I refuse to accept excuses.
Even from myself.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Sunday Morning Rain Is Falling
An analogy that struck me really hard from last Sunday's ministry care group or you would put it, life group.
"Suppose you just bought a new computer game. Let's say War Craft III, and you rush home to install it. With a desperate eagerness to play, you grumble as you run through the installation programme. We are all familiar with the page that says terms and conditions. Without even looking through it, we scroll down to the bottom of the page and we check the box that says "I ACCEPT" and then we proceed with the installation and then finally the game itself.
When one makes the decision to buy the game, we are eager to play it. Do we actually take the time to read through the terms and conditions? More often than once, we think to ourselves, that "Hey, I bought this game so that I could play with it, not to read the terms and conditions man!" In our perspective, payment allows us to disregard the terms and conditions; that we paid to play and not to read the terms and conditions."
"Hey God, I promise that I'll be more disciplined in doing my quiet time... But maybe I'll start another day."
"I really want to grow in outreach to invest in lives, to influence my camp and to eventually impact the world... I am so inadequate, God I think you should use someone else."
One can come up with numerous terms and conditions that are attached to our response. The fact is that if we can disregard the terms and conditions of something simply because we paid for it, then I suppose Jesus can rightfully disregard the terms and conditions that we often have attached to our responses.
After all, Jesus paid the price in full.
God isn't looking for more promise makers, He's looking for people that are willing to go all out to fulfill the yet to be fulfilled promises.
"Suppose you just bought a new computer game. Let's say War Craft III, and you rush home to install it. With a desperate eagerness to play, you grumble as you run through the installation programme. We are all familiar with the page that says terms and conditions. Without even looking through it, we scroll down to the bottom of the page and we check the box that says "I ACCEPT" and then we proceed with the installation and then finally the game itself.
When one makes the decision to buy the game, we are eager to play it. Do we actually take the time to read through the terms and conditions? More often than once, we think to ourselves, that "Hey, I bought this game so that I could play with it, not to read the terms and conditions man!" In our perspective, payment allows us to disregard the terms and conditions; that we paid to play and not to read the terms and conditions."
"Hey God, I promise that I'll be more disciplined in doing my quiet time... But maybe I'll start another day."
"I really want to grow in outreach to invest in lives, to influence my camp and to eventually impact the world... I am so inadequate, God I think you should use someone else."
One can come up with numerous terms and conditions that are attached to our response. The fact is that if we can disregard the terms and conditions of something simply because we paid for it, then I suppose Jesus can rightfully disregard the terms and conditions that we often have attached to our responses.
After all, Jesus paid the price in full.
God isn't looking for more promise makers, He's looking for people that are willing to go all out to fulfill the yet to be fulfilled promises.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Happy 2010
I'm a little slow with regards to posting this up.
I still remember the scene where the balloons flew away, high and up into the sky. Hanging from the balloons were the thanksgiving points and the new year resolutions belonging to many of us. What a pretty sight.
Looking back at the year 2009, my biggest thanksgiving point would be summed up in one word. Army. You didn't hear wrongly(or in this sense, read), Army.
Pioneering took up much of the first 4 months of 2009. Looking back, it was definitely a great experience. People prayed like mad, fasted like mad, sacrificed like mad, just to see God's power work through his children to touch the lives of many. This is something that I firmly believe in; a seed of faith was definitely planted in each and everyone of the people's hearts through our individual actions and speech. Time flew during pioneering and Tekong was nearly upon me. I'm glad i made the decision to join pioneering. I grew and in the process, found a group of covenanted brothers' and sisters' that I'm sure will remain my good friends in the time to come.
The first 2 months of my army life were spent in Tekong; where everyone had to go through the cruel transition from a civilian to a working soldier. The 2 months that I spent there really saw my character values being put to the test by God, as i struggled to lead a balanced life of serving God, people as well as the nation.
The next 2 months saw me posted to SISPEC, where a whole new set of challenges awaited. i remembered myself telling God that I would serve my SISPEC time in a new light and in a different way. I challenged myself to grow in love, to love people as how God would and to serve people as how God would. Did things become easier? No. God challenged me to love people that I would never go near, to love people that put me down irregardless of what I did. I tried and once again, I struggled.
The last 3 months of my trainee life saw me posted to FDS, which would be my final vocation till I ORD. Hoho. Training here was tough, both physically and mentally. Many a times, I lay on my bed and I questioned God about his purpose and plans for me without actually seeking a reply from God. Looking back, I definitely did better in FDS then i did in the first 5 months of my army life combined, with relation to giving my best in everything that I did for God.
The last few months of 2009 marked the end of my days as a trainee. I learnt so much as a trainee and looking back, those days were the days where the strongest friendships are built, because of the fact that we grow through thick and thin together. Even now, after going through all the tough training, we can all take a moment from time to time, to look back at our trainee lives and more often than once conjure up a smirk as we remember the stupid things that we did before.
Being a commander has it's own challenges as well. Each and everyday, God is still continuing to place situations in my life where my character and convictions are tested.
Do I always pass these tests' that God has created for me? The answer is a simple no. I find myself more often than once, struggling to pass these tests. I guess the greatest take away for me this year, is that more often than once, Man fail to pass the tests that God has set for us. But do we stop and simply give up? Once again, my answer is no. I'm sure that we were created and saved by God to live a life that is victorious. Yes, we may struggle; but by God's grace, we struggle powerfully.
I still remember the scene where the balloons flew away, high and up into the sky. Hanging from the balloons were the thanksgiving points and the new year resolutions belonging to many of us. What a pretty sight.
Looking back at the year 2009, my biggest thanksgiving point would be summed up in one word. Army. You didn't hear wrongly(or in this sense, read), Army.
Pioneering took up much of the first 4 months of 2009. Looking back, it was definitely a great experience. People prayed like mad, fasted like mad, sacrificed like mad, just to see God's power work through his children to touch the lives of many. This is something that I firmly believe in; a seed of faith was definitely planted in each and everyone of the people's hearts through our individual actions and speech. Time flew during pioneering and Tekong was nearly upon me. I'm glad i made the decision to join pioneering. I grew and in the process, found a group of covenanted brothers' and sisters' that I'm sure will remain my good friends in the time to come.
The first 2 months of my army life were spent in Tekong; where everyone had to go through the cruel transition from a civilian to a working soldier. The 2 months that I spent there really saw my character values being put to the test by God, as i struggled to lead a balanced life of serving God, people as well as the nation.
The next 2 months saw me posted to SISPEC, where a whole new set of challenges awaited. i remembered myself telling God that I would serve my SISPEC time in a new light and in a different way. I challenged myself to grow in love, to love people as how God would and to serve people as how God would. Did things become easier? No. God challenged me to love people that I would never go near, to love people that put me down irregardless of what I did. I tried and once again, I struggled.
The last 3 months of my trainee life saw me posted to FDS, which would be my final vocation till I ORD. Hoho. Training here was tough, both physically and mentally. Many a times, I lay on my bed and I questioned God about his purpose and plans for me without actually seeking a reply from God. Looking back, I definitely did better in FDS then i did in the first 5 months of my army life combined, with relation to giving my best in everything that I did for God.
The last few months of 2009 marked the end of my days as a trainee. I learnt so much as a trainee and looking back, those days were the days where the strongest friendships are built, because of the fact that we grow through thick and thin together. Even now, after going through all the tough training, we can all take a moment from time to time, to look back at our trainee lives and more often than once conjure up a smirk as we remember the stupid things that we did before.
Being a commander has it's own challenges as well. Each and everyday, God is still continuing to place situations in my life where my character and convictions are tested.
Do I always pass these tests' that God has created for me? The answer is a simple no. I find myself more often than once, struggling to pass these tests. I guess the greatest take away for me this year, is that more often than once, Man fail to pass the tests that God has set for us. But do we stop and simply give up? Once again, my answer is no. I'm sure that we were created and saved by God to live a life that is victorious. Yes, we may struggle; but by God's grace, we struggle powerfully.
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