Friday, May 30, 2008
The Loneliness of Opposition by Rick Warren

Dear Boys,

I will be leaving for India 31 May evening and back 4 June morning.

Attached is something interesting!

The Loneliness of Opposition by Rick Warren
Paul was lonely when he was in prison. He says, "At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength …. 2 Timothy 4:16-17 (NIV)
*** *** *** ***

Everyone of us are bound to face loneliness in some point of our life. Example;

Lonely when opposed, attacked, ridiculed, criticized, isolated by friends
Lonely when you go through a painful experience that no one else seems to understand.
Lonely when you’re going through grief while every one else seems to be having fun.
Lonely when you’re misunderstood, or embarrassed, or criticized.

How to overcome loneliness?
Be Paralyzed or Stay Positive?
Make the best of a bad situation. If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

God has planned everything for us, even our period of loneliness. He allowed Paul to be stuck in prison and lonely. Then Paul started writing many of his letters that now appear in the New Testament!

Don't get bitter and start to isolate ourselves from those who hurt us. Building walls around our life keeps people away from us, makes us more cynical or resentful, pushing more people away from us - A vicious cycle!!

If you’re lonely right now, God understands! Jesus understood every human emotion, and there were times when he was lonely and abandoned. Knowing the next day he’d be crucified, Jesus took three of his best friends – Peter, James, and John – with him to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked them to pray with him, but they fell asleep, and Jesus felt alone.

If you’re lonely right now, then share your loneliness with Jesus.

Monday, May 26, 2008
Sermon 25 May 2008

A-Pslam-A-Day is coming to an end. The last Psalm 150 will be on 29 May. Personally I have benefited greatly from this small little exercise. I am more disciplined and interested to read my bible every morning. It has become a habit that I have cultivated over the past 5 months. (It helps that John installed the whole bible in my hp =D)

What's next? A-John-A-Day! Chapter 1-21 =)

My Reflection for the sermon today (How to live a life on the cutting edge for God?)

1) Step Out
I am too used to being in my comfort zone and I have stopped to always be a blessing to others. Even though I advocate it with words, I have failed to accomplish it with deeds. Words without Deeds is pointless. I have to meet the needs of others physically and it starts from AT12.

2) Stand Out
I find my faith wavering whenever the storms of my life come and I don't feel like I'm always victorious in Christ. And everytime I think of giving up, God reminded me of my spiritual family - my brothers in JH12 and my brothers in AT12 - and I am encouraged to continue with the race. I don't want to be the weakest link and allow the devil to break into our defence. Because of that, I managed to stay on. Staying power comes from staying together (in the Body of Christ!) Ps 133, Ecc 4:10

3) Speak Out
I find myself always indulging in pessimism and very caught up in my life situation. I forgot to count my blessings and always be thankful. God reminded me that He truly desires my thanks offering and encouraged me to see the good out of every possible evil.

So now I want to give thanks to God that my malfunctioning hp is functioning mildly again! I also managed to retrieve 90% of my contacts which got lost in transition. I was so glad today. It made me realise that I have taken my hp (and possible other things) for granted and how much I can't do without them!

(Praise Him in everything, for He has made me glad! - we sang both songs today!)

etok..

Seefirstdependsanything

Dear Boys

There are many activities mostly during the school holidays for us (AT12) to spend more time together. Do make an effort to avail yourself to these activities because we hardly have time together during school term.

I understand that it's only human that we want to be in the company of the friends we are comfortable with. So if one don't come, the other also seefirstdepends. Can I challenge all of us to step out of our comfort zone and even use every opportunity presented to us to know our other brothers - those we interact less with -more!

I also understand that we have only 24 hours but alot of things to do. Thus we lavish our time only on "important things" such as schoolwork. Let us be good stewarts of time because spending time with God and God's family is definitely no less significant.

Heb 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

However there are times when we really don't want to or can't commit ourselves for a particular activity. It could also be more time is needed to check our schedule before deciding. Let us take the responsibility to inform others about it promptly!

Let our yes be yes and our no be no. Otherwise things are just left hanging and unable to proceed on. Seefirstdependsanything puts in people a sense of uncertainty. It needs to be dealt with now! If not, everybody will be waiting for everybody else and nobody would want to take initiative because the uncertainty makes people feel vulnerable and instills in them the fear of rejection.

etok..

Upcoming Activities in May / Jun / Jul 2008

Upcoming Activities in May / Jun / Jul 2008

1) Word Encounter 30 May 630pm Redhill MRT dinner then walk over to TCT

2) Cell group 11 Jun 630pm Redhill MRT dinner then walk over to TCT (to be confirmed which room we are booking).
Combined worship with Uncle Shengchou's boys. His boys are serving in GKids worship and it will definitely be a new experience worshiping with the professionals!!
For the Word sharing, we may split into our individual group.

3) Night cycling 14 Jun (tentative)
9pm Marine Parade. Dinner for those hungry. Collect rented bike at ECP.
10pm Set off. Route to be confirmed. Eat along the way
2am back ECP. Pitch tents. Sleeping under the blanket of stars !!
8am Breakfast / Free and Easy
10am return bike
12pm Simei lunch then go for Youth Service

4) MagicBox 19 Jul 230pm Matinee $48 ticket ($38.20 after 20% discount if we can find 20 ppl)
Let us support our Senior Pastor as he claims the entertainment arena for God!
This date is for Jianhui's family so it will be cool catching the show with so many of us in this extended family!! JoelA and John, it's ok if you have already bought tickets with your family.

Just a reminder, I will be away 31 May - 4 Jun (India) and 5-10 Jun (Thailand). Enrong will take charge of all cell matters. Do give him your fullest support!

etok..

Sunday, May 25, 2008
June Choir Duty List

Dear all,

June choir duty list

Joel Lim 1,8,29
Brandon 1,8,29
John 1,29
Josh Ang 1
Daniel 8,29
Joel Ang 8,29
Adrian 29
Craig 29

On the days you are serving, pls note
1) One Sunday earlier collect CD & lyrics
2) Thursday rehearsal 630pm Redhill MRT dinner
3) Actual Sunday 1230 Hall 9 for final briefing
(wear bright polo T, dark bottom, covered shoes)

If you can't serve due to some reason, let's be responsible enough to look for a replacement and inform the person-in-charge. Eg Daniel couldn't serve on Sun so Josh Ang has graciously agreed to cover for him on Sunday 1 June.

More pple needed on 1, 8 and 29 June. Pls help out if you can! Thanks!

etok..

Thursday, May 22, 2008
Adrian's HP Problem

Dear all,

I will be able to attend Pastor Hee Guan's wedding on 24 May Saturday cos my reservist doesn't include weekends! Thank God!

As camera is not allowed in the naval base I'm using an old hp w/o camera . Thus my contact list in the sim card is not updated. I even sms and called Craig and Joel Ang using their old numbers and wonder why they so DAO never reply. My SE700K hp has a jammed button and sms + call pple w/o my knowledge. Thus to update the contact list in my sm card is v difficult.

Pls bear with me for now! See ya on Sat =)

etok..

Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Adrian's May/June Schedule

Dear all,

Please take note of my schedule for the next few weeks.

21-30 May Reservist (shd be coming for 25May Service)
31-4 June India Exchange Programme (not coming 1 June)
5-10 June Thailand with Boys' Brigade (not coming 8 June)

In my absence, Enrong will be the overall coordinator for the cell.

Reminder:
1) 24 May Pst Hee Guan's wedding
Daniel to consolidate $$. We will give as a cell, more presentable.
Helpers pls look for Enrong for details

2) June Worship Duty (1,8,22,29 June) (15 Jun no need us to serve cos it's combined)
Joel Ang to collate who serving for each Sun. The rest of you pls get back to JA soon. Don't seefirstdependsanything! For me, I'm available on 22 & 29 June.

That's all for now!
etok..

Monday, May 12, 2008
Psalm 131 by Adrian

I am also a user of whipermr but mine is size 6!

Dear everybody, long time I no post, blame busyness but actually shd blame my poor time management! Thanks for the MOM post and the service yday it's time I start to stop my procrastination! Thanks to Daniel, Craig, John, Joels, ER the blog never died!!

In between my coming from wedding to my rushing to Hokkien service, the short sermon I heard from Pst Tommy Tenny really struck me. Martha vs Mary. For that few weeks of my blog truancy, I hardly did any Marying (spend quality time with God) too busy with the world (excuses) and worst, I grew sick of Marthanising such as ministry work (rejection galore) and posting on this blog (sianz). The only thing I did consistently was reading the Psalm!

Psalm 131:2 spoke to me some days back.
"But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me."

To me, a weaned child is someone who is no longer crying, throwing tantrums and kicking up a fuss. A weaned child is someone who knows that all the resistance is futile and must learn to accept the fact and submit to him.

Trust & Obey! There is no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to Trust & Obey!

Let us continue to pray for the well-being of one another.
Psalm 133:1 "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!"

Sorry Daniel I stole your psalm!! Hope your favour is upon me!

etok..

Sunday, May 11, 2008
The Mom Song - Happy Mothers' Day!

The Mom Song
~Anita Renfroe~
Sung to the William Tell Overture

Get up now
Get up now
Get up out of bed
Wash your face
Brush your teeth
Comb your sleepyhead
Here's your clothes and your shoes
Hear the words I said
Get up now! Get up and make your bed
Are you hot? Are you cold?
Are you wearing that?
Where's your books and your lunch and your homework at?
Grab your coat and gloves and your scarf and hat
Don't forget! You gotta feed the cat
Eat your breakfast, the experts tell us it's the most important meal of all
Take your vitamins so you will grow up one day to be big and tall
Please remember the orthodontist will be seeing you at 3 today
Don't forget your piano lesson is this afternoon so you must play
Don't shovel
Chew slowly
But hurry
The bus is here
Be careful
Come back here
Did you wash behind your ears?
Play outside, don't play rough, will you just play fair?
Be polite, make a friend, don't forget to share
Work it out, wait your turn, never take a dare
Get along! Don't make me come down there
Clean your room, fold your clothes, put your stuff away
Make your bed, do it now, do we have all day?
Were you born in a barn? Would you like some hay?
Can you even hear a word I say?
Answer the phone! Get off the phone!
Don't sit so close, turn it down, no texting at the table
No more computer time tonight!
Your iPod's my iPod if you don't listen up
Where are you going and with whom and what time do you think you're coming home?
Saying thank you, please, excuse me makes you welcome everywhere you roam
You'll appreciate my wisdom someday when you're older and you're grown
Can't wait till you have a couple little children of your own
You'll thank me for the counsel I gave you so willingly
But right now I thank you not to roll your eyes at me
Close your mouth when you chew, would appreciate
Take a bite maybe two of the stuff you hate
Use your fork, do not burp or I'll set you straight
Eat the food I put upon your plate
Get an A, get the door, don't get smart with me
Get a grip, get in here, I'll count to three
Get a job, get a life, get a PHD
Get a dose of,
"I don't care who started it!
You're grounded until you're 36"
Get your story straight and tell the truth for once, for heaven's sake
And if all your friends jumped off a cliff would you jump, too?
If I've said it once, I've said at least a thousand times before
That you're too old to act this way
It must be your father's DNA
Look at me when I am talking
Stand up straighter when you walk
A place for everything and everything must be in place
Stop crying or I'll give you something real to cry about
Oh!
Brush your teeth, wash your face, put your PJs on
Get in bed, get a hug, say a prayer with mom
Don't forget, I love you
And tomorrow we will do this all again because a mom's work never ends
You don't need the reason why
Because, because, because, because
I said so, I said so, I said so, I said so
I'm the mom, the mom, the mom, the mom, the mom!!
Ta da!!!