Welcome Back, King Kenny

Kenny Dalglish - back at the Anfield dugout

1st CG in 2011

Last evening, we had our 1st cg in 2011. Of course, we were on the topic of New Year resolutions. Among those who shared, Kunfa wants to lose weight and eat healthily.
He wants to take good care of his temple of God. Eugene wants to save money for his Japan trip at the end of the year. He wants to learn how to save financially. Alex wish to have good time management so that he can have more time to do his own things in the evenings instead of staying till late in the office. He wants to start work early and go back early too.
Larina wants to experience God more in the coming year carrying on the momentum of 2010 in which she has some deep moments with God. She wants to spend time with God no matter what are the circumstances. Jiayun also wants to have a healthier lifestyle and learn to pray more. Wifey wants to exercise and have the habit of resting by 11pm every night…

There we have it; there are desires to stay healthy by embracing a healthier lifestyle, better time and financial management and of course, growing deeper and more intimate with God.

As for me, as I have shared, I am not really used to the word resolutions; I prefer to call it adjustments of life.
I prefer to see life in seasons; Entering 2011 does not automatically mean I am entering another season.
As what pastor Jeff shared on Sunday , when the clock strikes 12 on 31st Dec it does not mean all the credit card debts will be written off, it does not mean failing relationships will suddenly be restored, it does not mean an illness will suddenly disappear..
However the New Year does offer an opportunity to make some adjustment to my life to re align back where God intended to be …perhaps.

My list
1. Be more willing to ask for help ( especially in running the group, share burden and let everyone play a bigger role in this family of God, it should be a win-win if done correctly.)
2. Not to fret over unimportant matters (matthew 6:34, phil 4:6)
3. Spend more time with my love ones
4. Not to let what others think or say affect me ( we live for the audience of one ultimately)
5. Enjoy God (serving, fellowship, leading)
6. Never ever take anything for granted

Jiayun led This is the Day: Divine Exchange and Deeper in Love and after that we had a time of prayer.

I was actually wanting to do some discussion on Sunday Sermon but was rather stuck on what to share or discuss during the week, then in midweek Alex suggested we pray instead. He was so convicted about the importance of praying and so we went ahead.
Thank you Alex for your conviction.

Lord I commit every single one of us in NG1C3 unto you. Lord as we enter the year with a heart of total dependence on you, we really really want to experience you as Jehovah Nissi. We want to proclaim you as our banner as we experience victory (big and small) with you in 2011. As we lift our hands up to you like Moses, fight the battle with us and never ever let our spirit grow faint. In Jesus most victorious name I pray. Amen..



picture taken during Christmas eve 2010... the whole family...almost ;o)

You are Holy

This song keeps playing over and over in my head recently. I am very ministered by these words ...
" i sing your praises forever, deeper in love with you. Here in your courts where i'm close to your throne, I've found where i belong.."
At a time where i seek desparately to find answers to my many questions...these words simply tells me to come to the place where my heart can be quiet and be at rest, where it truly belongs...

God who are you really ???

Abraham Tested
1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.

2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram[a] caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”



God is Jehovah Jireh... He will provide.

Failure ? Not

while the nation celebrates the achievements of the top PSLE students and the news are of success stories, a group of kids have to pick themselves up from probably the first major failure in their young life - those who failed their PSLE.
Today's news featured this group of students who went to Northlight School for their orientation. It might be quite a heartbreaking experience for them and their parents. While their peers get to mull over which Sec school to attend; they do not have much of a choice. Some parents chose to sit away from their kids (dissapointment, anger, shame) yet there are some who still carry the hope that their kids can still excel in life, even if they are taking a path less travelled.
According to the report, the principle tried to motivate this group of student during the orientation with success stories and testimonies from alumnis who have gone on to earn a decent living and make the most of their time in the school.
They definitely need the motivation for it must be painful at this point in time and most of them will be lacking in confidence to face the future.
I pray that these kids will not let this hinder them from excelling in whatever they choose to learn at Northlight. Go on, do your best, build up your character and do not let your PSLE results determine what kind of person you can be. Jiayou to all of you.

Responding to 3 Challenges

CG 27 August 2010 – Responding to God’s Challenges (some thoughts)

Responding to challenge 1 - Learning to be involved again
Recently, I am involving myself to help out more in some events in our region like Movie Nite and DnD

What makes me do it?
There is always a need for more help, share the load with each other.
The realization that I have something to offer, no matter how small.
(All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.)

Learning points while serving
You can only serve well if you do not care who will get the credits. (1 Cor 3:6)
A sense of peace when you know that you have invested what God has entrusted you with, the right way. (matthew 25:14-30)
You have ownership when you are involved
Physically may be tired but spiritually refreshed
Confidence that God takes care of the rest of your concerns when you serve him.

Responding to challenge 2 – Learning to prepare my own teaching materials to feed my flock
I need to continue to be observant and sensitive to the things around me, to see God working in the everyday situations so that CG discussion/teachings can be more interesting. (Romans 12:6-8)
I have created a blog
http://the-first-garden.blogspot.com/
as a platform to post some thoughts, teachings, sermon notes

What makes me do it?
If you love me, feed my sheep. (John 21:15-17)
Feed with good quality food.
When we pluck other teachings wholesale and overload with bible verses, it becomes poor quality food for my sheeps.
You cannot give what you do not have. So I must be able to internalize what I have learnt, draw biblical lessons from my experience before I can deliver it.


Responding to challenge 3 – Learning to make CG nites different
http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC100724-0000048/Its-PE-,,,-but-not-as-I-knew-it

Even Physical Education is now being done so much differently, why not CG? As long as we keep the end goals in mind, we can explore different methods of delivering it.
Another example is my nephew’s school. They have so much experiential learning that even adult (i.e. Theresa finds it very interesting)
Remember the principle of contextualization (the need to make CG relevant to the people)
and the principle of competition (the need to ensure CG is still attractive )
It’s a happenin Friday evening; I can choose to chill out with my friends, why do I still choose to attend CG?

Lion and the lamb

Last Sunday, we started on the 1st part of our ESS, titled Marshmallow Man.
Pastor Jeff started off by sharing about how different people have different ideas of what defines a “TRUE MAN”.
Is he the muscular, alpha male type like Stallone, Bruce Lee? or is he the SNAG metro sexual type (Zac Effron, Becks). Definition of true man evolves over the years and changes regularly with society’s expectations and demands as well as media portrayal…
So what is the bible’s take on the definition of True Man??
Firstly, a true man is TENDER.
In particularly, tender to express emotions.
Jesus wept over Jerusalem in Luke 19:41 and in John 11:35 Jesus wept over Lazarus his good friend.
Contrary to many Asian cultures, it is really ok for man to exhibit our emotions appropriately
A true man is also tender towards other people.
Especially the seemingly weaker group. (Children, elderly and women) as illustrated in John 8:9-11 and mark 10:13-16.
A true man is not a robot neither is he a block of wood. A true man is someone in touch with his emotions and he is not afraid to express it appropriately.
Secondly, a real man is also TOUGH.
Tough when it comes to what is right.
Although he is soft in heart, he is strong in character and mind as displayed by Jesus in John 2:13-16.
Something that pastor shared which is key to this point is “When we do not stand for anything, we will fall for everything.” That is so true…it is indeed frustrating to see man without any kind of convictions and principles and who goes wherever the wind blows. They flow towards whichever direction that bring them the most advantage even though they are clearly walking in the wrong path.
A real man is also tough in the face of difficulties.
They take personal responsibility to stay strong in marriage, family and work even when the going gets tough. They never give up but become more determine to overcome that situation they are in.
In conclusion, it is not easy to be a real man because we tend to veer towards the extremes. However, if we take the life of Jesus as a guide we will get pretty close to being the ultimate real man… After all, He is not known as The Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God for nothing…