Thoughts from a friend

These are just some thoughts from a friend of mine which was so Good I had to share it here with you all! Happy reading!

Good, Better, Best?
We compare all the time, especially in the ‘kiasu’ Singaporean culture. In John 21, after receiving his life calling personally from the mouth of Jesus, Peter’s first question was about the other disciple, John: “What about him?” And Jesus’ reply was “What is that to you?” Each of us has unique gifts and callings based on what God has put in us. But we look to other people’s gifts and callings to gauge our effectiveness, instead of celebrating their stories and our’s.

Exploring Your Iceberg
Like icebergs, which are 90% under the water, we are often only in touch with what we feel and think on the surface, and not really aware of what’s churning underneath. As Christians, we often ‘stuff’ our real thoughts and emotions beneath the surface because it seems ‘un-Christian’ to feel or think these things. But by not dealing with what’s ‘down there’, we’re slowly killing our joy, and forming a shell around our hearts.

Moments that Count
Quiet time can become a formula for our spirituality. We think: If God is to speak to me today, He’d better do so in the 30min I’ve set aside for Him this morning! And if we miss those times, we feel an overwhelming sense of guilt or shame. Or we search for glorious encounters and extraordinary events as anchors for our souls. But if God is everywhere, all the time, then there are countless ordinary moments for us to experience His presence. It all counts!

The Importance of Trust
I must confess, my concept of trust used to be this: I ask you to do something --> You do it --> I trust you. Maybe some of you can identify with me :b Yes, getting the task done is definitely a part of trust, but I’ve learnt that the most important element of trust is really ‘being known’. How well I know my team as individuals will determine how much I can trust them. And it’s not enough for the leader to trust the team - the team needs to trust each other too.

The Problem of Overfunction
This was a timely reminder about boundaries. Something new I realized was that if two people are over-functioning to compensate and ‘cover’ for the other’s job, then neither one truly grows in his real assigned role. In a marriage, for example, this can occur when the husband has the unsaid permission to overfunction at work because his wife is overfunctioning at home.. Mum becomes a resentful single parent and Dad, a workaholic.

Live for Today
There is a subtle lie that many Christians believe. That “one day, things will settle down”. While it’s true that in God we can hope for a better tomorrow, having this mindset can cause us to delay in doing what God is calling us to do today. For example, we tell ourselves “after this crisis is over, I will give to missions” or “when such-and-such a person joins our team, then we will be ready to do this thing.” We need to risk living for today more.

God Bless ;)
Sam

Little by Little

Little by Little
By Os Hillman
July 27 Devotional

"All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty" (Prov 14:23).

Is there something you would like to accomplish in life but simply cannot find the hours in the day to get started? Many of us suffer from procrastination. We justify putting our dreams aside because we don't believe we have the time or resources to accomplish the task.

Many times people tell me they believe they are called to write a book. I tell them, "Great, if God has called you to write a book, begin to write it." Sometimes the response is: "But I don't have a publisher." "That has nothing to do with it," I say. "That is not your problem. If God calls you to write a book, you are to begin to write. You may not be writing to get published. You may be writing for other purposes."

"The LORD your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little" (Deut 7:22). If God has given you a vision to do something, begin by taking baby steps toward that project. Begin to focus on the vision and take action steps toward it. Many times people ask me, "How in the world do you have time to write? You travel so much and seem to have such a full schedule." My answer to them is that I have a specific time of day in which I commit to writing. It is usually between 5 AM and 8 AM. I have found this to be my most creative and productive time. Very little can get in the way of this time if I believe God has given me a project to do.

You will be amazed at what God can do with a little each day. Do not let procrastination prevent you from accomplishing what God may want to do through your life. Make plans today to take baby steps toward the vision that is in your heart.

Video Testimony of Christopher and Leon Yuan

Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
1 Timothy 1:16

God is Big!

God is so big He can cover the whole world with his Love and so small He can curl up inside your heart.

When God leads you to the edge of the cliff, trust Him fully and let go, only 1 of 2 things will happen, either He'll catch you when you fall, or He'll teach you how to fly!

What is your perspective of Spiritual Growth?

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve;
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked God for health, that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy;
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life;
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among men, most richly blessed.

If we want "spiritual growth", we have to face the pain. We have to walk through the dark valleys of our lives, then only can we learn to rely on God and thus, "grow" in the process.

Are you facing up to this challenge ahead, or hiding away and procrastinating?

Have a great week ahead!

Youth As Warriors Of The Faith! (Talk)

He will be speaking at YAM's session this 18th July 2009! Come and hear him!

SATURDAY 18 JULY – (8 PM to 10 PM)
Youth As Warriors Of The Faith
Speaker: Deacon Harold Burke Sivers
OLPS, St. John-Luke Room (Level 2)



Deacon Harold from Portland, Oregon is regularly featured on the globally broadcasted Eternal Word Television Network – EWTN. Many of his talks onMale Spirituality, Family & The Eucharist have been received with rave reviews globally.

Reflection on 'The Shortness of Life'

I was inspired today by a quote I read in the paper by Lucius Seneca (c. 4 BC – AD 65), Roman Stoic Philosopher. He wrote "The Shortness of Life".

(Read more here for the full article of "The Shortness of Life" & readers' comments)

I especially liked his quotes which depict how we "live", but do not really "live" -- That everything could very well be idle preoccupations, but not really leisure. It is so true sometimes! "The part of life we really live is small.” For all the rest of existence is not life, but merely time (Lucius Seneca)

But... as I was reading on, into the comments on this post, I came to read someone's comments, which consisted bible passages. It not only enlightened me, but made my heart jump a little. And I began to think, that philosophy is still philosophy after all, it is MAN's ruminations. But when it comes to the Word of God, I feel that it is not just "ruminations" but it is the answer of Life.

Maybe this faith to believe this, is God's grace too, for I realise that no one can really have hope in a book such as the bible, unless they have been given that "spiritual insight" by God.

So then, will people who are not believers ever be able to get that spiritual insight? Yes, by God's grace. So if their hearts are open, if they would just go directly to question this God about HIS truths, I believe HE would show himself to them.

From PROVERBS 3:1-10
Have you considered these words:
1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

Have you considered what Jesus said about living for the after life instead of this life?

Treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-24)
19″Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22″The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24″No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

2 Corinthians 4:18
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

1 John 2:17
The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.