20061129
Cell this sat
Hey starSfish!
Cell is at my place but TIMING changed to 330pm. I need to work on sat so be back by then. Sorry for the change. You can come earlier if you wanna chill, pray or fellowship. My parents will be around to open the door for ya But do let me know what time. If not only Bobo and Jacq will be greeting ya. Think about " Did we?" that was shared last week. This week, we'll be continuing on Heb 10:24-25. God bless, keep the cell in prayer!
Zec
starSfish @ 9:26 AM link to post
20061128
starSfish
http://cjcphoto.com/can/
Click on link to view, amazing story!
Zeniv
starSfish @ 5:41 AM link to post
20061126
starSfish
here's an old song that summarizes what I would like to comment about what's been posted...
you can click on the link below for the mp3
---YXX---
btw, is there anyway I can load an MP3 onto our blog?
God Forbid
The more I know your power, Lord
The more I’m mindful
How casually we speak and sing your name
How often we have come to you
With no fear or wonder
And called upon you only for what we stand to gain
(chorus)
God forbid, that I find you so familiar
That I think of you as less than who you are
God forbid, that I should speak of you at all
Without a humble reverence in my heart
God forbid
Lord, I often talk about your love and mercy
How it seems to me your goodness has no end
It frightens me to think that I could take you for granted
Though you’re closer than a brother
You’re more than just a friend
(repeat chorus)
You are father, God almighty
Lord of lords, you're King of kings
Beyond my understanding
No less than everything
(repeat chorus)
God forbid
God forbid
starSfish @ 11:32 PM link to post
starSfish
here's an old song that summarizes what I would like to comment about what's been posted...
you can click on the link below for the mp3
---YXX---
btw, is there anyway I can load an MP3 onto our blog?
God Forbid
The more I know your power, Lord
The more I’m mindful
How casually we speak and sing your name
How often we have come to you
With no fear or wonder
And called upon you only for what we stand to gain
(chorus)
God forbid, that I find you so familiar
That I think of you as less than who you are
God forbid, that I should speak of you at all
Without a humble reverence in my heart
God forbid
Lord, I often talk about your love and mercy
How it seems to me your goodness has no end
It frightens me to think that I could take you for granted
Though you’re closer than a brother
You’re more than just a friend
(repeat chorus)
You are father, God almighty
Lord of lords, you're King of kings
Beyond my understanding
No less than everything
(repeat chorus)
God forbid
God forbid
starSfish @ 11:29 PM link to post
The below article is interesting but....
Hmmm...
The writer wrote about "God is my boyfriend" song. True enough that as we sing those songs, let us not take for granted the sovereignty of God and His holiness but I believe God wants us to come before Him transparently like King David.
"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?" (Psalm 42:1-2)
All He desires is us. : )
I guess as long as we come before God with no pretenses, just wanting to offer our best to God, it does not matter what we sing. He delights in no offerings at all but our heart, us. I guess even if we sing "You are holy, holy. Lord, there's none like You" and we do not mean it, what is the point?
Yuppers.
So... Just come before God just as you are. :)
What do the rest of you think?
starSfish @ 9:34 PM link to post
starSfish
blessed by this. Zeniv:)
GRACE@WORK MAIL 44/06
[November 24th 2006 Edition]
Commentary: How To Approach a Bear
Recently I discovered what I should do if I were to encounter a bear in the wild.* If the bear is close to you, back away slowly. Never run.* Act calmly. Move deliberately, as if you are not alarmed. This will help to calm the bear, too.* If you are in a group, bunch up, or join other hikers nearby.* If you are carrying pepper spray, get it ready, just in case.* Speak to the bear in a normal tone of voice. This helps to identify you as a human and satisfy the bear's curiosity.(The Official Parks Canada Visitors' Guide)The underlying premise of the above instructions is that bears are dangerous. They need to be approached properly.
It seems we are more afraid of bears than we are of God.I think of how we saunter into the presence of God Sunday after Sunday. I think about the kind of songs we offer to Him.Often we offer what my friend Leon calls "God is my boyfriend" songs. Forgive me Kutless fans but when I hear lyrics like the following, I blush. ( I know they do good Christian rock stuff.)"You are my desireNo one else will do'Cause no one else could take Your placeTo feel the warmth of Your embraceHelp me find the way to bring me back to YouYou're all I wantYou're all I've ever neededYou're all I wantHelp me know You are near""To feel the warmth of your embrace?"
Are you nuts? Do you think you can embrace the Divine Flame and not be fried to a cinder? What were you thinking?
Compare how the biblical saints respond to encounters with God.
Isaiah becomes acutely aware of his sinfulness and think his destruction is imminent. (Isaiah 6:1-5)
Ezekiel falls face down on the ground. (Ezekiel 1:1-28)
Daniel faints, his face to the ground. (Daniel 10:1-9)
Moses is given specific instructions as to how he is to approach God — He is to take off his sandals as a mark of holy fear and submission. (Exodus 3:1-6)
In the totality of biblical revelation, we learn that God is also our Father (Matthew 6:9) and our friend (John 15:15). But as Jesus Himself points out after He washes the feet of His disciples, He is friend, but He remains Teacher and Lord (John 13:13).A lonely and fatherless generation wants to draw near to God. They crave intimacy. But on their terms. And they run the danger of idolatry, drawing close to a god of their own making.
Miroslav Volf is but one of many voices who warn us of the dangers of confusing God with our images of Him. He warns us that:"But in fact our images of God are rather different from God's reality. We are finite beings, and God is infinitely greater than any thoughts we can contain about divine reality in our wondrous but tiny minds. We are sinful beings, and God is different from what we conceive in our selfishness and pride. Finite and self centered as we are, we often forget God's warning through the prophet Isaiah: "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts' (55:9).
When we forget that, we unwittingly reduce God's ways to our ways and God's thoughts to our thoughts. Our hearts become factories of idols in which we fashion and refashion God to fit our needs."(Free of Charge, p. 22)
Recently I had the opportunity to thank a lecturer that had blessed me so much in my time in seminary. I was in my late 20's then. He was in his fifties and had a number of successful pastorates before becoming principal of a theological college. He was an excellent teacher but what shocked me was how he treated me — he treated me as a peer when obviously I was not.His condescension was encouraging and empowering.
It was used by God to help me gain confidence about life and about ministry. I was touched that he reached out to me as a peer precisely because I knew I was not.We will never appreciate what it means that God "came down" (Exodus 3:8) unless we realize how far that journey was.Yes God is a welcoming Father (Luke 15:11-32) but He is still the Wholly Other. He is both.
Any intimacy that forgets His awesome holiness and majesty is an encounter with an idol we have made in our own minds, and not an encounter with God Himself.In the end a God who is intimate but not big is of not much comfort.
As I write this piece, I am very aware of so much need — growing racial tensions in my own country, a number of friends fighting cancer, fresh violence in Lebanon, etc, etc, etc. I need a God big enough to take all these and more in His stride.
A "boy-friend" God isn't nearly big enough.And so daily I ask God for grace to fight the idolatry of my mind and my heart. I continually allow Scripture to edit my images and thoughts of Him. Periodic retreats to places of natural beauty helps. And so does good literature.
C. S. Lewis is always helpful:[of Aslan] Mr. Tumnus: He's not a tame lion.Lucy Pevensie: No... but he's good.God is wild and dangerous. Approach with care. But He is also good.
I feel loved in the embrace of this God. I feel safe entrusting the world, and my life, into His hands.
Your brother,
Soo-Inn Tan
starSfish @ 8:29 PM link to post
20061124
Hi all,
I just lost my handphone a few hours ago. So will be uncontactable via call or sms. I left my handphone and wallet on the bus, very careless of me.
Still, wanna thank God that my wallet can be found, with my IC, Nus card, and money intact. Praise God!
P.S. My exam starts tomorrow and ends on 6 Dec
Can pray for me tks!
In Christ,
Zeniv
starSfish @ 10:15 PM link to post
20061120
Cell is ON! My place at 230pm. Those who wanna come earlier to chill or fellowship are free to do so but inform me. Just in case i go out for lunch or something.
Scripture memory for last week:
Hebrews 10:24-25 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching
Sunday after church, let's go to Acts for their sale. Can buy gifts, books, cds and dvds ( 2+1, 1+1 ). Who's keen?
Keep each other in prayer! Prepare something to share on sat on what the ord has done, been speaking to you, what u have learnt n etc.. Who knows, we might be a hidden ram?
From Zec
starSfish @ 10:57 PM link to post
20061115
Cell is on this Sat @Zec's place.
Time: 2pm
Come early and fellowship with one another k? ;)
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)
starSfish @ 10:22 AM link to post
20061113
starSfish
hey all,
thx for all the prayers, I really appreciate it. its really needed. I've got a couple more things that I'm praying about.
1st of all, I really thank God that my parents are taking the news of the disease well... also thank God that I've more or less gotten over the hump of sulking over what my disease can do to me. it is really thru this weakness that I'm now a little more sensitive to the Lord's voice. the qns that I have now isn't what I can do or not, but what does God want me to surrender or do.
the Lord really surprised me last thu during the check up. my resting heart rate(HR) was 45. John would tell you that's an athlete's HR. the Doc put me on the treadmill, he pumped me up to the highest stage, which raised my heart rate to beyond 200. I was alright. it was then that I realized what would put me into the state of fits; HR spike. and I even know how not get out of the 'fainting spells'.
but for now, out of respect for my aunt and the docs, I still won't do long distance cycling.
Once again I shall declare, "as long as I can breathe, I will BLESS the NAME of THE LORD!!!"
2nd, Exams
Exam Date Exam Time Subject
15-NOV 1700-1900 Integrated Electronics
21-NOV 1700-1900 Communication Principles
22-NOV 1700-1900 Semiconductor Devices & Processing
23-NOV 1700-1900 Microprocessors
27-NOV 1700-1900 Engineering Electromagnetics
29-NOV 1700-1930 Engineering Mathematics II
The 3 back-to-back papers btw 21-23Nov are supposed to be my stronger modules, but with such little time to recuperate, I can only pray for a clear mind and good memory.
3rd, Attachment!!!
(Big 1 that I've got to worry about later)
Nokia, Germany has approved of my application, and I've checked with my parents, they'd rather me go overseas than do my attachment in SG, so I guess I'd be gone from Jan to Jun!!! I did complain to God that I'd prefer a southern Germany posting so I can attend the church I attended b4 with ease... but something tells me that God has something else installed. I wonder what!!!
Lord forgive me for I am indeed of little faith.Please help & teach me to have more faith in You. For the times when I felt like giving up, Father please forgive me...
You indeed are faithful! Your Love is amazing! Your Love is astounding!
Once again I shall declare, "as long as I can breathe, I will BLESS the NAME of THE LORD!!!"
---YXX---
starSfish @ 8:02 PM link to post
20061109
http://www.andiesisle.com/icanonlyimagine.html
(on your sound when viewing)
Nice. Indeed at the end of the day, all that we do for eternity counts. God bless.
starSfish @ 3:54 PM link to post
20061108
Cell this sat (11/11) is at 2pm @Uncle Nat's place.
Be there at around 145pm so cell can start at 2pm.
Please don't let what happened last sat happen again this sat.
Thanks. Cya there.
Anyone has problem getting there?
Tag on tagboard or sth or sms any of the Com i/cs.
starSfish @ 11:34 PM link to post
starSfish
hey all, I just wanna thank everyone for last sat, for praying for me, being with me, sharing etc... it really blessed, comforted and encouraged me.
I've been rather disillusioned from fri-mon... finding it very hard to accept myself cos from young I've been enjoying outdoors, and a fair bit of strenuous activities. and at least
till last on sat, numerous ppl have told me some of the things that the Lord has planned for me. some of these include the music ministry, others include cycling along with other stuffs. at that pt in time, it was really hard for me to see them cos I'm so concerned that for the rest of my life I might be a cardio-handicap, as in someone that can't allow his heart rate to go far beyond resting limits.
and its really like what was shared, Abraham, thru Issac is to 'create' a nation. then God tells Abraham to sacrifice, which includes killing Issac. the bible doesn't tell us if Abraham was unwilling. but it certainly tells us that Abraham obeyed, perhaps fearful, but still with faith that God can resurrect the dead.
the sharing spoke directly to my situation, here I am, as a considerably experienced and strong cyclist, am suddenly stripped of my strength.
whilst cycling to the mrt station from sch last evening, (at least I can still do short distance cycling) I prayed this prayer, Lord if you want me to submit my cycling life to You, I'll do it, not so as to get back my ability to cycle, but simply out of obedience to You.
1 last thing, I'd like to say b4 I sign off this sharing is that, I pray that we'd all be more open to each other.
I'm not saying we aren't, but that we should be more of what we already are.
Let's step out of our comfort zones, into some uncharted waters of trusting the ppl in our cell.
Forever I will Bless Your Name!!!
---YXX---
starSfish @ 12:45 AM link to post
20061106
"Hear, O Israel (starSifish) : The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts."
(Deuteronomy 6:4-6)
starSfish @ 11:03 AM link to post
20061102
starSfish
hey ppl!!!
I'm back from the hospital... erm... apparently, I got things mixed up... my appt was with the neurologist, not the neuro-surgeon. anyway, after talking to the neurologist, he decided I should go for a series of tests... MRI, brain scan, EEG, ECG, etc... (whatever these things are) but anyway becos of how crowded the public hospitals are, I could only do the ECG today, which apparently produced some very interesting results; irregular pulses...
& now... I've been referred to the cardiologist... Haiz... more scans... that means more time wasted. [EXAMS are round the corner]
anyway, after talking to my aunt, who's a GP, she explained more of the stuffs yo me in detail. and for the 1st time we found out that I've had a damaged heart from birth... hmmm... its weird that they only realized it after so many years, and what even weirder is that despite being a hyper active kid, I never had fits. not to forget the grueling and strenuous training I went thru in the army.
my aunt concluded the session by saying that none of these were coincidental. the Lord preserved me for a purpose. once again, the same line "The Lord has preserved you for a purpose!"
to top it off, my aunt made me promise her not to do strenuous activities including cycling ... haiz... now kena immobilized... so I guess I won't be doing more than 10km a day.
well... more scans, more exams...
---YXX---
starSfish @ 8:21 PM link to post