NG3B3 group photo

It has always been hard to gather the whole CG for a group photo. So I've come up with this. Cute rite? Well, there are 20 of us. Can you pin point who is who?

The pictures were created from this site.
http://spstudio.linda.hosting-friends.de/spstudio.html

Meditation 5 : Simplicity

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ...
(Philippians 3:7-8, NIV)

I was just contemplating the other day about acquiring knowledge & learning more and more about the world, about the philosophies & pop-concepts of the current. I'm convicted that we should keep learning - that brings us more knowledge which, if we're not careful can become complications in our walk with God. Then there is the postmodern relativism which is making everything quite subtle nowadays - nothing's really black & white, more advocating "If i deem it's right, then it's my choice." Sorta what Bon Jovi sings "It's My Life!".

So is it my life? Or is it a life that I've surrendered / given over to Jesus when I accepted Him as my Saviour, and also my LORD?

In the passage above, Apostle Paul puts it aptly : that he considers his knowledge & learnings (he is said to be equivalent of a holder 8 PhDs in our days) NOT A THING, zilch, zero, non-existent, NOTHING - compared to knowledge of Christ Jesus. There is a very wise thing he says about considering Christ as the ultimate knowledge - putting a price-tag of "rubbish" / "dumped in the thrash" (MSG) to the worldly knowledge.

In fact, in principle, it does not just apply to knowledge. It applies to our 5 C's, our desires, dreams, plans & yes... our RIGHTS. How does Christ match up when we place Him & the important things in our lives side by side?

The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I'm tearing up and throwing out with the thrash - along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ.
Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firthhand, and everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant - dog dung. I've dumped it all in the thrash so that I could embrace Christ...
(Philippians 3:7-8, MSG)

Throw our minds away? Our credentials away? Stop upgrading ourselves?
Nothing's wrong with these stuff.

The heart of the matter is :
Am I able to bow down humbly before God no matter what I have / achieved / gained in my life simply cos He's my King & Master & Saviour - and allow Him to investigate my life, to be a mirror, to lead me?

Meditation 4 : Pure Heart

This week God has been dropping the words "pure heart" in my thoughts. Last Sunday, Ps Jeff preached about being holy, cos our God is a holy God. So God has been preparing my heart to hear His Word. I pray God has been & will be preparing yours as well.

Being holy has never been easy. Holiness is not just our actions & speech - but our thoughts, our attitudes, our "insides" - it's all about how our hearts look like to God. That's why the Pharisees have never been too popular with Jesus cos they paid a whole lot of attention to the external than to take care of their interal ongoings. Image management - that's what it is. Managing our public image but the insides are somewhat messed up.

You're blessed when you get your inside world - your mind & heart - put right. Then you can see God in the outside world (external expressions in our lives). Matthew 5:8 (MSG)

Image management has always been tiring - cos we're trying to be what we're not when our insides are in turmoil. God knows we won't be able to do it - holiness. That's why JC gave His life to fix us up.

"..The wonders of Your mighty love..."

(Shout to the Lord, Darlene Zschech)

God's love is mighty -

enough to still our turbulent hearts,

enough to quell our fears / anger / bitterness / disappointments,

enough to see us through the pains & struggles of following Him,

enough to get us unstuck from ungodly life patterns,

enough to bring us over the wall we've hit...

Meditation 3 : Faith that Leaves the Answer to God

Ps Ben mentioned this in our 1st sermon on the "God is Nearer than You Think" series on The Tabernacle (paraphrased) :

It doesn't matter what the answer is, cos we know who is answering.

Jehovah Jireh : The Lord who provides

Jehovah Shammah : The Lord who is here.

El Mauzi : God of our strength.

My musing on my God who has these 3 characteristics (and more) :

The Lord who provides for me (Jehovah Jireh) is wherever I am (Jehovah Shammah) cos He's in me, providing strength for me (El Mauzi).

We can trust in God's answers to our prayers cos we know He hears not just the words that leave our lips, but the cries in our hearts & the real needs we have in our lives @ that moment. He is omniscient & has infinite wisdom - knows exactly what we need, when we need it & how we need it...

Simply cos we are the King's Kids!

The works of His hands are faithful & just;

all His percepts are trustworthy.

Psalm 111:7 (NIV)

Meditation 2 : Faith that waits in trust

Copyright Gospel Communications International, Inc - www.reverendfun.com

Faith has two parts:

one is patience,

and the other is gratitude.

Over the last few weeks, it has been a huge lesson God has taught me personally about having persevering faith. For my HCMC trip with the missions team, we had to arrange for quite a few things - from air-tickets to accomodations to dinners with our friends when we're there...

One thing we prayed for was our air-tix & accomodations budget : that it'll be less than S$400 in total. This we prayed since 12 Jul with the MCSS Intercessory Team.

11-Aug : Air-tix was priced around S$349 (inclusive airport tax)

+ Accommodations was unconfirmed at around US$5 per night per person (Total = approx S$59.50 for 7 nights).

Total Cost : S$408.50

16-Aug : Prayed again via MCSS Intercessory Prayer - for less than S$400.

19-Aug : Received email that Singapore Airlines having promotion - tickets dropped to S$218!

ie. Total Air-tix Cost (including tax) : S$297
+ Accmodations : US$7 per night per person (all living within District 1 - safe district, with aircon, unlimited drinking water, refrigerator, whole 2-storey house to ourselves, S$83.30).
Total Cost : S$380.30

God is faithful through & through! :)

... if we are faithless, He will remain faithful... (2 Tim 2:13, NIV)

...if we give up on Him, He does not give up... (2 Tim 2:13, MSG)

Lesson for the Guys

Pondered about this subject this morning...
Matthew 5:27-28 You have heard that it was said, `Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Recently, while I was overseas, people had invited me to join them partying at night clubs & other sleazy places, even though they know that I'm a Christian. I was told that it's nothing wrong, see only, no touch... It can be equated to seeing sports cars zipping past. Naturally our eyes will follow. Or, for my case, going to a guitar shop & seeing those magnificent Taylors, Martins, with their slick rose wood, crystal sounds, curves... Is it then the same thing when a pretty young girl walks by, that our (men) eyes naturally follow? Of course there is!

Seeing a sports car, with my eyes following it, I would want to own the car. Or at least be able to test drive it. To try it out. The accelaration, the boost, the speed... In the guitar shop, I would pick up one very nice one & play on it, have a feel of it, even though I don't have the intention to buy. Seeing a girl, with my mind wondering, I would then like to......... (I don't know how to write this part without sounding crude).

Well, there is nothing wrong with wanting to test drive the sports car or testing out the guitars in the guitar shop. One can argue that that is a sin of covetous. However, testing out every guitar in the guitar shop doesn't makes me covetous. The same cannot be said about girls. It takes lots of training on the eyes, & breaking old habits. The book "Every Man's Battle" by Stephen Arterburn, Fred Stoeker, Mike Yorkey gives us tips on how we can train ourselves, and what are the downfalls that might happen if we don't.

Noah's Ark on Screens

Great stuff to check out in GV Cinemas - hitting screens on 18 Aug! :)

Website for more details : http://www.gv.com.sg/Booking/movies/moviedetails_2440.htm

Think there is group booking discounts - reply to the comments if you want to book with your name + no. of tix.