On Behalf of C.K. Lim.
--- I Am The New Year ---
Author Unknown
Life, I am the new year.
I am an unspoiled page in your book of time.
I am your next chance at the art of living.
I am your opportunity to practise
what you have learned about life
during the last twelve months.
All that you sought
and didn't find is hidden in me,
waiting for you to search it out
with more determination.
All the good that you tried for
and didn't achieve
is mine to grant
when you have fewer conflicting desires.
All that you dreamed but didn't dare to do,
all that you hoped but did not will,
all the faith that you claimed but did not have -
these slumber lightly,
waiting to be awakened
by the touch of a strong purpose.
I am your opportunity
to renew your allegiance to Him who said,
'behold, I make all things new.'
I am the new year.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Worship Extravaganza - Meeting God in the Arts..
During the Family Retreat, Jessica shared some drawings that came out of her worship and experiences with the Lord.
Some of these drawings can be found here. Linking them for your enjoyment and encouragement.
Some of these drawings can be found here. Linking them for your enjoyment and encouragement.
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| Drawings by Jessica |
Monday, November 24, 2008
Forerunners Retreate 2008 reflection by Xin Hui
Forerunners Retreat 2008 - My Reflections
The message from ‘Driven by Eternity’ is hard and I left the retreat with a heavy heart. But there is no doubt that God spoke to me during this retreat.
Throughout the teaching sessions, there was this nagging sense that I have perhaps grown complacent and have started to neglect God in my daily life. I have become lukewarm. And the more worrying thing was that I somehow found a way to convince myself that being lukewarm is fine as long as I don’t fall away from God totally. Based on what happened to the characters in Affabel, I realized that my thinking was quite dangerous. Yet, my pride and self-righteousness caused my heart to harden against the truth.
During the worship session, when Adrian called for those who needed prayer to step forward, I struggled. Part of me told me that I was alright since I have not been convicted of any serious sin by the teachings. Yet, the other part of me said that I was NOT alright because not being shaken by the teachings probably implied a hardened heart. Thank God, the latter part got the better of me and I went forward.
To cut the long story short, God reminded me of what Jesus did on the cross and of what it truly means to be a Christian. It is not simply about going to church weekly, attending cell group, reading the Bible or even serving Him. The foundation of our faith is the cross and God’s love for us. God also brought to my mind the parable from Luke 18:9-14 –
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Along the way, I have become like the Pharisee. God wanted to humble me. As I knelt there that day, I felt like I was the helpless tax collector, pleading to God for mercy because of all the times I have not put Him first in my life, questioned His goodness and complained against Him.
Adrian asked me to confess each of the things I have not obeyed God in and to ask for God’s forgiveness. After that, he told me that God’s love is not conditional upon the things that we do for Him. Nothing we do can earn us God’s love. It is given freely. Wow. That hit me hard again. God’s ways are sometimes so difficult to comprehend. But I suppose that is how God wanted to assure me of what Jesus said at the end of the above parable. Whenever we humble ourselves before the Lord and surrender to Him, He will justify and exalt us.
Having eternity in mind will definitely help me to keep things in perspective and to persevere through this race which we are running for God. I know that I will need to continually pray against the lukewarm-ness and the self-righteousness, especially once I get catapulted back into the busy-ness at work. I pray the same for all Forerunners.
Xinhui
The message from ‘Driven by Eternity’ is hard and I left the retreat with a heavy heart. But there is no doubt that God spoke to me during this retreat.
Throughout the teaching sessions, there was this nagging sense that I have perhaps grown complacent and have started to neglect God in my daily life. I have become lukewarm. And the more worrying thing was that I somehow found a way to convince myself that being lukewarm is fine as long as I don’t fall away from God totally. Based on what happened to the characters in Affabel, I realized that my thinking was quite dangerous. Yet, my pride and self-righteousness caused my heart to harden against the truth.
During the worship session, when Adrian called for those who needed prayer to step forward, I struggled. Part of me told me that I was alright since I have not been convicted of any serious sin by the teachings. Yet, the other part of me said that I was NOT alright because not being shaken by the teachings probably implied a hardened heart. Thank God, the latter part got the better of me and I went forward.
To cut the long story short, God reminded me of what Jesus did on the cross and of what it truly means to be a Christian. It is not simply about going to church weekly, attending cell group, reading the Bible or even serving Him. The foundation of our faith is the cross and God’s love for us. God also brought to my mind the parable from Luke 18:9-14 –
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Along the way, I have become like the Pharisee. God wanted to humble me. As I knelt there that day, I felt like I was the helpless tax collector, pleading to God for mercy because of all the times I have not put Him first in my life, questioned His goodness and complained against Him.
Adrian asked me to confess each of the things I have not obeyed God in and to ask for God’s forgiveness. After that, he told me that God’s love is not conditional upon the things that we do for Him. Nothing we do can earn us God’s love. It is given freely. Wow. That hit me hard again. God’s ways are sometimes so difficult to comprehend. But I suppose that is how God wanted to assure me of what Jesus said at the end of the above parable. Whenever we humble ourselves before the Lord and surrender to Him, He will justify and exalt us.
Having eternity in mind will definitely help me to keep things in perspective and to persevere through this race which we are running for God. I know that I will need to continually pray against the lukewarm-ness and the self-righteousness, especially once I get catapulted back into the busy-ness at work. I pray the same for all Forerunners.
Xinhui
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Prayer Focus 4: A World Evangelised
(Review instructions here)
"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
~ Acts 1:8 ~
Pray for greater synergistic partnership among churches, mission agencies, humanitarian networks, international corporations and foundations to transform the nations.
Be bold today and ask the Lord to enlarge your vision and show you a glimpse of His work in the world-at-large. Allow Him to break your comfort walls, enlarge your heart, challenge your mind and stretch your spirit to accommodate the Kingdom He desires to establish in the world, beyond the shores of our home and nation.
"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
~ Acts 1:8 ~
Pray for greater synergistic partnership among churches, mission agencies, humanitarian networks, international corporations and foundations to transform the nations.
Be bold today and ask the Lord to enlarge your vision and show you a glimpse of His work in the world-at-large. Allow Him to break your comfort walls, enlarge your heart, challenge your mind and stretch your spirit to accommodate the Kingdom He desires to establish in the world, beyond the shores of our home and nation.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Prayer Focus 3: A Nation Transformed
(Review instructions here)
"Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever."
~ Daniel 12:3 ~
Pray for Singapore to be:-
"Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever."
~ Daniel 12:3 ~
Pray for Singapore to be:-
- A bright shining star where Christ is feared and honored in every level of decision making, every expression of society, every arena of national life and influence - Home & Family; Justice & Law; Defence; International Relations; Education; Health care; Life Sciences; Home affairs; Info. Technology; Media & the Arts; Entertainment & Tourism; Environment; National & Community Development; Manpower; Transport; Sports, etc.
- A bright shining star in the arena of public administration, human resource development, economic innovation and entrepreneurship. That Singapore will bless the world in big ways to bring strategic change and practical benefits, with no strings attached.
- A bright shining star in the arena of foreign policy and international affairs. That Singapore will be a peacemaker and a bridge builder, God's ambassador of reconciliation.
- A bright shining star in the arena of humanitarian concerns, servant-leadership and volunteerism.
- A bright shining star in the arena of media and the arts. That Singapore will showcase world-class works that are clean, creative and contemporary to unlock nations of His glory!
Pray for Singapore as the Spirit leads. Pour out your dreams, hopes, desires and burdens for this nation before the throne of grace. Ask the Lord to reveal to you His heart for this nation.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Prayer Focus 2.3 - A Church Revived (GAC)
(Review instructions here)
The General Conference (04th - 07th Dec)
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This year, the Methodist Church of Singapore will be electing a new Bishop at the General Annual Conference (GAC). Pray that all the representatives from the 3 Methodist Conferences (TRAC, CAC & ETAC) will carefully seek the Lord and cast their votes wisely.
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Ask the Lord to prepare the heart of the leader that He has set apart for His purpose in such a time as this. Pray that the Spirit of the Lord will rest mightily upon this person as he takes on the mantle of representing the Methodist churches of Singapore to the world.
Pray also for members of the GAC Executive Board as well as the Finance and Administration Committee that God will grant them wisdom to handle matters pertaining to the work of the Methodist Church in Singapore
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Prayer Focus 2.2 - A Church Revived (TRAC)
(Review instructions here)
TRAC 33rd Annual Conference (17th - 20th Nov)
This year, our new TRAC President will be elected. Pray that the hearts and minds of delegates will turn towards the Lord Jesus Christ as they deliberate and decide on matters.
Pray for unity in the Spirit as our leaders discern and elect various office bearers for the next quadrennium.
For the new TRAC president, that God will grant him wisdom, discernment and strength as he leads the TRAC churches with vision and vigour to pursue a collective spiritual breakthrough in the 21st century.
TRAC 33rd Annual Conference (17th - 20th Nov)
This year, our new TRAC President will be elected. Pray that the hearts and minds of delegates will turn towards the Lord Jesus Christ as they deliberate and decide on matters.
Pray for unity in the Spirit as our leaders discern and elect various office bearers for the next quadrennium.
For the new TRAC president, that God will grant him wisdom, discernment and strength as he leads the TRAC churches with vision and vigour to pursue a collective spiritual breakthrough in the 21st century.
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