My God is near

Make me know Your presence, Lord,

The King of Glory here.

You know each thought and action, hope,

Anxiety and fear.

How can i hide from Thee?

Can darkness hide iniquity?

Oh how can i unfaithful be,

When You are very near to me?

When God is near,

All the world seems far away

When God is near,

Every fear is set aside

When God is near,

How can i stray,

How can i falter?

i'll stay upon the altar,

i know my God is near!

Make me know Your presence, Lord,

When i feel so alone.

You know each trial and testing, pain,

The hurt that is 'unknown'.

Oh why can i not see

Your Hand so firmly guiding me?

Oh how can i untrusting be

When You are very near to me?

When God is near,

All the world seems far away

When God is near,

Every fear is set aside

When God is near,

How can i stray,

How can i falter?

i'll stay upon the altar,

i know my God is near!

..Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour..

~ Isaiah 43:1-3 ~

There are so many people who are hurting. People whose hearts have been broken by tough circumstances, sin or other people. These people walk past you on the streets, study at the same school as you, work in the same place as you do, know you by name or simply sit next to you on the church pew. The hurts of their lives unseen, unknown and unheard. These people are everywhere and they can be anyone. They can be you.

Yufei and i met an American man during Street E going through a tough custody fight with his ex-wife for his 5-year-old son. He shared with us that he came from a Christian family, however, in the days of his youth, he walked away from God and went his own way. He became 'unequally yoked' and married a non-Christian Vietnamese lady, moving to Vietnam to start a life with her. But things went awry in the marriage, his wife has since gotten remarried to a Singaporean and now he wants to win custody of his only son. He said that it would be difficult to do so because things are not in his favour regarding law issues. His stay in Singapore enabled him to keep in touch with some relatives here who are strong Christians. He shared with us that there are family members all over the world praying for him and for deliverance from his tough situation. We prayed for him, he gave us his email address to keep in touch and we encouraged him during the little time that we managed to have with him. A hurting man in dire straits, in a truly bleak situation..there are so many like him everywhere with great emotional pain and hurts of which nobody can really understand. They bear it all alone. They need someone to point them to the truth. They need someone to share with them that ever faithful and precious promise that there is always hope in God. Please do pray for this man that God will place His divine Hand upon his life situation and bring healing and restoration in a miraculous way.

Yesterday was my elder brother's death anniversary. It has been 18 years ever since he was taken home to be with the Lord. He would have been 30 this year. The hurts are but a distant memory. i dare say that the journey that i went on ever since that life-altering circumstance has been crucial in making me the person that i am today. The Lord blessed us with my younger Bro a few years after the event..we are thankful for He has led my family all the way. Looking back, i know that i would not have been here at all if it weren't for our unfailing God Himself and His all-powerful grace and mercy. Great is His faithfulness..truly.

Received an sms from a fellow sister from Life BP..Huimin's Dad passed away this morning. We have been praying that the Lord will prolong her Dad's life and also for his salvation that he might trust in the Lord as his Saviour with the little time he had left. Whatever the outcome, we are trusting that God's Will is accomplished.

A colleague who works in the administration department of my research institute has passed away. Her battle with cancer ended today.

A decision has been made on my side.
The Lord had used various events, people and certain circumstances to bring me through this.
His Will is always perfect..i will keep this promise in my heart from now on.
i need God to show me where to go from here.
i trust He will.

It has been a tough day.
Buried myself in work.
i am trying to forget that i am hurting too.

Just like so many hurting people.

Everywhere.


O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

~ 1 Corinthians 15:55-58

Recently, a Christian visiting a church in China, sat next to a small woman with hands so crippled that she could not even hold her hymn book. He noticed that while many of the people in the church service had Bibles, she did not seem to have one. He offered her one and could see the great joy in her eyes as she took it.

He asked about her crippled hands and was told that during the cultural revolution, Red Guards came to her house searching for Bibles, hymn books and religious material. They found her one Bible which she had hid under the cold ashes of her stove and she quickly grabbed it from them, clutching it in her hands because it was so precious to her.

The young guards laughed at her, spat at her and hit her until she could hardly stand. She cried to them, "Please don’t take my Bible. It’s all that I have to tell me about my Jesus!"

The guards were furious. They took her outside, stripped her, and put her up on a platform to shame her before the crowds. For four hours, she sat with the Bible clutched to her breast, head down as crowds of people mocked and spat on her. They thought that she was ashamed, but she was actually praying.

After refusing again to surrender her Bible to the guards, they threw her to the ground and spread her out in the dirt with hands clasped and arms stretched over her head. They used iron bars to smash her hands until they became nothing but pulp. To this very day, she cannot feed herself.

Now, some years later, her crippled hands held once again the precious book which meant everything to her. This Chinese woman was totally committed to Christ and to His Word with all of her heart..an extraordinary child of God, she is, for the cause of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Many Christians today bear the marks of being persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ, and indeed, many are still being persecuted even this very moment.

Two years ago, I had the great privilege of meeting a Christian Chinese woman from mainland China who now lives in America. Her name is Mary Xu. Mary was brought up in Shanghai where her father was the president of a bank. Her home was Buddhist and her mother kept a family shrine in the home.

When Mary was 14 years old she became very ill and her father mentioned this one day to his employees at the bank. One of those who heard was a secret Christian. She decided to visit the home during her lunch break and speak to Mary about Jesus. The servant let her in, but Mary was annoyed at the intrusion and sent her away.

Mary's condition worsened and one day her father announced to his employees that the doctors feared that his daughter would die. The Christian woman decided to try again. She was let in to the home and found Mary too weak to talk. She sat beside Mary and said: "They tell me you might die. You must listen to me. I want to tell you about God who loves you and who is preparing a place for you in heaven if you accept His love and put your trust in Him."
Mary told me that she was too weak to resist, so just lay there listening.

After explaining about God's love and the forgiveness that was available to Mary through Jesus' death on the cross, the woman said to Mary: "I know that you are too weak to talk, but I am going to pray a prayer in which you can accept God's love if you would like to do so. All you need to do at the end is say 'Amen'".

Mary said to me, "I wanted to believe, so I whispered 'Amen'". She then added "I was still alive the next day, and the next month. I was still alive the next year, and I am still alive today and I am 74!"

Mary told me that when she recovered, she spent time talking to the woman and eventually joined a small house church where she gained good and solid Bible teaching and grew in her love and knowledge of God.

Some years later, during the cultural revolution, Red Guards broke into the house church during a meeting and arrested all those who were present. Mary was imprisoned for 13 years in a labour camp. When she was eventually freed, she helped to lead a house church and began serving there and teaching people about the Word of God faithfully.

Today she is witnessing to Chinese people who live in the USA and sharing with them the same message of love and forgiveness that the Christian woman shared with her so many years ago. May we continue to uphold in prayer our brothers and sisters who still suffer persecution in China for the gospel.

~ Robyn Claydon

Trust in His timing
Rely on His promises
Wait for His answers
Believe in His miracles
Rejoice in His goodness
Relax in His presence...=)

Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

~ Micah 7:7 ~

*Thanks so much for the precious encouragement, Wen! ;)*

..living the Christian life way above the level of mediocrity..

Dearest Lord God,
i know following You will cost me everything.
i am starting to feel the immense intensity of such a choice made for You.
Please make all that i face easier to bear..it has been very difficult, it has been truly rocky.
Help me pursue true spiritual excellence in You alone..and be totally dead to the things of this world.
Help me deny self and die to self by Your grace.
i desire to live the abundant Christian life way above the level of mediocrity, with true purpose and passion.
i don't want to shortchange myself and settle for less than what You desire to grant me in life.
i don't want to lose my fire for You anymore..my heart feels so burdened inside when i know that the deep revival fire is being quenched by something that is not of or from You.
Please teach me how to live and help me daily to magnify Your holy name.
Teach me what it means to be the light of this world..and the salt of this earth.
Thank you for hearing my prayer.
In Jesus' most precious name,
Amen.

Precious Lord, Take My Hand

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, help me stand
I'm tired, I'm weak, I'm worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

When my way grows drear
Precious Lord, linger near
When my strength is almost gone
Hear my cry, hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

When the darkness appears
And the night draws near
And the day is past and gone
At the river I stand
Guide my feet, hold my hand
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, help me stand
I'm tired, I'm weak, I'm worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

For the Newlyweds

Today, I will marry my best friend
The one I will always turn to,
Confide and be strong,
In the light of God's loving guidance and favour.

Today, I will marry my best friend,
To drink of love's eternal fountain.
Where we turn our heads from the past,
And trust in God to guide our paths.

Today, I will marry my best friend,
Travelling together as one.
Our dreams at last have come true,
As we live our lives together forever.

Today, I will marry my best friend,
Where our lives are not our own.
We place our lives in God's hands,
and let Him carry us all the way to the end..

What a truly blessed and beautiful wedding it was for our dear dear couple..Praise the Lord for His amazing goodness and for the great things He has done..may God bless the both of you so abundantly beyond measure always :D!

Dearest Lord,
Thank you so much for the blessed union of hearts of dear Ee Kwang and Benita on their wedding day.
May You bless this precious couple with a love to last forever and a day.
May You bless them so richly with a wonderful family so blissful, prosperous and ever healthy.
And above all, fill everything that the both of them share with love, faith and hope that is founded on You.
In Jesus' most precious name we pray and trust,
Amen.

SisTeRs~*

A sister
spreads seeds of
kindness
everywhere she goes

And a lovely garden
follows her
with joy
that grows and grows.

It takes a special sister
to somehow always find
ways of showing thoughtfulness,
of being warm and kind.

Ways of making happy times
still happier by far..
It takes a special sister
to be loved the way you are.

Thank God for dear sisters for eternity in church, in Teenz, in Acts, in [s.U.R.f]2 tribe..everywhere! Each precious sister who have crossed my path in life have been a very special blessing to me in so so many unique ways..in encouragement, in prayer, in fellowship, in service and in love. To all who have touched my heart and life, prayed for me, made me laugh when the going got tough, mentored and encouraged me unceasingly in this pilgrim journey for the Lord..thank you. =)

*Special thanks to precious sis Annie for this sweet sister poem..jus want you to know that you are truly a very beautiful masterpiece for God and that i desire to be like you in life, in testimony and in faith! Thank you so much for being all that you are to all of us..praising God for you! :D*

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

~ Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

L o v e

You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have really lived, are the moments when you have done things in a spirit of love.

~ Henry Drummond

What is going to happen according to end times prophecy?

Christ will remove all born-again believers who are part of the Church (New Testament saints) from the earth by an event known as the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51). These believers will be rewarded for good works and service during their time on earth at the Judgment Seat of Christ or will lose rewards, but not eternal life, for lack of service and obedience (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

The antichrist (beast) will come into power and sign a peace pact (covenant) with Israel for seven years (Daniel 9:27). This seven-year period of time is known as the Tribulation. During the Tribulation, there will be terrible wars, famines, plagues, and natural disasters. God will be pouring out His wrath against sin, evil, and wickedness. The Tribulation will contain the four horsemen of the apocalypse, and the seven seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments.

About halfway through the 7 years, the antichrist will break the peace covenant with Israel and make war against them. The antichrist will perform the abomination of desolation and set up an image of himself to be worshipped in the temple (Daniel 9:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10). The second half of the Tribulation is known as the Great Tribulation and the time of Jacob’s trouble.

At the end of the seven year Tribulation, the antichrist will launch a final attack on Jerusalem, culminating in the Battle of Armageddon. Jesus Christ will return, destroy the antichrist and his armies and cast them into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:11-21). Christ will then bind Satan in the Abyss for 1000 years and will rule His earthly kingdom during this 1000-year period (Revelation 20:1-6).

At the end of the 1000 years, Satan will be released, defeated again, and then cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10). Christ then judges all unbelievers (Revelation 20:10-15) at the Great White Throne Judgment, casting them all into the lake of fire. Christ will then usher in a New Heaven and New Earth – the eternal dwelling place of believers. There will be no more sin, sorrow, or death. Also, the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven (Revelation chapters 21-22).

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other..

~ Matthew 24:29-31

'Please'...is everyone we meet

Please hear what I am not saying
Don’t be fooled by me
Don’t be fooled by the face I wear
For I wear a thousand masks, masks
That I am afraid to take off…
And none of them are me
Pretending is an art that is second nature with me but don’t be fooled
I give the impression that I am secure
That all is sunny and unruffled with me
That confidence is my name
And coolness is my game
That the water is calm and I am in command
And that I need no one
Please don’t believe me. Please.

My surface may seem smooth
But my surface is my mask
Beneath this lies no complacence
Beneath dwells the real me
In confusion, in fear, and aloneness
But I hide this. I don’t want anyone to know it
I panic at the thought of my weakness
And I fear of being exposed
That’s why I frantically create a mask to hide behind
A nonchalant, sophisticated façade
To help me pretend
To shield me from the glance that knows
But such a glance is precisely my salvation
My only salvation and I know it
That is, if it is followed by acceptance
If it is followed by love
It is the only thing that will assure me
Of what I can't assure myself
That I am worth something

But I am afraid to tell you this
I don’t dare. I am afraid to
I am afraid that your glance will not be
Followed by love and acceptance
I’m afraid you’ll think less of me
That you’ll laugh at me and your laugh will kill me
I’m afraid that deep down I’m nothing
That I’m no good
And that you will see this and reject me
So I play my game, my desperate game
And a trembling child within
And so begins the parade of masks
And my life becomes a front

I dislike hiding. Honestly
I dislike the superficial game I am playing
The phony game. I’d really like to be genuine
Spontaneous, and me
But you’ve got to help me
You’ve got to hold out your hand
Even when that’s the last thing I seem to want
Only you can wipe away from my eyes
The blank stare of breathing death
Only you can call me into aliveness
Each time you’re kind and gentle, and encouraging
Each time you try to understand because you care
My heart grows wings, very small wings
Very feeble wings but wings
With your sensitivity and sympathy
And your power of understanding
You breathe life into me
I want you to know that

I want you to know how important you are to me
How you can be the creator of the person that is me
If you choose. Please choose to.
You alone can break down the wall
Behind which I tremble
You alone can remove my mask
You alone can release me from my shadow-world of panic and uncertainty
From my lonely person. Do not pass me by.
Please do not pass me by
It will not be easy for you
A long conviction of worthlessness builds strong walls
The nearer you approach me, the blinder I strike back
I fight against the very thing I cry out for
But I am told that love is stronger than walls
And in this lies my hope
Please try to beat down those walls with firm hands
But with gentle hands, for a child is very sensitive
Who am I, you may wonder
I am someone you know very well
For I am everyone you meet.

~ a poem sent to me by dearest sis Annie - an apt reminder for us to keep reaching out to others and to look deep into the hearts of every individual who need the touch of God's love in their life..

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

~ 1 John 3:16-18

My Lord, I ask from Thee

I do not ask for riches nor for fame
Throughout this land
I seek not earthly pleasures
For through time they will not stand
But I’d like to ask for
An obedience to Thy Word
Through my every thought and action
I shall seek Thy kingdom first

My Lord, I ask from Thee
A faithful heart that’s willing
To forsake every comfort
This world could ever bring
A heart bent in submission
To love Thee with conviction
And the only riches I’ll seek
Are the treasures that are found in Thee

Lord, grant me strength with great resolve,
I’ll strive for what’s ahead
To serve Thee with a servant’s heart
No matter what it takes
Turn my heart away from
The temptations that I’ll face
Draw me near to Thee for
In Thy presence I will gladly stay...

In my mind's eye it reveals itself there
Flower strewn pathways and sweet baby's breath
A place conducive for the poor pilgrim's rest
Here, in this garden, to lay down one's weary head
Here, echoes of sweet whispers float down from peaceful air
Here, one would lie, the dear pilgrim he
And awake no more to earth's journey complete
Be not deceived dear brother of mine
Tis not sweet beulah bestowed from above
But satan's sly gimmicks to hinder thy trying path
Be not deceived my friend for rest will come
But 'tis not now the Lord would give
Trust in His own good time
Before sweet sabbath arrives,
This path of the pilgrim must be trod
Not only begun but endured till the last
There is a cross to carry and souls to be won
I know thou art weary, but traveller!
Rest has not yet begun
Thou hast not yet completed the task the Master gave
Sorrowful souls and wounded spirits
These the Master would use you to aid
He promised them healing and binding of wounds
Mending of the broken, restoring of faith
You, my friend, an instrument in His hand
To carry out a part in the Creator's plan
There's much to be done
To spend and be spent
To seek the lost ones
To strengthen the weak
To build up the young
All these the Master charged thee to do
So now, awake out of the deathful sleep
From the paths of ease,
thy Saviour's footsteps seek
Return to the path so narrow and straight
Though sharp and rugged stones do pierce
Thy tired, wornout feet
For in the path so narrow
You will see a pathway through
The light of heaven gleams beyond
The Master's smiling face
What else is needed save from this
Jehovah's abounding grace?
Ofttimes the way cannot be seen
For dark and dim the way
The Master gives the small oil lamp
Which shows a little bit ahead
'Tis but a lamp, it glimmers softly
Not an electric torch
For 'tis a journey of faith and not sight
For only darkness and circumstances unknown
Will we learn that He, as a Father
Still holds our hand, to teach us to trust
To guide us onward in the rugged pilgrim's path.

What is Life About?

Life is all about my Saviour

Jesus Christ, who died for me

Now i feel the peace within me

His love has set me free

This is life that He gives so freely

i will embrace it for the truth has set me free

See what Christ has done for me on that day at Calvary

Over death He had the victory!

'Tis His blood, that He shed so freely

i will embrace it, from my sin He set me free!

O what love He gave to me

On that cross at Calvary

Over sin i have the victory...

The victory!

The Weekend

This Easter weekend was a great blessing to my heart. Many, many things to thank God for..

1. Was reminded of God's amazing love in a very special way thru GLCC Good Friday service. Thank God for His saving grace and unchangeable love. Thank God for giving us our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to save us all from our sins and eternal condemnation in hell. Indeed, life is only worth living when Jesus is in the centre of it.

2. Thank God for the beautiful Easter Musical done by our Filipino brethren..was very touched by it. Especially when Bro Ivan sang 'Lamb of God'..the lyrics of that song moved me to tears. So grateful that Calvary covers it all.

3. Whee Kok and Kevin had a sleepover at Eric's...we gals ought to have a slumber party soon! Heard Whee Kok was dreaming in his sleep..and sleep-talking to Eric about something very funny..unbelievable, Hulk! :D

4. Campus and Teenz Easter Movie Outreach..was ultra, mega, supremo amazing! i loved the Life 180 degrees movie which was directed, acted and filmed by our campus folk and dear teens so very, very much. Thank God for empowering Chee Keen and Ian to preach on the two evenings..thank God for many souls saved during the outreaches..thank God for Ryl, Wen, LiShaan, Josh, Changshuo, Whee Kok and so many others who brought in their huge groups of friends, schoolmates, classmates, CCA mates..what an awesome work our awesome God has done for all of us! :D

5. Thank God for my SCGS + JC + University mate, Chereen who could make it for Sunday Service..she is currently looking for a church to attend. i am praying hard that she and her family will settle well in GLCC if it is God's Will. Thank God for every single soul saved on Easter Sunday Service. i truly thank God for Pastor Mike serving God as our Spirit-filled and empowered evangelist. The Lord really uses him very greatly each and every time he preaches the gospel.

6. Praise God that Charlie, the English tourist that Yufei and i shared the gospel to on Street E came to SCGS to attend the Easter Sunday Service..how wonderful! Yufei and i have no doubts that the Lord had intended him to come..cos he could have gotten lost being unfamiliar with the roads in Singapore but by God's guidance he found his way to the school and to our church service. Thank God for Bro Kim Cheong speaking to him again regarding the gospel after service. i believe God has accomplished His purpose in Charlie's life by leading him to Singapore on his backpacking trip to enable him to find out about the true meaning of life. i truly hope that the Lord will keep working in marvellous ways in Charlie's life. :)

7. Had a good time of catching up with Huishi, Jessie, Hwai May and Chereen at Bugis on Sunday afternoon. We had snacks and drinks at Terra..i ordered a kiwinana o.j. (kiwi + banana + orange juice + ice cream..wala :D!) Terra is a real nice eating place..food's good and reasonably priced too..thinking of bringing [s.U.R.f.]2 tribe here next time. :p

8. Had a good and long chat with Ryl on my very spoilt home phone when i got back home..tok tok tok tok tok..so glad that i can tok so freely now after a swift recovery from my gum op! ha! will be keeping you in prayer, dear sis, hope ur soccer match went well today! catch up again soon ya..;)

Catch up with yall soon too..ciao and God bless! :D

[s.U.R.f.]2 Tribal Dinner!

Had such a blessed tribal makan..i really thank God for all that took place on Thursday night!

On Thursday evening after work, headed down to Wheelock Place to meet [s.U.R.f]2 tribe for our very first tribal dinner. Our tribal dinner was supposed to be held at n.y.d.c but because of the large crowd there, we went to Fish & Co instead for makan.

Eric, Changshuo, Leb, Whee Kok, Marcus, Josh, Pengfei, Kevin, Wen, Ryl, Bernice, Jean, Anne made it for the fishy affair :D. Thank God for seeing Bernice and Eric thru their exams..thank God for Pengfei (King) who visited our tribe and joined us..thank God that Kevin could book out in time and make it for the fellowship too. It was a grand celebration of good fun and delicious food..had a baked salmon and rice meal *yummadum*! think everyone else had chips with their main course. Some of us ordered the swordfish collar and American-style fish and chips. We finally managed to take a tribal photo together in front of Wheelock after dinner thanks to Anne's camera. :)

Later we headed to SMU for a time of prayer..we dropped by Eric's university's entertainment lounge room..cool place! it had a TV, table soccer game tables and pool facilities..not forgetting very comfortable sofas to KO on. There were too many distractions there so we didn't stay there for prayer..moreover, somebody was studying for his exams inside that room. We walked around finding a quiet and conducive place to pray. Ended up at a very unique sitting area..another group was seated below us for a Bible study and they were singing Christian hymns..very encouraged! We did some tribe 'poser' shots..ha..and then split into guy and gal groups for prayer. :D

Prayed with the surfer sisters: Jean, Anne, Ryl and Wen..was a blessed time of sharing. Bern, Christine, Jolin, Steph and LiShaan..wish all of you were here with us! Am very blessed by you, Jean..so glad to get to know ya better during this tribal dinner! All of us prayed about many things: our families, our friends, life issues, the Easter outreaches, our tribe and Teenz ministry, etc. We also prayed hard that God will do a great revival in the hearts of the many studying in the various JCs and secondary schools..that the name of Jesus Christ will be lifted up and proclaimed in these 'mission fields' and that every single individual will experience new life and true salvation in Jesus. May God show forth His indescribable power in this generation!

Enjoyed our wonderful tribal evening very much..we should do this more often ya, [s.U.R.f]2? ;)

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss,

And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,

Save in the death of Christ my God!

All the vain things that charm me most,

I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,

Sorrow and love flow mingled down!

Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,

Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

His dying crimson, like a robe,

Spreads o’er His body on the tree;

Then I am dead to all the globe,

And all the globe is dead to me.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were a present far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

To Christ, Who won for sinners grace

By bitter grief and anguish sore,

Be praise from all the ransomed race

Forever and forevermore.

a blur of blue

i am grateful to God for:

His unfailing love ~
His precious Word ~
Answered prayers ~
His daily blessings ~
Souls saved ~
My family ~
Street Evangelism ~
Teenz Ministry...Brothers and Sisters ~
My dearest Tribe [s.U.R.f.]2...the Surfers ~
Solid Christian buddies from God ~
The future He has in store for my life (?) ~

The blue-coloured picture above is representative of my life at the moment, i.e. i do see the light regarding some aspects and areas of my life, however, ultimately the true vision of God's Will for my life is far from being crystal-clear..everything is a total blur at present.

Just as staring at the picture above will cause one to have a tremendous headache..am starting to feel a bit frustrated as to what the Lord is telling me to do now, how to progress in my life, etc.

i know the Lord is ever leading and guiding me..but i simply don't know what is beyond life's fog. How i wish i can discern the will of God more clearly this very moment. That i can say that beyond a doubt, this is the path God wants me to tread..to know what is truly inside the heart of God and to live in the light of His Will for His ultimate glory. i wish for Him to speak to me..using anyone or anything. Will just give everything to God now and stop looking at the fuzzy, foggy picture of my life. Shall choose to focus on God with all of my heart now..though it has been a tough ride. Thank you so much my sisters Ryl and Wen for your prayers. Really hope to see the 'light' by God's grace soon.

Will keep this quote in my heart for now..Aunty Grace msged it to me some time back:

My eye is not on the density of the fog around me but on the living God who controls EVERY circumstance of my life.

~George Muller

Your Will, Lord...nothing but Your Will.
Help me walk by faith and not by sight.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
~1 John 2:15-17

. i am a soulwinner .

..His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.
~Jeremiah 20:9b

I am a soul winner.

The Good News of Jesus Christ so burns within me that I cannot refrain.
Fear won’t stop me.
Apathy won’t stop me.
Lukewarm Christians won’t stop me.
No demon in hell will stop me from spreading the gospel!
I will never lose the passion for souls that God has placed within me.
I am a fisher of men, because I follow Jesus.
Evangelism is at the top of my priority list.
I will not get stuck inside the four church walls, but will go where my light can shine the brightest.
I am leading my generation out of the darkness.
When I am rejected, I kick the dust off my feet and go to the next unsaved person.
I will not get discouraged and quit, but will win the lost until Jesus comes.
I will never forget what my life was like without Him.

I am a soul winner.

~taken from www.evangelize.com

Go after God. Whatever it takes, do it.
And don't give the excuse, "I am just a teenager," or "I will do that when I grow up." because it doesn't work that way.
God wants to know you NOW.

~from the journal of Rachel Joy Scott,
a 17-year-old victim of the Columbine High School tragedy

God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.

~Psalm 62:11

Just can't wait for [s.u.r.f.]2 Tribal Dinner on Thursday..am hungreee for real goood fellooowship and foood..c ya there fellow surfers! yeee haaa! ;p

Want Revival?

..I am sure in my own heart, what God is looking for is to take total possession of some men in their spirit, their soul, their mind, their will..

I went to a little college, Cliff College.
It only had one revival.

A friend of mine, he was up there in 1932 and 1933.
He’d been in World War One.
He was a drunkard, a blasphemer, and everything else.

A very precious, gorgeous lady led him to Christ and he fell in love with her, and they fixed a day for their wedding.

One day they went to an old Holiness meeting and they were singing a hymn, when he came to the stanza:
"Here I give my all to Thee,
Friends and time and earthly store,
Soul and body Thine to be
Only Thine for forevermore."

And he sang it. "Here am I to give my friends."
He thought, "She is the only friend I have in the world; we are going to be married in three months. I’ve a house stored with new furniture."

And the Lord said,
"You want to be filled with the Holy Ghost, it will cost you everything.
Postpone your wedding for three years.
Give Me all your time.
Your earthly store is all the furniture you have for the future, sell it and use it to pay to go to Cliff College."

He went to Cliff College. There were about thirty-five students there, as there were when I went there, thirty-five men. He woke up one morning with a strong craving for God. Dan Philips, was his name. He came down in his pyjamas into the lecture hall, between one and two o'clock in the morning and started crying out to God.

And he just roared:
"Lord, I’m a preacher.
Lord, I win souls, but my heart is not full of Holiness, it’s not full of love, it’s not full of the power of the Spirit, it’s not full of humility, it’s not full of gentleness, it’s not even full of peace.
Send Your fire down to this cold heart of mine."

And he cried for about half an hour, and every man in the college left his bed and they were all there in that room in their pyjamas crying to God. And the Spirit of the living God came on them. And the Holy Ghost swept through the College for weeks.

Dan didn’t think when he yielded his life, and his future wife, and all that he had in Manchester, the result would be that a whole college became revived.

We had some of the most brilliant preachers present then, Samuel Chadwick was there, Joe Brice was there..some of the outstanding preachers of England were there, but it wasn’t through their preaching that they were there.

It was when a man obeyed God, and tossed the bedclothes on one side and went down in the room that was cold and said,
"God, I need just the fire of the Holy Ghost, not for tonight, but for all my life. I want to refill my life continually with the Spirit."

It is not enough to be filled with His Holy Sprit ten years ago.
I don’t care where you were baptized.
The question isn’t were you filled ten years ago but are you filled tonight?

Are you filled with God tonight?
Are you filled with love tonight?
Are you filled with power tonight?
Are you filled with passion for the lost?

It’s not easy.
God will wreck your career.
He’ll break your lifestyle.

But if He does..if you let Him..if He can use you as an instrument to pour out His revival, one day the pillar of fire is going to come, and you know what?

We won’t need to advertise.
There will be such a meekness, such a sweetness, such a holiness, such a gentleness, such a lovingkindness like never before – that will be the true manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit.

'Lord, I am not satisfied with popularity, I am not satisfied with the favour of men, I am not satisfied, with my eloquence. Breathe on me, breath of God.

Lord, I want something tonight that I’ve never had in my life. I want the destruction of my self-life, my self-interest, my temper, my pride, my fear of man, my fear of the future, my fear of what my family, relatives and friends will think of me, please destroy all of these useless things in my life, dearest Father. Do it now.'

All hell is looking into us all at this moment. All angels are looking in.
And Jesus is waiting to see the fruit of the travail of His soul in your life..

~Leonard Ravenhill

The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

~Psalm 24:1-5

Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.
~Psalm 42:8

Spiritual?

God takes individual men.
He takes Moses to the backside of the desert.
John the Baptist was in the wilderness until the day of his showing forth, he had thirty years of training.
Jesus, the Son of God who had left Glory, spent thirty years in training to minister!
The apostle Paul at least thirty years.
Moses at least forty years..
And we want to go to Bible School for six months and come out like a super prophet!
It’s the time factor that kills most of us.
Tell me how much time you spend alone with God and I will tell you how spiritual you are.
Not how many meetings you go to.
Not how many gifts you have.
Not how many sermons you preach.
Not how many records you’ve made.

Tell me how much time you spend alone with God...and I’ll tell you how spiritual you are.

~Leonard Ravenhill

Send the Fire

Thou Christ of burning cleansing flame, send the fire.
Thy blood bought gift today we claim, send the fire.
Look down and see this waiting host, give us the promised Holy Ghost.
We want another Pentecost..

To make our weak hearts strong and brave, send the fire.
To live a dying world to save, send the fire.
Oh, see us on Thine altar lay our lives, our all this very day
To crown the offering, now we pray, send the fire..

~William Booth

From a dear soulwinner..

The saddest road to hell is that which runs under the pulpit, past the Bible, and through the midst of warnings and invitations..

~J.C. Ryle

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

~John 1:10-13

*thanks so much dearest ah'Cat for always always encouraging every soulwinner every single Wednesday Street E night and praying so faithfully for God to save souls and bring them into His Kingdom..God bless your beautiful heart, dearie..Shine on~*!

True Womanhood

THAT is not Christ’s religion which is moved to ecstasies of love and compassion for the Zulus and Chinese across seas, and is selfish, irritable, greedy, impatient, and disobliging at home.

The true woman is the very soul of self-forgetfulness in her own home-circle. Then wherever she goes she is the same.

She carries the sweet, patient spirit of Christ everywhere.

Her hands are gentle as an angel’s, and are ever scattering blessings.

Her words are thrilled with a strange power of sympathy and tenderness, and carry comfort into the sad heart, courage into the fainting heart, life into the sluggish heart.

A selfish woman is a contradiction.

Wherever selfishness does appear in a woman it is a blur that disfigures the divine beauty.

[s.u.r.f.]2

~ the s.u.r.f.e.r sisters ~

Anne
Bernice
Cheryl
Chia Wen
Christine
Jean
Jolin
Lishaan
Stephanie

~ the s.u.r.f.e.r bros ~

Caleb
Carsmon
Chang Shuo
Joshua
Kevin
Marcus
Pierre
Whee Kok

[s.u.r.f.]2

~ United Revival ~ Unwavering Relationship ~ Stay Focused ~ Stand Firm ~

We are all like surfers. Waiting on the shore for that big, huge wave that we desire to surf upon. When the wind of the Holy Spirit moves, it causes waves in our lives due to God's wondrous moving and working Hand. We surfers will then catch the wave and surf on it for as long as we can. If we go down, we don't mind. We will paddle back to the shore and wait for the next wave. Some waves are short, some long depending on the will of God. But we will get each and every wave by His unfailing grace. Sometimes there aren't any waves in sight. Still we all will be at the shore, patiently waiting for the next wave and moving of the Holy Spirit. We will not give up.

Dearest Heavenly Father,
Eric and i humbly surrender each and every dear bro and sis of [s.u.r.f]2 tribe into Your hands. Thank you so much for this amazing tribe of truly wonderful and unique members..every single one with such powerful and immense potential to serve You in mighty ways. Please help our tribe be the tribe You want it to be. Please lead all of us on to be bonded so strongly in You and with each other..to be united in revival, unwavering in our relationship with You and each other for Your ultimate glory. Help us to live as a close-knitted spiritual family in [s.u.r.f]2 encouraging one another to reach greater heights for You always. Thank You in advance for the very exciting things that You have in store for our tribe. As Pastor Paul preached on Sunday..small is beautiful. Thank You that [s.u.r.f]2 is a truly beautiful tribe in Your sight. I think of the dear sisters in this tribe being moulded and shaped by You to be future wives of pastors and missionaries in foreign lands serving You with all of their hearts, and our precious bros being called by You to live in faith and serve You as mighty, empowered men of God..as faithful and humble footwasher servants used by You as instruments to greater revivals in so many places on this earth.

Dearest Father, please do an utterly unbelievable work that no man has ever seen in [s.u.r.f]2. Eric and i are utterly weak and useless before You..we really cannot do anything apart from You..we acknowledge our inability and lack of wisdom in many things regarding this tribe, we just want to surrender everything to You, especially the lives of our precious bros and sisters in [s.u.r.f]2 and trust in You wholly. Lord, please take control of the entire tribe and work Your divine miracles in the life of every single surfer.

Spirit of the living God, please continue to purge each and every one of us of every sin which will separate us from our loving Saviour. Please spread Your great revival fire so wide and ignite absolute undying passion for You in the heart of every teenager in Teenz Ministry. Thank You for hearing this prayer from our hearts. Thank You so much for being our great and awesome God..who will show Yourself ever strong in the lives of this generation and forever.
Continue to astound and amaze us, dearest Lord, at what You can and will do in Your divine power.

In Jesus' most precious name,
Amen.

Without the Spirit of God we can do nothing.
We are as ships without wind or chariots without horses.
Like branches without sap, we are withered.
Like coals without fire, we are useless.

~ Charles H. Spurgeon

From a dear sister..

A group of 9 of us sisters from my previous church are keeping in touch occasionally through a JieMei Network..where we simply email each other prayer requests, life updates and personal sharings. We hope to keep our sister bonds strong always wherever the Lord has placed us in life..be it in different vocations or unique seasons of our lives. One of my dear Jies, Huimin, emailed this sharing to all of us who are part of the network over the weekend. She is someone who has been a truly great encouragement to me when i was in Life BP Youth Fellowship in the earlier years..always steadfast and unwavering in the Lord's service. A God-fearing and God-loving inspiration she will always be to me. You will understand why when you read her email update below : ~

Sorry for the lack of news..been reading the updates and praying for everyone, for CHM's teaching, daph's gummie gums, annie's NIE life, ruth's painful op too..Had been wanting to write to share more, but had been drowned in work the past few weeks..

TG for grace and sustenance really, both to handle the matters at home as well as to cope with the work.

Just a little more abt my Dad's condition.

Dad's liver tumor has spread and his ribs are affected. Chemotherapy used to be localised at the liver, but the doctor has started him now on a systemic one. But even then, the doctor said chances are not v high, because his liver function is not too good. Though doctor has said chances are slim, am still praying hard that chemo would be effective, at the very least to prolong his life long enough for him to come to Christ.

Pls pray that Dad's heart would soften and that he would understand and believe. Pray for strength & wisdom as we sort out practical issues at home, like taking care of dad & all. Dad got admitted last Sun as his feet & stomach were swollen. The doctor said it's due to both his liver condition and also a stomach ulcer. They drained 10 litres of fluid from his stomach, and he just got discharged this morning.

Pastor Colin & KK visited and shared the gospel to Dad. Then mum also brought temple monk and friends down on Tues nite. They refused to let me stay, so i had to leave..:(

Found out last nite that Dad has somehow professed faith in Buddhism that night.. =(
But I know too that the Lord's still working.. Dad seems to still have doubts..

Pls continue to pray that God will work in his heart that he will not only turn away from false gods but turn to Christ for salvation.

Pls pray too that I would have opportunity to speak to him (when mum is not around) abt his so-called profession, and to urge him to turn to Christ.

Even though it hasn't been the easiest in the last couple of weeks, must say God's guiding hand & grace has still been most clear & apparent. TG for leading us to NUH from SGH, making it a lot easier for me to take care of Dad and to ask the doctors for updates.

TG for Christian doctors we met, for paths made smooth in lots of areas. Oftentimes I would sink into despair at the thought of how short a time Dad has left to turn to Christ..but TG for the frequent reminders that God is in control, and if it is in His plan to save Dad, nothing is too difficult.

Just clinging on to the Lord's soverignty and love...TG too for showing His love thru brethren who cared and prayed and encouraged.

Like JR Miller's devotion said on Wednesday, darkness is indeed a revealer of God's love..

Just praying hard now for Dad's salvation. pls pray for wisdom too to know how to handle things with Mum - know she loves Dad very much too and wants badly for him to share her Buddhist faith..Thanks so much for praying tog with me, everyone.

~ huimin

:~what great unwavering faith in our God..that's my precious sis, Huimin, for you. please hold her Dad in your prayers..for salvation..it has been a truly trial-filled time for her in many ways. Thank God He is always always in control and He never moves without purpose or plan. His Will will not lead us where His grace cannot keep us..

*Please show Yourself supreme and strong in my dear sister's life, Lord. She needs You so much during this time of her life..continue to watch over her and grant her the desire of her heart, please save her Dad, our dearest Almighty God..Nothing is difficult for you..not even this. Thank you so much for hearing our prayers and answering them in Your time. Thank you for ever being our Rock, our Fortress, our Strength and Salvation for all eternity.
In Jesus' name,
Amen*