Hehe...by now I'm sure a lot of you have lost your exams timetable, yours truly included. It's somewhere, maybe it's in my car but I'm just lazy so I got a soft copy from Cat and thought it'll be good to post it here also. =)
Here it is!
OCF Clayton Exams Timetable Sem 2 2006
If you know someone's exams are wrong please let either Cat or me know.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Monday, August 21, 2006
Day 16: What Matters Most
Don't we all wonder what matters most in our lives? Guess what? Life is all about love. Because God is love, He wants us to learn how to love.. above all else. It is in loving that we are most like Him!
Learning to love unselfishly is difficult because we are self-centred people, but He's given us a lifetime to learn it! God wants us to love everyone, but He's particularly concerned that we learn to love others in His family. Why? Because God wants His family to be known for its love more than anything else. Jesus said, "Your love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples". Amazing revelation huh?
And guess what? We cannot learn to love if we're in isolation. THAT'S WHY we always stress the importance of being in a care group - having relationship and fellowship with one another! That's why we stress the crucialness (is there even such a word?) of being planted in a church, being in regular close fellowship with other believers! We HAVE to be around people - irritating, imperfect, frustrating people to learn to love! =)
1. Life without love is really worthless. Life minus love = ZERO
1Corinthians13:3
No matter what i say, what i believe, and what i do, I'm bankrupt without love.
Matt 22:27-30
You must love the Lord your God with all your heart... This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbour as yourself. All the other commandments and all the demands of the phophets are based on these two commandments.
After learning to love God, learning to love others is the second purpose of our lives.
Relationships, are what matters most in life. Why do we then allow our relationships to get the short end of the stick? Busyness is a great enemy of relationships. We become preoccupied with making a living, doing our work, paying bills, accomplishing goals as if these tasks are the point of life! They are NOT! The point of life is to love - God and people.
2. Love will last forever.
1 Corin 13:13
These three things continue forever: faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love.
Love leaves a legacy. How you treat other people, not wealth or accomplishments, is the most enduring impact you can leave on earth. Its not what you do, but how much love you put into it that matters. Imagine being on your death bed, you wouldnt surround yourself with objects but what we'd want si people we love and have relationships with. In our final moments we realise that relationships are what life is all about. Wisdom is learning the truth sooner rather than later. Let's not wait til then to love.
3. We will be evaluated on our love.
One of the ways God measures spiritual maturity is by the quality of your relationships. He will review how we treated other people, especially those in need. Jesus said the way to love Him is to love His family and care for their practical needs. Matt 25:40. When we go to eternity, we leave everything else behind except our character. Thats why the bible says "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love".
The importance of things can be measures by how much time we are willing to invest in them. Time is our most precious gift because when we give someone our time, we are giving a portion of our lives that we'll never get back. Your time is your life! Thats why the greatest gift we can give someone is our time.
its not enough to say relationships are important, we must prove it by investing time in them. The essence of love is how much we give of ourselves. You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving - giving up our preferences, comfort, goals, security, money, energy or time for the benefit of someone else.
The best time to love is NOW. We dont know how long we will have the opportunity. Circumstances change. People die. We have no gurantee of tomorrow. The best use of life is love. THe best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now.
Learning to love unselfishly is difficult because we are self-centred people, but He's given us a lifetime to learn it! God wants us to love everyone, but He's particularly concerned that we learn to love others in His family. Why? Because God wants His family to be known for its love more than anything else. Jesus said, "Your love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples". Amazing revelation huh?
And guess what? We cannot learn to love if we're in isolation. THAT'S WHY we always stress the importance of being in a care group - having relationship and fellowship with one another! That's why we stress the crucialness (is there even such a word?) of being planted in a church, being in regular close fellowship with other believers! We HAVE to be around people - irritating, imperfect, frustrating people to learn to love! =)
1. Life without love is really worthless. Life minus love = ZERO
1Corinthians13:3
No matter what i say, what i believe, and what i do, I'm bankrupt without love.
Matt 22:27-30
You must love the Lord your God with all your heart... This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbour as yourself. All the other commandments and all the demands of the phophets are based on these two commandments.
After learning to love God, learning to love others is the second purpose of our lives.
Relationships, are what matters most in life. Why do we then allow our relationships to get the short end of the stick? Busyness is a great enemy of relationships. We become preoccupied with making a living, doing our work, paying bills, accomplishing goals as if these tasks are the point of life! They are NOT! The point of life is to love - God and people.
2. Love will last forever.
1 Corin 13:13
These three things continue forever: faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love.
Love leaves a legacy. How you treat other people, not wealth or accomplishments, is the most enduring impact you can leave on earth. Its not what you do, but how much love you put into it that matters. Imagine being on your death bed, you wouldnt surround yourself with objects but what we'd want si people we love and have relationships with. In our final moments we realise that relationships are what life is all about. Wisdom is learning the truth sooner rather than later. Let's not wait til then to love.
3. We will be evaluated on our love.
One of the ways God measures spiritual maturity is by the quality of your relationships. He will review how we treated other people, especially those in need. Jesus said the way to love Him is to love His family and care for their practical needs. Matt 25:40. When we go to eternity, we leave everything else behind except our character. Thats why the bible says "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love".
The importance of things can be measures by how much time we are willing to invest in them. Time is our most precious gift because when we give someone our time, we are giving a portion of our lives that we'll never get back. Your time is your life! Thats why the greatest gift we can give someone is our time.
its not enough to say relationships are important, we must prove it by investing time in them. The essence of love is how much we give of ourselves. You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving - giving up our preferences, comfort, goals, security, money, energy or time for the benefit of someone else.
The best time to love is NOW. We dont know how long we will have the opportunity. Circumstances change. People die. We have no gurantee of tomorrow. The best use of life is love. THe best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Mission Night 2006
it's this friday night!!!
we're all gonna wave our lil home country flags :)
sing out national anthem
and pray for our country!!
so come along this friday night to OCF to meet the King of Kings :)
see you peeps there!!!
we're all gonna wave our lil home country flags :)
sing out national anthem
and pray for our country!!
so come along this friday night to OCF to meet the King of Kings :)
see you peeps there!!!
Friday, July 28, 2006
OCF Clayton Postboards!
As promised! Our very own OCF Clayton forums are up and running and can be accessed at:
http://forums.ocfclayton.org
Use it for any form of discussion, maybe cell group outing, funny stuff you saw and would like to share! More importantly your thoughts and what God has been teaching you, devotions, Bible studies, anything!
Check it out and sign up now! :)
Have fun and see you there!
http://forums.ocfclayton.org
Use it for any form of discussion, maybe cell group outing, funny stuff you saw and would like to share! More importantly your thoughts and what God has been teaching you, devotions, Bible studies, anything!
Check it out and sign up now! :)
Have fun and see you there!
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Day 15: Formed For God's Family
I've been really off track on this Purpose Driven Life. This is really bad, what was supposed to be 40 days now seem like would be taking 40 weeks! Kids, don't do this at home! Anyways...
Ever wondered why God made us? Think about it, He is the God of the universe, He created all things, He is all powerful, He sets the stars in the sky and knows them by name. Why would such an almighty Being even bothers with us?
That's because God is love and He treasures relationships! The Trinity is a relationship, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amazing revelation! He doesn't need a family, He already has one within Himself but yet He desires one. So He made us.
When we give God our lives, we become part of His family and being in the family and running the family business has some real perks! We get a priceless and eternal inheritance already stored up for us in Heaven, this is the real reward we should be looking forward to, not earthly possesions.
When we are part of a family, we have family pride; members of the family are not ashamed of their families and will take public steps to identify themselves! Baptism is our step to declare that we are part of God's family, a step not optional and not to be delayed. When I got baptised myself, it was an amazing experience! I've never felt so at peace and so loved, just couldn't help but seeing God smiling down on me saying "I love you my son!"
Ever wondered why God made us? Think about it, He is the God of the universe, He created all things, He is all powerful, He sets the stars in the sky and knows them by name. Why would such an almighty Being even bothers with us?
That's because God is love and He treasures relationships! The Trinity is a relationship, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amazing revelation! He doesn't need a family, He already has one within Himself but yet He desires one. So He made us.
When we give God our lives, we become part of His family and being in the family and running the family business has some real perks! We get a priceless and eternal inheritance already stored up for us in Heaven, this is the real reward we should be looking forward to, not earthly possesions.
When we are part of a family, we have family pride; members of the family are not ashamed of their families and will take public steps to identify themselves! Baptism is our step to declare that we are part of God's family, a step not optional and not to be delayed. When I got baptised myself, it was an amazing experience! I've never felt so at peace and so loved, just couldn't help but seeing God smiling down on me saying "I love you my son!"
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Day 14: When God Seems Distant
Ever wondered sometimes whether God REALLY exists? Especially when situations and circumstances are not pleasant? Well, God is REAL, and He EXISTS, no matter what we go thru. Sometimes we may feel that He's a million miles away, but that doesn't mean He's not real. We may wake up one morning and all spiritual feelings are gone. We pray, but nothing happens. We rebuke the devil, but it doesn't change anything. We go thru spiritual exercises, we have friends praying for us, we confess every sin we can imagine, we fast, do everything we can think of, but still nothing happens. Feels like our prayers just bounce off the ceiling.
It is but a part of testing and maturing of our friendship with God. Every Christian goes thru it at least once. Definitely painful and discouraging, but it is essential for the development of our faith! Will we continue to love, trust, obey and worship God, even when we have no sense of His presence or visible evidence of His work in our lives? Will we?
Worship and friendship with God is not based on our emotions and feelings. We cannot seek an experience (feelings) when we worship. We need to seek GOD! He does want us to sense His presence, but He's more concerned that we trust him than that we feel Him. Faith, not feelings, pleases God. Remember Job in the bible? His life basically fell apart in one day and God was nowhere to be found. It really stretched his faith.
How do we praise God when we don't understand whats going on and God is silent? How do we stay sane without God speaking into our lives? How do we keep our eyes on Jesus when they're full of tears? We do what Job did. Job1:20-21
1. Tell God exactly how we feel.
Everything. Anything.
2. Focus on who God is - His unchanging nature.
Remind ourselves of what is eternally true about Him - He is good, He loves me, He is with me, He knows what i'm going thru, He'll provide, He knows and has the best plans for my life, He is in control!
3. Trust God to keep His promises.
We must patiently rely on His promises. God is never too early or too late. He is always on time. His promises are yes and Amen! Hold on to His word!
4. Remember what God has already done for you!
He deserves our continual praise because of what Jesus did on the cross! Remember what cruelty He had to go thru, just to save you and i! This is the greatest reason for worship!! He gave up everything, so that we could have everything. He died so we could live forever. That alone is worthy of our continue thanks and praise. NEVER again should we wonder what to be thankful for.
It is but a part of testing and maturing of our friendship with God. Every Christian goes thru it at least once. Definitely painful and discouraging, but it is essential for the development of our faith! Will we continue to love, trust, obey and worship God, even when we have no sense of His presence or visible evidence of His work in our lives? Will we?
Worship and friendship with God is not based on our emotions and feelings. We cannot seek an experience (feelings) when we worship. We need to seek GOD! He does want us to sense His presence, but He's more concerned that we trust him than that we feel Him. Faith, not feelings, pleases God. Remember Job in the bible? His life basically fell apart in one day and God was nowhere to be found. It really stretched his faith.
How do we praise God when we don't understand whats going on and God is silent? How do we stay sane without God speaking into our lives? How do we keep our eyes on Jesus when they're full of tears? We do what Job did. Job1:20-21
1. Tell God exactly how we feel.
Everything. Anything.
2. Focus on who God is - His unchanging nature.
Remind ourselves of what is eternally true about Him - He is good, He loves me, He is with me, He knows what i'm going thru, He'll provide, He knows and has the best plans for my life, He is in control!
3. Trust God to keep His promises.
We must patiently rely on His promises. God is never too early or too late. He is always on time. His promises are yes and Amen! Hold on to His word!
4. Remember what God has already done for you!
He deserves our continual praise because of what Jesus did on the cross! Remember what cruelty He had to go thru, just to save you and i! This is the greatest reason for worship!! He gave up everything, so that we could have everything. He died so we could live forever. That alone is worthy of our continue thanks and praise. NEVER again should we wonder what to be thankful for.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Day 13: Worship That Pleases God
God wants ALL of you!
...not just some, not just partially but ALL!
Everyone worships...but are we doing it right? For the right reasons? With the right attitudes?
God is pleased when our worship is accurate
God wants us to worship Him as He says He is, not what we think He is. We cannot create our own image of the God we want to worship. We have to worship Him in spirit and in truth! His word gives us a clear enough image of Him!
God is pleased when our worship is authentic
Worshipping in spirit doesn't mean in the Holy Spirit but in our spirits. Worship is our spirits responding to God's Spirit! How cool is that? You can now chuck those warped worship concepts you've always had in your mind out the window!
God looks straight into our hearts, past whatever facade we put on during worship. When I read this, Matt Redman's song "Heart of Worship" came to mind....beautiful song! We can worship God imperfectly but not insincerely!
One truth that struck me while reading this section is that if God made us all unique, shouldn't we be praising and worshipping Him in the ways that we are most comfortable in? Why must we all sing hymms only? Why must we sing to fast praise songs only?
God is pleased when our worship is thoughtful
We must engage our minds when we worship, not just recited repetitions of "Praise the Lord". If someone just came up to you and say "Good job! Well done!". You'd definitely be wondering "Uhh...for what?". Exactly. We've gotta praise God specifically and not just say "Praise God". Think about what you are saying the next time you worship.
God is pleased when our worship is practical
Worship is a lifestyle and that has been said so many times it's a cliched statement but it's true! What we do in our daily lives is a reflection of how much we love God. Our lifestyle have to reflect one that is of sacrifice, taking time to worship God even when we are tired, or helping others when you are stretched. That's true worship!
...not just some, not just partially but ALL!
Everyone worships...but are we doing it right? For the right reasons? With the right attitudes?
God is pleased when our worship is accurate
God wants us to worship Him as He says He is, not what we think He is. We cannot create our own image of the God we want to worship. We have to worship Him in spirit and in truth! His word gives us a clear enough image of Him!
God is pleased when our worship is authentic
Worshipping in spirit doesn't mean in the Holy Spirit but in our spirits. Worship is our spirits responding to God's Spirit! How cool is that? You can now chuck those warped worship concepts you've always had in your mind out the window!
God looks straight into our hearts, past whatever facade we put on during worship. When I read this, Matt Redman's song "Heart of Worship" came to mind....beautiful song! We can worship God imperfectly but not insincerely!
One truth that struck me while reading this section is that if God made us all unique, shouldn't we be praising and worshipping Him in the ways that we are most comfortable in? Why must we all sing hymms only? Why must we sing to fast praise songs only?
God is pleased when our worship is thoughtful
We must engage our minds when we worship, not just recited repetitions of "Praise the Lord". If someone just came up to you and say "Good job! Well done!". You'd definitely be wondering "Uhh...for what?". Exactly. We've gotta praise God specifically and not just say "Praise God". Think about what you are saying the next time you worship.
God is pleased when our worship is practical
Worship is a lifestyle and that has been said so many times it's a cliched statement but it's true! What we do in our daily lives is a reflection of how much we love God. Our lifestyle have to reflect one that is of sacrifice, taking time to worship God even when we are tired, or helping others when you are stretched. That's true worship!
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Day 12: Developing Your Friendship with God
I'm SO sorry we've been missing for awhile! We'll be back on track! =)
After knowing that God WANTS to be OUR best friend and we can be His when we have constant conversations and continual meditations with Him, we now need to learn how to develop our friendship with the Creator in a deeper way.
We are as close to God as we choose to be. It doesn't happen by accident, it takes desire, time and energy. Like any other friendships and relationships, we need to:
1. Choose to be honest with God.
We need to be completely honest with God, about our faults and feelings. I often feel frustrated and angry at situations and certain things in my life, and He, God of ALL, wants to know about it! He encourages me to express myself and just rant everything out on Him! Likewise, there are many examples in the Bible like Abraham, David, Job and many others who shared with God honestly - they complained, accused, vent bitterness etc etc! Genuine friendship is built on disclosure - He really wants us to be honest with Him, sharing our TRUE feelings, not what we think we ought to say or feel.
2. Choose to obey God in faith.
Everytime we trust God's wisdom and do whatever He says, even when we dont understand, we deepen our friendship with God. Jesus modelled this kind of relationship with His Father - He did whatever the Father asked Him to do - out of love, out of obedience. He treasures the simple and 'small' things we do for Him when we do it out of loving obedience - telling the truth, being kind, encouraging others etc!
3. Choose to value what God values.
Friends care about what is important to the other person. The closer we get to God, the more we will care about the things he cares about, grieve over the things He grieves over, and rejoice over the things that bring Him pleasure. The dearest thing to the heart of God is the death of His Son. The second dearest is when His children share that news with others. Are we caring about all the people around us whom God cares about? Are we telling our friends about God? Because those are the things that are dear to Him.
4. Desire friendship with God more than anything else.
We are as chose to God as we choose to be. We need to intentionally seek it. God told the captives in Babylon, "When you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, i'll make sure you won't be disappointed." Today, He's telling us that too.
Friendship with God is the only relationship that will last forever. It is the most important thing in life - and we don't want to miss that, do we? Remember, its our choice.
After knowing that God WANTS to be OUR best friend and we can be His when we have constant conversations and continual meditations with Him, we now need to learn how to develop our friendship with the Creator in a deeper way.
We are as close to God as we choose to be. It doesn't happen by accident, it takes desire, time and energy. Like any other friendships and relationships, we need to:
1. Choose to be honest with God.
We need to be completely honest with God, about our faults and feelings. I often feel frustrated and angry at situations and certain things in my life, and He, God of ALL, wants to know about it! He encourages me to express myself and just rant everything out on Him! Likewise, there are many examples in the Bible like Abraham, David, Job and many others who shared with God honestly - they complained, accused, vent bitterness etc etc! Genuine friendship is built on disclosure - He really wants us to be honest with Him, sharing our TRUE feelings, not what we think we ought to say or feel.
2. Choose to obey God in faith.
Everytime we trust God's wisdom and do whatever He says, even when we dont understand, we deepen our friendship with God. Jesus modelled this kind of relationship with His Father - He did whatever the Father asked Him to do - out of love, out of obedience. He treasures the simple and 'small' things we do for Him when we do it out of loving obedience - telling the truth, being kind, encouraging others etc!
3. Choose to value what God values.
Friends care about what is important to the other person. The closer we get to God, the more we will care about the things he cares about, grieve over the things He grieves over, and rejoice over the things that bring Him pleasure. The dearest thing to the heart of God is the death of His Son. The second dearest is when His children share that news with others. Are we caring about all the people around us whom God cares about? Are we telling our friends about God? Because those are the things that are dear to Him.
4. Desire friendship with God more than anything else.
We are as chose to God as we choose to be. We need to intentionally seek it. God told the captives in Babylon, "When you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, i'll make sure you won't be disappointed." Today, He's telling us that too.
Friendship with God is the only relationship that will last forever. It is the most important thing in life - and we don't want to miss that, do we? Remember, its our choice.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Day 11: Becoming Best Friends With God
God wants to be your best friend.
When I read that statement, to be honest I was quite blown away. Yeah, I know that from head knowledge but just reading that again really opened up my eyes. It's simple really, God just wants to be part of your life like a friend!
Hmm...so, how do we become best friends with God? Day 11 covers 2 practical points and here they are:
Through Constant Conversation
Best friends talk. Period. Not just talk, but talk talk. You can never form a relationship with someone without communication! Likewise with God. All we have to do is to develop a habit of carrying on open ended conversations with God through the day, in all that we do.
Everything we do can be an act of worship, all we have to do is keep God in our mind and doing it as if we're doing it for Him! "Pray continually" says 1 Thess 5:17. No, it doesn't just mean praying all the time 5 times a day...but rather as if speaking to a friend, praying short 'arrow prayers' like "Thank You Lord", "Please let it be okay", "You are with me", "For me to live is Christ", "I want to know you", "Lord, draw near to me". These are practical examples. Try it!
Through Continual Meditation
Chuck out all preconceptions of meditations you have and take in this new set: "Dwelling on God's word in your mind". Real meditation is actually thinking about, digesting, dissecting, understanding God's word through the day.
If you know how to worry, you know how to meditate. You just need to replace the object of worry with a verse or two and there you go. You'll be sowing God's word in your heart on a daily basis! That's how God would be able to speak to you!
Start today! Try practising continual prayer and meditating on His word! What I suggest is to check our blog's daily verse out in the morning and commit that to memory and think and pray it through. You'd be amaze what revelations that would come out of it!
When I read that statement, to be honest I was quite blown away. Yeah, I know that from head knowledge but just reading that again really opened up my eyes. It's simple really, God just wants to be part of your life like a friend!
Hmm...so, how do we become best friends with God? Day 11 covers 2 practical points and here they are:
Through Constant Conversation
Best friends talk. Period. Not just talk, but talk talk. You can never form a relationship with someone without communication! Likewise with God. All we have to do is to develop a habit of carrying on open ended conversations with God through the day, in all that we do.
Everything we do can be an act of worship, all we have to do is keep God in our mind and doing it as if we're doing it for Him! "Pray continually" says 1 Thess 5:17. No, it doesn't just mean praying all the time 5 times a day...but rather as if speaking to a friend, praying short 'arrow prayers' like "Thank You Lord", "Please let it be okay", "You are with me", "For me to live is Christ", "I want to know you", "Lord, draw near to me". These are practical examples. Try it!
Through Continual Meditation
Chuck out all preconceptions of meditations you have and take in this new set: "Dwelling on God's word in your mind". Real meditation is actually thinking about, digesting, dissecting, understanding God's word through the day.
If you know how to worry, you know how to meditate. You just need to replace the object of worry with a verse or two and there you go. You'll be sowing God's word in your heart on a daily basis! That's how God would be able to speak to you!
Start today! Try practising continual prayer and meditating on His word! What I suggest is to check our blog's daily verse out in the morning and commit that to memory and think and pray it through. You'd be amaze what revelations that would come out of it!
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Day 10: The Heart Of Worship
The Heart of Worship
I’m coming back to the heart of worship
It’s all about You, It’s all about You Jesus
I’m sorry Lord for the things I’ve made it
When its all about You, its all about You Jesus.
The essence of this song is ultimately about surrender – giving of ourselves to Him in response to His amazing love! True worship happens when we give ourselves completely to God, and that makes Him smile. He wants all of us, every part of our lives. Why then is it so difficult to give our all to Jesus? Because of fear, pride, and confusion.
Can I trust God?
Trust is an essential ingredient to surrender. We won’t surrender unless we trust Him, but we can’t trust Him until we know Him better. Fear keeps us from surrendering, but His perfect love casts out all fear. The more we realize how much God loves us, the easier it is to surrender.
Admitting our Limitations
Pride hinders us from totally surrendering to Him. We dislike not having control over things in our lives. But we are not God, and we will never be. It is when we try to be God that we end up most like Satan, who desired the same thing.
What It Means to Surrender
It simply means sacrificing your life or suffering in order to change what needs to be changed. C.S Lewis observed. “The more we let God take over, the more truly ourselves we become – because He made us. It is when I turn to Christ, when I give up myself to His personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own”
Surrendering is best demonstrated in obedience – we obey God’s word fully, even if it doesn’t make sense. Partial obedience is disobedience. Another aspect of a fully surrendered life is trust – trusting that His ways are better than ours; and relying on God to work things out rather than rationalising with our own minds.
The Blessing of Surrender
We experience peace, freedom, and God’s power in our lives. The greatness of a man’s power is in the measure of his surrender.
The Best Way to Live
Everyone surrenders to something or someone. If not to God, we will surrender to the opinions or expectations of others, to money, to fear, pride etc. We are free to choose what we surrender to, but we are not free from the consequences of that choice.
Surrender is not the best way to live, it is the only way to live. Nothing else works. Our wisest moments will be those when we say yes to God. It makes Him smile when we obey and surrender everything to Him. So why not give it all to Him: our past regrets, our present problems, your future ambitions, your fears, your dreams, hurts, habits etc. Nothing under His control can ever be out of control.
However, when we decide to live a totally surrendered life, that decision will be tested. It may mean doing inconvenient, unpopular, costly or seemingly impossible tasks. It will often mean doing the opposite of what you feel like doing.
Published on behalf of Peggen Ewe.
I’m coming back to the heart of worship
It’s all about You, It’s all about You Jesus
I’m sorry Lord for the things I’ve made it
When its all about You, its all about You Jesus.
The essence of this song is ultimately about surrender – giving of ourselves to Him in response to His amazing love! True worship happens when we give ourselves completely to God, and that makes Him smile. He wants all of us, every part of our lives. Why then is it so difficult to give our all to Jesus? Because of fear, pride, and confusion.
Can I trust God?
Trust is an essential ingredient to surrender. We won’t surrender unless we trust Him, but we can’t trust Him until we know Him better. Fear keeps us from surrendering, but His perfect love casts out all fear. The more we realize how much God loves us, the easier it is to surrender.
Admitting our Limitations
Pride hinders us from totally surrendering to Him. We dislike not having control over things in our lives. But we are not God, and we will never be. It is when we try to be God that we end up most like Satan, who desired the same thing.
What It Means to Surrender
It simply means sacrificing your life or suffering in order to change what needs to be changed. C.S Lewis observed. “The more we let God take over, the more truly ourselves we become – because He made us. It is when I turn to Christ, when I give up myself to His personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own”
Surrendering is best demonstrated in obedience – we obey God’s word fully, even if it doesn’t make sense. Partial obedience is disobedience. Another aspect of a fully surrendered life is trust – trusting that His ways are better than ours; and relying on God to work things out rather than rationalising with our own minds.
The Blessing of Surrender
We experience peace, freedom, and God’s power in our lives. The greatness of a man’s power is in the measure of his surrender.
The Best Way to Live
Everyone surrenders to something or someone. If not to God, we will surrender to the opinions or expectations of others, to money, to fear, pride etc. We are free to choose what we surrender to, but we are not free from the consequences of that choice.
Surrender is not the best way to live, it is the only way to live. Nothing else works. Our wisest moments will be those when we say yes to God. It makes Him smile when we obey and surrender everything to Him. So why not give it all to Him: our past regrets, our present problems, your future ambitions, your fears, your dreams, hurts, habits etc. Nothing under His control can ever be out of control.
However, when we decide to live a totally surrendered life, that decision will be tested. It may mean doing inconvenient, unpopular, costly or seemingly impossible tasks. It will often mean doing the opposite of what you feel like doing.
Published on behalf of Peggen Ewe.
Monday, July 03, 2006
OCF Clayton Memories
Yes! Our very own photo gallery is up and running! Check it out!
http://gallery.ocfclayton.org
Viewing photos won't require registration but if you want to upload your photos you'll need to register. It's quick and easy!
Next up! Our own forums! :) Have fun y'all!
http://gallery.ocfclayton.org
Viewing photos won't require registration but if you want to upload your photos you'll need to register. It's quick and easy!
Next up! Our own forums! :) Have fun y'all!
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Day 9: What Makes God Smile?
To make God smile is the goal of our life. It's not really an easy thing to comprehend, the God of the universe, so powerful and strong, mighty and awesome could smile? At us? When we are only made of dust?
God Smiles...
When We Love Him
Yes, God loved us so much that He created us to love Him back...whoa...gotta get your head around that fact. We are talking about the supreme God who made all things, the simplest thing that can make Him smile is that we love Him back? Yes, He longs for your attention and love. Amazing isn't it?
When We Trust Him Completely
When you love someone, you trust him/her completely and trusting God is also an act of worship. Noah is one example of a man who loved and trust God completely, it took Noah 120 years to build that ark in the middle of desert which never ever saw rain before. Now that is trust!
When We Obey Him Wholeheartedly
You know, there isn't such a thing as partial obedience, it really is disobedience. Most of the times God gives us instructions that are just so out of this world and defies logic and rationalism, but that's how faith works. If you can see and know something's going to work out, that doesn't take faith at all, so when we truly obey God we are also building our faith in Him!
When We Praise And Thank Him Continually
It's always nice to receive compliments from people, edifying when people encourage you. It's the same with God, He loves our praises and worship to Him, He loves it when we express our adoration and gratitude to Him.
Which parent wouldn't love to receive a Love You note, Father/Mother's Day card or handmade gift from their children? I haven't been there but I think I would be thrilled and touched if my kids were to show their love and appreciation for me! So what more we should do that for our Father in Heaven?
When We Use Our Abilities
God loves watching us doing what we are designed and created to do and not just doing 'spiritual' things. Our daily lives when lived primarily as worship to God will please Him tremendously! All we have to do is just keep God in mind and remember that whatever we are doing is for God. That extends to the normally routine stuff like doing your laundry, cooking, eating, sleeping, having fun. Really, just using our gifts and talents...you may be gifted with music, great in maths, amazingly articulate, meticulous in planning, whatever! Just live your life for God! Be yourself!
Glen Berteau said something really good: "We were all born originals, don't die a copy"
God Smiles...
When We Love Him
Yes, God loved us so much that He created us to love Him back...whoa...gotta get your head around that fact. We are talking about the supreme God who made all things, the simplest thing that can make Him smile is that we love Him back? Yes, He longs for your attention and love. Amazing isn't it?
When We Trust Him Completely
When you love someone, you trust him/her completely and trusting God is also an act of worship. Noah is one example of a man who loved and trust God completely, it took Noah 120 years to build that ark in the middle of desert which never ever saw rain before. Now that is trust!
When We Obey Him Wholeheartedly
You know, there isn't such a thing as partial obedience, it really is disobedience. Most of the times God gives us instructions that are just so out of this world and defies logic and rationalism, but that's how faith works. If you can see and know something's going to work out, that doesn't take faith at all, so when we truly obey God we are also building our faith in Him!
When We Praise And Thank Him Continually
It's always nice to receive compliments from people, edifying when people encourage you. It's the same with God, He loves our praises and worship to Him, He loves it when we express our adoration and gratitude to Him.
Which parent wouldn't love to receive a Love You note, Father/Mother's Day card or handmade gift from their children? I haven't been there but I think I would be thrilled and touched if my kids were to show their love and appreciation for me! So what more we should do that for our Father in Heaven?
When We Use Our Abilities
God loves watching us doing what we are designed and created to do and not just doing 'spiritual' things. Our daily lives when lived primarily as worship to God will please Him tremendously! All we have to do is just keep God in mind and remember that whatever we are doing is for God. That extends to the normally routine stuff like doing your laundry, cooking, eating, sleeping, having fun. Really, just using our gifts and talents...you may be gifted with music, great in maths, amazingly articulate, meticulous in planning, whatever! Just live your life for God! Be yourself!
Glen Berteau said something really good: "We were all born originals, don't die a copy"
Friday, June 30, 2006
Day 8: Planned For God's Pleasure
God did not need to create us, but He chose to for HIS own enjoyment. We exist for His benefit, His glory, His purpose and His delight. At the same time, He wants us to enjoy life as well, not only to endure it. Thats why he gave us five sense and emotions so we can experience it. Knowing that we are created in His image, we need to remind ourselves that God has emotions too. The Bible tells us that He grieves, gets jealous and angry, feels compassion, pity, sorrow, happy, glad and satisfied!
Bringing please to God is called 'worship'.
Psalm 147:11 "The Lord is pleased only with those who worship Him and trust His love"
Anything we do that brings pleasure to God is worship. Worship is a lifestyle.
Worship is far more than music.
Many of us think worship is just a synonym for music in church or Christian gatherings, but its not. Or the term 'worship' is often misused to refer to a particular style of worship. Worship has nothing to do with the style, volume or speed of a song. ANY song if offered to God in spirit and truth, it is an act of worship. God loves variety and enjoys all kinds of music - as long as it is pleasing to Him.
Worship is not for your benefit.
When we worship, it is to bring pleasure to God, not ourselves. We don't worship to get something out of it - it is for His glory and pleasure. God's heart is not touched by tradition in worship or half-hearted worship, but by passion and commitment.
Worship is not part of your life, it IS your life.
We are told to 'worship Him continually' and to 'praise Him from sunrise to sunset'. Every activity can be transformed into an act of worship when we do it for the praise, glory, and pleasure of God. We do everything as if we were doing it for Jesus and by carrying on a continual converation with Him while we do it. Work becomes worship when we dedicate it to God and perform it with an awareness of His presence.
Are we living our lives as a worship unto Him? How can we apply this in our lives today?
Published on behalf of Peggen Ewe
Bringing please to God is called 'worship'.
Psalm 147:11 "The Lord is pleased only with those who worship Him and trust His love"
Anything we do that brings pleasure to God is worship. Worship is a lifestyle.
Worship is far more than music.
Many of us think worship is just a synonym for music in church or Christian gatherings, but its not. Or the term 'worship' is often misused to refer to a particular style of worship. Worship has nothing to do with the style, volume or speed of a song. ANY song if offered to God in spirit and truth, it is an act of worship. God loves variety and enjoys all kinds of music - as long as it is pleasing to Him.
Worship is not for your benefit.
When we worship, it is to bring pleasure to God, not ourselves. We don't worship to get something out of it - it is for His glory and pleasure. God's heart is not touched by tradition in worship or half-hearted worship, but by passion and commitment.
Worship is not part of your life, it IS your life.
We are told to 'worship Him continually' and to 'praise Him from sunrise to sunset'. Every activity can be transformed into an act of worship when we do it for the praise, glory, and pleasure of God. We do everything as if we were doing it for Jesus and by carrying on a continual converation with Him while we do it. Work becomes worship when we dedicate it to God and perform it with an awareness of His presence.
Are we living our lives as a worship unto Him? How can we apply this in our lives today?
Published on behalf of Peggen Ewe
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Day 7: The Reason For Everything
God is the reason for everything. The ultimate goal of the universe is to demonstrate God's glory. Does that sound like an egoistical God? Well, I guess if you were to create every single thing that exists, you should get some credit for it no?
We are here to glorify God, nothing else. Does that sound too narrow minded? No, I don't think so. Worship is not just singing songs and praises but worship is a lifestyle of enjoying God!
So how do we bring glory to God?
"Give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God." - Ro 6:13b (NLT)
1. Loving Other Believers
It is our responsibility to love others as God does, and since God is love, it honours Him when we love one another.
2. By Becoming Like Christ
God wants us to grow in spiritual maturity, the more we develop a Christlike character, the more we will bring glory to God. Since we've been given new life, would it make sense for us to be aimless in the new life? If so, what's the point? That's why we can't stand still, we have to dig deep into God in prayer, Word, worship...just being hungry for Him and letting Him work in our lives.
3. Serving Others With Our Gifts
Our gifts are not ours and it's not for us. It's on loan by God for us to steward and use to serve others! Not to glorify or serve our own selfish pursuits! Believe it or not, other people's gifts were meant to serve us! So start developing your talents and giftings and start serving God!
4. Telling Others About Him
If you found a good eating place, or a good sale, you won't keep it to yourself right? You'd want to tell and rave to everyone about it right? You know how some people would benefit from some products. If we can be so enthusiastic about evangelising such things, why can't we do so for the God of the universe? The One who created all things and having a perfect plan for you?
So, what is your choice? Are you willing to take that step of faith to live to glorify God? If you do, you'll need to be ready to make a huge shift in your priorities, your lifestyle, your relationships. It means taking the hard way instead of the easy one. But the hard way has it's abundance of perks...including a seal of approval from the Master! :) I know my choice!
We are here to glorify God, nothing else. Does that sound too narrow minded? No, I don't think so. Worship is not just singing songs and praises but worship is a lifestyle of enjoying God!
So how do we bring glory to God?
"Give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God." - Ro 6:13b (NLT)
1. Loving Other Believers
It is our responsibility to love others as God does, and since God is love, it honours Him when we love one another.
2. By Becoming Like Christ
God wants us to grow in spiritual maturity, the more we develop a Christlike character, the more we will bring glory to God. Since we've been given new life, would it make sense for us to be aimless in the new life? If so, what's the point? That's why we can't stand still, we have to dig deep into God in prayer, Word, worship...just being hungry for Him and letting Him work in our lives.
3. Serving Others With Our Gifts
Our gifts are not ours and it's not for us. It's on loan by God for us to steward and use to serve others! Not to glorify or serve our own selfish pursuits! Believe it or not, other people's gifts were meant to serve us! So start developing your talents and giftings and start serving God!
4. Telling Others About Him
If you found a good eating place, or a good sale, you won't keep it to yourself right? You'd want to tell and rave to everyone about it right? You know how some people would benefit from some products. If we can be so enthusiastic about evangelising such things, why can't we do so for the God of the universe? The One who created all things and having a perfect plan for you?
So, what is your choice? Are you willing to take that step of faith to live to glorify God? If you do, you'll need to be ready to make a huge shift in your priorities, your lifestyle, your relationships. It means taking the hard way instead of the easy one. But the hard way has it's abundance of perks...including a seal of approval from the Master! :) I know my choice!
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Day 6: Life is a TEMPORARY Assignment
As we've learnt that life IS a test, and a trust, today i pray that we will also see life as a temporary assignment.
Bible says in Psalm 119:19 (TEV) - I am here on earth for just a little while.
Life is really brief, compared to eternity.. and it is but our temporary residence. So why do many of us get so attached to the things of this world? Why do we more often than not, run after the things of the world that has no eternal value when God has created us for something greater and better that is everlasting? Why do we then get so attached to what's around us, adopt the values, priorities and lifestyles of the world when we know that this is not being kingdom-living?
Many of us have heard that Christians are ambassadors of Christ. Whats that supposed to mean, you ask. The dictionary says that an "ambassador" is an accredited diplomat sent by a country as its official representative to a foreign country.
Imagine being asked by your country to be an ambassador to an enemy nation. You'd have to learn a new language, adapt to some customs and cultural differences to be polite and accomplish your mission. As an ambassador, you wouldn't be able to isolate yourself from the enemy. To fulfil your mission, you would have to contact and related to them.
But suppose you became so comfortable with this foreign country that you fell in love with it, preferring it to your homeland. Your loyalty and commitment would change. Your role as ambassodor would be compromised. Instead of representing your country, you would start acting like the enemy. You'd be a traitor.
Likewise, the bible says that we are in the world but not of the world; and that this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it, don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. With all the 'attractions' and 'fun' times in the world today, its easy to forget that the pursuit of happiness is not what life is about. Yes, we need to be 'in' the world to reach out to our friends and family who are yet to come to know of His love (our mission), however, we need to remember that we are not OF this world - we are merely here temporarily to prepare for something greater.
I've come to realise that i'm never satisfied or contented with my life especially when i think 'If only i have that, i would be so happy and i'd not need anything else'. After awhile, when i've gotten my 'if onlys' and longings, i'd still be dissatisfied and feel the void. Well guess what? God allows us to feel that way because these are longings that will never be filled on this side of eternity! We're NOT supposed to be completely happy here because this is not our final home! We ARE created for something WAYYYYYYYY better!
As a fish would never be happy living on land, and an eagle could never be satisfied if it was not allowed to fly, we will never be completely satisfied on earth.. because we were made for MORE!
Let's be kingdom people, have kingdom mindsets, have eternal values and realise that our lives are just a test, trust and temporary assignment!
Bible says in Psalm 119:19 (TEV) - I am here on earth for just a little while.
Life is really brief, compared to eternity.. and it is but our temporary residence. So why do many of us get so attached to the things of this world? Why do we more often than not, run after the things of the world that has no eternal value when God has created us for something greater and better that is everlasting? Why do we then get so attached to what's around us, adopt the values, priorities and lifestyles of the world when we know that this is not being kingdom-living?
Many of us have heard that Christians are ambassadors of Christ. Whats that supposed to mean, you ask. The dictionary says that an "ambassador" is an accredited diplomat sent by a country as its official representative to a foreign country.
Imagine being asked by your country to be an ambassador to an enemy nation. You'd have to learn a new language, adapt to some customs and cultural differences to be polite and accomplish your mission. As an ambassador, you wouldn't be able to isolate yourself from the enemy. To fulfil your mission, you would have to contact and related to them.
But suppose you became so comfortable with this foreign country that you fell in love with it, preferring it to your homeland. Your loyalty and commitment would change. Your role as ambassodor would be compromised. Instead of representing your country, you would start acting like the enemy. You'd be a traitor.
Likewise, the bible says that we are in the world but not of the world; and that this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it, don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. With all the 'attractions' and 'fun' times in the world today, its easy to forget that the pursuit of happiness is not what life is about. Yes, we need to be 'in' the world to reach out to our friends and family who are yet to come to know of His love (our mission), however, we need to remember that we are not OF this world - we are merely here temporarily to prepare for something greater.
I've come to realise that i'm never satisfied or contented with my life especially when i think 'If only i have that, i would be so happy and i'd not need anything else'. After awhile, when i've gotten my 'if onlys' and longings, i'd still be dissatisfied and feel the void. Well guess what? God allows us to feel that way because these are longings that will never be filled on this side of eternity! We're NOT supposed to be completely happy here because this is not our final home! We ARE created for something WAYYYYYYYY better!
As a fish would never be happy living on land, and an eagle could never be satisfied if it was not allowed to fly, we will never be completely satisfied on earth.. because we were made for MORE!
Let's be kingdom people, have kingdom mindsets, have eternal values and realise that our lives are just a test, trust and temporary assignment!
Monday, June 19, 2006
Day 5: Seeing Life From God's View
How do you describe your life?
A pivotal question you'll have to ask yourself. How do you view your life? Is your life a race, battle, marathon? Simply put, what metaphor you use to describe your life would determine your values in life.
If you say life is a race, you'll want speed in everything. If you say life's a battle, you'll want to win and be victorious. If you say life is a marathon, you'll value endurance.
How does God view our lives here as?
It's a TEST!
Wow...that's something we've never thought of? I never really thought of life as being a test, as a proving ground before moving on to eternity! God continually tests us our character, faith, obedience, love, integrity and loyalty. Many great men and women of God have failed their tests, Adam and Eve failed in the Garden of Eden, David a couple of times...there are also many who passed their tests with flying colours! Joseph, Job, Ruth, Esther.
Once we start living in the revelation that everything in life is a test, you'll start to understand the implications our actions will have in eternity. Eternity is a long time by the way. God constantly watches your every single move, how you respond to people, the traffic, the weather, situations, everything!
One of the ways God can test us is with major shifts in our lives, delayed promises, impossible problems, unanswered prayers and even sometimes hiding His presence from us!
I've personally experienced that before and it's certainly no fun but it's a test of my faith and I think I only got a Pass for that, but am glad He did as I know how important it is to continue seeking Him, reading His Word, praying and worshipping eventhough things may look bleak and impossible! If you have been feeling dry and like bones, it may be a sign that you have been neglecting spending time with God rather than Him really hiding Himself.
How else does God view our lives here as?
It's a TRUST!
Everything we have belongs to God, like it or not. It's true, all our gifts, our belongings, our job, our relationships, everything belongs to God! He was the one who entrusted all these things to us for us to care and steward. Everything we have are merely on loan from God.
One famous parable of Jesus is the parable of the talents. If we took good stewardship of everything God gave us...we will be amply rewarded and praised on His return.
"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" - Mt 25:23
It's another revelation that would change your life, imagine that? God trusts us so much to actually put us in charge of so many things! But be warned, with many things in hand, many things are expected from you as well, so be quick and start seeking God to reveal the hidden talents and giftings in you and develop them to serve Him! He'll certainly show it to you...just ASK!
A pivotal question you'll have to ask yourself. How do you view your life? Is your life a race, battle, marathon? Simply put, what metaphor you use to describe your life would determine your values in life.
If you say life is a race, you'll want speed in everything. If you say life's a battle, you'll want to win and be victorious. If you say life is a marathon, you'll value endurance.
How does God view our lives here as?
It's a TEST!
Wow...that's something we've never thought of? I never really thought of life as being a test, as a proving ground before moving on to eternity! God continually tests us our character, faith, obedience, love, integrity and loyalty. Many great men and women of God have failed their tests, Adam and Eve failed in the Garden of Eden, David a couple of times...there are also many who passed their tests with flying colours! Joseph, Job, Ruth, Esther.
Once we start living in the revelation that everything in life is a test, you'll start to understand the implications our actions will have in eternity. Eternity is a long time by the way. God constantly watches your every single move, how you respond to people, the traffic, the weather, situations, everything!
One of the ways God can test us is with major shifts in our lives, delayed promises, impossible problems, unanswered prayers and even sometimes hiding His presence from us!
I've personally experienced that before and it's certainly no fun but it's a test of my faith and I think I only got a Pass for that, but am glad He did as I know how important it is to continue seeking Him, reading His Word, praying and worshipping eventhough things may look bleak and impossible! If you have been feeling dry and like bones, it may be a sign that you have been neglecting spending time with God rather than Him really hiding Himself.
How else does God view our lives here as?
It's a TRUST!
Everything we have belongs to God, like it or not. It's true, all our gifts, our belongings, our job, our relationships, everything belongs to God! He was the one who entrusted all these things to us for us to care and steward. Everything we have are merely on loan from God.
One famous parable of Jesus is the parable of the talents. If we took good stewardship of everything God gave us...we will be amply rewarded and praised on His return.
"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" - Mt 25:23
It's another revelation that would change your life, imagine that? God trusts us so much to actually put us in charge of so many things! But be warned, with many things in hand, many things are expected from you as well, so be quick and start seeking God to reveal the hidden talents and giftings in you and develop them to serve Him! He'll certainly show it to you...just ASK!
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Day 4: Made to Last FOREVER
Have you ever wondered where you'd go after you die? Well whatever one believes, the truth is that we WILL go somewhere for eternity: heaven or hell. Life is not all it is here, there is more to it! Life on earth is the preschool, the tryout for your life in eternity. It is the practice workout before the actual game; this life is the preparation for the next. Just like the nine months you spent in your mother's womb were not an end in themselves but preparation for life, so this life is the preparation for the next.
We were made to last FOREVER. Ecc 3:11 says "God has... planted eternity in the human heart." God designed us, in His image, to live for eternity. It is our relationship with God on earth which determines our relationship with Him in eternity. If we love and trust Jesus, we will be invited to spend the rest of eternity with Him, but if we reject His love, forgiveness and salvation, we would spend eternity apart from God.
We need to choose how we live our lives here on earth because every decision counts and has its consequences. Measured against eternity, our time here on earth is just a blink of an eye but the consequences of it will last forever. The deeds of this life are the destiny of the next. When we begin to understand and realise that life here on earth is just preparation for eternity, we would live differently. Many things that we deem important - fame, wealth, achievements, more fun - would appear trivial and unworthy of our attention. Our values would change. Our priorities reordered. So true are Paul's words, "I once thought all these things were very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done." Phil 3:7
God certainly does have a purpose for your life here on earth, but it doesn't just end here. The bible says "His plans endure forever; His purposes last eternally" Ps 33:11.
Since we now know that we are made to last forever, what are some things that we must stop doing, and what are some things that we should start doing? Remember, every decision on earth has its eternal consequences.
We were made to last FOREVER. Ecc 3:11 says "God has... planted eternity in the human heart." God designed us, in His image, to live for eternity. It is our relationship with God on earth which determines our relationship with Him in eternity. If we love and trust Jesus, we will be invited to spend the rest of eternity with Him, but if we reject His love, forgiveness and salvation, we would spend eternity apart from God.
We need to choose how we live our lives here on earth because every decision counts and has its consequences. Measured against eternity, our time here on earth is just a blink of an eye but the consequences of it will last forever. The deeds of this life are the destiny of the next. When we begin to understand and realise that life here on earth is just preparation for eternity, we would live differently. Many things that we deem important - fame, wealth, achievements, more fun - would appear trivial and unworthy of our attention. Our values would change. Our priorities reordered. So true are Paul's words, "I once thought all these things were very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done." Phil 3:7
God certainly does have a purpose for your life here on earth, but it doesn't just end here. The bible says "His plans endure forever; His purposes last eternally" Ps 33:11.
Since we now know that we are made to last forever, what are some things that we must stop doing, and what are some things that we should start doing? Remember, every decision on earth has its eternal consequences.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Day 3: What Drives Your Life?
What is drive?
drive |drīv|
verb ( past drove |drōv|; past part. driven |ˈdrivən|)
- propel or carry along by force in a specified direction : the wind will drive you onshore.
So, what propels you? What carries you along in life? Is it: guilt, resentment/anger, fear, materialism, need for approval? These are all negative drives, they drive alright but there is a big side-effect to them: they always hurt YOU.
For example, being driven by resentment and anger will make you bitter, grumpy and easily ticked off. Fear will cause you to miss heaps of opportunities because you aren't courageous enough to step out. Being driven by the need for approval will cause you to have depressing days when people don't recognise your works. They are all sad consequences of being driven by the wrong motives.
So, is there a way to be driven by the right thing? That has no side-effects?
YES. Purpose.
Knowing your purpose will:
1. Give meaning to your life
We've gone through this. Without God, there is no purpose, without purpose there is no meaning to life. I certainly don't want to drift aimlessly in life!
2. Simplifies your life
With a purpose in life, you have a mission. Missions have clear cut objectives and with those objectives you'll know what exactly you have to do and not end up doing everything!
3. Focuses your life
You'll be able to concentrate your effort and energy on things that are important. Without a purpose, you'll end up changing externals like jobs, relationships, church without ever finding it solving you problems!
4. Motivates your life
Nothing energises like a clear purpose, it gives you the drive in the morning when you wake up. No, coffee SHOULD NOT be the main kick in the morning! :)
5. Prepares you for eternity
We'll be having an entrance exam at the end when Jesus comes again...and there are only 2 questions:
"What have you done with my Son, Jesus Christ?"
Have you accepted Christ as your Lord and Saviour? If not...boy, you're gonna fail this entrance exam. So take the first step NOW! This gurantees you a pass!
"What have you done with your life? With the gifts I have given you?"
This question determines your final mark...a Pass, Credit, Distinction or High Distinction. It determines what you'll be doing for eternity. So, act NOW! Start living your life for God!
I certainly want a HD in this entrance exam! So I'm definitely gonna start finding out my purpose and living a life that God has purposed for me! A fish loves swimming, an eagle loves flying...we too have a purpose! Let's go!
drive |drīv|
verb ( past drove |drōv|; past part. driven |ˈdrivən|)
- propel or carry along by force in a specified direction : the wind will drive you onshore.
So, what propels you? What carries you along in life? Is it: guilt, resentment/anger, fear, materialism, need for approval? These are all negative drives, they drive alright but there is a big side-effect to them: they always hurt YOU.
For example, being driven by resentment and anger will make you bitter, grumpy and easily ticked off. Fear will cause you to miss heaps of opportunities because you aren't courageous enough to step out. Being driven by the need for approval will cause you to have depressing days when people don't recognise your works. They are all sad consequences of being driven by the wrong motives.
So, is there a way to be driven by the right thing? That has no side-effects?
YES. Purpose.
Knowing your purpose will:
1. Give meaning to your life
We've gone through this. Without God, there is no purpose, without purpose there is no meaning to life. I certainly don't want to drift aimlessly in life!
2. Simplifies your life
With a purpose in life, you have a mission. Missions have clear cut objectives and with those objectives you'll know what exactly you have to do and not end up doing everything!
3. Focuses your life
You'll be able to concentrate your effort and energy on things that are important. Without a purpose, you'll end up changing externals like jobs, relationships, church without ever finding it solving you problems!
4. Motivates your life
Nothing energises like a clear purpose, it gives you the drive in the morning when you wake up. No, coffee SHOULD NOT be the main kick in the morning! :)
5. Prepares you for eternity
We'll be having an entrance exam at the end when Jesus comes again...and there are only 2 questions:
"What have you done with my Son, Jesus Christ?"
Have you accepted Christ as your Lord and Saviour? If not...boy, you're gonna fail this entrance exam. So take the first step NOW! This gurantees you a pass!
"What have you done with your life? With the gifts I have given you?"
This question determines your final mark...a Pass, Credit, Distinction or High Distinction. It determines what you'll be doing for eternity. So, act NOW! Start living your life for God!
I certainly want a HD in this entrance exam! So I'm definitely gonna start finding out my purpose and living a life that God has purposed for me! A fish loves swimming, an eagle loves flying...we too have a purpose! Let's go!
Day 2: YOU are NOT an accident
We have to always keep reminding ourselves that THERE'S NO SUCH THING as an ACCIDENT in God, there are only God incidences. Meaning that everything about us, our parents, our birth - time, day, month, year; skin colour, face features, natural talents, personalities etc - NOTHING about us is an accident. He's planned it looooooooong before our parents even came into exsitance. You are ALIVE, breathing and kicking now only BECAUSE God created you to be! So despite all thats been said to us, about us ie "you were an unplanned child" kinda talk, that's all pretty much rubbish because the WORD OF GOD says:
'Long before He laid down the earth's foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love' - Eph 1:4 (Msg)
'You know me inside and out, You know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something' - Psalm 139:15
'You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in Your book' - Psalm 139: 16
' From one man He made every nation,... and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live' - Acts 17:26
'The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me' - Psalm 138:8a
Wow.. isn't it amazing KNOWING that God loves us so much that He's created us all for a purpose, HIS purpose? This truly just speaks to me that nothing in our lives are accidents. I was born in Penang for a purpose, i am studying in Monash Clayton for a purpose, i am who i am.. for a purpose! Likewise YOU too! He planned everything.. and i mean EVERYTHING and His purpose for us even takes into account human error and sin. And really all we need to believe is that there is a God out there who created us for a purpose - far greater than our puny minds can comprehend! That also means that our lives now has MEANING!
However, we can only discover that meaning and purpose when we make God the reference point in our lives.
'The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what He does for us' - Romans 12:3
You are who you are for a reason
You're part of an intricate plan.
You're a precious and perfect unique design,
Called God's special woman or man.
You look like you for a reason.
Our God made no mistake.
He knit you together within the womb,
You're just what He wanted to make!
The parents you had were the ones He chose,
And no matter how you may feel,
They were custom-designed with God's plan in mind
And they bear the Master's seal.
No, that trauma you faced was not easy.
And God wept that it hurt you so;
But it was allowed to shape your heart
So that into His likeness you'd grow.
You are who you are for a reason,
You've been formed by the Master's rod.
You are who you are, beloved,
Because there is a God!
Let's think about the situations and circumstances in our lives that we're struggling with right now, and ask God to help us to accept that its God-incidences, and ask Him to help u deal with it His way. Also think about the areas that you are struggling to accept aabout yourself. REMEMBER, God created you - uniquely!
'Long before He laid down the earth's foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love' - Eph 1:4 (Msg)
'You know me inside and out, You know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something' - Psalm 139:15
'You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in Your book' - Psalm 139: 16
' From one man He made every nation,... and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live' - Acts 17:26
'The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me' - Psalm 138:8a
Wow.. isn't it amazing KNOWING that God loves us so much that He's created us all for a purpose, HIS purpose? This truly just speaks to me that nothing in our lives are accidents. I was born in Penang for a purpose, i am studying in Monash Clayton for a purpose, i am who i am.. for a purpose! Likewise YOU too! He planned everything.. and i mean EVERYTHING and His purpose for us even takes into account human error and sin. And really all we need to believe is that there is a God out there who created us for a purpose - far greater than our puny minds can comprehend! That also means that our lives now has MEANING!
However, we can only discover that meaning and purpose when we make God the reference point in our lives.
'The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what He does for us' - Romans 12:3
You are who you are for a reason
You're part of an intricate plan.
You're a precious and perfect unique design,
Called God's special woman or man.
You look like you for a reason.
Our God made no mistake.
He knit you together within the womb,
You're just what He wanted to make!
The parents you had were the ones He chose,
And no matter how you may feel,
They were custom-designed with God's plan in mind
And they bear the Master's seal.
No, that trauma you faced was not easy.
And God wept that it hurt you so;
But it was allowed to shape your heart
So that into His likeness you'd grow.
You are who you are for a reason,
You've been formed by the Master's rod.
You are who you are, beloved,
Because there is a God!
Let's think about the situations and circumstances in our lives that we're struggling with right now, and ask God to help us to accept that its God-incidences, and ask Him to help u deal with it His way. Also think about the areas that you are struggling to accept aabout yourself. REMEMBER, God created you - uniquely!
Friday, June 16, 2006
Girls Night 2006
albeit late but nevermind..can't seem to upload pics till now =(
.
while the guys had their manly Redline event *grunts*
we, GIRLS, had a comfy-night of indulgence-girly night
*ha, beat that guys!!*
=)
..
it was a pyjamas theme party so obviously we wore pyjamas..hehe
we had a time of worship led by sherlynn, a time of sharing by our beloved president and games
the highlight of the day has to be the yummylicious deserts =)
all in all, we had heaps of fun =)
.
*the OCF girls looking all comfy and ready to plop into bed*
big kudos to everyone who made this event a memorable one
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Purpose Driven Life: Day 1
"Why am I here on earth for?"
Ever asked yourself that question? I think it's the fundamental question that we should ask ourselves at least once in our lifetimes. If not then, WHY are you here for?
This is the main purpose of Rick Warren's book, "The Purpose Driven Life". To help us find out our purpose in life. I'll share shortly on my experience with it as I've read through it before and felt God tell me to go through it again...so
Day 1: It All Starts With God
It's not about you, it's not about me. It's all about God. Have you ever read self-help books before? I have, my dad always encourage (read: shove) me to read books written by great men, "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Steven Covey, "How To Make Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie and so on where one of those I've read. These are really great books and do have some useful pointers in them. But that's it, it's just merely self-help. You, helping yourself!
I remember one main thing in the 7 Habits book that says we have to get our life's center right, not fame-centered, not boyfriend/girlfriend centered, not sports-centered, not self-centered etc. but be principle-centered. Hmm...it all makes sense, principles NEVER change, principles are non-negotiables. They are set. Like honesty, if you hold honesty as your principle, you'll always choose to be honest when in doubt. That all made perfect sense to me, before I met God. Then my life changed...my life's center is now God-centered.
The world does not acknowledge God exist and all these philosophies are sound and good if you believe the fact that there is no God. However, what if there is? If there is a God of creation, if there is a God that is almighty, who knows it all. Then should we still be principles-centered? Shouldn't we instead, being creation seek God and ask the CreatorWHY He created us for?
You see, the world and great philosophers tries to find the answer to life from within us, starting with "What do you want to be when you grow up?". Then the world teaches us to clarify our dreams, set goals, aim high, go for it! You can do it! Believe in yourself! These are all noble notions and they work, they can bring success...but does being successful mean that you're living a purposeful life? What are you after? Money? Fame? Respect? Happiness? Or do you want a life where you live every day knowing full well that YOU have a mission here on earth and whatever that mission is, God WILL provide and see you through it? A life where you are walking with your Creator, a relationship that lasts for eternity? How cool is that?
"It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone." - Eph 1:11 (MSG)
Yes, God created you and He knows you, so well that once you've accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, He starts talking to you! He's so intimate that He's beyond verbal communication, He speaks right into your THOUGHTS!
So have a think about it..."Without God, life makes no sense."
Ever asked yourself that question? I think it's the fundamental question that we should ask ourselves at least once in our lifetimes. If not then, WHY are you here for?
This is the main purpose of Rick Warren's book, "The Purpose Driven Life". To help us find out our purpose in life. I'll share shortly on my experience with it as I've read through it before and felt God tell me to go through it again...so
Day 1: It All Starts With God
It's not about you, it's not about me. It's all about God. Have you ever read self-help books before? I have, my dad always encourage (read: shove) me to read books written by great men, "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Steven Covey, "How To Make Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie and so on where one of those I've read. These are really great books and do have some useful pointers in them. But that's it, it's just merely self-help. You, helping yourself!
I remember one main thing in the 7 Habits book that says we have to get our life's center right, not fame-centered, not boyfriend/girlfriend centered, not sports-centered, not self-centered etc. but be principle-centered. Hmm...it all makes sense, principles NEVER change, principles are non-negotiables. They are set. Like honesty, if you hold honesty as your principle, you'll always choose to be honest when in doubt. That all made perfect sense to me, before I met God. Then my life changed...my life's center is now God-centered.
The world does not acknowledge God exist and all these philosophies are sound and good if you believe the fact that there is no God. However, what if there is? If there is a God of creation, if there is a God that is almighty, who knows it all. Then should we still be principles-centered? Shouldn't we instead, being creation seek God and ask the CreatorWHY He created us for?
You see, the world and great philosophers tries to find the answer to life from within us, starting with "What do you want to be when you grow up?". Then the world teaches us to clarify our dreams, set goals, aim high, go for it! You can do it! Believe in yourself! These are all noble notions and they work, they can bring success...but does being successful mean that you're living a purposeful life? What are you after? Money? Fame? Respect? Happiness? Or do you want a life where you live every day knowing full well that YOU have a mission here on earth and whatever that mission is, God WILL provide and see you through it? A life where you are walking with your Creator, a relationship that lasts for eternity? How cool is that?
"It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone." - Eph 1:11 (MSG)
Yes, God created you and He knows you, so well that once you've accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, He starts talking to you! He's so intimate that He's beyond verbal communication, He speaks right into your THOUGHTS!
So have a think about it..."Without God, life makes no sense."
Friday, June 09, 2006
EXAMS.. EXCITING!
Hello precious people! Just wanted you to know that each of you are being covered in prayer, whether you're part of OCF Clayton or anywhere else in any OCF centres.. we're praying each morning during this exam period!
Anyways, i know that sometimes in this stressful times, we tend to give God our leftover time and ask Him to understand that we need to focus on our studies, and will spend more time with Him, studying His word etc after this. HOWEVER, i want to encourage you to continue to be diligent in seeking Him as you are diligent in seeking good grades! There is NOTHING more refreshing and fulfilling than spending time with Him, replacing all fear, discouragements, stress and whatever else with HIS peace, love, joy, hope, and grace! How GOOD is our God! =)
For those who are a bit not-so-hardworking to study the word of God or do devotions but rather spend time using computer, i'd wanna encourage you to go to this site http://www.bible.com.. and follow the devotional materials there! Going thru Proverbs now, and its really an easy and helpful read.. especially for these period! =) Check it out yea?
If you need ANY prayer at all.. on ANY subject matter, don't hesitate to leave us a message, or you can contact your CG leaders and u can be assured that you'll be prayed for! Come on guys, lets not give up on anything, because certainly God's not given up on us.. and He HAS given us the victory! Let's continue to acknowledge that HE IS GOD, and cry out to Him for help! Love you all heaps! And remember to bring Jesus into the exam hall with u yes?
Monday, June 05, 2006
Exams Prayer List
This is the latest exams prayer list with most people's exams times. If your name is not in the list, please email me and let me know!
OCF Clayton Exams Timetable (Updated: 6 June 2006)
Print it out and replace your older ones with this one. Also check back every now and then for the latest, in case people still submit in.
Do remember to keep each other in prayer, I've been greatly encouraged by people who didn't care about distances and just called to pray for me! You guys truly understand the power of prayer and I'm very proud of you guys! Keep that praying spirit up and that's the only way we can impact the supernatural!
Exams Prayer Meets are daily, 9am at the Small Chapel in the Religious Building (The round building next to the Campus Centre bookshop). Get ready, be prayed up and be blown away by God! Today's prayer meet was awesome and there's nothing like passionate prayers meeting up and praying!
Keep praying y'all! Bless ya!
OCF Clayton Exams Timetable (Updated: 6 June 2006)
Print it out and replace your older ones with this one. Also check back every now and then for the latest, in case people still submit in.
Do remember to keep each other in prayer, I've been greatly encouraged by people who didn't care about distances and just called to pray for me! You guys truly understand the power of prayer and I'm very proud of you guys! Keep that praying spirit up and that's the only way we can impact the supernatural!
Exams Prayer Meets are daily, 9am at the Small Chapel in the Religious Building (The round building next to the Campus Centre bookshop). Get ready, be prayed up and be blown away by God! Today's prayer meet was awesome and there's nothing like passionate prayers meeting up and praying!
Keep praying y'all! Bless ya!
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Introducing www.ocfclayton.org
Yes! We have our own domain name and this blog is already live on
http://www.ocfclayton.org!
This heralds also the much requested Forum as well as a new Photos section where everyone can post their photos and share! Get the word out! :)
http://www.ocfclayton.org!
This heralds also the much requested Forum as well as a new Photos section where everyone can post their photos and share! Get the word out! :)
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