Friday, August 18, 2006

Fly Away

There's a saying that "if you can't beat them, join them". I say "if you can't beat them, run away and start a revolution. Make them join you". Never settle for the ordinary or the mundane or the acceptable or the norm... Never accept "Life's like that" or "whatever's like that"...
 
Life is short. Time is precious. More & more I am convinced that all that matters is loving people, receiving others' love for us, & giving our best in our circle of influence... So go on holidays with your family. Voice out when something isn't right, & don't let anyone silence you until change comes about. Learn to love. Care for people. Don't waste your time worrying or doing things that don't matter. 
 
It's time to fly. FLY.
 
_ joash.

 

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Good News

Mom brought back a message similiar to what God is saying here to a bunch of us. That is God wants to love us. He wants to be with us, speak to us, enjoy us, care for us, laugh with us. It's as simple as that. Everything begins and ends in His love. Call it whatever you want - WORSHIP, FELLOWSHIP, EVANGELISM - all these we do in response and as a consequence of knowing that love.

Galatians 5:6 - For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love.
 
There's more to come.
 
 

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

a gist of an update

I want to pen down my thougths and everything in my heart, but at this present time my mind is bombarded with too many things. Went for Youth Pastors' School at Awana, Genting, last week. Being able to get out of work and enjoy good food, good fellowship, and good times is such a wonderful thing. I intend to give myself more holidays in the future. Throughout that time God has reaffirmed His direction for me & now my confidence is boosted. I'm not alone in this, and that's another thing I'm grateful for.
 
So many things are going wrong in work right now. I'm so glad & relieved that I don't have to part of this world system for long.
 
Mom is back from US. Thinking about my family and May as well, I cry. I cry because I know I am loved.
 
2 weeks of youth programmes have been interrupted & maybe it's a good thing. I have so much in my heart now & it's only right to have more time seeking God first.
 
Uphold me in prayer. I'll try to write again soon.

Friday, August 04, 2006

They showed me Jesus

It's amazing how God chooses to speak to us. I am so grateful that my God is creative. It would be pretty dull to listen that monotoneous, deep, bassy voice, and echoes... Come to think of it, that's a bad representation of how He would sound if we heard Him with an audible voice. Heaven's sound system is the best - so won't have echoes & feedback...
 
Anyway, went to pasar malam (night market) on Monday after my work. It was a stressful day and I thought that I would just grab something to eat & return home. But God had something different installed for me. He used the hawkers to cheer me up. The locksmith was confident he could duplicate my keys in 1 minute & I actually timed him!! He missed his mark & we laughed about it. Then this guy was giving his last call as I walked pass his satay stall. I thought I heard him shout 20 cents but it was 30 cents. Then I counted 12 stickes left but he counted 13, and I was wrong again. Had a good laugh there too.
 
Walking away I just wanted to cry. I saw Jesus in them that night. Each one that I have encountered in that short period of time has blessed me with conversation and their smile. Each one of them were created in the image of God and has the form of God. They just don't realise or acknowledge the power source. Each one is capable of loving & caring & blessing someone's life. 
 
Now I need to digest this truth and bring it to my workplace, church, and my neighbourhood. Somehow the more you spend time with people you tend to look at their weaknesses & flaws instead. Maybe we got off the wrong foot. I need to see people through the eyes of Jesus.
 
Hmm. That last statement I made... I know it but maybe I have not learned how to. Maybe I should go to pasar malam more often.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Carry On We Shall

Following up on our previous gathering for a time of seeking, we did it again last Saturday. The number increased from 4 to 6. We prepared ourselves to seek His direction for our lives. We determined in our hearts not to put God in a box & expect Him to speak about a particular situation - ministry, relationships, work... We wanted to hear from Him. We wanted to know what's in His heart.
 
We started off with what we were familiar with - singing songs to Him with just the guitar and our voices. I was a bit concerned when we got rather loud. It's a good thing that the house beside mine was unoccupied. Furthermore, our singing was quite lovely - if compared to the Karaoke sessions during the Hungry Ghost festival.
 
Waiting upon Him wasn't an easy thing to do considering I had been through 2 long days. I was starting to wonder if I'll get Him this time when He finally spoke. He warned that we shouldn't give Him a timeline to show up. Fair enough - He is God after all. Then I saw another motion picture in my head. The scenes starts of with a front view of a tall building. It looks strong & elegent. However, the camera quickly moves to the side of the building & enters through the window to reveal the inside part of the building, which isn't as majestic as the front view implied.
 
Feel that God was saying that we have come to Him hiding the true condition of our hearts. In spite of that, He was determined to move into our inward parts & confront us with those things that we hoped He would not bring up. How foolish to try to hide from the very person who knows everything & still loves!! But doesn't that just show how insecure and ignorant we are about His love? God said that He was determined to hold on to us this time. Wow!!
 
God spoke to everyone in the room. Perhaps they should tell you what they heard. God really led us in His presence. The right songs, the right words... It was like when we entered into His House He took the lead - rightfully so, of course.
 
The desire of my heart now is to share this experience with my youth group & teach them to do the same in their cell groups. I believe He is raising up a generation of GodSeekers & GodChasers.