Well, what do you know... the excitment was mounting for us to go to the states.. In fact our flight would have been flying off on the 4th May in 3 days.. but well, the whole swine flu saga was becoming all too 'in our face' to ignore. There are people with different view points, that the situation is still under control, that the outbreak at this point is mild, and the fatality rate does not even match up to a fraction of the typical influenza cycle each year. Some think its all hype and too much media exposure, however, we are travelling with Elijah, and being at the stage of development he is, where he is starting to grab at things and put things in his mouth, we decided just yesterday, 29th April, that it would be sensible and responsible for us as parents to cancel the trip. At the same time, Cathay Pacific decided to allow us to re-route our flights with no case for any refund at all (because we had discounted tickets) , although I learnt later that SIA allowed passengers going to the US to cancel their flights with full refund, even on discounted tickets. Well, we know which carrier to take if we ever go to US again.
But yes, we had much to thank God for, for example, for the fact that we hadn't booked any legs of our flights and hotels in New York and Montreal (some may call it tardiness, or procastination - but in this case it turned out to be a blessing) so we had much less to cancel. Also, thank God for our friends in Pittsburgh, the Kohs, who were all ready to receive, with Charis even preparing a very nice welcome card for Elijah. Tat Koon helped with our hotel bookings for our road trip and thus helped us to cancel it as well. So what has happened is that we have re-routed our flight to Japan, and are now heading to Japan on the 7th May and will only be back on the 21st.
I guess we are still reeling over the shock of the aftermath of the travel changes. And are wondering why not? Why didn't God allow it, we were so close and yet so far now! But anyhow, we trust that God has our best interests at heart, and hopefully what we are doing is in His will. But at the bigger picture perspective, I guess, i learnt that I have to let go of my stresses and worry of our little inconvenience and change in plans, and reflect and pray perhaps for some of the victims of the swine flu, who fell undefended in Mexico!
Again, let's pray that God will speak through this pandemic, and remind us among other things, that there is a God above our medical and scientific advances.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Acceptance!
I have been checking my email relatively regularly recently, just awaiting any news from Singapore Bible College with regards to my application there. And yesterday, as i checked my mail, saw an email with the heading 'acceptance letter'. I really did not know what and how to feel. It was a sense of relief, as i had for many moments, wondered what would happen had i not gotten accepted, but always pushing the worry aside and told myself to trust God. On the other hand, the there was a overwhelming sense of excitement and a little dread, you know the 'first day of school' feeling, that I always had in my school days, worrying if i had forgotten anything. all at the same time, the excitement was there, and a sense of reality hitting home, and realizing that it was no longer a faraway lofty thought, but a reality. This would indeed be the first baby step toward ministry and hopefully toward a wonderful journey of learning and fellowshiping with God and his people.
Thank God for his merciful hand in allowing for this, together with all my other life experiences, allowing it to culminate to where it is today. Praise God indeed.
At least now when i tell people i am going to bible school in July. I won't have to say maybe anymore. =P
Thank God for his merciful hand in allowing for this, together with all my other life experiences, allowing it to culminate to where it is today. Praise God indeed.
At least now when i tell people i am going to bible school in July. I won't have to say maybe anymore. =P
Friday, April 17, 2009
some pictures of us on the Singapore Flyer
Just posting some pics that we took while on the Flyer, we managed to get some tickets for free, so we rushed for the opportunity one evening, after work (while I was still working in Suntec) it was a good experience, and I think Elijah enjoyed it thoroughly. He does not seem to have a fear of heights, as he was perched at the edge of the glass window which overlooked the nothingness below. He seemed attracted to the bright lights and the night view of Singapore, as mentioned earlier, the pictures are pretty bad.. due to the fact that it was night, and it started to drizzle a little later.
Prayer Items for April 19th
We are going to set aside week 3 of every month to pray for another country in the world, and this week, it will be North Korea, I have copied out the items from Operation World.
NORTH KOREA
Source: Operation World ( http://www.operationworld.org/country/korn/owtext.html )
1 The leader of North Korea has deified his deceased father Kim Il Sung by adulatory propaganda, erection of statues and government enforced policies. Pray that the Holy Spirit might convict him and his cadre to cease their idolatry and worship the true God.
2 The Church in North Korea was the birthplace of Korean revival – Pyongyang was known as the "Jerusalem of the East". But most Christians fled to the south during the Korean War or were martyred, and churches were bulldozed. Little is known about today's underground church; only that it has survived amidst great suffering. There are three propaganda "show" churches in the capital, but over 100,000 Christians are interned in labour camps. Pray for physical and spiritual safety for North Korean believers, that they hang on to their Saviour in what is possibly the most difficult country to be a Christian.
3 The majority have never heard the name of Jesus. The knowledge of God has been obliterated for most by an Orwellian nightmare of repression, demands for total conformity, and isolation from the outside world. Pray that the God-shaped hole may be filled within the long-suffering Korean people. The turning to God could be dramatic when the state collapses.
4 As many as 3 million died of starvation from 1994-2000, yet the government stockpiles rations for the military and refuses assistance on any but the strictest of terms. Floods caused by deforestation continue to devastate crops and reports of cannibalism are leaking out of the country. Some Christian agencies have been able to offer aid, but never with permission to share the gospel. Pray for aid to reach the needy population, and for wisdom on the part of foreign governments and NGOs in handling this tragic and delicate situation.
5 Present means of witness are limited:
a) Radio. Many South Korean Christian broadcasts as well as those of TWR-Guam and FEBC-South Korea (19 programmes) reach far into North Korea, but most radios are pre-tuned to government stations, and few can hear these gospel broadcasts.
b) Korean Christians from China and elsewhere who are able to visit and gain opportunities to witness. Korea is open to Chinese businessmen, and their easy access to the country could be strategic for the gospel.
c) South Korean Christians who have prayed and prepared for years for the time when the land opens for the gospel. Pray that this may soon happen.
d) A group of foreign NGOs has received permission to establish an independent church in an area where they run agricultural training programmes.
6 Over 100,000 North Koreans have fled to China in the last three years. There are about 200,000 ethnic Korean Christians living in Chinese provinces which share a border with Korea. Many try to shelter the escapees and share the gospel with them in hidden "Bethlehem Centres" but Chinese are punished severely if caught harbouring escapees, and any Koreans who are sent back face almost certain death. Despite this, converted Korean escapees often return to be a witness to Jesus at extreme risk to their own lives. Pray that the Lord might protect both the sheltering hosts and the escapees from harm, and use them to reap a great harvest among these disillusioned and desperate people.
NORTH KOREA
Source: Operation World ( http://www.operationworld.org/country/korn/owtext.html )
1 The leader of North Korea has deified his deceased father Kim Il Sung by adulatory propaganda, erection of statues and government enforced policies. Pray that the Holy Spirit might convict him and his cadre to cease their idolatry and worship the true God.
2 The Church in North Korea was the birthplace of Korean revival – Pyongyang was known as the "Jerusalem of the East". But most Christians fled to the south during the Korean War or were martyred, and churches were bulldozed. Little is known about today's underground church; only that it has survived amidst great suffering. There are three propaganda "show" churches in the capital, but over 100,000 Christians are interned in labour camps. Pray for physical and spiritual safety for North Korean believers, that they hang on to their Saviour in what is possibly the most difficult country to be a Christian.
3 The majority have never heard the name of Jesus. The knowledge of God has been obliterated for most by an Orwellian nightmare of repression, demands for total conformity, and isolation from the outside world. Pray that the God-shaped hole may be filled within the long-suffering Korean people. The turning to God could be dramatic when the state collapses.
4 As many as 3 million died of starvation from 1994-2000, yet the government stockpiles rations for the military and refuses assistance on any but the strictest of terms. Floods caused by deforestation continue to devastate crops and reports of cannibalism are leaking out of the country. Some Christian agencies have been able to offer aid, but never with permission to share the gospel. Pray for aid to reach the needy population, and for wisdom on the part of foreign governments and NGOs in handling this tragic and delicate situation.
5 Present means of witness are limited:
a) Radio. Many South Korean Christian broadcasts as well as those of TWR-Guam and FEBC-South Korea (19 programmes) reach far into North Korea, but most radios are pre-tuned to government stations, and few can hear these gospel broadcasts.
b) Korean Christians from China and elsewhere who are able to visit and gain opportunities to witness. Korea is open to Chinese businessmen, and their easy access to the country could be strategic for the gospel.
c) South Korean Christians who have prayed and prepared for years for the time when the land opens for the gospel. Pray that this may soon happen.
d) A group of foreign NGOs has received permission to establish an independent church in an area where they run agricultural training programmes.
6 Over 100,000 North Koreans have fled to China in the last three years. There are about 200,000 ethnic Korean Christians living in Chinese provinces which share a border with Korea. Many try to shelter the escapees and share the gospel with them in hidden "Bethlehem Centres" but Chinese are punished severely if caught harbouring escapees, and any Koreans who are sent back face almost certain death. Despite this, converted Korean escapees often return to be a witness to Jesus at extreme risk to their own lives. Pray that the Lord might protect both the sheltering hosts and the escapees from harm, and use them to reap a great harvest among these disillusioned and desperate people.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Working in Church
Having worked in church now for the past 2 weeks or so, it is indeed an interesting and different experience. I come everyday to my little desk, and pray and think and work, and see how i can use this time for the Lord, there are many ideas out there, and there are many thoughts out there, but I think I need to concretize them and put them forward to the Lord. I have learnt that I can be very impatient and sometimes, just want to start things without planning and properly looking into them, and sometimes, this can work against me.
But having said this, I am enjoying my time with in church, working with Pastor and Aunty Cecilia, and basically learning that church work, is not just all about administration and preparing sermons and bible studies, but it is a lot about relationships, building, maintaining, encouraging, and also spending time with various people.
Once again, we are very excited to be going over to see Tat Koon and Elaine, and as the time draws nearer and things get more firmed up, we too get more excited. Am really excited about the Cape Cod road trip and all the rest of it as well. Really looking forward to the fellowship tt we will have with them!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Thoughts on Prayer
Decided to also put up some of the thoughts I have been writing up on prayer for the church, just for sharing purposes.
15th March
Just a short sharing, I just attended a friend's funeral (just 31 years old) this week. He left behind a wife and child (around Elijah's age). He was supposedly Catholic, a friend from the Army, and all of us army friends gathered at the funeral. We didn't know under what circumstances he died or how, but it was reported that perhaps it was a suicide. None of us expected this to happen, neither should any of us had, but it was a reminder, of how brief our sojourn on this earth can be. It was strange indeed, I did not know how to feel, and alongside with this, there were other news of suicide and rampant, deliberate killings in cold blood all within this short week, it did have a sort of numbing effect, but indeed, let us not take life lightly, and let's remember that in every of our friend's unsaved hearts, is a mission field waiting to be reached (with the help and permission of the Holy Spirit). It's no use crying at a funeral, sorrowing over why we never 'have the time' to speak to this friend or the other about God or the gospel.
Again, thank God for the reminder of His compassion on all peoples, regardless of age, race, good or bad (in human terms) through the study of the book of Jonah, and let us hold on to this and pray in earnest for those around us who have yet to receive the gift of God's love.
There have been many reports in recent days of suicides and killings and loss of life. Reflect on it. Remember the frailty and brevity of life:
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." James 4:13-15
++++++++++++++++
22nd March
The passage below is a model of fellowship the believers in Jesus' time had. Today, we find ourselves plagued with busyness from all quarters, and all of us, have at one time or other neglected spending time with God and each other. The passage is a picture of the beautiful relationship that the believers of the day had with each other and God. The intertwining of their spiritual and secular (if there was even such a split) lives was evident and the fellowship between them was more than just chit chat of the days hottest gossip or of the successes and failures in their week, or even just about thanksgivings and supplications. It was more than that, there was meaningful time spent together, in prayer, in praising God and in learning about his word. Today, on this Sabbath day set aside for the worship of God and the fellowship between brothers and sisters in Christ, let us set this time aside and intentionally and purposely choose to reach out to each other, at a spiritual level, to pray together. listening to each other's heart cries to the Lord, responding in kind, echoing each other's love for the Lord and His work, let us grow to know each other, in the way we pray, in the intimacies of our times with our heavenly Father, and let us be blessed and bless each other through that experience.
42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2: 42-47
+++++++++++++++++
April 5th
Interestingly, while we were in Northern Thailand, during our devotions and sharing, the topic of restfulness and solitude came up. Not once, but twice. Whenever, we speak on the topic of restfulness and solitude, the picture of Elijah comes to mind (not my son, but the one in the bible =P). The incident of how he came to the Lord at a point where he was harassed and running for his life, and it almost seemed that he could take no more. Then the Lord gave him rest and food, and a cave where he was secure.
In 1Kings 19:9-18, the Lord asked Elijah, what he was doing there? and Elijah gave the response summarizing his situation, only to be told by the Lord to stand on the mountain the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. This was followed by a series of events, we do not know how long or how short the events transpired over, there was first a powerful wind, and then earthquake and following that fire. Elijah, stood at the mountain through all that. He was indeed waiting for the Lord and was sensitive to where the Lord was. Only when all was still did he hear the gentle whisper of the Lord. And the Lord asked him the same question again, and indeed Elijah gave exactly the same reply. But the answer he got from the Lord was one that was clear and instructive.
Are we willing to stand on our mountains or in our caves and wait upon the Lord, and wait to hear his gentle whisper. Are we able to be sensitive to him and not be distracted by the Winds, Earthquakes and Fires around us? Let us as prayer coordinators and encouragers, take some time away from the noise of the world to spend time with the Lord and rest in Him. Let's ask the Lord to truly reveal his will for us and to seek him and rest in him, even though we may be facing the most difficult situations of our lives, just as Elijah was, running for his life.
++++++++++
April 12th
we are in the midst of Good Friday and Easter Sunday, a very poignant and important period in Christian history. We take these days to commemorate the death and resurrection of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ. It is a time of reflection and remembrance of the work on the cross and the sacrifice and pain that Christ bore for our sins, something that we can never justify, the gift of true grace, of unwarranted mercy, meted out for us by the God, the almighty, the omnipotent one, the Creator of this universe, and the keeper of our souls. Unimaginable and unfathomable, but yet played out in history. A God whom we have little regard for, one whom we forget to acknowledge in our joyful moments, yet are quick to blame in our moments of misery. Our provider we take for granted, yet a debtor when we are in need.
The greatness of this deed is only overshadowed by the person who did it. That God condescended to our level to give up His Son to die - not for His sins, but ours. Yet we are quick to blame God when some part of our lives fall apart, when we feel something 'unfair' or 'unjustified' happens. I am not going to pretend that the same does not happen in my life, but it is a stark reminder of what is fair and what isn't. From Jesus' perspective, was it fair that he was going to die for a bunch of undeserving, self righteous sinners, who in a breathe will turn around and place value judgements on what God should or should not have done.
And what makes this scene even more beautiful was the fact that just before Jesus was arrested, he was praying. Praying - not sleeping, not engaging in last minute teaching to his disciples, downloading the next 5 year plan to them so that they could continue to effectively run his ministry, not having a midnight snack or drink (him having the foreknowledge of what was to come) but Praying. And who was he praying for, for himself, for the disciples and ... US .. the Believers.. the very people he was dying for, the very reason for his suffering.
Jesus prayed
"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." John 17:25-26
Jesus loved us, but above all, loved the Father and wanted to glorify His name, and make Him known. Today let us take a couple of moments to reflect on God's wonderful work of grace and salvation for us, and also on the prayer that Jesus prayed for us. And let us pray that we will have the love that God has for Christ within us, and that Christ will also abide within us.
15th March
Just a short sharing, I just attended a friend's funeral (just 31 years old) this week. He left behind a wife and child (around Elijah's age). He was supposedly Catholic, a friend from the Army, and all of us army friends gathered at the funeral. We didn't know under what circumstances he died or how, but it was reported that perhaps it was a suicide. None of us expected this to happen, neither should any of us had, but it was a reminder, of how brief our sojourn on this earth can be. It was strange indeed, I did not know how to feel, and alongside with this, there were other news of suicide and rampant, deliberate killings in cold blood all within this short week, it did have a sort of numbing effect, but indeed, let us not take life lightly, and let's remember that in every of our friend's unsaved hearts, is a mission field waiting to be reached (with the help and permission of the Holy Spirit). It's no use crying at a funeral, sorrowing over why we never 'have the time' to speak to this friend or the other about God or the gospel.
Again, thank God for the reminder of His compassion on all peoples, regardless of age, race, good or bad (in human terms) through the study of the book of Jonah, and let us hold on to this and pray in earnest for those around us who have yet to receive the gift of God's love.
There have been many reports in recent days of suicides and killings and loss of life. Reflect on it. Remember the frailty and brevity of life:
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." James 4:13-15
++++++++++++++++
22nd March
The passage below is a model of fellowship the believers in Jesus' time had. Today, we find ourselves plagued with busyness from all quarters, and all of us, have at one time or other neglected spending time with God and each other. The passage is a picture of the beautiful relationship that the believers of the day had with each other and God. The intertwining of their spiritual and secular (if there was even such a split) lives was evident and the fellowship between them was more than just chit chat of the days hottest gossip or of the successes and failures in their week, or even just about thanksgivings and supplications. It was more than that, there was meaningful time spent together, in prayer, in praising God and in learning about his word. Today, on this Sabbath day set aside for the worship of God and the fellowship between brothers and sisters in Christ, let us set this time aside and intentionally and purposely choose to reach out to each other, at a spiritual level, to pray together. listening to each other's heart cries to the Lord, responding in kind, echoing each other's love for the Lord and His work, let us grow to know each other, in the way we pray, in the intimacies of our times with our heavenly Father, and let us be blessed and bless each other through that experience.
42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2: 42-47
+++++++++++++++++
April 5th
Interestingly, while we were in Northern Thailand, during our devotions and sharing, the topic of restfulness and solitude came up. Not once, but twice. Whenever, we speak on the topic of restfulness and solitude, the picture of Elijah comes to mind (not my son, but the one in the bible =P). The incident of how he came to the Lord at a point where he was harassed and running for his life, and it almost seemed that he could take no more. Then the Lord gave him rest and food, and a cave where he was secure.
In 1Kings 19:9-18, the Lord asked Elijah, what he was doing there? and Elijah gave the response summarizing his situation, only to be told by the Lord to stand on the mountain the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. This was followed by a series of events, we do not know how long or how short the events transpired over, there was first a powerful wind, and then earthquake and following that fire. Elijah, stood at the mountain through all that. He was indeed waiting for the Lord and was sensitive to where the Lord was. Only when all was still did he hear the gentle whisper of the Lord. And the Lord asked him the same question again, and indeed Elijah gave exactly the same reply. But the answer he got from the Lord was one that was clear and instructive.
Are we willing to stand on our mountains or in our caves and wait upon the Lord, and wait to hear his gentle whisper. Are we able to be sensitive to him and not be distracted by the Winds, Earthquakes and Fires around us? Let us as prayer coordinators and encouragers, take some time away from the noise of the world to spend time with the Lord and rest in Him. Let's ask the Lord to truly reveal his will for us and to seek him and rest in him, even though we may be facing the most difficult situations of our lives, just as Elijah was, running for his life.
++++++++++
April 12th
we are in the midst of Good Friday and Easter Sunday, a very poignant and important period in Christian history. We take these days to commemorate the death and resurrection of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ. It is a time of reflection and remembrance of the work on the cross and the sacrifice and pain that Christ bore for our sins, something that we can never justify, the gift of true grace, of unwarranted mercy, meted out for us by the God, the almighty, the omnipotent one, the Creator of this universe, and the keeper of our souls. Unimaginable and unfathomable, but yet played out in history. A God whom we have little regard for, one whom we forget to acknowledge in our joyful moments, yet are quick to blame in our moments of misery. Our provider we take for granted, yet a debtor when we are in need.
The greatness of this deed is only overshadowed by the person who did it. That God condescended to our level to give up His Son to die - not for His sins, but ours. Yet we are quick to blame God when some part of our lives fall apart, when we feel something 'unfair' or 'unjustified' happens. I am not going to pretend that the same does not happen in my life, but it is a stark reminder of what is fair and what isn't. From Jesus' perspective, was it fair that he was going to die for a bunch of undeserving, self righteous sinners, who in a breathe will turn around and place value judgements on what God should or should not have done.
And what makes this scene even more beautiful was the fact that just before Jesus was arrested, he was praying. Praying - not sleeping, not engaging in last minute teaching to his disciples, downloading the next 5 year plan to them so that they could continue to effectively run his ministry, not having a midnight snack or drink (him having the foreknowledge of what was to come) but Praying. And who was he praying for, for himself, for the disciples and ... US .. the Believers.. the very people he was dying for, the very reason for his suffering.
Jesus prayed
"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." John 17:25-26
Jesus loved us, but above all, loved the Father and wanted to glorify His name, and make Him known. Today let us take a couple of moments to reflect on God's wonderful work of grace and salvation for us, and also on the prayer that Jesus prayed for us. And let us pray that we will have the love that God has for Christ within us, and that Christ will also abide within us.
Reviving the Blog
After reading all the different blogs of my friends and the updates of their lives, decided to start reviving my blog. We had a good outing at the zoo with Amelia and Eugene and Zachery at the Zoo yesterday. It is pretty amazing the things they've done with the Singapore Zoo. There's a water theme playground at the Kid's world and tonnes of happy, screaming, children running around in the pool. Interesting to see that really, the zoo is doing its part to attract the crowds again. I think we had a good time, Zachery was enjoying all the animal shows, while Elijah was too affected by the noise and started to cry once the cheering ensued. Quite typical of him, but it was a great outing nonetheless, leaving mom and dad (especially dad) rather tired.
Elijah is really growing up quickly and as they always say, the kids go from crawling and all of a sudden they are walking around the house. It is a change for us, and although glad there's much to get used to.
We are excited about going to the States to visit our friends Tat Koon, Elaine, Charis and Josiah in May, and will be great to have that time with them. Will attempt to upload some photos later.
Elijah is really growing up quickly and as they always say, the kids go from crawling and all of a sudden they are walking around the house. It is a change for us, and although glad there's much to get used to.
We are excited about going to the States to visit our friends Tat Koon, Elaine, Charis and Josiah in May, and will be great to have that time with them. Will attempt to upload some photos later.
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