deliver us

Tuesday nights are one of the best times of the week for me. Its always like haih tuesday again but at the end i feel wow so blessed. 

There's sometime about the alpha program or maybe its just fellowship, studying the bible together, learning, sharing that i love. I like that there are new things or things that i know but need to be reminded. Someone once told me humans need to be reminded more than they need to be instructed and its true.

Today we went through how to resist evil. And its true just as there's a God who's all good there's also a devil who is all evil but they are not in the same level. I mean God is all powerful and supreme and soverign, in control over every affair of man and life but the devil is not so powerful. The bible actually says he's a fallen being. And he's only there to steal, kill, destroy. 

Today i learned, well was reminded that yes there is a devil and its important not to be ignorant of him but to acknowledge that he is there and is out for anyone who wants to be good and follow the ways of God. If it seems like you are being attacked constantly thats a good sign because he won't attack those that belong to him, tempt them and stuff because they belong to him ma. 

Just as it is good to acknowlege the devil that he is real just like the baju we wear is real. Its also important not to be obsessed about the devil and go into all kinds of things, like witchcraft, casting spells and stuff like that. They may seem cool especially since harry potter does it but in the end its just the destruction of the person that the devil seeks.

We as christians have been uprooted from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God where we are now called his children. And when we come to him he gives us the holy spirit so we cannot be possessed by evil spirits as long as we stay close to God and follow his ways.

One thing that i think is important as we go through life is to have an anchor, just like when silar was confused with who he was after he got the shape shifting ability denko asked him to find an anchor, something to remind him of who he really is and for denko it was a watch his dad gave him. I think its very important la to have something that will help you stand when the storms of life come. For me its a few things, and if you follow this blog you will hear me say it over and over again; God is good, he is pure good and nothing can separate us from his love and he only does what is right, he will not give us evil if the ultimate purpose is not to build us up. God is a loving God. That for me is what keeps me going when so much have been stripped away i always come to that.

~shalom~

God my strength

Today was one of those days when God just wanted to talk to me. I've been blessed every week just going through the alpha material with a bunch of great people and today we went through why we read the bible. I'm not sure what the exact topic says but its something along those lines and we had a very good discussion. 

I find that i usually dont have time to prepare for the sessions. Between getting the food and making photocopies of the materials for everyone ( forgot this week :p), and copying the video and adding in other funny short clips and stuff plus class ( thank God i only had one class today) there's just... well i guess there is time but somehow i dont get around to doing it and i freak out because i hate those moments when everyone is looking to me to say something and i dont have more to say.

Today after the video i just went to the toilet far from the building so i can slip a few lines of prayer before we began the session and its incredible how God will use the most simplest honest prayers and make something out of it. Its happened to me lots of times and its not because i'm special or anything, far from it.

So about the bible. I noticed today while everyone was talking that for me, that time in the morning when i'm all alone is very short. Most times i can't wake up on time because i slept late or just want to sleep. But i realised i missed the times when i spent just reading the word and praying a bit. Just spending time with God, uninterrupted by msn or facebook or my phone or my housemates music or the concerns for the day. For me it has become routine, just a ritual i do to please my conscience and i dont want that, i want relationship. 

Father bring me back to the place where it was just me and you everyday, i wan.

In the end i just thought it would be nice for everyone to share their favourite verses of scripture, the ones that meant a lot to them and for me its this one in Romans 8:38 & 39

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

~shalom~

reconnect

For some time now i've been going through some old notes and this is one of them. I don't quite remember where i wrote this, if it was in church or somewhere else but its in my book and i want to share.

• Be still and listen to the voice of God (ps 46:10)
• Pause from a hectic schedule to be refreshed in spirit (ps 42:1-2)
• Interrupt the day to do a spiritual inventory and be cleansed (ps 51:1-10)
• Accentuate the joy of God's provision through thanks giving (ps 65:9-13)
• Exalt the name of God for answered prayers in spite of disappointments (ps 40:1-3)
• End the day by reflecting on the Lord's faithfulness (ps 119:148)

I think i need to be more conscious and do more of these things.

~shalom~

rain rain go away

Was reading job today and found something interestinng. Job is an incredible man, if you have the time, just settle in a nice cosy corner and read the book of Jobs, its 42 chapters long and can go back and forth sometimes but you will be astounded by the personality and character that this man has. But here's what i found interesting and it has to do with the weather like it or hate it.

God's voice is glorious in the thunder. We cannot comprehend the greatness of his power. He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down. Everyone stops working at such a time so they can recognise his power. The wild animals hide in the rocks or in their dens. The stormy wind comes from its chamber, and the drving winds bring the cold. God's breath sends the ice, freezing wide expanses of water. He loads the clouds with moisture, and they flash with his lightning. The clouds turn around and around under his direction. They do what he commands throughout the earth. He causes things to happen on earth, either as a punishment or as a sign of his unfailing love.

Job 37:5-13

~shalom~

for my dad

hi, how are you?
Funny when i say i don't feel like blogging, i baru have a feeling to blog again. Well not to say a reason but just feel like saying something. I've been listening to hillsong, God he reigns, and its really great. I know its quite old but i love it.

God is awesome, its nice that a puny person like me can have such a big God how never sleeps just to keep me out of trouble and safe. And how he's always there, just a conversation away even though i don't talk much. He understands the things i cannot say because i don't know how. And even though the world thinks i'm weird, you think i'm you very own.

You ask me to draw close to you and instead i ask why you are far. You give me what i ask for until i feel spoiled. I can never understand your love for me. And yes its true no one can love me like you do.

Thank you for the blessing of music that you have given to us, thank you for awesome friends that i can hang out with, thank you for the salvation that we enjoy, and help me to look beyond me and spread your goodness out just like the way you send rain and sun all both good and evil. Thank you for everyday and for today.

~shalom~

looking stupid

How are you doing? Just some updates, nothing much. The silence have been intentional, sometimes i talk too much and its good to step back once in a while.

Its may 9, second week of may already. Exams are approaching, tests are coming, assignment deadlines are here, time to get double serious and that dreaded word 'busy'. Seriously la i feel like if i don't want to do something i just say i'm busy and people kind of understand even though sometimes i'm not really busy. Its nice to hide behind busyness not to say that there are not people who really don't have time but well yeah.

I'm really struggling with one of my units, artificial machine intelligence. Its a lot of reading and you know me la, don't like to read one. But its kind of interesting its just that for when i think of the volume i'll have to read and all the definitions my heart sinks. But i need to put in more effort lo. It not particularly difficult per se just need to make out more time for it.

Recently i've been reading proverbs again. I feel so attracted to proverbs, dunno why but its such a nice collection. And you know how when God wants to tell you about something how he will use the same words and somehow make you come across those words in all your bible reading no matter how related or unrelated they may be? Well for me my keyword from God has been "hard work".

If you know me you know i'm incredibly lazy and abuse my time a lot. I can't keep doing that especially since the big guy above has thinks its time to tell me about it.

Its interesting how God gets to you? We were in lifegroup wednesday and the main theme of the bible study was when God speaks to you, simply obey. And its interesting how when you obey God you might look stupid in the eyes of people and thats the reason why someone like me will second guess or simply not do what God is telling me to do because why? I'm not sure.

Well our minds work rationally and logically that is why sometimes when God tells us to do something that is out of the normal and does not make sense, hence illogical we tend not to do it because our minds cannot compute it. But like was pointed out to me those people in Hebrews 11 were basically stupid people in the eyes of their friends, family and basically anyone looking from the outside. So be encouraged if you're being asked to do something seemingly stupid or plain ol silly in the eyes of people.

Father may we come to the place in our lives when nothing shakes us, and we live only by what your word says because when all else falls your word will remain. Help us to trust in your love and goodness for you are forever faithful. Guide our hearts and minds in these times, we ask for your joy and peace. Thank you Father, in jesus name, Amen.

~shalom~

exams and families

Its been a really busy week for me, most of my time was spent indoors in the quietness and coldness of the state library and the library in Inti college trying to cover as much as i can before my finals on thursday and friday. With all this stress i dont know if there would be a visit to pizza hut after all is said and done. ;)

Today's session on families made me reflect a bit about my own. I remember the time when i would wake up, get two cars out of the garage, wash them, check the oil and water on them before getting ready to go to school. Times when i would get all covered with grease and diesel and black smoke trying to start up the generator so we can atleast watch some tv before we sleep. Times when i grumbled after it seemed that out of 5 children in the family i was the only asked to do chores even those that are clearly for girls, imagine having to wash your mom's clothes and iron them.

I remember times when i couldnt take it anymore and there was nothing i could do because i was in a culture that does not allow open dialogue between hurting children and their parents. I once taught of running away from home but after going through the whole thing in my head, it wasnt the wisest decision to make. I remember the time when i taught i was adopted and even before blogs i had a way of expressing myself in words on paper, words that i kept hidden away until my mom found them and i had to explain myself. Those were humbling times.

Now as i look back at it, i can see God's hands in it. I must confess i was very stubborn, it doesnt show very much now but i needed to be humbled and to learn submission and my family was the perfect training ground. Through all the pains and trials and humiliations i can say i'm stronger for it and i thank God now for everything. Even though things are not dreamy, and my family is not the best in the world {who's is?} i still thank God for them and for every moment that i was punished to forced to work, for every time my mom would make me go to the salon with her, for the time when i crashed the car and didnt have to pay for it, for home made meals and extra servings, for the chickens that layed eggs and the goats that ate our flowers until they became the meal. For everything, we really dont know what we have until its no more there.

While we were discussing about this, there was an agreement that things could be better and so for me as a future parent, what kind of parent do i want to be? Would i want to be like mine or is there another way to bring up children? I believe God gives us every resource we need for any situation we will face and being a parent is a scary thing, so much that i dont know if i would do better but i believe, there must be a difference between people who belong to Christ and those who do not.

Father, thank You for my family, thank you for making me a member of that family, i pray even as i grow up to be a parent one day that you will guide me in your ways so i wont make the same mistakes they did and i ask and i receive your strength to be a good child to my parents, to honor them in any way i can, because it pleases you. Thank you father, thank you.

~shalom~

the great wave

I've been coming across alot of attacks on the christian faith lately and i just want to inform you all about what is going on so we are not caught off guard.

Recently i read a news item that many Americans are not certain God exists, you can say why thats not new, but take your time and read it. I blogged about this on my other blog and found out from the comments i got that this survey was infact really true.

Again going through some of my del.icio.us bookmarks i found out about an atheistic movement to remove 'God' from the currency of America. If you've seen the American currency then you will know it says 'in God we trust' at the back, people want to remove that and for some reason its perfectly legal. Well you might say its in America la but i dont think its a coincidence that these things are happening and i'm finding them more and more everywhere i look. There is was wave of opposition on everything that is Godly and America is only the start.

I pray that we would get really serious with God and live out our faith, this is for me too. I am truely troubled in my spirit, strange times are upon us. This is part of what mark was saying when he was here only now am i seeing with my own eyes. Please, lets encourage each other to good works, strange times are coming, its not time to fool around.

I have some sermons on Understanding the spirit of the age by dr ravi zacharias. He's really great and i know Angela has been in one of his lectures she will tell you. There are three parts to the sermon you can get part 1 here, part 2 and part 3. Listen to them, the english might be hard to understand but something will minister to you. Also there is a great site where you can get sermons from people like C.H spurgeon, C.S lewis over at sermonindex.net

The devil knows his time is short, but Jesus said thou art peter and upon this rock i will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

~shalom~