2 Corinthians 4:8-16 (The Message)
If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That's to prevent anyone from confusing God's incomparable power with us. As it is, there's not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we're not much to look at. We've been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we're not demoralized; we're not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we've been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn't left our side; we've been thrown down, but we haven't broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus' sake, which makes Jesus' life all the more evident in us. While we're going through the worst, you're getting in on the best!

 We're not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, "I believed it, so I said it," we say what we believe. And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive. Every detail works to your advantage and to God's glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise!

So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.

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As the week passed, I felt more and more what the above verse said - not the coloured ones, but the little black words! Pressed, Battered, Terrorized and i FELT LIKE GIVING UP! SO MANY TIMES!!!! I don't even know how to detail down on that I am feeling. But, thank God for this verse, i feel much renewed now, and I am telling myself! DON'T GIVE UP! "THESE HARD TIMES ARE SMALL POTATOES COMPARED TO THE COMING GOOD TIMES!" Yes Lord, I proclaim this in my life and will not give up! :)

Will you then sing with me?

The Lord has been knocking hard on the door of my heart as I prepared for today's devotional. There's so much that my heart needs to be changed in...  I really need to return to that first love of loving the word and desire to live it out in my life ... I have subtly fell into the thinking that it is so difficult to be a christian because there is so much to follow and to do ...

I remember, there was one day that I was very very angry, and the Holy Spirit prompted me to remember the word of the Lord and to forgive... but I felt it was so difficult that I told myself...its so difficult to be a christian! There is so much so much so much to follow.

Today's devotion is a reminder to me ... that It is for my own good. And, He gently corrected me of my attitude to his word... At first, when I read it...  i was like, "HAR? Hold on to instruction?!" Sounds a little wrong to me ... but, as God revealed to me of his heartbeat... I understood in my heart that the bible is God's love letter to me, God's blessing to me ....that I may receive the full victory he has for me in my life...

Lord, thank you for touching me in this way. Thank you for speaking to me so immediately. I miss you too and I love you very much for choosing me to be your daughter. Thank you that you will give me the strength to walk by your ways and your words. I want to put your word first in my life.

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Its Chinese New Year today , and its significant to me this year, because I'm officially a working adult... So, I had the wonderful opportunity to give my parents the red packet this year.. I used the FCBC red packet to give to daddy and mummy and my grandparents. My prayer for this Chinese New Year for them is this : That they will realise that their providence come from God alone. That they will continue to soften their hearts towards God, and I believe that they will be saved! Because the word promised that when one in the household is saved, the rest will be saved as well. :) My grandparents, dad and mum were pleasantly surprised with the red packet... To me, the money wasn't as important to the best gift that I have given to them - the prayer that went alone with the red packet. To me, this is a prophetic act. Knowing that my parents are not christians and not very approving of us being christians, by doing this, I want to let them know that I still love them and Christ still love them.

God, I thank you for parents like mine, that are willing to provide for us all the way in our life. Thank you that my parents are already paving a good path for us all the way till our old age... For such loving parents, They deserve the best too. Please give them the best gift anyone can ever have - eternal life. Lord, i pray against all powers of darkness in my family, but I pray for your light, warmth and love to shine through. Help my siblings and I to shine for you in their lives. Thank you Jesus. In Jesus Name, Amen.

I had a great Chinese New Year (Too Full Though!) What about you?

I will not be posting devotionals on my livejournal ... cause I'm blogging for Dellia's tribe devotional blog for this week!! :) So, please head on to www.delvotional.blogspot.com for more sharings!

Of course, more of my routine life and growth will still be on this site!! :)

BLESSED CHINESE NEW YEAR!!

Chiwern's mum sent me a message which is a blessing I hold close to my heart !! I wanna share it with you too, So here goes :

" Wishing you not just smiles but laughter,
Not just happiness but joy
Not just riches but wealth
not just peace but serenity
Blessed Chinese New Year!"

Much Love,
All My Dears!

To You : Thank you for the conversation today ... That you started the conversation with me first , I'm glad the friendship is still intact! Blessed New Year to you! (BTW, i did not notice anything peculiar in the 10.30pm celebration show on channel 8 leh)

As usual, it was a rushing YET fulfilling day. 

Served in the church choir and what is Chin Ling without embaressing moments? 

For those who have yet to notice, I ALMOST fell of the platform i was standing on... jump jump jump ...until I din realise that I was at the edge... hehehe...Yeah, But... i think NOBODY noticed leh! quite heng! :S

BUT! Apparently, Camera was zooming in on me when I was doing the wrong action la! While everybody were raising their hands, i was happily swaying away! hahahaha ... You can check this out on the FCBC website for our service...but quite embaressing la...but nevermind la! Nothing beats a good laugh! :)

But, I've got to say, it was such an ENJOYABLE experience! Right, Crow!?!?! 

Just when I thought, Only Chiwern and I were wearing a couple T-shirt....


Apparently, many of us were in the chinese new year mode! :) Hehehe , And since we were all in the colour of unity, prosperity and blessings, we should never miss the opportunity to take a picture! ! Hee! Sisters in Red! :)



There after, played sardines with the Kid's Cell.. I tell you! It was crazy but so fun!!! Expo is such an open space but you would never have expected that there are sooooooooooo many places to hide! :) hahah 

We visited grandma to pass her new year goodies, From the picture, you can see her BEAMING! :) She loves it when we go visit her. In Singapore, grandma is one of the oldies that love us very much...including Chiwern! She is the one that always call and ask how he is, and always always cook extra for him whenever she cooks for us... Grandma really love chiwern :) and Chiwern loves grandma very much too .... Amongst the oldies in the family, chiwern feels most relax around her :) 


This is such a rambling post!

Anyways, GOOD NEWS! :)

1 more of my colleague accepted Christ! Its great to see them accept Christ 1 by 1! We claim God's victory in Jesus name in MCYS! So, me and another collegue are doing follow up with them, and we're gonna start our weekly prayer and bible study group! I'm so excited leh!! Its like we're really pastors in our marketplace now! YAY! :)

I pray for more and more of God's victory! :) 

In Jesus Name,
Amen

Dear Friends, I've been blessed by this song today.... I pray that you'll be equally blessed...
 

I like the title of today's journal, coz it is so encouraging and positive!
I am reminded today that God wants me well in all aspect of my life!
I don't have to do anything to win his heart, coz he wants and needs my heart to be loved by him! :)

"He NEEDS you living in victory and healing so that you can teach others how to do it too."

"There's no time for the body of christ to limp along, uninformed and prepared for the devil's attacks.

"He wants us to be healthy and strong as a withness in these last days to a world that's filled with terror- a witness of His Love, His Grace, and His Power"

I probably need some major restructuring in my hard disk. just yesterday, I was thinking...I haven't been praying enough ...Would God not bring his blessings to certain aspects in my life. Would I be defeated! And now, In Jesus Name, I cut those thoughts! Because, God is not a God of works, God wants us to be victorious and strong in our daily living, because we are the reflection of God's love on earth!

Therefore,
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever!"
Psalms 107:1

And when God says Forever, he means it! Everlasting, Neverending! :)

Thank you Jesus, For your love! :)

:) Yes! By the grace of God, I'm back!

Thank you for Ohana for supporting! We are all part of a body and I want to support you guys in times of need too! :) Thank you for the encouragement!

It may only be January, the 1st month of 2007! But, I really pray that God will give me the attitude of victory, ALL DAY LONG!

"Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Lets us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith," Hebrews 12:1-2

Oh Man! I feel like my life just started!! Again! Praise God! :)

"Instead, speaking the truth in love,
We will in all things grow up into him who is the Head,
that is, Christ" Ephesians 4:15

Every human has to go through a baby stage, a child stage, a teenager stage, adulthood and then growing old..
We have to go through these stages physically, spiritually and mentally...

Which stage am I at then Spiritually?

I feel like I am all wrapped in one... Recently, I just came out of my baby stage...the stage where I was wanting everything except God, where you really want to break free..but yet, at that point of time,there was a deep realization in me that I am nothing without God...

Therefore, I think that I am not at one specific stage, but I acknowledge that I am growing...and this growth can only happen through a soft heart and through a God who loves me enough to teach me..

There was one point of time, I know that i definetely wasn't growing, cause everything was about me... what matters to me most was what was most important. I knew that I was feeling that way and i refuse to grow...and the cause behind it - a hardened heart - a heart that looks at the self and wants to do things my own way. All babies are like that - to them, they themselves are the most important...

Today, I want to learn to look at others, and start speaking truth of love about them, and to them, that we may all grow and be build up in Christ.

Today's devotion is the simplest, most basic yet the most fundamental and important thing in our Christian walk - God's Love.

It's true, the author wrote

Philipians 4:11-14
11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Good Morning Holy Spirit, I welcome you to sit in the throne of my life today! That indeed, whenever the evil one strikes me with a thought or an ungodly action, may you be the protector of my heart, and whisper me the right way to go. Let me not grieve your spirit.
Sometimes, there are just too many wants and desires. Not my will but yours, be done, Oh Lord.

I have made you too small in my eyes
Oh Lord forgive me
And I have believed in a lie
That you were unable to help me
But now, O Lord, I see my wrong
Heal my heart and show yourself strong

And in my eyes and with my song
O Lord, Be magnified
O Lord, Be magnified

Be magnified O lord
You are highly exalted
And there is nothing you can't do
O Lord, My eyes are on you
Be magnified, O Lord, Be magnified.

I have leaned on the wisdom of man
O Lord, forgive me
And I have responded to them
Instead of your light and your mercy

But Now, Oh Lord, I see my wrong
Heal my heart and show yourself strong
And in my eyes and with my song
O Lord, Be magnified
O Lord, Be magnified.

As the song says, many times, when I start looking away and looking at other things, I find myself more and more disconteted and angry. I must always remember to keep my eyes on you, Lord Jesus. And trust you in handling my life. And know that, there is, nothing, really, to worry about.

he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
1 Timothy 6:3-9

Application in life
As I grow older, there are so many things I want and I desire, and many times, they have left me discontented and sadder than ever. I should always remember to keep my eyes on the Lord, and keep my heart on things above lest i start loving life that would harm me more than do me good. To trust God with my life and know that every gift from above is a good and perfect gift. Keep your eyes, heart, and mind on Jesus Christ. So that, when I look back in 2007, it would not be a life of emptiness, but one that is fulfilled and in accordance to the will of Jesus Christ.