Blessed Steps

This has been a prayer I pray before leading worship or preaching or serving in any ways that may consciously or subconsciously boost my pride and steal God's glory. "Dear God,  May I be a mirror, reflecting all Your Glory back to You.  In Jesus' Name I pray,  Amen." A plane mirror. Such that I keep NO Glory of His at all.

"Hospitality is not about changing people,  but offering them a safe place where growth and change can take place.  Acceptance of people in their brokenness is necessary to offer them this space. " This is a post-retreat reflection. Original content extracted from Dr James' sharing. Changing people is God's job. Our job is to give people the time and space through accepting them. I used to think... Why do people still want to willingly get married when they know they're going to get hurt by their spouse inevitably? It's just like, why do people still want to willingly get close to people (friends) when they know that the closer you get to a person, the deeper they can cut you? Why still choose to be close? The answer is because... 1) God made us desire intimacy 2) God design us to live in community (not as a lone-ranger) 3) Our weight is on God (just imagine sitting on a chair and you relax yourself and put your entire weight on God. I...

I have so much to write about this but I don't have to luxury of time at this moment. Maybe I will come back to document down my entire experience on this historical day of May the 9th 2018.  I pray that it will not be a repetition of May 13th 1969.  I pray for the leaders of the nations.  I pray for the people of this land. Now I know how it feels like for the prophets in the Bible to cry over Israel.  Now I know how it feels like when they mourn over Israel and the destruction of Israel and want to die for their land. Now I know what it meant.  Ezekiel 36:-37-38 God's promise of restoration to the land of Israel. "Then they will know that I am the LORD" May I never forget how desolation of land feels like May I never forget how hope looks like even if it's just a glimmer at the end of the tunnel May I never forget how hope feels like when it legitly dawn upon our land.  May I never forget that the Sovereign LORD say...

"Right Believing leads to Right Living." If our faith is off, our walk will be off.  If our walk is off, we need to take a good look at what we believe.  Anger, Anxiety and Depression signals that we are hoping something will happen, but we have no guarantee it will, we have no complete control over the results.  Depression often signals that we are desperately clinging to a goal we have little or no chance of achieving, and that is Not a healthy goal.  Sometimes, it just takes realization that this goal may be beyond our ability or right to control.  Sometimes, depression reveals a faulty concept of God.  If God wants something done, can it be done?  If God has a goal for our life, can it come true?  "Nothing will be impossible with God" (Luke 1:37) To live successful lives, we need to distinguish our godly goal from a godly desire. godly goal=  (something we can control) godly desire=  ...

“A good leader motivates, doesn't mislead, doesn't exploit.” Proverbs  16:10  (The Message)   If you desire to influence another person, the way to start is by nurturing them. What clergyman John Knox said over four hundred years ago is still true: "You cannot antagonize and influence at the same time." At the heart of the nurturing process is genuine concern for others . And as we try to help and influence the people around us, we must have positive feelings and concern for them. If you want to help people and make a positive impact on them, you cannot dislike or disparage them. You must give love to them and give them respect. You may be wondering why you should take on a nurturing role with the people you want to influence, especially if they are employees, colleagues, or friends. You may be saying to yourself, "Isn't that something they can get somewhere else, like at home?" The unfortunate truth is that most people are desperate for encouragement...

Here is sharing a short script from my Homiletics assignment last year:  Assignment Question : To reflect upon the bible verse given below and to relate it to real life issues for a short sermon script.  Bible Verse : “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). My mom used to say that if you never fall, you'll never learn how to properly ride a bike. For the longest time, I don't dare to learn to bike because I was afraid that I would fall. I was more afraid of the embarrassment and shame of falling than the physical injuries that I might get. Falling down is shameful to a kid, you'll get laughed at. Now that I'm an adult, falling down is still shameful. Be it falling physically or falling into sins. When we fall into sin consciously or ignorantly, we can't help but to feel ashamed when we come before God. Sometimes the shame is so overwhelm...

Today, I have officially completed One academic year in Trinity Theological College! Singapore.  A place I now call Home.  I could never have imagined that I'm currently studying in Singapore... when all I could remember was the 18 year-old me telling God how much I didn't want to follow my siblings' footsteps to come to Singapore for university  because I have heard of the stressful environment, the controlled atmosphere, the this and the that... But 9 years later, I ended up in Singapore for my Masters program. God works in His own interesting ways, sometimes ways that I will never understand. Because He knows me better than I know myself. As I worshiped, I couldn't help but to thank Him for showering so much, so much of grace on this undeserving me. In front of Him, I am but a tiny creation of His.  A tiny creature who is made in HIS IMAGE.  It is true that by totally surrendering to Him and walking in His ways, you will be led ...