Still another hour before the plane take off. There is wireless in the airport. So sitting down here at TCC while my colleague went to have lunch with his family.
Well sitting nice and comfy at the TCC and having a cup of ice coffeee.
Long awaited..haven't sat down to sip a nice cup of coffee for a while. Thank God for able to just watch the people go by and typing this post.
THe pleasant things in life is simple.
Suddenly thought of the story of Elijah. He wanted to run to Mount Horeb to meet God after being hotly pursued by Jezerbel. Mount Horeb is Mount Sinai..both are one of the same.
Elijah wanted to see a spectacular of God. Moses saw it with the ten commandments. Lightening and thunder. Clouds. Smoke. It is spectacular. God has shown Elijah His might by the slaying of Baal prophets with fire from the sky.
But the people of Israel have not repented. Jezerbel was still in power.
Elijah was reminded by God in the still small voice. While He wanted to see the spectacular, God told Elijah, He isn't in any of those, He is however in the still small voice.
God working in our life is often not spectacular coz He is working all the time. Thank God for times of just quietness.
Sitting here, and uttering a quiet prayer, I know God has heard. Thank God so much. He is here. All the time.
May the glory of the Lord be in whatever we eat and drink. Thank God for the thought.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Relief
Pew...Things are finally working again..
Wah this is so stressful.
Thank God, finally after weeks of frustration...thing are finally on track again...
Sometimes it is funny to think...
if the world has no air...
if time would stop....
if just one element would be missing...
what would life be...
non-objective truth? Imagined fears?
So it is not if...the existance of everyone is because you are there...God placed you there.....
There are no missing pieces in anyone life...
Heard a friend shared this....if a Christian is backsliding and as a consequence has a sickness say cancer, to an unbeliver or even a Christian, how come God is allowing this person to suffer? Say also why the eating of a fruit in the garden of Eden cause the whole human race to fall?
Suppose we say that a parent has a rebellious child and this parent has the power to cause sickness in the child, for the parent to do that isn't right?
We can say that the parent ought not to do that but for God to do that, it is legitimate because God assume His rightful wisdom and judgement and soverignty.
The outcome of what God is doing is something we can not understand at a moment, but He does know what He is doing.
To parallel the parent to God is an unequal comparison. Coz wisdom to wisdom, there isn't a comparison. Coz for legitamcy to legitamcy, the parent has no right.
Indeed, Let God be God. We can't say or do anything that will change who He is.
Amen :)
Wah this is so stressful.
Thank God, finally after weeks of frustration...thing are finally on track again...
Sometimes it is funny to think...
if the world has no air...
if time would stop....
if just one element would be missing...
what would life be...
non-objective truth? Imagined fears?
So it is not if...the existance of everyone is because you are there...God placed you there.....
There are no missing pieces in anyone life...
Heard a friend shared this....if a Christian is backsliding and as a consequence has a sickness say cancer, to an unbeliver or even a Christian, how come God is allowing this person to suffer? Say also why the eating of a fruit in the garden of Eden cause the whole human race to fall?
Suppose we say that a parent has a rebellious child and this parent has the power to cause sickness in the child, for the parent to do that isn't right?
We can say that the parent ought not to do that but for God to do that, it is legitimate because God assume His rightful wisdom and judgement and soverignty.
The outcome of what God is doing is something we can not understand at a moment, but He does know what He is doing.
To parallel the parent to God is an unequal comparison. Coz wisdom to wisdom, there isn't a comparison. Coz for legitamcy to legitamcy, the parent has no right.
Indeed, Let God be God. We can't say or do anything that will change who He is.
Amen :)
Saturday, February 16, 2008
The week before departure
Haha, titled this post "the week before departure."
But it is correct. I am leaving exactly one week to Hong Kong for work. Would be on course to learn audit. Not something that I exactly like but glad to go Hong Kong nevertheless. I had never been there.
Well, couped up in the lab again. It is 2.15am. Hmm. Dead in the night and I am here all alone, with the radio playing Chinese songs to accompany.
Just want to express Thanksgiving to God for Fri BS time. Thank God those who had not been able to join us to join us :) Thank God for a good BS. Thank God for His blessing upon His people. I am excited to see what God would do in the young hearts.
Hope whoever read this post to keep remember to pray for the campus family. When the child of God pray, God our Father hears and answers. So I like to pray and ask that we will continue abide in God and that our hearts never be dull towards God but having rising affections for Him each day of our lives. I pray for individual growth and also more to come to know Christ.
The joy of the Lord must be our strength for us to perservere.
It has a wonderful journey thus far working among the young lives in campus. Because of the excitment in seeing what God is preparing. Even in the most difficult of circumstances. God has prepared a banquet in the wilderness before and I trust He would do the same among His people in campus.
Covet your prayers if you have read this post.
Praise and Glory be unto our LORD :)
But it is correct. I am leaving exactly one week to Hong Kong for work. Would be on course to learn audit. Not something that I exactly like but glad to go Hong Kong nevertheless. I had never been there.
Well, couped up in the lab again. It is 2.15am. Hmm. Dead in the night and I am here all alone, with the radio playing Chinese songs to accompany.
Just want to express Thanksgiving to God for Fri BS time. Thank God those who had not been able to join us to join us :) Thank God for a good BS. Thank God for His blessing upon His people. I am excited to see what God would do in the young hearts.
Hope whoever read this post to keep remember to pray for the campus family. When the child of God pray, God our Father hears and answers. So I like to pray and ask that we will continue abide in God and that our hearts never be dull towards God but having rising affections for Him each day of our lives. I pray for individual growth and also more to come to know Christ.
The joy of the Lord must be our strength for us to perservere.
It has a wonderful journey thus far working among the young lives in campus. Because of the excitment in seeing what God is preparing. Even in the most difficult of circumstances. God has prepared a banquet in the wilderness before and I trust He would do the same among His people in campus.
Covet your prayers if you have read this post.
Praise and Glory be unto our LORD :)
Thursday, February 14, 2008
早晨的阳光
早晨的阳光
每一天醒来美丽的早晨
好希望想见到你的脸
在每一个太阳升起的光照
都呼向着你的名字
花开芬香空气清晰的早晨
有春天带来的温心
你的甜蜜喜悦的歌声
都能够唱出句句的希望
我真的以为 在美丽世界
你的笑容散发阳光
每一个愿望 在你的手中
在你的眼神 都能真心看见
在故事里面 出现的天使
好像仿佛在你身上
不管是风雨 不管是黑暗
我在你眼 1中 2神 3里
终于看到了日出
This is the first song I ever wrote. Post it up here for nostalgic sake :)
每一天醒来美丽的早晨
好希望想见到你的脸
在每一个太阳升起的光照
都呼向着你的名字
花开芬香空气清晰的早晨
有春天带来的温心
你的甜蜜喜悦的歌声
都能够唱出句句的希望
我真的以为 在美丽世界
你的笑容散发阳光
每一个愿望 在你的手中
在你的眼神 都能真心看见
在故事里面 出现的天使
好像仿佛在你身上
不管是风雨 不管是黑暗
我在你眼 1中 2神 3里
终于看到了日出
This is the first song I ever wrote. Post it up here for nostalgic sake :)
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Footnote
Read through my blog, realise I wrote more things in a "negative" way.
Wish I could write encouragement posts, motivational posts.
But as things hadn't happen that way, most things I have encountered recently are more in a sense sobering, hence the nature of the posts.
I feel the heartbeat of God really is that we are not really serious about Him more often than we are serious about other things. Perhaps it is true in time gone by, in centuries gone by.
But it refreshing to read the writings of Puritans, Spurgeon and know these people seek real Godly affections, centred on God alone.
I hope I dun post posts that have an air of condemnation, rather it allows ourselves to search our own hearts and in doing so, begin to know ourselves so as to realise who God is.
If Isaiah says, woe is me for I am man undone then he says, here am I send me. Undoing you sees God, and seeing God sets you doing. Haha...Pray for a vision of God.
How I long people are joyful in God for God is He. That includes me.
In fact I think the longing to be close to the Lord has taken a deep root in my heart because of afflictions, yet it gave affections.
The joy of the Lord is my strength. Strength of the Christian is Joy in God.
Pray that you see that joy, a true joy and honest joy in God.
Wish I could write encouragement posts, motivational posts.
But as things hadn't happen that way, most things I have encountered recently are more in a sense sobering, hence the nature of the posts.
I feel the heartbeat of God really is that we are not really serious about Him more often than we are serious about other things. Perhaps it is true in time gone by, in centuries gone by.
But it refreshing to read the writings of Puritans, Spurgeon and know these people seek real Godly affections, centred on God alone.
I hope I dun post posts that have an air of condemnation, rather it allows ourselves to search our own hearts and in doing so, begin to know ourselves so as to realise who God is.
If Isaiah says, woe is me for I am man undone then he says, here am I send me. Undoing you sees God, and seeing God sets you doing. Haha...Pray for a vision of God.
How I long people are joyful in God for God is He. That includes me.
In fact I think the longing to be close to the Lord has taken a deep root in my heart because of afflictions, yet it gave affections.
The joy of the Lord is my strength. Strength of the Christian is Joy in God.
Pray that you see that joy, a true joy and honest joy in God.
Monday, February 11, 2008
The root of evil
Psalm 10
A Song of Confidence in God’s Triumph over Evil
1 Why do You stand afar off, O LORD?
Why do You hide in times of trouble?
2 The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor;
Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.
3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire;
He blesses the greedy and renounces the LORD.
4 The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God;
God is in none of his thoughts.
5 His ways are always prospering;
Your judgments are far above, out of his sight;
As for all his enemies, he sneers at them.
6 He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
I shall never be in adversity.”
7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression;
Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.
8 He sits in the lurking places of the villages;
In the secret places he murders the innocent;
His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.
9 He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den;
He lies in wait to catch the poor;
He catches the poor when he draws him into his net.
10 So he crouches, he lies low,
That the helpless may fall by his strength.
11 He has said in his heart,
“God has forgotten;
He hides His face;
He will never see.”
12 Arise, O LORD!
O God, lift up Your hand!
Do not forget the humble.
13 Why do the wicked renounce God?
He has said in his heart,
“You will not require an account.”
14 But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief,
To repay it by Your hand.
The helpless commits himself to You;
You are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man;
Seek out his wickedness until You find none.
16 The LORD is King forever and ever;
The nations have perished out of His land.
17 LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will prepare their heart;
You will cause Your ear to hear,
18 To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
That the man of the earth may
This psalm speaks about the enemy. The enemy named evil. While it describes the oppression of evil over God's people, I see great similarity in the evilness or wickedness of everyone. That includes myself or Christians.
They key I say is in verse 17. LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear,
When our heart is prepared by the LORD, the LORD will hear our prayers.
All of the whole Psalm, it speaks of evil oppressing hard on the people of God. But the psalmist says in verse 14"But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief,To repay it by Your hand.The helpless commits himself to You;You are the helper of the fatherless."
The enemies are definitely doing much evil. They disregard God, they are nochanlant towards the people of God. Scoffing and mocking God. They indeed will be judged.
But there lie a resident evil within the people of God. A bent of self reliance. A bent of questioning God and not trusting God. A bent revealed only by the oppression. A confidence in God often arised when we are made helpless by circumstances. In verse 1, we see it says by the people of God, "Why do You stand afar off, O LORD? Why do You hide in times of trouble?" The oppressed question God. It is natural. A natural response. However, we see a change in verse 14. A child of God needs to know his own wickedness. Verse 14 speaks of a change of heart. But what a great disparity from verse 1 to verse 14 in the declaration of the psalmist. From saying that God is afar to declaring that God observe trouble and grief, and the helpless now commits himself to You. Commitment to God comes often during trouble and grief. The helpless state is often the window to the santified emotion of reliance in God.
We often question why God gave trouble and affliction? Have we often question, how evil we are? Our motives are so wicked that it often conjures schemes and impure intents that are bent on not waiting on God.
Recently I spoke to someone. I realise great similarity in certain events of my life and the course of decisions the person is taking. It is strikingly similar. I gave advice. I guess not much was taken in. In fact maybe none. When one is bent on doing something, even God become your "friend".
True thanksgiving to God is not for the gifts itself. We may pray for blessing. We may pray for things to come the way we want. We have an intention of doing something where clearly asking God to search your heart to know whether your motives are right before doing anything is the right things to do. When waiting for God seems the more right, we often do what we think is more right. Waiting on God has a purging process of trying your thoughts and heart before God. I believe that if a Christian wants to do right, the Christian must have a heart and atitiude of honoring Christ.
Emotions can bent right thinking. We may thank God when we succeed in achieving what we set out to do. And even think that God is blessing what you desire. Just because the door is open doesn't mean it is a blessing. A true trust in God is not getting what you want. A true blessing is taking every step knowing you are walking right with God.
I learnt this before. Never make decisions in time of emotional turmoil. The innate wickedness of your heart can make the worst of decisions seem right. I learn to pray for God to let time ascertain my heart towards him and the decision I have to make. I never think I would want to sear my conscience before God by making sudden and impromptu decisons when my emotions are riding the highest. Fortitude in the Christian Character is vital. Proverbs 25:28 says,"Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls."
I learn that wickedness during emotional stress can cloud and veil the mind. Learn to wait during these time and meanwhile cultivate a conscience sensitive towards God by always praying God to search and sanctify your heart. Read the word and pray for a deeper affections for God. The worst of enemy is the resident presence of sin - the flesh. It is within the city walls. I can understand Proverbs 25:28 well. Check your affections. Only God builds walls of protection. But it starts by us knowing and training to rule over our own spirit.
When the world seems right, you pray that you be right with God. Psalm 10:17 says wonderfully these words of comfort," LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble;You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear,"
There had been much griefs in my life. I know some are a consequence of my decisions I made especially during emotionally trying times. Never once it is a right decsion. I learn that God prepares my heart in all of these events of life and He accomplishes it and reign over our griefs. Humilty in the heart cannot be forced, it is to be trained by the very hand of God and the glad song of the heart is when God says He will cause His very own ear to hear your prayers. (Psalm 10:17) This verse speaks about a deepening relationship of praying heart recieving prayed answers.
But humility come by an honest prayer to God to search your heart that every step of life, you seek to honor Christ. Humility is love. True love for people is the love of God from God.
God is most glorified when you are most satisfied in Him. Seek to live a life that have rising affections for God and every lateral relationship in life will get right because wickedness is not your ruling your heart, God is.
And this wickedness I am speaking is self-reliance and not God-dependence. (c.f. Psalm 10:13)
A Song of Confidence in God’s Triumph over Evil
1 Why do You stand afar off, O LORD?
Why do You hide in times of trouble?
2 The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor;
Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.
3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire;
He blesses the greedy and renounces the LORD.
4 The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God;
God is in none of his thoughts.
5 His ways are always prospering;
Your judgments are far above, out of his sight;
As for all his enemies, he sneers at them.
6 He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
I shall never be in adversity.”
7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression;
Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.
8 He sits in the lurking places of the villages;
In the secret places he murders the innocent;
His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.
9 He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den;
He lies in wait to catch the poor;
He catches the poor when he draws him into his net.
10 So he crouches, he lies low,
That the helpless may fall by his strength.
11 He has said in his heart,
“God has forgotten;
He hides His face;
He will never see.”
12 Arise, O LORD!
O God, lift up Your hand!
Do not forget the humble.
13 Why do the wicked renounce God?
He has said in his heart,
“You will not require an account.”
14 But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief,
To repay it by Your hand.
The helpless commits himself to You;
You are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man;
Seek out his wickedness until You find none.
16 The LORD is King forever and ever;
The nations have perished out of His land.
17 LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will prepare their heart;
You will cause Your ear to hear,
18 To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
That the man of the earth may
This psalm speaks about the enemy. The enemy named evil. While it describes the oppression of evil over God's people, I see great similarity in the evilness or wickedness of everyone. That includes myself or Christians.
They key I say is in verse 17. LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear,
When our heart is prepared by the LORD, the LORD will hear our prayers.
All of the whole Psalm, it speaks of evil oppressing hard on the people of God. But the psalmist says in verse 14"But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief,To repay it by Your hand.The helpless commits himself to You;You are the helper of the fatherless."
The enemies are definitely doing much evil. They disregard God, they are nochanlant towards the people of God. Scoffing and mocking God. They indeed will be judged.
But there lie a resident evil within the people of God. A bent of self reliance. A bent of questioning God and not trusting God. A bent revealed only by the oppression. A confidence in God often arised when we are made helpless by circumstances. In verse 1, we see it says by the people of God, "Why do You stand afar off, O LORD? Why do You hide in times of trouble?" The oppressed question God. It is natural. A natural response. However, we see a change in verse 14. A child of God needs to know his own wickedness. Verse 14 speaks of a change of heart. But what a great disparity from verse 1 to verse 14 in the declaration of the psalmist. From saying that God is afar to declaring that God observe trouble and grief, and the helpless now commits himself to You. Commitment to God comes often during trouble and grief. The helpless state is often the window to the santified emotion of reliance in God.
We often question why God gave trouble and affliction? Have we often question, how evil we are? Our motives are so wicked that it often conjures schemes and impure intents that are bent on not waiting on God.
Recently I spoke to someone. I realise great similarity in certain events of my life and the course of decisions the person is taking. It is strikingly similar. I gave advice. I guess not much was taken in. In fact maybe none. When one is bent on doing something, even God become your "friend".
True thanksgiving to God is not for the gifts itself. We may pray for blessing. We may pray for things to come the way we want. We have an intention of doing something where clearly asking God to search your heart to know whether your motives are right before doing anything is the right things to do. When waiting for God seems the more right, we often do what we think is more right. Waiting on God has a purging process of trying your thoughts and heart before God. I believe that if a Christian wants to do right, the Christian must have a heart and atitiude of honoring Christ.
Emotions can bent right thinking. We may thank God when we succeed in achieving what we set out to do. And even think that God is blessing what you desire. Just because the door is open doesn't mean it is a blessing. A true trust in God is not getting what you want. A true blessing is taking every step knowing you are walking right with God.
I learnt this before. Never make decisions in time of emotional turmoil. The innate wickedness of your heart can make the worst of decisions seem right. I learn to pray for God to let time ascertain my heart towards him and the decision I have to make. I never think I would want to sear my conscience before God by making sudden and impromptu decisons when my emotions are riding the highest. Fortitude in the Christian Character is vital. Proverbs 25:28 says,"Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls."
I learn that wickedness during emotional stress can cloud and veil the mind. Learn to wait during these time and meanwhile cultivate a conscience sensitive towards God by always praying God to search and sanctify your heart. Read the word and pray for a deeper affections for God. The worst of enemy is the resident presence of sin - the flesh. It is within the city walls. I can understand Proverbs 25:28 well. Check your affections. Only God builds walls of protection. But it starts by us knowing and training to rule over our own spirit.
When the world seems right, you pray that you be right with God. Psalm 10:17 says wonderfully these words of comfort," LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble;You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear,"
There had been much griefs in my life. I know some are a consequence of my decisions I made especially during emotionally trying times. Never once it is a right decsion. I learn that God prepares my heart in all of these events of life and He accomplishes it and reign over our griefs. Humilty in the heart cannot be forced, it is to be trained by the very hand of God and the glad song of the heart is when God says He will cause His very own ear to hear your prayers. (Psalm 10:17) This verse speaks about a deepening relationship of praying heart recieving prayed answers.
But humility come by an honest prayer to God to search your heart that every step of life, you seek to honor Christ. Humility is love. True love for people is the love of God from God.
God is most glorified when you are most satisfied in Him. Seek to live a life that have rising affections for God and every lateral relationship in life will get right because wickedness is not your ruling your heart, God is.
And this wickedness I am speaking is self-reliance and not God-dependence. (c.f. Psalm 10:13)
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Now and Forever
Now and forever
you are a part of me
And the memory cuts like a knife
Didnt we find the ecstacy
Didnt we share the daylight
When you walked into my life
Now and forever
I'll remember all the promises still unbroken
And think about all the words between us
That never needed to be spoken
We had a moment
Just one moment
That will last beyond a dream,
Beyond a lifetime
We are the lucky ones
Some people never get to do
All we got to do
Now and forever
I will always think of you
Didnt we come together
Didnt we live together
Didnt we cry together
Didnt we play together
Didnt we love together
And together we lit up the world
I miss the tears
I miss the laughter
I miss the day we met
and all that followed after
Sometimes I wish I
could always be with you
The way we used to do
Now and forever
I will always think of you
Now and forever
I will always be with you
I watched a movie called "A League of their own." many many years ago. Think it must be more than 15 years ago. Watched then with my best friend in secondary school. Migrated to Australia some 14 years ago. Have no idea what happened to him. Coz I wrote an email one day, but didn't get a reply since.
Spoke to him about Christianity one day over icq (does anyone know what that is - something similar to MSN). He was a Catholic but has told me he became a Christian but joined an AOG church. We did had a bit of argument over experiences. Wonder I did offend him. But it is so ironic, coz I was thankful he embraced the Christian faith but when we talked about the faith, I realised that the church wasn't teaching the right stuff. Perhaps as a headstrong teenager then, thinking I know it all, out to conquer the world kind of mindset, I didn't say things with a thought for him. He struggled probably with his beliefs and had just been touched by the love of the people in that church. He was a young believer. Rather than encouraging him to seek the faith, I guess I was more concerned in winning an argument than his soul.
This is one of my deepest regrets in life. I had not heard from him since.
Things like this teaches you about what in the book of Isaiah said, "A bruised reed thou shall not break." I learn the hard way.
If God is willing, I really hope to restore back our friendship.
Ironically this movie was the last movie I ever watched with him. The theme of the movie was friendship. The song above was the theme song.
you are a part of me
And the memory cuts like a knife
Didnt we find the ecstacy
Didnt we share the daylight
When you walked into my life
Now and forever
I'll remember all the promises still unbroken
And think about all the words between us
That never needed to be spoken
We had a moment
Just one moment
That will last beyond a dream,
Beyond a lifetime
We are the lucky ones
Some people never get to do
All we got to do
Now and forever
I will always think of you
Didnt we come together
Didnt we live together
Didnt we cry together
Didnt we play together
Didnt we love together
And together we lit up the world
I miss the tears
I miss the laughter
I miss the day we met
and all that followed after
Sometimes I wish I
could always be with you
The way we used to do
Now and forever
I will always think of you
Now and forever
I will always be with you
I watched a movie called "A League of their own." many many years ago. Think it must be more than 15 years ago. Watched then with my best friend in secondary school. Migrated to Australia some 14 years ago. Have no idea what happened to him. Coz I wrote an email one day, but didn't get a reply since.
Spoke to him about Christianity one day over icq (does anyone know what that is - something similar to MSN). He was a Catholic but has told me he became a Christian but joined an AOG church. We did had a bit of argument over experiences. Wonder I did offend him. But it is so ironic, coz I was thankful he embraced the Christian faith but when we talked about the faith, I realised that the church wasn't teaching the right stuff. Perhaps as a headstrong teenager then, thinking I know it all, out to conquer the world kind of mindset, I didn't say things with a thought for him. He struggled probably with his beliefs and had just been touched by the love of the people in that church. He was a young believer. Rather than encouraging him to seek the faith, I guess I was more concerned in winning an argument than his soul.
This is one of my deepest regrets in life. I had not heard from him since.
Things like this teaches you about what in the book of Isaiah said, "A bruised reed thou shall not break." I learn the hard way.
If God is willing, I really hope to restore back our friendship.
Ironically this movie was the last movie I ever watched with him. The theme of the movie was friendship. The song above was the theme song.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Something to write about
Send Alex off today and after that drove some friends back home and found myself drving back to the laboratory to conduct a few more experiments.
Wasted 5 plates of results because of mis-synthesized oligonucleotide by the company so have to repeat all the experiments done in the past 2 weeks. What a waste of time and resources. Did feel very upset but then again, turning it and asking God, and then turning it back again and thanking God, perhaps it is just a desire to trust God that makes the difference.
It is indeed a waste of time and effort but then again, I do not want to ignore providence of God. Thank God I could just pray to Him and thank Him even things did not turn the way I wanted to.
Now to try and recover lost time. I learnt wisdom through this "ordeal." More haste less speed. Haha, old saying.
This constant work stress is really sometimes hard to bear. Often it makes me struggle between preparing the bible well and doing my work sufficiently.
It requires me to make sacrifice of time which to me is indeed a premium. I lack time. As such, I try to expand time by working really late into the night on some weekdays and using the time "earned" to prepare for the bible studies.
Somehow, the failure of the experiment is God's reminder to me, He is ultimately reigning. No matter how "smart" I may try to gain time, it is still in His hands, His providence. Learning to trust God is an act of acknowledging God's love for His children.
And He taught there isn't a sacrifice for the bible studies. And one preacher once say, you can't expect miracles without first being diligent in the study of God's word. Because life changing truth comes from God's word. You can help by just being diligent. My desire is life be changed hence I can't substitute dligence for prayer. Haha. My one desire is that people will learn to love God more and more.
Hence it is also always a stark reminder that the preparation of the heart belong to God. This verse from one of Psalm (I think it is Psalm 9 - not checking here) was a verse that God spoke to me while I was in Ipoh, during the Chinese Retreat. During the retreat, I keep recollecting countless events that has happened in the past year, and I realise a lot of things that have happened the whole of last year was really God's intricate "tweaking" of my motives and intents towards people and towards decisions I make. I realise how important my mind (and so my heart) is towards God. And when I hit this verse during one morning devotion, a lot of things that seemingly turned bad started to make sense to me. And I remember thanking God tremendously.
And so here tonight in the laboratory. Yes it is late. The results are not forthcoming. I look at my circumstances, nothing really to cheer about. There are a few unfulfil desires. Yet, developing a heart of adoring my God helps me to trust Him.
The hallmark of enduring faith is really to develop a christian Character that is unyielding to circumstances. John Piper says this before in the Blazing Centre, "Even with tears welling down your cheeks, you will say, I do not know what is happening, but I trust God that He meant it for good, that glorifies God." When I first heard it, I do not quite understand how. Until I realise this one very important thing, the Glory of God is all that God is. To acknowledge all that God is, which in this case, His perfect wisdom, is to agree He is perfect. The heart that is at peace with God is a joyful heart.
I thank God that He is shaping a vital Christian character in this earthen vessel. Claypots in the hands of the potter.
Thank you, my Lord :)
Wasted 5 plates of results because of mis-synthesized oligonucleotide by the company so have to repeat all the experiments done in the past 2 weeks. What a waste of time and resources. Did feel very upset but then again, turning it and asking God, and then turning it back again and thanking God, perhaps it is just a desire to trust God that makes the difference.
It is indeed a waste of time and effort but then again, I do not want to ignore providence of God. Thank God I could just pray to Him and thank Him even things did not turn the way I wanted to.
Now to try and recover lost time. I learnt wisdom through this "ordeal." More haste less speed. Haha, old saying.
This constant work stress is really sometimes hard to bear. Often it makes me struggle between preparing the bible well and doing my work sufficiently.
It requires me to make sacrifice of time which to me is indeed a premium. I lack time. As such, I try to expand time by working really late into the night on some weekdays and using the time "earned" to prepare for the bible studies.
Somehow, the failure of the experiment is God's reminder to me, He is ultimately reigning. No matter how "smart" I may try to gain time, it is still in His hands, His providence. Learning to trust God is an act of acknowledging God's love for His children.
And He taught there isn't a sacrifice for the bible studies. And one preacher once say, you can't expect miracles without first being diligent in the study of God's word. Because life changing truth comes from God's word. You can help by just being diligent. My desire is life be changed hence I can't substitute dligence for prayer. Haha. My one desire is that people will learn to love God more and more.
Hence it is also always a stark reminder that the preparation of the heart belong to God. This verse from one of Psalm (I think it is Psalm 9 - not checking here) was a verse that God spoke to me while I was in Ipoh, during the Chinese Retreat. During the retreat, I keep recollecting countless events that has happened in the past year, and I realise a lot of things that have happened the whole of last year was really God's intricate "tweaking" of my motives and intents towards people and towards decisions I make. I realise how important my mind (and so my heart) is towards God. And when I hit this verse during one morning devotion, a lot of things that seemingly turned bad started to make sense to me. And I remember thanking God tremendously.
And so here tonight in the laboratory. Yes it is late. The results are not forthcoming. I look at my circumstances, nothing really to cheer about. There are a few unfulfil desires. Yet, developing a heart of adoring my God helps me to trust Him.
The hallmark of enduring faith is really to develop a christian Character that is unyielding to circumstances. John Piper says this before in the Blazing Centre, "Even with tears welling down your cheeks, you will say, I do not know what is happening, but I trust God that He meant it for good, that glorifies God." When I first heard it, I do not quite understand how. Until I realise this one very important thing, the Glory of God is all that God is. To acknowledge all that God is, which in this case, His perfect wisdom, is to agree He is perfect. The heart that is at peace with God is a joyful heart.
I thank God that He is shaping a vital Christian character in this earthen vessel. Claypots in the hands of the potter.
Thank you, my Lord :)
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
A Tale of 2 Pictures (Xuan Du Ji)
Found these 2 pics while browsing pics of trips to Pulau Perentian and Pulau Redeng. Haha. Similar locality but weather can change so suddenly.
A picture of tranquility can change into a sudden tropical storm. Life can be so unpredictable.
Sunny days are appreciated only after the storms.
Rainbow are especially beautiful after that :)
Nice pics though...
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Humanity
Genesis 11:1-7
The Tower of Babel
"1 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. 3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. 4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” 5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. 9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth."
James 4:14
whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
Psalm 103:15
As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field;
Psalm 102:11
My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass.
2 Peter 3:1-7
1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us,[a] the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
The beginning of humanity. The beginning of civilisation. Men has always strive to make a name for himself. It was the case with the tower of babel.
We have sought to understand the workings of the universe. Sought to understand humanity by our quest for inventions and discoveries.
Technology has advanced leaps and bounds in recent years. Stem cell technology, artificial genome and conscience and morally disturbing discoveries has been making the headlines recently.
As a scientist myself, I do not question whether these things as of itself is wrong. I question the heart of humanity instead. Are we trying to really improve life? Or are we trying to make a name for ourselves, to declare our superiority over God who created us?
Man hasn't got a clue to why humanity is on the decay, on the decline. It is not through scientific breakthroughs, not through moral debates, not through government, not through indepth understanding of the workings of the universe and life that is going to solve its deepest and darkest problem.
In fact we have opened an pandora box of reflection.
Has life in fact got better? Has humanity finally head towards real success? Is life worth preserving through the attempt of prolonging life? What is life pursuit that we want just to live on and on and on?
What is humanity? What is the DNA of humanity?
Why do we work so hard to the sweat of our brow?
Why is God so forsaken by humanity today? Has our understanding of life, really understanding???
We have scoffers of today that begin to question God as creator simply because it looks that apparently man is beginning to "manipulate" life.
How foolish that is? Honestly, we understand absolutely ZERO, zits! The complexity of life...do think we can transfer, engineer genes makes us masters of life? NO!!! Who made the dust? God. Who made genes in the first place? Who made protons, photons and neutrons?
I think Christians ought to be scoffers instead to brilliant discoverers and scientists who think they know it all, when in fact they know nothing.
I look around and I see what really troubles men is sin. Sin pervasiness affects everyone. Recently, I have encountered so many people, and amazingly so many people afflicted with sickness. Especially cancer. Suffering is everywhere. It is EVERYWHERE!!! The canopy of sin really is heavy on all of humanity. For saints, for Christians, suffering is the school of strenght to learn the worth of eternity, the worth of God, the worth of heaven on earth, and heaven, the dwelling abode of God.
The result of sin entering into humanity is the root of all suffering. Humanity true salvation is God. If science seperates us from God, let science be accursed, let science be anethema! Because God is the God of science, God is the God of humanity, God rules and reigns and can only alone satisfy the spiritual fulfilment of mankind, the alpha and omega of everything.
All is vanity. No matter what we pursue, it would be a pursuit under the sun. The sun that God created. Even the most amazing discovery in human observation would never come close to the new heavens and new earth that God says He would create in time to come.
What foolishness we all are if we seek to think we can find absolute fulfilment through the news of man's accomplisment.
My God and My Lord is the answer.
Jesus is the LORD of all. He made the world and in Him all things consists! Colossians 1:17 says, "And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist."
So Christians, march with the doctrine of God, contend earnestly for the faith that is once delivered to the saints. Because only this message saves humanity with the true message or real hope and pursuit of life.
Nothing else. Do not shirk this God given responsibility. Let the foolishness of the cross be the wisdom of God.
Love covers a multitude of sins. Love is the heart of humanity. And God is the author of love.
I beseech you with the love of Christ.
The Tower of Babel
"1 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. 3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. 4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” 5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. 9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth."
James 4:14
whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
Psalm 103:15
As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field;
Psalm 102:11
My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass.
2 Peter 3:1-7
1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us,[a] the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
The beginning of humanity. The beginning of civilisation. Men has always strive to make a name for himself. It was the case with the tower of babel.
We have sought to understand the workings of the universe. Sought to understand humanity by our quest for inventions and discoveries.
Technology has advanced leaps and bounds in recent years. Stem cell technology, artificial genome and conscience and morally disturbing discoveries has been making the headlines recently.
As a scientist myself, I do not question whether these things as of itself is wrong. I question the heart of humanity instead. Are we trying to really improve life? Or are we trying to make a name for ourselves, to declare our superiority over God who created us?
Man hasn't got a clue to why humanity is on the decay, on the decline. It is not through scientific breakthroughs, not through moral debates, not through government, not through indepth understanding of the workings of the universe and life that is going to solve its deepest and darkest problem.
In fact we have opened an pandora box of reflection.
Has life in fact got better? Has humanity finally head towards real success? Is life worth preserving through the attempt of prolonging life? What is life pursuit that we want just to live on and on and on?
What is humanity? What is the DNA of humanity?
Why do we work so hard to the sweat of our brow?
Why is God so forsaken by humanity today? Has our understanding of life, really understanding???
We have scoffers of today that begin to question God as creator simply because it looks that apparently man is beginning to "manipulate" life.
How foolish that is? Honestly, we understand absolutely ZERO, zits! The complexity of life...do think we can transfer, engineer genes makes us masters of life? NO!!! Who made the dust? God. Who made genes in the first place? Who made protons, photons and neutrons?
I think Christians ought to be scoffers instead to brilliant discoverers and scientists who think they know it all, when in fact they know nothing.
I look around and I see what really troubles men is sin. Sin pervasiness affects everyone. Recently, I have encountered so many people, and amazingly so many people afflicted with sickness. Especially cancer. Suffering is everywhere. It is EVERYWHERE!!! The canopy of sin really is heavy on all of humanity. For saints, for Christians, suffering is the school of strenght to learn the worth of eternity, the worth of God, the worth of heaven on earth, and heaven, the dwelling abode of God.
The result of sin entering into humanity is the root of all suffering. Humanity true salvation is God. If science seperates us from God, let science be accursed, let science be anethema! Because God is the God of science, God is the God of humanity, God rules and reigns and can only alone satisfy the spiritual fulfilment of mankind, the alpha and omega of everything.
All is vanity. No matter what we pursue, it would be a pursuit under the sun. The sun that God created. Even the most amazing discovery in human observation would never come close to the new heavens and new earth that God says He would create in time to come.
What foolishness we all are if we seek to think we can find absolute fulfilment through the news of man's accomplisment.
My God and My Lord is the answer.
Jesus is the LORD of all. He made the world and in Him all things consists! Colossians 1:17 says, "And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist."
So Christians, march with the doctrine of God, contend earnestly for the faith that is once delivered to the saints. Because only this message saves humanity with the true message or real hope and pursuit of life.
Nothing else. Do not shirk this God given responsibility. Let the foolishness of the cross be the wisdom of God.
Love covers a multitude of sins. Love is the heart of humanity. And God is the author of love.
I beseech you with the love of Christ.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Boldness
This is something I felt I am lacking. Had a prayer session with some good friends today under the pavilon in the park. Thank God for the session. The rain brought relief to an otherwise unusually hot afternoons this week.
Been keeping something close to the chest and wanting to say it. I can't say this is like what Jeremiah said, "there is fire in my bones."
When is wisdom to be frank and when not to? Didn't pray about this in front of my friends but strange as it is, it was obvious to me that I felt I am sure of some things that I must say.
There is something that I am absolute and certain of.
Yet the courage is not there for me to say it, even to sms it is difficult.
I thought I was always bold to be unapologetic.
But alas, at least for this thing, I am completely devoid of boldness.
Why is it so crippling? The fear of loss that is why? I wish God would instead do this job on my behalf, if He is willing.
Really do not know how to take the next step except by prayer.
Things are so changed. Wished I could make things so plain and simple.
Guess anyone who reads do not know what I am taking about.
If you do, I applaud your wisdom.
Yet, do not ignore providence.
Been keeping something close to the chest and wanting to say it. I can't say this is like what Jeremiah said, "there is fire in my bones."
When is wisdom to be frank and when not to? Didn't pray about this in front of my friends but strange as it is, it was obvious to me that I felt I am sure of some things that I must say.
There is something that I am absolute and certain of.
Yet the courage is not there for me to say it, even to sms it is difficult.
I thought I was always bold to be unapologetic.
But alas, at least for this thing, I am completely devoid of boldness.
Why is it so crippling? The fear of loss that is why? I wish God would instead do this job on my behalf, if He is willing.
Really do not know how to take the next step except by prayer.
Things are so changed. Wished I could make things so plain and simple.
Guess anyone who reads do not know what I am taking about.
If you do, I applaud your wisdom.
Yet, do not ignore providence.
Life
Been working really hard this whole week trying to get my experiment results going and lo and behold, been not getting much success.
It has in fact been daunting. Helping my colleague also with her experiment and not working well.
Did a series of experiment today and it didn't work as thought it would.
But discovered that one supplier sold me blotched reagent. Did a few test runs to confirm this. This is the 3rd time they have sold me blotched stuff. Was very upset with them. Wrote a long email to them.
Things not going the way that I hope it would be. In January, things were quite sailing and now it seems it has turned again as far as my project is concerned.
God has a sure way of reminding me again that life is still life.
Whatever the test might be, and no matter how bitter it is, it is so easy for emotions to well up during times of intense stress.
Life just can't be plain. It is always knowing that life is difficult, that humility and meekness can be taught.
Feeling the stress on all sides but other than prayers, who else can answer. Except God that gives peace beyond understanding.
Faith in God guides the saints. Only God makes those who walked with Him hear His voice.
Hope I can say, I am listening. Help me God to remove the draft of displeasure, where the uprising of life can be so daunting for a still heart to see God.
It has in fact been daunting. Helping my colleague also with her experiment and not working well.
Did a series of experiment today and it didn't work as thought it would.
But discovered that one supplier sold me blotched reagent. Did a few test runs to confirm this. This is the 3rd time they have sold me blotched stuff. Was very upset with them. Wrote a long email to them.
Things not going the way that I hope it would be. In January, things were quite sailing and now it seems it has turned again as far as my project is concerned.
God has a sure way of reminding me again that life is still life.
Whatever the test might be, and no matter how bitter it is, it is so easy for emotions to well up during times of intense stress.
Life just can't be plain. It is always knowing that life is difficult, that humility and meekness can be taught.
Feeling the stress on all sides but other than prayers, who else can answer. Except God that gives peace beyond understanding.
Faith in God guides the saints. Only God makes those who walked with Him hear His voice.
Hope I can say, I am listening. Help me God to remove the draft of displeasure, where the uprising of life can be so daunting for a still heart to see God.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Grace
Ever thought that you are a sinner saved by grace?
Ever thought that you are a recipient of grace?
Ever know that you are not consumed because of mercies?
Ever know that you are God's child because He chose to?
Ever thought that this will amazed you all the way till you meet Him in Heaven?
The depth of these shall sustain you in the darkness of days, the hardest of time...
Surely goodness shall follow me and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
God is so good.
Ever thought that you are a recipient of grace?
Ever know that you are not consumed because of mercies?
Ever know that you are God's child because He chose to?
Ever thought that this will amazed you all the way till you meet Him in Heaven?
The depth of these shall sustain you in the darkness of days, the hardest of time...
Surely goodness shall follow me and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
God is so good.
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