Be the Song You Are Meant to Be

Thanks to my sister for sharing this with me...

Yep, we are all a symphony written from above, written out of God's love.

Each of us have notes to play; we need to stay in tune and also in unison with fellow instruments.

We will then be a wonderful symphony that brings hope, comfort and warmth.

And yes, the less I get in the way, thinking I know best, the more God can let the music play.

Be the best song you are meant to be...

YOUR SONG
Music and Lyrics by Corrinne May, ‘Crooked Lines’ 2012

Silent, wordless
Everything was still
You breathed us, yearned for us
Our hearts began to thrill
A brand new creation
A symphony
Written from above
Written out of Love

Chorus:
Let me be Your instrument
Let me be Your voice
Let me be the reservoir
Where thirsty hearts rejoice
Let me be the hand
That wipes the tears away
Oh Lord,
If it be Your will
Let me be Your Song

A violin, a piano
Each one has a role
Major or minor
Or just a single note
So take the time to stay in tune
Cause we’ll never know
When we’re called to play
It could be today



A song of hope for the hopeless
A song of comfort for the pain
A song that warms the frozen heart that
It might beat again

For what am I but a single breath
That only You sustain
The less I get in the way,
The more the Master can let the music play

Good Friday: Reflections of God's Love

Throughout the last few months, I have grown weary with all that happened in my life, which turned my life topsy turvy; having to manage quite a great deal including illness, loss of direction, death, disappointment, grief etc. 

And despite God speaking very clearly in the past few weeks through sermon, chapel, department devotions, "Roadmap to Maturity" course and quiet time, asking me to take up my cross, I wrestled with God and wanted to run away, just as Jonah did. "I am just too tired Lord and it's just not worth it".

But this this Good Friday, God has helped me to come to realize the full extent of His love for us, which demanded from me a response. I have come to realize that in the last hours of Jesus' life, it came to be an intense demonstration of the full extent of His love (John 13:1b, NIV84).

In the verse following John 13:1, we see the disciple John providing the only account, among the gospels, of the Lord Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. More than just a simple act, it was an act with profound significance. As one commentary puts it: "it was an act of Jesus' love that would stoop to even the most menial service. It was a spiritual cleansing. And it was an example of how Christians should treat each other. In these ways, the washing of the disciples' feet prefigured the Crucifixion" (Asbury Bible Commentary).

Starting with feet washing, Jesus here showed the full extent of His love for us every step of the way, from the last supper, struggling at the Garden of Gethsemane where He had to face the reality that He would have to go through the pain of crucifixion soon, all the way to the cross. All these because Jesus wants to cleanse us.

Do you now understand the full extent of His love for you? And what would your response be to His love for you?

Came across this beautiful song "I Then Shall Live" which I hope will minister to you, in the way we should live our lives as a response to the Lord Jesus Christ's work on the cross for us.

Once again, we are reminded that we have been cleansed by Jesus. Now, live your life as cleansed...

You Are For Me

Romans 8:31b (NIV):

If God is for us, who can be against us?

So faithful. So constant.
So loving and so true.
So powerful in all You do.

You fill me. You see me.
You know my every move
You love for me to sing to You.

I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weakness

I know that You have come now,
even if to write upon my heart.
To remind me who You are.

So patient, So gracious,
So merciful and true…
So wonderful in all You do.

Reflections of Good Friday 2011

Hello everyone,

The time has come again when we are reminded of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and what He did for us.

And as I ponder on the reason for the season, I would never fail to remember a meaningful story I once read, I am the Cross, about the pain that Jesus bore for me.

This year, at staff chapel earlier, I am again reminded of the pain that Jesus bear, but this time, not only on the cross but when the pain starts being unbearable at the Garden of Gethsemane.

Matthew 26

 ³⁶ Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

 ³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

 ⁴⁰ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

 ⁴² He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

 ⁴³ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

 ⁴⁵ Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Someone was sharing in chapel from an article written by Max Lucado, The Passion, the Pain and the Promise, and I have come to realise how how Jesus loved us and how the battle for our lives between God and Satan was won, not on Calvary, but at the Garden itself, when Jesus painstakingly make the decision to die on the cross even, this even though when He could have walked away.

Snippets from the article "The Passion, the Pain and the Promise" by Max Lucado


... History records it as the battle of the Jews against Jesus. It wasn’t. It was a battle of God against Satan...

... And Jesus knew it. Jesus knew that before the war was over, he would be taken captive. He knew that before victory would come defeat. He knew that before the throne would come the cup. He knew that before the light of Sunday would come the blackness of Friday. And he is afraid...

... It will be the last time he sees them (His disciples) before they abandon him. He knows what they will do when the soldiers come. He knows their betrayal is only minutes away. But he doesn’t accuse. He doesn’t lecture. Instead, he prays. His last moments with his disciples are in prayer..

... It’s worth noting that Jesus chose prayer. He chose to pray for us...

... You need to note that in this final prayer, Jesus prayed for you....

... “I am also praying for all people who believe in me because of the teaching.” (John 17)...

... As Jesus stepped into the garden, you were in his prayer...

... His humanity begged to be delivered from what his divinity could see...

... we do know he asked to get out. We do know he begged for an exit. We do know there was a time when if he could have, he would have turned his head back on the whole mess and gone away. But he couldn’t.

He couldn’t because he saw you. Right there in the middle of a world which isn’t fair. He saw you cast into a river of life which you didn’t request. He saw you betrayed by those you love. He saw with a body which gets sick and a heart that grows weak. He saw you in your own garden of gnarled trees and sleeping friends. He saw you staring into the pit of your own failures and the mouth of your own grave. He saw you in your Garden of Gethsemane—and he didn’t want you to be alone. He wanted you to know that he has been there, too. He knows what it’s like to be plotted against. He knows what it’s like to be confused. He knows what it’s like to be torn between two desires. He knows what it’s like to smell the stench of Satan. And, perhaps most of all, he knows what it’s like to beg God to change his mind and to hear God say so gently, but firmly, “No.” For that is what God said to Jesus. And Jesus accepts the answer....

... The battle is won. You may have thought it was won on Golgotha. It wasn’t. The final battle was won in Gethsemane...

... For it was in the garden that he made his decision. He would rather go to hell for you than go to heaven without you.

This is the love of Christ, the love of God, for you and for me...

I like one of the songs which expresses this in its wonderful simplicity; that He is above all but He chose death and thought of us above all...

ABOVE ALL

Above all powers

Above all kings

Above all nature

And all created things

Above all wisdom

And all the ways of man

You were here

Before the world began

Above all kingdoms

Above all thrones

Above all wonders

The world has ever known

Above all wealth

And treasures of the earth

There's no way to measure

What You're worth

Chorus:

Crucified

Laid behind the stone

You lived to die

Rejected and alone

Like a rose

Trampled on the ground

You took the fall

And thought of me

Above all

One of the songs sang during cell last week captivated me and may we never lose the wonder of the cross; remembering the meaning of the cross not only on Good Friday and Easter but every day of our lives:

THE WONDER OF THE CROSS

O precious sight, my Savior stands

Dying for me with outstretched hands

O precious sight, I love to gaze

Remembering salvation's day

Remembering salvation's day

Though my eyes linger on this scene

May passing time and years not steal

The power with which it impacts me

The freshness of it's mystery

The freshness of it's mystery

Chorus:

May I never lose the wonder

The wonder of the cross

May I see it like the first time

Standing as a sinner lost

Undone by mercy and left speechless

Watching wide eyed at the cost

May I never lose the wonder

The wonder of the cross

Behold the God - Man crucified

The perfect sinless sacrifice

As blood ran down those nails and wood

History was split in two

Yes, History was split in two

Behold the empty wooden tree

His body gone, alive and free

We sing with everlasting joy

For sin and death have been destroyed

Yes sin and death have been destroyed

The Passion, The Pain, and The Promise

By Max Lucado

http://www.maxlucado.com/articles/topical/the_passion_the_pain_and_the_promise

Chapter Two - In The Garden

It’s nearly midnight when they leave the upper room and descend through the streets of the city. They pass the Lower Pool and exit the Fountain Gate and walk out of Jerusalem. The roads are lined with the fires and tents of Passover pilgrims. Most are asleep, heavied with the evening meal. Those still awake think little of the band of men walking the chalky road.

They pass through the valley and ascend the path which will take them to Gethsemane. The road is steep so they stop to rest. Somewhere within the city walls the twelfth apostle darts down a street. His feet have been washed by the man he will betray. His heart has been claimed by the Evil One he has heard. He runs to find Caiaphas.

The final encounter of the battle has begun.

As Jesus looks at the city of Jerusalem, he sees what the disciples can’t. It is here, on the outskirts of Jerusalem, that the battle will end. He sees the staging of Satan. He sees the dashing of the demons. He sees the Evil One preparing for the final encounter. The enemy looks as a spectre over the hour. Satan, the host of hatred, has seized the heart of Judas and whispered in the ear of Caiaphas. Satan, the master of death, has opened the caverns and prepared to receive the source of light.

Hell is breaking loose.

History records it as the battle of the Jews against Jesus. It wasn’t. It was a battle of God against Satan.

And Jesus knew it. Jesus knew that before the war was over, he would be taken captive. He knew that before victory would come defeat. He knew that before the throne would come the cup. He knew that before the light of Sunday would come the blackness of Friday.

And he is afraid.

He turns and begins the final ascent into the garden. When he reaches the entry he stops and turns his eyes toward his circle of friends. It will be the last time he sees them before they abandon him. He knows what they will do when the soldiers come. He knows their betrayal is only minutes away.

But he doesn’t accuse. He doesn’t lecture. Instead, he prays. His last moments with his disciples are in prayer. And the words he speaks are as eternal as the stars which hear them.

Imagine, for a moment, yourself in this situation. Your final hour with a son about to be sent overseas. Your last moments with your dying spouse. One last visit with your parent. What do you say? What do you do? What words do you choose?

It’s worth noting that Jesus chose prayer. He chose to pray for us. “I pray for these men. But I am also praying for all people who will believe in me because of the teaching of these men. Father, I pray that all people who believe in me can be one . . . I pray that these people can also be one in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me.”

You need to note that in this final prayer, Jesus prayed for you. You need to underline in red and highlight in yellow his love: “I am also praying for all people who believe in me because of the teaching.” That is you. As Jesus stepped into the garden, you were in his prayer.

As Jesus looked into heaven, you were in his vision. As Jesus dreamed of the day when we will be where he is, he saw you there. His final prayer was about you. His final pain was for you. His final passion was you. He then turns, steps into the garden, and invites Peter, James, and John to come. He tells them his soul is “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” and begins to pray. Never has he felt so alone. What must be done, only can he do. An angel can’t do it. No angel has the power to break open hell’s gates. A man can’t do it. No man has the purity to destroy sin’s claim. No force on earth can face the force of evil and win—except God. “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,” Jesus confesses. His humanity begged to be delivered from what his divinity could see. Jesus, the carpenter, implores. Jesus, the man, peers into the dark pit and begs, “Can’t there be another way?”

Did he know the answer before he asked the question? Did his human heart hope his heavenly father had found another way? We don’t know. But we do know he asked to get out. We do know he begged for an exit. We do know there was a time when if he could have, he would have turned his head back on the whole mess and gone away. But he couldn’t.

He couldn’t because he saw you. Right there in the middle of a world which isn’t fair. He saw you cast into a river of life which you didn’t request. He saw you betrayed by those you love. He saw with a body which gets sick and a heart that grows weak. He saw you in your own garden of gnarled trees and sleeping friends. He saw you staring into the pit of your own failures and the mouth of your own grave. He saw you in your Garden of Gethsemane—and he didn’t want you to be alone. He wanted you to know that he has been there, too. He knows what it’s like to be plotted against. He knows what it’s like to be confused. He knows what it’s like to be torn between two desires. He knows what it’s like to smell the stench of Satan. And, perhaps most of all, he knows what it’s like to beg God to change his mind and to hear God say so gently, but firmly, “No.” For that is what God said to Jesus. And Jesus accepts the answer.

At some moment during that midnight hour an angel of mercy comes over the weary body of the man in the garden. As he stands, the anguish is gone from his eyes. His fist will clench no more. His heart will fight no more. The battle is won. You may have thought it was won on Golgotha. It wasn’t. The final battle was won in Gethsemane. And the sign of conquest is Jesus at peace in the olive trees. For it was in the garden that he made his decision. He would rather go to hell for you than go to heaven without you.

Song: Forever Reign (Hillsong)

You are good, You are good
When there's nothing good in me
You are love, You are love
On display for all to see
You are light, You are light
When the darkness closes in
You are hope, You are hope
You have covered all my sin

You are peace, You are peace
When my fear is crippling
You are true, You are true
Even in my wandering
You are joy, You are joy
You're the reason that I sing
You are life, You are life,
In You death has lost its sting

Oh, I’m running to Your arms,
I’m running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign

You are more, You are more
Than my words will ever say
You are Lord, You are Lord
All creation will proclaim
You are here, You are here
In Your presence I'm made whole
You are God, You are God
Of all else I'm letting go

My heart will sing
no other Name
Jesus, Jesus

Discussion: The Compulsion for Completion

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your sharing yesterday in cell as we discussed about "The Compulsion for Completion". If you are unable to join us, here's a link to the video.



I really hope that this series on relationships will really bless you as it has blessed me, as it provides us with the opportunity and platform to reflect on our own relationships, gather some insights as well as help us further enhance our relationships. The following discussion is based on Dr Les and Leslie Parrott's book "Relationships".

What's the Big Deal with Relationships?
But before we begin, really, what's the big deal with relationships? I may not know, but if you ask me, I would guess that maybe books on relationships will never "go out of fashion" simply because we all know the fact that it is so real in our lives, something that we have to deal with every single day from the moment we get out of bed (if fact, relationships can even get to us even while we are still in bed thinking).

Of course, before we go on here, for clarity's sake, it would be good to define our scope of discussion. Just like how we went about yesterday's discussion, we clarified that we would be focusing here on human-to-human relationship and not relationships of "other kind", as we jokingly mentioned, to handbags or cars etc. And the relationships we would be referring to here is not just husband-wife relationships but relationships of all form, between parent and child, between friends, between us and colleagues and our superiors etc.

But really, if we were to ask this question: "What's the big deal with relationships?", what would your response be? Your response might include some, if not all or most of the following:

• A Basic Need - We need relationships because no man's an island and in our basic make-up, we have a need for love, affection, sense of belonging and dependence on others;
  
• God Commands Us - Relationships are important because we are commanded to "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39, NIV). Jesus further emphasized in John 13:34-35 (NIV) "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
  
• Connection & Intimacy - We need relationships because it makes us human as we are able to connect with someone else, share our inner world and experience closeness and intimacy;
  
• Companionship in Life - We need relationships because it makes the journey of life less lonely knowing that we journey together. As it is written in Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12 (NIV):
  
  Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:
  If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.
  But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
  Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
  Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
  
  
• Continuity of this World - We need relationships because you can't imagine how we would be destroying ourselves if this world is full of hate of one another;
  
• Complement & Completion - We need relationships because we feel that the other person would complement or even complete us;
  
• Peace - Relationships are important because one can really be in turmoil when relationship goes foul;
  
• Growth - We need relationships because it is through it that we can grow as we learn from others and also allow others the permission to speak into our lives, and
  
• Learning to be Christ-like - Lastly, as I ponder about it, I seem to also realise how we need relationships because, how else can we learn to be Christ-like except through learning to relate and love God's people, even though how imperfect they may seem.

It was little wonder how during worship, I came to realise God's amazing love for us, even though we seem so unworthy, as we sang the song "Forever Reign":

You are good, You are good... When there's nothing good in me...
You are hope, You are hope...You have covered all my sin...
You are true, You are true... Even in my wandering
You are here, You are here... In Your presence I'm made whole

The Compulsion VS Desire for Completion
But even as we inspect the list of reasons why relationship may be important to us, there is one which we focused on yesterday, about the compulsion for completion.

As Trina has shared yesterday, there is nothing wrong having the desire to be complete because it is good to want to be complete. But when it becomes a compulsion, so much so we start grabbing on everything except the right source to complete us, it becomes a problem. In the video, Dr Les and Leslie Parrott mentioned if we try to build intimacy with somebody else BEFORE we have done the hard work of getting whole on our own, all our relationships will be an attempt to complete ourselves and they will fall flat. Now read that again to see if you get it.

The Compulsive Self-Talk Within
Do you know that we are talking to ourselves every single moment in our mind, making statements, asking questions and even making evaluations of ourselves and others. Psychologists, counsellors and social workers would call this "self-talk". And in this compulsion, it's kind of like saying to yourself "I'll feel more as a person when..." and you can fill this blank. And this continuation can be "... people praise me" or "I am around this person", kind of like Anne in the video.

Now, as we discussed yesterday, there is nothing wrong with e.g. wanting affirmation from our bosses for hard work done but it becomes a problem when our sense of worth, identity and significance rest solely on that. It is like our self worth will fluctuate up and down depending on our bosses' mood that day and if he would or would not praise us. There is nothing wrong from wanting to please our loved ones, but when we go all out to do that just to feel more complete/significant as a person, then it might be a sign of something that needs fixing.

This is a different issue from just being different and complementing one another e.g. how one person is more meticulous while another is creative and how they can work together. Rather it is about the compulsion in us that focuses on completion via another rather than a healthy belief on how others can complement us. In a complementing relationship, I would guess that a person's world may not crumble when the other person exits as much than in a "compulsion for completion" relationship.

I am kind of reminded once again of a struggle that I have for a long time, but to a lesser degree now. For many years, I built my life and my significance on affirmations and praises from others and this carried on for many years. But one day, God knows that it was not getting healthy for me and so came a trial where everything came crashing down within the same period. It was a painful lesson but yet, I am able to come to realisation and even in the process came back to the Lord because of it. Though I have yet to completely overcome it, with little bouts of attack now and then in my relationships, work and even ministry, I am more in tune with this kind of self-talk and know that I can build my sense of worth on someone greater and eternal, God. In recent years, I have also come to realise how God can also do His restorative work in this area, through His church, His community, the spiritual family He has given us. Yes, this community is made up of imperfect people but let's also remember that this community is also made up of people who love God and His people and who would offer of themselves and their life experiences and giftings; allowing God to work in and through them.

The A-Frame Relationship
Perhaps, an illustration would help here. I kind of like the "A-frame relationship" analogy used by Dr Parrott to illustrate this. In trying to find a good image, I kind of like the following image I found on the net which kinds of say it all:

You can hear him speak about the "A-Frame Relationship" in a video here, taken from his website.


Source: http://www.realrelationships1.com/videos/CR/parrottT1005.php

Out of this interesting illustration, something did hit me: Your relationships can only be as healthy as the least healthy person in them. 

The Compulsive Need to be Needed
And in such a relationship, as there are two sides of an "A", so there could also be 2 lies/erroneous self-talk in it. One, the lie that "I NEED this person to be COMPLETE" is already covered quite substantially here. But yet, there is also another possible lie, which I do sometimes also encounter in my line of work with some volunteer and this is the lie that "If this person needs ME, I will be COMPLETE". Again, there is nothing wrong in wanting to feel that one has significance but when it goes to the other extreme where it becomes a strong need or compulsion for completion via this lie, then again, it would not be healthy.

Reviewing our Relationships
I believe that many of us may need to review our relationships to see if we have either of these lies in them. Being in an "A-frame" relationship not only is unstable but may also, as I ponder, provide the lack of motivation for us to grow as a person since we are "completed" momentarily; there is just no impetus to address parts of us that needs addressing. I would think that we should always be on the lookout for relationships where we will not compulsively need that person but yet can be challenged to grow as a person.

Working Towards Wholeness
Each of our journeys to wholeness is unique but in the video Drs Parrott suggests 4 principles to working towards wholeness...

1. Heal our hurts
   I would believe none of us are without hurts. Big or small hurts, we can perhaps remember someone who has hurted us in the past, either intentionally or unintentionally.
   
   And yet, we know that we are to forgive and such reminders can be found all throughout the bible. But none can say it better than Colossians 3:13 (NIV) "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.".
   
   No one says that forgiveness is easy. Forgiveness is not condoning what was done. It is going to take some time and also strength from God. As Benny Ho mentioned, forgiveness is a "willing not a feeling". I can't imagine God forgiving us based on His feelings. But no! He is willing to forgive us as we confess our sins and repent.
   
   In the same way, I guess the first step is a willingness to forgive; to refuse to let ourselves be trapped by our hurts and release ourselves from the pain, all with the help of God. Go on, do it for yourself, if not for the person. And yes, sometimes the hurt and hate comes back to haunt us again and again, much like a video playback in our minds, sometimes even with surround sound! And that's all the more we need God to help us go through it.
   
   I am reminded of the story of Corrie Ten Boom who lost her beloved sister in WWII after being tormented in a German concentration camp. And yet, in 1947, when she was speaking on God's forgiveness in Munich, she was presented the circumstance where she was approached by a man, who she recognised was one of the guards who mistreated her and her sister, asking for her forgiveness. You can read more in the article "How can I Forgive?". What would you do if you were presented with a "Corrie Ten Boom" moment today?
   
   It's interesting how God showed me this valuable lesson just yesterday, before cell, when I was approached by an auditor from my funding organisation to audit me. But I found myself in a "Corrie Ten Boom" situation because this was the very person who I felt backstabbed me during my attachment many years ago. I was still concerned how I would behave towards her when she comes. Will it be awkward? Will I be phoney? But thank God, that I was able to just interact with her and talk to her naturally and it seemed mutual. Did I have the ability to do it? I think not and I only can thank God for that. But yet, I am reminded how I have other hurts, some as recent as weeks ago, which I need to deal with, even though I am not very willing.
   
   Do you have a hurt which is holding you back from the life that God has for you? Do you have a hurt which keeps playing back and it seems so difficult to shake off? Then take this time to pray and commit it to God, because you cannot do it on your own. If not dealt with, you will continue your life with this sting holding you back in your relationships, waiting to be triggered again and again. And it will not be surprising how the same unresolved hurt will keep resurfacing and repeating itself again and again.
   
   
2. Remove Your Masks
   I choose to believe that no one intentionally puts on a mask. Masks might be a way to make ourselves feel better as we project a self which is not our real self and try our best to keep up that pretense. And yet, this could be an attempt to again complete ourselves because we feel we need to be that self to be accepted. It might be caused by our upbringing or even past hurts where we are taught that it is a mistake to be real because we become vulnerable.
   
   But think about it, what's the effect of this coping mechanism? I can only think how relationships in such a life can be rather shallow because effort is just sent on keeping the alternative persona(s) rather than on building deep relationships. And it is tiring. It is also very difficult to have deep relationships because people will sooner or later come to realise how your real self is just so incongruent with the projected self and may just feel disappointed, threatened and distance themselves. Even if someone comes along and wants to get to know the real you, they will eventually give up if the pretense continues. The result is often confusion, frustration with the lack of deep relationships, tiredness and even possible bitterness with how things always turn out.
   
   
3. Sit in the Driver's Seat
   The next thing Drs Parrott suggest is to take the driver's seat. It's easy to be passive and to move through life forever reacting to circumstances. But, if we are to want to turn things around, we need to be proactive and start doing something about it ourselves, even to seek out help e.g. with a pastor, with healing and wholeness, share with our PAP (Prayer & Accountability Partners) and allowing them to speak into our lives without being too defensive, recognising that it is shared in good faith to help us grow. Sitting down to watch a film, reading a book, attending a seminar, listening to a sermon and seeing a therapist are good, but it is not going to help until we do the hard work of being whole.
   
   
4. Rely on God
   But ultimately, rely on God because only God can meet our ultimate needs, not anyone else. No one can ever fill all our needs except for God. I do feel it's good here to qualify that needs are different from wants, or so we learnt in foundational social work studies in university. Many things which we feel are our needs are actually our wants; we won't die if we do not have it. But yet, there are things which we need and God, who created us, knows us and what we need. I like something written in the leader's guide for this session: "Only God can ultimately and consistently love us when we are moody, when we make mistakes, and when we feel rejected and unloved by the person we counted on the most".
   
   And here is Dr Leslie Parrott with "one lesson to transform every relationships":
   
   Source: http://www.realrelationships1.com/videos/CM/parrottT1004.php
   
   My prayer for you, as I prepared for the session yesterday is this, uttered by Paul in Ephesians 3:17-19 (NIV) "(so that) Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. "
   
   I pray that (i) not only will Christ dwell in you, (ii) that you will come to realise how wide, long and high and deep He loves you, (iii) that you have power as you are together with God's people and (iv) be filled with all the FULLNESS of God. Only when you realise how you are so loved by God that you will have this profound sense of significance. Only God can complete you and give you to power to be filled to His completion. So where are you looking for completion?

I sincerely pray that may what has been written be not of just human wisdom, but that it will go forth in God's power to change your life and many others as He inspires me to write this. Take care and God bless you!

James

Who Am I?

Hi everyone,

Thanks for making the prayer and praise encounter yesterday wonderful with all your participation. As we sing the last song yesterday, "Who Am I", it does reminds us, in a timely manner, why we worship...

We worship because of who God is
We worship because of who we are
Therefore, we worship in spite of our circumstances because it is a declaration from our spirit of this very fact.

John 4:23-24 (NIV)

... the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth

Would care to know my name

Would care to feel my hurt?

Who am I, that the bright and morning star

Would choose to light the way

For my ever wondering heart?

Not because of who I am

But because of what You've done

Not because of what I've done

But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading

Here today and gone tomorrow

A wave tossed in the ocean

A vapor in the wind

Still You hear me when I'm calling

Lord You catch me when I'm falling

And You told me who I am

I am Yours, I am Yours

Who am I, that the eyes that see our sin

Would look on me with love

And watch me rise again?

Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea

Would call out through the rain

And calm the storm in me?

Whom shall I fear?

Whom shall I fear?

'Cause I am Yours, I am Yours

Once again, it is amazing to see how God worked yesterday once again! Take care!

Holding Nothing Back

I am chosen, I am free
I am Living for eternity
Free now forever

You picked me up, turned me around
You set my feet on solid ground
Yours now forever

And nothing's gonna hold me back
Nothing's gonna hold me back
Nothing's gonna hold me back

My chains fell off
My heart was free
I'm alive to live for you
I'm alive to live for you
Amazing Love, how can it be?
You give everything for me
You give everything for me
Everything

You washed my sin and shame away
The slate is clean: a brand new day,
Free now forever

Now boldly I approach your throne
To claim this crown through Christ my own
Yours now forever

And nothing's gonna hold me back
Nothing's gonna hold me back
Nothing's gonna hold me back

My chains fell off
My heart was free
I'm alive to live for you
I'm alive to live for you
Amazing Love, how can it be?
You give everything for me
You give everything for me

I'm free to live
Free to give
Free to be

I'm free to love you

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want...

All the Way my Savior Leads Me

All the way my Savior leads me

Who have I to ask beside

How could I doubt His tender mercy

Who through life has been my guide

All the way my Savior leads me

Cheers each winding path I tread

Gives me grace for every trial

Feeds me with the living Bread

You lead me and keep me from falling

You carry me close to Your heart

And surely Your goodness and mercy will follow me

All the way my Savior leads me

O, the fullness of His love

O, the sureness of His promise

In the triumph of His blood

And when my spirit clothed immortal

Wings its flight to realms of day

This my song through endless ages

Jesus led me all the way

Jesus led me all the way

All the way my Savior leads me

All the way my Savior leads me

"I Can No Longer Trust in You Lord" ~ Me

This very song, ministered to my heart last Sunday as we worshipped in church. I had been praying to the Lord for something which has been close to my heart but I was coming to a stage where I can no longer trust the Lord. I remember that as the worship leader led us in worship and sang the very words "I will trust in you", asking us to put our hands on our hearts, I just could not do it and I could not mouth these very words...Have you ever felt this way and felt that no matter what happens, you just seem to lose faith and in what God is doing in your life?

"Remember how I have walked with you?" ~ The Lord

It was until this song that came up that the Lord was prompting me gently that He has been there with me all the time and He has guided me through to where I am. And true enough, there had been such changes and miracles in my life, so much so I know it is not from man but from God. From how He has brought me back, to how He had placed people around me, helped me overcome my severe inferior complex, brought me a partner, helped and led me in ministry, healed and restored me from a hurt I had years ago, all these within a short span of 5 years, it just had to be God. And how could I doubt Him? And frankly, as the lyrics expresses it well "who have I to ask beside?". This is one such time when the praise and worship session was already enough to minister to me, even before sermon. And of course, by the time the sermon came and it was a hammer to the nail's head as I am reminded again that the Lord is my Shepherd and He cares for us and knows what is best for us; more than we know what is good for us.

The Life of Fanny Crosby

And the Lord continued to speak into my heart throughout the week, even as I prepared for cell. I later come to know that the hymn, from which this song has been adapted from, was written by a God fearing lady Fanny Crosby. She had, in her lifetime, written over 8000 Christian hymns, despite her handicap that she had to struggle with during her life. Fanny had lost her sight from the age of six week after a botched medical procedure by an inept doctor, which left her blind from henceforth. Imagine losing your sight and not  knowing what this world is like. But yet, God used her and she wrote many wonderful hymns including "All the Way my Savior Leads Me" and "Blessed Assurance". 

This beloved hymn came to Fanny as a result of a prayer. Struggling financially, she desperately needed some money. As her usual custom, Fanny began to pray. A few minutes later, a gentleman offered her five dollars, the exact amount she needed. Later recalling the incident, she said, “I have no way of accounting for this except to believe that God put it into the heart of this good man to bring the money.”  The poem she wrote afterward became “All The Way My Savior Leads Me.” 

She later said, “ If per­fect earth­ly sight were of­fered me to­mor­row I would not ac­­cept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been dis­tract­ed by the beau­ti­ful and in­ter­est­ing things about me.”

Speaking about trusting in the Lord. Fanny's example humbled me.

The Sudden Promotion of Glory of The Salvation Army's Territorial Commander

It's interesting how as Elder Freddy was preaching on Psalm 23, a psalm that one would usually see at funerals (and some would also associate with funerals), my whole week has come to be dominated by the sudden departure of one of our beloved leaders in The Salvation Army. And even as we go through a heart-wrenching week, coping emotionally with the sudden promotion to glory of our late Territorial Commander, God continued to minister to me and prepared me for cell.

It had been a difficult week as many of us struggled to come to terms with the sudden death because the weekend before, we had a carnival and our commander was amidst us, having fun with us and taking photos. His wife has also remarked how he had such great fun, going around to just be around our staff as we raised funds to bless our counterpart's work in Myanmar. And on Sunday evening, he had a simple dinner fellowship with all the heads of departments and officers, just hours before his departure. 

Thanking God for His Grace

Then on Monday morning, we were told that he had gone home to be with the Lord. As we slowed down from all the funeral arrangements on Friday, I remember sitting down with my colleague and we both remarked how we really thank God for his life; how it had been a blessing to many. We thank God for how He had taken him home without prolonged pain and agony. We thank God for His grace in allowing us to have our last "farewell", so as to speak, with the commander on Saturday and also for the heads and officers to have their's on Sunday.

Trusting in God

But what was more heart-wrenching was even seeing our commander's wife, having to deal with the whole incident. They had been a loving couple who have served the Lord for over 40 years now and have just travelled to Singapore barely 3 years ago to serve their last leg before his retirement in June this year. I could imagine the shock and grief of losing someone you love in such a manner. But what really amazed me was her strength and calmness through it all, even in the midst of this when the icelandic volcano eruptions have grounded flights, making it impossible for her family to come and be with her and also for her and the body to be flown back to UK. 

Reflecting on it, I would have broken down long ago. But what was amazing was how this humble lady had calmly addressed us at the funeral, thanking God for a good companion, confidante and father who shared 45 years of life together. And something she had said became deeply entrenched in my heart... "I don''t understand why but I know and trust that it's God's will and therefore I know that this is God's timing for him to be called home". And it was not her strength which has spoken to me but the peace I sensed, genuine peace, which demonstrated to me how she has really trusted the Lord even through this circumstance. And thank God because halfway through the wake service, we received news that Singapore Airlines has managed to secure places for our late commander, his wife and an accompanying officer for them to travel back to UK to be with their family. 

Light Amidst Darkness

So while it was an emotion-filled week, it was also a positive week where God shined through... I like what Lydia shared during cell yesterday of her revelation from Psalm 23:4...

Psalm 23:4

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

... that with every shadow, there is light. And so even amidst all the negativity, something positive came out for me too as I saw God at work.

"I shall not be in want"

But God did not stop there and continue to speak to me, both to me as a child and I also believe to all in the cell. Throughout the week, God continued to speak to me on this theme of Psalm 23:1 "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." Through my quiet time throughout the week, God brought me to various passages everyday and spoke about being contented in Him and keeping kingdom perspective. Many a times, we get so caught up with our perspective of things of the world, we lose sight of things of God. 

In quiet time yesterday, I read from Mark 8:33 when Jesus rebuked Peter after he rebuke Jesus for speaking about what is to happen to himself; rejected, killed and that He will rise again after 3 days. And Jesus spoke these words "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men". God later sent a colleague to come to me with a verse from Matthew 6:19-21:

Matthew 6:19-21

19. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

It is true that after so much have happened this week, I have come to realise that anything can happen anytime. We can plan all we want, just as my commander and his wife has planned to retire and return to UK in June to be with their family. But ultimately, we do not know what's going to happen next. And this fact that we may go home to be with the Lord anytime became even more real as I was working to "close the emotional chapter" on the demise of my late commander, only to come to hear of another case of the son of a another, barely 30 years old, found suddenly dead in his room.

As the Psalmist wrote, "the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want". Do you truly believe in this verse and that the Lord knows what you need? Do you trust the Lord? As I reflect upon my episode on Sunday when I told God I can no longer trust in Him, I come to realise that the loss of faith and trust came not as a result that God is unfaithful etc. Someone at the funeral had mentioned that God is too wise and righteous to be wrong, too faithful to be unfaithful. But it lies with our contentment in the Lord and many a times how we have desired what the Lord has not intended for and yet feel annoyed, frustrated and angry with the Lord. The Lord ask us to keep our kingdom perspective of eternity and to trust in Him that He is the Almighty God. There are many things that we may not understand but He is always there in control and He has His plans for you.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

11. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Psalm 91: 1-2, 4, 14-15

1. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

4. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

14.  "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

Isaiah 55:8-9

8. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
9. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

The Lord Holds You and Your Life

Even as I read from Ruth today, I am reminded about Naomi and the Lord's hand upon her and her life. She had lost both her husband and sons and was bitter, not knowing that the Lord has His plans for her. 

Ruth 1:20-21

"Don't call me Naomi (meaning pleasant)," she told them. "Call me Mara (meaning bitter), because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. 21. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me". 

But little does she knows that Ruth would be a blessing to her, as they seek to survive, and will also be the blessed line where the Messiah Jesus would ultimately come from. 

Ruth 2:17-18

So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.

Yet Another Lesson in Trusting in the Lord

In fact, just another interesting point to note: I had initially been in a frenzy because God has spoken to me so clearly and so much throughout the week, I was approaching cell not knowing how to proceed, lest it becomes a very heavy session with all the scriptures and thoughts. I was in a frenzy because I had not known how to organise and bring across what God has spoken to me. For a moment, I had not trusted God, until a colleague came to me with Isaiah 50:4:

Isaiah 50:4

The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.

And as I reflect on last night and how God has given me to word and the prompting to speak the words, I thank Him and look back wondering why I had not trusted Him that He will be guiding the session. I thank God for that and for everyone of you who served and shared in love and edification. Thank you again.

In closing, I just want to encourage you with something from my devotion this week:

Psalm 91: 1-2, 4

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."... He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

Ruth 2:12b

...May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.

You Alone

For some reason, this song keeps ringing in my head this week. But, I am ministered to this song and find myself agreeing with the lyrics that yes, God alone deserves all glory and praise.

You Alone

by Don Harris

You are the peace that guards my heart

My help in times of need

You are the hope that leads me on

And brings me to my knees

For there I find you waiting

and there I find relief

So with all my heart I'll worship

And unto you I'll sing

For you alone deserve all glory

For you alone deserve all praise

Father we worship and adore you

Father we long to see your face

For you alone deserve all glory

For you alone deserve all praise

Father we love you and we worship you this day

The Love of a Father

Matthew 7:11 (NIV)

11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Luke 11:13 (NIV)

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Revisiting the Meaning of Good Friday

With Good Friday round the corner, let me put this question to you: How many Good Fridays have you been through and even as we go through our how many-th time, do we still remember the significance of this day?

Even as a child, Good Friday to me, is public holiday and I remember being all happy because we would all pack off the the hall to watch a video on Jesus, which means it is a time out from class... But not until my coming back to Christ have I come to realize the real meaning of Good Friday. 

As I revisited some of the articles in this blog, I am brought to the article "I am the Cross" and am reminded once again of the significance of the day. Even though I have read this story before, it does not fail to almost bring tears as I read through what Jesus went through and what kept him to the cross. And yet, these are just words. How much more pain did Jesus has to go through in the actual crucifixion? And for what reason?

As I go through thinking about Good Friday, I am brought to 1 Peter, where I read about the work of Christ on the cross:

1 Peter 2:22-25 (NIV)
"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1 Peter 1:18-21 (NIV)
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Even before Christ came, prophets told of the work of the one who would be sent by God for our sake. One of them is Isaiah as he wrote in Isaiah 53.

Isaiah 53:3- 7(NIV)

 ³ He was despised and rejected by men,

       a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.

       Like one from whom men hide their faces

       he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

 ⁴ Surely he took up our infirmities

       and carried our sorrows,

       yet we considered him stricken by God,

       smitten by him, and afflicted.

 ⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions,

       he was crushed for our iniquities;

       the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,

       and by his wounds we are healed.

 ⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

       each of us has turned to his own way;

       and the LORD has laid on him

       the iniquity of us all.

 ⁷ He was oppressed and afflicted,

       yet he did not open his mouth;

       he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,

       and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,

       so he did not open his mouth.

Jesus Messiah

1 Peter 2:21-25 (NIV)

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Jesus Messiah

He became sin

Who knew no sin

That we might become His Righteousness

He humbled himself and carried the cross

Love so amazing

Love so amazing

Chorus:

Jesus Messiah

Name above all names

Blessed Redeemer

Emmanuel

The rescue for sinners

The ransom from Heaven

Jesus Messiah

Lord of all

His body the bread

His blood the wine

Broken and poured out all for love

The whole earth trembled

And the veil was torn

Bridge:

All our hope is in You

All our hope is in You

All the glory to You, God

The light of the world

Your Name

As morning dawns and evening fades
You inspire songs of praise
That rise from earth to touch Your heart
And glorify Your name

Your name
Is a strong and mighty tower
Your name
Is a shelter like no other
Your name
Let the nations sing it louder
'Cause nothing has the power to save
But Your name

Jesus, in Your name we pray
Come and fill our hearts today
Lord, give us strength to live for You
And glorify Your name