What is faith?

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Heb 11:1

When we do not know what will the outcome be, and we can do nothing but only hope, that is when we truly do what God wants us to do, that is to have faith.

I will have faith.

I have faith in You, Beautiful Saviour.

Eph 2: 8- 10
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

POWER OF GOD!

2 Cor 10:3 “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.”

Heb 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Eph 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

I will elaborate more on these verses one day~!!!!!!

 

Eyes on me

I love this game a lot – Final Fantasy VIII. Love how the story evolves in the show. These are some of the videos that i always will revisit once a while. Seeing these video always makes me wanna play the game all over again.

Funny how attached i remain to the past – old videos, old shows, old songs, old games. Ha.

The bowl of noodles

Was browsing my old weblog to find out when my dad actually remarried and i chance upon this entry i had posted many years back…

That night, Sue had a huge quarrel with her mum and without bringing anything with her, she ran out of the house. While she was walking on the street, she realised she did not have any money on her, not even a cent to make a phone call. As she was walking along the street, she spotted a noodle stall. Having had no dinner yet, how she longed for a bowl.

But, she had no money.

After awhile, the boss seeing Sue hesitating in front of his stall, asked: ‘Hey Miss, do you want a bowl of noodles?’

‘But…but…I didn’t bring any money with me…’ she answered shyly.

‘It’s alright, I’ll give you a treat.’ The boss said, ‘Come have a seat, I’ll cook you a bowl of noodles.’

Not long after, the owner served Sue with a bowl of noodles and a plate of vegetables. Sue ate a few mouthfuls and she started to tear.

‘What happened, Miss?’ the owner asked.

‘Nothing, I’m just touched!’ Sue said while drying her tears.

‘Even a stranger I met on the street would offer to cook a bowl of noodle and treat me! But… my own mother, after a quarrel she chased me out of the house and told me not to go back anymore. You as a complete stranger could show me care and concern while my own mother…she’s so cruel.’ She said to the owner.

The boss after hearing what Sue had said, replied with a sigh: ‘Miss, how can you think that way? Ponder over this, I just cooked a bowl of noodles for you and you are so touched. BUT Your mother have been cooking noodles and rice for you since you are young till now, why aren’t
you grateful to her? And you even quarrel with her?’

Sue was stunned upon hearing that. ‘Why didn’t I think of that? A bowl of noodles from a stranger and I’m so grateful but yet my own mother had been cooking for me for so many years and I’m not even showing the least concern about her. And because of a trivial matter, I quarrelled with her.’ She finished her noodle swiftly and braced herself up towards the direction of home.

As she was walking home, she thought to herself what she wanted to tell her mum right now… ‘Mum, I’m sorry, I know I’m at fault, please forgive me.’

Once she reached the doorstep, she saw her tired and anxious mother, searching everywhere for her. When she spotted Sue, the first sentence that came out of her mouth is: ‘Sue, come into the house quickly, I’ve the dinner ready and it’ll be cold if you are not eating it now.’

At that moment, Sue was unable to hold her tears anymore and she started weeping in front of her mum.

Many times, we are exceptionally grateful to other people around us for the little random gestures they show us, but to our close ones, especially our parents, it’s a lifetime of gratitude that we have to remember?

But very often we treat that as such a natural process for them to sacrifice for us and take them for granted. Not only towards our parents, but our siblings and close buddies… We demand, expect and forget.

However, a parent’s love and care is the most valuable gift given to us since our birth. They don’t expect much from us for raising us but think about it… Do we treasure this unconditional sacrifice from our parents?

We often don’t know what we are missing until we lose them… Please don’t.

I cannot live without You.

Every Sunday when i come back to hall, there’s always this not-so-very-happy feeling within me. Its just going to be another week to endure, to pass, to face and all. Usually after i unpack my stuffs, i will sit in front of my lappie and can’t help but to talk to God, listen to worship songs and think about Him.

It is really in times like this, like now that makes me think about God, makes me think how will life be like without God. I have grown to really enjoy God, to love Him and i want more. I can really feel His presence, even as i am typing this, His presence just around me that makes me know that i am not alone for He is with me. His comfort is with me.

So many times i felt like just escaping into eternity with God. Yet He wants me to grow, to be molded into an even more beautiful princess of His. Father God, i want to grow gracefully in Your grace, be lovely in Your love, be happy always for You.

I should fear not, dread not.. for Jesus is with me. Everyday, in everything, and wherever i may be, i can be happy…as long as the Lord is with me.

Jesus Christ, take my life… take all of me.

Holy is the Lord God Almighty!

I remember that this was the first worship song that deeply touched my heart and soul even before i was  a child of God. I first heard it at Festival of Praise 2003 with Ms Lim. I did not really quite understand the lyrics of the song then, but i felt like it was really a song to a God, a powerful God, a loving God. When i sang it, i wanted to be loved by this God badly, and i wanted to love Him too. Unconsciously, my hand was raised then when i sang it.

It has been a journey, a very nice one especially in recent years. I enjoyed growing in the Lord, knowing about His grace, His mercy, His love, knowing all about Him. I’m sitting in front of the computer now, just repeating the song over and over again, in awe of Him, such an amazing God that gave me so many good things, a mighty Hero that saved me time and again from all sorts of situations and embarrassments, a loving Father that simply loves and favours me..truly the Lord God Almighty.

Yes You are, yes You are! You are holy, holy, are you Lord God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb, you are Holy.

“Therefore You are great, O Lord GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.” 2 Samuel 7:22

I could utter and whisper these forever God. You are indeed the Lord God Almighty. You are Lord. Today, tomorrow and forever.

‘Lord, Lord’

Luke 6

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? ⁴⁷ Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: ⁴⁸he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. ⁴⁹But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

I read this verses and i started to look at it in a different way:

⁴⁷ Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like:
⁴⁸he is like a man building a house: the act of coming to God
who dug deep: the act of hearing His words
and laid the foundation on the rock: the act of doing what His words says.

I did not come up with this myself, this is what the Bible says! Not convince? Compare verse 47 and 48 yourself!

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”

We always turn to the Lord in prayer, in difficulties, dilemmas, and desperation.We seek Him and we pray to Him, submitting our prayers and petitions to Him. But a lot of times, if we fail, we fail at not acting in accordance to what He tells us.

What i have just shared is probably not something new to us. Building our foundations on the rock is something we always talk about in our sharings and all. But what caught my attention today was “the ruin of that house was great.”

⁴⁹But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

The ruin of that house was great. What is the house? The man who builds a house is linked to the act of coming to God. The house (i believe) is a relationship that we build with God. We build this relationship by first seeking Him, we dug deep by listening to His words, but often, we do not do what He says. When the stream comes, we are unable to stand without foundation, unable to stand without following what He told us to, the ruin of the house is great, the relationship we had with God is affected greatly.

Our relationship with God is affected when we do not do what He calls us to. We pray, we hear but we do not. It’s not enough just to pray and read. Let’s remind ourselves daily to do what He says! If things does not work in our lives, before we start our cycle of ramblings (but i think all of us always ramble already then reflect haha), maybe let’s take a moment or two to ponder about what have done (or have not).

Just let me say

You know sometimes in the midst of our busyness, some of us will turn to your close ones and just say “i love you”, “i miss you” or “i am thinking of you”. Sometimes i do that by sending an sms to mama and to some of my close friends. Sometimes before i go to bed, i will suddenly miss certain people and sms a “good night” to them with a smiley behind.

Tonight, i suddenly just want to tell you God how much i love you, just want to speak of your mercy and grace. I was preparing for tmr’s presentation and it is as if suddenly this song started to sing within me. I have been busy with work, how i wish i can stop doing all of them and just simply live everyday like Sunday.

So let me say, how much i love You
with all my heart i long for You
For i am caught in the passion of knowing
This endless love, I’ve found in You

And the depths of grace, the forgiveness found
To be called a child of God
Just makes me say, how much i love You
O my saviour, my Lord and Friend..

Indeed the depths of grace, the forgiveness found.. How i love you God.
I miss You and i love You.

If only everyday is Sunday

Better is one day in Your courts
Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere

If only everyday is Sunday..
How lovely it is to worship the Lord..! During today’s worship, when we were singing the song “Show me Your face O Lord”, suddenly this sweet sweet fragrance just floated and lingered around for awhile. After the song finished, it gently disappeared. So sweet, so fragrant. First time i ever smelled something like that. Must have been God’s presence.

This 5 day work and 2 day rest system has been working pretty well i guess. I am beginning to adjust well to it. Just that everytime service ends on Sunday, i will feel that dreadful feeling of coming back to hall. It’s really as if i am going back to the “world” to suffer ha. Well, in any case, i think it is good for me to adopt this practice – to chiong on weekdays and to rest on weekend. Indeed as we read in Mark 2:27 “The Sabbath was made for man”, weekend is made for us to rest. Thank God for Sabbath.

Looking forward to next Sabbath. Have a brilliant week ahead.

Love with no strings attached.

^“Then Samson prayed to the LORD, “O Sovereign LORD, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” Judges 16:28

Samson made this prayer when he was in the temple of the god that the Philistines worshiped. It brought about much attention to me when i read this verse. Not only was it a prayer that was out of desperation, but also a prayer that was made despite knowing that he has let down God – letting out the secret of his strength to Delilah, a Philistine woman, knowing fully her intentions of wanting to know the secret.

I would not say i have gravely sinned against God before (anyway it is not about that), but there are times when i felt like i am so ashamed to ask of God to help me in my circumstances. Reason being that i felt guilty for only approaching Him when i need help. When i read Judges 16:28, i did not feel that God was condemning me, but i just felt this deep sense of goodness about having such a wonderful God. A god that loves us really because He loves us, not because of our works or our behaviours..God simply loves us.

What happened after Samson made the prayer? God answered of course by His grace and mercy. (read Judges 16)

Perhaps we should just stop for a moment and take a step backwards and recall the times we talked to Daddy. Are we the type of children who simply spend loads of time with their father with no strings attached or are we always the ones who stretched out their hands and ask for money, food, etc…?

Yet you know what.. God loves you no matter which category you fall under. God loves you.

My point is of course not to take God for granted. I made a prayer just now before coming back to hall, and i told God that i am so ashamed of myself for being a child that asks for good things from Him only in times of desperation. But i am felt even more blessed and just simply loved knowing that God will still answer my prayers.

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

Don’t let barriers be formed between ourselves and God. Let’s just humble ourselves and approached God at His throne not of judgment or condemnation, but a throne of grace.

The father that ran to welcome the prodigal son (Luke 15:20) back when he saw the son returning, that kissed him before he said anything, that put on the best robe and ring on his son… this father must be the gracious Daddy ever. And this Daddy is our God. You are the best, Daddy!