Reflecting on ushering

Ushering was always something i had looked forward to, i really enjoyed serving God in ushering. Whenever im part of the ushering team i feel important, i feel authority and people look up to me as a role model, and thats not something that happens often. I know that in God's eyes all are equal, but whenever i do ushering i just feel more in favour in God's eyes, i feel more umm holy. I really enjoyed ushering for the church, and i hope to do it again sometime soon. It was another great experience ushering for the church and i hope to relive that experience ^^

HAHAppiness

i've used reason and logic and earthly knowledge to do toooooo many of my things. i know its not wrong but i know its wrong when it isnt right. (huh?) in other words, at times i shouldnt base things on human logic and reasoning but instead base it on God's promises and words. and in order to do so i need my childlifefaith.

and because of my lack of childlikefaith, i often struggle with the common worries and troubles of life despite praying about them. and because of worries and troubles, i was robbed off my HAHAs and happiness. why should i even worry when it doesnt help me solve my problem a bit neither does it help me extend a second of my life?

worries cause worries to trigger worries that will not cure my worries.

so my conclusion stop worrying. and my solution?

Let God Take Over My Life.


xanzhenx.

Studying? Amazing.

I am not those kind of people who are very enthusiastic about my studies, in fact i am lazy when it comes to studies. I often only start studying one week before the exam, which is very late. Before this term, i asked God, to help me with my studies and in some way make me work harder. It all started out when my teacher was very unhappy with me when i was disrupting class. She had complained to my form teacher and i was given a scolding. I was upset and angry, but i vented my frustrations in a very odd manner. The next lesson, i acted "mugger" i enthusiastically raised my hand to answer all the questions and try to look as nerdy as i could. I though acting that way was stupid but fun, and i continued doing it for almost every lessons (except for those super boring ones). And hey guess what, i find myself paying alot more attention in class now! My study attitude has certainly improved greatly. I have already started studying for my Common Tests which is so not me. Hope this attitude will continue positively.

Been playing quite abit of WoW lately. And something quite amazing happened. I was doing a boss run when a rather rare item dropped, this item could have fetched quite a good price, but one of my teammates who did not need it kind of "ninjaed" it, "ninja" means taking something you do not need and not using it but selling it. So i was very upset, i was very very upset haha cause it was so rare. So i kind of uhh prayed. And guess what the next day the guy came back to me and said he was sorry, and he felt guilty. So he returned me the item! I was like GGM! I could not believe my ears haha or i mean my eyes.

Moor House?

this week has been extremely hectic as usual. everyday tests and assignments. people's impression of anzhen changed totally from what they know me on monday and what they know me on friday just THIS WEEK(coz of double captaincy revealed on tuesday's prometheum day). and my load of responsibilities doubled tripled from what i have on monday and what i have by the end of this week.

i realized how significant the role of a house captain is just as i received the house flag from my current captain, readily handing the responsiblities of taking charge of the house. i thought it was any other easy task, as long as i put in my heart and my passion. Not till i attended house meeting and realized i am not only a leader behind the scenes, i am a leader on the stage acting out before my house.

i realized im a friend to my house and at the same time a LEADER, DOMINATING ONE. that i've failed to do so at this point of time, i think i've compromised too much on friendship and relationship that i've often neglected that im still in a position of authority. i think this style of leadership has been brought forth due to my past experience in bball my role of captaincy was just purely informal and 'behind the stage' kind of events. However my house captaincy requires me to be at the forefront leading my house in a figure of great authority, meaning that i have to drop the gentle approach and come with a strong and spirited one, which i am a little uneasy with. But fear no man, fight any obstacles. This is just the start. There's plenty to learn.

May God continue giving me His blessings so that I can be strong and spirited for my house, His house.

xanzhenx
communication.
comMOORnication.

Listening to God

I wrote about the chinese character "ting" in my neutral blog here. But in this blog I want to talk about listening to God. We really need to be careful that we do all the "ting" parts. The character in the other blog seems to be a "middle" version not fanti, and not qianti. This one is the real fanti.
Look at it!

• left hand side - ear
  
• top right - 10
• below that - eyes
• below that - 1
  
• at the bottom right - heart
• finally bottom left - King!

The real meaning of this character is to use your ear, and with 10 eyes and a single heart listen to the KING! WOOOOOO... and in english it only means "listen" but in chinese it REALLY means listen and listen to the king no less! wa i mean u all know im angmoish but when something like this in a chinese character stands out, its really meaningful.

so i encourage all of us to set aside time each day to "ting" to God. because thats what listen really means!

God bless, Shen Zhu Fu Ni (check out that pinyin baby!)
Jonathan

Progressive training

Progression is important in training. It takes years to build up physical tolerance to training, it takes years to gain the experience to defeat opponents in the mental aspects of a game. But one of the key things is to always improve progresively. Sure there will be setbacks and there will be challenges and there will be times when things seem to just stop... but if you keep at it, the breakthroughts will come.

Hey this progressive training is what I read about last night in

2 Peter 1:5-11

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Yup these qualitites will make us productive players on Jesus' team, rather than bench warmers. I noticed that the first few qualities are for ourself, to build ourself up. But the last 2 are tough... brotherly kindness and love... these involve building OTHER PEOPLE up. This is where we want to end up in the trainign progression. Lets work on it consciously each day!

God Bless,
Jonathan

Godly Guitar?

I've been crazy about my guitar for a few months already and still am. But the question is wether i am crazy about a Godly guitar or an earthly guitar. At the start i was always playing songs from hillsongs and planetshakers as i still found them as a challenge. But now for all the Worship songs i can find, they just seem to be quite easy. Instead, I am just trying to learn how to play songs from blink 182, Busted etc. Why? Because I want to impress my friends? I think so. People don't think you are pro when you start playing those basic chords, they want cool and funky rythms. I'm not saying I totally have no fire for christian songs, but i believe my priorities should be set on christian songs. I would rate myself currently 60% for non-christian rock songs and 40% christian songs. In fact few months ago it was more like 70%/30% respectively. I only had more interest this month when Allen taught us some nice songs.

Acting For God?

It was yesterday when i went for an audition for a docu-drama near chinatown. I was auditioning for a role, of a child who was suffering from tourette's syndrome. This syndrome is a nerve disorder that causes involuntary movements, such as constant winking of the eyes, shrugging of shoulders and strange movements, and sudden shrieks. This man is no ordinary man, as far as i know he is a man of God, and he is also an active participant of his church as he is part of his church's band. Just a day ago i had some problems at a gym, and i felt all down and out about it, whining away in my mind. But as i watched his conversation i felt somewhat relieved. Because at least God let me play basketball, at least i could do most of the things I wanted to. I am not saying he is being treated unfair but i believe God has other plans for him. He is currently a teacher teaching in the school of the disabled. I am impressed by him, to suffer from this syndrome is a very painful experience in my opinion. On the train he would inevitably receive stares and harsh remarks, in school he would often be made fun off and despised. Yet he did not give up on himself. This is not very difficult, it is IMPOSSIBLE. Thus i believe it is by God's aid, for what he is today. I do not know if I will get the role, but i believe that this could be an opportunity to bring people to God. This person is an example of God's grace and glory, by learning of this person, i believe viewers will be amazed at what he has become, and they will understand that it was through God.
(Apologies for constantly using "him" or "this person" as i forgot his name.)
(More details on Tourette's disorder: http://www.tourettes-disorder.com/introduction.html)

To do something that counts

To live the christian life in its fullness will mean doing something worthwhile with our life according to God's will and building into God's kingdom. There is no way to do this other than to die to ourselves.

John 12:24-26

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

This dying to self is a constant thing that we do each day a little more (or a little less if we are disobedient/distracted/decieved). We are just following Jesus' example when he did it on the cross.

When we die to our own desires, its like the wheat falling to the ground. the seed dies, but produces a great big plant. The only way for the plant to blossom is for the seed to die. Scary for the seed, but its the only way.

I say all this in light of the work that we are about to start in Raffles in particular. It will require sacrifice. Time, thought, persistence and probably much more. Are we ready for that? If not, then we are not ready to start. If so then the great big plant is ready to grow. Be honest. anyway God knows already.

If we are willing, I challenge us to ask God to make your heart ready to take the step of faith and say "yes" i choose to die to myself so that Jesus will be lord of RI, and I will be the shepard of the school. It will be exciting. It is God's will. But we must be willing to sacrifice so that the multiplication can come.

God Bless,
Jonathan

And the greatest gift is love

I have always been quite a creative guy. Especially when it comes to humor. I think watching alot of western comedies helps with that. However in my younger days, i used my powers of wit and jest somewhat irresponsibly. I do reacall offending several friends (girls of course... so sensitive...) and they were REALLY upset. I had no clue why. What i did learn is that while i acted in jest (hey! everybody was laughing with me... what could be wrong?) i did not act in love. Thats a VERY important lesson that i remember forever becasue that is how i apologised to that freind of mine. "i am sorry i acted in jest but not in love" those exact words. And yes... its in the bible too:)

1 Corinthians 13 (whole chapter guys!)

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

God Bless,
Jonathan

Guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life

Wow this is so true, this week i was challenged in a sitaution at work to do so. I was quite upset at first, and that made emotional. And i could not think of other stuff other than that! Not God, not work, not even training. Then I remember last week's sermon.

Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

And i decided in my will to apply that to this situation. I chose not to let adversity affect my thoughts and my walk with God. I choose to guard my heart. Like a boxer chooses to put his hands up in a fighting stance even though he is tired. Its a choice. Bless you to do the same when troubles come.

God Bless,
Jonathan

Jesus is Lord of our time.

Time is the thing we can't get back. The more we take for ourself, the less productive it becomes. But if we put it into the Lord's service, it becomes multiplied (just like anything else yay!). This week I am trying to put into practice the following piece of scripture:

Ephsians 5:15-17

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

There are so many fun and even important things to do, but I want to live in the center of God's will so that life is maximised:)

God Bless,
Jonathan

A pastor's heart for... cyberathletes

Last week's sermon was really important. I think that I also have not fully grasped its significance. Remember pastor asked us to ask God to put in our hearts a land where we want to pastor over. God placed in my heart the land of elite/competitive computer gamers. Elite computer gaming at the moment in singapore is a bit like street racing (Think tokyo drift/fast and furious/need for speed underground) and has little to no christian influence.

In addition to athletes playing regular sports, cyber atheltes will now get my attention as well. This will take a change of heart on my part because i need to repent for looking down on these guys. I didn't really like that they called themselves "Athletes"... what a misuse of the term... something like golf!

But now, even though i still dont beleive that its a sport ahah, i choose not to look down upon them in any way any more. and instead ask God to give me a pastoral and fatherly heart for them.

I ask God to give me the elite cyber gamers so that I may reach them and they may know Jesus. May God's glory shine in the world of competitive gaming through me.

God Bless,
Jonathan

14th September 2006

God bless this is my first post.

my story

Today God reassured his presence in my life.

My passion for moor house and personal glory burnt like red fire when i was in Secondary 1 as I felt that I could contribute trememdously to my house by sweeping Gold medals in RI's annual track and field. (thats how shallow i was w/o God)

My passion for moor house burned out when i was in Secondary 2. I felt that the cross country team could do better than me and moor house no longer needs me. (thats how not confident i was w/o God)

My passion for moor house raged like spitfire once more in secondary 3. One fine day at an inspiring talk by pastor heeguan he talked to us about our visions and how we could be pioneers leaders in our area of work. OUT OF NOWHERE a thought came to my mind. MOOR HOUSE. it didnt make sense coz i wasnt even active with my house and i never gave a hoot bout MOOR HOUSE for more than a year? i prayed eversince. i went to school the following week ran to my current house captain and told him bluntly " hey i want to join your committee i wanna be captain next year". he gave me a HAHA-look and took down my number. believe it or not 6months later i was campaigning for my house captaincy. and my teacher blatantly insulted me before my class by saying "anzhen captaincy?? how to??."and gave me a HAHA-look.

haha here and haha there. barriers preventing me, barriers discouraging me. God never gave up on me, I never gave up on praying. 14th September 1400hr the revelation. Im unofficially the next moor house captain. (thats how powerful one can be with God)

God's promptings, God's promises.

my reflection.

The vision is before me, but its only the start. The real idea of being a moor house captain is cool coz you're a captain but if this is all i chose to be then i believe im letting God down for since day one his prompting came from a talk about PIONEERS and LEADERS. i have a vision of leading moor house through the act of God the words of God and the plans of God. It sounds really cliche like the NERD CHRISTIAN perfect answer. but its really the way to do so. ( like how i prayed and believed in faith). it doesnt mean that i have to carry my bible to all house meetings neither does it mean that i have to preach to the 500boys under my leadership. it means doing things according to the believes i have in God. simple things like patience, humility, gentleness can be applied in my daily encounter with fellow moorians. its very very trivial but it helps me to live in Christ daily and i believe with a God's man leading moor under the leadership of Christ son of God, everything gonna be Fiery!

JOY in leading.
.Jesus.Others.Yourself.
xanzhenx

Where are we going to plant our tree?

Pastor Khong mentioned is yesterday's sermon about "God will remove the sin from the land in 1 day" (Zechariah 3:9)... the next verse states what it will be like when God does that.

Zechariah 3:10 'In that day each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree,' declares the LORD Almighty."

This is cool. Of course I don't know how God will remove the sin from the land in 1 day? and turn people toward Him. But verse 10 tells us that we must be ready. How? By making sure our tree is ready for people to run to.

This means that we must be visible, so people know about us. Both through the life we live (this one is basic and non-negotiable, walking in God's way and holiness) and through the activities we conduct.

For me personally, my tree will be being a really excellent Strength and performance coach - the athletes of Singapore will know that I am a tree (sounds weird haha). As well as a famous blogger. These are the areas I will focus on being a place where people can turn to in difficult times.

I beleive that the upcoming Cell in Raffles will be a tree. Anzhen you need to plant, water and make this tree thrive. I beleive that it will be a blessing to the school, not just the basketball team. I will help you succede.

Glenn, perhaps consider your acting talents as a place to plant?

Joel, school and army.

I am praying for all of you constantly that you will plant trees and become mighty men. There are many distractions and lies from the evil one...Be on guard and dont get faked.

(dun be like No.81 below...)

God bless,
Joanthan

Always on guard

I was surfing the net yesterday looking for weightlifting videos. After that video played, the next one was the common naked girl video. I caught myself looking longer than i should. Its really hard to get the images out of the mind. Like we always say when we teach about porn, its like looking at a "pink elephant" and then "forcing" yourself not to think about it... uh.. impossible! So we all got to be careful what we see. It's a "hazzard" of living in this age. So be on guard.

1 Peter 5:8
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

"By my Spirit" Says the Lord.

Zechariah 4:6

So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.

This scripture is talking about Zerubbabel who wanted to rebuild the destroyed temple of Isreal. And God told him through the prophet Zechariah that the temple would not be dependent on man's resources, but on Gods.

As I was reading this verse today I was asking what in my life needs this "Sprit of God power". And the answer is... everything. I mean its not some trivial "holy-man" answer. But when I really think about it, "Everything" is the correct answer.

For the small"er" things (not less important, but less impossible)
- doing my job responsibly
- being a good brother
- friend and son (and future father and husband)

I may think I can do a good (or at least decent) job on my own (due to whatever knowldege or upbringing, or experiences etc). But I would be wrong... to do these things to the standard of JESUS (thats the plan right!)... its impossible. I need the holy spirit.

For the big"er" dreams that God has placed in my heart (not more important but more impossible)
- To be an influential person in the nations' sporting community
- To be a famous blogger and a well known Online Persona even internationally...
- To be a leader of the nation in politics
- To Build my Spiritual children and grandchildren and many more generations...

This kind of stuff no need to explain right?.. I CERTAINLY CANNOT its absolutely impossible. All at the same time... in 1 person? Again... Impossible... but God is God of the impossible. "not by might, not by power"... phew if not there is no chance for us!

I beleive that it is very timely that Ps Khong is about to start preaching on the Holy Spirit. I can't wait!:)

God Bless,
Joanthan

What I sense the Lord saying today: "love your country"

Today I was at the EJ288 meeting. Pastor Eugene gave us some time to ask for more of the Holy spirit to help us love our friends, our classmates etc. I sense the Lord asking me to learn to love my country more. I'm quite a patriotic guy (I have In-Camp training for 3 weeks in October/November this year to prove it haha) but I beleive that loving the county the way God wants me to will be a supernatural love that only can come from God. I'm not sure what way, shape or form it will take, I'm not sure if i have it yet. But when the time comes to express it I pray that I will be sensitive to God's prompting and, like i mention here, be obedient.

From Acts 17:26-27

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

Hey! I'm born and live in Singapore. It's no accident. I'm excited to see what God has in store for this nation. I want to be part of it.

God Bless,
Jonathan

A chance to get better or a chance to get worse

As an athlete, every training or food choice I make, either makes me better, or makes me worse. this is the same thing in the christian life. Today I had a chance to choose. Character is just the sum of these choices right:) This morning I was prompted by the holy spirit to ask my colleague for forgiveness for saying something hurtful to him last night. it just came out in the middle of a competition where i just said that wat he did was wrong. I can be extremely competitive and in some cases i have to manage that better. This guy is a very secure and stable guy so i don't think I would cause him to jump off a building or anything like that. But thats really not the point. The point is that i did apologize. I did deliberate in my heart if it was at all necessary and anyway "its not that serious". But i realise that if i did not, i would be disobedient and that would be bad becuase i missed a chance to develop character.

Lets all take every chance we can to get better.

God Bless,
Jonathan

Bible Passage: Ezekiel 37 - the valley of the dry bones

I was reading this today as i have been going through the book of ezekiel recently.

I notice that God gave Ezekiel a question. A hard one... that Ezekiel knows he cannot answer. I also know there are times when God ask's me a question in my spirit and I really don't know how to answer it. (37:3)

But I think the important thing is Ezekiel's response to God when God instructed him to do something. This obedience is the key to the miracle in this vision. (37:7)

What kind of prayer did Ezekiel pray? It was a prophetic prayer. I sometimes get caught up in praying "Quick fix" prayers. For myself, my family, my Spiritual family, my ministy, my country even. But I want to, after refelcting on this passage, to pray more prayers that are prophetic - destiny shaping, and promise claiming, so that "you my prople will know that I am the LORD" (37:13) and when these prayers are answered, I know that I have had the privilidege of seeing God's hand at work.

The cool thing is that these prayers are answered immediately even though they are prophetic and inherently made for the "future". As Ezikiel was praying ("as" NOT "after") the prayer was being answered and the bones and tendons and flesh began to form together. God exist's outside of time, so everyday is "now" for Him and when we pray, he answers NOW.

I have known, seen and even practiced prophetic prayers and acts, but lately situations seem to dictate quick fix prayers...there was not a good balance. Today I determine to restore that balance.

God Bless,
Jonathan