my life to Jesus to do what He wanted with it. Very significant decision. IMYF Club Hiking next sunday. this year was great. next year i'm going to grow spiritually in my walk with God. it's going to be even better as God helps me through 1996. =)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Note: Signed up for 2:7 as well. =)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Notes from 15 years in the Future: </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">- For those of you who aren't methodists, IMYF stands for Intermediate Methodist Youth Fellowship. it's for 13-15 year olds; once you're 16 you graduate to MYF. </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">- i'm tickled and touched by the immense optimism of my 14-year-old self. i still have an optimistic tendency today, but 15 years of Real Life has tempered it with a little realism and sometimes even cynicism. not necessarily a bad thing; but it's refreshing to see the world through the naive and hopeful eyes of my past self again, if only for a short while. =)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">8 January 1996, Monday</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">1. Practice Piano (done!)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">2. Wash plates (done!)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">3. Theory Homework (done!)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">4. Study Geography (oops, not done.)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">5. BM Tuition - 7.30 pm</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">(done!)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Today during Geography period, the teacher asked to see her homework. i honestly didn't know anything about it! when she asked me why i didn't do my work, i told her that i hadn't heard anything and she accused me of lying. how can she do that?!?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Anyway, i've had a great day apart from that. looking forward to a brighter tomorrow!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Notes from 15 years in the Future: </span><br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">- Just in case any foreigners read this, BM stands for Bahasa Malaysia. it is our national language, and is a compulsory subject in schools up to the secondary level.</span><br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">- still tickled by the optimism, lol! and i remember that geography teacher... she was strict and scary.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">11 January 1996, Thursday</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">1. Practice Piano (done!)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">2. Wash plates (done!)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">3. Piano lesson - 9.30 am (done!)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">4. BM Tuition - 7.30 pm (done!)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">5. Maths homework (done!)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">6. Science homework (done!)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">After IMYF today i didn't go for 2:7 because Mum said Aunty Kim Guat said i shouldn't. i was the only person in the IMYF who signed up for 2:7. Aunty Kim Guat wanted me to be with my own age group (if i joined 2:7 i would be joining a MYF group). in IMYF today Aunty Kim Guat started a Bible Study, so i signed up. i hope i won't be the only one again!</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Notes from 15 years in the Future: </span><br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">- Oh, for those who don't know, 2:7 is a discipleship and bible study course by the <a href="http://www.navigators.org/us/ministries/cdm/services/#2:7%20Series">Navigators</a></span>.<br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">- Eventually, in the following year, a 2:7 group was started with kids my own age. it was great! i learnt a lot, and i think it played a big role in helping me to grow and mature as a Christian.<br />- 4 years later when i was in Form 6, i led a group of younger kids in 2:7... sadly, they quit after finishing book 2 (the whole course is 6 books), saying it was too tough. =(<br />- Now, as a Youth Worker in Taman Ujong Methodist Church, i am leading another group of youths in 2:7. i pray often for them, that they may grow in the knowledge and love of God. =)<br /></span>siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-66352767236399959982011-10-13T11:51:00.003+08:002011-10-13T13:16:08.540+08:00What Happened on Resurrection Sunday?those of you who are familiar with the Gospels may have noticed that they differ quite a bit, on quite a number of details, in their accounts of what happened on Resurrection Sunday. this has long been a nagging question in my head, but i've just not taken the time to sit down and look at them to see how they fit together, until this morning.<br /><br />i guess there are probably many ways different people may try to harmonize the four accounts, and perhaps we may never be able to know with 100% certainty exactly what happened that sunday. this, however, is my best guess at how events played out; and i'm reasonably satisfied with it.<br /><br />if you've ever wondered why the accounts differ, perhaps my reconstruction of events might be helpful to you:<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">1. There was a violent earthquake. (Matt 28:2)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">2. An angel descended, rolled back the stone, and sat on it. (Matt 28:2)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">3. The angel's appearance was like lightning, his clothes white as snow. (Matt 28:3)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">4. The guards were stupefied by fear of the angel. (Matt 28:4)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">5. The guards later recover and run away. (Conjecture)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">6. Very early on Sunday morning, while it's still dark, Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb alone. (John 20:1)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - maybe she couldn't sleep, or was woken up by the earthquake. (Conjecture)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">7. She sees that the stone has been rolled away. (John 20:1)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">8. She tells Peter and John, and they race to the tomb. (John 20:2-9)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - Luke 24:12 says that Peter went to the tomb, without mentioning John.*</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">9. Peter and John leave, but Mary stays and cries. she looks into the tomb and sees 2 angels in white, seated at the head and foot of where the body had been. (John 20:10-12)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">10. The angels ask her why she is crying, and she replies that Jesus body has been taken and she doesn't know where they have laid him. (John 20:13)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">11. She turns and sees Jesus</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - She recognizes Him only when he calls her name.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - He tells her not to hold Him, to go and tell the disciples. (John 20:14-17)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">12. She goes to tell the disciples. (John 20:18)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - and she eventually does! but some things happen before that... (conjecture)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">13. On the way back, she meets the other women who are going to the tomb and returns to the tomb with them. she doesn't say anything yet, maybe because she's still processing it all and can hardly believe it herself. (conjecture)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">14. The women all go to the tomb together, with spices to anoint Jesus' body. (Matt 28:1, Mark 16:1, Luke 24:1 and 10)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - Luke has the most complete list: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary mother of James, and others.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - Mark omits Joanna but includes Salome.*</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - Matt mentions only Mary Magdalene and 'the other Mary'.* </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - The two Marys are included in all three accounts, probably because they are the most important or well-known women in the list.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">15. As they walked, they asked each other, "Who will roll away the stone?" (Mark 16:3)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - note that, as per point 13 above, Mary Magdalene is silent although she knows that the stone has been rolled away.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">16. When they get to the tomb, they find that the stone is already rolled away. (Mark 16:4 and Luke 24:2)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - at this point, Matt goes into a flashback to explain why and how the stone has been rolled away (see points 1-5 above).</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">17. Some of the braver women enter the tomb first. (conjecture)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">18. They find the body missing and are perplexed. (Luke 24:3-4)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">19. Suddenly, 2 men (angels) in clothes that gleamed like lightning appear, standing beside them. (Luke 24:4)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">20. The angels:</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - ask why they look for the living amongst the dead</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - proclaim that Jesus is risen</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - remind the women that Jesus had said that He must be crucified and resurrected. (Luke 24:5-8)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">21. As they speak, one of the angels walks to the right side of the tomb and sits down. (conjecture)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">22. At the commotion of the angels appearing and speaking to the women in the tomb, the other women who did not enter the tomb at first come in. (conjecture)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">23. The angel seated on the right tells all the women,</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - Don't be afraid or alarmed</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - Jesus has risen</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - Come, see the play where He lay</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - Go, tell the disciples (Mark adds, "and Peter")</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - He is going before you to Galilee. (Matt 28:5-7, Mark 16:5-7)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Notes on point 23:</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - I think that Mark doesn't mention the other angel because only the seated angel speaks at this point.*</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - Previously, in his flashback, Matt has the angel sitting on the rolled-away stone. but he does not specify the angel's position at this speech, so we can go with Mark in this matter.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">24. The women leave the tomb trembling and bewildered, and saying nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. (Mark 16:8)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">25. However, Jesus Himself meets them on the way, and they worship Him. (Matt 28:9)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">26. Jesus reinforces the angel's words:</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - Don't be afraid</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> - Tell the disciples to meet me in Galilee. (Matthew 28:9-10)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">27. While the women continued on their way, the guards who had earlier run away (see point 5 above) go to report to the Chief Priests. They are told to tell people that the disciples stole the body. (Matthew 28:11-15)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">28. The women (including Mary Magdalene - see point 12 above) go back and tell the disciples everything, but are not fully believed (Luke 24:9-11) until later, after Jesus makes a few more appearances.</span><br /><br />* these points with asterisks are examples of the principle, "an omission is not a contradiction". different accounts may omit certain details for reasons known only to the author; but when we read them together we get a clearer picture of the whole thing.<br /><br />for example, let's say that while shopping in Jusco i bump into Mr. A and Mr. B. You are close friends with Mr. A, but you don't know Mr. B. Later when i meet you, i say, "guess who i bumped into in Jusco earlier! your good friend Mr. A!"<br /><br />note that i am not lying to you by omitting Mr. B, although i bumped into him as well. i simply don't mention him because i don't think he's relevant to you. and later, if i meet someone else who does know Mr. B, i can well tell him that i bumped into Mr. B without contradicting my earlier statement to you that i had bumped into Mr. A.<br /><br />with that principle in mind, i hope that we can see how the 4 gospel accounts of what happened on Resurrection Sunday can fit together to give us a more complete picture of that wonderful event. Moreover, i hope that seeing this will give us confidence to believe that He is indeed risen; and knowing the risen Christ will fill our lives with joy and hope, for He has conquered sin and death. =Dsiehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-38478493358099003322011-09-21T14:59:00.006+08:002011-09-21T15:37:34.654+08:00Psalm 105:37-45 - What God Has Done! =)<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">i preached this sermon last sunday, 18 September 2011. since i've typed out the outline and all as part of the assignment for my LPL (Lay Preacher's Licence) Homiletics module, i just thought i'd post it here. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">hopefully it might make my blog a little less dead. =P<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">What God Has Done!</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Psalm 105:37-45</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Introduction</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">• As Christians, each of us should have a story or many stories to tell about what God has done in our lives.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">• Today’s passage proclaims what God has done in the life of the nation of Israel.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1. <span style="font-weight: bold;">He Brought Israel Out of Egypt</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">• Explanation:</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">o Seen in Psalm 105:37-38, 43.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">o Historical record found in Exodus 12:31-36.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">o The exodus as a type or foreshadow of our salvation.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">• Application:</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">o Get to know the God who saves.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">o Be thankful to God for saving us.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">o Tell others about this God who saves.<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">2. <span style="font-weight: bold;">He Protected and Guided Them</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">• Explanation:</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">o Seen in Psalm 105:39.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">o Historical record found in Exodus 14:19-20; 40:34-38.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">• Application:</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">o God protects and guides us even when we stray from Him. </span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">o However, we must follow and obey God to fully enjoy His protection and guidance.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">3. He Provided for Them</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">• Explanation:</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">o Seen in Psalm 105:40-41, 44.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">o Historical record found in Exodus 16:1-3, 11-16; 17:3-7; Joshua 24:11-13.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">o Was God unfair to take the Promised Land from its’ inhabitants and give it to the Israelites?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">• Application:</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">o Acknowledge God’s provision and thank Him for it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">o Trust in God’s provision.<br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Conclusion</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">• This psalm celebrates what God has done for Israel, and reminds us of what God has done for us.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">• In thankfulness and love, may we live our lives as acts of worship to this great God. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">For After Sunday:</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Think:</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />I must be mindful what God has done in my life, and be thankful.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Talk:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1. How did you first come to know the God who saves? How can you help others come to know Him too?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">2. Share an incident where you personally experienced God’s protection and guidance.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">3. Why do we tend to trust in ourselves rather than in God’s provision? What are the effects of such misplaced trust?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Do:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Tell one non-Christian friend about something that God has done in your life.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Remember:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">“He brought out His people with rejoicing, His chosen ones with shouts of joy.”</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Psalm 105:43, NIV</span><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">i didn't actually give out this outline on sunday. i only prepared it after the fact, as homework for the homiletics course. looking at it now it would have been nice if i could have put it in the hands of the congregation for them to look at while i was preaching... something to think about for future sermons.<br /><br />if you're interested, you can also take a look at the visual aids i used <a href="http://prezi.com/uql9vxfglidp/what-god-has-done/">here</a>.<br /><br />as always, feedback is welcome. =)<br /></span>siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-16737822290630733192011-02-26T10:16:00.002+08:002011-02-26T11:03:48.329+08:00Intro to Contemplative Retreat - Day 2: Meditation 1<span style="font-style: italic;">opening prayer</span><br /><ul><li>Lord, give me grace to stay in Your presence and be attentive to You.</li><li>teach me to hear You, listen to You, talk with You, learn from You, interact with You, worship You, know You - not just from the head, but from the heart.</li><li>my head came in here, thinking of Romans 12:2 - "be transformed by the renewing of your mind". the word 'mind' here is 'nous' in greek, and it actually means <span style="font-weight: bold;">heart</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">mind</span>.</li><li>just the mind is not enough - must have the heart as well!</li><li>i've focussed much on training my mind - now it's time for my heart to catch up.</li><li>reminder to self: don't <span style="font-weight: bold;">study</span> with my mind - <span style="font-weight: bold;">meditate</span> with my heart!</li></ul><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />lectio</span> (reading):<br /><ul><li>aiyo! so easily distracted! just read 4 verses from Exodus 3:1-12 and my mind began to wander.<br /></li><li>moses' encounter with the burning bush led me to think of divine initiative and human response, which led me to think of the atheists i've interacted with online and wonder how that dynamic has gone wrong (many of them claim that they've responded to God, even begged Him to help them keep their faith, but God just remained silent... as if He didn't exist. which was how they ended up atheists.) this then led me to think of various people i know who may be struggling with or not doing so well in their faith... and i had to clear that and commit them all to God before i could continue. cham lor!<br /></li><li>then wanted to write it all here in my journal some more. alamak! distractions are everywhere, even though i'm alone! OK, back to the Word. Lord, help me guard my heart and mind, focus on You and Your Word, not be distracted!</li><li>lectio divina (a method of reading and meditating on God's Word that we were to practice in this retreat, with 4 steps: <span style="font-style: italic;">lectio, meditatio, oratio, </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">contemplatio</span>) is hard. i kept getting distracted when reading the passage. (see above). i'd fall into 'study mode, and/or start thinking about how to teach or preach the Bible's truth to people.</li><li>to use the buffet analogy, instead of actually <span style="font-weight: bold;">tasting</span> the food, i'd begin thinking about what ingredients they were made of, and how the dishes were cooked, and how they'd taste to someone of a different culture.<br /></li></ul><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">meditatio</span> (meditating, chewing over God's Word and hearing His voice):<br /><ul><li>anyway, after all the distractions and false starts, i meditated and chewed over verse 7, which speaks of God as</li></ul><ol><li>the God who sees</li><li>the God who hears</li><li>the God who is concerned.</li></ol><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">oratio</span> (responding to God and what He has spoken, in prayer, worship, commitment, or action)<br /><ul><li>Lord, let me know - really <span style="font-weight: bold;">know</span>, not just in my head, but deep in my heart - that You are the God who sees, and hears, and is concerned. that no matter my circumstances, fears, doubts, pains, sorrows, struggles; times of loneliness or failure or despair or hopelessness; i will have <span style="font-weight: bold;">You</span> as my bedrock and security.</li><li>because You <span style="font-weight: bold;">are</span> my God... You <span style="font-weight: bold;">see</span> me, and You <span style="font-weight: bold;">hear</span> my cries and groans and prayers, and You are <span style="font-weight: bold;">concerned</span>, You care, You love me, You are on my side... even when i'm not on my own side, when i'm inadvertently working against myself and against You.<br /></li><li>thank You, Lord, for who You are. may this knowledge of You be branded on my heart and stay with me always. AMEN.</li></ul><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">contemplatio </span>(just resting in God's presence, no need for further striving or reflecting.)siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-75169920054025592092011-02-22T11:00:00.002+08:002011-02-22T11:44:53.142+08:00Intro to Contemplative Retreat - Day 2: Morning WalkOn the second day of the retreat, we started the day with a morning walk, in which we were to enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of nature, and therein enjoy the presence of God.<br /><br />words can't describe how beautiful that morning was (<span style="font-style: italic;">although i'm gonna try</span>). before even opening my eyes, the first thing that caught up my senses was the sound of birdsong. it was as if the birds were so happy the day had begun, they were bursting with music. the coolness of the highland air was refreshing and invigorating. the trees stood; tall, green, mighty, and ancient. they covered and adorned the hills, which were mightier and more ancient still!<br /><br />i revelled in the fresh smell of pine sap, which i think is one of the heavenliest smells on earth. the very greenness of the moss and the grass - which is normal really, for if not green then what colour should they be? but nevertheless - the very greenness of the moss and the grass was wonderful to me. the sky was a light, airy blue, with almost intangible wisps of cloud. i thought to myself, 'if i were a better scout i'd remember what kind of cloud that is."<br /><br />the beauty of creation all around me inspired me to re-read Genesis chapter One. and indeed, i declared together with God, "<span style="font-weight: bold;">it is good!</span>" and, "<span style="font-weight: bold;">it is very good!</span>" =)<br /><br />at about this time sms-es and calls started coming in, wishing me a happy and blessed birthday. so as i was contemplating God's creation of the world, i was also reminded that this was the day God created me! and my heart was full to overflowing with thankfulness; to the One who had freely given me the good gift of existence, and created all good and beautiful things for us to enjoy, and gave us the senses and faculties to enjoy them! =)<br /><br />however, in the midst of all this joy and thankfulness, there was also a little bit of struggle going on. you see, in this retreat, one of the spiritual disciplines we were to practice was silence. now, there are different degrees of silence. outer silence is easy - just don't open your mouth and make noise. anyone can maintain outer silence, though perhaps for differing lengths of time. inner silence, now, there's the rub. to maintain inner silence is to "<span style="font-weight: bold;">not think our own thoughts</span>", and to "<span style="font-weight: bold;">empty our hearts of our own preoccupations and distractions, and fill our hearts with God's presence</span>".<br /><br />now, that certainly sounds very nice. but how does it work out, practically?!? "<span style="font-style: italic;">i shouldn't be thinking my own thoughts.</span>" - oops, that's a thought! "<span style="font-style: italic;">eh, i shouldn't be thinking about not thinking my own thoughts.</span>" - shoot, that's another thought! "<span style="font-style: italic;">maybe i should write down this struggle/difficulty in my journal</span>" - that's a thought too!<br /><br />but not to panic, i told myself, i'm just a beginner and this is my first ever silent retreat. i'll take things slow and learn to be silent before God - to let my words be few. He will teach me. and over the course of the retreat, although it was still sometimes a struggle, He did. =)siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-65813813549189877522011-02-21T09:56:00.002+08:002011-02-21T12:12:44.176+08:00Intro to Contemplative Retreat - Day 1how did i spend my 29th birthday? The Wife and i were up in Camerons, trying out a Contemplative Retreat - a.k.a. Silent Retreat - for the first time! it was a great experience, and i highly recommend it for anyone who's been a Christian, serving God and trying to follow Him for ages, and wondering "is this all there is to the Christian life? is this all there is to knowing God???"<br /><br />the morning of the first day saw me rushing to complete my Biblical Theology Assignment. got it done just in the nick of time - this one really by God's grace. (reminder to self: now i need to start on the Understanding Islam Assignment! lol)<br /><br />after lunch we picked up a friend and were off to camerons! =)<br /><br />we arrived late for dinner, so munched it as fast as we could, as the other retreatants were waiting for us to begin.<br /><br />the first session was an introduction to what contemplative retreat is, what the goals of the retreat are, and etc. Basically, in this retreat, we were to practice 4 Spiritual Disciplines: solitude (being alone with God), silence (being still before God), meditation (chewing on the Word of God), and worship. after that first session, the silence began! all handphones off, and no talking to one another!<br /><br />here are some thoughts that stayed with me from this first day of the retreat:<br /><ul><li>i realised a <span style="font-weight: bold;">deep need</span> for more meaningful and intimate daily connection with God. had to ask for His forgiveness for neglecting Him, being too busy and too easily distracted. but also gave Him thanks for waking me up!</li><li>in this retreat, we strive to seek God in the <span style="font-weight: bold;">everyday</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">ordinary</span>, and <span style="font-weight: bold;">natural</span>. </li><li>the ultimate goal of the retreat is for us to be able to be <span style="font-weight: bold;">still</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">abide</span> in Him even in the daily hustle and bustle of life.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">enjoy God</span>... DON'T enjoy enjoying God!</li><li>meditate with my heart... DON'T study with my mind! (<span style="font-weight: bold;">meditating</span> is like chewing slowly, enjoying the flavours; whereas <span style="font-weight: bold;">studying</span> is like trying to analyze the ingredients and thinking of the best way to cook and present the food)</li></ul>in following blog posts, i hope to share what i gained from some of the meditations is did (or tried to do) in this retreat. may you be blessed! =)siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-61331306105951411522011-02-08T11:04:00.002+08:002011-02-08T11:20:23.945+08:00trying to capture the uncapturableThe Wife and i have been spending some time, once in a while, viewing pictures and videos from our trip to NZ last year. it's great fun, remembering the good times and re-living the exhilaration of those moments.<br /><br />but really, when it comes to reproducing the sheer beauty, majesty, and splendour of the things we saw there - our pics and vids fall so far short. words are even worse - unwieldy things with vague meanings and connotations! it's almost impossible for verbal descriptions to evoke the sense of awe and wonder that we had when we experienced it firsthand.<br /><br />and yet, those natural wonders are but a glimpse of the Beauty, Majesty, and Splendour of God. Indeed, He is Truly Awesome. and i'd run out of superlatives if i tried to describe Him some more here, so i'll stop. but i hope that we'll all think about it, and be reminded of Him every time we experience some of the goodness, pleasure, and beauty that He has infused our world with. =)<br /><br />p.s. oops, i've neglected the blog for two whole months! so much for the resurrection... *blushes*<br /><br />p.p.s. i just got back from a delightful CNY Break with The Wife and The In-Laws in Penang. to the few who are still reading my blog, and who happen to be chinese, hope you had a blessed Chinese New Year too! =)<br /><br />p.p.p.s. oh no, my Biblical Theology Assignment is due this month! *tears hair out* pray with me, that i'll be able to do it well and finish it in time! =Psiehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-43571058046312357592010-11-16T11:53:00.002+08:002010-11-16T12:03:47.454+08:003 Songs by Caedmon's Calli've been listening to some songs by caedmon's call on youtube, and thought i'd share 3 of them here. hope that you'll be blessed by them, as i've been:<br /><br /><strong>Walk with me</strong><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/evjYvlJcFA0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/evjYvlJcFA0?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><strong>Shifting Sand</strong><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ju3Absdz3Hg?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ju3Absdz3Hg?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><strong>There is a Reason</strong><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TaUDEozHkCI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TaUDEozHkCI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-5329062105619519832010-11-12T10:28:00.004+08:002010-11-12T10:55:51.669+08:00how does one cow collate lameness? =Di know, i know... i'm not supposed to write another post so soon. the thing is, this just came to me last night when The Wife and i were shopping... and i thought it would be fun to share it with the world.=)<br /><br />i hope that (if or when The Wife and i eventually have kids) we'll have identical twin boys! then i can name them Karl and Carl.<br /><br />"<span style="color:#009900;">but why would you do that???"</span> you ask. "<span style="color:#009900;">it would be so confusing!</span>"<br /><br />well then, i'd give them the chinese names: Lay Shern, and Lay Ting.<br />then their full names would be...<br /><br />.<br />.<br />.<br /><em>*drumroll*</em><br />.<br />.<br />.<br />wait for it...<br />.<br />.<br />.<br /><em>*cymbals crash!*<br /></em><br /><strong><span style="color:#6600cc;">Karl Kiew Lay Shern</span></strong> and <strong><span style="color:#993399;">Carl Kiew Lay Ting</span></strong>!!! =D<br /><br />geddit, geddit? lol!<br /><a><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.redwoodreversemortgage.com/images/calculator.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>[<em>in reference to the post title: MOOOOOOOOO! =P</em>]</div>siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-86611179578871948632010-11-10T10:05:00.002+08:002010-11-10T10:40:57.340+08:00Accidental Beauty?hullo world =)<br /><br />i guess no one is reading this anymore as i've left it abandoned it for almost a year (that is, 10 months or so).<br /><br />the truth is, i was waiting for something momentous or extremely important or significantly life-transforming to happen before i'd re-start the blog with a bang.<br /><br />unfortunately, no such event has occurred... lol =P<br /><br />anyway, you might be wondering, what does all this rambling have to do with the phrase, 'Accidental Beauty'?<br /><br />well, The Wife and I, together with The In-Laws, recently went to New Zealand for a family holiday. it is indeed a place of spectacular natural beauty, which inspired me to write the following:<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>Accidental Beauty?</strong></span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Looking on</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">the sea:</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">it seems to stretch, to infinity</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Gazing on </span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">the ocean:</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">its' waves, constantly in motion</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">In my heart,</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">i do feel</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">a sense of awe,</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">a sense of wonder -</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">That we're a part</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">of this real</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">vast and raw</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">majestic splendour.</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">The hills!</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">undulating</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">one upon another, rolling</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">The mount!</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">austere and proud</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">head capped with snow above the cloud</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Some do say </span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">that this beauty</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">is just here</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">by accident.</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">What? no way!</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">That's just batty.</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">To me it's clear</span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">that it was meant.</span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"></span><br />the first half of it was written on the interislander ferry, between the north and south islands of NZ. the second half of it was written as we were travelling from picton to christchurch.<br /><br />well, things are getting busy as we approach the end of the year. some things i have on my plate are:<br /><ul><li><span style="color:#ff0000;">preparing for carolling</span></li><li><span style="color:#ff0000;">teaching membership class - they should be finished by early Dec</span></li><li><span style="color:#ff0000;">ongoing outreach to community youth via free guitar classes</span></li><li><span style="color:#ff0000;">taking steps to start another youth outreach via basketball</span></li><li><span style="color:#ff0000;">preparing for NSCFL workshop - 25 Nov, topic: salt and light</span></li><li><span style="color:#ff0000;">preparing for YouthQuake workshop - 28 Dec, topic: home wars</span></li><li><span style="color:#ff0000;">preaching at TUMC - 21 Nov</span></li><li><span style="color:#ff0000;">Biblical Theology Assignment, due Feb 2011</span></li><li><span style="color:#ff0000;">Islam Assignment, due March 2011</span></li></ul><p>thanks for reading, and supporting me in prayer... i'm not sure how often i will be able to write here. so, 'see' you again when i next post here (hopefully it won't be another 10 months!)</p>siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-83697879977940786782010-01-12T17:12:00.002+08:002010-01-12T17:34:51.856+08:00ZMAX CAMP!!! =)greetings! =)<br /><br />i brush the dust off this blog... and take some time to type something for the diehards who still visit here, in spite of the updatelessness [<span style="font-style: italic;">if you are such a diehard, please leave a comment so that i can thank God for you</span>]...=)<br /><br />my last camp as an SU staff [<span style="font-style: italic;">assuming i do not join SU again one day, lol</span>] will be ZMax Camp.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">where<span></span></span>? Cameron Highlands!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">when</span></span>? 17-20 March 2010!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">who</span>? 13-15 year-olds!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">how much</span>? only RM120 per person! (in a group of 3 or more)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">what if no group</span>? only RM 150 per person!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">what are we gonna do there</span>? some highlights of the programme are jungle trekking, an outing to the BOH Tea Plantation, games, theme talks, and workshops. =)<br /><br />this camp is about Life to the Maximum, and it is gonna be a blast! [<span style="font-style: italic;">we hope and pray la...lol</span>]<br /><br />so, i need your help... yes, i'm talking to YOU, the person reading now.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> if you are 13-15 years old, COME FOR THIS CAMP!!!</span> more than that, invite all your friends who are also 13-15 years old to come too! [<span style="font-style: italic;">email me at doogsy.dog@gmail.com for the camp form.</span>]<br /><br />and<span style="font-weight: bold;"> if you're NOT 13-15 years old, please go and tell people who are</span>: your children, your cousins, your nieces, your nephews, your neighbours, your neighbours' children, your church youth, etc etc etc [<span style="font-style: italic;">no muslims though... heheh</span>]. persuade them to come for this camp!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">finally, please pray</span>. this camp is meant to share God's truth and love with two groups of people - those who don't know Him, and those who have grown up in a Christian family but may not yet have made a personal commitment to Him. so pray that God will move the hearts of young people to come, move the hearts of parents to allow their children to come, and pray that He will reveal Himself to young people at this camp and open their eyes that they might know Him and be saved. =)<br /><br />my own Mother came to know God through a Scripture Union Camp similar to this one when she was 14 years old, many many years ago. may there be many more like her, at ZMax Camp 2010. =)<br /><br />p.s.<span style="font-style: italic;"> i thought it was pretty pointless to put this up, as hardly anyone comes here anymore, plus it's going against what certain people have told me to do... but The Wife convinced me to put it up regardless. so, credits to The Wife! she is my bestest support, friend, and helpmate.</span> =)siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-58137361931777419452009-09-01T17:50:00.000+08:002009-09-01T17:53:28.396+08:00back from singapore =)i took the night bus from singapore back to seremban last night. 10.30 pm bus, arrived at 4.00 am in seremban. =)<br /><br />had a good time in singapore with The Wife and The In-Laws. also got to catch up with Wei-Xun, which was really great. Wei-Xun, you rock! =)<br /><br />i think i'll be taking a hiatus from blogging for awhile. if you want to get in touch with me, just email me or message me at facebook [doogsy_dog@hotmail.com].<br /><br />until we meet again, God bless! =)siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-83130078710476437782009-09-01T11:17:00.002+08:002009-09-01T13:58:03.789+08:00Something has happened. =(Somebody informed certain Authorities concerning a Certain Matter which i have written about in my blog.<br /><br />The aforesaid Authorities have commanded that Certain Matters (including the aforesaid Matter) must not be mentioned on this blog, and that posts which mention those Matters must be taken offline.<br /><br />As the main point of this blog is to inform readers and request prayer support concerning the aforesaid Matters, those Matters are mentioned in almost every post. It is thus almost impossible to filter through every post in the archives to purge them of the aforesaid Matters. <br /><br />Therefore, for now, all blog posts written prior to this one are no longer accessible to the Public.<br /><br />My humblest apologies to any and all who may have been offended or injured by my previous blog posts.<br /><br />If you've been using this blog to keep in touch with me, feel free to email me or message me on facebook [doogsy_dog@hotmail.com] instead, as this blog will probably be rather inactive after this.<br /><br />God bless you all, until we meet again - in person, online, or in the Lord. Remember (more of a reminder to myself in the midst of all this, heheh) - God is good, all the time! =)siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-19656023796039652512009-08-27T10:17:00.002+08:002009-08-27T11:26:01.301+08:00trouble is one year olddo any of you remember last year's subang rally? probably not (unless you're a subang secondary school student or recent ex-student). to refresh your memory, i'll copy and paste this from <a href="http://siehjin.blogspot.com/2008/06/work-and-play.html">here</a> (bolded emphasis added in this post):<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1. </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">subang rally</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> - it was very 'charismatic'. for my thoughts concerning this, refer to my post on </span><a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://siehjin.blogspot.com/2008/06/kepong-baru-scf-camp.html">kepong baru scf camp</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">. i believe that <span style="font-weight: bold;">God was present and that people were ministered to</span>, and i am thankful for that. however, i felt that i <span style="font-style: italic;">had</span> to remind them of the inter-denominational nature of schools' work. so, when we had our slot to promote SPM Bible Knowledge and our Camps, i took the opportunity to say something about it. later, i managed to talk personally to some of the committee members.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> they understood where i was coming from</span> and said that <span style="font-weight: bold;">i wasn't too harsh</span>, so i hope that they will take heed and be more sensitive to this aspect of running scf activities.</span><br /></div><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">one girl did say that i should have spoken only to the leaders and not the whole congregation. to tell the truth this had never occurred to me. when i was talking with God and wrestling over the question of whether or not to say something about the 'charismatic-ness' of the rally, somehow i saw it as a dichotomy - speak or stay silent. my brain did not come up with alternatives like 'speak only to the leaders'. if i had done that, it would have had less potential to embarrass the leaders, and also have avoided confusing normal participants who didn't see anything wrong with the way the rally was run.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">however, in talking it over with The Wife, she brought up another point: if there was anyone in the crowd at all who felt uncomfortable with the 'denominationally biased' situation, my words may have brought relief and comfort to them. it let them know that they were not alone in feeling that way, and that they were not wrong.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> even if there were only one or two such people in the crowd, i think that it was worth it to say what i said</span>.</span><br /><br />well, now, about a year later, this incident has come back to bite me.<br /><br />an ex-student-leader of a CF wrote an email to my boss about this. here are some excerpts from his email:<br /><ul style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><li>...siehjin... went on to "lecture" the organizers and participants (which included non-believers) publicly from the stage...</li><li>...when i noticed something was very wrong, siehjin was already giving a piece of his mind to the floor...</li><li>my concern is that... no one goes in to just "bombard" one's opinion or conviction on a group of teens...</li><li>...i felt that no respect was given to the organizers...</li><li>...the CFs felt confused...</li><li>...as such, the decision was to exclude SU from most CF activities in subang...</li><li>...(SU's) manner of teaching is "boring" and somtimes, not as relevant...</li><li>...the few times the SU staff get to speak in the CF is when they approach the CF if they can speak...which sometimes, they feel obliged to say yes...</li></ul><br />whoa. can u imagine how i felt when my boss showed me the email? <span style="font-style: italic;">totally crap, man</span>. i don't remember having been <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> evil! =(<br /><br />you can click the link to my post on kepong baru scf camp (it's up there in the first red paragraph) to read a more-or-less complete write-up of my opinion and stand on the inter-denominational nature of SCF work. of course at the rally, i didn't have time to pontificate so comprehensively; as i remember, i did not lay down the law or anything like that. i just said a few sentences to ask the people to <span style="font-weight: bold;">think</span> about the inter-d aspect of SCF work and to <span style="font-weight: bold;">consider</span> that the SCF consists of many different churches with many different styles.<br /><br />i don't think i even mentioned specific issues or specific denominations, merely stating that i noticed that the way the rally was run was similar to a certain denomination. i may have mentioned in passing that i am <span style="font-style: italic;">not </span>against the move of the Spirit, and that i myself do speak in tongues - just so they'd know that this wasn't some misguided anti-charismatic fundamentalist speaking.<br /><br />all i wanted to do was to be a voice of reason, calling for balance, speaking out for those who may have no voice (see the third red paragraph above). how did it turn out so horribly? =(<br /><br />please pray for me, readers. i need discernment and guidance from the Holy Spirit to know:<br /><ul><li>was what i said wrong?</li><li>was the way i said it wrong?</li><li>how should i handle such situations in the future?</li><li>how should i/SU respond to this email?</li><li>how can i/SU redeem the lost relationships with CFs as described by this email?</li></ul><br />positive and negative comments are welcome.<br /><br />let's move on.<br /><br />in terms of work updates, this is how my schedule looks for this month:<br /><ul><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; 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mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} ol {margin-bottom:0cm;} ul {margin-bottom:0cm;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">5-7 Sept: ministry trip to <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">ipoh</st1:city></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></li><ul style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" type="circle"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">6 Sept - speaking at St. Peter's YF on "being a transforming agent in community" (!)</span><o:p></o:p></li></ul><li class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">11 Sept - speaking at <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Sri</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Garden</st1:placetype></st1:place>'s SCF<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">12 Sept - Christina's "engagement party"! w00t! =)<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">18 Sept - speaking at Rawang SCF on "science and the Bible"<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">18-19 Sept: TUMC Leadership Retreat (they invited me 'cause i'll be working with the church next year)<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">21 Sept - SUSOM 2009 <st1:place st="on">Reunion</st1:place>!!! yay! =)<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">25-27 Sept: ministry trip to Melaka/Batu Pahat/Kluang<o:p></o:p></li><ul style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" type="circle"><li style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal">26 Sept - speaking at Agape Presbyterian YF, Kluang, on "7 reasons why the Bible is God's Word"<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-family: georgia;">27 Sept - speaking at FGA Batu Pahat YF on "BGR II" (continuation from last years' "BGR Talk")</span><o:p></o:p></li></ul><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-family: georgia; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">undated - preparations are underway for NSCFL 2009, ZMax 2010, and SUSOM 2010 (this includes coordinating ministry trips to the East Coast and Seremban).</span><o:p></o:p></li></ul> </ul><br />please pray for me as i prepare for these sessions and camps, and as i liase with churches to coordinate those ministry trips. thanks readers. 'till the next post, God bless! =)siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6470392540940607221.post-31156415064327144592009-08-07T10:43:00.002+08:002009-08-07T12:04:09.252+08:00Learning to be HolyThis is an excerpt from The Fight, emphasis mostly mine (i played around with the punctuation, too). i found John White's thoughts on holiness interesting and helpful, and hope that you will too. =)<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Although i knew in my head that i was justified by faith, i rarely profited from the knowledge. i dragged my feet through life beneath a burden of guilt. often i had little heart for Christian duties (although for the most part i was faithful in maintaining them) because of a leaden sense of the impossibility of straightening out my life. </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">how could i confess the same sin for the 100th time? where was my sincerity?</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> having gone through 'sanctifying experiences' several times, having dedicated my all to Christ, having rested in Him, yielded to the Holy Spirit and trusted God to work in me what i could never work in myself, </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">my situation seemed hopeless</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Light began to break over me when i realized in the depths of my spirit that i was forgiven, cleansed, accepted, justified; </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">because of what Christ had done for me</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">, and not because of the depth of my yieldedness.</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> i had preached this gospel to non-Christians for 25 years but never tasted its full sweetness</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">. it was as though dawn broke. suddenly the relief of knowing that i was forgiven and loved lifted the load off my spirit. </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">i found that i was set free, free to be holy.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">To my astonishment i discovered that i wanted to live a holy life far more than i wanted to sin.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Forgiveness freed me to do what i wanted most.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">i cannot say that my life has been sinless since then, only that now each time i am guilt-ridden, i return to the Cross of our Lord Jesus. </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">i go shamelessly</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">. i don't struggle to experience feelings or to achieve the requisite degree of piety. i recognize that peace and forgiveness don't depend on my feelings... </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">but on Christ and what He has done</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">i haven't arrived at perfect sanctification. what has happened is that </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">i have begun an ongoing learning process</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">. the nearest thing i can compare it to is learning to sail... our little Laser, a boat that skims over the water like a bird (and capsizes at the drop of a hat!).</span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://yachtpals.com/files/userimages/princesasofia4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://yachtpals.com/files/userimages/princesasofia4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">no, this dude isn't John White. but check out how<br />he's hanging out of the boat to balance it! whoah, man... =)</span><br /><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">we sail it on a lake where the wind is gusty and veers frequently. </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">i have capsized as many as 10 times in a single sail</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">. </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">but i am learning</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">. it is something like learning to ride a bicycle in the middle of an earthquake, yet somehow i am beginning to harmonize with wind and water and sail. and if i am flung overboard as i capsize, i right the boat, get in again, and sail on. </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">i am covered from head to foot in bruises, but who cares?</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> i'm becoming a sailor!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">in the same way, i am learning about holiness</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">. at one time, it was only in shame and humiliation that i went back to the Cross for forgiveness. </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">the humiliation included alot of self-conceit</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">. now, i go back gladly.</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> it is the basic manouevre of holy living</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">. now, bruised and breathless, i scramble aboard my righted boat and sail on, praising my Redeemer. i am learning to sail. </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">i am learning to be holy</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">.</span><br /><br />btw, The Wife came back on sunday, and life is so much brighter and chirpier when she's around. sometimes there are fireworks too, but that just makes things more exciting. =)<br /><br />if you would, please pray especially for the upcoming <span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); font-weight: bold;">School of Evangelism</span>. registration is slow. pray that students will sign up, especially those from melaka. this camp was organized in cooperation with CF teacher-advisors in melaka, and students from melaka are the main target group.<br /><br />pray for me also as i prepare sessions/talks for <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">TUMC MYF</span> (9 Aug), <span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 0); font-weight: bold;">SUFES Prayer Meeting</span> (12 Aug), <span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">Bukit Mewah SCF</span> (14 Aug), <span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 102); font-weight: bold;">Bethel Baptist Church</span> (especially this one! 16 Aug), <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">St. John's SCF</span> (21 Aug, switched with my colleagues for Sri Garden) and the aforementioned <span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); font-weight: bold;">School of Evangelism</span> (24-26 Aug).<br /><br />now, let us go... and inspired by the words of John White, let us continue to persevere in <span style="font-weight: bold;">learning to be holy</span>! =)siehjinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14032187450130767227noreply@blogger.com4